Chapter Text
The astrologist was wrong. She had to be.
Many had crossed those golden doors over the years, but none had been the one they were looking for. Decades of waiting, yet one word for this girl, and suddenly, the wait was over?
Ganyu didn’t believe this.
Restlessness grew stronger as the hours ticked by. Everyone was eager to see what the harvest would bring in this year, especially the servants. They went all out on the decorations, sparing no expense whatsoever to make the chosen bride feel at home. But, with all this wealth thrown in their face, who ever would? On top of that, even the Archon played along.
Golden robes made of the finest silk.
Slippers embroidered by the goddess of longevity herself.
A dowry so hefty, one could buy a whole kingdom with it.
This was too much. He, of all people, should’ve known not to trust a charlatan but... their lord had always been quite naïve. He had drunk her words like they were prophecies from Celestia itself.
“What do you think of this?” She asked the man sitting next to her.
“As long as the Archon is happy, I’m happy.”
Xiao’s features remained unchanged, yet the slightest shadow of a frown lingered on his face.
“Liar.” She teased. “You’re as worried as I am. What if she’s wrong and none of the next ones is the one?”
“Then we look for another like we usually do.
But, could Morax even last that long?
“I can’t help but worry.”
“He’ll be alright.” Xiao sighed. “I trust the Astrologist’s words.”
When the moon reaches its peak, a new wind will blow from the northwest.
“You’re to be sent on a special mission, Tartaglia.”
The young man’s eyes gleamed in interest. “How special?” He asked as he wiped the blood off his daggers.
His superior grinned. “Special enough to put your name in Snezhnaya’s history books.”
Scattering the thundering clouds,
A cold laugh echoed in the room.
“I have no intention nor will to be a hero. Why not get someone else? I would rather do the dirty work—”
unifying the realm,
He caught movement in the corner of his eyes. One of the hoarders had managed to survive but instead of running, he picked up his sword.
What a fool.
breathing new life into that which is decaying,
Tartaglia shoved his dagger into the man’s stomach, making sure that this time, he wouldn’t get up.
“-it’s so much more interesting.” He finished with a soft smile on his lips.
“If it’s dirty work you want, I have a feeling you’ll enjoy this job very much.”
The young man gave him his full attention,
“I’m listening.”
from its arrival, a new era of peace will be born.
Ganyu hadn’t trusted her words.
“How precise are your predictions?” She had asked.
“Hmm.” The Astrologist had paused, holding her chin thoughfully. “About... seventy percent.”
“Seventy percent…” Ganyu sighed.
That wasn’t very reassuring.
The full moon shined high in the sky, marking the beginning of the mid-autumn festival. A few decades ago, on this very day, many festivities would take place. The people would gather and wish for a generous harvest and protection from evil. Nowadays, there was no more happiness. No lanterns were lit, no songs sung. Today was the day of the renewal of the yearly contract between the people of Liyue and their god.
One bride per village. That’s what was expected of them and like every year, they obeyed the terms of their contract. This year, the chosen bride wasn’t a local. In fact, he wasn’t chosen at all. No, this particular bride volunteered to be sacrificed to the God of Geo. All thought him to be mad, but who could refuse such a gift? The alternative would’ve been to send another one of their children, only for them never to be seen again.
“They’ll be here soon. The Adepti are never late.”
The young man behind the red veil nodded . He had been sitting here for quite some time now. While the Adepti weren’t late, they weren’t early either. He had been waiting for so long that his buttock was numb from the cold and the tip of his fingers felt like slabs of ice. If they didn’t arrive soon, he'd froze to death before ever setting eyes on the Morax.
“You know what to do?” The old man asked, eyeing the sky in caution.
“The Queen was very clear.” He answered, examining the embroidery on his sleeve.
The phoenixes, if he could even call them that, were of very simple design and resembled fat pigeons. The lines were rough and unrefined, no doubt made by a local seamstress. It lacked the elegance one would expect for such a robe. His skin even itched against the cheap material. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if he had rashes came morning. But, with such a strong smell of dirt and stale incense, he wasn’t expecting to even live past morning. If the stench didn’t kill him, the Geo Archon surely would.
Even a god couldn’t tolerate such a scent … no wonder any of the brides ever came back.
What a joke.
“This mission is no easy task; you must proceed with caution.” The man hissed. “Once you’re up there, you’re on your own. No one will be able to assist you if you’re discovered—”
Childe gazed turned dark. “Who are you again?”
The undercover agent froze and bowed his head. “I’m sorry sir, I overstepped. I’m sure you got everything under control.”
Whatever was up there, he could overcome it.
“Tell our dear Tsaritsa to remember our promise and I shall do the same.”
A glow appeared in the darkness of the sky followed by a low rumbling.
“They’re here.” The man said.
No shit.
If he wasn’t in such a hurry, he would’ve definitely taught that idiot a thing or two about when to shut up.
The glow turned into a blinding flash, like a shooting star. It flew straight for them, landing into the town square in a matter of seconds. The ground shook and a strong burst of wind pushed everyone back.
The settling dust revealed a luxurious sedan covered in red and gold ribbons. Childe had never seen anything quite like it before. A young lady with white hair and dark horns appeared next to it. A curious sight, for sure yet all the villagers bowed to her, hitting their foreheads on the ground while doing so.
Liyue's customs were still quite the mystery to him. While he should’ve paid more attention when trying to learn them, he wouldn't be here long enough for it to matter.
Childe gave her a hesitant bow. The villagers got up and another light appeared in the sky. Faster than the first one, ripping through the wind in a deafening rumble. It crashed right next to the sedan, shattering the ground below in a thousand pieces.
“It’s him.” Someone whispered.
“The demon…”
“Finally,” Childe said, stretching. “I was starting to wonder when you all would show up.”
“You will be quiet.” The man said.
Dark mask, dark hair. The infamous Guardian yaksha.
“Sure, whatever.”
The Queen had warned Childe about him; Beware of the one wearing a demon mask. He’s the most loyal to the Morax and the fiercest of the Adepti.
Now that he took a good look at him, his build wasn’t imposing at all. Small waist, small arms … he was even shorter than Childe. If he ever had to fight him, this would be an easy win. Like kicking a newborn puppy—
Childe sucked in a breath as the Guardian gazed in his direction. Surely, he couldn’t read thoughts? The man’s attention stayed on him for only a brief moment before he muttered a few words to the other Adeptus. Horn girl turned to the villagers.
“The mid-autumn festival is upon us once again. Per our traditions, every village must offer up a bride to the Morax to maintain the Harvester’s contract. Protection from His Majesty will be guaranteed, and good luck will come your way.”
So, peace did come at a price, huh?
She gestured for him to follow. He got into the sedan and sighed in relief when his hand made contact with the soft fabric of the cushions. It reminded him of home. Luxury was something he always enjoyed and looked forward to. If that’s what the Geo’s Archon sedan looked like... he couldn’t wait to see the interior of the Golden Palace.
The Adepti lingered around for a bit, finalizing the contract while Childe waited.
Forget this contract. In a few hours, their precious god would be dead anyway. The chair hovered above ground before rising into the sky. The village below them shrank until nothing remained but a faint black spot. Like spilled ink on an empty piece of parchment.
The Golden Palace was so high in the sky that it stood above the very clouds. It was a dozen times the size of Zapolyarny Palace and made of massive gold walls and Geo pillars. No wonder people called it the second sun. Even in the night, it outshined every stars. The sound of fireworks echoed in the distance as they arrived. He wasn’t even there yet, and the festivities had already started.
As soon as the Sedan stopped, he let out a long breath. This was it. He peaked outside and saw a dozen other brides waiting. All elegant, refined, and wearing gorgeous bridal gowns. He glanced down at his robe and sighed. How was he supposed to grab Morax's attention with such shitty garments?
They all stared at each other like frightened animals. But little did they know that the only danger here was him. When he stepped outside the sedan, everyone bowed down. Hundreds of servants, now down on their knees for him. It was grandiose. He could get used to this. Being treated like a king surely had its perks.
“So, what’s my future husband like?” He asked, turning to the guardian, half hoping to get a reaction out of him. Or a fight. When he didn’t answer, Childe added, “What, small talk isn’t allowed?”
Childe felt the stern glare behind the mask.
“He’s the Geo Archon, the god of War, victor of the Archon war… That should give you an idea of his character.”
“Scary.” He chuckled.
The interior was as exquisite as the exterior of the palace. Golden corridors so shiny, Childe could see his reflection in them. The brides shook in fear while the Adepti escorted them to massive doors, so high, it reached the ceiling. The throne room, no doubt.
The Guardian waved the servants away.
“Listen up. Before you see the Morax, there are rules you need to follow.”
“But of course. Anything he wants of me, I will do—” Childe replied.
“Firstly, do not speak unless you are spoken to.”
Well, this one was going to be quite hard.
“You must kneel at all time in his presence. Do not gaze directly at him—”
“Do I need to bark too?” He whispered.
The guardian sighed in annoyance. “Just keep your mouth shut and your eyes down.” His glare turned icy. “Or I’ll take your head.”
Not before Childe took his.
“Enough.” Horn girl said, now joining them. “They haven’t been here for more than a few minutes and you’re already threatening them? Xiao…” She shook her head. “What would Morax think?”
“Yes, Xiao. What would Morax think?” Childe asked behind his veil, a wide smile on his lips.
Before any of them could reply, the doors opened. He obeyed the guardian’s order for approximately half a second before gazing up. The throne room was impressive. Thousand times more lavish than Snezhnaya’s. The archon sat on one of the biggest thrones he had ever laid his eyes upon, in all his glory. Shining gold eyes, razor-sharp teeth, pointy horns—
The Geo Archon was a gigantic dragon.
“What the fu—”