Warnings: Brief fighting sequence with depictions of blood and grievous injuries.
Chapter Seven: The Whims of a God
Alatus did not know what his master saw in the blond Mondstadter. While he was well aware of how alluring Morax found beautiful creatures, he had never amused himself with one as he had the previous night. As much as he took pride in ensuring his master's happiness, he had senses something sinister lurking beneath the blond's beauty.
Had Morax sensed it too? Alatus muses as his spear skewers a pair of corrupted hilichurls. Surely, he must have. So why would he lower his guard so easily?
As he clears out the last camp of possessed beasts, the Vigilant Yaksha wonders if perhaps the Geo Archon had been corrupted.
It would not be the first time someone had thought to weaken Morax with poison. But who would dare?
"Oh Xiao?! Hey Xiao!" Paimon calls out as she approaches with the blond Outlander.
If I remember correctly that blond seemed to be from Mondstadt too. Only a foreigner would dare poison Rex Lapis!
But he could not know, and he desperately needed to be sure before he dared disturb his master with his suspicions. And so, he decides to seek counsel with the illuminated adepti and departs first for Moon Carver's abode. But the riddle baffles even the guardian of Qingyun Peak and so the Conqueror of Demons seeks out Cloud Retainer.
It is very early in the morning when he arrives at Mt. Aozang, and the majestic crane is standing beneath a tree watching over a slumbering Ganyu. As he approaches, Cloud Retainer lifts a wing to direct him towards her abode to keep from waking the overworked secretary.
"Hmmm this is quite troubling indeed," Cloud Retainer agrees as the Vigilant Yaksha concludes his tale. "And its significance evades Moon Carver as well?"
"Indeed," Alatus admits quietly. "My lord has passed several millennia amongst the humans and this is the first time he has…involved himself with one."
"Perhaps one is overthinking it and he is merely seeking a more creative form of amusement," Cloud retainer muses. "It has been some time since Guizhong's passing and one does remember how frequently they engaged in such vigorous couplings."
"But why this creature?" The Conqueror of Demons laments.
"The way one describes him leads one to believe that he is incomparably fair," Cloud Retainer explains. "Morax has always treasured such creatures. It is why Guizhong turned his eye when even the fair Havria could not. One imagines that Rex Lapis will amuse himself with this human for a while longer and move on once old age robs him of his youthful beauty and vigor."
But this explanation would not do and so the Vigilant Yaksha journeyed until he reached Mt. Hulao where he found Mountain Shaper and sought his counsel in turn.
"A distressing state of affairs indeed," Mountain Shaper muses as the Conqueror of Demons watches him expectantly. "And neither Cloud Retainer nor Moon Carver can proffer an explanation?"
"While Moon Carver is as mystified as I, he does not share my concern," Alatus replies. "Cloud Retainer feels this creature's beauty has seduced Morax and believes his affections will vanish once the beauty disappears."
"Hmmm," Mountain Shaper hums. "While one can understand their views, one does not think this should be so easily disregarded. After all, one knows how frail humans can be. One shudders to think what would become of Morax should this creature suffer Guizhong's fate."
The notion of Morax bereaved caused the Conqueror of Demons a considerable amount of consternation. He could not bear to see his master in mourning again.
"One thinks it best to seek answers from Rex Lapis himself. We adepti cannot hope to make sense of the Prime Adeptus' machinations." Mountain Shaper proposes after some thought.
And so, the Vigilant Yaksha sets off in search of his master and finds Morax with the blond and two others on the hill near the outskirts of Liyue Harbor. Of the two, he recognizes only Fortune Preserver. The second is a rambunctious blonde child dressed in flowing red robes who kept distracting the fair blond from his painting.
"Shall I distract them while you finish your painting?" Alatus overhears Morax offer sympathetically as he approaches to inspect the blond's handiwork.
"It's fine," the blond sighs. "I can always finish it tomorrow evening. Perhaps we should take her on another walk down the wharf."
"It will soon be dark," Morax notes. "Finish your painting. I'll take Klee and Qiqi over to see Baizhu."
When the blond opens his mouth to protest, the Geo Archon bends and kisses him deeply silencing him before stroking his hair adoringly. But the blonde child's impertinence knows no bounds and she dances out of the Lord of Commerce's reach, singing and cackling wildly at his increasingly earnest efforts to subdue her. At some point Fortune Preserver takes pity on the struggling Archon and tries to catch the blonde, but the child's squeals of delights only grow as she evades and dodges her pursuers.
Releasing a long, drawn-out sigh, the slender blond packs away his easel and kneels to beckon the mad child into his arms. She flies to him with a triumphant squeal giggling and bouncing happily even as he chides her. Morax bends to scoop Fortune Preserver into his strong arms and shifts her unto his left arm while he helps the blond carry his easel with his right hand.
Alatus watches from afar as they walk away and follows from the rooftops making sure to keep a respectful distance lest his presence annoy his master. His heartbeat quickens as he feels Morax sense him and waits for the appropriate time to approach him. A tall green-haired man with a white snake draped around his shoulders is waiting for them outside a large pharmacy and thanks them for returning Fortune Preserver before receiving her from Rex Lapis' arms. The red-clad child converses briefly with the petite adeptus before bidding her farewell as the blond departs with Rex Lapis.
They walk down the street and continue until they reach the entrance to a great manor. The slender youth sets his diminutive companion on the ground and receives his easel from Rex Lapis with a grateful smile. They converse briefly and make arrangements to meet shortly for dinner before the Mondstadters enter the great manor. Morax returns to his apartment where he finally acknowledges the Vigilant Yaksha.
"Forgive me my lord," the Conqueror of Demons greets, prostrating as he lands on Morax's balcony. "I merely wanted to thank you for the medicine you had the Traveler deliver to me."
"You using it would be thanks enough," Morax notes dryly as he begins to undress. Alatus averts his gaze respectfully casting them instead towards the city.
"Yes, master," the Vigilant Yaksha mumbles sheepishly as he makes a mental note to treat some of his injuries with the ointment. His master's concern deeply touched him for it was always earnest and genuine. And yet he could not help but feel somewhat embarrassed by it like a child who was chided for refusing to eat their vegetables.
"Something else is troubling you," Rex Lapis observes as he finishes dressing.
"The Mondstadter," Alatus hesitates before shaking his head.
"You disapprove of him?"
"N-no ma-master! I would never—"
"Speak freely," the Geo Archon commands kindly. "You have gone out of your way all these centuries to give Liyue Harbor a wide berth and yet you follow me home without any ounce of hesitation when you see me in his company."
"My lord, forgive me but I do not wish to speak ill of one you favor so greatly," Alatus evades.
"Even when I command it?" Morax presses firmer now.
"The Mondstadter—something in his constitution is unnatural—almost deliberately perverse. Like it was intended to attract and ensnare—like a Venus flytrap!"
"You refer to his beauty?" The Conqueror of Demons nods mutely. "Yes, I had noticed it too. I confess it is what drew me to him."
"My lord I fear his visage is meant to conceal a sinister secret," the Yaksha confesses. "With my lord's permission I can investigate his true nature and report back once I determine that he poses no threat to you."
"Thank you," Morax smiles. "But I do not wish to alarm him."
"But my lord!" the Vigilant Yaksha protests stepping forward. "Please. I fear the enemy might have planted him with every intention of ensnaring you."
A silence falls over the room as the Archon's amber eyes begin to shimmer. Fearing that he had offended his master, the Conqueror of Demons prostrates himself once more and begins to mutter a litany of apologies. But Rex Lapis barely hears as his attention is drawn elsewhere.
"M-my lord?"
"So, you have felt it too," Morax says quietly, his gaze hard and unfocused as he stands motionless at the center of the room. His arms begin to glow with markings of his divinity as his skin tints to a deep brown akin to mud in both texture and hue.
"My lord?" The Vigilant Yaksha repeats uncertainly.
"There is a presence following him," the Archon explains. "I first sensed it moments after I first met him. At first it merely seemed content to observe his movements, so I did not dwell on it."
"I felt it too my Lord," Alatus confesses earnestly. "T-hat night while you slept at Luhua Pool."
"These past couple of days it's presence has grown sporadic, however, its agitation is clear. Perhaps that is why it tries to conceal its presence from me."
"It's a trap my lord," Alatus warns. "Please do not let its bait draw you out."
"No, Albedo is unaware of its presence," Morax reasons. "If he could sense its presence he would put as much distance between himself and Klee for her sake."
"Send me my lord," the Yaksha suggests without fear or hesitation. "I shall smite this wretched fiend and deliver its heart to you."
"If you can draw it out to Guyun Stone Forest," Rex Lapis instructs as the Yaksha hops unto his balcony railing. "I will meet you there shortly." The Yaksha nods in acknowledgement before gliding away, pulling his mask on as he scans the night sky for any traces of his prey.
He soon spots a faint trail of strange elemental energy and follows it until the clang of clashing swords breaks his concentration. When he turns, he notices a figure fleeing from a frost-coated arrow. He spies Ganyu from her vantage point on a distant rooftop and dashes to meet her.
"M-Mr. Xiao!" She cries out as he lands beside her.
"What is it?! What are you shooting at?" He presses earnestly as he scans the street for any sign of her quarry.
"R-R-Rex Lapis came to me in a dream some nights ago and bid me to protect the Kreideprinz of Mondstadt."
"What an absurd title," Alatus fumes distractedly.
"H-he's staying with the Commerce Guild Manager's family, s-so-o I've been watching their home for some time now," the Archer explains. "Tonight, some of the guards stepped away to watch the fireworks which was when a strange intruder tried to scale the walls."
"Humans can be incomprehensibly stupid creatures!" the Yaksha seethes through clenched teeth. "Describe this villain and I will annihilate him."
"He is tall and blond dressed in dark clothes with a long cape. F-from here it seemed as if half of his face was concealed behind a mask. As far as I could tell he was unarmed."
"I see," the Vigilant Yaksha muses. "I will scan the area for—"
"Look out! He's on the move!" Ganyu cries suddenly.
Alatus turns in time to see the interloper leap unto a nearby roof before sprinting away.
"Follow me!" the Conqueror of dreams calls out as he takes off. "We cannot engage him in the city! Head northeast! We must draw him out to Guyun Stone Forest."
"Y-yes sir!" Ganyu calls back as she lets loose another arrow.
It narrowly misses its mark who leaps aside at the last moment and diverges from his course. Alatus dashes forward and leaps high into the sky, landing soundlessly before the interloper who immediately flies back.
"Step aside," the stranger growls pulling his right arm back. "Or I shall smite you where you stand!"
It is no idle threat for unlike his left arm which is gloved, this one is naked and an unnatural shade of black with glowing blue veins stretching around it. A malevolent aura pervades the cursed appendage sending a shiver of dread down the Yaksha's spine. Before either of them can speak, a rain of frozen arrows descends upon the interloper forcing him to shield his body from the barrage with his right arm.
Seizing on his opponent's distraction, the Conqueror of Demons lunges forward with his spear and diverts it at the last moment to allow his opponent space to flee. But the blond stands his ground and allows the weapon to run him through, seizing Alatus' arm to hold him in place before kicking him to the heavens with enough force to shatter several ribs.
The Yaksha groans as he spins midair and rights himself, landing awkwardly on the pavement below and spraining his ankle badly. Ganyu takes over his pursuit of the interloper, calmly unleashing a steady barrage of frost-bitten projectiles. The intruder yanks out Alatus' spear and hurls it in the half-qilin's general direction. She cries out as she scrambles to dodge the projectile, losing her footing and crashing to the floor.
"Disappear!" Alatus roars as he leaps unto the roof to retrieve his spear before dashing to knock the interloper forward.
The blond groans as their bodies crash and the Yaksha seizes his neck and hurls him towards the ocean with all his might. Ganyu recovers quickly enough and fires a frozen arrow at the spot in the water where the intruder is supposed to land freezing it over completely. The man grimaces as his body slams unto the ice but fights to his feet before either of his pursuers can capitalize.
"So, you do bleed," Alatus notes a cruel smile twisting the corners of his lips as he notes the pool of blood growing at the blond's feet. "Good. I was beginning to fear that things will get boring."
"Do not pretend like you have bested me," the stranger scoffs. "Where it not for the Archer I would have hurled your corpse into the ocean long ago."
"Is that so?" the Conqueror of Dreams cackles. "I welcome you to try."
"As tempting as it is," the blond states bluntly. "I sense that we share a similar goal."
The Yaksha feels his student lower her bow and shoot him with a bewildered glance.
"Pay no attention to his lies. It is a diversion—"
"Calamity will befall all present on this day if I were to fight at my full capacity," the stranger states matter-of-factly. "I merely hold back because I sense a peaceful path to my objective."
"A-and what is your objective?" Ganyu asks quietly.
"The destruction of the Prince of Chalk."