Gods are fickle creatures, their motives unclear and beyond the understanding of mortals; choices gods make can often seem pointless and strange, this is not true; every choice a god makes always has a reason sometimes it is a grand scheme that will further its will or the will of those that worship it. At times, however, the god merely wishes to entertain its self. This is why an ivory-haired girl from another world has found herself in a strange land far from her own, sleeping underneath a device that emits a light blue glow. The girl's name is Riven, and her eyes are about to open to an unfamiliar sight.
Riven stirs an arm brought up to her face to block out the sun's rays beaming down on her. Rolling over onto her side, she notices something in her half-awake state she wasn't laying on a cold hard stone floor it's grass and dirt. At that moment Riven felt a surge of adrenaline rush through her body, eyes opened wide, she shot up off the ground and to her feet in an instant. Riven's eyes scanned the area around her two ruined walls were to her left and right, ruins in front of her four massive pillars stand holding up nothing but the sky with a strange machine leaning against one. Behind her were more ruins, two houses, a lake, travertine pools, along with a floating device, and mountains far as the eye can see. It was clear she wasn't in the arena cells anymore or anywhere in the Noxus Empire for that matter; the empire was expansive, yes, but Noxus has never conquered land with such beauty before they came close with Ionia, but this wasn't Ionia.
"Where am I?" asking herself a question she did not have an answer for, but the people living in those houses might she just needed to get to them. It was too far a jump off the cliff for her to land unscathed, and getting hurt in a land she knew nothing about wasn't a great idea guess she'll have to go towards the ruined pillars and strange machine. As Riven got closer to the ruins she noticed a camp; unfortunately it looks as though it had been abandoned for some time already. Turning her attention back to what was in front of her, she could see a building built on top of a tree in the distance; perhaps she could find some help there. Before she could start making her way towards the structure she noticed a sound behind her Riven quickly turns to see the lifeless machine was no longer lifeless and now towered over her.
"Perfect, just perfect." lifting both arms the machine brings them down in an attempt to flatten Riven, which the girl is easily able to dodge it may be big, but it was slow and bulky, which was good cause Riven was unarmed right now and in no position to fight such a massive machine. Running Riven jumped down to a lower part of the ruins with the machine following close behind it was faster than it looked. Her heart racing Riven thought she had reached a dead end it was too risky for her to jump down at this height, thankfully on her right was a cliff edge Riven could climb down just past a tree. Following the newfound path, Riven could hear the machine jump and slam down against the ground where she was just standing sprinting faster and faster Riven found herself running over a ruined archway before jumping onto the branches of a nearby dead tree and making her way safely to the ground. Still, the machine pursued her jumping into the air and slamming onto the ground in front of her. Cursing under her breath Riven ran south as fast as her legs could carry her by the time Riven had stopped running she had found that the machine had ceased its pursuit. Out of breath, she found herself sitting on a dirt road near what appeared to be a watchtower.
"Hello!" Riven calls out as she makes her way over to the watchtower as Riven got closer it looked like a checkpoint of some kind, most likely used to catch thieves and smugglers. After a short break, Riven started walking forward again. It didn't take long for her to finally spot another person, a guard from the looks of it. He was dressed in a brownish uniform, with black armor wrapped around his chest silver pauldrons, adorn his shoulders with a silver spear gripped tightly in his hand; the guard seems to have noticed Riven as well and shifts his feet entering a defensive position.
"Halt!" Riven did as the guard commanded and stopped her time spent in Ionia stopped herself from getting tense.
"In the name of the Geo Archon, state your business within Liyue!" Geo Archon? Liyue? Riven had no clue what he was talking about, who is this Geo Archon, and where in the world was Liyue? Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed another guard briskly jog over to see what had his companion up in arms about.
"What has gotten you all worked up all of a sudden, Zhenxiang?" the dark-haired guard asks his companion.
"Ah Fugui, I was just about to start a routine inspection of this, poorly dressed travler." Poorly dressed, well that was a little rude, he wasn't wrong though after so many fights in the arena Riven is covered in dust and dirt she was wearing what could amount to little more than rags covering her upper body and thighs one steel gauntlet around her right-hand bandages covering both her wrists and pair of sandals with one steel shin guard around her left leg, still Riven couldn't help but feel somewhat insulted. The dark-haired guard looks towards Riven and places a hand under his chin eye's squinting as he stares at the girl's face, his gaze made her feel slightly uncomfortable. After a few moments that felt like an eternity this Fugui smiles and turns to his companion.
"She won't cause any trouble it's safe to let her through." the guard turns to flash a warm smile to Riven.
"Please, enjoy your time in Liyue. " with that the guard returns to his tea underneath the shaded table; the other guard lets out a sigh and relaxes.
"Please, enjoy your time in Liyue." the guard repeats his companion. Riven was hoping to ask them a few questions, but feels she might not get any information out of these guards anyway so without a word Riven continues on her way up past the stone stairs her eyes can't help but be drawn to a strange statue the stone had intricate lines drawn along it gold wrapped around the base of it a blue crystal sits in the center and at the top was the carving of a man sitting in a chair holding a cube. Riven found herself oddly drawn to the statue she had been gazing at it for so long she had not noticed an elderly gentleman walk up next to her.
"Beautiful isn't it." Riven jumped back a bit when the old man spoke.
"Haha, I'm sorry young lady didn't mean to scare ya, seemed to be lost in thought for a moment." The old man laughs to himself as Riven calms her now racing heart.
"That's one of the statues of our Archon, Rex Lapis, the Geo Archon, Ah, but where are my manners, my name is Liu." Riven feels a slight pain in her heart from his smile as it reminds her of her father, Asa.
"My name is Riven." her voice was soft and gentle as she spoke to the old man.
"A lovely name." the old man continues to give Riven a wide smile which only causes the woman to smile back at him.
"I'm sorry to be rude but perhaps you could tell me a bit about Liyue?" Riven turns to the old man hoping he can give her answers.
"Ah, of course young lady I'd be happy to answer any question I could." The old man led Riven over to a table near his house, after pouring her a cup of tea he had made just before he noticed her walking over to the statue, he began answering any question Riven had for him. Riven decided it best to not mention Noxus or Ionia; she wasn't even sure he knew those names at this point she wasn't sure she was on Runeterra anymore, as crazy as that sounds.
Riven waved goodbye to the old man as she made her way towards Liyue Harbor so long as she followed the road; she would have no issues getting to the city. Though she was armed with the knowledge of the area, the old man wasn't as helpful as Riven had hoped for, he did mention that a book store in Liyue Harbor would have all the information she could need. Though what she did get from him was still useful, apparently their 'god' Rex Lapis had created this world's currency called Mora named after the god's other name Morax, though the people of Liyue rarely use that name and find it offensive when it is used. Rex Lapis was also recently killed after failing some kind of Divine test though he didn't really seem to believe it, the city was in chaos for a while as the Qixing, Liyue's government tried to restore order but shortly after a while a giant sea monster had appeared off the coast of the harbor, but was quickly put down with the combined efforts of the Qixing, Adepti, god-like beings serving Rex Lapis and a strange traveler. She did learn one major thing from the old man though, wherever Riven was, she wasn't on Runeterra anymore.
After getting stopped at the gate of the city entrance for a quick inspection, Riven was allowed in she didn't have much on her so it only took a few seconds. Riven found the city to be breathtaking, the buildings reminded her of Ionian architecture but it was clear that it was somewhat different, anyone that would have seen an Ionian city and this one would notice it. The roads were packed with people, children played in the street as patrons browsed the many wonders the shops of the city held. The old man had given Riven some Mora, despite her protests, he said it was a gift for 'spending some time with a lonly old man' her original plan was to find the books she would need, however, her stomach had other plans.
"I suppose some food first would be wise." she opened the small pouch the man had given her. Five thousand Mora, she would need to be careful she wasn't sure if this was a lot or a little, she would need to stick to a budget.
"You there! Yes, you! Why not try something new at the Wanmin resturant?" Riven picked her head up and found a dark-haired man standing behind a stall with a large smile on his face.
"I've never seen you around Liyue before, come, come you won't find better food anywhere else in Liyue Harbor enjoy the best Liyue has to offer." It wasn't so much the sales pitch that brought Riven over as it was the smell, it was divine. Whoever was working in the kitchen really knew their stuff.
"So what would you like?"
"Well, whatever is making that heavenly smell would seem like a good choice." The man laughs at Riven's comment as she walks over to the counter.
"That would be my daughter Xiangling, she's making a Jueyun Guoba for another customer right now I'll ask her to make another one when she's done." Riven could only nod her head in response. The scent coming from the kitchen made her senses quake in pure blissful pleasure. Taking a peek in the back of the kitchen Riven could see a small girl over the stove; she didn't look older than sixteen years old she must have been cooking all her life if she was making such divine smells rise from her food. Her blue hair was tied in a braid in two loops around the back of her head a red bow dangles from the base of her hair she was wearing a yellow sleeveless dress a triangle-shaped opening in the dress showed off some of her back, a red band wrapped around one of her arms.
"All set!" the girl's voice was cheery as she grabbed the plate of food and turned around giving Riven another view of her dress, the front side of it was pure black white stripe along the upper part of it, one running across her chest the dress showed off all of the girl's legs barely covering anything. A small stuffed bear adorned her hip but what really draws Riven's eye is that glowing jewel with a symbol of fire on it.
"Oh, I can't wait!" a young girl claps her hands together, giving the father and daughter a slight bow as she hands them some Mora before going on her way. Riven can see the girl put some food in her mouth as she walks away; the only way to describe the sound she made after the first bite was 'orgasmic.' The man still has a wide smile on his face as he places an arm around his daughter.
"Xiangling, why don't you introduce yourself to our newest customer here it's her first time in Liyue Harbor." Xiangling seems excited by this fact.
"Really!?" the girl quickly turns to Riven, Xiangling's smile was as wide as her father's.
"Hello, nice to meet you! My name is Xiangling, I'm a chef from Liyue! My favorite place is the chicken... I mean, the kitchen! Ugh, I practiced so hard, but I still get nervous when introducing myself...heh." Riven couldn't help but smile at the small girl as she bumbled her introduction, it was kinda cute.
"My name is Riven, it's a pleasure to meet you Xiangling." Riven extended her hand over the counter for a friendly shake that Xiangling was far too excited to return. Xiangling grabbed Riven's hand with both of her own and began to shake the ivory-haired girl's hand violently.
"Woah now Xiangling, don't tear her arm off, it's gonna be a little hard for her to eat with it missing." Her father steps in to keep Xiangling from pulling Riven over the counter.
"Ahh! I'm sorry!" Xianglin pulls her hand away and gives Riven a small bow to which Riven can only give a small chuckle in return.
"It's quite alright Xiangling, you can make it up to me by making me some of that wonderful smelling Jueyun Guoba." Riven gives her shoulder a slight rub as Xiangling rushes back to the stove that girl has quite the grip. After talking with Xiangling's father for a while, learning that his name was Mao. Xiangling returned with Riven's order; the smell was even more incredible when placed right under her nose. Far too eager to dig in Riven thanked both Mao and Xiangling for the meal before grabbing the chopsticks, thankfully her time in Ionia had made her adept at using these. After taking her first bite Riven felt a rush of pleasure run throughout her body; a moan escapes her lips as she swallowed her first bite, the bowl of food in front of her did not last long after that. Riven was a little sad that she had finished it so quickly she didn't really get a chance to really savor the flavors of the meal.
"How much do I owe you?" Riven grabs the pouch with the Mora in it and opens it causing Mao to wave his hand dismissively.
"Don't worry about it, seeing your face as you dug into my daughter's meal was more than payment enough for me." Riven, although thankful, could not accept that.
"N-No I could never do that, you offered me a service and i-it's only fair that I..."
"No, no and I'll not hear another word of it Riven, you can consider it a welcome to Liyue Harbor gift if you want." It didn't look like Mao was going to budge from his stance Riven was forced to give up.
"Ah, very well, thank you for your hospitality." Riven gave a polite bow to both Mao and Xiangling as she disappeared into the crowd that had begun to gather around Wanmin, word had spread that Xiangling was working, she would have to pay double the next time she was at Wanmin. Just as she had reached the end of the crowd she finds herself bumping into someone.
"Oh excuse me, I wasn't paying attention." Riven apologizes as she looks at the well-dressed man.
"Ah, it's quite alright." The man was dressed in a mostly brown suit the inside of his vast was black with a silvery-white outer layer, a beige-colored shirt underneath with a white tie and gold gem placed on it, and another more spectacular gem above it. His collar was dark gray at the top and black near the bottom, he had a single earring in his left ear, his hair a dark brown save for near the tips where it became a lighter his eyes were a beautiful amber color that seemed to match his stern expression perfectly.
"I had not known Xiangling had returned to Wanmin, if I did I would have elected to go another path." despite his deep-sounding voice, there was a gentle tone to it.
"Is this your first time to Liyue Harbor miss?" The man already knew the answer to the question, one look at Riven, and anyone could tell that she was not from around here.
"Ah, yes I am." Riven had almost forgotten the moment she felt her stomach grumble and smelling Xiangling's food; she nearly forgot why she came here in the first place.
"I was hoping to find someplace where I could learn more about Liyue, it seems I got distracted though." The man laughs Xiangling's cooking did have that effect on people.
"Ahhh, yes Xiangling's cooking is the finest anywhere, I doubt someone would find a better chef in all of Teyvat." Teyvat, so that's the name of this world, but how did she get here.
"Ahh, but where are my manners my name is Zhongli, and I would be more than happy to tell all you wish to know and more about Liyue." Riven seems to perk up upon hearing this.
"But first you will need to tell me about where you come from, it is not Liyue, or in fact anywhere in Teyvat." It was at that moment that Riven felt her heart stop and the color fade from her skin. How could he possibly know that!?
"So, you're actually Liyue's god Rex Lapis, and you faked your own death in order to hand control of the city over to its mortal citizens?" Riven followed Zhongli towards a quiet area away from the hustle and bustle of the crowd's, just a few feet from someplace called Northland Bank on the upper layers of Liyue's buildings above one of its main roads.
"That is correct, there we're some...bumps along the path, but everything worked out in the end." A giant sea monster attacking the city he swore to protect is somehow only considered a bump to this man.
"Why tell me all of this?" Riven was puzzled she had just met Zhongli who was actually Rex Lapis, god of Liyue, and he decided to tell her his life story. What reason did she give him in their conversation that felt like he could trust her with this kind of information?
"Ah, consider it an apology for startling you before, it was not my intention to make you believe that your life was in danger." Riven nearly choked on the tea that he offered her when they sat down. That was his reason for telling her possibly his biggest secret; this god is insane.
"Oh, are you okay, was the tea not to your liking?" Zhongli reached for a few wipes and handed them to Riven, who accepted the napkins while shaking her head.
"N-No the tea is *Cough* is fine it's just, that was your reason for trusting me this kind of information, you hardly know me!" Riven could hear Zhongli chuckle a bit.
"Well if I must confess it's not the only reason I told you about this, I'm hoping that by showing you this kind of trust that you will, in turn, tell me what seems to weigh you down so much." Ah, that makes more sense in a show of trust Zhongli shared his biggest secret, in hopes that Riven will share hers. It appears that Riven has been left with little choice, her pride will not allow this question to remain unanswered.
"So I see." Zhongli sat with his arms across his chest as he listened to Riven's tale, a tale of family, betrayal, loss, and redemption, Riven still seems to be searching for said redemption, however, though Zhongli can't help but wonder if Riven ever finds redemption, will she believe it was earned?
"Thank you for sharing your tale with me Riven, it was enlightning." Zhongli spoke in such a way that Riven could not get a read on him, she could not tell what he was thinking at all.
"So what happens now?" Riven asks her head still hung low, staring at the reflection in her now cold tea.
"What happens now is that I tell you of the world of Teyvat if you still wish to hear of it, we had a contract after all and as the god of contracts, it's only right that I follow through." Riven picked her head up and looked at Zhongli with sadness still in her eyes she gives the strange man a puzzled look.
"Even after all I told you, and what you know about me now you still with to tell me of the world." Zhongli nods.
"As I've said, as the god of contracts I can not back out of one." Riven just couldn't understand this man but she wasn't about to pass on the opportunity to learn more of this strange world she was brought into. Riven asked question after question, with Zhongli giving answer after answer, soon Riven found herself with more information about the world than she ever thought she could get.
"So who is this Lumine you keep bringing up Zhongli, it seems when ever I ask about current events she seems to be involved somehow." Zhongli could not help but feel a little foolish, how could he have not bothered to explain this already.
"Ahh, how foolish of me, how could I have not told you about her already after she has done so much to help not only Liyue but Mondstadt as well." Mondstadt that was the nation to the north of Liyue protected by the Archon of the wind, the city of freedom it was called, Riven made a mental note to visit it later in order to see if anyone there knew of a way for her to get home.
"Lumine is a traveler from another world much like yourself, she came here with her brother around five hundred years ago and has been searching for him ever since they were separated by an Unknown God." five hundred years ago, perhaps this Lumine could help Riven find her way home, perhaps she will ask Zhongli later but first an Unknown God?
"An Unknown God, I thought you were one of the oldest Gods Zhongli?" Zhongli nods.
"This is true, however, I have no recollection of the god Lumine described to me, Gods are not shy about changing their appearance, it could be that this god changed her appearance during her fight with Lumine and her brother so that her identity would not be discovered." That made sense to Riven, perhaps this god has plans for Lumine and her brother if she didn't why would they both still be alive. Before Riven could ask another question she heard a voice come up from behind her that sent a chill down her spine.
"Zhongli, I did not expect to find you around here at this time." Riven turns to find a man with blue eyes and ginger hair coming from the stairway over to where the two were sitting, he was clearly not from Liyue, if his outfit was anything to go by.
"Who's your guest?" His eyes met with Riven's and at that moment she knew, this man was dangerous, very, very dangerous, his soft tone of voice hid the mask of a killer, his eyes told her all she needed to know. This man was not to be trusted.
"Ah Childe, I did not expect you to be back so soon, this is Riven she's a traveler I bumped into on the street, she was looking for someone to ask for information about Liyue." Childe laughs as he crosses his arms over his chest.
"Ahh well it looks like you got lucky there girlie, you found the one person that knows about Liyue like the back of his hand." Every time he spoke Riven felt her skin crawl she had no idea how Zhongli could even speak with this man. Also girlie? Girlie!? now Riven REALLY didn't like this guy.
"Yes, Zhongli has proven to be completely reliable I've gotten more all I could hope for, and then some." Riven responds pulling her eyes away from Childe's to look back at Zhongli.
"It is, however, getting rather late Zhongli, I should be on my way, thank you again for all of your help today, I hope we get the chance to talk more someday." Riven stands and gives a polite bow to both Zhongli and Childe.
"Ahh, I suppose it is." Zhongli looks to the sky and notices the sky was a crisp orange showing that it was dusk.
"Aww do you have to go I only just got here I feel as though we could have much to discuss, I bet we're alot alike you and I." It took all of Riven's willpower to keep herself from showing any kind of emotion to Childe.
"Sorry but I must really be on the way I've taken up enough of Zhongli's time as it is." With that Riven was gone but Childe caught a glimpse of the girl as she made her way across the street below.
'Oh well, I guess we'll just have to fight each other another time than, I'll be sure to remember your name...Riven' Childe thought as a small smile as she glared at Riven moving along the streets.
"It's a good thing you came when you did Childe, I could use some help with this bill for the tea." hearing this Childe snapped out of his little reality and let out a sigh, same old Zhongli.
Riven wanted to put as much distance between herself and that man Childe as she could everything about him was wrong, the man was a wolf in sheep's clothing he spoke in a way that made him seem friendly and easy-going but Riven could tell behind that smile and behind those eyes, was a bloodthirsty monster. Riven didn't snap out of her trance until she heard the sound of a hammer hitting an anvil, it was a sound she knew well.
"Blacksmith." looking up Riven could see a large man hammering away on his anvil she rushed over until she was in the weaponsmith's shop. The smith just continued to work, not even paying attention to Riven as she rushed in. in an instant her eyes were drawn to the great swords one stood out to her the most a blade called the Prototype Archaic, five thousand Mora, the last owner no longer wanted it, Riven counted herself as a very lucky woman as she examined the blade and it was in flawless condition. Placing the money on the counter and grabbing the blade Riven walked out with a smile on her face she may have no money on her for food anymore but finding work and hunting game should prove to be no issue to the Noxian Exile now that she has a sword firmly in her hand.