The sun was up when Zhongli awoke.

It was difficult to tell, as they didn't get much light in the watchtower, but Zhongli knew because of the blurriness of his brain after so much sleep. It was not very often that he took the luxury of sleeping in, and he was rather surprised his body remained asleep that long in the first place.

"Someone was tired." A deep voice echoed his thoughts. Zhongli sat up, glancing across the room to find Childe lounging at the base of the staircase. "I knew you could use the sleep."

"Perhaps you're right," Zhongli said, rising to his feet and allowing himself to yawn.

"Of course I am," Childe said, monotone. He peered at Zhongli more closely. "You have sharp teeth," he observed.

"Ah." Zhongli ran his tongue over his canines, surprised that Childe had noticed. His current form appeared perfectly mortal, but if he wasn't actively thinking about eliminating them, some of those pesky draconic features, such as his fangs, would start to creep back in after a time. "I suppose I do."

"Don't be embarrassed," Childe said. "Mine are sharper." He floated to the door, waving lazily as if he'd said nothing strange. "I'm gonna go swim."

Zhongli stared after him as the door swung shut. Was that a joke? Or did Childe really have teeth? Was there truly something underneath that mask?

That…was a question for another time. But also, what was up with Childe today? He seemed to be in a gloomy mood. Zhongli had no idea what the cause could be, though. Maybe it was better to focus on the things he could find out. Resolving to let Childe wrestle with his own problems for now, he left the tower and made for the town.

By now, Zhongli knew the layout of Morepesok decently well. He knew where the paths turned into fields where children had once played; he knew where to find the rickety stalls where the fisherman would sell their catches.

What he had not done was enter any of the houses. It felt intrusive, even if no one lived there anymore. But after this long with no progress learning about the curse, he had to accept that if he ever wanted to break it, the clues he needed were likely inside these homes.

He didn't know which house to start with, so he simply picked one at random and slipped inside. It was better to get out of the snow sooner rather than later.

The walls and roof provided some respite, but the house as a whole was far from a fortress. Dust painted every layer of the room, powdering the ridge of the couch, the small coffee table, the hearth and floor and ceiling. It seemed about what one might expect from a ghost town: unkempt, lingering moments of a family's life paused in time. It was far from silent, but the whispers and moans of the wind outside seemed muffled in here.

But…strange. Zhongli walked up to the fireplace and paused. There was a fire burning.

The soft pad of footsteps sounded in his ear. Zhongli lifted his head towards a side door, where a small, very surprised-looking woman was now gaping at him. She wasn't old, but couldn't have been less than fifty, with a kindly face and small crow's feet by her eyes. She was simply yet warmly dressed, with her greying ginger hair wound into a neat bun atop her head. She clutched a candle in her hand.

"Oh, my," she said, looking him up and down nervously. Her eyes lingered on the red scarf briefly. "Who might you be?"

Zhongli rose, turning to face her. "My apologies, ma'am," he said. "I was under the impression that this village was fully deserted. I did not expect anyone to be here." He extended his hand politely. "My name is Zhongli."

She came forward and took his hand, her grip surprisingly firm. "I'm Polina. I have to say, it's been a long time since I've seen anyone other than myself around these parts. It's not exactly the most enticing tourist attraction," she said with a rueful smile towards the door. It strained and groaned in response.

"I can see that," Zhongli said with a smile. "Quite the strange phenomenon."

"All too familiar to me, unfortunately," Polina said.

"Ah, do you live around here? I would question if this is your house, but by the state of it, I would have to guess not."

Polina laughed. "It used to be, before the storm came. I live in a neighboring village now. I just like to visit."

Before the storm came. "So this is a cursed storm, indeed?" he asked. He knew as much, of course, but perhaps Polina had the additional answers he was looking for.

Polina placed her candle on the coffee table. "You must be new around here," she said. "But yes. It would have been—oh, nine years ago now? Yes, that's correct. Nearly a decade, I…" She shook her head.

"Who did this to you?" Zhongli asked.

Polina sighed. "We don't know. Most people are convinced it had something to do with…one of the residents of our village. But I know he didn't do it!" she added defensively. "He was only a child."

Zhongli frowned. "How old?"

She looked at him sadly. "Fourteen. He'd…have turned twenty-four today." Her thumb fidgeted. "July 20th."

Zhongli felt a pang in his heart. So that was why she'd come to the village today. A memorial.

"He had started to become irritable and reclusive over the course of a couple months, then went missing just a few days before the blizzard started," Polina said softly. "So everyone started to say it was his fault. I refuse to believe it." She knitted her brows. "Ajax was a troubled boy, but he wasn't evil."

Ajax. Zhongli's eyes widened. "An unusual name."

"Oh, yes," Polina said, smiling sadly. "His father named him that. His father used to be an adventurer, you see, but in later years his health kept him at home. He got the name Ajax from a warrior from his favorite story. Perhaps he hoped that brave spirit would live on in his son." Her voice wavered. "Now—now they're both gone."

"Did you know this family well?" Zhongli asked gently.

Polina looked at him, and the graveness in her face spoke volumes. "They were my family."

Oh.

Sorrow hung in the air like rain. The cover of the Iliad sat like a cruel tease in the back of Zhongli's mind.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Polina," he said softly.

Polina watched the candle flicker, a quiet sort of grief on her face. "I just wish I knew what happened to my boy."

Zhongli placed a hand on her shoulder. "Do you know why I am here?"

She shook her head.

"I wish to free this town of its curse. I wish to find out more," Zhongli said firmly. "And if your Ajax's disappearance is truly tied to it, and I discover something in regards to his whereabouts, you will be the first to know."

Polina paused, looking conflicted. "Mister Zhongli," she said hesitantly, "I appreciate your drive. I truly do. But you must understand…many people have talked about breaking the curse before. None of them have stuck around for long. They're all terrified of it."

"The monster?" Zhongli guessed. "Rest assured. It's not as frightful as it seems."

Polina inhaled sharply. "You've encountered it? I only saw it once, before we all left, but…it wasn't something I'd approach in my wildest dreams."

"Indeed, I have encountered it. And I have fought with it," he added, watching as Polina's expression grew more horrified. "Do not worry. I have things under control and it will bring neither of us harm."

Polina pressed her lips together. "If I'm honest, Mister Zhongli, I can't say I feel comforted," she said. "Simply because so many have tried before. At this point…I feel like it's impossible for us to ever uncover an answer—both to the origin of the curse and my son's disappearance. But I appreciate you trying."

"I understand." Zhongli dipped his head. "Nonetheless, I will contact you if I uncover anything."

Polina managed a smile. "Thank you, Mister Zhongli. We need more men like you in the world."

A heaviness had settled upon Zhongli's heart as he walked back to the tower. He had found the clues he sought, but at the cost of making all of this more real than it had previously seemed. No longer was this simply the story of a mystical blizzard, a mysterious curse, and a magical monster, but the story of a missing son, a grieving family, and an abandoned home.

Childe wasn't there when Zhongli got back. Nor did he come back in the next hour. Zhongli realized that he might be privy to the information Polina had just shared with him. Did Childe know who the boy Ajax was? If the curse had something to do with Ajax's disappearance, could he be secluding himself out of guilt…or perhaps even grief? And did that mean the death of Ajax was his fault?

Zhongli felt sick. He had to learn what happened to that boy.

One hour turned into three. It was past midday, so Zhongli decided to go looking for Childe. He hoped he hadn't run into Polina and scared the daylights out of her.

Childe wasn't near the houses, and he wasn't by the docks. Zhongli spent a good while attempting to explore the frozen ocean, but turned up nothing. He was at a total loss—where could Childe have gone off to?

Sighing, he returned to the tower. The concentration of Abyssal energy felt strongest here, but that was probably because it was where Childe spent most of his time. That's what Zhongli assumed, at least, until he noticed that it seemed to be the most potent near the floor.

He frowned, crouching and pressing a hand to the stone. He had an inkling that this wasn't a coincidence, and it wasn't residual energy. He closed his eyes, attuning himself to the geo energy of the land. It was all around him, in the stones of the watchtower and in the earth and—

It stopped. There was a gaping hole some meters below the ground, which could only mean one thing: Childe was underneath the watchtower, in some sort of cave. Clearly, he didn't want to be found. But Zhongli wasn't going to let him sulk in solitude. Who knew what else was hiding in that cave?

The problem remained that he had to find an entrance. Zhongli didn't recall seeing any openings in the ground. Would he have to dig for it? No, that was unlikely; if Childe went there often, that would simply be inconvenient. So it must be hidden, probably under something.

Zhongli rummaged around the ground floor, moving chairs and peering into the hearth until he froze. What had Childe said?

"I'm gonna go swim."

Zhongli turned abruptly, heading for the docks. That had to be it. The cave must be accessed by water.

There was a shallow hole in the ice, likely Childe's from that morning that was already starting to freeze over again. Zhongli considered it for a moment. It would be quite tedious to break this in his human form. So he simply dropped his carefully-crafted disguise.

It was easy to shift back into his draconic body: a deep brown reptile shimmering with golden accents, the perfect image of the Geo Archon. Now he was bigger than Childe, he thought with amusement. This form had a set of wickedly long and razor-sharp claws, which he used to easily carve through the ice, smooth as a hot knife through butter. He studied the green waters, which sparkled back at him innocently. He braced himself and dived straight in.

It was no more enjoyable than it had been the previous day, but his thick tail and long limbs made it easy to propel himself through the water, the fast movement generating just a little heat to combat the chill. His eyes were sharper like this, too, allowing him to navigate clearly. Childe had been right; it was completely barren here. There was nothing but water, rock, sand, and ice for as far as he could see.

Zhongli swam to the side of the cliff, once more feeling out the concentration of geo energy. Sure enough, there was a hole several meters below him. He swam lower until he spotted it. It was too small for him to fit, so he let his body compress back into that of a human and, after flailing a moment, entered the tunnel.

The tunnel turned sharply upwards, and Zhongli swam along with it until he reached the top. His head broke the surface of the water, and he felt cold air on his cheeks once more. Zhongli scrabbled for a hold and climbed up onto the cave floor.

It was dark and difficult to see, but Zhongli had decent night vision and could make out some shapes. Even someone without it could probably make out the giant mass that was now staring him down.

"Zhongli?" Childe rumbled in utter disbelief. "How in Celestia's name did you get in here? And why are your eyes glowing?"

Shivering, Zhongli wrung some of the water out of his ponytail. "I swam," he said, glancing around and opting not to answer the second question. There were…weapons down here. There were swords, bows, spears, axes and maces; it was a weapon-lover's paradise.

Childe made a noise of frustration. "Gods. Why did you come after me? And how did you know where to find me?"

"We may have developed a camaraderie of sorts," said Zhongli coolly, still attempting to rid himself of water, "but that does not mean that I trust you implicitly. You are still, as they say, the Bane of Morepesok." He met the eye of Childe, who seemed to shrink back a little. "I found it to be concerning that you disappeared for the majority of the day without warning or explanation. Shall I say that my suspicions were correct? What am I to make of you hiding away in a secret cave full of weapons?"

Childe huffed. "Oh, really? You think I use these?" He gestured around himself to the stash of very human-sized weapons. "What use would I have for them?"

"That is for you to tell me."

"I don't have to tell you shit," Childe growled, and Zhongli felt his own hackles begin to rise. It was the first time he had seen Childe truly irritated, and with his aggression came a spike in Abyssal energy. Zhongli's vision swayed.

"Is that so?" he said, steeling his voice.

"Yeah," Childe spat. "You think you can saunter in here and demand to know everything? You might be living with me right now but you're still a guest in my home."

"You consider this town your home, do you?" Zhongli said. "You are as much a foreigner as I. You come from the Abyss, not Morepesok. Have you considered that this was first the home of the villagers who fled in terror due to you?

"I am trying to fix this for them, Childe; that is the entire reason I came here. You have been friendly but there is still much you have kept hidden from me and I will not let you stand in the way of my mission. It is too important, and not just to me. It is important that these families find closure."

He burned with anger, Polina's grief seared into his brain. She had suffered so much. So had her husband. So had her son. So had everyone in that village.

No more.

"So tell me," Zhongli growled, "what happened to that little boy. What happened to Ajax?"

The muscles of Childe's body seemed to turn to ice. His broad chest heaved from the heated moment. It was eerily silent for a good twenty seconds. Finally, Childe spoke.

"Who told you that name?" he whispered.

"It doesn't matter where I heard it. I want to know what happened to him."

"Who told you?" Childe shouted.

Zhongli narrowed his eyes. He's not budging. "His mother."

That seemed like another blow to Childe, who recoiled slightly. "When did you meet his mother?" he said, voice quavering slightly.

"Today," Zhongli said, careful to omit any specific details about her whereabouts. He was not going to allow Childe to interact with her, at least not yet. "According to her, it is believed that her son's disappearance is linked to the onset of the curse." He frowned. "By the looks of it, she is correct."

Childe dipped his head. "Yes," he said resignedly. "She is."

Zhongli's voice dropped to something hushed. "Be honest with me," he said. "Did you kill Ajax?"

Childe huffed a mirthless laugh. "Is that what you thought?" he asked. "No. I didn't kill him. But there's no getting him back, so don't get his mother's hopes up."

"If you didn't kill him, then what happened?" Zhongli said.

"I'm not telling you that."

"Childe."

"Not today, Zhongli. I don't want to do this today." Childe's voice was soft, and he sounded tired. And something about that made Zhongli hesitate, but still, he pressed.

"I have to know, Childe. I cannot rest until I have righted the wrongs done to these people and brought them justice."

Childe was silent. Then, with a quiet sigh, he lowered himself from where he hung in midair. His legs crossed in front of him, and he sat on the cavern floor. And then, Childe gently lifted the red mask from his face and placed it on the ground.

He had a face.

The jawline was too sharp and the eyes too bright, flickering around the different parts of Zhongli's face with a kind of nervous fervor. The irises glowed just as Zhongli's did and were electric violet; Zhongli swore he could feel pricks of static zap along the tiny hairs of his arms at just the sight.

Looking at the face of this beast that was Childe, he felt hunted and submitted to all at the same time. The great, hulking figure seemed so docile in this moment, and yet despite his usual friendly mien, true vulnerability was not something Childe displayed often. It didn't feel quite natural. It felt unstable, like the wobble of a bridge just before it collapses and throws you straight into the ravenous depths.

Zhongli was not afraid of him, nor was he disgusted. But he was still wary. A wild animal rolling over and showing its belly does not mean it will not bite you should you try to touch.

Maybe his cautiousness was partially his instincts talking, even now sending alarm bells off in his head with the urge to strike, to defend his people from all things Abyssal. And he knew his instincts were reliable. But this was a display of peace, and it was also a humble plea.

"Would you say something?"

Zhongli blinked violently once, the sound of a voice enough to shatter the hazy spell cast over him. He stared at Childe's face still, mouth parting in subtle shock.

"Sorry, it's just..." Childe angled his head away, something like discomfort coloring his odd features. "You make me anxious, just staring like that."

It wasn't that Childe's voice sounded different without the mask. No, it was still that deep rumble, filling up the cavernous space between Zhongli's ribs, but now there was a face truly attached to the voice. Zhongli now could track his lips moving, could see his eyes avoiding Zhongli's own, as if embarrassed. He could see the bags under his eyes, the little lines that creased his brow, the smattering of freckles that dotted his cheeks and slim nose.

It was easy to see the masked Childe as a stoic thing, an impassive timbre attached to a monstrous form, but seeing his face as he spoke? It shocked Zhongli with the suddenly very plain fact that this was a person. This wasn't just a mindless obstacle in his quest, this was a sentient individual with real thoughts and emotions standing before him. He was inherently inhuman, but something in the boyish awkwardness of his expression now made Zhongli's heart ache with familiarity, for it was so like the mortals he cherished. It was utterly strange to see it on an Abyssal face.

So it was only in a murmur that Zhongli spoke next. "My apologies," he said quietly. "I was observing."

Childe's laugh then was like a bark: short, clipped, and loud enough to make Zhongli, with his sensitive ears, wince. Childe did look back at him then.

"Pretty gross, right?" He bared sharp teeth in a ferocious grin.

Zhongli hummed. "I've seen worse."

Childe quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, have you, now? And here I was enjoying my reputation as the fearsome monster of Morepesok." He flicked a talon, using his hydro abilities to summon the excess water from Zhongli and dry him off. "At least I don't look like a drowned rat."

"If one of the townspeople ever so happens to venture your way, I am sure you would give them quite the fright. Unfortunately, I am not so easily swayed." Zhongli smiled, deciding not to comment that yes, he did look like a drowned rat sometimes, too.

"Yes, quite unfortunate." Childe's smile was fading a little. "But Zhongli, do you get why I showed you this? I may be ugly and brutish and stink of the Abyss and I might have done wrong, but I'm a person as much as you. As much as them. I've had wrongs done to me in turn. I know you only see me in the context of the curse. But I do have a history, you know. I existed before the curse." His brows furrowed. "And what happened to Ajax? I'm not any happier about it than you are."

Zhongli blinked at him in shock. Childe…wasn't a product of the curse? It made no sense. Why, then, was he trapped in Morepesok? Why had he appeared there at the same time as the blizzard? Why—?

Zhongli stopped himself. Patience. This was exactly what Childe was requesting of him: to wait. To give him time and consider his wellbeing as well as Zhongli's own motives. However desperately confusing this situation was, Zhongli could manage that, couldn't he?

Yes, he could.

"I am sorry, Childe," Zhongli said. "I have been acting on assumptions about you that were made on false grounds. It was no easy decision to expose yourself like this; thus, in doing so, you have proved yourself sincere. I am sorry for my brash behavior, and I hope you will accept my apologies." He walked over to Childe, extending his hand with a gentle expression.

Childe looked at it for a moment, then took it gingerly. "…Thanks, Zhongli," he mumbled, and for the first time, Zhongli wondered how old he was. He had kind of assumed Abyssal monsters just kind of…spawned, fully grown and ready for action, but something told him that wasn't the case. Childe reminded him of a young man, still figuring himself out. Zhongli felt an odd protective feeling seize his heart. He wanted to cheer him up, undo the damage that had been inflicted.

He smiled at Childe conspiratorially. "Childe, would you like to learn why my eyes glow?"

Childe perked up, and Zhongli resisted the urge to grin at the way his eyes went wide. "You're finally gonna show me what you are?"

"Perhaps," said Zhongli. He wasn't going to go full dragon here, partly because he absolutely would not fit and partly because he didn't think it was a great idea to drop the whole Geo Archon bomb right then. Something in-between would suffice. He summoned his power, and his body began to glow golden with his second transformation of the day.

He could feel himself growing in height, his shoulders broadening and arms lengthening. He could feel the familiar weight of his tail and horns settle at the base of his spine and the top of his head. He refrained from allowing his clothing to change—the signature sleeveless outfit of his archon form didn't exactly sound appealing right now—but he could feel the energy shimmering on his arms as they shifted color. His hand, golden and tipped with pointed black nails, now almost, if not quite, fit in Childe's.

"Holy shit!" Childe exclaimed. "You're a dragon!"

Zhongli chuckled. "Indeed. Have you ever heard of the adepti, Childe?"

"Uh…yeah, I think so," said Childe. "The guardians of Liyue."

"Correct. We are divine beings whose purpose is to ensure Liyue's people thrive and remain safe from threats."

"Divine…" Childe muttered. "No wonder."

"Pardon?" Zhongli tilted his head.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that…" Childe trailed off, looking almost embarrassed. "It all makes sense. Your energy has always felt really nice to be around. Soothing, almost. Y'know when you take a hot bath after a long day of training and your sore muscles just relax?"

Zhongli frowned. What?

So Childe could sense his aura, but instead of making him uncomfortable, it felt…nice? It made little sense, but it did explain why Childe was so sociable with him. But more concerningly, the way Childe described it made it sound as if his own Abyssal energy was causing him tension, maybe even pain. His own existence harmed him. That was heartbreaking.

Zhongli squeezed his hand softly. "I am glad to hear it brings you relief," he said. "Now, would you return above ground with me?"

Childe hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. Let's go. This place is pretty depressing." He smiled wryly.

Zhongli followed him. He chose to ignore the tossing of his own stomach, protesting the time spent with Childe. It was nothing, really; he could endure it. If his presence brought Childe any comfort, it was worth it. He felt the sudden bizarre urge to pull him into an embrace, then, looking at Childe's face, thought it might not be quite so bizarre after all.

He truly was just a young man, however twisted and corrupted. And although these affectionate feelings had come so suddenly, Zhongli was willing to take them in stride. He was willing to protect Childe.