It all happened so fast.
Six Finger Jose was playing his song in the tavern when he suddenly fell ill. Going home early and taking a couple days off to rest up, everyone expected him to be back in the tavern playing his music in no time. A couple days later, he was dead, a new and unknown disease having killed him.
His case wasn't the only one - countless other men around Teyvat experienced the same phenomenon. In the blink of an eye, a deadly disease affecting only the male gender arose from Archons knows where. Death was inevitable for those infected - the fatality rates a staggering 100%.
Before you knew it, men were dropping dead left, right and center.
Timaeus died on his Alchemy stand while trying to study the disease. Timmie was found dead in the morning, his pigeons feasting on his rotting corpse. Not even those with visions were spared. Domon, a master swordsman and head of a dojo, was found dead in his home one morning by his students when he didn't show up for class. His student, Junya, would suffer the same fate while Nanako could only watch the disease devour him in despair - realizing her master likely experienced the same pain.
Efforts to contain the pathogen proved to be futile. Transmission occurred through the air - there was no feasible way for the doctors of Teyvat to stop it. No way for them to cure it. At least, not with the technology they had at the time.
The once bustling streets of Teyvat lay barren. Many well known restaurants and shops closed, possibly never to open again. Entire small to medium size villages lay abandoned. Finding your way through the major cities of Teyvat, all you'll see are the broken eyes of the female population in this post apocalyptic world.
Economic and societal collapse, crime increasing at a ludicrous amount to reach an all time high, and mass suicides - hopeless couldn't even begin to describe the state of the world.
So an absurd idea was presented. Something so unreasonable, so laughable, so nonsensical that it betrayed all ideas of common sense. But a disease like this could hardly be considered within the realms of common sense. It was a concept more insane than anything ever printed in Yae Publishing House's light novels.
Thus, the idea was adopted.
Location: Monstadt. The nation of freedom was where the idea originated from. There are also rumors about the God of time once residing here.
Financial Backer and Supplier: Liyue. Despite the global depression, the Golden House still contained an uncountable amount of mora. Not just that, however. Within the depths of the Golden House lay priceless artifacts - some containing ancient powers.
Research: Sumeru. Often regarded as the land of the wise, it's no wonder this nation spearheaded the research for the project.
Moral Support: Inazuma. To be honest, the only reason Inazuma found themselves a part of the project was because of a cheeky Head Shrine Maiden who had a way with words. But perhaps the nation's experience with Yokai did help with the project.
And so, by the broken sundial, a ritual was performed.
"I just hope this works," Lisa said. She looked and sounded like she hadn't slept for days with dark, deep black bags under her eyes.
"No comment about finally being able to feel a man's touch again?" Jean asked. Her presence here was merely a formality. As the new Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius, she represented Mondstadt.
"Jean dear, I'm too exhausted to be horny."
"Right back at you," Jean replied, emitting a loud sigh. "I hope this works and we can put this whole mess behind us."
"5 long, hard, arduous years of hard research and suffering. I will definitely be taking a long vacation after this."
"Can we really move on though?" Ningguang cut in after overhearing parts of their conversation. "Like it or not, the world has been permanently changed. Rebuilding is a daunting task."
"But everything will be okay once he's summoned, right?" Jean asked, suddenly feeling doubtful moments away from the ritual.
"It'll only be a temporary solution," Keqing joined in. Her purple hair fluttered in the wind as she walked up to the trio from the ritual site. "Like putting a bandage on a mortal wound, the real work comes after we've summoned him."
"Analyzing his immune system to see how he deals with the disease - then, making a cure," Lisa said, describing the 'real work' Keqing spoke about. "And all the while we do that, we have him repopulate the world."
It was such a preposterous idea, but it was also the only one they could come up with. Summoning a man from the future. Hopefully a future where the population has developed immunity to the disease. 5 years of blood, sweat and tears and the future of Teyvat will rest on the summoned man's shoulders.
And a certain other body part.
"..."
Noticing Jean's downcast expression, Lisa spoke up. "We'll find a way to cure them, no matter what."
The librarian was of course referring to the few males who were put under cryogenic preservation - important leaders and political figures. This included whatever knights they could preserve in time.
"Right."
"The summoning has begun!" a scholar yelled out to inform everyone. "Pray to whatever god or deity you believe in. For the sake of the world, this better work!"
A blinding, bright light shone from the center of the sundial. All around the platform, various researchers stood, still as a statue, adorning all sorts of expressions, praying for the summoning to work. The light faded. Everyone collectively held their breaths.
The light faded, tauntingly slow. There, in the center of the platform layed a man, naked as the day he was born. They did it, the impossible was achieved. The world was saved. Deep down, they knew that their work on finding a cure and rebuilding the world had only just begun, but they couldn't stop themselves from celebrating the improbable success.
"We did it!"
"It worked!"
"Praise the Anemo Archon!"
There were tears and there were cheers. But the first step to saving the world from destruction had just been accomplished.
AN: Short, but it is the prologue. Starting next chapter will be first person.
