Helloooooo! I exist! Time for some writing while the internet in class isn't working! Lol.

Genshin Impact belongs to Mihoyo. I only own characters of my own creation.

Chapter 10: Nothing is Forever

(Yanfei's Office)

A girl is filing legal documents, ensuring that they are filed in order of the date they were processed so that she can easily find them and used them as a precedent for future cases. Such is the typical day of Yanfei when she has no cases to work on. A boring, but relaxing affair. At least, until a certain girl barges in and flips that on its head.

"Yanyan!"

"Tao!?" she says, startled by the sudden intrusion.

"Something big is going to happen soon, and I need your help!" the goddess says, with no sign of her usual playfulness on her face.

"What's wrong? Are you in legal trouble?"

"Umm, kind of? Basically, Celestia got really upset with me after I returned the souls of the abyss back into the cycle of reincarnation. They are saying it's a violation of the Heavenly Principles, not knowing that I have a friend who actually knows what those principles are. We are able to argue that they are actually breaking the principles by halting the cycle of reincarnation. And we need a credible legal expert if we're gonna fight all of Celestia in their own court. Will you help us!" She says, not realizing that she's overwhelming the poor girl before her with the info-bomb she just dropped.

"Umm, sure. But I'll need this friend of yours to explain each and every one of the Heavenly Principles to me so that I know the laws I'm working with," she says, slowly regaining her bearings.

"Thank you so much!"

Those bearings are lost again as the hyperactive girl nearly tackles her in a massive hug.

I was just filing documents! How did I end up prepping for a court case against gods with my crush hugging me in the span of only two minutes?!

As Yanfei contemplates her life choices, Hu Tao is having an internal panic attack after realizing what she just did.

For the love of Celestia, why did I do that!? No! I did it, now I have to own it! No backing out now!

After about a minute of awkward hugging, they let go.

"Sorry. I got excited, ehe…"

"It's fine! You must've been under a lot of stress with all that's been going on. What kinda friend would I be if I didn't comfort you in your lowest moments!"

"Thanks! Now comfort me some more!" she says, her playful smile shining brighter than any star in the night sky.

"My my! I didn't know a goddess could be so greedy!"

"Of course I am! I'm death, and death's greed knows no end!"

"Ahahahaha! Seems so!"

"Oh! I also heard that Xiangling recently came up with a new dish! Come on, we must try it!" urged the ever energetic goddess.

The half adeptus just allowed herself to be dragged along, happy to see that playful smile back on Tao's face.

As long as she's happy…

(Wangsheng Funeral Parlor)

"I am curious. Being as long lived as you are you've undoubtedly gained more experience than any could ever contend with. Yet the way you act doesn't reflect that at all. You have the power to blink all your problems away, yet you don't. You are an enigma." the retired god states.

I look him in the eye and say my piece.

"I am reality. One of only two absolute truths left. I have my reasons for everything I do." I replied.

"Would you mind indulging me? A chance to acquire more knowledge shouldn't be passed up."

I sigh, preparing for a round of explanations.

"Think of it like this. The people follow the laws. Who wrote those laws? Why, other people, who were chosen for one reason or another to write them. They must also follow those laws. The gods follow the Heavenly Principles. Who wrote those? Likely another god who was chosen to write them. Are you following?" I ask the man.

He simply nods in turn.

"Now, the universe follows laws. Akasha follows laws. All things but the void follow laws. Who, pray tell, writes those laws?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.

"I do not know," he says, a contemplative look in his wise eyes.

"Reality. The laws of reality are what govern all of Akasha. And I, as it's writer, am not exempt from them. I may have the power to ignore them, but in doing so means denying the very rules I have written. Only when I must will I break them." I say, then stand up.

"It's high time I leave. Tao is on her way back. I appreciate that you've agreed to assist us in this plan. As long as I'm there, we won't need to worry about being attacked. See ya around," I say while walking towards the door.

I step out the door, into the moonlit night.

(Liyue Harbor)

A girl sits upon the rooftops, observing the lively people below, going about their days.

She looks to the sky, seeing the vast number of stars, littering the night sky with beautiful light.

She smiles, for the briefest of moments.

But she can't help but think of what will come. The vast and distant future.

One day, all of these people will die, and one day, those stars will all die out. Even the black holes will one day be gone, having evaporated over the course of septillions of years. Even quarks, the most basic building block of everything, will cease to be. With the expansion of this universe, eventually, time will become meaningless, as entropy leads it to destruction. A cold, dead universe.

But that's okay. She's already seen this happen more times than she could count. With every dead universe, a new one quickly replaces it, due to the influence of Akasha. What concerns her, is the mortality of Akasha itself.

The one true rule of the void. Nothing is forever. She understands this better than any other.

However, when she looks at the entirety of Akasha, in all it's beauty, what all else would call the most beautiful thing ever created, beyond it, she sees it's true beauty.

Akasha itself is beautiful, yes, but what's even more beautiful is what it represents. The grand goal that it was created to achieve. To break that one grand rule.

Maybe, just maybe, something can be forever.

She snaps out of her musings, stands up, and walks away.

Unknown even to her, that girl's smile grew just the slightest bit.

Note

So! Yes, I exist still. Anyways, This is the last chapter I'll post for a good while. Exams are just around the corner, essays keep coming, and work keeps piling up. I have no choice but to put this story on a temporary hiatus, because right now, life needs to come first. I barely have enough time to write at all right now, so, I really sorry, but this story will likely go months without an update. I'm nowhere near the best writer on here. I've seen people with multiple 100k+ stories who update them on the daily. But, I felt I couldn't leave you with nothing until I can find the time. So here you go! it's nowhere near my best chapter, but I tried with the limited amount of time I had. I know you all hate hiatuses, cause I hate em too.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to continue this story in the summer! Work is high, motivation is low, life is rough. (If I could've come up with a more uplifting word that rhymed with rough, I would've put it there. My 1/2 braincell isn't working right now...)

~Nova