Prologue

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Chapter 1 - The Awakening

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Art by raazu692 (on Fiverr)

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It was cold, even if he couldn't truly feel it. Dark. Empty, devoid of any light and life. The inky darkness was deafeningly silent, so much so that his ears were almost throbbing. All of Raylan's senses were going haywire, he couldn't tell what he was seeing, hearing, or feeling, it was a blurry whirlwind for the senses.

He felt confused, and oddly out of place here.

Wherever here was.

Raylan hadn't experienced anything like this before, everything felt off both about himself and everything around him but at the same time all too familiar. It was almost as if he'd been here before, felt all these sensations before, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember it.

Time ticked by, seconds into minutes, as Raylan became accustomed to this void space. His senses returned to him, he swiftly examined himself to ascertain what state he was in.

Raylan found his normal self, his lean body wore some familiar clothes. A pair of grey shoes with white stripes, his trousers, a brown leather biker's jacket, and his favorite t-shirt. Nothing seemed terribly out of order, but his memories were extremely hazy. He couldn't really remember what he was usually like but this seemed right, familiar to him. He couldn't see what he was like under the clothes but he wasn't in pain nor was he restricted in his movements in any way.

So although he couldn't see certain parts of him he figured they'd be alright as well. He felt his autumn brown hair was tied up in a man bun, and, despite the fact he couldn't see them, his eyes were surely a familiar blue.

Once he confirmed he was alright in every regard he could at the moment he quickly began taking in every detail he could around him. The sights, sounds, smells, and feel of the environment itself.

Not that there was much to take in, there wasn't a sound to be heard across the void. All around him were drifting clouds and mist, all shades of black and dark purple. He could feel the mist and clouds as it passed him over but to his surprise, it didn't feel like how a cloud or mist would. No moisture, but a strange energy seemed to brush across his skin, causing the hairs on his arm to stand on end. It energized him as it did.

For every second he interacted with these clouds he felt his body strengthen, his senses sharpen, and his mind clear. But just as soon as it came it left, dulled back to a normal level, the clouds and mist passing him by to continue on into the void beyond.

He could now sense the energy around him now, the energy within the dark void clouds. It was powerful, he knew that much. Merely feeling it empowered him, what would it be like to actually harness it?

He didn't know.

Hell, that last stray thought sounded like it was straight out of an anime, game, or some shit. Void Power, or whatever they wanted to call it. Magic probably, usually always ended up as magic. Still, it was fitting to refer to magic. It didn't feel natural, it felt otherworldly.

And considering where he was it just might be.

Unless he was unknowingly playing with radioactive clouds that would likely kill him soon.

That was always an option too in this weird ass void.

This had to be a dream though, it had to be. This wasn't real. Shit like this is straight out of fiction, science doesn't work like this. So either he was dreaming or tripping hard on something he doesn't remember taking.

It took less than a minute for Raylan to search his surroundings, find nothing of interest in the immediate area, and swiftly become bored of the emptiness.

Raylan attempted to swim in the air, trying to propel himself forward but to no avail. No matter what he tried he couldn't pull himself in any direction. It wasn't until a cloud passed him that he moved, as Raylan swung his hand it passed through the cloud but it also collected some of that strange energy the clouds seemed to emit.

When he finished his swing, the power propelled him forward. With this discovery Raylan found he could maneuver easily within this zero-gravity void, using whatever power resided within the clouds and mist to drift through the space.

After what felt like ten minutes Raylan continued his search of the void, having floated slowly forward, drifting through and around the endless clouds and mist he came across. He didn't know if he would find anything, he hadn't so far after all, but had nothing else to do beyond trying to figure out where he was.

However, he didn't need to go any further.

"Be still my chosen hero." A soft, feminine voice echoed, startling Raylan with its unexpected arrival, stopping him in the process, "Allow me to explain everything I can to you."

"Wha- Who's there?!" Raylan called out into the emptiness, twisting and turning as he searched for the source of the voice. Still, he found nothing, only the empty void of black and purple clouds drifting from and into nothingness. "Where are you?"

"All around you, Raylan, I am here to help you understand what is happening." Raylan paused to take in the fact that whoever was speaking knew his name, "This place, you could say it's your mindscape. A realm within your own mind that is yours and yours alone." That sounded… familiar? "I merely needed a way to speak to you as we are now, and so I entered your mind to do just that."

What? This was his mindscape? Was this meant to be a representation of his mind or something?

Raylan briefly glanced around him, nothing but emptiness greeted him.

A mind devoid of any logic and thought.

Sounded about right.

"I helped you create this space, you wouldn't have been able to do so on your own. Not in the state you were in at the time when I first found you." The same soft voice continued.

Wait, the state I was first found in?

"What do you mean by that? What state was I found in?" Raylan asked, worry working its way into his mind, an aching part of his brain was telling him he already knew the answer but it wasn't coming to him.

The voice didn't reply immediately which only added to Raylan's mounting dread, he was already coming to conclusions before the voice spoke again.

"You were dying, Raylan." Barely above a whisper, as if painful to speak it, "When I finally found you, you were upon death's door."

The words practically knocked the wind out of him.

"I was dying…? How? From what?" Raylan's mind rapidly questioned. He didn't feel dead though. Was he supposed to feel dead? He felt as alive as ever. "Am I not passing on or something?" Wait, the voice said he was dying, not dead.

"I sense your confusion, Raylan," The voice spoke once more, pulling Raylan's mind back from thinking any deeper, "But please, listen to what I have to say, it will help you understand all that is going on."

Raylan paused, finding a way to calm himself by breathing in slowly. His scrabbled thoughts pushed to the back of his mind as he focused his attention on the voice. If this was how he was to get answers to everything going on, then he was sure as shit going to take in every word said.

It surprised him that he wasn't as shocked as he should have been, sure he was confused and stunned but he was dealing with the notion he was basically dead rather well.

"..." There was a short pause before the feminine voice spoke again, briefly Raylan wondered if it, or she, was searching for the best way to phrase it to him. "You were dying from a fatal injury you sustained during an altercation." Said the voice, "You didn't last long after that." The words stung to hear, and apparently, the voice could tell it did. "Just know that it was not in vain, your sacrifice was and will continue to be worth everything you gave."

"That certainly takes the sting out of it." Raylan thought, "A fatal injury from a confrontation, was I fighting someone?" Thinking that cleared away some of the haze that fogged his memories but it didn't reveal anything. If that feeling was any indication then he was probably right.

"Your bravery and heart were what brought me to you," The voice continued, "The reason why I chose you in that moment."

"You chose me?" Raylan asked face scrunching in confusion momentarily. "For what?"

"..." The voice was silent once again, which was concerning. "To be a hero, a vessel, and a savior to a world in need."

What?

"I'm here to save the world?" Raylan asked in mild disbelief.

"You are," The voice confirmed, "I chose you because you hold great potential within you. The courage, kind-heartedness, and dedication you displayed not only within your last moments but your entire life is why you are the perfect choice to be the hero this world needs."

That was a lot of praise in one sentence. Perhaps a bit too much considering who it was aimed at.

At least he understood the why part, but that wasn't everything.

"How did you choose me?" Raylan asked, "Wasn't I dying before now?"

"You are correct," The voice answered, "In your final moments I reached out to you, to your soul, and took you away from your world. In order to save you, and your soul, I had to heal your body and mind." Well, that was appreciated. "To help the healing process I aided in the creation of your inner realm, your mindscape. Your consciousness remained here whilst I healed your wounds."

"Thanks for that." Raylan blurted out thoughtlessly.

Despite the brief, and somewhat awkward, silence that followed after his thanks Raylan could tell the voice was smiling upon him.

"You are most welcome." Now it was Raylan's turn to smile slightly. "And now we find ourselves here, I entered your mind as soon as your body had recovered." Made sense, he supposed.

"Just how did you manage all this?" Raylan asked. The big question this time.

"It appears it's time to introduce myself," said the voice, "My name is Istaroth, and I am the God of Time." Raylan could practically feel the formality behind Istaroth's introduction. "You might not recognize me as a god from your world, but I am one god among many of another world. A world you are no doubt familiar with. A God within a Game you, yourself, have played."

Wait, what?

She was right. Raylan swore he'd heard that from a game before. He wracked his brain trying to figure out which game that was. Firstly, he narrowed it down to games that actually featured Gods. Once he crossed off games like God of War and Destiny, he began looking into the less obvious gods in games. Lore Gods, as you would say.

He practically prayed it wasn't Dark Souls, Bloodborne or Elden Ring. Fuck that, he'd die almost immediately in those hellscapes. That shit wasn't even worth saving half the time. He dismissed those just because he hoped they were wrong and moved his thoughts elsewhere, to places he hoped he'd be sent.

If he had to guess it would be an anime-esc or Fantasy game, they usually had loads of gods in them. But which one? A game he'd played, or at least knows enough about to recognize Istaroth's name.

And then it hit him.

"Genshin Impact!" Raylan yelled in realization, "Istaroth is the God of Time in the lore of Genshin Impact!"

The voice giggled, actually giggled, at his declaration.

"Yes, yes, you are correct," Istaroth confirmed, "But please, feel free to call me Istaroth or Kairos. Whichever is simpler for you."

Well shit, it seemed as if he was going to be the hero of a game, which turned out to be real, and save Teyvat if what Istaroth had said before was to be believed.

Did that mean Raylan was being sent to the world of Genshin Impact as he was at this moment?

That was equal parts awesome as it was fucking horrifying.

Teyvat was filled with all sorts of wondrous sights, the cities and people were great fun, but then there were the Gods, the Fatui, and all the dangerous monsters and creatures.

But worst of all, the one thing that would make this mission to save Teyvat hell was himself.

For he was what the internet dubs a filthy casual when it comes to Genshin Impact, both when it comes to playing the game and reading up on the lore.

"Mother fucker!" Raylan's mind shouted, "It had to be a game that I play casually, if not rarely! I know fuck all about the precise lore of the damn game!" This was a prime opportunity to fuck up on a grand scale and try as he might, that was always going to be an option with Raylan leading the charge.

"At ease, Raylan." Istaroth spoke, pulling his focus toward her voice, "You need not worry about facing the world of Teyvat alone for I will be with you from start to finish."

It took Raylan a moment to figure out what she meant before he recalled how she had called him a vessel.

"You'll be with me? Inside my head?" Raylan asked for confirmation.

"Correct."

"Well that takes some pressure off of me I guess." He responded. Having someone to back him up would surely come in handy. Even if Istaroth only gave them advice on situations it was still helpful, it might just stop him from shooting himself in the foot when he speaks to someone of actual importance. "How exactly will that work? Will you just be in my head or will you be able to manifest in the world as well?"

"I will remain in your head, a voice of reason you could say," Woah, rude. I'm reasonable, just not smart at times. "But worry not, for I will lend you my power and mastery of time to aid in your mission."

That was fucking awesome sounding. Where the Time Wizard fans at?

"However, let me be clear, my power is more of a last resort." Istaroth warned, "Interfering with the flow of time is dangerous if used repeatedly, so it is better used as a fallback. A final gambit if situations for you turn dire."

"Reasonable, if still bullshit. So much for time manipulation powers." Raylan thought before he spoke, "So how will I save the world then? Am I to be a vision-welder that aids the traveler in their journey across Teyvat?"

"No, you are more than that." Istaroth answered, "Your journey is your own, and you will make use of a power that you alone will possess. The power of the Void."

"Void?" Raylan asked as his mind yelled, "Fucking called it and all! Void Power! Anime bullshit here we go!"

"Indeed, Void. You will weld the powers of The Void, a form of almighty Abssy Magic." Istaroth explained, "That, combined with the power of time, will be a strong starting point for you. On your quest, you will no doubt acquire more powers, skills, and techniques. Abilities Teyvat have not seen before, solely unique to you. You will be the Archon of the Abyss!" Now that sounded hype as fuck. "But first you must master yourself here and now before stepping into the realm of godhood."

"Myself?" Raylan glanced down at his body. He was in great shape, better off than most. He might not be an athlete but he hit the gym hard five to six days a week. He had to go beyond that in Teyvat?

Actually, that was a stupid question. He was going to be facing seasoned warriors and possibly gods, likely gods, if he was to compete with that he was going to have to step it up and go all the way to the top.

Joyous.

"You will need to strengthen your body, and sharpen your skills with weapons." Istaroth explained, "If you are to be my champion and a vessel of my power, then you must train. Master every weapon possible, physically compare to no other, and learn to control the power of Void like it was second nature. Only then will you be ready to begin your journey."

Woah.

That sounded like a shit tonne of work and effort.

Damn.

And here he thought he'd get things easy, that's what most Isekai adventures were like right? Be handed all the power for free, become a god, and dropped into a new world like a sack of potatoes and be told not to fuck it up too drastically.

"How will I go about doing that?" Raylan questioned. That sounded like it would take a long time, and he doubted he had that much time in him.

"I can see your concerns written across your face," Istaroth stated with a small giggle, another one, "You need not fear Time, for it is your friend now. You no longer age, your body will remain as it is for as long as you aren't killed. You are immortal in a sense, but not invincible, and given your otherworldly nature you need not fear erosion."

"I presume that was your doing?"

"Indeed, I played a part in it but it was mostly by your own nature." Istaroth confirmed, "Since you no longer age we have all the time we need to prepare you for your journey, I will admit I did sense an abnormality when I gave you immortality but I'm certain you have no reason to fear time." Okay, that was... odd. "Within this mindscape, we shall combine our powers to create a suitable training grounds for you. We shall shape you into a warrior, an Archon, capable of combating the gods of themselves."

Well, that confirmed he was going to be facing down the gods. Most likely the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles given how she was portrayed in the story, but all of Celestia itself wasn't off the table either.

"So what? We start molding this placing into a warrior god's wet dream and get moving on the training?" Raylan asked. Except he didn't really wait for an answer. "Works for me I guess, are you going to be my teacher and trainer?"

"I am, yes." said Istaroth, "I will guide you in your training, but it is ultimately up to you how and what you wish to train. You decide what skills, weapons, and abilities you wish to use." That sounded amazing. "Your potential is limitless Raylan, as someone not of Teyvat you are not bound by its rules, your true limit is unknown to everyone, including myself, until the time comes that you reach it."

Fuck yeah.

Raylan was already getting ideas. There were plenty of video game characters for him to steal skills from! Hahaha!

"Alright," Raylan smiled, already having come up with some mad, and bad, ideas for training. "How long do I have to train for?"

"..." Istaroth was silent once more, which was now becoming concerning. Did she not like some of his questions or was she worried about his reaction to her answers? Either one of those was worrying.

"I am the God of Time, so ultimately we can decide for ourselves how long you can dedicate to your training." The God of Time paused, and Raylan felt as though he shouldn't interrupt her. "That said, I'd like to… recommend how long you should train for. If that is acceptable with you?"

"Sure, what do you have in mind?" Raylan asked, still somewhat confused as to why the God of Time sounded so… nervous when asking him that.

"I recommend we train for one hundred years."

The Gods' words hit him like a train.

"One hundred years?!" Raylan yelled in surprise. That was a long time to train. He'd anticipated twenty years at the most but one hundred? Not to say he couldn't see the logic. He was an ordinary man and he was being put up against some really powerful foes, Gods among them, so he was going to need all the training and power he could get.

"I'm aware that is a long time, but I'd ask that you trust me on this matter." Istaroth said, attempting to convince Raylan, "I know better than any other being what you will come across on your journey, I know what you will no doubt face, so please, listen to me." Her pleading somewhat stunned Raylan, "I'm asking a lot of you already, but I don't want to see you hurt." Her voice grew softer, sadder even, "Your life is something I don't want the world to lose, not after everything…" She paused, Raylan noted how quickly she cut herself off before she continued, "Just.. please consider it."

Woah, okay, way to plead your case.

She had a point Raylan conceded. He was going to be up against some insanely powerful people, he was sure to make more enemies than he was friends on this journey of his and he was certain the enemies he was going to make were going to be far stronger than those he befriended.

No matter how you looked at it, he was outmatched in many aspects. So if Raylan wanted to survive he knew he was going to have to be top-tier, he couldn't afford to stumble over every enemy he came across. Unique powers and time manipulation would only get him so far.

As painful as it was to hear, he needed that kind of training.

"Fine," Raylan sighed with a somewhat strained smile, "I'll do it, a one-hundred-year training montage!" He forced some positive energy into his words, and although they weren't completely genuine, given even time he was sure he'd change his tune. "Weapons, magic, skills, and more!"

His enthusiasm was contagious apparently as Istaroth laughed, he could practically see the beaming smile on her face.

"Wonderful!" She mirrored his positive attitude, the sad tone she had before long dead. "I know it seems like a lot now, but you will come to appreciate what we work on now later on your journey."

Hmmm, he'd have to wait and see on that one.

"Now, let's not waste time." said the God of Time. The world around him began to swirl to life, the clouds and mist beginning to take shape but not going further than that. it was as if it was waiting for the final input before coming into form. "Well, how shall we design our new home and training grounds?"

Home.

The thought of this place being his new home for the next hundred years should have been a frightening concept, but in all honesty, it wasn't.

His memories were still hazy, Raylan couldn't remember places or faces from his past. Certainly not what his old home was like. With no memories of what a home was meant to feel like, it was a relief to have something like this at all.

It might not be what most would call home, but he could learn to adapt to it.

With a small smile, Raylan quickly brainstormed what this new space should take the shape of. Hundreds of ideas from various games came to mind, along with ridiculous ideas for his training and some techniques. Metal Gear, Spider-Man, Destiny 2, Yakuza, Halo, and so much more.

Oh yeah. If this works out the way he wants it to, he could get used to this.

"How do you feel about Raid Bosses?"

C1: End.

I swear the number of my stories that begin like this, in a cold, empty void or chamber is unreal.

Anyway, more stories for my ever-growing collection of unfinished works. Genshin Impact this time, let's see what I can do with this one.

Next chapter will hopefully be longer. I'm gonna skip the training montage and have the end of his training start the next chapter. We'll see the training in flashbacks at times, but I'd rather get into the fuckery and fighting so let's not waste full chapters on training.

Now, this story is an OC-Insert with a Fix-It-Fic feel, expect things and characters to change due to the OCs influence and interference in the stories and lore of Genshin Impact. You'll see what I mean in other chapters with what is to come for in-game characters. Character deaths are also a possibility, so don't be surprised or upset about that. Sorry. OC's will be around as well, can't just have the character roster show up all the time. That would be "Small-World-Syndrome" at its finest. But there will nearly always be a Genshin character knocking about, just so everyone knows.

Also, sorry for any spelling errors and so on, this was all over the place. My bad. If you see anything really out of place or wrong let me know and I'll correct it.

A warning though, like all my other stories, there is no update schedule. I write when I can and feel like it, so don't expect rapid-fire updates. Hell, updates may come months apart. Everything is random and messy as fuck when it comes to my stories.

Thanks for understanding.

Till next time, enjoy!

AlcatrazDGold - Peace!