Stardust and Dragon Scales

by Momomon429

It was supposed to be a simple commission but as Zhongli's mouth slots itself desperately against hers she realizes she may have gotten in way over her head. or Zhongli gets sent into a rut and Lumine tries to help. There are more consequences to that decision than she probably considered.

Lumine glanced down at the sheet of paper Katherine had written out for her as she darted through the crowded streets of downtown Liyue harbor. The delicate scrawl telling her the address she was supposed to be at five minutes ago. With a curse she sped through the mass of people, adding a burst of anemo to quicken her steps. She was normally a very punctual person, especially when it came to business. But Paimon had come down sick and she had needed to grab her some medication from the nearest pharmacy.

Lumine ran like her life depended on it and used the occasional burst of anemo energy to propel her even faster. With nimble steps she dodged around all the civilians standing around and with one last glance at the address in her hand she put her full focus into running as fast as she could possibly go. If there was one thing Lumine hated it was being late, time ticked by quicker and she hoped that the commissioner wouldn't be too upset at her tardiness,

Fond memories passed through her head of Aether. Out of the two of them she was always the one who had to keep them on time. If left to his own devices Aether would always end up being late, he had a bad habit of not checking the time and it had screwed them over more than once.

The memories of the two of them were bitter sweet but she couldn't help but laugh to herself about all the different excuses she remembered him making.

Unfortunately Paimon had come down sick and had barely been able to get out of bed, much less fly by her side like she usually did. Originally she wasn't going to take the commission, after all making sure her friend was okay was far more important but Paimon had convinced her to go. She had tried to grab her some medication from the pharmacy after asking Xiangling to keep an eye on her but luck hadn't been on her side.

The pharmacy had been out of the specific herb to make the medication Paimon needed and so Lumine had been forced to the city outskirts, grabbing as many of the damn herbs as she could grab. She had gotten her medication, had convinced Paimon to drink the disgusting sludge and made sure that her friend would be taken care of for the few days she'd be on this commission.

All of those were good things but they also meant that she was running far more behind than she wanted to be,

To her knowledge, based on the bits of information she could glean from Kathyrne this was a fairly standard commission. A young, up and coming archeologist had stumbled on a hidden temple out on the plains and needed an adventurer to protect him while he explored the ruins.

The second Kathyrne had told her about the request all she could feel was surprise. After checking a map where the ruin's location was marked she realized that she had been through that same area plenty of times before and had never once found a temple of any sort,

So either the client was mistaken or a temple had just randomly appeared. Mora was mora though and their funds were getting low. Plus she wanted to treat Paimon to one of the desert shops she'd been wanting to try when she returned and in order to do that taking this job on was necessary.

Her breath burned in her chest as she tried to breathe, her calves ached and she was sure her hair was a mess but finally she found the street she needed to be on. Liyue Harbor was a huge port city and had many different residential districts, thankfully she had been able to find this place rather quickly.

She continued to run, looking at the houses that were all close together. They were small and bunched together in a uniform manner, all of them similar to one another. Finally she found the place she was looking for and came to an abrupt stop, bowed over as she tried to get her racing heart to calm down and the air to return to her lungs.

Lumine was extraordinarly fit, she had to be in order to do the things she did and take on the jobs she had. But even for her, running full throttle across the entire city was pushing it. Ugh, she grumbled to herself as she desperately tried to tame her disheveled hair, not only was she late she probably looked terrible too.

Great.

Finally she was able to calm her breathing down and managed to wrestle her hair into looking half way presentable. It was time to meet the client.

She knocked briefly and wondered if maybe she should knock again, that she was too quiet for anyone inside to actually hear but to her surprise the door was thrown open and she got her first glance at the man who had hired her,

The first thing that struck her was just how tall he was, lean and spindly as he looked down at her. Lumine in general was short, much to her annoyance, so she was used to having to look up at people but even for her he was extraordinarly tall. Despite his height he had a boyish face with wispy strands of chestnut brown hair pulled into a ponytail, He wore the typical robes she found the academics favored and despite the thick, coke bottle glasses on his face she could see the way his eyes sparkled.

"Miss Lumine! My name is Jiang, nice to meet you!" He exclaimed joyously and by the gods was he loud, "To think, the esteemed hero of Mondstat and saviour of Liyue agreed to take on my commission. Working with a warrior of your caliber truly is a blessing."

She winced at the titles he threw at her. Lumine knew she had helped in both cities, had fought to keep people safe but she neither thought of herself as a hero or a saviour. Despite being given the titles, just being associated with the words made her cringe.

Jiang didn't need to know that though so she just sucked it up and gave him a small smile in response. There was no point in correcting him.

"Nice to meet you mister Jiang and please, just call me Lumine. I do have to apologize though for running so behind. My travel partner got sick and I needed to make sure she was taken care of before I left."

"I wouldn't dare presume to just call you Lumine, an esteemed warrior like yourself demands nothing but full respect and don't worry about being a bit late. It is important to take care of one's friends. Is your companion alright? I do hope I wasn't taking you away from a dangerously ill friend. Please come in by the way!"

The first thing she noticed after he stepped aside to let her in was just how cluttered the space was. There were knick knacks everywhere and stacks of boxes leaning against the walls. Where there wasn't a box there were stacks of paper and walking in, she needed to be careful of where she stepped to make sure she didn't trip.

Watching your guard fall flat on her face didn't inspire a lot of confidence after all.

"She's alright now. I managed to get her to take some medication so all she needs now is to just rest."

"I'm glad to hear that. I should apologize for the mess though." He said sheepishly. "I never work just on one project you see so all of this stuff is for the research I'm doing on my papers. Thankfully we'll be talking business in the reception area which is just down that hall there."

She let him trail ahead of her before she started following. "It's alright. Have you made a lot of progress on your papers?"

"Unfortunately not, I've been on a standstill with several of my projects. It seems like the more I look into things the more I realize how lacking my current knowledge is. Though that is the journey of an archeologist I've been completely stuck. That's why I'm so eager to explore these ruins, it would be a nice change of pace and might help me find a different perspective for my current projects. Plus it's every archaeologists dream to explore an untouched, mysterious ruin. Who knows what we'll find!"

His passion for his work bled through his words and she could hear how happy he got talking about their expedition. Just based on her first impression Lumine felt that she likely would be able to get along with him well enough . Which was a relief, having an abrasive or rude client made the job a pain to deal with

The hallway led to a spacious room outlooking the poorly attended to garden and when compared to the rest of the house it was positively spotless. She didn't expect to find who she did sitting at one of the worn couches, sipping away at a cup of tea without a worry in the world.

Zhongli lounged on the couches like they were his personal throne and his very presence seem to filll the air around him with an aura of opulence. He didn't quite fit into the scenery and it was jarring seeing him here.

"Ah yes, how could I forget!" Jiang gestured to Zhongli. "I hired a consultant for this expedition, this is mister Zhongli. He came highly recommended and is one of the foremost experts Liyue has to offer."

His eyes were closed as he savoured the tea but the second they opened she watched the flare of recognition burn to life. Their eyes met and for a second it felt like the world had stopped, that reality had narrowed down to just the two of them. But just as quickly as it happened the moment passed. He gave her that small smile of his, genuine and expressing how he was happy to see her.

"When mister Jiang mentioned hiring and adventure I never imagined that he would be hiring you traveler."

She shot him a grin, "Yup. I'm going to be the muscle for this operation, Seems like you're going to be stuck with me for now."

"Truly a travesty.." He playfully agreed. "What ever will I do with myself."

At their words Jiang lit up. "You two know each other?"

"Indeed. The traveler is a dear friend of mine."

She felt her face warm at his words, at how genuine he sounded when he called her a dear friend. Lumine was no blushing virgin but there was something about Zhongli that always managed to send her stomach aflluter with nerves. Like she was some embarrassed school girl.

"How fortuitous! This can't possibly be a coincidence it seems the fates have bound us all together. Rex Lapis is smiling down upon us!"

"Indeed, I find myself agreeing. It is auspicious indeed." Zhongli told the excitable man and Lumine tried not to laugh at the irony of Jiangs statement, but before she could say anything he turned his full attention back on her. "I must ask, where is Paimon? I don't think I've ever seen you two apart."

"That's because we rarely are actually apart. She got sick so she's resting back at the inn. Xiangling's going to be checking on her while I take care of this commission."

"I see. I'm sorry to hear that."

There was more she wanted to say to him but Jiang cut in and she remembered she had a job to do. Talking with Zhongli could come later.

"I'm glad it seems we now all know each other, i have some photos I took of the temple in my office, give me a minute to grab them and I'll be right back and we can start going over everything."

With that Jiang swept out of the room like a whirlwind and silence settled between the two of them. In this atmosphere Lumine was forced to realize that it had been a long time since she'd actually seen Zhongli. Before she had left for Inazuma they had spent most of their time together and people knew that if she wasn't with Paimon then it was likely she was with Zhongli. They'd spent a lot of time together and he had become one of her dearest friends.

But then Inazuma happened. She had taken on command in the resistance army and had led her men to battle after battle. She had watched them fall following her orders and their blood stained her hands. So many brave men and women had died and with every person she cracked just that much further.

She had lived a very long time, had traveled to so many worlds she no longer quite remembered her original one. Her and her brother had rules about interacting with the residents of whatever world they were in, about not getting attached or involved. But being in Teyvat had her breaking many of the rules they had set for themselves.

She cared. Deeply and fully and watching the people she was supposed to protect die hurt.

So when she had returned to Liyue she had thrown herself into work, She took commission after commission and only stopped when she needed to sleep or eat. Lumine didn't spend time with her friends, she just worked because it allowed her not to think.

For the first time she felt ashamed that she hadn't taken the time to seek this man out. He was her friend and just ignoring him wasn't fair to him.

She hadn't been a very good friend but seeing him here, being in front of him again, felt like a puzzle piece slotting into place she hadn't even noticed was missing. Relief settled in her veins and it felt like she could breathe a little easier.

It was dangerous how fond of this man she had become and a voice that sounded suspiciously like Aether warned her not to get too attached,

She decided to break the ice as she settled down on the couch opposite him. "It's been sometime."

"That it has, since before you left for Inazuma I believe. Though I hear often of your exploits since returning. You are a hot topic for many of the citizens in Liyue Harbor, stories of your accomplishments have become quite popular."

His tone wasn't accusatory at all, it was warm even with how expressionless his face was, like he really just was happy to see her. She tried not to get choked up that he didn't hate her for essentially ignoring him.

"It has been… very busy since returning."

"I expected nothing less. Your talents have always been in high demand though I must ask, have you been well?"

His gaze was knowing as it settled on her and part of her wanted to break, wanted to tell him everything that happened and about all the people she had lost. But this wasn't the time or place and the idea of opening up about that made her want to run away.

"I'm okay. Things are alright." She knew he didn't believe her, could tell she wasn't okay but thankfully he didn't push. "How's work been at the funeral parlor? It's been such a long time since I stopped by."

He didn't;t question her trying to change the topic just took another sip of his tea. "It has been busy, as it alway is and there is always much to do. Nonetheless it is… rewarding being able to work there. I deliver the final rites to the deceased and comfort their loved ones, it is such a far cry from being the hand causing death."

It was easy to forget sometimes but for all Zhongli was a socially awkward man he was still Rex Lapis. The Geo Archon who had ruled Liyue for thousands of years, As much as he was the God of contracts so too was he a god of war. In the name of protecting Liyue he had killed many a god. Many a human.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." She settled on after a second. "And that you're able to help people."

And she was. Zhongli was a kind man, even if he didn't think so. Being able to help people, to provide the dead with their final courtesy and to guide them to the afterlife, suited him so much more.

"Yes. I am quite happy with where I'm at right now. Though I must say I don't quite know how I feel about not seeing Paimon with you. The two of you have always been a package deal."

She couldn't help laughing at that. It was absolutely true. "It's definitely weird."

Paimon had been the one constant in her life since entering this world. No matter what happened or what they encountered she had always been by her side. Not being able to hear her little quips or running commentary felt wrong.

"Please let her know I hope she feels better,"

"You should tell her yourself. Or better yet, offer to treat her to dinner once she feels better. You'll be her favorite person then."

"I don't believe even I have enough mora to feed Paimon."

"What, that fancy stipend the Qixing give you can't foot the bill?" She joked, once Niguang had found out he was alive and strapped for cash she had given him a hefty stipend as payment for his protection of Liyue. "I swear most of my pay goes to making sure she's fed. How she fits all that food in that tiny little body is one of Teyvat's biggest mysteries."

"What if life without a little mystery though."

"True."

There wasn't much to say after that and they sat in companionable silence, just enjoying each others company. She loved that they didn't have to always talk, that they could just be with one another. She knew what type of feelings he brought out in her, knew how much she cared, but there was no way anything could come of it.

She had her journey, her brother, to think about. Lumine didn't have the time or energy to take on anything else.

It wasn't until she a heard a shout of triumph from the other room that she realized Jiang must have found what he was looking for. He ran back in the room holding a folder full of photos aloft like he was displaying a trophy he'd won through his own blood, sweat and tears. The man looked completely frazzled, robes skewed and hair a mess.

She wondered what exactly he had needed to do to get that folder that left him looking the way he now did.

He placed the folder on the center table and sat himself down, practically buzzing with excitement. "So, these are all the photos I managed to take on my first visit! I didn't get a chance to actually explore so most of these are of the temple's entrance but regardless, everything I saw was an absolute marvel."

The pictures that spilled out onto the table did indeed show a temple. It was large, larger than most temples she had seen in Teyvat and was shaped like a massive cathedral that was built into the cliff side. It was full of statues and mosaics and despite how dilapidated it seemed, weathered by the test of time, it was still beautiful. Since being in this world she had never seen so much artistry on one temple, even the statues, broken and damaged they may be, looked hauntingly life like.

One particular picture caught her eye and she picked it up. It was in the large courtyard built atop what had once been a fountain, a massive statue showing an impish looking woman in flowing silk robes as she held her hands aloft in the air. Reaching to the heavens above.

In her hands there was a cracked orb and Lumine wondered what exactly she was holding.

She recognized the landscape immediately, she had in fact been there many times before.

"Did it just appear?" She asked more to herself than anything.

"It did!" Jiang confirmed, apparently catching what she had been saying. "I was actually out in that area researching another project when it happened."

She looked at him inquisitively and gestured for him to continue when he paused.

"It was… well like a mirage, I guess. That's the best way to describe it. I was taking a break at the time, resting when I felt something in the air change. I can't tell you what exactly I was feeling only that something was different,. When I looked up the air shimmered and after a minute or so the temple just appeared. It was a real shock, I'll tell you. I thought I'd completely lost it or that maybe I had heat stroke or something like that. Wasn't until I explored the entrance of it that I realized it wasn't just some crazy dream."

She thought it before but once more she couldn't help but reflect on how strange all this was. A temple that had never been there before just appeared out of thin air. The more she studied the images the more she thought on how stunning this place must have been in its prime. Back when it was an active temple and not a run down ruin filled with ghosts.

It was still a sight to see, even damaged as it was. But it saddened her that such a place could've been forgotten by time, disappeared to never be seen again.

When she turned to Zhongli to ask him about the temple she found him staring at one of the photos in his hands. He had never been one to let his emotions play out on his face and it had taken her a while of getting to know him to be able to even try reading how he felt but she could see it plain as day here.

He looked shocked.

"Zhongli?"

"To have seen this place after so long." He spoke to himself as he picked up another picture. "This is one of Ba'al's temples."

Jiang immediately perked up at the name and quick as lightning grabbed a note pad. " Ba'al? I have never heard of a Ba'al before though that you know who this temple belongs to shows that hiring you was the correct decision. I had searched for more information on which god this place was built for when I returned but I couldn't find a single thing. None of the other experts I consulted knew either."

"That doesn't surprise me, Ba'al is an old god and most everything related to her has been destroyed over time. It is a miracle in and of itself that you managed to find this temple at all, especially in the condition it's in." Zhongli picked up the photo she had been looking at earlier, the one of the woman built on the massive fountain. "She is one of the ancient gods that predate the archons."

The noise Jiang made at that bit of information reminded her of a dying cat as he leaned as close to Zhongli as he could get, invading his space more than she knew he was comfortable with, especially if that small down tick of his lips was any indication. "Truly?! An ancient god from before even the venerated Archons! This is an amazing discovery! No, wait, this is a historic discovery! To be able to write a paper on this would be a once in a lifetime achievement."

"You would know better than I. Though I fear her story is not a pleasant one."

"Regardless, anything you could tell me about her would help greatly."

Zhongli sighed and right before her eyes she saw him sit up just that much straighter, rounding out his shoulders. After being able to get to know him she had long since learned that Zhongli loved to talk about the past, to keep the history he lived through alive. His joy was in sharing what he knew and if you let him talk he could go on for hours.

But there were times when he talked about the past where he got this far away look on his face. Where he turned melancholic and the weight of the past rested heavy on his shoulders. It was those times she knew he talked about loss, the tragedies he'd faced and all the friends he had outlived.

It wasn't obvious to anyone who didn't know him well but to her it was plain as day. There was grief there and she knew without a doubt that his knowledge of Ba'al was a personal one. That he likely knew her very well.

"Very well. First and foremost Ba'al was considered the God of Fertility, in the years long since passed the people would pray to her whenever they wanted to be with child. They prayed for safe deliveries and to bless the child so that they lived past their first year." He settled back in his seat and turned to look outside the window. "She was unique even among the gods and adepti. She was no elemental spirit or illuminated beast. Ba'al was birthed from the bowels of a pomegranate tree."

"A pomegranate tree?" Jiang asked, furiously writing notes.

"Yes. The land her tree was rooted was embroiled in war and blood shed and from the rivers of blood that her roots soaked up she came to be. Tell me what do you know of the period of time before the Archons and their war?"

"Not much." Jiang grimaced. "There isn't much information of whatever happened before the Archons came to power, especially in Liyue."

"Yes. There were many gods that existed before the Archons, pantheons of beings so powerful they could shape or destroy the land however they pleased. Ba'al was one of the ancient gods and while the land was enveloped in war, despite her origins, she became the very embodiment of spring. A peaceful woman who was enamored with the mortals she cared for, fascinated by the brevity of human life and how deeply they cared. Despite being the god of fertility though she had never taken a partner, never fallen in love."

"That was until she met a human man, a humble farmer who had sought her out to ensure his sisters birth would be a safe one. In a tale as old as time they fell in love, a mighty god and the lowly mortal who tempted her with everything she had never let herself have. Their love was a bright one and at the time of their union her temples overflowed with joy."

Lumine was absolutely enraptured as he weaved his tale of this god she had never met. She wanted to know more, wanted to know about the people he had met and the friendship he'd had.

"Soon she fell pregnant with his child and after thousands of years the god of fertility herself would finally become a mother. Most were happy for them but there was an even more ancient god, a god full of rage and the desire to keep Ba'al for himself, who objected to their union. Plelaois was his name, an old being who had been a god before Teyvat had even been formed. He had always been enamored with Ba'al but no matter what he did, what grand gestures or gifts he'd give her, she always spurned his advances."

"The second the news of Ba'al pregnancy reached his ears he snapped. He had chased her affections for thousands of years and for her to take a lowly mortal man as a partner instead insulted him. If he couldn't have her then no one could. On the eightth month of her pregnancy he destroyed her tree, killing her and her unborn child. He murdered her lover and razed her temples to the ground. He had wanted to erase any mention of her and so in the aftermath, her temples were destroyed and any of her followers killed. As such, her name was lost to the annals of time and without places of worship to venerate her or follower to carry on her story she was forgotten."

Lumine was horrified. She had met a few gods, even before her time in this world and she knew that they could be fickle. That the way they thought was different from the mortals she so resembled but it still struck her how capricious they could be. Or that someone who was likely Zhongli's friend was murdered in such a manner.

That distant sorrow was heavy on him and she wished that she could just reach over and try to comfort him. He would never admit being hurt by the past but she knew better. God he may be, he was still just a person with feelings at the end of the day.

"How fascinating!" Jiang crowed breaking the somber atmosphere. "A long forgotten god and a temple hidden by time! Writing on this could be the thing that defines my career, it could be the very thing that gets my name out there. Tell me more mister Zhongli! Anything you can think of, Though I do wish to ask what happened to Pelois? I haven't heard of him either."

"In the same manner that he killed Ba'al and destroyed everything that had to do with her so to did he suffer the same fate." Those amber eyes of his flashed briefly with something ancient and powerful, a sharp rage that had her shuddering.

Did Zhongli enact revenge on Ba'al's behalf? Did he do what Pelois did and murder everyone associated with him? She didn't know and her stomach churned at the idea of Zhongli killing people just for being followers of another god.

With Jiang here she couldn't ask him.

He was still leaning far too close to Zhongli, practically vibrating in his seat as he shot questions out one after another. The man was an academic through and through and though she wanted to tell him to give Zhongli some space his eager questions filled the room with a warmer atmosphere.

It was more light hearted than the weighted tension that had been present before and the more he talked about Ba'al the more that sorrow that had been so present before slowly shifted. He became more engaged and it made her happy to see him in his element.

An hour and another pot of tea later, the conversation had finally petered out. Jiang had filled near half his notebook with hastily scrawled notes on all the information Zhongli had given him. She hadn't said much, had been more content to just listen but now that there was some space to do so there was something she needed to bring up.

"So." She said drawing the attention of both men. "Security wise between Zhongli and I, I'm more than confident we can keep you safe during this expedition."

"I'm so glad to hear that!"

"I will be frank with you though, the manner in which this temple appeared is incredibly suspicious. We don't know why it just showed itself to you or even what the temple looks like inside. Even with what Zhongli told us we are flying mostly blind."

Zhongli nodded. "That is a fair assessment. While I know much of Ba'al I don't actually know what's inside this specific temple. Or why it only showed up now of all times."

With the constant movement of the Abyss order she was willing to bet that the two could be related. She couldn't be sure obviously but it was suspicious that it revealed herself when Teyvat was going through such an uncertain period of time.

For the first time, Jiang looked nervous. "What does that mean for the expedition?"

"It means that while the likelihood of this actually being dangerous isn't super high, especially with both of us there, we still can't rule out the possibility of something dangerous happening. So when we get there I need you to stick by either Zhongli or I at all times. Whatever I say is law, if I tell you to go left we go left. If I tell you not to touch something don't touch it and if I feel it's too dangerous and that we need to leave, you do so without complaint. Understand?"

Jiang didn't look happy about that, especially that last part, but this is what he hired her to do. To protect him and keep him safe. Reluctantly he gave her a nod to show he understood.

"Good."

Something about this seemed off and there was a nagging sensation at the back of her mind that was telling her to stay alert, that she was heading into danger. She had long since recognized it as the instincts she'd developed after thousands of years of traveling from world to world, throwing herself into whatever fight she could. Her instincts had served her well her entire life and even weakened as she was, there was no way she wouldn't listen to them.

She would have to wait though until they actually arrived at the temple for her to get an idea of what they were dealing with. As it was the most she could do now was start setting up emergency plans for the possible scenarios they could be walking into.

Lumine watched as Jiang and Zhongli continued to talk and despite her worry, she was grateful that he had been hired onto this commission along with her. He was powerful, an actual God that could help protect Jiang far better than she could.

She forced herself to take a deep breath and relax. Between the two of them everything would be fine.

—-

It was a slow trek to the temple and what should have taken just two days took four. Had it been just Zhongli and her they would have been able to half the travel time but unfortunately for her Jiang was an untrained civilian. They had needed to keep the pace slow and had been forced to stop several times so he could rest. Thankfully it was an uneventful trip with very little danger. The most that had happened was their group running across some treasure hoarders but that had been easily dealt with. She hadn't even needed Zhongli's help to beat them black and blue and send them running.

It also helped that Zhongl was perfect for protecting the client what with his unbreakable shield.

It was strange though not having Paimon floating by her side and the longer she spent away from her friend the worse she felt. She often found herself finding something Paimon would like and turning to address her only to realize she wasn't there. It wasn't a pleasant experience and she was hoping they'd be able to get this job done quickly so she could go check on her friend and see if she was okay.

She had to be feeling better by now and if she wasn't then Xiangling was there to help.

As they had traveled she found herself mostly running ahead to patrol but when she wasn't she mostly spent her time talking to Zhongli. It really had been so long since they had been able to just sit with one another and talk and being able to spend time with him felt strangely like coming home. Like in his presence she was safe, had nothing to worry about.

She knew she hadn't been right after coming home from Inazuma. Too much had happened and too many people had died. The ghosts of her fallen soldiers, of the people she could have saved, haunted her and it was only being around Zhongli that made her feel everything was alright.

He never asked what happened in Inazuma and she never offered. She was just grateful for his friendship and that when she was with him she felt like she could breathe.

On the eve of the fourth day they finally arrived at the temple and despite having seen photographs none of the still images did the massive ruin any justice, It towered above them and jutted out from the cliff side as if it had been built into the rock. The cathedral was huge and she got a chance to see the steeples that towered over them with their spires that reached all the way into the night sky.

Much of the place was damaged, whether it was the portions of the building that were caved in and destroyed or the statues that were all broken in one way or another. Even the largest statue in the fountain, the one of Ba'al, was cracked in several places . Portions of the stone long since broken off.

But despite the damage she couldn't help but to stop and marvel at everything she was seeing.

"This place is…" She started but trailed off at the end trying to find the right word. Ever vigilant though she managed to keep an eye on Jiang who was running around with surprising fevor, taking photo after photo. In the short few days she had gotten to know Jiang she learned that he was the excitable sort and she was grateful that his focus was on the ruins and not on her.

"Stunning, is it not?" Zhongli finished her earlier thought as he fell into step next to her.

"It really is. I don't think I've ever seen a temple like this one before in Teyvat."

He hummed consideringly. "Of all the gods, Ba'al was focused a lot more on artistry than most. Especially when it came to anything in her name and most of the temples that were built during and after the Archon war were all built more for function than aesthetic. If need be, a temple would be able to act as fortification against attacks. She didn't build her temples in that manner."

Now that he mentioned it she'd noticed that in comparison to this place the ruins and temples she'd explored before were built smaller in stature and tended to be more geometrically shaped. In comparison here there were life like mosaics etched into every inch of white stone showing different scenes of what Lumine assumed was likely Ba'al. There were intricate arches and pillars forming different shapes that all melded together and she could tell automatically while this place wouldn't act as a defensive measure aesthetically it was gorgeous.

She hadn't though much about the architecture of the places she'd visited, knew next to nothing about it. But hearing about it from Zhongli was interesting and she wouldn't mind if he continued talking. Instead he just gave her a small smile, just the barest upturn of his lips and those butterflies she had felt earlier came fluttering back in full force.

It was absolutely unfair how attractive he was.

"I wish you would have been able to see some of her other temples back when she was alive. This one is actually on the smaller side of some of the cathedrals I've seen built in her honor."

His tone was wistful and she knew it probably wasn't easy being here. But regardless of his own feelings he was still here.

"I would have loved that, this place is already so beautiful that I can barely imagine what it might have looked like before it was hidden away." There was more she wanted to say about that but she remembered one of the concerns she had and knew it needed to be asked. "By the way can you tell at all why this temple suddenly appeared? Or why despite this place being visible for weeks there aren't any treasure hoarders, fatui or monsters here?"

This place was completely untouched despite being in a well traveled spot on the plains, it made no sense that no one else had decided to explore. Especially treasure hoarders. They should have been needing to fight them off by the boatload. That there was no sign anyone else but them had stepped foot there automatically raised her sense of caution that something wasn't right.

"It doesn't surprise me that you noticed that. You truly always manage to impress me Traveler."

If her cheeks heated up at his praise then that was no one's business but hers and hers alone.

"When we first entered I could sense that the wards that should be hiding this place are still active." He reached out his hand as if to touch something but nothing happened. "My best guess right now is that the temple wanted to be found and allowed itself to be seen by Jiang. To anyone else this place is still functionally invisible."

"The way you talk about it makes it seem like the temple is alive."

"For all intents and purposes that isn't far from the truth." He admitted to her. "I can sense Ba'al's presence here, it envelops this place."

"Wait, she's here? I thought she died?"

"She did indeed die. What remains here isn't necessarily Ba'al herself but remnants of her will. It is what's controlling the wards and keeping this place hidden. What that means for us exactly I'm not sure."

She had more questions than answers at this point but the main one she had was that is Ba'al's will was alive here than what did she want with Jiang. A random archeologist.

There was so much more she wanted to ask but Jiang had decided that he'd taken enough pictures and made a mad rush for the massive door way forcing her to run after him. Despite her warnings he ran off on his own and went to try and push the large door open. The second his hand touched the stone however the door lit up and she felt a shift in the air.

Electro hung heavy in the air and she could taste the tinge of ozone that told her how strong the magic that permeated every inch of this place was. As she grabbed Jiang to pull him behind her she desperately tried not to think about lighting and of having her nerves being fried to a crisp but she couldn't help it. It brought her right back to that final battle between her and the Shogun.

The entire building shook as the build up of magic swelled and geometric patterns came to life on the the door Jiang had touched. With a final rumble the door creaked and opened itself.

Jiang didn't even bother staying still as he ran around her, going further into the temple.

"Damnnit."

"I can sense no negative intentions here." Zhongli said from her side. "She wants us here so for now I believe we are safe."

If anyone would know it would be Zhongli and she knew that whatever he said she could trust but they were still operating on so much unknown. This temple was alive and apparently had plans for Jiang. Nothing about that revelation made her feel any better about the situation especially when the man in question had disregarded everything she'd said.

It said something when Paimon had more of a survival sense than this man.

"Stop running ahead!" She shouted at Jiang who sheepishly apologized and slowed down.

They had just gotten here and she was already exhausted. Thankfully Zhongli stepped up and began speaking with Jiang, telling him more about Ba'al. At least if something happened Zhongli would be close enough to protect him.

The further they explored the more confusing the lay out became. There were no windows the deeper they went and the hallways winded in seemingly random directions. She had been turned around so many times that if someone had asked which way was north she genuinely wouldn't be able to answer.

And as they continued on the stronger the magic she had first sensed with the first door had opened. It started as a slight tinge on the edge of her awareness but soon became an overwhelming presence watching every move they made. It was ancient, powerful and intelligent. The full weight of it seemed to be focused mostly on her, as if it was studying her and picking apart everything that made Lumine, Lumine.

It was incredibly overwhelming and confusing.

They soon reached their first dead end and were presented with a puzzle that would need to be solved for them to move on. It was easy and she had figured it out quickly but the further they went the more puzzles they were forced to solve. What had been simple the first few times had turned into being forced to solve one convoluted puzzle after the other. In the entirety of her long life and throughout the countless worlds she'd traveled, Lumine had never encountered a land like Teyvat that relied so heavily on puzzle mechanisms to operate everything.

Puzzles kept being thrown her way and each one raised her temper just that bit more. It didn't help that she could sense the tinge of amusement in the air as if Ba'al was enjoying watching her struggle.

After what felt like hours of walking and puzzle solving they finally reached a set of large ornate doors decorated with images of Ba'al. Even from where she was standing she could sense how strong the energy was behind these doors. Despite not encountering anything dangerous so far she summoned her sword, the grip on the hilt easing her nerves.

Jiang went to touch the doors like he did at the entrance but when his fingers touched the stone nothing happened. They remained stubbornly shut. Zhongli tried to open it next but the same thing happened. It wasn't until she laid her hand on the stone that the door lit up, geometric patterns shining. Just as that first door had done, this one creaked open all on its own.

Her breath caught as the room the walked into. It was beautiful with an arched dome above them that was as dark as the night sky, bright stars made by magic shining in the inky darkness. It was a picture of the cosmos and a part of her ached at the sight of it, ached to be apart of the stars that were her home. Colorful frescoes decorated the large room and life like statues stood guard at every corner of the room. Soft balls of purple light floated through the room to give it light and the floor was like a liquid lake of pitch black, greedily devouring any light.

It took her a minute to notice the six pedestals placed in the middle of the room, the source of the oppressive energy she had felt. They seemed to suck the air out of the room, drawing in everything and demanding more still.

She was stepping forward before she realized it, thought's of how she needed to protect Jiang slipping away like mist in the night. With determined steps she walked right up to the nearest pesatal.

The altar itself was beautifully made but what seemed to call to every fibre of her being was the ornate golden feather placed delicately at the top. Lumine lost herself in the gleaming reflection of light that danced along its shining surface. It pulsed with arcane power and everything within her wanted to just reach out and touch it.

A single touch wouldn't hurt.

She reached out but just as the tips of her fingers were about to graze the edges of the feather a sturdy grip wrapped around her hand. It was tight but not painful and completely halted her from touching the feather. It was like the bubble around her that had sent her into a stupor had popped and shame rushed through her as she realized what she had almost done. How despite warning Jiang not to touch anything she had almost broken her own rule.

The magic here was strong, stronger than anywhere else they had been in the temple and now that she had Zhongli's hand wrapped around her wrist she could separate what the magic was trying to make her do and her own thoughts. The instant buzzing at the edge of her consciousness still urging her to just reach out.

What would be the harm?

Zhonglis voice was more severe than she'd heard it in a while and it was him that allowed her to shake off the last vestiges of whatever was trying to to compel her. "Touch nothing here traveler. Ba'al was a collector of magical artifacts and her interests ranged from objects that provided innocent blessings to ones that subjected the user to suffer under a dark curse. I did not sense this place from above or I would have warned you, Ba'al's will is making it hard."

His hand on her wrist was grounding, hold firm and unyielding like the very stone he controlled. For a brief moment as she stared down at his hand she felt disappointment at the fact she was wearing her arm guard and him his gloves. Some hidden part of her she refused to entertain wanted to feel his bare skin on hers, to feel his warmth.

All too soon he released her and she tried to convince herself she didn't miss his touch.

But she was here on a job and more than anything that came first. Plus if these artifacts were compelling people to touch them then she needed to keep a closer eye on Jiang.

"Jiang?" She asked him and looked around, finding a the man taking a flurry of pictures of near anything he could fine. Jumping around the room like aan crazed.

"I don't think you have to worry about him. These artifacts don't seem to affect either of us like they do you. I've warned him not to touch anything."

How strange. Why was it only her that was affected? Even before, it had felt like the entirety of Ba'al's attention was on her. She had originally thought Ba'al had wanted something with Jiang but the longer they stayed here the more she was realizing that may not have been the case.

"Her will. It's been focused all on me hasn't it."

"Yes." Zhongli nodded. "I do not know why but she wanted us here. You here."

She grimaced. So much about this was making her uncomfortable and there were far too many unknowns about this whole situation.

"You do not have to worry my friend, no matter what happens I am here with you and between the two of us I'm confident we'll be able to handle anything this place can throw at us."

That reassured her more than it probably should.

"I hope so. I can feel her, vaguely. It feels like she's been watching us and laughing, like she's enjoying making us walk through this endless maze."

Zhongli laughed softly. "That is very much in character for Ba'al."

Lumine hadn't really asked much about Ba'al on their journey here, not liking the way talking about her seemed to lower his mood but it seemed necessary to pry now. If Ba'al was as present as it seemed she was and had plans for them then it was necessary for her to know who exactly they were dealing with.

"I know some of what you've told Jiang but tell me, what type of person was Ba'al? Her will is still alive and well here and she's been leading us around since we first stepped in here. I want to know what to expect."

"That is a fair request." He told her before he turned away to ponder the question. The only sound in the room was the shutter of Jiang's kamera going off and his unintelligible mumbles as he worked to capture anything that caught his interest. She stared at his back and found him looking up at a large painting of Ba'al. A stunning woman with flowing red hair and silk robes holding a red orb aloft, at her feet a crowd of followers in various states of undress and expressions of pure joy on their faces.

"Ba'al was… a strange woman."

"Strange?"

"It is hard to put into words but she was a fierce woman who cared passionately, with the entirety of her being. Ba'al was obsessed with the mortals under her protection, utterly fascinated that despite the brevity of their lives they cared so deeply despite being so far removed from them as an adepti."

His tone was wistful and despite not seeing his face she already knew the expression she'd find there.

"She sounds interesting."

His responding bought of laughter was dry. "Indeed. Interesting summed her up very well. More than anything Ba'al was prone to causing mischief and was incapable of not sticking her nose in other peoples problems. She treated life like one big game and never stopped looking for the next interesting thing that could catch her attention. Her favorite thing to do was play silly little pranks."

"How did you meet?"

"It is a long story. But before I ever was an Archon I was simply a common dragon among the many the soared above the skies of Teryvat. I had landed in her territory by accident but instead of fighting me off like she should have, she declared herself my friend and decided in her words, to help me lighten up."

Lumine giggled at that

"As Morax, in those early days, I was a solitary creature. Prone to the savagery of a beast that relied on instinct and so sure of my own righteousness that I saw no need to connect with others. She taught me how foolish that idea was and what it meant to be a friend to someone."

"Savagery? I don't think I could ever imagine you like that." Kind, caring Zhongli? A beast that lived on instinct? The idea was laughable.

He was distant, always guarded but never savage.

He turned towards her finally and she was surprised to see how embarrassed he looked. "Yes, well I was young back then. Brash and selfish. I took whatever I wanted and cared little about others. Time had tempered those aspects of myself but they still exist. Will always exist."

There was more she wanted to say to him but before she could get the words out the energy in the air flared to life, a feeling a triumph tinging the air that confused Lumine. Just as quickly the room began to shake and it was only Zhonli's hand on her shoulder that kept her from falling over.

She looked up just in time to see Jiang by one of the pedestals holding one of the artifacts, a long pipe decorated with jade. Lumine realized with a sinking stomach that they had made a huge mistake, they hadn't kept an eye on Jiang.

The artifact in his hand pulsed with an eerie purple light and before she could move a single muscle the walls began rapidly restructuring itself. The room was changing before her very eyes.

Briefly the image of Jiang was replaced by one of her men, bloodied, broken and waiting for her to save them. She didn't even think, just reacted as she sent out the largest burst of anemo she could muster to propel her forward. So she could grab this foolish man and lecture him till his ears bled.

But just as quickly the room finished reshaping itself, a wall forming up from the ground completely cutting her off from Jiang. She slammed into the unrelenting stone and briefly swore she saw stars, the full force of the impact making her ache.

"Shit!" She spat out, forcing her aching body off the floor.

This time when she stood she collected as much anemo energy as she could, coalesced it to the center of her palm and sent out a violent burst of air that shook the walls. Normally this attack would be enough to rend through stone like it was tissue paper but to her shock, she found that the walls absorbed the elemental energy.

There wasn't a single scratch on them.

She tried geo next and after that electro but no matter what she threw at the damn things the magic in the walls absorbed everything. She even tried calling Xiao but nothing happened. They were separated from their client and trapped in a sentient temple. Even calling out to him didn't work, the magic ensuring they were well and completely separated.

She was exhausted from all the energy she spent and aching but her temper flared to life. She was supposed to protect the client, protect Jiang. Instead she had gotten distracted and now Jiang was in hostile territory with no protection. An untrained civilian.

"Fuck!" She shouted and kicked the wall, temper growing further when that did nothing but rattle her bones.

Zhongli came to stand by her side and put his hand on her shoulder once more. It embarrassed her how much she calmed down from his touch.

"That's enough traveler."

"But- But what about Jiang?" She turned to him, desperation in her voice. "He's not like us Zhongli. He's not trained and he can't protect himself."

She knew she was getting a lot more worked up than she normally would have been but with the wounds of Inazuma so fresh all she could focus on was that she had been hired to protect him and she had failed. Yet again.

Jiang would be yet another name to add to that growing list.

Lumine didn't expect the gentle grip on her chin as Zhongli turned her face up to look directly at him. She had always loved his eyes, they were a rich, gleaming amber full of a depth that she'd never seen in another living being and when she found herself staring right at them she couldn;t help the way she stilled. When that hand came to rest so delicately on her cheek her racing thoughts came to an abrupt stop.

She could see the compassion there. The understanding of what she refused to talk about and the pain that had festered since she had come back to Liyue. It was like he could see entirely through her and knew every bit of what she wanted to hide.

"There is nothing we can do right now. The walls are absorbing everything we throw at them. For now we are stuck."

All of what he said was true but a part of her wanted to just deny it and go back to trying to blast down the wall. This was just what the situation was.

"But Jiang…"

"Should be fine." Zhongli had yet to release her face and she found that despite the gloves, she could feel the warmth radiating from his palm. "Ba'al wanted us here for a reason and she wanted us separated for a reason. I doubt she would go through all this effort to bring him here just to kill him off, that wouldn't be characteristic of Ba'al at all."

Briefly she closed her eyes, savoring his warmth before taking a shuddering breath to collect herself. This wasn't the time to let her demons get to her and despite her doubts, she trusted Zhongli's opinion. If he said it wasn't likely then she would just have to trust him.

"Okay." She finally agreed, opening her eyes and staring into his once more. "Lets do this. Ba'al is obviously leading us somewhere so lets see where she wants us to be. Eventually that path should lead us to Jiang."

They were irrevocably trapt in a ruin with magic strong enough to thwart Zhongli. Great. This wasn't how she expected this commission to go.

"It will be fine traveler."

He stepped back and Lumine found herself missing the warmth of his hand on her face.

She led the way to the single doorway that had formed. "I really hope so Zhongli. I really hope so."

—-

The winding hallways had been confusing to walk through before but after the temple had shifted she found herself well and truly lost. Rooms they'd enter would completely restructure into a different room, doorways would materialize randomly and hallways would appear without warning. What really aggravated her though wasn't getting lost or separated from her client but the constant bombardment of puzzles.

It felt like they needed to solve a puzzle every few feet to move on and it made their progress achingly slow.

She solved one after another, made a lot easier with Zhongli's help, but the second she finished one puzzle this place threw another at her. It did not help that she could sense Ba'al's amusement. She was enjoying watching them suffer.

"Why would she make her temple like this." Lumine complained and tried to keep the childish whine out of her voice that really wanted to surface. "Who even needs this many puzzles?!".

A doorway materialized as they solved yet another damn puzzle. Zhongli led the way out. He had been focusing on trying to keep track of the moving stone and for the most part she had left him alone. He had needed to concentrate.

But she was legitimately so annoyed she couldn't help but ask.

"If I had to guess she built this place to hide something. The puzzles and shifting walls were likely just made for her own personal enjoyment."

"She sounds like Hu Tao"

From everything he had told her so far of Ba'al the more connections she drew to the funeral director. Hu Tao was equally a whirlwind of mischief and prided herself on teasing others. She was a playful person with no sense of shame and a terrible sense of humor.

She did and said what she pleased and it was usually at the expense of someone else.

Zhongli didn't respond right away. He put his hand to the wall and focused as he tried to make sense of where they were going and with a disappointed hum, continued walking forward.

"They are strangely similar in many ways. Ba'al was just as… playful as the director seems to be. Had they ever gotten the chance to meet one another they would've gotten on like a house on fire. I don't even want to think about the chaos those two could cause together."

"But still… the amount of effort needed to make this place the way it is just for what amounts to a joke seems like a waste."

"To us it's a joke. But to anyone else that managed to enter her temple I doubt this place would be nearly as kind to them."

"I wonder why she wants us here?"

"That is the question, isn't it."

They continued on and no surprise, she'd needed to solve yet another puzzle. This one forcing them to jump on tiles on the floor in the correct pattern. It wasn't a difficult one and they got through it relatively quickly.

Both of them followed the hallway the room had opened up to and Lumine found herself surprised at how long they walked. Normally by then the ruins would have already shifted. She wasn't claustrophobic, had been in many small, enclosed spaces but as the hallway got narrower and narrower until they were forced to walk in a single file line, she found herself feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

Zhongli had no problems whatsoever, composed as ever as if they weren't trapped in the temple of his old friend.

Eventually they reached a simple stone door, there wasn't anything special about it but even from the other side she could sense how thick the energy was behind it. Zhongli pushed it open and they found themselves walking into a large room. White marble and stone was built into artful arches and stunning shapes, carved mosaics on every inch of wall. The arched dome ceiling was similar to the room with the artifacts save that instead of being the night sky it was decorated like the skies above the clouds during the brightest part of the day.

If that previous room had been the embodiment of the calm night then this place was it's complete opposite; the bright face of the day.

At the far wall there was yet another painting, this one showing Ba'al holding up that same orb before her followers. Only this time the followers had been painted making love at her feet. The previous image had been far more tasteful than the one here

The magic here was potent and as they approached the only door in the room she could sense that whatever was behind that door was likely the remnant of Ba'al's will, It was a near endless void of magic and she felt like it could easily devour her if she wasn't careful.

"This should be it." He told her. "I believe whatever is behind here is likely the source of Ba'als will."

He laid his hand against the stark white stone but nothing happened. It difn't move or light up and she could feel the air swirl with impish joy at his inability to open it. It wasn't until Lumine reached out did anything happen.

Geometric lines flared to life beneath her hand but instead of opening like all the other doors they'd encountered had, the light didn't dim. It grew and grew until the room was enveloped in a blindingly white light. She screwed her eyes shut to keep from going blind.

When the light subsided though and she managed to blink the stars out of her vision she saw that they were no longer in that large, ornate room. This new one was a far cry in comparison, just four walls of plain stone and no exit. What drew her attention was what stood proudly in the middle of the room on yet another pedestal, as if beckoning them closer.

It was a floating red sphere, the deepest crimson she had ever seen. It pulsed with ancient energy, like a beating heart and considering this was the source of Ba'al's will it might as well be.

"That orb… what is it? I've seen it on the paintings in the temple. Ba'al had it."

"I don't know, I have never seen her with this artifact before." He approached cautiously. "I can tell this is what's powering the wards and temple but I can't tell what it's specifically for."

She wanted to tell him to be careful but regardless of how close he got, the thing remained suspended in place. Not even a flash of power responding to his close proximity. When he reached out to grab the thing his hand got zapped by a jolt of pure electro energy.

The thing had a shield.

Lumine stepped forward because if they wanted to figure out what the thing did then two heads were better than one. But just as soon as she neared Zhongli she was assaulted by the loudest screech she had ever heard, forcing her hands over her ears as her ear drums felt like they were about to burst. To her horror the orb began to light up, dousing the room in violent shades of red. Pulsing faster and faster.

"Zhongli?" She said wearily and lifted her sword. "What's happening?"

She didn't hear his response because the energy within the orb seemed to swirl and build. The walls shook and the air was heavy with the physical pressure of the coalescing magic. It took everything in her to remain standing.

This place that had largely been harmless had suddenly become a lot more dangerous.

Her stomach sank as she noticed the orb pulsing even quicker. The build up of elemental energy was getting too strong and she knew that it was likely going to burst. And with that much power in such a small room they'd end up paste on the walls.

The thing exploded.

She felt more than she saw Zhongli grab ahold of her waist and throw up his shield. The resulting shockwave was massive and even within the safety of his shield the explosion rattled her bones..

Just as quickly as it began it ended and the power within the room seemed to be drawn back into the orb, leaving it almost dormant. Fissures began to crack on the translucent amber of Zhongli's shield, and like a spider web where one started another began. The unbreakable shield of the geo archon shattered, broke to pieces before her eyes.

As if physically struck Zhongli made a pained noise, stumbling away from her to lean against the wall. He had his head clutched in his hand, desperately grabbing at his hair.

"Zhongli!" She ran to his side immediately but no matter how much she looked she couldn't see any evidence of physical injury. "What happened?"

It took him a second but when he finally responded his voice was more strained than she'd ever heard it before. "I…am fine traveler. The build up of energy shattered my shield and there was a rebound effect."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Unfortunately no. I just have to wait until the pain passes."

She wanted to grill him more about what happened but she knew that now was not the time, not when he was in pain. This wasn't something she could help with and she trusted that if there was something she could do, Zhongli would have already told her. He looked incredibly unsteady on his feet, he needed rest. They could figure everything out after.

"Sit down." She commanded and he complied without complaint. "Is there anything that would make you more comfortable.

"No. I just need a moment and I'll be fine."

"Okay. Take a minute, I'm going to try and figure out if I can find us a way out of here."

She studied the room they were trapped in once more, checking every corner but no matter where she looked she found nothing. There were no hidden mechanisms and using her elemental sight led to nearly blinding herself looking at the orb. She checked and double checked but found nothing.

When she tried to touch the orb the electro shield flared to life and she now had a spectacular burn on her hand for her troubles. Even when she attacked the thing it didn't shield remained stubbornly strong and Lumine cursed Ba'al in her head for putting them in this situation.

Zhongli's grunt of pain jolted her out of the creative string of curses she had mentally been directing at Ba'al. He was still hunched over in pain.

"Adeptus Xiao." She tried once more but just like before nothing happened. This temple was keeping them completely trapped inside with no way out.

Time passed by in a slow crawl and no matter what she tried nothing worked. What became a concern though was Zhongli. He went from being hunched over and groaning occasionally to holding his head in a death grip as he tried to suck in air, his breaths ragged.

He was getting worse.

"Zhongli." She walked by his side and lowered herself to sit beside him. "I need you to tell me what's wrong."

"I.. am fine." His voice was beginning to go a bit gravely, deeper than it usually was "I just need rest."

"Zhongli it's already been an hour and all you're doing is getting worse. I need you to communicate with me or I can't help you."

He mumbled something so softly she couldn't hear what he said.

"Pardon?"

"I need you to step away from me." He hissed out. "Please."

It was a sudden and strange request, something he had never once asked of her. She tried to pretend it didn't sting.

She was going to tell him to stop being an idiot and just let her help when she noticed it, atop his head a set of dark ivory horns began to grow and though she couldn't see his face she could see the golden glow that was now coming off of him. That raspy breathing changed into a low rumble that rolled through the room.

He was losing control of his mortal form.

"Zhongli!" Lumine knelt down and reached out a hand but before she could even touch him, Zhongli slapped her hand away. It didn't hurt but she still recoiled. He had never once done anything like this before.

"I… am… fine." He growled out. "Please. Just step away from me."

She was stressed from everything that had happened since they'd stepped foot in this temple and she couldn't help how her temper flared. That he was being so stubborn when there was no reason to just allow himself to suffer alone.

"Bullshit. The pain is obviously getting worse and you're losing control of your mortal form. Something is wrong so please, just let me help. I don't like seeing you hurt like this."

Zhongli said nothing and for a moment she thought she was going to have to prod further but instead he raised his head to stare at her and she froze.

When she had seen his horns she knew that he was obviously taking on more of his draconic features but knowing something and actually seeing it were two completely different things. His features were sharper, not too far from his mortal form and lines of gleaming gold ran up his face. The pupils of his eyes were slitted and they glowed with an ancient light, letting out the power she knew he always kept under wraps.

Those eyes of his seemed to stare right through her, like he could see and pick apart everything that made Lumine herself. And shining right alongside it was something that looked like hunger. It was intense and the force of it pinned her in place.

He was always a handsome man but like this he was absolutely ethereal. He was Rex Lapis and it was so easy to see.

"Lumine." She startled at her name and of the flash of fang she could see from behind his lips. "I need you to step away from me. Please."

The entire time they'd known one another he had never once used her actual name. For whatever reason he preferred to just call her Traveler and she had never minded. After all, that's who she was and who she was born to be. A traveler who explored far off worlds and never stayed in one spot for too long.

But for the first time ever he had called her Lumine. And there was a desperation in his voice as he asked her to stay away that she never thought she'd ever hear from him.

"Please." He said once more.

She didn't want to back down but the desperation rolling off of him in waves convinced her to step back, all the way to the opposite side of the room.

"Fine. I'll step away." She said curtly and crossed her arms, unhappy about it but complying nonetheless. "Can you tell me what's actually going on now Zhongli? And if I hear you try to tell me you're fine I will come back over there."

He had never stopped looking at her the entire time and she could see that hunger blaze away, staring at her like she was his entire world and nothing else mattered. It wasn't the time or place but she felt a shiver run through her and she knew he had caught the motion. He fisted his hands at his knees and looked away sharply.

It took him some time as he tried to breathe through whatever was happening but after a moment he turned back to her. "Very well. But please just give me a minute to gather myself."

"Okay."

The room was completely silent so his raspy breaths were particularly loud, especially the the grumble of his throat as he vocalized in a way she had never heard from him. Like the low baritone of a dragon. His horns were fully grown and she could see the way the gleaming gold glyphs that peeked up from beneath his collar cast him in a soft light.

The entire time he had avoided looking at her and as the minutes ticked away she knew if she didn't say something he might not ever actually tell her what was wrong.

"Zhongli."

He growled and in the silence of this small room it was particularly loud. Full of the promise of danger and the warning not to push him but she found she wasn't scared at all. This was Zhongli, her friend. The socially awkward funeral parlor consultant. Dragon or not she trusted him with her life.

The growl petered out and after a few more deep breaths to center himself he finally spoke, his voice garbled as if using his mortal voice and not his draconic one was becoming a challenge. "Tell me, what do you know of Adepti biology."

She blinked. Of all the things he could've opened with she hadn't expected that.

"Not much. Only that you guys are long lived."

He titled his head back against the wall with his eyes shut, giving her a good view of his throat and the golden glyphs that peeked out from beneath his collar. "You are correct about that. As a species adepti live very long lives. Mortals may live well into their eighties but us? The years pass us by and before we knew it centuries have passed. Millenia have past. However how many adepti do you actually know?"

She thought for a moment. "Only five. You, Xiao, Cloud retainer, Moon Carver and Ganyu."

"Compared to the thousands of humans in any one city there are very few adepti. We are long lived but do not reproduce very often."

Reproduce?

"Every adeptus has a biological function that throws them into their instincts in order to push them to take a partner and mate, to breed them. Males fall into what's known as a rut where their instincts take over and they are urged to find a partner to satisfy their desire to couple with another. "

Her face absolutely burned at the implications of what he was telling her. She couldnt help the flash of image that crossed her mind, one of Zhongli above her, chest bared and flushed.

This wasn't the time though so she forced the thought away just as quickly as it had come.

"The older the Adeptus the rarer it is that they ever experience their rut and with how long I have lived, I have not had one in a very long time "

"But that orb triggered it, didn't it?"

His responding nod was jerky. "Yes. Usually I would be able to withstand a rut without any issues, the need uncomfortable but not unbearable. But whatever energy was in that artifact has enhanced it to a painful degree. My instincts are louder than I've ever remembered it being. It's not detrimental to my health but having you near me makes it…difficult."

Her brain whirled away as she digested all of the information he had given her.

She must have been silent for too long because she heard him urge again when she hadn't responded. "Lumine "

"Okay." She signed. "Fine. I'll stay over here if you're sure you'll be okay."

"Thank you."

With his eyes closed he focused solely on breathing through whatever pain this enhanced rut was causing him. There wasn't anything else she could do so she went over everything she had already checked once again but still couldn't find a way out.

The low rumble in his chest was loud and her focus shifted back over to him at the sound. He hasn't moved a single muscle. It was strange, seeing the pain of whatever was happening so plain on his face His eyebrows were scrunched and he was frowning.

He was obviously suffering but there wasn't a single thing she could do to help him.

As she went over his words one more time though she realized that statement wasn't quite true. She wasn't completely powerless here. There was something she could do if he was in rut and needed a release than the answer was simple; she needed to be the one to provide that release for him.

After all she was the only other person here and she hadn't been able to find any way out.

Any pleasure she might have felt at the idea of sleeping with him was washed away under the reality of how much pain he was in. This wasn't an active choice he would be making for himself, it would be something his body forced him to choose. And while the idea of sleeping with him was a tantalizing one the reality was a lot more conflicting. He was her friend, one of her closest friends. Helping him would mean that their relationship would be forever changed.

And the idea of Zhongli resenting her, of ruining the friendship they had terrified her.

All her worries were inconsequential though because he was hurting. If she had to choose between letting him suffer and giving herself to him she didn't even have to hesitate.

Lumine had never been able to leave well enough alone and with all the bull headedness she was known for, she barreled ahead. She could think about the consequences later.

"Zhongli." He didn't say anything but she knew he was listening and she tried to get the next bit of what she wanted to say out before her nerves made it harder. "I-you need a partner right? To get you through your rut and help you through the pain?"

His inhaled sharply and his next words were spoken with a dangerous edge, full of warning. "Lumine."

"Look, I- I can help. You can use me. To help." Despite being fully confident in her decision to help her voice was still weak. She was unsure of what she was doing, knew that this was likely their only option, but the idea of being with him was still daunting.

(She told herself that her willingness had nothing to do with the fantasies she'd had of him late into the night. The ones where she rode her own fingers chasing release and desperately wished it could have been his fingers instead.)

"You have no idea what you're agreeing to."

By the Gods he sounded absolutely wrecked. She felt guilty at the heat that rushed through her at his words

"Maybe, but I'm an adult. I can make these decisions and my decision is to help you."

"Mating with an adepti in rut is a completely different thing from sleeping with a human partner. Especially more so with how strongly the magic here is affectling my instincts. I wouldn't be able to keep myself from hurting you and trust me Lumine, if I take you now I will end up hurting you."

"Maybe. But I trust you Zhongli.." In her heart she knew the next words out of her mouth were truer than anything else she could have told him. "And if it's you, I don't mind."

"Then you're a fool."

"A fool I may be but I'm the only one here who can help you. Can you look at me, please?"

If she had thought he had looked hungry before the way he was looking at her now was downright ravenous. She could feel the weight of his age and power and the intensity in his eyes made her want to squirm.

No one had ever looked at her like that before.

"Look, you're in pain and you can barely move. We need to get out of here but there's no way we're going to be able to do that with you being able to barely move. I need your help to get out of here Zhongli. I'm here and I'm willing so please just take my offer."

She could see the moment he realized that her argument was sound and it spoke to his character that even in the depth of agony he was still as logical as ever. But equally as stubborn it seemed because he refused to acquiesce.

She hadn't wanted to resort to this but needs must. "How about a contract then."

His attention sharpened even further and there was an air of danger to him that permeated the air around him, drowning the room in his presence. "Be very careful what you say next Lumine."

"A favor for a favor. I help you with your rut and in the future you owe me a favor of my choosing. Being able to have you help me find my brother outweighs any possible danger being your partner might bring."

"You are truly set in helping me aren't you? To propose such a contract is as foolish as offering to help me in the first place."

"Yes, but to me it's worth it." And it was, to have Zhongli owe her a favor would be an invaluable boon. It wasn't the reason for wanting to help but if it got him to stop being so stubborn she would use everything available to her. "What do you say Zhongli, does that sound like a fair deal?"

When she saw his shoulders sag in resignation she knew she had won.

"There's no going back from this Lumine. Once I start I won't stop."

"I know."

"You really don't."

"Maybe, but like I said I trust you. Anything you need I'm here to help."

"Very well. Our contract remains thus, you shall assist me through my rut and in return I shall owe you a favor. Do you agree to follow through, to be my partner?"

"Yes."

"And I agree to granting you a favor in return." The amber of his eyes brightened and she felt his power permeate the room more than it already had been, a physical weight that made it hard to breath. "Our contract is in effect, to break it would be to invite the full wrath of rock."

With that he stood and more graceful than she imagined him being while knowing he was in pain, he walked towards her. Every step he took reminded her of a predator hunting their quarry and for the first time since he'd told her what was happening she felt every inch the prey she now was in his eyes. Her heart pounded in her ears and her palms started to sweat.

Oh so carefully, more than she expected, he cradled her face in his hands and despite the gloves she was happy she could feel his warmth. In his face she saw desire but she also saw the affection he had for her, how much he cared.

It was strange though as she looked up at him, he was ridiculously tall. She'd always known this but this close together, it really started to set in how he practically towered above her.

The first touch of their lips was chaste, a dry touch of their lips. She had to force herself to herselc to her tip toes to better meet him until his hands ran down her sides to pull her closer, leaving him to bend down to keep the kiss going. Tentatively his mouth moved against hers and she couldn't stop the breathy gasp that left her once his tongue prodded into her mouth.

She was dizzy as he deepened the kiss and what was once so sweet turned desperate. He devoured her mouth like a man starved and his hands explored every inch of her, settling on the curve of her ass. Lumine had kissed before, had slept with other partners before but she'd never been kissed like this.

Her entire world narrowed to Zhongli and his touch, the feel of his tongue exploring the inside of her mouth. She grabbed at him in turn, holding onto him for dear life as she tried to give as good as she got. His earthy scent filled her senses and she knew without a doubt this man would be the death of her.

Zhongli was a drug and she couldn't get enough. Wanted more.

He crowded her against the way and this flush against him she could feel the bulge in his pants and he slotted his leg between hers. He ground it into her and she couldn't help the moan that left her, the sensation delicious.

Her vision started to blacken around the edges, she needed to breathe. But she didn't want to stop, wanted to kiss him more and take everything he could give her. Grabbing at his hair she pulled him off her and got her first real look at him since they'd started.

Zhongli looked like pure sin. His lips were slightly swollen from their kissing and an alluring flush bloomed across his face, he was panting hard as he stared down at her like a man starved.

"Need to breathe." She gasped as air returned to her lungs.

He let out a deep growl that had her toes curling and began kissing down her face, yanking off her scarf to trail kisses down her neck. That leg between hers pushed further into her and while he bit marks into the skin of her neck with those sharp teeth his hands grabbed at her waist, pulling her down.

He ground her against his thigh and her mind completely short circuited at the sensation. Any shame or nerves she may have had about this disappeared completely and she rolled her hips all on her own, humping his thigh.

"Zhongli, Zhongli, Zongli." She chanted like a prayer as she chased the building pressure in her stomach.

The hands around her ass lifted her up and held her against the wall, her legs reflexively wrapping around his waist. She had felt it earlier but as he attacked her mouth once more she could feel that bulge in his pants pressed against her own center.

He drank down her moans as he ground his hips into her. She was absolutely soaked and it was like she had liquid fire running through her veins. Zhongli's hips fit so perfectly against hers and she met every thrust of his hips with her own.

He began attacking her neck once again and if she weren't so blissed out she probably would have realized that there was no way her scarf would be able to hide the marks after this.

She grabbed at him desperately, needing to be touching as much of him as possible. Lumine wanted to yank his clothes off, wanted access to all that delicious skin and mark him up just as much as he had decided to decorate her with.

She was so ridiculously turned on that it was embarrassing how quickly she started to reach the edge. It built and built so fast she felt dizzy and it left her chanting his name. The thrust of her hips became more erratic as she chased her own release and it took one forceful snap of his hips into hers, his hands grinding her cunt right down onto him, to send over the cliff.

She came with his mouth on hers as he drank in her cries.

Despite the release her body still burned as he stepped back from her to drink in the sight of her. The reality of having him here in her arms was better than any fantasy she could have had and she wanted more.

He reached behind her to untie the bodice of her dress and when he couldn't get it loose she giggled at the way he growled out his frustration. She took pity on him and reached behind herself to untie it. Soon her dress had pooled around her ankles and she was left in only her soaked bloomers, her arm guards and her shoes and stockings.

"Stunning." He rumbled as his hands started exploring, grabbing at everything he could find. "You're a treasure all for me."

"Charmer." She laughed.

He trailed those kisses down her neck again to mouth at her chest and the second his tongue laved against her hardened nipple she moaned out his name. Which only seemed to encourage him as he sucked at her nipple to hear more of her cries.

She was so hot, burning with the all encompassing need to take everything he could give her

He was supposed to be the one in rut but as it was Lumine felt like she was the one lost in a haze of lust.

"You are absolutely divine Lumine." He looked up from her chest and by the Gods did he look absolutely feral.

But he still was taking it slow. Far too slow.

"Please." Her voice was breathy and so alien to her ears as she ground herself against him. "Need more."

"I will give you everything and then some dear, I promise." He sucked hard at her nipple and she cried out, grabbing his hair. "You won't be left wanting at the end of this, I'll fill every inch of you with me. Ill ingrain myself onto your very soul so you'll never forget that it was me who took you so thoroughly."

"It's unfair how hot you are." She complained before pawing at his jacket. "I want this off."

"Oh?"

"I'm already partially naked and I refuse to be the only one without clothes. Besides I want to touch you and these are in the way."

He rest his forehead against hers briefly. "You are an absolute menace, did you know that?"

"Yeah," She grinned. "But I'm your menace."

That rumble returned and his mouth spotted against hers once more before regretfully pulling back. He started with his tie, losing it and pulling it off. His gloves went next and after that he threw off his jacket, unbuttoned his vest and undershirt leaving his torso completely bare.

Her mouth watered at the sight. Zhongli was a work of art and she was happy to say his statues didn't embellish a single thing. He was lean with corded muscle that spoke of power and she couldn't help but imagine how that would transfer to him actually fucking her. His arms were completely black like obsidian with golden glyphs running up the toned muscle to decorate his chest and torso. With his horns, sharpened features and slitted eyes he looked every inch the dragon she knew he was.

It came out before she could even think about what she was saying. "Beautiful."

And he was. Zhongli looked like the god he actually was and she wanted nothing more than to kiss at every inch of skin she could reach, to tongue all the glyphs on his skin and see just how far down his body they went.

As it was she let her hands roam, tracing the golden lines with delicate fingers. He let her explore for a while before his own hands were back on her. They spent those few precious minutes just feeling one another and she was happy to be able to put her own marks on him.

If she had marked him right above where his collar would hide well then that was her business.

He tweaked at her breasts. "You call me beautiful but you are perhaps the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. A star among the cosmos that fell right into my lap, all mine to treasure and take."

Zhongli gave her one last passionate kiss before mouthing his way down her body. Down her neck, chest, stomach all the way until he was kneeling in front of her on his knees, face right at her crotch. Rex Lapis, the prime of the adepti, was on his knees before her looking up at her like she was his own personal god and he was about to pray his devotion

"You say such nice things." She panted out as he hooked his fingers into her bloomers to pull them down, the cold air hitting her. He helped her out of the things then threw them to the side, leaving her lower half completely bare.

His face was right at her cunt and she knew he could see how wet she was, how slick ran down her thighs. She wondered if he could smell just how wrecked she was because of him. He looked so satisfied as he lifted one of her thighs to rest against his shoulder leaving her completely spread out before him.

"I only speak the truth dear." He kissed and nipped on the exposed skin of her upper thigh above her stocking, sucking marks that had her grabbing onto his horns to steady herself. "You are an otherworldly beauty and to say anything otherwise would be a lie."

She never got to reply because he leveled a chaste kiss against her aching clit, already sensitive from her first orgasm. It felt like jolts of pure electro shot through her, on the border of pleasure and pain. It felt like too much as he lapped away at her and she cried out.

For the first time in a long time every thought of what she needed to do disappeared from her head. All her worries, the fear of forever losing her brother or how she would eventually have to say goodbye to her friends once she inevitably moved on to the next world, left her. Her thoughts emptied out and her world became the man between her legs. Eating her out like she was his favorite dish and he hadn't eaten in days.

When she came it was with a scream as she gushed onto his face. He made a pleased rumble as he drank everything she gave him.

Her body was aching, already having cum twice. She could barely stay standing, Zhongli's hands on her waist the only thing keeping her upright. It was too much and she needed a second to breathe.

"I have lived for an unbearably long time, have watched many millennia pass and never once have I been so drawn to another a I have been to you. The sight you make here, pleased by my tongue and completely shaking, is better than any treasure I could possibly have." He kissed her clit again and she yelped. "Truly you have no idea how tempting you are and how often I've imagined you like this. How much I burned to just bend you over and take you. I wanted to claim you as mine and mark you so thoroughly that everyone would know who you belonged to."

What he was saying was sending licks of heat burning back through her again. Her body was so tired but something about his words started working her up again.

"Thought about it too." She was far too out of it to censor herself and she held onto his horns to ground herself when he continued to lave her clit in kisses, it hurt so good and tears came to her eyes. "Thought about you taking me and making me yours. Touched myself to it."

His hands tightened painfully around her ass as he pulled her towards his face and growled, the vibration rolling through her pussy and what came out of her mouth was half a moan, half a scream. She didn't know if she was going to be able to withstand another orgasm.

"Zhongli." She gasped. "Need a break. Too much."

He gave a single suck before he pulled back, his face was wet with her slick and the sight of it was just too much. "Now dear, we made a contract remember? That you would help me with my rut? I'm nowhere near being satisfied enough. Plus, I need to prep you for when I take you."

A finger slowly entered her and her hips bucked. She had always admired Zhonglis hands, how artful they were with his long fingers. She never would have imagined that those fingers would end up inside her, hitting places she had never been able to reach on her own. He pumped inside her slowly, letting her get used to the stretch before hooking his finger to hit that spot that had her body feeling like it was on fire.

The pace was slow before it started picking up and she could hear the sound of him beating into her soppy pussy. It burned, it hurt but it was so good. She moaned so brokenly as he coaxed her body so much further than she thought it capable of doing.

She couldn't help it when she started rolling her hips to meet his thrusts and when his mouth went back on her all words but his name left her. She couldn't think, couldn't talk. All she had was Zhongli.

One finger became two and though the stretch of the intrusion burned it was so good she actually started crying. He thrust his fingers in faster, harder and with him sucking at her clit it wasn't long before she was cumming all over his hand.

She was going to break, she was absolutely loosing her mind. She needed a break, she was too overstimulated and the sensations she was feeling were starting to border more on pain than pleasure but no matter how much she begged, and she did beg, he didn't stop.

He kept fingering her and she screamed. Her nerves were burning and Zhongli didn't care. He kept pushing her further and she wondered how long it would take before she broke completely.

Two fingers became three and three became four as he opened her up. Lumine rarely ever cried, never one to show tears. But here and now as he put more force into his thrusts she sobbed, crying more pathetically than she ever had before.

She wanted to stop. But at the same time she wanted him to keep going.

Her third orgasm was a long one, drawn out by his fingers pistoning inside her and his mouth on her clit. She didn't remember what she screamed or what happened but when she finally came to, he was standing, holding her up completely with her head tucked into his neck.

She didn't know what happened.

Her thoughts were blank as she breathed in his scent, feeling safe in his arms. His hands were around her waist keeping her upright and the rumble going through his chest was lulling her into a sense of comfort.

She had never felt safer or more loved in her life and she knew without a doubt that she would gladly surrender herself to Zhongli if he could continue to make her feel like this.

"Good girl." He pet her hair and she nuzzled further into him with a pleased sigh. "You've been so good for me, I'm so proud of you."

"Good?" Her tongue felt like lead in her mouth and her brain was hazy, putting words together right now was just too much effort.

"Very good dear." He pressed a loving kiss to her temple. "But I'm not quite done just yet."

"Tired."

"I know dear. Let me do all the work, all you have to do is be here and let me take care of you."

She needed a break but when he told her things like that all she wanted to do was listen to him. To let him do what he wanted to do.

"'Kay"

He titled his face towards her and when his mouth touched hers, the resulting kiss was so soft and sweet. "You are such a good girl. The best I've ever had."

He lowered her to the floor to rest her back on his jacket which was probably a good thing considering how boneless she was at the moment.

Looming above her with his arms on either side of her face, Zhongli just looked at her. The air was filled with tension and the power that had been steadily leaking out of him. Zhongli had been entirely attentive to her and focused on her pleasure the entire time despite needing to mate. It was only now that she started seeing the cracks in his composure and the need that rolled off him in waves.

He had been holding himself back despite this whole thing being for him.

Her brain was so shot from that last orgasm but she retained enough cognition to remember that all of this was supposed to be for him. That they had a contract and she had yet to actually do anything to help him through his rut.

With a shaky hand she raised it to rest against the bulge in his pants, mouth going dry as he groaned and bucked into her hand. She unbuckled his trousers and reached in to pull him out. Her first thought was that he was huge. Lumine had been with people before but none of her partners had the girth that Zhongli had. Her second thought was that he was so warm in her hand.

She wanted him. Badly. .

"Please." Was all she could say.

He gave the most savage growl she had heard from him yet and slammed his mouth against hers. Their kiss was heated and in his arms, fucked stupid and tired, she felt whole for the first time since she had lost her brother. All her worries had disappeared and her head was blessedly quiet.

Here she wasn't the Traveler, the mighty saviour of Liyue and Hero of Mondstat. She wasn't the Honorary knight who traveled Teyvat solving everyones problems. In his arms being kissed so thoroughly it was hard to breathe, she was just Lumine.

Just a woman. A woman who foolishly cared about the man in front of her despite all the rules she had made about not getting attached to the people here.

"Mate." He gritted out as he pulled back to let her breathe. "My mate. My beautiful mate. All mine."

His words were more draconic growling then the common tongue but she could still make out what he was saying.

"Your's." She agreed.

When she was more put together and not struck dumb through repeated orgasm's she would likely regret saying that. But that was for the Lumine of later to deal with, right now she was his. He was her everything and she would gladly give whatever she could of herself if he so demanded it.

He lifted her leg to get better access to her and she shivered when his cock slapped itself against her cunt, rubbing against her sensitive clit. Despite the pain of overstimulation seeing him rut against her brought out something dark and primal within her. Her insides clenched.

She wanted him inside her. She wanted him to take from her until she had nothing to give

He pushed inside and the stretch was overwhelming. Zhongli had spent a long time using foreplay to prep her but even with everything he did it still was a lot. She had never felt more full before in her life.

There was no kindness once he entered, no soft coaxing. As soon as he was inside her it was like something broke inside him and he chased his release with an animalistic fervor. She held onto him for dear life as he fucked her.

His mouth sought out hers and he swallowed down all of her cries. It felt like she was falling apart and being remoulded, becoming someone she didn't know. The sounds she was making were filthy, sounds she never thought she ever had the capacity to make.

She was so full and the burn started going from painful to pleasurable yet again. The build up was slow and agonizing, still sensitive from her previous orgasms but he fucked into her like he was using her. Like she was just a doll for his use alone.

The thought had her clenching around him which only spurred him on further.

Her hands clawed at his back, grabbed any bit of him she could reach. She didn't know whether she wanted to pull him in further or push him away.

When he grabbed her hips in that bruising grip and slammed her onto him the pleasure started tipping over again The angle changed and it hit that exact spot that had her falling apart. She chanted his name like a prayer as he destroyed her and there was no way she would be satisfied with anyone else after this.

"Mate. Going to fill you up. Breed you." He purred. "I'll make sure you stay full and you'll never be empty. Would you like that? Being my broodmare."

It was a mix of his words, the sensations and him hitting that perfect spot inside her that threw her into her fourth climax. She screamed herself hoarse as he fucked her through it, not slowing down.

Instead he flipped her over, forcing her on her hands and knees. She had no strength in her arms so her face rested against the floor while her ass was raised, him plunging right back in.

She was crying, screaming and begging at this point. She had already cum more than she could handle and her body was about ready to give out.

But he didn't care. He was using her for his own pleasure, just taking whatever he wanted.

If either of them wouldn't have been lost in the haze of lust they would have noticed the energy within the orb had begun to flare up once more. The crimson light burst forth and wrapped around them. As it was though, Lumine was being fucked well into incoherency.

She noticed nothing outside of Zhongli taking her.

He grabbed at her limp arms and yanked them back sharply, forcing her weight to rest on where he fucked into her, changing the angle and going deeper into her than she thought possible. She had no clue what kind of sounds were leaving her mouth, if she was begging or crying.

There was no gentleness here. Right now he was treating her as if she was no better than his personal cocksleeve. He was domineering and overwhelming and demanded that she took everything she gave.

The strong urge to submit, to give him all of her should have scared her. That wasn't who Lumine was, she was independent and had a goal she would give her life to see through. But the safety she felt in his arms, like everything was alright, overode all of that.

She wanted him. Outside of helping him with his rut. Lumine was so irrevocably head over heels for Zhongli it wasn't even funny.

The energy that had surrounded them began to sink in. It was smug, expectant and was quickly absorbed by Lumine.

Lumine's vision was going black around the edges but she could hear him grunting her name and when his hips faltered, she knew he was close. She was already pushing towards yet another orgasm and she wondered if this would be the one that broke her.

It hurt so good and when her walls started clenching around him he started chasing his own release even further. He let go of her arms as he fucked her into the floor, reaching around to rub at her clit and she knew with certainty that this was the last one. She really wouldn't be able to take anymore than this.

Her face was wet with tears and snot as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up to rest in his lap so he could thrust into her. She didn't even have the energy to cry out as he went so impossibly deep.

She was right on that edge when it happened, she felt him bite down on her neck, his sharp teeth sinking into the skin. Pain had long since mixed with pleasure but what truly made her cum was the way she felt something breach apart of herself, her very soul.

It was like looking into the deep waters of the ocean, a vast and unfathomable existence. In comparison she was small, nothing but a small speck in what was something incredibly powerful. Full of an emotion she could identify as love, stronger than any emotion she had ever felt before, it bled into her very being.

Instead of being scared she felt comforted. It was Zhongli, she would know his presence anywhere. Maybe if she could actually think she would have stopped whatever was happening but on his cock as he fucked her all she knew was the ever present desire for more.

He was safety. A sense of home and belonging.

The orb turned dormant as the energy completely seeped into Lumine.

Zhongli's presence latched onto her and began remoulding her, remaking her into something that was them and not just her. They were connected in every way that mattered and her spirit would never be without his. She could feel everything, the lust and passion. The desperate need that burned within him. But mostly she felt just how much this man loved her. He cared for her with an intensity that shocked her. If he was her whole world then so too was she.

It was no longer just her. Now, it was them.

The second the connection fully set in, he snapped his hips to empty himself into her and she had the most intense orgasm of her life. The base of him swelling inside her pushing on all of her nerves.

All around her their connection thrummed and it sent her further into the throes of her pleasure. She kept rising and rising and didn't know if she'd ever come back down. If she had been overstimulated before she far exceeded that now, her body couldn't handle this final rush.

With a new connection that wrapped around her, her eyes finally rolled into the back of her head and she blessedly passed out.

—-

There wasn't much that Zhongli hadn't seen or felt throughout his long life. For all of his attempts to act like a mortal he was old, a relic of a bygone era. Even among the adepti he was considered someone who had lived for a long time. He'd seen the rise and fall of kingdoms, had met everyone from the richest of kings to the poorest of vagrants. He'd had thousands of years to explore what humanity had to offer and after everything he'd been through there wasn't much that actually surprised him.

Lumine was one of those surprises he'd never expected. When they had first met it was at the behest of Childe while he had been in the middle of fulfilling a contract that spanned thousands of years in the making. She was an unexpected variant to his plans and a wild card but Zhongli had played the game for far too long to not know how to take advantage of her intrusion.

And she had performed admirably. All of his expectations for her were blown out of the water as she became to center point to uniting the adpeti and the Qixing.

It was obvious to him that she wasn't the mortal she pretended to be and that she was otherworldly in nature. He had only ever met one person like her before, a man he later found out was the very twin she was searching for. She was stardust personified and he knew she longed to be free once more from the shackles the heavenly principles forced upon her

In the beginning she had been a convenient chess piece and a rare novelty. That was all.

But then his plans finally came to fruition and for the first time he was able to shed the burden of being an Archon. He was no longer Rex Lapis but instead simply Zhongli, just another man among the many. She had been upset with him that he had so easily given his gnosis to the Fatui and how he'd pushed Childe into summoning Osail. Yet they had still ended up running into one another often after everything was said and done. Their story should have ended and yet they would end up seeing each other often.

They had been professional acquaintances at best. At least they had been until their trip to the God of Salt's ruins.

It wasn't intentional whatsoever but when they left those ruins they had done so with a tentative friendship being formed in the aftermath of everything. They couldn't be more different, he was old and tired and she was so filled with life. But he knew that as long as the history of this world remained with her it would never truly die.

She had been the one to reach out to him after that and he found himself spending more and more time with her. From a tentative friendship she had so easily burrowed herself into his guarded heart and became a friend. A true friend.

He valued and deeply cared about her. Time had taught him not to let his guard down, to not let people in, but there was just something about Lumine that drew him in like a moth to flame. She was a vibrant star in the night sky and he soon found himself the planet that orbited around her. Drawn into her light and helpless against the weight of gravity that held him in place.

The more he got to know about who she was beyond just being the saviour of Liyue the more he found himself caring. She was an inherently kind person with a strong and unyielding sense of justice. No matter how many times she was knocked down she always managed to get back up and he envied how strong she could be in the face of adversity. She had strong convictions and the ability to follow them up with action.

Other things he learned that he found just as important was that she had a very dry sense of humor. She hated spicy food and though she was partial to every type of tea, she preferred floral teas. Her poker face was impressive and she enjoyed playing card games. She liked romance novels and when she got embarrassed she had the loveliest blush.

It was one day when they had been at the Tea house together where he realized what was happening. He had been telling her stories about his youth when he was struck by how beautiful she was as the sun shone through the window and landed on her. She'd looked absolutely ethereal and for a moment he had lost himself in her eyes, gleaming gold like the very mora he created. For the first time he was struck dumb and when she smiled at him he felt something inside himself clench.

He wanted to see her smile all the time, to see every expression she had. He wanted to hoard every bit of herself she'd be willing to give him

Zhongli had lived too long to not know what he was feeling and once those doors opened they became an unstoppable tide bursting past the flood gates. Somewhere along the way she had come to represent hope and he wanted in a way he hadn't in a very long time.

However she was a traveler above anything else, a wanderer who would never be able to stay in one place for too long. She was destined to travel through Teyvat and experience grand adventures while she searched for the truth of this world and after that she'd move on to the next world. The next adventure.

Despite his story coming to a close Zhongli would always remain the unchanging bedrock of Liyue. To try and tie her down to him wouldn't be fair to her and no matter what happened all he wanted was to see her smile.

Then this commission happened. He hadn't expected to find one of Ba'als temples, after all in the decades after her death they had all been razed to the ground. She had been a good friend to him, his very first in fact. While she may have been too nosy for her own good and prone to meddling she had been a good person. A kind god that had taught him what it meant to be a friend and care for others.

The entire time he'd known her she had always pushed him to find a mate and often tried to set him up with people. He never had any interest in the idea and had always preferred to deal with his ruts by himself.

When they entered this temple and he sensed the remnants of her will he had known that this place was likely her one last joke. And he'd been right. From the confusing maze of hallways to the convoluted puzzles he could sense her amusement as they struggled. What he hadn't expected was the artifact they found at the end of it all.

Ba'al had been an avid collector of magical artifacts so he wasn't sure exactly what they had found but when it sent him into his rut he was struck by just how different this one was from the others he had experienced before. His instincts raged at him to take Lumine, to bend her over and breed her.

And yet he couldn't, so he suffered like he hadn't suffered before. He was trapped in a small room, going into an enhanced rut with the object of his affections right before him.

The pain had been excruciating but he had been willing to bear through it. Then she surpassed his wildest imaginations when she offered herself up to him.

She had no idea what her agreement meant, what their contract entailed. He could have told her, could have said something but the instincts inside him held him back. He wanted her and she was offering so sweetly.

A beautiful gift all for him.

He growled savagely as he ground into her unconscious body, arms wrapped tight against her while his knot locked into place. The release was positively euphoric and he couldn't ever remember feeling that good with another partner. His hands roamed down to her stomach as he pressed down, able to feel the faint swell of himself within her.

He had made sure that once he emptied himself his body locked everything inside to ensure that he mated successfully. What really stood out to him more than anything though was the vivid golden mark that shone on the pale skin of her neck. It was a large mark, his mark, that had been branded onto her.

He could feel it in his soul, they were now completely connected. An inescapable connection of the spirit. He purred in pleasure as he licked at his mark, lapping up the blood from his bite. With this she was his mate, his partner for life.

A bond was something sacred among adepti, it was a mark that connected the souls of two partners to join them fully together. Power, life, all of it was shared from the bond. He hadn't ever wanted to bond someone but when that energy threw him into this enhanced rut it was all he could think of.

But an adeptus could only bond another adeptus. It didn't work with other species and so when the need to bond Lumine overwhelmed him he hadn't thought anything would actually happen. Much less that the bond they formed would actually take.

Yet he could sense Ba'al's energy flowing through Lumine. Changing her to accept him.

With this mark Lumine was truly his, he didn't even bother quieting the purr of pleasure that thought gave him. She may be a traveler but with this mark on her neck for everyone to see, she would never be able to leave him. No matter where she went he would always be able to follow.

He continued to rub at her stomach. His seed was completely locked inside her and he could feel all the ways the energy of the temple was working to change her. He knew without a doubt that with this, he had found yet another thing to bind herself to him.

They had mated in the temple of the God of Fertility where her energy had been at its strongest. It would be more unlikely that she wouldn't have gotten pregnant.

The image of her fully pregnant with his child, with a round belly she would lovingly caress, made him twitch inside her. The fire that had abated with his release was starting up again and he wanted to go another round. He knew that he might regret this later. Not the bonding, he would never regret that, but in how it ended up happening. That instead of properly courting her their first coupling was on the floor of an abandoned temple.

He knew his reasons for why he hadn't, why he had made sure to keep his distance, but now fully bonded he couldn't help but think himself a fool. He finally had his mate and this was a joyous occasion.

After all the man known as Zhongli had learned human sensibilities and morals, they hadn't come naturally to him. He was an illuminated beast and the way they thought was incredibly different from that of mortals. He had learned of their moral compasses and did his best to emulate them in turn, to better understand them in the way Guizhong had been so enamored of. It was only after thousands of years that he learned to allow himself to be kind and forgiving, that he'd allowed himself to be soft.

Morax, Rex Lapis, was none of those things. He was a god among gods, the prime of the adepti and the protector of Liyue. To him, whatever he wanted is what he got, after all he had the power to make those wants a reality. More than anything he was an avid collector with an eye for the unique and if he found something that piqued his interest nothing could stand in his way to getting it.

Of everything he had seen Lumine was the most unique treasure he ever had the gift of finding. She never knew because he hid it well but she brought out Morax in him. She turned him into that ancient god he had been before he'd taken on the moniker of Zhongli.

Lovingly, he nuzzled into her shoulder and found himself purring again at the mark he found there. Smearing blood and sweat on his cheek he inhaled deeply and was pleased to find how completely she smelled of him. She was sated and full and likely with child.

His mark was too large to be hidden by her scarf so anyone with enough knowledge of the adepti or the adepti themselves would know she belonged to him. Rex Lapis had claimed her.

Maybe he should have felt guilty but he truly found he wasn't. She had proposed a contract and he had merely followed through. Morax was front and center and he knew that even with Zhongli's sensibilities there would be no regrets in this claim. He took time to pepper her neck and shoulder with more kisses. Marking her further.

He burned to go again. He wanted to fuck her back into consciousness just to see how far he could actually push her. To see how full he could get her. He frowned down at her, unhappy he couldn't follow through with what he wanted. Thankfully his release managed to give him some clarity but that would only last so long.

In his arms he had a newly bonded mate he needed to keep safe and mating with her here in the ruins wasn't considered safe. She would need food, a nest and to be within the safety of his den. He couldn't do those things here.

He could tell how thoroughly the bond took, just how strong it was likely from Ba'al's energy. He didn't know what the stabilization process would look like but it couldn't be done here.

Traveling back to Liyue harbor would take far too long and he knew for a fact that if he walked with her into the city as he was he would likely kill anyone who so much as looked at her. Death was a promise to anyone who saw his mate as vulnerable as she was now, the very idea filled him with such a potent rage that the walls started shaking.

He needed to get her to his nest, that was the priority right now.

It took longer than it usually would but his knot finally swelled down and he was able to regrettably pull himself out of her. It was physically painful to leave his mate and his instincts raged at him to return to her soft embrace. The need to keep her safe allowed him the strength to tuck himself back into his pants and pull on his clothes

With great care he then pulled up her dress, making sure everything was tied and that she was completely clothed. Her cunt was puffy, red and leaking his spend. Seeing that almost had him caving but he grit his teeth and settled on just shoving it back inside her with his fingers before he pulled up her bloomers. Zhongli couldn't help sucking yet another mark into her inner thigh, letting her scent envelop him.

He truly didn't want to do this but he knew he had to.

The second the bond took the magic in the temple abated and the energy that had kept them trapt receded back into the orb. Now if he so wanted he could easily blast his way out of here, he could bring down the walls with very little effort. Apparently this had been Ba'al's plan all along and she was now satisfied that he'd bonded with someone.

Meddling woman,

"Xiao." He bit out.

The last thing he wanted was to summon another man and have him anywhere near his newly bonded mate. His unconscious and very vulnerable mate. He wasn't an angry man but the very idea of anyone seeing her like this made him feel murderous. But if he wanted to keep her safe he needed to control his instincts for just a bit longer.

For a split second nothing happened and in the next the air warped. Xiao strode forward brandishing his pole arm, ready for a fight. Zhongli rarely called on Xiao so it made sense he thought it was an emergency and that he was being summoned for a fight, if his full focus wasn't on suppressing his raging instincts he would have apologized.

"My lord." Xiao started only for his eyes to widen when he spotted Lumine held in his arms.

While her dress was back on that did absolutely nothing to cover the myriad of marks that decorated her skin. Her hair was a mess and her face was slicked with sweat, dried tear tracks on her cheeks. Her lips were slightly swollen from all the kissing and she looked absolutely debauched. What stood out the most though was his mark glowing proudly away on her skin. Xiao knew exactly what that mark meant.

Xiao scented the air and quickly stepped back, as far away as the room would allow. The man could smell their coupling that hung heavy in the air, could scent how Zhongli was in the middle of a rut. He quickly averted his gaze from lumine and stored away his weapon. Xiao was doing his best to show he wasn't a threat.

He would need to thank him for this later.

"What do you need my lord?"

"I need you to transport us to my den." Trying to keep the common tongue was difficult when draconic language just seemed so much easier but he made an effort regardless. "Lumine needs to be in a safe place and I'm not able to take her by myself right now."

He looked hesitant and though Zhongli grew impatient he knew he had good reason for that. Transporting them would require Xiao getting close to them, to Lumine. An adeptus in rut was incredibly territorial but an adeptus in rut with a newly bonded mate? Getting too close was as good a way to die.

"I have enough control not to lash out right now but I don't know how long that will last." And truly he didn't, he could already feel his instincts roaring to the surface and he knew he didn't have long. "Can you do it?"

Xiao stared at him for a hard second before nodding. "Of course my lord. I will approach now."

He moved slowly and made sure to keep his hands up to show he meant no harm. Despite knowing Xiao wouldn't do anything it was hard to keep himself in check. Especially when he inched close enough to put his hand on Zhongli's shoulder. His instincts were screaming at him and it was only the iron clad control he'd cultivated over thousands of years of life that kept him from attacking,

Xiao placed his hand down and within a blink he found himself transported directly outside his house.

It hadn't been his intention to ever let the Qixng know he was alive. When he had given away his gnosis and retired he had intended to let them believe in his 'death'. However he had underestimated Niguang. The woman was a force to be reckoned with.

After meeting with her and explaining his side of things she had all but forced him to accept a generous monthly stipend and proper living quarters in payment for his services to Liyue. The house they stood before now was the very one Niguang had gifted him.

Xiao leapt as far away as he could the second they materialized and despite the increased distance, Zhongli still felt that territorial voice in his head scream out.

All Zhongli wanted right now was to bury himself back inside his mate and fuck her full to make sure his spend took. But he thankfully still had a rapidly fading modicum of clarity and knew there were some things that needed to be taken care of before that happened.

"Paimon. She's at their inn. Lumine said she was sick, can you go and check on her?"

Xiao didn't look like that was the request he expected. "If that is your will then I shall carry it out."

"Good. Explain to her what's happening. We won't be leaving the den until the bond is completely stabilized and I will hurt anyone who tries to enter."

Those words weren't a threat, just a cold hard fact. Anyone who tried to enter his den right now would face the full wrath of an enraged Rex Lapis.

Still, Xiao didn't look enthused at the idea of explaining this sort of thing to Paimon of all people. He agreed though regardless because he was a loyal yaksha and regardless of what Zhongli asked he would always carry out his orders. This wasn't the sort of thing he wanted to use him for but it needed to be done and he wasn't in any condition to do it himself.

"Speak with Hu Tao if you can. Tell her I will not be in for a week or longer, that I'm sick." The heat was becoming incredibly distracting and his grip on Lumine tightened. "And there was another person at the temple. A man. I don't know what happened to him. Can you see if he's alive and escort him back here if he is?

"It will be done."

He was asking a lot of Xiao but true to form the man didn't seem to care.

"Good. Thank you, you're dismissed."

Xiao took one last uncertain glance at Lumine but before Zhongli could growl at him in reprimand, he disappeared. With his presence gone Zhongli found himself relaxing a bit, finally happy that there weren't any possible threats near them.

He looked down at the woman in his arms, his beautiful, perfect mate. He liked the sound of that and once more that innate purr started up, loud in the night air. She was covered in his claims and smelled so completely of him that no one would dare come near her. She looked absolutely ruined and by the gods did it make his dick twitch as he thought of burying himself back inside her.

She was his star from that heavens that he had plucked from the sky. Lumine was his and there was no force in this world that would ever make him let her go.

With a quick hand, he managed to open the door, walking into the darkness of his house. First order of business, he needed to get his mate secured in his nest. Anything else could be figured out after.

The door closed gently behind them and despite everything that had happened, the night remained still and unbothered. Soft sounds of the city echoing into the air. A shimmer of light coalesced into being before the door, a rich purple willowisp that shone brilliantly in the dark. It was the energy from the temple and it flashed briefly before disappearing as if it had never been there in the first place.

All that was left in its place was a lingering sense of smugness and joy.

—-

"You know for such a mighty dragon you are such a stick in the mud." A woman's melodic voice complained.

A stunning woman in flowing white robes stood defiantly before a massive dragon curled against the forest floor.

The dragon huffed, clearly exasperated. "This one has no need for a partner so please desist in your attempts at matchmaking."

"Look, you have to get out there at some point. You can't just be alone forever, that's no way to live." She put her hands on her hips proudly. "I'm the god of fertility, I'm an expert on this sort of thing after all."

"This one has no need or desire to find a mate Ba'al, this one requests that you stop trying to meddle where your assistance isn't required."

"Bah! You're no fun. You know what? Mark my words. You're gonna find your perfect partner and I'm gonna be the one to make it happen, or I'm not the god of fertility!"

"You're a fool."

"Just watch, Morax. I'll make you happy yet."