In a space, an adeptal abode, hidden high in the mountains around Liyue, there was a room, filled with the scent of tea, alongside the fragrance of Glaze Lilies. At a circular table that was meant to seat many, a tall, slender figure sat alone, pouring tea while gazing at a painting they had made.
While the figure seemed to be male, his overall androgynous appearance and unearthly beauty would make many question their assessment. Nevertheless, while he appeared human in shape, the aura this being gave alongside the strange material his arms were made of, showed that he was no mortal.
Hands that appeared to be flawlessly sculpted from dark garnet with golden etching grasped the fine porcelain cup as the man brought the liquid to his lips and slowly drank, basking in the memories of the past that continued to fade no matter how much he tried to engrave it into his mind. A constant battle of attrition that he was beginning to lose ground on.
This man was none other than Morax, God of Contracts and Emperor of Liyue.
It was in this space he resided when not fulfilling his part in the rite of descension, spending time with the remaining Adepti of Liyue, or strolling down the streets of his beloved city, disguised as just another one of the mortals he had protected for many generations.
At his side, where people once sat, momentos were placed in their stead, four broken masks, assorted stones formed into the shape of various animals, a small stove, and to his immediate left, an intricately designed stone dumbbell that glowed with a yellow light.
If he closed his eyes, he could almost hear the murmurs of conversations long forgotten, phantom voices tantalizingly close to being recalled but just out of reach.
Even the most robust of stones shall wear down over time.
It was during one of these times where the old god closed his eyes that something within the room shifted. The fabric of space bent and then tore.
Sensing a power he had only seen a few times in his long life, Rex Lapis' eyes snapped open, his majesty as the Geo Archon beginning to emanate from him as he readied himself to face one of the most powerful beings of Teyvat….
Only to find nothing but air to his left where the disturbance had been.
His sharp eyes looked around the space he had felt the disturbance. And he realized he had been incorrect in his assumption, while whatever had disturbed the fabric of space had been powerful, more powerful than one using adeptal arts even the ones capable of making pocket dimensions like abodes and Serenitea Pots like Streetward Rambler, it was far from the absolute control the Shade of Space had commanded. Instead it lay somewhere in the middle.
It wasn't until he had finished his musing over the intrusion, and pulling back his aura of an Archon, that Morax noticed something else was off in the room.
That confusion lasted for but a moment before a howl of pure rage accompanied by his aura bursting out full force from his abode and spreading out over the mountains and the city below, laying a heavy sense of oppression.
Everyone in the nation of Liyue, Adeptus, Spiritual Beast, Yaksha, Monster, and human, all snapped their heads to look where the sound and sense of oppression originated from, as a colossal Chinese dragon descended from Liyue's tallest peak, dense clouds of steam fuming from him. Monsters ran, Hillichurls screamed as they fled their huts in terror. The people of Liyue bowed and the Adepti quickly congregated at the foot of the mountain to greet their emperor.
All could tell, the god was enraged. The ground seemed to seethe beneath them in response to the god's emotions. Before him a white crane stood accompanied by the sole surviving Yaksha standing just behind her.
"Rex Lapis, what angers you so? What has fueled your descent into the mortal realm?" Asked the Crane.
CLOUD RETAINER, WE WERE SPENDING TIME IN OUR ABODE WHEN A SPATIAL DISTURBANCE INTERRUPTED OUR MEDITATION. WHEN WE HAD RECOVERED FROM THE SURPRISE, WE FOUND OUR MOST PRECIOUS RELIC WAS STOLEN.
As Rex Lapis spoke, his voice did not seem to travel via sound but seemed to be carried by the energy around him, all who heard it felt it resonate with something deep inside them and shivered.
Faces among the crowd paled as the Adepti turned and looked at one another, before turning to scan the crowd. All present had been with the lord long enough to know which relic he treasured above all others. Whoever has stolen it was no mere mortal, they would have to look deep into this matter.
The lone Yaksha, General Alatus, the Conqueror of Demons, walked forward and took a knee before his Lord. "My lord, what shall you have us do?"
SEAL THE PASSAGES, THE ROADS, THE TRADE ROUTES. NONE SHALL LEAVE LIYUE UNTIL OUR MOMENTO IS RETURNED UNBLEMISHED. FIND THE CULPRIT GENERAL ALATUS, AND BRING THEM BEFORE US. Responded Rex Lapis, before he turned his head towards the sky and flew off towards the harbor.
Once he was over the sea, he created a large barrier of Geo energy, far enough from shore to allow fishing, but no boat would be able to leave the nation by sea until he took it down.
After some time the Millelith, ordered by the Seven Stars of Liyue, matched the streets of the city, searching bases of criminal rings known to trade in stolen artifacts, kicking down the doors of treasure hoarder hideouts, and even searching through Northland bank.
No clues turned up. It was as though the relic had disappeared into thin air, which it had in a manner of speaking.
[Three days later]
General Alatus, having spent the past three days investigating, climbed to the top of Mt. Aocang, having heard that was where his Lord was awaiting news.
As he reached the top, he saw Rex Lapis, once again in his humanoid form, sitting at a stone table, cloud retainer also in human form sitting to his right.
Both were sitting in silence, a set of tea sitting cold on the table.
"Alatus, what news do you bring?" Asked Rex Lapis, his voice level but with a somber quality.
"Nothing Lord. I apologize, but I have found no traces of Guizhong's relic, whoever caused the rift in space to steal it does not appear to have been in Liyue." replied Alatus.
"I see. That is unfortunate. It seems I may have to reach out to the rulers of other nations on this matter. It has been a long time since the Archons have gathered, and Barbatos is still dormant after the power he expended during the cataclysm. Keep searching, perhaps fortune may favor us and we shall find the perpetrator before contacting the other Archons becomes necessary." said Morax as he picked up the cold tea to wet his throat.
"Cloud Retainer, you may take your leave. It is time that I depart as well. I cannot have my subjects do all the work in looking for Guizhong's Momento, perhaps I will find traces of the manipulation of space that preceded the theft." Said Morax as he started to shift into his draconic form, long antler-like horns starting to protrude from his forehead, the skin on his arms and neck growing rough scales with a texture similar to the stone beneath his feet.
As he walked to the ledge of the plateau on the top of the mountain, he changed rapidly until he had taken the form of Rex Lapis once more. With little effort, he leapt into the air and coiled his body as he flew off into the sky.
[In Fontaine: 2 days Prior]
Carman stared at the front page of the morning edition of the Steambird as an unpleasant theory of his was confirmed.
[Steambird : Morning Edition]
{Date : xx/xx/515 AC.}
[Liyue Harbor Under Lockdown]
By: Erkheart Manwell.
Breaking news, as of yesterday afternoon, all routes in and out of the Nation of Liyue have gone into Lockdown. All roads have Millilith on patrol, stopping and turning all travelers and merchants back where they came.
Through an interview with one of said Millilith, it was revealed that earlier yesterday afternoon, the Lord of Geo himself descended from his mountain home in fury. The cause? His most precious relic had been stolen. Reports state that the relic in question appears to be a stone Dumbbell, glowing with a yellow light.
This brings into question, who could have stolen the prized possession of the Lord of Geo, a god of immense power and talent comparable to our Lady Furina. Was it a lone perpetrator or a coordinated effort?
[Continued on page 3]
'I am so screwed.' Thought Carman as he looked at the Memory of Dust still held within his Item Storage.
-To be Continued