Work Text:
As the God of Geo, Zhongli has endured a lot of hardship in the years of his existence. But one of the most painful things he ever had to experience was seeing the one he cared about deeply be ripped away from him. But as he looked at the Tianquan smile so brightly in the company and arms of the Captain of the Crux Fleet, he just smiled and whispered, barely enough to be heard but enough for just him and the wind to hear.
“As long as you are happy, then I will be as well.”
◇─◇──◇─────◇──◇─◇
Back before she was primarily known as Rex Lapis, the God of Geo and Contracts, she was merely known as Morax. In those times she merely took the time to look around the lands of Teyvat and sought ways to increase the strength and knowledge that she already had.
One of her searches led her to Dihua Marsh and there, sitting among the glaze lilies, she met her. A woman with billowing sleeves, a beautiful face and a gentle touch towards the flowers that surrounded her. Morax didn’t know what came over her or why she approached her to begin with, but at the end of it all, she was glad that she did.
As she approached the woman, the noise of her feet padding across the grass alerted the woman to the fact that she was not alone. Turning around to face the unexpected guest, she saw a tall woman with two horns atop her head, long brown hair that stopped at her waist, and her arms taking on the color of a dark stone with accents that reminded her of the glow of the finest noctilucus jade with her eyes having that same glow.
“What brings you to Dihua Marsh, strange yet welcomed traveller?” The woman spoke, her voice quiet and as gentle as her looks.
Morax looked at the woman before she could form a response of her own. “I am Morax, the God of Geo. I’m merely on a journey for knowledge. I mean no harm to you or anyone else. If by any means you are uncomfortable with my presence, I shall leave, but not without knowing your name, my lady.”
“Since you have made your identity known to me, it should only be fair that I entrust you with mine. I am Guizhong, the God of Dust. And if I heard you correctly it is knowledge you seek, is it not?” She responded as she stood with the grace of a swan and walked closer towards the God of Geo.
“Yes, that is what I seek, and maybe some company as well. It has been quite a long time since I’ve had someone to talk to.”
A soft chuckle could be heard from Guizhong before she spoke once again. “If it is company that you seek, then I am more than happy to offer mine. As for knowledge…” She let the sentence hang in the air before promptly summoning a stone dumbbell to her side with a smile on her face, “This,” She gestured to the dumbbell, “is one of my greatest treasures as it contains all of my wisdom. It is called the Memory of Dust. Your challenge is to unlock it and then you will be blessed with my wisdom. But I also want you to keep in mind that this is the sign of our pledge to each other, a pledge to be by each other’s side and live to the best of our capabilities.”
Morax graciously returned the smile. “I am forever grateful for this opportunity and I shall not take this chance for granted.”
◇─◇──◇─────◇──◇─◇
It has been a month since the Gods of Geo and Dust met and now as the sun sets upon the marsh they were having a discussion as they watched the glowing sun rest for the night.
“If you really think about it, humans are just as fragile as dust. They never know when the wind might just sweep them up and make them disappear. They are afraid, but knowledge comes at the price of overcoming said fear. One conclusion that I have come to as I spent time with these people is that knowledge is better for them than strength. Because strength dwindles away with age but knowledge only refines like fine wine as you grow. It is the most knowledgeable people who live the long lives that humans stove so hard to achieve.” She said all of this while playing with the dust that surrounded her fingertips.
“You have a great understanding of mortals. I envy you for that. I don’t really understand their customs, frankly, I don’t even understand why they praise me so much. I am an Archon, that much I understand, but I’m not sure what to do when they come to me asking for their fortune.” Morax sat, hugging her knees and looking at Guizhong as she spoke slowly.
“My dear friend, wisdom comes with time. Patience is key to being able to grow as a person. Someday, you might be able to give them a clear answer and they will be thankful for your blessing. As gods, you and I have a lot of responsibilities already and it may be difficult but know that it is okay to not be able to answer sometimes. It is okay to say I don’t know, and it is most definitely okay to ask for help. Because no matter what, I am here for you.”
◇─◇──◇─────◇──◇─◇
Dust surrounds the two as Morax holds Guizhong close. Sobs rack Morax’s body as she wept tears. The Archon War has started and now here it is taking its toll on the young god as it is now taking her best friend, her confidant and the woman she loved away from her. Oh, how cruel the world can be, she thought as she held her close, not wanting to let her go.
“Morax, do you remember the Memory of Dust?” Guizhong asked, her voice pained and weak.
“What about it?”
“As our time has come to its end, I want you to forget about it. But if you so much as unlock it, you will see all of my wisdom. It was and will always be a mark of pledge. And please, don’t cry…”
A loud sob came out of Morax before she got to answer the dying woman in her arms, “How can I not cry when you’re leaving me?”
“Because the winds can carry us to our true direction, our true calling. It can also assure that you and I can meet again. One day, I promise you we will meet again. Please, remember that I l-” And with that her body fully dissolved into the finest of dust.
Morax, sad, angry and alone, let out a massive scream that showed how pained she really was. With all the anger and emotions flowing through her body, she lost control of herself and lay waste to everyone that stood in her way.
◇─◇──◇─────◇──◇─◇
Zhongli was now on his way to the Jade Chamber to meet with the head of the Liyue Qixin, Ningguang. He was there to appraise some noctilucus jade and other gems that were given to her as an exchange for some services from the Qixin.
As the secretary who goes by Ganyu, an adeptus that he knew and fought alongside during the Archon War, led him to the Tianquan’s office they made small talk about the inner workings of Liyue and the things that were currently happening within the harbor itself.
“The Tianquan will see you now.” Ganyu said quietly as she opened the doors of the woman’s office for Zhongli who made his way inside and took a seat as per the request of the most powerful woman in Liyue.
As Ningguang came back with the jewels that she wanted appraised, Zhongli took in the sight before him as not only did Ningguang bear the same face as Guizhong but also had the same mannerisms as her, such as they way she handled herself and the way she spoke.
◇─◇──◇─────◇──◇─◇
Now Zhongli was not someone who forgets people easily and until this day he still remembers Guizhong’s last words to him even though it has been over five hundred years at his point. So he knows Ningguang is Guizhong, but he kept this knowledge to himself. It’s not like it will change the outcome of events because as much as he knows Ningguang is the reincarnation of Guizhong, he also knows that Ningguang is her own person who had different struggles than the woman he loved. He also knows that Ningguang is happy with the Captain, so why should he interfere with her happiness for his own selfishness?
As long as she’s happy, he’s happy.