Genshin Impact - Wrath of a God

Gnosis

This was possibly the first time that Childe felt truly cold.

Not even kneeling at his Archons feet, on the freezing floor of the palace ever made him feel like this. 'I was deceived. Used.' It played like a broken record in his already messy mind and just wouldn't leave. He watched apathetic as Signoria took the Gnosis from Zhongli's hand, watched her smirk and then laugh. Looked at the consultant that had played him like a fiddle, met those cor lapis eyes and wanted to fight something. It didn't matter that the traveler had just beaten his sorry ass to celestia and back again, he wanted to hurt something, SOMEONE. He wanted to see and draw blood, needed the thrill of the battle to forget what had just happened.

Gloved hands clenched and he chuckled dryly Of course he was used. He, Tartaglia, was nothing more than a weapon, a tool, to be used on the wimps of the gods that ruled over them. That his own Archon, his beloved Tsaritsa would do this, he could live with. But Zhongli? The man he foolishly started to fall for? That hurt way more than it should and more than he was willing to admit. His eyes started to sting and he wanted out. Out of this building, out of this country, out of this goddamned nation!

He listened as Zhongli, no. As Morax explained his contract and what it entailed. Childe heard the words but they just wouldn't register in his head. That's when he's had enough.

"What about me? Doesn't anyone feel the least bit of remorse for deceiving me?!"

The ginger didn't care about the adapti or even the Qixing. All he cared about was the man, no, the GOD that had befriended him with gentle smiles and pretty words only to betray him and all but trample all over his feelings.

Out of the two involved people, Signora took it upon herself to answer him. But as the first words left her devilish lips, he wished she hadn't. "A thanks would be more appropriate, wouldn't you agree?" Then she looked straight at the, now former, archon. "You've played your part perfectly. Wrecking havoc and turning the city upside down." Just to be an asshole she raised the small chess piece up to eye level, right in front of him. "The Lord of Geo ought to thank you for your performance." He was seriously thinking about punching her, or firing a dozen arrows at her, or just take his blades and slice her up. Before he could decide tho, La Signora cut it short. "With the Gnosis in my possession, I have no need for this idle chatter. We should return to Zapolyarny Palace for an audience with her majesty."

There was already an answer ready in his head, a last act of rebellion, before he could open his mouth though, Zhongli stepped in. "Haven't you forgotten something, La Signora? There is still one part of the contract that needs to be fulfilled."

The gods' words followed silence and the other harbinger suddenly looked a bit troubled. Glowing eyes slowly narrowed and his pale lips formed a firm line. As Tartaglia watched he just knew that something....wasn't quite right? "Your Archon has already forgone one part of our contract. Are you really willing to risk another? Or......Has your dear Tsaritsa changed her mind?" Signora looked more and more troubled and clenched the fist that held the Geo Gnosis. With the former Archon in front of her she took a step back before answering him.

"Her majesty is.....not ready to give up on one of her own."

Wait, what?

Dull ocean blue eyes snapped to his fellow harbinger and right after to the consultant that was clearly displeased. Cor Lapis' eyes started to glow, as well as the tips of his dark hair and Zhongli straightened his back even further. Like this, he was the picture of Liyue's Archon. Regal, elegant and dominant without a match. Even with what happened Childe was transfixed. If he had to leave, and he did without a doubt, he wanted to take this image with him. But what the other male said next irked him somehow.