✧*̥˚ {𝔊𝔢𝔫𝔰𝔥𝔦𝔫 ℑ𝔪𝔭𝔞𝔠𝔱 𝔒𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔱𝔰 & ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫𝔰} *̥˚✧

𝖓ɿɘ𝖛γ𝖂

A/N: I am in love with this fanart so damn much... Spoilers for the Liyue Archon quests and Zhongli story quests

⁜※⁜

"Liyue is known for its great many stories and the ones who tell them. Legends are passed down from generation to generation in the hopes of keeping those moments alive. But there are those still who remember these stories as clear as the pristine waters of Liyue Harbour, those who have lived for thousands of years and experienced the beloved tales often shared around the hearth and theatre alike—as well as those unknown. This is one of those tales."

⁜※⁜

The wind was strong that day. Any normal entity would believe the weather to have only been particularly odd—but I knew there was more. Something was amiss. What that something was escaped my immortal senses.

A low, guttural noise sounded from beneath me. "The wind, Morax... It's glorious. Fly with me while I run."

"Not now, Azhdaha..."

"Hmm... There is... something troubling you, Morax."

I placed my index and my thumb on the sides of my chin as a thoughtful expression formed on my face. "Yes... though I cannot tell what. This wind is... unnatural somehow. It carries bad tidings—though I am unable to interpret them. Can you?"

I heard Azhdaha lift his great head to the sky, shrouded in the darkest of clouds one had seen in many moons. The movement caused me to grab onto one of the many spikes that protruded from his great body. Though erosion had caused him to decrease greatly in size since his creation, he was still barely smaller than the size of a mountain—though it seemed his irritation was only growing as the days passed.

"I cannot," his voice rumbled. "Morax, it is the Archon War. There will likely be strange occurrences in countless places as fellow gods clash."

The wind ripped at the hood that protected my face—not that it would make much difference seeing I was a god. "No, Azhdaha... This... is different." I closed my eyes, listening, searching for the disturbance.

The silence was utterly still for long moments, with only the whispered warnings carried in the wind providing any sense of life and movement. Another growl—more aggressive this time. "Morax..."

My eyes had shot open half a moment earlier as I noticed what Azhdaha was likely warning me about—the disturbance. "Azhdaha." At the command, Azhdaha lowered his head to the mountain, allowing me to step onto the ground. I turned from the mountain range we had claimed as our resting point and began the hike down.

"Would it not be easier to simply fly?" he questioned. The ground trembled ferociously as he took a step towards me, loose rocks rolling down the decline. I didn't deign to reply to his question. "Morax, you're becoming more and more attached to that human form of yours, neglecting us immortal beings." A low snarl—the closest he would come to challenge. "Are we not of the same kind?"

I paused, turning slightly so he was just in my line of vision. Immediately, he stilled. "I know not of what you speak. Azhdaha, do you forget who rescued you from the depths of the earth and gave you the chance to live as you are?"