That morning
I woke up once again with tears and cold sweat. I felt a strange sense of joy from the dream. It was a mixed feeling of happiness and sadness from seeing Aether in the dream.
"You alright?" Asked Xiao, getting up and gently comforting me.
He had reached for my face and cupped my cheeks gently.
"Yeah, just another dream about my brother." I replied with a sad shrug.
"You are strong, just face it head on." Replied Xiao.
"Thanks, Xiao." I replied as I hugged him.
Xiao didn't expect the hug but let me hug him anways.
"Tine to go exploring!" Called Paimon from the door.
"Qiqi will go pick herbs!" Announced Qiqi as she left the teapot with Paimon in tow.
"I guess we should eat breakfast and go too." I replied.
It turns out Tubby had already made us all breakfest. We headed to the kitchens to thank her and went to enjoy the food.
Later at the Adventurer's Guild
We went to see any of the posted comissions.
"Wait what's this?" I asked as I looked at what Ganyu and Keqing just posted.
"Oh that? Just one strange case the miners wanted an investigation on." Replied Keqing.
"We'll take the comission." I replied.
"Alright, good luck." Replied Keqing as she and Ganyu left.
We went down the harbor to see the iron monger man who was the head miner.
There was another man with glasses that seems to be an expert on rocks.
And then I remembered that Zhongli xian sheng is also an expert on these kinds of things.
We walked up to the iron monger and told him about Zhongli. Xiao looked a bit surprised by how Zhongli was doing.
Later that afternoon
Zhongli was found enjoying his meal at a resturaunt.
"I wonder where he gets mora." Whispered Paimon.
"He does work at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor after all, he won't starve, don't worry." I whispered in reply too.
"He's the god of mora after all." Replied Xiao in a low voice behind us.
I giggled a little from Paimon and Xiao's comment.
Zhongli turned around to find us, Childe who also was behind us gave an awkward wave.
"Afternoon to you," greeted Zhongli, he then glanced at us, "what brings you here?" He asked.
"We were wondering if you wanted to go on an adventure with us?" I began.
"Where to?" Asked Zhongli.
"To the mines, we wanted to let the ironmonger see that you are an expert on rocks too, you should tell him what you know!" Added Paimon.
Zhongli glanced at us with a neutral expression, "alright, take me to him." He replied as he followed us.
Later at the docks
"Hello, I'm Kun Jun," began the man who was introduced to us, and was an expert on geology too.
"Greetings, I am Zhongli," replied the Geo archon.
The iron monger led us towards where his men dissappeared around west of Lingju pass and close to the Chasm.
Kun Jun had a strange godly ability where he can "sense memmories" of rocks.
Zhongli, Xiao and I were both surprised. Paimon couldn't help laugh, but was also impressed by such abilities.
Kun Jun allowed us to see the visions of miners being led awat by a little girl. The clues lead us to Nantianmen.
I remember I passed by this place before, it had a very large, ancient Sandbearer tree with this odd icy blue color on one of the branches.
"Hey this place looks familiar, don't you think Y/N?" Asked Paimon, flying by me.
"Yeah, we've been here on a comission before." I replied.
"To stop a slime balloon." Laughed Paimon.
"I've been here plenty of times." Nodded Xiao as he looked around warily for enemies.
We spotted a hidden cave below the ancient tree.
"I think we found the miners." I began as I noticed something off about them.
"They seem possessed by something." Noticed Xiao.
"Indeed." Replied Kun Jun.
Zhongli made a Hmmm sound and was examining them.
"Must mine this place!" Yells a possessed miner.
"That is odd, what is going on?" Asked Paimon.
"This place seems too familiar." Replied Zhongli.
A sudden earthquake knocked us off our feet followed by a roar.
"What was that?!" I asked.
"Definetly something evil." Replied Xiao as he took out his polearm right away.
"A challenge? How exciting!" Smirked Childe as he reached for his hydro bow.
I readied my weapon too, even Zhongli took out his spear, preparing for whatever was beyond this cave's sealed door.
Zhongli used his powers to give us a shield to stop us from falling into the cave.
However, we still got pulled into the cave and stumbled into the caverns.
"Rex Lapis, We Meet Again!" Snarled an angry and beastly voice.
We look up to find a huge, gigantic geo dragon.
Not gonna lie, this dragon looks very chonky.
Paimon screeched and yelled, "what a big chonky geo toad!"
The huge dragon ignored Paimon and focused his attention upon Zhongli with hatred.
"Azhdaha, we meet again." Began Zhongli.
Interesting name for a chonky dragon alright. Part of me was wondering if all archons have some sort of pet dragon.
Ignoring this funny thoughts, I drew out Dawnbreaker, preparing for a fight.
Azhdaha angrily jumped up in the air, and we could've been sent flying if Xiao and Zhongli didn't catch us.
This dragon really needs to go for a walk!
The angry dragon waved his giant sandbearer tree branch tail at us and then jumped into the Earth.
"Please be careful, he changes elements!" Warned Zhongli.
"Understood, my lord." Replied Xiao.
"I guess the branches tell you the element." I replied as I noticed the leaves on Azhdaha's tail turn red.
"Pyro for now." Nodded Xiao as he struck at the tail.
Azhdaha emerged from the Earth and roared angrily at us again.
"His tail is turning white!" I yelled.
"Cryo it is." Nodded Kun Jun as he healed us from the back.
"Tell me when it switches to Pyro or Electro!" Yelled Childe.
"Cry!" Yelled Xiao as his spears rained down onto Azhdaha.
"Azhdaha that's enough!" Ordered Zhongli.
"You keep me trapped here for so long!" Protested Azhdaha.
"You were sealed willingly!" Argued Zhongli.
Later after the battle
It turns out Azhdaha had a Yin and Yang version of himself.
Kun Jun wasn't actually Kun Jun, but the Yang version or good manifestation of Azhdaha. It took them a lot of explaining of course.
The creepy little girl was actually the evil manifestation or Yin version of Azhdaha.
Xiao and I decide to let them exchange a few words alone.
"Do you think something like this will happen again?" I asked Xiao.
"I hope not." Replied Xiao with crossed arms.
"You know, I wonder if all archons have a pet dragon." I began.
"We'll find out soon I guess." Replied Paimon, flying around us.
Beneath the ancient tree
Zhongli bid Azhdaha's spirit goodbye and stood in front of the dragon's tomb in silence.
"We should leave him be." Began Xiao.
"Wait, I just need to ask him something, it's about my brother and Dainsleif." I replied.
"What is your question?" Asked Zhongli, turning around to face me.
"Do you perhaps know Dainsleif, and the destruction and anything about my brother?" I asked.
"I'm deeply sorry, Y/N, but I cannot tell you because I agreed to this contract 500 years ago to not speak about it." Replied Zhongli, looking very apologetic.
"Oh, is that so?" I asked, a bit sad.
"Yes, and I'm also sorry that you are still looking for your brother, but I hope your journey is filled with prosperity and growth, I wish you and Xiao well on your journeys ahead." Replied Zhongli, glancing at Xiao and me.
"Thank you, Zhongli Xiansheng, even though you cannot tell me things, perhaps through this journey I'll understand myself." I replied.
"Indeed, we don't know where the journey will take us, there will always be a beginning and an end, but take your time and enjoy the life around you and you will learn more about this world." Replied Zhongli.
"Thank you, my lord." Bowed Xiao.
"No, I should be thanking you two for saving Liyue and passing the test, and also helping me with this quest." Replied Zhongli as he gave us a few geo artifacts.
"Thank you and Goodbye, Zhongli Xiansheng!" I replied as we left.
"Goodbye, my lord." Bowed Xiao as he left with Paimon and me.
"See you around, comrade!" Waved Childe as he hugged Zhongli cutely and left.
Later that evening
Yanfei waved at us and told us that she doesn't mind adventuring with us around Liyue.
We went to do a lot of comissions together and had some snacks around Chihu Rock's resturaunts.