Before the tragedy
"Please, bring me to him," Venti begged her, and without hesitation, the lady nodded and pulled Venti to where Zhongli was. Amidst the noisy crowd, the chaotic crowd, the lady was able to bring Venti to the Funeral Parlor within a few minutes.
"He, he's in there," the lady said as she continuously panted, pointing at the door. Venti nodded, gulped, and smiled at this lady. "Thank you very much, what is your name?" Venti asked her, holding her head. The lady looked up and gave her a wide smile, "Hutao is my name!"
As Venti saw Hutao's smile, it made his heart heavy. Her smile reminded him of young Xiao, the Xiao that called him "beautiful."
Venti took a deep sigh and nodded, "I see, thank you again, Hutao." Hutao nodded then she started to walk away, leaving Venti all on his own. As Venti waved goodbye, he looked back at the Parlor and took a deep breath.
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Morax, no, Zhongli will be in there.
He walked forward and talked to the woman guarding the door. "Hello, is Zhongli inside?" He asked, smiling, glimmering with hope. The woman nodded with a small smile. "Yes, he is inside. Is there anything you need?" She asked, holding the doorknob.
"May I...talk to him?" He answered, looking down, feeling scared as he played with his fingers.
"Certainly," the woman answered as she opened the door, gesturing to Venti to go inside.
With a deep breath, Venti walked inside the spacious Funeral Parlor. It was golden inside, it looked majestic with all the flowery patterns embedded on the walls. The floor tiles were colored in red, this time it was patterned with vines. There were a lot of coffins displayed in the parlor, some were blue, others were white. There were big and small coffins as well.
"Wow," Venti said in awe as he looked around. "Magnificent, isn't it?" A deep voice said, shocking Venti as he looked back. "Why look who it is, is that my old friend?"
Venti was on the verge of tears as he ran to this old man with whom he cherished a lot of memories. He hugged him and said, "Morax, long time no see."
He hugged back and said, "I go by Zhongli now, Barbatos."
"And I go by Venti now," Venti replied with a glare as he looked up.
Zhongli chuckled and pulled Venti away then asked, "How did you know I am now Zhongli?"
Venti laughed and replied, "First, by a traveler named Lumine. Lumine told me about Liyue and that it was ruled by the Geo Archon and of course, Morax is the Geo Archon. So I went here. Second, by the inn."
Zhongli was confused when Venti answered the second point. "Wangshu? How so?"
"Your people love you, they love Morax. They put posters and drawings of Morax but you as a dragon. Then as I was roaming around Wangshu Inn, I overheard chatter about Zhongli. You're a fool, Morax. You never changed your appearance, you still looked the same during the archon war. You can't fool your close friend," Venti answered as he took a deep sigh.
"I see, maybe, my people just saw my dragon form but you saw me," Zhongli said with a smile.
Zhongli held Venti's hand as he pulled him towards a table. On top of it, a used tea set was there. "Sit," Zhongli told him, gesturing him to sit on a chair in front of him.
Venti sighed and nodded, sitting on the chair.
"Do you need anything?" Zhongli asked him, pouring tea on Venti's teacup.
"I, I'm going to be punished by Cloud Retainer in a few hours," Venti answered, tearing up as he played with his fingers.
Zhongli stopped pouring the tea and looked at Venti with wide eyes, a heavy heart, and a trembling body.
An archon is being punished?
"What? What did you do?" Zhongli asked him, slowly standing up.
"I broke one of the most important rules," Venti answered, looking away from Zhongli's gaze. "No archon's heart shall collide with a yaksha's, an adepti's, nor a human's."
Zhongli couldn't believe his ears as he looked away from Venti. "Don't tell me," He whispered to himself but Venti heard it.
"It is Xiao, Zhongli. I fell for him," Venti told him, without hesitation but not because he was scared. But because he trusts him.
Zhongli loves Xiao like his own son so telling him about their relationship, lessened the weight of Venti's heart.
"Again?" Zhongli asked, still couldn't believe it. "Again," Venti answered.
Zhongli clicked his tongue and took a deep breath. "What do you want me to do? Did you just come here to say farewell?" Zhongli asked him, looking him straight in the eyes.
Venti shivered in fear when he heard Zhongli's deep voice. "I need your help," Venti requested as he inhaled. Zhongli looked back, glaring at him.
"What?" Zhongli asked him, making sure that he heard what Venti said correctly. Venti gulped and repeated what he said, "I need your help, Zhongli."
"Mine? What if we get caught, I will be punished too," Zhongli told him, stomping his way straight to Venti.
Venti was slowly getting up, trying to get away from him when he remembered something.
"We made a contract didn't we, Zhongli," Venti told him with a weak grin, gazing away from him.
Zhongli backed up and tried to recall a contract they made with each other.
"After covering up for you, you made a promise, a contract in your words that you would do one wish of mine, in return for protecting you," Venti told him, this time, slowly looking at his eyes.
Venti knew. Venti knew one sin Zhongli committed and because of this, he had the upper hand.
Venti knew that Zhongli was once in love with someone he wasn't supposed to, Guizhong, goddess of dust.
"Fulfill this only wish of mine, Zhongli," Venti begged him, walking towards him. "What is it?" Zhongli asked him.
Venti smiled and said, "My punishment is that I'll vanish from Teyvat and will be put in another world." Zhongli got mad as he stomped towards him, holding his shoulders tightly. "What?!" Zhongli shouted at him, his fast-beating heart was heard by Venti as he held his chest.
"Please, don't be scared," Venti told him, tearing up. Before meeting up with Zhongli, Venti was fine knowing that he would vanish but now that he saw Zhongli's reaction. He got scared knowing that he'll leave the people he loved.
"I know where I'm going," Venti told Zhongli as Zhongli lifted his head, his tears watering his eyes. "A place called Earth."
Zhongli asked, "What do you want me to do with that information?"
Venti chuckled and answered, "Do you know anyone who can bring Xiao there too that isn't Cloud Retainer?"
Zhongli started to think, then after a few seconds, he found his answer.
_______________________________________________________
"Good, good," Cloud Retainer applauded as she saw Venti fall and Xiao looking down. "Now, you should know not to break any divine rules."
Cloud Retainer walked towards the hurt Xiao and smiled. "Are you hurt?" Cloud Retainer teased him but Xiao, with his wrists not in chains, was able to grab the bird's neck and raise it, choking her.
"You monster," Xiao said with his monstrous voice. Cloud Retainer couldn't believe it. The bracelet was supposed to control Xiao, forgetting everything about himself. But why does he have the urge to murder Cloud Retainer?
Then he saw another bracelet on his other wrist, covered with Qingxins and Cecilias. As she saw this, she gritted her teeth. "I hate you, Venti. Even if you're no longer here, you still boil my blood," Cloud Retainer shouted.
Later on, Cloud Retainer's men started to stop Xiao but Xiao wouldn't budge until he saw blood coming from Cloud Retainer's mouth.
But he stopped. He didn't want to but he stopped because of Venti's bracelet and because of his grief. He knew Venti would not like it.
Cloud Retainer fell on his knees as she continuously coughed, holding her neck.
"Ha, you're weak," Cloud Retainer whispered to herself, still panting. "Because of that stupid Archon, the title 'conqueror of demons' is not fitting for you."
Xiao sighed deeply as he glared at Cloud Retainer. His eyes slowly went back to normal.
"I will kill you," Xiao declared, then stomped away, leaving the bird's abode.
As he left, he squatted and began to cry. "Ah, this hurts," He whispered to himself, having a weak smile. "Not even the death of Barbatos can surpass this pain I feel." He cried even more, slamming his fist on the stone, leading it to bleed.
Because of how loud Xiao was crying, he was heard.
"Psst, Xiao," A woman's voice was heard by Xiao as he immediately stood up, wiped away his tears, and took a stance. "Who's there?" He asked, looking around when he saw a black hat behind a tree in front of him.
"It's me," The woman whispered again. Xiao lowered down his arms and started walking straight. "Hutao?" Xiao asked.
Hutao chuckled and left the tree, trying to shock Xiao but as she thought, Xiao just glared at her.
"Aw, come on. You never get surprised by my attacks," She said as she pouted, putting her hand on her waist.
Xiao just shook his head and asked, "What are you doing here? What do you want?"
Hutao grinned and held onto his arm, "Zhongli wants to talk to you."
Xiao was confused. What does Zhongli want to do with him? They barely know each other.
Xiao was cautious towards Hutao but she looked serious when she said that Zhongli wanted to meet him so they immediately teleported in front of a portal. Xiao, when held to someone, will be teleported to where the person who held unto him wants to go.
The portal in front of him was gold. In the middle, golden tiny leaves were falling, shimmering.
"Where are we?" Xiao asked himself. "I dunno," Hutao said as she shrugged. Xiao glared at her and started pulling her shirt. "What?! You brought me to someplace you don't know?" Xiao exclaimed in anger while Hutao, on the other hand, was trembling.
"Mr. Zhongli said just to bring you here, another world was its name," Hutao quickly said, closing her eyes.
Xiao was shocked as he put down Hutao.
"Another world, huh?" Xiao said as he started walking close to the portal, about to touch it when a small hoove appeared in front of him, stopping him.
This made Xiao jump back and take a stance again. "Moon Carver," Xiao said, furrowing his eyebrows. Moon Carver just chuckled and said, "Take it easy, Xiao. I won't hurt you when Zhongli is with me."
Then he pointed to his right where Zhongli popped out.
Xiao was shocked and said, "Morax?"
Zhongli smiled and nodded, "It's me."
Xiao was crying tears of joy as he started wiping his tears. "What are you doing here?" He asked, but he thought he shouldn't because his reaction changed. His smile faded.
"Venti talked to me," Zhongli said, gazing away from Xiao as Xiao's heart became heavy.
"He told me to help you." Then he looked back at Xiao, trying to smile but it was obvious it was fake.
Xiao was confused as he asked, "Help me? For what?"
"Bring you to where Venti is right now," Moon Carver answered as he showed the portal to him.
Xiao couldn't believe his ears and he couldn't stop smiling. "For real?"
"Really," Moon Carver answered with a smile and looked at Zhongli who was still sad.
"But Xiao, once you go to where Venti is right now, he will not know who you are," Zhongli told him, walking towards him.
Xiao's heart dropped and asked, "W-why?"
"He's in another world so that means he's living another life. A life where he doesn't know anything about Teyvat, including you," Moon Carver told him as he pointed at Xiao.
"Another thing, once you enter, you cannot come back," Zhongli told him, holding his shoulder tightly.
After hearing all the cons, everybody expected Xiao to hesitate but without thinking, he nodded.
"He did all of this for me. Should I not sacrifice as well?" Xiao said to both of them with a weak smile. "I will not forget you, I will tell him about you, Zhongli."
Zhongli smiled as his tears started to roll down.
"I will not forget all of you, right?" Xiao asked, scared. But Moon Carver nodded and said, "Yes because yours is modified so at least your memories will remain."
But Xiao was curious about something. "Moon Carver, why are you helping me? Aren't you on Cloud Retainer's side?"
Moon Carver looked down and shook his head. "I never agreed to that law because I too am in love with someone."
Xiao's eyes widened then smiled, "So you do love."
Moon Carver smiled back and replied, "Yeah yeah, sure."
Xiao chuckled, then finally said, "Bring me to Venti."
Xiao took a deep breath as Moon Carver said words Xiao didn't understand to open up the portal. He looked at Zhongli who was still smiling as his tears rolled down. "I promise Zhongli, I will tell him everything."
Zhongli nodded.
Finally, the portal started to glow, signaling Xiao that he could go in. With a heavy heart, he inhaled, exhaled, then finally took a step inside the portal.
"We'll miss you, conqueror of demons," Hutao shouted as she waved goodbye. Xiao smiled back and closed his eyes.
"Farewell, Xiao," Moon Carver said. "You can be happy now."
Moon Carver said unknown words again and alas, Xiao vanished in Teyvat as well.
But like what Moon Carver said, Venti had forgotten Xiao as he walked past Xiao in the corridors of Monyue Company.