XXVI

Like you thought, when the time came for you to get ready for the day, you were completely exhausted. The final few hours of sleep you got after you had left the balcony had been helpful, you didn't complain that much, but you still dragged your feet along the wooden floors of the inn when you met Aether and Paimon for breakfast.

Sitting on the terrace of the inn, the three of you, with Ariel not taking the chance to eat food he didn't necessarily need out in the open sun, ate some yummy breakfast (considering it came from, for all intents and purposes, a hotel). Paimon gorged herself, as usual, trying all the Liyuen food she could. Throughout the meal, Aether's brow got comically sweatier with every new dish Paimon ordered, praying for his wallet.

The walk back to the harbor to go meet with Childe started with another wave to Xiao. You turned the same as you did the first time to see him perched on the rooftop once more, however, this time he sent a small wave back, something that had you grinning easily.

-

Meeting up with Childe was boring to say the least. Right now, the fetch quest of the Liyue story would begin and it annoyed you to no end. It was truly an agonizing ride helping Zhongli collect whatever he needed for the right of descension (expect that one chick, she knew what she was doing), but you decided to stick out the first part to at least meet the infamous dead guy before dipping and finding something more interesting to do.

Now you guys were waiting down at the dock, feeling the salty air breeze through the harbor. Sailors and businessmen shouted along the way, yelling 'put this here' or 'grab that there', a perfectly controlled chaos that had you basking in its organized disarray.

"How long do you think we have to wait for that ginger harbinger?" Paimon pouted, floating closer to Aether, who looked like he was in another world. His head was tilted back slightly, strands of hair loose from his braid swaying in the wind, eyes fluttering with thoughts you couldn't understand, and legs so lax you bet they could swing with the breeze as well.

Turning to Ariel, you found him in a similar state. He was standing at the edge, as close as you could get to the sea at the moment, with his wings stretched wide. The thin film of his wings flittered in the wind and just like Aether, his dark almond eyes had fallen shut.

Turning to Paimon you grumbled along with her. "I don't know, he's taking a damn long time. We might as well just check in in about another thirty minutes or so. He should be fast."

"Faster."

You couldn't help but scoff in agreement. You were about to tease the boys for their state, but from the corner of your eye you saw a most unexpected person enjoying the view. Murmuring a quick 'be right back' you jogged over to the russet haired woman.

You stopped by her side. "Hello Miss Jinfeng." Her head tilted towards you, eyes lidded halfway, and you had to take a breath before continuing. "It's nice to see you again."

She smiled back, though it seemed artificial. "A pleasure to meet you again."

"If I might impose," you said. "May I ask if you're alright?"

She sighed, her hand traveled down from where it held her face to the veins of her other hand, tracing each line delicately and precisely. "I suppose I've been feeling rather down since yesterday."

Oh right. Death of the God and all that jazz. But instead of comfort, all that comes out is, "Were you a devoted believer?"

She pauses, gazing out at the sea. Her eyes were long gone, beautifully glazed as she thought back to memories you didn't know but had the strong urge to learn. Something about her pulled you in. Perhaps it was her strangely knowing and amused smile, or the way she held herself, but something in you said she's interesting.

"I was not." She finally answered. "At least, that's not really what I would refer to myself as."

Little weird but you could roll with it. She was obviously upset about this tragedy and given that you had never met her outside of a professional setting, you lacked the ability to properly comfort her. Listening to whatever she had to say would surely be enough.

"Rex Lapis..." She trailed off. "I don't know what there is to say really, only that this is a tragedy, one of the most egregious I've experienced in recent years."

"I'm sorry." You didn't know what else you could say. You knew Morax was important and beloved, his passing no doubt saddened many people.

"No." She whispered. "No, it's alright. There is nothing to be done about it now." She turned to you fully now, as if snapping out of some daze. "Well, it's only been a few days since we first met I believe, but how have you been faring with the suspected visions?"

Startled by the sudden change, but not wanting to pry, you followed along. "I did have a disturbing dream recently, of my death."

She hummed with surprise. "Your own death? Anything else."

You shook your head as if trying to conjure the memory. "Someone else was there, I think they were holding me and crying."

"Were you able to identify this person?"

"No."

Her long red nails tapped her hands as she thought. "Well if we look at it purely from a dream perspective, death is often symbolic of change, something sudden or important shaking your life and changing it drastically." She reached up to twirl a strand of flaming hair that fell in her eyes. "Did you have an experience like that recently, one that heavily disrupted your daily routine and sent you on a new path?"

"Not recently, no." You said. Your death was far past you now. If anything, this was your daily routine, and nothing other than these visions had been outside of your expectations. "What if we were looking at it from a vision perspective instead of a dream one?"

"Well, it aligns with your previous vision, or nightmare, whatever you want to call it. If we're looking at it as a premonition, it must be taken more literally. If this was a vision, then you'd have seen one of your possible futures, one where you died and someone, most likely a loved one, cradled your body." She sighed, pausing in her twirling like this conversation deserved a little more attention than an afterthought. "When I say it matches with your other, I mean to say that you might've seen a possible future where everyone you cared about but you died, and you would be the last to live or be forced to live as punishment."

She giggled lowly, cupping her hand over her painted lips. "Though I suppose that's a bit morbid isn't it?" She turned to you fully now, her intimidating eyes locked on you. "Under the assumptions that these are visions, be wary. Celestia might be sending you warnings, they may perceive you as a threat and want to throw you off your path."

"But what path?" You questioned. Seriously, was helping Dvalin a little earlier than normal sending the heavens into that much chaos? You hadn't even done anything off track in Liyue yet. Was interacting with the people of the story throwing them off?

"Perhaps you've done something that has disrupted their natural order." Her sharpened nail tapped against her cheek.

Your brow furrowed curiously. "Their natural order?"

"Yes." Jinfeng agreed. "Celestia is a powerful... entity. They have a way they wish the world to go, an outcome they try to put into motion through every decision of every creature. Take visions as an example. Clearly, Celesta believes these people to be important, or interesting enough to be a part of their games. They influence lives, not only of the immortal, but of the mortal."

You wanted to ask how she knew all this, how she understood an entity which had almost no lore in the game or webcomic so far. It confused you to know end, but you had the feeling that if you asked, the only thing you'd get was a mysterious smile and amused eyes.

-

Your conversation with Jinfeng had taken up more time than you'd expected and thirty minutes had flown by in a breeze. You gathered the boys, who were still sunbathing, to go check in with Ekaterina at Northland Bank to see if Childe had come back with Zhongli.

Stepping into the bank, you felt a cool rush of air relax the heat that spread across your skin, something that displeasured Ariel and Aether if their shivers were anything to go by. Given how often Ariel complained about the heat, you never took him as one to soak up the sun, but it could be nice, occasionally, you guessed.

You took the directions given to you by Ekaterina that both the harbinger and his 'guy' were waiting at Liuli Pavilion for a business meeting. Getting there was quick and when you entered you saw both of them immediately.

Childe was sitting at a small table, waiting with a dapper Zhongli by his side, chatting amicably with the older (ancient as fuck) man. His dead fish eyes seemed to lighten up a bit when he spotted you, Aether, and Paimon, waving you all over.

"Well if you took a minute longer I was prepared to go out there and look for you myself!" His smile was wide and too artificial for you to properly call him handsome. "What kept you up?"

"You never told us a time to meet back with you." Aether deadpanned, looking the harbinger square in the face with an unimpressed scowl.

"Ahaha." The ginger chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry about that! I wasn't sure how long it would take to find my consultant to help you." Childe gestured with his hand towards Zhongli. "This is Mister Zhongli, consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, but he's also a trusted associate of the Fatui and very knowledgeable in all aspects of culture in Liyue."

You and Aether took your seats at the table, respective companions standing (or floating) behind you. You noticed Ariel shooting a sharp glance at the unknowing harbinger and internally laughed at the sight.

"It's an honor to meet you." Zhongli's voice rumbled in an easily captivating way. No VA could do justice just how subtle, commanding, and respectable he truly felt, just from his voice alone, let alone the stiff dynamics of the game, "I've heard tales of your deeds in Mondstadt."

Aether didn't speak, but you bowed your head politely enough (you hoped). "A pleasure to meet you as well."

"The reason I brought you to meet with Mister Zhongli-" Childe injects only to get cut off himself by said man.

"-Is because I can get you to Rex Lapis' vessel." You heard Paimon gasp.

"Really? You'll be able to take us to the Exuvia?"

"Yes." Zhongli sounded particularly sure of this fact. "Part of the business of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is to carry out traditional burial rights for the adepti. As Rex Lapis was also an adepti, a ceremony must be performed for him as well. The fact that the Qixing have not done so yet is sacrilege." He now turned simply to Aether, which you had no problem with as you were not preparing to join your little traveler on this quest. "Childe had told me much about you Traveler, and since you have had dealings with the Anemo Archon, could I request your help in preparing the Geo Archon's last rites?"

"I accept your invitation." Clear and concise as always with Aether. You felt fondness roll in your chest. "Will you be joining me [Y/n]?"

"Hm? Oh no, I won't be coming. I have a few things I want to check out, but we can meet up after you complete the rite." You waved away his offer, not getting sucked into this.

Paimon crossed her arms mockingly. "And what else do you have to do other than lay a god to rest?"

You smiled back with just as much mocking. "Personal research." Seeing that you weren't going to get much more out of the conversation, you made to stand up, putting a few mora on the table as a tip. "If that's all gentlemen, I'm going to take my leave." You leaned down and tucked some hair behind Aether's ear, giving him a small peck on the forehead with a murmured 'be safe' before leaving the pavilion after giving Zhongli and Childe both proper handshake goodbyes.

Leaving the pavilion, you were greeted by the warm sun once more. You heard Ariel pipe up beside you. "Why'd you run out of there like that?"

You scoffed. "They're about to go on a boring as fuck fetch quest. I'm not about to join them when I could be doing anything else."

Ariel shrugged. "Fair enough." And you both continued further to the hustle and bustle of the city.