GNOSIS | Xiao

CHAPTER 1 | Fall From A Divine Throne (Y/N)

2000 years after the Archon War
3RD POV

Y/N's soft footsteps echoed through the quiet halls of Yujing Terrace. The very same place where the Rite of Descension would take place. Her eyes wandered along the doorframe, waiting for the rest of the attendees to arrive.

"Do you think she came?"

"The Fox? Have you even seen her with your two eyes..." The voices trailed off as several members of the Fatui trailed into the room, masked eyes meeting Y/N's.

"Are you here on orders from Her Majesty or Morax?" Y/N's soft my commanding voice sent shivers through the Fatui Agents' bodies.

"No, Miss. We are filling in for La Signora,"

Y/N gave a curt nod as another man strode into the room-golden eyes pulsating with ancient power-all too familiar.

"Morax..." Y/N's voice filled with distaste at the Lord of Geo.

"Rex Lapis," A new voice cut through the god's silence upon seeing the girl.

"Conqueror of Demons, I'm glad you could make it," Morax nodded to the newcomer.

"An Adeptus?" Y/N's eyes inspected the Anemo-visioned boy.

Rex Lapis ignored the two, addressing the population that were drifting around the room, "I have decided..."

•••

1ST POV

I made my way through the swarms of Mililelith that guarded Yujing Terrace. I could tell someone was following me from the quick footsteps behind me.

I whirled around, a hand up to stop whoever dared to stalk me, "If- oh, it's you, Guardian Yaksha,"

"My name is Xiao, Harbinger. Why were you invited to the devising of Rex Lapis' descension from his position as an Archon?" Xiao asked suspiciously, his polearm materialising in his hands, pulsating with the same energy as my own. Both crafted by the hands of the Geo Archon himself.

"I have my reasons, Morax has his own reasons. If you want to fight, I would take it to Guili Plains or Dihua Marsh. There the dense collection of fallen souls will suffocate any major elemental damage that is caused," I crossed my arms, one of my hands clutching my own polearm.

Xiao's eyes narrowed at the weapon in my hands, "This...this energy. That it's not of the Cryo Archon but of Rex Lapis himself,"

I stayed silent. That was private information that he was sticking his pretty nose in, "It's nothing of you to know about,"

I glanced at the sky, midday. Childe had yet to report back on me with the Sigil of Permission. Morax himself has agreed upon the contract. Only his adepti, excluding the Yaksha have yet to know about the trade with a Gnosis.

Xiao remained silent, glaring at my polearm as I teleported through the cold wisps in the air to the centre of Liyue Harbour. I scanned the crowd for my fellow Harbinger. The one with an ego the size of both Liyue and Snezhnaya combined. A certain ginger-

"Y/N! Hey, don't give me that look! I'm on time for once!" Childe complained waving the Sigil of Permission carelessly around in the air, "I got the Sigil,"

"I can tell," I snatched the piece of ancient magic out of his hands, "Be careful. This is the only one that can currently be in use and is in our possession,"

"Wasn't there another one?" Childe asked, trying to take the Sigil out of my hands even though he was taller than me.

"Nothing goes in that brain of yours does it? The other one that is in Snezhnaya's grasp is currently being used to try and replicate the Sigil. It will be vital if the Gnosis isn't handed the way we wanted it to," I explained, tracing my fingers over the delicate fabric, "If Morax comes down in the Rite of Descension and does not hand over his Gnosis peacefully, this," I held up the Sigil of Permission, "Will be in use. Say, if Rex Lapis got killed, it would be easy to take the Gnosis from him. Through the Exuvia. However, if Morax died, the Adepti would rage war on Liyue Harbour. We need that Traveller you spoke of to calm them down,"

"And the other Sigils of Permission?" Childe asked after processing my explanation.

"They haven't been successfully produced yet. But if it comes to the time where we need them. I will inform you," I told the Eleventh of the Fatui Harbingers. I doubt that it will go to those lengths though-Morax already agreed to the contract.

Childe nodded before wandering off into the preparations for the Rite of Descension which was happening tomorrow. I watched as his ginger hair disappeared into the excited crowed, praying that the god will bless those shop or whatnot.

I shook my head, clearing it from the thoughts Of the Sigil of Permission. If Morax decides to pull a stunt, I might have to see the very ones who think I am a mere legend. I watched as the people of Liyue chattered happily, oblivious to the scheme to take the Gnosis from Rex Lapis's Exuvia during the Rite of Descension.

I wandered through the streets of Liyue Harbour and eventually Chihu Rock, the crowds parting for me after recognising the mask that hid half my face, some Snezhnayan merchants giving curt nods here and there. Liyue really had changed since I was last here. It had expanded and advanced beyond recognition. Mora literally flowed through the streets and wharfs.

I felt a small tap on my shoulder, sending shivers throughout my body, teaming up for a battle.

"Miss Y/N, word has been that the Traveller that Her Majesty has been after has been sighted in Liyue. Wangshu Inn to be exact," A Fatui diplomat spoke quickly, his voice carrying a slight stutter, too small to be recognisable, "Would you need be of any assistance in collecting the relevant information about him?"

"Relevant information? There is no need. Just be sure that he will be attending the Rite of Descension. If Morax doesn't cooperate kindly, he will be our last resort," I nodded politely at the diplomat who looked like he was about to wet his pants, "And before you do, I suggest you take a quick trip to a bathroom. It is not healthy to keep urine in the bladder for a long period of time,"

I suppressed a laugh has I watch his visible fave turn a bright shade of crimson before bowing and briskly walking off, to find a bathroom most likely. I doubt the Qixing would be happy if one of the Fatui did their business on their grass.

•••

"No vision? What do you mean no vision?" Childe asked, out of breath, at the small group of Fatui agents and diplomats sharing their gathered information.

"Calm down Childe. If you don't I will personally take it upon myself to lay my own vision on your forehead," I threatened, my finger tracing the ice-cold vision that rested on my chest, "But he does have a point, what do you mean that the Traveller does not possess a vision?"

"Miss, Sir, we aren't too sure ourselves, but he does not seem to be apart of this world. He does not have a vision on him to help channel elemental power, yet he still is able to control the elements," A lady spoke up.

"Elements? As in plural element? Like more than one?" Childe asked, waving his hands around to emphasise his point, almost whacking me in the process.

"Hmph, looks like you finally learnt your grammar. I wonder why you only bothered to learn after I taught you all the phrases and etiquette of a place within the Harbingers," I muttered, whacking him hard on his shoulder, "But elements you say? He can switch from which element he wishes to possess without two visions?"

"Yes, the Traveller is what the people of Mondstadt would consider an 'Outlander'. He does not seem to be from anywhere in Tevyat," An agent added.

I nodded slowly, processing the information, "I would never think that the Tsarista, or we Harbingers would make the mistake of underestimating someone," I shook my head in slight embarrassment, "Not only have we underestimated the Traveller, but we might also need to add him to the 'Potential Enemy/Threat' list to Snezhnaya,"

"Don't bash me, Y/N, but you do know that you are the ones that make the majority of the decisions that us Harbingers carry out, right?" Childe mocked nervously

I glared at him, my hand gathering small amounts of cryo energy, "And you thought that you might escape unscathed," I watched him freeze in motion, his head turning slowly with a nervous grin, pulling away from the Northland Bank's door handle.