NOCTURN BRIDE • genshin Impact | ✓

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

god is always unequal — yet equality exists. in teyvat; though archons has given human life a fair law. if one has something, there are things they could never get. a hopeless ambition, that people had to delude themselves in order to acquire nirvana.

the amazement within her eyes, the love that her soul held, could only exist authentically.

then again, the apostle would be a fool if fate foretold her to be one. if it told her to immediately set teyvat in its deepest despair; she would. she was one who despised the abnormal anomalies filled with peculiarity as they'd somehow defy the chain of being that for the freedom form oppressions.

though, the freedom of actions doesn't justify the freedom to consequence.

alas, the tsarista revolted archons, not mortals. a sham — though, the piety being couldn't help but agree with her majesty. it was time for natural selection to occur, only the strong could survive, and not the weak.

desperation leads to nowhere.

"now now." childe interrupted the tense atmosphere than befallen between the apostle and rex lapis. "you call this corporation between harbingers? cooperation involves communication you know."

"apologies my dearest liege, would you perhaps prefer us to be one?" the irony that seethed through her teeth were absolutely astronomical. she inhaled them as if it was a sort of, limb attached onto her. blasphemous jester that blatantly sold liquors of water as if wine — shamelessly watching others in shambles. "then again, i apologise for not being as nitty as your brain."

"heh. don't take it to heart, childe." signora batted her eyes innocently, giving a subtle snicker from the apostle's remark before returning to her stoic and professional persona. "besides, weren't you happy that you got to skip the formalities and bring chaos to land? i'm sure you must've enjoyed that."

every moment the apostle spent alone with him; solid limbs and tainted skin. a part of her desperately wanted to rip his mind, his consciousness, his soul apart. clawing onto a tightrope; that resisted the bloody desires to sin.

be beyond the automated process of systematic selection that was left by ancestors.

"i suppose, me and the fair apostle would... like to catch up." gesturing his hand, rex lapis guided the apostle towards a field nearby; right outside the teahouse. "shall we?"

the apostle grimaced. a look of disdain spread across her porcelain face, though, a complaint she did not utter. rather, the only verse that came out from her lips was none other that a wistful whisper: "you swore that you'd leave me alone till' my happily ever after" which of course, have yet to come.

"happily ever after is a wish." rex lapis held onto a glaze lily from a nearby floral tree; in thoughts of reminiscing. gui zhong — a word so foreign yet like home — had he not treasured those moments with her, he would've regretted for the rest of his life. "not a promise."

although humans — mere mortals — whom were weak and relying onto the strong; made by curiosity that questioned many aspects of the realm, they were cunning. absolutely ambitious, as they would slither up carefully with a bright facade the smelt foul. then again, who were they to blame?

to be born within the world where ones destiny is decided by birth.

"a fair point indeed. the happily ever after that has carved the roots of teyvat would soon fall apart." with a hefty sigh, the apostle dwindled around, twirling her silky hair locks as her attention drifted away. "i'll bring it to demise with my own hands."

"truly, poor barbatos." rex lapis pitied the poor bard that was now mad over heels for the apostle; a once ever so delicate maiden that reformed into a civil servant of satan. "after all he's done for you, is this how you return your gratitude?"

"i'd be darned." a stifled yet melodious laugh filled the atmosphere. tonal, melodramatic yet a juvenile melody escaped the apostle's lips. carrying an airy tone that felt so translucent, merging into sound waves that collided perfectly with a faint enchanting sound that resonated within a soft-spoken swift wind. "tell me, have you ever been in love?"

love. what is love? well, love is an ignorant bliss that mortals indulge themselves in. that's why, regardless of time, forever, they shall remain as mortal.

it was the reason why when they die, the world would be hers.

"love is a controversial matter-" much to avail, rex lapis attempted to change the matter. he — who swore to not show such affection once more — wanted to avoid the pain that had he carried on his shoulders so heavily.

"indeed, it is. but assuming that, you have." with her eyes squinted, edge of her mouth lifting ever so slightly, the apostle lifted her five fingers on her dominant hand, before curling it into a fist. "how does it feel, witnessing your world crumble beneath you?"

the way she was drenched in the stench of war. the way he witnessed his beloved soaked in red sins. and ever since that day, never had he revolted mother nature more than before.

"hate me all you want. despise me, curse at me..." the apostle kept taunting the geo archon. compelling eyes that held a slithering gaze, penetrating through a single speck of dust as her pupils involuntarily shifted at the movement of light. "why not? tell me, how did it feel witnessing her death?"

ah, yes. it is known that although a villain may sacrifice the world to save their beloved — remember, the villain would also sacrifice that one person, to save themselves. after all, villains are humanities critiques, realistic ideologies and beliefs that they would do anything to achieve; by all means sacrificing their beloved.

did others expect them to empathize?

"revolting. disgusting, perhaps?" her tone lowered, mocking her previous master as she gasped in sarcasm. hands waving in the air, before her fingers slowly crawled up onto her own neck as they curled, closing the small gap of her esophagus as she continued rambling on. "oh! or maybe the way you wished you could've saved her from me? devoid from compassion before you suffocate me with your bare hands?"

"what are you doing-" in an instance, rex lapis pried the apostle's hands that clawed herself off her neck. applying pressure onto her arms, he forcefully gripped them, holding them in the scenario of it occurring once more.

"hm, that~ is exactly how i felt." humming in delight as she felt life slowly seep back within her. though, it was rather bold of her to assume that she herself was alive in the first place. closing her eyes, she could still vividly remember; the moment when barbatos had left her amongst the pile of corpses with the assumption of her passing. "when he had let me rot. decompose into the fumes of death to live."

"then again, if barbatos had always yearned to be a hero..." the apostle's hands were outstretched with the palm faced upwards. a light breeze of neon, swirling green light with the scent of freedom. "what's more heroic, than dying for someone he loves?"

her love was poison, and he was a fool to believe it.

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( CHAPTER XV )