vitriolic

mordant

   it had been almost 48 hours since you fell asleep in rhodeia's arena, yet you still couldn't find the strength to leave yet. she had warned you that it might take awhile before you felt up to walking again, but she said she was more than happy to take care of whatever you need.

   she didn't want you to leave, as she quite liked the company of her creator, but she knows you won't be safe with her. she knows that those pathetic excuses for worshippers would eventually find you with her, but that didn't stop her from wanting to spend the rest of her existence basking in your ethereal presence.

   "i have made arrangements for you to stay with azhdaha, i assume you know how to get to his cave?" she asked, still somewhat hesitant to let you leave. "yes rhodeia, i know how to find him. don't worry, i'll vist you whenever i find the time." you'd never stopped calling her by her true name, but she still couldn't help but feel giddy being addressed so informally by her reason for living.

   after making sure you had everything you could need for the long walk to azhdaha's cave, she sent you off with one last hug, and a promise to have one of her hydro mimics trailing you for healing.

𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑝𝑜𝑣

you had been walking for the better part of two days when you finally saw the distinctive bright blue branch of the tree that helped seal azhdaha. you were tired, hungry, cold, and every muscle in your body ached for a rest, but you ran the rest of the way as fast as your legs would carry you.

when you reached the deep cavern azhdaha was sealed in, you excitedly ran in to meet him after the long trip, the hydro mimic still following after you, almost like a lost puppy.

"who dares disturb me?" came a rough sounding shout from the other end of the cave. "hi! um, rhodeia said she had arranged for me to stay with you? i'm not sure if you're finished preparing though." you spoke in return, voice slightly higher from how intimidating he was in real life.

"i see. my apologies your grace, i wasn't aware you would arrive so soon." he spoke, with a considerably softer tone this time, and curled up on the floor. "please, join me. you must be tired from the walk and all that has happened."

you gingerly walked over to him, and then cuddled next to him. once you were fully settled in, he lifted one of his front arms and wrapped you in a tight hug, with a shocking amount of gentleness for a creature his size. he switched to his pyro form then heated his body up, and you found it harder and harder to keep your eyes open.

you hadn't even realized you had fallen asleep when you woke up, startled by the deep purring from azhdaha switching to a threatening growl. you moved to groggily rub your eyes, when you heard another voice emerge from the quiet.

"old friend, i have to ask you to stop protecting the impostor, i would hate to have to hurt you." you recognize that voice. zhongli, you think. you couldn't get him when you pulled, so it's been awhile since you heard it. "i know you're loyal to whoever you worship, but hunting the real creator like she's some rabbit is a step to far." azhdaha's voice was full of disdain and disgust, the difference from when he spoke to you was jarring.

"what are you speaking of? that creature is not our god." his voice was full of hatred, and you couldn't help but notice how he refused to call you a person. "of course you would be so foolish as to not recognize who you claim to worship." azhdaha was getting worked up, you could tell from your place in his arms.

you decided you had to cut in, and put a stop to this before it escalated into a fight. "why don't we just try to talk this out? i'm sure neither of want to hurt one another." as soon as you spoke, you felt two pairs of eyes fall onto your form, one of them being a threatening gold, and the other one being a bright red. "what would you know about our best interests? you're too full of cowardice to even wear your own face."

"how dare you speak to our creator with such disrespect! your insolence will not go unpunished!" at that, azhdaha stood up, placed you gently onto the floor, and let out a terrifying roar. in return, zhongli summoned his polearm, and quickly shielded himself."if it's a fight you want, i have no problem sealing you for another thousand years." more threats from zhongli it appears. azhdaha didn't seem phased at all by the prospect, he looked more enraged at the thought of zhongli disrespecting you.

"a thousand years worth of pain is nothing compared to what you have done this time. prepare yourself for our worst fight yet." he moved to the middle of the cave, and switched to his electro form.