𝚂𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙰𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 [𝚐.𝚒 𝚟𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚡 𝚐𝚗!𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛]

XXIV

Standing there, with the smell of buttery popcorn filling your nose, you could not have been more excited. Popping a piece in your mouth, you caught Ariel’s face from the corner of your eye as he stared strangely at your wide grin.

“Something going on?” He asked.

“Yeah.”

“Are you going to tell me?”

“Nope.” Your smile widened at his deadpan face.

You watched as Aether gave his wishes around the area in preparation. You did feel kinda bad, but your amusement of him being dragged around for who knows how long to help prepare the death rites of the person dragging him around… yeah, you were ready.

Aether soon joined your side, eager to see what might come of his wishes. You threw an arm over his shoulder, tugging him to your side as you offered some of your popcorn (yeah, you were just that nice). He leaned into you taking a piece for himself and smiling at the taste.

People began to crowd around you, practically shaking in anticipation of the beginning of the rite. Ningguag stood placidly at the front, hands held simply in front of her as she waited. She took a moment to look up, and you suppose that something in the sky that you couldn’t see alerted her to start because it was then she stepped forward, body of grace and refinement.

“The time is upon us.” Her voice called out, strong and almost regal. Her assistants bowed and moved back as Ningguag used her geo, chucks of gem floating around her. Everyone held their breath in awe as the gems shot towards the offerings in the center, embedding themselves into the altar, causing it to glow a radiant gold.

A beam of light shot to the sky, sending a knockback of wind that rustled your hair and made Ariel’s wings flutter. Your foot started to tap and you shoveled more popcorn in your face to cover the unnerving smile.

Clouds circled the light in the form of a loose tornado, quickly turning gray as small shots of red lightning jumped between the clouds. It was almost too fast for you to see it, but a hulking mass parted the clouds. Shining, brown scales shimmered gold in the bouncing sun and a wild mane whipped violently as Rex Lapis’ body careened down to Teyvat.

The silence was captivating, and the only thing you could do to stop yourself from bursting out laughing was to stuff more popcorn in your mouth. Everyone in the square had their voice taken from them, their widened eyes seeming to pop out of their heads from the disbelief at what they were seeing.

You looked at all their faces, trapped in stills of horror as Ningguag’s voice rang out. “Rex Lapis had been killed! Seal the exits!”

The millelith scrambled to follow her command, running to surround the populace of the square. Many began shaking and some, who had been too close to the body, were pulled aside to be questioned by the officers.

Paimon’s shrill voice tried in vain to whisper. “Oh no, oh no, oh no! Is she saying Rex Lapis is dead?!” In her dramatics, she failed to see how nervous Aether got. You tried to grab his hand, but he pulled away, shaking slightly. “And look! People are being questioned by the Millelith! We got too close to the body! What if we’re suspects too?”

“We can’t fall into the hands of another god…” Aether’s eyes had looked far away, and the only thing you could guess he was thinking was that something terrifying enough to ‘kill’ Rex Lapis could get him, an outsider to this world, so easily, especially with his powers sealed away. He ran off before you could try and comfort him, Paimon following easily as she floated above the crowd.

You knew Aether would be okay, getting caught by Childe and all that, but the worry growing in your chest trumped the reassurance from the harbinger’s appearance and any previous humor you held. You were about to push through the crowd to follow him when your elbow was pulled back by an officer trying to call you over to ask some questions. You saw Ariel frown out of the corner of your eyes as the guard pulled you to the side.