It Appears That Time Cannot Erode Stone

Chapter 1

Xiao

He didn't know what Ganyu was thinking as she walked with him to the border of Guili Plains.

"So- um- do you wanna split up or something?" She suggested.

Xiao nodded thankfully. Without replying verbally, he ran off to one of the watch towers and stared at the sky, noting the position of the stars, and revelling in the peace and quiet of this new-found land. The mortals irritating chatter below faded to an insignificant murmur as it was whipped away in the wind.

(Xiao knew this was bad. Guizhong loved the mortals and therefore Morax, his master, respected them too, but he still dreamed of throwing all of them off a cliff on a daily basis. Seriously, what did mortals even do to contribute?)

He mucked about with his powers a bit, sending teal shards floating peacefully around him as he concentrated. Zhongli had remarked that he had the potential to become the greatest adeptus under his care, and Xiao wasn't wasting a single moment of practice. 

His mind strayed to Ganyu, the shy qilin (Half-qilin, his mind reminded him) who gave him her full attention whenever he talked, but then snapping back into focus when one of her superiors gave her orders.

The sky suddenly darkened, shadows lengthening across the land in front of him.

Wait a minute... what?

Xiao's hand reacted instinctively and drew his spear, while he craned his head to get a better look.

Something was blocking the moon. A floating structure of some kind, but it was too dim to see.

Should I warn Morax about this? I have to, don't I? That's my job?

"Xiao!" Ganyu came running up to him, her face anxious. "What is that thing? Should we tell Morax?"

Xiao nodded affirmative. "Yes, go get him."

Ganyu hesitated. "You'll be okay, right? By yourself?"

Xiao frowned. What was that supposed to mean? But Ganyu already disappeared in a shower of ice-blue sparks that looked like miniature flames in the darkness.

What do I do? He wondered. Don't act rashly.

That was something Morax had drummed into his head at a very young age, yet Xiao couldn't help himself when he spotted a mysterious figure just outside of Guili Plains, their figure outlined by a heavier shade of black. They gazed at the land with no particular emotion that Xiao could make out, which was frustrating as he was accustomed to his eyesight being much better than the average human's.

Suddenly, a soft voice murmured, "I'm back."

He jumped so violently that he almost knocked into the God of Geo, who had been summoned by Ganyu, as instructed.

The tall god (He was tall, okay?) frowned at the two figures. "They seem like a threat."

"Wait-" Ganyu started, but in one fluid movement, Morax leapt down and drew his spear, which glowed with trails of amber leading up to the wicked steel point.

He was an 'attack first, apologize later for killing them,' kinda guy. Xiao was almost proud.

"Hey!" A female voice shouted. Xiao heard the sound of a sword being drawn, and leapt down to assist his god.

In a millisecond, whorls of luminescent purple lit up along a slender sword, sparking like electric sparks. Xiao was reminded of Ei, the God of Thunder, but clearly this individual was not she.

Lit up by the light of her glowing the sword, the young woman (She looked about 16 or 17, a strange look if she was a god) looked almost comically enraged, her striking amethyst irises piercing as her diamond (Almost cat-like, Xiao mused) pupils focused on Morax.

"What was that for?" She demanded rudely. Purple and white seemed to be her main colour scheme, Xiao wondered if she had an obsession. 

Xiao frowned. "You two were trespassing on our borders."

"No I wasn't," she snapped fiercely. She suddenly froze, as if she were being turned into a statue, and frowned pointedly.

Xiao realized that this- woman- was staring intensely at Morax.

"Are you Morax?" She enquired, and her gaze was hard to pin down, like a flitting dragonfly. Xiao realized uncomfortably that she might be scrutinizing them, and Morax suddenly looked a lot more convinced that they were a threat.

"Yes?"