Chapter Text
When Childe had heard that furious roar at first a victorious smile had marked his teeth, shuddering as the heavy weight of divine geo cloaked the air oppressively.
Liyue harbour was receiving an increasing amount of damage from Osial's last wave of wild attacks, the team of Qixing, Adepti and Traveller desperately fighting off the waves as Osial's ungrateful corpse summoned a mountain sized ball of teeming hydro, much like his Riptide ball but infinitely more destructive. Apparently the old god had been conscious enough to choose death instead of a new seal.
Zhongli had taught him of Sal terre and the weak and peaceful Havria and Childe knew that next to nothing was strong enough to resist that devastation. Whether the harbour would fall to the blast itself or to the damage to the sand and earth and the decimation of the aquatic life.
His smile dropped.
With the amount of hydro competing with geo in the air it's easy to summon the modified sigil of permission, whispering an additional secret command and sending it off in a mini narwhal construct infused with electro for recognition and speed.
The mighty dragon wound restlessly through the air, impossibly larger than its pitiful so called "corpse" with bared teeth each the size of his whole body as it summoned an enormous shield that felt shockingly familiar.
Rex Lapis wound his body restlessly as he considered that huge ball of hydro destruction ready to decimate his precious lands. A familiar helpless fury fueled his roars as he desperately tried to figure out what to do. His people had failed their test.
No.
They had succeeded. They had managed to beat down the leftover rage of Osial, his greatest sea born foe, like the tenacious independent children they were. He would spare them pride at a later time.
Osial however, was a god. A god powerful enough to have been considered for the hydro archon post were it not so far away. He would know well of the destruction of a deity's death and it seemed that now, even past the draining pull of a thousand years of erosion, he knew to weaponize this knowledge in a way his greatest enemy could never hope to properly defend against.
It had been truly foolish to allow the harbour to be the scene of such a dangerous showdown.(There had been no better place for the defenders to gather.) As he had rushed towards the harbour he had been relieved to see Millileth swiftly organising the evacuation. (Something had bugged him about some of them but he had sensed no danger so had elected to ignore it in his haste)
As Rex Lapis frantically scanned the heavily damaged harbour forefront for stragglers his eyes fell upon a spark of reddish orange watching from a rooftop. Relief from not sensing any stragglers morphed to blinding rage.
"You."
Childe laughed wildly as the Geo Archon glared in a way that told he wasn't going to survive the inevitable confrontation to come. The very fact that it wasn't happening right then told him just how dire his actions had made the situation.
His men, Ekaterina, Xiangling, the old lady who sold kites he sent home, the stall he had sent his mother and sister jewellery from, at the recommendation of Zhongli, Zhongli himself. One by one their faces flashed through his mind, their places of business most likely already wrecked and soon their homes.
He had never intended to destroy their lives like this. Osial wasn't supposed to still be this fucking strong, let alone killing himself to nuke the nation.
Both Archon and Harbinger turn to the moon sized ball when it gives a warning pulse of malicious hydro. The huge shield strengthening in response with a deep growl from Rex Lapis.
If...If Childe simply waited, allowed that bomb to explode, the Archon would inevitably be forced to use all of his power to try to save his beloved harbour. He would be weak enough to swiftly rip away his gnosis.
...
Or he could (fix this) have that confrontation now, in his own loud way. There was a huge source of power right there, capable of matching an Archon, and Childe was all about getting stronger after all. It would be the ultimate challenge without a doubt.
Reckless and possibly deadly decision made the Harbinger runs and leaps, grasping the hydro soaking the air and riding it towards the harbour. (His body creaked from his previous battle but that was of no matter) He ignored the voices and disapproving stares echoing in his mind as he raced, adrenaline burning anew in his veins. (They looked suspiciously like Katya and Zhongli...)
"'Scuse me!" He cheekily called out to the Archon as he slipped past his shimmering geo shield and shot like a bullet into the hydro bomb before the dragon could do more than growl at him.
Oh.
Fuck.
That BURNS.
The currents churning within the ball tried to rip him apart. Hydro had never tasted so much like fire as he wrestled with it, attempting to steal power from a different god. Ironic.
Thousands of years of rage, resentment and erosion attempted to drown him in their depths, slicing at his skin in savage strikes. Childe reached past his delusion with an ease born of pure survival instinct, calling upon the Devouring Deep to finally do as its namesake, ethereal glee bubbling in his throat as it feasted upon the ragged remnants of Osial.
Zhongli had only just processed that it was Childe who had just entered Osial's corrupted hydro bomb when he felt that burst of abyssal energy from within the bomb, the furious growl and terrified churr combining to make a completely strange sound in his throat.
"Oh gods is he ok?/What the hell is that harbinger doing!?" Thought the consultant/dragon.
He could not touch the bomb nor could he hope to contain it within himself, lest it destroy him too and half of Teyvat in the process.
Perhaps thankfully Rex Lapis did not have to wait long to discover what his treacherous friend had done.(Only at his own behest was Childe treacherous, Zhongli corrected himself.)
The churning hydro stilled its currents and the abyssal traces practically vanished for a few moments. Then the ball began to shrink, the hydro flowing in a single direction that made the ball seem like it was spinning and rolling in place. When it was just a little larger than the dragon currently was, it stopped shrinking, a white line river rapid slicing in a loose curl around the ball.
A deep call came from it as something unfurled from the ball, the hydro reforming into a creature Zhongli had only read about in myths.
The swirling horn rose, twice the length of his skull, followed by a thick yet lithe body, fins and tail reminiscent of seals and dolphins and marked with jagged lines of the white of rapid flow hydro.
The Narwhal seemed to cackle at him, weaving a loose mischievous loop to fully unwind itself.
"Xiangsheng this is quite the surprise! I would never have thought I'd get our spar like this."
"...Childe."
The weight behind the word makes Childe shiver (or was it ripple in this new form of his?) but it's the inflection that settles it. The Narwhal's senses had easily recognised the familiar energy but Childe had needed the confirmation.
The surge of rage and betrayal is one he ruthlessly squashes, knowing that part of it now was Osial still attempting to cause havoc. With his Abyssal self keen on showing off the power it had gained from the ocean god's emotions as well as the gallons of hydro Childe had gained alongside let's just say he wasn't too keen on becoming Chasm 2.0.
He cackles in the strange vocalisations of this Narwhal form, tone tinged bitter.
"To think it would end this way! Of course I did hold some doubts about your supposed humanity Xiangsheng, however foolish I must have appeared in your eyes. But alas! The fool has thrown his jester's hat and has picked up his sword!" He flourishes his horn, cackling even more.
The Narwhal is quick to wind down, sparing a half second glance to the force gathered near the harbour's edge: livid adepti, stunned Qixing and Traveller as well as, surprisingly, a few familiar vision wielders. Namely the little cryo blue exorcist boy and his good-friend-who-totally-isn't-crushing from the Feiyun guild.
There seemed to be discussion going on about how they could help. Or not. Childe was just guessing really. With Osial attempting to resurge he had little time to (fear)wonder what was about to happen.
The Narwhal was but a young thief, usurper of the dead god's power; the engorged Devouring Deep all too willing to let loose with the reckless will left of Osial, all too willing to battle the Archon stood before him. Childe remained; Ajax remained, to negate the collateral damage. They needed to leave.
Tartaglia had resources, Childe had connections, Ajax had relationships that he would not destroy so absolutely. It was time to make like an arrow and fly.
*thunk*
Or so he'd thought.
"I cannot let you leave." Rex Lapis growled, several huge geo constructs slamming to the ocean floor in a wide circle around them. Judging by the enraged roll in his power Childe guesses that it's another seal.
The Narwhal cackles madly. How insane was this arrogant god of geo? Attempting to seal a violent power just beside the beating heart of his beloved city.
"Are you sure about that Morax?" The Narwhal rises through the air and dives towards the dragon in a deadly plunge. A shield blocks his diving descent with a loud clang and a miniature shockwave that topples several of their viewers to the ground.
The Narwhal forcefully turns its head, trilling in delight at the way the mighty Rex Lapis is forced to turn with him, making him gaze upon his harbour and his little human/adepti audience.
"Are you truly sure?" It's far less taunting than Childe had hoped for, his true concern slipping through for a moment.
To his joy/dismay the old dragon's eyes only harden and with a sudden snap of powerful jaws (HOLY SHIT) has the Narwhal dodging and swiftly backing away, disbelieving laughter at this fool of an old dragon. (Although to be fair he probably wouldn't risk the uncontrolled power of his greatest enemy escaping either)
"Yes. I am." Says the Geo Archon.
"MORAX!"
Ah, that enraged shout was definitely from leftover Osial. Damn, this prick's consciousness is persistent.
Not that his Abyssal side was stopping it, wanting the excuse to rampage before it finishes off the old sea god.
Since Morax has made his choice (and placed the protective pillars that should hold for now) Childe acquiesces to the Narwhal's violent desire, vision blackening as both beasts roar and charge one another.
*
Childe snaps awake with the sound of a crack, dodging another (still terrifying) bite aimed at his midriff. The Narwhal cackles, moving in for a retaliating stab with his horn as Childe quickly scans for the crack that awoke him.
There! In the barrier.
A fracture.
"Shit." Childe thinks, Osial using his lips to smirk.
He is unable to stop the desperate, vengeful god from using its will to lash out, power smashing into the crack, poisoning geo with hydro in a terrifying display of skill.
Childe can feel the second in which everyone panics as crystalline hydro cracks ravage the seal and grits his teeth, cursing Osial extensively. He was still just a smidge too unstable. He only had to wait for Osial's will to fade before he could really process his new power but the bastard was fucking insistent on causing as much damage as possible. Not that the Abyss in him minded all that much.
He whips through the air away from the harbour in the same instant Morax rips towards it, standing guard and regathering his power for a final strike or a final shield. Childe quickly makes that choice for him, a half formed plan in mind.
The Narwhal cackles as it raises its mighty horn to the skies, gathering its power into another huge hydro ball of destruction, directing all of Osial's rage into it as he aims at the golden dragon of Liyue. The rage gleefully follows his command: A final strike against the bastard that had sealed it.
"Are you ready Morax?" Two dissonant voices speak from the Narwhal, cackling when the geo archon replies with nothing but the loudest growl he's ever heard.
Childe flicks a fin, releasing a drop of power in a tiny construct that races towards and slips through the cracks in the barrier at little Xingqui with incredible speed; the tiny narwhal diving into his chest amidst alarmed shouts.
The Narwhal watches as the young hydro wielder scrabbles at his chest and then gasps at the rush of pure power now pulsing through his veins and his vision.
Widened gold catches fathomless blue, the former staggering under the surge of oceanic power. The young ice wielder is the first to reach him, grasping his friend's shoulder in concern (as predicted) and staggers as well, their synchronicity making it easy for power to slip between them.
The Narwhal's eye squints, as if smirking in challenge at the young duo, trilling when his gaze is met with determination.
"Let us see whether you and your people survive this Rex Lapis!"
Osial laughs as Childe winks at the little people, not particularly caring whether it looks more like a blink from their angle or if they can see it at all.
Rex Lapis can barely risk a glance at that first attack(?) and instead forces himself to focus on holding the poisoned seal together and forming a unique shield sigil to block the blast. At first glance it looks like an enlarged version of Lady Ningguang's skill but it is both far more complex and far more powerful.
Morax draws only from his own personal reserves of power, unwilling to draw Celestia's malevolent eyes so close to his contract's completion. It is ironically the most power he has had to use since the original Osial…It was not enough then.
It would have to be now.
*
"Let's block it."
Chongyun nods in perfect understanding, the both of them practically glowing with power.
"What do you mean 'block it'!?!-" Paimon yells, understandably panicked "What even just happened!?! Some kinda hydro thing entered you and you're glowing and Osial became a whale with a horn that might be Childe and Rex Lapis is fighting him and he's gonna nuke us with that hydro bomb and he's managed to crack Rex Lapis' seal and now you're going nuts saying you're gonna try blocking it????" Paimon pants for air after her tirade, tiny arms indicating the mess on the ocean behind them.
"That is correct, my liege." Xingqui says, calm as a lake surface on a sunny day, of which this was neither.
The group collectively, and fondly for some, ignore Paimon's resulting splutters as Chongyun speaks after his partner, each of them speaking in strange turns
"That strange creature has challenged us to live-"
"-And so we shall."
"-Form a wall-"
"Of hydro-"
"-of cryo"
"Together."
Their handhold tightens for a moment.
"We wish to drain the hydro in Rex Lapis' seal-"
"-And use it to form a second wall of ice-"
"But we will need your help-"
"Illuminated Adepti-"
"My lieges"
"We implore you."
The boys bow together with their request.
A moment of stunned silence follows. Madame Ping steps forward and slaps both boys on the shoulder with surprising strength and raises them up with a grin (weirding them out because this was chill grandma Ping)
"You heard them! Let's hop to it!" She says with a warm chuckle, circulating the dangerous energy to a more sane level for mortals.
*
A plan is formed in record time. Chongyun and Xingqui, still holding hands, stand at the edge of the pier. The traveller stands just behind them, a hand on each boy's shoulder and beside them stand Madame Ping and Lady Ningguang.
Xiao and Ganyu stand further back, ready to send their blessings at a moment's notice for Madame Ping and the Traveller to safely distribute and/or physically intervene if things go wrong. Which, naturally, they somewhat do.
“Guys,” Traveller starts, “I think we’re out of time.”
"That we are." Madame Ping tightens her grasp. "Ready yo-"
Hydro suffocates the air around Childe as The Narwhal releases the beam with a terrific boom. Rex Lapis grits his jaws as the beam slams into his shield, causing the seal to shimmer in warning as hydro poisons it further.
"Now!"
Ancient and Young eyes flick towards Madame Ping's shout, the former widening in surprise as he feels the poison drain rapidly.
The Narwhal, not one to miss an opportunity, intensifies the strength of his attack, forcing the dragon's gaze back forward.
Instantly the Dragon can tell his front shield will break just before the Osial/Tartaglia (?) Narwhal's attack ends.
He can form another shield of this grade easily but it will take too much time. Unfortunately he has no other choice as time runs out faster than he can breathe, his shield cracking for the final time before shattering, the beam of hydro blasting him back towards the seal walls in a disorienting shove only for his back to crash against a freezing surface -the cold shocking him to awareness- and frantically right himself as he readies another barrier.
He writhes under the onslaught for a moment longer, cryo surging and freezing some of the hydro such that he can finally summon the new barrier. However the hydro beam splits at that, cracking the wall of ice swords and poisoning the stormy sky with a large boost of hydro, heavy rainfall following after.
Under the sudden torrential onslaught hydro poisons cryo, somehow melting it despite the desperate efforts by the sweet little vision wielders on the pier.
"You've done enough."
"MAY YOUR ARCHON SAVE YOU NOW."
"He won't abandon you."
The sonorous boom of the Narwhal echoes in their group's heads, hidden intimate whispers only heard by the pair, the Traveller and Madame Ping.
Xingqui gasps as his knees give out, a hydro narwhal flying out of his chest. Chongyun gets a half shout out with the rest before he falls alongside him, Traveller pulled down as well.
"Their energy has returned to normal, if severely drained. They will be fine with rest."
A breath of short relief is shared at Ping's words.
"What do we do now?" Traveller asks the dreaded question, all of them watching as the wall fades into hydro and rejoins the sea.
Up in the skies Morax's eyes are blazing as the seal begins to light up, having successfully stopped the beam.
Childe would be panting heavily if he could, exhausted as his new coffers stood almost empty with that display, the Deep finally starting to finish it's fucking job and devouring the weakened wisp of Osial's consciousness.
"Ah, ah, ah!" The teasing words are mocking, malevolent and distorted by (exhaustion) their twin voices. "Not so fast Morax! Don't you care about your little harbour?"
A huge, harbour long, mountain high wave gathers behind him, Zhongli's wide eyes shrinking as one of his worst nightmares replays in slow motion.
"Need I say more?"
The dragon roars in (panic) rage.
The Narwhal laughs, unleashing his final torrent.
Rex Lapis makes his choice, withdrawing the seal to draw forth another guard, stopping the worst of the wave. It's barely enough. The harbour floods as the Narwhal escapes into ocean mist, frightened screams and furious roars filling the air.
*
Miraculously no one dies, though all the stragglers are injured in varying degrees and there's a large amount of destruction. The people of Liyue pull together magnificently, fixing their broken home at a speed that gives their Archon immense pride as he once again strolls their streets.
The only deaths were stress deaths from a few elderly from the incident and his own words following it.
The dragon had hovered over the flooded harbour, despair filling him at first before a mighty cheer rang out through his soul, his people emerging from the city's borders, praising their god and adepti for chasing away the evil.
All of their souls sang with his in relieved joy, his people alive and well.
He had announced then that he had been called to the heavens to be tested and as he did he had shed his mortal form and in doing so had started a test for his people as well.
They had passed magnificently.
"Now you must stand together, independent of this one's self. I am to arise for a final time as I have used the last of my earthly attachment to save you. I hand my authority to govern fully over to the Qixing as is due. I hope you forge new bonds amongst my Adepti as you all head into a new and inspiring age.
“To unite in ambition is to be steadfast and immovable for all time. Wisdom is like water, it nourishes all those who receive it and in it is a reflection of the truth. Fortify the bones, that movement be supple when the time comes. Virtue grows tall like a tree, though there be shade it will flourish forever.”
"May these words guide you all."
He added a finishing touch of fading his dragon forms into geo sparkles as he teleported to the waypoint overlooking guyun stone forest, dark gaze looking over Osial's former resting place.
He would catch that destroyer in due time. Soleas however, would have much explaining to do.
*
Over near the geo hypostasis a being barely human gasps out of the still waters, limbs loose and shaky as it desperately tries to retain it's form.
Ajax drowns and chokes and finally gasps air as he regains his full human form, weak and trembling as if this was back in the abyss, after his first foul legacy transformation.
Every inch of him shakes as he fights back the panic at both being unable to return to human form and not having the power to maintain The Narwhal. He faints there, leaning against the rocks.