Chapter Text
"Bon!"
A young boy with pine green hair ran on the busy streets of the newly built Liyue Harbor, his tiny feet bouncing on the stone floor across Wanmin Restaurant. His honeyed golden eyes sparkled with glee, the same way the sun in the clear blue sky looked down on the land's inhabitants with a smile. His small body was wearing an emerald shirt under a pearl white tunic with long puffy sleeves, its pristine fabric adorning a golden pattern of clouds, partnered with black trousers. He dashed past the passersby and headed towards a familiar face: a short woman with sea-colored hair and deep blue horns.
Bonanus crouched and tucked the child under her embrace when he lunged at her, "Hello, Xiao." As soon as they separated, she mimicked the wide smile on the boy's face. A giggle came out of her when she spotted a neglected spot of sauce near his lips. She wiped it and said, "Did you eat some good food?"
The boy, small enough to appear similar to a five-year-old human child who passed by him, nodded enthusiastically, "We ate Sugar Slime and chicken! It's Yun…Juyun…” He frowned.
"Jeuyun Chicken?" The hydro yaksha ruffled the child's hair affectionately.
"Yes!"
"Xiao!"
A male voice cut through the busy buzzing in the street, causing the pair to look at the source of the distressed call.
Heading towards the two was a tall man clad in walnut brown robes accentuated with amber details. His woody brown hair, streaked with the hue of a geo crystalfly's wings, gracefully trailed behind him like an elegant cape. His face wore a worried look as he stopped in front of the young anemo yaksha.
"I have told you not to run off on your own." Menogias sighed, "Indarias would go after my head if I lost you in the crowd."
Xiao pouted and placed his tiny fists on his hips, "I did not go too far. Bon Bon is here too, so it is fine."
She tucked a group of stray teal strands behind the boy's ear, "But next time, let us not give Menogias' poor heart a fright, alright? Besides, you should not wander alone today since Liyue is quite busy due to the festival. You might get lost."
The boy puffed his cheeks, "I am a big boy now. I can go back home on my own."
"Ah, yes, you are." She rubbed her hand against her chin, "But I think I remember seeing a boy crying in a corner last week after he ran off towards a toy seller and got separated from us…"
In an instant, Xiao's pout melted, and his cheeks reddened, "Well, that…"
"You are all here! Great!" One of four arms waved at the trio as a large man came jogging from the direction of the ships.
"It is good to see you, Bosacius." The geo yaksha greeted, "I trust everything is in order now in the docks?"
"Yeah, we just gave the ship a little push. Apparently, the crew was too drunk to notice an obstruction in the water while heading for the harbor, which caused them to be stranded." Bosacius turned his gaze to the young yaksha, who barely reached his knee, with a big smile as bright as the sun, "Did our little Xiao have fun today? I hope Menogias did not bore you."
Xiao shook his head, "We ate tasty food!" Round amber eyes sparkled with excitement as he recalled his adventures with the geo yaksha that morning, "Uncle Rock and I played lots of games! We also went to the market. There were shiny shiny stones! Fish too. Lots of fish."
Bosacius feigned a look of hurt, "You did not buy some fish for me?"
"We can't buy fish. Uncle Rock said he forgot to bring money."
"Menogias…" Bonanus threw a disappointed stare at the geo yaksha.
He shrugged, "I fear Rex Lapis' habits might be rubbing on me."
The passing breeze carried Bonanus' sigh, "And then you left the restaurant just like that."
"Oh…"
"Do not 'oh' me, Menogias. Come, let us return there at once and settle the bill–"
Bosacius felt a tug on his trousers. When he turned around, a small orange creature came into view. It has a pair of round ears atop its head and has a white snout. Its black paws were holding out a wooden plank with a piece of paper on top of it, hastily written letters and numbers staining its clean surface.
A bill.
"Guoba!" Xiao sprang from his spot and wrapped his arms around the creature, laughing as he savored its fluffiness and warmth.
Unknown to the boy, the sight of the two earned a sad look, which was shared among the three older yaksha. It reminded them of the war and the sacrifices they had to make to get rid of the bloodshed and violence that plagued their homeland. Their physical wounds had long healed, yet the ache in their hearts was still healing. But life moved forward. The sky was bright, and the Liyue, which they now stood on, reminded them of the victory that they should cherish.
Marchosius, now known as Guoba, lifted the wooden plank higher and made a noise.
"This one is on you, Bosacius." Bonanus shrugged, a playful grin on her lips.
"Why me?"
"...I forgot my purse too."
Menogias' tone was light as he spoke, "And yet you have the nerve to scold me for my carelessness." He folded his arms on his chest.
She put her claws on her hips, mimicking Xiao's earlier stance, "I do not have the need for it today since I am only tasked with assisting Ganyu. You, on the other hand, are on a leisure trip and even ate at a restaurant without the means to pay for it." She huffed, "Anyway," Bonanus took Xiao's tiny hand and spoke sweetly, "Shall we leave these men and look at the toy seller's wares?"
Xiao hummed.
With only the two men left, Menogias sighed once more in defeat.
Bosacius walked closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, his voice laced with sympathy and his face displaying the same expression of defeat that mirrored the other yaksha, "I feel you, brother."
Liyue was bustling that morning, voices of merchants and passersby melding into one lively buzz and adding to the festive mood that lingered in the air.
It has been almost five years since the Archon war concluded, finally closing the curtains of a bloody era. Since then, the dawn of a peaceful age has shed light on the residents of Liyue as they started building a new life from the remnants of centuries of unending battles, which nearly extinguished their dreams of a better tomorrow if not for the promises of the God of Contracts and the sacrifices of noble soldiers. To commemorate the victory they worked valiantly for, a big city near the sea was constructed, a harbor that welcomed people from distant lands and served as a trading point that could aid in the nation's economic growth.
Today marked the completion of the construction efforts, and a festival was held to celebrate it. Adepti and humans walked side by side without restraint, painting a colorful image of harmony and joy. It was a day of leisure, which the yakshas took as a chance to roam freely around their beloved harbor.
Xiao loved the harbor. It has been his home for quite some time now after it was deemed suitable for people to live in. He loved his first home, too: the plains and the mountains, where his first memories were weaved and where he spent his time being nurtured by the adepti until he moved along with the yakshas to the harbor. Nowadays, only Cloud Retainer, Mountain Shaper, and Moon Carver are left in their original abode.
There was a spring in every step of the young yaksha, his feet bouncing against the ground; his honey golden eyes shimmering with wonder as they jumped from different vibrant colored decorations around the city to the varied items displayed on the stalls lined along the streets. Most of them were new to him since before he set foot in Liyue Harbor, he was only acquainted with Cloud Retainer's mechanisms, Guizhong's inventions, and the toys they made for him. Menogias would also sculpt animals from stones or gems for Xiao to play with, which earned him the nickname of 'Uncle Rock' from the boy.
The child kept his hand wrapped around Bonanus' big claw, though his fingers were too tiny to hold her whole hand. He always loved her claws. They were awesome-looking, and they shone like sapphires when wet and in sunlight. However, he still believed that Bosacius' four arms were the best. He would always laugh his heart out whenever the large adeptus tickled him from four different sides or when he would playfully toss him in the air, which often fetched a scolding from Indarias.
Xiao was in the middle of giggling over the soft and feathery figure of a crane being used by Bonanus to tickle his neck when he caught sight of an item from afar. It was an image of a bird made from colored paper, its golden wings spread out as if frozen in midflight. Something tugged at his heart the moment he laid his eyes on it, but could not name it. He lightly pulled at the hydro yaksha's dress in search of answers.
"What is it?" Bonanus followed the direction which the boy was pointing to and was led to a kite with the form of a golden-winged bird.
"Do you wish to fly, Alatus?"
"I do." His eyes reflected melancholy, his smile falling with the setting sun, "But a wingless bird would never be able to reunite with the sky."
"Bon Bon?"
A pair of round eyes stared back at her, free of any hint of sorrow that was in the face of an older him from the past. She shook her head and tucked the memory to sleep, "They are called kites. Do you want to take a closer look at them?"
"Yes, please."
Soon, Bosacius and Menogias were able to catch up with the pair after they gave an apology to the Wanmin Restaurant's owner. The eldest yaksha's heart swelled at the glee emanating from the little boy as he held a kite in his hand.
The image of the bird made him wonder if Xiao's wings were still intact in this new life.
In the past, a devastating memory engraved itself in his mind like a hot metal branding a mark into one's skin. He was a witness to the screams of his brother as he stood in the corner of the room, unable to do anything to ease his sibling's anguish, while the older adepti carved out his damaged and irreparable wings to save the yaksha's life. He watched as those feathers, groomed with love and affection by the God of Dust into a mesmerizing golden color, dissolved into ash beneath his feet. He stood by as his brother lamented at losing a part of his soul, a part of his heart that connected him to the sky.
If Bosacius were to be granted a wish for the boy at this time, it would be to see him soar into the sky that he so loved.
"Bo, can you buy this for me?" The boy pleaded, clutching at the kite.
Snapping out of his trance, Bosacius glanced at Bonanus, who merely shrugged, "If he grows up thinking of me as his purse, I would lay the blame on you."
"Bo, pleaseeee?" Puppy dog eyes sparkled.
Bosacius released a sigh. How could he even say no to that face? He always looked so adorable whenever he tried to win someone's favor that he was sure it was included in his list of weaknesses by now.
In the end, he handed over the necessary mora, leaving him lamenting what was left of his salary for this month. He just received it earlier this morning, and now half of it is gone. Maybe he should consider helping around the docks for extra income.
"Thank you, Bo!" The boy hugged his leg, making the electro yaksha laugh heartily. With two arms, he hoisted the child up to his chest, "Since I bought it for you, you need to promise that you will play this kite with me, alright?"
Xiao's head bounced in agreement.
From behind Bosacius' head, he saw a familiar face, "Indy!"
"Careful!"
Xiao leaned on the yaksha's chest and would have plummeted face-first into the pavement if not for the bulky arm tightening its grip on him.
Standing out from the sea of merchants and visitors nearby was a woman in a dress as red as the fiery hair atop her head, a color that the boy used to describe as the color of sunset. Upon setting her eyes on the figures of her beloved siblings, she hastened her pace to a jog.
"Indy, look!" Xiao cheerfully held up his newly acquired toy, "Bo bought it for me! It is called a…um…"
"A kite?" The pyro yaksha ruffled the boy's hair affectionately.
"Yes!"
"It has a wonderful design and certainly suits you." She slammed her fist into her palm like a bladesmith's hammer hitting a blade, "I have an idea. How about we fly it now on the outskirts of the city? I was patrolling there earlier, and there is a vast field near it where we can play with your kite."
"Do you want to go, Xiao?" Bosacius' deep voice was softened by fondness.
The child hummed in agreement, a big smile adorning his small and round face.
"How about you two?" He turned to the pair behind him.
"I am finished with my tasks today, so I am free to go." Bonanus smiled, her deep sea blue hair gently swaying with the wind.
"This is the first time Xiao would fly a kite and I would not miss it."
Though if Menogia would be honest, he knew the others were also aware that this was not the first. Centuries back into the past, the Guili Plains and the other adepti had been witness to the first glimpse of child-like qualities to the one known as a 'bloodhound,' the fear that was seemingly always present in his eyes melting in the warmth of wonder while he watched a simple green kite glide into the sky.
It was a wonderful memory…
…but a memory no longer remembered by the boy before him.
"Ah, Indy!" Xiao freed the hand holding the kite to fish an item from his pocket. It was a small sphere wrapped in crimson paper, crumpled and haphazardly done. The boy thrust the ball towards the pyro yaksha and spoke with confidence, "For you! A nice man taught me how to make candies. I said you like spicy ones, so he made a really spicy candy! I wrapped it with paper so it would not get dirty."
Indarias swelled with pride at the boy's accomplishment, "I will give it a taste. If it is delicious, you will have an almond tofu tonight." She winked.
"Taste it! Taste it!"
Indarias found herself staring at a beautiful deep red sphere, its hue reminding her of the ruby adorning a golden hairpin with exquisite curves resembling a dancing flame, a birthday gift given hastily by a green-haired yaksha who just uttered a short greeting before leaving in a swirl of anemo.
The candy was a delicious blend of sweetness and spiciness. The Jueyun Chili provided a challenging heat that she loved, while the Sweet Flower extract turned into a glaze added variety to the flavor. It was truly a delicious candy that matched her preferences…
…yet this taste was overpowered by bittersweet melancholy.
She tasted longing for the boy in her memories who helped her cook for the yakshas yet never ate them himself. The sweet flavor of his small and brief smile whenever their siblings praised the food lingered on her tongue like a persistent aftertaste. The spiciness of the candy bit her mouth, and yet the burning sensation of reminiscence and grief for days long gone burned the most.
"Sorry, Indy…"
The face she was familiar with dissolved at the disheartened voice and was replaced by a younger one on the verge of tears.
"Too spicy? Not good?"
Only when a comforting hand from Bosacius patted her shoulder did she realize what had upset the boy. The wetness on her cheeks told her everything she needed to know.
"No, Xiao." She wiped her eyes before ruffling the boy's tuft of grass-hued strands, "In fact, it is so good that it made me cry."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. Thank you for giving it to me." She clapped her hands, and traces of sorrow were gone from her voice when she spoke, "And because you did a good job, as promised, there will be Almond Tofu on the menu tonight."
As if swept by anemo, the worry on the boy's face vanished, replaced by excitement, "Thank you, Indy!"
Indarias pecks the child's forehead.
It was I who should be thanking you. She thought.
"Let us go fly your kite, shall we?"
A sea of golden grass swayed like waves as the breeze brushed past them. Morax stood in the middle of the lush field, basking in the sunset's glow, giving him an ethereal presence similar to the aura radiating from him on the battlefield. However, compared to that, the serene light of the sun and his casual attire made him look more peaceful, like a weary general finally removing his armor and resting his weapon as he savored the warmth soaking into his weary bones.
When his consciousness brushed upon familiar presences, he turned around to greet them, his smile reaching his golden eyes, a heartfelt one that he did not know he was capable of doing until the God of Dust, as well as the other adepti, softened his heart of stone and taught him compassion.
"Momo!" Xiao immediately ran towards the great adeptus as soon as Bosacious lowered him to the ground. He nearly tripped over a rock but managed to find his balance and continued running as if nothing happened. The boy was only focused on the man written in his earliest memories, the one who first held him in their arms, the first set of eyes who looked at him with affection, the first person in his circle of family.
"I thought you would be at the heart of festivities at this hour." Morax kneeled to level his gaze with the boy, the tip of his coat blanketing patches of golden grass.
He took in the look of genuine happiness on the boy's face, which immediately melted the lingering thoughts of war in his mind, "What brought you and the others here?" He gave a nod to the yakshas, and they lowered their heads in return.
"Look!" Xiao proudly raised his kite, "Bo gave it to me. Indy said we could play with it here." He tilted his head slightly to the right, "Can you play with us too?"
"Of course. It would be my pleasure."
"My lord, is Lady Guizhong not with you?" Bosacius inquired.
"She was." Morax stood to his full height, "But a problem regarding the lantern rite tonight required her attention. She should be back before the event starts. Azhdaha should be back too after getting some herbs from Madame Ping."
Bonanus giggled, "Did he have trouble with digestion again?"
"I did warn him not to let his eyes decide first before getting too much food, but alas, he ended up creating his own demise."
"Does Az's tummy hurt?" Xiao innocently asked.
"Yes, that is why you should not eat too much like him." Morax said playfully as he ran a hand on the boy's hair.
"It is okay. Granny gives me juice. It makes my tummy ache go away."
A hearty laugh erupted from Bosacius, "If Xiao becomes too round from eating Indarias' cooking, we can still roll him around Liyue like a ball."
Indarias raised her chin triumphantly, "I will take that as a compliment to my cooking skills. But know that if you keep eating more than three plates every meal and get fat, we will not roll you around Liyue."
"Come on now, I only finished three yesterday."
She sighed, "Yes, three, but the day before and even the day before it? Five. You always consume five."
Xiao raised his hand, "I will roll Bo!"
The laughter of the five older adepti rang in the golden plains.
Soon, the boy was running in the sun-bathed field alongside Bosacius, his sweet and innocent laugh creating a wonderful melody that blended with the chirping of passing birds.
Morax watched Xiao merrily wave at him, the boy's round amber orbs staring at the archon's own pair. They were full of life and happiness, starkly contrasting to the one in his memory…
…as he held him in his arms until he took his final breath.
"Rex Lapis!"
His voice was crystal clear amidst the thumping of his heart, exhaustion, and the rush of war's final stretches, which caused each beat to resound loudly in his ears.
Yet even those beats fell into silence when he turned around.
His eyes widened.
His breath halted.
Everything was still, the moment frozen in time.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Crimson droplets plunged into the blood-stained land.
A battered armor on the ground watched the frozen moment, its scratched surface reflecting a lone yaksha in the middle of a sea of corpses. It mirrored his amber orbs that were fixed on the chest of a dying creature where a jade spear embedded itself, its chipped edge slicing right through the flesh and soul of an eroded god. In a shower of golden light, the deity perished back into the earth in sync with a yaksha's knees hitting the dirt.
Rex Lapis caught him before his face kissed the ground.
Everything rushed back like a waterfall as his frozen senses thawed, every little detail flooding in before he could recognize each of them. He could hear every whimper and shaky breath from the yaksha. He could see every color, from the blue bruises on the boy's body, the brown dirt that clung to his skin and hair, to the bright red staining his lips and chest, blooming like a flower on his white shirt.
In a haze of fear that seeped into his mind, Rex Lapis pressed a hand on the yaksha's chest in an attempt to stop the bleeding, only for blood to slip past his fingers like grains of sand. His usually calm demeanor was fraying. He clawed at every bit of knowledge, trying to unravel the knots weaved by panic to keep the young warrior alive.
Guilt, anger, and fear all mixed into the frantic beating of his heart. The image of the previous scene kept playing over and over again, like a song that kept resounding in his mind. He could not scrape it way, the figure of his brave general blocking a stray god's lethal blow, a desperate and vengeful strike meant to end the God of Contracts. Not for this yaksha. Not on this young child who was supposed to live in a peaceful era after this war ended.
Amidst the turmoil inside him, a single question slipped past his mouth, "Why?"
"It is my duty–" General Alatus coughed, and more blood flowed from his lips, "It is my duty to protect you, Rex Lapis."
"But you–"
"It is an honor to use the life you have saved to save you in return my lord." He smiled despite the pain in his chest.
"Alatus…" Rex Lapis lowered his head.
"Lord Rex Lapis, we have secured victory–" Bosacius trailed off, his feet slowing down.
Like their eldest, the other yakshas also halted, their triumphant smiles falling into horror.
"Alatus!"
Rex Lapis heard a chorus of voices but was unable to discern each owner's name. His focus was honed in on counting the rapid heartbeats beneath his fingertips and the shallow rise and fall of the boy as he struggled to draw in breath into his lungs.
"Madame Ping and Lady Guizhong are on their way." Indarias tightly held her younger brother's hand, clinging to him to anchor her emotions, "You will be alright. They will heal you and you will be alright, Alatus."
Desperation was palpable in her voice, and Rex Lapis knew that her reassurances were more to herself than to her sibling. He wanted to say the same, to comfort these young warriors that everything would be alright and that they would all go home to celebrate their victory.
But he was not one to lead his people into lies.
The injury was lethal.
He had seen far too many battles and carnages in his long life that he had learned how to identify wounds that were impossible to survive from. He knew how fast his comrades would drop dead just from one glance at their injuries, and he could estimate how many would go back with him to the Assembly, how many would reunite with their loved ones, and how many would be grieved.
It was a knowledge he knew he did not have to know.
Especially now.
And so he threw away that knowledge and clung to the lie he had spun, that the boy's resilience would be enough to deter his expectations.
He had to believe that he would survive.
He had to.
Because he could not think of what he would do otherwise.
He had already lost countless soldiers. During the past millennia, he had grown used to attending commemorations of their fallen comrades, had told innumerable condolences, and had watched the positions of the deceased be filled once more as if they were just items that could be replaced. Yes, as a general, he knew what to do whenever he lost a soldier.
But he did not know how he would move forward if he lost a son.
"Hang on, Alatus. Help is on the way." These were empty words, but Rex Lapis still uttered them.
"Did we…win?" Alatus gasped, his amber eyes hazed with pain.
"Yes, brother." Bosacius caressed the youngest yaksha's head, hoping to alleviate some of the pain, "The war is finally over."
"Good." Alatus bloody lips curled into a smile, "Liyue can now be at peace. I can…be at peace too…”
"No!" Bonanus dropped to her knees and wrapped a claw on her sibling's leg in an attempt to keep his drooping eyelids from shutting completely. Tears streamed down her face as she pleaded, "You cannot go yet. You have yet to see what would become of the nation you defended." Sobs made her shoulders tremble, "We also promised did we not? That we would explore the world together once the war is over."
Rex Lapis clenched his jaw and sent healing pulses on the boy's body, but it was in vain. The pool of blood just kept growing and was now soaking into his clothes. Still, he never stopped trying and poured every ounce of his remaining energy into anchoring the yaksha's waning spiritual force.
"Together, huh…" Alatus let out a pained and bittersweet laugh, "A dog like you…would die alone…and unloved. That is what my former master…had said." His body was starting to go numb with every slowing beat of his heart, "Yet here I am…with you all." His golden eyes were dulling and yet they still held a glimmer of joy, "Thank you."
Menogias lowered himself to kneel beside the boy, "Despite your past, you have become a brave and honorable warrior as well as a kind and loving sibling." His voice shook despite his attempts to keep it steady, "Know that we are proud of what you have become, Alatus."
"Do not talk to him as if…" Bonanus trailed off, her words swallowed by grief, "As if he…"
When their eyes met, the God of Contracts and the geo yaksha understood each other.
Rex Lapis closed his eyes briefly, gathering courage and steadying his breath.
"Xiao." He breathed the name with fondness when he opened his eyes, "It is the name of a man who endured great suffering, yet lived a valiant life. I bestow this name to you, General Alatus."
The young yaksha's smile was reignited by pride, "It is an honor…to be bestowed a wonderful name…"
The warrior god took a deep breath, "If you are tired," He raised his head to meet the now blue sky, the dark clouds of war finally dissipating and letting the light in, "Find rest in this sky that you fought for."
Alatus followed his god's gaze and was embraced by the sun's warmth, the clear blue sky soothing his weary body, "When I still had my wings…I always loved…soaring in a beautiful sunny sky…like this."
"Do you wish to return to the sky?" A heavy weight sat on Rex Lapis chest.
"I do…I would love to…" Alatus slurred.
Rex Lapis placed a comforting hand on the boy's forehead, his fingertips glowing with the pulse of geo, "Then go. You are free to go."
Alatus raised his arm and reached for the sky like a bird rising to ride the wind to fly back to its home among the clouds.
And so, the little bird's soul found its way back into the sea of blue, until his hand fell back to the ground.
"Xiao." Morax softly roused the sleeping child in his arms.
The boy's eyelids fluttered, but he made no attempt to open his eyes. Instead, he sank deeper into the god's chest.
"He is quite hard to wake even in the morning." Azhdaha laughed.
"Xiao." He tried again, this time tapping the boy's shoulders, "You are going to miss the Lantern Rite if you keep sleeping."
"Lantern?" Sleepiness made Xiao's voice heavy.
"Yes. I even brought one for you." Guizhong's sweet voice coaxed the boy into wakefulness.
Xiao rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and was immediately mesmerized by the floating lights in the direction of the harbor, like stars shining in the night sky.
"Beautiful, is it not?" The God of Dust giggled at the sight of the boy's face, his mouth forming a little 'o'. She handed him a small lantern, which he happily held with both hands.
"Gui, what are these lanterns for?" Xiao inquired when they went to stand beside the other yakshas and Azhdaha, who were all holding their own lanterns.
The reflection of the lanterns in the sky swam on the surface of Guizhong's melancholy eyes, "They are to remember the brave souls who fought to protect Liyue. They are to remind the birds in the sky that they have a home here."
"I am sure they would love it." He flashed a toothy grin.
Guizhong's unshed tears shone like diamonds lit by the warm glow of the lantern. She reached out toward the boy and cupped his cheeks, her thumb making affectionate circles on his skin, "It makes me happy to hear that."
"Now, shall we let our lanterns out into the sky?" Morax lightened the hearts of the adepti with him, lifting the weight on their shoulders with his hopeful tone.
"In three, two, one…go!"
From atop the mountain overlooking Liyue Harbor, eight lanterns flew into the night sky and joined the river of lights, their hopes and wishes for the future tucked in each one.
"Just as flowers bloom in graveyards,
Life begins anew from death."