[ All stories have eventually reach their inevitable ending. But all the wise beings and scholars of the world would have been hard pressed to predict the ending to this one.
If the death of Rex Lapis had been a shock, then the curtain falling on Fontaine was a bombshell. A feverous crescendo of events that somehow left the nation of Fontaine and its people healthy and whole and granted a wish that they did not even know they wanted. Redeemed of a sin that very few people (himself included) even remembered. Zhongli had so many unanswered questions. Questions about Childe and the All-Devouring Narhwal in those brief moments he had glimpsed the Harbinger in the fight at the Opera House. But he had not a chance to see him before he was whisked away back to Snezhnaya or so the Traveler had informed him. Even more questions about the hydro elemental energy he felt at the time of the flood, something more purer and fundamental than could ever be wielded by vision holder (or an Archon). And bottomless questions and a hint of dread at the feeling of emptiness and loss when Seven became Six.
Everything has a price. Something of equal value for which to trade. If there is nothing that is worth the price of a gnosis, there is even less chance of anything being worth the cost of a Divine Seat.
Ah, but there was no time for Zhongli's private inquiries in the aftermath. The ex-Archon does not know exactly why Lady Furina stepped down from her now non-existent seat almost immediately but it was also not his place to ask. The only bonds he had in Fontaine were with that of a absent Harbinger who didn't know he was there, a Traveler who had already left for her next adventure, and one Chief Justice who was bearing the brunt of the increased workload and chaos of the passing of the prophecy. For weeks, Zhongli avoiding seeking out Monsieur Neuvillete knowing his duties to be many and his standards for them as high as ever. If their positions were reversed, he too would be working himself to the bone as well.
It is not until many weeks later that he asks Sedene if he might schedule a meeting with Neuvillette after hours as to not interfere with his workday. The Melusine, as cheery and helpful as always, redirects Zhongli to Erinnyes where she informs him that the Chief Justice is running a personal errand. What that is she doesn't offer and Zhongli doesn't ask as he makes his way over by aquabus once again to the nearby island.
It's both reminiscent of their first meeting and the time they spent at the fountain of Lucine, brief encounters that they were. Yet somehow they keep circling back to this all the same— with Neuvillette being more integrated with the land of Fontaine so much more than his role as its head judge.
Zhongli isn't even surprised really when he finds the man nestled among a group of vishaps as if he belonged there. If it was Fontaine, Neuvillette belonged everywhere.
(The similarities between the two of them did not escape his notice.) ]
[ A week after the visit at the fountain, a brief trial is held for "it", lasting only twenty minutes before the judge declares that no verdict can be reached due to insufficient evidence. However, the final decision is left to the Oratrice as always and it returns a guilty verdict, seemingly proving their theory true. After a brief discussion, the two of them part ways once more as there is nothing more to do but wait.
After that, it feels like a century's worth of events happen in the span of just a few weeks. Having to push back the Primordial Sea as the sluice gate falls. The tragedy at Poisson, followed by the discovery of three mysterious stone slates and the nagging suspicion that Furina may be a fraud—a suspicion that is later proven true in what the Steambird describes as the greatest trial in the entire history of Fontaine, where long-buried secrets were unearthed like corpses from a forgotten grave. A trial that culminates with a dance and the Seven permanently becoming the Six as the divine seat shatters under five hundred years of Indemnitium.
Then, of course, came the flood just as foretold. But thanks to Focalors's centuries long gambit to fulfill the conditions of the prophecy through technicalities the people are saved as Neuvillette completes their transformation into true humans, therefore "dissolving" the original sin they had been burdened with. He also has the foresight to temporarily give everyone the ability to breathe underwater like Vision Holders do so no one drowns as the waters submerge the land. The death toll is so low it can only be described as a miracle on top of another miracle.
There's a lot of destruction to deal with as the water recedes, though. Roads and infrastructure have been severely damaged and many people have lost their homes and are now living in temporary shelters provided by the state. But people are optimistic about the future as they start rebuilding and Neuvillette spends every waking moment either organizing the reconstruction efforts or going out to personally assist his people in cleaning up rubble and debris. It's going to take a long time before everything is fully rebuilt, but things are going as smoothly as they possibly can.
He starts receiving reports about a herd of hydro vishaps being sighted to the west of Loch Urania on Erinnyes. There had long been rumours about vishaps living deep in the woods, but confirmed sightings were few and far between and the only vishap Neuvillette interacted with on a regular basis had been Pahsiv, who he started teaching the human language. Now there were dozens of them that suddenly were comfortable being seen out in the open. Perhaps they had sensed that their Sovereign had returned to full power and now want to follow his lead in coexisting with humans rather than staying away.
He barely has any free time these days, but it so happens that he doesn't have any meetings this afternoon and he's already taken care of important matters for today—and after some urging from Sedene, he decides that he probably ought to take a breather and heads over to Erinnyes to spend some time in the company of his kin.
Legs stretched out in the grass in front of him, he relaxes against the large vishap napping behind him as he gently cradles a younger vishap the size of a corgi, rocking it back and forth. Around him several other vishaps in various sizes are dozing comfortably.
Then, he catches a familiar figure in the periphery of his vision. Neuvillette turns his head in the direction of the approaching figure, nodding his head slightly in greeting once he's close enough. The vishap in his arms stirs briefly, blinking sleepily at the stranger before going back to sleep. ]
I thought you had returned to Liyue, or gone to Snezhnaya to visit Monsieur Tartaglia.
[ Behind Zhongli, a crumbling statue of the Seven overlooks the area from a distant cliff; physical proof that there's no position of Hydro Archon to be passed on to a successor. ]
[ Zhongli takes the greeting for what it is, blessed that Neuvillette would choose to entertain him even when they both knew that the Chief Justice's free time was a more precious commodity than mora at this point.
But hmmm. Why had not he returned to Liyue or visited far off Snezhnaya? Zhongli knows that with time he will return to the Harbor; he cannot be far from his home country for long and a homebody he is at heart. But how best to broach the topic that he and Tartaglia are not close enough that a house visit would be appreciated. Perhaps he shall send him a letter instead (assuming that the poor boy wakes up anytime soon.) ]
It would be poor manners for me to leave without a proper farewell for all that we have shared together on this journey.
Besides.
[ He takes a seat on the grass, far enough away to not disturb the sleeping vishap or its young, but also close enough so that they may converse easily. It's quite peaceful here. Surely a place that Azhdaha would have enjoyed as he often found him napping under the shade of ginkgo leaves whether he be in human or dragon form. ]
I still have fifteen days left of my community service left to serve. [ A generous term for his reparations for his dine and dash ] I would not dare think of leaving Fontaine before it was finished.
I see. [ He cants his head slightly at that. Zhongli is.... certainly taking his time paying off his debt to the hotel; either he incurred more "community service" with his apparent inability to have money on his person or he has been only working a few hours a week as he spent the rest of his time doing tourist things or continuing his search for new leads on Childe's situation. And now Hotel Debord is temporarily closed for business as most rooms have been given to those who have been rendered homeless by the flood, so it might take some time before the debt can be fully worked off. ]
I would like to once again express my gratitude for your assistance—in both the investigation and at the opera house. You helped save lives when the narwhal appeared.
[ His attention had been on that whale at the time, but he had caught a glimpse of the familiar man in the audience quickly moving to summon a stone stele to stop the otherworldly whale as it dove down in its pursuit of the Primordial Seawater within the bodies of a few stragglers running toward the exit. The stele had shattered almost immediately, but those few precious seconds he bought ensured that those people made it out of the courtroom just in time. ]
[ A little bit of column A and a little bit of column B. Calling Zhongli a part-timer at the Hotel would be a generous term for as many errands he ran that took him away from the place for hours at a time. Not to mention the two new dishes he tried after respectfully asking for an extension of his community service time, which the staff could only flabbergastedly agree to before the manager stepped in. Other than those eccentricities (which were quite a lot), Zhongli was a model employee, efficient and holding himself up to the highest standard of quality. He also enjoyed getting to know the employees and guests on a personal level whenever time permitted. He particularly enjoyed seeing Selene and chatting when she came in for her coffee and cake.
But with Fontaine largely on the mend, Zhongli found himself with the other geo users repairing various foundations and infrastructure within the city. It was quite the architectural marvel — how the tall and proud structures had withstood all that had happened that day. ]
You are as kind as ever, Monsieur Neuvillette. I was happy to assist in whatever small ways that I could.
[ Kind and polite, but ultimately distant. Surely Neuvillette felt the impact of the fulfilled prophecy and its fallout most astutely than anyone else in Fontaine save for the now retired Archon of Fontaine. Yet still he continued to tirelessly work to stay on top of things— much like many of his adepti and yaksha and now member of the Qixing did to keep everything running smoothly.
Surely the Melusine were already looking after their adored father figure to make sure he was at least getting some rest. But with the look on Sedene's face last time they had crossed paths, well— a little extra check-in couldn't hurt.
Especially when Zhongli also had so many other things to ask the Chief Justice. ]
Perhaps it is presumptuous of me, but I wished to know how you were faring. There has been little time to rest since that day, and due to your station, you've had even less chance to rest than most.
A little tired, I suppose, now that I've taken on Lady Furina's responsibilities in addition to my own.
[ He does not say it, but he feels whole after a lifetime of aching for a fundamental part of his being that the Usurpers had taken from him. No combination of words in any human language could accurately convey that sense of being complete once more. Yet that feeling is tinged with something melancholy; Focalors had died for this and he will always carry the burden of knowing that his power was not returned to him without sacrifice. ]
It's going to take some time to get fully accustomed to governing the nation by myself. But that aside, I'm faring as well as can be despite being busier than ever before.
[ A selfish part of him wants her to take up the mantle once more because he already misses governing the nation together with her as they had done for over centuries; despite their differences, they were like the ebb and flow of an oceanic tide and working together simply felt right. But he ignores that ugly little voice in the back of his mind because he would never voice that thought out loud when he knows how much Furina hated her role. She deserves to simply rest for as long as she wants to and then live out the rest of her mortal life pursuing the things that had been denied her for centuries.
He only wishes for her remaining years to bring her joy and fulfillment.
Adjusting his hold on the vishap, he strokes a hand over its back as he looks Zhongli in the eye, as though waiting for him to ask something. Like why the Seven are now the Six; surely he must've felt something when the divine throne shattered? ]
[ From one workaholic to another, Zhongli can see how much pride Neuvillette takes in his work. How he sees the added responsibilities as a privilege instead of a burden.
It warms his heart even as he is already thinking about conspiring with Sedene to send dinners and specialty waters to the Chief Justice on the days where he works well into the rising of the moon. Just as how he remembers his own adepti's fussing and squawking. How Guizhong had stolen all of his scrolls one evening under Streetward Rambler's excellent ploy of distraction. That's how it had started in the old days, before everything had started to fray at the edges. Those long-ago more innocent days where guiding one's people had been the sole focus of many of the original archons.
Fontaine is rather lucky, Zhongli thinks. To have someone like Monsieur Neuvillette to help get it back on its feet. The smile is fond (and perhaps a bit nostalgic) as he raises his own head to meet the other man's gaze. ]
One of my domains is history.
[ For while Zhongli had stepped down as an Archon and attempts to live a normal life, there are some parts of a divine being that simply will not change. Even moreso for a stubborn rock who does not know how.
And one of those things is his attachment to his domains, many as they had come to be during his life. Unlike contracts and gold, history was something that Zhongli had grown into. A desire that burned within him as another beloved comrade fell, their stories kept only so long as they lived in people's memories. ]
I'd like to keep the story of what happened here if it is one that you wish to be preserved in this world.
[ For a quiet moment, only the breeze and the rustling of leaves in the trees can be heard. Gold and contracts, and history... so far, the only person he's told about Focalors is Furina—and all she had to say that she was tired and wanted to rest, looking neither saddened nor comforted—but he had a feeling that the former Geo Archon would sooner or later seek him out for answers. Now that time has come and he will give him those answers. The general public will probably never hear the full story of the god who deceived the Heavenly Principles, but he will share it with someone who can preserve it for centuries and millennia to come. Her deeds deserve to at least live on in the hearts of her fellow gods. ]
It is. I will tell you everything.
[ His gaze flickers briefly to the statue of Focalors in the distance, then returns to settle on Zhongli once more. He takes a deep breath to sort out his thoughts a little and settle on an appropriate place to start. He breathes out, and begins to speak. ]
When that bright light enveloped the courtroom, I was brought to a plane of consciousness created by the true Hydro Archon, Focalors—she had been within the Oratrice all this time, having set up the past five hundred years to unfold in a manner that would fulfill the prophecy via technicalities while still saving her people.
[ Zhongli had been present at the trial (anyone who was nearby had crowded in to attend). He had been seated near the back as he had not directly been involved in the Traveler's and everyone's plot to put Furina on trial. So he like everyone else had been shocked by the twists and turns of the trial, sympathetic to Lady Furina's distress even if he understood what the others were trying to do.
That whole event must have been terribly troubling to all of them.
Everything after had happened so fast that Zhongli had just accepted his gaps in understanding as just that — gaps. But hearing that there was a being living within the Oratrice itself all this time. Ah, that put both trials— Tartaglia's and the small private trial the two of them had prepared later into a much different light.
What a clever and determined person, to plan a counter-strategy that would stretch over centuries. ]
It seems that you experienced much that day. Please.
[ Neuvillette nods, shifting slightly to settle into a more comfortable position on the grass as another vishap moves to lay across his outstretched legs, tail lazily moving back and forth as it looks at Zhongli with half-closed eyes. Needing only a few seconds to think about how he wants to word what to say next, the Iudex continues: ]
Originally one of Egeria's Oceanid familiars given human form, the Hydro Archon split herself in twain. All of her divinity was transferred to the Oratrice to exist separately as Focalors, leaving behind the mortal vessel called Furina.
Furina was one of the two individuals needed for Focalors' plan to succeed; tasked with the role of pretending to be an Archon, she maintained her masquerade for five centuries to delay the final stage of the prophecy for as long as possible and keep the Heavenly Principles from taking notice of what Focalors was doing behind the scenes. Had she faltered or slipped up even once, all of her work would have been for nothing.
[ The way Neuvillette speaks is measured and even, yet a hint of melancholy catches in his words. Five centuries may not be a lot to someone like him, whose lifespan is naturally infinite, but it's far beyond what the mind of a normal human can handle. Yet Furina bravely carried on with that torturous burden placed upon her shoulders.... he can only respect her tenacity and mental strength. This is another reason he is now relaying this tale to the Lord of Geo. Just as Focalors' deeds deserve to live on in memory, so does the frail mortal with the willpower of a god who saw her duty through to its conclusion. ]
As for the second individual... that would be me. Before I continue, I have a question for you: have you worked out what I am yet?
[ The Traveler had figured out his identity as a Sovereign, it would not surprise him in the slightest if Zhongli has as well; someone claiming history as his domain should be well aware of Teyvat's ancient past before the gods walked the earth, and Neuvillette has heard the tales of Rex Lapis and Azhdaha. He must've noticed the similarities between the Iudex and his Geo counterpart. ]
[ Rex Lapis remembers clearly how fond Egeria was of her Oceanid familiars. Her family just as much as the Adepti were his. It really shouldn't come as a surprise that she would entrust her divinity to one of them with the prophecy looming like a dark shadow over all Fontaine.
But the other Oceanids— had they known as well? Had they known that one their own had taken up the mantle. Surely, Focalors and Egeria must must have been close if this task was passed on to her. But still they fled from Fontaine, self-exiled to any number of places in Teyvat. It was, after all, Rex Lapis's fondness for Egeria that silently accepted Rhodeia's presence in Liyue in spite of the rare occasions she would lash out. As long as she brought no real harm to Qingce Village. Every being deserved a home, especially if they could no longer find one within the lands they were born. ]
I had no idea, but that only proves how clever and determined they both were in carrying out their duties.
[ What a frighteningly lonely experience for the both of them.
Zhongli pauses at Neuvillette's next question, fingertips steepled in thought. Rex Lapis was always a calculating figure, never giving voice to his assumptions unless he was sure of the truth of his words. But he had his hunches, his theories.
And since Monsieur Neuvillette was asking for his opinion ever so blatantly: ]
You remind me of a dear friend. A gentle and devoted soul who was one with the earth and mountains, but wanted something more.
His name is Azhdaha.
[ Present tense. Because even though he is gone in all ways physical and practical, Azhdaha's parting words still ring through his mind, clear and calling like a bell. That the two of them might meet again should fate allow. Such fanciful whims did not suit an archon, but they did for one that had since retired.
But, more true to his nature, Zhongli moves one chess piece across the board, both baiting the other player to see their reaction while keeping the majority of his cards close to his chest. One did not rule a nation for almost 4,000 years by being reckless after all, and such habits change ever so slowly. ]
[ Ah. So Morax is taking a more indirect approach, rather than outright asking him... the use of present tense doesn't go unnoticed, either. Curious, given how all variations of the tale ends. ]
I do. [ Neuvillette nods. ] I've heard the tales of how you carved his body out of a rock you found. Of course, we both know that part is patently false.
[ Many legends and folk stories passed down orally are like that. Half-truths, details omitted because they're irrelevant or forgotten, reality embellished over the generations to the point where it sometimes morphs into complete fiction; perhaps the bards and storytellers narrating this tale wanted to make it more interesting to the audience, or perhaps they wanted attribute more great deeds to their revered Lord of Geo. ]
He was formed from the shifting of tectonic plates below the Primordial Sea; at most, you gave him a pair of eyes.
[ He recalls a memory from a very distant past, when a great earthquake had struck these ancient waters all of Teyvat's native life originates from. The earth shook so violently mountains rose from the sea and in the aftermath, the first geo vishaps emerged from cracks in the ocean floor. One of them had been larger than the others and would eventually become a true dragon capable of molding the earth to his will. ]
[ So it seems that his hunch is not far off the mark. Such a realization (as well as how rigidly Neuvillette consumes stories — of course, they were exaggerations and embellishments. History was only as objective as those who recorded and distributed it) brings clarity to their previous conversations. It also sheds light on Neuvillette's sometimes terse behavior with him.
Ah, so it wasn't because he was a foreigner and Fontaine did not like foreigners meddling in their affairs. It was for a different and much more intrusive "meddling."
But as with such things, this revelation gives birth to a whole host of new questions. How much of his previous life did Neuvillette remember, if any? ]
You are correct, of course. Azhdaha was a fully formed and sentient being when I met him. And I can hardly proclaim to be the protagonist when it was he who called out me, despite how the stories portray it. Hmmm. [ He places a hand upon his chin, thoughtful for a moment. ] I like to believe such retellings are more romanticizing the act of bringing him to the surface and introducing him to a whole new world above ground than just providing literal eyes.
[ Even though he did give his dear friend a set of eyes, it was not just that for which he was grateful. Never before and never since had Zhongli enjoyed a companionship with such ease. After all, who might understand the earth but another stone themselves.
And to that same point, who might truly understand a Sovereign but another Sovereign. ]
You knowledge is ancient, well before even the time of the Archons. That narrows down who you are to only a handful of possibilities. But I will speak it aloud all the same if you wish me to.
[ Neuvillette mirrors the gesture, bringing his own hand to his chin as he contemplates Zhongli's words, a thoughtful look crossing his features—romanticism wasn't an angle he had considered, but it could very well be part of it. The poets and the bards will romanticize everything from heartbreaking relationships to the ugliness of war in the stories they pass on, and the common folk will project their fancies.
He lowers his hand once more to continue stroking he vishap in his arms with delicate movements as to not rouse it from its nap. It stretches in its sleep, one languid paw coming to rest on the Iudex's chest. ]
I wish to hear it from you, Monsieur.
[ He did ask if he had worked out his identity, after all, and he supposes that there's a part of him that simply doesn't want to feed him the right answer even if it's obvious that the other man has arrived at the correct conclusion.
Meanwhile, the vishap closest to Zhongli has woken up and is now sniffing at his shoes, looking at them as though they might be a pair of chew toys. ]
[ Zhongli does not dissuade the Vishap at his shoes, merely offers a hand for him to inspect like one might approach a curious puppy. He sparks the tiniest bit of geo energy through his fingertips just to let the creature know just exactly what he was. Not a brethren, but a dragon all the same.
Zhongli lifts his head to look at Neuvillette directly.
Ah. He supposes this time, he could go the more direct route. Fontaine, and most importantly their Chief Justice and their retired Archons, were owed that much. ]
Those from Enkanomiya prophesized that the Hydro Sovereign would be reborn again in mortal form. And as we both know from this ordeal, prophecies tend to have a least a hint of truth to them though interpretations may vary wildly.
I have also noticed the peculiar weather here in Fontaine, where it seems the sky does not command the rain. There's a children's rhyme associated with such a phenomenon that I'm sure you're aware of. And the rumors that say you, Monsieur Neuvillette, were invited to Fontaine from— well, now I suppose I do not know if it was from Lady Focalors or Lady Furina. But that does not matter so much I think.
With such determination to right the sins of their predecessors, who else would they call upon but the reincarnation of the Hydro Sovereign? The Hydro dragon himself.
[ The ends of Neuvillette's antennae twitch faintly when a prophecy from Enkanomiya is mentioned, a crease forming between his brows; this is complete news to him and he comes close to interrupting the other man immediately to demand answers, but in the end he says nothing as he waits for Zhongli to finish. He gives a nod of his head once he's done talking.
Meanwhile, the Vishap gives Zhongli's hand a curious sniff, the spark of Geo making it tilt it head to the side in puzzlement as it works out what the human-shaped person is conveying. ]
You are correct. Five hundred years ago, I was living out in the wilderness in Inazuma when a letter found its way to me. Within was an invitation penned by Focalors, who claimed "I shall leave you a seat with the best view in the greatest theater."
At that time, I had little interest in the human world I had been born into and subsequently left at a young age. I nearly discarded the letter, but ultimately curiosity compelled me to find out why the Hydro Archon would want a Sovereign in her audience.
[ And with some encouragement from the youkai he spent his time with, the Hydro Sovereign had set his sights on Fontaine, traversing the seas before journeying across the mountainous terrain of Liyue. All he had on him at the time were ill-fitting clothes (stolen from a bandit camp in Inazuma) and the letter as he set foot on the coastal elevator that would take him up to the nation of Hydro proper. He would later find that the view was indeed great as he watched all manners of performances, unaware of the true purpose of his position and that the seat mentioned in the letter was something far more than a chair in an opera house. ]
Who told you about this prophecy? I have never heard of it before.
I heard of it many centuries ago passing through Inazuma. The story of how memories of an Enkanomiyan god that was felled their seeped into the leylines, bringing such a prophecy to light.
[ Or more precisely how the Electro Archon had warned Rex Lapis in particular, being the eldest of the Seven once they had attempted to treat the poor man who was the recipient of such terrible memories. A burden that no mortal mind was meant to bear as the unfortunate soul went mad quickly after. It was then the Geo Archon's duties to pass it to the rest of the Archons, especially Egeria so that she might be prepare in whatever means she saw fit.
The claim, of course, could never be verified. Nor did another person ever happen to stumble on those particular memories of Orabashi, which was for the best in the long run. Whether that was by Ei and Makoto's hand or something else, that sort of forbidden knowledge did not need to be let loose into the world for a myriad of reasons.
However, now, in this private meeting to record the true history, it seemed only fair that Neuvillette know all that Zhongli could provide. With one of the Archon seats destroyed, it was most likely only a matter of time before Celestia fixed their gaze back upon the land of Teyvat with more scrunity.
Best to equip those who would change the course of history with as much information as possible. For Zhongli knows deep in his bones that this is just the beginning of the tipping point for whatever lies before. ]
That you were reborn there should then come as no surprise. Nor that you would find your way here eventually.
Fate or the powers that be do enjoy dabbling in irony.
That god would be Orobashi, the patron deity of Watatsumi Island. Long ago, it brought the Enkanomiyans to the surface and created the island so they would have a home. At some point after that, it attempted to conquer a nearby island for its resources and was slain by the Narukami; its lingering power then became a curse that blighted the land.
[ Tongue pressed behind his teeth and a crease forming between his brows, Neuvillette looks a little troubled by the information he is receiving. Part of him is telling him that he shouldn't so readily believe what Zhongli is saying—there's no way to confirm the veracity of this alleged prophecy, after all. But the former Geo Archon doesn't seem the type to willingly pass along misinformation and must consider his source trustworthy... he's briefly reminded of an encounter he had a few decades before the Cataclysm struck. An Oceanid by the name of Idiya had found her way into his nest. She had simply asked if he was a dragon and departed almost immediately after he nodded. He didn't think much about it at the time, but now he wonders if Egeria had sent out her familiars to search the world for the Hydro Dragon. This would explain how Focalors knew where to send the letter.
He also wonders why this prophecy hadn't been known by the descendants of the Enkanomiyan people; surely someone would have been able to connect the dots and realize that the strange inhuman child born among them was the Sovereign. But perhaps Orobashi had made sure it wouldn't be passed down from one generation to the next in an effort to stay in the Usurper's good graces. Knowledge of Teyvat's ancient past is a privilege reserved only for a few; the rest must remain unaware, lest a terrible fate may befall them. ]
...I'm from Watatsumi Island. For a long time, I thought the location of my rebirth was merely because of its proximity to the Vishap population in the depths below, but it seems that the answer is more complicated than that.
[ He's not sure how to feel about this. He came to Fontaine looking for answers, and now it's looking like they had been under his feet in the very place he left behind. ]
So you were born in Watatsumi. And it was Lady Focolars that called you here to Fontaine.
[ There were some educated guesses that Zhongli could make based of the fragmented memories that he saw in the fountain's waters brought to life by the Sovereign's hydro. The clothes, landscape and architecture of Neuvillette's memories had all aligned with Zhongli's recollection of Watatsumi Island during that time. Though busy with his own nation's troubles and the passing of multiple members of the Seven, Zhongli had scarce time to visit Inazuma outside of attempting to send Ei his most sincere condolences. Such a task would have been much more suited to Barbatos, but unfortunately the god of freedom had also succumbed to another centuries long nap.
The confirmation, while welcome, does little to bring peace of mind. What of the other Sovereigns then, now that one had once again regained their full power? The inevitable and upcoming conflict was looking to have more and more players entering the stage, their relationships and grievances weaving into a more complex web that Zhongli could have guessed when he made his own contract with the Tsaritsa.
Were the days of peace (won in the blood of fallen and stolen power) finally coming to an end? And at what cost to Teyvat herself? ]
As I believe the rest of your story might fill in the gaps of my understanding of the greater forces at play here, are you satisfied with my conclusion of your identity?
Yes, I am completely satisfied. [ He says, giving a resolute nod. The revelation of a prophecy pertaining to his rebirth (who first spoke this prophecy, and to whom? How much did Orobashi know?) is a shocking one, but they are digressing from the topic at hand. Zhongli has thoroughly established his identity and that is his cue to continue his explanation of the events that unfolded. ]
I arrived in Fontaine shortly after Furina took on her role as the Archon. She taught me how to live as a human, and I eventually enrolled in law school. After I passed the bar exam, I went on to become a judge and was later appointed the Iudex.
[ It's said after a moment of silence as he considers how to best keep it concise while also conveying what he considers important; although he only became aware of just important he was to Focalors's plan at the very end, he was the linchpin since the very beginning. Furina's masquerade had to go on for as long as it did so that he would actually give a damn about Fontaine and the fate of its citizens. ]
Gradually, I became quite fascinated with the joys and sorrows of humanity. I came to care for the species seeded by the foreign invader that had upended the ancient world.
[ There's an undercurrent of gravity to his voice now, accompanied by emotions too complicated to articulate. He takes a deep breath, looking fondly at the Vishap sleeping soundly in his arms before looking into Zhongli's eyes once more, pale lavender meeting amber. ]
Unbeknownst to me, that was exactly what Focalors wanted as she amassed enough Indemnitium over the centuries to carry out the final part of her plan—executing herself and shattering the divine throne of the Hydro Archon in the process.
Humanity and their endless potential... How easy it is to treat them as children who need guidance and protection when it is they who have been guiding us all this time.
[ Rex Lapis is no stranger to sacrifice. He had offered words and encouragement to mortals and adepti alike, lead them into battles where he knew that not everyone would return. He watched karma taint the soul of his yaksha, driving them mad all while knowing there was little to nothing he could do to ease their burden. When he was younger, he wondered why it had to be them that gave their lives each time as his own life carried on, an endless thread tying event after event together. The keeper of history and the preserver of memories. There was a reason each year at Lantern Rite the heroic deeds of one of the fallen was selected.
(At least, in his old age, he has stopped asking himself why not himself instead of everyone else?)
But even surrounded by millennia of death, the level of devotion of Focalors — a familiar of Egeria, an Oceanid, one who probably did not live long enough to truly enjoy the world that she gambled her life away for— is something he has never encountered. And for what, to finally free Fontaine from the clutches of Celestia?
No, it seemed her plan was greater than that. Great enough to invite the Hydro Sovereign openly when the other archons had spoke in more hushed and cautious whispers of his second coming. Ah, how tragic. That Zhongli will never get to meet this facet of the archon who truly loved her people. How tragic for all of them. ]
May Lady Focalors rest easy knowing that all she put into motion played out to the tune of her score. Saving the people of Fontaine from the prophecy was folded into all of this, was it not?
[ They'd both been there in the aftermath — Zhongli and Neuvillette though Zhongli only catched glimpses of the other much later, too busy helping the Maison Gardiennage pull people from the ocean as the waters had risen. Waters that should have swallowed each and every one of them whole. ]
[ Above them, some grey clouds have started to roll in, making what was previously a pleasantly blue sky look more like a used rag in several places. It's not the kind that portends a heavy downpour, bur rather signifies a slight shift in the Hydro Dragon's mood. ]
Yes. By destroying the throne and returning the power stolen by usurpers, Focalors made me the final judge of Fontaine and its citizens.
[ Not the Heavenly Principles. He thinks back on Focalors' final moments as she finished explaining her plans to him, bidding him farewell as she stepped into her dance, moving around the stage with that massive sword of condensed Indemnitium following her and hanging directly above her head throughout the whole scene; he doesn't know if she had thought it appropriate to end this centuries long "drama" this way, or if it was something as mundane as wanting to do something human in the few seconds she had left.
After all, that is all she had wanted for herself—"In my eyes, to be human is to be part of the greatest opera ever known."
A few raindrops begin to fall to the earth in an uneven cadence, splashing their hair and clothing. Neuvillette isn't outright weeping, but the equivalent of an errant tear has escaped to drift along the dragon's cheek. Nevertheless, he continues, voice just as steady as before. ]
My predecessor was the beating heart commanding the Primordial Sea that birthed all native life in this world. Unlike Egeria who could only create an incomplete race of facsimiles, I was able to grant all Fontainians true humanity and thus absolve them of their sin.
[ "I came to care for the species seeded by the foreign invader that had upended the ancient world. Unbeknownst to me, that was exactly what Focalors wanted—"
Zhongli's mind drifts to the curtain call of his own Archonhood, a play also wrought of his own design. He remembers the look of betrayal on a certain Harbinger's face then. One that he had traveled all this way to make amends for as it had taken so very very long for Zhongli to understand the pain that he went through. After all, what was the pain of one individual weighed against the good of a nation? To measure strictly by what is fair and the best outcome for the many, the plight of the one is always ignored.
(Is it the title that makes them the Archons behave this way? The responsibilities. Or perhaps only beings prone to such dispositions ever rose to the ranks of Archon in the first place.)
Raindrops start to dampen his coat and hair as Zhongli reaches out a hand to catch one in his palm. It's wonderous and terrible in a way — that the hydro dragon can only express his sorrow in such a manner.
Will Neuvillette then too crack and splinter like the rest of them had over time? Or would being a Sovereign grant him the strength to avoid such a fate?
Zhongli takes a deep breath, fingers curling around the water pooling in his palm — asks the question that he should have asked back then — back in the halls of the Northland Bank. ]
Do you regret the part you were forced to play in all this?
"Forced" is not the word I would use. I willingly accepted her invitation and I don't regret the life I've made.
[ To Neuvillette, the word forced implies compulsion or coercion, without the individual's voluntary consent or choice. Neither Furina or Focalors did such a thing; Focalors had simply penned the letter and likely left some instructions for Furina on how to receive their guest should he arrive in Fontaine. Furina only knew the bare minimum about her divine half's plans; she had been kind and encouraging as he had taken his first tentative steps into the human world he had rejected as a young child over a thousand years ago.
He could have left Fontaine and returned to his previous life at any point and no one could've stopped him. There were a few times he considered doing so, early on, but the thought never materialized into reality as he continued to find reasons to stay. Law school had been difficult and exhausting, but had given him a sense of purpose and meaning he had lacked when he was living out the wilderness. He came to see the value in both his own work and in all the endeavors of the people of Fontaine, feeling pride and fulfillment in carrying out his duties as a judge. ]
I am glad my power was returned to me after a lifetime of aching for that missing part of myself. [ He continues, closing his eyes for a moment as scattered raindrops hit his face, cold yet soothing. ]
But I wish it had happened in different circumstances, where I wasn't an unwitting piece in a scheme that ended with her killing herself in front of me.
[ The sight of the sword slicing through her body like the blade of a guillotine will haunt him for decades, possibly even centuries; it has been indelibly etched upon his memory. ]
[ Perhaps forced is too strong a word for such an situation, but Zhongli can see how Focalors had guided all of them to this conclusion — the risks calculated and the ends justifying the methods. Perhaps that is simply the way of the Archons as Rex Lapis cannot claim he was any different during his rule. (Cannot really claim that he is any different now in his retirement.) Nor was Makoto on the day she followed the call, leaving her sister Ei behind. And now the Tsaritsa follows that same path with her own grand schemes.
It's strange. Perhaps he should feel more trepidation at a sovereign regaining their power. It was something that the Archons always knew to be wary of, and it would be well in the hydro soveriegn's right to be angry with the Archons for what they had lost to them. And yet— Neuvillette had been cooperative and even courteous in allowing Zhongli to remain in Fontaine for purposes that could only be described as meddling. He knew the entire time who Zhongli was and let him wander his land freely as long as he conducted himself according to Fontaine's rules.
And yet here they are sharing stories as if they were— well, friends. And were they friends? Zhongli had no reason to not believe so, at least from his side. Because there are some stories that can only be shared with the understanding that the listener resonates with the storyteller. And this— this seems like one such story. Who else can understand the magnitude of such a tale except those who have lived to see as much as someone like Zhongli has.
He does not congratulate (or even acknowledge) the return of Neuvillette's powers. To do so would be too awkward. However— ]
Life is full of people that we treasure. Families, friends, loved ones, the community to which we belong, the nation that we call our home.
But sometimes, there are brief encounters, unexpected in their intensity, that stay with us forever. I am sorry for your loss and for what you experienced that day. That the chapter will close as is with no chance to get to know her more than in those fleeting moments.
But I am glad that you are sharing such a tale with me. And glad that she will live on in your heart and memories.
Is that not the greatest gift that can be given to one who sacrificed so much for the sake of others?
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hydrangeabloom2023-09-16 01:51 pm
Life is a masquerade so let's have a ball
If the death of Rex Lapis had been a shock, then the curtain falling on Fontaine was a bombshell. A feverous crescendo of events that somehow left the nation of Fontaine and its people healthy and whole and granted a wish that they did not even know they wanted. Redeemed of a sin that very few people (himself included) even remembered. Zhongli had so many unanswered questions. Questions about Childe and the All-Devouring Narhwal in those brief moments he had glimpsed the Harbinger in the fight at the Opera House. But he had not a chance to see him before he was whisked away back to Snezhnaya or so the Traveler had informed him. Even more questions about the hydro elemental energy he felt at the time of the flood, something more purer and fundamental than could ever be wielded by vision holder (or an Archon). And bottomless questions and a hint of dread at the feeling of emptiness and loss when Seven became Six.
Everything has a price. Something of equal value for which to trade. If there is nothing that is worth the price of a gnosis, there is even less chance of anything being worth the cost of a Divine Seat.
Ah, but there was no time for Zhongli's private inquiries in the aftermath. The ex-Archon does not know exactly why Lady Furina stepped down from her now non-existent seat almost immediately but it was also not his place to ask. The only bonds he had in Fontaine were with that of a absent Harbinger who didn't know he was there, a Traveler who had already left for her next adventure, and one Chief Justice who was bearing the brunt of the increased workload and chaos of the passing of the prophecy. For weeks, Zhongli avoiding seeking out Monsieur Neuvillete knowing his duties to be many and his standards for them as high as ever. If their positions were reversed, he too would be working himself to the bone as well.
It is not until many weeks later that he asks Sedene if he might schedule a meeting with Neuvillette after hours as to not interfere with his workday. The Melusine, as cheery and helpful as always, redirects Zhongli to Erinnyes where she informs him that the Chief Justice is running a personal errand. What that is she doesn't offer and Zhongli doesn't ask as he makes his way over by aquabus once again to the nearby island.
It's both reminiscent of their first meeting and the time they spent at the fountain of Lucine, brief encounters that they were. Yet somehow they keep circling back to this all the same— with Neuvillette being more integrated with the land of Fontaine so much more than his role as its head judge.
Zhongli isn't even surprised really when he finds the man nestled among a group of vishaps as if he belonged there. If it was Fontaine, Neuvillette belonged everywhere.
(The similarities between the two of them did not escape his notice.) ]
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After that, it feels like a century's worth of events happen in the span of just a few weeks. Having to push back the Primordial Sea as the sluice gate falls. The tragedy at Poisson, followed by the discovery of three mysterious stone slates and the nagging suspicion that Furina may be a fraud—a suspicion that is later proven true in what the Steambird describes as the greatest trial in the entire history of Fontaine, where long-buried secrets were unearthed like corpses from a forgotten grave. A trial that culminates with a dance and the Seven permanently becoming the Six as the divine seat shatters under five hundred years of Indemnitium.
Then, of course, came the flood just as foretold. But thanks to Focalors's centuries long gambit to fulfill the conditions of the prophecy through technicalities the people are saved as Neuvillette completes their transformation into true humans, therefore "dissolving" the original sin they had been burdened with. He also has the foresight to temporarily give everyone the ability to breathe underwater like Vision Holders do so no one drowns as the waters submerge the land. The death toll is so low it can only be described as a miracle on top of another miracle.
There's a lot of destruction to deal with as the water recedes, though. Roads and infrastructure have been severely damaged and many people have lost their homes and are now living in temporary shelters provided by the state. But people are optimistic about the future as they start rebuilding and Neuvillette spends every waking moment either organizing the reconstruction efforts or going out to personally assist his people in cleaning up rubble and debris. It's going to take a long time before everything is fully rebuilt, but things are going as smoothly as they possibly can.
He starts receiving reports about a herd of hydro vishaps being sighted to the west of Loch Urania on Erinnyes. There had long been rumours about vishaps living deep in the woods, but confirmed sightings were few and far between and the only vishap Neuvillette interacted with on a regular basis had been Pahsiv, who he started teaching the human language. Now there were dozens of them that suddenly were comfortable being seen out in the open. Perhaps they had sensed that their Sovereign had returned to full power and now want to follow his lead in coexisting with humans rather than staying away.
He barely has any free time these days, but it so happens that he doesn't have any meetings this afternoon and he's already taken care of important matters for today—and after some urging from Sedene, he decides that he probably ought to take a breather and heads over to Erinnyes to spend some time in the company of his kin.
Legs stretched out in the grass in front of him, he relaxes against the large vishap napping behind him as he gently cradles a younger vishap the size of a corgi, rocking it back and forth. Around him several other vishaps in various sizes are dozing comfortably.
Then, he catches a familiar figure in the periphery of his vision. Neuvillette turns his head in the direction of the approaching figure, nodding his head slightly in greeting once he's close enough. The vishap in his arms stirs briefly, blinking sleepily at the stranger before going back to sleep. ]
I thought you had returned to Liyue, or gone to Snezhnaya to visit Monsieur Tartaglia.
[ Behind Zhongli, a crumbling statue of the Seven overlooks the area from a distant cliff; physical proof that there's no position of Hydro Archon to be passed on to a successor. ]
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But hmmm. Why had not he returned to Liyue or visited far off Snezhnaya? Zhongli knows that with time he will return to the Harbor; he cannot be far from his home country for long and a homebody he is at heart. But how best to broach the topic that he and Tartaglia are not close enough that a house visit would be appreciated. Perhaps he shall send him a letter instead (assuming that the poor boy wakes up anytime soon.) ]
It would be poor manners for me to leave without a proper farewell for all that we have shared together on this journey.
Besides.
[ He takes a seat on the grass, far enough away to not disturb the sleeping vishap or its young, but also close enough so that they may converse easily. It's quite peaceful here. Surely a place that Azhdaha would have enjoyed as he often found him napping under the shade of ginkgo leaves whether he be in human or dragon form. ]
I still have fifteen days left of my community service left to serve. [ A generous term for his reparations for his dine and dash ] I would not dare think of leaving Fontaine before it was finished.
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I would like to once again express my gratitude for your assistance—in both the investigation and at the opera house. You helped save lives when the narwhal appeared.
[ His attention had been on that whale at the time, but he had caught a glimpse of the familiar man in the audience quickly moving to summon a stone stele to stop the otherworldly whale as it dove down in its pursuit of the Primordial Seawater within the bodies of a few stragglers running toward the exit. The stele had shattered almost immediately, but those few precious seconds he bought ensured that those people made it out of the courtroom just in time. ]
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But with Fontaine largely on the mend, Zhongli found himself with the other geo users repairing various foundations and infrastructure within the city. It was quite the architectural marvel — how the tall and proud structures had withstood all that had happened that day. ]
You are as kind as ever, Monsieur Neuvillette. I was happy to assist in whatever small ways that I could.
[ Kind and polite, but ultimately distant. Surely Neuvillette felt the impact of the fulfilled prophecy and its fallout most astutely than anyone else in Fontaine save for the now retired Archon of Fontaine. Yet still he continued to tirelessly work to stay on top of things— much like many of his adepti and yaksha and now member of the Qixing did to keep everything running smoothly.
Surely the Melusine were already looking after their adored father figure to make sure he was at least getting some rest. But with the look on Sedene's face last time they had crossed paths, well— a little extra check-in couldn't hurt.
Especially when Zhongli also had so many other things to ask the Chief Justice. ]
Perhaps it is presumptuous of me, but I wished to know how you were faring. There has been little time to rest since that day, and due to your station, you've had even less chance to rest than most.
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[ He does not say it, but he feels whole after a lifetime of aching for a fundamental part of his being that the Usurpers had taken from him. No combination of words in any human language could accurately convey that sense of being complete once more. Yet that feeling is tinged with something melancholy; Focalors had died for this and he will always carry the burden of knowing that his power was not returned to him without sacrifice. ]
It's going to take some time to get fully accustomed to governing the nation by myself. But that aside, I'm faring as well as can be despite being busier than ever before.
[ A selfish part of him wants her to take up the mantle once more because he already misses governing the nation together with her as they had done for over centuries; despite their differences, they were like the ebb and flow of an oceanic tide and working together simply felt right. But he ignores that ugly little voice in the back of his mind because he would never voice that thought out loud when he knows how much Furina hated her role. She deserves to simply rest for as long as she wants to and then live out the rest of her mortal life pursuing the things that had been denied her for centuries.
He only wishes for her remaining years to bring her joy and fulfillment.
Adjusting his hold on the vishap, he strokes a hand over its back as he looks Zhongli in the eye, as though waiting for him to ask something. Like why the Seven are now the Six; surely he must've felt something when the divine throne shattered? ]
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It warms his heart even as he is already thinking about conspiring with Sedene to send dinners and specialty waters to the Chief Justice on the days where he works well into the rising of the moon. Just as how he remembers his own adepti's fussing and squawking. How Guizhong had stolen all of his scrolls one evening under Streetward Rambler's excellent ploy of distraction. That's how it had started in the old days, before everything had started to fray at the edges. Those long-ago more innocent days where guiding one's people had been the sole focus of many of the original archons.
Fontaine is rather lucky, Zhongli thinks. To have someone like Monsieur Neuvillette to help get it back on its feet. The smile is fond (and perhaps a bit nostalgic) as he raises his own head to meet the other man's gaze. ]
One of my domains is history.
[ For while Zhongli had stepped down as an Archon and attempts to live a normal life, there are some parts of a divine being that simply will not change. Even moreso for a stubborn rock who does not know how.
And one of those things is his attachment to his domains, many as they had come to be during his life. Unlike contracts and gold, history was something that Zhongli had grown into. A desire that burned within him as another beloved comrade fell, their stories kept only so long as they lived in people's memories. ]
I'd like to keep the story of what happened here if it is one that you wish to be preserved in this world.
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It is. I will tell you everything.
[ His gaze flickers briefly to the statue of Focalors in the distance, then returns to settle on Zhongli once more. He takes a deep breath to sort out his thoughts a little and settle on an appropriate place to start. He breathes out, and begins to speak. ]
When that bright light enveloped the courtroom, I was brought to a plane of consciousness created by the true Hydro Archon, Focalors—she had been within the Oratrice all this time, having set up the past five hundred years to unfold in a manner that would fulfill the prophecy via technicalities while still saving her people.
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[ Zhongli had been present at the trial (anyone who was nearby had crowded in to attend). He had been seated near the back as he had not directly been involved in the Traveler's and everyone's plot to put Furina on trial. So he like everyone else had been shocked by the twists and turns of the trial, sympathetic to Lady Furina's distress even if he understood what the others were trying to do.
That whole event must have been terribly troubling to all of them.
Everything after had happened so fast that Zhongli had just accepted his gaps in understanding as just that — gaps. But hearing that there was a being living within the Oratrice itself all this time. Ah, that put both trials— Tartaglia's and the small private trial the two of them had prepared later into a much different light.
What a clever and determined person, to plan a counter-strategy that would stretch over centuries. ]
It seems that you experienced much that day. Please.
[ He bows his head. ]
Continue.
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Originally one of Egeria's Oceanid familiars given human form, the Hydro Archon split herself in twain. All of her divinity was transferred to the Oratrice to exist separately as Focalors, leaving behind the mortal vessel called Furina.
Furina was one of the two individuals needed for Focalors' plan to succeed; tasked with the role of pretending to be an Archon, she maintained her masquerade for five centuries to delay the final stage of the prophecy for as long as possible and keep the Heavenly Principles from taking notice of what Focalors was doing behind the scenes. Had she faltered or slipped up even once, all of her work would have been for nothing.
[ The way Neuvillette speaks is measured and even, yet a hint of melancholy catches in his words. Five centuries may not be a lot to someone like him, whose lifespan is naturally infinite, but it's far beyond what the mind of a normal human can handle. Yet Furina bravely carried on with that torturous burden placed upon her shoulders.... he can only respect her tenacity and mental strength. This is another reason he is now relaying this tale to the Lord of Geo. Just as Focalors' deeds deserve to live on in memory, so does the frail mortal with the willpower of a god who saw her duty through to its conclusion. ]
As for the second individual... that would be me. Before I continue, I have a question for you: have you worked out what I am yet?
[ The Traveler had figured out his identity as a Sovereign, it would not surprise him in the slightest if Zhongli has as well; someone claiming history as his domain should be well aware of Teyvat's ancient past before the gods walked the earth, and Neuvillette has heard the tales of Rex Lapis and Azhdaha. He must've noticed the similarities between the Iudex and his Geo counterpart. ]
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[ Rex Lapis remembers clearly how fond Egeria was of her Oceanid familiars. Her family just as much as the Adepti were his. It really shouldn't come as a surprise that she would entrust her divinity to one of them with the prophecy looming like a dark shadow over all Fontaine.
But the other Oceanids— had they known as well? Had they known that one their own had taken up the mantle. Surely, Focalors and Egeria must must have been close if this task was passed on to her. But still they fled from Fontaine, self-exiled to any number of places in Teyvat. It was, after all, Rex Lapis's fondness for Egeria that silently accepted Rhodeia's presence in Liyue in spite of the rare occasions she would lash out. As long as she brought no real harm to Qingce Village. Every being deserved a home, especially if they could no longer find one within the lands they were born. ]
I had no idea, but that only proves how clever and determined they both were in carrying out their duties.
[ What a frighteningly lonely experience for the both of them.
Zhongli pauses at Neuvillette's next question, fingertips steepled in thought. Rex Lapis was always a calculating figure, never giving voice to his assumptions unless he was sure of the truth of his words. But he had his hunches, his theories.
And since Monsieur Neuvillette was asking for his opinion ever so blatantly: ]
You remind me of a dear friend. A gentle and devoted soul who was one with the earth and mountains, but wanted something more.
His name is Azhdaha.
[ Present tense. Because even though he is gone in all ways physical and practical, Azhdaha's parting words still ring through his mind, clear and calling like a bell. That the two of them might meet again should fate allow. Such fanciful whims did not suit an archon, but they did for one that had since retired.
But, more true to his nature, Zhongli moves one chess piece across the board, both baiting the other player to see their reaction while keeping the majority of his cards close to his chest. One did not rule a nation for almost 4,000 years by being reckless after all, and such habits change ever so slowly. ]
Perhaps you know of him.
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I do. [ Neuvillette nods. ] I've heard the tales of how you carved his body out of a rock you found. Of course, we both know that part is patently false.
[ Many legends and folk stories passed down orally are like that. Half-truths, details omitted because they're irrelevant or forgotten, reality embellished over the generations to the point where it sometimes morphs into complete fiction; perhaps the bards and storytellers narrating this tale wanted to make it more interesting to the audience, or perhaps they wanted attribute more great deeds to their revered Lord of Geo. ]
He was formed from the shifting of tectonic plates below the Primordial Sea; at most, you gave him a pair of eyes.
[ He recalls a memory from a very distant past, when a great earthquake had struck these ancient waters all of Teyvat's native life originates from. The earth shook so violently mountains rose from the sea and in the aftermath, the first geo vishaps emerged from cracks in the ocean floor. One of them had been larger than the others and would eventually become a true dragon capable of molding the earth to his will. ]
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Ah, so it wasn't because he was a foreigner and Fontaine did not like foreigners meddling in their affairs. It was for a different and much more intrusive "meddling."
But as with such things, this revelation gives birth to a whole host of new questions. How much of his previous life did Neuvillette remember, if any? ]
You are correct, of course. Azhdaha was a fully formed and sentient being when I met him. And I can hardly proclaim to be the protagonist when it was he who called out me, despite how the stories portray it. Hmmm. [ He places a hand upon his chin, thoughtful for a moment. ] I like to believe such retellings are more romanticizing the act of bringing him to the surface and introducing him to a whole new world above ground than just providing literal eyes.
[ Even though he did give his dear friend a set of eyes, it was not just that for which he was grateful. Never before and never since had Zhongli enjoyed a companionship with such ease. After all, who might understand the earth but another stone themselves.
And to that same point, who might truly understand a Sovereign but another Sovereign. ]
You knowledge is ancient, well before even the time of the Archons. That narrows down who you are to only a handful of possibilities. But I will speak it aloud all the same if you wish me to.
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He lowers his hand once more to continue stroking he vishap in his arms with delicate movements as to not rouse it from its nap. It stretches in its sleep, one languid paw coming to rest on the Iudex's chest. ]
I wish to hear it from you, Monsieur.
[ He did ask if he had worked out his identity, after all, and he supposes that there's a part of him that simply doesn't want to feed him the right answer even if it's obvious that the other man has arrived at the correct conclusion.
Meanwhile, the vishap closest to Zhongli has woken up and is now sniffing at his shoes, looking at them as though they might be a pair of chew toys. ]
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Zhongli lifts his head to look at Neuvillette directly.
Ah. He supposes this time, he could go the more direct route. Fontaine, and most importantly their Chief Justice and their retired Archons, were owed that much. ]
Those from Enkanomiya prophesized that the Hydro Sovereign would be reborn again in mortal form. And as we both know from this ordeal, prophecies tend to have a least a hint of truth to them though interpretations may vary wildly.
I have also noticed the peculiar weather here in Fontaine, where it seems the sky does not command the rain. There's a children's rhyme associated with such a phenomenon that I'm sure you're aware of. And the rumors that say you, Monsieur Neuvillette, were invited to Fontaine from— well, now I suppose I do not know if it was from Lady Focalors or Lady Furina. But that does not matter so much I think.
With such determination to right the sins of their predecessors, who else would they call upon but the reincarnation of the Hydro Sovereign? The Hydro dragon himself.
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Meanwhile, the Vishap gives Zhongli's hand a curious sniff, the spark of Geo making it tilt it head to the side in puzzlement as it works out what the human-shaped person is conveying. ]
You are correct. Five hundred years ago, I was living out in the wilderness in Inazuma when a letter found its way to me. Within was an invitation penned by Focalors, who claimed "I shall leave you a seat with the best view in the greatest theater."
At that time, I had little interest in the human world I had been born into and subsequently left at a young age. I nearly discarded the letter, but ultimately curiosity compelled me to find out why the Hydro Archon would want a Sovereign in her audience.
[ And with some encouragement from the youkai he spent his time with, the Hydro Sovereign had set his sights on Fontaine, traversing the seas before journeying across the mountainous terrain of Liyue. All he had on him at the time were ill-fitting clothes (stolen from a bandit camp in Inazuma) and the letter as he set foot on the coastal elevator that would take him up to the nation of Hydro proper. He would later find that the view was indeed great as he watched all manners of performances, unaware of the true purpose of his position and that the seat mentioned in the letter was something far more than a chair in an opera house. ]
Who told you about this prophecy? I have never heard of it before.
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[ Or more precisely how the Electro Archon had warned Rex Lapis in particular, being the eldest of the Seven once they had attempted to treat the poor man who was the recipient of such terrible memories. A burden that no mortal mind was meant to bear as the unfortunate soul went mad quickly after. It was then the Geo Archon's duties to pass it to the rest of the Archons, especially Egeria so that she might be prepare in whatever means she saw fit.
The claim, of course, could never be verified. Nor did another person ever happen to stumble on those particular memories of Orabashi, which was for the best in the long run. Whether that was by Ei and Makoto's hand or something else, that sort of forbidden knowledge did not need to be let loose into the world for a myriad of reasons.
However, now, in this private meeting to record the true history, it seemed only fair that Neuvillette know all that Zhongli could provide. With one of the Archon seats destroyed, it was most likely only a matter of time before Celestia fixed their gaze back upon the land of Teyvat with more scrunity.
Best to equip those who would change the course of history with as much information as possible. For Zhongli knows deep in his bones that this is just the beginning of the tipping point for whatever lies before. ]
That you were reborn there should then come as no surprise. Nor that you would find your way here eventually.
Fate or the powers that be do enjoy dabbling in irony.
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[ Tongue pressed behind his teeth and a crease forming between his brows, Neuvillette looks a little troubled by the information he is receiving. Part of him is telling him that he shouldn't so readily believe what Zhongli is saying—there's no way to confirm the veracity of this alleged prophecy, after all. But the former Geo Archon doesn't seem the type to willingly pass along misinformation and must consider his source trustworthy... he's briefly reminded of an encounter he had a few decades before the Cataclysm struck. An Oceanid by the name of Idiya had found her way into his nest. She had simply asked if he was a dragon and departed almost immediately after he nodded. He didn't think much about it at the time, but now he wonders if Egeria had sent out her familiars to search the world for the Hydro Dragon. This would explain how Focalors knew where to send the letter.
He also wonders why this prophecy hadn't been known by the descendants of the Enkanomiyan people; surely someone would have been able to connect the dots and realize that the strange inhuman child born among them was the Sovereign. But perhaps Orobashi had made sure it wouldn't be passed down from one generation to the next in an effort to stay in the Usurper's good graces. Knowledge of Teyvat's ancient past is a privilege reserved only for a few; the rest must remain unaware, lest a terrible fate may befall them. ]
...I'm from Watatsumi Island. For a long time, I thought the location of my rebirth was merely because of its proximity to the Vishap population in the depths below, but it seems that the answer is more complicated than that.
[ He's not sure how to feel about this. He came to Fontaine looking for answers, and now it's looking like they had been under his feet in the very place he left behind. ]
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[ There were some educated guesses that Zhongli could make based of the fragmented memories that he saw in the fountain's waters brought to life by the Sovereign's hydro. The clothes, landscape and architecture of Neuvillette's memories had all aligned with Zhongli's recollection of Watatsumi Island during that time. Though busy with his own nation's troubles and the passing of multiple members of the Seven, Zhongli had scarce time to visit Inazuma outside of attempting to send Ei his most sincere condolences. Such a task would have been much more suited to Barbatos, but unfortunately the god of freedom had also succumbed to another centuries long nap.
The confirmation, while welcome, does little to bring peace of mind. What of the other Sovereigns then, now that one had once again regained their full power? The inevitable and upcoming conflict was looking to have more and more players entering the stage, their relationships and grievances weaving into a more complex web that Zhongli could have guessed when he made his own contract with the Tsaritsa.
Were the days of peace (won in the blood of fallen and stolen power) finally coming to an end? And at what cost to Teyvat herself? ]
As I believe the rest of your story might fill in the gaps of my understanding of the greater forces at play here, are you satisfied with my conclusion of your identity?
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I arrived in Fontaine shortly after Furina took on her role as the Archon. She taught me how to live as a human, and I eventually enrolled in law school. After I passed the bar exam, I went on to become a judge and was later appointed the Iudex.
[ It's said after a moment of silence as he considers how to best keep it concise while also conveying what he considers important; although he only became aware of just important he was to Focalors's plan at the very end, he was the linchpin since the very beginning. Furina's masquerade had to go on for as long as it did so that he would actually give a damn about Fontaine and the fate of its citizens. ]
Gradually, I became quite fascinated with the joys and sorrows of humanity. I came to care for the species seeded by the foreign invader that had upended the ancient world.
[ There's an undercurrent of gravity to his voice now, accompanied by emotions too complicated to articulate. He takes a deep breath, looking fondly at the Vishap sleeping soundly in his arms before looking into Zhongli's eyes once more, pale lavender meeting amber. ]
Unbeknownst to me, that was exactly what Focalors wanted as she amassed enough Indemnitium over the centuries to carry out the final part of her plan—executing herself and shattering the divine throne of the Hydro Archon in the process.
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[ Rex Lapis is no stranger to sacrifice. He had offered words and encouragement to mortals and adepti alike, lead them into battles where he knew that not everyone would return. He watched karma taint the soul of his yaksha, driving them mad all while knowing there was little to nothing he could do to ease their burden. When he was younger, he wondered why it had to be them that gave their lives each time as his own life carried on, an endless thread tying event after event together. The keeper of history and the preserver of memories. There was a reason each year at Lantern Rite the heroic deeds of one of the fallen was selected.
(At least, in his old age, he has stopped asking himself why not himself instead of everyone else?)
But even surrounded by millennia of death, the level of devotion of Focalors — a familiar of Egeria, an Oceanid, one who probably did not live long enough to truly enjoy the world that she gambled her life away for— is something he has never encountered. And for what, to finally free Fontaine from the clutches of Celestia?
No, it seemed her plan was greater than that. Great enough to invite the Hydro Sovereign openly when the other archons had spoke in more hushed and cautious whispers of his second coming. Ah, how tragic. That Zhongli will never get to meet this facet of the archon who truly loved her people. How tragic for all of them. ]
May Lady Focalors rest easy knowing that all she put into motion played out to the tune of her score. Saving the people of Fontaine from the prophecy was folded into all of this, was it not?
[ They'd both been there in the aftermath — Zhongli and Neuvillette though Zhongli only catched glimpses of the other much later, too busy helping the Maison Gardiennage pull people from the ocean as the waters had risen. Waters that should have swallowed each and every one of them whole. ]
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Yes. By destroying the throne and returning the power stolen by usurpers, Focalors made me the final judge of Fontaine and its citizens.
[ Not the Heavenly Principles. He thinks back on Focalors' final moments as she finished explaining her plans to him, bidding him farewell as she stepped into her dance, moving around the stage with that massive sword of condensed Indemnitium following her and hanging directly above her head throughout the whole scene; he doesn't know if she had thought it appropriate to end this centuries long "drama" this way, or if it was something as mundane as wanting to do something human in the few seconds she had left.
After all, that is all she had wanted for herself—"In my eyes, to be human is to be part of the greatest opera ever known."
A few raindrops begin to fall to the earth in an uneven cadence, splashing their hair and clothing. Neuvillette isn't outright weeping, but the equivalent of an errant tear has escaped to drift along the dragon's cheek. Nevertheless, he continues, voice just as steady as before. ]
My predecessor was the beating heart commanding the Primordial Sea that birthed all native life in this world. Unlike Egeria who could only create an incomplete race of facsimiles, I was able to grant all Fontainians true humanity and thus absolve them of their sin.
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Zhongli's mind drifts to the curtain call of his own Archonhood, a play also wrought of his own design. He remembers the look of betrayal on a certain Harbinger's face then. One that he had traveled all this way to make amends for as it had taken so very very long for Zhongli to understand the pain that he went through. After all, what was the pain of one individual weighed against the good of a nation? To measure strictly by what is fair and the best outcome for the many, the plight of the one is always ignored.
(Is it the title that makes them the Archons behave this way? The responsibilities. Or perhaps only beings prone to such dispositions ever rose to the ranks of Archon in the first place.)
Raindrops start to dampen his coat and hair as Zhongli reaches out a hand to catch one in his palm. It's wonderous and terrible in a way — that the hydro dragon can only express his sorrow in such a manner.
Will Neuvillette then too crack and splinter like the rest of them had over time? Or would being a Sovereign grant him the strength to avoid such a fate?
Zhongli takes a deep breath, fingers curling around the water pooling in his palm — asks the question that he should have asked back then — back in the halls of the Northland Bank. ]
Do you regret the part you were forced to play in all this?
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[ To Neuvillette, the word forced implies compulsion or coercion, without the individual's voluntary consent or choice. Neither Furina or Focalors did such a thing; Focalors had simply penned the letter and likely left some instructions for Furina on how to receive their guest should he arrive in Fontaine. Furina only knew the bare minimum about her divine half's plans; she had been kind and encouraging as he had taken his first tentative steps into the human world he had rejected as a young child over a thousand years ago.
He could have left Fontaine and returned to his previous life at any point and no one could've stopped him. There were a few times he considered doing so, early on, but the thought never materialized into reality as he continued to find reasons to stay. Law school had been difficult and exhausting, but had given him a sense of purpose and meaning he had lacked when he was living out the wilderness. He came to see the value in both his own work and in all the endeavors of the people of Fontaine, feeling pride and fulfillment in carrying out his duties as a judge. ]
I am glad my power was returned to me after a lifetime of aching for that missing part of myself. [ He continues, closing his eyes for a moment as scattered raindrops hit his face, cold yet soothing. ]
But I wish it had happened in different circumstances, where I wasn't an unwitting piece in a scheme that ended with her killing herself in front of me.
[ The sight of the sword slicing through her body like the blade of a guillotine will haunt him for decades, possibly even centuries; it has been indelibly etched upon his memory. ]
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It's strange. Perhaps he should feel more trepidation at a sovereign regaining their power. It was something that the Archons always knew to be wary of, and it would be well in the hydro soveriegn's right to be angry with the Archons for what they had lost to them. And yet— Neuvillette had been cooperative and even courteous in allowing Zhongli to remain in Fontaine for purposes that could only be described as meddling. He knew the entire time who Zhongli was and let him wander his land freely as long as he conducted himself according to Fontaine's rules.
And yet here they are sharing stories as if they were— well, friends. And were they friends? Zhongli had no reason to not believe so, at least from his side. Because there are some stories that can only be shared with the understanding that the listener resonates with the storyteller. And this— this seems like one such story. Who else can understand the magnitude of such a tale except those who have lived to see as much as someone like Zhongli has.
He does not congratulate (or even acknowledge) the return of Neuvillette's powers. To do so would be too awkward. However— ]
Life is full of people that we treasure. Families, friends, loved ones, the community to which we belong, the nation that we call our home.
But sometimes, there are brief encounters, unexpected in their intensity, that stay with us forever. I am sorry for your loss and for what you experienced that day. That the chapter will close as is with no chance to get to know her more than in those fleeting moments.
But I am glad that you are sharing such a tale with me. And glad that she will live on in your heart and memories.
Is that not the greatest gift that can be given to one who sacrificed so much for the sake of others?
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