idolpro | Zhongli Ideal World: Session 3

Zhongli Ideal World: Session 3

"In his long life, he has met countless people, and shall meet countless more still.

As they say: the waters change course, but the mountains move not."

--The Raiden Shogun

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And explodes outwards, petrifying all of Liyue until every inch of it is caked with dust. Preserving it. Like the insides of a macabre and untouched house that has been left for decades or centuries to linger.

But this time the world is not remade.

As for the Geo Archon herself, not even one grain of sand remains of Guizhong as that is how the passing of gods go.

Congratulations, you have defeated the false Geo Archon.

[ whelp. ]

[ he somehow ruined everything. again. is he really surprised? no, not really. just disappointed for breaking one of the only promises he's ever made. he pulls his mask over his face and just stares at the ground... letting the weight of his failure crush him. ]

Edited 2022-01-01 23:13 (UTC)

[ Somehow, despite this being necessary, it doesn't feel as though they won. As though they did what was right. It may have been their only option. But the aftermath feels terrible.

Moving over to Caeli, his ears low against his head, tail flat and still, he reaches out to him while removing his cape.]

Let me help wrap your injuries.

[ it sure does feel terrible. this is not how he wants to see liyue. but, yes, it had all been necessary... at least that's what he's going to tell himself until this nightmare ends. his own ears and tail are flat and still, the frown on his face hidden by his mask. ]

...sure. [ he's not going anywhere. ]

[ Carefully, he uses his teeth to tear at the cloth and works on wrapping and tending to the injury. He's no expert, but he knows he has to help stop the bleeding. He doesn't speak as he works. What can he say?

'Are you okay?'

Of course he isn't right now. Anyone can see that he is suffering- not just physically.]

We helped Zhongli. You did. This is all we could do.

[ At least... that much is true. What other choice did they have? ]

No matter how cruel it is.

This is not the ending I... [ his throat tightens and he trails off, simply shaking his head. ]

I'm am sorry for dragging you into this. I thought we might have been able to find the last piece of erosion, but then... [ again, he trails off, his hand coming to rest on the mask as he presses it more firmly to his face. ]

So this... it was not that? Then what...

[ Do they still need to find it? But he thought... ]

[ Next to Tsukasa, Zhongli appears. Or at least it looks like Zhongli. Same hair and eye and build.

But he is wearing long white robes, his arms look like they are carved from stone itself - gold geo lines coursing up them in symmetric patterns. He's also floating. And even with the brand new introduction to the world, you just get a sense that you are standing next to the true Geo Archon of Liyue. ]

You have my thanks.

[ He shakes his head, throat tight. He didn't do anything. Hardly a thing. All he managed to do was emotionally harm Zhongli. Isn't that the case...? Even if he didn't have any other choice.

As he is, he feels the need to bow small and painfully human. A mere mortal in the presence of someone great.

And also because of the pain he is sure they inflicted. Right now, he cannot properly face him. ]

I am sincerely sorry.

I know.

And that is why I am even more grateful.

[ He reaches out to tentatively touch Tsukasa's shoulder. ]

Raise your head. You made the right decision. So walk out of here with your head held high.

[ He nods, rising fully though he is still sorry for the end results. ]

That woman... she must have been very important to you. Are you going to be alright?

She was.

But if you are looking for something to ease my mind...

Perhaps in the waking world, you will allow me to tell you her story. I would like nothing more than her story spread among the stars.

[ A smile, gentle- ]

I would be honored to know her true story.

[ Zhongli - or that is to say Morax - floats over to Childe's side. ]

The Guili Plains were uninhabitable after her passing.

That is why I took the people south - toward the harbor.

[ faceplants. ]

[ just... faceplants. ]

[ Childe is caught before he falls ]

Will you be okay?

Yes. I will be.

She was never here, after all.

She has not been anywhere for millennia now.

...this still feels pretty terrible, especially when I tried so hard to simply clear out the erosion, so things could take place as normal. [ but somehow, someway, ...this. ]