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I am sure he would not mind.

[ Guizhong smiles, starting to walk out of the temple after Morax's already vanishing silhouette. Maybe she thinks that Jun just has an interest in civil engineering. It's not a bad thing, because kids who grow up learning what they're curious about would become great engineers and planners. ]

The lake helps fish and other animals thrive. Keeping it clean gives the town an accessible source of water and a source for irrigation systems.

[ Guizhong starts to tell Jun about why they built the dam. She doesn't lecture as much as Zhongli, but their way of speaking are a little similar. Their path brings them through the fields, and the workers all pause in their harvesting to greet her.

The dam comes into view, its banks decorated with greenery and patches of Glaze Lilies. The blue of their petals reflects the sky and the waters of the lake, clear enough to see the fish swimming in it. Guizhong stops by the bank, far enough from the dam wall to be out of earshot, and close enough so Jun can see what Morax is doing. He appears to be examining the walls, and brief flashes of golden light hint at the movement of elements within. ]

[he can't say he's ever had an interest in civil engineering, but he won't be correcting her on the assumption. Better than explaining what was actually going on. So he listens politely as she lectures. The talk does make him think of one of Zhongli's, but with much more brevity.

The sight of the dam, while nothing compared to modern dams of earth, was still impressive on its own. As well as all the fields of glaze lillies. They seem to be really popular in this town. He can see Morax working on the dam in the distance, he's observed Zhongli enough to have a good sense of what that golden light means. ]

It's impressive...

[He says, since it really is. He does kneel down a little to get a closer look at one of the glaze lily]

These flowers seem to be everywhere...what are they?

[ Guizhong crouches down as well, elegantly of course, and she smiles when Jun asks about the flowers. ]

These are Glaze Lilies. They are my favourite flowers. They listen to the words of those around them, thriving in places of peace. They will bloom if you sing to them.

[ There's a Glaze Lily on her hairpin, too. The flower blooms in large swathes around the town, which would comply with the impression that life here was peaceful. ]

[Her favorite flower...that'd explain why they were so plentiful, and why they were her hairpin. He makes a mental note of the name, Glaze Lily. They were a pretty flower. He reaches out to gently touch the petals of one near him.

Though when she mentions the singing part? He will give an owlish blink and stare at her. Did he hear that right? That can't be serious- what flower responds to singing?

Jun doesn't think to try it himself, he's never really been the type to just willingly break out into song, instead he's just...going to stare in a confused manner as he tries to figure out if she's pulling his leg.

???? ]

[ As they say, seeing is easiest for believing. Guizhong chuckles, moving to sit near one patch of lilies that were still closed. She starts to sing a gentle lullaby, and the few lilies begin to slowly open, until they too are in full bloom like the other flowers around them. ]

Glaze Lilies are perceptive of people's hearts, only thriving in places of peace. They are fragile, so they can only survive here.

[ They're much like humans, really. And when the Archon Wars began, they too would vanish from the land... ]

[Oh thank God she's demonstrating herself, that's a relief. He watches with a bit of awe as the flowers open up to her song. It's really something to see.]

They are? That's too bad. I know someone who'd love them, but she's really far away.

[He just knows Kugayama would enjoy them. He could picture her getting excited because they were the same color as her trademark idol costume. "See? Even the flowers are SPiKA fans!", he could just hear her saying as they opened to her singing.

But, she'll never get to see them, will she? She's not in Teyvat, and these flowers might not even exist in modern Teyvat if they're that fragile. Just like this city, or this gentle god speaking to him. They were just a temporary vision of a moment in Zhongli's past, long gone. While the other memories he's witnessed he was glad for their ending, the thought of this one eventually ending felt...sad.

...]

Hey, does the name Liyue Harbor mean anything to you?

You should tell her when you see her again. She would love to hear about it.

[ Guizhong says this gently, but to her Jun is speaking about a lost friend, one that she assumes was lost during whatever disaster that took his home village. She's trying to console him.

However, there's no recognition in her eyes when he brings up Liyue's name. ]

I have not heard of that place. Is that where you traveled from?

Mm, I will.

[He nods. Lucky for all, Rion is alive and well, just in Japan. And at the lack of recognition, he pauses...debating how to do this. It's not like anything he says would actually change history, right? People interfering with his memories didn't rewrite his memories. Chances are, he's talking to nothing more than a projection.

But...just like with Crow, if this can reach her, then maybe..]

Not exactly, but I have a friend from there - Zhongli. Or will be from there...it doesn't quite exist yet. But when it does, it'll have people who are descended from the ones here living there. And not only are they happy like they are now, but they're also more capable of looking after themselves. So much that their god is considering finally taking a much needed rest.

[He sighs]

Sorry, that probably doesn't make any sense. I just ... thought you'd like to know.

[ Guizhong gazes at him for a few moments, then her expression relaxes into a wistful smile. This is just a memory, after all - this moment will never return again. Such is the fate of all that have passed on. ]

I see. Thank you, young one.

[ This she accepts with grace, and reality begins to catch up to them, her form dissolving into the finest dust. Morax seems to have disappeared while they were talking, the landscape fading away as if in a dream. ]

Then my work was not in vain....

[ When the memory ends, Jun is left standing on a rather large rock, but still one he can hop down with ease. As for Zhongli himself - he's not in Jun's immediate area, but it's not hard to see him standing on a nearby cliff and looking down at the scenery. ]

[She seemed to take the news well. Was it proof that her spirit heard it? Or was it just the vision responding how it thinks it would. Either way...she's gone, along with that beautiful scenery, both lost to time. He's back to the windy hills of Mondstadt.

Knowing how these things go by now, he looks around and...sure enough, there's Zhongli in the distance. There's part of him that really wants to slink away, pretend he didn't accidentally invade their private memories and pray it never gets brought up. Were it anyone else, he'd probably do just that.

But mm, he doesn't see that working with Zhongli. It'd probably be more likely to backfire. Better to face the music now. So he'll jump off that rock and make the trek over to where he's standing. ]

...Hey Zhongli.

[He's not trying, but he's sure got something like that guilty look pets get when they knew they did something bad. Sorry he invaded your memories grandpa.]

[ It's difficult to tell if Zhongli already knew what Jun saw, given that he has earth sensei and probably noticed the teen approaching from a long distance away. Nevertheless, he plays the part of a human, turning around only when spoken to. His countenance is calm as always, but he looks a little wistful, as if he had been reminiscing. ]

Hello. What brings you here?

[Considering how much time Zhongli spends reminiscing on the regular, this is not a helpful clue for Jun to decipher if Zhongli knows what he saw ok.

Either way, time to get this over with ]

Well, I saw a vision with one of your memories. It was by accident, but I thought I should let you know.

[ So, just like last time. Zhongli nods - if it was an accident, then there isn't really anything he can do about it. ]

I see. What was it about?

[ Zhongli by nature doesn't have anything to hide, because he's careful to not do anything he might regret later. If Jun wants an explanation, then that would be fine by him. It's not like his life contains much private moments. Out of his six thousand years of existence, the majority of them were spent working. ]

[So far so good, from Zhongli's reaction. Not that he didn't trust Zhongli to react calmly but...well, it still felt like he invaded a personal thing. That mattered more to humans.]

It was an ancient city, surrounded by glaze lilies. And...there was another god there, the Lord of Dust.

[ Zhongli closes his eyes when Jun mentions the Lord of Dust. He suddenly looks very tired; embodying his true six-thousand-year age instead of his human disguise. ]

That must be the first city. Its time was almost five thousand years ago.

[ Before the founding of Liyue, before the Archon Wars... before Guizhong's death. ]

The history of that time has been forgotten by most of humanity.

Edited 2021-03-06 02:28 (UTC)

[Ah...it's not hard to see the exhaustion on Zhongli's face. It far surpassed any fatigue that humans could bear.]

I had a feeling that was the case...

[Not much is remembered of Earth's history that long ago. It'd only stand to reason Teyvat would have the same issue. He's not sure if he should press more, or leave Zhongli be. Ultimately, what he saw was none of his business. So he'll ask the same question Zhongli asked him, after seeing his memory.]

Do you want to talk about it?

[ Zhongli was blessed (or perhaps cursed) with perfect memory. All that had transpired in his life could not be forgotten, and he used it as a way to record all that had transpired in Liyue. Yet most of those memories were not good ones; not even the gods would be spared from that. ]

The Lord of Dust was a gentle soul. She was intelligent and wise. You can still see some of the relics she built in Liyue's rural areas. What she lacked was strength, and that was what brought her to me.

[ Yet the world grew too small for the numerous gods to be satisfied with. Eventually, the flames of war would consume all of Teyvat. ]

Only the strong survived the Archon Wars. Her gentleness would eventually be her undoing.

[ And he, the protector of Liyue, failed to protect what he valued the most. ]

[So that's what happened. He had surmised she was gone from the world from how he never spoke of her...but this confirmed it.]

That's unfortunate ... you two seemed to make a good team.

[The Archon War...it's not the first time he's heard it mentioned. The Lord of Dust was probably just one of countless tragedies that happened then. A truly terrible era]

Did she had another name she'd go by?

Yes. Her mundane name was Guizhong.

[ Guizhong and Zhongli were the two halves of the Guili Plains. The first city became a ruin during the Archon Wars. Over the years, the wild Glaze Lilies, too, dwindled till at last they were no more. ]

Gods will never truly understand humanity, yet she still attempted to do so. She loved humans like her own children; her 'little people'. Liyue would not be complete without her.

[ Rather ironic that the Liyue of the present has mostly relegated her to the history books, but perhaps it is better this way. There is no use worshipping a departed god. ]

When she passed on, I thought it prudent to take on her role as well. [ Which was why he became gentler; more patient. But that too took thousands of years. ]

Guizhong...

[He says it quietly, committing it to memory. The similarity between that name and the Geo Archon's "human" name isn't lost on him. It can't be a coincidence. ]

Mm, I could tell how much she cared about her people. [It was plain to see in how she treated him. Kindness, through and through

But...ah. So that's what it was. ]

That explains the personality change some. The you in the vision seemed a lot more... [Scary? Intimidating?] ... Sharp-edged?

[ There are many layers of intricacy to it. Jun will understand them one day. ]

It was out of necessity. Only with force could some dangers be subdued.

[ Only after two thousand years did most of the threats to Liyue finally abate, mostly because it took two thousand years to kill or seal them all. Gentleness was a weakness in those times. ]

I am the most long-lived of all the gods remaining on Teyvat. The dreams of those lost remain with me, and I must see them realized in the place of those who could not.

[ For Guizhong, he persevered for another four thousand years. Finally, his duty has drawn to a close. ]

[Sure Zhongli, blame the dangers on your younger self's bad social skills]

Ha- I get it, really. I used to be the same, in a way.

[Though his change came much quicker than thousands of years - it was much closer to two years. It was one of the strengths of being human, they can change and adapt so much quicker than most]

That's quite a goal...do you have many dreams left to fulfill?

I do not. Over these years, I have been able to lay them to rest one by one.

[ That is a good number of years. Liyue was founded two thousand years before Jesus was even born... a span of time both immeasurably long, and immeasurably brief. ]

My journey will soon be at an end. Though, 'soon' for me is not likely to have the same meaning as it would for you.

[ He says this with a wry smile. ]

[Yeah Jesus is a baby compared to Zhongli. His Father not so much, but eh, at least Zhongli had way less chaotic early years than He did. ]

Haha...yeah, I'd say we run on different timescales.

[Even if he gave up on returning to Earth and lived out his life here on Teyvat, his time on this world would be nothing but mere moments for someone like Zhongli. It doesn't bother him. He's long accepted that he'll die one day, most likely in the line of duty.

Meanwhile Zhongli will linger on for who knows how long. Watching cities rise and fall, losing people he cares for, watching the history he lived through be forgotten.

He pauses in thought for a moment, before he lets out a small sigh] Honestly, I don't think I'll ever fully understand what you've been through. I keep hoping something cool or meaningful to say will come to me that'd help, but ... guess that only happens in anime or other fiction.

[Jun, you useless nerd. ]

[ That gets Zhongli to chuckle, albeit briefly. ]

Worry not, I would not expect full understanding from you. As I said, gods and humans are inherently different.

[ Ever pragmatic, he had walked a lonely path all these years. Even if humans tried to get close to him, it would not work out the way they wanted it to. They are too different, and the only person who ever understood him had already departed this world. ]

If anything, learn from my mistakes, and hold your friends close to your heart. The value of companionship can never be measured with Mora.

[ Hopefully Jun's world is much less lethal than Teyvat. But... this depressing topic is hardly suitable to drag on overlong. ]

Did you have anything else to ask me?

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