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[ he bristles a little at mondstadt being called his home, but doesn't argue. he simply gives another short bow of his head, and does as asked without a word, careful that he doesn't settle anywhere that might bother the dragon. he's not especially familiar with flying (even gliding isn't to his liking), but if it's anything like riding a horse bareback, he knows how to keep his balance, and holds carefully onto the mane. ]

[ If the dragon notices Kara bristling, it doesn't show that. Instead, the dragon takes off from the stone peaks with ease, flying through the clouds and beginning a gentle descent. Huaguang Stone Forest is quite beautiful to the untrained mortal eye, its peaks towering above the ground like stone pillars. The dragon's path takes it between the mountains of Jueyun Karst - all very beautiful, and all very devoid of humanity.

At last they pass through a gentle slope, and then the view ahead opens to a flat marsh. An inn built in a tree takes center in the landscape, and it seems to be the inn that the dragon spoke of. Even this inn is quite far away from the location where Kara appeared in. Without the dragon's help, he would never be able to get this far.

Eventually, the dragon lands some distance away from Wangshu Inn. It seems no one has noticed them yet, and it crouches down so that Kara can get down. Though, before Kara starts walking towards the inn, the dragon's form dissolves into a bright golden light. A familiar-looking man steps out from that glow, though he doesn't seem to recognize Kara at this time. ]

Wangshu Inn is a stopping point for caravans traveling from Mondstadt to Liyue. If you catch one of the traders passing through, you should be able to return.

Edited 2021-03-15 16:30 (UTC)

You're...

[ zhongli? but there no recognition in his eyes, and he called ookurikara "traveler" instead of his name. that man didn't strike him as the sort to do such a thing, once he knows a name. and he's just different enough from the zhongli he knows that kara lets the revelation go for now, voice trailing off.

he has questions, of course, but those can come later. instead, he places one hand on his sword to give zhongli a formal bow. ]

...Thank you.

[ he is not without manners, for a dragon. ]

Take care.

[ He turns away as Kara walks towards the inn. When Kara makes it to the inn's grounds, he might hear a few tourists gossiping about the dragon he just saw, commenting on how it looked like Rex Lapis. According to them, catching sight of the revered Archon of Liyue is sure to bring great fortune.

And then the world turns dark around him, a swirl of sand and thunder blanketing his vision. When the storm dissipates, he finds himself somewhere else once again - there's no peace in this memory. The sky is heavy with dust and storm clouds, while human soldiers clash with insect monsters all around him. In the distance he can see the same dragon as before, this time soaring in the air above a many-armed black giant. The very air crackles with charged magic from two gods, while the swarm of scorpions and beetles advance upon a settlement behind them. ]

[ archon...

the word sticks out to him from the travelers’ meeting. Archons are the gods of this world, as ookurikara understands it. so if what the people here say is right, then -

he doesn’t get the chance to finish that though, tensing as the storm whirls around him and fades to reveal some kind of battle. ookurikara nearly draws his sword on reflex, but so long as none of these… soldiers, he supposes? as long as none of them attack him, he leaves it sheathed with a hand on the hilt, ready to draw at a moment’s notice.

that dragon - zhongli - is at war with some kind of monster. there’s no helping him while he’s in the air, so the best he can do is try to help protect the settlement that zhongli seems to be fighting for, right? so he moves forward, draws his sword, and drives it through the first insect creature that turns toward him. ]

[ The swarm's only strength is in their numbers - far more than that which the humans could possibly eradicate on their own. As Ookurikara sweeps aside the beetles with ease, more rise up to take their place. The soldiers around him do take note of his battle ability, shouting words of encouragement to him - and mentioning that this is a battle for defense.

"We just need to hold out until that demon is down! Then, we'll have a peaceful life away from all these horrors!"

A soldier lets out a rallying cry, and the rest join in unison, pushing forward with their shields to drive the swarm back. There's no bloodlust in this skirmish, only a fervent desire to protect - a desire for hope fueled by seeing their god fight for their protection. The squad of soldiers eventually congrengate around Ookurikara's position.

"Let's strike back!"

They seem wholly enthusiastic about helping him clear a path forward. ]

[ his eyes wander toward the sky, keeping tabs on zhongli - or is it rex lapis? - even as he cuts down the next few beetles. offensive or defensive - it’s all the same to ookurikara, as long as there is a worthy opponent.

these are more annoying than anything. ]

Is there a way that we can help him?

Help him?

[ The question is echoed by one of the nearby soldiers, who looks confused. ]

He is fighting a demon god. If we tried to get close, we would only be killed. That's why he entrusts us with backline duty. By protecting our village, he can focus on his opponent.

[ Zhongli in battle in his dragon form has a primal sort of elegance. He doesn't spit fire or use elemental attacks, instead relying on physical blows and shockwaves. It's kind of like watching Godzilla wrestle a giant. Though, given how he's finally got the giant on his knees, the battle might be drawing to a close soon. ]

If we all do our part, it'll be okay. [ He tries to reassure Ookurikara, interpreting his question as one of worry instead. ]

[ reassurance from a human means little to him. it’s the sight of the giant facing defeat that settles it for him, and with a nod, he turns his eyes back to the insect monsters before them. it won’t be long now. ]

They won’t reach the village.

[ battle is what he was made for, so even if this is a strange village home to people he’s never met, it doesn’t matter. as long as zhongli can hold his own, ookurikara can hold the line for as long as they need to. ]

[ Time seems to pass faster in battle. After a while, no new bugs appear to replace the ones that Ookurikara cut down. The giant demon god collapses to the ground with a resounding boom, and soon meteors begin to fall from the sky on its downed body, pinning it to the ground. The corpses of killed insects start to dissolve into black dust, a sign that their creator had perished. At long last the dragon starts flying towards the village, leaving his opponent buried underneath tons of rock.

The soldiers naturally rush forward to try and greet their saviour. Like before, Zhongli takes human form after landing, assigning the humans various cleanup tasks and telling them that their duty is not yet over. There are still some stragglers hanging around, but Zhongli isn't surrounded anymore, which means Ookurikara can now go talk to him without needing to push his way through more humans. ]

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