Chapter 14: Foundations of Chaos
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Childe's True Test – A Spar That Shakes the Earth
The golden hues of Liyue's sunset painted the training grounds near the Northland Bank as Childe twirled his hydro blades with playful menace.
"Come on, comrade!" he taunted, electricity crackling between his fingers.
"Let's see why the Gnosis reacted to you!"
Orion barely raised his sword before Childe struck—but something was wrong.
The Anomalies:
1. Childe's first slash phased through Orion like he wasn't fully there
2. The ground beneath them began singing—a low, resonant hum
3. Every delusion in the nearby Fatui bank flared simultaneously
"Interesting~" Childe's eyes darkened as he activated Foul Legacy. "Let's try harder."
Their next collision sent shockwaves through the harbor.
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Zhongli's Intervention – The Archon's Dilemma
The tremors reached the funeral parlor where Zhongli was sipping tea. His cup shattered as:
- The Exuvia's scales in his desk drawer glowed
- The Sigils of Permission around the city burned with geo energy
- His own Gnosis vibrated painfully against his ribs
He materialized between the combatants just as Orion unconsciously deflected Childe's spear with—
A wing.
Not a physical one. A phantom projection of six celestial wings that:
1. Sliced through Childe's armor like paper
2. Left glowing fissures in the stone that bled golden light
3. Made Zhongli's ancient bones ache with recognition
"Enough." Zhongli's voice carried the weight of mountains. The ground sealed itself at his command, but the cracks in reality took longer to heal.
Childe panted, staring at Orion with newfound hunger. "You're no ordinary traveler."
Orion looked at his hands—where the phantom wings had emerged—and whispered: "Then what am I?"
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Zero's Revelation – The Facade Cracks
[♡~ Oops~ ♡]
Zero's giggle echoed wrong—like multiple voices layered over each other. Her maid outfit dissolved like burnt parchment, revealing:
1. A body woven from starlight and shadow
2. A crown of fractured Gnosis fragments orbiting her head
3. The Abyss Herald's mark glowing on her collarbone
"Surprise!" Zero—no, whatever she was—curtsied. "I'm not just a maid. I'm your birthday present from the Abyss!"
Zhongli's polearm materialized instantly. "You." His voice dripped with ancient venom. "The Mimic."
She blew him a kiss. "Miss me, Morax?"
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The Truth of the Gnosis
In the silent halls of Zapolyarny Palace, the Tsaritsa stood before a vault of swirling ice, where seven glowing chess pieces pulsed—each one a perfect replica.
"The Gnosis we took were never the real ones," she murmured, her breath frosting the air. "Celestia has always kept the originals locked away. What we stole were mere echoes—fragments of power the Archons themselves crafted to deceive the heavens."
Why the Archons Allowed It:
- Zhongli used the contract as cover to shed his Archon duties
- Venti let his be taken to avoid Celestia's scrutiny
- Ei never needed hers, as her power was self-contained
- The others played along, knowing the Tsaritsa's war was not against them—but beyond
Signora's Survival:
- The "Signora" who perished in Inazuma was a Mimic—one of Zero's kind
- The real Eighth Harbinger had been in Snezhnaya all along, preparing for the true war
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The Eclipse Ritual Begins
Deep in the Abyss, the Lectors chanted as the obsidian throne absorbed the dark Gnosis Ningguang had glimpsed. The figure seated upon it—a shadow of Aion's former glory—slowly took shape.
"The Sovereign returns," hissed the Herald. "The False Sky will crack!"
But as the ritual reached its crescendo, Aelia's voice cut through the void:
"You forget, Ronova. I was there when he chose to fall. Do you truly think he'll awaken as your weapon?"
The throne splintered.
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Tsaritsa's Warning – The Mimic Threat
The Cryo Archon's voice boomed across Snezhnaya as she addressed her Harbingers:
"The Abyss has unleashed their Mimics—shapeshifters who wear the faces of the dead. They are not our allies. They are not anything natural."
Signora stepped forward, her true form unveiled—a warrior clad in living frost, her eyes burning with centuries of quiet fury.
"Find Zero," the Tsaritsa commanded. "Before she brings out Aion."
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Author's Note: The pieces were always rigged. The Tsaritsa never wanted the Gnosis—she wanted Celestia to think she did. Now, the real battle begins. (Some chapter may move too fast because I cut o many chapters that I had to write it without a thought and I hope you all understand it)❄️♟️