That's the first thing Forneus noticed, back when he'd arrived in these waters. It's been a long time since then--longer still since he'd left his homeland. Even so, he remembers so clearly where he came into existence: Sheets of ice, frozen waves, and creatures larger than anything the people of Liyue could possibly imagine drifting through the lightless depths. Sometimes it still catches him off-guard, how the winds of Yaoguang Shoal tousle his hair instead of slicing his skin. How the shells of Liyue's beaches sing so sweetly, sparkling in the sun. It so rarely gets truly cold in these vast lands rich with Geo. If it weren't for the fact that he can travel with speed and ease, Forneus suspects he would miss the snow.
Ah--but he's claimed another name, that's right. "Ajax," something he'd plucked from the waters of Byakuyakoku. (He's claimed some of those Liyuen shells, too, but that hardly counts when he keeps them tucked away in a cove near the beaches they came from.)
He's a bit like a magpie, or so he's been told. "That's just another name for a thief," Beelzebul had pointed out at the time, but he'd just found it funny. Why take offense? It's not the gods' fault that so many of them are bound to their territories, reluctant to venture too far in restless times. If they could see, as he can, just how vast the world is, he's certain they would want to collect bits and pieces of it too, no matter how many wars have erupted between them.
But for all that his fellow gods consider him odd, he's begun to understand them. He never used to stay in one place--why would he, when saltwater touches anywhere and everywhere? The rivers, the lakes, the inland waters, those he leaves to their own deities, but the seas... It would have been terribly remiss of him, as their god, to leave them unexplored.
Liyue has changed him, though. It's different. Liyue has never stopped him from leaving as his whims take him, but... for the first time, Ajax has found somewhere that calls him back.
For the first time, he's found reasons to stay.
So, he has. Morax is... not exactly the most gracious of gods, sometimes, but he's permitted Ajax to claim the lands near the Shoal. Privately, Ajax suspects he's relieved to share the burden of watching over so many regions--Morax has no shortage of allies, but he has even more enemies. The Shoal, Mingyun Village, and the parts of Vindagnyr Barbatos doesn't pay attention to are a small price to pay for Ajax's--no, Forneus's allegiance.]
[And that's... what they are. Probably. "Allies" is a safe term, a truth, one which holds roughly the same meaning amongst humans as it does between gods like themselves (simply on different scales). Ajax likes to think they're close, just like Guizhong and Barbatos--they seem to have simply decided for themselves that they're Morax's friends, and Ajax has followed their lead. He's not actually sure how Morax truly feels about any of them (well, save for Guizhong)--but none of them have been buried underground or thrown to the mountaintops just yet, so it's probably fine.
...Okay, that's not true. But Ajax doesn't count the times he's provoked Morax into it, and Morax--despite his apparent confusion--has continued to indulge him, so, really. It's fine.
(And if he wonders, sometimes, about the nights when he feels Morax standing on his shores in quiet contemplation, apparently drawing peace from the sound of his gentler waves; about the moments that stern visage cracks, just enough to let mirth, warmth, and light through; about the way Morax always seems a little more focused, a little more at ease after their sparring matches--if he wonders, then he keeps it to himself.)
He's banking on those indulgences again today, as he forms a bow and arrow from water and aims in Morax's direction. From this high up on the cliffs, he can see much farther than a human could; just as Morax, he suspects, has probably already noticed him. But that's fine; Ajax isn't often inconspicuous, and he's in a mood besides. This small stretch of peaceful days won't last. Osial has been at his doorstep far too often for comfort lately, and Ajax's patience is wearing thin over it, but he doesn't want to ask for aid. He can handle it. Osial, after all, has not yet earned a gnosis, and he probably never will--Ajax is at a disadvantage when it comes to Osial's affinities, but he isn't so concerned that he can't take a day for himself.
And "a day for himself" means riling up Morax, provoking him into a spar as he so loves to do. He aims a little bit higher, then looses the arrow, watching with interest to see if it strikes true. Sometimes Barbatos knocks his arrows off-course for fun; other times, he's on Ajax's side, and they hassle Morax together. But Barbatos isn't visiting today--this shot is all on Ajax.]
[ when morax first heard of forneus, he was standing at the mouth of a cave. seawater lapped at the soles of his feet, fizzing as it reached weakly into the craggy depths. sunlight laid hot on his back, stretching his shadow underneath him.
his eyes were on the floor, where larger stalactites were once crushed into sand. on its surface, unfamiliar footprints led in and out of the cave. pieces of blue and white shell dappled parts of the ground, likely caught in the tide and rushed down against the rocks.
high tide happened in the morning, he knew. these footprints can't be more than a few hours old.
when the newly-christened anemo archon floated down beside him, morax didn't turn to look.
i see we have a visitor, said barbatos, lacing his fingers and propping them under his chin, intrigued.
liyue has a visitor, morax corrected. two now, in fact. neither of you arrived by invitation.
you can be such dull company sometimes. barbatos pouted. i only wanted to surprise a friend. you're lucky that i came when i did, in fact. what if i have some valuable information about your new squatter, hm?
morax agreed to procuring a jug of guili assembly's finest wine to give to barbatos. in exchange, barbatos divulged what he knew of the stranger. as he flew over yaoguang shoal that morning, he saw another god rise out of the ocean. this one also had a humanoid vessel, with the physique of a warrior, auburn hair, and ocean eyes that glowed as he tamed the waters around him. barbatos camped on a nearby cliff and watched the stranger slip out of the ocean and onto the beach. boringly (barbatos said) he did nothing but explore—but he did pick up an unbroken starconch. he examined it, listened to it, and held it carefully in his hand as he walked along the shore. he even dipped into the lands surrounding it.
eventually they find it: a long, smooth rock with small treasures from liyue. barbatos remarks on how kind of adorable it is. morax says nothing and turns to leave. it'll all be taken by the waters from an oncoming storm anyway.
liyue isn't new to sea gods or monsters. by morax's order, if these beasts caused substantial damage to liyue, they would quickly be disposed of.
when they finally meet, it isn't long before forneus's platitudes dissolved into the challenge he was looking for. morax, stone-faced as ever, calmly accepted.
don't hold back, forneus said, his smile teetering on the edge of lunacy. it's a look morax would never forget. i won't either.
at the end of the fight, forneus lay on his side, bleeding out a shallow puddle of pure and glittering blue. his fingers gently curled and released in his palms, and his chest heaved as he gulped for air like a fish out of water. one wide, blue eye stared back at morax, watching for any minuscule move against him as if he could respond in the first place.
morax stood over him, solid and imposing. the end of his glowing spear pointed at forneus's cheek.
he remembered his defeat of the chi near mt. qingce: flesh torn from bones, soul split from the open ribcage, spirit strangled into silence, the rain of blood over bishui plains as the parts were scattered to their graves.
this is how you kill a sea god for good. and he has killed before, plenty of times. he killed beings much more dear to him than this stranger.
he remembered the cave—the carefully laid starconches, perfectly in tact.
morax turned and departed without a word. he left a wordless demand: forneus was alive by his mercy. he should return to snezhnaya, or fontaine, anywhere far from liyue. next time, he won't be so lucky.
except.
the very next day, forneus found him again. he shot through the skies like a diving sparrow, headed straight for him. his blades were crossed over his chest, his orange hair blowed behind him, and his deep blue eyes were almost bright as stars. forneus shouted his name and laughed with mad delight before those blades met the shaft of morax's polearm, sending sparks where they collided.
morax hardly ever makes mistakes. this was one of the first.
they spar a few times before forneus—ajax, he learned—was permitted to keep yaoguang shoal and minyun village so long as he honored the terms of morax's contract. if you are the cause of any harm to liyue, he said, eyes burning yellow, i will kill you without hesitation.
ajax seemed almost dangerously excited by the threat. morax corrected himself and said that they would no longer do battle at all. that quickly ended the conversation. ]
[ the sea god settled into liyue almost like he'd always lived there. when guizhong finally caught a glimpse of him, she decided that she liked him. he was invited to guili plains to meet the people of the assembly. barbatos came to visit, and they quickly became brothers-in-arms against morax's peace and quiet. cloud retainer wasn't fond of ajax, and she made no secret of it. guizhong still asked morax to erect another seat of stone at the table on mt. aocang. he did so quickly and silently, and cloud retainer didn't protest.
of course, the spars continued, though morax denied them most of the time. during one battle, barbatos even caught him smiling. another mistake.
he never let morax forget it. he needled him in private, asking him if it meant something that a stone-faced buffoon like morax was enjoying himself when he was with ajax.
morax said that there was an unknown intruder near qingce, and they would need to act swiftly.
he and ajax have their moments. morax, knowing better, let's his guard gently loosen. ajax would interact with the residents of the village or the people of guili with ease and friendliness. he learned their customs and followed them carefully. he was unendingly loyal, surprisingly thoughtful, almost human in his attempts to connect.
occasionally they would stand at a cliff or mountaintop, two beasts simply watching the sun pass over liyue. morax would hear him say something profound, or he would show genuine admiration and warmth toward liyue. morax's eyes would surreptitiously slide over to him, and he would watch ajax close his eyes and let the warm sun press to his face. the breeze always made his hair tousle and shine. his eyelashes were brown, not black. he wore an easygoing smile much of the time, but there was a serenity to it that he only rarely showed.
ajax fought against creatures that threatened their home. he would keep liyue safe, which was most important of all.
morax knew this deep within him. the thought brought him back to the shoal again and again, quietly walking the length of the beach or standing and overlooking the waves. they lapped over his feet, bubbling as the water rose over his ankles. then they were drawn back into the ocean, away from him.
morax remembered the cove near yaoguang shoal. he thought of ajax and closed his eyes. he waited for the sound of his voice above the roar of the sea. ]
when ajax aims his arrow at morax's back, morax only seems preoccupied. ajax will be happy to see the arrow fly dangerously close, it's getting there, just a second until it hits—
in the blink of an eye, morax turns and catches the arrow in his glowing fist, the tail of his hair whipping behind him. the shaft burns his palm a little, but he looks entirely unfazed. maybe even bored.
a stele erupts from the ground underneath ajax's feet. he's launched quickly into the air and sails towards a cluster of sandbearer trees a little further down the cliff.
[It's what he expected--he's in Morax's domain, after all. And besides, while the seas may pre-date even the first hints of earth, Morax walked his lands long before Ajax rose from his depths.
It's a strong retaliation, because Morax, for all that he tolerates Ajax's games, is not one for lenience. In Ajax's (admittedly biased) opinion, he doesn't typically use more force than needed, but neither does he pull his punches. He attacks with perfect precision, and Ajax delights in it. For someone so tied to the waters that define him, there is a joy in the reminder that this form is tangible enough to be struck.
So he laughs as he goes flying, effervescent. It's a simple task to call up the water and let it envelop him, and he uses the trees to redirect his trajectory, sailing towards Morax. Unhindered by gravity, though Ajax suspects it's less that he's meant to be able to do this, and more that the forces that created him didn't realize they'd have to stop him from trying.
Landing on his feet next to Morax probably would've been the smart thing to do, especially since he does want to chat. But how is that fun? He's had countless foes to slay recently, sure, but that's a necessity. That's his duty, what he swore to do--not Morax's divine contract, but the promise he made to the people.
There is so much life within the depths of the ocean, beyond what he could even begin to describe to those who can't witness it themselves. It isn't life that makes the humans special. It's that humans are the only land creatures who have ever tried to brave the raging tides. The only ones who have gazed upon him from afar and reached out toward the horizon. And Ajax will do anything to keep that adventurous spirit alive.
So he fights. For them, he fights. He enjoys it, too, even when it frustrates him on a larger scale. But that's not fun, the way sparring with Morax is. All this to say--
No, he does not land neatly on his feet beside Morax. Instead, he lets his water bubble burst when he's merely a few feet away, revealing the watery spear in his hand. He doesn't hold back as he lunges for Morax, since, well. He made quite a conspicuous sight, sailing over the cliffs in a great glittering sphere like he did. Even a godling would be prepared to block this strike, and Ajax isn't counting on landing a hit so much as engaging in a spar in earnest with the first blow.]
[ morax doesn't turn to watch the bubble bounce from the trees and careen towards him. he stays planted at his post, lets the arrow fall onto the grass beside him, and crosses his arms as he looks out towards liyue, unfazed.
in truth, his concentration is half-elsewhere. he hears those delighted, familiar peals of laughter under burbling water. anticipation prickles in his stomach—a feeling he's used to by now, though it only arrived after ajax came upon liyue's shores.
his mouth twitches. ajax is having the time of his life already. would morax indulge him today?
as always, morax times his moves perfectly. he shuts his eyes, and once the bubble bursts and ajax's feet touch the ground, morax thrusts out his arms on either side of him, fingers splayed. diamonds of gold flash from his hands, and immediately a glittering, transparent shield encapsulates him. bits of rock orbit him in perfect, bisecting circles.
if ajax doesn't stop himself first, his spear will strike the shield's surface like a tuning fork, ricocheting with a high-pitched ring. morax doesn't open his eyes, solid and imposing. ]
[The spear strikes the shield, and Ajax lets it burst apart as he skids to a halt, sharpening the pieces into fine points. They vibrate where they're held in the air, glittering in the sunlight as Ajax forms a new weapon--this one more like a harpoon.
Does it hold him back to use human weapons? Yes. Does he do it anyway, when he can afford to have some fun? Absolutely.]
[ morax can hear the searing sound of water sharpening into blades, the whip of a staff-like weapon as ajax brandishes it. still, he looks unmoved. his eyes stay closed as morax crosses his arms. his shield still turns smoothly around him, glowing faintly yellow.
ajax just wants to play—a dog biting and tugging at the ear of a much larger beast. if morax has to, he can give him what he wants and finally silence him, but it hasn't come to that point yet.
(he isn't outright refusing him either, even though he can. sue him.) ]
Your attempts at engaging me were lacking. I'm sure even you were well aware of that.
[It's attention, but it's not enough. Ajax has become something more than Forneus, but he is still accustomed to being treated with awe, and no small amount of fear. Seas are treacherous and unpredictable, after all. Forneus himself is, he suspects, partially made of the spirits of those lost beneath the waves. Is it any wonder, then, that he's fascinated by those who react differently? That he's just a little bit obsessed with the one person who looks at him like he's a particularly annoying leak in a dam wall?
It's not enough, but it's a start. If Morax is talking to him, then Ajax isn't interrupting anything that important. He grins, bouncing back and forth from his watery leg to the flesh one and back again.]
If I'm gentle, then you say my attempts are "lacking." If I use force, you scold me for destroying the countryside. Admit it, you're just impossible to satisfy.
[ when morax finally opens his eyes again, his gaze sets on the great cavern of jueyun karst ahead of them. from his vantage, there's always a faint spray of water from the falls along the cliffs. ajax knew where to find him because this is one of the places he frequents. because it's refreshing, of course.
he can see ajax's little dance from the corner of his eye. morax presses his lips together. thankfully it looks like his jaw setting. they are literallyjust this. ]
I would be satisfied if you'd cease these provocations altogether, particularly those that endanger what I've sworn to preserve.
[ ajax is a force of nature, rightfully feared and respected by many. it's only morax's indomitable elemental strength and millennia-old wisdom that makes them unevenly matched. he knows that. ]
[STOP THAT GIF IS SO CUTE AND ALSO EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING
Especially because it's easy to talk and attack at the same time, so Ajax does just that. The shards of water launch at Morax's shield, glimmering explosions seeking to cause even the tiniest crack in Morax's shield. It's unlikely that they actually will, Ajax knows, but he's not really counting on them for that; rather, he'll either wheedle Morax into lowering his shield and fighting him like he wants, or he'll overwhelm his attention until Morax is distracted and drops his shield. Either one is fine with him--patience is an easy thing when you measure the time in centuries.]
Barbatos says that if you actually wanted me to leave you alone, you would've kicked me out by now.
[Technically Barbatos said "If he wanted us to go away," but close enough.]
[ he inclines his head and furrows his brow. around him, the tiny blades strike the shield like shards of ice against a stone floor, bursting on impact.
the shield won't last forever. morax had formed this pretty hastily and without too much effort it'll shatter into gold flecks not too long from now. when it does, he'll be prepared. ]
A fact which you often take for granted.
[ and he should tbh. because morax is definitely never kicking him out.
he tilts his head and looks sidelong at ajax, his gaze narrow and scrutinizing, set upon that sunny smirk. the harpoon shines in his hand, transparent blue just like his leg. through it, morax can see the wobbly image of the cliff behind ajax. ]
You have other adversaries that would indulge you, yet you continue to press your luck despite my warnings.
[ the shield around him pulses yellow in quick succession. time is almost up already, or it's poor durability is already giving up. he doesn't look concerned. ]
[It's only a sidelong look, but it clearly pleases Ajax anyway; his eyes, already glowing that unnatural, Archon-bright blue, light up in delight at the attention. He shifts the harpoon to his other hand, slowly starting to circle around Morax as he watches for his opening. At his back, arrows made of seawater begin to form.]
But I don't want to bother them! I'm here for you.
[An easy admittance, even though he really shouldn't just straight-up say he's purposely bothering Morax??? Wow... someone knows he's spoiled...]
[ it always happens whenever morax deigns to look at ajax while he's prowling around for a battle. he knows that if morax finally meets his eye, there's a better chance of him acquiescing to what he's after. if ajax's bloodthirstiness wasn't so apparent, that exhilarated look would almost be endearing.
(read: cute. and it already is.)
morax keeps his gaze until ajax is out of view. he doesn't turn his head to follow him as he circles; he just looks forward again, unseeing, focusing on the earth around him. however quiet, ajax's steps ripple into the earth, through the grass and dirt pressed under his soles. morax feels all of it. ]
I see. So bothering me is acceptable, and bothering others is not.
[ he lifts his chin and unfolds his arms. ]
You still have much to learn about the concept of fairness. I shall graciously educate you.
[ the shield suddenly snaps and disappears in shards of golden light. before the watery blades can reach him, morax darts away towards ajax behind him.
eyes glowing, morax strikes his arm out in front of him, palm facing forward. vortex vanquisher appears in a flash of light beside his hand, and it shoots out towards ajax's heart with a silvery rasp. ]
[Can't believe Morax is eternally a sucker for bloodthirsty puppies. Ajax probably has a field day whenever he and Azhdaha get to run wild in the countryside.
But, ah, there--in the split second after Morax's shield vanishes, Ajax is lunging forward, seizing the opportunity. His harpoon meets Vortex Vanquisher with a brilliant crash; Morax is too strong for him to block completely, but it's enough to redirect it into a glancing blow, one that catches his shoulder, drawing blood. Ajax laughs as he spins around, darting back in to attack in earnest now that Morax has decided to engage him.]
I didn't say that! [Oh?] I just said I didn't want bother them. [Oh]
[ listen he has a type... it just took him way too long to realize it.
morax is unmoved, watching as his polearm slices through skin and spatters brilliant, blue blood onto the edge of the blade. ajax whirls and morax turns to meet him, folding one arm behind his back as he parries the attack with the back end of his spear. his expression never falters, his golden eyes burning beneath the shadow of his hood, which flares from the force of his movements. ]
Yes. You wanted instead to bother me.
[ the next few attacks end with morax (irritatingly) blocking rather than retaliating, cutting off each thrust and swipe before it can flourish.
at one point, his brows lift as the harpoon very nearly strikes the side of his waist.
that's all ajax gets before his attack is thrown off, with force enough to stagger him back. morax finally strikes across, up, down, and kicks the butt end of Vortex Vanquisher into a golden whirl in the air, the polearm barely visible in its velocity.
under his expression, beneath the crust and mantles that make him, the core of morax's chest pulses with feeling. it always briefly comes to life each time he hears that laughter, like a single beat of a heron's wings, beautiful yet incomplete (and, analogy aside, a little addicting). ]
Exactly! [DON'T SAY IT SO CONFIDENTLY.] It wouldn't be fair to bother them when I wanted to bother you. [THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS.
But, ah--this. This is what he'd hoped for. He sinks into the rhythm of battle, savoring the clash of solid, earthy power against his own fluidity. His eyes glow with excitement, and he doesn't slow down at all even as bright blue stains his clothing.
Ajax has always enjoyed experimenting (playing) with new weapons, especially the ones created by humans. Morax, on the other hand--though he is just as talented with weaponry--clearly wields Vortex Vanquisher as if it's an extension of himself. He kicks too quickly for Ajax to dodge; instead, Ajax leans back and lifts his watery arm, allowing the spear to slice through it, severing his wrist. Goodbye hand.
It's only temporary, though. Tendrils of water begin to form almost immediately, rebuilding his lost limb as he strikes out with the other. If it hurts (it does), he doesn't show it, aiming to disrupt Morax's footing instead.
[ goodbye hand #492. imorax has severed ajax's liquid limbs before. he's seen how quickly those limbs reform, how the hydro braids itself back into its length and appendages. it's easy to mistake this as easy and painless—hydro doesn't have nerves or blood or bones to break—but morax's memory is endless and accurate. he's sprayed enough saltwater to see pain flash across ajax's face when morax cuts too close to his flesh. it's extremely rare when he shows it, and it can only be understood by someone who's seen what pain looks like across a god's face.
morax remembers this when this latest hand spatters into glittering blue specks. ajax plays it off, teasing and trying to disarm him, and irritation tightens in morax's chest. in the early throes of their companionship, he had no trouble with slicing and carving the god of waves into pieces. now, incomprehensible as it was, it gets harder to endure the sight of it with each passing day.
he releases all restraint. his eyes glow a deep orange-gold, and suddenly he reaches out and pulls his fist in towards his chest. a torrent of rocks flies in and bullet against the back of ajax's legs until they buckle. as ajax falls, morax spins a perfect, painful kick right against his cheekbone and forces him to the floor with the butt of his polearm.
there, morax drops his knee heavily beside ajax's chest. he grasps ajax's chin in his hand and yanks it upward to face him. rocks fall and shackle his wrists against the floor, and in a flash, vortex vanquisher is pointing at the ball of his throat, close enough to draw a pearl of blue blood from ajax's skin.
morax's golden eyes bore into his. his expression is undaunted and imposing—the look of an unforgiving deity to its errant subject. he isn't even panting for breath. ]
That's enough.
Edited (making it so he's not crushing him w his knee) 2023-02-12 15:39 (UTC)
[It's difficult to catch Ajax off-guard when he's this engaged--all of his attention, perhaps more than he should really spare, fixed on the twist of Morax's hips as he strikes out, the shifting of his footing, the piercing glow of his eyes. But he's not expecting the sudden increase in intensity, especially not when he's partially focused on reforming his hand. Suddenly, Morax's every effort is meant to take him down, and Ajax can't fight that off.
He falls, but before he can even register the breath being knocked out of his body, Morax is there. His grip on Ajax's chin is tight and unyielding, and Ajax can feel the tip of Vortex Vanquisher against his skin, cutting into him with every quick, shallow breath he takes.
Ajax is, dimly, aware of his lips parting for a sound that never comes out, of his heart beating rabbit-fast inside him. A funny thing, that, given that this body is not truly human. He can't bring himself to think about it overmuch, though, not when he can't look away from Morax's eyes.
He holds very still, the two of them caught in a breathless limbo. His face, oddly, feels warm.]
...I yield. [Finally, when he can find his voice again. His weapons vanish with a splash of sparkling seawater, as if to prove the truth of his words.]
[ morax never wanted abject worship. the god of contracts provided care and protection and strategy, and never for any grand rewards or glorification. he didn't ask for the prostrating of subjects at altars, the statues and golden icons, gifts of fruit and wine meant only for him. his people continued with their adulation despite his distaste and disagreement, and eventually he gave up on the endeavor to change their minds, neither addressing nor discouraging it unless explicitly asked.
morax fails those ideals during these silent inbetweens. his battles with ajax almost always end this way, with him suspending ajax's life from a spider's thread and, just for a moment, ajax willfully at his mercy. in his periphery, morax sees the perfect oval of ajax's mouth, the blood dotted on the edge of his lip, the shine of his tongue and teeth in the darkness inside. but morax's focus is on the fathomless blue of his eyes, the blown pupils black as obsidian, the way ajax looks at him like he can see nothing else.
familiar impulses slip into his thoughts like smoke. for thousands of years, morax was distantly aware of the hedonistic customs and exchanges between human beings. until the god of waves arrived, morax never thought of engaging in them himself. now, he briefly imagines testing the softness of ajax's mouth with the tip of his thumb, running his fingers over the warm flush on his cheeks, turning his head and closing ajax's lips with—
he awakens again when ajax's weapons burst into saltwater over the grass. there's no evidence of his previous thoughts except for the slight softening of his gaze, his eyes more narrowed and relaxed. he's pleased by the reaction, and he makes no attempt to hide it. his hold on ajax's jaw hasn't faltered, and vortex vanquisher still holds fast against the bobbing of ajax's throat. ]
Shall I take your word for it, Ajax?
[ because morax knows him well by now. (is there anyone else in the world that knows ajax as well as he does?) if ajax wasn't focused on reshaping his severed hand, he might have slipped it through his shackle and thrown them back into combat. ]
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archon reincarnation idiots-to-lovers(?) extravaganza 1/2
That's the first thing Forneus noticed, back when he'd arrived in these waters. It's been a long time since then--longer still since he'd left his homeland. Even so, he remembers so clearly where he came into existence: Sheets of ice, frozen waves, and creatures larger than anything the people of Liyue could possibly imagine drifting through the lightless depths. Sometimes it still catches him off-guard, how the winds of Yaoguang Shoal tousle his hair instead of slicing his skin. How the shells of Liyue's beaches sing so sweetly, sparkling in the sun. It so rarely gets truly cold in these vast lands rich with Geo. If it weren't for the fact that he can travel with speed and ease, Forneus suspects he would miss the snow.
Ah--but he's claimed another name, that's right. "Ajax," something he'd plucked from the waters of Byakuyakoku. (He's claimed some of those Liyuen shells, too, but that hardly counts when he keeps them tucked away in a cove near the beaches they came from.)
He's a bit like a magpie, or so he's been told. "That's just another name for a thief," Beelzebul had pointed out at the time, but he'd just found it funny. Why take offense? It's not the gods' fault that so many of them are bound to their territories, reluctant to venture too far in restless times. If they could see, as he can, just how vast the world is, he's certain they would want to collect bits and pieces of it too, no matter how many wars have erupted between them.
But for all that his fellow gods consider him odd, he's begun to understand them. He never used to stay in one place--why would he, when saltwater touches anywhere and everywhere? The rivers, the lakes, the inland waters, those he leaves to their own deities, but the seas... It would have been terribly remiss of him, as their god, to leave them unexplored.
Liyue has changed him, though. It's different. Liyue has never stopped him from leaving as his whims take him, but... for the first time, Ajax has found somewhere that calls him back.
For the first time, he's found reasons to stay.
So, he has. Morax is... not exactly the most gracious of gods, sometimes, but he's permitted Ajax to claim the lands near the Shoal. Privately, Ajax suspects he's relieved to share the burden of watching over so many regions--Morax has no shortage of allies, but he has even more enemies. The Shoal, Mingyun Village, and the parts of Vindagnyr Barbatos doesn't pay attention to are a small price to pay for Ajax's--no, Forneus's allegiance.]
no subject
...Okay, that's not true. But Ajax doesn't count the times he's provoked Morax into it, and Morax--despite his apparent confusion--has continued to indulge him, so, really. It's fine.
(And if he wonders, sometimes, about the nights when he feels Morax standing on his shores in quiet contemplation, apparently drawing peace from the sound of his gentler waves; about the moments that stern visage cracks, just enough to let mirth, warmth, and light through; about the way Morax always seems a little more focused, a little more at ease after their sparring matches--if he wonders, then he keeps it to himself.)
He's banking on those indulgences again today, as he forms a bow and arrow from water and aims in Morax's direction. From this high up on the cliffs, he can see much farther than a human could; just as Morax, he suspects, has probably already noticed him. But that's fine; Ajax isn't often inconspicuous, and he's in a mood besides. This small stretch of peaceful days won't last. Osial has been at his doorstep far too often for comfort lately, and Ajax's patience is wearing thin over it, but he doesn't want to ask for aid. He can handle it. Osial, after all, has not yet earned a gnosis, and he probably never will--Ajax is at a disadvantage when it comes to Osial's affinities, but he isn't so concerned that he can't take a day for himself.
And "a day for himself" means riling up Morax, provoking him into a spar as he so loves to do. He aims a little bit higher, then looses the arrow, watching with interest to see if it strikes true. Sometimes Barbatos knocks his arrows off-course for fun; other times, he's on Ajax's side, and they hassle Morax together. But Barbatos isn't visiting today--this shot is all on Ajax.]
1/3? maybe
his eyes were on the floor, where larger stalactites were once crushed into sand. on its surface, unfamiliar footprints led in and out of the cave. pieces of blue and white shell dappled parts of the ground, likely caught in the tide and rushed down against the rocks.
high tide happened in the morning, he knew. these footprints can't be more than a few hours old.
when the newly-christened anemo archon floated down beside him, morax didn't turn to look.
i see we have a visitor, said barbatos, lacing his fingers and propping them under his chin, intrigued.
liyue has a visitor, morax corrected. two now, in fact. neither of you arrived by invitation.
you can be such dull company sometimes. barbatos pouted. i only wanted to surprise a friend. you're lucky that i came when i did, in fact. what if i have some valuable information about your new squatter, hm?
morax agreed to procuring a jug of guili assembly's finest wine to give to barbatos. in exchange, barbatos divulged what he knew of the stranger. as he flew over yaoguang shoal that morning, he saw another god rise out of the ocean. this one also had a humanoid vessel, with the physique of a warrior, auburn hair, and ocean eyes that glowed as he tamed the waters around him. barbatos camped on a nearby cliff and watched the stranger slip out of the ocean and onto the beach. boringly (barbatos said) he did nothing but explore—but he did pick up an unbroken starconch. he examined it, listened to it, and held it carefully in his hand as he walked along the shore. he even dipped into the lands surrounding it.
eventually they find it: a long, smooth rock with small treasures from liyue. barbatos remarks on how kind of adorable it is. morax says nothing and turns to leave. it'll all be taken by the waters from an oncoming storm anyway.
liyue isn't new to sea gods or monsters. by morax's order, if these beasts caused substantial damage to liyue, they would quickly be disposed of.
when they finally meet, it isn't long before forneus's platitudes dissolved into the challenge he was looking for. morax, stone-faced as ever, calmly accepted.
don't hold back, forneus said, his smile teetering on the edge of lunacy. it's a look morax would never forget. i won't either.
at the end of the fight, forneus lay on his side, bleeding out a shallow puddle of pure and glittering blue. his fingers gently curled and released in his palms, and his chest heaved as he gulped for air like a fish out of water. one wide, blue eye stared back at morax, watching for any minuscule move against him as if he could respond in the first place.
morax stood over him, solid and imposing. the end of his glowing spear pointed at forneus's cheek.
he remembered his defeat of the chi near mt. qingce: flesh torn from bones, soul split from the open ribcage, spirit strangled into silence, the rain of blood over bishui plains as the parts were scattered to their graves.
this is how you kill a sea god for good. and he has killed before, plenty of times. he killed beings much more dear to him than this stranger.
he remembered the cave—the carefully laid starconches, perfectly in tact.
morax turned and departed without a word. he left a wordless demand: forneus was alive by his mercy. he should return to snezhnaya, or fontaine, anywhere far from liyue. next time, he won't be so lucky.
except.
the very next day, forneus found him again. he shot through the skies like a diving sparrow, headed straight for him. his blades were crossed over his chest, his orange hair blowed behind him, and his deep blue eyes were almost bright as stars. forneus shouted his name and laughed with mad delight before those blades met the shaft of morax's polearm, sending sparks where they collided.
morax hardly ever makes mistakes. this was one of the first.
they spar a few times before forneus—ajax, he learned—was permitted to keep yaoguang shoal and minyun village so long as he honored the terms of morax's contract. if you are the cause of any harm to liyue, he said, eyes burning yellow, i will kill you without hesitation.
ajax seemed almost dangerously excited by the threat. morax corrected himself and said that they would no longer do battle at all. that quickly ended the conversation. ]
2/3 oops
of course, the spars continued, though morax denied them most of the time. during one battle, barbatos even caught him smiling. another mistake.
he never let morax forget it. he needled him in private, asking him if it meant something that a stone-faced buffoon like morax was enjoying himself when he was with ajax.
morax said that there was an unknown intruder near qingce, and they would need to act swiftly.
he and ajax have their moments. morax, knowing better, let's his guard gently loosen. ajax would interact with the residents of the village or the people of guili with ease and friendliness. he learned their customs and followed them carefully. he was unendingly loyal, surprisingly thoughtful, almost human in his attempts to connect.
occasionally they would stand at a cliff or mountaintop, two beasts simply watching the sun pass over liyue. morax would hear him say something profound, or he would show genuine admiration and warmth toward liyue. morax's eyes would surreptitiously slide over to him, and he would watch ajax close his eyes and let the warm sun press to his face. the breeze always made his hair tousle and shine. his eyelashes were brown, not black. he wore an easygoing smile much of the time, but there was a serenity to it that he only rarely showed.
ajax fought against creatures that threatened their home. he would keep liyue safe, which was most important of all.
morax knew this deep within him. the thought brought him back to the shoal again and again, quietly walking the length of the beach or standing and overlooking the waves. they lapped over his feet, bubbling as the water rose over his ankles. then they were drawn back into the ocean, away from him.
morax remembered the cove near yaoguang shoal. he thought of ajax and closed his eyes. he waited for the sound of his voice above the roar of the sea. ]
3/3
when ajax aims his arrow at morax's back, morax only seems preoccupied. ajax will be happy to see the arrow fly dangerously close, it's getting there, just a second until it hits—
in the blink of an eye, morax turns and catches the arrow in his glowing fist, the tail of his hair whipping behind him. the shaft burns his palm a little, but he looks entirely unfazed. maybe even bored.
a stele erupts from the ground underneath ajax's feet. he's launched quickly into the air and sails towards a cluster of sandbearer trees a little further down the cliff.
better luck next time! ]
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It's a strong retaliation, because Morax, for all that he tolerates Ajax's games, is not one for lenience. In Ajax's (admittedly biased) opinion, he doesn't typically use more force than needed, but neither does he pull his punches. He attacks with perfect precision, and Ajax delights in it. For someone so tied to the waters that define him, there is a joy in the reminder that this form is tangible enough to be struck.
So he laughs as he goes flying, effervescent. It's a simple task to call up the water and let it envelop him, and he uses the trees to redirect his trajectory, sailing towards Morax. Unhindered by gravity, though Ajax suspects it's less that he's meant to be able to do this, and more that the forces that created him didn't realize they'd have to stop him from trying.
Landing on his feet next to Morax probably would've been the smart thing to do, especially since he does want to chat. But how is that fun? He's had countless foes to slay recently, sure, but that's a necessity. That's his duty, what he swore to do--not Morax's divine contract, but the promise he made to the people.
There is so much life within the depths of the ocean, beyond what he could even begin to describe to those who can't witness it themselves. It isn't life that makes the humans special. It's that humans are the only land creatures who have ever tried to brave the raging tides. The only ones who have gazed upon him from afar and reached out toward the horizon. And Ajax will do anything to keep that adventurous spirit alive.
So he fights. For them, he fights. He enjoys it, too, even when it frustrates him on a larger scale. But that's not fun, the way sparring with Morax is. All this to say--
No, he does not land neatly on his feet beside Morax. Instead, he lets his water bubble burst when he's merely a few feet away, revealing the watery spear in his hand. He doesn't hold back as he lunges for Morax, since, well. He made quite a conspicuous sight, sailing over the cliffs in a great glittering sphere like he did. Even a godling would be prepared to block this strike, and Ajax isn't counting on landing a hit so much as engaging in a spar in earnest with the first blow.]
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in truth, his concentration is half-elsewhere. he hears those delighted, familiar peals of laughter under burbling water. anticipation prickles in his stomach—a feeling he's used to by now, though it only arrived after ajax came upon liyue's shores.
his mouth twitches. ajax is having the time of his life already. would morax indulge him today?
as always, morax times his moves perfectly. he shuts his eyes, and once the bubble bursts and ajax's feet touch the ground, morax thrusts out his arms on either side of him, fingers splayed. diamonds of gold flash from his hands, and immediately a glittering, transparent shield encapsulates him. bits of rock orbit him in perfect, bisecting circles.
if ajax doesn't stop himself first, his spear will strike the shield's surface like a tuning fork, ricocheting with a high-pitched ring. morax doesn't open his eyes, solid and imposing. ]
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Does it hold him back to use human weapons? Yes. Does he do it anyway, when he can afford to have some fun? Absolutely.]
What are you, a statue? Don't just stand there!
[open your eyeeeees pay attention to hiiiiiim]
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ajax just wants to play—a dog biting and tugging at the ear of a much larger beast. if morax has to, he can give him what he wants and finally silence him, but it hasn't come to that point yet.
(he isn't outright refusing him either, even though he can. sue him.) ]
Your attempts at engaging me were lacking. I'm sure even you were well aware of that.
[ there. he's paying attention. ]
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It's not enough, but it's a start. If Morax is talking to him, then Ajax isn't interrupting anything that important. He grins, bouncing back and forth from his watery leg to the flesh one and back again.]
If I'm gentle, then you say my attempts are "lacking." If I use force, you scold me for destroying the countryside. Admit it, you're just impossible to satisfy.
his water leggy 🥺💞
he can see ajax's little dance from the corner of his eye. morax presses his lips together. thankfully it looks like his jaw setting. they are literally just this. ]
I would be satisfied if you'd cease these provocations altogether, particularly those that endanger what I've sworn to preserve.
[ ajax is a force of nature, rightfully feared and respected by many. it's only morax's indomitable elemental strength and millennia-old wisdom that makes them unevenly matched. he knows that. ]
I had to do it!!!
Especially because it's easy to talk and attack at the same time, so Ajax does just that. The shards of water launch at Morax's shield, glimmering explosions seeking to cause even the tiniest crack in Morax's shield. It's unlikely that they actually will, Ajax knows, but he's not really counting on them for that; rather, he'll either wheedle Morax into lowering his shield and fighting him like he wants, or he'll overwhelm his attention until Morax is distracted and drops his shield. Either one is fine with him--patience is an easy thing when you measure the time in centuries.]
Barbatos says that if you actually wanted me to leave you alone, you would've kicked me out by now.
[Technically Barbatos said "If he wanted us to go away," but close enough.]
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the shield won't last forever. morax had formed this pretty hastily and without too much effort it'll shatter into gold flecks not too long from now. when it does, he'll be prepared. ]
A fact which you often take for granted.
[ and he should tbh. because morax is definitely never kicking him out.
he tilts his head and looks sidelong at ajax, his gaze narrow and scrutinizing, set upon that sunny smirk. the harpoon shines in his hand, transparent blue just like his leg. through it, morax can see the wobbly image of the cliff behind ajax. ]
You have other adversaries that would indulge you, yet you continue to press your luck despite my warnings.
[ the shield around him pulses yellow in quick succession. time is almost up already, or it's poor durability is already giving up. he doesn't look concerned. ]
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But I don't want to bother them! I'm here for you.
[An easy admittance, even though he really shouldn't just straight-up say he's purposely bothering Morax??? Wow... someone knows he's spoiled...]
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(read: cute. and it already is.)
morax keeps his gaze until ajax is out of view. he doesn't turn his head to follow him as he circles; he just looks forward again, unseeing, focusing on the earth around him. however quiet, ajax's steps ripple into the earth, through the grass and dirt pressed under his soles. morax feels all of it. ]
I see. So bothering me is acceptable, and bothering others is not.
[ he lifts his chin and unfolds his arms. ]
You still have much to learn about the concept of fairness. I shall graciously educate you.
[ the shield suddenly snaps and disappears in shards of golden light. before the watery blades can reach him, morax darts away towards ajax behind him.
eyes glowing, morax strikes his arm out in front of him, palm facing forward. vortex vanquisher appears in a flash of light beside his hand, and it shoots out towards ajax's heart with a silvery rasp. ]
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But, ah, there--in the split second after Morax's shield vanishes, Ajax is lunging forward, seizing the opportunity. His harpoon meets Vortex Vanquisher with a brilliant crash; Morax is too strong for him to block completely, but it's enough to redirect it into a glancing blow, one that catches his shoulder, drawing blood. Ajax laughs as he spins around, darting back in to attack in earnest now that Morax has decided to engage him.]
I didn't say that! [Oh?] I just said I didn't want bother them. [Oh]
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morax is unmoved, watching as his polearm slices through skin and spatters brilliant, blue blood onto the edge of the blade. ajax whirls and morax turns to meet him, folding one arm behind his back as he parries the attack with the back end of his spear. his expression never falters, his golden eyes burning beneath the shadow of his hood, which flares from the force of his movements. ]
Yes. You wanted instead to bother me.
[ the next few attacks end with morax (irritatingly) blocking rather than retaliating, cutting off each thrust and swipe before it can flourish.
at one point, his brows lift as the harpoon very nearly strikes the side of his waist.
that's all ajax gets before his attack is thrown off, with force enough to stagger him back. morax finally strikes across, up, down, and kicks the butt end of Vortex Vanquisher into a golden whirl in the air, the polearm barely visible in its velocity.
under his expression, beneath the crust and mantles that make him, the core of morax's chest pulses with feeling. it always briefly comes to life each time he hears that laughter, like a single beat of a heron's wings, beautiful yet incomplete (and, analogy aside, a little addicting). ]
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Exactly! [DON'T SAY IT SO CONFIDENTLY.] It wouldn't be fair to bother them when I wanted to bother you. [THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS.
But, ah--this. This is what he'd hoped for. He sinks into the rhythm of battle, savoring the clash of solid, earthy power against his own fluidity. His eyes glow with excitement, and he doesn't slow down at all even as bright blue stains his clothing.
Ajax has always enjoyed experimenting (playing) with new weapons, especially the ones created by humans. Morax, on the other hand--though he is just as talented with weaponry--clearly wields Vortex Vanquisher as if it's an extension of himself. He kicks too quickly for Ajax to dodge; instead, Ajax leans back and lifts his watery arm, allowing the spear to slice through it, severing his wrist. Goodbye hand.
It's only temporary, though. Tendrils of water begin to form almost immediately, rebuilding his lost limb as he strikes out with the other. If it hurts (it does), he doesn't show it, aiming to disrupt Morax's footing instead.
Teasingly--]
Finally learning how to loosen up?
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morax remembers this when this latest hand spatters into glittering blue specks. ajax plays it off, teasing and trying to disarm him, and irritation tightens in morax's chest. in the early throes of their companionship, he had no trouble with slicing and carving the god of waves into pieces. now, incomprehensible as it was, it gets harder to endure the sight of it with each passing day.
he releases all restraint. his eyes glow a deep orange-gold, and suddenly he reaches out and pulls his fist in towards his chest. a torrent of rocks flies in and bullet against the back of ajax's legs until they buckle. as ajax falls, morax spins a perfect, painful kick right against his cheekbone and forces him to the floor with the butt of his polearm.
there, morax drops his knee heavily beside ajax's chest. he grasps ajax's chin in his hand and yanks it upward to face him. rocks fall and shackle his wrists against the floor, and in a flash, vortex vanquisher is pointing at the ball of his throat, close enough to draw a pearl of blue blood from ajax's skin.
morax's golden eyes bore into his. his expression is undaunted and imposing—the look of an unforgiving deity to its errant subject. he isn't even panting for breath. ]
That's enough.
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He falls, but before he can even register the breath being knocked out of his body, Morax is there. His grip on Ajax's chin is tight and unyielding, and Ajax can feel the tip of Vortex Vanquisher against his skin, cutting into him with every quick, shallow breath he takes.
Ajax is, dimly, aware of his lips parting for a sound that never comes out, of his heart beating rabbit-fast inside him. A funny thing, that, given that this body is not truly human. He can't bring himself to think about it overmuch, though, not when he can't look away from Morax's eyes.
He holds very still, the two of them caught in a breathless limbo. His face, oddly, feels warm.]
...I yield. [Finally, when he can find his voice again. His weapons vanish with a splash of sparkling seawater, as if to prove the truth of his words.]
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morax fails those ideals during these silent inbetweens. his battles with ajax almost always end this way, with him suspending ajax's life from a spider's thread and, just for a moment, ajax willfully at his mercy. in his periphery, morax sees the perfect oval of ajax's mouth, the blood dotted on the edge of his lip, the shine of his tongue and teeth in the darkness inside. but morax's focus is on the fathomless blue of his eyes, the blown pupils black as obsidian, the way ajax looks at him like he can see nothing else.
familiar impulses slip into his thoughts like smoke. for thousands of years, morax was distantly aware of the hedonistic customs and exchanges between human beings. until the god of waves arrived, morax never thought of engaging in them himself. now, he briefly imagines testing the softness of ajax's mouth with the tip of his thumb, running his fingers over the warm flush on his cheeks, turning his head and closing ajax's lips with—
he awakens again when ajax's weapons burst into saltwater over the grass. there's no evidence of his previous thoughts except for the slight softening of his gaze, his eyes more narrowed and relaxed. he's pleased by the reaction, and he makes no attempt to hide it. his hold on ajax's jaw hasn't faltered, and vortex vanquisher still holds fast against the bobbing of ajax's throat. ]
Shall I take your word for it, Ajax?
[ because morax knows him well by now. (is there anyone else in the world that knows ajax as well as he does?) if ajax wasn't focused on reshaping his severed hand, he might have slipped it through his shackle and thrown them back into combat. ]