My Time in Teyvat [Tales of Luna, Book 2]

Chapter 33 - Exchange between Archons

"Why should I do anything for you for free, old friend?" Rex Lapis asked. "You have lost your power and are more pathetic than you have ever been. You were not born a god, and it shows. But why don't we make another contract?"

He lazily pointed towards Luna with his finger, not even closing the rest of his fingers in doing so, as if it took too much effort.

"Kill her, and I will let you keep-" He paused before gazing around a little. "Well, I will let you keep whatever is left of Mondstadt. How about it?"

Even my beloved Zhongli is a cruel asshole here.

"Wait, Barba-" Luna began to say.

"I agree to your terms, and when I win, you and the other beings from Liyue will leave me and Mondstadt alone!" Barbatos yelled with not even an attempt to hide his vehemence.

"Agreed." Rex Lapis dragged the word almost quietly before snapping his fingers, making a yellow light appear upon his chest and upon Barbatos's chest. "Oh, but should you lose, Mondstadt is not the only thing I will take from you."

Barbatos stared, hatred leaking from his expression.

But Luna could understand his sentiment. This Zhongli was practically the opposite of the Zhongli she knew. She couldn't fathom him being this cold and cruel. And to think he would be unfair in contracts? Unheard of.

"Listen, Barbatos. You don't have to do this." Luna said, hoping she could get through to him. "They came here demanding everything without anyone asking for their help. We can-"

"You can what? Take on the entire host of Liyue gods? You think that's where it ends?" Barbartos asked through clenched teeth. "Every Archon is watching us, right now. When you live for an eternity, one tends to get deathly bored. They are all itching for some kind of action, some kind of entertainment. What better excuse than to test their strength against another Archon?"

Luna wondered how much of that was just his paranoia.

"Well then you know a fraction of what the humans are feeling under the rule of you Archons." Luna said. "Feels unfair, doesn't it?"

Barbatos ground his teeth as he stared at Luna.

"You could help end that. You could fight for the people of Mondstadt like you used to, regain their favor instead of their fear." But even as the words left her mouth, Luna knew it was unlikely that the people of Mondstadt would ever see him in a good light ever again.

Barbatos seemed to consider this for a moment before he looked down at the ground.

Luna didn't know what to think, was he finally feeling remorse?

But she suddenly felt a spike in her sense of danger just as Barbatos looked up with glowing green eyes.

"Do not talk to me like we are equals."He said as he shot two quick arrows at her.

Luna saw the arrows flying at her but she also noticed them growing in size and speed as they moved. The two arrows were almost the size of small airplanes that shook the grounds as Luna dodged them. Was Barbatos growing stronger?

Luna burst her spear into flames once again, but Barbatos already shot two more arrows before charging at her.

She dodged one of the arrows and quickly struck the other arrow with her spear, only to have it explode into a strong Anemo current, which pushed her away a distance. She glanced towards where she was going to land, but that momentary distraction was enough for Barbatos to appear right on her face.

Instinctively, Luna redirected her Pyro energy to her front as she formed a shield, but Barbatos had already joined his hands together as he aimed his open palms at her.