Chapter Text
In the sea of Liyue, there is a hill, and in that hill there is a hole, and that hole is so deep that it has no bottom.
Elders would tell the children the story about the creature that lived inside, one so big that could fill that bottomless hole. It had horns and sharp teeth, its body covered in bright scales and eyes of the colors of the sun: a dragon of over six thousand years old: The God of Liyue, Rex Lapis.
The people of Liyue adored Rex Lapis as the creature nurtured them, kept them safe and shared its wisdow with the people, allowing them to prosper. Children made kites out of his image, ran around the city with dragon masks, though as soon as little girls grew up and became women, the thought of becoming the Dragon’s bride kept them awake at night.
Once a year, the creature left the hole and crawled to the outside world, claiming a sacrifice from the people in exchange to protect them from any other creature that dared to lay their eyes on that small land. It was an ancient deal that started thousands of years ago, with the first citizens of Liyue who sought for protection as a war started and they felt lost. They made a contract and, as an inmortal creature with little interest in gold or lands, he asked for something priceless: “a fertile young maiden you will provide to me, once a year, and I will guarantee the future of this nation. It’s a contract that you promise to fulfill. Break it and blood will flow through the rivers, bones will pill up on the streets.”
So the deal was made and every year after holding a party that lasted seven days, they would hand over the “Dragon’s bride”.
Fathers and mothers would weep their daugthers but eventually let go, knowing nobody could go against the mighty God's will. Because what was one person in exchange for the peace of thousands?
However, one year, the unthinkable happened.
“Please don’t take my sister!”
Bursting into the temple as the ritual took place, a young boy approached the dragon in its human form as the elders presented to him the bride they picked. He fell to his knees in front of the creature, his long golden hair cascading over his shoulders as he pleaded: “Please, please don’t take her! The young boy begged, eyes glistening with tears as he lifted his gaze to meet the dragon’s golden eyes.
No human was allowed to meet the dragon’s eyes, not even his bride.
“How dare you to interrupt the ritual?!” the elders made a gesture, asking the militia to take the boy out as he wouldn’t stop talking. “Get him out of here!”
The dragon looked at the bride in front of him; she stayed still, eyes covered, dressed in a white robe, tears rolling down her cheeks after hearing her sibling’s voice. A completely normal human, nothing out of the world. It was the first time someone refused to keep the contract. He had taken one hundred maidens and not a single time someone spoke against the contract, because they were smart enough to not go against his will.
Unlike the young boy crying at his feet.
“I will do anything! Anything you ask me to do!” Soldiers grabbed his arms, trying to pull him away. “Please, no--!”
During the uproar inside the temple where people shouted things at the boy, cursing his family, calling him names, Rex Lapis spoke words that made the temple fall into silence:
“Then, I will take you.”
The soldiers froze on their places, letting go the boy who falled back on his knees. He gathered himself up, cleaning his face and looking up at the God. “I… I will go!” he promised, holding a hand over his chest, then looking at his young sister.” I will go if you let her stay.”
The edges of his lips curved up, a mild smile that no human had ever seen. Rex lapis’s body glowed as he began to change its form, body growing larger and covered in scales, claws and teeth becoming sharper.
“What is your name?” he asked with a much deeper voice, looking down at the boy’s small body, so small he perfectly fit inside his mouth.
“...Kong.” The boy mouthed, eyes wide open, shoulders shaking as the hot breath of the creature made him feel lightheaded, as if he had drinked baijiu. “My name is Kong.”
And just like that, as the dragon opened his mouth to swallow Kong's body, a new contract was made: for the first time in Liyue’s history, Rex Lapis took a boy as his bride.