[ At around the last few days' mark, when the violence and carnage in the streets grows to a fever pitch, Childe becomes more and more careless with his forays into the city proper and all the battles he throws himself into. The scent of blood and gore is a constant on his person, staining his clothes - most of which have become ripped and torn from tooth and claw, but that's fine because he's had worse and what are a few minor cuts in the face of everything else? - and he becomes something of a beacon to attract more and more herds of them as the weeks and nights progress.
He has dispatched a good number of them by this point by the time their last companion shows up. Judging from the reaction, the angry growls and animalistic cries of rage, they were quite close. Lost as he is this does nothing aside from appeal to his darker nature, and the Hydro blade in hand he has smeared with the residue of his companion's entrails is brought to his mouth for a taste. The hunger in these last few days is unlike anything he's ever experience before and, warrior that he is, Childe finds it harder and harder to resist. But he always manages to stop just short of actually consuming flesh though he imagines the blood isn't much better.
The yokai stands on the opposite side of him on their battleground, teeth and claw bared. Childe is ready; his fox tail has bristled, whipping back and forth angrily, the grin on his face all teeth. He lunges, the yokai lunges in return -
- but the impact does not come. Instead - instead, Childe's eyes widen, flecking with gold at the familiar sight of a monstrous dragon head shooting out from his perch and effortlessly seizing his opponent in his great maw. There's a sickening crunch and a cacophany of screams and sobs as the monster is effortlessly torn to shreds, blood splattering along the ground and over Childe's stunned expression.
He knows that dragon. He knows it very well. ]
Zhongli--! [ Comes the cry, overjoyed and breathless and euphoric all at the same time. ]
Zhongli, what are you doing here?
[ Behind him, the fox tail vibrates and flicks before it sets off on a path of violent wagging. ]
III also this icon does not fit the mood of this tag
He has dispatched a good number of them by this point by the time their last companion shows up. Judging from the reaction, the angry growls and animalistic cries of rage, they were quite close. Lost as he is this does nothing aside from appeal to his darker nature, and the Hydro blade in hand he has smeared with the residue of his companion's entrails is brought to his mouth for a taste. The hunger in these last few days is unlike anything he's ever experience before and, warrior that he is, Childe finds it harder and harder to resist. But he always manages to stop just short of actually consuming flesh though he imagines the blood isn't much better.
The yokai stands on the opposite side of him on their battleground, teeth and claw bared. Childe is ready; his fox tail has bristled, whipping back and forth angrily, the grin on his face all teeth. He lunges, the yokai lunges in return -
- but the impact does not come. Instead - instead, Childe's eyes widen, flecking with gold at the familiar sight of a monstrous dragon head shooting out from his perch and effortlessly seizing his opponent in his great maw. There's a sickening crunch and a cacophany of screams and sobs as the monster is effortlessly torn to shreds, blood splattering along the ground and over Childe's stunned expression.
He knows that dragon. He knows it very well. ]
Zhongli--! [ Comes the cry, overjoyed and breathless and euphoric all at the same time. ]
Zhongli, what are you doing here?
[ Behind him, the fox tail vibrates and flicks before it sets off on a path of violent wagging. ]