POV: this is the most xiao thing i can do wish me luck.

Xiao walked silently in Guyun, the young yhaksha staring at one of the many small cliffs every few minutes. Every now and then he would be in a fight, whether it's with the fatui, a ruin guard, or some hilichurl who was unlucky to even cross paths with the young adepti. Even now, as he continues searching for more almonds, does he begin to have the flashback once more.

There he was in the middle of the battlefield, staring at the dead body of a young child. Atlas could remember it as though it was yesterday- the way her loose locks of golden hair would lay against the rock, her face smudged into the hard surface. Blood would drop from all over the rock, as Atlas' foot remained on the back of her head. Her body slowly became limp as Atlas removed his mask in disarray. The young girl must've been from Fontaine, from the looks of her radiant hair, pale as ever body, and of course stylistic choice. Atlas almost tripped over a string from the female's corset as he picked up her body and silently threw it elsewhere. He then put back on his mask, took his polearm from a fallen enemy, and walked onward into the battle. It wasn't until a few feet though, that another enemy was unfortunate to walk into the Conquerer of Demons' path. However, this enemy was none Atlas would've been able to go up against. As soon as he gripped his polearm into his hand, bits and pieces of the Earth itself had risen from the ground and trapped his arms. Atlas, restrained, tried desperately to break free, but to no avail. Atlas felt as though he had failed his master. He glanced at the ground, accepting his death the way it was. The way it's always been. "I don't get how some people are so afraid of death," he remembers telling his master. "Just like all things, death comes and goes everyday. It makes my job easier, and makes others grieve." However, Atlas couldn't bring himself to even recite these words. He felt a hand on his mask, as it was slowly lifted from his face. Atlas found himself staring at a man with dark brown hair and an amber fade. He had a deep complexion of golden eyes, pale like skin, and a polearm resting on his back. He wore a chocolate like coat, silver shoulder pads, some tassels, and the symbol of the Geo Archon was flashing off of his back. It was in the shape of a diamond, yet Atlas knew what was about to happen- he was about to be killed by Morax.
Atlas never knew he would be so.. lucky? Atlas believed that if one was killed by an Archon and not a regular enemy, that must mean the Archon set out for them. Which meant Atlas was an enemy to all, even the archons. He hid a smile from the Archon and bowed his head. Even with his hands restrained, he could feel the hot sweat dripping down from them as the sun bared his skin.
"Atlas.." he heard Morax say, as the Archon examined his weapon. "Conqueror of Demons, eh? Nice name."
Atlas immediately looked up in surprise. What was taking this guy so long to kill him?

"Atlas, there'a something I want to ask of you."
"Make it quick." Atlas grumbled, as he turned his head away from the sun. The Geo Archon noticed his discomfort and a tall pillar stood behind him, blocking out the sun. Atlas was surprised as to how the Geo Archon was treating him. Then again, he is probably feared by the 7 themselves.
"What is your vision?" Morax asked, as he stares at where Atlas hid his vision.
"Anemo," he grumbled. "Now kill me already, dammit."
Morax smiled as he crouched to his level. "You know, we are exact opposites."
"Well yeah, you're an Archon and I'm just serving my master." Atlas rolled his eyes.
"Not in that sense. I'm grounded by the Earth. Whereas for you, you are as carefree as the wind." As he says this, a gentle breeze flew through the air as though Barbatos was listening in on this exchange of words.
Morax put a finger underneath Atlas' chin, as he lifted his face so he was staring at him. This is the part where you kill me, a voice was repeating in his head. This is the part where the Conqueror of Demons becomes a demon.

"I had someone like you once," Morax glanced at the ground in sorrow. "Her name was Guizhong. She was.. how do I put this.." Morax drew a circle on the sand with his polearm as he sketched a smaller circle. Right next to it, he drew a line in the circle right next to the smaller one. "She was the curve to my straight. The brains to my brawns." He said, as he glanced at Atlas. "But to one, the same." With that, he drew a circle over the line, as the line's ends connected with the diameter. A gentle breeze blew away the drawing as Morax nodded his head. "She was killed in battle just a few days ago."
"Oh." Atlas replied. As someone who has seen death in the eyes, and as someone who has killed many, he was at a loss for words. To kill one of the original seven was.. in itself, absurd.
"My current goal is to find the Salt god and try and convince her back into battle. She ran away with her citizens to Sal Terrace, where she hides under a seal that can easily be broken. However, there is a mission I am doing right now."
"And that's killing me." Atlas responded as Morax raised an eyebrow.

"Do you think about death so much, that you believe you're going to die yourself?" Morax chuckled heartily, as he put a single hand in Atlas' cheek. "No my boy, I'm here to free you."
"Free me from what." Atlas growled, as Morax sighed. "To think that all of these years where you were forced to kill people and you still don't realize.." Morax muttered to himself, as he started into the young boy's eyes. "I'm here to free you from your master."
"But you can't do that." Atlas struggled against the restraints as he tried moving away. "You can't.. I'll fight you!"
"And how will that work?" Morax asked as a single tear rolled down Atlas' cheek. "All those moons ago, someone grabbed you and said to you "You work for me now. I will never give you freedom. You are to kill whoever has a demon and conquer them in battle." Morax chuckled. "But not anymore. From here on out Atlas, your new name is Xiao like the woodwind instrument. And you are free like the wind."
Morax snapped his fingers as the restraints fell. Atlas, or now called Xiao, fell back with a grunt. A breeze flew before him, as Atlas grabbed his weapon and pointed it to Morax in shock. "Even if you freed me, I am still enslaved to my master. At any time he can just grab me."
"Or can he?"
Morax held up an old man's head as Xiao turned away and almost vomited. He felt his strength leave his body as he turned back to face Morax, who threw the master's head into the ocean. "There is also something I wish to ask of you," Morax asked as Xiao grumbled. "Get on with it."
"I want for you to be one of the adepti."
Xiao looked up in horror as the other adepti came flying/trotting in, as they stared at him.
"Are you sure you want him with us, my lord?" Asked a swan looking adepti. Cloud Retainer. She glared at him as he gulped.
"I myself do find this young lad a bit.. disturbing." Said a deer with antlers. Moon Carver.
"Yes. He has been forgiven of all he has done in the past and I see goodness in him." Morax replied, as Cloud Retainer and Moon Carver bowed their heads. "Very well. Welcome, young yahksha."

Xiao finds a tree where almonds lay waiting for him. He picks up a few, before finally realizing where he was as he moves to a particular spot. He examined the spot, before glancing up at the sky. "Barbatos if you're there, may you move this small platform for me?"
The wind blew gently once more. The young yahksha saw as the drawing from all those years ago appeared before him. Xiao closed his eyes as he felt tears run down his face. "One in the same.." he muttered as he continued staring down at the drawing. The wind blew once more. The line the circle was touching slowly blew away until only the circle remained. Xiao glanced down at the ground as he still had to accept the death of one of his friends.
"May I ask why you're here?"
Xiao turned around. A young main with deep golden eyes and amber hair stood before him, clutching a polearm in his hand as he stared into the adepti's eyes.