[ Inside is like another world, and despite the incredible dark making it hard to see there's somehow enough light from somewhere that makes it known how valuable more of it would be right now. Something or somethings are moving in the room at the edges of the shadows where Zhongli's human vision ends— maybe a trick of the light that looks like a tendril or a strange skeletal animalistic foot before its gone.
If he turns to look immediately to the door, however, he will find Childe slumped and covered in the black inklike liquid as well as his own blood. He doesn't seem to be moving, but closer inspection by pulling him away from the door will show that his entire back looks to have been ripped out (or rather, something came bursting out of it, if that is possible.) By now, though, Zhongli would also know that Childe's shard is located on his spine and is very obviously missing. He may also notice that in all the gore, besides his back most of the blood has come from gaping wounds that look similar to what would be left after cutting off a limb. Looking around confirms that as there are several severed whiplike tentacle pieces, some still squirming as if alive.
There's still something else in the room—something that may have the Zenite's shard if it hasn't been crushed into nothing (but Zhongli can still feel that same pain and disgust, so surely Childe's shard is still in tact if nothing else.) The room is only so big, though, which means it's not hard to venture where whatever is still in the room is waiting.
If Zhongli isn't the first to move, he'll find the creature will, it inconclusive if it feels a need to do so defensively or offensively. Strangely enough, the attacks come in the form of the familiar hydro element as whips of water shooting out viscously: one to knock Zhongli away and pin him to the door or the wall and the other to tear at the harbinger's corpse and drag it back towards it out of Zhongli's reach and sight. As for what to do with Zhongli... well, it doesn't seem to have any idea. It won't let him go, but it's not attacking him any further, either—
—but it will "communicate" briefly with the consultant via communion before the hydro tendril lurches back, releasing the man and returning into the inky blackness of the far end of the room. ]
Stay... Away.
[ there's a sickening crunch of bones and the squelch of fluids left as ambiance in the room, but the creature seems to only care that Zhongli keep enough distance not to engage with it versus actually force him to leave. Then again, if it's intelligent enough, perhaps it very well knows no normal human would enjoy staying in here and would leave on its own. ]
cw: graphic mutilation
If he turns to look immediately to the door, however, he will find Childe slumped and covered in the black inklike liquid as well as his own blood. He doesn't seem to be moving, but closer inspection by pulling him away from the door will show that his entire back looks to have been ripped out (or rather, something came bursting out of it, if that is possible.) By now, though, Zhongli would also know that Childe's shard is located on his spine and is very obviously missing. He may also notice that in all the gore, besides his back most of the blood has come from gaping wounds that look similar to what would be left after cutting off a limb. Looking around confirms that as there are several severed whiplike tentacle pieces, some still squirming as if alive.
There's still something else in the room—something that may have the Zenite's shard if it hasn't been crushed into nothing (but Zhongli can still feel that same pain and disgust, so surely Childe's shard is still in tact if nothing else.) The room is only so big, though, which means it's not hard to venture where whatever is still in the room is waiting.
If Zhongli isn't the first to move, he'll find the creature will, it inconclusive if it feels a need to do so defensively or offensively. Strangely enough, the attacks come in the form of the familiar hydro element as whips of water shooting out viscously: one to knock Zhongli away and pin him to the door or the wall and the other to tear at the harbinger's corpse and drag it back towards it out of Zhongli's reach and sight. As for what to do with Zhongli... well, it doesn't seem to have any idea. It won't let him go, but it's not attacking him any further, either—
—but it will "communicate" briefly with the consultant via communion before the hydro tendril lurches back, releasing the man and returning into the inky blackness of the far end of the room. ]
Stay... Away.
[ there's a sickening crunch of bones and the squelch of fluids left as ambiance in the room, but the creature seems to only care that Zhongli keep enough distance not to engage with it versus actually force him to leave. Then again, if it's intelligent enough, perhaps it very well knows no normal human would enjoy staying in here and would leave on its own. ]