(New) Playing with Fate // Diluc x Reader

Part 14 - Hideout

"Are you sure the customers mentioned Starsnatch Cliff?" you asked, trying your best not to complain. You and Diluc had been searching the base of Starsnatch Cliff for the past half an hour, and you hadn't found a single clue. You looked up to see Diluc staring ahead, contemplating something. You found yourself admiring the way the soft moonlight almost made his red hair glow.

"It has to be somewhere around here....", he said, looking around. "Let's keep looki-"

Diluc was cut off by a slight rustling noise that came from behind you. Suddenly alert, you and Diluc exchanged glances as he motioned for you to keep silent. He slowly walked over to you, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword as he did so. You followed his example and placed a firm grip on your dagger as you tried to steady your breathing. You and Diluc weren't alone.

Is it a normal hilichurl? A treasure hoarder? All these questions swirled through your head so quickly that you didn't notice Diluc reach out and pull you behind him. "Stay behind me," he whispered.

The rustling grew louder, and so did your heartbeat. The bushes to your right started moving and from behind them emerged....

"You?", Diluc exclaimed, recognizing the slender figure that stepped out from the shadows. You did too.

"Oh, did I startle you? My bad, I didn't mean to frighten you," Kaeya said, with the same amused expression he always wore.

"What are you doing here," Diluc muttered, clearly not happy with his interruption.

"I should be asking you that," Kaeya replied. "I'm here to investigate some treasure hoarder sightings, nothing very interesting,"

"Maybe you can help us," you said before you could stop yourself. "Are you here for the treasure hoarders too?", Kaeya asked in reply.

Diluc nodded, his expression still not pleased in the slightest.

"Well you're in luck", Kaeya smirked. "I happen to know where their hideout is, follow me.", he said, turning and walking further down Starsnatch Cliff.

A few minutes later, you found yourself in front of a small cave, surrounded by rocks. The sea behind you glistened in the moonlight and illuminated a path inside the cave. You watched as Kaeya walked in, bracing yourself to do the same.

"Stay close," Diluc whispered. You squeezed his hand in response, expecting him to shake you off, but he didn't.

As you two entered the cave, you noticed all the ivy that lined its walls and the way shadows danced across from the flickering torches that were placed there. The cave split into dozens of different paths, each looking as ominous as the next.

"Let's split up here, we'll be faster that way," Kaeya suggested, pulling out his sword. "You and Y/N can go down that path, I'll take this one." You and Diluc nodded, heading deeper into the cave.

After a few minutes, you felt a dark, ominous aura around you. You tried your best to convince yourself it was all in your head, but it was still unsettling

"Over there," Diluc said, shattering the overwhelming silence and nodding towards a source of bright light. You looked towards where he was pointing and were able to vaguely make out figures moving around deeper in the cave. You shook off your fear and walked towards it, following Diluc.

Your mouth fell open as you entered a large opening in the cave. It was a large space carved out deep into the wall, with a rock ceiling that seemed to stretch upward as far as you could see. But what startled you the most was the large group of treasure hoarders around the room, their eyes glossy and faces dazed. You grasped your dagger, ready to attack, but realized they hadn't even looked at you or Diluc.

They all seemed to be staring at the middle of the room as if they were possessed. As you followed their gaze you saw a tall, blue slender figure at the center, saying something unintelligible. Wait a minute...you recognized that figure...

"A hydro abyss lector..." Diluc whispered, as his brow knit together. Your eyes widened as you realized you had only ever heard of abyss lectors in myths. Its presence was overwhelming, gluing your feet to the floor. You were frozen in fear as the lector slowly turned to look at you and Diluc. Every cell in your body screamed at you to run, but you could do nothing except stand and watch.

The abyss lector murmured something and the next second, all the treasure hoarders started charging towards you and Diluc. They were a large group, much larger than you could handle. Diluc stepped forward, unsheathing his sword. You were almost blinded by his fiery sword as it cut through the treasure hoarders, burning brighter than the dull torches on the sides of the cave.

"Run!", Diluc yelled, struggling to fend off the hoarders but still giving you time to escape. Your body seemed to move on autopilot as you reached for your dagger and struck the nearest hoarder down. There was no way you were leaving Diluc alone, even if it killed you.

You struggled to make your way through the large group, striking down one hoarder after the other. You could feel yourself losing stamina and strength, panic filling you as you realized you might not make it out alive. "Gotta...keep...going...", you whispered, promising yourself you'd fight until the end.