𝑯𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒅'𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒓 [Lyney x reader]

𝟏𝟗

"It flows like a river through the soul."

The world dissolved into a cacophony of screams and searing flames. "(Y/n), please listen to me," Lucian's voice, choked with desperation, barely pierced the inferno. "I never meant for it to end up this way. Now, please, we have to go!"

You ripped a defiant scream from your throat, a primal cry laced with the agony of loss. Angry tears streamed down your face, blurring the flames that danced around you. "No!" you shrieked. "You took my mother and my heart! Tell me where my baby is!"

Lucian's face swam in your vision, etched with a heart-wrenching guilt. "Lune, my dearest, I'm sorry I didn't tell you..." His voice trailed off as he took a tentative step towards you, the flames licking hungrily at his form.

He sank to his knees before you, his arms reaching out to offer a comfort that would never come. But before you could reach for him, the flames surged, a hungry beast consuming everything in its path. A choked sob escaped your lips as Lucian's form was swallowed by the inferno, his pleas for forgiveness lost in the roar of the fire.

"Marie! my baby," you whispered, the pain an excruciating vice tightening around your chest. The flames danced a macabre waltz around you, their heat searing your flesh until your very being went numb.

Then, a sudden cessation. The oppressive heat vanished, replaced by a bone-chilling cold. A gust of wind whipped around you, carrying on it the soft glow of distant stars. "(Y/n)," a voice whispered in your mind, a voice that sent shivers down your spine. It was familiar, yet ethereal.

You cracked open your eyes, the horrors of the inferno clinging to your mind like cobwebs. You were no longer surrounded by flames but by a magnificent tapestry of stars, their light casting an otherworldly glow on your tear-streaked face.

"Gen?" your voice rasped, a whisper lost in the vastness of the starry expanse.

A booming voice, deep and resonant, echoed through the celestial sea. "Lady Ardennes," it proclaimed, "you stand at La Cour des étoiles perdues. We are here to judge whether you deserve a second chance."

A porcelain cup trembled in the Knave's hand, the delicate chime of her teaspoon the only sound that dared to pierce the suffocating silence. Your revelation hung heavy in the air, the weight of it settling on every furrowed brow in the room. "A curse?" the Knave finally dared to breathe, her voice barely a whisper above the clink of china.

The tranquility shattered as the door splintered open, Genevieve bursting through in a flurry of scarlet cloak and frantic energy. "My Lady!" she gasped, chest heaving. "What happened?" you rose to your feet, a knot of unease tightening in your gut.

"We found them!" she panted, hands braced on her knees as she fought to catch her breath. "But... where exactly did you find them?" The Knave finally set down her cup with a resolute click, her sharp gaze falling on Genevieve.

"Palais des Mirages," you breathed, the name echoing in the sudden hush. Your eyes widened as the weight of that word settled upon you.

A high-pitched voice, laced with childish worry, sliced through the tension. "Have you guys found Lyney and Lynette?" Paimon fluttered into the room, hovering beside a blonde-haired man whose brow furrowed with growing concern. Sweat beaded on his forehead, betraying the storm brewing within him.

The Knave turned to the newcomer, a sliver of her usual amusement replaced by a hint of urgency. "Ah, Traveller," she greeted. "Have you found them?"

Aether's voice was a torrent of questions, each one punctuated by a tremor of fear. "Where are they? Are they okay?" His mind raced ahead, conjuring a thousand terrifying scenarios before Genevieve could speak.

"Aether, please," you interjected gently, gesturing towards the chair beside you. "Sit down; we can talk about this calmly."

"Palais des Mirages," Genevieve repeated, her voice heavy with implication. "That's the main family house of Lady Ardennes' late husband, right?"

Paimon tilted her head, confusion etched on her small face. "Oh! So it's Miss (Y/n)'s grandfather?" she squeaked, her gaze darting between you and Genevieve.

A wry smile touched your lips. "No, Paimon," you corrected, stepping closer to Genevieve. Paimon whirled towards Aether, who sank into the offered chair with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" Paimon squeaked, her voice laced with concern as she hovered closer to Aether.

You spoke barely above a whisper, the weight of the truth threatening to crush you. "It's my husband's family house."

Aether shot upright, a strangled cry escaping Paimon's lips. The playful mascot darted away from him, the gravity of your words finally settling in.

"Lady (Y/n)," the Knave pressed, her sharp eyes dull into yours. "There has to be a reason they were taken there."

You stood there, a silent statue grappling with truth as vast and unsettling as the opulent halls of Palais des Mirages. A chilling question gnawed at you - why take Lyney there? Why not someone closer to you?

Then, a whisper escaped your lips, a revelation that sent shivers down your spine. "Lyney... he's the reincarnation of Lucian." The room held its breath, waiting for the next piece of this chilling puzzle to fall into place.

"She wants time. Time is precious, especially for her kind."

"Time?" the knave questioned, putting her palm on her cheek. "The culprit is somewhat different from us," Genevieve spoke softly, occasionally glancing at you. "She is a person who lives off of other creature's lifespans," You said, staring intently at the clock. "She stole my husband's sister's lifespan." you continued, remembering that depressed look on your husband's face.

The room held its breath as your voice cracked, "My husband... Lucian Chevalier Dubois. A former Harbinger." Eyes, wide and searching, pinned you down. You pressed on, forcing past the tremor in your words.

"Lucian's sister, Lucie... a gentle soul. Quiet, but her mind a whirlwind of brilliance. It was on a mission, a harrowing one, that fate stole her from us. A creature unlike any we'd faced before. A changeling. It devoured her very life force, then donned her skin like a macabre cloak. Awaiting its next unsuspecting prey." You painted the scene with a shudder, the horror of Lucie's demise clinging heavily in the air.

Paimon's voice, usually brimming with childish cheer, dipped into a confused chirp. "But why Lyney and Lynette?" she pressed, the question hanging heavy in the tense air.

You squeezed your eyes shut, the memory of that voice in the void flooding back. A cold dread seeped into your bones. "Lyney..." you began, your voice rough with emotion, "he's the reincarnation of my husband."

A collective gasp rippled through the room. The Knave's teacup clattered to the saucer, shattering the fragile silence. Aether's eyes widened, his hand instinctively flying to grip the hilt of his sword.

"Both of us," you continued, your voice gaining strength with each word, "were cursed when we first died." You recounted the chilling encounter in the void, the creature's surprise morphing into a twisted sense of recognition. "It felt a familiarity with him, and Lynette..." Your voice trailed off, a horrifying suspicion gnawing at you. "Perhaps they triggered something within it, a memory of its past victims."

The implication hung heavy in the air. The creature that took Lyney and Lynette wasn't just after random travelers. It was hunting them, drawn by a connection forged in a past life, a past life steeped in tragedy and a curse that refused to die.

UNEDITED

05/15/2024

La Cour des étoiles perdues - The Court of Lost Stars

Palais des Mirages - Palace of Mirages