Chapter Text
Cries were what it heard first. A cry of a boy accompanied by sweet lies.
This is what greeted it when it aroused from its sleep. Fire like red was something they first saw. It can't lie and say that it wasn't a surprise since it really was. It had no recollection on why it was there, right beside the weeping child and a dead man.
Something churned - or what felt like it - it wasn't too sure - as they watched from bellow. The child wept as he raised a hand, wiping the red liquid off the corpse, and the corpse, in return, gives a smile. Another surprise in its wake is that the man should be dead by now. Hm.
It continued to watch as its pity (pity?) grew. It felt bad for the child that wept. It wanted nothing more to than embrace the kid in its warmth. The problem was, was that something was holding it down. The boy looked young, a carbon copy of the bloody man. He kept begging and praying to someone. Barbatos. Celestia. Huh.
Celestia (rotten god) is really a ruthless being. Letting her creations live with cruel fates and prophecies. She was never kind in the first place. It could feel its lips press into a thin line - or what it thinks it's doing. Anyway. It could be better than her. It just needs to move freely and give the boy what he begged for. The god was always useless. It knew that. Why did it know that?
(Something is missing. What is it?)
It moves for a second. It found itself above ground this time, hovering over the exhausted boy. The boy then turned around as he faced a crowd - knights, something whispered - and it spots a star-eyed boy. It could see the glint in the eye dampen as he sets a grim look on his face. The red boy could only weep once more, and it could only give a weak pulse of warmth in response.
It was a cruel night, it mused.
It watched from behind as screams were heard. It's warmth flickering near the boy as he holds a claymore over his shoulder. It thinks it's stupid as the khaenri'ah boy weeps out apologies. Grief was powerfully thing, it thought the star-eyed boy would know. The khaeri'ah people should know it all too well.
It watched, and it watched as the brothers exchanged blows. A flash of phoenix and a flash of glaciers. Fire and ice burns equally. It suppose it was fitting. The two boys breathed heavily as they stared at each other. One shouts for the other to leave, and the latter complies. The rain was still pouring above the boy as he stayed standing. It shifts and offers its warmth once more, this time stronger as the water that touched his skin slightly vaporizes.
Celestia was really cruel to the Phoenix and the Sinner. Yet, it thinks she did good (for once) for giving the sinner a chance to gain a vision. It faintly clicks its tongue, what a shameless God. It thinks Celestia is bearing no mind to who just recently got his vision or how he was granted it.
Lady fate was truly cruel.
.
.
.
.
.
The boy leaves the mansion. He leaves his heavenly gift and wears nothing but a dark coat, as protection from the rain, that hides him well in the night. It worries for the boy, and it softly sang in hopes for comfort as the red-head walks. To where? It doesn't know, but it follows behind. It would be a shame for the boy to die just yet. So, it gives him more warmth as he walks to somewhere.
During that time, it started to think. It wonders why it was awake and why it was attached to this boy. It also wonders why they knew a lot of things that it doesn't think they should even fully know. A breathless sigh was imitated out. Celestia must've been making lady fate do something if it was awakened. But, awakened from what? A sleep, perhaps?
It continued to ponder its purpose. Its eyes look back to the young boy and think even harder. There had to be a reason on it being given to the child, a child only 18, ripped from his warmth. Oh. Maybe that was it. The heaven reawakened it to look over the once burning child and be his source instead. It could absolutely do that. It had flames hot like a star. It could give the boy the warmth it needed.
That maybe is its purpose.
It feels a smile grow, and it gives more warmth to the boy. Leaning close and sang, hoping the boy could hear it.
…….
The boy was a talented man. Gifted with the smarts both in the field and in the mind.
It was a shame the heavens led his fate to this.
It watched as the boy moved with injuries on his back. The familiar scarlet liquid drips down and into the sands of the desert. It thinks for a moment, its boy was barely on death row. How niche. It was a shame the fatui won't stop, and neither would the boy's passion and perseverance to gain Intel.
It moves back near the boy, leaning down and sang. And the boy accommodates.
Move. A jump.
Swing to the right. Blood splattered onto the ground as guts fell off the upper body.
Shoulder. Another one down.
Head.
And another.
Kidney.
Lungs.
Bicep.
Thigh.
The heart.
Again and again and again and again and again.
(Diluc couldn't breathe.)
……
It smiles at its boy. It's warmth caressing the red-heads cheek as it gleefully sang to him. Praising him for his work and survival. It lets the man rest for a moment. He deserved it, after all.
…..
A man and his daughter thanks and give gifts to the boy. He doesn't react other than a muttered 'welcome' and a ghost smile. It grins behind him and whispers.
Good job. You save the family and kill those monsters.
(Diluc ignores the voice. Clenching his shaking hands as he turns away. He wipes off the brain matter from his face and carries on.)
…….
Diluc shivers in the coldness of snezhnaya, clutching his coat and pulling it even more. Fortunately, his coldness was washed away by a sudden warmth. It was confusing. The warmth was welcoming, yet it felt wrong. It felt like the warmth was cold as it was hot. It was nothing like the warmth from his vision. The red-head sniffled and continued his treck through the mountain of snow with more strength on his movements now that there was warmth.
Even if it came from a questionable source.
The young man swallowed the lump in his throat and gripped his coat even tighter. Ruby eyes flicked down once to a hand before looking back up. He took a breath as he calmed whatever was bubbling up his throat. Ignoring the soft and faint song that was randomly playing in the background. Whoever that was, they're rather crazy to be playing a disk in an isolated area. Especially in this weather.
A hand ran through Diluc's hair and ruffles and snow that might have slipped through his hood. The snow was unrelenting as the rain from earlier, but he'd push through. He needed to. For his father. He forced his legs through piles of snow, pushing one leg after the other as he hiked even further into the mountain.
He wiped the snot out of his face and made haste once a camp was in view. Diluc needed to start a fire to avoid reaching hypothermia. With a huff, he scrambled through the snow towards the camp on the side of the plane. The closer he got, the warmer he felt. Something churns inside him, but he had no time to think of it. Diluc holds his coat closer as the wind picks up, and he starts running as quietly as he can.
“Hey! Who are you?!“
Fuck. Seriously?
Diluc watches as a bunch of fatui rushed out from the camp. He clicked his tongue and summoned his claymore, holding it in his hands and dashed forward. Swinging the weapon and leaving a dent on a fatuus armor. A flicker of black flames sparked out, and the enemy grunts out. A flick of a wrist, chains shout out, puncturing the mans throat. A shout was heard, and a bullet hit his knee.
Diluc forces his blade to slice through a fatuus arm, and he turns to kick another on the head. Another bullet rang out, and he used someone as a meat shield. Red stained his skin, and he pushed forward with a corpse in front of him. He huffs out, and another round of bullets shoots out.
Move to the right.
Watch your feet
There, cut his gut open
Diluc moves with ease, like a puppet on a string. He follows the voice unconsciously, his instincts and power mingling together. He didn't know what was exactly happening. Everything was a blur. Dull red eyes jumped from one man to another. Eyes analyzing every movement and striking when needed. He dashed behind a skirmisher and swungs his claymore. The hammer clangs against his weapon, both grinding their weapons in hopes one would slip.
The boy grinds his teeth together, giving all of his strength to this battle. Only to have slip, the hammer slips through and he moves his head aside. The skirmisher swung his hammer once more, knocking the blade out of the boy's hands. The hooded figure jumps away as another round of attacks aim to hurt him. He feels something hold his wrist, and chains once more dances in the space as his arm mindlessly shot out in front of him.
He hears the voice once more. It was closer this time.
Kill them
They need to
They killed your father
The chains wraps around the fatuus body and Diluc pulls the chains around. Swinging the body and slamming it against a tree. He picks up his blade once more and stalks toward the binder man. The voice speaks once more, nearly screeching in his ear, asking for blood and justice. The chains rattle when he stopped in front of the fatuus. Red eyes meets a purple glow. The voice screams even more. Whispering words of encouragement and promises of vengeance.
Blood
Blood
Kill him
Make him bleed
Your father died because of them
Draw your blade
He raises his arm, and swipes down. A head rolling by his feet as blood poured out like a fountain. The chains moves and wraps around him instead. Holding him in an embrace that gives him warmth.
He needs a fire going, he thinks.
It watches. He knows something is watching him, he just doesn't know what. He hears a voice that comforts him with nothing but cold warmth. He closes his eyes and moves to the fireplace. Ignoring the singing in his ears and the warmth that engulfs him.