Dottore was right. There was a meteor shower. It happened shortly after the dance and the dome perfectly showcased the entire scene for the guests.
Oohs and aahs could be heard from all around the room and many scrambled to get outside and onto the balcony for the best view. It was truly a sight to behold but it was over quite quickly and soon everyone was back into their little groups, chattering away. The orchestra continued to play music and whilst before it was slow and classical, now they were playing jazzy music. The mood of the room was immediately uplifted.
I was currently stood in between Dottore and Pulcinella. The rest of the group with us was made up of Pierro, Arlecchino, Scaramouche and Columbina. All of these people had officially introduced themselves to me and it felt weird that they all felt the need to make themselves known to me. Arlecchino was incredibly polite and Columbina's conversation skills were great as she ensured everyone was included in the talk. Scaramouche was hardly paying attention as he swirled the wine in his glass around and looked bored as ever.
Eventually even the Tsaritsa joined us.
"Thoughts on the evening?" She asked as she approached us.
We all bowed respectfully and one by one, the Harbingers complimented the theme choice and congratulated her on her long reign.
"Y/N, how have you found the ball so far?" The Tsaritsa once again, singled me out.
She was sort of putting me on the spot, especially as I felt out of place here with all the high ranking Fatui members. She seemed quite happy that her Harbingers were enjoying themselves and they all watched me in anticipation, awaiting my answer.
As I opened my mouth to reply, something flashed in the sky and exploded in pink and purple. Fireworks. All the guests turned to watch the show that had unexpectedly begun. People laughed and pointed at the various colours and designs.
"Strange. The fireworks weren't supposed to be until much later," muttered the Tsaritsa, with a frown.
Some of the Harbingers glanced warily at each other. What was going on? The people in front of me that had a view of the stairs all shifted their gaze to the entrance. I turned to see a handful of soldiers streaming in and weaving through the crowds in our direction.
Something is wrong. I glanced up at Dottore with a frown as he registered the strange tension in the air and the sudden appearance of the royal guard.
The Tsaritsa stiffened and the air around us grew chilly. A Fatui Pyro Agent appeared out of the ground beside Pierro and whispered something in his ear. Simultaneously, the royal guards reported something to the Tsaritsa in hushed tones.
Pierros eyes widened with alarm. His eyes flickered to the Queen who showed a similar reaction. Then, their eyes were on me.
"Dottore. Take the General and leave immediately. There's no time to explain. You need to get to safety," ordered Pierro.
The Tsaritsa nodded and whispered something back to the guards.
"Harbingers, ready your weapons. A multitude of soldiers were found unconscious around the manor house. The situation has been compromised. We will go about this calmly and discreetly," said the Tsaritsa. "I will have the guests evacuate and you will work to contain the situation-"
An explosion sounded outside. The chandeliers shook and clashing of weapons echoed around from beyond the doors.
"Dottore, you need to leave now! Take the back exit and go!" Pierro yelled over the worried screams of the guests.
I was so confused and anxious. What was happening? How did this have anything to do with me? There was no time to get a word out before Dottore took my hand and pulled me through the crowds. We heard the smashing of glass nearby and more rattling that led to the candle lights flickering.
"What's happening?" I asked as we neared the stairs.
Guests had already begun to panic and some were pushing their way through to the stairs.
"I think they're here to kill you and Pierro. You're Khaenrian blood has likely just attracted assasins from all over. Did he mention that there would be attempts on your life after you spoke? Attacks like these can't be executed without a higher power at work, the Tsaritsa wouldn't let it happen. Which means, you're in significant danger. Just a theory though," spoke Dottore as we reached the top of the stairs.
Just a theory? I could be assassinated at any moment and he was throwing around this idea but it was just a theory? Splendid!
An explosion went off at the main entrance and the Fatui Agents working to protect it were sent flying back. A fire was blazing at the door and was slowly inching its way up through the carpet on the staircase. The attackers still weren't visible. Dottore cursed under his breath and led me to the right where a dark corridor was visible. Just as we were almost out of direct danger, something flew over our heads and in between us at high speeds.
Daggers. Lodged into the walls. We'd barely escaped them at all.
"Shit. We have to hurry, come on."
We ran through the corridor which seemed to display artefacts in glass cases and art on the walls. Once we'd turned the corner, black shadows trailed closely behind us. The heels I wore only slowed me down but we were still running at a fairly good speed.
Instantly, two figures came leaping out of the walls and were dressed as Fatui Pyro Agents. But their masks were gone and underneath was just black. They were completely faceless shadows. Was this how they infiltrated the manor?
Instinctively, I summoned the guns into my hands and shot the oncoming enemies in their misty foreheads.
"Behind you, Y/N!" Dottore warned me as his chains began to slither out.
Movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention as I spun on my heels to face the intruder behind me. I pressed the gun to its chest and pulled the trigger.
My heart was beating fast with fear and when I glanced up at the face of the shadow, a white eerie smile had warped its face. It whispered something to me before I felt it.
"You should have gone for the head," it had said.
"Y/N, let's go! There'll be more coming. The exit is right there," yelled Dottore. "We don't have time to fight them!"
I watched the shadow man crumple to the ground and wither away before my hand went to my stomach.
Blood. Pain. Red stained dagger on the floor. More pain. A skipped heartbeat. Agony.
"...Y/N? What's the matter?"
The adrenaline could only do so much to dull the discomfort at the wound. I turned slowly as my breathing became laboured and my vision fuzzied around the edge.
Dottore paled, his eyes wide with terror.
"You were right. Red does look good on me," I joked, almost laughing yet it twisted into a sad groan of pain. The smile on my face soured into a wince.
My hand was pressed to my abdomen and suddenly I could hardly feel my legs. I knew I was swaying dangerously and Dottore was in front of me saying something I couldn't hear.
Ah the nostalgia. Seems like only yesterday he was nursing me back from a fever.
I blinked and my face was in his hands.
"Keep your eyes open, love. You're going to be fine. I need you to stay awake for as long as possible. Can you do that?" He asked as he ran a thumb over my cheek before picking me up in his arms.
The movement caused me to clench my teeth in discomfort. I was panting now and I could tell I'd lost a lot of blood. The wound was assaulting my brain with pain and it was so hard to keep my eyes open. My eyes filled with tears, the agony of it all becoming so overwhelming.
Dottore called my name a couple of times but I was struggling to form a coherent sentence.
"I'm... Awake. I'm awake," I croaked. "Son of a bitch, what even was that thing? God, this hurts so fucking much."
"I know, I know. Please hold on. I'll fix it all soon. Please just stay with me," his voice said desperately.
I was swimming between the lines of consciousness and unconsciousness now. All I could see was black and the sounds were fading. It felt strangely calm now.
The stab wound in my stomach was still throbbing with torment but I felt like I was floating in a black abyss. And it was so quiet. I found myself bathing in the peacefulness. I could vaguely hear sounds in the back of my mind but nothing could pull me out of this state anymore. I knew I was stuck here. I don't know for how long but I hoped I'd be able to open my eyes once more.
A/N:
Bit of a shorter chapter cos the next one just needs its own chapter. The action has only just begun. Im so excited for the next chapter XD
Sometimes i forgot I'm the author and not the reader lmao.
Enjoy dying Y/N! <3