deja vu - dreamcatcher [ ✔️ ]

Rebuilding

Princess JiU remembered the crashes. How the castle fell to its knees, shockwave after shockwave, like the heartbeats of the moons. They had to be saved. All of them.

Why couldn't they see?

The castle crumbled. Their sisters disappeared, whether into the rubble or out to the seas, she'd never know. All that is left is the main hall; a shadow of its previous grandiose barely hanging by the last chain of the chandelier. Glass fragments, rock, gold, brass, leaves, dust. Oh, the dust... Everywhere.

"How could you?!" Princess Yoo's voice crashes Princess JiU back to the present, where she wields the prototype sword of the guards. It almost feels heavier than usual.

"You don't deserve this."

A harsh wind blows through the ruins of the main hall. More debris flutters in and ruffles Princess JiU's ball gown that almost becomes a mockery of her status. Princess Yoo is sat chaotically on the ground, looking helpless and confused. "It was the people's choice, Minji."

Princess JiU grips the hilt tighter, a wave of emotion rippling through her. "You cannot take the throne!" She has to end it here.

"Why not?!" Princess Yoo challenges. She wants to stand, but the sword is too close. No, she'd get nicked for sure.

"Because!..." Princess JiU shrieks but she can't finish her sentence. A tear walks down her cheek and she takes a shaky breath, her voice dropping. "You are no different to the others before you."

The red and purple in her eye shines stronger. "I don't wish to hurt you... Yoohyeon..." She whispers, now crying. Princess Yoo looks indifferent.

She needs to save everyone! But they're all gone... There's only her left: Yoohyeon. She's experienced the destruction, yet she's the only one left. Is she not, then, the catalyst?

"I refuse to believe our sisters' lives were sacrificed for this! This is irreversible. You need to see the truth!-" Princess JiU pleads.

"I have already seen and known truth." Princess Yoo cuts her off. "You are only delaying the inevitable. Look around you, dear eldest!" She shouts. "What is there left to save?"

Princess JiU shakes her head furiously, the tears running now. Her sword-wielding arm shakes before finally dropping the weapon to the floor. Princess Yoo watches it clang. Their gazes meet.

"As always, it is time to rebuild Diluna. This kingdom was never meant to last more than each cycle; there must always be The Renewal."

Was it all in vain?

"Alas, you have chosen the right path at death's door. Did you think you would receive reward for acting foolish?" Princess Yoo smirks, rising from the ground. Princess JiU feels like she's crumbling, just like the rest of the castle around them.

The sword changes hand, this time the amethyst glows in its hilt. Princess JiU drops to the floor in defeat. She can't go on.

She's too late.

"Why couldn't you be the one to save Diluna? You had everything..." She whispers, now sitting at the end of the sword she once wielded.

"The Moons were not favourable it seems." Princess Yoo laughs mockingly. "How unlucky," She smiles without emotion, laughs without happiness. She walks to the throne, scratching the floor with the tip of the blade as she drags it by her side.

It was all in vain... What was the point of the visions? Of the abilities to speak to Celestias? For what reason could They have anointed her the opportunity to open her eyes when she would have failed? Don't They know? Surely They must have known she would not convince the person who was once her sister, regardless of them not being biological.

Has she let Them down?

Princess JiU watches Princess Yoo reach the throne. Turning around to watch her broken sister, she smiles calmly, as if the stone around her was not degrading more and more every minute. The ground is shaking, almost anticipating what is to come. Princess JiU whispers her prayers for forgiveness, that she has let Them down.

Seek mercy, for I had not wished to fail.

Princess Yoo sits on the throne, with purple shimmering in her eyes. And Princess JiU falls, along with the old Kingdom of Diluna.

It awaits rebuilding, a new King, and seven special next-of-kin.

𝐞𝐧𝐝.
𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐋𝐓 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞
𝐎𝐑
𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤