𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 [Kny × OC]

Prologue

The harsh white ceiling swam before Yui's eyes, blurring with the sting of unshed tears. A metallic tang filled her mouth, a constant reminder of the crimson stain blooming on the silk sheets. The question, a constant ache in her soul, echoed in the cavernous emptiness of her mind: "What was the point of anything?" The sterile light hanging from the ornately carved ceiling did little to pierce the suffocating darkness that had settled within her.

Her voice, hoarse from disuse, barely rose above a whisper, "Am I truly cursed?" Pain. It was the script etched onto the parchment of her life, a cruel twist of fate that had haunted her from the very first breath. How she yearned to tear it up, to rewrite the narrative, to find a sliver of hope in the tapestry of her suffering. But where was that hope? Where was the light to guide her out of this suffocating darkness? Was this the universe's cruel decree, a silent command to surrender, to simply give up?

A soft knock shattered the oppressive silence. "Lady Yui," a young handmaiden's voice, carefully devoid of any emotion, filtered through the heavy oak door. "The master requests your presence."

Yui traced the bridge of her nose, wincing at the sharp sting from a fresh split. The metallic tang in her mouth intensified. The handmaiden, accustomed to the gruesome tableau, pushed open the door, seemingly unfazed by the sight of their Lady broken and bloodied. These were not new occurrences in this gilded cage, and the servants, powerless to intervene, knew their place. They couldn't offer solace, nor could they defy their master's cruelty, lest they suffer a fate far worse than witnessing Yui's torment.

A heavy silence descended after the handmaiden's pronouncement. Moments bled into an eternity before the rustle of silk announced the arrival of another group of servants. These, unlike the handmaiden, moved with practiced efficiency, washing away the grime and blood that clung to Yui's skin, the practiced movements and grim ballet they performed all too often. As they worked, Yui felt like a broken doll, an empty vessel being prepared for yet another audience with her tormentor.
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Bring me to the Demons,
As they shall be more gentle than thee
Softly tearing my flesh is all that it will be.
For they'll leave my soul alone,
Taking pity on me,
In all my glory, they will set me free.
Bring me to the demons,
As they shall be more gentle than thee.

She hummed, her voice soft against the silent night. Perched on a tree branch, she gazed at the moon's ethereal glow, bare feet dangling. The only sound was the gentle clinking of her anklet.

"Don't you think it's a peculiar wish?" A deep, husky voice shattered the tranquility, pulling her from her reverie. Yui gasped, tumbling from the branch. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact on the unforgiving ground, but strong arms caught her. Peeking open her eyes, she met a gaze of amber flecked with strange symbols swirling within - kanji.

Straining, she deciphered the inscription: Upper Moon Three.

Blue stripes snaked across his muscular body as he regarded her with a languid smirk. "Oh my god, a talking ball!" Her startled gasp elicited a vein throbbing on his forehead. "Silence, brat," he growled, the irritation barely concealed. He lowered her gently to the ground.

Confusion clouded her features. "Hah!If not ball, then what are you?" she pressed, her voice laced with curiosity. He scoffed. "That's none of your concern, kid. Your melody summoned me here." His gaze pinned her down. Though she couldn't have been older than eleven, her physique was slightly smaller for her age.

"Is my voice good sir?" she chirped, her initial nervousness replaced by genuine excitement. This was the first time she'd ever spoken to someone outside the suffocating walls of her manor.

The demon raised an eyebrow, surprised by her lack of fear. "Intriguing," he rumbled. "It is," he conceded, smirking at her joyous expression. "A strange song though, wouldn't you agree? Who was it for? What makes you think demons are better?" His questions came rapid-fire, a flicker of something akin to curiosity sparking in his amber eyes.

A tremor ran through him as he considered turning her. She was just a child, and harming females wasn't his style. But the despair in her voice...

"Hmm, I don't know if they are better," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "I've never met one. But all I know is they crave flesh and my mom used to sing this song. Maybe they'd eat me and that would be the end. They wouldn't..."

Her words were cut short by the panicked screams of her handmaiden tearing through the night. In a blink, the demon vanished like smoke in a gale. Yui spun around, searching for him, but he was gone.

Her handmaiden materialized, a harsh grip on her wrist yanking her back towards the waiting palanquin. The demon watched from the shadows, an unsettling mix of curiosity and unease churning in his gut. What darkness lurked within that manor that could break a young girl's spirit and make her yearn for the oblivion of a demon's hunger?

"How strange," he muttered, the weight of her despair lingering in the air.