The Arcana: Fragments

IV: Confess

Asra x Julian x Lucio x Reader (Trigger warning)

(Alternate Reversed Ending - M/C's Route)

You didn't know how long you had been here. You didn't care, either. Lucio had won, he had gotten everything. You, Asra, and Julian had tried to stop him before things got out of hand, but you were all too late. What had seemed like his defeat was actually his ploy to get you all in the same room. You remember Asra using the remainder of his energy to blast him into a wall, Julian jumping behind him to pin him to his knees before you as you approached, dagger poisoned with what was assumed to be enough magic to kill the devil himself. He appeared frightened as you approached, even more so when you dragged the blade across the length of his neck, spilling his blood onto your feet as he choked for air. You all were so happy, so proud, so relieved. It was over.

That was, until he looked up at you with amused eyes, his throat closing itself back together, his blood quickly pooling back into his neck as the skin closed. Frozen with terror you all stood. "Now, is that any way to treat your King?", he mused. Standing, he uses a single wave of his hand to bring us all up into the air, now choking for air yourselves. Julian and Asra began kicking the air furiously, fighting to restrain, fighting to live. Lucios eyes remained strictly on you though, and that was when you knew your life was no longer yours.

That was the last time you saw Asra or Julian, being choked by an invisible force brought on by Lucios hand. Until now. Following your failure you were kept in a dungeon beneath the palace, isolated from the world, starved and occasionally beaten. What you would give to live that way now, instead of where your body now lives.

You are in the main throne room, beneath Lucios feet to the right of his throne. The room is empty save for the lines of guards standing at attention on all sides of the room. Asra and Julian are placed in front of you and Lucio, you're too weak to go to them, they are too weak to even lift their heads to know you're there.

Asra is skinny beyond imagine, his collar bones jut out to full capacity, in fact, his left bone is broken. It sticks out from beneath his skin, red and swollen, begging to break through his flesh. Julian is disheveled and beaten beyond recognition. Several of his fingers are bent in unnatural ways as his hands rest on his lap, bound together with chains. Both of their bodies have bruises and wounds bleeding from several areas, it is all you can do but whimper softly and hope either one of them can hear you.

"Ahh how lovely it is to see you all, it's been a year since we all last spoke", Lucio began. Lifting his finger up, all of our heads are brought up to face one another, we all grimace at the sudden movement. Julian and Asra meet eyes with me, their mouths hang open, shocked, fearful, worried, apologetic, pained.

"Boys, did you miss our lovely y/n? She's been a pleasure, truly. Only a devil like me could hope for such an obedient human.", he pats my head.

"I think I need some quality entertainment once more, I'm afraid. You three have always been able to please that part of me on your own but now, with all of you together? Oh, I'm in for quite a show. Now where to begin...". Lucio rises to his feet, eyeing us all ponderously.

"In all things, ladies first", he decides. Asra and Julian's eyes immediately darted to me. Julian's twitches in his restraints, groaning worriedly. Asra spits at Lucio, violet eyes aflame with rage. Lucio merely remarks them all with an amused grin as I'm picked up by my neck and brought to my knees in front of them both. "Don't....touch-.....her", Julian seethes through gritted teeth. Asras fingertips pulse with magic as he tries to escape his restraints, but he is brought to a halt by an invisible force that makes him yell in agony.

"Now now gentlemen, no need to rush things. I want to take my time with her", he kneels between us all and my arm is suddenly brought out into mid air, the inside of my arm facing out. "From her pain I want your confessions. If I like your responses, she lives another day. If not, well..", he throws his head back and laughs.

"Let us begin", he adjusts himself to sit comfortably by my side. "Asra, confess"

Asra stays silent as his eyes go from mine to his, clearly filled with worry. "Not talking? This might help". My vision is turned white by the pain of my skin on my arm being torn open. I hiss, but do my best not to scream. I feel my blood pool from my wound down onto the floor, the sound of my blood dripping echoes throughout the hall. Julian's tries to speak but is quickly silenced by a guard who ties a gag around his mouth.

"Confess", Lucio says.

Asras eyes fill with tears as he thinks," Confess....to what, there is nothing...you don't know"

Lucios tsks his tongue. "Wrong answer".

He brings his hand up next to my bleeding arm, I open my eyes and see it is a clean line beginning from my wrist to the inside of my elbow. He hovers his fingers above my wound and slowly begins opening his fingertips, with it, my skin begins tearing open horizontally. I scream. Loudly. Asra and Julian are now fighting against their restraints to get to me, Julian's muffled yelling fills the room with my screams. Asras eyes are flooded with tears as he pleads over and over for Lucio to stop. I realized now there is nothing that Asra nor Julian could say to save my life, Asra was right, there is nothing Lucio doesn't know anymore. This is all just sport for him, and we are another episode of entertainment. I struggle to retain consciousness as my flesh is continually pulled back. Soon I feel the cool air on my veins, tendons, and bone. My blood is now spilling down the staircase to where Julian and Asra are yelling, staining their knees and pooling around them.

"Confess!", Lucio shouts. No answer Asra gives him ends up being the right one.

Finally, after having the same treatment done to my right arm be done to my left. After having my back whipped, my shoulder pulled out of its socket. After having the bones of my face cracked by the force of Lucios metal arm. After all of this, Lucio finally rises and comes behind me, his hands rest on either side of my neck.

"Truly, I am disappointed. I expected more. You let her go through all of this pain, and for what? To protect her? Tell me Asra, does she look protected now!".

Asra is floated over in front of you and our faces are brought to each other. "Y/n...", he whispers.

You just close your eyes, accepting your fate.

"Looks like you failed, Asra. This is your fault, she is your fault."

"Y/n...", Asra says again," Look at me".

You do so, barely able to stay awake, "It will all be over soon. I promise. You will be alright. I'm sorry".

Lucios hands around your neck begin turning your head to the side, your feet leave the floor and soon you're floating. Still, you and Asra keep each other's gaze. "Just look at me y/n.."

Lucio turns your head more and your neck begins to pop, you begin wincing, "I'm here y/n. Just look at me", Asras eyes glitter with tears as he watches the bones in your neck begin popping. You begin to lose feeling of your extremities, the neck now bent farther than natural, the end is near now. "You are okay, I'll see you soon alright? I love you y/n".

Lucio is laughing loudly, but you don't hear him. With your remaining strength you mouth the words 'I love you' back, and soon the remaining bones in your neck are broken, shutting off your mind completely. You let out a final sigh as you die, your body landing in a limp heap to the floor. Your eyes are still open as you leave your body, Julian is wailing, Asra is looking at your lifeless body, broken. Your soul clings to the remaining seconds you have left in this world to see the two men you love one last time. As if noticing this, Asra glances into your eyes once more, he sees you, your soul. A small glint of light flashes through his eyes as you both look at each other, until finally the last of your soul is whispered away into the universe, leaving Asra and Julian behind.

[05.05.2019]