Capítulo 8: chapter 7
The path opened up to Starsnatch Cliff, where the wind was stronger, carrying with it the crisp scent of the highlands.
The expansive view stretched out before them—endless skies,vast ocean, scattered clouds, and the faint shimmer of Mondstadt far below.
Luna dashed ahead, her small form bouncing with excitement. "Finally! We've arrived!"
Reaching the edge of the grassy cliff, she flopped down dramatically, breathing in the fresh air.
Her bright grin turned toward Lucien, who was walking up at a much slower pace.
"Dad, hurry up!" she called, waving an arm in the air like she'd been waiting for hours.
Lucien let out an exasperated breath as he approached, slinging his bag off his shoulder. "Alright, alright—just don't get too close to the edge, or you'll end up flying off like a glider without wings."
Luna rolled her eyes, already staring up at the open sky. "I know, Dad."
Lucien stopped beside her, letting his gaze wander to the horizon. For a moment, he stood still, appreciating the beauty before him. "The view really is something else..."
Luna peeked up at him and sat up slightly, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "It is beautiful," she agreed, her tone sweet, "but, Dad, do you know what's even better than this view?"
Lucien arched an eyebrow, puzzled. "No, what?"
Luna's expression turned serious, almost too dramatic for the moment. "Food."
Lucien twitched visibly.
"Food, Dad!" she declared again. "Hurry up and set up the camp. I want to eat!"
With that, Luna plopped back down onto the grass, hands behind her head as if the earth itself were her throne. She lazily pulled out a snack from her bag, munching with complete contentment.
Lucien sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "At least help your dad prepare!"
In response, Luna merely waved a hand lazily, her other hand occupied with her snack. "You're doing great, Dad. I believe in you!"
Lucien's eye twitched again, staring at his daughter sprawled across the grass lazily. "This kid..."
Muttering under his breath, Lucien crouched down and began unpacking the camp supplies, sneaking occasional glances at Luna. She was still chewing happily, utterly carefree.
After a few minutes of careful work, Lucien straightened up and looked over the camp.
The small setup was perfect: a sturdy mat spread across the grass, plates and utensils set neatly.
Dusting off imaginary dirt from his hands, Lucien allowed himself a small, satisfied nod. "Alright, all set up," he said to no one.
He began unpacking the food he had bought earlier that morning, pulling out one dish at a time and placing it carefully on the mat.
The savory aroma of roasted meat and freshly baked bread quickly filled the air, mixing with the scent of the wildflowers that swayed gently in the breeze.
Once everything was ready, Lucien turned his head and called out, "Luna."
There was no response. The only sound was the wind rustling through the grass.
Lucien frowned slightly, raising his voice. "Luna!"
At the second call, a pair of hurried footsteps came thudding across the ground.
Luna appeared moments later, dashing toward him with her bag bouncing on her back and a smile plastered across her face.
"I'm here!" she announced breathlessly, dropping to a stop right in front of him.
Lucien raised an eyebrow, looking her over with suspicion. "What were you up to?"
Luna's eyes darted to the side, avoiding his gaze as she answered, "Uh… nothing important!"
Lucien smile faintly, shaking his head. "Come on, then. Let's eat before the food gets cold."
At the mention of food, Luna's face lit up like a spark. "Finally!" she cheered, flopping down onto the mat without hesitation and eyeing the feast laid out before her.
Lucien watched Luna with a raised brow as she eagerly reached for the food.
Just as her hand hovered over a piece of roasted meat, he cleared his throat loudly. "At least wash your hands before eating."
Luna froze mid-motion, her lips pursing into a small pout. "But my hands aren't that dirty…"
Lucien shook his head, already taking out a water bottle. "No excuses. Here." He uncapped it and gestured for her to hold out her hands.
Grumbling under her breath, Luna shuffled closer and let him pour the water over her hands.
She scrubbed at them lazily, frowning as if it were a great inconvenience. "There, done!" she declared after a few seconds, shaking her wet hands at her dad like a puppy.
Lucien sighed, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Now you can eat."
"Great!" Luna chirped, plopping back down and diving straight into the spread.
She wasted no time grabbing a piece of roasted meat, taking a huge bite, and letting out a satisfied hum. "Mmm, this is so good!"
Lucien chuckled softly, sitting down across from her. He picked up a plate for himself, watching Luna eat.
"Slow down," he said, though his tone carried no real scolding. "You'll choke if you keep inhaling food like that."
Luna simply grinned, cheeks already full. "I can't help it, Dad! This is too delicious!"
Lucien leaned back slightly, watching his daughter as she continued to eat. "So, Luna, what were you doing while I was setting up the camp?"
Luna, mid-bite, froze for a second before slowly putting another piece of food in her mouth. Her cheeks puffed out as she chewed and looked at her dad innocently. "Well… I just wanted to take that flower back home."
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "You were out collecting flowers?"
Luna nodded enthusiastically, swallowing her food quickly. "Not just any flower—Cecilia. You don't mind, right, Dad? I want to try and take care of it."
Lucien paused, studying his daughter's hopeful expression. There was a glint of excitement in her eyes, the kind that softened his resolve every time. "Hmmm…" He let the word hang in the air as if he were carefully considering it.
In truth, a thought passed through his mind: 'It's just a flower after all...'
With a small sigh, Lucien finally nodded. "Alright. Just make sure you don't forget to actually take care of it."
Luna's face lit up like the morning sun. "Great!" she exclaimed, beaming as if she'd won a grand prize.
Lucien shook his head with an amused smile, reaching for his own food again. "You're really set on this Cecilia flower, huh?"
"Yup!" Luna said proudly. "It's special, I can feel it."
Lucien didn't respond right away, instead glancing toward the distant fields where the pale-white Cecelias swayed in the breeze. 'Special… huh?'
Lucien let out an exaggerated, sorrowful sigh, his shoulders slumping dramatically. "So, your dad isn't special anymore?" he asked, his voice trembling as he wiped at nonexistent tears with the back of his hand.
Luna's eyes widened, panic quickly replacing her smug expression. "Wha—?! Dad, you're always special to me!" she blurted, her voice urgent.
Lucien peeked through his fingers, his lips twitching into a smile. "Really?"
"Yes!" Luna insisted, pouting as she crossed her arms. "Because you're the best dad I could ask for!"
The playful façade melted away, replaced by a warm, genuine smile. "Hahaha… that's good to know," Lucien said softly, reaching out to ruffle her hair.
"Grrr… Dad, stop it!" Luna protested, her cheeks puffed out in frustration as she swatted at his hand. "You're messing up my hair!"
Lucien only chuckled harder, avoiding her half-hearted swats. "I can't help it—my cute daughter is too easy to tease."
Luna huffed, swatting one last time before turning her back to him with a dramatic flourish. "You're the worst, Dad."
Lucien grin, leaning back slightly as he watched her sulk. "And yet I'm still your 'best dad,' right?"
Luna glanced back over her shoulder, her scowl softening into a small smile. "…Yeah."
Lucien's heart warmed at her answer, and he turned his gaze toward the horizon.
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Lucien sighed softly, shaking his head as he stood up to tidy the camp. Luna, who had just finished eating, lay sprawled on the grass, her hands resting on her full stomach, her expression completely content.
Lucien glanced at her, and his lips curled into a small, fond smile. "Figures," he muttered, noting the way her breathing had evened out. "She's already asleep."
Carefully, he walked over and crouched beside her. Without disturbing her slumber, Lucien scooped Luna up in his arms, carrying her into the camp tent he had set up earlier. He placed her gently onto the bedding, adjusting the blanket around her to make sure she was warm.
Just as he turned to leave and gather the scattered trash outside, he felt a small tug on his hand.
Lucien froze and looked back. Luna, still deep in her sleep, had grabbed onto him tightly. Her brows were furrowed, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead as her expression twisted with distress.
"Dad…" she murmured weakly, her voice soft and trembling. "Dad…"
Lucien's chest tightened at the sight of her. He kneeled beside her again and carefully wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of his hand. "Shhh," he whispered gently, brushing her hair back and caressing her head to comfort her. "Dad is here. It's okay."
But Luna's grip only tightened. Her voice grew faint, tinged with fear. "Dad… don't leave again…"
Lucien's eyes narrowed slightly in confusion, his hand pausing mid-motion. "Again?" he whispered to himself, a quiet frown settling on his face.
He sat there for a moment longer, watching Luna's expression slowly relax under his touch. Though still confused, Lucien let out a quiet sigh, his hand continuing to rest lightly on her head.
"Don't worry," he murmured softly. "Dad isn't going anywhere."
The calm serenity of Starsnatch Cliff shattered in an instant.
Lucien, who had been preparing to leave Luna's side, froze when the very air around the camp began to shift. The sky darkened unnaturally, and a strange hum vibrated through the ground. It felt as though the world itself had folded in on them.
"What the—" Lucien muttered, his instincts flaring. He spun around and hurried back to Luna, who was now sitting up.
"On guard, Luna," Lucien warned, dropping low into a defensive stance. His voice was steady, but his gaze darted to the strange distortions flickering around them. Something was wrong—he could feel it in his bones.
But then his eyes caught hers.
Luna's usual soft blue irises were gone, replaced with a gleaming, golden-yellow light. A light that was not hers. Lucien's blood ran cold, and his instincts screamed at him.
He staggered back a step. "Who are you?!" he demanded, his voice sharp and accusing. "What did you do to my daughter?"
The girl tilted her head ever so slightly, her expression unreadable. Her lips curled faintly—an expression neither Luna nor any child her age would wear.
"What do you mean, Dad?" she asked softly, her voice layered with something distant. "I am your daughter…. "
The sentence broke apart into garbled noise.
Lucien blinked, his heart hammering in his chest. "What—"
The words reached his ears, but it was as though the world itself censored them. Where a name should have been—an identity—there was nothing but static.
The entity wearing Luna's face tilted her gaze upward, as if watching something Lucien could not see. "I wanted to talk more with you…" she said, her voice growing faint, almost sorrowful. "But it seems time won't allow it…"
Lucien clenched his fists, helpless. "What are you talking about?!"
The entity turned its golden gaze back to him. This time, there was a flicker of warmth in her expression—just a glimpse. "I'm thankful for her," she said, her voice soft yet resolute. " At least the space between us is shorter now, Dad."
Lucien stood frozen, the word "Dad" echoing in his mind.
"I hope I can meet you again next time," she whispered.
Before Lucien could move, the golden light in her eyes dimmed. The strange pressure around them shattered like glass, and the space returned to normal.
Luna slumped forward, her breathing steady but unconscious.
Lucien dropped to his knees beside her, gently taking her into his arms. "Luna…?" he whispered, his voice tight with concern. He glanced around the area, searching for any lingering traces of what had just happened.
But there was nothing. Just the quiet wind of Starsnatch Cliff, as if the world had already forgotten what just happen.
(A/n: 2k word. I keep fall asleep this entire day..... i dont know why...but good night...)
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