🌙 Character: Flins, Irina (OC)

🌙Tags: oneshot, AU (modern Teyvat), tragedy, mystery

🌙 Summary: Following a Polar Night challenge, the little girl named Irina (OC) squeezed through the gate to a long-forgotten mansion. There was a blue flame, a celebration, and a mystery awaited her steps further...

"If you really are the Grim Reaper, thank you for granting me a beautiful dream..."

🌙 Word count: 3301w

⚠️ This story contains details that may be disturbing to readers - violence (not detailed). Please consider for further reading. ⚠️

Not for children under 13 years old.

Vietnamese version: Ngọn lửa đêm tàn

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Author's note: A Halloween and also Flins's birthday fic. Please enjoy!

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Flame Of The Dimming Night

The child climbed through the gap between the two rusty iron gates. Perhaps in the last hundred years at least, she might have been the only one who had set foot in that desolate area, all just to test her courage.

Her name was Irina, which means peace. But, paradoxically, peace was never found once in her life. Simply look at the bruises and cuts all over her body, hidden behind the white garment she wore from head to toe. A drunkard her father was, and her mother had no concerns for her. When the daughter begged to go out with the other children, her mother tossed her a white fabric and told her to cut two holes to create this "ghost" costume. Then she vanished into the night, enjoying the excitement of Polar Night with her lover. Irina finished her outfit within minutes so she could join the other children in the neighborhood.

All the parents in this neighborhood did not want their children to spend time with Irina. It was never the child's fault, they were well aware of that, but given her family background, they thought she was not brought up properly and would grow up to be as nasty as her parents. However, Irina was either too young to comprehend or did not want to. Companionship was the sole thing she sought. Hence, she would do whatever the other kids demanded simply to play with them. For instance:

"Do you dare go inside that spooky building at the end of the river? If you are brave enough, we'll let you trick-or-treat with us."

"Of course, I am brave!" she said with confidence despite the fact that her legs were shaking from fright. Or perhaps she was just wobbling from the cold. She was not clothed with the same warmth as the other children.

“Then we’ll wait on this bridge until midnight. If you leave earlier than the scheduled time, we won’t let you join us.”

Thus, Irina mustered up all of her courage and pursued the flowing water down the bridge, to the abandoned mansion. At that time, she did not think that even if she stayed until midnight, the festival would be over, and the children would have gone home to sleep. The fact that the children allowed her to play with them at last made her thrilled. They even stood on the bridge watching her, cheering and waving at her.

As Irina climbed over the gate and looked at the place that was rumored to be haunted, she swallowed. It was not her wish to be here, but she could not go back. Perhaps spending a night here was more tolerable than the punches and beatings she received from her parents at home. It was unlikely that they would come seeking for her. Her mother had a date and would not be home all night. And her father was probably slumped at one of the town's pubs at that time. They only remembered her existence when they needed a sandbag to vent their frustrations. And from their perspective, her undesired birth had brought even greater misery to their lives. So she deserved all that punishment from them!

Irina strolled across the garden, which had been overrun by weeds and moss. She imagined that in its heyday, the place where she stood must have had a lovely garden full of fragrant flowers and exotic plants. She had learned from the locals that this mansion previously belonged to an ancient noble family. They were fae, a race that had ceased to exist long ago. Irina was staring at a stone statue of a small fae with broken wings laying in the ruins when suddenly she noticed a blue flame flash past her eyes.

"What was that?" She jumped. Hovering a dozen meters away from her, the blue flame reappeared. Irina shuddered. “A real ghost?”

The flame appeared to be observing her. At least that was how it felt like. From it came a halo of warm and lovely light. The speck then returned to the main door.

“Huh?… Wait!” Irina chased after the flame. This mansion was the subject of many rumors, mostly to frighten children. However, several reported seeing blue flames from time to time as they passed by. It was foolish of Irina to pursue such a will-o’-the-wisp, but she did not think the ghost had any malicious intent. Instead, she believed the spirit was trying to communicate with her.

It was something she could not explain. She felt slightly impelled to pursue the blue flame that had just vanished into the mansion. Irina trembled and placed her hand on the door.

"M-May I come in?…"

She had no idea who she was saying it to, but it would be inappropriate to simply walk in. She pushed the door open, astonished to see that there was no lock to stop her. Irina expected the inside to be gloomy and menacing, but she was amazed when she saw a completely different scene.

The room was filled with bright golden candlelight. There was the sound of a piano and people speaking close. But what drew Irina's attention the most was the blue flame, which had dimmed and was dancing on the palm of a strange gentleman.

His hair was long and matched the color of the flame. His peculiar golden eyes focused on Irina, making her take a step back.

“Uh… I’m sorry… I know I shouldn’t be here…”

The blue flame dissipated as the man clutched his palm. He smiled, put his hand to his chest, and bent gently.

"Fear not, miss. I am Kyryll Chudomirovich Flins. I shall be your escort tonight."

"Kyryll… Kyryll Chudo…" Irina attempted to recite the lengthy name but failed. She had a faint recollection of hearing a similar name somewhere before.

The gentleman stood up straight and said:

"Please, just call me Flins."

"Y-Yes," she replied. "Uncle Flins… I'm Irina…" Then she shook her head so hard that the white fabric around her trembled. She was certain that she was merely in a dream. "Wait… It can't be… I thought this place was abandoned long ago?…"

"Abandoned? No. Certainly not on such a picturesque night as this. If Miss Irina does not make haste, the festivities will begin without us."

"Are you saying that we're going to a party?" Irina asked again. The bizarre mansion, the blue flame, and the man called Flins. What was happening?

"Yes. A masquerade for us."

Irina wondered why no one had ever mentioned the party at this mansion before. However, she was more concerned with the soiled white fabric and her own unkempt appearance underneath.

"I don't think they'll let me in…"

As soon as she finished speaking, Irina witnessed a ring of blue flames encircling her. The flame seized her white cloth as she cried out loudly. In the flash of an eye, the material was scorched and gone. When Irina looked down at her feet, she found a pair of dazzling shoes and a flowing garment dangling from her own body.

"Huh?…" She was dressed in a dark blue evening gown with silvery sequins that reflected light. She was unable to view her complete attire, but she could feel the small wings attached on her gown. She became a fae, sort of, much like in a fairy tale!

Flins extended his hand to her. “Shall we go, Miss Irina?”

The girl eagerly accepted Flins's hand. She preferred to be called Miss Irina rather than brat, nasty girl, or any of the other derogatory names her family and neighbors gave her. Flins led her down the long corridor and into the main hall, where the celebration had just begun.

Like a dream so beautiful that even Irina’s imagination could not have conjured it, she saw the fae in the banquet hall. They were young and old, all dancing together, conversing, or enjoying the delicious meal at the table. Irina knew nothing about the fae or the mansion's golden age, yet she was certainly witnessing something wonderful. A miracle.

"Sir Flins has arrived! And a little lady is here with him!"

The guests welcomed them. Irina glanced up at Flins. He simply nodded and grinned faintly. She was then escorted aside by a few fae of her age for a chat.

"So, you are Irina? What a beautiful name!"

"Where are you from? I've never seen your face around here before."

"Every year, on this day, our families gather here for Sir Flins's birthday."

"That's right! Almost all of the fae nobility are present. Even our Tsar is here!"

Irina was so perplexed by the questions that her brain began to spin. The vibrant fae wings of all colors floated in front of her, adding to the beautiful atmosphere. She scanned around the hall and noticed Flins speaking with an unknown person. But because of his attire and his exceedingly brilliant wings, she guessed he might be the Tsar - the King of the fae who had just been mentioned. Only then did she realize that Flins was the only one without wings.

The young fae led her out into the garden, she was amazed at how different everything was than when she first came. The trees were overgrown, the enormous fountain still functioned, and the ruined statues she had seen still stood, unmarked by the cruelties of time. Irina could not just ask the guests whether they knew what would happen to this place in the far future. Perhaps the only thing she could do was enjoy this bizarre yet delightful dream.

Indeed, Irina set her fears and ideas away. She mingled with the fae, dancing and learning their songs (in a language she did not understand at all—she had fun still!). The fae offered her a floral wreath to wear on her head. She ate everything on the table and never felt full. Irina burst into tears as she remembered the chilly, poor meals and, worst of all, the fact that she was left hungry at home. Seeing this, her new fae companions hugged and consoled her.

"Oh, dear Irina! If you like, we may welcome you to our home for a tea party."

"That's right. Irina, you ought to eat more cakes and the other foods you enjoy!"

Irina sobbed with a mouth full of food. After her spirits had been lifted, the fae drew her out into the middle of the hall to dance. Honestly, she was quite clumsy, and she had stepped on the feet of her blonde fae dance partner more than once. Yet he did not appear displeased at all; instead, he reddened and stared at her for a long time.

After a few lively melodies, it was Flins's turn to invite her to dance. Irina was too short for him, so he had to lower himself down for the entire song. He was even generous enough to let her stand on his shoes.

"Thank you, Uncle Flins!" Irina exclaimed as he spun her around. "Thank you for letting me join you on your birthday!"

"To celebrate such a special occasion with you, Miss Irina, the honor is mine."

"How courteous!" She giggled. All the fae here were like that, so gentle and kind to her.

All of a sudden, a distant bell rang. Irina immediately remembered something.

"It's midnight already? Oh… I have to go…"

The song was not yet finished, but everything had come to a halt. All the fae surrounding her remained immobile, as if they were exquisite sculptures. Irina was stunned. She and Flins were the only ones who could still move.

"They… What's wrong with them, Uncle Flins?"

Flins did not respond to her immediately. His yellow eyes gradually turned blue, like the fire the little girl had seen when she first arrived here, or perhaps the light in the lantern he was holding.

"Uncle Flins?…" Irina took a step back out of fright. "I… I have to go… My friends must be waiting outside…"

She recalled the challenge the other children had given her. It was a surprise how she had forgotten all about it while playing here! She had nearly lost track of the wicked world that awaited her when she returned. Every wonderful dream must come to an end at last.

"No one is waiting for you, Miss Irina," Flins said. The girl took another step back and by mistake clashed into the blond fae boy she had been dancing with. He crumbled into dust and vanished right in front of her.

All the other fae vanished as well. In the blink of an eye, the magnificent banquet hall was reduced to ruins. The moonlight coming through the jagged glass windows revealed Irina's reality: her elegant dress was gone, she was back to her filthy self, and even the wreath on her head disappeared.

Blue flames flashed surrounding the girl; it was all so terrifying. In tears she screamed:

"Please let me go home! I want to go home!"

"Do you really want to go home?" Flins's voice resonated like thunder. He moved past her while still holding the lantern. "If that's what you wish for, I shall take you home."

Irina's legs raced to catch up with Flins. After a few steps, she found herself standing on the bridge, gazing at the abandoned property.

“Huh?… Where is everyone?” She looked around. No one was waiting for her. In the distance, she heard the sound of children playing.

Flins turned and walked forward. She followed. This time, they arrived at her residence.

Her mother was still not home, and she would not be again. The girl overheard her drunken father curse in the kitchen. As she proceeded nearer, she noticed a scarlet stream of blood dropping down the floor.

Something made Irina's legs limp. It seemed like she had seen this precise scene before. On Polar Night, she came home after being left behind by her so-called "friends". She came across her father looking for more drinks in the kitchen. There were curses then, both for her mother and for her. When those furious eyes met her, he surged at her like a demonic being.

She remembered it now. She remembered every terrifying punch that had been mercilessly rained down on her. She remembered the kicks to her stomach that had rendered her helpless to fight back. The pain was more severe than any other time before. And when the demon in the shape of her father finally ceased, Irina felt no more pain.

But she lay there, cold on the floor, in her own pool of blood. A long, long time later, the father pulled the white cloth the girl had used as her costume to put over her motionless body. She had become a ghost.

The father wrapped her petite body in the cloth. Then Irina saw herself standing on the bridge, watching her own father throw her into the river. She felt herself floating in the cold water, isolated from the rest of the world. The river then transported her to an abandoned mansion where the blue flame found her.

Flins's light cast a warm, eerie glow on the path ahead of Irina. She was astounded by what she had just seen, or rather recalled. Flins stayed silent, waiting for her to speak first.

"I'm... I'm dead..."

That was why Flins said no one was waiting for her. Irina was no longer of this world.

But where could she go now?

"There is a place for you, Miss Irina."

Hearing this, the girl looked up at the man with the lantern. He must be a ghost like her. Or was he truly a fae? It did not matter.

"There is a place for the souls who no longer belong to this world," Flins spoke again. "If you see a light waiting for you, go forth."

Irina looked around. Besides the lantern in Flins's hand, she caught a glimpse of another light behind him. Far, far away. It resembled a lighthouse.

Flins turned his head in the direction where the girl was staring. "So you saw it," he said.

"What about you, Uncle Flins?" Irina asked. It confused Flins. She had just recognized the horrific way she had died at the hands of her father, but her main concern was what would happen to Flins.

"Didn't you come here to pick me up?" Irina added. She had accepted the fact that she was no longer alive with ease. After all, it was the existence that made her miserable.

Flins replied:

"I came to show you the way. From here on, you can walk by yourself."

Irina stared up at the distant lighthouse again with hesitation written all over her face. Then, she returned her gaze at where the bridge still stood, and further, towards her house.

"I can… go now?…" She whispered. Could she go? Had she escaped that nightmare for good?

Flins extended his gloved hand to her, saying, "If you're afraid, I can accompany you for a little longer."

Irina took Flins's hand. They started heading down a long, dark path toward the lighthouse, guided by his lantern. Irina was still bewildered. She kept looking back.

"What will happen to my parents when I'm gone, Uncle Flins?"

"That is something I cannot tell you," Flins told her the truth. "Perhaps when the sun rises, the locals will find your body in front of my residence. An investigation will be established, and I will ensure that the wrongdoer does not get away with it."

"You can do that? What are you really?..."

Flins laughed at her naive question. "Aren't you more curious about where we're going than about this?"

Irina shrugged and replied, "Anywhere would be better than staying here, I think."

She would not miss her mother that much, let alone her father. She also hoped that the children who had never truly considered her a friend wouldn't be haunted by her absence. After all, she would rather leave this life without being remembered.

But Flins would not forget her.

"If you really are the Grim Reaper, thank you for granting me a beautiful dream before I go."

Irina spoke of the party. She would never forget that brief but wonderful time. They were already near the lighthouse, and Irina was able to let go of Flins's hand.

She felt herself being lifted higher and higher. The white cloth that had covered her body was carried away by the wind, leaving her in the same beautiful dress she had worn when she had arrived at Flins's party. Irina smiled and sobbed at the same time. She had never felt the peace in her name as she did now, when she was enveloped in the magical light from the lighthouse and lifted aloft, as if unseen wings were sustaining her.

"Thank you, Uncle Flins! Happy birthday to you!" she said. Her increasingly fading arms reached out to hold his shoulders. To his astonishment, Flins received the warm present with a smile.

"I am a Lightkeeper," Flins informed her. "I cannot go with you, not yet. Though it was a pleasure to have you at my birthday celebration. Now, farewell, Miss Irina."

The blue flame in Flins's eyes flickered. That was the last thing Irina saw before plunging into the glow of the lighthouse.

***

The man with the peculiar dark blue lantern stood at the corner, watching as the cold body of the unfortunate child was being transported away. Not far from that place, an intoxicated father had just been convicted and would be sentenced not just by the rules of this world, but also by a mysterious authority.

On the frigid autumn morning, one could almost see the blue flames flickering within the shattered mansion grounds.

-The End-