The Transmigrated Author-Chapter 179: Realization | Invasion
[Paris, The Louvre Museum]
[Sunday, 3:32 PM]
Could it be? Could Jan have been the one who saved her?
The thought was absurd, impossible even. Jan, with his goofy grin and carefree attitude, didn't seem capable of such heroism.
But the resemblance was undeniable.
"Hey Jan where-"
"I'm getting bored, let's head inside already."
Valencia blinked, surprised by his sudden shift in demeanour.
The energetic, eager Jan she knew had vanished, replaced by a bored and restless version.
"Alright, alright," she conceded, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Let's go."
As Jan turned and walked towards the museum entrance, Valencia hesitated for a moment.
The question of 'what if' remained in her mind, a puzzle piece she couldn't quite fit into the picture.
But for now, it could wait. There would be other opportunities to unravel this 'person'.
With a resigned sigh, she followed Jan into the Louvre.
...
...
...
[Paris, The Louvre Museum - First Floor]
Jan, his initial boredom forgotten, eagerly pushed through the revolving doors, his eyes wide with childish wonder.
"Whoa!" he exclaimed, gazing up at the massive structure. "This place is huge!"
Valencia, ever the composed one, followed at a more leisurely pace, her gaze sweeping across the ornate architecture with an air of quiet appreciation.
"It is quite impressive," she agreed, a small smile playing on her lips.
Inside, the museum's vast halls unfolded before them like a maze of art and history.
Marble statues shined from beneath the soft lighting, their sculpted figures frozen in timeless poses.
Intricate paintings adorned the walls, their vibrant colours and detailed brushstrokes capturing scenes of triumph, tragedy, and everyday life.
The air buzzed with the hushed whispers of countless visitors, their voices mingling with the distant echoes of footsteps on polished floors.
— Stick to the plan okay? We've got one shot at this, so don't mess up got it?
Jan, his eyes darting from one exhibit to the next, was like a child in a candy store.
— Yes Mr. Jasper... can I at least find a good spot with lots of people?
"Look at that!" he exclaimed, pointing towards a massive canvas depicting a chaotic battle scene.
— haah... okay.
"That's gotta be, like, a thousand years old!"
— Thank you, Mr. Jasper!
Valencia chuckled, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Not quite," she corrected gently.
— Don't sweat it, just make sure you're a big distraction.
"It's from the 19th century, by Jacques-Louis David. It's called 'The Coronation of Napoleon.'"
Jan blinked, his enthusiasm undeterred.
"Still pretty old,"
He insisted, his gaze already shifting to a nearby sculpture of a winged goddess.
Valencia shook her head, a fond smile playing on her lips.
"Come on, slowpoke," she said, gesturing towards the next gallery.
"Let's see what other things we can find, I heard there's a section filled with artifacts."
— And also... I'll signal through the watch. Then that's your call to do it, when I'm on the bottom floor.
As they walked, Jan passed by two strangers in the crowd.
A sudden chill ran down his spine, an odd sensation washing over him.
It was a feeling he'd experienced before, a dark and strange energy that sent shivers down his spine.
He stopped abruptly, his carefree expression replaced by a mask of seriousness. "Did you sense that?" he asked Valencia, his voice hushed.
Valencia tilted her head, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Sense what?" she asked.
"And what's with the sudden change in mood? It's like you just saw a devil."
She laughed nervously, trying to lighten the mood.
Jan shook his head with a sigh.
"Never mind..."
And followed Valencia deeper into the museum's corridors.
***
The grand galleries gave way to smaller, more intimate rooms, each housing a unique collection of historical treasures.
They finally reached the artifact gallery, a dimly lit room lined with glass display cases.
Within, a myriad of weapons shined under the spotlights, their polished surfaces reflecting the ambient light.
Swords of every shape and size, daggers with ornate hilts, axes that looked as though they could cleave a man in two, and spears with razor-sharp tips – each one a silent testament to the violence and conflict that had shaped human history.
Jan's eyes skimmed over the collection, his usual excitement dampened by a growing sense of unease.
"Whoa," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "That's a... impressive sword."
Valencia chuckled softly, her eyes scanning the displays with a more discerning gaze.
"That's a 15th-century longsword," she explained.
"It was a popular weapon among knights during the Hundred Years' War."
Jan nodded absently, his attention drawn to a massive battle axe, its rusted blade still bearing the scars of countless battles.
"And that one?" he asked, his voice strained. "That looks... dangerous."
Valencia smiled, her knowledge of history momentarily overriding her concern for Jan's subdued demeanour.
"That's a Viking battle axe," she informed him. "It's over a thousand years old."
Jan's gaze lingered on the axe, a shiver running down his spine.
The unsettling energy he had sensed earlier seemed to intensify within the artifact gallery, a darkness pressing against his senses.
He couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
Then...
RUMBLE...RUMBLE...RUMBLE...
Suddenly, the floor beneath their feet shook and a tremor rippled through the gallery.
The paintings on the walls rattled in their frames, and a crystal vase teetered on a nearby pedestal, crashing to the floor in a shower of glittering shards.
BANG!
Jan's heart pounded in his chest, a primal alarm ringing through his senses.
He recognized the rumbling, the ominous tremor that heralded danger.
A wave of panic surged through the museum, screams and shouts of "Run!" echoing through the halls.
In the artifact room, the lights flickered erratically, casting dancing shadows on the weaponry.
"Attention all visitors! This is an emergency lockdown."
An announcement blared through the museum's speakers.
"Please remain calm and listen to my--"
The announcement cut off abruptly, replaced by static and silence.
With a final sputter, they plunged into darkness, leaving the room illuminated only by the faint glow of the emergency lights and the sunlight filtering through the glass ceiling.
The rumble intensified, accompanied by loud bangs and metallic clashes that echoed from the depths of the museum.
Valencia grabbed Jan's arm, her eyes wide with alarm.
"What's happening?" she asked, her voice full of concern.
"I don't know," Jan replied, his voice tense, "but we need to get out of here-"
"Mommy?! Where are you!!"
Just then, a young child, no more than five years old, stumbled into the room, sobbing and calling for her mother.
Jan reacted instinctively, scooping the terrified girl into his arms.
"It's okay," he soothed, his voice surprisingly calm amidst the chaos.
"We're going to find your mommy. Just stay with me."
He kept her close under his arms to ensure nothing were to fall on her.
Valencia's senses were on high alert, her ears straining to make sense of the distant sounds of battle.
"Someone's fighting out there," she whispered, her eyes narrowed in concentration.
BANGGGG!!!!!!....CLASH!!!!!....CRASH!!!...
The echoing chaos from outside intensified, the sounds of battle and terrified screams seeping through the gallery walls.
Jan, his protective instincts in overdrive, made a split-second decision.
"Val, help me with this door," he commanded, his voice surprisingly firm.
Valencia, snapping out of her momentary shock, sprang into action.
Together, they heaved an antique display case against the heavy oak door, wedging it shut as best they could.
The barricade wouldn't hold forever, but it would buy them some precious time.
"We should fight, right?" Valencia asked, her voice a mix of fear and determination.
"We're going to be future heroes, after all. We need to do something."
Jan nodded, his jaw set as he tightened his grip on the frightened child in his arms.
"You're right,"
He murmured, his eyes scanning the shattered display cases that held their assignment.
"We should take the weapons here and-"
CRASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSH!
His words were cut short by a thunderous crash.
"AHHHH!!!"
A massive body, worn in a tattered brown cloak, came hurtling through the opposite wall, smashing through several more before coming to rest a distance away.
The figure groaned, struggling to rise, as a malevolent aura radiated from him.
"No... DAMN IT! Not AGAIN! NOT AGAIN, NOT AGAIN!!!!!!!"
SLAMMM!!!
The person's voice was screaming in pain, slamming his hands against the ground.
Jan's eyes widened in horror as he recognized the dark energy he had sensed earlier.
This was the source of the chaos, the harbinger of danger.
Suddenly, a hand emerged from the newly formed hole in the wall.
This figure's face peaked out of the room.
His outfit was worn with a black suit, accompanied by a long black cloak blazing from behind.
Their face is hidden by a sinister mask and their hands are covered in matching black gloves.
BREAK!!!!
With a swift, fluid motion, they smashed one of the display cases, shattering the glass and retrieving the longsword Jan had admired earlier.
"I can't fight two people at once,"
The masked figure said, their voice deep and commanding, sending shivers down Jan and Valencia's spines.
"There's a mage outside guarding all the civilians from a human-like monster... near the central exit. Please, help her."
With those final words, the figure tossed the longsword towards Jan, the old blade clattering to the floor at his feet.
Then, they turned and walked through the hole pursuing the cloaked figure they had thrown.
The room fell silent, saved for the terrified whimpers of the little girl in Jan's arms.
Valencia, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and determination, broke another display case, grabbing the 17th-century rapier.
"Hurry," she urged, her voice barely a whisper.
Jan nodded, gripping the longsword tightly.
He knew what he had to do.
__________
Authors Notes:
- Back in Jan's world museums never existed which explains his overwhelming curiousty and surprise.
