(Chapter 92 Third of The Harbingers)
"Well, this is a surprise~"
Columbina purred, her voice dripping with amusement as she smiled up at him, completely unfazed by the danger. Tempest's grip on her neck was ironclad, strong enough to leave bruises that would last for months, yet she remained calm, her eyes closed as if his strangling hands were nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Her smirk never wavered, almost mocking him as if she held all the control despite being at his mercy.
"Stay still, I'll make it quick."
Tempest growled through clenched teeth, releasing his grip with one hand. A golden flame flickered to life in his palm, twisting and coiling until it took the shape of a gleaming knife. His eyes burned with fury, yet Columbina remained eerily calm, her smirk never faltering even in the face of the imminent strike.
"Are you truly bold enough to strike me down, champion of the sun~?"
Columbina purred, her voice dripping with mockery. Slowly, she opened her eyes, revealing the eerie multitude of smaller eyes scattered across her irises.
Tempest froze. His breath caught in his throat as he saw them, faces he knew, reflected in those haunting eyes. Melissa, Falric, Hatsume... and then, the one that pierced his heart with a jolt of recognition, his Mother. The weight of realization crashed down on him like a tidal wave. Now, he understood why Melissa had acted so strangely this morning, why her eyes had turned pitch black. Columbina had been behind it all.
His grip on the flaming knife wavered.
"You..."
Tempest growled through clenched teeth, his hand trembling as the golden flame flickered from the knife in his grip.
Columbina's smile only widened, her voice soft yet dripping with condescension.
"Do you really think you can pierce me with that little toy~? Do you truly believe you can beat me to death~? Oh, Tempest, you are strong, champion of the sun, but your strength is still blossoming. Developing. You're not yet a match for an Archon... or me."
She tilted her head slightly as if amused by the thought.
"Perhaps, in a few more years, your power could rival that of the gods themselves~ But today... you're just not there yet."
Her words wrapped around him like a mocking lullaby, daring him to make a move.
"But I must admit, you're the first to ever escape the nightmare. Even if you did cheat~ Still, congratulations~ You managed what no one else has."
She said her voice dripping with a mocking sweetness. She chuckled softly, her eyes gleaming with twisted amusement.
"Though I suppose, bending the rules can have its own rewards, can't it?"
She tilted her head, the smirk on her lips growing wider.
"Bring them back."
Tempest demanded, his voice low and fierce, eyes narrowed with determination.
"Gladly~ But only if you would kindly get off of me first. Unless, of course, you're enjoying the predicament we find ourselves in~?"
Her tone was sultry as if relishing the tension between them. She tilted her head slightly, her many eyes glimmering with mischief.
Tempest's eyes narrowed as he slowly released her, rising to his feet while keeping the knife pointed directly at her. He watched warily as she gracefully pushed herself off the floor, her demeanor calm and collected despite the confrontation. She closed her eyes once more, as if savoring the moment, and began to wipe the dust from her dress with delicate, deliberate movements.
As she adjusted her attire, Tempest's gaze flickered to her neck, where the bruise from his grip was starkly visible, a dark mark against her pale skin. Yet, she seemed utterly unbothered by it, her expression betraying neither pain nor anger. Instead, she wore a tranquil smile, as if the entire encounter had been nothing more than a fleeting amusement, a game she enjoyed playing.
"One wrong move... And I'll..."
Tempest began, but his voice faltered as he grappled with the weight of his own words. He longed to end her life right there, fueled by a burning desire for vengeance, yet uncertainty gnawed at him. The lives of so many hung in the balance, including that of his Mother, and he knew that a single rash decision could spell disaster for them all.
"You'll?"
Columbina replied with a lilting chuckle. She leaned in slightly, savoring the tension in the air before she continued.
"Don't worry, I won't do anything... unless you make the first move, that is~"
Her playful tone, laced with danger, only deepened the conflict swirling within Tempest. He could feel the weight of her words pressing down on him, a reminder of the fragile line he walked between retribution and the safety of those he loved.
"I suppose it's time for a proper introduction, wouldn't you agree~?"
She said, her voice smooth and teasing.
With an elegant flourish, she swept into a graceful bow, the hem of her dress swirling around her like a shadow.
"I am the third of the Fatui Harbingers, Damselette, at your service~"
She proclaimed, her tone dripping with a mixture of charm and arrogance.
"Fatui... Again? Am I supposed to be impressed? Did they send you here to kill me?"
His piercing gaze locked onto hers, searching for any sign of weakness. The weight of his words hung in the air, a challenge echoing in the space between them.
"No, I came here on my own accord~"
Columbina replied, her voice dripping with playful amusement.
"I came to Fontaine to bring home a new friend who recently joined our little party of friends~ I'll be honest, I was quite interested in someone, someone who managed to reclaim the blessing of the god of the sun after being lost for 500 years. And I must say, he didn't disappoint one bit~ although I would have preferred he was not a cheater~"
Her eyes opened slightly, and glinted with mischief as if she were savoring a delicious secret. She took a step closer, the air thickening with tension as she leaned in slightly, her demeanor both enticing and dangerous.
"You've certainly caught my attention, Tempest Proudmoore, but it's rather unfortunate that our game ended so quickly. A shame, really. I had hoped to see more of your reactions~"
She sighed, a melodramatic flair to her voice as she continued.
"It would have been so much fun if you had reached the 100th door, ah~ I wanted to play hide and seek with you. I missed that game so dearly..."
Her tone shifted, a hint of disappointment lacing her words, but she quickly regained her playful demeanor.
"Well, still, a winner is a winner~"
Columbina's smile widened, and she twirled gracefully as if savoring the thought of the games that could have been.
"And I suppose, a winner deserves a reward, no~?"
She said, her smile widening mischievously. With a delicate yet deliberate motion, she plucked one of the six iridescent feathers from the back of her head. As the feather detached, a crimson droplet of blood trickled down her scalp, but she seemed utterly unbothered by it.
The blood dripped down her neck, yet her expression remained serene as if this act of self-harm was merely a part of the game.
"Consider this a token of my appreciation for your perseverance, champion of the sun, and for providing me with such delightful entertainment~"
She said her voice dripping with playful sarcasm.
"Perhaps one day, when we play again, you won't resort to cheating, and I would gladly offer myself as the reward~"
Tempest couldn't help but narrow his eyes at her words, a mixture of disbelief and irritation flaring within him. He glanced away slightly, trying to regain his composure as he processed her insinuation. The idea of accepting anything from her felt distasteful.
"Fuck off..."
Tempest spat, his voice low and filled with disdain.
"I don't want your reward..."
He added, a scowl etched on his face. The very thought of accepting anything from her repulsed him. He could feel the weight of her gaze, her playful smirk only adding to his irritation.
"Rude~"
She said, unfazed by Tempest's reaction.
"But I suppose that's to be expected from someone like you. After all, the brave champion of the sun tends to be a little dramatic, doesn't he?"
Her smile widened as if his disdain only amused her further.
"How about you give me a reward by exiting through that door and never coming back?"
Tempest retorted, his voice steady despite the turmoil within.
"You've had your fun, Damselette. But I'm not interested in your twisted games or any so-called rewards you might offer. The last thing I need is someone like you lurking in my life."
He took a step closer, the air thick with tension, as he awaited her response.
"Fine then~ Your choice~"
She said with a playful shrug, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she turned to make her way toward the exit.
As she reached the door, she paused and glanced back over her shoulder, a teasing smile dancing on her lips.
"Oh, happy early birthday~ Champion of the Sun."
Her voice dripped with mock sweetness as she snapped her fingers, and in an instant, everyone affected by her twisted influence returned to normal.
"Is she-"
"Your precious Archon is perfectly fine~"
She interrupted, her tone lilting with amusement as she lingered by the doorknob, clearly relishing in the dramatic effect of her words.
"Rat..."
Columbina said, her voice dripping with disdain as she swung the door wide open. At that moment, her gaze locked onto Nahida, who stood at the threshold, having overheard their tense exchange. Columbina's eyes opened slightly, gleaming with a threatening gaze, causing Nahida to instinctively take a step back, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her face.
"Go give him so therapy~ Acting so tough, when in truth he's quite scarred by our little game~"
Columbina teased, her voice laced with mockery.
"You reek of forbidden knowledge..."
Nahida countered, her voice steady despite the unease churning within her. She studied Columbina with narrowed eyes, aware that beneath the playful facade lay a darker truth, a power that thrived on manipulation and fear.
"Hmph~"
Columbina scoffed, her dismissal echoing in the air as she turned her back on Nahida and sauntered away as if the chaos she had unleashed was nothing more than a fleeting amusement.
"Tempest..."
Nahida murmured, her heart heavy with concern as she stepped into the dimly lit room. She found him slumped on the couch, his head bowed low, the weight of the encounter visibly pressing down on him.
"Are you alright?"
Nahida asked gently, her eyes filled with concern as she approached him.
"Mm, thank you for getting me out of there, Young Pasha..."
Tempest replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He rubbed his temples as if trying to erase the haunting images that lingered in his mind.
"Every room I passed... it's all still so damn vivid. I can't shake the feeling of what I experienced."
His brow furrowed, and he looked up at her, the weight of his nightmare evident in his eyes.
"Everything wasn't real, remember that..."
Nahida reassured him, taking a seat beside him on the couch. Her presence was a soothing balm against the turmoil swirling in his mind.
"I know... I need to make sure she's alright..."
Tempest replied, determination flooding his voice. He rose from the couch, a sense of urgency driving his movements.
"I need a pen..."
Tempest muttered under his breath, his frustration mounting as he reached for one of the drawers on his desk.
"That bitch..."
As he pulled the drawer open, his expectation for a pen was met with disappointment, instead, he found only a single feather resting inside. It was the same one Columbina had offered him, the one she had plucked from her own head.