Chapter 8: Court of Fontaine III Peruere

(Chapter 8 Court of Fontaine III)

Peruere... The Knave's most favored child, she was an orphan of unknown origin, like all others in the House of the Hearth, a 'child' of their 'Mother', Many knew that "Mother" favored her especially, indeed, caring far more for Peruere than even her own biological daughter, Clervie, now here she was, having a standoff with Tempest Proudmoore.

"I've already given her my answer Fatuus, in case you want to hear it as well, I don't want to join your party of psychopaths, get out of my sight..."

Tempest said to her, his eyes radiating a threatening glare, the unknown Fatuus didn't even bother to respond, she simply stood there, her face as emotionless and unreadable as Tempest's own.

Tempest took a deep breath, not wanting to waste time with this unknown Fatuus, it was already evening, and he was late, his Father would surely be furious if he delayed any longer, without a word, he simply walked passed the unknown Fatuus.

In response, the unknown Fatuus unsheathed her rapier and swung it at Tempest's exposed back, Tempest caught the blade with his left hand, his entire left arm infused with Pyro, resembling a fiery gauntlet.

Both their eyes widened with surprise, Tempest intended to dodge her attack, but his body subconsciously moved itself to catch the attacker's blade, the Pyro Delusion inside his outfit glowed brightly.

"Delusion... Huh?"

The unknown Fatuus, still gripping her rapier's hilt and struggling to reclaim it from Tempest's fiery hand, spoke with a cold, steady voice.

"Just a small gift from your Mistress, if you swing your sword at me again, I swear to the seven Archons, I'll wipe this floor with your blood."

Tempest threatened her, but she remained unfazed, with a swift motion, Tempest took the rapier from her hand and flung it aside.

The unknown Fatuus jumped back, maintaining her distance from Tempest.

"Don't join the Fatui, Tempest Proudmoore, you have no place there."

The unknown Fatuus jumped backward to the edge of the aquabus station, without hesitation, she leaped backward off the platform, executing a daring exit from her confrontation with Tempest.

Tempest watched her leap off the platform without care, throughout their confrontation, she hadn't even given him her name, the glowing light from the Pyro Delusion slowly dimmed until it reverted to its original state, and the fiery gauntlet on his left arm disappeared shortly after, his entire left sleeve of his clothes gone.

"You don't have to remind me to do the right thing..."

Thankfully, no one was present at the aquabus station to witness their confrontation, the only evidence was the rapier lying on the floor, Tempest walked to it to pick it up.

"A gift for Teacher then."

Tempest examined the sword, recognizing the Fatui symbol on its hilt. Its design suggested it was crafted for precision, a perfect weapon for an assassin, a swift strike to the heart, and it would be over for the victim.

Tempest, still carrying the paper bag in his right hand, checked the book to ensure it was undamaged.

"Thank goodness It's alright... I gotta get going then, I'm already late."

Tempest entered the elevator that would lead to the Waterway Hub.

"Strange, I don't feel anything that changed in my body both physically and mentally."

He muttered to himself while he held the Pyro Delusion on his left hand.

"I didn't need your help, I was quite confident in myself that I would dodge her attack."

He put back the Pyro Delusion in his pocket, shorty the elevator door opened.

"Young Master! There you are!"

"Rohan?"

Rohan, one of the Knights of the Golden Hand ran to him.

"Commander Pierre has ordered every Knight of the Golden Hand to look for you, are you alright, Young Master? Were you attacked?!"

Rohan looked at the Tempest's ripped left sleeve and immediately his face turned ready for combat.

"No... Well yes technically, I had a skirmish with a Fatuus earlier, and the reason I was late, was because I had to do something right, and don't worry the Fatuus had fled and I don't think she will be disturbing me anytime soon."

"Are you sure, Young Master? Should I report this to, Commander Pierre?"

Rohan said, still wanting to find the person who attacked Tempest.

"No, I'll explain everything to Father. If possible, could you refrain from reporting any of this? Just tell Pierre I was lost in the city and had a hard time looking for Hotel Debord, I don't want to trouble Father with this matter."

Tempest looked Rohan straight in the eyes, his face devoid of emotions and impossible to read, Rohan contemplated for a while and shortly answered.

"Very well, Young Master, here, take this and wear it, so your story could be more convincing."

Rohan gave him a spare uniform of the Knights of the Golden Hand.

"Thank you, and take this, keep it to yourself then give it to Constantine once we return to Stormwind."

Tempest gave Rohan the rapier sword that the Fatuus used, and he simply nodded in response, Tempest then changed his current clothes to the Knights of the Golden Hand uniform.

"I'll take that, Young Master."

Rohan gestured to the ripped clothes Tempest was holding.

"Thank you, don't show it to anyone, now then, lead me to the hotel."

Tempest gave Rohan the ripped clothes and then he nodded gesturing to Tempest to follow him, after a short walk they arrived at Hotel Debord.

"Young Master! There you are!"

Pierre walked up to him.

"Where have you been? And why are you wearing the Knights uniform?"

"I got splashed in one of the fountain sprinklers since I was busy admiring the city."

Tempest lied as naturally as he breathed, Pierre then looked at Rohan who simply nodded agreeing to Tempest.

"I see, let's go inside then and have you changed right away, you're lucky your Father is still having with his associate, Rohan, recall the other knights and inform them the Young Master has returned safely."

"Yes, Commander."

Pierre gestured for Tempest to get inside the hotel, he simply nodded.

"Who is Father meeting with?"

Tempest asked Pierre, as Pierre was leading him into his room.

"Just a friend of his, Young Master, no need to concern yourself over it."

"Right."

Pierre shut down his question, his Father was most likely talking to the Fatuis again.

"Have you prepared yourself mentally for meeting the fal-, ehem, Lady Furina, later, Young Master?"

Pierre asked Tempest, he was obviously going to say false Archon or somewhere around those lines.

"I doubt I'll be the one talking, I'll most likely introduce myself for show and that would be it."

"Haha, don't say that Young Master, make sure to have a great introduction that would leave her speechless!"

Pierre grinned at Tempest.

"Right."

Tempest simply replied to the old man, who is terrible at hiding his true nature.

"Well here we are, this is your room, go get changed and wait for your Father. If you need me I'll be outside the entrance of the hotel."

Pierre raised a hand to Tempest as he walked away.

"Good thing he was talking to someone..."

Tempest muttered to himself as he entered the room, without wasting any time, he immediately changed out of his current clothing and into a fresh set of new ones, he placed the paper bag containing the book Penance wanted on the bed, After changing his clothes, he took a moment to compose himself before leaving the room once more.

The whole hotel was empty there were no guests other than knights from the Golden Hand and employees at the hotel were only present, as he was walking through the halls he heard some voices on the other side of a door, he stopped in his tracks and listened.

"Yes, I assure you everything is going according to plan."

That was the voice of his Father.

"And the Ghost Program?"

A voice Tempest did not recognize.

"Is already in its testing phase, the first batch will shortly arrive in Stormwind in the next few weeks."

The voice of his Father continued.

"Very good. We'll uphold our end of the bargain once we obtain what we came to Fontaine for. As for everything else, you can keep it all."

The unknown voice continued.

"Of course, Of course, well then, I don't want to keep her waiting now, I will contact you when the time comes."

After that final sentence from his Father, the voices stop, and he hears chairs moving.

"I'll be going out first then, Your Grace, I shall await with good news."

The unknown voice spoke, Tempest immediately took a few steps back and started to pretend he was walking the halls casually, the door finally opened.

"Ah, Young Master, fancy seeing you here, taking a scroll I see."

The man asked Tempest, his appearance is adorned with a long, dark hooded cloak that extends to the knees, designed with flame-like accents in shades of red and orange, giving the impression of smoldering embers, featuring a prominent Pyro Dleusion at its center, no doubt this man is a Fatui Agent.