Pale Fire || Childe x OC

Chapter 5

"Dottore, You requested my presence?" Faith spoke clearly as she stepped in his office.

"Yes Brighella, I wanted to show you my lab" The man grinned, turning away from the bookshelf he browsed.

"Ah alright" Faith smiled back.

"Follow me" Dottore stated, exiting his office.

Faith followed a step behind the man, watching his blue hair shift with each step.

They walked through many long hallways before stopping at large wooden double door with two servants standing guard. Once they saw us they bowed and stood away, letting Dottore push open the doors.

Faith took a sharp breath.

A giant metal room his behind the doors, ruin guards hung in the air from metal claws. Large vats bubbled behind the ruin guards. Dottor stepped across a large walkway, the sides dropped down to an unimaginable depth.

"What is below here?" Faith asked, perring over the edge once the pair came to a stop.

"Failures" Dottore grinned, his pointed teeth shining in the metallic light. He placed a heavy hand on her lower back.

Faith continued to stare over the rail, she glanced to the Doctor. His bright eyes watched her kindly.

"Come"

His cold hand guided her smoothly through the winding halls and humongous rooms littered with different experiments. He pushed open another door.

Inside was a surgery table with all sorts of devices and tools around it. A cart with trays and paper stood next to the table. A singular bright light beamed down.

"What do you use it for?" Faith questioned, shifting her eyes to the man.

"A silly question, surgery of course" He smiled back, a malicious look in his eyes.

Faith stepped forward, observing the different instruments.

"Do you plan on using the on me?" She asked, still inspecting her surroundings.

"Not unless you betray the Tsaritsa"

"Wouldn't dream of it"

"Good, Any other questions?"

"What did you do to them?"

"Hm?"

Faith pointed towards a sack in the corner, it was either filled with limbs or someone, either way it was a body.

"Ah, her" The Doctor huffed "Another failure, haven't had to time to repurpose her.

"What went wrong?" Faith pressured, squatting infront of the bag.

"Have you heard of Eleazar?"

"Of course"

"There's your answer"

"Are you going to feed her to the–"

"Dottore, Pierre would like to see you" A voice announced.

"Pantalone, Can't you see I'm entertaining a guest?"

"Apologies" Pantalone replied curtly.

"It is alright Dottore, we can continue talking tomorrow in my office over tea" Faith politely offered.

"You are kind" Dottore smiled "Let's leave, I wouldn't want you to get lost.

The trio exited the lab, where Faith split from the group and headed back to her office.

"Master I have notified you have finished the work day" Nikitia informed Faith as she entered the office.

"Thank you Nikita, have a good afternoon"

"You too Master"

Faith collected her bag and shut the curtains, she then left the office and headed to the barn where she took down the doe and slung it back over Alastor.

A package sat on the cobblestone steps, the woods surrounding the home were silent except for the occasional birdsong. The doe hung from a beam in the shed, accompanied by tools and an array of carcasses.

"Hm, from Liyue," Faith mumbled, picking up the heavy box and sticking it under her arm as she fiddled with her keys.

Faith pushed open the door and kicked it shut behind her, she flicked on the warm toned lights. Taking a breath in she dropped the package on the counter and stared at it. Faith flicked a key between her fingers and begun to cut through the tape. Flinging the flaps open she peered inside, scribbled handwriting on a piece of lettering paper read.

"In case you want to visit - Hu Tao"

Faith smiled at the words, it had been months since she visited Liyue. She loved the nation, with its warm colours and sweet music. The colourful landscape for as far as the eye could see, unlike her home. It was the only place she remembered visiting as a child, her mother and father guiding her around the city, each stall calling her name.

She lifted the paper package from the box, it was light and soft. Her fingers wound around the twine that wrapped around the centre of the gift, she took in a breath as she watched the paper unfold.

"Wow…" She muttered breathlessly.