The burn of a Harbinger

#6

In the dimly lit, smoke-filled room, Furina's eyes fluttered open, her vision slowly adjusting to the shadows surrounding her.Furina's eyes blinked a few times , her vision blurry, taking in the dimly lit room around her. The harsh, metallic scent of blood lingered in the air, intermingling with a faint hint of smoke, as though she'd woken in the belly of some forgotten underworld.

Her wrists ached, bound tightly behind her to the wooden arms of an old chair. The air was thick with tension, silence punctuated only by the faint, metallic clinking of weaponry and the distant, muted conversations of agents that filled the room. Her mind was still hazy, struggling to recall how she'd ended up here, feeling the oppressive weight of fear settle in her stomach.

She blinked rapidly, clearing the fog in her mind, and realized the weight of countless stares. Figures emerged from the shadows, each of them familiar and menacing. Lyney stood nearby, arms crossed, a faint, unsettling smirk playing at his lips. Lynette watched with unreadable eyes, her silence cold and penetrating, while their brother Freminet lingered a few steps back, his gaze as soft yet sharp as the dagger at his side. The three siblings were as poised as statues, but the energy they exuded was one of silent, palpable threat.

Footsteps echoed across the room, the sound heavy and deliberate. Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet standing a few paces away, their faces inscrutable. They wore the sharp, tailored suits that marked them as high-ranking within the Fatui, their postures cold and unyielding. Behind them, shadows loomed, Fatui agents watching her every move, their eyes blank and intimidating. The soft flicker of a dim light above cast dark shadows across their faces, only amplifying their sinister presence.

"Lady Furina," Lyney greeted, his voice smooth and devoid of warmth. There was a cruel sort of amusement in his eyes, as though he found the entire scene terribly amusing. "I hope the accommodations are to your liking."

Furina clenched her jaw, refusing to let fear show in her expression. "I demand to be released. This... this is a violation of Fontaine's sovereignty."

Lynette tilted her head slightly, her gaze cool and unyielding as she studied Furina with a disconcerting calmness. Freminet remained silent, though his stance was firm, his eyes soft and worried some yet the same detached resolve as his siblings. They were focused, driven, and entirely unbothered by her authority,well 2 of them where.

Before Furina could speak further, a slow, deliberate set of footsteps echoed, signaling the arrival of the one orchestrating all of this. Arlecchino entered the room, her presence filling it with a palpable tension. She was dressed immaculately, her suit tailored to perfection, and the glint of a knife tucked into her belt gave her an air of both elegance and menace. Her dark gaze settled on Furina with an almost predatory gleam, a subtle smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Directly in front of her, Arlecchino leaned against the edge of a nearby table, observing Furina with a dark amusement. Her piercing gaze never wavered, lingering on Furina as though savoring each flicker of unease that crossed her expression. The mafia leader was dressed in a tailored suit, exuding an aura of authority and danger. Her fingers drummed lightly on the table, the only sound in the room, each tap echoing in Furina's mind as she struggled against the restraints.

"Well, well," Arlecchino's voice was a low murmur, silken and cold. She approached, her heels clicking against the stone floor as she circled around Furina, taking in every detail of her helpless form. "You've caused quite a stir, haven't you?"

She leaned down, her gloved fingers grazing Furina's chin, tilting her face up so that their eyes met. "I've heard you've been investigating and asking questions about the Fatui."

Furina straightened, struggling to maintain composure, but the tremor in her hands betrayed her unease. She met Arlecchino's eyes, the venom in her gaze failing to conceal the vulnerability within. "What do you want with me?" she demanded, though her voice wavered.