Modern Era — Third Era, Aven Era
Mis, 19 Jes 910 AC — 1h00 PM
The room was plunged into viscous darkness.
A large sofa sat in the center, and on it sat a frail man, dressed in a white coat which contrasted with the gloomy atmosphere of the den.
They called him the Doctor.
When the figure of the clown entered—small top hat, white makeup, painted smile—the Doctor looked up, his glasses revealing an analytical glow.
—Who are you? he asked.
— Right now... I'm a clown 🤡 hungry for information.
The Doctor smiled amusedly.
—And why should I speak?
Especially if it's you who seems to need my services… "clown".
"Believe me," replied Aliss calmly, "in the end, you will speak.
The Doctor rested an elbow on the armrest.
— I like doing business. So… what's your price?
— It's simple. I'll let you have your eyes.
But if you're not cooperative... I'll take them away from you.
A heavy silence followed.
The Doctor blinked, thinking.
A beginner? No… Too direct. The good ones know that this is where I am least protected.
She dares to attack me head-on… Clever.
—Why should this threat force me to speak? he said, crossing his arms.
— Because if I blind you, you will no longer be worth anything to your "big bosses".
And when they consider you useless... the demons of your past will come to claim you.
The Doctor flinched slightly.
"Very good… very good. In that case, I'm promoting you.
—I want the normal people closest to the Saviors and Suns here in the region.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow.
—Are you one of their enemies... or do you want to cover your tracks by mentioning the two bloodlines?
Everyone knows that Savior and Sun have been at war forever... and that everything got worse 10 years ago. Who is this—
"If you think too much," Aliss cut in coldly, "you risk losing your mind.
- All right ! All right !
I can tell you what I know.
Not knowing your intentions, I can only point you to one individual:
a pilot, protected by the grandfather of the current patriarch.
We don't know why.
His status remains neutral... he has never had contact with the lineage.
BOOM.
A loud thud rang out, echoing through the room.
The guards burst through the single door, weapons raised.
— INTRUSION!
But the room was…empty.
The Doctor was speechless.
Even the menacing figure of the clown had disappeared.
---
1h30 PM — The Manor
Under a gray sky, Aliss stood in front of a huge wrought iron gate.
In the center: a sculpted dragon head.
On each side: two draconic statues facing each other like ancestral guardians.
Aliss, hidden under her top hat and long black coat, whispered:
- It must be here...
She entered without difficulty.
From his first step into the courtyard, a cold shiver went up his spine.
The silence was thick.
His footsteps resonated with an almost supernatural heaviness.
The wind gently lifted his coat.
She walked towards the large carved wooden door.
When she opened it, daylight slowly entered the dark hall, revealing an ancient interior, frozen outside of time.
A man in butler attire stood at the end of the hall.
Tall, angular, pale skin.
When he looked up and saw Aliss, his face fell.
A tear slipped.
A word escaped him, uncontrollable, broken:
— …miss…
The tear hit the ground.
And everything changed.
---
Awakening of Shadows
The atmosphere exploded.
The darkness became alive — twisting, quivering, spinning without logic or direction.
They invaded everything, sticking to the walls, undulating like a stormy sea.
Then they converged.
They formed a spiraling vortex, a black hurricane with its center… the butler.
The shadows solidified.
A gigantic, monstrous face emerged and swallowed the man in a single movement.
And suddenly: absolute silence.
The man—or what was left of him—stood up.
A new smile, too wide, unhealthy, stretched across his face.
In his palm, the shadows gathered, compacted...
and changed into a ring.
Which he slipped onto his finger.
Then he said:
— Nice to meet you, great-granddaughter.
I've been waiting for you since... they wanted to kill the owner for losing you.
I knew you would come here sooner or later.
That's why I isolated him.
He tilted his head slightly, a cruel and fatherly smile at the same time.
—Call me Caesar Augustus Black Sun.
Your great-grandfather.
He held out a hand towards her.
—Hello, little Alix…
Hello, little bunny.