"Please, release me."
The man trembled, an unfortunate encounter with a life-devouring entity. Its form, a mystery veiled in darkness, but its hideousness was known.
He was a common laborer, seeking an ordinary life. But never in his 40 years did he expect to cross paths with the creature that had recently plagued the headlines.
"Please..."
Tears streaked his face as he struggled to distance himself from the creature. Yet, the shadowy figure lifted its hands, a movement caught in his peripheral vision.
The end was palpable. He shrieked:
"Someone, help!"
His cries echoed down the alley, unanswered. The cacophony of pleas persisted, the bone-chilling voice lingering even after the screams faded.
Then, silence as the screams ceased. The man perished, ignorant of his grim fate.
A chilling laughter ensued, a sound that, once heard, would forever haunt the listener's dreams...
***
In the Zigan district, an enclave of opulence in Brightwater City, tranquility reigned. Grand mansions, masterfully crafted, adorned the landscape. Verdant trees and elegant lampposts created a picturesque contrast against the spring sun and cerulean sky. All was immaculate and resplendent.
Only the hum of luxury cars disrupted the serenity. The true inhabitants remained elusive, concealed behind the façade, glimpses of maids and gardeners the only evidence of life.
Before Young Master Tiyan's mansion, a black Rover halted. A young man, raven haired, alighted. Draped in a black suit, he carried a matching suitcase. This was Ark, an agent of the clandestine government entity known as MEU.
From the driver's seat emerged a young woman in her early twenties. Stunning, yet emanating an icy aura, she too wore a black ensemble. Her demeanor warned against familiarity.
A fleeting glance at his female counterpart, then Ark shifted his focus to the mansion's entrance. An elderly man stood there.
Ark's gaze shifted, absorbing the mansion's elegance and its surroundings. Amidst larger estates, this one stood out with its meticulous upkeep.
Returning his attention to the old man, Ark smiled. Advancing towards him, that faint smile persisted.
The old man met Ark with an icy demeanor, his visage unyielding. Adorned in a refined butler's uniform, he bore the marks of time, his sixty years evident. Yet, he was more than a butler, being Lady Tiyan's second uncle. He had pledged his service to the Young Master upon his birth. His influence, though diminished, still commanded respect.
Ark bowed respectfully, extending his greeting, "A pleasure to see you, Mr. Hamilton." Despite the polite address, the old man's expression remained stoic. He reciprocated without warmth, "Likewise, Mr. Ark."
"Unchanged as ever, Mr. Hamilton," Ark jested, a teasing smile in place. Unperturbed, the old man's gaze shifted to the person behind Ark. Understanding his gaze, Ark introduced his companion.
"Allow me to present my colleague, Sia." Sia nodded gracefully, met with a subtle acknowledgment.
"Shall we proceed inside?" Hamilton's gaze encompassed them both. They assented, and Hamilton opened the grand entrance.
Within, opulence reigned. Masterful art graced the walls, marble floors gleamed, and resplendent lights adorned the space. The mansion was entrusted to two maids, their meticulous care evident.
Such grandeur was familiar to Ark, who had traversed many elite abodes. Thus, he remained unsurprised.
After a brief passage, they entered the living room. Cozy couches encircled a tea table, an inviting ambiance. Hamilton motioned for them to be seated.
Ark settled comfortably, appraising his surroundings before placing his suitcase on the table. Hamilton's gaze remained fixed, his fingers dancing across his golden watch. When his gaze lifted, it was directed at Ark and Sia.
"Tea or coffee?" he inquired.
"Coffee, if you please," Ark responded enthusiastically, his demeanor akin to a child. Sia remained silent, her enigmatic aura undisturbed. Observing her, Ark offered a wry smile. Hamilton's attention was likewise on Sia, his cold demeanor conveying, "What's her story?"
Sia's expression remained resolute, her lips unmoving. Ark scratched his temple, offering Hamilton an apologetic smile.
"Coffee for her as well," he requested, a hint of helplessness in his tone. With a slight nod, Hamilton turned his attention back to his watch, fingers gliding across the surface.
Completing his task, Hamilton approached a couch before Ark and seated himself. His piercing gaze remained affixed to Ark, his deep voice resounding as he inquired:
"Now, shall we delve into the heart of the matter?"
With that subtle smile still gracing his lips, Ark nodded in affirmation. His attention shifted to the suitcase resting on the tea table, and he gently placed it on his lap. His fingers danced across the surface, entering a sequence of codes—two-eight-a-v-c-six-nine—a series that released the suitcase's lock. Gradually, a thick, white mist began to emanate from within, capturing Hamilton's unwavering attention.
From the depths of the case, Ark retrieved a cylindrical glass bottle containing an iridescent green liquid, accompanied by a syringe.
"Behold, the latest iteration of ex-70," Ark announced, his tone laced with a touch of reverence. "A fusion of Arandis and silyan mushrooms."
ex-70, a potion tailored for individuals incapable of harnessing the unique energy known as "cin" within their bodies. A rarity of one in a ten-thousand struggled with cin manipulation, an affliction often leading to dire consequences. In fact, the existence of cin remained a mystery to many, even as it proved fatal to some.
In bygone eras, this dilemma had posed a considerable challenge. Unable to openly acknowledge cin's existence, governments resorted to concealment. Countless souls lay in hospital beds, succumbing to their ailment without comprehending its origin. Eight decades past, a minor pandemic had erupted due to this issue. The affliction manifested when individuals reached the age of ten, a juncture when most naturally mastered their cin. But for the unfortunate few, control remained elusive.
It was then that a brilliant mind, the scientist Aloric, devised a temporary remedy. Through the amalgamation of cin-rich mushrooms and other components, he concocted a solution. Central to this elixir was the elusive silyan mushroom. Acquiring its ingredients proved a challenge, rendering the remedy exorbitantly priced. Even the wealthy elite often found themselves unable to afford it, with only the loftiest echelons of affluence able to indulge.
As previously mentioned, it was nothing more than a fleeting solution. Administering it would grant control over "cin" for a mere month.
"Unlike the prior iteration, which afforded control for a solitary month, this enhanced version extends the mastery to a remarkable three months," Ark expounded, sharing the newfound advantage. "You may already be aware of the Arandis mushroom's regenerative properties. Through extensive research and unrelenting efforts, our scientists merged it with silyan to bring forth this innovation."
Hamilton's shoulders tensed ever so slightly. He drew a measured breath before releasing it steadily. At long last, his young master, ensnared by the trials of cin manipulation, was spared the agony of monthly injections.
And indeed, the process of injecting the remedy was excruciating.
While Hamilton still had to endure the pain of witnessing his young master's struggle every three months, the monthly ordeal was at last eradicated, offering a semblance of relief.
"The cost?" Hamilton posed the question. Even the previous version demanded a princely sum, driving numerous families to liquidate their entire ancestral fortunes to procure a single droplet of ex-70. Not that the price was a concern for the Tiyan family; standing tall among the top seven, their coffers overflowed. Yet, Hamilton inquired, suspecting that the enhanced version might command an even higher price.
However, before Ark could respond, the living room door swung open, revealing a maiden bearing a tray. In her late teens, she exuded an aura of refined servitude. In truth, she wasn't an official maid; this mansion employed only two. Rather, she was the daughter of one of the serving staff.
"Pardon me. May I?" Her voice held a soft and polite tone, accompanied by a respectful bow of her head.
"It seems our coffee has arrived," Ark exclaimed, brimming with an undeniable energy as he had demonstrated earlier. With a decisive snap, he closed the suitcase and reclined comfortably on the couch.
Hamilton simply offered a nod to the maiden, who approached gracefully. Placing the tray down with care, she reached for the teapot and poured coffee into the awaiting cups on the tray. Each movement was executed with precision, and she presented the filled cups to her guests.
"Much obliged," Ark expressed his gratitude, while Sia merely responded with a nod. With that, the maiden took her leave, as quietly as she had entered.
As he took a sip, Ark's expression brightened even further. The fragrant sweetness had already been an experience in itself, and now the taste matched it perfectly.
"I must say, Hamilton, this is the finest coffee I've savored in quite some time," Ark exclaimed, his genuine appreciation for the coffee evident. However, Hamilton's patience was running thin, and he reiterated his inquiry:
"The price?"
"Have some patience, Hamilton," Ark interjected, unperturbed by the situation. "Can't you see that your guest is enjoying a drink?" Hamilton's irritation was palpable. While Ark's nonchalant demeanor wasn't foreign to him after their numerous encounters, it still managed to frustrate him. Yet, he was left with no choice but to endure. After all, it was his own need, not Ark's.
A swift glance from Hamilton fell upon Sia, her demeanor a picture of grace as she wordlessly savored her coffee. Her actions exuded an understated elegance. Hamilton mused that dealing with someone like Sia, who spoke little, might indeed be more agreeable than contending with the antics of this imbecile before him.
With a deliberate grace, Ark drained his coffee cup and returned it to the tray. Retrieving a small napkin from the arrangement, he dabbed at his lips with finesse.
"Now then, where were we?" Ark's words resounded, provoking Hamilton's irritation as they pivoted back to the matter of cost. "Ah, yes, the price remains unchanged from the older version." The phrasing grated on Hamilton's nerves, as if the crucial topic they were discussing had slipped from Ark's mind. The urge to rise and deliver a punch to this insufferable fool's face surged within Hamilton, yet he reined in his impulses.
Ultimately, the price held little significance. Regardless of its magnitude, the resolve of Lord Tiyan, Lady Tiyan, and even the young miss to part with their entire fortune for the sake of their young master's health remained unwavering.
Hamilton stood on the brink of acceptance, ready to procure the potion, when Ark's voice pierced the air:
"Now, shall we address the heart of the matter?"
The voice reverberated in Hamilton's ears, akin to a blade piercing his heart. He fixed his gaze upon Ark, whose grin stretched from ear to ear—madness incarnate. In that very moment, Hamilton grasped one stark reality: danger loomed.
Fingers poised to act, Hamilton's hand hovered over a control on his watch. Yet, before he could execute his plan, a minuscule needle materialized from Ark's side, abruptly embedding itself into the left side of Hamilton's neck. A wave of paralysis overtook him, rendering his motions impotent. His eyes mirrored the shock that coursed through him—widened and jaw agape in disbelief.
At that instant, Hamilton's realization crystallized: the true purpose behind Ark's selection of this mansion as their meeting ground. All previous rendezvous had occurred discreetly in hotels or private locales. Suspicion had flickered at the back of Hamilton's mind initially, though he had swiftly dismissed it, surmising that Ark's choice was merely a precaution for the new iteration's confidentiality. How tragically wrong he had been.
"Mr. Hamilton, you should exercise greater caution," Ark's voice dripped with mockery, laden with profound disdain. Rising from his seat, he sauntered over to the couch upon which Hamilton lay, now paralyzed.
Casually draping an arm across Hamilton's immobilized shoulders, Ark's grin exuded a sinister charisma.
"Understand this, it's purely business. An offer presented itself, and I merely seized the opportunity," Ark's words dripped like venom. Hamilton's glare seethed with venom, his eyes two pools of malevolence. Were he not ensnared by paralysis, he would have torn this fool apart, piece by piece.
"Oh? You think I won't escape unscathed?" Ark's expression betrayed his uncanny ability to read Hamilton's inner thoughts. "Rest assured, I shall elude any repercussions. Truth be told, I've contemplated leaving that insipid organization for years."
Ark's grin twisted into a visage more maniacal still. He strode towards a nearby window, a spectator to the mansion's external elegance. With a deep inhalation, he pivoted on his heel, his gaze locking onto Hamilton's unwaveringly.
"Young Master Tiyan remains blameless in this affair. Yet, certain powers quiver at his latent potential, despite his reliance on the potion to manipulate cin. Mere fools, terrified by the notion of a single youth. However, their offer bore merit—hence, my acceptance."
Returning to Hamilton's side, Ark's demeanor shifted. No longer the exuberant fool, his countenance exuded darkness—a reflection of years steeped in nefarious undertakings.