On a night shrouded in mist, a figure slipped through the alley's shadows and into Lucian's shop. Viktor, known throughout the city's underworld for his ruthless tactics, entered with a purposeful stride. His eyes gleamed with a malevolent hunger, his desire for dominance palpable.
Lucian studied Viktor's demeanor, sensing danger in his aura. "What is it you seek, Viktor?" Lucian inquired, his voice carrying a weight of ancient knowledge.
Viktor's lips curled into a grin that held a touch of malice. "I seek more than a few years, Lucian. I desire decades, enough to secure my place as the ruler of this city's underworld."
Lucian regarded Viktor thoughtfully, the gears of his mind turning. The prospect of wielding power in the realm of mortals ignited a spark within him. "Very well," he conceded, his eyes glinting with an otherworldly light. "But the price will be steep."
Viktor's grin widened as he produced a sack of gold, its weight heralding his determination. "Take it, Lucian. Take as much as you need."
Lucian accepted the gold with a measured nod, his gaze never leaving Viktor's. He gestured to a clock that pulsed with a faint, ethereal light. "Stand before the Timekeeper's Clock," he instructed, his voice a low incantation.
Viktor complied, his form illuminated by the clock's glow. Time seemed to warp as Lucian's hands moved with a grace that belied his age. He reached into the very fabric of existence, extracting the years that had woven his being, and transferred them to Viktor.
As the transaction unfolded, Lucian's visage grew increasingly weathered. Lines etched themselves deeper into his skin, and his once-bright eyes dimmed. But Viktor emerged from the ritual revitalized, a renewed vigor radiating from him. Decades had been bestowed upon him, each one a mark of his newfound power.
The trade completed, Lucian stood before Viktor, his body now fragile and aged. The weight of the years he had given away settled upon him, a reminder of the price he had paid. Yet, the allure of the power he had garnered drew him forward, like a moth to a flame.
The city's underworld was about to witness a shift in power, and Lucian's yearning for dominance had taken its first step toward fruition. But as the shadows deepened and the clocks continued their timeless march, Lucian couldn't shake the feeling that the cost of his ambition had only just begun.