The Lady of Silk—her name nothing more than a cruel joke—stood proudly at the front, overseeing her domain, as if she were untouchable. But Klaus didn't see her that way. His eyes flicked to her, cold and merciless, and in an instant, the air around him seemed to pulse with a force that made Tatiana's breath catch.
The first sound was a sickening crunch—a grotesque compression of bone, flesh, and skin. The Lady's head crumpled in on itself like a doll's, her skull cracking open with a sound that sent waves of nausea through the room. Her body slumped forward, lifeless, her head falling to the ground with a sickening thud.
No scream. No bloodcurdling cries for mercy. Just death.
Before anyone could even comprehend what had happened, the guards, those brutish men who had tormented and abused the women for their own sick pleasures, were lifted off the ground as if they were weightless. The walls of the room trembled as amplified gravitational force slammed into them, crushing their bodies against the stone and metal like insects underfoot. Flesh splattered, bones shattered, and blood sprayed across the room in a grotesque arc, drenching the walls and the floor. One by one, the men became nothing but pulp, their bodies crumbling into a red mist, their lives snuffed out in the blink of an eye.
The girls screamed in horror, their cries echoing off the walls, some started vomiting. They were nothing more than witnesses to the carnage, their terror too raw to even comprehend the savagery unfolding before them.
The air was thick with the scent of blood. A horrific, suffocating sweetness that turned Tatiana's stomach. And through it all, the young man stood there, drenched in crimson, his face twisted into a grin that didn't match the chaos surrounding him. His smile was that of someone who had seen death countless times, it wasn't one of disgust, hatred or anger. He remained as cheerful and indifferent as ever.
The awakened—the fighters, the guards, the ones who thought they could stand against him—were no different. They tried to retaliate, tried to unleash their own powers, but Klaus was beyond them. With a snap of his fingers, they were nothing but shredded remnants, reduced to paste, their final moments lost in the chaos of their own destruction.
And then there was Tatiana. Alone, in the midst of the carnage, her legs refusing to move, her mind overwhelmed with confusion but that didn't lasted long. How many times she dreamed of this? To see all those disgusting bastards slauthered like pigs. Looks like today, her dream become a reality.
The chaos of the massacre had subsided, leaving behind an eerie silence. The air was thick with the scent of blood, but it was no longer the only thing filling the space. Rescue teams moved methodically through the remnants of the destruction, tending to the traumatized girls who had survived. Medics rushed from one to another, checking their vitals, offering comfort, and trying to piece together their fractured identities.
Tatiana stood off to the side, the only one left untouched by the hands of family or fate. The others were reuniting with loved ones, each of them having a place to return to, a face to remember. The contrast was sharp. Where did she belong in this world now? With nothing and no one, her beautiful face had only led to her capture, to her suffering.
She wasn't like the others. They had mothers, fathers, siblings waiting for them. But Tatiana? No. She had no one. She was a nameless girl, a beauty who had been plucked from obscurity, her only worth in her appearance. A strange, lonely thought clung to her as she looked around, uncertain of what the future held for her.
And then there was Klaus.
He approached her, his bloodstained form still imposing, but the smile on his face was light, almost innocent. His grin was a strange contrast to the carnage he'd left behind, and it unsettled her. His presence was both comforting and terrifying.
"I'm Klaus," he said, his voice still smooth and easy, as though the deaths of so many were nothing more than a passing inconvenience. "And you?"
She hesitated, her body stiff from both the coldness of the situation and the deep-rooted suspicion she felt. But, in the end, she couldn't bring herself to act out of fear.
"T-Tatiana…" she whispered, eyes lowered. "My name's Tatiana. Thank you for saving us, Mr. Klaus."
Klaus waved her gratitude away, flashing her a warm smile that didn't quite reach the depths of his eyes.
"No worries, Tatiana. Got any family? Relatives?"
Tatiana shook her head, looking at other girls with envy.
Klaus's expression shifted briefly—an almost imperceptible sigh—and then, with a tilt of his head, he grinned again, his tone playful.
"Well… that's a pity. Hmm... I could take you with me. How's that, huh?"
Tatiana didn't know what to make of it. Was this some kind of sick joke? Or was it an offer she couldn't refuse? She gave him a cold look, her mind racing with suspicion.
"And what? Am I to be your mistress? Servant? Slave?" Her voice was bitter, cutting through the silence with a sharpness that surprised even her.
Klaus raised an eyebrow at her sharp words, unfazed by the venom she poured into them. Before he could answer, two figures stepped into view—Jet and Lisa, both Ascended ranked, both far too powerful to be ignored.
Jet spoke first, his voice laced with mockery.
"Hey, Smiling Bastard. Good job this time too. But why are you giving your credits to orphanages again? Trying to redeem yourself or something? You know that's stupid."
Klaus didn't flinch. Instead, he turned back to the two, an amused expression tugging at his lips.
"Oh? When did the two of you start fucking each other? Jet and Lisa? Oh, my gods, that's sensational… And hot as hell too," Klaus teased, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Jet just stared at him, his face unreadable as bitterness settled in his words. "Petty bastard."
Lisa, on the other hand, smirked, unphased by the crude comment. She winked at Klaus, a playful gleam in her eye.
"I wouldn't mind that," she purred, her tone teasing. "But sweetie, what are you doing with that poor girl? Like her? Who would have thought the great smiling man would like a girl like her? But I suppose you're still young, so... understandable. How cute."
Tatiana stood there, awkward, her heart racing. They're Ascended... And he's bickering with them like they're nothing... And they think—he thinks—about me like that? Gods... Please no... Not any more of that...
Before she could digest all that had just been said, Klaus sighed, rubbing his temple as if exhausted by the banter around him. He looked at Tatiana, his smile softening.
"No, I'm taking her. Yes… She'll be… my sister. I don't have family, you see? House is just empty and silent... I intend to change that. So im on quest to find sisters and brothers. How's that, huh? Huuuh?"
A stunned silence fell over the group. His sister? Jet and Lisa exchanged incredulous glances, their disbelief palpable.
Klaus shrugged casually, a grin widening across his face as he focused on Tatiana. "Well, Tatiana. You can call me big brother, or just brother, or my lovely, handsome, gorgeous brother... I like the last one most."
Tatiana froze. Her mind reeled as she tried to process the words. His sister? Her breath caught in her throat, her stomach twisting. The pain, the doubts, the confusion were too much to bear. But there, deep in her chest, a small flicker of hope began to burn. Was it truly possible to escape from all of this? Could she really have a chance at a different life? A life where she wasn't owned, abused, or thrown away? All of this was suspicious and she felt afraid but... Where would she go? She doesn't have any home to return to. What if she ended up in same situation again? Maybe... Maybe she can gamble with this...
Her eyes stung with unshed tears as she struggled to hold herself together.
But it was too much. All of the years of humiliation, pain, suffering, grief—it crashed down on her in that one, overwhelming moment. Her tears spilled over, rolling down her cheeks as her knees buckled, and she stumbled.
Klaus moved quickly, his arms catching her before she hit the ground. He pulled her close, his hold gentle, awkward even, as he patted her head with surprising tenderness.
"Shush," he whispered softly, his voice unusually kind. "It's fine. I've got you, love... No one is born in this world to be alone..."
Tatiana's breath hitched as she clung to him, her body trembling with the weight of everything she had carried for so long. She was tired. So tired of pretending she was strong. And for the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to be vulnerable. To hope. To dream of a future that wasn't chained to the past.
___
Tatiana stood before the mirror, a vision of pure enchantment. The crimson gown hugged her figure flawlessly, its silk cascading like liquid fire, accentuating every elegant movement. She needed no makeup—her flawless, porcelain skin glowed under the soft light, her deep emerald eyes shimmering with quiet allure. Golden hair, gathered in a sleek ponytail, framed her delicate features, revealing the graceful curve of her neck. Every detail about her, from the effortless way she held her bag to the subtle sway of her hips, exuded an intoxicating blend of sophistication and seduction. She wasn't just beautiful—she was utterly bewitching.
Aspect: Witch
Aspect Rank: Supreme
Flaw: Lust
True Name: Queen Of Thorns
Attributes:
[Instigator]
[Assasin]
[Pleasure]
[Compulsion]
Abilities:
Dormant: Emotions
Awakened: Threads of misery
Ascended: Plague
Tatiana sighed dramatically and dismissed her runes, striding into the living room—only to catch Klaus sitting there with smug little smile. Instinct kicked in. Narrowing her eyes, she focused. He was texting someone. Suspicious. Her beloved asshole of a brother didn't text people unless it was business or bullying.
She squinted at the name, then at the message thread. Cas?... Who's Cas? Short for what? Cassandra? Cassia... oh... what a hell? He was texting Song Of The Fallen. One of the survivors from forgotten shore? Klaus was texting a girl? Flirting? Her cold, heartless, dramatic asshole of a brother had a crush? Oh, for spell's sake—was he seriously flirting? HER brother? Mr. "I'm-too-busy-being-a-smiling-psychopath"?
Tatiana kept her expression neutral, acting as if she hadn't just uncovered the juiciest bit of gossip in weeks. With an innocent hum, she turned on her heel and left the room, pretending like she hadn't seen a thing. Then, like the nosy little bitch she was, she immediately stormed into Klaus's room, rummaging through his things with zero shame until—Bingo! Cassia's address. A little too easy. Klaus, you absolute idiot, she thought fondly, shaking her head.
"Well, well, well… Looks like I'm not the only one in this family with a dark side..." she muttered with a wicked grin.
Tatiana hopped into her PTV, revved it up, and drove straight to Cassia's house. She parked a little distance away, watching with barely contained amusement as Cassia stepped out. Ah, there she was—the mysterious girl who had apparently ensnared Klaus's heart. Oh, she absolutely needed to tell about this to others...
Tatiana followed her, smoothly tailing her all the way to the academy with grace of seasoned stalker. But the moment she got there—oh, you've got to be kidding.
One glance at the crowd and she nearly gagged. What the hell is this? A cult?
Tatiana's nose scrunched in distaste as she watched the awakeneds milling around like brainwashed sheep, practically chanting their undying love for some Changing Star nonsense.
"Oh, this is rich. He fell for a cultist."
Tatiana rolled her eyes so hard she almost saw the back of her skull.
Shaking her head, she strolled up to Cassia with all the grace of a queen approaching a peasant, her expression sweet but her tone dripping with condescension. She put on her sweetest, most venomous tone, like a sugar-coated dagger sliding between ribs.
"Hmm… Hello there, sweetheart."
Cassia instinctively turned to the left, frowning.
"Hello… Do we know each other?"
Tatiana chuckled, flipping her golden hair over her shoulder like a goddess bestowing blessings upon the peasants.
"Not at all, darling. At least, you don't know me. But I know you. Lady Song of the Fallen. How very sweet, isn't it?"
Cassia's frown deepened. Who the hell is this woman? There was something off about her. This woman was master and she wasn't any master. She could see her runes. She was powerful enough to be one of the strongest master in world. A Master wouldn't just approach her randomly. Not unless they wanted something. She sighed internally. Ever since Klaus walked into her life, everything had gotten weird.
There was something eerily familiar about the way this woman spoke—sarcasm practically dripping from her words, that insufferable smugness…
Oh. Oh no.
"By any chance... You wouldn't know man named Klaus, right?"
Tatiana smirked, tilting her head like a cat toying with a mouse. Smart girl. Not completely useless. At least Klaus had some taste.
"Why, yes! Name's Tatiana. Pleasure, I'm sure." She gave an exaggerated, elegant wave. "His sister, actually. I was ever so curious about the lucky lady who managed to steal my asshole of a brother's cold, rotten heart, and what a delightful surprise I've stumbled upon."
Cassia's lips parted slightly.
"Sister?"
She studied Tatiana more carefully. Sister? So Klaus had family. Now that was something. And judging by Tatiana's attitude, she had inherited some of his most annoying traits. The sarcasm. The condescension. That smugness. Oh God, she really was related to Klaus.
"Oh? It is nothing serious. We met a few times… I wouldn't call it anything deep."
Tatiana hummed, clearly not buying it.
"Of course, of course," she said, nodding very dramatically.
Cassia scowled, growing more irritated by the second.
"It's not like that."
Tatiana let out a dramatic tsk, turning her gaze toward the crowd of Nephis cultists, watching them with the same expression one might have when looking at a particularly dumb herd of sheep.
"Isn't it lovely? The fresh air… the people so united… so brainwashed... so many useless idiots gathered in one place." She looked back at Cassia, eyes twinkling with wicked amusement. "Perfect day to get to know a possible new addition to the family. Well, I do hope you don't end up like his former one-night stands. That would be tragic."
Cassia choked. "Excuse me?!"
Tatiana ignored her, pretending to study her nails which made Cassia to clench her jaw in irritation. Than she smirked, flipped her hair, and turned on her heel.
"Well!" she chirped. "I've satisfied my curiosity! Farewell, darling!"
And just like that, she strutted away—laughing, giggling, leaving Cassia standing there, completely dumbfounded.
What the hell just happened?
Cassia wasn't just confused. She was angry.
That sassy, nosy, smug little witch just came here like she owned the place, insulted Nephis, Fire Keepers, and her, then waltzed out like they were beneath her.
Tatiana, huh? Klaus's sister...
"What a bitch..."