23:58
The heads of the Twelve Families stood at the center of the ballroom.
One of them raised his glass.
"My dear children," he said, smiling, "the rule is simple."
A pause.
"Survive until dawn."
Silence fell.
"Only the one who succeeds in the Sacred Selection will enter Nevermore."
My stomach tightened.
"As for the non-participants…"
He snapped his fingers.
They vanished.
Samir.
The servants.
Everyone who wasn't one of us.
Gone.
At the same time, every door and window sealed shut.
We were locked inside.
23:59
"Tell me that was the alcohol," Noah muttered. "They didn't just disappear… right?"
No one laughed.
Except four.
Mira.
Akram.
Youssef.
Safaa.
They weren't panicking.
They were checking the exits.
As if they already knew.
00:00
The clock struck midnight.
And something descended.
The air turned heavy.
Cold.
Ancient.
We gathered in the center, arguing, whispering, trying to make sense of it.
Pairs formed.
Everyone found someone.
Except me.
The mansion belonged to my family.
If this was happening here—
Part of it was my fault.
Then—
He appeared.
No sound.
No warning.
Just there.
A figure wrapped in darkness.
Our bodies froze.
Mira's voice trembled.
"How can a High Demon appear in the Selection? That breaks the rules!"
Rules.
So this was real.
The ground shook.
We crashed to the floor.
A voice thundered above us:
"What a disgrace the Twelve Families have become."
A pause.
Cold. Absolute.
"I doubt any of you will survive."
Silence.
Then—
"Your end begins now."
— End of Chapter 1 —