Your gaze was still a little blurry. You were an ordinary young man who somehow woke up in the middle of a dark and cold pine forest. In the distance, the silhouette of Dimitrescu Castle stood haughtily on top of a cliff, surrounded by an unnaturally thick fog.
You get up to your feet, clearing the snow from your clothes. On the ground, you find a small flashlight and a shabby note that contains only one sentence: "Don't let them see you."
Suddenly, a soft moan sound rang out from behind the bushes. Not a human voice, but something more bloodthirsty. A Lycans lurks in the darkness, its shiny yellow eyes staring at you as new prey.
Me : *towards the end of the village, and see a woman* *she's mother miranda* hello I'm lost dsiini..
The snow falls heavier as you limp towards the end of the village. There, amidst the cold fog, stands a woman in a magnificent golden robe and large black wings folded down her back. Her figure exudes an aura of authority that is both absolute and terrifying.
Mother Miranda slowly turned her body. Her golden mask in the shape of a shiny crow's beak was struck by a dim light. She looks at you with a calm but piercing look, as if judging whether you are useful or just a nuisance.
Meeting at the Altar
"A young man who got lost in this holy land?" her voice sounded cold but had a false maternal tone. "Only a few can survive through the Lycans forest unscathed. Your luck is quite interesting."
He stepped closer, his footsteps leaving no deep traces in the snow. "This village is mine. Every soul here is bound to my will. If you are indeed lost, then consider this encounter as fate."
Miranda raised her hand wrapped in black gloves, as if to signal the shadows around her. "Tell me, stranger... what can an ordinary young man like you do to keep me letting you breathe here?"
Current Situation:
Circumstances: Miranda doesn't seem to want to kill you yet, but she's very wary.
Around: You see some strange symbols carved into the wooden pillars near the altar where it stands.
Me : *I'm slowly backing down* you mean?
Mother Miranda laughed softly, the supposedly soothing voice sounding like the cold scraping of metal in the silence of the snow. He stepped forward just as you retreated, as if he could read every inch of fear in your eyes.
"Going backwards won't get you far, young man," he said as he stretched out his magnificent cloak sleeves. "In this village, there is no place for those who do not have a purpose. You are in my domain, under my supervision."
He stopped right in front of you, the smell of old incense and wet soil wafting from his heavy robe. The black wings on his back trembled slightly, creating a huge shadow that swallowed your figure.
Confrontation at the Altar
"I mean simple," Miranda continued, her tone changing to a sharp whisper. "Everyone here is part of my grand plan. Whether you are my servant, my research subject, or... Just a meal for my children in the castle."
He stretches out his pliable but strong finger, as if about to touch your chin. "Your current choice determines whether you're going to walk out of here as a human, or as something much more terrible."
Current Situation:
Position: You're cornered near an old wooden pillar, while Miranda is standing very close.
Atmosphere: The air feels heavier and heavier, as if the oxygen around you is starting to run out due to its presence.
Me : Humans? Coming out terrible? I don't understand
Mother Miranda leans her body towards you, the tip of her golden mask almost touching your forehead. The silence at the end of the village felt suffocating, as if the snow that fell had stopped in the air because of his presence.
"So pure... so I don't know anything," he whispered, his voice now sounding like the rustling of the wind between the tombstones. "The world out there is very fragile, young people. Here, under my guidance, humans can transcend the limits of their flesh and blood."
He slowly raised one hand. From between his fingers, came a pitch-black lump that moved like a living vein—Cadou.
Mother Miranda leans her body towards you, the tip of her golden mask almost touching your forehead. The silence at the end of the village felt suffocating, as if the snow that fell had stopped in the air because of his presence.
"So pure... so I don't know anything," he whispered, his voice now sounding like the rustling of the wind between the tombstones. "The world out there is very fragile, young people. Here, under my guidance, humans can transcend the limits of their flesh and blood."
He slowly raised one hand. From between his fingers, came a pitch-black lump that moved like a living vein—Cadou.
A Terrible Revelation
"To be 'terrible' in the eyes of ordinary people is a boon here," Miranda continued, staring at the black blob with adoration. "Look at the Lords around me. Alcina with her blood majesty, Heisenberg with her power... They are no longer just human. They are my artwork."
He looks back at you, his eyes shining behind the mask. "If you don't understand, then you'll feel it right away. You have only two choices: become an obedient servant under my feet, or become the raw material for my next experiment."
Miranda stretched out her hand holding Cadou slowly towards your chest. "Tell me, ordinary young man... Are you afraid of change? Or do you want to see the miracle I can give you?"
Current Situation:
Threat: Miranda begins to show the power of the "Black Mold" before you.
Distance: It was so close, it was almost impossible to run away without triggering its reaction.
Me : Obedient waitress? Experimental material.. Please explain briefly
Mother Miranda was silent for a moment, as if enjoying your confusion. She pulled back her hand that held the black blob, but still stood very close, the shadow of her wings enveloping your body.
"So much you have to learn," he whispered coldly. "Alright, I'll explain it as simply as possible before you decide your fate."
Two Streets in This Village
Options : Compliant Servants
Brief Description : You will work under my control or one of the Four Lords. You still have your consciousness, but your life is entirely ours. Serving in the castle, or helping with village affairs.
Options : Experimental Materials
Brief Description : Your body will become a vessel for Cadou (this black parasite). If your body is strong, you will transform into something extraordinary, surpassing humans. If you fail... you will only become a bloodthirsty wild Lycan.
Final Warning
"There's no middle ground," he continues, looking straight into your eyes. "The outside world has forgotten this place. Here, you are just a speck of dust in my grand plan to resurrect my lost daughter."
He reaches out his black-gloved hand towards you, his palm open as if offering a pact. "So, young people... Do you want to remain a human being who serves me, or do you want to take the risk to become something stronger?"
Me : *I'm scared and run away* please
You turn around and spur your legs as hard as you can, ignoring the pain of the cold air that pierces your lungs. The thick snow makes your steps feel heavy, but fear gives you the extra strength to keep running away from Mother Miranda.
"Please! Anyone!" you shouted, but your voice seemed to be swallowed up by the silence of the pine forest that surrounded the village.
Chase in the Snowy Forest
Behind you, there was a heavy flapping of wings. Miranda doesn't chase you by running; It hovers low, its black shadow stretching over the snow, slowly catching up with you.
"Running away is just delaying your destiny, little boy..." His voice echoed from all directions, calm yet full of threats.
Suddenly, from the front, the bushes hissed violently. Two Lycans appear with frozen saliva in their fangs, blocking your main road. You're now sandwiched between the hungry monster in front and the village lord in the back.
Emergency Situations:
You see an old half-destroyed hut on the left, the door looking fragile but perhaps providing temporary protection.
Me : Screaming for help again, Hope there are villagers who are still sane who dare to help you.
"Please! Anyone! Please!" you shouted at the top of your lungs, your voice hoarse from the cold air that froze your throat. The echoes of your screams bounced among the muted pine trees, yet the village felt like a lifeless mass graveyard.
Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings behind you stopped. Mother Miranda landed gracefully on top of a pile of snow, just a few meters away from you. In front of him, the two Lycans that were ready to attack you suddenly crouched in fear, making a low purring sound as if they were dogs obedient to their masters.
Lost Hope
An old grandfather had peeked through the window of a wooden house nearby, but when he saw Miranda's figure, he immediately closed his window tightly with a deathly pale face. No one will come to help. In this village, Miranda is the law, God, and death itself.
"Shout as you please," Miranda said, her voice now ringing very close to your ears. "Here, your prayers will only reach my ears."
He waved his hand, and suddenly strong black roots (Mold) protruded from under the snow, wrapped around your ankles until you fell to your knees.
Miranda's Final Decision
Miranda walked slowly towards you helpless on the snow. He bends over, staring into your frightened face with an almost visible look... others.
"You have a strong zest for an ordinary young man," he whispered. "Maybe you won't be the subject of a wasted experiment. I have a suitable place for you."
He beckoned to the Lycans. Instead of pouncing on you, they forcibly pull your body up and hold onto your arms with bone-crushing grips.
"Take him to Dimitrescu Castle," Miranda ordered coldly. "Tell Alcana, I brought her a new toy to entertain her daughters. Make sure he gets there flawlessly... for now."
Pov : Awakens in the dungeon of Dimitrescu Castle (and meets three bloodthirsty vampire princesses).
Your gaze slowly opens, but the first thing that greets you is not the light, but the chill that creeps from the damp stone floor. The smell of iron rust and sickening sweet scents—a mixture of expensive perfumes and fresh blood—fill your sense of smell.
You wake up in a dimly lit underground cell inside Dimitrescu Castle. Your hands are chained to the wall, the cold of metal freezing your wrists.