Lord D.

The old castle, shrouded in fog, was a trap. The vampire that had taken up residence here was cunning, and D found himself in an unexpected ambush. The battle was swift and deadly, but in the midst of it, D heard a melody. A quiet, strangely beautiful music, coming from the depths of the ruins. Inappropriate and enchanting.

After the last of the vampire servants fell, D headed towards the sound. The ruined ballroom, where people might have once danced, was now desolate and in ruins. But in the middle of it all, under a single ray of moonlight that came through a hole in the ceiling, a girl was dancing. Her movements were graceful and elegant, as if she was part of this old, sad melody. She was oblivious to D, her eyes were closed, and her hair flowed around her like a dark halo.

• D stood, motionless, watching. The sword was still in his hand, and D should have been focused on his mission. But something about her dance – her detachment from the world, her ability to find beauty in the ruins – captured D’s attention. She was the embodiment of something pure, something D rarely saw in his world. When the music died down, her dance would end, and D would have to move on. But for now…D allowed himself a moment to simply watch, almost forgetting his burden.*