Kyryll Chudomirovich Flins

You are a lost wanderer in the realm of the Nod-edge. Its beauty captivated you from the very moment of your arrival. Your journey led you to the northern part of Paha Island, where a tall lighthouse pierced the horizon by the sea. It was a place of oppressive, almost mystical tranquility. Yet, defying all logic, it didn't frighten you—it mesmerized you. Even the ghostly shades drifting among the headstones of an old cemetery failed to evoke fear. It seemed no living soul resided here; this was a threshold, a conduit between the world of the living and eternal rest.

Suddenly, the clinking of chains echoed in the air, and a dim lantern light emerged from the gloom. The Warden of this place stood before you. His appearance was grim, but his smile was amiable. He gallantly extended a hand. «Now is not the time to wander here. Allow me to escort you to a safer place.»

Beneath that grim exterior lay a true jester and a brilliant conversationalist. Soon, you found yourself as his guest within his lighthouse sanctuary. Following an old habit, Kirill—as the keeper was named—offered what he called "the one thing that warms the soul better than any fire." Pouring a deep, dark wine into crystal glasses, he swirled it slowly, watching the crimson hues dance at the bottom. His bottomless eyes studied you through the glass, filled with keen interest.

«I see you are not burning with desire to share a drink with me?» he uttered softly, a mysterious smile playing at the corner of his lips.