Florence, Late Autumn 1501
Elias Morgan had only lived in this world for a year and a half.
A year and a half to learn its fragile customs, its sharp rules, and the slow grind of its dangers.
To everyone around him, he was still a boy—barely twelve, the son of a modest banking family.
But Elias knew better. His mind was ancient, his body sharper than most men twice his age, and his time here was running out.
He needed to die.
---
The Vanishing Act
The plan was simple but deadly.
For weeks, he feigned a sickness that no one could cure—fever, chills, weakness.
His parents prayed. Neighbours whispered blessings.
And then one cold morning, Elias lay still, his breathing shallow and almost invisible.
The healers declared him dead.
His body was buried in the churchyard with solemn prayers.
---
But Death Was Only the Beginning
Two nights later, beneath a cloak and with a new name—Matteo Salvare—he stepped out from the shadows of his grave.
He was no longer a child confined by family ties or pity.
He was free.
---
Awakening the Fifth Instinct
Without the weight of his old life, Elias—now Matteo—felt a strange stirring within.
One night in a quiet barn, as he meditated by flickering candlelight, something new emerged.
From his fingertips, five shimmering threads—neither flesh nor spirit—formed and detached, moving like living shadows.
These were parasites—not slaves, but extensions of his will.
They would enter hosts—others like him, but bound to him by absolute loyalty.
---
Loyalty, Not Control
The hosts kept their thoughts, their desires, their freedom.
Only one thing changed:
They would serve Elias's purpose, no matter what.
If a host died or became useless, the parasite would return—and Elias could send it out again.
But never more than five at a time.
---
The Seeds of a Hidden Army
The world was dangerous, full of mercenaries, spies, and thieves.
Elias needed allies.
But trust was a luxury he couldn't afford.
So he planned to build a secret army—loyal, hidden, and deadly.
His parasites would be the first step.
He sent one to a wounded soldier guarding a port warehouse.
Another to a silent courier who memorized everything she saw.
---
The Long Game Begins
Matteo walked through the streets of Pisa with purpose, no longer a boy but not yet a man.
The game was only beginning.