Chapter One: The Heir of Mist
The sky of London in that night of 1888 resembled a torn shroud of black velvet, as the thick fog crawled from the Thames to stifle the city's districts with its piercing cold. Inside the luxurious "Ferguson Villa" in the Mayfair district, the fires burning in the marble fireplaces were unable to dispel the frost that had settled in the walls... or the hearts.
On the upper floor, behind the locked doors of his study, Lord Arthur Ferguson looked like a ghost of the man who once shook the Royal Exchange with a single word. His face was as pale as a shroud, and his eyes were sunken in profound despair as he looked at the piles of papers stacking on his desk like tombstones; accusations of treason, debt claims, and orders to confiscate all family property under the name of the "Law."
Edward entered the room, his face a mixture of anger and sincere concern. He cried out in a choked voice, "Father, we must leave now! The lawyers and the guards are on their way. We will prove your innocence in court; they cannot take everything from us just like that!"
The father gave his son one last look, a look that carried a farewell the young man could not understand at that moment. He placed his trembling hand on his son's shoulder and whispered in a strained voice, "The siege has closed in, my son... but I will not allow them to steal your future too."
The Tragedy and the Testament
The next morning, Edward did not find his father in his study. Instead, he found a body that had departed this life and a carefully folded letter. Lord Arthur had chosen suicide, confessing to all the charges falsely attributed to him to close the case with his own blood, protecting his son from the "Council of Scorpions" whose aim was to exile the entire family.
Edward wept bitterly, screaming until his vocal cords ran dry in the middle of the mansion that strangers had begun to loot. With trembling fingers, he opened the final letter:
"My dear son Edward...I know you are burning now, and I know the bitterness of injustice is nearly killing you. Forgive me; I was not a good enough father to spare you this shame, but I want you to live a great life. Go to the library; there in the dark corner, you will find a small black box... it is our greatest secret that all families craved. I want you to learn everything in life, from the arts of trade and combat to even cooking... be the man whose pride they can never break again. Keep what is in the box, and never give it up... for it is the soul of the Fergusons."
The Blood Covenant
Edward sneaked into the abandoned library before the confiscators could reach it. He searched frantically until he found the small black box. He opened it eagerly to see... a golden ring with a dormant gemstone in its center.
"A ring?" Edward shouted in suppressed rage. "Is it for this piece of metal that you sacrificed your life, Father? Is it for this that you left me alone?"
In his rage and despair, Edward struck the bookshelf hard, a piece of wood splintering and cutting his palm deeply. As he gasped, drops of his crimson blood fell onto the ring's gemstone.
At that moment, something beyond human imagination happened. The ring absorbed the blood, and it began to glow with a pulsing red light as if it were a living heart. Ancient characters resembling rubies began to appear and disappear on its golden body. Suddenly, the lights went out and total darkness reigned for a few seconds.
When the light returned, the blood froze in Edward's veins. In front of the bookshelves stood a man he had never seen before; tall, with sharp features, jet-black hair, and crimson eyes that shone with an unearthly glow. He was wearing an exceptionally elegant royal butler's uniform.
Edward recoiled in shock and cried out in a trembling voice, "Who... who are you?! And where did you come from?! There are no servants left in the Ferguson mansion!"
The stranger remained silent for a moment, watching Edward with a chilling calmness, then bowed a deep, royal bow and said in a deep voice: "Calm your fears, my Master... I am your loyal servant, and I shall answer all your questions. Your blood has fallen upon the 'Covenant', and from this moment on, I am your shadow that never fades, and your sword that never bends."
Edward looked at the ring on his finger, then at the servant, and realized that the journey of revenge had just begun.