"After all, what is a lie? 'Tis but the truth in a masquerade."

Alexander Pope


A smirk pulling at the edges of your lips, your eyes flashed as you lazily twirled a dagger between the tips of your fingers. Your icy voice fills the small shop as the prisoner twitches, the cool blade brushing against the skin of his neck.

"Let's try this again, shall we?"

The man held captive by your weapon, lets out a shuddering breath, his words becoming increasingly frantic as you apply slight pressure to his flesh. "I've already told you, I don't have any information! I see hundreds of customers everyday. How am I supposed to know who belongs to what–"

Halting his sentence, a yelp escapes his lips as you hiss impatiently. That was the problem with such petty civilians, they were so naive. Angling the blade to curve against the base of his neck, you grit your teeth, drawing a thin line of blood that trickles onto the man's collar.

"If you value your life, you'll remember."

Sputtering, the storekeeper sinks to his knees. "You must believe me! Please.."

Ignoring his pleas, you nod to the members waiting attentively behind you. "Search everything."

As you step back, rough hands grab the frail man while others begin feverishly tearing items from the shelves. Among the chaos, the store-owner's desperation echoed through the midnight.

"Please, this is all I have!" He looks on in despair, still trapped beneath a blade, helpless, as he watched your gang ruthlessly rip his shop apart.

You had to admit it was interesting. Though the man's cries added to the cacophony of sound, it felt like mere silence to you. Remorse had never been a familiar concept.

"Miss Y/N?"

Pulled from your trance, you glanced up to address one of your members standing in front of you. "What is it?"

With raised eyebrows, the boy waved a crumpled envelope in the air, his eyes brimming with mischief. Taking the item from his hands, you frowned, running a finger over its broken seal.

"This was found, opened in the old man's trash. Looks like he does know something."

"That means nothing! I couldn't have known–"

The captive's cries were silenced with a sharp kick to his ribs as you observed the find. The envelope itself practically dripped with elegance. Its rich gold exterior was a mere backdrop to the elaborate seal that curled around the paper. Surrounded by twisting designs, the emblem depicted a dark green viper, hissing and poised to attack.

"The Seal of the Park Family."

A hush fell over the shop as all eyes turned to you. Maintaining your composure, you cleared your throat before gingerly removing the letter from its envelope. Raising your eyebrows, you cast a steely glance to the whimpering man on the floor. He had known something. After carefully separating the paper from its binding, you scoffed, noticing how the words sprawled across the page were written in a blood-red ink. The Park Family had always been known for their dramatic flairs.


Your Presence Is Requested For An Evening In The Shadows

10th Annual Masquerade Ball

Park Residence

Sunday, May 7th, 9:00


The words swimming in your vision, an immediate surge of rage rushed over you as you skimmed the rest of the letter's contents. This was no summons to a mundane celebration. It was vile.

Your knuckles whitening as you crumpled the invitation between your fingers, you hissed at the shopkeeper. "You know nothing, yet you happen to have an invitation to such an event?"

He sputters, choking on his own lies. "I- I don't know what you're talking about! You must believe me!"

His pitiful pleas silenced by the anger bubbling through your veins, you glanced down at the unnerving letter once more before turning your back on the prisoner. Behind you, your members stood at attention, waiting for orders.

You had never been one for trivial games. Never one for mercy. Your life wasn't about avoiding trouble, it was about survival.

"Kill him."

Stepping out of the shop and into the midnight air, you took a deep breath, inhaling the stillness. Around you, you could make out the familiar bustling of cars, howls of nocturnal canines and soothing symphonies of crickets. For a brief moment, a gunshot disrupted the silence, yet the vehicles, dogs, and insects quickly subdued it.

Life goes on.

Besides, now was no time for worries; you had a masquerade to attend.