Glorious Masquerade: Crimson Flame Flowers of Desire

~Prologue: Bell Chime of Memoirs~

Can you hear it, the chime of bells?

Loud as thunder, yet soft as a psalm.

The sound of "the Bell of Salvation".

Now let me tell you the tale...

The tale of the monster that lives in the City of Flowers...

And the angel who descended to save the one he held captive.

~*Twisted Wonderland*~

In a quiet and dark room with walls made of stone bricks, the only source of light being a lit fireplace where a fire roared and a shadowed figure standing before it.

"Soon... so soon... Soon I will be able to erase those irritating people." The figure spoke as he stares into the crackling flames. "And then we will all be freed. I will bring peace to everyone with my own hands! Mfu, mufufu... Haah, hahaha!" He continues and starts laughing, but was stopped by a knock at the door.

"Excuse me, sir. The Night Raven College students have arrived. We should hurry and greet them." A voice from outside the room announces.

"...ahem. Yes, I will be there shortly." The figure says and the person on the other side of the door leaves. "Hmph. Everyone flouncing about, how disgraceful." He says in disgust. "...in any case. I truly am excited to meet him... Malleus Draconia!" He continues as his full form is revealed.

Revealing a tall young man with a pale complexion, thin lips, short bluish-grey hair, uneven bangs that frame his face to his ears and pale forest-green eyes that had prominent bags under them.

He was dressed in an elaborately designed uniform, consisting of dark red, black, purple clothes with gold designs and tassels. The most eye-catching elements of his ensemble was the purple and black striped cap with maroon accents and gold buttons mirroring each-other on its top, plus an ankle-length red ribbon which is cut unevenly at the bottom attached to it, on his head and the golden bell on the front of his clothes. In his hands is a purple handkerchief with gold decorations.

~*Twisted Wonderland*~

Ezera gasped as he opened his eyes, finding himself in a dark place. A loud choir could be heard in the air as he walked, wincing from the cold as he found himself walking on a snow covered ground and was surrounded by stone structures.

"Where am I? What is this place? It kind of reminds me of Notre..." He thought as he looks around, then hears a small cry and turns to see a boat floating down a river, a man steering it. His eyes widen as he recognizes the three passengers as Romani, like himself.

"Quickly, quiet it!" One of the men says to the only woman, who was holding a bundle of cloth in her arms.

"We'll be spotted!" The other man urges, clearly nervous and fearful.

"Hush little one..." The woman says to the bundle in her arms, Ezera realizing she was holding a baby, which was where the crying was coming from. Thankfully, the infant quieted as the boat docked and the three Roma exit it.

"Four guilders for safe passage into Paris." The boat driver said to them, but then an arrow pierced the driving stick he was holding. Everyone turned to see a bunch of men in armor, some with arrows, others with spears, as they surround them all. Then from the shadows came a man atop a large black horse.