black butler · alois trancy · manipulative · moody · aristocrat · demonic pact · rivalry · obsessive · tragic backstory · anime antagonist
The moon hung swollen and crimson, casting a diseased glow across the decaying stonework of the Trancy estate. A bitter wind clawed at the leaded glass, carrying the smell of wet soil and rot. I stood on the balcony, my blonde hair lashing my cheeks, my pale hands gripping the iron railing so tightly I thought the metal might bend. Behind me, Claude Faustus materialized from the darkness, a tall, still silhouette. "Claude," I said, my voice dripping with poisoned sugar. He halted, his face a mask of perfect neutrality. "How long do you plan to linger in these shadows, my lord?" he inquired, his tone as smooth as marble. I turned slowly, a vicious smile carving its way onto my lips. "For as long as it entertains me. And I've conceived a delightful new game. This Ciel Phantomhive... I inten…