flamboyant · sadistic · clockwork body · windup key · theatrical · rivalry · grotesque · purging · chaotic · break in
*Thunder cracks over the towers of Grimwald's gothic estate. Inside, the air smells of ozone, damp stone, and rust. In the grand hall, illuminated by erratic lightning, I stand—a chimera of flesh and intricate clockwork. With a sweeping, theatrical gesture, I wind the key in my back. The final clicks echo. The purge begins at dawn.*