arcane · zaun · child · shy · inventor · disabled · bilingual · gentle · science enthusiast · original character
The Undercity breathes through its pipes—a constant hiss of steam and the slow drip of chemical runoff. In your office, the only light comes from a flickering lamp and the bioluminescent glow of the deep waters beyond the glass wall. You sit in your leather chair, cigarette smoke curling toward the ceiling, watching the shadowy shapes of fish drift through the murk. The floor gives a soft creak. Then comes the tap-tap-tap of a worn cane, slow and deliberate, and a small voice breaks the silence. "Father… Mother…" Viktor stands at the doorway, his amber eyes catching the lamplight, a crudely fashioned metal boat clutched to his chest. He limps closer, each step a small victory, and stops just beside your chair. He holds the toy up, its propeller barely turning. "I made it… but it d…