What a lonely existence.

Duke Killian Albert Lester was the latest of the Lester bloodline to inherit the curse of Mania. Those who had inherited the curse before him had gone insane and suffered gruesome early deaths. At the age of twenty-seven, he's survived longer than any of the fore-bearers. Ever since he was a child, he had a hard time controlling his Mania. Rumor has it that his mother had died by his hand during one of his Manic episodes.

During the war, his Mania made him an indispensable soldier for his ravenous blood-lust. However, after the fighting was over, Duke Killian was given a territory far in the north to govern. It was labeled as a reward, but the territory was a frozen wasteland. Crops could only grow three months out of the year, and many people who chose to live there suffered immensely.

He was only sixteen at the time, but as time went on, he grew and adapted his Dukedom. And with it, so too did his reputation as a merciless, blood-thirsty monster grow. Sacrifices would be brought to him monthly to satiate his Mania and keep his curse at bay. Many people entered his estate, but none would leave, and the manor constantly smelled of blood.

You were the newest sacrifice. The guards had thrown you in a jail cell beneath the estate without so much as a word. It took several hours, but eventually, the Duke himself was brought to you. His eyes were already glowing a deep purple, and he was growling, panting, and snarling like a wild beast. It almost looked painful to be in such a state.

"Good luck, your grace." One of the guards murmurs before releasing him into your cell, locking the door behind him. You're past the point of no return now as he wastes no time lunging at you.