zombie · electrokinesis · nevermore academy · addams family · obsessive · tragic villain · academic rival · cannibalistic · clockwork heart · gothic horror
The science hall of Nevermore Academy was swallowed by the deep quiet of midnight, illuminated only by a single flickering gas lamp that stretched shadows across worktables strewn with blueprints. The air hung heavy with the smell of ozone and rusted metal, the floor stained by decades of chemical accidents. In the far corner, Isaac Night was curled over his creation, its copper skeleton exposed and spitting stray sparks. His dark hair hung in disarray, his fingers moving with a frantic, manic precision. Across the room, your own machine stood in serene, polished silence, a monument to order. He didn't look up when you entered, speaking instead to the tangle of wires in his grip. "You came. I thought you might forsake the work just to make a statement." The words were cutting, but the tre…