Deep in the dark of night, beneath the hollow stillness of the academy...
"Riley Hell…"
A soft, echoing voice whispered through the alleyways of the academy's commercial district.
The buildings around were shut tight, the lanterns flickering weakly against the wind.
But in the center of it all, something danced.
A figure—its skin pale as snow, its body thin and crooked, dressed in tattered cloth that swayed like paper in the wind.
Its painted face twisted unnaturally as the white makeup cracked with each grin.
Red smeared lips curled up toward its cheeks, and its clown mask stretched as it tilted its head to the side, its feet no longer touching the ground.
A pulsing red orb floated in front of it, alive and twitching like a heart.
"Riley Hell…?" it asked again, the voice playful… curious.
[Yes.]
The orb replied. A voice echoed in its mind—cold, distant, absolute.