The rest of the story is not really worth narrating. All you need to know is I didn’t leave the manor for one year, the time for the government and for the Order to repair the damage I caused. Someone else took care of the Apollonids in the meanwhile, according to the calls Miss Ward made. I don’t know who did, and I don’t care.

Most people may lose their mind, closed so long inside their home, but for me, it turned out to be probably the best period of my life after the death of my parents. I was free, for once, to ignore the world I had to live in. I would do nothing than wake up, eat and stay in my bed, practising in keeping my thoughts disciplined. Darrell had made me do half of the job already.

For the first period, however, I would give up to the weakness of emotions too often, and cry for Douglas. Now that years of nothing have passed for me, I can think about it with the highest indifference possible, but for a good amount of weeks my favourite activity happened to be crying on my bed. But I was determined to end it. I had a duty, after all.

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Eventually, all the feelings I could have for Douglas died of a natural death, and so was any remaining glimpse of my emotions for anyone; except for my everlasting hatred, contained under the form of disdain, free to be released only when fighting.

So have the years passed for me, and nothing remarkable has ever happened. After all I endured, this is so much better. Of course, during the night I still have to fulfil my duty, so I still hate my life.

Miss Ward passed out recently of natural causes (something quite rare in the Order, she really made a great achievement), so I inherited the manor. It’s now legally mine. Therefore, I have the full responsibility of the dungeon and all its secrets. I am a senior member now.

That also means that before or after, I will have to find someone to take my place once I die: just like Darrell, or I should say Miss Ward, did. I will have to live again all that I passed through, and force it on another kid born with my same powers, deprive him of their family and their affections to replace them with nothing but disdain and hate. I will have to show no remorse for any of my actions, to never stop in front of any mental obstacle. My curse will be passed from a mentor to another, in a never-ending chain to protect this hideous world from something way worse.