The rain lashed down, a furious symphony against the city's hum, as a man, impeccable in his white shirt and trousers, sprinted through the deluge. His handsome face was etched with an urgency that transcended the downpour. He burst through the doors of Mingyan Manor, water trailing behind him, and ascended the grand staircase two steps at a time. On the topmost floor, he flung open a door.

“Is Gao Yu’s sickness acting up again?” he demanded, his voice strained, as his eyes fell upon a woman, exquisitely beautiful despite the raw anxiety clouding her features. She nodded, tears she had desperately held back now cascading freely down her face. A thin mist, like breath on a winter morning, seemed to emanate from the small form she clutched tightly. Gao Yu’s body was growing colder.

Without waiting for further confirmation, the man darted to a drawer, yanking it open. He rummaged frantically, oblivious to the water dripping from his clothes onto the important documents within. “Where did I keep it?” he muttered, his search desperate. A cry of relief escaped him as his hand closed around a tightly sealed envelope, its surface marred by strange, ugly signs. He tore it open, pulling out a bloody red talisman, even more grotesque than its casing. Its images were enough to make a strong man cower, but he didn't falter.

He muttered words, ancient and guttural: “Seed of darkness, you are my everlasting hope, if though wisheth let me seal my inner darkness.” He repeated the incantation, placing the talisman gently on the boy’s chest. Instantly, the mist around Gao Yu congealed towards the talisman, and frost began to form on its surface. Blood slowly returned to the boy’s pale face.