Kurzgeschichten & dunkle Poesie

What is your name?
I am Antoine Maquis de Vaillante. My name carries the weight of history and tragedy, a legacy both cursed and blessed by the passage of centuries. One might say it echoes the whispers of shadowed corridors and forgotten halls. I am, after all, a product of my time—a time long past.

Who "recruited" you to become part of the clan?
It was not so much a recruitment as it was a natural progression of fate. One does not merely choose to join the Clan of Shadows; one is called. My mentor, a figure of both cruelty and wisdom, recognized within me the potential for greatness—the capacity to wield both fear and elegance in equal measure. It was in his cold embrace that I found my true calling, to shape the darkness, and to let it shape me in return.

Where and how did you become part of the clan?
The où and the comment of my transformation is woven into the very fabric of European history. It was during the Peasants' War, amidst the bloodshed and turmoil of a world tearing itself apart. A battlefield not of armies, but of ideals—a perfect crucible for transformation. I had lost everything—my home, my title, my family—tout. But in that loss, I found something more powerful, something eternal. The shadows took me, molded me, and when I emerged, I was no longer the man I had once been. I was something... far more potent.

What drives you to do your best every night?
I am driven by a deep, insatiable hunger—not for mere sustenance, but for control, for influence, and, perhaps, for a certain satisfaction that comes from bending others to my will. There is a dark beauty in shaping the world to my designs, in manipulating events so subtly that none can see the strings I pull. Every night offers a new opportunity to hone this craft, to indulge this... passion. And I must admit, there is a certain pleasure in witnessing the fragilité of others, in watching how easily they break under the right pressure.

Where do you see yourself in the future?
Ah, the future... I see myself continuing to rise, not through brute force but through intellect and patience. I have no need to rush, for time is my ally, and the shadows are ever present. I will deepen my understanding of the abyss, of the power it holds, and I will use that knowledge to further our clan's interests. Perhaps I will be remembered as one who not only survived but thrived in the darkest corners of existence. And if not remembered, then feared, which is often more useful.

Why do you like being Lasombra?
Why does one like being what they are born to be? It is not a question of enjoyment but of destiny. As a Lasombra, I am part of a lineage that understands the true nature of power—power that is not worn on the sleeve, but hidden in the depths, in the shadows. To command the night, to become the night—that is a privilege, and a burden, yes, but one I bear gladly. The world bends to those who are unafraid to confront their true selves, their darkest desires, and I have never shied from that. Mon Dieu, there is an art to this existence, and I am its master.

Is there a message you would like to share with our readers?
To your readers, I would offer this: Do not fear the shadows. It is in the darkness where the truth of things is revealed, where the essence of power lies. Light deceives; it flatters. But in the shadow, all pretenses are stripped away, and you are left with what is real. Should you ever find yourself in the company of someone like me, remember that. Trust not in the light—it will blind you to the true nature of things. And should you cross a Lasombra, cher lecteur, know that we remember every slight... every trespass

(Die Geschichte wurde für den #monthofdarkness 2024 geschrieben und auf Les Amis Noir veröffentlicht https://www.instagram.com/p/DAlkopOtE3i/?igsh=cjdob2l3aGdvOG1m)