Decadence

Also see Decadence Chapter Overview Ciera Forestone longs to find justice for the deaths of his parents, after they perished in the Great Fire of Westgrail left in wake of a powerful demon. Taken in my the Lord of Asrael to be a servant to his son, Ciera dreams of joining the Surveillance of Asrael, a military force that fights against darkness. But soon, he comes to learn the real truth of his parents' passing, and all is not as it seems.

The events of this book take place on 1852.

Manor Rooftop

 * Ciera is sitting on the rooftop of the Terrastride Manor, gazing at the city of Highcrest Capital. Lisa joins him, asking where he'd run off to. Ciera seems a little quiet. She asks him whether he was planning to enrol in the S.O.A. to be a hunter.
 * Ciera confines in her that he doesn't know whether he'd be fit for it. Lisa is surprised, it's unusual for him to act that way. Usually he's optimistic and thinks highly of himself. She just thinks he's nervous and tries to cheer him up.
 * Alana spots them on the roof and shouts for them to get down immediately. Ciera almost trips, shouting at her, but Lisa catches him and laughs. They make their way down.

Ghoul Attack

 * Ciera and Lucas are walking through the Highcrest Capital Market. Ciera talks about how Aunt Mary is coming over today, and Lucas is scared of Paul. Ciera promises that he and Violet will protect him. Lucas doesn't want Ciera to go away to become a Hunter, and leave him all alone.
 * Ciera walks by Mystic Mars, and is distracted by all the shiny crystals in the window. Lucas points at the Great Prinze Library, saying that he wanted to go and get a new book.
 * They go into the library, met by a squat librarian named Mrs. Prinze. Ciera asks her if they have "Mysteries Unfolded: The Next Chapter" by Alexander Gold. She says that unfortunately it has already been taken out. Ciera takes out the book Violet wanted, "Marvellous Plants for Potion Making", and Lucas gets to carry it.
 * They exit the library and Ciera spots two S.O.A. hunters. Corporal Cole De'Claire, Evalyn De'Claire and Paige De'claire. Cole is eating sweets from the Joja's Confectionery stand, whilst Evalyn comments how his teeth will fall out if he carries on. Sergeant Eve approaches them, telling them off for getting distracted whilst on duty.
 * Out of nowhere, a Ghoul grabs a woman, Marlee Fray, from the market, knocking over all the produce, and drags her to the alleyway. Without thinking, Ciera drops the flour and dashes after them. Evalyn follows.
 * Ciera sees the ghoul eating the woman's flesh, and is paralysed, unable to move. Then it turns its eyes on him, and pounces. Evalyn jumps from behind him and pierces it with her sword. It disintegrates.