"The air of celebration surrounding fifteen-year-old Oz Vessalius's coming-of-age ceremony quickly turns to horror when he is condemned for a sin about which he knows nothing. Thrown into the Abyss--an eternal prison from which there is no escape--Oz meets a young girl named Alice, who is not what she seems. Now that the relentless cogs of fate have begun to turn, will they lead only to crushing despair for Oz, or will Alice provide him with some...

"Having returned from the infernal Abyss only to find his whole world changed, young "sinner" Oz Vessalius embarks on an attempt at normalcy after being reunited with his best friend and valet, Gilbert, whom he had presumed dead. But during a trip into town with Gil and Alice, an unexpected encounter leads Oz down memory lane...For Oz, however, the path is one covered with the most menacing of thorns. And lying in wait to assail him there...The baleful...

"The truth of the being known as Oz Vessalius is exposed to Pandora, which has been captured by Leo and the Baskervilles. Amidst the warped tragedy that plays out mercilessly, the one who has lost everything catches a glimpse of the ridiculous fairy tale contrived by one man. The forbidden box has just been opened-- What will be found within?" -- from publisher's web site.

"The tragedy that befell a bustling city a hundred years earlier. Eyes of ill omen. Stone seals. The warped gears that began turning long ago play out a requiem for one who was much loved. The solemn sound of the dirge colors the world that hears its notes a melancholy gray...as though it was always meant to be..."--Provided by publisher.

"With Pandora and the Baskervilles in a race to discover the whereabouts of the seals that secure Glen Baskerville's body, Oz and his friends are caught up in the ensuing fury of this ruthless hunt. Amidst this chaos, Oscar Vessalius organizes a brief respite for his beloved nephew and his companions in the form of an outdoor tea party. When Oscar surprises all present with an impromptu group photograph, the memory of their fleeting peace together...

"Brother, master, friend... There once was an impure soul who, unknowingly, sealed a contract with Humpty Dumpty in the dark bowels of Sablier. But the time has come for him to face both his true self and his sins. Reexamining the events that have led him to this juncture, he comes to a realization and, choosing to stand by his convictions, decides on a course of action...as though it may yet save him somehow..."--Provided by publisher.

"Duldum and Duldee, two hearts struggling against each other. They are interchangeable, but far from ordinary, reverberations. The irreversible final moment closes in, a result of a seemingly hopeless wish. As if it was the beginning of the end ..."--

"What I have granted them--is the "possibility" of survival. "I want you to be 'happy.'" One man's parting wish succeeds in awakening Oz's heart, long held captive in the depths of his own soul, as though breaking all the chains that bind him"--P. [4] of cover.

Where in the world are you? This question is posed to Oz Vessalius once more. After overcoming the chains of infinite despair that bind him, the answer at which he arrives becomes a blinding light, piercing through the jet-black darkness. As though hope can be spun out of the emotions of a person's heart ...

"A century before, in Sablier, a forbidden portal was flung wide by a boy, Vincent, in his single-minded desire to protect his brother, Gilbert. And thus did that foolhardy desire lead to the corruption of that innocent boy's soul like a sweet poison...Now, as Gil, Oz, and Alice wander the ruins of the former capital, they are assaulted by illusions from the past. But how much of it is real? And how much of it illusion?"--Provided by publisher.