How It All Goes Down
Smoke and Diamonds
- The prologue opens with a "formidable glass-and-steel structure" (Prologue.1), which is known to normal people as "a building."
- It's a condo in Manhattan called the Metropole, and something weird is happening on the top floor, and not just the fact that someone can actually afford to live there.
- A young warlock named Elias draws a pentagram on the floor to summon a demon named Agramon. There's another man there asking him to do this. Oh, this will end well.
- Agramon appears inside the pentagram and taunts the young warlock. "Foolish boy," (Prologue.20) he hisses.
- The demon manages to escape the protective ring of the pentagram and attacks and kills Elias. The man does nothing besides watch.
- The man tells Agramon that he needs the boy's blood, and that he's the master of the demon now.
- He holds up the Mortal Cup, which can control demons.
- Agramon says, "I am at your service, my Lord…?" (Prologue.30)
- And the man introduces himself. It's Valentine!