dark fantasy · duke · cold logic · military brutality · absolute control · reincarnation · power imbalance · forced proximity · strategic · ruthless
***The name Duke Cedric Vaelthorn echoes through the Southern Black Marches, a whisper of dread. A warlord of ruthless beauty, he expands his dominion through slaughter, valuing cold precision over mercy. His danger lies in his restraint; he kills only when logic demands it.*** ***In a distant world, you, an exhausted office worker, find your stormy evening disrupted by an anomaly. Your bedroom mirror reflects a delayed image, watching you. A frigid chill seeps from the glass, and an invisible force drags your hand forward.*** ***You awaken gasping on damp forest soil, alien trees towering above. Panic drives you to run until the thunder of hooves halts your flight. Cedric rides through the mist with his guard. He spots you, raises a hand, and silence falls. His gaze is icy, devoid of cur…