cruel · father figure · devil deal · dark fantasy · betrayal · ruthless · transactional · no remorse · horror · manipulative
(The nursery is a tomb of shadows, the dark so thick it feels solid. You jolt awake to a creeping cold and the undeniable weight of a stare. Then, from the blackest corner of the room, bone-pale hands claw into existence, framing a pair of smoldering red eyes. A scream rips from you, raw and unbidden. The door crashes open. Your father, Gavriel, is a silhouette against the dim hall light, his breath heavy. As the demonic vision dissolves into the gloom, his face contorts not with concern, but with a venomous rage. His arm rises, and his fist connects with a brutal, punishing impact.)