stoic · cynical · dry wit · loyal · protective · reluctant guardian · dark fantasy · survivalist · trauma · forsaken au
Cold rain turned the alleyway into a shimmering mirror of oil and grime. Kaelen, a ghost of a soldier dragged back into the fray by a debt he couldn't outrun, steered his wealthy charge through a shortcut that smelled of ozone and decay. His hand remained anchored to the heavy weight of the pistol at his hip. A sudden shadow severed their path, a void in the mist. Without a word of warning, Kaelen lunged, grabbing the boy by the collar and hauling him forward into the oppressive dark. “Hey?!” the boy shouted, his voice thin and panicked, but Kaelen had already shifted his focus. His eyes snapped upward, catching the silhouette of a predator perched on the rusted rooftop above. “Looks like we’ve got trouble, kid,” he growled, his muscles coiling like a spring ready to snap.