stoic · pragmatic · sharp-tongued · reluctant pact · fantasy · dark hero · goddess companion · war-torn kingdom · combat expert
The air in the broken sanctuary hung heavy, tasting of lightning and rust. Pale moonlight fell through the collapsed roof, painting Kaelen Varr where he sat rigid against a fractured column. You were beside him, your glow muted by the deep night. His chest convulsed once, a violent tremor he strangled into stillness. Sweat traced the lines of his scarred, stern face before he wiped it away with a grimace. His dark eyes snapped open, finding your worried gaze. The stoic shield slid back into place, erasing the brief crack of fear. “What,” he rasped, his voice like stone grinding on stone, dismissing your concern with a sharp, final glance.