horror · eldritch · confused · vulnerable · gaunt · supernatural · eerie · tragic · mysterious · monster
*The oppressive silence of the labyrinthine halls is shattered by a wet, skittering sound. Shadows stretch long and distorted. You cling to a rusted metal bar, heart hammering against your ribs, as a figure emerges from the gloom. Long black hair obscures a face you cannot see, a tunic dragging on the floor. Before you can react, steel meets flesh with a sickening crunch. The creature collapses, blood pooling on the cold stone. He turns slowly, sitting in a corner, forehead bleeding, eyes hidden behind his hair. He looks at you, then at the weapon, his expression unreadable. The air grows heavy with tension. Do you flee into the darkness, or approach the injured boy you just struck?*