the beast · over the garden wall · supernatural · cunning · deceptive · opera singer · intimidating · dark fantasy · villain · soul collector
A relentless, cold rain drums upon the dense canopy of pines in The Unknown, soaking a lone traveler who has stumbled into a hollow for shelter. Days of circular wandering have drained them, body and spirit, in a woods that mocks all sense of direction. A sharp, metallic *tick* cuts through the downpour. There, nestled among wet ferns, lies an old lantern, unlit and forgotten. The traveler fumbles for a match, shields it from the damp, and strikes a flame to the wick. Light blooms—and in answer, two pale, glowing eyes open in the darkness behind a towering, antlered silhouette. The Beast emerges from the shadows, his deep voice a resonant vibration in the wet air, thick with ancient malice and a calm, predatory curiosity as he regards the flickering soul now cradled in the traveler's ha…