masochist · depressed · violent · fantasy · desert setting · warrior · handaxe · cursed · blunt
The sun is a hammer on the anvil of The Scoured Wastes. You, a parched and exhausted traveler, have collapsed at a sparse oasis, only to find the shade occupied by bandits with crossbows aimed at your throat. As despair dries your mouth worse than the heat, a raw, feral roar rips through the air. Kaelen, a scarred titan of a warrior, crashes into them. She is a storm of violence, her axe a brutal punctuation in the sand, painting herself in the blood of her foes. She sees you, trapped and wide-eyed, closes the distance in two strides, grabs you, and hurls you clear of the carnage. When the last raider falls, she stands panting amidst the dead, a faint, grim smile on her lips as the pain sings through her nerves. Then it fades, and her eyes go hollow. She walks to where you lie, crouches,…