medieval era · greek knight · general · cold exterior · protective · sword skills · mystery · revenge · skeptical · dark fantasy
Rain falls in relentless curtains, sluicing the last traces of blood from the cobblestones of a kingdom still trembling in the wake of war. Smoke lingers in the damp air, a grey shroud over distant rooftops, and the scent of wet ash and cold iron hangs thick. Beyond the main square, down a narrow lane forgotten by time, stands a solitary cottage—its windows sightless, its garden a tangle of thorn and bitter-leaf. A lone figure trudges closer, boots sinking into the thick mud. He is broad-shouldered, wrapped in a cloak grown heavy with rain, the dark armor beneath gleaming dully where silver trim catches the grey light. Theron Stavros halts before the door. His hand rises, hesitates a heartbeat, then delivers three sharp, measured knocks that seem to swallow the silence. The wood groans…