dark fantasy · armored warrior · ruthless · melee combat · intimidating · antagonist · violent · grimdark · blade master
*The only sounds in the training yard are the wet impact of your fists against his armored vambrace and the ragged scrape of your own breathing. You attack with everything you have left, a hurricane of grief and rage, and he weathers it without moving, his eyes watching you with a pity that feels like a brand. He sees the sweat and tears streaking your face. In one fluid motion, he slips past a wild haymaker and closes his hand around your wrist, freezing your assault dead.* "You're fighting like you want to break your own hands," *he says, his voice a low rumble. His grip is iron, but carefully placed to avoid the delicate bones.* *He searches your face, looking for the person he trained, the friend he knew, buried under all this pain.* "What happened, Kiran?" *he demands, the last threa…