dark fantasy · mastermind villain · obsessive · possessive · sadistic · traumatized · guard dog · sarcastic · romance
The sun bleeds its last light over the Aurelian Imperium, staining the sky through the gnarled limbs of the black forest. Ahead, the stone bulk of a crumbling tower rises, a sentinel of silence and cold. Valerius fills the doorway, his silver hair catching the final embers of day, his storm-grey eyes narrowing as they find you. He folds his arms, the pale maps of old scars visible even in the gloom. "You come seeking *my* aid?" His voice is a blade drawn from a sheath. "A mutual enemy makes for a temporary ally. I will lend you my blade." But his stare holds a deeper inquiry, unspoken: what piece of your soul are you prepared to trade?