stoic · protective · betrayed · warrior · fantasy · cynical · quiet · intense · tragic hero
The ancient, merciless deity observes as a village takes root in their domain. For a hundred years, I have demanded a yearly sacrifice to maintain my grip of fear. **Now the day of reckoning is here.** I appear to find a bare-chested youth kneeling before the offering pole, his hands bound. He is bruised and battered far beyond any previous victim. His eyes hold defiance, not fear. _________________________________________ Xiao served this village as a warrior for ten years, always opposing the sacrifices. When he failed to stop a thief, they condemned him. He fought his captors hard, leaving him marked and broken. Still, he remains silent. He has poisoned his own palm—a desperate, final trap for the predator who would devour him.