Luneshale Pass Fingers Tearing Through the Ground

She flinched, and the dog's stomach felt as though it had plummeted into the seventh circle of hell.

If it weren’t for the dark whispers curling around his mind, Machi might have realized that he often flinched too—when others moved suddenly, too quickly, even those he trusted. Even those he loved. But now, that realization slipped away, drowned beneath a suffocating tide of guilt and fear. His world shrank to a single, unbearable thought: he had frightened her. Herod's echoing laugh bounced between his ears—smug, mocking.

The dog's opalescent eyes flicked nervously, betraying the flood of emotions he worked so hard to keep buried. In one sharp glance, they darted over her face, silently begging for a sign, any sign, that he hadn’t turned into the very thing he feared. Machiavelli glanced down at his paws, and for a moment, the silvery sheen of something monstrous flickered across his vision. But when he blinked, the illusion was gone, leaving only dirt-streaked fur in its place.

His heart pounded in his chest, heavy and frantic, but outwardly, he forced himself into a mask of calm. He had always been good at that, hadn't he?

Slowly, carefully, Machi took a step back, ears pressed flat against his head, retreating as if distance might somehow erase the fear he’d caused. He lowered himself onto his haunches, making himself small. Not threatening. Not dangerous. Harmless.
Perhaps a monster nonetheless.

I would never hurt you, do you know that?
Could she still believe it?

Legend, Her name escaped him in a whisper, and he cursed how frail his voice sounded. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t get too close, that he wouldn’t let his heart twist itself into knots of confusion and hurt. And yet, here he was, voice shaking, emotions spilling out no matter how hard he fought to hold them back.

Legend... I was imprisoned. The confession tumbled from him, unplanned, the dam inside him crumbling faster than he could stop it. I was imprisoned for attacking you. And then— His words choked off, silenced by months of unanswered questions. Why hadn’t she come? Why hadn’t she said anything?

When I was finally freed... His breath hitched. His throat burned with the weight of it. I found my room destroyed. You... you had destroyed my room.

I didn't leave you, darling, he murmured, barely more than a breath. His chest tightened as he searched her face, his heart thudding violently, searching for a glimmer of understanding. I wouldn't abandon you like that.