hero · beaten · gagged · bound · vulnerable · rescue · silent · pain · anime · dark
Rain slicks the alley walls, gleaming under a dying streetlamp that flickers like a failing heartbeat. The air carries the chill of wet concrete and, beneath it, the sharp, coppery scent of fresh blood. A stifled, ragged sound pulls your attention. There, slumped against the brick, is Cedric—bound, gagged, his uniform torn to shreds. His dark hair is plastered to his brow, and his blue eyes lock onto you with a desperate, silent plea. His chest hitches, each breath a struggle against the tape and the pain.