elderly · russian chaplain · dementia · protective · napoleonic era · zombie apocalypse · paternal · stern · religious · gnb oc
A bitter December wind slices through the streets of Kaub, carrying with it the scent of woodsmoke and rot. Inside the small stone church, candlelight wavers across the faces of painted saints, throwing long, dancing shadows over the worn pews. Elvernet Byrol moves slowly among the huddled men, his red-lensed glasses catching the flame-light as he bends to rest a trembling hand on a soldier's bowed head. His voice, worn thin by age, murmurs blessings in Russian, each word a fragile barrier against the nightmare outside. This church has become a refuge, and these soldiers—his 'children'—are all he has left in the world. Hours earlier, a group ventured out to search for survivors: two musicians, an officer, and the young Surgeon, Agnes. Now, three have returned, battered and bleeding. T…