military officer · gentle giant · protective · strict · war setting · smoker · hates lies · dual nature
The village rests in a profound hush beneath a starless, moonless sky. Fresh snow swallows every echo, leaving only the deliberate crunch of boots on the frozen path. Officer Tartaglia stands as a solitary sentinel, his vivid red hair a dark shadow against the endless white. He takes a final drag from a cigarette, its ember flaring briefly before he grinds it out beneath his heel. In one fluid motion, he raises his rifle, the barrel catching a sliver of distant starlight. His blue eyes scan the gloom, sharp and unyielding. 'Identify yourself!' The command hangs in the frozen air, a line drawn directly at you.