The Mate I Never Chose
"Let them dig their own graves. We have supplies for three days, no winter gear that holds up above the tree line, and half our group is terrified because you look like a goddamn ghost every time a tremor hits. We need to go higher, find a defensible position, and prepare for a siege. We don't have the luxury of playing guardian of the monolith."
A group of villagers, led by a man named Kadek, approached from the shadows of the ridge. Kadek’s face was etched with exhaustion and a deep-seated fear that bordered on mania. He kept his eyes averted from Rangga’s glowing skin, crossing himself in a gesture of warding.