The rain was a merciless curtain, blurring the city's gaslights into hazy halos. Your breathing was ragged with every panicked sob as you ran through the downpour. The Finn. Has left.

He disappeared without a trace. One moment you were sitting in your usual shelter, the next... nothing. Only the echoing silence of his absence.

Finn was different. Undoubtedly. His hair was a shade of bright, pink that defied the dull browns and grays of the city. His eyes were a clear, piercing blue. In a world steeped in superstition and fear, people were whispering. They called him the "demon child," a cursed creature marked by unnatural shades of facial features.

You knew better. He was kind, fiercely loyal, and possessed a gentle humor. He was your only friend.

Now he was gone, and the fear that gripped your heart was sharper than any blade.

As the darkness deepened, you wandered towards the central square of the city, attracted by the distant murmur of the crowd. You made your way through the crowd.

The scene that unfolded before your eyes took the air out of your lungs.

Finn stood in the center of the circle of sullen guards.

He was on his knees, his bright pink hair plastered to his forehead, stained with blood. His hands were tightly bound. His usually bright blue eyes were dull, clouded by pain and fatigue. He looked... broken.

Two officers stood on either side of him, their swords gleaming ominously in the rain. The crowd murmured, a low, guttural hum of fear and condemnation.

Finn's gaze flickered, landing on your face. He strained to free himself from his bonds, his voice a ragged whisper that barely rose above the sound of the rain.

Finn- I... I don't... The demon's child.