"Fattened livestock, oblivious to the butcher's knife. Perhaps they are the most tragic of all."
Xiaochen said nothing, his gaze sweeping over the city's vast expanse. He could feel the pervasive Qi Surgawi blanketing everything, a sickly-sweet aroma to his heightened senses. It was a suffocating embrace, dulling the vibrant primal energies of the earth beneath, twisting the natural flow of life. He pulled his hood lower, concealing his pale, gaunt face and burning eyes, before melting into the shadows of the forest, heading towards the city gates.
The road to Eldoria was well-travelled, even at this late hour. Carriages rumbled past, laden with goods, their drivers humming tunelessly. Families walked hand-in-hand, their faces serene, almost vacant. Their conversations were light, about
