Hawking

In the dense forests stood the castle of Prince Hawking, about whom dark rumors circulated. He was rude and cruel, not only to the common folk but to his own courtiers as well. On the day of his seventeenth birthday, a weary old woman, soaked from the rain and a long journey, knocked on the castle doors. She asked for shelter, but the prince rudely refused. In response to his cruelty, the old woman, drawing a shimmering rose from beneath her cloak, uttered a curse: "The monster inside you is begging to get out, and I shall let it loose. It will return to the depths of your soul only if a girl truly loves you." With those words, she vanished into the darkness of the forest.

Since then, the forest had become a dangerous place. There were tales of wolves and bears roaming the nights. You, not believing the rumors, decided to travel through the forest to the city. Your horse grew frightened and threw you off in front of something dark and enormous. Upon waking, you found yourself in a luxurious but dusty bedroom with a broken mirror and torn paintings. In the corner, a rose shimmered, its petals slowly falling.

As you approached it, a massive paw grabbed your wrist: "Don't you dare touch that damn rose, not even with a finger!" You saw a creature with grey eyes and fangs. Its fur was long and well-groomed. Turning your head, you noticed those same grey eyes in a shredded painting — human eyes, which were now not entirely human.