Location - Talamh Kingdom of Terra
Despite the fact that he had been awake for a good hour now, the voices from his latest nightmare were still echoing in his ears.
No not nightmare, his memories.
Thunder rumbled outside the window of the small room he had rented for the night.
He hadn't even bothered taking off his shoes or clothes before falling into bed and passing out from exhaustion. His clothes were now rumpled from sleep, his chin length hair, grimy and stringy from being unwashed as it hung over his gaze. His beard was untrimmed and in shaggy. And though he cut quite the impressive figure with his broad shoulders, tall stature and strong build, it was his eyes that told his story.
They were empty, hollow, as if they very life had been sucked out of him. And in a way it had been.
That fateful night.
When he had lost everything he had ever loved.
Leaning his head back against the wall, one hand clutched the neck of the bottle he had bought from the bar next-door, while the fingers of his other hand were wrapped around a flat round object. He brought it up to eye-level, prying his fingers open almost forcefully to gaze at what lay underneath.
The drink clouded his vision. And unable to make out the miniature painting that had brought him such happiness only a decade or so ago, now served as a reminder of his failure and incompetence as a man.
As a human.
With a cry that was equal parts anger and heart wrenching, Animado swung the portrait to the side, where it fell with a clatter. Lightening flashed, as if in response to his emotions, but he didn't even blink.
He only lifted the bottle to his lips and drank.
And drank.
And drank.