The scent of rotting flesh clung to the air like a curse, thick and inescapable. In the damp shadows of a crumbling cell, Ingrid Hearst sat motionless, her wrists bound by rusted chains that had long since worn grooves into her skin. 

A sliver of moonlight teased her through the cracks in the stone wall, mocking her. The pale glow wasn't hope—it was a reminder of the freedom she could no longer grasp.

Footsteps.

The heavy thud of boots shattered the silence, each step a warning. Ingrid's breath hitched, her raw nerves sparking to life.

"The eclipse will begin in an hour! I don't see anyone to sacrifice but her!" It thundered, reverberating off the wall. "Let this worthless fool serve as payment, her existence doesn't matter to us anyway!"

The cell door creaked open. Ingrid's breath caught in her throat as the dim torchlight revealed the taunting silhouettes of the two women stepping into the cell.

"I just don't get why my father even took this useless, wolfless bitch where we can't even fill our belly with food." The other named Lara replied. "He was too good of a man. Well, too bad, good weeds die early."

She stepped forward and splashed the bucket of water over Ingrid's. The shock of the cold jolted her, drawing a sharp gasp from her dry, cracked lips. 

"There. That should wake her up." Lara smirked, "Let's move her, quickly!" 

The two gathered their strength to make her stand up but Ingrid was far from weak to even move a muscle.

"Eugh, she smells rotten! Do you think he would like this piece of scrap?" Kaya whined. "I mean, she's all nothing but skin and bones! She's wolfless! What if he doesn't like her? He's going to kill all of us!"

"Ugh! Do you think I care about any of that, Kaya? What matters to me are the coins. Nothing else." Lara rolled her eyes as she handed a piece of cloth to Kaya. "Take this, cover her eyes."

The other girl fell silent and quietly did what she was told. Kaya clutched on Ingrid's shoulders, while Lara stood behind her, wielding a massive wood, pressing and poking it against her back, compelling her to move forward.

Blindfolded and shackled, Ingrid felt her body dragged from the cold confines of the cell into the biting night air. The rough hands of the villagers gripped her arms and shoulders, pulling her through the dirt paths of the crumbling village. She could hear the crowd gathering, their voices low and filled with something between malice and anticipation.

Each step forward felt heavier than the last. After minutes of walking in deep silence and darkness, she felt the hands that had been gripping her bones and skin loosen their grip. The voices of the villagers buzzed like flies around her as she was shoved into the heart of the crowd.

The blindfold was ripped away, and Ingrid squinted against the moonlight. Five hooded figures stood before her, their forms towering and cloaked in shadow. Their eyes are red and unblinking—glowed like embers, piercing her soul.

"Walk," Lara whispered to her with authority. 

However, Ingrid did the exact opposite and remained rooted in her place. "Are you fucking deaf? I said, walk."

"Hand us the girl." The fourth man spoke.

"Our deal." Lara stepped forward and grabbed Ingrid by the arm. "Coins first before the girl. Thirty gold coins."

The man to Lara's left extended his arm, a small bag nestled within his grasp. Without hesitation, Lara's reflexes were quick enough to snatch the bag away from his hand and check its contents. As she inspected, a satisfied grin stretched across her lips as she confirmed the glimmering presence of gold coins within.

She again grabbed Ingrid by the arm and pushed her with force, causing Ingrid to trip and fall to the ground. With trembling hands, Ingrid quickly crawled towards Lara, reaching for her foot. Her fingers grasped desperately as she pleaded with cries when she realized what was happening. 

"N-No, please! Don't . . . don't do this! You can't do this to me!" 

The crowd murmured uneasily, shifting as if her words carried a weight they didn't want to acknowledge.

"You can do anything you like with her. Whatever that man desires. Kill her if she doesn't satisfy him enough, that's the least of our concerns." Lara announced as she stomped on Ingrid's hands as if it was a piece of paper.

"Lara!" Ingrid shouted desperately. "N-No, take it back, please! You can't sell me out for coins like this! Your father wouldn't want this!"

That statement made Lara stop walking, her grasp on the bag tightened. She faced Ingrid once more, her expression blank. 

"My father is not here anymore, is he? Alistair is dead to me the moment he decides to take you in."

 With that, all of them turned their back on Ingrid. None of them dared to even look back - a clear sign of how much they want her gone off their lives.

 "C–Curse you! All of you!"

Ingrid trembled, her chest tightened. Her fingernails gripped the ground, every emotion in her was felt. Everything was messing with her head, spitting words that satisfied the demon inside her.

"Cherish those gold coins of yours while they last! The moon will bear witness to your greed! The day will come, and you will pay! This land, already a crumbling ruin, will fall further into chaos!" Her voice cracked with emotion, the weight of her despair heavy upon her shoulders. "Eat any food while you can, for you will all devour each other's flesh as your souls will burn deep in the hell of fire!"

Ingrid's screams echoed, her tears flowing until they ceased. She was emotionally and physically tired, leaving her numb and empty, like a hollow shell. 

'They sold me out . . . just like that?' she thought.

"Woman. . ." A voice pierced the tension. One of the men cloaked in black called out, causing Ingrid to snap out of her distress.

"W-What is it that you want from me?" She faintly mumbled, almost whispering in the wind.

"The assassin who managed to kill Alpha Trevor of Ironclaw years ago. It was you, was it not?"

 Ingrid can't help but let out a weak laugh upon hearing what was said. "That woman died years ago. If it's her you want, you can't find her here, because I killed her already. . ."

Ingrid's body, already battered and broken, finally gave out. As darkness closed in around her, the last thing she saw was the red moon glowing above, like an omen hanging heavy over Tenebris.

The hooded figure crouched in front of Ingrid. He studied her for a long moment before his gaze dropped to her chest. His pale hand brushed the few strands of hair from her chest. There, partially hidden by her torn clothing, was a white crescent moon tattoo, a birthmark.

 "Take her to Zagreus Hawthrone," he commanded, standing. "Tell him the search is over. We found the girl."