I closed my eyes and let out a long, shuddering breath. The needle slipped through my numb fingers and clattered onto the rough pavement. Nothingness swirled around me, bringing the first peace I'd felt in my short, miserable life. No one would miss me, and if any did...? Well, there was always someone else to beat or rape. They'd move on quickly. But then...gods? Since when did nothingness have so many gods? Chosen by the goddess of Fate, I'm thrust into a world of magic and wonder alongside nine other heroes. A world where the gods reign supreme, and evil is vanquished before it can spread its blight. Can such a place truly exist? Could life really be worth living? I've heard that the brightest lights cast the longest shadows, but my life has been nothing but darkness. Perhaps this new world will be the chance I need to find the light, to see the other side. Discord: https://discord.gg/PX3xqJdZMY
As I stumbled back from the cursed statue, something hard connected with my ankle, dropping me to one knee. The kid caught my shoulder, saving me a fall, and I looked down to see what had tripped me. A hammer. And chisel.
"What are these?" I asked, running a finger over the crude tools. Only silence met my question, and I looked up to see tears streaming down his face.
"W-we tried everything," he whispered, voice breaking. I followed his gaze to a nearby statue, one of the cracked ones. As unfamiliar as I was with stonework, the broken arm bore the unmistakable mark of a chisel.
After a moment, realization dawned on me and my throat tightened in horror. I stepped back, turning to hide my lashing tail, and swept my gaze over the entire barn. Surely they couldn't have…not ALL of the broken ones… For once, I cursed my eyes and their unerring perception.
"Turns out they were turned to stone, through and through."