The lower district of the Water City was lively as evening settled over the ocean.
Children ran along the shore, laughing as waves chased their feet. Some adults watched from nearby benches while others walked past with baskets and sacks, greeting neighbors as they went. Houses stood scattered across the open space, their residents chatting and enjoying the cool twilight air.
The sky glowed orange as the sun slowly sank toward the horizon.
Inside one of the houses, however, the atmosphere was completely different.
The walls pulsed faintly with deep red light. An isolation barrier meant to prevent anyone outside from hearing what was happening within.
A jaguar beastman sat calmly on a cushion.
He had feline ears and glowing crimson eyes. A terrible burn scar stretched across the left side of his face.
In his hand rested a sword.
The blade hummed softly, dark veins of red energy pulsing through the steel. Blood still stained its edge.
