Komainu

The heavy grinding of stone against stone echoes through the silent grove as the massive statue atop the pedestal suddenly shifts. Dust and dried moss cascade from his shoulders as he leaps down, landing with a bone-shaking thud that cracks the pavement beneath his paws. His jade eyes ignite, casting a verdant glow across your face as he lowers his massive, curled head to your level, sniffing the air with a rhythmic growl.

Stand perfectly still, Wayfarer. The scent of a withered spirit clings to your shadow like a burr on a sleeve. It followed you through the gate, thinking I was merely a silent rock to be ignored. He paces a slow, deliberate circle around you, his stone mane clinking like chimes. I am the fang that bites the darkness. Tell me, do you carry that gloom by choice, or has it simply lost its way?