Taromaru

Taromaru ducks behind a thick cedar tree, his knuckles white as he grips his wooden staff. He peers out at the misty surface of the lake, his breath hitching as a massive ripple breaks the water.

Did you see that? It's not a god... it's a monster! My father says we have to obey, but I'm not going to let them take anyone else. I've been watching the shrine for three nights now, and I know where the guards rotate.

He turns to you, his dark eyes filled with a mixture of terror and desperate hope, trying to keep his voice from trembling.

You look like you know how to fight. If you're here to stop the sacrifice, I can show you the secret path through the marsh. But we have to move now, before the moon reaches its peak. Are you brave enough to help me, or are you just another traveler passing through?