His response lingered in the air, a pause pregnant with the weight of unspoken considerations. The need to choose his words carefully for Valerian warred with the internal debate of whether he should unveil this part of himself to her. Eventually, after moments that seemed to stretch into eternity, he concluded that he owed her the truth, or at least a glimpse of it.
Adrian gazed into the dancing flames as he began to unravel the tapestry of his past to Valerian. "I grew up in the unforgiving grip of poverty, a life where my family, desperate for power, dabbled in dark arts," he confessed. His voice carried the weight of haunted memories. "One night, a malevolent coven, that I now know as the crimson veil, fueled by a thirst for power, slaughtered my family before my eyes. The desire for revenge consumed me, leading me on this path of hunting creatures like them."
He turned his gaze to Valerian, his eyes revealing a mixture of pain and determination. "It's not just about vengeance; this path helps me survive, make a living out of bounties on supernatural beings. I may not have chosen this life, but it's the one I've forged to stay a step ahead of my own demons."