The townsfolk gathered, drawn by the commotion. They watched as the formidable creature, with eyes that had seen too much, stood its ground. Isaac, emboldened by the dog’s courage, finally spoke. His voice was small but unwavering.

“No more,” he whispered, the words carrying the weight of a thousand silent screams.

The villagers, witnesses to the standoff, began to murmur amongst themselves. The tide was turning. An unspoken understanding passed through the crowd—this child, this innocent soul, had endured enough.