Bone Temples
In his young adult fantasy novel, Empire of Bones, ND Wilson describes what happens when a Dragon Spirit who inhabits the body of an ancient man is released from the chains that have bound it for centuries. This mythical god-man begins to draw people to himself as sacrifice. The dragon part of the man feeds on and is strengthened by the pain of mortals. If any humans are within his mental reach, he forces them to recall and replay all of the painful memories of their lives as though they were happening to them right then. Every painful memory is stabbed into their consciouses like a knife being twisted in a wound. Each memory is made to appear even worse than it was, and with even greater pain. Eventually the painful memories break the will of the people and they beg for the decptive relief that the dragon promises. He gives them a type of peace, but it's a peace which steals their entire lives. He separates them from all the people who have ever hurt them (which ends up being eve...