How substance use and personal demons create a complex character arc in Mist and Unappeased Spirits

The Rise and Fall of a Rugby Star

William Robertson had everything: a promising rugby career, privilege, and charm that made him the golden boy of his aristocratic family. As the captain of his university rugby team, he thrived in the sport that gave him structure, identity, and a deep sense of belonging.

But when a serious head injury forces him off the field, the world he once knew collapses. The adrenaline, the discipline, the camaraderie it all vanishes in an instant, leaving behind a void too vast to ignore.

William is no stranger to partying, but without rugby, the drinking becomes heavier, the highs more reckless, the lows unbearable.

A Downward Spiral into Darkness

At first, it seems like just a rough patch- a few extra drinks, a little more recklessness. But then the drinking doesn’t stop.

• He begins numbing the pain-both the physical aftermath of his injury and the emotional loss of his identity.
• He ignores medical warnings,despite his neurosurgeon cautioning that excessive drinking could have devastating effects on his brain.
• His relationships start to suffer, and at the heart of it all is Ara- the one person who sees his struggles but refuses to be consumed by them.

When Love Isn’t Enough

Ara is a medical student, analytical and deeply empathetic, but she cannot save William from himself.

One night, he arrives hours late, intoxicated and volatile, pushing boundaries that Ara refuses to let him cross. In his desperation to hold on to something – someone -he lashes out.

“Dammit. Kiss me.” Suddenly angry, he pushed her hard against the wall, and she banged the back of her head. (page, 119).

It is the moment everything changes. A single moment of violence. A black eye. A painful truth.

Ara calls his family, forcing them to intervene. The golden boy is no longer golden- he is lost, drowning in his addiction.

Hitting Rock Bottom

His family whisks him away, not to confront his demons, but to hide them. In the grand halls of their estate, they monitor him, control him, but William is not getting better.

• His drinking escalates in secret.
• The isolation fuels his self-destruction.
• The guilt consumes him.

Until one night, he nearly loses his life. The party, the excess, the recklessness it all catches up with him. And this time, there is no escaping the consequences.

His only option? Rehab.

Rehabilitation, Regret, and a Painful Goodbye

Rehab is a breaking point and a turning point. There, the circumstances of rehab force William to confront himself, stripped of excuses and privilege,

But even as he fights for his recovery, there is one thought that lingers: Ara.

• Does she hate him?
• Did he destroy everything?
• Is there any way back?

The guilt eats away at him, forcing him to confront what he has done. He can barely say her name without feeling the weight of his mistakes. He needs to see her, to apologise, to make her understand that he is not the same man who hurt her.

So he asks Emily to bring her.

Ara doesn’t owe him anything, she knows this. But she still goes, because there is unfinished business between them.

Their reunion is not a reconciliation, but a reckoning. A moment of raw honesty, of love and pain intertwined.

“I am guilty of treating you so badly, and I know I cannot ask for anything more from you. Except to say, if you can, please love me forever. I don’t know how to stop loving you.”

For William, this is not an ending, but a promise. A commitment to becoming the man he should have been all along. He is determined to get better not just for Ara, but for himself.

But for Ara, this is goodbye.

“Your beautiful heart gave me a new life.”

And then, the words that seal their parting:

“Don’t shut it away, let it love others, I will try to do the same.”

Ara walks away, leaving behind a man she once loved a man who still loves her.

Addiction, Identity, and the Human Struggle

William’s story is about more than substance abuse. It is about:

• Loss of identity-How a single event (his injury) unravelled everything he believed about himself.
• Self-destruction vs. self-redemption-How he teetered between the two, nearly losing everything.
• The limits of love-How Ara’s compassion could not save him, only he could.
• Privilege and consequence-How his family’s wealth shielded him but could not heal him.

William is deeply flawed, but deeply human. His story is one of falling, breaking, and rising again.

Join the Conversation

Have you ever seen how loss, injury, or addiction can alter the course of someone’s life? What are your thoughts on William’s journey- his struggles, his mistakes, and his redemption?

 Mist and Unappeased Spirits is available now on Amazon.

 Get Your Copy Here Mist and Unappeased Spirits eBook : Khan, Naira: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store