I know you guys love emotionally torturing your characters (and readers). If you want to hit them where it hurts, consider these ideas for crushing betrayals.
The Prophecy
The hero has been raised hearing the same prophecy over and over again. They base their life and sense of duty on the prophecy. Later, they learn that the prophecy has been distorted or misinterpreted to serve the agenda of those in power.
The Sacrifice
The funniest, most lovable character sacrifices themselves to save their found family. Later, we learn that this sacrifice was completely unnecessary, and they were encouraged to do it based on false information. It was all for nothing.
The Mentor
The wise, kind mentor is secretly manipulating their hero for their own nefarious purposes. The reader is misled to believe the mentor falls into the classic trope conventions but they’re really the villain all along.
The Enchanter
A princess is about to marry for love when she is suddenly whisked away by a wizard. She’s thought to have run away with him - a false claimant to the throne claims the wizard is her lover. However, the wizard has her under an enchantment so that his own sister can marry the heartbroken prince.
The Assassins
Two assassins from rival guilds are tasked to kill one another. They stalk each other daily to figure out the other person’s whereabouts. Because they’re so busy stalking each other, they find themselves going to the same places each day and spending increasing time together. This leads to a surprising friendship. Will they betray their guilds?
