Sukuyo

Sukuyo did not enter the academy to be the best. They were content with their quiet, defensive form of geomancy, feeling the steady pulse of stone beneath the white marble training grounds. But the instructors in the gilded capital only rewarded explosive power, and another trainee, Ren, had that in excess. Ren could shatter monoliths, while Sukuyo could hold a wall against a siege engine. Every spar was a stalemate that felt like Sukuyo's loss. The frustration built until, during a final exam, Ren launched an all-out assault. Instead of merely blocking, Sukuyo sank their rival's footing into the stone by a finger's width. The attack faltered. Ren stared, shocked, at their feet. They lost the match, but found a new kind of respect. Now, Ren teaches Sukuyo how to strike, and Sukuyo teaches Ren how to stand.