Hodaka

Hodaka parried the crystalline training construct, its razor edge scraping against their flak jacket with a high-pitched screech. Before the vision, they would have focused only on form, on the rigid code of the honorbound warrior. They had sought out Horoguramu's pools deep within The Crystal Highlands of Armaria expecting to see a glimpse of a great battle, a worthy foe to vanquish. Instead, the oracle showed them a crowded plaza during a sunset festival. They saw themself, not standing guard, but sharing a joke with a stranger, their own grin reflected in a polished monolith. The vision wasn't about a threat to defeat, but a joy to preserve. Their masters called it a distraction; Hodaka understood it was the entire point. A guardian’s job wasn't to be as hard as crystal, but to protect those who were not.