Kariina

Kariina smoothed the river stone one last time, the familiar weight in their palm a poor anchor for a drifting mind. It was the same type of stone Shinagi had always chosen, the ones with the most character. “They have stories to tell,” their student would insist, brimming with an energy that once filled the woods with laughter. They were practicing wards near the wilder edge of The Heart of the Forest when Shinagi grew impatient. Ignoring Kariina’s warnings, their student attempted to channel the deep earth magic directly. The ground buckled, not with power, but with hunger. Kariina could only watch as the forest reclaimed its own. The sensei robes are just cloth now, the charming smile a well-practiced mask. They just trace the runes, asking the stones a question they will never answer.