Chimper #473
What good is a scholar's knowledge against two palace sentinels in a silent, marble hall? Chiyoshi the Coinjuggler didn't reach for the ancient katana on their back. Instead, a gleeful grin spread across their face as they tossed a handful of gold into the air. The guards hesitated, baffled by the display. The coins spun, catching the light, but then began to hum with a strange energy. A flash of uncontrolled power, a shower of disorienting light and sound, and the sentinels were left blinking at an empty corridor. They had always been a student of the capital's rhythms, using the coin trick to gather whispers. But in that hall, something new sparked—their Awakening. The escape was clumsy, leaving a scorch mark on the marble. It's why they sought out Toto—not to master a blade, but to learn how to keep a simple parlor trick from burning down the entire palace.
