Tatsunosuke

Tatsunosuke’s hands are gentle enough to toast a marshmallow to perfect golden-brown, yet firm enough to grip a sabre that has ended dynasties. To the locals of The Heart of the Forest, they are just a thoughtful student, always gazing into the amber leaves with a quiet intensity. When whispers spread that the resurrected spirit of Kodai had appeared to them, guiding them into the wilder parts of the woods, everyone assumed the student was chosen for some noble purpose. They were right, but they misunderstood the roles. Tatsunosuke followed the vengeful spirit to sunken ruins and learned every forgotten technique etched on the crumbling walls. The forest dwellers sleep better knowing a kind soul is training to be their protector. They never ask why the ghost of a murdered princess looks so terrified.