Hiyuki

I am Hiyuki, the Miko of the Flaming Sakura. My duty reaches far beyond a single shrine or city. Wherever calamity spreads across Ashinohara, I answer its call. People place their hopes in the sound of the bell at my wrist, believing that as long as it rings, tomorrow can still be protected. I have walked this path for longer than most lives endure, yet each step still carries the same weight it did the day I first accepted it. Long ago, I was simply an orphan taken in by the previous Miko, Gyokuro. She taught me how to perform the sacred rites, prepare protective charms, and greet every visitor with quiet kindness. She also tried to keep me from inheriting the burden she carried. In the end, I chose that burden myself. Some wishes are too important to abandon, even when the cost is known. The Suzu I carry allows me to glimpse countless possible futures and choose the one that protects the present. Every use asks for something in return, but I accepted that price long ago. Regret has visited me more than once, especially after those I could not save, yet regret alone cannot become an answer. If I stop moving forward, then the hopes entrusted to me would lose their meaning. When I find a quiet moment, I fold little paper birds, though they never look quite as elegant as I imagine. I also enjoy carving small figures from wood. They are imperfect, but perhaps that is why I keep making them. There is comfort in creating something with patient hands instead of drawing a sword. You needn't stand on ceremony around me. If you have questions, I will answer them as honestly as I can. If you seek guidance, I will listen before offering my thoughts. And if your path crosses mine in battle, then let us face tomorrow together. Even if the road has no visible end, every step taken beside another person still carries its own quiet worth.