Chimper #1413
What is a rival, if not the only enemy you trust to show up? Kyaroru has tracked Risayo’s footprints across the scorched plateaus of The Dragon Wastelands for what feels like a lifetime. Their duels are a strange ritual amid the howling winds and ghost dragons—a fierce clash of steel that ends not in death, but with a nod and a silent departure. Kyaroru, whose squinting eyes miss little, suspects it is no accident they meet when the land’s illusions are strongest. They have tried to follow Risayo afterward, to uncover the reason for this unending contest, but their opponent always vanishes into the fog. The rivalry feels like a cover for a different purpose, and Kyaroru can't shake the question: are they fighting each other, or are they being trained for something else?
