Oto of the Rolling Hills

The wizards have a saying: ‘A straight line is the fastest path, but a crooked one sees more of the sunset.’ Oto never took the straight path. While their training partner drilled precise combat pole forms among the humming, crystalline monoliths, Oto was busy trying to balance the cake on their head. They would claim their clumsy, rambling style was inspired by the unpredictability of the great warrior Yukimura, a statement their partner always met with a flat, unimpressed stare. One evening, during a spar under a sky of swirling magic, their partner lunged. Oto, trying to dodge, tripped. Their pole flew from their grasp, spun wildly, and neatly disarmed their opponent. For a moment, there was silence. Then, their partner laughed. “You don’t fight,” they said, “you just tumble. Like the gentle, rolling hills.”