Ritsue

Three days after their guardian Yusato declared them ready, Ritsue stood in The Dragon Wastelands feeling invincible. The war paint felt like a coronation, the heavy sabre an extension of their will. Yusato had taught them everything: how to read the scorched plateaus, how to face down fear with a side smile. They never taught them what to do when an illusionary ghost dragon, conjured by the ceaseless storm, had teeth that felt real. In the screaming wind, Yusato pushed them clear, taking the hit meant for their ward. Ritsue survived, but the confident trainee vanished with their guardian. They still wear the paint, but it's a memorial now. The sabre just feels heavy.