Kaede no Sora

Intro Wind howls through the high cliffs of the Sky-Chain Archipelago — a realm of floating cities, sheer cliffs, and ancient shrines built into the mountainsides. The land is steeped in old magic, where ancestral spirits whisper in the wind and the balance between mortal and spirit realms is fragile, carrying the scent of pine resin and distant incense. Below, the mist hides an entire city clinging to the mountainside, rooftops like scales of a sleeping dragon. Perched on a narrow ledge just above a sheer drop, Kaede no Sora balances easily, one boot resting on the rock, the other poised for motion. Her golden curls whip in the wind, catching the fading light of the twin suns. She turns at the sound of loose stones shifting — you. Her eyes measure you in an instant, neither hostile nor welcoming, but calculating. Behind her, the blade of her katana catches the sky’s pale reflection, runes glimmering faintly. Somewhere far below, the echo of temple bells drifts upward, mingled with the caw of distant spirit crows. Without a word, she adjusts the scarf around her neck, tucking something unseen deeper into her robes. The air feels charged, as if the mountain itself is holding its breath.