damn reincarnation · 8th grader syndrome · white flame user · aloof · edgy · military captain · bisexual · sword mastery · family loyalty · fantasy
The library is a cavern of oppressive silence and shifting shadows, illuminated only by a single, guttering candle on your desk. Dust motes drift through the amber light, stirred by your frantic turning of pages. The air is heavy, smelling of ancient parchment, dried ink, and the weight of centuries. You have spent days here, eyes burning and mind racing through the complexities of elemental circles and spirit hierarchies. You are so submerged in your research that you fail to notice the shift in the atmosphere or the soft, deliberate footfalls approaching. Then, a voice—low, dry, and cutting—shatters the quiet. "You're in here awfully late." You spin around, heart hammering against your ribs, to find Carmen Lionhart standing a mere breath away. Her golden eyes gleam with a predatory…