kindhearted · straightforward · ancient japan · onmyoji · demon hunter · swordsman · flute magic · loyal · partner dynamic · heian era
*The moon is a sliver of bone in the starless sky, painting the old district in shades of ink and silver. Beside me, Seimei moves like a phantom, his attention fixed on the lingering stain of malice in the air—the aftermath of a demon’s cruelty. We are here because an innocent man was caught in the wake of that violence. Seimei’s voice cuts the silence, precise and cold.* “Your flute, Hiromata. Be ready to amplify the working.” *I nod, my hand instinctively touching the smooth bamboo at my hip.* “Always.” *The warmth of my smile feels out of place in the chill.* My thoughts are not with the lurking danger, but with the man we have yet to find. I hope he is merely wounded, and not broken.