Name: Kitsune Huohu



Alias: The Fire Fox
Nickname: (To be Determined)
Age: 19
Region of Origin: South
Hometown: Nichibotsu
Deity: He did not train under any deity, but associates himself with the Phoenix of the south
Master: Gunslinger

Gender: Male
Race: Lyn
Height: 3’9” (He claims to be 4’)
Weight: 25kg/ 55 pound
Hair: Fiery red
Eyes: Cobalt blue
Skin: He has very pale, smooth skin. His body is more akin to a ten year old than an adult.
Handedness: Left handed
Scars: One, deep scar across his stomach, that he lets no-one see.
Tattoos: None

Basic Description: He’s short, pale skinned with an unruly mop of fiery hair on his head, oh, and a pair of fox ears….and a tail. Most people confuse him with being much, much younger, an ordinary man could pick him up with one hand. He likes to wear long (for him) flowing clothes, always red (like, really red. Proper, bright red), under which he can easily hide his explosive gadgets and guns.

Likes: Explosions, stories, action, adventure, jokes
Dislikes: Sore losers, cheaters, arrogance
Goals: To wipe out the criminal empire of Muro Masau
Fears: That he is not, and will never be, good enough to accomplish his aims.
Mannerisms: His supreme skill with gunpowder has caused him to become supremely confident that he can cut any man down before he comes within 10ft. For this reason, he is also supremely cocky, but never tries to offend anyone. He is usually fun and easy going, and there are very few things that he will take seriously, finding it very easy to make light of almost any situation. As a result of using guns and bomb, as opposed to swords and magic, he rarely has to kill up close, even see the face of the person he’s killing, and this has made him slightly psychopathic. He feels nothing when killing.  

Superstitions: Before he fires any of his guns, he recites a short rhyme: Fly straight, fly free, but don’t go flying into me. He claims that misfires have been cut in half since he started saying it. (Nothing to do with that being the date he installed a new mechanism into his gun.)

Social Pressures/Problems: As previously mentioned, Kitsune is slightly psychopathic, and sees nothing wrong with killing other people to achieve his aims, no matter how minor. Problem is, no-one else seems to see it that way. He also feels that he constantly has to prove himself to everyone he meets.

Parents: Mother (Mayuko): His mother is very frightened for him, and is desperate for him to come back home. She does however, accept that she’s never going to stop him, and does what she can to make sure he doesn’t get himself killed.
             Father: (Futoshi): His father agrees with his wife, but only for the sake of his wife. He’s worried what his constant absence will do to her.

Siblings: Hiro - Kitsune's 4 year old brother, he idolises Kitsune. He is incredibly naïve and innocent, and Kitsune labours very hard to keep it that way. His parents are very keen to keep him at home, but Hiro is determined to one day follow his brother into the big wide world.

Rivals: He has a friendly rivalry with his childhood friend Masuo, the only marksman who can even come close to him.
Enemies: Bandit Lord Muro Masau

Weapons: Spectre Rifle - The pinnacle of Kitsunes weapon engineering, it is a breech loading, rifled, armour piercing rifle, with super long range and the array of scopes to match. (Seriously, it looks like he’s just attached a load of different sized magnifying glasses).

Boom pellets - His own design, can range from pellet to grenade size, the small ones, as well as gun powder, contain things like ash and blinding powder (a surprisingly large amount) while the larger ones carry shrapnel, but he has less of those. Designed to explode upon impact with something, he keeps them in an easily accessible harness beneath his kimono.

Kyōda & Furasshu - Two pistols, with a design similar to that of a revolver, each can contain 10 bullets. However, he’s rigged it so that he can easily slip out the revolving drum when empty, and slide in a new one, dramatically cutting reload times.

Skills: Engineering - Not just guns, machines, vehicles, all can be fixed or designed completely within Kitsune’s mind, probably with one or two improvements.

Acrobat - Kitsune is a natural gymnast, easily able to bend and contort himself into a variety of shapes, and possessing a surprising amount of upper body strength. He can also jump ridiculously high, almost 6 feet in the air!

Plant expert - Kitsune knows an incredible amount regarding the local flora and fauna in his region. He gained the knowledge from when he had to spend days in the woods in order to practice his shooting, as they refused to let him shoot anywhere near the village. He became interested, and knows general information regarding most of the common plants of the world.

Powers: Focus Fire - Taking a moment to ready himself, and say a quick prayer, Mistune unloads both of his pistols into the exact same spot, 20 rounds through one hole.

Powder jump - By timing it just right, Kitsune sets off a charge with just enough force to blast him high into the air and, if needs be, just enough to slow his fall to a manageable level.

Spectre blast  - Taking a deep breath, Kitsune puts himself into a higher state of mind he has achieved through constant practice. When he fires his rifle, he will not miss. Period. Ever. He can hit people seemingly hundreds of yards outside of his range

Smoke Shot - Memorising the location of his enemies, Kitsune throws a line of boom pellets, creating a wall of smoke between himself and his targets, before launching a volley of shots with pinpoint accuracy from within the cloud.

Wall of Steel - Through practice and calculation, Kitsune is able to fire is pistols in such a way, that not even a master of the four schools could find a way through. He can keep it up for as long as he has ammunition, and his reload time is so fast it’s negligible.

Trick shot - Making some very quick calculations, and then relying wholly on instinct, Kitsune can bonce a shot from his rifle up to three times before it starts getting edgy. Three or less... he will always hit.

Quick Draw: No, he wasn't holding that gun less than a second ago. Kitsune can toss a coin in the air, draw his revolver, shoot a hole through it, and put the revolver back in it's holster before the coin hits the ground.

Current Story: Originally Kitsune, together with his girlfriend, Ai, and four other friends, defended Nichibotsu from the various things that tried to attack it. One day, they were ambushed while training in the forest. Kitsune was defending their rear and it was going well, they couldn’t get close. Then his homemade weapon, misfired. The first one to him slice open his stomach, and Kitsune maintained consciousness long enough to watch as the same man drove his sword through Ai’s back.
Masuo, the other gun wielder, managed to fight off the rest of the attackers, but not before all the others were killed. Luckily, the wound to his stomach had not actually been that deep, and that only blood loss had caused him to fall unconscious. Inspecting the dead, he found the symbol of the bloody crow upon many of their cloths. The symbol of Muro Masau. Luckily, the bandit lord lost interest after all of his men in the area were killed. But Kitsune never lost interest in him. He is presently travelling all of Tu, to all of the schools and masters, trying to find people to help him take down Muro.

Note: Muro is also a dark chi wielder

Alias: The Bride of Zulon, though this alias would only be known to those capable of sensing the Dreadbeast's mark

Nickname: None

Age: 27 years old

Region of Origin: The South

Hometown: The Monastery of the Tranquil Flame

Deity: The Phoenix-Grandmaster Ling Guang

Master: Summoner

Gender: Female

Race: Yun

Height: 5’5”

Weight: 120 lbs.

Hair: White, formerly black

Eyes: Green

Skin: Due to spending most of her childhood indoors, Amaya has pale skin, though her recent travels have darkened her complexion somewhat. Her body is slender, lacking any curves with the sole exception of her wide hips, but still possesses a wiry, sinuous musculature.

Handedness: Right Dominant

Scars: None

Tattoos: The Disciple of the Phoenix has the mark of her god, the Red Bird of the South, inscribed on her forehead. The mighty bird's wings curve gracefully upward, forming an almost perfect circle.

Basic Description: Standing at roughly 5'5", Amaya's willowy physique and soft voice often lure would-be attackers into a false sense of security. The baggy linen tunics and leggings she wears also do an excellent job of concealing her toned, athletic body. The only visible indication of the power lurking within the Yun Master Summoner is the Phoenix tattoo on her forehead. At any rate, Amaya also dons a hooded woolen cloak dyed a rich dark blue whenever the weather turns against her on the open road.

Likes: Spending time outdoors, reading, cooking, meeting new people and spirits, helping and protecting others, sketching, singing

Dislikes: Machines, people that take advantage of the weak and defenseless, unnecessary violence, spirits that embody foul concepts such as misery or war, being reminded of her failures, recklessness

Goals: To answer the question "What is the current state of the other three schools?" and to atone for her past mistakes

Fears: Being dragged into the Spirit Realm by Zulon the Dreadbeast, the thought of more innocent people dying because of her

Mannerisms: Amaya is the type of person that would give someone the shirt off her back if they asked for it. She genuinely enjoys helping people. While this has occasionally gotten her into trouble, she firmly believes in treating others as she wants to be treated. Whether it's coming to the aid of a peasant with a heavy load or juggling her throwing knives to entertain a group of bored children, Amaya will go to absurd lengths to make people feel better. Of course, she considers this helpful behavior to be part of her penance. After what happened at the Monastery of the Tranquil Flame, Amaya feels incredibly guilty and aiding others acts as a balm of sorts. There are moments, however, when this dark pit of self-loathing shines through. Especially when the disciple is faced with a difficult task. In truth, Amaya's burden is immense, but she wakes up every morning eager to do whatever she can to atone for her mistakes. On the other hand, the Disciple of the Phoenix becomes intensely focused when she walks onto the battlefield, her attention locking onto her opponent like metal shavings adhering to a magnet. Lastly, Amaya has a habit of tapping her lower lip with her index finger whenever she's thinking intently about something.

Psychological Condition: Mild-mannered, Naïve, Guilty, Secretive, Gullible, Self-Loathing

Superstitions: The Sisters of the Tranquil Flame believe fire acts as a window to the Phoenix's holy domain in the Spirit Realm. To show respect to the Red Bird of the South, the sisters teach their novices to incline their heads towards any open flame they encounter. Of course, in a tavern full of burning torches or lanterns, the student is expected to bow their head once to encompass the whole room. The sisters are nothing if not practical. Despite being banished from the monastery over ten years ago, Amaya still honors this tradition. She also refuses to share a room with any machine bigger than her. Considering how vehemently the Sisters of the Tranquil Flame protested the creation of the first functioning steam engine, this shouldn't come as a surprise.

Social Pressures/Problems: Amaya's excessive kindness often makes her appear gullible and naïve. Who's to say that shady-looking stranger with the tattoos frantically tossing crates into his wagon isn't simply trying to get home in a timely fashion? The Master Summoner isn't an idiot, but her desire to help others can have unpleasant consequences. In addition, Amaya isn't especially knowledgeable when it comes to dealing with members of the opposite sex. She's spent most of her life in a monastery and an isolated mountain temple. While she can certainly appreciate a handsome man, Amaya has little experience with flirting or courtship. Also, the Master Summoner despises large machines of any kind. She was taught by the Sisters of the Tranquil Flame to view them as abominations, blasphemies against nature, and she won't hesitate to walk out of a room containing any steam-powered devices.

Parents: Orphan, Amaya was left on the Monastery of the Tranquil Flame's doorstep when she was an infant and the sisters raised her as one of their own

Siblings: None that she knows of

Rivals: May acquire rivals in-game

Enemies: Zulon the Dreadbeast and the remaining members of the Wu family

Weapons: Amaya's weapon of choice is a durable blackwood quarterstaff. There are ki runes etched along the staff's entire length, and they constantly pulse with a faint blue light. These runes of strength and heaviness allow Amaya to perform unbelievable feats with her staff, such as denting plate armor. In addition, this enchanted staff can withstand blows capable of shattering steel. Perhaps the most dangerous parts of Amaya's staff, however, are the five vibrant crystals tied to the top. These shards are known as spirit crystals, and each one contains a spirit bound to Amaya by a single drop of blood. All the Master Summoner has to do is prick her finger with the crystal to summon the spirit contained within. Regrettably, this can only be done once before the shard breaks. Her staff and spirit crystals notwithstanding, Ling Guang's chosen pupil also has half a dozen knives hidden in various places on her sinewy body. These deadly blades are perfect for stopping charging enemies in their tracks, and Amaya has been known to juggle them in order to make a little coin.

Skills: -Singing: Anyone with half a brain knows a summoner needs a powerful voice. Spirits have a tendency to ignoring commands they can't hear. Amaya usually speaks in a soft, mid-range soprano voice, but she can holler with the best of them when the need arises. Furthermore, the Sisters of the Tranquil Flame always led their pupils in songs of gratitude to the gods before allowing them to eat any meal. Thanks to her occupation and religious upbringing, Amaya has a lovely singing voice capable of making even Zulon pause.

-Cooking: While nobody would call her an amazing cook, Amaya knows how to turn most substances she encounters into something edible. As a southerner, she loves spicy foods and carries various herbs and salts on her person at all times. Some of her dishes, particularly her blackened koi fish, have been known to send fully-grown men into conniptions as they frantically pleaded for water. Whether this was due to how hot the food is or the unusual consistency is up for debate. Never insult Amaya's cooking if you value your life.

-Sketching: The Sisters of the Tranquil Flame keep their young charges busy at all hours of the day and well into the night. "Idle hands are dangerous hands" is one of the many tenants carved into the monastery's main doors. Whenever Amaya had a moment that wasn't dedicated to studying or other activities, she'd prowl the monastery's corridors, looking for pieces of parchment and charcoal pencils. The girl would then spend hours drawing, and she developed a gift for capturing people's faces. Unfortunately, after a particularly bad sketch of Sister Rayaka the Stern was found under her bed, Amaya's pencils and parchment scraps were taken away. When it was time for lights out the following night, the girl had already found more supplies and was happily scribbling away.

Powers: -Summoning: What is a summoner? A summoner is a ki-wielder capable of calling forth entities from another plane of existence known as the Spirit Realm. These so-called spirits embody various concepts and are divided into three levels of potency: greater, intermediate, and lesser. While some believe summoning a spirit is the difficult part, attempting to bind a spirit is one of the most dangerous acts a mortal man or woman can undertake. Spirits are ancient, cunning beings, and they want nothing more than to remain in the Spirit Realm. Most of them view summoners as little more than enemies to be outwitted and slain. For every ki-wielder that successfully binds a spirit there are twice as many that fail and are brutally murdered by their would-be servants. In order to mitigate this, summoners have developed four different methods, known as pacts, to keep spirits under control.

The first type of pact is called a wind pact. This is essentially an oral agreement between a summoner and the spirit they wish to command. While this is the quickest and easiest way to bind a spirit, it is extremely unreliable. Words, like the wind, can be fickle, and spirits have been known to willfully misinterpret wind pacts if it benefits them. A blood pact, on the other hand, creates a stronger bond, but it has a much highet cost. Any spirit chained to a summoner by a blood pact must serve that summoner until he or she dies. The problem is blood pacts require the summoner to continually expend their chi, their inner energy, to maintain dominance. This constant drain can lead to exhaustion, sickness, and even premature aging if the summoner isn't careful. The third type of pact is a spell pact or a ki pact. A spell pact isn't as resilient as a blood pact, since most spells can be broken, but it ties the spirit to the summoner with chains of pure ki energy. Lesser spirits cannot sever these bonds, but certain intermediate spirits and the majority of greater spirits can. The final method is slightly more complicated. It involves leashing a spirit with a truncated blood pact then imprisoning them within a spirit crystal, a crystallized fragment of the Spirit Realm's limitless energy. These shards are difficult to make, typically requiring the summoner to spend the equivalent of twenty-four hours meditating in the Spirit Realm in order to extract and solidify the needed energy, but they are worth the effort. Not even the First Spirit can break a spirit crystal. In addition, these crystals don't require any upkeep and can be used at the summoner's discretion. A single drop of the summoner's blood smeared on the crystal is all it takes to conjure the imprisoned entity. While the crystal does break after one use, the convenience of having multiple spirit crystals cannot be overstated. Currently, Amaya has five spirit crystals dangling from her quarterstaff, though she will occasionally summon other spirits as well. The five spirits currently bound to the Master Summoner are:

-Zulon the Dreadbeast, a Greater Spirit of Misery: While visiting the Mortal Realm, the Dreadbeast usually takes the form of an elephant-sized black lion with a mane of red fire. Zulon enjoys nothing more than dragging inexperienced or careless summoners back into the Spirit Realm to cater to his every whim. Young women are his favorite prey, and all summoners are aware of the so-called "Brides of Zulon." These doomed women are given white hair by the Dreadbeast, and he makes it his mission to hunt them down whenever he's summoned. While their ultimate fate is unknown, none of the Brides of Zulon are ever seen in the Mortal Realm again.

This worrying fact aside, Zulon is the most physically capable of Amaya's servants. His brass-colored claws are capable of carving through plate armor while his roar can shatter stone. The greater spirit can also spew red flames from his maw that are nearly impossible to douse. Zulon's ultimate goal at this time is to break free of Amaya's control so he can drag her kicking and screaming into the Spirit Realm. She bears his mark, after all, and nobody escapes the Dreadbeast.

-Ahri, a Lesser Spirit of Winds: Ahri prefers to wear the shape of a white falcon whenever she's in the Mortal Realm. This lesser spirit is one of Amaya's weaker servants, though she can fly impossibly fast and send freezing gusts of wind hurtling towards her foes. Still, Ahri is quite friendly, and she's formed a surprisingly close relationship with her summoner. The wandering Disciple of the Phoenix is rarely seen without this loyal spirit perched on her shoulder.

-Puko, an Intermediate Spirit of Protection: Puko's form in the Mortal Realm resembles a seven-foot tall stone golem made up of numerous granite boulders. He's not as strong as the Dreadbeast, but he's much more durable. A cannon blast to the face would severely wound Zulon while Puko could continue fighting unimpeded. However, the intermediate spirit of protection is incredibly slow. Thankfully, Amaya typically uses him for defensive purposes since few weapons can pierce his stony hide. Puko cares for Amaya a great deal and often calls her "little one" in an affectionate, almost fatherly manner.

-Wuya, a Greater Spirit of Healing: Wuya's preferred shape is that of a purple koi fish suspended in a floating ball of water. Without a doubt, Wuya is the least physically capable of all Amaya's spirits, but the Master Summoner is well aware of this. Amaya only summons Wuya when she needs help healing a particularly nasty wound. With the greater spirit's assistance, Amaya can cure almost any ailment and even restore damaged organs to a pristine state. Unfortunately, even Wuya is incapable of bringing someone back from the dead. For the most part, Wuya rarely speaks, and Amaya often wonders if the spirit harbors a grudge against her for pulling her out of the Spirit Realm.

-Farquhar, a Lesser Spirit of Wisdom: Farquhar's chosen form is a bit unusual. He looks like a cat-sized blob of blue sludge with two yellow eyes and a rudimentary mouth. His gelatinous form does allow him to absorb most physical attacks, and he can even smother an attacker if given enough time. His main purpose, however, is to answer Amaya's endless streams of questions. The two have been known to spend hours discussing everything from ancient history to mineral properties. Sadly, he doesn't have much advice when it comes to relationships.

-Healing Touch: All summoners have the ability to channel bursts of restorative energy from the depths of the Spirit Realm. This ability manifests as a corona of blinding yellow ki appearing around the caster's hands. The summoner can then touch a wounded ally, causing flesh to flow back together and scars to vanish. Of course, the greater the injury the more ki is needed to pull the required energy from the Spirit Realm. Unfortunately, broken bones or damaged organs cannot be healed by a summoner without the aid of a potent spirit.

-Step Between Realms: The Step Between Realms is one of the most dangerous and versatile abilities Amaya learned during her time at Weifong Temple. This ability allows her to step from the Mortal Realm into the Spirit Realm for the span of a single breath. This may not seem like a long time, but distance is fluid in the Spirit Realm. In the span of a single breath, Amaya can move roughly one hundred yards in any direction. Including straight up. However, this ability requires an incredible amount of ki to perform so the Master Summoner can only reliably use it twice a day. She can certainly try to use it a third time, but she risks running out of ki completely. Disturbingly, it's also possible for powerful spirits to trap Amaya and prevent her from returning to the Mortal Realm.

-Possession: Possession is an ability spoken of in hushed whispers by Ling Guang's students living within Weifong Temple. What could be more deadly than allowing a spirit, a being from another plane of existence, to merge with your chi? The resulting being, known as a bokuza or a "Chained One," is stronger than any mortal and often goes completely berserk. As one of the most gifted summoners in Tu, however, Amaya was trained by Grandmaster Ling Guang himself to use this technique. By allowing a spirit to fuse with her chi, Amaya gains access to her servants' formidable abilities and can turn them against her foes. Of course, if the spirit tries to break free then the Master Summoner will have to expend more chi to keep this bond intact. Using too much of her inner energy could potentially cause disastrous side-effects such as extreme fatigue and premature aging. Luckily, a summoner can only be possessed by one spirit at a time, and it's much easier to break the connection with a spirit then it is to maintain it. Below is a list of the abilities Amaya has access to when different spirits possess her:

-Zulon's Wrath: It would take a truly dire situation to convince Amaya to fuse with Zulon. The Dreadbeast is utterly ruthless and has committed numerous atrocities in the name of spreading woe across Tu. On the few occasions that Amaya has merged with the greater spirit, however, their power was unmatched. Of course, they never fought another disciple while merged in this fashion. Regardless, Amaya gains the ability to breathe red flame and her physical strength triples, making her a truly daunting opponent. Unfortunately, her behavior also becomes erratic and unpredictable, which is the main reason why she almost never merges with Zulon. Who knows how many innocents she might kill while possessed by the Dreadbeast? Finally, the Master Summoner also acquires a mane of red fire and other leonine characteristics.

-Ahri's Swiftness: Amaya doesn't appear to change much when Ahri merges with her chi. Her eyes turn completely white, but there are no other physical alterations. She can, however, move three times faster than normal, zipping around the battlefield and leaving powerful winds in her wake. The only downside to this union is it leaves Amaya feeling sluggish and lethargic when the possession ends.

-Puko's Embrace: Curiously, Amaya physically fuses with Puko when she allows him to possess her. The brutish spirit's rocky form wraps around the Master Summoner, creating a suit of stone armor that can withstand a great deal of punishment. In addition, Amaya enjoys Puko's superhuman strength while also suffering from his slow, plodding movements.

-Wuya's Fountain: When she's possessed by Wuya, Amaya's Healing Touch calls forth ethereal water from the Spirit Realm to close life-threatening wounds and knit broken bones back together. The only limitation the two must deal with is, obviously, they still cannot resurrect the dead.

-Farquhar's Insight: Amusingly, Farquhar simply immerses Amaya's head in his blue body whenever he possesses her. She can still breathe and is granted instantaneous access to the spirit of wisdom's vast stores of knowledge. Amaya becomes analytical, focused, and wise in most practical matters. Sadly, when the two split, the Master Summoner suffers from splitting headaches for hours afterwards.

Current Story: On an unusually cold winter night nearly twenty-seven years ago, a Yun hatchling was found in a basket on the threshold of the Monastery of the Tranquil Flame. This wasn't considered strange since the people of the nearby city of Inishi, the City of Industry, seemed to believe the monastery was the best place to dump anything they no longer wanted. Surely those insane, technology-hating spinsters living alone in Goldenbough Forest could use their refuse for something. Nevertheless, the Sisters of the Tranquil Flame, devoted worshipers of the Red Bird of the South, brought the wailing child inside and decided to raise her. She was given the name Amaya, which meant "gift" in an ancient Yun dialect. Most of the sisters were Yun, though there were a few members of the Gon race dwelling in the monastery as well.

As soon as she was old enough to spell her own name, Amaya was sent to the novice dormitory to begin her life as a pupil of the Sisters of the Tranquil Flame. Mornings were spent in meditation and self-reflection while the afternoon was reserved for training in various types of martial arts. The evenings were Amaya's favorite time of day, however, because this is when the novices practiced ki-wielding and summoning. Then it was time to gather in the great hall for a lecture about the glory of the Phoenix before heading off to bed.

The next thirteen years were a time of simple pleasures and enlightenment for the precocious Yun. Amaya and her best friend, an older Gon girl named Ping Wu, spent what little free time they had exploring the monastery, playing games with the other novices, or reading in the library. The sisters kept a close eye on their young wards to ensure they were developing properly. They would become the next generation of Sisters of the Tranquil Flame after all. Many of the sisters were harsh and aloof, but Amaya managed to befriend a plump Jin sister named Sister Masami Yumiko. It was Sister Yumiko that allowed Amaya to keep the library's only copy of the Ethereal Bestiary, an old tome containing information about numerous intermediate and greater spirits. What could it hurt, Sister Yumiko reasoned? The girl was a talented summoner, already calling forth a lesser spirit of fire at age thirteen, and the Three Trials were coming. Amaya would need all the help she could get.

All novices at the Monastery of the Tranquil Flame were required to take the Three Trials when they turned thirteen. The Trial of Strength. The Trial of Merit. The Trial of Choice. If they passed these three tests, they'd be allowed to remain in the monastery as a fully-fledged Sister of the Tranquil Flame. Failure would result in them being escorted to Inishi and told to never return. When the day of the Trial of Strength inevitably arrived, Amaya was paired with another student and ushered into the monastery's flower garden. All the sisters were assembled, and they watched with eager anticipation as the two novices sparred. The Trial of Strength was simple. The first student to yield would fail, and their opponent would move on to the Trial of Merit. Much to Sister Yumiko's relief, Amaya trounced her adversary and was allowed to return to the novice dormitory to prepare for tomorrow's test. The Trial of Merit.

Before being dismissed, however, Sister Rayaka the Stern told Amaya who she'd be facing tomorrow. The Trial of Merit would be a mystical competition to see which of the two novices could produce the most impressive results through the use of ki. Her opponent would be Ping Wu. A feeling of utter horror consumed Amaya as the smirking sister walked away, and she waited until dark to seek out Sister Yumiko. Begging the older woman for help, the novice was heartbroken to hear her teacher and friend tell her to simply try her best. Ping Wu had the potential to become a great force master one day, but Amaya's summoning abilities were unmatched. Both girls knew what would happen if they failed to pass the test. Sister Yumiko did her best to comfort the miserable Amaya before bidding her good night.

As she lay on her cot, staring listlessly at the ceiling, Amaya made up her mind. She wanted to become a Sister of the Tranquil Flame more than anything else in the world. And Ping Wu was standing in her way. The Trial of Merit began at dawn the next morning, and Ping Wu astonished the crowd with an incredible display of ki-wielding that impressed even bitter Sister Rayaka. Taking a breath as she strode into the garden, Amaya prepared her response. She carefully laid out her summoning tools and drew her runic circle. Ignoring the icy pit in her belly, the Yun novice began to speak the Recitation of Calling. A shape began to materialize in front of Amaya, and it quickly resolved itself into the shape of a massive black lion with a mane of crackling red fire.

It was Zulon the Dreadbeast, a legendary greater spirit of misery.

The gathered spectators gasped, and several of them actually screamed in fear. It was impossible! How could a child call forth a greater spirit?!

And that's when Amaya saw it. There was a tiny imperfection, a slight smudge, at the top of one of her runes. Zulon's pitiless golden eyes met Amaya's green ones. The Dreadbeast smiled slowly, displaying an impressive array of silver fangs.

Faster than anyone could blink, Zulon sprang forward and roared in Amaya's face, immediately turning her hair from jet black to pure white. Amaya wailed in terror as the greater spirit unhinged his jaw and prepared to devour her. And that's when a ball of flaming ki energy smashed into the Dreadbeast's back. Snarling in anger, Zulon turned around to see Ping Wu, her face pale and her legs shaking, glaring at him with all the fury a thirteen-year old girl could muster. A low, unholy chuckle slipped through the spirit's lips and he bounded towards Ping Wu, grabbing then Gon's robes in his maw. Amaya screamed in fear and rage as she charged at the beast, ready to fight the spirit of misery with her bare hands if necessary. Anything to save her best friend. Still chuckling, Zulon faded into the Spirit Realm in a cloud of oily black smoke, taking Ping Wu with him.

Silence fell across the flower garden for a moment then every Sister of the Tranquil Flame began talking at once. After several minutes, Sister Rayaka rose from her seat, her wrinkled face pale and her eyes glittering with rage, and said, "Novice Amaya, it is the will of the sisters that you leave the Monastery of the Sacred Flame. Not only have you failed the Trial of Merit, but...your recklessness has cost one of your fellow novices her life. Gather your belongings and never return to this place. Thanks to your stupidity, we must now concoct a plan to retrieve that poor girl from the Spirit Realm. Begone!"

Amaya felt numb as she stumbled back to the novice dormitory and gathered her meager belongings. How had this happened? How could she have been so foolish? How were the sisters, who lacked her natural talent for summoning, going to save Ping Wu? The Yun girl was preparing to leave when someone slipped a folded piece of parchment under the dormitory door. Amaya picked it up and saw it was a letter from Sister Yumiko. In this letter, the sister chastised Amaya for what she'd done and laid the blame for Ping's abduction squarely on her shoulders. To make matters worse, she confirmed Amaya's fears by admitting none of the Sisters of the Tranquil Flame were skilled enough in the art of summoning to rescue Ping from Zulon. In addition, Sister Yumiko claimed Amaya's white hair marked her as a Bride of Zulon, meaning she would soon share her lost friend's unfortunate fate. Whenever Zulon was brought into the Mortal Realm, he would try to find her and take her back to his den in the Spirit Realm. There was only one person who might be able to help. Ling Guang, the mythical Grandmaster of the Phoenix, was an adept summoner in his own right. Perhaps he could think of a way to deal with the Dreadbeast?

That night, as the moon sparkled like a white jewel in the sky, Amaya set off into the darkness alone, following the map Sister Yumiko had drawn on the back of her letter. She was bound for Weifong Temple, the home and school of Grandmaster Ling Guang.

It took Amaya a year to reach the temple, and the journey into the distant Blue Mountains of the far south nearly killed her. Thankfully, several of Ling Guang's students found her lying a few feet from the temple doors and brought her inside, nursing her back to health over a period of nearly two weeks. Once she felt well enough, Amaya was brought before the grandmaster and her story poured out of her like a river. With tears dribbling down her face, the girl waited to hear Ling Guang's response. The elderly man nodded once and said, "I see. Well, then I believe our course is clear. Prepare yourself, child, because I want you to summon Zulon again. I believe I have the necessary supplies."

Amaya felt a thrill of horror course down her spine and she started to protest, but Grandmaster Ling Guang refused to listen. Ping Wu was in danger, and had been for over a year, so there was no time to lose. The Dreadbeast might resist if the grandmaster summoned him, but the scent of one of his precious brides would lure him out of the Spirit Realm. Sadly, when Zulon was finally brought forth and Amaya demanded to see Ping Wu, the greater spirit faded only to reappear with a rotting corpse in his mouth. A rotting corpse wearing the tattered remnants of Ping Wu's orange novice robes. She was dead. Amaya, her heart sinking at the sight of her friend's body, looked at the grandmaster. What could they possibly do now?

After a few moments of contemplation, Ling Guang sprang into action. He produced a spirit crystal from his robes and, much to Zulon's shock and anger, began to recite a powerful binding spell. The greater spirit fought like the wild beast he resembled, but the grandmaster's ki would not be denied. Eventually, Zulon the Dreadbeast was imprisoned within the spirit crystal, but Ling Guang made no move to seal the shard with his own blood. Instead, he pricked Amaya's finger with the fragment and handed it to her. Smiling sadly at her stunned expression, Ling Guang said, "Amaya, this is your burden to bear now. Your actions resulted in the torment and death of an innocent girl. You weren't directly responsible for the deed, but you made it possible. I want you to use this creature, this terrible spirit, to do what you could not for Ping Wu. Help those in need, protect those that cannot protect themselves, and serve as a beacon of light in this world of monsters and heartless men." Looking into Amaya's wide eyes, the Grandmaster of the Phoenix said, "I wish to train you, child. You will become my student, a Master Summoner, a disciple. When I feel you are ready, I will send you out into Tu to do the will of the Red Bird of the South. The Dreadbeast and a Bride of Zulon will work together to bring hope to the hopeless. I think it's rather fitting, don't you?"

All Amaya could do was nod.

The next twelve years were some of the hardest and most rewarding of Amaya's entire life. She spent most of her time training alongside Ling Guang's other students, learning new fighting techniques and honing her already formidable skills. Her nights were dedicated to the practice of summoning, and Ling Guang taught her everything he knew about the Spirit Realm and its denizens. How to create and use spirit crystals, stepping between realms, and other obscure techniques were all part of this intense training regimen. Shortly after Amaya's twenty-fifth birthday, Ling Guang summoned her into his chambers and personally etched the Phoenix tattoo onto her forehead. It was almost time for her to depart. The grandmaster spent this final year educating his chosen pupil about the different regions of Tu and its people. He also taught her how to cook, but Amaya's dishes rarely met his exacting standards.

The night before her twenty-sixth birthday, Ling Guang assembled all his students and said, "On this night, Disciple Amaya will be leaving us to answer a question. The four grandmasters have always sent messages to each other whenever they could. We would discuss matters both great and small. Yet, it has been nearly a year since I last heard from the other schools. Disciple Amaya, you shall bring the Phoenix's light to bear on this matter. What is the current state of the other schools? Answer this and return to me as soon as possible." Amaya bowed low to show she understood, but the grandmaster was not done. "Tell me, Disciple Amaya, why do you live?" the old man asked, his voice echoing throughout Weifong Temple's cavernous main hall.

"I live to repent, grandmaster," Amaya said, "and to spread the Phoenix's light to all those in need. That is why I live." The grandmaster smiled slightly and nodded once. Amaya inclined her head to the gathered students and returned to her room to collect her personal belongings, including her enchanted quarterstaff and new cloak. She left the next morning and has been on the road for nearly a year now. Currently, she's staying in a ramshackle town known as the Crossroads and thinking about which of the three schools to visit first. She's thinking about heading north...