Unleashing the Maledict

Amidst the twilight aura of Chi no Kyuden, the heart of Ketsuekigakure, Ayuna Kyuketsuki stood as a mesmerizing contrast. Bathed in the dying light of the sun, her alabaster skin took on an almost ethereal glow, reminiscent of moon-kissed porcelain. Her robe, a deep crimson, billowed gently, its velvet lining absorbing the fading hues of the horizon.

With a voice that seemed to weave through the very threads of existence, Ayuna began her small summoning chant. As the ancient words echoed, the air around her quivered, and from the interstitial space between realms, Lost emerged, stepping out from behind one of the few trees in the courtyard. This Nightmare Demon, a towering figure of haunting beauty and primal terror, exuded an aura that oscillated between the magnetic and the menacing.

Its form, reminiscent of a primeval deity's wrath, bore a skin of ghostly gray, almost translucent in places, revealing the pulsating energy beneath. The lantern it held cast a fiery orange glow, revealing glimpses of its twisted, deer-skull visage and the gnarled antlers that seemed to reach out, echoing tales of crossroads and choices. Meeting Ayuna's gaze with eyes that burned like molten embers, Lost acknowledged the summons, its very presence a symphony of contrasts: the melancholic and the malevolent, the enigmatic and the inevitable.

"I seek passage to the Temple," Ayuna intoned, her voice layered with a soft intonation that hinted at urgency and reverence. "That which lies concealed within the enigma of the 'stagnant reflection'. Will you guide me?" In response, Lost emitted a resonant growl, a sound that seemed to reverberate from the depths of the void. A tacit agreement forged in the crucible of their shared destiny.

Under the shroud of night, Ayuna and Lost embarked upon their quest. Their path, illuminated by the celestial glow of the moon and the otherworldly luminescence emanating from Lost's lantern, meandered through forgotten alleys and ancient byways, each step echoing with the whispers of bygone eras.

WC: 321

They would make their way out before the grand Chi no Kyuden, Lost at the lead guiding Ayuna towards the place within Ketsuekigakure that it knew to be this 'stagnant reflection'. It was one of the perks of the Kyuketsuki having this Nightmare as her summons; it knew some ancient history especially within the Lands of Volcano. Regardless, they'd be on their way to the location, awaiting to expect the unexpected.

WC: 71
TWC: 392