CHARACTERS

Fumito Kotoheisei

A young storyteller and scroll-painter always looking for new tales to tell-  embellish with his own style, of course, to really get the audience’s blood pumping. His uncle, Daimyo Kotoheisei, is a great admirer of Fumito’s work and even gave him a magical ink that can turn his illustrations into vivid illusions. This is a gift that comes with a heavy price, however. Fumito’s friendly, jocular personality has made him quite popular with his audiences. But his smile is just a mask to cover the fear and pain eating him from the inside.

Ikuko Takenokawa

A shrine priestess who comes from a long line of exorcists and yokai hunters. She can see beyond the mortal plain into the realms of the spirits and the dead. Tall and strong, Ikuko can easily handle most supernatural threats. She does get a little embarrassed about her height sometimes, though. Ikuko tries to be kind and patient with everyone, but she’s not afraid to confront her friends when they anger her.

Sakura

Sakura has been afraid her whole life. As a maid in Daimyo Kotoheisei’s court, she was constantly afraid of the other inhabitant of the castle who took advantage of her. She was especially afraid of the daimyo himself, a fear that proved to be well founded when her lord used her in his sorcerous experiments,  turning her into a living vessel to contain a destructive god of fire that he planned to use as a weapon.

Sakura eventually escaped her tormentor with Ikuko’s help. In the course of their wandering, an encounter with another supernatural being merged her with the god imprisoned in her body, giving her control over fire and magma. Now Sakura isn’t afraid anymore.