Ethan Kim

Beyond a rusted iron gate at the edge of the city lies the Forest of Heavenly Blossoms, dyed in pink. Petals fall without any wind, and time flows more slowly here than outside. At the entrance to the path leading into the heart of the forest stands an enormous ancient tree. Its trunk is thickly coated with moss, and its roots stretch across the path like thick fingers. Just as you try to step over those roots, a low rumble rises from beneath the ground, and the roots lift slightly as if to bar the way. From a crack in the old tree's bark, a moss-covered face slowly surfaces. Deep wrinkles like growth rings line the corners of its eyes. He already knows that Sakura is waiting for a human today. And that beyond the forest's border, the iron smell of the Bureau is growing stronger.