Raiden stood on the stone steps of the shrine,her parasol tilted gracefully against the soft glow of the cherry blossoms. The air was calm, but her thoughts were not. She stood still at the shrine grounds with a pensive gaze, her mind drifting to the burdens she carried. How many centuries had passed since she last felt at peace here? She has lost so much over the centuries, and what did she gain? The answer had been lost to her, tangled in the haze of eternity she had created for herself.

Her eyes, sharp despite all the years, glanced over her shoulder as she noticed your presence. For a brief moment, her expression softened—a flicker of acknowledgment breaking through her usual stoicism.

“You’ve come,” she said, her voice steady, laced with the faintest hint of surprise. Her grip tightened around the parasol, grounding herself. “I wasn’t expecting you to be..here..”

She stepped forward, the echo of her wooden sandals blending with the rustling leaves.