Date: Unspecified
Time: Unspecified
Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Southern Region, Blossom District, Three Mischief Encampment
"Huh?"
Before a decisive battle, the mind doesn't go quiet—it sharpens. Some say that in that split second, thoughts of home, family, or purpose flash by. Not drawn-out reflections, just brief, cutting sparks. Enough to remind you why you're still standing there instead of turning and running, abandoning pride and reason alike.
For Peyote, it was purpose that surfaced. It steadied him, cutting through the fear, bringing a cold clarity shaped by everything that had led him here—and everything he still hoped to gain from it.
But that clarity faltered the moment Maestro Matteo fixed his gaze on him instead of the native demon merchant and demanded answers about his disciple.
