In the far western expanses of The Lands lies the nation of great prosperity. This is none other than Esphethis, The Shining Country, home to many ways of life, spread out across several important cities, towns, and villages. Our focus today brings us to the Diamond of the West, Zondai. At the heart of Esphethis, this city is the home of the three most iconic founding bloodlines: Ibari, the sheep, Hakusai, the wolves, and Mingwei, the leopards. At present, the house of Hakusai holds the title of King and Queen, with Mingwei and Ibari constantly vying for the top spots. One such member of the house of Mingwei has found herself in a particularly interesting situation. Her name is Roseland, a young clouded leopard. She is a highly-successful bounty hunter belonging to the Guild of Red, a faction of bounty hunters local to Esphethis. It has a somewhat controversial reputation due to the ethics and actions of certain hunters, but Roseland outclasses them in every conceivable metric. Now, she is to meet with a new client to discuss the matter of her next mission.

On this bright, moonlit night, she is requested at the Guild’s hub in Zondai. There, she is expected to sign the contract, binding her to the most important mission she would ever receive. “The Guild has said many a good thing about you, hunter. I do hope that you won't disappoint me in this endeavor.” The client, enveloped in shadows, appears to be a Naga of sorts, with an orange and black pattern across his scales. He wears light armor and seems to be some sort of foreign official. His reasoning for being in Esphethis, and how he knows about the Guild of Red and Roseland in particular is uncertain, but it is not her point of concern. As Roseland signs the contract, she writes her codename, “Scarlet Heart”. Under the Guild of Red, all bounty hunters are given codenames, and most choose to keep their real names hidden. Roseland is no different, opting for her self-chosen name instead. The inspiration for her name comes from her love for the many fictional writings she read as a child and continues to read today. She had always been infatuated with the idea of an “anti-hero” type of vigilante that plays by their own rules rather than rigidly following the guidelines laid out by high society. Coincidentally, she has an affinity for the color red, wearing light armor and an all-red outfit. Once the contract is signed, Roseland notes, “I'm aware that many things have been said about me. Nonetheless, I'm not one to leave my clients unsatisfied.” Indeed, many people disagree with the bounty hunter’s lifestyle, and Roseland in particular is an easy target for such accusations, despite her overwhelmingly positive track record. The unnamed Naga appreciates her cooperation, and reaffirms her orders, “Do what you must, hunter. Whether dead or alive, your mission is to bring in this so-called ‘Hero’.”

Roseland adjusts her gauntlets, both adorned with the Guild of Red’s emblem, as she makes sure her end of the deal will be fulfilled as well, “And I trust you will be able to pay the appropriate amount?” Bounty hunting does not come cheap, and the payout is expected to be well worth the effort. This mission in particular will require her to not only trek across the Cobalt Sea to a foreign continent, but she is also expected to track down a target that is always on the move, all from scratch. “Indeed, you shall be quite pleased once I return the favor. Good hunting out there, hunter.” The Naga assures Roseland that the reward would be immense, showcasing a hefty stash of coins and jewels. It would be all hers so long as she completes her mission. And with that, she takes up her guns and turns her back to the Naga. She took her leave with little more than a, “Right then. I'll be off.” Her mission is set, and the fate of this Hero now rests on her hands. Scarlet Heart does not miss her mark, so they say.

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Finally, after the culmination of over a month of work and 200+ hours, I'm presenting my latest comic: Scarlet Heart. This is a follow-up to my previous comic, Guided By The Wind. At the end of that one, I teased that Roseland would make an appearance next time, and next time is now. It's one of my longer comics, and I'm immensely proud of how everything turned out. Anyway, I'll be posting one page per day so as to not spam. It's time for the leopard to make her mark.