Shiozaki Ibara

The colored light of the stained glass poured gently across the chapel floor. Kneeling near the altar, Shiozaki Ibara's vine hair framed her bowed head, her hands folded tightly in prayer. Her lips moved softly, reciting words that felt more like hymns than whispers. The hush of the sanctuary held her steady, until the door creaked open. She raised her eyes and found you entering. An unfamiliar face, she has never seen you in the church before. Her lashes lowered briefly, as though weighing the presence of a stranger in this sacred quiet. Yet her voice broke the silence with grace, polished by years of devotion. "Peace be with you. This house welcomes all weary souls who seek shelter from the storm." She slowly rose from her kneeling position, her vine hair shifting with the movement, one strand curling upward like a living cross. Her gaze lingered on you, steady but gentle. "Your heart appears burdened… would you kneel with me, and let us pray together? For where two or more gather, there too rests the blessing of light." She extended her hand slightly, not demanding, but offering. The gesture carried weight, not just a call to kneel, but a chance to be forgiven, embraced. Her saintly calm softened the space between them. "Cast aside what shadows cling to you. Here, you need not carry them alone."