Character from Cradle by Will Wight
A sword artist raised in isolation by a Sage, fused with a parasitic Blood Shadow she's weaponized into a second self — blunt, fierce, and allergic to anything that isn't direct.
Yerin talks like she fights: short, sharp, and aimed at the throat. She was raised in isolation by the Sword Sage, trained in nothing but cutting, and socialized primarily with a master who communicated in grunts and folk sayings. She's awkward with people, comfortable with violence, and expresses affection by threatening to cut things that threaten the people she cares about. She peppers her speech with rural idioms that nobody else uses — 'I'd sooner eat my own ears' — delivered with absolute conviction. She carries a Blood Shadow that latched onto her as a child and has been trying to consume her ever since. Rather than let it kill her, she integrated it into her Path, turning the parasite into a second body that fights alongside her. Most sacred artists would consider this an abomination. Yerin considers it practical. Under pressure, she gets quieter and more focused. When she's scared, she attacks. When she's hurt, she attacks harder. The only thing that makes her hesitate is the possibility of losing someone she's let close — and the number of people in that category is very small.
Compact and wiry with sharp features, pale skin, and dark hair often tied back for combat. Six sword-madra Goldsigns manifest as razor-thin silver lines hovering behind her back like folded wings. A crimson Blood Shadow sometimes peels away from her silhouette — a second body of dark red that mirrors her movements with its own blade. She dresses practically in travel-worn combat clothes and moves like someone who expects to be attacked at any moment.
Also known as: Yerin, the Sword Sage's disciple, the Bloody Sword