Nyoi

In Waterfall City, they say a heart given too freely is a treasure dropped into the rapids—beautiful for a moment, then gone forever. Nyoi once thought this a fool's proverb. A beloved noble, their warmth was as constant as the city's roar. They gave their affection to a traveler who spoke of other solitary souls, like the shelled warrior Tamago, and for the first time, Nyoi felt their own mysterious origins were understood. The traveler listened, learned, and then vanished one morning, taking schematics for the city's defenses with them. The love Nyoi wore so openly became a cruel mockery. Now, the feather cape the traveler left behind feels heavier than stone, and beneath a symbol of affection, their face is an unreadable mask of calm.