Banira

On the night the empire unveiled its newest golden spire, a monument designed to outshine the heavens, Banira felt nothing but weariness. They had spent decades guarding polished marble halls from threats both seen and unseen. That same night, they met an astronomer charting the celestial bodies from a forgotten balcony, someone who saw more beauty in a distant nebula than in all the city’s blinding glitter. For the first time, the stars in Banira's eyes felt like they belonged there. The astronomer taught them constellations, and Banira taught them safety in the palace’s shadowed corners. These days, Banira’s guiding lanterns no longer light the path of patrol, but illuminate star charts spread across a stone floor, a small universe kept safe from the grand, empty one below.