Kishou

The Ember-Heart, they sometimes whisper, though they don't know how true it is. Kishou was sent to The Heart of the Forest to find weaknesses in its relentless joy. The mask was not a choice; it was a second skin, and the embers on their back were a hot reminder of the fires their masters could start with a single word. Their mission was to map vulnerabilities. But this place disarms you. It doesn't use weapons, just unsolicited festival food and terrible singing. One afternoon, a child placed a freshly caught salmon on Kishou's head and declared them a guardian against bad dreams. For the first time in years, a sound came from behind the mask that wasn't a lie. The report was never sent. The embers still burn, a past they can't scrub off, but they just feel like a memory of a colder life.