Wakou

Wakou was once the most trusted guide in Waterfall City. Their guiding lanterns were a familiar comfort, cutting through the heavy mist of the falls as they led travelers up the slick rock stairs. They knew every loose stone, and their gleeful eyes were a silent promise of safe passage from the fishing docks to the main plaza. That promise shattered during a squall that turned the steps to glass. A small child, part of a merchant family they were leading to the temple, slipped from their parent's grasp. Wakou reached, but their light only served to illuminate the churning water that swallowed the figure whole. These days, they wander those same paths alone, their face unreadable. The lanterns stay lit, a constant, silent vigil for the one they failed to guide.