Chimper #875
On the night the moon was devoured by magical fog, Shiohisa guided the young scientist through the treacherous passes of The Crystal Highlands of Armaria. Their two lanterns cut through illusions of solid ground and shimmering beasts, casting a steady, warm glow. The scientist trembled, but Shiohisa offered only a thin side smile, their eyes fixed on the subtle shifts in the crystalline air. They remembered a different journey, years before, undertaken with reckless pride and only a single, sputtering torch. That path had ended in a silent, empty clearing. These days, their light is never allowed to falter. Each soul they lead to safety is a quiet apology to the one they could not.
