Chimper #99
The colossal rocks that spin over the highlands are not just beautiful; they are a lie. Geparuto used to believe the lie. With guiding lanterns in hand, they led travelers along paths where the sunset would catch the facets of their gem coat, turning them into a walking rainbow. Life was as sweet and simple as the chocolate stick they always carried. Then they met Yuki, a quiet pilgrim uninterested in the prismatic light. Yuki pointed to the dark fortress on the horizon and spoke of power, not beauty, revealing the spinning monoliths were not wonders, but wardens. That was the day the stunned look settled into Geparuto's eyes. The path Yuki walked was frozen and grim, and Geparuto chose to follow, their lanterns no longer illuminating beauty, but exposing the shadows it hid.
