Hitsujiko

Hitsujiko’s hands are rock-steady when lighting a path through jagged peaks, yet their eyes hold the permanent shock of one who has seen absolute darkness. They were once a crystal-hunter, chipping away at the colourful, glowing monoliths of the highlands for a rumored fortune. A tremor, a collapsing passage, and then silence. They were trapped deep below, their own lamp smashed, with only the memory of light to keep them sane. Days bled into one another until a new light bloomed at the tunnel's end. It was Hogo-sha, the silent mountain guardian, who offered a hand without a word. The ascent left Hitsujiko forever changed. They never returned to prospecting. Instead, they took up guiding lanterns, their wide-eyed stare a constant warning to others of the shadows that lurk just beyond the beautiful sunsets.