Mitsume

Every morning, Mitsume polishes the glass of their lantern until it shines. Their master, Hideshi, taught them that the light was not for their own path, but to be a beacon for others lost among the monoliths of The Crystal Highlands of Armaria. Hideshi spoke of courage and duty, but when they finally placed the lantern in Mitsume’s hands for the last time, its warmth felt like a brand. The weight of being a guide, a constant light in the dark, settled deep in their chest. They still feel like the student, not the master, and the faces they guide through the glittering canyons see a savior. All Mitsume sees in their own reflection is the shocked face of a chimper who was given a sun before they ever learned how to make a fire.