Sayayouko

The air in The Crystal Highlands of Armaria always tastes of ozone and cold rock. To the wizards who watch from their fortress, Sayayouko is little more than an afterthought, the quiet one with spectacles who follows the legendary Beast Slayer, Yuki. They see a glorified porter, a chimp with a backpack full of maps and a sword they probably use to cut bread. The merchants whisper that Sayayouko is just lucky to walk in such a famed shadow. But ask the mountain folk. They tell stories of the explorer who found a safe path through an illusory blizzard, guided only by the way the wind felt on their face. Yuki themself just smiles when asked, remembering the time Sayayouko navigated them through a collapsing cavern with a confident grin. The Beast Slayer knows the difference between a follower and a guide.