Kouzuki

Always, just before a spar, Kouzuki taps the glowing lantern on their head. It’s a useless gesture; the lantern has been sealed shut since a nameless traveler affixed it to them as a child, murmuring about a light for a darkness they had yet to meet. It cannot be removed. They came to The Dojo hoping a master could solve the riddle, but the training has only deepened it. The lantern warms during intense focus and cools when they are afraid, a silent commentator on their progress. The war paint is a daily ritual to honor the mystery, and the shades hide the constant, wide-eyed shock of carrying an answer to a question they don't know how to ask.