Tashimuko

The night Kumeshirou disappeared, the snow fell so thickly it swallowed the light of every lantern Tashimuko carried. They were childhood friends, a pair inseparable from their first sparring match by the great lake. Kumeshirou was the dare, Tashimuko the caution. It was Kumeshirou who suggested they cross the ice during the season’s first blizzard, a final adventure before their promotion. Tashimuko followed, their lanterns a bobbing line of hope against the storm. But the ice gave way. The light found nothing but fractured blackness where their friend had been. They were found at dawn, shivering but silent. These days, Tashimuko still trains, but their warm smile is gone. They light the lanterns every evening, a silent vigil at the water's edge.