Tsukika

Three days after their sight was stolen, Tsukika carved the first notch into a branch of pale wood. They had trusted Sakkaku, a fellow seeker of truth within The Teikodian Empire. Sakkaku had offered them a glimpse of transcendence, a path beyond the palace's gilded lies. The price was a single bite of a mushroom that pulsed with faint light. The promised vision was a searing white flash that left a permanent scar across their face and shadows where the world used to be. Cast out, Tsukika was forced to wander. But as they traveled, the cane became less a crutch and more a companion. Each new village, each act of kindness, earned another carving. The loss of their eyes taught them to see with their hands and heart, and the grim weight of imperial politics was replaced by a traveler's playful wit.