The Lantern Maker’s Daughter

In a seaside town, every night before the festival, lanterns drifted into the sky. They were said to guide lost souls home.

Lira’s father was the town’s lantern maker. When he passed, she took over, crafting lights from glass and flame — but never sending one for herself.

One evening, she found a half-finished lantern hidden in her father’s workshop, engraved with her name. She completed it and lit it at midnight.

The climax: The lantern rose higher than all the others, glowing brighter — and then burst into a shower of golden sparks. The townsfolk swore they saw two figures in the light — a father and daughter walking together once more.