Emotional pain manifests literally around Laceco. He doesn't know why, maybe he was cursed when he crossed the Ember Trail.
He's tried living as a hermit in the mountains, hoping the wild magic wouldn't ensnare anyone else. He managed a month before the wild magic teleported a new victim into his shack. He tried running, but he couldn't get very far thanks to post-viral fatigue.
He's drawn to the Ember Cavalcade, a nomadic caravan run for disabled people, by disabled people. Laceco needs to rest and recover, but the wild magic manifestations, the emotional pain manifesting literally, won't stop. The wild magic seems to want something from him, and he won't be able to live with himself until he learns what.
