The Stars Descend

Chapter One

Nestled in a chair by the roaring fire, as its glistening hues of amber danced across the book in her hands, Rynn's mind slipped away to the realm of her imagination. Ancient fairytales and lore of long forgotten heroes flooded her thoughts as all her worries fell away into a dark chasm somewhere deep within her mind, carving the way for a forest of fantasy to take root. As night cast its shadow across the land, she remained immersed in a land of myths and legends as Zarrah, her great aunt, rose from the chair beside her - momentarily shielding Rynn from the gleaming blaze that lingered in the fireplace - and crept across the room. Striding, shrouded in a cloak of silence, Zarrah set out towards the north-facing window of their small cottage.

The light of day was dwindling, soon stars would peak through the black silk of night. Shimmering through the shadows as the twilight dwindled, they would cast their pale ambiance across the land like a sheet of frost. Long-ago forgotten folklore of Thaer spun the tale that an ancient aura of magic emanated from the stars. Each night of her childhood, Zarrah's father would recount the eternal saga of the stars. Over time, she developed an undying admiration of them. Whilst daylight reigned, she often longed for the peace that ensued as the stars settled in among the shadows and fixed their watchful gaze upon the land of Thaer. And now, years after the stories drifted to silence in the gale of mortality, Zarrah continued to watch the stars leisurely awaken in the night, as echoes of the past coasted through her. In times of late, however, Zarrah found that the stars began to arouse thoughts she would much rather keep locked away, hidden within the abysmal depths of her mind.

Strange how the purest of lights can provoke the grimmest of beasts.

With a single, deep breath, Zarrah futilely attempted to shove down the rising feeling that something was amiss. Nevertheless, her breath still trembled as she cautiously approached the windowsill. She felt the icy gloom of an old wound swell in her heart, creeping through her veins and sending shivers sailing down her spine. Ideas clattered in her mind, sending each distant thought ringing through her head like a mallet to a gong. The knowledge that someday, terribly soon, the dangerous element of change would strike like lighting - illuminating the unknown and plunging the world into a curious future, all while the peaceful present faded like tapestry abandoned in the sun - engulfed her mind. Her skin prickled as she brushed the curtain aside, revealing the emptiness of the cold night. Zarrah's eyes widened as she craned her neck and peered into the sky. Her stare met a veil of shadow, without an inkling of pale light wandering among it. Shaking her head in disbelief, Zarrah glanced back at Rynn, who loomed over her book by the embers of the dying flame. Daring one last look at the sky, there was no denying it: the stars had vanished.