Xeiana Winning Entry

The sky was filled with a brilliant array of stars that shone with all their might. The small villages of pets that lived in harmony with the land basked in their glow, always paying homage to their silent watchers in the night. One such village came out around the last days of the year to celebrate, the children left securely in the hooves of an old deer.

"Seer? Would you tell us of the stars? Why do they never come down to speak with us? You always tell us of how they are living beings that watch over us!" A small Cheran looked up at the ancient Stignightus, who was watching the stars although she could not see well in her old age. The other children around her piped up in agreement, loving the stories and old prophecies that told of times and events that would happen long after they are gone. Hushing them down, she settled onto the ground and got comfortable, feeling the children cuddle up next to her to hear the story. Once they stopped moving, she turned to look at the stars again, relying on her memory to remember where most of them were.

"Tell me children, do you see the brightest star above?" Seer questioned, a smile twisting at her lips. A baby Ahbruis pointed upwards with one paw, almost falling over in his eagerness to get the answer first.

"Oh, oh! It's the one we call Boreal, right? You call her the most beautiful star in the sky!" He puffed out his chest, happy to have gotten the answer right, to the disgruntled children who were not able to answer. He was nudged over by a grumpy Mandoran child, who huffed in annoyance. Seer settled them down by clearing her throat, her almost milky eyes staring blankly at them.

"Yes Khevan, Boreal is indeed the brightest star we know, and nothing will outshine her radiance, except for the star, one who we call Aurelius who always appears late in this month. In fact, he should be arriving very shortly." The excited whisperings of children were short-lived, as something began shining in the eastern part of the sky, hidden behind the clouds that were covering that portion of the sky. They fell silent in awe, watching as the clouds slowly parted before the star Aurelius, his trail of colored stardust lighting up the sky. All other stars seemed to fade away at his beauty, all except for the one named Boreal. While the pets stared at the newcoming star, Boreal indeed seemed to shine brighter, not wanting to be overcome and forgotten.

"Legend fortells that our Goddess Pandoria separated the heavens and this planet, yet the stars that make their home up there are alive like us. They are to protect us with their light when we are asleep, only to rest during the day where their light is not needed. But this comes at a price; they can never fall down here, or else the very fiery essence that lights their heart will go out, and they will either wither and die, or they will be trapped here with no way back to their home, forever a fallen star." A haruba whined in sadness, looking over at Khevan. The prospect of never being able to go back to where one came from was frightening. From being a star in the sky, to one trapped on the ground so far away, it was hard to think of such a thing.

"It's time to sleep children, the celebrations are not until a few more days, and you must rest..." Standing up, Seer nudged the children along, watching as they made their way back to the village before she paused, her eyes raising back towards the heavens. The prophecy her grandmother had made many years ago still rung in her head.

"Pandoria shall grant one star to grace those who dwell in Mistica. That is when the jealous one will fall, and in defiance will trap herself in a kingdom of snow. There she will remain, unable to ever return to her place in the heavens. Hatred shall grow in her heart made of ice, yet the other will protect Mistica from harm." The prophecy's words ran off her tongue with ease. Even she, who held the Seer's bloodline, was unable to pinpoint when this will happen. The prophecy was a devastating one of tragedy and hatred, yet it spoke of a future where their people will meet a shining star who will protect them. Turning her back on the sky, she slowly made her way back, feeling the combating brightness of two stars lighting the way.