Chapter 180: Before the Hunger — The Lord of Mercy (Part XIII: The First Fallen Star)
"Every age has a moment when history could have turned another way.
Most people never realize they are living through it."The Chronicle of the Seven Stars
Forty-two years had passed since Myra first vowed beneath the willow tree that she would save everyone.The little village of Rivershade had grown into a thriving city of healers. Students from every kingdom came to study her methods. The Hall of Names had become the greatest memorial on the continent.To the world...Myra had succeeded.
To Myra...The work had never ended.
A Kingdom at War
Peace shattered without warning.
The neighboring kingdoms of Arden and Velros declared war over the discovery of a massive Aether crystal deposit beneath their shared border.
Neither kingdom truly needed the land.
Each feared the other would claim it first.
Within months...Hundreds of thousands marched to battle.The greatest war since the ancient ages had begun.Myra immediately gathered every healer she could.
Nearly ten thousand volunteers answered her call.White banners bearing the symbol of the House of Healing followed them to the front lines.
For a brief moment...She believed compassion might be enough.The White Banner
The first weeks proved her right.
Soldiers from both armies lowered their weapons whenever the healers entered the battlefield.Temporary truces formed each evening so the wounded could be carried away.Enemy physicians worked beside one another.Old hatred seemed to weaken.
Hope spread.
Kings began discussing negotiations.
Myra smiled for the first time in months.
Perhaps...Humanity had learned.The Arrow
The peace lasted twelve days.
On the thirteenth...A frightened young archer saw movement through the morning fog.
He believed enemy soldiers were advancing.
He loosed a single arrow.
It struck a healer wearing white.
The woman fell instantly.
No one knew her name at first.
She had only been nineteen.
She had volunteered two weeks earlier.
Panic spread through both armies.
Each believed the other had broken the truce intentionally.The battlefield erupted.
By sunset...More than eighteen thousand people were dead.
Including hundreds of healers.
Myra arrived too late to stop it.
Once again.The Hall Grows Silent
Weeks later, the bodies returned to Rivershade.
The names of every fallen healer were carved into the Hall.Myra attended each memorial.
She spoke every name aloud herself.
When the final ceremony ended.
She remained alone inside the empty sanctuary.Nineteen-year-old Liora.
Twenty-four-year-old Jensen.
Fifty-six-year-old Brother Halden.
Each had died while trying to save strangers.
She looked around the Hall.
"So much goodness"She whispered.
"and still it wasn't enough."The Crimson Garden.That night, the garden appeared without waiting for sleep.
The silver trees stood perfectly still.
The crimson figure was already there.
It spoke gently."They died because someone was afraid."Myra said nothing.
"They died because one choice"
"destroyed thousands of lives."
She closed her eyes."I know."
"What if fear could never pull a bowstring?"
Silence."What if hatred could never command a sword?"
The garden shimmered.
She saw children playing where battlefields should have been.
The image hurt.
Not because it was false.
Because she wanted it to be true.
The First Fallen Star
Far to the east, in the ancient moving city of the Vorthari, astronomers watched the heavens with growing alarm.
One of the Seven Stars—the celestial lights the ancients believed represented humanity's greatest virtues—changed.
For countless ages it had shone with a brilliant silver light.
Tonight...Its glow dimmed.
A faint crimson hue spread through it.
High Astrologer Vaeros lowered his telescope.His hands trembled.
"It has begun."
Around him, every Vorthari scholar fell silent.
The oldest prophecy was unfolding.
Not because a hero had become evil.
But because one had begun to lose faith.
Astraeus Arrives Too Late
The following morning, Astraeus reached Rivershade.He found Myra sitting alone beneath the willow tree where Tomas had been buried decades ago.
She looked older than her years.Not in appearance.In spirit.He sat beside her.
Neither spoke for a long time.
Finally, she asked,"Tell me honestly."
He nodded."Do you still believe humanity will choose the right path?"
The question hung between them.
Long ago...He would have answered immediately.Today...He looked toward the Hall of Names."I believe"
He said carefully,"humanity must be free to choose it."She noticed he hadn't answered the question.
That evening, Myra returned to the Hall after everyone had gone home.
She lit a single candle in the center of the chamber.Its small flame illuminated thousands upon thousands of names.
She looked at the empty chair.
Then slowly sat down.
"I don't want perfection."
She whispered into the silence.
"I just want this to stop."Deep beneath the world...The crimson presence finally smiled.
Not with triumph.With certainty.
There was a difference now.
Before...Myra had dreamed of saving everyone.Now,she dreamed of ending suffering itself.That single change was enough to alter the course of history.
Above the world...One silver star continued to glow.But now...A crimson light pulsed faintly within its heart.The First Fallen Star had not yet become a Devourer Lord.
But the heavens themselves had begun to mourn what was coming.