THE CROWN OF THE LAST STAR ✨

The Star That Fell

The roar came again.

Kael stood beneath the ancient trees, unable to move.

For several seconds, the forest seemed to hold its breath.

Then the birds erupted from the branches.

Hundreds of them burst into the sky at once, their wings beating wildly as they fled toward the distant hills. Leaves shook loose from the trees. Somewhere nearby, a frightened animal crashed through the undergrowth.

Kael stared toward the place where the silver fire had disappeared.

The impact had been several miles from Ashvale, deep inside the Forbidden Forest.

At least, that was what he guessed.

The forest was enormous. It stretched from the northern edge of Ashvale all the way toward the mountains, and most villagers refused to enter it.

There were stories about the place.

Stories of creatures that had lived there since before the founding of Eryndor.

Stories of travelers who had entered and never returned.

Stories of trees that moved when nobody was watching.

Kael had never believed most of them.

Now he wasn't so sure.

He looked down at his palm.

The strange symbol was still there.

Seven tiny points surrounding a circle.

He rubbed his hand against his shirt.

Nothing.

He rubbed harder.

Still nothing.

"What are you?"

The mark gave no answer.

Kael looked toward the smoke rising above the trees.

He should go home.

That was the sensible thing.

He had already had the strangest day of his life. He had failed the Elemental Stone in front of the entire village, seen a star in the middle of the day, met a stranger who somehow knew about it, discovered an ancient symbol beneath the forest floor, and heard a voice inside his head.

Now something had fallen from the sky.

Whatever it was, it wasn't his problem.

At least, that's what he told himself.

He turned toward Ashvale.

He took three steps.

Stopped.

Looked back.

The smoke continued rising.

Kael sighed.

"Of course."

He turned around.

"I knew I'd regret this."

He started walking toward the impact site.

---

The forest grew darker the farther Kael traveled.

The afternoon sunlight barely reached the ground beneath the enormous trees.

Their trunks were twisted and thick, some wider than houses. Their branches formed a canopy so dense that the sky appeared only in fragments.

Kael followed the trail of broken branches left by whatever had fallen.

It had struck with tremendous force.

Trees had been knocked sideways.

The earth was scorched.

Leaves were scattered across the ground.

Yet strangely, there was no fire.

Kael crouched beside one of the damaged trees.

The bark was warm.

Very warm.

He pulled his hand away.

A faint silver glow ran through the cracks.

He stared.

The glow disappeared.

Kael swallowed.

"Definitely going home."

He stood.

Then he heard something.

A faint sound.

Almost like someone crying.

Kael froze.

He listened.

There it was again.

A soft, distant whimper.

Someone was alive.

He followed the sound.

The trees opened into a small clearing.

At the center was a crater.

Kael stopped at its edge.

The crater was enormous.

The ground had been torn apart in a perfect circle, but instead of burning earth, there was something else.

Glass.

The entire center of the crater had become smooth, black glass.

At its center lay a small object.

A stone.

No.

Kael narrowed his eyes.

It wasn't a stone.

It was a fragment of something metallic, roughly the size of his hand.

Silver light pulsed beneath its surface.

And beside it—

Someone was lying unconscious.

Kael's heart jumped.

He hurried down into the crater.

"Hey!"

No response.

He approached carefully.

The person appeared to be a girl.

She looked young, perhaps around his age.

Her clothing was unlike anything Kael had ever seen.

A dark cloak covered most of her body, torn in several places. Beneath it was a strange black-and-silver tunic.

Her hair was pale.

Not white exactly.

Silver.

Kael had never seen hair like it.

He crouched beside her.

"Can you hear me?"

Nothing.

He checked whether she was breathing.

She was.

Kael let out a breath.

"Thank the stars."

He glanced toward the strange object.

The silver fragment had stopped glowing.

Then the girl opened her eyes.

Kael nearly fell backward.

Her eyes were violet.

Not dark purple.

Not blue.

Violet.

And for one terrifying second, Kael could have sworn there were tiny stars moving inside them.

She stared directly at him.

"Where..."

Her voice was weak.

Kael leaned closer.

"You're safe."

She looked around.

"No."

Kael frowned.

"No?"

"We're not safe."

She tried to sit up.

Kael helped her.

She immediately pushed his hand away.

"Don't touch me."

"Fine."

Kael raised both hands.

"I was only trying to help."

The girl looked at him suspiciously.

"Who are you?"

"Kael."

"Kael what?"

"Ardyn."

Her expression changed.

Just slightly.

But Kael noticed.

"You know my name?"

"No."

"You reacted."

"I didn't."

"You did."

She looked away.

Kael stared at her.

"Who are you?"

The girl didn't answer.

Instead, she looked toward the silver object.

Her face became pale.

"The Starfall."

"What?"

"The thing that brought me here."

Kael looked at the crater.

"You came with it?"

She nodded.

Kael's confusion deepened.

"You're saying you fell out of the sky?"

"Something like that."

"That's impossible."

"So is seeing a star during the day."

Kael went still.

The girl looked directly at him.

"You saw it, didn't you?"

Kael didn't answer.

She stood slowly.

"How?"

"I don't know."

"Where is the mark?"

Kael instinctively closed his hand.

The girl noticed.

"Your palm."

He stepped backward.

"How do you know about that?"

She didn't answer.

Instead, she looked beyond him.

Kael turned.

Nothing.

When he looked back, she was staring at him again.

"Listen carefully," she said.

"The star wasn't supposed to fall here."

"Then where was it supposed to fall?"

She hesitated.

"Somewhere no one could find it."

Kael looked at the silver fragment.

"What is it?"

The girl's expression hardened.

"A key."

"A key to what?"

She looked toward the distant mountains.

"A door."

Kael waited.

"What door?"

The girl whispered,

"The one beneath the world."

A cold feeling passed through him.

He remembered the symbol.

The crown.

Seven stars.

The voice.

The last star has found its king.

Kael looked at his palm.

The mark had begun glowing again.

The girl's eyes widened.

"You're already awake."

Kael looked at her.

"What does that mean?"

She stepped toward him.

Before she could answer, the forest began to shake.

Both of them froze.

A low growl rolled through the trees.

The girl immediately reached for something beneath her cloak.

Kael noticed the hilt of a short silver blade.

"What's happening?"

"Run."

"Run where?"

"Anywhere."

Another roar shook the forest.

This one was closer.

The girl grabbed Kael's arm.

"Now."

They ran.

---

Kael had never run so fast in his life.

Branches whipped past his face.

Roots caught at his boots.

The girl ran ahead of him, moving with surprising speed despite the fact that she had apparently fallen from the sky only minutes earlier.

"What are we running from?" Kael shouted.

She didn't answer.

"At least tell me what it is!"

Still nothing.

Kael looked over his shoulder.

Something moved between the trees.

It was enormous.

He couldn't see its entire body, but he saw enough.

Four legs.

Long claws.

Eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.

Kael stumbled.

The girl grabbed his sleeve and pulled him forward.

"Don't look at it!"

"That would've been useful information earlier!"

They reached a steep slope.

The girl jumped down.

Kael followed.

He landed badly and rolled through the leaves.

When he looked up, she was already standing.

"Get up."

Kael groaned.

"You could try being nicer."

"Later."

The creature roared behind them.

Kael scrambled to his feet.

They continued running.

Then the forest suddenly ended.

Kael burst into a small open field.

Beyond it stood the first houses of Ashvale.

Home.

He nearly laughed with relief.

The girl stopped.

"No."

Kael looked at her.

"What?"

She was staring at the village.

Smoke was rising from several rooftops.

The festival bells were ringing.

Not in celebration.

In alarm.

Kael's smile disappeared.

"What happened?"

The girl tightened her grip on her sword.

"We weren't the only ones who came through."

---

By the time they reached Ashvale, chaos had spread through the village.

People were running through the streets.

Children were being pulled inside houses.

Farmers stood outside with weapons.

The village guards had formed a line near the main square.

Kael searched the crowd.

"Mira!"

He pushed through people.

"Mira!"

His sister came running toward him.

"Kael!"

She threw her arms around him.

Kael hugged her tightly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. Something attacked the northern fields."

Kael looked toward the village gates.

"Where's Mother?"

"At home."

"Good."

Mira finally noticed the girl standing behind him.

She looked at Kael.

"Who is she?"

Kael opened his mouth.

He had no idea.

The girl stepped forward.

"My name is Lyra."

Mira studied her.

"You fell from the sky."

Kael stared at his sister.

"How did you know?"

Mira shrugged.

"Everyone saw the light."

Kael looked upward.

The afternoon sky was beginning to darken.

A strange silver cloud hung over the northern forest.

People were pointing at it.

Elder Torren pushed through the crowd.

His face was grim.

"Kael."

Kael turned.

"Elder."

Torren looked at Lyra.

Then at Kael.

Then at the strange mark glowing faintly on Kael's palm.

The old man's face lost its color.

"Where did you get that?"

Kael instinctively hid his hand.

"What?"

"Your palm."

Nobody spoke.

Torren stepped closer.

"Show me."

Kael hesitated.

Mira looked between them.

"Elder?"

Torren's voice became quiet.

"Show me your hand, Kael."

Kael slowly opened his fingers.

The mark was clearly visible.

Seven points.

One circle.

Torren stared at it.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he whispered something Kael couldn't understand.

"What did you say?"

Torren looked up.

"Nothing."

"You know what this is."

"No."

"You do."

"I said no."

Kael had never heard the old man sound frightened before.

Torren grabbed Kael's wrist.

"You must leave."

Kael pulled his arm away.

"Why?"

"Tonight."

"What are you talking about?"

"Take your sister and leave Ashvale."

Mira looked frightened.

"Why?"

Torren glanced toward the northern forest.

"Because whatever fell from the sky has awakened something."

A horn sounded from the village gate.

Everyone turned.

One of the guards came running.

"Creatures!"

The crowd erupted.

"How many?"

"Dozens!"

Torren's face tightened.

"Get everyone inside."

The villagers scattered.

Kael looked at Lyra.

"What creatures?"

She drew her silver sword.

"Not creatures."

She stared toward the forest.

"Soldiers."

---

The first figure emerged from the trees.

It looked like a man.

At first.

Then it stepped into the sunlight.

Kael realized that it wasn't.

Its skin was completely black, as though it had been carved from shadow.

It wore armor unlike any he had ever seen.

No kingdom's crest.

No colors.

No identifying symbol.

Its face was hidden behind a smooth mask.

Behind it came another.

Then another.

Then dozens.

The villagers fell silent.

One of the guards raised his spear.

"Stay back!"

The masked soldiers continued walking.

Slowly.

Silently.

They reached the edge of the village.

One stopped.

It raised its hand.

The guard's spear flew from his grip.

The man was thrown backward.

The crowd screamed.

Kael grabbed Mira.

"Inside."

"No."

"Mira!"

She stared at the soldiers.

Her hands began glowing.

Kael noticed.

"Mira, don't."

"I can help."

"You don't know what they are."

"I don't need to."

Her eyes flashed.

The ground beneath one of the soldiers cracked.

The creature stopped.

Kael stared at his sister.

"Mira..."

The soldier turned toward her.

Its masked face seemed to stare directly into her eyes.

Then it moved.

Fast.

Too fast.

Kael pushed Mira aside.

The creature's blade struck the ground where they had been standing.

Kael fell.

Mira screamed.

A burst of invisible force threw the soldier backward.

It crashed into a wooden house.

Kael stared at his sister.

She stared back.

Neither understood what had just happened.

Then someone shouted,

"Protect the children!"

The village erupted into battle.

Fire filled the street.

Water crashed against the masked soldiers.

Earth rose from the ground.

Wind tore through the square.

For the first time, Kael understood why the Seven Kingdoms had survived thousands of years.

Magic was not merely something people used for festivals.

It was a weapon.

And Ashvale was about to discover how little its magic mattered.

Lyra moved through the chaos.

Her silver sword flashed.

She struck one soldier.

Its armor cracked.

It didn't bleed.

Instead, black smoke poured from the wound.

Kael stared.

"What are they?"

Lyra didn't look at him.

"Things that should have stayed dead."

A soldier approached them.

Kael grabbed a wooden pole from the ground.

He knew it wouldn't help.

But he held it anyway.

The soldier raised its blade.

Kael closed his eyes.

Nothing happened.

Of course.

He couldn't cast.

He never could.

The blade came down.

Then stopped.

A silver glow surrounded Kael.

The soldier froze.

The mark on Kael's palm burned brightly.

The masked creature stepped backward.

For the first time, Kael saw something resembling fear.

Lyra stared at him.

"Kael..."

The soldier suddenly dropped to one knee.

Then another.

Then every masked soldier in the village stopped moving.

All of them turned toward Kael.

The entire battlefield became silent.

Kael's heart pounded.

He looked around.

Hundreds of eyes were fixed on him.

Then the soldiers spoke.

Not one voice.

All of them.

Together.

"The Starfire King."

Kael's blood ran cold.

The soldiers vanished.

Not ran.

Not teleported.

They simply dissolved into black smoke.

The smoke rose into the air and disappeared.

Nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Kael stared at his palm.

The mark slowly faded.

Lyra approached him.

Her expression had changed.

She no longer looked suspicious.

She looked afraid.

Kael swallowed.

"What did they call me?"

Lyra looked toward the northern forest.

"The name of a king who died a thousand years ago."

Kael looked at her.

"I've never been a king."

"I know."

"Then why did they call me that?"

Lyra didn't answer.

Far away, beyond the forest and the mountains, something ancient opened its eyes.

And beneath Ashvale, deep beneath the earth where no human had walked for centuries, an enormous stone door began to move.

A single c***k appeared across its surface.

From within came a whisper.

A whisper that traveled through stone, soil, roots and darkness.

A whisper that only one person in all of Elarion could hear.

Kael.

**"Come home."**