23 Jan Starless Sky Preview #4 – “So Dark the Night”

This week’s Starless Sky preview offers a look at how the Starfall tests the faith of even the most devout. In this story we see a Blessed One of Praios struggling to make sense of what has happened.

An excerpt from “So Dark the Night,” by Marie Mönkemeyer:

The stars were leaving their places, falling and dying. The order of the world was faltering! Bosper stood paralyzed in the open field, surrounded by the hailstorm of stars, incapable of moving while the world fell apart around him.

Large rocks tumbled down around him and created huge craters on impact. Others broke apart while falling, their chunks raining down on the land and destroying everything in their path. Again and again, flashes of yellow, orange, and white lit up the night as the stars fell screaming from the sky, igniting everything as they smashed down to the ground.

The revelation burned through Bosper’s soul like cruel, cold fire. The sky was breaking! Stars were coming down. The Star Wall, the bulwark against the Netherhells, was being torn asunder! The eternal order of the world—Praios’ order—was no more!

This should not be, could not be.

Bosper suppressed a desperate cry and pleadingly raised his arms to the heavens.

“Praios, be with us! Lord, have mercy on us! See our pain and our fear, o ruler of Alveran…”

The prayer stuck in his throat.

Ruler of Alveran. The Star Wall was breaking down—order was destroyed. What was left of Alveran? The heavenly host had fled. Nobody prevented the stars from falling. The Netherhells would swallow up Dere! Was this a punishment from the gods?