Did you see that?
The boy pointed at the sky, his small finger trembling under the silver glow of the stars. The village was quiet, wrapped in the calm of another peaceful night. A lantern swayed softly beside the wooden house, its warm light barely touching the endless darkness beyond the fields.
His father stood beside him, silent.
He wasn't smiling.
That was strange.
The boy frowned. "Father?"
The man didn't answer at first. His eyes were fixed on the sky, unblinking, as if something up there had stolen the air from his lungs.
Then he spoke, his voice low.
"…Go inside."
The boy blinked. "Why?"
Before the man could answer, the door creaked open behind them.
His mother stepped out, wrapping a shawl around her shoulders. Her gentle smile faded the moment she followed their gaze upward.
And she saw it.
A single star.
Brighter than the rest.
Not twinkling.
Burning.
Her breath caught. "…No."
The father's hand clenched.
"It found us," he whispered.
The boy looked between them, confused. "What found us?"
Neither of them replied.
Then the wind changed.
A cold gust swept across the fields, violent and sudden, making the lantern flicker wildly. The peaceful night shattered in an instant.
Above them, the burning star began to fall.
At first, it was beautiful.
A streak of silver tearing through the heavens, trailing light like a divine blade. The boy's eyes widened in awe.
Wow…
But his parents didn't share his wonder.
Inside, his father said again, sharper this time.
The boy hesitated. "But it's just a falling—"
It's not.
The words struck like thunder.
Fear crawled into the boy's chest.
The ground trembled.
A deep rumble rolled across the horizon, low and monstrous, like the sky itself was breaking apart. The distant hills glowed faintly red.
His mother grabbed his shoulders. Her hands were shaking.
Listen to me, she whispered. "No matter what happens… you must run."
What? His voice cracked. Why would I run?
His father stepped forward and knelt in front of him.
For the first time, the boy saw it clearly.
Not anger.
Not fear.
Grief.
A quiet, unbearable grief that made his heart tighten.
You were never meant to die here, his father said softly.
I don't understand
A blinding light split the sky.
The falling star roared as it descended, growing larger, brighter, closer. Shadows screamed across the ground as the night turned white
Then
Impact.
The world exploded.
A deafening roar tore through the village, shaking the earth beneath their feet. Windows shattered. The ground cracked. Fire bloomed along the distant horizon like a second sunrise.
The boy fell, ears ringing.
Screams followed.
Not from them.
From everywhere.
The village.
What's happening? he cried.
His father slowly stood, staring into the burning distance.
They're here.
The words felt heavier than the night itself.
From beyond the fields, shadows began to move.
Tall.
Many.
Wrong.
The lantern shattered as the wind howled, plunging them into darkness lit only by distant flames.
His mother's grip tightened.
No… she whispered.
The shadows stopped just beyond the edge of the light.
Watching.
Waiting.
One of them stepped forward, and the night seemed to bend around it.
Found you, a cold voice echoed.
The boy's heart stopped.
His father stepped in front of him.
Stay behind me, he said quietly.
Don't, his mother pleaded, We can run.
There's nowhere left to run.
Steel flashed as his father drew a blade the boy had never seen before.
For a moment, the world held its breath.
Then the shadow laughed.
You knew this day would come.
The father didn't answer.
He only tightened his grip on the sword.
And in that moment, the boy understood something he would never forget.
This wasn't the night the village burned.
This was the night the world ended.
And the night a star fell.