Deep within an ancient forest, there lay a village whispered of in legends—a place where, on certain nights, the Tears of the Stars would fall from the heavens.
Ever since she was a child, Rina had listened to her mother tell the tale.
“The Tears of the Stars hold the power to grant wishes. But only those with a pure heart may touch them.”
With those words engraved in her heart, Rina climbed the sacred hill every night, gathering the celestial tears as they descended from the sky.
They glowed like precious jewels, warm and faintly pulsating in the palm of her hand.
Yet the village also carried another legend.
The Shadow Devourer.
Once every thousand years, on the night when the moon turned crimson, the creature would emerge from the depths of the forest, consuming the light of all it touched.
One fateful night, a scream shattered the peace of the village.
“The Shadow Devourer… it’s here!”
Rina ran outside, her heart pounding.
A black mist slithered through the village, creeping like a living nightmare.
And at its center—two golden eyes gleamed ominously in the darkness.
Villagers bolted their doors, trembling in fear.
But Rina stood firm.
Clutching a small pouch against her chest, she knew what lay inside.
The Tears of the Stars.
“Mother always said… if I believe, a miracle will come.”
She sprinted toward the hilltop, gazing up at the sky.
The blood-red moon loomed above, yet beyond it, the stars continued to shimmer.
One by one, Rina placed the star tears on the ground, folding her hands in a silent prayer.
“Please… grant me the strength to protect my village.”
At that moment, the tears began to glow, enveloping Rina in a warm, radiant light.
The Shadow Devourer lunged toward her, sensing fresh prey.
But Rina’s gaze did not waver.
“You don’t need to take our light… because I’ll share mine with you.”
Extending her hands, she released the light of the stars.
The sacred radiance rippled outward, dissolving the dark mist surrounding the beast.
A low wail echoed through the hills as the shadow faded into nothingness, swallowed by the very night it had once terrorized.
Silence fell over the village.
The stars continued to weep, casting their gentle glow over the land.
One by one, the villagers emerged, their eyes filled with awe and relief.
On the hill, standing beneath the endless sky, was Rina—smiling.
“It’s okay now. There’s nothing to fear anymore.”
Tears of gratitude streamed down the villagers’ faces as they called her name, forever immortalizing her courage in legend.
From that night on, the village would tell the tale of the girl who saved them with the light of the stars.
And even now, Rina continues to climb the sacred hill, reaching toward the sky—gathering the Tears of the Stars once more.
