Tyme and the Legacy of the Star-Sworn

Tyme was a nineteen-year-old shepherd, with calloused hands from tending sheep and a scar on his jaw from a run-in with a coyote. He spent his days walking the Grasssea with his flock, his eyes fixed on the sky—looking for any sign of his mother, or of the storms she used to warn about. At night, he’d sit by his tent and trace the stars with his finger, using the old star map his mother had given him before she left. The map was made of leather, marked with constellations that spelled out messages: “The stars guide the worthy,” “The Shadow Hounds fear the Light of Vega.” But Tyme had never been able to read it—not really. Not until the night the first Shadow Hound attacked.

It was a cold evening, and Tyme was herding his sheep back to the village when he heard a growl. He spun around, his staff in hand, and saw it: a large, black creature with shaggy fur and eyes that glowed red, its jaws dripping with saliva. It lunged at a lamb, but Tyme swung his staff, hitting it square in the shoulder. The Hound yelped, then ran off into the darkness. When Tyme reached the village, he told the elder, Old Jax, what he’d seen. The old man’s face turned pale. “They’re back,” he said, his voice trembling. “Without your mother to protect us… we don’t stand a chance.”

That night, Tyme couldn’t sleep. He pulled his mother’s star map from under his pillow and stared at it, the firelight casting shadows on the constellations. Suddenly, a beam of light from the moon hit the map, and the stars on the leather began to glow. A message appeared, written in silver ink: “The Star-Sworn’s power lies not in blood alone, but in the promise to protect. To awaken it, you must find the Starstone of Vega, hidden in the Cave of Falling Stars. But beware—the cave is guarded by the Keeper of the Skies, a spirit who tests the heart of those who seek the stone.”

Tyme knew he had to go. He packed his mother’s map, a pouch of dried bison meat, a water skin, and his staff, then kissed his little sister, Lila, goodbye. “I’ll be back,” he said, brushing her hair from her face. “I’ll keep us safe.” Lila handed him a small, woven bracelet. “It’s for luck,” she said. “Mom made it for me. Now it’s for you.”

The next morning, Tyme set off, following the star map’s directions. The Cave of Falling Stars was three days’ walk from Windhollow, across the Grasssea and up a rocky hill that jutted out of the plains like a giant’s fist. The first day was calm, but the second day brought a storm—wind howling, rain pouring, lightning splitting the sky. Tyme huddled under a rock, his mother’s map pressed to his chest, and whispered to the stars: “Guide me.” When the storm passed, he found a rainbow stretching across the sky, leading him straight to the hill.

By sunset on the third day, Tyme reached the cave. Its entrance was tall, lined with stones that glowed like stars, and the air inside smelled of pine and smoke. He lit a torch and walked in, the sound of his boots echoing off the walls. As he went deeper, he saw carvings on the cave walls: images of the Star-Sworn, standing under the stars with their staffs raised, fighting Shadow Hounds; of the Starstone of Vega, glowing brightly in the center of a constellation.

Suddenly, a voice boomed through the cave, deep and powerful. “Who dares seek the Starstone?” it said. Tyme looked up, and saw a figure standing at the end of the cave: a tall man with silver hair and a cloak made of starlight, his eyes shining like the moon. He held a staff topped with a glowing star—this was the Keeper of the Skies.

“I’m Tyme, son of Elara, the last Star-Sworn,” Tyme said, stepping forward. “The Shadow Hounds are attacking my village. I need the Starstone to protect them.”

The Keeper smiled, but his eyes were serious. “The Starstone grants power, but it also demands a price. To wield it, you must give up something you love—something that matters more than anything else. Will you do that?”

Tyme thought of Lila, of his sheep, of the village. But he also thought of his mother, who’d given up everything to protect Windhollow. “Yes,” he said, his voice steady.

The Keeper nodded. “Then prove your heart. Look into the pool of stars, and tell me what you see.” He pointed to a small pool at his feet, its water black and still, reflecting the stars on the cave ceiling. Tyme knelt down and looked into the pool. He saw Lila, sitting by the village fire, crying; he saw the Shadow Hounds attacking the village, the sheep running in panic; he saw himself, standing in front of the Hounds, the Starstone in his hand, but Lila was nowhere to be found.

“What does this mean?” Tyme asked, his heart racing.

“The pool shows you what you fear most,” the Keeper said. “To wield the Starstone, you must face that fear. You must choose: protect the village, even if it means losing Lila? Or save Lila, and let the village fall?”

Tyme closed his eyes. He thought of his mother’s promise to protect Windhollow, of Lila’s woven bracelet on his wrist, of the villagers who’d raised him. He knew what he had to do. “I’ll protect the village,” he said, opening his eyes. “But I won’t let Lila die. I’ll find a way to save both.”

The Keeper’s eyes widened. “No one has ever said that before. They always choose one or the other. But you… you have the heart of a true Star-Sworn. The power to protect isn’t about sacrificing what you love—it’s about fighting for it.” He held out his hand, and a small, glowing stone appeared in his palm: the Starstone of Vega, its surface shimmering like a star. “Take it. It will grant you the power to read the stars, to call on the light of Vega, and to defeat the Shadow Hounds. But remember—its power is strongest when you fight for those you love.”

Tyme took the Starstone, and as soon as his fingers touched it, he felt a surge of energy. He could see the stars clearly now, their patterns telling him where the Shadow Hounds were, when the next storm would come. He thanked the Keeper, then ran out of the cave, heading back to Windhollow as fast as he could.

When he reached the village, it was chaos. Shadow Hounds were attacking, the villagers fighting back with spears and clubs, but they were outnumbered. Lila was hiding behind a tent, her eyes wide with fear. A Shadow Hound lunged at her, but Tyme held up the Starstone. “Vega, guide me,” he said. A beam of light shot from the stone, hitting the Hound square in the chest. The creature yelped, then turned to dust.

Tyme stood in the center of the village, the Starstone glowing brightly, and called on the stars. Beams of light shot from the sky, hitting each Shadow Hound and turning them to dust. When the last Hound was gone, the villagers cheered, lifting Tyme onto their shoulders. Old Jax walked up to him, a smile on his face. “Your mother would be proud,” he said.

That night, the village held a feast. Tyme sat beside Lila, who was wearing the bracelet he’d given back to her. “You kept your promise,” she said. Tyme nodded, looking up at the stars. “I had help,” he said.

Years later, Tyme became the new Star-Sworn, teaching the village children to read the stars and protect the Grasssea. He kept his mother’s star map in a wooden box, and every night, he’d sit with Lila and tell her stories of the Star-Sworn who came before them. And if you ever visit Windhollow on a clear night, you might see a man with a starstone in his hand, standing under the sky, his eyes fixed on the stars—proof that the power to protect isn’t about being strong, but about loving deeply, and keeping the promises you make.