Prompt: 26 May 2008; The distant thunder of a million unheard souls.
Character(s): citizens of Cephiro
Summary: The rise and fall of the Pillar System.
Spoilers: Post-second series (anime and manga-compliant)
Notes: I am not a member of the lj community 31 Days
Once, Cephiro was governed by a Pillar. The Pillar kept Cephiro grounded and separate from the hundreds of hearts that lived on Cephiro and cried out with wishes. The Pillar kept the world stable and unchanging, no matter what demands the people gave.
Whenever a Pillar died, the time until a new one was chosen saw upheaval the likes of which was never seen at other times. When there was no Pillar, the people's wishes went straight to Cephiro because there was no one to mediate and all sorts of horrible and miraculous events happened.
Always, however, there was another Pillar waiting in the wings, someone with a heart strong enough to anchor the world. And the new Pillar would intercede between the people and the world, just as the previous Pillar had.
This cycle continued unending until Princess Emeraude, the Last Pillar, fell in love. She summoned the safeguard, the Magic Knights, and submitted to their swords. There was no one left with a heart strong enough to support the world. When the people realized this, the horrific and terrific events increased, and Cephiro began to crumble. It was not because a Pillar was necessary, as so many thought: it was because the people thought a Pillar was necessary, and so panicked without one, causing Cephiro to begin disintegrating.
Shidou Hikaru did not know this when she abolished the Pillar System. She held two other facts in her heart: that it was too great a burden for one heart to support the world, and that the will power of ordinary people could create a world beautiful beyond compare. She clung to those bits of knowledge and thrust away the solitary system.
These days, Cephrio has no Pillar. The people who live there create the world. It is not perfect, for no person is. It is, however, more beautiful than it ever was when supported by just one will.