Prologue + Chapters 1-5

The Prophecy

“When the Seven Acolytes are all hailed—seven gray clay tokens on their pedestals, having reached the ‘Finish’ space in the Heavens of the North—the Seven Luminaries will revolve around the Star of Vis. A cosmic cataclysm shall rise, a twister of stars shall shine brightly, and the true followers will tremble and run. The Earth will shake, and the Seven Luminaries will seek out their hosts. Heroes will be born, beings will come to life, and new forces will enter the world.”

The Pangilinan clan was an ordinary family in the Philippines, deeply rooted in Batangas. Their patriarch, Grandpa Alejandro “Al” Pangilinan, a sugarcane landlord, and his wife, Granny Emilia “Emily,” had five children—Selena, Greg, Ronald, Thalia, and Ellie—who had built their own families across the country and abroad. Selena settled in the U.S. as a Kennedy, Greg went to Metro Manila, Thalia married into the wealthy Sevillas of Makati City, and Ellie stayed in Batangas with her husband, Ansel. That summer, the Kennedys reunited with their Filipino relatives at Laiya Beach, where the younger generation, including James, Benjamin, Michael, Allison, Topher, and Sophie, spent their vacation bonding over different activities at the resort.

One fateful night, a meteor shower illuminated the sky, prompting Topher to make a wish: I wish we could become heroes from the stories we love and of the things we like. Unbeknownst to him, his words set off a ripple effect that would change their lives forever. Meanwhile, the Mallaris, caretakers of the Pangilinan guesthouse, played their part in hosting the large family gathering. As fate unfolded, Topher befriended an unusual shooting star—one that eventually got trapped. Driven by an unshakable determination to save his new celestial friend, he set off on a daring rescue mission, drawing his cousins and a newfound companion, Roanne, into an unexpected adventure.

Their journey led them to a hidden cave where Topher insisted his “Bud,” the trapped star, had fallen. Inside, they stumbled upon something far beyond their imagination—a mysterious and enchanted board game known as The Star of Vis. As they examined the game, they uncovered its rules, cryptic prophecy, and seven panels representing the Seven Worlds. Meanwhile, their families back at the resort grew concerned about their absence, especially as a powerful storm approached. Oblivious to the mounting worry outside, the children opened the board game, unknowingly setting their fate into motion.  

Each player selected a token tied to a different genre or media archetype, setting off an unpredictable sequence of events. With each turn, they unraveled the game’s hidden rules, erratic rankings, and unexpected twists that transformed their night into a surreal adventure. As the storm raged outside, their families, stranded and anxious, searched frantically for the missing children. But the players had already been drawn too deep into the game, their choices shaping a destiny beyond their control.

At last, Topher reached the center of the board, completing the game as the seventh and final player. At that moment, the prophecy was fulfilled—a cosmic explosion of light erupted from the board, unleashing a blinding stellar tornado known as a quasar. The Seven Luminaries, radiant and towering entities of immense power, emerged from the chaos, pursuing the children as they scrambled to escape the cave. As the search-and-rescue team, accompanied by the worried families, arrived at the cave, they found their children and got reunited with the little and young ones.