The Myth of Ibus' Heart

Outside a building, exalted in stonework and masonry, lies a frame of beaten brass. A sculpture of a heart, myocardial muscles hammered into shape, polished to a glistening sheen. Arterial tubes, a golden yellow with extremities blasted dull by the wind, twist around the structure.

There is a marble plinth below it. On that plinth, a plaque.

Time and wind have worn away at the lettering, now shallow. Minor scratches, miniscule imperfections, marring the monument imperceptibly over aeons despite the maintenance of the curators' love. Yet it remains proud, for beneath the rough surface is a shine.

The Southern Corico Institute of Medical History

This memorial is dedicated to “Ibus' Heart”, also called the Lifegiver procedure. This procedure is estima—

–saved the lives of over–

–unknown who donated–

–ocedure was named after a piece of folklore, in which the hero, a humble barrel-maker's apprentice, tears out their own heart to save their companion. Ibus, the companion, is said to have lived on forever, for the sake of his apprentice's sacrifice.

This memorial is dedicated to the apprentice, the saviour, the Lifegiver. For losing so much, for giving us so much, we thank them with all our soul.

To the Lifegiver, who gave to all.
Who gave up all for us.