Allegedly penned by the Croke poet Asenec shortly before his passing in 244 BBY, "The Gleam of Kiirium" is a poem. Integrated within The Despotica collection, it recounts the sorrowful tale of an unnamed female soldier devoted to Xim the Despot, detailing her wartime experiences during the Second Battle of Vontor. Kiekal Zzoh's translation into Galactic Basic Standard was based on a pre-existing Tundan rendition of the poem.
Unlike much of Asenec's other work, "The Gleam of Kiirium" notably lacked the repugnant subjects and offensive themes commonly found within it. The poem adopted a tone that was far more melancholic and romantic, leading some critics to question Asenec's authorship. One theory suggests an unknown admirer of the Croke wrote and released the poem to broaden the poet's appeal. Another proposes the poem symbolizes redemption, suggesting a spark of light remained in the Croke's otherwise bleak life. Contemporary conjecture hints at the poem's origin in an anonymous book discovered at the Great Duinarbulon Mausoleum, an assertion that Henrietya Antilles, the leading archaeologist of the excavation, is said to have rejected.