Forever alone, an eternal wanderer in a dream realm. It was cold, very cold, there was nothing but the clusters of black ice that surrounded him. It cracked and crumbled under his feet as he traversed the only path, a pitch-black bridge with a few silver star-like objects shining through the glacier.

His hands aimlessly searched for a solid surface, but it was far away, outside his reach, as the passage extended over an endless void.

He walked for a long time, the only fact that he knew, was that the number of stars increased as he walked the farther distance. After days passed, they finally formed a glowing, milky river underneath his feet.

It took one glance, and the cradle of stars was already within his reach. They were like a throne of light, surrounding a single object – a small glass box with parchment and a pen inside. His fingers reached forth, welcomed by an uncanny warmth coming from the box. A warmth that he had never experienced in his cold life.

As his hands circled around the box, it opened on its own, playing a beautiful tune, like sounds that are played on crystals. Surrounded by his own shadows dancing in the light, the man reached for parchment and started reading.

"My weary wanderer, you deserve a rest. You're hereby invited to stay in sanctuary, where we wish you find your purpose. Please sign, and let fate conclude our meeting."

The signature was inscribed on the paper and the parchment burned.

In the beginning, nothing changed, then a gentle wind started blowing. The ice silently crumbled, turning into clouds of black dust, carried over the pits. It gradually progressed into a violent hailstorm. The man desperately shielded himself from the assault with his own arms. The solid surface underneath him fractured, chunks of ice fell off into an abyss until there was nowhere else to go.

At last, the whole place collapsed and the man fell.

He didn't remember how much time has passed, but he woke up in a dark place, his whole body severely bruised. He was hanging in the air, strapped from all directions by tensed bandages that reached into the dark. It was impossible to even flinch, all of his movement was restricted.

Then, he overheard footsteps – a slow, calm pace, followed by a chilly zephyr. He felt shivers up his spine. Something out of his world was approaching, eerie and eldritch.

The bandages slowly dissolved into stripes of fabric, until they disappeared into nothingness, without a trace.

He instinctively felt that he had to run. He dashed away as soon as he could, stumbling through the darkness, but he tripped over a round object and fell. The footsteps were following him, as calmly as earlier, until they stopped right in front of him.

A pitch-black hand surrounded by a shadowy fog appeared out of darkness, extended to him, as If he was supposed to take it.

"P... please... go away!" - The man mumbled out, terrified.

The hand retracted.

"Are you scared?" - Unfamiliar voice asked.

"I don't want anything you did to me. I don't want to be here."

"..."

"I don't want to be lost in the darkness, again! I want my stars back!"

"You may not like what you see in their light."

"Give it back! Give back my stars, you monster!"

A single beam of light appeared from behind the stranger's silhouette, illuminating what was hiding beneath the black veil.

As far as the man could reach with his eyes, were withered skeletons.

"Whose... whose bodies are those?" - He asked, in shaking voice.

"Yours."

"H... how?"

"You were running away from suffering, tried to live in a world where the sun never raised to the sky."

"I... what do you mean?"

"You're still dreaming."

"I don't understand."

"I... there will be a day, when you understand, but today... you need to wake up."

"I'm not asleep!"

"That's also correct."

"I don't get it! Speak clearly!"

"You sleep in many different realities, but you can choose in which one to wake up. This one, was your last choice."

"I would... never choose that. I... I don't remember anything."

"Because you wanted to forget."

The man felt great discomfort, his entire body was quivering. He had a reason to stay here. - "I... I don't want to go back."

"I can't keep you from running away, but please reconsider, there are existences that only you can save."

"I don't want to save anyone! Leave me alone! Give me back my stars."

"They're not yours."

"...?"

"They just follow wherever I go... what you had here was always just the darkness... but you chose, once again, to follow the light."

"It's too much to bear... I can't go back."

"You can. You have the strength."

"...I ...just want to see ...the stars again."

"Yes, that's who you are." - The stranger lifted an item from the ground, then passed it to the man. It was a broken astronaut helmet.

The item seemed strangely familiar, it fitted man's suit.

Equipping it, the man asked, still doubtfully – "What... what does it take to wake up?"

"You need to let go of this reality."

"What do you mean? I... I already did!"

"No, you did not, it takes more than that." - The stranger replied with a grieving face.

"I don't understand!"

"Don't worry, I'm here to help. You don't have to do it on your own."

A silver dagger blinked in the dark, then sunk into the man's stomach.