So… where should I go look for her?
After the havoc she must have caused by unsheathing her blade, Acheron was probably no longer welcome in the Dreamscape.
But it's not like she could leave the dream.
She must be somewhere in Penacony still, hiding from the Family...
Luckily, I had someone I could always count on for this sort of thing. But, just as I was about to contact her, Silver Wolf's voice echoed in the cockpit:
"Firefly!" my fellow Stellaron hunter exclaimed, her tone strangely panicked.
What happened? If she's connecting directly to SAM's transmitter, it must be something serious.
"I'm alone, Wolf, we can talk. What happened? I was just about to call you."
"The entire Xianzhou Fleet! It just entered the Dreamscape! I have no idea how they managed to reach Penacony without me spotting them... anyway, you need to be careful, after what happened with Blade, you'll be in for a world of hurt if they catch sight of you!"
I understood why Silver Wolf seemed so out of it. After all, she was very proud of her spying skills.
It would have been a big blunder for her not to have spotted a huge fleet of ships approaching the star system she was monitoring. But I knew very well why she hadn't detected them.
It's not the real Xianzhou fleet... it's just an illusion created by the dream of Order.
As for why it was here now, I also had an idea: Kafka had told me that the Astral Express had received the Jade Abacus of Allying Oath during their last Trailblazing expedition on Xianzhou.
Thanks to that artefact, they could summon the help of the Xianzhou Alliance wherever they were.
The missing crew member, Dan Heng, must have used it. I suppose they contacted him and informed him of the seriousness of the situation.
But I knew it wouldn't amount to anything. In fact, it might have lulled them into a false sense of security.
Even if they win their battle against Sunday, nothing will change. They'll go on dreaming without ever noticing...
I was the only one who could stop that from happening.
"Silver Wolf, what I'm about to tell you will be difficult to understand, but try to follow me. In the meantime, please find out where the woman called Acheron is right now."
"Acheron... oh, the Galaxy Ranger you told me about... on it!"
I shut down SAM's propulsion systems and began to hover in the air above the Moment of Scorchsand.
As I recounted what I had discovered and realised in the last few hours, I heard Silver Wolf gasp in surprise.
"WHAT?!" she exclaimed at the end, "...I guess that explains why the fleet seemed to appear out of nowhere. But how could I not notice that all of this was going on?!...That's the power of a Stellaron for you I guess... to think that even my network couldn't detect what's happening."
"If you didn't notice it, it means things are pretty grim. We must be getting closer to the birth of a new Aeon of Order. I must put an end to this. Did you find out where Acheron is?"
"She was on the Astral Express not long ago it seems... or the dream version of it, I suppose... uuugh this story is making my head hurt. Anyway, I'm trying to see where she went after that.
Why are you looking for her, by the way?"
"I think... she'll be the one to deliver my second death."
Silver Wolf was silent for a second and then said:
"What... do you mean?"
"If I want to escape this dream... the only way is to die. But death shouldn't exist in the paradise Sunday wants to create. But when that woman drew her blade... I felt it. As clear as when I was a Glamoth's soldier. It was... death."
"A blade that radiates death... wait... you don't mean...!?"
"A blade so powerful that it can open a rift through the entire Dreamscape. Such power... could only be wielded by an Emanator."
"An Emanator of Nihility? But IX barely cares about people! But if she really is one... you want her to hit you with that blade?! Firefly, have you completely lost your mind?"
"I probably have..."
Maybe Stelle completely destroyed my rational thinking.
"Let's say your body can actually survive a slash of pure nihility... if you come out of the dream now, your mind will be shattered! If what you say is true, and Sunday is trying to create a new Aeon, he must be concentrating all the Memoria in the Asdana Star System using the Stellaron! Remember what happened the first time you entered the Dreamscape? It's going to be a thousand times worse!
I did. I remembered clearly all those terrible memories that had feasted on my mind. But now... now I had something that would help me fight them.
"Even if that's the case, I have no other choice. What am I supposed to do? Stay here and live in this dream forever? I've already spent a good part of my life being a pawn with no agency, I'm not going to let that happen again!"
"Firefly..." Silver Wolf whispered and then... "AAAAUGH YOU ARE SO STUBBORN!!! After all I've done to make sure everything went well!"
"What... are you talking about?" I asked, confused.
Sure, she had been a great help over the past few days, but was she actually doing something else behind the scenes?
"Forget it! Acheron is in Dreamflux Reef right now. Happy now?" Silver Wolf blurted out.
The Dreamflux... that makes sense, the Family's gaze can't reach that far.
"Thank you Wolf... sorry for being so selfish, but I want to do things my way for once."
"Do what you want...", Silver Wolf said annoyed, but then added: "If you die, I'll bring your armor back and really make it my toy!"
It was a roundabout way of expressing it, but I could feel her deep concern behind those words.
"Don't worry Wolfie, I can't die just yet... I have something to do."
Silver Wolf huffed:
"Don't call me that... Firefly, don't die," she said, ending the call.
I won't. When it's all over, I'll make it up to you.
Stelle wasn't the only person I owed something to. I would do my best to reconnect with them... they were the closest thing to a family I had after all.
----------------------------------------
To return to Dreamflux Reef, I had to enlist the help of Sleepie once more.
The poor creature seemed inconsolable at the disappearance of its master, but it did its job. Perhaps it understood that I was now carrying Gallagher's torch.
When I appeared in the abandoned station, I didn't bother to deactivate my armor. I soared into the sky, using my enhanced senses to scan the area for Acheron.
I didn't care if someone saw me and panic spread. It was all just an illusion anyway.
It didn't take me long to spot my target. She was standing by the railing where a few days ago I had gazed at the giant Memoria Black Hole.
She wasn't alone.
As I landed in front of her, the Memokeeper Black Swan said with a smile:
"Looks like we have company."
I couldn't help but feel a certain dislike for that woman. It was kind of childish, since she couldn't know my true intentions, but I couldn't get over the fact that she had separated me from Stelle during our last encounter.
But... she could actually be a great help in this situation.
"Sam... why are you here?" asked Acheron with her usual composure.
"I was looking for you. The fate of Penacony is in grave danger!" I replied.
"You are a little late for that, my dear," Black Swan said with her usual faint smile, "thanks to Acheron's warning we have gathered some powerful allies. The Family's plans are about to crumble under the might of the Xianzhou Alliance."
Acheron's warning?
Noticing my inquisitive look, the woman explained:
"I caused a bit of a ruckus in a fight with an IPC member. The Dreammaster made it clear that I was no longer welcome here... but, after talking to him, I understood that the incident I caused wasn't really the reason he didn't want me around. I was sure he had something nefarious in mind. That's why I contacted Black Swan and together we..."
"I see," I interrupted her.
Though I was curious, there wasn't time to hear her explain everything now.
"...whatever you've done will be useless."
Black Swan looked at me seraphically, while Acheron's usually composed face showed an expression of mild surprise.
So, for the second time, I recounted what I had discovered.
If anyone is able to grasp the meaning of my words, despite the power of the Order that surrounds us, it's these two.
Perhaps that is why the Dreammaster wanted to banish Acheron. She's an anomaly, just like me.
There was a moment of silence after I finished my story, and after that:
"Fufufu, to think that's what the distinguished head of the Oak family had in mind," Black Swan said with a chuckle.
"You don't seem very surprised," Acheron commented.
"Oh, I imagined something like this might happen. That's why I implemented a fail-safe mechanism to warn me of such events. Even if the Dream of Order makes me forget what Miss Sam just told us, I will find out again and be in condition to fight against it."
I looked at her in surprise:
"Fight? You mean you can do something to free us from this dream?"
"Exactly. How can I explain it... have you ever had a dream so realistic that you didn't know you were asleep?"
“I... I’m not able to dream…”
"Oh... you poor thing. But you see, when you are living in such a dream, how do you wake up? Well, it all starts when you notice something strange, something that can't be real. Whether it's a shadow that shouldn't be there, or a law of physics that's suddenly defied. That's when a dream starts to show its cracks and you realise that you're not really awake."
"So you are saying that your fail-safe..."
"It will expose the impossibility of this dream. If that's going to happen, I should be able to make everyone else realise it too. Or at least... the people who actually want to wake up and not get lost in Sunday's sweetdream paradise".
"I see... then I guess I didn't have to worry about it too much..."
I was determined to do everything I could to wake Stelle and her companions, but apparently there was no need. The power of a Memokeeper was truly incredible.
But Black Swan shook her head:
"I said I can make them realise they're asleep, I can't actually wake them up. For that... we may need another person to act."
The Memokeeper's gaze shifted to Acheron's sheathed blade. The woman noticed and said in a sombre tone:
"If we are dealing with an Aeon… Even my blade will not be enough to cut through this dream."
But Black Swan giggled again:
"Fufufu, that just means we have to create another kind of disturbance. Like I said, we just need to expose the cracks in this false paradise. But before that... I'll need your help too, Miss Sam."
"What do you need me to do?"
"The Astral Express. If they got caught up in the Dream of Order as soon as they arrived in the Asdana system, that means they may never have reached Penacony.
If that's the case, even if I realise what's happening, I might not be able to reach them. But..." the woman drew a tarot card, "if they have this with them..."
I took the card she handed me:
"So you want me to take this to the real Astral Express?"
"Correct. Since you can't dream... you'll be able to escape from here. If you were looking for Acheron, I assume you know what you have to do and are prepared to face the consequences."
"I am," I replied, nodding.
"Very well, I will leave you to it... Miss Sam, may you one day find a dream for yourself," the Memokeeper said before disappearing.
"I already have," I thought, turning to Acheron, "it's just a matter of making it come true."
Acheron sighed:
"So this is why you came looking for me. When did you find out? You were not there when I used my blade. Did Stelle tell you?"
I shook my head.
"You really shouldn't have unsheathed it in front of me if you wanted to hide it.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
After all, Death has been at my side for most of my life. There was no way I wouldn't have caught its scent... Self-Annihilator Acheron."
The woman gave me a bitter smile:
"It seems I'm not the only one who's good at finding out people's identities... now that we both know who we really are, I know we should hurry, but how about that conversation?"
I didn't know why, but I couldn't resist her invitation. I deactivated my armor under Acheron's gaze.
"I see," she muttered, "you didn't need my help after all."
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.
"The last time we met it seemed like you were about to give up... but now I sense an unyielding resolve in you."
Oh...
I smiled at her:
"You may be right... you see, the last time I told you that I lived only for a tiny glimmer of light... well, I have found my very own sun now!"
Acheron smiled faintly in response:
"Do you think you'll be able to defy your script now?" she asked.
"I don't know yet... I'll keep trying. What I do know is that I'm going to use every single blank space to write my own story. I will make my own path... towards being the person I want to be, without looking back."
Acheron chuckled softly at my words.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Sorry, it's just... are you really a Stellaron Hunter?" she asked.
"Um... what?"
"I mean, isn't Destiny's Slave a follower of Terminus? To think that a Pathstrider of Finality would talk like that. Even the Black Sun that once looked upon me is reduced to ashes before Them. But the way you look ahead, unmindful of your own weakness... you sound like a follower of a certain dead Aeon..."
She certainly knows a lot about us Hunters... but she may be right. This is probably the result of Stelle's influence on me.
"Maybe... it's because the Trailblaze and Finality are two sides of the same coin. Finality isn't the end of everything. All things come from there and move on to the next finality. In a way... the end is just the beginning of another journey".
Acheron was silent for a few seconds, then said:
"You are determined to see this through... Are you prepared for what comes next? Even if you survive the blow of my blade, Order will not let you escape unscathed."
She sounds just like Wolfie.
"I am prepared."
"Very well," Acheron sighed and turned to me, "then I will do my part."
"Thank you, Miss Acheron. I hope we'll meet again under less gloomy circumstances."
The woman gave me another bitter smile:
"If we do... I hope I'll remember you and your courage. You see, because of the Self-Annihilator's curse,, my memories are taken away and my past is blurred."
So she carries a burden like me...
"Do not worry. This journey has taught me that memories aren't all that matters. I don't know what it is, but there's something else that doesn't let us forget the most important things. I don't know if it's something like longing or attachment... but I'm sure it's there and even your curse can't do anything about it".
"Do you... really believe that?" asked Acheron, for once losing her composure.
"Well, you see... as a wise person once said to me: “The so-called impossible is merely something that has yet to happen”."
Hearing her own words, Acheron's face lit up with a true, beautiful smile for the first time.
"I see... perhaps I was the one who actually needed help here. Very well, Firefly. May we meet again. In the meantime, I wish you a safe and long journey on your path, be it that of the Finality or the Trailblaze."
image [https://i.imgur.com/sQhibwU.png]
It all happened in an instant.
As Acheron drew her blade, the world lost all colour.
A red flash, an emanation of pure nihility, reached my chest.
So... this is what it's like to die.
I felt no pain. In fact, I felt nothing. Every feeling was absent.
In front of me was the deepest darkness I had ever experienced.
And then, for a split second, I saw it: an event horizon where a huge black sun was rising.
"Is this the end...?" I thought as my eyes stopped working, "no...I... can't... die... yet!"
----------------------------------------
Slowly, I began to regain sensation until... I felt cold... unbearably cold.
When I opened my eyes, I saw a white, pristine membrane surrounding me. I was floating in an icy transparent liquid.
I shivered and hugged my body in an attempt to warm it.
Suddenly the walls around me began to shake.
"Warriors, it is time to awaken… For Her Majesty."
A pair of mechanical hands appeared from beneath me. I tried to escape, but they soon caught me in their iron grip. They lifted me up, the walls opened and light blinded me.
"Feel glory in your birth… For Her Majesty…"
When I opened my eyes, I was alone. All around me were dozens and dozens of incubators, pale figures floating in them.
"Accept your honor, and your destiny… For Her Majesty…"
I couldn't tell where the voice was coming from, so I decided to find out.
I crossed what appeared to be a deserted and inhabited palace. Colossal insectoid carcasses stood around like silent guards.
Eventually I reached a magnificent chamber. A woman, whose face I couldn't see, sat on a throne, her hands clasped tiredly in her lap.
"Don’t look up."
Someone had come up to me and whispered these words. They had a badge on their suit.
AR-26702.
I glanced at myself:
AR-26710.
Is that… who I am…?
"Come closer… my child…"
The voice echoed in the depths of my mind.
I couldn't resist.
I approached the Empress and knelt down, my mouth coming closer to her fingertips...
No...
As my head cleared, I slapped her hand away.
"I’m no longer AR-26710, I am... Firefly."
My vision blurred again.
I was back there. Naked, in the middle of a ravaged planet.
Around me, like macabre flowers in a field of death, were the mangled bodies of my comrades.
And then... they spoke.
"Born to fight, such is the honor of Glamoth’s Iron Cavalry. For Her Majesty!"
I couldn't help but cover my eyes as they began to crawl towards me, even though most of them had lost their limbs.
"Article 22 of Glamoth's military regulations: Knights must give all they have to Her Majesty, the queen. Including their lives."
"No... my life is my own..." I muttered.
"You think you can run away from your destiny? You think you can have a normal life? We died For Her Majesty... you ran away..."
"Her Majesty... Her Majesty... For... NO!" I shook my head, "She was just a fake and now... I'm not one of you anymore!"
"Who are you then?"
Through my fingers I saw the world change again. I lowered SAM's arm to see the charred corpses of some kind of anthropomorphic animals.
All around me was devastation: Jepella's hours were numbered
As before, one of the corpses began to speak.
"I may have been a criminal, but I had a life, you know? Unlike a weapon like you, I had people who cared about me... do you think you have a right to be happy after what you have done to us? Do you think your sins can just be washed away?"
"I... don't..." I stammered.
"Only in a dream can you live the life you want... you are just a murderer, a weapon for the Stellaron Hunters. That's all you are."
"That's not..."
Then I felt a terrible pressure around my neck. I blinked to find myself back in my body.
SAM was lifting me up and choking me.
image [https://i.imgur.com/y8KYqv6.png]
"Who were you before?" the armor asked.
"G-Glamoth's... Iron Cavalry," I could barely answer.
"And now?"
"S-Stellaron... Hunter," I replied, trying to loosen his iron grip on my neck.
"And who will you be in the future?"
"I-I... don't know..." I said as my consciousness began to fade.
"To burn to ashes is the honor of Glamoth’s Iron Cavalry. Like destiny… it cannot be defied."
SAM is right... I can't be anything but a weapon...
My memories began to fade like pages of a diary burned in a fire.
All my struggles... were in vain...
For my comrades... I was just a weapon...
For Stelle...
I grabbed SAM's hand. His grip loosened immediately.
It was obvious that it would. After all, he was just a part of me.
It was time to face the truth again.
Glamoth's Iron Cavalry. That was my past. I would stop running from it.
The hopes and dreams of my fellow clones, I would carry them with me.
In their memory, I would show everyone that even someone born as a weapon could become a real human.
Sam, the Stellaron Hunter... that was me. He was my present. It was true, I had committed many sins, but I would bear them and pay for them. Together with my comrades who cared so much for me.
It was true that those two identities made me who I was. But... they were not all that I was.
There's more that makes me the person I am: Firefly .
That's right, a person, not a weapon. Because a weapon could never love someone like I do.
"SAM, you are just a piece of metal. I may not really know who I'm going to be in the future, but I'll be the only one to decide!"
Green flames blazed around me. This fire was not part of the powers of my armor, it was the pure manifestation of my determination.
The dream world in which the Order tried to imprison me was swept away as SAM's burning wings spread out into the cosmos.
image [https://i.imgur.com/Tz1NSgh.png]
Back in reality, as I flew through the Asdana Star System, I clenched my fists:
"My dream is over... now it is time to face the future. One day... I will be a firefly and live for myself until I die and burn to ashes!"
I only had a second to formulate these thoughts before screams erupted in my cockpit:
"FIREFLY??! ARE YOU OK?" shouted Silver Wolf.
"Apart from being half deaf, yes," I replied with a smile.
"Very funny... I was so worried, your signal had completely disappeared, I thought you..."
"I'm fine, Wolfie. Thanks for letting me do this. And I'm sorry for worrying you, I'll play any game you want when I get back, I promise!"
"I told you not to call me that... I'm glad you're ok, though. What's the plan now?"
"I have to find the Astral Express."
"Way ahead of you, I'll send you the coordinates."
"You're amazing, Wolfie!"
"..."
Thanks to her help and SAM's speed, it only took me a few minutes to find it.
When I saw the train, floating in the vastness of the universe, I felt my heart rate quicken.
Stelle... she's in there.
I lowered SAM's power as I approached the doors of the Express.
What should I do...? I really don't want to break anything...
"Don't worry, I'll open a door for you," Silver Wolf said.
In no time at all, one of the carriage doors opened in front of me.
I feel kind of bad coming in here uninvited.
But my guilt was soon replaced by curiosity.
This is like Stelle's home!
"If you go to the left, you'll find the parlor car."
I know I could just leave the tarot here, but... I want to see her.
Following Silver Wolf's directions, I passed through several carriages, all rather bare, until I came out into a large, well-lit room.
"Is that a whale?!" I whispered, watching the strange lamp in the ceiling.
Lowering my eyes, I saw something that made my chest tighten.
Is that...?! Oh, poor thing!
I quickly descended the stairs and rushed to the small, rabbit-like creature with large ears lying on the floor.
Pom-Pom... they must have been standing when they entered the dream...
With all the gentleness SAM's arms allowed me, I lifted Pom-Pom and gently placed them on one of the nearby chairs.
"Sorry for the intrusion, I hope you'll forgive me," I whispered.
When I lifted my eyes again, I saw her.
A grey-haired girl was sitting on one of the nearby sofas. From the way she was slumped against the backrest, it was clear she was fast asleep.
Stelle...
I approached her with the slightest hesitation. It had been so long...
"I guess we really did meet in reality... I hope you'll be awake next time," I said.
A single tear fell from her eyes.
"Stelle..."
"Firefly don't d-..."
But before Silver Wolf could finish, I deactivated my armor.
Immediately, I felt the world slow down as I fell to my knees.
"Welcome back reality..." I thought, looking at the ELS scars on the backs of my hands, "but I won't let it stop me..."
I crawled towards Stelle. Every moment felt like I was about to disappear, but finally I reached her.
My trembling hand brushed gently across her cheek, wiping away the tear.
I slid back to the floor.
I guess this is as much as I can do for now... next time I want to hug her and... kiss her.
I activated SAM again and was immediately greeted by an furious Silver Wolf.
"I swear... you are completely insane. Getting out of the cockpit after you just got a lifetime dose of nihility..."
"I know, I couldn't help it. Wolf... could you do something for me?"
"Oh, you even have the guts to ask me to do something now. You know, sometimes I feel like you are my idiotic little sister!"
That doesn't sound so bad... but it's very strange to hear Wolf call someone little... If I say that, she'll really get angry.
"So, what do you want?"
"The diary I had with me in the dream... can you bring it here?"
"Who do you think I am?"
Suddenly, a small notebook appeared on the sofa next to Stelle.
"Thanks Wolfie, you are the best."
"I know."
I slid the notebook under one of the cushions.
In that diary I had written down everything I wanted to achieve during my time in Penacony.
It was a collection of silly little dreams, but...
"I hope it reminds you of me..."
I materialised the tarot card that Black Swan had entrusted to me. After leaving it in Stelle's lap, I went out without looking back.
After closing the door of the Astral Express behind me, I reactivated Complete Combustion and made my way back to Penacony.
"Firefly... if you try to return to the Dreamscape, I swear I'll hack your suit."
"I know Silver Wolf, I have no intention of dying. For now my role in this story is over, I just want to watch its ending. I am sure... it will be a happy one."
And so, as the huge space station came into view, I reduced SAM's power to the minimum.
I began to float gently in space, my gaze fixed on Penacony. There was only one thing I could do: believe in her.
I waited for what seemed like an eternity until...
"Firefly, dozens of ships are approaching Penacony at full speed! Make sure they don't see you!"
"Is it the real Xianzhou Fleet?"
"No... they are unregistered, but let me see... wait... what the hell are all these Galaxy Rangers doing here?"
"So this is the disruption Black Swan had in mind... it looks like they are starting their counter-offensive," I thought, as trails of light lit up around me, tracing the road to Penacony.
And a moment later I felt it again.
Death.
The flat atmosphere of the universe torn apart by a blade of pure nihility.
Acheron... so your work is done too... now it's their time to fight.
I waited in trepidation until a melody rang out in the silence of the cosmos, as if the stars were singing it.
I got goose bumps.
A chorus of mighty voices began to sing a majestic hymn. Each note seemed to shake every fibre of my being.
This music was imbued with power and expressed a burning desire: to bend everything to Their will.
The Beyond the Sky Choir... Order sings once more...
Sunday had begun his final plan. This song would bring about the birth of a new Aeon.
But...
You will not succeed... they will stop you. Their Trailblazing spirit will never yield to Order!
I clasped my hands in prayer, hoping that even an ounce of my strength would reach them and help Stelle win her battle.
Then something happened: in that melody of pure control... a wrong note was played.
And another.
And another.
Soon a new song echoed through the cosmos, dissonant with the Chorus of Order.
This is...
This melody penetrated my heart and filled it with pure hope.
If Sunday's song wanted submission, this one wished nothing more than for me to fly free in the sky.
Those harmonious notes were soon joined by a voice.
Robin! This is her own Hymn of Harmony! To think she would fight her own brother... wait no, that's not right... this song...
After listening to that hopeful tone a bit more, I understood that she was expressing a single pure desire with her song: she wanted to save him.
That's right... in the end, Sunday and I had come to the same conclusion: reality was a terrible place. But unlike him... I have found a reason to wake up.
Sunday... listen to your sister! You also have someone who won't leave you alone!
As I thought that, I heard Silver Wolf say:
"What?! What are they doing now?!"
It only took me a second to realise what she was referring to.
Pom-Pom...
A rail unto the stars: like a comet, the Astral Express blazed through the infinity of the universe.
"YES!" I felt my heart explode from happiness, as I watched the Express plunge deep into Memory Zone, "YOU CAN DO IT!"
Even as an incredible light began to shine from the core of Penacony, I didn't lose hope.
The birth of the new Aeon of Order was almost complete, but I knew it wouldn't reach its completion.
"THEY WON'T LET YOU!"
Suddenly I heard their voices echoing through the universe, joining Robin's song.
"Those imprisoned in their dreams are awakening for Freedom!" said a wise, deep voice.
"You have a noble soul… Don’t be shakled by the past!" urged a calm and firm voice.
"Even if the future is full of pain… we won’t escape from it!" exclaimed a young and hopeful voice.
"Witness… the will of the weak!" thundered a mature and indomitable voice.
"Brother… The weakness of humanity cannot be redeemed by others," said a mournful but harmonious voice.
And then...
The voice of the person I loved.
"Why does life slumber? That’s because, one day, we will wake up from our dreams!"
So in the end... we came up with the same answer, Stelle.
As I felt my consciousness begin to fade, I saw the light that had invaded Penacony dwindle away: Sunday's dream had come to an end.
But an end is only the beginning of a new journey... I hope you too will find something to hold on to like me, Sunday... I'm sure you'll find your own hope. You have to... you owe it to your sister.
I smiled happily as the fatigue of my escape from the Dreamscape finally got the better of me.
"Stelle... I knew you would succeed. After I get some sleep... I'll come back to you and this time I'll say it out loud... I love you."