The music crept through the bustling streets of the capital, filling one with great curiosity. People went about their daily lives and nothing out of the ordinary seemed to be happening. A large crowd had gathered at the fountain in Charing Cross Square. Although this place was a favourite tourist attraction for many because of its incredible neo-Gothic architecture, today, for once, the crowd was not gathered for the beautiful sight.

Next to the fountain in the middle of the square stood a beautiful young woman. But her appearance... just didn't fit into the picture of normal everyday life. The wind blew through her almost white, pearl blonde hair as her hands in black silk gloves adjusted the top hat on her head. After wiping the strands from her face, the work of art on her face was hard to miss. From her cheekbones to her eyebrows, silver glitter with stars adorned her face. Her knee-length black trousers drew attention away from her otherwise elegant blazer.

No matter how you looked at it, you couldn't find any context or reason for her appearance. And yet the crowd could not take their eyes off her. It was as if they were standing in the deepest darkness before the only beautiful, mysterious source of light. The music box of the small wooden cart beside the young woman turned in a circle, playing an inviting melody across the square. "Lundenbuhr wakes up to the sound of the bells from St Elisabeth's Tower. The fisherman fishes, the baker bakes, and some people feel that the opening of the shops and the market square is magical. As mysterious as the night and as loud as thunder. But nothing... Nothing is more powerful than the starlight of the night. The stars shining brightly in the sky above us".

Or perhaps it was her soft, pleasant, singing voice that held people spellbound. No one seemed to question what was going on. And some people felt it was the most normal thing in the world. A broad smile played around her rosy lips and she beckoned people to come closer. "Come closer! Don't be shy! Have the courage! Dare!". At first the crowd hesitated, but as the first brave ones took a step closer, the others followed. No one knew whether they had succumbed to the woman's charm or simply to their own curiosity. There was no answer, but no one seemed to be looking for one.

My friends, have you ever wondered what lies behind the mystery of the stars? The eyes wandered around and there was a silence. Her smile broadened a little. "I can't tell you. But perhaps I can help you to understand. So I'll tell you a story. And it begins, as it so often does, with a hero.

Where do they come from?

What do they look like?

What can they do?

What is their name?

Who are they?

Justified questions! I agree with all of you! But, my friends, you must understand that true heroes have neither a face nor a name.

In fact, no one remembers the hero himself, only his deeds. They are like the little piece of chocolate your neighbour gave you when you were a child. You remember the taste and the feeling it gave you. But you don't remember what it looked like or what it was called.

The night was bright as our hero entered the scene. Loud, almost inaudible screams rang out from every corner. They left a dazzling sound in the ear. Like a catchy tune that keeps running through your head, even in moments of complete silence. A catchy tune that sent a chill down your spine and gave you goosebumps all over.

The hero clutched the most important object in his life to his chest. The sight of it did not match the surroundings. How could something look so peaceful, so calm and so gentle in a place like this? Another scream came from nearby. Gunshots rang out and an uncomfortable silence filled the room. The hero held his breath. The silence was so heavy that it felt as if it would suffocate him. But it was nowhere near as bad as the disgusting stench of iron, which was so strong that it brought tears to his eyes and made him feel like he was going to vomit at any moment.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

All the streets looked the same that night. The colour red had never been so bitterly disgusting as in that moonlight. To the end and beyond, it would remain the colour he hated the most. For it would always remind him of that night. The hero closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Just before doubt overwhelmed him, he felt something warm. His eyes opened, and as he looked down, a small smile formed on his lips. It was incredible how something so small and innocent could make him smile in this dark environment.

His mind was made up. He ran as fast and as quietly as he could. It was hard to climb with the object in his arms, but somehow he managed. It was easier to unlock the window in front of him. He carefully entered the apartment on the second floor and placed the object on the sofa in the middle of the room. The hero fixed his gaze on the object in front of him. As if he knew that he would never see this sight again. He took a letter from his pocket and placed it next to the object. He paused for one last moment before climbing out of the window and disappearing into the red night.

Screams rang out from all sides, followed by shots that silenced everything. There was no turning back. His legs grew tired, but he knew he had to keep going. No matter how he felt, he couldn't stop running. The whole scene seemed like the backdrop to a never-ending nightmare. There! There's one of them!' a man shouted. His breath caught for a moment, and the hero knew the moment had come to give his all. He ran and ran and ran through the streets, which were littered with corpses. Their bodies and faces were so distorted that he truly wondered if they had ever been alive. Adrenaline surged through his body and he could no longer hear his own breathing. The heart in his chest was beating faster and faster.

Exhaustion and stress overwhelmed him, but he didn't stop. He kept running.

A river appeared before him. Never before had anything seemed so close and so far at the same time. He gave himself one last push and accelerated. A loud shot rang out and he fell forward. At first the hero didn't know what had hit him. But as the pain spread through his leg, he began to understand. Painfully, he looked forward and saw that his bracelet had fallen out of his pocket. Slowly, he stretched his arm out in front of him and tried to reach for it. Footsteps came towards him and suddenly he felt cold. As he looked up, he realised why. Eyes that seemed to have no kindness in them were staring at him impassively. A flame flared in them when they saw the bracelet.

But this flame was not warmth, it was pure hatred. "I know what it is" said the man in a serious tone. "So tell me. Where is it?". The hero's breath quivered, but his lips remained sealed. He held the bracelet tightly in his hand. The man had little patience with him. A pain spread through his stomach and it wasn't long before another kick followed. "Answer me!" the man shouted, "Where is it?! Where is the baby?". Another kick followed when he didn't answer. Eventually his whole body became so numb that he didn't seem to feel anything. But he didn't care. No matter how many times he heard that question, he would never answer it.

The metallic taste spread through his mouth and he spat out blood. Fatigue and exhaustion washed over him. With the last of his strength he looked into the angry face of the man before him. He could not remember the words that followed. His vision became increasingly distorted and he could barely stay awake. The last thing he remembered before everything went dark was her face.

And so our hero was silenced forever. For you must know that true heroes do not survive their heroic deeds. The world was changed forever after that night".

The crank turned and the music brought the crowd back down to earth. "Ahh ahh! What are those long faces? Our story is far from over! But before it continues, I have a riddle for you, my friends. Guess if you can. For the stars are shining brightly in the sky above us

What is good and what is bad?

Who is a hero and who is a villain?

What is faith?

What is enmity and what is friendship?

What is love and what is hatred?

For the stars, they shine and shine, shine, shine. Shine brightly in the sky above us".