Morning came, and Steve forgot everything. But Dani remembered it all.
Steve's mother rushed into his room. "Where's Magi?"
Steve frowned. "Who?"
His mother hesitated. "Nothing." Was it really a dream? But a star becoming human… that can only be a dream.
On their way to the company, Dani asked, "Hey, is Magi right?"
Steve shouted in anger, "Who the hell is this Magi? Today, my mom asked about her, and now you're bringing her up. And I've been having these realistic nightmares!"
Dani sighed. "I'm sorry. Just take some rest, okay? Forget about it."
Dani thought to himself, Where is this going? What happened to Magi?
Night fell, and the entire galaxy waited for Steve's dream. The sky was bright with stars, all gathered to witness what would happen next.
Night Climbs Over the Sky
The whole galaxy was waiting for his dream. The night sky was bright, filled with the presence of countless stars, their light shimmering with anticipation. It was Friday night, and the air was thick with tension and longing.
Dani lay in his bed, his body tense, his mind racing with thoughts of Lilith. He switched off the light, his eyes slowly closing under the weight of exhaustion. His last conscious thought was of her—her smile, her pain, her presence that lingered in his heart.
Steve's mother sat by her bed, clutching a picture of her late husband. Her fingers traced the edges of the frame, her heart heavy with memories of the happy life they had shared before cancer took him away. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she whispered softly, "I miss you." Her wet eyes closed in pain as she drifted into sleep.
Steve, on the other hand, felt restless. He sensed that something significant was happening, but he was the only one left out of the loop. Frustrated, he closed his eyes tightly, forcing himself to sleep, hoping that answers would come in his dreams.
As they all fell into a deep sleep, a new dream began to bloom in their minds.
In Dani's Room
Dani found himself standing in a familiar space, his heart pounding. "Lilith, is this a dream?" he asked, his voice trembling with a mix of hope and fear.
Lilith turned to him, her expression calm but tinged with sadness. "This isn't a loose dream for you. That means Steve's must be a loose dream."
Dani reached out, gripping her hands tightly. "I don't care. As long as I'm with you, nothing else matters."
A crack appeared between them, a rift in the dream that began to pull them apart. Dani's voice broke as he called out, "Lilith, no!" But the crack widened, separating them and sending them to different places.
Meanwhile, in the Dream
Magi walked through an empty street, her steps slow and deliberate. The little stars above danced in joy, their tiny lights flickering with excitement. "Magi is alive! Magi is alive!" they cheered.
The Moon watched from above, her voice soft and filled with relief. "Perhaps it's because Steve returned to reality before Magi died, so the dream reset her. Either way, I'm happy for her."
A little star piped up, its voice small and curious. "What about the baby?"
The Moon's light dimmed slightly. "The baby is gone."
The Galactic Castle
A bright light appeared in front of Magi, illuminating the grand Galactic Castle. She stood at the bottom of the castle stairs, her heart heavy with uncertainty. Her mother, the queen, descended the steps, her expression warm but firm.
"I was waiting for you. Where were you?" the queen asked, her voice gentle but laced with concern. She took Magi's hand, her touch reassuring. "Come, everyone is waiting—including your father."
Magi allowed herself to be led inside, her mind racing. The maids dressed her in a beautiful blue gown, its fabric shimmering like the night sky. A crown adorned with a blue gem was placed gently on her head.
Her mother stepped back, her eyes filled with pride. "You look like an angel from the heavens."
Magi forced a small, awkward smile, her heart sinking. She followed her mother to the throne room, where her father, the emperor of the galaxy, sat with an air of authority.
The emperor's voice boomed, his tone firm but not unkind. "I hope you are ready for your wedding."
Magi's eyes widened in shock. "Wedding? With whom?"
Her mother smiled, though her eyes held a hint of sadness. "With Zyron, my dear."
Magi's heart clenched. "I'm not ready for this," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
Mother's Comfort
Mother smiled gently, placing a hand on Magi's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. Nobody is ever ready. There's no such thing as a perfect time, you know."
Magi shook her head, her voice trembling. "It's not like that."
Father stared at her, his eyes burning with anger. "you will marry him today."
Zyron entered the room, dressed in a golden outfit that made him look radiant. The emperor of the Andromeda Galaxy was also present, accompanied by the queen and her maids. The party began, with the main wedding ceremony set for midnight, when all the starlight would dim, and only the glow of the groom would illuminate the night.
While the party was in full swing, Magi stood on the balcony, gazing up at the stars. Her heart was heavy, her thoughts far away.
Zyron approached her, holding a glass of wine. "Why don't you join the party?" he asked, his voice soft but tinged with concern.
Magi hesitated, her eyes filled with guilt. "Zyron, I… I know you like me, and…"
Zyron smiled faintly. "Of course, I like you."
Magi took a deep breath, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I'm in love with someone else."
Those words hit Zyron harder than Magi could have imagined. He hid his sadness behind a calm expression. "I'm okay with it. I never asked you how you felt. I'm the one in the wrong."
Magi's eyes softened. "Thank you for understanding."
Zyron nodded, his voice steady. "Yeah, but it'll be hard to get out of here."
Magi sighed. "I know."
Zyron's lips curved into a small smile. "I'll help. I can lend you my car."
Magi blinked in surprise. "Car?"
Zyron chuckled. "I have this thing for cars from your galaxy's planet, Earth. So, I built one here."
Magi raised an eyebrow. "How will you bring it here?"
Zyron grinned. "This car can fly." He called for the car, and it appeared, flying gracefully through the sky. It was a sleek, white vehicle, riding on beams of light.
Zyron gestured toward it. "Now, go."
Magi's eyes filled with gratitude. "I'll remember this my whole life."
With that, Magi left in search of Steve.
Zyron watched her go, a bittersweet smile on his face. "There she goes, with my favorite car." He took a sip from his glass, turning back toward the party. The emperor glanced at him, his eyes questioning if everything was okay. Zyron forced a smile, raising his glass to show that all was fine. But inside, he was holding back tears.
After some time, the emperor realized Magi was missing. His voice boomed with authority. "Find her and bring her to me!"
The Other Side of the Dream
It was night in the dream, and a huge moon hung in the sky. Magi stepped out of the car and walked through the empty streets. She saw Steve standing on a quiet road, flanked by tall buildings and illuminated by orange streetlights. The bright blue moon loomed in the background.
Magi's eyes widened, tears of joy streaming down her face. She ran to him and hugged him tightly, but Steve seemed out of it.
Magi pulled back, her voice filled with concern. "What happened to you?"
Steve grinned, his words slightly slurred. "I ate some golden mushrooms. Now, everything I touch turns to gold."
A Few Hours Earlier
Steve had started his dream in a grassland, where a man was grazing sheep with his young son. The man looked like he was from the Stone Age.
The man smiled kindly. "Are you lost, child?"
Steve frowned. "I've seen you somewhere."
The man shook his head. "I haven't seen you, but something tells me you're very familiar."
Steve looked around. "What is this place?"
The man gestured to the fields. "We're near my village. I used to graze my sheep here. And this is my son."
Steve hesitated. "Can I stay here for some time? There are things I'm not understanding."
The man pointed to a rock. "Come, sit here, child. I'll stay with you until you find your answers."
Steve smiled gratefully. "Thank you."
Steve took a deep breath, his voice heavy with emotion. "What would you do if something important happened to you, but you're the only one who doesn't remember it?"
The man smiled gently. "That's a tough one. Make a new memory—one that's better than the one you forgot. Make it so good that everyone forgets the old one."
Steve sighed. "That's not easy."
The man nodded. "Nothing is easy until you try it."
Steve's voice softened. "I wish my father was here."
The man's eyes filled with sadness. "Me too."
Steve looked at him curiously. "What happened to him?"
The man's voice trembled slightly. "he lost his life saving mine. I'm sure he'd give you a better answer than me, but I can still hear his voice in my heart."
Steve frowned. "In your heart?"
The man smiled. "Just try it."
Steve closed his eyes, focusing. "All I can hear is your voice."
The man encouraged him. "Try once more."
Steve closed his eyes again, listening intently. A familiar voice echoed in his mind. "I'm right in front of you, son."
Steve's eyes snapped open. "Dad?"
The man in front of him transformed, his clothes shifting into the ones Steve remembered his father wearing.
Steve's voice broke. "It was you all this time."
His father smiled warmly. "I've missed you, son."
Steve hugged him tightly, tears streaming down his face. "I've missed you too, Dad."
They talked for a while, sharing memories and laughter. Finally, his father said, "It's time for me to leave."
The young Steve brought some golden mushrooms to him.
Steve looked at them, confused. "What is this?"
The young Steve grinned. "Just eat it."
Steve ate the mushrooms, and his father's eyes filled with tears. "Goodbye, son."
Everything faded to nothing for Steve.
Magi shook Steve's face gently, her voice filled with urgency. "This is a dream, okay? Come back to your senses."
Suddenly, celestial guards appeared out of nowhere, sliding on beams of light and charging toward them with spears. Magi pushed Steve into the car and drove away, the guards were riding the light from their feet like a skate board. The city around them slowly transformed into a grassland, with sheep and villages visible on the sides.
Steve mumbled in his sleep, his words slurred. "My home… my sheep… Mom…"
Magi glanced at him, her heart aching. "He's remembering things from his past life."
As they traveled, they saw glimpses of their past lives—the winter attack, Steve's tears as he watched his mother die, and his life as a slave. Slowly, Steve began to regain his senses.
On the other side, Lilith was reliving her past. She was in the body of her old self, forced to relive the day she had to kill the lamb. But Lilith wasn't in control—it was her old self.
Lilith screamed in her mind, tears streaming down her face. "Stop! Please, let it live!"
But she couldn't stop her old self. The dream then brought her to the moment she killed Dani. Her hands trembled with resistance, her tears flowing uncontrollably, but she couldn't stop. She looked at his lifeless body, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I tried, but…"
The dream forced her to relive killing Steve and Magi as well. After that, her eyes became lifeless, as if she had crossed the limit of what her mind could endure.
Dani, too, was reliving his past. He was in the body of his old self, desperately trying to get Lilith's attention. He trained every day, hunting the toughest animals and gifting their hearts to her, only to receive a simple "Good" in return.
He was afraid to confess his feelings, thinking, "I'm weak. I'm weak by heart, but she's brave and stronger than me in every way."
Then the slave boy entered the picture, stealing the attention Dani craved. His hatred for the boy grew like wildfire. Dani tried his best to prove he was better, but the day he tried to save Lilith from the tiger, the slave boy got in the way.
Later, Dani lay dying under a huge rock, his thoughts filled with regret. "I wish I was like you, Lilith. That's what I liked about you—you did what you wanted. I wish I could have been with you. I regret not saying, 'I'm here for you. I love you.'"
steve's mother was also in the dream. She stood outside a hospital room, staring at her dying husband and holding little Steve's hand.
Steve looked up at her, his voice innocent. "When will Dad come back home?"
She forced a smile, hiding her tears. "Soon."
Memories of happier times flashed before her eyes. When the doctor came to inform her of her husband's death, she broke down, crying on the floor.
When she opened her eyes, she was in a grassland, her husband standing before her in animal skins.
She gasped. "Is that you, Eldon?"
He smiled. "It's me, Lenora."
Lenora frowned. "Why are you in that weird outfit?"
Then it hit her. "Wait… these memories… is this my past life?"
Eldon looked at Lenora, his eyes filled with confusion. "Why are you in that dress? I've never seen anything like that."
Lenora reached out, touching Eldon's face gently. As her fingers brushed his skin, Eldon's mind flooded with memories of everything that had happened and would happen.
Eldon's voice trembled. "Lenora, I'm sorry I left you alone."
Lenora smiled softly. "And here you are."
Eldon sighed, his expression heavy with regret. "I've seen our son from my next life. I'm a cursed soul in both lives. I died and left you alone in both life."
Lenora nodded, her voice steady. "I know."
She stared into his eyes, her gaze lingering for minutes. Finally, she whispered, "Let me see those living eyes, filled with life. Can I stay like this for some time?"
Eldon held her wrist gently. "You can stare at them all you want, but it won't change the fact that I'm dead. Now, our son needs you."
Lenora's voice broke. "But…"
Eldon's tone softened. "I am with you in your heart. Just find me there."
Tears filled Lenora's eyes as she struggled to hold back her emotions.
Suddenly, another voice interrupted. "Honey… why is that girl here, and why are you hugging her? Are you cheating on me?"
Lenora from the past life appeared, her hands on her hips, glaring at Eldon.
Lenora (present) stepped back, her voice firm. "Then I'm going. You have some explaining to do to your wife. You're sleeping outside tonight."
Eldon panicked, waving his hands. "Honey, This is a misunderstanding. She's you!"
Dani and Lilith found themselves together in the city. Lilith sat on the ground, tears streaming down her face. "What have I done?"
Dani knelt beside her, his voice gentle. "What happened to you?"
Lilith shook her head, her voice trembling. "You have to stay away from me. Even my existence may cause misfortune."
Dani sat down next to her, his tone calm but firm. "Hey, look at me. You are who you become, not the one from the past."
Lilith's voice cracked. "What I've done to you is unforgettable. The pain you feel… why are you hiding it? Hit me until your anger runs out."
Dani's eyes softened. "Lilith, I'm in pain, but not because of what you've done to me. I'm disappointed in myself that I couldn't save you back then. And my heart aches seeing you like this."
Lilith leaned her head on his shoulder, exhausted. She fell asleep almost instantly, her breathing uneven. "I'm sorry, Dani," she murmured before drifting off.
Dani held her gently, laying her head in his lap. He brushed her silky, long black hair, his touch tender. She hiccupped softly, the aftermath of her tears. Dani remembered when they were little—she had just learned to walk and got hurt. He had torn his clothes to bandage her wound, and she had the same expression then as she did now.