Make a wish.
Once upon a time there lived two races: MONSTERS and HUMANS. Monsters are creatures made of magic and hope. Humans are powerful creatures with powerful SOULs and the ability to wield devastating magic. It is that very magic that sealed us in the Underground so long ago. It is said that if a monster absorbs a human SOUL, they will become the Angel of Death and be free to leave the barrier. However, to completely destroy it, it would take the power of a god.
Since time immemorial, we have wished upon the stars on the surface above whenever miracles were required. However, there are no more stars. Our children have grown and made families of their own, dogs can pet dogs and get married, and love and happiness has found some way back down here in these dismal times. Yet... No matter how happy we may become, it brings me sorrow to no end to hear that phrase.
"Mama? What are stars? Can you eat them?"
How am I supposed to tell them that this world is not all they know? That these caverns the children play in, the makeshift water slides and magical lighting, all of it pales in comparison to seeing your first natural sunrise. No magic any monster may create in this place can ever recreate such beauty. I know it. He knows it. Yet, that does not stop me.
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That is how I find myself here again. Deep inside Waterfall, near the exit to Hotland, is a natural cavern where the echo flowers bloom fervently. They record all the wishes of all the children, and it makes me cry to listen to them. Filling the ceiling are brilliant twinkling blue gems. I have placed a telescope here that any hopeless child may look upon them and find their way. However, I realize this is a vague attempt at mimicking those nights on the surface, when we would wish upon the stars for "a night like this" to never end.
The first time we came through here, we were looking for a new home. All of us, together, marching through the underground. There were maybe thousands of us, and now we are in the hundreds, because of his actions. The poor king in the mountain just felt so sad... I couldn't just leave him then. When he saw them the first time, he was given new hope. He immediately called this the "wishing room" and stopped to make a wish to the beautiful crystals in the ceiling. I think we all needed it too. Before we came here, he was so sad.
"I've failed everyone... I wasn't ready for the responsibility." He used to say things like this, all the time.
We tried to cheer him up. We all knew what the stars were, and these were the closest things to them. Monsters had heard of miracles before, and our existence was proof that they could still happen. The humans were kind enough to let us all live here together. Some of us had not lost the hope that our SOULs were made of. Cheers could be heard from the crowd, gloomy blood stained monsters finding happiness where it should not be found.
"Thousands of people wishing together can't be wrong! The king will prove that."
The next time we came here was just after the child died... The first one. We didn't know what exactly a dead child was. Her brother was crying. He ran away from their new home, all the way to Waterfall... and he made a wish, so that his little sister could see the real stars someday. I hope, for their sake, that it came true.
Many used to come here, especially just after those terrible times. This place was filled with the wishes of so many innocent children, some of whom have fallen down. I hear many wishes from the flowers about bringing them back. Some of them complain that the "stars are going out". I'm not sure what exactly they mean... but you can never truly trust a flower, can you? I suppose it is rude talking about someone who is listening.
I make wishes sometimes, when I visit. I sometimes wish I COULD HAVE THEM BACK, PLEASE...
...I'm sorry. The emotions... they overtake me sometimes. It's just... how do you deal with losing so much, so fast? Every monster feels it sometimes. Losing a home... losing family... "stay determined!" That's what he always used to say. It would always cheer us up. He was a foolish king, a terrible idiot, and awful at names, but he rallied the people. His voice moved mountains and he had a heart of gold, a SOUL of purest white.
If you ever find yourself in this awful place, and I sincerely hope you do not, then perhaps you may find yourself in this quiet sanctuary. I do suggest you make a wish. We could use more stars in our night sky.
