Malir

“Do not open this package and deliver it before the end of the night.”

That’s all Malir’s client tells him before swiftly taking off. The nocturne looks at the box that the customer left with him. It looks just like a wooden chest, one of those regular things your familiar sometimes brings back to you, without any real value. Of course Malir knows better than that. He has been delivering packages for the… less savory… members of society for a while now. He knows that things are usually packaged normal to avoid suspicion. He has never opened a package before though. That would be highly unprofessional, and probably dangerous.

But he has no time for daydreaming, Malir needs to hurry up if he wants to deliver this on time. So off he goes. Though, as soon as he’s high up in the air something is wrong. And not like a small change in the atmosphere that you barely even notice either. Malir notices it quite fast really. Because there are no stars in the sky.

Where did they go? How did that happen? Malir lands, and when looking up he can see the stars just fine. This is weird. Maybe he’s just tired, maybe Malir just needs a good nap after this job. But the stars are back, so he can continue his journey! Off he goes again, towards his destination.

A destination he cannot find without stars to navigate with. As soon as Malir reaches a certain height, all stars disappear again. He notices it happening this time. He flies lower, and lower, but they only pop back into existence when he lands. This is really weird. Malir looks at the package again. Maybe… It’s worth a try. He carefully sets the box down and flies straight up, far beyond the altitude at which the stars should go out. And they don’t. This time, they are all still there, twinkling away as normal. Satisfied, Malir dives back down. He doesn’t stay satisfied for long though, as he is immediately hit by the revelation that he cannot deliver this package. He won’t be able to find the destination while carrying said box. And walking is no option either. So, what now? Malir doesn’t know.

What is even in that box in the first place? Once again, Malir examines the chest. And in a moment of madness, he opens it.