[ WP ] Your childhood imaginary friend turns out to be real . You meet them and they have a special request for you .


 Stan lay under a roof of countless stars, wrapped in the crackling sound of a low burning campfire with a caressing breeze for a pillow. He stared into the starlit desert that enveloped his little campsite. 
 
 *Wait, what? * 
 
 The fire cracked and spouted a thick gray smoke. Stan's head felt heavy and his eyes watered. He looked down and saw blood on his shirt. 
 
 `` You'll live.'' said a low, hoarse voice. A man with long messy hair and wearing a dark cloak sat across from Stan by the campfire. 
 
 `` Falgar?'' asked Stan. It's been years. Fifteen years to be precise. He has only seen Falgar twice before, but he knew him like an old friend. Falgar was everything Stan wanted to be, in a different world. He was a wily Ranger, fighting against orcs and goblins, facing terrible odds but always surviving. Rangers are n't lonely, no, they band together. 
 
 Stan only met Falgar before once when he did n't sleep for an entire week in his teens, and once more when he was on a lot of medication in his early twenties. What happened now? 
 
 `` It's been a while, Stan. How are you?'' 
 
 `` I'm not sure.'' 
 
 Falgar reached into a leather satchel by his side, fished out a water skin and offered it to Stan, who uncorked it and took a swig. It was wine, strong and earthy. 
 
 `` What about you? Tell me a few stories.'' said Stan, looking between the old Ranger and the crackling fire. 
 
 Stan needed some uplifting tales of heroics. His favorite of Falgar's stories was what he called the `` Ruins of the City of Stars'', where the young Ranger fought valiantly to halt the advance of the enemy, but to no avail. The entire garrison was whittled to just two dozen soldiers and the city burned. At the last moment the cavalry arrived and swept the enemy back. 
 
 `` Well,'' said Falgar, scratching his beard, `` for the past five years we've been trying to hold the enemy back. The Rangers sabotage the supply lines and ambush patrols, while the garrison jerks off in their forts.'' 
 
 `` We've lost Marigold, Oldowan, Ronald, Diran, Marsh,'' counted Falgar in a hoarse voice, `` and only last week both Drasus and Caraco.'' 
 
 Falgar sighed and ran a gloved hand through his hair. There was a blank look in his eyes. 
 
 `` I need your help, Stan.'' 
 
 Stan furrowed his brow at the old Ranger. That's not how this worked, at all. Falgar existed to help Stan, not the other way around. Adrenaline punched his stomach. Something about this scared him. 
 
 `` End this. Sever your ties to this world. I do n't know what trouble you face in yours, but you need to end this.'' 
 
 Falgar sat up to better look at Stan. `` I'm old, Stan, and this world is n't getting any better. Please.'' 
 
 `` No.'' said Stan, `` No, I- I can't- this place is my home.'' 
 
 `` Stan.'' Falgar's voice rose. It was n't a request anymore. 
 
 The old Ranger stood up. The flames illuminated his ragged form, revealing battered leather armor and a single ornate-hilted sword at his belt. Falgar stood still, his left hand coming to rest at the hilt of his sword. 
 
 Stan scrambled to his feet. He winced and, looking down, saw blood dripping down his blue jeans. He took half a step back from the old Ranger, saying, `` What are you going to do?'' 
 
 Falgar stood without moving. `` If you do not end this, I will.'' he croaked. 
 
 With a metallic hiss, he drew his sword from its scabbard and held it point down towards the sand. Nobody moved for a long moment. Stan could see the flames reflecting in the fine steel. He knew that sword, and the story behind it. He loved every page of Falgar's story. *How was this even happening? * 
 
 `` Do n't do this, Falgar.'' 
 
 The Ranger gripped the sword with both hands. He kept his eyes on Stan. The campfire crackled and smoke swirled between the two men. In an instant, Falgar's sword turned and the man moved forward. Stan flinched, adrenaline punching him in the gut once more. 
 
 But Falgar did not advance. Instead, he hunched, and then fell over in a heap with the sword's blade sticking out through his back. 
 
 `` NO! NO!'' shouted Stan. He ran to the old Ranger's side and stumbled, falling to his side. Stan turned the cloaked man over. There was blood everywhere and Falgar's eyes stared into empty space blankly. 
 
 Stan's head became heavier and heavier. His vision blurred and then darkened. He passed out, out of this dream of his. The rest of the night was dreamless.
