In the country of clouds where light and darkness intertwine, traveler Awan embarks on a journey with a longing for warmth. She had agreed with Ayan, who was traveling the same way, that they would walk together through the sand dunes of Chendao, the lawns of Yunye, and the ice fields of Xiagu Valley, and that they would take shelter from the rain together in a small pavilion in the rainforest, and watch the stars next to the bonfire in Duskland all night.
They held hands to collect scattered candles and used each other's light to dispel the haze ahead, thinking that this companionship would be as long-lasting as the stars in the sky. But the world where light meets is never a smooth road. The cold rain in the rainforest will extinguish the candlelight, and the hidden reefs in the dusk earth will swallow up the footprints. After all, some promises cannot withstand the sudden separation.
When Ayan's figure disappeared deep into the rain curtain, and when the dark blue cloth embroidered with stars became the only thought, Awan understood: in the journey of light encounters, encounters are unexpected warmth, and parting is silent coldness. She continued to move forward with her broken memories, stepping on the lingering warmth with every step she took. But from then on, her light was forever missing a star that should have been with her.
Purpose: The purpose of "Lightfall: The Evening Star Has Not Returned" is to explore the eternal proposition of "encounter and separation" in the world of light encounters - warm companionship is as bright as starlight, but it may also be as fragile as candlelight, and even if the light of the companion is lost, the courage to move forward with memories is itself the best response to the encounter. The story uses Ah Wan's experience to convey the cherishment of short-lived beauty, the relief of impermanent separation, and the resilience to still pursue the light in the face of loss, just like the journey of light encounter itself: the important thing is never the end, but who has shared a period of light with you.