Much to his disappointment, Rein's senses started to return after a short time. The brief moments of unconsciousness felt more like a euphoria than a nap. His eyes remained half-shut as he tried to soak in the fading sensation. A cool draft swept across his skin, as if it were gingerly trying to wake him further. Rein tried to resist, but it was useless. He couldn't fall back asleep. He opened his eyes, but to his surprise his vision was still murky. Startled, he closed then opened them again. Still, he couldn't see anything but dark, vague outlines of his surroundings.

Something was wrong. He could feel the ground, so he knew it was still there, and he could feel the rough bark of the tree on his back, yet he could barely see his own two feet. He reached for them in bewilderment to feel if they were still there. There was no question that he was fully awake now. His eyes open wide, he tried to process his new environment. Instantly, he realized that the colors on the island had faded even further than before. Black and white made up the color palate of the entire island now.

And then it hit him.

The sun - the constant that had ever hung in the western sky - was gone. Rein tried to stand, but as he did, a crushing bolt of pain surged through his head, sending him back to the ground.

It's set! The sun has set! The colors haven't faded, it's night! That means...

Rein, still disoriented from the sudden flash of pain, frantically searched through the branches of the tree, trying to see the sky above. The tiny, glinting stars strewn across the ebon atmosphere glistened brightly through the gaps in the foliage, along with a much larger light.

The moon?!

Rein's head violently pounded once again. His vision blurred from the intense pain. Thoughts overflowed his mind.

I've never seen the moon! How do I even know it existed!? I've changed my course before, but... did I do something to cause this?

These questions were followed suddenly by a sense of dread.

What else is changing?

Rein no longer wanted to stand up, or even move for that matter. He was perfectly contented to remain at the base of his oak tree. He decided it was safer there. If the island was changing there was no way to tell what could happen next. Rein racked his brain, trying to remember anything else about how things were "supposed to be".

Why is this happening? Why now? His head continued to ache. Pain? What is going on!

Rein's mind was in a state of complete over-stimulation. He curled up into a heap and closed his eyes, wanting it all to just stop. His breathing was almost uncontrollable. His brain felt as if it were about to be ripped in two by his own fear. "I can't take this!" Just as his sanity was at its breaking point, it spoke.

"This is how things are meant to be."

Rein's breathing slowed. Almost instantly his anxiety began to fade. The voice - that bothersome little voice that had always pushed him to continue the cycles over and over was still there. Rein had no idea what it was: his subconscious, his better judgement, schizophrenia. It seldom ever spoke, but when it did he usually listened. The pressure in his head faded as he opened his eyes once again. The thought of something having remained steadfast inside of himself calmed him down.

I'm such an idiot, he thought. He tried his hardest to peer through the darkness. The urge to laugh came over him, but it was overcome quickly with the feeling of anger.

I've waited for so long for things to change, and now that they have I'm terrified. What is wrong with me?!

He sat himself up and rested himself against the tree once again. There still wasn't much he could see, but now that he had settled down he realized how calm the night actually was. The night wasn't still by any means. No, it was very much... alive. The breeze that had earlier tried to awaken him, still rolled across the grass and through the leaves in the trees. The smaller branches swayed and the leaves seemed to whisper as they shook. Undoubtedly they had much to say to each other, having been silent for so long. Now that he could pay attention, he could see the beams of moonlight shining through the tree and onto the ground. Unlike the sun, he could actually look at the moon without hurting his eyes. The sky above seemed to contain as much life as the ground. It teemed with stars, along with something new that caught his eye

Clouds? Rein massaged his temples. A dull pain still pestered him. When did they get there? Clouds... rain. I wonder if it is going to rain? The cool wind swept around the tree again. This time it pushed across his body with a bit more force. He wasn't going to take any chances on this one.

If it is going to rain, I need to find shelter, and fast. Rein stood up. Although he had calmed down, his body still shook from the excitement. He turned to look behind him. Resting at the foot of the mountains, the forest offered little in the way of protection from the elements. The meadow certainly gave no cover from the rain either. Rein searched his mind for a moment, thinking of where he could take shelter, though it wasn't too hard of a task. Rein knew the island very, very well

The caves! It shouldn't take me long to get there! Rein brushed himself off and set his sights towards the mountains. His body was overflowing with the excess nervous energy still coursing through him. It almost seemed to him that he was flying rather than walking. In actuality he was just walking faster than he ever had before. For the first time, he actually had something he needed to do.

At this rate, I'm going to make it there in no time! he thought, a smile stretching across his face. Just as he did, an almost undetectable drip of water fell onto his forehead. Too excited to get to where he was going, Rein wiped it off. Several more dripped onto his shoulders. Then two more on the top of his head.

Oh, well. I don't think a little rain ever hurt anybody...