The Light We Carry, For a While

At the center of the sky, a great star sends rays of light across a quiet landscape. Beneath it, mountain-like beings carry small glowing forms, each connected to them by a thin line, like balloons floating in the air. A dark river flows through the foreground, carrying a traveler in a small boat, holding a light of their own. Along the riverbank, other wanderers move quietly through the landscape, each carrying their own small light.

I imagine these lights as something each being carries within themselves as they move through the world. They may share their light with others, but each light remains their own. We carry it for a while, until one day we must let go.

Title history: Previously titled Hope; renamed Dreaming Energy for a 2026 competition submission