Rockbiter: They look like big, good, strong hands. Don't they? I always thought that's what they were. My little friends. The little man with his racing snail, the Nighthob, even the stupid bat. I couldn't hold on to them. The nothing pulled them right out of my hands. I failed.
Atreyu: No you didn't fail. I'm the one who was chosen to stop the nothing. But I lost the Auryn, I can't find my luck dragon, so I won't be able to get past the boundaries of Fantasia.
Rockbiter: Listen, the nothing will be here any minute. I will just sit here and let it take me away too. They look like good, strong hands. Don't they?
Engywook: To the winch, wench.
Narrator: Bastian made many other wishes, and had many other amazing adventures before he finally returned to the ordinary world. But that's... Another story.
Bastian: Why is it so dark?
Empress Moonchild: In the beginning, it is always dark.
Bastian: What is that?
Empress Moonchild: One grain of sand. It is all that remains of my vast empire.
Bastian: Fantasia has totally disappeared?
Empress Moonchild: Yes.
Bastian: Then everything has been in vain.
Empress Moonchild: No, it hasn't. Fantasia can arise in you. In your dreams and wishes Bastian.
Bastian: How?
Empress Moonchild: Open your hand.
Empress Moonchild: What are you going to wish for?
Bastian: I don't know.
Empress Moonchild: Then there will be no Fantasia any more.
Bastian: How many wishes do I get?
Empress Moonchild: As many as you want. And the more wishes you make, the more magnificent Fantasia will become.
Bastian: Really?
Empress Moonchild: Try it.
Answer: Atreau is the main character of the book (like Bastion is to us watching the movie) this makes them the same, the main protagonist or the "story" It's a 4th wall break inside a 4th wall break. The Empress even tells him "he is sharing all your adventures, others are sharing his."