The intense flash of brilliant white light invaded her eyes all at once, casting the world around her into a sudden wave of darkness. She felt completely blinded and disoriented by the unexpected sensation—suddenly unable to comprehend her surroundings.he heard a deep, low voice whisper suddenly from her left. The words floated through the air, seemingly coming from nowhere and everywhere at the same time.
"You shall arise when it is time." It was a haunting and ominous message—one that filled her with a strange combination of both excitement and unease.
When will that time come?
Instinctively, she turned her head towards the voice with eyes full of curiosity. However when she looked, she was met with a stunning sight. A glinting figure stood beside her, shimmering and radiant within the darkness.
How familiar. My body feels so warm by it's presence.
The bright, shimmering figure stood before her, "And I will be here, waiting for you." It's voice was so gentle and alluring—that a strong sense of comfort and reassurance immediately enveloped her from hearing it, until—"I will make sure of it." Its words suddenly took on such a darker tone that they echoed within her mind.
The girl squinted her eyes in a futile effort to focus on the glowing silhouette. Darkness was quickly encroaching on her vision and winning the tug-of-war—shrouding her sight within the blackness. The silhouette began to dissolve away, its warm light fading into obscurity.
Her hands reached out in desperation to stay awake, desperate to keep that warm glow. As she reached closer, a black ink-like substance coated her hands—dripping on the ground and pooling around her.
At first, the cold ink felt chilling and off-putting. However, it suddenly felt strangely inviting, as though inviting her to surrender herself fully. She started to feel as if her mind was drifting away from the pressures of reality, all the stresses and pressures of life fading away.
Then I'll wait for you.
A strange, tranquil smile appeared on her face as she accepted her fate. The girl was slowly being pulled into the murky abyss, slowly being swallowed up by a comforting blanket of shadows—safe from the world.
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"What a liar."
The girl in present time was struck with a sharp chill as she hunched her way into the centre of the dark pool—where she now sat as if the pool were her bed. She felt the cold touch of the murk and the dampness of the darkness surrounding her, as the fear of the dark surrounded her on every side, creeping in on her and enveloping her in a chill that was more than just a physical feeling.
It had been days now since she had awakened and she was still confused, scared and entirely lost. Everything was unfamiliar and strange to her and she could only recall—vaguely, a voice before she had fallen unconscious.
Who was that?
Why did he leave me here?
That voice seemed to be the only connection she had to this unfamiliar place and the strange situation she had found herself in. As the days passed, the sense of longing and despair grew within her heart. She wondered what it meant for her to remain here, where it had been days now—yet it felt even longer than that.
What am I even waiting for?
Who will come?
She felt foolish for being stuck in this strange and unusual place while knowing nothing about it for such a long period of time. Although the woods were dark and frightening, they did provide a certain measure of solace for her troubled heart.
The girl had also learned not to touch anything. Those first few mistakes had been enough—a fleeting brush of her fingers against the velvety petals of a flower or an absentminded reach toward a berry-laden bush. Each time, she watched in silent horror as the life drained away, colors fading to brittle brown before crumbling into dust.
Now, she moved with caution, her hands always held close.
She glanced down towards the churning void underneath her. The feel of the murky waters that had first worried her actually felt comfortable—like she was being cradled in the arms of a companion.
The girl then brought her knees up towards her chest and began to ponder her situation. The woods around her were oppressively silent, a heavy stillness broken only by the restless echo of her own thoughts.
What's my name?
Why was I buried?
Why does everything wither under my touch?
Suddenly, her thoughts and pondering were interrupted by a familiar crunch. Her gaze immediately turned towards the source of the noise. She looked in the direction of the source and saw the silhouettes of pixies behind a nearby tree. They were hidden, but the telltale glint of their wings was easily visible even in the dim light of the strange woods.
It's rather obvious that they're watching me.
The girl had a strange mix of emotions as she noticed the sprites attempts to hide in plain sight. On one hand, she felt amused and intrigued by the sight of them attempting such a poor job of hiding—but on the other, she felt dejected as she considered the reason why the spirits felt the need to hide from her in the first place.
The loneliness was unbearable. It gnawed at her chest, an ache that deepened with every passing hour.
Atleast the animals aren't hiding from me.
In addition to the fairy audience, her spectator count had also increased—with the various animals that had been drawn towards her now all gazing at her, curious and interested in the strange girl who had found herself in their midst.
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They did not show any sign of fear as they gazed at her with their doe-like eyes. Instead, their expressions were full of curiosity as they watched her every action. "They're adorable."
The forest seemed vast, empty, indifferent and her heart yearned for a voice other than her own, for warmth, for the sound of laughter—even just the feeling of another heartbeat nearby. She missed... something.
She couldn't remember exactly what, but she knew there had been people—faces that blurred together in her hazy memories, hands that had once held her own.
The girl, now feeling a blend of curiosity and a need for companionship, tilted her head. She was interested in the various creatures that had gathered around her and was craving a bit of social interaction.
Maybe they won't run away? In a foolish yet brave and courageous moment, she slowly stood up as a surge of determination took over her petite frame.
Maybe.. this time...
This time, she ignored the withered grass beneath her feet as she took cautious, delicate steps towards the group of animals behind the barrier of fungi. She needed to reach them, to connect with them, but her fears of possibly scaring away the creatures made her hesitant in her steps.
As she took careful steps, reaching the group of animals behind the fungi barrier, they ran in a panicked and fearful uproar.
"W-wait!" Most of the animals were now scurrying into the bushes, out of sight, while only a few remaining ones had braved to remain in place.
The remaining animal that had chosen to remain in place was the raccoon with a feline resemblance. Though she didn't reach out to touch the critter, she knew better now.
"Oh, h-hello there." She slowly and carefully kneeled down next to the remaining animal, hoping to gain the trust of this lone raccoon. A faint smile graced her face as she began to attempt to beckon and coax the raccoon into coming closer to her.
"I won't hurt you. I promise."
The way the creature just stared at her with a blank look made her burst out in a giggle, finding the sight to be a bit quirky and humorous. That hint of warmth and friendliness enveloped her heart as an indication that at least one creature remained in the area.
It felt good to know that there was still a bit of the world that was friendly and welcoming in that moment of loss and fear. Swallowing those fears, she dared to move a little closer, her knees pressing into the soft earth beneath her.
I don't have to touch it. I just...
Suddenly, she felt it—a strange, pulsating energy beneath her palms, seeping through the mossy ground. A darkness she hadn’t noticed before seemed to flicker at the edges of her vision, a faint shimmer like an oil slick spreading across the forest floor. The air turned cold, and the girl's eyes widened in alarm.
The raccoon froze, its bright eyes losing their light in an instant. It let out a small whimper, its limbs shuddering as if struck by an unseen force.
The girl gasped and pulled her hand back, horror flooding her senses. The creature collapsed where it stood, its small body curling inward, twitching once before it lay still and lifeless.
"No..." She whispered, her voice breaking. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the tiny, unmoving form. Her fingers dug into the earth beneath her, and she felt it again—that dark pulse, like something malevolent hiding just beneath the surface. Her eyes darted around, searching for an explanation, her heart pounding in her chest.
She hadn’t touched it—she knew she hadn’t. But it didn't matter. The raccoon was dead, and it was because of her.
The girl looked around in sheer panic, and that’s when she saw it. The faint, almost imperceptible glow—dark tendrils of magic laced through the underbrush, tangled around the roots of trees and woven into the very ground she knelt upon.
A sob broke from her lips, and she clambered backward, her hands slipping in the moss.
She stumbled to her feet, her legs unsteady beneath her as she turned away from the raccoon’s lifeless body, tears blurring her vision.
The world around her felt distant, muffled as if she were submerged underwater. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, a relentless drum echoing her rising panic.
She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold together the pieces of her shattered composure. Each breath felt like a struggle—sharp and shallow, as if the air itself was tainted by what had just happened.
What kind of monster was she? The thought spiraled through her mind like a tempest, drowning out any semblance of clarity.
“I’m cursed,” she murmured, each word dripping with despair.
A small rustle nearby caught her attention, but she flinched instinctively, expecting another creature to fall victim to her touch. No! She couldn’t bear it again.
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As the shadows deepened around her, the girl took a shaky breath, trying to steady her racing heart. The forest was quiet now, the haunting echoes of her panic fading into the stillness. Just as she began to gather her thoughts, a sudden burst of light flickered at the outer border, followed by the sound of fluttering wings.
The sudden appearance immediately caught her attention. She then turned towards the source and saw a blue pixie floating just behind the thicket of mushrooms.
The pixie had round, pale turquoise eyes that added to its overall cuteness. It was adorned in soft, silky garments resembling cerulean flower petals, intricately woven with laces and threads crafted from various types of leaves.
The girl inched back toward the wall of shrooms, her movements slow and cautious. Her eyes stayed fixed on the approaching sprite, anxiety tightening her chest, each rustle of the leaves making her heart pound a little faster.
"Um..." In that moment, the girl felt a whirlwind of emotions—worry, fear, and exhilaration. She was anxious about scaring the pixie away, yet a sudden rush of joy and excitement surged through her at the prospect of being approached after days of solitude without any pixies daring to come near.
What.. do I say? The fear and worry mixed with the joy and excitement, causing the feeling of conflicting emotions to clash within her heart.
The pixie opened its mouth and emitted a series of bell-like chimes—a melodic and pleasant sound that the girl found soothing and intriguing. However, the girl also felt an undercurrent of irritation or reproach within that cheerful sound.
She looks and sounds angry. Did I do something?
Although she couldn't understand the language that the pixie was speaking, she sensed as if the pixie was scolding her or admonishing her for something.
What am I supposed to reply to that? She looked at the pixie with a mix of confusion and remorse—unsure of how to respond to the scolding. Atleast she interpreted it as such.
The pixie was making a series of movements, pointing towards different areas in front of it—particularly towards the spreading darkness that had overtaken the girl's side of the area.
"O-oh! Are you telling me to move away from here?" The girl interpreted the pixie's gesture as a sign of empathy, concern, and care. A surge of warmth and happiness coursing through her at the thought of such a gentle—albeit fiery, yet caring spirit.
I thought she didn't like me being here, but it turns out I was wrong. The idea of a tiny, angelic creature caring for her wellbeing made her feel welcomed and cared for.
What she had expected was a nod of understanding and a smile of warmth and connection, but instead she saw a look of bewildered confusion on the pixie's face—as if it could not comprehend her words.
Why is she looking at me like that? Could it be...
She felt a sudden sense of despair and regret overwhelm her as the realisation sank in that she could not get through to the creature that she had hoped to connect with.
Can she not understand me?