All that Beatrice could observe was a vast, dark forest. She could hear the close rustling of the leaves as she pushed away the branches that blocked her way.

Beatrice didn't know where she was going, but for some reason, she kept struggling onward.

"Beatrice." - A distant soft whisper called the girl's name. - "Beatrice."

Distracted, Beatrice stopped and turned around to check where the voice is coming from, but it was like it was coming from all sides.

"Beatrice. It's too dangerous. Come to me." - A loud echo reverberated throughout the woods, but Beatrice still couldn't tell its original location.

Beatrice opened her mouth, like trying to say something, but no words came out. She was mute.

"Beatrice?" - An echo repeated. - "Beatrice, are you there?"

A silence fell.

"Beatrice, your star, follow it."

Beatrice looked at the sky, but it was devoid of light. She felt like her arms and legs are vanishing, turning into a fog. Her mind was hazy. She hardly remember how she got here, she hardly remembered what she was doing last day. She hardly remembered whose voice was calling her.

Still, she knew it was a voice of hope, that it tried to protect her.

"Beatrice, focus."

Beatrice took a deep breath and looked in front of her, then noticed a small light flickering below her neck. It was her pendant. It was leading her to the east, where curvy vines, covered in dark thorns, obstructed the path.

"Beatrice, you must return to where you once were."

Beatrice didn't want to. That part of the forest was scary. It would hurt her.

"Beatrice, fear not. I will protect you."

Beatrice approached the barbed spirals of black and extended her fingertips into the darkness. The moment she did, it started to hurt a lot, but the hand lost its mist-like form and returned to the correct shape.

Beatrice didn't want to feel that pain.

"Beatrice. You must come, you're the only one who can."

Beatrice shoved her hand deeper into the blackness, what caused agonizing pain. Tears welled up in her eyes, she felt like she wanted to vomit, but the voice calling her became clearer.

"Beatrice! Push."

As Beatrice stepped into the abyss of thorns, she felt how they lacerated her skin, dug into her flesh, and even reached bare bones. This sensation quickly became unbearable, but she didn't want to give up on the voice that called her.

"Wake up, Beatrice!"

"Wake up, little Bee."

"(Wake up, Bee!!)"

[ . . . ]

"Wake up! Bee!" - Poppy tugged Bee by the sleeve, Beatrice was choking on her own vomit. She rolled to the side of the bed and let it all out.

Beatrice felt as If something blunt hit her in the back of her hand, she could barely recollect her memories and tell where she was, but she managed to figure it out. - "Is Jennifer back?"

"What do you mean?" - Poppy tilted her head. - "She didn't go anywhere."

Jennifer rushed to Beatrice as fast as she could and examined the girl. - "Are you alright, Bee?"

"Julie, did you look for her?" - Beatrice asked.

Jennifer withdrew a few centimeters. - "Julie? Oh... not yet, Bee. Not yet, go back to sleep. I will bring you more medicine." - Clearly worried, she immediately rushed to her bags.

"How much time has passed?" - Bee asked Poppy in a tired voice.

"Twenty minutes." - Poppy uttered, while swaying her left feet, then asked in a concerned voice. - "Do you feel any better?"

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Hearing this, with a few last ounces of her strength, Bee shifted to the sitting position. - "Yes, Poppy." - She examined the door leading outside. - "Thank you for taking care of me, but you should go and rest."

Poppy yawned. - "Okay."

After Poppy left, Beatrice lifted herself up and jumped off the bed. She leaned against the bedframe and slowly staggered in direction of the exit.

A gust of wind carried the rain inside. Disoriented and unable to figure out what it was about, Jennifer turned to get a grasp of the situation. The gate was slightly open and Beatrice was missing.

The elf arrived at the door in a flash. - "Beatrice!? Beatrice!!!?" - She shouted, but there was no trace of a child.

[ . . . ]

Beatrice struggled to keep herself on her feet and the wind was constantly blowing her hood off, letting her face open to the assault of rain. The image of the town disappeared behind a white curtain of water, it was close to impossible to search for Julie in those conditions.

Regardless, Beatrice carefully climbed down the stone stairs until she reached the river where Julie's house was. The sight was frightening, there was nothing left of the house, it was half underwater.

"Julie..." - Beatrice uttered a silent prayer. - "Please, tell me where I should look for her." - She clutched her pendant tightly. - "Please."

She lifted her head and looked at the sky, through the gap in the clouds, she could notice but a single star.

It wasn't her star, but at this moment, it was the only star in the sky.

Beatrice followed the star until she reached the edge of the forest. It wasn't where Amelia was living, no, it was in opposite direction. The roses were swaying violently, many of their large petals fell off, lost in the wind.

It was as Beatrice remembered it, spiraling vines of barbed black.

[ . . . ]

Beatrice made it past the dense bushes, but not without a few deep wounds. Her dress was ripped in a few spots and the blood was soaking through. It was cold. She breathed heavily and felt like collapsing at any moment, but that didn't make her give up.

In front of her, there was an open glade with a single, green mound. The girl climbed on top of it, covered her eyes with an arm to block the rain, and looked up. Flocks of black clouds obstructed her vision of the night sky. The stars were no longer visible.

"Where are you?" - Beatrice softly muttered. - "Please, answer."

Yet, nothing happened. Bee dropped to her knees, clutching the pendant, and wept.

"Please... If I can wish for one thing... please take me... not Julie."

The wind picked up and thunder roared. Yet, Beatrice felt no rain. She lifted her eyes, droplets froze in place as If the time had stopped.

"Bee, bee, little bee. Lost in the forest, as my eyes can see." - A voice, sweet like nectar, called to the girl.

"Who are you?" - Beatrice's voice quivered. She was cold and scared.

"Oh, oh, it would be rude not to answer. Who am I? Nobody, but a little dancer." - The voice sang, then giggled ominously. - "Are you scared? Are you afraid? Yet you dared, come to aid."

Beatrice was on verge of tears, but she suppressed the urge to cry. - "I'm not scared! Show yourself, monster!"

Beatrice felt a tapping on her shoulder. - "Ohh, ohh! What courage! What a bravery!" - Although the little girl trembled, she gathered the strength to face her fears.

Beatrice's eyes stared right into a mask with a wide smile and happy eyes in the shape of semicircles. On its cheek, the mask had a music note. The mask retreated and a jester ballerina leaned to her right.

"My name is Octavia. I heard your desire. To make it true, a sacrifice I require."

Bee's face turned pale. She could comprehend the meaning behind those words. She closed her eyes and bit her lip. - "Okay." - She said calmly. - "But I have to see her!"

"Ohh, my heart hurts, do you think I'm a liar? Despite that, I shall untie her." - Octavia giggled and vanished in thin air.

The time began to flow again and the clouds thinned out. Beatrice could see the star again.

"Julie... Julie!" - Beatrice waded through rivers of mud and sea of thorns, until she heard the sound of raindrops hitting against wooden planks. She followed it, reaching a small church.

When she entered, her eyes ignored everything but a white tree at the altar and a frail silhouette lying underneath it. Julie's hair and face were down, and her legs weren't responsive, but despite that, she attempted to crawl out of this place.

"Julie!" - Beatrice rushed to her friend.

"Bee?"

Beatrice burst into tears as she tried to lift Julie's body. Every inch of it had been flogged.

"It hurts..." - Julie muttered out. - "It hurts so much." - Blood dripped from her face.

"Julie, stay here. I'll find Amelia. She'll help you."

"Bee... don't go. I don't want to... I don't want to die alone."

"Don't say that!" - Tears flowed down Beatrice's face. She was heartbroken. - "You will live, you have to."

"Bee. I don't want to."

"Don't... say... that." - Bee wept.

"It's all... futile." - Julie's voice broke. - "Bee... look at me. Look, what they've done." - More blood dripped from Julie's face.

"It will heal! Amelia will heal you!"

"No, Bee. Look at me." - Julie grabbed Bee's forearm and lifted her head, showing her her bloodied, empty eye sockets.

Beatrice's expression contorted from dread and shock, she took a long pause, then barely uttered. - "Who... who did this?"

"Jennifer."

Beatrice dropped on her knees and grabbed her own hair, then screamed.

"Bee... let me go... then run, run far away."

"No, Amelia will protect us."

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I couldn't say it, Beatrice. Amelia... Amelia is..."

"No... no... no..." - Bee uttered slowly. - "She wouldn't... she is strong... Julie, you are mistaken."

"No... Bee. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." - Blood kept dripping from Julie's eyes onto a wooden floor.

"Octavia! You promised! You promised me! You liar!" - Beatrice cried out desperately.

Yet, nobody responded.

"Bee. Jennifer... will surely come here. Run."

"Not. Without. You." - Bee lifted Julie, onto her back.

"Stop... please stop... you can't share my fate... run... and be free... happy... somewhere else..."

"Julie."

"..."

"It took me too long to realize, but... I can't be happy without you... so... don't die on me, please."

"Bee..."

"I love you, Julie."