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, unable to comprehend her surroundings.

She 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, eyes wide with 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 gentle and alluring, and she felt a strong sense of comfort and reassurance 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 dissolved away, its warm light fading into darkness.

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 felt as though she 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 if she had accepted her fate. She was slowly being pulled into the murky abyss, as if she was being swallowed up by a comforting blanket of darkness, safe from the world.

What a liar.

The girl 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 water 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 lost. Everything was unfamiliar and strange to her, and she could only recall, vaguely, that she remembered hearing 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 feel of the murky waters that had first worried her actually felt comfortable, like she was being cradled in the arms of a friend. The girl brought her knees up towards her chest and began to ponder her situation. She let her questions run wild, allowing her mind to wander freely and untethered.

What's my name? Why was I buried? 

Suddenly, her thoughts and pondering were interrupted by a familiar crunch, and her gaze immediately turned towards the source of the noise. She looked in the direction of the source and saw the silhouettes of fairies 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 fairies attempts to hide in plain sight. On one hand, she felt amused and intrigued by the sight of the fairies attempting such a poor job of hiding, but on the other hand, she felt dejected as she considered the reason why the fairies felt the need to hide from her in the first place.

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.

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. How adorable.

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, a surge of determination and desire taking over as she attempted to stand up against her fear.

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.

"Oh, h-hello." 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, and she began to attempt to beckon and coax the raccoon into coming closer to her.

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, and 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.

The creature seemed as if it would come closer to the girl, but just as it began to step forward, there was a noticeable hesitation as it reached the line of mushrooms.

"No! Don't come close!" the girl exclaimed in surprise and fear.

A sudden realisation seemed to strike the animal as it abruptly turned away and backed off, moving quickly and swiftly, all in the span of a few seconds.

Ah... Yes, this should be enough. That sense of loneliness and isolation quickly returned, wrapping itself around her heart and causing that dark shroud of gloom to descend once more.

Her eyes darted back towards the dark veins on her arms before she let out a sigh in frustration, her eyes settling on the dark, ominous veins that spread throughout her body. Then, suddenly, she perked up at a faint sound—the fluttering of wings. She turned towards the source of the sound and saw a blue pixie floating just behind the barrier.

The pixie had rounded, pale turquoise eyes that added to its overall cuteness. It was adorned in soft, silky clothing that had the appearance of blue flower petals adorned with intricately woven laces and threads made from different types of leaves. 

"Um..." The girl felt both worried and ecstatic in that moment. She was worried about possibly scaring the pixie away as well, but at the same time, she felt a sudden rush of joy and excitement at the chance to be approached by one after not having any of them come near her in the days she had been there.

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.

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, and she felt a surge of warmth and happiness coursing through her at the thought of such a gentle and 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.

Can she.. not understand me?

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.