Caeli woke and leisurely stretched. She slowly opened her eyes and realized that it was still night.
The moon hung heavily in the sky.
"I wonder what time it is.", she said out loud to herself. How long had she been asleep?
She sat up and looked around.
Her body flashed with cold and sweat.
The cottage was gone. It was no where in sight.
Caeli quickly scrambled to her feet and spun in circles, rapidly trying to rationalize the situation. She must of gotten disoriented in her sleep and lost her bearings.
But she was still at the ponds edge.
She continued to search but the valley was empty.
As she looked closer she realized the surrounding area had changed. The pond was larger than before and with more overgrowth of water loving plants. Cats tails and high grass grew thickly along portions of the ponds edge. Large lily pads floated close to the banks of the pond supporting large dragonfly's and illuminating bugs as they flitted back and forth.
The trees here were thicker, there were more of them and much larger. Older.
As she scanned the tree line Caeli noticed the slightest movement.
"Who's there?.", Caeli rasped out loud. Whatever this was it was sure to be the work of a Folk. Hopefully they'd be willing to talk, she wasn't sure at this moment what she'd be able to do if they weren't.
After Brego had done his reconnaissance, she had thought it safe enough to leave her weapons in the cottage along with the rest of her vital materials.
Fool.
She swallowed hard and clenched her fists, fear coursing through her and telling every part of her body to escape. Running might trigger the creature lurking in the shadows and without seeing what it was, she couldn't be sure that she could outrun it.
She slowed her breathing to the best of her ability, attempting to do so without making any sound.
Another movement.
Then came a voice that made her skin go ice cold. Deep and ethereal, Caeli had never heard anything like it before. It sounded like it was in pain.
"Please don't be frightened.", she heard it say haltingly and seemingly with difficulty. Each word strangled from a long-unused throat.
Slowly something moved towards her.
From the shadows a monstrous skeleton came forward. It was seemingly attached to the dark behind it, made of what looked like living shadows. It's body in the shape of a large four-legged animal, it's massive size shocking. The creature surely was as tall as Brego, but it's body was shaped like a sleek panther similar to the ones she'd seen in books. A long tail of shadow slowly swayed back and forth.
Caeli's breathe caught in her throat and she frantically tried swallowing it in order to breathe again. She stayed completely still, internally fighting for her life in a battle against her fear. It felt as though she was struggling to keep her head above the consuming waters of terror. Gulping for air and flailing.
The closer the creature got the more detail she could see. It was slowly making its way to her and by now was in the full light of the moon.
The skull was that of a dragon's.
Or rather the creatures head resembled that of a dragon.
Caeli had read countless stories about dragons. They were considered the most powerful magical beings in the entirety of existence and the fascination associated with this fact meant that many people used it as a topic for discussion.
The dragons were know to possess powers that only came second to a gods and goddesses. Stories of dragons with the ability to bring the dead back to life, to destroy entire civilizations, but also with the ability to create them. Caeli recalled a book she had read about an ancient group of people who were born from an alliance between a dragon and a human. The people were said to possess extraordinary powers.
It was no wonder that Caeli had no end of material to consume when it came to the dragons. Much of it seemed like speculation, fairy tales to scare children. Despite that, she had been able to find a book based on the anatomy of dragons, drawings of their remains and information on their colors and how their bodies possibly worked. Of course all of this was speculation pieced together with rare facts discovered across the world.
What she saw in front of her was the drawings brought to life. Sharp and jagged lines that formed horns sprouted from the crown of the head, some along the cheek bones. The snout of the skull was long and the jaw was missing.
Devoid of skin the skeleton looked lifeless aside from the two red orbs that floated in the eye sockets of the creature. Two orbs that were fixed directly on her.
It was now only a few feet away.
Riddled with panic, Caeli took a lunge backwards. What would she do if it attacked her? What could she do? Her weapons sat silently in a house that she no longer could find. She possessed no usable magic and this creatures stride would allow it to catch her in one leap.
She was trapped.
"Please. Please don't be afraid.", she heard the creature say. It's voice monotone and echoing itself.
She stopped. It took her a moment to process what it had said.
"Why are you here?", she whispered, her throat dry. If it was willing to speak, whether it were lies or illusions, this was her only chance to survive the situation.
The beast cocked its head to the side and the red orbs floating in its sockets looked to the left, then down at the ground.
"You.", it said shortly.
This shocked Caeli slightly, she had figured she might be a meal, but she had thought the same of her companions as well.
Her companions.
"Where are my friends? There was a gelding, and a gold snake. Please don't hurt them.", she felt her eyes sting at the thought of them being in danger because of her.
"No, no.", it responded quickly, taking a step forward.
Caeli carefully took a step backward. The creatures sudden movement causing her to react.
*Goddess damn it, get a hold of yourself Caeli.*, she thought to herself. If she couldn't remain calm, she may inadvertently trigger the creature to attack.
"They're safe. Sleeping. Dreaming. Somewhere else, just not here.", the creature said slowly. It spoke as though it was difficult to form the words, or perhaps it was searching for the right words.
Caeli tried to think quickly. If the beast was telling the truth, it likely meant that it did not mean her friends harm. The way it spoke made her wonder if it was confused. Or perhaps recently acquired the ability to speak. If someone with great power had named the creature recently, it would explain why it seemed as though it needed time to form its thoughts into spoken words.
But if the creature was lying, her friends were likely dead. There was no doubt in her mind that she would be next.
"Can you-you please tell me what is happening?", she asked politely, struggling to keep the fear and worry out of her voice. The last thing she wanted to do was offend the beast. She had no ground to stand on if she made rude demands.
"Afraid?", the creature asked, as if trying to discern her emotions. "Please don't be frightened.", the beast said again. It seemed like the only sentence it could say with ease. How many times had the creature said this to others? Caeli felt a chill run down her spine.
"Please, I just want to be on my way. My friends and I didn't mean to trespass, we were just hoping to rest for a few days before moving on.", Caeli said softly slowly lifting her hands in the air, hoping to show the creature that she meant no harm.
Suddenly a tendril shot quickly from the creatures back and touched her forehead. So quickly Caeli didn't have time to react.
She fell unconscious and slumped to the ground.
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As the creature had gotten closer to the woman it's intelligence continued to increase, its desire to be near her driving it towards her despite the fear that was so obviously radiating off of her body.
"Where are my friends? There was a gelding, and a gold snake. Please. Please don't hurt them.", the woman said.
This was not going well, the creature said to itself. It's heart dropped. Her fear was palpable, it was changing the magic that was flowing out of her body. The look on her face wrenched at its heart.
This was the last thing it had wanted.
Her eyes wide and glistening in the moonlight were spellbinding. Her hair stuck to her face and neck in wet sparkling caresses made her look like a water spirit.
*Dammit, if only I could speak the way I could think but I have not consumed enough magic to be restored to my normal capabilities.* It thought to itself. Speaking was still difficult, even if it's thoughts were clear and intelligent.
"No, no. They're safe. Sleeping. Dreaming. Somewhere else, just not here.", the creature said slowly.
*Dammit it*, the creature cursed itself. *I sound like an imbecile.* It surely wasn't making the situation any better.
It could hear her heart pounding in her chest. It was like a small birds wings beating frantically against the bars of a cage.
The creature was attempting to focus but it couldn't stop from being mesmerized at the sight of her. Weeks ago, the creature could not of imagined in its wildest dreams the fairy like woman it would encounter today. Her hair was wild, strands escaping the loose braid that fell down her back. Fear and panic caused her skin to radiate heat and warmth, flushing her face. Her rich brown eyes threatening to swallow the beast in their endlessness. What would it be like to drown in those mahogany depths and never to think of this existence again?
The creatures heart felt heavier and heavier as it thought to itself.
Suddenly it realized the woman had spoken.
"Afraid? Please don't be frightened.", the beast said again.
*Saying the same thing over and over again isn't going to bring her comfort you fool*, the creature told itself.
"Please, I just want to be on my way. My friends and I didn't mean to trespass, we were just hoping to rest for a few days before moving on.", she said her voice quiet but strong.
*Her fear is so potent and yet she has a will of iron.*, the creature thought affectionately. The poor child was likely fighting every instinct to be standing here in this moment.
It had to do something.
*Perhaps, let's start over.*
The creature quickly reached a shadow out to the woman and touched her forehead. As she began to fall, the creature quickly caught her in its shadowy extremities.
The creature became statue still.
It could feel the warmth that her body emitted through the sensory of its extended shadowy limbs. Her body was light but strong, she smelled of fresh grass and sweet mint.
*What is she?*, it asked itself. She looked, human, but she felt other. She was a summer day embodied. Strong and brilliant, she had to be some sort of Fae. There was no other explanation.
The creature moved closer as it gently laid her on the ground.
*When she wakes, I will be better at speaking. Perhaps things will go a little more smoothly.*, it thought to itself.
The creature laid next to the woman and used a shadowy tendril to gently cradle the woman against its side. Curling into a ball around her, the creature laid its head down to be able to see her.
"Please don't be frightened.", it said again in an echoing whisper, the voice still low and ethereal but carrying the deep notes of a male voice.
He would watch, he would wait, and when she woke, he would be ready to speak to her appropriately.
And he would tell her how much she's changed his life.
He only hoped it would be enough.
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