The little girl knelt to the ground to get a closer look at the small ladybug walking up a blade of grass. Her mommy would most likely scold her for dirtying her cute sundress, but the girl would think about that later. She tilted her long-brimmed hat so it could better block the sun from her face while she watched the ladybug.

Sadly, the abrupt motion of moving her hat scared the ladybug causing it to fly away. The girl would not give up so easily and took chase after the small creature wildly swinging her bug catching net in feeble attempts to claim her desired oddity. She was struggling to keep pace with the nimble critter with her short legs.

She managed to chase the ladybug all the way to the edge of the field where it escaped into the forest. She had to stop her chase then, she wasn’t supposed to go in the forest, mommy said it was dangerous.

She stood at the edge of the field for a while simply watching the ladybug fly into the forest when it was then engulfed in a small green light. The girl squinted her eyes to see what was in that tiny luminescent ball, but she couldn’t make anything out through the painful brightness. She had to avert her eyes from the brilliance, but she could still hear it, a faint humming that was slowly coming closer.

A not so human-like squeaky voice caught the little girl’s attention. “Hiya there! I haven’t seen you before, are you new here?”

The little girl looked back to see that the green light had moved right up to just a few steps away from her, it was as close as it could be while staying in the forest. The light had dimmed now, and she could see floating in the light was a tiny human with four insect wings and a pair of antennae. The tiny human’s eyes seemed strange as well, like they belonged on some sort of bug, what was also strange was that even though this tiny human was completely naked she couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl. The little girl responded. “I’m not new I just haven’t ever been this close to the forest before. My mommy says the forest is dangerous.”

The flying human snickered in a strange way that resembled the clicking of cicadas. “That’s funny because I never left the forest since my mommy says that it’s the outside that is dangerous. Hey what’s your name? Do you want to play with me?”

The little girl liked this spontaneous friend. She appeared so whimsical and otherworldly; the glowing light probably helped with that effect. “My name is Surcease, what’s yours?”

“My names Nymph. Come on, follow me I know a really pretty place in the forest that is full of ladybugs. Like I mean full!”

Surcease took a step back, she hesitated for a bit with great apprehension on her face. “I’m not supposed to go in the forest. It’s dangerous. How about you come play with me in the field.”

Nymph pouted putting her hands on her hips and letting out a huff. “My home is not dangerous. Your field is the dangerous place.” Nymph thought for a little while. She gently tugged on one of her antennae as she pondered. Then it came to her. “How about we play a game of rock, paper, scissors! Loser has to play in the winner’s territory.”

Surcease didn’t like the idea at first, she thought that Nymph should just come over to her side and play. She eventually decided that wasn’t fair, Nymph was in the exact same position as her so it wouldn’t be nice to demand things go her way. “Okay, but only one game! No best two out of three nonsense.”

“Deal. Rock…Paper…Scissors!”

Surcease threw out scissors and simultaneously Nymph threw rock. The timing was impeccable, there was no way that anyone could claim cheating. Nymph flew in a circle and threw her hands in the air. “Yay, I win! Don’t worry the forest isn’t dangerous, and the place I want to show you isn’t even that far from the edge anyways.”

Surcease was still a little scared to go in the forest, but a promise was a promise and if all the other things in the forest were nice like Nymph then maybe there was nothing to be afraid of. Nymph grabbed onto one of Surcease’s fingers with both her hands and started tugging in the direction of the place they were going to. Nymph’s hands were so small that even using both they could hardly get a full hold of one of Surcease’s fingers.

Surcease wasn’t sure if it was rude to ask but she had to know. “Why are you so small? What are you, and are you a boy or a girl?” she had only intended on asking the one question to start off with but once her mouth began moving her curiosity took over and ran amok. Surcease winged a little at her lack of restraint, she hoped her new friend Nymph wouldn’t be too insulted.

Nymph snickered again with her strange laugh. “I’m a fairy, a spirit of the woods! And I’m quite tall for a fairy thank you very much. As for boy or girl, we fairies don’t really have stuff like that, you can just call me whichever one you want.” Nymph animatedly flew around and emphasized each of her points with overexaggerated use of body language and arm flailing.

“Wow so fairies are real! I think I’ll call you a girl since I always wanted a girl friend. And how are you supposed to be tall? My cat is way bigger than you and he’s the smallest thing I know.”

Nymph’s flying sped up and grew sporadic as she zipped around like a lost fly. “That’s not fair, cats are giants!”

Surcease tried to hide her giggles, but Nymph still noticed causing her to turn a shade redder. Her blushing was so apparent that Surcease could of sworn it tinted the green light that glowed around her. The two continued to joke and laugh as they made their way to Nymph’s special spot.

It had taken the two longer than Surcease would have expected. She sort of doubted Nymph’s claim that it was very close to the edge of the forest but none of that mattered when Surcease saw the sight before her. A large round clearing in the forest made way to an ocean of blue flowers blanketed in thousands of ladybugs nibbling and flying in magnificently coordinated waves of life. One would think that so many bugs would have picked the clearing clean long ago but no matter how much of the flowers were eaten the clearing still appeared to be completely untouched. All this blended together in an unparalleled concentration of red and blue intermingling in a beauteous dance of color and life.

Surcease was at a loss for words at the sight. She had never seen anything like this outside of the forest. It was a sight that she could never forget, she hadn’t even realized that she had let go of her bug catching net as her mind and eyes were entirely pre-occupied.

Nymph flew into the clearing to join the rest of the ladybugs. “Come on Surcease, you won’t scare them, this place is magic.”

Surcease took a cautious step forward but once she saw that the ladybugs merely cleared out of her way and continued their business she charged in rupturing into an applause of laughter. At the center of the clearing it was an infinitely more wonderous sight, a complete dome of gorgeous insects going about their lives undisturbed. The blue flowers were a little itchy rubbing against Surcease’s exposed legs and she thought that they would probably leave a rash by the time she left, but that was a small price to pay for taking part in this wonder.

Surcease and Nymph probably spent a few hours in that clearing, playing, talking, chasing bugs, picking flowers and watching them immediately grow back. It was some of the most fun that Surcease had in a long time; however, the day star was beginning to fall and she was starting to get hungry. She didn’t want to end the fun and games, but she had to turn to Nymph and say. “I’m really sorry Nymph but it’s starting to get late and mommy is probably getting worried now. I think I should head back.”

Nymph’s tremendous smile immediately fell and her entire body deflated. “Aw really? But if you stay here until night comes then you’ll be able to see the fireflies have their turn with the clearing. And if you thought the ladybugs were pretty well you haven’t seen anything yet.”

“I’m sorry Nymph but I really got to go.”

Nymph clearly wanted to retort back but gave up when they saw Surcease’s worrisome face. ” Okay fine, but promise that we’ll get to play again someday.”

Surcease’s downtrodden mood immediately lightened. “Definitely!” Surcease scratched the nape of her neck and let out an uncertain laugh. “Can you guide me back? I don’t remember which way we came from.”

Nymph responded with her own aberrant snicker. “Yeah no probs… um” Nymph slowly span in a few circles inspecting the trees of each direction. “It was this way, NO, this way! Yeah, definitely this way.”

Surcease gave Nymph a quizzical look. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah definitely! I just got a little confused because the lighting is different now but I’m back on track. It is this way, one hundred percent fairy guarantee!” Nymph leaned in closer to Surcease and shielded her lips while she quietly whispered to Surcease. “In case you didn’t know, when a fairy makes a guarantee then that is guaranteed.” The two giggled and Surcease’s concern lifted significantly.

The two started to make their way back to Surcease’s home. As they walked Surcease became less and less talkative as it got darker. She could swear that she could start to hear creatures stalking around in the night. It had become so dark that her only source of sight was the glowing green emitting from Nymph.

Surcease meekly cried out to Nymph. “Nymph I want to go home. I’m tired, and hungry, and scared.”

Nymph tried to reply with a stoic reassuring voice, but her panic was clear. “I know, I know. Don’t worry Surcease, I’ll get you back home in no time. We got a little sidetracked before, but I definitely know where we are now. We’re almost there. Everything will be alright, okay. You will be alright.”

Surcease was trying to hold back her tears; she just wanted her mommy. “I’m sorry mommy, I promise I’ll never go back in the forest again.” The tears started flowing.

Nymph squeaked out in terror. “No! no! it will be fine. I’m just really dumb, I’m sure your home is just a few steps away from here. The forest isn’t dangerous. I’ll protect you, I will get you home.” Nymph flew right in front of Surcease’s face and placed either hand on her cheeks. “I will get you home, okay?”

Surcease gave out a sniffle and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Okay.”

“Okay!” Nymph shouted chipperly. She then began to sing and dance, while continuing to guide Surcease out of the forest. “Surcease will get home in a jiffy. And talk about her new found friend who is… nifty! The dark ain’t so scary, fluffy furry monster’s no fury are in a hurry, no time to bother our pretty Surcease!” Nymph’s singing was far from poetic, but the happy jaunt did do a lot to uplift Surcease’s spirits as they continued on through the night to their destination. And they continued on, and on, and on.

Surcease’s legs were beginning to go numb, her lips dry and cracking. Her stomach was twisted in a terribly painful knot. Each step was more difficult to take than the last. The day star had returned to reveal the complete forest surrounding them in every direction. She attempted to take another step, but it refused to hold her weight and Surcease crumbled to the floor.

As soon as Nymph heard the impact she quickly turned around and flew next to Surcease shoving her cheek with her tiny hands. “Oh no, Oh no. Surcease what’s wrong!”

Surcease groaned out in a harsh strained voice. “I’m so hungry.”

“Surcease, you wait here. I’ll get you food as fast as I can, don’t move.”

Surcease’s vision was beginning to get blurry; her head was hurting, everything was hurting. Even if she wanted to move she couldn’t, her body felt incredibly heavy. Nymph was not gone for long, she returned with an assortment of juicy berries. She didn’t even wait for permission as she immediately started shoving them into Surcease’s mouth. “I know its probably not as much as what most humans have but I eat this all the time and it is super filling I promise.”

As soon as the first berry slipped passed Surcease’s weakened lips and hit her tongue she immediately lurched up and vomited onto the forest floor. If her stomach was in a knot before then now it was twisted to point of snapping apart. She didn’t stop with just one bout, her entire stomach wanted to leap out of her body. The vomit kept spewing and spewing; Surcease had never been in so much pain.

Nymph slapped her hands to the side of her head as she flew back to make way for Surcease’s wrenching. “AAAH! What’s happening? Do human’s not have a tolerance to poison?”

Surcease struggled with great difficulty to reply with a no but she kept being interrupted by this unimaginable pain and vomit. Her throat burned in acidic degradation.

Nymph was beginning to flood out a stream of tears. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know, I didn’t know. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Surcease folded back down onto the ground splashing into her own pool of puke. She had completely lost all motor control, her limbs no longer under her will. In fact, her entire sense of touch was slowly beginning to dissipate; this did not mean that she stopped feeling pain though, that was still firmly gripping her mind.

Losing one of her senses did tune her into a greater focus on her other senses and she could start to hear the prodding sniffs of a large creature directly behind her.

Nymph swooped out of sight and started shouting in between hiccups of rage and fear. “Get away from here monster! She’s with me not for you!” Nymph flew back into Surcease’s view and wiped the tears out of Surcease’s eyes so she could see better. “I’m so, so, so sorry for this Surcease. You will be fine; I can get you out of this.”

Almost on queue as an objection to Nymph’s words Surcease felt a clogging in her throat. A bubbling lock of viscous liquid stopping any air from reaching her lungs. Her body began to contort and shake against her will, a primal and desperate attempt to save herself. Small bits of vomit would sputter out of her mouth and escape but never enough to let air in.

Nymph paced in place in panic unsure what was wrong but eventually clued in and tilted Surcease’s head allowing the puke to drain out and returning her ability to breath. It wasn’t over though.

Surcease was getting cold; the day star was completely out now but Surcease was still incredibly cold. She had lost the ability to cry long ago, nor could she even manage to speak anymore. Sound, sight, smell they were all floating away to a far away place. Surcease had entirely forgotten how or why she was even here, the only things that could push through the pain and reach her mind were that her mommy was waiting for her and she needed to get back, but she couldn’t get back. She didn’t know why but she couldn’t go see mommy. Her breath was slowing. It was a strange feeling, it didn’t quite feel like pain anymore, it was, but it felt different, her mind and her body experiencing different things. The gap in between breaths became so long she wasn’t sure when the next one would-

Nymph shoved Surcease as hard as she could over and over again. “Surcease! Surcease! Don’t leave me, don’t go!” No response. Nymph was practically blinded by the waterfall of tears she created, her entire body trembling in horror. She flew right next to Surcease’s nose and placed her hand underneath a nostril, no airflow. Surcease was dead.

Finally detached from her failed body Surcease’s soul slowly rose out from within it catching Nymph’s sight.

Nymph froze completely still. She wasn’t trembling anymore; she wasn’t crying anymore. She was completely still. Eventually she managed to mumble out a faint few words to no one. “Jeez finally, took her long enough.”

Nymph wiped the tears out of her eyes and slapped her cheeks a few times to snap out of her acting. “Why couldn’t you just eat the berries and die. NOooooo, you had to spit it out and puke all over the place. Look how gross you are now. Stupid brat.” Nymph swung her foot kicking the lifeless corpse as hard as she could.

Nymph flew over to Surcease’s soul and firmly clenched on to it to prevent it from sinking too deep in the soul sea. “Oh no, you don’t get to leave just that easy.” The soul wiggled and squirmed in feeble attempts to break free of the fairy’s powerful grip

Nymph flew over to Surcease’s lower lip as she continued to speak out to the soul. “You know you were really persistent. I should have guessed you had some kind of poison immunity when those blue flowers only gave you a mild rash. That weird trait of yours better not make you taste bad.“

With a seemingly newfound strength, Nymph nonchalantly tore off Surcease’s lower lip and began to chew. Nymph couldn’t help but vibrate in ecstasy. “All is forgiven! Oh man, oh wow. Mmm. You know, lower lips had always been my favorite but yours. Now this is good stuff.” Surcease’s flailing soul doubled in its desperate efforts to escape, but Nymph held on with that same unimaginable strength.

Nymph continued to fly around and collect her favorite cuts of the child sharing in mortifying detail the exact taste and specificities of why those were her favorite to the empty forest air. Surcease’s soul gave up on any thought of escape, it tried its best to avoid the gruesome sight of her own dissection. The soul had no eyes to close it simply was aware of its surroundings and so Surcease was forced to watch. Nymph had finally collected all of the cuts she wanted and gathered them together in a hollowed out lung which she held with her free hand.

Nymph backed off from the corpse relinquishing the rest to the anticipating wildlife. Nymph flew in front of a familiar sounding creature. “No way buddy, what were you thinking trying to steal a bite before I finished killing her? As punishment you don’t get any! You know what. You guys all pissed me off. You know she could hear you all following us. A bunch of amateurs. Usually I leave the liver to you guys because I’m nice, but with the way you all been acting you don’t deserve it.”

Nymph punched her tiny arm easily piercing through the soft flesh of the dead child and pulled out a large healthy liver. “This is why children are the best! Look at the quality of that.” Nymph excitedly stuffed the liver into the lung causing the lung to bulge out practically stuffed beyond capacity.

Nymph finally locked eyes with the trembling soul. Nymph’s mouth morphed into a tremendous smile as she snickered in her usual disturbing way and addressed Surcease directly for the first time since her death. “Hiya Surcease! I had a ton of fun playing with you the past two days. Seriously no joke, it was a blast, and you tasted great by the way. But it was a bit of a jerk move puking all over yourself before I had my share. If you did it for the other’s I wouldn’t care, but to do it to your best friend Nymph, not cool. So anyways, I’m going to eat you for that.”

Nymph ate the soul. It had been so long since she ate a tormented soul that she forgot how exquisite they were. That soft and warm taste, how it just smoothly rolls down the throat. Truly a great delicacy.

Nymph’s wonderful feast was then rudely interrupted by the chime of a bell. In front of Nymph there was what seemed to be a small pink rhombus, or it was a rhombus, but its body would reject any stable state. It would shift and transform, shrink and grow, continuously morphing into other shapes. The pink shape finally locked into a form resembling that of a featureless human with only one limb. The arm was outstretched towards Nymph holding a glowing parchment: it read.

You have been invited to The Tournament You are The Fairy