Essairyn shot awake, gasping from the sensation of being skinned alive. No, a dream? She clutched her reeling head and staggered to her feet. Still inside the fairy settlement, her eyes warily flicked about. Everything appeared normal as the fairies went about their business as if a human hadn’t just been zonked out in the middle of the street. How did I fall asleep? A sudden urge to escape fluctuated through her, compelling her feet to run without second thought to why she hadn’t registered her fatigue earlier.

Am I overreacting again? Tiny clothes scattered from drying lines, and flower pots tottered and tipped from the breeze of her sprint. She didn’t see D’yrwin or Liukell anywhere, making her feel as if she had imagined the entire conversation. More importantly, Essairyn couldn’t believe she let herself be so vulnerable in front of creatures she had just met after the violent encounter with the demon beast, bælukos. As friendly as the faelytes appeared, she couldn’t be certain of their sincerity. Then again, perhaps my first error was not running away immediately… But she knew that no matter how terrifying her first experience with a creature of this world was, she couldn’t negate her overwhelming curiosity and penchant for anything magical.

However, Essairyn knew that she had to curb those tendencies and stifle the desire to explore if she wanted to survive and learn the truth of her sudden existence here. This was no utopia of her fantastical imaginations but a beautiful nightmare.

Crashing through the branched road, Essairyn busted outside of the continuous sprawl of fairy houses. She landed on a branch and jumped far away, taking care to not jump any higher and encounter the faelytes again. Despite her blunders and overactive imagination fearing the worst, she had to steel herself now and play safe.

But what time is it? The forest was noticeably darker than before. I couldn’t have possibly slept for that long, could I?! A wave of alarm flared in her stomach. Whatever happened, I’m still alive and well. I don’t feel any different, but I definitely need food, water, and somewhere safe before passing out. However… Essairyn grimaced. Easier said than done. Where exactly am I supposed to sleep without being attacked and eaten?!

Halting her jumping, she surveyed her surroundings. No matter where she went, the forest looked roughly the same despite some unique patches of foliage here and there. But she considered that might be due to her lack of exploration and knowledge. If only I knew where this Spirit and Demon Forest was and a more…hospital settlement for…a human. Can’t believe there would come a day where I would say ‘for a human.’

Essairyn sighed and peered above, wondering how to safely reach a higher perch. But she would have to put that on hold. Dusk was quickly falling, and the animals below were busy returning home. Seeing this, melancholy drifted across her gaze, and she clenched her hands.

Turning her eyes away, she leapt in search of a temporary lodging. While many creatures lived in the trees, they were generally smaller than those below. So Essairyn decided that higher ground was the safer bet.

In her search, she stumbled upon some fruit trees. Spying various creatures chow down on the coral colored fruit splashed with yellow, Essairyn decided to give it a taste. Gingerly plucking the oval fruit from a nearby cluster, she sniffed it before taking a careful bite. The rind was chewy and somewhat sour, but as a whole along with the apricot colored flesh, the fruit was rather mellow and refreshing. And before she knew it, she had gulped down three.

Patting her belly in satisfaction, Essairyn was delighted to have found a food source that was also hydrating. Observing the animals was definitely the way to go with the hope that none were poisonous for only humans. Though, she hoped she wouldn’t have to stay long enough to become an expert.

What to do with these nuts? She rolled two ping-pong sized balls in her palm. Some lime green squirrels with tawny spots had stashed away leftover nuts from other animals. She had watched one crack a nut open with its buck teeth and nibble on the softer kernel inside. Essairyn attempted the same, first by striking it on bark, and then with magic when that didn’t work, but she found that the inside was hardly chewable. Maybe roasting them would work? …If I can figure out how to start a fire.

She laughed softly to herself, remembering a summer camp she had once attended as a child. Though she had never camped out in the wilderness inside a tent, the wood lodgings and outdoor activities offered were one of the few highlights of her youth. Back then, she had been so courageous and ebullient, gaining bruises on a daily basis from romps and balancing acts in higher places, limitless valiance and confidence in everything she tackled––a sharp contrast to her older teenage and now early adult years.

But maybe I’m still brave? She chuckled, thinking of her fight with the demon beast. Though not by choice, if I’m being truly honest. Standing up, Essairyn jumped and snapped nearby branches before heading back to her chosen spot on a thick bough, a short distance from the fruit-bearing trees. Drilling two holes above her with magic, she jabbed in the ends of the leafy branches like tent flaps. Sitting down in the middle with a third branch resting by her feet, she gazed up at the various colored bobbing lights that twinkled pleasantly through the uppermost canopy. Fragile, ethereal, free.

Pulling her legs in, she rested her head between her knees. From above her crossed arms, she watched the fantastical creatures below flaunting vivid and unnatural colors scamper, trot, and amble through swathes of silky sapphire blue ferns and undergrowth that shimmered like crystals. A herd of luminescent antelope with silver eyes, sleek ears, branched horns, and spindly legs foraged peacefully. A rustle and shadow bursting out, and they darted away, white streaks against taupe hides flashing in the falling night. Essairyn tugged the third branch and balanced it on top of the others. Gentle twitters and resonant coos from distant birds sang Essairyn’s umber eyes shut.

The next morning, Essairyn was greeted by a dozen or so pair of eyes peering curiously at her through the makeshift cover of leaves. Startled, she flapped upward onto her feet, toppling the leafy shield to the forest floor in the process of her rude awakening. The inquisitive animals jolted away, leaving Essairyn panting while trying to fully wake in the subsiding dawn.

She had survived the night. Initially, Essairyn thought it would be a fitful sleep, but her mental and physical exhaustion proved to be the best pill. But, she still needed to make a safer lodging and not simply bank on luck that no animal had bothered her. And before that, she needed to figure out the location of the Spirit and Demon Forest from the rest of the world nearby.

So, she decided to climb above the fruit trees after speculating that the fairy settlement didn’t extend to this area. Proving her guess right, Essairyn shimmied up the last stretch of tree, hanging onto other extending branches to keep balance. Barely able to stick her head past the top, all she saw were more trees as far as the eye could see. Internally face-palming, Essairyn lightly chastised herself for what exactly she was expecting to see in a dense forest.

Disappointed, she slunk down, nearly missing the one tree towering above the rest from the corner of her left eye. Ah! That’s it! She cheered inside. If I go there, I should be able to see just how big this forest is and where to go from there. This forest can’t possibly extend forever. With a goal in place, Essairyn’s restlessness quelled a degree, and she immediately set off for the enormous tree dome.

In order to conserve energy, Essairyn decided to risk traveling on the ground. She was certain that her body had been running on overload from all the jumping yesterday. But due to her survival instinct, the weariness didn’t set in until her body subconsciously felt safer. Additionally, she still felt a bit achy despite all her injuries having healed on the surface. She also wanted to practice her magic control more, but experimenting what other shapes she could make was a last priority.

After plucking more fruit for the trip and surveying the area from her perch, she descended to the forest floor. Cautiously, she proceeded forward and built up speed as she grew used to hopping over tree roots and picking through brush. On the way, she ripped off a section of a palm leaf larger than her body to wrap the fruit, and some fibers to tie the bundle.

Several minutes later, Essairyn entered a small glade flush with vibrant flowers. A huge boulder blanketed in moss and silvery grasses intermixed with tiny rose and cerise colored blooms laid near the center. The way the light hit the flora-veiled boulder was distinctly striking. It was as if light danced above, casting glimmering flecks beyond the boulder’s borders. Bewitched, she approached and waved a hand airily in the frolicking light, watching it coruscate. Letting her hand fall, she touched the soft blossoms and glided her fingers through the satiny grass.

Instantly, the rock quivered, causing Essairyn to recoil backwards on her behind and drop her bundle. The rock leisurely emerged out of the soil and stood on four legs, scattering downy white plant tufts in its wake. The girl blinked. In front stood a colossal wolf, even larger than the bælukos she had fought. Despite its gorgeous appearance with plants growing all over its silvery white fur, she could only focus on its towering figure and monstrous maw just a mere snap away from her horrified face.

I’m so screwed. While Essairyn repeated this multiple times over in her stunned terror, the wolf gazed indolently at her from the corners of its emerald edged, golden eyes. A low rumble from the wolf’s throat shook her eardrums down to her toes, giving her rise to dash away. But before she moved out of attack range, the wolf began ambling into the forest depths out of sight.

Still in shock, though markedly relieved, Essairyn sat beside the exposed mat of flattened grass where the wolf had rested. Lifting a tremulous hand to her drumming heart, she exhaled deeply, cooling the blood pumping frenetically through her body. She squeezed her eyes in chaotic fervor. This sound… She couldn’t deny she was alive and awake no matter how much she wished for her vision to dim and open to a familiar ceiling or the city of her last memory.

Flitting near her right cheek snapped Essairyn out of her momentary daze. Startled, she came face to face with a dragonfly. A real dragonfly. This was no insect, but rather, it was a small, elongated dragon with iridescent scales of jade and shamrock green. Its triangular tail blades flashed shades of blue outlined in rich periwinkle which matched its wing color. The belly and head were celadon, and the creature examined the girl with curious, ocean blue eyes. She couldn’t help but appreciate the exquisite cuteness of the tiny dragon.

“Piii rawarr~! Pii Pii!”

Dreams were silent. A bittersweet smile tore her face. She wasn’t ever going to wake up. Her eyes quivered with thick emotion. Like she was speaking for the first time ever, her throat croaked out a greeting.

“Hey little one.” She tentatively stretched out her right hand to the creature. The little dragon stared at her hand for a quick second before seeming to smile and plop itself merrily on her palm, evoking a fluttering smile from the girl.

“Are you trying to cheer me up?” Her broadening smile softened. “Thanks…”

They gazed into each others’ eyes, the dragonfly tilting its head inquisitively. She could feel the tickling warmth of its belly and softly beating heart. Their transient connection lasted a few moments before the creature fluttered away into the brush.

But the girl remained in the same position, staring at her palm quietly. Just as the last of the dragon’s warmth left her hand, she brushed herself off and stood up, tucking her bundle under an arm. Turning around in one place, she peered at her surroundings again with an unfathomable gaze.

No time for tears.

If she didn’t press on and ignore the bubbling emotions, then only one fate awaited her. Striding through the glade of flowers, Essairyn picked up speed until she was running too fast to face the smothered feelings. Onward she raced, almost flying across the land and hurling her bundle into the woods.

Don’t think. Don’t think.

Emptiness echoed. Her breath flowed with the beat of her heart. Scattering animals and verdant pillars whistled by Essairyn’s desperation escape.

Why? Why couldn’t she stop the tears? I can’t see. The faces she had known and loved for years. Please… Please let me see… The forest opened up into a circular field. She had reached her destination. But not the one she wanted.

Tripping in the knee-high grass, she stumbled to her hands and feet, sinking lower. Her fists pounded the earth, gripped the stalks until they bled green. A silent wail hung in the empty space. Unhinged laughter followed the mire of emotions that poured relentlessly. And the worst of all was guilt. For having broken free of the chains into a world she had always daydreamed. No more having to live like a zombie fettered in the shackles of monetary survival. No more waking up early, going to bed late, sleepless nights of cramming academics alongside a dead-end job used only for paying overpriced tuition for a degree that everyday she increasingly felt like giving up in return for an unstable but possible happier career as a painter.

Did another version of her return home? Or would her parents suffer for her selfishness? All the societal expectations and goals that made a future predictable and secure at the cost of individualism. As much as she blamed her circumstances, how could she make excuses when she was simply not brave enough to struggle against the current. It was herself––the only person that could hold her back. And now, alone and free, she could only face herself.

Short of breath, she flopped backward. Isn’t this what you wanted? She chuckled hollowly with a hysterical trace. Throughout her mundane living, she had tried to regain that missing sense of wonder from her childhood. To keep that magical outlook in order to persevere and continue viewing life through a window tinted with the optimism of limitlessness.

But glass tarnishes, it shatters. Her hands reached for the luxuriant branches sprawling the skies, feeling as far away as clouds. Reality came knocking when she had least expected it and stripped everything down its naked core. From that day, her living was only a facade for an empty shell that was no longer interested in the world. The cracked looking glass lost its luster.

This magical world appeared to be an amalgam of all the beloved stories, games, and movies that charmed her. From novels to animations that riveted her attentive imagination, these indulgences provided a temporary escape from reality and responsibility. They were a return to her childhood when time was timeless, and she was free to create her own destiny. Hope was real, and the future seemed full of endless possibilities. It was every kid’s dream to be an astronaut, a singer, an engineer, an artist, a detective, a teacher, a movie star, a doctor, a scientist, a writer. The hero.

The heroine.

But time wears on, and reality roots in. Soon enough, children find themselves adults, carrying on with life repeating continuously with few interludes. The day that used to be full of adventure and exploration became ordinary and monotonous. The wonder of the world was gone; expectations lowered; it became a cycle. No matter what changed, faithfully, the cycle restored itself in a new, but insipid, familiar form.

This was not that world.

It was not her world. But she could make it her world. She could choose to live. But she could also choose to find a way back home. There was nothing wrong with living an ordinary life. Everything was wrong with living an ordinary life. She couldn’t deny the torment that suffocatingly writhed in her core. This wasn’t her. This wasn’t it. She didn’t know whether she would be able to find it here. But she wanted to try. She wanted to live.

Yet, her guilt inhibited the optimistic desire to leave everything behind and start anew. Would she be selfish and callous for abandoning her responsibilities and loved ones? Was it so wrong to be a coward and villain? Was it wrong to put herself first? To embrace this opportunity and create a life and become a person that she could love? Faced with a new reality, she also had to face herself and the deep-seated desires she carefully stowed away. This was the ugly side of her, that one that would rather choose the world of her dreams than stay with her family and friends if given the choice.

However, was this the world of her dreams? From the magical sights and experiences in this forest so far, it appeared it may––as long as she survived. Exhaling slowly, she emptied her mind. The answer was clear. Essairyn determined to live a new existence.

CRASH!! She shot up, detecting rapid movement accelerating behind her in the forest. But she saw no visible activity. Perplexed, she stared deep into the woods. Then abruptly, from behind a rustle of foliage, a small fox-like creature manifested itself, sprinting toward the prodigious center tree. With large hazel eyes and ears, a small biscuit colored body, white-tipped paws and tails, the animal was exceedingly adorable. But hardly had this thought appeared in Essairyn’s mind when right on the fox’s fluffy twin tails, a gargantuan beast sprang out in pursuit.

Seemingly made of shadow, the all-black beast was almost as large as the fake-boulder wolf from earlier. It appeared to be a demonic bear with large pointed ears and shaggy fur that tapered into wisps. And as it moved, the tips of its fur dispersed into the air, leaving a trail of smoky tendrils in its wake.

Wait, wait… Essairyn shrieked soundlessly and began dashing perpendicular to their path. WHY ARE YOU ARE COMING OVER HERE?!?!

Tearing after the fox, the shadowy beast passed far too close to the girl for comfort. Essairyn gawked vacantly at the dusty, black tendrils that blew inches just from her face.

You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m having a serious moment here, and now another terrifying demonic––though luckily I’m not its target this time––monster is here?! Essairyn just about had enough of all the jump-scares. Can’t a girl get some peace to cry her eyes out?! Peeved and mentally cursing everything, she hastened away while keeping an eye on them.

Despite its short legs and illogical speediness, the larger monster still outpaced the fox, nearly reaching it before they arrived near the base of the tree. As soon as they reached the buttress roots, however, the smaller creature deftly evaded the bulkier monster by dipping in-between and under the roots.

Frustrated, the monster stepped back, trying to follow the fox’s movement through the grass-dense root cubbies. Sensing an escape out the back, the beast leapt, poised to rush at the now exposed animal. Rearing up on its hind-legs, the monster lurched towards the fox.

Clink! A sliver of lavender light knocked against the demonic bear’s claws, causing it to narrowly miss clipping the small animal. The fox scampered away as the beast plummeted flat on its chin and belly. The monster laid still on the roots as it processed what transpired. But the offender had already bolted a fair distance away.

Yet this didn’t stop the enraged beast from whipping its head around, chasing the retreating magic sliver, and locking eyes with the girl who turned her head back to peek. Feeling as if her soul had departed from the crimson eyes boring into her, she accelerated and jumped to the safety of the trees.

Seeing this, the demonic bear roared in displeasure and battered the trunk of the tree where the girl had landed on a bough. So, Essairyn leapt into another tree and as expected, it followed. Well, at least it can’t climb or jump up here too. But while that made her relieved, it still wasn’t an optimal situation. Initially, she had hoped that her small interference would only distract it momentarily for the fox to get away, but the beast would continue chasing it.

However, after ignoring her the first time, it surprisingly switched targets despite her being farther away than the fox. Sighing as the demonic bear continued pummeling the tree trunk, she twirled the magic around her fingers. Will I be able to aim and control well from this distance? Essairyn wasn’t keen on repeating the same maneuvers as yesterday against a much larger foe. She wasn’t even sure if that attack would work considering its more flexible forepaws that could reach her first.

Deciding to take ample time to brainstorm a less risky solution, she tried expanding her mass of magic. But the larger it swelled, the tricker it was to maintain a flexible control. She wasn’t able to send it flying or swirling as quickly or forcefully as the small curve she employed against the bælukos.

However, her experimentation proved worthwhile, for Essairyn developed a deeper grasp of her magical abilities. In due time, she believed she could form larger objects and wield them just as skillfully. But putting further testing on halt, she devised a plan based on her current capabilities. She couldn’t control magic of any size aptly enough from this distance to the bear. It could easily dodge or swat her magic away. But fighting close combat was not an option. Essairyn also didn’t think her heart could take the pressure and fright from a beast that could swallow her whole. That meant she had to outsmart it somehow.

Spitting her magic into tiny projectiles, she lightly waved them back and forth. While she wouldn't be able to navigate them freely in the air at this distance from the monster, applying force in a single direction would work. But the splinters would only feel like puncture wounds at best to the large beast. So, she tried exploding one splinter.

Pop! She jerked her face back in welcome surprise. Though still an inconsequential blast, if she pelted the bear with a multitude, it could be a decent attack. Concentrating, she hurriedly crafted more magic splinters. Essairyn wasn’t magically capable enough to pitch them all at once, but she could create many and set them aside like ammo.

Still unsatisfied, Essairyn focused on creating a new shape, a long point like a primitive spear. She gripped the solid yet lightweight object and ran through multiple scenarios in her mind. As much as she’d like to test her new weapons out before applying them in battle, Essairyn didn’t want to chance the demonic bear figuring out her plan of attack. Her experimentation in the limited space of the treetops, hidden from ground view, was the best she could do for now.

Glancing down, she saw that the beast had already whacked away nearly a quarter of the trunk’s girth. Considering the tree’s sheer size, it was an intimidating sight. Exhaling slowly, Essairyn composed herself and readied her first batch of splinters. Here goes nothing.

Zing! Crackle! All shots successfully landed, and the demonic bear roared in aggravation at the girl who immediately sent more. Swatting incoming wave after wave, the beast soon felt infuriated. While the tiny fragments barely hurt upon initial impact, their explosions painfully sizzled its hide. It wasn’t sure how long this pesky human could continue the barrage, but it knew that sustained attrition could be deadly. Never before had the beast encountered such annoying magic that stung this sharply. Not even spirit magic hurt this much.

Deciding that it was a mistake to chase the human, the beast turned tail. But no sooner had it turned that it found a spear lodged through its back. Frozen in place from shock, the demonic bear felt an unnatural wind approaching with a whisper at its helm.

“Ignite.”

And the spear detonated. Shatters of lavender light sliced from the inside out. Screeching, the demonic bear writhed as its body distended. Its eyes radiated a garish scarlet and leaked out in tendrils just like its now shadowy fur. It was as if the beast was creating a black tornado with trailing threads of blood.

Alarmed, Essairyn promptly prepared to leap away after landing nearby. She hadn’t expected this reaction from what appeared to be a successful spear throw and vault off tree attack. But before she could jump, the demonic bear’s figure began dispersing into drifting black billows. As the smoky clouds began dissipating into the air, a low voice rumbled desolately.

“Sal myo.”

The girl’s face winked in perplexity. This beast had also tried speaking to her? But this time, the words were distinguishable, though still not intelligible.

As the black masses finally disappeared, something also black caught her eye in the grass. It was a large claw, possibly leftover from the demonic bear. She picked it up and rotated it with her fingers; it was nearly the size of her palm. Essairyn was momentarily puzzled why it hadn’t dissipated like the rest of the body.

Although, for that matter, why had this beast disappeared unlike the first slain? She wondered if it had anything to do with its strange last second transformation. Her intuition told her that she might have been in serious trouble if the bear had succeeded. That was the sense that triggered her flight reaction after witnessing the enraged monster. But rather than dwelling too deeply upon it, Essairyn stashed the claw in her back pocket and returned to her original purpose of using the tallest tree in the forest as a watchtower.

Upon reaching the base of the ancient looking colossus, she peered up at the unscalable trunk. Jumping to the lowest bough was not an option as it was literally the height of a skyscraper. And jumping from nearby trees was impossible too from how the canopy peripheries met. Stumped, Essairyn sat cross-legged on one of its smallest roots which was still picnic table wide.

Is it possible to fly up…? Anticipation sparked furiously within Essairyn at the thought. Considering she could make her magic fly, then it might be possible for herself too. Exhilarated by the idea, she began testing her theory. But she quickly learned that flying wasn’t as effortless as it appeared in movies.

As I had suspected… She sighed. Unless her body continually moved through the air, she would gradually sink. And the more she practiced moving through the air, the longer she was able to stay afloat in one place. Just like first learning how to walk, flying and hovering were movements that had to be practiced before they became natural. While she enjoyed the feeling of walking through air, it was definitely a slow, time-consuming process and steep learning curve. So Essairyn racked her brain for another idea.

A flying disc? Another fantasy movie depiction of flight presented itself. Since I’ll be in contact with the object, I should be able to control it to fly, right? Essairyn furrowed her brows in concentration and slowly waved her hand in a large circle, creating a hovering, lavender colored disk. Flicking her finger down, the disk followed and moved to a stair-step height before her. She placed a foot expectantly on the disk, and to her satisfaction, it sturdily held her weight. But as soon as both feet landed on the surface, it emanated a bright light that reached up to her knees.

Cringing from momentarily being blinded, she squinted as the gleam gradually faded. In the place of a solid colored disk, a transparent disk with two lavender outlined circles and triangles floated in its place. The four shapes were centered on the disk with the triangles forming a star inside the two circles. Strange letters revolved in between the two circles.

A magic circle!? The ludicrous thought enchanted and echoed within Essairyn’s mind. Examining the foreign lettering on the circle, she wondered if she had unknowingly cast a spell. Even though, she hadn’t thought of any particular command at the moment she stepped. I’m definitely no wizard, that’s for sure. She bent down at eye level with the revolving letters, attempting to decipher them but forgone after a minute. If this was the native language, she would eventually learn it.

But on that notion, Essairyn suddenly realized that she had understood the faelyte’s speech. Questioning why she could comprehend their speech wasn’t even a thought back then. And yet, both of the beasts had tried communicating with her but with no such immediate understanding. Shaking her head, she decided to also put this aside for now. When she came across her own race, then answers would follow naturally.

Focusing her mind, she willed the magic circle to move upwards. The circle glowed briefly before rising swiftly but steadily into the treetops. A growing smile played across Essairyn’s face as she adeptly maneuvered the disk through the branches. She might’ve not been able fly on her own easily, but with the help of the magic circle, she was able to soar through the air effortlessly. I didn’t even need to come all the way here if I learned about this earlier! But making a lodging in the highest place was still necessary, so her journey was not in vain.

At the top, a brusque breeze billowed through her ebony locks. Rolling grasslands, misty mountains, and scattered woods laid beyond the fringes of the Spirit and Demon Forest. Distant villages dotted the near distance along raggedy roads marked by large cities like a rough game of connect the dots. A glowing metropolis spanned the horizon on the upper right while a gleaming ice fog enveloped the horizon on the left. The whole landscape seemed to come straight out of a fairytale, to a time when green expanses were plentiful and life was still charming.

Turning on her heel, Essairyn was met with sweeping woodland. Despite her tall vantage point, the sheer height and scale of the trees covered almost the entire horizon on this side. The only other detail she could make out at the edge of the horizon was a circular formation that looked to be some kind of megacity. But the dense mist shrouding it prevented further examination. Regardless, Essairyn was satisfied knowing that her distance vision was far more improved than she had realized within the confines of the forest.

A sense of exploration welled up inside her, and she drew in a deep breath of the invigorating air, the coolness quickly evaporating inside her chest. The breeze buffeted her chiffon blouse and slightly chilled her exposed forearms. It was then she shockingly registered that she felt no warmth from the sun.

Whipping her head up, she surveyed the skies for a light source and found none. The azure itself seemed to illuminate the landscape. Essairyn wondered if this was another dimension outside of her solar system, possibly even her universe. The thought spooked her somewhat, but it was also incredibly fascinating. It made her deeply question science and existence of life in general. There was still so much that man didn’t know about, but it was likely that at least for those on Earth, they may never know unless a portal existed. And seeing as no one had discovered any portal, perhaps time and reality had also been distorted.

Essairyn pursed her lips and shook her musings aside. Descending back inside the canopy, she began lopping off nonessential branches as thick as normal trunks from trees encircling the towering center one and flung them onto the circular grass field. When she felt she had enough wood, she alighted and began devising a mental blueprint for a treehouse assembled with no nails.

“Would some jigsaw connecting ends work…?” She mumbled as she fiddled with miniature plank models.

Although the initial cutting of the branches into planks didn’t go as smoothly as she had envisioned, she finally was able to grasp the process after several failed attempts. By allowing the lumber to retain extra wood, the misshapen cabin could be carved with magic to a smooth exterior and interior after compressing the pieces together. This way, she didn’t have to forfeit appearance for sturdiness.

In just over an hour, she finished constructing a little house with two rooms and a deck on a tree bough as wide as a highway. She had even crafted some basic furniture and other items to fill the empty space. Perhaps it was overkill considering she didn’t plan to reside in the forest for long, but Essairyn had enjoyed the crafting process a bit too much along with the sentimentality that drove her to create a ‘home’ no matter if only temporary. In her imagination, the thought of giving passerby or unfortunate souls that met the same fate as her a safe haven was comforting.

However, bedding and curtains were still missing along with ink for the paper she had made on a whim from wood dust and scraps. Berries or crushed plants would be adequate for ink, so she decided to forage for suitable materials and more food while she was at it. She had already eaten most of the fruit after retrieving her bundle from when she first reached the ancient center tree and dropped it in the grass.

Using the magic circle to traverse swiftly and safely should she encounter more danger, Essairyn soon found suitably dark berries. But she felt it was a shame to squeeze these almost iridescent berries, ranging from ultramarine blue to cyan and violet, into ink. She stared at the teal leafed bushes sporting light orchid colored blossoms holding miniature round berries in their centers. Licking her lips, she wondered if they were edible or toxic. They were a strange color after all, but then again, this whole forest was technicolor.

“Well.” She murmured with a small shrug. “Better not chance it and have a stupid death by poisonous berries.” After plucking and stowing the darkest berries into a grass bag she wove on the spot with some magical aid, she turned to leave the area.

“Hey hey Essairyn!”

The girl nearly jumped out of her skin and dropped her bag. Swiveling around with a stern scowl, she faced a familiar tiny person.

“Could you not startle me like that? Especially after I didn’t see you when I woke up…”

“Oh…” D’yrwin tapped a finger to her chin. “Did I worry you? Heheh, sorry. I was sleeping too after exhausting my mana for a bit.” She tittered apologetically.

Essairyn raised a brow at the mention of D’yrwin depleting her magic. “What happened? Are you… all right?” Despite her initial fears and misgivings about the faes when she woke up that morning, Essairyn was open to an explanation having experienced nothing unusual regarding her body after her visit to Miqun.

“Yes, yes! Just a standard procedure. But it’s been a long time since I’ve used that spell blessing, so I had forgotten how tiring it was, whew!”

Essairyn cocked her head to a side as details suddenly started clicking. “Spell blessing…? Was that for–?”

“You? Yes!” D’yrwin interjected, fluttering her wings peppily. “Although, it did little to protect you against the erhinde; though, I suppose you dealt with it fine yourself. So it’s not like the spell blessing had failed or anything, hm hm!” She placed her hands on her hips in pride.

“Besides!” The fairy continued before Essairyn could ask if 'erhinde' was the name of the demonic bear she had fought. “It helped you through the night, no? No animals bothered you––don’t mind their stares, they just don’t see your kind often, hehe––but you also could’ve just stayed in Miqun. Hey, why didn’t you? I went through all that trouble to put you to sleep!”

Essairyn looked away self-consciously while also feeling a bit unnerved hearing the euphemism for death. While she knew that it wasn’t the intended meaning of the fairy’s words, Essairyn was bothered by the fact that another creature could make her defenselessly doze off while still on guard. “Erm… guess I just got confused when I didn’t see you there…”

“Oooh~ I see I see!” D’yrwin patted the side of Essairyn’s head while the girl fought against a flinch. She wouldn’t be able to get rid of her wariness any time soon despite wanting to trust and believe in some goodness of this perilously beautiful world.

“So then! I couldn’t show you around Miqun––you’re always welcome to visit though!––but would you like me to show you around the Spirit-Demon Forest?” D’yrwin leaned toward the girl’s ear to whisper, “Everyone’s quite interested in meeting you, you see. We didn’t allow them to peek at you last night during your sleep, heheh!”

But you did? Essairyn wryly noted. Still, this is a good opportunity. It’s true that sleeping out in the open was actually really dangerous; even though, I didn’t have much choice considering the state of my body and mind…

“Okay, sounds good. Thanks… Diwi.” For now, she had to trust the fairy a little as D’yrwin appeared to be only reliable guide.

The little fairy twirled gleefully at the girl using her nickname. “Hm! I’m Diwi! It sounds nice coming from you!”

Giggling, D’yrwin led the way, pointing out objects of interest, mainly flowers and types of wood she liked carving. During their wandering, more faelytes met up with D’yrwin, some from towns outside of Miqun, to meet the strange human that fell inside the Spirit and Demon Forest and survived. While few animals approached them during D’yrwin’s guide, one species in particular made it a point to ‘greet’ the new human.