“Are you lost?” She tilted her head. Her hair was golden, like the sun. It seemed to reach the ground. Her feet were bare and her dress looked as if it was made of pure starlight itself. 

He blinked his eyes and stared at her, how beautiful she was. She tilted her head to the other side with a puzzled look on her face. 

“Did you lose your voice?” She asked. 

To him, she sounded absolutely melodic, like a warm spring day. He stared at her again. Where did she come from? The woods were dark and unforgiving, yet here she stood; without shoes and in a long fine dress made of silver thread. It was as if she was untouched by the darkness. 

“Do not be alarmed. I can help you find your way,” she smiled and gently extended her hand towards him. 

His eyes never left her beauty as he tried to form the words, “I- I am lost. Yes.” 

“You are far away from home, aren't you?” She asked.

He glanced around at the trees, “I- I’m not sure. I can’t seem to remember how I got here.” 

He thought about it. How did he get there? He was patrolling the borders between his kingdom and the next when suddenly he was here. It was quite bewildering for the young man, especially since these woods seemed to be pure darkness. He gazed at her beautiful form again, she was a respite, a breath of fresh air in this thick ominous mist. 

“I was on my horse. Though I don’t see my horse anywhere,” he muttered, his eyes wandering between the trees. Something seemed amiss. 

“It is of no significance how you got here. It only matters that you are here now. You belong here. To the darkness,” she smiled, sharp fangs appearing as she did. 

He stumbled back, bumping against a tree. She moved towards him, gliding across the forest floor. Her appearance seemed to change as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. The golden hair was replaced by a midnight blue. Her dress tattered and worn. She reached out her clawed hand, caressing his cheek lightly. Her long slithering tongue circled his lips. 

His heart started beating faster and louder, like a drum. He was no longer stunned. As he stared into her dark empty eyes, he realized she was nothing but a monster. A terrifying monster. He could feel her hand grip his neck, tightening around it. The woods seemed even darker at that moment. Even the trees appeared to reach out their branches towards him. 

She gazed down at his neck, her fangs ready to sink into his flesh. He had never felt more frightened in his life, yet he knew exactly what to do. He swiftly grabbed her arm and spun her around to the ground. She let out a loud hiss as he jolted off. 

He ran through the trees, their branches reaching for him, ripping at his clothes. He was not going to get lost in this darkness. He held his neck as he ran, the feeling of her hand was still there. He had heard tales of monsters that drank the blood of others before, of beings so dark they needed to steal the light of other beings. 

With a loud huff he stopped and leaned against a tree. His eyes shifted from side to side to make sure she was not there. 

“Darling. You can’t outrun me,” she whispered as she emerged from the tree he leaned against. 

He almost fell back, “Get away from me,” he shouted, eyes wide with terror. 

“Poor boy. Don’t be afraid, I will take care of you. You simply need to stay here where you belong. In the darkness with me,” she chuckled as her arms enveloped him, pulling him into a deep embrace. 

He pushed her away, “No. I don’t belong here. I am just lost.” 

She grinned wider, “Keep telling yourself that, darling. Don’t you feel it? The pull to go deeper?” 

His eyes shifted from side to side, she was not wrong. He did feel like the woods called out to him. He did feel as if the darkness beckoned him to venture further. He stopped and glanced at her. However dark and terrifying she was, he was not actually frightened, was he? He kept telling himself to be scared. As if he needed to be scared. 

“Y-you are not wrong,” he admitted and pushed his shoulder-length, ash-brown hair behind his ears.

Her arms enveloped him again, claws running through his hair. She smiled slyly and gazed into his hazel eyes, “Darling. Come with me then.” Her tongue slithered across his cheek. 

He sighed and gazed back into her empty black eyes, “No.”

Her eyes widened as she realized he had plunged a sword right through her heart. Black blood dripped down her tattered dress. She had once been lost like him, searching for her way back. She had found misery. Had her life ever been anything but grievance? A black tear rolled down her cheek. Had she found what she was searching for all this time? Love long forgotten. Wasn’t that why she came here? 

“Don’t forget me, my love..” A whisper escaped her lips before her body went limp.

He pulled his sword out as her body slowly started dissolving into a puddle of darkness. He gritted his teeth, taking a life was not something he enjoyed, even a dark being like her. 

“I am sorry,” he whispered, “May the goddess of the night have mercy on you.” 

He wiped his blade clean and stared into the darkness of the woods, “I guess that’s where I’m going,” he mumbled under his breath as he wandered off.