The deeper Enyd went into the woods, the more distant the world she knew became. The trees closed in, their branches tangled like twisted fingers reaching out to snag her clothes, slowing her progress. 

Voifi remained ahead, guiding her through the strange labyrinth with effortless grace. The whispering voices of the Moore Ghosts grew louder, swirling around her like an invisible wind.

Then, suddenly, the whispers stopped.

Enyd stood still, her breath catching in her throat. The oppressive silence was even worse than the whispers—it was as though the world had paused, waiting for something. Ahead, Voifi had stopped, too, sitting in the middle of a clearing bathed in the pale, eerie light of the crescent moon.

 The creature stared at her with those luminous yellow eyes, and for the first time, Enyd felt truly unnerved by its gaze.

Mesmer, the jack-o'-lantern bucket, glowed faintly beside Voifi, its painted grin too vast, its eyes too bright. As Enyd stepped into the clearing, the world seemed to ripple, as though the very fabric of reality was stretched thin here, wavering between worlds.

"You've come far, haven't you?" a voice said, though it didn't seem to come from anywhere. It was soft, melodic but tinged with something ancient and unknowable.

Enyd froze. "Who... who's there?"

The voice didn't answer immediately, but the air grew colder, the light from the moon dimmer. Then, something stirred from the shadows at the edge of the clearing.

 It was a shape, or perhaps many shapes, moving together in a way that made Enyd's stomach churn. The figure—or figures—remained just out of reach, blurring into the darkness; their presence felt more than seen.

"You must answer," the voice said again, closer this time. "Answer, and we will let you leave."

Enyd's throat went dry. "Answer what?"

Voifi's tail swished once, its eyes narrowing. The creature seemed to smile, though it was not a comforting expression. 

Then, as if from the depths of the forest itself, the riddle came:

"What can be broken without being touched and is lost when given freely?"

The words echoed in Enyd's mind, repeating themselves over and over. She felt pressured, as if something was bearing down on her, urging her to speak and solve the riddle before it was too late. But her mind raced, and she grew dizzy, the weight of the unseen figures pressing in on all sides.

"What can be broken…" she whispered, trying to make sense of the riddle. Her heart pounded as she struggled to think.

Voifi remained still, its eyes gleaming with some strange amusement. The jack-o'-lantern bucket Mesmer pulsed with light as if waiting for her answer.

Enyd swallowed, her breath quickening. "Trust," she said finally, her voice barely audible.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, the forest exhaled.

The pressure lifted, the darkness receded, and the figures loomed just beyond her sight dissolved into the shadows. The clearing felt lighter, less oppressive, though the air was still charged with something unspoken. Voifi stood, stretching its small frame, and padded over to her, the jack-o'-lantern bucket clinking as it followed.

"You've answered well," the voice murmured, distant now, as if it was beginning to drift off. "But remember… not all is given so freely."

The figure began to fade as it said that; however, Enyd felt unsatisfied.

“ I had come all this way and been put all of this to be questioned about some complicated riddle and then spat out just like that?

I know how these things work. Shouldn’t you grant me a wish since I’ve answered your question?” Enyd called out, clenching my fist in anger.

The figure flickers momentarily, and then suddenly, the shadowy figure is opaque and glowering brightly. 

In an instant, it moved, and suddenly, it was too close, looming over me like an eerily bright silhouette. Enyd could almost make out a face in the rippling light. She should have been afraid, but she was too upset to be afraid at that moment.

“Oh? Is not your freedom a good enough reward? Come then, what wish do you want to be granted?” the figure asked; Enyd could almost hear the grin in its question. 

Enyd looked at her feet, then she resolved herself and looked up stubbornly at the figure “I just want my family home and together for once for Samhain.” Enyd said, and suddenly, the air around her clapped painfully as if lightning had hit the ground the minute she spoke.

Enyd jumped and covered her eyes, fear surging up into her heart for the first time. 

The figure reached out to her; a long, illuminated, human-like hand gently clasped her arms.

“It’s ok. It’s just the effects of your words; do not be afraid,” it said. “Your wish is granted, but remember, all magic comes with a price. Now go before the price you pay is too much to bear, little Enyd,” the voice said, and the figure retreated, fading into the rustle of leaves.