Lila ran until the woods seemed to consume her entirely, the rustling of leaves now replaced by an ethereal silence. She darted behind a thick, moss-covered tree, resting back against the wet bark, struggling to still her breathing.
A light out of place burst in the air, as though embers danced about her. Lila reached out a hand, and a light hovered above her palm—a tiny blue sprite, whose wings flashed like crystal.
It chirped a gentle melody, tilting its head to one side as if studying her.
"Are you. helping me?" Lila breathed.
The sprite sped off, leaving a faint path of light in her wake, as if beckoning her to follow. She hesitated, then moved forward again into the blackness, following the sprite's light as it led her deeper into the forest. Each step seemed to echo louder, the stillness so deep it was like a headache in her ears.
A shrill scream pierced the darkness.
Lila remained motionless. Before her, the leaves of the trees parted to reveal a clearing where ancient stones formed a circle, glowing gently with the same silver scrawls she had noticed on the hidden door. Morgana stood at the center, dark robes billowing like darkness, eyes aflame with green fire.
"So the little intruder has come to me voluntarily," Morgana sneered, her voice like ice on stone.
Lila's feet would not move, her mind shrieking to run, but the witch raised a hand and vines erupted from the earth to wrap around Lila's ankles, pulling her towards the center of the circle.
"Let me go!" Lila screamed, struggling as the vines tightened.
Morgana smiled tightly. "You reek of the door on you, child. You will make a fine sacrifice to add to the strength of my grip on this world.".
Lightning flashed above, illuminating Morgana's pale face, her eyes widening in feral hunger as she began to chant in a tongue that caused the air to thicken.
But the vines hadn't reached Lila's knees yet when the sprite suddenly reappeared, blazing around Morgana's head, its light burning incandescently. The witch screamed, slapping at it, distracted momentarily.
"Run!" the sprite's voice commanded within Lila's mind.
With a rush of adrenaline, Lila freed her foot and sprinted into the woods, the witch's angry cries echoing after her.
Branches splintered, roots attacked her ankles, but she did not stop. She tripped, stumbled, rolled down a slope, mud filling her face, until she fell onto the edge of the river that shone faintly under the moon.
She edged down to the water's edge, sobbing in ragged gasps, rain and tears mixing. Behind her, the forest boiled with the fury of the witch, but for a moment, Lila was free, the cool flow of the river soothing threats of escape.
She did not know where she was, or how to get home. But one thing she knew:
She was not ready to give up yet.
Lila stood, her mud and tears cleaned from her face, clutching a small, silver pendant that somehow found its way into her palm—left by the sprite.
A pendant with the same symbols as the secret door.
And in the shadows, unseen eyes observed her, waiting patiently for the time to lead her down the road of hope.