Air

There was no air inside the dark, murky hole—nothing but dirt and open space. Still, if you looked carefully in the right-hand corner of the cave, you would see a little girl. Her long hair, reaching past her feet, lay beside her, radiating the color of blood.

She wore a Victorian-style dress that seemed tailored solely for her, along with a choker a breathtaking black jewel embedded. Tucked underneath her dress's skirt were two thin, pale legs that could only be described as white, with the girl's arms carefully folded together.

The overgrown bangs covered her face, but if her face were visible, you would see the ghostly pale face of a stunning child. Although pale and cracked, her two thick lips still showed the former rosy hue they once held.

At first glance, this girl would be seen as a large porcelain doll, made by a true master who had studied for eons. Still, upon a third look, you would see that the toy was too realistic, with its overgrown nails and exquisite detail. Then you would finally realize that it was not a doll you were looking at, but a dead child. The body was positioned in a way that made you think she was taking a little nap; in a way, that was true. If one had a keen eye, they would be able to see that the girl's body was dead; yet, why didn't it seem to rot? No pungent smell roamed through the hole; her body appeared as if she were merely taking a nap.

The hole the girl was in wasn't something a human being could dig. It was made so deep into the ground that no human would be able to dig it, even with an extended life beyond the average human lifespan. No exits were made, for it was intended that what was sealed could never get out. It was a cage made from what humans called the Earth's core. It was said to be the most powerful substance, physically and spiritually. It was believed to be capable of imprisoning the strongest monsters that plagued the universe.

The silence that surrounded the cage grew even thicker—if that were possible—as the unseen eyes focused back on the girl. Looking at her, you could confirm with absolute certainty that she was dead, for the body was just too pale, and there was no air this deep into the earth.

And yet— her lips twitched

If you listened closely, you could barely hear the faint stirrings of a sleeping beauty.

There was a reason that this girl was sealed away.

And the world was about to find out why.