The Twisting Woods.

Near the kingdom of Pheavore was the Twisting woods, whose branches and leaves would twist and turn every hour, creating new trails and cutting off old ones. As the branches close in and the winds echoed your panic, you would lose your sanity as easily as it is to blink. Though she knew this all by heart, Amphitrite gladly embraced the branches as the woods welcomed her in.

Each step she took made the winds colder. The trees unraveled itself, closing in to absolute darkness. But Amphitrite was confident in every turn she made. She knew each tree and bark by heart, each eerie whispers and sounds, for she had once walked the same path.

(9 YEARS AGO)

7-year-old Amphitrite was bored by her studies. In the library was an uncomfortable silence that she disliked. She wanted to go into town and see the festivals. She wanted to hear the villager's laughter, smell the sweet aroma from all of the food stalls, and dance around with strangers as musicians play songs they learned overseas. She wanted to try the candy apples, buy strange relics from foreign traders, and see the thousands of colorful fireworks that exploded at night. She hated the palace, the maids who gossip, the fight to be heir between her brothers, and the tens of letters from rich, bratty nobles.

But yet, here she was, locked in a library six stories up in a cold, steel tower. The moon was high up in the black sky while the soft glow of the candle she held dimly lit up the bookshelves. She put down her books and set the candle on a table nearby. She leaned on the bookshelves and closed her eyes, tiredness finally catching up to her. But as the clock ticked further and further into midnight, a strange urge had overwhelmed her senses.

She had to go to the woods, now.

Amphitrite's rational part of her brain yelling at her insanity was measly crushed by her crazy desire. Her eyes flickered with excitement as she raced down the infinite stairs of the tower, grabbing a long, black coat on the way down. She was in a slight daze when she started running to the Twisting Woods, the sound of leaves crunching echoing through the night. She knew the dangers of the woods all very well, but the perils only made her heart pound even more.

She stopped in front of the trees. In the light of the moon, they looked more like foul beast rather than plants. The winds screamed through the unholy hour as Amphitrite ran her fingers through the branches, making a wide entrance for herself.

But in spite of all her excitement, she began seriously doubting her reasoning. Time went as quick as the wind when she wandered around. Dawn was beginning to break, yet the trees were pushing light out, making the illusion of night.

While she ran around, confused by the forest's labyrinth, a sweet melody caught her ears. Desperate for anything with a sign of life, she followed the trail of the song. But it was a fatal mistake on her part.

The song had slowly converted into a high pitch scream. Thousands of voices penetrated the forest's silence. Screams of sorrow and anger filled the air, making her brain spin and turn. Before Amphitrite could go back, the sounds had pierced her ears, her knees hitting the ground. She tried covered her ears with her hand, but it didn't help.

The cold wind prickled her skin and a foul smell scorched her lungs. Her eyes become bloodshot as blood ran down her nose. Then, her sight was gone. Everything turned black.

The acid smell was gone. Her sense of smell had vanished.

Then, her sense of touch and taste had dissipated. She could no longer feel the cold air or the wind particles on her tongue.

She felt incredible numb. Fat tears rolled down her check, but she couldn't feel them. Somewhere along the way, she had started screaming too, turning into one the the voices.

She should've never came here.