Something New

It was fight or flight.

Eirin kicked the men racing towards Coleen, and the moment they fell on their knees, she rushed towards Coleen, grabbed her hand and ran deeper into the woods. Huffing and puffing for air, they ran until their legs felt numb.

 "Do you know why those people are after us?" Eirin looked behind. "What in the world is happening?" It wasn't even that long since they went their separate ways. She held Coleen's hand upon noticing that she was slowing down.

 "T-Those village people, they saw us near the jail in the middle of the woods. W-We tried to talk to them but—"

Eirin pulled Coleen before she could trip.

 "T-The village chief ordered them to attack us. They got Link. I couldn't do anything to help him and I just ran away," Coleen sobbed. "I-I know I needed to help him, but I also know that I can't, and if I get captured as well, we— we wouldn't be saved."

Eirin held Coleen's hand tightly. "Don't worry. I think Shade's on it," she reassured Coleen.

They kept running nonstop until they reached the entrance to the Lively Grove.

 "Shoot!"

Eirin hid Coleen behind her as they faced the men chasing them. The men drooled as they gazed at the two girls. "Why are you doing this?" Trying to stall time, Eirin initiated a conversation, but the men did not respond.

It was as if they were already out of it and could not hold a proper conversation anymore.

 "We may taste them, right?" Hearing such words caused shivers down Eirin's spine as she backed away while protecting Coleen. "They look so young and beautiful. Must taste good down there."

Eirin glared at the men and did not remove her gaze at them. She continued backing away, but one more step and it would lead them back to the nightmarish forest.

 "Come here, child."

Coleen screamed after being pulled by one of the men with Eirin pushed away. Her nose kept bleeding while she struggled to use her ability to throw everything that she could see at the man holding her arm.

 "Stop struggling!"

Eirin charged at the man, but the other man with the humongous hand pulled Eirin away and began groping her legs.

 "Ei! Help me!"

Tears welled in Coleen's eyes as her screams resonated in Eirin's ears. The fear and agony, two young women struggled to get away as they could feel themselves molested all over.

 "Stop!" Eirin begged after seeing the man force Coleen and lay her on the ground, saddling her body. The man began pulling Coleen's skirt and unbuttoned her white shirt as she struggled to punch the man, but their strength was different.

 "E-Ei, I'm dizzy."

Hearing Coleen's voice slowly losing energy terrified Eirin. "Please, stop." Eirin's body was pinned to the ground as she begged.

No one was there to help them. Coleen sobbed her eyes out as she lay there hopeless. Eirin was reminded of what she went through, and she did not wish for Coleen to go through that. Anger filled her heart as she cried. The already vile wind grew stronger than ever, and the ground began shaking causing the man's grip on Coleen to loosen.

It was a chance to escape. Eirin breathes rapidly, acquiring enough energy to slam the man on top of her using the same technique she used on Shade before.

 "You're not getting away!"

Eirin's amber eyes glowed and the wind blew right out of her hands, pushing the man away, and slamming his body to a tree trunk. She blinked thrice as she huffed and puffed.

 'W-What was that?" Her mind was all baffled, she stared at her palms, and nothing had changed. 'This isn't the time for this!'

The teenage girl carried Coleen and rushed towards Lively Grove. Eirin fell on her knees, the rocky ground scraped and peeled her skin off causing her to scream in pain.

 "E-Ei, I can walk."

Despite Coleen's attempt, Eirin pulled herself together and carried Coleen into the Lively Grove, escaping from the men's grasp, and into the dreadful forest.

 "Oh my, you're back? It is such a glorious day to see humans come back here."

The voice of the forest giggled as if mocking Eirin's decision to seek refuge in the cursed forest. She was between a rock and a hard place. One could lead to immediate demise, while the other is a slow death sentence.

 'I think I might agree with Cromwell. I am stupid,' Eirin thought as she stared at her hand, remembering the cooling yet burning sensation she felt after that mysterious wind.

The grim feeling the forest emits causes Eirin to look at Coleen with such guilt. It was the only way she thought of, but they were better off dead.

 "I'm sorry."

Eirin removed her blazer and covered Coleen's battered messy appearance. She wiped the blood coming out of Coleen's nose as she suppressed her tears.

 "I'm sorry, I wasn't strong enough to help you."

Eirin caressed Coleen's hair, wiping her muddy and bruised cheek with her clean handkerchief. Coleen's white pale skin was tainted with mud and blood and Eirin had to bite her lower lip to suppress her anger. However, it was not enough to suppress her tears.

 "E-Ei? W- What's wrong?"

Before the two could have a proper conversation, a shrill laughter echoed through the trees.

 "Interesting and hilarious. You girls chose my cursed forest instead of being with those miasma addicts? Interesting!"

The shrill voice resonated through the whole forest, thus making Eirin look up at the dark and clouded sky covered with black leaves.

Eirin quickly held Coleen's hand upon witnessing the vines crawling through the ground towards them. The voice continued laughing at the two immobile girls due to their acquired injuries.

It was exactly like her dream, but this time, it was not Ava's voice Eirin's hearing, but the forest itself. And this time, she was not alone.

 "How are we going to leave?" Coleen's voice was hoarse as she held onto Eirin's hand tightly. Only through the help of a powerful person like Shade Cromwell could they pass the said forest.

 "You shall become our new playmate. Come and be a part of my world, we shall treat you like an equal."

The laugh continued, and the voice became deeper than it was. Eirin's head began spinning and her eyes were getting blurry.

 "Ei? What's going on?"

Coleen's voice grew distant, and Eirin kept feeling the shaking of the ground as her body sways with it. Like drunk, Coleen watched her friend's peculiar action despite not feeling anything.

 "Ei? Ei!"

Coleen shook Eirin's body, but the teenage girl began seeing something else in front of her. Coleen's face became distorted, and the sounds around them continued to make Eirin's ears hurt, causing her to cover them.

 "Ei! Look at me!"

Eirin backed away as her body trembled in fear staring at the bloody appearance of her best friend. "This is a dream," she told herself as she shut her eyes, she could not hear anything else anymore as her body fell flat to the ground.

 "Enough!"

The shrill sound stopped and Eirin's dizziness vanished in an instant. A small ball of light appeared in front of Eirin and stayed there until her eyes became clearer. It soon encircled the two girls, and Eirin followed it with her gaze. Coleen gulped as her grip on Eirin's hand tightened.

 "Ei? W-What's going on?"

Eirin could not hear the other girl's voice as she continued following the ball of light. The ball of light touched Eirin's nose and sprinkled dust all over her eyes causing her to shut and rub them.

 "This girl is my master," the ball of light said. "Do not bother her, Naoi." It has such a soft and tiny voice that when Eirin opened her eyes, she was left astounded.

The ball of light disappeared, and what was left was a small creature with golden glowing wings and blonde hair tied into space buns. It was wearing a green leaf-like dress.

 'Isn't that Tinker—"

 "Why have you come here, Feya!"

Before Eirin could finish her thought, another voice filled her ears. A whirlwind appeared, blowing all the vines away, causing the two girls to squint as an unknown being with humongous and majestic black wings showed up. The moment the whirlwind vanished, a vibrant colour of pink glowed.

Pink vibrant hair glowed amidst the darkness, but its eyes showed a black colour like the endless abyss. The unknown yet beautiful being caused curiosity and wariness from the two girls.

 "Why have you come here? This is my home."

The creature did not open its luscious red lips, but they could hear its voice. It was the same voice the forest had. It did not show any emotions through its eyes, but its wings spread showing them a mixture of black and pink. Just observing the creature, Eirin's thoughts described it as a fairy.

 "I have chosen this girl to become my master." The little creature pointed at Eirin. "Do not bother her, or I shall tell the Queen about your whereabouts," it added, pressuring the creature named Naoi.

The little adorable creature with blonde hair turned to Eirin with a smile. "Hi, my name is Feya, and I shall become your pixie, master."