Beneath a glowing full moon, the forest clearing came alive with magic. In the soft flicker of a crackling campfire, a ring of ethereal fairies with delicate elf ears fluttered their iridescent wings, creating a shimmer in the night air. The scene was otherworldly, but the focus of one little girl was on something much closer—her father's warm embrace.
Nestled in his lap, her eyes wide with wonder, she watched as he animatedly told stories, his laughter mingling with the sounds of the night. With his legs crossed, he expertly roasted a marshmallow over the fire, yet his true attention was on a playful "marshmallow war" with his wife. Their sticks clashed midair, leaving their sweet treats charred and forgotten.
"Come on, give it up already," her father teased, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Aren't you tempted to eat it now?"
His wife smirked at him, casting a sideways glance. "Don't you? You never know, this might be your last one," she quipped, her tone light but challenging.
Her father scoffed playfully. "Tsch, a true marshmallow warrior never surrenders so easily!" And with that, he renewed his duel, his marshmallow stick swishing through the air.
The little girl couldn't hold back her giggles as she watched them. Her gaze flickered between the mesmerizing fire and her own marshmallow stick, feeling an irresistible urge. She leaned forward, carefully extending her marshmallow into the fire's warm glow. But suddenly, a burst of heat sent her reeling back, her fingers stinging.
"NGH!" she gasped, pulling her stick from the flames with a startled yelp.
Her father's eyes widened as he quickly took the stick from her. "Whoa, hey!" he exclaimed, concern etched across his face. "Did you burn yourself?"
She opened her mouth to respond, but he had already taken her small hand in his, examining her fingers with a worried frown. "Oh no, you did!" He kissed her fingertips with exaggerated affection. "Let me kiss it better. Muah! Muah!"
Her mother leaned in, her face creased with concern. "Oh no, what did you do to my baby girl?" she said softly, placing a comforting hand on her daughter's cheek.
"I'm sorry, baby," her father murmured as he kissed her forehead. "You don't copy Mommy and Daddy. We're reckless! You need to be The Good Example." He hugged her tightly, adding, "Do you need some ice on that, sweetie?"
Before the girl could answer, her sister, who had been sitting quietly beside their father, suddenly gasped and pointed. "Father! The fireflies!"
Her father squinted, scanning the clearing. "Fireflies? Where?"
Her mother swatted his arm playfully. "Oh, come on now, don't be so dense. They're all around us."
But her father's face changed, a look of horror replacing his playful expression. "Oh no," he whispered dramatically. "Not the moonflies." He rose to his feet, trying to shoo them away. "We must relocate immediately. Their presence bodes ill."
The little girl giggled as she watched the luminous creatures flutter around them. "But they're really pretty!" she marveled, standing up to get a better look.
Her father, ever suspicious, squinted at the glowing beings. "Yes, they may be pretty, but trust me, they are nothing like fireflies."
Curiosity lit up her eyes. "But, Daddy, why are moonflies different?"
Her father knelt down to her level, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. "You see, sweetheart," he began, "the moonflies are special creatures. They only come out once a year, on the coldest night of the new moon." He paused, his eyes following the iridescent glow of the moonflies as they drifted between them. "Each color represents a different nation, a symbol of diversity beyond our own. But…" He touched a finger to her chest. "They are also a warning. A sign of trouble. Wherever they go, we must not."
Her mother rose, taking her other daughter's hand. "Your father's right, honey. They're bad luck. We should leave."
The fairies around them started to gather, preparing to leave the clearing. But the little girl wasn't ready to go. She tugged at her father's shirt. "What if they aren't bad luck? What if they mean something else?"
He opened his mouth to protest, but the girl extended her hand, letting one of the moonflies land gently in her palm. "What if…" she whispered, "they mean that one day the nations will unite? And we'll all live in peace together?"
The moonflies continued to glow softly in her hands, each one displaying a unique hue. Her sister, worried, pulled at her arm. "Come on," she whispered. "We should listen to our parents."
Feeling her sister's tug, the little girl lowered her gaze, her hope fading. "I... I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice small.
As if sensing the tension, the moonflies ascended into the air, their glowing forms hovering above the family. Her father noticed her sadness and crouched down to lift her chin, meeting her eyes. "It's alright, my dear," he said softly. "We all wish things could be better. But sometimes… reality doesn't align with our dreams." He pulled her into a warm embrace. "But I promise you, things will get better. As long as I have my little girl by my side."
Just as she began to smile, the peaceful clearing was shattered. A fairy nearby suddenly yelled, his eyes wide with fear. "King! Look out!"
Before anyone could react, an arrow struck the ground near the campfire, exploding in a flash of flames. The shockwave sent the little girl and her sister flying, their screams echoing as they crashed into the trees. She hit the ground hard, her breath knocked from her lungs. But when she lifted her head, the sight before her was like something out of a nightmare.
Fairy bodies lay scattered, torn apart by the vicious onslaught of black-clad vampires. Their red-glowing blades sliced through the air, leaving devastation in their wake. The girl's heart raced with terror as the realization hit her.
"H-Hunters," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Amid the chaos, she saw her mother—caught in the grip of a tall, menacing vampire woman with black and silver hair. Her mother struggled, legs kicking as the vampire lifted her higher into the air.
"MOMMY!" The girl's cry tore from her throat, desperate and terrified.
A flash of movement caught the corner of her eye—a vampire woman with long blonde hair, her crimson eyes locking onto the little girl. "She's escaping," the vampire snarled, raising her hand. From her palm shot a bolt of black fire, which streaked through the air and struck a nearby tree. The tree fell, trapping the girl beneath its heavy weight, pinning her legs to the ground.
"No! NO! MOMMY! DADDY!" she cried out, her voice breaking with despair.
But her cries were swallowed by the violence around her. Her father fought valiantly but was no match for the Hunter King, who plunged a blade into his chest, killing him instantly. And then—her mother. Her severed head rolled to a stop at the girl's feet, her lifeless eyes staring up at her.
When I lost... everything...
Her sister, drenched in blood, crawled toward her, weak and faltering. "Sister…" she gasped, her voice barely audible. She tried to lift the tree from the girl's legs but collapsed in defeat. "I can't…"
And then, with swift brutality, the Hunter King struck, ending her sister's life with a single, lethal blow. Blood and destruction surrounded the girl as she lay there, helpless, watching the horrors unfold.
A scream built up inside her, filled with pain and fear, and finally, it burst from her lips, piercing the night.
She jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat, her heart pounding in her chest. The nightmare still clung to her, but she was no longer in the forest. She was in a cold, dark chamber, her body chained to the floor by one hand. A faint blue light from a small window cast eerie shadows on the stone walls.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself, her body trembling. Her eyes adjusted to the gloom, revealing the tattered white dress she wore, its hem stained with dirt. Her hair was uneven, jagged where it had been crudely cut.
That little girl was me, she thought, her voice steadying as she spoke into the silence. My name is Enchanted… Enchanted Angel.
**To Be Continued…**