"Let her go," Akira said.
"Why would I do that? She's happy here. Happier than she's ever been." The Muse ran a finger along one of the paint-strands, and Ayame moaned. "Besides, I haven't shown you the best part yet."
The clearing opened up further, revealing the true center of the Hollow Woods.
Aoi floated there, twenty feet above the ground, suspended in a sphere of swirling pink energy. Her eyes were closed, and her expression was peaceful... almost serene. Her clothing was intact, unlike Ayame's, but she was clearly unconscious.
Or dreaming.
Around her, the energy pulsed in rhythm with her heartbeat, feeding the entire dimension. Every tree, every whisper, every corrupted manifestation... all of it was drawing power from Aoi's sleeping form.
