As I continued to chase Sophia through the forest the light became dimmer and dimmer the deeper into the lush landscape I ventured. Soon, I had to slow my pace considerably as it became so dark I could no longer see my outstretched hand. 

I groped through the brush not sure of the direction I was heading. 

“Sophia!” I called out into the darkness, “Sophia! Where are you?” 

“Not anywhere you will find her,” I heard a soft, yet menacing voice answer in the background. 

“Who’s there?” I called out, still using my hands to navigate. I could now feel the lush greenery become a hard stone like surface that was cool to the touch. 

“Perhaps you shouldn’t chase young girls into dark forests,” the voice hissed. 

“I’m trying to help her,” I pleaded breathlessly, “I am not trying to hurt her. She is in great danger.”

“Is she? It would seem she’s back where she belongs and is perfectly safe. If she wanted your help, why would she run away?” 

“I don’t know,” I replied. 

Suddenly, a blue light illuminated the space around me, revealing the source of the voice I was speaking with. Before me stood a large serpent coiled around the limb of a tree. The reptile’s red eyes looked me up and down as its pink tongue flicked in and out of its mouth. I could see the tips of two large fangs peeking from beneath its upper lip. The creature was several times larger than I, making my heart race in my chest. 

“Who are you?” I asked, trying to mask the sound of nervousness in my voice. 

“Who are you?” the snake hissed back. 

“I am Kirill. I am a knight from the Ethyrisean Guard. I was charged with protecting Sophia from the Hurtadians. They want her for their King. He intends to sacrifice her to the God of the Harvest upon the next sundown.” 

“And why would the Ethyriseans want to protect a Sun Fairy from this king?” 

“I’m sorry, what?” I asked, perplexed. 

“Sophia is a Sun Fairy. Which doesn’t answer my question, why in the world would the Ethrysians want to protect a Sun Fairy from being sacrificed to the God of the Harvest, if that is what happens year after year?” 

I pondered this for a moment, then the serpent broke the silence, “The harvest comes and the days become shorter once a Sun Fairy is sacrificed to the God of the Harvest. If you were sent to save Sophia from such a fate, and she ran away into this forest, then she must know the Ethyriseans have a fate worse for her than death.”  

“I assure you, I have been sent to save her and protect her,” I said, “Please tell me how to find her.” 

“I will not. For I know the kind of soul Sophia is, however, I do not know the kind of soul you are. Turn around, Kirill. You will not find her here. Do not make me say it twice and show you out.” 

I pulled my sword from its sheath, it’s blade catching the blue light. 

“No!” A voice called from the distance, “Grovance, do not hurt him!” 

The serpent turned its head as a yellow light met the blue and turned the forest around it into an incandescent green. I raised my sword to lop the unsuspecting beasts head from its body. 

“Kirill! No! You two cannot harm one another!” Sophia cried running into the green light, her black hair wild and her amber eyes piercing as if illuminated from a fire that burned from within, “I cannot be given to the Hurtadians or the Ethyriseans.” 

“Why?” the snake and I asked in unison. 

“Because I have been betrothed to the underworld,” she answered, “If I do not keep my promise, it will be the end of all of us. Forever.”