Beyond the warning
Ariella don't be ridiculous”, her father's voice echoed in her mind. “There is a reason why the forest has been avoided”.
You can't just go to the forest, because of your quest for a plant, it is a dangerous place to go especially at night, “I won't let you go” Ariella's father said.
Dad I know you love me and you are trying to protect me, but I'm not a child anymore, I make my decision now.
Even with her father's plea, Ariella has a mission, one that required her to go into the heart of the forest to get the plant she's obsessed with.
With a deep breath and a feeling of fear about what might happen, Ariella took courage and stepped into the forest, the forest was soo thick but she was unbothered.
The trees rose up above her, their branches squeaking quietly in the air.
Ariella could feel someone was watching her, watching her every move, she started running, her heart pounding in her chest.
Suddenly, a branch snapped behind her, her eyes scanning the darkness, she saw a figure rise above her, she quickly found a tree to hide.
The tall and brooding figure with eyes that glowed in the dark
“Who are you”, Ariella asked, trying to stay calm, but the figure didn't respond and came closer to her, with her heart pounding in her chest, she asked again. “Who are you”.
Suddenly the figure disappeared, Ariella was left standing alone in the middle of the forest, with her heart still racing from the encounter.
Ariella heard of rumors about giant like animals called werewolves, she thought she had just seen one or maybe her mind was just playing tricks with her.
Ariella left in a state of confusion continue to journey for the search of a plant called wolf's Bane.
A plant that only blooms under the the light of a full moon. The plant was said to have powerful healing properties, and Ariella was determined to find it.
Ariella ventured deep into the forest, the deeper she went the denser the forest got.
She eventually got to the place where the wolf's bane bloomed, fascinated by how it looks she cuts some and put them in her bag.
She hears footsteps coming closer to her, she didn't know what to do.
The tall brooding figure,with a shining golden eye, hiding in the shadows came over to her again.
She screamed for her life, looking towards her right direction, as she turned to look back at the figure, she didn't see it anymore.
Panic set in, and she took off in a sprint, her eyes fixed on the darkness behind her, until she stumbled and slammed into a broad chest.
“Who are you”, Ariella asked.
My name is kael, what's your’s?.
I'm Ariella, “so tell me what are you doing all alone in a thick forest Ariella”, kael asked.
She answered, ”i came looking for a plant”.
I thought I just saw a huge giant like shadow with eyes that glow, “did you see anything like that?” Ariella asked.
With a huge smile of disbelief, kael said “no”
Maybe your mind is playing tricks with you.
“I know what I saw” , Ariella said.
Kael laughed, this place is a safe place unlike other stories people say about how dangerous it is, Ariella looking at kael with confusion, wondering what kael could be in the woods.
You know I never asked you, “ what are you doing here” Ariella asked.
Kael shocked by the question answered, “I come here to relax and connect to mother nature”.
Ariella with suspicions didn't believe Kael, all she thought was “why would you come to this place to relax”.
Why don't we leave this place, before your mind plays tricks on you and make you believe you saw a giant shadow, Kael laughed.
“You know, I haven't seen you in this town at all” Ariella said.
What brought a mysterious, brooding, and devastatingly handsome man to this quiet town.
With a warm smile, Kael replied “I'm looking for a clean slate”.
Ariella's curiousity got the better of her, and she asked, “what's driving you to start anew?”
Kael's just smiled enigmatically.
“I see you are very mysterious”, Ariella said.
“What are the chances?” Ariella mused,
“that I'd be walking back to my street with a stranger who's watching out for me, after that unsettling experience in the woods”.
“Coincidences are just fate’s way of staying anonymous”, Kael murmured, his eyes glinting with a hint of secrets untold. “I'm just glad I was in the right place at the right time to ensure your safety”.
“What do you do?”, Ariella asked.
Kael give a soft response, “I'm a blacksmith”
So what are the chances we will see again?, Ariella asked.
“Chances are, our next meeting will be just as unexpected as this one”, Kael said, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes. “But I'm looking forward to it, nonetheless”.
Just as Ariella was about to head home, she notices Kael's eye was shining golden like that of the mysterious brooding figure she saw at the forest, but she thought maybe it was just coincidence.
Ariella's father glared at her, his voice stern “you deliberately disobeyed me, Ariella”, her father thundered, his anger and disappointment etched on his face.
“I'm sorry you're upset Father, but i’m not going to apologize for following my own path,” Ariella said, her voice firm and resolute. “I'm an adult now and it's time for me to make my own decisions.”
Ariella stormed out of the room, and left her father speechless, she gazed out the window,her eyes scanning across the forest bathed in moonlight.
She spotted a shining light, like that of which saw in the forest.
It's eyes glowing like lanterns, Ariella asked herself “why does this figure keep haunting me?, what does it want with me?”.
Was it a coincidence?, or was something sinister lurking in the shadows, watching her, she thought.
As she gazed scanning, she noticed the figure with a bright light coming closer to her.
The more she looked the faster the shadow was coming for her.
Just as she was about to step inside, a firm grip on her wrist tightened, and Ariella felt a strange sensation wash over her. When she looked up, she saw her own face staring back at her, but it wasn't her own eyes that gazed back.
