A chill settled in my marrow. Centuries. Immortality. I thought of the previous maidens I had heard whispers about—the women who had disappeared before me. I understood now. They didn’t simply vanish into the mists of legend; they remained here, living among these creatures, transformed in ways I could only begin to imagine. As we walked, I noticed details that felt impossible: the way the grass bent subtly to avoid the villagers’ steps before they even touched it, the faint, shimmering glow that lingered in the air, and a soft, almost imperceptible hum that vibrated through the very stones beneath my feet. The village wasn't just inhabited; it was a conscious entity. It breathed. It watched. And I could feel it judging me.
“Why did you bring me here?” I asked cautiously, keeping my eyes
