[center]Ami, the Great Forest Fairy[/center] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7JQgyNw068]Oh the calm, the peace, the beauty…[/url] This place was heaven to him. A place he would visit whenever he grew weary. A place where his soul could be healed and comforted… No matter what happened, no matter what it is he had done, this place… And the fairy that lived in it, were there for him. Today he approached with a heavy weight upon his shoulders, with endless questions in his mind and doubt in his heart. His body exhausted and cut and bruised, and his humble clothes ragged and stained with blood, he walked past the beautiful scenery, brushed away curious butterflies and sidestepped friendly critters who had come out to greet him. Somewhere along the subtle dirt path he had dropped the knife he wasn’t aware he was holding and his hand was cramping up. He was a husk. Empty, with a hollow soul… He had no idea who he was at the moment, no idea what he had done… And yet he knew this was the only place he could really go. The pair of heavy lidded eyes on his face lit up slightly as he heard that familiar rustling of leaves and high, almost imperceptible whistle. As the path beneath his feet disappeared and he exited onto a wide and colourful clearing, he saw her. The Fairy herself, laying down on the ground in front of the Fountain and giggling in that silent, voiceless way of hers as butterflies swarmed the blooming flowers on her head. Droplets of the pure water of the Fountain splashed everywhere around and perched themselves on blades of grass as well as critters and even the Fairy herself. The sun, high up in the sky revealed numerous rainbows to the humble onlooker’s eyes. It was impossible for such a place to be real. How could such a place exist so close to his bloodied, wretched home? Was he worthy of visiting such a blessed place? He cast his gaze down at the ground and went to turn around and leave. A person like him… [i][color=ghostwhite][b]You’ve grown.[/b][/color][/i] The voice was sweet and at the same time, not a voice at all. It was like a thought he had imagined himself, but so completely foreign to him that he knew immediately, the Fairy was speaking to him. “I… Have.” He replied, voice coarse, and then he turned again and saw the Fairy sitting up and looking at him. Her grin faded into a soft smile and she shook her head. [i][color=ghostwhite][b]No, not really. You’re still the same small child who saved me all those years ago, aren’t you? Come, do you not wish to wash your body?[/b][/color][/i] She asked him as she stood up and without hesitation walked into her Fountain, the water reaching her mid calves and soaking into her fall-colored skin. “I-” He sighed and shook his head, “I’m fine.” She nodded and closed her eyes, then sat down in the pure crystalline water and began washing herself. “I… I’m scared, Great Fairy.” [i][color=ghostwhite][b]I know.[/b][/color][/i] He looked down at his bloodied, calloused hands and his vision grew blurry and watery. “I don’t want to become like them. I don’t want to.” [i][color=ghostwhite][b]I know.[/b][/color][/i] He walked closer to her and she stopped playing with the water to look at him. “But every day I wake up and I have to do more and more and more…! Every day I am forced to follow this path…” [i][color=ghostwhite][b]... I know.[/b][/color][/i] His heart skipped a beat as he felt the Fairy’s embrace and he let her guide his head onto her shoulder, even though she was much shorter and much more frail. Somehow, it felt right. There were no more words to speak. Instead he just silently wept against her shoulder. No sobbing, no gasping… Just tears. And then, as suddenly as they started, they stopped. At that point the Great Fairy let go of him and beamed a warm smile up at him. [i][color=ghostwhite][b]Every time I see you you’re older, more mature, more experienced in life, but… I also see the little child that found me in the woods. Scared, alone, but with the desire to help everyone and bring relief to those in pain. You’re a beautiful person, and I know you will find the answer to your dilemma.[/b][/color][/i] Her smile then turned slightly sad, and she looked away. “... Thank you. Thank you. Do you… Mind if I stay here for a short time?” The Fairy looked at him once more, her black eyes wide and shiny, before she relaxed and nodded. Eventually the sun had almost set. The critters and butterflies had all gone to their homes, there were no more rainbows and the only sound that echoed throughout the Fountain’s Clearing, was that of running water. The Vallamir stirred and opened his eyes, then yawned and got on his feet then dusted himself off. The Fairy had been sitting next to him and she looked at him as he started to walk off. [i][color=ghostwhite][b]... Thank you. For the last ten years. I will miss you.[/b][/color][/i] He chuckled and shook his head. He’d be back tomorrow and if not, the day after that. He visited her quite often… [hr] He had gotten caught up with work the last few days. The Living Land had passed through an area nearby and left behind the remains of many animals and so he had to spend day and night smoking meats for several days. But now he was free. His heart was lighter than the last time he visited her. He was ready to truly talk to her, as he suspected she must grow bored of spending all her time near that Fountain. And yet today it felt different. Yes, the critters were happy, the butterflies were as curious as ever… There were even flocks of birds happily flying above in the skies. And still it felt like something was missing. As he walked closer to the Fountain, he realized what it was. He couldn’t hear water flowing at all. There was no rustling of leaves. His heart beat faster and he tensed up. As he broke into a run and reached the Fountain’s Clearing, he saw the Fountain was… Asleep. No water flowed out of it, and the small pond beneath it had started to stagnate. And the Fairy, she was gone. He dropped to his knees and grasped at his heart. The Fairy was gone. She whom he had found injured in the forest, whom he had helped heal and got to know over the years. She who was like a mother to him… She was gone, just like that. There were no tears, of course. Had she even existed? Such a beautiful being. Such a pure soul, such a loving heart… Indeed, the only evidence he had of her ever being there were his memories and the feelings rampaging through his heart. The Universe seemed a lot darker without her around.