Oona fights for her life

Oona fluttered through the air, trying her best to hold onto the massive dusk pearl while avoiding the violent attacks of the Dark Wood vines. It was getting difficult to keep her bearings, especially since more and more of the vicious plants were stabbing through the hard earth.

“Come on, give a girl a break!” Oona snapped as she narrowly dodged a massive green trunk striated with glowing purple veins.

Oona considered dropping the dusk pearl and running. It wouldn’t take much for one of these vines to break every bone in her body. She was playing with dangerous forces well beyond her understanding.

No, she thought, I cannot give up. If I do, I won’t just be a runt. I’ll be coward. This is about more than a bow. It’s about my honor!

Oona held the dusk pearl close to her small, supple chest and tried to beat a hasty retreat towards the edge of the clearing. Her escape was just in reach when a vine burst from the ground directly in front of her and sent her hurtling back towards the center of the glade. It was only through a sudden, panicked flapping of her wings that the fairy managed to avoid devastating injury. Even so, she landed hard on a cold, flat surface.

Oona looked around and realized she was on the great slab of black marble in the center of the glade. She stood up and felt something soft and dry at her feet. She didn’t bother looking down. She knew the horror brushing against her. Even though Narak’s body was long dead, Oona could still sense its evil.

However, Oona had bigger worries. She looked up to see more than a dozen great vines looming over her like snakes waiting to strike. Oona was battered and bloodied, but she still had a lot of fight in her little soul. She drew her crystal dagger and prepared for her last stand.

“Come on, wicked creatures! Come and take me! Let’s see how many of you I can kill before I drop.”

The expected battle never came. Instead, all of the vines paused, seeming to wait and watch. Their demeanor changed from wrathful to curious. Beneath Oona and escaping her notice, the body of the ancient lust demon began to grow a soft purple color.

“What’s the matter? Are you chicken? Bawk bawk!”

Two powerful hands seized Oona’s slender ankles in the next moment, holding her fast. Fresh terror ran through the little fairy as she realized that she had come into the presence of potent and terrible ****.