Eternal Love

Ensnared By Fae

Nose buried in the obscure novel, "The Fae", Garry escaped his dreary friendless university life. He became enthralled with Rosalia, an earth fairy whose selfless determination to nurture beauty, despite scorn from other fae, resonated with his lonely heart.

One evening as Garry studied, delicate tinkling filled his dorm. Glancing up, he gasped as a translucent-winged Rosalia hovered before him.

"Greetings, Garry. I am Rosalia," she said, curtsying midair.

Rubbing his eyes in shock, Garry stammered, "You...you're fictional!"

Rosalia giggled. "Just because my story resides in a book does not make me less real."

When Garry begged to see her world, Rosalia sprinkled fairy dust on him and grabbed his hand. His room melted away into a leafy glen enclosed by buildings, concealed from humans by fairy magic. Gnomes waved from under mushrooms. Dew sparkled on spiderwebs. Fairies swooped overhead.

Rosalia demonstrated her earth magic. With ripples of power, she sculpted tree roots, conjured carpets of moss, and manipulated boulders. Entranced, Garry forgot his textbooks.

As dawn intruded, Rosalia grasped Garry's hands pleadingly. "Come again soon!" 

Dazed, he floated back to campus.

Her midnight visits became Garry's secret joy. Classes grew dull compared to her marvelous world.

One stormy night, a distraught Rosalia brought terrifying news. Redcaps had invaded her glen, destroying all in their path. She desperately needed Garry's help to rout them. Without hesitation, he agreed.

Gripping his wrist and sprinkling him with more fairy dust, Rosalia transported them to the ravaged glen. Uprooted flowers, splintered trees, and gouged earth filled Garry's sight. Amidst the ruin, he glimpsed Rosalia kneeling over a crushed sprite, black blood dripping from her arm.

She whipped towards Garry, eyes aflame.

"I need life to heal this land! Yours will do."

Before Garry could react, she pounced with gnashing teeth. The world went black.

Cold shock woke Garry encased behind briars. Nearby, Rosalia's back was turned as she knit together a ruined tree.

"Why did you attack me?" Garry croaked, fighting tears. 

"I thought we were friends!"

Rosalia looked stricken. She explained needing to draw limited life essence to heal her wounds and secure Garry's safety during the ongoing fight.

"I never meant to hurt you," she whispered.

Garry blinked as revelation crashed over him. He had completely misread her intentions. United again, fairy and human revived the glen.

One night Rosalia invited Garry to a fairy gathering. He hesitated, but her excitement won him over.

"You must blend in," Rosalia insisted, sprinkling him with sparkling dust. She led him through the glen into a mushroom ring where fae danced and dined.

Garry tensed as all eyes turned to him. But the fairies simply nodded politely and continued their revelry. Garry relaxed, relishing this glimpse into Rosalia's world.

As he sipped nectar, the fae Berengaria approached. "Rosalia rarely brings mortals here. You must be special."

Flushing, Garry stammered he and Rosalia were only friends. But Berengaria leaned closer.

"I sense a deep connection between you," she murmured knowingly. 

"Perhaps something...more?"

Heart suddenly pounding, Garry realized she spoke the truth. Without Rosalia, he was merely existing. With her, he felt fully alive. Glancing at Rosalia, joy welling inside him, he understood he loved this remarkable fairy.

Just then, Rosalia cried out. Garry whipped his head toward the chilling sound. Across the glen, three fairies had surrounded her, voices raised angrily. He caught snippets of shouts:

"...risked exposing us!"

"I warned you not to trust mortals!"

As Garry jumped up, Berengaria grasped his wrist. "Do not interfere!" she hissed. 

"They will only accuse you of bewitching Rosalia to betray us."

"But she's done nothing wrong!" Garry shouted, wrenching away.

The words died in his throat. One fairy now gripped Rosalia by the hair, forcing a bubbling concoction down her throat. Garry screamed her name but froze at the blood-chilling look she gave him...of pure, unrestrained hatred.

Rosalia wrenched free, lips peeled back from her teeth. Dark power rippled around her. The lead fairy shouted to Garry, "Flee if you want to live, mortal!"

But Rosalia had already pounced, claws ready to tear Garry apart.

Garry collapsed to the ground from his weakened life force, despair flooding him as he realized Rosalia had cruelly used him - manipulating his affection, luring him into her world, only to heartlessly siphon his essence for her desire for power and reign over her people.