Of Fairies and Dragons

Prologue: Evanescence to the Impossible Silva

  As the cool autumn breeze nipped at her, Perdita took in a deep breath of the nighttime geosmin. Her steps were careful yet swift as she flew through the dripping foliage and damp branches. In these fleeting moments, there were no cares in the world beyond the forest, no responsibilities beyond one's connection with nature and the ones they loved. She bounded past the bushes and trees like a doe, light on her toes and free in the wind. Here, in the forest, she felt at peace.

  The shattering of branches and sprigs snapped the young damsel back to acuity, bringing a smile to her face. She was glad to have someone to share this moment with, even if they weren't even close to graceful. Diggory was trying his best to keep up with his friend's deft movements, but she was just too swift for him. He ran after her like a bull, determined but always a few steps behind. Even with his natural speed and athleticism, his amateurish method of traversing the forest floor made him noisy and slow in comparison to Perdita. It was his first time in the forest, after all, but he was always up for a challenge.

  Together the pair dove deeper and deeper into the forest, well past the borders of the city and into the unmapped area. But neither one was worried; they had each other, and they were each sure of their ability to find their way home. Tonight was just about the two of them, away from the dreary echoes and repetition of the world of chrome and neon that they were born into. Away from the pressures of perfection and rank, or skill and sublimity. Tonight it was just Perdita and Diggory, best friends. A night to last forever.

  Continuing onward, the trees gradually gave way to a clearing, which had a big lake at its centre. They stopped at a high outcropping of smooth grey rocks that functioned like a small cliff, with the bright moon shining down on them. Below them, the water was tranquil and transparent, looking almost like a giant mirror as it reflected the grand white plenilune.

  "And here we are," Perdita breathed, curls of cool vapour escaping her lips, "The most magical place in the forest."

  For a moment, all the pair could do was stand there, taking in the beauty of the scenery and the serenity of the moment. This was what they were looking for. The simple, soothing magic of the natural world. Then, still breathing heavily, Diggory began to walk towards the edge of the rocks overlooking the water, but Perdita grabbed his wrist, stopping him.

  "And what do you think you're doing?" she asked, still whispering smoothly.

  "Getting in. It's a good night for a swim."

  "We can't get our clothes wet, it's too cold and they wouldn't be dry before we got home."

  She was right, but he just shook his head and countered, "Well I didn't bring a swimsuit, did you?"

  To this, Perdita just smiled coyly. "Turn that way for a moment," she said, playfully spinning her friend so that he was facing away from her. He waited impatiently for a while until he suddenly heard the sound of splashing water. Whipping his gaze to the lake below, he could see Perdita's bare feet disappear into the water. Looking at where she was just standing, he noticed that all of her clothes were folded neatly and put aside. Turning back to where she had dived, he watched as she burst through the rippling surface and laughed loudly. "Come on!" she called from below, giving him a wide smile.

  Diggory laughed at her confidence. That wasn't something he would have thought to do or suggest. But this was another challenge of hers, and he wouldn't back down now. He stripped out of his dirtied clothes, pausing for a just moment as he got to his boxers. He felt a little strange, but seeing Perdita lazily floating in the water, he knew he wouldn't be outdone. He tossed them aside and dove in after her, taking a deep breath just before hitting the water.

  "Took you long enough," Perdita teased, splashing a handful of water in his face as he resurfaced, "I thought you'd never come down."

  Diggory laughed into the night air, "And risk disappointing you? I don't think so."

  The two companions played and lounged in the water for hours, racing and splashing and floating without a care in the world. They felt like they could've stayed there for days, just resting and enjoying each other's company. For them, this was paradise.

  Eventually, they noticed the telltale signs of dawn approaching, steadily pushing the night away. Rather reluctantly, they made their way back up the rocky slope to the outcropping to dry off using their sweatshirts. A small piece of them wished the night could have lasted forever.

  Perdita laid her head on Diggory's shoulder as they sat on the rocks, taking in the magnificent sight of the sun's golden rays emerging from behind the trees. "This is nice," she purred, curling up into her friend. He paused before making a response, gingerly brushing her matted auburn hair off of her face. "I wish..." he mused, "I wish it was always like this."

  Suddenly the forest exploded with light as small golden orbs appeared in the trees. Fireflies of some sort abruptly began to buzz and wired energetically, startling the two teens. They flew in wild circles around the duo, invoking wonder and awe in their symphony of synchrony and their dance to a silent song. Then as quickly as they appeared they vanished, and the night was still once more.

  "We... we should probably head back now," Diggory stated, still reeling from the surprise display. The pair scrambled to finish clothing themselves, confusion and excitement swelling in their rapidly beating hearts. Together they began to make their way back into the forest, ready to tuck away the memories of the night in a safe place in their mind for the rest of their lives.

  But just as they reached the edge of the clearing, a tiny glowing azure orb seemed to apparate out of nowhere. It just floated there lazily, bobbing a little as it snared them into its trance. Then another one appeared, followed by another and another, until there was an entire trail of them. The two friends looked at each other, wordlessly agreeing to follow the curious lights wherever they led.

  They were never seen again.