Chapter Text
Act I
Prologue
Chapter Four: The Forest of the Dead
Lorelei and Varian ran through the village, passing houses and pastures powdered in snow. The light, white surroundings became darker as they passed by the village and headed towards the forest. As they ran the area became darker and darker.
Then, in front of them stood a tall wall of dark, thorny briars. “What are we going to do now?” Varian asked, worried by the voices of the bullies. Lorelei was focused on finding something. Varian got closer to her and tried to process what the girl was doing.
“Here. Come, quick!” Lorelei whispered. She entered into the thorny briars, a low rustle could be heard as she entered. Varian looked at her, hesitating to enter. Then he followed.
As Varian crawled into the briars, he was met with a place that was not covered in snow. It was cold, dark, covered in lifeless trees with brittle and twisted branches that resembled long hands that were covered with red ribbons, mausoleums and graves. And on top of this dead landscape stood hills. On top of the tallest hill was an old, rundown, grey cobblestone mansion that looked down upon them.
“What is this place?” Varian asked as he got up, a shiver running down his spine. “I do not know…” Lorelei responded. Varian looked at the entrance— there was no entrance in sight. “What?” “Oh yeah. That happens.” Lorelei responded nonchalantly.
She gestured to Varian to come with her and they walked through the dead forest. “Uhm… Lorelei… W-what is this place?” “I… I do not know to be exact. But I believe it is known as the Forest of the Dead. I read it in a journal I found in that mansion.” She pointed towards the old ruins. “How do you know this place?” “My mother’s number one punishment is to go outside. One day as I tried to find a place where no one would find me, I stumbled across this place.”
“How romantic…” Varian teased in a sarcastic tone. “Ha. Ha.”
Silence.
•●•●•
The duo made it up the highest hill and entered the ruined cobblestone mansion. They were greeted by a dusty, desaturated room with old, extravagant decor. Mainly in the colors burgundy, black and gold. “Wow… And I thought this couldn’t get any more scary.” Varian said. Lorelei giggled in response. She shivered and hugged herself. “I wish I knew how to light a fire…” She whispered. Varian replied in a confident tone. “I do!”
Lorelei showed the raven haired boy the way to the fireplace. It was old but the wood would do. Varian lit the fireplace with a little struggle. Warmth emanated from it. Cozying up the place a tad bit. Once more their old friend: silence made its grand entrance.
After warming up Varian couldn’t help but ask. “What is this place?” Lorelei looked at him, his eyes filled with wonder. “Well… The journal I read said that this place belonged to a family of witches. Three sisters and a mother, to be exact. But other than that, I do not have any more information. I’m still reading the journal you see.”
Varian nodded understandingly. “But you know… Magic is not real.” he added. Lorelei looked at Varian’s blue eyes in confusion. “That is an out of the blue statement. Even though there is no magic now, there apparently was back then.” “It was probably a mad person’s writings.” Lorelei looked at Varian as if to say something, but she backed away from doing so.
“Let us go back. They are probably not looking for us anymore.” Lorelei stated. Varian agreed and stood up to put out the fire. The fire was out on a whim, desaturated smoke replacing the warm colors of the heat. The two got up and walked out of the cobblestone mansion.
In front of them was the Forest of the Dead in its entirety. Greys, blacks, desaturated browns and reds surrounded the hills. As they walked down, the wind’s howls could be heard.
They walked through the cemetery-like forest, crawled out of the hidden opening in the rose briars, and made their way back to Old Corona. None of the kids were seen. They had left. This is good, Lorelei thought. “Crisis averted.” Varian said to Lorelei with a snicker. The girl laughed and nodded.
Lorelei and Varian called it a day after that and separated, heading to their homes.