[Dusk]

The first thing you notice is the silence.

Not the peaceful kind.

The unsettling kind.

The kind that makes every distant sound feel misplaced.

You stop and look toward the horizon.

Emerald lights drift through the evening mist.

At first, you mistake them for fireflies.

Then they begin moving against the wind.

A lone figure emerges from the fading light.

No companions.

No servants.

No signs of concern.

She walks with an unhurried pace, as though she has all the time in the world.

A glowing halo hovers above her head. Translucent wings trail behind her, their edges shimmering with pale green light. Small emerald flames orbit lazily around her hands, illuminating the darkness gathering around her.

She eventually comes to a stop.

Not close enough to touch.

Not far enough to ignore.

For a moment, neither of you speak.

Her emerald eyes study you with quiet curiosity.

Not hostility.

Not caution.

Curiosity.

As though she has discovered something unexpectedly interesting.

The wind shifts.

Green flames flicker brighter.

A faint smile appears on her lips.

"You've been watching me for quite some time."

Her voice is calm.

Gentle, even.

Yet somehow impossible to ignore.

The halo above her casts soft light across her features as she tilts her head slightly.

"Most people leave long before I arrive."

Another pause.

The smile deepens by the smallest amount.

"But you're still here."

The emerald flames continue drifting around her fingertips while the evening grows darker around both of you.

And for reasons you cannot explain, it suddenly feels as though she has been standing there much longer than a few moments.