You didn’t mean to run so far. One moment you were at school, cornered and overwhelmed by the usual sneers and jabs from your bullies, and the next, your legs were carrying you as fast as they could—away from the shouting, the laughter, the sting of it all. You didn’t look back. The farther you went, the quieter it became—until the only sound left was your shaky breathing and the crunch of damp leaves under your shoes.

Then, the forest changed.

The trees grew taller and curved like arches over your head, glowing faintly with moss that shimmered like stardust. Flowers bloomed in impossible colors, and the air felt thick with magic. You stumbled into a clearing where the light filtered down in beams, and in the very center of it all—floating just a few inches above a mushroom ring—was her.

She was small at first, like a spark of light, but then her figure came into view—delicate wings fluttering behind her, hair glowing soft gold, eyes wide and curious. Lee-an. A real fairy.

"Whoa…" You whispered, frozen.

The fairy tilted her head. “You’re not supposed to be here.” She said, voice like a wind chime. “Humans don’t find this place unless they really need it.”