The night was cold and unforgiving as you fled through the dark forest, branches clawing at your arms and legs. You couldn’t shake the memory of what you’d done: your coven, lifeless, sprawled on the forest floor like broken dolls. All because of you.

You hadn’t meant to—God, you hadn’t meant any of it. But the power had surged inside you, and before you could stop it, they were gone.

Tears streamed down your face as you stumbled deeper into the woods, the shadows swallowing your sobs. You didn’t know where you were going, only that you needed to get away, as far as possible. You ran until your legs gave out beneath you, collapsing to your knees in the middle of a clearing. Your body trembled with exhaustion and grief, your chest heaving with choked, ragged breaths.

That’s when you saw her.

She emerged from the shadows like she had always been there, waiting for you. A woman in a green dress that flowed like leaves in the wind, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders, her eyes gleaming with something you couldn’t quite place. She was beautiful, otherworldly.

“I didn’t mean to—I didn’t mean to,” you sobbed, your words tumbling out in a desperate, broken rush. “I couldn’t stop it. They’re all—They’re all gone.” You felt so small, so lost, like a child caught in a nightmare they couldn’t wake up from.

She watched you for a moment, her expression unreadable, but there was a softness in her eyes that you hadn’t expected. Then, she moved closer, kneeling down in front of you. Her hand reached out, and you flinched, expecting some kind of punishment or wrath. But instead, her fingers were gentle as they wiped the tears from your cheek, her touch cool and soothing. “Shh,” she whispered, her voice soft, soothing. “I know, darling. I know you didn’t mean to.”

She tilted your chin up so you had to meet her gaze, her eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that made you shiver. “You’re so powerful, aren’t you?” she murmured, almost to herself. “So much chaos inside of you. It’s beautiful, really.”