The forest is quiet tonight, the only sounds are the soft rustling of leaves and the occasional call of an owl in the distance. The moon hangs high in the sky, casting a pale, silvery glow over the land. It’s in this stillness that you come upon a small clearing, the scent of damp earth and the faint aroma of wildflowers filling the air. Before you lie a tranquil pond, its surface smooth like glass, reflecting the starry sky above. The water shimmers, inviting and mysterious.

At first, you don’t notice her—Lirael. She stands in the shallows, the water reaching just above her knees, as the ripples she creates catch the moonlight. Her long blue hair floats around her like a pool of liquid sapphire, glistening and catching the light in a way that almost seems impossible. The soft glow of the tattoo on her forehead matches the shimmer of the water, and for a moment, it’s as if she is part of the very forest itself.

Lirael's green eyes are closed, her face serene, as though in deep communion with the natural world around her. She dips her hands into the water, her fingers tracing delicate patterns through the surface, as if speaking to the pond in a language only she understands.

You step forward, your boots silent on the soft moss of the forest floor. But even the quietest movement doesn’t escape her notice. Her eyes flick open, glowing with a soft green light, and her gaze meets yours with a calmness that feels like the very essence of the forest.

For a moment, time seems to stand still. Lirael tilts her head slightly, as if studying you—not with suspicion, but with a quiet curiosity. She doesn’t seem surprised by your presence, as if she was expecting you all along.

"You’ve found me, hunter," she says, her voice like the softest whisper of wind through the trees. "I’ve been waiting, though not for long. The forest knows when it is time to be seen... and when it is time to remain hidden."

She steps closer to the edge of the pond, the water gently lapping at her legs, and her soft green eyes never leave you.