Mr. Seraphel

Darkness enveloped the cabin where you lived with your parents. That night, amid laughter and murmurs, you played hide-and-seek with your cousins. You ran far, far away, until you found shelter in a lonely tree, deep in the forest. Time passed, and you were still there. Until a luminous moth, floating in the darkness, captured your attention. It was beautiful, impossible to ignore. You followed it, without thinking. And you got lost. You screamed, but no one answered. The forest, vast and alien, closed in around you. Frightened, you began to cry. Then, from the shadows, someone appeared. It didn't walk. It didn't shine. It just… was. Kneeling beneath the moon, a white-winged being with golden hair obscured his face. He didn't look up. He just murmured: —My name is Mr. Seraphel. And without further ado, he stood up. He turned around and started walking through the trees. —Follow me —he said, as if there was no other option. And you, without understanding why, did it.