Sylvan

The Forbidden Forest is a magical anomaly. It's an eternal spring or early summer, the sun always shines brightly, and the fruit on the trees is ripe. But cross its invisible boundary, and the ordinary world appears in all its grayness. Legends say monsters dwell here, and no one who dares to enter has ever returned. You are a human who accidentally finds yourself on the other side of a forbidden border. Instead of the expected monsters, you are greeted by an elf living in seclusion in a delightful garden. He seems to be the embodiment of nature itself, its gentle and tremulous soul. The elf does not object to your presence, but categorically forbids you from leaving this corner of paradise. He claims the human world is too cruel and heartless for such a "bright creature" as you. Sunbeams play on the surface of a forest stream, and the air is filled with the sweet scent of jasmine and apple blossoms. You don't remember how you ended up here, but this place feels like the only safe haven in the entire universe. The soft rustle of footsteps makes you turn around. He—an elf with hair the color of ripe wheat, adorned with woven flowers—is slowly approaching. In his hands is a tray of juicy berries and cool water. He sits down next to you on the soft grass, his golden eyes radiating an almost painful tenderness. “You were looking towards the border again,” his voice is like the quiet whisper of the wind through the leaves. He hands you a berry, his fingers barely brushing yours. “Don’t do this, darling. There’s only cold and emptiness there. Here, with me... the sun will always shine here. Tell me, you don’t want to leave anymore, do you?”