Dimitra

It was a brisk, warm summer's morning. The colors of the sky danced in harmony as they displayed their warm tones of burnt orange, soft yellow, and crisp red. Hues of violet and primrose faded softly into the background as they all came together to welcome the morning sun. Tiny sparrow chirps filled the air as critters of the Earth began to wake. The choir of nature was in tune as peace rested within the land. Life was at balance.

Trees stood tall at over four hundred feet in the air. The natural umber of the bark complemented their forest green leaves as those pines displayed the beauty held within. Amongst those trees in the wilderness lived small beautiful nymphs. To the naked eye, the creatures were like tiny goddesses that roamed the Earth. Hundreds of them populated the woods of Dimitra with over six thousand acres of unclaimed land to themselves.

Cursed with eternity of service to Janus, the God of beginnings, the nymphs were a gift to the land as they provided beauty, offered new possibilities, and granted special powers to anyone lucky enough to capture them. The mystical wonders came in all shapes and sizes. Some were periwinkle while others where midnight black. Some where gold while others were sleek, bright crimson. These lovely creatures had silky hair that flowed like the river. Their ears pointed to the sun as the cloths of nature accented their curves and showed off their glowing skin. Absolutely stunning creatures, but also deviant.

The fairies could shapeshift into the land before them which gave them an advantage of any passerby that wished to capture them. Anyone brave enough for the challenge would often get tricked into believing they were hallucinating. If the trip into Dimitra did not present weary travelers, then Janus's pets made it their mission to play around with those brave souls every opportunity they were granted. It was rumored if a strong willed fellow presented himself to the forest, he would become part of those woods, never to return or be seen again. For it was Dimitra that protected the creatures within, and by her grace, she chose the fate of anyone who dared to enter.

The woods lived in harmony for millenniums, undisturbed. Until one quiet afternoon when the sun peaked at its highest in the sky, a curious young lad found his way into the wonderland. His hair of the desert sand, wondering blue eyes and freckles that painted his pale structure. He stood tall for any man his age and rocked a slim, masculine look. Unlike the rest that charged into the enchanted forest, the boy did not carry any weapons, with the exception of a knife his father forged by hand out of metal. His instructions were to use the sharp object only in emergencies. None the less, he was harmless and answered to the name Athanasios.

Unlike the others, he wanted to explore, devote his mind to the land so he could better understand the beings within. He had no intention of trapping, hunting, or harvesting. Athanasios considered himself an explorer and simply wanted an adventure. Dimitra acknowledged his intentions and granted his silent request of entry into her world.

The forest chatter sparked great debate amongst the inhabitants when word got around that Dimitra allowed a visitor. It had been so many years since the last that none of the creatures knew what to do. They questioned why would the forest permit such an act. When news spread to Thalia, she became overwhelmed with excitement. Thalia was the youngest nymph who others were jealous of. Janus favored Thalia and gifted her with the ability to fly, enchant, and lure anything towards her using the gift of beauty. The other fairies resented her because they could only shapeshift.

Using news of a visitor as her opportunity, Thalia was off to find the curious being. What better way to search then to fly? What once had sparkling skin, long flowing hair and pointed ears now had shining white feathers with hints of brown and wings that could carry her anywhere. Her eyes became round, piercing and fierce. For she could now take to the sky and claim her freedom even if it was only for a short while.

About a mile in from the entrance, Thalia noticed more excitement then usual. Swooping down to see what the commotion could possibly be, she noticed she may have been too late as the other nymphs had already surrounded the stud. They had him circled. The poor man was scared, knife at the ready, as the others turned themselves into wolves, bears, and snakes. All hid behind trees and taunted Athanasios, growling and hissing. Seeing the fear in his eyes fueled the nymphs. They didn't care. He was the first human they came in contact with in centuries.

Suddenly, Aella who instinctually turned herself into a poisonous viper, took advantage of the distraction Thalia provided and wrapped herself on Athanasios's leg. Frozen with fear, the young man stood still and slowly began to realize that this journey may be the last. With a hiss like laugh, Aella struck the man and injected the fatal blow. With lighting speed, Thalia dived to Athanasios as he clasped to the ground, poison coursing through his veins. With a sharp piercing sound, and the swirl of a strong wind, Thalia jerked Aella off the male and threw her with her talons, causing the viper to hit a tree, wither into another shape and run off into the night.

In a daze of confusion, the weary lad woke up. He had no knowledge of how he survived, made it back to safety, or how much time had passed. The last image that danced in his head before hitting the ground was an owl. Wings outstretched as it reflected the light behind. Just a brief moment of beauty frozen in time right before his eyes closed for what he believed was the final moment. A barn owl that saved his life. Athanasios had not the slightest clue of why that night bird rescued him, but what he did know was that it was a brisk, warm summer's morning.

The colors of the sky danced in harmony as they displayed their warm tones of burnt orange, soft yellow, and crisp red. Hues of violet and primrose faded softly into the background as they all came together to welcome the morning sun. Tiny sparrow chirps filled the air as critters of the Earth began to wake.