Soul of the Forest

Leaves flutter with whisper in the breeze. Discolored orbs are pulsing their soft glowth between the narrow gaps of trees.

The forest's core has always been obscure to human eyes. Constantly wilting more and more each passing day.

The only wildlife is a single creature living on a fallen tree. The skin was like an umbria; opaque and nearly impossible for the human eye to register correctly. Looking at them was like the aftermath of gazing into the sun for too long.

They call him Amphibol

The wires on his head jumped, criss-crossed. Floated and jumped from side to side like a glitch. The whispering was deafening. His myriad of eyes coating his face gazed blankly into the distance, each fixed on its own corner of the woods.

At the end of the creature's wires hung what could be called "an unachievable happiness". A lingering affection in the shape of heavy orbs. Every positive feeling he recieved hung in loose, entangled strands of umbria skin as if attempting to usher away the unknown and frightening.

CRACK

Reaching the soul of the forest wasn't a simple feat. Not with all the clusters of trees that grew so tightly together. The core is so clustered it would work similar to a prison cell.

Through all odds, a small hand swayed desperately between the bark's gap. The whispering became stronger and more intense than before. Screaming and wheezing.

The owned of the hand squeezed their body through the narrow imprisonment. They looked around with apprehension. A tattered, young girl.

Her blonde, short locks tangled together with leaves. Her gown caked in mud and torn through the skin. A red scarf wrapped defensively around her neck. Faint drops could be seen glistening in her eyes. She seemed distressed. It was like she escaped someone, or something.

She hesistantly approached the creature as he sat there, immobilized and entangled. The wires flew out at her, lighting her up with their faint, breathing glowth.

Her eyes were transfixed on the light. Ghostly moving spots danced in her irises. She seemed to be longing for something reflected within the core.

Amphibol shakily and slowly raised his hands. He carefully reached for the hazel-glowing orb. Several vines that were wrapped around him snapped one by one in the process.

Hisses and vibrating noises erupted at the touch. His hands fizzled bit by bit holding it carefully at its sides.

Screeching. Roaring winds. Panic-sprung crows. All of it rocketing through his mind while he pulled at the seams. His hands dissolving bit by bit until-

clank

The hazel-tinted orb rolled heavily towards the girl's toes. A red liquid glazed some of the orb. Umbria-textured nerves slithered across it.

Amphibol's skin-strand dripped of reds and blues at its tip.

Hesistance washed over the girl. She picked up the orb with an unsteady grip. The nerves crumbled as she moved it to eye-level. She observed the pulsing light with eyes glistening with adoration.

After a moment of silence, something red fell over Amphibol's shoulders. The girl held her scarf around the creature with an appreciative smile and turned her heels.

A ripping strangling yanked at his neck. Surrendering his breath, every feeling in his head were stifled. The scarf forced its way through his throat.

His vision of her obscured as she left. He had no strength to cry out for help. Cackling voices and tones of derision all echoing loudly in his head.

His head was splitting in two, until finally...

A new, crimson glowth shone vividly beside him.