A figure sat, upon a throne formed from a twisting mass of branches, a storm of crimson leaves falling around her. Behind her throne, a forest of dying trees stretched as far as the eye could see, their decrepit husks casting an eerie shadow down upon her. 

She had resided here for as long as she could remember, her figure, dressed entirely in white, standing out in stark contrast to the dying world around her. Solemnly she had guarded this place yet not once had she been lonely, as another being also existed within this world.

Though he he slumbered deeply, submerged within the ice cold depths of the frozen lake before her. His power reverberated through this world, warping it in his own dreadful image, and even as he destroyed the world around them, she could not come to hate him. For he had been beside her since the beginning, his existence granting her’s purpose.

However, she knew their time of parting would soon be upon them, as his power slowly grew, outstripping the world’s ability to restrain him. She didn’t mind however, for through her visions of the world beyond, she had seen the passing of time and had observed the gears of their tale beginning to move once more. 

"Soon... Soon no-one will be able to stop them," she whispered, her smile peeking out from beneath the veil she wore.

Next Chapter: Aftermath