The Nymph's Redemption: Acantha's Journey (7ds fanfiction)

Prologue

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"I never knew the taste of freedom. If it weren't for these bindings keeping me tightly held to this burning cross, perhaps I could fly with the birds above. I wish to feel the wind on my face, without the suffocating smoke from below encompassing my lungs in a fiery burning sensation". Many of these thoughts ran through the head of the young girl. Her skin was pale, covered in freckles that matched almost too well to the dirt and dried blood that stuck to her skin like a leech. Multiple bruises and gashes made up for the imperfections on her skin. Her once long, ginger hair had been cut into a choppy mess of a style that barely allowed any length; dirt, rocks, and once again blood turned her soft locks into matted chunks of distasteful substances and items. Her gaze, who at first was lowered to the crowd below her, turned to the bright and blistering sun above. Her deep green eyes dulled and hid any hint of a soul.

"Any last words for those who you committed heinous crimes, Nymph?" That name of hers. She had a real one, and it was Acantha. Though stating the fact that she is a nymph; closely resembling those of the fairy race; it still left such a sour and bitter feeling in her throat. "I want to live... Please... How can I die so soon when this has been the only day I experience the outside world...? I want... To be free!" She yelled the last part choking back tears, already knowing for whatever reason she had been tied to that cross made the humans unwilling to listen to her cries. The fire below her burned her ankles, the pale dirtied flesh becoming a light pink. She turned her head back to the sun above her as the tears ran down her filthy cheeks. "I beg of you! Please let me live!"

And with that, she went unconscious. Was it due to the harsh and inhumane punishment she went through before her execution or something else? Acantha's body felt incredibly light so suddenly. Her mind was blank and she no longer felt the agony of flames attacking the bottom half of her body. Once her mind began to process that it was possible she was dead, her eyes quickly shot open. It was different scenery compared to the buildings and roads: this was a forest. It was a very large forest at that, with endless trees and bright green grass that was absolutely soft to the touch. Not a single dead patch dared to ruin this perfection. 'Where... Am I? Is this what the afterlife is like? Or have I been reborn...' she thought to herself. After a quick look at her arms and legs, which were wrapped in such strange ivy almost as if it were protecting her...? Or holding her down. "My body still aches... And my wounds aren't as bad... Just scarred over... So what happened?" Her thoughts ran out loud, filling the peaceful silence of the forest she had been in. Acantha figured she should get up and attempt at finding any sign of a possible savior, or capturer. After quite the tussle with the ivy, the ginger-haired girl pushed herself to stand, her knees shaking from the weakness her body still felt.

Upon hearing a voice speak up, Acantha turned to find a face to match said the voice. "Did you hear what I said? You shouldn't be standing so soon after waking up!" A blonde short girl with golden eyes floated over and crossed her arms. The pale nymph was uncomfortable by such an action by a stranger and carefully backed away, using a nearby tree as support. "Ah! Right! This is probably the first time you've woken up in three days! Let me introduce myself and introduce you to where you are!" the floating child smiled. Acantha was willing to hear the woman out and carefully leaned against the tree to support her. "My name is Elaine; you are in the Fairy King's Forest. I am the guardian of it all! My brother, who is the fairy king isn't here right now... So as of right now, I am the only one with the responsibility of taking care of the entire forest." Her speaking almost seemed like she was feeling rather petty about being left with the forest in her hands. "As of how you had gotten here, you were actually found on the river bed by Helbram and the other fairies and were brought to me! They had assumed you had been a fairy prisoner who escaped and lost your wings but after doing a little dream reading. I may or may not have learned your name... As well as what you are-"Elaine scratched the back of her neck with a nervous sigh. "I do hope it was alright... I had to know what was wrong in order to properly treat those wounds, Acantha." The nymph was disturbed, to say the least, just what did Elaine see. If it were anything of the simple five days she was alive in that prison then she would rather this Elaine woman not read her mind again. "Are you able to talk by any chance, Acantha?" the blonde asked.

But how could she possibly try and speak? This supposed fairy just read her like she was a book! And even if Acantha could possibly force herself to say anything, what would she say? There are endless questions she could ask. Elaine seemed to notice this and accept that Acantha just needs time to get more acquainted with where she is. "It'll be alright, come I will introduce you to some of the other fairies here, I'm sure Helbram would enjoy a new friend since he kinda left without any word," Elaine spoke sweetly, guiding her towards the large tree in the center of the forest. 'Is this girl serious? She doesn't even know me that well. Yet she's so easily accepting me into the group? It feels a little odd...'

With that, Acantha was introduced to the fairies and given a safe haven to recover from her wounds. She was even allowed up to see the fountain of youth, which gave quite a gorgeous sight of the entire forest. This only left one thought in the nymph's mind: how long will she be safe before she's hunted down by the angry mob of humans who seemed to despise her to the very core?

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Word Count is 1989 words.