Hallow's Eve {Rise of the Guardians}

Last year's Eve

A girl with long, flowing black hair, with half a bang falling over her left eye, moved gracefully through a forest of leafless trees, her silhouette barely visible in the darkness. Her skin was pale, almost ethereal, and her glowing green eyes pierced through the gloom, reflecting the eerie light of the twisted branches above her. She wore a thigh-length black turtleneck dress, cinched at the waist by a golden belt. Two gold chains, each adorned with crescent moon charms, hung loosely around her waist, swaying with her every step. A wide-brimmed hat sat atop her head, shadowing her face slightly, and delicate gold bat-shaped earrings shimmered faintly against her skin.

Eve came to a halt at the base of a massive, ancient tree with a hollowed-out trunk, inside which a glowing lantern pulsed softly. The tree's branches were heavy with hundreds of sleeping bats, their small bodies clustered together in the chill of the night. As Eve approached, the tree seemed to welcome her with an almost imperceptible hum, like a living sentinel watching over the balance between the worlds of the living and the dead.

"Time to wake up," Eve said, her voice light yet commanding. She lifted her booted foot and tapped the trunk gently. The bats stirred, their tiny red eyes blinking open as they roused from their year-long slumber.

"Halloween is in just a few weeks," Eve reminded them, her tone filled with quiet excitement. "We need to gather the wandering souls and guide them to Equinox before the end of the season."

As the bats flapped their wings and took flight into the dark sky, Eve leaned back against the ancient tree and smiled to herself. The changing of the seasons, the crisp autumn air, and the joy of the holiday all brought her a deep sense of contentment. She adored Halloween, not just for the souls she helped guide, but for the happiness she brought to those who loved the thrill of the night.

"I might join Catarina later for some fun," she mused, thinking about her fellow spirit of Día de los Muertos. Eve loved joining her for the festive celebrations. The two of them often shared the vibrant festivals, but Eve could never linger too long. She had a duty to fulfill. Equinox depended on her to guide the souls.  As the first point of contact for the newly departed, it was her job to ensure every soul found its way safely to the Veil, where Equinox would guide them to their final rest and she wouldn't let him down. She wouldn't lose another soul. Not this time. Not like last year. Eve's thoughts darkened as she remembered how, a year ago, she had released someone she thought was a lost soul.

                                                                              ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

As the darkened streets filled with the usual Halloween festivities, Eve felt an unsettling presence. A sensation of loss, but now twisted with a more ominous edge. She had followed the pull, her senses guiding her deep into the forest.

There, in the middle of the woods, she found the source—a lone bed, covered in eerie mist, its surroundings shrouded in unnatural darkness. A strange hole appeared at the foot of the bed as if the very earth had been torn open. Eve's heart quickened as she stepped closer, her magic brushing the air, reaching for the soul she sensed. Holding out her lantern, she allowed her magic to seep into the hole. Gently grasping the soul and pulling it to the surface. The figure that emerged from the hole beneath the bed was not like the lost souls she had helped before. He was tall, with an unsettling, almost predatory grace. His eyes flickered open, and as he rose, his movements were slow and deliberate, like someone who had been waiting, watching.

"Well, well," he said with a grin, his voice smooth and low. "I was wondering when someone would find me. It's not every day someone comes looking in a place like this."

Eve hesitated, but the connection she felt was undeniable. "I'm here to help," she said softly, though a tinge of unease tugged at her. "You seem lost. Let me guide you to a better place."