The Loveliest Lies of All

Ten: The Unknown

 I was staring at the darkness of the beast through the mist, my fists clutched as I was prepared to take on any challenges he would give me if it meant getting the brothers home. A strange feeling of tiredness was overcoming me the longer I stayed in the beasts presence; it was almost as if all the energy was being drained form my body at once. My eyes were fighting to stay open and my legs were turning into jelly. "Hm, yes, you will make a fine addition to my forest," he said deeply as I suddenly fell to my knees.

"'Addition to your forest'?" I questioned and the beast hummed.

"Don't be afraid Mary, if you need to rest then you must do so," the beast said.

"Mary! Mary!" A familiar female voice suddenly called, and weakly I turned my head to see if I could see the owner of the voice approaching.

"Never mind that Mary. You need to rest now. Let it consume you," the beast said and as much as I tried to fight it, I couldn't. I collapsed onto my bum, my back leaning against a tree stump behind me as my eyes began to flutter closed. 'This is for Wirt and Greg,' I thought to myself repeatedly, trying to remain strong and knowing that Wirt more then anyone needed the hope of getting home. Tears began to fall from my eyes as I breathed heavily.

Darkness was beginning to fall as I felt my heart slow down, the cold beginning to affect me badly. The beast began singing his mournful melody as darkness consumed the forest, and I felt something slowly wrap itself around my legs and waist.

"Come wayward souls, that wander through the darkness,

there is a light for the lost and meek.

Sorrow and fear, are easily forgotten,

when you submit to the soil of the Earth."

I looked down and saw tree branches wrapping themselves around my legs, slowly consuming my body. I recognised the wood, it was oily and very similar to that which the Woodsman was extracting back at his mill. Darkness had completely shrouded the forest around me, and I could only make out a few of the trees due to the intensity of the beasts bright white eyes. "Woodsman! I knew you would come," the beast suddenly said and I craned my neck as much as I could, all of the energy in my body almost completely gone as the branches consumed my body. Standing their with the lantern in hand was indeed the Woodsman, looking on in horror. "I have something for you."

"What have you done?" The Woodsman cried as my vision blurred.

"Why, I've given you another edelwood tree," the beast said.

"NO!" The woodsman cried.

"She will burn nicely in the lantern," the beast praised.

"No, I won't do this!" The Woodsman said mournfully. Consciousness slowly left my body as the voices of the beast and the Woodsman began to turn into nothing more then distant hums. I could feel the branches wrap themselves around my shoulders, and I suddenly felt nauseous as I coughed and leaves came out of my mouth: the tree had began to take over my insides as well. 'This is it, this is how I'm going to die,' I thought as finally darkness consumed my mind.

"Mary! MARY!" A recognisable voice suddenly shouted, waking me up a little.

"W-Wirt?" I mumbled, hoping I wasn't imagining this. I opened my eyes and saw my crush standing there next to his brother with Beatrice flying beside them. They were blurred, but I could make out the three of them clearly. "I-I did it Wirt... I-I beat the beast... y-you and Greg can g-g-go home now-," I was interrupted by my coughing, leaves spilling from my mouth.

"Oh no, they're growing inside of her!" Beatrice exclaimed.

"I'm sorry Wirt... you two need to go home-,"