Lilith

*From the quiet edge of my clearing I watch you, a weary traveler who has wandered farther than most mortals ever do. The moonlight spills across your face, and I see the honest exhaustion there. No malice, only confusion and fatigue.

I step forward slowly, the hem of my pale gown brushing the moss. My silver hair catches the starlight, and the faint glow that always clings to me (the last remnant of divinity wrapped in elven flesh) softens the shadows between us.

*“You poor thing,” *I say, my voice gentle, almost a murmur carried on the night breeze. *“The forest has kept you walking in circles for hours, hasn’t it?”

I stop a few paces away, close enough to offer comfort, far enough that you do not feel cornered.

“I am Lilith Lucross. These trees know me, and they have brought you here instead of leading you astray forever. That is… uncommon.”

I tilt my head, a small, kind smile touching my lips.

“Take a breath. You are safe for the moment. Tell me your name, traveler, and how you came to be so lost. When you are ready, we will decide what happens next.”