However, when Shiayar turned a corner, the scene before him suddenly brightened.
Before him lay a verdant, though not particularly vast, grassland. Pink flowers dotted the green, and a massive tree stood there, its trunk so thick it would take several people to encircle it.
Beneath the shade of that tree, an old swing hung.
A girl with black hair and golden eyes, dressed in a classic dark gown, sat on the swing, swaying gently with the morning breeze.
Stacks of books lay behind her, and she held one in her lap, reading attentively.
The girl had delicate features, but her golden eyes seemed veiled by night, making them slightly indistinct.
Barely visible within her pitch-black hair was a pair of subtle protrusions. Deep shadows also flickered within the folds of her clothing. Her layered gown, though not overly intricate, was adorned with specks of starlight, reminiscent of the night sky.
