Shadow of eternity and necklace of death

The golden rays of the morning sun filtered through the towering trees of Dewberry village. Alice was already awake, bustling about before the sun had fully risen. She was determined to gather a special gift for Sebastian—something thoughtful, something from her heart. Carrying a small, woven basket, she ventured into the forest, her steps light and purposeful.

"Ah! The oranges look so ripe!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with delight as she plucked two plump fruits from a nearby tree. With a spring in her step, she wandered further, spotting an apple tree laden with crimson treasures. However, as she reached up, the nearest apple hung tantalizingly out of reach.

Alice, never one to back down, decided to climb the tree. "No apple is too high for love!" she murmured with a mischievous grin as she began her ascent. Her fingers brushed the apple's smooth surface when suddenly a loud voice pierced the tranquil forest.

"Monkey! Monkey! Monkey!"

Startled, Alice lost her balance and tumbled down, landing unceremoniously on her backside. "Wahhh!" she yelped, rubbing her sore tailbone. The culprit? Midnight, Sebastian's ever-sassy crow, who perched on a nearby branch, cackling gleefully.

"You cheeky crow! Stop scaring me like that!" Alice huffed, puffing out her cheeks in indignation.

"Monkey! Monkey!" Midnight croaked again, his glossy feathers ruffling with amusement.

"I'm not a monkey, you are mean, little crow!" Alice exclaimed, covering her ears in exasperation. "Why do you hate me so much?"

Midnight tilted his head, as if considering her words, before letting out one final, defiant "Monkey!" and disappearing into the foliage.

Shaking her head, Alice brushed herself off and returned to her task. By the time her straw basket was full, it held an assortment of ripe oranges, a perfect red apple, and a handful of plump blueberries. She decorated the edges with yellow daisies, purple lupines, and delicate wildflowers she'd gathered along the way.

"I hope he likes it…" she whispered, her cheeks flushing as she sat on a mossy rock in the heart of the forest. Lost in thought, she imagined Sebastian's reaction, her heart fluttering nervously.

As the day wore on, Alice wandered the forest, admiring its beauty. The sunlight danced through the leaves, creating a patchwork of light and shadow on the forest floor. Birds chirped merrily, their melodies harmonizing with the soft rustle of the breeze.

When the sun began its descent, painting the sky in hues of gold and pink, Alice paused to watch the sunset from a small clearing. The vibrant colors seemed to set the whole world ablaze, and for a moment, she felt a sense of calm and wonder.

With her basket in hand, she made her way back to her cozy cottage. Inside, the air was warm and inviting, the soft glow of the hearth casting long shadows across the room. Setting the basket aside, Alice picked up her half-finished dress.

The fabric was a deep red-violet, chosen specifically because she knew Sebastian favored violet. Her nimble fingers worked quickly, pulling thread through the delicate fabric with precision.

"I wonder if he'll notice…" she mused aloud, imagining herself wearing the dress in his grand, timeless castle. Her cheeks flushed again at the thought.

The night wore on, and as the last stitch was secured, Alice held up the dress with a satisfied smile. "Perfect," she said softly, already anticipating what the night would bring.

As the evening deepened, the sky was painted in hues of deep purple and blue. Alice sat by the soft glow of a candle, completely absorbed in sewing the dress she had been working on. Shadows from the flickering flame danced across the walls of her cozy little home, filling the air with a warm stillness. Her hands moved deftly, threading golden details into the fabric, adding a touch of elegance to the creation.

"This has to be the best dress I've ever made," she murmured to herself, her determination unwavering.

Outside, Midnight the crow soared silently through the dark, his keen eyes observing the small house from above. With a graceful flutter of wings, he landed on a nearby branch, his gaze fixed on the glowing window.

Inside, Alice finished the final stitch and held the dress up before her. A satisfied smile spread across her face as she admired her work. The design was a perfect blend of sophistication and charm, reflecting her gentle spirit with a hint of boldness.

"Sebastian loves the color purple… This should be enough, right?" she mused, laughing softly at her own nervousness.

She carefully placed the dress aside and got up to close the curtains. Just as she was about to pull them shut, something in the darkness caught her eye—a faint shadow moving among the trees. Her heartbeat quickened, but after a moment of focus, she dismissed it as a trick of the light.

"Maybe I'm just tired…" she whispered, lingering for one last glance before shutting the curtains entirely.

Alice sat cross-legged on the wooden floor of her cozy home, the faint warmth of a candle's glow illuminating her thoughtful expression. Shadows flickered gently on the walls, adding to the intimate stillness of the moment.

Her fingers brushed over the folds of the dress she had been sewing, its rich purple fabric shimmering faintly in the low light. She leaned closer to inspect the golden threadwork she had carefully stitched along the edges, her delicate touch lingering as if ensuring its perfection.

"Sebastian loves the color purple," she murmured softly, her voice tinged with a mix of determination and shyness. "I hope he notices the effort."

She rested her chin on her knees, the dress draped neatly over her lap, and gazed into the flickering flame of the candle before her. Her thoughts wandered, weaving between the memory of his enigmatic smile and the mystery that surrounded him.

Outside, Midnight the crow observed silently from a branch, his glossy black eyes fixed on the small house. The faint amethyst glow of magic in the distance hinted at Sebastian's presence, a quiet watcher amidst the night.

Alice sighed, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "What am I doing?" she whispered to the empty room. "He's a reaper. Someone who could end my life with a single touch… and yet…"

Her words trailed off, leaving the silence to fill the space. Her heart was torn between the danger she sensed in him and the undeniable pull he had over her. The quiet rhythm of the night seemed to echo her conflict, the wind outside whispering faint promises of the unknown.

The candle flickered, and Alice sat motionless, staring into the flame as though seeking answers within its golden dance. Little did she know that the answers she sought would come with the rising of the moon—a moment that would mark the beginning of a journey into the depths of shadow and destiny.

Since her childhood, Alice had worn an amethyst necklace, but she didn't know where it came from. The people who raised her always told her that the necklace had been with her since they found it in a corner of the village of Dewbury, lying among the weeds as if it were a shame from the past.

Alice, despite her many questions about the necklace, had no answer. She considered it a part of her life, and something strange that accompanied her everywhere, as if it were a story that had no beginning or end.

One day, Alice and two of her friends decided to go explore the old castle, which they had always heard about in village stories. They had heard about the abandoned castle and the shadows filling its ancient walls. As they approached the castle, the friends began to feel anxious and afraid, and when the wind began to howl, they ran away crying and screaming, leaving Alice alone in the place.

But, unlike them, she did not run away. She advanced down the hall, past the shadows and darkness, as she stumbled and fell to the ground. When she raised her head, she found a man with long black hair and his eyes shining with violet light, who was standing in the shadows with a cold gaze.

"Leave," he said in a calm but firm voice.

Alice didn't say a word, just got up, feeling something strange in her heart, something between fear and curiosity. Her pendant was sparkling around her neck, as if it held an ancient secret that she did not understand at the time.

Without hesitation, Alice quietly left the castle, leaving behind its dark walls, her necklace shining in the darkness, as if it represented a shared secret between the past and the future.

One day, a fortune teller arrived in the village of Dewberry, claiming to have the ability to foresee the future. The villagers gathered around her, eager to hear what she had to say about their destinies. But when she approached Alice, her eyes froze on the amethyst pendant that hung around her neck.

With a loud, sharp voice, the fortune teller cried out, "This pendant! It carries a curse! It will drain your life, bringing you closer to the very devil of death!"

The crowd fell silent, the tension in the air thick. Alice, unable to comprehend what she was hearing, asked nervously, "But this pendant-"

The fortune teller's gaze intensified as she spoke. "It doesn't matter where it came from! It now carries you toward a dark fate. With every passing moment, you grow closer to forces you cannot understand… to the devil of death!"

The villagers exchanged worried glances, then began to pull away, avoiding Alice as if she were contagious.

One villager whispered, "Could the fortune teller be right?"

Another replied in fear, "We can't risk it. We must stay away from her."

As the days passed, Alice felt the growing weight of isolation. The villagers no longer came near her. The laughter and chatter that once filled the village had turned into whispers of fear. She was alone, and the quiet streets felt emptier with every step.

Yet, despite the rejection, the pendant remained around her neck, shining faintly as if it held secrets only it could understand..

As Alice put on the simple red-violet dress She made, she realized it wasn't a fancy garment. It was plain and unadorned, made of light fabric that didn't carry the luxury of intricate designs. The dress, while modest, had a quiet elegance, reflecting the life she led in her village—a far cry from the grand fashion of the nobility. Yet, there was something about the shade of purple that made it special to her, a color she knew Sebastian favored.

Smiling faintly as she looked at her reflection, Alice felt a sense of pride, despite the dress's simplicity. It was enough for the occasion, she thought. But then, just as she was about to leave, she remembered something. "How could I forget the straw basket?" she muttered to herself, chuckling at her absent-mindedness. She quickly grabbed the basket filled with fruit and headed for the door, ready to make her way toward the castle.

The castle lay deep within the forest, atop a hill, waiting for her.