A pair of moons filled the night sky, casting a soft and ethereal glow upon the wintry landscape. The first moon, a radiant orb of silver, illuminated the snow-covered trees below with a gentle and serene light. Beams of light cut through the thick branches of the ancient trees, peppering the shadowed forest floor with miniature spotlights.

  Beside the silver moon, hung its celestial companion. It was a smaller moon of pale blue, shining with a subtle, yet unnatural brilliance. Its tranquil light dancing upon the snow-covered ground, creating a mesmerizing interplay of colored light and shadows. The sibling moons slowly made their way across the sky like a mismatched pair of luminous eyes surveying the world below. Auroral lights pulsed in lazy streaks of coruscating shades of blue and green. Celestial ribbons, gracefully dancing across the firmament, painting the night with their ethereal hues.

  The massive forest stretched out for miles in every direction. From the combined illumination of the moons and the auroral lights, the snow-covered trees glistened as though underwater. A rough, oblong shaped clearing sat in an isolated section of the forest. It was nearly fifty paces across, and various animal tracks could be seen around the border of the clearing. Numerous animal tracks packed the loose snow into tiny roads with frequent use. The tracks encircled the outer edges of the clearing as though the forest's inhabitants, sensing something amiss, tread cautiously around the enigmatic heart of the clearing. The center of the clearing, bereft of any animal tracks, stood out like an ominous void. It was a focal point that seemed to defy nature's usual patterns, the undisturbed snowy canvas sparkled with prismatic light as it reflected the lights shining from the sky above.

  An eerie stillness suddenly filled the air, descending over the forest like a bloated spider falling upon its prey while they struggled, trapped in its web. The usual symphony of nature's sounds – the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, and the soft whispers of the wind – gave way to a pregnant silence, as if the very essence of the forest was holding its breath. Swelling with a collective anticipation that reverberated through the air.

  For a moment, it was like sound itself cease to exist. The breeze, which continued to dance through the trees was no longer audible. The branches and leaves swaying in complete silence. Animals could be seen frozen in place, their instincts keenly attuned to an invisible danger. Their bodies taut, muscles coiled, trapped between wanting to flee and wanting to stay perfectly still to avoid notice. They remained silent: their heads cocked to the side. Listening. Waiting.

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  Within the clearing, the tension continued to build. Stretching painfully, threatening to snap like an over-taut bowstring. The frozen dead space - absent of life, sound, and movement - began to fill with a primal energy. A small, electrified hum began to fill the air, barely audible at first, but steadily growing in both pitch and intensity. It was a sound that defied explanation, a harmonious blend of magic and energy resonating through the clearing. Bitter notes of death intertwining with the sweet tones of life to create something that has not existed in this world for millennia: Wedding together light and dark. God and mortal. Mercy and vengeance.

  These dichotomies formed impossible harmonies that somehow fused together to focus on a single conflicted theme: Death in the service of life. And life in the service of death. With each passing moment, the humming intensified, reverberating through the very fabric of the forest. The presence of magic permeates the surrounding space. Mingling with the ethereal glow of the moons and the shimmering colors of the auroral lights above.

  As the hum reached its crescendo, red lines began to appear in the center of the clearing. Vibrant and luminescent, they trace intricate concentric circles upon the untouched snow, pulsating with an otherworldly energy. With every passing moment, the magic surges, and the red lines grew brighter, casting an intense radiance upon the surroundings; painting the previously prismatic colors blood red. The energy continued to build, visibly crackling in the air. In a blinding flash of light, a strong magical pulse radiated outward from the center of the clearing, engulfing the entire space in its brilliance.

  Slowly the light faded, leaving behind a lingering afterglow. The snow within the circles melted, the geometric lines of the circles breaking apart and dissipated, revealing rich, dark green grass lightly smoking from the magical heatwave. Tendrils of steam slowly rose from the wet blades, still flattened from bearing the weight of the snow.

  And there, lying face down, naked and unconscious, was a man.

  The forest breathed, waking from its stillness, sound returning once more. The animals, sensing the change, cautiously observed from the shadows, their eyes fixed upon the motionless figure within the magical miasma that invaded their home. Many turned to flee this new creature, while others were drawn to the magical conflagration. It was a moment of uncertainty, of curiosity and trepidation, as the forest’s more dangerous creatures fixed their attention on this new trespasser.

  *****