Valor's heart pounds in her chest as she leads the terrified children through the dying forest. Dried-up herbs and rotten fruits crash to the forest floor as the children drop their baskets in an attempt to gain some more speed. They stumble and gasp for breath all the while. The gnarled branches overhead block out the sun now, casting unnatural shadows that look like they’re going to reach out and grab them at any moment.

  As Valor runs, she can feel the life within her withering away, her small, wooden body has grown a sickly green, and brittle. The forest's demise mirrors her own, and she understands that she doesn’t have much life left to live now.

  Even so, she would not abandon these children who had so much life ahead of them; she'd find them a new forest, one lush with life, and plenty of food for her friends, one free from the evil that had befallen this place.

  Her thoughts turn to that single black dot that had fallen from the sky, the harbinger of doom that had brought ruin upon her once beautiful sanctuary. It was an enigma, and the sight has burned itself into her vision, but she can't dwell on it, not now. She had to get these children to safety.

  "C’mon!" Valor urges the children, her voice strained and desperate. "It’ll be okay once you all get home! It'll be okay!"

  With each labored step, she tries to push aside the overwhelming sense of dread that grips her. Having been born from this very forest, she was connected to it. She had felt the changing of seasons each year. She understood that Death came with the Fall, but she could feel him now. She knew it deep down in her roots that Death was closing in on her, just as he had come for the nice knight.

  "Valor," one of the children whispers, tears streaming down his face. "I'm scared."

  "Me too," another child admits, eyes wide and searching for comfort.

  "Valor," a third child whimpers, clinging desperately to her arm, "please don't let us die..."

  Death does not scare Valor. No, that’s not right. Her own death does not scare her. Death is natural, it’s meant to come to all, but whatever that thing at the forest center was, is not natural. It is not meant to be here.

  What’s scary is the death of those in her care because of that unsightly thing.

  As Valor leads them onward, she silently prays for Death's mercy, that he would at the very least spare the children.

  The sound of a cry cuts through the tense silence, jarring Valor from her thoughts. She glances back just in time to see the boy who had been saved by the knight earlier. His face is a mask of shock and pain as a tiny red creature knocks him to the floor. A tiny devil.

  The devil grabs hold of a nearby rock, and raises it over its head as it prepares to bring it down on the child's skull.

  Valor is not a fighter. She knows this, but still her body moves.

  Her instincts drive her to action as she dashes through the children, focused solely on the threat before her. Her tiny frame collides with the devil, her body shaking from the force of the impact. Summoning all the wind she can muster, Valor pushes the devil back with one hand, pinning it against the tree with her magic. With her other hand, leaves fly from her body towards the creature, puncturing its flesh as it lets out a shrill cry of pain.

  Valor turns to help the boy stand, offering a small hand to him. He takes it in his own, and stands. Some red water is coming out of his hands, but he's okay for the most part.

  "It’ll be okay, don’t worry, everything's okay. We just have to go a little-" Valor's words catch in her throat as something grabs her from behind. With one hard shove, she's able to push the boy back. "Run!"

  Grimy little hands claw at Valor's body, picking and prying at her small form. She thrashes desperately, but it simply isn’t enough. Everywhere she looks, the devils swarm her. They're just a little bigger than her, but physically much stronger. Their faces twist into wicked smiles as they begin to pull at small arms and legs.

  All that can be heard is shrill, panicked squeaks.

  They rip and tear until one limb finally gives way with a sickening snap. Hot sap oozes from the wound as Valor screams in sheer agony.

  With a gust of wind, Valor manages to stagger one of the devils, but it accomplishes little. As the last vestiges of hope fade, Valor finds herself torn apart, her limbs flung haphazardly across the forest floor.

  "Please," Valor prays till the bitter end to the wind, her voice barely a breath, "let them live."

  Pain and fear fill Valor's last mind as she lay dismembered on the forest floor, her life force seeping into the earth. The screams of the children echo in the distance. Desperate to fight against the cruel world that had forsaken them all, she feels her vision fade, and the cold embrace of Death claims her.

  A robed man with a pair of shears appears before the dryads remains.

  "Ah, Valor," Death whispers, his voice devoid of emotion, yet it carries an unsettling weight. "Worry not, for your time among the living has not yet come to an end. I have heard the pleas in your heart and come to offer you an accord."

  Valor's eyes just barely flicker open as she looks up at the grim visage hidden within Death's hood. He appears just as the ancient dryads of the forest said he would. A hollowed oak, with knots for eyes, hidden deep inside of robes made of Autumn leaves.

  Her wilted leaves move just a little as she sees him, and then a feeble sound escapes her as she lets out a cough, "What’s an accord?"

  "An agreement," Death replies, his tone steady and unchanging. "I will grant you something, and in return, you shall grant me something as well."

  "You want something from me?" Valor rasps, her voice barely audible. "But I'm just a dryad of the forest."

  "Indeed, and that is precisely why only you can help me. The forest will no longer be as it once was. Your love for it is what’s needed. What this forest needs now is a protector, a Guardian of sorts. I would like for you to join me as one of my Denizens of Darkness."

  "Denizen of Darkness?..."

  "Yes. You will be reborn into your body and granted power by my hand, enabling you to protect that which you hold dear. With each soul you send to me, you will forever keep a part of them with you, growing stronger from the ordeal. You can keep the forest safe, especially from those imps that desecrated you."

  Stolen story; please report.

  "Imps?..."

  "Those vile, red creatures that tore you from limb to limb. I would like for you to bring me their souls so that I may study them. As my Denizen of Darkness, anything that I mark, will be oathbound for to deliver their souls unto me. Observe."

  Death turns from Valor now, making his way to one of the imps. With a quick slice of his shears, a thin, black mark emerges on its wrist.

  What remains of Valor’s resolve solidifies itself. She doesn’t need any more convincing.

  "I accept!"

  "Very well. Your body may go through certain changes-" but before Death can finish, Valor feels herself being pulled back into the realm of the living.

  The world returns with a rush of senses, and Valor gasps as her broken body knits itself together once more. Pain courses through her, yet it is accompanied by a newfound strength that pulses with every heartbeat.

  She knows deep down that something in her had changed but she wasn't sure just what it was yet.

  The pungent scent of dried sap mingles with the coppery tang of the humans red water. As Valor sits up, her heart clenches at the gruesome sight before her. The children she had sworn to protect had been reduced to nothing more than red water. All that remains are bits and pieces of cloth and fabric.

  "Oh no, oh no, no, no, no, no…"

  Valor's eyes begin to leak clear liquid, and then she spots her mark. There’s five imps between her and the mark, and she feels a vine appear in her hand.

  "Die."

  Valor swings the vine like a whip, splintering one imp's skull open. This causes the remaining five to turn and look at her. One charges at her, but a seed launches forth from her hand, embedding itself in the creature's stomach. Within moments, a small oak tree begins to sprout from it. Roots force their way out of its feet and hands. A trunk causes its body to straighten, but it does not die. It simply stays in this state of torment.

  Valor uses its body as cover, and then takes to the sky, landing on another imp. Her twig-like arms drive through its eye sockets, as it lets out a scream. "Die."

  Two more imps rush her, but leaves erupt from her body in every direction, puncturing the creatures. They drop dead instantly, their red eyes lifeless now. "Die."

  The final imp, realizing its impending doom, turns to flee. But Valor is relentless. With the wind at her back, she chases it down. She pushes it to the ground and grabs hold of its arms. With a foot on its back, and a merciless tug, she yanks the imps arms right out of their sockets. Sickly red water sprays through the air as the imp squeals out in pain.

  A pained croak escapes the imps mouth, "Please…mercy. I will give you anything you want…"

  And Valor makes her demand, "I want you to die! Die you stupid thing! Die forever!" Valor shouts as she beats the imp with one of its own bloodied arms. It's not efficient by any means, but it gets the job done.

  Her bloodlust momentarily sated, the dryad lets out a small sigh of relief.

  Her attention shifts to the distant sound of crying. Approaching cautiously, she finds one survivor. A human girl is cradling a boy's lifeless body in her arms.

  "Please, Jack, don't close your eyes," the girl sobs, water streaming down her cheeks. "You have to stay awake, grandpa’s gonna be really mad at you if you don’t come back home!"

  "Ann," Valor murmurs softly, extending a twiggy hand toward the grieving child. But before Valor can offer any true solace, her body seizes up. Lord Death is standing behind Ann.

  "It’s obvious you would have killed the imp, but your true test begins now. I must make sure that the mark is working as intended," Death says, his voice chillingly remorseless. A pair of shears brush past Ann’s wrist, leaving a black scar across her flesh.

  The mark calls out a primal urge within Valor, compelling her to strike. Ann's tearful plea pierce through this haze though.

  "Valor, I want to go home!"

  Summoning every ounce of resolve, Valor fights against the murderous impulse. The mark screams for her to act, but she refuses, even as it threatens to consume her mind. The dryad falls to her knees, holding her head in her hands. She feels as if she were being torn from limb to limb again, and she’d gladly allow such a fate to happen if it meant not having to bring harm to Ann.

  Behind Valor, a sinister bubbling echoes through the forest. Turning, she sees a monstrous sight. From the red water of the slain imps, a gargantuan creature rises. Its spined back, elongated claws, jagged horns, and red flesh mark it as something far more dangerous than its lesser kin.

  This was a true devil.

  As its eyes land on Valor's small form, its maw parts, and a single word leaves its mouth.

  "Twigs…" With a single lumbering step, the devil closes the distance between them, its massive form casting a shadow over Valor. But its red, beady eyes glaze over the dryad, landing on Ann instead.

  Valor knows what she has to do. Give in to her impulses, finish it quickly, with mercy, and flee.

  Flee and become strong enough to fight this thing. Strong enough to stand against any imp, or enemy of the forest. Strong enough to overcome this urge that Lord Death gave her.

  "Please, Valor, I want to-" Ann's plea is cut short as Valor does what she has to do. It’s quick. As quick as it could have been. There is no time for sentimentality; she needs to run, she needs to live. That way she can hunt more marks, and grow stronger.

  Valor surrenders herself to the wind, allowing it to carry her far, far away. She soars through the dark forest, leaving the imps, the devil, and her sin behind. As she flies, water cascades down her already morphing face.

  *

  The change is slow in some places, and fast in others. The once vibrant dryad is withering, her form becoming more elongated, mirroring the woman that Ann should have grown into. Ann had always said that Valor was a girl, so it only made sense for her to take on the form of one.

  Valor’s hands transform into fearsome claws, perfect for dispatching the creatures she wanted nothing more than to eradicate.

  Years pass, and Valor continues her grim work, slaying imps, flying beasts, and weaker devils alike. One night, as she slumbers beneath the gnarled roots of a dead tree, Death comes to her once again.

  "Valor, you've done a good job of cleaning up the forest. You look quite different than you did when we first met."

  Valor stares up at him, her ink-black eyes unblinking, but she remains silent. The will to speak in the tongue of humans has long since abandoned her.

  "Still upset about the girl, I presume?" Death continues, a note of irritation creeping into his voice. "It was her time, and you gave her a much more peaceful ending than she could have wished for."

  Valor's silence persists, her dark gaze burning holes into Death’s shadowy figure.

  If at all possible, she would have liked to eradicate him too.

  "Very well," Death sighs, resignation heavy in his tone. "It seems that one death was not enough to garner full control over you. Of course, with a new body comes a new name! You are no longer Valor the dryad, but Valoria, the Twisted Guardian. In this role, you must forget your past life. It will only hold you back."

  As Death extends a hand toward Valor, she recoils, attempting to evade his grasp.

  "No, wait!" she cries out, but it’s too late. She is grabbed by the neck, and her memories are wrenched from her mind, leaving a hollow void in their place.

  "Ego-death," Death whispers, holding Valor down as her struggle slows.

  The spell takes mere moments to fully activate. Valoria stops fighting him, and grows still as Lord Death releases her.

  Valoria, the Twisted Guardian of the Withered Dreads, understands her purpose. Keep the forest safe from threats, from within and without. Eliminate intruders with extreme prejudice, a duty that has been etched into the very core of her soul. She feels as if a great burden has been lifted from her shoulders, and she wishes to thank Lord Death, but she can't find the words. So instead, she rises, and embraces him.