The Limits of Longevity
I heard the delicate whisper of wind through the leaves as the rest of the spirits joined in on the tree nymph's laughter. Her smile was positively radiant and the more I looked, the brighter her skin seemed to become.
The other tree spirits were undeniably beautiful as well, but compared to her beauty they felt normal, like a diamond in the midst of zirconia's.
I felt like I'd been transported into a gathering of heavenly angels around their queen, and I stood in their midst, feeling like the fool that had come to woo her.
Except, the smiles of the spirits were genuine, and the tree nymph's ruby eyes glittered with delight. The more I looked at her, the more she seemed to glow, her skin delicate like it was made out of ivory and glass. I had to stop staring at her directly to avoid being blinded by how much her skin glowed.
Was this the result of making her laugh? It seemed dangerous in itself.