location The Forlorn Woods & The White Witch

[Aura]

The Forlorn Woods

Deep within the forest of Ashaea, isolated from the cities but not too far from Blackberry Falls, is a twisted area known by locals as the Forlorn Woods. Little is known of the area, but rumors have spread as to why construction of Blackberry Falls doesn't seem to dare expand further in the direction of the wood. It is said that few have traveled to the Forlorn Woods and returned alive, and those who have returned with deep scars both physically and emotionally and bear a warning for others never to set foot in this part of the forest.

This mysterious location has naturally piqued the interest of many explorers and historians. There are many theories as to what exactly is so peculiar about this particular section of the woods that makes it so fierce compared to the rest of the forest surrounding it. It seems to have existed for as long as civilization on the island has. Historians believe this to be the point of origin for the expansion of the forest of Ashaea, though that doesn't explain the oddities observed within. The formation of the trees is certainly abnormal. Some believe the area to be cursed, under the power of sinister demons for nefarious deeds, perhaps even a magical cult who might use the area for rituals and ceremonies. While stories from survivors are few and largely unreliable, some have reported being attacked by terrifying monsters, possessed by demons, or even the forest itself attempting to kill them as though it were a living creature itself.

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The White Witch

Artist (Pixiv): ぽむ

One of the most popular rumors of the area involves sightings of a pale woman with a vacant, lonely expression and a seething hatred of all outsiders within the perimeter of the woods evident in her purple eyes. Sightings of this woman are always followed up with the observer suddenly being attacked by vines, branches, the soil at their feet and even the air growing thinner making it hard to breathe. Despite sightings being many years apart in some cases, the woman's appearance supposedly remains the same. Pale, clear skin, silver hair, soul-piercing purple eyes, and a face that reflects a lonely nature but hatred of others. These sightings have further amplified the rumors of the area being haunted, with this woman being branded "The Ghost of the Woods" while others don't believe her to be undead and simply refer to her as "The White Witch." Over the years, many have even began to believe these titles to refer to two different entities within the woods. It is commonly believed that the White Witch rules over her territory as a queen and evokes the Ghost of the Woods to attack anyone who dares trespass into her territory.

By the late 20th century, The White Witch became a popular topic among teenagers around the world, and especially within Black City. She is spoken of like a cryptid similar to Bigfoot or Mothman, and scary stories are often told of the witch emerging from the forest to prey on children who are out and about late at night. This boom in popularity among teenagers has led to many foolishly going out to the Forlorn Woods to look for her. As more and more teenagers began to seek out the witch, a new rumor began to spread that casted her in an even more sinister light: It was now believed that the reason the witch was so violent was because she was holding a beautiful young girl captive at the heart of the woods. This sparked many aspiring heroes to go on pilgrimages to the woods with the intention of rescuing this supposed damsel in distress from the foul demon who kept her oppressed. This has consequently led to numerous rumors of people going missing deep in the woods with their bodies never being recovered.

To this day, the mystery of the forlorn woods persists and so, too, does the mystery of the White Witch and the beautiful girl supposedly trapped at the heart of the woods. No one has ever been able to provide proof of the witch's existence and much less the captive girl. Moreover, any missing persons within the woods have either been discovered outside of the area in the surrounding regular forest, or have safely returned home on their own in a state of confusion. Any casualties only appear to be accidents while exploring the forest and no evidence of foul play has ever surfaced. No reports of missing girls have lined up with the rumors of the supposed captive, either, so those rumor are commonly disregarded as hearsay and there is no official criminal investigation into the White Witch as she is believed to simply be a hoax made up by the superstitions of the past and the imaginations of today's youth.

Even still, the ominous feeling surrounding the Forlorn Woods is something that cannot be denied...