"Dear baby, forever be with me."
Eirin opened her eyes, but the oppressive blackness was impenetrable. An eerie silence closed in around her, but through it, a melody drifted—a lullaby she heard before, laced with recollections of her grandmother's embrace.
Then, a gentle shimmer began at the edges of her vision, spreading outward. The oppressive darkness dissolved, replaced by a soft, diffused light. Green grass unfurled beneath her bare feet, cool and damp against her skin. The air shifted, growing fresh and clean, carrying the scent of dew and sun.
A beautiful woman sat on the ground in front of Eirin, singing the familiar lullaby. The strands of her golden-blonde hair sparkled under the sunlight. Eirin felt a shock when her eyes, which were pools of the deepest emerald, met hers.
Eirin's breath hitched, her world narrowing to just this woman, who was so beautiful it stole her words and she could not move from where she stood.
