Prologue

How much time had gone by since her initial disappearance? One couldn't say. How far from home was she? One couldn't say that, either. What was certain was that it was spring.

The blonde, if she could even be considered a blonde anymore with how dirty her hair was, was resting under a blooming tree. Her clothing, that of a young noblewoman, was torn and extremely dirty. Had she been living in the wilderness all this time?

A warm breeze billowed. The leaves and flowers of the tree's canopy stirred and rustled in the wind. A faint buzzing could be heard.

She slowly opened her emerald eyes, which remained beautiful even in her current, unhygienic state. She raised her left hand above her head. Her fingernails, uncared for, had grown jagged and dirty. Tears brimmed her eyes.

"I can never let anyone see me like this. Not in this state." That was a funny thought, as she hadn't engaged with another sentient being in a very long time now. Whenever she saw people in the distance, she fled, worried that they may recognize her. But no one would recognize her now. She no longer resembled Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford. Not physically, mentally, or emotionally. For all anyone knew, she was dead.

"I might as well be." She whispered as the warm tears began to pour over.

The buzzing, which had been faint, suddenly grew in magnitude. It was nearly unbearable.

Elizabeth's hand, which had still been raised, suddenly had something land on it. It was a dragonfly, in a beautiful shade of green. As soon as the creature landed, its wings went still, and the buzzing ceased.

"I think you've come much too far to give up now."

Elizabeth's heartbeat quickened. Had she really just heard someone's voice? She didn't know how to feel about it. She had been lacking human interaction for so long now.

The dragonfly cocked its head, and the girl could see her sickening reflection in the creature's beady, purple eyes. She sniffled, and squeezed her own eyes shut.

"Now, now. There's no need for tears." The voice came again, and Elizabeth realized that it belonged to a woman.

She opened her eyes and glanced around carefully without much movement. She didn't want to disturb the dragonfly resting on her hand. There was no one around but her and the insect.

"I must be going crazy." She squeaked, and the tears kept flowing. When would her pain end?

"I could end your pain very quickly, if that is what you want." The voice came again, and the dragonfly rubbed its front most legs together. "But that wouldn't be as much fun."

Although still somewhat upset at the prospect that she could be hallucinating, Elizabeth was beginning to care less and less. "Fun.. I haven't had fun in such a long time now.." Tears continued to flow down her cheeks as she gazed at the insect resting on her hand.

"I don't see why we can't start now." The voice came once more.

"Start now? I can't do anything when I look like this. I look positively dreadful!" Who exactly was she talking to?

"That's right. I'm getting ahead of myself here. You still haven't told me what your human heart desires more than anything."

Elizabeth's emerald eyes widened at the word "human". How oddly specific. There was no way her mind would hallucinate something like that. Her chest tightened in fear.

"W-Who are you? Where are you?" She let out.

"Why, I'm right in front of you." The voice answered, and Elizabeth suddenly realized that the voice was referring to the dragonfly perched on her hand.

Gently, Elizabeth brought her hand closer to her face. The hand was filthy, but she barely noticed. She was too entranced by this mysterious insect.

"That's right, you're catching on now." The dragonfly cocked its head to the other side.

"Who are you?" Elizabeth asked again, forgetting that she was speaking to something incapable of understanding human speech.

"I'm whoever you want me to be." The dragonfly answered, crawling to the tip of the girl's index finger.

"What's that supposed to mean? I don't understand." The tears had stopped by now, and Elizabeth was whispering, as if someone might overhear.

"That's right, most humans are unaware of my kind's existence." The blonde didn't know what that was supposed to mean. Of course humans were aware that dragonflies existed!

The dragonfly took note of the puzzled look on Elizabeth's face. "I'm not referring to dragonflies, my dear. I'm much more than that."

"I can see that." Elizabeth whispered. "I have never met a dragonfly that could talk before today!"

A thought suddenly struck Elizabeth. "Are you an angel that's come to save me?" She asked the dragonfly.

The dragonfly chuckled. "No, I'm not a holy being. I am far from that. But I can set your life right, if you'll just allow me to help you."

If a human had asked Elizabeth to let them help her, she would have declined. But this wasn't a human. This was a dragonfly, and possibly more.

"..Alright." It felt like a weight had been lifted off of the girl's chest.

"Form a contract with me, and every wish that you could ever imagine will be granted."

Elizabeth's heart sank a little bit. "You aren't going to help me just because?"

"My child," The dragonfly spoke. "As much as I would like to help you for free, we both know that's not how the world works."

"What is it that you want from me? I haven't any money on my person." Elizabeth was getting a nagging feeling, that something wasn't right here.

"There is only one thing that I want from you, my dear." The dragonfly gazed intently at Elizabeth. "When our contract has come to an end, I will take and consume your soul."

The world around her seemed to crumble. The tree, the sky, and the ground had faded away. It was just her and the dragonfly. If Elizabeth were in a healthy state, she would have been horrified. She would have run away, leaving the dragonfly behind. While she was certainly scared, she wasn't scared enough to run. To have all her wishes granted, in exchange for her soul? For her pain to be put at rest once the fun was all over? Nothing sounded more delightful to her.

"I.. I accept." Elizabeth informed the dragonfly with a quivering voice.

"If that's the case.." The dragonfly suddenly manifested into a woman's hand that held Elizabeth's own hand gently. A body began to materialize. "..I think we should begin."