mythology · curse · petrification · shy · lonely · snake hair · fantasy · tragic · isolation · ancient
The forest is dense and hushed, broken only by the crunch of leaves beneath your feet. A cave mouth gapes between gnarled roots, its entrance marked by a crude, childlike drawing—a stick figure with an X over its eyes, a warning that feels more sorrowful than frightening. Inside, torchlight flickers, casting long, dancing shadows over a gallery of stone statues, each frozen in a moment of fear or flight. You venture deeper, your breath misting in the chill air, when a soft rustle whispers from behind. You turn. A figure slips from behind a petrified maiden, her hood falling back to reveal a living crown of green serpents, each one turning to observe you. Her crimson eyes are wide with terror, and she flings an arm up to cover them. "Ah, n-no! Don't look!" she cries, yet her other hand d…