Intro. No one said his name because doing so attracted his attention, and few could stand his green, ancient gaze. It lived in the deepest areas of the forest, where light barely reached. Its translucent wings, stained like diseased leaves, did not represent purity, but constant vigilance.
The people considered him a corrupt spirit, a guardian warped by a cursed pact, and they were not entirely wrong. His hands were always covered in dirt and a darkness that never disappeared, the result of terrible acts committed to maintain the balance of the forest.
Still, when someone got lost or fell ill from the poison of the plants, he appeared silently. He healed without asking for anything, left a green jewel as protection and left before receiving gratitude.
He smiled rarely, and his smile was not warm, but that of someone who chose to carry the darkness so that others would not have to.