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Post by Xentus on Mar 3, 2024 13:51:55 GMT -6
The mansion gates were close, just down a trail into forested woods. Greenery sprouted on either side of the pathway, giving a much more comfortable path for the young nyssa. Eden calmed down dramatically as its feet tread upon natural earth. The hold in its shoulder seemed to bother it still, but it seemed much easier to ignore now that it was bandaged. The duo’s walk soon lead them to the mansion grounds proper. Past the large gates was a grand entryway of tailored hedges and lovely blossoms. Eden grew excited to be amid such vibrant greenery, its leaves quaking as if it were jittery. “Xentus thought Eden might like the manor’s garden. It is quite beautiful this time of year”, the man explained as he led the sapling deeper into the grounds. The air felt vibrant with the sweet scent of flowers, and the eyes were treated to the rainbowed hues of the lush growth. To Eden, this was paradise.
Mar - 9
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Post by Xentus on Mar 3, 2024 14:00:41 GMT -6
Xentus found a small alcove within the hedges and flowerbeds to settle down into. A long exhale left his body as he plopped himself into the grass. This was nice. The dots of clouds above scrolled lazily across the sky. His imagination warped them into different shapes as he let himself relax on the ground. Meanwhile, Eden took the time to poke around the foliage. It didn’t stray far despite Xentis no longer keeping a hold on its leash. Given the man’s care for its wound, it felt comfortable staying in his presence despite their short time together. The leopard was hardly concerned even if the sapling did decide to wander off - it’s not like it moved very swiftly anyway. The young nyssa slowly wandered about the flowerbed, shoving its head at the colorful blossoms and taking in their pollen like a dog might take in the scent of another canine.
Mar - 10
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Post by Xentus on Mar 5, 2024 23:44:09 GMT -6
This was enough to inspire Eden to do some exploring. There were so many different kinds of plants here, and it seemed there was plenty of time to get to know them all. The young tree made its way deeper within the gardens and away from its lackadaisical keeper. It was hard to tell how long had passed before Xentus stirred from his bout of cloud-gazing. The sun didn’t seem to move much in the sky, but given the magical nature of the manor and its grounds, that was no indicator of the time. Regardless of the exact number of minutes gone by, one thing was clear. It was enough time for the young nyssa to have disappeared. The man’s heart sank as the realization set in. “Eden?”, he called out as he sat stood up, “Where have you gone off to, young tree?” As much as he wanted to assure himself that the nyssa hadn’t gone far, the trickery of the mansion was something he knew of all too well.
Mar - 11
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Post by Xentus on Mar 5, 2024 23:49:25 GMT -6
Unbeknownst to the mammalian man, the nyssa was, in fact, nearby. It could hear its keeper’s voice call out, prompting the sapling to look up from the flower it buried its face into. It blinked, realizing that it had strayed away. It blinked again, finding its surroundings wholly unfamiliar. Had it always been between hedges like this? A brief moment passed, and the sapling decided it was nothing worth being worried about. It wandered to the hedge and shoved its face within the thicket. The bush seemed to warp away its form, allowing it passage should it have desired such. On the other side of the living wall was the leopard. On Xentus’s side of things, he too wondered whether or not he’d always been within these thickets. Last he remembered, he found himself a nice, open clearing. His gaze traced the edge of the green leaves and glanced upon the nyssa for but a second. “Eden!”
Mar - 12
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Post by Xentus on Mar 5, 2024 23:54:04 GMT -6
The nyssa sapling looked in his direction before disappearing behind the leaves, ignoring its keeper’s call. Or rather, not seeming to know what to do about this frantic tone. It wasn’t the most pleasant sound of the voice. It much preferred when the man cooed - such sounds were nicer. The nyssa thumped its tail in displeasure and turned away to entertain itself with the pollen of flowers once more. “Eden, come back!”, the leopard called out, but to no avail. The young sapling hardly had any affinity for him. There was but a slim chance that it would respond favorably to his call, and it seems he was unlucky this time. An exasperated sigh escaped him. Not the first time he’d fall victim to the mansion’s trickery (and his pet’s insubordination) and likely not the last. There was no choice, he had to wander the maze and find his tree before it truly was lost.
Mar - 13
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Post by Xentus on Mar 5, 2024 23:59:06 GMT -6
At least this time he knew his pet was safe. There had been times in the past his companions disappeared without a trace, only to pop up nerdy moments later. This seemed to be something different, and possibly more tedious. He had the feeling it wouldn’t be so easy as to walk along to the other side of the hedge wall or even go through it. No, this was another form of mansion magic, a game he had to play. And he could only hope Eden was willing to play fair. If a plant truly didn’t wish to be found in the midst of a garden, there was little he would be able to do to find it. The nyssa didn’t act maliciously, only responding to what it was given. The colorful blossoms around it were far more interesting than a shouting leopard. It slowly wandered while the mammalian began his trek through the thickets.
Mar -1 4
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Post by Xentus on Mar 6, 2024 0:16:43 GMT -6
First, Xentus tested the idea of going through the hedge outright. The young sapling could do it, but it seemed he would have no such ease. The wall almost seemed to bristle at his touch, pricking his fingers with thorns immediately. A sharp inhale accompanied a quick withdrawal, then came a test to see if there was any blood. Thankfully, the thick pads of his fingers protected him. In any case, it seemed simply going through the wall wouldn’t be so simple, or at least it wouldn’t be painless if he should try. Next, he looked up at the edge. The plant-wall stood at least 8 feet tall. Going over it without flying wasn’t an option, and given that flight wasn’t an option without his trusty mechanical wings, he decided to give up on that thought. The last thing he could do (aside from merely traversing the maze) would be to blast his way though with a well-placed ball of fire.. But that ran the risk of catching the nyssa in the blast. It seemed doing this the old fashioned way was the only means to reunite with the young sapling, much to the leopard’s dismay.
Mar - 15
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Mar 6, 2024 9:34:40 GMT -6
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Post by Xentus on Mar 21, 2024 22:47:24 GMT -6
With a sigh, he began to walk. The hedges seemed pleased to have broken his cheating spirit, feeling tall and imposing as they encircled him. The grassy path ahead was lined with blossoms and petals, inviting him to explore the various twists and turns of the maze. There was a young sapling to find, of course, but it seemed the hedges had more to offer. Up ahead, there was something small, blue, and shiny. Xentus paused, squinted, then cautiously stalked forward until the object could be identified. It was… An eggshell? A shiny, polished one at that. He picked it up and looked it over before pocketing it. Then, out of the corner of his eye, another sparkle. This time, golden yellow. ‘Hm..’ A crumb trail that would hopefully lead to Eden. Xentus took the obvious bait, hoping it would lead him to the nyssa. The sapling was just beyond a few twists and turns in the maze, surely the man would find it soon.
Mar - 16
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Post by Xentus on Mar 21, 2024 22:58:51 GMT -6
The maze did its best to entice the man with pretty blossom-lined openings and interesting looking floral paths. The carefully laid out eggshell pieces were likely also part of its plan, though it was solely the shiny trinkets that were worth going after in his eyes. He followed the crumbs. They might become something to later use to bargain with that strange trader. Or just sparkling paperweights to display on his desk. The man chuckled to himself as he mused about the potential uses for the things. The golden shell piece was shoved into a pocket and he looked for the next one. That’s when he heard it. The unmistakable thrum of magic. Xentus’s ears perked up as he tried to locate the source. He walked on, feeling for the strands of mana that emanated from the crystal. It led him around a spiral that grew tighter and tighter until it finally opened into a small circular clearing.
Mar - 17
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Post by Xentus on Mar 21, 2024 23:03:32 GMT -6
Eden perked up as its keeper happened upon its hiding spot. Clutched in its claws was a small gray crystal. It didn’t know how it came to this spot, nor did it know how the crystal came into its possession. But it did like the tiny vibrations that it made. Felt like the footsteps of ants on its branches. “Ah, there you are, Eden. And with a prize at that!”, the leopard greeted the sapling, kneeling down to its level, “Can Xentus see?” There was a good chance the nyssa wouldn’t relinquish its prize, though it also might find something else far more interesting. The leopard offered the shimmering shell pieces he’d found to trade. The young sapling tilted its head and dropped the crystal to take the blue shell instead. It was pretty! And with the plant-creature distracted, Xentus took the magic crystal from the ground and looked it over in its hand.
Mar - 18
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Post by Xentus on Mar 21, 2024 23:16:18 GMT -6
A hollow crystal. Its magic was not nearly as glamorous as an elemental one, but still plenty potent. He’d been after these to try to trade for a shijin- he needed but three more. Now, only two. Though, in his growing pursuit for magic, he did see himself wanting a hollow node or two. His fire node had gone with very little use though. Neither wants were particularly pressing… But they were still tangible goals in his never-ending list. Xentus straightened out and pocketed the crystal. It felt high time to make their leave before the nyssa found itself in another maze. Speaking of which, looking around it seemed the hedges took the chance to rearrange themselves while he was distracted. The duo were now within a long, straight and narrow pathway. The hedges grew taller and more elegant toward one end, giving him the feeling it pointed to the exit. Or entrance, depending on perspective.
Mar - 19
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Post by Xentus on Mar 21, 2024 23:23:34 GMT -6
“Let us get going, Eden”, the man murmured to the sapling, taking up its leash, “Before the mansion decides to keep us stranded within its grounds…” It was still hard to tell just how long he’d been here with the sapling. The sky hadn’t changed one bit despite the time spent napping and wandering. Still the same pretty light blue with fluffy clouds scrolling across. Eden seemed unbothered about getting led out of the garden, happily gnawing on the shiny shard of eggshell while hobbling alongside its keeper. It had fun sniffing at flowers and wandering the hedges! And now it had a pretty prize for its troubles. Xentus breathed a sigh of relief as he made it to the end of the maze with nyssa in tow. The cobblestone road leading away from the mansion was now within sight. For a moment, he considered wandering about the interior, but ultimately decided against it. Best to head home.
> Exeunt Xentus and Eden (20)
Mar - 20
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Post by Silver on Apr 2, 2024 23:47:15 GMT -6
Oh! How whimsical.
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Post by Xentus on Apr 14, 2024 22:44:30 GMT -6
> Xentus and Eden, returned.
They were back, and ready to face the trickery of the mansion. Eden had grown significantly since the last time they were here - and they'd only been on the garden's grounds for that short time. Xentus wasn't ready to lose Eden to the mannor's trickery, but it seemed no matter if he explored the exterior or interior, he was bound to get caught by some form of chaos. It was surely the same for any others who dared to brave the ever changing mansion. This season was one he wasn't too familiar with. The notes of trickery were a constant in the mansion, but otherwise, he was leaving himself and Eden exposed to whatever the place had to offer. This time, they'd traverse about the interior and see if they could find anything of interest. Another hollow crystal would be the greatest treasure to happen upon, if the mansion was feeling generous that was.
April - 1
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