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Even before the Combine came, Shephard's world had few places left that had never known the touch of men. This forest has no name, for no tribe of wanderers has ever dared to settle here, to harvest the mighty oaks that tower far above his head.
It is nearly noon on Midsummer's day, but little light reaches Shephard and Kreyu down here on the forest floor. The only thing of note in the clearing is a large ring of mushrooms, a formation sometimes called a faerie ring.
It is nearly noon on Midsummer's day, but little light reaches Shephard and Kreyu down here on the forest floor. The only thing of note in the clearing is a large ring of mushrooms, a formation sometimes called a faerie ring.
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Date: 2012-04-17 02:16 am (UTC)At least he has the good grace to look embarrassed about it as he turns in Kreyu's direction.
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Date: 2012-04-17 02:25 am (UTC)"We're lucky that unicorn did not have a foal at its side, they can be quite aggressive when protecting their young." Kreyu extends her senses, looking for the road. "Ah, directly ahead, for once."
As they make their way forward, a large iridescent blue butterfly the size of Shephard's hand decides to ride along on his head. (If Kreyu's reaction is any indication, the gigantic butterfly is precisely what it looks like, and therefore harmless.)
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Date: 2012-04-17 02:27 am (UTC)The butterfly's a bit of a surprise, but Shephard doesn't seem too fussed by it. The way he sees it, if an insect that big thinks he's harmless enough to perch on, it's probably a good sign. If nothing else, at least he's not being grotesquely unnatural.
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Date: 2012-04-17 02:39 am (UTC)Maybe not. Several miles pass by with the sound of water growing ever louder. Then, at last, a fast rushing river stretches out before them and Kreyu curses softly under her breath. The correct route here seems to lie in hopping from stone to stone across the turbulent water.
She frowns. "Something doesn't feel quite right about this...." she mutters.
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Date: 2012-04-17 02:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-17 02:47 am (UTC)The blue butterfly lifts off from his head and lands on his nose, flapping its wings twice. It flits a few feet a way from them, then comes back to land on his nose again. It's almost as if it's trying to tell them something....
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Date: 2012-04-17 02:49 am (UTC)There are advantages to growing up with a mother who kept hives.
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Date: 2012-04-17 02:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-17 02:59 am (UTC)He's almost sure that a place like Faerie isn't supposed to reference Christian miracles, but whatever.
"I'mma close my eyes for this one," he promises, and does so. Because looking at the surface of the river as he steps on it is just going to screw up his already-wobbly balance.
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Date: 2012-04-17 03:22 am (UTC)Up ahead is a stone archway, overgrown with ivy. A great stone gargoyle lurks atop the doorway, its face ferocious and its body made of sharp lines and angles.
As they are about to pass through the archway, the gargoyle opens one eye and spreads its wings with a cracking sound. "Who dares pass this way?" it rumbles in a voice like a landslide.
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Date: 2012-04-17 03:24 am (UTC)However, the second thing does, and the second thing that comes to mind is, "Who wants to know?"
... we're so sorry.
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Date: 2012-04-17 03:34 am (UTC)"Hah!" It rumbles. "As if I would give my NAME to any fool who asked for it." The gargoyle peers at him, its yellow eyes glowing as if lit from within. "I am the Guardian of this gate, man-child..."
"We are two travelers, seeking the court of the Daea," Kreyu interjects, diplomatically.
The gargoyle turns to look at her. "Then the toll must be paid, Shadow Spinner." The gargoyle settles back onto its perch, "Proof of wit and cleverness I must have from any soul that would pass this way."
Kreyu raises an eyebrow. "A riddle answered?" The gargoyle nods.
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Date: 2012-04-17 03:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-17 03:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-17 03:42 am (UTC)"That'd be rain, I'm thinkin'."
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Date: 2012-04-17 03:47 am (UTC)Kreyu gets a riddle of her own. "There are four brothers in this world that were all born together. The first runs and never wearies. The second eats and is never full. The third drinks and is always thirsty. The fourth sings a song that is never good."
"Water, Fire, Earth and Wind." The gargoyle grunts a reluctant affirmative. "I am bound by my oath to let you pass," it grumbles. "Go in peace." With that, the gargoyle is once again lifeless stone.
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Date: 2012-04-17 03:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-17 03:58 am (UTC)There are definitely bones, human bones, scattered on this side of the arch as if from something feeding on the top of it.
"Beings such as he are as much a part of the landscape here as the deer and the trees."
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Date: 2012-04-17 03:59 am (UTC)"I'mma keep that in mind. Where to next?"
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Date: 2012-04-17 04:10 am (UTC)"A left here, and....." Oh look, a hedge maze! A really, really, frustrating hedge maze that appears to have been inspired by M. C. Escher. It looks like it will take HOURS of backtracking and cursing to find a way through this thing.
Several hours later....
Kreyu curses at length in at least 4 languages as she finds herself standing upside down on the "floor" of yet another dead end. Hacking at the maze does nothing, and flying over it has proven impossible.
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Date: 2012-04-17 04:21 am (UTC)However, when navigating the maze no longer works, and cursing no longer works, and cutting your way free no longer works... well, he's gonna sit himself down on the ground and think a bit. He's tired. His right arm's starting to shake some. It's been a long walk so far and it's not getting any shorter. Might as well try thinkin'.
Eventually he looks up at the hedges and calls out, "Don't suppose you'd be so kind as to open up and let us through, pretty please?"
(What? The Green Faerie told him he had to ask the Big Damn Fish nicely before it would come out of the pond. Maybe it would work again.)
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Date: 2012-04-17 04:17 pm (UTC)"I'd love to let you through dear, but I can't give anyone that kind of help."
Kreyu perks up at that. "What kind of help are you allowed to give, madam?"
"Hm? Oh, well, I suppose I could give you the key. But are you SURE you must go so soon? I get so lonely here all by myself..."
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Date: 2012-04-17 04:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-17 05:13 pm (UTC)Which would be helpful if they'd seen anything at all reflective anywhere in this maze of hedges.
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Date: 2012-04-17 05:24 pm (UTC)(Puddles are reflective, are they not? He's been walking a good while. He could generate one if he had to. Please let there be another way he's not thinking of.)
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