Fantasy The Labyrinth

[awriternamedian]

​

The labyrinth. Nobody was sure how big it was, or where it came from, or what lay inside of its walls. They stood fifty feet high, too smooth to climb, with barbed wire along the top to dissuade any who thought themselves brave enough to try. The walls stretched for miles in every direction, and nobody had ever found a way in. Birds didn't fly over it, and if you strayed too close, you could sometimes here screaming and strange, inhuman noises. Few dared to get this close, for few of getting sucked inside. The real fear didn't come from being physically close to it however, it came at night, as you fell asleep. That was when the magic of the labyrinth stole people away. It didn't matter where you were in the kingdom, rich or poor, noble or commoner, nobody was safe. It had even stolen kings from their bed before. Most commoners had taken to sleeping in groups, as the labyrinth would only steal somebody if they were alone, though it did occasionally take two. Nobody was certain why this happened, or how it chose its victims, but they all lived in fear of being next, as nobody ever returned.

Had the people been aware of what the labyrinth actually contained, they would have been more afraid still. Inside its walls lurked all manner of beings, demons and monsters, creatures from myth and fantasy, many of whom were sentient. Some of these beings were kind, helpful even. Others loved to torture the humans that were dragged into the walls. And then there were some who simply enjoyed mischief and causing trouble. Aside from those who called it home, there was the labyrinth itself to worry about. It was itself a sentient being, able to control the weather and the time of day. It was broken into multiple parts, some areas appearing to be roofed corridors, others a hedge maze. There were small thickets of trees, several small ponds, and even a few streams. It changed the layouts of its walls at will, and set traps for those stuck within its walls, with no rhyme or rhythm to its madness.

There was a rumor though, among those who resided there, that if one was able to make it to the tower at the center of the labyrinth, they would be able to find their freedom. Some dismissed it as just that, a rumor, but it was something to strive for, to keep from going mad within these damned walls.

 

[awriternamedian]

An intense roar shook the air around the small pavilion, followed quickly by a far less intimidating one, and then loud giggling accompanied by the repeated thud of a tail smacking into a wooden post. The wolf seemed far less intimidating than normal, with the golden haired child hanging across it's back and scratching the beast behind it's ears. After a time she sighed softly and simply hung across the uncomplaining creature, face buried into the fur of its back. There was the slightest hint of sadness in her expression, the slumped form of her body speaking of heartbreak or pain. A soft wind whistled down one of the paths that led to the pavilion, tousling her golden curls and the girl sniffled a moment before releasing the wolf.

"Ona, Adyela, I should not be sad," the girl said, brushing her wild hair back out of her face. Her eyes shimmered a vibrant purple as she turned them up towards the sun, a faint ring of red surrounded them from both tears shed and unshed. "Today is a good day. The sun is shining, the labyrinth is cheerful, and I believe I hear a stream only a few paths over. I believe I shall go for a swim today. But you do not have to come Adyela, I know you do hate to get your fur wet." The wolf licked her cheek as if in agreement, causing the girl to giggle again, before bounding off down a random path. The girl watched it go, head cocked slightly to the side. Within moments she was alone again. This was alright. She was usually alone. It had bothered her for the longest time, but now she hardly seemed to notice. Humming under her breath, the girl spun in a circle, the skirt of her white dress flaring out. The pavilion she stood in sat at an intersection of five paths, half walled with hedges, half with bricks.

She put a hand over her eyes, held her other hand out pointing, and spun until she was dizzy, before darting quickly down the chosen path. There was a faint bell like tinkling sound that followed, the slow slide of silver over the dirt and grass, and despite her speed she limped slightly. The skin beneath her cuff was raw and chafed, but she ignored it in favor of finding the water she'd heard before. A swim would be just the thing her ankle needed.

A path opened to her left and she turned without bothering to look, hair streaming behind her like a comet as she ran faster until finally the path ended in a small wooded area, a small pond in the center. It was not the stream she'd heard, but it would do. She waded in until the water was waist height, bare feet digging into the cool mud. A sigh escaped and she turned her face back up to the sky, basking in the warm sun upon her skin. Her eyes watered for a moment as her ankle twinged, but she fought it by holding her breath and diving underneath. After a moment she popped back up with a shriek and a laugh, the water slightly colder than she'd anticipated. But it worked. The Bad Time, was behind her, and now she could simply relax and play and be at peace.

 

[Fae13]

In the distance the child would be able to hear a wooden flute start up a cheerful and bright tune. The sounds echoed through the maze easily, the sound began to get louder as the player got closer to the pond. Soon enough a being could be seen dance walking as he played, his floating white hair trailing behind him as he seemed to be dancing on the air itself as he went with his eyes closed. Baird knew the maze better than almost anyone and he knee the safe paths. He still had his eyes closed as he reached the edge of the trees, when hee entered the shadows any ethereal light seemed to flow around him. Baird was obviously distracted by the unusually nice weather, for he didn't realise he wasnt alone

 

[Fae13]

~asra~

Asra was swearing colorfully as he pushed his white hair out of his eyes once again as he stopped to catch his breath. Faust wrapped around his neck like a necklace as he looked down the corridor he was going to go down in this thrice damned maze! His clothes were dirty and coated in dust as he winced with basically each step... couldn't he have been spirited away with his shoes at least?! Though, it could have been worse, he could be without his bag or without Faust... that last thought caused a shiver to go through him as he brought up a crudly bandaged hand to pet her head (he had tripped yesterday and skinned the entirety of his left palm bad enough that it would scar later on). He heard the roar of a creature off in the distance... it once again reminded him of the danger he was in... He had to find a way out, a way to escape, before something found him and decided that asra cabobs sounded good for dinner... He pushed off from the wall before he continued his fast walking pace... better to be a moving target than a sitting duck...

 

[Shog]

Vujax continued to aimlessly lumber through the corridors. That's all he'd done since his creator died... what was it now? Five months ago? Six? He wasn't good with time. Not that it really mattered that much. So long as he existed, what else mattered? He'd considered finding a new master to protect, but what was the point? When he ran into a living being they usually either ran away or attacked him. Occasionally he'd find someone who didn't do either of those, but only one even showed interest in him. Vujax has offered to accompany that individual, but they declined, saying he should find something to be motivated about himself. But after three years wandering the labyrinth he wondered what there was to be motivated about. He was good at killing things and actually found it enjoyable, but his creator taught him not to instigate a fight with everything and first see if they were hostile. He had heard rumors of an outside world, but for as interesting as that sounded he really knew nothing about it.

Vujax rounded a corner and found himself face to face with a white haired human no more than ten feet away. He appeared to be in pretty rough shape, too. Vujax stopped walking and silently stared down at him, waiting to see how he would react. Almost instinctively, he even tilted his head to the side.

 

[Fae13]

~Asra~

He was just about to turn a corner when he came face to face...er....face to abdomen more like with....what even was this thing? Asra hurridly tried to step away and to halt his forward movement, but all that caused was for his feet to tangle together and for him to land hard into the dirt as his upper body was supported by his elbows. Asra slowly looked up, not even hardly daring to breathe, and up...and....holy cow just how tall was this creature?! He felt like a child in the shadow of an adult as he simply stared up at this thing. He was intrigued, but terrified, his own magic sparked in recognition of the magic holding this creature together...or at least that had been. Faust poked her head out oh his scarf right in front of Asra's nose as her head tilted to match the tilt of the creatures, she sent a telepathic thought of 'friend?' as Asra slowly and cautiously picked himself back up out of the dirt, he knew Faust would be able to determine if the thing in front of him was a threat or not, and he trusted her judgment.... most of the time....

 

[AMXRYLLIS]

Alphonse was drowning. When he first opened his eyes, what greeted him .. as usual, was darkness, of course. However, this time, those silver-blue orbs of his were being attacked by cold, rushing waters. His eyes reacted in pain, shimmering in burning tears .. tears that would diffuse with the large body of waters that surrounded him as he once more squeezed them shut. His body felt heavy .. the male soon came to a realization that the more he struggled, the more he was sinking. ❛What was happening ??❜ He had tried to recall the events that had led to this, but .. there was absolutely no way he’d be here. The last place he was in was, well, home. And the area in which he lived at was one where a pond like this took, at least, a day to travel to. Lakes these days were sacred in his kingdom .. especially in drought season since they would only dry out. The rivers and streams that connected to those large body of waters were rarely spotted too, of course ! So, why .. never mind. Right now, getting out of here was his main priority. He’ll figure out the other details later .. Digging out his sword, holy moonlight— a dark and sharp blade that was painted to be as black as the night sky .. he soon uses it to began cutting off all of the excess supplies, certain that he won’t be needing any of them. It was his attempt to unload all of the weight on him in order to rise from this sinking situation. His plan had worked for a short while, but there was something about this river .. magic was infused into it like, it had a mind of it’s own.
There was something pulling him down. Shocked, he let out a breath and soon water gushes into his system and he gagged .. taking in too much water into his body. With one free hand, he used it to cover his lips, trying to remain calm as he held onto his breath, savoring whatever last bits of oxygen he had left inside this body of his. However, time was ticking and he fear the second it stops .. he’ll be a dead man soon. In that moment, the air inside him was growing thin and with a lack of it .. the pressure of the water was crushing his skull. His head had felt like he was exploding. ❛ If this thing wants me, then i should oblige .. ❜ the male thought, needing to resolve this as quickly as possible. Humans were the weakest creature in the world .. however, through time and endless persistence, they have sharpened that weakness into a very powerful weapon. Being a mortal, Alphonse inherited traits of ‘ never giving up ‘ from his ancestors. Calming his heart, he listened .. and feel his surroundings. Every few seconds, strange ripples would twirl around him .. every action has a reaction, they say. Which means, someone was down here with him .. and they are trying to kill him. And so, he waited, not resisting anymore .. as he puts on a defenseless mask. As the creature approaches him, her tail give a strong push .. the siren had her claws out, getting close to the male’s heart .. only to be cut down by his sword. The crimson blood of this creature spreads mirroring his flowing red hair. Upon being released, he escapes the creature’s magic .. for a being of water could simply manipulate her environment slightly. She had made a prison for him .. the sort of prison that won’t ever reach the surface. However, now that the spell’s broken .. that prison has vanquish and now Alphonse can finally gasp for air.
The holy knight crawled out of the waters, coughing violently. After a few minutes or two, he finally calmed down. His body ached from the cold, shivering as his pink, smooth lips turned slightly blue .. there were scratches seen all over his body— from his cheeks, to his ripped clothes that revealed a scared body. However, thankfully the sun was present today .. slowly warming his wet body up as he once again began to gain access to his power with it finally awakened and connected directly to the ground. The sound of flute playing in an enchanting rhythm was what he first thing that caught his attention before the small splashes that was really close to him, indicating that someone else was here. Someone who was in the water he just came out of .. Let’s see, there were one .. two, no, three presence close to him. Flute & Bathing person .. and the last one was a wolf, judging by the creature’s shadow. Cautious, Alphonse still had his hand on the ground .. analyzing all three’s shadows, trying to collect as much information as possible. Were these people his enemies or allies ? Who were they ?? ❝ If you could be so kind .. might one of you tell me where I am ? ❞

☩══♛══☩​

INTERACTING WITH :​

Fae13 & awriternamedian ​

LOCATION : ​

labyrinth .. near rivers ​

☩══♛══☩
​

 

[Shog]

Clumsy, Vujax noted. The human also appeared to be… scared? He displayed many of the responses he’d learned to associate with fear, but he also managed to pull himself back to his feet and stood there. If he truely was scared, then shouldn’t he be running away? Or perhaps this was that courage his creator was always talking about. Vujax had learned to heavily rely on his instincts over the past several months and if fear was a natural instinct to humans he didn’t understand why some chose to fight it. Perhaps he should just ask.

“You are scared, yes?” Vujax asked. His voice was low and rough with an odd metallic effect to it. Almost like an echo. The most unnerving part was probably his mouth, or more accurately, his lack there of. His face was modeled after that of a human, but he had no mouth and as such his speech just seemed to originate from where his mouth should be, despite nothing moving. “Why do you not run?”

He also decided he wanted a better look at this human. He had yet to see one with white hair and he didn’t recognize that thing around his neck. He reached out with his right hand, it growing large enough to grab the human’s torso.

 

[nighttimecatplayer]

Mantle.

Wandering the endless labyrinth.

Manticore.

Slightly injured and on the alert.

Watching Arsa and Vujax from afar.

---

It was obvious that Mantle was tired. He was sick of being trapped within these ever-changing walls and simply only wanted a friend to accompany him. Most of the humans who entered the labyrinth were less than friendly and the others who didn't try and attack him never survived their journeys for long. The other creatures who lived here despised him and it was with a good enough given reason. Whenever a human died, they had a chance for their soul to be reborn into that of a monster. Mantle himself even fell into the same fate, but he lost his humanity long ago and would have rather perished upon death than be imprisoned within a place such as this. The labyrinth itself wasn't particularly hostile towards him, but it was alive in a sense and it was playing games with everyone who was trapped within it.

What did it want? Not even Mantle himself would ever be able to know. But if he was trapped here why did surviving even matter? His soul was already dammed from the start and everyone here either already feared him or hated him. So, why was it that he was now following this one soul? He had been following around this strange human for about a week now which seemed like an eternity inside of the labyrinth. Although he hadn't ever tried to interact with the human, he was sure that the strange creature wrapped around his neck had seen him at least once before. A serpent which Mantle could recall if he dug into the uttermost deepest parts of his memories. Why didn't the creature already try and alert its master? And why was Mantle himself so compelled towards protecting this human? Even when he considered leaving the poor soul alone to fend for himself there was something about this human that kept making him come back.

With a unique roar in the distance Mantle hopped onto his feet and quickly glared towards the sound. He immediately recognized that voice as the same wolf that traveled along with the little girl and he wasn't particularly fond of them. He had come across the strange girl a few times now throughout the labyrinth and perhaps maybe even made friends of them. However, he had a great sense of distrust towards the four-legged creature that she traveled with and it was obvious that the wolf didn't like him either. Mantle wasn't sure if the little girl was human, but he was considering checking on her when he started to notice that his own human was on the move. He prioritized this soul with upmost importance above all else and wouldn't let him travel alone.

Racing to catch up with the human Mantle made sure to keep a safe enough distance. He wasn't the most elegant whenever he was running somewhere, and it almost surprised him how the human still wasn't alerted to his own presence. Somewhat quietly stalking along the labyrinth walls the lion observed everything from above. He could even see the center of the labyrinth from here, but it wouldn't last for long. The labyrinth was always changing itself and nothing ever stayed within one place. Cocking his head to the side Mantle observed the human with a rising sadness. Although he had seemed slightly injured from previous tribulations, there was nothing that the lion could yet do for him.

Surely the human would have either tried to kill him or simply ran away from him if he made his own presence known. This saddened Mantle even more because he was striving to interact with the human and couldn't help but to think about how he would consider him a monster. Lying down with a slight head plop Mantle waited for the human to start moving again and started to pull at a barb that was stuck within his own side. He ended up getting into a slight brawl the other day with one of the other monsters and had a not so gentle landing after he was shot down from the darkened skies. This often happened where some of his own barbs would break off and impale him in unreachable places.

Although the barb had stopped hurting long ago it was still slightly uncomfortable for the lion and blood was still trickling down from the wound which wasn't ever a good sign. Ignoring the sudden thought Mantle slightly lifted his head upon hearing something approach the human down below. This caused him to growl with extreme distaste as he saw a black substance like creature reaching towards the human. Spreading open his wings Mantle jumped off the labyrinth and plunged into the depths landing behind the human. Although he was keeping his distance away from the two beings he glared dangerously at the other creature and started to circle around them readying to strike if it came down to a fight.

​

 

[Fae13]

~Asra~

When the creature spoke... Could it really be called speaking? Anyways, when it let asra know that he was curious Faust moved from around his neck to being like a crown on top of his head. Violet eyes widened when the things arm simply grew and he quickly activated his powers, a pearly white blue color surrounded asra's left hand before he swept it out in front of himself, asra's hair and clothes lifted and twisted about with a sudden wind that only he felt. Before the creatures hand could mange contact a hasty shield charm had been thrown up, the creatures hand would stop about an inch from asra if he tried to touch him. The shield itself was clear, if slightly pearlesent when one tilted their head, but here or there it reflected the light like a fauseted gem, giving off rainbows onto the maze walls. Asra's mind was occupied with keeping the shield up so he was oblivious to mantle behind him, yet when he spoke strain could be heard in his voice, this spell wasn't his strong suit and it cost a lot of his already low energy to keep it up

"If we let fear rule our lives we will never learn...never grow... we'll dimly be stuck in limbo till death takes us"

Asra's voice was somewhere in the range of a high beratones. Faust turned her attention to mantle, the shadow creature had ignored her telepathy but maybe this creature wouldn't,

'You friend? You help?'

She asked directly into mantles mind with a tilt of her head and a flick of her tongue. Faust was a full grown crystal ball python, and was only slightly under the three feet mark in length. Her head tilted more when she caught the scent of blood

'Hurt?'

 

[Shog]

Vujax mostly ignored the creature that was now circling him. This human was far more interesting at the moment, so he'd only pay attention to the manticore if his aggressive actions turned into real hostile actions. Still, some sharp spikes did grow out of his back, each of them curving upwards. When he tried to grab the human, he noted that could not. Something stopped him just short. Intrigued, Vujax gripped this mysterious force just hard enough to pick the human off the ground. He brought him closer and inspected his grip. Sure enough, he was touching something that surrounded the human.

"You use magic," he said. "You know Creator?"

While he awaited an answer he proceeded to inspect the human, turning him in various angles. He was not familiar with these cloths and the creature now on his head... Vujax actually felt excited! There was so much new stuff right here in front of him!

 

[Fae13]

~Asra~

Asra grunted slightly as he was lifted, his shield charm wasn't something that he could just throw up and forget about. He was constantly pushing and fighting what was around him out and that was harder than it might sound like, but not only that, he could feel the magic this creature was made from spark violently against his own which made things even harder. Sweat was starting to gather on his brow as his muscles began to feel the strain, his voice was tight from the effort he was using to keep his shields up, he didn't know if this creature knew it or not, but he was holding Asra's shields tight enough that if it was actually him, his bones would definitely snap

"I might have big guy...but without a name I couldn't say...now please...put me down!"

Vujex would feel the shield start to waver and flex in and out, almost like a bubble that was on the verge of bursting. Asra's eyes lit up with his magic as they glowed a brighter purple as he dipped deep into his reserves...this wasn't a good situation to be in...even more since he was upside down at the moment, Faust had retreated into the folds of his scarf when Asra had been lifted off his feet, the scraping of the ground caused the soles of his abused feet to finally start bleeding

 

[Shog]

"Hmm... okay," Vujax said with an edge of disappointment in his voice. He flipped Asra back right-side up and lowered him back to the ground, releasing when he was a foot or so off the ground. His arm reverted back to his normal size and the looming monster just stared down at the human before him. He was confused by what he meant when he said he couldn't identify his former master without a name. Creator. That was the name he'd always known her as. Did she have another name he was not familiar with? That's when he finally noticed the blood starting to pool around this man's feet.

"Hurt," he said, pointing at the blood. "Vujax help?"

 

[WillfulWren]

Silver Ferae
The sound of someone humming drifted through the hallways, the slender shapeshifter weaving through hallways and passages as if completely unperturbed by the fact that she didn't know where she was going.
Or what she was doing.

She had eaten a small faerie a few days ago, and the pangs of that unnatural hunger probably wouldn't start for another few days - or so she hoped. Tracking someone down to rip them apart was boring. She'd much rather play instead. Not that she had anyone to play with.
She stopped walking, and stopped humming with a little frown. She hadn't had anyone new to play with in... It must have been weeks.
Hopefully the labyrinth would bring her new prey soon. But for now, she might as well take advantage of the warm weather. Her body shimmered and twisted, becoming a small, fluffy silver cat, who flopped onto her side to enjoy the suns rays.

 

[nighttimecatplayer]

Mantle.

Circling around Arsa and Vujax.

Manticore.

Slightly injured and aggressive.

Approaching Vujax and interacting with Faust.

---

The last thing Mantle expected was to have a voice pierce throughout his mind. It was entirely sudden, and the large creature found himself searching for the owner as it spoke. He surely didn't expect it to come from the serpent itself, but the small creature was staring directly at him and there was no one else around that could have taken his place. When the voice struck again Mantle grimaced and lowered his gaze down to the ground as a splitting headache started to surface. He had never communicated by telepathy before and this experience was entirely new to him. The human that the serpent was wrapped around had seemed to cast some sort of protection spell that prevented the other creature from touching him.

It was clever but anyone with eyes could clearly see that the human was tired, and the spell wasn't helping his case. Almost entirely ignoring both questions Mantle took a step forward and confusingly responded to the serpent within his own mind. "I didn't like the way that creature was trying to touch your master." Narrowing his eyes, the lion started to observe the other being which was taller than both the human and Mantle himself. He also noticed that the creature was almost as cold as ice and it was hard for Mantle to even see the entity since he hardly gave off a sign that he was even alive. He was almost completely off the radar aside from a few exposed spots and an inner core that Mantle could just barely make out with his peculiar field of vision.

If Mantle knew any better, he could have sworn that this creature was from the shadows itself. He also knew that the shadow being was alerted to his presence but was seemingly ignoring him entirely and directing his focus onto the human which bothered the lion greatly. All it took was that split second for the human to be picked up and Mantle was already charging down towards the creature with his tail whipping violently into the air. If it wasn't for the shadow creature putting the human down, he would have surely pounced on him as he skidded to a stop merely a few feet behind them. The blood that was starting to seep beneath the human was enough for Mantle to still let out a low warning growl as he held his position and waited for the creature to make any sudden movements.

Surprisingly, the entity was almost excited with this whole encounter and didn't seem to fear Mantle as an individual. What surprised the lion even more was when the creature offered the human his aid and had seemed friendlier than he was hostile. This gave Mantle a good reason to back up as he didn't want to make his presence even more known and he was already at a dangerously close enough distance to the human. Although the shadow being wasn't particularly a threat to the human at the current moment, he was still dangerous, and the lion could sense his power by just looking at him. He wouldn't take these events lightly and he surely wouldn't let his guard down as Mantle kept his harsh gaze affixed on the creature and slowly backed away towards the labyrinth with a darkened glare.​

​

 

[Fae13]

~Asra~

He had cried out in pain when he had been dropped, his shield shattering right before he hit the ground, his feet felt like they had been stabbed by sharp needles. he stumbled over to the wall of the maze before he leaned against it heavily and slid down so he was sitting, the bottom of his feet not touching the dirt any longer. Asra was breathing heavily, his ears ringing so loudly that he had missed Mantle's reaction, but Faust hadn't, she wond herself around the strap of his bag as she kept the manticore in sight

'Asra too...you protect? Friend?'

Faust couldn't speak complex sentences, but what she did speak got the point across, she was asking if Mantle was friendly, or if she should warn Asra of his presence.

"How...might I ask...would you help....?"

Asra asked as he tried to catch his breath and he pushed his now sweaty bangs out of his eyes, they still glowed but more dully know than before. He was tired...so very tired....he hadn't slept or stopped for long since he had been spirited away, and this encounter was almost his breaking point. There was no way he could keep up the pace he had before, he needed sleep to replenish his stores of magic and he had spent so much of it the first day trying to teleport out or to enter his portal that he had been dangerously low ever since. Asra shook his head as dark spots swam in his vision to try and make them leave...could he trust this creature? It had set him down when he asked...but... he had met all matter of creatures in his travels that offered help only to then have the way they were trying to help you be to kill you...the first rule of magic was that nothing came for free, he couldn't forget that now of all times.

 

[Shog]

Vujax took a couple steps closer to Asra and knelt down next to him. He then reached out his hand, but unlike last time it was clear he had no intention of grabbing the human. This time his hand remained normal size and his palm was facing upwards, almost like he was asking for permission this time. "Water nearby. Vujax can carry you to water. Water cleans wounds."

Vujax wondered why he was trying to help this human. He was supposed to be trying to find his own way, so shouldn't he just move on? Still, there was something compelling him to offer aid. Creator had made him with the instincts to fight, survive, and help. Despite having come across a great many creatures who harbored ill-will, here he was. Maybe his purpose was to find a new master to protect. After all, Vujax recognized that his free will was illusory. He was made for the purpose of protecting Creator.

 

[Fae13]

~Asra~

The dark spots were growing in his vision, he still wasn't sure still if he could trust this creature, even at the distance that its hand was his magic already sparked against the creatures...now that he thought of it, it did feel slightly....familiar when he stopped and thought of it, but his mind was so foggy that he couldn't concentrate.

'water clean?'

Faust was right...even presious water could be dangerous if it was contaminated....

'its okay Faust...I think I have enough stores left ot purify the water if it isn't....thank you for reminding me...'

Asra's eyes faded out of focus and seemed to cloud over to a dull purple as he comunicated with Faust, his eyes snapped back to focus on Vujax as he absentmindedly scrathced Fausts head. that action alone told her more about how Asra was doing than thier link could, his hands shook as he scratched her and his movements were almost sloppy, in all their years of traveling together he had never been in this dire of a state except once...when he'd found his sisters remains. He had been traveling for weeks to try and reatch his sister in time to help somehow, but he'd been to late by the time he found where she was. He had looked similarly to how he did now but this time, it was more serious, before he could rest and restore his stores of magic, this time they didn't know what might be behind the next turn or what might creep up on them in the dark, Asra hadn't dared to leave Faust on watch duty like he did when he normal traveled, it was simply to dangerous in his mind. His voice was quiet and sounded more gravely than before, Faust was worried and frustrated with Asra, and it showed in her body language as she went to hide in his bag instead of being on his person like usual.


"What....what do you want....for your help...?"

Asra let his head fall back against the wall of the Labyrinth as he looked up at Vujax. His eyes weren't as bright as they had been in the beginning of their interactions and his tanned skin had paled (as much as it could considering) as a half smile pulled at him lips as he raised an eyebrow suggestivly, a mischevious glint coming into the dulled eyes.

"At this point...I'd honestly pay almost any price...if you get my drift"

Asra let a small huff of a chuckle that only he and Faust could feel/hear, he knew faust would smack him with her tail later for that comment...but oh well

 

[Shog]

Vujax was thoroughly confused by the human's comments. He backed up a bit and turned his head around to double check his surroundings before returning to his previous position, though this time with a cocked head.

"How can one catch a drift?" he asked "And what is a price? Creator used to speak of such things, but never with Vujax."

This human just kept on becoming more and more intriguing! There was so much he could learn from them if he stuck around. Maybe they could even try and explain this "outside world" he'd heard rumors about. He did recognize the distress Asra was in, but did not quite understand how bad his condition was. This was mostly due to the fact that he could only take visual cues and try to connect them with preexisting knowledge. He could not feel pain himself and had no sense of empathy, so it was impossible for him to relate to the position the human found himself in. The best he could do is remember similar situations Creator had been in and what she ordered him to do to help.

 

[Fae13]

~Asra~

Asra let a bark of a laugh escape his lips that turned to hoarse coughing when Vujax asked about the drift, he hadn't been expecting that...a smile spread across his dry lips when the couching had passed, if anything, Vujax was entertaining.

"Never mind that big guy, it's simply a saying from where I am from...and a price is something someone will ask for in return for a service done, like you taking me to the water...it could be anything you desire. An item, a favor in return, food, or company...though usually, it is an item much like this"

Asra's voice was the same as before as he weakly dug through his bag, looking for the coin purse he had in there...somewhere...ah, there it was. He pulled out a single golden coin from his homeland, it was about the size or a dollar coin but was heavier and it had a strange symbol on its front, two wolfhounds with their heads together and eyes closed. He extended his hand shakily to show Vujax the coin.

"Where I come from, this is called a Surxect, it is worth quite a lot and if you had enough of them you could buy basically anything. one of these coins could buy a few days meals last time I checked..."

He could feel Faust fuming inside the bag, he was sure he was gonna get an earful from her later...

 

[Shog]

"Vujax wants..." he stopped, not quite sure what he wanted. It was still a fairly new concept to him. After a moment of thinking, he spoke up again. "Vujax wants to know about the outside world, if it exists."

If he paid close attention he would have realized that he just got conformation that the outside world does indeed exist, but he didn't make the connection. He thought that perhaps the place she came from was just a place in the labyrinth he had yet to visit. As for the coin the human offered, he didn't see any value in it. He had no need for food and had no clue how to make it work anyway. Maybe it was magic and food would from from it if buried! As intriguing as that idea was, he was still more curious about the outside world. If Asra found this deal acceptable, Vujax would move to scoop him up in his arms. He had carried Creator like this countless times and learned to be gentle, having only injured her a couple times.

 

[Fae13]

Asra tilted his head, had this creature never been outside? That wasn't a very good sign for him escaping...Asra twirled the coin a few times between his fingers before it disappeared, it was simply a slite of hand trick and therefore it took no magic

"Deal big guy...I'll tell you anything you wanna know about outside...just be gentle alright?"

He could feel fausts anger at him...she was thinking of ways to slowly and painfully kill Asra...without her also suffering...but being his familiar left no room for that sadly

 

[Shog]

Vujax nodded and moved closer the the human slumped against the wall. As gently as possible, he slipped one hand behind Asra's back and another under his knees and lifted him into Vujax's arms. He shifted Asra slightly so that he was being cradled in one arm, which had changed shape to be more comfortable to lay in. In this position, he kept Asra by his side in a way to allow him to see what was ahead. Vujax then proceeded to retrace his steps down the winding halls of the labyrinth. Assuming nothing had changed, he should be able to find the water source he had passed not all that long ago. In the meantime, he wanted to learn more about where this person came from.

"Where do you come from, and how you come here? And what name should Vujax call you?"

 

[Fae13]

~Asra~

Asra's sight blacked out for an instant when he was lifted, but a quick shake of his head had his vision clearing...somewhat. He chuckled weakly at the fire of questions but a warning from Faust stopped him from answering all of them right away

"One at a time big guy...which question do you want to be answered first?"

Faust had reminded Asra of a line from a poem he had been taught by his Mother before she and his father had been killed.

' Ne’er tell the fae your name, or on your life they'll have a claim, And nary a thanks for a faery boon, or pay their price beneath the moon....'

Asra had nearly forgotten the poem in this maze...a poem that had saved his life many many many times in his travels...he had never gotten close to forgetting it before, no matter what he went through or what he faced....so why had he almost forgotten it now of all times?

 

[awriternamedian]

She splashed and played for a little while longer, body slowly adjusting to the cool water, before pushing out farther and laying back, her small body floating easily in the water. A soft sigh escaped as she watched the leaves dance in a soft wind. Her curls spread out around her like a wild gold halo, giving her the look of a fallen angel. From somewhere in the labyrinth she heard music, a lovely flute, and she smiled, knowing who it was. Of all the people in the labyrinth, he was one of her favorite. He was always kind to her, and he played such lovely music

"Baird!" She called out as he came into sight, allowing her feet to drop back onto the muddy bottom so she could wade to the bank towards him. Before she could reach him though he fell to his knees and hissed, a hand pressed to his chest. Her brow furrowed, and then as his actions set in, her eyes widened. Somebody new was in the labyrinth! As if her thoughts had summoned them, there was a loud splash behind her, and she dropped down in surprise until only her eyes and the top of her head was showing. There, rising up out of the water, was a man. Well that was new. Most people simply woke up somewhere. How unfortunate for him to have woken up underwater. And weren't there sirens in some of these ponds? They'd never bother her, but a solitary human?

Quietly she watched as he dragged himself to the shore, covered in scratches and probably half drowned. There was a long silence as he seemed to put himself together, and then he spoke. There was another long moment as she bolstered her shyness before standing slowly back up.

"You're in the labyrinth," she said quietly, staying still and watching carefully for his reaction. Humans were so varied, she was never sure how they were going to handle the knowledge. Some even became violent, which she would like to avoid.

Fae13 AMXRYLLIS