Looking through the mystery (Solo)

[Keido]

2nd-Fall-511 AV

The last season had been busy and fruitless. Until today Keido just could not find the time to continue on with his exploration of the Garden of No Return. Now that he finally had the chance, he was not going to waste it.

"Its now or never" he said taking a deep breath and stepping his foot forward.

Keido passed through the leafy hedges of the maze where the path just kept going forward. Not much of the legendary maze which gets people lost here and he kept going forward until he reached the end.

"I may have taken the wrong entrance..." Keido told himself as he turned around. Only to find that the straight path that he was following turn into a bend.

"What...how...why? I just only... Hahaha." he laughed at himself. He must have been following the hedge walls so intently that he did not realize he turned. It still will be easy to backtrack. All he had to do is follow the path to the entrance.

"Why is this here? I don't remember this at all." Walking along the path he finally reached a fork. But he never reached a split path before. Which way did he take when he passed through then?

There was nothing to it. If he tried by himself to choose a random path then he would really get lost. So Keido looked around the path to find any sign of it having been used before. Since he was the only person he met so far in here, there should only be his tracks around. And he would just have to follow them back to the entrance.

Keido took a squat at the ground. There may be some signs and markings of his earlier path. His eyes went around looking for them as his hands brushed the things scattered around. Leaves and dust went flying around, they were not hiding what he was looking for. Like footprints. Until finally he spied on something else. A few broken branches scattered on the ground and they were going to the left. So that will be the path that he takes.

Even as he got up and walked down the path, he was still working. His eyes moving from spot to spot to see if there was any other sign that this was the path he took. He saw them. Leaves which had empty spaces in the middle like someone pushed them away and more broken branches littered around. Keido was happy that he finally beat the maze. Until he came to another dead end.

Surprised, he headed over to the hedge which blocked him off. For all the time he was here, he had been following only one path. There was that fork, but... he still followed the route which he felt was the one he went through. The alternative was empty from any use compared to his path with the spaces in between the leaves where he thought someone might have stepped through and broken branches that might have given way to the weight of his foot. But come to think of it, he did not remember the cracking sound of branches when he walked through either. It was very strange.

His hands went all over the hedge in front of him. It was firm. Completely unexpected of its leafy material. But, it was a maze. So keeping people on the right path would require hard walls like this. Keido was so focused on examining the hedge wall that only after he pulled out some leaves he heard the faint rustling sounds all around him.

"But...but...I followed a straight path!" he exclaimed aloud.

Certainly he did but the path he followed was no more. Instead in its place another hedge blocked him off. Leaving Keido to choose one of the other paths which has opened to his sides. The Garden of No Return it seems now has Keido playing along its little game. Like a rat trapped in a maze.

[Keido]

Keido was sure that the path he took was beyond the hedge now behind him. But his path was closed off. Forcing him to choose from two new open paths at his sides. That won't do. He decided that he should go back home and better prepare himself to get through the Garden another day. Keido went back to the hedge that closed off and put his hands over it to get a feel of it. Like the previous one, this was hard and solid too.

"Urgh!" he grunted as he jumped to try and reach the top unsuccessfully.

So he tried again. Bending his knees as far in as possible when he got into a squat with his arms at ready in an 'L' shape. Keido was determined now to get through. Putting all his force and energy into his hips, He stood up and just as he reached the top, he extended his heels as well into a jump. He went higher and higher in the air. Just as he felt that he was about to fall, he threw his arms up and grabbed on to the hedge and there he stayed. Hanging on the hedge.

But this was not enough. He had achieved the first level and now it was time to go higher. With another shout he transferred the energy he built up to his arms and started pulling on the muscles to go up. Slowly but surely, he was raising himself but the strain also caused the sweat to drip from his head.

Once he had lifted himself enough for his eyes to go above the hedge level to look around, his hands started to give way. He needed more support. Quickly he raised his elbows to dig into the top of the hedge. With his whole arm there, he used them to lift his up further while he kicked his foot at the bottom of the hedge for that final push up to the top.

Now that he was on top, Keido took the opportunity to look around the maze. There were a few other people lost around too. Maybe he could meet up with one of them and get some help since even up there he cannot identify the exits.

"Wait... what was that?" Keido asked himself. He could have sworn that some of the walls suddenly changed position.

It could have been his imagination so it would be better if he just follow the next path. He put his palms on the hedge, ready to support him when he dropped back on the ground. First he leaped off behind him causing him to fall. But still continued to hold on to the hedge while still keeping his hands on to control his descent. To reduce the strain on his arm he took short steps down the hedge until he was left dangling and opened his hands and fall down the floor.

While Keido did all that, he could hear the rustling sounds again. But he was in a position which was too dangerous to risk looking behind. He should have because when he landed and turned, the path which was there closed up. Sealing him between four walls with no escape. Until another rustling sound came behind him again.

"TRICKERY!" he yelled when he turned in time to see the hedges splitting apart to reveal another path going straight forward.

"I will see through your Illusions and defeat you!" Keido yelled a promise at the maze and started to dash through.

[Keido]

With much determination, Keido ran down the path before him as fast as he could. He passed a lot of things. Flowers, trees, vines but no people or forks. It was as though the maze was toying with him now that the secret was out. On more than one occasion, Keido saw a fork on the path. Something to get away from the path. With much joy he increased his speed. Stamping on his feet harder as they hit the ground and pushing out with feet more. But everytime he reached it, the hedges grew and joined together taking away his prize.

"SHYKE!" he would cry out each time. Refusing to continue on any further until a rustling sound can be heard behind him closing off any hope of going back.

Each time this happened, Keido got more frustrated. But with nowhere else to go to he continued down the path set before him. At first with a slow walk without hope. Then increasing his speed as time passed. Until he got frustrated then he started running to put his frustration to work. Shortly after that he will without fail find that fork in the path which causes him to run as fast as his legs would carry him hoping that it will be finally his chance to change things. But then again each time he reached it the maze will deny him yet again.

This continued until sundown. Even with his one track mind he had overexerted himself too much. Keido got out of breath. Puffing and panting while holding on to the hedge to keep him standing. He knew from experience that at this point if he went down, he won't be able to get back up until the next day. He was tired, hungry and thirsty.

"Is this another trick?" he yelled at the maze as an extra path opened to the side.

Keido did not expect any answer, but made his way to the opening. Struggling to keep himself standing he put one hand in front of the other like his feet while he sincerely hoped that it was not another cruel trick. It was as if the maze was rewarding his efforts, or just wanted to keep its new plaything working for a little while longer. Because what Keido found there was a beautiful garden with a fountain in the middle of the clearing with food in the form of fruits and berries all around.

With this new offering, Keido forgot all about his exhaustion and headed straight for the fountain. Greedily taking in as much water as he could to quench his thirst. Satisfied he sat on one of the benches. Eyeing the fruits and berries while smacking his lips. The temptation was too great. He wanted to taste some of it in his mouth right now. But as far as things went, he just did not trust the garden.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" he asked. After a while of staring, a bird suddenly landed on one of the bushes laden with brightly colored berries and started eating them.

Nothing happened to the bird and it continued pecking away at the berries. Finished with its meal it drank from the fountain and flew off. Leaving Keido all alone again. He concluded that if the bird did not die yet, then the food was good enough to keep him living a lot longer. Keido went straight to the plants. Taking the fruits and berries that he had seen the bird eating and keeping a mental note of how they looked in case he ever needed them again in the maze. He had seen a lot of them as he was running around the maze. The Garden was abundant with nature's bounty if only you knew how to use them.

Finished with his meal and drink, Keido decided to rest since it was too dark to continue anything. He already committed most of the food into his memory. The bright berries which smelt good, the dark fruits which had no scent but was full of juices. Tomorrow will be a new day to try and get through the maze and the knowledge will help him a lot better.

[Keido]

3rd-Fall-511 AV

The sun which came up shone into Keido's eyes where he woke up. He looked around to get his bearings, surprised at the pain his back was in from sleeping on the hard ground. Until he realized that he was still stuck in the garden. The frustration built up in him again but he ignored it and put it down. These emotions would not help him at all to go through the garden.

He remembered from his stay in Riverfall that the Akalaks were quite the emotional bunch too. But they kept it in line very strongly. Like losing control would be the end of them. Keido felt that the situation now is the same. If he lost control over himself, he would probably find himself led around by the maze again and waste yet another day.

Trying to calm the emotions within him, Keido sat on the ground and looked around. He took in the serene and peaceful environment and concentrated on them. His eyes looked around to what he focused on. The refreshing water, the tasty berries, juicy fruits and tranquil sounds. Everytime he shifted his attention he took yet another deep breath in increased quantities. After he felt that his lungs could take in as much as they could, he closed his eyes and continued.

He kept his mind on these things. With his eyes closed he was able to try and forget about everything else unless they made a sound. Like the birds chirping and the grass rustling in the wind. But he kept reminding himself over and over that those things were not a threat to him and continued on. Then he started to take shorter and shorter breaths until he was breathing normally. He would have continued further, until a new sound came and approached him. Footsteps on the grass crunching dry branches below.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he asked the trio which appeared in front of him as he got up.

"We are nobodies. Fighters you have insulted with your stupid honor in the arena" one answered with a lot of aggression.

Keido could see that these men did not have any peaceful intentions. On their sides were weapons. One had a sword on his hip. Another was fingering a huge axe. Looking like he wanted to use it on Keido. And the leader who was talking? A short man with a long spear to compensate for his height. If he had a fight, Keido knew there would be no rules like in the arena and he could lose his life if they wanted it.

"Your choice. You can take a chance with us or the Garden." the leader said with a grin.

"Stop you fool!" the leader cried out at the man with the axe. Who seemed intent on now giving the choice.

Fortunately, Keido was already prepared. He lay on his back and rolled to the side. Narrowly avoiding the axe which the man brought down. As quickly as he did, he put both fists on the ground to push his body up and he quickly stood up to look at his attacker. He was struggling to get the axe off the ground and Keido took the opportunity.

"I'll take my chances with the maze!" in a tone more than a growl. Already his emotions were starting to surface and he wanted to release them on this man.

Keido took a step back. But with his toes bent on the ground behind him. Facing straight at the man he gave a frown and straightened his toes. Pushing his foot forward straight at the man with a folded leg. Using his other leg he leapt forward to reduce their distance. The knee of the folded leg landed straight at the man's cheek who was too focused on retrieving his axe. The force of the movement transferred to the force of impact. Throwing the man to the side where he rolled until he collapsed.

"Goodbye" Keido said with a wave at the remaining people. As soon as his foot landed on the ground, he used it to spring backwards. Where he spun around and headed out the nearest exit into a run.

[Keido]

Keido still remembered how he was breathing earlier. Even with his concentration shattered he still tried to maintain the breathing the best he can. Breathing properly would help him as he ran enabling him to go further and longer. He could hear them shouting behind him but he continued. Just as he did the previous day, he will let the maze lead him. No time for decisions but a lot of time to focus on escaping. If anything he hoped that the maze would help him and break apart his attackers where he may take them on one by one.

The maze provided him a straight path which he followed. He continued moving his legs faster and faster to get further away from the others. Everytime he met a turn, he was forced to control his movement so that he won't crash on the hedge. Keido kept the speed his legs went up and down but reduced how far each step was apart. In terms of speed he was as fast as he was, but his distance was shortened just enough for him to get around the bend where he continued his normal steps after.

After turning a few times, Keido reached a straight path. And there he was. The short man with the spear. He was just as surprised as Keido was at the meeting but it seems that his companion was not around. He quickly drew his spear and pointed it at Keido, but Keido was already traveling too fast to stop before that. So he went faster. Trying to get as close as he could to the man so he can get a blow in before getting hit.

"Are you crazy?" the man asked upon seeing Keido's sudden increased speed. Keido could see it now. The man was practically shivering in fear at this unexpected act. Keido would take advantage of it. He will need to go faster.

"Maybe I am. Maybe you are. Or maybe we all are." Keido replied trying to play on the man's fears. But his attention was not focused on the man. At all times, his eyes were right on the spearhead.

Once he got into the man's range, the man let his spear fly. But Keido was already prepared. He leaned his body to the side to dodge and brought his arm up on the side. Once the spear passed and his arm was at its level, Keido brought his body back. At the same time knocking the spear away causing the man's recovery to take a lot longer. He continued to take long strides towards the man. Arm up to hold the spear away. But once he reached the man, the arm was thrown straight forward to his face. All the speed built up went behind it together with all of Keido's strength and it smashed into the man's face. Throwing him into the hedge behind him.

"That ought to teach you a lesson." Keido said with a grin of satisfaction. But he was not done with the man. He had to make sure that he won't come after Keido again at the maze for the rest of the day.

Keido walked up to the man and picked up the spear in both hands. Both hands on the handle started to push downwards causing the spear to bend upwards. But Keido was not yet strong enough to break it. After a while of wasting energy on it Keido had to use another way. He brought his knee up and the spear down. Breaking the weapon into half.

"If you are not satisfied, meet me in the arena." saying his piece and throwing the remnants of the spear in disgust. With only one enemy left, Keido started walking down the path.

[Keido]

The maze finally led him to his last opponent. Under a large tree laden with fruit. The man didn't even say a word as he drew his sword. He was serious about this. Keido had his own weapon too and drew it from its sheathe in front of him.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Keido asked. Hoping that he didn't man.

The man made no reply. His response was pointing his sword straight at Keido with a sneer. It looked like his mind was made up about this. Keido too held his weapon. Holding it behind him prepared to attack. The man chose to attack first as he charged towards Keido with a yell.

Keido stood his ground. Planting his feet into the dirt. He decided that he was not going to back down. To do it was to affirm that these men will always have power over him. And if one day they met in the Colosseum, the knowledge will work better to their advantage to boost their confidence. The sword came closer and closer to him. But as he decided, he won't back down.

The kodachi was shot to the front to intercept the sword. The sword and the kodachi slid on each other, but Keido's target was not the man but the sword. He allowed the sword to slide down the blade where it got caught on the hilt and then he pushed himself forward. Pushing the man back.

Because of his move, the man had to focus on his footwork on the ground he could not see so he won't trip. Keido continued to attack. Bringing his empty fist up and punching straight at the man's stomach. With both of his hands on the sword he had no way to defend and took it. Keido did not stop. He pulled his arm back again to prepare for another punch. This time he sent it at the man's chest where he heard with satisfaction he exhaled his breath in pain. For his last punch, he pulled back his arm and carried it higher. High enough that once he extended it, it went to the man's cheek. Punching his face to the side. Satisfied, he slashed his kodachi to the side to throw the man's sword aside and started stepping his back to rest.

The man was not happy with this. He took up his sword with a roar and charged again. Keido pulled back his kodachi in preparation to attack but this time his strategy changed. He knew that the man will think that Keido was going to intercept and send another flurry of punches. Which is why when the sword was about to reach, he ran forward and opened his fist to make a grab at the sword's hilt.

Once he had caught the hilt firmly in his hands, Keido started to pull it to the side. Giving enough room to keep the man's body open. The kodachi he had held behind him now had its chance to attack. He plunged it forward, aimed straight at the man's arm. There was no emotion here. Only calculated damage when the kodachi pierced straight into the man's elbow which caused him to yell. Keido released his hold over the hilt causing it to drop from the man's weakened arm and he sent his hand forward beside the man's head. He folded his arm inwards and then threw it forward. Giving the man a backhanded smack and causing him to stagger.

With all this abuse, the man flew into a rage and brought up his sword to slash it downwards. Because of the new reduced strength the man was not sure of his speed. Giving Keido enough time to look at the quivering arm and anticipate its movements. He flipped his kodachi into a backhanded grip to defend himself. Once he saw the sword travelling downwards, he slashed his kodachi upwards to defend himself and heard the sound of steel upon steel.

At that much awaited sound Keido's foot came up. Keido had to rely on the sound because he had switched his gaze to the man's knee. Once he had seen the that he drew his foot back enough, he stamped it forward into the man's ankle. Causing him to drop his sword and to his knees to try and stay up.

"Yield and I will stop." Keido demanded from the man as he brought his Kodachi to his throat. With a mangled arm and leg there was not much fighting to be done now.

[Keido]

"Raggart! Take this fool down!" the man on his knees said, trying to get the words in between his breath before Keido smashed his hilt into the man's face forcing him to collapse on the ground.

Keido could not help but wonder who was Raggart. But when he heard a grunt of affirmation behind him he turned. It was the man with the axe. But Keido could have sworn that he had taken the man down so how was he standing? His eyes darted all over the exhausted man's body. Only to find that the man's cheek was a little swollen and he lost a teeth in the front. Keido's attack was successful, but it was not enough to take the man down.

The man lifted his axe to his shoulder. Keido concluded as he saw the action that the blow and running all around the maze with that heavy weapon had taken a toll. His plan of action to rely on the maze instead of taking a chance against all three of them seemed to work. Now he only had one more opponent with the other two disabled in the maze.

His advance was slow. But with both hands gripped on the axe, Keido could tell that the man was going to attack. He only had two options. To strike first and hope that the axe was slower, or run around the maze again to tire out the man. But there was no honor in relying on tricks for too long. Especially now when it was fair. Keido decided to take the man's challenge and he also continued to advance. With his Kodachi held down to try and go against the axe which will come from the top.

As Keido advanced, his eyes was on the man's axe again. He has to be faster. Faster than he had ever been. An axe was not a weapon to be taken lightly. It might be slow and brutish. But one clean slash from that would not allow Keido to live to tell the tale. Keido was afraid now. Afraid for his life. So he bent down to make himself a smaller target for the man.

"Are you scared? You should be. I will chop you up and feed you to thedogs" the man snarled as he walked further.

Keido tried his best to keep his feet moving forward. Each time he took a step he told himself that he will win. He should win. He will win! Recovering his determination, he ran forward. Always keeping his eyes on the axe. But that was not good. The man was wise to his tricks. Instead of using his axe, he gave a kick into Keido's stomach sending him backwards before he could do anything.

"I will kill you!" he man yelled out at his successful attack and started to charge at Keido.

"Forget about the axe" Keido told himself as he tried to get himself back up. But he could not. If he had nothing to focus on in the fight he would be lost. And so while he got up he left his eyes trained on the axe.

Just as Keido recovered, the man was upon him. Keido could see it. The man's muscles bulged and tensed as he lifted the axe to drop it on him. Keido in a state of blind instinct for survival threw himself up to the man in a roar. He brought his arm up and locked it with the man's to prevent the axe from coming down. When he felt it, he folded his arm over the man's to get a better grip on it.

The man was not happy and started shouted profanities as he started to kick Keido. But Keido did not relent. If anything it only strengthened his resolve. His other hand came up and went around the man's head. The hand with the kodachi already wrapped around the man's arms took advantage of its position. Keido did not have enough room or energy to pierce flesh but he could still annoy the man. Keido used his wrist. Pulling it back and front with the Kodachi on it so it will keep jabbing on the man's arm. No blood came but the man's profanities increased.

When Keido felt that he had the man's full attention on the stinging kodachi, he increased the strength on this other arm. Squeezing the man's head more. Then sudden'y he did it. In a combination move he folded his arm more towards him and brought his head to the front and smashed both his head and the man's together. The man gave a yell and dropped his axe to the ground and Keido released him.

Keido has had more than his share of fighting today. Annoyed, he kicked the man to the front. He grew too excited from all the fights and could not help himself. The kodachi went up in his hand, gleaming into the man's eyes. In a planned path it came down. Slicing into the man in arch. It begun with his arm to his chest and ended at the next arm. It was bloody work and Keido was not done. Again he brought his knee up right to the man's face and took it down.

The day was exhausting. Exhausting and maddening. But his work must have been good. Because while he was puffing and panting there with the others, he eyed one of the Garden's succulent fruits nearby. He plucked one to reward himself and started eating it to refresh himself as he went down the path to try and find the exit. Surprised only that he really did find it this time and went back to the inn to rest.

[Bedlam]

Thread Completed!

Player Name

Experience:
+2 Observation
+1 Acrobatics
+3 Running
+2 Meditation
+4 Unarmed Combat
+2 Kodachi

Lores:
The Price of Doubting the Garden
Handling Sore Losers
Disarming Your Opponent

Notes:

I am taking this thread off Falla’s back, since he’s busy today.

For future reference, the walls are in all likelihood ridiculously high, and not something you could climb on top of. It’s not something that’s outright stated though, so it’s okay—our bad really. Also, headbutts usually hurt you as much as they hurt the enemy. But all and all not a bad thread.