[Sanea Labyrinth] Lost in a Labyrinth (Invite Only)

[Stitch]

The 28th of Summer, 510 AV. Near the entrance to the Sanea Labyrinth, in the Wildlands of Syliria. "Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” Clop clop clop clop clop. Stitch quivered a bit, his arms wrapping tightly around Rhuryc, holding onto the man for dear life. He had done this about fifty times throughout the trip, and each time was much more uncomfortable than the last. "Why is he speeding up, milord?" The horse, as if aware of Stitch's fear, only sped up a little more. "Milord? Can you slow him down?" Stitch's grip tightened once again, and Rhuryc would find that the orphanage owner actually had quite a bit of muscle on him. That, and he had no problem scooching as close to Rhuryc as possible. Stitch had been generous, and offered the blacksmith's apprentice the saddle, and had opted to seat himself right behind the saddle. At first, it had been a simple process. The two Zavians that Stitch had supplied the party were calm and intelligent horses, happy to comply with the easy gait their new masters had decided to take. Stitch had put Rhuryc and Stitch on one of the horses, and Fade with Guido on the other animal. Each had a small saddlebag carrying a few supplies, while a small mountain pony was carrying the rest of the supplies in four large saddlebags. The pony was leashed to Rhuryc's horse, and also opted to take an easy, lazy gait. However, the entire party was soon to find that Stitch was horrible with horses. And heights. Every single time the horse had sped up just the slightest bit, the blind man had desperately leeched to Rhuryc, and begged for him to slow the eager animal. He had even fallen off a few times. They had never actually surpassed a trot. Clop. As if suddenly deciding to take Stitch's fear into consideration, the horse suddenly stopped. Stitch, behind Rhuryc, let loose a relieved breath and loosened his grip on the poor apprentice. "Thank Priskil..." It had either been an extremely amusing trip, or an extremely annoying one, with Stitch acting the way he had. Or a mixture of both. It had certainly been uneventful. The entire Wildlands trek had taken place on well marked roads, and each night had been a comfortable little camping trip on the side of the road. Their rations kept them healthy, and fire wasn't really needed in the warm months of summer. Stitch had even decided to forgo a sleeping bag, and simply make his bed in the soft, warm grass. For being a trip to such a dangerous location, it had been quite a pleasant vacation so far. They were only now approaching what appeared to be thick woods, and even that had a clear path that led deeper into it. It had mostly been plains, rolling hills, and light forest so far. Stitch bit his lower lip, chewing it slowly, a small habit he did when he was concentrating. Recalling instructions he had recieved when trying to milk information about this place, he pointed toward the thickening woods, motioning at the trail the small party was following. "This one believes we are close. A minute or two more, this one thinks. The source that this one heard from said that the path that led to the Labyrinth is right inside the thick of the woods. It is off to the side of the main road, what we are on, but it is an obvious trail. It should be like a little clearing of a path, leading deeper and deeper into the wood. There is supposed to be a stone archway marking it, but this one doesn't know if that is at the beginning of the path, or at the beginning of the Labyrinth..." Stitch paused, sniffing the air, a confused look crossing his face. There was a really sweet smell in the air, and it was unfamiliar to the blind man. "Does anyone else smell those flowers?" Suddenly, out of nowhere, the horse that Stitch and Rhuryc were on took a uncommanded step forward, merely jostling his impatient legs. A now familiar pattern played out, much to the amusement of the (most likely scheming) horse. Stitch flailed, let out a shout, yelped, and somehow toppled off of the horse, falling head over heels toward the grassy earth underneath him. While the fall was somewhat awkward, the landing was quite graceful, the martial artist turning his horrible spill into a rather pretty looking roll. Darting up from his recovered blunder, he yelped again, this time actually forming some coherant words. "Why does it keep moving without being told?! Are you [i]trying[i] to hurt this one?" Stitch stepped forward, regarding the horse now, the blind man assuming a somewhat stern look. The horse whinnied a bit, snorting at Stitch, tossing his head to look back at Rhuryc, as if sharing a private joke. Helplessly, Stitch cocked his head toward Fade and Guido, mumbling at them. "Why couldn't this one ride THAT horse. Or the pony. The pony seems nice." Pouting now, Stitch crossed his arms, walking toward the pony. "Lead on milords, milady. This one believes he will walk the remaining distance."

OOC :

I will post up a list of items Stitch has with him, once I get all of my threads and Miza counts organized. It will be with my next post. <33

[Rhuryc]

The ride in was an adventure in itself. From the start Rhuryc knew there would be nothing but trouble - two men, both of considerable size - on one horse? In his limited experience with the animals the smith was uncomfortable by himself let alone with a companion. When Stitch fell so to did Rhuryc. On a regular basis the two would collide and collapse in a pile and while the blind man's grace and tumbling skills would prevent him from harm, the clumsier of the two often just hit the ground with a terrible thud. He was thick. That was a good thing. At least Rhuryc knew how to steer the beast. While it had taken some time to adjust to this particular mounts commands, he found that he could direct it simply enough by gently tugging on the reigns and pressuring the flank in his desired course. Albeit most of the instruction was to walk forward. The few times Rhuryc had increased the pace, Stitch flailed, he panicked, and both fell into their customary heap. In truth he had never been so close to another man before, both in physicality and spirit. They now shared similar bruises and had ways of preventing permanent damage from their tumbles, all accomplished through sheer tenacity and experience. What fun.

Rhuryc grunted as Stitch tightened his hold. Again. For the fifty-second time. He knew, he was counting. The damn horse enjoyed torturing the blind man, which in turn was a test of Rhuryc's patience. He held his irritation at bay with a well practiced manner. In an effort to relieve himself of the pressure the horse's reigns were given a soft tug and the mount came to a sudden, abrupt halt, giving Stitch the time he need to both observe the area and describe the path. Rhuryc made an effort to glance over the surroundings as well, a keen gaze taking in objects that his companion would most likely miss. Hiding places, ambush points, escape routes. He listened idly to the instruction but so far the direction was simple: go forward. With that in mind Rhuryc kept his attention centered on their safety. Somehow had to keep a look out after all.

Flowers? What flowers? Rhuryc unconsciously squeezed his legs as he lifted his nose to the air and the horse responded in kind. Stitch flailed. Damn it. With a quick tug on the reigns the mount came to a stop, but it was far too late. Already Rhuryc felt his balance slip and he found himself on the ground once more, his eyes gazing skyward. What a nice day. He cursed, softly, and rolled over onto his front. A push lifted his torso and he got back to his feet as Stitch interrogated the animal; in truth, Rhuryc would have liked to take a sword to the beast. In the mean time he took the momentary reprieve to check his own gear. A glance back at the pony reveal his pack and accompany rucksack, his equipment arranged and ready for what lay ahead. His armor over the top along with his shield, both prepared for a quick donning.

Satisfied, Rhuryc gave Stitch a curt nod - the man was the quietest of the bunch, never speaking more than he needed to. Most of the roadside conversations had taken place without the man's input. He would give if asked a direct question, but most of the time he saw it fit to just observe and only comment when it was necessary. Stitch he comfortable with, sure, Guido he did not know, but Fade was a point of apprehension. She had met the girl once before and their interaction was less than savory; such a hot tempered individual would need to have an eye kept on them. An eye that Rhuryc did not wish to spare.

One foot was stuck in a stirrup and Rhuryc hoisted his torso over the horse's back - a scenario he was now intimately familiar with. Glad to have the creature to himself he gave it a slight squeeze and they were off again, headed ever onward toward their destination. Was he nervous? Of course. Excited? More so. Scared?

Undoubtedly.

OOCShould we just post a spoiler/ooc tag with our equipment?

[Fade]

Fade sat behind Guido knowing to well that she knew nothing about horses but the ride was pleasant enough and offered its diversions: it seemed that Rhuryc and Stitch couldn't stay on a horse without falling. Maybe the two fairly big men where annoying the poor beast, Fade on the other hand did not add much weight to Guido.

Fade sat in relative silence sometimes humming to herself under her breath pointless tunes. She kept her eyes on her surrounding mostly, eyeing the scenery as a performer glances at an audience.
She probably wasn't much hindrance to Guido as Stitch was to Rhuryc, possessing an exceptional sense of balance she sat quietly behind him.
During their stops she limbered up as much she could and trained, something were hide to shake off: she would wake up and before thinking about it she would be contorting before any meal. She didnt want to lose any of her skills.
She rarley ate heavily salted food knowing that it would harden and shorten her muscles.
Fade though was a terribly light sleeper every movement or sound making her open her eyes suddenly, it balanced off with her brief but deep spells of sleep.

The only thing that dampened her spirits was Rhuryc, or at least the diffidence she felt coming from him. All was product of a misunderstanding.
She listened to Stitch's words who, moments later, had fallen off dragging Rhuryc with him it was a miracle they didn't break anything. Getting up Stitch announced he would proceed on foot, it took a moment for Fade to slide down her horses back and catch up with Rhuryc: it was time to end this dumb dispute.Putting her hand on the horses side she opened her mouth took a deep breath and said "With all the dangers ahead you should do better that grace me with an apprehensive eye..." She stroked the horse as she walked "Your attitude, no sorry, our attitude his product of a dull misunderstanding" She fought for words "The reason for my...behavior? I guess I could call it that...you know the thing about wanting to be with people, to talk? Well it has been less that a year since I became a free individual: I was a slave an object" She looked up at him, straight into his eyes "I'm not used to be called ...well anything really. To be considered a person to have a free will to..." She trailed off only to mutter "I guess you wouldn't understand"
Since she was talking to him why not add the cherry to the cake? She tapped her red mark and said "I also bear Nikal's mark, a Ranuri. A touch can tell me your deepest desires and I'm compelled to fulfill them. Thats it, really"
She sighed and added "Well if you sitll wont trust me you should trust in Stitch's judgment..."

She stopped walking, not waiting for him to reply, falling back waiting for Guido to catch up, she climbed up quickly glad she had gotten over that. She had spoken in a normal tone not wanting to seem secretive to the others. She sighed as she looked at the path ahead and a smile touched her lips as she spotted Stitch faithfully using his feet. She was weirdly content, happy but also strangley apprehensive and well, a bit nervous.

[Guido Faragas]

Guido gritted his teeth, his hands gripping the reins so tightly that his palms and fingers were seared with red marks. Still, it wasn’t his hands that were the main problem but his backside. It was raw from the bells sitting in the saddle on the journey to the labyrinth. He was no horseman. His experience was limited to perching alongside his father in the seat of the cart and horse his father sometimes used for transporting heavy goods around Syliras. On occasion, he had held the reins for a few chimes but his father had always insisted on taking the reins for any long journey and Guido had never tried to ride an animal.

How hard can it be? He had comforted himself with this reassurance before seeing the beast he was to ride. Somehow, the animal appeared much larger when one was about to climb into the saddle than when one saw them from a distance. His first attempt at levering himself up had been farcical, failing to get his long leg over the back of the animal and slowly falling back to the floor in a heap. He felt that he could feel the grins of his companions boring into his backside although, in truth, Stitch appeared to be the most uncomfortable of the four with the prospect of riding. Guido’s second attempt required assistance – a push up on one leg from a stablehand – this time he ended up in a heap on the far side of the horse, his face covered in grime and mud. His third attempt was prefaced by some quiet words of advice from the stable boy. Getting in the correct position and holding the reins was apparently the key. Under instruction, he held both reins in his left hand grasping them with a little horse mane and faced forwards a little, ensuring the stirrup was turned a little. Then, he placed his left foot in the stirrup, grasping the saddle with his right hand and holding his balance with his right foot. He pushed up with his right foot, using its strength rather than his arms to mount the beast. As he rose from the push of the foot, he adjusted the position of his hands on the reins and swung his right foot over the horse. Remarkably, he found himself sitting in the saddle. Unfortunately, as he turned to make a suitable comment to his companions, he overbalanced and fell off. Still, it was a start – and the mud and straw on the ground didn’t taste so bad as he spat it out of his mouth once more.

He was glad to get the saddle, for his sense of balance was no match for Fade, who appeared to have little problem as she sat quietly behind him. For the most part Guido managed to stay on the horse as the journey progressed, but he still found mounting and dismounting difficult: the former generally took several attempts and he always chose soft ground for any dismount as his long limbs would invariably end up in a tangled heap on the ground. Luckily, the horse was well trained and even responded to the sometimes rough pressure he exerted on its flanks and his rather overenthusiastic yanking of the reins. Behind him, Fade generally sat quietly, preferring to hum a few soft tunes rather than engage in prolonged conversation. Guido sensed a little tension in the air between her and Rhuryc but he said nothing and the two companions lapsed into long periods of silence, punctuated by Stitch’s constant complaints and not infrequent tumbles to the floor.

At camp, Guido spent a few moments practicing his bow and performing a few relaxation techniques before settling down for the night. He scratched rough targets on any nearby trees, and practiced the slow fluid movements that Cedric had taught him. Lift the bow slowly; pull back the string a little; aim; draw the string fully out to the tip of the nose with the fingers adjacent to the chin. Fire and repeat. He repeated the same routine every night for a few bells, knowing that repetition was the key to success. Similarly with his relaxation techniques: finding the focus – a single block of colour – the bark of a tree, the green of a bush or the white of Fade’s hair. Then, allowing the block of colour to form a curtain across his senses – to blot out the chatter of his companions, the gurgling of a stream or the cries off far off beasts. It allowed his mind to clear and senses to sharpen.

It was with relief that Guido heard Stitch announce that they were nearing their goal. Yet at the same time he was apprehensive. He tightened his grip on the reins and began scanning the scenery more carefully. However, his attention was soon taken by Stitch’s fall, subsequent complaint and decision to walk. I’m tempted to join him before my backside get unbearable. He was contemplating joining Stitch in walking when Fade slid off the horse and exchanged a few quiet words with Rhuryc. He did not hear the words, but the conservation intrigued him. When Fade returned he directed a quiet question to her in a neutral tone. “Do you two have some...” he struggled for the word. “Issues?”

[Stitch]

Stitch continued to grumble, his soft voice echoing out around the serene landscape in cranky little comments to himself. His anger at the situation was almost comical, as it was hard to take the man seriously. Like quite a few of his emotions, he managed to look quite childish, as if he was just a young boy who was irritated to have his favorite toy taken away. His companions allowed him his tantrum though, and as a few moments of silence passed, he seemed to calm down. That was another one of the many reasons it was rather hard to take him seriously when he got angry, which was pretty rare anyway. His emotions were fleeting and fast, and he rarely held onto any negative attitude for more than a few moments. He would be angry, but then he would find something to occupy his attention, and then he was all smiles again. He did not appear to take notice of the small conversation that Fade invoked with Rhuryc, nor did he notice that Guido was quick to question the meaning behind the conversation. When the threesome looked back from their respective distractions to glance at Stitch, if any of them actually did; then they would find that he had vanished from the trail.

Before any panic could set in, he suddenly emerged from a nearby bunch of trees and bushes, proudly holding onto a large bunch of pretty red flowers. A rather intoxicating smell wafting from the beautiful petals, he approached each of his companions in turn, offering them a flower. "Told you there were flowers! Aren't they pretty? This one thinks they would be a nice souvenir, for when we get back to Syliras." Humming happily to himself, he turned back to the path, motioning for the party to follow. He was blissfully unaware that any of his companions weren't comfortable with the other, as he had been to preoccupied with the surroundings that they had traveled through. The others would be able to tell this was like a much needed vacation to the blind orphanage owner, and he was slowly approaching an almost giddy state of mind. He was enjoying this way too much.

Whatever conversation the other three would fall into, Stitch would silently lead, guiding them with a few motions of his hand. He was scanning the trail in his own special way, letting his Auristics study each of the unique Auras for a few seconds as he walked. He wasn't so sure why he was doing it, as all he was really finding were trees and plants. He didn't even know what kind of trees and plants they were. He just felt like he should be a least a little cautious, for his companions sake, and for his own. He could already hear Fenyta in the back of his head, yelling at him for being too carefree and happy. There wasn't really anything wrong with that, was there?

Sighing to himself, Stitch reached into his rucksack, pausing a bit to struggle with the bags placed upon his toned back. Pulling out some Anti fungal Ointment, as well as Bug Repellent, he applied both to the open areas of his body. He was dressed rather plainly, in a long-sleeved shirt with long britches, and simple high leather boots. Humming to himself as he over abundantly sprayed himself with both chemical concoctions, he soon finished, and placed them back into his rucksack. Motioning again, he led his companions and their horses into a turn, an unmarked pathway that led off of the main road and deeper into the thickening forest. He would quietly hum the whole time they walked, the trek to their next location taking perhaps half an hour.

The unmarked path was an oddly natural clearing, short grown grass forming a small trail amidst wild plants, vines, flowers, trees, and bushes. Stitch motioned for a stop as a new landmark came into view, signalling the real start of their adventure. It was a large stone archway that formed above and around the path they were taking, a natural stone frame for some invisible gate. The path dipped downwards beyond the stone archway, falling out of sight. Stitch paused his humming, turning back to his companions, that carefree smile still on his face. He was almost contagious. "Here we are milords, milady! This is apparently the entrance-way to the Sanea Labyrinth! Would we like to secure the horses and move forward on foot? No point in endangering them, yes?" He spoke quickly, all the while with that large grin on his face. If the others were feeling any kind of danger, Stitch certainly was not. He was ridiculously carefree, almost to a fault.

[Kelpie]

Stitch was correct. The stone archway signifying the unofficial “entrance” to the labyrinth was standing before them, invitingly, but as they drew closer, one would be able to notice the scratches adorning the rough texture of the stone, scribbles in the shapes of letters, spelling out, “The eyes are everywhere, the voices are clear, can you resist the temptation of nature?” Perhaps it was a riddle, or perhaps it was a warning, but soon lilting whispers emanated from beyond the point where they stood. They encircled the party, invisible hands pulling at them, urging them to walk forth. They could not enter with their horses, however, and as soon as they had dismounted them, they fled, leaving them but with their meager belongings they were able to take before they simply reared and charged past the brush onto the main road. With Stitch’s auristics, he would be able to see the shifting vibrant hues of the flora around them as they ventured forth, drawn by the sweet whispers that clouded their minds and drew their attention away from anything other than simply following it. The flora shifted against the wind, trees loomed closer and everything seemed far more compact and readily foreboding. The sun was blocked by the high canopies of trees, whose trunks groaned from shifting, whether it was done by the wind or some other unseen force. Fifteen chimes passed and soon something rich green and glistening shone out amongst the ominous black of the landscape. The labyrinth, as it was, stood 20 ft high and spanned many miles. Tall, sturdy plants made up the “walls” and the entrance seemed innocent enough. The whispers continued, but was soon replaced by soft singing, almost impossible to hear, but yet alluring all the same. Everything was still. The air, the fauna, the flora, not a creature stirred but the singing continued. It would pull them in, whether they wished it or not.

[Rhuryc]

Rhuryc felt a dull ache in his head. He stared at Fade as she regaled him with some sort of explanation, something about slavery and a Gnosis mark, but he was not really listening. He let the woman speak her piece and leave when she was finished, content to remain mounted and distracted by the world around the party. Words would not strong enough to change his opinions. In any case Rhuryc kept a steady watch over the traveler's and their meanderings. Guido in his silence, Fade in her shenanigans, and Stitch as he floundered about, irritated in a strange, care-free manner that endured him to all he met. As the self appointed watchmen Rhuryc almost sounded an alarm when their 'leader' disappeared at first, but his alert was quickly squashed when the blind man returned clad with his very own bundle of flowers. Foolish maybe, but humorous nonetheless. Rhuryc shook his head and returned his gaze forward. The labyrinth was close, he deemed.

And not falsely it seemed. The stone archway gave the man a chill. Maybe it was the message, or the way it was scratched into the material, whatever it was he did not like it. And then there was the horses. With a start, the mare beneath Rhuryc kicked her front feet into the air and the man felt himself tilt backward. An exercise he was intimately familiar with. Quick to hold, the man wrapped his arms around the mount's neck and kept his body low, remaining atop the mount with a queer expertise, one that lacked the whole 'expert' part of the equation. He grumbled and went with the horse as she bolted. He did everything he could to stop it, waved his arms, pulled on the reigns; nothing worked. What made things worse was the gallop. With a quick decision, Rhuryc gritted his teeth and grabbed both his pack and shield from the back of the mount. This would be exciting. He removed his feet from the stirrups and kicked over the side of the horse, doing what he could to gain as much distance from the animal as he could. He hit the ground with a roll. That made things easier, but it did not hurt any less. The man grunted and came to a short stop, his body bruised - even more so - and his pride wounded, but this was only another fall in a long line of tumbles.

"Stupid horse." He mumbled as he stood up, painfully brushing himself off. He looked fine. Somewhat. Like a good, stubborn bastard, Rhuryc began his half-limp back to the group, intent on rejoining them at full capacity. The trek took only a few chimes and he came up behind the lot of them, the apparent weakness gone from his step. He was consumed with his thoughts of the forth coming danger, so much that he did not even notice the whispers as they rushed through the depths of his mind. Invisible hands be damned, he was going forward anyway.

Rhuryc was quick to write off any words of concern. As the path continued so did the retinue of stout adventurers, and the man found himself taking up the right flank, one hand on the hilt of his sword while the other kept his already battered shield up and at the ready. He felt uneasy. The progression lead to a soft, alluring voice that the man could not ignore and he felt his steps increase in pace as time went on. Something called to him. Beckoned for him to continue. This place was wrong. Dark, even. Even the trees felt like they plotted against them; thick, gnarly entities they were, ever spurning their presence like unwelcome guests. What a feeling. When they finally reached the entrance to the Labyrinth proper Rhuryc was not amused. Everything here felt like looming death. From the walls to the sheer height of the marvel, none of it served to ease his mind. A mind distracted, caught between a subtle battle of wills. The conflict of which Rhuryc felt he was losing.

With a grumble the man adjusted his woolen cloak, the form of which hid most of the thick, leather armor beneath it. His pack remained beneath as well, the weight of which served as a lackluster reminder to the toils they lay ahead. Maybe it was better to just abandon the gear. Or not.

[Fade]

Fade just nodded at Guido as the entrance to the labyrinth emerged into sight. It was a solitary stone archway on which the words “The eyes are everywhere, the voices are clear, can you resist the temptation of nature?” were scratched into the stone surface. Fade watched the writing almost expecting it to change but their horse had firmly decided that it was not going forward. Not wanting to wait for Guido to try regaining control on the horse she undid the straps of her bag and abandoned ship sensing that the horse would bolt...like Rhurycs had jus done.

She waited for the commotion to die down while she stood out of the way close to the arch it was then the whispers started but they meant nothing to her. Of course she was going forward whispers or not. She just wondered what other things they could urge you to do, she shivered slightly.

As they moved forward she marvelled at the sheer beauty of the place. The gnarled trunks formed walls that reached up until their branches obscured the sun light. The trees seemed to emanate disdain and...darkness? She couldn’t place the word exactly.

Rhuryc was as tense as ever it showed on his face, Fade knew to well and kept her mouth shut even though being tense and uneasy did not help it led to being rashly impulsive when danger loomed and not analytical of the situation and flexible in choices. Knowing this Fade relaxed her body keeping two eyes on the surroundings and listening intently but not overdoing it.

She had to resist the urge she had of going and touching the gnarled wood evil or not evil.
The wizard had done magnificent work. Exotic scents wafted through the air suggesting many different types of flowers, some were too pungent for Fades liking and she resorted in breathing with her mouth to shut out the smell. Her face didn’t give signs or uneasiness her normal expression plastered on her pale face. She kept thinking about the trees, they seemed to have an evil will of their own but they were still pleasing to her eye. After some minutes of lollygagging at the flora Fade resumed her careful watchfulness not letting anything draw her attention too much.

[Guido Faragas]

Fade was clearly unwilling to divulge anything of her conversation with Rhuryc, contenting herself with merely nodding in response to the question. Guido shrugged, perhaps she merely sensed that their true adventure was about to begin. Indeed, for the most part, the companions kept their thoughts to themselves. The only light relief was provided by Stitch, who appeared from a brief foray off the trail with a rather beautiful bunch of flowers and declared them a souvenir of the journey. Too early for souvenirs. I’ll take my good health and well-being as a souvenir if we get out of this alive.

Of more concern to Guido was Stitch’s decision to daub himself with various ointments and repellents. Guido had brought various useful things, or so he hoped, but ointments had escaped his attention. He approached the blind man with a quiet word, as he was applying the ointment. “Mmm, might you lend me some of your ointment...I did not think to bring any. I have brought useful things...water additives and ...er ....” He looked at the scenery around the travellers. “A crowbar!” His face reddened, realising that the usefulness of such an implement might be limited unless some hidden chest of treasure was found in the labyrinth.

The entrance to the labyrinth was suddenly upon them and a deep sense of foreboding overcame the young reimancer as he lifted his rucksack and other belongings from the back of his nervous horse. The animal soon bolted along with the other beasts and the youth was left staring after them, feeling that maybe they had made the wisest decision. He slung his rucksack, bow and quiver over his back. His belongings were heavy but manageable and he was glad he had not packed even more.

Stitch appeared to be excited by the entrance to the labyrinth. Guido was much more apprehensive. The scratches on the stone, the scribbled letters, the mention of eyes and the whispers that emanated from within, were not conducive to levity. Or, perhaps Stitch had it right? There was no point in entering burdened with a feeling of doom – better to stride forwards purposefully and meet whatever lay within with equanimity. Thus, as he prepared to enter with his companions, Guido ran through the quick relaxation routine he used in preparation for contacting his djed. Not that he was intending to use magic imminently. Rather, he found the meditation a way of achieving clarity and he was sure that was going to be needed in this dark place. He used the greenery of the surroundings as the colour to centre on, folding it as a curtain around his senses. A single block of colour - blotting out the peripheral, the minor distractions and the nervousness and anxiety that threatened to overpower him. Yet, even with this familiar process underway, he still heard the singing, the calls to move and the pull of the labyrinth as he joined his companions in entering the labyrinth.

[Stitch]

Stitch chuckled, passing the ointments to Guido. He gave the man a hearty slap on the back as he did, grinning brightly at the wizard. "But of course, milord. This one was planning on sharing anyway! Use as much as you like, as this one has already lathered himself up quite generously. It is the least this one can do, anyway. This one is sure none of the others, including this one's self, had the foresight to bring along a crowbar!" Stitch spoke in a jolly tone, but Guido might get the feeling that Stitch was actually quite serious. While Guido was lamenting the uselessness of a crowbar, Stitch seemed to have thought it was actually a good idea.

"A crowbar, why didn't this one think of that..." Stitch strode away, mumbling to himself, heading a bit closer to the stone archway.

The words on the stone gate caught Stitch's attention, but not in such a way that he was able to read them. Minor scratches were not something his Auristics could make out yet, although the slight alteration in the stone's surface caused him to wonder for a second. It wasn't even really a direct observation that something was scratched onto the surface of the stone, or that something was marring the surface of the natural gateway. The archway just gave him pause for a few moments, mostly because it just felt wrong. There was something different about it, something that pried at the very back of Stitch's mind. The Aura wasn't like that of every other large piece of rock that Stitch stumbled upon on a daily basis. No, this one had slight alterations, minor differences in the deeper intricacies of it's Aura.

Chewing his lower lip, Stitch craned his head up at the archway, intending to study it deeper. That was before the sound caught his ear. Those whispers, they sounded familiar. Female. Who was calling him...?

He stepped forward, past the archway, a slightly dreamy look passing across his face. It was as if a veil had been pulled away from his eyes, and the true beauty of this place had been revealed to him. It was gorgeous, a variety of mystical lights and colors assaulting his senses. The flora was much more alive than any other flora he had ever encountered. Some of them looked as if they were breathing, some looked as if they had a heartbeat. Some were shining with bright emotions, things such as love and sadness. It was as if he was in the midst of a crowd of actual people. He was blissfully unaware of Rhuryc's horse running off with the man included, nor Fade's horse also darting away. He could sense his companions were following him, but he wasn't really aware of who they were anymore. The whispers were filling his ears, the smell of the area was intoxicating to his nose, and the entire world just seemed foggy.

Of the four adventurers, Stitch was perhaps the only one who had fallen completely under the influence of the Labyrinth. With that stupid little grin still on his face, he plodded onwards, easily and casually stepping into the first "hallway" of the Labyrinth.