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 Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 2:38 pm
*knock* *knock* *knock* *knock*
A little Avalon messenger fairy used the flat surface of a rock to point a small nail into the front door of the Angel Pae'il Takeko's home. He was leaving a message for her from an unknown sender.
Hanging by a small nail that was salvaged from the HQ debris, was a thick leather scroll, tied with hemp vine. Inside the leather scroll are two sheets of parchment; one clean and crisp, the other weathered and worn. Wrapped tightly by both, when Takeko unrolls them, a small silver paring knife will fall out. This knife is very small, very delicate and embellished. Etched in the fine silver blade is a tiny but intricate pattern of floral design. The handle is made of black walnut wood, carved as delicately as the blade, but instead of a pattern is a small scene of lightning striking a tree on one side. The other side undecorated. Pieces of abalone shell embellish the wood.
The clean, crisp sheet of parchment is a note addressed to Takeko. The worn sheet appears to be a map.
The note says:
Quote: Dearest Takeko,
I hope this package finds you in good spirits and good health. Your talents will be needed soon, and so I bestow this gift to you, with a test. This knife is a special knife, so be weary of showing it off. You will need it to complete this small test.
You are my expert Herbalist; the only one Telrunya. An unknown entity is attempting to desecrate the Fae Clearing by using the flora against us. Only you can stop this plan before it comes to fruition.
Mandragora have been planted along the inner ring of the Fae Clearing. They are still young, but they've been given Hazia Root for reasons unknown. Mandragora are still dangerous to those who know not what they are, so I need you to collect them and discover the relationship with the Hazia Root.
Do not destroy the Hazia Root. Discover what other, if any, tampering or damage has been done to the flora surrounding the sacred grounds.
I have faith in you, my dear.
~ heart Mother
((Hazia Root is a rare root herb on Telrunya that can only be harvested during a new moon in the autumn, as it can only be planted during a full moon during the spring equinox. There is a very small window of opportunity for planting and harvesting this rare root. The root has hallucinogenic properties which are affected by other herbs and reagents when used in potions, poultices and tonics.
Mandragora, or Mandrake Root, is a root that looks like a baby and upon being dug up, will scream so loud, it causes instant death. The magical properties of Telrunya's soil causes adverse effects, so it's important that these roots be monitored, and not allowed to grow in the wild. The potent magic of the Fae Clearing will also cause changes to this root, allowing a sentience and collective subconscious to be shared among all who are planted nearby.
Takeko must collect the Hazia Root, and subdue the Mandragora. Upon successfully digging one up, she will notice that Hazia Root is not the only additive that they were planted with. This is only the first step, and further communication will be made once this objective has been met.))
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 12:32 am
Some time later, the angel returned to her home, basket on her arm and a puzzled expression on her face. She had spied the note on her door, but...it was a bit of an unusual occurrence. If someone had come by while she was out, why hadn't they waited? And if someone had needed help, why leave? Unless, it hadn't been an emergency and they had other errands to do, but still...oh, there was no use in going 'round in circles in her head when all she needed to do was go read the note. Chuckling lightly at herself and reflecting on what a silly old woman she'd become, she reached up to work the vine free from the nail, then laid the leather roll on the top of her basket as she entered.
Deciding that after waiting this long, a few more minutes wouldn't hurt, she dropped the basket in the kitchen, then took some time to clean herself up from her trip. Hands and face washed, hair combed out and put up in a loose, comfortable braid, she felt more herself again and returned to unpack her basket. Her curiosity was getting the better of her, and thinking someone might have left her a list of herbal potions on order, went for the leather roll first. Would just be her luck if she needed to head back out again for more ingredients.
Within the leather, she spied two pieces of parchment, but the weight of the bundle was greater than that. The weight was explained with the appearance of the small knife, and her eyes widened in surprise. The angel couldn't say she regularly received knives on her front door...but far from being threatening, the little blade seemed almost...pretty...like a gift.
She set the blade gingerly on the counter, admiring it for a moment. It was beautiful craftsmanship; far nicer than anything she owned. She wondered who could have left such a treasure...oh, right, she'd likely know if she just read the parchment. Selecting the more worn parchment first, she looked at it, puzzlement crossing her face once more. Was this...a map? Okay, it was a map...but for what? Maybe the other parchment would clear this up... The crisp, new parchment was indeed a note, she was relieved to see, and her eyes scanned over the sharp, clean text.
Minutes later, the puzzlement had not left her expression. If anything, she seemed more confused. Well, this was not an order for a few herbal potions, that was for sure. She sat back, as if distancing herself physically from the objects on the table would give her a better viewpoint to make sense of this. Okay, so the knife was a gift. But it came with a cost, apparently; some task she was supposed to complete. And not an easy task to be taken lightly either.
The letter's sender had her the most perplexed. 'Mother.' ...who? To Takeko's knowledge, she didn't have a mother. Well...not exactly. There was the odd creature who had raised her, at least in her earliest life. From the time that she'd hatched from an egg, she'd been watched over and protected by a creature not from the Isle, something called a 'human', if she remembered correctly. She'd been cared for until she'd grown enough to take care of herself, and afterwards, she'd never seen her again. If she understood correctly, the teleport pad no longer functioned as it once had, so these odd beings could no longer travel to and from the Isle as they had before. Her name had been 'Tei', but she'd never wanted to be called 'Mother' or 'Mom' or anything similar. She'd said so specifically. As Takeko had gotten older, she'd explained to her kindly one day, "No, I'm not your mother, I'm sorry. But, I can at least act like one until you can take care of yourself...is that okay?" It was a nice agreement, and had worked out well enough.
So, it wasn't her...but then...who had sent her this bundle then? Takeko might have convinced herself that someone had the wrong house, that it was meant for someone other than her...except that the letter was addressed specifically to her, and whoever had written it had known enough about her to know of her herbalist skills. Not that her skills were kept secret or anything, considering she'd been running her potions and tonics business out of her home for a few seasons now.
The facts didn't make sense. Gifts with a price, someone calling herself 'Mother', who knew all about her...Takeko was feeling wary suspicion creep into her thoughts. And yet...if what the rest of the letter said was true...
Sighing, the angel stood and went to her workbench. Mortal and pestle were pushed aside as she leaned up to reach for one of several books on the overhead shelf. More rare treasures from the HQ that she'd gathered over the years; back when such things were taken for granted and not considered 'treasures' at all. Having found the book she was looking for, she looked down at the title: A Complete Guide to the Flora of Telrunya. Flipping through the pages for what she was looking for, she finally found and started scanning over the pages covering 'Mandragoras' as well as 'Hazia Root'. What she read only deepened her frown. She returned the book to her shelf a few minutes later and returned to the table to stare at the letter once more.
What should she do? She was suspicious of the person who had sent this letter, of their intentions, why they wanted to send her on such a dangerous task...? And then, the other part of her mind asked, if not you, then who? Who would be better suited to the task of investigating suspicious flora? Only one name came to her mind, and she'd been missing for years now. That left the job to Takeko.
Even if the source of the letter was suspicious, if there was any truth to what was contained within, Takeko couldn't just ignore the request. Someone else might pay the price for her negligence. Grumbling lightly at herself about how crazy Pae couldn't just fix their own crazy problems (a distraction from the knot forming in her stomach, considering what she was about to do), Takeko began unpacking her basket only to start loading it up again. Fresh cotton, beeswax, some small hand towels, even cleaning rags, and a scarf...and it still didn't look like enough. But, hopefully it would make due, she worried. She placed the map in the basket as well, though she had a general idea of where the Fae Clearing lay in relation to her home. After placing a small gardening trowel in the basket, she paused, looking at the silver knife. It would certainly work better than any of her rough, stone blades...and the letter had said that she'd need it to complete her task. Sighing, she added it to the basket and resumed packing.
Deciding at last that she'd stalled long enough, the angel took a deep breath as she hooked her basket back on her arm. Best to get this done and over with. No telling how long the plants had been out there. Maybe, if they were still young enough... Besides, who knew when some poor unknowing soul might wander by, not knowing what the strange new growths hid beneath the soil...
Shaking her head, she straightened her back and her resolve. She was going to check out a rumor, that was all. If there was any truth to it, well...she'd have to deal with it then. For now, she was just making a second outing. That was all. Trying to ignore the knot in her stomach, the angel left, shutting her door behind her, and taking wing, her basket of supplies dangling below as she soared up and over the treeline, eyes scanning for the Fae Clearing in the distance.
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 6:50 pm
A short flight later, the Fae Clearing in sight, the angel began lowering to land. She came into open space a bit quickly and had to run a few steps once her feet hit the ground before her momentum slowed. "I need more practice. I'm getting rusty," she muttered, checking her basket again for her supplies in a distracted manner. There wasn't much time left for stalling.
One thing seemed to be in her favor at least; she'd seen no one nearby in her approach. If she ended up doing something stupid here shortly, she'd be the only one to pay the price at least. She'd never forgive herself if someone else was hurt by her actions.
There was a lot of varying lore written on mandragoras, or mandrake root. Most of it, however, agreed on one thing: that the screams it produced when harvested were fatal. While she had read much of the lore with morbid fascination in her younger years, Takeko had never thought that she might be putting such knowledge to the test. Fortunately, she'd refreshed her memory with the illustrations in the book earlier as well, and knew basically what she was looking for. She thought to look for the hazia root first, since it was sure to be easier, but privately, she knew she was just stalling. She'd been told that the mandragoras had been planted along the inner ring of the clearing. If she didn't find the hazia root there as well, she could look for it after dealing with the mandrake. Given that she survived, of course.
Oh, such cheery thoughts filling her mind.
With reluctance, she moved towards the center of the clearing, eyes scanning the ground at her feet. When she came across the first suspicious bundle of leaves, she halted, realizing this was her last chance to back out. She glanced around, seeing no other Pae in the area...at the moment, she reminded herself...and sighed, sinking to her knees. Best get this over with, if it was even going to work. She pulled out several items from her basket, first making small, rolled balls of the cotton and pushing it into each of her ears. Then, she molded some of the beeswax into two rough approximations of 'earplugs' that then sealed the cotton in place. But, she wasn't done yet. She folded each of the hand towels and placed them over her ears, then the cleaning cloths, then wrapped the scarf around her head, over both ears, and tied it tight, binding all the coverings in place. She had to admit, she could hear little of anything at all at this point...but, would it be enough? She also looked rather silly, but she'd rather look silly at the end of this than the alternative.
Looking down at the bundle of leaves she'd identified as one of the mandrake roots in question, she tried to recall everything she'd read about harvesting such things. Most methods involved violent, rushed removals of the root, usually resulting in the price being paid by some unfortunate soul when the cries from the roots caused instant death to those who heard it. Perhaps...this violent harvest was why the things screeched so? She had to admit, the thought of suddenly being yanked from one's home in violence was enough to upset anyone. Maybe, if she were more delicate in her task, it would be less upsetting for them both. She began digging some of the dirt away from the area around the mandrake plant before getting too close to it. Other thoughts crossed her mind. Perhaps these plants were still immature. Perhaps they weren't old enough for their cries to be fatal just yet. She could hope, right? If her own precautions weren't enough, she had to hope for something. On a whim, she began humming a soft tune, a lullaby she used to sing for her own children. The song filled her head, echoing as the only thing she could hear, as she carefully removed the dirt from around the mandrake root.
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 8:18 pm
The map that was included with Takeko's message is a map of Loka Nei Forest. The map is outdated as the boundaries and landmarks have changed over the centuries. The telltale sign that the map she held was not created by modern Pae'il would be the name of the Fae Clearing; Loka Nei Necropolis. And in the very center of the Loka Nei Necropolis there was the image of a small tomb with the title "Queens Sepulcher".
On the map, the forest was expansive; far bigger than today's Loka Nei Forest. None of the modern land marks were present, such as To'ul Mountain's rim, or the ravine, or even Mereth Falls.
Templa's Temple was on the map, not far from the Loka Nei Necropolis, but the image seemed to look like someone tried rubbing it out. Only the letters T-e-_-p-_-_ _-_-m-p-l-e were legible.
Around the outside of the map, there were small pictographs of various plants and roots with writing beside each one. The language is a lost, ancient language, so Takeko will not know exactly what notes someone wrote on that map in regards to the flora, however some of the pictographs speak for themselves.
At the top, left corner is a small image of a knife that resembles the knife Takeko received in her message from "Mother." This same image appears alongside a few of the plant pictures, with some of them crossed out, some circled. ((crossed out = don't cut, circled = have to cut)) Among the plant illustrations is a small picture of what looks like a baby with a plant growing from it's crown. A picture of the knife crossed out beside it. There is another picture of the same plant, but with a yellow tint, and the knife image circled. The text would provide no clues unless Takeko know how to translate the ancient text.
The dirt surrounding the plant that Takeko was attempting to dig up squirmed, as if there was something alive beneath it. At the same time, the leaves of the plants surrounding the Fae Clearing started to rustle as if a strong breeze blew through.
If Takeko continues to dig, she will find what looks like a restless mandrake root; however not a normal mandrake root. This one will look like a yellow baby Pae'il and respond as such. It will be easily startled, but only if it feels threatened. This root, as well as the others of its kind, will be "holding" another root. A reddish-brown root that looks very similar to mandrake, except this one will not be sentient nor responsive. The scene is bittersweet as it will look like an innocent little baby holding a doll.
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 11:20 pm
The angel had heard of the roots' ability to scream...but move? As the soil shifted as if something wriggled beneath, she pulled back in alarm, eyes wide. This was new. Movement in her peripheral vision caused her to look up, noting the foliage moving as if a strong wind had passed through. Correction: only the mandrakes were moving.
Suitably unnerved now, she retreated from her task, reconsidering the wisdom of her actions thus far. That didn't take long; she knew she was nuts to even be here at the request of some stranger who left notes on people's doors claiming to be some Pae's mother while asking them to do impossible, dangerous tasks. Well, that done, back to the task anyway.
Should she continue? Or should she turn back? Well, that didn't seem to be an option, but the question was whether she should continue as she had, or find a different way to go about this. Shame she had left her book on mandragoras at home. Though, she didn't remember reading anything before about them moving. She was in completely foreign territory at this point. Even her Guardian-given ability was failing her. As she stared at the plants, she got some of the uses for mandrake roots that were written in the books flowing through her mind...but nothing new, nothing specific to these particular plants. If she tried to reach for something more...she got...nothing. White noise, if anything.
Shaking her head, she tore her vision away from the plants. If her ability couldn't help her, and neither could her books...what else did she have to draw on? Wait... Reaching for her basket, she pulled out the parchments from the mysterious source. She put aside the letter, having gotten what she could from that already in re-reading it numerous times. The map, however, she'd dismissed as a map to the Fae Clearing in case she didn't know how to get there already. But there was more on the parchment than just that, she saw now. In fact, the map didn't look nearly as familiar as she thought it might on closer inspection.
Takeko had lived on the Isle for a long time now, and she liked to think herself somewhat well-traveled, even if she'd settled down in recent years. But...some of the things shown on this map were completely strange to her, and she could swear that others were missing entirely! And the Fae Clearing, where she should be now...
"Loka Nei...Necropolis?" she murmured, puzzled, but also put at unease by the word. It wasn't one she'd used often, certainly not in everyday conversation, but it wasn't unknown to her. Nor was the "Queens Sepulcher", though she knew not the specifics of who it could possibly belong to. A mass cemetery or burial ground. A crypt, or even a memorial. Her stomach twisted, though she told herself these were only words on a parchment. Could mean anything. Could mean nothing. Could be some sort of cruel joke. Maybe this whole thing was an elaborate hoax, set up...just for her...
The ludicrous idea was tossed out before she could even finish forming it. Who would go to such effort just for her? But then...what did it all mean? The writhing beneath the soil before her seemed to tear her back to the present for a moment, then her eyes were drawn to the pictures around the edge of the map. She'd have to consider the odd place names later; she had a task to finish first. She could study the map further later at home. She recognized the tiny likeness to the knife she'd been given, as well as pictures of various flora drawn around the edges of the map, most of which was accompanied by more images of the knife, as well as...what basically looked like scribbles to her, as much as she could make out. Well, that was frustrating; especially when she found what seemed to be an approximate drawing of a mandrake. And...could that one be hazia root? Oh dear, they looked so similar. Each had differing pictures of the knife next to them. What did it mean? That one could be cut and the other couldn't? Or was it more an issue of 'should' and 'should not'? If only she could read what was written there...if that was writing at all.
She sat back in a slump, with little more information than she'd started with. Well, guess that meant continuing as she had. She took a deep breath, let it out, and started slowly pulling dirt away from the writhing form, humming the lullaby once more; whether to soothe herself or what lay beneath the soil, she couldn't say for sure. As more of the dirt was pulled away from the restless form, her eyes widened in surprise and even her humming stopped for a moment. Had she not known better, she could have sworn she was looking at a child...buried in the earth. It was clutching a similar form, but instead of yellow, it was reddish-brown in color, but seemed more like a doll than a child. A tiny mimicry of the one holding it.
She was more than unnerved at the sight, but somewhere deep in her, instinct flared up. Yes, she knew this was supposed to be something dangerous, possibly fatal, and yet...it looked like a baby. Her natural inclination was the soothe its restlessness, like a child having a bad dream. She resumed humming the soft tune, reaching to draw the pair together out of the shallow hole, as one would lift a baby from a cradle.
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 12:21 am
The yellow tuber baby wriggled and whimpered, but never screamed. The lullaby and gentle caresses appeared to be working. But the moment the little sentient root felt the warmth of the angel Pae'il's body over the coolness of the soil, it began to kick and thrash. It screamed, but it was the scream of a tantruming child, not that of a mandragora.
The root baby developed a vice-like grip on the inanimate root in its little arms. The roots of the sentient tuber wrapped around the smaller root and started to squeeze and twist, completely demolishing the mini-root baby. This did nothing to sate the crying yellow root, and it started a chain reaction among the leaves of all the other similar plants surrounding the Fae Clearing.
The ground began to swell and writhe beneath plant and the cries of several babies could be heard beneath the ground.
The yellow plant baby in Takeko's arms began to wrap its root limbs around her arms, squeezing and repeating the action it had used to destroy the other root, which was now no where to be seen. The few surviving pieces fell into the hole and buried themselves, while the rest had been absorbed by the yellow root baby.
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 3:16 pm
Everything seemed to be going well...and then the screaming started. Takeko winced, cringing in reflex and waiting for the inevitable. But it never came. After a moment of the somewhat muffled shrieks, she opened one eye warily, noting that as far as she could tell, she was still among the living. Okay, not dead. That much was good.
'You stupid woman, you just HAD to pick it up, didn't you?' Mentally berating herself for her foolishness, she noted the violent behavior that was accompanying the screaming of the 'tot' in her arms and a stream of foul language slipped from her lips in surprise. Kane would have been proud. She had no time to worry about that right now, as the tension gripping her chest was swiftly turning to fear. Everything had seemed to go well until she decided to pick the strange thing up. The tendrils that had just finished tearing the smaller root figure apart then turned on her, snaking around her wrists and up her arms.
'Guardians help me...'
Her panicked thoughts screamed 'Put it back, put it back, putitback!' and though she attempted to do so, she could no longer let go of the creature until it let go of her. Despite that, she did her best to put it back in the hole in the ground and pray that it released her. The rest of the plants seemed to join in the uprooted one's aggitation, and the fleeting thought crossed Takeko's mind of the rest climbing out of the ground to assist in tearing her apart like the little doll. A shiver traveled up her spine.
Survival instinct kicked in, and the angel had begun looking around for anything she could use to save herself. She pressed the creature back into the dirt, trying to sing a wordless tune once more, though panic was seeping into her tone. As she did so in desperation, she stretched out on her stomach over the grass, trying to hook the handle of her basket with her foot. She didn't remember which illustration had been which on the map now, but she figured, if all else failed, she still had the small knife in her basket. It had said to use the knife on the yellow one, right?
If she could just get to it.
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 4:23 pm
Putting the root baby into the soil may or may not have been to her advantage. The plant quickly plunged root tendrils into the dirt, attempting to steady itself and gain advantage. It did not let loose of Takeko, instead only squeezed and pulled harder, as if trying to pull her into the soil with it.
If Takeko is able to successfully reach her basket and secure the knife to cut the root tendrils away, she will find that the yellow root baby will appear to bleed. The cutting will cause the cries to grow louder and the root's survival instinct to kick in, fighting to survive and keep hold of its prey.
New root tendrils will also grow to replace those that are cut off as quickly as Takeko can cut them, giving the root a clear advantage as it attempts to burrow back into the ground with the angel Pae'il prisoner.
The longer Takeko has the root baby attached to her, the more she'll start to feel a little light-headed and her thinking will begin to get a little foggy. The pain caused by the pressure of the squeezing roots will also reduce.
In the distance, the other plants' screams are echoing throughout the Fae Clearing, reacting to everything Takeko seems to do, as if they're connected somehow.
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 7:01 pm
Panic had complete hold of the angel now, as the little creature seemed to have no trouble dragging her down, let alone keeping her from escaping. A last desperate kick and she was rewarded with the feel of the basket's handle catching around her ankle. She struggled to get upright again, but the roots around her forearms tightened painfully, and a sudden tug forwards while off-balance caused her to cry out and be dragged further into the hole. Fortunately, the basket came with her.
She'd never been so scared in her life. "Let me go!" she pleaded, spreading her wings and striking downward for additional force in trying to pull free. No luck. "Let me go! I was just trying to help!" She managed to get her knees under her and tried to brace her position as she looked around wildly for where the basket had gone. In the struggle, it had been thrown over, the contents scattered on the ground. The little silver blade stood out brightly against the grass and earth and Takeko made a wild lunge for the weapon. Her hands were stopped short of the blade, but the rest of her was still free. At least for the moment. Fear can make one resourceful.
The little angel threw herself sideways, and though her arms and shoulders protested in discomfort, she managed to stretch just close enough to pick up the blade in her teeth. More struggling, she kept pulling back, while aiming to drop the knife handle into her hands. Her first attempt ended with the handle bouncing from her hands and away to the ground again. Her hands felt numb, like she was losing feeling... "No!" She grabbed for the blade, crying out as her wild gesture ended with a mis-grab, the blade nicking her fingers. One more attempt, a bit more careful this time, and she got the handle of the blade in her main hand. Before she, or her captor, had time to think, she jerked her armed hand towards the other, aiming for the roots with the blade.
The elation she felt as her off-hand was suddenly freed was immediately tempered by the sight of blood gushing from the severed roots. Her eyes went wide in horror, her adrenaline rush fading in light of what she'd done. Until today, the only time she'd ever committed an act of violence had been the rare fishing she'd done for Kane as a boy. Back then, she'd struggled with taking another living thing's life, even if it was to feed her son. And she'd always done so in the most humane way possible.
She'd never attacked another living thing so brutally, even if she was just trying to protect herself.
She was feeling light-headed, her thoughts swimming. Wait...was that just because of realization in what she'd done? Couldn't be...she wasn't safe yet either...but the screams were getting louder, even through her ear protection. Her hands had gone numb; she couldn't even feel the fresh cuts on her fingers. Though she'd seen them cut away, the roots were coming for her again, and she brandished the blade wildly. "Stay back! Just let me go! I don't want to hurt you!" she pleaded, still unwilling to just let the creature have her either. Her armed hand was still captive, but she kept the blade towards the creature, even though her hand shook. More blood. More screaming. Was that the creature screaming, or was she screaming as well? More voices joining in...the others...they reacted as one, she realized in oddly-hazy clarity.
She didn't strike out at the creature any more, but she attempted to hold her ground, the weapon held as firmly as she could in her trembling hand, aimed for the creature if it continued to pull her closer. It would have felt like a stand-off...if that didn't imply far more power over the situation than the angel felt. Just looking at the creature, that looked so much like an innocent baby, screaming in infant rage and terror; her stomach churned violently. This went against her very nature, her every instinct to comfort and protect. And yet, didn't she have a responsibility to protect herself first and foremost? Else all else be folly.
She'd struggled to hold her stance strong, but she was wavering...woozy...swaying from one side to the other, though she tried to keep her attention locked on the creature attempting to drag her into the darkness. Fleeting thoughts attempted to divert her attention, but she shook her head blearily, trying to focus. No matter how she tried to fight it off, the creature kept coming. She was wearing down, blinking repeatedly just to stay halfway alert. The creatures...they were too many, acting as one, but still more than she. "What...are you?" she murmured, not expecting an answer, just trying to keep herself awake.
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 7:53 pm
"Shhh, Darling, it's almost over."
A cascade of leaves and silky green hair followed by deep blue eyes would be all Takeko saw of the stranger in the clearing before she passed out.
---
Several hours would pass, and when Takeko comes to, her head might hurt, and she'll be exhausted. The cuts on her fingers will have started healing, but she will have no other physical proof of the struggle with the root baby; no bruises or "rope burn". She will be filthy as she had been struggling in the dirt. Signs of the struggle are visible on the ground around her, however there is no yellow root baby.
Instead, there are chunks of an unidentifiable yellow root laying everywhere, dripping with yellow-tinted sap. The root pieces look shriveled, like they'd been laying out for weeks. Among these root chunks, there were also signs of mandrake roots among the yellow root, and in some cases, they looked to be connected, as the yellow root and mandrake were part of the same plant.
The silver knife with the black walnut handle could be found stuck in a large chunk of shriveled yellow root, covered in sap.
Now that this particular plant anomaly has been removed from the cluster, Takeko's power should work in identifying the uses of the mandrake, and the hazia root that is present.
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 9:05 pm
The sun hung low in the sky before the sprawled angel in the middle of the clearing began to stir. Takeko groaned as consciousness returned, bringing with it the weight of pure exhaustion. Only after a moment of disoriented confusion and wondering where she was, did she sit up and look at the scene around her, memories flooding back. Or were they memories at all?
She frowned down at her forearms. She could still imagine the unyielding hold of the mandrake's roots wrapped around them, pulling her bodily over the ground, towards the hole in the earth. She shivered, wishing she could shake off the memory...even as her arms showed no signs of the violence she remembered clearly. She remembered something else though. Or thought she did. Just, for the briefest moment, before everything went black...a stranger...a comforting presence, assuring her that everything would be over soon...
Takeko shook her head again, the moment slipping away. Only then did she notice that her braid was half loose, falling into her eyes. Her whole appearance was a mess, but after a glance, she realized she was mostly too tired to care. She did try to fix her hair enough to keep it out of her face, and she attempted to smooth her disheveled wings. The dirt could stay for now. It wasn't as if it'd weigh her down on the way home.
Looking back at the scene around her, she stared fixedly at the yellow root impaled by her knife. Her knife. That's what it was now. While looking at the root itself, she felt the familiar murmur start at the back of her mind.
Hallucinogenic effects, altered depending on the other roots or herbs used in combination, sometimes simply enhanced...
Well. That explained a lot actually. She frowned, looking at all the bits of yellowish root scattered across the clearing. That was quite a bit of hazia root lying about, as rare as it was supposed to be. Odd...and a shame to let it go to waste...except part of her, if only for a moment, wished it to rot.
...no, it could have many uses if used responsibly.
Out of curiosity, she sought out one of the other types of roots, darker in color, some coiled around the hazia root as if coming from the same plant. Had her abilities returned fully?
Anesthetic purposes, useful for dulling pain, also producing a sort of dream-like state, sometimes similar to a euphoric high, sometimes more of a deadening of the senses and mental acuity...
Yep, also explained a lot. She frowned, knowing it was useless to think so, but unable to help thinking: Would have helped to know this earlier. Still, again, she had to admit that the root could have its benefits if used responsibly. And after what had happened here today, she wasn't sure she felt comfortable just trusting anyone to use them responsibly.
Without hesitation, she moved (although a bit slower than normal) to grab her basket to begin gathering up the scattered, damaged roots, as well as her own belongings. What had happened here exactly? Had she really done this much damage herself? The thought made her flush, but she wouldn't be distracted from her work. Nearing the large piece of yellowish root now serving as a sheath for her knife, she sighed and reached to pick it up by the blade's handle. Of everything that had happened today, she had to admit, the little blade had served her well.
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 10:15 pm
The hazia root has been ruined, and is no longer usable due to improper harvesting; however the mandrake root has been infused with the hazia root while it was still healthy, so it might be worth some experimenting on Takeko's part. The hazia that is still infused will appear to be healthy, but there's not much of it in the remains of the destroyed plants on the ground.
Takeko must still discover a way to get the hazia and mandrake roots out of the clearing without destroying the hazia.
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Growing at the polar opposite ends of the clearing are two saplings with lavender bark and white leaves. They are small enough they could easily be overlooked as a wildflower. Takeko's powers will not work on these trees just yet, if she notices them. There is no pictograph for these trees on her map, indicating that they don't normally grow in this region.
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 10:40 pm
Takeko stared at the withered root speared on her knife. As much as she was wanting to just go home and collapse into bed, as much as she wished she was done with this...it looked like she still had work to do. "...I'm no hazia root expert, but I don't think it's supposed to look like it's withered in a drought for weeks," she muttered to herself, giving the knife a firm, solid shake to remove the remains of the root from the blade. She was careful to wipe the sap away with some grass and leaves, not willing to have any more experiences with the hallucinogenic flora if she could help it.
She noted that what little hazia root she saw that was entwined with the similar mandrake root seemed healthier than the withered specimens. Hmm...well, perhaps it was worth taking. Better than leaving it here for someone else to cause trouble with. Besides, someone had gone to a lot of trouble to plant this out here...but why?
Feeling just a bit woozy, she trekked to the edge of the clearing, away from the scattered remains of her 'adventure'. Ugh. She dropped her basket in the shade, then sank to the soft grass to lean back against a tree tiredly. Just a moment to rest, then she'd see if she could figure out what she was supposed to do now. Were there still mandrakes out there to be found? And what about the hazia root? She'd been asked to harvest it. That couldn't mean just this mess left from the mandrakes, right? Did that mean there was still some out there untouched?
Her golden eyes were half-lidded, enjoying the warm sight of the sun as it sank lower in the sky. The sky itself was colored with yellows and oranges and warm reds...so lovely. The sun's light bathed the clearing in warmth, touching reach tree and shrub and flower as it bid goodnight to the residents of the isle until another day.
Takeko's mind had been murmuring as she let her eyes pass over the varying flora of the clearing, almost as if it had been silenced for a while and was making up for lost time now. Various herbs, flowers, leaves' possibly usages flowed like a murmuring brook through the back of her mind. Until a momentary silence seemed all the more conspicuous for the increased 'chatter.' Takeko paused, her eyes blinking open to alertness as she looked back to where she'd just passed. She mistook it for a flower at first, or small flowering plant...no, a sapling perhaps? It was no taller than the surrounding flowers and grasses, but seemed a bit sturdier, possessing light, lavender bark and shining white leaves that stood out against the more subdued colors in the area. Takeko tilted her head curious, staring at the plant longer...and still nothing. The most she got was that soft 'nothing' sound, like white noise, at the back of her mind.
Frowning, she leaned towards the sapling with a wary look. "Oh great, another one...what does this one do? We've already had hallucinations and drugged out highs," she muttered to herself, not normally so grumpy, but hey...she'd had a long day.
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Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 3:47 pm
If Takeko dares to touch the sapling, she will notice the delicate bark will flake like a glittery powder, similar to a butterfly's wings. Just a touch will not be enough to notice the tiniest little boost of energy, but Takeko might notice as her power is boosted subtly. Closer inspection of the sapling will reveal the tree is covered in tiny little crystals that look like scales. Telrunya has never seen anything like this.
In addition to the roots she needs to carefully secure and bring back to her apothecary, she has the option to dig up one of these trees to take back and study, or leave it here, and study it in the natural habitat.
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Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 11:41 pm
After staring at the odd little flowering sapling for a few minutes, the odd silence echoing in her head, Takeko muttered to herself, "Oh, heck with it. If someone is determined to go to this much effort to do me in, let no one say I went out a coward." She reached for one of the delicate white blossoms, gingerly lifting it for a better look with her fingertips. After a moment, she pulled her hand back and looked at it. Well, no flying purple jellyfish, so that was good. Nor did she feel nauseated, dizzy, or see any signs of breakout on her skin. Also good signs. Well, not bad anyway.
Beyond the white blossoms, the purple stems sparkled subtly in the evening light. Almost beckoning to the angel. Well, she was in this far, might as well go all the way. She brushed her fingertips against the surface, some of the stem's covering flaking away at the touch. She'd never seen any plant do that before. Her eyes widened, looking at the glittery powder that she rubbed between her fingertips. Soft...smooth...familiar somehow, if she couldn't place it right now. She still didn't feel any ill effects; in fact, she felt clearer, more alert, though she didn't consciously acknowledge the subtle change. She only felt curiosity as she looked at this new, interesting flora.
What was its purpose? Maybe she could study it later to find out. Maybe it was in one of her books. Should she take a sample with her? She didn't want to just leave it here, but...if no one else had noticed it thus far, then maybe no one would bother it. She honestly wasn't sure it'd survive a transplant without knowing more about it first, so...she'd just have to leave it here. No option, if she didn't want to sacrifice this new curiosity. And, as far as she could tell, it wasn't dangerous. Which reminded her, she still had a job to do here with something that she knew was dangerous...
She took a last wistful look at the little flowers, then sighed and started climbing to her feet again. There was work to be done. She'd have to come back later to look into this new mystery. For now, she had enough problems. Like, how she was going to secure the rest of the mandrakes without repeating the incident from before. And then she still had to collect the hazia root. The bits laying about, she was pretty sure, were not how she was supposed to collect it. Her gaze passed over some of the bits, wondering if they'd be good for anything at this point. Maybe...if she could get enough samples, she might be able to develop an antidote for their hallucinogenic effects.
Not that that would help her right now. Okay, what else did she know, or had she learned so far? If the little diagrams meant what she thought on the map, she was supposed to cut the hazia root to collect it, but not the mandrakes. The hazia had made her hallucinate, the mandrake dulling her senses and making her numb. Speaking of which, how much of what she'd previously seen could she trust? How much had been hallucination? She frowned at the thought. That severely limited what she knew here today. Okay...so...it couldn't really look like a baby. The single destroyed sample proved that it was an abstract image at best. There was sap everywhere, but no blood. So...pretty much everything that happened after she started to unearth the root had to be a hallucination, right?
Hesitating, she looked down at her hands. Was she supposed to...destroy the mandrakes then to collect the hazia? Did she use the knife? It...seemed to work before, but it had destroyed the hazia in the process. Or had it? Had that all been a hallucination? Had she actually destroyed it in the process? And, if she attacked one, how could she keep the rest from reacting simultaneously and destroying the rest of the hazia?
Wait, no...that had been part of the hallucination, hadn't it? The connection amongst the mandrakes? She seemed puzzled, distracted by another thought. They...weren't babies, just roots... So why did she keep seeing the memory of the root baby bleeding, screaming and grasping at her in anger and desperation...?
She placed her hands over her face, a weak attempt to block out the world, if only for a minute. No, nonono, the message said she had to collect them, and harvest the hazia without destroying it. Not that she needed to destroy the mandrakes. Not specifically. Just...collect them so that they couldn't harm anyone else. She had to wonder who could have planted them here in the first place, and why? They couldn't have just...naturally grown there in the circle, could they? Not likely.
Latching onto an earlier thought regarding the lavender-stemmed flowers, she wondered...could she transplant them? If she didn't expose the roots, could she dig them up while keeping them covered in dirt and transplant them that way? She pondered the thought while emptying out her basket and peering into it. Was there enough room to turn it into a temporary planter? Though...that still didn't help with separating the hazia from the mandrakes, but...at least they wouldn't be out here in the Clearing, where they might harm anyone who stumbled across them unknowingly.
Plunging forward before she had any more chance to stall by fretting over it, Takeko knelt over the nearest mandrake, digging far enough around it to keep from disturbing the root itself while gently trying to remove it.
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