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A relaxing and nice day, Evie had trained for a while earlier in the day, but decided to take a nice and long break. Sometimes, you just needed to skip work and training, to restore your energy and become one with peace. This place, Ryuzetsu land was known for being a perfect spot to kick back and relax! She sat in one of the long beach chairs, stretching her legs out and breathing in the warm air. She will have to check out the aquarium and restaurant next! It's been said those were super great! Aquariums were some of her favorites, watching those cute little fishies swimming together!! This was so nice, she didn't want to go back to work. Sometimes, she wished she could freeze time so she could enjoy these nice little moments more. The nice crisp air, peaceful serenity, what could be better? The sun blared on her, one hand outstretched between her hairline. She closed her eyes, napping a bit. This process was more just resting her eyes than sleeping. The whole while napping, she was thinking of weather to head to the aquarium or restaurant first, once she was finished relaxing. After those both, it was going to be back with work or training. So, she knew it was now or never to enjoy herself! Something she'd be taken full advantage of.

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The day had gone quickly. Ever since the park had opened that morning, customers had been streaming through the doors, filling the park to capacity. Entertainers and employees alike had been given little chance to rest from the crowds; although, if one asked any of them, they’d say that’s how they preferred it. Indeed, a quick day typically meant a profitable day because it meant they were simply that busy. Today was no exception, especially since a new attraction had been unveiled. The House of Water Mirrors had opened just that morning and was already contending with the most lucrative of the more established rides. To be certain, it was as unique and creative as anything the customers could imagine. A twist on the ever popular House of Mirrors found at fairs. The intrigue came from the fact the mirrors were water instead of glass and could shift around, making the maze harder to navigate but that much more fun. In addition to this, water could shoot between the various mirrors, meaning that customers could get playfully drenched. Water also created the domed ceiling and housed a variety of colorful fish, which provided further entertainment to the customers as they progressed through the maze. Countless customers came away laughing and praising the new attraction. Praises the energetic man at the front of the house used to draw in others.

Of course, there were lulls in activity at times. Moments where the young man would observe the crowd and wait for the perfect someone. Now was just such a moment. There hadn’t been anyone in the past five minutes since it was starting to grow later in the day. Taigen had been scanning the thinning crowd, looking for his next “target” when a young lady caught his eye. He recognized her uniform as that of one of the royal guards. Despite wearing her uniform, she seemed to be milling about without appearing to be working. Relaxing, perhaps? The man smiled. Taking a deep breath, he plastered his showman’s grin onto his face and got to work. “Come one, come all to the most fabulous attraction you’ll ever see! New to Ryuzetsu Land, brought to you from across the continent...a wondrous combination of construction and magic, I present the House of Water Mirrors! Guaranteed to never be the same formation twice in a row! Each customer gets a new experience every time! Come one, come all!” Still smiling, Taigen pointed at the girl he’d spotted. “What about you, fair lady? Care to explore our newest addition?”

Taigen grinned broadly. “But of course, fair lady. You look like you love an adventure or challenge. This maze of ours is perfect for you!” He leaned closer, putting his finger close to his lips, acting as if he were sharing some revered secret with her. “You see, this is no regular mirror maze, nor is it even your average water maze, it is a maze for those seeking to get lost in a world of wonder and amazement. A world unto itself. You may go in skeptical or curious, but you will come out in awe.” The blonde-haired man winked as he returned to his full height. He could see the giddiness generated from the girl. She was more than intrigued...she was hooked. Smirking now, he bowed at the waist, peeling aside a section of the curtain and waving her inside. “By all means, fair lady, please...enjoy yourself. I have no doubt you will feel like you’ve been to another world when you reach the end.”

Once Evie would step through, he’d let the curtain fall back into place, enshrouding her in semi-darkness. What small amount of light there was in the attraction would come from points on the wall, spaced every few feet to cast a gentle glow. The soft light reflected in the surface of the water mirrors, which undulated and rippled as if flowing down a stream. In turn, each mirror reflected the shine of its neighbor, creating an infinitesimal illusion of mirrors. There was no difference between the ones to Evie’s left, the ones directly in front of her, or the ones to her right. It would be up to her to determine where the entrance lay and to find her way through the ever changing landscape of the attraction.

The adventure had already begun. Evie had chosen correctly, passing from the antechamber into the maze itself. Here the water mirrors continued to reflect the light from the walls and one another. Rippling surfaces cast an eerie glow all around the area, creating a sense of being just underneath the water’s surface. Should Evie be curious enough to touch one of the mirrors, she would find it felt cool and slick, with moisture dribbling lightly onto her fingers. Perhaps she might even find a fish or two swimming within the mirror. That was the joy of this particular maze. Not only did it constantly shift, but it had the ability to mimic oceans and rivers from across the continent. The constant ebb and flow within the mirrors drew the eye and caused the mind to feel transported. This in turn was what made the maze such a challenge. While the unsuspecting patron was distracted, the mirrors could shift, altering passageways and furthering the challenge. That was the fun of it. In the instance of Evie, the mirrors had yet to do so. There was a bit of time yet still for her to choose the pathway as it was- situated in the middle of the walkway- before the shift occurred. Only when she was more fully enthralled by her surroundings would things become more...interesting.

As Evie would step into the middle passage, the first of the shifts would begin to occur. There was no sound to be heard though. The system ran as silent as the wind, softer than a whisper. It is part of what made the experience as it was. With no sound, the patrons would be unable to tell that the pathways were altering. Yet altering they would be. Where a water mirror previously stood might now merely be its reflection from another, more distant one, tricking the patron into believing the way blocked. Where a passage might have been may well have become the newly cemented location of a mirror. Torches and recessed lighting in the ceiling would seemingly remain unchanged. All of these subtle movements may largely go unnoticed by the general populace. Indeed, it was only those of the keenest sight and observations that might even recognize something had changed, yet they would still be amazed by the illusions.

Now with the mirrors moved, Evie would find her way more difficult to discern. There would appear to be four separate directions which she could go. She could choose to stay the path ahead like before. She could veer left, pass to the right, or even turn back to try that route. Whatever she may decide, the way would become more obscured by the sudden uprisal of mist at the edges of the area. It would carpet the floor before slowly seeping upward to give the water mirrors a further mystical quality. A few of the mirrors would gleam even more intensely as well, creating a pattern that could almost be viewed as forming a trail for Evie to follow. Should Evie believe that to be the case and attempt to follow, she would find the pathway cleared where the mirrors marked it, leading her further into the maze.

It would seem that Evie had chosen her path. The water mirrors stood all around her, shining in the mist, leading her further into the heart of the maze. Each change in direction brought her one step closer to that goal. Except that the mirrors began to diminish in number as she progressed. Where once she was encased on all sides, whether by real mirrors or their reflections, now there appeared to be holes in the facade. Steadily, surely, the numbers dropped from twenty to fifteen to ten, on until there were only a handful left. This was the heart. This was where the journey for the adventurer would truly begin.

A vibrant blue circle marked the very center of the room. It would be here that a faint white line would draw the patron, beckoning her to stand atop the spherical marking. Once stood in the spot, she would be surrounded on all sides by the small grouping of mirrors. Five in total and not a single one an illusion. Their pattern would be that of a star shape. One stood directly ahead of Evie, another diagonal to her upper left, the third diagonal to her upper right, the fourth diagonal behind her left, and the last at a diagonal behind her right.

The moment she stepped into the center, the water mirrors would grow even more brightly than before. They would begin to spin, slowly at first but gaining in momentum. As they spun, the mirrors would start to slide inward towards her. This would be hard to discern, however, at least at first. Their brightness would cause a sense of disorientation, preventing anyone from noticing their approach. It would likely not be until the water mirrors were an inch from Evie that she would even perceive the change. By then, it would already be too late. For the second the mirrors would make contact with her would be the same instant she would be electrocuted. The constant spinning the means by which to produce the current through the water. It would not be fatal though, merely enough of a shock to render her unconscious to the world, allowing the employees to do what was needed.

The time drew nigh. Their adventurer had reached the epicenter of the maze. It would be a matter of moments before its true purpose would be revealed. To most, the water mirror maze would be nothing more than that. A simple maze filled with magical elements to give an exciting and breathtaking challenge. To the select few, however, it would become something far more...sinister, as the young girl currently braving the maze had just discovered. The electrical current that coursed through the mirrors was not continuous. It was turned on only when a prospective target entered. Likewise, the area where the brunette lay sprawled was only revealed for the same reason. It remained true though that the maze never ceased to shift and alter to provide a new experience for the following individual. Yet even this served its purpose. This way, no one person could predict the pattern that led to the true center, nor could anyone claim it to be unusual for a person to take longer than another to exit. The maze was a work of art. A wondrous magical item that was well worth the cost for its creation.

Taigen glanced towards the sky. With a flourish, he replaced his hat upon his head before hopping down from his platform. He placed a sign which read “Closed for Lunch” where he had just been standing, then ducked into a side doorway. From this entrance, it would be a matter of taking three left turns and then a right- a much quicker route than through the maze itself- to reach the central area. To his surprise, the girl was still conscious. Interesting, he thought as he sidled into her view. He said nothing to her, nor would he respond to her should she speak to him. No, instead he would busy himself with the mirrors. Because, like the rest of the maze, nothing was as it seemed. The water mirrors were not merely mirrors. They doubled as pieces to a box. The edges of the mirrors snapped together, with the blackened backs facing inward and the water mirrors facing outward, to form the base and sides. Taigen produced an identical lid from a hidden compartment in the wall to complete the set. Anyone who would see the box would assume it was a prop or some way of transporting the mirrors. No one would suspect a person hidden inside. To be certain, no one would be able to hear one inside either as it was completely soundproof.

His task complete, the young man would scoop Evie into his arms and carefully place her inside. There was no point in damaging her any further than necessary. He would then seal the box tightly before rapping three times on the metallic sides. This would signal all was ready, summoning two men from yet another section. It would be them who carted Evie away and leave Taigen to his showmanship.