Autumnal The Hollow Harvest

[jahdeen]

The bobbling flames came out from the stalks, two of them dancing around Echo and Sea, ushering them to their feet. "This way. This way."

"Yes, yes, this way."

Both flames danced around them once more before pulling open some stalks that opened another path. "This way." One giggled.

Are you ready? Came the whisper again, more amused. Continue if you dare.

The flames giggled.

Echo bristled unsteadily at the voices. He watched the little sparks sway and flutter, both transfixed by their motions and unnerved by their enthusiasm. Trust was already a fickle thing to him, and these faeries sounded more mischievous than trustworthy. The laughing, too, did nothing to ease his suspicion. What could possibly be so entertaining?

He leaned to his side to murmur to Amphi, intending to advise caution--

Amphitrite looked over at Echo. "You coming...? They might lead you to, well, whomever it is that you are looking for." She asked with a tilt of her head before stepping closer to the flames.

Echo opened his mouth to protest, but no sound emerged. Careless as she might be, the legged mermaid had a point. Realistically, Aisha probably wouldn't be in this corn maze in the first place--there was no sign of lightning or someone tripping with a yelp--but if there was indeed a way out, he could make his way back to Akardan sooner than later. Really, following these fire spirits would yield no different outcome than Echo following a random path on his own blind volition. Besides... fire was always his friend.

He chewed his lip, then exhaled. "Lead on," he conceded, giving Amphi a nod. "Just keep your wits about you."

 

[Flex]

Flex lifted one side of his confident brow as crows cawed in one direction. Then the other side lifted, equally as confident as he heard voices in the distance.

The singing had reached his ears far earlier, and now some unfortunate soul seemed to have collided with the screeching siren. Truly, she sounded like a wounded animal making its final plea to the gods.

He let out a soft stoic laugh.

One glance at the sky had him redoubling his efforts on completing this maze. It was night and his bedtime was 8pm.

Choosing the path untouched

Flex’s eyes closed, his nose lifting as if he could scent the beautiful voice that crept over his skin.

How curious.

He loosed an unconcerned breath. Curiosity killed the cat. But, nothing was said for a man with that dawg in him.

A growl came from somewhere that sent chills up his spine.

He liked that.

Flex gave a playful growl in response.

What will be left to walk it when you are gone?

An incredulous laugh escaped him. “I think I’m only interested in you, darling. To hell with whatever comes behind me.”

The voice cackled as the stalks shuddered around Flex. They felt weighted, heavy, as if turning to stone while still firmly being stalks. The more one pushed, the heavier they became.

Something shifted. Something intangible, yet—the stalks felt denser, heavier. Convenient, he thought. This voice of a goddess didn’t deserve him at his worst.

Deflated.

His last work out having occurred nearly half a day ago. She deserved him with a fresh pump and the stalks had changed their weight so he could appease this creature. Without a moment’s hesitation he began to perform rows with perfect form, his eyes concentrated on the peak of his biceps with each pull. He spoke to his muscles praising them when they succeeded, and commanding better when their strength faulted.

Set after set was conducted. Minutes turned to long moments, and a full workout later he realized that a path had opened.

He smirked, proud of himself, head nodding because he knew the goddess had watched. Perhaps she was the only being more impressed than he was with what he’d just accomplished in the maze.

Do you trust the little flame?

She was summoning him. He knew it in his heart. It wasn’t the flame he saw which she spoke of, but rather the flame of his desire that had begun to burn for her.

“Oh, love. I’m ready to be consumed by it.”

So, Flex ran down the path. Sprinted. Blindly headed towards that flame, towards her, the thing that made his blood rush.

He had never known love until now.

For what was love, if not something that made his heart race—faster than any double scoop of pre-workout.

 

[Crenna]

Either they set the fields up precisely next to each other without overlapping, or it isn't magnetism... Considering that she wasn't sure if the former was even possible, not to mention the fact that she felt that she was already lost, she sighed and, after looking down the other two paths, decided to continue following in the direction of the compass. Actually, she thought after a moment, I'm not lost. All I have to do is go 'South' to retrace my steps. At least, so long as the maze itself wasn't magically shifting around her, which she wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

The First

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.

As you follow the compass, you soon start to feel eyes on you. Not hostile. You do not feel in danger or threatened. Just followed. Yet you do not hear or see anything. The best you see is a shadow in the stalks. BUt that could just be a trick of the light on your eyes. Your Neko senses are not helpful either. So all you can do is continue walking.

The compass leads you from path to path yet you always feel like you are going forward even if each intersection does not make sense. However, you finally come to a dead end yet the compass still points forward, directly into the corn stalks. Which as you recall is against the rules to enter.

"I'm surprised you followed the compass this entire time. Lots of people who are gifted it abandon it as broken and stop half way through to forge their own path."

Behind you sits a black housecat, its yellow eyes staring into yours. It almost looks out of place in the corn, sitting on the muddy path without a care in the world. It licks a paw and begins to wash its face. "I sensed that one of my own had come into the maze. And to be bestowed the compass. Whatever you did to impress the Mistresses must of worked. They do not give that compass to anyone." It flashes a tooth at your in a cheshire grin, "Though I suppose curiosity kills the cat." It looks past you, "So, what will you do sister? Enter the stalks to follow the compass or head back the way you came?"

 

[Crenna]

"Yes but now it is a big clean circle, and we have all these candy wrappers that we've taken out of the ecosystem so that they don't turn into microplastics and get into our food! Hey, did you know that the average human has approximately enough plastic in their body to create a credit card? As awful as that sounds, at least we know that if your mouth writes checks your body can't cash, you can always put it on your card!"

This kind of banter - wholly useless and perhaps dubiously factual information - had become commonplace over the last... however long it had been, among Rimechapel and the crows. So had the words 'obdurate' and 'recalcitrant,' as well as the byphrase 'ululating execrations,' which usually came up when one of the crows got too excited and pinched too hard on his shoulder.


"Ehehe..." Rimechapel slowly grinned - a sort of sheepish, perilously buccalent expression for his apparent lack of ability to rein it in - and poked his index fingers together anxiously. The bag of candy wrappers, hooked on his elbow, rustled cheerily. He glanced between the wingmen (wingwomen? He hadn't thought to ask, really) on his shoulders, a bead of nervous sweat beginning to form on his temple.

He began to whisper loudly to them. "Hey! Hey, members of the parliament, w-what do I say to her? She's really cute. Should I ask her for her number? Is that too forward? Should I give her a present? I really only have a big bag of trash and that cool looking pebble we found an hour ago. Hey, don't one of you owe me a shiny trinket? Dangit, I coulda offered her that! Ugh! Now I'll just have to try to be smooth and I'm so bad at that you guys!"

He cleared his throat and swallowed obviously. "... HI. Yeah. I think I'm probably pretty good and lost now. Unless, I'm uh... where I'm supposed to be? I mean, you're here, right?" He winked at her, not quite shyly, but not not shyly.

"Anyway, it's a very cute corn maize, and I've enjoyed it quite a lot so far, mostly because of the company. Maybe... you wouldn't mind walking with me for a while? If you're not busy, I mean. I wouldn't want to bother you if you're busy. I'm sure you're busy, right? Of course you're busy. You're like, super cute. I mean, uh, super important. Well, you are super cute, too, but I--" he laughed and scratched the back of his neck, grinning. Then he held out his hand - not the one that had the bag of trash hooked on it.

"Hold my hand while we walk?"

The First

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.

The woman in front of you looks quite perplexed at you as you ramble about credit cards, microplastics and numbers. Then you declare your desire to hold her hand and she narrows her eyes., almost as if she is assessing your entire being. "So you greet my sisters without speaking a word to me but then you wish to hold my hand? I always forget how fickle mortals are."

The wind shifts and suddenly she is gone from your eyes. However, you hear her voice behind you and her looming presence. "Did you know that it rude to ignore your hosts? Though..." She reaches from behind you, poking the bag, "You did pick up the trash for us and that is also something I cannot ignore." Without warning, she appears in front of you, this time looking at the crows. "Come you two."

Both crows fly immediately to her shoulders, landing perfectly on them. She speaks in an ancient language and suddenly, a shiny coin appears in her hands. She tosses it to you. "I do not know what to make of you. So continue following the maze, pick up trash and if you are deemed worthy, the path will open before you." Then she vanishes along with the crows, leaving you all alone. Do you heed her words and continue to pick up trash? Or do you decide to do something different?

 

[Heather_the_Writer]

@firefly

"Thank you, for the compliment. And the help. I love all of your fashion, as well. Black widow silk is  extremely strong. Buendía armour is highly sought after. And, our warriors. Besides, I don't plan on staying long." She politely pointed out.
Isabel leveled the three women with a self-assured expression. Many people would consider the Buendía history as one full of villains. They might of been right.

"I made this toque myself, with my own spider silk." She lifted her chin proudly.

"I do not believe she looks similar to a pumpkin, no. Ann was wearing... a dull navy jacket. She's a Pender-moor, and stronger than she looks. I don't know what the siblings do, in their spare time."

The umber toned woman was, as always, the essence etiquette. She refused to comment about hiding things.
She had no clue what an 'animated pumpkin' was. She didn't feel the need to ask.
As the three spoke, she began using her gift. She had the power to control Thousands of tiny senses, unseen to normal people, merged into one, streamlined conscious. Her fire ants, safe in her satchel. Bugs, spiders, and flies skittered about.

Isabel nodded, and took the third sisters hand.

"Those spiders, in the corn. They're simply marvelous!" She commented on the gigantic spiders. Other than the high corn, the entire maze was cozy. She enjoyed the pumpkin smell; it was better than most farmers fields she had visited (to help with possible bug infestations, or anything along those lines).

Isabel studied her options... three choices... and thought she spotted a young brown haired boy in the middle passage; he had his fathers sapphire blue eyes. She squared her jaw.

"If she's like her mother, she likes shiny things." Isabel spoke outloud; she stepped into the middle passage. She didn't say, Ann junior was always willing to make friends, too.
​

 

[Batcat]

The First

.

.

As you follow the compass, you soon start to feel eyes on you. Not hostile. You do not feel in danger or threatened. Just followed. Yet you do not hear or see anything. The best you see is a shadow in the stalks. BUt that could just be a trick of the light on your eyes. Your Neko senses are not helpful either. So all you can do is continue walking.

The compass leads you from path to path yet you always feel like you are going forward even if each intersection does not make sense. However, you finally come to a dead end yet the compass still points forward, directly into the corn stalks. Which as you recall is against the rules to enter.

"I'm surprised you followed the compass this entire time. Lots of people who are gifted it abandon it as broken and stop half way through to forge their own path."

Behind you sits a black housecat, its yellow eyes staring into yours. It almost looks out of place in the corn, sitting on the muddy path without a care in the world. It licks a paw and begins to wash its face. "I sensed that one of my own had come into the maze. And to be bestowed the compass. Whatever you did to impress the Mistresses must of worked. They do not give that compass to anyone." It flashes a tooth at your in a cheshire grin, "Though I suppose curiosity kills the cat." It looks past you, "So, what will you do sister? Enter the stalks to follow the compass or head back the way you came?"

Aimi paused at the dead end, a slight frown on her face as she looked back down at the compass. Before she could make any decision, however, the voice caused her to jump slightly before turning to look at the cat.

She smiled and looked back at the wall of corn before her, her tail swishing excitedly. "The rules stated both to trust my instincts if I can't find my way, but also to not run through the stalks." Despite that, she reached out towards the stalks. This place was magical, which meant she couldn't exactly rely on logic, which had already been demonstrated by the compass. But magic could be dangerous if one did not respect it. "Though the rules didn't say anything about walking through the stalks. My instincts are telling me to continue following the compass. It's already led me this far." Then again, it could be that compass was indeed simply broken and the paths it was leading her on were entirely coincidental or manipulated using other means, but something told her that that wasn't the case. The woman had specifically said that the compass should lead the way.

"Besides," she said, her fingers brushing gently against the stalks. "Everyone seems to forget the second half of that saying. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back." Pausing only for a moment, her voice lowered nearly to a whisper. "Will you allow me passage?" Whether the stalks would part enough for her to step through or simply nothing would happen, her mind had been made up. Taking a breath for courage, she carefully stepped into the wall of the maze to continue walking in the direction the compass pointed.