The Garden of Everything

In this thread your character finds a beautiful, lush garden spanning as far as the eye can see. The trees have bright, violet leaves which hauntingly glow as city lights do. Many flowers and hedges decorate this garden, spread densely such that you feel like treading softly lest you step and crush these tender plants. Along the withered paths, water seeps and flows through the thin channels. The sound of it all recalls the calm forest on a midsummer's night.

Above, floating lanterns offer their blossoming glow and it would feel like paradise, breathing the crisp, mint-laden air.

She felt strangely cold. It was like stepping into the humidity of the jungle mixed with the frank coldness of the mountains. In the calm were waters lapping and whispers like angels hiding within the elements.

The sight of the garden gave her a compelling want. Fireflies leapt from one flower's head to another, as she began her walk along one of plenty stone paths, parts of which covered by old leaves. There appeared to be no one here. She felt her way around, her fingers caressing the leaves as she passed them by.

Then her foot found a water stream, rudely splashing into the sudden warmth it gave her. She thought little of it though. She was barefoot, so it did not leave her sogging uncomfortable like having sand rub in one's socks.

When she gazed back where she came from, there did not seem to be an entrance which she went through — the bright trees blocked everything behind.

Instead, she thought she saw another person standing there.

edited 17th May '11 8:41:17 AM by QQQQQ

A warm, rich melody wove its way through the air, through the wonderful scents of leaves, sunflower, rose, petunia, lavender enveloping him, through the streams of water trickling near his shoes, through the warm wind caressing nature's masterpiece. It seemed to melt effortlessly into the garden, its slow, slightly melancholic tone lingering and playing with its audience.

A violinist stood where the portal once was, his bow sliding gracefully over the strings of his instrument, his thin fingers leaping to the exact positions on the strings exactly as he remembered. His shirt flapping lightly against his thin body, he continued with a short pause, his melody changing tempo to dance about among the fireflies, hopping gaily from flower to flower.

Feeling a presence behind him, he slowed to a rest, a scene of his work complete. Lowering his instrument, he opened his violet-colored eyes, transfixed on nothing in particular. Thin, chestnut-colored locks of hair brushing gently against his youthful face, his expression was untroubled as he turned towards the new presence.

edited 16th May '11 2:54:22 PM by CrystalGlacia

The humid breeze gently rustled the tree leaves. It was a new beginning for the unknown garden, its spring. Bright blue flowers opened in sequence, as if hailing a new king, and rose bushes hid their thorns and presented their red beauty. A sweet smell washed over the garden, filling it with the scent of the myriad fruits hanging from the trees. Flower fragrance intermingled with it, and brought the garden a serene, drowsy peace. The floating lights up above began to glow ever brighter, bringing light and life to the plants, which in turn shone with a light of their own. The garden, alive in its entirety, was a paradise. A miracle in full bloom.

"Where the hell am I?" Unfortunately for the garden and every living thing in it, the natural beauty and serenity was lost on Asa.

"Dammit dammit dammit dammit," he muttered to himself as he stomped through the garden, "this is not good. This is not good." His boots crushed flowers and bushes under its steel toe, but he didn't seem to care. All that was on his mind was his current situation.

"Okay calm down Asa just calm down," he said quickly, "Let's asses the situation. Okay, we've been transported to..."

He looked around. It was unlike any garden he'd ever seen in his life. It was filled with plants of all colors and scents, wrapped around fruit trees and bushes of berries. It was warm, a benign place that made on feel like it could only be heaven. He scratched his head for a moment.

"An unknown locale. Let's go with that. Weapons?" He turned out his pockets (figuratively speaking, his pockets were empty) and came up with a knife, some matches, and a 9mm handgun he'd wrenched from one of those idiot mercs. It wasn't much. But he could do with "wasn't much".

He absentmindedly ripped a peach from a nearby tree and bit into it vigor, spilling juice down his sleeve. Food wasn't going to be an issue. Things didn't look great, but they didn't look that bad either. Now to see if he could make contact with-

The sound of a violin reached his waiting ears. He had company. He slid into cover behind a small, grassy mogul. Clacking the phone shut, he reached for the gun. As quietly as he could, he pulled out the magazine and checked the ammo count. Hadn't even been fired once. He slid it back in, turned off the safety and cocked the slide.

"Alright people, hands up! Drop any and all weapons or I will open fire!"

edited 16th May '11 3:20:13 PM by KSPAM

A pair of strong arms grabbed Asa's gun arm, and nearly tore it out of its socket. The assailant then tore the gun from Asa's hands, and threw it into a pond.

"You'll thank me for this," Asau ul'Valmoth said. "I may be mistaken, but this appears to be the realm of Sul'ah. And She gets... temperamental when people pull out weapons in Her realm."

Asau was a tall, elegant, athletic woman in her mid-twenties, with pale gray eyes, remarkably dark skin and waist-length purple hair, tied in a practical braid. She was dressed in a long black skirt with flowing whorls and loops of red in no discernible pattern. It was split on her left side nearly to her thigh to reveal her long, muscular legs. Above that she wore only a belt slung across her shoulder and covered in pockets and talismans, and a single strip of long cloth, the same sort as her skirt, tied across her chest as a makeshift bra.

Asau wasn't as confident as she had claimed — the plants seemed mostly like those of Earth. But then, wouldn't a god as mighty as Sul'ah know of both worlds' fruits? And the sun was Earth-like as well... perhaps a mercy for her guests. And there was no sign of Sul'ah's home; perhaps hidden, for good reason if she had invited such fools as the gun-toting maniac Asau had disarmed.

But otherwise, it was just as described; a place of plenty, smelling of a thousand blooming flowers. Trees heavy with fruit, waters clear and clean, and she heard, off in the distance, plentiful game to feast upon. Soem of the plants Asau was certain she didn't recognize, from either Destiny III or Earth... but a few of the strangest fruits looked so delicious Asau was tempted to throw caution to the wind and try them. Yes, if this was not Sul'ah's realm, it was a place She would certainly consider sacred.

"Sorry about the arm," Asau added, "but unlike being reduced to cinders by an angry goddess, it will heal. You should be able to use it as long as you don't try and lift anything to heavy." With that, she grabbed a large, tempting red apple, and took a bite. "And if you even think about using that knife for anything other than cutting fruits or game, I will break both your arms." With a cheery smile, she added, "nothing personal."

"So," Asau said, to the other three in the area. "Asau ul'Valmoth, humble priestess of Sul'ah, Lady of Passions." She gave a short, formal bow, then said, "what shall I call you lot?"

edited 16th May '11 5:33:40 PM by KillerClowns

I honestly thought this was going to be a laid-back thing. I really, really do not want to fight.

Jarred abruptly out of his song, the young man lowered his violin, in no mood for soldiers or anything weird. When he stumbled upon this place, he was hoping for a final excursion. One final escape from real life before he has to enter the public eye. Why is nobody allowing him to lift the weights off of his shoulders? Why does all of this have to happen to him?

Oh, that's why. His father.

Without turning towards the two voices behind him, he addressed them, holding his violin near his chest.

"What do you two want? Why were you just pointing a weapon at me, sir?"

His London accent permeated through his words.

edited 16th May '11 3:56:59 PM by CrystalGlacia

"Friend or foe?" Asa pushed up on his forearm and clacked it into place with a grimace.

Asa wasn't accustomed to such formalities. Normally he considered any aggressor a risk to his continued survival and quickly neutralized or eliminated them, regardless of intent. But now he was alone, confused and unarmed, barring a single knife. It would make things quite a bit more difficult moving forward if he had to fight with this woman now.

"I asked you friend or foe. Which are you?"

The boy with the violin called for him, but he was completely beyond Asa's range now. His attention was focused on this one. A real piece of work, her. He studied her.She was tall, her muscles well worked but not bulging. She was obviously accustomed to combat, judging by the way she'd almost effortlessly dislocated his arm, but if he had to guess, her area of expertise was less direct, brute force fighting and more of an agile style, relying on speed and stealth. Beyond all that, he had to note she was quite the looker, but that was a non-issue right now.

He sighed. What a pain in the ass.

edited 16th May '11 3:54:00 PM by KSPAM

"Crazy old man," Lena muttered as she stumbled through the portal.

"When you become one with nature, you will no longer need to draw on others' power for your own gain," the man had said, far too smugly.

Tired from lack of feeding, the succubus pulled her cloak tighter around herself. She had no idea what was out here, but she felt significantly exposed if she relied on her normal glamor.

Treading softly with bare feet, she plucked a ripe fruit. Maybe something here would help her overcome her hunger. She bit into the succulent treat, juice running down her chin. Not like anyone was here to nag her about manners.

A slight commotion in the distance got her attention. Voices. That seemed like a good way to go. Maybe she wouldn't have to become 'one with nature' to recharge her batteries after all.

"Friend" Asau said, calmly, "and I do not wish to fight upon sacred grounds. In the name of Sul'ah, and whatever god you hold dear, I ask you to please refrain from waving weapons around like a maniac. Think about it: if you are like me, you have no idea how you got here, but it's clear whatever being is responsible, they care very much for our well-being. If the master of this place wanted you dead, I don't think a knife would help you."

Her voice calming down, Asau said, "so. Be rational. If you wish to keep your guard up, that is your decision. But do not draw a weapon without good reason. I swear by the Memory of the Azure Lord that I mean you no harm, and my attack was meant only to protect you, and all in this sacred place, from your own violent tendencies."

She offered Asa her hand and said, "now, please, be at peace and introduce yourself. A name, a title, however you wish to be spoken of, tell us now."

edited 16th May '11 3:57:29 PM by KillerClowns

"Asa. Asa Akagawa." He shook her hand.

"I apologize for jumping to conclusions, but in my life I've found that paranoia and distrust are far more reasonable tools for survival than charity and blind acceptance. I would like to know what you meant by 'protect', however. If there's something else here I would very much appreciate being made aware of it."

This last bit was spoken with a hint of urgency. It felt less like asking and more like demanding. And why not? He'd never made it a habit to drop his guard. Some called him cold. He called himself rational.

edited 16th May '11 4:02:55 PM by KSPAM

Asau sighed deeply, a look of immense pity on her face. "You're a soldier, aren't you? Always on your guard. Certain that every place you walk into is a realm of conflict. Always looking for the Enemy. I protect this place because it is beautiful, and Sul'ah loves beautiful things. No more. No less. If you seek the Enemy, look elsewhere. The world is not the blood-splattered nightmare you have convinced yourself it is."

She examined Asa with sympathy, considering him, and finally, said, "if you are indeed a soldier, answer me this: for what do you fight?"

If one needed a name to call her, she was Julia. To an observer, her exact features could not be made out. It was not that her appearance was distorted or blurry in any way; it was such that you did not feel like memorizing the wrinkles of her face. She had wavering hair and a dress flowing by her knees. That was all.

Julia began to say, for them to leave the peace be. There was no need to fight when you could feel bliss, when there was everything one could want in this paradise. Fruits so delectable that the tongue explodes with sweet flavour. Forget your past and your sins, as long as you remained here.

Her voice did not convey words — the very words that you hear people greet "Hello," or "Goodbye" with. It was more of an expression, as music is, which showed meanings beyond what language might convey.

edited 16th May '11 4:16:47 PM by QQQQQ

Lena stumbled through the growth, tossing the core of the apple aside. Hope I'm going the right way, she thought.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw figures through the trees ahead. A pair of men, and a woman, it looked like. She rushed faster, clutching her cloak around herself, finally reaching the group.

"Hey," she said, breathing heavily. "What's going on, guys? Anyone know where we are?"

Hearing Lena speak, Julia repeated herself — this time so Lena could hear.

"I fight for survival. Not for family or country. I have neither anymore. I don't fight for peace either, although some would certainly be appreciated."

His muscles slackened slightly, but were reluctant to relax. He could allow himself a certain degree of relaxation here, but not much. It seemed peaceful, but the same had been said of District 43. But still...

The warmth of the place finally began to reach him, along with its scents. It really was a miraculous place. No place for conflict. His world had spoiled and fallen to pieces years ago. It was only now that he started to pick up the pieces. Maybe this world would be different. Maybe he'd finally found something that wouldn't crumble in his hands.

He plopped to the ground, and fell on to his back. Maybe, just maybe, he could relax. Just this once.

edited 16th May '11 4:35:23 PM by KSPAM

Lena opened her mouth to speak again, but closed it. That's... odd. She took several deep breaths to steady herself. There were many a minor deity in the world, though she only ever had secondhand accounts of them.

"I take it you're the master of this place, then?" she asked finally, after trying too hard to focus on her. That was an exercise in frustration, better to not give herself a migraine.

She turned to the rest of the group, and spotted Asau. "You!" she said, jumping a bit. "You're that chick! From Yuki's computer thing! Aren't you?"

The woman who spoke with emotions, not words, seemed to be the master of this place. Her name was Julia, Asau somehow knew. This pleased Asau — it was good to know she was nearby, to bring peace if necessary. Asau relaxed her guard.

Another thing that was obvious was that if Julia was the master of the place, it was definitely not Sul'ah's realm. This Julia was an ethereal creature, a distant, contemplative being. Sul'ah and Her servants, if the legends were true, tended to be more... present. More clear. More passionate, more fiery, more tempermental — it was said in the old tales that Sul'ah and Her servants were of visions of both infinite beauty, and unimaginable terror. Asau respected Julia, and would show her the honor due her, but she was certainly not terrifying. Hers was the beauty of a clear summer sky, not the glory of a mighty inferno.

To Asa, Asau said, "and why do you care about your survival? There must be something that gets you from one day to the next, something that's worth living for."

Then Asau turned to Yuki and said, "and... just who would you be?"

edited 16th May '11 5:00:34 PM by KillerClowns

From what he could gather, he could discern... four voices. A soldier, far too cynical. A strong, otherworldly priestess. A strange woman with far too much on her mind. Another strange, nondescript woman whose voice sounded completely unremarkable to his ears.

He discerned that it would be best to remain unnoticed for the moment, an easy feat for an unassuming man like him.

To those that pay heed to appearances, he was a slightly young-looking man with a thin build, his features still slightly boyish, having not changed much since high school. His violet-colored, unemotional eyes stared straight ahead- blank, unfocused, unblinking, rarely-broken. Clothed simply in a short-sleeved button-down shirt and dark-colored jeans, he easily blended into the background... if not for the slender orange and white cane that waited patiently near his violin case.

"You really wanna know what I think makes my life worth living? That's some zen shit right there." He chuckled for a second, gazing at the little globes of light that lit the place. They looked like will o' wisps.

They were mesmerizing, new. But oddly familiar. He couldn 't quite place why, but somehow the light felt good. He found, to his surprise, he felt... good. He wanted his gun back sure, but he felt good.

"Tell you what. I'm actually in kinda a good mood all of a sudden. I'll humor you, and regale you with my tale."

He sighed, and closed his eyes to all but the wisps. "I live for life's sake."

"Living life for life's sake?" Asau said, with a raised eyebrow. "Yes," she said, facetiously, "how very helpful. Could you please be more specific? At the very least give me an enigmatic riddle." With a cheerful grin of mischief, practically daring his to give her a riddle or shadowy half-truth, she said, "I have so much fun with those."

edited 16th May '11 5:32:17 PM by KillerClowns

"Seems as good a reason to live as any," Lena said. "As fun as solving a riddle would be, I don't have time- Actually, I suppose I have all the time in the world, don't I? I don't know anything about this place, any of you guys, or how to get out of here. Lovely."

She folded her arms over her chest. "Anyways, the name 'Sunshine41' ring a bell?" She had to resist the urge to grin. Besides, she could always be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.

Asau laughed and said, "Oh yes, Rachel's, er, screen name. Which I may have borrowed. I presume we've encountered each other before, then? And why are you in such a hurry to leave? I'm sure if you pestered that ethereal lady over there," she motioned to Julia, "she'd give you a hand."

Asau examined Lena. There was a certain otherworldly attractiveness to her... she might be a very interesting woman to get to know better... or perhaps Asau could work on the enigmatic Julia? Or maybe help out Asa release some stress. Or there was that violinist... nimble fingers like that could be very enjoyable.

There is no flat earth here; all of it rolls in miniature hillocks and tufts adorned with grass and flowers ranging from deep crimson to the lightest shades of lavender, smooth or cracked, forming one vibrant and consuming carpet of greenery on which the specks of humanity walk and debate their lives away. So it is a break in the landscape, or more precisely an utter and horrifying inversion, when a slightly raised patch of grass cracks open to reveal a single metallic hand, rising like a revenant from a broken grave.

The bare musculature of it shifts, and dark grey, liquefied metal leaks from the earth like pus, congealing in a pool that does not quite reach the feet of the surrounding people. It moves unlike molten metal, a gelatinous and steady flow that builds up its height instead of girth until it ceases, and the true work begins.

In the space of three seconds, it forms a statuesque golem, gaunt and faceless, bare musculature dark even under the dazzling sun. It takes the machine no time to stand, rolling its shoulders and twisting every joint at once in a grotesque parody of human movement. A heavy foot, arched and utterly smooth, tramples the dirt back into its rightful place, a gesture of weary practice. Only when it finishes the ritual does it turn to the others, gliding from the center of the circle.

"I do beg pardon for the intrusion," it says. "You see, it is a little... game of mine to sleep under the earth. But I have heard that many things of stranger tinges happen in this garden of earthly delights. The dead arise, or specters of the past come to life, vivid as ever. So my presence is of no real concern to world-accustomed travelers like yourselves, of course. Please, carry on."

The metal of its back flows into a comfortable country chair on which it half-reclines, one arm hanging without a single care while the fingers of the other tap in inexorable rhythms as it watches the congregation.

edited 16th May '11 5:50:25 PM by Morgulion

"Ignoring the giant golem that just sprung out of the ground," Lena said dryly. That grin she had been resisting surfaced. "Actually no, let's go back to that. What?"

Sure, there were stranger things in the world. But one generally only found golems near an alchemist's shop, so to see one in the middle of the woods, speaking with human-like intelligence, was unsettling. "So, what exactly are you?" she finally asked the construct. "Or who, if you find that too rude."

"'What' and 'who' are but two different rearrangements, are they not? For instance, were I to take a man, it would be a who, whereas when he is dead, the remnant is more aptly a what, yet the substance of the item is often 'nothing' in both cases. In my instance, it suffices that you call me Oh-One, or Gant; my names are many, after all, but I gravitate to those two. At this time, it would be apt to title this form a combination of human and inhuman."

He waved a hand at the trees around him. "One could aptly title this entire place a 'who', as it stands. A loci of thought, unlike many human minds." He reached down, hand stretched downward by its own mass until it touched the earth. "Indeed, when properly attuned, one can hear certain patterns in the ground itself."

He looked at the others. "A place most fitting for the dead to awaken at, would you not say? And in fact, I do not doubt that many forget their purposes here."

edited 16th May '11 6:22:51 PM by Morgulion

He merely stared straight ahead, raising an eyebrow at the tremor-like foosteps, pained metallic creaking, and booming, thunderous voice, having just instructed them to "carry on".

His musically-oriented mind attached itself to the strange rhythm the behemoth tapped out, unconsciously. One-two-one-two-three, one-two-one-two... erratic... changes time signature... His right hand, the one with the bow still clutched in it, moved as lightly as was possible with something that size also in his hand, like a trained conductor.

...

Oh?

"If this garden was indeed Heaven... I would be able to see it."

He dwelled on his words, his voice betraying his youthful appearance.

In a mere second, he aged a decade.