Eden, Moe, and The Great Magical Magnolia Tree

(This is the beginning of a story of two friends, trying with all their heart, to find The Great Magical Magnolia Tree.)

Part One:

Sage Eden and the pony Moe the Swell arrived in a storm to the Blue Wizard Bastion. The road-weary Eden and Moe stood like statues before the stronghold gate, rain pooling in the brim of Eden's hat. They were hungry and tired, worn and weathered, looking only for rest. Slowly, Eden typed the Blue entrance code phrase into his digital tablet, right as the wind and rain intensified. But the castle doors did not open. Instead, a rather disagreeable voice bellowed from an alarm system intercom.

"Evening sir. What is your business and what is that fell animal you ride, Blue Wizard?" said the voice.

"And that black cloak...there's a shadow upon you Sage." The terror of the long journey flashed through the wizard's mind. Eden patted Moe on the head.

"Indeed, a shadow does follow us, which is why we seek rest here. And this who you call fell is my hearty friend, and I saved him from death and torment. And this cloak is but a garment, and none of your concern gate keeper. Let us pass through."

The cities and castles of the wizards were becoming defensive, even the Yellows. Uncertainty coiled like a spring throughout the realm. New beasts roamed, and warriors marched.

Silence... and then the doors unlocked and opened.

Eden sighed, put away the tablet, and took a moment to think.

The water that had pooled in his hat began glowing reddish light, and his eyes flickered blue. He was a color and light transmitter; though sometimes the magic happened without his intent. Electric yellow and white light burst forth from his staff. And in that moment, in the woods nearby, Eden glimpsed a dark figure, but it vanished quickly.

Eden found a nice spot for Moe to rest and then settled into some wine and music.

Part Two:

Bowie played in the background softly as Eden drifted in thought. His room at the Bastion was small and simple, though the window was large. Rain continued to patter, and thunder rolled.

"Is there a sun out there, somewhere behind those dark clouds." Eden muttered to himself while peering through the glass. A new and silky voice broke in.

"Are they natural? The clouds I mean. Now that is the question." Eden grinned without looking. On his digital tablet appeared a face, a handsome face as it were. It was his old friend Holy Monk Akron of Atlantis.

"Always showing up uninvited Akron." Said Eden with a smile.

"Always, good sir. I don't have much time to chat friend, though I wanted to share some foreboding news with you. Rumor has it The Nameless have destroyed and stolen the last sacred tree left in the Archepelgo."

Hearing this, a stern expression came upon the wizard's face and his eyes flickered blue.

Thunder cracked louder. Intuition took over. Eden said a quick goodbye to Akron, gathered his belongings, and went downstairs to ready Moe for departure. At the stables the heart of Eden nearly stopped- Moe was gone.

Part Three:

The rain finally let up and the sun pierced the sky as Eden scrambled to the nearest gate; courtly and more magnificent than the one he entered through the night prior. He stood on white marble stone, gazing in every direction hoping to spot the pony. And there he was, Moe, rummaging through herbs in a nearby glade of trees.

"Moe you old bugger! You scared me stiff." Said Eden as he approched.

"Yep, yep." Responded Moe with a smile full of chives.

"Now listen close, the woods are not safe for us, stay close and don't wander off alone, understood." Said Eden gravely.

"Yep."

They returned to the Bastion courtyard and spent the afternoon lounging there (alas, as was his tendency, Eden had completely forgotten his conversation with Akron). Blue wizards and other folk bustled around them in the market square, paying little heed to the two. One face though seem rather interested. It was a Corvid, a rather rare sight for this place. He approached and spoke.

"How is your stay going Sage?" Said the Corvid. Eden instantly recognized the voice. It was the disagreeable voice he had heard over the gate intercom. Cautious, Eden looked at him, his eyes flickered blue, and said nothing.

The condescending Corvid continued. "I see. Well, don't get ancy. You two are not permitted to leave just yet. Follow me."

Part Four:

Lofi beat music played. It was evening in the Blue Wizard Bastion, and a Friday. Electric pink and blue neon candles flickered everywhere; in the courtyards and in the high windows of towers. The Blue Wizards did not endulge quite like the Yellows, though they did enjoy themselves. Drones carried colorful cocktails around the grounds, some shaped like hummingbirds, others like crows.

The disagreeable Corvid gate keeper had brought Eden and Moe to a high tower quarters earlier in the day. Eden went along with it out of curiosity more than anything, not feeling the intuition to resist just yet.

"Eden, we have not seen eye to eye, and that is OK. You do not like me. Please though, let us forget that and move forward." Said the Corvid calmly.

Eden, sitting with Moe at his side, nodded without a word.

"Two things; I know there is a shadow in the woods nearby following you, and I know what Akron has told you."

Eden sighed and thought to himself- "Christ, you aloof fool, how did I forget that Akron conversation."

The Corvid continued. "We know of the Nameless. We know the 33 Sacred Trees of the realm are being systematically dismantled. We know you and this pony earnestly seek the grandest one of them all- The Great Magical Magnolia Tree."

Before Eden could respond, the ground began to shake violently.

Part Five:

The Corvid gate keeper lay dead in the high chamber, crushed beneath a falling stone. The ground rumbled. Eden gave him a final look, with eyes flickered a blazing blue, thinking to himself-

"How did a foreigner manage to control the gate?"

A scroll brimmed with gold had fell out of the Corvid's pocket. Eden took it. He mounted Moe and made for the stairs.

The moment was intense. It was dark, fires spread in the Bastion, stones fell, people cried, animals lay dead. The yellow Joy Staff of Eden showed its purpose in this moment- it glowed yellow and white light whilst also warming the hearts of Eden and Moe. It had the power to transmit not only light and color, but also love and joy. This was necessary at times because Eden had bouts of forgetfulness, darkness, and rage.

He found a pink neon light in a courtyard and unrolled the scroll. It read:

"Jagger, keep the blue wizard Sage Eden who rides a fell pony away from that which follows him from the woods. This is our highest priority. Do whatever is necessary. - LD"

The rumbling stopped, and all was still.

Part Six:

Outside the castle walls was tranquility, oddly enough. There was no sign of the tumultuous earthquake. All there was to see was a rolling countryside, under a spring sun. Eden was befuddled.

"Moe my herb chomping friend, was that destruction a dream? I fear that everything we just experienced was a spell- an illusion."

"Yep yep." The pony said.

"Did that disagreeable Corvid really perish? Did those stones really crash?" Added Eden to himself.
"Who is L and why does he want Moe?"

They had arrived to the Blue Wizard Bastion in search of restful sleep, and instead, alas, they had found nothing but questions. Eden rode Moe to a nearby knoll. They overlooked a beautiful view of blue lakes, forests, streams, and small homesteads, nearly forgetting all the troubles that followed them.

A hummingbird appeared and swirled around their heads. It hovered around the rune marked on Moe's hind leg, seemingly studying it. It sang the melody of a Bowie song that Eden loved, and intuition told Moe this bird was OK.

Eden smiled and looked up and spoke. "Hello friend, your music is delightful, and you are welcome to join us on our journey. Good company is hard to come by these days."

So it was to be, the three stood on that knoll, deciding where fate should take them next.

Part Seven:

It was a Sunday. The sun was shining and a light breeze lingered with scents of white flowers.

"Ah, Magnolias..." Eden sighed, and fell into a state of deep no-thought.

He lounged in the grass on that pretty knoll outside the Bastion, with his best friend Moe, and his new friend the Bowie-whistling hummingbird (yet to be named...actually, how about Starman, yes, Starman).

The peaceful day turned into an equally agreeable twilight and eventually a sunset so beautiful it would startle even The Beasts. He wished with all his heart that he could stay in this moment, on this spot, for all eternity.

Part Eight:

It was time to depart. They spent another evening back in the Bastion, joined by their new friend Ziggy the hummingbird. Eden had a few friends he wanted to check in with, and other loose ends attend to. These included: a software update for his digital tablet, a staff tuning and polish, a hair and beard trim, withdrawing some coin, packing a few food items and tea for the road. By the end of preparation, Moe was looking a bit heavy, though not of heart.

It should be noted, as was his tendency, Eden had completely forgotten about the Corvid scroll. It was like a dream that drifts away quickly from one's memory. In Eden's world, he maintained a somewhat weak grasp of the past and future; so firmly was he rooted in the present moment (to a fault perhaps).

The three comapanions felt fresh. It was a crisp spring morning, Eden drank a coffee in the main square, whispering The Blue Prayers to himself, whilst the other two waited beside the grand front entrance.
He approched them with a vigor and smile.

"Well then, my friends it is time to re-join the road I reckon. Let us be off. I am forgetful as a stump, though I do remember that which is most important. We are to ride northwest from here, to the hills and onwards to mountains and eventually to the seas. Akron knows the lore of the 33 trees better than I, and I shall trust my old friend in these matters. "Yep." Replied Moe.

Eden continued.
"And...as for the shadow in the woods that tracks us, I am not sure how to broach that. I will pay it no mind for now. Afterall we should not ruminate on the evils of the past."

As they trotted off, the intuition of the wizard became cloudy. Fear quietly crept into a corner of his heart.

Part Nine:

Eden was at an impasse in his mind. He could go one of two ways; south through The Wild corridor, or northwest along the mountain trail above the Sacred Pillars. The destination was the house of Akron, who was on an island in the Archepelgo. Akron was of an old holy line of sea people and he held deep lore; documents from Atlantis among them.

The purpose and destiny of Eden and Moe was simple; though enormously important and time sensitive- locate The Great Magical Magnolia Tree (Eldest of the Sacred 33 Trees planted in the forgotten time).

Eden, Moe, and Ziggy sat around a fire. Stars flickered white above. It was night and they had just finished their first day on the road.

"The way south is long, though safer. The way north is short yet perilous. Alas, I am at a loss for intuition." Said Eden to the sky.

"Can I be of help?" said a new voice, deep and mysterious and startling.

The three turned to look and out of the dark night appeared a gruesome looking Soul. It was a Corvid-looking creature; once a living wizard. He dragged one foot as he walked.

Eden grabbed his staff. "That's close enough, tell us your name and purpose. Wait now...you are the one who has been tracking us I presume."

The dead Corvid was silent for a minute.

"I am. And through my dark arts I created the destructive illusion you experienced. Forgive me. It was necessary though I do not have the time to explain. I am a defector."

The Soul's clothes were burnt and ugly. Bones were exposed, and blood stained his beak. But he sounded clean of voice. And his obvious powers in magic impressed the blue wizard.

Eden said, "Sit then with us, and tell us what we should know." The dark bird declined.

"I cannot be so near a flame. The pain of memory is too great to bear. Tommorrow at noon, meet me in the old Koopling Cemetery two miles down the road."

He disappeared into the night, and the three companions said nothing more.

Entered by: 0xbcb4…985A and preserved on chain (see transaction)