Part Ten:

The Old Koopling Cemetery was truly an old place. The Kooplings themselves were a very ancient race, and the cemetery was created when they were young. The stone work on the graves carried a particular magic that is said to be indestructible. It was nestled down a path off the main road that Eden took. A mist enveloped the gates. The trees hung heavy and broad over the site, darkening it even in mid day.

The wizard, pony and hummingbird stood before the misty gates. Eden spoke. "Well now, here we are. The Kooplings are a kindly race though I dare not tread on their good will. This place has opacity and ominousness. We will wait here at the gate for the burned Corvid."

At noon exactly, they heard a metal gate creek open. The Corvid soul appeared out of the mist, tombstones lined up behind him. "Eden, Moe, and fellow bird, good afternoon. This is my home. Well it is close by. Follow me."

As always, intuition guided Eden's heart. Surprisingly, there was nothing off-putting about this stranger. And so they followed him. A massive Oak tree rose out of the center of the cemetery; it barely looked alive. The leaves were brown and the bark blackish. At the base of the trunk there was a door. The Corvid opened it, and the party descended down a staircase in darkness.

Part Eleven:

"Eden, that compromised Corvid gatekeeper was planning to kill you and take the pony." Said the burned Corvid soul.

He paused and sat still looking at the three companions before him. They were beneath the tree, beneath the The Old Koopling Cemetery, in a place that resembled a fine wine cellar. Along the walls were vials and herbs and artworks; nooks with books and music playing quietly from somewhere.

Eden said nothing. Moe looked at him anxiously, the hummingbird Ziggy sat on his shoulder. The Corvid soul continued speaking.

"I am friends with one of your friends, which, I believe should make us friends as well. Akron is a crow keeper himself, and us Corvids know much about all that flies. We communicate with one another; we can whistle in our minds and perceive far off things. His crow is a wonderfully smart bird- Paco."

A moment of silence hung in the air. Eden digesting all the new information.

"Eden, we both have dark pasts we look to be free of. We both have futures we look to see realized. I am a bird, and trees are our home.
Your task to find and save the greatest of all the Runiverse trees is noble, and I will help you."

Part Twelve:

At the edge of the cemetery where a sliver of golden sunshine pierced through the dark canopy, Eden sat on a rock and listened with headphones to classical guitar on his digital tablet.

As a transmitter and controller of light and color (unusual for a technologist), the wizard sat calmly with his face uplifted to the warm sunlight, his blue eyes closed. Slowly the light began to move like ocean waves in the air; curling and flowing and cresting. Shapes began to take form. In the wisps of light trees blossomed, flowers unfolded, faces made expressions, letters became words; it was the future.

On occasion, when his magic permitted, the light and color interacting with Eden portended doom or glory, love or hate, smiles or pain.
He opened his eyes and released the light. He took a deep breath.

The Corvid soul sat nearby, respecting the Wizard's need for space.

"Is it OK if I just call you Soul?" asked Eden.

"Yes, of course, I like the sound of that." responded the Corvid.

"Soul, I trust in you. And I will call you friend. If our path continues as is, without significant alteration, then I shall end up burnt just as you. Moe as well. I am not sure about Ziggy."

Silence hung in the air. The leaves rustled in the wind and the metal gate creaked.

"Well then, friend, what is your goal Eden? What is this journey to the sacred tree really about?" asked Soul.

Eden sighed, thoughtfully running his fingers along the pink edging of his cloak. Before he could speak, two riders could be heard galloping down the road towards the cemetery. Towards them.

Part Thirteen:

The moon was full in the night sky. Stars flickered. There were no clouds and no wind. All was still. Eden, Moe, and Ziggy had fled from the approaching riders and Soul had retreated back into his tree home. An intuition to run screamed at both Eden and Soul in that moment of hearing the hooves. There was a darkness in its sound and a gentle yet malicious whisper on the air.

The Old Koopling Cemetery was a mile behind them when they stopped for rest. Eden looked at Moe and saw how nervous he was; remembering the fear and pain of the past road. Eden, as forgetful as he was, remembered as well.

"My dear Moe, all is well. Ziggy and I will keep you safe. He'll watch the sky and I'll watch the road. We'll reach the Tree and the shores of your father soon enough." Eden said kindly.

"Yep." said Moe with a half smile.

Beyond the road to their left was an open glade of birch trees that shimmered white under the moon. Beyond that still was hills that climbed into lofty mountains. The Runiverse was vast.

Eden spoke to Ziggy.

"We must leave Soul behind us and press on. I sense we shall meet again. A good old burnt bird he is. No time for song now Ziggy we must move in silence unfortunately. Our road moves westerly, to the mountains."

Part Fourteen:

Eden and co. camped by a tumbling river, surrounded by wild fields full of spring flowers. The blue wizard lounged and played a puzzle game on his tablet, whistling the afternoon away, drinking green tea and humming Bowie.

The poor forgetful wizard had completely forgotten about the two riders from The Old Koopling Cemetery (alas it would have taken some mental jostling for him to even remember Soul the burnt Corvid!). Moe munched on some grass and Ziggy sniped the choicest nectar.

They were happy. It was a beautiful day. They were on an adventure worth endeavoring, and they had each other. Eden made a fire and then cooked a simple supper for the three. Before retiring into his tent, Eden meditated on a night sky; full of shooting stars and crescent moon.

Part Fifteen:

Eden awoke in his tent at dawn to the sound of his digital tablet buzzing. On the screen was Soul the burnt Corvid. He was in his tree home, in what appeared to be a recorded message for Eden.

Eden paused the message and groaned, still half asleep.

"I need coffee. I did not expect this bird to wake me at sunrise. That's a magpie's job." He made some coffee at the fire and ate a muffin while watching the video attentively.

"Sage Eden, I thank you for your friendship, it is a rare thing for me. So, I ask these questions to myself and also to you- What is your purpose? What do you want? And what do you fear? Let them simmer in your blue heart for a while."

Moe was awake now with Ziggy on his head. They sat beside Eden. Soul continued.

"By the time you see this video, I will be gone. Those two dark riders we heard were not searching for you, alas, they were hunting burnt souls; wizards that passed through the flame and became reborn as something different. I actually don't remember who I used to be. I don't even remember what my name was. Before the pain....I remember nothing."

He stopped speaking for a minute, collected himself, then continued.

"When they find me here I will be escorted to the Nameless ones. It is they, or Him, that seek to destroy the sacred trees of the realm. Of what my fate will be, I do not know. Eden, listen to me, protect that pony; he is more precious than you realize. The rune..." The recording ended abruptly.

The blue wizard felt sorrow. His eyes flickered blue and his coffee turned red.

Part Sixteen:

It was a long day of travel for the three; making their way westward proved to be slower than expected. Mainly this was due to Moe constantly stopping to smell flowers and reminisce. The late day sun was comfortable and warm, and Eden would use the frequent stops by Moe as an opportunity to get some sun. He was quite tan for an older gent, and actually fairly muscular.

A little ways down the hill before them was a cottage. It was plain, thatched and stone, and nothing extraordinary. A warrior strong and sturdy (as evident by his clothes and movements) was tending to a garden. Being spring, the dirt was still open and the buds were just breaking with leaves.

Eden and co. stood on the hill near the cottage, surveying the scene. The warrior did not pay them any mind.

"My good sir, any news ill or otherwise of these lands that you can share with a wizard, a pony, and a hummingbird!" Asked Eden with a raised voice.

The warrior gardener did not respond and continued his labor. As rain drops began to fall and clouds moved in, Eden said no more. As he was leaving though, the warrior spoke up loudly.

"Wine or beer?"

Part Seventeen:

The salt and pepper-haired warrior tended to a fire as rain pattered on the window and Eden sat and drank wine at a nearby table. It was a simple yet well kept abode, certainly reflective of the man who dwelt there.

Eden as always, trusted his intuition above all. Here he felt completely safe; similar to the meeting with Soul the burnt Corvid.

"What is your quest Sage?" asked the warrior without looking up from the fire.

"To find the Great Magical Magnolia Tree, to save it and us, from death and torment." Eden responded flatly. The warrior replied,

"There has been word in the grapevines. Word of a deceptively powerful blue wizard and a pony, traveling in these parts. Word also that different forces seek to help and hurt you. You have made friends and foes. I'll be honest, it does bother my heart to know the sacred trees are being chopped down like worthless locusts. But, I am retired sir, and content enough to mind my own keep and herbs."

Eden became thoughtful hearing those words, and listening to the fire was filled with melancholy. It was night. He felt alone as he twirled his wine glass, lost in a million thoughts. He was trusting fate and the stars to guide him to the journey's end.

"Well I thank you for opening your doors to us sir...what shall I call you?" said Eden.

"Spirit will do, it's a nickname. And you and your company are welcome to spend the night. Rain seems to have picked up." said the warrior, still at the inglenook of the fire.

Part Eighteen:

Eden and co. spent the night at the home of Spirit the warrior (which was located about fifty crow miles west of the Blue Wizard Bastion).

At midnight, Eden's joy staff awoke; radiating a yellow haze. The light became bright and stirred Eden from a deep sleep. Rain still fell and pattered on the roof. He picked up the staff and raised it to the air.

The light changed color, becoming a forest green, filling the entire room. The light morphed into the image of a tree; green and majestic with white flowers. Behind it the light became a blue ocean. It sparkled and flickered like a divine diamond from Eden's hand. He knew; this was the Great Magical Magnolia Tree.

He heard a voice from his tablet.

"It's communicating with you Eden. Or maybe I should say, she is. The tree is calling you."

It was Akron, with that slow and melodic voice of his. The beauty of the sacred tree brought tears to Eden's eyes. The glorious light and color faded soon after, and all was black again in the warrior's home.

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