The Lore of Mystic Willow of the Brambles

Begging of the Journey

The strange house suddenly appeared in the middle of a deep, deep forest where daylight rarely reached. Surrounded by plants with sharp thorns. The house was strangely well-kept, but somehow had an eerie atmosphere that dettered anyone from entering. Its window curtains were all uniformly closed, giving the impression that the person who dwelled within was a meticulous person.

One day, a strange bat found its way to the house. The bat had managed to get under its eaves, where no animals, let alone humans, would go for fear of the sharp thorns. Even though the thorns injured its body, it decided to rest there anyway. ITs breath became weak, as if it was in its final moments...but it didn’t seem to mind. This had become the bat’s new home.

After many days have passed, on an unusually moonlit night in the forest of thorns, the owner of the house cracked open a curtain and peered outside the window. She spoke as if she knew in advance that there was a bat under the eave.

"Welcome to my forest. You are the first guest to come here. I don't know how long I’ve been here, though."

The mysterious woman called out to the bat and invited it to enter through her window. Although the room was neat and tidy, the walls and even some of the furniture was covered in thorns. Just like the outside of the house.

It seemed that the thorns had infiltrated the house from somewhere. But the woman didn't seem to pay any attention to it. She lived in the thorns and even slept on them. Whether the thorns are a part of her or she is a part of the thorns, she does not know. But as far as she was concerned, the sharp thorns, twining branches, and her body were all one in the same.

With this invitation, the strange bat joined as an inhabitant of the Forest of Thorns. From that point on, the bat and the woman would spend countless moons together, never conversing but nonetheless enjoying each other’s company. How long had they spent with one another? It was hard to tell. No one cared about time in this Forest of Thorns. Their relationship was strange. But then again, there was no one in this forest who cared about that either.

=====

One day, the woman awoke with a strange feeling. It was a scratching sensation, but not caused by the thorns. She didn’t know why, but she knew this itching was a signal from the forest. It was as if the forest was calling out to her, something she had never felt before. Something malevolent was attempting to invade the forest. The more she focused on the feeling, the stronger it became. How could such an unpleasant experience exist? She stood up, unable to hide her annoyance, and quietly left the house with a beautiful staff in hand. She had to deter those who would dare harm the forest.

This is the beginning of the story of a wizard, who would later be known as Mystic Willow of the Brambles.

Entered by: 0xF7FD…437E and preserved on chain (see transaction)