@Wraithblade6@Snarfulblast@TykiThere was sound in the Imperial Gardens. The serene sleep of the garden had been disturbed, and the Court of Flowers began to awaken. Great trumpets of red and green raised themselves towards the sky, as glowing flowers popped out of their crevices. Tiny little eyes observed the gathering of strange figures, even as soft melodies player, the chittering and laughing of tiny figures. Tiny creatures, Kami of the flowers and beauties of the world gathered here for the Dragon Emperor's pleasure. Long vines covered in vibrant fruits reached up, as strange spider-like creatures consisting of nothing more than wood and vines moved along the ordered hedges of the garden. The trumpets released an unearthly sound, like the song of a whale, which echoed out into the night.
But among the flowers that had risen, many retreated back into their crevices, as arrays of crimson roses seemed to spontaneously burst into bloom. Thorns grew from previously innocent stems, an malicious little voices could be heard giggling. Lights turned red, as the flowers prepared to feast on the bodies of the invaders, knowing well the fate of any who wandered into the Imperial Gardens. For it's guardians were always wakeful. And even as the trio attempted to understand the reverie of colour and sound around them, throned stems wrapped around their legs, malignant voices whispering in their ears.
The great spiders turned towards the invaders, the once loyal guardians of the Sacred Tree. They had lost their home and their duty, but had once more been employed by the Dragon Emperor. And as they heard the warning calls, they knew that they had failed to keep out the invaders. Stirred into a rage by their failure, they rushed towards the position of these fools, dozens of spiders the size of small houses crashing through the gardens as the previously immobile plant life bunched to the side of them. Charging like a rhino they revealed pincers the size of a man, formed from carved wood and laced with poison.
For the Imperial Gardens held many of the wonders of the world. The Singing Flowers that gathered the memories of all that slept near them, weaving their thoughts into a song that could not be described with mere words. The Trees of Life, which bore fruit from every nation and every time on their branches, and would cure even the most grievous of ills. But these wonders had come at a cost, and the Blood Rose would feed on the corpses of any who dared intrude on their nightly rest.
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Shiro looked up from his meditation, as he heard the calls. Some fool had stepped into the Imperial Gardens. Many had attempted to see the wonders presented there, and others had attempted to step through it with an assassin's blade. Their bodies now served as fertilizer for the very plants they had stepped past. The Gardens were equal parts monument and deathtrap. He well knew, as he had been trained to maneuver it's passageways without falling to the always hungry Blood Rose.
However, it was surprising that someone had gotten so far into the Gardens before being noticed. The call had come from near the middle of the Garden, not the edge. So someone had managed to sneak past the plentiful guards at the edge of the Gardens, and to avoid rousing the Court of Flowers for an entire 2 miles before slipping up. Such a feat was hard to achieve, and showed that this event might not be just another random civilian. A highly trained assassin might be able to hide their presence well enough to fool even the Guardians, or an Onmyoudo might have manipulated their loyalties. Regardless, such an individual might pose a threat to the Garden. Escape was not an option, this was Aegis, the Heart of the Empire. But they could do some damage before they went.
Standing up, Shito dashed off into the gardens. The roses did not rise up to devour him, even in their bloodlust. For they knew his flesh was cold, and they knew that any harm dealt to him would invalidate their pact. The Guardians similarly ignored him, rushing to contain this threat to their sacred duties. They were defined by their role, born from the need to protect. Their loyalty was assured, Shiro thought, and their assistance would be crucial. Now, he would see what form of fool it took to invade the Imperial Gardens.
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