Deeper into the Forest [OPEN]

[Sappho]

T

he howling winds scraped against the dying trees; dancing among the dishevelled leaves as they struggled to reach their resting place. The floor, damp with morning dew, was pierced with rotting fingers of wood, while the foul odour of decomposition hung in the air.
Ravens circled overhead, their death-cries the only sound other than the constant winds, paying homage to their brethren who lay beneath the leaves. Yet still, despite the gloomy nature of this forest, a woman had entered without even a second thought, and seemed not even the slightest bit afraid. In fact, far from cowering in fear, she seemed to be in high spirits, whistling a merry tune as she weaved between the bark-covered digits driven into the earth.

And she certainly had reason to be happy, for her long-lived objective was close to being fulfilled, and there was no obstacle to stop her from achieving it. And so, as the forest seemed to thin out and present a clearing, Sappho’s peaceful expression broke out into a grin - not one of happiness but one filled with an intense malicious intent - which gradually dissolved into unfettered laughter that resounded within the woods. For ahead of her lay the Forest Temple, a great structure once lost to humans, but now Sappho had managed to access it. She laughed and laughed until her sides hurt, before running straight towards the great entrance, and unleashing a loud knock upon the door,

‘Knock, knock, guess who is here!’

Time to return to my roots. Hehehe.... 

by MIZO.❉ of ww

[Deleted]

From within the shadows the world seemed almost barren.

Great structures, trees, even men seemed almost tiny and insignificant. Shadows were interwoven, tangled within one another giving the princess the perception of depth that she was unaccustomed making all things seem shallow and bare. As she danced between shadows, hair floating as she moved effortlessly between forms she found herself watching a maiden, some woman who walked carelessly through the woods. A regal air seeming to follow close behind as each step was certain and bold.

From atop the trees she could not discern much except for the fact she was draped in pale human skin and equipped with blonde hair leaving Vanna feeling somewhat obviously blue. To compare, the Twili often shared a skin tone with the Zora, the Gerudo and Goron shared a healthy brown while in comparison to most humans she met the pale of their skin left one of the two looking rather sickly. She rest a palm to the trunk of a tree, the withering plant seeming almost joyous in it's warmth to have company once again. To have it be a princess would(wood) make it more so if it could only comprehend the importance of the woman it shared a moment with. She held her bow tight in her left, wishing not to become hostile unless the situation called for it.

That laugh actually wanted her to put an arrow through her own head.

Both unexpected and maniacal she winced for a second, screwing her face as she recoiled slightly from the dastardly cackle that emanated from the pristine woman before her. Having some human beneath her felt almost natural, however she knew better, she knew she could gain very little by just waiting about.

Leaping forward to continue after the woman she continued to shadow hop, afraid her boots would be too noisy against the crooked old trees that littered the woods halting once again as she knocked on some door.

Now was her chance.

With a gracefully leap she slide into a shadow, winding her way down to the ground against the back of the tree she would reach the grass, feeling not a thing until she emerged, black ink dripping from her skin as she became herself once more. She stood tall, walking elegantly with a sway to her hips, her bow dangling in her left hand as her right sat against her hip. The cool metal keeping her safe from the odd beam of light that threatened her beautiful skin as the hooded woman smiled fiendishly stopping a few feet from the woman.

"Just little ol' me" She said with a wild smile, "Looking for treasure, coin and excitement as usual." He body language spoke flirtatious lines to the eyes of any beholder as she winked before continuing. "Unless you meant you in which case, i give up. Please...do tell. Who is here?" Leaving room for the woman to speak she only offered a smile feeling safe before this strange woman despite not knowing what she could be capable of.

Sappho

[Sappho]

W

ith the first indications of company, Sappho ceased her bout of ‘laughter’ and focused on trying to create a presentable look; straightening up her beige robes and ensuring her hair was maintained in its pristine condition. Sure that she had discarded any remnants of the person she had been mere moments ago, she turned towards this unknown person who had joined her,

     ‘Madam, I had not expected any visitors to grace my presence so deep here in the Woods, least of all a Twili. Such a place as this requires one to purposefully lose themselves, quite a trouble for someone who had the intent on finding something within its bounds. As such, I hope you forgive my poor behaviour earlier, I thought I was alone and could indulge in my unadulterated joy at successfully finding this ancient structure.’

    Turning away from this mystery of a woman, she observed the symbols engraved on the surface of the doors and traced a delicate finger down the grooves. As she did so, she answered the woman’s deservedly appropriate question, her eyes glazing over with a wistful look,
‘It was directed at many, Madam. From the forest sprites who govern the premises, to the great Deku tree itself, I wish to herald my return here to all of them for this time I shall fulfill my promise from those many centuries ago.’

     Glancing back at the woman, she sighed heavily and made a pointed remark, ‘Do you expect to seduce a woman such as I? Honeyed words and sensual gestures are not enough for that, I am afraid. Living for as long as I have has caused my heart to shut off any advances of that kind, both to prevent any future mistakes and to repress the memories of the past… But there is no need to dwell in that, what of you? Why have you made your way here, were you swayed by the rumours of riches within this dungeon, or simply became lost and arrived here?

Time to return to my roots.  

by MIZO.❉ of ww

[Deleted]

The woman was formal. Her words smooth and full of a certain grace that would befit some kind of nobility. Not unlike herself, however Vanna held a much more vulgar form of speech. She felt almost like a sailor before the being of nobility, her eyes still caressing her frame despite her clear intention to refrain from such procedures. She even went as far as to bite her lip momentarily before shaking her head free of her hold on her. "Mhm. Whatever you say, love." Her dismissal came quickly as she waved off her refusal with little to no care, eyes shut as she pressed her back onto the nearest tree and enjoyed her existence for a few moments more.

"I'm here to find comfort, these woods remind me of home." She said softly, a single eye opening as to watch the woman before her, she enjoyed her visage but that did not equate trust. She knew she was in a foreign land where people knew nothing of her and her title. However, even knowing these things could bring more harm than good as she would find herself in a separate set of dangers. Excitement gripped her a bit as she felt the wild feelings that stirred inside her reach a boiling pitch. She was a little ball of curiosity and she had many questions she like to ask, many question was should not ask but she wished to with all her heart.

"Yourself?" She questioned as she decided on a wording that would not lead to her immediate dismissal. "Seems strange for a lady to hide her joy. I believe strongly in indulging in our desires. People are as likely to judge your silence as your happiness. So why not let them judge you correctly? Something to hide my mistress?" A sly smile slipped across her face as she studied the woman with a sense of pleasure etched clear into her pale skin. "I could of course indulge them with you." She answered, giggling to herself as to slightly mock the woman's laugh.

The princess was here to play.

Sappho

[Sappho]

T

he Twili emphasised a single word, ‘desire’, that invited an old memory back into Sappho’s mind, one that she could not quite recall in its entirety, but certainly lingered there. Unable to completely understand it, Sappho pondered on its meaning,

‘Indulging in one’s desires? What phrase could be more foreign to me…’ She turned towards at the Twili with an gaze that forced her to look back, ‘My precious lives have given me much opportunity to do such a thing, but I never truly endorsed it. Many men, and women, have invited me to do so, but I spurned their advances in safe conscience. I find that nothing good can come from a relationship founded in carnal desires for, as the progressive species that we are, we have developed a bond deeper than that. A bond called ‘love’. Love is what defines as an individual, our unique bonds formed from an unblinking excess of it, and from a deficiency in it, without which we cannot appreciate our relationships. As such, I find the idea of ‘indulging in one’s desires’ to be a rather base one that does not benefit either party in the relationship, for only with love can our desires blossom into something much more special.’

Keeping her gaze steady, not even losing it slightly, Sappho continued as if in challenge, ‘I accept that you may have differing views than me but, I assure you, a young woman such as yourself who has not experienced the true atrocities of life cannot begin to understand my reasoning for this; it would take centuries more before you could come close to knowing. Life has many twists and turns, and only by living again and again will one get used to the route they follow. It is the same reason I can here: to determine whether the route I have travelled on has doubled back upon itself to allow me to realise a mistake I made, to allow me to understand how it happened.’

Smiling with a gentle warmth, as a mother would to her dear daughter, Sappho held Vanna’s gaze for a moment longer before turning back to the inscriptions that adorned the entrance of the temple. Translating them, she gathered that the entrance would open only when a certain permission was granted by the Fairy Queen, which Sappho knew she could bypass due to the absence of Her Ladyship. ‘Stones, move thyself from the long rest that thou hast partaken. Reveal the path that blocks our way and present us with that which we seek.’ The digits that made up the inscription glew with a blue light before various blocks of stone rotated themselves around to force each other from the doorway and recede back into the entranceway.

‘You wish to know what I am hiding?’ Sappho’s smile receded once more into a steely expression, ‘The answer lies within these walls.’

Time to return to my roots. Hehehe.... 

by MIZO.❉ of ww

[Deleted]

Talkative. Definitely talkative, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. She learned much about her as she spoke, the way she did it, the words she used, even her confidence spoke volumes to the young woman. She spoke with a maturity beyond her years, leaving her to inquire as to just how old this woman claimed to be. She appeared human, maybe Hyrulian? Vanna never cared to learn the difference, they were all despicable to her.

She raised a brow as the woman brought about some strange incantation leaning from the tree as the woman spoke as she chuckled to herself. She could not but utter a single word before the tree before her began to shuffle, the stone door before them parting, tumbling into themselves as light slowly crept in against the darkness. Her curiosity would quickly bite her in the butt if she was not cautious, she watched in awe as she stepped forward. Her pace was slow, no real rhythm existed in her steps, rather she seemed hypnotised, nay, compelled to enter the doorway from the invisible force that brought her here to begin with. She was too confident to turn down this sense of adventure, too courageous to deny this invitation, too proud of herself to even need to justify it with anything besides she wanted it.

She would stride past the woman, her fingers caressing the stone with a soft touch,the cold stone beneath her fingers reeling her further in. How long had it been since this place had been used? Who were the last explorers? What was to be found within these walls? She had many questions she wished to be answered, but the most important was, what did this woman seek to find here?

"Lead the way." Her voice gentle as she looked over her shoulder, her mess of flowing hair partially blocking all but the red of her eyes. She looked back ahead, bowing slightly as she drew a line with her right hand as to indicate it was up to the woman to show her the way. "I'm excited to see what could possibly make you that happy, Love."

Sappho

[Sappho]

A

s Vanna was drawn to the ancient structure, her fingers stroking the rough textures, Sappho observed with the thought that even a woman such as her still held a degree of culture. She smiled, perhaps her initial outlook of Vanna was unjustified, her seductive front covering an interest further than what Sappho considered to be base.

‘It is quite a wonder to behold, is it not? A temple such as this should surely have been ravaged by the passage of time, but it has not. It has instead been maintained for centuries by the wardens who protect these Woods, any unwanted visitors being staved off by the enchantments that permeate the entire area. Such dedication has produced this effect, but yet it means that no one has been able to truly appreciate this dedication till now…’

Having passed by Vanna and her musings, Sappho proceeded to the steps and looked down into the murky gloom, Sappho felt a strange feeling shoot through her temple. Caught off-guard by this sensation, her mind broke off from its previous train of thought. Breathing in deeply to focus her mind, as if readying herself for the sharp plunge into a deep pool, her racing thoughts slowly reformed into a coherent track. Lifting a hand to her head, she soothed her temple, her brows brought low in contemplation,

‘What was that feeling there,’ She thought to herself, the fleeting sensation catching her attention, ‘Perhaps it was some form of a remembrance, of a deja vu?’ She was hindered from pursuing this any further by Vanna’s voice, her train of thought immediately switching track back to the present situation. ‘This temple holds many reasons as to why one should be happy. Follow the path that the temple creates and it will show you sights beyond any that a mortal would normally see.’

Without even a short wait for response, Sappho continued down the steps, the darkness slowly enveloping her figure until only her bright hair glew bright in the gloom. Eventually, the steps reached an end, as a small enclosed space emerged into view, lit up by a single stream of light coming from an opening in the ceiling. Gesturing towards the cracked walls sustaining a verdant population of ivy and the crushed skulls from which plants grew, Sappho turned to Vanna once more.

‘Let me formally introduce you to this place: Welcome to the Forest Temple.’

Time to return to my roots. Hehehe.... 

by MIZO.❉ of ww

[Deleted]

Vanna's head moved subtly, her eyes trailing the woman as she passed her with this almost unnatural grace, every step she took, her very presence spoke to Vanna in ways that were unfamiliar. She had never met a being who moved or carried herself like this, and she had yet to even clarify the race of this woman let alone discern any reasonable piece of information as to this woman's possible history. Usually keen on finding holes and cracks in the people around her, to run into a woman who seemed so...complete was a bit strange to say the least. Everything seemed to check out, she spoke with an unhindered wisdom that justified years of existence, many more than Vanna maybe? Given her lifespan as being incredible to humans, to her people she was still but a pup and she was unsure if this woman would easily trump her as well.

"It shared little in common with my own realm. Death, destruction and carnage are evident on even the most regal structures. Ay, it takes the best craftsmen to hide the world from decay. Not the air, moisture or humidity even phased this stone. I wonder what secrets it holds..." Her teeth met her lip in excitement she was enticed by the mere thought of a technology she could take home, she would turn this place inside out. Her new "ally" was already gone, glowing strands indicating her position as she fell swifter into darkness, swallowed whole by the abyss and not far behind the princess trailed her feet matching the woman's pace whilst the darkness nipped at her pale skin. She had not a thing to light her way, she had faded unlike the woman before her, just a silhouette prancing against the woman's blazing hair.

She was right. The temple did create their path.

Before she could even think she would notice a soft light seeming to ignite their path, runes sparking to life beneath the granite and stone. Plant life itching from every crevice, orifice and tangible surface it could find. Life was both fragile and adaptive. Weak yet unyielding. Plants showcased this better than even animals, doing anything it took to survive. The light above them acted as a goal, parting the darkness and bathing them into it's warmth. Vanna allowing it to gently rest upon her skin.

The woman swiftly introduced her to the name of this place, the Forest Temple. "Ah." she began watching a snake crawl through the eye of a skull, it's purple frame sliding elegantly against the stone with not a care for the two new individuals. "We've heard tales about this building. My people...many treat these temples as a myth." She touched the walls as she smirked, "It's reliving a children's book." Vanna stepped into her bow, the string keeping to her soft skin as she placed both hands on her hips. "My name, by the way, is Vanna." she added, bowing gently before looking at her with eyes that longed for her to return the favor.

[Sappho]

’

This land of Hyrule is full of living myths, of stories that can be traced to centuries in the past while still keeping their relevance in the present. But sadly, many are relegated to the fantasies of fairy tales, not given the full recognition that they deserve; by treating these histories as fiction and not fact, they are effectively undermining the truths that underlay them all. I myself am have experienced that, my entire story had been reduced to a mere fairy tale as if it is some fictitious construct, told to children at bedtimes in order to frighten a sense of morals into them. The fairy tale of ‘the Woman with the Golden Hair’, a black and white view of my story…’

Upon receiving Vanna's name and request for hers, Sappho reciprocated in turn, curtsying elegantly as she replied, ‘Ah, forgive me, I had not realised that I missed my name. My name is Sappho, a humble traveller of these wild times. And these are truly wild times we live in now, on a scale that I have not witnessed in all of my years. In fact, they were one of the many triggers that caused me to search out this dungeon and venture into its depths once again - but that is another story that I need not bore you with.’

‘Perhaps a little walk in this dungeon would interest you more? I can guarantee that it holds quite some interesting sights to see.’ After glancing back to Vanna with a knowing smile, she struck the side of the wall with the tip of her parasol in a theatrical manner as she looked straight forwards - at a blank wall. However, with a great rumbling that seemed to resound within the heads of both Sappho and Vanna, the surfaces within the room distorted as if viewed through a warped mirror and merged themselves together, the walls folding in on themselves. Just as quickly as they began to enclose the two within the room, the room shot forwards and stretched into a long corridor carpeted in red that seemed to have no end. Blinking her eyes in disorientation, Sappho leant on her parasol to prevent herself from losing footing, ‘I do not remember the transition to have been this rough when I visited it - then again it has been quite some time… Anyway, should we proceed, madam?’

Time to return to my roots. Hehehe.... 

by MIZO.❉ of ww

[Deleted]

Vanna listened intently, her attention focused solely on the woman. Every tone and word spoke to her, revealing more of this woman and removing layers that would otherwise veil and obstruct the woman's character. She examined her like some lab rat, stalking around her as her eyes jumped between different stones beneath her feet, watching her step for any kind of trap. To Vanna talking was a learning opportunity but also a safe place, a vantage point. Any effort exerted would be audible in their speech pattern whilst any pause was a moment of concern and a moment she would need to direct her eyes to her possible assailant.

Could she trust her?

It had been moments since she had been placed in this tiny space with the golden haired mistress, and whilst she could be humbled by her beauty she did recall the woman laughing out loud a few moments ago. Did she make the right move by following such a woman? Vanna looked up to the source of the light, her attention still mostly sitting with Sappho as she introduced herself, and continued to pour more information into the princess' head. She would sort through the clutter later, but for now she was starting to want out of this room. Her head fell back to the blonde woman as she lifted her umbrella, tapping the wall and at the same time raising Vanna's brow. It wouldn't be a moment more before the entire room contorted, shifting, bending, wobbling as the pale blue lady tilted to one side, fingers pressing into the ground as she steadied herself. Her left hand gripped her bow looking to see how Sappho would react to this mess.

She stumbled too.

She slowly released her weapon, staring dead ahead at the new hallway that extended a distance before her, before them. She regained her footing, standing up straight as the hallway seemed to continue to waiver, and bend. She was even more interested now than she had been prior.

"Sappho, right?" she began standing next to the woman, "Your myth escapes me, but no story is too long, my dear. She stepped down the hallway, the world felt as if it curved, as if she was walking in a spiral not a straight line. "We care little for Hyrulian stories in my realm. This doesn't mean i wouldn't like to learn, however."

"Consider this a chance to educate someone who holds no bias."

[Sappho]

A

s she held her throbbing brow, Sappho walked down the red hallway with uncertain footing, her parasol down to the ground as a prop to help her. While they continued along this new space, she listened to Vanna’s opinions on tales and smiled at her acceptance.

‘Come, then, let me tell you my tale. It will help pass the time as we walk and forget about our weary feet. This story begins past the happy childhood that I had, instead starting during my adulthood spent as a priestess. From my early years, I had been blessed with a powerful gift that I believed to be sent by the Goddesses which had spurred on my fervent praise of them and my matter of profession. For me, carrying out such things was my duty, my purpose. In consequence, I was bestowed the honour of chaplainship over the Royal chapel with the passing of the elderly woman who previously oversaw it. As the chaplain of the Castle, I was closer than any other to the divine, for a young Zelda oft prayed there in the absence of her mother; a girl that I soon took a strong liking to and took care of as if she were my daughter.’

As she reminisced on those past events, she came back to the present upon noticing a strange object in the distance whose colour was misplaced amongst the uniform red that lined the hallway. Quickening her pace, within a short while she was within range to clearly see that it was a door; oak-carved with no extra embellishments, almost as if a rough-hewn slab of wood had been forcibly inserted into the space. A thick brass knob was set right into the centre, its placing offplaced as if to highlight the strange script that was written around it in a circular motion.

‘What a welcome sight to see Ancient Hylian. Now, let me translate this little nuisance of ours: A twist unknown, for naught remains still. A seal in all four of the compass. With this undone, a path shall open. How kind of them to write a riddle for us, I do miss the irksome nature of man to block the path with wordplay and puzzles; nowadays we have resorted to speaking clearly and stating our intentions in a direct fashion, so terribly boring. Perhaps you would like to solve this one, madam? I would be intrigued to learn of your theory, I have my own but let us see if they are one and the same.

Time to return to my roots. Hehehe.... 

by MIZO.❉ of ww

[Deleted]

Vanna wasn't sure what to expect when the woman began her tale, but nothing that came from her mouth brought about any form of violence, hostility or really anything too far from what she had anticipated. Just the few things she had mentioned stirred some kind of feeling of satisfaction knowing that she was not dealing with some commoner but rather a woman of vaguely noble roots. But it was the mention of the princess that raised Vanna's brow, "You knew Zelda?" she questioned, a sense of disbelief suspended on the back of her words. She now felt an ulterior motive crawling from the recess of her mind, what else could she learn about the royal family through this tale?

The ground wouldn't cease moving as the world continued to turn and twist around them. She was focused, her eyes trained on the woman for moments before things seemed to stabilize. Where the heck were they now?

The woman seemed fixated on something new, some ancient text? How would a woman become so familiar with the ancient Hylian tongue? Maybe all attached to the chapel found themselves in the know. She was beginning to step out of bounds with her questions and she couldn't help but giggle for a moment, she hadn't been caught up in such intrigue in some time and to feel the rush of playing a 'spy' again made her miss her younger years. Now she was finding it more and more difficult to traverse her own land without the recognition you'd come to expect of a princess. She longed for simpler times but they were in the midst of a political struggle and her alignment to the rogue guild made things a bit stickier as well.

There was so much information to process, so many moves to make but as the woman spoke she seemed merely looked at her, a bit in thought before she slowly pieced together what was said while she was consumed by her own thoughts.

"Something in this room spins. There are four seals in the room and we have to dispel them to move on." She stopped, looking around as she let her eyes check the stone walls for any hint og their next action. "It feels vague, but is there a thing better than a good puzzle?" She questioned, "I'm afraid we have too many of these back home. It's good to see something a little less...serious."

"Is there something we have to align?"

[Sappho]

S

appho’s lips smoothed into a knowing smile as she let out a luscious laugh, ‘My dear, I have known many Zeldas across the years, but I am not so young to have cared for the exiled princess of this age. The one I knew was from a time much further back than now. Do my looks still hold up to be mistaken as only in my thirties? You do flatter me, but I guess having the curse that I do allows for a mistake like this to be made.’

A slight rosiness flushed her cheeks as if she was blushing in embarrassment to what she thought was a compliment, but it subsided upon hearing Vanna’s suggestions about their little riddle, ‘What an astute observation, this room must certainly hold some mechanism or magic to open up a pathway for us - but where would this be, the room is entirely empty save for us. Just red carpet and us.’

As if responding to her call, the walls of the room distorted, the crimson colour bending in on itself and bring about four doors, one on each side of the room. Sappho hurried towards the one in the east and twisted the doorknob cautiously to test for any dangers, but it simply opened the door slightly without any other consequence. Gesturing towards Vanna, she suggested they make this venture quick.

‘I do not know about you, but I am certainly in the mood to have a bite to eat. Unfortunately, I had the lack of foresight to take any provisions with me save the usual tea leaves for brewing, some haru nuts to chew on and a gourd of water. I say we get through these four trials we have here done as quickly as possible, there is no need to dally in this red room any longer - we now have a clearer route to take.’

With that, Sappho tentatively stepped through into the doorway and into this new room that the door presented. Curious enough to her, this room was not coated in the red carpet that they were almost certainly sick of by now, having had only that colour surrounding their figures for time on end since they had entered the dungeon. Instead, it had the ruined scheme which they had encountered upon first descended the steps - verdant moss and climbing ivy covering the stone walls and cracked floor, a welcome change except for the cold winter chill that blew throughout the room from all directions. Other than the weeding vegetation, the room was oddly bare save a ledge that could be seen a few metres to high for a mere jump to scale, however a glimpse of a strange object could be seen high above on it - a turnstyle of some sort. Higher still, attached to the ceiling, was a strange collection of tangled vines that looked as sturdy as a pole to climb but needed something to unhook them or sever them.

Time to return to my roots. Hehehe.... 

by MIZO.❉ of ww

[Sappho]

U

pon seeing this, Sappho pondered for a moment, before a knowing grin took its rightful place upon her pink lips. With no prior instruction, she tore an arrow from Vanna’s quiver and ran a slender finger along its shaft, a silver light running down the line she created. ‘May the brilliant light lead the bolt true.’ A simple incantation turned what would ordinarily be a weapon unusable by an amateur such as Sappho into a mighty tool for her use, her arm lining up with the curling vine on the roof as if to throw a dart. With the release of the arrow from this position, a streaking bolt of silver pierced through the tip of this vine and unfurled it from the ceiling to fall down to the ground.

Pulling the thick vine to check its stability and anchorage, Sappho determined that it was a safe enough to use as a rope to reach that high-up ledge. However, instead of climbing up it with her hands as any normal person would, she instead looped her hair around it while reciting another incantation. ‘The serpent is that which gives power to advance forth.’ In response, her hair grew into a golden snake that intertwined with the vegetation to provide an added stability while she was lifted upwards by her glowing locks.

Once she had reached the necessary height to step upon the ledge, her bright hair slithered its way to its usual position under her hairpin and assumed its normal blonde hue. Tucking loose strands into place, Sappho inspected the turnstyle, translating the lines of ancient Hylian that followed her slender fingers, ‘A simple push is all.’ This old inscription was unlike the puzzling writing seen earlier, and almost confused Sappho with its straightforward meaning. Expecting that some trap would spring into action if she moved it too far, Sappho tentatively turned it slightly. Nothing happened. Once more. Nothing happened. Even further. Nothing happened. Round a whole rotation. Suddenly, a loud rumbling rocked the room, and Sappho sprang backwards, eyes alert for signs of movement, but she soon realised that there were no noises that she could hear, save for the sound of her own breathing. But what about the Twilight woman who had been with her?

Vanna had disappeared.

A sudden disappearance @sqwhirl 

by MIZO.❉ of ww

[Galatea]

While her arrangement with the Holodrum King was fruitful, it did not produce the results she desired, and or anticipated. Instead she was reduced to having to do a majority of her own research, like she had for years prior, --but none the less she got the conclusion she wanted.

Her search for the triforce shards would not come without some labor and risk of security however, which was emphasized by the fact she had to enter the forest temple to retrieve a sliver of the product. Despite her disdain to desecrate a relic older than herself, her morals were overpowered by her own lust for the shard, and she started her journey towards the lost woods.

To her surprise, the entrance to the temple was unsealed, aiding in the thought that the construct was no longer sacrosanct and had been long raided and occupied by bandits.

"Tch," her tongue clicked as she picked up the hem of her gown before entering the stone monument. If the place was picked clean, then perhaps she would have to search elsewhere, --but she hoped to find some remaining desecrating rogues in order to torture them for information she wanted.

A few paces past the threshold and she was already greeted with the sight of possible traps ready to spring upon the unsuspecting, and her irritation grew. She had no time for something so mundane, and instead a source of concentrated magic pool between her shoulder blades. Silver wings that once trailed behind her came to life as her entire being transformed, minimizing into that of an ordain fairy. No larger than a round flask, her existence glowed in the dark temple as she flew down halls and over corridors.

In her mind she captured the sense of magic, following it until she took sight of a mortal frame paired with the sound of stone grinding against itself.

"What do you think you are doing!?" Galatea demanded to know as she approached the female. Perhaps this was one of the thieves who sought after the treasures within the temple.

Sappho