The sun blazes down on the three as they tread, the trail's mood changes as random intervals nauseate them while others soothe. The thick trees hide daylight but the warmth of summer still seeping in lets you know it is high noon, though the tree's leaves were a pleasant natural cooling even as the heat still scavenged its way to them. Ben frantically took in the sights of the wilderness, he looked around trying to view everything as though it was his last day on earth or a child looking at the zoo and pointing out their favorite creatures. While slightly annoyed, his chipper attitude amused Xander who continued strumming his lute while trying to answer any question Ben had come up with.
"Oh! Oh! What about that?" Ben said pointing to a large stump with some fungi growing on it.
"That is Hypholoma, Also known as 'Sulfer Tuff" Xander informed, "It is a common species of fungi that are toxic that grows on dead tree bark."
"And that?" Ben rushes to the opposite side of the wagon towards a crimson-colored moss.
"Chondrus crispus," Xander said, his eyebrow raised, "odd place for this to show up so far from water, it must have fallen off from a mead cart, it is commonly used for fining beer so places often sell them."
"You know a lot about plants," Ben said curiously "Is it because it used to be your profession or because you're lonely?"
Xander chuckled "Watch it you little rat, but ya it was a bit of both."
"A LOT!" Andrew yells from the front.
Xander rolls his eyes, "Okay! a lot. If it isn't clear from my ugly mug and my figure I'm a Faun and people don't like you that much if you're different or weird, they tend to look at you with disgust without even getting to know you, they tend to say hurtful things when they think you can't hear them or maybe they even yell it across town to make sure you do. Sometimes it's so bad that you don't want to leave the house, so you stay in your room the entire day. And maybe while you're in there you read some books, which teach you skills such as forging as well as plant names and types and you get real good at identifying them that you can gather herbs for cooking or medical reasons, so good in fact that a few places hire you and you start feeling good about yourself again, but then they tell you to leave as to not drive away customers, and you feel shitty all over again."
Ben tilts his head looking up at Xander, "Wow, I can't relate to that at all."
Xander looks down, shaking his head with an exhausted smile, "You are a little prick, you know that?"
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Ben looking confused shrugs and begins looking at more objects, as the path becomes narrower and untread and the trees begin to seem identical, the cooling of the air tells stories of the sun's departure, and the once warm air fades coldly once more. Ben, who had grown tired of running around lies on the wooden floor of the wagon, and Andrew, who had grown tired of driving swapped with Xander, who excitedly took control. As the three begin wondering if they have been going in circles they come across a gorge, upon closer inspection the bridge connecting the two has been cut, much to Xander's disapproval.
"Who the fuck cuts a bridge?!" he yells, "Think about the people on the other side of the cliff when you cut it trying to escape bandits or some other dumb shit like that!"
Andrew walks next to Xander and places a hand on his shoulder, "Who exactly are you mad at?"
Xander huffs, "Whatever! Without this bridge, we can't get to Fantasia."
Ben, rising from the dirt as he tumbled out of the wagon, walks up to the two, "How do you know where Fantasia is?" He questions.
"if you want to avoid some place you have to know where it is." Xander reasoned, "But it looks like there was no point because some ASS decided they were more important and cut the fucking bridge!" Xander inraged picked up a sizeable rock and chucked it over the gorge, it traveled some distance before suddenly disappearing, and confused looks were shared amongst the pair before Ben stepped up to the broken bridge. The two gave each other worried looks before Ben took a step over the gorge, Andrew and Xander quickly tried to grab Ben before he fell but he didn't, he simply disappeared. Even while confused beyond belief, Andrew copies Ben's actions. Xandrew shouts but Andrew takes the step, not falling but simply disappearing, Xandrew with adrenaline pumping through every part of his body jumps over to grab onto Andrew to try and save his life. He wraps his arms around Andrew and they both tumble onto solid ground his eyes clamped together hoping that his body will cushion the fall. Wait. Solid ground. Solid ground? They couldn't have fallen more than a couple of feet, how could they already be on solid ground?
"Xander, let go of me! You're squeezing too tight!" Andrew says as he pushes Xander off of him, they rise and brush off the dirt before looking off to their surroundings, the gorge gone. What now stands is a grand wall fit for a kingdom, made from seemingly freshly cut stone, a grand gate blocks their entrance but it would soon cease being a problem as it opened with a creek. Before the group could enter a small group of guards came rolling out, standing in formations of 4 small lines blocking the gate, the ones in front ready their spears while the ones from behind draw their bows, the three only have a brief time to react when a voice comes from past the formation the voice is sickly sweet as though it was always trying to calm down a toddlers tantrums, the formation parts and a hooded being walks out from the gates as though he owns the place.
The figure takes his hood off and hands it to a guard who humbly takes it, his figure now oblivious shows he's a young man, he's tall with orange hair, and also on top of his head are a pair of ears? He also has a bushy fox-like tail that's orange with a white tip, he sports armor that looks to be self-forged. He offers a toothy grin that shows sharp canines, his eyes a baby blue offering a warm welcome.
"Hello, it is nice to meet you all. I'm Foxsue. The lord of the kingdom Fantasia, which you have just passed through the illusion and there for trespassing upon. May I know your reasoning?"
Fuck he does own the place.