A few marbles short

M  A   E    A I talked to God to no avail Said, "If you won't save me, please don't waste my time." There were places one just didn't go to in the Hollowed Ground. Places parents talked about in hushed whispers, that were used to scare children into obedience and left them full of terrible curiosity. Sooner or later, one or two in every generation had always gathered up their courage to explore those forbidden ares, because that's what young people do. Defy authority, test their limits against the world. Explore. Most of them never made it back. The ones who did, became parents and passed on their tales of horror to the next generation. Maea had never been among those who defied the cautionary tales to see what lay beyond. She had been busy trying to stay alive most of her childhood, and once the teenage years began, her energy had gone towards keeping up with the work on the family farm. Very little had been more important than to earn her keep, and in burying herself in chores she had ignored dangerous temptations like boys, spirits and adventure. Lately though... things had changed. Not only had her main focus disappeared, with the death of first her family and now her farm, but other influences had begun to prod her. Pull her. Tug her in new directions. Challenging her to open her mind, broaden her views. Risk a little, to gain something. But... as Maea stood by the entrance of the Labyrinth, she wondered if perhaps this was taking things a bit too far. One would think that she'd gotten enough of a taste of danger with her foolish dive into the Spire. People had died there, and she had stained her hands with blood, and the nightmares that still haunted her were nothing to scoff at. Yet the nagging words of a smirking ascended had implied that she had a long way to go before she could call herself brave, or open-minded, or any kind of strong. It vexed her to admit it, but Amun had been right. About most of the things. Perhaps all of them. And maybe this wasn't the best way to challenge those flaws, but... it was honestly the only thing Maea could think of that was different enough from what she would usually do. So. Here she was. "Pobably going to regret this" she muttered to herself, and moved in through the opening between the hedges. The light of the sun overhead did little to brighten the atmosphere. Somehow the shadows extending from gnarled trees and wild-grown shrubbery still managed to feel dank and gloomy even though birds had been chirping incessantly behind her. But ahead it was quiet. For now. --- Evie in case you wanted to join ^^