Cavaliere del Giardino Overture

Chapter 1

Sunlight comes as woven strands, free and united, flowing into a day it reveals and solidifies, making the world of our nightly dreams something so beautiful. Each tree is a masterpiece, each wand of grass something magical. And this is our world, our normal everyday world, the present with each rise of the sun that we can marvel at or ignore; the choice is ours, it always was.

Over the years under Caro's control, the Snail Garden has taken a newer form. A jade bed of grass is surrounded by uniform hedges and climbing plants. A broad boulder sits near the left edge, and next to it stands a delicate, ornamental piece. The flower beds are unkempt, but look all the better for it; they're a delight for butterflies. The hedges and climbing plants reach 4ft high but will continue to grow until either stopped or collapsed by their own weight. Archways overgrown with flowers are scattered throughout the garden, presenting visitors with an elegant way of discovering the garden. Plants and flowers are starting to reclaim even all pieces of land, eager to expand their own dominion.

The ornamental boulder is the main centerpiece of the garden and was specifically designed to be this. The flower beds shouldn't be ignored, and the hedges and climbing plants can't be denied their share of attention, but the limelight will forever be on the ornamental boulder.

It had been a year after the events Dallin and Pilo caused. Caro has been king over the snail garden along with Willy and their two knights. Pilo and Samantha. The four raised a new flag on the rock. The flag is made up of two horizontal and 1 vertical stripe in black and dark yellow.

Their emblem consists of a snail in a triangle, but the emblem is only used on official flags and armor. The emblem stands for their ingenuity, their history, and their past.

Caro stared at the flag for a while before turning around. "I'm going to go make dinner, anything, in particular, you two want?" He asked as Pilo shook his head Samantha grinned.

"I know, I know! Lettuce and basil!" She grinned as Pilo shrugged. Caro nodded. "Thanks, Dad!" She waved to him as Pilo looked at where the tower of blue used to be and frowned. "Something up with you?"

"Miss the tower, it was dumb but nice...." he said. "Maybe Tarot knows where it is," he said before stretching. "Or maybe it was time for the tower to just kinda leave, either way, I miss it," He said walking down the path and saw the butterflies.

Samantha followed looking around. "I think the garden looks nicer without it, it was big and red and had those dumb c words on it," she said staring at the butterflies. They were chatting and sitting on flowers. "What do you think it's like to be royalty?" She asked.

"We are royalty," He replied. "You're a princess," he said. "And I'm a Prince," he looked at them. "We just don't get to show it, I especially don't," He waved to the butterflies and looked at the beetles washing the gods who wandered into the garden. "We don't get to flaunt it cause not all bugs care," Pilo said.

"Yeah, I know that," She said. "Yo, Odin," She waved to the gods. "But a day of being a butterfly would be amazing, pretty wings, everyone even giants love us,"

"The colors are what cause gods to eat them first," He said walking to the end of the path and humming. "Where did....uh?" he asked. "Where'd our weapons go?" Pilo asked opening the door to their armory and looking in the chests. Samatha pointed to a chest as Coffee gasped. "Oh, damnit," he said before grabbing his sword attaching it at his hip. He tossed Samantha her spear as she shook her head. "Oh, shortsword?" He tossed her the sword and stood.

From the mud come flowers as golden as sunshine, as fluid as rain. They come first in ones and twos, yet soon they are the most buoyant of crowds, happily dancing in the wind. No more the bare wands that told of winter's magic, here come the green flags, the parade of spring in bright bloom. The chorus of the skies has called forth the promise of the earth and sunshine combined. These weeks will be as a developing photograph - the colors deepening with the richness of the season. The rain will wash warmer over each face, a freshness to open each budding smile.

The two walked down the path checking on each of the snails as the door creaked open on the 6th door. The darkroom was like a place out of time, a place to rest without consequence. The darkness in that way was a sanctuary, a place to recharge and forget the things the world said had to be done. It wasn't that Samantha couldn't or wouldn't, but rather that she needed that sense of stepping out of the craziness for a while. So, in the darkness that stole even her own form, she was content to let the night pass and awake when daylight streamed in with its bold confidence.

That moment was forgotten quickly as a stench filled the air. A snail laid in the middle of the floor, the sun shined in, reflecting on the snails cracked shell and pieces of him. Blood flowed from the shell as Samantha took a step back. "Wh-what the fuck?" She asked. His eyes were still wide and full of fear. A pool of crimson blood surrounded the body, staining the floor. His stench was so intense, it could have made an elephant unconscious. 

The two took a step back as Pilo frowned. "A murder...., I'll get Blak." He rushed off as Samantha nodded shutting the door.