[Alvadas Location] Garden of No Return

[Cadence]

At one time, the garden had a much more exotic name. The name was very long, very beautiful, and virtually unpronounceable. Once the locals got tired of trying to roll the name off their tongue, they gave the garden a name more faithful to its nature. The Garden of No Return is a warning as well as a promise of entertainment and adventure. Many foolish travelers have gone in there, not knowing what to expect and stumbled out five days later with bugs crawling through their hair. The Garden of No Return is virtually a very expansive hedge maze. Vines weave themselves through the hedges and trees drape their branches over the walk-ways, creating majestic overpasses. The flowers that grow along the walk-ways can be classified in groups from the most mundane herbs to the most exotic marvels. A few benches are scattered along the maze and a fountain or two are placed strategically to prevent dehydration of the maze’s visitors. Like most things in Alvadas, the garden does not stand still. The maze is constantly moving and reconstructing itself. Where you may have previously seen an open walk-way, you might see a dead end, or a fountain, or a giant tree with exotic red fruit hanging from its branches. The one thing that does not change in the maze are the plants. The same flowers, bushes, and trees are rooted to their original place. Those who can recognize one flower from another may quickly find their way out of the maze. Even as the maze deceives the visitor, the flora serves as a marker. If you saw a specific red flower next to the maze’s entrance and the same flower is at your feet once again, you are close to the entrance once more. There are five entrances to the garden and they always remain in place. Theoretically speaking, every one of the openings is accessible at any given time. However, an exhausted maze-goer would be delighted to find at least one. Once you take a few steps into the maze, it rearranges itself so profusely that only a connoisseur of the maze’s flora could make it out relying on logical alone. It is said that people whose minds are more open to illusion navigate the maze with more ease than skeptics. The maze’s fountains serve as a source of water and the many trees and bushes provide fruits and berries to keep the visitors from starvation. However, one should always think twice before entering the maze. You never know if you’ll come back in one piece.