Their journey to the top of the mountain continued and yet they knew the top was still far from their grasp. To reach the top of the mountain will surely take more time and naturally patience and the endurance to continue climbing.
The beast from before surely couldn't be the only dangerous creature on this mountain and they wouldn't be too foolish in thinking so.
'' The pollen smell is finally far from our noses. ''
Hakai said to the other two as he was rubbing his nose, thanking the heavens that they were finally out of there. Their journey's next stop was a garden that was too extravagant for its own good.
The garden view that they could see was filled with no restraints on design. The shrubbery was clearly maintained by people and the ornaments on the various shrubbery made it feel like whoever owned this garden was gloating.
As if they had too much time on their hands to dress up a garden to this level.
'' I'm wondering how a person like Hieki knows a person like this. Its almost night and day how different these two people are. ''
Seiya spoke commenting on the ongoing differences between their Sensei and the person that they came to meet. If this person was more worldly than Hieki than it meant that they'd learn much more from the person but the garden made them wonder whether or not they'd have to help out with keeping it in tip top shape.
Who was in charge of handling all this?
'' At least the smell is more pleasant this time. ''
Hakai's comment came as an approving nod to the smell here. It smelt like fresh fruit and a fragrance one might expect if they had any perfumes that did not yet exist in this time and place.
'' Where do we go from here? The trail kind of just cuts off here and these Topiaries are placed in such a way that it looks like there are multiple ways forward. ''
Sakura asked the other two while not wasting her time from looking consistently at the open paths hoping for one of them to have an answer to her question but they both didn't have an answer available.
All they could offer Sakura was a headshake as if saying they had no idea which was true.
''Oooo what is this? ''
Seiya said as he walked towards a giant pair of scissors that laid next to one of the Topiaries.
'' I wouldn't touch that if I were you. ''
Hakai immediately spoke to Seiya but the male winced in pain as his attempt to reach for the scissors was meant with a painful shock as the white haired male backed off.
'' What was that pain just now? ''
Seiya held his hurting hand with the other , moving away from the pair of scissors with great distaste for what just occurred. Hakai knelt down and pointed at the handle of the scissors which had a strange wrapping covering it.
'' Don't do that again. There is a seal around the scissors, I don't know much about this particular art but from what I recall it stops certain individuals from touching it. That's all I know personally about it since I'm not the most educated about seals. How about you Sakura ? ''
'' I don't know much about it either. If my parents know about this then they haven't taught me about it. ''
The two conversed back and forth for a moment as Seiya looked on and mumbled under his breath.
Forget the dang scissors, he didn't want to play with them anyway.
'' Let's move on then, if we can't touch the scissors then let us move through the path in the Topiaries. We just have to choose one of the paths available right? Or should we all split up? ''
Seiya asked the two what they'd like to do but the two of them shook their head at the last suggestion he had made. They weren't trying to lose one another nor cause some mess trying to break through topiaries just to find one another if they did happen to get lost.
Causing property damage on their way to make a first impression was not something they wanted to aim for.
The letter Hieki had given to them would be for naught if they worked against its purpose.
'' Hieki mentioned aspects awhile ago to us Sakura and I think you would be the best person to decide what is the best way forward. ''
Sakura was surprised at the responsibility given to her by Seiya's words just then but seeing Hakai not speak up sounded like silent approval of his words.
Sakura wasn't certain if she had the right of way but she wouldn't disappoint. She closed her eyes and sighed, she allowed her mind to tune in with nature and within her inner eye she discerned the path.
'' We should take the left most path. I can feel the exit through this bushy path at the end of the left trail. ''
Sakura's voice came out with no shred of hesitation, she was confident that it was the way to go.
'' I think its safe to say for the foreseeable future that you should be our compass from now on. ''
Seiya spoke trying to sound comforting but his words came off sounding mean to Sakura which made her gently punch him on his shoulder before she walked down the path she said with Hakai.
In Seiya's mind he was curious about the scissors from earlier. Surely it belongs to someone so where were they?
They shouldn't be far from here and Seiya believed that it wouldn't be long before they found the gardener here.