Tree of Wishes

Broken Puppet Strings: A Cypress Perspective

I'm always careful in making sure everything is secure, especially when it comes to locking the gate since it's the only way a non-guardian can get in or out. So when I returned from shopping one day and saw that the gate was left wide open, I knew something was wrong. In hindsight, I should have ordered Anubis to stay and guard the area, yet he insisted on coming with me to help carry the bags. He's a sweetheart like that.

He's also very quick to react, dashing straight over to the gate to observe the scene. The area was empty, which meant the intruder was already long gone. Annoyed by this, Anubis said, "Aw, man! They're not here! How did they even get in?!"

"I'm not sure," I said as I inspected the lock. There were no signs of forced entry. "The walls are enchanted to slide off anything that touches them, so using a ladder or rope would be impossible."

Anubis groaned and scratched at his head in frustration. He's been acting more emotional lately. Was he going through a phase? Despite the ethical concerns that may come with it, I should seriously consider getting him neutered for the sake of his health.

Once he calmed down, he asked, "What do we do now?"

"We put away the groceries and find out who did this," I answered.

He raised an eye similar to how a human would with an eyebrow. "How?"

I smiled, knowing the exact method needed to resolve this problem before the day was over. "We visit a friend."

---

As one might expect from a town full of magically talented individuals, there was a local circus that recruited such people to let them show them off their potential. Anything from fire breathing to chainsaw juggling was fair game. Unfortunately, the circus had not aged well with the times, leaving out old, worn out booths and attractions for an empty crowd. Even the prizes had grown a thick layer of dust over time, and it was obvious the balloon and cotton candy machines didn't work anymore, but there was no point in replacing any of them. What little hope the place had left was with the giant red and white striped tent where they performed their grand shows, yet that was also showing its age with the patches and holes scattered about. A truly depressing sight.

Today we were interested in entering the smaller purple tent nearby. There sat a human skeleton, wiped clean of all skin, muscles, and organs, covered in rich purple silks with a black veil draped over its head. In front of it was a black, clothed table where a crystal ball sat.

Its bones rattled.

"Oh, Cypress," said the skeleton with a warm, feminine voice as it straightened itself in its seat. "Good to see you, dear. How have you been?"

Seeing the skeleton move caused Anubis to quiver in fear and inch behind me, his tail tucked awkwardly between his human-like legs. It was cute in an odd way.

"I'm fine, thank you," I said like anyone would to an old friend. "How about you?"

"I've seen better days," she, the skeleton, said with a clattering shrug. "So what brings you here? I suppose you need my clairvoyance?"

I nodded to confirm this. Anubis, on the other hand, tilted his head with a confused expression and asked, "What clairvoyance?"

"That's the name of her power," I explained.

"Does that have to do with her being all bones?"

"No, but that's a story for another day. Let's focus on the task at hand."

I could tell he was disappointed by this from how his ears drooped, but we really didn't have time to listen to a woman's tragic tale. After I explained the situation to her, she waved her hands over the crystal ball, summoning a swirling cloud of dust within. Soon the dust cleared, revealing a bird eye's view of the fortress.