Vanessa, Cyrus, I've missed you the past few months. The non-toxic us was always... something. But when were we not toxic? Me and Vanessa. Me and Cyrus. Vanessa and Cyrus (non-romantic, obviously). The truth was, no matter the amount of time and clarity that has passed, we weren't right. So why do I miss you? Predictability? Familiarity? Why did I get engaged to one and chase the other? We were young when we met. Me moreso than either of you. And you both... saw or wanted something from me that I knew I didn't have. But I so badly wanted to be something or someone more than I was at the time. Neither one of you asked me what I thought at the time, of yourselves or myself. Typical stressed-out young people shit. I was fat and unflattering and already totally convinced I was unworthy of love. Convinced I would never have someone love me. I didn't even love myself. The idea of anyone finding me physically attractive; wanting to have s-e-x with me was absolutely ludicrous. But you both came on hard and I tested the waters and I dared myself, told myself, I should give in to the experience. Eventually you'd see me for what I was and realize I am nothing so- I had better have this experience versus never having it. Right? I was young and vulnerable and far away from family and not yet trusting that the new reality I was in was real. I was quite convinced I was having a long, detailed dream. I had to have been in a coma. Things were fucked up back then. I did things I shouldn't have and you wanted and expected things you shouldn't have. An adult should have been there to stop me but someone decided I was mature enough to wander around alone among a military based filled with hotblooded orphans and up-and-coming Nenemki. We all wanted to prove something. We all hurt each other in the process. All this to say... my chosen relationships are not any less complicated. You are safe where you are. In the past. Also. Freddie. I have no bad memories of you and I. Thank you.

For your pleasure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-v48VQBO7M I don’t consider myself a know-it-all. I lack so much knowledge, and I don’t find it embarrassing admitting so. Yet the topic of soulmates always entertained me. I have met people worldwide; some were travelers visiting our realm from worlds I had never heard of before, and some locals. When I asked them to share their opinion on the concept of soulmates, each of them would tell me a beautiful tale with fictional figures, some would even use objects I could very well visualize, such as the sun and the moon. While the story might differ, one thing always remained the same: the need for two souls to reunite. When I was a child, my mother told me countless times how I would find my soulmate one day. Just like she did. He would be handsome and brave, and we would complete each other in all aspects. But the time I dreamed about princes on white horses wasn’t immortal, nor was the time I was a child. When I grew up, I realized I didn’t need a man in my life to feel whole or feel beautiful. If I weren’t happy with what I had in life, no male would be able to make me feel better about it. Yet, the concept of a soulmate is one I never stopped studying. How were all these people so sure they were with the right person? And how was true love even possible when you were so deeply involved in political shenanigans? My cousin Ali was the one to talk about soulmates and the magic that lay behind almost every night. He was pretty obsessed with this topic for a guy who changed his women as often as he changed his shirt. However, no matter how much Ali would insist, I never believed in the concept of soulmates. What I believed in, though, was the power of instinct. You know, that feeling that originates in your belly that makes you feel odd. The range of that feeling is broad, and I still don’t know the meaning of the most. But I got well familiarized with one. When I met Boone, I felt like falling, my stomach turning inside out. At that time, I thought it was the fact he had mentioned them, the Tokuro. If only I had known how wrong I was. How could I miss all the hints? Boone was no gift. He made sure his attitude was repealing enough to keep me away at a length of a sword. Yet, it didn’t work. Behind his obnoxious attitude, behind all boyish smile and brave words, I saw a man who was as scared as I was. He was lost, roaming in the shadows life had cast upon him, and I… I was lost in someone else's lies. Boone excited me in ways I hadn’t experienced in ages. Every word that fell from his lip was like a newly found breath. His stories had me captive, offering a chance to escape from the reality I was living in. He would share a story of a woman that had gone through seven hells and was still battling for a life she deserved, always avoiding talking about a person I was interested in the most -him. I was so thrilled when I asked him a question and had actually received an answer! It was strange, but it felt as if I had known him for ages. Even now, I lack the words to explain what I felt there… Have you ever experienced that moment when it feels like a greater power from above is pushing you towards the right decisions, towards what was right for you? That is how I felt with him. I knew how to hear him out, not just to listen. How to read between the lines he had given me to find what he was so ashamed to speak about. And in return, he knew how to read my concealed feelings and recognize what I was genuinely longing to ask but didn’t for reasons I had yet to share. We made an agreement, and I gave him two months of my time in exchange for more of his stories. Was I so eager to find more about the heroine of his tale, Lyanna Legend? No. I just hadn’t realized how attached I was growing to him back then. We spend fifteen wonderful days together, getting to know each other's personalities and oddities. Boone would tell me how he liked pastries and the autumn pallet, and I would share with him how I had made black my color when my favorite color was yellow. We became quite fond of each other even though he or I would step over our pride to admit there was more than just companionship. It wasn’t a sign of friendship when he kissed my forehead in the mornings, thinking I was still asleep, nor was when I invited him into my bed every single night. There was something more. On the morning of the fifteenth day, I woke up to a cold room, and Boone was gone. It didn’t take long for me to find the bedside note that told me I should be taking the day for myself and that he would be later that day. Carelessly I did as the message suggested and focused on some tasks I kept postponing while in Boone’s company. When I returned to an empty bed that night, my feelings became clearer. Boone wasn’t just a man that kept my mind occupied with his stories. He wasn’t just a riddle I was trying to solve. He was the one. I realized I couldn’t function without him. He had occupied my thoughts entirely, and when he was gone, all air had left me too. I began to search for him then, visiting the places he had shown me. Every time I left our room, I would leave him a note if he returned and I wasn’t there. These were by far the three darkest days in my life. I’ve lost my appetite. Thoughts of something terrible that had happened to him kept me away at night. And not even for once had I thought on giving up. That much I trusted his word. On the third day, he returned looking a bloody mess. That was the day I sold the claim to my soul to someone who wanted it as much as I wished to Boone alive. I didn’t hesitate, not even for a moment. And if I had the chance to replay the incidents, I would do the same because, in my eyes, there is no life without him. I was whole before. I was happy. But I didn’t have a reason. Boone is my reason. The reason I want to wake up early in the morning is only to catch a gleam of his sleeping face. He is the reason I want to keep smiling, just to see him smiling back at me. He is the reason I want to grow into something he would love and admire. I call him a monster because that is how he characterized himself once, and I will continue calling him this way until he realizes that I am not afraid. When I told him I wanted him to be mine, I invited his demons too. So, going back to the start. What is a soulmate, and do they truly exist? I don’t know. But I know that I found a man that worth risking everything for. A man with so match darkness in his life, yet he is a colorful aspect in mine. I gave myself to him, my entire existence lays in his palm. All it takes for me to cease existing is for him to squeeze, and I am absolutely fine with it.

I’ve spent the past four months coping, dealing, acting… waiting. But he never showed up. I know I was setting the bridges on fire when I told him never to see me again, leave Ahaa’ehm and never come back. I was angry, disappointed, boiling with rage. When he left that day, I was relieved, I didn’t have to put up with his lame excuses, and half meant apologies. Nevertheless, a side of me hoped he would pursue the chance talking to me, winning me over again. Isn't this what real men do when they have feelings? Instead, all I got was the thigh ring I gave him, the symbol of my devotion to him, laying on the nightstand near my bed. He was here last night. In the palace, in my room and he didn’t find it appropriate to talk to me and say goodbye. Is this what I deserved? Is this how much he cared for me? Is this what real men do? I’ll admit it. I overestimated him. My hopeless mind was desperate to believe he could be the man I needed him to be. I was foolish even to think he could cope with all the responsibility, that he had the requirements to be the one to sit on the throne beside me. How could he rule a kingdom when he ran away at the sight of the slightest issue? When he didn’t know what loyalty meant? The man by my side had to be quick-witted, confident, brave, honest, passionate, and he had to have a grip around me. He knew that, and I told him that. I never said I was easy to handle, I never said I was easy to be with. Gods, I even told him I was too hard for him to chew! I never said I was normal. I was trying to be, but I am not! I can be discouraging, repealing, castrating. I might look tame, but a lion within me wishes to be free. I knew he would be lost in the maze my mind is. Even I can’t find the way out sometimes. But little did I know that he won’t even make it past the first turn. He was given tons of warnings, yet he insisted, and I believed him. He wanted to prove himself, and I let him. What a total waste of time. And now I’ve been left to count the hours, replaying all scenes in my head, wondering where I did wrong. Call me arrogant, but I don’t see my mistake here. He knew what he was dealing with, and finally, I was proven right to doubt him. He bit more than he could chew, and now he is gone, with his tail -even though draconic- tucked between his legs. Ha! Look at that! A dragon couldn’t handle a kitten with claws. Pathetic.

So travel from Dry Gulch is a little hazy. I met a hobbit named Henry! Hobbits are small, long-lived people, with hairy feet! We were both headed to Eleutheria, the capital of Simul. I also met a tiefling. Geez Nessa, it's almost dumb to write all of this for you- what is the point if you never had any time to read any Earth books or watch any of our movies? To you Simul is just another place with more strangers. To me though it's everything I always wanted as a kid growing up and,honestly, all the way up to the point I went to Terra. In Eleutheria, Henry helped me get set up with a nice travel kit. Sturdy tent, good sleeping bag, small items. Of course I was doing a lot of work, running around, trying to scrape together the coin I needed for the items Henry suggested. He was a very nice fellow but eventually we parted. I left Eleutheria to travel and ended up in Skyhaven. It was winter. Cold, Abysmal. I was starving and Ifirit was probably running on fumes, he was using his energy to keep me from freezing to death at night. We made the best of it, living in the tent on a wood just outside the city. Walk into the city every day to do odd jobs. Then I found that wheelbarrow and started hauling around goods. At least then we could make enough coin in a day to eat, sort of. That is where I met Lyanna and Kurisu. Kurisu is connected to Lyanna's past by way of- well, he travels but he also touches different timelines. Lyanna is connected to Liam. She doesn't have purple murder eyes but- Timothy has also entrapped her. On that day I was not too keen on Kurisu. He really approached Lyanna (pregnant at the time) way too pushy with too much information that she didn't know. It was not an interaction that was going well. Lyanna was already a freaked out mother-to-be so- I got a little protective. She was my client after all, she had hired me to help her shop, and this dude was ruining the vibe. Kurisu left and Lyanna and I got a tavern room together. She told me a lot about the situation, after I had told her about meeting Liam. It was a scary prospect, getting involved in this type of thing and I was sure the sword would want to... but Lyanna was also encouraging. Not in regards to herself, but rather Liam. Hah. Let's just say, I make amazing choices. But you know that already Nessa?

The gibberish goes on in the next few pages, but in a odd manner becomes more orderly and coherent. Anyone who knew demonic could figure it this seemed like practice more than any attempt to write another journal entry. After flipping three pages filled with the demonic letters, it would seem a passage was finally written in the common language of Simul. Living is expensive you know? I gotta do so much just to float above ground level, the fact tailoring is earning me more money then my other job just shows how stupid this is. People pay so much for those stupid tapestries and cloth pieces. Then again I may just be this good in the eyes of idiots. I do find myself somewhat enjoying tailoring though, it is somewhat therapeutic after a - (the next part is completely drenched in ink, seemingly the same way you would fix a mistype, soon after the ink spot words return) a good nightly walk. Today I am happy, even elated. But I gotta keep this a secret, so much so that even here Iwill not write it. Though my mood experienced a sharp decline, why you ask? I know I ask myself as well. I go on some walks during some nights or outside of the city to the lake north of it. And as such I see some people over and over, I look different each time you see. But last time I befriended some old nomad who lived in the area. I felt angry when he asked who I am when I greeted him by name , even if it was my obvious fault. Why do I care for something so stupid like what some old idiot thinks, I am who I am, and they are all idiots who could not understand anything. I think I will go on a walk tonight, I am sure this will go off my mind later, after all, this is a good day.

What do you do when your friend is beyond cursed and no amount of hope will pull them out? I want to be helpful. Just let me be there. I was lucky to have people with me in the beginning. But by the end? When I first came here? I had no one. No one to understand, no one to want me to be free. My curse allowed others to get what they wanted; to be victorious in their campaigns (so long as they were on the side the Sword agreed with). They didn't care about the curse. Someone else keeps trying to tell me to run away, to go away. I don't want to. I just want to be here in those times of need. I want to offer to someone else what was not available to me. I'll go away, only if she tells me she doesn't want me, or won't have me anymore. Otherwise, I'm not running. I don't run anymore. Why can't he see that? Annoying.

If only I had heard my instinct back then. If only I had read you again to remind myself of who he really was. But no. Being stubborn and foolish as I am, I decided to just give it a try. And for what? Because I wanted to love, to feel loved. Well, how does it feel now when I love, but was never really loved? Was it love to begin with? Or was it just a traditional way of my mind to deceive me, making me believe I am in love in order to ensure that my race won't become extinct? Even now that everyone is safe I still can't shake off the fear. Tawny, that sadistic bastard had Melody in his filthy hands, using her as a tool to get to me and what Hideki did? Nothing. He knew she was in danger and he did absolutely nothing. I’ve trusted him. Hell, I loved him. And that is how he repays me? And like this is not enough, his bloodsucker brother risked Bes! Why? Because for some stupid reason he thought it appropriate to bring an ten year old boy he knew just for a day to the cemetery! What the fuck is it wrong with these people? If Kuritoo was such a great scholar he claimed to be, he would have known of the Summoners curse. He would have known how dangerous contact with a spirit could be. When we found Bes he was burning… Thank the Gods Ali was fast to react and brought him to Caspian, the man that made a suggestion then, one I couldn’t refuse. We could either try to treat it traditionally with medicine and healers or we could transfer the disease. Of course I chose the latter option, it was faster and more sufficient. Caspian never confessed it and I never pressured him for an answer, but I am certain when he was making this offer he knew I would be becoming the next Anchor to the other side. Pretty title isn’t it? Well, the job isn’t. Technically I’ve become the door between living and dead, the bridge to a world similar to ours. Only, in that world, time stands still and the supernatural souls are forced to experience the same day, over and over again. No, I am not an angel to bring souls to paradise, I am a freaking grim reaper bringing them to purgatory. Once you are in, there is no way out unless of course there is a supernatural mambo jumbo involved. Or my death. Never before had I felt my blood boiling this much in my veins. The idea of getting vengeance is so damn sweet and alluring. I lost to my madness that night, the darkness taking control of my body. Until this day I have no clue what I was doing when I was trapped in the maze of my mind, but somehow I found the way back and I feel somehow relieved. I can see clearly now. I know what I have to do. Cutting all ties with the Tokuro would be a disadvantage for Ahaa’ehm. They do have wealth and technological knowledge far greater than ours. What I am going to do is far darker and greater. I will make him regret every lie he ever told, and wish he had never met me. I am going to make him scream even if that means I have to see myself bleeding first.

Quick Fire Quest Template Quickfire Quest Objective: To run quests for no more than three hours. Quests must be small in order to do so. Host decides on how long between posts before start of quest. Quest Template: Post One: Host types up intro post for the players. Describe scene and problem that needs to be solved. Post Two-End: Revolving posts (No post minimum) of characters battling problem. Host will be involved in each round to keep score and type up damage (or lack thereof) of problem. End Post: Host describes the end of said problem and doles out the prizes. Dice Setup: Each character gets to roll once for damage. This will be a d20. Player of said character needs to post (No minimum) of their damage to problem/monster/etc. There will be no misses as each roll is a “hit”. Each character has a hitpoint pool of 100 (These are no kill quests. Knockouts only if character reaches 0). Each problem/monster/etc gets a hitpoint pool of 250. Point System: Each Host who runs a quick fire quest to completion will receive 2 points Each player who runs through a quest (regardless of how many characters), will receive 1 points at completion The player who gets last hit/post gets 3 points at completion Players who do not post on all rounds will receive 1/4 point at completion Template to Post: **Quest Location** **Quest Description** **Time Between Posts** **Staring Time** **Person to Ping in RP Discussion** PLEASE PING STAFF AFTER COMPLETION OF QFQ SO WE CAN KEEP COUNT OF POINTS

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Year 10,012 Month of Bruma After months of hard work, Arbrestor was restored to its former glory. Beautiful as it had been before, the people that now call the city home are proud to call it such.

After the bursting of the Tree of Life back into the land, many wondered if Simul would finally find peace again. Unfortunately for them, and thanks to a bad bedtime story, the great kingdom would not be so lucky. Everyone knew the moment the first woman appeared. Out of portals surrounding the island came demons and dragons alike. If that wasn't enough, another woman appeared and began to chant and use her own blood to write runes along the base of the Tree's barrier. If it were not for a group of random strangers coming to the aide of the island, The Tree of Life may have been destroyed right then and there. After a lengthy battle between protectors and aggressors, the Tree was saved, as well as lives. Still, the destruction was enough for King Alfred to ask the citizens of his great kingdom to send more aide and rebuild.

Year 10,017 Month of Dissilio Taken from BREAKING NEWS Panic on the northern coast this morning, dear Simul. News coming out of Arbrestor is haunting. According to authorities, during the early morning hours, before sunrise, a group of ten or more assailants descended upon the docks that provide great resource to our kingdom. What seemed to be a fair amount of tourists quickly turned into a horrific display of fire and acid type magics. Some witnesses that survived reported seeing a line of people taking steps in tandem toward the docks, aiming for where the most ships were housed before eruptions of flames and some sort of caustic mist. From what I could decipher from the reports given, these people appeared to be magics of some sort, robed in cloth that is eerily close to the description of the other attacks of late. Unfortunately, there are not description of the faces, only the numbers and the robes. As of this afternoon, it has been reported that there are 56 injured, 13 dead and over 40 still missing. The King, Alfred Fortescue, has put out a statement:"Dear Citizens Of Simul, The news of yet another tragedy in our kingdom brings me more than just sadness. As your king, it is my job to make sure you are all safe, sound, and healthy. I am doing my best to make sure these things stay true til the end of my time and another takes my place. I am sending aide in the form of money, food, and people to every area that has been affected. We are organizing forces to also aide in security in our most vulnerable cities and towns. If you have been affected by hardship, please reach out to the incoming forces and you will be helped in any way we can. Please, stay safe Simul. We WILL overcome this. We WILL defeat this evil." This is Flynn, signing off.