S̨ib̧ĺi͞ng̕ Va̡ldi͡s҉ -̡
̕M̨y ̧mi͞n̢d ̧is ͢vexed from ͝events of͘ the̶ ̛r͞ec͏e̴nt͜ ̧j̴o̕urne͘y ͟a͞ņd I foưnd̶ m͟y̡se̷l͢f̕ ͠wánt̕i͞n̴g̵ ̛for҉ ͘s̶o̶me̴on͟e t̨o̴ ̴tal̷k ͡w̨ith.͜ ̵Alt͘h̶o͘ugh ̷w͜rįting̵ ͡in I̡n̕f͘e͜rn͝a̶l̸ ̀i͝s̵ ̕n̵ot̢ best e̵i͘ther͘,̧ I hope̸ ͝y͞o̵u̵ ҉can͜ s̢uff͘e͝r it҉ t͘ǫ ̕h͟a̛ve someone ̨t̸ǫ co̴r͞r̨e̡s̸p̵o͘nd͘ ̶w͞i̢th͘.̸ My͡ gŕa͢sp̶ of ͠t̀h̨é ̕c͟o̸mmon langu͢a͢ge̴ o͢f ̵th͞is w͠ǫrlḑ óf͜tèn̡ s҉l͜ips ̵an͝d̀ Í f͘i̶n҉d m͝ysel͝f̡ ̨un̨a͏bl͠e t͡o ̧expr̛e̷ss̕ w̸ha͢t͝ I͟ ̧m̵ean͝. S͠ometi͟m̷e͠s̛ ̢i͡t ̶i͡s ̀dif͠f͞i̢cul͢t͏ no͝t t͟o feel ͟lone̛l͘y.
Th́is joúrnȩy o̵ut̴ ̢int͜o̶ ̴th͟e̛ ̡w͘ilds was̢ qui͠te̕ th͝e̶ a̴dv̷en͜t̕ure̵,̶ ͠a͟n͝d I ̕w͡a̴ś s̡a̢d̨de̶n̕ed t͘hat y͏o҉u̡ d͜id ͢n̛o̴t joi̛n͘ u͟s. Ma͢ny̡ t́hin͠gs̸ ̡ha̴ṕpen̵ed͟.̷ S͏o m̸an̛y̵ ̡t̨hin̴gs͟ an͏d̢ ҉sò ͘m͟an̨y͢ n̸ęw pęop̧le͜.
̷Fo͡r͜ ͞b̀e̸i̷ng͞ ͏o̶u̴t̷ i̛n the ̀wi̧ld̢, ̧we͘ en͘co̕un̵te͟rèd̛ ͢qu̷i̧te ̷a numb͠er̀ ̨o̡f̵ others,̵ ̶incl̀ud̨ing͟ k͘o͢bolds a͘nd̷ horde ͜and I̛ ͝tḩi̵nk͢ ̷f͏e҉r͝a͢l̕ ͡b̧ea̧st̷fo̷l͝k̛?͝ Í ͠was in͞ c͜am̛p͢ ҉and҉ did ҉not figh͝t̶ ͜so͡ Í ̶m̸i̡g̡h̵t ͘no͠ţ ̵be͢ ̴cl̕e̡ar͠ ͞o͞ņ ̷t̴hȩ battl̡eś f̵o͜ùg̶h̴t. It̵ w͝as͞ m̧any,̨ ̀a͘n͘d̴ ͝m̷any ̷folk̵ r҉e̵turn n͠ow̴ w̢i̧th̷ l҉i͡mb͢s ͢lo̢s̴t a͞nd ̸c̕o͜n͘su̸me͡d̛.̷ ͟Again͠ I̛ ͜feél͢ of ̢ver̛y little use̴.̧ Í do n҉ot͞ ͢kǹo͝w̷ why,͞ ͝įf͟ ̵it is͏ the ͝la͡c̨k͜ ͢of͜ ma͢ģi̕c͘ i̢n̡ ͡t̸hi͢s ̡w̧o͏r͠ld͘ ̕th͟at ̧h͠as͠ ̢t̵a͟ken somet̷h̢ińg from ̸me.̢ P͞e͡rh̡a̵p͡s͏ I h͜a̶ve j͢u̧st reach͝ed ҉an ͝a̵g͟e͢ ̧w̡here I͞ sh̀ou҉ld ́g͜i͡ve̕ up̡ t͜he̛ įd̨ęa̴ ͞o͠f fi̵ghti̕n͘g? I̶t did ̶not ͘seem̶ so̴ ̷l̷ong̴ ag͟o t͏h̶at ͠I coųlḑ ͟h̢o͟ld̵ ҉my͡ oẃn̷ ͞in ̴a̧ ͏f̛ig̕hţ, ́an͞d ̕I ̕am͞ n̴ot ̛thàt͏ ol̴d ̧at al҉ļ.̷ ̨Thi͟s ̨port̵a̢l ̧sic͞k͟ne̷s͏s̕ ̷o͝r wha͡t̸e͡ver ̶i͟t m̸i͝gh̸t̴ b̴e ̀is li͝n͘g̀ering̷.͏ ͞This ͟wor̵ld ̛cont̷i͠n̷ue҉ś ͘t͡o̴ bé ͜f͜ar ͡t̡o͝o̴ b͏r̵i̴g͢h̢t an͡d͘ h͏o̕t̛. ͢Ot̶h͝erş pròmis̀e҉ t̸h̢at͡ ̀t͝h̛e̷ we̢at̡he̕r wil͟l c̴ha҉ng͢ȩ. ͢Than̛k͡f̶ul̴l̵y҉ ̢S̕ím̨o̧n͞ wa͡s̶ ̴me̢rci̧f̕ul̷ ̢a͏n͠d a̡ll͠o͜wed͘ m͡e͡ to̵ ͡go ͞aboút͠ ̶in n͞o͏t͝ ̶bu͝t my t̷r͢ous̀e͠rs̶, ͜l͜ik̸e͢ĺy̶ ̛b͝ec̢auşe ̷w̛e̵ ͏w̴er͢e̶ ̨not̛ ͘in ͘tow͠n.̴ ̶
͘
̧I ̴cont͡inue͢ to ͜t͜r͢y͜ ̨b̵ett̴er̷in͏g̀ m̷ys͜e͡lf͜ ͏to t̷he ͝ĺève͟l̢ ơf Aria҉ ̧an̢d ̧J̵u͢ni҉p̧e͠r,̶ ás͟ ͠the҉y se͟em͟ far͞ mor̸e̕ ̴c̡ap̸able͜ ìn͜ p̧ot͝i̸ons. ͟Co̷llec͠tin͜g ànd śt̶u͘dyi͢ng̶ a̵l̀l͡ m͠a͡nn̴e͏r͘ of͝ ̡t̶hin͞ģs ̴t̡h̴a͘t̶ mi͡g͡ḩt͏ s͝eęm ús̸ęful̀.̕ Pl̴a̧nts̷ ar̀e ̡my̵ ̸c̸u̷r͠rent̡ ̕fo҉c̷u̕s ̴a̛s̛ ̶ţh̕ey̡ usuaļl͏y puţ ̴u̸p l̴itt̀l̵e fiǵht a͜nd̢ c̶a̧n no̸t̀ ͡run͠ a̧w͞ay̡. ̵My b͡r̢o̢th͘e͘r̸ ͟B̸a͘er̸yn͏ wo͜uld ̸b͝e q͡u͘it̷e҉ ̡p͏lea̢sed̶ ̀to ̡sęe͡ ̷m̛e͏ ҉n͘u̧r̛s̸i͟n̢g t̸h͏es̢ȩ ṕla͟ǹts͠ ́Ì ̵f͜i̴n̢d̷ as if̀ ̸I̕ we͘re̴ tơ ͝b̛ecom̢e s͡om҉e dr͏u̢id. ̡H̸ow̕ far̨ I ̴ha͡vè co̴me͜.
Tannis̡ ͞h̨a͏s͝ ͜b̛egu͠n̛ to ͝t͏e̵a͡c̢h ͠me ͏m͘ore͝ about ҉the aǹim̢a͝ls ̶o̶f t҉hi̵s w҉órl͘d ̡to͡ m͜ovè b̡ȩyon͢d ͡j̸ust ͘p̵l̸ant̢s.̡ There ̴is ͜m͏u͞c҉h͡ to léar̸n an̴d ít ̕w͘i͏l̕ļ ̧tak̵e̷ m̕uc͜h̀ ͞tim͟ȩ.͜ I a͡m ͜ded͠i͘c͘a̴ted̛ ̷t͢o͠ this̷ ͏new҉ ́c͢a̵r҉e͏er҉ I h̕ave c͘hose͜n̷, ͘an̨d͢ I w͘i̵l͡l̢ f͜i͠n͢d͢ al͟l the ͡m̨a͝ter͠i͘a̶ĺs ̛goo͡d ̕fo͡r ̨pot͜ions̛ th͠r͘ouǵḩ t̷his stud̴ỳ.̨
I ̢h̸av̨e͝ ̢fin̷a̡lly͢ ̵çon̢c͏o͜ct͝e͠d a͢ po̡t͞i̷on of ̷reşto͞ri̴ńg͏ ͜h̸ealt̷h t͟h̶a͠n͜ks to t͠h҉e ͘helṕ of̧ ͘man̨y fo͜l͡k. I҉t ̛is şur͞p̨ris͏i͏ng̛ how͘ ki͜nd ͟ev̛er̶yon͝e ̢i͝s͢,҉ g̛i̛vi͜n͝g̸ ́m̢e ҉w̶hat͢ t͘h̶ey̸ find,̶ ̧t̴ha̸t I ̡d͜o no̵t̕ ̢h̕ave̛ ҉to şt͞eąl ̢a̷t̴ ̴a͝l͡l͝.̡ (Sįm̵on,͘ ̸i̵f̷ yo͝ų arȩ ̵s͟o͘m̛e̡ho̡w reading̷ ̛thi͢s͡, I w͡o͏u̡ld ̶neve͟r s͜teal.̵ ́I̸t ͠i͏s ҉j͠us͟t͢ a͢ ̵t̵i̕ef̨l͠in͏g phŗas̀e,͝ pr͟omis̷e҉.͟)
A ͜bit of ̛coin ̴was͟ ́m͟a͡de ̡by̨ p̢la͠yi͜n̶g̵ a l̶ut̷e̴,̴ ̢t͜hou҉g͞h ̢I ҉p̴l͞a͡y b̡ad̵l̶y, ͟s͡òm̸e͜ v͡isitǫrs̷ ͢wer̢e en̡t̴ert̵ain̡ed͏ ̛by ̡i̕t. ̨Th͠e̶r̵e ìs͡ th̶is ́l͘o̴vel͜y ͡b̕ar̕d̵.̨ I̵ ͘a͜m҉ ̀no͢ ͡ba͞r͟d,̶ ͘b͠ut͞ I ṕl͠ay o͠n̴e̴ ̴f̶or͞ co͝i͟n.̡ H͟e͝ t̷ol̸d s̨t̶ori͞e͠s͟ of͡ ͞th̛e ̧s͘e͢a an̶d ͠i̢t ͏w͘a͝s ҉grea͠t ͜f͝u҉n. ̢Th̴e̢r͢e͘ ̕a͜r̴e͏ other p̵ie-ŕat́s͜ w͏i͠t͘h him ҉w͞h͢o are͡ ̛aĺso ͞app̸e͞a̧liǹg̷.
Oǹe pec͜u̢li̛ar͠ ͡new͝c͘o̡m̕er ̡ca̡l͝ls t̸hem̕se̡lf ́a g͞n̡o͢m̧e͝,͏ ̀th̴o̡u͏gh l͝ike ͡n̶o ̕gno͝me I ͡h͢a̴ve͞ ever̶ ̶e͡n͢co͢u̴n̴t͡e̷ŕed. ̡T̀his̨ ̵o͡n̷e ̶ḩu̕g̵s͟ ̴othe̷rs͟ ̧o̡f ҉thȩi̷r̨ ̷t͝ype a͝n̵d c͠om̕e͠s͡ ́to͡gȩt̛h̕er i̸n͜t͟o a s͡li̧g̸ht́l̵y ļa̕ŗger̵ s͞i̕ng̛l͟e sel̴f. ͝I͡t͞ ͟i͟s ̴o͜nly̨ ͡oǹe̵ s̶o̶ it̶ ̢còulḑ ́n̷ot ̶d͞emonstr͘at̶e͟ ̡this ̧p͘u̸rpos̕e͡, ̵and̵ s̴e̵em͞s ́obs̨e̷şsed͡ ̵with͜ ̷f̀in͘d͡íng an͝y̢ ͢me̛an҉s͝ to ̸a҉c̨h͏ie̸ve t͠hi҉s̵ e̷ńd̨ ̶of͏ ͘g͝rowi͜n̛g͠ ̢lar͡g̷ér. T͡h͘ey̡ we͞re ̕qui͞t̕e̕ ̨amu̧s͞i̴n̷g.͠ Y̧o͞u ҉w͜il͏l ̴kn̵o̴w th͞e͜ḿ ͟w̡hen ́you me̶e͜t̨ ̷th̵em͢.
̛Ther̕e i͜s̵ al̵s̀o҉ a ̀v̴e͏ry tin͟y̨ ̧water͜y̷ sóŗt̵ ́o͢f̨ cr͏e̡atu͜r̶e͘ t͠h̀at sȩem̧s ͜t҉o hav͝ȩ ̵takȩn to me̵.̸ ͢I ad̸m̸i͢t, ̵Į am a͟ ͏bi͟t ͢f̕ơnd͢ ͟óf̡ ̢t͝h͏em a͞lready. ͝Per͞hap̧s it i̡s̷ the lo̴nely͏-ne͡ss. ͘T͝h͜e̸y seem ͢in̨ter͢ęsted ͝in ̧my ̨potioń mąking s̡ò I thin͏k I wil̸l҉ s̢h͞ow҉ them w͘hat̸ ̶Ì h̶a̛ve ̸le̶a͜rn̕ed.҉
͟
̛Ǫn tò ͝t̨he tro͜ub́lin͘g̶ ín̷ci̕dęnt̀. Aft̶er th҉ȩ d̡rin͝k͠i͞n͞g a̢nd̴ th͡e̢ ̢s̷to͝ri͢es ̢a͡nd the gam̛es͜ a̷n͢d t̸he̡ ͢n̵i͘ght҉ had ͟c̛los̀e͝d in,͢ ͡e̷there̵al f̷ig͜ưres ća̡m̵e ҉in̴t́o̧ ̶the c̸am͜p̡ ̕and͟ r̶o͝a̢me҉d ͡ab̷out̛.̸ ̕They ͡se͜e͞me̵d̷ ҉c̷onfused ͝m͜o͡r͟e t̨han͠ any̧thi͡n͡g, ͢not̨ ͠h͏o͞s͢tįlȩ. Sti͢l̕l, ̴th́e͞y ̷frig҉hten͞ed ͏m̢e.͢ ͝No̧t͘ b̶y̴ ͟an͠y̡t͟h̛i͟ng t͢h͠ey̨ d̢i̶d̴, be͏c͘au̡s͠e͟ ̨I h̶a͠d̸ ̸set m̸y̷ ̕m͘i̧n͘d͘ ag̶ain̨śt̸ ̴t͟he̛ v҉e̴ry̷ ͠p͜oss̨i͝b͏i͞l̷it̨y ͟of̕ ͏su͘ćh a ҉th͝i̧n͘g e͟xi̛st͡ín̛g.͜ I had͞ ̸c͞on͏vi̧n҉c̡e͠d ҉my̶sel҉f̸ ̛t͠ha̢t ̛a̸ny͢th̕i͏ng beyo͘n̨d t҉h̡is p͏hysi̵c͞al ̡e̡x͟is͟tȩn̛c̕e ̡is ͢f͡ooļish̨ ̛ńo͠n̵s͢e͝n͘s̕e.̀ I̕t̷ ͜w͞as ҉s͠o̢m͝eth҉in̴g͘ ͘I w̶a͞s ҉sur̴e͠ in̴ b̕el͟ieving͠.͢
A͞ye͢ magic ͝exis̡ts͏, ͡w͠e c̕o͞me̛ from̀ ̴a̛ ̷m̨os̵t͜ m̶aǵìc̨al͝ w͝o͠rĺd͟.͏ ̡It ͞is̵ ̸p̴òss̕ible̛ t̕h҉i͡s ҉is͡ ͢ju̕st anothęr bi̢t ̀o̕f mag͜i͢c͟, ̢bu̵t m͟y ḿi̶nd r̷em̸ai͢ǹs un̴s̛et͠t̕l̡e͟d͘ b̢y̷ ̕t҉hat̴ n͏ơt̸ fe̶e͟li̢ng ̢q͞ưìt͞e ̨rig͢ht҉.̡ A͏ no͘t ͢ver҉y̷ ̸magi̧cal̷ wo҉rl͠d ͠m̶a͝ki̕nǵ ͢a͝n̵ ͝exćepti҉o͢n ̨li̧ke̸ t̶h͠is͠?́ Quite v͏ȩx̶ing.̢
̕
I̷t gr͘ow͘s ̀dąr͝k͠ an̶d Í must res͘t.͟ ̕Thi͡s jo͟urn͠ey̕ ̢t͡oòk҉ mu͞c̢h of ͟my͞ ̀s͡tre̛ngth͘. Th͜e̶ f͘ir͏şt҉ bo͜d̀y of͡ ͞wa͜ter ͏I̢ en̨cou͟ntér̨e̶d ͟I ̶l҉aid́ ̀in͘ for h̀ou̶r͘s an͞d ca͘ugh̸t̛ m̨yşelf ̧n͢app̧i̴ng̕. ́T͟h͢e tr̀o̕u͜b̷l͠ed min̶d͝ ͘aw͡o̕k͟e̸ ̷me̡.͘ ͏Ąt͠ ͘leas͜t͜ ̢I͞ ͝a͜m͡ ̨n͡o̶t ͝óņe o͝f̛ ҉t͠h͜e ͢o͘nes̷ ̢ŕeturn͝i̴n̷g ҉with́ ̸t̷h̛e śtr͏uggle of ̨h̡av̕i̴ng̴ l̴o̶s͜t͡ ̸li̶mb͘s. Aria̸ w̧orks͏ ͞o̵n͝ ̛t͏he͘ po̢tio͞ns ̴t̸o͟ ̵f͢i̴x̧ t͜he̢m, ́but ̡th͏a͘t i͝s a lęng҉t̷h҉y pr͟o͟cess, ͞a̶nd a ͢potio͘n̕ q̛uit͝e̷ ̷b̷ey͡o͞nd ̵me ̶a͡s͟ ͞o̴f ͏y͘e̷t͜. ̀Som̛e̕day.͝
̡Hop̵ef̵ưl̛l͢y̡ ̵wr͠i͠t̸iņg this̸ w̢i͏l̷l ͢r͡e̷m͞óve ̧t̴he̕s̨e t͘r҉oùb͠l͏e̡s ̵f̛ro͟m̀ my ͢m͜in̕d̶ ͘sơ ̴I̛ c̵a̵n ͏focųs҉ on͟ t̵h҉e͝ l̨on͡g jo͘u̧rn͜e͟y̧ ̕ba͏ck o̸ut͞ ̶of̡ ̵the̛se w̢íl҉d͘s̀.̶ If y̡ou҉ h̡ave͠ r̡ead̢ t̸hi͠s,̕ th̛an̸k̷ ́y͟ou̶. ̷I hopę y̢ou̢ ̶ar̢e well a̷n̸d ̸tha̛t̀ ́w̵e ͡c͜an ͠ex͟c͘h͞a͜n̨ǵe wo͘rd͏s s̢oo҉n̵, if͠ ̛y͏o̡u̵ s͡o̸ d́e͢sire͠.̧
̴͞Yoùr҉ brot͟h͘er -̶ Sh͝a̛d̵lei