Author's Note: Unlike the rest of the written chapters, Chapter 1 is essentially the same with the exception of a new scene at the end that foreshadows the plot of the story. Otherwise, this chapter is the same. Whether your reading this for the story for the first time or you're rereading it again, please enjoy. With that said, let's get to the story!
Chapter 1: Fall
1:00 AM; Spirius Corporation's headquarters was normally a very busy place, but at this hour, many of its employees were now in bed. The stars were still adorning the sky that morning, shining as brightly as ever. The chilly air of spring was still slightly cold to the touch, but it was not enough to render one frozen. There truly was no reason for anyone to be out at this late hour, and yet there stood a lone girl standing on the roof of the building, her unblinking eyes glued to a stone with two names engraved within.
Clutching a pair of roses in her hand, the young girl began to recall her memories of ten years ago, beside her, an older cat that was gray in color. She and the creature remembered a young man and a young woman whose destiny tore them apart too soon. Neither were what many would considerable responsible adults, doing childish things such as arguing with a child over who knew more than the other or considering a bear paw as a delicacy. The two bickered constantly, the woman often acting very haughty and stand-offish, the man only becoming aggravated and frustrated by her actions. Despite their constant bickering, there were moments when the emotions behind those words were revealed, albeit in small doses.
The man was like a father to her and the woman her mother. Every day she found herself smiling upon reflecting on their memory, only to find herself saddening the moment she realized each of their sacrifices.
"Ludger… Milla…," the young girl remembered the sacrifices they made.
This place where she stood now was a memorial for a woman not of this world, a woman whose passing came after that of her own dimension. Sacrificing her own life to save her comrades, Milla ended her life so that this world's version of her self, one who had inherited the role of Maxwell, could take form once again.
"Miss Elle, it's time to go," a mature woman said, informing the young girl of the masses that would soon be walking this area.
As if also trying to speak in agreement, the elderly feline let out a somewhat screeched "meow", prompting the young girl to scratch behind its ear. This cat, Rollo, was all that was left Elle had of the two aside from her memories.
"Of course, Vera," the young girl stopped reminiscing, placing the flowers on the floor. "Ludger, Milla, I hope you found each other again."
With nothing more to say, the last descendent of Kresnik left the area, taking her older cat into her arms and hopping into the helicopter the business executive had parked close by. Taking one last look at the flowers, she bid the two farewell once more before proceeding back home and to reality.
Moments later however, another person soon found themselves standing before the pair of flowers. Clad entirely in black and with hair as wild as her personality, it was clear that she not from this land. The woman knelt before one of the flowers, cupping it by the bulb as she brought the petals to her face, her pink eyes slightly watering at their presence. Shutting her eyes, her hand then formed a fist over the flower, crushing each of its petals, destroying them as if they were the wish she had not been granted.
"Elle… All that can be found in death is loneliness and despair…"
Vast… It is a small four-letter word that encompasses the boundaries of the infinite. To watch the vast worlds of Rieze Maxia and Elympios in single glance is a sight very few humans have seen, but for those of the spirit realm, it is but a single backdrop they witness every day. The rising sun, the bustling of cities, the waves of the ocean, all melded into a single sight with no true focus.
And yet watching it all is the Lord of Spirits herself, Milla Maxwell. She continued to watch this single void that consists of two worlds, watching them constantly and perhaps even effortlessly as she witnessed the symbiosis of both human and spirits in both Rieze Maxia and Elympios. It seemed that she has watched these realms for so long, never blinking, never faltering, always watching, nothing more…
Despite her commitment to her duty however, a single thought would always echo in the back of her mind. At first it was only for a second in a day, then minute, and then hour, the thought continuing to eat away at her as if it were eating away at her soul. The Lord of Spirits was born a human after all and just ten years ago she had spent a prolonged period of time with the race she parted from nearly eleven years ago.
"Is something the matter, Lord Maxwell?" Efreet, the Great Spirit of Fire, asked his master.
"I want…," the great lord began to speak, her commitment beginning to falter. "I want…"
"Yes, my lady?" Undine, the Great Spirit of Water, asked next.
"I want to see Jude!" the Lord of Spirits cried into the vast realms she watches.
The Four Great Spirits could only stand aghast at their master's wish. Jude Mathis, the young spyrite researcher who assisted the Great Lord Maxwell eleven years ago in uniting the realms of Rieze Maxia and Elympios; this same young man would again help Lord Maxwell in finding the Land of Canaan only a year after. For every moment Milla spent with this young man, the Four worried that her human side would one day overcome her duties as Maxwell, and finally that day has come.
"I want to see Jude," Milla repeated once again. "I have to see him."
With her mind set, the Lord of Spirits stood up from the pedestal she sat upon. Hurriedly she began to make her way out of the Spirit Realm, hurrying toward the gate that lead to the one she desperately sought. Though closed for what was supposed to be an eternity, beside it was a tool that once allowed Milla and her comrades quick access between Rieze Maxia and Elympios; it was none other than the Great Spirit Muzét's dagger that could cut through space and time.
The device was supposedly lost according to its rightful owner, having gone missing eleven years ago with the destruction of the Temporal Crossroads. Yet here it was again by some miracle, possibly by some wish. Normally the Lord of Spirits would question as to the reason for its sudden and convenient return, but now was not the time she could not ponder this. She wanted to see Jude, she had to see him as quickly as possible.
"Lord Maxwell, please reconsider…," Sylph, the Great Spirit of Wind, tried to speak as her master cut open a gateway with the knife.
"C'mon, Milla, you can't just leave your post to-!" Gnome, the Great Spirit of Earth, found himself suddenly cut off.
"I won't be away for long," the Lord of Spirits assured her subordinates as she began to step into the portal to the Human Realm of Elympios. "I promise you that I will return."
And just like that, the gate to the Human Realm closed behind their master, leaving the Four in complete shock and disgust. Each of them knew it was only a matter of time before this would happen, but how soon it was going to occur was something none of them could have expected.
"Lord Maxwell…"
"Oh man, I'm beat," Jude sighed, pressing his back against the elevator wall.
The days at the lab had only gotten more chaotic in the last few weeks; concerns over diminishing water sources all over Elympios had nearly brought people to a panic over the last month or so due to the recent drought, despite the fact that the governments of the world continued to reassure its people that water is still in vast abundance. In order to quell the people's worries however, Elympios hired EX Laboratories to create a renewable water source. Jude himself thought it was a good idea to create one despite the fact that one might not be needed until much further in the future, after all, why wouldn't he considering all of the events that occurred ten years ago.
Jude found it strange that so much had changed in the last ten years. Just eight years ago, he and the other researchers in Helioborg Fortress had perfected spyrite technology, and just another two years after that, it became so mainstream that all spyrix technology had become obsolete. Unfortunately though, it also meant a lot of other companies copied his work, creating their own products based on spyrite as well. Granted Jude was more than happy that it meant Elypmios was no longer killing spirits, but the mainstream use of technology left all of the researchers of Helioborg out of work. Luckily many of the researchers had found jobs at the up and coming spyrite developer, EX Laboratories.
It had been about a year since he began working for EX Laboratories; it certainly kept Jude busy with his spyrite research, and the constant running around between buildings at least helped him keep in shape, along with lugging around all of his books and other research materials to boot. In the time that passed, his hair had grown a little longer, perhaps even more unkempt than it was ten years ago. The time he spent constantly looking at screens had taken its toll on his eyes, requiring the young researcher to now wear a pair of glasses which only had black rims on the underside of the lenses, the spectacles themselves similar in appearance to those of his father's glasses. His appearance was also a little messy, his lab coat and black slacks having several threads sticking out in random places. Even his blue, long sleeve dress shirt that he wore underneath his coat was messy, with several creases throughout, his tie even slightly frayed from constant wear as well.
"I wonder how everyone's doing?" the young researcher wondered aloud, the elevator stopping at his apartment's floor.
It had been maybe eight years since they were all together; they all kept in touch with each other through their GHS's, almost every week in fact, or at least that's how it was at first. The weekly contact then became two weeks, than a month, and not long after, a year. The last time he checked, Alvin's business was finally getting off the ground, Rowen was becoming much more involved in Rieze Maxia's politics, Elize had been begun teaching at the local university in Sharilton, Leia had been promoted to the Chief Editor of her newspaper, Gaius was getting engaged to an Elympion noblewoman, Elle was attending the new military academy for Spirius Corporation, and Muzét was... well, being Muzét as far as Jude knew.
Yet above all else, he wondered about the Lord of Spirits herself. Unlike the others, Milla was the only one who (naturally) didn't have a GHS, so he still used Alvin's old carrier sylphjay to communicate with her. Every time he'd receive a letter from her, Jude would literally drop whatever he was doing just so he could read the single page or so she wrote (which often times was simply food she been craving). It was a childish gesture, but Jude appreciated whatever communication he was able to get from her; who else could at least say "I'm pen pals with the Lord of Spirits" herself.
Just like the others however, his communication with the Lord of Spirits slowly died over time. He wasn't sure the reason for why they stopped talking; maybe she had gotten bored of his letters talking about his latest research and his latest hypothesis in spyrite research. It hurt Jude a little on the inside, but at the same time, he realized that her duty as the Lord of Spirits took precedence over anything else. Still, he longed to see her, to at least hear her voice once more, letting him know that everything was okay. However this was merely a childish wish of his; his life now was a harsh reality that you can't always get what you want, no matter how much you want it.
"How long has it been since I've had a home-cooked meal?" Jude pondered as he turned the key to his apartment. "I'm getting sick of cheeseburgers."
A small creak echoed as Jude opened the door to his home. His studio apartment was just as messy as his desk at work; papers and books scattered throughout, tied bags of garbage just waiting to be thrown out, and his computer still running without its screen saver turned on. Jude had only moved to this studio about two months ago and already it looked nothing like what it did when he first rented it. Granted it was given to him by his work so Jude didn't complain too much about the accommodations at first, but he soon found out that it was nowhere near enough room for all of his research materials and very few personal belongings he was able to move in with him (granted all of these belongings were now missing somewhere in the mountains of his research papers and books).
Throwing his lab coat on the first corner he saw and his lower-rimmed glasses on the coffee table, the young researcher began to rummage his refrigerator. As always, it was nearly empty, aside from the fast food bag in the corner that was now nearly translucent because of the contents of the grease within. Sighing, he reached into the bag and grabbed the first thing he could in there, a half-eaten cheeseburger with all of the onions and pickles taken out. Too tired to even warm up the oily sandwich and with a sigh, he began to bring his meager meal to his mouth only to drop it from what he heard next.
"Hello there," a familiar wispy voice echoed in his ear.
"Milla?!" he quickly turned around to find the Lord of Spirits herself standing in the center of his apartment.
The Lord of Spirits often had an air of confidence around her and this time was no different. Her face was as hard to read as ever, showing nothing but a stern look that would intimidate both human and spirit alike. It was this unwavering courage that Jude loved about the Lord of Spirits, this unbridled bravery that helped him mature into the young man he was today. To him, Milla had no fear, no hesitation, nothing to hold her back; in his eyes, she was the very manifestation of conviction and courage.
To his shock, she looked as if she hadn't aged a day since they last met. Even the clothes she was wearing the same; a white tunic-like dress with frills with two blue streaks curving upward from her sides and stopping at the top of her chest, black areas on hem of her clothing with yellow fear-shaped embroidering within, blue gloves, and white detached sleeves and boots to match. Her very appearance still had the same effect she always had on him, causing his heart to beat aflutter as his throat became parched. It was always difficult for him to speak to the Lord of Spirits at first, but over time, he would always gradually find the words to say.
"Have you been well?" she asked, breaking the silence between them.
"Er, yeah, I have," he nervously answered.
"That's good."
Again there was silence, but in his own ears, Jude heard something different. He could hear his own heartbeat thumping as if it were against ears, slowly, loudly. Thump, thump, thump; just the sound of its echo was enough to paralyze him. A million words began to race into his head as he stared at her, yet there was not one he could find himself to speak. There was no doubt in his mind though that he was happy to see her, but he couldn't help but question how she felt.
Little did he know, the Lord of Spirits herself was feeling the same way. She too could hear her own heartbeat loudly beating into her ears. Her body was flush with unease, one she never felt even when faced with the harshest of adversities. Her throat was dry, her body quivering; she wanted to say something, anything, but upon realizing the strange silence between the two of them that had been transpiring for the last few minutes, she said the first thing she could to possibly ease this uneasiness.
"I… I should go," she began to turn. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."
"Milla, wait!" his hand quickly met with her shoulder.
The beating of her heart only grew louder with his touch, her body's temperature suddenly igniting. Again she wanted to speak, but the words remained locked within her tongue. She couldn't stand these unspoken words so she tried to move again, only to stop with the next words that came from his mouth.
"It's good to see you," was all the young researcher could find himself to say.
"It is," she found the courage to face him once again. "I… I came here to see you."
"I'm glad," the words brought a small smile to his face. "By the way, I haven't had dinner yet, did you want to grab something to eat?"
Just the sound of food was often enough to make the Lord of Spirits salivate, but oddly enough, this time she did not want to take his offer. There was another reason why she came, a more important one she believed.
"No, actually, I…"
It wasn't like the Lord of Spirits to be at a loss for words. Normally she would say for the first thing that came to mind, but this time she wasn't sure how to express the illicit thoughts that she had repressed for so long. It had always been difficult to combat this urge, but somehow Milla always found the resolve to hold it back, but this time it was different. She wanted to touch him, to hold him; she just wanted to be with him. For the first time she found this desire to be too great, her body fully lunging into the unsuspecting researcher, pushing both of them to the floor.
"Milla, what are you-?!" her sudden actions caught him off guard.
The air in her lungs was growing with every breath and the atmosphere getting heavy. Her body was already soaked in her own perspiration as a strange warmth enveloped her body. She heard the beating in her chest beside her ears again as she stared into the amber pupils that looked into her own. Her eyes had locked themselves at the site of the young researcher, fixating on the curve of his lips. The very sight was making her feel even hotter, her own lips pushing themselves a top of hers in an attempt to block the rivers swimming in her mouth.
Despite this new sudden urge, Jude couldn't determine what had come over Milla. Unease began to envelop him, similar to the first time they met in Fennmont eleven years ago. His body was tense and his heart racing; thoughts he believed were lewd and disgraceful began racing through his head, his eyes caressing the view of her curves, neck and lips. As much as his conscience told him to stop thinking of these inappropriate things, another part of him was telling him to relish in them. As his thoughts continued to battle back and forth, the Lord of Spirits lunged once again, this time with her lips leaning forward.
"Wait!" the young researcher's voice quickly brought the two of them back to reality.
The sound of his voice quickly stopped the Lord of Spirits, pulling her head back an inch. Her body was burning again, but this time from another fire different from what she had felt seconds ago. Unlike what she was feeling just a few moments ago, now she felt like jumping into Efreet's flames or buried by Gnome's quakes.
"I… I'm sorry," she found herself apologizing. "I didn't mean to act so inappropriately. I was being selfish."
"No you weren't," he tried to assure her. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to do the same."
"Then why?"
Again he grew tense, unsure what to say. Jude had never been good at "taking advantage of the situation" as Alvin would put it in some of his letters. Not once could he find the way to properly express himself; he always waited for the perfect time to tell her how he truly felt, but there was always something holding back. Was it doubt, fear of rejection, or was he happy with the way things were between them? Regardless of the reason, he decided to follow Alvin's advice for once and "take advantage of the situation".
"Because I love you, that's why," Jude finally answered.
The air around her began to grow light again, lighter than Milla had ever experienced even when flying through the skies with Sylph. Her body still felt hot, more so now than ever. His very touch would only calm and cool these fires, but why he had not acted in such a manner, Milla wanted to know.
"Then why stop me?" she questioned.
"I'd only be cheating myself if you didn't feel the same way," he regretfully answered. "Love is supposed to be selfless, and the acting of making it is supposed to be the physical embodiment of that feeling. Milla, if you don't feel the same way, then there's no way we could do this without one of us getting hurt."
Love, just what did the Lord of Spirits know about love? True she had felt a wide variety of emotions when traveling together with Jude in the others during their adventures ten years ago, but love was still something foreign to her. Even the books she read on the subject were hazy it best when it came to how it felt, but regardless, there was no doubt in her mind of the emotion she was feeling that very moment.
"Jude, I… I love you too."
Before another word could be spoke, the Lord of Spirits pressed forward once again, this time only stopping the moment her lips met his. Another fire burst within the two of them, one that none of Milla's books could ever begin to describe. Jude relished in the press of her soft lips, tasting every inch of their surface where their mouths met. He had only dreamed of this moment, but to finally experience it was beyond anything he had ever imagined. He pulled her closer to him, pressing her body against his to ignite their passion further.
For the first time she gave him no resistance, sinking deeper into their kiss as her breasts met with his chest. Despite still being clothed, a soft moan escaped between her breaths, her body growing ever more hot as continued their mouth's caress. For a mere second she pulled back from their embrace to express the soft pitch of her pleasure, only to have her cry deafened by his mouth again as he pressed forward.
Again and again this waltz continued, the beats of their hearts growing closer in sync with every kiss. In time the fires had reached their peak, the two of them now breathing heavily and their hearts as heavy as ever. She laid beside him as they caught their breaths, yet their hands did not part from one another. Many thoughts raced through Milla's head as she lay there, so many thoughts she couldn't express if she were to speak them. If there was a way to try and summarize what she was feeling, it would be this:
'So this is love,' she thought.
Yet despite the awakened passion in her heart, another part of her was scolding her. This part of her was telling her stop, that the Lord of Spirits can have no room for sentiment. Her life was dedicated to the realms of spirits and humans, she couldn't just have love for just one man. A spirit is bound by their duty and purpose, there should be room for nothing else. Family, friends, and especially love, such things were not fit for the Lord of Spirits; they are only hindrances in protecting the human and spirit realms.
For the first time however, she decided to ignore her conscience, ignoring her mission; more, she only wanted more of her heart's desire.
"Jude…," she turned to him once more.
"Milla?"
She knew this was her last chance to turn back, her last chance of returning to her duty as if nothing had ever happened. The chance to become human once again, she had abandoned that choice eleven years ago when she took up the role of Maxwell, but the opportunity had risen once again. For one night, she thought, for one night perhaps she could live like a human, and so, without regret, she spoke her next words.
"Make love to me," she said in barely a whisper.
A sudden jolt erupted throughout Jude's entire body. The lewd thoughts he had imagined and dreamt quickly jumped forward; for the first time he wasn't ashamed of these things, he knew now without any doubts that she had wanted the same thing.
Yet he still couldn't act. Despite his vivid imagination, acting upon these thoughts was definitely different than thinking of them. Uneasiness was starting overwhelm him, but then he noticed the Lord of Spirits before him, whose face was red with embarrassment, filled with the exact same thoughts that were racing through his own mind.
"Milla?" his hand fell on her shoulder.
"Jude… Can I ask one last thing?" the Lord of Spirits coyly asked.
"Anything."
"…Be gentle…"
The sound of the fledglings was the first sound to greet Jude that morning, the morning sun blinding him the moment he began to open his eyes. As he sat up from his mattress, he felt a slight tug on his hand. Turning to the source, he found the Lord of Spirits, naked, lying next to him. He couldn't help but smile as the events from last night flashed through his head. Finally, after the eleven years that he had known her, he found the courage to his express his love both verbally and physically.
Yet the young researcher didn't have any time to reminisce, his body going into a slight panic as his eyes turned to the clock on the far side of his apartment. Hurriedly, Jude got out of bed and began rummaging through his closet, picking out the first set of clothes he could find that looked the least bit dirty. And yet amidst all the chaos, everything calmed down again with the sound of her voice.
"Good morning," the Lord of Spirits yawned, pushing away the sheets to reveal her bare form to him once again.
"Good morning, Milla," Jude greeted as he stood half-dressed.
"I was thinking about last night…"
"Thinking about what?"
Her conscience began to scold Milla once again. She thought she could simply resign herself to one night of bliss and return to her duties as Maxwell, but after last night, she knew that would be impossible. The fires of passion, the ecstasy of pure bliss, and the feeling of becoming one, it was nothing Milla could have ever imagined it to be. Love, it was like a drug, an addiction she could not live without now. Giving into her heart instead of her duty, she ignored her conscience again and spoke.
"…can we do this again, everyday?" she asked.
"What about your duties as Maxwell?"
Milla didn't suspect that Jude would play the part of her conscience. For a moment the thought tugged at her heart, turning her attention to the mattress below her as the guilt of last night bore on her shoulder. She began to think maybe last night was a mistake, that maybe she should have listened to the Four, but her doubts apprehension quickly disappeared as she found his hand on her cheek once again. She looked up and saw the young researcher smile, and that was enough to reassure her that she had made the right choice.
"We can do this again whenever you like," Jude smiled.
"Then how about tonight?" the Lord of Spirits beamed.
"Of course, I can pick up dinner too before I come home. Is there anything you want?"
"I'd like a hamburger and french fries," Milla quickly answered.
"A hamburger and french fries?" Jude questioned.
"And a sundae… Walnuts…," she added.
Jude couldn't help but smile at the Lord of Spirits' innocence as she spoke. Despite being sick of burgers himself, he was more than happy to comply with the Lord of Spirits' request. He walked over to her again, bringing his lips to hers for a brief second. For the first time in years he didn't want to leave his home, he just wanted to stay here, with her.
"I'll see you tonight then?" he asked.
"Of course," she nodded. "Wait, Jude," Milla stopped him before he could walk out the door.
Walking over to him, she then took hold of the two halves of his shirt, buttoning them together until just below his collar. Taking a few more seconds, she then folded the creases of his lab coat to make it look as neat as possible, brushing away any signs of lint she saw in the process as well. Just like the first time they met, she was treating him like a child, this time tidying up his appearance before he left home instead of cuddling him. Still, he appreciated the gesture and definitely wasn't one to complain.
"There, that's better," the Lord of Spirits smiled after tucking in the young researcher's shirt.
"Thanks," Jude smiled, giving her another kiss after. "I'll be home as soon as I can."
"I'll see you later then," Milla said as her lover shut the door behind him.
'Tonight,' she thought to herself. 'I can hardly wait…'
In many myths and legends, the Land of Canaan was described as a land abundant with magic and prosperity, that it was a place that can grant anyone's wish. Many explorers had spent their entire lives to seek this wondrous place, but to the very few that had found their way to this land, the reality was anything but magical. There were no luscious plains, there were no cloudless skies, there was only emptiness wherever your eye could see.
It was only ten years ago when the Land of Canaan had its last visitors, and back then the entire setting was filled with miasma and fractured footing. Now however, the Land of Canaan was virtually empty, the miasma reset and the purification of souls uninhibited once more. Ludger Will Kresnik's sacrifice was the key to saving to saving his world, but at the same time, and without his or his companions' knowledge, it was the key to sealing his world's fate…
"The time has come once again, has it not?" the silhouette of a white figure asked as he and another hovered within the empty space.
"It has," the darker silhouette nodded. "May I ask you a question, Origin?"
"You may, Chronos."
"When you offered to displace the miasma ten years ago, it was simply so that you can prepare for this moment, am I correct?" the Primordial Spirit of Time questioned.
"All things in existence must follow a cycle, and this is no exception," Origin admitted. "Even we have but no choice to play our part in such events."
"I know…," Chornos nodded. "Even Primordial Spirits such as ourselves must abide by the will of the universe."
"And yet humans are willing to try and go against that will," the child-like spirit smiled. "Throughout history, there have always been humans willing to stand against the impossible and still emerge victorious. Do you think that for the first time, humans will finally claim victory upon the events that will befall them soon?"
"We shall see, old friend. We shall see…"
Skit: Bazongas 101
Milla: Hm…
Jude: What is it?
Milla: I just remembered something you said about eleven years ago.
Jude: What is it?
Milla: If I recall correctly, you once yelled 'Teach me about bazongas!' at the top of your lungs. I believe you must have been going through puberty at that time.
Jude: …oh yeah, that…
Milla: So Jude, what have you learned?
Jude: Learned about what?
Milla: About bazongas?
Jude: Uh, …well, I…, uh…
Milla: (giggles) Don't worry. I'll teach you all you want to know.
Jude: Huh, what the? Milla!
Milla: So, shall we get started? We're going to keep going until you get this right…
Author's Note: With Origin and Chronos' little scene, we get a sense of events of what is to come. Without giving away too much, I can say that the events of past Tales games will be alluded to, although it won't be necessary to have played those games to understand the events that occur in this story (with the exception of Tales of Xillia and Tales of Xillia 2).
As I stated in the original Chapter 1, don't expect Milla and Jude's relationship to be all fine and dandy throughout the story though, this is a drama after all. Complications will arise, and not just outside factors, but their own insecurities and emotions as well. With the rewrite however, the drama was postponed for a later chapter and under different circumstances.
For those interested in the uncut version of this chapter, please feel free to go to my blog (the URL is in my author profile). All uncut chapters (and the original chapters of the story before the rewrite) will be posted on the blog whether it's due to sexual content or more explicit violence.
Anyway, please feel free to leave a review if you like; constructive criticism is welcome.