Alright. There it is. There's the ending.

Did you like it?

I'm imagining a lot of you did, and a lot of you didn't, and a lot of you are kind of in this "I don't know how to feel" Mindset. Theres probably a lot of you who are screaming at your screens calling me an asshole, too. Like, seriously? That's how he ends it? On that last sentence? What a dick.

Well, here's me pulling the curtain back a bit and giving you some behind the scenes on the story and my mindset writing it. This was my sad story. The one where I painted my nails black, pulled my hair over my eyes, put on asking Alexandria, and went full emo mode while I was writing it.

This was also the story where I wanted to experiment with music. Most of you all probably know Godless Land was based on Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen, so when I got done with that I though to myself "Hmm. What if every chapter was based on a song?" and got right to work. Which by the way, if you haven't already listened to the songs, please do. The lyrics in the songs are, in many ways, a reflection of the characters. A fun little game I made is you listen to the song, then try to figure out which character the lyrics apply to. It not nearly as easy as you'd think.

Speaking of characters, that's a good little segue to shift over to them. The characters.

Let's start with Zoe.

I'll be blunt here guys. Zoe was gonna die from the start. There's quite a few people here who are present in the discord servers I frequent and I'm pretty sure I've mentioned at least once or twice in my few A.N.s that this story was gonna be sad. A tragedy, even.

It was a tragedy, but it wasn't Percy's. It was Zoe's tragedy. Always was, from the very start.

That's one of the reasons I spent so much time on her and Percy. Why I really wrote my ass off trying to make the reader care about her, despite her flaws. I tried to make her a conflicting character, one who's too bad to love but too sympathetic to hate. One who you understand fully and can't make heads or tales of. One who wants one thing, but it's the only thing she can't have, so she does anything she can to have it.

That was the idea, but I also knew it wouldn't work if Percy wasn't written at an equal level.

Now Percy... man, where to start with him? How about the inner monologues, those were fun. From the start I always wanted Percy to be this worn down character. A man out of time just barely clinging to humanity. Someone who's seen too much for too long and has nowhere to find refuge but his own mind. The story is really about the two of them, a break up story thats meant to feel like shit while it happens, so I knew I needed to do right by them, but him especially.

I wanted him to be a monument of conflict. Both with himself and his own desires as well as with the morals of what he is, and what he chooses to be. Constantly doubting himself and unable to make sense of his standing in life. I felt it would make Zoe a much more fitting character in his life. It's like Brotaco said, they're foils. Both wanting love, but going about it in opposite ways.

I guess thats a good lead into the next part, recognition of the fans.

I'm gonna go through the comments (as of today) and reply to all of them, but I feel I need to start with an important bit of recognition for an important person, one that helped shape this story really early on and helped make it what it ended up being.

I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with CombatTombat. We're bros me and him and I think he's a person I can trust, especially when it comes to stories. Really early on, before I'd posted even a single chapter, I sent him the outline for this story. The chapter list and chapter breakdowns, that kind of shit. I asked him for feedback, and he gave me some great tips, and I'll be honest.

If it weren't for his advice? Zoe wouldn't have been half the character she ended up being. So thanks Tommy, here's me making sure you get that credit.

Anyways, acknowledgements. Here they are.

Helios: It's good to see you're still alive, broski. If you recall, I did make this story Percabeth (more or less) for you, So I'm hoping it scratched the itch so to speak. I'm hoping you enjoy what's next and I can slowly ween you away from percabeth as time goes on.

Who knows? Maybe the next one will shift you, or the one after that. Or maybe you'll shift me and I'll just become a percabeth writer. I've got a bunch of ideas, and while most of them are my OTP, I've got a couple that sway into other realms.

Robotdocter: Probably my most consistent reviewer to date. I really enjoyed the perspective you had on my story, and the insight you had concerning the characters. You were never afraid to say how you felt about characters and it was nice to see someone voicing the conflict I was hoping to cause with this story.

Brotaco: You're new, but I hope you stay. I won't lie here, I've probably read those two comments you left on chapter 18 at least a hundred times. When I read what you had to say it felt like you were were right next to me, listening to me talk out loud to myself about the themes of my story and were just writing down what I was thinking.

The jacket imagery, the nature of Percy and Zoe's relationship. Hell, from the very start I went into this saying "Vampirism will be a metaphor for abusive relationships." So when I read your comment that practically said what I was thinking, I was enthralled. You picked up on everything and, honestly, pointed out some things I hadn't even realized I'd done. It was a treat to have something that sweet said about my work.

If every comment was as well written as those two you left I think I'd die of happiness.

RandomRandomness12: I am so sorry. I know you're a perzoe guy, just like me, so I am so sorry.

On one hand I regret what I had to make you read, but on the other hand I'm a little maliciously self satisfied. I'm guessing that watching a perzoe fall apart wasn't fun for you (trust me, it wasn't fun to write either), but at the same time I think you probably had the emotions I wanted people to feel.

Deep, gut wrenching, sadness. If you felt that I'm sorry, but also thank you, if that makes sense.

Chekhovsfiringsquad: Nice name. You left one comment, and it was a good comment. I agree with what you said, regarding the whole hating thing. The worst thing a story can be is "For everyone". If your story is made for everyone, then it'll be special for no one.

OhSchist11: Howdy Howdy friendo.

I'm glad you liked this story. I know you discovered me through godless land (who hasn't, tbh?) and, like with most Godless land readers, I was a bit worried that this story would be too different from that for the most of you.

So imagine my surprise and gratitude when you enjoyed it.

You putting me in the your top 5 was unbelievably flattering, and your reviews were always those very personal, fun to read ones that make me feel like I'm doing something right, so thank you for all of them.

Ravensarrow: I won't lie, I thought you weren't gonna like this one.

You seemed like a pretty big fan of godless, so when I started seeing your comments I was worried they'd boil down to "What the hell is this depressing ass story?" But I was happy to see that you enjoyed the story I told and I thank you for sticking with it.

Drascus: You left some pretty flattering comments and you called the Thalia twist, so I give you props for catching my hints (which, by the way, if you the reader haven't spotted them already give the story another read. I left a bunch of them in there and it was really fun to plant seeds so to speak)

To address something you said, don't ever worry about me abandoning a story. I'm not that kind of guy and if I, for whatever reason, am unable to finish a story I'll probably hand it and the outline off to somebody I trust whon I know will do it justice.

Probably tombat. I'll tell him I'm dying so he writes it then hit him with that "Thanks sucka." When he's done.

Somerandomguy23: Well, well, well. Three holes in the ground.

Look who left but a single comment and nothing more?

No but really, you were always very active in discord, talking about my chapters when I posted them and sharing your theories that I loved to read. It was always nice hearing what you had to say and I thank you for your support. Which, speaking of, if you haven't already join both the emerald library discord and Tombats discord. I'm active in both and I'll always answer fan comments.

ASmellySmell: I'm not sure if you read the end of godless land or not but if you didn't and you just picked up on the near dark references on your own then Jesus christ in heaven thank you. This story was more or less my own, personal retelling of that movie so I'm happy there's another Katheryn Bigelow Stan in the world (Also, fuck you James Cameron. Your ex wife stole your Aliens actors for her movie and then, in 2008, won the Oscar you were nominated for. Get Uber trolled, idiot.)

Also, thank you for listening to the songs each chapter was named after.

Sneakyraccoon11: You were there from the start, and I both remember and appreciate that. You kept the comments concise, nice, and to the point. I loved reading them and I hope you stick around for what's next.

CharneX: You left quite a few comments, and just like with Brotaco, they said exactly what I wanted to hear. I think when you said "everyone is so understandable and it's frustrating." I closed my eyes and took a deep satisfied breath with a big 'ol smile.

Icecreamwithacap: Bonjour. J'ai regardé a ton profile et, a mon surpris, j'ai trouvée que tu est francais. Je ne sais pas comment tu a découvrir mon histoire, mais je te remercie pour tous les choses que vous a disez et j'espere que ce n'etait pas trop difficile de comprendre que'ce-que j'ai écrire Alex tous mes anglicismes. Ton excitement pour tous les nouveau chapitres est incroyable et j'espère que tu lisait mes autres histoire.

Aussi, je suis desolé pour mon terrible français. Treize années dans école francais et tout que je comprendre c'est comment de demander permission pour aller a la salle de toilette.

To anyone who doesn't speak french I just gave her the codes to the nukes, so count your days.

Hunter19941: You were also very involved in your comments. I appreciated everything you said, whether it was your theories or your opinions. They weren't forceful, nor did they feel like you were trying to backseat write, they were just well written, well stated comments, and I enjoyed them all.

Ladis11: Loved your frustration. The comment you left on chapter 11 (my personal favorite chapter) was especially fun to read. I was wringing my hands together and laughing to myself like an evil mastermind when I read that and I thank you for sticking around despite how much of a complete bastard I was with my writing.

PerzoeForever: That name alone warrants an apology from me. Then again, I guess they are perzoe forever now, huh? Poor Percy, you and your mirror relationship, battered husband syndrome, mental anguish infuses life.

Guest425: Thank you very much. One of the best writers on this site? Not yet. ;)

Dudududuhehe: You're da man, and are active in da discord, so I'll see you there da man.

LorenzoRLima: "First chap was BOOM" is not something I thought I'd ever read, but it was flattering nonetheless, so thank you.

Phantom fury JP: You had a few comments here and there, and from what I read you seemed to enjoy this, so thank you for that.

Now, the moment in sure a lot of you are waiting for. What's next?

I'll be honest here. What's next is probably a short break, followed by godless land part 2.

I really couldnt help myself with that one. Just about halfway through writing this story the idea for the sequel hit me like a kick in the teeth. I snapped awake, sat up in bed, and wrote the idea down before it could escape me.

I'll be a little more honest, I've already been writing it.

I'll be even more honest, I've already got 40 thousand words ready to go.

I'm not posting anything though, not until I'm at least halfway done. I wanna plan this out, get my story beats right, and avoid writing myself into a corner.

Again.

Now, that being said, I'm an indecisive bastard and a very fast writer. So for all you or I know one of my other ideas might take center stage and I'll just end up cranking it out instead.

That being said, assuming I stick to my guns, prepare yourself. If you thought Godless Land had new ideas you ain't seen nothing yet.

Alright, I think that's enough of me. Thank you all for reading and thank you for your support. I'll be hard at work soon and I'll see about getting the next thing out asap. See you all soon.

-Bronzeandsteel

P.S. I'll be writing an alternate ending to this story, so expect that at some point too.

P.P.S. Yes, there will be a sequel. With that ending? How couldn't there be.