Mahora Academy, November 2003, Library Island Gazebo
Always like this. Every practice session was like this.
Hard work and little reward.
Nodoka knew how to do it, she had studied this for weeks, and Yue had given her tips, and Konoka was very helpful in giving a little boost.
But when it really came down to it… Nodoka was just pathetic with casting magic.
Sigh. Same routine, same result. She had to be alone for a while. As much as she didn't like the praising whenever they thought she was awesome… she didn't like those hidden looks of pity, either. They were all so amazing themselves and yet, she was falling behind.
Out of everyone in their group who's practicing magic, why did it have to be her who's falling behind all the time?
She heard dragging feet behind her. Asuna dragged Negi over to where Nodoka was, plumped him in front of her, gestured to Nodoka, and then wandered off. The two of them kinda stared at each other for a moment, then…
"Um… I heard that you had some trouble, Nodoka-san?" Negi asked.
"You did, Sensei?"
"Well, Yue-san told Konoka-san, Konoka-san told me, and Asuna-san…"
"Okay," Nodoka nodded. "I get it." She turned away to look out at the lake. "I'm just a bit frustrated. Everyone else out there is amazing. Konoka is so gifted with her healing. I can't help but admire Yue for her dedication and talent. She's way better than me and we practice together all the time. Makie-chan is great with her skill and it comes so well for her. Ako is learning from Konoka and making good progress herself. And Yuuna-san is getting tips from her dad." She had to stop for a moment. "They're all amazing when they are practicing magic. It's just…"
"You want to be as amazing as them," Negi concluded. She shyly nodded. She let her bangs hide her eyes. She hated to let him see her cry. Negi simply sat down next to her, and she noticed that. "Nodoka-san, you don't have to have great talent with magic to be amazing. You have already outdone yourself many times."
"I just… I…" Nodoka couldn't find the words. "...I really need to get better at this."
Negi didn't say anything in response. Instead, he moved his seat opposite her and said, "Hey."
Nodoka looked at him, one eye still hidden behind the bangs.
"You want to hear something interesting, Nodoka-san?" He asked.
"Eh?"
"I had a classmate. Nicholas Miles. He was the third-highest of our group that graduated. He also fulfilled the standard seven-year course, so he's older than me. Most of us wizards haven't got the same power as Anya and I do. Nicholas was one of them. All the teachers said that when he enrolled, he didn't have much talent for magic, either. He didn't let that hinder him. He threw himself into his studies.
"Nicholas and I didn't interact much, but we would wish each other luck on the exams every time. He never expected to be the highest, but he was determined to make his mark. He earned his grades and was by far one of the best the school had seen."
"...Haiii?" Nodoka didn't get the lecture from that.
"Nodoka-san, you have been practicing for less than a year. It doesn't come as fast to everyone like Yue-san or Konoka-san, but it comes for everyone who doesn't quit. It's never been about talent or knowledge but dedication. And you and Nick had the same talent level when you first started. Give it one more year, and you'll be amazing. Not that you're not already amazing as you are now, though."
That was Sensei for her. That's the boy she fell for. In both meanings of the word. Nodoka couldn't help but smile at him. Right up until they remembered they were alone.
"Well, uh… I better get started again. Not gonna quit until I shoot three arrows."
Negi chuckled. "Okay, I'll help you. Let's see how you fare right now."
And the two of them had a private tutoring session until Nodoka could shoot three arrows without issue.
It was a real shame that was just a dream. Maddie woke up in a dark place. Wait… she woke up in a familiar place.
The roof was that of the… cottage? She's back in the cottage? And she was on her bed?
"Ah, good to see you're awake," said Balthazar. The great warforged was tending to the fireplace, roasting the last of the boar meat she had saved. Opposite him was Romavax, cleaning out the gun Maddie had used and inspecting it at the same time.
"I see you found my ribs," Maddie said, gesturing to the meat.
"Saving them for last?"
"Yes, part of a little private celebration for lasting this long." Maddie sat up on the bed. "Hey, where did master Stormwind go?"
"She went back to the university," Romavax explained. "Wanted to take you with, on account that someone was watching."
Maddie froze. Someone had been watching them? Watching her? For a diviner, "watching" meant something different than what most others thought of when they heard the same word. "W-w-wa-watching?"
"Yes, something… she wouldn't say what exactly. But then she "poked it in the eye", her words, and it stopped. I think it backed off from that. Anyway, she insisted on you coming back to the university, but I managed to talk her down. Final days and all. But she made me stay behind, just in case. Besides, she did this thing where she made a copy of you and brought that with her…?"
"Brigitte, you're not doing a good job explaining," said Balthazar while sprinkling salt over the ribs.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I just don't have the same education as you. I try my best to comprehend magic, but how you wizards bend the arcane energies is beyond me. Some things I will never understand," Romavax defended herself.
At this point, the stomachs started grumbling. They had felt the smell of boar meat in the air, and they demanded to refuel. "Errr, can we just sit and eat?" Maddie asked. "I'm not in the mood for hearing arguments right now."
Romavax blushed herself and said, "Yeah, okay. Bad form on an empty stomach is not good."
They ate. And Maddie found that Balthazar was an excellent cook. He had carried with him spices she didn't have in the cottage. The taste of nutmeg was present. And oregano, too. Good god, he had even gotten butter of all things. It was… sensational.
Madivh could never have pulled off this kind of cooking with merely spare ribs and salt.
"And Do'Urden?" She finally asked.
"Went back to Mithral Hall," Balthazar replied. "His business was concluded, so now he returns home to his home and family."
Hah. Maddie always found the idea of a dark elf living among dwarves amusing. But then she thought of something else. "What of the-"
"The one you killed? He's outside. Or, what's left of him is outside."
Maddie wasted no time. She headed out to see the corpse, still clad in armor, lying beside the ruins of the watchtower. His sword lay beside him, and he still had his rings on.
"Well," Maddie muttered softly, "to the victor… the spoils."
Looting a corpse of its items and valuables back home on Earth was considered a heinous crime. Personal items were left alone, and any who took them off a corpse could find themselves on the wrong side of a trial.
Of course, looting corpses was encouraged on Toril, in Faerûn, which - with the various factions, races, city-states, and kingdoms - were in a consistent war economy. Maddie was horrified the first time it happened, but after a while, it was eventually settled in her mind as "recycling." Honestly, it was not the best term to use, but it was close enough. And recycling was good for society. Oh god, she better get on with this.
Rather than using leather strips, Maddie found that the breastplate had small locking mechanisms, like latches on a wagon. Made for a large man, this adamantine breastplate was too large for her. But she was going to keep it, anyways. Adamantine was rare and expensive. If nothing else, she could melt it down and have the metal made into something else.
His arming jacket underneath, though, was something else. And from a designer's viewpoint, it was beautiful. The whole jacket extended down to his knees and had a zipper of all things. The torso section of the jacket was well-woven cloth, but the arms were covered with mail rings linked together tightly. Although in fairness, the jacket was to be covered by the breastplate but could do its job on its own quite well in a pinch. The whole jacket was an expensive kit by itself.
What Maddie found really interesting was the scabbard for the guy's sword. The sword was also interesting, but the scabbard was designed to be worn on the back. Made from a single piece of leather, it had a slit along the edge, allowing a quick and easy draw for the sword. In addition, it had an extension of rigid leather at the top, allowing the wearer to find the scabbard again and put the sword back with minimal issue. All it took was a bit of practice.
Then the bandolier it came with. It held three wands and a chime. And there was room for more wands. Maddie probably would use it. Or have it as inspiration in case she ever got new gear.
This guy certainly came prepared. He even had one of those knaversacks that get you what you need. That could come in handy.
But the big shock came when she managed to get his torso bare. "Dude, no way," she said out loud. "This guy had tattoos."
"What?" Romavax said and came up close. "Tattoos?"
Balthazar came up close and examined them. "Magic tattoos," he confirmed.
"I heard something about tattoo artists able to make magic ones," Maddie said.
"Yeah, but the ones I've seen were mainly one-time-only," said Romavax. "Did someone make these permanent?"
Maddie already knew who did: Vlaakith.
Balthazar looked further. "That one's Mage Armor. That one is Feather Fall."
"Makes sense. I mean, he was flying a dragon."
"This one is Alter Self," the warforged continued. "This one's Endure Elements and this… um… I don't know this one."
"It's a bad sign when the archmage can't work it out," Romavax commented.
"I said I didn't know this one," Balthazar countered. "Not the same as not being able to work it out." He put a finger on the tattoo and made it glow. "Ah. Prestidigitation."
The two women shared a look that said, "of course."
And then Maddie noticed the rings. The one on the right hand was a simple silver band with a carnelian stone. The one on the left hand was a golden ring with a dark blue shield ornament. "Hm," she hummed, slipping the rings off. She put the first one on, using a cantrip to get them clean. It was wider than her finger, so it was just hanging on there. She found it best worked when she slid it onto her thumb. "There we go."
"You know what it does?"
"I remember…" she pointed the stone as best she could at a tree and said, "Jaculetur."
By command, a silver bolt of energy shot forward and hit the tree.
"Yes, it's a ring of Magic Missile."
"I assume then, by process of examination, the other ring is one of protection," said Balthazar. "A good combination. This person was well equipped."
"Which leaves," Maddie kicked the sword lightly. "This."
Romavax picked it up and put on her goggles from that time in the castle. "Hmm… from what I can tell from this, is that it negates magic. Specifically offensive magic. It's been- oh. Now that is interesting."
"What is?"
"It's blood magic. Highly rare and so old, it's barely considered magic these days. But to put it simply, whoever made this used the blood of someone who is not only naturally immune to magic but also has a selective immunity to it, and that blood has been tempered within the blade itself so that it won't dissipate over time."
The two wizards shared a look. Maddie shrugged. "You're confident about that?"
"Positive," Romavax said, removing her goggles. "This sword might just be the most powerful anti-mage sword in current existence. Now, if only I could figure out what kind of sword it is…"
"It's a Warbrand," Balthazar supplied. "Or faussart, I can no longer remember which it is these days. It's a cousin to the longsword, a sort of two-handed falchion."
"Sounds an awful lot like a katana or a naginata," Maddie chimed in.
"Yes. Like those, except they don't do that "two metals in the blade to make it stronger" and all that."
Romavax blinked at them both. "You two have a remarkably astute assessment of swords."
Balthazar simply shrugged. "Experience."
Maddie just crossed her arms. "People come at me all the time with swords. So I started trying to catalog what kind of swords they come at me with. It's like a hobby, except it's not for fun."
Romavax blinked at Maddie. Then put the sword back in the scabbard. "Anyway… the scabbard is one of those magic scabbards that enhance the edge."
"Oh, it's one of those?" Maddie asked. "I heard they also change shape in accordance with the blade they holster."
"They do." To prove it, Romavax had brought with her Maddie's adamantine sword and put it in. The scabbard automatically shifted to fit an arming sword and the bandolier with it to serve as a sword belt rather than a bandolier for a back scabbard. "Not bad, eh?"
"Whoa."
All in all, Maddie had had a terrific haul of goods and items to play with. "Well, this is all nice and all, but I have had a long day, and I gotta prep my spells for tomorrow."
"No worries," said Balthazar. "We are here, and we will stay until your relief comes."
"No one's gonna catch us off-guard," Romavax confirmed, and they went inside.
"Oh hey, what about the gun he had?" Maddie suddenly asked Romavax.
"Oh. Turns out he had two."
Day 10
After everything that happened, and having done the chores for one final time, Maddie took the headless body with her out on the steppe. Having an archmage around to help make a cart out of the trees through magic was awesome.
She had wrapped the body up as best she could. The body was dressed in the simple clothes he had worn under the armor, and the arms were crossed to resemble the pose of an Egyptian Pharaoh. All wrapped up in a thin layer of linen cloth.
Maddie insisted on going alone with this. It felt right. And she had that protection spell on her so Vlaakith couldn't see her. She pulled the cart on her own and reached a hill overlooking the steppe horizon.
Now the steppe was teeming with life. There were small herds of boar, deer, wild sheep, and one herd of mammoths. The mammoths were drinking from the local water source. The sheep were grazing, and the boars were running freely across. And in the distance, Maddie could hear the howling of wolves. Yes, this was a good site.
"Off you go," she said and slid the body off the cart. Blood was flowing again. Part of what was going on. "Well, I tried to burn you, but it didn't work, and I didn't feel like digging. So here you go. A Tibetan Sky Burial. You'll either decompose or be eaten by the wildlife."
Above her, large birds were gathering. Probably vultures. They never could resist the smell of carrion. "I better get going. I have an appointment. As for you… I can't really say I'm sorry. But this is way better than what you would have gotten back with… Her."
And with that, she headed back to the cottage.
Coming back, she heard laughter coming from inside, and there were three voices. Balthazar, Romavax, and…
The laughter stopped, and Evangelie McDowell stepped out. She wore simple drow clothing that covered her whole body for once. Most drow clothing left little to the imagination of many an adult, single man. She gave Maddie a simple nod. Maddie nodded back and held up all her fingers. Ten. Ten days out in the wild.
Eva simply smirked and threw her Pactio card at her. Maddie caught it and felt that same sensation as before. This time, it felt more than familiar or comforting.
It felt good.
"Adeat."
Nodoka was back in action. And she summoned not just her own book. She summoned them all. She revealed all the books that were there on her card, and they all appeared before her. Along with that came her treasure hunter outfit. It felt a little outdated, to be honest, but it felt good actually to wear it again. Good thing you could register more than one outfit.
After a few moments, she dismissed the books again but kept the outfit.
"I was actually planning on dropping by tomorrow, but then you went and killed a dragon yesterday," Eva commented. "So you could say time off for good behavior."
Maddie sighed in frustration. "Is it really all just a game to you?"
"No. I've just been around death for so long it bores me." Balthazar and Romavax came out of the cottage. "Though I gotta say, your deed let me have a chat with these two. I think that when you and I are done, I might spend some more time here in Faerûn. So much to learn and a lot more fun to be had. Might even enroll at the university for a round."
"Yeah, sounds great and all, but maybe we should focus on one thing at a time, Eva-chan?" Maddie asked. "It's been a long tenday. I have aches and sores everywhere, I have been chased by lindwurms, I killed another vampire, took his castle and fortune for myself, been chased by Vlaakith's minions (finally) and I just went and buried the guy supposed to bring me to that lich."
"Really? How?"
"Tibetan Sky Burial."
"Oh. Didn't think you had it in you."
"It was either that, or I'd run myself exhausted just to make a hole and then make myself exhausted again just to fill in the hole."
"I can tell already you two are close friends," Romavax commented.
"We're not," Eva countered.
"We're what one would call close acquaintances," Maddie supplemented.
"Though we have known each other for years."
"And now she's officially my instructor."
"She learned mostly on the sidelines, now it's a full-time gig."
Balthazar nodded in approval. "Our job is complete, then. Brigitte and I shall be heading back. And you two?"
"Oh yes," said Eva with a smile. "Back to Menzoberranza, Honya-chan?"
"Wait, where?" Romavax asked.
"Actually, there is one place I'd like to go before we head back for real."
"This place has a swear box. Why does a temple dedicated to a god of healing and kindness have a swear box?" Evangeline asked as she inspected the swear box with its instructions:
Bastard: 1 cp
Damn: 1 cp
Crap: 5 cp
Shit: 1 sp
Bitch: 1 sp
Son of a bitch: 5 sp or 1 ep
Fuck: 1 gp
Cunt: 1 pp
"'Intended for the widows and orphans of war fund'," she read at the bottom. "What is a pee-pee?" She muttered.
"What do you mean you can't take it back?" Maddie asked the priest.
"I'm sorry, miss, but it is attuned," the priest replied, regarding the sword on the altar. "It is a great relief to know Dawnbringer has been found, but we cannot take the blade back. It binds for life."
"Is there any way to detune?" Maddie asked. "I appreciate the blade and all, but I think it would be better used in Lathander's name."
"A generous offer," said the priest, "but the blade will not remove itself
"You knew all along, didn't you, DB?" Maddie asked the sword.
"I told you, we are bound," said Dawnbringer. "I serve for life. Only death can undo the bond between us."
Maddie facepalmed. "Great, I'm stuck with a talking fantasy-esque lightsaber for the rest of my life."
"Also, Deebie?"
"Since I'm stuck with you, I might as well. Can't call you Dawnbringer all the time. Too long at times, and we're going to know each for a long time."
"I'm truly sorry about this," the priest lamented, clasping his hands. Maddie nodded thanks to him, took Dawnbringer with her, and returned to Evangeline.
"No luck?"
"No," said Maddie. "I'm stuck with the sword until I die."
"Well, that's one suggestion."
"No, I'm not gonna get myself killed and resurrected."
"I wasn't gonna say that."
"Sure you weren't."
"But now that you mention it…"
Maddie sighed in frustration again. "So now what?"
"Well, you passed the test with spectacular colors. Now, we get to the fun part."
"And what is that? You flailing me around like a rag doll and expect me actually to learn something from it?"
"No, I'm gonna take it gently with you, for once, Honya-chan," Eva said, a statement markedly different from her usual behavior. "You're not fully cut out for the action as I had with Boya, but you got the full-on practice ahead of you, and you got the brains, so we're gonna capitalize on that. By the time we're done, in… oooh, what was it, four years? In four years' time, you're gonna be an amazing mid-level boss of evil."
Maddie stopped. "What."
"Yes, you're gonna be quite the marvel for one of your level. Four years to harness you into the mid-level boss you're meant to be. Sure, it might take a few hard knocks here and there, but I'm sure you can-"
"No."
Evangeline stopped talking and looked straight at Maddie's face. "I'm sorry, what?"
"No. No, no, nononono. NO." Maddie deposited a platinum coin in the swear box. "Fuck that. Make me That One Boss."
"Ohhhh, Platinum Piece, that was the pee-pee…" And then Eva blinked at her. "That One Boss?"
"That One Boss."
"The one that makes players rage-quit in genuine frustration?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I didn't go through hell and back, I didn't lose my eyesight, my right arm, my home, family and friends, and I didn't go kill a-" She stopped to check with the priest who watched the whole thing unravel before him with a smirk.
"Nine more times," He told her.
"And I didn't go kill a fucking red dragon and his jagg-off rider just to be demoted down to a fucking mid-level boss. If you're gonna be my instructor, Eva-chan, then you're gonna do it right.
"I'm gonna be the worst nightmare out there. I'm gonna be the foe they wish they never got. They will throw everything at me in the hopes of winning. They're gonna toss everything, from the great war machines to the heavy cavalry, to the massed legions of infantry, right down to that one kitchen sink nobody ever uses, and they're gonna do all that. Just. To kill. Me. And they're going to fail."
"Oddly specific," Eva pointed out.
"Because Madivh Samasal has come to town, and she's gonna fuck up their shit-"
"Silver," the priest interrupted.
Klink!
"Carry on."
"And it's not going to be half-donkeyed fucked up, either. And you, Evangeline Athanasia Katherine McDowell, will be the witch who made it possible. By not fucking it up."
Eva just stood there, blinking. Then she started to chuckle. Which turned into laughter. Which turned to full-on wheezing and laughter at high volume. And it persisted for two minutes.
The priest merely watched in silence. Maddie waited until Eva calmed down and looked back at her. "Oh my god, you're actually serious."
"I don't exactly have the luxury of trusting everyone anymore, Eva-chan. All I have are you and my master. And Master doesn't have the right mindset to be trustful, himself." Maddie knelt down before Evangeline and looked her in the eye. "So… can you make me into That Boss… or can you not?"
Eva stared back. And then she smiled. "Don't know for sure, but I will try. And do my best at it." Then she started for the exit. "Right! We have stayed long enough. Let's head back to your vicious master."
The priest wished them luck and waved them farewell as they left. Then He chuffed to Himself, having seen the new girl that had made such head waves among His fellow peers.
"Goodness Me, I can see why Everyone Else are in such tizzies over her. I think I might like her."
Menzoberranzan, Narbondellyn, Castle Baenre
After the events of her discovery of 'Plan B', it was safe to assume that Maddie was not going to have a pleasant welcome back at Castle Baenre. In truth, it seemed to be a welcome at all, barely. She was acknowledged as returned and with them again, but no one called out to her, nor did they seem pleased.
The only one who was actually expecting her was her master, Gromph Baenre.
The debrief went fine. Maddie was honest about her exploits, didn't leave much out, and clarified when asked. Eva merely nodded her head in confirmation when he looked her way.
Of course, the great downside was… she had to show him the stuff she had taken in her adventure, including the Lamp.
He merely stroked it gently as he stood before her. "All in all, Miyazaki, not a bad start on your road to triumph," he said at last.
"Thank you, Master," she said in return, bowing her head. She loathed the fact he was holding it for his own inspection.
"I trust there are no complaints now, McDowell?" He asked.
"Nope," said Eva. "I'm content. Honya-chan can handle what we have in store for her. Practically ordered me to."
"Did she?" Gromph asked. "Well… that is highly, what's the word to use here… satisfying, I believe will do."
"Mmmmaster?" Maddie asked.
"Since you are set to becoming this… One Boss, as you described it, this opens up some options," he explained, putting the Lamp aside. "And it lets us… off the leash, so to speak."
And then Maddie got slammed into the floor without warning. And was kept there. Wha!? HOW?!
"You didn't think I was spending this past tenday with McDowell rolling my thumbs, did you?" He asked, standing over her and increasing the pressure. "You will endure this pain, Miyazaki Nodoka. You will endure suffering, pain, and torment. We will hurt you. Break you. Tear you down inside and out."
Maddie couldn't speak; the pressure was too strong.
"Easy now, Baenre," Eva warned him, "we don't want her broken too badly."
"Indeed," he commented and released the pressure. Maddie took the time to catch her breath. "Not to worry, though. You shall be alive throughout this. Begging for release but not receiving it. Looking for a way out but not shown the way. No… you're going to find it yourself.
"That's the bargain now. You will endure torment, pain, and suffering. And in your endurance… you will grow strong. And you signed on for this. No taking it back now." Then he put his finger to his ear and turned the ear to her, waiting for a response from her.
All she could do was suck it up and hiss it out. "Yes… Master."
He smiled. She always found that disturbing because it was not out of joy when he did. "Good. Now," he said, picking the Lamp up again. "I don't deny that you have earned this through Right of Conquest, along with all your other spoils… but this? Stays with me until our time is up. And I intend to use it. Both for me… and for you. And this is a good opportunity."
"W-w-w-w-w-what do you mean?"
"Well, if we're going to make you the one they will throw everything at, then it's for the best we make some… alterations to you." He began stroking the Lamp, and sand dust started pouring out.
Eep.
Among the standing family members of House Baenre, the servants liked the human girl the most for not being a backstabbing, abusive, and outright impulsive member of the First House.
When they heard that she had come back, they had taken the effort (with grudging permission from the Matron, of course) to put together a little something extra for her.
And then she came back to her room.
"-ucking, fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking…"
This was not what they expected, and when she passed them by, she had this look of trembling fury and a twitching eye. Not helping was this smoke of steam emanating from her mouth.
All the servants stepped quickly out of her way as she went to her chambers. She slammed the door behind her.
Inside was the same serving girl who had brought her every meal she requested to her room. She was holding a tray and shaking in place, alone with a severely angry mistress. "Uh- um…"
"WHAT," said Maddie.
"W-w-w-we…" she gulped loudly and tried to stop her shaking. "We put together a little welcome back meal for you, Mistress. P-p-pl-please accept it a-a-a-a-an- please don't be mad at us."
Maddie glared at her, and then it dissipated. She facepalmed and turned so she wouldn't face the servant. "I'm… sorry. I'm not angry at any of you, I'm angry at others. My Master, my instructor… and myself. But right now might not be the best time. Just… leave it on the desk, then you can go."
The servant girl did as asked and then rushed out of the room. Even Gracknir wasn't here. Must be off in the kitchens, getting beaten for stealing food ingredients again.
Maddie collapsed on her bed. "Four more years of this hell. And I just had to go select Hard Mode."
Eventually, hunger kicked in, and Maddie resolved to eat her meal. They really had gone all out. All the good dishes served down here in the Underdark that she liked. They even had gotten her a slice of apple pie with freshly whipped cream. Now she just felt bad ruining their little special time.
Finishing her meal, she got an empty tome out. Back in university and as a pupil of Baenre, she always made a habit of purchasing tomes for spellbooks and other purposes books fulfilled. Of course, spellbooks were bloody expensive, even by current standards, and made of quality materials. Vellum was a very complex material to make, after all.
This was an empty tome. A simple bland, brown-bound tome with empty pages and no further embellishment. It was so cheap she bought it without knowing why.
Nodoka opened it to the first page and then made a quill appear with her right hand. The first alteration, thanks to what her master had done to her. Now to test it properly.
Without dipping her new quill in an inkwell, Nodoka ran it down the page, producing a long line of black ink from the tip by itself. She withdrew, and then using the quill's feather, she erased the inkline.
Erasable ink. Magic is really amazing.
Reassured with confidence, she decided to make a new habit and began to write in her new diary.
"As I begin writing this, I have come halfway on a journey that will test my limits. I will stumble, I will fall, and I cannot guarantee that this journey will end in my success or death. All I know is that I intend to see it through to the end, no matter the outcome.
"If someone else is reading this, then you have found the first of many journals I am going to write throughout my adventures, my travels, my turmoils, and my studies.
"I do not intend to brag, I do not mean to offend, and I do not intend to embellish. All I wish is to tell you my story.
"I am Nodoka Madivh Miyazaki Baenre Samasal, and this is the story of my life…"
A/N: Hooo-weeee! Boy, it feels good to get this done. Like old times. Anyhow, that is the end of Part 2 of Timeline I, the big multiverse story I am writing.
Now, if you have reached this point, you should know that by the time I write, there have been no new readers following my story. But I don't care. I'm not writing it for you or for someone I know. I'm writing it for me. I started with a big idea, it got out of hand, and now I need to make it right. I owe it to the characters I have separated from each other to ensure that they get together again. It's going to be a long journey for me but I intend to see it through. I hope you will come along on that journey.
Part 3 is in the works right now and it's going to be the next big story in Timeline I. You in?
