EXEMPLAR: he was my eyes and my ears as i moved forward.
EXEMPLAR: eventually, he led me to another, similar to myself.
EXEMPLAR: her name was zekura.
EXEMPLAR: our souls worked in tandem for a long time, both of us sharing in the same goal — the same dream of the future.
EXEMPLAR: she knew far more than me, though.
EXEMPLAR: her mere presence commanded attention, and her words rang true and clear. she seemed, at times, filled with a wisdom as old as nature itself.
EXEMPLAR: and whenever i listened to her... i almost believed that claim.
EXEMPLAR: the two of us were bound, through the will of the stars and in diamonds.
EXEMPLAR: we walked every expanse of this planet, carefully plucking at the strings of fate. that was our part to play. our melody.
EXEMPLAR: we marked sacred walls with ancient knowledge, working at my mentor's behest.
EXEMPLAR: all for you. to make this world yours.
EXEMPLAR: we were meant to be together until the very end, when the time came for you to take our place.
EXEMPLAR: i would give up my position as the pure oneself and she would bind me to her blood. to this world.
EXEMPLAR: but that didn't happen.
EXEMPLAR: on the night she was to pass on her curse to me, a man ended his life.
EXEMPLAR: she told me that she had felt something, seen something i hadn't...
EXEMPLAR: and then she ran. not a word more.
EXEMPLAR: when i found her, she had already completed the ritual to mingle her blood with his.
EXEMPLAR: i could see the seal fresh on his arm, plain as day. mocking me.
EXEMPLAR: i was furious.
EXEMPLAR: she tried to explain herself, to tell me that it was right. that it was needed.
EXEMPLAR: i did not believe her. i still don't.
EXEMPLAR: and so, for the first time in my life, i lost the control i had so carefully cultivated.
EXEMPLAR: this part is... hazy.
EXEMPLAR: by the time i came to, they were gone.
EXEMPLAR: it is horrible to suddenly find yourself without purpose. abandoned by those you trusted most.
EXEMPLAR: the following blinks were difficult. zekura was an important figure to many, and i had no explanation or words of comfort to offer to those who she had left on a whim.
EXEMPLAR: but... eventually, i found solace in another. someone brave and driven.
EXEMPLAR: we both had our scars. he was proud of his, and he tried to help me be proud of mine.
EXEMPLAR: we became matesprits.
EXEMPLAR: later, our sources found that the pair of traitors had fled our encampment with aid. we were determined to find them. all of them.
EXEMPLAR: by the time we had started to make preparations, war struck.
EXEMPLAR: he... he told me to leave.
EXEMPLAR: ...
EXEMPLAR: he was killed in battle.
EXEMPLAR: it was noble, protecting the land he loved. but it was also in vain.
EXEMPLAR: after that, the world went dark. i was alone again.
EXEMPLAR: eventually, he led me to another, similar to myself.
EXEMPLAR: her name was zekura.
EXEMPLAR: our souls worked in tandem for a long time, both of us sharing in the same goal — the same dream of the future.
EXEMPLAR: she knew far more than me, though.
EXEMPLAR: her mere presence commanded attention, and her words rang true and clear. she seemed, at times, filled with a wisdom as old as nature itself.
EXEMPLAR: and whenever i listened to her... i almost believed that claim.
EXEMPLAR: the two of us were bound, through the will of the stars and in diamonds.
EXEMPLAR: we walked every expanse of this planet, carefully plucking at the strings of fate. that was our part to play. our melody.
EXEMPLAR: we marked sacred walls with ancient knowledge, working at my mentor's behest.
EXEMPLAR: all for you. to make this world yours.
EXEMPLAR: we were meant to be together until the very end, when the time came for you to take our place.
EXEMPLAR: i would give up my position as the pure oneself and she would bind me to her blood. to this world.
EXEMPLAR: but that didn't happen.
EXEMPLAR: on the night she was to pass on her curse to me, a man ended his life.
EXEMPLAR: she told me that she had felt something, seen something i hadn't...
EXEMPLAR: and then she ran. not a word more.
EXEMPLAR: when i found her, she had already completed the ritual to mingle her blood with his.
EXEMPLAR: i could see the seal fresh on his arm, plain as day. mocking me.
EXEMPLAR: i was furious.
EXEMPLAR: she tried to explain herself, to tell me that it was right. that it was needed.
EXEMPLAR: i did not believe her. i still don't.
EXEMPLAR: and so, for the first time in my life, i lost the control i had so carefully cultivated.
EXEMPLAR: this part is... hazy.
EXEMPLAR: by the time i came to, they were gone.
EXEMPLAR: it is horrible to suddenly find yourself without purpose. abandoned by those you trusted most.
EXEMPLAR: the following blinks were difficult. zekura was an important figure to many, and i had no explanation or words of comfort to offer to those who she had left on a whim.
EXEMPLAR: but... eventually, i found solace in another. someone brave and driven.
EXEMPLAR: we both had our scars. he was proud of his, and he tried to help me be proud of mine.
EXEMPLAR: we became matesprits.
EXEMPLAR: later, our sources found that the pair of traitors had fled our encampment with aid. we were determined to find them. all of them.
EXEMPLAR: by the time we had started to make preparations, war struck.
EXEMPLAR: he... he told me to leave.
EXEMPLAR: ...
EXEMPLAR: he was killed in battle.
EXEMPLAR: it was noble, protecting the land he loved. but it was also in vain.
EXEMPLAR: after that, the world went dark. i was alone again.