25.

*inhales deeply* ...... *exhales* ...Alright, let's get started.. I just hope I can write this in a way so that you all can understand... Hhhh, this is going to be a hard one.. I can tell already.

Finally finishes, seeing it is my longest chapter yet. Well, I guess that makes sense now doesn't it? XD

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><>2nd person POV<><

::: Previously: Shackles. Blades. Nightmares. Fear... They have haunted you. They have bound your past. They have kept you stuck in a place of inner torment. Well, they try, at least. For centuries, you have pushed through like a champ! Forgetting the events, detail by detail, until they have become nothing but a..nightmare. Perhaps, it is time you finally wake from this. Perhaps it is time you accomplish your goal, and truly, live in peace.

It has been a long journey. You have come so far. You have weeded all the bad throughout your time, preserving what good remains. You have successfully greatly injured Herobrine, who is likely still suffering silently because of it. You also have just recently poisoned Notch, who lay sickly in bed, awaiting his slow but guaranteed death. After all these years, all these centuries, all these rebirths, you are finally here: where you can ensure revenge on the wrongs of this world.

Only problem is.. Have you forgotten who you used to be?... Have you forgotten the events which set this entire thing into motion...? How much do you truly remember, about who you were meant to be?... :::

• • •

*piano music plays* XD

The trip is hardly a challenge for you, as you trek through both forest and valleys towards Afterwood, a city which you have been avoiding ever since it's creation eons ago. You hate that Herobrine has decided to attack this place, forcing you in to protect it. Nevertheless, you know what must be done, and apparently Afterwood is where that must be.

It is dark when your horse begins to shutter under you, whineying lowly, detecting potential danger. You look out, seeing some dark figures poking their heads from behind the trees curiously. They are only Illagers. They would have to be the stupidest, uncultured individuals, to actually strike you. But, just in case, you nudge your horse into a trot, keeping their curious gazes at a minimum. You can't take any chances and die because of it. You are nearing the city limits, and being reset would only mess up everything. Plus, it hurts.

After some further traveling, you find yourself in the presence of a well lit city street, surrounded by a bustling gathering of people. They should all be in bed sleeping. Why are so many in one place this late? You find a nearby stable, and give your horse over to a young girl who helps run the place, telling her she can have the horse permanently as long as she takes good care of her. The girl is confused, but apparently glad to finally have a horse of her own. You leave it as that, feeding your old horse one last carrot, before heading into the center of the madness. When you reach the center of a crowd-filled street, you see there are several in the very center up on a make-shift platform, wearing weary faces as they address the crowd.

"We are not lying! Herobrine is going to attack this city! We have already seen his scouts! They could attack at any minute!" One warns, but his face looks more like he is just trying to cause trouble than anything else. The second looks at everyone the same way; but the third. He looks genuinely worried.

"Oh, pish posh! Stop trying to scare everyone! We all know the Protector is watching over us! We don't need to worry about immortals ever attacking this city!" Someone in the crowd pipes up.

"But-the Protector died over a thousand years ago! Surely you guys don't believe it is still able to protect us!" The same worrier as before interjected.

"Then how would you explain the sword, hu!?" Another in the crowd came to back up the one who had spoken up prior. Oh.. it is one of these debates. You rarely care enough to listen most of the time, finding them more annoying by the generation. But, this "conversation" has a sense of tension to it. So, you continue standing in the center of the four-way street which had been blocked by people from all sides, and watch intently.

"Well what about the sword?! It just glows sometimes! Nothing great enough to defeat Herobrine! I swear by the Protector's name itself, we all need to just get out of here, FAST!" There were several scoffs from the audience.

"Oh please! What kind of moron would overlook such an important thing as the notches!?" The person from the crowd: a middle aged woman, who really seemed to like the idea of arguing, shouts out again. You can feel the two main shouters begin to heat up to a boil.

"-Ehheh. Sorry, mam. M-my friend here is relatively new here." The third of the three young men on the platform squeezes himself before the first, seemingly using himself as a human barrier between him and the angry woman. "You'll say sorry, right, Ian?" He continues with a subtle elbow directed to his friend's chest, gritting his teeth as he attempts to hide his anger towards him. The first, however, sucks up his humbleness, and steps down from the platform towards the older lady.

"You dare call me a moron you endermite?!" He stomps, thankfully keeping enough decency in him to not start a physical fight. The crowd rightfully so reacts negatively, and the other two hop down to control their short tempered friend. The older woman was the only one to act in the same way as the tempered man, mentally rolling up her sleeves as she steps in closer.

"Listen here you rotten headed pufferfish! Let me educate you on something! That sword was none other than our Protector's! And that 'glow' isn't a common thing! It doesn't happen very often, nor can anyone predict when it will glow next! It just happens randomly! In fact, it happens so rarely that some people never even get to live 'till the next one!-"

"-That's not true! Someone can live through multiple in their lives!" Another person shouted.

"Well, there was a massive gap between the 87th and 98th!" The same angered woman snaps back.

"Followed by a very short gap between the 98th and 99th!" The newly frustrated person claims. Anger began being spread around, and you begin to wonder if you should head out to find an inn to sleep in. It all just seems as if it has fallen into boring chatter. Still, you wait, straining your ears for any information on Herobrine.

"AS I SAID! It is random!" The older woman turned that argument back into her point. "ANYWAY! It doesn't just glow! A new notch is added to the blade as well, likely counting up to some event."

"-Oh, forget the theories! It is just a bunch of jibberish!" The angered man pierces his voice once again into the heart of the conversation. Many seem to agree with him while the same amount were obviously feeling differently.

"..I-Ian.. Remember why we are here. Starting a fight won't help anything." The third man pulls on the first's arm.

"Yeah! Why ARE you here?! Just to scare us into a false sense of security; steal from us; are you thieves? You sure look like thieves." The middle aged woman spake with heated sass.

"Why you little-" The first young man was quickly grabbed by his friends as he leapt towards the woman. "DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO I AM?! I AM THE SON OF--" His mouth was covered up by the hand of his friends, and by the look on his face you couldn't tell if he was calming down or preparing to bite his friend's hand. The second to the three young men -- the strongest -- finally drags the first out of the human circle, and the first remains, standing shyly on the small platform. Finally, some useful information should come from this!

"I- I- am terribly sorry about him, everyone. He means well.." The third speaks meekly, wiping the sweat off his brow. There is a mixture of sighs and grunts from the audience as attention was put onto the new speaker. Just by looking at him, it was obvious he was not very good at public speaking. He seems to process the situation for a while, before straightening his stance and setting his eyes firm, before speaking aloud, no hesitation anymore. "Everyone! I know this sounds unlikely, but this city is the next target of Herobrine himself! He will show no mercy to whoever stays here! I beg of you, everyone, listen to your gut! Haven't you at least felt a little on edge lately?! Pack everything you need, and take you and your families OUT of here!.. Before it is too late." His speech was much better received, and you see in several faces the thoughts of leaving. However, you know how most people are. They need proof of something before acting, and you just can't get any proof when it comes to Herobrine.

With everything needing to be said said, the young man cowers off the make-shift platform before snaking away and into the crowd entirely. You groan when he leaves. Not a single bit of new information about him. Ugh, what a waste. Still, you feel these people might need a little help knowing whether the three were telling the truth or just lying. So, as everyone begins to disperse, you hop onto the platform and clear your throat.

"They weren't lying, you know!" You suddenly shout, grabbing most of their attention. "I heard the exact same news in a nearby town, and I believe it full-hearedly! Herobrine always sends scouts out first, scouts those three claimed to have spotted." It isn't exactly evidence, but it's still something. "And I have seen a Herobrine attack before! He makes sure everyone inside the targeted area is feeling safe and secure, before completely crushing all that within an instant! Please, I once stayed in a town that had been warned of the exact same thing, but they ignored him, and in return suffered for it! Get out while you still can!.. That is all I have to say.." And, with that, you step down, heart pulling itself in all direcions. These people.. They seem so ignorant someimes. It is a pain to not be able to actually do anything involving so many lives.. Meaning you will only have to be extra prepared, and ready, for when Herobrine does come. Because the longer the fight goes on, the more lives are lost.

--------------This is about where I would usually stop a chapter. XD---------------

You stare outward at the darkening horizon, the furious wind already blowing your light hair about your head and shoulders. You ignore the annoying strands that tickle your face, instead glaring forward as lightning strikes amidst the nearing clouds. Up, you stand high on the edge of a building, awaiting his arrival. You can feel his dark presence already.

The wind around you begins to tackle the banners and flags about the city, as well as lifting loose articles from the streets. People below begin to stir in a much slower, cautious manner. Several windows are opened as curious individuals peek out to see what is forming in the sky. A portal. That is what. It begains to manifest with the clustering dark clouds. A nearby lightning bolt sends outward a thunder shock which rattles the entire city ever-so-subtly. It is then, that people begin to really question what is going on. The most skeptical even begin preparing to leave. You: stand firm.

You still don't have a plan. Planning is overrated; especially when you have no idea what your opponent will bring! You hope that with your magical powers of 'winging it,' you can win this fight too. All you really need: is to get in close. From that point forward, you know exactly what to do.

CRACK!

The sky erupts with a bright bolt of lightning, and the dark purple swirls of a portal fully appear among the sky, facing downward into the city itself. You hear screams follow, and not just from the screaming hu- people of the city. Ghasts drop down from the portal, eyes blazing and mouths thirsting for the blood of their victims. Atop them are tens of morphed zombie pig-men, which look even more savage than their somewhat peaceful counterparts. Herobrine has been preparing all this time.. The previous attacks were only toys. Now.. is the real fight.

Quickly, you pull out your bow and aim for the ghasts carrying the descending army. The more you shoot down, the less monsters that will be released into the heard of the targeted city.

Twang. Twang. Twang!

You manage to shoot down one ghast, it falling with a death whisper; it's passengers falling to their deaths as well. You pull back on your bow again, but are suddenly forced into jumping back when a blaze targets you. Fire shoots out in your direction. You barely miss the four separate blasts. Oh.. fire! You never liked fire! Quickly, you check your inventory once again to see all you have. Um.. You have that totem of undying you had picked up from your old desk, some golden apples, your old collection of journals, a bow, just under a stack of arrows, a plain sword; and some iron boots, which you are already wearing. Overall, not that much. Darn.

You lay on the roof, just behind the outer rim which acts as a protective barrier, and reload your bow. Quickly, you sit up and fire upon the blaze before ducking once afain. Just a couple more arrows, and the blaze is dead. But a single blaze is a far-cry from winning the war.

All Nether breaks loose with an eruption, one which crackles the sky and sends about a chain reaction of bright white sparks, all filling the air and dancing about. He has arrived...

You slowly lift your chin and look to where that eruption came from. Your eyes flash up to the Lord of the Nether himself: Herobrine. He hovers down slowly, a grimace peeking through the straight expression he was attempting to keep. His eyes glowed especially bright, as he too had been preparing himself for this moment. Surely an attack would bring his brother back out of the shadows.. If only he knew the state his brother was in: likely appearing dead to the naked eye, just barely breathing. The Verraten Poison, had that special effect. You watch for any place the immortal may land, occasionally ducking when a mob turns in your direction. The city falls into a blazing mess of chaos as you wait painfully. Any minute now. You know he will have to land at some point! In the meantime, you actually do try your best to be as helpful as possible; shooting down blazes and ghasts when you can.

After several minutes straight, you see Herobrine stiffen in the middle of forming another fireball. He leans forward ever so subtly, and settles for throwing a small one instead of the larger ones he had been launching prior. Your eyes watch intently, arms going below your torso to lift you up, rising to a squat as your pupils stay fixed on the demon's landing. Perfect. He lands on the tallest building nearest you. You stand slowly and walk in his direction, never taking the immortal from the corner of your eye as you search for some kind of connection between that building and the one you are on. Though, looking down, there is no clear connection, there is a cluster of clothes lines between the building you are on, and a smaller one which seemingly is connected to the taller one. That might just work.

Carefully, you begin to descend the exterior of the building you are on, all the way down to the cluster of ropes which act as clothes lines. You hope that together they will be strong enough to hold your weight. Thunder continues to crackle in the sky, a mixture of orange and purple flying around in the dark clouds. Ghasts wail and a few people below are still screaming. You refuse to look down. Your heart shreds with every scream, but still, you can't save them all. Not without killing the master of this whole- whole- MASSACRE! You just wish it isn't really all that. When you make it down to the ropes, you grab some of the shirts on it and tie them together into a thick chain of cloth, which you tie around the mass of ropes. You use these clothes to try and clump the ropes together. Next, you begin grab on tightly and pull yourself onto the gathering of ropes, taking a moment to figure out your balance and pulling yourself forward, on your tummy, both arms and legs wrapped around the ropes. After you reach reach a certain point where the ropes begin separating again, making them hard to hold onto, you grab a large sock and quickly use that to tie that section of your "bridge" together. You eventually go upside-down finding that easier, and inch worm your way to the other side, occasionally stopping for a brief moment when the "bridge" is widening again.

Finally, you huff tiredly when reaching the other side, looking back to see you had crossed nearly twenty blocks; the fall being somewhere over forty or fifty. The whole changing size recently has really knocked off some basic perception and measurement related stuff.

Mind switching to the next thing, you look up the wall of the building you are now standing on a very small ledge of. This building has much less to grab on to, but you should be able to make it. Many little fizzles and pops -- like fireworks -- line the sky above. The bright white illuminating from the sparks as bright as a lightning bolt. Many more people scream in pure terror. Monsters below rise up to hollar in wicked, inhumane ways. Still, you refuse to look down just yet. Instead you use this as motivation to hurry up and climb, climb, CLIMB! A hand reaches upward, grabbing hold of the much newer, smoother, surface, of the building and pulling yourself up with both arms. Your feet struggle to find the right footing, and it is considered a struggle to ascend. Despite the difficulty, you make scale it in only a couple minutes. This time on the flat roof, you run. You run to the other side of it where the tallest building is only a block away from it. That surface however is nothing but pure concrete and glass. Well.. at least you know how you are getting in.

Smash!

The glass before you shatters, and you step lightly into the building. Immediately, you search for some stairs, finding them right next to the broken water-pressuer elevator. No time is wasted. The stairs are your fastest option right now. Herobrine could have also set a trap for the already broken elevator when he was up there anyways. You run. Fast. Fast! FAST!.. Wait, a quick break. Fast. Fast! FAST!.. Hold up.. Another break. FAST! FAST! FAST! FAST!

When you finally sneak up onto the roof, your attention is immediately caught by the sky which is literally LITTERED with lightning, which flashes down onto the unsuspecting towers, forcing chunks of roof into the air where they are eaten up by even more lightning. It is a marvel. Herobrine.. meanwhile, stands with his back to you: laughing menacingly with his hands up to the sky. His laugh is much darker than it usually sounds, as he looks out over the city with pride in his eyes. You keep down the urge to run right up to him and stab him right out of the moment, but you know that will ruin your only chance. You look down, slipping the totem of undying out of your inventory and sliding it into your pocket. There it should be easy to grab for when you will be needing it.

Suddenly, the immortal tenses his shoulders, and you know right away he has sensed your presence. Before he is able to turn and look directly at you, you drop duck and roll behind some of the many large chunks of machinery and rubble on the roof. You can feel his eyes hover over the spot you hide, you quietly wishing you have all it takes to defeat this immortal.... Likely.. not. When the gaze of daggers leaves you, you get up slowly, and roll behind a large piece of stone which is a little closer to your target. With every step you get closer, you realize more and more how poor your plan is. You aren't who you used to be, so why do you think you can take him on all of a sudden?! The amount of planning you had done in the past was incredible, but for some reason.. journal had drawn at a blank.. How else can one kill an immortal, other than poisoning them with a very special toxin? Your mind feels fogged. Nothing but anger is what has driven you here. You finally have to accept it to yourself as you crawl closer. You have.. no idea. Probably the worst time to not have a clue in all of history!

Your target begins to shuffle, as he definitely still senses your presence, and he begins walking around the short maze of obstacles. It is now your turn to hide from him, crawling about so that you are not spotted.

"Aha! Thought you could stop me, aye, pathetic mortal?" Your blood runs cold, hearing the immortal sneer. Your muscles are stiff; your joints tight; your breathing hardly that. Worst of all, you feel a very small, imaginary pain in your chest, as your mind has a hard time placing together things correctly. "Now stand up, young man!" You freeze. 'Young man?' Shuffling sounded from the other side of the roof as you sit still, confused when you hear what sounds like a third person standing. Angry, seething breaths escaping the third man's lips. Silently, slowly, you turn and lift your head just over the large rock-thing you are hiding behind. Before you, you see the man, and Herobrine hovering just above the roof not even five blocks away from him; the immortal holding his same-old obsidian sword with purple enchantments. Oh.. how rare and powerful those enchantments were.

Upon recognizing the young man right ahead of you, your eyes widen. Tall and lean, messy, blond hair with a few random curls in it; tussled but neat, blueish grey long sleeve shirt and dark jean pants. And of course that boyish but mature face of his. Your face goes pale.. C-carter...? Though he looks terrified, he stands at the ready with one hand hovering over the hilt of his sword, and a look of determination.

Herobrine glares, "Tell me, boy, exactly what is it worth to waste your life like this: going after me when you know it is pointless?" This forces Carter's mouth open slightly as he attempts to speak. After a moment, his eyebrows furrow with new speech on his mind.

"Do you really think you will be able to kill all of us?! Do you honestly believe that the only way to get what you want is by KILLING?! You know, NOTHING, about ruling if that is all you think it takes! I stand here because I KNOW-!"

"SILENCE, BOY! If I actually wanted an answer, I would have asked!!" The immortal snapped back, making both you and him flinch in fear of the worst. There is a moment of uneasy silence when you both watch Herobrine shift the handle of his sword a little. Oh no -- you watch -- he just moved his fingers further up the handle. That can only mean!

"HEY!!!" You jump up to your feet, not even realizing what you are doing until the immortal's painful gaze is staring upon you. "Y-yh-NO!" An eyebrow is raised, and nothing else. Carter looks at you for the first time, his own face now nearly pale.

"Another one.." Herobrine grumbles to himself, not sure whether he should frown or smile. The two options end up mixing into one contorted expression which just looks unnatural. Your arm shivers in protest when your brain tells it to draw your sword already. The immortal steps closer to you, something a little short of a daunting expression plastered onto his face. Your bones freeze up. No. No! NO! It is too late to move when the immortal snatches up your wrist, your face stiffening as you watch him silently studying your hand. "..Hm... You remind me so much of my daughter...." A, sort of, different, expressions shows itself for a mere moment, before Herobrine smiles evily, directly at you, and twists your wrist back effortlessly, satisfied when he hears it pop out of place. A silent scream tries to escape you as the man carelessly steps away from you and your pain, back over to Carter.

"Hey!" Carter protests without question, pulling out his sword and aiming it directly at Herobrine's head. Herobrine just stares blankly back at the young mortal.

"Oh please, do you really think a mere sword can kill me?" He scoffs, once again stepping a few inches onto the air.

"Last I remember, one seemed to do pretty well against you!" Carter.

"Oh please, that wielder was just luc-... Wait.." Herobrine had to stop himself when he realized what Carter had just said. An eyebrow raised with the question on his mind. "Hh.. How do y-y-.. Ohhh, yeah, I see it now. You're that boy from the village. I killed, your father, didn't I?" Ended with an evil smirk. Noticing Herobrine was pretty occupied with his back to you, you look for a weak spot on him. Ah, yeah! Of course. His spine. Duh!.. While you watch Carter react, you silently tiptoe around the few obstacles to make your way over to the immortal, quietly pulling out your sword. Carter plays along perfectly as well, acting genuinely stunned, pretending to be slowly letting his foe's words sink in as he continued to speak. "...I bet that young man I killed there too was also a close friend, wasn't he?. And to think, everything you ever loved for and cared about, all gone in an instant." Evil dark chuckle. "Well, I have to say, as close as you thought you may have been back then to killing me, you were nowhere near it. Just like right now: thinking you two are so smart, sneaking up behind me, blind to the fact that I can read minds."

You suddenly freeze when your arm is already raised and ready to strike. Overcoming that feeling of hopelessness, you strike downward, dreading the sad truth when the immortal's large hand catches your blade right before it can even reach him. Now he is facing you directly, sneering.

"So.. tell me.. Why do you, pointlessly waste your life with the hope of killing me?" He stares down into your very soul. No, why is it now that you are so weak against this?! You can just feel the pressure of his power pressing down on your mind, attempting to open up your secrets. A very faint eyebrow twitch is the only clue you get of his confusion towards your resilience. But, it is as if you are holding up a massive boulder, and, eventually you bend under the weight.

Though you haven't even been hit with anything, you feel a gutwrenching pain snap through your ribs and directly into your chest. The pain only worsens as the imaginary object drags it's way down, penetrating your stomach. You start to gag on imaginary blood, but, as expected; nothing makes its way out of your mouth other than saliva.

Herobrine stares down at you as if mentally in another world. As you fall down to your knees, hugging yourself desperately for comfort, his face slowly loosens into an expression he hasn't held.. in over a thousand years.

Pow!

There suddenly is a real explosion which blasts from right underneath the immortal as soon as he snaps from within his own mind. You are flung back, Carter running over to you quickly, having no idea what is going on; Herobrine now about twenty blocks in the sky, nearly joining his clouds full of colored flashes of light. Carter runs up to you and instantly begins helping you up, wondering why you are still gagging imaginary blood.

"Gghhhaaaa!! Not again!!! I will not let you live this time!!!" Herobrine shouts, coming down on you and Carter in a blinding, deafening, mix of explosions and fury. The next thing you know, your eyes snap open just in time to grab a hint of that falling sensation, as you fall, fall, fall.. fall. You actually scream.

Unexpectedly, a hard metal surfaces catches you before you can fall from a much more fatal height. Just by luck there is a small balcony on the edge to catch you. You hear a 'tunk' in your time of recovery as Carter joins you. He lands with a painful sounding "oof" and has to grab hold of the balcony before falling off of that as well. Worry stricken, you jump up and help Carter up quickly.

"WHY DID YOU FOLLOW ME?!" You ask. Hot tears spring from your face as you pull the young man up. He looks utterly confused at first.

"What?! I- I- You were heading for trouble! I couldn't just let you die again!!" He shouted back when safely on the balcony with you. The sky continued to crackle, and again little white explosions erupted from the sky, falling on the two of you harmlessly.

"I told you to stay so you would be SAFE! I, can come back! You, can't!"

"Yeah but I also knew you needed me! I knew you were just rushing in blindly! You think you have a plan until you realize you don't!" Carter snapped back in response. ".I couldn't just let you die again!" Silence. Your fury shifts to worry, and you turn to digging deep into your pockets.

"Here. Take it." You shove the totem of undying into Carter's hand. It takes him a moment before he even recognizes what you have just given him; once he does, his eyes widen.

"A totem..? Of Undying?!" He questions.

"Yes. Now we are equal. If you die, you will have another chance. If I die, then so will I." You say, pressing the item in further towards him. He looks down with a hint of regret mixed with that stubborn look which sais he isn't going to allow you to win the nice game.

"N- no! I- I can't take this! Wh, what if you don't come back?! H- how does that even work?! What could you ever tell me, that will make me know you will not just die like everybody else?!" Tears begin to shed from Carter's pain filled eyes as well. The world quietens. He tries to hand the totem back to you but you keep it in his hands with a firm grip. Then.. quieter than a whisper,

"..I was never like the rest of them." The silence continues. Then!

"THERE, you are!!" Herobrine spots the two of you, and flies in your direction as ast as a speeding bullet. Slow. Again. In painfully slow motion, you push Carter away from you. You push Carter off off the balcony entirely, wishing with all your might that he won't let go of that totem... It is truly, his only chance.

BOOM!

When things speed up, there is an explosion, and the balcony is already nothing but rubble which falls with the screaming Carter. You have other things to worry about now, though, for Herobrine holds both your shoulders firmly, flying so fast that your clothes and hair whip against your skin. You look directly into the flyer's eyes, seeing they are filled with an anger you have only seen on him once before. He glances downward with an open frown, before stopping mid air and tossing you above the clouds. You hear him shouting as he flies up to your level.

"...AAAND!.. SSSTTAAAYY DDEEEAAADD!!!"

SLAM!

You are sent crashing downward, breaking sound barriers and becoming deaf, ears bleeding to prove it. Before you can even wonder exactly when you will land, you do, crashing down so hard that your torso is split open: impaled by the handle of a sword. A mighty sword which rests, stuck in stone, near the very center of the city. Dead the moment your head crashes into the ground, handle having done the job the blade was made for, your blood runs cold down the diamond blade; with it's dark, now blood soaked handle, and delicate gold lacing and reinforcing. The notches along the blade simply take in the blood which flows, as the immortal's looming shadow slowly leaves. But, amidst the crackles in the sky and even a few new raindrops, which all claim nothing will change, the notches suddenly.. begin to glow.

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Whoo! Longest chapter yet! Over 5,600 words! :D