A figure, familiar to me, strangely appears in my vision. There’s mist blocking my view of the place around us, purple mist, but it soon clears to reveal her. My eyes start to water, and my feet hesitantly place in front of one another till I am full on running to her, wrapping her fiercely in a hug that I would never let her go from. She gently smiles as she looks at me, and I realise tears are streaming down her face.

  “Dalyva?” I ask quietly, and she just breaks down upon hearing my voice into sobs. She doesn't talk, and yet I hold her fragile body as if it may break at any moment. “Did you miss me?” I know it's stupid, I just want confirmation, and she just nods vigorously. I am happy she cared to miss me, but also slightly concerned as her tears don't seem to stop. I rub her back as I see two other figures appear in the smoke. They seemed to care about her, but otherwise they just looked on, as if they didn’t want to interrupt Us. Once Dalyva calmed slightly, and we detached enough to let her point to one of the boys, she introduced them. One, with orangey-yellow hair, eyes covered by a desert mask, was introduced first. “This is Taegan.” Dalyva says, her voice still messed up from crying, but I ignored it. Her hand then shifts to the other boy with blue hair and yellow eyes. “And this is Shankhe.” She then points to me. “Boys, this is Reika.” They both nod and say hello as I hugged Dalyva from the back as she said my name, and nodded.

  “The Scholar Academy thinks they’ll manage to open a portal to that realm ‘soon.’” I inform Dalyva, and she scoffs. “They won't be able to open it for a lot longer than that.” She then looks to the boys, and I can tell by how she looks at them for support that she definitely trusts them. I hide my jealousy, knowing it's just because of circumstance, because if I was there, she would trust me as well. “Where do you think we’ll appear? If we get out?” The orange haired boy, Taegan, thinks for a moment, and I catch that Dalyva says if and not when. I squeeze her tight. “You will escape.” I whisper confidentially Into her ear.

  She looks back at me with a smile that I love, and whispers. “Yeah, I’ll escape to you.” We both smile, and then Taegan speaks up. “We’d probably-if we’re putting all our locations together-end up in the middle of Tingari. We could then go south to Daruden, of course.” He looks pointedly at us, and I excitedly grin. “Yeah, do!” I say, but Dalyva catches my undertone of want, and desperation to have her in my physical arms. Of course I miss her. The only updates I’ve gotten on her before this is ‘she’s not dead’ and ‘we’re working to get her home.’ I run my fingers through her hair as I feel its silkiness, and also how long it is, clearly having not been cut since being stuck in the realm. I love it, and I can tell that Dalyva is comforted by the familiar and love-filled action. She leans back into my touch, and I sit us down before she falls backwards onto me. However as this continues, something unexpected yet expected happens. All three of them start to dissolve, but what happens shocks me, but not really. Dalunga bursts into tears as if she really doesn’t want to go back like it’s that bad, and I hug her tight, not wanting to let go. “Please, no, I want to stay, I don’t want to go back there, I wanna stay here….” She sobs, tears streaming down her face. But, she fades away and returns to the realm where she was before.

  You see, i know how bad realms are, but

  I wake up feeling tears streaming down my face, and Leia looking over me. “You okay?” She asks worriedly. “You seemed to be struggling.” I nodded as I sat up and wiped my tears away. “Yeah.” I answer. “I had a dream of meeting Dalyva.” Her eyes widen, before locking eyes with me. “Is she okay? How did she act? Any other companions?” She rapid fires questions and I gather my brain cells before answering. “She seems mostly okay, but she was crying most of the time and didn’t want to return to that realm she was in. Two boys who looked eerily similar- Taegan and Shankhe.” I finally answer her questions, and she calms down. “Well, we can think about that later.” She says. “It’s Jiri!” And I remember why she’s acting like an excited little kid.

  Of course, Jiri is a week long to celebrate and give time for everyone to have their individual festival or event without them overlapping. I launch out if bed and get dressed in a casual shirt and shorts as Lark comes in. Today is the Growth of Dasani. “C’mon, let’s go outside! Once everyone’s awake we can run in the forest for a bit.” I quickly get out the door, and am amazed. Vines and flowers are primary in my vision, leaves, trees, plants all cover my vision in a mass of green, and as all the kids come out, we run into the streets taking the shortest route to the forest. Of course I don’t miss when Leia and Lark slip daggers into their pockets just for protection, but I get it. Jori is always right before the monster surge, so taking weapons when going out of the city is just main safety.

  ————————————————

  Farakuri looks down on the people of Jesva, Dasani focusing on Dajenu, as thats his realm, as do the other gods and goddesses. Farakuri looks down at Dasani. “You really dont act like a god Dasani.” The god smirks at her words. “Caring for my people is a pride, Farakuri. And neither do you act like it either.” He points out, and its true. There’s no denying that Farakuri, or the Goddess of Fae doesn’t love her people, and constantly does lots to make sure they have wonderful lives.

  Shana and Uxciesa walk over. “Should anyone want to watch my festival?” Asks Shana as a screen pops up in front of her. Everyone grins. The Sea Shanty of Shana was entertaining, after all, who would not like the goddess of sailors, waves and especially thieves festival? The goddess had short mild blue hair that could’ve had a hint of green with dark, ocean blue eyes. She had a black neck warmer sort of thing raised up to just below her nose as a sort of reminder of where she came from and a brown shirt underneath. Shana was actually a thief, one that had managed to rise to godhood. Of course, this is how most gods and goddesses here had came into being. Which meant, they acted human, and cared a lot more than other gods Farakuri has occasionally heard about as messengers and helpers passed through.

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  Everyone was watching some screen pop up of fish men and other species dancing and chanting near the sea. Farakuri looks around the room.

  Dasani; (d-ah-s-ah-n-ee) an elf who rose to godhood through his love for plants and growing. God of the Forest, His domain is Dajenu, also known as ‘Forest’ in the ancient runic language. People were simple back then, they didn’t use fancy names for places.

  Uxciesa; (you-X-see-ah) an actual goddess, but she grew up around mortals and therefore cares lots about her people and their loved ones in the stars. Goddess of the Stars and Sand, her domain is Tingari, also known as, surprise, surprise, ‘Desert’ in the ancient runic language, or ARL.

  Aroma and Laeuca; (ah-row-may and lay-oo-ck-ah) twins with the power of the sun and moon rising to power as they help people during the summer and the winter with their crops, the cold and the heat, and everything else in between. Goddesses of the Sun (Aroma) and Moon (Laeuca). Their domain isn’t really anything its actually nothing, its confusing.

  Neraxi; (n-eh-r-ah-see) a blacksmith dwarf who rose to godhood as he desperately spent time working, fighting and forging to create the best weapon to ever live in the universe. God of the Mountains, his domain is Mara, also known as ‘Mountain’ in the ARL.

  Jerava; (j-eh-r-ah-v-ah) a name that sounds awfully close to the name Jesva, and so it should, because Jesva originated from a dragon landing on a purely water planet as its life drained, and then dying on it. Eventually its body decayed, and then it got covered up as blood and guts turned over millennium into soil, and beings came onto the earth. It wasnt long before beasts ruled the earth, and it was known as the Era of Beasts. Of course, in this time, it isn’t surprising who ruled over all the beasts. Dragons. One of which-Jerava-was now a god. Of course, he wasnt a god until way into the Era of War, which is the era just before this one. He used to rule the world-technically-but now only ruled over some of Wandé, because of Paktu and Paktuto. He is the God of Ancients. His domain is Wandé Satoka. Which if you haven’t guessed already means wetlands in the ARL.

  Farakuri thought back on the worlds events. It had really been through a lot. First, the Era of Beasts, before humans started to appear. It had started as simply monsters walking on hind legs, but before you knew it they had become humanoid, and they entered the Age of Change. But then, gods started to pop up, and it was the Era of Gods. They had fought over domains, eventually not only killing their enemies, but themselves as well in their greed and selfishness. The only ones remaining from that time is Uxciesa and the Vuxeadine (v-uh-ck-s-a-d-ee-n), also known as her followers, although other groups did survive-though not their gods. The Vuxeadine were simply the only ones who set up civilisations, and started to help other groups get back on their feet with no gods to dictate their movements. This of course was when the world became calm, and it was known to the world as an Age of Peace, but that peace didn’t stay, because it was right before the Era of War.

  You see, there had been a minor war in Wandé between two of the kingdoms, a minor disagreement between leaders. Paktuto was just a bird at the time, and seeing people of different races together and laughing near a flame, despite the fights over peoples differences, and wanted people to think thats flames were good, so he became a firebird, which consequentially pushed him over into godhood. This was when Jerava had also just risen as a god, and was struggling with his kingdoms, and so in exchange for peace, he granted Paktuto two of his kingdoms, which although took ages of more fighting, disagreements and overall political shitazz (a new word made up by yours truly) it finally became what people know today as Paktu, and Jerava’s kingdoms became Satoka. Now, there is one thing. No one remembers what the kingdoms used to be called, so when they are told in stories, most use Paktu or Satoka, even if its not correct. Some may say ‘old Paktu’ or ‘old Satoka’ but everyone knows what they mean.

  Well, continuing the Era of War it is the now era, the new age. The Age of Adventure. Now.

  Farakuri supposed she should explain about where Paktuto came from, and the rest of the gods. She looked at them for a moment, before going on where she left off.

  Paktuto; (p-ah-ck- or pack -t-oo-t-oh) a firebird who was originally just a bird, but saw people laughing around a flame even in the depths of war and wanted people to be happy, so he evolved to be a firebird so people could laugh around his flame. God of Flames. His domain was Wandé, Paktu.

  Finally, Farakuri herself. Farakuri had once been a Fae mortal herself, yet had a terrible person controlling and regulating her power, therefore, once she escaped the bonds-which hurt her more than she’d cared to admit-she vowed to never let any of her brethren suffer through that. Ever. She was now Goddess of Fae. Her domain was Tachimaru. Which since T’s mean something to do with the desert if its first and a place, Mara means mountain, but with a u it means hilly land. And Achi? It means barbarian. Which actually makes sense since there are barbarians there. But, overall Tachimaru means Tachi-Harsh and Maru-Land. Maru doesn't have the hilly part because its already implied in the harsh. Yeah, ARL is confusing, even without the runes.

  Her eyes sweep the room, landing on a figure she had forgotten about. Of course, they aren’t technically a resident of only this world, but multiple. The Lightbearer. Currently, the entity was trading stories with Paktuto. The Lightbearer allegedly had risen to godhood when they had been trapped in the void for a very long time. The precise time is unknown, but it was long enough for all our Era’s and Age’s together to make up not even half of the time they spent in there. When they got out, they vowed never to let anyone else experience what they did, and in turn becoming the saviour of people trapped in realms where they don’t belong.

  Speaking of which…. Dasani had mentioned a prayer of wish had come from an unknown location, but he had no clue, so he just approved the wish, and then tried to search it down, but it was blocked from his vision, as if from another god. Farakuri didn’t want to mention it, but she had gotten a feeling of Fae somewhere around where Dasani had mentioned the prayer came from.