The Dragon Races- Part 24

Submitted into Contest #91 in response to: Set your story in a library, after hours.... view prompt

77 comments

Fantasy Teens & Young Adult Drama

Katya Lynneth didn't know what else to do. She was Raya's best friend- but even so, she couldn't help her like how Therin did. And with him gone, she was worried.




She ambled through the marble corridors, eyes flickering between the orbs that lined the way. They sent shadows flitting lightly across the stone and across the large glass windows and out into the night.


Kate paused as she reached where the corridor branched off. The right was the direct way to the official, royal study with more books than she could count. The left, however, took a detour. A detour past the training bay.


She fiddling with the hem of her long, pale blue shirt, wringing her hands as she turned to the left. Kate slowed as she approached the tall set of double doors. Ever so subtly, she reached out with her mind, biting her lip to keep from smiling as she felt the same wave she had when she had first met a certain guard. 


"What are you doing here, Lady Katya?" Luka asked, a small smile visible under his hood as he took a step forward. He pointed to the right. "The library's over there, if that's where you're going."


"I... I know." she stuttered. "I just... felt like taking a walk?" 


"Should I accompany you?" He asked with a smirk, though the expression faded after a moment. "It isn't safe with the attacks on the surrounding cities to be wandering around the palace alone." His voice turned to a mumble. "Even though it is really safe here. And... probably the most secured palace in all of the Five Kingdoms." 


"I'd be happy for the company." Kate replied, her face flushing the slightest red. "But what about your post?"


He shrugged as if brushing her sentence away. "There are others. This- I mean, making sure you'll be fine is more important. You are a member of the High Nobility, after all."


Luka gestured to the corridor leading to the library with a small bow, and Kate started down the hall. They walked in silence, the sound of their footsteps echoing loudly. The marble hallway soon turned became etched with swirls inlaid within the stone, as if branching out from the intricate set of ceiling-high double doors, both made of gleaming wood. 


A smile spread across her face as Luka held the door open for her and as she took a few steps inside.


The entire room was massive, as large as both the ballroom and throne room combined. A chandelier hung from the domed ceiling, thousands of small, twinkling crystals hanging from it. The glowing white crystals magnified the moonlight that cascaded in from the wide, circular skylight, illuminating the three stories of shelves and the bound books and scrolls lying upon them. 


Luka looked over at Kate. He couldn't help but notice how radiant her face looked as she looked out at the shelves; her lips spread into a soft smile, eyes flickering around the room.


She glanced back at him, and Luka gave a small dip of his head as he lowered his hood, stationing himself in front of the doors. Her face freckled with a blush as their eyes met. 


Tell me about yourself. 


Kate's voice echoed through his head. It was softer than when she spoke out loud, slightly blurred around the edges from being sent Telepathically.


What about?


She walked towards one of the shelves, and a faint, glowing blue rectangle flickered to life under her feet, the same color light scanning her body once before lifting her up to a shelf on the second story. Kate brushed her fingers along the spines of the books as they fled from under her fingertips, gripping the white wood of the shelf as her rise stopped. Her eyes flickered to the ground, then back up to the books. Anything.


Luka smirked. Scared of heights, huh? 


It's worth it afterwards. 


I guess. He paused. Well, I was known as the Fyjun of our neighborhood. The kid who would always pull pranks and somehow get away with them. We used to set up traps for each other- siblings, friends, whoever. It was great. Especially the ones involving magic.


You'd get along with my sister, then. She's...a master of trickery.


There's always someone in the family who is.


Kate nodded, a soft chuckle passing through her lips. The platform started it's descent, and Kate hugged the new book she had taken, eyes refusing to look to the ground. She exhaled a sigh of relief as it slowed and touched the floor. "Do you have any siblings?"


Luka opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. He didn't know what to say. A version of the truth, maybe. But far enough off that Kate wouldn't suspect who he really was. 


"Sorry- I shouldn't have asked." 


"No, it's okay." He said quickly, shaking his head and tossing his hair back. "I... had a cousin, I guess you could have called her. She was like an older sister to me until her want for more magic than she had consumed her. She wasn't satisfied with what we had." 


He gestured to the shelves upon shelves around them. "The nobles and royals got to live in fancy palaces and mansions while we were trapped in our average life. We weren't poor, but certainly not as rich as other families. She was disowned, and... now she's gone."


Kate was silent as she stepped off of the glowing platform and it faded back into the floor.


The short story of his past reminded her of how Raya had lost her older sister. The deaths made her mind drift to how overpopulated and malnourished the majority of the kingdom was. Maybe Sinistra taking over Forane and Riverdeen wouldn't be so bad- the families could be safe and children fed in they had the space and resources.


She was one of the nobles and royals living in a fancy mansion. 


"Kate?" Luka's clear voice pushed all thoughts of their kingdom away.


She nodded in acknowledgement, hugging the fabric bound book to her chest. "I'm sorry." 


He shrugged, offering a smile. "It's better this way. My family gets compensation for me being here, and... I met you." 


A version of the truth, if money was information.


Her face flushed red again, and she lowered her head the slightest so a curtain of hair fell over her face. Why- and how- was this guard so charming? He couldn't say or do anything without causing her to blush.


Luka smirked at her reaction, eyes drifting from her reddened face to what she held.


"What book is that?" He asked. 


Kate turned it over and flashed him a look at the silver and gold inlaid cover. "Mythology and folklore." She quickly flipped through, and inked images of Spirits and battles stared up at her. "Again."


"You've heard of Adoree, then? And what she did?"


Kate nodded. "It's like what's happening now with the uprising. My parents say it'll end like it has all the other years, but this time's... different. It's real, not just a few people speaking up against something and being shut down after a few days."


She walked over to one of the windows, trailing a hand across the curved marble column before looking out at the night sky.


Screams. More and more of them every day. She knew that's what the people along the borders to Forane and Riverdeen heard every night. Now, they grew closer to the palace and surrounding lands. 


Kate turned back to him. "The world's changing, Luka, and I don't know if it's for better or for worse. War is coming." 

April 30, 2021 18:03

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77 comments

Kate Reynolds
22:29 May 02, 2021

OMG HE IS PERFECTTTTTTTT I CANT- HDKSDHSKDBSKSBKSBSKANSSKSJSBSKDNKSKS (The story is wonderful, as always. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE WAR SCENESSSSSSSSSS AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH)

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Mira Caplan
12:49 May 03, 2021

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO YOU SHIP ITTTTTTTTTTT????????????? IS HE PERFECTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT??????????????????????? I think I'm in love, AGAIN, but Fyjun/Luka's for you- I might not have made this real clear, but that "cousin" he was talking about was supposed to be based off of Adrazelle. That story gives you a lil insight on her pasttttttttttttt

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Kate Reynolds
13:05 May 03, 2021

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS OFC I SHIP ITTTTTBDSMSNNSBSCSKSJDNSKDBJSNSMS HE IS SO DANG PERFECT AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH XDDD Oooohhh okayyyyy

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Mira Caplan
13:07 May 03, 2021

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I SHIP IT TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO XDDD

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Kate Reynolds
13:12 May 03, 2021

HDKSDHOSVDKSBDKSVDKSBDKSBDKSVDKSBDNS

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Kate Reynolds
13:05 May 03, 2021

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS OFC I SHIP ITTTTTBDSMSNNSBSCSKSJDNSKDBJSNSMS HE IS SO DANG PERFECT AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH XDDD Oooohhh okayyyyy

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Mira Caplan
12:49 May 03, 2021

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO YOU SHIP ITTTTTTTTTTT????????????? IS HE PERFECTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT??????????????????????? I think I'm in love, AGAIN, but Fyjun/Luka's for you- I might not have made this real clear, but that "cousin" he was talking about was supposed to be based off of Adrazelle. That story gives you a lil insight on her pasttttttttttttt

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Mira Caplan
12:49 May 03, 2021

Oh, Altair Emrys has a girlfriend. I might have forgotten to mention that.

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Kate Reynolds
13:06 May 03, 2021

Wait HE DOES??? Who?????

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Mira Caplan
13:08 May 03, 2021

VYLA. THERIN'S COUSIN.

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Kate Reynolds
13:13 May 03, 2021

OHMYGOD.

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Mira Caplan
13:17 May 03, 2021

YEEEEEEEES

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Mira Caplan
13:11 May 03, 2021

(The whole thing with the arrow- shaped necklace or something. They give it to people they loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, kinda as a confession. It's a family thing that does a few things: makes relationships really cute and meaningful (unless someone gives the necklace backkkk, then it's sad), helps them recognize people in their family (Because they originated in Alderon and spread through the Five Kingdoms, ending with the Caius line in Sinistra (THANK THE SPIRITS) and Vyla's family in Forane. She and Altair cared for Alaric and Renn, her lil siste...

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Kate Reynolds
13:14 May 03, 2021

Ohhhhhhhh that makes a lot of sense XD (Your story is so planned outtttt)

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Mira Caplan
13:17 May 03, 2021

(Thankssssssssss!!!) I wrote the saddest scene ever where she's seeing him for the first time after he had to flee because Adrazelle's people were hunting him and it's SO CUTE but heartbreaking

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Kate Reynolds
13:14 May 03, 2021

Ohhhhhhhh that makes a lot of sense XD (Your story is so planned outtttt)

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Mira Caplan
13:11 May 03, 2021

(The whole thing with the arrow- shaped necklace or something. They give it to people they loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, kinda as a confession. It's a family thing that does a few things: makes relationships really cute and meaningful (unless someone gives the necklace backkkk, then it's sad), helps them recognize people in their family (Because they originated in Alderon and spread through the Five Kingdoms, ending with the Caius line in Sinistra (THANK THE SPIRITS) and Vyla's family in Forane. She and Altair cared for Alaric and Renn, her lil siste...

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LUKATEEEEE btw, how are you?

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Mira Caplan
21:09 May 01, 2021

YAS I'm good! You?

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YESSSSSS Great, Mir! Waiting for me noises-

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Mira Caplan
15:02 May 02, 2021

you'll comeeee, don't worry!!!!

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Mira Caplan
13:01 May 03, 2021

YAS!!!

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Sunny 🌼
22:00 Apr 30, 2021

*sniff sniff* I smell a new OTP to add to my (very large) collection. war is coming eh? that means more BATTLE SEQUENCES!

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Mira Caplan
21:08 May 01, 2021

YES!!!!!!!! Katjun/Lukate AND a warrrr!!!

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Sapphire 🌼
16:42 Jun 02, 2021

HIII I'm just gonna be writing critique/edits as I read lol~ (super long comment warning) ~~~ "Kate paused as she reached where the corridor branched off. The right was the direct way to the official, royal study with more books than she could count. The left, however, took a detour. A detour past the training bay." I think it was cool how you said the left took a detour, instead of the left was a detour. The sentence that feels a teeeeeeeeny bit iffy is the "she reached where the the corridor branched off.". Idk I'm being suuuper picky, ...

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Mira Caplan
17:09 Jun 02, 2021

OhhhHHHhhHHHh, yeah!!! I'll write that down in my OfFiCiAl TdR nOtEbOoK ~~~~~~~~~ I think we're all obsessed with him. ~~~~~~~~~ oh, yeah XD I think that's what I was going to do but forgot before I posted it XDDD ~~~~~~~~~ Oh yes- THE LUKATEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! And, yes, that was Fyjun/Luka's perspective. HE.THOUGHT.SHE.WAS.PRETTY. ~~~~~~~~~ Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Even though he totally made it up, I still wanted to add that lil bit in about the commoner's lives. Or the...

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Mira Caplan
17:09 Jun 02, 2021

OhhhHHHhhHHHh, yeah!!! I'll write that down in my OfFiCiAl TdR nOtEbOoK ~~~~~~~~~ I think we're all obsessed with him. ~~~~~~~~~ oh, yeah XD I think that's what I was going to do but forgot before I posted it XDDD ~~~~~~~~~ Oh yes- THE LUKATEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! And, yes, that was Fyjun/Luka's perspective. HE.THOUGHT.SHE.WAS.PRETTY. ~~~~~~~~~ Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Even though he totally made it up, I still wanted to add that lil bit in about the commoner's lives. Or the...

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Sapphire 🌼
18:26 Jun 02, 2021

LOLOL! <333 anytime hehe YASSSS AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH LUKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

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Mira Caplan
18:30 Jun 02, 2021

YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, I had this idea. SPOILER ALERT Instead of Alaric dying, what if Luka did? Fyjun would still be alive for two reasons: He's a Spirit and people believe that he exists, like Kate. So... if LUKA, Fyjun's mortal personification died in stead of Alaric as a sacrifice or something, none of the ships would be compromised and that's how they would learn of Luka being Fyjun. Or Alaric dies and becomes a Spirit or something. Like, a minor one. (How all mortals after they die do) But still A Spirit. ...

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Sapphire 🌼
19:20 Jun 02, 2021

WGIRWWIJWIOJWRIWJIOGWRJGWROIJGWOIRJGROIGWRGLRORLWD OKAY WOW this is a lot to process BUT LUKA- I- No matter what happens I'm still gonna cry 😭 I think Alaric should become a Spirit, because LUKA IS PRECIOUS. I mean unless Kate can physically like "hold" or "touch" Fyjun, then Luka can....can.....d i e

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Mira Caplan
21:20 Jun 02, 2021

Yep! Mortals can come into contact with Spirits. They're like Gods, basically. But the term "Spirits" is used in the Five Kingdoms to avoid Hierarchical stuff, which is seriously ironic considering everything going on... ME TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I mean, she's gonna find out that Luka IS Fyjun, anyway during the battle, so... why not dramatically when Luka dies??? But like I think Alaric AND Luka should die, and have Alaric become a Spirit that can access the mortal world BECAUSE of Fyjun convincing Akasha. (Because Adrazelle'...

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Mira Caplan
21:20 Jun 02, 2021

Yep! Mortals can come into contact with Spirits. They're like Gods, basically. But the term "Spirits" is used in the Five Kingdoms to avoid Hierarchical stuff, which is seriously ironic considering everything going on... ME TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I mean, she's gonna find out that Luka IS Fyjun, anyway during the battle, so... why not dramatically when Luka dies??? But like I think Alaric AND Luka should die, and have Alaric become a Spirit that can access the mortal world BECAUSE of Fyjun convincing Akasha. (Because Adrazelle'...

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Mira Caplan
18:30 Jun 02, 2021

YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, I had this idea. SPOILER ALERT Instead of Alaric dying, what if Luka did? Fyjun would still be alive for two reasons: He's a Spirit and people believe that he exists, like Kate. So... if LUKA, Fyjun's mortal personification died in stead of Alaric as a sacrifice or something, none of the ships would be compromised and that's how they would learn of Luka being Fyjun. Or Alaric dies and becomes a Spirit or something. Like, a minor one. (How all mortals after they die do) But still A Spirit. ...

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Sia S
18:12 May 03, 2021

Hey, just so you know, I'm about to start reading this series, sooo could I get some info? (Btw, I'm basically like saph, so no need to be formal loll)

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Mira Caplan
18:27 May 03, 2021

Aaaawwwwwwww, YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! (Lolllll HAIIIIIIIIII) Well, for starters, I changed it so that TDR happens every year- not just every Five. Some of the characters personalities change a bit drastically, like Alaric, as you'll see as you keep reading through the chapters. Every Part is basically a chapter, and I'm writing and posting one every week. The plot's a bit complex, so post a question whenever!!! The fmaily drama is SUPER complex, so I'll explain it if you don't get it, lol. THANKS FOR READING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Sia S
18:30 May 03, 2021

YAYYYYIEEEEE EHEHE HEYLOOOO ~ooH lAlALaaa~ That sounds fun!! Its night here rn sooo I gtg sleep but be prepared for my comments tmrw!! :)))

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Mira Caplan
18:34 May 03, 2021

OhLaLAAAAAaaaAAAAaAaAAAAA K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!

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Sia S
03:46 May 04, 2021

AHAHHAHA OKIEEE BYEEEE

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Mira Caplan
18:27 May 03, 2021

Aaaawwwwwwww, YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! (Lolllll HAIIIIIIIIII) Well, for starters, I changed it so that TDR happens every year- not just every Five. Some of the characters personalities change a bit drastically, like Alaric, as you'll see as you keep reading through the chapters. Every Part is basically a chapter, and I'm writing and posting one every week. The plot's a bit complex, so post a question whenever!!! The fmaily drama is SUPER complex, so I'll explain it if you don't get it, lol. THANKS FOR READING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Sapphire 🌼
21:51 Apr 30, 2021

SOGIHNWGIJKWRG Oml THE ~rOmAnTiC TeNsIoN~ was decribed so perfectly sigungilekjgnigjrgiulrjkgnrigjkegerklgnrjkengejrkge I'm reading this over twenty times just for Lukate and Katjun

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Mira Caplan
21:08 May 01, 2021

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! (AND IKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR??? THAT LIL DETOUR-)

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Sapphire 🌼
21:21 May 01, 2021

Of courseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee (AIUGENWIRURGNWRIGUWRGNWRIUGNWR OML)

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Mira Caplan
21:32 May 01, 2021

DON'T YOU SHIP THEMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM The romanticness though i swear-

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Sapphire 🌼
16:03 May 03, 2021

OFC I DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO iusvngwignkg

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Mira Caplan
17:33 May 03, 2021

YESSSSSSSSS

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Mira Caplan
12:52 May 03, 2021

Oh, Altair Emrys has a girlfriend. Vyla, who's actually Therin's cousin but doesn't know it. (The whole thing with the arrow- shaped necklace or something. They give it to people they loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, kinda as a confession.)

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Sapphire 🌼
16:10 May 03, 2021

OoOoOoOoOoOoOOoOoOoh thats so coolll i wish it was that way in real life lol XD

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Mira Caplan
17:34 May 03, 2021

Lolllll yessssssssssssssssssss Here's what I have of the Altair x Vyla story/ Part 25 (Eclipse) "Write a story that begins in the light and ends in the darkness, or the other way around." "I... thought you were dead." Her voice remained calm, unwavering. Every trace of his existence had vanished- every record on the Web, any grades he had received or tests he had taken at the Academy- gone. All except for the fading memories of his family and friends. But she remembered him. The question of why she remembered fled as he opened his ...

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Mira Caplan
17:34 May 03, 2021

Lolllll yessssssssssssssssssss Here's what I have of the Altair x Vyla story/ Part 25 (Eclipse) "Write a story that begins in the light and ends in the darkness, or the other way around." "I... thought you were dead." Her voice remained calm, unwavering. Every trace of his existence had vanished- every record on the Web, any grades he had received or tests he had taken at the Academy- gone. All except for the fading memories of his family and friends. But she remembered him. The question of why she remembered fled as he opened his ...

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Penny Tang
18:13 Apr 30, 2021

YAS MIRA!! Loved this chapter! Katjun/Lukate is very quickly becoming one of my favorites haha

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Mira Caplan
18:14 Apr 30, 2021

Eheheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!!! YAS!!! I ship them so muchhh!!! Impossible question: Theraya, Alarys, or Katjun/Lukate????????

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Penny Tang
18:15 Apr 30, 2021

ALARYS IM SORRY BUT DEFINITELY ALARYS

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Mira Caplan
18:15 Apr 30, 2021

XDDDD I mean, I don't blame you- But why??? When you could have chosen Theraya or Katjun/Lukate, why??????

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Penny Tang
18:18 Apr 30, 2021

Theraya and Katjun/Lukate are great, but pretty much already established from the front. I like seeing the buildup more often than the finished result, that’s why I like Alarys much more haha

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Mira Caplan
19:18 Apr 30, 2021

Ooooooohhhhhhhh, yeah. I guess Lukate is kinda established, but their relationship does grow. And Theraya- .... moment of silence, please

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David Urquiola
18:09 May 17, 2021

Can you check my new story i need info to improve if its not a problem thanks :)

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