"Come on." Lein reached out for her hand, rolling his eyes and letting out an exasperated sigh as Riva didn't move. "We have a job to do." His voice was softer as he said it.
"I'm coming." she responded after a moment, glancing down at her tablet again. She clutched it to her chest as they walked through the semi-opaque double doors. Riva followed as he traveled towards the back of the Medic-filled room, almost needing to run to keep up with him.
Lein stopped at a large control panel, taking Riva's tablet as she set it down. She touched her white wristband to a small disk, and the holographic screen flickered to life.
"Initializing." said a bodiless feminine voice as the screen swirled to one of the arena. Riva stared out at the falling snow, taking a step towards Lein as the screen split in half. They could see a cave embedded in the rock face on the upper right. The faint light of a glowing fire visible from inside. On the lower section, there was a familiar, fair-skinned face. A sleek, feathered dragon stood close to her. Though bathed in shadow from the cliff above, her features were easily distinguished.
"We'll learn much from her." Commented a passing white-coat, gesturing to the girl on the screen. Riva nodded, unable to do anything else. This was wrong. Everything about this was wrong. But why couldn't she bring herself to fight?
*****************
I lean against Veradis, the newly found information about the Races refusing to leave my mind. Who even is Althea? Why is she so important?
The sky is a brilliant shade of blue, with clouds floating above in faint wisps. It changes to the northwest, where everything is in shades of gray with snow beating down. I stand, opening my mind. Of all Elementals, the ones with power over Wind and Air are unique. I can locate people as a Telepath would, as long as they're within the parameters of my abilities.
I sense two people, first. They're together, with their dragons. I look out at the snow far in the distance, eyes searching for anything besides white. Those people are within the icy tundra.
"I thought I could just talk to the dragons and somehow end all this." I murmur to Veradis, shaking my head. "I didn't know anything, did I." She flexes her wings, staring at me those blue eyes.
She has hope.
Hope that somehow I'll be able to fight, and untangle the interwoven threads of this tapestry. I don't have that much in myself. But if Veradis believes I can, then I'll try. I open my mind again, and find Everlys somewhere behind me and to the east. I search for Theirn and Karila, knowing that they are my only allies. I don't sense them. It's worrying, and makes my blood run cold. What if they've both been killed? I'm distracted as I find Alaric. He's further away than everyone else, far off to south.
My original plan was to talk to the dragons and put them against the people who act as their masters. Maybe, if I could get the contestants on my side, as well, we would have some chance of facing the enemy, whomever that enemy may be.
"Who should we talk to first?" Veradis stared at me for a moment before turning in the direction of the expanse of white.
"That's going to be very cold." I say, then pointed back towards the forests. "How about that way? Where it's still moderately warm?"
Veradis shakes her head and paws at the ground, thrusting her muzzle towards the tundra. She knew more than I when it came to the arena. Though I would greatly prefer not to venture into the ice and snow, she wanted us to go there. After all, Veradis did show me the secrets of that cave. Following what she says will be my best chance of survival.
I climb on to her back, and Veradis stands to her full, magnificent height. She spreads her wings, and I clutch her feathers in tight fists as she leaps into the sky. Her wing-beats are powerful, and I narrow my eyes against the wind. I've never flown before. Now, I'm quite literally in my element.
I've never felt this powerful before. The wind feels strengthening, rather than a force I have to fight against. Veradis doesn't seem to be having any difficulty against the icy gusts, flying in an elegant streamline. Her compact and sleek feathers offer no resistance.
A smile spreads across my face. But this smile isn't fake, or forced for an audience. This is the first time in weeks that I've felt truly happy. I stare out at the expanse, not seeing anything in sight. I don't worry about the cold, but rather the sudden change from green and brown to white.
"Keep going." I instruct, and she spreads her wings again. We only fly for another few minutes before a frozen lake comes into view. It's large, though not overly so, and covered with sheets of glittering ice. She dips down, landing lightly ten meters from the frozen lake. I jump off, and she folds in her wings. There's something in front of us- something that made Veradis stop mid-flight.
I walk towards the edge of the lake and extend my hand forward, then sharply pull it back. A tingle goes down my arm, like a spark of electricity. The symbol that the cloaked figure had marked on my arm appeared again in sharp tingles. I pull up my sleeve, turning back to Veradis as I yank it back down.
"Maybe it's a sign." I pronounce with an attempt to lift the mood. "The arena doesn't want us to risk dying of hypothermia." Veradis stares at me, then out at the lake. I follow her gaze into the expanse of ice with a sigh. I hesitate before taking a step forward and holding up my hand. There's some sort of barrier I'll have to walk through.
The mysterious mass induces fear, along with a surprised excitement. My fingertips glow a soft, faint white as I touch whatever it is that's in front of me. It doesn't tingle, this time. It doesn't feel like anything.
I take another few steps forward, and turn in a circle before facing Veradis. "It looks safe, I think. Come on." She doesn't move, pawing at the ground. Her tail swishes back and forth. I'm not sure how I know, but Veradis can't pass whatever shield I walked through. She points her nose to the left, then forward, gesturing that she'll find a way around. I nod, meeting her eyes. They're filled with determination, for both me and herself.
"See you soon, Vera." I whisper, and she ruffles her wings before launching off into the sky. She circles above me once before turning to the west. I watch until she disappears from view.
I look out at the lake, pulling my hood up to cover my head. Surprisingly, it isn't cold. The jacket seems to be holding in warmth.
To the right, there's an expanse of snow reaching further than I can see. To the left, there are steep, sheer cliffs I can't climb. Even if I could, the ice and snow would make it impossible.
I take a step forward out on to the lake, testing my weight on the ice. I reach out my hand as if to grab something, closing it around the cold air. It acts as a rail and form of balance as I take another step.
I look back in the direction my dragon had flown, then out at the land visible on the other side.
I hope Veradis makes it. Whatever it is I'll have to face, I won't be able to do it without her.
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139 comments
Honestly Mira, I am telling you, I'm advising you, requesting you: MAKE A TDR A GRAPHIC NOVEL! You have so much scope for making books. You could literally make 14 TDR Graphic Novel books, and I bet every single person would be just waiting to keep on reading the next part! You are so good at everything you do Mira. Continue making more of these parts. :)
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YES EXACTLY. WE"VE BEEN TELLING HER THIS FOR A FRICKEN MONTHHhhhh
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HOPEFULLY SHE SEE'S HOW RIGHT WE ARE!!
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SHE'D BETTER. IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE!!!!
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When TDR's finished and edited, I hopw to get it published. (WITH MY OWN SMALL ILLUSTRATIONS ON THE COVER AND THROUGHOUT, OBVI!)
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mmmhmmm. Yes, and I expect an autographed version
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When TDR's finished and edited, I hopw to get it published. (WITH MY OWN SMALL ILLUSTRATIONS ON THE COVER AND THROUGHOUT, OBVI!)
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YESSSSSSSSS MIRA YOU SHOULDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
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FINALLY SOMEONE AGREES WITH MEEEEE!! :)
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YES!!!!!!!!!
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Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!! (HOW DID YOU KNOW I'M AN ARTIST???) I can't draw characters more than once, though. ut I TOTALLY see TDR as a movie. I already have it cast XDDD
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Haha, when is it going to be streaming worldwide??🤣
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Uh ...after it's written, published, and produced XDDD
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Then I'll be sure to wait for it!
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😁😁😁😁
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😁😁😁😁
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Hey hey hey! awesome as usual!! One thing I would say is that basically what Luke said, to use a little less dramatic language BUT you did do better at the suspense and the infodumping, which I am SOO proud of :D:D:D
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awwwwwww, thanks!!!
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Alsooooooo, what does "less dramatic language" mean? I don't know how to do less of that. HEEEEEELP
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So the bombshells and the dramatic sentences like the last one (which was great by the way)
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Mk... thanks!!! Reedsy hadn't been working that well on my computer, so I'll edit when I can.
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Ahah no problem
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Alsooooooo, what does "less dramatic language" mean? I don't know how to do less of that. HEEEEEELP
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awwwwwww, thanks!!!
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YEah!!!
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OH MAH GAWD. I LARB IT. WHY ARE YOU SO GOOD. SHOULD BE ILLEGAL. Each part raises a new question, new problem and it's all building up to a dRaMatIc CLIMAX 💥 Mira, you NEED TO HURRY UP AND GET THIS ACTION GOING... We've all been waiting for it!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU HAVE TO STOP HOLDING OFFFFFFFF. OH MAH GAWD WE NEED DEATH DESTRUCTION DESPAIR (the 3 d's hehehe) plus who's veradis?
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AAAAAAAAAWWWWWW THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE THERE'S GONNA BE A WARRR (oops...spoiler) IT'S CALLED SUSPENSE! I also had to follow the prompt XDDD Veradis is Eriene's dragon. XD
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war? ooh the 3 d's in one place (sorry i'm dark humored) S U S P E N S E Oui, but i'm not gonna be able to remember the stuff in the beginning if you keep holding it out! Remember, 14 parts=roughly 16 weeks which is 4 months and it's not in a book form yet, so it can be confuzzling :((((((
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ehehe...sorry
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heeheeeeeeee me and luke will double harass you now
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XD but think about how long it takes in HP or THG for anything to happen XD I must go. AU REVOIR
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XD but think about how long it takes in HP or THG for anything to happen XD I must go. AU REVOIR
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ehehe...sorry
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miraaaaaaaaaaa part 6 is outtttttttttt
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AAAAAAAAAWWWWWW THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE THERE'S GONNA BE A WARRR (oops...spoiler) IT'S CALLED SUSPENSE! I also had to follow the prompt XDDD Veradis is Eriene's dragon. XD
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oh. *jen* *da* 🐉
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JEN YOU'LL BE INTRODUCED SOONNNNN!!!!
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yesh, this needs to be a story!!!!!!!!!!! I would totally buy it and display it for company :)))))))0
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aaaaaaawwwww, reallyyyyyyyyyyy??? Thank you!!!!
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aaaaaaawwwww, reallyyyyyyyyyyy??? Thank you!!!!
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welcome :))))))))) How you doing?
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I'm great!!! (I've been wriitng Part 20, and WOW it's dramatic XDDD)
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I'm great!!! (I've been wriitng Part 20, and WOW it's dramatic XDDD)
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:)))))) looking forward to it :)
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ANOTHER NEW STORY!
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SAME!!! I posted Part 15!!!
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YES
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DID YOU READ IT??????????
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OMG IT WAS BEYOND GOOD
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THANK YOUUUU!!! Any edits I could make???
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THANK YOUUUU!!! Any edits I could make???
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DID YOU READ IT??????????
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SAME!!! I posted Part 15!!!
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new story!
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THIS WAS GREAT MIRAAAAA!! I would recommend that you use less dramatic language and use dire circumstances as your method of making more suspense. Also work on the infodumping. GREATTTTTTTTTT!!!
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I WILL WORK ON THAT!!!!!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wrote most of it today, lol. WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTERRR??? (Mine's Raya Castor. Or Theraya, if that counts as a character. XDDDDDDDDDD)
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MY FAVE CHARACTER IS PROB LUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
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OBVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII XD But like Therayaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
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I KNOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!
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YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE I SHIP THEM. Luriene's gonna be canon, too
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aaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
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ehehe
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ehehe
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NEW STORY
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YAY
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IM SO EXCITED MALAFICE IS YOURS NOWW GIVE Y+US BEATIFUL FANTASYY
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YEEEE! I still need Luke to fill me in on everything, and won't be writing it as much as TDR ... Maybe a chapter a month? Idk
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FOR ANY ONLOOKERS BEWARE: SPOILERS. XD I'll fill you in now!! Basically the abilities that are light have all been mentioned, but the dark ones are (in no order): Resurrection Weather Control Shape-shifting Chaining (like Malicius has) Immortality (Like mira has) Eternal youth by stealing from others (a version of what mira has) Disappearing (like Ady has) Also, I want Ayn to have been tortured by the Demogor to reveal where they are, and for Ady to think that she betrayed them so Ady then tries to get revenge by running straight into the ...
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uh..........wow. You might have to write that with me. Like, a collaboration. Because I don't think I could pull that off. But yes, Lariona NEEDS to save Ady and then Adyona can sail FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
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XDDDDDDDDDDDDD YASSSSS NO PROBLEM!!! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU DO WITH IT!!!
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YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! PART 15 HAS BEEN POSTED
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NEW STORYYY
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AHHHALSJDSSGBLEUGLBEJGBJL I FREAKING LOVE ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT THE DETAILS ARE AMAZING LIKE ALWAYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS THIS SERIES HAS TO BE LIKE ONE OF THE BEST ON REEDSYYYYYYYY I SWEAR YA GOTTA MAKE THIS INTO A BOOK I WILL BUY ITTTTTTTTT
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YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE THANK YOU!!!
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NPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!
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YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE THANK YOU!!!
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There's gonna be new characters introduceddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd!!!!!!!!!!!! Vatra and Calder, cousins from Riverdeen.
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OOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (that will be interesting!!!!!!!!)
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OOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (that will be interesting!!!!!!!!)
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There's gonna be new characters introduceddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd!!!!!!!!!!!! Vatra and Calder, cousins from Riverdeen.
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Alsooooo, if you haven't already guessed, Riva and Lein are gonna play pretty important roles in the events to come. And there's this other major spoiler I can't tell youuu. (But it's...it's just...it's awesome.)
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QwQ stop torturing meeeeeeeee
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QwQ stop torturing meeeeeeeee
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It's gotta do with Altair, Alaric, and Sinistrian and Foranian royalty. I kinda gave you all the clues right there...
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Alsooooo, if you haven't already guessed, Riva and Lein are gonna play pretty important roles in the events to come. And there's this other major spoiler I can't tell youuu. (But it's...it's just...it's awesome.)
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Nice job, Mira! The descriptions of the dragons and the world they're in are great. You established everyday life in the world really well, so it's easy for the reader to imagine the place. I loved the line, "Hope that somehow I'll be able to fight, and untangle the interwoven threads of this tapestry." Amazing job!
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Thank you!!! (Also, I have no idea who half the people on Reedsy are now because of the fruit name thing...who are you exactly? XD)
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No problem! Oh, yeah, I'm Maya Emerson. I put my name with the fruit now so it's less confusing. XD
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Thank you!!! (Also, I have no idea who half the people on Reedsy are now because of the fruit name thing...who are you exactly? XD)
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Just checked on your bio. ...I am so stupid. Hiiiiiiiiii, Maya.
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Just checked on your bio. ...I am so stupid. Hiiiiiiiiii, Maya.
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