Foreword(Minerva's Letter)

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Once upon a time

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Once upon a time... In ages far gone, our grandfathers and their grandparents before them committed crimes against nature, against life and against humanity itself.

Bloodshed spilled at the hands of a few flooded the valleys where great cities stood, people from all ways of life lost their homes, their children, and even their humanity to the horrors of war. Time, after time, after time again.

And so, most of what was left ran to the hills seeking shelters in the arks of the founders, sacred spaces where life was preserved, where plants and animals would be safely kept from the poisonous, radioactive wasteland outside. Their efforts worked but their names were long lost to the world born after all the wars ended.

The earth as the old ones called it, was no more, and instead Tirallan was born.

Eight kingdoms rose from the ashes of old civilizations and with the help of the mages, the fey, and the ascendants. Their fame and glory aided humanity to flourish once more.

Near the sea of ours stands Nevermoore, home to the high courts and crowns. Upon its valley's horrors reminding of the eras of old broke havoc, so the king founded the huntsmen to aid humans recover ground and slay the horrors of the night. Never more should the children of mount Olympia would tolerate their past to be forgotten. The old kings took to the ancient castles and the ruins of our beloved cities, and we made them grander and beautiful once more.

To the west rose the Optimal zone, referred to as OZ. This kingdom of science and technology, aided by the hands of the cardinal coven, the most powerful sorceresses to ever live surpassed the others in power. On the majestic city of Emerald, the president stands as the ultimate seat of power, elected every once in a few years. Despite all this the people remember, everyone in Oz wonders what happened to the court of Diamandis and their daughter Ozma

To the south connected by a land bridge where once stood the bellybutton of the moon, far beyond the ruins of mariners reach Wonderland flourished.

A realm vast in size, colors, types of people, climates, and creatures that inhabit it. From the lands that were destroyed, the wonderland folk benefitted from four seats of power that distribute aid to the kingdoms, the principality of diamond, the port of clubs, the fort of spades and the court of hearts. Once united, now divided, corruption roots deep, everyone in wonderland lives to fight another day, as the queen of hearts expands her reach taking the heads of those daring to oppose her.

On the heart of the green lands the Ufalme country was built, a land of nature, a sanctuary to wizards, mutants, and those whose skin was subject to segregation. The land now flourishing with resources tends to itself, never interfering in affairs of other kingdoms. Their ruler Queen Masimba only worried for the son who will inherit the throne.

To the east on the oceanic continent the Never islands stand. A that welcomes those who were forgotten by the other kingdoms, it became a home for the fairies that were not welcome in Ufalme nor the land of Alg'rabia, and welcomes the criminals of all countries. Often the shores are raided by gangs of pirates while the port of the New Republic of Orleans, offers safe haven as well as the preserves run by the original inhabitants of these lands in the heart of the fey-sea.

Chimmeria was founded and rebuilt from the ashes of the forbidden palace. Now a cultural and technological center that benefits from the merge of various intern kingdoms, perspectives, and technologies. Chimmeria turned to take advantage of its resources and give back to the land; many times, exploiting their fae-blood inhabitants and only testing and preparing their weapons to soon meet war beyond the northern wall.

In the heart of the Indic southwest Alg'rabia was born, a conglomerate of kingdoms that took to their roots in the deserts, jungles, plains, rivers, and savannahs. This land stands as a beacon of culture and progress, vast enough to find anything and anyone you seek. In the center where once sat a ruling family of potential importance a castle raided by thorns and ever-sleeping people await where a thousand treasures rest waiting to be uncovered. Many have tried again and again to find the palace, but very few are ever able to find it, and none of them have ever survived the dragon that protects jealously the entrance to the thorn maze.

On the upper north, at the very top of the world, the biggest and most divided kingdom rules with the threat of unleashing eternal winter over all lands. Scarpal used to be the prosperous land, now divided by the hands of the two siblings: The Winter Beast, and the Snow Queen. both at each other's throats, both ready to lay siege to their castles in the never-ending search for the most precious item of all: The wishing mirror, but that's a story for another time.

It seems all the efforts of the past will not advert the impending doom of repeating history, yet somehow this story is not about that either.

This story is not about realms falling apart, nor the horrors of war.

This is a story about people, not about the kings and queens.

This is about siblings, about sons, daughters, and parents, about friends, foes and families, enemies, and lovers, and the weird in between.

About runaway children, castaway people, rogues, and mages, about fairies and androids, about wolves and fearless children, about lost sisters, found brothers and legacies people leave when they let others be part of their story.

My name is Minerva, for me, this is the story of how my parents met.

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