Thia's Afterthoughts 03-Part 1 (Campaign Wrap-up)

I didn‘t expect to survive the fight against Talander, but I did. We all did. For me the hardest thing in this life is still to keep living it. But during that fight in the Palace of Poison Tears I have found my faith at last – my faith in Kelemvor‘s ultimate law and its balance; it‘s still true that I lost my fear of Death, and instead take solace in it accompanying Life and waiting for me at the end of my path, no matter how long it takes or how I get there. And I still have promises to uphold. I guess, that‘s why I‘m still here. This world is still wretched after dealing with the invasion from the sea and the Cult of Talander though, maybe even moreso seeing all these oases of peace and quiet where I felt I could breathe a little easier disappear over time under the then established system. But it‘s still inhabitable for those I care about – that‘s all that matters, isn‘t it? That was all I wanted to preserve this world for in the first place. And yet... the very people I care about the most are scattered all over Faerun -- or even beyond I still haven‘t managed to find a way to where Barty might be, and who knows where Brewen has disappered to? It drives me crazy with worry for them! So I find myself more restless than ever, only distracting myself with carthographing every nook and cranny of the world as I travel back and forth between all the places where my friends and my beloved dwell. Of course, I shall stay true to my word and remain by Aes‘urian‘s side. I still love him despite of what he has become. It might have taken me some time to get used to his new form, but I simply refuse to be afraid of the person I love! Beneath his hellish form I can still glimpse the heart of the Aes‘urian I fell for back then, or at least that‘s what I tell myself. And I might hate his cruelty and the ruthless methods with which he rules, but I‘m not surprised how much this behaviour thrives in a position of power; I‘ve known for a long time that he is not a good person, and my heart is still what it is, feels what it feels – it doesn‘t care for good or evil. Nor does it care for power and riches; it just wants to love and be loved in turn. And thus I shall remain by his side until the end, even if after all these years I still wake up from my neverending nightmares night after night with a silent scream escaping from my lips and my heart thundering in my chest. Even if he sends that loathsome Mr Frost to spy on and trail after me wherever I go. But I have nothing to hide and no intention of betraying any of my loyalties, not to Aes‘urian but not to my friends either. And if you think you could spite me or deter me from doing what I feel is the right thing to do with the presence of that fiend sticking to my heels like horseshit, you‘re still underestimating me and should try a little harder, my love!