[Avelyn]

Once upon a time...
Once upon a time...
Once upon a time...

There lived a mighty knight.
There lived a beautiful princess.
There lived a fearsome beast.

And with her holy blade,
And with her sacred grace,
And with its wicked fangs,


she fought for justice and righteousness.
she united her kingdom under her wisdom.
it tore apart all that witnessed it.

However...
However...
However...

A mighty war ravaged the land, flames licking at its crops
A terrifying villain took her, and locked her away.
All that it longed for was the chance at humanity..

And thus, she knew that she had to be a hero.
And thus, she knew that she was to be a damsel.
But still, it knew, it could only be a monster.

Once upon a time...

Burnt to ash... Dammit all, if only we had been there sooner...

There was a girl...

Wait... Sir Reinfrid, I think I found something!

Who could no longer be...

Good gods, there's a girl! Quick, get her some help!

And so, she took all that she was

You're alright now, don't worry.

And she set it behind a door

...wait, that's--

So that she would never be her again.

Get away from it, qu--

...etter than anticipated. I told you this was... Wait, hold on.

Now who are you, little girl...?

...Ohhh! So that's the deal, hmm...?

Tell us, girl... do you want to live?

Then come with us! I'm sure you'll love it.

But you're not ready for the whole story, now are you?

---

Chapter One
The Hero, Rosalinde Spectaure

Once upon a time...

[Avelyn]

Chapter Two

The Monster, Euryale

Chapter Three

The Damsel, Odette Grimm

Chapter Four

The $#@&^+&)!&%

Chapter Five

Penitence

Chapter Six

A Furtive Chase

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chaptertenchapterelevenchaptertwelvechapt--

---

Chapter %^$@
Death of the Damsel

...

I've broken a lot of promises in my life.

"I'll be seeing you soon."

I'm sorry, Nadir. ...thank you for believing in me.

I suppose I've done many bad things, too.

"I've waited seventeen years, and I'll wait seventeen more."

I'm sorry, Murielazelle. ...thank you for loving me.

...All I truly wanted was to be free. For just one day, free.

"Ours is a love story."

I'm sorry, Eden. ...thank you for saving me.

...Was I free in the end?

"There is no author more powerful than the stories they pen."

I'm sorry, Sinthara. ...thank you for hearing my story.

Maybe Nadir is right, and freedom like that does not truly exist.

"I'll be fine. I promise."

I'm sorry, Rafflesia. Izmael. Laura. Grey. Virelle. Sul'Sol-San.

But I just can't help but wonder...

"Let's make sure the next chapter a happier one."

...

Everybody knows what happens when a person dies. They fade away, and in the stars they are turned into something new. A new tale begins at the ending of the old. People grieve, they weep, and they remember, ultimately, what they lost.

..But... what happens when a Story dies?

Once upon a time, there was damsel who was locked in a tower. Born to bear the suffering, born to live in fear, she was not meant to struggle in any meaningful way, not meant to choose. Her hands were not meant to create. She was meant to lie in wait, to sit in her tower, and know suffering until the day came that she could be saved.

For far too many years, the Damsel accepted this, and worse yet - she accepted that to follow these strands of tale was the only way. It was her pen that demanded the same of her sisters. It was she who told the Monster it must rage and know no love. It was her that told the Hero that she could know no pain. In all her fear of what lie at the other end of the page, she did not only lament, but she spread that lamentation onward.

To struggle against her very nature, to rebel against the tale that made her her, that would be futility. With just one flick of a pen, her storywriter could undo her for such transgressions, could undo all that effort, and it would all be for nothing. No matter how far she may have traveled, that cabin held her still. She could never escape its wooden walls.

But then, she felt that page turning - and for just one moment, she questioned: what if I remained behind? What if I did not let that story determine who I was to be?

It started small at first. Little changes where she could. She made chose where she ought not to. She let her voice be heard from beyond the tower. She loved. Truly, truly loved, in those ways that she wanted, not as that scared little princess locked in her tower. Every motion was a step. One movement away from the cabin that held her always. That cabin to which she belonged. To which they all belonged, Damsel, Hero, Monster.

It only took one day for her to decide, no more. She broke her first chain then, when she penned another tale, when she lifted weapon and fought for what she thought was right. And she kept fighting. Never did she let any tell her what her story was to be. Never again would she let anyone decide her fetters for her.

Her story would ever be hers, a Storybook penned by itself, and..

...

---

Even now, I believe in happy endings. I have to.

"You will have less than you desire, and more than you deserve."

I always wanted to be a hero.

"If this doesn't work, you will look out for her, right?"

And this... This is what heroes do, right?

"If this works, I can't promise what They will do, but-"

I only wish it wasn't so frightening.

"I will try to have the story go our way."

...Good luck. I love you all.