Each MC must pen a letter to a loved one before entering their challenge. Below is Nagini's letter to Nyoka
Nyoka,
May this letter find you well and in good spirits despite all that has occurred since my departure to Elderton. I need you to know that it pained me to leave you and Elda to contend with the inquisitions of The Council alone, protected by only the word of Dipilli. And although I was a witness to his truth, there is a part of me that fears that his words are not enough. Those that stood against him in the faces of The Council Members, still maintained the support of most of the District Elders who were in attendance. It is my fear that should I complete the Trials and return the victor, I might still be too late.
And that is another fear of mine: I have and will always be an enemy of time.
Had I not been so wrapped up in my own selfish desires and plans, I might have been of aid to you. It is true in fact that your connection to the Royal Family had sparked my hatred for them. Aside from their lack of loyalty to their own kind but to their own ambitions, a part of me felt that the spineless worm of a King, Visuki, had taken you away from me. That is my truth.
You are more than just my sister: you are my friend, my mother – the mother that I was never given the opportunity to know – my protector, my counselor, all wrapped in one. And a yes, a part of me despised you for all of that too, because I resented the fact that I needed you.
And how badly I needed you.
Little did I know or could even fathom that you had been calling out to me too. But I was too blind, too arrogant, too selfish to even hear you. As I sit here, reflecting under the single flame from the candle in my tent, I wish that I could simply turn back time to the days before it was announced that King Visuki had expressed an interest in making you, his bride. I know that you would have made a fine queen had the plan been executed successfully. Had I known the true intentions behind it, I could have been of help. I would have focused on honing my magia differently so that at least you would have always been protected.
But again, it is too late to look back now. All that I have to offer in this letter is an apology. I can only hope that upon my return, our family will be reunited. May our brothers and dear father be allowed to return home safely and most importantly…
May our kingdom be restored to its full glory. However, if it is within the will of Mother Spirit for me to return prepared for a fight, then I am more than willing to accept that fate. I just need for you to know, Nyoka, that regardless of whatever happens between now and the end of the Trials, everything that I do will be to ensure your future, just as you have once done for me.
And before I conclude, I want you to know that Elderton is beautiful. From the well-paved roads, the greenery, even the sky possesses a strange form of beauty. It is strange being in the presence of such diverse entities. Some of them appear as deadly and vile as the Vipera but lack the hateful nature of that tribe of Naga. Others possess a darkly ethereal beauty that is nothing short of an illusion, while others seem to be both strong and fierce and I am sure could give some our Glycos a run for their rattles.
When all of this is over, I think it would be a great idea for us to travel together, to visit other realms. I know that you and our brothers are familiar with the other kingdoms, so it none of it is or would be a surprise to you. But there is someone I met here that would be very happy to see you again. She is a curious creature indeed and I would probably best describe her as a “drop of ink and obsidian”.
Until my return, please be safe. Return to the safety of our District if you must as you know our Elders will fight to the death to protect you and Elda- even though she is not of our blood, she is an innocent trapped in the wicked games of serpents.
I love you always…
Nagini
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