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CelestialPermalink Reply by ✓ Ophelia Dreyvalian ~Admin~ on March 15, 2020 at 16:52

Settling into life in the Eternal City had been somewhat of an interesting road for Ophelia, the Wayfinder had chosen this place to come to because it was the bold option, she knew if her and the other stars scattered then it would only be so long before the Ailwards decided to make a u-turn and come find them again. Coming here was the first step she had chosen to try and insert her people as a real member of this community. But it hadn’t been until the last few months that she really felt like she had become a part of the city and the life it encompassed. With finally getting the shop downtown and starting that business and encouraging the other Celestials to get out and make lives for themselves she felt like they’d made real grounds when it came to moving on from the past and looking towards the future.

It had been a busy morning in the shop, after a wealthy heiress had come here a few weeks back and had her debutante dress custom made, she had found an influx of customers coming to shop and requesting that she helped them to make custom dresses for their prom, which was only in a few months. She was enjoying it, getting to design the dresses, put personal touches on them which perfectly represented the client and also getting custom headpieces and accessories made to match it. She never expected to find so much purpose in something which had nothing to do with the fact she was a fallen star and the Wayfinder. This work was all just her and her creativity and she loved it.

When it reached around lunchtime she followed her usual routine of closing up the shop for an hour so that she could head out to get some food, there was this little cafe just down the road which she usually went to and ordered a sandwich and coffee. Her feet naturally took her in that direction without her needing to think about it too much, she headed into the place absentmindedly and took her place in the queue. Her thoughts were lost thinking about a certain kind of red fabric she wanted to get hold of for one of her customer’s dresses but it was proving harder than she thought to get the exact blend she was hoping to have. She didn’t even notice that the person ahead of her in the queue had turned around until they spoke her name and she froze.

She knew the voice immediately and suddenly all thoughts about the dress disappeared and all she could do was part her lips in complete disbelief as she stared back at the man she remembered as Adriel Hansen. Her first love. And the man who disappeared from her life years ago without so much as a goodbye. He was sure he could see the path of her emotions as she stared back at him, at first shocked, then reminded of the hurt she had felt from the way he left and then finally her anger because honestly, she didn’t want to see him right now when things had just gotten good in her life. She didn’t need another person who just abandoned her showing up. She didn’t say a word to him but she turned away from him and headed straight out of the cafe, walking as quickly as she could away from it.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Jihoon Lim on March 15, 2020 at 19:53

Out of all the people he expected to see, Ophelia was not on the list. Not because he never ever wanted to see her again, but more so due to the fact that he left her; he abandoned her. How could he ever show his face around again? He's been searching for a chance to do that for the past century but it was easier said than done, especially when he tried to locate her and couldn't find her still. Yet look at where she is, standing just right next to him this entire time without him realizing. How long has it been? How long has she been here in the city? All the times he went to get his coffee and didn't pay attention to anyone else, was she there then? Or was it just today? The question was… if she had been right next to him this entire time, would he have not noticed her? 

There were so many questions in his head but how could he focus on them when Ophelia Dreyvalian stood before him in all her glory, looking more beautiful than he remembered her, more lively… happier too. How was her life all these years? Was she happy? It seems like Ophelia, too, was surprised to see him here. He could see the emotions shown in her dark hues but before he could say another word to her, the dark-haired beauty had turned her back on him and walked away. She may as well show it obviously that she was trying to escape him with how fast she was walking. Adriel blinked a few times in confusion before he quickly scrambled to get his head back in reality, all thoughts about coffee were gone. The only thing remaining was her. Ophelia Dreyvalian, he had to get to her. He had to explain, just as he promised, 300 years ago. 

He was just about to follow the Celestial when his name was suddenly called by the barista, his coffee was ready. With a flustered reaction marring his features, he gave his thanks and grabbed the coffee before making a dash out the shop. He tried to search for her silhouette, until he saw a familiar figure walking away. He tried to catch up to her and despite the people coming in at him, it didn't take him long to get to her. "Phe- wait up, please. Please don't walk away from me" he pleaded earnestly, frowning gently as he tried to walk by her side, "Please, I… I just found you again."

CelestialPermalink Reply by ✓ Ophelia Dreyvalian ~Admin~ on March 15, 2020 at 21:51

As she was walking through the crowds of people who were heading to wherever it was they spent their lunchtimes, she could feel the tears stinging in her eyes. Honestly, of all the people from her past she expected to see again, the last person she thought it would be was Adriel. Her mind was a flurry of emotions and memories, remembering the times that the two of them spent together, how they met after his horse had run loose and thrown him head over heels. She remembered the time they danced barefoot through the halls, her teaching him the steps and then him trying to do them and them ending up getting tangled in their steps and falling over one another.

She remembered so many smiles and laughs, how he would bring her one of her favorite flowers most mornings and she would put them in the vase which sat beside her bedside table, she remembered making him a pair of cufflinks which she had spent hours forging between her shifts on the apprenticeship, engraving his initials into one of them and hers into the other. She remembered going sailing on the lake, him teaching her how to steer the boat and feeling the wind in her hair and his arms against hers. She also remembered the crushing moment she had opened that letter sitting on her bedroom table, she remembered reading his promise to explain and she remembered waiting for him to come back. To the point that she endangered her people by staying too long in one place because she didn’t want to move on without him.

Those were the things rushing through her mind as she heard him calling out behind her, she didn’t stop, she kept going despite his pleading that she stop “Bold words for you to say considering walking away is all you seem to be good at” harsh, she knew, but she was full of emotions right now and she didn’t know how to get it under control when all of it was so sudden. She had to admit he was persistent though because no matter much much she refused to even look at him and kept walking he seemed to try to keep up with her. Of course, she could have paused time and used it to leave him behind but perhaps there was a small part of her which wanted to know why. Why did he abandon her? They had reached a small park by the time that Ophelia came to a stop, forcing herself to turn towards him “What do you want Adriel?” she asked it with a stern gaze in his direction.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Jihoon Lim on March 15, 2020 at 22:41

He didn't want to lose sight of her. Not again. When he couldn't see her figure amidst the crowded space, he could feel his chest closing up, it reminded him closely on what happened a few centuries ago. When he left her; when he abandoned her. Rightfully so, Ophelia didn't owe him anything, not even words, it was his fault and he should amount to it but he didn't want to leave her. Not once did he ever thought about leaving his angel, he really thought that was going to be their life. A beautiful one. The one he had pictured ever since he laid his eyes on her. Unfortunately, fate had other plans for him. Was it his recklessness that brought this? Did he brought it upon himself, the trouble? No, of course not, he reassured himself. He was framed. As always. 

Memories came surging back, as if to remind Adriel what he lost, what he gave up once he decided to board that ship and sail away, leaving his most beloved person behind. All because he couldn't control how bad it became. They were happy. All those smiles and laughter, he could still remember them vividly. The smile she would wear every time she sees him, the one where her lips would often curve itself a bit when she's giggling. It never ceases to make him laugh. He always pinched her cheeks too. The days he would come visiting her at the smithy in the evenings, back-hugging her from behind as he closed her eyes using his hands, only to steal her away and surprise her with a kiss. 

Bringing letters that held words of poems he had written neatly. He remembered being praised for having a neat handwriting back then, he had then tried to create a few cheesy poems about his love to the Celestial Wayfinder. She would receive them once every week, by the very least. He misses her, though he couldn't say the same if she is the same. When he finally caught up to her, he noticed they had stepped into the entrance of a park, and swallowed hard when she directed her harsh gaze and equally as harsh words to him. That was to be expected. "I'm sorry... " It automatically came out as soon as she pointed out that walking away was what he did best. 

What did he want? He wanted to explain to her why he left. Why he did what he did. "The promise I made you… 300 years ago. The explanation I promised. I want to give you that. I tried to search for you a century ago but was unable to locate you… where- where have you been?" His voice turned quieter as the second thickens by. 

CelestialPermalink Reply by ✓ Ophelia Dreyvalian ~Admin~ on March 16, 2020 at 9:20

She was reminded of how much she missed him in those first few years after he left, she had never experienced those kinds of feelings for someone before and honestly before then she hadn’t even thought about her own happiness or want to be with someone like that. She had been focused on figuring out who she was and what she was supposed to do, she was supposed to be traveling the world looking for more people like her and yet knowing him had made her want to stay. Despite her reluctance, she had allowed him to court her because he had made her happy and happiness was always something Ophelia knew she shouldn’t be prioritizing and yet she couldn’t stop herself from reaching out for it every time.

She did eventually move on through, she packed up her things and left with the Celestials that she had found and they continued their travels, the story wasn’t exactly a happy one given how everything turned out when they went to the Isle of Skye but it did remind her that life went on and pushed forward, even after the guy leaves. Still, she kept the letters that he sent her in a box under the floorboard in her room, she never forgot him and she often wondered where he went “Are you?” she responded when he apologized almost out of reflex, because if he was sorry then why did he do it in the first place? She had told herself for so long that he would come back and explain but in the end, she realized it was probably just an excuse.

She rested her hands on her hips as she looked back at him “Yeah don’t worry about that promise, you never actually made it to me” honestly the thing that made her most angry about it was that he didn’t even say goodbye to her in person, she didn’t even get to say anything about it, he took all the choice away from her and then like an idiot she had waited around for him to come back and explain, she should have known that. When he asked her where she had been she pressed her lips together, he searched for her? “I had to go off the grid, certain things happened and I needed to protect my people” she had been on travels when she met him, she wasn’t even supposed to have stayed as long as she did “No fixed address as they say” even now she couldn’t say that part of her life was over.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Jihoon Lim on March 16, 2020 at 15:04

Now that he saw her physically, he was reminded of how much he's missed her. There was nothing he could say to defend himself for doing what he did, 300 years ago, but still, Adriel would like to fix what could be fixed. He wouldn't be expecting for Ophelia to accept him back, he just needed to tell her why he left. He owed it to her. It hurts a lot more when he was sure both of them could reminisce about the memories they had together; they were happy. They were fine with each other and had no problem whatsoever. Did he move on? No, he didn't. He still loves her deeply. Did she move on though? He wasn't so sure about that. Perhaps she did, and she had every reason and right to do so. She wasn't the one who left, he reminded himself. 

The Valkyr wondered how she fared, how did she lead her life all these years? Was she fine? Did she get hurt? He felt as if his chest just got stepped over and over again when she questioned him whether he actually feels sorry for what's happened. "I am… truly" his voice is timid and quiet. It feels like the entire world was judging him. He chewed his bottom lip apprehensively as his eyes met hers; his blue ones pleading desperately to be given the chance to speak. Did she wait for him? "It's written but it doesn't change for me, I still made it and it's been a while but I still remember it... " was he being stubborn about this? Maybe. But that's how he was with her back then too, persistent and stubborn. 

"What happened?" he asked softly, he knew her identity as a Celestial and he could only wonder what it would mean for her sooner or later. He couldn't witness that, unfortunately. Did she have to run too? "Are you staying here? How long have you stayed here?" One by one, Adriel, he reminded himself. "I've been searching for you... "

CelestialPermalink Reply by ✓ Ophelia Dreyvalian ~Admin~ on March 17, 2020 at 15:11

There was a time in her life where she questioned whether happiness was just something she wasn’t able to have, because every time that she had it, something would happen and it would be snatched away, every time she did something selfish and wanted something for herself it seemed to backfire and she was left alone again. Now she had gotten to the point in her life where she had just stopped reaching for happiness. But she had to admit, seeing him here today, that made her question the reasons why, why did the world bring him back to her right now after she had gone through the experience of him leaving all those years ago “It’s been 300 years Adriel, I think it’s too late for old promises” it may as well have just been broken after this length of time. 

She had gotten herself to the point where she had stopped wondering what it was that saw him leaving in such a rush he couldn’t even give her a proper goodbye, she had felt cast aside and unimportant and it had taken her a long time to move on and stop wondering what if but eventually she did. She had fallen in love since then and while they didn’t have a happy ending, it did serve as proof to her that she was capable of moving forward from the broken heart he left her with “The same thing which always happens, someone took something from my people they shouldn’t and there was little I could do to stop it” honestly she didn’t think she owed him an explanation of this part of her life considering he wasn’t there to support her during it. No, she was alone, she always seemed to be alone. 

“For the time being, Evermore is my home yes” she liked here and she really wanted to stay but she tried her best to keep her expectations low because she didn’t know what would happen and she knew there was a real possibility she would need to take her people and go at some point in the future, but she held onto the hope that Evermore could be the sanctuary she knew her people needed “It’s been three years now” she answered as she gave her a stern look “Well, you have me here listening, if you were going to give your explanation, now would be the time” she looked back at him with an expectant gaze.  

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Jihoon Lim on March 17, 2020 at 17:56

He's never forgotten that day when he had to force himself to leave England; to leave her. It was the biggest decision he had to make and alas, the Valkyr wondered if he made the right choice by leaving without telling her. Did it result in her resenting him? That explains why she didn't want to see him, right? 300 years was a very long time. 3 years alone was long enough, much less three decades or three centuries. Adriel could only imagine the pain she feels, the pain that he too, felt. He's been searching for her about a century ago once he had cleared his name better from the lies that were spouted by others, but was unable to locate the Wayfinder. If he found her here today, surely that must be a sign. He believes in it. And whilst he may never rekindle their relationship, he owed it to her to explain. But you still love her. Yes he does. He still loves her. 

"Old promises doesn't mean broken promises, Phe... " When was the last time he called her that? When… was the last time he called her angel? Hell, when was the last time he even called her name? "I know I don't deserve your time… but I hope that you will spare me… a few minutes of your day. It is all that I'm asking for." Enough to explain why he left. Adriel couldn't help but notice the beauty in her, she hasn't changed much, aside from that clothing style and hair. She looks just as pretty. He remembered he used to tell her how pretty she was, every single day, while comparing her beauty to the flowers he would gift her. All the memories felt so distant and so long ago, but never gone. He wondered… if she moved on? "I'm sorry to hear that... " Life as a Celestial can never be easy. He always knew that but hoped that he would be able to protect her. He didn't have any Volakiri, so it explains how weak he feels around her back then. Nonetheless, it never rendered him that weak that he would choose to walk away instead of spending his time with her. 

"I'm glad you found a good place to call home." He's only been here for a few months but if all the rumors were proven true, then he was really looking forward to seeing more. The gaze she gave him almost made him stiffened but the blond refused to show that stance, "Do you mind if we take a seat?" This explanation wouldn't be a brief one and the least he could do was give her a small portion of comfort, it sure as hell wouldn't come from him so, understandable. He pointed to the bench nearby and took a seat at the left side hesitantly, it was nice to be close like this again. He misses it. "I had to leave… if I had stayed, I would've jeopardized your being and our happiness. The life we've built there, everything would've been ruined. Perhaps, permanently. I had thought that we could fix it when I returned, after I had settled it… but I was unable to return because back then, returning back to England was a death sentence until I cleared my name." He looked up to meet her gaze and sighed heavily, "The man you loved… wouldn't be known as the man you knew."

CelestialPermalink Reply by ✓ Ophelia Dreyvalian ~Admin~ on March 17, 2020 at 20:22

“To me they do” she responded before pressing her lips together, what was the point of making a promise like that if you weren’t going to get around to it, if they had never met again today she probably would have gone through her entire life not having that promise fulfilled and while that hurt, she had accepted that fact a long time ago. Him being here now just dragged up a lot of feelings she thought were in her past and made her feel a little lost. How was she supposed to feel right now? Because the only words she could think of to describe it was conflicting. She shrugged when he said he was sorry to hear the turn that her life took in his absence “It’s not something I spend hours agonizing over why anymore, being in danger is unfortunately just a part of my life now” all she could really do was her best to give them the best life they could lead in the meantime and do everything she could to protect them from the threats which came along.

“It wasn’t exactly my first choice but” she shrugged slightly pressing her lips together “I’ve been tired of running, tired of never having a single place that truly felt like I belonged there” perhaps that was a bit of a jab because she had once told Adriel that she felt like his arms were the only place she belonged. “I guess you would understand what it feels like to never really know what home feels like though” because he never returned so she assumed he had been on the run from something and probably had been for a long time. It seemed like the way things worked out for them was the same, even if the circumstances behind it were different.

She looked around hesitant when he said they should take a seat and she contemplated it for a moment, if she was smart she would probably just walk away then and move on with her life, she couldn’t see anything this conversation would do to ease the conflict inside. Part of her just wanted to hate him. But she couldn’t. How could she when he was the very person she loved most once in her life. She sighed softly before heading over to the bench he pointed out before she slowly took a seat, leaning her arm against the arm and just remaining quiet as she let him say his piece. What she heard, were a lot of excuses without a lot of explanation “You know you sound like you’re basically saying it’s not you, it’s me while not explaining a single thing about what happened right?” she watched him carefully, everything he said was so vague “You said you want me to understand but clearly all you want it to make excuses” she shook her head a little moving to get up from the bench.

“The man I loved promised never to break my heart but I guess that 300-year-old promise doesn’t count huh?” she sighed shaking her head.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Jihoon Lim on March 18, 2020 at 16:01

To me they do, why did those words hurt him so bad? It felt as if each word kept ringing in his ears, reminding him of what he's done to deserve this kind of treatment. It was all understandable, he left her. Not 3 months or 3 years but a whole 3 centuries. There is simply nothing he could do that would make Ophelia forgive him. It was just like what she said, she gave him her heart and he broke it. How does he expect to fix it now if he couldn't fix it then? Try. "Just because it's a part of what you're supposed to face in your life… doesn't make it normal" he mumbled silently, suddenly the pavement looked a lot more interesting to him, who couldn't even do as much as lifting his gaze to meet hers. That was how nervous he was being. Even back then, when they led quite the domesticated life together, Adriel never liked normalizing bad things happening on their road because negativity would bring them nowhere and he would rather have them live a life they won't regret. 

That was until trouble quite literally landed on his doorstep. "Nobody should ever have to suffer a fate such as that... " It did feel like a strong jab had been delivered towards the blond when she said it was the only place where she truly felt like she belonged. That wasn't what you used to think, he murmured internally. He hung his head low because she was right, he's never felt the warmth and comfort of something like home ever since he ran away. He left all of that with her when he took one step outside. "Yeah… I almost forgot how it feels like to have somewhere you can call… home." The fear of wanting to settle by anywhere, not because he was afraid of attachments but because he was afraid the doubts would come back to hit him, and he may have to run away once more just because he's the easy target. His age clearly did not befit the status he wore. 

Adriel let out a small relieved sigh when Ophelia took her seat, that's at least one step done. It wasn't easy to say it outloud, to admit that he was given no choice but to flee, especially when he realized he could've taken Phe with him. He could've asked. Hell, he could've told her he's leaving under those circumstances. He made the mistake of not telling her and that was his biggest one yet. Adriel widened his eyes and scrambled to his feet trying to stop her from leaving, hand latching onto her wrist delicately, "Please. I'm sorry, that's not what I meant… I'll explain. Just please, don't leave me." Perhaps, for anyone, it was pathetic, but not to him. Was he desperate in wanting to make things  right again? Maybe. But could people blame him? "I was framed." Those three words felt so heavy to him, he's never liked saying that. It was a horrendous reminder to his bitter life.

 His blue optics begged for her to stay as he tried to have her sit again, with his hand still holding hers, "You know I worked as a trader, right? I handled the shipments and trading at the docks… I wasn't sure if I was just too reckless or too deep in the imagination of us, that I didn't realize the docks were used illegally at night. By day, it's a business port. By night, it's an illegal trade port… human trafficking. Slaves used as blood bags for my kind."

CelestialPermalink Reply by ✓ Ophelia Dreyvalian ~Admin~ on March 18, 2020 at 22:40

She nodded her head slowly when he spoke his thoughts about the life she lead and how it didn’t seem to be fair “Well there’s no point me wishing for a different life constantly, that just means I get stuck in a state of feeling like the world is against me” there had been a long time where she felt like that and questioned where the balance was in the world, why did her people have to face such hardships others didn’t? In the end, she realized there was nothing she could do about that, it was a reality to them now and it wasn’t worth wasting time on. Instead, she focused on making their lives as safe and as happy as she possibly could given the limitations they were faced with.

“But they do, so under the world wants to decide to right it’s weirdly tipped scales, this is my lot” she nodded slightly, it wasn’t the worst place they could be in, especially because they had managed to stay in Evermore for an extended period now without anyone needing to run, she felt confident in the fact that the conflict with the Ailward faction was put to rest and they could move forward from it. “Home feels like…” she wasn’t sure how to describe it exactly “Something you chase but might never actually find” it was supposed to be a feeling of security, the place you always wanted to return to but Ophelia couldn’t say there was anything which made her feel like that, she was always ready to run when the need called for it, even now.

There was a part of her, probably the part of her which was still hanging on from years ago that wanted to understand what he had to say, wanted to know the reason, thought that maybe that would put together a piece which shattered when he left without so much of a goodbye. But there was also a part of her which didn’t want to hear his reasons or excuses because it didn’t erase the pain which she had gone through. Nothing he said today would take away the past 300 years of wondering if he was even alive, of missing him and replaying the memories, wondering if there was something she did to make him leave her. Her gaze followed his hand the moment he grabbed onto her wrist and she sucked in a long breath. Curse the fact that she cared. She let out a soft sigh and slowly sat herself back down on the bench, watching him as he said he was framed.

She listened to him talk and she saw more truth in what he was saying this time, though there were still parts she didn’t understand “So the authorities found out about the underhand trading and someone tipped off it was you?” it made sense considering he was a Valkyr and therefore an easy scapegoat for such activities but it still begged more questions “You could have told me, you could have sent me a letter saying you weren’t coming home” she realized what she said the moment that she said and pressed her lips together in surprise at herself for a moment. She licked her lips for a moment “Why didn’t you?” that was the question that plagued her most of all.

ValkyrPermalink Reply by ✓ Jihoon Lim on March 19, 2020 at 15:16

  For someone who understood exactly what it meant to be on a constant run every day for the rest of your life, Adriel understood what she felt. Or at least, that’s what he’d like to tell himself. The Valkyr was so desperate to feel some sort of similarity that was going on between them, perhaps he was under the impression that it may give them solidarity or the likes. It is sad to hear that she wasn’t even sure if Evermore is a permanent stop or yet another pit stop for her. People shouldn’t have to live that way. Maybe that’s what fate had in store for people like them. Does that mean for whatever reason that split them, was that also what fate had in store for him? Was he forced to run away because that’s just how things were supposed to go on? The longer he thought about it, the more painful his heartache resumed. 

“I hope… that you won’t need to find the need to run away again. That Evermore may offer you salvation or something along the lines.” It wasn’t much, but Adriel wished for the best.”I thought I found my home, once” And it was her. He knew it was her. It had always been Ophelia. Adriel has never fell for someone quite like how he fell for her. Even then, it was fated that their relationship wouldn’t last as long but perhaps, if he had told her the truth behind his absence, could it change anything? Would it change them? Would Phe still wait for him? She was one of the kind, a person who managed to entice him in the strings that’s interwoven. Even after all these years, he never forgot about her. Adriel had been focusing on how to clear his name the entire time and whilst things were settling now, he still had to be careful, not to come across people who would most likely want him gone or out of their sight; namely, people like Cecilia. 

He could still remember what she said the last time she found him, hiding like a rat in one of the ships departing elsewhere, “You better hope I won’t find you again because there won’t be a next time.” Suffice to say, he would be a fool if he didn’t heed her warning. She let him go again and he intends to stay out of sight. When Phe followed his gestures and took a seat, he was relieved, he didn’t want to let her go. There was also a part of him that secretly knew he never intended to let her go at all. “I control the docks, I manage them day and night, it is under my name so whatever happens there, it’ll come back to me. It was the only logical explanation to the authorities then and they weren’t the only ones who believed it. Word has it, the rumors of a rogue Valkyr was smuggling human slaves at the exact docks and before long, they would send someone” he murmured, he had made sure to highlight the word they as in the authorities in his species. 

If his heart was already hurting, she may as well jab it now. As soon as those words escaped her, Adriel’s lips trembled and he closed his eyes before letting out a defeated sigh, “I sent you a letter that said I was going away for a while… for reasons unknown. Reasons I couldn’t disclose. I never intended nor was I prepared to leave you forever, that never crossed my mind. I thought once I settled this and cleared my name, I could return. But it’s easier said than done, the Valkyr who set me up was already dead when I found him and with the culprit gone and a whole Cecilia Laterza tailing your every movement, it wasn’t easy to go back. I didn’t want to bring attention to where you are at. You’re a Celestial, you should be hidden from the eyes of many, not the opposite. How could I go back knowing that I’ll bring exactly that?”

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