Die Enigmatische Welt von Poppy

In einer Ära, in der die Grenzen zwischen Realität und digitaler Fiktion verschwimmen, tauchte eine Figur auf, die die Popkultur aufmischte wie keine andere. Poppy, eine Künstlerin, die mit ihrer androgynen Präsenz und ihrem experimentellen Sound Wellen schlug, begann als ein Mysterium im Internet und entwickelte sich zu einer Ikone der alternativen Musikszene.

Zum ganzen Artikel auf Xenopolias hier lang > https://wp.me/pfapSM-25S

All articles on Xenopolias are available in all common languages.

Einladung zum Wintersport Training am Freitag 30.Januar 2026.
Auch dieses Jahr öffnet die Hochalp Gletscherbahn wieder einen Tag lang ihre Pforten und läd zum Tag der offenen Türe. Am Freitag ist ab Mittags bis Mitternacht der Zugang für die Öffentlichkeit frei. Es finden Nachmittags Skikurse und Snowboard Kurse alternierend statt. Auch erfolgt eine Einweisung in das eisrodeln. Abends ab 20 Uhr öffnet dann die Skibar und lädt zur Apres Ski Party. Eingeladen sind alle Freunde und freundlich gesonnenen Gäste. Für Gäste gilt: Nur voll bekleidete menschliche Avatare werden eingelassen.

Invitation to Winter Sports Training on Friday, January 30, 2026.
This year, the Hochalp Glacier Lift will once again open its doors for a day of fun and invites you to its open house. On Friday, access is free for the public from noon until midnight. Ski and snowboard lessons will be offered alternately in the afternoon. There will also be an introduction to ice tobogganing. In the evening, starting at 8 p.m., the ski bar will open for an après-ski party. All friends and friendly guests are invited. Please note: Only fully clothed human avatars will be admitted.

The fun part of going on Safari is getting to see in person how Opensim has so much to offer in terms of kindness and creativity. Makes a change from the prevailing mood of the real world! Here are a few cheerful choices when it comes to the HG
a quick review of Craft's big 16th birthday, this week
https://hgsafari.blogspot.com/2026/01/crafts-sixteenth.htm...
Plus tales of our group trips during recent weeks.
a chance to meet an OSGrid legend, Vbinnia Radek
https://hgsafari.blogspot.com/2026/01/free-radek-als.html
Max of Ignis gave us a tour of his Norse afterworlds
https://hgsafari.blogspot.com/2026/01/hel-of-trip.html
The spectacular train and desert delights by Doctor Dave and friends, on Groovyverse
https://hgsafari.blogspot.com/2026/01/clowning-around.html
and the wonderful Safine Mahoe showing her brand new region Fantasia [ not to be missed!
https://hgsafari.blogspot.com/2026/01/safari-goes-into-fan...

[TTG]Dance Huds Fatpack & Dance Joiner w/ Bum Attachment now works in Regions running OS 0.9.3 Grab the box next to the original.
Included: 10 Huds; Men's, Ladies, Unisex & Specialty
Multiple Genres
Dance Joiner & Bum Attachment for OS 0.9.3
Here is the direct link to the item: hop://hg.twiztidtimezgrid.com:8602/Building%20Emporium/386...
Wait until you're fully rezzed and then hit the LM again and it will take you to the item.
BE SURE TO WEAR YOUR [TTG]PUBLIC Group Tag which you can get at the [TTG]WELCOME AREA - Just Touch the Vendor & it will go into your inventory. No purchasing necessary.

so i am working on the Japanese expansion for VivoSim and have changed some information.

Current Gardens & Fields:
(removed and moved plants, more to come.
Imo Hatake (tubers)
Kokumotsu (grains)
Konsai (root vegetables)
Soryo (fodder)
Yasai (vegetable).
Habu (herbs)

I will be changing the growth times, stats (for the HUD) and redoing the containers in Japanese style.
I'm testing them now. I have changed the "gardens" and fields to be more specific.

Trees will take a bit longer since there are more of them, but I also have trees that give wood (and other byproducts) as well as fruits/nuts

It has been a lot of work, but i am very happy with the outcomes.
I am hoping to have most of the gardens done this week.
all in all, i am looking at 118 "new" plants/trees.

I just put up another update. I swear this should be last for a while...so tired...:-)
I added a cache meter up top ...one for mesh...one for texture cache.
I added an empty cache button that EMPTIES the texture cache.
No more tree stumps neccessary!

I also Limited the draw distance on mirrors. Seemed to help CONSIDERABLY with lag when they were on.

just hit the button at http://maze.bz for the viewer

I also ALTERED ROBUST...I believe I FIXED that tp home issue finally!For all you that have been FRUSTRATED by not being able to tp home when hypergridding add this
LogoutsRequireVerification = false
right after [UserAgentService]
LocalServiceModule = "OpenSim.Services.HypergridService.dll:UserAgentService"
;; for the service
GridUserService = "OpenSim.Services.UserAccountService.dll:GridUserService"
GridService = "OpenSim.Services.GridService.dll:GridService"
GatekeeperService = "OpenSim.Services.HypergridService.dll:GatekeeperService"
PresenceService = "OpenSim.Services.PresenceService.dll:PresenceService"
FriendsService = "OpenSim.Services.FriendsService.dll:FriendsService"
UserAccountService = "OpenSim.Services.UserAccountService.dll:UserAccountService"

Khiron Ametza Live
Monday, January 26th, 2026
2 pm @ Club Fire
Join us for a wonderful hour listening to good music among amusing people!!
Bring your happiness, family, and friends!!!

http://gentlefire.opensim.fun:8002/
Region: Gentle Fire Grid
Location: 21,28,22
hop://gentlefire.opensim.fun:8002/Gentle%20Fire%20Grid/21/...

DeeJay Sofee LIVE at The Rhythm Room — 12 Noon Today!

Join DeeJay Sofee for two hours of "Dance-Remixes" Tunes at The Rhythm Room!

Bring your partner, invite your friends, and let’s party with Great company.

Where: The Rhythm Room
When: 12 Noon – 2 PM Grid Time

Let the music move you — only with DeeJay Sofee at The Rhythm Room!

hop://alternatemetaverse.com:8002/Bare%20Lilies%203/62/169...

Die Vorfreude ist schön, euch alle bald auf unserer Fete zu seh'n. Haltet euch den Termin ja frei und kommt zur wilden Feierei
Es ist wieder Montag und Zeit für die abwechlungsreiche Music von A bis Z
It's great to see you all at our party soon. Save the date and come along to the wild celebration.
It's Monday again and time for varied music from A to Z
11:00 SLT
tomis-world.de:8002:Fox Club Arena

DJ Dragon heute 17 bis 19 Uhr im Bikers Heaven mit Klassik Rock, Rock und Metal.
Nehmt Eure Freunde und kommt rüber zu Bikers Heaven.
Freu mich auf Euch
bis gleich
Dragon
DJane Dragon at Bikers Heaven TODAY 8 to 10 am gridtime playing
Classic Rock, Rock and Metal.
Take your friends and come over to Bikers Heaven and lets have some fun.
See you there
Dragon
hop://alternatemetaverse.com:8002/Carpe Noctem/209/221/1496
IM for a teleport
Listen: http://dragon.radioamv.com
Join us at https://alternatemetaverse.

Wake up Cowboy Way!!!

Join DJ Dave King at the Main Landing Point for breakfast the cowboy way,
6am–8am this morning with Great music, great fun - don’t miss it!

hop://alternatemetaverse.com:8002/Alternate%20Metaverse/34...

Ein Geist treibt sein Unwesen in meinen Posts. Eine traurige Kreatur, ein Häufchen Elend, kann einem nur leid tun. Eigentlich existiert er nicht, den wenn man sein Profil anklickt, kommt User not found....

FIRST FESTIVAL EVENT 2026 @ PANGEAVILLE

Monday, January 26th, Electronic Music at PangeaVille

DJ MARLON ......................TECHNO
ADRIANA DARKHEART.....VOCALTRANCE/ UPLIFTING/MELODYTRANCE
ARMANDO LEROY............CLASSIC TRANCE
Start: 19:00 UHR CET / 10:00 AM PST
hop://pangeagrid.de:8002/PangeaVille/220/364/22

Beastie Boys

Entdecke die fesselnde Geschichte der Beastie Boys – von ihren Punk-Wurzeln in New York bis zu globalen Erfolgen, detaillierten Mitgliederbiografien, Kollaborationen und einer umfassenden Diskografie in diesem ausführlichen Artikel.

Zum ganzen Artikel auf Xenopolias hier lang > https://wp.me/pfapSM-25K

All articles on Xenopolias are available in all common languages.

Dust off those flares, shine up your platform shoes, and step back in time for the grooviest night in town!

Join us for a 70’s Party with the sensational DJ Jon Temple, spinning the very best tunes from the decade of disco, funk, and feel-good classics.

🕺 When: Monday 26th January
💃 Where: The Blue Angel Club
🎧 Featuring: DJ Jon Temple – bringing you the soundtrack of the 70’s: from ABBA to Bowie, from the Bee Gees to Blondie.

It’s time to dance under the mirror ball, sing your heart out, and relive the golden age of good vibes!

✨ Dress up in your 70’s best and get ready to party all night long! ✨

The Blue Angel Club – Where the 70’s Never Died!

Todays event is a flash back to the 1970's music scene. Held in our Sister club, The Blue Angel in Trafalgar Square, London 2. hop://gentlefire.opensim.fun:8002/London%202/92/195/27
DJ Jon Temple will be spinning so great 70's retro sounds and taking your requests. 12 - 2pm ost

🌙 Moonlight Stage • @ AMV Main Land Point

Tonight at 2 AM Grid Time

DJ Yana brings a glowing fusion of 70’s and 80’s classics, a deep‑cut mix built for late‑night wanderers, dancers, and anyone who needs a little warmth under the virtual moon.

✨ Where: Moonlight Stage, Alternate MetaVerse Grid
✨ When: 2 AM Grid Time
✨ Vibe: Retro grooves, soft neon, and a dance floor that feels like home

Step into the light, let the music take over, and join us for a timeless ride through the decades.

hop://alternatemetaverse.com:8002/Alternate%20Metaverse/35...

🌙 Moonlight Stage • @ AMV Main Land Point

Tonight at 2 AM Grid Time

DJ Yana brings a glowing fusion of 70’s and 80’s classics, a deep‑cut mix built for late‑night wanderers, dancers, and anyone who needs a little warmth under the virtual moon.

✨ Where: Moonlight Stage, Alternate MetaVerse Grid
✨ When: 2 AM Grid Time
✨ Vibe: Retro grooves, soft neon, and a dance floor that feels like home

Step into the light, let the music take over, and join us for a timeless ride through the decades.

hop://alternatemetaverse.com:8002/Alternate%20Metaverse/32...

Starting soon!!! Time has almost come, Friends!!! Free rentals for every Hypergrid-User will be available soon at Paralax Life (http://paralax.life:8002)! Including Multiscene Skyboxes, Free Parcels and for new Gridmembers a limited offer of whole free Regions! Stay Tuned for more!

I have a project coming out for public beta test soon and I thought that now would probably be a good time to share 10 RULES of TECH SUPPORT!

MY PERSONAL TECH SUPPORT RULES ANYWAY.

(Please Read Before Speaking)

Rule one: the computer did exactly what you told it to do, not what you meant. It is not psychic. It is not creative. It is aggressively literal and has no emotional attachments to you..

Rule two: the documentation exists for a reason. Skipping it and asking for help is like ignoring the map, driving into a lake, and calling to complain about the water.

Rule three: “It doesn’t work” is not useful information. That is a feeling. Feelings are valid. They are not diagnostic.

Rule four: when I am explaining something, this is not a discussion. This is the part where you stop talking and listen. Questions are welcome after the explanation, not during the sentence you interrupted.

Rule five: something changed. It always does. The system did not wake up this morning and choose chaos. You, time, or physics touched it. Figure out which.

Rule six: support cannot fix what you refuse to describe. If you changed something “small” and didn’t mention it, congratulations—you have just doubled the troubleshooting time.

Rule seven: urgency does not make you right. Saying “this is critical” does not rewrite reality; it just raises everyone’s blood pressure.

Rule eight: software does not include common sense. That must be provided by the user. If a warning says “don’t do this” and you do it anyway, the outcome is not mysterious.

Rule nine: if you ignore instructions, you own the result. This is not punishment. This is cause and effect.

Rule ten: If the source code tells you not to do something, there is a valid reason. Disobey at your own peril.

Thank you for your cooperation.
Please RTFM again.

In the long distant past, my commentary on current events would be published by the local papers. In the somewhat more recent past, I would have posted this on Google Plus, where I had 10,000+ followers (most of them were, admittedly, fake Russian accounts). I don’t have quite the reach now on the few social media accounts I use. So I’m posting here, among mostly friends, while I decide how and where-else to post this on-line. Feel free to pass this along in whatever fashion you like.

The Execution of Alex Jeffrey Pretti 

The man fatally shot by Border Patrol agents in the morning of Saturday, January 24th in Minneapolis was Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a U.S. citizen with no criminal record. Mr. Pretti, who was 37, was a registered nurse who worked in the intensive-care unit at the Veterans Affairs hospital. According to friends, he wanted to be a ‘force of good in the world.’ He was, but can be no longer. He was not just shot by Border Patrol agents. He was executed.

Almost immediately after agents shot Mr. Pretti, federal officials claimed that he had endangered agents with a gun he was carrying, and some later accused him of “domestic terrorism.” But videos on social media that were verified by The New York Times appear to contradict portions of the Department of Homeland Security’s account of the shooting. But let’s not, for the moment, debate about why the shooting happened. It happened. And what happened after is what made this not just a shooting. It was an execution.

Border Patrol agents threw Mr. Pretti to the ground and, within seconds, four or five agents started shooting him. Ten shots were fired. Afterwards, when agents could have been rendering first aid, they appeared to be inspecting the body, counting the number of bullet wounds. Like you might count the number of hits on a target at the shooting range.

There were five or more bullet wounds, three of them to his back.

A doctor on the scene told an agent that they were a physician and asked to check Mr. Pretti. He was initially refused, but eventually allowed to go to Mr. Pretti after being patted down. “Normally, I would not have been so persistent,” the doctor said in their statement, “but as a physician, I felt a professional and moral obligation to help this man, especially since none of the agents were helping him.”

Law enforcement officers are generally expected to render first aid after a shooting once the scene is safe and the threat has been neutralized. This expectation is rooted in federal policies, state laws, and professional standards. Once a person is incapacitated or arrested, they are considered to be in the officer's care, making the officer responsible for their safety and treatment. But the agents were not rendering first aid. And when the doctor asked if Mr. Pretti had a pulse, the agents allegedly stated they did not know.

The agents did not take Mr. Pretti’s pulse. They hadn’t applied first aid. Rendering first aid is what you do after a shooting. It’s not what you do after an execution.

This mirrors a similar shooting on January 7, 2026, involving Renée Good, where a doctor was recorded asking to check the victim's pulse. The doctor was initially told "No." The agent said "I don't care."

We do care. We should care. We should do something to stop the shootings and the deliberate indifference of federal agents.

We should do something to stop the executions.  

Miss Munk will be spinning her wheels of steel at 1 pm grid time, at The Piazza!
Bring your headphones and get on down here and listen to nonstop beat matching and full spectrum sound!
Plug the link into your map and we'll see you there.
http://bridgemere.outworldz.net:8002:Paradise Lagoon

Heute
Ölt die Zahnräder, poliert die Goggles und schnallt euer Korsetts fest – am 25.01.2026 ab 20:00 Uhr wird nicht nur Dampf gemacht, sondern richtig aufgedreht.
DJ Kai wirbelt die Ventilatoren an,
Plattenschubse Marina schmeißt die Scheiben wie glühende Kohlen ins Getriebe.
Erwartet einen Abend voller Funkensprühen, schräger Erfindungen und tanzender Maschinenwesen.
Komm im Steampunk-Look oder so, wie du die Zeitmaschine gerade ausspuckt – Hauptsache bereit für Chaos mit Stil.

DJane Dragon at the Coffin Club
8 to 10 AM Gridtime (AMV) TODAY (17-19 UHR MEZ)
playing you industrial and EBM.

The Coffin Club is a gothic club in a church surrounded by a cemetry, furnished with coffins, music is gothic, rock, metal, EBM and Industrial.

Take your friends and come over.
Waiting for you
Dragon

Listen: http://dragon.radioamv.com
hop://alternatemetaverse.com:8002/Carpe%20Noctem/87/170/22
Join us on AMV: https://alternatemetaverse.com/

🕊️ The Circle of Healing — A Ceremonial Gathering on Samsara

Guided by Yana Dakota • AMV Grid
Within the quiet lands of Samsara, a sacred hour of stillness and presence will be held.
All are invited to step into a circle of breath, awareness, and gentle community.

Arrival: 10:15 AM grid time
Opening of the Circle: 10:30 AM
Closing: 11:30 AM

This gathering includes a period of noble silence, held with care and supported by music chosen to deepen awareness and rest.

Those who carry burdens of the body, heart, or spirit.
and those who walk beside someone who suffers,
are warmly welcome to join this hour of healing presence.

Come as you are.
Sit as you are.
Breathe as you are.
The circle will hold you.

hop://alternatemetaverse.com:8002/Samsara/1096/470/40

Monster dump of 900GB in size:
IMPORTING A HUGE MYSQL/MARIADB DUMP FROM WINDOWS TO DEBIAN

This guide describes a proven and stable way to import a very large
MySQL/MariaDB dump (hundreds of GB to ~1 TB) from a Windows server into
MariaDB on a Debian server.

The procedure avoids double disk usage, survives network disconnects,
and prevents common errors like “server has gone away”.

----------------------------------------------------------
PREREQUISITES
----------------------------------------------------------
- Windows Server with dump.sql (e.g. D:.sql) - Debian
Server with enough free disk space - MariaDB installed and
running - Root access to MariaDB - Network access between
Windows and Debian

----------------------------------------------------------

1. WINDOWS: SHARE THE DUMP DIRECTORY

- The dump file is located on drive D:
- Share the drive (or directory) via Windows file sharing (SMB)
- Example: Share name: d Path: D:
- Grant read permissions to the Administrator account

----------------------------------------------------------
2. DEBIAN: MOUNT WINDOWS SHARE (CIFS/SMB)
----------------------------------------------------------
Install required tools: apt install -y cifs-utils screen

Create mount point: mkdir -p /mnt/windowsdump

Mount the Windows share: mount -t cifs //WINDOWS_IP/d
/mnt/windowsdump -o username=Administrator,vers=3.0

Verify: ls -lh /mnt/windowsdump You should see dump.sql.
----------------------------------------------------------

3. PREPARE MARIADB FOR LARGE IMPORTS

Create the target database: mysql -u root -p CREATE DATABASE griddb;
EXIT;

Create configuration file: nano
/etc/mysql/mariadb.conf.d/99-bigimport.cnf

Content: [mysqld] max_allowed_packet=1G net_read_timeout=600
net_write_timeout=600 wait_timeout=28800 interactive_timeout=28800

Restart MariaDB: systemctl restart mariadb

Verify setting: mysql -u root -p -e “SHOW VARIABLES LIKE
‘max_allowed_packet’;”

----------------------------------------------------------
4. START THE IMPORT SAFELY USING SCREEN
----------------------------------------------------------
Start a screen session: screen -S sqlimport

Run the import: mysql –max_allowed_packet=1G -u root -p
griddb < /mnt/windowsdump/dump.sql

Detach screen (import keeps running): CTRL + A, then D
----------------------------------------------------------

5. MONITORING

Check if import is running: ps aux | grep mysql

You should see: mysql –max_allowed_packet=1G -u root -p griddb

CPU and disk usage are expected to be high.

----------------------------------------------------------
6. COMPLETION
----------------------------------------------------------
The import is finished when the mysql process disappears.

Unmount the Windows share: umount /mnt/windowsdump
----------------------------------------------------------

COMMON ERRORS AND SOLUTIONS

ERROR 2006 (server has gone away): - Increase max_allowed_packet -
Increase net_read_timeout / net_write_timeout

Packet bigger than max_allowed_packet: - Ensure both server and client
use 1G packet size

Import aborted due to network loss: - Always run the import inside
screen

-------
NOTES
-------

- Imports of this size may take 12–36 hours
- Silence during import is normal
- Do not interrupt the process

🌟 DJ TYLER’S BREAKFAST BOOGIE — 6–8 AM! @ ALTERNATE METAVERSE🌟
Start your morning with a blast of 1970s disco energy. Slide into two hours of great vibes, great people, and nonstop feel‑good tunes. Lace up those dancing shoes and jump into the disco line — the groove train is leaving the station!
Hop: hop://alternatemetaverse.com:8002/Alternate%20Metaverse/30...

Skinny Dip Beach Party & DJ YANA
Sunday, Jan 25th | 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM
Location: Alternate MetaVerse Grid

Taxi; hop://alternatemetaverse.com:8002/Skinny%20Dip%20Beach/157...
Get ready to strip down and turn up.
Live DEEJAY' s will take you on a two-hour ride of high-energy beats.
Bikinis, bare skin, and beats that don’t quit.

This is the night to break loose, own your freedom, and dance like nothing’s off-limits.
Be there, or hear about it later.

I don't believe in goals that you set like pieces of furniture.
I believe in images that appear before you know what they mean.
I believe that desires are not weaknesses, but clues.
That dreams are not escapes, but designs.
That imagination is not a luxury, but a compass.
I reject the notion that you have to be "ready" to begin.
Readiness arises in action.
Clarity follows movement, not the other way around.
A vision board is not a wish list.
It is not a success plan.
It is a quiet place where the unspoken finds expression.
I don't work against resistance;
I listen to it.
Often, it knows more than the will.
I don't believe in creative and uncreative people.
I believe in experienced and discouraged people.
And in the right to practice again.
The process is more important than the product.
Not because the result is irrelevant,
but because otherwise it remains empty.
I trust slow insights.
I distrust quick promises.
I take inner images seriously, even if they don't yet have a language.

Global Opensim Search is back online after an auto updater broke my run time engine. Grid, Events, regions, parcels and almost 6,000 free items.

https://outworldz.com/search/SearchParcel.htm

It's probably going to take a few hours to crawl the grids as there's about 5,000 in the database.

TONIGHT! 11/24/2026 !! 8PM PDT (GRID TIME).
Littlefield Grid's Winter Dance Party at Kitzbuhel Ski Resort!
COME JOIN US AT OUR WINTER DANCE PARTY
AT THE BEAUTIFUL KITZBUHEL SKI RESORT!!
SKIING, SNOWMOBILES, ICE SKATING,
HORSE CARRIAGE RIDES, WINTER OUTFITS!!
LIVE DJ WALTER BALAZIC SPINNING ALL YOUR FAVORITES
FROM THE 60'S TO TODAY'S HITS!!

lfgrid.com:8002:Kitzbuhel

Hi everyone,

Great workshop today at Cool School! We were so glad to see those “aha!” moments happening throughout the session. We missed a few of our regulars who couldn’t make it, whether feeling under the weather or helping out family members, but no worries!

We’ve put together a two-part video recap that walks through exactly what we covered today. It’s always great to join a workshop live, but these videos are a perfect way to catch up (and you don’t even have to take notes!).

Thanks again for your participation and enthusiasm. We really appreciate it!

Part 1 - 15 minutes https://youtu.be/5MUkXm1NDsg?si=NoR3yWGw9WOsMvdK
Part 2 - 15 minutes https://youtu.be/_KWoGDkwitw?si=9Rl4kV17BkKA2Kqz

The moment you step into Fantasia, the air itself feels alive—thick with shimmer and old magic, like the land is breathing alongside you.
Behind you lie the sunlit meadows where fairies darted like living sparks, their laughter chiming as softly as windbells. You remember the elves, tall and watchful among silver-barked trees, their eyes holding centuries of knowing. You remember the unicorns standing still and showing majesty.
But Fantasia is never only gentle.
Ahead of you, the land sinks.
The colors drain away as if swallowed. The ground grows soft beneath your boots, and a low fog crawls along the earth, curling around your ankles like curious fingers. You’ve reached the swamp.
Cold presses in immediately. Not the sharp cold of winter, but a damp, bone-seeping chill that slides under your cloak and settles into your spine. The light dims, smothered by towering, twisted trees whose branches claw at the sky. Long vines hang down, swaying slowly, as though the swamp itself is breathing… watching… waiting.
Every step makes a sound—squelch, suck, sigh—and each one feels far too loud.
Then it happens.
You freeze.
Right in front of your face, no more than a breath away, something moves.
A snake, its body looped over a branch above, dangles down like a living rope. Its scales gleam wetly in the faint light, eyes unblinking, ancient and patient. You can almost feel its cold presence measuring you. Time stretches. Your heart hammers. Slowly—so slowly—you lean back, easing past it. The snake doesn’t strike… but you feel its gaze follow you long after you’ve gone.
You force yourself onward.
The swamp deepens. Water pools around your calves now, black and opaque. The silence grows heavier, broken only by distant croaks and the low hum of unseen insects. Then—
SPLASH.
The water erupts beside you.
An alligator surges from the muck, jaws snapping shut where your leg had been a heartbeat before. Mud and water explode into the air. You stumble back, slipping, barely keeping your footing as the beast thrashes, its armored body rippling with raw, prehistoric power. Yellow eyes lock onto yours—hungry, calculating.
You don’t wait.
You run.
Branches whip at your face. Vines tear at your clothes. Your breath burns in your chest as you burst through the reeds and into a clearing—only to stop dead.
Because you are not alone.
They rise from the shadows like the swamp’s final judgment.
Trolls.
Huge, hunched shapes with skin like moss-covered stone, eyes glowing faintly beneath heavy brows. Their bodies are scarred, ancient, as if they were carved from the swamp itself and given cruel life. One grips a massive club studded with bones. Another snarls, revealing jagged teeth stained dark with old victories.
Their laughter rumbles low and ugly, shaking the air.
“You’ve wandered far, little traveler,” one growls, its voice like rocks grinding together.
The cold, the darkness, the weight of Fantasia’s trials all press down on you in that moment. Behind you: the snake, the alligator, the endless swamp. Ahead of you: the trolls and whatever fate they decide.
And yet…
Somewhere deep inside, the magic you felt at the beginning—the fairies’ light, the unicorn’s calm, the elves’ quiet strength—flares again.
Fantasia has tested you.
Now it waits to see who you truly are.