Preface

My story begins with my death. Yes, I know it’s cliche, but I’m here to give the archivists an unembellished account of my life, nothing more. My story is not for the faint of heart, for it contains both triumph and loss. To change is to risk suffering, and I think my story is, at its heart, about change.

A French writer once said, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”

I say that’s partly true when it comes to personal growth. Some experiences in life teach us about ourselves. They don't change us but bring about self-discovery. Then there are some experiences that are disruptive, meant to cause transformation. Some lessons cannot be unlearned, some wounds cannot be healed. When they happen, they change us forever.

Over the cycles, I’ve reflected on the major events that have led to my ascendancy. Even now I hesitate to pen those memories on paper in fear that to reveal them would be to lay bare my deepest insecurities. But I must write them. I must because I wish to preserve a record of everything I have lost and overcome.

Stolen novel; please report.

When a hero’s journey evolves into songs and children’s tales, that story takes on a life of its own. We call those stories legends. Some of you may know me by my sobriquets - Queen of Faces, the First Tiberian Overlord, and Dreamer of Maz’Odin to name a few. Indeed, many of those titles were rightfully earned, albeit exaggerated as legends often are.

I do not lie when I say I’ve clashed against Titans, drank with the fabled Cyclopii, stolen celestial dragon fire from the Vanderlust Broodmother, consorted with the Lord of the Deep, and danced on the Blue Mists. Yet those achievements do not define me. They show you only one perspective of my life. Perhaps when you’ve assembled enough perspectives, you will finally see the person beneath, the form of my ghost.

To that end, I thank the archivists for their help in compiling my story from other viewpoints. They wished to present a more well-rounded memoir and worked tirelessly to interview my friends, former allies, associates, and enemies. Archivist Hanshu was especially committed to this cause, traveling extensively throughout the Tower Worlds.

I ought to warn you, dear reader. Traversing my past will be like wading through a treacherous dream, and though I am the Dreamer, I cannot guarantee your sanity at the end of the journey.

Yours truly,

Valerie Fleming