This message comes with a disclaimer - Do not read it in haste nor when your mind is unsettled. Do not skim over the words, instead read slowly and carefully, and though the message is obvious, with some luck perhaps it will take form and make its way to your heart.

Once upon a time in the vast lands of middle earth, man, goblin, elf, and ork lived in peace. This was not a tense kind of peace brought about by treaties and agreements, but a true peace, where one could argue that they were truly unaware of their differences.

It was in this time that a young ork fell in love with the maiden of elves. For years they enjoyed a happiness that was as pure as it was unlikely. This pair were cut from the same roll, the only difference being that she was an elf, and he, an ork.

Now legends had told of a terrible evil, a faceless enemy that would seek to destroy the very fabric of peace in middle earth, or at least to alter it forever. For the sake of time this evil came upon middle earth and its effects turned man from goblin, goblin from elf, and elf from ork. Middle earth was divided into factions with treaties, diplomacies, and worst of all, tensions.

These tensions did not spare the young couple, and despite the all encompassing nature of their affection, they were soon thrust into a demonising cycle of expectations, disappointments, and preconceptions. The darkness had begun to descend... but the legends also told of one thing...

Andoral... the name of the mightiest and most feared royal sword in middle earth.

Andoral. A sword whose very existence was surrounded by much myth, immersed heavily in rumour, and influenced by the changing times and culture! To think the ancient texts would describe this weapon as being the only hope for middle earth, to many, this seemed a death sentence already delivered.

And so it was. Many an ork and elf saw the better days of their union lost to bickering and contempt - it was like every heart was lost to a coating of ice. In fact, so deep and wicked was the plan of the faceless enemy that in just a matter of months, orks, elves, and humans alike could barely remember what the peaceful times felt like, nor could they understand why they had even sought peace to begin with! The veil of compassion, friendship, love, and forgiveness had been eaten away, never to be restored...

But our young ork, despite the hardness of his heart towards the elven maiden, despite the endless conflicts rising daily in the heart of middle earth, despite not feeling loved by the one he cherished the most, our young ork would never deny the profoundness of the bond he shared with this maiden. Surely the world had gone mad! Though his anger lashed out with such ferocity that he might as well be the barbarian described in the hottest of insults... our young ork had his memories, and would never deny the sincerity of his maiden in those moments.

Unknown to him, across the middle earth on the other side of the dark veil set down by the faceless one, the maiden fought a similar battle within herself. The basis for things she loved about our young ork had suddenly become grounds for crimes that she found herself agreeing to.

On one hand she loved that the ork cared much for his family and herself, but ever since the tensions began, attempts by our young ork to monitor her steps felt more like a betrayal of trust and possessiveness, rather than the need for a love to protect his love. Indeed these were dark times, but she would never let herself forget the memories... The trueness that they had once felt.

And that was when it roared! The faceless enemy lurched forward! For the first time the truth behind this evil creature was revealed - its cunning! Its manipulation! The ability to mislead by misinterpretation! Truly this was a creature unlike any ever seen!!!

All of middle earth were oblivious to its presence... All except 2 young warriors... One young ork, and his elven maiden. The ancient texts had spoken of Andoral as a sword that is summoned by its wielder... And now the ork understood. Indeed the legendary sword Andoral did exist! There it was in his hand! A flaming light, burning brighter than anything he had ever imagined! The flames of the sword began to melt the ice around his heart, and also, began to melt a portion of the beasts face that faced the ork.

In that same moment, right next to him but separated by a dark veil of deception, the maiden had discovered her Andoral as well! And as her sword burned brighter, the ice around her heart began to melt, and the portion of the beasts face that faced her directly.

It was in this moment that the unthinkable happened!

The dark veil was lifted and the young ork, together with his maiden found themselves side by side... holding on to their Andorei... (a brief moment of love and recognition floats between them). They look up, and the double-headed beast stands calm as the ice on its heads melt away. What they saw did not surprise them – this couple had already understood the ancient teachings... they had found peace again. But this time it was a peace they would fight for, together. And with these last thoughts together they charged! The ork to the head of the beast that was himself, and the elf to the head of the beast that was herself – an eternal battle to protect their union, yet at the same time, finding the peace they once knew in the fight to protect it.

And so they fought for many eternities... protecting one another, in love, in peace, and in duty... And they were not alone. Some others joined in the fight against the beast that is themselves, to protect their unions... and sometimes to enhance a feeling of belonging amongst fighters.

Andoral – A sword that pierces only its wielder... in a bid to preserve all that is precious.

Unfortunately, many are still unable to face themselves to protect those they love the most. I write you today because I know you are not one of these such people... but more importantly because I want this to be yet another memory: The day we began to fight ourselves, for ourselves.

Your Ork.