The Fight - Why I Relay at the Fantasy Faire 2024

 

The fight. 

It came out of the darkness, out of the blue. It came in whispers, in moments of sensation only slightly out of the ordinary. It came in the hesitation, the unexpectedly repeated review, the 'let me just run this past...' on an otherwise idyllic hot summer morning.

 

The fight built from there. From the words. Words known, and heard for others. Cursed and kept at a distance for the irrational fear of contamination. Words now so, so close. Now spoken to you. The fight may have begun from the worry. A preparation, a defence from the depths of soul and spirit, while the conscious mind danced in a syncopated frenzy of distraction, keeping to the rhythm, a beat of desperate hope, 'it might not be... it might not be...' The hope so often severed by the blade of confirmation. Of fear realised.

Other blades follow. The dull and bruising edge of doubt, of remorse for imaginary opportunities missed - for things which could have been done differently. Of course things could always have been done differently, while they also couldn't have been any other way at all. Terror's sharp stabs, slicing to the bone, to the heart, burying the marrow in an avalanche of fear. The rough serration of anxiety, catching and pulling, tearing mind and body from any focus but this one. "What will happen now?" 

The fight becomes a living thing. With a temperature and temperament all it's own, waxing and waning with every encounter, it falters and fails, regroups and rises. It gathers strength when weak, gives strength when even the idea of it feels impossible. It stands alone with you in your isolation, the solitary confinement of the early hours, in the thrum of the crowd at work, in the arms of your loved ones at home. The fight is for you, and in you. Your fight is the fight of all those who came before, of everything learned which has brought you to this point. When you feel you cannot go further, it is the fight that will carry you on, because you do not fight alone. Your fight is with you, and it has teeth. 

The blogger challenge of all blogger challenges. Why I Relay. The most personal, the most difficult for bloggers like me. Those of us who you may get to know by reading our stories, the themes and references we draw on, but nothing clear, nothing obviously us. I'm generally happiest to hide behind my characters - all aspects of me, while keeping who I am, what I think and feel hidden in their shadows. This is the yearly challenge to shine a light on all of that, and it is not a comfortable sensation! In the past I've spoken of those I've loved and lost to cancer. They remain at the heart of why I Relay. In trying not to look at my own past, I can't even be sure if I've shared my own fears, my own experience, my own time hearing that pause, that unexpected extension of an examination, that "let me just run this past..." The terror, the doubt, the anxiety. The appointments, the waiting, the planning for the what ifs for me and those who mattered the most. Life is far from what I expected, from what was promised. The appointments I'd attended, my hand and heart held safe, to having to find the strength to attend these on my own. My plans and the promises made daily to me in tatters, shredded and bloodied, and yet I remain. The fight continued whether I wanted it or not. When I didn't, when I don't, others carried and carry me forward, believing as I did not, that some day it would matter again. I hope to hope they are right. This fight continues, for them, for me. I hope it continues for you. And THAT my loves, is why I Relay. 

Vyl

xxx

RFL Items are 100% Donation to Relay for Life

Halo : :[P]:- Arien Gemhalo RFL Purple

Samsara

Horns : :[P]:- Arien Horns [Swirl-Stars] RFL Purple

Samsara

Hair : Raven Bell - Magnolia Hair F ~Shimmer~

Thunnus Bay

Earrings : :[P]:- Lunin Earring 

Samsara

Eyes : CHIMAERA - 'Lilith' Eyes in Purple

Flamenca

Tattoo: .AngelicUs. -We are coming-  

Ondheim

Wings : :[P]:- Dene Wings Raised RFL

Samsara

Floating companion :   -AxisMundi-Quetzlcoatl-Medium

Hopes Wish

Sword : (Artemisia) )O( Stained Glass Rose Glaive 

Lolliocalypse

Top : [The Forge] Zeta Bra, Gold Lace

Thunnus Bay

Top : [The Forge] Zeta Harness, Gold, Maitreya

Thunnus Bay

Nails : [QE] Leviathan Claws

Last Stop

Belt : Tentacio - Taeyeon belt maitreya turquesa

The Duskfall Court

Pants : :::c*C*c:::JSummer_Pants_Legacy(m) Purple01

Thunnus Bay

Why I Relay - Fantasy Faire 2019

The words whispered through the lanes, rounded corners, and whistled through the leaves of the Shrine Tree.

Words of all languages, from all lands. From tongues long lost, their syllables faded from all worlds but this. Cries of pure sound, filled with meaning even before understanding speech. The murmured, the whispered, the silence of words only thought, or communicated by gesture, by touch. Their soft breeze gently nudged the lanterns hanging from every bough. Shouts, yells and screams shook the ground, sending showers of petals down from branches high above.

Words had built each building, brick by brick, stone on stone, tile by tile. It took many words to make each of course, or by now the accumulation of buildings would stretch to the ends of the world. Every word found its place here, those of resolve and conviction, strength and stability formed foundations and walls, rising higher with spires of hope and challenge to be achieved. Glass from clarity, rooftiles from words of protection and care. This land was one of words, of memory.

A land of memory, but no mausoleum. The words which had coalesced into matter, pulled together into shape and form, they would never diminish, they would endure. The names which lit each lantern would go on burning bright long after all who had spoken them were themselves passed and gone. Knowledge and understanding developed over time, slowing the process of building, illuminating fewer new lanterns, fewer new candles. Fewer voices would add to the chorus, and that was the goal. That was worth celebrating. Worth fighting for.

Why I Relay

I relay for this. This which was once a dream, and is slowly becoming a reality. A world in which fewer and fewer people are lost to or hurt by cancer. We are all affected, we can all show resolve, have strength, offer hope and care. We do this for those who cancer has taken. We do this for those who fight it every day. We do this to make sure there will be an end. There will be no more lights. No more loss. I relay to remember and honour. I speak the names. I hold the memories.

Pictures taken in Fantasy Faire sim The Shrine Tree

Headdress : ROZOREGALIA_GYURIA*HEADDRESS(LastNote){GOLD}_FF
Midas
Hair : Wasabi // Prudence Mesh Hair
Midas
Eyes :  {Acios} Eyes of Bayounimba
Bayounimba
Necklace : *~*Illusions*~* Shikoba Necklace
Midas
Tattoo : Endless Pain Tattoos - Myrdin black
Twilight Spring
Dress : .AiShA. Gothel Dress Maitreya Red
Faireholm

Why I Relay : Fantasy Faire 2018

Sometimes, it feels like this.

Walking alone on a narrow path,

Through unknown woods with no end in sight.

Surrounded on all sides by predators,

Perfectly designed to rend flesh from bone, spirit from body.

The only lights to guide the way are those you carry with you.

This view is truth, and illusion.

Under the sun, the lion holds sway.

Claws, teeth and mane all strong, ready for the fight.

Scars of battle no source of shame.

Along the path this pride of predators stalk.

Never ahead, nor behind;

This is your strength, by your side at each step.

As night falls, the wolves come.

Through the darkness the pack move as one,

Near silent shadows amongst the trees.

Howls of belonging, not of pain.

Along the path oft untouched by moonlight,

Ever circling, never leaving,

Their piercing eyes guide the way.

This view is truth - at times it may feel as though you walk the path alone,

Fear and pain your only companions, in all hours of the day and night.

This view is illusion - the strength of lions is within you,

The power and will of the pack are working around you, for you, in the darkest of hours. 

In this fight you have us all, even when you feel alone.

This fight we are winning, one day we will have won.

For those we have loved, and lost,

Light a candle.

Illuminate the path.

Together, we fight on. 

This is why I Relay. Money raised to research ways to fight cancer. Money raised to support those facing cancer, to make sure they are not fighting alone. In this, the tenth year of the Fantasy Faire, the money raised is for the first time allocated to a specific project. The Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi holds the only public comprehensive cancer treatment center in Kenya. People travel from all over the country to access care, however without somewhere close by to stay, this may mean sleeping rough following treatment, which could put people off seeking treatment at all. The KNH Hope Hostel will provide free temporary housing and integrated hospital services for the cancer patients and their caregivers, house an on-site resource centre with cancer information, offer a place to rest during the day, and serve more than 1,000 cancer patients annually. This is our project this year, we want to raise as much money as we can to make the Hope Hostel a reality as soon as possible. Cancer doesn't care where someone lives, help us fight it wherever we can!

Come and Relay with us! Fairelands Junction

The last image was taken in the Fairelands SIM Astrids Nemeton Here, for L$ 100 you are able to purchase a floating candle, edit to add a memorial message or name to the description field, and have it float with the others in the beautiful SIM for the duration of the Faire. A beautiful tribute, shared love and loss burning bright. All candles will be returned before the Fairelands return to the mists.

All items are 100% Relay For Life donation

Antlers: ::Static:: Andouiller - Vintage Key {Forest} L$ 395
Four different options included, Beaded, Bone, Feather and Vintage Key. HUD controlled colours 9 options for beads, 7 options for feathers, three options for keys and three options for bones.
Sanoria


Hair: !!Firelight!! FH2 - Busty Rigged Mesh Hair - Rainbow - Karya Gen2 L$ 300  
Includes a colourwheel hair tinter HUD and a Rainbow HUD giving options for 24 rich, full effect colour styles, and 24 wispy colour styles.
Erstwhile

Skin: [NM] - Mortal - Fairy - Female - N1 -  L$ 300 
Excellent system skins , 6 options (3 different cleavage each with and without brow) 21 different appliers for mesh bodies and heads. Shown here with Maitreya body, and System head.
Severina


Necklace : [HarshLands] FF X Necklace - ULTRA RARE - Her High Faireness  L$ 49
This is a GACHA item, one of three Ultra Rares available. Super pretty, this one has a gentle glow.
Willows of Nienna

Dress: Partners in Crime - Clementine Dress {Coral} L$ 249 
Pretty, subtly shaded gown with options for Ebody, Freya, Hourglass, Isis, Maitreya, Physique and Venus mesh bodies. 
Willows of Nienna

Nails: DP - Koffin Nails - FatPack - Sleek & Somber  L$ 290
As shown previously - but a better picture! Ten fantastic colour options - appliers for nails - HUD driven for both finger and toenails.
Severina

Wearable Candles: .~DN~. Candle Invocation  L$ 200 
Three options included, a typer, a no script always on version, and a scripted version. The three candles slowly rotate around you at different heights.
Sanoria 

Wolves: *UI* 3 Wolves - L$ 199
Includes three howling growling wolves, Black, Grey and White. Scripted sounds, click on and off.
Falls of Hope

Lions: Blue's Honey Do List Shop - Unity Empire Lions Updated L$ 200
Includes Male and Female Lions. Admittedly, this was an impulse purchase - but look! Who could pass up these beautiful lions?
Severina

Why I Relay - Fantasy Faire 2016

Each year it came to this. In amongst all of the hustle and bustle, the crowds and the adventure, this moment came.Was it coincidental that moments of reflection tended to come near the water? Be it rhythmic movement of waves gently lapping against the harbour wall, droplets of water arcing through the air from a fountain to meld with a pond, or the sudden welling of tears in her eyes.

This year, she did not want the tears. Even as she wiped them away from her eyes, a sardonic smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "As if anyone wanted tears!" Like everyone drawn in to the Fairelands, she was captivated not only by the beautiful surroundings, as breathtaking as they were; nor by the vast array of goods on offer, as exquisite as they were. She was drawn by what it meant. By what a disparate group of individuals could achieve when they were working toward one goal.

This year I had an idea of the look I wanted to create for my 'Why I Relay' blogger challenge as soon as I saw the skin from Plastik. The more I thought about it however, the less I wanted to think about hope or a cure being something celestial, something otherworldly. In reality, hope can be something made of pain. Pain can inspire hope, calling it into being where there had been no need for it before. Pain can erode hope, wearing it away over time. The less that has to happen, the happier we all can be. Since writing for this challenge last year, there have been losses, there are also survivors. Cancer has taken my cousin, a wonderful woman who was a daughter, sister, aunt and mother. Relatives and friends have received diagnoses, treatment beginning, remission reached. I don't want to write about a cure being something made of magic, from some distant galaxy. A cure is what we relay for, it's why we do this. So research can continue. Real people, right here, working to find a way. The cure is getting closer. Until then, we will come together like this. After that - we'll do it for the sheer love of each other, and all this love can achieve. 

These pictures were taken in Dangarnon one of the Faireland Sims

Skin : :[P]:- Constella Skin:// Lunale  Relay for Life item
Beautiful starry galaxy skin, comes with every applier you could think of, eight eyebrow shapers, eyes, makeup options - as ever - wow.
Branches :  Air Magnolia_Head Accessory_purple_CM - L$ 100  Relay for Life item
Lovely delicate branches, intricate beading, and softly glowing flowers.
Outfit : *LE* Xylia Onyx Pearl - L$ 250  Relay for Life item
Fantastic outfit, all sections can be worn separately, I love the contrast of bronze on white!
Nails : DP - Koffin Nails - Something Wicked L$ 200 Relay for Life item
Pretty pretty nails! HUD controlled, nine colour options. This purple to blue fade is my favourite.

Faery Court - Fantasy Faire 2014 - Why I Relay

The Faery Court had emerged from the crystalline waters at the turn of the new moon. It could not last long in the world of mortals, their disbelief wore away at it,scale and wing. It would fade once more before it was in tatters. While it lasted its unearthly beauty would be seen by those daring or unselfish enough to venture there. Not all who came did so with the intention of doing good, some fuelled by greed and the desire only to obtain... but these were the minority. Even a Fae as cynical as Vespyra knew that.

Cynical may after all be too harsh a term to describe her, she had been hurt, deeply, time and again by the losses in the world. Those she saw and felt taken too soon. When her realm slid seamlessly into that of mortal folk, she felt it all the more keenly, yet still she came. She came as here, there was the only hope. Here was the only proof that each void left by a loved one gone would eventually be filled with light, the pain draining as rainfall back to the sea, the remaining space swelling with love and care which never died. For each adventurer visiting the court for personal gain, there were hundreds more walking to a different beat, their hearts filled with longing for something unobtainable, each with a will to fight what seemed impossible. Battles had been lost along the way, and sadly there would be more to come. The fight was what mattered, eventually the war would be won.

Memories would linger on. Though those of pain and loss were freshest, others would endure far longer. Glimpses of lives played out like movie reels, seconds lasting lifetimes in the hearts and minds of those left behind. Mourning the loss would always be part, as for the rest, celebrate and dance.

One of the Blogger challenges this year for those of us covering the Fantasy Faire is 'Why I Relay'. This is not one I thought I would try, but here I am anyway. I had been exceptionally lucky in life, to have never really been affected by cancer. Those in the family who may have had, or even died from the disease were distant, not really people I knew at all. In the past few years this has changed. My Aunt found a lump, faced and fought everything that followed so bravely. Her fight came to an end so suddenly, that even six months on, it's a surprise and a shock that she isn't there. While in Second Life, the Fantasy Faire Relay for Life is associated with the American Cancer Society, Relay is now active in 20 countries, including my patch of earth with Cancer Research UK. No matter where in the world you find yourself, money going to research to beat this disease can only be a good thing. The sooner we stop losing loved ones the better. This has been my first Faire since losing my Aunt, and it has been emotional. I can't thank the creators enough for the amazing items they put up in their Relay for Life vendors - from which all proceeds go to the charity. I've covered the event for three years now, the cause has always been important. Now, it's personal.

Skin : Niekra's Dreams - Hope Skin Female Dark Violet (3 shades in pack) L$ 499 RFL Item
Tattoo : Folly - Tintable Glaze - Filigree - Medium L$ 100
Hair : LNS - AELYKX - FANTASY BOX L$ 247 RFL Item
Unrigged mesh hair created for the Fantasy Faire.The Fantasy HUD for this hair has 9 colour options and is the RFL item, here I've also obtained the 'Blends' HUD - same price, 9 more options one of which is pictured above. 
Horns : [LNS Designs]   TESLA VORTEX HORNS  L$ 147
Animated mesh horns.  Touching them turns on / off the energy. LOVE the colour.
Eyes : LNS MANDALA EYES L$ 54 RFL Item
The RFL item is the 'Sunrise' colour option - here worn is 'Dark Skies'

Pauldrons : Folly - Mother of Dragons - RFL Edition Set (Set contains 28 items) L$ 1000 RFL item
The Mother of Dragons special edition set for RFL has 3 metal and 12 gemstone options with exclusive colours.
Gown : *SSK* RFL Special Edition Moroi Ensemble  L$ 149  RFL Item
Special edition colour for the Fantasy Faire.

We have been so lucky with items donated by creators. I've had the pleasure of meeting several face to face during the course of the Faire, their generosity is a little overwhelming at times. Thank you all so much!!!