Melkhiresa Bathory

One of the most calming pieces of music I've ever heard. It captures the soul of Amaurot and reflects everything that makes Emet-Selch's story so unforgettable. I can never get enough of it.

No filters. No editing. Just Azys Lla at its finest.

This is Salem.

Salem came into my life as a tiny kitten, abandoned beneath an outdoor staircase, crying for a mother who never returned. He was far too young to survive on his own. If no one had stepped in, he simply wouldn't have made it. He needed to be fed, kept warm, protected, and cared for the way only his mother should have.

The odds weren't in his favor.

Yet somehow... he refused to give up.

And so did I.

Over the years, I realized Salem changed me just as much as I changed his life.

People often ask why I love cats so much.

It isn't because other animals don't deserve love, or because they're any less capable of giving it.

It's because a cat's affection is different.

It's quiet. It's honest. And above all, it's a choice.

A cat doesn't give its trust to everyone. It decides who gets to see its gentle side, and when it does, that bond feels truly special.

A cat may be small enough to fit in your arms, yet it walks through the world believing it's a tiger. Beneath that confidence is a fragile little soul with the heart of a warrior.

And somehow... that's beautiful.

Salem is a black cat.

For centuries, black cats have been surrounded by myths and superstition. Sadly, those beliefs haven't completely disappeared. Even today, they're still associated with bad luck, feared by some, and sometimes treated with unnecessary cruelty simply because of the color of their fur.

I'll admit... before Salem, I was guilty of associating black cats with bad luck, just like so many other people.

He completely changed the way I see them.

Where others see a shadow, I see a companion.

Where others see superstition, I see a friend.

And where others see an ordinary black cat...

That's a question I've asked myself more than once.

I think the answer is simple: I wanted to leave behind a small piece of who I am.

Life hasn't exactly taken me down an easy road.

For years, I struggled with my mental health before finally being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. There were hospital stays, months of therapy, countless appointments, medication after medication, side effects that sometimes felt worse than the illness itself, and moments where I honestly didn't know who I was anymore.

Somewhere along that journey, I also became dependent on medication. Breaking free from that was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but it's something I'm incredibly proud of today. Looking back, I realize that healing isn't about one miracle or one good day—it's about taking thousands of small steps, even when you don't feel like moving at all.

Thankfully, my bipolar disorder is now well managed, but it took years of work to reach this point.

Then, just as I felt like life was finally beginning to settle, another challenge arrived. Last year, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Because of it, I'm currently unable to work, and my life has changed in ways I never expected.

Strangely enough, it also gave me something I hadn't had in a very long time: time.

Rather than letting that time disappear, I decided to finally do something I'd been dreaming about for years.

Gaming has always been my refuge. Worlds like Final Fantasy XIV have given me somewhere to breathe when reality became overwhelming. They reminded me that stories matter, that beauty exists even after dark times, and that people can find genuine friendships in unexpected places.

Blogging became an extension of that.

I love writing, taking screenshots, experimenting with AI-assisted fan art, sharing little moments from Eorzea, and expressing myself in a way that feels natural to me. I'm a deeply introverted person, so maybe this is simply how I learned to speak to the world.

This blog isn't about asking for sympathy.

It isn't about chasing followers, notes, or likes.

It's about leaving footprints.

I believe every person leaves something behind. Sometimes it's a family, sometimes a painting, a book, music, or simply words scattered across the internet. I don't know if my little corner of Tumblr will ever reach many people, and honestly, that's not the point.

They say the internet never forgets.

Maybe one day, years from now, someone I'll never meet will find one of my posts. Maybe they'll smile at a screenshot, discover a game they fall in love with, or simply spend a few minutes getting to know the person behind these posts.

If that happens—even just once—then I think this journey will have been worth sharing.

Because perhaps we don't live on through fame.

This is my Summoner from Final Fantasy XIV, reimagined as an AI-generated fanart based on my own screenshots and character design.

I know AI art is a topic that sparks many different opinions, and I completely understand why. Traditional artists have my deepest respect—their talent, years of practice, creativity, and dedication are something no technology can replace.

At the same time, I also enjoy supporting AI-generated art as another creative medium. For people like me, it makes it possible to bring personal ideas and characters to life that I could never create on my own. I don't see it as a replacement for artists, but as another way to celebrate creativity and express my love for the worlds and characters that inspire me.

Every name has a story. Mine has two.

The story behind the name Melkhiresa.

I didn't choose the name Melkhiresa because of its association with darkness. I chose it because I was fascinated by its history: an obscure name preserved in the Dead Sea Scrolls for over two thousand years, only to be reimagined in modern fiction as a demon whose greatest power is knowledge rather than destruction.

Melkhiresa is the name I primarily use for my online presence and throughout my adventures in Final Fantasy XIV. Over time, it has become more than just a character name—it's the identity behind my creativity, screenshots, stories, and the worlds I enjoy exploring.

The legacy behind the name Báthory.

To some, it may sound like a name borrowed from history. To me, it has always been my own.

The Báthory legacy has shaped who I am long before anyone ever asked where my name came from. Whether people choose to see it as heritage, destiny, or simply another story woven into history is entirely up to them.

I carry the name with pride, not because it was chosen for me, but because it belongs to me.

Some names are inherited.