I'm in NY right now and it checks a lot of the boxes I want but the real estate is unsustainable and I'm sick of the vibe. I just want a space big enough for a bedroom, office, and small outdoor space without having to spend $4500 in rent or $800k to own. I have good steady income so mid to HCOL is fine, but NY just seems like it's on a completely different level of expensive now. I know it's impossible to do "New York but better" in the states, but I wonder if there's anything that checks these boxes:
Must have

• In or near mid-to-large city: I'm fully remote so I don't need to be near any HQ city, but being close to a some vibrance is good for me. I need people, shops, boutiques, performance and sports venues, or I'll go crazy. Bonus for robust transit system, baseball and basketball teams.
• Diversity/culture: I like seeing different faces, experiencing different micro-cultures, eating different foods. One of my problems with being in the north eastern cities is that often the default activity is drinking. I like a drink, but I don't want that to be the identifying culture of the place I live.
• Walkability / neighborhood vibe: Nothing is as walkable as NY in the states. But at least having neighborhoods that I can explore, even if there's a distance between them. Bonus if I can walk or bike through different residential areas without getting dirty looks or harassed.
• Cycling infrastructure: Cycling would be my main form of transportation. Would like to avoid owning a car, or owning one and driving it infrequently. Being able to bike from A to B for social events or errands is a major W. There's no place in the states that has a cycling culture, but if there was I'd be there in an instant.

Nice to have

• Near nature / water: I like a good hike or a contemplative moment overlooking a body of water, not necessarily a beach. Being a short bike ride to a river or lakefront park is huge.
• Industrial loft inventory: I have a weird thing for lofts. I would like to live in one without breaking the bank. And I don't mean those newly build loft style condos, but a converted factory type thing.
• Near a good airport: I like to travel. I do a handful of domestic trips and an international trip every year. Being near a far reaching and reliable airport is an excellent nice to have.
• Weather: I generally prefer mild weather. I think a lot of people will tell me Chicago is where I should be based on my preferences, but straight up I'm not built for Chicago winters.

My ideal cities are something like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris, Copenhagen. I would probably try relocating to Netherlands to if I didn't have to be in the states to work.
After writing all this out I feel like it's an incredibly short list that includes Chicago, parts of California, and maybe Atlanta but maybe there's a city I haven't considered that checks some of these boxes.

Foundations of Humanity 29 (Healing Words) - an NoP fanfic
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Thank you u/SpacePaladin15 for establishing the Nature of Predators Universe, and for allowing Fanfics to flourish! Thank you again, u/Braquen, u/Acceptable_Egg5560, u/BiasMushroom721, and last but not least u/Liberty-Prime76 for proofreading! This is my side of the Nature of a Giant crossover!
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Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil tourist
Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 3rd Claw
Tarlim was the first to see me as I marched toward the table, tossing the still-open pad into its center.
“Predator Disease is anything! Whatever they need to put you away!” I cried, vacillating between grief and outrage while Tarlim looked through my research.
“They don't work! None of them do! Hundreds are being thrown into those facilities for everything from active murder, to jaywalking,” And Tarlim met my gaze, “to complaints. Complaints! The most positive source said ‘a dozen cured every year’. From a sample of hundreds! No names! No sources! Just their word and a ‘trust me, bro!’ And that’s only maybe from the ‘jaywalking’ section, not even the people who need real help!”
I pulled my ears down taut, embracing the pain to distract my panic, blind to Alvi’s desperate attempts to calm and comfort me. “The facilities don't help anyoneI But every one of them punishes, no, tortures Venlil for something they cannot control or choose. Not criminals, not those who did something, just… just so many people who did nothing wrong! Who had no record beyond a-a single half-shorn screening!!"
I stopped to breathe, my voice faltering as I started again, “And we sent you there. I checked, you did nothing! Not even a complaint! The only charge on your record, even according to that pro-exterminator trash ‘Moralen’s Pred Guide,’ was ‘resisting arrest’; whatever the brahk that’s supposed to mean. You were only barely an adult, and… we still sent you there. I’m… I don’t… I’m so sorry, Tarlim. I won’t plead innocence; we did this. Our people, all of us, failed you in the most impossible, embarrassing way. I’m…”
You’re what?? Sorry?!
My body went limp as I felt the weight of my people’s sins against all of us, distilled into this Person’s real experience. “No. Just a sad ‘sorry’ doesn’t even begin to make up for what happened to you. I don't know how to make this right, or if it’s even possible to do so at this point. But for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”
I looked up at him. At Tarlim. He… he had begun breathing erratically, short and fast, tossing his chest wool about. His ears twitching in fear. Had- had I said something wrong? I saw Alvi lean towards him with worry in her affect. “Hey, you okay?”
Tarlim didn’t show any sign of having heard. He grabbed onto his knees and pulled them to his chest. Jacob stood and began running his hand along Tarlim’s back. I didn’t know what to do! How do I fix this? Should I do something? Wait? I-
I heard a chime coming from Tarlim’s shoulder pack. As soon as it was heard, it was like he transformed. The look of panic and confusion was replaced by a determined calm as he began taking steady breaths. He seemed to be coming around again.
Maeve leaned forward, looking uncertain at her words. “It’s alright Tarlim. We are here with you. You’re not alone. ”
“C’mon buddy, you got this.”
A murmur, too small for a Venlil of his size, “Th-Thank you.” Then Tarlim’s ears swiveled back to me, “Valek… you… you are the first to say that. To really say that, and to mean it, too.”
My tail swayed in honest joy, while I closed my eyes to give him comfort, as he started again, choking on phlegm brought on by tears,
“It has been years since my lawsuit. In that time, I can count the people who supported me on one paw. One paw!” He held up four claws for emphasis. “They helped me get on my feet. Let me release my feelings. And just… they were there for me. They gave sympathy, but you…” I panted, trying to control my breathing. “You didn’t. You called me dangerous. Feared me. You were… you were them.” He swept his arms at the oblivious crowd below, “In all those years, all that time, nobody, not one, had ever apologized. Not sincerely.”
I tried to show kindness and welcome, happy to have another friend. “You’re a good person Tarlim. I know I won’t be the last.”
…
A short silence fell over us all, before Maeve spoke up, “Not to give conversational whiplash, but absolutely to change the subject: What do you think about Venlil Cuisine, Jacob? I am quite partial to the Juicefruit, even if I need a small towel for every bite.”
“Good subject change,” he took a drink of his soda and set it on the table. “There’s this thing that translates to Firefruit, and it’s amazing! Got this nice zest like a lime but a sweet spice like a jalapeño! Its juice goes great on a lot of things!”
“Oh then you may like this,” she shifted a plate of fried veg across the table, “This one is fried Deeproot. It’s got quite a ginger kick to it, but the fry brings out a lot of sweet too!”
Tarlim’s affect softened as we spoke on kinder things. “Deeproot? That’s rather tasty.” He uncurled himself and swung his ears genially, “Have you… have you been on the planet long?”
Maeve met my eye, and pulled Alvi onto her lap, her voice taking on a wistful remembrance, “Feels like a new life… but my calendar says just over two weeks! A lot has changed since I walked on the station.” Her voice trailed off, while my tail flicked comfort and Alvi leaned her weight against Maeve.
Tarlim continued his curiosity and asked Maeve, “So what do you think of our planet? Apart from the… poor welcoming.”
Maeve waved her hand dismissively, “Oh those poor pups were just doing as nature intended; honestly it just made your planet more familiar! Really that’s the surprising thing, despite twenty lightyears across the galaxy, everything is still so familiar! You have trees that remind me of the Redwoods, you have cities that are just like ours, if shinier, and Alvi here worked in customer service!” She ruffled Alvi’s crown affectionately. “I never imagined I would feel so at home on another world!”
I stepped back from the conversation and helped myself to what was left of the food, enjoying the sharp tang of the Deeproot.
Maeve breathed a contented sigh under her veil, before facing Jacob, “How about you, Jacob? How are you handling the planet?”
Jacob finished another drink of his soda. “Ah would say that outside of the station incident, it has been going well. After we’re done here, ah am going to be getting my own apartment to live in since Tarlim’s isn’t big enough!” He snorted in amusement. “Don’ worry about me living in an apartment. Ah have mah ways of winning people over.” He picked up the last of his fried dough. “Relatedly, be careful with Venlil drinks. Their ‘lite beer’ is our equivalent to distilled whiskey.”
Maeve laughed lightly, “Glad to see they know how to party! It’s an equal trade though, what they call an ‘energy drink’ is on par with weak tea. I was so glad my handler got me a 10lb bag of beans and a french press.”
“Lite beer? What do you guys consider strong?” Alvi asked, and I had to agree with her concerned tone.
“Tarlim called it distilled Ipsom,” Jacob responded. “60% alcohol. That’s pretty strong fer most humans. Our whiskey is usually 40-50%. What about y’all? What do you call strong?”
Alvi perked up, excited to share one of her happy memories, “I used to hang out at The Roost when I was in the capital, and they kept a bottle of 90% behind the counter for Venlil only: distilled and fermented Goji juice, aged in Nishtalian hardwood casks. It was really good, but I’ve had stronger.” I had to admire how proud she was to say that. Even I would struggle at that amount!
Jacob leaned back, his shoulders tense with surprise. “Jeezus! And this is just drinkable Ethanol, right? Not Methanol?”
I recoiled at the awful memory of my first time with Methanol. That disgusting stuff? Blech!
“Ew, no, I hate the taste it leaves on your tongue. And after what happened at my 16th, I’m not touching that stuff any time soon.” Alvi seemed to share in my distaste for that glorified spoiled speh.
“Yeah,” Tarlim chimed in between sips of his Sprunk, “I hear the Zurulians experiment with drinking that stuff specifically, but it seems to be just them. Even they don’t usually drink at our level.”
“That’s incredible!” Maeve chimed in, “That stuff makes us go blind. Doesn’t stop people from homebrewing it anyway though.”
My tail flicked in concern; I mean, methanol is bad, but were humans so frail that it would make them go blind?
Tarlim, however, seemed somehow amused! “You guys are crazy. Why would you do something that would cause you to be disabled?”
“I never said we were smart!” Maeve, to my astonishment, laughed along with Jacob. “Seriously though, it's complicated. The insultingly short version is: humans experimented with alcohol for literally our entire history, some post industrial nits thought it was evil and banned it, so people made their own. Bootlegging Moonshine became its own culture, even the not so smart parts, so methanol based drinks are still around.”
“But seriously though, to turn blind.” Tarlim’s voice was full of worry, and his tail didn’t hide it. “Why do something that would cause them to be cast out?”
“Cast out??”
A silence fell over the table, while Maeve and Jacob watched Tarlim, who began to shrink under their gazes. I hadn’t been expecting this reaction; wouldn’t humans do the same? Isn’t that what… Wait. Maeve wouldn’t, not in a million years! Why did I think that humans would do this?
“Why,” Jacob asked, “would you think we would cast someone out?”
“B-because that’s what… we… oh Speh!” Tarlim did his best to bury his face in his paws, and I hid behind my ears. “Why did I think that? It isn’t true- of course it isn’t! The exterminators said it! Gods!”
“Yeah,” Jacob said as he shook his head slowly, “that ain’t what we do. We try to help them live as normal a life as possible.”
“Yeah,” Maeve agreed. “We teach them how to use guiding sticks, give correctional implants, or help them learn braille!”
That last word caught my attention. The translator seemed to struggle with it, saying it was some form of communication for people who couldn’t see, but not how. “Braille? What’s that? The translator didn’t quite get it.”
“It’s a kind of writing.” Maeve explained, “Little bumps whose patterns translate to a letter. A blind person can pass their fingers over the bumps to feel the pattern and thus read through their hands.”
“Don’t y’all have something similar?” Jacob directed his question at Tarlim, “you told me once that the Xeno-what’s it hospital.” He twirled his hand dismissively, “You said it had classes. Don’t they teach stuff like that there?”
“Those…” Tarlim spoke up, then hesitated. “Those classes are for families. Teaching them how to care for their herd members. Not for… us.”
Jacob shook his head. “Okay? Ah mean, that’s fine fer families, but what about someone without one? Or if they go somewhere the rest of their herd doesn’t?”
"It depends on the family," Alvi added her voice, "some will go without to stay with the weak, but some will just…" Her ears fell, "leave them. And for those that don't have… don't have a herd they…"
A deep sadness drifted from the Giant, “Sleep on the streets.”
“Bullshit!” Jacob slammed his hand against his table. “I’m not gonna lie and say we humans don’t have homeless, but no support if they don’t have a family or herd? None? What about shelters? Food banks? Those… those bunkers everybody evacuated to in panic!”
“We have food banks!” I piped up, wishing to add some hope to the gloom, “We don’t let people just starve! If people are tight on money, they are completely free to visit one of the social centers or food banks! They have services there to match you with a herd, and sometimes they give community service. It's considered pre-disease treatment.” But I couldn’t ignore the Tarlim in the room. "Sometimes people fall through the cracks. And sometimes, as I just learned… they are dropped through."
"Oh my god…" Maeve sighed, her face pointed at nothing.
“Hold it. Pre-disease?” Jacob’s voice dripped with skepticism. “So you're saying that someone visiting one of those places would be saying they have your Predator Disease?”
I answered immediately, "Not necessarily. It is more supposed to prevent herdless behavior. I've never been in the system, though, so I don't know what it looks like inside."
“It’s a big room.” I wince at Tarlim’s tone as he interrupts. “A bunch of bunk beds crammed together in the center with Exterminators watching over at all hours as you eat, sleep, and… everything else. Watching for the slightest excuse to cry Predator Disease.” He let out a huff of distaste. “When I was in the facility, there were five inmates who tried to stick around me despite what the faculty said.” He stared directly at me as he said the final words. “Three of them were snatched in one of those places. There’s a reason I slept in the streets.”
“But… but they wouldn’t…”
I remember the photo. I remember the corruption on Emerald Marble. I remember the testimony from Clegal Falls. So many children, abandoned by their families.
"Who am I kidding. I want so badly to believe we aren't like that, but…" I pointed despondently at my pad in the center of the table.
"It's ok, Valek, this is actually familiar to us." Maeve's voice soothed my melancholy, as she tried to rub my head with her elbow, "We haven't solved those problems ourselves, but we have made huge strides. Hopefully, more opportunities and less facilities may give them a fighting chance."
“Here’s hoping,” Jacob agreed.
I heard Tarlim sigh, but his tail… wagged?. “And as little as it may be, there is now at least one city with no Facility at all.”
A city with no facility. Somewhere that people with… possible Predator Disease roamed free. For two years. And yet, this place… it wasn’t bad. It wasn’t in chaos. There weren’t people being devoured in the streets at all times. There was… there was nothing. Just a normal city…
How could so few have realized…
“By the way,” my train of thought was interrupted by Jacob’s voice, “bit of a subject change, but Maeve. Are you going to eat any of your food?” He gestured to our plate. “You haven’t even touched that since we arrived.”
Maeve flipped her hand, and her voice was light and kind, "It's quite a pain to eat through this. I'd already had enough before you guys got here, I'll be fine."
Jacob shook his head. “Ah don’t buy that. There’s only one plate in front of you, and it’s only been nibbled.” He leaned forward, placing his elbow on the table. “It’s the teeth thing, isn’t it?”
Tarlim signaled concern, while his ears locked onto Maeve. “Are you not eating just so I don’t see your teeth?”
Maeve was quiet for a moment. She was thinking about her next words, like I had seen so many times before. "... I'm sorry I lied to you, I should have seen you're more comfortable than the average Venlil. Teeth is a part of it, yes, but I have had the most intense reaction from my eyes and hair. I'm red-headed, rather brightly I'll add."
Jacob leaned back in his chair, and chuckled, "Oh, No!"
Tarlim’s affected slid to confusion, "I don't get it, what am I missing?"
"Uhh, there's no easy way to say this bud, but her hair makes it look like she's doused and speckled in Venlil blood."
Of course, there really isn’t a good way to say that. It was the most alarming thing about Maeve when we first met, and Alvi took almost three paws to get used to it! I hoped that Tarlim wouldn’t freak out too badly.
He stared blankly. “Ooookaaay? And why is that a problem?”
Whut.
“Wait,” Alvi was the first to speak, “you aren’t bothered?”
Tarlim cocked his head quizzically, “Why should I be? It’s a fur color. I have seen pictures of Sulians with a pigment that makes them look like the color of our blood.” I could only stare in shock as he simply sipped from his soda. “Don’t starve yourself on my account.”
Ok Tiny, you're laying it on a little thick. You don’t have to be that nonchalant.
My ears focused on him as I called him out, “Alright, how are you so calm about this? Even the braver Venlil on the station were nervous around humans that weren’t their partners. Why aren’t you?”
“Guys, look at me. I tower over all of you. What could they do to me that a prey couldn’t? That…” His whistling laugh dripped with irony, “that a prey hasn’t already done?”
What they… that hasn’t… that has to be the most cynical reason for bravery I’ve heard.
I remembered the video of the station incident. My father’s rifle, ready to fire. The shuttle driver dropping us in the middle of a forest. And through it all, Maeve’s smile never left me.
I joined the four of them in boisterous laughter at the ridiculous reversal of everything I have ever known and been taught. When the world is upside down, what can you do but laugh?
Shortly after, Maeve regained her breath and answered, "I'm glad you can laugh about it! Well, consent given…" and she removed her veil entirely.
I watched as Maeve removed her head covering, marveling at the luscious waves of sunset falling against her shoulder. I couldn’t stop my tail from swaying as I saw her bright smile light up the entire room, and set my heart ablaze; a fire more hungry than any Exterminators’ torch. And in that moment I wanted nothing more than to feel her hair in my paws, scent her salt on my tongue, and hear our jubilations rattle off the walls of wherever we stood. To know her, completely. And maybe ‘biblically’.
Tarlim spoke with certainty, as if stating a fact that was beyond obvious, “You have very nice eyes,” Damn right, she does. And my snout bloomed at the well deserved compliment. “The color reminds me of a freshly sprouted Darkwood leaf.” Tarlim turned his attention to me, “From what I understand, you two are very brave to have seen her without her mask.”
I flapped my ears to shake off my reverie, and I breathed deeply as I remembered how we began. "It took time. We had talked by text for a couple weeks before the meetup, and our introduction in the room went smoothly. But when she took off her hair wrap, I… I could hear the sound of blood on the ground. I tried to dive under the bunk, but I missed. Woke up in the clinic with a nasty bump." and I laid my paw on the place of impact, now well healed.
Jacob chuckled. “You certainly weren't the only one to react by freaking out.” He turned his visor towards Alvi. “What about you?”
"My first time was in the forest." Alvi started, "Maeve was… having a hard time. I caught her eyes when I was trying to talk to her and… I uhh… I fainted!" She pulled her ears in front of her face, "and the second time! We were in Valek's b-" her voice caught in her throat.
I met Alvi’s eye while she sat on Maeve’s lap, reaching out to offer comfort as I picked up her story, "It's ok, Alvi. Our first rest at the farm we were all sharing a bed, Maeve's spare room wasn't finished yet. Maeve's uncovered face was the first thing Alvi saw when she woke, and she locked up. At least we took the opportunity to get used to eye contact."
"How about you two?" Maeve spoke to Tarlim directly, "You mentioned you were from the first wave on Prime Station? I'm glad you both made it out of the attack!"
“Nah,” Jacob waved his hand, palm facing out, “Only one of us was on the station.”
Tarlim sighed in disappointment, “Yeah, I’m certain you can guess why it wasn’t me.”
Maeve sympathetically returned his disappointment, “Ah. I can see why your size would be a prohibitor. Though I’m certain a human would have gotten creative to make a fix. But no use lamenting what is already done. And you, Jacob?” She switched to facing Jacob, and asked through a bite of fried sweetwood. “How did you fare in the attack?”
Jacob shrugged, “ah volunteered to help recover drifters after the raid cause, well, Spacesuit.” he gestured at his sadly un-blue pelts, “But Ah’m sure we can talk about that even more in a bit. Fer now,” he shook the now empty fried dough bags, “Ah don’t think these were filling enough. Do any of y’all have suggestions on what else to eat?”
“Not around here if you’re looking for ‘filling’,” Maeve answered, “If I’m being honest, as delicious as I find their food, everything has been very calorie-light. I would ki-- uh… be very excited for some pasta. This girl needs her carbs!” Her giggle was adorable. I could tell she was about to say something else, but she recovered well.
“Well why not eat some Stringfruit?” Tarlim offered, excited to be helpful, “It’s one of the more dense foods, more content and less juice, and has a good amount of protein inside. Good savory taste, in my opinion. Or maybe some more Bunt leaf salad. Hearty plant. Bit neutral, but that makes it good with just about everything. And even though it’s not my taste, firefruit is a good option for calories.”
I was impressed; He was more familiar with some of our foods than even my parents! Maeve and Jacob looked at him in surprise before he clarified, “I’m big! Need to eat more to fuel my size!”
Maeve lit up in another smile, “I will take those notes! The three of us can check a cafe that we passed on the way. But Jacob, what were your first impressions when you got to Venlil habitations? The smell took some getting used to, but at least it’s not sour…” Her question surfaced memories of her teeth on my neck, and I hoped my bloom wasn’t noticeable.
Tarlim’s ears turned in confusion, “Smell? What scent do you mean?”
Maeve shrugged, “It’s just something I noticed while on the station. Humans have their own scents, some stronger than others, but I noticed that the Venlil are especially thick; might be a consequence of having to taste the air. You, for example, remind me of when I took a nap in a field of honeysuckle.”
In response to Maeve’s words, Tarlim leaned forward for a scenting breath.
It was an interesting part of our biology. While our lack of a physical nose caused many to assume that we Venlil had no sense of smell, that wasn’t quite true. Our mouth and tongue had more taste receptors than most other races, so we could taste the air much like other races could smell it; though we were less sensitive and more specialized. We would be able to discern the difference between fruits one day apart in age, but things like petroleum products were completely scentless to us. Maeve and I had a wonderful conversation about the differences in our biology when that was first brought up.
Tarlim appeared to approve of our choice of shampoo. “Interesting. If multiple people were using the same scented fur-care, I can see how it would be overwhelming at first. But Jacob is going to get his own apartment. We’re just waiting to hear from the magistratta with news. Should be on this paw or the next. I’m sure that sleeping on a couch wouldn’t be an accurate impression.”
“Certainly not,” Jacob agreed. “Just thankful the apartment is tall enough!”
“Yeah, I can stand straight with my ears flat. Barely fitting for me, but good headroom for humans!” Tarlim flattened his ears, mimicking his issues with low ceilings, before laughing amiably.
“But fer now,” Jacob calmly stood from the table, “my stomach demands to be satisfied. Perhaps we could all check out that cafe y’all noticed?”
Alvi’s ears excitedly perked, “That would be fantastic! They had a stringfruit soup bowl with spiceleaf and nightberry on the window that I’d love to try! They're just leeward of the Dome, about two streets over.” Maeve set her down before standing as well.
Tarlim was next to rise, agreeing and swinging their tail in clear joy and friendliness. Maeve and Jacob reapplied their coverings before we all walked as a herd to the exit.
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Hello! I am just in week 27. For at least a month now, I have been getting these intense charley horses in my calves while sleeping. Usually they just go away and I can stretch out of them in bed, but as I sneak up onto this third trimester they are becoming more unbearable. Sorry for the awful description, but it almost felt like the muscles tore last night, and I could barely walk for about an hour when I woke up this morning.
Has anyone else been dealing with this? Have you found anything that helps make them less intense? Thank you from a miserable gal in NY!

First / Previous / Next
It's still early, so we go and find a cafe and have lunch. Once again, I don't have to use my voice, they just give us our meal for free. I really should get an idea about money though. I know they are called Skys, I know at least part of them are small green metallic coins - actually they look like the same metal the Throne and Chairs are made out of, I wonder if they are - and I know that everyone uses them here to buy stuff. I should ask about banks. We should pay a visit to one. I'm sure they'd be... happy to explain it to me.
That's for later though. For now, we work our way to the dock, and find the internal docking bay that Omar found.
Walking in, it becomes clear that we have a lot of work ahead. High Line is in here thanks to Omar earlier and it's...
It's junk.
Even when it was operating, it was clearly made up of a hodgepodge of between three and five different starships. This thing has been limping along on patches and ad hoc repairs for centuries it looks like.
Human ships from our side of the galaxy tend to be very personalized. Riots of color, patterns, little flourishes here and there that speak to the tastes and preferences of the operator. It's probably a function of the fact that all our ships are AI operated. It's their body, and they decorate and personalize it.
High Line is... downright drab in comparison.
Grey on grey with streaks of soot and... is that rust? It looks like rust. What would rust on a spacecraft hull? High Line is all boxes and blocks stuck together where they fit or where a need was found. I'm much more used to the sweeping, flowing shapes the Starjumpers have. In addition to looking fast, they look much more elegant. Even our smaller ships, the Frigates and Destroyers tend towards looking more like living creatures than... a box.
As I walk around staring at things and - apparently - making a sour face, Starlight, Ocean and River are standing there, looking nervous and worried. "So Empress... Here is High Line. We admit, it's a little more worse for wear than the ship you came to us on, but.." Starlight stands a little taller. "It got my forebears here all those years ago and through all that time put many light-years on it shuttling people around the system and still held air and gravity. It's not much to look at, but it was ours."
I mean, they're right. Maybe I'm being too hard on it. They got centuries of use out of with with barely any maintenance. All the more reason to refit it right and make it soar once again.
Omar seems like he's having a great time. Walking around, taking measurements going in and out. "Melody, it might not be much to look at now, but it's actually a pretty good foundation! We can add some improved thrusters, beef up the armor, add a wormhole generator and some laser batteries and while we won't be able to take on a dreadnought or even a Starjumper, we'll be able to hold our own against anything local we've seen. It's got plenty of room inside too. You won't have a suite of rooms like at the Royal Dawn, but I should be able to make you an... appropriately royal room.
"At this point a starship is better than no starship so I'll take what I can get. How long will the refit take, Omar?"
He looks at the ship, at the Aviens and then at me. "It will depend on their printer and how well we can integrate the designs from my copy of the database but maybe a month? Hopefully less?"
"Well then, you had better get started Omar. You spend your time getting High Line up to your satisfaction, and let me know about your progress. For now, we will be staying at the Royal Dawn. I don't know if there's other royal quarters that we just haven't found or if the hotel is made out of the original royal quarters, but I'm satisfied with our current accommodations. Make your own schedule and if you need something or someone, just let me know. Starlight" - I look pointedly at them - "can help you with any personnel needs you have." Starlight bobs their head eagerly. "If you need to speak to me or the others, you should be able to though the Reach. Just... concentrate and it should work."
"Okay Melody, I'll get on it. Come on Starlight, show me the printer. Ocean, go see what kind of help you can find for us. River, go see about the condition of the other starships. Some of them have to be operable, how else is food getting here?" Omar looks up at us as the Aviens run off in different directions to obey Omar. "What happened to Ottarn, that Mariens who took their ship and tried to run? If nothing else, we could use that ship."
"They went with FarReach. They told me that they scooped up Ottarn and their ship and were going to take them where they wanted to go."
"Hmm, do you think that means back to human space?" Um'reli asks and she's looking at the ship.
"I have no idea, I don't think so? I'm not sure what they'd find out there to benefit them."
This time Ava puts her hands on her hips and stares at us. "You mean, other that some sympathetic ears to listen to their story about a human who has installed herself as Empress in their space and might be willing to lend a hand with a couple of Starjumpers and their assorted lasers and missiles? You did lock the Gate after FarReach left, right?"
Uh oh. I forgot.
"Uh, sure thing Ava, let me just go... double check that it's locked. I reach out and I can feel the Gate from here though it's faint and... fuzzy. The lock was simple enough though I push here... pull that... and...
"Okay, yes, it's locked."
"Good. We don't want Ottarn coming back with reinforcements or something just yet. Later though... let them come. We'll show them." Ava's grin is worrying me a little bit. She seems much too excited about showing off.
I grab Ava and Um'reli "Come on, let's leave Omar to his work. We have other things to take care of. I think we're going to have to hire on some help, but before that we're going to have to figure out money."
Ava scoffs as we walk "You're still going on about money? Just make people help us out."
"Ava we're looking to help out here, not be overthrown in a couple weeks. If I make people help us, the moment we walk away people will start to wonder why they're helping us at all."
"Melody has a point Ava. What is it that we do here?" Um'reli is really good at throwing cold water on Ava's plans. I'm glad she came. Without her I have a hunch that Ava would be talking me into all kinds of bad ideas.
"Builders seem to work like the AIs on Starbases back home. So it's not like we have no job."
"Well then, let's go back to the Throne and do some work. I'm tired of walking around trying to mooch free stuff from people because they're scared of Melody." Um'reli stars walking back towards the Throne. I really don't have anything else to do, so I follow. "You coming, Ava?"
"I guess. I don't have anything else to do." Ava looks around somewhat wistfully and follows. I wonder what she was hoping to do instead. Probably have me order people to give her something.
As we walk into the entryway to the Throne - there's still no back door, I really need to find one or make one - something catches my eye. I walk over and... "It's a shrine"
"What?" Ava peeks over my shoulder "Oh, it's beautiful."
It really is. Someone made a drawing of us in some kind of pastel medium, like pencils or chalk. It's... me at the top, my wings spread wide and I'm glowing. Below that, it's Um'reli, Ava and Omar standing tall and proud looking up. Under that is a decent representation of hundreds of people bowing before us. Written on the bottom in the same local script I see all over it says "May They Protect Us." The drawing is on a little easel and there are flowers and candles all around it in a semicircle.
Protect them from what though?
"These flowers are amazing! I've never seen ones like this before" Um'reli bends down to get a closer look. She takes a deep breath "And they smell so good, Ava, Melody, you should smell them!"
Well if Um'reli, a K'laxi can smell them and not immediately break out in allergic hives, it's probably fine for us to smell too. I bend down low and... they smell... familiar? Why is that?
Ava straightens "These were grown. We need to find out where the gardens are and visit it!"
Um'reli stands as well. "After we get some work done Ava. We need to show everyone that we do something and aren't a drain on resources because Melody can order them around and they can't say no."
"What's the point of all this power if we don't use it!"
"Ava, we 'use it' like you want to and people will come after us with guns and knives. Who was the Empress before Melody?" Um'reli is looking hard at Ava.
"We have no idea."
"Exactly." Um'reli continues up the stairs to the Throne itself. I follow and Ava pouts but doesn't say anything further.
In the Builder room, Um'reli and Ava sit down. Their bodies go distant and they are integrating. "Okay Ava, Um'reli. You get down to work, I'm going to see about finding a bank and talking to them. Any idea where one is?"
"One moment Melody..." Ava is searching. "Okay, looks like a bank is down the street from the Administration building. It's not far."
"Thanks! Just reach out to me if you need anything." I head back out and down the stairs of the throne, passing by the little shine again. It really is cute, though I wish they put something a little more specific about what they wanted us to protect them from. Oh well, with our luck we'll find out soon enough.
It's not actually a long walk to the bank, Ava was right, it was just down the street from the Administration building. As I walk past I see that a couple people are cleaning up the barricades finally. I wave as I walk by, and they stand smartly and bow. Nice.
Soon enough, I come across what I assume is the bank. It's a large building, made out of the same material as the Administration building, marking it as very old. There is a large double door in the front made of what looks like the same metal as the coins everyone uses. The doors stand open with two people (an Azurian and a Mariens) standing out front. With a little wave to them, I walk in.
It's... a bank. Really. Tellers, little booths where people can discuss finance, even a little table before you get in line to fill out small slips of paper. I walk over to an Aviens who is sitting at a desk by the front door. They look up and do a double take when they see me. I'm not wearing my wings and crown anymore, but I still have on the gown from earlier.
"Uh, good day Holy One, what may this one help you with?" Holy One. Interesting.
"I would like to speak to the Bank Manager, please."
They rush to stand and their chair slides back with a squawk. "Of course, Holy One. Please, wait right here." The gesture over to a small group of chairs up against the wall. I can't really think of a reason why not, so I go over and sit.
Next to me is one of the pressure suited people. Up close, I can see how their suits are segmented metal colored bronze and completely decorated in elaborate carvings. They really are quite beautiful. Their helmets are almost completely featureless except for a bar where human eyes would be and there is what looks like a speaker on their neck.
I clear my throat. "Pardon me, I'm so sorry, but I haven't met one of you yet. Can you tell me your name and the name of your people?"
With just the most subtle clank and whir, they turn their head. "I am known as Vaaqo, and here, people call us Falor in your tongue." His head inclines slightly. "That is to say, the language that most people here speak call us Falor. I do not know your word for us in your Builder tongue."
"Falor is fine with me." I say brightly, and then stop. "Unless it is insulting to you or something."
They make a gesture with their hands. The Nanites indicate that they are indicating no. Oh, that makes sense! If they're suited all the time, most body language markers are lost. Hand gestures could take over for a bunch of nonspeaking conversation.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Vaaqo, thank you so much for the information. I have so many questions, but I will only ask one for now. Do you have to stay in your suit all the time?"
The same gesture meaning no. "We are fortunate that the upper sunward lobe of the Reach has a pressure door. We're able to maintain our helium methane atmosphere and higher ambient pressure and live suit free. The remains of our starship are installed up there, and we use it to control our own breathing gas."
They took their ship apart to survive? "Oh but that means you're trapped here! Once we open the gates and build more ships, we can send a message to your people."
Another gesture. The Nanites say it might be a smile "That is kind of you to offer, Empress. Before... well before, we were in the middle of a war. We were offered refuge here and so we do not know if any others of our kind remain. It will be... nice to find out for sure."
They're holding something back. I think they don't want to insult you.
It's fine. I see no need to compel them to tell me what they're hiding. It's probably something embarrassing to them or they think to me.
Luckily for all of us, you have no shame.
Ha ha.
As I argue with my Nanites, a Mariens walks up, looking nervous. "Hol-Empress, what a pleasant surprise. Thank you for taking the time to visit our fine financial establishment! My name is Utaid and I am at your service." He bows elaborately.
I stand and try to tower only slightly. I want to impress, not intimidate. "The pleasure is all mine Utaid, I am happy to have met you. I wish to open an account so that I will be able to pay people for services they render me."
They look shocked. "E-Empress, of course. We will do everything in our power to help. Since... all here is yours that of course includes all the money stored in the different banks across the Reach."
I nod. "While this is true, I am not a tyrant. I wish to make sure that people are paid and that operations continue as closely to before as possible. Please accept payment requests that come in from people in my name and keep records. We will do our utmost to make sure that the money going in is equal to or greater than the money coming out... in the long term."
They visibly relax. I wonder if they thought I was just going to come in and demand all the currency?
"It will be our most sincere pleasure Empress. We are proud that you have selected us to carry out your financial orders in Your name. We shall set up everything and dispatch a runner to you when it has been completed. I assume you are residing at the Royal Dawn hotel?"
"Yes, that's correct. How did you know?"
They look smug and embarrassed? How did they manage that? "Even though Reach of the Might of Vzzx is a very large starbase, rumors still seem to fly faster than light."
"Ah, thank you Utaid for all your help. I await your runners." They bow low again and I walk out.
Huh, that was easy. I guess people are starting to realize that I really am Empress and I really am trying to help everyone. Feeling very happy, I begin to walk back to the Throne.
"Uh, Melody there might be a problem." Um'reli's voice sounds worried in my head. She figured out how to contact me directly, very nice!
"What is it Um'reli?"
"Just a minute ago, I saw what looked like an alert. Ava and I checked it out and there's something going on at the main transit hub station. We either don't understand the alert or can't ready it yet. Can you check it out please?"
"Oh neat! I haven't been there yet. Sure, I'll go down and check it out. You two stay up there and be my eyes and ears."
The transit station is right around the corner from the bank. It reminds me a lot of photos of transit stations back on Earth. platforms, people milling about, advertising. But I see no crowds or anything worrying. I connect to the Starbase and think to Ava and Um'reli "I don't see any problem here, what's going on?"
"It's not here, it's at the main station. Get on the next train and ride two stops, you'll see it."
Oh, okay. Just as Ava finished speaking, a train rolls up. Like a lot of this place, it clearly was very fancy a long long time ago. The fact that it's still working is pretty impressive, even if it looks a bit run down. I walk on, and look around. There are seats all along the walls of the train car and poles along the middle to hang on to. Mentally I shrug and sit down near the door. After a moment, there's a trilling chime and the doors close.
With a lurch and a hiss of brakes, we get moving. I wonder if this train is automated, or if someone drives it. I should ask later. I'm lost in thought for the ride through the first station stop, but then I look around and realize everyone is staring at me.
"Oh, Hello!" I say brightly.
Immediately, the people closest to me drop to the ground, bowing their heads. "Oh, thank you, but you don't have to do that right now, please just sit. I'm just riding the train over to the hub station. My Builders tell me there's some kind of issue and I'm going to check it out."
"But, Empress... Surely you have people that you can send to do that for you?" It's a Mariens sitting across from me. They look amused.
"Oh not right now. I'm... between retainers and assistants right now. One of my Builders, Omar is helping to repair the High Line, that Aviens ship, and my other two, Ava and Um'reli are sitting in their Chairs, assisting with the operation of the Reach." Oh wait. "Do you want a job? I do find myself needing more people to help out with-" I gesture "-all this. I'm not sure how much to pay yet but I did just come back from the bank, so I'll be able to pay you; I'm sure I'll work all the rest out soon enough."
The Mariens chuckles "Thank you for the generous offer Empress, but I quite like my job. If you so order it... of course I'd help. If you're just asking though, no thank you."
"Oh, that's quite all right. I don't want to order you. But, if you know anyone that would like to help, have them come to the Throne chamber tomorrow, we'll see what we can do!" I look around at everyone trying very hard to look like they're not listening in. "That goes for anyone here too! If you want a job, come see us, if you know someone that does, send them. I need help, and I would love for it to be you!"
And with that same trilling chime, the doors open and I'm at the hub station.
Ah. Okay. I see what Ava and Um'reli are talking about.
There's a riot.
First / Previous / Next

DC Next presents:

SHADOWPACT

In Heaven Forbid
Issue Four: Wanted Dead or Alive
Written by PatrollinTheMojave
Edited by GemlinTheGremlin
 
Next Issue > Coming Next Month
 
Heat shimmered off the pavement in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. The tiny town nestled between the desert hills of the Southwest felt like a kiln, and Rory Regan was baking. “Remind me again--” He huffed between words, “--why are we walking?”
“If Destruction wanted to be found, the Lords of Chaos would’ve done it already. If Destruction is here, he’d pick up on a teleport before we stepped through and I don’t want us burning our only lead.” Traci said, adjusting her black sunhat to wipe beads of sweat from her forehead.
“It could be worse.” Sherry said with an encouraging smile. “It’s a dry heat.”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I miss Gotham.” Rory looked around at the rest of the Shadowpact for a similar discomfort. His sweat was making the rags cling to his skin. “Jim. How are you not sweating? You must be wearing fifty pounds of metal.”
Jim shrugged. “Magic.”
“Of course.” Rory groaned. “Ruin?”
Ruin quirked an eyebrow and planted their feet. They’d been walking around in their signature trench coat for miles and not lost the spring in their step. They curiously pulled a finger along their forearm. “I don’t think I sweat.”
“And I guess you have some magical charm that makes you resistant to heat, Traci?”
“Yeah. It’s called being raised in Nevada.” She snorted. “Hey, Ruin. We need to keep--” Her gaze drifted up to the quaint wooden building they’d chosen to stop. A woodburnt sign hanging above the door read ‘Tumbleweed Saloon & Inn.’ She smiled. “Rory, good news. We’re here.”
Sherry looked over the saloon. Where the others had picked up sand and sweat on the long trek over, she didn’t have a hair out of place. Sherry looked like she’d stepped out of an advertisement. Her only sign of wear was the suspicion sitting behind her eyes. “You really think Destruction is here?”
“I’m not getting my hopes up.” Traci said. “The Lords of Chaos only felt a twinge, but it’s all we’ve got.”
Rory shot through the swinging saloon doors with a speed he’d lost 10 miles earlier. Ruin was just behind him, their pure black eyes pulling in every detail. Half of the space was devoted to racks and shelves of Old West merchandise; cheap hats, plastic guns, and sheriff badges. The other side of the establishment was a small bar and a few tables. The bartender wiped the bored expression from his face as the Shadowpact entered.
“We’re in a real Wild West saloon!” Ruin hurried into the merchandise section.
“Welcome to the Tumbleweed Saloon. What brings you folks into town?” The bartender said.
“I’m looking for a guy, big-looking, probably. Have you seen anyone like that? He might’ve broken something.” Traci said. She wished she had more to go off.
“We get a lot of tourists.” The man raised an eyebrow. “Wait, are you from the Justice Legion? When are you going to send those people from other universes back home? Did you catch the guy responsible yet?”
Traci exhaled sharply. “We’re here about his brother, actually.”
The clatter of hoofbeats on asphalt clicked outside, followed by the heavy footfalls of someone dropping from a horse.
“Do you get many riders out here?” Jim asked. The bartender shook his head and Jim moved a hand to his sword’s pommel. The rider walked to the saloon door. The figure was in shining white leather boots and pants to match. The peak of a stetson of the same color poked out above the saloon doors.
“I know where to find the man you’re looking for.” The doors swung open to reveal the sheet-pale face of White Stag. The only spot of color was a turquoise bolo tie around his neck and the gold-inlay guard of the rapier at his side. His opaque glasses reflected the light. Jim leapt to his feet and pulled the Sword of Night from its sheath with a metallic shtang. White Stag just raised his hands apprehensively. “While you’ve correctly surmised I am interested a rematch, Jim, I think I’d better explain myself first.”
Jim glanced at Traci, who gave him a nod. Jim lowered his sword but kept it unsheathed. “Talk.” Jim spat.
White Stag reached into his buttoned vest and pulled a cigar, then a lighter. He flicked a few times, then held the flame to the cigar’s tip. Once lit, White Stag took a deep drag and blew a ring of smoke in front of his face. “I am here for a duel with the Destroyer of Myrrha.”
"Myrrha's not destroyed!" Jim gripped the handle of the Sword of Night. "I've been locked off from it. I will find a way back!"
"No.” White Stag walked over to the bar and took a seat. He didn’t bother turning around to address Jim. “No, it's not been destroyed yet. But it's Destruction you're after, and you'll find the Endless on the road you take to meet them. Miss Witch would know about that. How well do you sleep at night, Traci?"
The answer was an uncomfortable silence. “How do we know you’re telling the truth?” Rory said.
“I knew to come here, didn’t I?”
“So after I defeat you in this duel, you’ll tell us where to find Destruction?” Jim said.
White Stag gave a thin-lipped smile. “After the duel, I’ll tell you where he is.”
“You tricked us last time. What’s the trick this time?” Jim said.
“The trick? I’m faster than you, Jim. That’s all I need to win. Blades at dawn, at the old train tracks.”
“At dawn?” Jim shook his head. “We fight now. We don’t have time to waste.”
“Where’s your flair for the dramatic, Jim? Let’s let the tension build for a few hours more. It’s not like you’re in a position to dictate terms.” White Stag stood from the bar.
“I don’t know who you are.” Sherry said. “But this sounds like a big misunderstanding. We’re trying to help people.”
“Who I am? I’m the good guy, Sheridan. And you’re the latest person to sign onto the Shadowpact, which must mean you’re trying to help yourself.” White Stag looked at Jim. “Blades. Dawn. Don’t be late.” He walked through the saloon doors and saddled up his horse while the Shadowpact watched in silence.
He’d only been gone a few seconds when Rory said. “Why not fight him now? Force him to tell us what he knows.”
Jim shook his head. “We need to play his games. He knows more than he’s letting on. And he knows about Myrrha.” A hint of desperation crept into his voice. “He could be holding all of Myrrha hostage, for all we know.”
“Myrrha? I’m unfamiliar with this realm.” Sherry said.
Jim rolled his shoulders back, staring down at the ground. “When I was twelve, I went into the back room of a record store and ended up in a medieval world full of adventure and magic. Years later, I mastered the Sword of Night and started using it to move between realities. Last year, I went to sleep in Myrrha and woke up on Earth. I haven’t been able to return there since. I hate to think what could have happened to it without its protector.”
The display racks rattled and Rory raised his fists on instinct. The rags crawled along his body, ready to strike. It was Ruin rushing out of the merchandise section, covered in cowboy gear. A pair of embossed brown leather boots replaced their usual black strap-ups. They wore a ten-gallon hat and held a cheap revolver toy in each hand. “This town ain’t big enough for the six of us!” They said in their best kitsch Western accent.
A hard glance from Jim sent Ruin withdrawing back into the gift shop, holstering their ‘weapons’. Traci spoke quietly. “Why don’t I get us all rooms for tonight. We can rest and be refreshed in the morning.” She looked up at the bartender. He was still trembling from the standoff moments ago. “Six rooms, please.”
A few hours later, Traci was doomscrolling the front page of KordConnect for articles on the Reawakening. A knock at the door pulled her out of it. “Be right there, just-- uh-- meditating!” She hopped off her bed and walked to the door.
“It’s Rory!”
Traci opened the door. He was uncostumed. His sympathetic face was incongruous with the harsh features of the suit of rags. “Hey, Traci. Can I come in?”
“What’s up?” She stood aside and Rory sat on the bed. “It seemed like what White Stag said affected you.”
“That’s what you’re here for? You don’t have to worry about someone hurting my feelings.” She laughed.
Rory relaxed his posture. “Well, I’m glad, but it’s okay if you’re hurting. That… stuff with Dream. You did what you had to. I miss John too.”
Traci’s grin drooped and she let herself fall back onto the bed. She paused, then: “Dream made me an offer. Become his warlock, like Darhk was.”
“His-- his warlock? Like work for him? What are you going to say?”
“I turned him down. There’s always, always some all-powerful asshole fucking with me and my friends. HIVE, Neron, Darhk, Dream. Dream’s just as responsible for what John… became. And if becoming Dream’s warlock means I end up like Damien Darhk, then I just-- ugh!” She grunted, trailing off.
“But, knowing you, you’re wondering if you could beat the Heavenly Host if you said yes.”
“Not just them.” Traci sat up. “Bring Jim to Myrrha. Fix the Reawakening. Actually set up some magical safety nets that I haven’t jury-rigged from lamb’s spit and a spell I found on Quora. Y’know, all of it.”
Rory turned to her and put his hand on her shoulder. “Traci, you’re the best spellcaster I’ve ever met. You literally saved the universe and you’re still doing more. We’re going to win, and we’re going to do it with or without Dream, OK?”
A cool morning held out against the stinging New Mexico heat, the sun not yet peaked over the hills surrounding Truth or Consequences. Jim walked at the head of the Shadowpact. He saw White Stag and his horse for a mile on the approach. It was a huge thing, its coat the same brilliant white sheen as the rest of Stag’s possessions. It’d been hitched up to a railway spike.
Ruin remained in their store-bought cowboy ensemble. The group were all still a minute’s walk from White Stag when Ruin called out, “Why are you doing this?” They hurried forward, breaking into a jog past the group, despite Jim’s protests.
Traci readied a spell, just in case. “You said you’re the good guy. Jim’s not perfect, but he’s good too. You don’t have to fight.” Ruin looked different that morning in a way that was hard to place. Their silhouette was fuzzy. At a glance, they looked vague and undefined, as though it took a few seconds for them to render in view. It didn’t seem to slow them down any, though at times they seemed to wince to themself
White Stag shook his head. “There comes a time in every man’s life when he has to fight.” His voice took on a bit of twang at odds with his usual refined accent.
“But why Nightmaster?”
“Every day Jim wakes up in this world, he hates it a little more. He hates the toil, the uncertainty. Mostly, he hates that here, he’s not the best. He’s a middling swordsman and a below average hero on Earth.”
Jim said nothing, staring daggers.
“And that’s why I want my duel. You don’t belong in these parts, Jim.”
“You’re a madman.” Jim said. “Playing with the lives of innocents in these stupid games.” He approached, grinding his feet into the gravel to keep from lashing out in rage.
“Playing?” White Stag’s faux accent dropped. “‘Well, I suppose I am having a great deal of fun.” A sliver of sunrise poked over the horizon. In a flash that just caught the few drops of light to trickle onto the tracks, White Stag pulled his rapier. It sliced across Nightmaster’s armor like tissue paper, leaving a long red cut across his chest. Jim grunted and drew his sword.
Sherry took a step forward, but Jim held his hand out to stop her “No!” Jim said. “If you intervene, he won’t give us what we need.”
“Old dogs can learn new tricks, it seems.” White Stag lunged, but this time his blade was batted away by the Sword of Night.
Jim went for a riposte. White Stag sideswiped and the heavy broadsword cut through the air, thunking against the railway tracks. White Stag retaliated, raking another slash across Jim’s side. Jim fell to a knee.
“Yield.” White Stag said. He didn’t get an answer. “I think your man is finished.” He turned to the rest of the Shadowpact, giving Jim the opening to grab a handful of gravel and throw it in White Stag’s face. Stag recoiled and Jim forced himself up using his sword, using the momentum to swing it into White Stag’s flank. It only made the lightest of contact, but the pale red of blood spreading through White Stag’s vest was enough to bring Jim satisfaction.
Jim followed up with another attack, which White Stag evaded. This time, Jim sensed anger behind those opaque spectacles. White Stag parried Jim’s next attack. The second his opponent was off balance, White Stag whipped his rapier at Jim’s wrist. He winced in pain. Another well-placed kick from Stag and the sword went clattering to the side. Jim reached after it, in vain.
“Yield.” White Stag said, this time his voice firmer. Sherry had seen enough battles to see the tremor in Jim’s shoulders, to know what he was going to try next. She added to White Stag, “Yield, Jim. We’ll find another way.”
“I… yield.” Jim said with a bassy, hateful tone.
In an instant, White Stag withdrew his rapier and stepped back. “I wish I could say ‘well fought’, Jim.” White Stag brushed the gravel dust away and ignored his wound. “But I did say I’d tell you where to find Destruction.”
“But I lost.” Jim said, confused.
“Yes, you did. And you continue to lose every day you spend away from Myrrha, right?”
Jim stared at the ground, in a haze.
“You’ll find Destruction at Coast City.”
“Coast City? What would he be doing there?” Rory asked.
White Stag shrugged. “Paying his respects? In any case, I think this concludes our time together for now. I look forward to our next meeting, Jim.” He walked away from the Shadowpact, towards the vast empty desert.
“I don’t think so.” Sherry said. “Not until you answer whatever questions Jim has about Myrrha.”
“I don’t think that would benefit anyone, do you? A nice try at reconciliation, angel. Truly, living up to your occupation.” Sherry charged forward, prepared to take the brunt of any attack White Stag was capable of and tackle him to the ground. However, wInstead, when he swiped his sword it did not clash with Sherry; instead, a portal opened in the air.a quick swipe tore open a portal in the air, White Stag stepped through, and it vanished in an instant. Sherry ran straight past her target.
“His sword can open portals too?” Rory said.
Ruin ignored him and went to Jim’s side, helping him onto his feet. ”C’mon, partner.” Jim winced, taking their hand and slowly rising.
“We need to keep moving. I can bind that move, but there’s no telling how long Destruction will stay in one place. Next stop: Coast City.” Traci said.

Hey guys,
I am very happy that we finally get a DLC and I hope that this is a paid one because they should get money for big work and I want a DLC that’s on the quality level of the main game/WoNY.
They mentioned end of the year, I expected rather Summer next year due to the multiple postponements in the past.
So, they mentioned Brooklyn. What do you think about it? I am happy with any expansion. So far I prefer from visual perspective the WoNY map over the DC map and I was so excited playing Division 1 because of the great map, starting in Brooklyn Dumbo. Therefore I am happy about Brooklyn.
I am confident that this will be a great map, with great campaign, great missions and side missions and perhaps better open world activities and secrets that contribute to the story.
Considering how great the existing maps are: D1 Brooklyn and Manhattan map (love it), the DC map (partially), the WoNY map (great), the maps of Manning Zoo, Coney Island and my favorites Camp White Oak and Pentagon, great! And the great mode maps from the Raids, the 5 great Conflict maps (so nice), the great Kenly and Countdown map … damn, why cannot be “normal“ story missions on them or simple bounties … .
I visited Manhattan quite a while ago but never Brooklyn, therefore I have no clue whether the DLC would add variety. Great would be, if we could walk over the Manhattan bridge to Brooklyn (Brooklyn Bridge is destroyed) as we can walk over the Rooseveld Island bridge to Rooseveld Island 😊 to link both DLCs to one map but don’t think that will be the case. D1 trailers showed in the past activities on Brooklyn bridge. At that time I expected that we could cross the bridges reaching Manhattan island from Brooklyn.
What do you think about the upcoming DLC and the selected region?
Best Gnarly

The morning after our victory, I led a small team of Paladins, Clerics, and Artificers, with Rogues outside of sight alongside us.
Well, it was more accurate to say that we took one of the military vehicles and carefully drove it over to the next city. The Artificers didn't strip entire cars bare on the street, they had to get it into a garage somehow.
This excursion was primarily exploratory, to see what we were dealing with at the end of our effective territory.
The blockade was a nice touch. We slowed to a stop, we got out, and we approached. When they raised their guns, I held my hand up, and we stopped.
"This is a formal request for a ceasefire." I stated, projecting my voice with the amplifier. "We will continue to approach, opening fire will signal to us that you do not value your lives."
We continued approaching, the guns still trained on us.
The person who came out to speak with us was more forced out, he clearly didn't want to be the one to talk to us.
"Am I to assume you speak with authority?" I asked. He looked at the other soldiers, he didn't have a clue. "Then I'll make this concise and brief. You will dismantle this blockade, you will retreat, and you will not prevent us from making contact with the neighboring city. Any attempts to prevent us from passing will result in your immediate capture, any attempts to harm us will result in your immediate death."
The standoff was tense, after a few moments, I began to count down. "Five."
I could see sweat beading down their faces.
"Four."
Eyes wide, terrified.
"Three."
They broke first, backing away, guns still trained on us.
"If your intention is to retreat, such that you can face us with a larger force, allow me to make one thing clear." I blasted their blockade apart, some of them screamed. "Your bullets are useless against us."
They ran, we cleared the blockade away, and we repeated this two more times.
Seeing the city after so long felt... overwhelming. I had completely forgotten how big it was. It was almost enough to not notice the checkpoint, and the fifty of so Humans who stood on the other side, guns pointed at us.
"I will allow one of you to shoot me." I said, walking toward them. "A freebie, use your highest caliber, try and hurt me."
The bullet that struck me ricocheted into a tree, The silence that fell was just as deafening as the report from the gun, they stared at me in utter shock, and then they all ran
Several Human civilians looked at the fleeing soldiers, then looked at us as we stepped out from our territory and into theirs.
"Oh, shit. That video was real." I heard someone say. "Look at that sick fuckin' armor." Another spoke. "Are they going to attack us?"
"Halt." I commanded, my troop stopped, the tension in the air was palpable.
"My name is Ruuk Stingtail." I spoke. "For the time being, I come in peace, and invite anyone who is curious to ask questions.After all, it has been a solid year and a half since we had any contact with anyone other than enemies and ourselves."
There was still tension, of course, but eventually someone did approach, cautiously, of course. "Yo, uh, can I touch you? You know, to make sure you're actually real and not some sort of weird animatronic?"
I reached my hand out and he touched it. "Whoa." He pulled his hand back.
Several Humans had pulled out their phones, they were already recording us. I quickly appraised the people around us, looking for anything we could exploit for our own uses. I noticed someone with their arm in a sling, it wasn't in a cast, but it was wrapped up.
"You there." I said, pointing at him. He pointed at himself. "Yes, come here."
He approached cautiously. "What happened to your arm?" I asked.
"I, uh, I tore a muscle." He said. "Doctor said I can't do much with it until it heals."
"Ruka." I said, looking at the Paladin of Bahamut. He walked closer. "Show us your injury, if you would."He did, there was the ugliest bruise I'd ever seen.
"Do you consent to having your injury healed?" I asked.
"What?" He asked, blinking.
"I'm offering to have your injury healed." I reiterated.
"Yeah, sure?"
Ruka gently laid his hands on the Human's arm. "O, holy Bahamut, heal this grievous wound and grant wholeness and wellness to his man, zyak qe coi."
The Paladin's hands radiated holy light, the bruise rapidly faded, and the Human stared at it, utterly awestruck. "Holy shit." He gasped. "I mean-"
"It is not taken as blasphemy." Ruka stated, holding his hand up.
"We are here-" I spoke, looking at everyone, "-to prove our existence beyond a single video. Circumstances demand that what we do isn't simply charity, but the means by which we can survive. For this, I am sorry, I recognize that in this way, I am using you." I paused, dredging up and wiping away tears. "Our people depend on this."
If we were to have any form of peace, any form of justification for war, we needed to be sympathetic. By taking prisoners, we made ourselves targets to any would-be vigilantes looking to serve their country.
By being up front about our intentions, we showed a quiet desperation, efforts made to foster peace, even though I had bared the fangs of war.
More Humans gathered, those who were sick or in pain, we provided healing. I told our story, of how we one day woke up like this, the struggles of finding ourselves in a situation where nothing was made for us, how when we were quarantined, we were forced to fend for ourselves. How when the mine collapsed, we worked together to save the trapped miners. How when we were blockaded so they could force us to die en masse, how we were blessed with miracles.
How, when we fully understood what our intended fate was, the people heard the wisdom of my Emperor and elevated me to the position of Imperator, and how I used my authority to direct our people to our first victory.
"I shall admit, taking those soldiers' lives brought us satisfaction." I said. "They had oppressed us, tried to eradicate us, we gave them every opportunity to choose peace, to choose life. I just can't understand how they couldn't see us as people who desperately wished for love and compassion."
I laid it on thick, and the Humans ate it up.
Before long, we had expended our spells, and I said, "We will try to return, presuming the military doesn't try to carpet bomb us into oblivion, our prisoners of war be damned. I pray your leaders see reason."
We returned to our commandeered vehicle, closing the checkpoint so nobody could get in, and we returned to the city.
We did this each day we could, speaking words of hope for peace, determination to protect ourselves as needed. As always, we provided healing to those who needed it, some people even came, desperate for relief from something incurable, to which we did the best we could. Throughout this, I spoke of things to come, a thriving city, as much a part of the world as anywhere else, a place where we could share the wonders of magic.
I was asked, "Why do you close the gate when you leave?"
I simply answered, "If you entered, they would force you to remain, even though we know anyone who remains Human under the Divine Gate remains Human." It was an embellishment, but it was more poetic and exotic.
Throughout all of this, the military watched us like a hawk, waiting for us to slip up and cause some damage.
Days turned to weeks turned into a month, and we had solidified our existence to the world. We turned the checkpoint into our border, our Rangers found that we were completely sealed in on all sides by fencing.
I declared it the territory of the Empire.
"All of the land that the U.S. government sealed off belongs to the Empire." I spoke. "By locking it behind fence and gate, they have declared it our border, and we shall agree to that sentiment."
It was such a tiny parcel of land, compared to the rest of the continent, but it could comfortably fit ten offshoot villages, each which could connect us to other cities.
Construction of the new border wall began shortly after, the fencing uprooted piece by piece, replaced by solid stone proudly displaying the anachronism our lives had become, and even though there had been no agreement to peace, the U.S. government was powerless to stop us.
The moment I had claimed the land, the moment it was known to be claimed, my Emperor had claimed it in turn. By the end of the week, we had a new border wall built, one that was staffed with Rangers, Druids, Fighters, and Artificers. One that was connected by tramways, simplifying travel.
And throughout this all, Darastrixthurhi was transformed from a lifeless rock, to a city teeming with plantlife.
My Emperor held me in his arms as we laid on our bed. Sharing a bed together had always been a highlight of his being with me, his willingness to hold me, to touch me, made it all better, made it all right.
"Our enemy stalls for time, while we win the hearts of their people." He mused. "I can hear them praying to me, wishing for strength, for power, and I pull on them, make their hearts yearn. Tomorrow, invite them to visit, to witness the splendors of our nation, to feast with us in the name of peace."
"As you wish, my Emperor." I spoke.
"Ruuk, I permit you to call me your love."
"As you wish, slaitov." I replied. "Shall there be a day when we show our subjects?"
"I shall announce it during our feast." He replied.
My heart thundered, it was so sudden, yet... "Thank you, slaitov."
"Soon to be husband, Imperator mine." He replied.
When I announced the feast, the Humans who wished to join us were ecstatic. I even extended the invitation to the military personnel. "Come as civilians, if you would." I said.
The preparations that went into the feast went underway, we had a good hunt and our efforts to preserve our food was going excellently. When the Humans arrived, they marveled at the tramways, the architecture of our housing, our magical wonders. Some even saluted me, though they said they simply wanted to give me the respect I deserved.
I ensured they had the grand tour of the town, but when we neared the wall into the Fortress City, I spoke solemnly, "Any further, and you risk your Humanity." I looked at them all. "I would interpret any such entry as a desire to join our Empire, and will expect a pledge of loyalty."
The look of longing in their eyes showed me that my warning was largely going to be ignored. Hell, a handful of Humans walked right in, transforming almost immediately.
"It reacts to a want to become a Kobold." I said. "Anyone who doesn't want to might have a better time of it."
While our new citizens were given some proper clothing, I led the rest of the Humans around.
"Why didn't you stop them?" One of the Humans, a female soldier, spoke.
"Why should I?" I asked. "I very clearly stated what would happen, they made the choice."
I showed them around the Artificery, magic items and what technology we were able to make was proudly on display. I noticed one of them palm a device and walked over to them, holding my hand out. "Do not think we are not paying attention." I said. There was a tense moment before she put it in my hand. "Besides, this is just a little hand fan." I flicked a switch, two paper and wood blades extended and began to spin. "You taking this would have left one of our prisoners without any form of air conditioning."
I put it back, they tried to hide the anger at my casual mention of prisoners.
"Are they being treated well?" The soldier asked.
"Yes." I said. "Due to the lack of wireless signal, we allow them their phones so they have something to occupy their time when we're not putting them out in the yard for exercise or giving them their ration."
"You're forcing them to eat rations?" She asked.
"We all eat rations." I replied. "Feasts like this are for when we have a surplus that we can't guarantee to keep." I smirked. "That being said, as we are smaller, we need less to eat than the average Human."
I didn't pretend any of that was meant to be reassuring. "The prisoners will be joining us for the feast." I said. The incredulous looks I got elicited a chuckle from me. "If you think I'm being bold or flippant, we have them fitted with enchanted collars that will choke them if they attempt to flee. They are cursed, you see, and can only be removed with magic."
"That's fucked up." Another soldier stated.
"Inhumane, actually." I corrected. "But it's the only thing we have available that won't accidentally kill them. The worst that will happen is they'll pass out, a passive regeneration effect will keep them alive."
"Have you... tested these collars?" A third soldier asked.
"We have a small group of Sorcerers in the Warren who tried to summon a Demon for power." I said. "They have tested the collars every now and again, usually by fucking around and finding out." We approached the area where the feast was being held, food was already being set up, the prisoners were already seated, their eyes widened when they saw their fellow soldiers.
"You won't get away with this." The female soldier growled.
"Funny, that's what we said when we were locked in here." I replied. "They are fed, given water, are clothed, and are provided shelter. That's far more than we were ever given."
I directed them to their table, and soon, everyone was sat, except for my Council, and my Emperor. They arrived shortly after every one was seated, each took their seats. I sat beside my Emperor's seat.
I noted that same female soldier was attempting to film us surreptitiously.
"Today, we are gathered to welcome our Human guests, those who have seen us as people, rather than monsters." My Emperor spoke. "The establishment of my Empire was always a dream, to bring back a glory lost to time, to honor the thousands who died during the first Dragon Rage, to honor those who were murdered by my long-standing enemy." He looked around. "It had always been me desire to hunt down every last one of his children, to eradicate them, it was my Imperator who entreated me to choose compromise."
He paused, taking up a cup. "These Humans are here because my Imperator has likewise chosen compromise, to cast aside the hatred that has grown in his heart, for the sake of our peace and prosperity. Enough lives have been lost, let the first year of our Empire not be drenched in blood, that in peace and prosperity, our greatness is acknowledged, whether grudgingly, or emphatically. To my Imperator, without whom this victory would have never been manifest."
Every Kobold raised their cups, including our new citizens.
"And to our guests, who have agreed to come here in peace. May their wisdom be echoed by their leaders."
The cups were raised again.
"Now enough talk, let us feast!"
The Human frowned, putting their phone away. It was clear she didn't get what she wanted from that. After everyone polished off their plates, the people began dancing as our musicians displayed their newly awakened Bard Class- it seemed not simply playing or doing well at the arts was enough, one needed confidence and a desire to entertain.
Our guests were allowed to mingle and enjoy themselves, though the prisoners were kept under guard, any Soldiers who wished to speak to them would have to live with the fact that they would be listened in on, and considering the guards could use the spell Comprehend Languages, well, they wouldn't be able to hide beneath a foreign language.
"So, you're the leader of this little group." I regarded the Human who approached me, that same soldier who seemed bound and determined to catch us with our pants down.
"Yes." I said. "Your attempt at catching us with your recording won't work, you know." She betrayed surprise. "One, any idiot would know not to say anything incriminating at a party their enemies are invited to. Two, anyone stupid enough to do so wouldn't even make it as far as we did."
"Indeed." She said. "What was this about compromise?"
"Exactly as it sounds." I replied. "My God, Kurtulmak, has nurtured a well-earned hatred of Gnomes, considering their God committed near genocide against us. Imprisoned against his will, for the crime of wanting justice... When the victors write the history books, they will do everything in their power to make those who are suffering injustice out to be the bad guys."
"And what will your history books say?" She asked.
"That depends on your leaders' answer, Miss..?"
"Martel." She said. "Corporal Martel."
I had completely put it out of my mind, after all, we got our vengeance on the soldiers who tried to have us massacred by a God.
"So." I said. "The one who set Garl Glittergold against us shows her face." I remarked. Her eyes widened. "Why were you, of all people, not present that day, when we marched on your encampment?"
"I was called away on duty-" She started.
"Bullshit." I said. "You fled, didn't you? You ran from your fellow soldiers like the coward you are, you left them to die."
Arcane energy crackled across my body, and I had to hold back from blasting her apart. "Leave." I hissed. "This day of peace is not for cowards and traitors."
She backed away, clearly terrified. I couldn't hold back the anger any more, but I wasn't going to let her be a casualty yet. I aimed my spell at the metal pole, the Witch Bolt striking it. "I said LEAVE!" I roared. "IF YOU EVER DARE TO RETURN HERE, I WILL END YOUR MISERABLE, PATHETIC, COWARDLY LIFE*!"*
She fled, I did not care that several eyes were on me, if there was one thing I hated more than Humans, it was self-serving cowards like her.
I felt my God's touch on my shoulder, his presence soothed the rage, granted me the clarity of mind I needed to function. I cast my gaze toward the rest of the soldiers, who looked like they were mice caught in a trap. I approached them.
"You may leave, if you wish." I stated. "My anger at her is not anger at you."
"What the fuck did Tiana do, that pissed you off so much?" One of the soldiers asked.
"That woman was the one who called down a God to kill us." I stated. "The fact that she is present at all means she abandoned her post and left her fellow soldiers to die." My lip curled into a snarl. "The only thing I hate worse than anything, is a coward and a traitor, and that woman, Tiana Martel, is both."
I sensed a jolt of shock from my Emperor, I looked at him.
"Ruuk." He said. "Say that name again."
"Tiana Martel." I replied.
My Emperor about faced and roared, "Paladins of Bahamut, after that woman! Move!"
The Paladins gave chase, our Emperor did not order them around, out of respect for his pact with Bahamut.
"My Emperor, do you really want to risk any peace we could gain, chasing after one woman?" I asked.
"Ruuk." He said. "What are the chances that a single woman who can call down a God, who has knowledge of us that can be exploited, is suddenly not present when we finally make a counter attack? By our pact, your eyes are my eyes, and she has tried to cause problems the entire time she has been here."
He paused. "Tiana Mahtel, that's how she pronounced it, yes?"
I blinked.
"Wait, that woman is Tiamat?" I asked.
As if in answer, there was a roar, and in the distance, a dragon reared up, one bearing five heads of different colors.
​
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I assume most of the people here live in NYC, so for the people who moved from another country by themselves and currently live alone or with a roommate (no family), was it the best choice?
I know it's a lot to read, but certain details are needed in order to give well-fit advice. Plus I kept a lot of pros and cons out and it still got long.
I'm Brazillian, 22, and I'm at a point in my life where I finished school, live with my toxic parents, don't have a college education (gonna try for NY colleges), and recently lost my job bc the store I worked at closed (lucky me), I managed to save a lot of money but now I have no idea what to do with it! The fact that I'm so lost is what gives me a billion paths to choose from, I could move to Italy, Canada, or just stay here in Brazil, which would be the easy way out since I have no family in North America or Europe, but still the choice that depresses me the most, 'cause I'll always think "what if?", especially considering the current state of Brazil's economy (I'm Brazillian, only I'm allowed to trash Brazil lol).
If I move but stay in Brazil, I'll quickly get away from the toxicity in my house to a certain point and get some time to think about what to do with my life with less pressure (my parents often point out how I have no study or job and my mom has said multiple times how she wants me out of the house. We can't go one day without fighting about everything), but I'll spend all of my money moving and buying furniture, stay a bit and then sell everything again for half the price (waste a lot of money) in order to move again once I figure out what I want or get into a foreigner college (no way I'm studying here), plus one of the reasons why I want to live so far is bc my parents will absolutely still try to control my life if I'm living close to them.
On the other hand, if I move to another country I'll be completely alone, no help from my family if things go wrong (especially since Brazillian Real is worth very little compared to Dolar or Euro), and I've heard stories of people who developed depression after moving out of their countries so I'm scared of that happening to me since I have BPD, I'm prone to depression and loneliness. Yes, my family is quite annoying but I'll still miss them a lot, but my parents and I only get along when we're separated and missing each other.
As an artist, I like NYC, I like the Al Pacino and Broad City vibe it has, it's full of life and culture, I both love (need to get out of my bubble) and fear (the single kid who got way too spoiled and now has trouble doing things alone in the real world) the unexpectedness of things there, and as you can see, my English is great, however, I've been following some NYC pages and Idk if it's just an ugly summarisation of the city, but it looks so violent, Brazil is violent but it's my "territory" (I'm not from Rio, my city is a lot less dangerous), NYC would be completely out of my comfort zone, I don't want to run away from a dangerous country just to get shot in another, are those pages exaggerating and only showing the not-so-common worst? Women, from 0 to 10, how safe do you feel walking around? Will I have too much trouble for being Latina?
There's also the money issue, NYC is reeally expensive and I refuse to leave my 2 dachshund dogs behind, so I was thinking of finding a roommate (also scary, could k1ll me during my sleep or touch my drum set) (I don't have a drum set, whoever got the reference got it), however, if I fail, I'm scared I'll have to resort to pr0stitution or something LMAO, like in Pretty Woman (no one thinks it'll happen until it does), or shamefully move back to my parent's house and hear about how I still did nothing with my life and now wasted a bunch of time and money, they'd be happy to have me back home at first, but at some point that conversation will come up. There's also the chance of my US visa not being approved and I'll waste time and money on that as well.
Do you enjoy living in NYC with no family nearby? Should I risk everything and move there? Or should I take a step back and stop dreaming so big 'cause things have a high chance of going very very wrong? Should I choose another country instead? I like Italy but I heard the economy is not doing very well... I have absolutely no idea wtf I'm doing. I'm also scared of a war breaking out as well considering the latest political news about the US dollar

Ok, so this doesnt relate to me directly but there was a story in the news about a NY attorney who ripped a black womans wig off her head as she was walking down the street and refused to apologize when confronted.
He was identified and fired by his firm, but it lead me to wonder about what disciplinary actions could be taken by the Bar Association. I know that lawyers have various rules and ethics they must abide by and are obviously held to a higher standard but I would appreciate any resources or commentary that might could help me take this event and learn a little bit about the rules and regulations lawyers must abide by and their threshold for getting activated. Thank you!

This is the official end of the first Volume. Next week will begin Volume 2!
After a lot of progress on my story, I'm making changes to my Patreon and instead of reading 3 chapters ahead, you'll get access to 5.
Elijah Commission
Azeline Commission
The Little Menace
Worship Her
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Bennett was dead asleep in his hammock when he was roused by hushed whispers and the sound of activity echoed throughout the room, seemingly amplified by its cramped space.
“Ben.” A voice called out.
As the engineer slowly opened a singular eye, he found himself struggling to make sense of the situation. A figure was just a few meters away from him, rifling through a bag when they turned around and faced him. However, Bennetts groggy state prevented him from fully discerning who or what was responsible for the disruption.
“Ben, wake up.” The voice called out one more time.
Scowling in irritation, Bennett chose to ignore the voice and flipped over, burying his face into the hammock's fabric. He was determined to get back to sleep, even as the voice grew more insistent and the room's activity continued.
“Ben, wake the fuck up!” The voice finally yelled.
Suddenly, Bennett found himself suspended in the air, his groggy state replaced with fear and anxiety as he was forcefully yanked out of his hammock. He tried to process what was happening, but before he could comprehend the situation, he felt the cold embrace of the hardwood floor.
THUD
“Argh! Fuck!” The Engineer groaned as he slowly lifted himself up off the ground. "You goddamn asshole!" Bennett snapped, his voice hoarse from the mixture of pain and anger.
Standing over Bennett with a cackling Fairy on his shoulder, Elijah decided he wasn’t going to wait for the stubborn man to get up on his own. "It's time to get up," Elijah said, turning around to continue sifting through his bag. "We got a lot of shit to do before we leave, and I can't afford to have you sleeping in."
Bennett’s glare shifted between his captain and his sadistic partner. "Fine, fine. I'm up," he grumbled, rubbing his sore back. He knew Elijah was right, but that didn't make the sudden wake-up call any less infuriating. Yana, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying Bennett's misery, her laughter ringing in his ears.
THUD
Pulling out his remaining Bioscanner, Elijah began running diagnostics on the device, ensuring it was in working order for when he delivered it to Salvanius. It was a trade that he was loathing, but it was a trade he would make 1000 times if given the chance to get the rest of their equipment back. Even if they only managed to find a quarter of their property, that was still a lot better than having nothing at all.
As the Bioscanner's display indicated the device was functioning optimally, Elijah let out a small depressed sigh and slid it into his pocket. "Alright, let's get this over with," he said, opening the door and stepping out into the dimly lit corridor. Bennett followed, still grumbling under his breath about the hostile work environment while shifting his stink eye at both Yana and Elijah.
THUD
“GOD DAMNIT!!” Bennett yelled, rubbing his head after hitting the top of the door frame.
He had completely forgotten how cramped everything was on this wooden death trap and how he had to crouch throughout the entire interior. Frustration and annoyance etched on his face, Bennett muttered a string of curses under his breath as he adjusted his posture to avoid the low ceilings and narrow passageways.
“Midgets…” The Engineer sneered as he heard Elijah snicker father up ahead.
It only took a few moments for Elijah and Bennett to reach the deck, and there they observed Rhea efficiently issuing orders to the ship's sailors. Her authoritative voice rang out over the hustle and bustle of the ship’s crew, who were quickly scurrying about, securing ropes and checking supplies. What really caught their attention, though, was Rhea was finally out of her armor.
Adorned in a faded white linen long-sleeved shirt, Rhea left her chest straps slightly undone, revealing a hint of her modest, but alluring cleavage. The Knight Captain’s slim, athletic figure was displayed in stark contrast to the thick padding underneath the metal armor she normally wore. To accentuate her figure, the tight brown linen pants she wore hugged her humbly, but satisfyingly shapely curves and seamlessly tucked into her leather boots. The outfit, deceptively sultry, effortlessly exuded a sense of casual confidence and undeniable charm.
Turning her head slight, the Knight Captain finally noticed the two Humans and acknowledged them with a nod. “Good morning Sir Elijah, Sir Bennett and…” She made a difficult face when her eyes locked onto Yana.
“Your Honor will do!” The Fairy said in a chipper voice, crossing her legs. “I am both a Goddess and a confirmed Eternal Judge of the Fae courts!”
Rhea’s expression turned sour for a moment, but decided it was best not to engage any further with the mischievous Vanir. "Very well, good morning Your Honor," Rhea replied, forcing a polite smile. "We're running a bit late, but we should be ready to set sail in just a few hours.”
Elijah raised an eyebrow at the small fairy at the mention of being a confirmed judge, but shifted his attention back towards Rhea and nodded in understanding. "We'll be ready whenever you are," he said with his eyes traveling up her entire figure attire before refocusing on her face. "Just give us the signal when it's time to set sail." .
“I’m assuming the northern woman is still asleep?” The Knight Captain asked, tilting her head curiously.
Seeing her long elf ears bounce up and down seemed to be the final straw for Elijah, as an unbidden and almost adolescent fascination welled up within him. He blinked a few times, trying to regain his composure before replying. "Uh, yeah, she’s still asleep," Elijah finally responded, exhaling deeply. "We’ve been up for almost 36 hours, so I think it's best to let her rest for a while longer." he replied, trying to maintain a professional demeanor despite the lingering fascination with her elf ears.
Bennett narrowed his eyes in annoyance as he regarded his captain with a disgusted look. "Can you control yourself?" he asked with a judgmental tone.
Also noticing Elijah’s basically ogling her, Rhea couldn't help but laugh at the exchange while running a hand through her hair. "I'm glad to see at least someone finds me attractive," she said, her cheeks tinted with a slight blush. Elijah cleared his throat, trying to regain some semblance of dignity as he shifted his gaze away from her.
"Ah... My apologies, Lady Rhea, but I was caught off guard," Elijah said, giving her a genuine smile. "I wasn’t prepared for the famed Knight Captain to be so beautiful out of her armor. It's a pleasant surprise, to say the least."
Rhea found herself momentarily speechless as her cheeks flushing a deep shade of red. She wasn't used to receiving compliments, let alone being called beautiful by someone as striking as Elijah. A small, bashful smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she looked down to hide her embarrassment. "Well… I, um… Thank you, Sir Elijah.” she managed to say, her voice uncharacteristically timid. “I appreciate the kind words."
Noticing the usually confident and stern Knight Captain was completely flustered, Elijah knew she was on the backfoot and went for blood. “You’re more than welcome Lady Rhea,” he responded, bowing his head. “I was just saying it how I see it—”
"Yana, zap him!" Bennett ordered, sensing that Elijah was about to push his luck too far.
The mischievous fairy didn't hesitate, and with a magical pop, she immediately shifted forms, transforming the fiery inferno atop her head into a flowing teal, wind that cascaded past her shoulders. After her transformation, a maniacal grin spread across her face as she clutched two fistfuls of Elijah's hair.
“AHH FUCK!” Elijah yelped in pain.
A light chuckle escaped Rhea's lips as she watched the scene play out before her, momentarily pushing aside her embarrassment and wariness of the group. Their playful antics, though unprofessional, stirred a sense of lighthearted camaraderie she hadn't experienced in years. The thrill of exploring the unknown alongside trusted friends had been lost to her ever since she joined Salvanius' Order. The organization's rigid structure and hierarchy had dampened her once-adventurous spirit, and witnessing Elijah's crew sparked a touch of envy within her.
Yana, still grinning mischievously, finally released her grip on Elijah's hair. The man, now fuming with anger, made a hasty attempt to snatch her out of the air, but the nimble fairy easily dodged his grasp, giggling all the while.
"I'm going to kill the both of you!" Elijah yelled, glaring at both Yana and Bennett. His frustration only caused more laughter from the fairy and an amused smirk from Bennett, who crossed his arms and leaned back against the railing.
"Come now, Sir Elijah, there's no need for violence," Rhea interjected while covering her mouth in a poor attempt to hide her own laughter. "I'm sure you can find it in your heart to forgive their little prank.” She continued, adjusting her hair that was flowing in the wind. “We’re going to spend a few long days sailing if we’re going to catch up with them, after all.”
Glancing back at her crew, Rhea's face returned to its usual stern expression when she noticed the sailors gawking and whispering amongst themselves. It was evident that her momentary display of mirth had taken them by surprise, as they rarely saw their Knight Captain in such a lighthearted state.
"What in the name of Tylas are you all gawking at!?" She roared, placing her hands firmly on her hips “GET BACK TO WORK!”
Rhea's eyes narrowed as the scrambling crew members hastily returned to their tasks, their faces pale with fear. The ship's atmosphere instantly shifted back to its usual disciplined state as the sailors focused on their duties, aware that their Knight Captain's gaze was upon them.
Elijah let out an annoyed sigh in the realization that he was probably never going to catch that little psychopath and shifted his gaze to Bennett. “I’m gonna get you.” He hissed hatefully. “Mark my words, you piece of shit.” However, Bennett merely smirked in response, clearly unfazed by his captain's threats.
Just as Elijah was about to ask the Knight Captain about the whereabouts of her liege, the man himself appeared on deck. Salvanius came sauntering up the planks that connected the ship to the docks, his imposing figure drawing the attention of everyone present.
"It's quite rare to hear you so jovial, Rhea," the Demigod remarked, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Rhea, slightly taken aback by her liege's observation, straightened her posture and cleared her throat.
"My apologies, your grace," she replied respectfully, attempting to regain her usual composure. "I shall see to it that this Cog is ready to depart, post haste."
Salvanius waved a dismissive hand, his expression softening slightly. "There's no need to apologize, Rhea. It's good to see you enjoying yourself, even if just for a moment. However, you are correct; our guest would most likely appreciate departing as soon as possible."
With that, Rhea nodded and began barking orders to her crew, ensuring that everything was in order for their imminent departure.
Turning to his guests, Salvanius addressed them with an air of authority. "I assume you two have the magical tool..." He paused, recalling the events that transpired the previous day. "I mean, the tool. Is it ready?"
The two Human’s exchanged glances before Elijah stepped forward, pulling out the bioscanner from his pocket. "You’re not going to be able to understand it, but I’ve configured it in a way where you can still get a lot of functionality without having to read." he explained, holding the device out for Salvanius to see.
Time flew as Elijah went into an in depth explanation of the bioscanner's functions and features. He walked Salvanius through everything all the way from disease diagnosis to health monitoring and treatments. With each new feature the human listed seemed to make Salvanius’ jaw drop lower and lower until he found himself looking like a fool.
"And finally, if a red tube with a bolt of lightning ever just starts flashing, all you have to do is flip it over so these panels face the star and just wait," Elijah explained, pointing at the bright orb in the morning sky as he showed the Demigod the solar panels. "It's designed to recharge itself using starlight, so you'll never have to worry about finding a power source."
Salvanius' eyes widened even further, if that were possible. "Astounding," he breathed, clearly impressed. "And you’re just willing to give this to me…?"
“Eh.” Elijah shrugged dismissively. “I have augments- I mean I can already do most of that stuff other than a few things, so it’s mainly just redundant fail safe incase I’m away or dead.”
A complicated expression spread across Salvanius' face as Elijah mentioned that the device was merely a redundancy measure in case of his absence. Suddenly the prospect of having this man as a retainer became much, MUCH more appealing. However, his thoughts were soon interrupted when the Vanir made its appearance by landing squarely on Elijah’s shoulder while glaring daggers at the Demigod.
Salvanius met Yana's gaze and sighed, dispelling the intrusive and dishonorable thoughts of taking these Artificers for himself.
“I understand.” The demigod said, turning his focus back to Elijah. “The Holy Dominion will not forget this grace you’ve bestowed upon us.” He gave a grateful nod before spinning around and heading towards the dock.
However, he soon came to a halt as his eyes fell upon a group of women arguing with his knights at the ramp leading to the ship. The women seemed intent on gaining access to the ship, their arms laden with various items, including several sizable platters of food.
“W-Wait! I-I was instructed to board!” A slim and fearful redhead said, holding a large burlap sack.
Something felt… Off about her.
It was almost as if Salvanius could recognize the woman, even though he was fairly certain he hadn't met her before. Then again, he had met a great number of people in this damned village, but his instincts kept nudging him to take a closer look. But his thoughts were interrupted when he recognized the Beastkin woman and the gaggle of Ferfolk slaves next to her.
"What do ye mean we ain't allowed entry!? I gotta deliver me gratitude before it's too late!" the dog-like woman bellowed, her voice full of frustration and urgency.
An amused huff left Salvanius’ mouth before looking over his shoulder. “I do believe you have guests.” The Demigod said before making his way down the plank.
“Let them through.” He said to his knights, waving his hand dismissively as he walked past the group.
The knights obeyed without hesitation and stepped aside allowing the gaggle of women to board the ship. "Thank ye, yer grace," The dog-like woman bowed deeply before her and the Ferfolk ran up the ramp.
As Elijah approached at the edge of the ship , confusion spread across his face as Mara suddenly appeared with her renowned tubers in hand. The woman stopped a good distance away, staring intently at the man, attempting to gauge his reaction and determine whether he would be receptive to her presence. Seeing he was just staring at her impassively, Mara gathered her courage, and stepped forward with a warm smile.
"I... I wanted to give ye this as a token of me gratitude…” She said shyly. “Ye know, for everything ye done for us."
Elijah's eyes flicked between Mara and the tubers, his confusion slowly melting away into a wry smile as he flicked his hand in a beckoning motion. The action caused Mara’s Shyness to completely dissipate as she bounded forward and handed him the tubers with enthusiasm. "You really didn't have to, but thank you," Elijah said, accepting the gift.
Mara beamed at his response, clearly relieved. "It's the least I could do!” She said, with her tail wagging vigorously. “I couldn’t bear the thought of not makin’ amends with ye.”
Turning around, Elijah handed this plate of tubers to the salivating Engineer and watched as Yana bolted off his shoulder in an attempt to attack the pile of food. Shaking his head, Elijah turned back to Mara and the group of women with a bemused expression. "Hopefully they’ll leave me some," he commented.
“Ye can always come back and get more.” Mara replied with a coy. “I’ll let ye have all the service ye want.”
A chuckle escaped Elijah’s mouth as he ran a hand through his hair. "I might just take you up on that," he said with a smirk. "Your food isn’t the only thing I’m going to miss."
Mara's cheeks flushed deeply at Elijah's reply, her tail wagging even faster as she tried to play it cool. "Well, I'll be sure to make myself available whenever ye are in need of some company," she replied, propping up her supple chest.
Elijah couldn't help but let his eyes wander for a moment before meeting Mara's gaze again, a lopsided grin playing at the corners of his mouth. "I'll… keep that in mind as long as you promise not to try to get me killed again." he replied with a goofy tone that made the dog-girl giggle.
“So all I need to do is spread my legs if I’m ever in need of your forgiveness?” Azelines voice rang out from behind him as the blond Elf woman emerged from the ship still rubbing the sleepiness from her eyes.
With a mouth full of fried tubers, Bennett decided to chime in. “I told him his dick is going to eventually get him killed.” He said, beckoning the Ferfolks to place the other platters on a nearby box.
Bringing a hand up to press against his eyes, Elijah let out an annoyed groan before turning his attention towards the two. “Why do you have to make this weird?” He asked in exasperation. "It’s all about sincerity.”
Bennett snickered, shoving another tuber into his mouth. "Ah yes. You hear that Aze?” He continued in a mocking tone while elbowing Azeline in the ribs. “You need to put more effort in your apologies!"
Azeline smirked, her teasing nature starting to leak out. "Is that so? I guess I’ll make sure any future apologies come with… an appropriate amount of sincerity and effort." She said, striking a pose that was more satirical than seductive.
“Jesus Christ…” Elijah muttered under his breath while his two crewmates broke out into laughter. “I hate both of you.”
The laughter continued after successfully eliciting an annoyed response from their beleaguered captain. However, a quiet seemed to take over the deck as everyone's attention shifted towards the approaching Knight Captain. "So that's the type of man you are, Sir Eli-jah" Rhea remarked with a raised eyebrow. "I'll bear that in mind when you try to charm me with your honeyed words."
“Oh god damnit…” Elijah facepalmed and dragged his hand down his face as another roar of laughter erupted from everyone in the group.
Rhea’s hand was covering her mouth as she tried to suppress a chuckle. “A-Anyways…” She chortled. “We should be ready to sail any moment now, so make sure you’re all prepared for departure.” The woman said, walking off in the direction of the Helm while her shoulders shook in mirth.
Elijah just stood there for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Where the hell is Auri?” He asked no one in particular, his frustration starting to show.
“A-Ahh… H-Hello.”
Recognizing the voice, Elijah looked up to see a petite woman with bright red hair looking up at him expectantly while holding onto a large burlap sack. Glad to see that he at least didn’t have to go hunting for the dainty woman, Elijah let loose a heavy breath of relief. “Alright, I’ll go tell Lady Rhea-” He tried to say, but Auri interrupted him.
Auri squirmed nervously before asking, "Umm… Should I be worried that you also have designs on me?"
“Oh for fucks sake!” Elijah threw his arms up and let them slap against his thighs in frustration as the rest of the crew barked in laughter. "Let’s just go already!”
Yana however, completely ignored the incessant bickering and Instead, she hungrily finished off one of the smaller platters of tubers and chomped down on the last tiny morsel on the wooden plate. Sighing Contentedly, the Fairy’s gaze fell upon Mara and her small group of Ferfolks as they said their goodbyes and disappeared from view. In their stead, the more fidgety whelping appeared, the one who always seemed to look at Ben and Eli with eager eyes. Although this man seemed far weaker than his sibling, he at least displayed a measure of reverence towards her servants.
Turning her head up towards the clear blue sky, Yana placed a hand on her tiny belly and sighed contentedly. She couldn't wait to see what other delightful mortal delicacies or fanciful experiences she would get to experience in the future.
​
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Chapter V

Two Kinslayers

"Has anything changed?"
The man, if he could thought of as a man, was covered in black robes. He refused to wear anything else, murmuring in his foreign language at every word, move or sound of others.
"Is he any better?"
As good as us, Lews Therin said. He's a killer, like I am.
Shut up.
Alanna and Verin both inspected him. Looking up, Rand noticed Mat, Aviendha and the Maidens of the Spear were all terrified of him. The Aiel women did their best to hide it, but he still saw it in their faces.
"Moriñgotho." the man said. "Moriñgotho enutúlie." The word "Moriñgotho" was the one he kept repeating all the time.
"He is..." Verin said bewildered, staring at him still. "He is...fine. There is nothing wrong about him. His body is completely healthy. No scars, no wound...he is completely fine."
Alanna touched his head. "Light! It's the opposite. His body is stronger than any of us. He is in better shape than anyone I've ever seen."
"Eru apseni. Ilúvatar, apseni. "
"He is stronger. Taller. Healthier than anyone I had ever seen."
Rand nodded, looking down at the man. He was still shaking and murmuring. He was not looking at any of them or anything at all. His grey eyes were completely absent. Rand barely needed to even lean to touch the man - even when sitting, his head and shoulders were close to Rand's. Rand removed his thick black hair, in his hand feeling it very smooth, looking at his ears. "Pointy? He has pointy ears?"
"Yes." Verin said, looking at the other one. "I don't understand it either." His ears were not slightly pointed: rather both ears were noticeably longer than of any ordinary man. Not abnormaly so, but noticeably. "Maybe he was just born that way."
"If he was born at all." Mat added.
The Aes Sedai looked at him, visibly irritated, with Alanna biting her lip. "And why exactly are you questioning that?"
"Why? Oh, I have no idea. Maybe because he fell from the bloody sky?"
"Cauthon!"
"Stop!" That was all Rand needed to say to convince them. Shutting up an Aes Sedai or Mat was an impossible task sometimes.
"Moriñgotho." the man continued. "Moriñgotho."
"Is he speaking real words or is he just...stuttering?"
Like you, maybe? Lews Therin chuckled.
Verin did not answer immediately. She kept listening to him for a while. "Those are real words. But..."
"But what?"
"I don't know what language it is, Rand." she said bluntly. "And I don't think anyone in the world does."
"Moriñgotho. Moriñgotho."
"That word he is repeating." Aviendha said. "Maybe it is his name?"
Rand looked at the man again. He was repeating that word all the time, yes - but he did so with terror. It seemed like he said it always as quickly as possible, just to end it. "No. It's not a name. Not his at least."
"How do you know?"
"I do." Aviendha and the Maidens rumbled about "wetlanders" when he said that. He placed the hand on his shoulder, slightly shaking him. "Listen to me..."
"Moriñgotho. Moriñgotho." he said. "Morikotto. Morkotho?" He looked at them once, as if waiting to be corrected, but then continued... "Moringotto. Moriñgotho."
He's lost his mind, Rand thought. Is he a channeler? And yet somehow, Rand doubted that was the case.
"What do we do with him?" Mat asked. "He needs help."
"And what do you want us to do, Cauthon?"
"Heal him."
Verin scoffed. "From what? Have you heard what we said? There is nothing wrong with him."
"Light, woman, he is mad! Rumbling the same thing over and over again!"
"Morkotho. Moriñgotho. Morgotto? Morikotto."
"You can Heal him, can't you?"
Alanna was frustrated with Mat's tone, but she felt Rand's answer to that. Just try if you dare. She bit her lip. "One Power can heal all wounds of the body, Cauthon. All except death itself. That is true. But no one, not even in the Age of Legends, was ever able to heal any mental illness or insanity itself. That is impossible. At most the Compulsion can be reversed, but that is all."
Mat looked at him. "Rand?"
Rand just shook his head. Lews Therin remembered some type of Healing of the mind, but... It came from him, not the Creator. You are still mad, though.
Mat kept looking back at the man. "We can't just leave him."
"And what will we do, Mat?" Rand asked him, almost deciding to turn back. "We cannot help everyone." Curse me, but we cannot.
Davram Bashere looked at the man, then at Rand again. "With all due respect, Lord Dragon, everyone saw him fall from the sky. Not only that, but people have said they saw a bright falling star moments before he fell."
"And you think he is that star?" Of all people, Rand never expected Bashere to be superstituos.
"If the possibilities are that narrow?" he shrugged. "I honestly do."
Rand clicked his tongue. And they say male channelers are mad.
"Rand al'Thor." Aviendha said. "No one is lying here. We all saw the star falling."
"Suppose you are all right." He played with buttons on his sleeve. "Let us say there was a star that fell and he was there when it did. Doesn't mean at all he needs to be that star."
Alanna felt frustrated, Rand returning that emotion.
"Rand, look at him!" Mat pointed at the man. "Does he look like an ordinary man to you? And we are all telling you - he fell from the sky!"
"If you do not trust us," Aviendha said. "ask the others in the city."
"The Pattern, Rand." Verin said. "Whoever or whatever he is, the Pattern brought him here."
"And how do you know that?"
"How?" Verin scratched her chin. "Well, I am just an Aes Sedai, after all. However, I seem to remember people do not often fall from the sky."
Sky was filled with fire and ash, then. Lews Therin seemed to have gotten quite talkative at the moment. When I killed her. He started weeping. I killed my Ilyena.
"Moriñgotho."
"I cannot take care of him."
"Who said so?" Alanna commented. "Honestly, you would be the worst person for that, al'Thor."
Rand bit his tongue before answering back. If I don't want her being proud, I must be humble too.
"We will take care of him." Verin said. "We can..."
Rand cut her off with one short glance. "Mat?"
"Yes?"
"You will take care of him."
Cauthon reached his chest. "What?"
"Since you are so eager to help him. And you found him first."
He nodded. "So...I need to go find the princess and take care of this poor man. You want me to clean your toilet too?"
Alanna felt like an injustice was done to her when Rand let that pass. "He is safe with you too."
"This is absurd!" Verin said. "Rand al'Thor, we need him with us! Whatever he is saying must be properly translated."
"Fingolfin..." The man said, with a voice that was almost breaking. "Hanno! Hanno, apseni!"
"He is going where I said he is going - as far away from Aes Sedai as possible." He did not consider them deserving of even a look. "He is going with the Band of the Red Hand. I will not argue about this."
Even Sulin scoffed. "Rand al'Thor, don't you dare be that stupid!"
Davram Bashere just looked to the side during this argument. Insulting superiors was something only the Aiel considered acceptable, as it seemed. Rand continued with his own. "He goes with Matrim, Aes Sedai. My decision is final."
"If you do this, the White Tower will not be on good terms with you anymore. And you need us, Rand al'Thor."
They all stopped as the man stood up from his seat. Standing now almost a head taller than Rand, he gave a glance to each of them. Those grey eyes were deeper and older than the sea itself and the face, again, more timeless than the face of the Aes Sedai. He looked down on them all, then fixing his sight on Rand. He stared long enough for Lews Therin to start rumbling...and then go silent without any interferrence of Rand.
The man walked up to the window, looking over the city. Rand slowly approached him from behind, and the man turned back to him. "Here." he said abruptly.
Rand narrowed his eyes. "What?"
"Here." The man pointed towards the bottom, then to himself. "Here. Stay?" he said, again waiting to be corrected. "Here. Stay here."
"What, you want me to stay here?" The man started nodding, but when Rand pointed at himself, he shook it, then placing a hand on his chest. "No...you want to stay here?"
The man nodded. "Náto."
"I suppose that means yes." Rand said. "Very well. Do you want their help?" Rand pointed towards the Aes Sedai and tried to explains with his hands as best as possible.
The man slowly came to understand it. "No."
"No?"
"No know?" He shook his head. "No! Lá sí. Now not."
"Not now? You do not want their help at the moment? In this place or at the moment?"
"Náto."
"But maybe later?"
"Náto."
"Alright then." Rand said, offering his hand for a shake. "You may stay." Alanna felt like she will scream. The man looked at Rand's hand for a bit before eventually taking it and slowly shaking it. Light, he has a strong shake! he admitted. "Bashere?"
"My lord."
"Find some servants to help our friend. Get him a home or a room."
"At command, lord." he clasped, leaving the room to look for some servants.
When Rand turned, he saw them all staring at him, confused and frustrated, all except Verin. He had no intention to explain himself, not even to Aviendha and Mat. Verin, however, was staring at the man. "He just learned to speak the Common Tongue fluently...within minutes?"
Mat scratched his hand. "Uh...Verin Sedai, he simply babbled a few words."
"That he never heard before or understood." Verin looked towards Rand, expecting him to change his mind.
"He is not a rat you can experiment on." Rand said. "He said he doesn't want your help now. He will ask for it later."
She pursed her lips and closed her eyes. "Rand, please! He is important, whoever he is. We can help him..."
"He will ask for it when he needs it." Rand did not raise his voice and went to leave. "Mat, you come with me. You others can stay or go."
The women all wanted to burn him as it seemed, but he could not care less about it anymore. The room he led them to was Mat's temporary place while he was still in Caemlyn. Rand was not going to change his plans, despite the man's appearance. "Nice place." Rand said. "Not as warm as the Two Rivers, however."
"It is cozy, yes." Mat took a seat on his bed. "But I must admit I miss the Two Rivers."
Tam's gentle voice. The baaing of sheep. What did I do to deserve this? "Make haste slowly, Mat.” He started striding up and down. He never looked in Mat’s direction. He could feel sweat slicking his face, and his jaw was tight. "He has to see it coming. Everything depends on it.”
Mat started taking his boots off. "I know,” he said sourly. "I helped make the bloody plan, remember?”
That was a thing Mat would always say. He missed those days when the two of them, along with Perrin, would just live and rejoice. He found it, at he very least, good he met other people and loved other people after that. That was not encouraging, but it was comforting.
He started thinking of Aviendha then. Mat always had a way with women, he thought. How do you know you’re in love with a woman, Mat? he almost asked, but then brushed it off. Mat already had enough of burden on his own shoulders. Rand did not want to place his own upon him too. And...something pulled those words away from him.
He still did not stop his striding, and he dropped it in as if it fit what he had been saying. "I’ll finish Sammael, Mat. I promised that; I owe it to the dead. But where are the others? I need to finish them all. One at a time, though.” That was all he could do.
What did I do to deserve this?
"There are Dragonsworn in Murandy, Mat. In Altara, too. Men sworn to me. Once Illian is mine, Altara and Murandy will drop like ripe plums. I’ll make contact with the Dragonsworn in Tarabon - and in Arad Doman - and if the Whitecloaks try to keep me out of Amadicia, I’ll crush them. The Prophet has Ghealdan primed, and Amadicia almost, so I hear."
The Prophet. An old word. From an age long forgotten. Even Lews Therin mocked it from time to time. Men who heard voices in their heads, he would often say. So I am a prophet too, am I?
"Can you imagine Masema as the Prophet?" Unimportant question. "Saldaea will come to me; Bashere is sure of it. All the Borderlands will come. They have to! I am going to do it, Mat. Every land united before the Last Battle. I’m going to do it!” He hadn't noticed his voice had taken on a feverish tone.
"Sure, Rand.” Mat said slowly, depositing his other boot beside the first. “But one thing at a time, right?”
One thing at a time. There was a game like that. His voice started breaking. The game my children liked to play. I killed them. I killed them and my Ilyena.
Rand sighed. "No man should have another man’s voice in his head." he muttered. How long has Lews Therin been in there? Rand did not remember when was the first time he heard him. It seemed to him that it happened when Lanfear met him in Tear. That seemed to have triggered Lews Therin to come out. Since then, the Kinslayer just started speaking louder and louder. Very rarely did he say meaningful things. Just babbling about his wife and children, and friends long gone. From time to time, he would speak of creatures of old, or "Angels of Heaven" as he called them, begging them or the Creator for forgiveness. But otherwise, he was just babbling.
He's like us. Lews Therin said then. &He's like me. He killed.*
Who?
Those who were his family.
No. Who are you talking about?
I killed my Ilyena.
He sighed again. You are mad. Like Sammael was. "He can be gulled, Mat - Sammael always thinks in straight lines - but is there any opening he can slip through? If there’s any mistake, thousands will die. Tens of thousands. Hundreds will anyway, but I don’t want it to be thousands.” he said that more to himself than to Mat. Not even to Lews Therin - himself.
"But, what about him?" Mat asked, expecting Rand to know. "You really don't think he's a big thing?"
"Maybe." Rand said. "Maybe the Pattern or the Creator himself sent him as help or temptation." Then he narrowed his eyes. "Or maybe the Dark One himself sent him here. Maybe he is even one of the Forsaken." Lews Therin did not agree, however. "You see it makes sense, right Mat?"
Mat looked down at his boots. "Yes...I think I know what you mean. But...Light, what if he is an ally? You can't refuse help, you know?"
Lews Therin scoffed and, honestly, Rand would have too. He has been refusing "help" ever since killing Rahvin. "Don't worry about him, Mat. He is my burden now. What you need to do is stick to the plan."
"But, there is something off about this, Rand..."
"Don't worry about it." He insisted. "Just stick to the plan."
"That is all?" Mat expected something more. What is it? "That is all you have to say?"
"Yes. That's all." He opened the door, not even looking back. "Sleep, Mat. You'll need good rest tonight." Rand closed the door, continuing his way through the red corridor that was covered in light of only few torches. He made some light himself, weaving Fire and Air together. The Maidens were, at the moment, absent, and had left him alone there.
Two hundred and five. That is how many people had died when he fought Rahvin excluding Aviendha and Mat and who, unlike them, stayed dead. And Mangin...He was hanged this morning. I watched it. That was all he could do for him. The young Aiel was much like Mat, and had a great respect for Rand, wanting to protect his honor. He cursed Aiel honor three times when that happened. Aiel customs, Aiel culture and all of it. And he cursed Andoran stupidity, Andoran pride and Andoran carelessness. Lews Therin instead behaved practically and cursed them both. Wetlander, Andoran, Aiel...it's all the same. Bands of babbling idiots, both talking of honor, when they can't even agree what that word means.
How many more needed to die because of such pathetic views of honor? The Forsaken also wanted honor - honor and glory. Demandred, Sammael and Lanfear wanted it most of all. Did it make it any better? Lews Therin seemed to actually wonder about that.
He wondered again. He hated it. Hard as stone. I must be hard. Light, I must. The man can stay for now. If he is an ally, good. If he is an enemy, good - he knows how to handle him quickly. As easy as Rahvin.
He extinguished the lights, allowing sound and smell to lead him instead. He woke up the next day, still feeling tired.

Chapter V

Two Kinslayers

"Has anything changed?"
The man, if he could thought of as a man, was covered in black robes. He refused to wear anything else, murmuring in his foreign language at every word, move or sound of others.
"Is he any better?"
As good as us, Lews Therin said. He's a killer, like I am.
Shut up.
Alanna and Verin both inspected him. Looking up, Rand noticed Mat, Aviendha and the Maidens of the Spear were all terrified of him. The Aiel women did their best to hide it, but he still saw it in their faces.
"Moriñgotho." the man said. "Moriñgotho enutúlie." The word "Moriñgotho" was the one he kept repeating all the time.
"He is..." Verin said bewildered, staring at him still. "He is...fine. There is nothing wrong about him. His body is completely healthy. No scars, no wound...he is completely fine."
Alanna touched his head. "Light! It's the opposite. His body is stronger than any of us. He is in better shape than anyone I've ever seen."
"Eru apseni. Ilúvatar, apseni. "
"He is stronger. Taller. Healthier than anyone I had ever seen."
Rand nodded, looking down at the man. He was still shaking and murmuring. He was not looking at any of them or anything at all. His grey eyes were completely absent. Rand barely needed to even lean to touch the man - even when sitting, his head and shoulders were close to Rand's. Rand removed his thick black hair, in his hand feeling it very smooth, looking at his ears. "Pointy? He has pointy ears?"
"Yes." Verin said, looking at the other one. "I don't understand it either." His ears were not slightly pointed: rather both ears were noticeably longer than of any ordinary man. Not abnormaly so, but noticeably. "Maybe he was just born that way."
"If he was born at all." Mat added.
The Aes Sedai looked at him, visibly irritated, with Alanna biting her lip. "And why exactly are you questioning that?"
"Why? Oh, I have no idea. Maybe because he fell from the bloody sky?"
"Cauthon!"
"Stop!" That was all Rand needed to say to convince them. Shutting up an Aes Sedai or Mat was an impossible task sometimes.
"Moriñgotho." the man continued. "Moriñgotho."
"Is he speaking real words or is he just...stuttering?"
Like you, maybe? Lews Therin chuckled.
Verin did not answer immediately. She kept listening to him for a while. "Those are real words. But..."
"But what?"
"I don't know what language it is, Rand." she said bluntly. "And I don't think anyone in the world does."
"Moriñgotho. Moriñgotho."
"That word he is repeating." Aviendha said. "Maybe it is his name?"
Rand looked at the man again. He was repeating that word all the time, yes - but he did so with terror. It seemed like he said it always as quickly as possible, just to end it. "No. It's not a name. Not his at least."
"How do you know?"
"I do." Aviendha and the Maidens rumbled about "wetlanders" when he said that. He placed the hand on his shoulder, slightly shaking him. "Listen to me..."
"Moriñgotho. Moriñgotho." he said. "Morikotto. Morkotho?" He looked at them once, as if waiting to be corrected, but then continued... "Moringotto. Moriñgotho."
He's lost his mind, Rand thought. Is he a channeler? And yet somehow, Rand doubted that was the case.
"What do we do with him?" Mat asked. "He needs help."
"And what do you want us to do, Cauthon?"
"Heal him."
Verin scoffed. "From what? Have you heard what we said? There is nothing wrong with him."
"Light, woman, he is mad! Rumbling the same thing over and over again!"
"Morkotho. Moriñgotho. Morgotto? Morikotto."
"You can Heal him, can't you?"
Alanna was frustrated with Mat's tone, but she felt Rand's answer to that. Just try if you dare. She bit her lip. "One Power can heal all wounds of the body, Cauthon. All except death itself. That is true. But no one, not even in the Age of Legends, was ever able to heal any mental illness or insanity itself. That is impossible. At most the Compulsion can be reversed, but that is all."
Mat looked at him. "Rand?"
Rand just shook his head. Lews Therin remembered some type of Healing of the mind, but... It came from him, not the Creator. You are still mad, though.
Mat kept looking back at the man. "We can't just leave him."
"And what will we do, Mat?" Rand asked him, almost deciding to turn back. "We cannot help everyone." Curse me, but we cannot.
Davram Bashere looked at the man, then at Rand again. "With all due respect, Lord Dragon, everyone saw him fall from the sky. Not only that, but people have said they saw a bright falling star moments before he fell."
"And you think he is that star?" Of all people, Rand never expected Bashere to be superstituos.
"If the possibilities are that narrow?" he shrugged. "I honestly do."
Rand clicked his tongue. And they say male channelers are mad.
"Rand al'Thor." Aviendha said. "No one is lying here. We all saw the star falling."
"Suppose you are all right." He played with buttons on his sleeve. "Let us say there was a star that fell and he was there when it did. Doesn't mean at all he needs to be that star."
Alanna felt frustrated, Rand returning that emotion.
"Rand, look at him!" Mat pointed at the man. "Does he look like an ordinary man to you? And we are all telling you - he fell from the sky!"
"If you do not trust us," Aviendha said. "ask the others in the city."
"The Pattern, Rand." Verin said. "Whoever or whatever he is, the Pattern brought him here."
"And how do you know that?"
"How?" Verin scratched her chin. "Well, I am just an Aes Sedai, after all. However, I seem to remember people do not often fall from the sky."
Sky was filled with fire and ash, then. Lews Therin seemed to have gotten quite talkative at the moment. When I killed her. He started weeping. I killed my Ilyena.
"Moriñgotho."
"I cannot take care of him."
"Who said so?" Alanna commented. "Honestly, you would be the worst person for that, al'Thor."
Rand bit his tongue before answering back. If I don't want her being proud, I must be humble too.
"We will take care of him." Verin said. "We can..."
Rand cut her off with one short glance. "Mat?"
"Yes?"
"You will take care of him."
Cauthon reached his chest. "What?"
"Since you are so eager to help him. And you found him first."
He nodded. "So...I need to go find the princess and take care of this poor man. You want me to clean your toilet too?"
Alanna felt like an injustice was done to her when Rand let that pass. "He is safe with you too."
"This is absurd!" Verin said. "Rand al'Thor, we need him with us! Whatever he is saying must be properly translated."
"Fingolfin..." The man said, with a voice that was almost breaking. "Hanno! Hanno, apseni!"
"He is going where I said he is going - as far away from Aes Sedai as possible." He did not consider them deserving of even a look. "He is going with the Band of the Red Hand. I will not argue about this."
Even Sulin scoffed. "Rand al'Thor, don't you dare be that stupid!"
Davram Bashere just looked to the side during this argument. Insulting superiors was something only the Aiel considered acceptable, as it seemed. Rand continued with his own. "He goes with Matrim, Aes Sedai. My decision is final."
"If you do this, the White Tower will not be on good terms with you anymore. And you need us, Rand al'Thor."
They all stopped as the man stood up from his seat. Standing now almost a head taller than Rand, he gave a glance to each of them. Those grey eyes were deeper and older than the sea itself and the face, again, more timeless than the face of the Aes Sedai. He looked down on them all, then fixing his sight on Rand. He stared long enough for Lews Therin to start rumbling...and then go silent without any interferrence of Rand.
The man walked up to the window, looking over the city. Rand slowly approached him from behind, and the man turned back to him. "Here." he said abruptly.
Rand narrowed his eyes. "What?"
"Here." The man pointed towards the bottom, then to himself. "Here. Stay?" he said, again waiting to be corrected. "Here. Stay here."
"What, you want me to stay here?" The man started nodding, but when Rand pointed at himself, he shook it, then placing a hand on his chest. "No...you want to stay here?"
The man nodded. "Náto."
"I suppose that means yes." Rand said. "Very well. Do you want their help?" Rand pointed towards the Aes Sedai and tried to explains with his hands as best as possible.
The man slowly came to understand it. "No."
"No?"
"No know?" He shook his head. "No! Lá sí. Now not."
"Not now? You do not want their help at the moment? In this place or at the moment?"
"Náto."
"But maybe later?"
"Náto."
"Alright then." Rand said, offering his hand for a shake. "You may stay." Alanna felt like she will scream. The man looked at Rand's hand for a bit before eventually taking it and slowly shaking it. Light, he has a strong shake! he admitted. "Bashere?"
"My lord."
"Find some servants to help our friend. Get him a home or a room."
"At command, lord." he clasped, leaving the room to look for some servants.
When Rand turned, he saw them all staring at him, confused and frustrated, all except Verin. He had no intention to explain himself, not even to Aviendha and Mat. Verin, however, was staring at the man. "He just learned to speak the Common Tongue fluently...within minutes?"
Mat scratched his hand. "Uh...Verin Sedai, he simply babbled a few words."
"That he never heard before or understood." Verin looked towards Rand, expecting him to change his mind.
"He is not a rat you can experiment on." Rand said. "He said he doesn't want your help now. He will ask for it later."
She pursed her lips and closed her eyes. "Rand, please! He is important, whoever he is. We can help him..."
"He will ask for it when he needs it." Rand did not raise his voice and went to leave. "Mat, you come with me. You others can stay or go."
The women all wanted to burn him as it seemed, but he could not care less about it anymore. The room he led them to was Mat's temporary place while he was still in Caemlyn. Rand was not going to change his plans, despite the man's appearance. "Nice place." Rand said. "Not as warm as the Two Rivers, however."
"It is cozy, yes." Mat took a seat on his bed. "But I must admit I miss the Two Rivers."
Tam's gentle voice. The baaing of sheep. What did I do to deserve this? "Make haste slowly, Mat.” He started striding up and down. He never looked in Mat’s direction. He could feel sweat slicking his face, and his jaw was tight. "He has to see it coming. Everything depends on it.”
Mat started taking his boots off. "I know,” he said sourly. "I helped make the bloody plan, remember?”
That was a thing Mat would always say. He missed those days when the two of them, along with Perrin, would just live and rejoice. He found it, at he very least, good he met other people and loved other people after that. That was not encouraging, but it was comforting.
He started thinking of Aviendha then. Mat always had a way with women, he thought. How do you know you’re in love with a woman, Mat? he almost asked, but then brushed it off. Mat already had enough of burden on his own shoulders. Rand did not want to place his own upon him too. And...something pulled those words away from him.
He still did not stop his striding, and he dropped it in as if it fit what he had been saying. "I’ll finish Sammael, Mat. I promised that; I owe it to the dead. But where are the others? I need to finish them all. One at a time, though.” That was all he could do.
What did I do to deserve this?
"There are Dragonsworn in Murandy, Mat. In Altara, too. Men sworn to me. Once Illian is mine, Altara and Murandy will drop like ripe plums. I’ll make contact with the Dragonsworn in Tarabon - and in Arad Doman - and if the Whitecloaks try to keep me out of Amadicia, I’ll crush them. The Prophet has Ghealdan primed, and Amadicia almost, so I hear."
The Prophet. An old word. From an age long forgotten. Even Lews Therin mocked it from time to time. Men who heard voices in their heads, he would often say. So I am a prophet too, am I?
"Can you imagine Masema as the Prophet?" Unimportant question. "Saldaea will come to me; Bashere is sure of it. All the Borderlands will come. They have to! I am going to do it, Mat. Every land united before the Last Battle. I’m going to do it!” He hadn't noticed his voice had taken on a feverish tone.
"Sure, Rand.” Mat said slowly, depositing his other boot beside the first. “But one thing at a time, right?”
One thing at a time. There was a game like that. His voice started breaking. The game my children liked to play. I killed them. I killed them and my Ilyena.
Rand sighed. "No man should have another man’s voice in his head." he muttered. How long has Lews Therin been in there? Rand did not remember when was the first time he heard him. It seemed to him that it happened when Lanfear met him in Tear. That seemed to have triggered Lews Therin to come out. Since then, the Kinslayer just started speaking louder and louder. Very rarely did he say meaningful things. Just babbling about his wife and children, and friends long gone. From time to time, he would speak of creatures of old, or "Angels of Heaven" as he called them, begging them or the Creator for forgiveness. But otherwise, he was just babbling.
He's like us. Lews Therin said then. &He's like me. He killed.*
Who?
Those who were his family.
No. Who are you talking about?
I killed my Ilyena.
He sighed again. You are mad. Like Sammael was. "He can be gulled, Mat - Sammael always thinks in straight lines - but is there any opening he can slip through? If there’s any mistake, thousands will die. Tens of thousands. Hundreds will anyway, but I don’t want it to be thousands.” he said that more to himself than to Mat. Not even to Lews Therin - himself.
"But, what about him?" Mat asked, expecting Rand to know. "You really don't think he's a big thing?"
"Maybe." Rand said. "Maybe the Pattern or the Creator himself sent him as help or temptation." Then he narrowed his eyes. "Or maybe the Dark One himself sent him here. Maybe he is even one of the Forsaken." Lews Therin did not agree, however. "You see it makes sense, right Mat?"
Mat looked down at his boots. "Yes...I think I know what you mean. But...Light, what if he is an ally? You can't refuse help, you know?"
Lews Therin scoffed and, honestly, Rand would have too. He has been refusing "help" ever since killing Rahvin. "Don't worry about him, Mat. He is my burden now. What you need to do is stick to the plan."
"But, there is something off about this, Rand..."
"Don't worry about it." He insisted. "Just stick to the plan."
"That is all?" Mat expected something more. What is it? "That is all you have to say?"
"Yes. That's all." He opened the door, not even looking back. "Sleep, Mat. You'll need good rest tonight." Rand closed the door, continuing his way through the red corridor that was covered in light of only few torches. He made some light himself, weaving Fire and Air together. The Maidens were, at the moment, absent, and had left him alone there.
Two hundred and five. That is how many people had died when he fought Rahvin excluding Aviendha and Mat and who, unlike them, stayed dead. And Mangin...He was hanged this morning. I watched it. That was all he could do for him. The young Aiel was much like Mat, and had a great respect for Rand, wanting to protect his honor. He cursed Aiel honor three times when that happened. Aiel customs, Aiel culture and all of it. And he cursed Andoran stupidity, Andoran pride and Andoran carelessness. Lews Therin instead behaved practically and cursed them both. Wetlander, Andoran, Aiel...it's all the same. Bands of babbling idiots, both talking of honor, when they can't even agree what that word means.
How many more needed to die because of such pathetic views of honor? The Forsaken also wanted honor - honor and glory. Demandred, Sammael and Lanfear wanted it most of all. Did it make it any better? Lews Therin seemed to actually wonder about that.
He wondered again. He hated it. Hard as stone. I must be hard. Light, I must. The man can stay for now. If he is an ally, good. If he is an enemy, good - he knows how to handle him quickly. As easy as Rahvin.
He extinguished the lights, allowing sound and smell to lead him instead. He woke up the next day, still feeling tired.

My name is Adaraka Voska, I am a Kutrali Shipwright.
These details were no longer really relevant to my current existence, considering even if my escape pod hadn't been blown to smithereens, I wasn't going to get off this planet.
I knew the telltale sign of what the Humans call a 'double tap'. Tuktuk voka.
Even though one of their own had shot me just as I launched the pod, they had clearly taken the effort to look for me, find my escape pod, and blow it to pieces. The Human who had saved me, a native of this planet, simply cried out, "What happened fallen star!?"
Even panicking, his Kutraal was getting better.
I decided to tell some blunt and honest truth. "An enemy of mine destroyed it, they believe I am dead now." This of course greatly concerned him, but in a way it was a relief. Still, I wandered the crater, looking for anything that could reasonably be salvaged. Unfortunately, anything and everything of value was gone, and I was reliant on iron age medicine to get me back on my feet.
The ride back was as unpleasant as the ride to the crash site, having to lie on my front wasn't doing me any favors. Still, I was biologically predisposed to survive at any cost, even if it killed me.
Since I was stuck here, I asked the Human his name. He looked surprised. "I already told you." He said. "My name is Kallan."
Oh, that made sense. "I thought you simply used a local word for mage." I replied. "Apologies."
I hated using formal Kutraal.
"Alright." I said after he scraped off the herbs. "Kallan, what I am about to tell you is extremely important. Without the autodoc to heal me, I'm going to need your help."
"Anything, Kataran." His use of the word for 'honored person' caught me off guard, that was going to make things worse for me.
"My name is Adaraka Voska." I said. "Before I landed, my enemy had struck me with a weapon that left behind something inside of my body. It's the reason why, even with all of your efforts, my healing is slowed."
"Who could create such a weapon?" He asked, horrified.
I bit back the retort of, 'Humans'. That wasn't going to go over well. "A people who want my kind to die." I said. "A people who believe I am dead, and will continue to believe I am dead." I took a deep breath. "Do you know of surgery?"
He shook his head. "I am not familiar with that word."
"Alright. The basic concept is that you, uh, you cut a person open to remove or heal something that is making the body ill." He looked horrified. "The fact of the matter is, unless this weapon is removed, I am going to die in two weeks."
He walked away, biting his trembling hand, he barely even knew me, and he was already mourning me. "W-what can be done?" He asked.
"Are you familiar with a clear liquid that burns when imbibed, or when put on a wound?" I asked.
"I am not." He replied, shaking his head.
"Beverages that cause drunkenness, inebriation, intoxication, or slurred speech, unstable walking, vomiting, anything like that?"
"Ah, yes. That has been outlawed by our lord."
Well, there goes my best disinfectant.
"Alright." I said. "I have very clear instructions for you. Are you at all familiar with a black glass, commonly found near-" Was volcanic a word in our lexicon at the planet's seeding? "-volcanic mountains." I finished after a brief pause.
"Yes." He said. "There are hostile beings who live in the swamplands who use such a material."
Hostile creatures? Well, they were likely my best best bet for getting obsidian any time soon.
"Alright. We can probably work with that." I said. "We're going to need some. Next, are you familiar with various kinds of mold?"
"I know many ways to kill mold, yes." He replied. That likely meant no antibiotics.
"Do you at least have salt?" I asked.
"Oh, yes. Salt is very useful for treating wounds."
Great.
"You're going to have to do something known as surgery." I said. "With the obsidian, we will need to make a cutting implement, this implement will allow for a clean cut, but the blade will be fragile, so care must be taken."
He nodded. "If it will save your life, I will do this." He said.
"Next. We're going to need to need a substance called soap. Please tell me you have soap."
"I am not familiar with that word."
"That's fine." I said. It was not fine, none of this was fine. "We're going to need fat from meat, wood ash, and water. This will create a substance that will allow your hands to be clean enough to go rooting around in my guts."
He looked nauseated at my description. "Please do not tell me you have an aversion to eating meat."
"No, no." He said. "Fat will make this substance?"
"Yes, and wood ash. I'd explain why, but you wouldn't understand." I replied. "If you have any means of collecting rain water, we're going to need it, we can make one component of soap immediately."
"I have barrels of rain water." He said. "Though, I do have to boil it before drinking it."
I smiled. "Excellent. Get a pot full of water boiling, we're going to make lye."
Sodium hydroxide, or lye, as a chemical, has fairly limited uses, but they can be very important. Soap making was an essential use, and some foods required lye for consumption, but overall, lye as a chemical is extremely caustic, and without rubber to act as a protective layer, we were going to do this stupidly and dangerously, because we had no other option.
Thankfully, Kallan actually kept his wood fire ashes, so all we needed to do was boil the water with the wood ash inside of it and skim the lye off the top once it rendered. Kallan was- thankfully- competent and was able to gather the lye without burning himself with it, as per my warning.
As for the fat, well, Kallan did have salted and smoked meats, all stored in an underground cellar that was- by my estimation, equivalent to zero Caen. Cold enough for refrigeration, at the very least, with some insulation, it could even reach -18C.
For now, as Kallan cut strips of meat off a haunch of an unidentified animal, I wondered if the salt content of the fat would harm our chances of making soap.
By the time we were done for the day, the cauldron he used to render the lye for us thoroughly scrubbed and rinsed, we had a meat stew and the cut off fat was being rendered in a pot.
"The weapon that is lodged inside of you." Kallan spoke softly. "What is it, what does it do to you?"
"It's called a bullet." I stated. "The piece that is lodged inside of me contains a metal known as depleted uranium." Of course, he didn't know what that meant. "It has a poison in it that will slowly kill me, it's used against my kind because we otherwise heal too fast to kill."
"How fast do you heal?" He asked.
"With the right medicine, almost instantly." I replied. "Without that medicine, slightly faster than your kind. Unfortunately, we do not have the means to make that medicine."
We ate, and then he changed my bandages.
I laid on the bed he provided me, staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything I've been through in just the past few days alone.
[Navigation for 'The Fallen Star'- [1] [2]]

Lyrics in songs I've noticed.
Red Velvet

• Queendom

Oh hey! In the same dream
It kept calling us
Wonderland beyond distant memories
...........
Cntd
We we we strong, nothing missing
Wake up, the answer is Simple
Be Boss, blow the Whistle
The bigger world is noticing you.
Shall we have a festival? I hold your hand.
We've been waiting for this moment. Spread your wings and be yourself.
Come play at My carnival.
Climax? It starts now.
Watch out! We are making the rules.
......
It’s now or never, we got forever.
Sappy
;
You're sobbing and being pessimistic
You're hesitating again, you can't choose
Writing poems in your note, your hobby is sentimental
Look, now it's time to open the door
........
Tell me, which do you love?
It's not bad thing to dream
It's not a fairytale, it's the real world
What are you gonna do? Which one are you
gonna pick?
Reality or fantasy, adolescent boy?
I'm still clearing dating simulation games
using the manual
I'm still a long way from real love
.......
It's not that I don't like it
Escape from being just two-dimensional
Which one do you love?
Tonight let me know your true feelings
You'll really grow up then
Tell me, which one do you love?
(In the video the lyrics are "Logging out from delusion" for a part of it.)
That's not even getting into the imagery in the video.
Feel My Rhythm
Blowing up this fancy ball
We're back, cute chaotic delight
This is gonna be a crazy night
Epic appearance to stunning greetings
Let's have a little fun
Don't be shy, Bae bae
Let the play start
(Birds and wings everywhere in the video. Irene is shown offering strawberries to a gigantic statue of some sort which then falls towards her. Joy is seen standing in front of some type of being with wings, I can't tell what it would be though. Maybe o- I Cant tell, she's, yeah she's blocking the shot)
Imagine anything
Now cruising into a weird, new dimension
A place I've never imagined appears unexpectedly
Don't miss this moment, baby.
Don't confine yourself to yesterday or tomorrow.
I'm truly free right now.
Come ride with me (Sway)
Let's go anywhere (Way)
I want to mess all the boundaries
In this world (Oh yeah)
When the world stops What a what a feeling Come take my hand (All right) A brand new Film We falling deep, You and I Next time, spin the clock Where should we go? Come on, let's start again You and I
Everglow
You used to be afraid of the dark night (ah yeah yeah) Hiding without anyone else knowing (ah yeah yeah) No one say happy ending You stayed silent and ran away (Here we go Here we go like)...
Knock Knock There’s a monster It’s growing larger, the black hole inside of you When you back uh? The howler has swallowed you, that’s the killer Don’t be afraid, hold my hand Your past is making you scared But know your power For the final time, be first You know that I come first I’m the winner winner winner Yes, it’s the last melody To save save save you (so don’t keep) Don’t be deceived by the lie That there is no light in this world Together we will Dream a dream that’s never been seen before Dream a dream that’s never been seen before (Ya) It’s ok if you fall (stand up) It’s you (hands up) Faster Stronger Better Gotta be the best Between night and day, around 5:30AM A war without loyalty will suffocate you, this is a foul Lies, darkness, truth, ecstasy, fantasy My candle makes you explode like a fireworks of melodies in the dawn Don’t be afraid, hold my hand Your past is making you scared But know your power For the final time, be first You know that I come first I’m the winner winner winner Yes, it’s the last melody To save save save you (so don’t keep) Don’t be deceived by the lie That there is no light in this world Together we will Dream a dream that’s never been seen before I’m breaking down the walls, crossing the lines I won’t shrivel up, I’ll jump over one step You got me now got me now two step Don’t slow it down slow it down Shout towards the sky that comes to you Hold onto the key of hope...
Bon bon chocolate

go up to the sky

.
Avenged Sevenfold
Hate to twist your mind, but God ain't on your side
Flesh is burning, you can smell it in the air 'Cause men like you have such an easy soul to steal (steal) So stand in line while they ink numbers in your head You're now a slave until the end of time here Nothing stops the madness turning Haunting, yearning, pull the trigger You should've known the price of evil And it hurts to know that you belong here, yeah Ooh, it's your fuckin' nightmare While your nightmare comes to life
You've been lied to just to rape you of your sight And now they have the nerve to tell you how to feel (feel) So sedated as they medicate your brain And while you slowly go insane they tell you Given with the best intentions Help you with your complications
You should've known the price of evil And it hurts to know that you belong here, yeah No one to call, everybody to fear Your tragic fate is lookin' so clear, yeah Ooh, it's your fuckin' nightmare Ha, ha, ha, ha
And I know you hear their voices (calling from above) And I know they may seem real (these signals of love) But our life's made up of choices (some without appeal) They took for granted your soul And it's ours now to steal As your nightmare comes to life
Afterlife
Like walking into a dream, so unlike what you've seen So unsure but it seems, 'cause we've been waiting for you Fallen into this place, just giving you a small taste Of your afterlife here so stay, you'll be back here soon anyway
A place of hope and no pain, perfect skies with no rain Can leave this place but refrain, 'cause we've been waiting for you Fallen into this place, just giving you a small taste Of your afterlife here so stay, you'll be back here soon anyway This piece on Earth's not right (with my back against the wall) No pain or sign of time (I'm much too young to fall) So out of place, don't wanna stay, I feel wrong and that's my sign I've made up my mind Give me your hand but realize I just wanna say goodbye Please, understand I have to leave and carry on my own life
Creating God
Standing in the shade of altruism, answering the call Came a modern messiah to save us all Something far beyond the work of fiction, Positronic brain A world that's void of all the anguish and suffering, pain
We're creating god, master of our designs We're creating god, unsure of what we'll find
Never held a high regard for Darwin, selection takes too long A little kick in the pool shouldn't do us wrong Devouring the very last invention man would ever need But exponential growth is a frightening thing, indeed
Sometimes when I look up to the sky I have to wonder are we "summoning the demon" you and I?
Have you noticed that I'm needin' it more now, more than it needs me Got a couple of billion that seem to agree Surfing in an artificial dimension, but we're not alone Now the master has become just a stepping stone, oh
We're Creating, God.
Beast and the Harlot
This shining city built of gold A far cry from innocence There's more than meets the eye around here Look to the waters of the deep A city of evil There sat a seven headed beast Ten horns raised from his head Symbolic woman sits on his throne But hatred strips her and leaves her naked The beast and the harlot
The city dressed in jewels and gold Fine linen, myrrh and pearls Her plagues will come all at once As her mourners watch her burn Destroyed in an hour Merchants and captains of the world Sailors navigators too Will weep and mourn this loss With her sins piled to the sky The beast and the harlot
The day has come for all our sinners If you're not a servant, you'll be struck to the ground Flee the burning, greedy city Looking back on her to see there's nothing around
The day has come for all our sinners If you're not a servant, you'll be struck to the ground Flee the burning, greedy city Looking back on her to see there's nothing around I don't believe in fairy tales and no one wants to go to hell You've made the wrong decision and it's easy to see Now if you wanna serve above or be a king below with us You're welcome to the city where your future is set forever
Welcome to the family
Hey kid (hey kid) Do I have your attention? I know the way you've been living Life's so reckless, tragedy endless Welcome to the family Hey There's something missing Only time will alter your vision Never in question, lethal injection Welcome to the family Not long ago you find the answers were so crystal clear Within a day you find yourself living in constant fear Can you look at yourself now, can you look at yourself? You can't win this fight
I try and help you with the things that can't be justified I need to warn you that there is no way to rationalize So have you figured it out now, so have you figured it out? You can't win this fight
And in a way it seems there's no one to call When our thoughts are so numb And our feelings unsure We all have emptiness inside, we all have answers to find But you can't win this fight!
I see you're a king who's been dethroned Cast out in a world you've never know Stand down, place your weapon by your side It's our war in the end, we'll surely lose but that's alright So have you figured it out now, so have you figured it out?
Bat Country
So sorry you're not here I've been sane too long, my vision's so unclear Now take a trip with me But don't be surprised when things aren't what they seem
You've been breakin' down for far too long Far too many moons since you felt well and strong You see, you could say goodbye but you don't have to die Not ever
Engineer the wires to your brain Architect a code so you won't feel the pain With your family by your side and vigor in your eyes forever Live Forever I'm way up, a god in size, beyond the reach of mortals I shed my human side Father, oh father I stare at my reflection, have I lost that boy inside? Final paradigm What's it really mean to be a man? Think about your answer but please understand While it's natural to fear, I'll make it disappear forever I forever I'm way up, a god in size, beyond the reach of mortals I shed my human side Father, oh father I stare at my reflection, have I lost that boy inside? Final paradigm Singular I am I have the question if these thoughts are mine To live forever but did something in me die? I'm clawing my skin but I can't feel it inside I know the agony of pain would hurt so much better I'm way up, so far up Have I lost myself tonight? Mother, oh father Have you lost that boy you used to know?
Simulation
It seems I should have walked away Reverse the wager I've no means to pay Toto has pulled back the green tonight, in sight And blue pills coat with such disdain I wore the shades for so long That I've forgotten how to see The curtain rises but who dares to pull the strings
I know this might be hard for you to believe and all, But you only exist because we allow it I question all the voices in my head Are they mine or have I been misled? Total understanding doesn't seem to mean a thing When you can't see behind the silver screen, a figurine Can't you hear me scream? By the way of cosmic rays A subtle breakdown jarred the code display A simulation as I can tell, our cell Playing out a hopeless scene We stand to lose all our charm And faith just seems to wane A billion years can seem a stunningly short time You've been beaten down time and time again But still you find yourself at the center of it all I question all the voices in my head Are they mine or have I been misled? Total understanding doesn't seem to mean a thing When you can't see behind the silver screen, a figurine Can't you hear me scream? You hear me, you had one thing to do, one thing And you fucked it up, piece of shit Nurse, patient 666158 needs to be sedated We need 500 CCs of M Oh hello there, dearie I've been expecting you Posturing the way I feel Is truth only what we believe is real? Marvel the sketches that paint the night, starlight And take a breath before it's all erased away
Their song Angels; Waking the Fallen, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet.
Everglow:
Pirate
Yeah EVERGLOW Gonna be mad lunatic, girl When the mysteriously changed moon comes A show that will start suddenly In secret, yeah, dance I want it Ddi-dam-bam-bam, bba-rira-bam-bam A paradise found in a whole new world that is out of sync ‘Cause I’m a pirate, yeah, yeah A pirate, yeah, yeah A pirate, yeah, yeah Now let me introduce myself I am a fleet I Start this voyage Towards the moon mist Yeah, let me introduce myself...
Twenty four hours, the light disappears Overnight, night, overnight During the night when the dazzling starlight shines Ayy, lift the anchor Girls all over the world Dance tonight And we could be anything, anything now Go crazy, no doubt Rowin’ for the Crown Waving the flag, yeah...
All the way, all the way, all the way The riot we made All the way, all the way, all the way Can’t ever stay quiet Girls all over the world Run tonight Just get on board ‘Cause I’m a pirate, yeah, yeah A pirate, yeah, yeah A pirate, yeah, yeah Now let me introduce myself I am a fleet Start this voyage Towards the moon mist Yeah, let me introduce myself Ahoy! Sing a song now The hidden moon festival Well, shiver me timbers (Aye-aye) Watch this night together Last chance, get on board Approaching tsunami, disappearing afternoon Everyone falls asleep under these waves Yeah, I’m making the moves During the night when the dazzling starlight shines Ayy, lift the anchor Girls all over the world Dance tonight And we could be anything, anything now Go crazy, no doubt Rowin’ for the crown Waving the flag, yeah (Oh woah) All the way, all the way, all the way The riot that we made (Oh yeah) All the way, all the way, all the way Can’t ever stay quiet Girls all over the world Run tonight Just get on board...
A letter from that future Together with that blinding light Trust me and follow me up to my ark...
Katy Perry and Nikki Manage
Michael Jackson's Best Tracks
"Swish Swish" lyrics Katy Perry Lyrics Play "Swish Swish" on Amazon Music Unlimited (ad) "Swish Swish" (feat. Nicki Minaj)
They know what is what But they don't know what is what They just strut What the fuck?
[Katy Perry:] A tiger Don't lose no sleep Don't need opinions From a shellfish or a sheep Don't you come for me No, not today You're calculated I got your number 'Cause you're a joker And I'm a courtside killer queen And you will kiss the ring You best believe
So keep calm, honey, I'mma stick around For more than a minute, get used to it Funny my name keeps comin' out your mouth 'Cause I stay winning Lay 'em up like
Swish, swish, bish Another one in the basket Can't touch this Another one in the casket
Your game is tired You should retire You're 'bout as cute as An old coupon expired And karma's not a liar She keeps receipts
So keep calm, honey, I'mma stick around For more than a minute, get used to it Funny my name keeps comin' out your mouth 'Cause I stay winning Lay 'em up like
Swish, swish, bish Another one in the basket Can't touch this Another one in the casket (Let's go) Swish, swish, bish Another one in the basket Can't touch this Another one in the casket
They know what is what But they don't know what is what Katy Perry They just know what is what Young Money But they don't know what is what They just know what is what But they don't know what is what They just strut Hahaha, yo What the fuck?
[Nicki Minaj:] Pink Ferragamo sliders on deck Silly rap beefs just get me more checks My life is a movie, I'm never off set Me and my a-Migos (no, not Offset) Swish swish, aww I got them upset But my shooters'll make 'em dance like dubstep Swish, swish, aww, my haters is obsessed 'Cause I make M's, they get much less Don't be tryna double back I already despise you All that fake love you showin' Couldn't even disguise you (Yo, yo) Ran? When? Nicki gettin' tan Mirror mirror who's the fairest bitch in all the land? Damn, man, this bitch is a Stan Muah, muah, the generous queen will kiss a fan Ass goodbye, I'mma be riding by I'mma tell my ...Biggz, yeah that's the guy A star's a star, da ha da ha They never thought the swish god would take it this far Get my pimp cup, this is pimp shit, baby I only rock with Queens, so I'm makin' hits with Katy
[Katy Perry:] Swish, swish, bish Another one in the basket And another one and another one Can't touch this Another one in the casket And another one and another one
They know what is what Do they know? But they don't know what is what They just know what is what But they don't know what is what They just know what is what But they don't know what is what They just strut What the...
Red Velvet: Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb –31
You need to “Beat It” That boy Michael Jackson ”Bad” I’m not your “Billie Jean” Don’t you “Leave Me Alone” But you’re so ambiguous, I want “Black Or White” I can’t give up on you, my “Man In The Mirror” “Why You Wanna Trip On Me” You’re too harsh Boy, you make me “Scream” Why am I like this? Well, your “Love really Never Felt So Good” It’s so electrifying that it’s like
Aespa
Next Level
aespa
I’m on the Next Level, yeah I follow the absolute rules Don't let go of my hand unity is my weapon I walk to KWANGYA I know your home ground Confront the threat Beat it, beat it, beat it
An unexpected black out The temptation is deep and strong (Too hot too hot) Letting go of the hands held together But I'll never give up
I'm on the Next Level I open the door over there Next Level I'll destroy you in thе end Until I reach the Nеxt Level KOSMO Next Level Beat it, beat it, beat it
La, la, la, la, la, la La, la, la, la, la, la La, la, la, la, la, la La, la, la, la, la
I see the NU EVO The hostile suffering and sorrow Make you popping and evolve further That's my naevis, it's my naevis You lead, we follow After learning the feelings Watch me while I make it out
Watch me while I work it out Watch me while I make it out Watch me while I work it out Work it, work it, work it out
Even the unbearable despair Can't break my faith Watch me while I work it Even if a more painful trial comes I won't let go of your hand, oh
Never look back Don’t covet things of KWANGYA If the promises are broken, everything will be out of control The signal is becoming unstable since a certain point in time I'll destroy you in the end (We want it) Come on! Show me the way to KOSMO, yeah
A hallucination quest created by the Black Mamba Aespa, they want to separate out ae, that's right I lose my balance and my voice too In the illusion of being criticized and alienated Nævis we (Call ae, ae) Aespa's Next Level Open "P.O.S" This is the REAL WORLD, I'm awake We against the villain, what's the name? Black Mamba
I open the door in the end (Too hot, too hot) That light is like Fire to you I'm dying to know The next story that will unfold Huh!
I'm on the Next Level I open the door over there Next Level I'll destroy you in the end Until I reach the Next Level KOSMO Next Level Beat it, beat it, beat it
I'm on the Next Level I become stronger and free Next Level I'm no longer who I was at KWANGYA Next Level Feel me I'm like a beast Next Level Beat it, beat it, beat it Huh! https://lyricstranslate.com/en/next-level-next-level.html-0
Savage
[Intro: Karina] Oh my gosh Don't you know I'm a savage?
[Verse 1: Karina, Giselle] I'm a Killa who will break you, ae You're still hiding and hallucinating Beat you up, we holler I'm not afraid of you, you, hit you harder Push me in, deep fake on me To the unprepared stage Corner me in, fake on me Got everybody, mock up to me You shake me up so that I feel ashamed Cold spectators are collapsed, ae I can't stand you anymore, say, "No!"
[Refrain: Winter, Ningning] Wait and see, I'm a little savage Your dirty play I can't stand it any longer You want to break me Your hallucinations are becoming The reasons to construct you
[Pre-Chorus: Winter, Ningning] I'm a savage I'll break you into pieces yeah, oh I'm a savage I'll crush you, oh
[Chorus: Karina, Giselle, Karina & Ningning] Get me, get me now Get me, get me now (Zu-zu-zu-zu) Or I'll become more Savage (Zu-zu-zu-zu) Get me, get me now Get me, get me now (Zu-zu-zu-zu) Now I'm going to get you Now, I'm a savage Gimme, gimme now Gimme, gimme now (Zu-zu-zu-zu) I can see your words Your weakness Algorithm (Zu-zu-zu-zu) Steaming, it's steaming Steaming, it's steaming (Zu-zu-zu-zu) MA ae SYNK Don't bother me and bog off, savage (Zu-zu-zu-zu)
[Verse 2: Giselle, Winter, Karina] Mhm, everybody looks at me I'm used to it, I should take a step back I have to endure it like an adult I'm locked up in the glass I want to play such a horrible expectation I'm locked up in that hallucination frame I'm going to KWANGYA, game in Defeating a subtle alienation And making me drift apart from my ae Your satisfying trick We gone KWANGYA, game in Cut it down, my sword of light To you who is damaged It's a merciless punch
[Refrain: Ningning, Winter] See? I'm a little Savage I block your regenerative power I distract you, I leave you out Don't forget, this is KWANGYA I control your time and space Make it, break it
You are the one who protected me when I was in trouble My naevis, we love you My victory, one SYNK DIVE All the opportunities you've created I know your sacrifices, oh My naevis, we love you I know, we'll make sure to find your memories Let's meet surely after the resurrection
[Breakdown: Karina, Ningning] Savage Savage Yeah
Girls
Wake up! In a deadlier war Hold on with your feet(our feet are like hands back home) Hook! Black Mamba I am not afraid of you Hoot! I’ll break you It has changed when we entered KWANGYA Distorted æ more like me, like one A crazy presence that shows The ember that was left behind...
grew into a great evil When I helplessly isolate you Reunite we’re together again Whoo Whoo Attack Beat it Yah You’re not alone...
Shined sacrifice If you found the memory Can you show us? Can you show up? Right now, right here Follow me (Bow down) Watch me (My skill) You will get surprised (Say wow) We coming Scream (Get loud) Listen (My sound) Call it (Upgrade) We coming Blooming in chaos (We Them Girls) And confronting fear, That courage (Ah Yeah) Whenever we are together We Them Girls We Them Girls We Them Girls Meta universe exists now Parallel world All beings have meaning Part of my heart We use sympathetic words and share the body temperatures In the end, we only pursue the value of goodwill I finally became stronger I don’t get swindled or hurt It’s distorted It has started again Make sides Isolate you and me so that we can’t see ahead The algorithms that have been distorted by bad desires Use existence as the weapon and swallow with destruction Ah Evil was started at that moment Whoo Whoo Move out flip Yah I’m not alone I want to protect first encountering REKALL I will hug you so that you can feel Without SYNK DIVE Follow me (Bow down) Watch me (My skill) You will get surprised (Say wow) We coming Scream (Get loud) Listen (My sound) Call it (Upgrade) We coming Blooming in chaos (We Them Girls) And confronting fear, That courage (Ah Yeah) Whenever we are Together We Them Girls We Them Girls To face a peaceful day Inside the FLAT We laugh and love together With my friends Now I’m more curious about the future together with nævis Eventually we will probably meet nævis on the REAL MY WORLD Hold up! REAL MY WORLD Your existence is brighter than my reflection in the mirror Can you tell me? Until when, will we be together? Follow me (Bow down) Watch me (My skill) You will get surprised (Say wow) We coming Scream (Get loud) Listen (My sound) Call it (Upgrade) We coming Blooming in chaos (We Them Girls) And confronting fear, That courage (Ah Yeah) Whenever we are together We Them Girls We Them Girls We Them Girls Girls! Official translation. Play "Girls" on Amazon Music Unlimited (ad) Other Songs from Girls Album Girls Girls
Far away, far away Higher and higher To the place unseen
No one can stop me anymore Get set, go! Good-bye I’m not my old self Take a look at my WILDSIDE
By instinct, do it Come along with me Let us go down, down, down, down, da street
I didn’t go anywhere Now I could go everywhere Scared of change Just looking from the side
When you protect me and I’m breathing I’m forced into misery like a puppet, muppet I thought I was no good But behind weakness there was strength Words from loveless people, I don’t care about it anymore I will show you the truth
Never tell lies to myself any more Fly now to the place I want to be I’m never scared of going to the sky
Inside O-O-Out My wild side, my wild side The unseen me who has Overcome weakness (WILDSIDE) Far away, far away Higher and higher To the place unseen
No one can stop me anymore Get set, go! Good-bye I’m not my old self Which this WILDSIDE
Accepting myself that I don’t even know of I want to love more, believe myself more So I don’t get lost, Yeah
Starlight, slash the dark night already So bright, sparkle La-la-la-la-la
Inside O-O-Out My wild side, my wild side The unseen me who has Overcome weakness (WILDSIDE) Far away, far away Higher and higher To the place unseen
No one can stop me anymore Get set, go! Good-bye I’m not my old self Which this WILDSIDE
By instinct, do it Come along with me Let us go down down I will show you my wild side
https://youtu.be/Qpf26PtBXgo 😬 cya ❤️‍🩹😾🙀🙈
....

Lyrics in songs I've noticed.
Red Velvet

• Queendom

Oh hey! In the same dream
It kept calling us
Wonderland beyond distant memories
...........
Cntd
We we we strong, nothing missing
Wake up, the answer is Simple
Be Boss, blow the Whistle
The bigger world is noticing you.
Shall we have a festival? I hold your hand.
We've been waiting for this moment. Spread your wings and be yourself.
Come play at My carnival.
Climax? It starts now.
Watch out! We are making the rules.
......
It’s now or never, we got forever.
Sappy
;
You're sobbing and being pessimistic
You're hesitating again, you can't choose
Writing poems in your note, your hobby is sentimental
Look, now it's time to open the door
........
Tell me, which do you love?
It's not bad thing to dream
It's not a fairytale, it's the real world
What are you gonna do? Which one are you
gonna pick?
Reality or fantasy, adolescent boy?
I'm still clearing dating simulation games
using the manual
I'm still a long way from real love
.......
It's not that I don't like it
Escape from being just two-dimensional
Which one do you love?
Tonight let me know your true feelings
You'll really grow up then
Tell me, which one do you love?
(In the video the lyrics are "Logging out from delusion" for a part of it.)
That's not even getting into the imagery in the video.
Feel My Rhythm
Blowing up this fancy ball
We're back, cute chaotic delight
This is gonna be a crazy night
Epic appearance to stunning greetings
Let's have a little fun
Don't be shy, Bae bae
Let the play start
(Birds and wings everywhere in the video. Irene is shown offering strawberries to a gigantic statue of some sort which then falls towards her. Joy is seen standing in front of some type of being with wings, I can't tell what it would be though. Maybe one of us? Cant tell, she's, yeah she's blocking the shot)
Imagine anything
Now cruising into a weird, new dimension
A place I've never imagined appears unexpectedly
Don't miss this moment, baby.
Don't confine yourself to yesterday or tomorrow.
I'm truly free right now.
Come ride with me (Sway)
Let's go anywhere (Way)
I want to mess all the boundaries
In this world (Oh yeah)
When the world stops What a what a feeling Come take my hand (All right) A brand new Film We falling deep, You and I Next time, spin the clock Where should we go? Come on, let's start again You and I
Everglow
You used to be afraid of the dark night (ah yeah yeah) Hiding without anyone else knowing (ah yeah yeah) No one say happy ending You stayed silent and ran away (Here we go Here we go like)...
Knock Knock There’s a monster It’s growing larger, the black hole inside of you When you back uh? The howler has swallowed you, that’s the killer Don’t be afraid, hold my hand Your past is making you scared But know your power For the final time, be first You know that I come first I’m the winner winner winner Yes, it’s the last melody To save save save you (so don’t keep) Don’t be deceived by the lie That there is no light in this world Together we will Dream a dream that’s never been seen before Dream a dream that’s never been seen before (Ya) It’s ok if you fall (stand up) It’s you (hands up) Faster Stronger Better Gotta be the best Between night and day, around 5:30AM A war without loyalty will suffocate you, this is a foul Lies, darkness, truth, ecstasy, fantasy My candle makes you explode like a fireworks of melodies in the dawn Don’t be afraid, hold my hand Your past is making you scared But know your power For the final time, be first You know that I come first I’m the winner winner winner Yes, it’s the last melody To save save save you (so don’t keep) Don’t be deceived by the lie That there is no light in this world Together we will Dream a dream that’s never been seen before I’m breaking down the walls, crossing the lines I won’t shrivel up, I’ll jump over one step You got me now got me now two step Don’t slow it down slow it down Shout towards the sky that comes to you Hold onto the key of hope...
Bon bon chocolate

go up to the sky

.
Avenged Sevenfold
Hate to twist your mind, but God ain't on your side
Flesh is burning, you can smell it in the air 'Cause men like you have such an easy soul to steal (steal) So stand in line while they ink numbers in your head You're now a slave until the end of time here Nothing stops the madness turning Haunting, yearning, pull the trigger You should've known the price of evil And it hurts to know that you belong here, yeah Ooh, it's your fuckin' nightmare While your nightmare comes to life
You've been lied to just to rape you of your sight And now they have the nerve to tell you how to feel (feel) So sedated as they medicate your brain And while you slowly go insane they tell you Given with the best intentions Help you with your complications
You should've known the price of evil And it hurts to know that you belong here, yeah No one to call, everybody to fear Your tragic fate is lookin' so clear, yeah Ooh, it's your fuckin' nightmare Ha, ha, ha, ha
And I know you hear their voices (calling from above) And I know they may seem real (these signals of love) But our life's made up of choices (some without appeal) They took for granted your soul And it's ours now to steal As your nightmare comes to life
Afterlife
Like walking into a dream, so unlike what you've seen So unsure but it seems, 'cause we've been waiting for you Fallen into this place, just giving you a small taste Of your afterlife here so stay, you'll be back here soon anyway
A place of hope and no pain, perfect skies with no rain Can leave this place but refrain, 'cause we've been waiting for you Fallen into this place, just giving you a small taste Of your afterlife here so stay, you'll be back here soon anyway This piece on Earth's not right (with my back against the wall) No pain or sign of time (I'm much too young to fall) So out of place, don't wanna stay, I feel wrong and that's my sign I've made up my mind Give me your hand but realize I just wanna say goodbye Please, understand I have to leave and carry on my own life
Creating God
Standing in the shade of altruism, answering the call Came a modern messiah to save us all Something far beyond the work of fiction, Positronic brain A world that's void of all the anguish and suffering, pain
We're creating god, master of our designs We're creating god, unsure of what we'll find
Never held a high regard for Darwin, selection takes too long A little kick in the pool shouldn't do us wrong Devouring the very last invention man would ever need But exponential growth is a frightening thing, indeed
Sometimes when I look up to the sky I have to wonder are we "summoning the demon" you and I?
Have you noticed that I'm needin' it more now, more than it needs me Got a couple of billion that seem to agree Surfing in an artificial dimension, but we're not alone Now the master has become just a stepping stone, oh
We're Creating, God.
Beast and the Harlot
This shining city built of gold A far cry from innocence There's more than meets the eye around here Look to the waters of the deep A city of evil There sat a seven headed beast Ten horns raised from his head Symbolic woman sits on his throne But hatred strips her and leaves her naked The beast and the harlot
The city dressed in jewels and gold Fine linen, myrrh and pearls Her plagues will come all at once As her mourners watch her burn Destroyed in an hour Merchants and captains of the world Sailors navigators too Will weep and mourn this loss With her sins piled to the sky The beast and the harlot
The day has come for all our sinners If you're not a servant, you'll be struck to the ground Flee the burning, greedy city Looking back on her to see there's nothing around
The day has come for all our sinners If you're not a servant, you'll be struck to the ground Flee the burning, greedy city Looking back on her to see there's nothing around I don't believe in fairy tales and no one wants to go to hell You've made the wrong decision and it's easy to see Now if you wanna serve above or be a king below with us You're welcome to the city where your future is set forever
Welcome to the family
Hey kid (hey kid) Do I have your attention? I know the way you've been living Life's so reckless, tragedy endless Welcome to the family Hey There's something missing Only time will alter your vision Never in question, lethal injection Welcome to the family Not long ago you find the answers were so crystal clear Within a day you find yourself living in constant fear Can you look at yourself now, can you look at yourself? You can't win this fight
I try and help you with the things that can't be justified I need to warn you that there is no way to rationalize So have you figured it out now, so have you figured it out? You can't win this fight
And in a way it seems there's no one to call When our thoughts are so numb And our feelings unsure We all have emptiness inside, we all have answers to find But you can't win this fight!
I see you're a king who's been dethroned Cast out in a world you've never know Stand down, place your weapon by your side It's our war in the end, we'll surely lose but that's alright So have you figured it out now, so have you figured it out?
Bat Country
So sorry you're not here I've been sane too long, my vision's so unclear Now take a trip with me But don't be surprised when things aren't what they seem
You've been breakin' down for far too long Far too many moons since you felt well and strong You see, you could say goodbye but you don't have to die Not ever
Engineer the wires to your brain Architect a code so you won't feel the pain With your family by your side and vigor in your eyes forever Live Forever I'm way up, a god in size, beyond the reach of mortals I shed my human side Father, oh father I stare at my reflection, have I lost that boy inside? Final paradigm What's it really mean to be a man? Think about your answer but please understand While it's natural to fear, I'll make it disappear forever I forever I'm way up, a god in size, beyond the reach of mortals I shed my human side Father, oh father I stare at my reflection, have I lost that boy inside? Final paradigm Singular I am I have the question if these thoughts are mine To live forever but did something in me die? I'm clawing my skin but I can't feel it inside I know the agony of pain would hurt so much better I'm way up, so far up Have I lost myself tonight? Mother, oh father Have you lost that boy you used to know?
Simulation
It seems I should have walked away Reverse the wager I've no means to pay Toto has pulled back the green tonight, in sight And blue pills coat with such disdain I wore the shades for so long That I've forgotten how to see The curtain rises but who dares to pull the strings
I know this might be hard for you to believe and all, But you only exist because we allow it I question all the voices in my head Are they mine or have I been misled? Total understanding doesn't seem to mean a thing When you can't see behind the silver screen, a figurine Can't you hear me scream? By the way of cosmic rays A subtle breakdown jarred the code display A simulation as I can tell, our cell Playing out a hopeless scene We stand to lose all our charm And faith just seems to wane A billion years can seem a stunningly short time You've been beaten down time and time again But still you find yourself at the center of it all I question all the voices in my head Are they mine or have I been misled? Total understanding doesn't seem to mean a thing When you can't see behind the silver screen, a figurine Can't you hear me scream? You hear me, you had one thing to do, one thing And you fucked it up, piece of shit Nurse, patient 666158 needs to be sedated We need 500 CCs of M Oh hello there, dearie I've been expecting you Posturing the way I feel Is truth only what we believe is real? Marvel the sketches that paint the night, starlight And take a breath before it's all erased away
Their song Angels; Waking the Fallen, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet.
Everglow:
Pirate
Yeah EVERGLOW Gonna be mad lunatic, girl When the mysteriously changed moon comes A show that will start suddenly In secret, yeah, dance I want it Ddi-dam-bam-bam, bba-rira-bam-bam A paradise found in a whole new world that is out of sync ‘Cause I’m a pirate, yeah, yeah A pirate, yeah, yeah A pirate, yeah, yeah Now let me introduce myself I am a fleet I Start this voyage Towards the moon mist Yeah, let me introduce myself...
Twenty four hours, the light disappears Overnight, night, overnight During the night when the dazzling starlight shines Ayy, lift the anchor Girls all over the world Dance tonight And we could be anything, anything now Go crazy, no doubt Rowin’ for the Crown Waving the flag, yeah...
All the way, all the way, all the way The riot we made All the way, all the way, all the way Can’t ever stay quiet Girls all over the world Run tonight Just get on board ‘Cause I’m a pirate, yeah, yeah A pirate, yeah, yeah A pirate, yeah, yeah Now let me introduce myself I am a fleet Start this voyage Towards the moon mist Yeah, let me introduce myself Ahoy! Sing a song now The hidden moon festival Well, shiver me timbers (Aye-aye) Watch this night together Last chance, get on board Approaching tsunami, disappearing afternoon Everyone falls asleep under these waves Yeah, I’m making the moves During the night when the dazzling starlight shines Ayy, lift the anchor Girls all over the world Dance tonight And we could be anything, anything now Go crazy, no doubt Rowin’ for the crown Waving the flag, yeah (Oh woah) All the way, all the way, all the way The riot that we made (Oh yeah) All the way, all the way, all the way Can’t ever stay quiet Girls all over the world Run tonight Just get on board...
A letter from that future Together with that blinding light Trust me and follow me up to my ark...
Katy Perry and Nikki Manage
Michael Jackson's Best Tracks
"Swish Swish" lyrics Katy Perry Lyrics Play "Swish Swish" on Amazon Music Unlimited (ad) "Swish Swish" (feat. Nicki Minaj)
They know what is what But they don't know what is what They just strut What the fuck?
[Katy Perry:] A tiger Don't lose no sleep Don't need opinions From a shellfish or a sheep Don't you come for me No, not today You're calculated I got your number 'Cause you're a joker And I'm a courtside killer queen And you will kiss the ring You best believe
So keep calm, honey, I'mma stick around For more than a minute, get used to it Funny my name keeps comin' out your mouth 'Cause I stay winning Lay 'em up like
Swish, swish, bish Another one in the basket Can't touch this Another one in the casket
Your game is tired You should retire You're 'bout as cute as An old coupon expired And karma's not a liar She keeps receipts
So keep calm, honey, I'mma stick around For more than a minute, get used to it Funny my name keeps comin' out your mouth 'Cause I stay winning Lay 'em up like
Swish, swish, bish Another one in the basket Can't touch this Another one in the casket (Let's go) Swish, swish, bish Another one in the basket Can't touch this Another one in the casket
They know what is what But they don't know what is what Katy Perry They just know what is what Young Money But they don't know what is what They just know what is what But they don't know what is what They just strut Hahaha, yo What the fuck?
[Nicki Minaj:] Pink Ferragamo sliders on deck Silly rap beefs just get me more checks My life is a movie, I'm never off set Me and my a-Migos (no, not Offset) Swish swish, aww I got them upset But my shooters'll make 'em dance like dubstep Swish, swish, aww, my haters is obsessed 'Cause I make M's, they get much less Don't be tryna double back I already despise you All that fake love you showin' Couldn't even disguise you (Yo, yo) Ran? When? Nicki gettin' tan Mirror mirror who's the fairest bitch in all the land? Damn, man, this bitch is a Stan Muah, muah, the generous queen will kiss a fan Ass goodbye, I'mma be riding by I'mma tell my ...Biggz, yeah that's the guy A star's a star, da ha da ha They never thought the swish god would take it this far Get my pimp cup, this is pimp shit, baby I only rock with Queens, so I'm makin' hits with Katy
[Katy Perry:] Swish, swish, bish Another one in the basket And another one and another one Can't touch this Another one in the casket And another one and another one
They know what is what Do they know? But they don't know what is what They just know what is what But they don't know what is what They just know what is what But they don't know what is what They just strut What the...
Red Velvet: Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb –31
You need to “Beat It” That boy Michael Jackson ”Bad” I’m not your “Billie Jean” Don’t you “Leave Me Alone” But you’re so ambiguous, I want “Black Or White” I can’t give up on you, my “Man In The Mirror” “Why You Wanna Trip On Me” You’re too harsh Boy, you make me “Scream” Why am I like this? Well, your “Love really Never Felt So Good” It’s so electrifying that it’s like
Aespa
Next Level
aespa
I’m on the Next Level, yeah I follow the absolute rules Don't let go of my hand unity is my weapon I walk to KWANGYA I know your home ground Confront the threat Beat it, beat it, beat it
An unexpected black out The temptation is deep and strong (Too hot too hot) Letting go of the hands held together But I'll never give up
I'm on the Next Level I open the door over there Next Level I'll destroy you in thе end Until I reach the Nеxt Level KOSMO Next Level Beat it, beat it, beat it
La, la, la, la, la, la La, la, la, la, la, la La, la, la, la, la, la La, la, la, la, la
I see the NU EVO The hostile suffering and sorrow Make you popping and evolve further That's my naevis, it's my naevis You lead, we follow After learning the feelings Watch me while I make it out
Watch me while I work it out Watch me while I make it out Watch me while I work it out Work it, work it, work it out
Even the unbearable despair Can't break my faith Watch me while I work it Even if a more painful trial comes I won't let go of your hand, oh
Never look back Don’t covet things of KWANGYA If the promises are broken, everything will be out of control The signal is becoming unstable since a certain point in time I'll destroy you in the end (We want it) Come on! Show me the way to KOSMO, yeah
A hallucination quest created by the Black Mamba Aespa, they want to separate out ae, that's right I lose my balance and my voice too In the illusion of being criticized and alienated Nævis we (Call ae, ae) Aespa's Next Level Open "P.O.S" This is the REAL WORLD, I'm awake We against the villain, what's the name? Black Mamba
I open the door in the end (Too hot, too hot) That light is like Fire to you I'm dying to know The next story that will unfold Huh!
I'm on the Next Level I open the door over there Next Level I'll destroy you in the end Until I reach the Next Level KOSMO Next Level Beat it, beat it, beat it
I'm on the Next Level I become stronger and free Next Level I'm no longer who I was at KWANGYA Next Level Feel me I'm like a beast Next Level Beat it, beat it, beat it Huh! https://lyricstranslate.com/en/next-level-next-level.html-0
Savage
[Intro: Karina] Oh my gosh Don't you know I'm a savage?
[Verse 1: Karina, Giselle] I'm a Killa who will break you, ae You're still hiding and hallucinating Beat you up, we holler I'm not afraid of you, you, hit you harder Push me in, deep fake on me To the unprepared stage Corner me in, fake on me Got everybody, mock up to me You shake me up so that I feel ashamed Cold spectators are collapsed, ae I can't stand you anymore, say, "No!"
[Refrain: Winter, Ningning] Wait and see, I'm a little savage Your dirty play I can't stand it any longer You want to break me Your hallucinations are becoming The reasons to construct you
[Pre-Chorus: Winter, Ningning] I'm a savage I'll break you into pieces yeah, oh I'm a savage I'll crush you, oh
[Chorus: Karina, Giselle, Karina & Ningning] Get me, get me now Get me, get me now (Zu-zu-zu-zu) Or I'll become more Savage (Zu-zu-zu-zu) Get me, get me now Get me, get me now (Zu-zu-zu-zu) Now I'm going to get you Now, I'm a savage Gimme, gimme now Gimme, gimme now (Zu-zu-zu-zu) I can see your words Your weakness Algorithm (Zu-zu-zu-zu) Steaming, it's steaming Steaming, it's steaming (Zu-zu-zu-zu) MA ae SYNK Don't bother me and bog off, savage (Zu-zu-zu-zu)
[Verse 2: Giselle, Winter, Karina] Mhm, everybody looks at me I'm used to it, I should take a step back I have to endure it like an adult I'm locked up in the glass I want to play such a horrible expectation I'm locked up in that hallucination frame I'm going to KWANGYA, game in Defeating a subtle alienation And making me drift apart from my ae Your satisfying trick We gone KWANGYA, game in Cut it down, my sword of light To you who is damaged It's a merciless punch
[Refrain: Ningning, Winter] See? I'm a little Savage I block your regenerative power I distract you, I leave you out Don't forget, this is KWANGYA I control your time and space Make it, break it
You are the one who protected me when I was in trouble My naevis, we love you My victory, one SYNK DIVE All the opportunities you've created I know your sacrifices, oh My naevis, we love you I know, we'll make sure to find your memories Let's meet surely after the resurrection
[Breakdown: Karina, Ningning] Savage Savage Yeah
Girls
Wake up! In a deadlier war Hold on with your feet(our feet are like hands back home) Hook! Black Mamba I am not afraid of you Hoot! I’ll break you It has changed when we entered KWANGYA Distorted æ more like me, like one A crazy presence that shows The ember that was left behind...
grew into a great evil When I helplessly isolate you Reunite we’re together again Whoo Whoo Attack Beat it Yah You’re not alone...
Shined sacrifice If you found the memory Can you show us? Can you show up? Right now, right here Follow me (Bow down) Watch me (My skill) You will get surprised (Say wow) We coming Scream (Get loud) Listen (My sound) Call it (Upgrade) We coming Blooming in chaos (We Them Girls) And confronting fear, That courage (Ah Yeah) Whenever we are together We Them Girls We Them Girls We Them Girls Meta universe exists now Parallel world All beings have meaning Part of my heart We use sympathetic words and share the body temperatures In the end, we only pursue the value of goodwill I finally became stronger I don’t get swindled or hurt It’s distorted It has started again Make sides Isolate you and me so that we can’t see ahead The algorithms that have been distorted by bad desires Use existence as the weapon and swallow with destruction Ah Evil was started at that moment Whoo Whoo Move out flip Yah I’m not alone I want to protect first encountering REKALL I will hug you so that you can feel Without SYNK DIVE Follow me (Bow down) Watch me (My skill) You will get surprised (Say wow) We coming Scream (Get loud) Listen (My sound) Call it (Upgrade) We coming Blooming in chaos (We Them Girls) And confronting fear, That courage (Ah Yeah) Whenever we are Together We Them Girls We Them Girls To face a peaceful day Inside the FLAT We laugh and love together With my friends Now I’m more curious about the future together with nævis Eventually we will probably meet nævis on the REAL MY WORLD Hold up! REAL MY WORLD Your existence is brighter than my reflection in the mirror Can you tell me? Until when, will we be together? Follow me (Bow down) Watch me (My skill) You will get surprised (Say wow) We coming Scream (Get loud) Listen (My sound) Call it (Upgrade) We coming Blooming in chaos (We Them Girls) And confronting fear, That courage (Ah Yeah) Whenever we are together We Them Girls We Them Girls We Them Girls Girls! Official translation. Play "Girls" on Amazon Music Unlimited (ad) Other Songs from Girls Album Girls Girls
Far away, far away Higher and higher To the place unseen
No one can stop me anymore Get set, go! Good-bye I’m not my old self Take a look at my WILDSIDE
By instinct, do it Come along with me Let us go down, down, down, down, da street
I didn’t go anywhere Now I could go everywhere Scared of change Just looking from the side
When you protect me and I’m breathing I’m forced into misery like a puppet, muppet I thought I was no good But behind weakness there was strength Words from loveless people, I don’t care about it anymore I will show you the truth
Never tell lies to myself any more Fly now to the place I want to be I’m never scared of going to the sky
Inside O-O-Out My wild side, my wild side The unseen me who has Overcome weakness (WILDSIDE) Far away, far away Higher and higher To the place unseen
No one can stop me anymore Get set, go! Good-bye I’m not my old self Which this WILDSIDE
Accepting myself that I don’t even know of I want to love more, believe myself more So I don’t get lost, Yeah
Starlight, slash the dark night already So bright, sparkle La-la-la-la-la
Inside O-O-Out My wild side, my wild side The unseen me who has Overcome weakness (WILDSIDE) Far away, far away Higher and higher To the place unseen
No one can stop me anymore Get set, go! Good-bye I’m not my old self Which this WILDSIDE
By instinct, do it Come along with me Let us go down down I will show you my wild side
https://youtu.be/Qpf26PtBXgo 😬 cya ❤️‍🩹😾🙀🙈
Somethings gonna give and it's not going to be me.

I am half Polish, half Japanese, only child and raised in L.A. I was raised by two great parents who've been together for over 30 years. I live in Brooklyn, NY now and my parents came to visit me a few days ago and I noticed that my mom, who just turned 60 looks terrific; her skin is so smooth and doesn't have many wrinkles. Being 30, I asked my mom what's her secret and she pointed to her umbrella. My mom would wear a big floppy hat or have an umbrella in the sun and she did prevent any skin issues and it certainly paid off.
However, this reminded me how I was kinda embarrassed when my mom did that. That it was "so Asian". Than I remember how other things my mom did used to embarrass me (like walking with an umbrella in the sun, speaking Japanese openly, wearing a face mask in public when she was sick or didn't want to get sick - which is common in Japan and large parts of Asia). I was embarrassed by this as a kid because I grew in L.A. (which had/still has a large Asian community) because I thought my mom was like a stereotype of an Asian woman. By being insecure for being young and also confused being half Asian at the time and probably peer pressure, I was kinda embarrassed that my mom was "so Asian".
Now as an adult, I realize there was nothing to be embarrassed and also feel guilty that I was at the time. Now, I'm really proud of my Japanese roots/heritage and my mom is really one of my heroes in life!
Just curious, has anyone else felt this way - especially when they were young?

Quick Author's Note:
For better clarity of intent, the 'worthwhile opponent' stipulation in Lifedrinker is being changed to 'non-negligible opponent' moving forward.
​
--
​
"The Gellin Empress was the catalyst for our breakthrough," a mage explained. "Tracing Lord Rob's lingering mana signature through the space between dimensions proved effective at first, yet it came with an insurmountable problem: he only attained mana after initially leaving Earth. At a certain point, there was no more of a signature for us to trace. We had found his home dimension, but finding his home world within the infinite expanses of that dimension could have taken years of aimless searching, like blind men stumbling in the dark."
He leaned forward, clearly enjoying having a captive audience. "The key, then, lay within Lord Rob's memories. Even without mana, memories have a power all their own. The Empress looked within his mind and found locations of personal importance to him. Ones that he remembers with pristine clarity. By scrying for areas within Lord Rob's dimension that matched those specific locations, we were able to narrow down the scope of our search considerably."
The mage spread his palms wide, and his voice dropped a full octave, as if he was imparting a great revelation. "The result will soon be made self-evident. You shall bear witness to the foremost magical achievement of our era: a one-way viewing window into Lord Rob's world. The first of many to come."
In respect for the man's showmanship, Rob started up a clap. Granted, he would've clapped even if the explanation was done via a mindnumbing PowerPoint presentation, because nothing in the universe could stunt his enthusiasm right now. Riardin's Ranger, the Elders, Diplomacy, and the Soul Surgeon clapped as well, although Rob was pretty sure they were just following his cues. This moment couldn't possibly hold the same gravitas for them as it did for him. They mostly were here to provide moral support and satisfy their curiosity.
While for him, this meant everything.
"Do we need the Gellin Empress here to create the window?" Rob asked. "I'd also like to thank her for the help she's given."
The mage shook his head. "I'll spare you the details, but to be succinct; she taught us how to save a mana-based copy of the necessary memories, which will allow us to attune to a subset of Earth locations. Her presence is not required. In fact, she insisted that we proceed without her, as the Gellin have gone to rest for the night."
Must be nice. I'd trade ten Levels for a consistent sleep schedule. Rob internally frowned at himself, punting the envious thoughts away. No sour grapes. If the Empress helped me see Earth again, then I hope she sleeps like a baby for the rest of her life.
"One question," Keira interjected. "In your explanation, you stated that, without the Empress' assistance, it may have taken years to discover Earth. That is hardly the weeks or months you claimed in the past."
The group of dimension mages froze, embarrassment blooming on their features. They looked to the head mage for guidance, whose veneer of showmanship was deflating like a leaky balloon. "We were perhaps...optimistic."
"By years?"
"The previous estimate I put forth was one that assumed we would develop breakthroughs as we went along." His mouth widened into a sheepish grin. "As you can see, we, um, succeeded."
Keira raised an eyebrow. "Only with the timely assistance of a Leader." Her tone was calm, yet unyielding. "Rob is too grateful to point out this contradiction, so I suppose the task falls to me. You have also told us that you should be able to 'open' the window and let Rob send a letter home within the next week – is that more unfounded optimism?"
"No." The mage straightened his posture. "Now that we have located Earth, the rest is simply a matter of refining our spells and collecting reserves of mana. We are no longer blind, nor are we fumbling in the dark, and thus our progress moving forward shall be predictable and steady. This, I swear."
After a few seconds, Keira nodded. "Then I thank you for the wonderful boon you've granted to the man I love."
From behind, Malika giggled under her breath. Rob squeezed Keira's hand, gave her a warm smile, and faced the mages. "I'm ready whenever you are."
The tent thrummed with mana as the dimension mages formed a Mage Circle with Malika. It was no different from any other time they'd done so, yet the knowledge of what they were about to accomplish heightened the tension in the air to a fever pitch. Rob's pulse quickened, his throat tightening. He'd been disemboweled by monsters, decapitated by eldritch abominations, and none of those events made him a fraction as nervous as watching the dimension mages at work.
Minutes passed. Rob forced himself to be patient. Reaching across the boundaries of space and dimensions wasn't like heading to the store to pick up a carton of milk. It involved a level of spellcasting prowess that would take Rob decades of committed study to have even the slightest chance at grasping. Frankly, the fact that it was possible at all still beggared belief.
Maybe...maybe the mages were wrong. Not lying; just wrong. They could be overeager, sharing before they were actually ready, and they'd end the circle looking contrite and ashamed.
That was okay. No biggie. Rome wasn't built in a day, or...something. He could wait–
Creak.
It was the sound of a rusted hinge, of crumpling paper, of breaking bones, and more. A combination of all the noises things made when subjected to an external force. Like reality itself was groaning under the pressure.
Creeeak.
A thin, imperceptible line appeared at eye-level, dark as the endless void. Slowly, inch-by-inch, it widened.
CREEEAK.
It had become a rectangle. Two feet wide, three feet high. With a final CREAK, reality threw in the towel. The void dissipated, as if smoke blown away by a gust of wind, revealing...
Home.
Everything was as he remembered it. The same furniture with scuffed marks of wear-and-tear. The same living room where they'd watched movies each Friday. The same kitchen with a sink perpetually filled with dirty dishes. The same tacky wallpaper that his mom refused to change, and that he secretly enjoyed.
Identical. Like a portrait had been painted straight from his memories.
A tsunami of aching nostalgia surged through him. Rob didn't realize he was extending his hand until his fingertips were already brushing against the viewing window. Its surface felt solid, and for an instant he was terrified that this really was just a painting. Something invented to give him false hope.
Then he noticed that a window had been cracked open. Not the mages' window; the window inside his house. A small breeze blew inside, jostling a curtain ever so lightly. Just enough to make it move.
"It's real." Rob's voice was hoarse. "It's my home."
No one said anything. They allowed him his silence, a gesture which he greatly appreciated. Eventually, Rob took a deep breath, clenched his hands so that they wouldn't tremble, and looked at the dimension mages. "Thank you. I owe you...so much. Even if observing from afar ended up being the limit of what you could do, just seeing my house again like this is..."
He trailed off, unable to find words that were sufficient. Thankfully, the dimension mages seemed to understand. "You are most welcome, Lord Rob." The head mage smiled. "This is far from the limit of what we can do, however. Give us time, and this window shall open."
Rob nodded, choosing not to believe them. They were probably right, but on the off chance they weren't, he didn't want to look back on this moment with bitterness. Best to assume the worst and be grateful for what he already had.
As if drawn by a gravitational pull, his eyes drifted back towards the window. It was displaying a fixed point in the center of his home. "Can you switch perspectives? I want to check other rooms." His parents were likely asleep in their bedroom at this hour. Assuming they didn't sell the house out of grief and move, that is.
"I am afraid that isn't possible. We can transpose the viewing window to other specific locations that the Empress provided, but having it 'walk around', so to speak, requires finer control than we are yet capable of."
Yet, he says. Which means that with practice, they'll be able to. Rob placated himself with that notion. This was a minor setback, and he wouldn't let it get him down.
He especially wouldn't listen to that tiny voice in the back of his head, whispering that the reason he couldn't see his parents right now was because they were–
"Got it," Rob stated, in a wooden voice. "What other locations did the Empress pick out?"
The window's perspective blurred and shifted. Rob swallowed a gasp as an extremely familiar place was displayed before him. He'd seen it many, many times, even after coming to Elatra. It used to be at the top of his nightmare rotation, only ousted from its throne when Blights started coming into play.
In front of them was a small grassy lawn, surrounded by lecture halls in the near-distance. The place that had forever altered the course of his life.
"This is where it all started." Rob pointed to an empty spot in the middle of the field. "Portal opened up. Right there. Saturated with darkness. Chains shot out, tried to grab at Jason. I pushed him out of the way, and...the rest is history."
Silence reigned once more. After a few seconds, Orn'tol stirred. The young Ranger opened his mouth, preparing to say what would undoubtedly be some platitude reassuring Rob over his noble sacrifice.
"The grass truly is green."
Rob burst out laughing. He kept going until he was short of breath, wheezing as the others looked at him with eyes full of concern. "I'm okay," he managed to cough, once the laughter had died down to snickers. "Thanks, Orn'tol. I needed that."
"You're very welcome?" Orn'tol exchanged confused glances with the rest of Riardin's Rangers. "I am unsure of what I did to assist you, yet it's good to see you in high spirits nonetheless."
"Sometimes a little silliness is just what the doctor ordered." Rob offered him a high-five, which the boy accepted with zeal. They returned their gazes to the viewing window, Rob tilting his head as he peered closer. "Hmm. That's weird."
"What do you mean?"
"There's no people. It's early evening, but college students have the worst sleeping patterns on the face of the planet. Trust me; I'm speaking from experience. Usually you'd see a dozen partygoers strung out on energy drinks racing around now."
"Perhaps this location is known as a place of danger," Keira posited. "I would certainly be hesitant to tread where a portal of darkness sprang from the aether and kidnapped a civilian."
Rob watched the viewing window for signs of life, finding none. "Could be. Parents probably pulled their kids out after what happened to me. Then either the government condemns the area, or enough money is lost that the college goes bankrupt." He snorted. "Would be the least of what it deserves, considering the tuition fees. Bloodsucking vampires."
"People on Earth drink blood?"
Normally, Rob would have played along with their confusion, but there were more important things to focus on. "Can you change this to the next location from my memories?" he asked the dimension mages. "How many are there, anyway?"
"Five in total. One moment, please."
The window's perspective blurred, shifted, and reformed. Now it was displaying a city sidewalk, its view positioned right outside the best god damn burger joint in existence. Rob didn't care what anyone else said; two greasy slabs of beef squeezed between two sesame-seed buns was the absolute pinnacle of culinary delight. So what if his palette was 'like a five-year old's?' Wasn't his fault that delicious things were delicious.
Belatedly, he realized that his memory of this restaurant had been strong enough for the Gellin Empress to choose it as a point of reference for interdimensional portal magic. That...yeah, that tracked. Aside from the burgers, he had fond memories of sitting at the outside patio with Jason and his folks, drinking Minty Fresh Phantasma and inhaling cheesy fries as they mocked his dietary preferences. Good times.
He was about to explain what this place meant to him when a human casually walked past the viewing window.
She was a normal working woman like any other. Tired eyes, a purse slung over her shoulder, and dressed for lukewarm weather. A cell phone was held in her right hand, her eyes glued to some form of social media. She strode past the window without a care in the world, visible for merely a second before disappearing from view.
To the Elatrans, it was like a horror movie jumpscare. All of them froze. Several gasped. Elder Alessia grimaced. Faelynn muttered "a world of Humans" in a hushed tone. The only exceptions were Elder Duran and the Soul Surgeon, who crept closer to get a better look, their eyes shimmering with curiosity.
In contrast, Rob let out a sigh of overwhelming relief. That bored, everyday woman was exactly what he'd needed to set him at ease. Earth hasn't completely gone to shit behind my back. People are still living their lives.
As he watched, a few more humans walked in front of the window. A middle-aged man, a young boy with his mother, and an old woman with a walking cane. The old woman pivoted straight into the burger joint, Rob internally praising her good taste.
"W-well," the head mage stuttered. He paused, cleared his throat, then started anew. "As you can see, the viewing window is imperceptible to those with low Levels of Sense Mana. Naturally, this will not be the case for a portal that can be interacted with from both sides."
"Dangerous," Meyneth commented. "I would advise that you conceal this type of spell for as long as you are able. The viewing window especially."
"Why is that?"
"If this window cannot be sensed by those with low Levels of Sense Mana, then that makes it an ideal tool for spying on non-Mages. In your haste to glimpse into the world of another dimension, you have inadvertently developed a field of magic that puts every nation in Elatra at risk of subterfuge. People have been assassinated for much less."
The mages blanched. "We are nothing more than simple researchers," the head mage protested, in a faltering voice. "Who besides a madwoman like the Dragon Queen would stoop so low as to threaten noncombatants?"
Keira averted her eyes, pointedly examining the floor.
"We can discuss matters of life and death at a later time," Duran interjected. He gestured to the viewing window with the demeanor of a child in a toy story. "There's a world of discoveries to explore! Take a look at those structures the Earth Humans have built – they resemble the buildings within Human territory, yet small differences set them apart."
Duran ooooh'd as another person walked past the viewing window. "So many humans are ambling about despite the late hour. Is this area a well-traveled location in your home city, Rob?"
"This is around the level of street traffic you should expect for early evening. If it were daytime, you'd see a hundred people per minute."
Duran aaaah'd. Before he could launch into a series of questions, Zamira beat him to it. "Pardon me if this comes across as an insult," she began, hesitantly. "But Earth Humans appear marginally...uncoordinated. It is hard for me to describe the notion, yet when I watch them move, they appear as if they're liable to fall over at any moment."
They look normal to me, Rob almost said, before remembering that Earth's normal wasn't Elatra's normal. "That's called being permanently Level 1." He shrugged. "They've all got crap stats. Except athletes, I guess."
Zamira stared at the human passerby with obvious sympathy. "My condolences."
Does Earth seem like a world of cripples to her? Rob wondered. Even Utility Class users have the option to put a couple points into Dexterity and Perception. That's not counting the natural stat boosts they gain as they grow up, either. And when combined with Vitality and healing magic, it means that people in Elatra tend to age gracefully.
Rob tried to think of the last time he'd seen an Elatran with the same frailty as that old human woman with her walking cane. The oldest person he'd met so far was the Fiend High Soulseer, and in spite of being positively ancient – and blind – the dude could get around fine. Elder Duran was having health problems, but that was only after suffering from severe Corruption poisoning for weeks on end. An incident like that would've landed an Earth human in long-term hospice care.
Actually, no, that was wrong. It would've just killed them.
"We should switch to the next location," Rob said, preempting any further questions. "There's still two more left." Maybe I can see...no. Keep your expectations in check.
He was right to do so. Rob's heart sank as the viewing window solidified once again, revealing battered, empty streets. Half the buildings had collapsed to rubble, as if visited by a wrecking crew with an axe to grind. He recognized this spot as the street leading up to his favorite movie theater on the other side of the city. There'd been good times here, as well.
Although not anymore. The theater's roof had caved in, and half the letters in its ostentatious PRIME CINEMA logo were missing. It would take years to rebuild – assuming someone was willing to invest millions of dollars into what was essentially a ghost town.
"This..." He ran his hand down his face, aware of everyone gazing at him with pity. "As you can probably infer, this isn't normal. In the past–"
Bang.
Rob practically jumped out of his skin at the abrupt sound of gunfire. At first he thought the shot had come from outside, but no, it was both too distant and too close for that. The noise also sounded different from the rifles that the Dwarven Thunder Rod wielders employed.
A series of repeated bangs swept his thoughts away. Everyone watched in astonishment as a crew of Earth military soldiers ran into view from a side street, desperately fleeing the eight-legged Blightspawn that was hot on their tails. The abomination was more of an amalgamation of flesh and limbs than anything resembling a living creature, and the way it skittered made Rob reconsider if spiders were really that bad in comparison.
"Keep firing!" one of the men commanded, his voice sounding like it was coming from the bottom of a lake. The soldiers blasted their assault rifles in a retreating offensive, peppering the abomination with a hailstorm of bullets. Their response was swift, their aim was true, and it did not matter. The Blightspawn bulldozed through the rain of bullets as if it was a light drizzle, the creature's five cavernous mouths wailing for blood and sustenance.
It was nearly upon them when an explosive rocketed in from the opposite side street, knocking the Blightspawn off its many feet. The reprieve was temporary, but it was just long enough for the soldiers to escape unharmed. Unfortunately, the creature was also mostly unharmed, sporting minor injuries despite a direct missile strike to the torso. With a chorus of screams that prickled Rob's ears, the abomination continued its chase, batting away a second missile as it resumed the chase with renewed fervor.
Then it was gone, having left the window's range of sight. Distant sounds of battle grew quieter, the gunshots and explosions becoming more faint as predator and prey ran deeper into the ruined city.
Rob closed his eyes. He said nothing for half a minute, allowing himself time to process what he'd seen.
"Okay." He opened his eyes, nodding. "This is fine."
Keira laid a hand on his shoulder, struggling with what to say. "Rob...you don't need to–"
"Hold it in? Bottle up my emotions?" A wry chuckle escaped his throat. "Honestly, I'm not as affected as I thought I'd be. The Blight dropped one too many cryptic hints for me to be surprised, anyway. At this point I'm just glad that Earth hasn't been completely overrun. Some parts of the city might be fucked up, but not all of it is."
He narrowed his eyes. "The biggest thing I'm worried about is the Blightspawn itself. You saw those weapons the humans were using, right? Think of them as substantially upgraded versions of the Thunder Rods. They should've put a real dent in a fully-grown Blight, let alone one of its spawn."
"Perhaps the creatures have gained a defensive Skill?" Duran theorized. "What we witnessed appears consistent with other damage reduction Skills such as Tough Skin or Heat Resistance. I would surmise that the Blight has learned something akin to – for example – Thunder Rod Resistance."
Rob paused. Elatra didn't have a specified 'Bullet Resistance' Skill, but that was because conventional firearms had been removed from the system for balancing purposes. The Blight wouldn't give two shits about balance. They'd cheerfully grant themselves Bullet Resistance, Missile Resistance, and whatever else tickled their fancy.
And the more Earth fought back, the more resistant they'd become.
"...This doesn't change anything," Rob eventually concluded. "Earth is a big boy planet. It'll figure something out. In the meantime, we'll clean up our problems here and be ready to help if the Blight's still around by then."
"You're sure?" Keira asked. Two words that held so much intent. 'Are you sure you'll be alright? Are you sure Elatra should remain your primary concern? Are you sure you don't want to head home the instant the dimension mages create a working portal?'
Rob gave her a thumbs-up. "I'm sure. And I know you'll worry about me regardless, but I promise I'm feeling fine."
Or maybe he was just numb, and an avalanche of emotions would bury him when he least expected it. The good news was that was a problem for future-Rob to deal with. Present-Rob had one last area to investigate.
I'd be satisfied with seeing my old bedroom intact, he thought, as the dimension mages altered the viewing window for the last time. I have strong memories there, right? It should be a candidate. Those late night Netflix binges were uh...riveting. Yeah.
The window finalized.
Rob felt the strength leave his body.
Some parts of what he was seeing were incongruous. Strange details that he'd need to figure out soon. All of it took a hard backseat to the one sight in the room that truly mattered.
Jason was alive.
He was at his house that Rob had visited so often. Alive. Surrounded by people. Alive. Chatting away. Alive. Gesturing in that exaggerated manner he often used. Alive.
Smiling.
Alive.
A dam broke. Silent tears began streaming down Rob's face. Thoughts cut out, leaving only the realization that his best friend since childhood, the sole person he'd have trusted with his life before meeting Riardin's Rangers, the man whose place he'd taken when the gods picked a new chew toy...
Was alive.
"Hey, man." Rob's smile was the most genuine it had been in a long time. "Been a while."
At that moment, almost as if he could hear him, Jason grinned.
​
--
​
Author's Note:
When I was writing Chapter 199, I was mildly annoyed that Rob didn't reach 200 Vitality on Chapter 200. That would've been hilariously coincidental. But if I had to choose between that chapter or this one for a big milestone...I think I like this better.
Happy Chapter 200, everyone. Thanks for reading and staying on this journey with me.

said this a hit of liquid heroin Marilyn Manson channeling, panicking, spar with Anakin 'Til one of us leave in an ambulance Blow the smoke of the spliff in your eyes You ain't gon' live 'til you die Intelligent bitch on my side She bitching, I'm spitting habitual lies I hit her up when my jet land (call her) Got a Swisher tucked in my headband (baller) Front page news, I'm young Jesus Eating bagels with no cable on (let's go) Been fucking hoes since when Mase was on (okay) I hope the Based God hears my prayers (pray) One day you're here, the next day you're gone So me and Earl smoking weed on Jay-Z's lawn Some dope rap on your hoe ass, Tony Womack Don't hold back, no, feed your girl Cognac (woah) Meet a bitch, sleepin' wit' her, feverish, diva chick Met her off Twitter, even Schindler keep a list (okay) Pittsburgh, broke down somewhere in a Fisker (uh-huh) I could pull your bitch with a whisper (uh-huh) then diss her (woah) Dumbass hoe (hoe) She only dumb 'cause she love that dough (okay) Somewhere getting high reading, Juxtapoz Hit her up, she come through, watch Adjustment Bureau (that's a good movie) Moms love me 'cause I'm so commercial ('mercial) I fuck 'em raw 'cause I know they fertile (fertile) In Myrtle Beach with a purple fleece (fleece) Hotel lobbies playin' Für Elise (yeah) I'm Ron Burgundy mixed with Hercules Slap a bitch in the mouth if she curse at me (ow) Said Josh beard is like Paul Revere When he walk in the room it's like God is here I'm at a prop shop in Montauk throwing tomahawks at civilians

Have my orientation soon and don’t know what to expect. Don’t know anyone going to unt and I’m a little more on the shy side plus I live about 5 hours away so it’s a pretty big shift for me.
Will there be a lot of free time given during orientation where I’ll just have to sit/walk alone or is it group focused? Do we pick our orientation groups (asking bc my friends at UH did) or are they randomized/based on major? Are we actually going to be relentlessly walking most of the time or is that an exaggeration? I know some schools (especially commuter schools; not sure if unt falls under that umbrella) don’t prioritize ice breaking and meeting new people at orientation so I was wondering how that will be at unt?
Also: what should I prepare for before orientation/ make sure to look at? Should I already have a list of the classes and electives I specifically want to take? Will I have one on one time w/ advisors to ask questions (still unsure about what I want to major in)
Please tell me what to expect, what I may need to bring that might not be on the list, your experience (brick & mortar), or just a general run down, etc. It would be HEAVILY appreciated because I’m terrified.

Memory transcription subject: Josak, Arxur-Human Cultural Exchange Member
Date [standardized human time]: November 12, 2136
The bus had come to a slow stop sometime in the night and someone had manually guided it into a nook in the gravel path leading to the home that Cris called a ranch. All of that was a faded memory though. Everyone was too tired to do anything by the time we arrived. We had all fallen asleep one by one and left the beast running deep into the night until the batteries died and the heat turned off.
I woke up to a very annoying chill reminiscent of the darker regions of Venlil Prime. I sluggishly waddled my way towards the boy and cautiously tapped the screen of his phone. It read out 3:43AM, but it took my blurry eyes a few seconds to register anything other than brightness. The temperature outside was around 30 degrees. Much too cold for any of us. I bent my claws away and shoved at Dani and Geo.
“Huh? Why’s it cold?” Geo asked.
“The power’s out and it’s freezing. Get up so we can go inside.” I muttered.
“Guys, GET UP!” I yelled to the rest of the occupants.
The younger child cried in fear from the sudden burst of noises. I cringed at the realization of my mistakes.
“Hell! Shut up, you big lizard. We’re up.” Carmen yelled, walking towards us with a flashlight in hand.
I whimpered a little, though I think I went unheard. I didn’t mean to upset her, especially considering I was afraid of her. She nearly killed me once and I didn’t want to try for seconds.
“My apologies, but we’re all rather hairless. I don’t want any of y’all to freeze.” I muttered.
Carmen grumbled. “Well you could have been a little less spastic, dumbass. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like waking up to screams anymore than I have to.”
“Mom, quit being an ass.” Geo spat, half asleep.
Both of his mothers and myself looked at the boy with shock and awe. I expected a bit of an explosion of anger. Instead, Carmen started laughing.
“Yeah. I guess I am. Sorry, Josak.” Carmen chuckled.
I gulped down a bit of fear and spoke. “Why are you not angry?”
“I am fucking pissed, but Geo has a point. Seriously, both of you, sorry.” she mumbled.
The woman snapped her fingers and pointed everyone to the door. She swung it open and then stumbled out towards the house. The doorway and the path were illuminated by a glowing porchlight. It was a humblingly inefficient incandescent light, but it looked beautiful in the dark of the night.
From outside, she let out a tired bit of speech. “Come on… Less go.”
The rest of the humans shuffled out in a disordered fashion. The only one missing was Moss. Evidently, Carmen was not as correct as she had thought. The therapist was still dozing in the driver’s seat.
“Moss, wake up. It’s too cold out here. We gotta go inside…” I babbled.
The response I received from the therapist was a snore and nothing more. I responded in turn by shaking them awake. I was tired of freezing my butt off.
“Wageup! WAGEUP!” I bellowed.
“Oi. Oh, hey Jo. Brrrh. Why’s it cold?” they asked. Their eyes were hazy from lazy tiredness.
“Because it’s night time in winter. Get up.” I commanded.
“Yeah. Probably should, but I’m tired. I don’t wanna.” they laughed.
I had finally found another part of humanity that I honestly despised. They were really annoying to deal with when they were tired. At least with Arxur, it was easy to wake us up. All you had to do was avoid the few seconds of animalistic fear and rage. Humans, however, were a heck of a lot lazier. Moss was putting that on full display.
“You’ll freeze out here if you don’t get moving.” I added.
“Damn. You right. Wait, come to think of it, you probably would have froze to death on that hospital roof if I hadn’t been there to help you off your ass. That’s right, right?” Moss asked.
“I’m too tired to argue, Moss. Please just come on. It’s too cold out here for me.” I muttered.
“Aight, you want me out so bad, carry me. I’m tired, dude. Don’t wanna move, even if this just a dream.” Moss giggled.
I grumbled. Even if I was an empath, this was just annoying. I honestly understood why Idokam hated empathy for a split second. I just wanted to go inside where it was warm and instead I was stuck wrangling an adult human because they wanted to be a goof.
I picked the nearly 2 meter tall child up by their legs and back and carried them towards the exit. Though I was annoyed, I was careful to avoid colliding the human’s head with a wall. I had to be doubly careful to not break the guitar slung across my back. The excessive weight of carrying another person was already starting to irritate my breathing. I had enough energy to get to the house though. I clomped down the steps and the human suddenly tensed up in the bitter windy cold.
“Holy fuck! Where am I?!” Moss yelled.
The therapist yelled in addition. “Josak! Fuck! That was not a dream. Put me down!”
The human scrambled out of my arms and nearly knocked me over in the process. I stared at her with exhausted confusion and annoyance.
“Moss, why are you weird?” I asked without any consideration.
“Well, I mean, like, I thought I was dreaming, so…” the human sputtered.
“Yes, but why are your dreams weird?” I asked again.
“Uh, cause I’m weird.” Moss replied.
“Yes. We’re both weird, but that was too weird. Please go inside, sleep, and be less weird.” I grumbled.
“Too tired to argue, but nah. Weird friends are good friends.” Moss choked out before reorienting themselves.
I felt drained of my ability to socialize for the first time in forever. Even I couldn’t handle the tedious irritation of waking a sleeping family of hairless predatory apes. I decided to avoid them instead for a while. I left them all to get settled into the house and walked around the property hoping they would be sleeping within a few minutes.
The moonlight illuminated some of the darkness. As I approached what looked to be a fence, it also illuminated a very eerie sight. Behind the fence were nearly a dozen pairs of glowing eyes. The glowing orbs appeared to face forward like my own and I felt anxious and fearful. Not for my own life, but for those of my best friend’s precious creatures. I broke into a hobbling sprint towards the eyes, hoping that I was not too late to at least save some of them from the small predators. The runts took off running. They bleated and yelled like scared Venlil.
“Wait… Bleating?” I whispered aloud.
As I jumped over the fence, I stopped in my tracks. The creatures were making just the same noises as the Venlil and they had left no corpses in their wake. I slapped my hand against my head as I came to the complete realization that I had just spooked the poor sheep rather than the predators I feared that they were.
I contained my laughter as best as possible. I didn’t want to scare the animals anymore than I already had. I really needed some sleep, even if curiosity begged me to see what the animals really looked like. Unfortunately for me, curiosity won. I crouched onto all fours and waltzed in silence towards the startled glowing eyes. The clouds moved out and the new stars gave off enough light for my eyes to still work.
I nearly broke out in laughter again when I got a look at the sheep. They looked like quadrupedal Venlil with a few differences. They had noses, stubby tails, and hooves instead of fingers, but they otherwise looked hilariously similar. They were collected against the fence line in a loose herd formation. I watched them with much curiosity. Convergent evolution had somehow created a red blooded species of hoofed Venlil.
I laughed at the ideas inside my head, wondering if there were worlds where humans could fly and where Arxur ate nothing but mushrooms. I was distracted by my own half asleep thoughts. I did not notice the stamping on the ground as a small sheep walked right up next to my head and let out a really loud noise.
“Baaaaaahhhhhh!!!” it bleated, scaring me right back into my senses.
I jumped away out of simple shock and the rest of the sheep scattered. The bleating doofus did not move though. It stood it’s ground with a dumb lack of fear and bent it’s neck down to grab a clump of grass for chewing.
I burst out laughing and bellowing as I looked at the goofy creature. It still wasn’t scared. It was just a goofy little unscared Venthing. In my laughter, I heard the calls of a human in the distance.
“Josak. We’re trying to sleep. Get inside and go to bed. You’re keeping us all up.” Dani yelled from the door.
I considered yelling out to apologize, but that would have just created more noise and then I would have probably had to deal with Carmen which is not something I wanted to do again at 4AM. I gave one last look at the simple creature. It was entirely satisfied with it’s grass. Even if the herd had gone, it had stood it’s ground for something as simple as a meal. It was a peculiar little sheep.
“Hehehe. Good sheep.” I chuckled.
I left the sheep to its meal which I had suddenly realized I was sitting on. It moved closer to the pile as soon as I had gotten off of it. The small hooves pattered against the dirt to rejoin the fearless one and I watched as about a dozen eyes returned to form an ethereal cloud of glowing orbs.
The eyes in the night still looked somewhat creepy to me even if Arxur gave off the same glowing reflection in the darkness. The sheep gave me an unexplainable feeling of unease when I couldn’t see the rest of them. It was as if they were like me, but at the same time not. Like a sort of trick or something. I intended to ask Moss about that feeling, but it was something that needed to wait. I needed sleep and so did the rest of them.
Even if the darkness was home for Arxur, it was time to get to bed. Just as the humans slept at dusk and awoke at dawn, so would I. Sleep with the pack and rise with the pack. They were my pack and I would do the same simple things they did.
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The story is winding down and Josak is settling into a simple life with simple creatures such as sheep. Josak is also learning that humans are not always the best. Sleepy humans are especially annoying. It's even worse when you're a night owl among morning risers. Still, it beats the previous way.

I had three things on my mind walking home.
Firstly, figuring out how to get a ride back home. My best guess was that I was a good thirty minute drive from any type of civilization. There was a small possibility a car might come along from across the distance, but the chance they were heading in the same direction I was, was even slimmer.
I mean, I could probably manage to hotwire a car back at the farmhouse. But I didn't want to go back there. Not yet.
The second thing on my mind was my lack of shoes. The rocks were tough and sharp under my feet, scraping them raw with every aching footstep. I had settled on walking on the muddy, yet less painful, grass on the side. But I still wondered why. Of all the thing the man at the table could've taken from me, he took shoes.
It was a pretty clear answer, however. Mental games. He hires someone to drop me off in the middle of nowhere, with no feasible way of getting back. He knew the first thing I'd want to do is leave. So he took my shoes. He gave me two options, and he wanted to make one that displeased him hurt me, even if it was only in a small, petty way.
Mental games.
The last thing was that I had messed up. Badly. I had continually played into the man at the table's hand. He had always been two steps ahead of me and in hindsight, it was foolish of me to go confront him. I suppose I had visions of bravado, and of revenge, but all I had to show for it was one less arm, and a dead friend.
I can admit that I shouldn't have done that. But I can also change. One short phone call to the police, and I'd get rid of this nightmare. I had an address. I had a confession. I had evidence. And I had made up my mind. No longer I would face all this by myself.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed 911. No service. Great.
I continued walking for another twenty minutes, before I heard the roar of a car engine behind me. I turned around. There was a car peeking over the horizon, coming from where I came from, and going the direction I was going. Perfect. It was an old blue Chevy, that rumbled across the gravel, kicking up a plume of dust as it went.
I stuck my thumb out.
In that moment, I probably didn't look like someone you'd want to pick of the road, with missing shoes and only one arm, and all. But there was no harm in trying. I was hoping it was a kind farmer from hereabouts, heading to the main town to do some weekly shopping. The Chevy made its way to me, and I saw the driver eye me up and down, before pulling onto the shoulder of the road.
I opened the door and hopped into the passengers side, thanking the driver. He shifted his position to look at me. Well, rather look past me. He had short, cropped hair, three-day stubble, and a faraway look in his eyes, as if he couldn't rest his gaze, or if he was always searching into the distance.
It was the paramedic, from earlier.
I opened the door and got out. I wasn't doing this again. I would rather walk home. The paramedic drove forward a bit, cutting me off from the road, so that I would have to walk around his car to go forwards. I stopped walking. The paramedic got out of his car.
"Hey, Jonathan." He said, waving.
I didn't respond.
He moved forward towards me and extended a hand. I didn't accept it. He held it there for an uncomfortably long period of time, before placing it back by his side. "Look. We got of on the wrong foot here. The name's Michael. It's a pleasure to meet you again."
"The pleasure's all yours." I said, dripping with distaste.
He looked forward, his gaze shifting in and out of focus. "So. . .uh. You called 911. I can't let you do that."
"How did you know that?" I questioned.
He shrugged. "GPS tracker. In your arm. Shows us your location, and interferes with phone signals as well. Took the liberty of inserting it when you were out cold."
It wasn't a service signal problem, then.
He shifted position, and leaned against his car. "So, I'm going to set it to you straight. Come back with us. You obviously can't be trusted to not go back to the police. Let's make this fair. We're not here to hurt you. You said you'd work for us. Come back, Jonathan."
"And how would you stop me from going?" I said, tensing up for a fight.
He shook his head, looking hurt. He grabbed his keys from his pocket, and pressed a button connected to the keychain. I fell down in pain, as a sharp buzzing sensation shook my body, the intensity increasing ever few seconds.
Michael let go off the button. "I forgot to mention. The tracker also doubles as a. . .safety precaution. You just experienced setting three. Trust me, you wouldn't like setting eight." He tapped his eyes. "Messes up your internal hardware, as I'm sure you've noticed. Setting ten straight up kills you."
I automatically looked at my right arm. Inside of it, somewhere, was a small death machine.
"So, Jonathan. Will you come back?"
I didn't have much of a choice.
The drive back was uneventful, and spent mostly in silence. Every time Michael tried to start a conversation, I brushed him of with one word answers. I wanted to make it clear I didn't want to be here.
He pulled up the small driveway towards the farmhouse. The man at the table was sitting on the porch waiting for me. He knew I was coming. He tells me I have a choice in whether I leave or not, but I never really did. The illusion of choice.
Mental games.
He stood up to greet me as I got out of the car. "Jonathan! You're back! I am so glad to see you!" He waved me inside. "Come on in. I've got so much to tell you! The others are eating breakfast."
I walked in with him, towards the dining room where I had first met him. Seated around the table, there was a large group of nineteen people eating bacon and eggs, and various other breakfast items.
I knew most of them.
There was Sgt Langley, slathering some butter on bread. She smiled and waved at me as I came in.
Eddison was sitting beside her, pouring milk into a glass. He turned away from me, not wanting to look me in the eyes, I suppose. He was embarrassed to be here.
There was various other people I had seen in my time in the field,. Other paramedics and police officers, politicians, journalists, doctors and surgeons. All sharing a pleasant meal together. In the house of a murderer.
The man clapped his hands from behind me. "Ok, everyone! Let's make Jonathan feel welcome around here. He's the latest Keeper, but we're still expecting many more"
"Welcome, Jonathan." A unison of voices said.
I scanned the room, my throat dry and constricted. This was too much.
The man walked away and beckoned me towards him. He continued to walk through the house, pointing out every room, and giving a rundown of the layout. A kitchen, two living rooms, and three bathrooms spread across two stories. There was also a couple of bedrooms inside, but it seemed to me everyone was sleeping in tents outside.
He then took me down to the basement. "This is where the magic happens." He said, with a wink.
It was as I left it. A large operating table covered in dried blood filled the middle of the room. It was surrounded with various machinery, and tools. It was a stark contrast between a sterile IV machine on one side, and a rusted saw hanging of a nail on the other. And in the middle of it all were cameras, set up on tripods around the room.
I inspected one more closely. "What are the cameras for?" I asked.
The man chuckled slightly. "How else do you think I get the money to pay for all of this?"
I turned around to face him, the cogs clicking in my head. "You. . .sell videos of people being tortured."
He smiled. "You get it. Torture porn is extremely popular in some places of the internet. It's not the main reason I do this, of course. But it helps the cause. The video of your arm being sold, for example, was sold for just shy of five thousand." He clasped his eyes behind his back, seemingly very pleased with himself. "I cut paid to cut off a few legs, and then I have the money to cut off more than just legs. It's an endless cycle. It's perfect. You've seen firsthand the fruits of this system." He nodded towards the door on the side, still marked with elephant.
He continued. "That's where I keep my work-in-progresses. Of course, it's empty now. Which is a shame. He was shaping up to be my best elephant yet. No matter, we've got a cat picked out and coming in soon."
I shuddered at the way he talked about Thompson with such blasé. As if what had happened to him was a natural, everyday occurrence. It sickened me. There was no way somebody could do this all day, and believe themselves to be good.
There was something else as well, burning in the back of my mind. "You said before that the night my sister was kidnapped, she was doing something that I didn't know. What was it?"
He was silent for a moment. "How close were you with your sister?"
I shrugged. "Close enough. We talked about once a month, and came over every Christmas."
"Do you know what she did for work?"
"Yeah. She was studying something. Some sort of advanced anesthetic. She never worked it out, however."
"She did." He simply said. He waited for me to process that before continuing. "I met Alice on an online forum. From the beginning, she fascinated me. She talked about how the world was corrupt and poisoned by humanity, and her ideas for rebirth and restoration. She had plans, Jonathan. So many plans. Everything you see here is a result of her work. We met up at one point and clicked. She was perfect. She was smart. And she was mine."
"Then. . .why did you kill her?" I asked.
I could see his eyes clouding up, as if he was on the verge of tears. "Her anesthetic didn't work as intended. Instead of removing pain, it increased it. The way it truly works is beyond me, but even a little dose causes the most unimaginable pain. It feels as if your body is being removed from the inside and replaced with fire, atom by atom. Death would be preferable. But that's the thing, the anesthetic one small side-effect. It's downright impossible to die when the effects take hold. You just have to endure through the pain."
"So all the people I saw. . .?" I let my question trail of.
"It's easy to manipulate someone's body when they don't have the strength to retaliate, nor the capability to die." He paused, his body quivering with each shaky breath. "Alice wanted to be the first. She wanted to be the pioneer as the world transitioned into her vision. I begged her not to, as there were other, more suitable candidates. But she insisted.
And so we staged a kidnapping. There was no evidence because there was no struggle. There was nothing. She came to this farmhouse, and was the first person to be operated on that table. I spent years placing toothpicks in her skin, while she was drugged up under her special anesthetic. She pushed through the pain, and continued to talk to me. Sharing ideas that I would have never thought possible.
She told me to find others. In places of power. And if they wouldn't join willingly, then find a way to force them. Soon enough, they would come to realize we're working for the benefit of humanity. She told me to create animal-human hybrids to begin with. An evolution of our species. And the last thing she told me, before I laid her to rest in a park, was to find you. To hire you. To change your vision. And here you are."
I stood in silence. I, in fact, didn't know what to say. Everything that I though I knew about my sister was shattered in an instant. It was possible the man was lying. There was no way she really was a some sort of insane fanatical, hell-bent on torturing people.
It just wasn't the person I knew.
And yet, everything made sense. I didn't want to believe him, but I didn't see any way that I couldn't. He was right, and I knew it.
The man looked back at me. "Come, Jonathan. I've got one more thing you need to see."
He led me up, out of the basement, and through the back door. He led me past a large vegetable garden, and rows upon rows of tents, most of them unoccupied.
They were expecting many more.
I followed him past a fireplace, with upturned stumps placed in a circle around it, to the large barn behind the farmhouse. It was painted a classic red with a sloping roof, and white barn doors. I could hear various noises emanating from inside, different loud sounds, moans, and scrapes, seemingly as if a large machine was inside.
Or a large number of people.
"This," The man said, gesturing at the barn. "Is my crowning achievement. My life's work. It is the beginning of the vision that Alice had for the world. This is where your induction will take place, and you will become a fully fledged Keeper. You will learn to be a bringer of justice, and a waymaker into the new world."
He walked in front of me, and opened the large doors., letting me take a glimpse inside. It was dark and musky. "Welcome, Jonathan." He exclaimed. "To the human zoo!"
I stepped inside.
The smell hit me like a tidal wave. It smelled strongly of blood and fetid remains that permeated the air like a blanket. It gave me a nauseous feeling, and sent my head whirling, as it tried to breathe in clean air. It was no use. I felt a rush of bile spill out of my stomach and into my throat. I turned to the side and threw up onto the floor. And judging by the mess down there, I was not the first.
There was rows upon rows of cages, all lined up from wall to wall. In each cage there seemed to be. . .someone, and by the looks of it, most of them were already dead. Each cage was labeled with a different creature name. There was a worm, who had all of her limbs removed, and seemed to have segmented body parts every couple of inches, and was forced to crawl around by using her head as an anchor.
There was various dogs and cats, long needles inserted into the cheeks in place of whiskers, they had everything below their elbows and knees removed, forcing them to walk on all fours. Other human-animals had parts of their bodies elongated or exaggerate, turning them into various creatures. It didn't seem possible to look like that and live.
All of the inhabitants of the human zoo were filthy and ragged, cramped up in small living conditions and forced to eat small portions of what looked to be rotting meat, only fit for animals. When I walked past, they looked up at me with sorrowful, pleading eyes. They wanted freedom, just like Thompson. They were broken and they were hurt. But they seemed resigned to the fact that they were going to live out the rest of their lives here. There was no resistance in any of them. There was no struggle. They had all given up.
This place was hell.
It was hard to think clearly, the smell continued to invade my brain, and dampening my vision with black patches. My heart was pounding in my chest, a result of the horrors that laid before me. I couldn't breath. I couldn't move. This was all too much.
The man continued walking forwards. "This is where I hold all current specimens, before I decide to release them into captivity. And this is where you and all the other Keepers will work, feeding the specimens, continuing their evolution, and cleaning their chambers."
My blood boiled. He didn't care about the pain he caused. Nothing fazed him. "You're treating people like animals! This is inhumane!" I yelled at him.
He looked at me with disappointment. "Look at them. They are animals. This is all for the cause, anyways. Later on they will be glad to learn that they were the first steps in the evolution of humanity."
He led me forwards, until we ended up at a massive hole in the floor, in the middle of the barn. It was about ten meters in diameter, and the bottom seemed to stretch downwards for five or so meters. There didn't seem to be any way in or out.
The man spoke. "This is where every Keeper before you has proved themselves worthy of Keeper status. Your induction begins now."
I felt a large shove on my back. The momentum carried my body over the edge of the hole, with my feet quickly following suit. In an instant reflex, I covered my head with the nook of my remaining arm, and leaned forward, hoping to catch the grunt of the fall on my knees, before rolling away.
I landed with a large thump, which sent volts of pain rippling through my body, and spread me flat across the ground. I laid there, still. The breath was taken out of my lungs, and my knees felt if they had shattered. I tilted my head up, to get a clearer look at where I was. A small, dusty hole, in the middle of a barn where people went to die. Nothing special about it.
There was movement in the corner of my vision.
It was something circling me, walking with a slight strut, and over-the-top movements, as if it was hard to stay balanced. Every step it made caused a sharp clacking sound to echo throughout the hole. I slowly got up, despite the pain. I swiveled my body to the side to get a better look, even if it was under dim light.
The first thing that made itself clear was that the thing had no neck. Its head ended at its shoulders. The second thing was that it had no eyelids. It stared at me with large, unblinking eyes, taking in every movement. The third was the sharp, steel talons that protruded from every fingertip.
And then it opened its wings. It spread its arms out wide, to reveal a quilt-work of human flesh stitched together under its arms. It looked at me for a few moments, head cocked, arms in a display of aggression, then it swiveled its head around. A full one hundred-and-eighty degrees. I was looking at a human owl.
The owl lunged forward, talons aimed directly at my chest. I lunged to the side, fearing for my life once more since the past few days. I wasn't fast enough. Its talons ripped through my clothes like butter, and left three large gashes across my chest. I ignored the pain, and immediately turned around to face the owl. The penalty for letting my guard down would be death.
The owl was still facing the inner wall of the hole. It twisted its head around to face me, its large eyes looking at me with an intense hatred. I panicked, and hopped backwards, aiming to avoid another attack from the owl. But then I came to my senses. If I was going to survive, I knew I had to make a move right away. The longer I tarried, the weaker I would become, and the lower my chances of living through this would become.
I threw myself at one of its wings, hoping to bring the owl down. It avoided me. In a lapse of judgement, I forgot to realize there was still a human under all of that, wanting to avoid death as much as I did. I rolled backwards, and leaped to my feet. The owl lunged at me again, talons extended. My first instinct was to dodge once more, but I suppressed it. The owl would be expecting that. I instead waited until the last moment, and threw myself into the steadily approaching owl.
I caught it off guard.
The owl flailed backwards, stumbling under my weight. I dug my fingers in the small gap between its head and shoulders, and started tearing of the stitches that held them together. The owl continued to thrash, realizing what I was doing. It dropped to the ground, and tried to claw me of its back, but couldn't reach because of its wings.
I continued to tear. One after another. I could feel the tension loosening. Another couple minutes of this, and I would be home free. The owl's movements started to decrease in intensity, and hit seemed to realize the battle had been won. I removed on last stitch, and the rest of the owl's head came of easily, dripping with blood.
I threw it to the ground and collapsed, exhausted.
I woke up in one of the bedrooms. My chest hurt like hell. I sat up in the bed, and pulled the covers away. There was three large scars across my chest, painful and tender to the touch, but obviously treated by someone. I looked outside a nearby window. It was the dead of night. I couldn't hear any noises inside, so I assumed everyone was outside in a tent, sleeping. Everyone except the man. He was sitting in the chair, and simply watching me sleep.
Mind games.
He looked at me as I stood up and raised an eyebrow. I began to walk over to him, despite the pain. He clasped his hands together. "Well done. You are now a Keeper."
I continued my slow journey.
"You asked me once what my main purpose was in doing all this. It's for everyone. You. Me. All the peoples of earth. Humanity is the highest lifeform. I am treating it as such. With my guidance, and your help, humanity will enter a new era. A new evolution."
I still made my way towards him. Everyone's outside. I'm alone with him.
"This was your sister's vision, and then it became mine. I am eager to see it become yours." He tensed up in his chair slightly. "This is not the only human zoo out there, we have spread our philosophy, and we are many. But go ahead, kill me. Continue the cycle. You will follow your sister's footsteps and lead the world into salvation."
I didn't think about it twice. I grabbed a vase of the bedside table and ran at him, weapon raised. There was a flash of fear in his eyes. Clearly, he didn't actually expect me to do that. He wasted precious seconds fumbling for his key chain.
I swung the vase onto his head.
He pressed a button on his keychain.
The jolt of electricity struck my entire body. The pain was so much worse then I had previously experienced. Each separate buzz sent my entire body thrashing against itself. I tried to push past the pain, and get a hold of the button, but I couldn't move by myself, let alone think.
Setting ten will straight up kill you.
My vision turned a searing white. I could feel my organs vibrating within myself. The pain was endless and unrelenting. This was how I went. The electricity was frying my insides, turning it into a liquid mush.
And then it stopped. It took a while to regain my vision, but even then it was unfocused and blurry. The man was still lying on the ground, breathing but unconscious. Pieces of the vase were still ingrained into his skull, sending small trickles of blood down his face. I removed one and slit his throat. It wasn't the death he deserved, considering all that he did.
But it was what he got.
I stumbled out of the room, to see Eddison pouring what looked like to be gasoline on the floor. I tensed up, ready for another fight. He put the gasoline can down and put his hands up.
"Hey, man. You can relax. I'm the one who helped you out there. You would have died if it wasn't for me."
I scanned his face, and I believed him. I put my fists down.
He continued. "I hated it here as well, but I could never find an opportunity to strike back. What you did was very brave."
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Blowing up this fucking hellhole." He simply said.
We worked together for a few hours, silently and in the dark. He had almost finished with the farmhouse, so we moved onto the barn, and finished with the tents. We ended up at Michael's car, and Eddison handed me a lit match. Signifying that he wanted me to do it.
I didn't give a damn anymore. Everything could burn.
I threw the match into a puddle of gasoline, and quickly drove of with Eddison, before the small fire turned into a raging inferno. We were about two miles out when the night sky was lit up in a burst of white light.
It was done.
Eddison turned to me. "Where are we going, then?"
I gazed into the rearview mirror, watching the horizon be engulfed in flame. There was the wail of firetrucks moving in from the distance. Someone must have called it in. I looked forward, at the gravel road in front of me, pondering the question.
"Home."
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