My bunny would dance on me at night or when I was late getting up for breakfast. She liked to creep on me in my sleep but if I acknowledged her she’d run. It was like a little game. If I stayed still she’d zoom and bounce all over. She’d also zoom when I went to bed, sometimes kicking off the walls. She’d run to greet me when I entered the room she was in and her fluffy butt would drag hay all over in the process. If I was too loud when she was sleeping she’d rip cardboard to tell me to be quiet. She started asking for pets every night by quietly staring at me around 9pm. I’d slide onto the floor and she’d put her little chin up and ears down to beg for pets. I’d scratch and massage her little cheeks and she’d press her face into my hands. She’d always come check on me too if I left the room for a while. Just come in and see what I was up to and go back to playing.
She was so happy and part of every part of my day. The floor is too clean now. I feel her absence constantly. No more waking up to her soft little patter on the floor or under my bed. No waking to her little paws resting on my shoulder, or zooming across my legs. No more seeing her jump out of her hay box to come greet me when I came home, or remind me with her precious stares that the next milestone of our day was ready to happen. No more of her gentle paws sliding on my leg as she excitedly begs for treats, or jumping onto my chest and shoulder when she’s done being brushed.
My whole life feels different. My house feels and sounds different. I still wait for her to signal to me or see her shadow when I realize it’s dinner time, treat time, brush time, breakfast time, pet time. Such a tiny little gentle animal has given me so much love and allowed me to reciprocate it. I loved her from the moment I held her to take her to an adoption event. I knew she was meant to be with me from that moment. I miss her so much in so many ways I can’t even list. A piece of my heart and soul is gone. I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you my sweet baby.

In Queens, Jamaica Center-bound E runs local from Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av to Forest Hills-71 Av from Jun 3 - 5, Sat to Mon, 10:00 PM to 12:15 AM
In Queens, Jamaica-bound F runs local from Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av to Forest Hills-71 Av from Jun 3 - 5, Saturday, 12:15 AM to 7:30 AM, Sat 10:00 PM to Sun 8:30 AM and Sun 10:00 PM to Mon 6:15 AM
Reminder: Jamaica Center-bound late night local E service runs as scheduled at these stations.
What's happening?
We're modernizing signals on the Queens Blvd Line

In Queens, Jamaica Center-bound local skips 36 St, Steinway St, 46 St, Northern Blvd and 65 St from Jun 3 - 5, Sat 12:15 AM to Mon 5:00 AM
In Queens, Jamaica-bound F skips 36 St, Steinway St, 46 St, Northern Blvd and 65 St from Jun 3 - 5, Saturday, 12:15 AM to 7:30 AM, Sat 10:45 PM to Sun 8:15 AM and Sun 10:45 PM to Mon 5:00 AM
In Queens, Forest Hills-bound R skips 36 St, Steinway St, 46 St, Northern Blvd and 65 St from Jun 3 - 4, Sat and Sun, 6:30 AM to 9:45 PM
For service to these stations, take the E, F, R to Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av and transfer to a local Manhattan-bound E, F, or Bay Ridge-bound R.
For service from these stations, take the E, F, R to Queens Plaza and transfer to a Jamaica Center-bound E, Jamaica-bound F or Forest Hills-bound R.
What's happening?
We're making station improvements

Abundant offers solar rooftop installation services that provide access to lucrative solar panel incentives. These incentives, offered by governments, serve as financial rewards aiming to promote the adoption of solar energy while offsetting the initial installation expenses. These benefits can be enjoyed in various forms, such as tax credits, rebates, or participation in net metering programs. By opting for Abundant's services, you can harness the power of solar energy and reap the associated rewards.

Line Score - Game Over

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E	LOB
ATL	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	7	1	6
AZ	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0		3	6	0	4

Scoring Plays

Inning	Event	Score
B1	Lourdes Gurriel Jr. doubles (16) on a line drive to left fielder Eddie Rosario. Geraldo Perdomo scores. Corbin Carroll scores.	2-0
T2	Eddie Rosario homers (6) on a fly ball to right center field.	2-1
B3	Christian Walker doubles (12) on a sharp ground ball to left fielder Eddie Rosario. Corbin Carroll scores.	3-1
T7	Eddie Rosario homers (7) on a fly ball to left center field.	3-2

Highlights

Description	Length	Video
Bullpen availability for Arizona, June 2 vs Braves	0:07	Video
Bullpen availability for Atlanta, June 2 vs D-backs	0:07	Video
Fielding alignment for Arizona, June 2 vs Braves	0:11	Video
Fielding alignment for Atlanta, June 2 vs D-backs	0:11	Video
Starting lineups for Braves at D-backs - June 2, 2023	0:09	Video
Eddie Rosario: Home Run Statcast Analysis	0:14	Video
An animated look at Eddie Rosario's home run	0:09	Video
Measuring the stats on Eddie Rosario's home run	0:14	Video
A deep dive into Eddie Rosario's home run	0:09	Video
Breaking down Merrill Kelly's pitches	0:08	Video
Merrill Kelly's outing against the Braves	0:23	Video
Breaking down Charlie Morton's pitches	0:08	Video
Charlie Morton's outing against the D-backs	0:20	Video
Lourdes Gurriel brings in two runs with a double	0:22	Video
Eddie Rosario hits a solo home run to right-center	0:25	Video
Ronald Acuña Jr. is caught stealing after a review	0:29	Video
Corbin Carroll makes a nifty diving snag in center	0:22	Video
Lourdes Gurriel and Nick Ahmed get Matt Olson out	0:29	Video
Christian Walker swats an RBI double to left field	0:29	Video
Eddie Rosario swats a solo homer to left-center field	0:30	Video
Merrill Kelly K's eight Braves in seven innings	0:49	Video

Decisions

Winning Pitcher	Losing Pitcher	Save
Kelly, M (7-3, 2.80 ERA)	Morton, C (5-6, 3.62 ERA)	Castro (6 SV, 2.13 ERA)

I seek a serious relationship with an open-minded naturally submissive female who still believes in the traditional family household values and roles (where we're equals, but the man is the primary leader, protector, and provider of the household.)
I’d love to find someone who maybe even wants to travel with me as my co-pilot in my truck as we travel across the country exploring. Also, I’m looking for someone who is okay with an age gap relationship.
About me: I travel America in my big rig 18 wheeler truck chasing sunsets and my dreams. I’m also owner of a small but successful crypto investment company. (I love to talk about Bitcoin) Former Army Officer and combat veteran. Aspiring songwriter and horrible guitar player.
I’m God fearing and marriage-minded. I love the outdoors, and my hobbies include walking, hiking, bicycle, running, camping, picnics, and eating out at restaurants or enjoying a nice romantic dinner at home.
I love to travel and explore new places! Sci-fi, Marvel and Anime fan. ENTJ. Sagittarius. Friends say I’m an intelligent lifelong learner and that I give more than I take.
I am always a gentleman in public. I am an active listener, reserved, and I have a relaxed personality. I work hard, love to be active, and do not get upset or angry. Don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I am an aggressive, assertive man when I must be.
I am a provider for those I love. I'm very supportive of family and friends. Above all, I honor and support my woman to become a better version of herself.
I like to get outside and do fun things and not sit home all the time. I’m a bit of a foodie who enjoys eating out, going to movies, working out, and reading to improve myself. Part country boy, part city, part nerd, sometimes witty, dominant without being domineering or abusive, sometimes shy.
I’m reserved and laid back without being too boring. I try to stay active/Fit and eat healthy with the occasional cheat day. No beer belly allowed, but secretly working on my dad coffee bod.
I do have a kinky side. (I’m a BDSM Master with a dash of DaddyDom.) One minute we're joking around...and the next, I'm pinning you on the sofa (or against the wall) and getting spicy taking what I want. (You belong to me. Every part of you.) My main love languages are physical touch and affection. I’m okay with online at first, but I want an in person relationship. I love to give praise and positive words of affirmation.
Is this you? You seek LOVE FIRST AND FOREMOST, security, protection, guidance, structure, safety, nurturing, someone to hold your hand, being babied at times, other times being treated as a princess or queen.
You desire hugs and passionate tender kisses, while also occasionally desiring to be chocked or spanked. (It’s complicated.) You’re not into pain, but know there is no love without pain.
Age is a number to you. You have the maturity that comes from facing what life throws at you for a few years, and now discovering that you can deal with it. (Together we can make it from rock bottom to your dreams.)
You love to serve and take care of your man. It’s not so much a kink more than it is just who you are. You are very adaptable to meet my needs, as I meet yours. You believe in completing small acts of service for your man. You believe that giving yourself fully to your partner is the ultimate power exchange and show of devotion and trust.
US: I crave a 1950 American style relationship dynamic with traditional gender roles. I'd love for you to share your day with me; be able to trust me enough to be yourself around me; finally let your guard down, confide in me, submit to me because you trust me to protect you, take care of you, teach--guide--mentor you using my life experience and resources to help you become a better version of yourself.
I promise to provide a safe place for you to relax and explore...just walk in my door and give up control. Let go the worries of your day. You don't have to be in charge here. I've got you now. Let's create a life where you can be free from worrying about everyday problems and stressors, and just get pleasure from having a safe space to explore your feminine energy and desires.
It'll be just you and me against the world.
If you're craving this type relationship dynamic (or want to hitch a ride to enjoy the countryside,) feel free to send me a message with a recent pic and let's chat about your needs, wants, limits, and see if there is chemistry and a connection.

I seek a serious relationship with an open-minded naturally submissive female who still believes in the traditional family household values and roles (where we're equals, but the man is the primary leader, protector, and provider of the household.)
I’d love to find someone who maybe even wants to travel with me as my co-pilot in my truck as we travel across the country exploring. Also, I’m looking for someone who is okay with an age gap relationship.
About me: I travel America in my big rig 18 wheeler truck chasing sunsets and my dreams. I’m also owner of a small but successful crypto investment company. (I love to talk about Bitcoin) Former Army Officer and combat veteran. Aspiring songwriter and horrible guitar player.
I’m God fearing and marriage-minded. I love the outdoors, and my hobbies include walking, hiking, bicycle, running, camping, picnics, and eating out at restaurants or enjoying a nice romantic dinner at home.
I love to travel and explore new places! Sci-fi, Marvel and Anime fan. ENTJ. Sagittarius. Friends say I’m an intelligent lifelong learner and that I give more than I take.
I am always a gentleman in public. I am an active listener, reserved, and I have a relaxed personality. I work hard, love to be active, and do not get upset or angry. Don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I am an aggressive, assertive man when I must be.
I am a provider for those I love. I'm very supportive of family and friends. Above all, I honor and support my woman to become a better version of herself.
I like to get outside and do fun things and not sit home all the time. I’m a bit of a foodie who enjoys eating out, going to movies, working out, and reading to improve myself. Part country boy, part city, part nerd, sometimes witty, dominant without being domineering or abusive, sometimes shy.
I’m reserved and laid back without being too boring. I try to stay active/Fit and eat healthy with the occasional cheat day. No beer belly allowed, but secretly working on my dad coffee bod.
I do have a kinky side. (I’m a BDSM Master with a dash of DaddyDom.) One minute we're joking around...and the next, I'm pinning you on the sofa (or against the wall) and getting spicy taking what I want. (You belong to me. Every part of you.) My main love languages are physical touch and affection. I’m okay with online at first, but I want an in person relationship. I love to give praise and positive words of affirmation.
Is this you? You seek LOVE FIRST AND FOREMOST, security, protection, guidance, structure, safety, nurturing, someone to hold your hand, being babied at times, other times being treated as a princess or queen.
You desire hugs and passionate tender kisses, while also occasionally desiring to be chocked or spanked. (It’s complicated.) You’re not into pain, but know there is no love without pain.
Age is a number to you. You have the maturity that comes from facing what life throws at you for a few years, and now discovering that you can deal with it. (Together we can make it from rock bottom to your dreams.)
You love to serve and take care of your man. It’s not so much a kink more than it is just who you are. You are very adaptable to meet my needs, as I meet yours. You believe in completing small acts of service for your man. You believe that giving yourself fully to your partner is the ultimate power exchange and show of devotion and trust.
US: I crave a 1950 American style relationship dynamic with traditional gender roles. I'd love for you to share your day with me; be able to trust me enough to be yourself around me; finally let your guard down, confide in me, submit to me because you trust me to protect you, take care of you, teach--guide--mentor you using my life experience and resources to help you become a better version of yourself.
I promise to provide a safe place for you to relax and explore...just walk in my door and give up control. Let go the worries of your day. You don't have to be in charge here. I've got you now. Let's create a life where you can be free from worrying about everyday problems and stressors, and just get pleasure from having a safe space to explore your feminine energy and desires.
It'll be just you and me against the world.
If you're craving this type relationship dynamic (or want to hitch a ride to enjoy the countryside,) feel free to send me a message with a recent pic and let's chat about your needs, wants, limits, and see if there is chemistry and a connection.

Welcome to June, and also the latest Project: Gorgon update! This update contains a new much-requested skill, Angling, as well as new UI features, quests, balancing, and a ton of bug fixes.
Bugs!
Update: the following are known bugs in this update -- no need to report them. If you see OTHER bugs, please report them!

• Animal forms are able to angle - kind of - and that is unintentional. Angling is intended to require hands.
• The Angling ability 'Catch and Release' gives 25% XP, not 25% bonus XP.
• You can target certain angling fish before they exist. You shouldn't be able to target them at all.
• Some of the angling abilities have old test descriptions.
• The new AoE indicator doesn't display in some outdoor areas.

Main Story

We've expanded the main story quest-line by a few steps. If you've already reached the point in the storyline where you were asked to have dinner with Jessina (via a hang out), the hang out is now available, and you should log in to see that your character has a "reminder quest" to hang out with Jessina.

New Camera Types

Players come to us from different games with different control schemes and camera views, and they often ask us if we can imitate the camera styles they're used to. So we gave it a try! We know that getting movement behavior just right can be tricky, so please give us feedback on how these work for you.
There are now 3 camera types to choose from, located in Settings > Controls:

• Traditional Camera: How the camera has always worked. Right-click rotates your character, left-click rotates only the camera. Mouse is always available.
• Free Camera: Camera control is completely separate from character control. Mouse is always available.
• Action Camera: Mouse movement always controls character. Mouse cursor is only available when a UI window is open, or when the Toggle Cursor key is pressed (configurable). NOTE: only available in the new selection system!

AoE Visibility

Area-of-Effect abilities that are centered on the caster now have a visualization for their range.

• When an ability is used, the AOE range briefly displays on the ground as a circle.
• When an AOE ability icon is hovered over, its AOE range displays on the ground for as long as it's hovered over.
• Visibility is configurable via Settings > GUI > Windows & HUD > Abilities & Items > "Show Beneficial AOE Areas" & "Show Detrimental AOE Areas". By default they are "Party Members Only" & "Self Only" respectively. Detrimental enemy AOEs will always display.
• Many "aura"-type pets display their aura ranges in a similar fashion, such as a druid's Healing Sanctuary or a fairy's Fae Conduit. These should also follow the visibility settings described above.
• Note: as of this update, all AoE abilities are centered on the caster, except for two Weather Witching abilities that are explicitly centered on the target. Previously, all AoEs were centered on the target, but the game didn't say that anywhere, and most players assumed it was centered on the caster! So this seems much more intuitive. But if there are specific AoE abilities that you feel should be centered on the target instead of the caster, please let us know and we'll consider it.

Angling

Traditionally, fishing in Project: Gorgon has involved scooping fish up out of the water with your bare hands -- what we might call 'tickling' the fish. And that's fine, as far as it goes. It takes real skill! But not all fish can be caught this way. (And more importantly, players have told us that an MMO "needs" to have traditional fishing in order to feel like a complete MMO.)
So we've expanded Fishing with a new sub-skill: Angling. All you need is a fishing pole, some bait, and a body of water with catchable fish. (Also Fishing 15. And hands!) In order to get started, talk to Roshun the Traitor in Serbule.
The precise mechanics of Angling aren't spelled out in the game at the moment. Since this game focuses on exploration, we expect players to be able to figure out how Angling works. Please let us know what parts of the system were hard to figure out, and we'll work to make those bits more obvious.

Skills & Abilities

From here out (and probably through the rest of beta), we'll be making small balance changes. We don't want to overnerf/overbuff things, so most changes will be relatively modest, and then we'll re-evaluate and adjust further after more observation.
Warden:
We've revised the formulae used for damage reflection, which resulted in nerfs to Privacy Field. On the other hand, multiple bug fixes actually increase the Warden's power significantly in other ways.

• Privacy Field abilities: reduced base ability damage (Privacy Field 5 changed from 196 -> 138)
• Treasure: "Privacy Field deals +60 damage to all melee attackers, and the first melee attacker is knocked away": 60 => 42
• Treasure: "Privacy Field also deals its damage when you are hit by burst attacks, and damage is +86": 86 => 47
• Treasure: "Privacy Field also deals its damage when you are hit by ranged attacks, and damage is +57": 57 => 48
• Treasure: "When Privacy Field deals damage, it also ignites the suspect, dealing 156 damage over 12 seconds": => 156 => 80. Note: previously this effect did not work at all, so this is technically a huge buff, not a nerf!
• Treasure: "While Privacy Field is active, melee attacks that hit you have a 100% chance to restore 20 Power to you" : 100% chance => 75% chance. Note: previously this effect did not work at all, so this is technically a huge buff, not a nerf!
• Treasure: "Apprehend deals +48 damage and hastens the current reuse timer of Controlled Burn by 2 seconds (so it can be used again more quickly)" : 2 seconds -> 1.5 seconds. Note: previously this effect did hasten Control Burn at at all, so this is technically a huge buff, not a nerf!
• Controlled Burn: area-of-effect reduced from 15 meters to 10 meters.
• Aggression Deterrent: area-of-effect reduced from 10 meters to 6 meters.

Weather Witch:

• New ability Summon Sandstorm: This is a variant of Summon Tornado intended to be more convenient in groups. It does not knock back foes, instead dealing bonus Armor damage. All tiers of this ability can be learned from the Sand Seer in Ilmari.
• New rare ability Summon Doomstorm: This is a variant of Summon Tornado. It does not knock back foes. Instead it deals Darkness damage. Damage is improved over base version. This pet is marked as undead for purposes of ability targeting. In other words, heals that don't work on undead don't work on this pet either. Buffs that work on undead DO work on this pet. For now, all tiers of this ability can be found as loot scrolls.
• Fixed bug that caused high-level summoned tornados to move incredibly fast. Normalized tornado speeds.
• Summoned tornadoes accidentally had vulnerability stats for Cold Spheres. They now correctly have vulnerability stats for Tornadoes.

Giant Bat:

• "Your Confusing Double deals +67% damage with each attack": 67% => 45%
• "Confusing Double summons an additional figment. Each figment deals +77 damage with each attack": 77 => 50
• "Confusing Double Reuse Timer -15": -15 => -10

Fire Magic:

• "Fire Breath hits all targets within 8 meters and deals +30.5% damage, but reuse timer is +3 seconds and Power cost is +33%" => "Fire Breath hits all targets within 8 meters and deals +60 damage, but reuse timer is +3 seconds and Power cost is +40"

Settings

• The "Reset" button in Settings now resets the currently-selected tab to its default settings. The old functionality, undoing all current changes, is still doable by simply closing the window.
• Added new experimental settings for Tab Targeting. You can find them in settings under GUI > Targeting > Tab Targeting (Experimental).
  • Combat Range: Control the max range of tab targeting when you are in combat.
  • Combat Lock: If your current target is in combat, only other in-combat enemies will be targeted via tab, unless none are in view.
  • Prioritize Unlooted Corpses: When tabbing through corpses, should all un-looted corpses be targeted before looted corpses?
  • You can now tab through targets as quickly as you can press the button.
• Overwriting a keybind that's already bound now shows a confirmation prompt, including the name of the keybind being overwritten.
• Reorganized and renamed several Settings, to make them more intuitively grouped and easier to find.

UI Changes

• "Controls" settings have been organized into Camera & Character controls, with sub-menus.- Allow clicking through entities in the new UI, similar to how it works in the old UI. If you click on something that's already selected, it selects the entity behind it (if there is one).
• Reduced precision of click-selecting entities, so they can be selected without hovering directly over them.
• All stat bars (and globes) now smoothly animate when they change, instead of statically changing to the new value.
• Item stack size font now resizes properly for vaults (including saddlebag).
• Fixed nameplate placement for mounted humanoids.
• Fixed bug causing mouse cursor to disappear completely if mouse-dragging while zoning.
• Fixed bug that caused very large tooltips not to display sometimes.
• Removed hover-text about avatar portraits coming soon -- because they're here now! We live in the future!
• Ability tooltips now display Special Values before Special Info, as those make more sense grouped together with the other numerical data.
• Polished the lootable-corpse particles a bit.
• Nameplates now fully fade out with distance instead of just the names.
• Better handling of left-clicking nothing to deselect your current target.
• Improved display of Crafting button when no hotkey is assigned.
• Fixed quest window display bug when objective count number was very large.
• Removed the "1" from the item slot in the bug report window.
• Fixed bug causing stack sizes of items in the sidebar to get out of sync.

Graphics & Animation

• Wolves & cows now animate at proper speed when going up and down hills.
• Replaced wolf's Hunting Speed animation with a howl animation.
• Polished bard animations, so they flow together better now. The play-lute animation now always plays when you are playing a bard song, even if you use other abilities while playing the song.
• Improved instrument-playing animations.
• New VFX (animations, particles, & shader effects) for all Battle Chemistry abilities.
• You can no longer auto-move while jumping. Doing so previously resulted in some very strange-looking animations.
• Fixed weird animation bug when trying to do certain things while sitting or kneeling.
• Failure to interact with something now returns the player to idle stance.
• Fixed bug with Thentree armor causing weird shadows on male characters.
• Mage Armor is now more polished, a bit darker, and has glowier gems
• Fixed bug that would cause a dancing pig's mud to stick around forever.
• Fixed bug where mounting while dancing would continue some dancing effects.
• Improved texture for Spring Fairy armor.
• Fixed face cam for Pigeons.

Other Bug Fixes & Tweaks

• Some legacy equipment that should have been Mastercrafted wasn't. Those items should be fixed now.
• When you un-legacy equipment by pulling an invalid power off of it at the transmutation table, the legacy and broken state of that equipment is now properly updated.
• Fixed bug allowing recipe items to be summoned from anywhere.
• Updated Shadow Feint tooltip to display the correct AOE distance for blinking back to position.
• Phrenology-based Mentalism & Psychology bonuses to critical chance now properly affect heals.
• Improved logic related to channeling abilities; this should hopefully fix stuck-in-channel bugs.
• Modified Mutation Injection ability descriptions to make it a bit clearer how they work.
• Lycanthropy ability "Become Wolf": the skill check to disable wolf mode is no longer downleveled when your combat skills are downleveled.
• Newly learned abilities, Wild Endurance, & First Aid should now correctly auto-rerank.
• Dying by falling through the world now shows a special button in the death window, "Teleport to Last-Touched Ground", which teleports your dead body to the last ground you were standing on. While this isn't an ideal solution, it should allow you to be revived in party situations
• Fixed bug causing skeleton warrior pets to repeatedly retreat a short distance when fighting something.
• Astounding Cloth Shirt (Max-Enchanted) and Camouflaged Astounding Shirt (Max-Enchanted) recipes now require the correct ingredients.
• Pressing spacebar while in an animal-mount form will no longer play the horse neighing sound.
• Fixed typo in Evasion Boots (Enchanted) recipes.
• Changed icon color for Acid Bomb to more of an acid-y color (and match the new VFX).
• Acid Boost Potion recipe now correctly states that it lasts 30 minutes.
• Fixed typo in quest "Holistic Wellness: Yarn" (twelve -> twenty-four balls of yarn).
• The tsys mod, "Psi Health Wave grants all targets +X Mitigation vs. Electricity, Acid, and Nature attacks for 20 seconds" now displays in the effects list when it's active.
• Fixed Dwarven Fixer causing screen brightness (instead of hiding it).
• "Toxic Flesh" tooltip now takes poison damage buffs into account.
• Using Objective Orienteering on "The Borghild Lead" quest now leads to the correct area.
• Fixed typo in quest "The Borghild Lead" (south -> north).
• Harry now hints more strongly that his Minor Panacea will not cure ALL curses, just a specific one.
• The quest "Goblin Avenger: Ratkin!!!" now correct gives 10 Xedrite.
• JSON users: Note that in skills.json's level-up rewards, "Ability" can now refer to a single ability or an array of abilities.

No J between Crescent St, Brooklyn and Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer, Queens from Jun 2 - 5, Fri 11:45 PM to Mon 5:00 AM
J service runs between Broad St and Crescent St, the last stop.
Free J90 shuttle buses make stops between Crescent St and 121 St and connect with the E at Jamaica-Van Wyck.
Transfer between J trains and Shuttle Busbuses at Crescent St.
For Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport and Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer, take the E instead.
Transfer between E trains and Shuttle Busbuses at Jamaica-Van Wyck.
When exiting at Crescent St or Jamaica-Van Wyck, get a GO ticket to re-enter the subway.
Travel tip:

• For JFK AirTrain, use the Howard Beach-JFK Airport A station via transfer at Broadway Junction.

Note: Jamaica Center-bound platforms at 75 St-Elderts Ln and Woodhaven Blvd are temporarily closed.
What's happening?
We're making accessibility improvements

the tatatulaq give this tale to our people, that they might learn something from it...

“You are too full of laughter,” said the rādejut to her daughter Finini, who loved Octopus. “You must leave.” So she became tatatul, and was driven off.
“You are too brash,” said another to Yaq, who loved Coyote, “and your breath smells of wine and stink-grass. Begone.” So he became tatatul, and was driven off.
“You are a coward, always watching from far off,” said another to Always-Looking-East, who loved Owl. “You cannot stay here.” So he became tatatul, and was driven off.
These three met in the forest, where Narathi, who had been tatatul since she was a child, lived. And Narathi loved Raven, oldest and cleverest of all the tricksters. And there, the tatatulaq thought to make sport of one another.
“I can make my eyeballs come out of their sockets and roll around in that walnut tree,” said Always-Looking-East. So he did, and he sent his eyes out of his head and up the tree, where they could see many things like Owl.
Finini laughed at him and replied, “That’s nothing! I can make my arms and legs go in all directions!” And at that, her arms and legs fell off and scrambled up the tree. There, they captured Always-Looking-East’s eyes, one in each hand. The two legs came together and the two arms bounced to meet them, then they ran off into the forest. Finini laughed and laughed, her torso shaking in the scrub. Always-Looking-East was angry, and tried to kick her, but without his eyes he could not see her for he was blind.
Yaq belched (as he often did, for he loved elderberry wine) and the breath of his mouth singed the trees black, and burnt the prairie down to the dirt. And there, not far off, stood Finini’s arms and legs, holding the eyeballs. But in all this, Narathi said nothing. Her mouth did not move, but the trees all around them laughed and the ravens nesting there flew off, taking arms and legs and eyeballs alike into the sky. And as they flew, the ravens shat upon the other three. Always-Looking-East could not dodge them, for he could not see. Finini could not dodge them, for she could not move. And Yaq could have, but did not dodge them - for he was merely dim. From then, they knew who would be the leader among them, and they called that place Mocking Trees Forest.
One day, it came to pass that a great shadow fell across the land. A great shapechanger, a pumonca-queen, Lāvī Kukūgutihu, brought together the cat-folk and eaters of human flesh, and for many days they chased all other beasts from Earth, Sky, and Sea, hunting all those they could follow and eating them alive. These cat-folk knew the hills and plains well, and they were very clever. Many Qet-Šavaq tried to fight them, and all of them died badly. Lāvī Kukūgutihu filled her den with skulls, and decorated her forest with pelts and entrails. When all the animals of the steppe had been chased away, Lāvī took the cat-folk to the edge of Mocking Trees Forest.
“I will not go in there,” said one cat-changer, “for I have seen shadows ripped to shreds in that place!”
“And I will not go in there,” said a second, “for once I was chased around the forest by laughter for fife days, further and further in but never did I see another creature!”
“And I will not go in there,” said a third cat-changer, “for my mate was driven mad by the insects that plague that place - they bit her until her fur was matted with blood, and she scratched herself so badly that she bled all day and night, and she threw herself off the cliffs in frustration. If you go in there, you will go alone.”
Lāvī screamed the caterwaul of the mountain cat at them and said, “Cowards, all of you! I will eat them from their fingers to their hearts!” And so she went into Mocking Trees Forest. Soon the trees echoed with Narathi’s laughter. And as the cat-changers listened more closely (for they have good ears), they could hear the sound of Finini’s arms and legs scuttling through the forest. The eyes of Always-Watching-East followed Lāvī as she padded through the underbrush. And every so often, a bird would shit on her proud fur. In this way, the tatatulaq led the pumonca-queen deep into the forest.
At the center of Mocking Trees Forest, there is a clear and beautiful lake. Yaq sat alone, having drank much elderberry wine, and chewing on stink-grass, his back turned to Lāvī. Without a sound, she sprag at him, but Yaq knew his part. As Kukūgutihu pounced, Finini’s arms tripped the cat, and her legs kicked the cat in the behind. But when Lāvī snarled and whirled, the limbs were scattered with the sound of a splash. But at that moment, Yaq belched.
His breath was very strong, for he had had much wine and stink-grass, and it turned the woods to ashes. It toppled the trees near the pumonca-queen and set her aflame. As the cat lept into the water, Finini’s arms and legs were there to grab hold of her, and Octopus is very strong in the deep waters of the world. As Lāvī Kukūgutihu burned, the ravens laughed from the treetops, and the sound of it made the other cats slink off. For that day, Mocking Trees Forest is also called Cat-Burning-Brightly, and no one has tried to conquer the tatatulaq again.

Hello,
I am an individual who was born in Thailand to who I assume are Thai parents (never in contact) but adopted to an Irish family and have lived overseas my whole life. I have a Thai birth certificate and a Thai passport that expired in 2013. I have never had an identity card. Am I still a Thai citizen?
If so I am hoping to renew my passport but how difficult would it be to get an identity card given that I live in Canada and have no communication with my biological family?
Since I am 23 would I have to enlist in military service?
Any clarity on these issues will be very helpful. Thank you

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Postgame Thread 6/3/2023

Final Score: Rockies 7, Royals 2

Line Score - Game Over

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E	LOB
COL	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	7	9	0	4
KC	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	0	5

Box Score

KC		AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	BA
1B	Pratto	3	0	1	0	1	1	.296
SS	Witt Jr.	4	0	1	0	0	1	.228
DH	Pasquantino	3	0	0	0	1	0	.263
C	Perez, S	4	0	0	0	0	0	.279
RF	Melendez	4	0	2	0	0	0	.212
LF	Olivares	3	1	1	1	0	0	.234
3B	Garcia, M	0	0	0	0	1	0	.262
2B	Massey	3	0	0	0	0	1	.235
CF	Bradley Jr.	1	0	0	0	0	1	.140
2B	Lopez, N	3	0	0	0	0	0	.239
LF	Waters	3	1	1	1	0	1	.211

KC	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	P-S	ERA
Lyles	5.0	2	1	1	1	8	74-49	6.89
Clarke	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	18-10	3.04
Cuas	1.0	1	0	0	0	2	18-12	4.56
Hernández, C	0.1	3	4	4	0	0	28-19	4.76
Wittgren	1.2	3	2	2	0	1	30-19	7.20

COL		AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	BA
DH	Blackmon	5	0	0	0	0	1	.277
LF	Profar, J	5	1	0	1	0	1	.232
3B	McMahon	4	2	2	2	0	1	.260
C	Díaz, E	4	0	2	2	0	1	.318
RF	Grichuk	4	1	1	0	0	2	.347
2B	Castro, H	4	1	1	0	0	1	.278
1B	Jones, N	4	0	1	2	0	2	.308
CF	Doyle, B	3	1	1	0	1	2	.247
SS	Tovar	4	1	1	0	0	1	.241

COL	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	P-S	ERA
Anderson	6.0	4	2	2	1	2	80-50	1.69
Suter	2.0	1	0	0	0	1	25-18	1.82
Bard, D	0.2	1	0	0	2	1	25-14	0.55
Lawrence	0.1	0	0	0	0	1	5-3	2.90

Scoring Plays

Inning	Event	Score
T1	Ryan McMahon homers (9) on a fly ball to right field.	0-1
B2	Edward Olivares homers (5) on a fly ball to left center field.	1-1
B3	Drew Waters homers (1) on a fly ball to left center field.	2-1
T8	Royals challenged (tag play), call on the field was upheld: Jurickson Profar reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by second baseman Nicky Lopez. Brenton Doyle scores. Ezequiel Tovar to 3rd.	2-2
T8	Ryan McMahon singles on a line drive to left fielder Drew Waters. Ezequiel Tovar scores. Jurickson Profar to 2nd.	2-3
T8	Elias Diaz doubles (12) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. Jurickson Profar scores. Ryan McMahon scores.	2-5
T8	Nolan Jones doubles (3) on a ground ball to right fielder MJ Melendez, deflected by first baseman Nick Pratto. Randal Grichuk scores. Harold Castro scores.	2-7

Highlights

Description	Length	Video
Bullpen availability for Kansas City, June 2 vs Rockies	0:07	Video
Bullpen availability for Colorado, June 2 vs Royals	0:07	Video
Fielding alignment for Colorado, June 2 vs Royals	0:11	Video
Starting lineups for Rockies at Royals - June 2, 2023	0:09	Video
Ryan McMahon: Home Run Statcast Analysis	0:14	Video
Breaking down Edward Olivares's home run	0:15	Video
An animated look at Edward Olivares's home run	0:09	Video
The distance behind Drew Waters's home run	0:15	Video
Visualizing Drew Waters's swing using bat tracking technology	0:09	Video
Breaking down Jordan Lyles's pitches	0:08	Video
Jordan Lyles's outing against the Rockies	0:22	Video
Breaking down Chase Anderson's pitches	0:08	Video
Chase Anderson's outing against the Royals	0:26	Video
Ryan McMahon crushes a solo home run to right field	0:29	Video
Ryan McMahon lays out for a great diving stop	0:27	Video
Edward Olivares belts a solo home run to left-center	0:27	Video
Drew Waters belts his first home run of the season	0:29	Video
Ezequiel Tovar makes a nice catch and throw to first	0:29	Video
Patrick Mahomes plays softball before tonight's game	0:29	Video
Brenton Doyle beats the throw home to take the lead	0:31	Video
Nick Pratto takes away a hit with a nice diving stop	0:11	Video
Ryan McMahon singles on a line drive to left fielder Drew Waters. Ezequiel Tovar scores. Jurickson Profar to 2nd.	0:17	Video
Elias Díaz brings home two more runs with a double	0:28	Video
Nolan Jones pads the Rockies lead with a double	0:23	Video
Nick Pratto makes diving play to save a run	0:29	Video

Decisions

Winning Pitcher	Losing Pitcher	Save
Suter (4-0, 1.82 ERA)	Hernández, C (0-3, 4.76 ERA)

Just wanna share - I have experience being in the management in a BPO company and I am encountering something new while I'm applying for a job.
​
BPO is the other name for Call Center - Yes and No (Do correct me if I'm wrong)

• Call Center is a category under BPO
• BPO stands for Business Process Outsourcing
• BPO has the following service provided - call center services, human resources management, accounting, payroll, customer service, marketing, and information technology.
• I guess here in the Philippines, when you say BPO that automatically means call center. I've been seeing job opening saying 6 months of BPO experience. So I applied to those since I do have years of BPO experience. When it comes to the recruiter interview, they would say BPO is Call Center (aka the same - no it's not).

​
When Job title says - NO EXPERIENCE, not really

• Always check the job requirements because it's most likely a lie. They do require either 3 or 6 months, back in 2016 they were pretty honest about that and will put No Experience. BUT then again not all lie so always check the requirements ESPECIALLY IF THE OFFER IS TOO GOOD.

​
Any BPO jobs are by contract / not permanent employee

• Yes, it's all contract base and it will extend through contract renewal if your client would like to stay partnered with the BPO company who hired you.
• Back in my company, we have 1, 2 or 3 years. I haven't encountered a contract longer than that.
• If your client decided to pull out the company - you will be reprofiled to an existing company and you will undergo interview and assessment. There are times you won't be accepted and will be transferred to another account. For reprofiling are the priority over applicants.

​
Training Fees

• Typically there are no training fees but I read somewhere that VA roles does have training fees which I find it really strange. - do research muna.
• As much as possible, find openings that doesn't need one. You were hired by them, so THEY should exhaust their resources for you.

​
Trying to reschedule interviews

• In a BPO application especially call centers - there are high volumes of candidate. If you got the chance to be for final interview - don't reschedule and take it.
• If your interview schedule collides with your work. Be creative / be madiskarte para maka interview ka na
• Some are kind enough to reschedule but don't get your hopes up, kasi baka sa batch na kasama ka, may mapili na sila for the spot. Hindi lang kayo ang lumalaban sa position.

​
Taking your shot for a virtual process on weekends

• TA's rest days are weekends, so go for weekdays.
• I haven't encountered someone from TA who has a shift during weekend.
• I gave it a try - going on virtual processing Saturday and until now walang recruiter online.

​
Applying for Jobs far from your present address

• Always take this in consideration - marami nagsasabi na kaya nila yan kahit 4 hours na commute pero susuko ang katawan niyo. This is also a cause of high attrition in a company.
• There are recruiter or HR interviewer kind enough to stop your application kasi it's too far (Ex. is mine: Cavite to Taguig - I know someone who does commute everyday and morning shift sya, nakakauwi sya ng 12AM na) and base sa attrition nila, it was location.
• There are those who just ask if kaya mo mag commute and then ipapasa ka sa next step. Basta sabi mo kaya mo edi all good sa kanila.
• I would suggest that the maximum travel would be at least 1 hour lang, yan mostly tanggap ng recruiters.
• Make sure that the location na mapili niyo is may masasakyan kahit madaling araw - lalo na sa graveyard shift. If not, mag sleeping quarters ka muna.
• If gusto niyo talaga sa malayo na company - consider reallocating. Yan ang pwede niyo sabihin sa recruiter pero some would like you to confirm makaka reallocate ka before start date.
• Remember, masisimot ang sweldo niyo dahil sa pamasahe. Lalo na sa mga tao na 17k pababa ang sweldo.
• Sa mga starters - dun muna sa malapit, pag may pera at experience ka na go for farther cities.

​
Yan lang so far, good luck!

Hi all! I’m currently 17 weeks pregnant with my first and work at a fast paced animal care center. I am always on my feet, picking things up, holding small animals while I’m at work, etc. I do get adequate breaks and do just tend to sit whenever I get the chance. However, I’ve noticed recently that even if I’m doing minimal work, like laundry or bending over to pick something up, my back will hurt. The pain starts off minor but then progresses to the point where it hurts to move or even walk. Tylenol doesn’t touch the pain. So I’m starting to wonder if I’m doing too much at work or overworking myself even though I feel like I’m not. My employer has told me to take it easy but I’m already doing the bare minimum. Im not sure if it’s the type of shoes I have on or if I should contact my OB because this may be abnormal. I was just wondering if anyone else has felt bad back pain and what helped to relieve some of the pain. I’m a first time mom-to-be and would love some advice. Thank you!!

--- Table of Contents ---
Summer 4986, 15 Akamoth
Shaloon left the Firewyrm with the journeymen, tired and literally drained but smiling since she was allowed to help them feed and clean the animal specimens. Before continuing down the hall, the Archmage turned back to the small stable. She sighed as the Firewyrm hissed at one of the specimens for crowding too close to the bucket of meat she was dishing out to them. She was like a mother chastising over-eager toddlers. Shaloon’s lips curled in a sneer, her words slipping out in a growl of mixed languages, “Appropriate. Might as well be, her samples allowed for their evolution…”
“Archmage?” Journeyman Brom looked up from bottling the Firewyrm's blood. Fool, he would know all the words she'd said… But what sentence structure had she used? She couldn’t remember and hadn’t noticed. She walked away, having been talking to herself anyway.
She walked up the spiral stairs to the larger labs on the ground floor, the laughter of the Firewyrm ringing in her ears. Perhaps mother wasn’t the right word. The girl didn’t see them as children but as something else… “toys,” treasures.
She didn’t bother to knock before entering one of two main labs on the ground floor, and Morndancer didn’t bother to look up from his book, “We need purer samples.” she stated, leaning on the doorframe and crossing her arms to look down on him in the sunken room.
Morndancer snorted, “And where do you expect to find them? We have the Firewyrm.”
Shaloon growled, not looking forward to having this argument again. “She is tainted. Her samples mix on a molecular level, and the spell that changed her…”
“She is our greatest success!” Morndancer slammed his book closed, turning wide, mad, eyes on Shaloon, “You don’t think I tried to make something pure? Something complete? Do you have any idea how many priceless samples and artifacts we wasted before creating something that could actually survive? They are the closest things we have to true-”
“And yet, instead of focusing on replicating them, we waste our time trying to breed the beast out of animals!” Shaloon shouted then cursed, pushing roughly off the door frame, “I have sent to the central Talon and requested pure samples. They will be here in a month.”
“A month…” Morndancer mouthed, then his face twisted, “You sent for them over a season ago and are just now telling me? Why not cut your way there yourself if you are that eager to split our efforts?”
Shaloon turned her nose up at that. She had been transferred here, to this frozen backwater Talon, because she was one of the few Archmages able to cut a hole through space and teleport through the outer planes. She had allowed the transfer because she'd wanted to experiment with this man. What a disappointment. He'd been the greatest mind in the central Talon, making the most substantial progress seen since the extinction. But he refused to continue that line of study, and was now starting to ignore the last fifteen years of experiments here.
“You won’t even let me use the wyvern. It’s been cloistered away in caves for the last two and a half years while you ramble about gods and Chosen…”
“I saw one, Shaloon!” he shouted, jumping to his feet and knocking his book to the ground. Shaloon gasped, rushing down the steps for the book. Picking it up, she held the priceless tome to her chest as if cradling a crying child. “The Talons must shift their focus,” Morndancer paced around the room in circles, talking more to himself than to her, “If there is one, then there will be more. The wyrms gave them the power to reach across the planes. They will be the key. The children will create their own brood…”
Reverently Shaloon placed the book back on its pedestal and turned for the door. Morndancer had finally tipped over the edge. It was the inevitable fate of anyone who exposed their minds to the type of magic they studied. And he had reached deeper than any other. The human mind wasn't meant to converse with the forces that granted their power. She would fall too, eventually.
“But until then…” she turned back to the pacing Archmage, “The samples will be here in a month, escorted by Journeyman Karlo,”
Morndancer finally looked up, "Karlo will never advance past Journeyman, He's halfway to the Outerplains already."
Shaloon smirked, "Aren't we all?" and left the lab.
***
Veon-Zih cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders while he stood in line at the docks. Waiting patiently to present his papers to the guard signing off on the passengers disembarking from Oane. A second guard passed him, heading for a wagon to inspect the goods. The enlisted men looked tense, going through the papers and goods with more focus and efficiency than they usually would, A Paladin officer hovering over them, his hands clasped tightly behind his back and silver armor gleaming in the sun.
Veon-Zih smiled at the Paladin, handing his papers to the enlisted but speaking with the knight, “As much as I appreciate your inspired diligence, Sir, this would go so much faster if you didn’t have them checking and double-checking each signature three times over.”
“Proper procedure is key in keeping us safe, Mr…” he trailed off, looking toward the soldier who flipped to the front of the Monk's massive book to show his name, “Vee… ohn… Zee… ha?”
Close enough, “That it is good Sir. Carry on.” there was no point in arguing with Paladins over proper procedures. Even when it hampered efficiency.
Behind him, the wagon driver shifted nervously as the soldier began asking questions while perusing his trade logs. “I, um… Mr. Karlo?” Veon-Zih glanced over his shoulder as the driver stuttered. The portly man breathed an audible sigh of relief as a second man hopped from the wagon and addressed the soldier. This man was tall, or at least appeared to be, with his head stretched high and back held too stiff, his long straight robe seemed to give his slender body further length. But strangest was how he moved, in snaps and jerks, his head twitching back and forth as he spoke in a whisper to the guard.
“That’s not at all suspicious…” Veon-Zih muttered, taking his papers back from his own soldier and stepping out of the way of the line. Those who had gone before him had already disappeared into the port city, and those behind moved forward to take his place, passing the wagon to reach the free guard.
The driver had the unmistakable look of a merchant, with pouches lining his belt and his guild's badge displayed on his left breast. He should've crossed the straight to Clearhelm many times over as an apprentice before going solo. And yet, he'd stuttered nervously and deferred to his passenger, who was clearly not of the Merchants Guild. Most likely a Mage based on his robe's lack of a religious emblem.
Veon-Zih narrowed his eyes at the strange man as he passed over his papers. The book was nearly as thick as his own, though it bulged with the thickness. Either the Mage hadn’t updated the cover despite the increased pages or…
Veon-Zih cleared his throat, getting the Paladin’s attention, and gestured with his chin towards the wagon. The Paladin looked him over for a moment, his brow furrowed, then glanced towards the wagon. He had no reason to trust Veon-Zih but Paladins were not ordinary soldiers. If there was reason to worry, Hengist would urge him to look for the signs.
The guard shifted his weight just enough to turn his back to the Paladin before opening the book. Veon-Zih sighed, watching the man move. He wasn’t just turning pages. His arm pulled too far back rather than to the side. Most likely slipping something into his coat. The Paladin might not have been able to see, but he'd already caught the scent that something wasn’t right here and started forward, placing his hand on the guard’s shoulder.
“Everything seems to be in order, Sir…” the guard had a superb poker face, a sure sign he'd taken bribes before. He handed the Mage back his papers and turned to wave the wagon on.
Veon-Zih stepped forward just as the Paladin held out his hand to stop the driver. “Headed for the Mages Guild, perhaps?” Veon-Zih asked curiously, trying to sound innocent.
The Mage twitched violently, turning stunning purple eyes on Veon-Zih, “Yes. Very important samples…” he spoke slowly, as if he needed to consider each word before saying them out loud.
“Then why not take a gate?” Veon-Zih chuckled, “I’ve been across this fine kingdom of Daanlan many times over, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wagon carrying Mage goods…” he tapped his own impressive book of papers against his leg, demonstrating his experiential authority on the matter. “What about you, Sir Knight?” he asked the Paladin, ceding control back to the Temple representative.
“Your papers,” the Paladin ordered, holding his hand out for the Mage's book. The Mage nearly vibrated with the speed of his twitching. The driver blanched but swallowed, keeping silent. Though it was his wagon. The Mage handed over his papers again, but then the Paladin added an order to the soldier, “Open the crates.”
The Mage’s eyes bulged, as the soldier he'd bribed moved towards the cart. Veon-Zih and the Mage both stared as the guard climbed into the wagon, opening the nearest crate without removing it. He nodded at the contents then closed the crate again. He had definitely accepted smuggling bribes before.
“Hold, good man…” Veon-Zih called. The guard glared at Veon-Zih, and the Monk grinned. If looks could kill…
“Sir.” the guard said indignantly to the Paladin as though the knight should be offended that Veon-Zih had inserted himself into this business. The Paladin, however, just frowned, waving the man down and nodding to Veon-Zih. Something in the knight's gut insisted that the Monk was to be trusted, and Veon-Zih’s grin widened as he approached the wagon.
Digging past some bottles labeled "griffin blood", he found what was making the driver so nervous, “Scales… dragon scale.” a nearly impossible-to-find, and highly restricted, magical component. Their owners having gone extinct millennia ago.
The Paladin growled, “All of you will come with me. Now.” he snapped the papers closed, shoving them under his arm and turning on his heel towards the Temple.
The Mage hissed like a snake, his arms coming up and black fire shooting from his splayed fingers toward the Paladin’s back. Veon-Zih grabbed the side of the wagon, swinging around it and sliding along the ground, he kicked the Mage's feet out from under him. The Mage tumbled backward, his fire barely licking the Paladin’s blue cape before going out.
The Paladin turned, reaching for his sword, but the Mage had blinked, disappearing before he hit the ground and reappearing ten feet away. “Damn magic users…” Veon-Zih jumped to his feet as the Mage began to chant, his arms becoming wreathed in shadow.
The guard who had inspected Veon-Zih’s papers drew his short sword and started for the Mage. A good man. Stupid. But his heart was in the right place.
Tentacles sprouted from where the Mage’s arms had been, twitching and writhing with the same jerky movements of the man himself. Veon-Zih sprinted forward, trying to close the distance and distract from the guard.
The Mage attacked, sending one tentacle out to strike Veon-Zih, who ducked, throwing his arm up to deflect the living whip. It shouldn’t have hurt this much. Veon-Zih blocked the pain, rolling forward. He needed to get to striking distance before…
The guard screamed, flailing his sword and cutting right through the second tentacle. As if made of smoke, the tentacle broke and reformed behind the swing, smacking the guard solidly on the head. The guard’s helmet flew off, and he dropped to the ground, clutching the side of his face. The skin between his fingers was black and blistering with red pustules.
Veon-Zih reached the Mage, striking up at the man’s chest as he stood, smacking him with the palm of his hand and knocking the wind from his lungs and spell from his lips. Lifting his foot high into the air, Veon-Zih slammed his heel down on the Mage's shoulder, sending him crumbling to the ground.
The Mage hit the stone hard, some of the cobbles breaking loose and flying into the air. His tentacled arms continued to writhe, whipping back and forth behind Veon-Zih, attacking the prone guard again as if on their own.
The Mage laughed. Giggled like a young child, his head lolling to the side, eyes staring at nothing.
Veon-Zih was forced to dodge a tentacle again, this time careful not to touch it. His arm still stung where it had burned through his clothes to reach his skin. Veon-Zih gauged the power needed to knock the man out without killing him. The Temple would want to question him. His fist hadn’t yet hit when the Mage screamed and thrashed. Veon-Zih turned to see the Paladin, sword drawn and glowing with a brilliant blue-white light, standing between the Mage's tentacles and his fallen guard. On the ground at his feet, twitched the end of one tentacle before dissolving into smoke.
The second tentacle whipped forward, thrusting like a spike to stab the knight. But the Paladin calmly cut through it, channeling the divine power of Hengist through his sword to split the tentacle down the middle. The Mage screamed again, then went quiet as Veon-Zih bopped him soundly on the base of his skull.
***
Shaloon burst through the door to Morndancer’s private rooms. The magical door made of starry night slammed into the wall and rattled the mirror across the way. “Something’s wrong.”
“Of course something is wrong,” Morndancer said absently, scratching the chin of the otherworldly pseudodragon draped over his wardrobe, “The world is being reborn, and all we can do is watch.”
“No.” she didn’t have time for his new nihilism, “Journeyman Karlo, we need to find him.”
Morndancer, for once, didn’t argue. He moved to the mirror, placing one hand in the center and holding his other out to Shaloon. She fished in her robes, pulling out a small jar, and upended it into his palm. A piece of flesh flopped into the Archmage's palm, and he closed his fingers around it, chanting softly.
The image in the mirror wavered out from his fingers as if made of water, and when it calmed again, they saw two men on its surface. A Paladin and an old man in lowly peasant garb with a shaved head. “It’s him…” Shaloon whispered.
Morndancer was more focused on the Paladin, “He’s been captured. What do they know…”
The Paladin held his helm under his arm and seemed to be watching them as he surveyed Karlo. “That was like no arcane magic I’ve ever seen before, Master Veh-oan-Zith. What kind of Mage casts spells like that?”
The Monk’s lip twitched in the merest hint of a smile, but it disappeared a moment later when he covered his chin with his hand, stroking it in thought. “The Warlock kind good Sir…”
“That’s enough,” Shaloon said with a sigh. Morndancer nodded, opening his hand and holding the lump of flesh out to her. Her shoulders slumped for a moment, another researcher lost… She draped her fingers loosely over Karlo's flesh and, with a word, set it alight with black flame.
***
“A Warlock, Master Monk? In Clearhelm?” the Paladin sounded horrified. Veon-Zih wished the knight would try and say his name again, just to add a little bit of levity to the solemn moment.
“I’m afraid so. This will be the third time I've faced one, and their magic is not one you forget,” Veon-Zih answered.
The twitchy Warlock was restrained in the center of the room, eyes open but mind far away. It appalled the Paladin how easily the man had almost gotten away with smuggling into his province, doubly so now that he knew the nature of the man’s magic. “He will be questioned thoroughly. Would you like to be present when-”
The Warlock screamed, struggling against his bonds. The Paladin reached for his sword and Veon-Zih dropped into a fighting stance but both had to shield their eyes a moment later as the Warlock burst into black flames from the inside. His eyes shriveled and burned, the flames licking out the sockets and catching his hair alight as his mouth continued to scream forth black fire.
The Paladin recovered enough to begin chanting some kind of healing or disenchanting spell but not fast enough. In mere seconds, the Warlock’s arms fell free from their bonds as they dissolved into ash, followed a moment later by the rest of his body. Leaving only the scorched chair, loose chains, and a pile of ash where once the man had been.
***
“We don’t know how much they learned,” Morndancer stated, turning accusing eyes on Shaloon.
Shaloon looked away, “They won’t find us.”
“You’re right.” Morndancer turned his back on her, “We are leaving. Make the arrangements.”
***
“They're still here then…” General Rasnah stood, looking out the window of her office towards the setting sun, clasping her wrists behind her back.
It had taken Veon-Zih a few weeks to reach Smilnda from the port city of Gehdran, though Rasnah had received the report of the Warlock incident much sooner, the same day in fact, through the Mages Guild mirrors. “Any new information?” Veon-Zih asked, moving to stand beside her. He'd returned to visit Shon in Hamerfoss, but would delay if necessary.
“No,” Rasnah sighed, “I've sent word to my counterparts in Oane and to the kingdom, we are trying to trace the man’s papers and cargo, but it will take time. They've covered their tracks well, probably have been for years.”
“At least thirty…” Veon-Zih muttered, turning away from the window and Rasnah. He took the seat in front of her desk with a road-weary sigh. “Why is it, my dear Rasnah, that you must tease me so?” he asked playfully.
Rasnah managed a laugh, “What?”
“Almost every time I come to Smilnda, something exciting seems to be brewing and then,” he snapped his fingers, “gone. We haven’t heard anything of these Warlocks for over five years, and just when I start to give up hope, bam, wyvern! I don’t suppose you killed it while I was away?”
Rasnah snorted another little laugh, finally turning away from the sunset and taking her seat behind her desk, “Please don’t remind me of the wyvern. It's been two years with no sightings, and Daunas still hasn’t stopped asking to hunt it with every report.”
“Does he want to avenge his father that badly?”
“How is it vengeance when Mung killed that one himself?”
“I wouldn’t think someone Daunas’s age would still be seeking glory…” Veon-Zih stroked his chin in thought, “He’s not much better than you 'retired' lot.”
Rasnah leaned back in her chair, lacing her fingers together, and finally gave him a real smile, “He works harder now than he ever did on the road. Us too, truth be told…”
“If you’re trying to convince me to join you again, you’re doing a very poor job of it,” Veon-Zih said, returning her smile. He didn’t want to return her mind to the serious issue at hand, but her’s wasn’t the only mind it was plaguing, “Now we have more Warlocks… possibly the same group. Are they going to disappear again? How many years before Smildna decides to dangle a true adventure under my nose once more?”
“Perhaps it’s a sign, my old, old... ooold friend. Perhaps these are adventures for the next generation.”
“Pah,” Veon-Zih waved that idea down as fast as he could, “I would rather not leave a mess for those coming behind. Besides, they aren’t ready.”
“They get closer every day, V. Don’t blink. As soon as you do, Shon will be Oath Sworn and off to hunt wyverns and Warlocks of his very own.”
Veon-Zih leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, “How’s he doing, Rasnah?” It had been a year and a half since Shon had transferred to Hamerfoss for training. Veon-Zih had tried to visit at least once a season, and the jumps in his skills seemed outstanding. Yet something still nagged at the back of Veon-Zih's mind. Was he still disappointed the boy hadn’t chosen the Monk path?
“You’re headed there next, see for yourself,” Rasnah answered shortly, though she also pulled a drawer open.
“Humor me,” Veon-Zih said, but she already was. She didn’t even have to look for the folder, showing him clearly she'd been ready for this very conversation. Before they'd been distracted by internally combusting Warlocks.
She didn’t pass over the file, such breaches of privacy were strictly against protocols, but she did leaf through it herself. “He gets top marks in combat, particularly with ambidextrous weapons and anything that requires finesse over brute strength. His lecture grades are also high, though he struggles with decorum and etiquette. His armor scores are honestly abysmal. Though I’m not sure the blame for that lies with him…” still facing the paper, she glared up at Veon-Zih with just her eyes.
“Well…” Veon-Zih rubbed the back of his neck under that accusatory stare, “He won’t have a problem if ambushed in the bath…”
That got another little snort of laughter out of the Paladin, who closed the file, “If you want anything more personal, you'll have to ask him yourself.”
Veon-Zih nodded. He just hoped Shon had made at least a few real friends since his last visit.
***
"How?" Veon-Zih gaped open-mouthed at Shon while the other Squires tried to stifle their snickers around him, “How did you get injuries from dancing?!”
Shon let go of his dance partner’s hands, and the boy stuck his fingers under his arms as if to warm them from a winter chill. Weary blue eyes turned to Veon-Zih for only a moment before Shon looked away, his cheeks pink. One cheek was bandaged with a thick square of cloth taped in place. His rolled-up sleeves showed the ends of more bandages on his right arm, and he flinched as he rubbed his ribs nervously. Were those hurt too?
“Well, Squire? Answer the man…” Daunas called from a bench against the wall of the fortress courtyard. The Weaponmaster leaned back, his hands laced behind his head, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. He maintained that dancing was for nobles and Paladins and wasn’t the one giving this lesson. Though he'd chosen to come watch regardless.
Shon mumbled something inaudible then turned away to resume dancing. His partner shook his hands out before reaching for Shon, but Daunus called out again, “What was that, Squire? Something about you taking hits on purpose?”
Shon’s eye twitched, and the boys around him tried to smother their laughter, “I won, didn't I?!” Shon called to the Weaponmaster, who snickered. The boys stopped laughing at that. They were the ones he was defeating.
The Paladin giving the dance lesson, gasped, “Squire, push-ups. Now.” Shon saluted sharply and dropped in place to perform the punishment for his rudeness. Daunas laughed louder. “The rest of you get back to work. One two, one two, leaders, don’t let your followers take control. They had their turn earlier…”
Veon-Zih made his way to Daunas’s bench, plopping heavily down on it, “The Cleric?” Veon-Zih asked the Weaponmaster, who was still smiling, though he had closed his eyes to take in the sun while it lasted. Autumn was right around the corner.
“We told him last week they weren’t going to heal anything he could've prevented himself.” Daunas explained, “Your boy has a nasty habit of taking a non-fatal hit if it means he gets the win. Which he always does. But it’s a bad habit.”
“Stubborn…” Veon-Zih muttered, watching Shon jump back to his feet to resume the dance lesson. His partner flinched at Shon's touch but started to dance without further complaint. The boys spun in well-timed circles, some stepping on feet, others pulling a little too hard, but mostly doing well. Shon had the steps down perfectly but looked stiff, like a golem going through programming. Not really feeling the music flowing from the open box beside the teacher still giving the count.
“He’s your boy." Daunas snorted out another laugh at Veon-Zih’s expense, "Sure he’s not a blood relation?” The Monk chose to ignore the insinuation and seeing he wasn’t going to get a reaction from Veon-Zih, Daunus continued, “He really is a great fighter, but he’ll need to be better with plate if he wants to keep taking hits like that.”
“You can hardly move in plate,” Veon-Zih argued, annoyed. Daunas just shrugged, so Veon-Zih leaned back with him, resting his back on the curtain wall’s cool stones, “How about everything else? Has he opened up at all?”
Daunas sighed, “In his own way. He doesn't -not- get along with anyone, and the others seem to like him well enough. But he’s quiet that one, would rather watch and listen than participate during free time, and that's assuming he's not outside practicing! He’s started helping the ones that are falling behind in combat training. It works out. He hardly uses the time he gets off anyway, and before you accuse me of taking advantage, it was his idea. I asked, and he said if they needed extra training, he might as well join them. But before you get too proud, their friendship outside the extra practice seems the same as all the others.”
So nothing had changed. Veon-Zih sighed, was there even a point in wanting Shon to make friends like a 'normal' boy? This was his normal, and if he was happy, then why encourage something different? "I suppose if it isn't harmful..." Veon-Zih whispered.
The hour bell sounded, and the Paladin closed the music box, leaving the deep rings to fill the suddenly silent air as the Squires all snapped to attention. He waited until the last bell faded before calling “Dismissed!” Almost as one, the sixteen boys sagged in relief, laughing and joking with one another as they began their first hour of free time before dinner.
Veon-Zih pushed off the wall and started for Shon. The other Squires smiled and waved or saluted greetings towards him, and he smiled and nodded in response, his feet never wavering from their path.
“Damn Shon, I swear you’ve gotten colder…” Shon’s dance partner said with a smile, rubbing his hands together. Shon just shrugged, and the boy laughed, “See you at dinner then,” before he rushed off to join some of the others heading towards the fortress proper.
Shon turned, then, spotting Veon-Zih, looked away again. Reaching him, Veon-Zih crossed his arms and arched a questioning eyebrow, waiting for the young man to look up. Shon was almost as tall as Veon-Zih now, just a few more inches, and he would overshoot his Master. That didn’t stop him from sounding small as he muttered a soft “Sorry…”
“Are you really?” Veon-Zih asked, keeping his eyebrow up.
Shon looked up, a stubborn glint in his ice-blue eyes, “They never know what to do when a blow actually lands. It ends the fights fast.”
“So you end one fight, but what about the next? Or the one after that? How many little blows do you think you can take before you fall?” Veon-Zih didn’t yell, and Shon would've heard it all from Daunas already, but it was different coming from his Master. He ran his hand through his hair, cut regulation short so not at all in his face, looking truly ashamed for the first time.
“Sorry…”
Veon-Zih sighed, taking Shon by the shoulder, “Don’t be sorry, be better.” Shon just nodded, so Veon-Zih gave him a little shake and a smile, “What about life in general? Still enjoying the military?”
Shon’s smile was as small and subtle as ever, but to Veon-Zih, it lit up his face. Shon nodded, “It’s easy and organized. I wish the Church had been so structured. As long as everyone does what they're supposed to when they're supposed to, it’s perfect.”
Veon-Zih threw his head back and laughed. By the time he looked back down, Shon was staring at him, his eyebrow arched in question. “Shon… you were born to be a Paladin.” Veon-Zih answered.
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Thank you for reading.