I have these random application settings for games I’ve never played are these supposed to be here or am I trippin out.

It was a subtle thing, the way the people looked up at me as I led my Sorcerers out.
Hushed whispers, voices echoing the same thought, the same idea, the same truth. "That's Ruuk Stingtail, he's the Bold who will lead Kurtulmak's Empire."
I pretended not to notice, it was too soon for people to just start calling out to me as their future ruler, yet when I spoke with authority, their eyes widened as it seemed it validated everything they believed.
The word 'Imperator' was whispered, so when I finished fixing one of our farmers' tools, and he said, "Thank you, Imperator." I simply looked at him and spoke.
"I am not worthy to rule."
It always worked, their eyes always grew wider as their respect for me grew.
The Clerics of both Temples were working together to spread the news of the vision, and what I had learned. This led to the understanding that if both of us were working together, the situation must be dangerous.
I passed by Tudru, he was wearing the enchanted armor our Emperor had made. "Imperator." He said, his caused gasps, a member of the Council had recognized my authority. I nonetheless said, "I've said before, if the people want someone to rule, it can't be me."
"The people want you." He said. "My Fighters are at the ready, Imperator."
I of course kept up my facade of refusal, always saying it loudly, publicly, but always visibly suppressing a smile, always making sure my serious expression brightened before I visibly pushed that brief moment of satisfaction away to remind them, "No, I am unworthy."
By the end of the first day, everyone in the city was aware of the danger, the people were busting their asses to get ready.
The second day, the people were more vocal, finding strength to say my title with more conviction, to bow their heads as I passed, dregs of uncertainty entered my voice as I repeated my refusal to lead.
A cadre of Sorcerers approached me, all of them relatively new.
"Imperator." They said clearly. "Seeing how you work to help our people, we wanted to help you any way we can, and... Well, we Awoke because of that. Direct us as you see fit."
There were fifteen of them, and when I directed them to seek our our God for guidance, they did so. As they walked away, as if in afterthought, I said, "And don't call me that!"
When I asked my Emperor about the Sorcerers, he said, "They asked about the collars, I told them that was only for those who endangered the Warren. As long as they serve their Imperator faithfully, they will not be bound so."
"Do you think I'll need a new outfit?" I asked jokingly.
"No." He said, smirking.
The third day, the Council gathered to address the Warren, the people were restless, many eyes were on me, rather than Tallyn.
"We have enough rations set aside for last us a week-" Tallyn started.
"Let the Imperator speak!" A voice yapped out.
Tallyn's eyes widened, he looked at me.
"I keep telling them, I'm not-"
That was when the riot broke out, voices clamored for me to take command, voices shouted that the Council was ineffectual, that a real leader was needed. The Paladins tried and failed to calm everyone down.
"SILENCE!" I roared, my voice amplified by the device Rekka had designed. All eyes were on me. "Release the Paladins." I said. The Paladins were released. "I have said time and time again, it is not my place to rule. Why do you insist on this?"
The voices blended together in a mass of sound, but I could hear things on occasion. "You are the only one who has the knowledge to lead!" "Even though you say that, we see you are honored, and want to rule!" "We all know you are the real power behind the Council!"
Now was the moment of truth. I raised my hand, and they quieted. "Only-" I said, my voice calm, yet commanding. "-if it is truly what the Warren wants, and my fellow Councilors agree." I looked at them, my allies knew what part they needed to play.
Kalith immediately stepped forward and knelt. "I have sworn time and time again, and yet you said not to, so I shall do it once more. I swear myself to you, Imperator, and the Empire of our God."
Kuvli walked forward next and knelt. "I owe my Barbarians this much, on their behalf, we swear to serve you, Imperator, and our Emperor, Kurtulmak."
Tudru approached and knelt. "I cannot ignore the will of the Warren." He said. "I swear my life to your Empire, Imperator."
Followed by Nakk, who simply said, "My Rogues are yours, Imperator."
Rekka appeared to hesitate before she approached and knelt. "It is the will of the Warren, Imperator Ruuk." She said.
Tatla was the first of the Temple of Bahamut's allies to defect. She gave Galax an apologetic look before she, took, approached and knelt. "There is no fighting against the people. I swear fealty, my Imperator."
This left Merti, Galax, and Tallyn. Galax approached first of the three. "And what, may I ask, will come of my Temple?" He asked.
The crowd roared, calling him disrespectful, some calling for his death, for the death of Bahamut's faithful.
"ENOUGH!" I snarled, before things could get out of hand. "Bahamut and my Master have had an agreement since before you were aware, this agreement was and still is the root of our alliance." I held my hand out. "I know you will not kneel before another God willingly, so I ask, as the alternative is losing our first and greatest Cleric, who is beholden to a God I still respect, will your Temple stand beside us as citizens of this inevitable Empire? Will you lend your wisdom, so we find the right path forward?"
"Answer me one thing, Ruuk Stingtail." He said. "Was there ever a moment you hesitated before claiming this title?"
"The title was thrust upon me." I replied honestly. "Refusal as this point would simply lead to unnecessary death. If I am to lead, let it be with peace."
He took my hand. "If I kneel, it is before Bahamut." He spoke.
"Then may Bahamut bless this day, that you do not need to."
I looked at Tallyn and Merti, they both approached, paused when they noticed the other moving, then approached together. Merti knelt.
"I swear, Imperator." She said.
Tallyn looked at Galax, then he drew his sword. I held my hand up before the crowd could begin screaming.
"If your desire is my death, brother, make it quick." I said.
Tallyn stabbed his sword into the stage and knelt. "Before Bahamut, my God, I swear fealty to your Empire so long as you follow the tenets of the Temple, for I swear to you, if you walk the path of a tyrant, I will slay you where you stand."
I smiled. "I will hold you to that, brother." I replied. "Very well, I accept the title of Imperator, and promised to lead everyone to the best of my ability."
The cheers were far more glorious than I could have anticipated, the Level I gained as a result only made it sweeter, as did the spell that I gained, that would allow me to transform anyone I chose into something else.
I wondered, briefly, how the enemies would react if I turned one of their own into a Kobold, and made him believe he was surrounded by enemies?
"As my first act as Imperator." I said, addressing the Warren. "The Council will remain in place." Everyone was surprised. "What? Why throw away skilled leaders? Their expertise will ensure the continued prosperity of our Empire. Tudru, as the one with the most military experience out of all of us, I am naming you my general. You will be in charge of establishing a formal military hierarchy, make sure any and all soldiers are willing volunteers. I expect nothing but the best."
"Yes, Imperator." He saluted by putting his fist to his heart.
"I like that, that will be our salute." I said. "Galax, as the High Priest of the God of Justice, I want you to codify our way of life into a formal list of laws. We may have already lived by them, but if there ever comes a time when we have visitors, they must have those laws easily accessible."
"I will do so under the guidance of Bahamut." He answered.
"To that effect, I am making this a formal order. Do whatever is necessary to achieve the level needed to bring back our dead." He nodded
"Tallyn, you will be in charge of locating any and all potential Paladins. I want all prospective servants of our Gods to be educated in both the teachings of Bahamut and Kurtulmak, If they are incapable of becoming either a Cleric or Paladin, ensure if they still wish to serve, that they have a place in the Temple of their choosing."
"I will do this." He said, saluting me. I smiled, he didn't even hesitate.
"Merti, Tatla, you both will continue your prior duties. I want sustainable industry to be the rule of law in this Empire, on which note, Nakk, if there comes a time that we are able to reach beyond our borders, I want you to ensure any trade or commerce that is necessary will be done correctly."
"Yes, Imperator." He replied, saluting.
"Kuvli, you will be Tudru's direct subordinate. I'm sorry, but I can't think of anything you can do that wouldn't be redundant."
"Absolutely no problem, Imperator. I prefer it that way." He replied, grinning.
"Rekka." She jumped startled by my addressing her. "I want your Artificers grouped based on their competences. Armor and weapons will be managed by armorers and weaponsmiths. Infrastructure will be managed by the appropriate people, magic items will be enchanted by any enchanters... Do what is necessary to ensure all of our bases are covered."
"Yes, Imperator." She saluted as well.
"Kalith, I still have no fucking idea how your magic works." I admitted.
He laughed. "If you have no command, I will defer to our Emperor." He said.
I nodded. "Sorcerer Goss. Approach the stage."
Goss approached, he looked terrified. "As our most competent Sorcerer, aside from myself, you will take my place on the Council."
"O-of course, Imperator!" He stammered.
I faced the crowd, all 70000 of them.
"Tomorrow." I said. "Each and every one of you will go into the mines, and you will enter the fortress our God and Emperor has built with his own two hands. I will remain behind with him, with Galax joining us. The day after, we may confront another God, one who might want us all dead. When we survive, those of us who can fight will ensure nobody ever dares to attack us again."
I paused, briefly considering how to finish before settling on simply saluting and saying, "For the glory of our God and Emperor!"
I smiled as my subjects cheered at my words.
I let my Council address them, made it clear that their word was second only to mine, and that they had my authority. The gathering proceeded as originally expected.
The rest of the day was spent getting things ready for the transition of power, we would need a flag, a symbol for our nation, names were thrown about- unsurprisingly Darastrixthurhi was tossed about, which I unilaterally decreed would be our name.
The next morning, my Emperor stepped out, the people were silent as he stood before them, with me stood beside him.
"My loyal subjects." He spoke. "Bathaldraynori di Darastrixthurhi. Ours is the Empire that was once promised, the Empire that was cruelly destroyed. Tomorrow, my ancient and hated foe is likely to come, and it is likely he will seek to recreate that cruel and tasteless prank of his- the genocide of our people."
His voice remained calm, even though his face twisted with hatred and malice. "Tomorrow, in honor of my Imperator, I shall meet him with compromise. I shall never forgive him, not for what he has done. Tomorrow, I will prove that a broken system cannot be salvaged by playing by its rules. Meditate on this, as you head below, to the safety I provide and promise. Today, I wield strength I did not on that day. Not one of you will die."
Our people, our subjects, walked into the mines carrying only what they needed, while Kurtulmak and Galax walked with me south, to the gates that separated us from the world.
I felt the high caliber bullet strike me, felt my bone break before Galax healed me. No other shots came, at least until they brought out the rocket launcher. The rocket launched and flew toward us, one magic missile later, and it was destroyed mid-flight.
"Bring forth your commander." My Emperor spoke. "So long as you do not fire upon us, they will not be harmed.
There was a loud ruckus on the other side, shortly before a man in military fatigues strode toward us, a shotgun in hand. He stopped five feet away from us, aimed his gun at us, and said, "One wrong move, and I'll shoot." His voice was the same as the gruff voice I had heard. A patch on his fatigues read 'Mendoza'.
"My name is Kurtulmak." My Emperor spoke. Mendoza tensed. "This is Ruuk, my Imperator, and first of my faithful." I saluted. "And this is Galax, first Cleric of Bahamut, King of the Metallic Dragons, Justicemaker, and so on."
"Why are you here?" Mendoza asked.
"To tell you that by the end of tomorrow, your entire garrison will be dead." My Emperor spoke. Mendoza pulled the trigger, my Emperor caught the blast with his hand and dropped the lead pellets onto the ground. "I am aware you seek to bring my nemesis here, that you intend for him to recreate the injustice he delivered unto my people. Understand, when I overcome him, my Empire will march upon your nation, those who do not kneel in recognition of our authority will be executed, and it will only be the leniency of Bahamut if they breathe again. Ruuk, our parting gift."
I nodded. "Slemon thirku rekisix bathaldraynor tairais."
The moment the words were uttered, he immediately shrank, his gear melding into his body, until he was just a Kobold like us. He let out a terrified screech.
"What did you do to me!?" He screeched.
"The only way you will survive is if you enter our town and accept this gift." Kurtulmak replied. "Otherwise, can you trust your soldiers to keep you alive?"
I could hear the horrified muttering above. We turned around and walked away.
"That was cruel and unnecessary." Galax said.
"Of course." I replied. "But it is deserved for the anguish we have been through."
I looked back, the gate had closed, and their commander was sealed inside, begging to be let out, "Don't leave me in here with these monsters!" He screeched.
I wondered what would happen first: Would they shoot him, or would they figure out what I did?
​
[Navigation for 'Dragon Rising'- [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]]

I have begun to truly regret playing this game. No, its not because of the crafting. I got some decent gear and I dont mind the way it is, though I recognize it could be better. No, its not because of the stage/difficulty/modifier selection. I dont want to play a single mission over and over and over, or be stuck with bots the entire time I play anything different from the meta. No, its not because of how awful the bots are, though they could be improved, and I understand why they function they way they do. Although, they somewhat might be to blame.
I have begun regretting my playtime in this game, not because any of these previously mentioned reasons, but because of a lack of crossplay.
I am appalled I even have to mention it. The fact that PC players cannot play with PC players is disgusting and unacceptable. I can understand consoles being separated, only by system architecture and hardware limitations, or ownership of rights and the like. But when a game is more or less exactly the same on two separate entities, like Steam vs Microsoft. knowing full well other games are 100% crossplay, hell even crossplay with console players, its gross, negligent, and completely unacceptable. I mean Back 4 Blood? Crossplay. WITH console. Deep Rock Galactic? Also crossplay. And again, WITH console. Halo Franchise, Monster Hunter Rise, No Man Sky, Total War: Warhammer 3, Roboquest, Dead by Daylight, Minecraft, Warframe. The list goes on and on. The fact that Darktide cant muster up the ability to add it in, despite a game like Roboquest can? Fuck that.
I am sick of running missions either solo, or with people under level 20. I cant do HiShock missions because anyone who joins is low level, and doesnt have the skills, knowledge, or gear to properly survive. If anyone joins that is. I spent the better part of 4 hours this morning trying to run a couple missions on HiShock, only for it to be filled with bots every time. Except 1 missions, where some level 17 showed up, promptly got hit by a sniper in the first wave after showing up, and died.
And even if I'm not trying to do HiShock, even if I do normal or LoInt, I get nothing but people learning the game, trying it out on gamepass, or bots. It is extremely rare to get anyone who is simply leveling an alt, or someone who is also 30 with knowledge and skills to hold their own. I have to escort and baby sit in every single missions I play, and I cannot stand it any longer. I am sick of not having an actual amount of players to fill missions with. Or people with experience enough to survive a single mixed horde. And aint enough players on gamepass that meets any of that criteria apparently.
So from now on, I will be making a daily log of my trials and tribulations, with the simple plea. An honest, Emperor loving wish.

Give

Me

Crossplay

REP:
IGSRep Page 6
​
HAVE:

• A Case of Distrust
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite
• American Fugitive [x3]
• Anomaly: Warzone Earth [x2]
• ATOM RPG Trudograd
• Automachef
• Battlestar Galactica Deadlock
• BIOMUTANT
• Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons [x2]
• Conan Chop Chop [x2]
• Crown Trick
• Deadly Days
• DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT [x2]
• Demon Turf
• Disciples: Liberation
• Drawful 2 [x4]
• Dungeon of the ENDLESS
• Dungeons 3
• Edge Of Eternity
• Emily is Away <3
• Encased: A Sci-Fi Post-Apocalyptic RPG [x2]
• Epic Chef
• Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game [x2]
• Fallout 76 [x2]
• Fibbage XL [x4]
• Five Dates [x2]
• Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel [x2]
• Fortune-499 [x2]
• Founders' Fortune
• Fun with Ragdolls
• GARAGE: Bad Trip
• Gas Station Simulator [x2]
• Gold Rush! Anniversary
• Gold Rush! Classic
• Golden Light
• GRIP: Combat Racing
• Grow: Song of the Evertree [x2]
• Hamilton's Great Adventure
• Hammerting
• Hell Let Loose
• Hero's Hour
• Hiveswap Friendsim
• Hokko Life
• Homeworld Remastered Collection [x2]
• House of Caravan
• Jurassic World Evolution 2
• Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days
• Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West
• Legend of Keepers: Career of a Dungeon Manager [x2]
• Legion TD 2 - Multiplayer Tower Defense [x2]
• Life is Strange 2 Complete Season [x2]
• Magicka [x2]
• Meadow
• Mech Rage
• Mind Scanners [x2]
• Möbius Front '83
• Monster Crown
• Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp
• Morbid: The Seven Acolytes
• Nebuchadnezzar
• OlliOlli World Rad Edition
• Omno [x2]
• Orwell: Ignorance is Strength
• Othercide [x2]
• Out of Space
• Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - Enhanced Edition
• Peppy's Adventure [x2]
• Pinball FX3 - Marvel Pinball Season 1 Bundle
• Pinball FX3 - Marvel Pinball Season 2 Bundle
• Pinball FX3 - Star Wars Pinball Season 1 Bundle
• Pinball FX3 - Star Wars Pinball: The Last Jedi
• Quiplash [x4]
• Railroad Corporation
• Red Faction: Armageddon
• Revita
• Rogue Lords
• Rollerdrome [x2]
• Save Jesus
• ScourgeBringer
• SCUM
• Shady Part of Me [x2]
• shapez Full Edition
• Shoppe Keep 2
• Siege Survival: Gloria Victis [x2]
• SimpleRockets 2
• SKYHILL
• Smoke and Sacrifice
• Source of Madness
• STAR WARS: Squadrons
• Starsand
• State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition
• Subdivision Infinity DX
• Subterra
• SUPERHOT: MIND CONTROL DELETE
• Supreme Ruler The Great War
• SurrounDead
• Syberia 3
• The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters
• The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
• The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos
• The Jackbox Party Pack 3 [x3]
• The Jackbox Party Pack 4 [x2]
• The Jackbox Party Pack 5 [x2]
• The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante [x2]
• The Serpent Rogue [x2]
• The Shapeshifting Detective
• This War of Mine
• Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
• Through the Darkest of Times
• Tools Up!
• Tribes of Midgard
• Velocity Ultra
• WARSAW [x2]
• YOU DON'T KNOW JACK HEADRUSH [x4]
• YOU DON'T KNOW JACK MOVIES [x4]
• YOU DON'T KNOW JACK SPORTS [x4]
• YOU DON'T KNOW JACK TELEVISION [x4]
• YOU DON'T KNOW JACK Vol. 1 XL [x4]
• YOU DON'T KNOW JACK Vol. 2 [x4]
• YOU DON'T KNOW JACK Vol. 3 [x4]
• YOU DON'T KNOW JACK Vol. 4: The Ride [x4]

​
WANT:

• Blood: One Unit Whole Blood
• Control Ultimate Edition
• Death's Gambit: Afterlife
• Fable Anniversary
• Ghostrunner
• Ghostwire: Tokyo
• Gotham Knights
• Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
• LEGO City Undercover
• Lord of the Rings: War in the North
• MONSTER HUNTER RISE
• Mortal Shell
• Prototype 2
• Quake 4
• Remnant: From the Ashes - Complete Edition
• Serious Sam 4
• Ultra Street Fighter IV
• Zombie Army 4: Dead War

The medical aesthetics market has emerged as a dynamic industry, offering a wide range of procedures and treatments that cater to the growing demand for aesthetic enhancements. This booming market combines medical expertise with cosmetic procedures, providing individuals with the opportunity to enhance their appearance and boost their self-confidence.
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𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐎𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/medical-aesthetics-market-100631
Medical aesthetics encompass a diverse array of treatments, including non-invasive procedures like laser hair removal, Botox injections, dermal fillers, and skin rejuvenation therapies, as well as surgical interventions such as facelifts, liposuction, and breast augmentation. These procedures are performed by qualified medical professionals, ensuring safety and optimal outcomes.
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Yes, it's a "choosing a main" post -- but I'm hoping this has some more bite with the lore community.
I have a very interesting (for me) character pairing that I try to replicate across most games that I play: a duo of an Archivist and a Seeker. The Archivist is normally a spellcaster and/or scholar with a load of tricks and utility, while the Seeker is a more melee/survivalist with a lot of ways to solve problems and get stuff done solo. I also normally try to cover as much of the magical spectrum for the universe of the game between the two, between race and class and professions.
WoW has always trumped me on this. I have several pairings that I know would work, but none of them ever seem to work well enough for me to stick to them as a Main/Alt pairing.
The current top pairs are: Void elf Warlock and either Undead Rogue or Blood Elf Paladin Void elf Priest and either Undead Rogue or Blood Elf Hunter Undead Priest and Void Elf Rogue
I've also toyed around with a Blood Elf Death Knight and Undead Warlock, but they don't seem to stick quite as well.
What I'm here to ask is: do you, as the lore community, have any advice or insights into this kind of pairing? Any classes I haven't considered? I generally love the elves and Forsaken in this game, so I've always stuck to that above all else (they fit the scholarly vibes the best while still having aesthetics I love). Class design is generally strong enough that I'll have something to play for any class, so if the backstory is strong enough I'll probably make it work.
Thanks all!

Everything in my inventory is up for trade. The most valuable items are listed here, the rest you can find in My Inventory

Feel free to Add Me or even better send a Trade Offer. Open for any suggestions: upgrades, downgrades / knives, gloves, skins / stickers, patterns, floats.

All Buyouts are listed in cash value.

KNIVES

★ Butterfly Knife Freehand FN #1, B/O: $2500

★ Butterfly Knife Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $822

★ Butterfly Knife Scorched FT, B/O: $616

⎯

★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth MW #1, B/O: $1300

★ Bayonet Autotronic FN, B/O: $1050

★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth MW, B/O: $629

★ Bayonet Bright Water FT, B/O: $326

★ Bayonet Safari Mesh BS, B/O: $233

⎯

★ Karambit Lore FT, B/O: $1110

★ Karambit Damascus Steel FT, B/O: $840

★ Karambit Freehand MW, B/O: $784

★ Karambit Bright Water MW, B/O: $759

⎯

★ M9 Bayonet Fade FN, B/O: $1801

★ M9 Bayonet Fade FN, B/O: $1801

★ M9 Bayonet Damascus Steel FN, B/O: $751

⎯

★ Nomad Knife Fade FN, B/O: $1156

★ Nomad Knife Slaughter MW, B/O: $544

★ Nomad Knife Blue Steel WW, B/O: $318

⎯

★ Flip Knife Marble Fade FN, B/O: $646

★ Flip Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $574

★ Flip Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) MW, B/O: $552

★ Flip Knife Case Hardened FT, B/O: $257

★ Flip Knife Freehand FT, B/O: $255

★ StatTrak™ Flip Knife Bright Water FN, B/O: $287

⎯

★ Huntsman Knife Lore FN, B/O: $461

★ Huntsman Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $436

★ Huntsman Knife Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $353

★ Huntsman Knife Autotronic FT, B/O: $212

★ Huntsman Knife Bright Water FT, B/O: $129

★ Huntsman Knife Forest DDPAT MW, B/O: $129

★ Huntsman Knife Forest DDPAT BS, B/O: $123

★ StatTrak™ Huntsman Knife Rust Coat BS, B/O: $127

⎯

★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 2) FN, B/O: $375

★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $363

★ Bowie Knife Tiger Tooth FN, B/O: $269

★ Bowie Knife Crimson Web WW, B/O: $192

★ Bowie Knife Bright Water FN, B/O: $159

★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $126

⎯

★ Stiletto Knife Slaughter FN, B/O: $616

★ Stiletto Knife Crimson Web FT, B/O: $412

★ StatTrak™ Stiletto Knife Night Stripe FT, B/O: $227

⎯

★ Falchion Knife Lore FT, B/O: $214

★ Falchion Knife Autotronic FT, B/O: $192

★ Falchion Knife Scorched WW, B/O: $105

⎯

★ Survival Knife Crimson Web BS, B/O: $216

★ Survival Knife Case Hardened FT, B/O: $198

★ Survival Knife Scorched FT, B/O: $111

⎯

★ Shadow Daggers Fade FN, B/O: $368

★ Shadow Daggers Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $228

★ Shadow Daggers, B/O: $201

★ Shadow Daggers Damascus Steel FT, B/O: $108

★ Shadow Daggers Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $105

★ Shadow Daggers Black Laminate FT, B/O: $99

★ Shadow Daggers Forest DDPAT FT, B/O: $85

⎯

★ Gut Knife Doppler (Sapphire) MW #1, B/O: $1700

★ Gut Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $223

★ Gut Knife Marble Fade FN, B/O: $203

★ Gut Knife Doppler (Phase 2) FN, B/O: $191

★ Gut Knife Case Hardened BS, B/O: $127

⎯

★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $199

★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $199

★ Navaja Knife, B/O: $138

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel FN, B/O: $111

⎯

★ Classic Knife Urban Masked FT, B/O: $146

★ StatTrak™ Classic Knife Stained BS, B/O: $168

⎯

★ Ursus Knife Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $476

★ Ursus Knife, B/O: $375

⎯

★ Skeleton Knife, B/O: $1137

★ Talon Knife, B/O: $608

★ Paracord Knife, B/O: $305

★ Survival Knife Forest DDPAT FT, B/O: $97

GLOVES

★ Moto Gloves Transport MW, B/O: $204

★ Moto Gloves Polygon BS, B/O: $142

★ Moto Gloves Blood Pressure BS, B/O: $84

★ Moto Gloves Blood Pressure BS, B/O: $84

★ Moto Gloves 3rd Commando Company BS, B/O: $63

★ Moto Gloves 3rd Commando Company BS, B/O: $63

⎯

★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Kimono WW, B/O: $1215

★ Specialist Gloves Tiger Strike FT, B/O: $672

★ Specialist Gloves Lt. Commander FT, B/O: $305

★ Specialist Gloves Lt. Commander BS, B/O: $140

★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Web BS, B/O: $137

★ Specialist Gloves Buckshot FT, B/O: $75

⎯

★ Driver Gloves Crimson Weave FT, B/O: $359

★ Driver Gloves Imperial Plaid BS, B/O: $229

★ Driver Gloves Overtake BS, B/O: $77

★ Driver Gloves Racing Green FT, B/O: $48

⎯

★ Sport Gloves Omega FT, B/O: $739

★ Sport Gloves Amphibious BS #2, B/O: $733

★ Sport Gloves Arid BS, B/O: $292

⎯

★ Hand Wraps Giraffe MW, B/O: $212

★ Hand Wraps Leather FT, B/O: $160

★ Hand Wraps Desert Shamagh MW, B/O: $101

⎯

★ Broken Fang Gloves Yellow-banded MW, B/O: $185

★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point FT, B/O: $67

★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point WW, B/O: $59

⎯

★ Hydra Gloves Case Hardened BS, B/O: $65

★ Hydra Gloves Emerald FT, B/O: $65

★ Hydra Gloves Emerald BS, B/O: $62

WEAPONS

AK-47 Case Hardened BS, B/O: $130

AK-47 Bloodsport MW, B/O: $79

AK-47 Fuel Injector BS, B/O: $76

AK-47 Fuel Injector BS, B/O: $76

AK-47 Bloodsport FT, B/O: $70

AK-47 Neon Rider MW, B/O: $60

StatTrak™ AK-47 Aquamarine Revenge FT, B/O: $72

⎯

AWP Fade FN, B/O: $1039

AWP Asiimov FT, B/O: $139

AWP Asiimov FT, B/O: $139

AWP Wildfire MW, B/O: $95

AWP BOOM MW, B/O: $93

AWP BOOM MW, B/O: $93

AWP Duality FN, B/O: $81

AWP Asiimov BS, B/O: $79

AWP Asiimov BS, B/O: $79

AWP Chromatic Aberration FN, B/O: $60

StatTrak™ AWP Hyper Beast FT, B/O: $68

StatTrak™ AWP Hyper Beast FT, B/O: $68

StatTrak™ AWP Electric Hive FT, B/O: $55

⎯

Desert Eagle Blaze FN, B/O: $623

Desert Eagle Emerald Jörmungandr FN, B/O: $241

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81

Desert Eagle Printstream FT, B/O: $54

⎯

M4A1-S Blue Phosphor FN, B/O: $434

StatTrak™ M4A1-S Bright Water MW, B/O: $55

⎯

M4A4 Poseidon FN, B/O: $1465

M4A4 Asiimov BS, B/O: $55

M4A4 Hellfire MW, B/O: $50

⎯

USP-S Kill Confirmed MW, B/O: $72

USP-S Printstream FT, B/O: $69

StatTrak™ USP-S Kill Confirmed FT, B/O: $139

⎯

AUG Flame Jörmungandr FN, B/O: $234

P90 Run and Hide FT, B/O: $147

Five-SeveN Candy Apple FN, B/O: $61

Trade Offer Link - Steam Profile Link - My Inventory

Knives - Bowie Knife, Butterfly Knife, Falchion Knife, Flip Knife, Gut Knife, Huntsman Knife, M9 Bayonet, Bayonet, Karambit, Shadow Daggers, Stiletto Knife, Ursus Knife, Navaja Knife, Talon Knife, Classic Knife, Paracord Knife, Survival Knife, Nomad Knife, Skeleton Knife, Patterns - Gamma Doppler, Doppler (Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4, Black Pearl, Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald), Crimson Web, Lore, Fade, Ultraviolet, Night, Marble Fade (Fire & Ice, Fake FI), Case Hardened (Blue Gem), Autotronic, Slaughter, Black Laminate, Tiger Tooth, Boreal Forest, Scorched, Blue Steel, Vanilla, Damascus Steel, Forest DDPAT, Urban Masked, Freehand, Stained, Bright Water, Safari Mesh, Rust Coat, Gloves - Bloodhound Gloves (Charred, Snakebite, Guerrilla, Bronzed), Driver Gloves (Snow Leopard, King Snake, Crimson Weave, Imperial Plaid, Black Tie, Lunar Weave, Diamondback, Rezan the Red, Overtake, Queen Jaguar, Convoy, Racing Green), Hand Wraps (Cobalt Skulls, CAUTION!, Overprint, Slaughter, Leather, Giraffe, Badlands, Spruce DDPAT, Arboreal, Constrictor, Desert Shamagh, Duct Tape), Moto Gloves (Spearmint, POW!, Cool Mint, Smoke Out, Finish Line, Polygon, Blood Pressure, Turtle, Boom!, Eclipse, 3rd Commando Company, Transport), Specialist Gloves (Crimson Kimono, Tiger Strike, Emerald Web, Field Agent, Marble Fade, Fade, Foundation, Lt. Commander, Crimson Web, Mogul, Forest DDPAT, Buckshot), Sport Gloves (Pandora's Box, Superconductor, Hedge Maze, Vice, Amphibious, Slingshot, Omega, Arid, Big Game, Nocts, Scarlet Shamagh, Bronze Morph), Hydra Gloves (Case Hardened, Emerald, Rattler, Mangrove), Broken Fang Gloves (Jade, Yellow-banded, Unhinged, Needle Point), Pistols - P2000 (Wicked Sick, Ocean Foam, Fire Element, Amber Fade, Corticera, Chainmail, Imperial Dragon, Obsidian, Scorpion, Handgun, Acid Etched), USP-S (Printstream, Kill Confirmed, Whiteout, Road Rash, Owergrowth, The Traitor, Neo-Noir, Dark Water, Orion, Blueprint, Stainless, Caiman, Serum, Monster Mashup, Royal Blue, Ancient Visions, Cortex, Orange Anolis, Ticket To Hell, Black Lotus, Cyrex, Check Engine, Guardian, Purple DDPAT, Torque, Blood Tiger, Flashback, Business Class, Pathfinder, Para Green), Lead Conduit, Glock-18 (Umbral Rabbit, Fade, Candy Apple, Bullet Queen, Synth Leaf, Neo-Noir, Nuclear Garden, Dragon Tatto, Reactor, Pink DDPAT, Twilight Galaxy, Sand Dune, Groundwater, Blue Fissure, Snack Attack, Water Elemental, Brass, Wasteland Rebel, Vogue, Franklin, Royal Legion, Gamma Doppler, Weasel, Steel Disruption, Ironwork, Grinder, High Beam, Moonrise, Oxide Blaze, Bunsen Burner, Clear Polymer, Bunsen Burner, Night), P250 (Re.built, Nuclear Threat, Modern Hunter, Splash, Whiteout, Vino Primo, Mehndi, Asiimov, Visions, Undertow, Cartel, See Ya Later, Gunsmoke, Splash, Digital Architect, Muertos, Red Rock, Bengal Tiger, Crimson Kimono, Wingshot, Metallic DDPAT, Hive, Dark Filigree, Mint Kimono), Five-Seven (Neon Kimono, Berries And Cherries, Fall Hazard, Crimson Blossom, Hyper Beast, Nitro, Fairy Tale, Case Hardened, Copper Galaxy, Angry Mob, Monkey Business, Fowl Play, Anodized Gunmetal, Hot Shot, Retrobution, Boost Protocol), CZ75-Auto (Chalice, Crimson Web, Emerald Quartz, The Fuschia is Now, Nitro, Xiangliu, Yellow Jacket, Victoria, Poison Dart, Syndicate, Eco, Hexane, Pole, Tigris), Tec-9 (Rebel, Terrace, Nuclear Threat, Hades, Rust Leaf, Decimator, Blast From, Orange Murano, Toxic, Fuel Injector, Remote Control, Bamboo Forest, Isaac, Avalanche, Brother, Re-Entry, Blue Titanium, Bamboozle), R8 Revolver (Banana Cannon, Fade, Blaze, Crimson Web, Liama Cannon, Crazy 8, Reboot, Canal Spray, Night, Amber Fade), Desert Eagle (Blaze, Hand Cannon, Fennec Fox, Sunset Storm, Emerald Jörmungandr, Pilot, Hypnotic, Golden Koi, Printstream, Cobalt Disruption, Code Red, Ocean Drive, Midnight Storm, Kumicho Dragon, Crimson Web, Heirloom, Night Heist, Mecha Industries, Night, Conspiracy, Trigger Discipline, Naga, Directive, Light Rail), Dual Berettas (Flora Carnivora, Duelist, Cobra Strike, Black Limba, Emerald, Hemoglobin, Twin Turbo, Marina, Melondrama, Pyre, Retribution, Briar, Dezastre, Royal Consorts, Urban Shock, Dualing Dragons, Panther, Balance), Rifles - Galil (Aqua Terrace, Winter Forest, Chatterbox, Sugar Rush, Pheonix Blacklight, CAUTION!, Orange DDPAT, Cerberus, Dusk Ruins, Eco, Chromatic Aberration, Stone Cold, Tuxedo, Sandstorm, Shattered, Urban Rubble, Rocket Pop, Kami, Crimson Tsunami, Connexion), SCAR-20 (Fragments, Brass, Cyrex, Palm, Splash Jam, Cardiac, Emerald, Crimson Web, Magna Carta, Stone Mosaico, Bloodsport, Enforcer), AWP (Duality, Gungnir, Dragon Lore, Prince, Medusa, Desert Hydra, Fade, Lightning Strike, Oni Taiji, Silk Tiger, Graphite, Chromatic Aberration, Asiimov, Snake Camo, Boom, Containment Breach, Wildfire, Redline, Electric Hive, Hyper Beast, Neo-Noir, Man-o'-war, Pink DDPAT, Corticera, Sun in Leo, Elite Build, Fever Dream, Atheris, Mortis, PAW, Exoskeleton, Worm God, POP AWP, Phobos, Acheron, Pit Viper, Capillary, Safari Mesh), AK-47 (Head Shot, Wild Lotus, Gold Arabesque, X-Ray, Fire Serpent, Hydroponic, Panthera Onca, Case Hardened, Vulcan, Jet Set, Fuel Injector, Bloodsport, Nightwish, First Class, Neon Rider, Asiimov, Red Laminate, Aquamarine Revenge, The Empress, Wasteland Rebel, Jaguar, Black Laminate, Leet Museo, Neon Revolution, Redline, Frontside Misty, Predator, Legion of Anubis, Point Disarray, Orbit Mk01, Blue Laminate, Green Laminate, Emerald Pinstripe, Cartel, Phantom Disruptor, Jungle Spray, Safety Net, Rat Rod, Baroque Purple, Slate, Elite Build, Uncharted, Safari Mesh), FAMAS (Sundown, Prime Conspiracy, Afterimage, Commemoration, Dark Water, Spitfire, Pulse, Eye of Athena, Meltdown, Rapid Eye Move, Roll Cage, Styx, Mecha Industrie, Djinn, ZX Spectron, Valence, Neural Net, Night Borre, Hexne), M4A4 (Temukau, Howl, Poseidon, Asiimov, Daybreak, Hellfire, Zirka, Red DDPAT, Radiation Hazard, Modern Hunter, The Emperor, The Coalition, Bullet Rain, Cyber Security, X-Ray, Dark Blossom, Buzz Kill, In Living Color, Neo-Noir, Desolate Space, 龍王 (Dragon King), Royal Paladin, The Battlestar, Global Offensive, Tooth Fairy, Desert-Strike, Griffin, Evil Daimyo, Spider Lily, Converter), M4A1-S (Emphorosaur-S, Welcome to the Jungle, Imminent Danger, Knight, Hot Rod, Icarus Fell, Blue Phosphor, Printstream, Master Piece, Dark Water, Golden Coil, Bright Water, Player Two, Atomic Alloy, Guardian, Chantico's Fire, Hyper Beast, Mecha Industries, Cyrex, Control Panel, Moss Quartz, Nightmare, Decimator, Leaded Glass, Basilisk, Blood Tiger, Briefing, Night Terror, Nitro, VariCamo, Flashback), SG 553 (Cyberforce, Hazard Pay, Bulldozer, Integrale, Dragon Tech, Ultraviolet, Colony IV, Hypnotic, Cyrex, Candy Apple, Barricade, Pulse), SSG 08 (Death Strike, Sea Calico, Blood in the Water, Orange Filigree, Dragonfire, Big Iron, Bloodshot, Detour, Turbo Peek, Red Stone), AUG (Akihabara Accept, Flame Jörmungandr, Hot Rod, Midnight Lily, Sand Storm, Carved Jade, Wings, Anodized Navy, Death by Puppy, Torque, Bengal Tiger, Chameleon, Fleet Flock, Random Access, Momentum, Syd Mead, Stymphalian, Arctic Wolf, Aristocrat, Navy Murano), G3SG1 (Chronos, Violet Murano, Flux, Demeter, Orange Kimono, The Executioner, Green Apple, Arctic Polar Camo, Contractor), SMGs - P90 (Neoqueen, Astral Jörmungandr, Run and Hide, Emerald Dragon, Cold Blooded, Death by Kitty, Baroque Red, Vent Rush, Blind Spot, Asiimov, Trigon, Sunset Lily, Death Grip, Leather, Nostalgia, Fallout Warning, Tiger Pit, Schermatic, Virus, Shapewood, Glacier Mesh, Shallow Grave, Chopper, Desert Warfare), MAC-10 (Sakkaku, Hot Snakes, Copper Borre, Red Filigree, Gold Brick, Graven, Case Hardened, Stalker, Amber Fade, Neon Rider, Tatter, Curse, Propaganda, Nuclear Garden, Disco Tech, Toybox, Heat, Indigo), UMP-45 (Wild Child, Fade, Blaze, Day Lily, Minotaur's Labyrinth, Crime Scene, Caramel, Bone Pile, Momentum, Primal Saber), MP7 (Teal Blossom, Fade, Nemesis, Whiteout, Asterion, Bloosport, Abyssal Apparition, Full Stop, Special Delivery, Neon Ply, Asterion, Ocean Foam, Powercore, Scorched, Impire), PP-Bizon (Modern Hunter, Rust Coat, Forest Leaves, Antique, High Roller, Blue Streak, Seabird, Judgement of Anubis, Bamboo Print, Embargo, Chemical Green, Coblat Halftone, Fuel Rod, Photic Zone, Irradiated Alert, Carbon Fiber), MP9 (Featherweight, Wild Lily, Pandora's Box, Stained Glass, Bulldozer, Dark Age, Hot Rod, Hypnotic, Hydra, Rose Iron, Music Box, Setting Sun, Food Chain, Airlock, Mount Fuji, Starlight Protector, Ruby Poison Dart, Deadly Poison), MP5-SD (Liquidation, Oxide Oasis, Phosphor, Nitro, Agent, Autumn Twilly), Shotguns, Machineguns - Sawed-Off (Kiss♥Love, First Class, Orange DDPAT, Rust Coat, The Kraken, Devourer, Mosaico, Wasteland Princess, Bamboo Shadow, Copper, Serenity, Limelight, Apocalypto), XM1014 (Frost Borre, Ancient Lore, Red Leather, Elegant Vines, Banana Leaf, Jungle, Urban Perforated, Grassland, Blaze Orange, Heaven Guard, VariCamo Blue, Entombed, XOXO, Seasons, Tranquility, Bone Machine, Incinegator, Teclu Burner, Black Tie, Zombie Offensive, Watchdog), Nova (Baroque Orange, Hyper Beast, Green Apple, Antique, Modern Hunter, Walnut, Forest Leaves, Graphite, Blaze Orange, Rising Skull, Tempest, Bloomstick, Interlock, Quick Sand, Moon in Libra, Clean Polymer, Red Quartz, Toy Soldier), MAG-7 (Insomnia, Cinqueda, Counter Terrace, Prism Terrace, Memento, Chainmail, Hazard, Justice, Bulldozer, Silver, Core Breach, Firestarter, Praetorian, Heat, Hard Water, Monster Call, BI83 Spectrum, SWAG-7), M249 (Humidor, Shipping Forecast, Blizzard Marbleized, Downtown, Jungle DDPAT, Nebula Crusader, Impact Drill, Emerald Poison Dart), Negev (Mjölnir, Anodized Navy, Palm, Power Loader, Bratatat, CaliCamo, Phoenix Stencil, Infrastructure, Boroque Sand), Wear - Factory New (FN), Minimal Wear (MW), Field-Tested (FT), Well-Worn (WW), Battle-Scarred (BS), Stickers Holo/Foil/Gold - Katowice 2014, Krakow 2017, Howling Dawn, Katowice 2015, Crown, London 2018, Cologne 2014, Boston 2018, Atlanta 2017, Cluj-Napoca 2015, DreamHack 2014, King on the Field, Harp of War, Winged Difuser, Cologne 2016, Cologne 2015, MLG Columbus 2016, Katowice 2019, Berlin 2019, RMR 2020, Stockholm 2021, Antwerp 2022, Swag Foil, Flammable foil, Others - Souvenirs, Agents, Pins, Passes, Gifts, Music Kits, Cases, Keys, Capsules, Packages, Patches

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Read Chapters 26, 27, and 28 Here: https://www.reddit.com/saw/comments/13v6mcx/legacy_from_the_book_of_saw_chapter_26_27_28/
________________________________________________
*** CHAPTER 29 **\*
Inside the exhibit, the faint whir of a helicopter flying overhead, penetrated the survivors’ ears, injecting their weary hearts with a frail glimmer of hope. Undeterred by adversity, Renee and Sarah persevered in their quest to uncover the key to the elusive lock box. With resolute determination, Sarah tore through the sandbags, while Renee upended the buckets of paint and dirt, hoping to unearth their salvation.
Confident of their impending rescue, Gavin remained reclined against the glass, observing his companions. His attention fixated on the box, turning it around to admire its design. Yet, the pain in his abdomen had intensified, transforming even the gentle touch of his shirt into searing knives. Placing the box on his lap, he unfastened a button, peering inside to discover a sizable hematoma, its purple hue speckled with dull pinks.
“I found something!” Renee said excitedly.
On the back wall was a ventilation shaft. Renee stood by while Sarah rubbed her fingers against the screws that sealed the screen to the duct, then retrieved another brick from the tower. She forcibly slammed the stone into the bolt repeatedly, but it wasn’t budging.
A piercing shriek echoed off the walls, drawing their attention to Gavin, who trembled as he peeled off his shirt. His face etched with fear and frailty. In a testament to his weakened state, his breath came in rapid pants.
Sarah rushed forward, “You have internal bleeding,” she proclaimed, “You need medical attention.”
Gavin blinked wildly, struggling to see, “Son of a bitch,” he said, wincing.
“How do you know that?” Renee asked.
Sarah grabs a sandbag and brings it closer to Gavin. “You need to apply pressure and stay elevated.”
“Goddamnit… Goddamnit. He knocked me down.” Gavin said.
Renee could see the fear on Gavin’s face, and despite his aggression towards her, she felt sympathy for him, “Sarah, are you sure about this?”
“I think so,” she replied, “I was going to be a nurse.”
As Sarah lowers the sandbag onto Gavin’s abdomen, he endures a sudden jolt of pain, “Jesus….” he whimpers.
Renee looks up at her, “A nurse?”
Observing the patient, Sarah explained, “I didn’t finish.”
Gavin’s voice trembles, “What happened?”
The memories of her children flock to Sarah’s mind, and she contorts her face in self-reproach. “I had kids,” she said, “I lost focus.”
“I always wanted to be a Mother,” Renee said thoughtlessly.
Trying to ignore the pain, Gavin asked, “What happened with your kids?”
Sarah leans onto a barrel and appears sunken, slow to respond, “It started as a game,” she said, remembering the day she was tested.
On an ordinary summer afternoon, Sarah strolled through the Oaks Mall in the company of her two children, Charlie and Charlotte. At the time, the youngsters were merely eleven and thirteen, with Charlotte assuming the role of elder sibling, ceaselessly provoking her younger brother.
While Sarah admired a jewelry display, Charlotte began arguing with Charlie.
“I said you could have a sip!” She glowered.
“I did!”
“You drank the whole thing!” Charlotte declared, tossing the empty drink at her brother, hitting him in the chest.
As the bottle tumbled to the ground, its lid catapulted off, scattering remnants of ice across the sleek marble tile. A gathering of shoppers paused to eavesdrop on the squabbling children, silently questioning when parental intervention would ensue. However, Sarah remained engrossed in her negotiation with the salesman, completely oblivious to the unfolding chaos.
The incessant bickering continued until a push gave way, toppling a display and capturing Sarah’s attention. A wave of embarrassment surged through her as she acutely sensed the disapproving gazes fixed upon her. Reacting swiftly, she tightly grasped their wrists and whisked them away from the store.
Their valiant attempts to vindicate themselves were futile; Sarah was livid. While in earshot of the customers, she scolded her children, relinquishing her promise to buy them gifts, and insisting she wouldn’t tolerate any more arguing.
Folding her arms, Charlotte pouted, displeased with her Mother’s verdict.
As they approached the exit of the mall, the anxiety of the situation had created an urgency in Charlie to use the restroom.
“I need to go,” he cooed.
Moving up the escalators, they stopped outside the laboratories, next to a concession stand, and Charlie hurried inside. With the jewelry store out of sight, they could finally drop the act. Charlotte reached into her pocket and produced the diamond bracelet that her Mother wanted.
“How was that?” Charlotte inquired about her performance.
Sarah fitted the stolen bracelet onto her wrist and smiled, “You’re a natural.”
Her daughter beamed at the compliment, “Let’s do it again. That was fun!”
“Soon, baby, soon. “ Sarah reached into her purse and pulled out a handful of cash, extracting a crisp twenty-dollar bill, “How ‘bout a lemonade, then?”
Charlotte grinned widely and stood in line with her mother. She reviewed the menu and decided a deluxe strawberry lemonade would be adequate for a thespian of her stature. More patrons would appear behind them, blocking their view of the restroom.
Before returning to the group, Charlie’s eyes locked on the enchanting display of an opulent toy store. He glided towards the shop, his heart aflutter with a potent blend of anticipation and awe. With a reverent gaze, he took in the kaleidoscope of toys that sprawled before him, each beckoning with its own unique allure.
Moments later, Charlotte joined her brother, her eyes reflecting his infectious enthusiasm. Their faces adorned with radiant smiles, the siblings gazed excitedly at the toys and gadgets, longing to claim them as their own.
“So, you taught your kids to help you steal?” Gavin asked, bemused with the story thus far.
Renee waited for Sarah’s response, but it never came.
“You’ve got money. Why would you do that?” He asked.
Sarah sat on the floor and looked off into the distance, “You had a mistress, didn’t you?”
“What?” Gavin was taken aback.
“It was exciting, right? She made you feel special... Important.”
Gavin remained quiet. It was hard to argue with the claim.
“We didn’t grow up with much,” she began, her voice trailing off as memories of her childhood flooded her mind. Sarah grappled with the words, struggling to articulate the complexities of her past. “My mother… she….” Her voice faltered, “Mom battled with anxiety and paranoia. She… She was confused. Maybe it was bipolar or schizophrenia. I don’t know. We couldn’t afford an evaluation. And my dad… He wasn’t there. He couldn’t handle the mood swings, y’know?”
“So what? Every family has issues….” Gavin said.
“Sometimes, it was the only way for us to put food on the table,” she explained, “but it became a compulsion for her.”
“It rubbed off on you?” Renee asked in a sympathetic tone.
“Maybe,” she replied, her eyes falling to the floor, “Maybe it was always there.”
“Where’s she now?” Renee asked.
Saddened by the thought, Sarah revealed, “She’s gone…. She passed, I mean. Almost twenty years now. Small service. She didn’t have a lot of friends.”
To the point, Gavin asked, “So, when did you get tested?”
“That night…,” She said, “We got home pretty late and the lights weren’t working. I thought nothing of it. A blown fuse or something, right?” A look of sorrow befell her, “My husband normally fixed those things.”
Renee met the gaze of Sarah and flashed her a sweet smile.
“Anyways, the kids dashed to their rooms while I looked for the electrical box.”
Concealed within the shrouds of darkness, Amanda Young lingered, her anticipation building as she waited for the imminent arrival of the unsuspecting family. In the dimly lit living room, Sarah’s searching hand came across a solitary candle. As she struck a match, its feeble glow revealed the haunting silhouette of a grotesquely contorted head, sending a chilling tremor down her spine. On the precipice of releasing a scream, Sarah’s world was abruptly invaded by the stealthy approach of Mark Hoffman. From the shadows, he ensnared her in a vice-like grip, swiftly pressing a rag infused with chloroform against her face, plunging her consciousness into an unsettling abyss.
“The next thing I knew, I woke up in a room like this,” she said, “but there was a window that separated me from my kids, and my wrist was pulled through a hole in the glass.”
Surprised, Renee asked, “Your kids were in the trap with you?”
Gavin spoke softly, “Wouldn’t be the first time….” he said, remembering the threat of death towards Dr. Gordon’s family.
Sarah let out a deep sigh and nodded, “When I woke up, I could see them lying across from me.”
Immersed in the flickering glow of white noise from a television screen, Charlotte and Charlie lay upon the grimy floor of a forsaken laboratory. The dilapidated chamber exudes a musty odor, its atmosphere saturated with neglect. The bluish-green walls, tinged with decay, reveal patches of a worn brown foundation, marking the passage of time.
Sarah's eyes widened with fear as the cacophony of static intensified, her heart pounding in her chest. She fought desperately, her wrist contorting and straining, in an attempt to free herself from the confining hole. And then, as if emerging from a nightmare, an unsettling puppet materialized through the static of the television.
“Hello Sarah, I want to play a game,” John’s chilling voice emitted from the doll and seized her attention, “Despite your advantages, you’ve chosen to lie, cheat, and steal. Well, Today, you will have a chance to give."
Startled by the haunting voice, Charlie emerged from his slumber. As he rubbed his eyes, he caught sight of his mother through the glass and hurriedly made his way towards her. A flood of relief washed over Sarah as she beheld her son unharmed. Sarah enveloped him in a tight embrace, pressing his little body against the cool surface, yearning to feel the warmth of his skin once more.
“Sarah, you’ve long considered your children to be an extension of yourself, using them like a tool for your criminal acts. Today, they will be the key, the key to saving your life.”
Charlotte is awoken to the sound of her brother pounding on the glass walls. Frightened, she rushes towards the window.
“If you are comfortable using their hands, perhaps, you don’t need your own?” Jigsaw suggests.
“Oh my God,” Sarah says.
“If you want freedom, I require a sacrifice. A sacrifice of flesh.”
Charlotte turns around slowly and watches the TV.
“There’s a tool in the room with you, and you will need it to be set free. But hurry up. In 10 minutes, the door will lock, and this room will become your tomb. Live or die, Sarah. Make your choice.”
A timer beneath the TV switches on, piercing the darkness with its red digits.
Charlie wipes tears from his face, his words nearly incomprehensible, “Mom, I want to go home.”
“Me too, baby. We’re gonna be okay, I promise you. It’s just a game.”
“I don’t want to play anymore!” Charlie declared.
Sarah’s throat swelled, and she was stricken with guilt, “Just once more, honey, okay?”
Charlotte quickly evaluated the room, searching for the tool.
“No more!” Charlie yelled.
Embracing her son, Sarah ran her hand against his head, soothing him, “Okay, sweetheart. It’s Okay.”
Charlotte remained determined as she searched the room, playing the role of Detective. Her love of movies crept in, and she was strangely fearless. She knew the good guys always prevailed based on the films she had seen. She knocked on the walls listening for a hollow point, and proceeded into the darkness. It was there that she felt something on her foot. Kneeling, she reached for a medium-sized box wrapped like a Christmas present. Tearing open the covering, she lifted the lid and found a rusty hacksaw.
Clutching the tool firmly in her hand, she made her way back to her mother, a sense of pride surging through her. Oblivious to the gravity of the situation, she remained unaware of the implications of her discovery. As Sarah’s gaze locked onto the object, an overwhelming sense of dread and regret consumed her.
“Good job, Char!” She said, concealing her inner turmoil, “Now, look at me, okay?”
The children stared desperately into her watering eyes.
“I need you to do one more thing, okay? Both of you.”
Without uttering the words, Charlotte realized what was coming. “No, Mom, I can’t.”
“You have to, sweetheart. It’s a game, remember?” Sarah said, looking back at her son.
She continued, “You just play the role.”
Glancing at the timer, Sarah’s eyes met the display reading seven minutes. With a determined resolve, she quickly discarded her blouse, revealing a white tank top beneath. Wrapping the fabric tightly around her arm, she sought to staunch the impending flow of blood. “We can’t wait, honey. You can do this.”
Charlie began to tremble when his sister laid the saw against their Mother’s wrist.
“It’s okay….” She said, consoling Charlotte, but the young girl was terrified.
“You can do this, Charlotte. You can. I need you to do this.”
“Mom?” Charlie muttered.
Sarah pressed her hand against the glass, wanting to touch his face. “Just cover your ears, baby. And look away. I’ll be there before you know it.”
Charlie turned around, and Charlotte locked eyes with her Mother. “Hurry…”
Charlotte braced herself, inhaling a deep breath to steady her trembling hand. With trepidation, she commenced the arduous task of sawing through her mother’s arm, observing in horror as the serrated edges tore through the delicate flesh. Sarah turned her gaze away, concealing the excruciating pain etched across her face, her hand instinctively rising to cover her mouth. Each sway of the blade elicited a sickening peeling sound as her skin yielded, unleashing a torrent of crimson that spilled forth unrelentingly.
The ghastly scene proved nearly unbearable, pushing Charlotte to the brink of halting her agonizing task. Overwhelmed, she shut her eyes tightly, unwilling to witness the gruesome dismemberment unfolding before her. Tears welled up, streaming down her reddened cheeks, mirroring the profound anguish that weighed upon her.
When the blade reached bone, the endeavor became increasingly harder. “I can’t do it!” Charlotte’s voice echoed with desperation.
Sarah pivoted to face the gory wound, a surge of dizziness threatening to overpower her. Mustering every ounce of strength, she fought against the encroaching syncope, her voice wavering yet resolute as she sought to reassure her daughter, “You’re almost done, honey… Almost done.”
“It’s too hard! I’m not strong enough.”
Sarah tried pulling her arm through the hole, but it was no use; the opening was sealed tightly.
“I need help!” Charlotte said.
The pleading words of his sister prompted Charlie to remove his hands from his ears.
“Charlie, I need you. Your sister needs help.”
The young boy moved closer to the carnage but refused to look at the wound. He stepped into a large puddle of blood and gripped the opposite end of the hacksaw.
“Back and forth,” Sarah instructed them.
The two children synchronized their efforts, and with their combined strength, they propelled the blade to glide across the appendage in a hauntingly rhythmic motion. The eerie and nauseating sound of metal grinding through bone reverberated in the air as they skillfully maneuvered from side to side. As the bone finally yielded and severed, Sarah unleashed a primal scream. The agony displayed on her face became undeniable, impossible to conceal, yet the objective stood tantalizingly close to completion. A few more determined slices, and the blade mercilessly tore through the remaining layers of skin, marking the near-accomplishment of their grim task.
They dropped the blade and watched Sarah twist and pull on her wrist, trying to bring it through the hole. While the timer continued to count down, Charlotte acted swiftly, aiding her mother by forcefully pushing the tender stump through the hole. Within moments, Sarah was free from the trap.
Dazed by the significant blood loss, Sarah struggled to her feet, but with only seconds remaining, she forced herself up and staggered towards the exit.
“Jesus,” Gavin said in shock.
Sarah’s eyes remained on the museum floor, finding it difficult to stare Renee or Gavin in the face, “My husband left me after that. He said it would be easier for the kids. That I was a trigger for them. A reminder.”
“Your kids… How are they now?” Gavin asked.
“It took some time, but they managed. Therapy, y’know? Counseling. Medication. Truth is, they deserve better than me. After it happened, after I lost everything, I was… suicidal. I was lucky to meet Addy and Dr. Steward.”
“Right? A lot of good that did us.” Gavin said.
Renee looks back at the ventilation duct, “It’s not over yet. We have to keep trying.”
“What did you find over there?” Gavin asked.
Sarah’s pessimism comes through, “It’s probably a trap.”
Gavin conjures a weak smile, “At last, we agree on something,” he said.
Sarah smiles back, “Better late than never.”
“Y’all of little faith,” Renee quipped.
“So, what does he want? I learned my lesson.” Gavin declared, turning to address Renee, “And you’re basically in love with Jigsaw, so why are you here? None of this makes any sense.”
As Gavin spoke, Sarah’s mind lingered on the murderous assignment bestowed upon her. Wracked with grief, she wondered if the prize was real and if she even deserved it.
“Nurse Harper?” Renee said, offering her hand.
Renee lifted Sarah from the floor and they proceeded to the ventilation shaft. With their backs turned, Gavin deftly reached into his pocket with measured caution, and removed his own white card that read:
“Your aim in this game is to kill Sarah."
Once more, he delved into his pocket, retrieving a gleaming silver key. Vigilant of the surrounding figures, he covertly unlocked the box, revealing its mysterious contents. A delicate piano wire, tautly connected to two finely crafted wooden handles, lay before him.
***
TO BE CONTINUED....

I was looking at the xbox store looking at monster hunter world but I saw monster hunter rise was free on game pass is it worth to play that game or monster hunter world instead?

"Ikn ultro irthir tairais."
I focused on what looked like a meeting room, the sounds of busy Humans reached my ears.
"I can hear their chatter." I said. "For the next twenty minutes, as long as I maintain my concentration, I will hear them."
I let my body relax, focusing on the words, letting them flow through my mind. "I can hear them talking about us, complaints that they got put on 'lizard duty', complaints about how we should have just died off by now. I can hear them talking about me, they are approaching."
The voices grew louder, chairs being moved, the creaking as they sat down, the door sliding shut.
"You all know why we're here." A gruff voice spoke. There was a shuffling of papers. I spoke the words as I heard them. "What the fuck do we do about these goddamn lizards?"
They muttered among themselves, uncertainty, fear."
"More importantly." Another voice spoke. "What do we do about the bulletproof motherfucker? They've got fucking magic that stops a bullet, magic that chases you down and blows your fucking head clean off- I watched as my buddies got killed by those freaks of nature."
"Kobolds." Another, softer feminine voice spoke. "Always chaotic evil creatures, looked them up myself." Another voice spoke. "Based on what the lab coats say, anyone who gets turned into one gradually becomes more like them in mindset and morality. Now, I'm just a humble player, and part of me's fuckin' ecstatic over the fact that one of my favorite games're real-"
"Get to the point." The gruff voice spoke.
"We're disconnected." The softer voice spoke. "Everything we know about the universe is a lie, and as sure as God is my witness, I'm pretty sure this problem of ours is caused by an evil god named Kurtulmak, the God of Kobolds." The room went silent. "That means they've probably god Clerics working under her, plotting nothing less than the spread of her will."
The room erupted with arguing.
"Quiet down!" Gruff Voice shouted. "Corporal, since you're the expert here, what do you suggest?"
"Well, they're clearly using magic, so it stands to reason they've got enough Clerics and Druids to maintain their food supplies. We can't risk any of our fliers going over the quarantine zone, and launching a nuke is just going to cause problems. With Clerics, they can cure any disease or poison we throw at them, and that's not even going into what happens if any when they go underground. Therefore, I think the only reasonably course of action is tapping into that same power they have."
"How?" The question was simple.
"Well, the existence of certain older mythological deities, such as Bhaal, imply that at some point, there was connection. Maybe the rise of Christianity severed us, maybe it just happened regardless. But considering we're against Kobolds, our best option would be to try and make contact with the God who has a longstanding hatred of them."
The room went silent for several moment, followed by Gruff Voice asking, "Whom, and how do you plan on achieving this?"
"The Gnome God, Garl Glittergold." Soft Voice spoke. "He once nearly wiped them out at the height of their power, and based on the reports, our bulletproof Kobold seems to be at the very least a worshiper of Kurtulmak. As for the how, the only thing I can think of is observing one of his holy days, the Communion of Laughter- he's the jovial kind of deity, you see. I'm thinking, if we can get him to notice this going on, he'll be more curious than not as to why an outlier is suddenly paying homage to him, and we can explain our situation to him."
"Draw attention to a god who hates these 'Kobolds', and get him to do what we can't." Gruff Voice said. "I think it's a long shot, but literally anything is better than nothing. When is this holy day?"
"The thirteenth, sir, about five days away, if we can manage it."
"Corporal Martel, I'm investing in you the authority to set this up. Anything and everything you need. we will get it as quickly as we can. We only have one shot at this-"
"It's every thirteenth, sir." Martel stated.
"What?"
"The Communion of Laughter is held every month on the thirteenth. The best case scenario is it works, we get rid of the problem, and then we can go home. Worst case scenario, we party each month and have a boost in morale."
"Very well. Every thirteenth, we'll try our damnedest to get this guy's attention. Dismissed."
They left as my spell petered out. I shook my head and looked at the others, they were stone-faced.
"Five days, huh?" Nakk said softly.
"Their plan won't work." I said. He looked at me, confusion clear in his eyes. "Part of the deal for letting our Emperor out of the cavern below was his agreement to agree to compromise. Even if they remain enemies, with Bahamut interceding on our behalf, Glittergold won't be able to do a damn thing about us. Either he attacks us, and loses Bahamut's support- especially since he'll be attacking innocent victims of Tiamat's actions- he refuses to attack knowing Bahamut will get on his ass about it, or the more likely scenario, he won't even notice at all."
I paused, thinking for a moment. "That said, we need to ensure everyone is safely underground in the event that Glittergold does attack. The day of the thirteenth, we need everyone evacuated underground to Darastrixthurhi. If Glittergold decides to reenact its destruction, he'll have to contend with the fact that it's underground, surrounded by solid rock, as dug out by the first Kobold who would have already anticipated a second destruction."
"We could just kill them." A Rogue remarked.
"We could, but then we're attacking a potentially devout follower of Garl and that might piss him off even more. I will be convening with our Emperor, and I will be making an effort to bring Bahamut's Temple into this. Nakk, I want you present, we tell them I asked you to provide me the means to spy on our enemy."
Nakk nodded.
A Rogue ran over to us. "Leader, the Council has requested to convene."
"It'll have to wait." Nakk spoke. "Imperator, I will follow your lead."
The Council room was quiet when we entered, Tudru and Kuvli looked annoyed, they were glaring at Galax, who was holding his Holy Symbol in hand and silently uttering a prayer.
"We're all here." Merti stated as Nakk and I sat down.
"We are still missing one person." Galax stated. "He will be here soon."
As if on cue, the door opened and my Emperor strode in. Everyone did a double take, except Galax, who simply opened his eyes and looked at us all. "I have had a vision." He said.
"Not this shit again!" Tudru sighed. He stood up. "I'm not fucking having any more of your religious bullshit, from anyone!"
"Tudru, sit down." I said.
"No! Fuck you, Ruuk! Fuck you, Galax! And especially fuck you-!"
My Emperor grabbed him by the throat as Tudru fronted on him, his eyes blazed with divine fury. "I invite you to calm yourself, Fighter, or your people will need to replace you."
Tudru went silent, all anger replaced by terror.
"The Temple of Bahamut and I have, at present, made amends." I stated. "If your concern, Tudru, was that we were going to be at each other's throats, rest assured any further aggression will take place outside of the town." I looked at Galax. "Do not forget that Galax has had accurate visions in the past, I do not think it would be prudent to ignore him simply because he and I have been fighting."
"It's not just you two." Kuvli stated. "They're too fucking high and mighty for their own good, I still remember what he said. Out of his hands, my ass!"
"That's not even going into the shady shit you've been doing." Tatla said. "Don't think I haven't noticed those Sorcerers going in and out of your Tower like that."
"The same Sorcerers who I found today underneath where we sit, who were gathered around an altar, bleeding on it, so they could summon a Demon for power?" I asked. Everyone- except Tallyn- expressed surprise at this.
"I gave them a simple ultimatum." I continued. "Since they could not be trusted with the interests of the Warren, they could either submit to my Master, and have the oversight they desperately wanted to avoid, or I would kill them." I looked at everyone. "At present, my Master has given them a collar which will choke them if they willingly do anything that will harm the Warren. They fucked around, they found out. This will be the case for any spellcaster who endangers the Warren for personal power."
"Do you hear yourself?" Tudru asked.
"Do you have a better option?" I asked. "If so, I will happily release them."
Nobody said anything. I looked at Galax. "Your vision." I said.
He nodded. "I had a vision." He spoke. "My God had delivered to me a platinum blade, and he spoke. 'This blade is the end of your life. Wield it without hesitation.' And then he was gone, and in his place stood a white dragon, who laid upon my hand a single nugget of gold, and then came forth a black dragon, who did the same, and so it was with a red, green, and blue dragon, until my hand was weighed down by the gold. Yet even as I strove to drop the gold, it had melted into it, forming a golden manacle that was as hard as steel, that chained me to my temple. And it was then, and only then, that the sun was blotted out as if by an eclipse, and our town was destroyed."
"What the fuck is that even supposed to mean?" Tatla asked.
"I know the answer." I said. All eyes were on me. "Nakk, please tell the Council about my request to you."
Nakk nodded. "You asked me to send some of my rogues to infiltrate the enemy's base of operations." He said. "You wanted them to get a good look at the interior, and provide silent images for you."
I nodded. "I cast a spell known as Clairvoyance." I said. "With it, I listened in on their base. They were talking about us, and I'm sorry to report that they don't even see us as former citizens, just evil creatures that need exterminated."
I paused, letting everyone come to terms with that.
"How does this relate to the vision?" My Emperor asked.
"I overheard a meeting. One of their own has a plan to, on the thirteenth of this month-" My Emperor's eyes widened, he instantly knew. "-to perform a ritual known as the Communion of Laughter, one that venerates the Gnome God, Garl Glittergold, who destroyed Darastrixthurhi countless ages ago. The thirteenth is five days away."
"It is likely to work." My Emperor said. "But I have learned from that time, I have reinforced my rebuilt fortress, there is solid earth between it and the surface, even then, it is already beneath a mountain. I am certain, should he come, we will survive."
"Bringing in an entire fucking god?" Tudru asked.
"While you remain safe underground, I will confront Garl alone." My Emperor spoke. "Even if he seeks to kill me, so long as I have one faithful remaining, I will not die."
"I'm sorry, Master." I said. "I am not letting you be alone." He looked at me. "Order me as you wish, I have already disobeyed a God to stand at your side."
"I will go too." Galax spoke. "Garl Glittergold will have to contend with the reality that the faithful of Bahamut is willing to stand beside a foe, for we are innocent victims of a cruel mistress."
I looked at the rest of the Council. "The rest of you, please do what you can to ensure the safety of the people. Everything I have done has been for them, I refuse to let them die."
"How can we trust this isn't some sort of trick?" Tudru asked.
"Zone of Truth." I said. "But at this point, since you clearly don't trust us, you'll find a reason as to why we couldn't possibly be telling the truth."
The room was tense.
I could no longer count on Tudru having my back, Kuvli might still have some regard for us. Nakk was on my side, certainly-
"I will." Kuvli spoke. "Five days will prove whether or not they're telling the truth. We continue as normal, and when it's time to go underground, we will."
"Tell us something, Ruuk." Tudru said. "And be honest with us. Have you ever at any point harbored any desire to take over?"
"Clarify the question, please." I said.
"So, you deny it?"
"Clarify the question." I stated.
He paused for a moment. "Have you, at any point, made any efforts behind the Council's back to establish a different form of government?"
"It is my will, that this land one day bears witness to my Empire." My Emperor spoke.
"I'm talking to-"
"And I am answering!" My Emperor snapped. "Just as Bahamut would wish for a nation that holds true to his ideals, who serve him faithfully, so too do I. Under my command, Ruuk lays down the foundation necessary to- if this Council either falls, or deigns to relinquish power- take command. I have named him my Imperator, my faithful call him such. He still clings stubbornly to the necessity of this Council."
"No matter how many times it's brought up, I'm still going to say no." I said in the most exhausted voice I could muster.
"There have been an increase in dissatisfaction with us doing our job..." Kalith spoke. "What is stopping them from simply tossing our authority- such as it is- aside and establishing something else?" He looked at the others. "If it comes to such, I will take up that responsibility."
At first, I was confused as to why he was doing that. I was the Imperator, but then I saw the glares directed at him.
'Merti, Tatla, Galax, and Tallyn.' I mentally noted. Tudru only glared after it became apparent there were others who were doing it, and it wasn't like he wasn't paying attention. Kuvli simply stared at him with no outward expression. With Nakk rolling his eyes, putting on a show for the others. Rekka just looked away.
That made it potentially four people on my side, not counting Kalith. We actually had the advantage.
"No." I said. Kalith looked at me with wide eyes. "That isn't something we can decide on. The only way something like that is happening is if the people overwhelmingly support it. Even then, I couldn't possibly take that kind of role."
I shook my head. "Besides, we need to focus on the threat at hand. Five days from now, we are all going to be facing the potential of death. Merti, Tatla, even if you don't believe us, please work hard to stock up on enough food to support everyone. No matter what, we need to survive, at least long enough for our enemies to lower their guard."
They both looked at each other, then nodded. "We trust Galax's visions, and since you can corroborate something that at least makes sense with it in context..." Merti trailed off.
"We'll do it, for the good of the Warren." She said.
"Galax, do you think your Clerics would be willing to work together with ours to spread the news? So far, the people have only seen us bickering, knowing there is a danger and that we're already making efforts to ensure everyone's survival should heighten our chances of getting people to listen."
Galax nodded. "You brought the sword to me that signals the start of this, one that could have only come about had you any love for my God. We will do this."
"So, what, me and my Fighters are just fucking useless?" Tudru asked.
"Can you fight a mountain?" Kurtulmak asked.
"N-no..." Tudru replied.
"Tudru, Kuvli, you've been working your warriors hard, I know everyone's been using magic to heal sore muscles. That means each and every one of your Fighters and Berserkers are strong. We're going to need that strength to get everything we need moved down in Darastrixthurhi."
I could see in their eyes, in spite of their outward hostility and aloofness, they respected me and wanted to support me.
"Nakk, you know your Rogues better than any of us, do what you need to in order to keep us safe, and tell the Monks that we're not leaving them topside, they're coming with us and that is non-negotiable."
"On it." Nakk replied.
"For someone so unwilling to lead an Empire, you're certainly quick to give orders." I looked at Tallyn. "Are you actually against such a thing for moral reasons, or because you want it, but know you shouldn't take it?"
"Tallyn-" I started.
"Tell us honestly." He said.
My Emperor lightly tapped my back, then he scraped his claw up, then down. So, this was it, then. I looked down, rubbing my hands together, I spoke, "I'd be lying if I said the thought didn't appeal to me." I looked up at him. "But I can't."
Based on the expressions of the others, it seemed that earned me a few brownie points with them.
"Rekka, can you and your Artificers come up with something to ensure we have fresh air underground? I know there are shafts that bring fresh air in-"
"I'm already mentally building the schematics." She said.
"What will you and Kalith be doing?" Tallyn asked.
"I'll be organizing my Sorcerers to ensure everything goes smoothly." I replied. "He and his Warlocks will be doing much the same as me." I paused. "Tallyn, I'm not actually certain what Paladins do, exactly."
"I can lead my Paladins to heal anyone who gets hurt, that should be enough."
"It will have to be." I said.
That was the end of the meeting, nobody made any comment on how I effectively took command. Galax and Tallyn were the first to get up and leave, with Merti and Tatla leaving shortly after.
"Tudru, Kuvli, Rekka." I said. They all looked at me, "Was it my imagining, or does the idea of the Warren becoming an Empire not bother you?"
"No." Kuvli stated bluntly. "It does not."
"It's pretty much inevitable at this point." Rekka said.
Tudru averted his gaze. "I'd be lying if I said it did." He said.
"Then will you support your Imperator when needed?" I asked. Only Tudru and Rekka looked surprised.
"Finally." Kuvli said, smiling. He walked around the table over to me and knelt. "We've been waiting since day one of us Awakening for you to say something like that."
"Imperator." Tudru said hesitantly. He did the same as Kuvli, and knelt.
Rekka followed suit.
"Swear your fealty to me, and our God, our Emperor, Kurtulmak." I said.
"I swear." They spoke.
"In the days to come, I want the people to demand I take command. If anyone speaks out against this, have them detained, so that when I do take command, I release them and show I am a magnanimous leader. Is this understood?"
"Yes, Imperator." They all spoke. Tudru smiled as he said it, it was clear he had been wanting this for a long while yet.
​
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“Miss Alexandria?” The child called out, tugging on the warrior’s dress. She had been asleep in her rocking chair, enjoying the small amount of rest she got from the chaotic orphanage. She opened her one good eye, staring down at Bronson.
“Did Lucy hit you with her training sword again? Honestly, she’s going to make a feisty warrior someday.” Alexandria chuckled, only to squint when she noticed the look of fear on Bronson’s face. She immediately stood up from her chair, staggering a little as the chair violently rocked from the sudden movement. “What happened?”
“Robed people. Lots of them! They came out of the woods and grabbed Lucy and the others. I… I wanted to help, but…” Bronson teared up, wiping his snotty nose on the edge of her dress.
“No, no, dear. You did good. Now I can rescue them. If you didn’t tell me, I might never have known. Now, where did they go?”
“T-towards the waterfall. The one near the big dumb dumb rock.”
“The dumb dumb rock? Oh, right, the one you all drew a face on. Never thought the dumb dumb rock would become a marker. Stay here and keep quiet. If anyone comes to the door that isn’t me, hide. If they find you, stab em with something pointy.” Alexandria instructed.
Alexandria went and found her sword, sliding it into its sheath. As she was about to leave, she heard Bronson call out. The child was already rummaging through the kitchen, looking for something sharp to hide with.
“Are they monsters?”
“Worse.” She headed out, following the path the kids took, finding her way quickly towards the dumb dumb rock. From the rock, she followed the water, seeing bloodstains along the way. As she continued to follow the stains, she finally came to the slavers’ camp, noticing that the blood hadn’t come from a child. Instead, it came from a slaver who was holding his shoulder.
“She stabbed me. The little brat stabbed me with my dagger. What sort of kid does that?” The slaver whined to his unsympathetic friend. “Not to mention she was biting my arm the whole time I carried her, calling me all sorts of names. Who raised that monster?” Alexandria smirked, unable to help feeling a little proud of what she was hearing. “Good job, Lucy.” She whispered to herself as she pushed past the nearby trees, stepping out into the clearing. As soon as she stepped out, she drew her blade.
She swiftly beheaded the wounded slaver, not bothering with a grand entrance. The slavers’ friend too stunned to move after the strike. With the first slaver down, she went straight for the other man, driving the blade into his knee before he could even think about getting up. Alexandria leaned her weight onto the handle of the blade, pushing it deeper.
“Where are they?”
“Where are who?”
“My kids.” She put more of her weight onto the handle, staring into his eyes as she did. “Where are they?”
“Boss has them. I’m only the one that grabs them. I don’t have any other role in the-“ She swung her fist, cracking it against his jaw. After the hit, she pulled her blade free and held the sword to their chest.
“And the boss is?”
“Right behind you.” A grizzled voice laughed. A hand went to wrap around her throat, only to miss as she ducked and sent an elbow flying into the man’s stomach. Alexandria glanced back at the man, noticing a dagger in the man’s scabbard. She pinched the dagger and drove it into his stomach.
“Attack before speaking. That would be my advice to you if you weren’t a dead man. Now I’ll ask once this only once. Where are my kids? The answer will determine how quick this all is.” Her attention was pulled away from the common slaver, focusing on their boss. She shoved the man to the ground and placed her foot on the wound, applying unhelpful pressure, digging the hell of her shoe against it.
“Go to hell.” He said, coughing up blood. Trying to keep some bravado in this situation.
Alexandria saw something strange on the man’s face. That split second smirk. She knew what was coming. Her back was turned and that idiot behind her had found a weapon. She could easily kill him before he attacked, but she wanted to give them a brief glimpse of hell before they went there. As the sword pierced her toned body, she didn’t even flinch, feeling the hot pain that she had felt hundreds of times. The confident grin of the boss fading as the grey-haired warrior still stood over him.
He couldn’t speak, but there was something about his look that amused her. The boss’s eyes were wide, filled with fear as he squirmed beneath her foot. Alexandria turned her head, peering over her shoulder at the slaver behind her. They had already released the sword and were fleeing back towards the dumb dumb rock. As they were about to escape, a small child jumped out wielding a sword nearly as big as herself. She swung it, almost taking her own arm off with the weapon. The blade collided with the slaver, hitting their side, throwing them to the floor.
“LUCY?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”
“I… hah.. heard your voice, so I escaped from the rope they tied us up with.” She hunched over, panting, trying to get her breath back.
“Look away for a moment, dear.” She said as she placed her foot over the boss’s mouth, trying to muffle his screams as she killed him. Once she was done with the boss, she went over to the other slaver. Alexandria making quick work of them, too. When she turned back to Lucy, she could see her peeking through her fingers.
“Wow, you were so cool. You were like. Swing! Woosh, bang.” Lucy cheered.
“I was not like swing, whoosh and bang. It was swing, slash, chop.”
“Whatever, it was cool. When are you going to teach me that?”
“Aren’t you a little scared? You were just being held by slavers?”
Lucy placed a finger to her lip, thinking about it. Before responding with a loud.
“NOPE. I knew you would save me. Plus, Bronson escaped. It was only a matter of time before you got here.”
“Your confidence in me is charming. Now, where are the others?”
Alexandria followed Lucy to a tent, helping to free the others. When she finished freeing the last child, she found herself a little confused. Why did they all look so afraid of her? Had they heard the screams? Alexandria couldn’t help but feel a little self conscious about her warrior ways. She was trying so hard to be a good caretaker. Sadly, a scarred and one-eyed warrior didn’t make the most motherly figure.
“Um, Mom?” Lucy said.
“Yes, dear?” Alexandria felt her heart jump for joy at being called mom, those worries leaving her for a moment, as she crouched before Lucy. “What is it, dear?”
“You have a sword stuck in you… Wait, I’ll get it.”
“Wait, Lucy!”
Without wasting a moment, Lucy tugged on the sword, pulling it out, much to the horror of the other children. The others assuming they had just watched their caretaker get brutally killed in front of them. When the sword was pulled free, the wound closed.
“I’m ok. I promise. It’s a magic trick. Please stop crying.” Alexandria gave Lucy a cold, motherly stare. The child guiltily looking away, pretending not to notice it.
Eventually Alexandria calmed the children down, guiding them all home. As they neared the orphanage, she noticed someone had forced the door open. She released her grip on the children’s hands, rushing into the orphanage.
“WHO THE HELL IS IN HERE? I’M IN A BAD MOOD, SO UNLESS YOU WISH TO SEE YOUR OWN INSIDES I WOULD SUGGEST LEAVING.” She screamed, hoping she was out of earshot of the children. As she glanced around the room, she would notice a rather proud Bronson holding a fork while a man sat in her rocking chair, nursing his shoulder.
“Trent? What are you doing here?”
“Oh, hey. I just heard some slavers were in the area and wanted to warn you. When I noticed the door was locked, I assumed the worst and broke it open to offer my support. Well, seems you didn’t need my help. Your guard valiantly stabbed me with a fork.” Alexandria turned to Bronson, who triumphantly held his fork up, showing her. She let out a giggle as she walked over to Bronson, ruffling his hair before turning to her friend.
“You let yourself get stabbed by a fork? Your reflexes have gotten slow. Were all my years of training you for nothing? Also, what is with that beard? How do you ever expect to find a nice wife if you can’t keep yourself looking tidy? Oh, is that mud on your shoes, too?” Alexandria grinned, giving him a lecture. She could see him sliding down deeper into the chair, in more pain from the lecture than the fork wound. When she finished tormenting him, she finished it with. “It’s good to see you again, friend. I’ll be right back.”
“I kept him here all by myself.” Bronson smiled.
“Yes, you did. Now be a good boy and make sure the others are ok when they get inside.”
The rest of the children entered, Lucy still holding the sword that she had pulled from her mother. When she saw Trent, she threw the sword aside, jumping onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“Uncle Trent, it’s so good to see you again. I stabbed someone today.”
“Huh? Oh, um. That’s nice.” He said, patting her back, before giving the other kids a smile.
“Uncle Trent? Where?” Bronson muttered, staring at the man.
“Right here. How could you not tell it was him? He’s Mom’s friend. He used to travel with her a lot. She said he was hopeless. Remember?”
“Ouch, you didn’t have to repeat that part. I’m more of a historian than a fighter. It’s not my fault I’m a little hopeless with a weapon. I can carry my own in a fight, though.” He tried to defend himself. Wanting to remind them that being an adventurer was secondary to his work as a historian.
“Uncle Trent? You’ve gotten fatter.” Bronson said with a harsh, unfiltered bit of childish honesty.
“Oh, um.”
“I didn’t know you had a beard.” Bronson joined the hug, getting on the other side of Trent.
“I thought it made me look more sophisticated. Don’t you agree?”
“It makes you look old.” Bronson responded.
“Ah. Maybe I should shave it.” He laughed, only to see Alexandria watching him, a smile on her face as she threw the bandages on his lap.
Aren’t you going to fix me up?”
“It’s just a scratch. You can handle it. I have to make sure the kids are alright, anyway. You can stay for dinner if you would like to, Uncle Trent.”
“Don’t you start calling me that, too.”
“You should be happy. It means they think of you as family. I guess you spend a lot of time around here. “
“Of course I do. I record history and you’re the best source of it I can find. No one else has lived-“
“Shhh.”
“Oh, right. Sorry. I should be going. I just wanted to make sure you’re safe.”
“Make sure I’m safe? I appreciate it, even if it’s unneeded.”
“Aww, you’re going already, Uncle Trent. I was hoping you would spar with me. Mom’s too strong.” Lucy whined.
“Next time. I promise. I’ll bring some presents too.”
“Yay. I want a castle.”
“A little out of my budget. How about a replica sword?”
“Yes. Make sure it looks dangerous.”
“What do I get?” Bronson asked.
“A new fork.”
“Aww, I don’t want a fork.”
“Fine, maybe I’ll find you something else. If you promise to behave.”
“Promise.”
“Ok.” Trent stood up and made his way to the door, giving them a wave. “I’ll see you later. Maybe next week if I’m not busy.”
“Ok, bye Uncle Trent, sorry about stabbing you.” Bronson said.
“It’s ok. I appreciate the apology.”
When he left, Alexandria gathered the children, making sure they were all ok. When she was certain they weren’t hurt, she asked them what they would like to help cheer them up. Lucy tried to get the group to agree on a new sword, but she was outnumbered by the vote for cookies. A vote she wasn’t upset about losing. The kids went to play as Alexandria went to the kitchen, preparing the treats.

Hey guys! After a wonderful first and second round of beta reading on this sub, I'm back for what is hopefully the last time. Sadly, this time I will NOT be open to any critique swaps, saying this at the top of the post so you don't have to read all the way down before finding out.
Onto the blurb: Living three centuries after the banishment of her realm's only magical species, the Ocari, Zaidi Eelri wanted nothing more than to prove herself like her family, a group of renowned adventurers. To do so, Zaidi opted to settle into a bustling town as a Defender's apprentice; a profession of monster hunters originally created to ward off the Ocari. And though her new life seems perfect, everything she loves is put at risk when the Daochrand surfaces.
A monster unlike anything Zaidi has learned to fight, the Daochrand leaves only blood in its wake. It's sentient, it can’t be killed, and it relentlessly hunts its target groups; Defenders and nobles.
Not only is Zaidi's closest friend a noble, but thanks to his father's nefarious attempts to keep him hidden from the world, she is one of the only people to know he exists. Whilst coming to realize she wants her friend alive more than she wants adventure, Zaidi stumbles across legends of an ancient artifact with the potential to defeat the Daochrand. To save her kind-hearted companion and stop the most brutal massacres of her time, Zaidi sets out to steal the artifact from the only thing she hates slightly less than Daochrand; the Ocari themselves.
Prologue
Lightless contains violence, death, and gore, as well as mentions and depictions of abuse and cruelty. There is nothing NSFW and no language.
I'm looking for mostly developmental feedback and not so much line editing and grammar. I'm sure there will be little mistakes in the latter department but I'm mostly just wanting to know if the story works, that way I don't make everything sound like an ancient Greek philosopher only to have to go back and make major edits. Timeline wise, by the end of the month would be great!
Thank you guys in advance to anyone willing! I owe you a debt. Feel free to either DM me or comment below and I'll be happy to get things sorted out. To everyone reading, have a great day!

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The Northstar, Titan's Orbit
Polaris, in the middle of a much-needed nap at his desk, looked up in a daze as his computer beeped, alerting him of an incoming call. He shook himself awake before answering. "Hello?" he said groggily.
"Hey, Old Light. Sounds like I woke you up," Crow's voice replied Polaris could practically hear his protege's smirk. "Everything alright?"
"Just peachy." Polaris rubbed his eyes. "What's up, Crow?"
"Not much. I was at the Farm this morning and Queen Mara asked for you. I've been trying to reach you all day."
"Yeah, I've been, uh..." Polaris recalled everything he'd done in the past twelve hours: sleeping, eating ice cream, crying, trying to get some overdue mission reports done, then getting bored and sleeping again. "Very busy."
Crow chuckled. "I'm sure. Well, whenever you're free, drop by the Farm. Mara's waiting."
"I'll be right there. Seeya around, kiddo." Polaris ended the call and yawned loudly before getting up and changing into his typically pristine armor, though it found itself in a sorry state tonight. He pushed the button on his intercom and relayed his instructions to the vessel's pilot: "Set a course for the EDZ on Earth. Got business at the Farm."
"Expecting a fight?" Daedalus asked, orbiting his Guardian curiously. "Farm's pretty safe."
"No, but can't be too careful with Mara. She might have some kind of special assignment for me or something. There's always another one, no matter how many I have stacked up," Polaris grumbled, adjusting his cloak as the Northstar descended toward the Farm. It was as quiet as it had been ever since the team's mission of retribution against the Shadow Legion following Amanda Holliday's death. Some civilians of various species going about their business here and there, but no notable operations anymore.
Queen Mara Sov, sitting alone aside from one horse in the Farm's stables, glanced skyward as she heard the approaching roar of the Northstar's engines. Before long, Polaris made his way to her location. "It's been some time, Young Wolf," she said, stroking the horse's mane.
Polaris's face immediately scrunched up. "Still hate that name. I see you've met Gorilla."
Mara frowned. "...Gorilla?"
"The horse. His name's Gorilla. He's a hero, y'know."
"What exactly did... Gorilla do that was so heroic?"
Polaris chuckled. "Back in the Red War, during the mission to retake the Last City, the assault teams had to approach the City in a way that the Cabal wouldn't notice. So their ships dropped them out near Twilight Gap, and they made the rest of the journey on foot. But to make sure everything was clear along the way, they had a trio of scouts go ahead on horseback. Gorilla was one of those horses- along with his brothers, Elmer and Krazy, may they rest in peace. Without him, the assault team may have been ambushed along the walk to the City by Cabal forces. But thankfully Gorilla and his brothers were there to help." He walked over to Gorilla and scratched behind his ear. "He's been living here ever since."
"And what of his brothers? Elmer and Crazy?" Mara asked. "From what you've said, I assume they are dead."
"Krazy. With a K. But yeah. Krazy was killed by a Cabal sniper near the City's outer walls. He and his rider happened to be spotted while they were scouting ahead, and, well... a horse is a bigger target than a Guardian. As for Elmer, he was caught in an explosion during the battle. He survived it, but his injuries were severe enough that he had to be put to sleep, rather than letting him suffer for his natural lifespan. So Gorilla's the only one left. But he's been handling it well. Haven't you, boy?" Polaris smiled up at the horse, who gave a happy neigh in response. "So. What did you need? Crow said you wanted to talk to me."
Mara nodded, sitting down on a wooden bench. "I did. But I do not have a mission for you if that is what you expected."
Polaris took a seat next to the Queen. "Then what's up?"
"I simply wished to speak with you."
Polaris narrowed his eyes. "To what end? You don't do anything without a purpose."
Mara looked away from the Guardian. "Amanda Holliday's death has weighed heavy on all who knew her. As I said then, I have lived for eons. I have seen countless deaths. They still hurt, but it has become... easier for me, than for most. But it will never be easier to stomach how it affects those I care for."
Polaris swallowed a retort that probably wouldn't have gone over well, instead choosing to stare at the stable floor.
"That includes you, Polaris." Mara looked back at him. "So, if you insist that I must have a purpose, then my only purpose is this: I am concerned for you. Your shoulders have borne more weight than any of your peers in much less time than most. I can see it in your face- you are beyond exhausted. I know you do not see me as a friend, but if you have anything you wish to speak of, I will be here to listen."
Polaris covered his face with his hands for a brief moment. "Where do I even start?" He met Mara's eyes.
"Wherever you wish." Mara reached over and took hold of Polaris's hand. "I was speaking with Elisabeth Bray once when she said something similar to me. Then she remembered something. A wise Hunter once told her, 'The beginning is usually a pretty good place.'"
Polaris's slack fingers closed around Mara's hand as a hint of a smile crept onto his lips. He shifted to be a little closer to her. "Using my own words against me. Devious, Your Grace. Very devious. Well. As you might remember, my friend Hecate went Dark a while back. She was a fugitive for a long time. Then, right after the Traveler ascended, she came to find me. She told me she wanted to come back to the City. Rejoin the Vanguard. I was all for it. She's doing great, but I can see the pain in her eyes whenever I see her. And I just don't know how to help. On top of that, Aunor and I... we're done. Again. For good this time."
"How did it happen?" Mara asked. "Another fight?"
"No. It was much more peaceful. We've barely seen each other recently. Been so busy with our own work that we... don't have time for each other anymore. But right before Titan reappeared, she and I finally got to be with each other again. First time we've been face to face in months. In the morning, she said we needed to talk. She basically told me we were too big of a distraction for each other. Even when we're apart, if we're involved with each other, we'd only be dividing our focus away from... 'what really matters,' in her words. Can't say I'm surprised- she's always put duty first- but to hear it spelled out like that didn't feel amazing. But I gotta admit... she's got a point."
Mara nodded slowly. "People like ourselves... we must always put the mission before our personal desires." She watched as Polaris's already somber expression saddened. "But that does not mean we must stifle our love for those around us. Amanda knew this, and she loved with all her heart."
"Cayde knew it too. But I guess it's a lesson some of us still have to learn, huh?" Polaris looked back at the Queen with a small smirk. "Not naming names, though."
A brief chuckle escaped from Mara before she caught herself. "Yes. I suppose we do. Although before we can express our love to those around us, perhaps we must first embrace and express our love for ourselves."
"It's always funny hearing you talk like that."
"What do you mean?"
"Like you don't want to be understood. And you want whoever you're talking with to understand that they don't understand." Polaris froze, panic setting in as he saw something change in Mara's expression. "Shit. I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"No. It's fine, Polaris." Mara chuckled again, more openly this time. "The first Queen's Wrath, Sjur Eido, once said nearly the exact same thing to me. You do remind me of her sometimes, though she was perhaps more... straightforward. There were fewer dimensions to her than yourself, though at your core, you're similar to her." She stared into Polaris's eyes. Today, they were electric blue, as bright and as powerful as a bolt of Arc lightning.
"How so?" the Hunter asked.
"You and Sjur are endlessly passionate. Powerful. Charming. Problem solvers, though in different ways. Always determined to follow your chosen path, no matter what might draw you away from it. In a sea of the exceptional, you both stand above your peers."
Polaris was suddenly very aware of the fact that Mara still hadn't let go of his hand, even though his own had gone lax a few moments ago- and that her tone had changed a little. And had she gotten closer? Or had he shifted closer to her? He couldn't be quite sure. "High, uh... high praise from you, Your Grace."
Mara paused before letting go of Polaris's hand and standing up. "And I mean every word. But... I suppose that is all I wished to say to you. You are free to go."
Polaris also stood. "Yeah. I'll do that. Got some things to do. But... thanks, Mara. And the same offer you extended to me goes back to you. Anything you need to talk about, I'll be here." He could practically feel that Mara wanted to say more, and so did he, but now was not the time. And this was certainly not the place. "Well. Uh. Oh, screw it." He pulled Mara into a tight hug.
Mara's eyes widened for a moment as she was taken aback by the gesture, but she instinctively returned it, closing her eyes.
"You said earlier that you didn't think I saw you as a friend. You were wrong. You are my friend, Mara. One of my best."
Mara felt Polaris's breathing synchronize with her own. The Prince of the Sky and the Queen of the Awoken silently stood in each other's embrace for a moment before she spoke again. "You must never forget to love with all your heart, Polaris. As must I. We do not know who will walk away from this battle with us and who will be lost along the way."
"I promise." Polaris stepped away from Mara. "See you around, my lady." He bowed to the Queen, only partially in a joking manner, then transmatted back to his Ketch.
Mara took a deep breath before looking back at Gorilla, who was staring at her. "What?" she bluntly asked the horse. Then she noticed it seemed to be looking just over her shoulder instead of directly at her. She turned just in time to see Crow drop his invisibility.
The young Hunter had an amused smirk on his face. "Haven't seen you like that since... well, you know. Are you thinking of...?"
Mara put a hand on her hip. "It is as I said. The mission, the plan... ending the Witness comes first. Why were you spying on us?"
"Couldn't help myself." Crow shrugged. "Truth be told, I've been concerned about him too. I was worried that you'd say or do something, or send him on some exhausting mission that would push him past the breaking point... but I was pleasantly surprised. I think talking to you did him some good. He seemed a little... I don't know. Lighter, when he left."
"If I have been able to provide some relief to him, then I am satisfied. Even if it is only a little. Don't you have work to be doing?"
"Heh. Suppose I do. And so do you. Bye, Mara." Crow nodded to his sister as he transmatted away.
"Goodbye, Crow." Mara walked out of the stable, breathing in the cool midnight air. She felt a little lighter as well.
hi. sorry for disappearing (again). i, uh... i don't really know if i want to go anywhere with this particular relationship. i like the concept, but pursuing it actively would probably interfere with canon too much. we'll see, though. anyway. got a little bit depressing tonight, which might reflect my life in general (my stories often do). but there's a little glimmer of hope in there too. i'm not super proud of this particular entry, but it will have to do. hope you enjoyed
~ P.

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I was just posting about this in another thread, but after posting, I kinda realized this probably should be its own thread, because honestly - I think the problems that this arc has (both in the manga and in the anime) could have been completely resolved if the arc focused only on Hantengu.
Hantengu's Blood Demon Art is probably one of the most elaborate blood demon arts shown in the entire series and a lot of emphasis is put into explaining it regarding the different emotions, how they form, their own individual abilities, giving them distinct personalities and interactions with each other and the slayers outside of just their single emotion.
The clones also work wonders in the same way that the Upper Six fight goes. In that fight, the stakes gradually rise, with Tanjiro facing off against Daki and struggling, to showing Nezuko/Tengen have a much easier time facing her and raising the 'level' of the fight just to introduce Gyutaro, which at that point starts to set the tone for the rest of the fight/season moving forward. This is the point where everyone starts losing their shit in the Red Light District Arc, as the most epic moments begin to happen and the animation/stakes rise to whole new levels, as we've watched the stakes rise until its boiling point. Hangengu's emotions function in a very similar level, starting off the fight with an incredibly difficult (but manageable) gimmick that tests Tanjiro/Nezuko/Genya and really pushes them and allows the stakes to rise, even showing the sliver of an opportunity to end the fight with the reveal of 'Tiny Hantengu', but then culminating in the appearance of Zohakuten, who arrives on the scene similar to Gyutaro with incredible presence that screams 'Upper Four'. And it is at this point that the fight becomes unmanageable for the non-Hashira, cause just like how Gyutaro is on a stage above them entirely, Zohakuten completely overwhelms them with the wood dragons and straight-up would have killed Tanjiro if not for Mitsuri's intervention.
The setting and the pacing of the Upper Four fight mirrors Upper Six's incredibly well, as well as showing a natural progression that I think gives people the genuine impression that yes, Gyutaro and Hantengu ARE on Upper Moon caliber level and that Hantengu is an actual step-up with his presentation and the complexity/scale of his Blood Demon Art, while having a different but also incredibly difficult way to actually kill him (finding and decapitating his true body while avoiding the other emotions).
The fight with Hangtengu's pacing has actually been very good in my opinion when accounting for only his scenes (the Genya flashback notwithstanding, and even then, I think that flashback was fine since Genya still had so many question marks for everyone that it was nice to get even some answers). So, what's the issue then?
Fucking Gyokko
In contrast, Gyokko's scenes really come across as entirely pointless. He's screwing around in the forest, making art of the swordsmiths he comes across, and then comes across Muichiro by chance. The beginning of their fight does start with pretty good stakes as he overpowers unmarked Muichiro and traps him in the water bubble, but then the stakes all fade away as he just drags the pacing of the whole arc to a crawl. In the middle of episode six, he interrupts the hunt for Hantengu to just gloat at Muichiro being in his water prison with absolutely no progression to their fight at all. In next episodes, he starts harassing Haganezuka, but it ends up amounting to nothing as he becomes transfixed on the idea of 'interrupting' the art and not simply killing him. He just wastes time screwing around, even when his fight with Muichiro starts-up again.
When Zohakuten trash-talks Tanjiro, he's doing so from a place about Tanjiro. Tanjiro is in no place to try taking advantage of him, which gives the demon the actual ability to do so without wasting his time/putting himself at risk. Gyokko, meanwhile, continues to just trash talk Muichiro over-and-over even after Muichiro reveals his mark and shows better skill than prior, showing he could be a real threat. And then when Gyokko reveals his "true form", he just straight-up dies right after, accomplishing nothing in a 1 v. 1.
The Upper Four fight is shown to always have constant momentum, moving forward to the next stage of the fight (introducing the clones, to introducing Tanjiro's/Nezuko's Blood Demon Red Sword, to introducing Genya's demon state, to the reveal of tiny Hantengu, to the reveal of Zohakuten, and then to the arrival of Mitsuri). Gyokko wastes time taunting Muichiro and the swordsmiths, attacking but not killing, playing with his food over-and-over again. Is Gyokko stronger than he is presented? Obviously, he wouldn't be Upper Five if that wasn't the case. But he wastes so much time just hamming around that he just kills the pace of his whole fight, which is a big problem since his fight has been occurring since episode four, but it also is occurring in a way that it's interrupting the more movement-focused fight with Hantengu.
I know the problem with focusing on Hantengu only causes some problems, since he is Upper Four and skipping Gyokko would cause him to feel even more pointless in the future. Not sure if the correct approach would have been to have Muzan kill him in the Upper Moon meeting or (Manga spoilers ahead) >! to have Gyokko just be a fight in the Infinity Castle Arc. Maybe have him try and kill Kiriya and have Tengen/Shinjuro fight him off as a good final moment for their characters while also giving Gyokko a potentially good fight !< , but regardless, attaching both Upper Moons to this one arc was a mistake. Hantengu's presence as Upper Moon 4 already makes Upper Moon 5 feel somewhat pointless in this arc, and Gyokko meanwhile just drags down the episodes where Hantengu's fight is advancing in a much smoother, well-done pace.

Hey there! I'm AntiPoliticalCrap. I'm living in Indianapolis, IN (well, a suburb of Indy, but close enough), and I'm looking to join my first band. I really haven't done much singing at all after high school, only some church choir, but I want to change that. My "influences" are Coheed and Cambria, Shinedown, The Dear Hunter, The Funeral Portrait, Caligula's Horse, Sleep Token, and a whole lot more! If you want to contact me, you can PM me on Reddit, or message me on Discord at SeraDomiCher#7831

The color of magic
Tell me about it
Tell the world its
Okay to feel and
You're the only one
Who ever showed me
I could be different.
Record hand scratching
Warming, sinew relaxing,
Back and forth hear
Samples out of sync
The mind is a terrible master
And my only link.
This was never finished
And I hardly know what to think.
23/04/03
There is cacophany in the valley and I 95 or so years before time mull around on my front porch hacking off my last remaining lung. It's a bitter old gripe made older by my arrogant age.
That's shit, delete it, I refuse myself in odd days when it's easy, when i should do it when it's hard.
I've been dangling out on the rim Where the water from our oceans flows out like a cascade over the universe.
Here i am perched on the edge of a stone like a bored gargoyle with eyes cupped over rare holographic polyhedrons. There are the stars and turtles soaring across the cosmos with nary a care for such little things. And that shelled insensitivity arrives to protect me just the same, shield breaking into jagged shards at later expiration. It's shame, it's hiding, it's cowardice. It is the blind certainty and thus imprisonment that the next spell will burn down the world. It is sitting on fire not coals when the past floods down the road. Zoetrope called at birth and i still don't hear the bars when I think I do.
The past is done, it has volcanically cooled. That fear is an illusion projected on ocean spray, that there is no way to cross the rolling ocean. There is no ship bouyant enough to carry a payload of so much doubt. There's no time to pitch it in the storm, the best is just bailing out. And damn looking down over the roof was like a glass of gin once upon a time. No doubt in my mind that i couldn't drown if I tried. All of these are raw mesmerizing illusions projected in my skull-sized kingdom.
But these falls: That's where i shattered my ribcage on the rocks. I hear voices from over the edge, yours and others. I think about the uncountable number of things that revolve without us.
Forwards is outwards, onwards is inwards. Obtuse is cute he said, to the ice in his eyes in the mirror though I swear it makes sense to but Listen! Not you, dear me hear me fight me reader, me; LISTEN. I spoke to myself too harshly, and, Now there is a little kid in the corner of the scary room. I think about him often but he's so hard to see. I've been trying to find the words to say to him, like I once heard about a young woman in the attic. He needs someone, something, he needs to be forgiven, or maybe he needs nothing at all. And here I'm already withholding it like i can bribe him when i know i cant. I can't just pull him out of this room by the arms. I just want to feed him and wipe the dirt off his cheeks and hold him and tell him it'll be alright. I know he feels like he messed up and everyone upstairs is mad, like his friends are leaving early. No one came to his party; he doesn't think he deserves one anyway, he never even sent the invites. He'd try to apologize and make it worse and fall into that well even harder, hit his head on the way down and escape to the center of the planet. It's all hyperbole, it's all performance, it's untrustworthy.
No, you're right- the song has been playing backwards. It's masked by porcelain crumpling in my hands holding my head. It's my hunter, not my carnivore, that wins too often. How can we possibly put it all in metaphor? Can we do it straight, no chaser? Is there no other way? Asked to the citizens of you or I, not both - either accusatory or self-pitying I realize. "We" acts like I know it all and I don't know shit. (This is why a part of me hides in a corner, for fear of harsh correction, bloodless and whipless and merciless and all done by myself to myself.)
It tries to bury itself in kids toys and hard drugs so it doesn't have to look itself in the mirror. It's beating out of time, set to go off on a hair trigger, douse the entire prom.
I don't think i want to post this, but I probably will. The thoughts have to go somewhere and this notes app is insufficient. They must be bottled and surrendered to deep ocean selkies, a ritual bloodletting promised without solicitation. This is my only mask in the gallery, crisis limited to one rainbucket, or I would drown in it all. The rest i stuff in the closet, hinges creaking.
Bury my stream of conscious. It always sounds worse out loud, running my mouth and finding out the babbling brook of tar and pain that leaks out of me. Like i don't know what's inside of me, or I just can't listen to it until it's laid out. It's not light or dark, it's a lot of nervous unhealthy guts.
I worry you were right, that what I crave is that internal static. I've felt it, hard, especially these months. Headshot numb me up, but I'd have to stand far away to self administer it. I keep twitching while I'm under.
I want to let it out, like i can unlatch my chest in a field somewhere so noone will get hurt and jettison it into space. The blast incinerates me whole on the launchpad and lets the feeling search the galaxy for you.
I have felt you in moments where i was not there. I was astral projecting in the drivers seat. I heard your name call down from intercloud lightning swear to god i did. I bared my naked chest to that cold storm, the same way i wanted to cut my actual heart out later. The water.
Now all I know to do is sew it back together. After learning how it happens, it's all I want to do - stand out in the fields.
I don't want to pretend my affection can't hurt. Every lover has a dagger in their hand. I don't want to carve out hearts anymore. Straining and pulling in all directions, casualties.
I feel like I haven't been living honestly. Maybe it will always feel off-angle.
I am a snakehead eating the head on the opposite side. I am jagged unpolished pyrite. I am not what I expect.
If time is

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On the shipyards orbiting the forge world Exznuvva:

Laborer 12 32 1453 offered gratitude to the Priestesses, for their sight had spared the lowly such as he. If not for the beetles, his aging bones would have made his worth to the forges fall, and his worth to the alter rise. Give praise to the sight of the Priestesses, for they saw the unworthy who hoard their blood from Axzuur when worthy Axxaakk did yet draw breath. Yet, he was pleased to make worth of himself at the shipyards. Why shouldn't he? The glorious vessel would fly forth into the starfields of the unworthy to cull them from the lands which rightfully belonged to the Emperor and Empress, and their subordinates, thus sparing those of little worth who would be required to sate the thirst of Axzuur, may the stars tremble at his step, in their stead. How he hated the cowards for hiding so long from their fate, for if they had been discovered earlier, perhaps his father would yet live.
Once he had sufficiently abased himself to the local shine to the Empress, may she see where the unworthy hide, he made his way to his assigned dwelling place. Indeed, today was a very good day, as extraction ships had returned with all which is needful to his trade in even greater numbers than from the onset of the conquest, thus increasing his worth. If he could gain just a little more worth to the shipyard, he may be assigned apprentices to guide that he might make those young of little worth escape the alter. This is why he was pleased as he entered his assigned dwelling place granted him by the generosity of Initiate-Highborn Narrex-Sarvon, may his might ever increase, and was pleased to find his assigned breeding partner also present.
"Partner," she said coolly, "you look pleased."
"The war goes well, and my worth rises despite these bones," he said.
Laborer 22 15 1427 scratched the metal wall with her knuckle horns and asked, "Think you to rise to warrior?"
"Nothing so grand, partner," he laughed. "I hope to be worthy to give instruction to those of little worth as I was or may be."
"This ambition is well, for you can attain it," she said as she swayed toward him, "I too have an ambition. I desire to give birth to a warrior."
"You aim too low, partner, for you could be worthy of a name," Laborer 12 32 1453 said with a gentle smile.
"Jest not!" she snapped in reply.
"I do not," he said earnestly, "for I believe that you could raise better than the raising centers, to become a true mother."
"This you likely say beguiled by my meager beauty. I care not, leave aside your flattery and instead give to me the seed of a warrior."
Laborer 12 32 1453 lay abed in the glow of the completion of his latest task. To sire a warrior might indeed raise his worth, he could only hope that the war last long enough for the proving. He hoped indeed that if his assigned breeding partner did become pregnant from their labors together, she would have occasion to demonstrate her skill with babes, and be allowed to raise it herself, and perhaps even be selected to tend the highborn babes.

On Numiind:

Jax hid in the shadows of an alley and watched the combined arms patrol trundle down the street. It had been thirteen days. Thirteen days and seven refugees laid beneath the waves. But still, they found survivors. Still, they liberated prisoners. Still, they held out. The Republic was coming, so Jax lead his cell. The Republic was coming, so Jax watched the Axxaakk tank and squad trundle down the road. They'd done a little testing, and the hover tanks, well, they didn't like being hit from below. Unsurprisingly, to be sure, but that's why they patrolled with infantry elements now. However, this was their home, not the Axxaakk's. Little did they know that there was a massive cave a mere ten feet below grade. They had learned that there were tunnels, and that the resistance was using them to get around, the consequence of another cell getting wiped out in another mining town, but Jax wasn't just some cop trying to defend his home. He was a trained RNI Drop Trooper, and so he knew how to run opsec. The tank shuddered over the proper location, and he clicked his radio twice. There were seven muted explosions, the Axxaakk infantry stopped and took aim, anticipating the coming attack.
However, they should have looked to their feet where large cracks were spreading in the plascrete in a wide oval with its longer sides kissing the buildings, until the force of the tank's grav drive finally caused the underlying stone to buckle, and the entire formation plummeted forty feet to the hard rock below.
He, Rae, Kie, and Ash popped out of their concealment and laid down supressing fire from their newly elevated positions, and quickly took out the remaining infantry, and also convinced the tankers to stay nice and buttoned up in their tank too damaged to hover anymore. Which was exactly what they needed them to do while Mei blew a nearby levy, allowing the sea to intrude upon that part of the town, and the street, and the hole in it. They waited for the water to settle, and waited some half hour more in silence and stillness. Then, Jax ordered over the radio, "Ash, go take a look."
"You got it boss," the man answered, and try as he might, Jax could not identify the shadow darting through the water which was Ash. He suspected that ash had taken an indirect route, and if he had Jax would approve. The enemy might have rudely refused to die for them. Then, Ash's whiskered face popped out of the water near the center of the new submarine sinkhole. "Looks like they drowned," he said softly into his radio.
"Good," Mei spat over the radio.
"Good work people, now let's get a move on to the next objective," Jax said.
They slipped into the waters of the newly flooded tunnels, and followed Kai to an abandoned mine shaft, where they made their exit some two hours later.
"Alright," Jax said softly, "we'll rest here for a bit."
Rae pat him on the shoulder and said, "You should sleep a little."
"I'm fine."
"Just fifteen minutes, Jax. I can keep watch."
Jax shrugged her touch off and said, "Kia and Ash, take a nap. The rest of you keep watch and eat something. We'll trade off."
"Got it," came the reply.
"Fifteen minutes, wake me up on the dot," Jax murmured to Rae.
She nodded.
One rest and recuperation later, and Ash was sent out to scout the facility. They'd gotten intel on the presence of pups being held hostage in the old school building, which has miraculously escaped bombardment. The public displays that the invaders made of plunging their wicked knives into the bellies of the elderly did not bode well for the captured pups, so Jax and his companions didn't even debate whether they would get the pups away from the invaders, but how and when. The answers to both questions would depend greatly on what Ash came back with.
"Jax," came his voice out of the shadows, "We have some company."
"What do you mean?" Jax asked as his trigger finger started feeling somewhat itchy.
Then, a sound came from the darkness that nearly made him weep, Republican Battle Cant, "Your buddy says you're a vet from the anti-piracy patrols."
"Hell yeah," he choked in return as the looming figure of an Advanced Stealth Drop Surveillance Scout stepped out of the shadows, even as his scout pattern armor shifted its coloration to blend into his surroundings.
"You came!" Rae exclaimed as tears filled her eyed.
"Of course we came. Where did you think the supply drops were coming from. We've determined this town is an ideal drop sight, as this is a main command hub for the enemy ground forces, so I've been preparing things."
"You took out the sacrificer…" Ash said with awe.
"How do you know that?"
Jax realized that the RNI ASDSS wasn't speaking RBC, or even Commercial English, but their own language, and decided to keep on with that, "Because it wasn't us, and there's nobody else holding out here."
"Just you five?"
"Us and the guards securing the refugees down below," Jax said.
"Alright, well that doesn't change anything. What's your coms?"
"Radio. The walkies for ops and HAM between cells."
"You still have HAM radios?"
"A hobby club started by a Human who moved here back just after first contact. It got popular to hear his stories."
"Huh," the RNI ASDSS grunted in a satisfactorily impressed way before he continued, "Okay, I think I'm patched into your frequency. Test test."
Jax nodded when all of the radios also said "Test test."
"Sir-"
"I'm no sir, I'm still a corporal."
"What do we call you, then?"
"Well, you can call me Lost Boy for now. Opsec."
Jax smacked himself on the forehead and said, "Ancestors forgive me."
"Huh?"
"We've been using our real names."
"Well, not to be mean, but you guys don't exactly have a very wide pool of names. They probably think they're code names anyway."
"Okay Lost, we're here on a rescue op. They have pups in there to do Ancestors know what with, and we're not waiting around to watch them get stabbed to death on top of some weird rock."
"Gotcha, I'll find me a good firing position and switch the APR over to quiet mode and provide overwatch."
"Aye, Lost. Signal when you're in position. Three clicks on the radio. Everyone, move out."
"One more thing," the Lost Boy said as the group started breaking up, "The drop pods will be hitting about ten klicks west in about three hours, so let's get the kiddos under cover before then, gotcha?"

In low orbit over Numiind:

Acolyte-Lord Narrex-Quinn and Acolyte-Lord Gukea-Sarvon stood before the display screen and made their report to Priest-Lord Tiglach-Pilexer. They did not dissemble, exaggerate, or otherwise attempt to save face before their commander, as they knew how dire the position of the invasion fleet had become after the destruction of a single diplomatic vessel. They knew well that they may have to crouch before this new foe for the time being, for the High Priestess had seen that their might was great indeed, yet the Dominion of Axxaakk was also mighty. Morover, the ever thirsting Axzuur, may the stars tremble at his steps, commanded their conquest, and could therefore not falter.
However, it was up to those who obey that the triumph be as glorious as possible, lest Axzuur become displeased and demand their blood as the unworthy. Thus, while it might have been wise at another time to embellish the facts in their favor, they knew that such would be short sighted in this case.
Acolyte--Lord Narrex-Quinn was saying, "I do not expect we can begin to dominate the mammal-worms across the planet to such a degree that they resume their industry at our direction."
"Indeed," Acolyte-Lord Gukea-Sarvon agreed, "and we have gathered that which was readily available in either the raw or already processed before we took possession of it."
"Thus, unless we can send one to delay the Terrans, for at minimum two annum, we shall need to move on and raid elsewhere."
"Let it be so," the face on the screen decreed. "Carry off with you those adults who's young you have in custody. They shall make excellent serfs on these wet worlds."
"We obey, Priest-Lord," they intoned as they bowed and their superior cut the communication."
"I shall return to my flagship," Acolyte-Lord Narrex-Quinn said, and the Initiate-Highborn present moved immediately to accommodate this.
"I was pleased to work with you, brother. Would that we had time to subjugate this world. I would think you placed at its alter, and thus find yourself raised up to Priest-Lord."
"My fate is to be covered in blood and glory, brother. Such a task and honor must fall to another."
"It troubles me that we could not crush these mammal-worms even after more than ten days," Acolyte-Lord Gueka-Sarvon grumbled.
"If it were not so, we would not have so many new serfs. It is much the same upon the other worlds infested with these lower creatures," so we have gained much for the Dominion, as have other Acolyte-Lords."
One shuttle ride later, and Acolyte Lord was in his quarters, enjoying a local delicacy, some kind of water animal with fins. Its flesh was pleasantly tender and sweet. He hoped that he would be a part of the forces who would return to this place to conquer this place for this treat alone. His pleasing reflection on future glories was Interrupted by an initiate-Highborn.
"Acolyte-Lord, your leadership is needed in the command throne," the Initiate-Highborn murmured with a proper waist deep bow.
"Return to your station, I come."
"I obey," he said and quickly shuffled away.
Acolyte-Lord was in his subordinate's heels all the way to the bridge, where alarms were blaring, "Report at stations," he commanded.
"Four incoming hyperspace exits detected in the interdiction zone!"
"Ship class estimation!"
"Unknown, Acolyte-Lord! Their shadows are somehow obscured."
"Assume the worst, order all frigates and their escorts to the exit sites!"
"They do exit now!"
"On screen!"
"I obey!"
Acolyte-Lord Narrex-Quinn's amputated hand quaked at the sight of the sensor data rendered visually. The ships were massive, bristling with weapons platforms, communications and network arrays, and bay doors. "Battleships," he whispered in horror.
"A hail comes, Acolyte-Lord!"
"Refuse it!"
The main display screen suddenly lit up with a black banner with a yellow star at its center and what looked to Acolyte-Lord Narrex-Quinn like a glassed planet to one side accompanied by the audio, "We remember the We Sing."
"I said not to accept a hail!"
"Acolyte-Lord, they broke through our system with the hail itself as if they were from a Priest-Master's ship!"

Aboard the Destroyer Tiger Lilly:

The squadron had just exited hyperspace, and the enemy was around the space-otter planet of Numiid in force. There was even a battleship there, or at least what these genocidal scum thought was a battleship. Corporal Linus George sent up a prayer, and clambered into his drop pod. He always hated the space superiority portion of the battle, even against junker pirates, and these freaks had actual weapons. All plasma, but they had reportedly sunk a few Roma Nova ships, which was impressive for plasma only. He was going to show these murderous zealots what happens when you go fucking around and touch a Republican boat. They were in find out time.
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