Name poams

I have 2 tabs I’m working on in one file.
One is named POAM and has a column D filled with numbers from cell 2-1330.
The other is called Compliance and it has relevant numbers in column M cells 2-76.
I want to do a formula (or any process) that will look at the POAM tab column D and highlight any cell with a number equal to any number in the compliance tab column M.
I was unable to get a working solution yesterday so I am trying again.

I’ve never written a poam before so I thought I’d try it out also hate my grammar not my message
The door
There’s a monster in my closet I can’t let it out If I try to open the door It ends with doubt Everyone’s seen me as this all my life I want to change for the better but sometimes it doesn’t seem right There’s a monster in my closet It’s a part of me But I hide it away so know one else can see There’s a monster in my closet When I try to let it peak Let’s just say I don’t get much sleep There’s a monster in my closet It’s part of me I only see it as a monster because of certain peps I’m in the closet Hidden away My true identity Hiding away It hurts me to see this F near my name But some day Enby it will say The monster shall be gone And my life will go on As who I really am But for now at least you understand

I'm still very much-so a newbie with Pandas and my script is taking quite a bit of time to run as I'm creating a decent sized Dataframe. I just looked through my code and realized I'm doing a lot of iterating, over every single row to be exact in a large dataframe and I don't think it's necessary. I'm not sure why I did it this way but here's a snippet of my code where I believe this is slowing down my script drastically.

 # Copies data from scan_df to the poam (df) poam["Weakness Name"] = [x for x in scan_df["Name"]] poam["Weakness Description"] = [x for x in scan_df["Description"]] poam["Weakness Detector Source"] = [x for x in scan_df["Source of Discovery"]] poam["Asset Identifier"] = [x for x in scan_df["Affected IP Address / Hostname / Database"]] poam["Overall Remediation Plan"] = [x for x in scan_df["Recommendation"]] poam["Original Risk Rating"] = [x for x in scan_df["Risk Exposure"]] # Parses the data from the scan's "Name" column and grabs the plug-in ID poam["Weakness Source Identifier"] = [x[11:] for x in scan_df["Name"].str.replace("\n\n", ",").str.split(",").str[1]] # Parses the data from the scan's "Name" column and grabs the CVE(s) poam["CVE"] = [x for x in scan_df["Name"].str.replace("\n\n", ",").str.split(",").str[2:].apply(lambda x: ', '.join([str(i) for i in x]))] # Adds the POAM ID value based off number of rows in the DataFrame poam["POAM ID"] = ["V-%04d" % x for x in range(poam_id_startpoint, len(poam.index) + poam_id_startpoint)] 

The first 6 lines of code I'm iterating through every line of the Name, Description, Source of Discovery, Affected IP, Recommendation and Risk Exposure columns in my scan_df dataframe. All I really want is to just copy that data into my poam dataframe under different column names.
Instead of doing this poam["Weakness Name"] = [x for x in scan_df["Name"]] I'm assuming I can do something like this? poam["Weakness Name"] = scan_df["Name"] and that would help speed up the script? Or if I change it to that, is it still just iterating through every row under the hood, thus taking the same amount of time to run?

I have a script that will take data and "append" it to the same excel file, but in reality it's not appending because the startrow value is set to 5 and starts adding the data from there every time.
What I would like to do is originally start from row 5 and say I add 20 columns, the next time it runs I would like it to start from row 25. Here's my code:

>>> DF1 ID Time 0 420 50 1 380 40 2 390 45 with pd.ExcelWriter(path_to_current_poam, mode="a", engine="openpyxl", if_sheet_exists="overlay") as writer: dataframe.to_excel(writer, sheet_name=sheet_name, startrow=5, index=False, header=None) 

This does as expected, but then if I run the script again which creates a new dataframe with new data, it also starts from row 5 so it ends up overwriting the first dataframe in excel instead of appending to it

I'm trying to append my data to an existing Excel sheet and it's giving me this message in the console

UserWarning: File contains an invalid specification for Closed POA&M Items. This will be removed warn(msg) UserWarning: File contains an invalid specification for Open POA&M Items. This will be removed warn(msg) 

Which doesn't make sense because I specified the correct sheet name that I'm trying to write to "Closed POA&M Items"
​
Here's my code:

curr_poam = "Reports/September.xlsx" curr_closed_sheet = "Closed POA&M Items" def main(): writeToExcel(closed_items, curr_poam, curr_closed_sheet) def writeToExcel(dataframe, path_to_current_poam, sheet_name): with pd.ExcelWriter(path_to_current_poam, engine="openpyxl", mode='a', if_sheet_exists='overlay') as writer: dataframe.to_excel(writer, sheet_name=sheet_name, startrow=5, index=False, header=False) 

It's writing to the Excel file, but instead of appending to the Closed sheet it just gives that error about both sheets, deletes them and the data on them, then creates a new sheet with only the data I'm adding. What could be causing this?

I have a dictionary that consists of IDs and some data that goes along with those IDs. I have a DataFrame that also contains those IDs and I want to add the data from my dictionary to the Dataframe, based on the matching IDs. Here's an example:

>>> dataframe Scan ID CVE(s): CVE-2018-25032 CVE(s): CVE-2022-24903 CVE(s): CVE-2022-21125, CVE-2022-21123NaN CVE(s): CVE-2022-1271 CVE(s): CVE-2020-26137, CVE-2021-3177 >>> vector_string_dict = { 'CVE-2018-25032': ['AV:N', 'AC:H', 'PR:N'], 'CVE-2022-24903': ['AV:N', 'AC:L', 'PR:N'] } 

I have three other empty columns in my DataFrame that we'll call "new column 1", "new column 2" and "new column 3". You can see that in my Dataframe the first scan ID value CVE-2018-25032 is also in my dictionary, so what I'd like to do is now add the other data paired with that ID from my dictionary to my DataFrame.
So I want 'AV:N' added to "new column 1", 'AC:H' added to "new column 2" and 'PR:N' added to "new column 3". Then I want to do the same with the next item in my dictionary 'CVE-2022-24903' and I'm not too sure how to do this with a Dictionary
Update:

def addVectorData(updated_dr): vector_string_dict = {} for cve in updated_dr['Scan ID']: if str(cve) != "nan": strip_chars = cve[8:22] polished_cve = strip_chars.replace(",", "").replace(" ","") try: vector_string = dynamoCall(polished_cve) vector_string_dict.update({polished_cve: vector_string}) except IndexError: pass value = vector_string_dict.get(polished_cve) def dynamoCall(cve): response = client.batch_get_item( RequestItems={ 'Table-Name': { 'Keys': [ { 'CVE': {"S" : cve }, }, ], } }, ) # Takes the raw Vector String, removes the "\/" characters and splits the values raw_string = response['Responses']['JIRA-POAM-TEST-DB'][0]['VectorString']['S'] strip_string = raw_string.replace("/", ",") vector_string = strip_string.split(",") print(vector_string) try: vector_string.remove('S:U') except ValueError: pass return vector_string >>> vector_string = ['CVSS:3.1', 'AV:N', 'AC:H', 'PR:N', 'UI:R', 'S:U', 'C:H', 'I:H', 'A:H'] ['CVSS:3.1', 'AV:N', 'AC:L', 'PR:N', 'UI:N', 'S:U', 'C:N', 'I:L', 'A:N'] 

​

I'm trying to write to a .xlsm file using ExcelWriter and I'm setting my engine to "openpyxl". I read online that Pandas ExcelWriter can't write to .xlsm files, but openpyxl can. Is using openpyxl as an engine in ExcelWriter the same thing? I just tried it and it seems to have worked, but now I can't open my excel file, it gives me this error when trying to open it via Excel:
"Excel cannot open the file ' September.xlsm' because the file format or file extension is not valid. Verify that the file has not been corrupted and that the file extension matches the format of the file."
Do I have to ditch pandas ExcelWriter completely? Or is writing to a .xlsm file just not possible with Python?
Here's my code I'm using for this as well, which runs without errors, but it seems to corrupt my Excel file and not allow me to open it in Excel.

cur_poam_path = 'Reports/September.xlsm' cur_open_sheet = "Open POA&M Items" cur_closed_sheet = "Closed POA&M Items" def main(): writeToExcel(open_items, cur_poam_path, cur_open_sheet) writeToExcel(closed_items, cur_poam_path, cur_closed_sheet) def writeToExcel(dataframe, path_to_current_poam, sheet_name): with pd.ExcelWriter(path_to_current_poam, engine="openpyxl", mode='a', if_sheet_exists='overlay') as writer: dataframe.to_excel(writer, sheet_name=sheet_name, startrow=9, index=False, header=False) 

I have a master DataFrame and one of the columns is "Vulnerability ID". I also have a list of ID numbers and two empty DataFrames called "open" and "closed". So basically I want to parse through each row in my master DataFrame and if the "Vulnerability ID" value exists in my ID list, I want to add that entire row into my "open" DataFrame, if not, I want to add it to my "closed" DataFrame.
Here's part of my code where I'm trying to accomplish this

def poamSelector(scan_df, vuln_IDs): column_list = ["Name","CVE","Description","Source of Discovery","Vulnerability ID","Hostname","Affected IP Address", "Solution","Risk Exposure"] opendf = pd.DataFrame(columns=column_list) closeddf = pd.DataFrame(columns=column_list) for id in scan_df["Vulnerability ID"]: if float(id) in vuln_IDs: else: For context: >>> scan_df Vulnerability ID 0 202845 1 149055 2 201637 3 151610 4 201655 >>> vuln_IDs = [ 202845.0, 161679.0, 201637.0, 162298.0, 162573.0, 161354.0, 161073.0, 162583.0 ] 

In this function, "scan_df" is my master DataFrame and "vuln_IDs" is my ID list. I also create my two empty DataFrames, "open" and "closed". I have a for loop already that checks if the value in my master DataFrame's "Vulnerability ID" column matches any number in my "vuln_ids" list. Now I just don't know how to add that entire row to it's respective new DataFrame.
Here's an example of what I mean: Let's say the value in the first row of scan_df["Vulnerability ID"] (My master DataFrame) is also in the vuln_IDs list I want to add the entire first row from scan_df["Vulnerability ID"] to the open DataFrame opendf. Now let's assume the value in the second row isn't in my vuln_IDs list, I want to add that entire second row to closeddf

 for id in scan_df["Vulnerability ID"]: if float(id) in vuln_IDs: add the entire row from the master DF "scan_df" to my new df "opendf" else: add the entire row from the master DF "scan_df" to my new df "seconddf" 

I have an existing Excel file and I'd like to just append my Dataframe to that and I can't figure out how. I tried using the `.append_df_to_excel()` function and I'm getting an error, I believe I'm using it wrong and not sure how to use it?
main.py

import pandas as pd # variables oracle = "oracle mysql" filename = "finaldr.xlsx" # dataframe poam = pd.read_excel('finalpoam.xlsm', header = 4) new_poam = poam[["POAM ID", "Weakness Source Identifier", "Asset Identifier", "Weakness Name", "Weakness Detector Source", "Original Risk Rating", "Original Detection Date", "Weakness Description", "Overall Remediation Plan", "False Positive"]] oracle_df = new_poam[new_poam['Weakness Name'].str.contains(oracle, case=False, na=False)] final_df = oracle_df.drop(labels=range(783, 788), axis=0) final_df = final_df.drop(columns="False Positive") # write to existing excel file final_df.append_df_to_excel(filename, final_df, sheet_name='DR Sheet', index=False) 

Basically I just want to append my dataframe `final_df` to my existing excel file `finaldr.xlsx`

So personally I have just started reading RL, I previously read through the whole manhwa and loved it, but I dropped it waiting for some new chapters to come out, reading other manhwa. I still had it in mind because it was something much better then the ones I have read before and after it. So I got back to check how many more chapters have released and see that it has been last updated more then one year ago, so searched, and found the novel, found this reddit post and started reading it. At first it was kinda hard cause I couldn't remember who was who, cause off all the names, but then it got easier so I kept on reading.
So I am coming close to chapter 200 now and I would like to know what was so bad about the bear seen? Like I LOVED it no cap, if it was some over novel they would of just skipped it, but here the auther fully went through with it. I also loved the explonation about the way we see the people the bear is attacking, I loved the whole seen also that he didn't mind it at all, another characters would be cry baby's that want to save the world from evil but this is much much better. Well at least in my opinion.
So my question still remains what was the problem with the bear seen?
I got a pretty good translated site where I read it all right now. Where the translator even translated the poams. If anyone wants to know I'll leave it in the comments.

I played New Leaf on the nintendo 3ds I saw it in the display of a pawn shop for 20$ and thought why not I've heard good things about it and got hooked so when the switch came out and I saw new horizons was coming out first thaing I thought was Heck yeah! Then I got the switch for Christmas and was half way thare (oh oh living on a prayer) I got a 20$ gift card with and then thought ya now I just need to sign up and it's 60$ plus tax so now I've been trying to get it but as you guess I don't want to go to my parents and ask for 60$ after they brought me a nintendo switch for Christmas and I'm vary impatient so I came here the most ironic thaing of all is that the switch I got is themed around Animal crossing.
So I don't have much else to say in the way of reasons sorry I'm not that interesting so I figured I'll round this post out with an account of my exsprience with New Leaf
Day 1: So I just got off the train into the wonderful town of Tableton (real creative I know) so I went through the basics planted the tree went into debt and talked to the villagers I wandered around for a bit just talking to people and eventually went into nooks cranny and saw a shovel for I think 750 bells (not sure it was a while ago) so I found my goal for the foreseeable future so I left and started shaking apple trees and sold the apples off for money I got enough to buy the shovel and spent the next hour digging holes to try and find something (I did not find anything)
Day 2: so after learning that it real time (because I'm stupid) and a reading few guides as to what I need to do I went to sleep and got back on after school I talked to some more villiger I met this cool looking white cat and went off to buy a fishing pole it said it was a good source of income on the guide and found a bug net not knowing what I was doing I then walked out of the store thinking the bug net wasn't important and just harvested more apples to sell I then talked to a rino with a camo shirt and he gave me a leaf I later found out was a blue table I dug around some more and found 2 fossils and accidentally hit a rock that gave me money I proceeded to then hit every rock I see and got nothing so I logged off for the day
Day 3: I came back from school and had to go to the store with my mom and dad and grabbed my 3ds from my house before going while at the store I payed for a while and accidentally turned my 3ds off and panicked slightly because I thought it would delete my save or something when I turned it back on I was confronted by a mole guy with a helmet and overalls named mr resseti he asked why I turned off my 3ds which it amazed me the game knew and I lied and said it died h let me off and I then proceeded to go around hitting more rocks eventually finding one that gave me gems to sell nothing else interesting happened exsept me finally getting the fishing rod and me learning about walk points and how I could get fortune cookies with them I then proceeded to walk back and forth around my house for a while like an idiot to afford a cookie I got one and ate it and got a little poam I had no idea what to do with them nd thought it was a waste of time and walked out of nooks cranny it wasn't until I talked to nook again and him giving me a cool purple and yellow mask did I know what they do I then logged off for the day
Friend Code:
SW-6587-4719-9864

First Part: here Previous Part: here
Lux
All of the around Nil suddenly condensed. His eyes shot open again, and an immense pressure filled the room. Nil looked at me, and it felt like death was upon me. I swear I could see a skull materialize behind him. All the adults in the room backed off, wondering what was happening. I looked at his eyes, what was once the white part of his eyes was now pitch black, highlighting the amber color, giving them an incredibly haunting appearance. I launched myself at him, gripping him tight; his body felt like a rock. He’s alive! He is fine!
“Water.” Nil gasped. His voice sounded hoarse and raspy.
His mom quickly sent his uncle to fetch water. Nox returned with water and handed it to Nil, who drained the glass. His stomach then let out an immense growl. Senna picked up Nil, and carried him downstairs to the dining hall. The chefs were on standby, and started making dishes. Nil wolfed them all down. Normally, one plate was a challenge for him to finish; Nil was currently on his ninth. If anything, his eyes were getting darker. All of the adults were looking at his now pitch black and amber eyes. After his eleventh plate, Nil was finally full.
“Nil, how do you feel?” Senna asked him.
“Great! I was so hungry!” Nil replied happily. You slept for four days straight, I would feel great after too.
“Are your eyes bothering you at all?” Azzeck asked him.
“She said there was a minor side effect that turned my eyes black.” Nil replied nonchalantly. Every adult went tense.
“Side effect?” Nez asked.
“She?” Azzeck asked.
“You know?” Azzeck asked.
“Please explain.” Senna requested, her voice getting incredibly tense.
“Utol said I came really close to dying, played a game, she gave me a gift, and mentioned it had the minor side effect of making my eyes black.” Nil explained.
“As in, Lord Utol?” Azzeck pressed.
“That was her name!” Nil exclaimed, bouncing up and down excitedly looking at the adults.
“What did she give you?” Nez asked.
“A !” Nil answered calmly. What is that? Judging by the reaction of the adults, it was something good.
“At this point, I am just out of surprise to have.” Nez replied.
“Should we do another ?” Azzeck asked his wife. Nil is okay. That’s all that matters.
“That might be needed.” Senna answered.
“Can we go sightseeing?!” Nil asked. The adults shot looks at each other. Nil really doesn’t feel fear; from death’s door to let’s go sightseeing.
“We could go around the castle grounds Nil.” Senna said with a smile. Nil and I went with Senna after eating. I am glad we can play again!
I walked with Senna and Nil to the castle grounds, where I was met with a surprising sight. There were bodies displayed on tall pointed sticks, each seemingly died in a horrific fashion. Nil was looking at the display wide eyed, trying to grasp the sight.
“Who were these people mama?” Nil asked.
“They were a that needed to learn a lesson. They are now training dummies or a message, depending on how you want to look at them.” Senna answered. Her smile was chilling.
“Did you put them here?” Nil asked.
“When your dad told me to take a break I had to let out a little, steam.” Senna answered. She went away for maybe ten minutes a day to my knowledge. There are hundreds of these bodies. I shivered, but Nil seemed unfazed.
These don’t creep you out? I asked him.
Oh thank the Lords it creeps you out too. So many demons, where did she find this many demons? Nil replied.
I think it is the behind the attack at Ein’s birthday. I answered.
This is pretty brutal. Nil replied. I nodded in agreement.
As we walked along, I was looking at Nil. There was something off about him, other than the black eyes. His body felt wrong when I hugged him, it was surprisingly solid, but I suspect that had to do with the he mentioned. The problem was his , it didn’t feel right. I closed my eyes, and used like Orga taught me. Nil’s current was immense, larger than it was previously, but that wasn’t it. Something else was off. I looked him over, trying to put my claw on it. I noticed a ring I don’t think he had before. It wasn’t the source of the odd sensation, but when I looked at it, Senna noticed it too.
“Where did you get that ring Nil?” Senna asked.
“It was a gift from Utol.” Nil answered.
“Is there anything special about it?” Senna prodded.
“Yea! It contains these!” Nil replied excitedly, and in a quick flash two black pieces of metal appeared.
Senna’s eyes went wide. Nil was effortlessly holding them, and proudly showed them to his mom. I wonder what those are. One was clearly a sword; the other was a cylinder of some sort. His mom’s eyes were glued to the sword, so he put the other back into the ring.
“A with a sword and a cylinder of the metal as well?” Senna asked, trying to hide the concern in her voice.
“She gave them as a gift. Utol is quite nice.” Nil explained.
“Did she want anything in return?” Senna questioned, definitely suspicious.
“Help getting some support was all she asked for.” Nil answered.
“Did she happen to clarify what some support is?” Senna pressed.
“From what I remember reading Utol doesn’t have an anywhere on Tenebrae, so I think building her one would meet what she asked for.” Nil replied.
“And why did she ask for your help getting support?” Senna investigated. Nil seemed to be ignoring the immense concern Senna had.
“Well, she said she would revive me, but if I wanted I could play a game for some stuff. I won, and she threw in the ring and stuff for some support!” Nil replied excitedly. A wave of relief flooded over Senna.
“That is a lot better. I think an is a great idea. What game did you play?” Senna asked.
“I can’t say!” Nil replied happily.
“That’s okay. Is there anywhere else you wanted to see?” Senna asked.
“The !” Nil answered. He is oddly happy today. I mean, he did come back from the dead.
“Maybe later Nil. We need to take care of a few things first.” Senna answered.
“Okay!” Nil replied.
We did a few more laps around the grounds. The uneasy presence around Nil was not subsiding. On the fourth lap, I think Senna noticed as well. I could feel her trying to probe Nil. Maybe if we wrestled, no sparred as old Nil and Poam called it, I could figure it out. A massive chill went down my spine at the thought. That’s new.
Nil, what all did you get from Utol? I asked him.
The , the , and some . Why? Nil replied.
There is something just off about your and it has been bugging me. I explained.
I have no idea; I noticed something was off ever since I woke up. Nil answered.
How does it feel? I asked.
Like there is a lot more, or as if it is heavier might be more accurate. Nil explained.
It definitely feels heavier, but I don’t think that’s it. I replied.
What do you mean? Nil asked.
While you were sleeping, Orga taught me more . I think it helped my ability to sense . I said.
That’s interesting. We need to explore that more. Nil suggested. Of course he would want to. He always loved exploring .
*
Nez
Nil had somehow managed to get an on his . At first, we were not sure what was off about his , other than it was substantially denser and more developed than before he nearly died. What on Tenebrae happened while he was near dead? It was astronomical how much denser his was. It will slow his training down, but the benefits are nice. It not only was denser, he also greatly increased his . Normally one of them would be increased, the two in tandem is unheard of. Then again, he was between life and death, which theoretically has an amazingly pure to draw from.
That was not the problem at hand. Senna was not pleased to find her son's eyes had now become black, and that there was a horrific aura of emanating from him nonstop. I was reading up on Lord Utol and trying to find information on as a whole. So far, most of what I had found confirmed what I knew, it was a like and , Lord Utol was the Lord of Death, and was known for being able to be both dominating and ethereal which was a unique trait.
In my literature review, I had found that supposedly, Lord Utol was the arbiter, the one who decided one’s fate upon dying. In special cases, she would allow one to return to the world of the living if they were taken prematurely, which is what I suspected happened in the case of Nil. Another unverifiable portion was she would allow one to play games to try and win the right to live back, but not surprisingly, defeating a Lord proved to be seemingly impossible. Lord Utol possessed no , and had very little support on Tenebrae, which also caused a desperate lack of information.
As for , it was the rarest of the , as most people who possessed it tended to either go mad, go on brutal killing sprees, or were summarily executed by superstition. Geez that’s a grim fate. does tend to affect the person who possesses it over time, so that was likely an unfortunate side effect. It is also probably why Senna does not like that horrific new aura emanating from Nil.
I looked into , which we had been putting off for Nil to focus on his ability to handle , and learned that the was a near myth, as only a representative or test from the Lord could provide one. Like Nil’s , it needed criterion to be met and to partake in some sort of trial from the Lord, which due to her extreme lack of representation, made getting gifts and from Lord Utol difficult. Each one uses for , , and had an effect on the person who them. From the quick testing of Nil earlier, his for was still ridiculously pure.
That meant the was likely neutral, which was in line with the . Now that bizarre of Nil’s was likely due to either his , his , or the , or some interaction between them. It was likely his eyes turning black was a result of the meaning that change was going to be permanent, and the only way to change it was to remove the , which would at minimum cripple Nil forever. The instant Senna would agree to that I imagined the world would end about a second later. Honestly, tier were known to have potential side effects, and the fact the first two he had no apparent ones was pretty impressive. His third and last one Nil needed only turning his eyes black was a pretty small price to pay, all things considered.
The more pressing issue was the aura of that he was emanating. At first we were terrified he had become an , but that quickly subsided as his heart was clearly beating and he was breathing just fine. It also shouldn’t be able to result from something neutral like the he possessed. I was skimming through various books, trying to find some explanation.
A shouldn’t cause it; or more accurately, there were no known that caused a person to possess an aura of a they didn’t possess. Nil had two neutral and a aligned , which definitely would not result in a aura. He had definitely been between life and death, and probably was technically dead for a little bit, which might have caused it, but the aura was pretty prevalent. It would easily cause him to be mistaken for an , which until we could either mask or explain it, Nil needed to stay inside the castle as isolated from people as possible. were executed no questions asked. Given the circumstances, we definitely did not want that to be the answer. His beating heart and definitive breathing at least helped argue he was not an .
I skimmed through books that were theoretical, ones with unproven anecdotes, and even some philosophy ones to try and find something to work off of. I grabbed a few theology books. Maybe general information on the Lords could explain what happened. After plowing through nearly thirty books, I finally found something promising.
There were tales of people who through either an immense sacrifice to a Lord, besting a challenge set by a Lord, or through deep devotion to a Lord, would receive an from the Lord. It carried the traits of the Lord, and would emanate from the person, letting all know the prowess and dedication of the individual. There was also a list of theoretical benefits and abilities that may possess.
It was a working theory, but we needed an incredibly thorough to be sure. I found several books in the general same subject matter, trying to find the distinction between and an . I read several of the books. From what I could tell, an was much stronger than a , so much so that they were difficult to hide or conceal. It was also thought that contained the of the Lord to which they belonged. There were other pieces of information that seemed plausible, but those two stuck out the most to me.
But how did he earn one from Utol? Nil was only a child, and while saving the others was impressive, what the book listed as a necessary feat or sacrifice in the name of the specific Lord absolutely dwarfed that act. And that bizarre of Nil’s, was it a result of using an from Kron? This needed to be studied further, but I could take my preliminary findings to Senna.
I wandered the castle looking for her, and she was walking the grounds with a very happy looking Nil and concerned looking Lux. I made my way down to them, and saw Senna looking at Nil with some mild concern. Hopefully, I was about to alleviate some of that.
“Hello Nez, what brings you out here?” Senna asked. Nil and Lux were looking at me eagerly.
“Remember those things you wanted me to look into, I have some news regarding them.” I answered.
“Is it good news?” Senna asked uneasily.
“Mostly. It should be great news overall.” I replied. She looked slightly more relieved.
Is it news Nil and Lux should hear? Senna asked me telepathically.
I suspect Nil is aware of one of things I will tell you, and while you may not like it, it isn’t technically bad news; the other is important for him to know. I explained. She nodded her head.
“So, I suspect his eyes turning black is a result from his . Other than removing the , I do not think there is anyway to change that fact. Given he has three and the only side effect is his eyes becoming black, that is pretty good. As for that aura of he is currently emanating, I suspect he has an from Lord Utol, which is similar to a but a bit stronger, and I need to research further into the subject. I recommend getting a thorough to verify.” I informed Senna.
“Thank you Nez. We will schedule an as soon as possible. Come on Nil, I unfortunately have some things to take care of. Your uncles will take care of you until dinner.” Senna told her son. He looked a tad deflated.
“It’s okay Nil! There are no lessons today! We are going to play some games and have fun!” I tried comforting Nil.
He got a new sword, maybe teaching him to use it might be exciting. Senna suggested.
That would be up Nox’s alley. We can try it. I replied.
“I hear you got a cool new sword, would you like to learn to use it?” I asked Nil. His eyes lit up in response.
“That sounds fun! Can we teach something cool to Lux too?!” Nil replied excitedly.
“We’ll see if Orga can think of something.” I told them, and brought them to the study room, thinking of what we could show them.
*
Nox
I honestly thought Nil and Lux were out of ways to surprise us. Currently, Lux was achieving some staggering form of , while Nil demonstrated that despite his new sword being about as long as he was tall, he could swing it like it had no weight. It was to him, probably because Lord Utol had the insight to make sure no one could steal it from him. His swing was sloppy, and highly untrained, but the power behind the swing was immense. The sword was incredibly heavy, and something about him changed, as his body was not that sturdy or powerful previously.
It is like they are having a contest of which we should currently be watching. I thought.
“How was that Uncle Nox?” Nil asked. Needs improvement at best.
“Needs some improvement: you are too off balance, you are not used to swinging the sword, and you are not properly reinforcing your body with .” I instructed. Nez and Orga shot me some seriously dirty looks.
Nil reset into the basic form I showed him, closed his eyes for a minute, and I could feel his much denser start to flow. He reinforced his body slightly differently, and launched himself at me. Nil launched himself, leading with his sword to try and impale me. I simply side stepped, and his sword froze in the air, as Nil pivoted around it, attempting to plant a kick into me. I shifted my sword to catch his foot. Nil kicked off, trying to rotate with his to continue his attack, but he unfortunately kicked himself into the ground. Nil quickly picked himself back up. Good instincts, fast recovery, and he seems to be enjoying himself.
“Try to stick to the basics for now, but that was a good attempt.” I praised. Nil shot up right, and turned his head to face Lux.
Lux was currently emanating an immense presence, when her eyes shot open, emitting a blinding light from them. She fell to the ground panting, as the runes on her body began glowing just as bright. After a few seconds of putting the sun to shame, the light dissipated, and Lux formed a small little halo between her shoulder blades.
“That is amazing Lux!” Orga praised, making sure Lux was okay. Lux wobbled a little, before collapsing into a ball to nap. Nil and Lux tilted their heads back and forth a little as Nil checked on her, before he refocused on me.
“Lux just became a more annoying opponent.” Nil declared, resetting into the starter stance I showed him. He closed his eyes for a minute, gathering his before striking.
This time, he launched a quick at me, focusing the with his offhand before charging in. He swung widely again, and when I blocked it, he had already prepared a small javelin of he quickly threw at me. I used to dodge to the side, allowing it to harmlessly pass me. Nil continued his assault, applying a minor to his foot to spin his body to kick me. His execution was surprisingly well done, unfortunately he couldn’t control his well enough so while the kick was successful, there was absolutely no power to it.
Realizing his error, Nil quickly used to get a safe distance away. He at least understands just because there is a sword in his hand doesn’t mean it’s all he has to use to attack. His control is quite good for his age, but nowhere near sufficient to pull off the maneuvers and attacks he is trying. Rapidly manipulating in opposing directions while casting in an off hand or to move yourself accurately is incredibly challenging. Nil closed his eyes again as he reset. Not a good habit to have, but for his age I guess the fact he can attempt to start this training is impressive enough to tolerate a crutch like that for now. Now I definitely see why he and Lux alternated who was dodging and running while the other deflected and prepared their .
Nil kept his eyes closed longer than before, turning his head side to side. What is he trying to focus? Is he trying to visualize something? A spine chilling sensation went down my body. The air seemed to fluctuate in an odd fashion. Nez and Orga immediately looked at him. This is the sensation that preludes that peculiar . This is bad, this literally killed him last time. I went to voice an objection, telling Nil we were going to stop, but his eyes shot open.
The amber portion took on a bizarre glow, as the black part seemed to obliterate all light that came near it. The sensation of that clung to him intensified immensely, the world seemed to slow as Nil began walking towards me calmly. His stride was steady and slow, with his gaze locked on me, and only me. Nothing else seemed to exist to him. I could hear faint whispers as he walked towards me. His was being purely dedicated to his and reinforcing his body.
The instant Nil got close, he swung his sword again. This time, with an aerie precision. I went to dodge, and before I even started the course had corrected itself. I simply away. That attack. His motion was a bit wide, the reinforcement was wrong, but that swing made something in me quiver. What on Tenebrae was that? I am used to feeling a bit uneasy when he starts using strong ; this, this is something different. Something in my brain is screaming that attack is dangerous. I will observe it the next time he does it, see if I can figure out why. Nil had continued the oddly calm, steady pace towards me.
Again, the instant he was close enough to connect, Nil tried swinging his sword at me. I kept my eyes fixed on the blade, as it seemed to carve the air it passed. I put up a guard to deflect, and the sword instantly changed trajectory to hit head on and not be deflected away. Every subtle change, minor detail, or shift I made, Nil adjusted the swing perfectly. It is like he is adjusting before it even happens. His sword connected. My hand went numb from the impact, but I forced his sword back, causing him to fall off balance and land on his butt. Still didn’t keep his balance well enough. That can be fixed. In an instant, the sensation stopped, and Nil was visibly sweating profusely. His was near empty. Those two swings took over half of his to perform.
“I feel a bit tired.” Nil declared, his eyelids drooping like they weighed as much as a mountain.
He stored his sword into his ring, shuffled over to Lux, and used Lux as a pillow before passing out. Good news was he didn’t seem to hurt himself doing that. Bad news he could apparently use that bone chilling at will.
“What happened there Nox? You looked scared.” Nez asked, clearly confused on how a five year old produced that.
“That he used at the end is terrifying. The sensation of when he is using it directed at you is honestly pretty unsettling. Nil seemed to correct his swing before I even adjusted. My wrist is still kind of tingling from that impact. The downside of whatever that is appears to be the fact it takes a lot out of him to use.” I replied.
“You mean the that killed him is a bit taxing? Why didn’t you stop him? We were trying to tell you to stop.” Nez lectured.
“I did not hear you at all. It sounded like whispers.” I explained.
“We were yelling quite loudly at the two of you. Did it seriously sound like whispers?” Orga asked.
“I am telling you both, if you thought being near that is unsettling, it is an entirely different beast when it is focused on you. It just feels so, unnatural. It legitimately sounded like you were whispering. I have no idea where or how he learned that, but we need to get him to understand how overwhelmingly dangerous that is. He might get it is dangerous, but his curiosity to explore it is too much.” I elaborated.
“Well, we should probably get a thorough before giving him another lesson, and adjust the lessons. Now what did Lux do Orga?” Nez asked.
“She formed her first halo. form halos at points in their growth, depending on how strong they are. It is kind of like a bottleneck they breakthrough. She used to channel the knowledge of her ancestors, and solidified the halo. Lux is going to be quite a bit stronger than before, and might have learned some new from the connection she formed.” Orga explained.
“Can these two be somewhat normal ever?” I moaned.
“Doubt it.” Nez and Orga replied in unison.
​
Next Part: here

First Part: here Previous Part: here
​
Nil
Lux and I were hiding in another nook. These are probably intended for sentries, but they are convenient. I felt something crawl all over my body. Lux shivered slightly at the same instant. That is not a coincidence.
Lux, we need to move. I told her. She tore out of the nook, running full steam towards the open courtyard. About three seconds later, Orga landed by the nook.
You were quite mean to her earlier. She is going to try hard to catch you. Lux chided.
You deserve an as a teacher; I will stand by that point. I replied.
I got a good feeling about her. Why did you want to play this game again? It ended badly last time we played. Lux retorted.
I want to feel that sensation again, I was onto something. The others definitely won’t push it far enough to feel it. I answered.
You always want to explore more. Lux sighed.
Because it is awesome! I replied. A chill went down my spine.
You felt that too? She found us again. She is tracking us through and somehow. Any ideas? Lux asked.
No need to maintain them if she can track through them; she seems to have the method down. As for how I am not sure. We match the ambient , so in that regard we should be undetectable. She didn’t use sight or sound because would have made those impossible. I am sure we matched the ambient properly. Wait, we have right? Meaning a defined flow, different than what’s around us. No matter how hard we try we can’t mimic the flow of ambient . I theorized to Lux as we dropped .
“Decided to stop hiding! I am going to catch you two!” Orga declared. We had managed to evade her for a total of five minutes before she had a visual on us.
A tree sprouted out in the middle of our path, which Lux dodged effortlessly. Then another, then another, then another. She was making a box; we needed to get into the air fast. Her was going to be too potent on the ground.
Let’s switch for a minute. I’ll use . I told Lux. Lux nodded in agreement.
I used and launched us into the air. Lux shrunk in size and landed on my shoulder as I began running through the air; I could sense the pure irritation from Orga. What about this irritates her so much? I continued to run, until my foot was blasted out from under me by something. The force was enough to make my body do a full flip. Tingling began pulsating up my leg. That’s probably not a good thing.
Is your foot fine? Lux asked.
I highly doubt it. Can you check it? I asked while sprinting with .
Lux nimbly climbed down my body, and wrapped her tails at my knee. Lux did some light probing, and began healing. After a few minutes, the tingling stopped. I felt Lux jump off and deflect something with a blade of light. I her back to my shoulder.
My arm is numb. I won’t be able to deflect many more of those. Lux informed me.
We needed to last another fourteen minutes. This was not a good position. She could attack us at range, and we could not deflect them repeatedly. Orga held an immense advantage. We needed a change of tactics.
Dodge left! Lux roared into my mind. I jumped left, and a burst of shot past our right.
Call out the attacks! Brilliant! is not too intensive. If I stay just above her speed she can not close the gap. I replied.
I began to arc in a circle just slightly faster than Orga. Lux called out where to dodge. The tactic remained effective for another three minutes ten seconds before Orga was launching too many to dodge effectively. The whoosh sound they made as they passed was nerve wracking.
Take over, I need a break to think. I told Lux.
I can run and weave for a bit. Lux moaned. She grew in size and I hopped on. Lux began sprinting away. Ten minutes twenty four seconds remaining.
Things were getting tense. I could feel the same tension as before, I flexed a finger, and could feel the fluctuate. My eyes were beginning to tingle. This is it. Lux was starting to tense up. Last time I used this it did not end well, nor would the same trick work because she could track us through . Nez definitely placed a tracker preemptively because he could not find us again.
Do not use it. Lux pleaded. What was this? It definitely was useful, but extremely taxing. Unfortunately, it distracted Lux enough where she took a direct hit.
I picked up Lux and began running while she recovered. She shrank down to fit on my shoulder and began healing. Focus. Wait. My eyes are tingling. I activated my , and the sensation got much more intense. This wasn’t right. I could activate it again, but that would be a loss.
“I have finally caught you two!” Orga roared as she closed in. Barely half the time had passed. We had nine minutes and fifty eight seconds to go.
I exerted through my , and tried getting a sense of this. Numerous images flashed through my mind, causing incredible pain almost instantly. Not right. Not right. We were going to get caught at this rate. I don’t want to lose and I don’t want to make Uncle Nez look bad! THINK NIL! I tried activating the through my eyes.
A similar greyscale overtook my vision. This time though, I was moving like normal. Orga was too unfortunately. She prepared another salvo, and launched them. I am not even looking at her, how do I know that? I needed to jump and spiral to my right, there should be a hole big enough to squeeze through. My intuition was dead on. What is this?
I followed the sensation, using and in conjunction, dodging everything she threw at me. Her attacks got increasingly ruthless, to the point I was having to chain nonstop to try and dodge them. How much does she have? Do adults seriously have this much more ? It had only been five minutes twenty seconds, and I was dripping sweat. My was near empty. I couldn’t keep this up much longer.
Lux, please tell me you have healed. I requested.
About two minutes ago. How are you doing this? Lux asked.
Not sure, but I need you to take over, I am out of . I replied.
How about this? Lux asked, as I felt her pour into me.
My was slowly refilling. I could feel Lux converting from the atmosphere and giving it to me. It was nowhere near as fast as my uncles, but it was certainly enough to keep up and chaining .
When did you learn to do this? I asked Lux.
It was a guess based off of what you said earlier about flow. I need some practice, but this should work for the rest of the time, right? Lux replied.
We got this now. I confirmed with a smile.
*
Nez
I watched as my nephew and his absolutely defied reality. At some point, Nil was able to replicate the from earlier. The fluctuation was the same. He had the feeling for it. Instead, he did something, changed the feel, and made it vanish. After the fluctuations vanished, he began dodging Orga like it was nothing.
Not a single came close to him. He was perfectly timing his to dodge, or weaving into the narrowest of gaps. Lux could not be calling them out, she was busy healing from the that connected. Orga is putting a bit of power into them. She is definitely dancing the line.
The truly astonishing part is when Lux began to use . With Lux using on Nil, there was no way Orga was going to catch them without breaking the rules. Nil made it clear how effortlessly he could dodge her without even looking. How is he doing that?
As he made his way around the bend, I saw him more straight on. Ah. His eyes were absolutely ignited with . The creepy sensation from earlier came back. It is his . That also explained the from earlier. It was something to do with his . No wonder we didn’t recognize it. Orga increased the speed of her assault, but to Nil, it didn’t matter. He got confident enough to actually land on the ground for a few seconds, which only angered Orga more. She used to try and make a cage around him, but he behind her running away from her. Her face looked like she was ready to explode.
That explains why Nil wanted to play the ‘game’, he wanted to grasp that feeling again. Poam told me in my head.
He has definitely got the grasp of it now, look at how effortlessly he is dodging her. I replied.
There is no way he is going to be able to maintain this. Even if Lux is using the strain and is still there. One of the two of them are going to tire and then that’s game, unless they last long enough. Poam replied.
I checked the timer, Nil and Lux had to last another two and a half minutes. I then felt a chill on my spine. I turned, and saw Emperor Azzeck standing next to me. He calmly put his hand and my and Nox’s shoulder with a dark, evil smile.
“Would someone please explain why a fox beastkin is chasing my son and his and nothing is being done about it?” he asked politely, but his tone turned my spine to ice.
“Brother, she is a candidate to be Lux’s teacher. Nil insisted they play this game. We agreed, and in the rules severely harming Nil is strictly forbidden.” Nox explained as Nil flawlessly back into the air and continued running.
“. So mother, you have been giving my son lessons as well? How do you think Senna would react if she saw this sight right now?” Azzeck grilled.
“Do not take that tone with me. I am still your mother. And I am sure she would not approve, which is why I had your father make sure she did not come near. I did not expect you to stop by though.” Poam retorted.
“So, how is my son dodging all those attacks? Who is he playing this so called game with? And how is his not depleting? Azzeck asked with an excited smile.
“She is an old colleague from the Institution of Mages of mine named Orga Fayle who is quite adept at . My best guess is he figured out something with his as to how he is dodging those attacks without looking. As for his , Lux is currently using to refill his . So once one of them tires out it is game over for them.” I explained.
The four of us watched on as Orga tried her hardest to catch Nil under the restrictions. Nothing she threw at him worked; not a single bluff, feint, stacking attacks, or preemptive move came close to touching him. Nil successfully foresaw whatever Orga tried.
This ability was honestly revolting. With the most and a few solid it allowed him to completely dodge an opponent who should have easily been able to catch him by now. I shuddered to think what Nil would be able to do with this in the future. Lux was no slouch either, from observation or guess quickly learned whatever she was taught, and even figured out a new on her own. was not easy, and took practice, but here she was using a rudimentary version of it despite never being taught how.
The timer dinged, making a loud sound throughout the courtyard. Orga stopped in an instant, looking crushed, defeated, and despairing as Nil and Lux began cheering. They ran towards us, and when they saw his father stopped cold, and looked at each other with a what do we do? expression. Azzeck motioned Nil and Lux to come to him. They cautiously came in, clearly expecting a lecture.
“That was amazing you two!” Azzeck praised as he lifted them up into the air excitedly.
“That was truly unbelievable. And to think you thought Nil could distract me.” an ice cold voice snarled from behind us.
“Where is my husband?” Poam asked nonchalantly.
“Napping. I insisted on it.” Senna replied with a smile more terrifying than any I had ever seen.
“Did you see them? Their teamwork was excellent! And Nil dodging the attacks without looking! That was spectacular!” Azzeck replied excitedly, clearly ignoring or missing the fact his wife about to beat some sense into his thick skull.
“So, who was the one launching attacks at my previous little Nil?” Senna asked. I was ready to run for the hills.
“Orga Fayle. A candidate for Lux’s teacher who is quite adept at . She is a colleague from the institution of Mages and we had her sign a with a clause strictly forbidding any action that could bring real harm to Nil.” I explained.
“No, she could just maim him, break a bone, or cause him pain, but as long as it could be healed it would be fine, right? Surely, you would agree to play a similar game like that with me? All the damage could be healed, right?” Senna asked. There is no force on Tenebrae that can compel me to answer that question. I wish to live.
“Senna, Nil i begged to play the game, likely to grasp what he did with the properly. We honestly wanted to give Orga a shot at convincing him to hire her as he was pretty adamant against her. He was never in any real danger, do please calm down.” Poam pleaded.
“Why were you so against her Nil?” Senna asked her son, with all the intensity and wrath vanished from her voice.
“Uncle Nez is an , but she is only a . Why should Lux get a lesser rank teacher?” Nil replied. Senna let out a small sigh of relief.
“Rank does not always correlate to ability Nil. She might honestly be the best candidate for the job even if she is only a .” Senna told Nil, gently stroking his hair.
“Alright momma, can you please stop being mad at the others? They only agreed to make me happy.” Nil asked, giving Senna the biggest puppy dog eyes. NIL YOU SAVIOR!
“Okay dearie. Let’s get you cleaned up and ready for your brother’s celebration tonight.” Senna replied. Nil is truly a gift from the Lords.
While Senna took Nil and Lux to get cleaned up, I walked over to the collapsed Orga. She looked utterly crushed. That was a soul crushing display. I mean, while in the rules, catching Nil once he got into that rhythm there was no way to catch him. Orga glared at me, but she was clearly about to cry.
“I warned you Nil was talented.” I told her.
“He legitimately beat you didn’t he? You told me the truth.” Orga replied, all the wind taken our of her sails.
“It was a different way, but unlike you I cannot track through , so when he broke my tracker they were gone. Nil was trying to grasp the feeling he had using you, and apparently put it together. How did you manage it?” I explained.
“. They could not match the surrounding flow of . Lot of good it did.” Orga said dejectedly.
“I think Empress Senna might want to hire you. I do think with your research into the development of and their you are the best candidate.” I admitted.
“You gave me a fair chance. I think I blew it.” Orga lamented.
“I think Nil misunderstood the difference between and . I would not count yourself out just yet.” I explained.
“Why are you being so nice?” Orga asked suspiciously.
“While I might find you irritating and annoying, I do believe you are a qualified teacher for , especially for Lux.” I replied.
“I am going to guess Nil is learning from you?” Orga asked.
“Correct, but I met Nox and was recommended to the job separately. Solomon is the one who recommended me to the Imperial Family and that’s how I discovered Nox’s last name. I honestly have little say in who they hire other than do I believe they are qualified.” I explained.
“You suck at cheering people up, you know that.” Orga retorted.
“I was not trying to cheer you up. I am assuming you met Crown Prince Ekard? How does he measure up to little Nil?” I asked.
“That’s what you wanted. You know I shouldn’t tell you the answer to that.” Orga snapped.
“Who surprised you more then?” I rephrased.
“Definitely Crown Prince Nil.” Orga sighed.
“Why did you not get the job?” I asked. Orga gave me a dirty stare.
“You came over to get information on Crown Prince Ekard.” Orga replied.
“I want to know. What made him incompatible with ?” I pressed.
“You think I could have gotten the job tutoring him?” Orga retorted.
“You applied for the position thinking it was for Prince Ein. So either you have gone senile or Crown Prince Ekard was completely incompatible with . I mean, she could have come out of Lords know where but I doubt it..” I replied.
“He is a bit, energetic. His personality is definitely incompatible with . It requires a patient individual and one able to slow down and be in tune with what’s around.” Orga explained.
“Then how are you able to use it?” I teased.
“I only speak fast.” Orga growled.
“I am aware. Thank you for your insights.” I replied. There was a cough behind us. We turned and saw Azzeck standing there, where Orga quickly bowed.
“Hello Magus Orga, my wife wanted me to come get you so we could have a discussion and interview you for the position of tutoring Lux.
“Why not a servant Emperor Azzeck?” I asked.
“She is a tad annoyed that I allowed the game to continue to say the least. Senna also asked me to stress not to worry, she does not blame you Orga.” Azzeck explained. That was a chilling statement.
The light returned to Orga’s eyes. Her face betrayed her thoughts: the game is still on. Azzeck put a hand on both of us, and we appeared in the tailoring room. Nil was nowhere to be seen, probably getting a bath; I could hear him resisting the housemaid helping him in the adjacent bath. His sounds of resistance were nowhere near that of Lux, who was getting a thorough brushing by a housemaid and a footman. You could have sworn she was being executed by the yowling. From the sounds, neither was being handled gently. Senna did not completely absolve her son and his .
“Hello there Magus Orga, you were one of several applicants for the position for tutoring Lux, but you somehow came here for a practical interview, despite that not being part of the application. Could you please elaborate on how that came about?” Senna asked casually.
“I was asked to come in for a practical interview, which involved teaching Lux and .” Orga answered.
“So Nez, how many times did Nil play that ‘game’ earlier?” Senna asked, look at me, her smile making me want to swan dive out the window.
“Twice.” I whispered meekly.
“So they needed Lux to heal Nil after the first game because he yet again suffered from .” Senna concluded.
“He did not suffer from .” I interjected quickly.
“Oh, that changes everything. Did he just completely exhaust himself and overexert his body?” Senna replied snarkily.
I diverted my gaze; it was all the answer Senna needed. Nil appeared, completely clean. He was wearing light clothes, and was sat down in a chair while the footman polished his horns. Lux was dragged away to take a bath. She went to extend her claws to grab the rug, but Senna shot a glare at her, and she just accepted her fate.
“Thank you for your help Orga. Now I have a pretty clear picture of what happened earlier. Now, why did you let him play a second time?” Senna grilled.
“Shouldn’t you ask Nox? Or Poam?” I replied.
“But you are here, and those two vanished. I will be having a civil discussion with them later, do not worry.” Senna explained. The way she said civil discussion made my skin crawl.
“Because the first time he used none of us could comprehend or understand. He begged us to play again with Orga to try and get a grasp on it. Needless to say, he figured out a different use of it that allowed him to dodge her for roughly ten minutes with ease. He learned how to use part of his as a result.” I defended; it felt like I was on trial.
Senna paced back and forth a little, clearly debating how to proceed. Orga was next to me, visibly sweating. Senna was clearly irritated by this. She did put a moratorium on him using untested after the several incidents as a toddler. But it has been roughly three years. It was somewhat minorly pushing the boundary. Azzeck looked nervous, but not nearly as badly as Orga and I.
She is a bit, intense. Orga whispered to me.
Touch her kids, and you will meet an agonizing end. Even the teaching and encouraging Nil’s problematic desire to push his as far as possible has definitely made us all a bit nervous. I explained.
Empress Senna is not even threatening us and I feel like I am about to be executed. She really lives up to her title of Life Reaper. She is terrifying. Orga replied.
Nil had been rescued from the polishing of his horns and put into the fire of numerous outfits. Lux was upgraded from bathing to . She let out yells of protest until Senna cleared her throat. Lux became immensely cooperative after that.
So does Nil just love making trouble whenever he can? From this atmosphere I am getting that feeling. Orga asked.
I don’t think he tries to make trouble, he just succeeds. Nil is immensely curious and loves to learn , so he always pushes what he can do. Nil always tries to use his in creative ways and experiment with it to frightening results. You should see what his looks like. I elaborated.
After earlier, I know better than to ask how strong can it be? What can he do? Orga asked, curious.
He cut off the top of one of the spires the first time he cast . It was amazing. I answered.
I want to see that. Orga replied.
Senna was clearly thinking as she dismissed and criticized the different outfits Nil was putting on. Lux was being fitted with a vest, gloves, and a form of formal socks. After twenty minutes of coordinating Nil’s appearance, a black formal suit with a gold underlay was chosen, with a few white accents that matched Lux. Lux’s outfits were matching to Nil’s, except the accents were bone white instead of a more illustrious white. The two looked quite nice. Senna checked the clock, and then turned to face us.
“We have two more hours two discuss this. Everyone but my family may leave, please prepare for Ein’s celebration later today.” Senna ordered.
“Where is Ein?” Nil asked innocently.
“He has been having light lessons and allowed to explore around the castle like he has been asking, wanting to see the gardens and the greenhouse. Your ‘game’ earlier almost ruined that. Thankfully, your grandfather fixed it for us all with some well executed and no one was the wiser. You need to be more careful as your brother is not as adept with as you are, and even if you do not intend to Nil, your can harm him if you are not careful. You need to be more cautious.” Senna lectured. Nil nodded with understanding and looked ashamed of his actions. He does love his little brother. I guess he didn’t realize the full consequences. Wait, Nox was in charge of today’s scheduling. Oh my poor husband.
“Yes, I am aware Nox is in charge of Nil’s schedule today.” Senna said to me, as if she could read my mind. We need to coordinate better in the future.
Why does Nil have several teachers and a separate schedule and his brother does not? Orga asked.
His brother can barely his , and while able to run and move around, is not as nimble as Nil. Ein is still playing and messing around with , where Nil’s aptitude demanded we do something to focus it. We want to treat them the same, but that would be fair to neither of them; it would be like acting that Nil and his brother are the same when they are clearly quite different. Usually, the schedules are kept pretty clean and not entangled but today definitely went awry. I replied.
“As for you Magus Orga, I have reviewed your file, your research into , and consulted with my husband and Grand Archmagus Solomon on the possible candidates, and did like you the most. After Nil’s antics and this game earlier, I do feel like you have seen quite a bit. Granted, Nez, Nox, and Poam made sure to have you sign a that was pretty inclusive, so worrying about you leaking information is minimal. So here is the deal I am willing to offer you. For now, you will tentatively be Lux’s teacher in regards to , and coordinate with his other teacher’s as we will be putting more formal training emphasizing the teamwork of him and Lux so we need their schedules to align well and keep a manageable workload while keeping in mind Nil and Lux are still children. However, there will be two caveats. The first, you will focus your research on specifically if you officially obtain this job, and the second, you will get this job if and only if you pass the . While I do normally believe the most qualified person for a job should get it, I am not going to overlook the ‘game’ you played earlier with them entirely, even though you were likely strong armed or baited into playing it. Do you accept these terms?” Senna declared.
“Yes!” Orga snapped almost immediately.
And you will be helping me make sure I pass that exam. Orga snarled into my mind.
Fair enough. I replied.
“Good, now let’s prepare for Ein’s birthday celebration!” Senna ordered with a smile.
​
Next Part: here

First Part: here Previous Part: here
​
Nez
I carried my troublesome nephew to his room, and laid him in his bed. Lux curled on him, warming him. What was that ? Nil was dodging his version of , then he was on the ground. All surrounding him that I was using to stop his and wear down Lux, and the all seemed to fold in front of him. Nil’s eyes were incredibly bloodshot after, and he clearly coughed up a bit of blood. Now was that from using his or the of whatever that was?
He did no lasting damage, but his body was overwhelmingly exhausted. Restoring his would not do much for him, we needed some way to restore his body. That, or let his parents know after a few years of good behavior he cast a none of us can identify and absolutely knocked himself out on the day of his brother’s birthday. We have to get him in good enough shape for the party, we can not distract from Ein. We really should not have punished Nil today, we should have waited.
I replenished Nil’s to start. It was taking more from me than before. His has definitely been growing. Adding his and , along with his able to help regulate the output, that could have been a lot stronger than I originally estimated.
If Lux was more proficient with she might be able to restore Nil, but that was currently out of the question. The main problem was getting Nil to a and or vice versa. There were several on staff, but they would tell Senna and Azzeck as soon as they finished healing him, especially given how overexerted his body currently was.
“How is he doing?” Nox asked from behind, as he wrapped his arms around me and set his head on mine.
“We need a and to get him back up and running in time for the birthday celebration for little Ein. Do you know any that would do it and remain silent after? Or someone proficient with or who could?” I asked, leaning back.
I can do . A feminine and bell-like voice said into my mind. Who was that? Who could so easily speak into my mind like that?
“Who was that?” I snapped, glancing around.
I am right here. The voice replied. I noticed Lux staring at me.
“Wait, is that you Lux?” I asked.
“Is Lux talking to you?” Nox asked, and I could feel his head tilt with curiosity.
What do I need to do to help Nil? Lux asked.
“You would need to do a spell known as to recover his and to restore his body. Unfortunately I am not sure how to explain either to you.” I explained.
*“*How good are Lux’s speaking skills?” Nox asked.
“What does that matter?” I asked.
“You are an , and from what I remember Magus Erli talking about, you guys help each other out, and you could probably find a discrete that knows and can teach Lux here the needed two . Or have them heal Nil straight out, but that would be a little trickier as I am sure there is some obligation to report the treatment of an Imperial Family member of an Empire such as Speranza especially given Nil is a child.” Nox expounded.
“It would put them in a bind to say the least, but teaching Lux would not. For someone able to teach that is a short list, I could have -oh no. No no no. We might need to risk Senna and Azzeck.” I answered as an incredibly unpleasant realization came over me.
“There is about only one able to do what we need on the time table and you have a problem with them.” Nox teased.
“I feel Senna would be overwhelmingly understanding in this instance. We have his grandparents back us up and we are golden.” I replied.
“Wow, you are willing to let Senna know that her precious little Nil got injured from using a again, and while this time he narrowly avoided lasting damage, he completely exhausted his body and put severe strain on his , and without some pristine restoration he will be sleeping for the next several days rather than deal with this person. Is it an ex?” Nox mused. I physically shivered.
“Oh Lords no. First off, we have solid proof that she is most certainly not my type. And second, she is the most insufferable being on the face of Tenebrae.” I explained.
“How bad could she be? Senna might actually kill you; you should be well aware of how much she does not like Nil injuring himself with .” Nox asked.
“I feel Senna’s wrath is the more viable option for us. Azzeck might be willing to help his dear brother and husband out in this case.” I replied. I heard a cough from the side.
“Now, while I do enjoy your riveting conversation, I do have a list of people I was searching to teach Lux. There was only one female name on the list for . How about a practical interview?” Poam chimed in.
“I think I have been clear on my stance and risking Senna’s reaction. Where is Emperor Father Nil?” I snapped.
“How bad is Orga Fayle? And making sure that Senna and Azzeck are not wise to this little gambit.” Poam asked. I held back the desire to vomit.
“Is it safe to assume you have already mentally contacted someone to get her here as soon as possible?” I asked.
“Yes.” Poam replied.
“We are just going to wait and find out.” I retaliated.
I motioned for Lux to follow us, and we went to a receiving room. I was rubbing my temples, I did not want to deal with her. She was insufferable. The Lords had to have handcrafted someone so annoying, given her to maximize how much she grated on you. Within half an hour, a servant let us know our guest had arrived. I hid Lux with . The servant opened the door, and an incredibly energetic fox beastkin burst into the room.
“Greetings Empress Mother Poam and Prince Nox, I have answered your summons and am here as requested. Wait, what are you doing here Nez? Did you apply to one of the tutors as well? You always sucked at , never quite grasped it you know? Switch to where you managed to find success. I guess you should always try and learn new things, it might stick eventually.” Orga said with such speed and energy it was barely intelligible.
“I told my husband I would rather not have picked you, but the list for teachers qualified is quite short, Magus Orga. How did the last examination go? Get to the second test this time around?” I shot back.
“As much as I would like to listen to this bickering, we have a tight schedule today. Due to the odd nature of this request, we feel a practical interview is necessary.” Poam interjected with a smirk.
“Is it not to teach one of the Princes ? What is the request exactly? What do you need for the interview?” Orga asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.
“Before we proceed, we need you to sign the as there is some highly sensitive information.” Poam instructed.
Poam signed it so fast the paper almost ignited. It glowed, showing the contract was binding. I snapped my fingers, revealing Lux. Orga’s eyes went wide, and she shot over to investigate Lux. She leaned in close with a look of pure awe. When she got too close, Lux swatted at her with a blade of light.
“Is that what I think it is?” Orga asked.
“Meet Lux, , the student, and to Crown Prince Nil. Your practical interview is to teach Lux and .” I explained.
“ can do much more than rudimentary healing. It has vastly more interesting applications.” Orga snapped at me.
“I am well aware, the practical interview question was set well in advance of knowing it was you. That is just icing on the cake. We needed two relatively simple that were easy to teach and useful to know.” I replied.
“Two? Trying to teach a single to something that may not even understand me was not challenging enough?” Orga asked. Orga then jumped in surprise.
“As Lux probably just informed you, she most certainly understands you. Clock is ticking.” I said calmly.
Orga immediately went to work. As much as I loathed her, she quickly began explaining the fundamentals of to Lux with amazing clarity. To be fair, thanks to her lessons in using and practice using Lux knew how to change her pretty easily.
“So she already knows the basic fundamentals of maybe a little adjusting for her being a would be in order but it is as simple as getting her to know how to use those two .” Orga reported.
“Correct. Good observations. A new question, what is the focus of your research?” Poam asked.
“That was in the application. My research is on the and of .” Orga replied.
She seems quite suited to teaching Lux. Can you two work together long term potentially? Poam whispered in my mind.
How did this turn from us teaching Lux the we need to get Nil ready for the party to recruiting a tutor for Lux? I asked.
Multitasking. We can do both at the same time; she seems to be suited for the task. Poam explained.
I would be able to work with her if I absolutely have to. I grumbled.
Orga intentionally fried the in her finger tip, and then demonstrated on the . She then fried them again before presenting her finger to Lux. Lux mimicked the demonstration, and effortlessly healed Orga’s finger.
“That is very good Lux! You are a fast learner!” Orga praised.
“One down, one to go.” Poam instructed.
“This is more showing how to perform the than actually teaching. I am assuming she sat in on Nez teaching the Crown Prince? Her foundations are fantastic.” Orga grumbled which made my lips twitch.
“What makes you think I am the one teaching the Crown Prince?” I asked with a smirk.
“Because you wouldn’t look so smug if it wasn’t you. Now, this is odd, two relatively easy to teach the of the Crown Prince, but he himself is absent. Even though he is a kid, he should still have say in who teaches and interacts with his . There is also the obligation of any or of the Institution of Mages to report the treatment of a member of the Imperial Family. Add in a for secrecy, and you have the mix for an injured Crown Prince who needs to be healed discreetly and the ideal way of doing so if it knows how. There is a birthday celebration for Prince Ein tonight where the two are supposed to be seen in public together for the first time according to the rumors. This is all just speculation of course.” Orga spat at an incredible rate in retaliation. She was always so obnoxiously perceptive and has virtually no filter between that head and mouth of hers.
She is sharp. I also see where you wouldn’t like her. How dare someone else know a you couldn’t grasp. Nox teased.
That is not why. She never shuts up. Want to study? No no no, let me tell you about sixty things you don’t care about. And Orga talks so fast as well, like she needs to race the thoughts in her head. I replied.
“Focus on the task at hand.” Poam instructed.
Orga refocused on teaching Lux, working on . ,Currently, we have an immense buffer of time. Easily five hours before the celebration. After twenty minutes, Orga scorched her finger, and presented Lux to try. Without effort, Lux healed it. Now to heal Nil.
“That was well done Orga. Now, I must get Lux moving along.” Nox interjected, grabbing Lux and using to go straight to Nil.
“We will have to discuss this with the Imperial Majesties on whether they would like to hire you, but that was a solid interview.” Poam said calmly.
“I bet I will be hearing back.” Orga replied sarcastically while glaring at me.
“Look Orga, I have no say on whether you get hired. Nil does, his parents do, his grandparents can influence the decision, I on the other hand have little to no say.” I told her bluntly. Nox dear, can you bring Nil and Lux back here once he is healed?
Already on it honey. Nox replied sweetly.
“Please wait a minute while Nox brings Nil here. He was in the middle of an afternoon lesson.” Poam instructed Orga.
We all sat there in an awkward silence while we waited. After about ten minutes, Nox reappeared with Nil and Lux in tow. Lux was clearly tired from having to use those two so much. Nil’s eyes were still a little red, but nothing terrible. He stood looking at Orga in amazement, rubbing a bit of the sleepiness out of his eyes.
“Nil, I would like to introduce you to Magus Orga Fayle. She successfully taught Lux how to use and .” Poam said, motioning to Orga.
*
Orga
I was initially immensely excited when I heard the Imperial Family of Speranza wanted to rush my interview forward. That was quickly crushed when I saw Nez. Of all the people, he had to be there. Somehow with the terrible personality he managed to marry into the Imperial Family, that insufferable narcissist. Empress Mother was acting like I had a legitimate chance of getting the teaching position, but knowing Nez, he would definitely try and crush that.
After sitting in the receiving room fuming, Prince Nox appeared with his nephew and in tow. Little Crown Prince Nil had his father’s dragon like horns and bone colored skin, and his mother’s amber eyes and black hair. He was just staring at me with a curious expression as his grandmother introduced me to him.
“It’s a fox person.” Crown Prince Nil said with a tone of wonder. He has probably never seen a beastkin to be fair.
“Yes, I am a fox beastkin.” I replied, squatting down to look him more eye to eye.
Now that I was looking better, there was something off about his eyes other than the fact they were slightly bloodshot. They were an incredibly bright amber like Empress Senna’s from what I could tell. There was this peculiar glow to them, like they had a light source all of their own.
He tilted his head towards Lux, and the two of them looked at each other for a few seconds, moving their heads ever so slightly. That explains Lux’s ability to talk so coherently; she regularly talks with Crown Prince Nil. Just being in the same room as the Crown Prince, there was something unsettling about him, the way he looked at you. There was this uneasiness in the air, this oddly chilling sensation. I looked at his uncles and grandmother, and they were looking between them, trying to figure out something, before looking at the Crown Prince.
Is your nephew normally this, unsettling? I asked Nez mentally.
No. This is new, even for him. Nez replied nonchalantly, looking at his nephew. Why is he not phased by this at all?
“Nil sweetie, what are you currently doing?” Empress Mother Poam asked him.
“Not sure. My eyes feel kind of funny.” Nil replied. The three of them looked between each other and shrugged.
“So Nil, do you have any questions for Orga here?” Prince Nox asked.
“What leads you to believe you are the most qualified candidate for this position? What is the subject matter of your dissertation? What leads you to believe that your certifications are sufficient for being a teacher of Lux in regards to ?” Nil asked immediately. Everyone just stood and stared at him. Hold the forl up. What did this five year old just ask me?
“Excuse me?” I replied.
“That’s what daddy liked to ask his advisor candidates!” Nil replied excitedly. Nez and Prince Nox started to chuckle.
“That was a surprise Nil.” Empress Mother Poam said while patting his head which made him smile more. What is a kid going to ask me? What is my favorite color?
“What type of can you do?” Crown Prince Nil asked.
“My is . My is . I focus mainly on .” I answered.
“Cool! You or Uncle Nez, who is better at ?” Crown Prince Nil asked. Oh this little brat.
“I am what is known as an Nil. She is only a . Ranking wise, I am better at .” Nez explained.
“The next examination is in a few weeks, and I will be taking it. I believe I will be passing this time.” I said through gritted teeth.
“Why would I be taught by an and Lux only get a ?” Nil asked.
That question stung. Oh that hit a nerve. Nez looked at his nephew wide eyed, along with his Uncle Nox; they both had a shocked expression. His grandmother made an oh my face. It was difficult to refute.
“As I stated, I will be taking the examination in a few weeks, and will soon be one.” I explained.
“What if you fail? Why should Lux have a teacher of a lower rank than mine?” Nil pressed.
“Rank is not everything. Lux is a , and beastkin possess a similar as them. Beastkin affiliated with the Institution of Mages are incredibly hard to come by, and I do not believe any of them teach .” I explained.
“You are the only beastkin that meets the requirements listed, that is correct.” Empress Mother Poam informed Crown Prince Nil.
“Did you have any other questions for me?” I asked.
Crown Prince Nil looked at me, his eyes still possessing this peculiar glow; there were gears clearly turning in his head. I wish I was better with kids. Crown Prince Nil was also a difficult read, even for a kid. He is definitely an odd one. I did not imagine my employment would involve needing to convince the Crown Prince. Or did they say that to mess with me? They are not interrupting him though.
Crown Prince Nil and Lux started looking at each other. Their heads bobbed back and forth, twisting side to side as they had a mental conversation. Lux curled her nose up, and then made a bit of a pouty face. Crown Prince Nil shrugged and turned towards his uncles, and the three adults made some quick glances at each other. Lux and Crown Prince Nil put on some begging faces, and the three adults sighed and nodded begrudgingly. Crown Prince Nil looked at me with a devious smile.
“Lux wants to play a game. Earlier, we were practicing running and evading. She wants us to play the game with you and my uncles and grandma agreed! The condition for your side is if I get hurt in the course of the game you heal me off the books!” Crown Prince Nil said with a tone of joy. Lux’s tails were wagging in excitement.
“Can you explain Nez?” I asked.
“He and Lux get a one minute head start. You have twenty minutes to catch them. All parties are restricted to the outer grounds. Do be warned, there is a max speed while on the castle grounds. To make it fair, you are only allowed to move at half the limit. Obviously, trying to grievously injure or kill the Crown Prince will not be allowed.” Nez explained.
“That’s why you needed me to teach Lux! Nil got injured earlier playing this game and you wanted him ready for the celebration later!” I snapped.
“Perhaps, but he and Lux want to see how you measure up to me for determining whether you are a suitable teacher for Lux, and this time we have someone who can heal them, and they really want to play this game to see.” Nez explained.
“Catching a kid and his , that’s too easy. How is that a test? They just want to play around.” I replied.
“I will give you one more piece of advice Orga, when the three of us played earlier, I lost. And I took it seriously.” Nez warned. He has to be bluffing. No way Nez lost to a kid in a game this easy.
“Let the game begin.” Empress Mother Poam declared as she made a timer appear, and it began ticking down.
This was going to be easy. Crown Prince Nil hopped onto Lux, and the two clearly planned on running off. Nez is skilled, how did he lose to a kid? I wondered as Crown Prince Nil and Lux vanished into thin air. Wait. WHAT? Not a trace. Just simply gone. The other three looked made an approving nod.
“You did not put any form of tracking on him in advance. Bold strategy, really trying to showboat.” Nez mocked.
“What was that?!” I asked, bewildered.
“I warned you, he managed to beat me with my . I was trying to help you, as the combination of Nil and Lux is going to be hard especially for someone unfamiliar with them, Nil’s talent is staggering and Lux is a .” Nez answered.
“I thought you were kidding! How difficult of a challenge is this?” I snapped back.
“That lack of pretracking is going to make this game really difficult for you to win. Having to find and capture those two unharmed is not going to be easy.” Nez explained.
“Minute is up.” Empress Mother Poam announced.
This was bad. How do I find those two? Think. They seemed to vanish into thin air. Nil is a Crowthorne, the child of Azzeck and Senna. Senna was known for having , and Azzeck possessed the traditional Crowthorne . Nil possesses the title of Crown Prince, so he likely has . could move the two of them a good distance, so the no longer visible, Nil moved them. How was there no trace? could do it. One of the most neutral , but how on Tenebrae would a five year old know it?
I was trying to help you. Nil’s talent is staggering. Nez was trying to make this fair despite our animosity. He wants this to be a fair representation for his nephew. Why mention he is talented? He is a member of the Imperial Family, with his mother being the Life Reaper, the chances of him not having some innate talent would be slim to none. Or even considering his lineage, Nil is immensely talented. So let’s assume the worst case, he knows , , and several type including .
I needed to find someone trying to hide with . The was based on manipulating your to match the surrounding area. The flow. No matter how skilled you were, you could not hide the disrupted flow.
I used a long range . It should have enveloped the majority of the grounds. I processed the information, and found two disruptions hiding in a nook. Wow, even looking for them it is hard to sense them; they are doing an excellent job. I immediately tore after them. I am getting this job. If Nez lost, I should just have to win.
​
Next Part: here

This was last year when anime romance was my favourite I’m a boy btw any ways I bought the game I read the warnings I was like lol dating sim ain’t scary it was a awful decision to play this game with my gaurd fully down when i had to choose a name so I decided to go with a name that was immature when sairoui came and did that cute face I went omg waifu!! Until I saw Nat and yuri they became my favourite easy when monika showed I had a instant bad vibe so I went f$&$ off monika then next ddlc day on poams I went erased the message I was like a warning I can handle my self spams the words new day pretty sweet then got to the doing up the button I spammed clicked soo hard cause I thought it was a nsfw game lol 😂 but it wasn’t phew skip next day on the decision on which girl to spend weekends with I chose yuri cause I pictured her voice to be like fluttershys voice from mlp when got to the hot cloth on yuri neck scene and the art was pretty I broke the first rule of anime it was falling in love of the character yuri fast farward 5 minutes to the sairogi choice due to previous dialogue of her having depression I chose I love u option next day I read sairogi poem the get out of my head spam I was like ohh creepy 1 min later I almost quit ddlc due to her hanging her self game reboots skip hour when yuri like I love u due accept my confession I said yes in my head I said please save her she she stabbed her self I felt heart break I quit ddlc I haven’t touched my laptop for a year every time I touch my laptop I feel guilt so I don’t touch it

Not as in hes actually a god but that he'll essentially take of the role of Loki and other Scandinavians will mythologies him into a god. Here me out.
The earliest records we have of Loki dates to poams in the late 9th century, assassins creed valhalla takes place in 873, this contrasts with other members of the norse panthean who usually sprung from Germanic myths dating way earlier.
Loki is the god of trickery and mystif, hes iconic for blending in by turning himself into other things and is a master at deception, hell he even has a habit of assassinating other gods and getting away with it. All of this could easily fit the archetype of an assassin especially from the perspective of said assassins victims. It also could explain how both eivors are cannon. Loki changed sex A LOT so a girl eivor would have no problem fitting in as Loki.
I think after eivor becomes a hidden one he will be less secretive than other assassins, he may still hang around other Scandinavians and vikings but his new actions as an assassin will inspire the vikings, they could even be fooled into thinking they're actually witnessing the acts of a god, maybe eivor could even be doing this intentionally. Intentional or not though the Scandinavians will turn his/her actions into a mythos, eivor will represent something to them and that something will have a name. Loki

I think the masses have all been frustrated with the majority of the roll out of USSF. Between names, ranks, uniforms, emblems, priorities, structure, doctrine, authorities, boards, etc., there is a LOT of swirl and conjecture that we've all been experienced. I think we are wasting a lot of time/effort/energy/frustration trying to do everything at once. I've got an idea that I'd like to get all your opinion on.
We need to create a Plan of Action and Milestones (POAM) that delineates all the different efforts into one basic document. From there we can prioritize efforts that near term and not worry so much about the items that are a ways out. Deliberately say, for example, we are going to have a sq patch colors/names by 1 Jun 2021. Is it important to the mission we do that now? No. Is it important to the Airmen we work with that it happen methodically with regular, transparent updates? Yes! But totally something we can strategically wait on.
Simultaneously, we would say for example that we want to have a solidified organizational structure with command authorities laid out by end of year (hypothetical). That would be the nearest target and we should really focus on that instead of the aforementioned sq patch colors. I'm not saying that it's not important. It's just not important right now.
It's pretty apparent by now that Senior Leaders within the DoD are on this forum. Let them hear your constructive feedback! It's been a LONG time since the US has stood up a new branch. The only way to get better at this is to be open and transparent from AB Snuffy to Gen Raymond. Otherwise it's going to be a rocky few years until we get some ground under us.
What are your thoughts? If you were to debrief the rollout of USSF, what would be your Lessons Learned and Ways Forward?