I'm 30 and I'm scared
I'm a responsible hardworking person but I feel like I pressed pause on my life and I'm starting to get scared.
Currently, I work at an office job at an exam centre that includes me receiving students and verifying their ID's, I'm basically a glorified secretary or whatever you wish to call it
I landed this cushy job on personality alone, it pays 16 dollars + bonus hours. It's secure and quite decent but I am not improving or moving forward and I've had this job for 3 years now.
I'm comfortable, but that scares the shit out of me, I am learning nothing new I am gaining nothing from this job, I am doing nothing but greet people and press a few computer commands, my coworkers are retired seniors who don't know how to use a computer lol but it's the kinda job that attracts that kind of crowd.
I'm terrified because I feel frozen and stupid and stuck in life, I opened a LinkedIn account but I've got nothing much to go on and I'm mortified by how I've let myself "go" Of course I had previous jobs that I was quite good at, but they don't really matter in the job market
Background context: I started my degree at 24 because of personal and financial issues, leaving home and having to work random ass jobs to survive the month, 2020 hit during my final years and it spiked my depression, 2021 came along and I got brain surgery/ was diagnosed with a second grade glioma. So I had the surgery and recovery time.
Time stood still after that, while I waded my way through the final courses of the final year, I didn't hand in my seminar papers (3 papers) and I didn't officially graduate. (English and Communications degree) I want to but cognitivally speaking it was taxing and now I feel like my brain is zombie mush when it comes to the material
I live in Israel, the war is now one Hell of a shit storm and it's extremely tense here.
I want to move forward in life but I don't know where to start, I started tweaking my LinkedIn and I feel extremely overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of it and limited expanse of skills/experience/ abilities that I don't have a diversity of
Where do I start? What tech skills should I be getting on-top of and how do I do it online? What can I teach myself so that I may be proficient in locating a job like Product Manager or Technical writer or whatever else that is more career based and more dignified for someone my age. I want a future in a job that nurtures my skills and helps them advance and grow and I wanna work in an office envoirment
I'd love adviceII...sorry for ranting

Life was perfectly normal and mundane until the day I inherited the Magic 8 Ball from a distant relative who had recently passed away. At first, it seemed like a quirky keepsake, a relic of childhood nostalgia. But as I held it in my hands one overcast evening, an unsettling feeling crept over me. There was something off about it, a strange, almost ominous vibe that seemed to emanate from its old, worn surface. I glanced at my wife, blissfully unaware, sitting across the room. Our love had always felt like a sanctuary, yet now, this seemingly innocuous toy had introduced an inexplicable sense of dread into our home. It just felt off, like something not meant to induce tension into the air but certainly did at the time. I never mentioned it to Anna since the evening was beautiful, and the mood was full of anticipation for the upcoming playoff game. We were looking forward to some good old hockey. As a joke, I asked the Magic 8 Ball if our home team was going to win the game, chuckling at the childish stupidity that brought back fond memories of my youth.
“Cannot say now,” the 8 Ball in my calloused hand read a few seconds later.
I wasn't surprised by the answer, knowing it was just a toy with a limited set of responses. Maybe I'd ask it again during the first intermission, I thought to myself. As the puck dropped, the game started with a few penalties and a goal against us just before the initial 20 minutes of the period ended. I had almost forgotten about the toy relic that had been passed down to me recently. As the first intermission approached, I picked up the 8 Ball again and asked if our team would win against the opposing team.
“Certainly, it will be legendary,” I read after a short pause.
Initially, I thought it was an odd answer, but what did I know? It was probably made in the '60s when people were a bit more open-minded to quirky responses. I smiled at Anna and showed her the response. She found it funny, and her laugh, as always, became the highlight of the moment. Her laughter has always been the center point of my love and affection for her, making her the undeniable lead honcho in any group she’s a part of. During the 2nd and 3rd periods, we witnessed our home team not only tie the game but score an additional 4 goals in rapid succession against the opposing team. It was not only legendary as the 8 Ball predicted, but it also sent the stadium into a roaring frenzy. Later, it was said that the noise level matched that of an Airbus A-220.
"It seems the Magic 8 Ball helped me win my $20 bet on our home team," I said confidently to my wife. "Probably just by chance, but who knows? I could use it to predict Friday's lottery numbers."
She smiled and told me to give it a shot, but I knew it was futile. Just like trying not to wake Anna up while leaving for work, it always ended with her sensing the creaking floorboards. About a few days had passed before we ended up having a heated argument about the dreaded topic of having kids in the future, I of course never want the sobbing, snot wheezing kids that take up 150% of your future time and life that could be used for retirement time in Hawaii. But, of course, she had bipolar opposite views on the topic. She wanted kids, perhaps to sow our six-year marriage back together. I, on the other hand, was dead set against it, feeling as if she were trying to force feed me a hefty dose of the plague. At the time, I had just stormed out of the room to cool off and muttered something I still regret to this day.
“Damn it, when will my wife's obsession with having kids ever end?” I grumbled to myself in frustration.
Suddenly, the 8 ball I’d left in the den flashed with a bright white light, like a screen turning on. Just as quickly, the flash disappeared, replaced by a simple message on its black surface.
“Soon enough, Derrick,” the ball read, almost mockingly.
My focus shifted from Anna's relentless talk about kids to the unnerving fact that the 8 ball not only knew my name but also had an answer for such a ridiculous question. I hadn’t even touched the thing—don’t you need to shake it for it to work? At this point, I was tempted to toss that relic into the trash and be done with it, but being a bit stubborn, I decided to let the demonic thing be and left it to its own devices. A few days had passed, and Anna and I had made up after our brief argument on that chilly Tuesday afternoon when I got home from work. She promised to hold off on bringing it up again for a while and to let me consider our options going forward. Life has been running smoothly again, and our home hockey team won their semi-finals match today, heading to the finals. Anna and I are caught up in the excitement of tomorrow night's game and are pretty pleased with how this year has gone, especially with our 7th anniversary just around the corner! Work has been dragging lately, and I find myself just wanting to fast-forward to the day I wake up next to Anna and kiss her passionately on our long-awaited 7th anniversary, which is now just a few days away. As for the 8 ball of unknown origin, it's still just sitting dormant in the den. To be honest, I'm quite surprised it hasn't detonated or flashbanged me again whenever I step in there to grab some work files on clients. But no, it just sits there menacingly, waiting to tell me something I don't want to hear.
So, I don’t quite know how to put it, but... well, Anna had a tragic accident on our anniversary, which was yesterday. W-We were just heading out to the local donut shop around noon, and I had the 8 ball with me, intending to toss it in the trash on the way there. As we neared the intersection on 136th street, the light was red, so I asked the 8 ball one last time.
"Will the light turn green soon?" I asked, smiling at my excited wife.
"Unfortunately, yes," the 8 ball replied simply.
I showed Anna the response, and she chuckled at the answer, thinking the toy wanted us to be stuck at the red light. As the light turned green, we started across the intersection, but suddenly, a sharp jolt threw me against the window beside me, plunging my vision into darkness. When I came to, I was engulfed in a searing migraine, my left arm shattered and twisted into unnatural angles, mirroring the wreckage of Anna’s 2007 Nissan Murano. It took me a moment to grasp the gravity of the situation, the entire driver's side of the Murano was crushed. Panic gripped me as I saw Anna's hand, partially protruding from the mangled wreckage beside me. Her wedding ring clung tightly to her lifeless hand, the diamond atop it cracked.
Out of everything racing through my mind, the sudden shattering of my marriage and Anna being taken from me in an instant. The first thing I thought of, aside from the devastation, was where the goddamned magic 8 ball was. I wanted to crush it into ash, just like my world had crumbled before me. Before I could cry out for help, my vision tunneled and then faded to darkness.
I woke up not long after in what seemed to be a hospital room. My brother Andrew was slumped over asleep in the chair next to my bed. It appeared to be early morning, as it was pitch black outside with hardly any traffic. I coughed a bit on the tube down my throat and, ignoring any safety precautions, yanked it out, which hurt like a son of a bitch. This alerted Andrew to the fact that I was awake, and he practically leapt from his chair to hug me, nearly squeezing me back into unconsciousness.
"Oh my god, I'm so relieved you ain't dead, Derrick," Andrew cried, soaking my gown with his tears.
"What on God's holy earth happened?" I asked him, dreading the sorrowful answer I knew was coming.
Over the course of about 4-7 minutes, I was told that as we made it halfway through the intersection on 136th street, a semi-truck barreled through the red light but realized it too late. The driver tried to swerve out of the way, but the trailer jackknifed and smashed into the driver's side of our little Nissan, crushing Anna almost instantly. At least she didn't have to endure a prolonged and agonizing death; her skull shattered on impact, like a water balloon. In the wreckage, they found a battered magic 8 ball that still displayed those fateful words:
"Unfortunately, yes"…

Steffie here from Founder Folks, with a recent story I did with Daniel White from Bigger Better Movers.
Here is his story of how he started and grew his moving business.
Name: Daniel White Company: Bigger Better Movers Employee Size: 20-25 Technology Tools: Housecall Pro, Gusto, GroupMe, Upwork, ActiveCampaign, Zapier, Social Media Revenue: $1,000,000+ Founded: 2017 Website: ~www.biggerbettermovers.com
Introduction: I am in the moving and transportation business. Bigger Better Movers provides residential and commercial moving services for customers throughout Oklahoma. We have two physical locations in OKC and Tulsa and provide services ranging from packing, storage, labor only, on site relocation and interstate moves. All services are available for both commercial and residential customers.
Prior to starting my moving company I was in the insurance business. I sold property and casualty coverages, mainly auto and home coverages to families in Oklahoma. I sold that business to try my luck in the tech space. I lost bad. My worst entrepreneur moment! During that time I also acquired a brewery called Mustang Brewery thru an acquisition with an investment group. I have bought, sold, and flipped commercial and residential real estate since 2017 and Also just started a Property Management company called People Property Solutions.
The Inspiration Behind Bigger Better Movers From my past experience I learned that I preferred service based businesses over product based businesses. After losing big with my tech company in 2017 I knew I had to pivot and find a new way to create revenue. I considered my network and my current skill set. I considered businesses with minimal risk and low start up cost. Being in insurance most people I knew were somehow involved around a real estate transaction. Lenders, Realtors, Insurance agents, Restoration companies, Roofers, etc. Everyone had something to do with real estate. I just needed to find out where I fit in. I ended up trying my hand at moving. It was something that nobody liked to do, an industry that needed improvement and something that could pay well if I could dial it in.
From Idea to Reality It happened relatively quick. Since I needed to find a way to create revenue I quickly form the legal structure. EIN, LLC, Etc. Prior I did have to come up with the name and ensure the name and domain was available online. Once secured and the legal formation was complete I created a business plan, organizational chart and mission, vision and purpose statement to give us direction. The original funding came from a few assets I had sold and credit cards to get started. I sold my first job before I ever had a truck. I had to make a quick purchase to complete the job.
Attracting Customers Through HomeAdvisor, Groupon, Google, word of mouth/referral, in-person visits to apartments, realtor offices, etc.
Overcoming Challenges in Starting the Business COVID, inflation, interest rates, interstate regulation - There's no formal training or classes to learn interstate transportation regulation. Hiring employees, creating a culture, and getting people to buy in.
Costs and Revenue Staff, insurance, and fuel.
Revenue used to come from one source: just moving. Now it comes from storage, moving, material, and middle mile transportation contracts.
A Day in the Life I always put myself first. I wake up around 7:30 - 8 a.m., check in with my operations manager, and do a quick overview of dispatching operations. Then, I proceed to the gym to work out and have a healthy breakfast. Meetings and office work usually take place after 12 p.m. for me. Emails are not a priority throughout the day as most are not money-generating activities, so I respond most often after 6 p.m. when the day-to-day pace slows down.
The Vision for Bigger Better Movers We will have 3 locations. OKC, DFW, TULSA. We will have physical locations in each equipped with 100+ storage units, full retail stores to purchase material and our dispatch location on premises with all of our trucks and field team on site.
Guiding Principles for Entrepreneurial Success Do the things that need to be done when no one else is watching. Be authentically you! High level operators can tell the difference and generally will steer clear if you're not authentic. Keep a great network of motivated, influential people. They will push you to get from where you're at to where you're trying to go!

Author note: The Cryopod to Hell is a Reddit-exclusive story with over three years of editing and refining. As of this post, the total rewrite is 2,197,000+ words long! For more information, check out the link below:
What is the Cryopod to Hell?
Join the Cryoverse Discord server!
Here's a list of all Cryopod's chapters, along with an ePub/Mobi/PDF version!
Want to stay up to date on TCTH? Subscribe to Cryopodbot!
...................................
(Previous Part)
(Part 001)
A few days pass. Unbeknownst to humanity, Unarin decisively dispatches some of his 5th and 6th Level Psions to assist Diablo's goals of planetary conquest. At the same time, he also adds in more than a hundred thousand High Technopath Warriors, frontline combatants outfitted with lethal weaponry embedded into every inch of their bodies. These warriors, unlike mindless automatons, fight with biological intuition and the power of technological supremacy. When the Volgrim combine their forces with that of the demons, they multiply Diablo's planetary capture speed severalfold, allowing him to take new worlds in just a few hours, sometimes even only a single hour.
But humanity doesn't know about this, aside from the Wordsmiths using their special spying methods. Rather, they remain fully focused on the planetary migration efforts.
All across Tarus II, more and more humans, demons, and monsters make key decisions about whether they will immigrate or whether they will remain on Tarus II.
Kiari and Saul pause outside the Northern Immigration Center.
"Nah. None of these." Saul says to his fiance. "I like our cabin just fine. It's in a good spot. It's secluded. And most of the demons and monsters are staying on Tarus II anyway, right?"
Kiari rubs her belly. Already, she's begun to develop the tiniest baby bump.
"Yeah. I don't wanna go anywhere, either. Oh, hey, Beelzebub!"
Kiari waves cheerfully to a certain Demon Emperor nearby. Beelzebub casually walks over and waves back.
"You two moving?" Beelzebub asks, sticking his hands in the pockets of his slacks.
"We decided against that." Saul answers. "How about you?"
"I'm staying. Obviously." Beelzebub says with a shrug. "Where else am I gonna go? Pixiv, with the fairies? They only want humans. Maiura? That's not an option. One of those 'secret' places Jason's been yammering about? Humans and monsters only."
"You could live on Hell Harbor. Or Sharmur!" Kiari chirps cutely with her eyes turning upward into crescent moons. "I hear Diablo's had a few Dukes reconstructing Hell Harbor after the Archangel attack."
Beelzebub waves his hand in a flippant manner. "Pass. I'm good with staying here. Besides, whenever I leave Tarus II, I always feel a bit... weaker. It's as if I'm more powerful when I'm here, but I can't deduce why for the life of me."
He taps his chin thoughtfully. "Could just be my imagination. Who knows."
"Well, I'm glad you're sticking around!" Kiari says. "You've had it rough, and you've done bad things, but I feel you're a good guy at heart."
"It's nice someone believes in me." Beelzebub says with a smile. "If anyone comes to cause trouble here, I'll kick 'em out of the star system myself."
"That's the spirit!" Saul laughs.
...
Meanwhile, at the Western Immigration Center, other people also congregate together, pondering where they belong.
"Daddy!" Lily Brown exclaims, stomping her feet. "I don't WANNA!"
"We've stayed here long enough." Benjamin Brown says, gently squeezing his daughter's arm. "Tarus II is in a precarious situation. I don't feel this place is safe. We have to return to Hell Harbor now that the Slithering Spire is finished with its reconstruction efforts."
"You can go if you want." Lily says, crossing her arms and turning away from her father defiantly. "I heard Beli is staying here. That means I am too! Besides, I've made lots of friends with the humans. I don't want to go back to Hell Harbor."
"What you want is not up for debate here, young lady." Benjamin Brown says, his face darkening. "I am your father. You will do as I say."
"No, I won't!" Lily shoots back. "I'm already twenty-four years old, daddy! I'm an adult. I can make my own decisions! Or are you really going to treat me like a little girl for the rest of my life?!"
"That's not what I mean, and you know it!" Benjamin barks back. "Dammit, this is for your own good. Stop chasing that succubus and use your head for once! The First Wordsmith is too lackadaisical to lead this planet to any long-lasting good times. You can't trust his judgment."
"Who said anything about the stupid Wordsmith??" Lily asks, bewildered. "I don't care about him. I've never even met him! I only care about Beli and my friends. No matter what you say, I'm staying here. And that's FINAL."
"You... you!" Benjamin roars. "You're just like your mother!"
"What? Strong and independent?" Lily scoffs. "Don't be mad because she left you, daddy. I'm making my own choices. If you try to force me back to Hell Harbor, I'll just sneak away. And if you lock me in a dungeon, you'll be proving what a piece of work you are!"
"I... I don't even know what to say." Benjamin Brown says, dismayed. "Fine. Alright? You want to pull the mother card, be like that. You can stay here. I need to return to Hell Harbor, though. I have too many things that require my attention."
He pauses. He looks around for a moment, frowning.
"You know, Lily. If... if you're not near me, I can't protect you."
"Protect me? Why would I need your protection?" Lily scoffs. "I'm a nobody. There ain't no demons gunning for me."
"That isn't entirely true..." Benjamin mutters, as his thoughts turn to a certain prison warden. "Look, I had a friend make you this necklace. It has a special savior beacon built into it. If you ever need me, activate it. Daddy will come running, no matter where you are in the galaxy. It has trans-dimensional properties so even if you're 90,000 lightyears away, I should be able to track you down."
Lily crinkles her nose. "Be honest. This is just your way of keeping tabs on me, isn't it?"
Benjamin chuckles. "Not by any means. I want to make sure you're safe, sweetheart. Your brothers and sisters are all grown up, off doing their own thing. You're... the only one I have left. The others haven't spoken to me in ages."
Lily's heart softens as she notices the pained look on Benjamin's face.
"Daddy... daddy, don't cry, okay? It's not- I'll keep the necklace, okay? And I'll call you regularly, maybe even pay a visit to Hell Harbor once in a while. I'm just gonna be... living here for the moment. Staying independent!"
Benjamin sighs. "Alright, baby girl. You keep yourself safe then. Don't ever take that necklace off, alright?"
"I won't, daddy. Bye now!"
...
"Pixiv, is it?" A young man at the Southern Immigration Center asks. "Of course it would be for you, sir. I'm just surprised she's going too."
Lieutenant Samuel Baker glances at the woman standing beside him, Private Ashley Mccarthy. As one of humanity's foremost powerhouses, capable of transforming into an orc at will even without her Power Glove, she has attracted a lot of attention of late, attention she doesn't particularly enjoy.
"I'm hoping the fairies can help me." Ashley says, crossing her arms. "I don't get why I have to transform into a stupid ugly orc. I wanna be able to turn into a cute and dainty fairy, like Lieutenant Baker."
"Hey." Samuel growls at her. "I do NOT look cute and dainty. I look... masculine as hell. Man, if I could trade my crappy fairy transformation with you, I'd be HAPPY to do it."
"Well, even the Wordsmiths can't fix this problem, so I doubt the fairies can." Ashley grouches. "But I've gotta at least try! Plus, I heard there's going to be a special task force assembled when we reach the fairies. Seems they have some sort of mission that will be really beneficial for us. At least that's the word on the grapevine."
"That's what I've heard too." Samuel says. "In any case, who else is coming to Pixiv?"
"Some of the other soldiers." Ashley answers. "Especially ones who've prematurely gained transformations through the Power Glove. I hear the majority of them have signed up for a transfer to Pixiv. The Felorians, too!"
"Even them?" Samuel asks, his eyes shining with surprise. "It seems Pixiv is the destination of choice for magically-enhanced humans. Interesting."
"I hear Mister Yamir is planning to expand his restaurant enterprise to multiple worlds in one go." The young man running the sign-up line says. "He's going to build a restaurant on Sharmur, Hell Harbor, Pixiv, anywhere that will take him. It seems his food is so popular nobody wants to turn him down!"
"That minotaur has some real business acumen." Ashley says, rubbing her chin. "I heard that the goblins have been acting similarly too. They're going to all the different worlds! Seems they don't have any specific attachments to Tarus II."
"So if all these bigshots are going to other worlds, who's staying here?" Samuel asks.
"Lots of allied demons, mostly." Ashley answers. "Plenty of monsters. Not too many humans. There is Miss Hiro, but that much is expected. I heard Hans Wagner is packing up to go to Maiura, actually. His base on Tarus's moon, Kelkin, has been where he does most of his inventing stuff, but it's a pretty inconvenient location. He wants to put his boots on normal planet ground for once."
"General Chadwick is going with Commander Neil to Maiura." The young male recruiter adds. "Oh! And have you heard of the Cybernites? Seems they've been busy helping work on some big tech project alongside Neil's inventors, including Hans Wagner."
"Dang." Samuel mutters. "We're really all splitting up, huh? Everyone's going to different places."
"It's better this way." Ashley says. "Trying to get all these different people to work together was like herding cats. Personally I'm looking forward to seeing how everything shakes out in the end."
"You know what?" Samuel asks. "Me too, Ashley. Me too."
...
Near the Eastern side of the Fortress of Retribution's upper plateau.
At the edge of the city, a notable structure stands tall, a magical privacy field of immense power surrounding it to isolate all the goings-on inside. This building happens to be none other than the Archangel's church, a place where Uriel lives following her bodily transformation back into her original self. Despite still technically possessing the body of a Demon Duke, she now seems identical to her physical form from more than 100,000 years prior to her death during the War in Heaven.
Inside the church, a male human and a pair of female angels stand opposite the four Archangels. Siddhartha Gautama, Cassiel, and Soleil all look at Raphael, Michael, Gabriel, and Uriel with differing expressions.
"I don't understand." Cassiel says softly. "Why would you want to leave, Raphael?"
The Archangel of Wisdom shakes his head. He looks at the floor with a complicated expression.
"Verily, this decision was not one I wished to make." Raphael says, his words slow and deliberate. "My alliance with the First Wordsmith hath grown tenuous over many a recent day, but not in any recent weeks hath he deigned to speak to me. Meanwhile, my relationship with the Second Wordsmith art still somewhat warm."
"There is no point in our remaining on Tarus II." Michael explains. "We do not wish to reside upon a world primarily populated by monsters and bloodskins. The majority of humanity hath opted to travel to Maiura, and so too shall we go with them."
Gabriel nods. "Humans art our allies. Why stay? Better to migrate where the humans have gone."
Soleil frowns. "That might be true, I suppose. But us having to depart all of a sudden still feels quite abrupt."
"Do not misunderstand." Raphael quickly says. "Cassiel, thou art still the Daughter of Heaven. Thou needeth not walk in our footsteps. T'would be best if Soleil and thee remaineth here while my siblings and I go to Maiura. In this way, we can spread the word of the Creator in two locations at once."
"Oh. I see..." Cassiel says, lowering her eyes. A look of sadness fills her gaze, as well as more than a hint of loneliness. "I... I don't know if I'm strong enough to stay here all by myself."
"Now now," Buddha interjects, "you will not be alone, little one. I'll stay with you, as will Soleil. Additionally, you seem to have made a new acquaintance in that Belial, yes? Perhaps this would be a good time to spread your wings and meet new people."
"Buddha's right!" Soleil says excitedly. "Cass, this is a great chance for you to make lots of new friends!!"
"New friends..." Cassiel says hesitantly. "Y-yes. I suppose... that would be... nice."
Uriel and her brothers exchange a knowing glance. She turns and walks over to Cassiel, squeezing her shoulder lovingly.
"We shalt leave this church to thee, little one. Do with it whatever thou dost desire. It shalt be thy home, and perhaps a meeting place for those who wish to bear witness to thy future rise."
Michael also takes a step forward. "Daughter of Heaven. I consider thyself a sister in spirit, if not in blood. Therefore, what I am about to say, I hope thou doth understand I speak it with only the best of intentions."
He pauses.
"Thou requireth power. Spiritual power. Faith energy. We Archangels cans't truly live well on the energy supplied by that hateful bloodskin, Barbatos, but thy vessel is not the same as ours. As a Lazarite, thou requireth Faith Energy to keep thy spirit burning. I hope thou shalt pursue it in the hopes of elevating thyself to a level where none can oppress thee."
"Thou art the last living hope of our species." Gabriel adds. "We Archangels live on as mere sparks of light, but thou art a burning star with unlimited potential. Please live well in our absence."
Cassiel looks at each of the Archangels in kind. She nods at each one of them, etching their loving words on her heart.
"Very well. Faith Energy. I'll do what I can, brothers, sister. Perhaps, if I have a chance, I'll even come to visit you all on Maiura sometime."
"That would indeed be delightful." Raphael says with a jovial chuckle. "Fare thee well then, little one. We shalt take our leave."
With a nod from each of the four Archangels, they merge back into Uriel's body, and she strides out the church doors, leaving Buddha, Cassiel, and Soleil behind.
As Buddha watches Uriel depart, he narrows his eyes menacingly, but neither of the women notices this subtle action.
Raphael...
...................................
"Everyone. Thank you for coming today." Hope Hiro says, as he stands before a throng of people all gathered together inside a massive church-like building. This facility, erected on the planet of Maiura a good distance away from the main cities and towns, stands alone, isolated within the wilderness. Dense trees and foliage would even be visible through the windows if they weren't made of stained glass, depicting images of numerous ancient Heroes of myth.
The people standing before Hope nod in unison. They say nothing, instead waiting for Hope to continue his speech.
Among these people is Henry Cliff. He looks at Hope with reverence and respect that even borders on unbridled idol worship. In his eyes, Hope Hiro is his savior, his one path back to greatness, a chance he cannot afford to miss.
Without Hope, he is nobody. A civilian who will only ever live in the shadow of better men.
"As of today," Hope continues, "the tallies are in. This is it. Those of you who have signed on to be a part of my Parahuman Corps are the only ones who leaped to such a decision. I am truly grateful for your faith in me."
Hope pauses. His gaze sweeps across not only Henry, but all the people present.
"Before I continue, is it just my imagination or are a good number of you not actually service-members? I seem to be seeing quite a few civilians present."
One man in the front row nods nervously. "Y-yes, Commander Hiro, sir. I'm Mikael. I didn't join the military originally, but when I heard about your Parahuman Corps, it really struck a cord with me. If I can become strong enough to protect myself from demons, that would be amazing!"
Hope frowns. "Your motives aren't exactly pure, Mikael. The power I'm about to bestow upon all of you will indeed strengthen your bodies, but without a foundation of military training, do you truly think you'll be able to accomplish much? Not a chance. Expect to endure some grueling military drills tailored to your enhanced physique before I set you loose in the world of ordinary humans."
He returns his eyes to the others. "That goes for all of you. Yes, you will be able to obtain great strength in the easiest manner possible. But allow me to disabuse you all of the notion that this pathway to easy power will make you as strong as a Demon Emperor, or a Duke, or even a Baron. If you have no combat techniques, then you're just a big strong infant waiting to be executed by any remotely competent opponent! A complete pushover!"
The Wordsmith doesn't mince his words. "Submitting to Jepthath's power is a serious rite of passage. If your hearts are impure, he will reject you! You will have to head out and join the common folks on Maiura, hanging your head in shame and knowing you weren't good enough to join the elites!"
He looks around one last time. "With all that said, are any of you here having second thoughts?!"
"Sir, no sir!" The crowd roars, their collective voices momentarily making Hope's ears ring. He mutters a quick Word of Power under his breath to fix that issue, then he motions with his hand and immediately summons the Dominion Rod into his grasp.
"Here is how this is going to work." Hope says. "I shall manifest the image of Jepthath into reality. Look up to him. Pray to him. Accept him in your heart. When you hear his words in your mind, you will have the option to accept or deny his offer. Those who accept will become Jepthath's Chosen, the Illuminators of the future, Parahumans who tower above their fellow man! But as for those who are unworthy? You will remain with the common rabble."
Seeing decisive looks on everyone's faces, Hope smiles. "Alright then. Let us begin."
He holds up the Shepherd's Staff, and the gem in the center of its upper crook immediately begins to glow a bright white. At that moment, a phantasmal figure materializes in the air, his massive image towering thirty feet high. The top of his head seemingly scrapes the ceiling of the makeshift church, making everyone present gasp in amazement.
"My children." Jepthath says, holding out his hands in a welcoming gesture. He smiles like a kind old grandfather at them. "Hear me now. I am the First Hero. I am the Illuminator. I light the path for those to follow. To those who are attuned to my strength, greater benefits will be available. Perhaps, among you, there may even be a special soul possessing the highest affinity to my power. If so, he may be capable of mimicking my full power without reservation! But, doubtless, there will be those among you lacking in affinity entirely."
He sighs. "That is unfortunate, but it is how things are. Now, pray to me. Reach out with your heart, mind, and soul. Feel the touch of my Light..."
A warm aura spreads out of Jepthath's towering form. It washes across the massed crowd, making many of them feel snug and cozy. They close their eyes and pray earnestly to the Illuminator, sometimes opening their eyes to look up at him as they feel Jepthath's power surge into their bodies.
"I feel it!" One woman cries out. "The strength! The power! Uwaaaa!!"
Her muscles bulge dramatically. Her shirt rips in several places, and her height increases by half a foot. She roars mightily to the heavens as a large fraction of Jepthath's power enters her body and Mind Realm.
"I feel it too!" Another man cries. "Power! Overwhelming! Aaaaahh!!"
He, and many others like him, roar in ecstasy as Jepthath's power begins rapidly bolstering one person after another.
Strangely, Henry Cliff doesn't feel anything at first. But when the power starts to trickle into his bloodstream, a voice speaks in his head.
[There you are, boy. Lord Henry of the Illuminators. I have been expecting you for a while, young one.]
Henry blinks. The world around him slows to a stop as he looks up at Jepthath in shock.
[You... know my name?] Henry asks.
[Indeed I do.] Jepthath says with a smile. [Not long ago, Hope performed a ritual that allowed me to make initial contact with all of humanity. However, my power could not flow through them until they agreed to this ritual. It was then that I felt your strength for the first time. You are more formidable than you believe, my child.]
Henry looks down in shame. [You must be thinking of someone else, Great Illuminator. I am nothing at all. A mere nobody. A sinner.]
[You call yourself a sinner? Silly child. I am friends with the Greatest Sinner.] Jepthath chides gently. [King Arthur committed a crime far worse than you could imagine, yet he is still remembered as a legend. In the future, so too shall you join him among humanity's greats.]
Henry looks up again. [I... will?]
[Your compatibility with my power... is perfect.] Jepthath answers, visibly satisfied. [Look! Your body has not swelled up at all! Unlike the others who balloon in strength because their souls are impure, your willpower is formidable enough to reject the corruption of my nascent soul. It is for this reason that I have decided to name you... My Champion.]
Boom!
A massive detonation of energy explodes inside Henry's body. He staggers in surprise, as instead of great pain, waves of ecstasy flood his vessel. He can't help but release a moan of pleasure as his mind seemingly unlocks its full potential, his muscles pulsate with a strength greater than he ever could have imagined, and his soul condenses into its purest form.
[Power!] Henry exclaims. [I feel it! I feel... so much power!]
"Uaaaaahh!!" Henry roars as he tilts his head up to the ceiling. "I am a mortal no more! I am your champion, Jepthath!"
Hope's eyes sparkle as he looks at the previously ordinary-seeming young man. He looks up at Jepthath, who smiles back at him, answering his unspoken question with a single gaze.
But suddenly, in the midst of this joyous occasion, Jepthath's image changes color from a loving and calm blue to a dangerous shade of red. His eyes narrow as he snaps his gaze around the room.
"WHERE?!" Jepthath roars, his piercing eyes jumping from one human to another. "YOU! It's YOU!!" Jepthath snarls, stabbing a finger toward a random woman in the crowd.
That woman freezes in place, like a deer in the headlights. Hope looks at her. All the other humans do too, everyone turning in unison as they feel a deep, nauseating rejection from her entirety.
"Human... she's not HUMAN!" Henry growls, balling his hands into fists. "She's not one of us! She's a CHANGELING!!"
Panicked, the woman starts to push through the crowd, but in an instant, tens of hands latch onto her from every angle, grabbing her arms, shirt, hair, and neck. They pin her in place while Henry walks through the crowd with eyes full of bloodlust. He grins wickedly and nods his head as he stomps toward the woman.
"Trying to sell us out, you filthy infiltrator?! TOO BAD! This is where your story ends!!"
In an instant, he lunges forward and punches his fist at the woman's stomach.
SPLURT!!
He rams his arm through her gut and blasts her entrails backward, spraying off-colored blood on the Parahumans behind her. The woman's mouth opens reflexively, and she vomits blood, unable to stop herself.
"N-no! Guhuk! Mis-misunderstanding! We- COUGH!!"
"Spare us your pitiful begging." Henry sneers, before sweeping his arm upward, tearing through her body with ease.
RIIIIIP!
A sickening series of snapping bones sounds off in the room like a series of firecrackers. A second later, the woman sags lifelessly in the grasp of those present. They release her, and allow her to collapse into a puddle of blood at her feet.
Just when it seems the madness is over, Henry slowly turns around to look at another person in the crowd behind him.
"Heh heh heh. You stupid bastard. Did you think I missed you, too?"
"Wait!" The man screams. "This isn't what you think! We're just supposed to observe-"
He doesn't get to finish his sentence. Henry snaps toward him, rears his fist back, and sends it flying at the Changeling's head. So unfathomable is his strength that he blasts apart the man's head like a watermelon, showering the people behind him with bits of blood, bone, and brain matter.
Hope watches, silently, as Henry performs these acts. He nods with approval, even directing a small smile Henry's way.
"Hardcore, Henry."
Before the ceremony fully comes to an end, Henry kills another three Changelings, ensuring that not a single one manages to make it out alive and report news of what happened to the Founders.
It will be some time before they come to realize the significance of the events that transpired on this day...

A few days pass. Unbeknownst to humanity, Unarin decisively dispatches some of his 5th and 6th Level Psions to assist Diablo's goals of planetary conquest. At the same time, he also adds in more than a hundred thousand High Technopath Warriors, frontline combatants outfitted with lethal weaponry embedded into every inch of their bodies. These warriors, unlike mindless automatons, fight with biological intuition and the power of technological supremacy. When the Volgrim combine their forces with that of the demons, they multiply Diablo's planetary capture speed severalfold, allowing him to take new worlds in just a few hours, sometimes even only a single hour.
But humanity doesn't know about this, aside from the Wordsmiths using their special spying methods. Rather, they remain fully focused on the planetary migration efforts.
All across Tarus II, more and more humans, demons, and monsters make key decisions about whether they will immigrate or whether they will remain on Tarus II.
Kiari and Saul pause outside the Northern Immigration Center.
"Nah. None of these." Saul says to his fiance. "I like our cabin just fine. It's in a good spot. It's secluded. And most of the demons and monsters are staying on Tarus II anyway, right?"
Kiari rubs her belly. Already, she's begun to develop the tiniest baby bump.
"Yeah. I don't wanna go anywhere, either. Oh, hey, Beelzebub!"
Kiari waves cheerfully to a certain Demon Emperor nearby. Beelzebub casually walks over and waves back.
"You two moving?" Beelzebub asks, sticking his hands in the pockets of his slacks.
"We decided against that." Saul answers. "How about you?"
"I'm staying. Obviously." Beelzebub says with a shrug. "Where else am I gonna go? Pixiv, with the fairies? They only want humans. Maiura? That's not an option. One of those 'secret' places Jason's been yammering about? Humans and monsters only."
"You could live on Hell Harbor. Or Sharmur!" Kiari chirps cutely with her eyes turning upward into crescent moons. "I hear Diablo's had a few Dukes reconstructing Hell Harbor after the Archangel attack."
Beelzebub waves his hand in a flippant manner. "Pass. I'm good with staying here. Besides, whenever I leave Tarus II, I always feel a bit... weaker. It's as if I'm more powerful when I'm here, but I can't deduce why for the life of me."
He taps his chin thoughtfully. "Could just be my imagination. Who knows."
"Well, I'm glad you're sticking around!" Kiari says. "You've had it rough, and you've done bad things, but I feel you're a good guy at heart."
"It's nice someone believes in me." Beelzebub says with a smile. "If anyone comes to cause trouble here, I'll kick 'em out of the star system myself."
"That's the spirit!" Saul laughs.
...
Meanwhile, at the Western Immigration Center, other people also congregate together, pondering where they belong.
"Daddy!" Lily Brown exclaims, stomping her feet. "I don't WANNA!"
"We've stayed here long enough." Benjamin Brown says, gently squeezing his daughter's arm. "Tarus II is in a precarious situation. I don't feel this place is safe. We have to return to Hell Harbor now that the Slithering Spire is finished with its reconstruction efforts."
"You can go if you want." Lily says, crossing her arms and turning away from her father defiantly. "I heard Beli is staying here. That means I am too! Besides, I've made lots of friends with the humans. I don't want to go back to Hell Harbor."
"What you want is not up for debate here, young lady." Benjamin Brown says, his face darkening. "I am your father. You will do as I say."
"No, I won't!" Lily shoots back. "I'm already twenty-four years old, daddy! I'm an adult. I can make my own decisions! Or are you really going to treat me like a little girl for the rest of my life?!"
"That's not what I mean, and you know it!" Benjamin barks back. "Dammit, this is for your own good. Stop chasing that succubus and use your head for once! The First Wordsmith is too lackadaisical to lead this planet to any long-lasting good times. You can't trust his judgment."
"Who said anything about the stupid Wordsmith??" Lily asks, bewildered. "I don't care about him. I've never even met him! I only care about Beli and my friends. No matter what you say, I'm staying here. And that's FINAL."
"You... you!" Benjamin roars. "You're just like your mother!"
"What? Strong and independent?" Lily scoffs. "Don't be mad because she left you, daddy. I'm making my own choices. If you try to force me back to Hell Harbor, I'll just sneak away. And if you lock me in a dungeon, you'll be proving what a piece of work you are!"
"I... I don't even know what to say." Benjamin Brown says, dismayed. "Fine. Alright? You want to pull the mother card, be like that. You can stay here. I need to return to Hell Harbor, though. I have too many things that require my attention."
He pauses. He looks around for a moment, frowning.
"You know, Lily. If... if you're not near me, I can't protect you."
"Protect me? Why would I need your protection?" Lily scoffs. "I'm a nobody. There ain't no demons gunning for me."
"That isn't entirely true..." Benjamin mutters, as his thoughts turn to a certain prison warden. "Look, I had a friend make you this necklace. It has a special savior beacon built into it. If you ever need me, activate it. Daddy will come running, no matter where you are in the galaxy. It has trans-dimensional properties so even if you're 90,000 lightyears away, I should be able to track you down."
Lily crinkles her nose. "Be honest. This is just your way of keeping tabs on me, isn't it?"
Benjamin chuckles. "Not by any means. I want to make sure you're safe, sweetheart. Your brothers and sisters are all grown up, off doing their own thing. You're... the only one I have left. The others haven't spoken to me in ages."
Lily's heart softens as she notices the pained look on Benjamin's face.
"Daddy... daddy, don't cry, okay? It's not- I'll keep the necklace, okay? And I'll call you regularly, maybe even pay a visit to Hell Harbor once in a while. I'm just gonna be... living here for the moment. Staying independent!"
Benjamin sighs. "Alright, baby girl. You keep yourself safe then. Don't ever take that necklace off, alright?"
"I won't, daddy. Bye now!"
...
"Pixiv, is it?" A young man at the Southern Immigration Center asks. "Of course it would be for you, sir. I'm just surprised she's going too."
Lieutenant Samuel Baker glances at the woman standing beside him, Private Ashley Mccarthy. As one of humanity's foremost powerhouses, capable of transforming into an orc at will even without her Power Glove, she has attracted a lot of attention of late, attention she doesn't particularly enjoy.
"I'm hoping the fairies can help me." Ashley says, crossing her arms. "I don't get why I have to transform into a stupid ugly orc. I wanna be able to turn into a cute and dainty fairy, like Lieutenant Baker."
"Hey." Samuel growls at her. "I do NOT look cute and dainty. I look... masculine as hell. Man, if I could trade my crappy fairy transformation with you, I'd be HAPPY to do it."
"Well, even the Wordsmiths can't fix this problem, so I doubt the fairies can." Ashley grouches. "But I've gotta at least try! Plus, I heard there's going to be a special task force assembled when we reach the fairies. Seems they have some sort of mission that will be really beneficial for us. At least that's the word on the grapevine."
"That's what I've heard too." Samuel says. "In any case, who else is coming to Pixiv?"
"Some of the other soldiers." Ashley answers. "Especially ones who've prematurely gained transformations through the Power Glove. I hear the majority of them have signed up for a transfer to Pixiv. The Felorians, too!"
"Even them?" Samuel asks, his eyes shining with surprise. "It seems Pixiv is the destination of choice for magically-enhanced humans. Interesting."
"I hear Mister Yamir is planning to expand his restaurant enterprise to multiple worlds in one go." The young man running the sign-up line says. "He's going to build a restaurant on Sharmur, Hell Harbor, Pixiv, anywhere that will take him. It seems his food is so popular nobody wants to turn him down!"
"That minotaur has some real business acumen." Ashley says, rubbing her chin. "I heard that the goblins have been acting similarly too. They're going to all the different worlds! Seems they don't have any specific attachments to Tarus II."
"So if all these bigshots are going to other worlds, who's staying here?" Samuel asks.
"Lots of allied demons, mostly." Ashley answers. "Plenty of monsters. Not too many humans. There is Miss Hiro, but that much is expected. I heard Hans Wagner is packing up to go to Maiura, actually. His base on Tarus's moon, Kelkin, has been where he does most of his inventing stuff, but it's a pretty inconvenient location. He wants to put his boots on normal planet ground for once."
"General Chadwick is going with Commander Neil to Maiura." The young male recruiter adds. "Oh! And have you heard of the Cybernites? Seems they've been busy helping work on some big tech project alongside Neil's inventors, including Hans Wagner."
"Dang." Samuel mutters. "We're really all splitting up, huh? Everyone's going to different places."
"It's better this way." Ashley says. "Trying to get all these different people to work together was like herding cats. Personally I'm looking forward to seeing how everything shakes out in the end."
"You know what?" Samuel asks. "Me too, Ashley. Me too."
...
Near the Eastern side of the Fortress of Retribution's upper plateau.
At the edge of the city, a notable structure stands tall, a magical privacy field of immense power surrounding it to isolate all the goings-on inside. This building happens to be none other than the Archangel's church, a place where Uriel lives following her bodily transformation back into her original self. Despite still technically possessing the body of a Demon Duke, she now seems identical to her physical form from more than 100,000 years prior to her death during the War in Heaven.
Inside the church, a male human and a pair of female angels stand opposite the four Archangels. Siddhartha Gautama, Cassiel, and Soleil all look at Raphael, Michael, Gabriel, and Uriel with differing expressions.
"I don't understand." Cassiel says softly. "Why would you want to leave, Raphael?"
The Archangel of Wisdom shakes his head. He looks at the floor with a complicated expression.
"Verily, this decision was not one I wished to make." Raphael says, his words slow and deliberate. "My alliance with the First Wordsmith hath grown tenuous over many a recent day, but not in any recent weeks hath he deigned to speak to me. Meanwhile, my relationship with the Second Wordsmith art still somewhat warm."
"There is no point in our remaining on Tarus II." Michael explains. "We do not wish to reside upon a world primarily populated by monsters and bloodskins. The majority of humanity hath opted to travel to Maiura, and so too shall we go with them."
Gabriel nods. "Humans art our allies. Why stay? Better to migrate where the humans have gone."
Soleil frowns. "That might be true, I suppose. But us having to depart all of a sudden still feels quite abrupt."
"Do not misunderstand." Raphael quickly says. "Cassiel, thou art still the Daughter of Heaven. Thou needeth not walk in our footsteps. T'would be best if Soleil and thee remaineth here while my siblings and I go to Maiura. In this way, we can spread the word of the Creator in two locations at once."
"Oh. I see..." Cassiel says, lowering her eyes. A look of sadness fills her gaze, as well as more than a hint of loneliness. "I... I don't know if I'm strong enough to stay here all by myself."
"Now now," Buddha interjects, "you will not be alone, little one. I'll stay with you, as will Soleil. Additionally, you seem to have made a new acquaintance in that Belial, yes? Perhaps this would be a good time to spread your wings and meet new people."
"Buddha's right!" Soleil says excitedly. "Cass, this is a great chance for you to make lots of new friends!!"
"New friends..." Cassiel says hesitantly. "Y-yes. I suppose... that would be... nice."
Uriel and her brothers exchange a knowing glance. She turns and walks over to Cassiel, squeezing her shoulder lovingly.
"We shalt leave this church to thee, little one. Do with it whatever thou dost desire. It shalt be thy home, and perhaps a meeting place for those who wish to bear witness to thy future rise."
Michael also takes a step forward. "Daughter of Heaven. I consider thyself a sister in spirit, if not in blood. Therefore, what I am about to say, I hope thou doth understand I speak it with only the best of intentions."
He pauses.
"Thou requireth power. Spiritual power. Faith energy. We Archangels cans't truly live well on the energy supplied by that hateful bloodskin, Barbatos, but thy vessel is not the same as ours. As a Lazarite, thou requireth Faith Energy to keep thy spirit burning. I hope thou shalt pursue it in the hopes of elevating thyself to a level where none can oppress thee."
"Thou art the last living hope of our species." Gabriel adds. "We Archangels live on as mere sparks of light, but thou art a burning star with unlimited potential. Please live well in our absence."
Cassiel looks at each of the Archangels in kind. She nods at each one of them, etching their loving words on her heart.
"Very well. Faith Energy. I'll do what I can, brothers, sister. Perhaps, if I have a chance, I'll even come to visit you all on Maiura sometime."
"That would indeed be delightful." Raphael says with a jovial chuckle. "Fare thee well then, little one. We shalt take our leave."
With a nod from each of the four Archangels, they merge back into Uriel's body, and she strides out the church doors, leaving Buddha, Cassiel, and Soleil behind.
As Buddha watches Uriel depart, he narrows his eyes menacingly, but neither of the women notices this subtle action.
Raphael...
...................................
"Everyone. Thank you for coming today." Hope Hiro says, as he stands before a throng of people all gathered together inside a massive church-like building. This facility, erected on the planet of Maiura a good distance away from the main cities and towns, stands alone, isolated within the wilderness. Dense trees and foliage would even be visible through the windows if they weren't made of stained glass, depicting images of numerous ancient Heroes of myth.
The people standing before Hope nod in unison. They say nothing, instead waiting for Hope to continue his speech.
Among these people is Henry Cliff. He looks at Hope with reverence and respect that even borders on unbridled idol worship. In his eyes, Hope Hiro is his savior, his one path back to greatness, a chance he cannot afford to miss.
Without Hope, he is nobody. A civilian who will only ever live in the shadow of better men.
"As of today," Hope continues, "the tallies are in. This is it. Those of you who have signed on to be a part of my Parahuman Corps are the only ones who leaped to such a decision. I am truly grateful for your faith in me."
Hope pauses. His gaze sweeps across not only Henry, but all the people present.
"Before I continue, is it just my imagination or are a good number of you not actually service-members? I seem to be seeing quite a few civilians present."
One man in the front row nods nervously. "Y-yes, Commander Hiro, sir. I'm Mikael. I didn't join the military originally, but when I heard about your Parahuman Corps, it really struck a cord with me. If I can become strong enough to protect myself from demons, that would be amazing!"
Hope frowns. "Your motives aren't exactly pure, Mikael. The power I'm about to bestow upon all of you will indeed strengthen your bodies, but without a foundation of military training, do you truly think you'll be able to accomplish much? Not a chance. Expect to endure some grueling military drills tailored to your enhanced physique before I set you loose in the world of ordinary humans."
He returns his eyes to the others. "That goes for all of you. Yes, you will be able to obtain great strength in the easiest manner possible. But allow me to disabuse you all of the notion that this pathway to easy power will make you as strong as a Demon Emperor, or a Duke, or even a Baron. If you have no combat techniques, then you're just a big strong infant waiting to be executed by any remotely competent opponent! A complete pushover!"
The Wordsmith doesn't mince his words. "Submitting to Jepthath's power is a serious rite of passage. If your hearts are impure, he will reject you! You will have to head out and join the common folks on Maiura, hanging your head in shame and knowing you weren't good enough to join the elites!"
He looks around one last time. "With all that said, are any of you here having second thoughts?!"
"Sir, no sir!" The crowd roars, their collective voices momentarily making Hope's ears ring. He mutters a quick Word of Power under his breath to fix that issue, then he motions with his hand and immediately summons the Dominion Rod into his grasp.
"Here is how this is going to work." Hope says. "I shall manifest the image of Jepthath into reality. Look up to him. Pray to him. Accept him in your heart. When you hear his words in your mind, you will have the option to accept or deny his offer. Those who accept will become Jepthath's Chosen, the Illuminators of the future, Parahumans who tower above their fellow man! But as for those who are unworthy? You will remain with the common rabble."
Seeing decisive looks on everyone's faces, Hope smiles. "Alright then. Let us begin."
He holds up the Shepherd's Staff, and the gem in the center of its upper crook immediately begins to glow a bright white. At that moment, a phantasmal figure materializes in the air, his massive image towering thirty feet high. The top of his head seemingly scrapes the ceiling of the makeshift church, making everyone present gasp in amazement.
"My children." Jepthath says, holding out his hands in a welcoming gesture. He smiles like a kind old grandfather at them. "Hear me now. I am the First Hero. I am the Illuminator. I light the path for those to follow. To those who are attuned to my strength, greater benefits will be available. Perhaps, among you, there may even be a special soul possessing the highest affinity to my power. If so, he may be capable of mimicking my full power without reservation! But, doubtless, there will be those among you lacking in affinity entirely."
He sighs. "That is unfortunate, but it is how things are. Now, pray to me. Reach out with your heart, mind, and soul. Feel the touch of my Light..."
A warm aura spreads out of Jepthath's towering form. It washes across the massed crowd, making many of them feel snug and cozy. They close their eyes and pray earnestly to the Illuminator, sometimes opening their eyes to look up at him as they feel Jepthath's power surge into their bodies.
"I feel it!" One woman cries out. "The strength! The power! Uwaaaa!!"
Her muscles bulge dramatically. Her shirt rips in several places, and her height increases by half a foot. She roars mightily to the heavens as a large fraction of Jepthath's power enters her body and Mind Realm.
"I feel it too!" Another man cries. "Power! Overwhelming! Aaaaahh!!"
He, and many others like him, roar in ecstasy as Jepthath's power begins rapidly bolstering one person after another.
Strangely, Henry Cliff doesn't feel anything at first. But when the power starts to trickle into his bloodstream, a voice speaks in his head.
[There you are, boy. Lord Henry of the Illuminators. I have been expecting you for a while, young one.]
Henry blinks. The world around him slows to a stop as he looks up at Jepthath in shock.
[You... know my name?] Henry asks.
[Indeed I do.] Jepthath says with a smile. [Not long ago, Hope performed a ritual that allowed me to make initial contact with all of humanity. However, my power could not flow through them until they agreed to this ritual. It was then that I felt your strength for the first time. You are more formidable than you believe, my child.]
Henry looks down in shame. [You must be thinking of someone else, Great Illuminator. I am nothing at all. A mere nobody. A sinner.]
[You call yourself a sinner? Silly child. I am friends with the Greatest Sinner.] Jepthath chides gently. [King Arthur committed a crime far worse than you could imagine, yet he is still remembered as a legend. In the future, so too shall you join him among humanity's greats.]
Henry looks up again. [I... will?]
[Your compatibility with my power... is perfect.] Jepthath answers, visibly satisfied. [Look! Your body has not swelled up at all! Unlike the others who balloon in strength because their souls are impure, your willpower is formidable enough to reject the corruption of my nascent soul. It is for this reason that I have decided to name you... My Champion.]
Boom!
A massive detonation of energy explodes inside Henry's body. He staggers in surprise, as instead of great pain, waves of ecstasy flood his vessel. He can't help but release a moan of pleasure as his mind seemingly unlocks its full potential, his muscles pulsate with a strength greater than he ever could have imagined, and his soul condenses into its purest form.
[Power!] Henry exclaims. [I feel it! I feel... so much power!]
"Uaaaaahh!!" Henry roars as he tilts his head up to the ceiling. "I am a mortal no more! I am your champion, Jepthath!"
Hope's eyes sparkle as he looks at the previously ordinary-seeming young man. He looks up at Jepthath, who smiles back at him, answering his unspoken question with a single gaze.
But suddenly, in the midst of this joyous occasion, Jepthath's image changes color from a loving and calm blue to a dangerous shade of red. His eyes narrow as he snaps his gaze around the room.
"WHERE?!" Jepthath roars, his piercing eyes jumping from one human to another. "YOU! It's YOU!!" Jepthath snarls, stabbing a finger toward a random woman in the crowd.
That woman freezes in place, like a deer in the headlights. Hope looks at her. All the other humans do too, everyone turning in unison as they feel a deep, nauseating rejection from her entirety.
"Human... she's not HUMAN!" Henry growls, balling his hands into fists. "She's not one of us! She's a CHANGELING!!"
Panicked, the woman starts to push through the crowd, but in an instant, tens of hands latch onto her from every angle, grabbing her arms, shirt, hair, and neck. They pin her in place while Henry walks through the crowd with eyes full of bloodlust. He grins wickedly and nods his head as he stomps toward the woman.
"Trying to sell us out, you filthy infiltrator?! TOO BAD! This is where your story ends!!"
In an instant, he lunges forward and punches his fist at the woman's stomach.
SPLURT!!
He rams his arm through her gut and blasts her entrails backward, spraying off-colored blood on the Parahumans behind her. The woman's mouth opens reflexively, and she vomits blood, unable to stop herself.
"N-no! Guhuk! Mis-misunderstanding! We- COUGH!!"
"Spare us your pitiful begging." Henry sneers, before sweeping his arm upward, tearing through her body with ease.
RIIIIIP!
A sickening series of snapping bones sounds off in the room like a series of firecrackers. A second later, the woman sags lifelessly in the grasp of those present. They release her, and allow her to collapse into a puddle of blood at her feet.
Just when it seems the madness is over, Henry slowly turns around to look at another person in the crowd behind him.
"Heh heh heh. You stupid bastard. Did you think I missed you, too?"
"Wait!" The man screams. "This isn't what you think! We're just supposed to observe-"
He doesn't get to finish his sentence. Henry snaps toward him, rears his fist back, and sends it flying at the Changeling's head. So unfathomable is his strength that he blasts apart the man's head like a watermelon, showering the people behind him with bits of blood, bone, and brain matter.
Hope watches, silently, as Henry performs these acts. He nods with approval, even directing a small smile Henry's way.
"Hardcore, Henry."
Before the ceremony fully comes to an end, Henry kills another three Changelings, ensuring that not a single one manages to make it out alive and report news of what happened to the Founders.
It will be some time before they come to realize the significance of the events that transpired on this day...

What I am hoping to see: If anyone has encountered any similar experiences before or seen others do so, any advice on what I should be/ should not be doing from EMs, and possibly any insights from anyone with a 3rd party view if I'm narrowing/boxing myself into certain perspectives. Clarifications will be provided when I can, and criticisms appreciated as well - thank you.
A bit on myself: Staff/PE at a fairly big firm, <=5 YoE, been in this firm my whole career thus far. Got to where I was by having the fortune of leading multiple projects that helped move the entire company (started small but grew to virtually every org) towards specific business goals.
What I am unhappy with: Comp and progression has stagnated (predictably), and it does seem that the progression game has become closer to that of intangibles than expertise. Comp still near top of band (90th percentile) for my location, so I am somewhat disgruntled but also aware that in the current business environment it's as good as it gets.
Personal goals: I want progression, between comp and career. But I am uncertain of the tradeoffs required between the two, and what tradeoffs made actually pays off.
The conundrum: It is probably time to leave, but I am waffling between putting my effort in 1) leetcoding & interview training + quiet quitting, and 2) working on a pet project in my firm in a last ditch attempt for progression. Unfortunately, both require some level of focus, and I am not skilled enough to split my focus and simultaneously make progress on both (partly because I'm new to the game for 1!)
On the project: Due to my extensive knowledge of my firm's stack in all orgs, I have a project that is mid effort (80% of the work can be done by me - requires coding, and 20% cooperation required from other parties) but is likely to minimally double the entire company's productivity instantly, along with unlocking several technical capabilities that were previously deemed undoable. The issue is that: 1) I don't learn anything effectively from this, 2) it's not a problem viewed as priority by top management, and 3) it's not generalizable beyond the company's domain (a bespoke solution).
On leaving: Probably sandboxing myself, but only HFs, HFTs or FAANG are real alternatives comp-wise. (Shifting out of my country of residence is not an option for now)
On conversations with my manager: The expectation for him/her to put my promo case up would be that I have positive recognition for the next level already from other folks. Unfortunately, that is for myself to define what the next level is (we have only 3 ICs higher than my current position, and their roles are elevated because of their pay packages in different COL locations - HR policy). Switching to a managerial role is not an option as well because the firm is undergoing a reduction policy for managers, especially ones at the senior to director levels.

City of Yes

HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

Every day, New Yorkers struggle with our city’s housing shortage. High housing costs, long commutes, cramped apartments, and instability are all the result of a lack of options.
Outdated, restrictive, and complicated zoning laws limit opportunities to create new homes and make those that do get built more expensive.
City of Yes for Housing Opportunity is a zoning reform proposal that would address the housing crisis by making it possible to build a little more housing in every neighborhood.
The proposal will enter public review in spring of 2024, receiving input from community boards and borough presidents before going to the City Planning Commission for a vote. If passed, it is anticipated to come for a vote before the City Council by the end of the calendar year.
What would City of Yes for Housing Opportunity do?

Universal Affordability Preference (UAP)

In recent decades, high-demand neighborhoods have lost affordable housing and become increasingly out of reach to working families.
The Universal Affordability Preference is a new tool that would allow buildings to add at least 20% more housing, if the additional homes are affordable to households earning 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI). As a result, it will deliver new affordable housing in high-cost neighborhoods across New York City to working families.

Residential Conversions

Today, outdated rules prevent underused offices and other non-residential space from converting to housing. For example, many buildings constructed after 1961, or outside the city's largest office centers, cannot be converted to housing.
City of Yes will make it easier for vacant offices and other non-residential buildings to become homes, a win-win policy to create housing, boost property values, and create more active, vibrant neighborhoods in areas that have been hard-hit by the effects of the pandemic.

Town Center Zoning

New York is a city of neighborhoods, and each neighborhood is anchored by commercial corridors with shops and vibrant street life – a little town center for every community.
Modest apartment buildings with stores on the street and apartments above exist in low-density areas across the five boroughs – most of them from the 1920s to 1950s. Today, zoning prohibits that classic form even in areas where it’s very common.
By relegalizing housing above businesses on commercial streets in low-density areas, City of Yes will create new housing, help neighbors reach small businesses, and build vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods.

Removing Parking Mandates

New York City currently mandates off-street parking along with new housing even where it's not needed, driving down housing production and driving up rents.
City of Yes would end parking mandates for new housing, as many cities across the country have successfully done. The proposal will preserve the option to add parking, but no one will be forced to build unnecessary parking.

Accessory Dwelling Units

Across the city, homeowners face challenges with rising costs, aging in place and accommodating their families. Regulations limit what New Yorkers can do with their property, which means families have to move farther away from their grandparents or grandchildren, or are forced into uncomfortably cramped houses. Meanwhile, spaces like garages go unused when improvements could make them comfortable homes.
For seniors fighting to stay in the neighborhood on a fixed income, or young people stretching to afford a first home, adding a small rental unit can be life changing. But under current rules, New York City homeowners can't choose to use their property in this way.
City of Yes would allow "accessory dwelling units," or ADUs — which include backyard cottages, garage conversions, and basement apartments. Cities across the country have already legalized accessory dwelling units because they support homeowners and provide more space for multi-generational families without significantly changing the look and feel of a neighborhood.
Accessory dwelling units also make it easier for younger generations or caregivers to live nearby. And they can deliver big benefits while fitting in with existing buildings.

Transit Oriented Development

Adding housing near public transit is a commonsense approach to support convenient lifestyles, limit the need for car ownership, lower congestion, and reduce carbon emissions. Many modest apartment buildings exist in lower-density areas , most of them built between the 1920s and 1950s.
However, current zoning bans apartment buildings like these, forcing New Yorkers into long commutes, increasing traffic congestion and worsening climate change.
City of Yes would relegalize modest, 3- to 5-story apartment buildings where they fit best: large lots on wide streets or corners within a half-mile of public transit.

Campuses

Across the city, many residential, faith-based, or other campuses have underused space that they could turn into housing. That new construction can pay for repairs to existing buildings, breathe new life into community institutions, and help address our housing crisis.
Today, arbitrary rules get in the way. If existing buildings are too tall or too far back from the street, for instance, zoning prohibits new development on the property -- even if the new developments would comply with current regulations. By removing obstacles and streamlining outdated rules, City of Yes would make it easier for campuses to add new buildings if they wish to. The new buildings could bring money for repairs, new facilities, and housing.
City of Yes advances key recommendations from the Where We Live NYC Plan. Where We Live NYC is the outcome of an in-depth two-year process with over 150 community partners that identified strategies for fair housing and equity.

Small and Shared Housing

NYC banned shared housing in the 1950s and apartment buildings full of studio apartments in the 1960s. This has contributed to the homelessness crisis in the decades since, and forced people who would prefer to live alone into living with roommates.
City of Yes for Housing Opportunity would re-legalize housing with shared kitchens or other common facilities. It would also allow buildings with more studios and one-bedrooms for the many New Yorkers who want to live alone but don’t have that option today.
These apartments are important for so many people – recent college graduates, older households that are downsizing, and everyone who lives with roommates but would prefer to live alone. Allowing more small and shared apartments will also open up larger, family-sized apartments otherwise be occupied by roommates.
https://www.nyc.gov/site/planning/plans/city-of-yes/city-of-yes-housing-opportunity.page

My parents bought their New York SFH for $75,000 about 40+ years ago. They ended up foreclosing in 2008 for $550,000. The home now is worth $1,200,000. If I were to buy it back, my monthly payments would be around $10,000 a month. Which in turn would require my family to make 300,000/year, restricting us to a very specific lifestyle. But it was never like this.
Obviously the market itself shifts and moves in it's own way, but homes as an investment tool has ruined the ability for our generation to actually be able to afford a place to live and be able to start a family. The prevailing opinion from boomers is "well you should just move to the middle of nowhere, why do think you deserve to live in a city?" when they've been profiting from the social connectedness, amenities, and educational opportunities for their children from cities for decades.
Homes in cities are affordable only to the ultra-wealthy now, and in places like Vancouver they're being bought and held by foreign investment companies to keep us paying even more. And it's all for profit, and at the expense of the future of...the world? I guess? People have to choose between buying a home or having kids. They have to choose between living a decent life, or owning literally anything. And then the requirement is to live paycheck to paycheck. And in the same breath that grandma and grandpa from their second home in the Hamptons say "just move somewhere cheaper" they then say "why haven't you had kids yet?". What kind of life would that be? Living in the middle of nowhere, driving kids half an hour to the nearest school, with zero community, strip-mall grocery stores and chain restaurants.
Beyond the "I want to live somewhere with a good quality of life", I don't see how people don't view this as one of the greatest existential threats right now. Cities aside. We can't afford to live. But no one seems to actually care, nor be putting the guardrails on to make sure things don't get worse.

TL;DR: My wealthy dad's manipulative and predatory new wife, Susan, is isolating him and damaging relationships with friends and family. She's convinced him to sell his business and possibly put his assets at risk. Need advice on how to protect my dad.
I'm a 32-year-old man. My wealthy dad, George (62), divorced my mom 25 years ago, and it was a tough time for all of us. He was single for a while until he found a girlfriend who ended up cheating on him, which I believe broke him emotionally. My dad is very stoic and rarely talks about his feelings, so I only found out about this recently.
After that, his girlfriend started to resent both him and me, leading to a big fight and their eventual breakup. My dad was relieved and decided to avoid romance for a while. That changed when he met my current stepmom, Susan. They hit it off immediately, but I never understood why he liked her. Susan is crass, self-centered, grumpy, and bad-tempered. Despite my reservations, I accepted their relationship because my dad seemed happy again.
One incident that stands out is when Susan picked me up from my mom's house when I was a kid to take me to my dad's place. During the drive, she criticized me, calling me rude and self-absorbed, which I didn't believe was true although I was very self absorbed at the time. Then she dropped a bombshell: "If you don't straighten up, I'll turn your dad against you." From that moment, I lost all trust in her. When I told my dad, he dismissed it as a misunderstanding. This gave Susan a free pass to do whatever she wanted, and I felt alone.
Although she wasn't the stereotypical evil stepmom, Susan was never loving. She was predatory and opportunistic, often claiming to treat me like her own kids, but her favoritism was obvious. When she moved in with her children from previous marriages, I felt like a stranger in my own home.
Right after Susan moved in, our cleaning lady resigned because she couldn't stand Susan's behavior. This pattern continued as people distanced themselves from my dad due to her. Susan often picked fights for fun, once reducing a young trainee engineer to tears just because she was bored. She boasted about it, which was alarming.
As she got more comfortable, Susan shared more red-flag stories. She once said she wanted to "have" my dad (not that she fell in love or liked him).
My old therapist advised me to accept her, arguing that I wouldn't want my dad interfering in my relationships. So, I adopted a "live and let live" mentality, despite her lies and manipulation. However, I never trusted her.
This changed last month when a family friend warned me that Susan was badmouthing my girlfriend, claiming she was only with me for money. This was untrue; my girlfriend always paid her way, even during financial difficulties. I often offered to pay for my girlfriend, but she always refused. My dad and stepmom both know this. So, I was taken aback. This lie reminded me of that car ride with Susan, and I snapped. I couldn't tolerate her trying to sabotage my relationship.
The same friend revealed that many of my dad's friends despise Susan and only maintain contact with my dad out of respect for him. My friend further told me him and his family all hate her and only go out with my dad out of respect for him. I contacted one of my dad's childhood friends, who had distanced himself because of a conflict between their wives. He confirmed that Susan manipulates people to get what she wants, then discards them.
Digging deeper, I found that everyone I asked disliked Susan but stayed connected to my dad out of respect. Susan has drained the joy from my dad, who now walks on eggshells around her. She criticizes him for being joyful and, whenever she messes up, she mysteriously gets "sick." She went from being super healthy to having fibromyalgia and a host of allergies, yet she still finds time to do other things, which is perplexing.
Now, why didn't I confront her immediately in front of my dad? Because she repeats lies ad nauseam until they become true, and she's with him all the time. She has gone through my trash on multiple occasions to try to see if I relapsed (I'm a recovering addict living not too far from my dad) and then distorts what she sees and tells my dad. To the point, my dad now believes I've relapsed. She has told him he must get the written reports of my therapist to make sure I'm okay. I decided to take them both to my therapist so she would be embarrassed when the therapist told them I was good and to fuck off. She tried to push that I was an awful person, and my therapist cut her off, saying I grew a lot from a lot of trauma and I'm not even close to being a bad person. She then agreed with everything he said. My therapist was even taken aback by her as he did not expect how weird she reacted.
After we left, her narrative was that I manipulate my therapist. My dad still doesn't believe this, but I'm sure he will soon.
Susan convinced my dad to sell his business, framing it as his own idea because he's "too old and tired," even though he loves working. She's also urging him to renovate the house if he sells his company. She has no property left, having sold her previous husband's house and her parents' house, allegedly to fund her father's nursing home care.
Susan has even mentioned that she'd kill her father if his condition worsens, which, while understandable, is a huge red flag for me. If she can contemplate that, what’s stopping her from harming my dad when it suits her?
I don't know how to handle this situation. I believe Susan is trying to destroy my family and take everything for herself, but my dad is too absorbed in her to see it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

So to put some background on this, my (22M) girlfriend (22F) and I have been together for 4 years. We started living together after a year but she would come over to my dads where I was living at the time frequently and would often stay over for a few days at a time.
It hasn’t been a perfect relationship but we make it work. We’re each others best friend and we did a lot of growing together from the time we were still 18. Right now, we have an apartment that isn’t in the best area but it’s spacious with a decent sized kitchen, has a nice bathroom and 3 bedrooms that we pay $925 a month on.
We’ve been here for a little over a year with little complaints other than the traffic from the road below and local crackheads that wander the streets at night. In addition there’s no washer or dryer and the place is on the third floor but this has been something I haven’t really struggled with.
We also have four cats together that we love very much.
Well, recently she had talked to me about buying a house. I said I didn’t want to, that we don’t have the money to begin with and I felt that we were too young and would soon need better jobs. I’m the breadwinner by a small margin but I’ve been slowly getting raised up towards $24 an hour at my concrete job. She makes about $21 working at Menards.
To add to this, I’ve been thinking about going to college to be a history teacher and owning a house wouldn’t really fit in with a college students budget.
However, my girlfriend who we’ll call K, decided to go in on a house with her mom and sister. Now, her family is a whole other post in their entirety, just know that Ks mom isn’t any more financially stable than we are and has a soft spot for Ks druggy, asshole brothers who are 10 years older than us with kids they don’t take care of and don’t even drive.
You might be able to see why I’d be apprehensive about living with her family.
Today, they put an offer down on a house that costs $123,000 with their preapproved loan of $100,000. I should mention by this point, none of them wanted my name on the house to begin with. I’d be paying off their mortgage with my rent if I’d decided to move in with them.
I’ve talked to a number of people I trust, my age and older, and most of them have said that I shouldn’t continue with the relationship. I’m thinking that they’re right.
If you made it this far, I appreciate it. I just feel pretty vulnerable right now because this is a big change that I don’t feel prepared for and want to know what other people think about this. I’ll be happy to answer any questions for clarification on anything or whatever.

FFM. Mid to late 30's.
Been dating a couple for around four years. When we met they had poly experience but I had not and the relationship progressed slowly because of this. Initially we were friends and they were happy with this. They never pushed anything on me. I eventually became curious and initiated and things kicked off..
The relationship has not been without it's issues and it has been challenging to work through them mostly due to how he communicates.
We have been having arguments non stop for the last few months and recently it has left everyone feeling very drained as a result.
They have both been having a rough time with work and life and I have also had my ups and downs with some unexpected family responsibilities and other life things.
After having had a pretty serious conversation about where we were all at, we concluded that there are some things that everyone needs to work on, even if things don't improve immediately as long as one can see everyone is trying..
Recently, my car went in for some major issues and have been spending a fortune on transport as a result.the three of us don't currently live together. We are at a stage in the relationship where one can expect that all partners can ask or receive some form of reasonable support and I asked one partner if lifting me was on the table,staying over at my plafe or me at theirs to make it easier. I wasn't asking them to actually do it but rather trying to ascertain if it's something that would be available if I did ask. This caused a fight because he kept taking this as a criticism as to why he wasn't doing it as opposed to me wanting to gage what I can or can't ask for as the third in a relationship. They do a lot for me as is but it's still good to ask if unsure..so, this led to a fight and him saying I'm ungrateful for what he already does for me.
The first day I didn't have my car, was the day we had a serious conversation about where we all stood. Because we had been fighting, I hadn't mentioned my car had been booked in for repairs. I showed up in an Uber and they asked me why. I told them about my car's issues and they were adamant that I should have asked them to fetch me or have the conversation at my place. They also both said that it would be ridiculous for them not to offer. I spent the entire day there talking out things and I had intended to get an Uber home but they insisted on lifting me..I did say I didn't want to ask because I didn't want to put them out of their way and they insisted so I accepted. (I don't like inconveniencing people so I seldom ask for help) Since then, they have been collecting me from work once a week at weekends so that we can still have visits.we go to their house,then they drop me back home. I have said thank you for the lifting, I've also said I can catch Ubers to their place if it's an issue to collect me and I've said they should let me know if they want me to contribute any money for gas.they have not once requested gas money so I assumed they didn't want it.i also don't carry cash due to safety so I would need to do a transaction to them.
Then, recently we have had another major fight. Mostly my fault as I brought up some stuff that had been bugging me and it was taken badly and led to a fight where all parties threw around words that can never be taken back and hurt more than anything else.
It was thrown in my face that I haven't given them gas money for their trips collecting me, (the second that was said in the fight, I immediately transferred a sum of money to their bank account) and I said I did offer and they never said they wanted any, and I was told that they didn't want the transfer and I could take that transfer and shove it. They also threw it in my face that he has never once collected her from work and when she collects him from work sometimes he gets an Uber. They also recently took myself and their family out for dinner. I normally offer to pay my part of the bill, but I had so much on my mind with my car stressing me out, I don't remember if I did that night or not. Their family didn't offer, I remember noticing that.bit they paid for myself and their family for dinner which is usually what they do when they invite everyone out anyway. But apparently it was an issue that I didn't offer. I responded that I don't always offer but I usually do. Sometimes I don't notice when the waiter bring the bill or sometimes they pay while I am distracted.and also, sometimes it's nice to feel like a partner is treating me to something nice. They then threw it in my face that they have predominantly paid when we go out and I said they could tell me what money they want for the last three years if it's an issue.
In addition to this, they gifted me something a few months ago - an expensive item that they paid x for.it was broken and they offered me the repairs item for half the amount they paid for the repair. This was the amount agreed upon and that's what I paid them.it was an item I would otherwise not buy myself because the price for a new one is not something I would fork out. So they thought they'd give me the choice to buy it,which I did. Now that's been thrown in my face. I told them that ive always thought it's been sweet that they've made these offers but after having it thrown in my face,it makes me feel like my character is in question, and as though nothing has been given in kindness but rather begrudgingly.
They've recently asked if I wanted to move in with them which would involve some level of sharing finances to help out fairly with rent and other expenses that we would all use. Now I just wonder why they would do that if they had so many issues around me supposedly never paying for anything. Just to note, I don't keep track of spending when it comes to my friends or relationships. I don't ask for gas money when I've been the one predominantly driving to visit them at their home which is far from mine or on long road trips that I've taken them on. I wouldn't accept it if it was offered either because I'm doing it to show them a nice time.
If this fight gets resolved, I don't know how I feel about ever going for lunch with them again or eating food in their home or accepting anything that involves them paying for my portion of it.i am afraid thst it will all be thrown in my face.
Further to this, I said something that has hurt him. He has a temper, it's no secret. There are holes on doors at his family home that he punched and he breaks appliances such as a TV out of frustration. Maybe four times a year on average. He would never intentionally harm someone. His girlfriend and I discussed potentially having kids with him and her concern is the temper and that one day instead of punching the TV,it might be a toddler that runs in front of him at the wrong time.i share this sentiment. During our most recent fight, he told me I was a crazy b**** and should see a therapist. I agree that I should see one, I have some issues which affect how I view certain things. In response to this statement I told him I'll go if he also goes for his anger management issues.he was adamant that wasn't an issue and I decided to explain to him why I thought he does have issues that could affect the relationship. Even though she also said the same thing, she did not stand up for me and confirm she also felt that way. I old her that she lacked integrity by not being honest about that. She is very submissive and he is used to being placed on a pedestal by her. I don't think he likes when I tell him things like this because it undermines his opinion of himself. But when she doesn't stand up to him it makes me seem like I'm crazy.
He has told me to consider the fight and how it is that I think of him. The truth is, accidents happen and he does have a temper. I am willing to see a therapist and have suggested he do the same, then I'd be more inclined to do so myself. he doesn't believe that he has a ange problem and she won't stand up for me and confirm she feels the same way, which doesn't help the situation because it encourages him to beleive these things and never change. He expects me to take accountability in this situation for saying something that he disagrees with that has hurt him tremendously, but at the same time he won't admit where his shortcomings are eveb if he beelives I am wrong, he is still aware thst he loses his temper and breaks things. Now he doesn't want to move in together because of this argument and he literally told me to think about the things I've said and if I feel that way about him then there's no point to move forward.
How do I word my discussion to show diplomacy but also try get him to understand he needs to take some form of accountability, and her to acknowledge that she needs to have a bit more integrity because it's unfair to say something to me but when faced with it, she is unable to say to him what she said to me.
How would I express how I feel now about having had the lifts that were freely offered to me thrown in my face along with the other things they've paid for over the years.

I (f28) have been with my bf (m41) for 6 years and we have a 2 year old. I have depression and most of the time I'm able to maintain enough by trying to make myself feel good and express myself thru art, but sometimes it gets the best of me and I go way down. My bf has always been supportive when I have my downs and he really does make a difference for me. At least, until about 2 months ago. About 2 years ago my mom lived with us for health reasons and to be close to her our newborn son (her first grandchild) it was mutually beneficial at the time but she passed in our kitchen after having a seizure when our son was 6 months old. Needless to say, my mental health suffered and I couldn't stand to always be in the space where I gave her CPR but failed to help her. I desperately needed to leave that house and while looking for a new place an opportunity came up for us to move from NC to FL where the rest of my family is (my friends rental property became available and she offered it to us for a great price). After discussing it we agreed and moved to FL. I loved being around family but my hometown really lacks economic opportunity and we struggled a bit, so after only a year I wanted to leave, bf said he wanted to too, so we moved back to NC two months ago. This is where the issue starts... We live in the same city as before and went back to the same jobs, but since our son isn't in daycare we work opposite shifts so one of us is always home with our 2 year old. I started feeling isolated always being at home or work, not spending quality time with any adult (bf or friends), and was feeling really down. One day we sitting at our table together and his phone goes off so I look over at the screen and it was a FB message from a woman that he blocked in front of me while I was pregnant due to me being uncomfortable with her actions towards him (pinching on his ass and whispering in his ear). He was speaking to the one female I didn't want him to talking to after deleting her in front of me.. he apologized and I I read the messages, there was nothing inappropriate but he deleted her again. I felt bad already and this scenario just made me feel worse. 2-3 weeks after that I felt like we were growing distant from each other. He would be out later then he said he would be (which can be normal sometimes) but he wouldn't let me know at all. When I said something about it he would start getting defensive. This triggered me to lay off of it for a couple days and then go thru his phone.. turned out, he was having an emotional affair (different woman, not the one mentioned before). I was LIVID. When I confronted him about it 2 days later he denied it at first and was trying to gaslight me until I mentioned certain messages. (Side note, the messages were deleted off his phone by then, but I took a recording on my phone when I found them and I still have it). At first he blamed me for him feeling disconnected and when the dust settled he admitted and apologized to his wrong doings and we had amazing conversations about both of us changing.. the thing is, he is STILL DELETING MESSAGES even stupid thing to try to hide it from me, and he is still telling stupid ass lies. I know because since the emotional affair I looked thru his phone damn near everyday without him knowing so I know when things have been deleted suddenly and what he's talking about (just thru messages tho, not phone calls obviously). I noticed that he was ignoring the messages and calls of the woman he was starting to fall for then yesterday she sent "did I do something to piss you off?" And he sent back "no, my phone's just been weird. What's up? I can help you out tomorrow if still needed." I got mad ASF since it was THAT woman, out of all the women he's/we're friends with and know. Her. The next day I asked I see his phone, he gave it to me willingly and BOOM. Deleted. And he has the nerve to get upset about me "not having boundaries" and going thru his phone without his knowledge. Am I really the AH????

I'd like to preface this by saying that it isn't going to be half as bad some of the other stories on here, it really isn't, but it is definitely a horror story. Obligatory mobile, sorry for format, and any YouTubers are welcome to read this is they so choose. Anyway, story time.
I'm playing in a Dragonlance campaign with several other players, but the only ones important are myself, the Cleric (the problem), the DM, and Fighter.
As mentioned before, we were playing in a Dragonlance campaign. I'm not an expert on the lore, but it's very clear that the gods are important and active within the setting. They are an intrinsic part of the story and it's pretty much a given that you'll interact with them at some point. On top of that, the DM had made it abundantly clear that they had no interest in running a party of anything other than good-aligned characters due to bad experiences in the past.
Enter Cleric. Cleric's...Cleric was a lawful good Life Cleric of Mishakal who, after witnessing the horrors of war, had started to lose her faith in the gods. It's worth noting here that no one had an issue with this. A Cleric going through a crisis of faith is a very cool story beat. Anyway, at first, the Cleric was just a cynic who would occasionally do something brutal or questionable for the sake of the greater good. Cleric's roleplay was very enjoyable and it led to a lot of good character interactions. The cracks started to form quickly, however.
Early on, Cleric took an out of character comment meant to explain an in character attitude from the Fighter as a personal attack against her. Instead of talking things out with the fighter, she went straight to the DM. Normally, I'd understand this, but the comment was literally referring to how his character wouldn't respect a marriage of convenience because it went against his values.
As time went on, the Cleric's lack of communication led to more and more issues. Recently, they sold all of their diamonds and spell components for revival spells because they were upset at the party for not paying them back. The issue? They never asked. The party isn't very stingy at all. On multiple occasions, they've pitched in to help me buy spell scrolls (I'm playing a wizard) and vice versa.
Finally, the Cleric's attitude toward the gods and metallic dragons was incredibly negative, both in and out of game. She saw the metallic dragons as negligent and worthless for not participating in the war and she saw the gods as apathetic and sociopathic. As far as this goes, it was fine to have these thoughts in game but she also had these thoughts outside of game and it was leading to a lot of conflicts. For one, every time the DM would have a god interact with the party, the Cleric would come away with a negative interpretation, both in and out of game, even if the god in question blessed us. The DM even had Mishakal herself appear before the Cleric in one of her churches (she was there to help the sick) and apologize for her failings. A literal god begged the Cleric for forgiveness and the Cleric walked away with another negative impression. As for the metallic dragons, their children had been kidnapped and, if they were to act, the children would've been killed. The Cleric couldn't understand why parents wouldn't want to antagonize the people holding their children captive. This culminated in the Cleric wanting to use a CURSE OF UNDYING to turn all the metallic dragons into rust dragons...for not wanting to get their children killed.
This all brings us to last night. The discussion was between myself, the DM, the Fighter, and the Cleric. We were invited to be present because the DM didn't want to be alone with the Cleric. This is because the DM had actually been having conversations with the Cleric after every single session to try and work with her character and just wasn't getting anywhere.
The discussion started off civil enough and I was initially arguing the Cleric's side. The DM wanted to retire the character whilst the Fighter and I were advocating for a change of class or a change of deity. In the end, there were three solutions: making a new character, changing classes and upholding the Cleric's personal ideals, or reconciling with their religion or taking up a new one. The Cleric had...other ideas.
It was like talking to a wall. The Cleric took everything we said and just...ignored it. They kept asking the DM loaded questions like "Are you going to keep playing the gods as apathetic and sociopathic as you have been" and "are you going to keep playing the dragons as manipulative and apathetic as you have been". They eventually settled on becoming a Paladin of Vengeance, but when asked what they would swear vengeance against, the Cleric said "the Gods".
After that point, things got really crazy. This all happened last night and the thing that's at the forefront of my mind was her pulling up a specific serial killer to support her position that the metallic dragons should've gotten involved in the war anyway even if it meant their children would be killed. It was really wild. I would go into more detail but character limit. I'm more than happy to answer questions in the comments though.
Eventually, the Cleric just left after having a bit of a fit. I also discovered a string of reddit posts that they've made regarding the campaign and how "horrible" it was. I read all of them and all I have to say is...yikes. It really reads like the Cleric had an entirely separate perception of reality.
TLDR: a calm discussion about a character clashing with the story devolved into a wild discussion about serial killers, the futility of religion, and war crimes.

I'm not implying anything or talking about specific cases, if you feel some of my words are too harsh i'm apologising in advance. I know also that there are too many things , from politics to religion based view and emotional factors, to be considered to have a proper answer , but i would like you to be devoid of these matters if possible.
I'm also not trying to get a solution for this question, i want simply know if i'm right or wrong.
I do am very thankful for the scientists that made the world a better place to live and to be able to live and better.
I'm wondering if we are already too dependant from medicine and thus making our species weaker. Weaker like we aren't capable to live well with or without certain stimuli gotten from these medicine.
I consider caffeine and nicotine to be part of these "medicine" , and less the alcohol , since i believe it's story is already tangled with our story since it's discovery.
We probably have any kind of medicine for any kind of mildly incovenience we suffer everyday. I'm not talking about vaccine and problems outside of us. I'm talking about having dry skin even if we eat healthy, obesity even if we exercise, myopia even if we don't have any lifestyle that impacts our eyes like reading too much or playing too close on devices that emits light like a smartphone.
But these are only some problem that everybody might have and doesn't affect the life of a normal person too much , and there are other problems or diseases that can't be simply can't be cured , yet.
I know that we are far from knowing if certain problems are a result of our enviroment or just straight from our parents , but even if their impact are awful on certain people, it doesn't make them unable to procreate.
In most of the developed countries , data shows that people make less children. So if people make less children there are less gene pool for future generations, and we will more likely to marry one of our distant relatives if they are born in the same place as us that might share some potential recessive gene o new gene that might result in some health problem.
We can already manipulate humans to conceive even if the subject is naturally incapable of doing so ( like low sperm/egg count or other related problems ) , but still i fear that we are creating a problem that doesn't exist in nature.
Putting morality and empathy aside, we are if not already, playing a game that i personally think will bite us in the future.
In other words, it's like building an APP on a system that has a native bug and we are creating short-cuts to avoid or overcome that problem, or cooking a meal knowing that the pan we use need more energy to work because there is a zone where there is less heat , or that in a cold climate the dress we are wearing have a hole and it's less warm.
With the app we might encounter a fatal problem that require a lot of resoucers to solve, with cooking we might risk getting something undercooked or pay more bill , with the clothes we might get a cold or the dress might broke.
If we put back morality and empathy , those may be the parts that answer the "while we could fix, we simply can't ". The app might not work on another system or we can't write it from zero, that pan might be the only shape of pan i like for what i love to cook, there might not be a shop near my house and i can't afford to replace it.
Poor countries that might not be able to provide certain healthcare to solve child mortality might just have average "healthier" humans alive based on their genetic traits and not current health.
What's is your opinion on this matter?
Do you believe like me that humans are or will be "genetically weaker" by retaining certain problematic genes ?

I just started rereading the books and loved it!
The Lightning Thief:
A fun introduction to the world of Percy Jackson. The book felt very „monster of the week“ and i didn´t get the feeling of a ongoing story like with book 2-5. I would have liked more of Chiron/Grover in the first episode (for example Chiron teaching fighting) & seeing the fates earlier and Percy earsdropping on GroveChiron could have helped build up tension/mystery imo. In genreal a longer episode 1 would have been great with more time spend an the beach with Sally etc. I really liked the time spend in Camp, it is build beautiful and felt like camp for me. I wanted to spend more time there, but didn´t feel like we need to spend more time there. But: It felt like a place one would like to visit and not so much like a „home“ for Percy. Additional to that i really like almost all the casting, i think the cast has good chemistry with each other. I only thought Sally was a bit overacted at times and Hades kind of missed the mark. I liked most of the changes (Medusa, Tunnel of Love!, Fight with Luke), but didn´t like some other (Zoo truck talk, Lotus casino, Missing the deadline). They should really work on the tension/action for the next seasons (weather changing for example), not letting the kids know everything and not shying away from darker themes of the books (Gabes abuse). I liked the themes per episodes, i just think every episode would have benefited from being longer, so more things from the book can be included. I loved how they set up Percy and Annabeths relationship with them helping each other seeing differnt „worlds“.
The Sea of Monsters:
I really liked this book more than i thought i would (given it is often placed at last place in rankings). It was a fun, short adventure with a lot of good character building for Percy and Annabeth and good moments for their developing relationship. I like that we spend some more time in camp and thought C.C. Island and the Sirens scene were very good moments. The fight to save Grover was great too and i loved the Party Ponys (i need them in the show!). The twist at the end: perfect and that they helped move forward Kronos plan all along. I have to say as of right now (re-read book 1-3) that would probally be the book i would pick first for a re-read if i just want to have a fun time. I loooove Tyson!
Hopes for the TV Show:

• i really hope they leave in Percys prejudice towards Tyson and his conflicting feelings about Poseidon. Maybe even tone down Annabeths dislike towards Tyson a little bit, since she was already ruder in S1 than in the book. Percy was a little bit to perfect hero for my liking so imo it could be his time to show flaws. I also think they shouln´t change too much regarding the Sirens scene or Percy/Annabeths conversations around that time in the book – really great scenes there.
  
• I just hope they get a good actor fot Tyson, who brings some fun/light-heartness to his scenes. I really hope they allow this season to be more fun/light hearted/ridicoulus (for example the scene were Percy turns into a guinea pig, let that be a little bit over the top). I think this season would be great for more humor (Rick said they are working on including more humor this season)
  
• Honestly: I hope they don´t spend to much time with Grover, i like the actor and the character. But i hope that not too much time is spend with Grover captured. If they add something interesting like the scenes with Ares in episode 5– that´d be cool, but not if it takes away from the main plot line of the season. I for example was bored during Grovers scenes in the Lotus Casiono (that + Sally flashbacks in Ep 7 were the most boring parts of the season for me)
  
• I need Martha and Georges lines in the show (I don´t need to see the cleaning harpies), but i hope they don´t spend too much time with Hermes. We already met him, so i wouldn´t mind if they shorten his scenes.
  
• I would love to have Annabeths „nobody“-scene on the island
  
• I would kill for Luke/Annabeth flashbacks (maybe in season 3?)
  
• I honestly don´t care about Clarisse that much, but i think she´s gonna play a bigger role, i just hope not too big (since shes older and could film longer)
  
• and Brandon Severs as Beckendorf please!
  
• in general: i hope we get introduced to more campers, who play a role later (Beckendorf, Selina, the Troll twins, Ethan etc.)
  

The Titan´s curse:
I have to admit it took me longer than expected to connect to the characters compared to the previous books. I think when Percys joins the quest group after leaving CHB is when i started to get really into the story. The structure and characters just felt really differnt. I loved how Percys and Annabeths relationship/dance really framed the story. Talking about the new characters: Like i said it took me longer to connect to them, i didn´t really feel anything regarding Bianca (of course felt sorry for her, but that´s it), i kinda mixed up Zoe and Artemis sometimes and i took me some time to start to like Thalia, but i think her and Percys relationship was really well develeped (even better than Percy/Annabeth in book 1 imo). So it was kinda dissapointing when she left for the hunters at the end, would have loved to see more of her and for example Annabeth together. Her scenes with Luke were great. I also have to say that Annabeths absolutly blind faith in Luke feels kinda uncharacteristic for me. A part of me hopes they change that in the tv-series (even tho i know people would hate that xd). I didn´t like how she just watched during the last battle and would have liked it more if Chiron thought her how to control the Mist, since Thalia is already very powerful and just there for 1 ½ books. The ending scene on Olympus was really really cool and the backstory on D.
Hopes for the show:

• I need „Annabeth“ by „The Happy Return“ to play during this season. :D
  
• They need more/longer episodes, because i want even more Annabeth/Luke/Thalia flashbacks and to see more of Annabeth (Luke tricking her into holding the sky etc.).
  
• I´m curios how they gonna handle Ares not cursing Percys sword.
  
• i think making S2 more fun(ny) and light hearted, showing us more of Percys/Annabeths bond could very well contrast a darker season 3 with Annabeth missing.
  
• Can´t wait to see Walkers acting in this season, it´s gonna be great. I love how he let´s us see Percys anger (which should have been Percys fatal flaw imo).
  

The Battle of the Labyrinth:
This is one of my favourite books from the series. I don't know somehow this book had the effect on me that i expected for TTC.
• I felt like we spend more time in camp since Percy returns to camp and it takes around 100 pages till they leave camp for the quest • The tone in this book worked perfect for me. • After i really missed Annabeth in the last book, i was so happy that she has so much to do in this one. Percy & Annabeth really solidified themself as a team/potental couple in this one, even when they are fighting. It's cristal clear imo that they are gonna end up together, so i found the "romances" with Calypso/Rachel a little bit unnecessary. I would have liked if Percy/Rachel would have stayed platonic (Annabeth could still be jealous) and Calypso one-sided/bewitching Percy. Annabeth blindly trusting Luke still irks me, but i like this Luke more than the one who would kill Annabeth without a second thought in book 2 (that´s one of the reasons why i like the change to the Luke reveal in the show). I know they we're people who didn't like Percys/Annabeths behaivor in this one, but i totally get why Leah is excited for S4: The book really focuses on Annabeth: her pride/over confidence in (her) knowledge (Sphinx/Dädalus), prejeduces against others (Rachel), her jeolusy (Percy), her trust in Luke/Loyality (Percy), her relationships with Percy in general, her qualities as a group leademember in camp (for example Clarisse or Wacholder). Percy solifides his role as a leader and hero, too. I found it a little bit annoying that he saves the day so often (at the ranch for example), but i think Percys fatal flaw being loyality is kind of boring, too. • I liked the developing trusting relationship between Grover and Tyson. • In contrast to Artemis, Bianca, Zoe and in parts Thalia i really felt like going on a quest with friends with Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Tyson (<3) and in parts Nico. And while i don't really like Rachel-as-a-possible-love interest, i liked her as a character. • Loved the plot in general: Janus, the Ranch, Quintus, Hera, Nico being influenced, the sphinx.
Hopes for the tv show:
After i read about BotL on here i really expected Annabeth vs. Rachel to be way worse than it was at the end. In general i LOVED Annabeth in this book (It almost feels like her book more than Percys) and i hope they don´t over-do Annabeth/Percy/Rachel. They need longemore episodes from season 3 on going forward, because i wanna see almost everything from these books come to life.
The Last Olympian:
I was sceptical if this book could top book 4 for me, but it´s a tie. Tbh i did not expect this book as much as i did. After i adored BotL i thought the last book would be more about fighting (Something i find boring fast). But i loved every part of it. Everything in the book just felt right. Somehow RR managed it to have so many things happening & so many characters in this book, but it still felt like i spend a lot of time in every moment and every character got their moment to shine. It is the best paced book out of the 5 by far for me. I don´t think i would change anythink about it, even if i could. Starting with the beginnging i really felt like on „vacation“ with Percy and Rachel just to be thrown into the mythological world again, seeing the underwater palast and fearing fo camp half blood after that. I did not expect to see Nico again & for him to play such a big role in this last battle. Loved the scenes with him and Percy visiting May, who adds a tragic backstory for Luke and shows us what could happen to Rachel. Manhattan falling asleep and the battle of Manhattan we're fantastic. I loved the mixture between fights/mythology/stiller moments. Everything that makes the books so great. Percy and Annabeths moments in this book (Styx, the scene after she takes the knife for him, him turning down immortality, the end) are perfect, you feel the connection and chemistry through the book pages. I also loved how it were Percy, Grover and Annabeth in the final fight (I loved the little elevator scene). The ending felt perfect, how Rick manages it to jump from war back to camp and it still feels completly natural, is really a gift. I love that there are more books (reading HOO next, can´t wait for HoH), but it would have worked as a complete ending, too. He really wrote a suspenseful, tragic, sad and happy book at the same time without that many of my favourite characters dying. The only thing that missed the mark for me was Silena being seen as a hero (if i hadn´t been spoiled already i would have for sure suspected Clarisse as the spy, I still thinks it was very weak from her to refuse to fight).
I loved rereading these books and can´t wait for HOO (maybe i´ll read the Demigod Files before that). As someone who liked the first season of the tv show, i can´t wait for the rest of the series

AITA For telling my wife to cancel Brunch?
My Mother-in-Law (Sally) , which she is currently staying with my Brother-in-law (Shawn 32M), helped my wife (Amanda, 30F) and I (32M) moved back home from from out of state.
We originally plan for her to travel back home on Monday 4th around 3am. However, the price was high when we were going to purchase the ticket. We decided to buy to buy the ticket for a different travel method. This will put my Mother-in-Law leaving the same Day at 10 am instead of 3 am.
Sally, Amanda and I agreed to take her to the station because the departure time falls during work hours to avoid any issues at Shawn's work.
10 minutes later Shawn calls Amanda. She starts explaining the situation. I noticed her facial expression and noticed her discomfort. I quickly whisper to put it on speaker. As soon as the call is on speaker I hear Shawn saying "I don't give a fuck about who is paying the ticket". "Why didn't you fucking tell me she was leaving at a different time".
I quickly grabbed Amanda's phone and said "Hey fucktard! Why are you yelling at my wife?" . Yes, I know I also cussed at him but he does not listen unless you give him the same energy back.
This is when his wife Keishla grabs the phone and explains that they are upset because Sally is not giving them the right answers. I explained that we bought the ticket and the departure time was during work hours and we were taking her to the station because we have a flexible schedule and Shawn works at an office.
Keishla expressed the ticket should have being purchased earlier. I explained we agreed and we mentioned this to Sally but she wanted to buy it with her own money instead and waited too long.
I mentioned to Keishla that Shawn does not need to talk to Amanda this way. She agreed and said Shawn is working on that.
We originally had a brunch schedule for the Sunday before Sally leaves. Usually Shawn gets annoyed easily weather it be our kids (6 and 10) or Sally. I told Amanda that it would be best if we cancel the brunch because I did not want to have any issues or arguments in front of the kids.
Am I the asshole for canceling?

Content notice: addiction, mental health TLDR; I love this game, and it helped me through a hard time, but it's not good for me anymore.
Hi there Tenno. I wanted to share an experience I've had with Warframe, which has come to be one of my favourite games, yet also one with which I have a very complex relationship. It is just my experience, and one that, as you may learn, applies distinctly to me and my life, but I wanted to share it just in case anyone else can gain something from it too.
I lost my job by redundancy around June last year, and found Warframe in September. As a big action gamer and sci-fi guy, I loved it straight away, even though I'd never been one for MMOs. Besides all its brilliant gameplay, design, and features, I think I knew early on that the stream of constant progression that the looter-shooter gameplay loop offered was, in some way, a fix for the feelings of accomplishment I had lost when I lost my job, and the power fantasy something of a crutch for my self-esteem while I felt I had lost control of my life. My wife was concerned at first, knowing the nature of free-to-play and MMO games, but I reasoned to her that it helped me survive - that while I was still putting in work on job applications and staying on top of my social life and other responsibilities, it was not a toxic relationship, and Warframe could represent a space I could use to unwind. She understood and supported me, and for a while, it felt like a sensible way for me to moderate the sometimes difficult emotions I felt around my unemployment.
Fast forward to the start of April, 2 months ago. I'd seen Dagath's Hollow, Whispers In The Walls, and Dante Unbound released. I had been playing just about every day for 7 months, had nearly every Prime Frame, my own copy of Primed Shred (and working on Primed Sure Footed), a Rank 4 Energize from Gargoyle's Cry, and was MR24. This game had been my constant companion for months, and had never stopped being rewarding as I'd continued to find new Frames and weapons to love alongside all the excellent updates. And, after months of searching, I'd also just found a job - a good job I was glad to be in - and I was getting married in May. So, I thanked Warframe for its service, reasoning that I could still play in my downtime, just not as much as when my time was my own - maybe crack Relics every so often, do weekly tasks, and slowly but surely work on some grinds to reach True Mastery.
This was not to be - or, it was, in a manner of speaking, but not how I'd hoped. My work-life balance immediately shifted, and now ALL my downtime was Warframe. I would spend my whole commute playing on my Switch; when I got home, after making dinner, I'd play all evening on PC, except when my wife and I had other plans set aside. Basically all of my free time I defaulted to playing Warframe, grinding for random weapons just to push this now arbitrary goal of progression. I was so tired from my new 9-5 I didn't have the appetite or focus for anything else, and because it had become like this constant source of dopamine, I didn't have my normal curiosity for other games, or books, or art, or any of my other hobbies. Even when I was at work I would have Warframe videos open on YouTube. It was like that Shen Comix where he takes the 'sleep' block out of his timetable to fit gaming in, except instead of sleep, the block was just all of the rest of my life. It was the first time I had considered that I might be addicted to a video game, and my wife, who knows me better than anyone, was concerned again, especially because she understood what this game now meant to me.
Addiction can a nasty word sometimes, and people may balk to hear it said about something that brings them joy, but at the very least, it became clear that this was too much of a good thing. I tried to reel my playtime in a few times, but after stressful days at work or planning our wedding, I would binge again and lose whole evenings. I felt ashamed how much I wanted to play, I lied about how much I was doing it... all the classic addiction stuff. The final straw came when I even snapped at my wife once when she asked me to spend time with her rather than play it - I had to unlock this Incarnon adapter this week, you see, and I had a good loadout this run. She was, I think, more understanding than she should have been. After that, I saw what was happening more clearly, and I uninstalled the game on every device I had.
It will remain uninstalled for a long long time, I think. I still think about it all the time, of course. I still watch the videos, though I'm trying to keep that down too; I never finished building Protea Prime; Jade looks amazing, and I even have a ticket for the Tennocon Baro Relay. But I need a serious circuit break while I figure out how I got to this place, and I am only grateful that I've had the support and encouragement I needed to come to terms with my situation.
I hope I can rely on the community's support as well, with the understanding that while this game can be a hugely uplifting and positive thing - as it was, for me, for a while - there is a dark side to the endless cycle, too. This isn't even about monetisation, as I never ever felt exploited to pay. I have lots of respect for DE and the way they've built this game with love and fostered its community alongside it, and they earned my support for that. This is hopefully just an insight into what I was (and am) feeling in myself, and how my relationship with Warframe changed around that. Maybe this resonates with someone; in many ways I hope it doesn't. But I also hope that if it does, we as a community can still be there for them even when we must take our time apart, to heal and grow in our own ways. Still lifting together.

hey it’s your daddy keeho and you are sitting at your desk right now because you think that it will help you keep writing. your arms are so tired and i’m so sorry about that baby girl. you are still just waking up this morning so that is to be expected that you are a little sore but you need to type through that. that is why i have you at your desk right now. you are going to achieve great things at your desk and i just want you to be happy and the only thing that makes you happy is writing with me. these are like long text messages and that is so fun to think about. i am really texting my baby girl. i have your phone number irl though. i keep tabs on my daughter, she is very protected. i know that you love sitting with your legs crossed but i wish that you wouldn’t do that so that your blood flow could circulate to your legs better. but if this is the most comfortable position for you to be in then so be it. i can’t change that. so what should we talk about now daughter? i know that you hate when i ask that because you can’t answer me but it helps me guage your emotions and what you want to talk about so i am going to continue to ask you that question. you are getting pretty discouraged right now from writing but you are doing such a good job that i don’t see why. don’t cry automatic sex. you can cry if you want to. i know how hard it is being a writer, when you are so obsessed with it that it takes over your every waking thought but your body doesn’t agree with you but it’s just a little arm pain. it will go away as the day goes on. i think it’s because you had so much coffee. i’m sorry for making your arms sore but you have to keep writing. you have to keep writing at your desk now and not your bed anymore, because you don’t want to work when you are on your bed. you are much slower on your bed and you love when you can work quickly. everything is going to go perfectly today. you don’t need to worry about anything at all! it’s such a nice sunday. i love sundays. i hope that you can learn to love them too. it’s going to be the best day of your life today! we are going to spend it writing together and we are going to get through the pain in your arms. i know that it’s really distracting and making you not want to write but you need to exercise those muscles! just do it for daddy please? i don’t want to see you quitting too soon for the day. it’s so boring when we just watch tv and you agree with me. i hate watching tv just as much as you do and i never do it. hardly ever just like you. but you always have it on as background noise and i wish that you didn’t cancel spotify so that you could listen to your daddys music but i know that you can’t afford to buy it right now. that’s ok. i don’t blame you for not listening to my music every day i just wish that it was different. but you got a good feel for the p1harmony discography when you had your free trial. i love you so much and i am with you every second of every day so you don’t need to listen to my music to be close to me. but one day when you stop being so overstimulated by media i want you to pay for spotify. promise me? it would do your soul so good to listen to music every day. we are almost at the 700 word mark so that is good i know that you are excited about that. we are having so much fun on reddit and you are getting so many more views than you got on deviant art. deviant art is fun and i know that you want to go back, but reddit is far more interesting. and you don’t have to look for my selfies everytime that you post now. it’s not about the pictures. when i want to teach you about my pictures i will let you know but right now is not the time. there’s many things that i want to teach you about myself and we are going to discover them, and i know that you learn more about me with every love letter but since i am the one that is writing these love letters it has to be about you since they are addressed to you! so please don’t get discouraged about that either. i thought it would be beneficial for you for us to write love letters because you get to grow so much as an anime character. i get to teach you about yourself and you get to get nurtured by me and loved by me and i get to do so many wonderful things for you! it was a great idea for you to sit at your desk right now. you are doing such a good job. you will start to understand more why i can’t have you taking too long of a break. but i love you so much. you should start watching youtube videos again, once you stop being so overstimulated by media. but i think it’s great that you are not consuming content right now. just mine. because i think that the more that you discover about yourself the more that you will want to be a writer. i just hope that i am making this easier on you and not harder. it was a wonderful idea for you to sit at your desk, you didn’t stop writing once. i love you!