Gm Frens!
Today, let’s review the latest updates from the Prom ecosystem expansion! Prom is continuously expanding with innovative partnerships and projects, each contributing to the growth and development of Prom community.
Let’s explore the latest additions and see how they are enhancing the Prom ecosystem.
Prom has announced several new partnerships that are set to revolutionize various aspects of the Web3 and DeFi landscapes. These collaborations are supporting the Prom's commitment to innovation with a step forward in creating a more integrated and efficient ecosystem for all its users.
What is Prom?
For those new to Prom, here’s a brief overview:
Prom is a cutting-edge ZK-EVM Layer2 solution focused on improving scalability, privacy, and interoperability within the Web3 and DeFi ecosystems. Prom's mission is to advance blockchain technology by providing robust and secure solutions that cater to the needs of developers, users, and enterprises alike. Prom’s dedication to security and innovation will make it positioned as a leader in the ZK based blockchain space.
Recent Partners and Their Contributions:
Let’s review the latest partners of the Prom Ecosystem.
Lillius
Lillius is a Web3 sports challenge platform.
Lillius leverages blockchain and AI to provide personalized fitness routines, real-time feedback, and content from over 70 sports stars and influencers. Their precise motion recognition technology and reward system make fitness engaging and effective, motivating users to achieve their fitness goals.
Nada Protocol
Nada Protocol is a blockchain-based game ecosystem.
Nada Protocol offers next-gen mobile games powered by Play-to-Earn,P2E, and diverse mechanics. It caters to both casual game fans and seasoned Web3 players, providing a comprehensive and engaging gaming experience that seamlessly integrates with the Prom ecosystem.
Abelian
Abelian is a quantum-resistant blockchain infrastructure.
Abelian uses post-quantum cryptographic algorithms to ensure security against quantum computing threats. This enhances privacy and regulatory compliance within the blockchain ecosystem, making it a vital player in the evolution of decentralized finance.
Fandom
Fandom is the first Fan-Fi project within the Prom ecosystem.
Fandom leverages NFTs and fan tokens to connect communities with artists, enriching the fan experience and artist engagement. Fandom Studio, a core component of this integration, empowers content creators and global artists with Web3 tools, revolutionizing the entertainment content industry.
BubbleFong
BubbleFong is a blockchain-based gaming platform.
BubbleFong offers engaging and interactive games, combining blockchain technology with popular gaming elements to attract a wide audience. This enhances the gaming experience and introduces new ways to engage with digital entertainment.
Nirvana
Nirvana is a DeFi project within the Prom ecosystem.
Nirvana provides innovative financial solutions and tools aimed at improving liquidity management. It offers users advanced DeFi services and opportunities for growth within the decentralized finance landscape, contributing to the overall robustness of the Prom ecosystem.
BITLiquidity
BITLiquidity is a decentralized finance platform.
BITLiquidity focuses on providing liquidity solutions, enhancing trading experiences, and offering robust financial tools to users within the Prom ecosystem. This partnership strengthens the financial infrastructure of Prom, ensuring efficient and secure transactions.
DeChat
DeChat is a decentralized messaging platform.
DeChat ensures secure and private communication using blockchain technology, offering users a safe and decentralized way to connect and interact. This integration enhances the privacy and security of user communications within the Prom ecosystem.
HypeBoy
HypeBoy is a social engagement platform.
HypeBoy leverages blockchain to enhance social interactions, providing innovative tools for community building, content sharing, and engagement. This fosters a more vibrant and connected Prom community.
Arpa
Arpa is a privacy-preserving computation network.
Arpa uses secure multi-party computation (MPC) to ensure data privacy and security, offering advanced privacy solutions within the Prom ecosystem. This integration strengthens Prom’s commitment to data protection and privacy.
Art de Finance
Art de Finance is a decentralized finance platform focused on the art market.
Art de Finance combines DeFi and art to offer innovative financial products and services, supporting artists and collectors in the digital art space. This partnership brings a new dimension to the Prom ecosystem, merging finance with creativity.
MVL
MVL is a Web3 mobility ecosystem.
MVL integrates mobility services like TADA and ONiON Mobility with blockchain technology, focusing on decentralized databases and real-world asset tokenization to enhance the mobility sector. This partnership enriches the Prom ecosystem with cutting-edge mobility solutions.
Covenant Child
Covenant Child is a blockchain-based gaming project.
Covenant Child offers unique gaming experiences by combining blockchain technology with immersive gameplay. This provides users with engaging and interactive gaming opportunities, further diversifying the entertainment options within the Prom ecosystem.
Galaxis
Galaxis is a decentralized finance and blockchain infrastructure platform.
Galaxis provides comprehensive DeFi solutions and infrastructure tools, supporting the growth and development of decentralized applications and services within the Prom ecosystem. This partnership enhances the technical foundation of Prom, promoting innovation and scalability.
The integration of these diverse and innovative partners brings numerous benefits to the Prom ecosystem:
- Innovation: Each partner introduces unique innovations, enhancing the overall ecosystem with cutting-edge technologies and solutions.
- User Engagement: Increased engagement through diverse and interactive projects, providing more opportunities for users to participate and benefit.
- Scalability: Improved scalability and security with advanced technologies, ensuring a robust and efficient ecosystem.
- Community Growth: Strengthened community through new opportunities for collaboration and interaction, fostering a more connected and vibrant ecosystem.
The future looks bright for the Prom ecosystem with these new partnerships:

• Continued growth and innovation within the Prom ecosystem, driven by cutting-edge technologies and collaborative efforts.
  
• Focus on enhancing user experience, security, and scalability to meet the evolving needs of the community.
  
• Anticipate more groundbreaking partnerships and projects, further solidifying Prom's position as a leader in the Web3 and DeFi spaces.
  

The recent additions to the Prom ecosystem signify a major step forward in Prom’s mission to innovate and improve the Web3 and DeFi landscapes. These partnerships bring new technologies, solutions, and opportunities that benefit the entire Prom community.

Hey all - I’m a personal finance content creator and would like to make a budgeting application for my audience.
I initially was drawn to bubble because they seem to have easy connection to the plaid api, but I’ve been a bit worried about some of the stuff I’ve been hearing about bubble.
The most important things to me to start are a popular bank API (like plaid) and the ability to make aesthetic visualizations and graphs.
The next most important things would be a mobile application, but I’m fine doing a web app first. Bubble worries me about this part, but I’m hopeful-ish with their announcement for native mobile apps soon.
Any input as to whether bubble would be a good platform for this or if there is another that would be a better natural fit? Thanks in advance for any help

I’ve been searching far and wide for my other half and maybe they’re here on Reddit, I’m giving it a shot to find someone special. I’ll listen to your worries and happy moments when you need an ear and I’ll always be there when you need some cheering up. As far as interest goes, I’m into fashion(mostly thrifting) playing games like rpg and fighting games, working out and especially going out for runs, and lastly listening to music. I’m a huge listener to music and I honestly can’t be at my best unless I listen to some tunes. Some of my favorite artist include Frank Ocean, Tyler the Creator, Car seat Headrest, Deb Never, Aespa, Bubble Tea and Cigarettes, and Madison Beer. Physically I’m 5”8 with black hair in a middle part that is medium length, on the slimmer side, and Mexican I have other interest but I’ll save those for when we get to know one another.
What I’m looking for: My type is more leaning towards feminine guys, femboys I guess, but if you like my post then feel free to send a dm, maybe we can click and find something special. Don’t mind an online/long distance relationship.

93
I read this pages rules for about five seconds and didn’t see anything about double posting.
Truth is I made (compiled) this a bit ago and don’t have anyone else personally to benefit from it so I’d love to share it through here.
It can be said after Resh, as a meditation subject, which effectively reproduces the specific energy of the sun in the sign at the time of said Adoration.
(For Example at Midnight for Gemini, the verse is
“O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou forked tongue of the purple-throated thunder? O Thou silver sword of lightning! Thou who rippest out the fire-bolt from the storm-cloud, as a sorcerer teareth the heart from a black kid! O how can I possess Thee as the dome of the skies, so that I may fix the keystone of my reason in the arch of Thy forehead?”
This is the passage taken from Gemini of Pisces section. Further harmonizing the energy of Resh.
I hope this doesn’t take up too much space. If a moderator knows how to hide the text to expand please feel free.
93/93
Ps also curious if anyone has other ways they’ve adapted treasure house of images, as it’s extremely potent prose with a wide range of uses.
Maat ——
♈️
Aries 6am: O Thou snow-clad volcan of scarlet fire, Thou flamecrested pillar of fury! Yea, as I approach Thee, Thou departest from me like unto a wisp of smoke blown forth from the window of my house.
Cancer Noon: O Thou Sovran Lord of primaeval Baresarkers, who huntest with dawn the dappled deer of twilight, and whose engines of war are blood-crested comets. I know Thee! O Thou flame-crowned Self-luminous One, the lash of whose whip gathered the ancient worlds, and looseth the blood from the virgin clouds of heaven.
Libra 6pm: O Thou effulgence of burning love, who pursueth the dawn as a youth pursueth a rose-lipped maiden; rend me with the fierce kisses of Thy mouth, so that in the battle of our lips I may be drenched by the snow-pure fountains of Thy bliss.
Capricorn Midnight: O my God, suckle me with truth and be merciful unto me, as I humble myself before Thee; for all my agony of anguish is but as a quail struggling in the jaws of an hungry wolf.
♉️
Taurus 6am: O my God, Thou mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I renounce unto Thee the kisses of my mistress, and the murmur of her mouth, and all the trembling of her firm young breast; so that I may be rolled a flame in Thy fiery embrace, and be consumed in the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
Leo Noon: O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in the countenance of my darling: Thou hast unclothed her of white lilies and crimson roses, so that she may blush forth the Glory of Thy Name.
Scorpio 6pm: O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art neither the golden bull of the heavens; nor the crimsoned fountain of the lusts of men: O Thou who reclinest not upon the Waggon of Night; nor restest Thine hand upon the handle of the Plough! I deny Thee by the powers of mine understanding; Urge me in the unity of Thy might, and drench me with the red vintage of Thine all-pervading Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the fullness of Thy Not-Being.
Aquarius Midnight [2am]: O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all my labours are as weary oxen laggard and sore stricken with the goad, ploughing black furrows across the white fields of light. Yet in the scrawling trail of their slow toil do I descry the golden harvest of Thine effulgence.
♊️
Gemini 6am: O Thou Consuming Eye of everlasting light set as a pearl betwixt the lids of Night and Day; I swear to Thee by the formless void of the Abyss, to lap the galaxies of night in darkness, and blow the meteors like bubbles into the frothing jaws of the sun.
Virgo Noon: O Thou mighty God, make me as a black eunuch of song that is twin-voiced, yet dumb in either tongue; I beseech Thee, O Thou great God! That I may hush my melody in Thy Silence, and swell into the sweet ecstasy of Thy Song: O Thou God, my God!
Sagittarius 6pm: Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou unimperilled flight of joyous laughter; Thou eunuch glaive-armed before joy's veil; Thou dreadful insatiable One: Yea, I rejoice in Thee, Thou lofty gathering-point of Bliss; O Thou bridal-bed of murmuring rapture! I rejoice, yea, I shout with gladness! till I tangle the black tresses of the storm, and lash the tempest into a green foam of twining basilisks, in the Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.
Pisces Midnight: O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou forked tongue of the purple-throated thunder? O Thou silver sword of lightning! Thou who rippest out the fire-bolt from the storm-cloud, as a sorcerer teareth the heart from a black kid! O how can I possess Thee as the dome of the skies, so that I may fix the keystone of my reason in the arch of Thy forehead?
♋️
Cancer 6am: O Thou Sovran Warrior of steel-girt valour, whose scimitar is a flame between day and night, whose helm is crested with the wings of the Abyss. I know Thee! O Thou four-eyed guardian of heaven, who kindleth to a flame the hearts of the downcast, and girdeth about with fire the loins of the unarmed.
Libra Noon: O Thou thirsty charioteer of Time, whose cup is the hollow night filled with the foam of the vintage of day; drench me in the shower of Thy passion, so that I may pant in Thine arms as a tongue of lightning on the purple bosom of night.
Capricorn 6pm: O my God, fondle me with kisses and be merciful unto me, as I humble myself before Thee; for all my desires are as dewdrops that are sucked from silver lilies by the throat of a young god.
Aries Midnight: O Thou burning tempest of blinding sand, Thou whirlwind from the depths of darkness! Yea, as I struggle through Thee, through Thee, my strength is but as a dove's down floating forth on the purple nipples of the storm.
♌️ Leo 6am: O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in the Lion Rampant of the dawn: Thou hast crushed with Thy paw the crouching lioness of Night, so that she may roar forth the Glory of Thy Name.
Scorpio Noon: O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art neither the traces of the chariot; nor the pole of galloping delusion: O Thou who art not the pivot of the whole Universe; nor the body of the woman-serpent of the stars! I deny Thee by the powers of mine understanding; Lead me in the unity of Thy might, and draw me unto the threshold of Thine all-pervading Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the fullness of Thy Not-Being.
Aquarius 6pm: O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all the joy of my days lies dishonoured as the spangle-veil'd Virgin of night torn and trampled by the sun-lashed stallions of Dawn. Yet in the frenzy of their couplings do I tremble forth the pearly dew of ecstatic light.
Taurus Midnight: O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I renounce unto Thee the whispers of the desert, and the moan of the simoom, and all the silence of the sea of dust; so that I may be lost in the atoms of Thy Glory, and be consumed in the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
♍️
Virgo 6am: O Thou mighty God, make me as a fair virgin that is clad in the blue-bells of the fragrant hillside; I beseech Thee, O Thou great God! That I may ring out the melody of Thy voice, and be clothed in the pure light of Thy loveliness: O Thou God my God!
Sagitarrius Noon: Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou ambrosia-yielding rose of the World; Thou vaulted dome of effulgent light; Thou valley of venomous vipers: Yea, I rejoice in Thee, Thou dazzling robe of the soft rain-clouds; O Thou lion-voiced up-rearing of the goaded storm! I rejoice, yea, I shout with gladness! till my rapture, like unto a two-edged sword, traceth a sigil of fire and blasteth the banded sorcerers, in the Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.
Pisces 6pm: O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou almighty worker ungirded of slumber? O Thou Unicorn of the Stars! Thou tongue of flame burning above the firmament, as a lily that blossometh in the drear desert! O how can I pluck Thee from the dark bed of Thy birth, and revel like a wine-drenched faun in the banqueting-house of Thy Seigniory?
Gemini Midnight: O Thou intoxicating Vision of Beauty, fair as ten jewelled virgins dancing about the hermit moon; I swear to Thee by the peridot flagons of spring, to quaff to the dregs Thy chalice of Glory, and beget a royal race before the Dawn flees from awakening Day.
♎️
Libra 6am: O Thou green-cloaked Maenad in labour, who bearest beneath Thy leaden girdle the vintage of Thy kisses; release me from the darkness of Thy womb, so that I may cast off my infant wrappings and leap forth as an armed warrior in steel.
Capricorn Noon: O my God, measure me rightly and be merciful unto me, as I humble myself before Thee; for all my praise is but as a single letter of lead lost in the gilded scriptures of the rocks.
Aries 6pm: O Thou great labour of the Firmament, Thou tempest tossed roaring of the Aires! Yea, as I sink in the depths of Thine affliction, mine anguish is but as the smile on the lips of a sleeping babe.
Cancer Midnight: O Thou Sovran Might of the most ancient forests, whose voice is as the murmur of unappeasable winds caught up in the arms of the swaying branches. I know Thee! O Thou rumble of conquering drums, who lulleth to a rapture of deep sleep those lovers who burn into each other, flame to fine flame.
♏️
Scorpio 6am: O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art neither the Formless breath of Chaos; nor the exhaler of the ordered spheres: O Thou who art not the cloud-cradled star of the morning; nor the sun, drunken upon the mist, who blindeth men! I deny Thee by the powers of mine understanding; Guide me in the unity of Thy might, and lead me to the fatherhood of Thine all-pervading Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the fullness of Thy Not-Being.
Aquarius Noon: O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all my joy is as a cloud of dust blown athwart a memory of tears, even across the shadowless brow of the desert. Yet as from the breast of a slave-girl do I pluck the fragrant blossom of Thy Crimson Splendour.
Taurus 6pm: O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I renounce unto Thee the yearning for Paradise, and the dark fear of Hell, and the feast of the corruption of the grave; so that as a child I may be led unto Thy Kingdom, and be consumed in the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
Leo Midnight: O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in the riotous joy of the storm: Thou hast shaken the gold-dust from the tresses of the hills, so that they may chaunt forth the Glory of Thy Name.
♐️
Sagittarius 6am: Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou seven-rayed rainbow of perfect loveliness; Thou light-rolling chariot of sunbeams; Thou fragrant scent of the passing storm: Yea, I rejoice in Thee, Thou breath of the slumbering valleys; O Thou low-murmuring ripple of the ripe cornfields! I rejoice, yea, I shout with gladness! till, as the mingling blushes of day and night, my song weaveth the joys of life into a gold and purple Crown, for the Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.
Pisces Noon: O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou soft pearl set in a bow of effulgent light? O Thou drop of shimmering dew! Thou surging river of bewildering beauty who speedest as a blue arrow of fire beyond, beyond! O how can I measure the poisons of Thy limbeck, and yet be for ever transmuted in the athanor of Thine understanding?
Gemini 6pm: O Thou flame-tipped arrow of devouring fire that quiverest as a tongue in the dark mouth of Night; I swear to Thee by the thurible of Thy Glory, to breathe the incense of mine understanding, and to cast the ashes of my wisdom into the Valley of Thy breast.
Virgo Midnight: O Thou mighty God, make me as a green arrow of Lightning that speedeth through the purple clouds of Night; I beseech Thee, O Thou great God! That I may wake fire from the crown of Thy Wisdom, and flash into the depths of Thine Understanding: O Thou God, my God!
♑️
Capricorn 6am: O my God, behold me fully and be merciful unto me, as I humble myself before Thee; for all my searching is as a bat that seeks some hollow of night upon a sun-parched wilderness.
Aries Noon: O Thou steel-girdered mountain of mountains, Thou crested summit of Majesty! Yea, as I climb Thy grandeur, I find I have but surmounted one mote of dust floating in a beam of Thy Glory.
Cancer 6pm: O Thou Sovran Paladin of self-vanquished knights, whose path lieth through the trackless forests of time, winding athrough the Byss of unbegotten space. I know Thee! O Thou despiser of the mountains, Thou whose course is as that of a lightening-hoofed steed leaping along the green bank of a fair river.
Libra Midnight: O Thou wine-voiced laughter of fainting gloom, who art as a naked faun crushed to death between millstones of thunder; make me drunk on the rapture of Thy song, so that in the corpse-clutch of my passion I may tear the cloud-robe from off Thy swooning breast.
♒️
Aquarius 6am: O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all my song is as the dirge of the sea that moans about a corpse, lapping most mournfully against the dead shore in the darkness. Yet in the sob of the wind do I hear Thy name, that quickeneth the cold lips of death to life.
Taurus Noon: O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I renounce unto Thee the wine-cups of merriment, and the eyes of the wanton bearers, and all the lure of their soft limbs; so that I may be made drunk on the vine of Thy splendour, and be consumed in the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
Leo 6pm: O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in the sparkling dew of the wild glades: Thou hast decked them out as for a great feast of rejoicing, so that they may gleam forth the Glory of Thy Name.
Scorpio Midnight: O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art neither the Crown of the flaming storm; nor the opalescence of the Abyss: O Thou who art not a nymph in the foam of the sea; nor a whirling devil in the sand of the desert! I deny Thee by the powers of mine understanding; Bear me in the unity of Thy might, and pour me forth from out the cup of Thine all-pervading Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the fullness of Thy Not-Being.
♓️
Pisces 6am: O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou snow-browed storm that art whirled up in clouds of flame? O Thou red sword of the thunder! Thou great blue river of ever-flowing Brightness, over whose breasts creep the star-bannered vessels of night! O how can I plunge within Thine inscrutable depths, and yet with open eye be lost in the pearly foam of Thine Oblivion?
Gemini Noon: O Thou Dragon-regent of the blue seas of air, as a chain of emeralds round the neck of Space; I swear to Thee by the hexagram of Night and Day, to be unto Thee as the twin fish of Time, which being set apart never divulge the secret of their unity.
Virgo 6pm: O Thou mighty God, make me as a silver fish darting through the vast depths of the dim-peopled waters; I beseech Thee, O Thou great God! That I may swim through the vastness of Thine abyss, and sink beneath the waveless depths of Thy Glory: O Thou God, my God!
Sagittarius Midnight: Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou who broodest on the dark depths of the deep; Thou lap of the wave-glittering sea; Thou bright vesture of the crested floods: Yea, I rejoice in Thee, Thou native splendour of the Waters; O Thou fathomless Abyss of surging joy! I rejoice, yeah, I shout with gladness! till the mad swords of my music smite the hills, and rend the amethyst limbs of Night from the white embrace of Day, at the Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.

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 2,200,000+ 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)
In the immediate aftermath of his empowerment, Henry basks in the glow of adoration from his fellow Parahumans. A deep sense of satisfaction wells up in his chest after slaughtering the five Changelings who dared to infiltrate their solemn ceremony, and he looks at the Second Wordsmith with gratitude and profound respect. Without Hope Hiro, he would still be a mere civilian, doomed to live a life of mediocrity. All of that has changed now.
As for Hope, he pats Henry's blood-covered shoulder and smiles. "Well done, Henry. Anyone here could have killed those Changelings, but you were the first to react. Maybe you even managed to prevent them from leaking what happened here, too. I sure hope you did."
Henry grins. "Just doing my duty for the good of humanity, Commander."
Several soldiers nearby whoop and cheer as they slap Henry's back and congratulate him. But while they give the young man the credit he deserves, Hope has a few other people gather the bodies of the Changelings and lie them down, side to side. Despite the gruesome sights of their mangled corpses, Hope doesn't even blink. He's long become desensitized to such violent imagery.
"Scan. Examine." Hope says, sending Words of Power out to probe the corpses. "Hmm."
Henry pulls away from the crowd to walk over and crouch down beside his Commander. "Notice something, sir?"
"I haven't." Hope says. "That's the problem. Every inch of these people looks identical to the average human. You're... sure they were Volgrim Changelings, right? Like, you're one hundred percent sure? Because everything I'm seeing here indicates they're ordinary humans."
Henry nods seriously. "Without a doubt. When Jepthath connected to my mind, I could read the thoughts and sense the emotions of everyone around me. But not these five. Their minds were... void. When I probed deeper, I came into contact with words and thoughts that didn't feel human. It was like if I tried to describe to you how a slug experiences the world around it. Completely alien."
"So you could only tell because of Jepthath's power." Hope muses. "That poses a problem. I can't verify these are aliens at all. If they really are Changelings, their disguises are incredible. The blood is slightly discolored, so that might be worth looking into, but otherwise even their genetic makeup is identical to that of any human."
"I think you should examine their souls, sir." Henry suggests. "Or their brains. I'm telling you, they didn't think in the same way I did at all. It was almost frightening how weird their thought patterns were. I can't really put the experience into words."
Another man nearby nods. "I felt the same thing too, Commander. Lord Henry isn't lying."
"I know he isn't." Hope says with a smile, before raising an eyebrow. "Wait, 'Lord' Henry?"
"That is what the Sovereign has decreed all of us should call him by." The man says. "He is Jepthath's Champion. He possesses the same strength and power the Sovereign did when he walked the Earth. It's only fair to call him our Lord."
Hope looks at Henry. The young man doesn't physically appear any different from before. Compared to the roided-up Parahumans who also ascended, Henry appears the same as before, almost as if he didn't power up in the slightest.
"I want some of you to deliver these corpses to Neil in secret." Hope says to a nearby soldier. "I'll let him know you're coming ahead of time. Don't tell anyone these are Changelings. Just say they were training casualties."
"Yes sir!" The soldier says, before gathering a few other people to cover the bodies and drag them away.
As the crowd disperses to discuss the day's events, Hope slaps Henry's back. "Come with me."
He and Henry stand up, then they exit the church and head deep into the woods. After walking for a couple of kilometers, Hope cracks his neck, then turns to face Henry.
"We'll spar here."
Henry blinks. "Sir?"
"My body is augmented." Hope says mildly. "Due to an accident six years ago, billions of nanites ended up embedded under my skin. Over time, they're merged with my biological makeup and enhanced me in lots of different ways. My bones are durable, my mind is quicker, even my blood pumps a little faster."
Hope assumes a guarding stance. He raises both of his fists and looks at Henry seriously. "We'll start off light, but as long as neither of us ends up dead because of a single sudden hit, I should be able to heal any damage we take."
Henry nods. He takes a deep breath, then assumes his own combat stance, dancing between his heels and toes as he starts moving from side to side.
"I've gotta warn you, Commander." Henry says. "I haven't tested my strength yet, but the Sovereign says I'm as strong as he was when he was alive. I also have access to all of his knowledge on fighting, as well as the knowledge of everyone he's ever connected with, and the 10,000 who joined his consciousness today."
"That's why I said we'll start light." Hope says with a smile. "I'm no novice, but when it comes to combat? I doubt I'm Jepthath's match. HUH!"
He suddenly lunges toward Henry and sends a jab at his opponent's right shoulder. Henry lightly pivots from the flat of his foot to his heel, turning slightly to avoid the attack.
THWAP!
Hope sees stars as the side of Henry's fist bashes against his left ear, sending him sprawling to the dirt. Hope blinks his eyes, needing a few seconds to register just what in the hell happened.
"Commander!" Henry exclaims. "Are you okay?!"
He quickly leans down to pick Hope up, and the Wordsmith clumsily climbs to his feet, visibly dazed.
"...huh? Huh?? You... hit me?" Hope asks, incredulous. "I didn't... even... see you move."
"I tried to restrain my strength." Henry says, blushing in embarrassment. "I thought that backfist would only knock you to the side a little bit."
Hope rubs the side of his head. He opens and closes his jaw while a ringing sound squeals in his ear. "Normalize. Heal. It's no problem, Henry. That's the whole point of this exercise, to see how strong you are. Clearly, I was way off the mark in my estimations. I'm going to need to take this a lot more seriously."
Hope once again assumes his guarded-stance. "Empower. Strength. Defense. Swiftness. Agility. Reaction. Prediction..."
He strings along several dozen Words of Power, all of them being spells that he has confirmed will help him during hand-to-hand combat fights thanks to his six years of practice, as well as his training inside the Hall of Heroes.
Finally, he finishes off with one last word. "Invincibility. There, that should make my body basically a slab of tungsten."
"You're all done, sir?" Henry asks, his eyes sparkling innocently. "I'll make sure not to hit you in the head again."
"I'm far stronger than before." Hope warns him. "Don't hold back on my account. Though, do try to avoid my jaw. I can't Wordsmith if I can't speak."
"Noted, sir." Henry says back, as he once again resumes his dance-like steps of combat footwork.
The two men start trading blows once more. This time, Hope manages to match his opponent in the physicality department. When Henry sends a crushing blow toward Hope's chest, the Wordsmith takes the hit, staggers back, then leaps forward to spike a jab at Henry's throat. Henry slaps his fist aside, than ducks low and tries sweeping Hope's feet. The Wordsmith lightly hops, evades the sweep, and plants his feet firmly on the ground before punching down at Henry's lowered head.
Over and over, the two men attack and defend, the sounds of their fists, arms, feet, and legs making contact as they disturb the nearby woodland creatures.
For twenty long minutes, they fight. Eventually, Hope pulls back, sweat covering his whole body. Comparatively, Henry appears somewhat relaxed, as if the sparring session was barely even a warmup.
"I'm not your equal." Hope says mildly. "Strength-wise, I can barely match up to you. But when it comes to technique? I feel like a toddler fighting a martial arts master. I can barely even land any hits, but you're constantly knocking me around like I'm in a goddamn pinball machine."
Henry blushes again. "Sorry, Commander. I held back as best as I could to match your strength level."
"Wait, you're still holding back??" Hope asks, bewildered.
"Well, yes, sir." Henry says, scratching his nose sheepishly. "You said this was only a sparring match. If I were to go all-out I'd probably have easily..."
He trails off, causing the implication to linger in the air.
Hope blinks his eyes, feeling as if a bomb has exploded in his mind. "Henry! Be honest with me. How much have you been holding back?"
"Well. I don't have any exact numbers or whatever." Henry says, looking away. "I mean, I probably used less than half my strength? Can you perhaps boost yourself more? Then I can get a more accurate estimate..."
Visibly dismayed, Hope hangs his head and looks at the ground in disbelief.
"...So this is what Solomon meant when he said Specialists are better than Generalists in their specific field. Sorry, Henry, but if I strengthen my body any more, I'll probably explode. This is all I can manage for now. Let's call it good for today."
"Oh. Alright then!" Henry says, cheering up a bit. "It was a lot of fun anyway, Commander! I feel so powerful now, like I could rip a tank apart with my bare hands! If I have any one complaint, it would just be..."
He pauses, then looks away.
"Well. I'm not usually one for using my fists. I was a sniper when I worked under Neil. I'd rather be using a gun if I'm being honest, but now it feels like I'd be wasting my strength if I did that instead of using my whole body."
"Yeah. Maybe..." Hope says uncertainly. "Or perhaps we need to get you a new weapon and set of armor that better matches what your body can accomplish now, to say nothing of your new status. I'll talk to Hans Wagner and see what he thinks."
With their sparring session complete, both men teleport back to Maiuran High Command, now located in the city of Adamsburg, a fortress built atop the planet's tallest mountain. Despite its immense height and seemingly awkward geographical positioning, because of the efforts of several Fairy Princesses, there exist teleportation matrices at the bottom that can send any number of civilians and troops upward and downward as needed.
This city atop a peak, named Mount Adams after the commander himself, stands as a testament to what humanity can accomplish even with surprisingly limited resources. In fact, Hope Hiro had almost nothing to do with its construction. It was built a few years earlier at the command of Neil himself, who wished to have a secure fallback location in the event of a total collapse of humanity's ranks. While it would normally be quite secure, its carrying capacity was unfortunately too limited to hold all the humans in existence during the Stormbringer assault.
Now though, with humanity's population having been decreased by a significant margin, Adamsburg provides a safe and secure shelter for the humans to start from, allowing them to begin working their way outward to conquer more of Maiura's fertile territory.
As Hope and Henry teleport into the city built atop the mountain, Henry looks around in wonder. "Wow! I should have come here sooner."
Hundreds of residences made of rock and stone dot the city's interior. Thirty-foot walls shield the city from external attacks, which would also have to aim those attacks upward to even reach the city's underside.
In many ways, it resembles a medieval city, but with electricity powering it courtesy of Hope's few material contributions. Thanks to his Wordsmithing, he was able to add a miniaturized fusion reactor to the city's electrical grid, allowing it to self-sustain its residents as needed for the next several hundred years.
When the two men arrive inside Adamsburg, Hope starts walking toward the city center, where Neil's personal office sits comfortably within a few minutes of walking distance in any direction. But hardly has Hope taken ten steps before a series of invisible question marks pop up over his head. He turns around to see Henry standing in place, clearly content to stay behind.
"What are you doing?" Hope asks. "Come on! Let's go see Neil!"
"Huh? Me?" Henry asks, his face paling. "You want... me... to see the Commander? I- I don't know, Hope. That doesn't seem- I don't think that would be a good idea. I know he hates me for what I did. I can't look him in the eye anymore."
Hope realizes the reason for Henry's lollygagging. He chuckles under his breath. "You don't need to worry about that. Neil's not the sort of guy to hold a grudge. Even if he is, all you have to do is sit through one tongue-lashing and admit you screwed up, and he'll forgive you."
"Are... are you sure?" Henry asks, wincing. "I don't know."
"I've known Neil for six years. We're extremely close, almost like father and son." Hope says. "Now come on! If you're going to call yourself 'Jepthath's Envoy' then you're gonna need to grow a goddamn spine, man."
"I have a spine!" Henry protests. "But... it's easier killing demons than facing Commander Adams again. I hate that I nearly got him killed, all because of that demon bitch."
"Good. Be sure and tell him that." Hope concludes.
The two men resume walking. They pass by hundreds of civilians in the bustling city, many of whom have only migrated within the past few days. In fact, more than eighty percent of Maiura's human population have come from Tarus II after the Great Debate, which has caused a certain amount of friction among those who settled here for a longer time before.
"Goddammit!" One man yells as he stands in a line outside a popular restaurant. "Ever since you Tarus yokels came along, this place has been packed every day! I used to be able to walk in and sit down. Why do I need a reservation just because you yahoos moved here, huh??"
"Quiet down!" A man ahead of him yells back. "We're all waiting. Fair is fair!"
Hope observes the interaction as he passes, then swiftly forgets about it a few moments later. Squabbles of this level aren't of any interest to him, and will instead be dealt with by the city enforcers if things turn violent.
He and Henry eventually arrive at a sizable building that resembles a library, with architectural flourishes that give it a classical look, yet without skimping on the security. Numerous troopers patrol outside, while a half-dozen sit and stand atop the slanted roof, keeping an eye out for airborne threats. When Neil is on base, everyone always remains on high alert, just in case.
Both men walk inside, and Hope nods at a blonde woman with glasses. "Debra. Is Neil busy right now?"
"Only if it's not you asking." Debra says with a smile. Then her eyes meet Henry's and that smile disappears. "You brought him here?"
"I have a good reason." Hope says, ignoring the protest in her eyes as he walks Henry over to Neil's office door. He knocks twice, then lowers the handle to push the door open.
Neil looks up, momentarily surprised someone would just walk right in, but only until he realizes it's Hope. "How did the ceremony go?" He asks.
Hope doesn't say anything. He steps into the room, then gestures behind himself at Henry, who slowly walks inside, reflexively lowering his head out of shame.
"C-commander." Henry mumbles, wringing his hands together.
"So it's you." Neil says. He looks at Hope with narrowed eyes. "You brought him here because...?"
Instead of answering, Hope tilts his head up. "Privacy. Barrier. Solidify. Opaque. Scan..."
He erects a privacy field around the room, taking care to triple-check and ensure no Psions are inside the bubble where they can listen in. After satisfying his desire for privacy, he smiles politely at Neil.
"I'd like to introduce you to the strongest member of the Parahuman Corps, Neil. Henry Cliff has obtained a perfect compatibility rating with Jepthath's power. He is as strong as the ancient Hero-King was when he walked the Earth, and has thus been named Jepthath's Champion. You can also call him Lord Henry, or the Illuminator's Envoy, if you prefer."
Neil listens to Hope's introduction. He looks Henry up and down, but to his layman eyes, the young man still appears only as strong as any average soldier. Certainly not as impressive as Hope seems to think.
"I- uh, Commander." Henry says, stuttering and mashing his words together. "Don't- don't let my, uh, appearance fool you. Ahaha... I'm pretty strong."
"He beat my ass during our sparring session." Hope says plainly. "And I was going at him with everything I had. Henry here didn't even break a sweat."
For several long seconds, the room falls into an awkward silence.
Neil simply stares at Henry, and the young man becomes visibly more uncomfortable by the second. Finally, he breaks composure and steps toward Neil while holding his palms out.
"Commander! I... I am so sorry. I am filled with shame at my actions during Stormbringer. I betrayed you! I betrayed humanity. Ose may have assumed the form of a beautiful human woman, but I didn't follow protocol and report her to the higher-ups! Because of me, you ended up captured by the demons and suffered terrible torture! I don't know how I can redeem myself, but I'll do anything- ANYTHING, if it satisfies you."
Neil continues to remain silent for a few seconds longer.
"...Will you kill yourself if I ask you to do so?"
Henry flinches at the question. He starts to open his mouth, but then he pauses for a moment before lowering his head.
"I'm sorry, Commander. That's the one thing I cannot do for you."
"Oh? And why is that?" Neil asks, unfazed.
"Because, sir. I'm not some ordinary civilian anymore. I answer to a higher power. I have a Calling now, and a strength that I cannot throw away uselessly. I need to use Jepthath's strength to save as many human lives as possible! But if, in the future, my power becomes irrelevant, I would be willing to follow your... request."
Neil again stays quiet. He looks Henry up and down a few times, clearly thinking to himself about something unknown.
Finally, he stands up from his chair and folds his hands behind his back.
"That was an excellent response. It seems the time spent in that prison cell gave you a chance to think about what sort of person you were becoming, and what sort of person you'd want to be."
He continues. "I'll be honest, boy. I never blamed you for what you did. Demons are wiley. Crafty. You are young and stupid. You thought with your lower head instead of the brain the Creator gave you. Even so, I know if Ose hadn't pretended to be a human, you'd never have done as she asked. You'd have turned against her the moment you realized she was a demon."
The Commander inhales sharply. "Every man makes mistakes. But it is not these errors which define us. Rather, it is the lessons we learn from them that shape our potential and turn boys into men. I see now that you have grown a little wiser and will not be fooled so easily in the future."
Henry nods heavily. "I cannot claim I'll never make another mistake, Commander. But I promise to do my best not to fall for any bloodskin's forked tongue again."
Neil chuckles. "You know, when I was younger- before Bahamut took me, that is, I fought under a Hero named Napoleon."
He continues. "In Napoleon's army, there were plenty of fellows who screwed up basic orders, failed to follow simple commands, but Napoleon often forgave them even when it seemed nonsensical. Why, on one occasion, some fool lit a cigar near a barrel of gunpowder and damn near killed three people nearby, not to mention himself. When Napoleon only let the man off with a stern rebuke... I was so confused at the time. I questioned him about the matter in private, and do you know what he told me?"
Hope and Henry both listen intently as Neil pauses to let their minds run wild.
"He told me, 'Neil, what would you have me do? Kill the bastard? Better to let him live. For the price of one barrel of gunpowder, we taught that man a valuable lesson. You can bet going forward he'll be far more prudent about his actions!' And I must say, Napoleon was right. That person ended up becoming a lieutenant toward the end of the war, decorated for his valor, and well known for his sometimes-excessive level of caution."
Neil shrugs. "Compared to the price you paid, which actually ended up being nothing at all, I'd say the lesson you learned was equally valuable. I'm fine in the end. Alive and fully intact in body, mind, and soul. Contrary to what you might believe, no demons tortured me, though they did deny me a bit of food in a pathetic, half-assed attempt to weaken my morale. It's too bad they underestimated the indomitable will of the human spirit."
Henry nods, fully comprehending Neil's words. "I understand, Commander. Your wisdom is truly sublime."
"I'm glad to have you back, Henry." Neil says with a smile. "You were my best sniper. I'll be watching your military career with great interest in the future. Don't disappoint me."
Henry slaps his chest. "I promise I won't, sir!"
After the two men exchange a few more pleasantries, Neil has Hope teleport Henry outside of the privacy barrier, leaving the Wordsmith and Commander Adams alone.
In an instant, Neil's smile vanishes. In its face, an icy-cold gaze fixates on Hope.
"That Jepthath is really something." Neil says frostily. "I'll bet you didn't even notice what just happened."
Hope blinks twice. "Huh? What- what do you mean? Are you telling me you only pretended to accept Henry's apology?"
"Henry didn't apologize. Jepthath did." Neil explains slowly, waiting for Hope to catch on. "Come on, boy. You're smarter than this. Don't tell me you didn't notice the abrupt change in Henry's demeanor. I'm not a close friend of his, but we've spoken on several occasions. He's never been this decisive before."
"I... I don't know." Hope says, frowning at Neil. "I think Henry really wanted to get that apology off his chest, Neil. Why are you saying it was Jepthath talking? I mean, I know Jepthath could have used the Dominion Rod's connection to seize control of Henry, but that seems unlikely, don't you think??"
Neil shrugs again. "Maybe you're right. Maybe Jepthath didn't take direct control. But that whole shpiel about a 'higher calling'? Give me a break. Don't you know who Henry is? He's an illiterate human we rescued from one of the savage worlds. He's adapted to modern human society somewhat, true, but since when has he ever been so well-spoken? No, I can state with absolute confidence that Jepthath had a hand in that boy's emotional transformation. It's up to you whether you believe me or not."
Hope's frown deepens. He glances behind himself, as if trying to see the doorway hidden by his Privacy Field. He turns back to Neil, unwilling to concede this point.
"Let's agree to disagree, Neil. Henry's a good guy. He screwed up once, yeah, but you didn't have to lie to him to make him feel better."
"I spoke no lies. I meant every word I said." Neil counters calmly. "Whether or not Jepthath took over for a while, Henry has learned a lesson and it may just turn him into a true man. But we won't know for the foreseeable future, so let's move on to other things."
He meets Hope's gaze. "Have you spoken to Diablo yet?"
"No. I was waiting to see how the Illumination Ceremony played out." Hope explains. "Now I know, and we've gained a lot of bargaining chips. If you really want me to lead troopers into battle alongside the demons, then I'll do it."
"It has to be you." Neil says. "My reputation won't allow me to take Diablo's deal, but you can play the moderate in this situation."
Hope snorts. "Heh. Sometimes you make me think you're a real funny guy, Neil. I'll go find and talk to Diablo after this, don't you worry. Maybe within the next week we can start fighting alongside him."
"That would be for the best." Neil concludes. "Anything else?"
"Yeah. One last thing." Hope says, his tone of voice changing to something resembling a bubbling anger. "There were five Changelings that tried to attend the ceremony. Jepthath sniffed them out when he tried connecting to their minds, and Henry killed them. Our troops should be bringing the bodies soon."
"Changelings." Neil says, tightening his eyebrows. "You're positive it was them? To date, we haven't had any luck detecting them."
"Jepthath's power seems to be the key." Hope explains. "Now that we have five bodies to examine, we'll need to do so in absolute secrecy. I fear the Volgrim already know about the deaths of their spies, but it's possible they might not. In any case, with five bodies to examine, we might find a biological marker or some sort of DNA sequence we can use to identify other Changelings in the future."
A few seconds pass. Neil looks at Hope questioningly.
"You're telling me the differences aren't obvious? Did you even examine their corpses?"
"Of course." Hope says. "That's the first thing I did! But no dice. I'm telling you Neil, if the Parahumans weren't swearing up and down these five were Changelings, I'd have no idea! Their internal organs, their brains, every piece of them came up human even when I looked at them with my Wordsmithing. It's fucking uncanny is what it is. And creepy."
Neil's expression turns ugly. "All along I assumed they were only deceiving us with their outward appearance. If their entire body can blend in with any populace, then we're in real trouble, Hope. We have five bodies to cut open but even those might not help us identify other Volgrim spies!"
"Yeah. You're telling me." Hope mutters.
The two of them chatter a while longer, then Hope turns to leave.
"I'll be visiting Diablo next." Hope says. "Until next time, Neil."
"Until next time." Neil says, as Hope dissipates the Privacy Field.
The Wordsmith teleports away, leaving Neil to plunk back in his chair and rest his elbows on his desk.
Humanity's Military Commander stares vacantly ahead for a long while, thinking about various things.
Jepthath, you are a sneaky one.

In the immediate aftermath of his empowerment, Henry basks in the glow of adoration from his fellow Parahumans. A deep sense of satisfaction wells up in his chest after slaughtering the five Changelings who dared to infiltrate their solemn ceremony, and he looks at the Second Wordsmith with gratitude and profound respect. Without Hope Hiro, he would still be a mere civilian, doomed to live a life of mediocrity. All of that has changed now.
As for Hope, he pats Henry's blood-covered shoulder and smiles. "Well done, Henry. Anyone here could have killed those Changelings, but you were the first to react. Maybe you even managed to prevent them from leaking what happened here, too. I sure hope you did."
Henry grins. "Just doing my duty for the good of humanity, Commander."
Several soldiers nearby whoop and cheer as they slap Henry's back and congratulate him. But while they give the young man the credit he deserves, Hope has a few other people gather the bodies of the Changelings and lie them down, side to side. Despite the gruesome sights of their mangled corpses, Hope doesn't even blink. He's long become desensitized to such violent imagery.
"Scan. Examine." Hope says, sending Words of Power out to probe the corpses. "Hmm."
Henry pulls away from the crowd to walk over and crouch down beside his Commander. "Notice something, sir?"
"I haven't." Hope says. "That's the problem. Every inch of these people looks identical to the average human. You're... sure they were Volgrim Changelings, right? Like, you're one hundred percent sure? Because everything I'm seeing here indicates they're ordinary humans."
Henry nods seriously. "Without a doubt. When Jepthath connected to my mind, I could read the thoughts and sense the emotions of everyone around me. But not these five. Their minds were... void. When I probed deeper, I came into contact with words and thoughts that didn't feel human. It was like if I tried to describe to you how a slug experiences the world around it. Completely alien."
"So you could only tell because of Jepthath's power." Hope muses. "That poses a problem. I can't verify these are aliens at all. If they really are Changelings, their disguises are incredible. The blood is slightly discolored, so that might be worth looking into, but otherwise even their genetic makeup is identical to that of any human."
"I think you should examine their souls, sir." Henry suggests. "Or their brains. I'm telling you, they didn't think in the same way I did at all. It was almost frightening how weird their thought patterns were. I can't really put the experience into words."
Another man nearby nods. "I felt the same thing too, Commander. Lord Henry isn't lying."
"I know he isn't." Hope says with a smile, before raising an eyebrow. "Wait, 'Lord' Henry?"
"That is what the Sovereign has decreed all of us should call him by." The man says. "He is Jepthath's Champion. He possesses the same strength and power the Sovereign did when he walked the Earth. It's only fair to call him our Lord."
Hope looks at Henry. The young man doesn't physically appear any different from before. Compared to the roided-up Parahumans who also ascended, Henry appears the same as before, almost as if he didn't power up in the slightest.
"I want some of you to deliver these corpses to Neil in secret." Hope says to a nearby soldier. "I'll let him know you're coming ahead of time. Don't tell anyone these are Changelings. Just say they were training casualties."
"Yes sir!" The soldier says, before gathering a few other people to cover the bodies and drag them away.
As the crowd disperses to discuss the day's events, Hope slaps Henry's back. "Come with me."
He and Henry stand up, then they exit the church and head deep into the woods. After walking for a couple of kilometers, Hope cracks his neck, then turns to face Henry.
"We'll spar here."
Henry blinks. "Sir?"
"My body is augmented." Hope says mildly. "Due to an accident six years ago, billions of nanites ended up embedded under my skin. Over time, they're merged with my biological makeup and enhanced me in lots of different ways. My bones are durable, my mind is quicker, even my blood pumps a little faster."
Hope assumes a guarding stance. He raises both of his fists and looks at Henry seriously. "We'll start off light, but as long as neither of us ends up dead because of a single sudden hit, I should be able to heal any damage we take."
Henry nods. He takes a deep breath, then assumes his own combat stance, dancing between his heels and toes as he starts moving from side to side.
"I've gotta warn you, Commander." Henry says. "I haven't tested my strength yet, but the Sovereign says I'm as strong as he was when he was alive. I also have access to all of his knowledge on fighting, as well as the knowledge of everyone he's ever connected with, and the 10,000 who joined his consciousness today."
"That's why I said we'll start light." Hope says with a smile. "I'm no novice, but when it comes to combat? I doubt I'm Jepthath's match. HUH!"
He suddenly lunges toward Henry and sends a jab at his opponent's right shoulder. Henry lightly pivots from the flat of his foot to his heel, turning slightly to avoid the attack.
THWAP!
Hope sees stars as the side of Henry's fist bashes against his left ear, sending him sprawling to the dirt. Hope blinks his eyes, needing a few seconds to register just what in the hell happened.
"Commander!" Henry exclaims. "Are you okay?!"
He quickly leans down to pick Hope up, and the Wordsmith clumsily climbs to his feet, visibly dazed.
"...huh? Huh?? You... hit me?" Hope asks, incredulous. "I didn't... even... see you move."
"I tried to restrain my strength." Henry says, blushing in embarrassment. "I thought that backfist would only knock you to the side a little bit."
Hope rubs the side of his head. He opens and closes his jaw while a ringing sound squeals in his ear. "Normalize. Heal. It's no problem, Henry. That's the whole point of this exercise, to see how strong you are. Clearly, I was way off the mark in my estimations. I'm going to need to take this a lot more seriously."
Hope once again assumes his guarded-stance. "Empower. Strength. Defense. Swiftness. Agility. Reaction. Prediction..."
He strings along several dozen Words of Power, all of them being spells that he has confirmed will help him during hand-to-hand combat fights thanks to his six years of practice, as well as his training inside the Hall of Heroes.
Finally, he finishes off with one last word. "Invincibility. There, that should make my body basically a slab of tungsten."
"You're all done, sir?" Henry asks, his eyes sparkling innocently. "I'll make sure not to hit you in the head again."
"I'm far stronger than before." Hope warns him. "Don't hold back on my account. Though, do try to avoid my jaw. I can't Wordsmith if I can't speak."
"Noted, sir." Henry says back, as he once again resumes his dance-like steps of combat footwork.
The two men start trading blows once more. This time, Hope manages to match his opponent in the physicality department. When Henry sends a crushing blow toward Hope's chest, the Wordsmith takes the hit, staggers back, then leaps forward to spike a jab at Henry's throat. Henry slaps his fist aside, than ducks low and tries sweeping Hope's feet. The Wordsmith lightly hops, evades the sweep, and plants his feet firmly on the ground before punching down at Henry's lowered head.
Over and over, the two men attack and defend, the sounds of their fists, arms, feet, and legs making contact as they disturb the nearby woodland creatures.
For twenty long minutes, they fight. Eventually, Hope pulls back, sweat covering his whole body. Comparatively, Henry appears somewhat relaxed, as if the sparring session was barely even a warmup.
"I'm not your equal." Hope says mildly. "Strength-wise, I can barely match up to you. But when it comes to technique? I feel like a toddler fighting a martial arts master. I can barely even land any hits, but you're constantly knocking me around like I'm in a goddamn pinball machine."
Henry blushes again. "Sorry, Commander. I held back as best as I could to match your strength level."
"Wait, you're still holding back??" Hope asks, bewildered.
"Well, yes, sir." Henry says, scratching his nose sheepishly. "You said this was only a sparring match. If I were to go all-out I'd probably have easily..."
He trails off, causing the implication to linger in the air.
Hope blinks his eyes, feeling as if a bomb has exploded in his mind. "Henry! Be honest with me. How much have you been holding back?"
"Well. I don't have any exact numbers or whatever." Henry says, looking away. "I mean, I probably used less than half my strength? Can you perhaps boost yourself more? Then I can get a more accurate estimate..."
Visibly dismayed, Hope hangs his head and looks at the ground in disbelief.
"...So this is what Solomon meant when he said Specialists are better than Generalists in their specific field. Sorry, Henry, but if I strengthen my body any more, I'll probably explode. This is all I can manage for now. Let's call it good for today."
"Oh. Alright then!" Henry says, cheering up a bit. "It was a lot of fun anyway, Commander! I feel so powerful now, like I could rip a tank apart with my bare hands! If I have any one complaint, it would just be..."
He pauses, then looks away.
"Well. I'm not usually one for using my fists. I was a sniper when I worked under Neil. I'd rather be using a gun if I'm being honest, but now it feels like I'd be wasting my strength if I did that instead of using my whole body."
"Yeah. Maybe..." Hope says uncertainly. "Or perhaps we need to get you a new weapon and set of armor that better matches what your body can accomplish now, to say nothing of your new status. I'll talk to Hans Wagner and see what he thinks."
With their sparring session complete, both men teleport back to Maiuran High Command, now located in the city of Adamsburg, a fortress built atop the planet's tallest mountain. Despite its immense height and seemingly awkward geographical positioning, because of the efforts of several Fairy Princesses, there exist teleportation matrices at the bottom that can send any number of civilians and troops upward and downward as needed.
This city atop a peak, named Mount Adams after the commander himself, stands as a testament to what humanity can accomplish even with surprisingly limited resources. In fact, Hope Hiro had almost nothing to do with its construction. It was built a few years earlier at the command of Neil himself, who wished to have a secure fallback location in the event of a total collapse of humanity's ranks. While it would normally be quite secure, its carrying capacity was unfortunately too limited to hold all the humans in existence during the Stormbringer assault.
Now though, with humanity's population having been decreased by a significant margin, Adamsburg provides a safe and secure shelter for the humans to start from, allowing them to begin working their way outward to conquer more of Maiura's fertile territory.
As Hope and Henry teleport into the city built atop the mountain, Henry looks around in wonder. "Wow! I should have come here sooner."
Hundreds of residences made of rock and stone dot the city's interior. Thirty-foot walls shield the city from external attacks, which would also have to aim those attacks upward to even reach the city's underside.
In many ways, it resembles a medieval city, but with electricity powering it courtesy of Hope's few material contributions. Thanks to his Wordsmithing, he was able to add a miniaturized fusion reactor to the city's electrical grid, allowing it to self-sustain its residents as needed for the next several hundred years.
When the two men arrive inside Adamsburg, Hope starts walking toward the city center, where Neil's personal office sits comfortably within a few minutes of walking distance in any direction. But hardly has Hope taken ten steps before a series of invisible question marks pop up over his head. He turns around to see Henry standing in place, clearly content to stay behind.
"What are you doing?" Hope asks. "Come on! Let's go see Neil!"
"Huh? Me?" Henry asks, his face paling. "You want... me... to see the Commander? I- I don't know, Hope. That doesn't seem- I don't think that would be a good idea. I know he hates me for what I did. I can't look him in the eye anymore."
Hope realizes the reason for Henry's lollygagging. He chuckles under his breath. "You don't need to worry about that. Neil's not the sort of guy to hold a grudge. Even if he is, all you have to do is sit through one tongue-lashing and admit you screwed up, and he'll forgive you."
"Are... are you sure?" Henry asks, wincing. "I don't know."
"I've known Neil for six years. We're extremely close, almost like father and son." Hope says. "Now come on! If you're going to call yourself 'Jepthath's Envoy' then you're gonna need to grow a goddamn spine, man."
"I have a spine!" Henry protests. "But... it's easier killing demons than facing Commander Adams again. I hate that I nearly got him killed, all because of that demon bitch."
"Good. Be sure and tell him that." Hope concludes.
The two men resume walking. They pass by hundreds of civilians in the bustling city, many of whom have only migrated within the past few days. In fact, more than eighty percent of Maiura's human population have come from Tarus II after the Great Debate, which has caused a certain amount of friction among those who settled here for a longer time before.
"Goddammit!" One man yells as he stands in a line outside a popular restaurant. "Ever since you Tarus yokels came along, this place has been packed every day! I used to be able to walk in and sit down. Why do I need a reservation just because you yahoos moved here, huh??"
"Quiet down!" A man ahead of him yells back. "We're all waiting. Fair is fair!"
Hope observes the interaction as he passes, then swiftly forgets about it a few moments later. Squabbles of this level aren't of any interest to him, and will instead be dealt with by the city enforcers if things turn violent.
He and Henry eventually arrive at a sizable building that resembles a library, with architectural flourishes that give it a classical look, yet without skimping on the security. Numerous troopers patrol outside, while a half-dozen sit and stand atop the slanted roof, keeping an eye out for airborne threats. When Neil is on base, everyone always remains on high alert, just in case.
Both men walk inside, and Hope nods at a blonde woman with glasses. "Debra. Is Neil busy right now?"
"Only if it's not you asking." Debra says with a smile. Then her eyes meet Henry's and that smile disappears. "You brought him here?"
"I have a good reason." Hope says, ignoring the protest in her eyes as he walks Henry over to Neil's office door. He knocks twice, then lowers the handle to push the door open.
Neil looks up, momentarily surprised someone would just walk right in, but only until he realizes it's Hope. "How did the ceremony go?" He asks.
Hope doesn't say anything. He steps into the room, then gestures behind himself at Henry, who slowly walks inside, reflexively lowering his head out of shame.
"C-commander." Henry mumbles, wringing his hands together.
"So it's you." Neil says. He looks at Hope with narrowed eyes. "You brought him here because...?"
Instead of answering, Hope tilts his head up. "Privacy. Barrier. Solidify. Opaque. Scan..."
He erects a privacy field around the room, taking care to triple-check and ensure no Psions are inside the bubble where they can listen in. After satisfying his desire for privacy, he smiles politely at Neil.
"I'd like to introduce you to the strongest member of the Parahuman Corps, Neil. Henry Cliff has obtained a perfect compatibility rating with Jepthath's power. He is as strong as the ancient Hero-King was when he walked the Earth, and has thus been named Jepthath's Champion. You can also call him Lord Henry, or the Illuminator's Envoy, if you prefer."
Neil listens to Hope's introduction. He looks Henry up and down, but to his layman eyes, the young man still appears only as strong as any average soldier. Certainly not as impressive as Hope seems to think.
"I- uh, Commander." Henry says, stuttering and mashing his words together. "Don't- don't let my, uh, appearance fool you. Ahaha... I'm pretty strong."
"He beat my ass during our sparring session." Hope says plainly. "And I was going at him with everything I had. Henry here didn't even break a sweat."
For several long seconds, the room falls into an awkward silence.
Neil simply stares at Henry, and the young man becomes visibly more uncomfortable by the second. Finally, he breaks composure and steps toward Neil while holding his palms out.
"Commander! I... I am so sorry. I am filled with shame at my actions during Stormbringer. I betrayed you! I betrayed humanity. Ose may have assumed the form of a beautiful human woman, but I didn't follow protocol and report her to the higher-ups! Because of me, you ended up captured by the demons and suffered terrible torture! I don't know how I can redeem myself, but I'll do anything- ANYTHING, if it satisfies you."
Neil continues to remain silent for a few seconds longer.
"...Will you kill yourself if I ask you to do so?"
Henry flinches at the question. He starts to open his mouth, but then he pauses for a moment before lowering his head.
"I'm sorry, Commander. That's the one thing I cannot do for you."
"Oh? And why is that?" Neil asks, unfazed.
"Because, sir. I'm not some ordinary civilian anymore. I answer to a higher power. I have a Calling now, and a strength that I cannot throw away uselessly. I need to use Jepthath's strength to save as many human lives as possible! But if, in the future, my power becomes irrelevant, I would be willing to follow your... request."
Neil again stays quiet. He looks Henry up and down a few times, clearly thinking to himself about something unknown.
Finally, he stands up from his chair and folds his hands behind his back.
"That was an excellent response. It seems the time spent in that prison cell gave you a chance to think about what sort of person you were becoming, and what sort of person you'd want to be."
He continues. "I'll be honest, boy. I never blamed you for what you did. Demons are wiley. Crafty. You are young and stupid. You thought with your lower head instead of the brain the Creator gave you. Even so, I know if Ose hadn't pretended to be a human, you'd never have done as she asked. You'd have turned against her the moment you realized she was a demon."
The Commander inhales sharply. "Every man makes mistakes. But it is not these errors which define us. Rather, it is the lessons we learn from them that shape our potential and turn boys into men. I see now that you have grown a little wiser and will not be fooled so easily in the future."
Henry nods heavily. "I cannot claim I'll never make another mistake, Commander. But I promise to do my best not to fall for any bloodskin's forked tongue again."
Neil chuckles. "You know, when I was younger- before Bahamut took me, that is, I fought under a Hero named Napoleon."
He continues. "In Napoleon's army, there were plenty of fellows who screwed up basic orders, failed to follow simple commands, but Napoleon often forgave them even when it seemed nonsensical. Why, on one occasion, some fool lit a cigar near a barrel of gunpowder and damn near killed three people nearby, not to mention himself. When Napoleon only let the man off with a stern rebuke... I was so confused at the time. I questioned him about the matter in private, and do you know what he told me?"
Hope and Henry both listen intently as Neil pauses to let their minds run wild.
"He told me, 'Neil, what would you have me do? Kill the bastard? Better to let him live. For the price of one barrel of gunpowder, we taught that man a valuable lesson. You can bet going forward he'll be far more prudent about his actions!' And I must say, Napoleon was right. That person ended up becoming a lieutenant toward the end of the war, decorated for his valor, and well known for his sometimes-excessive level of caution."
Neil shrugs. "Compared to the price you paid, which actually ended up being nothing at all, I'd say the lesson you learned was equally valuable. I'm fine in the end. Alive and fully intact in body, mind, and soul. Contrary to what you might believe, no demons tortured me, though they did deny me a bit of food in a pathetic, half-assed attempt to weaken my morale. It's too bad they underestimated the indomitable will of the human spirit."
Henry nods, fully comprehending Neil's words. "I understand, Commander. Your wisdom is truly sublime."
"I'm glad to have you back, Henry." Neil says with a smile. "You were my best sniper. I'll be watching your military career with great interest in the future. Don't disappoint me."
Henry slaps his chest. "I promise I won't, sir!"
After the two men exchange a few more pleasantries, Neil has Hope teleport Henry outside of the privacy barrier, leaving the Wordsmith and Commander Adams alone.
In an instant, Neil's smile vanishes. In its face, an icy-cold gaze fixates on Hope.
"That Jepthath is really something." Neil says frostily. "I'll bet you didn't even notice what just happened."
Hope blinks twice. "Huh? What- what do you mean? Are you telling me you only pretended to accept Henry's apology?"
"Henry didn't apologize. Jepthath did." Neil explains slowly, waiting for Hope to catch on. "Come on, boy. You're smarter than this. Don't tell me you didn't notice the abrupt change in Henry's demeanor. I'm not a close friend of his, but we've spoken on several occasions. He's never been this decisive before."
"I... I don't know." Hope says, frowning at Neil. "I think Henry really wanted to get that apology off his chest, Neil. Why are you saying it was Jepthath talking? I mean, I know Jepthath could have used the Dominion Rod's connection to seize control of Henry, but that seems unlikely, don't you think??"
Neil shrugs again. "Maybe you're right. Maybe Jepthath didn't take direct control. But that whole shpiel about a 'higher calling'? Give me a break. Don't you know who Henry is? He's an illiterate human we rescued from one of the savage worlds. He's adapted to modern human society somewhat, true, but since when has he ever been so well-spoken? No, I can state with absolute confidence that Jepthath had a hand in that boy's emotional transformation. It's up to you whether you believe me or not."
Hope's frown deepens. He glances behind himself, as if trying to see the doorway hidden by his Privacy Field. He turns back to Neil, unwilling to concede this point.
"Let's agree to disagree, Neil. Henry's a good guy. He screwed up once, yeah, but you didn't have to lie to him to make him feel better."
"I spoke no lies. I meant every word I said." Neil counters calmly. "Whether or not Jepthath took over for a while, Henry has learned a lesson and it may just turn him into a true man. But we won't know for the foreseeable future, so let's move on to other things."
He meets Hope's gaze. "Have you spoken to Diablo yet?"
"No. I was waiting to see how the Illumination Ceremony played out." Hope explains. "Now I know, and we've gained a lot of bargaining chips. If you really want me to lead troopers into battle alongside the demons, then I'll do it."
"It has to be you." Neil says. "My reputation won't allow me to take Diablo's deal, but you can play the moderate in this situation."
Hope snorts. "Heh. Sometimes you make me think you're a real funny guy, Neil. I'll go find and talk to Diablo after this, don't you worry. Maybe within the next week we can start fighting alongside him."
"That would be for the best." Neil concludes. "Anything else?"
"Yeah. One last thing." Hope says, his tone of voice changing to something resembling a bubbling anger. "There were five Changelings that tried to attend the ceremony. Jepthath sniffed them out when he tried connecting to their minds, and Henry killed them. Our troops should be bringing the bodies soon."
"Changelings." Neil says, tightening his eyebrows. "You're positive it was them? To date, we haven't had any luck detecting them."
"Jepthath's power seems to be the key." Hope explains. "Now that we have five bodies to examine, we'll need to do so in absolute secrecy. I fear the Volgrim already know about the deaths of their spies, but it's possible they might not. In any case, with five bodies to examine, we might find a biological marker or some sort of DNA sequence we can use to identify other Changelings in the future."
A few seconds pass. Neil looks at Hope questioningly.
"You're telling me the differences aren't obvious? Did you even examine their corpses?"
"Of course." Hope says. "That's the first thing I did! But no dice. I'm telling you Neil, if the Parahumans weren't swearing up and down these five were Changelings, I'd have no idea! Their internal organs, their brains, every piece of them came up human even when I looked at them with my Wordsmithing. It's fucking uncanny is what it is. And creepy."
Neil's expression turns ugly. "All along I assumed they were only deceiving us with their outward appearance. If their entire body can blend in with any populace, then we're in real trouble, Hope. We have five bodies to cut open but even those might not help us identify other Volgrim spies!"
"Yeah. You're telling me." Hope mutters.
The two of them chatter a while longer, then Hope turns to leave.
"I'll be visiting Diablo next." Hope says. "Until next time, Neil."
"Until next time." Neil says, as Hope dissipates the Privacy Field.
The Wordsmith teleports away, leaving Neil to plunk back in his chair and rest his elbows on his desk.
Humanity's Military Commander stares vacantly ahead for a long while, thinking about various things.
Jepthath, you are a sneaky one.

Sylvia: All you feel is ecstasy when you kill. It’s like you’re getting off… Seriously, you need help.
Travis: Everybody deals with grief differently, right? Some people fuck at funerals. I cut off heads.

Travis Touchdown is a slacker, drinks too much, watches too much anime, plays too much video games, and buys way too much merchandise. However, when he runs out of money to buy more posters or figurines, he can be pretty slick with a beam katana. Using the Blood Berry model that he won in an online auction, Travis moonlights as an assassin and kills Helter Skelter, the eleventh best assassin in the United Assassins Association rankings. This thrusts him into a desperate struggle against the top ten assassins in the hopes of winning piles of prize money and a chance to bone the UAA organizer, Sylvia Christel.
After killing his own sister and reaching the top spot, Travis's life has become a whole lot harder. Not only do aspiring killers break down his door from time to time to challenge the Crownless King, but villains also target his friends and neighbors in attempts to break his spirit. After losing his best friend Bishop, Travis moves to the country for a quiet life, but rivals like Badman or alien invaders like FU seem to keep dragging him back into the Garden of Insanity for more bouts of bloodshed.
Key
No More Heroes- 1
No More Heroes 1.5- 1.5
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle- 2
Travis Strike Again: No More Heroes- TSA
No More Heroes 3- 3
Hover over a feat to see where its from.

Strength

Striking w/o Weapons

• Can stun human enemies with physical strikes, like punches and kicks, then hit them with wrestling moves
• Smashes crates and chests bare-handed
• Punches an electrical panel, breaking it
• During sex, Travis shakes the motel he’s in, breaking off pieces of the sign on the roof
• Kicks open a set of doors, flooring the guard on the other side
• Dropkicks the buff Jasper Batt Jr out a window
• Boots the Henry clone’s upper half a few feet away
• Punches a stone maui head, shattering it

Striking w/ Weapons

• Smashes treasure chests
• Strikes a baseball back at a pitcher hard enough to knock the man over
• Ducks under a slash, then severs Death Metal’s arms, sending the enemy's sword upwards and imbedding the blade in the ceiling
• Can smash wooden barricades
• His clashes with Bad Man shake the trailer they’re in
• Smashes through a cracked stone floor

Grappling/Wrestling Slams

• When Kimmy Howell tries to choke Travis, he picks her up and slams her onto the ground, knocking her out
• Knocks a gunman out with a legendary suplex
• Repeatedly counters and throws the jet-powered assassin, Native Dancer
• Slams Kimmy Love so hard that her head breaks through the stage’s floor. Here, he performs an RKO, a butt thump and a power bomb.
• Breaks FU’s neck with a Brainbuster from Hell
• Catches a pouncing mutant alligator, then suplexes it

Other

• Climbs out of a pit on a beach
• Crushes a coffee mug
• Jumps from a prison to a low-flying helicopter, although Sylvia psyches him out and lets him drop

Durability

Blunt Force

• Gets hit on the head by a falling coconut
• Sylvia boots him out of a moving limo
• Bad Girl beats on Travis with a baseball bat for a bit, although he falls unconscious soon after Bad Girl bleeds out
• Shrugs off a high speed crash from his bike
• Through unknown means, Travis is flung into a prison where he collides with a concrete wall. He’s unharmed by the impact.
• Gets grabbed by the head and slammed to the ground by Ryuji, but he quickly recovers and delivers a wrestling move of his own
• Gets booted by FU several feet backwards into a wall. He gets up but falls unconscious once he starts bleeding from a wide cut on the torso.
• Jumps down into a deep hole and lands on his feet, unharmed
• A giant’s severed head falls next to a boat Travis is on, causing the vessel to toss the occupants onto the ice below

Piercing

• Jeane punches into Travis’ torso, but he remains conscious long enough to kill her. He suffers no long-term injury or scarring from the blow.
• [Limit] He’s stabbed a half dozen times, carved up by Henry Cooldown’s beam swords, then decapitated. A benevolent afterlife being sends Travis back to the world of the living.

Explosions/Energy

• After striking an explosive bullet with his katana, Travis is thrown backwards into a baseball stadium wall, cratering the material. He’s unharmed and continues fighting right afterwards.
• Gets launched after stepping on a landmine, but gets up right after
• Falls into one of Holly Summers’ pits before she throws four grenades down on him. The explosions throw him out of the hole and he lands on his feet, unharmed.
  • One of these grenades obliterates Holly Summers’ head later on
• Withstands being lit on fire until he can get to an extinguisher
• Gets electrocuted by Destroyman’s Destroy Spark, then takes a Destroy Pound, Destroy Beam and a Destroy Buster before getting up
• Recovers shortly after being electrocuted by a Mass-Produced Destroyman, then kills it in one blow

Other

• Margaret Moonlight’s voice is the last thing her victims hear. Once, Sylvia heard Margaret’s song from a hundred yards away and she was knocked out for a full week. However, Travis isn’t affected by Margaret’s whistling or theme song.
• Takes an up-and-coming assassin’s 12-Combo Spark move with no response
• He can walk around on an asteroid in outer space, but he must regularly restore his oxygen from cracks in the asteroid
• [Limit] One-tapped by a big scorpion

Agility

Dodging

• Dodges a thrown baseball
• Dodges one of Shinobu’s Sonic Sword energy blasts
• With his back turned, he manages to dodge Destroyman’s beam attack
• Rolls to avoid Destroyman’s Destroy Cannon
• Dodges an axe swing from Matt Helms, then leaps over the killer to avoid a blast from his flamethrower
• Evades an orbital beam strike
• Backflips out of a chair to dodge a big alien’s tentacle slam

Reflexes

• Hits a moving bullet with his katana
• Blocks bullets with his katana
• He gets in a standoff with Dr. Peace. Travis is able to draw his blade and slash before the doctor can draw and aim his guns.
• Deflects three bullets, then runs under the gunfire to kill the shooters
• Possibly caught some automatic gunfire
• Clashes blows with Nathan Copeland at high speeds, dicing Copeland’s ladies to pieces
• Swats several bullets out of the air
• Catches a pouncing mutant alligator, then suplexes it

Movement

• Pursues an escaping car on foot

Fighting Skill

Swordplay
Gameplay

• While in the air, Travis can launch himself at enemies sword-first
• Can use a Heavy Attack in the air to descend quickly and form a shockwave along the ground
• Can perform a stinger-style dashing strike. After filling a meter to level 3 by damaging enemies, this move lets Travis turn into a massive, rainbow-colored tiger during the attack.
• Can perform charged attacks to hit multiple enemies at once

Cutscenes

• He rams down some doors and drifts into a fountain on his bike. Travis leaps off and decapitates two guards before he hits the ground.
• Ducks under a slash, then severs Death Metal’s arms, imbedding his opponent’s blade in the ceiling
• Throws his Beam Katana at Harvey Moiseiwitsch Volodarskii’s eyes, blinding him
• Dismembers a group of armed goons
• Slides between Margaret Moonlight’s legs, then disarms her before impaling her

Wrestling Moves

• Dragon suplex
• Vertical suplex
• Butt thump
• Front neck chancery drop
• Reverse armsault
• Capture suplex
• German suplex
• Belly to belly suplex
• Trap suplex
• Double wrist suplex
• Tiger suplex
• Hurricanrana
• Power bomb
• Tombstone piledriver
• Quebradora con giro
• Brain buster slam
• Full nelson suplex, aka Dragon suplex
• Twisted belly to back suplex
• Belly to back waist lock suplex
• Spinning backdrop finisher
• Leg hook belly to back suplex
• Backdrop finisher
• Tiger driver
• Shin breaker to suplex
• High angle belly to back suplex
• Modified tombstone piledriver
• Giant swing
• Wrist lock suplex
• Double X-wrist lock suplex
• Overhead belly to belly suplex

Beam Katanas

General Attributes

• Beam Katanas run off battery life. Once Travis runs out, he must vigorously shake his weapon in order to restore its beam blade.
• Beam Katanas instantly short out during contact with water. This also creates a kind of electric backlash that shocks Travis while he’s holding it.
• Can attach an Accelerator to the handle of the katana to locate buried objects
• Can be used to safely destroy buried land mines
• After planting his sword in Matt Helms’ forehead, Travis cranks it up to “full power”, causing Matt’s head to explode
• Sticks a piece of highly corrosive space ore on his unextended beam katana, batters Gold Joe with it, then extends the blade to impale the alien’s head

Cutting Force

• Slices through a guard and the door behind him
• Casually bisects Destroyman down the middle
• Cuts down a telephone pole
• Carves down the middle of Speed Buster’s absurdly long cannon
• Leaves smoking slash marks in a metal shutter door
• Chops fallen trees to pieces and large boulders to pieces
• Slices up some metal railings
• Slices Jasper Batt Jr’s giant blimp/robot in half
• Slices through an alien guard and the thick, metal door behind it

Blocking Strength

• Defends against Speed Buster’s colossal beam weapon, an attack that obliterates human bodies
• Travis clashes blades with Henry Cooldown, who can slice through Letz Shake’s huge Earthquake Maker machine
• Stops a charge from Jasper Batt Jr’s flying car

Specific Models

• Blood Berry- Travis’s initial katana, bought in an online auction in preparation for the assassin’s tournament
• Tsubaki- Visually similar to Blood Berry, this upgraded weapon has higher battery life than the base model
• Tsubaki Mk-II- This Beam Katana boasts four extra beams that rotate around the central beam. With that much extra strength comes more weight than earlier models, and Travis must wield this katana with both hands.
• Tsubaki Mk-III- The only Beam Katana in the first game that does not need an extractable frame piece, leading to a weapon that closely resembles an actual katana. While it’s a bit weaker than the Mk-II, it’s much faster and has the highest DPS and battery life of any weapon in the Tsubaki line. This weapon is also called the Camellia Mk-III in the second game.
• Rose Nasty- A pair of blades, the longer one held in the right hand. This makes for slightly weaker weapons, but they can be swung faster than other swords and can lead to higher combos.
• Peony- Basically a broadsword, this long, heavy weapon must be wielded with two hands. The blade extends even further when Travis fills the Ecstacy Gauge.

Dark Side Roulette

Special abilities that Travis can make use of depending on the luck of the draw. In the first game, these trigger after killing an enemy, and in the subsequent games, they also trigger upon delivering a wrestling move.
Time/Speed-Based

• Cherry- Time is slowed dramatically from Travis’s perspective while he moves at normal speed
• Cranberry Chocolate Sundae- Time slows to a crawl and Travis is only able to walk. If he approaches an enemy, he strikes them down with a brutal finisher, killing them near-instantly. In the second game, Travis turns into his fursona, a tiger, and tears enemies to shreds with his mouth and claws
• Bars- Travis swings his sword much faster than normal, causing most enemies to get stun locked by sword combos during the duration of the powerup

Energy Attacks

• Blueberry Cheese Brownie- Travis is able to fire explosive blasts of energy from his Beam Katana that instantly kill human enemies The same move from the second game
• Strawberry on the Shortcake- Travis temporarily gains golden hair and his katana crackles with power. His movement speed increases and he can perform Death Blows with greater ease. In the second game, this move behaves similarly to the Cherry effect
• Anarchy in the Galaxy- Getting this outcome lets Travis store one charge, up to three max. When used, Travis creates a number of purple explosions, wiping out all human enemies in the vicinity.
• Gooseberry Sugar Donut- Travis sheaths his sword for a moment before unleashing a massive, expanding dome of energy. Any human enemies caught in this dome are instantly killed.

Armor-Based

• 777s- Travis summons his mechanical armor and hovers, then uses a reticle to target enemies with homing missiles
• Green 777s- Travis summons his armor in Full Green Mode. Rather than just launching a volley of missiles like with the default 777s, he spends several seconds in the armor while swinging a larger beam sword and accessing armor-exclusive moves.

Other

• Coins- WESN, a currency, explodes from the enemy’s body for Travis to collect
• Cherries- Utopicoins, a currency, explode from the enemy’s body for Travis to collect
• Stars- Travis gains invulnerability and ignores all damage from enemies for a number of seconds
• Bells- Travis goes into Throw Crazy Mode. His hands become wreathed in flames, and for several seconds, he can grapple and slam enemies without needing to stun them. He can also perform throws on downed enemies, leading to long stun chains.

Non-Roulette Abilities

• Dark Step- Dodging right before a blow connects allows Travis to slow time down from his perspective for a few moments
• Ecstasy Mode- By killing enemies and avoiding damage, Travis fills a meter represented by a tiger that extends the length of his sword combos. Once full, he can enter a temporary Super Mode where he becomes invincible and moves much faster.

Death Glove

When Travis was sucked into the video game world through the magic game console, the Death Drive Mk II, he was granted the Death Glove, a controller that allowed him to perform special techniques. After he escaped the console, he maintained the glove and could perform a couple special moves in the real world, too. After each use, the chosen move goes on a short cooldown before it can be used again.
Some of these clips feature characters other than Travis, as many of these moves are universal and can be performed by any playable character.
Powers from Travis Strikes Again
The last level takes place in the real world, and Travis can still use all of his Chips like normal, although that may have to do with being close to the CIA’s more powerful Death Drive Mk-II.

• Shining Chip- Telekinetically grabs an enemy and then tosses them backwards
• Psycho Chip- Fires projectiles that can stun and damage struck enemies
• Heavy Chip- Creates an area of effect that slows down all enemies within
• Atlas Chip- Throws forward a sticky bomb that explodes after a short delay
• ∀ Chip- Creates an area that gradually heals Travis. This circle does gradually shrink in size, however.
• Strike Freedom Chip- Aims and fires a laser from an orbiting satellite. Travis cannot move during the aiming process, but the blast’s damage is exceptional.
• Wing Chip- Fires electricity in a straight line, which can paralyze effected enemies
• Double X Chip- Throws down a powerful bomb with a massive blast radius. It can knock back Travis but does not actually deal damage to its user.
• Ξ Chip- Makes the user invisible until they attack an enemy or until a time limit is up
• V2 Chip- The user spins around like a top, damaging any enemies that they collide with
• Destroy Chip- Creates a wall to block attacks or approaching enemies
• 00 Chip- Travis dashes in one direction, gaining some invincibility frames during the dash
• Unicorn Chip- Creates a field that drains life directly from enemies inside
• Physalis Chip- Tosses a capsule that spews poisonous and flammable gasses in four directions
• Self Chip- Generates an area that draws enemies in
• BCB (Blueberry Cheese Brownie) Chip- Drastically lowers Travis' movement speed but grants him greater attack power for a time
• NBMB (Nuts Berry Milk Blancmange) Chip- Temporarily causes Travis' normal attacks to release a meteor-shaped projectile
• Travisman Formation Chip- Can only be used in conjunction with Badman. The two men turn into one being and let loose a screen nuke attack, wiping out all normal enemies in a flash of light. This technique does not work on bosses.

Powers from No More Heroes 3

• Death Kick- Travis performs a flying dropkick, traveling across the battlefield to strike the nearest enemy, stunning them
• Death Slow- Creates a small field that slows down any enemies caught inside
• Death Force- Telekinetically grips a single enemy and throws them backwards
• Death Rain- Creates a field a few feet above the air that “rains down” damaging projectiles on enemies

Death Glove Chips
A majority of these chips offer only minor gameplay differences, but there are three that more dramatically alter Travis’s abilities.

• 80 Chip- Alerts Travis when collectibles are nearby
• Legend Chip- Lets Travis fire beams from his blade
• Z Chip- Reduces cooldowns for Death Skills to zero

Other Uses

• Dr. Juvenile, creator of the Death Drive Mk II, has downloaded her consciousness into the Death Glove and acts as an AI helper. She analyzes an alien substance when Travis presses it against the Glove.
• Allows Travis’s cat, Jeane, to travel with Travis within the glove. Jeane can exit the glove and float around in an orange bubble before landing on the ground.
• When Travis is falling off a skyscraper, the Glove transfers an Arsenal Rollout Model from the Daemon X Machina universe to save him

Vehicles/Mecha

Schpeltiger

• Can knock down palm trees
• Can be used to ram enemies
• Makes a massive jump off a ramp
• Can perform manual jumps on the bike

Travis Strikes Back Motorcycle

• Can exceed speeds of 200 mph

Demzamtiger

• By pressing a button on the Death Glove, Travis can instantly teleport his motorcycle to his location
• Can make long jumps off of ramps to travel over bodies of water
• Can boost forwards with nitro
  • By boosting, it can reach top speeds of over 400 km/h, or around 250 mph
• Can damage enemy vehicles by ramming them or by extending beam katana blades from the sides to slice them

Full Armor Mode

• Can assemble a flight-capable suit of mechanical armor around his body
  • Outpaces the explosion generates from killing Destroyman
• Travis can also enhance his armor’s abilities in Full Green Mode, a special form for his armor. In gameplay, he can trigger this through getting Green 777s on the Slash Reel.
  • He can jump to the nearest single enemy, manifesting a large, glowing tiger construct around his body to knock the foe backwards
  • He can use the Multi-Missiles from the armor’s base form
  • He can hover using the jets on the back of the armor
  • Cuts off Midori Midorikawa’s arms
• Bougainvillea Mode- Travis’s armor is capable of space battle. When facing a larger foe in space, Travis can fly freely, fire homing projectiles and deploy a powerful Hyperdeath Particle Cannon beam attack.
  • Can deploy beam blades from both arms, using them to slice apart Mr. Blackhole
  • Deploys a beam that obliterates Mr. Blackhole
  • Shatters a massive sphere of ice
  • Travis fights a Space Peacock, an alien large enough to envelope the planet Earth with its wings. He destroys several cores along its body to damage it.

Glastonbury

• When an enemy busts out a skyscraper-sized, football-themed robot in space, Travis responds with a giant robot of his own
• After filling the Ecstacy Gauge, it can unleash a barrage of missiles
• After filling the Ecstacy Gauge, it can extend the length of its blade to empower a slash
• Throws the Santa Death Parade’s giant robot into outer space, then obliterates it with a railgun

Arsenal Rollout Model

• When Travis is falling off a skyscraper, the Glove transfers an Arsenal Rollout Model from the Daemon X Machina universe to save him. Travis uses it to batter Damon Riccitiello’s much larger mech.
• Stabs into Damon Riccitiello’s truly massive mech, flies into space on his own mech, then jumps out and impales through the torso of Damon’s mech

Fourth-Wall Awareness

• He asks about Jeane’s tragic past and she replies that the sordid details would jack up the game’s age rating even further. To avoid this, Travis “fast forwards” the conversation, making it so that he gets the information but keeps it from the player of the game.
• Demands to know what Sylvia was up to between the first and second game, then looks to the camera for support from the player
• Acknowledges the gap between NMH2 and Travis Strikes again and tries to introduce himself to the new players
• Jeane explains that Travis isn’t really breaking the fourth wall but instead sensing the presence of the player directly
• Starts blaming the game directors when he thinks he’s stuck in a bugged save
• When a boss traps Travis in JRPG, turn-based style combat, Travis is able to destroy the command box, freeing himself and beginning the normal, action-game style fight

Miscellaneous

• Somehow escapes from restraints during Harvey Moiseiwitsch Volodarskii’s magic act
• Travis leaves an empty cloak standing up in an elevator to serve as a decoy. He then gets past Skelter Helter on the rooftop without being seen.
• Leaves a decoy in his trailer when Bad Man comes to kill him. The decoy is able to play Hotline Miami.
• He doesn’t appreciate being compared to Deadpool
• Travis swings his katana to kill the mysterious Native Dancer, but his sword arm won’t budge. When Dancer falls, Travis moves to catch him. Unbeknownst to Travis, Native Dancer is a close family member, and Travis instinctually cannot harm him.

See that… Now THAT was a battle!!! Look at this blood! We HUMANS are ALIVE! Even if we ARE assassins! Doesn’t matter if it’s a video game, movie, drama, anime, manga… We’re ALIVE!!!

It shows your badge under your name in the bubbles when you gift. I can already hear creators using that to call teams or gifters broke… I will be turning my small badge off 😂
Edit: it shows on the viewer ranks also!

Story Synopsis

Captain Henry Donnager expected a quiet career babysitting a dusty relic in Area 51. But when a test unlocks a portal to a world of knights and magic, he's thrust into command of Alpha Team, an elite unit tasked with exploration.
They join the local Adventurers Guild, seeking to unravel the secrets of this fantastical realm and the ancient gateway's creators. As their quests reveal the potent forces of magic, they inadvertently entangle in the volatile politics between local rivalling factions.
With American technology and ancient secrets in the balance, Henry's team navigates alliances and hostilities, enlisting local legends and air support in their quest. In a land where dragons loom, they discover that modern warfare's might—Hellfire missiles included—holds its own brand of magic.
**
First
**

Author’s Note:

At long last, the Season 1 finale for Manifest Fantasy is now here!
For a FREE look at WIP Manifest Fantasy art commissions and designs for the upcoming comic/manga, please visit my Patreon page.
Right now I’ve got a design for Ron Owens posted there. If you’re a paid member, you’ll be able to see more of the assets and WIP content that you’ve contributed to!

If this post gets 500 likes by 11:59 PM Tuesday (Pacific) I’ll upload another chapter (schedule will be posted in my discord server)

READ 2 WEEKS AHEAD: Chapter 18 is now available for Tier 2 Manifest Fantasy Patrons and higher!

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/drdoritosmd
Discord: https://discord.gg/wr2xexGJaD
– –
“Commander unto commander, I offer a choice: cede your Holding Bags, that secure passage may be granted unto you. Refuse, and you shall be declared as spies and enemies of the Nobian Empire, your lives forfeit to swift execution.”
Swift execution? Henry fought the urge to scoff. Pride or not, these Nobians were really pushing it. The Vicearch’s terms were audacious to the point of being a cliché in a second-rate drama – laughable under different circumstances, but with their current disadvantage, dangerously real.
He adjusted his grip on the flashbangs. His inner voice wanted to just toss it and watch the chaos unfold, but he checked that impulse. It must be the adrenaline and cynicism talking. Whatever went down now could dictate the course of all American-Nobian relations moving forward. On top of that, he was already tired from fighting the Sentinel Lindwyrm and Spiranids. For Ambassador Perry’s – and their own – sakes, he had to give negotiation a shot.
“Vicearch,” Henry began, “Grenden Forest is neutral territory. Any aggression here could be seen as a violation of that neutrality and a potential act of war.”
It was hard to see Carvus' face through his helmet, but the tightened grip on his sword told Henry all he needed to know. He continued, “My team is here on official Adventurer’s business. We have no intention of interfering with Nobian affairs. As a leader, surely you understand the importance of fulfilling one’s duties and maintaining the Guild’s integrity.”
“Your ‘duties’?” Carvus scoffed, his voice heavy with scorn. “You claim neutrality, invoking your Guild’s banner as though it were a shield. Yet, here, deep in our territory, your pretense of neutrality carries no weight. You are naught but intruders, cloaking your trespasses in ‘duty’, violating lands that you falsely deem neutral. The Guild’s name will not shield you from the consequences of trespassing on sovereign territory."
Henry took in his surroundings while the Vicearch talked, taking note of enemy positions. They were split into two groups – one currently encircling them and forming the leader’s entourage, and the other spread out across the hallway. The Nobian positions in the hallway seemed to have gaps – large, empty spaces between their men. However, given what they knew of the Nobians, those spaces likely weren’t as empty as they looked.
Sera stepped up beside Henry. Her voice shifted from the gentler tones she used with him to something much sharper. “Don’t try to twist the truth, Vicearch. The Grenden Accords permit Adventurers on official quests. Your presence here – a Nobian military unit – is a direct insult to the sacrifices made to achieve peace. Is the Nobian Empire so eager to plunge us back into the chaos of war?”
Carvus sneered. “You dare cast aspersions of warmongering upon the Empire? We are a simple research unit, investigating ruins within our borders. It is you who have invaded our rightful lands, coveting secrets that are ours by divine right. Your Guild’s ‘integrity’ is nothing more than a façade for your own greed and ambition.”
Carvus’ sword began to shimmer – the same way that Sera’s sword shimmered whenever she enchanted it. “I will not stand idle whilst foreign interlopers and their pet nobles seek to subvert Nobian sovereignty. Those who oppose the Emperor’s decree will be ground beneath our heel as naught but trifling vermin. I will not repeat myself. Yield forthwith, or steel yourself for your demise.”
Divine right? There was no way invoking a treaty would deter the Nobians at this point. That only left one other method of persuasion: force. The only issue was that it wouldn’t matter if the Nobians couldn’t understand – or didn’t want to understand – the advantage modern technology granted them.
If the Vicearch had any doubts about winning, though, he did an extremely good job of hiding it. There was nothing but confidence and determination in the man’s eyes. Negotiation, it seemed, was off the table.
Henry kept his eyes trained on the Nobian Vicearch. With all alternatives exhausted, the path was clear. He kept his gaze forward, giving no impression that he whispered, “Kel, you’re up.”
Kelmithus acknowledged and stepped forward, his staff lowered and his Holding Bag hanging off his arm. “Very well. I do not wish to cause war, so I shall lay down my Volcanic Annihilation.”
The way those words rolled off Kelmithus’ tongue was so casual, so conversational, that it nearly slipped past Henry’s attention. And, looking at the Nobians, he noticed they too seemed to have barely registered the spell’s incantation. In a panicked frenzy, they scrambled to prepare their own defensive magic.
Henry’s HUD displayed the rapidly falling humidity as walls of water sprung up around the Nobians, bracing for a fiery blast. He braced himself as well, but nothing of the sort ever came. There was no lava, no explosion, nor anything else that could be called ‘volcanic’ – and there certainly wasn’t any annihilation.
In a split second, the Nobians came to the same realization. He could see it in their faces: where was the ‘Volcanic Annihilation’? As the Nobians staggered back, their hastily summoned water walls burst into clouds of steam. Through the swirling mist, Henry caught the distorted sounds of pain and confusion. He could see shadows flinching, some clutching at their faces and armor as the steam turned against them, exploiting any vulnerability.
The Vicearch reacted quickly. His silhouette blurred as he dodged back with astonishing speed. As he expected, it would take a lot more than a diversionary spell to take down the Nobian leader. Although the maneuver spared him the brunt of the steam’s heat, there was no way the man had escaped unscathed.
With the steam creating confusion, Henry seized the moment. He made a break for the wall to his left and quickly hurled the flashbangs – one toward where he last saw the Vicearch and another towards the deceptively ‘empty’ spot ahead. The concussive blasts and blinding flashes – muted against the filters of his envirosuit – compounded the chaos, leaving more of the Nobians reeling.
“Block the exit!” The Vicearch barked out orders to his men, his voice quickly fading away as the distance between them grew.
Everyone followed his lead, hugging the wall and using it as a guide as they sprinted forward. Through the gaps in the rising steam, Henry caught glimpses of the Nobian soldiers. Each one of them was disoriented, barely able to conjure protective air bubbles for themselves. Despite the chaos, they managed to maintain their invisibility – sure signs of a professional unit.
More canisters hit the floor, spewing out smoke. These extra grenades obscured the hallway further, mixing with the steam to form a thorough blend of aerial goop. Henry watched a few sporadic blasts of wind move the particulates around. Not that the Nobians could’ve known without a more developed understanding of science, but all their efforts simply introduced turbulence that encouraged the mixture of steam and smoke.
It was hard to see even past 5 feet – perfect for their plan. That said, it was difficult to track the Nobians as they stumbled about in the steam and smoke. With the particulates as turbulent as they were, their thermals were almost useless. The one saving grace, though, was the fact that the Nobians were only invisible – not intangible.
It had been just a few seconds since they deployed their flashbangs. Adding the effects of the scalding steam, that meant they had maybe around ten more seconds before – his train of thought was broken as he caught a distortion to his right, just within his peripheral vision. Turning to bring his weapon to bear, he noticed that the smoke had broken apart, forming a thin outline in the shape of a human. He couldn't see the target itself, but the parting haze gave him all the information he needed.
Reacting instantly, Henry fired. Three rounds struck in rapid succession as the soldier charged with inhuman speed, sparking off his armor. Chest, chest, shoulder. With his momentum unchecked, the figure crashed sideways into the wall beside them, the impact extinguishing the remnants of his cloaking spell in a flutter of distorted light. The fallen Nobian’s sword skidded out of reach as he slumped to the ground, disappearing in the smoke behind them.
Henry and his team kept pushing forward, following the wall as they navigated through the thick haze. He popped another smoke grenade, enhancing the already dense mixture of steam and smoke that filled the hallway. As they returned fire, the brief flashes from their rifles briefly illuminated the dense smoke, inadvertently signaling their position. Picking up on the signs of their presence, arrows sliced through the fog and thudded into the nearby wall. The only visible clues were the fleeting paths of the arrows, hinting at their origin. Reacting to these cues, Henry swiftly aligned his rifle with the last seen trajectory and fired back, hoping to suppress the hidden assailants.
“Contact rear!” Ryan’s voice crackled over the comm, punctuated by gunfire echoing from behind. With all the gunfire, the Nobians were now fully aware of their position.
Kelmithus’ brief acknowledgment came through the comm. Almost immediately, Henry heard the distinct sound of ice crackling and expanding. This was quickly followed by a series of thuds and grunts as their pursuers collapsed on the slick ice.
More of the Nobians’ attacks converged on them – more swordsmen rushing in, more arrows flying, and even some spells thrown in the mix. It felt like they were getting hammered from all sides, barely grazing past deadly wind snipes and fireballs thanks to the smoke’s effects on the enemy’s accuracy and Kelmithus’ efforts. Sera also chipped in, creating localized blasts of wind to briefly open up lines of sight as she guessed where the archers were – somewhere up ahead.
Naturally, it was even more difficult to see them at a distance, but their faint outlines were more than enough. Landing a shot on a nigh-invisible target from the hip was well, nigh-impossible. Hell, that far away, accuracy by volume wouldn’t work, either. But… they didn’t need to be accurate to hit their enemy.
Henry reacted purely on instinct. Grabbing a grenade, he pulled the pin and chucked it toward the faint echoes where the arrows had been coming from, not even sure what he’d hit. The grenade’s arc disappeared in the thick smoke, but its landing was undeniable – a heavy thud followed by an immediate blast. The explosion rose above the sounds of gunfire, violently shaking the air. The subsequent cessation of incoming arrows was a welcome sign that the grenade had paid off.
The smoke started to dissipate slightly, pushed by the force of the blast. What lay ahead was now slightly clearer, though still a mess – a pathway obstructed by scattered debris forced into a makeshift barrier. It looked like it was made of bramble and rock – not the most ideal, but still sturdy enough to block their advance.
Henry signaled for his team to stop moving and to set up a perimeter. “Owens, the Gustaf!”
Ron had the same thought, already loading a round into the chamber. Ahead, the barrier stood defenseless – though there was no way to tell for sure. Instead of guards, there seemed to be a glow just behind it as more rocks and vegetation attached themselves to the existing structure. If the mages were just behind the barricade, he had to be ready to take them out the moment Ron blew it apart. He couldn’t allow them to rebuild the barrier.
Ron took aim at the center of the barricade, his finger on the trigger. As Ron prepared to fire, Henry positioned himself away from the predictable backblast. Ron squeezed the trigger, and the Carl Gustaf bucked in his hands as the high-explosive round bolted from the tube.
Just as the round was fired, a pained grunt echoed from behind them. Henry recognized that voice – Carvus. Henry spun around, barely catching a glimpse of a faint outline stumbling backward as the man was no doubt caught unawares by the fierce backblast. Though visibility was nil, Henry aimed where he last sensed movement and squeezed off a burst.
Too late. Carvus had already pulled his disappearing act, vanishing into the haze. In an amusing twist however, the often hazardous backblast had somehow turned into an asset, finding an offensive use. He found himself smirking at the thought of Carvus being caught off guard by something that was normally the bane of new recruits. The Nobians might have some unique magic on their side, but they clearly knew little about their weapons.
Henry turned back to the barricade. The explosion had done its work, shattering the rock and turning the brambles into kindling. The concussive blast sent debris flying, skewering a group of previously cloaked Nobians ahead of them with shrapnel. As the dust settled, he saw that the barricade was now nothing more than a pile of rubble. The way forward was clear.
The mages who had been maintaining the barrier were caught in the blast, too. They staggered back, disoriented and riddled with injuries – easy targets. He and Dr. Anderson opened fire, picking off the mages before they could gather their wits and start rebuilding the barricade.
They must’ve been too disoriented to pull up personal shields for themselves because they went down easily. Henry paused at the breach, scanning his left and right as he would when entering a doorway. Then, he leaped through, clearing the right side. Ron followed closely, clearing the left.
“Clear!” Henry announced. He aimed his weapon back at the breach to cover the rest of the team as they made their way through.
Sera and Dr. Anderson continued forward, ensuring the path ahead was clear. As the rest of the team crossed the threshold, Henry tossed a flashbang through the hole, followed by a grenade. Kelmithus reacted instantly, sealing the breach with earth magic.
Seconds later, he heard a muffled pop from the other side, accompanied by a groan of pain. They’d just bought a few more moments. He returned to the front with Ron, allowing Isaac and Ryan to maintain their rear to create a wedge-shaped formation. Looking forward, Henry recognized the cavern that they had entered initially, spotting the Lindwyrm nest in the distance.
Glancing at his HUD, Henry led his team through a corridor as he followed the pre-designated route. The uneven cave floor was a hassle to work through, strewn with jagged rocks and jutting formations. Fuck, he should’ve accounted for terrain instead of simply selecting the route with the least activity. This was the least active path for a reason.
Kelmithus produced a light cloud of steam around them – smart thinking. It wasn’t enough to scald or otherwise significantly hinder their pursuers, but it would be enough to track their movements. That only left the issue of maintaining their advantage, or at least preventing the Nobians from getting the upper hand.
Henry’s heart raced as he scanned the area ahead. Was there anything they could use? A bottleneck, a natural barricade, hell, even a stalagmite for cover would do. It seemed they had the short end of the stick, though. The cavern offered little in the way of defensible positions.
Gunfire once again flared up behind them. The Nobians had caught up to Ryan and Isaac. It was almost impossible to tell how many contacts they’d engaged. “Kel, go with Hayes and Yen!”
As Kelmithus left to support them, the steam ahead parted suddenly. Not even a second later, an arrow materialized out of the void, cutting through the haze and heading straight for him.
Henry reacted on instinct, jerking to the left as the arrow whizzed past, barely missing his neck. As he did so, he returned fire at the same spot where the arrow had come from. A muffled grunt and the clatter of a falling bow confirmed his success, but surely it couldn’t be the end of that.
Two more arrows streaked out of the steam, appearing as they cleared the bows of their concealed shooters. They came in fast, reminiscent of the Wind Snipe arrow that had struck their MRAP back when they encountered those bandits. Everything seemed to slow down – the arrows soaring through the steam, Ron and Dr. Anderson taking aim at the faint silhouettes ahead. As he tried to dodge, Sera lunged forward.
A blur of silver appeared across his vision as she tried to intercept the arrows. One ricocheted off her blade, sparking as it was deflected harmlessly into the cave wall. Shit, it didn’t look like she was going to get the second one. Henry braced himself as the arrow slipped past her guard.
It drew closer, piercing through the magical shield Kelmithus had cast on him earlier and puncturing his envirosuit. The enchanted arrowhead buried itself in his right shoulder, but he wasn’t sure if it got through the UHMWPE mesh layer beneath.
“Agh, fuck!” Henry sucked in air. Instinctively, he moved his hand to the shaft protruding from his shoulder, ensuring it was not so loose as to snag on his equipment or hinder his movement. It hurt like hell, but it was almost impossible to tell the full extent of the penetration. He had to leave it in for now, at least until they could find a safe spot.
After confirming the kills on the archers, Ron checked on Henry. His eyes widened as he saw the shaft sticking out of his shoulder – shock, anger, probably also surprise that an arrow somehow managed to break through modern armor. At least, that’s exactly what Henry currently felt, pain notwithstanding. “Shit… Exit wound?”
“Nah, don’t think so.” Henry let his rifle hang from its sling, instead drawing his sidearm with his left hand.
Ron nodded to Dr. Anderson and Sera before approaching Henry. “Lemme take a look,” he said.
Henry slowed his pace slightly, not too much to slow their advance but just enough to allow Ron to get a good look.
Ron checked the hole in the envirosuit’s plating, shining his helmet light on it. “Can’t see shit… Okay, I don’t think it went deeper than the mesh, at least. No blood.” He then carefully probed it, trying to feel for the arrowhead. “Yeah, feels like the mesh caught it. No penetration, thank fuck.”
It was a cold comfort to hear that, but it still felt like getting hit with a sledgehammer. Just how much kinetic energy did that arrow have, even after crashing through the magic shield and envirosuit? “Yeah, thank fuck, alright.”
Ron nodded. “Doc, Sera, take the lead.” He then faced Henry. “We’ll have Yen take a closer look at it later. There’s an alcove up ahead, close to our route.”
Henry looked up at his minimap. Their path branched off into the route they were supposed to follow and a small nook that led into separate pathways. He grunted in acknowledgment and positioned himself to the left of Ron. The pain was still there, throbbing with every movement, but at least the arrow hadn’t done any serious damage. Small mercies, he supposed.
“All contacts neutralized back here,” Ryan updated. “How’s it looking up there?”
Henry responded, straining his voice a bit because of the pain, “Copy. Arrow got me in the shoulder, no penetration. We’re making a short detour to an alcove up ahead, marked it on the minimap.”
Ryan acknowledged, tightening the formation in response to Henry’s injury. While Sera and Dr. Anderson maintained the vanguard, Ron kept Henry in the center. Kelmithus then caught up, approaching Henry with his glowing staff. “Allow me to cast the shield anew. It shan’t withstand another direct blow, but it should offer some succor.”
Henry slowed down for a bit. “Thanks.”
Kelmithus waved his staff, and a new barrier materialized around him. With the shield set, the archmage fell back and took up a position between the rear and the center.
The cave started to narrow ahead – a sign that they were nearing their temporary objective. Dr. Anderson’s subsequent report confirmed their position. “I see the alcove, about twenty meters.”
Henry saw it too: a narrow passageway leading into a hidden nook. It seemed like it was just another section of rock until they approached it and got a better angle – subtle enough to miss if they hadn’t known about the spot from prior reconnaissance and were simply running along the path. Dr. Anderson and Sera pushed in, clearing the shallow recess. It was barely enough to hide them, but it would do.
Ron pulled out a smoke grenade, glancing at Henry for confirmation. He must’ve wanted to toss it the other way, to divert the Nobians. Henry nodded, and Ron tossed the grenade down the path. Thick smoke billowed out of the device, filling the corridor.
At the same time, Kelmithus directed the remaining steam toward the same direction. It left them without their crucial sixth sense, but at least they still had their infrared lasers to fall back on in case anyone tried to push through the narrow chokepoint. Soon after the smoke spread out, Henry saw wisps trailing in the other direction – cloaked Nobians running after the decoy. Good.
Henry watched the parted smoke soon fill back up, hardly daring to breathe. A few seconds later, there were no more disturbances. They were in the clear, for now.
Isaac turned to him as soon as it felt safe to do so, whispering into the comms, “Sit down on this rock. Let me take a look.”
Henry shifted, trying to find a position that didn’t hurt. “Yeah; think the mesh caught it. Doesn’t feel like it went too deep.”
Isaac frowned. “Well, there’s no external bleeding, at least.” He shone a light on the break in the envirosuit, pulling a multitool from his Holding Bag. The metal on the envirosuit groaned slightly as Isaac pried it open. He gritted his teeth, suppressing a grunt as he worked on it. Each movement sent jolts of pain through his shoulder.
In the meantime, the others reloaded their weapons and maintained a perimeter, with Dr. Anderson deploying his own Black Hornet to check out the alternate route. After a moment, Isaac sighed with relief. “Lucky you. The mesh stopped it. Can’t believe a pussy stick managed to get through the shield and the plating, though…”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m sayi– ngh!” Isaac gripped the arrow shaft and pulled it out with a swift yank.
Henry clenched his jaw, feeling the pressure ease as the arrow came free. “Damn.”
Isaac stowed the arrow in his Holding Bag. “I won’t be able to give a proper diagnosis until we can get the envirosuit, mesh, and uniform off you. My guess is blunt force trauma. Hold still.” He pulled out a portable ultrasound scanner and ran it over his shoulder.
After completing a pass, Isaac nodded. “Good news: no broken bones.” He then fished out a small packet and a bottle of water from the aid kit in his Holding Bag. “Ibuprofen,” he said simply, handing the items to Henry.
Henry obliged, swallowing the pills.
“Kel.” Isaac waved the archmage over. “No broken bones. You’re good for healing magic.”
Henry felt a slight relief as both the painkillers and the healing magic took effect. Within a minute, the pain in his arm was almost gone, feeling more like a soreness after an extreme workout rather than a scooter to the shin. He rolled his shoulder experimentally, testing the range of motion. Not bad.
“Captain, I’ve mapped the alternate route,” Dr. Anderson informed him. “Looks like a shortcut to the surface. We’ll pop out around the side of the spur, a bit away from the entrance.”
Henry glanced at the minimap on his HUD. The route was shorter than their previous path, with the added bonus of – hopefully – no enemy contact. “Lucky us. Good work, Doc.”
Sera’s eyes moved to the top of her helmet as she too studied the new route. “Should the Nobians be absent when we emerge, we should escape on foot lest we lose all to folly. Why tarry here and tempt fate with our Holding Bags at risk?”
“How often do you apply your uh… physical enhancement magic?” Henry asked.
Sera tilted her head. “Why, constantly.” She paused after giving her response, then inclined her chin. “Ah.”
Henry nodded. “Yup. Even if we wanted to, we wouldn’t make it; the Nobians would catch up or intercept in no time. Either way, our MRAPs are too critical to leave behind.”
“Hey,” Ryan patted Sera on the shoulder. “We were gonna take 'em on anyway. Good thing we ain't gotta fight through the whole damn cave to get to our rides.”
Ryan was right, but it only meant that their mission went from extremely challenging to simply very challenging. Henry laid out the plan, “Once we get out, we’ll form a perimeter. I’m gonna pop both flares; call in the QRF and the Apache. If we’re lucky, the fog will be too thick for the Nobians to see the flare going up. If not, well…”
Kelmithus picked up, “We then must brace for the Nobians who shall converge upon our position within the forest.”
“Yeah,” Henry said. “Doc, what’s outside the exit?”
Dr. Anderson shared his drone’s feed. “Boulders, tree trunks, vegetation – good natural cover. There’s a cliff directly above the exit, about 15 feet. If we can climb it, we’ll be able to get into a higher position directly overlooking the main entrance. Unless the Nobians can scale 40 feet of rock, there’s only one other way up there.”
Henry analyzed the scenery. There was an area to the left of the cave with natural formations that formed somewhat of a path to the top. They just needed to lock that down until reinforcements arrived. “Then we’ll do that immediately after I pop the flares. Sera, Kel, you guys able to climb?”
“Oh, joy, another climb. I suppose it would only be a trifle for one such as myself,” Sera smiled, placing her hand on her chest.
Henry looked at Kelmithus.
The archmage only sighed, stretching his back. “I shall manage.”
Henry stowed his sidearm and picked up his rifle. “Alright, let’s get moving.”
Next

For context, while not a real parasocial relationship, I have quite the crush on a content creator. I'm well aware this is not something that would ever happen. I just really enjoy their stuff and they are very much the type of person I would want to be in a relationship with. But again, no real connection to this person.
So, the dream.
I was at some sort of convention or party. Not sure, but a very large social event. In this world I had already made an online connection with this person. Chatting and getting to know each other. Basically, a long distance online relationship with no definition of spoken commitment.
This lines up very much with my personality, as I tend to struggle to express a feeling or desire to pursue a relationship with someone that I feel like there is a strong connection with. Almost friend zoning myself haha. But in the dream both myself and this person have that same personality. We like each other a lot but are both not brave enough to verbalize it.
After all this past chatting, we have finally met each other in person at this event. We are off to the side just speaking to each other. We are in our own warm and lovely bubble. Genuine smiles of love and joy, gazing at each other. And man, she is just so cute and wonderful. At this point it's very much an unspoken "I love you."
Someone from our friend group comes up and says "Hey, I think we're all going to check out *something* over on the other side. Let's go!"
Caught off guard, but we do want to see more of this event. We begin to make our way toward the crowd. Suddenly, she grabs my hand. I am taken a back and I look back at her. The softest and most beautiful smile is on her face. Our fingers are intermingled. Again no words ever spoken, but in this moment we both know that this is perfect and we are going to be together forever. We both smile with such joy. She walks closer to me and wraps her arm around mine and leans against me. Her head resting on my shoulder. We hold each other close as we walk through the crowd.
This is a moment of perfect love.
And then I woke up.
This was a few nights ago and I am still struggling a little bit emotionally. I can't express just how real this dream felt, and how genuine and deep this love was. And to be suddenly taken away from it...it's been a lot to process.
So, there you have it. The most wonderful dream I have ever had, and now facing the reality that it was just a dream.

The only reason elitist, parasocial fans get so upset over podcasts that seem "similar" to EI is because your insecurities are showing, loud and clear. You’re insecure that your humor is built solely off Enya and Drew, and you can't be original yourselves. So when you see other comedy podcasts outside of your small bubble, you feel the need to defend Drew, Enya, and essentially yourself. No, they did not invent unprofessional best friend podcasts, and no, they are not the first gay man and woman comedy podcast to exist. Apologies if this seems "aggressive," but some of these "fans" have literally attacked other queer and POC creators for their race, appearance, and quote in quote "originality." So yes it's very tiring to see. If you are one of those fans, log off. Drew and Enya would NEVER like you. GROW UP

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“Is that a threat?” I countered plainly, simply, and with my hand brushing against the back of my pistol.
“No, newrealmer.” The apprentice replied with a nonchalant, conversational tone of voice, having dropped that momentary rise in intensity. “I am merely referring to this little mixer. Which, I believe, I should allow you to get back to. But just be warned, it would be wise to heed my words. Though I highly doubt this will be the last you’ll be hearing of this, as perhaps clarification will be needed to address exactly what is and isn’t acceptable and tolerable. Then again, I doubt even that will be my purview. Oh well…” The apprentice shrugged, cutting himself off and removing the little blanket of darkness before he could get into another one of his long-winded tirades.
The darkness disappeared as abruptly as it’d arrived. Moreover, if the sensor readings didn’t already make it clear, it was now very much evident to me that the shadowy bubble I’d been thrust into wasn’t some kind of portal or spatial anomaly, but a careful manipulation of light; separating our small space from the rest of the gathered crowd. A crowd which, much to my surprise, didn’t seem at all fazed by the scene. If anything, the sudden and inexplicable appearance of the apprentice seemed to only result in the expected nods of respect, and bows of deference.
No words were exchanged between the shadowy apprentice and the gathered group. Instead, only a glare and a nod of respectful warning was given; generating an immediate shift in the atmosphere.
A vibe that immediately read as: Tread Lightly.
Silence permeated the immediate aftermath of that encounter. Whilst concern over the apprentice’s actions brewed inside of me, forcing me to consider the implications of this first open attempt at information control, and more worryingly… if he was acting on his own volition or at someone else’s standing orders.
However, despite the general submission to the apprentice’s presence and the unspoken warnings toward the group as a whole, the mileage by which the warning was taken… varied considerably.
The tortle-like-turtle, along with the rest of his group and some scattered compatriots, simply left.
Ladona and a few others remained there for a second longer, before likewise breaking course, returning back to Auris Ping and the rest of their group.
Etholin and the group of crocodiles however, whilst relatively unnerved and cautious, actually took a few steps towards me.
“Well then.” The orange and yellow Viscount Gumigo broke the silence first. “You, newrealmer, are now officially on our sight-map.” He spoke in a manner that because of his cocksure and gung-ho demeanor, made it difficult to determine if that was a particularly good, or a particularly bad thing. Though the fact he also left quickly after saying that, probably implied the sentiment lay somewhere in between.
“We'll have our eyes on you.” One of the crocodiles spoke, using two of his three fingers to point towards his eyes, before shooting them back towards me.
“And our ears too!” The smallest crocodile yapped through a confident grin, before just as quickly bolting off.
This left only the small ferret as the last one standing, as he once more craned his head up higher and higher, just to meet my eyes.
“T-the offer from before still stands, earthrealmer.” Etholin began, generating a brief instance of a privacy screen around us. “The offer to parlay that is. W-with the added caveat of guaranteed discretion on my part.” The ferret’s mild-mannered demeanor remained all throughout, even as he tried his best to infer something other than skittish nervousness through his words. “You were leading towards something, a topic which… while admittedly taboo and borderline preposterous, entering the realm of absurdity, is one that I very much wish to hear more of. Will you walk with me, Emma Booker?” The ferret gestured towards the second nook. “We don't have much time before the end of this mixer, after all.”
I nodded cautiously, prompting the ferret’s privacy screen to grow stronger with mana radiation, a confirmation that these things did take more effort to maintain when in motion.
“I’m flattered they even bothered to entertain my explanations in that case.” I offered, trying to keep the conversation rolling as it naturally veered towards one of the points I wanted to touch on; gauging the crowd from earlier using Etholin’s insight. “After all, it would’ve been much easier to simply disengage and disregard, rather than to engage and actively humor my points.”
“Indeed. Though this perhaps due in no small part to the… unconventional and daring plays of your vastly inferior hand.” The ferret paused, before quickly correcting himself just as we arrived at the third nook. “I… I meant no disrespect with that of course!”
“No offense taken, at least not at this junction, Lord Esila.” I offered with a sigh, urging him to continue.
“A newrelamer’s deck is often composed of cards stacked against their favor from the moment they step into the nest of intrigue that is the Academy. Your… unique predispositions, whilst seemingly a handicap, have been overshadowed by your peers’ classroom performance in the form of your current points, and most notable of all… your library card. Whilst the former is subject to the whims of the academic game, the latter… has become a foundational cornerstone to your lore. This, amongst a few other rumors and whispers, has forced the student body to reassess its stance on what would otherwise be an easily-dismissed existence. Indeed I… applaud your risk-taking maneuvers during that fateful assembly. Though I can imagine it did not come without its price.”
That latter, almost ominous statement, immediately put me in mind of Auris and the resultant cold war stemming from our two fates that’d become inexplicably linked after that assembly fiasco.
A pause quickly punctuated the scene, with Etholin looking up expectantly, as I took a moment to get a closer look at the third nook and all of its magically-derived shenanigans; namely the battle-lines now drawn into what appeared to be a fully actualized, highly-rendered battlemap, and miniatures of several towns and cities scattered across it.
“All decisions have their prices, Lord Esila.” I offered earnestly, just as the lines in whatever magical RTS game happening in the background behind him were shifting. “Indeed, as much as I appreciate your insight on this matter, this does raise the question—”
“You backstabbed my third guard unit, Lord Etale!”
“Well, YOU lied to me about the shipment of grain, Lady Evrail!”
I paused, momentarily distracted by the drama quickly manifesting in the background.
“—why exactly do you seem to be more invested in me than most? Now, I’m not saying I’m not appreciative of course. I genuinely, and wholeheartedly, wish to form more bonds amidst an… in your own words — nest of intrigue. However, I am merely curious.”
“Perhaps I see this as a risk worth taking, Cadet Emma Booker.” He offered with a twitch of his ears. “Perhaps, I see that the benefits of discussing matters, of forming at the very least a working relationship, is now worth the potential risks following your elevation from a mere newrealmer, to a potential player in the game.”
A momentary silence once more descended following that answer, as I paused to ponder the sincerity behind the ferret’s voice, amidst the growing chaos and rapidly deteriorating battle-lines of the game behind him; towering high-rises and windmills alike, crumbling amidst a barrage of tiny magical missiles hurled to the tune of tiny mana radiation signatures.
However, just before I could formulate an answer, a series of bells suddenly sounded above us, eliciting the attention of not just me and my gathered audience, but the rest of the room as well.
It was around this time that the musical ensemble from one of the nooks came forward, carried aloft on a floating invisible platform, as the ‘MC’ began addressing everyone in the room. “Princes and Princesses, Lords and Ladies… newrealmer… may I have your attention, please! The time for dinner has arrived! As a result, it would be our pleasure once again to serenade the end of today’s mixer.” The ‘MC’ quickly turned towards the only other noble on stage, who just as quickly began performing.
The question of just how a singular person would be able to play a quartet’s worth of instruments quickly became clear, as disembodied white-gloved hands manifested out of nowhere, and began playing a sharp and whimsical tune.
“It stands to reason that perhaps fate has deemed our conversation stops here, at least for now, Cadet Emma Booker.” Etholin offered.
“There’s more you wanted to touch base on?”
“Y-yes. There is a proposition I wish to pose to you, on the matter of this weekend’s sojourn into Elaseer, and on another matter more pertinent to your time here within the Academy and its many, many factions.”
So that’s what his angle is?
“If it’s a simple nonbinding talk, then sure. Maybe tomorrow after class? Or maybe after Friday’s PE class? As long as nothing else comes up of course.”
“Those are indeed acceptable time frames, Cadet Emma Booker.” Etholin nodded deeply, before taking a few careful steps back. “Till we meet again.”
The sun had begun setting at this point, and as the music prepared to draw to a close, so too did everyone’s formerly talkative spirits.
The wrap-up process was somber, and was rather distinct for each of the little nooks within the lounge. The first nook, with Ilunor and Rostario, seemed to be tallying up some sort of a scoreboard that floated in mid air, far above the reaches of the pair’s short little arms.
The second nook however seemed to be dealing with a lot of cleanup work, as the animated paper birds, dragons, gryphons, and dragon-wyvern-gryphon hybrids were practically torn to shreds by the end of it. Whatever animated battle had transpired, I was apparently not privy to. But I made an immediate mental note to both myself and the EVI to focus on that nook the next time around.
The third nook, the one I’d seen towards the tail end of the mixer, was my main fixation at this point however; as the students here seemed to be tallying and wrapping up what was effectively a magically actualized version of a hybrid between a real-time strategy and a table-top roleplaying game. Except instead of holograms, they dealt with fully autonomous physical miniatures, small representations of anything from your archetypal knight to what looked to be a heavily armored… dare I say it, renaissance looking APC… if that was even a thing. I tended to stay away from fusion fantasy stories, being known as a stickler for minimally invasive crossover settings, so I’d need to look this over with the EVI after work was done. Many of the miniatures however lie in tatters, mauled and torn apart across the mini battlefield. But just like the second nook, this mess didn’t seem to be a problem; a series of magical spells restored every model back to their original condition.
Though following the cleanup, I’d expected the tensions from earlier to spiral into some form of a duel. Similar to how Ilunor and Rostario had seemingly been riled up from what amounted to a minor confrontation.
This, surprisingly, didn’t happen. Instead, and much to my surprise, the group just ended up shaking hands in a surprising display of sportsmanship.
But while the first three nooks were rather straightforward, the fourth nook… I just couldn’t comprehend. Their incantations of darkness seemed to have brought about some sickening creature that disintegrated into what I could only describe as liquid shadow following the call for dinner.
Which left only the fifth nook, who were essentially already packed up, with their musical instruments disappearing either into a burst of smoke or into a small dimensional rift-in-the-wall.
That, I’d need to investigate down the line.
For now however, I turned towards the exit, towards the animated painting that had acted as the entryway to the space. One that had now just given up on all pretenses and opened up like a traditional door; exactly as I recalled it on the night of the warehouse explosion.
“So much for all the magical effort that goes into entering the place.” I groaned out, as I regrouped with the rest of the party, but not before Ilunor turned around for one final jab at the hamster.
“You’re a guinea pig, Prince Rostarion!” He seethed, before seemingly out of nowhere, pulling a fruit that looked like a cross between a pineapple and a cantaloup out of his cloak. At which point, he lobbed it, directly towards the hamster who deflected it with a flick of his wrist.
This led to what amounted to an impromptu tennis match that followed us from the lounge, into the halls, and even all the way down the stairs, before it finally came to an end at the end of an upper yearsman’s wand. At which point, a few words were exchanged, and the pineapple found itself floating and following the Vunerian down and into the dining hall. It seemed to get closer and closer to his head, only halted when he turned around to glare at it.
“I… I don’t understand what’s going on anymore, Ilunor.” I offered in an exasperated breath.
“It’s humor, earthrealmer.” The Vunerian responded somehow pridefully, yet defeatedly at the same time. “You wouldn’t understand.”

Dragon’s Heart Tower, Level 23, Residence 30, Living Room. Local Time: 2000 Hours.
Emma
“So what do you make of it?” I asked the gang after more or less divulging the entirety of my encounters during the little ‘mixer’, now that we’d plopped ourselves down on the couch, with a cone of silence deployed for good measure.
“Lady Ladona was attempting to assert some level of social dominance and intimidation.” Thacea began, taking a sip of some tea she’d ordered in from dinner. “Whether or not that is at the behest of Lord Ping’s request, or one committed on her own volition, does not detract from the fact that her actions are invariably representative of her peer group.”
“To which Emma responded in the best way possible.” Thalmin offered with a snarky grin. “Care to revisit that moment you stood your ground against her on your memory shard again, Emma?”
“I’m afraid I have to insist on moving forward with the conversation, Thalmin.” Thacea countered, prompting the lupinor to hold back and to simply shrug, urging the avinor to continue.
“The rest of the crowd seemed… as you pointed out to Lord Esila, surprisingly accommodating all things considered. Though it’s the encounter with Apprentice Arlan Ostoy that I am most worried about.”
“As am I.” I offered, prompting both of us to stare intently in deep thought.
“The man is obviously trying to halt the divulgence of hard evidence to your manaless existence.” Thalmin offered.
“But the enforcement aspect of it is nebulous at best.” Ilunor chimed in. “I believe you will see further expansion upon this warning sooner rather than later. For now I believe it would be best if we heeded those warnings, especially considering the delicate situation we are already embroiled in.”
I took a moment to take all of that advice in, pausing to consider my next course of action with that particular development.
Exhaustion certainly wasn’t something I’d expected to feel this early on in the night. This was especially true when considering that all that had transpired was what amounted to a small social gathering.
Though as my time with the Director had taught me, ‘parties’, and ‘social events’ were two very distinct things. With the latter being less of a party and more of a thinly veiled networking expo disguised under layers of booze, food, and whatever shiny distractions your budget could afford.
But while the social mixer seemed to have opportunities for those to pursue their hobbies, namely in the little nooks… the social event aspect of it was definitely still there. And as a result, it was still something I desperately wanted to recover from.
Though given my track record…
“INFIL-DRONE01a has returned-to-base, Cadet Booker.”
… I should’ve expected that work was going to rear back its ugly head somehow.
Moreover, this was all part of the plan, after all.
The expected downturn in activity was expectedly replaced with the anxiety-inducing apprehension of what was to come.
“Alright.” I announced, both towards the EVI, and outwardly towards the rest of the gang. “The spy drone’s back. Are you guys ready to see what’s on it?”
A series of nods quickly followed, with all eyes averting from the dragon-fly like drone currently docking itself back into my suit.
I held my breath as the data began its tentative upload, a nagging feeling coiling from the back of my spine urged me to prepare for the worst.
“Alert. Probability of stealth compromisation and discovery at 50.27%. Isolate and play moment of stealth parameter endangerment?”
And I just about let loose the largest sigh of internalized stress I’ve released over the past 48 hours.
This clearly brought on the attention of the rest of the group, as each of them leaned closer towards me.
“There’s a near fifty-fifty chance we’ve been found out.” I explained bluntly. “But there’s only one way to find out.” I quickly began setting up the tablet and its on-board projector, flipping it on its kickstand as the recorded footage started playing, zeroing in on the exact instance of mission endangerment.
The footage revealed what appeared to be the same blank void from my long-winded journey towards the man’s office. The blank unrendered walls, the shadowless bright white fixtures, and the floatiness of it all, made it clear exactly where we were.
“At least we’re headed towards Mal’tory’s office.” I offered with a half-hearted laugh.
However, as the footage continued, it quickly became clear to all of us that it wasn’t just the apprentice that was on the prowl towards the black robed professor’s offices.
In fact, as the camera panned up, it became readily apparent exactly who had triggered the stealth alarm.
As it became undeniably clear that the armorer of all people, was now side-eying the drone, cocking his head if only so slightly in the direction of its flightpath.
Throughout all of this however, the apprentice remained locked in her own little world, as she continued talking about subject matters not particularly important, most of which simply related to the class and the more mundane aspects of teaching.
“This is bad.” Thalmin managed out first, sinking the bottom half of his face into his hands.
However, just as those words were uttered, so too did the footage reveal something… peculiar about Sorecar’s unfettering gaze.
He winked.
Or at least, in his own little way, as a gleam of light reminiscent of a lens flare emanated from the left visor currently in view of the drone.
All four of us just about lost it at that point.
As Thacea turned towards me expectedly, looking up at me as if I had the answers.
“I… I’m guessing… I mean… He’s perceptive, I’ll give him that. He’s doing something none of the professors could do so far. Heck, not even the apprentice seems to notice. But that wink… I guess…” I paused, before turning towards the EVI. “EVI, any other instances of potential discovery?”
“Negative, Cadet Booker. This is the only recorded instance that surpasses the tolerable threshold.”
I took a moment to sink into the armor. “Well, this seems to be the only instance the drone caught anyone or anything else staring directly at it.” I explained to the group. “Moreover, there were no instances in which Sorecar actually notified the apprentice about this it seems.” I continued, once more reviewing the EVI’s risk of discovery reports.
“The man seems to be somewhat endeared to you, Emma.” Thacea reasoned.
“Yeah… funny the way things turn out, huh?” I offered, before scrolling towards the start of the mission proper, and began playing.
Everyone now became intently focused on the long stretches of silence as the apprentice and professor duo made their way from the class and towards the dark and imposing double doors of Mal’tory’s office.
It was here however, that the first words from the apprentice directly referencing the man were finally spoken.
“Well here we are.” Larial spoke through a tired sigh.
“The office of the great man himself.” Sorecar chuckled darkly, crossing his arms in the process. “Well go on then. Be my guest, Apprentice.”
To which the apprentice nodded, but instead of simply opening the door… she grabbed what appeared to be a small notebook, turning to a page stamped entirely with seals and runes. She took a few steps forward, holding the book up, and outstretching her other hand in what amounted to the most archetypal image of a mage casting a spell I could ever dream up. “Ars la tal te al…” She mumbled in rapid succession, looking visibly silly without my drone’s ability to pick up manastreams due to its limited onboard sensors, and thus giving the gang a small slice of what it was like to see the world through my eyes.
These mumblings however eventually resulted in the doors creaking open, slowly, but surely, and with great strain, being pushed inwards by an unseen force.
“That wasn’t an Academy spell.” Sorecar noted accusingly.
“No, it wasn’t.” Larial acknowledged cryptically, pocketing the book and stowing it away.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Apprentice.” The armorer spoke with a hint of ominous foreboding, visibly hesitant to cross the threshold and into Mal’tory’s office.
“I’m merely carrying out my duties, and the last I checked, those who carry out their duties are impervious to the ministrations of the games fought amongst the issuers of said duties.”
“You see the world in black and white, Apprentice; a fatal misstep once one enters the throes of the game. And the longer you remain in this rat race, the sooner you will come to realize that you must pick a side. Lest you become a liability, or worse, be an intolerable threat to be dealt with.” Those words carried with it what seemed to be a genuine sense of care and concern. Though dour and colored with a severity I hadn’t seen from the armorer so far. Part of me even felt like he could be speaking from experience.
The apprentice only paused for a few seconds, her whole body freezing for a moment as if considering the very real looming threats.
However, no sooner did that realization come did it also dissipate, as she let out a sigh, before pulling out a monocle from beneath her cloak. “You speak as if I have a choice, Professor. Where in reality, the only choice I have is to resign or to obey. In which case, I have little choice at all.” Larial’s eyes wavered as she said that, if only for a moment. “My choice was made the moment I left the crownlands. Moreover, I try my best to see the light in this dire situation. I still see this responsibility as an opportunity for me to also work for myself.”
“So you do have aspirations for the black-robed position.” The professor surmised.
“No. Not particularly anyways. No, what I meant by my personal responsibilities… is a debt that I must uphold.”
“A life debt, perchance?” The professor reasoned, prompting the apprentice to once more pause.
“A debt is a debt, which must be paid in full all the same.” She reasoned, before once more urging the man across the threshold.
Sorecar did so with a nervous hop, as if preempting some sort of trap which never came.
It was at this point that the pair became silent, as if in awe of the room they were now standing in.
Everything about it… was exactly the same as it was on that fateful night. From the dark and moody bookshelves that lined most of the walls, to the somber and almost mournful pieces of art, furniture, and knick-knacks that looked eerily fluid this time around.
Moreover, the centerpiece of the whole room, that anatomical live-model of a dragon, remained exactly as it was.
And even now… I could swear that its eyes were staring at the sole occupants of the room, in a permanent expression of shock and dread.
“I assume you’ve never been in the prime iteration of the man’s offices before.” Sorecar reasoned, his gait becoming paradoxically more confident, whilst Larial’s became more and more nervous.
“No. It would seem not.” She expressed through a tentative breath, closing the doors behind them, before going over practically every nook and cranny in the room with both her eyes, and a flight of magical gloved hands. “It would seem as if he didn’t trust me enough to allow me entry into his true domain.”
“Understandable.” Sorecar shrugged. “But that begs the question, exactly how did you come across that seal-breaker?”
“As I said before, Professor. I’ve been assigned this responsibility by three authorities simultaneously.”
“Let’s see… the weak-willed young Vanavan?”
“Yes.” The apprentice nodded, now kneeling in front of the chair I’d broken out of half a week ago.
“And the Dean as well, I imagine?”
“Correct.” She nodded again, this time placing her hand over top of the damaged chair, as if inspecting it for signs of tampering.
“And the third, the only one with the key to the prime iteration of the black-robed professor's offices… I assume this is a third party?”
The apprentice finally paused at that latter question, though it wasn’t clear if it was because she discovered something about the chair, or was more concerned about the question itself.
“Yes.” She finally responded after a tentative few seconds, moving over towards the back of Mal’tory’s desk.
“Am I correct to assume then, that this mysterious third party is some young and aspiring member of the inner guard? A Captain perhaps? Maybe even a Major?”
“I am not at liberty to discuss the nature of my superiors, Professor.” Larial concluded sternly, placing both of her hands atop of Mal’tory’s desk.
“But you just did.” Sorecar shot back with a tone of voice that could only be described as amused and cocky.
“I did so in the hopes of appeasing your curiosities, professor, to the point where perhaps you would be satisfied with two answers out of a total of three.” The apprentice responded with a hard sigh.
“And you just so happened to have chosen to stop at the mystery individual because that was perhaps the juiciest insight out of all three?”
“I stopped because that just so happens to be the third question on your roster, professor. Now please, I need a moment of concentration.”
“Apologies, apprentice.” The man craned his head down in a show of apologetics.
The silence finally prompted Larial to bring out what looked to be a bespoke, intricately crafted, and fancifully adorned magnifying glass. One that was tastefully sized, and looked genuinely cool to hold with its cherry-oak handle and its gold and silver decals. I would’ve killed to have something like that commissioned out-of-pocket for a Victorian steampunk cosplay. This, coupled with the monocle she had put on not a few moments prior, gave an almost period-appropriate air of some Sherlock Holmes flick; vibing quite well with the room’s Victorian aesthetic.
Even Sorecar of all people seemed to fit weirdly well, as some sort of an eccentric overly curious sidekick to the serious and strait-laced Detective Larial. These dynamic duo vibes would be further tested, as Sorecar continued pushing on his previous talking points. “Though, forgive me if I am overstepping my bounds here… but I do assume that the seal on your notebook belongs to the inner guard. Dare I say it, it reminds me of a sub-order within the guard, the Beholders of His Eternal Majesty, to be precise.”
“And what makes you think that, professor?” Larial shot back curiously, cocking her head, but still completely engrossed in whatever it was she was eyeing through that magnifying glass.
“This room we’re in.” Sorecar gestured aggressively. “This is its prime iteration, the real deal, the actual room, not a tertiary, let alone a secondary decoy to be accessed by a lesser seal or an attempt at physical trespassing. Now, for any other office within the castle walls, that access could easily be explained through the utilization of the Dean’s seal. But for a black robed professor’s office? Well… you know as well as I, that no academic authority can grant you access into what is effectively the crownlands’ consulate. I know for a fact, that the last time I entered a black-robed professor’s office with the Dean’s Seal, all I saw was the most unconvincing facsimile of the prime iteration.”
“I forget sometimes that you were once perhaps an apprentice as well, professor.”
This attempt to connect with the apprentice through personal anecdotes seemed to work for a little bit, before something caused the warmth from the apprentice’s face to fade entirely.
“What is it?” Sorecar urged, noticing the radical shift in their back and forths.
No sooner was that question raised did an audible CLICK soon follow, and the sound of a desk drawer opening filled the stale and stagnant air soon after.
From there, the now-silent apprentice cautiously pulled up two items from the unlocked drawer using some sort of levitation spell; only one of which I recognized from that fateful day.
In one of her hands was the crystal ball I saw Mal’tory stowing away prior to our conversation.
And in the other, was a small notebook bound in bright green leather, one that prompted Ilunor’s eyes to grow wide with worry.
“I believe I have found the last instance of the professor’s personal correspondence to the crownlands.” She spoke, placing the crystal ball down on the professor’s desk. “And I also believe, I have found exactly what our dear Dean, and indeed… my third party is looking for.” She placed the notebook on the table. “A list… containing a number of books marked as recommended reading material for the studious student… all to be issued not by the school’s library, but the Library.”
“None of those books are on the course’s recommended reading material list, I imagine.” Sorecar responded darkly and facetiously.
“No. Not a single one, professor. Which can only mean one thing.”
"We found The Library's burned catalog."
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(Author’s Note: Apprentice Arlan Ostoy, the shadow-obscured apprentice, seems to be rather serious in his attempts at obfuscating the truth! We'll just have to see how that plays out haha. However, in spite of that, we see Etholin's interests in Emma growing, as he speaks frankly with her on several matters, and Emma finally confronts him about just why he seems to be so eager to talk to her despite the taboo nature of her very existence! We also see exactly what the five nooks in the student lounge are up to, as I've always wanted to give the magical world just a little bit more whimsy and a lived in sort of vibe with these things happening all around Emma, and just demonstrating that there is indeed multiple stories and characters just living their own lives outside of Emma's story! That's the sort of vibe that I always love and that I hope I'm able to capture with this haha. Also, most importantly, we start to see the footage gathered from Emma's snooping, as we get to see the nitty gritty of Larial's investigation on Mal'tory! I hope you guys enjoy! :D The next Two Chapters are already up on Patreon if you guys are interested in getting early access to future chapters!)
[If you guys want to help support me and these stories, here's my ko-fi ! And my Patreon for early chapter releases (Chapter 83 and Chapter 84 of this story is already out on there!)]

HPL says that Azathoth is a semi-conscious - but nonetheless "idiot" - "god" who bubbles and blasphemes (present tense) at the center of infinity. (Can infinity really have a center?)
Even now, Azathoth lives. He continues to abide, calmed by the notes of amorphous daemon flute players. Presumably, if that music should ever cease, then Azathoth would break his bonds and infect all reality with his whirlwinds of chaos.
Is Azathoth the Lovecraftian version of "First Cause"? Or, as is sometimes asked of a theistic Creator:
"Who created God?" ... "Who created Azathoth?"
In Lovecraft's wholly atheistic perspective, may there still be room for a non-divine First Cause - some as-yet unknown, ultimate but material factor or agency? If so, could he have imagined a primordial/archetypal Azathoth prototype? Something that preceded the Big Bang - something that HPL might view as a proto-Azatoth?
Thanks in advance for any ideas.

What if laughtale ends up being a sky island so it would survive any floods.
Also I wonder if there's any way to island hop from the red line. What could be the significance of sitting in the center?
This could be another reason imu isn't hesititating to use the ancient weapon. They are sitting high enough to avoid it for a long time.
Chapter 906.

Namesake:

Splatter by Tyler The Creator

Type:

Close Range, Non-Humanoid

Appearance:

Splatter manifests as an octopus perched upon the hopper of the user's automatic paintball gun. Most of its skin is white as a pearl, the exception being multicolor splotches of paint that run up and down its body. In place of its eyes, it has slits reminiscent of those found on the helmets of medieval armor, behind which are a dark abyss void of anything but red, beady pupils. Atop its bulbous head lies a pointy yellow hat.

Personality:

Splatter's personality is akin to that of an affectionate house cat. Splatter and its user are inseparable and have each other's back no matter what. The stand loves to be pet and to be given seafood (which only happens when it is on good behavior). When given seafood, it makes happy cooing sounds. It makes these same cooing sounds, albeit more aggressively, when its user is in the heat of battle.

Ability:

Splatter produces a limitless amount of paintballs from within itself, which it then spews into its user's paintball gun to supply it with ammunition. These paintballs can be filled with any liquid that the user desires, even things that couldn't normally be physically contained by a paintball, such as molten metal or caustic chemicals.

Stats:

Power: D
Speed: C
Range: E
Durability: C
Precision: B
Potential: A

User:

Tyler Crater is a young and promising competitive athlete. He is very passionate about his health and fitness, though he doesn't push himself to the greatest extremes and finds time to enjoy leisure and play fps games. When the weather allows it, he'll go and play paintball over videogames any day and aspires to make a name for himself through the competitive sport. It is rare to find Tyler outside of his paintball uniform, which he washes diligently and loves like a brother. While he is an outwardly positive and encouraging person, he has his bad moments. He finds himself pushing his beliefs surrounding physical betterment onto his peers, is somewhat prideful and self-centered, and he is emotionally driven and impulsive. Rare as it may be, the pride and ego of his that bubbles up at the worst of times, combined with his emotional impulsivity, has led him to make decisions he regrets to this day.
I wish to keep my flair, and if this stand wins first place, I want next week's theme to be stands that are simultaneously hot and cold.

I have encountered Mabel fans who don’t like the Gravity Falls Lost Legends short, “Don’t Dimension It” because it directly addresses Mabel’s flaws and what’s worst, they play the “Death of the Author” card on Alex Hirch, which invalidates the author’s opinion as the author and that the reader’s opinion is more important than the author’s, which is very pretentious in my eyes.
For those of you who don’t know, “Don’t Dimension It” shows Mabel going to a dimension with different versions of herself, and so she is forced to interact with different facets of her personality and she realizes how selfish and self-centered she was and apologizes for attempting to trap Gravity Falls in a time bubble forever.
I don’t get Mabel fans who dislike this. Isn’t it a good thing that Mabel gets a character growth and a self realization about herself? Unless you think Mabel did nothing wrong and doesn’t need to apologize for her actions in Weirdageddon. And to those who will use the “Mabel is just a kid” gambit, I do agree, but self-realization is also important for kids too, it’s how they learn and grow up, making mistakes, apologizing and learning from their mistakes, which is what happens in “Don’t Dimension It.”
Also, for the fans who use the “Death of the Author,” who do you think you are saying that your opinion is more important than Alex Hirch, really? You’re opinion is more important than the creator of the show? That is very pretentious of you.

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Star Crossed [Multiple Free Sample Chapters] Patreon Subreddit Discord Paperback NOP2 Species Lore
Memory Transcription Subject: Tassi, Bissem Alien Liaison
Date [standardized human time]: July 27, 2160
The Sivkit fleet accompanying me on my journey back to Ivrana didn’t prove talkative. I became lonely enough that Loxsel’s check-ins were the highlight of my day, with his flamboyance and wild theories. He was more entertaining than remotely calling in to Sapient Coalition meetings, as they tracked the progress of the war; news of Tinsas’ presumed locale gave way to wild potential theories. I thought someone should suggest to the Grand Herd that they might be fighting their own people: Sivkits who had outlasted the Federation. Regardless, the humans were placing walls of disruptors to slow the attack fleet down, and considered the Kolshians, Farsul, and Krakotl to be likely targets. Each day of new sensor data seemed to align with that notion, making it evident that this attack was pointed at the Federation.
The perceived opposition to Fed dogma made the matter of the Osirs’ annihilation even stranger, since it occurred well after the conspiracy ventured past Sivkit and Paltan borders. Perhaps the Tinsas-dwellers clung to the idea that predators were evil, while faulting the Federation for their homeworld’s devastation and the relocation of their species at the same time. The ideas weren’t mutually-exclusive; this could also answer the question of who had backed the ghost exterminators, with every possible lead drying up. Zalk and the Tseia had been growing restless, so I floated that theory in the hopes it’d settle their feathers. The Nomads were getting their tails kicked in back on Ivrana, as the other Bissem powers caught up technologically. The gifted Arxur ships had changed the tide.
Lassmin has stayed neutral, though I’m not sure if Naltor still wants us to get called on for assistance and wrangle something out of the Nomads. We’re prepping Nelmin for the Sivkit refugees, since they’ll need somewhere to start a settlement.
I fiddled with a notes application on my holopad, as Loxsel called for his daily check-in. Somewhere among his accusations and scraping tally marks on the wall behind him, of the days since the Grand Herd was “tyrannized,” I could try to acquire useful information. There was a shortage of data on what they needed to survive and maintain their culture, as well as how they structured their cities. Once the wandering herbivores noticed how pleasant their accommodations were, I was hopeful we could become friends. This was technically one more party that had opened diplomatic relations with Bissemkind; we just needed to finesse them into something more dignified. Trying to form some personal connection with their ambassador would be a good start.
“Good morning,” I greeted the Sivkit.
Loxsel’s eyes turned manic. “There are no good mornings, not anymore! Perchance the edacious simians WOULD have freed Tinsas, but now, they truly rest on their haunches. Our fate lies betwixt two predators, and I had to select our executioner. Alack, it is a sad day. A hopeless, atramentous day!”
“I don’t think it’s hopeless. Your people will be away from the front lines of the war, in a brand new land. I know you like to wander, so perhaps you’ll find a kindred spirit in the Tseia. They’re nomadic as well, with seasonal settlements. Would Sivkits be interested in something similar? We could seek the Nomads’ input.”
“We vacate our commorancy not on celestial whims, like befouled beasts of the earth, but to slake our palates on the resources of the land. Until we can have Tinsas, the planet whence Sivkits derived our origin, we’ll devour any pastures we descry! There must be no repose!”
“Loxsel, I believe you’re…smarter than me,” I offered diplomatically. “Could you try to use simpler words, for a primitive like myself?”
The Sivkit’s ears pinned back with irritation. “You aren’t that primigenial…and I like my words! Have you not muzzled us hapless prey creatures enough?”
“I like your words too. I just don’t understand them, because like you said, I lack…erudition. I’m uncultured, right?”
“Fie, you are impossible to conversate with! Are any Bissems literate?!”
“I guess not.” This is a chance to bond over something he says he likes. “Maybe you can teach me, Loxsel?”
The Sivkit ambassador’s tail slowly lowered from where it was raised with rage. “Hmph. I’ll think about it. I do have my plays…peradventure you could learn something. Though tragedies might give you ideas about novel suffering.”
“You’re a playwright? I mean, that’s awesome; I’d love to see them!”
“I haven’t let anyone read my plays.”
“Why not? You have a fine control of language; I’m sure they’d hold up well to your contemporaries.”
“My endings are predator-diseased, Tassi. Killing characters—they say it’s a violent fantasy. All I do is make my fictional creations rue the day they were born! If the audience feels melancholy, then I feel jubilation!”
“Perhaps…” I hesitated, not sure if this was a proper suggestion for the Sivkit. “Perhaps you’d find better audiences with us predators.”
Loxsel’s eyes lit up, fitful excitement shining from inside. “Of course! It’s obvious; flesh-eaters love suffering! Maybe I could be entertainment cattle, making the humans growl and cackle at the demise of my characters. The soldiers, here at the base. That’s brilliant! I bid you adieu, reaver of fish!”
The Sivkit hung up without expending another second on the call, concerns about the state of the refugees thrown aside. Amusement flickered in my mind, as I weighed how the ambassador might go about being “entertainment cattle.” The humans on that Paltan-Terran base weren’t ready for what was about to hit them. I was a bit curious just how tragic Loxsel’s endings were, if they were the root of most of his predator disease accusations. Literature was never my field, but alien media was the exception; I’d love to devour anything created from another culture, and it might give me small insights into Sivkit customs. Engaging with the material and providing thoughtful feedback might spark some personal connections with the dramatic herbivore.
What is Loxsel going to do if the people that attacked him were Sivkits? Someone will have to raise that topic with the Grand Herd, especially since they want to purge the “intruders” and reclaim Tinsas. It’s a shame the enemy won’t communicate with us; the SC needs to get creative.
My eyes drifted over to a timekeeping device, sighing as I saw there were still a few hours to kill before the day’s SC proceedings. The Osirs’ day of rebirth ticked closer, with their gestational period under way. I wondered how the humans would go about finding homes for them; that was another item that we could volunteer for. As carnivores ourselves, Bissems were more qualified to raise a “predatory” species than Federation-tampered herbivores. Beyond the political benefits, I believed it was a noble purpose—bringing a slaughtered race back from extinction. If it was my kind that had been annihilated for our diet, I would want someone to care enough to do the same. It almost was Bissems, wiped out by ghost exterminators.
“Bissem diplomatic vessel, this is the patrol vessel UNS Audacity. Please acknowledge,” a hail buzzed over the speaker, jolting me from my thoughts. A dot flashed onto the sensors, following an intercept course.
Finally. Sane, receptive company to talk to. I could definitely afford to exchange a few pleasantries with humans; let’s hope they’re chatty and let a few cultural fun facts slip.
I leaned over the microphone, accepting the transmission. “UNS Audacity, this is Doctor Tassi. I’m escorting Sivkit refugees back to Ivrana for their safety. My travel plan should’ve been relayed ahead; any deviations aren’t intentional. Is there something I can help you with?”
“We have a sensitive matter we would like to discuss in-person, away from prying ears. Requesting permission to board your vessel,” came the reply. “It’s in Ivrana’s best interests to hear what we have to say. We’d prefer to talk to you, without your generals around.”
“I don’t have the authority to make decisions for my government or about military policy, but I’m happy to talk with our allies. I always have time to cultivate friendship between humans and Bissems.”
“That’s greatly appreciated. Please, just drop into real space for a moment at these coordinates; you can continue along your FTL flight path after that. We’ve become skilled at quick boardings, so it won’t be much of an inconvenience.”
“It’s not a concern. I’ll welcome humanity’s visitors at the specified location with gladness.”
My flippers input the forwarded coordinates to transition to realspace, though I was puzzled by what “sensitive matters” they wished to tackle outside of Naltor and Zalk’s view. I wondered whether I should relay a message back to the Bissem military officers; my chief loyalty was to Ivrana and her people, and I didn’t want to circumvent their authority. What gave me pause was that the Terrans might be looking for a less heavy-handed approach than that duo could offer. If Bissems were to attain any goodwill, I needed to demonstrate that I could act with discretion. It wasn’t like the primates had shown ill intent toward my home; if they wanted to harm us, they’d had ample opportunity. This hushed conversation must be for a noble purpose.
Slipping out of subspace was smooth and barely noticeable, with the autopilot figuring out the subtleties. Cruising around the galaxy in a spaceship and picking up visitors from a friendly alien race had once been my dream. The fact that it was a reality still made a part of me bubble with giddiness, even after all of the horrific occurrences since first contact. If this form of travel was to become commonplace for Bissems, we had to keep our spot in the Sapient Coalition. Humanity weren’t deities or miraculous saviors, but they were a kind-hearted species who hadn’t let persecution defeat them. I wanted to work alongside them as equals. I hoped they could reignite the awe and wonder for the universe I’d felt when their shuttle first landed in the Gray Basin.
The connection of the UNS Audacity was imperceptible, aside from the slightest tremor passing through the floorboards. I waddled over to the upper hatch, and heard three taps against it; the humans wouldn’t blow the door off on a friendly visit. I lowered the ladder for easy access and popped the seal open. A set of primate legs clambered down, revealing an older woman that I recognized from a recent SC briefing. A shiver passed down my spine, remembering how the Thafki ambassador had lobbed an accusation at Bissems over the Arxur’s escapade—one that hadn’t been incorrect. I wasn’t sure how we’d fulfill our pledge to lobby for Kaisal’s people, when suspicions were already upon us.
What is General Jones even doing here? It’s strange for a high-ranking military official to pay me a visit, without Naltor or Zalk around. I don’t see what she’d even want from me, especially if she’s here to share relevant intelligence.
Blue-gray legs straddled the ladder after Jones, taking a cautious approach into the shuttle. With the Thafki’s accusation fresh in my mind, I was worried to see that species among the boarding party; my concerns eased when I recognized the white fur-patch on her chin. Haliska looked as shrewd as she had during our games of Migration. The semi-aquatic herbivore excelled in long-term strategizing, something my intuition told me she had in common with Cora Jones. Hallie’s body language was much less open than it was during our bonding time, and I wondered if she believed the ambassador’s accusation. Could I even deny it to her face, knowing how deeply the Arxur ravaged her people? Hadn’t I betrayed her by helping her oppressors?
The third and final visitor was another familiar face, one that’d been kept away from Ivrana ever since the Tseia shared their story. Nulia—the quiet, observant one who loved to people-watch—maneuvered onto my ship. I was happy to see the Gojid sociologist, since I’d never had the chance to assure her I didn’t hold the Starlight Incident against her, even if the Tseia did. She’d done everything in her power to atone for what members of her race did; Nulia’s return to the Sapient Coalition and shouting the tale of Ivrana’s attack to the galaxy was likely what made Onso reach out at all. We had a lot of catching up to do, given how Dustin had been the one showing us the ropes in our SC trial period.
“Hallie, Nulia. I can’t believe you came all the way out here to visit me!” I chirped, opening my flippers in a hug invitation. “It was getting lonely, after such a long trip. It’s really good to see two friendly faces; I’d welcome the company, if you’d care to hitch a ride.”
The Gojid waggled a claw. “I’d love to hear how you’re adjusting, and what you think of various societies; I have the full context on how they’ve changed since joining the SC, and what they were like before the Federation. However, I’m afraid that’s a topic for another time.”
“Of course. General Jones said you have sensitive matters to discuss, and I’m all ears. I confess, I’m quite curious how both of you wound up tied with…someone I believe deals in intelligence.”
“We want you to tell us everything about your dealings with the Arxur, Tassi,” Jones commented idly. “Your friends pieced together several things that were off about your behavior, and I stitched together the rest. It’s time to come clean. Whatever information you have on their plans, you need to share it with us.”
Haliska’s eyes were cold and impassive, as she inspected me. “As a neuroscientist who knows how your brain works, I thought I’d understand more of how you’re thinking. In a scientific sense, I do, and yet I thought you felt some sympathy for how those fuckers terrorized my species. You’ve heard about the generational trauma—how Thafki were relegated to cattle farms—and you think they should be released?! That we should deal with them and act like nothing happened?”
“Of course not…look, I was morally opposed to dealing with the Arxur at all!” I blurted, cowering under her smoldering glare. The Thafki didn’t look fearful, like she had at the feast; she seemed hateful. “The Yotul put us up to it. They said they’d block us from the SC if we didn’t go along with it. We, um, communicated with the grays, and just like that, we got a trial introduction. It’s the truth!”
Nulia sighed in disappointment. “The Technocracy shouldn’t have put you in that position. Your secrecy about the visit to Leirn, the mysterious benefactor feeding you tech…I understand that Bissems did it for advancement, and a seat at the table. But I don’t understand why you went along with it, Tassi. It’s so unlike you.”
“I…I’m sorry. Kaisal said that the Collective was leaving isolation one way or another, and I figured helping a diplomatic bid was better than war. I never wanted more conflict and death; it broke my heart hearing about your checkered past, on top of seeing global conflict break out among my people. Please believe I only wanted to keep Bissems…and the wider galaxy…safe. Please.”
“Is there a reason you didn’t think humanity should know about this?” Jones asked.
“I didn’t want anyone to know we met, because of optics. We didn’t plan to speak with the Arxur on Leirn; Kaisal was just there, because the Yotul have trading aspirations. If we withdrew, there was no getting into the SC. I confess, I really wanted a chance with the galactic community…to be a part of it all. I see how Hallie and Nulia are looking at me now, but maybe…maybe it is time to at least hear the Arxur out.”
The Gojid’s eyes were also stern. “The Arxur’s crimes are still in living memory. They razed my entire planet, which separated me from my mother; my species is endangered as much as Haliska’s. And that was hardly their first raid against us. It was only a remarkable captain who fended them off earlier, and let me be born at all.”
“That’s horrific, Nulia, and I’m so sorry…but blaming the current Arxur is like blaming you for the ghost exterminators attacking us. If they’re reformed and changed, are they wrong to feel they shouldn’t have those atrocities held against them?”
“Tassi, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Kaisal himself participated in the raid that ended the cradle, and ate Gojids alive during it. He did that. That’s the leader of the Arxur Collective, so forgive me if I don’t trust someone who ate my kind in the past.”
“Kaisal…what?” A shiver ran down my spine, along with an extra lump of guilt forming in my throat. “I had no idea. I only knew that Dustin lied—no, left out a lot of parts of the story. Like the Federation starving the Arxur, their governments colluding, or Earth being saved by the grays and helped in the war by their rebellion. How can I make decisions when you’re not telling me all the facts?!”
Haliska scowled. “Dustin has worked closely with Nulia and I for a decade. He doesn’t sympathize with the species that hurt us, because he cares about our feelings—and he cares about what they did to us. I guess humans rescued the Thafki cattle just so they’ll have to look at Arxur wandering the galaxy, thanks to you.”
“Not thanks to me. That’s not fair, Hallie; the grays wanted out on their own.”
“But you told them about the Osirs, knowing they’d come speeding in. Complicating a situation where we’re already in fucking danger!”
“That’s enough anger. Tassi is going to help us fix this.” General Jones raised a finger for silence, and turned pupils that made me feel like I was being dissected. “The doctor was misled by her military allies, who just wanted those Arxur ships we definitely didn’t notice. Isn’t that right?”
“It’s…not completely wrong,” I replied meekly.
“You have no idea the mess you’ve created. Tassi, you’re aware how angry Zalk is over the Starlight Incident, which was three locations affecting one nation. The Arxur bombed entire planets and shackled races for centuries. There’s billions of Zalks out there with extra reasons to hate the Collective. It’s complicated for humanity to navigate; it’s a battle just to keep the Arxur alive and unoccupied. Our allies would prefer they meet other fates.”
“I know the SC hates them. I thought they were monsters too. I guess I just felt like they hated us because of them, and that’s not a fair comparison.”
“Humanity knows that feeling; we were likened to them, but we didn’t condone their crimes or put them ahead of our allies. You did, whether you meant to or not. If you’re sorry at all over how backstabbed your friends feel, then you should tell us this last bit. Forgiveness must be earned, and the damage you’ve done needs fixing. What is Kaisal’s plan with the Osirs?”
“Kaisal wanted to take back Apep, and to be involved in reinstalling the Osirs there, in person. I think he intends to go after whoever is responsible for their extinction. That’s all I know. I’m sorry, I…I really am. You’re all right about everything. I wish I could go back and walk away from the Yotul and their schemes; the last thing I want is for us to be pitted against each other. I do care about Haliska and Nulia, like Dustin, but I failed to act like it.”
Jones offered an artificial smile. “I’m glad you’ve seen sense, Tassi. We still have a mess to clean up. From now on, you work for me. You’re going to keep me apprised of exactly what Kaisal is up to, and send him whatever I ask.”
I don’t want to be involved with the Arxur at all, let alone be sent to manipulate them. That could make them into Bissems’ enemies, but then again, Jones wants to avoid a wider war. We can’t have him barging into the SC’s space…and I don’t want deaths on my conscience.
“I, er, I’m not sure I can get him to do anything. If I can help, I’ll try to undo the harm I’ve caused,” I murmured.
General Jones’ eyes gleamed. “Excellent. You also report to me on whatever schemes your generals cook up, and any of their plans involving the SC. You’re going to help me ensure Bissems don’t go causing more problems at a time like this. I suspect you have Naltor’s ear.”
“Whoa, I…I wouldn’t betray Lassmin like that. I want to protect Bissems, not…you’re asking me to spy on high-ranking military officials of two nations, and leak sensitive info to the very people they’re talking about. It’s treason, and it would undermine their plans. I love my planet and my country. I want what’s best for them, not to weaken their standing.”
“Naltor and Zalk chasing military gain isn’t what’s best for you. As for treason, there’d be no paper trail for them to find. All you have to do is get regular memory scans; that’s it. Consider it keeping an eye on you—parenting.”
“We don’t need parents, General. I’ll try to push them toward more peaceful, cooperative ideas of my own free will. I’ve already been trying to turn our resources toward more altruistic causes; look at the Sivkits. We can be team players. I can’t do what you’re asking, but I beg for you to give us a second chance.”
The human looked unimpressed. “You can do what I’ve asked of you, or we can share the Bissems’ involvement in this Arxur scheme with the SC. Something tells me Ivrana would wind up almost as isolated as the Arxur…and with as few friends. Humanity can shield you from all of this, of course, but we just need eyes on you to ensure we won’t get circumvented again.”
I froze in place for what felt like an eternity, mortified at potentially being locked out of the galaxy for good. What was scheming with the Yotul for, if we not only lost our spot on the SC, but had the entire organization turn on us? All I’d wanted was to be friends with these aliens, and if the Thafki ambassador had connected the dots…we needed the humans to throw their allies off the scent. Jones covering up our mess might be the last hope of joining the stars; while she hadn’t dangled it over my head, we also were reliant on the Terrans to fix Ivrana’s biosphere. The general was only asking this because we betrayed her trust, forcing her to ensure we wouldn’t ice her people out again.
“Fine,” I relented. “Nothing that outright hurts my people or endangers lives. That’s where I draw the line.”
Victory sparkled in the primate’s binocular eyes. “Excellent. We are on the same side; there’s nothing to worry about. Oh, and since you mentioned those Sivkits…try to get closer to them too. We appreciate the tip about Tinsas, but it’d be useful to know how they found out. Now, I think you three need a chance to talk things through. Enjoy the ride home, ladies.”
The Terran clambered back onto her shuttle, leaving me dumbfounded about what I’d agreed to. If this was the only way to right my inadvertent wrongs, I was resigned to going along with it; Bissems needed humanity in our corner. I had to figure out just how I was going to gather intel on three separate entities, without any of them discovering my intent. However, what mattered right now was making amends with Haliska and Nulia. My alien friends had to know that I did care for them deeply, and that betraying their confidence had never been my intent.
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Star Crossed [Multiple Free Sample Chapters] Patreon Subreddit Discord Paperback NOP2 Species Lore

Splinter is inspired by the slicing and mirror powers that the witness uses during the lightfall and tfs trailer. This is basically just a fun idea as to what a 'witness subclass' would look like.
Visuals: The splinter subclass would have its designs consist of broken glass and reflecting mirrors. Its energy would be a pale red with bright white streaks. Enemies killed by a splinter debuff would have look as if they were sliced into red segments before disappearing. Lore: If stasis is control and strand is going with the flow, splinter is ignorance. Rather than controlling or flowing with the universe, you have to actively deny its rules to use splinter. The witness carved a hole in the traveller by ignoring the strength of its shell.
GAMEPLAY:
Verbs:
Cut - enemys hit by cut take a small amount of damage and are given one stack of cut. If they receive 100 stacks, they will be hit by dismantle.
Visual: Cut would look like a small red slice going across the enemy's body
Dismantle - when an enemy is 'dismantled' they will receive a moderate amount of damage over the course of 1.5 seconds. Other enemies hit by dismantle will be given a varying amount of cut stacks, depending for how long they were in the aoe. Cut and dismantle would be your bread and butter for general ad clear. Dismantle would also stun overloads.
Visual: Where cut is one single slice, dismantle is a flurry of these slices going across the inflicted targets body, as if they're being diced.
Displacement - enemies affected by displacement are initially slowed by 60%, before going back to normal speed over the course of 3 seconds. Projectiles slowed by displacement are permanently slowed by 50%, and their damage decreased by 15%.
In pvp: Displacement would slow players by 30% and gradually return them to normal over 3 seconds.
Visual: Normal enemies that have been displaced would look like segment of their body have been cut offer and separated. These pieces eventually fuse back together as the slow effect decreases. Boss enemies would simply have a red hue to show they have been affected by displacement.
Rend - A high power single tick of damage in a small radius. This would be more helpful for taking care of healthier targets quickly. Hitting a barrier champion while they are shielded stuns them.
Visual: Rend would appear like a gash in the air, as if the universe itself was cut open. This gash would stay for half a second after a rend attack. This gash would look similar to the portals made by vergil in dmc5 (although more red instead of blue)
Guard points (splinter's main gimmick) When using a splinter powered melee, the first 0.3 seconds of the attack while have a guard point. If an enemy hits while the guard point is up, you will receive 60% reduced damage and be immune to one shots. It will also boost the damage of the melee by 50%. Projectiles will also proc the guard point depending on the overall damage of the projectile. Enemies hit by a guard point empowered melee are briefly flinched.
Visual/audio: When in the 'guard point stance' your guardian will radiate red splinter energy with white streaks. When hitting the guard point, the white streaks will turn black and make it resemble an impact frame.
The audio and animation of the melee would also change to make the attack feel more impactful.
Reflective plating - while reflectjve plating is active, gain 20% dr and empower your guard points to be more effective. Guard points with reflecting plate now active in the first 0.7 seconds of the melee rather 0.3, and will increase the damage resistance to 90%. Lastly, projectiles that hit the guardian while guard point is active will reflect back to the enemy (although for reduced damage)
In pvp: The only difference with pvp is that your head hit box will not be immune to one shots.
Visual: Reflective plating will look similar to guard point, the energy will just be much less intense.
Rupert drop (probably not what it would be in game but bubbles already taken) - Rupert drops are the splinter subclass pickups (even though you don't actually pick them up). Rupert drops are a hybrid between stasis crystals and tangles. They can be for either cover or they can be shot to pop into a small cutting explosion. When shot by their creator or allies, rupert drops will move away from where they were hit, the bigger tha damage, the faster it moves. Ruperts drop would have a 15 second cool down and be generated by killing enemies with rend.
Visual: Rupert drops would look like giant bubbles roughly the size of a guardian. when taking damage, they slow crystallize before exploding into shards of glass.
When spawning in. The rupert's drop would look as if its slowly being formed by pieces of glass coming out of the gash made by the rend.
Grenades:
Shred grenade - explodes on impact to create a moderately sized explosion (slightly larger than a scatter grenade) that would deal a total of 110 stack of cut over the course of 0.75 seconds.
Cleave grenade - sticks to target before exploding into a small radius rend attack.
Dispersing grenade - explodes into a field of displacement that slowly implodes to create a small displacement explosion. The initial field would act similarly to a dusk field grenade, while the implosion would be similar to a snare bomb in damage.
Subclasses:
Each of the subclasses would mirror the arc subclasses in a way, Since splinter would be the darkness antithesis to arc (like solastasis, void/strand)
Ronin - hunter subclass Where arcstriders use their hand to hand prowess and expertise with the pole arm, Ronin use their skill with the blade to fell even the largest of does with a single slash.
Ronins are inspired primarily by heroes from old samurai movies. Wandering swordsman who could defeat armies with nothing but their trusted sword.
The gameplay fantasy of ronin would consist of well timed guard points and high power single target damage using rending attacks. The subclass would have a higher skill ceiling than most, rewarding knowledge of enemy attack patterns with high damage attacks.
Melee - Unsheathing strike (2 charges) Striking enemies with your katana inflicts them with 30 stacks of cut. Standing still before attacking will increase the damage of the strike by 15%. When empowered by a guard point, the strike will deal 60 stacks of cut in a large radius.
Visual: The splinter katana's is made up of various uneven panes of broken glass. When empowered, the katana's blade goes from red and white to pure black.
Super - shimmering blade (roaming/one off) The Ronin unsheathes their blade when beginning the super. While in super, there are 2 attacks. Light attack - fast slashes that each deal 40 stacks of cut. Heavy attack - quickly sheathe the blade and become immobile. Releasing the attack button has the Ronin slash the air and rend every enemy in a large radius. This attack ends the super immediately.
Holding the attack for a longer period of time increases the damage of the rends, fully maxxing out at an 80% boost.
During the release of the attack, a guard point is active for 0.3 seconds (0.7 when reflective plating is active). Hitting the guard point immediately increases the attack damage to 80%, while also further boosting the range and damage by 15%.
Aspect 1 - crossguard slash After a successful guard point, follow up with a second slash that rends the opponent. Killing an enemy with slash regenerates 50% of your melee charge.
Aspect 2 - quickdraw sheathe Gives hunter a guard point during initial activation. Successful guard points now boost class a ability regeneration by 150% for 4 seconds.
Blastmarine - Titan subclass Blastmarines mirror arc strikers as both are 'soldier' subclasses. Where strikers are frontline fighters, blastmarines are the 'heavy artillery' weapons experts of their fireteam.
Where ronin are calm, collected samurai, Blast marines are loud, explosive 80s action heroes. Big guys with bigger guns.
The blastmarine gameplay fantasy consist of being the heavy weapons guy, battling the hordes of their enemies with their cutting and dismantling projectiles.
Melee - Knucklebuster Raise your left arm briefly (this is when the guard point is active) before cocking back their right arm's wrist cannon. Hitting enemies with this inflicts them with 50 stacks of cut. When empowered, the radius of the blast is increased and inflicts 80 stacks of cut
Visual: The guard point would resemble a boxer blocking a punch before counter attacking with a jab. The wrist cannon would resemble the red arm punch from ultrakill. The attack would also end with the blastmarine pumping their arm like a shotgun (cus it would look cool)
Super - devastator cannon (one off) The blastmarine would ready the cannon onto their shoulder (similarly to a scorch cannon). The cannon would need to be charged fo a short period before firing. The initial blast would deal high single target damage before imploding into this cloud large cloud of dismantling slashes. This cloud would last front seconds before disappearing.
Visual: the devastator cannon would look similar to a halo spartan laser, just much bigger and with a much bigger blast radius.
Aspect 1 - coverfire blaster Rally barricades now spawn in a heavy cannon for the blastmarine and their allies to pickup. This cannon fires at 300 rpm and has a total 25 rounds that it can fire before disappearing. These shots have a small aoe effect and each deal 20 stacks of cut. Continuous damage with the turret Grant's reflective plating. This aspect would act similarly to a gauss cannon from halo.
Aspect 2 - ballistic bombard
Enhance the functionally of your splinter grenades.
Shred grenade - improved radius and total damage and duration (now deals 170 stacks of cut over 1.5 seconds) Cleave grenade - can now be charged to skip across the ground up to 3 times. Each bounce creates a rend.
Dispersing grenade - increased radius of initial field and increased damage of implosion. Initial field now pulls in enemies and flinches them.
Glassformer - warlock subclass (name tbd) Where stormcaller is harmony within, the glassformer embraces the chaos of splinter to conquer the battlefield.
glassformers are inspired from crackpot scientists from monster movie. Creating inconceivable creations.
The gameplay of glassformers revolves around using rupert drops and creating unpredictable combinations.
Melee - broken flurry (2 charges) The glassformer sends a burst of 8 panes of splinter. Each pane inflicts 6 stacks of cut. When empowered, the total amount of panes increases from 8 to 12, they also can increased tracking to targets.
Visual: Each of the panes would shoot off from the glassformer's fingertips. When empowered, the panes turn black.
Super - razing burst (one off) The glassformer raises a giant ruperts drop infront of them, before slashing it with their splinter infused hand and rending it, this creates a large ape explosions that dismantle enemies in its radius. Enemies near the giant gashes are slowly pulled in.
Visual: Razing burst is essentially a large spherical blender that would pull in enemies not originally caught in its blast.
Aspect 1 - fracturing chasm Rends now linger for a longer duration and suck in enemies in radius of it. Killing enemies that are pulled grants reflective plating.
Aspect 2 - chromatic concoction Inflicting ruperts drops with elemntal verbs gives the explosion that property. (For example, applying jolt to the rupert's drop gives the explosion jolt.) A singular bubble can hold up to 3 new verbs.
Visual: When a verb is given to the ruperts drop, the respective subclass energy will begin swirling around the inside of the drop. The more verbs, the more colours swirling around.
Fragments: Fragments would be obtained similarly to strand, killing enemies with splinter will have a chance to give a 'shard of splinter'
Killing targets with rend reduces rupert's drop cooldown (0.5 seconds per enemy)
Apply more cut stacks
Picking up orbs of power grants reflective plating
Rapid finale blows with dismantle grant grenade energy
Precision finale blows against displaced enemies creates a displacing explosion
Super finale blows create cutting explosions.
Conclusion: I'm ngl this post is wayyyy longer than I thought it'd be. I wanted to just spitball an idea I had the other day for a new subclass