Hello to you, fellow ingrates.
Year 6 of DABR Defends the New York Giants from Criticism has arrived.

Season Recap

tl;dr: The Giants had their most successful season since 2016, and arguably since winning the Super Bowl in 2012 (if the draft spot/playoff success is the measurement) and went into draft night with the latest selection they've had since 2012, the first outside the top 11 since 2016.
Giants fans didn't really expect to win that many games this year. There were still some hopefuls for Daniel Jones but most people had come to terms with new GM Joe Schoen and new HC Brian Daboll pretty much setting up to replace him, declining his 5th year option.
It was the first year of this regime, they hadn't really been able to fix up the roster fully, etc. Most Giants fans I know were expecting a 4-7 win season, not sniffing the playoff race. Ha.
It all started week 1 vs Tennessee. It was honestly a story Giants fans have gotten familiar with. Look absolutely horrible in the first half of the game, but somehow struggle back into it in the second half, only to be dramatically disappointed at the end of the game. After Daniel Jones threw a red zone interception with just under 9 minutes to go, we thought that was pretty much it.
But then with 4 minutes left, Saquon Barkley rips off a 33 yard run, Daniel Jones converts a 4th and 1, and the Giants score a TD to pull them to just a 1 point deficit. Most Giants fans are thinking "okay he's gonna kick it, play for overtime, I respect that, we didn't think it would be that close anyways."
And then we see the offense staying on the field...uh oh. The offense wasn't exactly clicking on all cylinders to that point in the game, having been shut out in the first half. If we don't get it, the game is pretty much lost. Daboll calls a shovel pass, Saquon gets it, it looks like it's completely doomed...I'm thinking "here we go again, his first game and the media is already going to be all over him for going for it"...but Saquon fights his way in! Giants take the lead for the first time in the game. We're feeling good, Daboll's huge balls in that situation giving us some confidence.
Then the Titans methodically work the ball down the field (along with a couple of assists from Austin Calitro and Darnay Holmes), setting up a 47 yard field goal for Randy Bullock to win the game.
Now, I'm thinking, "of course this is what happened, they gave us some hope, now it's going to get ripped away from us, just like always. Story of the last few years at times."
...and then Bullock missed the kick. That was the start of what turned into a magical first half of the season, the Giants getting off to a 7-2 start, all 7 wins coming by a 1 score margin (though the Bears and Texans games were a bit cleaner than the final scoreline suggests), and 5 of them really coming down to big time plays in the last 5 minutes of the game.
The Titans story, taking the lead with 3:38 left in the 4th quarter and Julian Love sacking Baker Mayfield to force 4th and 15 the next drive against Carolina, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Xavier McKinney batting down Aaron Rodgers' passes in London, Love intercepting Lamar Jackson to set up the game winning score against Baltimore, McKinney and Love stopping Christian Kirk at the 1 yard line on the last play against Jacksonville.
All of those games are games that go against us in previous years. But this year was just different. And somehow through it all, there were Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones as well. Saquon was the focal point of the offense early in the season, Jones being efficient in a heavy, limited, play action focused passing attack.
All thoughts of the Giants earning a top pick and replacing Daniel Jones pretty much went out the window by week 4, and hope for Jones maybe finally becoming the QB he was drafted to be started to blossom in some parts of the Giants fanbase.
Things came crashing down a bit the next 4 weeks. Awful losses to Detroit, Dallas, and Philly, with a tie against Washington in there too that many Giants fans felt they deserved to win capped off a 1-4-1 stretch where the Giants simply did not look good. They looked more like what we expected the team to look like coming into the year. The playoff spot was no longer guaranteed, at 7-5-1. But a flexed SNF game against Washington would pretty much decide the season.
And the Giants took that win against Washington and ran with it. A close loss against the Vikings that was probably the best passing attack game of the season to that point, a dominating win against the hapless Colts that locked the Giants into the playoffs, and a surprisingly tight and scrappy game between the Eagles starters and the Giants backups gave Giants fans some hope headed into the playoffs. We didn't expect to win a Super Bowl, but the matchup against the Vikings seemed winnable.
And winnable it was, as in classic 2023 Giants fashion, they took a lead about halfway through the 4th quarter, and a couple of clutch plays on defense by Cordale Flott and Xavier McKinney ended the game.
Then we went to Philly and got absolutely ass blasted, ending our season.
That left the Giants with the 25th pick in the class, entering an offseason with a lot of business to take care of.

Free Agency Recap

The Giants had a lot more room to operate in free agency this year than last year, and Schoen was relatively creative in how he wanted to go about it.
The first step in that process though was figuring out the status of his pending free agents; most notably, the two who led the way on offense most of the year: Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. The Jones negotiations were tense, Jones asked for the moon and the team was not having it. Eventually (literally right before the tag deadline) they settled on a 4 yr, 160m extension with 82m fully guaranteed and a boatload of incentives that could push the value up to almost 200m. That allowed the team to tag Saquon Barkley, whose extension talks are reportedly still stalled, as Barkley declined an offer worth almost 14m during the Giants' bye week, and continues to find the Giants' offer(s) unpalatable.
Speculation is that Barkley is seeking more guaranteed money from the Giants (greater than the sum of 2 franchise tags), but Barkley's camp is not leaking much (reportedly because Saquon doesn't want them to). And according to most reporters, Saquon is too competitive to actually sit out the season, removing his last bit of leverage.
Possibly the biggest addition of the Giants' free agency period was actually a trade: The Giants traded the Chiefs' 3rd rounder (acquired for Kadarius Toney) for TE Darren Waller. This is a huge move because the Giants were dead last in explosive pass play rate by a WIDE margin. Only like 6 individual team seasons since 2010 had fewer explosive passing plays than the 2022 Giants. That's something that Schoen and Daboll immediately set out to fix, and Darren Waller is one of the best explosive pass weapons in the league, leading all TEs in explosive pass plays this season despite playing just 9 games this year. Reports out of OTAs are that the Giants are expecting Waller to basically fill a "WR1" role for them; not necessarily in alignment but being the focal point of the offense, high target share, etc.
Schoen and Daboll followed that addition up with two more explosive pass play options: retaining Darius Slayton, and adding Parris Campbell to the room. Slayton is a solid WR, he's good for 600-700 yards when he gets run. His hands are inconsistent, but he makes up for it often. Campbell finally broke out having a healthy season for the Colts this season. I think Campbell is mostly insurance for Wan'Dale Robinson, who is coming off of a torn ACL, but if healthy should get primary run in the slot.
The Giants' other two main moves came on the defensive side of the ball, adding LB Bobby Okereke to a LB room that comprised of: Jarrad Davis, Micah McFadden, and Darrian Beavers (coming off a torn ACL). Much needed improvement in that room. The Giants also added Rakeen Nunez-Roches and A'Shawn Robinson to the DL room to improve the depth there; Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams were playing too many snaps, and the Giants were really bad against the run last year.
In the process though, the Giants lost both of their starting centers from 2022, Nick Gates and Jon Feliciano, as well as S Julian Love, who had been a consistent staple of the defense the last few years.

Draft Needs

The Giants roster was in much better shape this year than last year, but the team still had a number of problems:

1. CB was still a HUGE need for the Giants, and one that had not been properly addressed yet. Adoree' Jackson had another very good year in 2022, but the spot across from him had been a mishmosh of misfit toys: Fabian Moreau had a nice little run, but struggled down the stretch. Nick McCloud got a lot of run at CB2 after being claimed on waivers from the Bills. Cordale Flott had been drafted as a nickel defender but got some run there. And the slot position wasn't much better, as Darnay Holmes continued to be a liability there. This position needed reinforcements. I've been a relatively vocal minority in the Giants fandom saying this has been the BIGGEST need the team had for a couple of years now (basically aside from the one year that we had Bradberry and Jackson both on the team).
2. Despite adding Slayton, Campbell, and Waller, WR was still something the team needed. Specifically someone who could develop into a WR1 type player. The Giants WR room is relatively deep, but just adding Campbell and Waller and running back last year's group didn't feel sufficient. The team clearly was putting an emphasis on speed, separation, and yards after the catch ability.
3. Center was a massive need. The Giants basically didn't have a center on the roster who had played meaningful NFL snaps. Ben Bredeson could move to center if needed, but it wasn't that solid of a plan. And in what seemed like a good center class, this seemed like a good way to solve that problem.
4. LB. The LB2 spot currently will be either Jarrad Davis, Micah McFadden (who basically lost the job last year to Jarrad Davis), or Darrian Beavers (who tore his ACL last year). I think that says it all.
5. RB: Saquon is on the tag, so you feel okay here, but the team has been seeking a solid compliment for him for a while. They were in on a few of the RBs last year and the value never lined up, and Matt Breida and Gary Brightwell didn't really cut it last year. They don't want to run Saquon into the ground early in the year like they did last year, so having a compliment for him is big.
6. S: Losing Julian Love is a tough one. He played a lot of snaps and wore a lot of hats for this defense last year, especially with McKinney missing time with a hand injury. The team likes Jason Pinnock, and drafted Dane Belton in the early 4th last year, but more depth and competition here would be very welcome.

So let's get into the picks:

1.24: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

Seems like maybe Schoen agreed with me!
It was a lot harder to try to predict what the Giants would do this year, just by virtue of having a later pick. But the general consensus among the beat seemed to be that the team wanted to get a CB or an offensive playmaker with that first pick. I was a little skeptical of CB being an option, seeing how many mocks had all 5 of the top CBs off the board, but that often left WRs available.
So right after the Jets took Will McDonald at 15, if you looked at the board, only 1 CB had been taken and no WRs had been taken. That felt pretty good for the Giants.
Then Forbes and Gonzalez come off the board, and the top 4 WRs come off the board from 20-23.
That left the Giants feeling a little antsy. They had one guy they really wanted left, and negotiated a trade up one spot with the Jaguars to secure their guy: Deonte Banks.
This pick is perfect for what the Giants want to do on defense. Wink Martindale's reaction should say it all, if you go watch the Giants' behind the scenes videos on the draft process.
Banks is a tall, long, and athletic corner, which are all important traits for Wink's press man heavy defense. He's super fluid and smooth in his hips. He tested absolutely crazy. He also plays with a swag that I think Wink and Giants fans will come to really appreciate. He plays confident, he plays fast in terms of processing, and he plays physical.
He still has some development to go, I'm not saying he's going to be a top CB in the league from day 1. He wasn't a super ball productive corner, but that's not something Wink necessarily needs. It will take some time for him to get comfortable with the complexity of route runners in the NFL. But the tools are all there, and the Giants get a perfect scheme fit.
Banks will come in and immediately be the starter at CB across from Adoree' Jackson, and the trickle down effect that will have on the Giants depth chart at CB will be tangible.

2.57: John Michael Schmitz, OC, Minnesota

As this pick was coming up, Schoen and Daboll were discussing who to pick, and basically said "okay we're either going with Schmitz or (we'll get to that later ;) )".
Then the Bears traded up to the pick before the Giants pick. And Joe Schoen said "oh fuck." Daboll tried to calm him down and said "well I guess we're getting ."
Then the Bears took Tyrique Stevenson (good pick!), leaving the Giants the choice between the two players. And the Giants went with Schmitz.
Full disclosure: I was not a huge JMS fan in the draft process. I thought he was super solid all around, but he wasn't really impressive to me, there weren't a lot of overwhelmingly positive reps or traits in my eyes. I thought he was maybe a little heavy footed, especially in pass pro, and his testing kind of backed that up, and I didn't really see full unlocked power either.
I was probably a bit harsh on him in terms of the grade though. Like I said, he's a super solid player. There's relatively little to really complain about. He's smart, he's experienced, and he made few mental mistakes. His snaps were consistent. He is pretty strong though not crazy so. His anchor is really good, and he plays nasty and competitive, which is something the Giants are definitely looking for. It helps he had a really good Senior Bowl week too.
Was Schmitz my favorite center in this class? No. But he was for many people, and for some good reasons. Schmitz will come in and immediately start at center for the Giants, bringing the dead snap with him. If he can be the 3rd best player on this unit (behind Andrew Thomas and hopefully Evan Neal taking a step forward this year and being healthy), it'll be an immensely calming and steadying presence that should raise the OL play of the whole unit.

3.73: Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee

So you may be wondering: Who was Player X?
Well immediately after drafting Schmitz, Schoen looked around the room and pretty much said "what if we can still get ?" He decided that the price he was willing to pay was the Giants 4th round pick. And he and everybody else in the room started calling.
That included Brian Daboll, who leaned over and said "hey should I text [Rams HC Sean] McVay?" Schoen said "yeah sure go for it." And Daboll officially negotiated the Giants trading up from 89 to 73 to select Player X: Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt
Hyatt is a really fun player to watch. The speed blows you away on tape. It's the kind of speed that even if you're not throwing it to him all the time, defenses have to take note when he comes on the field and play him differently. He's not necessarily slippery or elusive after the catch but (and I'm scared to frame it this way but I'm doing it anyway) the speed and acceleration gives him credibility there, the way that Odell was such a YAC threat on slants just getting to full speed and outrunning everyone.
He's a little high cut I think, and that leads to a little bit of trouble with crisper routes. He wasn't asked to run a very complex route tree at Tennessee, though I do think he has the skills to improve in that sense. The biggest concern for me is just how quickly we can get him up to speed beating press and playing through physicality. When he has room to work, he can beat CBs in a few ways, but NFL DBs will knock even very good WRs off their routes at times. And that follows through to contested catches.
The Giants' WR room is so crowded it's hard for me to say exactly what Hyatt's role will be starting out. The Giants started last year trying to use different WRs in different ways on a game to game basis. Then the wheels fell off obviously, with Shep, Wan'Dale, and Toney being hurt and Golladay stinking and all that. So I wonder if we see a return to that.
Hyatt can be a threat in a lot of ways, end arounds, screens, etc in addition to the obvious "go long" situations. Just how many reps he can carve out will be fun to track in training camp.

So the Giants come out of the first 3 rounds with 3 players who were commonly mocked to them at 25. Pretty good business! But let's get into day 3:

5.172: Eric Gray, RB, Oklahoma

The Giants traded away their 4th round pick to get Hyatt so they went 99 picks without making a selection.
Like I said earlier, the team has been looking for a compliment to Saquon Barkley for a long time, and they find it here with Eric Gray.
Schoen said he sees Eric Gray as a 3 down back. And you can definitely see why. He caught 88 passes over the last 3 years at Oklahoma and only dropped 2. He's also strong and physical, willing to pass protect. That physicality carries over into his running style, he runs hard and is willing to run through guys. He's bursty in short areas and has pretty solid vision in my opinion.
He's a compact guy, just 5'9 207. He's not super slippery or elusive, and he's not really a home run hitter. But in terms of finding a backup RB on day 3 to feed some of those tough yardage carries to and keep Saquon fresh, you could do worse than Eric Gray for sure.
The Giants ran a fair bit of "Pony" type formations in 2022, using 2 or even 3 RBs at times. The competition between Gray and Matt Breida for the true RB2 spot will be fun to see. Breida brings a little more explosiveness to the table, but Gray will certainly give him a run for his money. And depending on what happens with Saquon Barkley's contract situation, we may see even more of Gray down the line.

6.209: Tre Hawkins, CB, Old Dominion

When asked about what is different this year from last year, what improvements or what has gotten easier now that he's been in the chair for a full year, Joe Schoen talked a lot about really getting a good handle on what his coaches look for in players. And he singled out Wink in that respect because him and Daboll have worked together so much.
The Giants selection of Tre Hawkins really highlights that. Like with Deonte Banks, Hawkins brings a ton of physical traits. He tested through the roof. He has the length that the Giants look for. He's also super physical in both phases, run and pass, which Wink loves. ODU let him just play press man, so he's comfortable doing that.
He's a little slim still, so his frame needs some reworking, but that's common with CBs and especially ones from outside the P5 schools. He also has a lot of technique and FBIQ stuff to clean up. His footwork is messy, he's not always patient enough with his punch. His ball skills still leave something to be desired. He's still learning to read routes and manage space both in man and zone.
I figure Hawkins will come in and be a depth player and core STer for the Giants. If his play strength holds up against NFL scrutiny, he can definitely be a day 1 punt gunner. Wink has started calling Jerome Henderson the best DB coach in the league, so it'll be fun to see what Henderson can do with a ball of clay like Hawkins. Even if he ends up just being a STer and CB5 type guy, that's still a pretty good pick in the 6th round like this.
Also, sorry Patriots writer :)

7.243: Jordon Riley, DL, Oregon

Beating a dead horse at this point, but this is another pick Schoen highlighted as an example of his understanding of what Wink is looking for.
Obviously Riley is a flawed prospect, it's the 7th round. He was a 6th year senior who spent time at 4 different schools, starting at UNC, then going to JUCO for a year, then Nebraska for 2 years where he barely played, and finishing his college career at Oregon. PFF lists him as having just 534 career snaps in college despite the 5 years he spent at the P5 level. He wasn't very productive, partly because he barely played and partly because he's just not very good. He's not a good athlete.
What Riley does have, though, is size, strength, and knockback power. And that's what Wink is looking for in a depth NT. He eats blocks, stuffs up lanes, and just is hard to move.
Schoen put it this way:
"It’s hard to find these guys. When you get into the seventh round, you are looking for guys that maybe it will be hard to get at different areas. And another guy we spent time with, big run stopper in there, 6-foot-5, 330.
You walk out to practice, and there’s this 6-5, 330-pound guy, who piques your interest right there. Again, some of these guys in different schemes may not have the production, the tackles, the sacks. But for what Wink looks for in terms of size, length, knock-back — he possesses those traits.”

7.254: Gervarrius Owens, DB, Houston

Last pick in the draft and the Giants go back to the DB room. They took two CBs already, but some depth/developmental guys at safety would help. Enter: Gervarrius Owens.
Owens is a former CB turned S from Houston. The CB in him flashes to me on tape, I thought his ball skills as a safety were good. He's athletic enough to play pretty much any safety spot, including that single high spot that teams find difficult to fill. He's super physical and willing to play downhill and tackle. He's super experienced, he was a team captain and 4 year starter for Houston.
He makes a lot of mistakes, however. The angles he takes to the ball in both phases are super inconsistent. He missed a ton of tackles in college, so that technique needs to be worked on. The ball skills turned into PBUs rather than INTs; Wink won't mind that but some of them were like "he really should have just caught that."
Owens is another guy like Hawkins who looks primed to earn his roster spot on special teams and provide solid depth for the team's DB room. Wink likes to play 3+ safety sets, especially when he feels like he has a good group there. And the Giants' S room right now is basically Xavier McKinney and a bunch of question marks, so it's entirely feasible that Owens can come in and beat Dane Belton, Jason Pinnock, and Bobby McCain to earn playing time early on.

UDFAs

The Giants UDFA class included a few notable names. 5 total players who got 100k+ in guarantees:

1. Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR, WVU: The Giants gave Bryce Ford-Wheaton a LOT of guaranteed money for a UDFA: 236k, which is the full season PS salary plus 20k. BFW was one of "my guys" this year I was hoping for the Giants to get. He's got the size and athleticism to be really good, but he's a little one note right now. In a crowded WR room, I kind of doubt he'll make the roster without some injuries (or Wan'Dale/Shep being on PUP) but like other late rounders/UDFAs, if he can find some value on special teams, he's a fun upside swing.
2. Dyontae Johnson, LB, Toledo: Another guy who got a lot of guaranteed money. The Giants needed some reinforcements at LB and clearly didn't find them in the draft. Super productive in college, very instinctive player, but I'm not sure if he can run with the league. He'll compete with the Giants mishmosh of LBs to play on special teams.
3. Ryan Jones, TE/FB, East Carolina: The Giants have been searching for a kind of H-Back type for a while now. Last year they brought in Jeremiah Hall from Oklahoma, that didn't stick. Andre Miller, who was a WR at Maine, seemed like he was getting run at that spot in camp last year, but a broken arm ended his season. Chris Myarick ended up taking some of those reps. Ryan Jones kind of fits that mold as well.
4. Habakkuk Baldonado, EDGE, Pittsburgh: The Giants' pass rusher depth is...not great. Behind Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari, it's Jihad Ward, Oshane Ximines, and Tomon Fox. And Ojulari missed a lot of time last year. Baldonado could potentially come in and earn a spot over Ximines/Fox. He's got good play strength and power and fits what the Giants would need as more of an edge setter and run defender to give Thibodeaux/Ojulari a rest rep before letting them loose to rush the passer.
5. Gemon Green, CB, Michigan: Another tough and physical corner. I don't think there's really a spot for him on this roster with the additions of Banks and Hawkins, and I think he's not quite the athlete the Giants look for at CB, but as a last resort/STer he can potentially get somewhere.

Final Takeaways

I did this last year because it was Schoen's first year here, but I like the idea of doing it every year. What can we learn from the way Schoen drafted this year that we can file away and learn for the future? What can mockers learn from this to inform them of who makes sense for the Giants.
And it's pretty similar to last year:

1. Athleticism. Once again, pretty much every player the Giants drafted, and the UDFAs generally, were excellent athletes who tested well. The main exceptions being JMS (who was still a solid athlete) and Jordon Riley this year; where the exception last year basically was just DJ Davidson. This team has faith in its coaching staff and wants to give them players they can work with.
2. Scheme/Roster Fits. I talked about it a lot with the defensive picks, but every single one is a "Wink Martindale" guy. What does Wink want for his system? This can be a little dangerous considering Wink was in the running for a HC gig last year, and another strong year might finally get him the HC job he has been looking for. If he leaves and the scheme changes, these players need to be able to match the new scheme too. But it's clear that the FO values the input of the coaching staff and there's really clear communication there. This also applies to the offensive side of the ball, where it's super clear that the team wanted more speed on offense, which pointed to Hyatt a little bit.
3. Youth. This one is a little less applicable this year as they did draft a few older players, like JMS and Riley, even Eric Gray who turns 24 in November or Tre Hawkins who turns 23 over the summer. But Banks just turned 22, Jalin Hyatt will turn 22 in late September. It feels like maybe they felt more attached to the age stuff when they thought this was a full on rebuild, but now that they're hoping to be a playoff team again, they need some more instant contributors.
4. Aggressiveness/willingness to trade. This is a newer one, as last year the Giants only traded back. But this year the Giants traded up twice, giving up 3 day 3 picks in the process. Schoen is not afraid to make trades in either direction. Up to secure guys he really wants (Banks/Hyatt), or down if there's nothing there. Schoen talked about having trades lined up in both directions with the first round pick, he had a trade down ready if there was no one he wanted left.

The Giants went into the 2022 draft clearly rebuilding, 5 picks in the top 81 and making 11 selections. This year, the team came into the draft with 10 picks and came out with just 7. Clearly the team thinks the depth is improving and wants to focus on building the championship contender they are looking to be.

I always knew my family was involved in some strange things. We never celebrated Christmas, Easter, or even Festivus. No, our main holiday was the Overtide on the first full moon after the summer solstice. As my parents constantly drilled into my head, we were Reepiners, the few remaining mystics of an ancient path. The Reepiners devoted their lives to travel. We explored other worlds, other universes even. Many of us died on the way, or sometimes, travelers from our spiritual path would come back totally insane and rambling. Some had even clawed their own eyes out, as if trying to stop the horrors they were seeing.
My father had no real power in the Reepiners, but he was one of the most accomplished travelers in the world. The young male children of the leaders would often accompany my father out to the woods and ancient cave systems near our house where he would show them unimaginable things. One of the young trainees, a brash young man who couldn’t have been older than seventeen, came back with totally white hair after a single night in the caves with my father. When I asked my dad what happened, he simply gave me a sly smile and walked away.
On my own seventeenth birthday, which took place a few years ago, I was to follow my father out into the forest before sunset. We would be heading to Hollowhead Cave, a ten-mile hike from the parking area. My father found the dirt road, pulling over on a slight turnaround. The nearest neighbor was miles down the road. We took no cell phones or supplies with us. We didn’t have so much as a knife.
We had been hiking for hours. I could feel blisters starting to form on my feet, and trickles of sweat rolled down from my hairline. The insects buzzed and chirped in the ferns and trees surrounding us, and a cloud of gnats followed us everywhere we went. There was a slight smell of flowers in the air mixed with pines. Other than the insects, it was a beautiful and peaceful forest. Finally, my father broke the long silence.
“Are you scared?” my father asked. I looked over at him. His strange, gray eyes were watching me, studying me. They seemed to snap and sizzle with inner energy. My father looked younger than his age, sturdy and well-built. Muscles grown over a lifetime of work filled out his clothes. Even though he was in his fifties, he had almost no wrinkles on his face and few white hairs.
Those are eyes that have seen beyond, I thought to myself. Those are eyes that have seen other worlds. The light that seems to shine from them must be holy. It must be the light of a thousand other universes.
“Does traveling really bring enlightenment, Pa?” I said. He shrugged, looking forward again.
“It may, or it may not. Enlightenment is already here at every moment, just like the same deathless mind is always present in every universe, or the same eternal soul is present in all the seconds of your life. Traveling to other spaces may help you see how this eternal consciousness is the same in every universe, how that endless mind stretches everywhere. It is more of a deepening awareness that you get from travel, one that brings enough wisdom to see the eternal is already here. But you didn’t answer my question,” my father said.
“Yes,” I said, “I’m afraid.”
***
It was nearly dark when we got to the cave. My father had been quiet most of the way. Now as he knelt in front of me, I saw what looked like a hand mirror in his back pocket, rolled up in cloth.
“What’s that in your pocket?” I asked.
“I always hold the black mirror,” he said. “We use it for training the young, opening them up to the idea of traveling, showing them a little of what is out there waiting for those with courage and fanaticism on their side.” The cave was cool and refreshing. Torches had been put out all along the walls, though I don’t know when they were lit. I heard what sounded like a babbling stream echoing up through the rocky chambers, and I smelled far-off water mixing with the smoke of the torches.
“What about the red mirror?” I whispered. I had heard rumors about it, but they were vague and contradictory.
“The red mirror? We don’t generally speak of it. High Priest Arkovitch personally attends to it most of the year. He tries to make it sleep. He tells me that prayer and meditation seem to soothe it. But sometimes it wakes up. I’ll tell you a story while we walk. It’ll make the time pass faster.” His voice seemed to crack slightly at this. His face looked grimmer and thinner in the flickering light. He looked at me with his strange, gray eyes, and in them, I saw the traveler my father truly was. He had an iron core that was so fearless, it almost seemed mad. He gave a nearly inaudible sigh, then he started the story.
“High Priest Arkovitch was given the three mirrors in a somewhat strange way. He was on a meditative retreat, sleeping outside, drinking from the streams, eating ferns and mushrooms and whatever else he could scrounge. After the first day, he woke up to a pile of dead squirrels next to his head. Their necks were all snapped, and they were stacked in a little pyramid.
“The second night, he tried to stay up, but after hours of standing guard, he lost the battle. He says he fell asleep with his back against a tree. When he awoke, he found a pile of hundreds of shoes surrounding him. He says that when he left the spot to forage or drink, these piles were taken away in the blink of an eye. It was as if they hadn’t been there at all. And there was no sign of anyone in the forest. He was out about a dozen miles from the road, far down a winding deer trail. He wasn’t going to be spooked by these childish pranks, he told me. He stayed another night.
“This time, he awoke to find a black box next to him. He opened it, expecting an animal’s head or some other rubbish, but instead, he found these three strange mirrors. He touched them all in turn, the white, the red and the black, and then he pulled them out. He looked into the red. The flat, polished stone on both sides sure made a poor mirror, he told me. In fact, all three of them were almost totally useless. They were clearly hand mirrors, of that he was certain, but who would put just a slightly reflective stone inscribed with strange runes in place of the actual mirror glass? And then his mind made a connection. He had heard of shamans doing similar things to this, making special hand mirrors for rites involving psychedelic drugs or mystical experiences, such as the shamans in Africa with their iboga vine.
“As he looked into it, though, he said the strange runes seemed to start glowing. They sent out red light that pierced straight into his head. He said he tried closing his eyes, but even with them fully shut, all he could see was swirling tunnels of red light. And then he was gone.
“When we travel, son, you know we hear the ringing. Any time you cross universes, all you can hear is that incessant, high-pitched sound which seems to vibrate your teeth and makes your eyes water.” I nodded. I had done some astral projection and lucid dreaming, both of which were considered vastly inferior by the Reepiners, like toys for children to play with. The most advanced in our religion always traveled bodily. It was considered the way to Liberation. Enlightenment itself was the goal, and seeing the true nature of all things by travel was the principal path. But some of the older members of our religion had told me that it was also terrifying, especially since anyone who traveled bodily could die if something in these strange, alien worlds attacked them.
“Arkovitch says the ringing was the most intense he had ever heard. He said he thought his head would split open. The red light still blinded him, but he felt himself floating. And then he felt the light receding and opened his eyes. The ringing in his ears gradually faded as he looked around, realizing he was in a strange jungle, still holding the red mirror in one hand. But the runes had stopped glowing and faded back into the stone, and the mirror again just looked like a useless decoration.
“He says the trees of the jungle stretched hundreds of feet above him with slippery, yellow trunks and thin branches periodically reaching out. Ferns taller than a man surrounded him. He could barely see over the thick vegetation. There were no cries of birds, no insects, no animals or any kind he could see. And then he heard a rustling, just a slight movement. Turning, he saw a blood-red shape duck into the ferns.
“Arkovitch began to run. He ran for his life. He didn’t know what kind of world he was, but he knew when he was being stalked. He heard more of those things, saw glimpses of that bright red hide they had. Then one jumped directly in front of him.
“It stood over ten feet tall, he said, with dozens of black eyes on stalks rising from the top of its thin, oval head. Its legs were sleek and reptilian, like the legs of a velociraptor, and long arms with knife-like claws at the end. It opened its mouth wide, showing rows of parallel serrated teeth, and from a bulging orange sac in the back of its throat, it spit at him. Sticky white webs shot out and wrapped around his legs before he even knew what was happening. And then he heard dozens more of those things closing in all around him, ready to begin shredding his body. These were clearly the apex predators. He was stupid for not realizing why there were no animal sounds now, he said. Likely the life in the area had gone silent and moved on when they realized a herd of those things were in the area.
“As the nearest one bent down, hissing, silver streams of saliva running down its pointed chin, Arkovitch picked up the red mirror. Instinctively, he traced his fingers along the runes, hoping for any sign of life from it. At once, it lit up, blinding him with red light, and he felt himself floating again, the ringing in his ears. He awoke at his house, nearly twenty miles away from where he had started just minutes earlier, still wrapped in webs.” My father stopped in front of me. We had just come to a sharp turn in the cave, the rocks jutting out on both sides and making it thin and claustrophobic. I had to turn my body to slide through. I saw my father having more trouble with his larger frame, but eventually he pushed himself through, sweating and slightly scraped up.
“Wow,” I said. “Where do you think he went?” My father shrugged.
“Son, the mirrors can send you anywhere at any time, but the red mirror in particular tends to send travelers to the worst places, where predators or demons are waiting. Other times, people have found themselves on nearly dead planets where strange robed beings floated in the mists. Arkovitch’s son used the red mirror, and he never came back at all. The mirror just showed back up in Arkovitch’s office after his son had been missing for three days. We don’t know where they went, and we don’t want more people being lost in such a way.
“And now, we are here,” my father finished saying. I looked around, frowning. It looked like just another part of the cave to me. And then, I realized I did see something. Out of the corner of my eye, one of the walls of the cave seemed to shimmer and glow. When I got close to it and touched it, it felt warm, too- much warmer than the other stone walls of the cave. It was only a space about the size of a door.
“Yes, my son,” my father said, “that is the gateway where we will send you through. Your test of manhood will be to see where the black mirror takes you.”
“If the red mirror took Arkovitch without any door, why do we need this one?” I asked. My father leaned in close.
“So that you don’t come back twenty miles away, at the bottom of a lake, or two thousand miles away at the bottom of some volcano,” he said. My heart was beating fast, and my stomach started to hurt. I was having second thoughts.
“OK, let’s do this,” I said. “Let’s see where the mirror takes me.” He nodded and took out the supplies for the ritual. With a prayer to the eternal mind, he handed me the mirror.
It felt much heavier than it looked. Moreover, it was as cold as death. As soon as I touched it, the runes lit up, blinding me. Pure white light shot out of them, and the shimmering of the doorway was so intense now that I saw sparks and electricity. And then, the wall opened.
Every hair was standing up as I watched it happen, as if I were underneath a forming lightning bolt. All I could hear was buzzing. Holding the mirror tightly, I walked forward, through the doorway. Instantly, everything went black and the buzzing and electricity stopped.
I opened my eyes in a strange place. The sun was warm, and the wind blew so fiercely that during the strongest gusts, I stumbled and feared I may lose my footing. Looking around, I saw mountains with iron and other metals peeking out, forming sharp, irregular blocks at the bottom. The tops disappeared under thick, stratified yellow clouds that blocked out the sky. Even the sun here was no more than a hazy, orange silhouette in the impenetrable cloud layer.
I looked around, unsure of where to go. I could barely see any signs of life on this planet, besides some strange, brown moss growing on the bases of the mountains. I couldn’t ask my dad or the mirror for help. But then, I heard something. At first, I thought it was part of the wind. But I quickly realized that it sounded more like gurgling and screaming. I realized with horror that it was in English.
“Help…” the voice said. “Please, for the love of God, help me before it comes back.” I followed the voice around some rocks standing twenty feet high and found a man on the ground- prostrate, bloody and missing a leg. He raised his head at my appearance and I realized I knew who this was. It was High Priest Arkovitch’s son, the one who had gone missing a while back. It was almost hard to recognize him with stringy hair, bloody scraped skin and nearly all of his clothes torn or missing, but I could still see it in the eyes and construction of the face.
“It’s OK,” I said, leaning down. “I’ll get you out. It’s going to be OK.”
“No,” he said. “It’s coming back. We have to go now…” He looked behind me, and his eyes widened. “Oh God, it’s too late.” Without any weapon or even an idea where I was, I turned to look at what horrors this world held- the same ones that presumably had torn off or even eaten this poor man’s leg. As soon as I saw it, I began to scream.

Rick had expected that taking an entire tribe to Sinco would be slow. Who wouldn’t? It was a whole tiny village after all, one nearing a handful hundred.
But the Orcs, and by extension all the other maidens, had more than one surprise in store.
When the tribe had set off, they’d done so with a grand demolition. The moment everything of value had been picked up and packaged, the village was then torn to shreds by anyone willing to take part in the little destruction-derby.
Following this, the tribe would split up into hut-family units.
Every “family” would be made of one human and multiple maidens. The maiden with the highest standing within the family unit (almost always an Orc) would be in charge of carrying and protecting the human on their back. And the rest would handle the luggage and supplies that “family” unit would take with them.
And from there, they would break into a jogging pace that, to a human, would have been a dead sprint.
Rick had the distinct “honor” of being carried by Urtha since Monica’s job as the chief meant it was her job to be at the tip of the metaphorical spear. Meanwhile, Rick was left seated on a sort-of-backpack the tall Orc carried.
Kiara flew overhead with the handful of other flying maidens that’d been woken up from the boxes. Leaving Eva and Dia to carry their belongings. It left an unpleasant aftertaste in Rick’s gut.
The smirk Dia kept shooting his way as he petulantly crossed his arms and resigned himself to being glorified luggage. “I could at least be playing the drums to mark the pace or something. It’s not like we’re being subtle or quiet.”
“Humans have no place drawing attention where danger lurks,” Urtha said, the only one present that wasn’t even winded. “Less so the Father.”
“Some feral might think you are a cheesy snack.” Dia, huffing as she pushed herself, still giggled.
“The tribe is tense enough already.” The Orc shook her head. “We rarely bring this many weaklings with us.”
“One of many changes to come.” Rick held the sigh, mostly because he was holding on to the chair to keep from falling over. He didn’t want to think about it, but once they reached Sinco, things would get complicated.
They were effectively marching out, seeking to conquer a city. Whether it be through actual warfare or maneuvering, they weren’t sure just yet. They just knew that they were prepared for the former if the latter didn’t work out. The reports had come in: Sinco was not in a good place. The constant presence of highly aggressive ferals had been chipping away at their defenses.
The only hope the city held was that they would receive reinforcements from Aubria.
Rick would get there faster.
It was in these thoughts that he pondered throughout the day. The tribe traveled and rested too often to the Orc’s liking. There was much friction to be had, and the humans were guarded like the treasures the tribe considered them to be.
When night came, a singular large hut was made for the humans, and the maidens would sleep in rotations. There would be small songs and minor stories that were shared, small moments of comfort. But they were all held under the looming watchfulness of the tribe.
Because they were at their most vulnerable. One missed feral deciding to make a stand could mean a human getting hurt. Rick had to begrudgingly respect them for that. As much as he loathed being treated like some kind of porcelain doll, there was no room to question that the maidens were going the extra mile for everyone’s safety and survival.
Though they would sometimes go a bit overboard against the maidens that “slowed down the tribe”. His role mediating such disputes had become his main role throughout the following days.
One morning, as they were preparing to set out, he heard it.
It started with a scream, then a yelp, and then a rush.
By the time Rick realized what was going on, Monica was upon him. Drenched from head to toe and stinking of salt and seaweed. The massive maiden was looking at him with a smile that threatened to split her head in two.
“Rick!” She hovered over him, dripping water all over. “Come! Come!”
“Is everything alright?” He asked from the discomfort of the portable chair he was currently occupying.
“COME!” she insisted, hopping on her feet and skittishly looking back, aiming her ear in the direction she’d come from. “Quick!”
“The tribe is not heading that way.” Urtha pointed out.
Rick considered it for a second. “Are there any problems shifting course to travel nearer to the sea?”
“It is a bad idea. For many reasons.”
Her words brought nods from Eva and Dia, to which Rick could only respond with a shrug. “Ok, then we could call for a break for the day, give everyone a chance to properly unwind, and I’ll go with Monica.” He pointed over at the feline that was bouncing on her heels, just barely holding back from reaching out and yanking him into her wet embrace. “Seems like the chief is very excited about something.”
“I bet its food,” Eva said.
“Urtha?” Rick waited.
The Orc glanced over at the crowd. “We will set camp for the day. We cannot afford to lose any of the weaklings.”
That was as good as he could’ve hoped. Rick nodded and was immediately snatched by Monica’s fuzzy paw. The maiden picked him up, putting him over her shoulder and trotting through the shrubbery and trees with little regard for who might be following.
Rick got himself a face full of leaves, flinching and batting them away. “Hey, wait, the branches-”
The Sabretooth yanked him into her arms and broke into a full sprint. Dirt and rocks burst forth from where she stood as air whipped about them. Her fang-filled smile only grew. Monica’s eyes were only focused forward. Rick, meanwhile, was trying to avoid swallowing bugs. The insects that kept flying about appeared to prefer smacking against his face.
There was a moment of clarity, light, and blue.
And with a splash, he was underwater.
Rick made the mistake of gasping, swallowing sea-water, wildly flinging his arms to get himself to the surface. Monica yanked him out of the water, leaving him feeling like a half-drowned cat as he coughed and spat.
“LOOK!” she proclaimed, dropping him on the sandy beach as she hurried towards the crashing waves, kicking at them and sending sprays of foam high into the air. “Rick! BIG!” She waved wildly, rushing her way into the water, then back out.
“That’s the sea.”
“Monica see!” With wide arms, she tried to point at all of it at once.
“No, it’s a new word. Sounds similar.” He combed his hair out of his face with his hands, removing his shirt. “Sea. S-E-A. Big, wet, and salty.”
“BIG WET!” Monica was cheering and splashing, kicking her way up and down the shore, jumping into the waves and coming out a dozen meters away and then making her way back to the shore.
“It’s the sea.” He couldn’t help but smile, watching as she slapped the water with her huge paws, creating a billowing tower of water and foam to rise at least a dozen meters into the air.
He put the low-end terrifying notion of how much force was packed into that strike and kept an easy-going smile.
“It’s the ocean.” The voice called from above, Kiara leisurely drifting down and sitting next to him. “Too far away from anything or anyone. Few ships go through here.”
“So chock-full of dangerous ferals?”
“Just like everywhere else.” Her eyes weren’t on Monica. The Succubus’ gaze appeared more focused on trailing the waves as they crashed into the shore. “Likely they’ve been scared off, though. The rush must have eaten everything available near the shore.”
Rick looked at the waves, then at her. “How can you tell?”
“There’s nothing in the waves.” She pointed. “Usually there’s at least the odd Sprite.”
“Maybe Monica scared them off.”
“Doubtful.” Kiara shook her head, turning to eye him with a slight smirk. “You’re drenched. Maybe you’d want to take your clothes off?” Her gaze trailed over him in a distinctly predatory way.
“You’re hungry, huh?”
She leaned closer, hand reaching over to caress his shoulder. “Maybe a little more than that…” Gold eyes locked to his, her hand gently pushing his back into the sand, the Succubus moving in closer so that she could pin him down.
Rick grinned. “Careful with the splash.”
The momentary confusion turned to shock and horror as she was yanked away and flung into the sea. Monica stared with ample amount of self-satisfaction as the Succubus swore and sank into the waves. “No horny time.” The feline declared, looking at Rick with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
“I understand.” He raised his hands, playing the role of innocent bystander.
“Play time.”
His eyes widened with concern. Uh oh.
She reached down, pulling him up by the shirt. “Rick train swim.”
“I know how to swim.” He quickly proclaimed, grabbing hold of her claws as her arm tensed. “BUT!”
Monica hesitated, looking at the water, then at him with narrowed eyes. “But?”
“Don’t throw me like you did Kiara or I will break,” he said, quickly relaxing a little as he pointed up into the air. “Throw me a little up. Gently, into the water.”
She eyed him for a moment, and with a flick of her tail, caught a stone. “Like this?” She grasped the rock and gently tossed it into a high arch that fell into the sea with a little plop.
“Yeah, just like-AAAAAHHHH!!!”
He was flying, body spinning in the air as gravity quickly lay claim. Rick did the only thing he could think of, curling into a ball, drawing breath, and plunge. He was underwater in the next instant, bubbles and light, with the sandy bottom still within sight.
It was down there that he spotted Kiara looking up at him with a smirk, a bubble wrapping her head. The conspicuously naked Succubus used her wings to swim up at him, catching him in her grasp and pulling him down.
Rick clutched his mouth, trying to keep his breath.
Kiara’s amusement was apparent as she held him by the shirt, looking at him with a mischievous twinkle. The iron grip remained, and he could see what her plan was, so he leaned into her, breaking the surface of the bubble with his face.
The breath was cut short with the kiss.
Then she shoved him away, waving off and winking as she swam further away from the shore. The speed she was moving with clearly was one not meant for him to follow, so Rick didn’t, going up to the surface.
Monica was waiting for him, excitedly grinning from ear to ear.
“Again!” he declared the moment he stepped on the sand. “But this time not from the shirt or it might rip.”
By the time others were reaching the beach, the duo had figured out a way to make the launch procedure safer… ish. Mostly in that the victim of choice would stand on Monica’s palm and curl into a cannonball, so that she could then throw.
And the maiden had quite the throwing arm.
The couple of Goblins that showed up excitedly joined in. Then came the Orcs, Mousegirls, and Doggirls, and by the time Urtha had shown her face, the various tribe members had a line of eager volunteers to be thrown into the sea. While the Orcs were competing with one another to see who could get their cargo the furthest from the shore.
Dia caught sight of the glare before Rick could even speak up. “I’ve set up a rotation of guards with the ones keeping watch over the tribe,” the healer proclaimed. “And the water maidens are working as lookouts.”
“Do you think that would placate me?”
“Do you want to play in the launch games?” Rick asked, giving Dia a warning look. “I bet you’d give Monica a run for her money.”
“She is stronger.” Urtha spoke after just a moment of observation, shaking her head. “I would need to wait for her to tire.”
He looked at the Orc as she remained near them, but didn’t sit. He could almost taste the tension within her, that knot of uncertainty. “Would you like to build a sand castle, then?”
“A castle of sand?”
“Exactly that.” Rick sat up. “Just wet sand and more sand, and make a castle with it.”
Urtha’s thick brows furrowed. “That… sounds childish.”
He shrugged. “Sand is fragile and crumbles easily if mishandled. Consider it a test of skill.” A sly smile followed. “Or are you scared a little human will be better at it than you?”
With a scoff, she stomped her foot once. “Show me.”
“I’ll join in!” Dia said. “It’s been a while since I’ve played mud-walls.”
“The what now?”
“It’s a game we healers played when little helped give us finer control over our power.” She crouched down, grabbing a handful of wet sand and proceeding to carefully lay it down in the shape of a very thin tube. A tube no thicker than a straw, and tall enough to reach her knee. “The trick is in pushing the water away at the right time.”
Rick and Urtha shared a worried glance.
Two hours later, things had escalated… a little.
It turned out that the Orc’s ability to make wood nearly as tough as steel could be applied to sand to just enough of a degree that Urtha had made a box tower about two meters on the side and five tall. Rick, working with a knife, carved out details on the tower.
Mostly windows and bricks.
Dia, on the other hand, had built a miniature replica of the fortified city of Balet. Devoid of any details, the city was a configuration of boxes roughly knee height.
It was when some maidens that had tired of the Monica-Launcher™ had gathered to watch that things escalated. With Mousegirls quickly getting recruited by Dia so that they could turn the sand boxes into detailed houses, and Urtha recruiting other Orcs so that they could put together a second tower.
Somewhere along the way, Sheel had shown up to set up an impromptu grill service.
Rick got his fill as he watched the competition unfold, recovering his energy and feeling exhausted in a good way. He caught sight of Kiara emerging from the sea, sans clothes. The Succubus took one look at the gathering, and eventually locked on to him.
The alluring blue-haired Succubus shifted her walk, tucking away tiredness and presenting only assuredness and grace. Her ample hips swayed with a mesmerizing rhythm, tail punctuating every step with a flick. The maiden made a show of pushing her sky-blue hair over her shoulder, presenting her bare chest for him to drink in.
There was a twinkle of enjoyment in her golden eyes when his gaze locked on to her body. A sly smile played on her lips, seductive and coy.
As she reached him, the succubus knelt down and whispered in his ear, her voice soft and alluring. “Is this spot taken?”
Rick felt his throat dry, and he coughed a little. “Sure.”
Kiara grinned wider, taking his lap, tail reaching under his shirt to caress his chest. “It is very comfortable.” She punctuated her words by grinding against herself against his crotch a little. “You seem thrilled to see me.”
He wrapped his hands around her midriff, pulling her against his chest, ignoring the slight discomfort of her wings. “Be warned that Monica is looking our way,” he whispered. “Engage and you will get launched. She’s gotten great at it.”
The tail twitched. “Noted.” Her tone was begrudging. “I meant to ask, are you familiar with… this? The sea? The ocean? The depths?”
“I’ve been on my fair share of boats, and went diving in a reef once.” He admitted freely. “And I’ve flown over the clouds in one of the most boring technological marvel my world built.” A little chuckle followed. “But I think you were meaning to lead this somewhere else?”
Kiara shifted, staring over her shoulder for a moment. “I’d like to hear more about your world sometime.” Her voice held an edge of hesitation to it, and Rick had the distinct impression she was trying to hold something back. “But yes, I was meaning to lead the conversation to this.”
The tone was gone; the look was gone, replaced by smug satisfaction as she held up a blue gemstone. The object was the size of a pearl and a deep, glimmering blue.
“An impure elemental stone.” The Succubus declared. “Take it.”
Rick obliged, lifting it to get a better look. Light wavered and refracted within the sphere, adding a shimmer that made it look as if there was a tiny sea contained within. Twisting and shifting the stone did not make the illusion of change, making the little sphere appear like a looking-glass of some sort.
The refracted light swayed and shifted against his palm like an aurora.
“It’s… this is really impressive.” He declared after a moment, glancing back at her.
“I stumbled onto this while looking for something else. It has some minor value, but is mostly useless since it has a very low purity.” She shrugged her lithe shoulders, trailing his jaw with her sharp nail. “Consider it compensation.”
He frowned a little. “Compensation for what?”
She shrugged, beating her wings once and hopping on to her feet. “I will go get myself a change of clothes and a snack.” She turned to leave. “You’re more than welcome to join.”
Rick could only chuckle. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m exhausted right now.”
“Have it your way.” The maiden vanished into the thicket, sauntering off to the tribe. “If you’ve got nothing better to do, pay some attention to the little leech. Wouldn’t want her to feel neglected, now would we?”
Where had that come from? Rick watched her go, taking a moment to stand up and check that the little get-together was going nowhere. From there, he turned his focus inwards and sought the bond to Eva. It was tougher than he’d expected, especially with the noise from all the other bonds trying to drown out everything.
He found her sitting on a rock, at the very edge of the sandy shore, staring off at the setting sun. The maiden had her knees tucked against her chest, body covered under her black cape, only her red eyes and pale face exposed to the sunlight.
She noticed his approach, but didn’t react.
Rick took a spot next to her, not quite within arm’s reach. “You’ve avoided talking with me. Anything I should worry about?” His question caused the intended result. Eva looked at him with wide eyes. “Don’t look at me like that. I know you don’t like small-talk, and this is just about the most important subject I could think of.”
The Fledgling turned away. “True.” She acknowledged. “I cannot answer your question, sir.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Can’t.” She hugged her knees, turning away and towards the horizon.
Was she hesitating to take a stance, or was she unsure of what stance to take to begin with? Rick nodded a little. “If it’s any consolation, it’s weird for me, too.” He lay back on the stone, looking at the orange clouds above. “Especially with how stiff you’re acting.”
“The Wildling-King calls me his property, and then complains he is treated with the due formalities?” Eva glared.
“Point taken.” Rick sighed. “I just expected that you’d learn from the others.”
“I cannot compare myself to the monster that is Monica or Kiara, nor consider myself to hold a fraction of the trust you give Dia,” she summarized. “I am a Fledgling. Anywhere within the kingdom, a slip of the tongue, a mistake, or a perceived fault would earn me severe punishment.” The maiden glowered, then sighed. “I myself have given such for less.”
“So you don’t know what to expect from me, but will avoid talking with me about those expectations.”
The glare intensified. “I would trust you of all would understand the matter is not that simple.”
“You’re not calling me sir.” He replied with an arched brow, watching her flinch. “I don’t want to insult your intelligence, but it seems like you’re intentionally running on a groundless hypothesis. So my question would be, why have you kept at it?”
She deflated with a sigh. “I don’t know.”
Rick reached out, ruffling her hair. “Well, while you think about it, how about spending some actual time together with the others? Brooding didn’t get you the answer you were looking for, so how about trying to change the pace a little?”
The glare intensified. “I was not brooding. What do you take me for? I am older than you! I was the head of a noble house of great prestige!” She shot to her feet, glaring, lips curling into a snarl.
Rick stepped closer, directly into her personal space. “Evangeline.” He declared, his tone holding only the barest edge to it.
The Fledgling flinched, looking away, hands hiding under her cape. “You are right.” She spoke, deflating. “I… am Evangeline now.”
She moved to kneel, to lower herself, but his hand on her chin held her in place. He raised her gaze so that they would meet eyes. “The only line you stepped over was baring your fangs at me. Nothing else.”
He wanted to step away, to turn around and go to the beach with the others. But something else held him in place as he looked down to those ruby red eyes, the way she trembled against his palm, how she inhaled deeply and her eyelids fluttered. The maiden leaned into his touch, taking a hesitant step closer.
“Th-this…” Eva stammered, swallowing.
Rick leaned closer. “This is your chance to step away.”
She didn’t.
The Fledgling followed the gentle tug of his palm, raising herself to her tiptoes, leaning into the kiss. She froze, opening her mouth a little and scratching his lips with her fangs in hunger. They pierced, only enough to draw a drop of blood, only enough to make him flinch.
Eva recoiled, eyes wild, face beet read. “I, no, I-… This isn’t…”
The maiden vanished into the shadows before he could say anything. He could sense her quickly making an escape through the darkness. The human was left mostly amused at the reaction, chuckling as he took the long way back to the others.
He could understand why Kiara found entertainment out of teasing the Fledgling. Idly, he wondered if they could exchange some notes.
​
----
​

Hello, I'm back, kinda.
Things have been a monumental mess over on my end. Lots of things happened over the past couple months.
I'll be clear: Reddit isn't a convenient place to post stories. Yes, there's a community, but the website is very clearly designed for other kinds of content creators. Story writing is more of a "Despite" thing. Combined with the upcoming policy changes ^{(what with the site being sold off and wanting to coerce users into their App, at the cost of all else}), I don't think I'll be sticking around.
The story will continue being regularly posted over at Royalroad and Scribblehub.
There's practically a full volume already posted over there. Seriously, as a writer I can't stress enough just how monumentally important the post-scheduler is for me. My life is far too chaotic and sometimes I spend weeks without time or energy to prepare the posts, and then just dump 15 of them into the auto-loader.
I will try to get the next full volume (up to chapter... 62?) posted here throughout the next couple weeks, and unless something changes, I'll mostly stick to those other sites from there onward.
See you guys around, and thanks for sticking this long with the story.

[First]
[Standard Patreon Link].

Let's say that after the ending of Prototype 1 and almost at the ending of Infamous 2 Alex went to New Marais to conquer it
The battle is 1v1 so alex can't create enemies using the virus
Alex Mercer powers: Sentient Biomass Physiology: Upon being infected by the Blacklight Virus, Alex Mercer’s body was converted into living biomass. His body is now stronger than it has ever been before, lacking many of the weaknesses that comes with a normal body such as internal organs, the issue of stamina and much more, while at the same time gaining a vast array of abilities that comes with his new physiology, such as shapeshifting and enhanced stats. Near Limitless Potential: Mercer is pretty interesting, even among other fictional characters, and even those within the video game media, being one of the few characters showcased to have near limitless potential due to how his powers work. When the blacklight virus first infected Mercer, and later reforming it. Mercer was shown to be many times stronger than normal, this isn’t where his limits are however. Upon consuming other biological entities, Mercer is capable of converting them into biomass which is then added to his own, increasing his stats, such as strength and durability, with each body that he consumes. So long as there is enough biological materials for him to consume, Mercer’s physical potential is almost limitless. Similarly, due to his ability to assimilate the memories of those he consumes. There is no real limit to Mercer’s own intelligence, so long as there are living beings for him to consume, lastly due to the blacklight virus within Mercer’s body constantly evolving. There is a chance for Mercer to develop various new abilities simply due to a random mutation at some point down the line. Evolutionary Adaptability: Due to the Blacklight Virus’s ability to constantly evolve based on the situation and the information presented in consumed biomass. Mercer is capable of adapting to nearly any situation, forming Claws, and other such weapons from his body in order to better combat his foes. Developing resistances to things such as elemental damage like fire and electricity, and even developing a degree of immunity. In one case after being in a situation where Mercer was under 10gs of gravitation force. Mercer’s body quickly adapted by increasing his strength levels, allowing him to walk out of that situation as if he was never under that level of extreme pressure. Potentially Limitless Superhuman Strength: Mercer’s is shown having vast levels of superhuman strength, being strong enough to lift and toss heavy objects such as cars, helicopters, and buses, to objects as heavy as tanks several tens to hundreds of feet awaym and even being able to run with these objects without his speed being impaired. Mercer’s strength is on such a level that he could overpower other superhumanly strong characters such as the infected hunters, Elizabeth Greene, the Supreme Hunter, and even James Heller at times, despite their superhuman durability being at a level where even missiles and tank fire can’t hurt them. In the first Prototype game. Mercer demonstrates an insane level of strength, being able to create a concussive shockwave just by thrusting his fists forward, uplifting cars, tanks and throwing people several tens of feet with enough force to kill them if not outright vaporize them. Mercer’s strength can continuously increase as he consumes more and more biomass, even mutating and becoming stronger when consuming other infected individuals, and whatever potential mutations their variant of the Blacklight virus may have. Making his potential for strength virtually limitless so long as there is enough organic material for him to consume. Superhuman Leaping Ability: Mercer’s strength is shown to extend to his legs. Allowing him to jump several hundred feet into the air, allowing him to clear barricades, get on top of buildings, and even leap high enough into the air to catch helicopters. Due to his increased mass. Mercer is capable of producing shockwaves when landing after leaping from large heights. Superhuman Speed: Mercers speed is far above that of a normal human, being able to run far faster than the average car, making them appear as if they are standing still. He has been shown to out run helicopters chasing him at times, putting his speed around 200 to 500mph. He has even kept up and outpace other infected entities such as the Leader Hunters, the Supreme Hunter and even James Heller to a degree. Superhuman Agility: Due to Mercer’s enhanced physiology. He is capable of moving around far better than the average person. He can leap tall distances, perform various kinds of flips with the greatest of ease. This, combined with his constantly evolving parkour skills, allows him the ability to escape and move around the tightest of spaces without so much as losing his balance. He is capable of twisting his body in midair in order to quickly recover from being knocked back and landing on his feet in a battle ready stance. Superhuman Reflexes: Mercer, upon his mutation into the Prototype, had his reflexes enhanced to superhuman levels. He can dodge gunfire, and other projectile base weaponry at point blank range, keep up and overpowered various evolved infected creatures such as the Hunter, and Supreme Hunter, and even combat and overwhelm the military’s super soldiers with ease. Potentially limitless Superhuman Durability: Mercer’s durability, much like his strength, is potentially limitless as he absorbs more and more biomass. His body is capable of compacting the excess within himself, making his flesh far denser than that of a normal human. Similarly he can alter the density of his biomass to even stronger levels. He has tanked gunfire from all angles, survived being shot with missiles and other explosives, tanked and survived hits from other infected individuals such as Heller and the Supreme Hunter. He has survived dismemberment, being inside clouds of the bloodtox chemical, and more, and still continues fighting. Superhuman Healing Factor: Mercer’s healing factor is on an insane level. Being able to heal from bullet and shrapnel wounds nearly instantaneously, He could regenerate from having large sections of his body torn out, regenerate lost limbs just as fast. So long as there is still a single bit of the biomass that makes up his body. Mercer will continue to regenerate back to full health. Even regenerating from a few pieces of tissue flesh after being caught at ground zero when a nuclear warhead exploded. Immortality: Due to Mercer’s body being made up of biomass. Mercer’s aging process has come to a halt. Due to his body constantly healing and replacing any damaged biomass. Mercer is in a sense, immortal. It was shown with Elizabeth Greene that after she got infected with the Redlight virus. Her physical body was shown to still look around the age of twenty. Having not changed even after nearly forty years passing since she was infected. Elemental resistance: Mercer is shown to be resistant to fire and electric attacks. However, being exposed to either high enough heat or voltage can still cause him harm. Superhuman Senses: Mercer’s sense after his mutation is shown to have evolved to far higher levels than that of the normal human. He can hear far better than the normal human and his eye-sight has evolved in a way to allow Mercer to see through several different types of visual ranges. Infrared Vision: One of two known vision powers that Mercer is shown to have. By using infrared vision, Mercer is capable of seeing the heat signatures radiating from various living beings. By using this vision power. Mercer is capable of seeing in environments and conditions that would normally limit or blind a normal person’s eyesight such as total darkness or thick smoke and fog by tracking the heat signatures of living beings within the surrounding areas. It should be noted that Mercer is capable of using infrared vision despite the fact that those infected tend to generate enough body heat to blind other infrared vision devices. Showing that there are some differences between Mercer’s infrared vision and other devices capable of allowing users to see in infrared. Infected Vision: After connecting to the hive mind created by the blacklight virus. Mercer gained the ability to see and recognize individuals infected with the Blacklight virus. Superhuman Intelligence: Upon consuming the biomass of an intelligence entity. Mercer’s own intelligence is shown to increase dramatically as he will know what the person he consumes knows. Given the numerous individuals that he had consumed over the course of the Prototype series. Mercer’s intelligence is at superhuman levels. Making him one of the smartest if not the smartest person within the Prototype universe… at least until James Heller had consumed him. Superhuman Mental Processing: Due to Mercer’s physiology. Mercer’s mental capacity and processing is at a superhuman level. He is shown being able to understand and process massive amounts of information that he gains from consuming his targets. Similarly during the events of Prototype 2, Mercer was capable of controlling and directing various individuals infected with the blacklight virus through the hive mind. Matter Manipulation: While not really shown all that much. Mercer has the ability to alter the environment using the Blacklight virus as a catalyst. Through this ability. Mercer is capable of deteriorating concrete. Converting and absorbing the biomass of living objects such as living creatures and trees. Strengthening and converting even inorganic structures such as buildings into hives to fit his needs. Even converting inorganic material into layers of biomass over large areas which can be used to slow down his enemies, while not hindering his own forces or himself. He gains this ability after consuming Elizabeth Greene. It should be noted that even though Mercer is capable of altering the surroundings around him. His version of this power is very limited when compared to others such as Edward Elric from FullMetal Alchemist or Silver Surfer from Marvel Comics. As while he can make and convert things into organic matter. He can’t make inorganic matter like breathable air, or metal. Biokinesis: Due to Mercer’s ability to produce the Blacklight Virus within himself. Mercer is capable of controlling and altering the biomass both within his body and that of others infected to various effects. Being able to increase his physical stats to create various weapons abilities with his biomass. Similarly, due to his ability to constantly make new strains of the virus itself. Mercer is capable of infecting others with this virus. Allowing him to alter and control infected individuals by granting them a similar power set to his own or even morphing and transforming these individuals into monsters of various sizes and powers. Disease Manipulation (Blacklight Virus): Due to being infected and bonding with the Blacklight virus to the extent of becoming an entity called a Prototype. Mercer’s body is capable of constantly producing the blacklight virus. Even creating various strains of side viruses which can grant or evolve various abilities that he may not have had before. Similarly due to this virus production and the various strains he can make in his body. Mercer is capable of infecting others with a variation of the virus. Either turning others into infected drones which he can control or granting the infected individual a similar subset of powers as his own. Viral Gas Generation: Caught on a CCTV camera. Mercer is shown having the ability to generate and expel a cloud of gas from his body containing the Blacklight Virus into the surrounding area. Rapidly infecting and mutating those located on ground zero, caught within the cloud. Biomass Conversion: Mercer has the ability to nearly instantaneously consume and convert any organic organism into biomass which is then added to his body. Through this process. Mercer is capable of enhancing his overall physical stats and quickly recovering from any damage that he may have suffered during battle as well as gaining the memories and skills that the consumed individual may have had. Critical Mass: Upon consuming enough biomass. Mercer is capable of entering a critical mass state. Due to this extra mass, Mercer’s durability increases, allowing him to tank more damage. Similarly, due to having more biomass at his command. Mercer is capable of using his strongest attacks, called Devastators, moves capable of clearing and killing anyone and everyone within a certain range of Mercer. Upon gaining critical mass. Mercer’s body gains a defense mechanism in which upon taking enough damage. This extra mass would harden to an extreme degree. Making Mercer almost completely invulnerable to most forms of physical damage for a short time in order to allow him to either escape a battle or try and consume another organic organism in order to recover from the near fatal damage. Memory Assimilation: Upon consuming an individual. Mercer gains access to all the memories and skills that that individual may have had. Allowing Mercer to suddenly master various new skills such as weaponry, vehicle usage, and even military tactics and plans. Shapeshifting: Due to Mercer not having a stable form like most other organic organisms. Mercer is capable of shaping the biomass within him into virtually anything he can imagine. He can shape his arms into various weapons such as blades and whips. He can change his form to match the form of anyone he consumed no matter their gender. Even morphing the biomass within his body to form mundane items such as clothes. Mercer's shapeshifting abilities are only limited by his imagination and the amount of biomass he contains. Voice Mimicry: Due to both of Mercer’s abilities to shapeshift and assimilating the memories of those he consumes. Mercer is capable of altering his vocal cords to match the voices of the people that he has consumed. Allowing Mercer to move around in areas with more heavier security. Mercer has even been shown being capable of using this power in battles. Taking the forms of high rank officials to trick various Military forces into fighting themselves. Similarly, depending on who Mercer is fighting at the time. If Mercer is aware of himself having consumed someone close to his opponent. Mercer can alter his voice in order to mess with his opponent’s mind. Getting them to drop their guard enough for him to score a kill, or at the very least, land more easier hits on them. Shield: Mercer due to his shapeshifting ability, much like most of his other powers, is capable of manipulating his biomass to form various weapons and armaments. One of these powers is the ability to form a shield on either one of his arms. Taking some of his accumulated biomass and forming it into the shape of a kite shield. Mercer then hardens this shield shaped biomass to the utmost degree. Allowing him to block all incoming damage from the direction he faces his shield at. However, it should be noted that the shield’s durability is limited as enough damage can shatter the shield. Unlike his successor, James Heller. Mercer, when using his shield power, prefers having a mobile approach to his defense as opposed to being a solid unbreakable wall like Heller’s own ability. As such, Mercer is capable of moving around instead of being rooted in place, Similarly due to this approach. Mercer is capable of using this power with his other abilities. Adopting a similar fighting style to that of a knight of old, with a shield in one hand, and a weapon in the other. Armor: When faced with a situation where Mercer is either taking damage from all directions or facing a foe that rivals him in strength and power. Mercer is capable of hardening the outer layer biomass that makes up his appearance into an armor like texture. Giving his entire body a shiny black texture that blocks most damage and reduces all incoming damage to a large degree. This increase in durability allowed mercer to take on foes such as Captain Cross, the Supreme Hunter, and even tank multiple hits from high yielding artillery without suffering much damage from these encounters. Much like with his bio-shield ability. Mercer is capable of using his more offensive powers with this form. However, this form is not without its weaknesses, as upon entering this form. Mercer’s speed is greatly reduced. While still capable of moving at superhuman speeds. It's only about half of his normal speed. Similarly, while in this form. Mercer appears unable to use his bio-shield ability, however this may be due to this form providing potentially better defense and allowing him more mobility in combat. Claws: One of the first offensive powers that Mercer gains during the events of the first Prototype game. Mercer gained the ability to form massive, knife-like talons on his hand by consuming a hunter-type infected. These talons are sharp enough to cut through flesh and bones. Even being able to cut and destroy heavily armored vehicles such as tanks. When combining his Claws with his speed. Mercer can tear through hordes of basic enemies with ease, even developing this ability further into the ground spikes ability and the Devastator; Groundspike Graveyard Attack. Groundspikes: When using his claws as his main weapon. Mercer is capable of compressing his biomass into his clawed hands before slamming them into the ground. Upon doing this, Mercer expands the compressed biomass in his hands outwards towards the direction he wants. After either reaching their target or hitting a certain distance. The expanded biomass will erupt as sharp spires from the ground, impaling and cutting apart anyone and anything caught within eruption radius. GroundSpike Graveyard Devastator: An enhanced version of the groundspike technique. Upon entering critical mass. Mercer is capable of moving the extra biomass to his hands after a bit of a charge up time. Afterwards, Mercer will then slam both his hands into the ground. Sending the biomass out in all directions which would then track down any target within a certain radius before erupting out of the ground. This move is strong enough to bring down infected hives which were capable of withstanding the force of tank and missile fire. Hammerfists: When in need of some more brute physical force and attack power. Mercer is shown being able to move the biomass within his body to his arm. Covering them in the same fibers that make up his shield and armor form while at the same time enlarging them to the size of large warhammers, like those seen in games. With these new Hammerfists, Mercer is capable of dealing massive amounts of blunt force trauma to the point of even destroying a tank with a few hits. He is capable of doing this by pressing more and more biomass into his fist before compressing them. Increasing their density and weight in the process. However, doing so does cost him some attack speed, as he is shown having some trouble at times lifting and swinging his massive hands around. The attack power of these fist are shown to be on a level capable of inflicting massive damage to entities such as the Supreme Hunter, and even James Heller. He has even shown the ability to produce shockwaves and quaking the ground with a few hits, allowing him to stun foes with the aftershocks even when Mercer’s fist doesn't make contact with his intended target. Whipfist: Mercer’s main range attack. By moving his biomass to either of his arms. Mercer can morph his arm of choice into what could be called a grappling gun. By changing the normally rigid properties of his arm to be more elastic when compared to some of his other powers. Mercer can throw his arm forward, shooting out his clawed appendage at a target, allowing him to reel it back to him or him towards it. He tends to use this when dealing with airborne enemies or when he needs to reach a farther distance than normal distance that his jumping ability may not be able to cover. Similarly due to the whipfist’s elastic properties. It is a good power to use when dealing with mobs as it can swing his arm, extending it a certain distance and with his superhuman strength to cut nearly anything in his path in half. Tendrils: Mercer is capable of forming and using tendrils. While not really shown in the first Prototype game. Mercer does use them in dealing with foes, even creating two different devastator attacks with them. In the tied-in comics, Mercer is shown using the tendrils ability to impale and kill various individuals. In one case, killing Autumn with this ability after being shot in the head. Tendrils Barrage Devastator: Upon entering critical mass. Mercer is capable of condensing the biomass in his body, creating large amounts of pressure within himself before releasing it, causing an unknown amount of tendrils to burst from his body in all directions as well as impaling and dragging any organic being towards him. Anything impaled and killed by this attack is then absorbed by Mercer, healing and strengthening him. Bio-Bombs: While Mercer isn’t shown using this ability as it was one of the main attacks of James heller. As the ability came from one of Mercer’s Evolved soldiers, carrying a strain of the blacklight virus produced by Mercer. Mercer likely has access to this ability. The ability itself allows Mercer to implant a bit of his biomass into a target, before either allowing them to run off or simply throwing the individual at a group or target. The person in question will then explode in a mass of tendrils in all directions. Impaling, grabbing, and dragging all targets caught into a center mass. Crushing and killing anything caught in the center mass. Blade: Mercer is capable of shaping and forming the biomass in his arms to form a massive blade, capable of splitting humans in half, and piercing the armor of military vehicles such as tanks, and the thick skin of hunters and other infected entities. The Blade is Mercer’s strongest attack ability outside of his Devastator attacks. Not as fast as the claws nor as strong as his hammerfist. Mercer’s Blade ability doesn’t suffer from the weaknesses of either power, acting as a middle ground, allowing him a far greater dps, or damage per second when confronting enemies. Mercer’s version of the bio-blade is shown being stronger than that of Heller’s, being capable of dealing with crowds and more heavily defended enemies far easier than Heller’s version of the power. Density Alteration: Mercer, due to his shapeshifting abilities, is capable of altering the density of his body, allowing him to increase the damage potential of his strikes as well as altering the way gravity affects his body. In terms of offensive capabilities. Mercer has been shown being able to do sudden changes while in mid air and increase his density to the point of creating shockwaves and cratering the ground he lands on with enough height. Muscle Mass Increase: Mercer is capable of increasing his muscle mass in his arms and body, increasing his strength beyond his normal levels without suffering any loss in movement like many of his other defensive and offensive powers. Gliding: Mercer, by lowering his density while in the air, is capable of achieving a limited degree of flight by gliding through the air. He is capable of switching his body’s density on the fly to either slow his descent or rapidly falling. Similarly, it is due to this ability that Mercer is capable of clearing large distances as he can simply leap and glide over most obstacles in his way in order to escape his pursuers, or reach various locations far more quickly then simply running and parkouring his way there through the streets.. Air Dash: Mercer is shown being able to move the biomass around his body at such a rate that it is capable of slingshotting him in any particular direction that he wants. Mercer generally uses this ability to cover more distance, extend his gliding abilities and even dodge projectiles and other attacks in mid-air. Wall Running: While strong enough to climb walls using his hands, Mercer is capable of wall running at high speeds as his body will alter his feet in a way that allows him to cling to walls while running without the risk of slipping off due to lack of momentum or adhesion. As such Mercer can run at high speeds in any direction when on vertical surfaces Knuckle Shockwave: Using his strength, Mercer is capable of producing a massive shockwave by a double palm thrust. This attack is capable of cars and people down an entire street. Even potentially tearing apart the latter. Critical Pain Devastator: An enhanced version of the knuckle shockwave. Upon entering critical mass, Mercer can move the biomass in his body into his hands. Upon doing a palm thrust. Mercer creates a massive shockwave that uplifts and tears apart humans and vehicles alike. Adding insult to injury, Mercer, during the process of performing this attack, will also fire the biomass stored in his hands as tendrils into the shockwave, shredding and crushing anything unlucky enough to survive the initial shockwave itself
Cole Macgrath powers:Electrokinesis-The ability to absorb and control electricity in and out of his body. Over the last seven years,Cole has gotten much more powerful than in inFAMOUS 2. Able to deliver up to 15 supernovas of force. His maximum voltage is over 20 Gigawatts and the heat of his lightning burns up to 300,000,000,000 Kelvin,equivalent to three supernovas. -Immunity to electricity-Cannot be harmed by electrical energy. Any electricity that makes contact with his body is automatically absorbed. Electromagnetism-The ability to produce and manipulate electromagnetic fields and pulses. Cole can manipulate any object,no matter the size,using magnetism. Even non-metallic materials such as stone,ice,wood,and cardboard. Cryokinesis-The ability to manipulate ice and cold gas. Cole can deliver several cryokinetic attacks such as razor-sharp,steel-tearing Shatter Blasts,Ice Grenades,Freeze Rockets,Ice Pillars and Platforms for jumping great distances,Ice Barriers that can block missiles and knock up enemies. He can also produce freezing mist that freezes enemies in it solid if he hits it with a bolt. Superhuman Strength-Cole possesses superhuman strength. Able to easily lift up to 52 metric tons. His punches are on a Class PJ and he can regularly bench press giant monsters as heavy as tanks. Has even fought on par with Ares, the God of Warfare. Superhuman Speed-Cole is able to move at superhuman speeds. He can run up to 60MPH and during combat, he can move at Hypersonic speeds. He can react and fight at Massively Hypersonic+ speeds(Mach 1000-8810), able to easily dodge lasers and instant speed attacks and react to his own, natural lightning. Superhuman Durability-Cole is extremely durable. He can survive an attack that can level an entire island, ignores bullets, and shrugs off point-blank RPG's and grenades. Regenerative Healing Factor-Cole can heal extensive damage to his body in seconds. He can even regenerate lost limbs. If he absorbs energy, he heals instantly. Tactics/Leadership/Intelligence-Cole possesses increased intelligence. He regularly works out strategies during intense combat, he daily leads a team of superheroes into battle, he's able to logically deduce the outcome of any action he might take, and outsmarts incredibly clever opponents like Sasha, Alden, and Ray Zenji. Combat Experience-Cole is an incredibly experienced fighter. He was already he strongest Conduit alive, and now is even more so after training his powers in secret for 7 years. He has fought a multitude of foes stronger and more experienced than himself and won. And has survived impossible odds and has always come out on top. Even death. Electrokinetic Flight-Over the years, Cole has learned the ability to create a platform of electricity and surf on it through the air, granting him the ability to fly. Electrokinetic Constructs-Cole can create shapes of electrical energy and use electromagnetism to give it solid form. This can create several Electrokinetic weapons such as the Gigawatt Blades. Electroreception-Cole can pick up and read electronic frequencies and listen in on communications, he can also use this to read data as well. Electric Healing- Cole is able to release a massive charge of bioelectricity that heals everyone around him via hyper stimulating cells into a rapid state of regeneration. Precognition-Cole has the ability to see a few seconds into the future or see a whole future event. Mind Techniques-Cole can use neuroelectricity to manipulate people's minds. He can use this in a variety of ways such as mind-control, instant brainwashing, reading thoughts, and countering mental attacks. Lightning Dash/Dematerialization-Cole can turn his entire body into electricity and dash across short distances, he can use this to move at Massively Hypersonic+ speeds and travel through electrical power lines. Omnipresent Awareness-Cole can surround himself with an electromagnetic field that can give him omnipresent detection of his surroundings. Added by the fact that he can sense electrical energy in one's body, this makes him almost impossible to sneak up on. He can also use a Radar Sense that detects hostile intent, distinguishes friend from foe, sees through disguises, invisibility, and illusions, and scans for any electrical signals, anomalies, and sources.

Allhackgecko.com ---------------------------------- If you want to remotely track important information in your husband's mobile phone, or want to know where your husband is going, there are many ways you can do it. There are many spy tools that can hack the husband's cell phone without giving him any prompts. Monitoring your husband's iPhone or Android device will tell you a lot about his daily activities. You can view all messages on your husband's phone through the spy app. We will provide you with the best and reliable tracking App to track any type of messages on your husband's phone
How can I monitor my cheating husband’s WhatsApp message with my phone

• How do I see my husbands WhatsApp messages and calls without his phone
• How Can I See My Husband’s WhatsApp Messages without his Phone?
• How can I see my husband’s text, messages, and calls on WhatsApp without using his phone?
• How To Check My Husband’s WhatsApp Chats Without Him Knowing?
• How can I connect my husband’s WhatsApp messages to mine
• How to Track My Husband's Cell Phone and Monitor WhatsApp Messages Without Him Knowing
• How can I monitor my husband WhatsApp massages with my phone?
• How To Check My Husband’s WhatsApp Chats
• How To Clone My Husbands Whatsapp
• How can I hack my cheating husband's WhatsApp and read his chats remotely?
• How To See Who My Husband Is Texting On WhatsApp
• How can I see my husband’s WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger account without him knowing?
• How To See My Husband’s WhatsApp Messages Without Touching His Phone?
• How can I see who my husband is texting on WhatsApp?
• How can I see my husband's whatsapp messages without his phone?
• How can I tell if my husband has WhatsApp on his phone?
• How can I see my husband’s WhatsApp chat without touching his phone?
• How do I receive messages from my spouse’s WhatsApp?
• It Possible To Read Someone’s Whatsapp Messages Without The Target Phone?
• How To See My Husband’s Whatsapp Messages Without Touching His Phone Using Browser?
• Does the QR code method to read WhatsApp messages have any drawbacks?
• Can I use my husband’s WhatsApp on my phone?
• What’s the best way to read WhatsApp messages remotely?
• Can WhatsApp track software spy on WhatsApp chats without a target phone?
• How to Read WhatsApp Messages on iPhone
• How to Read WhatsApp Messages on Android
• What Are The Benefits Of WhatsApp Tracking Software?

How To Check My Husband WhatsApp?
Of all the instant messaging platforms currently available, WhatsApp is the most popular. People all over the world use it to send and receive messages, share multimedia files, and make online video and voice calls. Due to this immense popularity and widespread use of the platform, it has become a goldmine of information about the person using it.
Do you think your husband is talking to someone behind your back on WhatsApp, or that he might blame you? In this case, WhatsApp is the perfect place to find a clue about it. To do this, you need to view your husband’s WhatsApp messages without his phone.
Is It Possible To Read Someone’s WhatsApp Messages Without The Target Phone?
A few years ago, the thought of reading WhatsApp messages without the target phone would have been bizarre. However, it is now possible to hack someone else’s WhatsApp messages when you cannot access their mobile phone.
Contact us at Allhackgecko.com for technical problems about your task or issue regarding hacking services.
Technological advancements make this easier than you can ever imagine. You can even spy on the latest Android phone or iPhone with the latest technology and without root or jailbreak.
How To See My Husband’s WhatsApp Messages Without Touching His Phone Using Browser?

1. Open your Chrome browser. Then enter the web address: web.whatsapp.com.
2. This introduces you to the web version of WhatsApp.
3. Open your husband’s WhatsApp and select WhatsApp Web.
4. A QR scanner will appear.

Scan it with the QR code that will appear in your Chrome browser and voila! You can see your husband’s WhatsApp messages.
Does the QR code method to read WhatsApp messages have any drawbacks?
Yes, while simple and free, the WhatsApp web or QR code method has certain drawbacks. These are:

1. An icon will appear in the message bar on the target phone to notify the user.
2. Your husband may find out that you are using his WhatsApp.
3. You may have to use his phone over and over again. So this is not a permanent solution.

Can I use my husband’s WhatsApp on my phone?
How to check my husband WhatsApp on my phone? Whatscan for WhatsApp Web is a great way to review and validate your fears. To do this, proceed as follows:

1. Download Whatscan for WhatsApp Web from the Google Play Store and install it on your phone.
2. Then open it and select your preferred language.
3. Scan the WhatsApp QR code from your husband’s phone.
4. After that, you can view all WhatsApp messages and media files on your phone.

Again, this method requires the QR code. So you cannot spy on an Android phone remotely when using it. So let’s take a look at the next method.
What’s the best way to read WhatsApp messages remotely?
The last method that allows you to remotely read your husband’s WhatsApp messages without his phone is to use a cell phone spy app or WhatsApp tracking software. The Spymaster Pro app can be the best choice for this. How to waste this application without wasting time:

1. Visit the official Spymaster Pro website and create an account.
2. To do this, select your spouse’s phone type along with a username and password.
3. Then choose the subscription that suits you.
4. When you are done, follow the instructions in the email.
5. Now you can spy on your husband’s WhatsApp chats.

Can WhatsApp track software spy on WhatsApp chats without a target phone?
You don’t need the target user’s phone to use WhatsApp tracking software like Spymaster Pro. This way, you can easily read their WhatsApp messages without compromising your identity and trust. However, the launch of these applications is different for iOS and Android phones. Let’s see how:
How to Read WhatsApp Messages on iPhone
Does your husband have an iPhone and want to read his WhatsApp messages? With Spymaster Pro you don’t have to worry too much. This mobile phone monitoring software offers a no installation and no jailbreak solution for iPhone. So just do the following:

1. After purchasing Spymaster Pro, log in to your device with the information in the email.
2. You will then be prompted for the iCloud credentials of the target iPhone.
3. Fill them in correctly and you will be able to read WhatsApp messages in the Spymaster Pro dashboard.

What Are The Benefits Of WhatsApp Tracking Software?

1. You can read WhatsApp messages remotely.
2. Your husband will never know about it.
3. You can even retrieve and read the messages he deleted.
4. Besides WhatsApp, you can keep track of many other things like almost any other social platform, call logs, GPS location, phone book, emails, etc.
5. Jailbreak or root is not required.
6. The application can also be used as parental control software and as an employee monitoring application.

Conclusion
This is all you can do to see your husband’s WhatsApp messages without his phone. We have fully proven the use of WhatsApp tracking software for this. However, we’ll let you decide which method is best for you. If you choose to use a Allhackgecko SPY APP, make sure your plan is compatible with your husband’s phone.
For further information about How can I monitor my cheating husband’s WhatsApp message with my phone and other related hacking services, Speak to a hacker anonymously on Allhackgecko.com for all your hacking needs

This is going to be a long post with personal opinions I most likely get downvoted for, lol. I am also drifting off a bit into format discussion.
For those who don't wanna read so much, here my conclusion: The current trend the banlist follows is wrong in terms of keeping the game in a healthy state. Opinions may differ which cards should get hit to make the format overall better but I think we can agree that Konami tries a lot right now to avoid hitting obviously problematic cards.
________________
Anyways...
I play the game since it's release so I overall got to see what has changed over the time. Feel free to call me 'a filthy casual' because i never had the interest to play meta myself so far but I am still interested in what is going on in the meta itself. Basically with knowledge of both worlds it is rather easy to see what positive and negative impacts this has for the meta and things more in the rogue or fun deck region.
So the meta on release of the game was probably more diverse than it is now but definitely had it's issues. It mostly consisted of:
- Tri-Brigade with Lyrilusc or Zoodiac - Floodgate Eldlich - Adamancipator - VFD turbo aka Virtual World - Phantom Knights, usually with some BA's - Dragon Link was also very present
The on-release banlist made several decks on this list veeery problematic in terms of toxicity: 1: The 'Common' Floodgates (Gozen, Rivalry, Skill Drain etc ) were ALL unlimited. And we still had Vanities limited and Imperial Order Limited. With all the pots unlimited at this time too which made Eldlich hella consistent in terms of floodgating you down. 2: Adamancipator was unlimited too. Grass at 3 ( Which is a problem on it's own ), The tuners unlimited and especially Block Dragon at 3. This deck was probably at it's peak and full power Adamancipator is veeeery hard to stop without Droll or Nibiru especially with 3 Block Dragons in the deck 3: VFD was allowed. Actually that is all that made Virtual World meta in the first place. 4: Phantom Knights were pretty much full power too and had access to Number: 86 Rhongo AND Gossip Shadow ( Which is meanwhile banned for the sins of Rhongo )
So overall, for those who know what these decks/cards can do... I think pretty much a lot can agree that very much toxic stuff was allowed to run around.
To spare some time, what has changed over the time?
The banlists at first were, also from my feeling when reading on this sub, not really what we were hoping to be. People wanted those toxic cards banned. In defense of Konami tho, we at least had the right decks hit. Pretty much every top tier deck got hit... Maybe just not in the right spots. Personally, a lot of the times I felt like that certain cards are still missing on the banlist and banning some beforehand would have saved us a looot of nerves ( Verte... ).
This scheme has been somewhat always like that. Cards around some broken mechanics have been banned to make these things less oppressive. - Rhongo is still allowed but they banned Gossip Shadow ( Which is quite a joke in my opinion but okay, let Numbers Eveil still do their thing and Utopia random Zexal-Field turboing this thing with Barian Hope ) - Block Dragon to 1, which makes it kinda a choke point but it's still a highly abusable card - VFD banned, which was one of the less really direct kills of certain things. - Tons of Floodgate hits
And aside from the floodgate hits already we had something that was probably getting rather controversial which was the limiting of "Pot of Prosperity". The first card that really died for the sins of a meta deck, a hit that would probably hit a way bigger variety of decks tho that just one meta deck given that A LOT below-meta decks kinda needed this card as a consistency boost.
And weirdly... A rather similar trend has somewhat always been there. In the mid-time of this game it was a rarity but the trend kinda always was to try and hit/unhit cards to justify keeping certain toxic or literally broken things around. Floowandereeze for example also got us Pot of Duality hit and is aside from Tearalaments ( And soon Kashtira ) probably a reason why we are the first format that banned Terraforming. Around at the time of the release of Swordsoul we had pretty much a whole Halq-Don format because they were waiting quite long to ban Halqifibrax.
Now we are in the Tearalaments format and pretty much everyone knows that this deck is too strong. Some like the deck itself, some don't, some like it because of a skillful mirror... We all know these stories probably. A main difference between the two main formats ( OCG, TCG ) and Master Duel tho was that WE got the Ishizu cards, for those who live under a rock and are named Patrick Star... The cards that are refered to as the 'Ishizu Cards' in these discussions are:
- Keldo the Sacred Protector - Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard - Agido the Ancient Sentinel - Mudora the Sword Oracle
Quick Crashcourse: Essentially those cards can mill both players decks, banish themself from the GY to shuffle cards from any GY back into the deck and to some degree also float between each other and summoning bodies as material on the field.
The current top deck, Tearalaments, came out in the OCG and TCG before these 4 cards were released and the format there was rather split between Splight and Tearalaments in terms of representation. As soon as these 4 cards ( And their other support that is irrelevant for this context ) Tearalaments literally skyrocketed into becoming the number 1 deck of the format.
This caused 2 main reasons:
1: Tearalaments by itself is already a very strong deck that triggers it's effects upon being sent to the GY by ANY card effect. The milling effect of these Ishizu cards triggers the Tearalament effects. This means that the deck got insanely faster than it was actually designed. And keep in mind it was a top tier deck before already 2: Due to the GY shuffling effects ( Which are quick effects, so you can use them in the enemy turn ), the deck essentially shut down EVERY graveyard based strategy of the opponent.
Now... As I mentioned, MD released the Ishizu cards BEFORE we got Tearalaments. Funny enough, MD has proven that the Ishizu cards were a problem even if it's top tier abuser were not around.
The first deck that INSTANTLY emerged was Ishizu-Chaos-FTK. A deck that legit milled your entire deck in one turn. Several other decks suddenly ran 60 card versions with That Grass Looks Greener and the Ishizu cards, Adamancipator probably being the most notably one. A ton of decks abused Ishizu for various purpose. We had people playing Branded Despia with Ishizu and these cards were so potent in what they could do that even a deck like freaking WEATHER PAINTER liked using these cards because Weather Painter Snow is an Earth Fairy, milled by these cards and special summoned later by Agido. There was a hell of shenanigans with these cards and this only scratches the surface.
Okay, so the cards were new.... The selection pack still up... There are reasons to justify not hitting these. The ishizu cards already managed hits on cards before the actual problematic Ishizu abuser even shows up.
Then tears dropped... In a state extremely powerful state.
This doesn't need to be further elaborated but there are a few things i wanna say to the current Tearalaments situation:
First: Tearalaments is strong, yes... But it would be waaay less oppressive if the Ishizu cards weren't banned. The deck is faster than it would be, more flexible than it could be AND less toxic than it is right now. Second: A lot of cards get hit, once again to try and justify the broken existence of other stuff. Here mainly stuff that tearalaments abuse.
Here closes the circle back to the banlist. I am probably one of the less people thinking that Kitkallos ( A strong card in the tears deck ) can stay IF the Ishizu cards ALL GET BANNED. Nonetheless tho we recently saw a lot of hits again that don't really change the healthiness of the format and instead pretty much only make the format worse than it already is for everything below the current top tier deck.
Admittedly, Instant Fusion and Terraforming were ticking timebombs. Instant Fusion one of many responsible cards for FTK's. Terraforming... Well in a world where field spells keep getting better, a generic searcher is quite busted. I think tho especially for Terraforming, the time hasn't come yet.
The banlist before we had Foolish burial goods limtied, essentially slowing down every water deck, lunalight... I think even Fluffal and Cubic or U.A played this and it played a rather essential role in terms of consistency. All just to desperately try to keep Tearalaments from getting their field spell or a consistency boost that is NOTHING in comparison to what the Ishizu cards provide. And on top of that we had King of the Swamp limited. And at latest at this card some alarm clocks should ring. No good tearalaments deck would play this, especially not if Kitkallos is still allowed. Once more another unnecessary hit to non-meta decks reliant on such cards.
And these two banlists weren't the only ones who kept this trend of "Trying to justify broken cards" up but I think we had enough examples already.
But especially in the last few banlists, this trend keeps up and it makes the game less enjoyable for a respectable big part of the community that isn't interested in all those messed up meta shenanigans. You see a lot of posts of people saying they stay in gold and like it there to don't have to deal with a lof of the nonsense going up in the higher ladders and keeping this in mind, the banlists don't really make a good impression on THAT playerbase.
Especially annoying is that some cards that have been hit back then, are kinda forgotten. Lyrilusc Cobalt Sparrow for example is still semi'ed. Nekroface, despite Ishizu Chaos FTK being dead is still semi'ed.
So, to not make this any longer than it already is... The banlist trend right now is not really in a great state in my opinion.
Did anyone even read this?

FirstNext
Well, it only took Canada burning and the East Coast turning into smoky rendition of a Mexico filter for this chapter to finally reach completion. Regularly-scheduled programming should hopefully resume after July 4th. Until then, drink some water, don't do gender reveals in the forest, and hang in there, guys!
Pursuant to Imperial Decree 10928, and in recognition of the reservist nature of the unit, the 1st Rocket Artillery Regiment has been found to satisfy the standards outlined in the Decree. However, in light of the significant budget and nonmaterial resource allocations that were required to bring the aforementioned unit up to levels considered satisfactory by existing standards, additional considerations beyond readiness and training levels must be taken into account.
Throughout the appeals process, you have repeatedly indicated that you believe rocket artillery to still have a place on the modern battlefield, citing recent reports from the Terran Planetary District command of the Sol System sector, as well as early after-action reports from the Intervention on Raknos, which you claim to support your argument. However, further investigation into this claim by independent analysts on behalf of Armored Warfare Command has found it to hold no merit in light of the recent restructuring outlined in detail in prior communications. Simply put, neither the Empress, nor her advisors, believe that the maintenance and garrisoning of units intended strictly for low-intensity counter-insurgency operations remains doctrinally viable.
Additionally, the excessive monetary and nonmonetary resources you requested in preparation for the evaluation, in light of the on-par, verging on substandard performance of the 1st Rocket Artillery Regiment, even accounting for the large number of fresh troops that needed to be drawn down from other posts to fill out its ranks, is highly suggestive on the part of you, the honorable Ashira Rakishal. This discrepancy is of high importance, and you may rest assured that it has already been publicly filed by the time this letter appears in your inbox.
Such a discrepancy is indicative of either incompetence or corruption on your part. Commanding officers may face demotion or a possible dishonorable discharge for the former, or, for the latter, a fine totalling no more than one-and-a-half times the estimated sum of the damages assessed, guaranteed dishonorable discharge and a potential prison term of no more than four years. Due to there being no evidence to suggest the latter, the former approach has been suggested by the Armored Warfare Command. Effective fourteen (14) days after this order is signed, your rank will be reduced and you will be relieved of commanding the Regiment. You may be restationed at this time, and your government-issued devices may be deactivated to facilitate this restationing. The 1st Rocket Artillery Division, in accordance with Decree 10928, will be dissolved and its assets relocated to other units wherever possible. Any remaining property will be auctioned under section 12.57.3(g) of the Naval and Marine Surplus Handling Act of 651 at the Val’tira Central Forwarding Depot.
Ashira finished reading the letter, but the words meant nothing to her. She hadn't slept in half a week, if not longer, in anticipation of the results from her hearing. In fact, she'd hardly gotten up from her desk; the 1st RAR was on leave until the final verdict would be announced publicly, and it was all she could do but to refresh her inbox every few minutes and watch mindless clips in the background that she hardly heard and never managed to remember a word from.
She tried reading it again, but the letters seemed to float off the screen, each one wrapped in a halo of bluish white screen glow. Nothing made sense.
'We were found to be satisfactory, but then… why does it talk about my rank? Am I getting promoted? There was something about dishonorable discharges, too, so… are some of my girls getting let go? I guess I will have to break the news to them. And it said something about budget overruns… well, mom still owes me from when she forgot to get me anything for my eighteenth last month, so I guess she can pay them back for all the equipment and training I had to authorize…'
Her thoughts were already drifting off into a vague haze when her stomach made a low noise, reminding her of the fact that she hadn't eaten in hours, mostly because her supply of food had run dry. Almost in a trance, she rose from her desk and, almost on autopilot, set about getting ready to go out and do some shopping, as she always did. The floor of her living quarters was almost entirely hidden by weeks-old discarded packaging, mountains of dirty clothes, and bottles half-filled with liquid that was either expired juice or urine. Narrow paths snaked through the mess; one to the bathroom, one to her bed, and one more still to the door, which she now slowly shambled towards.
Ashira pulled a pair of battered combat boots over her bare feet - she'd run out of socks that didn't offend her senses some weeks prior - without bothering to lace them, shoved her wallet into the front pocket of the fireproof jumpsuit she wore with absolutely nothing underneath and hadn't changed out of all week, and shoved the door open to head out. Immediately, the smell - or, perhaps, a lack thereof - of the corridor hit her. All the sleeping quarters were locked. It was quiet. Though her boots were heavy, her footsteps barely made a noise as she plodded along the thick, purple and topaz-blue carpet that lined the floor.
The door to the lobby was propped open by a cleaner's cart, and a heavy perfume of chemical detergents wafted through the opening as she approached. In the lobby was a small, older Helkam male, with his long and, in places, graying hair tied back with a beige bandana that matched his civilian contractor's coveralls, just as his green noise-canceling headphones matched the company logo on his uniform. He was dutifully mopping the already nigh-spotless polished stone floor, and there was only a narrow dry strip connecting doorway to doorway.
“‘Scuse me,” she mumbled, tapping him on the shoulder to alert him to her presence. “Coming through.”
He flinched away from her touch, and she flinched away from him, as though his own shock was contagious. “The fuck, you touch me!?” He exclaimed, whipping around to face her, mop at the ready like a Turox-prod. His face burned a pale but furious violet, contorted with fear and a readiness to fight. But, just as suddenly as he’d come to face her, his expression became one of confusion. His mop dipped down, and they stood in silence for a split second that seemed to drag on for entire minutes. Then, he made an odd face, as if of disgust or contempt, and stepped aside, motioning for her to pass by him.
Ashira would have been puzzled by this, if only she were not so frazzled and caught up in her own thoughts. She stepped outside and was immediately hit by a cool breeze; it was night out, and the wind blew in just as it always did. Not that it bothered her much; over the previous months, she had found that it didn’t seem to affect her very much. The only reason she wasn’t feeling the full brunt of the evening gales was that the buildings around the officer’s quarters were mostly two- and three-story affairs, their height and old, weathered stone cladding the last specters of the prominence and prestige the base enjoyed in the long-before times. Before the Unification Wars were but a distant memory. Before the Periphery had become the final, unconquerable frontier. Before the Empress-damned mess that was Raknos. Before Rocket Artillery had become hopelessly obsolete.
The wind blew, relentless and steadfast, as she trudged towards the only place on-base that still had its lights on. The general store. She didn’t know what she wanted to buy there, nor if there would indeed be anything on the shelves that she’d want to buy, but she felt she had to try, anyway. The only rest she could get now was chemically-assisted, either through over-the-counter sleeping pills, or copious volumes of booze, or, when the going got particularly rough, a combination of both. She was vaguely aware of the damage she was probably inflicting upon her organs, but she figured that they were a worthy sacrifice. Still, some days she couldn't fall asleep, even boozed up and medicated as much as she would dare, so she would lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, hoping that the splitting headaches she would get from that chemical cocktail would make her ears ring loud enough to drown out her intrusive thoughts.
The store wasn't particularly warm when she entered, and it reeked of cigarette smoke and mildew as always. The nearest set of shelves to the door were stocked with bags of some sort of imported breaded meat snacks labeled Pufriyah - Ancestral Recipe, Modern Taste! across the top shelf and cases of Red Grains across the bottom, as if some long-forgotten planner had seen into the future and anticipated Ashira's shopping habits exactly. Without much thought, she pulled a case of the Reds off the bottom shelf, her back, which had been sore for months by then, crying out in pain that just barely cut through her apathy. She threw a few bags of the Pufriyah snacks on top of it, entirely indifferent to their name, slogan, and brown-furred chibi mascot that spoke to their Rakiri intended consumer base.
'It's all just carbs and protein at the end of the day,' she figured. It wasn't like she could taste much of them anyway, had she really cared to learn their flavor. It was close to a month prior that she'd caught a nasty cold, and her constant sleep deprivation and stress hadn't lent themselves to it clearing itself up on its own. Her senses of taste and smell were unnecessary to her whipping her unit into shape, she'd decided, once she learned that the antivirals she needed to take to make her symptoms clear up would need her to be on bed rest for three straight days. She could always take them later, anyway.
The bottles of Red Grain clanked against each other as Ashira heaved the case onto the checkout counter. The bags on top of it slid off, and she only just caught them in time. The noise awoke the lone cashier, another civilian contractor, from her nap atop her wobbly three-legged stool. She quite inelegantly hopped off of it and came to lean against the counter with one hand, the other lazily waving the scanner of a specialized Data-Slate over the merchandise.
"ID for the Reds," the cashier groggily slurred out, patting down her many pockets in search of a cigarette box. "Standard procedure, nothing personal against you."
Ashira stared at her, dumbfounded, for a few moments too many, before it hit her that she needed to pull up her Marine Profile on her Slate. Mumbling an apology mixed with an excuse, she reached into one of the few - albeit cavernously huge - pockets of her fireproof suit and produced the grimy government-issue device in question. The lock screen was set to her ID, just to make such common interactions go by quicker.
She pushed the Slate across the counter, expecting to get it slid back to her in a few moments, and maybe a manufactured smile and a nod if the cashier noticed the Rakishal House crest in the corner and realized she was of noble blood. But this time, none of that happened. The woman across from her frowned, squinting as she analyzed something about the ID, her face no more than perhaps a few centimeters from it. She looked up at Ashira, then back down at the ID, then back at her, and then all of a sudden her confusion melted into some odd mixture of shock and disgust. She wordlessly pushed the Slate back across the counter, scanned the case of Red Grain, and then motioned to a now very baffled and somewhat offended Ashira that she was free to leave.
In her sleep-deprived state, Ashira had barely the mental capacity to remember where the door was, much less to ponder the deeper meaning behind what had transpired. Vowing to come back the next day, after getting a good night's sleep, and get the insolent cashier fired, she trudged out of the shop, back to the officers' quarters, where the Helkam man was still toiling away in the lobby, now wiping down the Turox-leather seats, and into her own suite.
She brushed the most egregious of the trash from her bed, with the arm that wasn't clutching the spoils of her trek to her chest, and allowed gravity to gracelessly guide her into its soft, fitted-sheet embrace. With a sigh of barely-felt relief, she cracked the cap off her first bottle with her tusks and took a long, well-earned swig.
The next thing she knew, it was morning.
Everything hurt. Ashira's muscles all ached like she'd run every Deathshead Commando bootcamp course, back-to-back, without stopping. Her head felt like a bloated, rotten gourd, ready to burst at the slightest touch. Even though her eyes were closed, what little light made it through them felt as though it was piercing straight through her eyeballs and into her brain. However, through it all, she noted an odd, almost pleasant sensation that she hadn't felt in so long, she'd almost forgotten the word for it.
'Empress all-powerful, this must be the first time in almost a year that I've had a full night's sleep!'
Ashira would have kept laying there, exactly where she was. The room was quiet. No one needed her. Her unit was stood down for another few days. She could just stay in bed, in peace, and wait for the pain to subside. But the very second she considered that possibility, her bladder cried in agony, and she simultaneously came to the realizations that she would not be able to hold it in for even a minute longer, and that she was wearing her only set of relatively-clean clothes.
She pushed herself up and onto her feet, and that motion sent showers of sparks cascading through her vision, even as her eyes stayed firmly shut. Her ears rang from the pain as though she'd stuck her head between the prongs of a colossal tuning fork, her limbs felt numb as she stumbled through her room, and the only way she could tell up from down was from the direction gravity kept pulling her every time she lost her balance.
She hit the door frame to the bathroom by chance, only recognizing it as the right one by the light switch her elbow painfully caught. From there, she went entirely by feel. There was the sink, the towel rack, the soap dispenser, the shower door… and finally, having run out of wrong things to blindly grope around for, her hand bumped into the tank of the toilet. Even bending down made her head fill with the pounding beat of her heart, every pulse seeming to try and push her brain out of her skull through her eyes and ears. She nearly blacked out as she sat down.
The next thing Ashira knew, she was doubled over her sink, dry-heaving, her fireproof pants pulled back up around her waist but neither zipped shut nor clipped together at the front. She knew for certain that nothing had come up, because she was newly aware of the desiccated dryness in her mouth and throat, as if all her flesh had been replaced with fine-grit sandpaper. Still lacking the resolve to open her eyes, she blindly clawed at the knobs of the sink until water began to pour, and then began scooping handfuls of it into her mouth.
After a few gulps, she began to feel a bit better. Her mouth, though it still felt dry as ever, was at least now rid of the horrible, sour, metallic taste that she hadn't registered until it was gone, and the unintentional splashing of water onto her face did wonders in helping her start to truly wake up. The very next instant, though, a numbing pain spread across her hands and face, and down her throat. The water was freezing cold.
That didn't deter Ashira, though, and she kept drinking until she knew that she would not be able to swallow a drop more without throwing up. Her hands were numb from the frigid water, as was her face. Icy rivulets streamed down her chin and throat and under her unzipped collar, leaving cool, glistening trails across her breasts and stomach.
Somehow, this numbness that spread across her fingers and cheeks seemed to have carried over to her hangover, as well, though whether it was the rapid cooling, or the much-needed hydration, or both, she neither knew nor cared. Her head now hurt with the intensity of just any old headache, her skin did not feel two sizes too small for her organs, and her muscles and joints barely ached with any more intensity than they usually did.
She opened her eyes for the first time since she'd gotten out of bed, ready and eager to take full advantage of her hangover cure while its effects still lasted, and almost fell over as she stumbled away from the mirror in shock. The reflection in the mirror was decidedly not her.
Bloodshot eyes stared out at her from dark, sunken orbits; two craters on a puffy face rendered a waxy, pale bluish lilac by months of near-total involuntary isolation from the daylight. Raven hair framed that lifeless visage, once kept neat and short, now a wild, greasy, and, above all, long Seetcha's nest. It had once had lively sun-bleached streaks where her beret and headset did not fully cover it, from when she would ride head-out in her trusty command Ishtarti-603, but they were now mere faded tips spread unevenly through the carbon-black tangle.
The rest of her was not in much better shape. Her bust, though always on the fuller size, was nonetheless noticeably larger than it had been the last time Ashira had inspected her reflection, and doubtless was the cause of her incessant back pain. In the same moment, she became aware that her breasts rested not against the top of her six-pack - which, while rarely worked out and never particularly defined, had, in its mere presence, still been a point of quiet pride for her - but at the upper limits of a beer gut, whose faint outline was visible even under the baggy suit she was wearing for the umpteenth day in a row, and which stood as a testament to the inertia she had descended into while trying to force the RAR into motion.
'Fuck, there's the evidence of my battle. Mom was right, I do eat like a Turox before the slaughter. I have no self-control. Why do I even bother with this restructuring business if I can't even keep to my own damn fitness goals?' Her gloom, though deep and all-consuming while it weighed upon her soul, dissipated just as quickly as it set in. 'But I knew it would happen, so why does it surprise me? I knew going in that I was burning myself up in the present to keep future me warm. It's just a few kilos. A dozen at most. No big deal. Just need a bit more exercise for a month or two and I'll be right back in parade shape!'
It did, however, make her think to place an order with the on-base supply depot for some new clothes. With the Unification Day festivities looming, it would simply not do for this quite temporary distortion of her Noble figure to be so brazen, she firmly decided.
The order would have to wait, however. When Ashira brought out her government-issued Data-Slate from her front pocket in a familiar motion, already compiling a list of all the workout gear, field uniforms, and parade garb she would need in a size up, the device, in an apparent bout of unruliness, first resisted her efforts to turn it on, and when it was finally made to do so, simply boot-looped endlessly on the startup screen. For all intents and purposes, it was a Slate-shaped paperweight, and Ashira didn’t even have enough physical documents in her possession to make use of this one purpose it had left.
‘First my clothes, now the one Slate mom can’t track me on. What’s next, is my ID going to expire all of a sudden? Will my physical Chit card have a bad contact?’
There was only so much she could take at one time, so she decided to do the sensible thing and get something to eat before returning to dealing with her problems. She pulled out her Slate. It was almost noon.
'No one needs to see me like this. How can I command the regiment if they see me in such a state? I'll order breakfast - well, lunch now, but who's really counting? - and I can join everyone for dinner, once I get a chance to order in some new clothes, and shower, and maybe do something with my hair.'
With a practiced motion, so automatic it was almost a reflex, she swiped through the interface until she found what she was looking for. There, between Combatters forum sites, was a saved page for the Hungry Gal's order menu. Her chit was already saved in the system. All she needed was to tap on "Large Hot Meal #5 - Drink Combo" and…
CHIT DECLINED - PAYMENT BLOCKED
"That can't be right," Ashira muttered aloud as she tapped the button again, over and over, to the same effect. "It's a government card. Unless- ah, right, it must be the new policy they were talking about! Can't believe they made food expenses count as personal expenditure only, the nerve of these credit-pinching…"
She went into the payment details section of the page, switched the number to her personal one, and selected "Large Hot Meal #5 - Drink Combo" again. This time, a new message appeared.
INVALID ACCOUNT - DEACTIVATED
The gnawing hunger in her stomach disappeared in an instant, replaced by a solid iron bar of dread. Why was her account deactivated? Who could have done it? The only other person with access privileges was her own mother, and why would she…?
Ashira knew the answer. She didn't want to know it, to acknowledge that she knew it for fear of what it meant, but she did. With shaking hands, she opened the notification screen of her Slate, and saw she had unread messages from her family group chat. She tapped that notification, expecting a deluge of fury about her weight, her spending habits, her slovenly appearance in public, or any manner of other things, but there was but one message, sent earlier that morning. It was from her mother, indeed, but it was just four words long.
I got the letter.
She wanted to protest, to scream, "What letter could you possibly mean?," but she couldn't. A memory, hazy from the fog of insomnia that had dulled her thoughts at the time, played against her volition in her mind. The words hadn't made sense to her then, but they did now. Robotically, she closed the message from her mother and searched through her inbox for one marked with a government seal. She opened it, and read it in silence. The last few lines were the hardest to read, because by then the tears had begun to well up in her eyes.
It was over. Her career, her noble status, her finances, her life as she knew it… they were all gone, and it had taken just one letter to send it all crashing down.

I feel like my mind works in a way that stuff that is out of sight is also out of mind. So a todo app in some way stops existing to me when i tab out of it, and i need to consciously make effort to remember it exists. But then when i open it, i see all the other todo things as well, it's hard to organize them properly, so it feels instantly overwhelming. Also phone notifications do not work since i find sounds on my phone too distracting, and if i look at my phone it is for some other reason than the notification, so i'll instantly need to keep two things in my head at the same time.
So after spending quite some time in "too many things to do so i'm just gonna be overwhelmed and not do anything / panic and make things worse aaaaaaaa"-land, i remembered that i had a notebook i'd gotten because my therapist had instructed me to keep some kind of journal.
So I flipped it around, and for each page, i made a separate todo list for one day, so for example one page is: thursday - do x and y.
With this notebook i just see today's tasks and nothing else. I know the tasks for following days are there on the next pages, so it gives me some peace of mind that i don't need to remember. I am also free to place the notebook as obviously in my line of sight as i feel is necessary, while i am doing something else. Currently it is sitting on my desk just reminding me that i actually got today's tasks done (yay).
I can also take it with me in my backpack, so i can write down and organize my thoughts, without any popups, notifications, or ads, without an user interface constraining the way i write them. It's not backed up to the cloud so i might one day lose it, but that's alright. eventually i'll need a new one anyway.
It also feels a lot easier to assess whether the amount of things is too much for one single day, when they are all on one page, so maybe this will prevent me from putting too much on my plate at once. (i've honestly only used this for one day now but for some reason this feels like the best thing since sliced cheese)
I really like this spiral notebook without any lines printed on it, because it's easy to keep one page open without it wanting to close up on itself, and no lines because sometimes it's nicer to just draw.

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 1,940,000+ 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)
...
After every Demon Duke pops one of Glinch's pills, they begin to evolve. The change shocks the Emperors to their cores. Yardrat prepared himself for the inevitability that these incredible pills would do the unthinkable, but seeing it happen in real-time is very different from imagining the concept in his head.
He and the other leaders, movers, and shakers of the Four Hells who came along can only watch numbly as Vespera, Rhesus, Hamir, Vepar, and all the other Dukes explode in strength, smashing through their limiters to ascend to the realm of Demon Emperor.
Their bodies glow with power. They fall to their knees and roar to the heavens, delighted in achieving that which they previously thought was unattainable.
In an instant, the balance of power across every Hell shifts, yet few even know of that which has just transpired, and fewer still take the time to think clearly about what this will surely mean in the coming days, weeks, months, and years.
If they cannot defeat Mephisto, it won't matter if they have six Emperors or six hundred. The power of a Demon Deity will crush them all into dust, with nothing left behind, aside from their dying screams.
As for the fifty newly ascended Emperors, their names and titles are numerous, almost numbing to dwell on. Among them are a smattering of renowned individuals, such as:
Vepar, the Corrosive Emperor.
Vespera, the Emperor of Nebulae.
Rhesus, the Emperor of Ripping.
Hamir, the Emperor of Tempests.
As well as numerous others.
The moment they ascend, their titles become known to all demons who gaze upon them. They need not speak these titles, as if having been named directly by the Creator himself. In the entire history of demonkind, few have managed to shroud their true names, the most notable individual being Gressil, who hid his Emperor-level strength until the time was right for others to know.
But these newly risen Emperors have neither a need nor a desire to hide their powerful new titles. They look at one another and grin evilly, excited to begin wielding their abilities as soon as possible.
After distributing half of the pills, Yardrat finds that he still has more than forty left. He turns to Emperor Melody.
"It wouldn't be appropriate for me to hold onto the rest." He says. "My Hell already has more elites than everyone else. If we make it out of here alive, rebuild the Hell of Isolation with these."
The other Emperors blink in surprise at Yardrat's gesture of goodwill. Some of them feel it's a bit of a waste, but the longest lived Emperors and former Dukes ultimately don't bother to interrupt him.
Bael crosses his arms and nods.
"Good call, Yardy-boy. That's what Shax would want."
"Shax was a fine demon." Yardrat says, as Melody takes the pills from him. "His death has always weighed on my mind. If I can help his Hell with a small gesture like this, then I'll do so without thinking twice."
"Thank you." Melody says quietly, looking at Yardrat with a strange gaze. She pockets the pills and sighs.
Shax wasn't just a cool music-loving dude, but a kind demon who made countless friends. He never attacked or fought anybody undeservedly, and he based his Hell on the principles of friendship and cooperation. Even the demons who might not have gotten along with him still respected him. His death to the humans ruined the morale of many demons at the time.
"Don't thank me until we kill Mephisto and leave here alive." Yardrat says, turning his attention to the distant center of the Stitched wasteland. "Everyone, let's move out. And remember, those pills were not for our benefit. This is where the real fight begins."
The others nod grimly. They begin marching toward Glinch's lair, and as they walk, powerful chimera cross their paths at regular intervals. No longer do only two or three of Glinch's minions appear, but instead five and six at a time, each and every individual far too powerful for mere Emperors to defeat alone. They quickly get the impression Glinch has managed to raise entities capable of challenging 5th and perhaps even 6th-Level Psions.
With nearly sixty Emperors on their side, the swarm of demons begins moving forward with great haste.
Yardrat imbues his body with the power of space. He flickers around to deal massive damage to Glinch's chimera with punches that rip across dimensional spaces.
Fae flies into the air and rains bombs from above. She takes the initiative to attack distant enemies with her strongest bombs, weakening and softening them up for her allies to take on later.
Dagon and Vepar work together. With both of their powers having reached the bottom of the Emperor-level in strength, they melt, corrode, poison, and suffocate any enemies susceptible to their poison and acid attacks.
Nymph keeps away from the front-lines. Due to Glinch's wasteland ruining any vines or plants she summons within seconds, she instead focuses on popping out plants sporadically to yank allies out of the line of attacks, or merely irritating her enemies by momentarily tripping them with vine shackles around their ankles.
Kristoff focuses on dealing damage and draining Glinch's chimeras of their blood. Any injuries he inflicts tend to bleed heavily, especially when he focuses his mind on doing so.
Serena uses her magic to boost dozens of newly ascended low-Emperors to mid and high tier Emperors, making their powers considerably more deadly. She also keeps her eyes out for invisible threats or other troublesome soul fluctuations.
Crow stays on the front-lines. Her incredibly durable body allows her to retain the title of the mightiest melee attacker among all the demons present.
Melody focuses on defense. Instead of trying to kill the chimeras, she leaves that business to the superior damage-dealers and instead uses her shockwaves to fling her enemies around and batter their attacks aside.
Vespera plays a versatile role, sometimes summoning shadowy minions to assist the others, sometimes jumping into battle herself to cut chimeras down, and other times teleporting around through the various shadows to distract the different enemies.
Rhesus becomes far stronger after evolving. Despite being hesitant to bother with the pills, he is no different from the other demons in his desire to mutate to Emperor, and the permanent strength increase he obtains puts him second only to Crow herself. Perhaps given time he will even surpass her as his power approaches the apex of the Emperor level!
And finally, Bael swings his flail with reckless abandon. He batters any enemy that jumps in front of him without any thought to strategy or planning. He ends up attacking with a strength not far behind Yardrat, dealing the killing blow to more than a few of Glinch's monsters.
For hours, the demon elites beat and batter their way past dozens of highly enhanced creatures, becoming more and more cognizant of the fact that if Glinch wanted them dead, he could merely command his chimera to swarm them and they wouldn't stand a chance of survival. It causes the smarter elites to shudder when they realize Glinch possesses military strength greater than the combined might of all Seven Hells, even after their ascension!
However, Bael is not one of those highly intelligent elites. He doesn't give these matters much thought. He merely continues beating the shit out of his enemies, pausing once in a while to rest his weary body and swap out with the other Emperors nearby as they fight with all their might to push toward the center of the Stitched Wasteland.
At some point, while Bael does his thing, a spiritual sense awakens from within the Matriarch's Armor.
Emperor Ose's remnant soul sliver opens her eyes and returns to the physical realm, unaware of what has been going on since she began resting. With what remains of her former self, she isn't able to stay awake for days and weeks like she could when she was still alive. She has to sleep frequently, lest her soul dissipate from straining itself. She awakens to find that Bael is no longer meandering around on Tarus II or hanging out in her secret demonic base. Instead, he's become engaged in some sort of incredible high-stakes battle, along with dozens of other mighty demon elites!
Ose blinks several times. She says nothing to Bael, but uses what's left of her spiritual senses to try and get a sense of the other demons around her.
Hm? So many Emperors... what happened over the last few days? Have I been unconscious for longer than I anticipated?
She gazes at Vespera, Rhesus, and Vepar, her eyes widening as she recognizes the permanent status of their new Emperor rank.
Devils! Has the Wordsmith's Belial Booster become more effective? How in the Seven Hells can there be fifty brand new Emperors out of nowhere?
She identifies the former Dukes with ease, having once been intimately familiar with the elites of the Seven Hells.
This is... the Stitched Wasteland? Why is everyone going against Glinch? No, more importantly, why do his minions appear to be so much more powerful than I remember? I heard they were at the level of Emperors, but now it seems they must be higher than Emperors, but lower than Demon Deities. Perhaps half-step Deities? Or simply Emperor-level souls contained within much stronger bodies?
Ose doesn't immediately decide to question Bael. She doesn't even alert him to the fact she's awakened. He's a moron anyway, so talking to him won't provide her with much more info than if she simply used her judgment to determine what's going on.
This is all so strange. Ose thinks. According to the Matriarch Armor's internal chronometer, I've only been asleep a single week, yet a frightening number of things have changed. Has a demon civil war erupted? Perhaps Glinch has decided to rebel against the Seven Hells, so Auger opted to put him down once and for all?
Her spiritual form shakes its head.
No. That isn't Glinch's style. He doesn't care about amassing power, or wealth, or fame and fortune. He doesn't care who rules the Seven Hells. He can't be bought, or bribed, or intimidated, or cowed into submission. Glinch does whatever Glinch wants to do, and not even the Volgrim can change his ways. Since his ability to manipulate bodies and souls is so formidable, the Volgrim have even lowered their heads to commission him on various top-secret R&D projects...
Ose narrows her eyes. Unlike the overwhelming majority of her kin, she is a demon who specializes in not only subterfuge and infiltration, but also high technology. She has stolen many peeks at the Volgrim's Black Level projects in a manner most discreet. Not even the High Technopaths were able to discover her breaches.
If Glinch isn't rebelling, then... could it be that this fierce battle isn't what it seems on the surface?
She pieces together multiple clues at blinding speeds.
Look at how Glinch's army only moves toward the assault force in groups of two or three. They could easily swarm Yardrat and the others, but they don't. That means Glinch is holding back.
She nods to herself.
Coupled with the fact that so many Emperors have ascended... ahhhh...
Ose forms a hypothesis, mulls it over, and smiles to herself.
So it's like that. Glinch must have been commissioned or requested by Auger to improve the fighting capabilities of the Seven Hells. Perhaps he developed some secret new method to uplift demons to the rank of Emperor at Auger's request, and now he's helping battle-forge these new elites. A sound strategy, considering the Wordsmith's rapid rise to power.
Ose ultimately comes to the wrong conclusion, but based on purely the different observable clues in her field of vision, the guess is quite good. She comes to assume that this is part of a secret training exercise intended to build up Hell's forces and churn out powerful fighters capable of pressing against the Wordsmith's bulwark.
Beelzebub isn't here. Ose thinks. None of the Second Hell's residents either. The Hell of Lust must have become quite intimate with the humans, which makes sense. Unlike the other Hells, they rely on fornication with humans to uplift their bodies and souls. The two make for optimal allies.
She checks out the allied forces again, this time paying attention to the specific demons present.
It seems not a single demon that has shown sympathies toward the Wordsmiths has come along. Melody is here all alone. Her Hell always was at least somewhat aligned with humanity, but Melody herself won't be particularly attached to non-demons. Yama isn't here... he must still be at large, along with Mephisto.
Unaware of the fates which befell Mephisto, Yama, and several other demons over the past week, Ose unfortunately misses a few important clues, but that can hardly be blamed on her.
Kristoff, Vespera, and Rhesus. Is this all that remains of the Hell of Blood? Perhaps they left their remaining Dukes behind as a reserve force, or perhaps those members will be uplifted later. I wonder what Auger is thinking, raising so many Emperors at once. He won't be able to keep news of their ascensions a secret for long. The Wordsmith will find out, and he'll become immediately suspicious provided he has an IQ five points higher than Bael.
As her thoughts drift to Bael, Ose finally decides to open up to him.
[Hey, idiot. I'm awake. What's going on here?]
Bael swings Big Bonk at the head of a fifteen-foot-tall brutish monster not unlike the one he first fought when he entered the Stitched Wasteland, but this one possesses a turtle-like shell on its back, making it specially resistant to heavy attacks.
"Huh?" Bael asks, after retracting his flail. "Oh, Ose! You're awake! Gimme a few minutes, I gotta pound some punks!"
Ose rolls her eyes. [No need for that. Just take a few steps back and talk to me. This training exercise isn't a life and death matter anyway.]
Bael pauses to consider her words. His jaw slackens a little as he tries to catch up with what she said.
"It... it's not?"
Some of the demons nearby Bael notice his attacks slowing. A couple even hear him talking to himself, but unable to hear Ose's voice, they just assume the poor galumpf must be having one of his ditsy moments. They quickly fill the gap lost by Bael's slowed momentum, leaving him to fall back even further.
[Of course not.] Ose says. [Tell me what this exercise is all about. How did Glinch uplift so many demons to the Rank of Emperor?]
Bael's eyes widen. "Wow, Ose! You just woke up and you already know Glinch did this? You're so smart!"
[I don't need your praise.] Ose says, annoyed. [Just tell me how Glinch raised fifty Emperors in only a week.]
"Ohh. Uh, he gave us special pills." Bael says. "Yeah, super strong stuff. Made my titties bigger too."
Ose blinks. [What?]
"My titties. They got real big. Didn't grow my ding-dong back though..."
Bael eyes fill with tears as he remembers the sadness he felt when his pants remained uninflated.
[Moron! I don't care about y-your mammary expansion! What sorts of pills were they? How did Glinch make them?]
Ose's growing frustration, as always, proves impossible to keep out of her voice. Bael doesn't seem to mind.
"Oh I dunno. Kristoff said something about x-beats and blood." Bael explains absentmindedly. "Why? You wanna grow bigger soul-titties too?"
[NO!] Ose roars. [I don't care about my boob size, you nimrod! FOCUS! What 'x-beats' are you talking about? Do you mean EXOBEASTS?]
A light seems to go off in Bael's eyes.
"Ohh, right! Yeah! X-O beasts! Like uh, X-O-X-O. Kissing beasts! I'm so silly. Can't believe I forgot that."
Ose closes her eyes and makes punching motions toward an invisible wall.
I'm gonna kill him. She thinks. I'm going to kill Bael and torture his soul for all eternity if I EVER figure out a way to bring myself back.
She clenches her jaw and opens her eyes.
[Bael. Does the Wordsmith know about Auger's plan yet?]
Bael scrunches up his face.
"Uhhh... Auger's... plan?"
[Yes. His plan to create more Emperors.] Ose clarifies. [He's working with Glinch, yes?]
"He is?!" Bael gasps. "Wow! Auger's so smart. I'd never have thought of that. This sure explains a lot."
Invisible question marks pop up above Ose's head. She squints her eyes as if trying to look inside Bael's head and locate his pebble-sized brain amidst a galaxy-sized void of emptiness.
[So... does... the Wordsmith... know?] Ose asks through gritted teeth.
"Nah. Doubt it." Bael says, waving his hands nonchalantly. "Unless..."
[Unless?] Ose asks.
"Unless it's all part of Auger's brilliant plan." Bael concludes, nodding to himself. "Damn. How is everyone so smart? And I thought we were coming here to kill Mephisto."
Ose's face freezes. A feeling like cracked ice washes across her soul.
[Me...phisto? You're here to kill Mephisto?]
"I dunno." Bael shrugs. "I thought we were coming here to kill him. But this must be part of Auger's plan to trick me and the others so he can make the Hells super strong. I guess all that stuff about Mephisto becoming a Demon Deity didn't mean anything after all. Thanks for helping me understand, Ose! You're the best!"
Bael gives Ose a HUGE mental thumbs up, grinning at her with the same level of stupid happiness he always does.
Ose's soul nearly implodes from the mental gymnastics Bael just unleashed upon her.
[Oh... devils...] Ose weeps. [Why... why couldn't I have been trapped with Auger... or Fenrir... or Gorn... even Serena! Why did I have to end up stuck with demonkind's biggest idiot?]
"It's probably just your bad karma." Bael grunts. "You were such a bad girl, taking all those dirty pics. The Creator had to punish ya."
[WHAT PICS?!] Ose snaps. [Bael, I'm going to turn your pea-brain into MUSH if you keep thinking such VILE thoughts!]
In the middle of Ose's raging, Yardrat fights his way to Bael's side.
"Bael! Is something wrong? Why have you stopped attacking? Are you exhausted?"
Bael blinks. He turns his attention to Yardrat.
"Huh? Nah, nah. Ose woke up, so I'm having a chat with her real quick."
He pauses before adding: "By the way, why didn't ya tell me this was all Auger's brilliant plan? You know I'm good at keeping secrets!"
Yardrat glances at Bael, baffled, while continuing to conjure lines of eviscerating spatial attacks upon the frontline enemies.
"What plan? What are you on about?"
Bael lightly slaps Yardrat's back and chuckles.
"Aw, man. Good one, Yardy-boy! What plan? Hah! You're a real kick in the pants sometimes!"
Yardrat pauses his fighting to stare at Bael for three full seconds in absolute confusion. Then he turns and walks away, muttering something under his breath about that guy being off his rocker ever since he body-swapped.
Bael jumps back into combat, having finally figured out the 'true' reason for coming here. As for Ose, she mentally slumps to the 'floor' of Bael's Mind Realm, drained by the idiocy she's just endured.
But, at least now she better understands the actual situation.
Ose sets aside her anger and rage. She closes her eyes and focuses, thinking about what she's actually learned. Her swift mind allows her to combine the new, albeit potentially unreliable intel she obtained from Bael, with her pre-existing theories.
Mephisto is ascending to Demon Deity. Glinch must be working to train up an army of Emperors... for some reason. Perhaps Mephisto threatens his interests or something. Ugh. If only I could just speak directly to someone not named Bael. If ONLY I had made my soul interface capable of projecting my voice outwards. Stupid, stupid!
Ose begins to feel glum.
She looks up at the sky, her senses able to detect anything around the Matriarch Armor within a 360 degree sphere.
She gazes at the waning sun, the ashen clouds of the Stitched Wasteland only blocking some of her view toward space.
I have to be more proactive. I can't just blame Bael. It's not his fault he was born with the IQ of a dead slug. I mean, it's a LITTLE bit his fault... but he can't really help being unable to retain information for longer than five nanoseconds. If I'd simply planned out my existence post-mortem, I might still manage to retain some influence over the Hells.
Ose becomes momentarily depressed. She begins to wonder if these things even truly matter.
She's dead.
She's unlikely to ever again walk the plane of existence.
She's not powerful anymore. All she has left is a fragment of a soul and her intellect formed during her 100,000+ years of life.
But that depression quickly fades away as she firms her resolve.
Ose is many things. She's easily annoyed by idiocy, temperamental, stuck up, and a bit of a viper, but she isn't mentally weak. Her willpower is formidable, and it was forged by the life she's endured, as well as the actions her adoptive mother took to empower her in her youth.
I don't need a body or magic to remain relevant. Ose thinks. I still have my intellect. Even if I can't taste good food or lounge on a comfortable bed, I still have ambitions. I want to continue expanding my influence.
She rubs her chin and looks thoughtfully at the battle around her.
Bael's an idiot. But he's also easy to manipulate and control. And nobody would ever expect him to accomplish much. That means the humans, the other demons, and especially the Volgrim will underestimate him.
Hmm.
Perhaps I can turn this situation to my advantage.
Her attention pivots to Glinch's laboratory, still more than a hundred miles away.
I wonder if the Stitched Emperor might be able to help my situation, too? It's certainly worth a shot.
So many possibilities...
Ose will never bow to the universe's will, so long as she retains her mental faculties.
She will never surrender.

After every Demon Duke pops one of Glinch's pills, they begin to evolve. The change shocks the Emperors to their cores. Yardrat prepared himself for the inevitability that these incredible pills would do the unthinkable, but seeing it happen in real-time is very different from imagining the concept in his head.
He and the other leaders, movers, and shakers of the Four Hells who came along can only watch numbly as Vespera, Rhesus, Hamir, Vepar, and all the other Dukes explode in strength, smashing through their limiters to ascend to the realm of Demon Emperor.
Their bodies glow with power. They fall to their knees and roar to the heavens, delighted in achieving that which they previously thought was unattainable.
In an instant, the balance of power across every Hell shifts, yet few even know of that which has just transpired, and fewer still take the time to think clearly about what this will surely mean in the coming days, weeks, months, and years.
If they cannot defeat Mephisto, it won't matter if they have six Emperors or six hundred. The power of a Demon Deity will crush them all into dust, with nothing left behind, aside from their dying screams.
As for the fifty newly ascended Emperors, their names and titles are numerous, almost numbing to dwell on. Among them are a smattering of renowned individuals, such as:
Vepar, the Corrosive Emperor.
Vespera, the Emperor of Nebulae.
Rhesus, the Emperor of Ripping.
Hamir, the Emperor of Tempests.
As well as numerous others.
The moment they ascend, their titles become known to all demons who gaze upon them. They need not speak these titles, as if having been named directly by the Creator himself. In the entire history of demonkind, few have managed to shroud their true names, the most notable individual being Gressil, who hid his Emperor-level strength until the time was right for others to know.
But these newly risen Emperors have neither a need nor a desire to hide their powerful new titles. They look at one another and grin evilly, excited to begin wielding their abilities as soon as possible.
After distributing half of the pills, Yardrat finds that he still has more than forty left. He turns to Emperor Melody.
"It wouldn't be appropriate for me to hold onto the rest." He says. "My Hell already has more elites than everyone else. If we make it out of here alive, rebuild the Hell of Isolation with these."
The other Emperors blink in surprise at Yardrat's gesture of goodwill. Some of them feel it's a bit of a waste, but the longest lived Emperors and former Dukes ultimately don't bother to interrupt him.
Bael crosses his arms and nods.
"Good call, Yardy-boy. That's what Shax would want."
"Shax was a fine demon." Yardrat says, as Melody takes the pills from him. "His death has always weighed on my mind. If I can help his Hell with a small gesture like this, then I'll do so without thinking twice."
"Thank you." Melody says quietly, looking at Yardrat with a strange gaze. She pockets the pills and sighs.
Shax wasn't just a cool music-loving dude, but a kind demon who made countless friends. He never attacked or fought anybody undeservedly, and he based his Hell on the principles of friendship and cooperation. Even the demons who might not have gotten along with him still respected him. His death to the humans ruined the morale of many demons at the time.
"Don't thank me until we kill Mephisto and leave here alive." Yardrat says, turning his attention to the distant center of the Stitched wasteland. "Everyone, let's move out. And remember, those pills were not for our benefit. This is where the real fight begins."
The others nod grimly. They begin marching toward Glinch's lair, and as they walk, powerful chimera cross their paths at regular intervals. No longer do only two or three of Glinch's minions appear, but instead five and six at a time, each and every individual far too powerful for mere Emperors to defeat alone. They quickly get the impression Glinch has managed to raise entities capable of challenging 5th and perhaps even 6th-Level Psions.
With nearly sixty Emperors on their side, the swarm of demons begins moving forward with great haste.
Yardrat imbues his body with the power of space. He flickers around to deal massive damage to Glinch's chimera with punches that rip across dimensional spaces.
Fae flies into the air and rains bombs from above. She takes the initiative to attack distant enemies with her strongest bombs, weakening and softening them up for her allies to take on later.
Dagon and Vepar work together. With both of their powers having reached the bottom of the Emperor-level in strength, they melt, corrode, poison, and suffocate any enemies susceptible to their poison and acid attacks.
Nymph keeps away from the front-lines. Due to Glinch's wasteland ruining any vines or plants she summons within seconds, she instead focuses on popping out plants sporadically to yank allies out of the line of attacks, or merely irritating her enemies by momentarily tripping them with vine shackles around their ankles.
Kristoff focuses on dealing damage and draining Glinch's chimeras of their blood. Any injuries he inflicts tend to bleed heavily, especially when he focuses his mind on doing so.
Serena uses her magic to boost dozens of newly ascended low-Emperors to mid and high tier Emperors, making their powers considerably more deadly. She also keeps her eyes out for invisible threats or other troublesome soul fluctuations.
Crow stays on the front-lines. Her incredibly durable body allows her to retain the title of the mightiest melee attacker among all the demons present.
Melody focuses on defense. Instead of trying to kill the chimeras, she leaves that business to the superior damage-dealers and instead uses her shockwaves to fling her enemies around and batter their attacks aside.
Vespera plays a versatile role, sometimes summoning shadowy minions to assist the others, sometimes jumping into battle herself to cut chimeras down, and other times teleporting around through the various shadows to distract the different enemies.
Rhesus becomes far stronger after evolving. Despite being hesitant to bother with the pills, he is no different from the other demons in his desire to mutate to Emperor, and the permanent strength increase he obtains puts him second only to Crow herself. Perhaps given time he will even surpass her as his power approaches the apex of the Emperor level!
And finally, Bael swings his flail with reckless abandon. He batters any enemy that jumps in front of him without any thought to strategy or planning. He ends up attacking with a strength not far behind Yardrat, dealing the killing blow to more than a few of Glinch's monsters.
For hours, the demon elites beat and batter their way past dozens of highly enhanced creatures, becoming more and more cognizant of the fact that if Glinch wanted them dead, he could merely command his chimera to swarm them and they wouldn't stand a chance of survival. It causes the smarter elites to shudder when they realize Glinch possesses military strength greater than the combined might of all Seven Hells, even after their ascension!
However, Bael is not one of those highly intelligent elites. He doesn't give these matters much thought. He merely continues beating the shit out of his enemies, pausing once in a while to rest his weary body and swap out with the other Emperors nearby as they fight with all their might to push toward the center of the Stitched Wasteland.
At some point, while Bael does his thing, a spiritual sense awakens from within the Matriarch's Armor.
Emperor Ose's remnant soul sliver opens her eyes and returns to the physical realm, unaware of what has been going on since she began resting. With what remains of her former self, she isn't able to stay awake for days and weeks like she could when she was still alive. She has to sleep frequently, lest her soul dissipate from straining itself. She awakens to find that Bael is no longer meandering around on Tarus II or hanging out in her secret demonic base. Instead, he's become engaged in some sort of incredible high-stakes battle, along with dozens of other mighty demon elites!
Ose blinks several times. She says nothing to Bael, but uses what's left of her spiritual senses to try and get a sense of the other demons around her.
Hm? So many Emperors... what happened over the last few days? Have I been unconscious for longer than I anticipated?
She gazes at Vespera, Rhesus, and Vepar, her eyes widening as she recognizes the permanent status of their new Emperor rank.
Devils! Has the Wordsmith's Belial Booster become more effective? How in the Seven Hells can there be fifty brand new Emperors out of nowhere?
She identifies the former Dukes with ease, having once been intimately familiar with the elites of the Seven Hells.
This is... the Stitched Wasteland? Why is everyone going against Glinch? No, more importantly, why do his minions appear to be so much more powerful than I remember? I heard they were at the level of Emperors, but now it seems they must be higher than Emperors, but lower than Demon Deities. Perhaps half-step Deities? Or simply Emperor-level souls contained within much stronger bodies?
Ose doesn't immediately decide to question Bael. She doesn't even alert him to the fact she's awakened. He's a moron anyway, so talking to him won't provide her with much more info than if she simply used her judgment to determine what's going on.
This is all so strange. Ose thinks. According to the Matriarch Armor's internal chronometer, I've only been asleep a single week, yet a frightening number of things have changed. Has a demon civil war erupted? Perhaps Glinch has decided to rebel against the Seven Hells, so Auger opted to put him down once and for all?
Her spiritual form shakes its head.
No. That isn't Glinch's style. He doesn't care about amassing power, or wealth, or fame and fortune. He doesn't care who rules the Seven Hells. He can't be bought, or bribed, or intimidated, or cowed into submission. Glinch does whatever Glinch wants to do, and not even the Volgrim can change his ways. Since his ability to manipulate bodies and souls is so formidable, the Volgrim have even lowered their heads to commission him on various top-secret R&D projects...
Ose narrows her eyes. Unlike the overwhelming majority of her kin, she is a demon who specializes in not only subterfuge and infiltration, but also high technology. She has stolen many peeks at the Volgrim's Black Level projects in a manner most discreet. Not even the High Technopaths were able to discover her breaches.
If Glinch isn't rebelling, then... could it be that this fierce battle isn't what it seems on the surface?
She pieces together multiple clues at blinding speeds.
Look at how Glinch's army only moves toward the assault force in groups of two or three. They could easily swarm Yardrat and the others, but they don't. That means Glinch is holding back.
She nods to herself.
Coupled with the fact that so many Emperors have ascended... ahhhh...
Ose forms a hypothesis, mulls it over, and smiles to herself.
So it's like that. Glinch must have been commissioned or requested by Auger to improve the fighting capabilities of the Seven Hells. Perhaps he developed some secret new method to uplift demons to the rank of Emperor at Auger's request, and now he's helping battle-forge these new elites. A sound strategy, considering the Wordsmith's rapid rise to power.
Ose ultimately comes to the wrong conclusion, but based on purely the different observable clues in her field of vision, the guess is quite good. She comes to assume that this is part of a secret training exercise intended to build up Hell's forces and churn out powerful fighters capable of pressing against the Wordsmith's bulwark.
Beelzebub isn't here. Ose thinks. None of the Second Hell's residents either. The Hell of Lust must have become quite intimate with the humans, which makes sense. Unlike the other Hells, they rely on fornication with humans to uplift their bodies and souls. The two make for optimal allies.
She checks out the allied forces again, this time paying attention to the specific demons present.
It seems not a single demon that has shown sympathies toward the Wordsmiths has come along. Melody is here all alone. Her Hell always was at least somewhat aligned with humanity, but Melody herself won't be particularly attached to non-demons. Yama isn't here... he must still be at large, along with Mephisto.
Unaware of the fates which befell Mephisto, Yama, and several other demons over the past week, Ose unfortunately misses a few important clues, but that can hardly be blamed on her.
Kristoff, Vespera, and Rhesus. Is this all that remains of the Hell of Blood? Perhaps they left their remaining Dukes behind as a reserve force, or perhaps those members will be uplifted later. I wonder what Auger is thinking, raising so many Emperors at once. He won't be able to keep news of their ascensions a secret for long. The Wordsmith will find out, and he'll become immediately suspicious provided he has an IQ five points higher than Bael.
As her thoughts drift to Bael, Ose finally decides to open up to him.
[Hey, idiot. I'm awake. What's going on here?]
Bael swings Big Bonk at the head of a fifteen-foot-tall brutish monster not unlike the one he first fought when he entered the Stitched Wasteland, but this one possesses a turtle-like shell on its back, making it specially resistant to heavy attacks.
"Huh?" Bael asks, after retracting his flail. "Oh, Ose! You're awake! Gimme a few minutes, I gotta pound some punks!"
Ose rolls her eyes. [No need for that. Just take a few steps back and talk to me. This training exercise isn't a life and death matter anyway.]
Bael pauses to consider her words. His jaw slackens a little as he tries to catch up with what she said.
"It... it's not?"
Some of the demons nearby Bael notice his attacks slowing. A couple even hear him talking to himself, but unable to hear Ose's voice, they just assume the poor galumpf must be having one of his ditsy moments. They quickly fill the gap lost by Bael's slowed momentum, leaving him to fall back even further.
[Of course not.] Ose says. [Tell me what this exercise is all about. How did Glinch uplift so many demons to the Rank of Emperor?]
Bael's eyes widen. "Wow, Ose! You just woke up and you already know Glinch did this? You're so smart!"
[I don't need your praise.] Ose says, annoyed. [Just tell me how Glinch raised fifty Emperors in only a week.]
"Ohh. Uh, he gave us special pills." Bael says. "Yeah, super strong stuff. Made my titties bigger too."
Ose blinks. [What?]
"My titties. They got real big. Didn't grow my ding-dong back though..."
Bael eyes fill with tears as he remembers the sadness he felt when his pants remained uninflated.
[Moron! I don't care about y-your mammary expansion! What sorts of pills were they? How did Glinch make them?]
Ose's growing frustration, as always, proves impossible to keep out of her voice. Bael doesn't seem to mind.
"Oh I dunno. Kristoff said something about x-beats and blood." Bael explains absentmindedly. "Why? You wanna grow bigger soul-titties too?"
[NO!] Ose roars. [I don't care about my boob size, you nimrod! FOCUS! What 'x-beats' are you talking about? Do you mean EXOBEASTS?]
A light seems to go off in Bael's eyes.
"Ohh, right! Yeah! X-O beasts! Like uh, X-O-X-O. Kissing beasts! I'm so silly. Can't believe I forgot that."
Ose closes her eyes and makes punching motions toward an invisible wall.
I'm gonna kill him. She thinks. I'm going to kill Bael and torture his soul for all eternity if I EVER figure out a way to bring myself back.
She clenches her jaw and opens her eyes.
[Bael. Does the Wordsmith know about Auger's plan yet?]
Bael scrunches up his face.
"Uhhh... Auger's... plan?"
[Yes. His plan to create more Emperors.] Ose clarifies. [He's working with Glinch, yes?]
"He is?!" Bael gasps. "Wow! Auger's so smart. I'd never have thought of that. This sure explains a lot."
Invisible question marks pop up above Ose's head. She squints her eyes as if trying to look inside Bael's head and locate his pebble-sized brain amidst a galaxy-sized void of emptiness.
[So... does... the Wordsmith... know?] Ose asks through gritted teeth.
"Nah. Doubt it." Bael says, waving his hands nonchalantly. "Unless..."
[Unless?] Ose asks.
"Unless it's all part of Auger's brilliant plan." Bael concludes, nodding to himself. "Damn. How is everyone so smart? And I thought we were coming here to kill Mephisto."
Ose's face freezes. A feeling like cracked ice washes across her soul.
[Me...phisto? You're here to kill Mephisto?]
"I dunno." Bael shrugs. "I thought we were coming here to kill him. But this must be part of Auger's plan to trick me and the others so he can make the Hells super strong. I guess all that stuff about Mephisto becoming a Demon Deity didn't mean anything after all. Thanks for helping me understand, Ose! You're the best!"
Bael gives Ose a HUGE mental thumbs up, grinning at her with the same level of stupid happiness he always does.
Ose's soul nearly implodes from the mental gymnastics Bael just unleashed upon her.
[Oh... devils...] Ose weeps. [Why... why couldn't I have been trapped with Auger... or Fenrir... or Gorn... even Serena! Why did I have to end up stuck with demonkind's biggest idiot?]
"It's probably just your bad karma." Bael grunts. "You were such a bad girl, taking all those dirty pics. The Creator had to punish ya."
[WHAT PICS?!] Ose snaps. [Bael, I'm going to turn your pea-brain into MUSH if you keep thinking such VILE thoughts!]
In the middle of Ose's raging, Yardrat fights his way to Bael's side.
"Bael! Is something wrong? Why have you stopped attacking? Are you exhausted?"
Bael blinks. He turns his attention to Yardrat.
"Huh? Nah, nah. Ose woke up, so I'm having a chat with her real quick."
He pauses before adding: "By the way, why didn't ya tell me this was all Auger's brilliant plan? You know I'm good at keeping secrets!"
Yardrat glances at Bael, baffled, while continuing to conjure lines of eviscerating spatial attacks upon the frontline enemies.
"What plan? What are you on about?"
Bael lightly slaps Yardrat's back and chuckles.
"Aw, man. Good one, Yardy-boy! What plan? Hah! You're a real kick in the pants sometimes!"
Yardrat pauses his fighting to stare at Bael for three full seconds in absolute confusion. Then he turns and walks away, muttering something under his breath about that guy being off his rocker ever since he body-swapped.
Bael jumps back into combat, having finally figured out the 'true' reason for coming here. As for Ose, she mentally slumps to the 'floor' of Bael's Mind Realm, drained by the idiocy she's just endured.
But, at least now she better understands the actual situation.
Ose sets aside her anger and rage. She closes her eyes and focuses, thinking about what she's actually learned. Her swift mind allows her to combine the new, albeit potentially unreliable intel she obtained from Bael, with her pre-existing theories.
Mephisto is ascending to Demon Deity. Glinch must be working to train up an army of Emperors... for some reason. Perhaps Mephisto threatens his interests or something. Ugh. If only I could just speak directly to someone not named Bael. If ONLY I had made my soul interface capable of projecting my voice outwards. Stupid, stupid!
Ose begins to feel glum.
She looks up at the sky, her senses able to detect anything around the Matriarch Armor within a 360 degree sphere.
She gazes at the waning sun, the ashen clouds of the Stitched Wasteland only blocking some of her view toward space.
I have to be more proactive. I can't just blame Bael. It's not his fault he was born with the IQ of a dead slug. I mean, it's a LITTLE bit his fault... but he can't really help being unable to retain information for longer than five nanoseconds. If I'd simply planned out my existence post-mortem, I might still manage to retain some influence over the Hells.
Ose becomes momentarily depressed. She begins to wonder if these things even truly matter.
She's dead.
She's unlikely to ever again walk the plane of existence.
She's not powerful anymore. All she has left is a fragment of a soul and her intellect formed during her 100,000+ years of life.
But that depression quickly fades away as she firms her resolve.
Ose is many things. She's easily annoyed by idiocy, temperamental, stuck up, and a bit of a viper, but she isn't mentally weak. Her willpower is formidable, and it was forged by the life she's endured, as well as the actions her adoptive mother took to empower her in her youth.
I don't need a body or magic to remain relevant. Ose thinks. I still have my intellect. Even if I can't taste good food or lounge on a comfortable bed, I still have ambitions. I want to continue expanding my influence.
She rubs her chin and looks thoughtfully at the battle around her.
Bael's an idiot. But he's also easy to manipulate and control. And nobody would ever expect him to accomplish much. That means the humans, the other demons, and especially the Volgrim will underestimate him.
Hmm.
Perhaps I can turn this situation to my advantage.
Her attention pivots to Glinch's laboratory, still more than a hundred miles away.
I wonder if the Stitched Emperor might be able to help my situation, too? It's certainly worth a shot.
So many possibilities...
Ose will never bow to the universe's will, so long as she retains her mental faculties.
She will never surrender.

[Chapter One]
​
Prev and Next
​
Rosifo Girtwoud woke up feeling sore and exhausted. He slept well, but never as long as he’d have liked. He could hear his roommates moving around and getting ready for their days. Sitting up in bed, he stretched and took stock. His new job was physically demanding, but it was the best job he’d ever had. By a lot. He loved having his own room in a nice place, all thanks to his generous new salary! He could even afford to eat as much as he wanted, a luxury he’d not even dreamed was possible. Last night he ate three helpings of honey glazed pork at the pub! Still clumsy from sleep, Ros shrugged on a tunic and clean slacks, pausing for a second to appreciate the lordly quality of the garments. He still couldn’t believe he owned such nice things, and the Chief just gave it to him! Well, everyone got a few, but that didn’t make it any less special. Ros put on his belt as he went downstairs to the kitchen, where a few of his roommates were eating breakfast and the landlady was pulling some fresh buns out of the wood fired oven.
“Hey there’s the champ now!” called out Rikad, his housemate and co-worker.
“Heh, there are some perks to being the lightest guy on the squad!” Ros replied, referring to the agility drill he had won at work yesterday. Three days a week of training was by far the hardest part of the job, being trained by the Chief was like weathering a storm. Terrifying and dangerous, but something you could be proud of surviving. The other three days a week they worked were a holiday in comparison. Sitting on carts and standing by warehouses was easy.
Ros devoured his huge bowl of sweetened oats and then three buttered fresh buns. Pushing back from the long table with a satisfied sigh, he got up to leave for work with Rikad. The spring morning air was brisk, and they made sure to stay out of the way of loaded carts and riders that zipped by on the narrow cobblestone streets.
“What do you reckon the Chief will have us do today?” Rikad asked.
Ros snorted, “Quit embarrassing ourselves and pick up the pace?”
“Hah! That’s hardly a guess! I liked the knife throwing we did a few weeks ago, that was fun. I hope it’s not all runs and drills, I’m still aching from yesterday,” Rikad said.
“Yeah, I like combat drills. Other than when I have to spar with the Chief. He’s like a mountain that’s fast. I think the day I get a point on him, I’ll buy the whole team a beer!” Ros motioned a lunging jab as they walked.
“We’ll be too old to drink by then!” Rikad teased.
They were in for a typical training routine, a morning lecture on tactics and formations, some solo weapon drills, a short run, then a hearty lunch delivered from the nearby deli. Other days they just called a food cart into the yard with them, but Ros liked the deli lunches better. Also the novelty of someone else buying his lunches was thrilling. Ros assumed that this must be how pretty girls felt all the time. Maybe less sore and less yelled at. But maybe not.
The real highlight of the day was Ros got to see the owner of the whole company when he came out to observe their exercises. Ros hadn’t seen a real lord up close before he started at Pandemonium, and he thought it was one of the biggest perks. Mostly he looked like a tired doctor or shopkeeper, but Ros wasn’t disappointed. He had a nobility of his bearing, clarity in his eyes and an aura of authority. Even the Chief changed when he was around him! Seeing the him defer to anyone spoke volumes to their importance. Not only was he the lord of a whole company, he was also a mage! They were super rare even before the Church started purging all those heresies in their College of Magic, but now he wasn’t even sure there were any in the city!
“Agility drills are done! Imma talk to Mage Thippily, so you lot do some king of the hill sparring; Sword ‘n board! Ros and Kedril start!” boomed Chief of Security Stanisk.
Ros staggered exhaustedly to the equipment racks to get an arming jacket, leather helm, training sword and shield.
“Mage Thippliy is watching,” he whispered reverentially to himself as he geared up.
“Mind your tone or he’ll turn you into a turnip!” called Rikad.
Kedril grinned, “Hah, He’ll turn you into a turnip, Rik. He’ll just look at Ros and see his work is already done!”
Ros used to despise Kedril. He embodied everything Ros had yearned to become: handsome, confident, affluent, and sharp-witted. The team's dynamic was confrontational, rife with competition; they raced, fought, and scored against one another all day, three days a week. It had taken Ros a while to grasp that they were, in fact, a team. Kedril, infuriatingly attractive, devoted time to helping Ros in a few drills last week and offered valuable advice. So, albeit begrudgingly, Ros began to admire him. Kedril was older by a few years, substantially larger, and appeared to be one of the few who already had some training in arms. The prospect of sparring with him didn’t excite Ros.
Fresh from drills and immediately thrown into sparring, sweat trickled into Ros's eyes. The sting impaired his vision. He repeated to himself, 'Elbows in, shield up, tip forward, hips back,’ partially to fix his stance, partially to focus. Kedril was typically in better shape than him, but now appeared even more worn out. His guard was lax and messy, creating a gaping opening. Ros seized the opportunity and struck with a swift, precise jab. In the fleeting instant the jab took, Kedril's shield snapped into position, and his tip dealt a solid blow to Ros's ribs just beneath his sword arm. It was a feint - a brilliantly executed display of weakness where he was most prepared, exactly the tactic Stanisk had explained yesterday.
“Mashed Turnip!” Kedril shouted to the cheers of the others.
“Ros! You lost because your stance is awful! Keep lower! Coiled spring, lad!” the Chief shouted from across the yard.
Ros raised his hands over his head to cede the point and sat at the end of the bench. He hated losing, but he had expected to lose. He gratefully grabbed a cup of water and watched Kedril make short work of a few more challengers. It seemed like they were picking on him, but Ros was coming to understand they were also bonding with him, and these might be the closest friends he’d ever had. Not that it was a high bar, and he didn’t like all of them, but they had his back, and that meant a lot. Finally Jourgun, the biggest lad on the team, tore into Kedril with so much energy and fury that no amount of clever tactics could stop him. Even though he knew these were his friends, seeing Kedril getting bashed in the face with a shield was almost as good as seeing a real mage!
One thing Ros appreciated about training days was that they were shorter. After the sparring, Stanisk pulled aside Kedril and Jourgun for additional work, and dismissed the rest of the men. Ros trailed behind some of his newfound friends to a peculiar place where one would sit, fully naked, in a steam-filled room, all for two glucks.
“This is a sex thing, right?” Ros asked Rikad cautiously.
“What?! Light, no! It’s to relax and heal," Rikad explained. "They place herbs on hot rocks, we sit there, sweat, and breathe in the steam. It’s excellent, you’ll love it!”
“Sounds like we’re all naked and sweaty, though?” Ros remained convinced this was some intimate activity he wasn’t fully grasping. Rikad rolled his eyes and even paid Ros’s entry fee.
Inside the dim, tiled room was surprisingly comfortable. The steam smelled slightly of herbs and medicine, and it was so thick he couldn’t even see the far wall. A quick survey of the others revealed they were just as covered in bruises as he was, which gave Ros a fresh sense of camaraderie. They towelled off, dressed, drank some cold water, and left the strange business without any hint of the carnal encounter Ros had suspected. Despite his lingering confusion about the whole place, Ros liked it and wanted to come back. He appreciated his squadmates not making a single steamed turnip joke. He was hoping that didn’t stick as a nickname, he felt it didn’t remotely suit him.
After the steam, their muscles relaxed and the day's tension eased away. Ros and Rikad were starving. It had been hours since lunch, so they headed to a nearby tavern for drinks and dinner. Being able to simply enjoy food and drink without concern for the price was an intoxicatingly fresh experience. In fact, Ros enjoyed this newfound freedom even more than the meal itself.
After a huge dinner and a few beers Ros paused, and opened up a little.
"Did you know this is the pub where I talked the Chief into hiring me?"
"Really? To be honest, I've always wondered about that. No offence, but you're a lot smaller than the rest of us." Rikad pushed away his empty plate, taking a long drink of his beer.
"Yeah, I saw the Chief in here, dressed like a shining champion, buying ladies drinks and rounds for the whole bar. He was so confident and kind and relaxed. But also obviously dangerous. I’d never seen anyone like him!" Ros gestured to the tavern maid for a refill. "I must have been a sight. My clothes were more patch than original cloth, I was so skinny you could've counted my ribs through a sweater. Not that I had sweater money!" Ros reflected on the lean muscle he'd gained in recent months with inward satisfaction.
"Did the Chief take you for a beggar?"
Ros bristled at the suggestion. "Hell no! I've never begged in my life, I've always earned my keep!" his brief flare of indignation faded immediately. "No, he thought I was a refugee, from some starving backwater. Of course, I corrected him—after he bought me dinner!"
"Hah! The proper sequence," Rikad agreed, laughing.
"Anyway, he asked about my plans. I told him I was waiting till I was eighteen to join the army and serve the Emperor."
"You've certainly filled out since I met you, but I'm not sure you'd pass the army physical even now," Rikad cautiously speculated.
"The Chief was blunter about it. 'Yer so scrawny, a necromancer would find ya offputting, the army ain't gonna waste rations on ya.'" Ros imitated Stanisk’s gruff rural northerner accent.
"Hah! That sounds about right. Which makes your wearing company purple less clear than ever!" Rikad replied.
"Well, he asked if I knew my way around the city. I said I've tread every cobblestone here, so he offered me a job running letters and picking up parcels. Better work than sweeping alleys for a half-gluck and stale bread. I figured a fancy man like him would pay alright."
The waitress finally brought the next round, and Ros paused to take a long drink. Setting his mug down, he continued. "I walked into the Chief's office, and there he was behind that tiny desk with his book and quill. He looked like a cave troll trying to be a librarian. But I wasn't gonna laugh—it was still the Chief. He said, 'We don’t got a lot for now but I’ll give you a list in the morning, and see that it gets done.' I said ain’t fancy, I don’t know how to read! He didn't lose his cool. He simply nodded and said, 'Alright, just report to me in the morning, and we’ll get you started.' Oh, and he warned me never to speak to the Mage unless spoken to, which suited me fine."
Ros took another drink of his beer, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and continued. "I was hoping for five gee a day. I’d probably have done it for a lone gluck, to be honest. So imagine my shock when he apologised that he could only offer me twenty glucks a day!"
"Where were you living, that five would've been enough?" Rikad asked, curious.
Ros, slightly flushed from the beer, leaned forward. "Under a bloody hedge!" He burst into laughter at his own expense.
"That's rough man," Rikad commented, shaking his head.
Ros nodded. "It was, but it's behind me now. After a month or so of running errands, the Chief finally let me join the crew he was training. That's how I ended up a part of the elite guard of a learned lord mage."
Rikad, his face ruddy, pointed his finger at Ros’s chest. "It’s your attitude! You always train the hardest. It’s changed the whole team's tone."
Ros nodded again, serious. "I gotta! The fifteen hundred gee I make every month now is probably more than I did in the last decade. Total! I bet we make as much as a knight commander does leading a thousand soldiers!"
Rikad looked at him suspiciously. "Wait, a decade? Aren't you still a teenager?"
Ros shrugged. "It's been a long, hard time. Anyway, I know I promised to go to see that folk band with you tonight, but I'm spent. I think I might call it an early night." He finished the beer in two long gulps and stood up.
"I get it. Besides, tomorrow's Sunday. We can finally sleep in!" Rikad pointed out.
******
Ros woke to a frantic pounding on his bedroom door. It was still dark out.
“Go away! Keep it down! You’ll wake the whole house!” Ros grumbled, mostly asleep.
“Come on man! Emergency meeting at the training yard. We gotta go now!” Rikad hoarsely whispered.
“Ah, that’s not good!” Ros threw on some clothes and headed out the door with his friend.
“Think it has something to do with what Kedril and Jourgun were doing after work?” Ros asked.
“Maybe? That was hours and hours ago, and those guys are great, and they were with the Chief,” Rikad countered.
They jogged through the mostly empty streets. The moons were behind clouds, and the dew made the cobblestones slick. The faint flickering of their leviathan oil lamp cast strange shadows in the foggy night. The city felt on edge, too many people on the streets in the middle of the night, whispering. A few times Ros thought he heard something about thunder and demons, which did nothing to calm his growing panic.
“What if something happened to Mage Thippily? Are we all unemployed now?” Ros asked, knowing Rikad knew as much as he did.
“What is the business we guard? Something to do with magically formed super secret goods that no one was allowed to talk about. I think? I should have asked,” Rikad lamented.
Finally they made it to the yard, and Kedril was standing at the gate, torch held aloft.
“Good lads! Go into the workshop and take a seat. The Chief has some tea on.” Kedril’s voice was as calm and steady as ever, but his face was pale and drawn, and his eyes never focused on them, just scanned the night intently.
“Inside? Are you sure?” Ros had never gone inside; that was the single biggest rule.
Kedril just nodded. Ros and Rikad looked at each other for courage and moved forward. The big yard door to the workshop opened a crack, and warm light was spilling out. Rikad motioned Ros to go first, and he poked his head in, fully expecting to lose it.
“Oy, is that Ros? Git your scrawny ass in here,” Chief Stanisk rumbled.
The two men felt like flies exploring a web, but inside was surprisingly normal. Five other guards were already there, and the room was a lot like any other workshop. It had planked floors, shelves and tables and one corner was even converted into a kitchen. There were a few simple stools set up, and two incredibly luxurious loungers. Like everyone else, Ros and Rikad took a stool. The Chief gestured to a kettle and mugs for the tea, but no one seemed interested.
“What’s happening, is everyone okay?” Ros finally asked.
“Short answer is yes, for now.” Stanisk said calmly. “We’ll give the other lads a few minutes to get here, then I’ll explain.”
“Holy light, sir! You aren’t wearing your armour!” This unsettled Ros more than anything he’d seen all night, it was like seeing a bear shaved. Chief was just sitting there in trousers and a shirt, sipping tea. He’d never seen the Chief without armour.
“Needs cleaned,” he answered cryptically.
Follow up questions were interrupted by the rest of the men arriving, followed by Kedril and then Jourgun, who must have been watching the far gate.
“Alright, gather round, at ease.” Stanisk started. He looked relaxed which was probably a good sign.
“You lot were hired to protect the interests of our operations. There was an attempt on Mage Thippliy’s life tonight, at his meeting. Security Specialists Kedril and Jourgun did excellent work, and I have full confidence in all of your growing abilities. Our concern is there will be additional attempts."
There was a murmur of apprehension. The mage was the company. Without him there was nothing to guard. No one here wanted to lose their jobs, but they had been suspicious from the start. The pay didn’t match the work.
Stanisk paused as Mage Thipply and the elv, that had only been speculated to exist, came down the ladder from the loft. The mage was dressed like normal, in his brown pants and a white shirt, frameless glasses and a short well maintained beard streaked with grey. The elv was wearing an oversized sweater and long stockings. It had the effect of making her upper body look human, but with the long spindly legs of a shore bird. Her huge nocturnal eyes stared at them all unblinkingly, and her long narrow fingers with too many segments wrapped around a mug of tea. Ros was both intimidated and repulsed. It was like a bird or an insect pretending to be a person, but with eyes that had intelligence and cruelty.
“Ah! Um, thank you all for coming!” The mage was directly addressing them, Ros grinned despite his fears and worries. “There have been events over the last week or so that have culminated tonight, and I no longer think that our operation in Jagged Cove is viable.” The mage saw the reaction of the crowd turn sharply negative. He hastily added, “Of course I’m not closing up shop, we’re just moving to another location. A location outside of the capital region, and I’d like you all to join us.”
Ros sighed and leaned back in relief. This wasn’t bad news at all. He’d gladly move to the bottom of the sea for the Mage. He could feel his pulse returning to normal, as other people started asking questions.
“What? I can’t leave the city, I got a wife and kids!” a guard named Theros said.
“Oh, I just started dating a baker's apprentice, is there an option to stay?” Jourgun asked.
The elv stood up, and addressed the room with an icy indifference. “This is not a negotiation. There is a ship that is leaving in about six hours. If you are on it, you will remain employed. We have also made considerations for your families. They are welcome on the ship, and you can find new homes in the town we relocate to.” She subtly nodded to the Chief before continuing. “Chief Stanisk values your skills so highly that he convinced the board of directors to offer each of you a five year contract. The contract will have some additional employment conditions, but there will be a 5000 glindi signing bonus. Follow Chief Stanisk’s instructions to get on the boat, and we’ll see you there. Or not.”
She returned to the ornate chair, and the room erupted into chaos.
“Holy light! That’s so much!”
“I’d be insane not to sign!”
“Where are we even going?”
Ros grinned from ear to ear, what’s to decide? This was the best possible outcome! Free money to see the world! Packing his bags would take no time, and he could carry everything that mattered in one trip.
Stanisk took command of the room, “You with young ‘uns, we got the company wagons for you waiting, get a move on. I’ll take the mage’s personal wagon and do a loop to Kedril’s, Eowin’s and Klive’s. The rest of you, leg it! Meet back here in three hours and tell anyone what asks, that you took a job out of the city. Be vague! Come on, pick up the pace you helpless kittens!"
​
​
Prev and Next

Are you a blogger, agency, IT consultant, or web developer searching for a reliable and profitable affiliate program? Look no further! The Thexyz Affiliate Program offers you a fantastic chance to earn a 10% monthly recurring revenue stream on all sales. With its integrated product suite and flexible referral management, this program is perfect for anyone looking to boost their income.
Whether you run a popular blog, manage multiple client websites, or provide IT consulting services, joining the Thexyz Affiliate Program can be a lucrative venture. By referring customers to Thexyz, you can earn a generous 10% commission on their monthly payments. Imagine the possibilities of a steady stream of passive income as your referrals grow and continue to use Thexyz's services.
One of the significant advantages of the Thexyz Affiliate Program is the flexibility it offers. As an affiliate, you have the freedom to manage your referred clients while they maintain an independent billing relationship with Thexyz. This means you can focus on delivering exceptional customer service and value-added services to your clients without having to worry about billing and invoicing.
Thexyz also provides an integrated product suite, ensuring that you have a wide range of offerings to promote to your audience. Some of the popular products included in the suite are:
NordVPN: A leading virtual private network service that ensures online privacy and security for users.
Weebly and Site Builder: Powerful website builders that enable individuals and businesses to create professional-looking websites without any coding knowledge.
Server Monitoring: Keep an eye on your servers' performance and receive instant notifications of any issues to ensure maximum uptime.
Open-Source Email Solutions: Secure and reliable email hosting solutions that guarantee privacy and protection against spam and malware.
Google Workspace: Boost productivity and collaboration with Google's suite of cloud-based productivity tools, including Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and more.
SEO Tools: Improve your website's visibility and rankings in search engines with Thexyz's suite of search engine optimization tools.
By offering these in-demand products, you can attract a wide range of potential customers and maximize your earnings. Whether your audience consists of small business owners, bloggers, or individuals concerned about online security, Thexyz has products to meet their needs.
Getting started with the Thexyz Affiliate Program is simple. Just visit thexyz.com/affiliates and sign up to become an affiliate. Once you're approved, you'll receive a unique referral link that you can share on your website, blog, social media platforms, or directly with your clients. Every time someone signs up using your referral link and makes a purchase, you earn a 10% commission.
Thexyz provides detailed reporting and analytics, allowing you to track your referrals and monitor your earnings. With reliable tracking mechanisms in place, you can rest assured that you'll receive proper credit for every sale you generate.

Posting it here since nobody either interested in this info (history) or don't allow it in their sub rules.
51 years ago, an underground nuclear explosion was planned in the densely populated Kharkiv region to extinguish a burning gas borehole.
Today, only a few people know that in 1972, a nuclear explosion was arranged near Kharkov. Its explosive power was only three times less than that of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Fortunately, none of the people then died. And Soviet scientists used a nuclear charge to put out a huge "torch" of gas. The attempt ended in failure. The fiery gas geyser burned for another year, and the radioactive cloud spread over half of Ukraine. All this was swept under the rug and kept a strict secret. In order to lift the veil over this mystery, we went to the village of Pervomaiskoye, Krasnograd district, Kharkov region, a kilometer away from where, back in 1972, a nuclear explosion occurred.
ACCIDENT
In 1970, geologists found the largest gas field in these places. According to early estimates alone, its reserves were 300 billion cubic meters of gas. A year later, there were already 17 boreholes. And suddenly an emergency happened - on one of the drilling rigs, at a depth of 20 meters, gas condensate caught fire. In a moment, the column of fire was already rising several tens of meters. The torch hummed louder than a jet plane or space rocket during launch. The gas spread throughout the neighborhood and began to poison the inhabitants of nearby villages. "We were forbidden to use matches, turn on the light, or turn on all electrical appliances. They said there was a gas accident. And if we light a match, everything will explode. My family and I were very scared, we cried. And something was making a terrible, loud noise. It’s impossible to describe," recalls a resident of the village of Pervomaiskoye, Ekaterina Yatsenko. According to her, on the outskirts of the village at night, it was as bright as during the day.
SOLUTION
They tried to put out the burning fountain with everything that science was then capable of. For example, they threw multi-ton concrete slabs from cranes, but they were blown away like fluff hundreds of meters away. "They tried to inject concrete there under high pressure. But it didn’t help either," recalls Leonid Chernogor, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of Kharkov National University, a native of those places. Finally, Moscow decided to use an underground nuclear charge to create a local earthquake. The explosion was supposed to move the soil and create an artificial seal that would close the gas flow. Back in 1963, at the Urta-Bulak gas field in Uzbekistan, in exactly the same way, exactly the same burning fountain was put out. But… that accident happened in the desert, the area was uninhabited for hundreds of kilometers. And here is the densely populated Kharkiv region. Near the city of Krasnograd, with a population of about 50,000 inhabitants.
By all calculations, the probability of failure was only 1%
This was to be the 28th nuclear explosion for peaceful purposes in the Soviet Union and the first in Ukraine. Not a drop of radiation should have escaped to the surface - Soviet scientists did everything for the safety of the population. All radiation, according to their calculations, was supposed to remain underground.
"There was no other way to put it out and inflict less damage to the state. The likelihood that this torch would extinguish is 99%. The probability that it could not have been possible is only 1%. Was it worth the risk? Definitely, "says Leonid Cherogor, who was an eyewitness to these events. "I remember when the torch was burning, it was very beautiful and scary at the same time. Such an unprecedented, natural rocket. My parents lived 12 kilometers from the well. I saw and heard it all, "the scientist recalls. According to him, the gas torch produced acoustic fluctuations, in particular an inaudible infrasound for a person, which affects the nervous system and human psyche. "Some become aggressive, others lose their minds. And most importantly - the infrasound from this fire spread hundreds and thousands of kilometers without weakening! This is one of the astonishing factors of this fire," says Leonid Cherogor, who immediately adds that no one studied this problem seriously, and if any studies were conducted, then everything was "completely secret."
The second time a nuclear charge was used for peaceful purposes in Ukraine was in 1979. On September 16, in the city of Yenakiyevo, Donetsk region, at the mine "Yuniy Communar," the secret operation "Clivazh" was successfully implemented. Rocks were shaken with a nuclear charge so that methane came out of the mines, which often exploded and led to the deaths of people. The second explosion was successful.
Explosion: "The authorities began to flee in their cars"
A nuclear charge was delivered from Moscow to the village of Pervomaiskskoye. The highest leadership of the Soviet Union arrived. The fiery torch was encircled: the first row was police officers - they were on duty only a kilometer away from the accident, the second was the military. And the third were the KGB officers. "We stood in an encinrclement one row every 20 meters. We were not given weapons, but they told us to stand to death and not let anyone approach," recalls the local resident Nikolai Taran, who worked in those years as a policeman. " Near the torch was the T-34 tank, but instead of a gun, it has a huge fan, with which the gas stream was directed in the right direction. Two helicopters were parked nearby: a white Mi-8 and a green Mi-2. There were still many black cars called "Volga". Rumors had already spread that they would use a nuclear charge. We knew nothing more," he adds. The inhabitants of Pervomaisky—about 450 people—were evacuated five kilometers into the neighboring village of Krestische. " They were taken out in an organized manner by buses, and buses were evacuating up to five families each. We went by car ourselves," says Nadezhda Diabur, chairman of the village council of Krest, who was then only 15 years old. People only took documents with them. "All pets were left at home. Only food cans were brought to the gardens so that the glass would not break. We were told that they would extinguish the explosion, and we did not know anything else," recalls the paramedic of the village of Natalya Taran. The locals remember that day perfectly. "It was Sunday. It was warm and good on the street after the rain. A sunny day. A light breeze blew. Just your good summer day. I remember when they left Pervomaisky village, the soldiers cleaned the territory- they checked every house for people," says Nadezhda Diabur.
At 10 a.m. on July 9, 1972, the charge was detonated. "The authorities ordered us to stand on tiptoes so that our spines would not break from the shockwave. I felt an underground impetus, and then an unnatural silence came, as if suddenly I became deaf. I don’t know how long it lasted—a minute or two—but suddenly an explosion sounded: stones, dirt, and water flew up. A heavy brown-black, mushroom-like figure was formed. Leadership immediately fled away on their helicopters and cars," recalls Nikolai Taran.
The torch went out.. for a while, and everyone applauded. But then a fiery geyser appeared again. According to Leonid Chernogora, a radioactive trace stretched through the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions. "Of course, the first secretaries in Kyiv sniffed about this, and they have already begun to import food from Moscow instead of the Kiev regions. They fed the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine with food that was imported from uninfected regions. "The top officials were very frightened, but they did not know the numbers and facts," says Leonid Chernogor. According to the scientist, the products of this nuclear explosion would break up in a maximum of two months. " In Ukraine, radiation was more or less distributed, and its level was relatively low," says Leonid Chernogor. " It’s also impossible to tell what exactly killed locals (either after months or ten years later)."
Pervomaiskoye: returned, as if after the war
Residents of the tiny Pervomaiskoye village, which was only a kilometer from the epicenter of the explosion, naturally weren't told that their territory was infected. They learned the truth only after the collapse of the USSR. The only bad sign was the sudden death of all bees within a radius of several kilometers. But five hours later, the locals had already calmly dined at home and drank water from the wells. Because of the explosion, the doors and windows in some houses were scattered, and the walls cracked. " This is a normal phenomenon - the consequences of the shock wave, albeit an underground explosion. All the specialists foresaw this, "explains Leonid Chernogor. The old buildings even completely collapsed. " The barn collapsed, one of the walls in it disappeared. It was scary to enter. I had a feeling as if the war had broken out," recalls Ekaterina Yatsenko, a resident of the village of Pervomaisky, with tears in her eyes. There were some devastations in every house. In our barn, the roof collapsed and the walls cracked. And those who lived closer to the explosion were shaken up by the shockwave," says the chairman of the village council, Nadezhda Diabur. Building materials were brought only to those whose homes had serious damage, the inhabitants of Pervomaisky said.
"My dad wanted to go home immediately after the explosion because the farm was abandoned. We went in a roundabout way - but were not allowed into the village, which was encircled before the explosion. After 2 p.m. in the afternoon, they brought us back by buses. Only after 30 years did we learn that it was a nuclear explosion. But there were rumors before, too. On the radio, someone heard, according to the American station, that it was a nuclear explosion. At that time, nobody paid much attention to this," continues Nadezhda Diabur. According to the former paramedic of the village of Natalia Taran, a quarter of the population will die from cancer in the next 30 years. " Now about 250 people live in Pervomaisky. These are mostly old people. The rural school was closed when we were still under the Soviet regime," says the paramedic.
People recall the first months after the explosion with a shudder. When a gas torch still burned. The height of the flame reached 150 meters. "White nights came to our village. My friends then lived on the outskirts. When I came to visit them, we could not hear each other even from one meter away. I had to scream," recalls local resident Lidia Pisareva. Someone abandoned their homes a few days after the gas fountain was set on fire, and someone did not want to leave even after months. People recall that chickens did not want to carry eggs in the evening because it was so bright, like it was daytime. The cows did not want to give milk because it was very loud. "People could not live in their homes for a prolonged time - they would go mad. They could not fall asleep for the first few weeks - it was like a nightmare. I once came to visit them in the evening. It was very bright in the room, and an unusual look opened from the window - a burning fountain in the sky. I will never forget this sight. A month later, they had to leave their house. They took the most valuable things, their animals, and moved to the neighboring village of Krestische to live with their relatives," says Lidia Pisareva.
They managed to put out the fiery torch only in the summer of 1973. They had to dig out this well and close it with liquid concrete under high pressure. For 21 months of gas burning, as much energy has been produced as the whole of humanity consumes per day. Ukraine would have had enough of it for 10 years. And the smoke from the burning fountain was thrown into the atmosphere as much as Ukraine is out as a result of its industrial activity in two years.
Now scientists say that the terrain has suffered more from the fire than from the discarded radiation. Acid rains fell around this well within a radius of several hundred kilometers." In the summer, trees were without leaves. And in winter, there was no snow. Green grass grew around the well within a radius of 200 meters," recalls Nadezhda Diabur.

I come bearing all the Sorcellerie Apothecary scents I have tried thus far! This includes some of the new scents, along with discontinued scents, and current scents. I pay attention to the longevity and strength of a scent and make note of things that required me to put nose to skin to smell.
Things I don’t like: green scents, floral scents, fresh/clean scents, faint scents
Things I do like: vanillas, red musks, fruits, complex gourmands (as in, I don’t want to smell like cake, but I like scents with sweet notes mixed with musks, resins, incense, etc.) honey scents, woodsy scents, strong scents
I don't typically rate all scents, but I will rate my 5 Star scents. I try to mention who would gravitate towards a certain scent.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Strings of Light in the Forest: Vanilla milkshake, vetiver, lavender, beeswax absolute, golden orbs of amber, Ambroxan
This is a favorite of mine from this shop. There’s something about that milkshake note (not overly lactonic) paired with vetiver. It brings this smoky dark velveteen feel to this, paired with a very lovely smooth amber that is truly golden (not musky/limey amber). This is a cozy scent, warm, gourmand without being too sweet. Has some good throw, I can smell it waft around me. My husband said this one smells vaguely like rich dark chocolate brownies to him because he couldn’t quite figure out what he was smelling, but he knew he liked it. I don't get brownies from it, but whatever floats his boat LOL. 5/5 FS - complex gourmand amber vanilla lovers
~
She's A Witch: Pizzelle cookies studded with anise seeds and dusted with powdered sugar; heliotrope, soft woods, musk
I got a lot of anise in this scent, made sweeter with the cookie aspect. A nice perfume in a general sense, especially if you are a fan of anise. The heliotrope elevates this to more than just a gourmand scent, but it isn’t enough to change that this is an anise cookie scent at its core.
Cookie fans / anise lovers.
~
Snow Moon Magic: Best-selling Moon Magic gets extra cozy for winter with the addition of fluffy marshmallow, a house tincture of Tahitian vanilla beans, and gooey cookie butter
One of my favorite scents from SA. While this is gourmand, is has a very elegant, rich lean to it from the sugared lavender in the base notes of Moon Magic. Definitely not your typical marshmallow scent, so if you just want ‘sugary marshmallow’ you are probably better off with 2am in Lafayette for that! This scent comes off as a dark chai tea vanilla with those gorgeous spices uplifting it, heavy and lofty all at once. The sugared lavender in Moon Magic elevates this scent to the next level without making it an offensive in your face lavender scent. This scent is strong and does tend to float around you in a pleasant scent bubble. 5/5
Complex spiced vanilla fans.
~
Something Wicked: Vanilla, patchouli, sandalwood, whiskey
Oddly enough, I couldn’t really pick up this scent. I got vague hints of extremely quiet whiskey vanilla. This is one of two scents I had trouble picking up from this house. I’ve never really had this problem at another shop, so it must be a nose thing with certain ingredients used!
~
We Are All Stardust: Sandalwood nut co2, Australian sandalwood, beeswax absolute, Iso E Super, Ambroxan, labdanum, vanilla
The labdanum in this scent comes off as a limey amber note to me and I don’t think I exactly love it. This is a muskier, chewy sort of woodsy scent. The beeswax gives that chewy/waxy feel, but I think I’m really picking up the sharp labdanum as the forefront of this, backed by sandalwood. This isn’t a sweet scent, but nor is it completely woodsy. If you want a cozy warm scent and enjoy labdanum and sandalwood, this should be a good one for you. My husband likes it on me, but I don’t think it’s my style.
Unisex, woodsy cozy fans. Labdanum lovers.
~
What Big Eyes You Have: Immortelle absolute, lemon meringue pie, pearlescent vanilla musk
Another absolute star of a scent. Quite possibly my favorite, I bought this as a full size without knowing what it smelled like and never once regretted it. In fact, my 3.7ml bottle is almost gone, so I will be buying more. I have a strange history with lemon scents; while I love the idea of a lemon bar or a lemony cake, most places smell of straight up Lemon Pledge cleaning supplies to me. Not so with this scent. Huzzah, amiright?
This is truly a bright, uplifting creamy lemon that sings of summer days in the sunlight. It’s a gourmand lemon without going too sugary sweet or childish. Very mature and elegant. A definite crowd pleaser, something that is work friendly. I take it on business trips. It’s a true vanilla lemon that leans almost like a creamy custard, yet is still very tart, like a lemon curd. No sharp, overbearing citrus-feel to be found. Impressive longevity and throw for me, this sticks around all day when I wear it and people do notice it and give compliments. FS 5/5
Sophisticated lemon pie lovers, summer scent fans
~
Between The Sheets: Figs, cream, beeswax absolute, cashmere, wool, skin musk
I really wanted to love this, but alas, the Figs were green and sharp! I figured this would be a creamier, sweeter fig, which is what I like, but this was definitely a green, more herbal fig. There is something cold, almost mint-like in this scent and I cannot figure out where it is coming from. The cashmere gives this a butter-mint feel, chewy and fluffy on the skin, but that green fig is very much there, you can’t avoid it. If you like less gourmand scents, this one comes off with a more herbal / green lean to me with tiny hints of gourmand to it.
Green fig fans, those who don't want a sweet fig scent.
~
F$ckery: Luxardo cherry, caramelized sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, sandalwood, tobacco absolute, smoke, night air, clean sheets
Actually couldn’t smell this perfume at all. I have heard of other people having the same problem, while others absolutely love this scent. I’m assuming there is something about this particular perfume that people can or cannot smell.
~
2 AM in Lafayette: Vanilla co2, oakmoss, cafe au lait, ribbons of caramel, beignets dusted with powdered sugar
Oddly enough, this one reminds me of Kyse’s famous Delizia di Marshmallow perfume. This is a very gourmand scent, with the powdered sugar really being present, giving that powerful Marshmallow feel. There is a vague aroma of baked goods, but for the most part I get strong, straight-up fluffy marshmallow vibes from this one.
Super sweet gourmand fans, marshmallow lovers.
~
Reduced to a Thing That Wants You: Yellow mandarin, pink pepper, tuberose, vanilla bean, marshmallow cream, sandalwood, nutmeg, sheer amber, warm skin and clean sheets
This is a very soft, gentle perfume. I notice the yellow mandarin on the forefront, along with a tiny spark of pink pepper. It isn’t overly peppery, there’s only a touch. The marshmallow cream isn’t too sweet or sugary, but gentles the mandarin by giving it a mandarin ice cream feel. This is a unique scent, not overly gourmand nor overtly fruity, as it also has a dry woods aspect to it as well, although very soft. This scent is pretty darn faint. I like it, but I prefer something more noticeable. This is one that you need to press your nose to your skin to smell.
Fans of soft scents, not overly gourmand. Gentle fruit with hints of pepper.
~
Sit For A Spell: Salted cantaloupe, a light drizzle of wild rosemary honey, fresh spring air, ambrette seed, and winding honeysuckle vines
This is a lovely scent, but it definitely straddles fruit and floral. I love the smell of the salted cantaloupe in this! So beautiful, absolutely reminds me of how the salted honeydew lolly tastes at Lollies by Leah. However, this scent eventually goes more fresh and floral on my skin, with the cantaloupe becoming more quiet and in the background. I think the spring air and the vines are very present here as this dries down, which quickly makes this a fresh aromatic scent instead of a more fruity scent.
Fruit & floral fans unite, though more fresh floral than fruit.
~
Love and Complications: Brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, plumeria, passionfruit and soft woods
Beautiful brown sugared passionfruit scent. If you like passionfruit notes, this one is absolutely for you. It’s sweet and fruity, sophisticated and not artificial whatsoever. I also don’t notice the condensed milk, so I don’t find anything lactonic in this perfume. Just a lovely sweetened passionfruit with a tiny pop of dry woods in the background.
Sweet fruit fans, gourmand fruit. Passionfruit lovers.
~
Falling Stars (mean you are with me): A super-cozy, rich and warm blend of black coffee, almond cream, sandalwood, natural oud, palo santo oil, tonka bean absolute, and vanilla bean
~Black: I wasn’t sure this would be for me since I am not a huge fan of coffee perfumes, but I wanted to try it anyway. This is the ultimate coffee scent, seeing as it smells like I rolled in really dark espresso coffee grounds. If you want a strong, in your face coffee scent, get the Black version of this scent.
~Marshmallow Cloud: This one is a much quieter version of the above. I can sense something sweet and soft in it (the marshmallow), but the coffee feel is still there. This scent was really soft on me, I had to put my nose to arm to smell it. If you don’t want really aggressive coffee notes, you will likely enjoy this. It’s coffee with a marshmallow creamer in it.
Coffee fans all over the place.
~
Good at Being Bad: Dark, salted vanilla, buttercream, a swirl of honey, and a whisper of jasmine
This is another scent I have as a FS already. I love the strength and longevity on it. Very warm, cozy, and heavy on the skin with a nice scent bubble around you. This is a thick, rich vanilla with a darker buttercream. This isn’t ‘sugary’ or tooth-rottingly sweet. This is a rich vanilla that feels grown-up while being tasty. The jasmine is not forefront, but elevates this to ‘something more’ than just a dark salted vanilla buttercream. I think the jasmine ends up making this interesting without turning it green or herbal at all. Gourmand scent, dark vanilla vibes. FS 5/5
Complex vanilla fans.
~
UFO Disco: Mango lassi sprinkled with cardamom, guava, amyris wood and a holographic vanilla musk
Yet another scent I have FS of! This is the mango version of What Big Eyes You Have and I absolutely adore it, though they both give off similar vibes. This has a very tart, bright mango lassi feel with big pops of guava. This is also a scent that people have complimented me on while I was wearing it, once again saying, ‘whatever you wear, you smell of summer!’ If you like mango scents, I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with this one. It’s a lovely, happy scent. 5/5 FS
Mango fans, mango lassi fans, fruit & cream fans.
~
Frostbitten: An opening of evergreen forest gilded with sparkling snow dries down to reveal a super-sexy blend of cardamom, white and dripping golden amber, a hint of caramelized sugar, and a memory of a just-bitten maraschino cherry
As one would expect, this is a very cold scent, giving you the feel of being in a forest in the middle of winter, all alone in the dark with the full moon above. I didn’t find this to be gourmand whatsoever, despite some of the notes. The evergreen is definitely there, so this is icy, coniferous, with just a hint of non-sweet cherry in the background for a tiny bite of color. Cold, green, hint of cherry.
Fans of cold coniferous scents.

Synopsis:

In the realms of Skysea, where destinies are moulded by the pantheon, one young man defies the established order.
Denied Aether on his Adulthood ceremony, Zaire was dragged by cruel whims of fate to somehow awaken Emerald Aether, setting him on the path of a Mage.
But his awakening hardly had anything to do with the pantheon. Deeper secrets reside within him and in the System. Why was he exiled to the backwater village? What did those recurring nightmares and visions entail? And what's with the cursed dagger?
Zaire will search for the answers to them all, but before that, he must master his power. Great evil lurks near his village.

​
Next
Carmel Village, Spring, 3617 years of the System
As the morning of System Inauguration Day dawned, countless individuals awakened with hopes and dreams for what the future held for them. Sadly, Zaire was of a completely different sentiment.
He had risen before the break of dawn, and went through all the rigorous training his mother demanded, and now, found himself on the receiving end of her ruthless thrashing in the spar.
"Move with purpose," Ella barked, her blade poised for the next strike. "I didn't teach you to be sloppy."
His limbs ached from all the exhaustive exercises, leaving him far from his peak during their spar. Not that it would have made a difference—Ella was in a particularly foul mood this morning.
Gritting his teeth, Zaire shifted into a defensive stance, though he didn’t see its purpose with Ella being... Ella. With narrowed eyes, he observed her approach. Despite her tall and heavy stature, she was light on her feet. Her training rod, held high, swung mercilessly towards Zaire in a threatening arc. He managed to block the first strike, but struggled to parry the following ones, barely delaying her advances.
There was no room for him to push forward. Zaire found himself constantly on the defensive, forced to withdraw under the unrelenting onslaught. Each contact between their weapons sent electric spasms through his arms, intensifying the ache.
"No," Ella yelled, her voice piercing the air. Unsatisfied. "I'm not seeing it yet. You are better than this."
Those words struck a nerve within Zaire, prompting him to shift his weight onto his front foot and mount a more committed front. His moves lacked refinement compared to hers, but he put more force behind them, although he knew it would hardly make a difference against a Retired Knight who was well over 200 levels.
But Ella would be more content seeing him trying to get a hit.
"That's more like it," Ella remarked, parrying his attack, a hint of satisfaction in her smile.
They continued sparring for another two minutes, leaving Zaire utterly spent and sprawled on the ground. At that moment, he couldn't help but wish that someone else had adopted him, someone who wouldn't subject him to such gruelling training sessions every morning.
She seriously needed a man in her life, Zaire thought.
"Clean the weapons and tools and you'll have your day," Ella instructed, placing the duelling cane among the rest of the equipment.
Zaire responded with nothing more than a grunt.
"I'll go check on your sister," Ella continued. "Hopefully, she's finished preparing the meal, so we can go to the temple for her awakening."
Zaire remained on the ground, still catching his breath from the exertion his mother had put him through.
Today marked System Inauguration Day, an event where individuals who had reached the age of sixteen would awaken their Aether and embark on the path the gods set for them.
A year ago, Ella was adamant about moulding Zaire into a Knight like herself, despite his fervent aspirations to pursue the path of a Mage. While he displayed considerable skill in swordsmanship and other weapons, Zaire's true passion had always been spellcraft.
He had tirelessly studied spell models and diagrams, fearing that the gods might mistake his talent for swordsmanship and force him into becoming a Knight Squire, as his mother had always desired. Zaire had invested double the effort in learning the spell models than in honing his swordsmanship skills, but it seemed the gods were merciless in their choices.
On his Age day last year, Zaire's dreams of becoming a Mage remained unfulfilled. Matter of fact, he hadn't awakened any Route at all. Completely no reaction from the Aethers.
Even the most humble and unfledged youths of the village had awakened as Woodcutters, Farmers, or Merchants, but Zaire was left without any designation.
The gods had deemed him Routeless. A Faithless Cur.
If only they would grant me another opportunity, Zaire thought, clenching his jaws in frustration. However, he couldn't be certain that it would make any difference. They had attempted various other methods, infusing him with different types of Aether, but most only resulted in agonising concussions and rendered him unconscious.
"Stop gazing at nothing with that long face," a feminine voice broke him through his contemplation abruptly.
Startled, Zaire found himself face to face with Faye, clad in a simple white gown, ready for the Awakening Event. The siblings were strikingly dissimilar in appearance. Faye stood with a full head shorter than him, her features set her apart from the villagers. Her hair was of burning silver, cascading over her shoulders, in contrast to their foster mother Ella’s blonde and his black.
Had it not been for Ella's integrity, Zaire would have suspected that the retired knight had stolen Faye from a noble house. Yet, he was even more perplexed by the implications of her unique features.
It was very likely that Faye was blessed by the Aether. Her pearl eyes and silvery hair were hints of that. He couldn’t think of them as just a coincidence.
His frustration grew with those thoughts.
"If I'm not mistaken, Mum asked you to hone all the weapons and clean everything else," Faye reminded him, breaking the silence. "You're going to get an earful for that."
Zaire grunted as he rose from his seat and made his way to the toolbox. His fingers deftly manoeuvred a knife against the grinding stone, the metallic scraping sound filling the air. Faye lingered in the yard.
"Aren't you missing something?" she asked, eyebrows raised.
Pausing his grinding, Zaire lifted his gaze to meet hers. Clueless
"Aren’t you going to wish me luck?"
"I don't think you'll need any luck from me," he replied with a sigh. "But for what it's worth, I wish you good fortune, Pumpkin. Hopefully, you'll awaken a formidable Route, and Mum will stop nagging about training me to become your Knight."
Ella had expressed her desire for Zaire to become Faye's Knight since she had adopted them. However, Zaire wasn’t so sure about her requiring protection. As far as he was concerned, it was the others who needed protection from her.
Faye arched an eyebrow, looking at all the items scattered around him. All this could take over an hour to finish easily. "I understand that this is difficult for you, but I hope you'll be there during the ceremony."
"What are you talking about?" Zaire responded, his smile beaming brightly. "There's no way I would miss this occasion."
He made sure his words carried genuine excitement and support, assuring her.
Faye beamed as she excitedly returned to the house to prepare for the ceremony. Zaire couldn't help but release a sigh and refocused his attention on his sharpening task.
A few minutes later, Faye emerged from the house along with their mother. She informed Zaire that they expected him to join them in the temple. Knowing that the ceremony would last for a couple of hours, Zaire was confident he would be able to complete his work and catch up with them in due time.
Zaire hastened his grinding pace, swiftly honing the blades one after another. Fatigue began to take its toll, and his arms throbbed. In his haste, the sharp edge of the blade sliced through Zaire's index finger.
“Damnation,” Zaire cursed, jolting his finger, causing crimson blood to splatter across all weapons and tools that surrounded him.
It had already been over half an hour since Faye had departed for the ceremony, and he still had a few daggers left to sharpen. If he were to tend to the cut properly, he definitely would be delayed. Exhaling, Zaire gave a couple of minutes for the blood to stop flowing out and clutched the next weapon in line—a worn dagger with a hilt that had seen better days.
Prepared to resume his grinding, Zaire steadied the dagger against the sharpening stone, this time putting pressure with his palm instead of fingers.
However, to his astonishment, the moment his fingers made contact, the blade began disintegrating into a swirling cloud of black smoke.
“What in the world!” Zaire broke into a fit of uncontrollable coughs as the thick smoke enveloped him, obscuring his vision. Within moments, the smoke dissipated, leaving behind nothing but empty air.
The dagger had vanished, dissipating into thin air as if it had never existed.
Zaire stood frozen in disbelief, his gaze fixated on his empty hands where the weapon should have been. He blinked repeatedly, hoping to get a hint to explain the inexplicable turn of events. He had spent years cleaning and sharpening tools, but he had never encountered anything remotely similar to this disconcerting phenomenon.
"I hope Mum will understand," Zaire muttered to himself, a sense of relief washing over him as he realised that the vanished dagger was not one of the cherished weapons.
After completing his errands, Zaire swiftly changed into a more presentable tunic, eager to make his way towards the temple.
Carmel Village, situated on the very fringe of the empire, could easily be labelled as a secluded backwater village. Despite its remote location, it possessed an old temple devoted to Goddess Solas. Solas, one of the twelve prominent deities of the Skysea, the Mistress of Union and Harmony. The folks of Carmel were pretty diverse in their faith, but it didn’t stop them to crowd over the old temple on occasions such as this.
Nestled amidst a serene expanse of wheat fields, the temple stood as a weathered and unpretentious chapel that seemed to have withstood the test of time. Clearly failing to reflect the true grandeur and influence associated with the primordial goddess.
Time had taken its toll on the temple, evident with the stonewalls bearing marks of weathering. A similar, if not more, withered stone arches led his path to the sanctuary where people crowded over, clamouring. As Zaire crossed the arches, a modest statue at the heart of the plaza came into his sight. One simply couldn’t assume that to be a statue of the goddess without context, considering it was challenging to determine whether the statue depicted a male or female figure.
Zaire ventured inside, only to be met with a sea of people obstructing his path. The number of adults in attendance far surpassed the youths present for the ceremony. Zaire's eyes swiftly located the two women with their distinct blonde and silvery hair, positioned on one side of the gathering. To his surprise, it seemed that they had also noticed him, as Ella pointed him out to the young girl and waved her hand in his direction.
After a couple of good minutes of shoving and wrestling with the people, Zaire managed to reach them, but he was already breathless by that point. It appeared that Faye was patiently awaiting her turn, as the guest priest called individuals forward one by one to the Ascendant Pool in the other chamber.
Fortunately, the priest conducting the ceremony was not the same one who liked to blabber too much during Zaire's previous visit. Nevertheless, an unsettling restlessness settled in his stomach as he regarded others.
"Are you alright?" Ella asked, concern laced in her voice.
"I'm fine," he replied, "just a bit breathless from the sprint."
"It's good that you came," his foster mother interjected. "I understand this isn't easy for you, but you must realise there are other paths beyond what the gods set us for."
Zaire clenched and unclenched his jaw, choosing to remain silent as he settled himself in a corner, leaning against the wall. They had indeed explored other avenues, ones that diverged from paths the pantheons chose for them, but none had brought about any meaningful change within him, except subjecting him to excruciating agony.
Regardless, it was Faye's special day, and he couldn't make it all about himself. Taking a deep breath, he adopted a carefree expression and engaged in conversation with his family.
The newly appointed guest priest for the ceremony appeared to be a stern man. Observing the chaotic gathering in the hall, which was no better than a bustling fish market, he dismissed the families who had already completed their ceremonies. Even among those still present, he allowed only two relatives to accompany the youths of appropriate age.
In a matter of seconds, the hall grew more spacious as more than half the attendees dispersed.
"Now we'll have fewer people bothering Faye once she completes her ceremony," Zaire joked, playfully nudging the silver-haired would-be maiden on the shoulder.
Faye snorted in response. "What, you think I'd enjoy when boys pester me until Mum has to brandish her sword to scare them away?"
Faye glowered at him, but upon witnessing his laughter, she couldn't help but burst into giggles herself. Her nervousness about the ceremony subsided significantly.
Zaire scoffed, exclaiming, "What are you even worried about? You got this."
“It’s just that. . .” Faye's voice trailed off. She didn't need to finish her sentence because Zaire understood her fears all too well. She dreaded the possibility of her ceremony turning out exactly like his. Her unique traits made her more apprehensive than confident.
"You'll be fine," Zaire reassured her, gently patting her head. Being a head taller than her, it was effortless for him to make her feel small and comforted. But that’ll end soon. . .
In quick succession, people gradually cleared out, and within half an hour, the hall was nearly empty, with only three more families remaining for the ceremony.
"Oh, crap! I need to go," Zaire exclaimed abruptly, startling both Faye and their foster mother. "Nature calls." He provided a curt explanation for his sudden departure and hastily rushed out of the temple.
Zaire swiftly made his way out of the hall, the sparse number of people remaining making his way out easier. However, in his haste, he failed to consider the possibility of encountering folks just outside the door.
Zaire caught sight of locks of golden hair just before colliding with someone the moment he emerged from the door. It was a young girl who had just undergone her age ceremony and ended up falling alone from the impact.
Zaire stumbled, barely regaining his balance and scattered attention until he could finally discern who he had collided with.
"Diana," Zaire instinctively called out, stooping down to extend a helping hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."
"You shouldn't be running inside the temple," Diana said, raising her right arm to inspect the bruise on her elbow. Her eyes were teary.
"I’m really sorry," Zaire repeated, more genuinely.
"It's alright," Diana sighed, accepting his arm and allowing him to assist her in standing up. Her expression showed she was bothered by something else entirely other than the little bruise she got from the collision. It could be that she didn’t get the right class she desired.
If it weren’t for the urgency, Zaire would have stayed there for a few minutes to listen to her and reassure her. But the growing pressure in his bladder made it harder for him to be considerate.
Regardless, the situation didn’t conclude there as Zaire hoped, as he found a group of youths led by Alex, a blond youth who went through Ella’s for a few months.
There was no way in hell they could resist the urge to aid a damsel in distress. Granted, in this particular instance, the damsel was only mildly bruised, but you try to explain that to them.
"I wondered who else would have the audacity to act so impudently within the sacred temple," Alex interjected. The blond youth had undergone his ceremony last year, along with Zaire. "Of course, it had to be you, Zaire. Why are you even here? Hoping to partake in the awakening ceremony once again?"
Alex didn't miss the chance to strike where it hurt the most. However, his counterparts were one level above him.
"Fat chance of that," Kash, a short, mousey-looking black-haired boy of their age, chimed in. "Ignoring everything, his blatant behaviour in the goddess's temple alone shows that he's unsuited for the path."
"Kash, we're all aware of your lack of intelligence," Zaire retorted, more irritated than angry. "No need to open your mouth and prove it to us again."
The mousey-looking youth glared at Zaire before turning his attention to the others. "Did I say something wrong?" he barked. "You have no fibre of reverence for the goddess. Why do you think you're still lost and—"
Zaire stifled a yawn. "I have more important matters to attend to than engaging in a pointless argument with you lots,”
The persistent pressure in his bladder reminded him of the true urgency at hand. With an apologetic smile directed at the blonde maiden, he hurried away.
Tackling the argument, Zaire now faced another predicament he had no time to dwell upon. While the temple may have been humble and worn out, it still resided within the holy embrace of the goddess. How could he commit sacrilege by pissing in its vicinity?
However, the pressure continued to mount, leaving Zaire with no other option but to retreat to the rear of the sacred grounds. Discreetly, he found a secluded spot merely a few blocks away from the hallowed area.
To an outsider, it might still appear blasphemous, but he clung to hope that the goddess would be more understanding than her devotees.
Zaire let out a deep exhale, a mixture of relief and frustration intertwining within him. His shoulders slumped as he directed his gaze towards the imposing statue of the goddess perched atop the temple's peak.
Zaire gritted his teeth. Why was it only me? What have I ever done? He wanted to ask her, but he had asked such questions countless times already. The goddess, to her credit, remained silent all these time.
Abruptly, he found his attention fixated on a small window high on the stone wall as Alex’s words resurfaced in his mind.
Without conscious thought, Zaire found himself scaling the walls, driven by an inexplicable force. He climbed towards the window that led to the ceremonial chamber.
Zaire wasn’t even sure what he was trying to prove or if he even thought of the consequences when he latched himself on the window ledge. It was simply an impulse.
Soft rays of sunlight filtered through stained-glass windows, casting a gentle glow upon the worn stone floors of the ceremonial chamber as Zaire cast his sight inside. Amidst the hallowed walls, tapestries, and murals that tell stories of the goddess, Zaire found the small pool next to the altar where another Goddess’s statue stood, in far better shape than the one outside.
A young boy, now an adult, just completed his ceremony and departed. Within a minute, Zaire caught sight of the blond priest ushering Faye into the room. Instinctively, Zaire lowered his head, ensuring to directly not to stare at the high-level priest of the goddess.
The priest focused solely on his sister, guiding her towards the pool. Faye approached the small pool with a reserved expression, her gaze fixed upon the clear and dense water that seemed to possess an otherworldly quality. The surface of the water reflected light differently from ordinary water, as thin misty smoke puffed out.
Faye hesitated for a moment, her mind enveloped in a flurry of unknown thoughts.
"Do not resist the Aether, Daughter," the priest advised, his voice carrying a tone of solemnity. "Embrace its essence, open your heart to the Goddess and let her lead you to your designated path."
Gathering her wits, Faye stepped into the pool, allowing herself to be completely submerged in the hallowed water. Zaire, observing from above, couldn't help but feel a tinge of anxiety.
However, any doubts he harboured dissipated as he witnessed a radiant white glow emanating from the Ascendant pool. Faye emerged from the water, her figure outlined by a blinding light that enveloped her form.
"Blessed! Solus!" exclaimed the priest, his voice filled with astonishment. "The Dream Aether, I knew it."
The intense white light faded as swiftly as it had materialised, leaving Faye slightly disoriented. Her eyes shimmered with an ethereal glow, reminiscent of light dancing through her pearl eyes. A moment later, everything returned to normal.
Dream Aether, Zaire thought, that has to be the rarest form of Aether under ordinary circumstances.
Zaire had his suspicions about it for years. Regardless, this changed everything.
The priest knew it too. If the priest had previously held a mild interest in his sister, now he was entirely captivated, granting her his undivided attention.
"Come on," the priest ushered her out. "I'll explain things more clearly to you, and I shall need to have a conversation with your mother. You have a bright future ahead of you, Fair Lady."
With them gone, Zaire had the room all to himself for whatever he wanted to try. However, he still waited for a couple of minutes, even though the priest had shut the door behind him, signalling the end of the ceremony.
The latch of the stained-glass window opened effortlessly as if it were a sign from the goddess to guide him into the ceremonial chamber. The opening was spacious enough for him to slide in without any trouble. However, the landing posed a challenge, considering he was still about three and a half metres above the ground.
Zaire couldn't afford to cause any disturbance, so he held onto the window ledge and dangled his legs downward. Preparing himself, he leapt like a house cat, albeit only on his feet.
His landing was nearly perfect, causing minimal disturbance. But that didn't give him an advantage; he had to finish this quickly and make his exit before anyone noticed.
Zaire cast one last glance at the statue of the goddess on the altar, his right palm clasped over his heart in a praying manner.
Then he submerged in the cold water. Instantly, a chill rushed through his spine. Unlike what happened to Faye, nothing developed in his case as he remained underwater, controlling his breathing.
The priests had instructed them to be open to the Aether and not resist it. However, how could Zaire resist anything when there was no reaction from the water, except for the uncomfortable shivers coursing through his body?
It was exactly like the previous time, no reaction, and… Zaire's thought process abruptly halted as he noticed the water starting to swirl around him in a terrifying surge.
Zaire couldn't even comprehend what was happening to him as the chill spread through his body and mind, completely stunning him. The priest had advised not to resist, but he wasn't sure if he could even if he tried.
[Awakening conditions met... Initiating Protocol... Analysing...]
[Soul curse remnants discovered.]
[Creating link.]
[Link complete...]
Zaire was completely taken aback, overwhelmed by the unfolding events. And before long, he lost consciousness...
[Purging the curse remnants...]
[ETA: 11:43:12]
Next

I have been using Cloud 2 for around 2 years and haven't had any problems until now.
When I was using it about a week ago, the battery life was shorter than usual, around 8 hours before turning off by itself and has been decreasing ever since. Now I can't even use the headset without it being wired. If I disconnect it, it instantly turns off. Ngenuity tells me the headset is at 100%, but I don't think the software is right.
Does anyone know what the problem might be?

For sale fragrance decants/samples, prices are listed below in US dollars. All atomizers come in black plastic spray bottles with a lid & individually marked with labels. Shipping Canada $10 USD, USA $10 USD (Limited time sale by Canada Post old price was $13 USD) first class airmail with tracking. I accept PayPal G&S (please pay any associated fees to PayPal) or Interac (Canada Only no fees), Local Pickup in Vancouver, BC, Canada is also possible, please pm/chat me if you are interested.
Feedback, Photos & Fragrantica Page:
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/fragranceswap/search/?q=redline-007&restrict\_sr=1&sr\_nsfw=&type=comment
eBay: https://feedback.ebay.ca/fdbk/feedback\_profile/silver.\*.star
Photos: https://imgur.com/a/Vlhetr8
Fragrantica Page https://www.fragrantica.com/membe1450019
The Price list is in USD and updated on 06.08.2023
ARMANI Acqua Di GIO 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - 9.50, 10 ML - $17.50
ARMANI Acqua Di GIO Eau de Parfum 2022 - 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - 10.50, 10 ML - $18.50
ARMANI Acqua Di GIO ABSOLU 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Profondo 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Profondo Lights 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Profumo 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Stronger with You 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Stronger Intensely 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Stronger Absolutely 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI City Glam 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Si Fiori 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
ARMANI Si Passione 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
ARMANI Code Feme 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
AZZARO Wanted By Night 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $13.50
AZZARO The Most Wanted EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
AZZARO The Most Wanted PARFUM 2022 - 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
Atelier Cologne Oud Saphir 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Atelier Cologne Clementine California 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Atelier Cologne Rose Anonyme 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Atelier Cologne Bois Blonds 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Amouage Interlude Black Iris 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $16.50
Amouage Interlude Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $16.50
Amouage Meander 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Enclave 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Lyric Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Boundless 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Memoir Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Dia Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Jubilation XXV 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Beach Hut Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Epic Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Reflection Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Beloved Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Aedes De Venustas Grenadille d’Afrique 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
Atelier des Ors Rose Omeyyade 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
ACQUA Di PARMA Colonia Intenza 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
Acqua Di Parma Bergamotto Di Calabria 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
Acqua Di Parma Chinotto Di Liguria 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
ACQUA Di PARMA OUD EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $16
ACQUA Di PARMA Colonia Leather 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $16
ACQUA Di PARMA Colonia MIRRA 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
ACQUA Di PARMA FICO di AMALFI 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
Acqua di Parma Arancia di Capri 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
Acqua Di Parma Colonia Club 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
ACQUA Di PARMA Colonia Quercia 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Acqua Di Parma Mandorlo Di Sicilia 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
Acqua Di Parma Mirto Di Panarea 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
ACQUA Di PARMA Colonia Essenza 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
ARIANA GRANDE Cloud 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $20
Anna Sui Flight of Fancy 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $16
Al Haramain L’Aventure 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
Al Harmain L’Aventure Blanche 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
ARMAF CDNIM 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
ARMAF CDNIM Parfum Version 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $18
ARMAF CDNIM Milestone 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $18
ARMAF Tres Nuit 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
ARMAF Derby Club House 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
BURBERRY Mr. Burberry 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
BURBERRY Mr. Burberry EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
Bond 9 New York Nights 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50, 10 ML - $25.50
Bond 9 Chinatown 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML- $15.50, 10 ML - $25.50
BVLGARI Goldea The Roman Night 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $17.50
BENTLEY INTENSE Eau de Parfum 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $18
BERDOUES Collection Perfumes GRAND CRU Eau de parfum made in FRANCE:
MILLÉSIME OUD WA VANILLIA - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
MAASAÏ MARA - 2 ML - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
SOMEI YOSHINO - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
PÉNG LÁI - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
AZUR RIVERA - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
Banana Republic ICON COLLECTION Eau de Parfum:
Tobacco & Tonka Bean - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
Gardenia & Cardamom - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
83 Leather Reserve - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
Dark Cherry & Amber - 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $9, 10 ML- $17.50
Neroli Woods - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
17 Oud Mosaic - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
78 Vintage Green - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
Peony & Peppercorn - - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
Linen Vetiver - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
90 Pure White - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
06 Black Platinum - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
Cypress Cedar - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
CARNER BARCELONA Botafumeiro - 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $9, 10ML - $17.50
CARNER BARCELONA Ambar Del Sur - 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $9, 10ML - $17.50
CHANEL Gabrielle Essence 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Bleu 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Bleu EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Bleu Parfum 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $16.50
CHANEL Allure 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Allure Homme Sport 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Allure Homme Sport Cologne 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Egoiste Platinum 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Pour Monsieur EDP 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $16.50
Creed Aventus 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $20.50
Creed Aventus 10th Anniversary 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50
Creed Aventus Cologne 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50
Creed Aventus For Her 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50
Creed Viking 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Viking Cologne 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed EROLFA 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Neroli Sauvage 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Millesime Imperial 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Original Vetiver 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Original Santal 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Green Irish Tweed 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Royal Oud 2 ML - $14.50, 5 ML - $33.50
Creed Himalaya 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Tabarome 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Bois du Portugal 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Virgin Island Water 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Silver Mountain Water 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Royal Maifair 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Royal Water 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Royal Princess Oud 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Creed Pure White Cologne 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Creed Jardin d’Amalfi 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Creed White Amber 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Carolina Herrera Saffron Lazuli 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50, 10 ML - $45.50
Carolina Herrera Bad Boy 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
CARTIER Pasha Parfum 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
CHOPARD Amber Malaki 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML - $10.50
COACH New York Eau De Parfum 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
COSTUME NATIONAL Soul 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Calvin Klein ETERNITY 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $12.50
Calvin Klein Truth 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $12.50
Calvin Klein Truth for Her 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $12.50
COTY ASPEN 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
DIOR Fahrenheit EDT 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
DIOR Fahrenheit Le Parfum 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
DIOR Homme 2020 EDT 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
DIOR Homme Le Parfum 2020 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50 (RARE)
DIOR Homme ORIGINAL 2021 EDT - 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $17.50 (NEW & RARE)
DIOR Homme Cologne 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
DIOR SAUVAGE EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
DIOR SAUVAGE Parfum 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $17.50
DIOR EAU SAUVAGE PARFUM 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
DIOR EAU SAUVAGE EXTREME 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
DIOR Jadore EDT 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
DIOR Addict Shine 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
Dolce & Gabbana The One EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
D & G The One INTENSE EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $18.50
D & G Velvet Amber Sun EDP 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Dolce & Gabbana K (KING) 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $13.50
Dolce & Gabbana K (KING) EDP 2020 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
Dolce & Gabbana INTENSO EDP 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue For Her 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
D & G Light Blue Eau Intense 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
D & G Light Blue Intense For Her 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
DIESEL Spirit of The Brave 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $14.50
Demeter Pineapple 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $14
Elizabeth & James White Nirvana 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
Etat Libre d’Orange You or Someone Else 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $9.50, 10 ML - $17.50
English Laundry Windsor 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
English Laundry Notting Hill 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.25, 10 ML - $48
Francis Kurkdjian L’Homme A la Rose 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
Francis Kurkdjian Grand Soir 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $22.50
Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 - 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50
Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Francis Kurkdjian Oud Extrait 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Francis Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood EDP 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50
Francis Kurkdjian Oud Silk Mood Extrait 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Francis Kurkdjian Petit Matin EDP 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universalis 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Vitae 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Guerlain Oud Essentiel 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50, 10 ML - $20.50
Guerlain Shalimar Eau de Parfum 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50, 10 ML - $19.50
Guerlain Mon Guerlain EDP 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50, 10 ML - $19.50
GUCCI Guilty EDT 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
GUCCI Guilty Pour Homme EDP 2020 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
GUCCI Guilty OUD 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $14.50
GUCCI Guilty Love Edition 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
GUCCI Made To Measure 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
GUCCI Bloom Profumo 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $13.50
Geoffrey Beene Grey Flannel 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $4.50, 10 ML - $8.50
Giorgio Beverly Hills Wings 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5, 10 ML - $9
HERMES Terre EDT 2 ML - $5, 5 ML - $10.50
HERMES Terre Parfum 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
HERMES H24 2 ML - $5, 5 ML - $10.50
HERMES TWILLY Eau De Parfum - 2 ML - $5
HERMES Rhubarbe Ecarlate - 2 ML - $5
HERMES D'Orange Verte - 2 ML - $5
HERMES Un Jardin Sur Le Toit 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
HUGO BOSS Bottled 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
HUGO BOSS Bottled EDP 2020 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
HUGO BOSS Bottled Intense 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
HUGO BOSS Bottled Infinite 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
HUGO BOSS Bottled Night 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
HUGO BOSS Hugo Reversed 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
HUGO BOSS FEME 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $15.50
INITIO Oud For Greatness 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
INITIO Side Effect 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
INITIO Atomic Rose 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
INITIO Musk Therapy 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
INITIO Rehab 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
ISSEY MIYAKE Pulse Of The Night 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
ISSEY MIYAKE L'Eau d'Issey Noir Ambre 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
ISSEY MIYAKE L'Eau d'Issey For Man 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML -$10.50
ISSEY MIYAKE FUSION D'ISSEY 2020 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
Jo Malone Myrrh & Tonka 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Parfum 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male SnowGlobe 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
JOHN VARVATOS OUD EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
KILIAN Let's Settle in the Bedroom like Adults 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $10.50
KILIAN Angel's Share 2 ML - $12.50
LACOSTE L.12.12 EDT 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
LACOSTE L.12.12 EDP 2020 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10
LACOSTE Inspiration 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
LACOSTE Touch of Pink 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
Lattafa Oud For Glory Bade Al Oud (Initio Oud for Greatness Clone) 2 ML -$3, 5 ML -$7,10 ML $14
Lattafa Velvet Oud EDP (Tom Ford Ombre Leather Clone) 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML - $14
Lattafa Woody Oud (Tom Ford Oud Wood Clone) 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML - $14
Lattafa Alhambra Rose Petals EDP (Tom Ford Rose Prick Clone) 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML -$14
Lattafa Khamrah (Killian's Angels Share Clone) 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML - $14
L'Aventure Blanche Al Haramain EDP 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
Lalique Encre Noire 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
Lalique Encre Noire A L'extreme 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
LANCOME Hypnose 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10
LANCOME La Vie Est Belle 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
Mancera Aoud Lemon Mint 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10.50, 5ML - $17.50
Mancera Cedrat Boise 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10.50, 5ML - $17.50
Mancera Black Intensitive Aoud 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10.50, 5ML - $17.50
Mancera Instant Crush 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10.50, 5ML - $17.50
Martin Margiela By the fireplace 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
Martin Margiela Sailing Day 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
Martin Margiela By the Lemon Trees 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
MONTBLANC Explorer 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $14.50
MONTBLANC Legend EDP 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
MONTBLANC Legend Night 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
MONTBLANC Individuel 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
MOSCHINO Toy Boy EDP 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
MUGLER A*Men Pure Havane 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $11
MUGLER Cologne 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10.50, 10ML - $17.50
Mercedes Benz Club Black 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $13.50
Mercedes Benz SELECT 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $13.50
Marc Jacobs DECADENCE 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Miu Miu Miu Miu 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
NAUTICA Voyage 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML - $13.50
Narcisco Rodrigues For Her EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $11.25
Nasomatto Black Afgano 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $23
Nasomatto Baraonda 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $23
Nasomatto Pardon 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $23
Nasomatto Duro 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $23
Ormonde Jayne Tolu 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $15.50
PACO RABANNE XS 2018 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $12.50
Penhaligon - The Favourite Eau De Parfum 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Greenley 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Kuhuyan 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Akaster 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Percival 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Kalan 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Darley 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Nisean 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Habdan 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Pegasus 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Pegasus Exclusif 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $17.50
Parfums de Marly Layton 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Layton Exclusif 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $17.50
Parfums de Marly Oajan 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Sedley 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Shagya 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Godolphin 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Galloway 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Carlisle 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Herod 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Prada Marienbad 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Prada Day for Night 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Prada L’Homme 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Prada L’Homme INTENSE 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Prada Luna Rossa Carbon 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Prada Luna Rossa OCEAN 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
PINO Selvestre Original 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $13.50
ROCHAS Moustache EDP 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10
Reyane Tradition Insurrection II Pure Extreme 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML - $11.50
Ralph Lauren POLO BLUE EDP 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML-$15.50
Ralph Lauren POLO RED 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $14.50
Ralph Lauren Blue 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Ralph Lauren Pure Turquoise 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10
Revlon Charlie Red 5 ML - $2.50, 10 ML - $5.50
Revlon Charlie Gold 5 ML - $2.50, 10 ML - $5.50
Serge Lutens Chergui 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
Serge Lutens Clair de Musc 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Serge Lutens La Couche du Diable 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
SHISEIDO Relaxing Fragrance 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $22.50 (Discntd/hard to find)
Swiss Arabian Royal Mystery EDP 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
SEAN JOHN Unforgivable 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $16.50
Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10
Teo Cabanel Barkhane 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
Tiziana Terenzi Ursa 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Tiziana Terenzi Chimaera Extrait De Parfum 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $17.50
TOM FORD Ombre Leather EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
TOM FORD Grey Vetiver EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
TOM FORD Beau De Jour EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
TOM FORD Black Orchid Parfum 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
TOM FORD NOIR EDP 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $19.50 NEW
TOM FORD NOIR EXTREME EDP 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $19.50 NEW
TOM FORD NOIR EXTREME PARFUM 2022 EDP 2 ML - $11.50, 5 ML - $23.50 NEW
TOM FORD OUD WOOD EDP Private Blend 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50
TOM FORD Tuscan Leather EDP Private Blend 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
TOM FORD Venetian Bergamot Private Blend Discntd. 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
TOM FORD COSTA AZZURRA EDT 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
TOM FORD COSTA AZZURRA 2021 EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
TOM FORD COSTA AZZURRA EDP Private Blend Discntd. 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $21.50
STERLING JUST JACK COLLECTION by ARMAF Eau De Parfum (Clones of Tom Ford fragrances):
TOBACCO LEAF (TOBACCO VANILLE Clone) 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
NEROLI (NEROLI PORTOFINO Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
HOMME NOIR (NOIR Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
NOIR ENDURANCE (NOIR EXTREME Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
BLACK IS BLACK (NOIR DE NOIR Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
OMBRE SUEDE (OMBRE LEATHER Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
FANTA FAB (THE Fuckxxing FABULOUS Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
ITALIAN LEATHER (TUSCAN LEATHER Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
Tommy Bahama Set Sail St. Barts 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
Torry Burch Torry Burch 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
Usher UR 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
Viktor & Rolf SpiceBomb 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Viktor & Rolf SpiceBomb Extreme 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Viktor & Rolf SpiceBomb Infrared 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Viktor & Rolf FlowerBomb 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
VERSACE Man Eau Fraiche 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $9, 10 ML - $15.50
VERSACE DYLAN Blue 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
VERSACE Pour Homme 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
VERSACE EROS EDT 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $9
VERSACE EROS EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
VERSACE EROS FLAME 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
VERSACE Pour Homme OUD NOIR EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
VERSACE Bright Crystal 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Ambre Impérial Van Cleef & Arpels 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Xerjoff Erba Pura 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Xerjoff Naxos 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Xerjoff Lira 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
YSL Y EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
YSL L’Homme EDT 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $9.50
YSL La Nuit de L’Homme EDT 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $9.50
YSL L’Homme Le Parfum 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
YSL La Nuit de L’Homme Le Parfum 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
YSL LIBRE EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
YSL Tuxedo 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
YSL Caban 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
YSL Trench 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
YSL 37 rue de Bellechasse 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $17.50
ZARA Denim Couture 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $4, 10 ML - $8
4711 Original Eau de Cologne 4711 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5, 10 ML - $9

For sale fragrance decants/samples, prices are listed below in US dollars. All atomizers come in black plastic spray bottles with a lid & individually marked with labels. Shipping Canada $10 USD, USA $10 USD (Limited time sale by Canada Post old price was $13 USD) first class airmail with tracking. I accept PayPal G&S (please pay any associated fees to PayPal) or Interac (Canada Only no fees), Local Pickup in Vancouver, BC, Canada is also possible, please pm/chat me if you are interested.
Feedback, Photos & Fragrantica Page:
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/fragranceswap/search/?q=redline-007&restrict\_sr=1&sr\_nsfw=&type=comment
eBay: https://feedback.ebay.ca/fdbk/feedback\_profile/silver.\*.star
Photos: https://imgur.com/a/Vlhetr8
Fragrantica Page https://www.fragrantica.com/membe1450019
The Price list is in USD and updated on 06.08.2023
ARMANI Acqua Di GIO 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - 9.50, 10 ML - $17.50
ARMANI Acqua Di GIO Eau de Parfum 2022 - 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - 10.50, 10 ML - $18.50
ARMANI Acqua Di GIO ABSOLU 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Profondo 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Profondo Lights 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Profumo 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Stronger with You 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Stronger Intensely 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Stronger Absolutely 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI City Glam 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
ARMANI Si Fiori 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
ARMANI Si Passione 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
ARMANI Code Feme 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
AZZARO Wanted By Night 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $13.50
AZZARO The Most Wanted EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
AZZARO The Most Wanted PARFUM 2022 - 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
Atelier Cologne Oud Saphir 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Atelier Cologne Clementine California 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Atelier Cologne Rose Anonyme 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Atelier Cologne Bois Blonds 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Amouage Interlude Black Iris 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $16.50
Amouage Interlude Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $16.50
Amouage Meander 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Enclave 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Lyric Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Boundless 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Memoir Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Dia Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Jubilation XXV 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Beach Hut Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Epic Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Reflection Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Amouage Beloved Man 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Aedes De Venustas Grenadille d’Afrique 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
Atelier des Ors Rose Omeyyade 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
ACQUA Di PARMA Colonia Intenza 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
Acqua Di Parma Bergamotto Di Calabria 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
Acqua Di Parma Chinotto Di Liguria 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
ACQUA Di PARMA OUD EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $16
ACQUA Di PARMA Colonia Leather 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $16
ACQUA Di PARMA Colonia MIRRA 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
ACQUA Di PARMA FICO di AMALFI 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
Acqua di Parma Arancia di Capri 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
Acqua Di Parma Colonia Club 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
ACQUA Di PARMA Colonia Quercia 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Acqua Di Parma Mandorlo Di Sicilia 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
Acqua Di Parma Mirto Di Panarea 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
ACQUA Di PARMA Colonia Essenza 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50
ARIANA GRANDE Cloud 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $20
Anna Sui Flight of Fancy 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $16
Al Haramain L’Aventure 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
Al Harmain L’Aventure Blanche 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
ARMAF CDNIM 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
ARMAF CDNIM Parfum Version 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $18
ARMAF CDNIM Milestone 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $18
ARMAF Tres Nuit 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
ARMAF Derby Club House 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
BURBERRY Mr. Burberry 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
BURBERRY Mr. Burberry EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $15.50
Bond 9 New York Nights 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50, 10 ML - $25.50
Bond 9 Chinatown 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML- $15.50, 10 ML - $25.50
BVLGARI Goldea The Roman Night 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $17.50
BENTLEY INTENSE Eau de Parfum 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $18
BERDOUES Collection Perfumes GRAND CRU Eau de parfum made in FRANCE:
MILLÉSIME OUD WA VANILLIA - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
MAASAÏ MARA - 2 ML - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
SOMEI YOSHINO - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
PÉNG LÁI - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
AZUR RIVERA - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
Banana Republic ICON COLLECTION Eau de Parfum:
Tobacco & Tonka Bean - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
Gardenia & Cardamom - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
83 Leather Reserve - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
Dark Cherry & Amber - 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $9, 10 ML- $17.50
Neroli Woods - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
17 Oud Mosaic - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
78 Vintage Green - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
Peony & Peppercorn - - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
Linen Vetiver - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
90 Pure White - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
06 Black Platinum - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
Cypress Cedar - 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML- $13.50
CARNER BARCELONA Botafumeiro - 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $9, 10ML - $17.50
CARNER BARCELONA Ambar Del Sur - 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $9, 10ML - $17.50
CHANEL Gabrielle Essence 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Bleu 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Bleu EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Bleu Parfum 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $16.50
CHANEL Allure 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Allure Homme Sport 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Allure Homme Sport Cologne 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Egoiste Platinum 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
CHANEL Pour Monsieur EDP 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $16.50
Creed Aventus 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $20.50
Creed Aventus 10th Anniversary 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50
Creed Aventus Cologne 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50
Creed Aventus For Her 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50
Creed Viking 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Viking Cologne 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed EROLFA 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Neroli Sauvage 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Millesime Imperial 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Original Vetiver 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Original Santal 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Green Irish Tweed 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Royal Oud 2 ML - $14.50, 5 ML - $33.50
Creed Himalaya 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Tabarome 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Bois du Portugal 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Virgin Island Water 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Silver Mountain Water 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Royal Maifair 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Royal Water 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Creed Royal Princess Oud 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Creed Pure White Cologne 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Creed Jardin d’Amalfi 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Creed White Amber 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Carolina Herrera Saffron Lazuli 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50, 10 ML - $45.50
Carolina Herrera Bad Boy 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
CARTIER Pasha Parfum 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
CHOPARD Amber Malaki 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML - $10.50
COACH New York Eau De Parfum 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
COSTUME NATIONAL Soul 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Calvin Klein ETERNITY 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $12.50
Calvin Klein Truth 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $12.50
Calvin Klein Truth for Her 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $12.50
COTY ASPEN 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
DIOR Fahrenheit EDT 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
DIOR Fahrenheit Le Parfum 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
DIOR Homme 2020 EDT 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
DIOR Homme Le Parfum 2020 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50 (RARE)
DIOR Homme ORIGINAL 2021 EDT - 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $17.50 (NEW & RARE)
DIOR Homme Cologne 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
DIOR SAUVAGE EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
DIOR SAUVAGE Parfum 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $17.50
DIOR EAU SAUVAGE PARFUM 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
DIOR EAU SAUVAGE EXTREME 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
DIOR Jadore EDT 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
DIOR Addict Shine 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
Dolce & Gabbana The One EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
D & G The One INTENSE EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50, 10 ML - $18.50
D & G Velvet Amber Sun EDP 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Dolce & Gabbana K (KING) 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $13.50
Dolce & Gabbana K (KING) EDP 2020 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
Dolce & Gabbana INTENSO EDP 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue For Her 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
D & G Light Blue Eau Intense 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
D & G Light Blue Intense For Her 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
DIESEL Spirit of The Brave 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $14.50
Demeter Pineapple 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $14
Elizabeth & James White Nirvana 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
Etat Libre d’Orange You or Someone Else 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $9.50, 10 ML - $17.50
English Laundry Windsor 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
English Laundry Notting Hill 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.25, 10 ML - $48
Francis Kurkdjian L’Homme A la Rose 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
Francis Kurkdjian Grand Soir 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $22.50
Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 - 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50
Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Francis Kurkdjian Oud Extrait 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Francis Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood EDP 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50
Francis Kurkdjian Oud Silk Mood Extrait 2 ML - $12.50, 5 ML - $30.50
Francis Kurkdjian Petit Matin EDP 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universalis 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Vitae 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $18.50
Guerlain Oud Essentiel 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50, 10 ML - $20.50
Guerlain Shalimar Eau de Parfum 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50, 10 ML - $19.50
Guerlain Mon Guerlain EDP 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $11.50, 10 ML - $19.50
GUCCI Guilty EDT 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
GUCCI Guilty Pour Homme EDP 2020 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
GUCCI Guilty OUD 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $14.50
GUCCI Guilty Love Edition 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
GUCCI Made To Measure 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
GUCCI Bloom Profumo 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $13.50
Geoffrey Beene Grey Flannel 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $4.50, 10 ML - $8.50
Giorgio Beverly Hills Wings 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5, 10 ML - $9
HERMES Terre EDT 2 ML - $5, 5 ML - $10.50
HERMES Terre Parfum 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
HERMES H24 2 ML - $5, 5 ML - $10.50
HERMES TWILLY Eau De Parfum - 2 ML - $5
HERMES Rhubarbe Ecarlate - 2 ML - $5
HERMES D'Orange Verte - 2 ML - $5
HERMES Un Jardin Sur Le Toit 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
HUGO BOSS Bottled 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
HUGO BOSS Bottled EDP 2020 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
HUGO BOSS Bottled Intense 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $17.50
HUGO BOSS Bottled Infinite 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
HUGO BOSS Bottled Night 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
HUGO BOSS Hugo Reversed 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
HUGO BOSS FEME 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $15.50
INITIO Oud For Greatness 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
INITIO Side Effect 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
INITIO Atomic Rose 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
INITIO Musk Therapy 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
INITIO Rehab 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
ISSEY MIYAKE Pulse Of The Night 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
ISSEY MIYAKE L'Eau d'Issey Noir Ambre 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
ISSEY MIYAKE L'Eau d'Issey For Man 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML -$10.50
ISSEY MIYAKE FUSION D'ISSEY 2020 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
Jo Malone Myrrh & Tonka 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Parfum 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male SnowGlobe 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
JOHN VARVATOS OUD EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
KILIAN Let's Settle in the Bedroom like Adults 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $10.50
KILIAN Angel's Share 2 ML - $12.50
LACOSTE L.12.12 EDT 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
LACOSTE L.12.12 EDP 2020 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10
LACOSTE Inspiration 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
LACOSTE Touch of Pink 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
Lattafa Oud For Glory Bade Al Oud (Initio Oud for Greatness Clone) 2 ML -$3, 5 ML -$7,10 ML $14
Lattafa Velvet Oud EDP (Tom Ford Ombre Leather Clone) 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML - $14
Lattafa Woody Oud (Tom Ford Oud Wood Clone) 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML - $14
Lattafa Alhambra Rose Petals EDP (Tom Ford Rose Prick Clone) 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML -$14
Lattafa Khamrah (Killian's Angels Share Clone) 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML - $14
L'Aventure Blanche Al Haramain EDP 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
Lalique Encre Noire 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
Lalique Encre Noire A L'extreme 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
LANCOME Hypnose 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10
LANCOME La Vie Est Belle 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
Mancera Aoud Lemon Mint 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10.50, 5ML - $17.50
Mancera Cedrat Boise 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10.50, 5ML - $17.50
Mancera Black Intensitive Aoud 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10.50, 5ML - $17.50
Mancera Instant Crush 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10.50, 5ML - $17.50
Martin Margiela By the fireplace 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
Martin Margiela Sailing Day 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
Martin Margiela By the Lemon Trees 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
MONTBLANC Explorer 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $14.50
MONTBLANC Legend EDP 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
MONTBLANC Legend Night 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
MONTBLANC Individuel 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
MOSCHINO Toy Boy EDP 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50
MUGLER A*Men Pure Havane 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $11
MUGLER Cologne 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10.50, 10ML - $17.50
Mercedes Benz Club Black 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $13.50
Mercedes Benz SELECT 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $13.50
Marc Jacobs DECADENCE 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Miu Miu Miu Miu 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
NAUTICA Voyage 2 ML - $3, 5 ML - $7, 10 ML - $13.50
Narcisco Rodrigues For Her EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $11.25
Nasomatto Black Afgano 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $23
Nasomatto Baraonda 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $23
Nasomatto Pardon 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $23
Nasomatto Duro 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $23
Ormonde Jayne Tolu 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML - $15.50
PACO RABANNE XS 2018 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $12.50
Penhaligon - The Favourite Eau De Parfum 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Greenley 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Kuhuyan 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Akaster 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Percival 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Kalan 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Darley 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Nisean 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Habdan 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Pegasus 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Pegasus Exclusif 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $17.50
Parfums de Marly Layton 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Layton Exclusif 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $17.50
Parfums de Marly Oajan 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Sedley 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Shagya 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Godolphin 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Galloway 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Carlisle 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Parfums de Marly Herod 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Prada Marienbad 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Prada Day for Night 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Prada L’Homme 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Prada L’Homme INTENSE 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Prada Luna Rossa Carbon 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Prada Luna Rossa OCEAN 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
PINO Selvestre Original 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $13.50
ROCHAS Moustache EDP 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10
Reyane Tradition Insurrection II Pure Extreme 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML - $11.50
Ralph Lauren POLO BLUE EDP 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10, 10 ML-$15.50
Ralph Lauren POLO RED 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $7.50, 10 ML - $14.50
Ralph Lauren Blue 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Ralph Lauren Pure Turquoise 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10
Revlon Charlie Red 5 ML - $2.50, 10 ML - $5.50
Revlon Charlie Gold 5 ML - $2.50, 10 ML - $5.50
Serge Lutens Chergui 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $13.50
Serge Lutens Clair de Musc 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Serge Lutens La Couche du Diable 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
SHISEIDO Relaxing Fragrance 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $22.50 (Discntd/hard to find)
Swiss Arabian Royal Mystery EDP 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5.50, 10 ML - $10.50
SEAN JOHN Unforgivable 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $16.50
Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $10
Teo Cabanel Barkhane 2 ML - $5.50, 5 ML - $12.50
Tiziana Terenzi Ursa 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Tiziana Terenzi Chimaera Extrait De Parfum 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $17.50
TOM FORD Ombre Leather EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
TOM FORD Grey Vetiver EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
TOM FORD Beau De Jour EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
TOM FORD Black Orchid Parfum 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
TOM FORD NOIR EDP 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $19.50 NEW
TOM FORD NOIR EXTREME EDP 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $19.50 NEW
TOM FORD NOIR EXTREME PARFUM 2022 EDP 2 ML - $11.50, 5 ML - $23.50 NEW
TOM FORD OUD WOOD EDP Private Blend 2 ML - $10.50, 5 ML - $25.50
TOM FORD Tuscan Leather EDP Private Blend 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $20.50
TOM FORD Venetian Bergamot Private Blend Discntd. 2 ML - $8.50, 5 ML - $18.50
TOM FORD COSTA AZZURRA EDT 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
TOM FORD COSTA AZZURRA 2021 EDP 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
TOM FORD COSTA AZZURRA EDP Private Blend Discntd. 2 ML - $9.50, 5 ML - $21.50
STERLING JUST JACK COLLECTION by ARMAF Eau De Parfum (Clones of Tom Ford fragrances):
TOBACCO LEAF (TOBACCO VANILLE Clone) 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
NEROLI (NEROLI PORTOFINO Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
HOMME NOIR (NOIR Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
NOIR ENDURANCE (NOIR EXTREME Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
BLACK IS BLACK (NOIR DE NOIR Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
OMBRE SUEDE (OMBRE LEATHER Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
FANTA FAB (THE Fuckxxing FABULOUS Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
ITALIAN LEATHER (TUSCAN LEATHER Clone) - 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $6.50, 10 ML- $12.50
Tommy Bahama Set Sail St. Barts 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
Torry Burch Torry Burch 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50
Usher UR 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $8.50, 10 ML - $14.50
Viktor & Rolf SpiceBomb 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Viktor & Rolf SpiceBomb Extreme 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Viktor & Rolf SpiceBomb Infrared 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Viktor & Rolf FlowerBomb 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
VERSACE Man Eau Fraiche 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $9, 10 ML - $15.50
VERSACE DYLAN Blue 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
VERSACE Pour Homme 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
VERSACE EROS EDT 2 ML - $4, 5 ML - $9
VERSACE EROS EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
VERSACE EROS FLAME 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
VERSACE Pour Homme OUD NOIR EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
VERSACE Bright Crystal 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
Ambre Impérial Van Cleef & Arpels 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Xerjoff Erba Pura 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Xerjoff Naxos 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
Xerjoff Lira 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
YSL Y EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
YSL L’Homme EDT 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $9.50
YSL La Nuit de L’Homme EDT 2 ML - $3.50, 5 ML - $9.50
YSL L’Homme Le Parfum 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
YSL La Nuit de L’Homme Le Parfum 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
YSL LIBRE EDP 2 ML - $4.50, 5 ML - $10.50
YSL Tuxedo 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
YSL Caban 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
YSL Trench 2 ML - $6.50, 5 ML - $15.50
YSL 37 rue de Bellechasse 2 ML - $7.50, 5 ML - $17.50
ZARA Denim Couture 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $4, 10 ML - $8
4711 Original Eau de Cologne 4711 2 ML - $2.50, 5 ML - $5, 10 ML - $9

OK, so this takes some explaining, but hopefully it’s worth your time. Spoilers, obvs.
In 2021, Leos Carax released his debut English language movie, written by Ron and Russell Mael of Art-Pop legends Sparks and starring Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard and Simon Helberg. It received great acclaim, winning several awards, but also left many cold. It’s such an odd film, but there’s a fantastic explanation as to why it’s such a difficult movie.
There are two stories running in parallel. One is that of the comedian, the opera singer and their gifted child. The other is the story of how the filmmakers wrote this movie. It’s an allegory for its own creative process.
The character Annette is the movie Annette, and her three parents are different elements of the screenwriters’ creativity. Henry McHenry, played by Adam Driver, is Sparks’ humour and pop sensibility. The accompanist, played by Simon Helberg, is their musical talent. Ann Defrasnoux, played by Marion Cotillard, is their genius.
These characters’ fates determine what kind of movie this will be, and it doesn’t end well for any of them.
I’ve made a video that lays out the evidence for this - https://youtu.be/36ExvkMIipU. Part 2 is coming soon.
For those that don’t know, Sparks have made funny and catchy pop music for almost 50 years, influencing artists as wide ranging as Bjork, Beck, Sex Pistols, Erasure and Red Hot Chilli Peppers, making great music to this day yet somehow have remained obscure.
Leos Carax said this about this about his collaboration with Sparks: “We had 80 songs and only kept 42. There were many versions of every song, depending on where the story was going.”
So during the 8 years of development, pieces were added, removed and altered, and this concept is embedded into the movie itself. If you look at the quotations, additional music and archival movie footage used throughout, something interesting connects it: there’s an uncanny number of references to creative works that were changed into something different, moving it beyond from the artist’s initial vision. Just like ‘Annette’.
‘The Crowd’ by King Vidor This movie from 1928 is used during a montage of Ann’s performances. Its original release was delayed because the movie studio was displeased at the lack of a happy ending. At their insistence, seven alternative happy endings were filmed.
‘Till the clouds roll by’ While Henry is babysitting, the TV shows a musical number from this 1946 Judy Garland movie. The song, ’D’ye love me’, was filmed by a different director (her husband Vincente Minnelli) but then cut from the final movie.
‘Oceans’ Footage is used from this French nature documentary which was distributed by Disney Pictures. The final cut had 20 minutes of violent footage removed to make it palatable to a young audience.
‘Rogue one’ We see this playing at a cinema while Henry rides past on his motorcycle. The Star Wars spin-off had extensive reshoots with new scenes, including a new soundtrack and ending.
‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ There are several visual parallels between ‘Annette‘ and the first feature-length Disney movie. It was originally conceived as a comedy piece, with a continuous run of jokes from the dwarfs. In later drafts, scenes were removed in order to focus more on Snow White and the Evil Queen, and less on the comic relief.
‘The Night of the Hunter’ The shot of Ann’s body falling to the depths of the ocean calls back to this 1955 American Thriller. The screenplay was by James Agee, based on his own book, but director Charles Laughton rewrote most of the script without credit. This was partly because the story features an evil preacher, highly controversial at the time, so the changes were made so that he would appear unordained.
‘Bluebeards Castle’ This opera was completed in 1911, but not taken seriously because of its single act structure. It was modified in 1912 and a new ending added in 1917.
‘National Brotherhood Week’ by Tom Lehrer This is the song that goes “and the Catholics hate the Muslims, and the Muslims hate the Catholics”. The musical satirist would often update the jokes in his songs at live performances.
‘Symphony No. 2’ by Gustav Mahler This was composed reusing elements of the composer‘s first symphony,
‘Otello’ by Verdi This was written between 1879 and 1887. Many drafts exist between the libretto first being written and its completion, with notes and letter published showing the evolution of the work as the music demanded changes to the text and vice versa.
‘Carmen’ by Bizet This was altered several times during the rehearsal for the first performance. As such, the vocal score from March 1875 shows significant changes from the version of the score sold to the publishers, which is in turn different to the orchestral score. Nobody knows which version was originally performed.
‘Madam Butterfly’ by Puccini First completed in 1904, this was withdrawn after a disastrous premiere. In total Puccini wrote five versions of this opera.
‘Norma’ by Bellini When composing this opera, Bellini wanted it to be performed by star soprano Giuditta Pasta. To entice her, he offered to retouch or even change the character completely to suit her.
‘Symphony No. 4’ by Brahms The debut performance was a scaled-down preview played on two pianos to a small audience of friends. Despite going on to be a classic, it was panned by the audience, with critic Eduard Hanslick describing it as “being given a beating by two incredibly intelligent people”.
‘La traviata’ by Verdi This opera was envisioned in a contemporary setting, but the authorities insisted it be set in the past.
‘Mother Courage and her Children’ by Bertold Bretch This 1941 play includes the quotation “War is like love, it always finds a way”, which likely serves as inspiration for ‘True love always finds a way’. For it’s second production in 1949, Brecht revised the play to make Mother Courage less sympathetic, because despite rave reviews, he felt that critics misunderstood the piece.
These works aren’t necessarily being evoked because of their stories or themes, but because of how they were changed. Leos Carax and Sparks are showing us that the movie we’re watching is inextricably tied to the method used in creating it. In other words, it’s not just an incidental bit of trivia that ‘Annette’ had several drafts, it’s core to the understanding of the movie.
With the release of the Unlimited Edition of the soundtrack album, Sparks gave some insight into a previous draft, and it helps us to better understand the final movie. It includes a handful of demos and unused songs which show a very different trajectory for Henry McHenry. Instead of destroying his career by offending his audience, he’s instead met with indifference because falling in love and having a child has taken away his edge as a performer. We therefore know that Henry’s comedy routines were rewritten, and this fact can be used to explain a lot.
The title of Henry’s show is The Ape of God. This is a term for Satan that originated from the Middle Ages, meaning that he impersonates (or apes) godly things to make people do evil. Encyclopaedia Britannica describes it as “an evil who attempts to imitate God through spurious, malicious creations that he interpolates for the divine creations”. The word “interpolate” means “to insert something (of a different nature) into something else”, which is what the screenwriters are doing by reworking these scenes. The Henry McHenry that we see isn’t the character as originally envisioned - he’s a rewrite, and this explains the uncomfortable anti-comedy of his routines.
One of Sparks’ defining characteristics is humour, with a distinctive style of wit that’s been a constant presence in their music throughout the decades. Their songs feature colourful characters and clever pop-culture references, but with ‘Annette’ they go in the opposite direction, filling it with sadness at every turn. If you look back through Sparks’ catalogue of songs, finding something without an element of joy or humour is rare. They’re a “fun” band, but that element of fun is mostly missing in ‘Annette’ - this is fundamentally different to the Sparks we’ve seen before.
This was explained by Leos Carax when asked how the movie was reshaped from Sparks’ original screenplay.
“The only changes I made were with the writing. It was only a storyline without characters. The brothers live in this Sparks bubble, which is pop fantasy. There was a lot of irony. Irony in a cinema is a danger, I think. It has a tendency to make everything less crucial, less real. It’s a bit too easy for cinema, especially today. I had to make that irony into something else. We had to really create Henry as a character.”
Here’s the theory: Ron and Russell wrote a comedy that was true to Sparks, then employed Leos Carax to impose restrictions on the rewriting process. These were the changes necessary for the band to achieve their dream of making a true art house tragedy.
I still have lots more to share on this, but in the meantime I’d love your thoughts.

OK, so this takes some explaining, but hopefully it’s worth your time. Spoilers, obvs.
In 2021, Leos Carax released his debut English language movie, written by Ron and Russell Mael of Art-Pop legends Sparks and starring Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard and Simon Helberg. It received great acclaim, winning several awards, but also left many cold. It’s such an odd film, but there’s a fantastic explanation as to why it’s such a difficult movie.
There are two stories running in parallel. One is that of the comedian, the opera singer and their gifted child. The other is the story of how the filmmakers wrote this movie. It’s an allegory for its own creative process.
The character Annette is the movie Annette, and her three parents are different elements of the screenwriters’ creativity. Henry McHenry, played by Adam Driver, is Sparks’ humour and pop sensibility. The accompanist, played by Simon Helberg, is their musical talent. Ann Defrasnoux, played by Marion Cotillard, is their genius.
These characters’ fates determine what kind of movie this will be, and it doesn’t end well for any of them.
I’ve made a video that lays out the evidence for this - https://youtu.be/36ExvkMIipU. Part 2 is coming soon.
For those that don’t know, Sparks have made funny and catchy pop music for almost 50 years, influencing artists as wide ranging as Bjork, Beck, Sex Pistols, Erasure and Red Hot Chilli Peppers, making great music to this day yet somehow have remained obscure.
Leos Carax said this about this about his collaboration with Sparks: “We had 80 songs and only kept 42. There were many versions of every song, depending on where the story was going.”
So during the 8 years of development, pieces were added, removed and altered, and this concept is embedded into the movie itself. If you look at the quotations, additional music and archival movie footage used throughout, something interesting connects it: there’s an uncanny number of references to creative works that were changed into something different, moving it beyond from the artist’s initial vision. Just like ‘Annette’.
‘The Crowd’ by King Vidor This movie from 1928 is used during a montage of Ann’s performances. Its original release was delayed because the movie studio was displeased at the lack of a happy ending. At their insistence, seven alternative happy endings were filmed.
‘Till the clouds roll by’ While Henry is babysitting, the TV shows a musical number from this 1946 Judy Garland movie. The song, ’D’ye love me’, was filmed by a different director (her husband Vincente Minnelli) but then cut from the final movie.
‘Oceans’ Footage is used from this French nature documentary which was distributed by Disney Pictures. The final cut had 20 minutes of violent footage removed to make it palatable to a young audience.
‘Rogue one’ We see this playing at a cinema while Henry rides past on his motorcycle. The Star Wars spin-off had extensive reshoots with new scenes, including a new soundtrack and ending.
‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ There are several visual parallels between ‘Annette‘ and the first feature-length Disney movie. It was originally conceived as a comedy piece, with a continuous run of jokes from the dwarfs. In later drafts, scenes were removed in order to focus more on Snow White and the Evil Queen, and less on the comic relief.
‘The Night of the Hunter’ The shot of Ann’s body falling to the depths of the ocean calls back to this 1955 American Thriller. The screenplay was by James Agee, based on his own book, but director Charles Laughton rewrote most of the script without credit. This was partly because the story features an evil preacher, highly controversial at the time, so the changes were made so that he would appear unordained.
‘Bluebeards Castle’ This opera was completed in 1911, but not taken seriously because of its single act structure. It was modified in 1912 and a new ending added in 1917.
‘National Brotherhood Week’ by Tom Lehrer This is the song that goes “and the Catholics hate the Muslims, and the Muslims hate the Catholics”. The musical satirist would often update the jokes in his songs at live performances.
‘Symphony No. 2’ by Gustav Mahler This was composed reusing elements of the composer‘s first symphony,
‘Otello’ by Verdi This was written between 1879 and 1887. Many drafts exist between the libretto first being written and its completion, with notes and letter published showing the evolution of the work as the music demanded changes to the text and vice versa.
‘Carmen’ by Bizet This was altered several times during the rehearsal for the first performance. As such, the vocal score from March 1875 shows significant changes from the version of the score sold to the publishers, which is in turn different to the orchestral score. Nobody knows which version was originally performed.
‘Madam Butterfly’ by Puccini First completed in 1904, this was withdrawn after a disastrous premiere. In total Puccini wrote five versions of this opera.
‘Norma’ by Bellini When composing this opera, Bellini wanted it to be performed by star soprano Giuditta Pasta. To entice her, he offered to retouch or even change the character completely to suit her.
‘Symphony No. 4’ by Brahms The debut performance was a scaled-down preview played on two pianos to a small audience of friends. Despite going on to be a classic, it was panned by the audience, with critic Eduard Hanslick describing it as “being given a beating by two incredibly intelligent people”.
‘La traviata’ by Verdi This opera was envisioned in a contemporary setting, but the authorities insisted it be set in the past.
‘Mother Courage and her Children’ by Bertold Bretch This 1941 play includes the quotation “War is like love, it always finds a way”, which likely serves as inspiration for ‘True love always finds a way’. For it’s second production in 1949, Brecht revised the play to make Mother Courage less sympathetic, because despite rave reviews, he felt that critics misunderstood the piece.
These works aren’t necessarily being evoked because of their stories or themes, but because of how they were changed. Leos Carax and Sparks are showing us that the movie we’re watching is inextricably tied to the method used in creating it. In other words, it’s not just an incidental bit of trivia that ‘Annette’ had several drafts, it’s core to the understanding of the movie.
With the release of the Unlimited Edition of the soundtrack album, Sparks gave some insight into a previous draft, and it helps us to better understand the final movie. It includes a handful of demos and unused songs which show a very different trajectory for Henry McHenry. Instead of destroying his career by offending his audience, he’s instead met with indifference because falling in love and having a child has taken away his edge as a performer. We therefore know that Henry’s comedy routines were rewritten, and this fact can be used to explain a lot.
The title of Henry’s show is The Ape of God. This is a term for Satan that originated from the Middle Ages, meaning that he impersonates (or apes) godly things to make people do evil. Encyclopaedia Britannica describes it as “an evil who attempts to imitate God through spurious, malicious creations that he interpolates for the divine creations”. The word “interpolate” means “to insert something (of a different nature) into something else”, which is what the screenwriters are doing by reworking these scenes. The Henry McHenry that we see isn’t the character as originally envisioned - he’s a rewrite, and this explains the uncomfortable anti-comedy of his routines.
One of Sparks’ defining characteristics is humour, with a distinctive style of wit that’s been a constant presence in their music throughout the decades. Their songs feature colourful characters and clever pop-culture references, but with ‘Annette’ they go in the opposite direction, filling it with sadness at every turn. If you look back through Sparks’ catalogue of songs, finding something without an element of joy or humour is rare. They’re a “fun” band, but that element of fun is mostly missing in ‘Annette’ - this is fundamentally different to the Sparks we’ve seen before.
This was explained by Leos Carax when asked how the movie was reshaped from Sparks’ original screenplay.
“The only changes I made were with the writing. It was only a storyline without characters. The brothers live in this Sparks bubble, which is pop fantasy. There was a lot of irony. Irony in a cinema is a danger, I think. It has a tendency to make everything less crucial, less real. It’s a bit too easy for cinema, especially today. I had to make that irony into something else. We had to really create Henry as a character.”
Here’s the theory: Ron and Russell wrote a comedy that was true to Sparks, then employed Leos Carax to impose restrictions on the rewriting process. These were the changes necessary for the band to achieve their dream of making a true art house tragedy.
I still have lots more to share on this, but in the meantime I’d love your thoughts.