Game Details
Draconis Strain Saga is a triology of cinematic gameplay released by ALIEN RPG that is divided into three different scenarios:
Chariot of the Gods: Space trucker crew who carries an exceptional cargo intercepts a signal in the middle of deep space. And you know, if you get a signal and do not investigate it, you get penalty of total forfeiture of shares. What will you find with that singal and what kind of mystery awating for your is the main theme of the game.
Destroyer of Worlds: The mission was a manhunt, the objectives clear—track down four fugitives, recover any assets they may have made off with, and keep ‘em all out of enemy hands. Go find them on a frozen moon full of hostiles and get it done on the eve of war.
Nothing you couldn’t handle.
But what it is that these bastards stole—and how the hell it got inside them—is another thing altogether. It’s all above your paygrade, marine—but somehow you’re the one who’s got to deal with it. Of course, now there’s an invasion fleet incoming, and there’s something else, too—something much worse. Something out there hates you—hates everyone. Something big and ugly. Something with metal teeth—and you’re pretty sure it ain’t alone. Yeah, the mission was supposed to be a simple manhunt. Instead it turned out to be just another glorious day in the corps.
Heart of Darkness: The company found a new lifeform, and they want you to study it. Their offer’s uncharacteristically generous—you catalog this organism, determine how they can use it, and bring it back so they can slap their patent on it. Fairly routine stuff. In exchange, they’ll hook you up with a cushy corporate department head position, secure you a book deal, and make sure the institute of your choice gives you tenure. Did I mention the money? There’s a lot of it. Simple survey, sample, and analysis job. Seemed too good to be true.
Of course, it is.
They neglected to tell you this alien life was found by a work crew on a lonely space station sitting on the razor edge of a black hole. They also forgot to mention that the station crew is a prison workforce—composed of murderers, thieves, and the robot guards who wrangle them.
This isn’t some minor singularity. It’s devouring its sister stars in a cacophony of swirling plasma, gamma rays, and death. Extremophile or not, what the hell can live in all that? Whatever it is, it’s got to be different from anything we’ve encountered before—something strange. Something alien.
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Every scenario has their own story that merges together to create Draconis Strain Saga. And every story has their own pre-generated characters and personal agendas. I'm planning to run a session zero for introducing the game mechanics and Fantasy Grounds Unity environment, and when we finish the introduction, we can jump into the game in the same session as well.
Player Details
Time: 5PM GMT (check the website below to be sure) Players: 0/5 Experience: Beginners are welcome, but please focus on your character's roleplay Cost: $20 per player per session Duration: Around 3 hours per session Age: You should be 18+ to join, because of bad language and dirty jokes
Application and Contact Links
You can check my GM page for other games as well. I have lots of game announcements.
GM Page Game Page

🌟Greetings readers!~🌟
🌟I am looking to RP a magical young woman RP similar to Power Rangers and Pretty Cure!~ This would mostly be PG13! So we won't be killing civilians left and right! As for me, I have 8 years RP experience! Am literate or above, and am a History and English Highschool teacher!~🌟
🌟Plot🌟
🌟I have a fairly basic idea for this RP plot that we can edit together and such! But here is what I have that we can EASILY build off of.🌟
🌟Five thousand years ago. A demon was sealed into hell by five female warriors! One Red, One Blue, One Green, One Pink, and One Yellow! These warriors were called "The Demon Sealers!" After a long fought battle, they finally defeated a powerful demon called Gurigax! Gurigax was a strong demon, having the power to turn objects into Demons! In Gurigax's final breath, he cursed the warriors. Claiming that in five thousand years, he will return and take over the world! Over running it with his demons! Upon hearing this, the five young women came up with a plan. The five young women gave up their power, making sure that once their powers feel the return of any demon, the powers will seek out new hosts to defend the world from the powerful Gurigax!🌟
🌟Five Thousand Years Later.🌟
🌟A few children at a local daycare were playing with their toys! Enjoying playing with cards, toys, dolls, bored games, and other such trinkets children play with... That was... until the flor under them started glowing red! A hole started to form. The daycare workers, thinking it was a sinkhole, grabbed the children and ran out of the building!🌟
🌟No...🌟
🌟It was far worse than any sinkhole.🌟
🌟"OH!~ It is so good to be back!~ Humans!!! Did you miss me?~" A large red demon would say, looking around the room, though he shakes his head as he sees there are no humans within the he was in. "How rude! Not throwing a welcome party for your new GOD?!?~ Very well! Its time to punish you humans like I did years before!~" The somewhat playful sounding voice would cry out as he slams his fist into the ground. Suddenly! Various toys raised into the air! Thunder STRIKING each toy in the room! Each and every toy starting to become a new demon!🌟
🌟Three miles away...🌟
🌟Dozens of teenage students all rush into their school building. They were all having a beautiful sunny recess after lunch, but all of the sudden, it started thundering! So all of the students had to rush inside to safety...🌟
🌟Though...🌟
🌟One young woman, as she was about to run inside... Trips over something! It seems a box had been coming out of the ground. The young woman thought that it must have been that another student was burrying something. Though, when she looks down at the box! She sees various trinkets within it! Five in total, each of a different color! The young woman quickly pop the box out of the ground and decides to take it inside with her...🌟
Well!~ Here we are!~ This is my basic plotline for this story! We can EASILY build off of this together!~ Please comment or DM if you are interested! I am EXTREMELY friendly and love to make new friends!~

Human rights: Food for a reformer’s thought ‘HR with no teeth in the UN’
HRR 672
[TLDR (too long didn’t read): If you are reading this, chances are you care about HR. This Reader explores ideas about long overdue UN reform needs. For a quick overview, just read the bolded text]. Traducitraduire los/les Readers; usautiliser deepl.com.

1. Pontificating about the need for UN reform has become a cottage industry in the past few years spurred by a growing recognition that the architecture originally created in the wake of World War II may no longer be fit for purpose. Frustrations that well-intentioned colleagues have with the UN these days play against impossibly high odds in the times of entrenched disparities and a casino economy.
   
2. Some questions arise: Should we seek some consolation in the fact that trying to raise consciousness does occasionally work? Is it enough to get colleagues who claim to be apolitical (and sometimes even opponents) to recognize* that the basic premises of how the international human rights (HR), humanitarian and development system is structured are biased? Where do the humanitarian principles like fairness, neutrality, objectivity, impartiality stand these days at the UN? If they remain on the backburner, why are these explicit UN principles not actually applied?
   

*: Recognizing is only a step in the right direction, but should not the consolation be for them to go beyond recognizing, i.e., for them to become politicized in the direction of human rights?
[My friend Fred chose here to focus on just a couple of key issues of UN reform, like the UN Security Council and the broad array of UN funds, programs and specialized agencies, since these are the most visible parts of the UN System. The list of problems and suggestions below is simply a start and ought to be taken with some huge grains of salt].
The Security Council
Established in October 1945, it. I includes five permanent members (USA, Russia, UK, France and China) and ten temporary members, elected on a rotating basis every two years (in a staggered manner, five per year).

1. 5. Problems:

· Representativity – The world no longer looks like it did 80 years ago, when the winners of WWII could dictate all decisions. The most populous, powerful countries are excluded from a permanent seat (e.g., India, Brazil, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Nigeria, Thailand), especially those in the Global South.
· Member selection to the UNSC – The ten rotating nations selected must receive 2/3 of the vote from the General Assembly, which occasionally results in stalemates, favoritism and exclusions
·
· Veto power – The veto poses an obstacle to meaningful resolutions (so many of them human rights-related!). The veto is used too often and in a self-interested manner. It has literally and historically paralyzed action on sensitive issues (e.g., Vietnam, the Middle EastPalestine, Hungary, Cuba, Panama, Korea, Ukraine......).
· Nuclear power club – The five permanent members are considered ‘legitimate’ nuclear powers despite evidence that nearly a dozen other countries have also developed nuclear capabilities.
· Peace-keeping role – The Security Council’s action on international conflicts is frequently a function of strategic political interests of permanent members.
· Human rights-defending role – Because of all of the above, you can conclude yourself whether HR play an important role in Security Council affairs.
46. Suggestions:
· Expand the number of permanent members or create a ‘semi-permanent’ category for certain states. Alternatively:
· Abolish permanent membership altogether and make all UNSC posts rotational, establishing appropriate geographic and demographic criteria.
· Regularize the rotation of members according to a fixed schedule, without election by the General Assembly.
· Restrict/abolish the Security Council’s veto power. Allow UNSC members to register objections that are sent for resolution at the General Assembly by vote.
· Declare all nuclear weapons illegitimate. Establish a schedule for the progressive decommissioning of nuclear arms. Monitor, inspect, and publicly name and shame violators.
· Put more teeth into peace-establishing and peace-keeping missions by clarifying their mandate, terms of engagement, specific objectives, resources and exit strategy --not missing the opportunity to put HR and humanitarian principles center-stage.
· Appoint a high-level HR expert to the staff of the UNSC to warn members of HR issues being overlooked in its resolutions.
Specialized Agencies, Funds and Programs (Under the aegis of the General Assembly)
- The first three agencies created in 1945 were the World Bank, the IMF and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In the intervening 75 years, scores more have cropped up. Rarely are any agencies ever phased out.
57. Problems:
· Overlapping mandates – Some agencies are sectoral (WHO, FAO, UNIDO, UNEP, UNAIDS), others target a specific group of beneficiaries (UNICEF, UN WOMEN, UNHCR). A dozen agencies deal with health; three handle displaced persons…
· Corruption – Highly publicized allegations of organizational waste and fraud (e.g., Food-for-Oil, UNOPS) are difficult to identify, investigate and prosecute.
· Abuse and impunity – Abuse by individuals (sexual exploitation; racial, ethnic, or gender discrimination; bullying or harassment) is rarely uncovered and even more rarely punished. There are simply colossal obstacles to bring about cultural change within UN institutions.
· Biased recruiting – UN recruitment and staffing still favor candidates from industrialized nations. Donor nations have unfair advantages at all levels.
· Donor driven programs – Unequal power of donor nations to define and set details of projects (where agencies will work, what sectors are a priority…) and set administrative guidelines (who is hired, where equipment is purchased...).
· Private sector chokehold – Increasing commandeering of development efforts by private sector entities. Example: public-private partnerships and multistakeholder platforms, not only like GAVI --the Vaccine Alliance (that ostensibly works to extend immunization to poorer developing countries)** -- but also the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Initiative, COVAX and quite a few others.
· Human rights too often relegated to lip service – Every UN agency is bound by the UN Charter to put HR upfront, but too often HR are added-on as a window dressing.
**: “GAVI has been criticized for giving private donors more unilateral power to decide on global health goals, prioritizing new, expensive vaccines while putting less money and effort into expanding coverage of old, cheap ones, harming local healthcare systems, spending too much on subsidies to large, profitable pharmaceutical companies without reducing the prices of some vaccines, and its conflicts of interest in having vaccine manufacturers on its governance board.” (Source: GAVI - Wikipedia)
68. Suggestions:
· Re-vision and re-mission, as well as rationalize the coverage and efficiency of the several specialized UN agencies, emphasizing sectoral distribution in a logical manner.
· Standardize administrative and contractual arrangements across all agencies, organizations and funds, so that all are governed by the same rules.
· Consolidate and put teeth into the various legal and ethical and HR watchdog initiatives (UN Ethics Office, OIOS, UNHCHR…) to ensure institutional culture change.
· Promote multi-lateral over bi-lateral funding of agencies. Divert private sector funding/donations to a central UN Fund that will allocate the same to programs.
· End the prerogative of certain donor nations to name UN agencies’ directors (e.g., World Bank to the USA; IMF to the EU; UNICEF to the USA…).
· Provide equivalent training opportunities for potential staff from LDCs. Open JPO opportunities to citizens of the Global South keeping them funded by the Global North.*** Provide equivalent training opportunities for potential staff from LDCs.
· Demand that these agencies, funds and programs design and implement actions in the field around HR imperatives. Monitoring and evaluation of the same must include measuring HR impacts.
***: Junior Program Officer. JPO is an introductory entry level for UN officers. Typically, JPO posts are established by a UN agency (WHO, WFP, UNICEF, UNHCR...) at the request of a donor nation which, in return for funding the post, gets to place one of its up-and-coming young stars in that agency. The JPOs overwhelmingly come from the wealthy donor nations. That is why there is an abundance of sharp young professionals from the North always ready to apply for a UN post.
79. Other Miscellaneous Suggestions (in no particular order.)
· Revisit the financing of the UN System, to make the annual member states’ assessments fairer, proportional and more appropriate, ensuring that the economies of the Global North pay a much greater share.
· Move the General Assembly and the Security Council out of New York City. Subsidize the relocation of headquarters of more funds, programs and agencies to capitals inof the Global South.
· Revisit the UN policy of civil-military collaboration in humanitarian contexts, taking into considerationing the real impact and potential consequences of using military assets of donor nations that have with their own geo-political strategic interests.
· Stop viewing the private sector as the panacea to all the problems of the UN!
Claudio Schuftan, Ho Chi Minh City
Your comments are welcome at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
All Readers are available at www.claudioschuftan.com
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sir_neatington works his way through the crowd and manages to run all the way towards the Slideslow Drive where he enters a pub, throws himself right in, and finds a twenty-year old soap box. Inspired to conduct soap-box politics, he manages to push the box, stands up and begins his speech, or as we call it, a good ramble.
Uh- hey hello Bromsgrove. Finally, I managed to grab a soap-box and have a steady grip on it. From the times of World War I, the so-called Golden Age of Soapbox Oratory, to the present day, politics has evolved a long way. We have opened up the world for migrants, recognised same-sex marriages, brought two stronger forces in the fray, us and the Loony Left, led by one of the candidates, localds something.
I am pretty sure that the only thing local about their campaigning approach is going to be making an April Fools Joke out of the general populace, and somehow make you believe that you deserve less, and much less than most. The fundamental truths by which politics is run, still hasn’t changed, but rather challenged. The element of public service, national security, and responsibility to the growth of the people, all of that is being challenged.
It is thrown into dismay by a bunch of people, who name themselves Solidarity, and push themselves at the boundary of common sense. From stealing your land, to forcing working class folks to pay more on unnecessary union fees, from forcing you to adopt practices that can harm your family in the future, to not having a concrete plan beyond nationalisations, all of that is being put up to stake.
The last time someone did a soap-box campaign was in 1992, by Sir John Major, another Conservative who passionately cared for the interests of the actual all, and not the union few. In the 90s, and today, a lot is similar, the threat of a government that will force you to poverty, make you beg and borrow for your next meals, tarnish our image abroad, do nothing beyond rambling and call that foreign policy.
I am reminded of a time, when candidates in the 1960s America, when advertising professionals began their inputs into the modern political process, were reputed to be "selling candidates like soap", which was a key phrase to discuss the promotional techniques that were used at the time. Today, that’s how the Left is selling their vision, clean and packaged in new boxes, adding new scents and flavours, only to fool you.
They have decided that by using the word UBI repeatedly, and feeding you with an utopian vision, that somehow their world is superior. Let me show the mirror, their world is clearly a hoax. A falsehood, a mirage which they want you to believe, because it helps them time and again to sit in office.
Beyond vanity nationalisations, and making the poor poorer, and the rich poorer, what has this Government done? It ceases to amaze me that these people, the so-called communists, amongst whom many would proudly stand up for Stalin today, have no vision beyond mesmerising you into a world of unreal making. Let us explore the second person in the room, Labour.
Wait, they’re the copy of the first, no difference except having a perfectly minted brand. They are mere copycats, forgive me if I use a harsher word, they’re lap dogs of the former. The only reason they are in Official Opposition this term was because their big bosses had a grudge about not being Prime Minister, so took the second big talk. In fact it took them nearly a year to go and say, they support Ukraine.
They’ll say that their Shadow Secretary of Defence did this and that, but let’s be honest, apart from being Official Opposition, they’ve done it all. Justifying that by saying that they’re somehow a force for unity, absolute baloney. They are disguising their incompetence by throwing a charade of policies, and call that a difference. If you move a step down, you would see the Solidarity’s big chap, the incumbent Home Secretary and Bees Minister. Bees Minister, really what has this person done for your farms? Hike the LVT, remove your agricultural reliefs, replace the subsidy regime? The whole post was created to merely accommodate a party weight, to prevent infighting.
Let us be honest, a good segment of the Government’s cabinet is merely filled to satisfy the Parliamentary Comrades, rather than determining the best interests of our children and the future. If we ever have to see the record of the current Home Secretary, there is virtually nothing, that is to their name, beyond presiding over a Government that has no plan for knife crime, no plan for safety, no intention to fund the police, no drive to get Britain safer, or even make an attempt to do any of it. The only thing they’ve done is stand behind their Prime Minister and nod through partisan bickering and shouting out how land must no longer belong to individuals, or defending a Budget that takes more, and gives less. The only policy your solidarity chap has been defending is incompetence, and it’s time to show them the door.
Now that we have finished showing you the other records, let’s show you mine. I’ve served as the Actual Opposition’s spokesperson for Treasury, yeah we don’t count the non-positions and sycophants, actively engaging for a better Economy, including by presenting an Act which would have limited the deficit raising abilities of the Government to ensure that your children do not have to bear the burdens of your borrowing, cutting down the vanity nationalisations, that nationalised pubs thing, which makes your pubs and pubes theirs, so that you bow down to the State every time.
Tomorrow, I’m sure they’ll criminalise religious worship, or say that alcohol must not be served in pubs. Wait a minute, that already happened. The Government’s KONSUM Plan actively works to undermine your emotional maturity and somehow forces you to believe that pubs will be safe in their hands. Absolute shitfest, innit. Back to my record, I also brought in a Shadow Budget, which if passed, would’ve increased your Personal Allowance, reduced your taxes, got a 0-interest loan programme to fund innovation, and a better plan for school catch-up. Further, I proposed legislation in this term, which if passed, would have enshrined research and development targets for all Government Departments.
So the red rosettes now hate science and finance too, let us explore the real alternatives to this mess festival, the Conservatives. In this edition of our manifesto, we will be focusing on five main priorities, or as I would like to call them, pillars of modern society. It is our belief that if these pillars are strengthened, it would build our nation better for the future. The first pillar, the one that will actually keep you safe on the roads, Law and Order. We want the gangs out, the muggers in prison, the addictums in their chambers, and most importantly, bobbies in. Our police have been wonderful in preventing crime, and we must do more to help them across.
That is why a Conservative Government, repeat after me, a TORY Government, would be training and introducing nearly 10,000 new police officers on our streets, fund better police management and criminology research at the College of Researching and increase the grant provided to officers for buying police vehicles. This will ensure that our Police are able to reach those who need help at the earliest. Our funding for the Policing College will ensure that we have the best practices in the world, and most importantly, the gangs out.
Another key element to the mugging community is their use of knives. There’s a reason why Knife Crime is, time and again, one of the most common forms of crimes in our society. This has to stop, with us, it will. We have proposed this time, the creation of a National Knife Crime TaskForce, which will work with police forces across our country, to track down and silence the Knife Criminals. We do not need more of them on the streets, we need them back at the Prisons.
We will also be increasing funding for a Knife Crime Awareness Programme, for students and communities across England, to ensure that they are well-educated and informed on dealing with Knife Crime. By creating such programmes, we will be massively preventing the casualties and harmful effects of Knife Crime. It will also ensure we have better reporting of these crimes. We will bring back Stop-and-Search, to ensure the Knives are thrown off the bag, well before they are even used.
It is common knowledge that these provisions helped in ensuring police officers can get the criminals in, but the anti-law and order gang firmly opposed this, yes the reds. The only red thing they have gotten on their hands, is irresponsibility and lack of desire to truly prevent crime. If you thought they really wanted the best for your children, think again. Labour Wales at the moment is opposing plans to help create a smoke-free generation. Is this the law and order you want to see, smoke everywhere, knives being used to kill rather than cut vegetables and meat?
If you want true change, stand with us, here with the Tories today. Continuing on order, we will also be increasing the existent penalties for crimes such as Modern Slavery, and Sexual Offences. People should not commit these offences, and be given a baby sentence. These people should not see the light of society, and must also be stripped off their right to vote. We should not be supporting criminals, and it is sad to see the Government do nothing.
That is why we need the Tories to take on the government, to bring real change, law and order on our streets, enough of gangs and boats. Speaking on those lines is our second and the most important of all our priorities, Building a “Stronger Public Service”. For too long, we have been fed knowledge which says that nationalisation is somehow always beneficial, but having a strong public service is much beyond wasteful expenditure. It is about being meaningful and getting delivery done. Our NHS, our schools, our job market, we need to get them buzzing up.
This is why, as a first step towards funding our services better, the Tories will be cutting down needless bureaucracy and red-tape, which will allow us to have nearly seven billion pounds, which can be invested directly into the NHS System. Enough talk about funding, get on with the substance. We will also be bringing nearly 25,000 new dentists into Britain, to fix our dental system and reduce waiting times for Dental Referrals. We will also be working to reduce waiting times between a visit to the GP and a specialist referral.
We pledge to create nearly 750,000 new jobs year-on-year, which will reduce unemployment and the need for Welfare. We need to make welfare reform a stepping stone for getting jobs, and not a lifestyle choice. This is why we will be merging the existing provisions into a single “Get-Back-to-Work” Benefit for all those who can actually work, yet do not engage in meaningful activity. This however does not include people who suffer from ailments and physical complications, unlike how the Solidarity wants you to think, because this Tory Government, will be, to quote David Cameron, a “compassionate Government, one that cares for all of its people”.
Continuing on the Public Services Principle, we will be working to reform Local Government. It is our local government that handles your daily activities, garbage collection, maintenance of public property, and gets your police forces working. We propose to abolish Town and Parish Councils, since they haven’t helped get Bromsgrove or any other part of England to any betterment, beyond existing and eating up public money. We will be introducing County Mayors across England instead, to ensure your voices can actually cause real change on the ground, along with a mandatory council tax freeze once in every council term.
That is certainly signs of a more compassionate and people-friendly government than those who read the Marxist Pledge of Allegiance and call it home to their pinkish hearts. Beyond employment, what is important is to ensure that those who have served our society, our older populace get the fair share of pensions they deserve. At this moment, pensions are severely lacking, and in some cases, do not even let our older folks have enough to carry out their monthly needs.
It is sad to see many of them opt for second jobs to help pay the bills. A Sephronar Government will ensure that it happens. How, by introducing a Triple Lock on Pensions. A Triple Lock in Pensions would mean that pensions would increase every year, based on national inflation, the average rise in wages, or 2.5%, whichever is higher, to ensure maximum can be provided to those who have put their youth, blood and toil maximum for our nation and its growth.
We will also work to eradicate homelessness by continuing our track record of introducing greater planning reform, which by the way, was not supported by the Government because it actually helped the people be better off. We will also be building up nearly 250,000 houses per year, as a start to ensure that this crisis can be averted. As the United Kingdom grows, it needs to grow in being able to provide affordable housing, and these are the first little steps.
We will also be introducing a new 5G Delivery Plan, to ensure that 5G reaches every corner of Bromsgrove, and other parts of our country. Upper Severn deserves an MP who can actually stand up and support the needs and aspirations of its constituents, not someone whose sole objective is to go back, and be a silent wimp to the party top-cops.
Also did you know, Labour recently said it wanted to rejoin the EU, yeah, four referendums, and the people said we want it out, and now they say we want you in. You see, there’s a pattern of incompetence from the Labourites. First, they campaign for something, then the people tell them to do something, they pretend to do it, and go back on it later. The fact that they are constantly ready to undermine the public, the public services, and the gangs on the streets speaks far more to their inability to accept the public facts and stop being ego wings.
Mr Real Pub Owner, do you want your pub back? Ms Teacher, do you want your children to have a better world? Mr Peter, do you want a more compassionate Government, that actually focuses on delivering the best interests of the people, accepts their mandate, moves forward and actually gets the new British energy going beyond wanting to rejoin the EU, undermining our armed forces, police officers and the British citizens? Then, join me and vote Tories for Bromsgrove!
sir_neatington gets off the soap-box, hands over copies of the Tory Manifesto, has a couple of pints of beer, and walks his way off, as he’s ready for another round of General Election campaigning.

I (M16) am disabled myself. i use forearm crutches due to ME/CFS and occasionally a wheelchair when it gets bad and an injury i had as a kid that never healed right. im also neurodivergent (autism). This girl i go to school with (F17) is the most obnoxious girl i have ever met. she likes to compare our disablities and say hers are worse without ever actually disclosing what she has. i physically cant walk without supports, she can walk just fine. she will inturupt class to talk to the teacher about personal issues. everyone ive talked to about her has disliked her as well.
She is fully capable of using a backpack but she instead uses this box. a rolling box that gets in everyones way and is always a mess. last time i saw it, it had trash from a field trip we went on a month ago. it always gets in the way and gets upset when i need the accessible class seats cause i physically cannot walk. she complains about her box all the time. i will also use noise canceling headphones when sounds are too overwhelming and she'll come to me and say shit like "its not fair you can use them when the school says headphones arent allowed in class." shes reported me to security for wearing my favorite ninja turtles hoodie to school cause it has weapons on it.
One day i sat in the accessible seat in my chemistry class. its low to the ground with shorter seats to accommodate wheelchairs and a clamp on the side to hold crutches/canes in place. i sat down and as soon as this girl came in she started getting all mad at me. she said "one day im gonna get here before you to get that seat. i need the extra space for my box." ive been dealing with her for 5 years at this school and i finally had it with her shit. i looked at her and started yelling "oh my fucking god dude. you do not need that goddamn box. you are not special. shut up please i hate you stop acting like were friends we are not. i hate you so much leave me alone. you annoy me so much. i need this more than you i cant walk dude." I had tears dripping down my face from how angry i was. she started crying and left the room taking the BACKPACK she kept in that goddamn box. My friend walked me out of the room and took me on a walk around the school to calm down a bit. i feel really bad about what i did but i dont know if im the asshole or if i went about it the right way. Am i the bad guy?

Before i begin: I wanna start by saying that yes this question has been beaten to the ground and rolled around in the mud, everyone and their dog has come across one of these "should i tell my straight friend i have a crush on him?" but i believe my situation warrants a specific post as i have not come across one that wasn't as serious of a crush, so please bear with me lol.
Now onto the actual post: So i (21 M) have this friend (20 M), who i wouldn't say i'm super close with in the sense that we talk every day, but our friendship has gotten to the point where we're comfortable enough around each other (we're both kind of introverted) comfortable talking about some serious stuff about our life, past troubles, past relationships, family drama, about who our crushes are, who we like, who we'd hit (he knows i'm gay btw), and he's been curious about what my type of men is, nothing to read into, just casual banter.
The current situation that warrants yet another post of these, is that i kinda like him buttttt it's nothing as serious as most of these posts tend to be, with the "deeply in love with my straight friend" and all, this is a casual thing that i might move on from in a couple weeks, maybe not, so if i were to tell him it's not like i would put him on the spot to reciprocate/help me navigate throught my feelings or have to deal with some serious emotional baggage being dumped upon him, it's a casual crush of like i want to make out and that's it, but it's serious enought to where i keep wondering whether i should tell him or not just so i don't keep pondering about what could've been or how he would react, i know he's straight, i wouldn't say 100% but like fairly, fairly straight.
Now you might be asking "dude if this is a casual thing you'll move on from AND he's straight why risk it" to which i'd like to add, he has a crush on one of our friends (20 F) as well, who is currently in a relationship so we both know it's not going past the daydreaming stage, plus he's been bugging me a lot recently to tell him who i like, and since he's so nonchalant about crushing and talking about crushing on friends i was thinking about just ripping the bandaid and straight up tell him i kinda have a thing for him, he's horny, i'm horny we're just horny dudes crushing on people, main difference is that mine is a guy and happens to be him, but i'm a bit worried it might tarnish our friendship a little, not that i think it would be detrimental or anything, if one of my girl friends told me they liked me i would be really appreciative, complimented and we'd move on with our lives completely unaffected, i mean it's happened and we're still good friends to this day but i don't know how masculinity works for straight men, he might be flattered too and also move on, he might be weirded out, he might take it the wrong way, he might end up second guessing how he acts around me.
I'll be seeing him and a couple friends next weekend, where if he asks me again i was thinking of telling him if we had a one on one at any point of the night, but do y'all think it's a good idea? should i just let these feelings peter out and stay wondering what could've been or how he would've reacted?
thank you if you read through all this! i apologize in advance for any grammatical errors/misspellings, constant ramblings or re repeating myself, it's like 5 am and i haven't gone to sleep yet, also english is not my first language and all that.
any help is greatly appreciated!! also please be kind :3

Summary:
I don't know what to do about my wife's alcoholism anymore. It's reached a serious tipping point. She's amazing but has mental disorders that are comorbid with her alcoholism. She will get me near the tipping point, fix things, do it again, and cycle. I am also afraid she will harm herself or me if I left. I don't know what to do anymore.
An Apology:
Before I even start, I'm really sorry that I'm bothering everyone because I feel like I should know what to do and not be going back and forth like I've been doing. But, I'm online asking a bunch of strangers for advice (probably because I'm too much of a piece of shit to just man up and do what needs doing).
So, I'm genuinely really sorry. I just feel embarrassed.
My Wife:
One of the smartest, sweetest, amazing women I've ever met. She really is and has been my best friend for nearly 8 years. We do everything together from gaming, books, travel, and she even supports my dream of becoming a writer. We got married about 9 months ago.
I can honestly, without reservation or doubt, say that I love her with all my heart.
She is in the middle of getting a career in medicine.
She has a history of mental issues (primarily bipolar), and I highly suspect she has 1+ untreated neurological issues that result in her struggling with attention, some memory, and other minor things. Because of recent events with work, she is being forced to deal with them.
Me:
I'm a writer and work to make real money. I have moved around to help her get her career off the ground and be a good husband. I'm not perfect, but I really try. I have no money. I have a family in the state.
History:
She has had substance abuse problems with on and off throughout her life since she was a teenager. She stopped the hardcore substances around the time I met her and has cleaned up her act substantially. When I met her, I didn't see too much of a problem because I had only seen her in small doses or in social situations.
The deeper into our relationship we got, the worse the issue became. Whenever she'd drink, she became a different person. Whereas she was normally calm, collected, and reasonably friendly when she was sober, she transformed into this raging party animal when she was drunk. It was like she never wanted the party to end and lost all ability to "read the room." Alongside her sudden change of behavior, we would always, without fail, get into a fight. Usually, it was because I was the voice of reason (e.g., "don't go out to 8 more bars and go dancing all night when you have work in the morning," "you probably should lower your voice because you're literally yelling right next to someone," "why are you going in and out of the house and slamming all the doors for the millionth time to yell on the phone at 1 am?", etc.).
For the first few years, I let it go. Every time I confronted her, she told me she would stop (and still do). After the first times, she started sneaking alcohol. She would buy handles, drink them in secret, and leave the empties in her bag/draweetc. like her father used to. I would find them (usually by accident) and she would turn it around on me with accusations that I shouldn't be going through her things.
As time has gone on, the alcoholism stabilized for a while until about 2 years ago. Honestly, I think I still partially blame myself for her deep dive into drinking near the end. I went off to be in law enforcement in another state because we were talking about setting up a life there for when she left medical school. There was no work where we were. So, we both agreed that I go ahead, set everything up, get established, and she would follow in X months. We both agreed on the plan, but she couldn't handle the loneliness. So, she started hanging out with our alcoholic, piece-of-shit, useless neighbor, who I suspect got her back into drinking. Obviously, our plans blew up in my face.
Every time she drinks, we fight over stupid shit. She has driven drunk, spent ridiculous amounts of money (separate bank accounts) on drinking in private, won't tell me when I ask (and know) if she's been drinking. In our most recent fight, she tried to sit in my lap while we were fighting over her insulting my mother. After telling her no, she decided she would try to force her way there. I moved to stop her by putting my hand out (not aggressively. Just stick it out to stop her). She got angry because she said I was pushing her. So, she reacted by trying to choke me, to which I had to physically restrain her (non-violently) to de-escalate the situation. When she calmed down, I immediately let her go and backed off.
This isn’t the first time she’s hit me during a fight. She punched me in the arm two times before. I have never once raised a fist, hit her, or threatened to do so.
She has rejected professional help because she doesn't want it to get out and affect her professional status.
Now:
Since then, she has apologized profusely and claims she can't remember the situation. She has been doing a lot of nice, small things for me to show me she's "trying." She is about to join intensive therapy to go over her medication and other issues. However, I don't think alcoholism is among it. She's fine for now, but I don't know. Every single time she does well for a while and I start to trust her, she screws up and goes back to being in the doghouse. Lately, she's been stressed out because of work, giving up drinking (again), and so forth.
Honestly, I'm feeling fairly shocked, disgusted, and shattered over recent events. I haven't been happy even half the time for the last few years. Everything is just tinged with either stress or sadness. I'm tired of the apologies and being sad.
Problem:
I don't know that I want to stay anymore. The good times are some of the f***ing best times. She is sweet, funny, and amazing. She is getting adjacent help. I love her. However, I don't see the good side very often. Instead, I see the monster, who is spiteful, inconsiderate, and selfish. And, I'm tired of being close to leaving, having her fix it, have it get better, and just continue that cycle endlessly.
But I keep going back and forth on it. I can't seem to decide, even though this is depressing me. I feel trapped because I'm unhappy, but I don't want to abandon someone that needs help so badly. Also, I fear she would:
A) stab me to death if I try to leave,
B) commit suicide if I try,
C) delve straight into her habits and ruin her life
D) become so depressed that her life will crumble.
Her mother is a divorce lawyer with a protective streak for her daughter. I fear that she'll try to blame me or make my life worse if I leave.
Any thoughts? Advice? Anything? Am I an asshole?

Summary:
I don't know what to do about my wife's alcoholism anymore. It's reached a serious tipping point. She's amazing but has mental disorders that are comorbid with her alcoholism. She will get me near the tipping point, fix things, do it again, and cycle. I am also afraid she will harm herself or me if I left. I don't know what to do anymore.
An Apology:
Before I even start, I'm really sorry that I'm bothering everyone because I feel like I should know what to do and not be going back and forth like I've been doing. But, I'm online asking a bunch of strangers for advice (probably because I'm too much of a piece of shit to just man up and do what needs doing).
So, I'm genuinely really sorry. I just feel embarrassed.
My Wife:
One of the smartest, sweetest, amazing women I've ever met. She really is and has been my best friend for nearly 8 years. We do everything together from gaming, books, travel, and she even supports my dream of becoming a writer. We got married about 9 months ago.
I can honestly, without reservation or doubt, say that I love her with all my heart.
She is in the middle of getting a career in medicine.
She has a history of mental issues (primarily bipolar), and I highly suspect she has 1+ untreated neurological issues that result in her struggling with attention, some memory, and other minor things. Because of recent events with work, she is being forced to deal with them.
Me:
I'm a writer and work to make real money. I have moved around to help her get her career off the ground and be a good husband. I'm not perfect, but I really try. I have no money. I have a family in the state.
History:
She has had substance abuse problems with on and off throughout her life since she was a teenager. She stopped the hardcore substances around the time I met her and has cleaned up her act substantially. When I met her, I didn't see too much of a problem because I had only seen her in small doses or in social situations.
The deeper into our relationship we got, the worse the issue became. Whenever she'd drink, she became a different person. Whereas she was normally calm, collected, and reasonably friendly when she was sober, she transformed into this raging party animal when she was drunk. It was like she never wanted the party to end and lost all ability to "read the room." Alongside her sudden change of behavior, we would always, without fail, get into a fight. Usually, it was because I was the voice of reason (e.g., "don't go out to 8 more bars and go dancing all night when you have work in the morning," "you probably should lower your voice because you're literally yelling right next to someone," "why are you going in and out of the house and slamming all the doors for the millionth time to yell on the phone at 1 am?", etc.).
For the first few years, I let it go. Every time I confronted her, she told me she would stop (and still do). After the first times, she started sneaking alcohol. She would buy handles, drink them in secret, and leave the empties in her bag/draweetc. like her father used to. I would find them (usually by accident) and she would turn it around on me with accusations that I shouldn't be going through her things.
As time has gone on, the alcoholism stabilized for a while until about 2 years ago. Honestly, I think I still partially blame myself for her deep dive into drinking near the end. I went off to be in law enforcement in another state because we were talking about setting up a life there for when she left medical school. There was no work where we were. So, we both agreed that I go ahead, set everything up, get established, and she would follow in X months. We both agreed on the plan, but she couldn't handle the loneliness. So, she started hanging out with our alcoholic, piece-of-shit, useless neighbor, who I suspect got her back into drinking. Obviously, our plans blew up in my face.
Every time she drinks, we fight over stupid shit. She has driven drunk, spent ridiculous amounts of money (separate bank accounts) on drinking in private, won't tell me when I ask (and know) if she's been drinking. In our most recent fight, she tried to sit in my lap while we were fighting over her insulting my mother. After telling her no, she decided she would try to force her way there. I moved to stop her by putting my hand out (not aggressively. Just stick it out to stop her). She got angry because she said I was pushing her. So, she reacted by trying to choke me, to which I had to physically restrain her (non-violently) to de-escalate the situation. When she calmed down, I immediately let her go and backed off.
This isn’t the first time she’s hit me during a fight. She punched me in the arm two times before. I have never once raised a fist, hit her, or threatened to do so.
She has rejected professional help because she doesn't want it to get out and affect her professional status.
Now:
Since then, she has apologized profusely and claims she can't remember the situation. She has been doing a lot of nice, small things for me to show me she's "trying." She is about to join intensive therapy to go over her medication and other issues. However, I don't think alcoholism is among it. She's fine for now, but I don't know. Every single time she does well for a while and I start to trust her, she screws up and goes back to being in the doghouse. Lately, she's been stressed out because of work, giving up drinking (again), and so forth.
Honestly, I'm feeling fairly shocked, disgusted, and shattered over recent events. I haven't been happy even half the time for the last few years. Everything is just tinged with either stress or sadness. I'm tired of the apologies and being sad.
Problem:
I don't know that I want to stay anymore. The good times are some of the f***ing best times. She is sweet, funny, and amazing. She is getting adjacent help. I love her. However, I don't see the good side very often. Instead, I see the monster, who is spiteful, inconsiderate, and selfish. And, I'm tired of being close to leaving, having her fix it, have it get better, and just continue that cycle endlessly.
But I keep going back and forth on it. I can't seem to decide, even though this is depressing me. I feel trapped because I'm unhappy, but I don't want to abandon someone that needs help so badly. Also, I fear she would:
A) stab me to death if I try to leave,
B) commit suicide if I try,
C) delve straight into her habits and ruin her life
D) become so depressed that her life will crumble.
Her mother is a divorce lawyer with a protective streak for her daughter. I fear that she'll try to blame me or make my life worse if I leave.
Any thoughts? Advice? Anything? Am I an asshole?

Summary:
I don't know what to do about my wife's alcoholism anymore. It's reached a serious tipping point. She's amazing but has mental disorders that are comorbid with her alcoholism. She will get me near the tipping point, fix things, do it again, and cycle. I am also afraid she will harm herself or me if I left. I don't know what to do anymore.
An Apology:
Before I even start, I'm really sorry that I'm bothering everyone because I feel like I should know what to do and not be going back and forth like I've been doing. But, I'm online asking a bunch of strangers for advice (probably because I'm too much of a piece of shit to just man up and do what needs doing).
So, I'm genuinely really sorry. I just feel embarrassed.
​
My Wife:
One of the smartest, sweetest, amazing women I've ever met. She really is and has been my best friend for nearly 8 years. We do everything together from gaming, books, travel, and she even supports my dream of becoming a writer. We got married about 9 months ago.
I can honestly, without reservation or doubt, say that I love her with all my heart.
She is in the middle of getting a career in medicine.
She has a history of mental issues (primarily bipolar), and I highly suspect she has 1+ untreated neurological issues that result in her struggling with attention, some memory, and other minor things. Because of recent events with work, she is being forced to deal with them.
Me:
I'm a writer and work to make real money. I have moved around to help her get her career off the ground and be a good husband. I'm not perfect, but I really try. I have no money. I have a family in the state.
​
History:
She has had substance abuse problems with on and off throughout her life since she was a teenager. She stopped the hardcore substances around the time I met her and has cleaned up her act substantially. When I met her, I didn't see too much of a problem because I had only seen her in small doses or in social situations.
The deeper into our relationship we got, the worse the issue became. Whenever she'd drink, she became a different person. Whereas she was normally calm, collected, and reasonably friendly when she was sober, she transformed into this raging party animal when she was drunk. It was like she never wanted the party to end and lost all ability to "read the room." Alongside her sudden change of behavior, we would always, without fail, get into a fight. Usually, it was because I was the voice of reason (e.g., "don't go out to 8 more bars and go dancing all night when you have work in the morning," "you probably should lower your voice because you're literally yelling right next to someone," "why are you going in and out of the house and slamming all the doors for the millionth time to yell on the phone at 1 am?", etc.).
For the first few years, I let it go. Every time I confronted her, she told me she would stop (and still do). After the first times, she started sneaking alcohol. She would buy handles, drink them in secret, and leave the empties in her bag/draweetc. like her father used to. I would find them (usually by accident) and she would turn it around on me with accusations that I shouldn't be going through her things.
As time has gone on, the alcoholism stabilized for a while until about 2 years ago. Honestly, I think I still partially blame myself for her deep dive into drinking near the end. I went off to be in law enforcement in another state because we were talking about setting up a life there for when she left medical school. There was no work where we were. So, we both agreed that I go ahead, set everything up, get established, and she would follow in X months. We both agreed on the plan, but she couldn't handle the loneliness. So, she started hanging out with our alcoholic, piece-of-shit, useless neighbor, who I suspect got her back into drinking. Obviously, our plans blew up in my face.
Every time she drinks, we fight over stupid shit. She has driven drunk, spent ridiculous amounts of money (separate bank accounts) on drinking in private, won't tell me when I ask (and know) if she's been drinking. In our most recent fight, she tried to sit in my lap while we were fighting over her insulting my mother. After telling her no, she decided she would try to force her way there. I moved to stop her by putting my hand out (not aggressively. Just stick it out to stop her). She got angry because she said I was pushing her. So, she reacted by trying to choke me, to which I had to physically restrain her (non-violently) to de-escalate the situation. When she calmed down, I immediately let her go and backed off.
This isn’t the first time she’s hit me during a fight. She punched me in the arm two times before. I have never once raised a fist, hit her, or threatened to do so.
She has rejected professional help because she doesn't want it to get out and affect her professional status.
Now:
Since then, she has apologized profusely and claims she can't remember the situation. She has been doing a lot of nice, small things for me to show me she's "trying." She is about to join intensive therapy to go over her medication and other issues. However, I don't think alcoholism is among it. She's fine for now, but I don't know. Every single time she does well for a while and I start to trust her, she screws up and goes back to being in the doghouse. Lately, she's been stressed out because of work, giving up drinking (again), and so forth.
Honestly, I'm feeling fairly shocked, disgusted, and shattered over recent events. I haven't been happy even half the time for the last few years. Everything is just tinged with either stress or sadness. I'm tired of the apologies and being sad.
Problem:
I don't know that I want to stay anymore. The good times are some of the f***ing best times. She is sweet, funny, and amazing. She is getting adjacent help. I love her. However, I don't see the good side very often. Instead, I see the monster, who is spiteful, inconsiderate, and selfish. And, I'm tired of being close to leaving, having her fix it, have it get better, and just continue that cycle endlessly.
But I keep going back and forth on it. I can't seem to decide, even though this is depressing me. I feel trapped because I'm unhappy, but I don't want to abandon someone that needs help so badly. Also, I fear she would:
A) stab me to death if I try to leave,
B) commit suicide if I try,
C) delve straight into her habits and ruin her life
D) become so depressed that her life will crumble.
Her mother is a divorce lawyer with a protective streak for her daughter. I fear that she'll try to blame me or make my life worse if I leave.
Any thoughts? Advice? Anything? Am I an asshole?

​
Ahh, dear reader, hello there! So lovely to see you once more... well figuratively speaking that is… or is it?
After all, I am exceedingly well versed in The Arts. Maybe I am watching you at this very moment, with Clairvoyance or perhaps a Scrying Spell or maybe an enchanted object like the good old fashioned Crystal Ball? The Magus has one you know…
Just teasing… or am I? …teeheehee…
Anyway, this latest instalment comes to you courtesy via a Voice to Text application my Magus recently acquired for me, as he said listening to me speak aloud while typing is too distracting for him. I find that interesting considering his immense mental discipline yet understandable at the same time. After all, extoling ones inner monolog to an uncaring audience would be tedious to experience. Hmm… I’ve just thought of a new torture for the souls of the dammed, specifically for writers who think they are better than everyone around them. How ingenious of me!
In any case, I would prefer to distract him in other ways, mark you.
I also must say what wonderfully inventive creatures you humans are! An application of mathematical code, the base language of reality. It is very much like a spell in its function and nature I would say, that it allows my phone, yes the Magus got me one, to record all I say and transcribes it into neatly typed words on its electronic pages. It’s like having a monk-scribe in your pocket! Unquestionably wonderful!
So as I relax in my fabulously hot, luxurious scented, oiled bubble bath, I can easily regale you with further tales of the adventures I have had thus far on this wonderous blue and brown spherical rock that is third in line from our star. And I do not have to type with two fingers either, which is a massive bonus let me tell you!
If memory serves… ahh yes, we had just returned to the car where I saw a sign of my Magus’s humour on display in the form of his licence plate.
I do have to admit dear reader, I was indeed highly amused. He knows he’s going to hell, he just insists that it be on his terms! I love it! Such confidence, such audacious willpower.
That is exceedingly… stimulating for Succubi.
Ok dammit, it makes me tremendously horny, and I’m not talking about the ones on my head either you know! We are incredibly lusty beings, us Succubi, after all.
I was already in a highly ‘excited’ state when we got to the car, so much so that I had to use my Cell Adjustment Psionic discipline to tremendously dull down my inflamed senses as I did not wish to leave the tell-tale mark of my inflamed passion on the lower back portion of my new dress and also not on the car-seat when I sat back down in the vehicle.
Ahem…
After a few moments, which caused the Magus to glance up at me with a slightly puzzled expression, of standing outside the car (he had no idea nor cared… hmmph!) I opened the door and folded myself back inside the vehicle and resumed my seat. I later learned that I could have mostly avoided this… embarrassment… by actually wearing what you call absorbent lined underwear! I wasn’t wearing panties at the time as I was totally unaware of their existence. I do so now as its much more comfortable in lots of ways and in addition, stops the shiver when an errant chill wind blows unexpectedly up your gusset!
Moving on…
Getting into the car, the Magus paused until I had done up my seatbelt before starting the engine, waiting for another car to pass us by before safely pulling out and sedately driving off. I later learned that we could have gone screaming down the road in a cloud of burning rubber if the Magus was of a mind to. I would have if given the opportunity! Something to look forward to dear reader.
Instead, we drifted slowly through the placidly moving traffic as I watched the sun descend below the horizon of the ocean. I had only been back here on Earth for a few hours but every second was total bliss. I do not think that most of you humans realize how good you have it here. Even those who do not reside in the more developed and advanced nations, being on Earth is special.
There are infinity more worse places you can be, let me assure you of that.
We drove back mostly the way we had travelled to this particular beach. This time though it was much later in the day, heading in the opposite direction, I became aware of many more things that had escaped my attention earlier on.
We passed by denser zones and clusters of buildings where I could see various shops, food outlets, restaurants and varying vendors, all brightly lit up now as the daylight was fading. I saw incredibly tall metal poles with blazing, glowing lights illuminating the surrounds with a warm yellowy orange glow making it still easy to see. Electric lighting will never cease to amaze me. Yes dear reader, I can experience a sense of wonder and joy at simple things, even beyond the act of slaughter and soul draining. Would it astonish you that I like flowers? Such strange lifeforms that had developed aromas they use as a method of propagation. Delightful.
Anyway… we shortly crested the hill that we had previous ascended westwards earlier on the way to the beach and then I saw it!
I was awestruck once again.
Towering edifices, glittering, shining buildings monstrously higher than Hagia Sophia was, the most immense human made structure in the world when I was last in it. These glistening towers of glass, metal and stone made that church look like a feeble children’s toy. I could see over a dozen of these buildings of varying size, clustered together in less than a square mile.
The Magus glanced to his left and saw me gaping at them.
“They’re called Sky Scrapers Meridiana. They’re generally office buildings, places of business where people daily work in their wage-slave jobs then go home at night. The buildings are left vacant but light up at night as you can clearly see.”
I turned and gawped at him.
“They’re empty at night?”
I could not comprehend why such space, that had amazing views, would be left empty of an evening?
“Yep. Well most of them are. There will be some that still have people in them, conducting various types of business overnight because its what they do for a living.”
“What do they do?” I asked in a murmur as I turned back to see the vista be obscured by a large set of commercial and residential buildings that we were currently passing.
The Magus shrugged.
“They’ll be doing all sorts of things, financial trading, working back late to do their jobs… various affairs of commerce and such. It’s not that important really Meridiana. I’ll take you into the city another day when we have time for you to be a tourist. Now, if I may, I want to know more about your Telekinesis. I got an idea of how much you can lift, probably over 1400 kilograms at least if my guess as to how much a warhorse in armour with a rider would weigh… maybe more? Probably more but we’ll test that later. Anyway, it’s your fine control skills I’m interested in.”
I turned back to the Magus who was looking ahead, driving us through the busy traffic that had become a factor. I later learned that it was a time of day called ‘rush hour’.
“I am capable of very delicate manipulation with my Telekinesis, especially in regards to the erotic arts,” I said to him with a husky, low, salacious purr.
“That’s cute but I really want to know if you could snatch out of the air and control a very small, fast moving bouncing ball, say the size of your thumbnail?” he asked in an offhand manner as he slowed down due to the traffic which was banking up in front of us.
I inwardly sighed once more. Such a challenge he was!
“Yes I can but why?”
He briefly turned to me and broadly grinned before returning his attention to driving.
“There’s a game that we will ‘play’ after dinner. It is called Roulette. The game features a spinning wheel with thirty seven little slots. Into the spinning wheel a little white ball is spun in and circles around, eventually slowing and bouncing into once of the numbered slots. The slots are alternately coloured red or black and all are numbered from 00 to 36. You can bet where the ball will land, either in red or black and specifically in a numbered slot. If the ball lands in a slot you bet on, you get a payout of thirty seven to one. Ever dollar you bet wins you 37 back. You can also just bet on which colour the ball will land in giving you your money back plus it’s value as a reward. Bet $100, you get your $100 back plus another $100.”
“Dollar... that’s money right?” I said as the implications slowly dawned on me. You could make a fortune from this!
“Yes Meridiana. Dollars are what we use as currency these days. Gold is still used but not in the way you were used to. It’s still valuable as are other precious metals but that’s going to take a long explanation which is a distraction for now. So, do you think you could perhaps catch the bouncing ball with your power, directing it into the number we bet on?”
I thought about it for a few moments.
“I will have to see how the ball moves but I think I could, yes.”
“Excellent. You stand to make us a lot of money tonight. There are other games like card games, slot machines which I’m uncertain that your powers would be able to mess with. Roulette is our hunting ground. We must be careful though.”
“Why?”
I was surprised by his tone of caution. We were power incarnate! What could possibly touch us?
“Casinos hate losing money. Roulette is going to be the hardest one they can prove that we’re cheating on if you use your Telekinesis. We will be closely watched the entire time we are in the casino. There are devices called cameras, similar to Crystal Balls, that observe everything they see, relaying the images back to people in other rooms whose task it is to spot potential cheaters in the casino. They also have people walking the floor, disguised as ordinary folk, always watching everyone else. And I want to avoid the eyes of any infernal beings who may be in the casino.”
“Ahh… I see… a healthy paranoia then, for them and us hmm?”
He nodded once, emphatically.
If you have a fortune, you need to protect it, especially from people like me. His caution in regards to our identity was also most prudent and he was correct that there was a possibility that there may be others of my ilk lurking in the shadows, walking in human form as we often do.
I have to confess dear reader, that I am a master thief as well as an expert assassin, in addition to being an accomplished warrior although I rarely fight in hand to hand combat, preferring seduction, subterfuge and skulduggery as my main methods of killing. Yet still, I can fight and kill extremely proficiently with many weapons, being skilled at one of the highest levels of melee combat, the use of weapons and ways of fighting with them. I’ve been around a while you know? You pick up on things like that if you wish to live as long as I have.
Besides… stabby, stabby, stabby, bash, slash and smite can be loads of fun when you’re doing the stabbing and bashing with a well-balanced blade or mace in your hands. But I digress…
“You have it Meridiana. Yes the casinos’ management are extremely paranoid. We will have to alter our appearance as well before we enter the casino. I shall use a minor low level spell while you can take a new face. We will do so after dinner.”
I nodded then a thought came to me. I asked,
“You said we were going to something called a buffet? I know what the word means as my abilities allow me to understand any spoken language, much like the enchantment known as Tongues. Yet I’m finding it hard to match the word with the concept.”
The Magus raised an eyebrow in interest at this revelation.
“Oh right. Just because you know a word doesn’t mean you automatically understanding it conceptually and in context either. Good to know. Well, a buffet is an enormous array of various foods, hot and cold, sweet to savoury, where you merely help yourself and consume as much as you wish. You pay for the privilege of course.”
“Truly? How much will this cost you?” I inquired wide eyed.
I noticed that we had moved through the traffic and had turned down a descending road and were now going into a massive concrete tunnel along with hundreds of other cars, all slowly moving in the same direction. It was quite honestly astounding that everyone was not smashing into one another. All the drivers were…well mostly were, attentive to their immediate surrounds and situation as we gradually merged our car into the main lane of traffic which was making its way under the earth via the huge yawning tunnel ahead.
Such staggering feats of engineering and construction which would have made the Emperor Justinian weep copious, bitter tears of pure envy. Oh how I wished I could make him see this and realise his idiotic boast was pointless when he finished Hagia Sophia. He bragged that he had surpassed Solomon himself with his church. He had but it wasn’t worth it. Justinian nearly bankrupted the Eastern Roman Empire, all for a useless church and his own vanity.
Moron.
Still, I shouldn’t care, his hubris ended up sending him to hell anyway so... yay! His actions also exacerbated the effects of the famine and plague that swept the through the empire and western Europe in the year 535 with his stupid desire to re-unify the Roman empire under his rule. You will be pleased to know dear reader, that he is burning in eternal torment for his multitude of sins so it is all good. My thoughts of deceased, vainglorious emperors and their fate were interrupted as the Magus spoke again,
“Hmm? … it should set us back about $80 each I’d should say? A small price to pay in all honesty when you see what is on offer. Drinks will be on top of that price, unless you just have plain water but tonight Meridiana, I shall introduce you to Champagne, one of humanities greatest achievements.”
This was enticing to hear!
“If you say so Magus. I completely believe you as you will not be lying to me,” I said, nodding and trying to think about Champagne.
So many new concepts were entering my mind, it was hard to keep my mind and thoughts in order. I understood that Champagne was a special type of wine, one which had a fizz embodied within it, making it highly regarded but that’s all I could deduce for now.
Also… I had a thought: the Magus could and would never lie to me. The feeling I had earlier, in being able to trust everything he said to me because of the oath he gave to me, was an unfettering sensation.
All my existence I have dealt with bare faced lairs, deceivers, misshapers of the truth who twisted words to suit their own selfish ends. With the Magus, all I had to be concerned with was his agenda, which actually had my interests aligned with his own. Truly remarkable.
I needed that champagne now!
We emerged from the tunnel, traveling with the traffic over wide dark river, again on another immense concrete bridge this time. There was a gigantic colosseum off to our right, all lit up with multiple coloured lights that ran around the circumference of the structure. It was like as though it was enveloped in a rainbow. Frankly, it was amazing to behold.
Beyond that, I could see many more large towers and structures, lining the sides of the vast road we were hurtling along now. The Magus had increased our speed as traffic had thinned out. Never in my life had I moved so fast, well unless I was using a Haste spell to briefly increase my physical speed, which I use in combat if necessary.
I barely had the sense we were travelling in the car at roughly 80kph. Such an odd experience to have for the first time. There was no rushing of wind, no press of air on my face, just comfort and air-conditioning. Marvellous!
After a few minutes later I saw our destination.
Again I was nearly stupefied by the gigantic structure. Multiple massive buildings, all surrounded by lush green, well-manicured and maintained gardens made my jaw go slack with disbelief.
“That’s Crown Casino, Towers and hotel Meridiana. I can see you are impressed. Let me just say that if you think this is amazing, wait until we go to Las Vegas…” he said as he turned the car into the driveway of the complex.
“There’s even more impressive structures than this?”
My mind boggled dear reader. It was almost too much to take in.
“Yep. My city is a small one compared to others around the globe. We will travel to them, in due course. I know you can use your powers of Dimensional Walking, moving through other planes of reality and appearing on a different part of the planet. However, there will be times when we will need to travel together conventionally. Perhaps one day, if I learn the right spells, we will be able to avoid having to fly in an aeroplane and by-pass the utter tediousness of baggage check-ins, airport security and so on…” he muttered darkly.
“HUMANS CAN FLY!?!” I said in a loud strangled astonished voice.
The Magus chuckled with genuine amusement.
“Think back Meridiana. I said humanity has been to the moon and back. I said we can travel safely and comfortably in a machine, called an aircraft, across the planet. Some ‘planes are huge while others are not much bigger than the car. Oh, that reminds me, we will have to construct an identity for you. We will begin that process tomorrow. You are going to need a passport soon enough,” he said as he found a relatively unoccupied parking area west of the massive structures.
He saw my puzzled expression and mistook it for wondering why we had parked here.
“It’s free to park here and there are hardly any security cameras in the vicinity.”
I nodded dumbly.
“But of course Magus…”
He saw my expression as he switched off the engine. A tiny look of… sympathy appeared on his face. He spoke to me in a soft, calm, soothing tone,
“Take a breath Meridiana. Close your eyes and focus upon the stillness within the vehicle. You are safe here with me. Nothing will harm us. Just breathe and relax, let each breath calm you. With every breath you are at peace within yourself and the world around you.”
I did as he said and instantly sensed my whirling mind begin to centre itself, become still.
I may be an ancient and powerful demon dear reader, however I have been imprisoned for nigh on a thousand years and now have been released into a world that I was unable to recognise at all.
The Magus later told me I was suffering from a psychological malady called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Yes dear reader, even us demons can get mentally fucked up. I mean, compared to the average human, we’re all demented, tormented psychopaths which explains a lot about ourselves but still… even a psychopath can suffer from mental trauma. Demons can go insane.
I breathed rhythmically, each exhaling breath calming me. With one final exhalation, I opened my eyes, turned to my Magus and softly smiled at him.
“Thank you,” was all I said. I meant it.
He nodded briefly, his intensely burning eyes boring into mine, deeply searching, looking for signs of any madness that may still be lingering within. Well, there’s always the hunger for sex and mayhem, but that’s natural for me.
“Come on, you look fine now, let’s go,” he said as he got out of the car.
I followed his example, releasing my seat belt and stepping out of the car. Closing the car door behind me, walked over to the Magus then I threaded my right arm around his left as we walked off like a normal couple, casually strolling through the car park towards the casino and hotel.
I could hear the noise of all the adjacent traffic all still travelling busily along the massive road that went past the enormous complex. There was the calls of various birds I’d never heard before, the waft of scented flowering plants and the heavy aroma of moisture in the air from the nearby river. I closed my eyes for a second just to let it all wash over me as I sedately walked along with my Magus.
Soon we came to the entrance. Huge dark glass doors magically opened for us upon our arrival. To my right I could see various coloured signage, advertising the types of ‘fast food’ eateries that people could choose to dine at. They were all brightly lit and mostly clean.
It was at that moment I saw my first wretch.
A dishevelled, unkempt, shabby man sat listless outside the fast food eateries upon the low stone wall that contained a small, well-kept garden. He looked up at us as we approached, his eyes full of misery and despair.
“Got any spare change?”
“Sorry mate, no one carries cash anymore,” lied my Magus to him with a conciliatory voice, a sad but brief compassionate smile appeared briefly on his face.
The wretched man’s face became even more resigned. He nodded back in understanding, returning his fallen face back to morosely contemplating the ground at his feet.
We kept walking, leaving the broken man behind us.
I was about to congratulate the Magus in his treatment of the beggar when I had to stop as I was confronted by an incredible sight.
Before us, in the huge well-lit lobby of the building, was a huge pair of MOVING METAL STAIRCASES!
One staircase ascended while another came down from the landing some 50 feet above us. On either side were normal, marble clad stairs that some people were using. Yet many other people were on the moving metal stairs, all just taking the experience of being raised or lowered completely for granted.
“It’s just an escalator Meridiana. A simple machine that makes life a little more comfortable. Take it, go for a ride. I’m taking the stairs as I need the incidental exercise,” he said to me as he pried my clutching hands from his arm. I had been unconsciously gripping him tightly in my amazement at seeing such a machine.
The Magus walked off to the left, climbing the steps briskly while I gingerly walked forwards, watching the metal stairs endless appear and ascend upwards. The hand rail also moved in synchronicity with the metal stairs. I observed as a pair of young women, chatting intently to each other, walked past me and up to stand upon a metal stair which was part of dozens of metal stairs it seemed. I saw them be lifted by the moving stairs, rising above and away from me.
Summoning my courage, I stepped forwards onto a moving stair, wobbled slightly as I was not used to the speed which it moved, making me grab the moving banister tightly to steady myself as I rode my way upwards. I let out a small laugh as it was such a novel experience. The young women in front of me turned around at my laugh, raising their eyebrows at me as well as actually truly seeing me for the first time. Their smiles faded as I grinned back at them.
The young women could see my infinitely superior beauty on full display. They looked hesitant, now uncertain of themselves as they mistakenly believed themselves to be beautiful. They were, passible, not ugly but not worthy of a harem to be perfectly honest. I later learned dear reader that many foolish young women, especially in what you call the western world, regard themselves as queens, rating themselves ten out of ten on a scale of dazzling good looks. These sad women are delusional. I mean, if they were that beautiful, why weren’t their faces on the covers of the glossy magazines I see in various ‘supermarket’ check outs? No matter, vanity and hubris are all ways to damnation and misery. So many people sending themselves to eternal torment simply because they were raised by idiotic parents who never properly taught their children the need for humility. It’s all win-win for the pits you know…
My Magus met me at the top of the stairs, holding out his hand to me and then leading me through the vast interior of the complex.
“That’s the casino,” he indicated to our right.
Looking, I could see dozens of people making their way inside into the brightly lit and noisy interior of the casino. I caught the whiff of desperation, despair, avarice, lust, elation and a strong aroma of human urine. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. Yes, even I have some standards dear reader.
“Magus, why does it reek of piss?” I asked as we strolled by and proceeded into the most immense, glass covered atrium I have ever seen.
“Oh, you can smell that?” He looked intrigued.
I nodded with a mild look of disgust.
“Hah… interesting. Well… some gamblers get stuck on a poker machine. They sit there for hours, desperately hoping that the machine they are playing on will pay out. The poor fools stupidly believe that if they play at the machine long enough, they’ll win big. So they stay seated, ignoring the need to relieve their bodily urges, to the extent that they prefer to piss themselves rather than abandon the machine that is draining away their money. The poor fools are incapable of understanding that the machine is designed to rarely pay out. Every time they play, it has a simple algorithm that calculates the chance of a payout. Most machines will payout a small amount of money occasionally, thus keeping the gambler hooked in the mistaken belief that the big one is just around the corner. It rarely, if ever, is.”
I stopped, stunned at what I just heard. The Magus stopped and looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
“That’s… diabolically genius!” I stuttered as I considered the fiendish brilliance of the whole concept.
Someone had made hell on earth not only possible but also could make a fortune from it as well as breaking people’s souls and spirits in the process! The concept of dangling hope in front of a damned soul, then snatching it away was one of the oldest known tortures of hell. This was a magnificent, a culmination of the perfection of thousands upon thousands of years of the torture, all neatly packaged in a fairly simple machine designed to beggar it’s user and turn them into slaves to it. Gobsmacking was the only word I could think off that fully encapsulated the way I felt at that moment.
“Yes it is, isn’t it? I have always suspected that those machines were most likely invented by a demon. It makes perfect sense,” he said as he shrugged, then tilted his head, indicating we should proceed onwards.
I noddled dumbly as again, I had been totally overwhelmed by the latest piece of information the Magus informed of. I barely registered the hundreds of people all wandering around the massive lobby of the hotel atrium. Many were dressed finely while others, mostly men, were dressed casually. My Magus was one of them, still wearing his novelty T-shirt and hemp pants. They were clean though and his shoes, a brand known as Babuuk, made him look somehow better dressed then the other men who were similarly attired. Maybe it was just his subtle aurora of power, his sheer confidence and his towering Will that made him stand out from the mouth breathers all around us? I guess it was.
We arrived at the entrance of the restaurant and the Magus was greeted by a short Asian woman, dressed neatly in the hotels livery.
I started to realise that there were people from so many different races of humanity all around us. I had come from a time where only what was left of the Eastern Roman Empire was this diverse, and even then it was but a shadow of the heyday of the full glory that was Rome. Here were people from almost all the lands of earth, all happily co-mingling, getting on with having dinner with family and friends. Very surprising indeed.
The Asian woman at the reception counter spoke to us with a friendly smile,
“Good evening sir, madam. A table for two for you then?” she asked politely, her voice tinged with a broad accent I had not heard before. She spoke English yet I could tell that wasn’t her first language.
“Yes please,” politely replied the Magus.
This was something I did not expect. Despite his and my obvious power, he was respectful and even kind to the servants. All of them. He didn’t condescend nor sneer down at the servants of the hotel. It is still something I have difficulty reconciling. I said nothing, just observed. Oh, he has since instructed me not to call them servants, they are members of staff and will be treated with respect until they show they do not deserve it, then they are fair game. I can live with that.
“Table seventy one is ready for you both, have a lovely evening.”
She actually meant it! I could see it in her eyes, she was truly enjoying her task. She was smiling and joking with her fellow staff members, politely greeting the next people behind us with her cheerful friendly demeanour.
Astonishing.
In my prior experiences, servants and slaves were a miserable lot but then again, that was understandable. They had no choice as to their circumstances. They had to obey lest they suffer harsh punishment.
As we proceeded into the large dining room, with over a hundred tables of varying sizes, I could see off to my left where the food was.
I stopped again and stared dear reader.
I have been to banquets with Emperors and Kings, Popes and Princes, all sumptuous feasts but nothing was like what I saw before me. Dozens upon dozens of people had plates in their hands, all calmly wandering around the incredible cornucopia of varieties of food that were on display, all brightly lit up for them to simply help themselves to as much as their plate could hold.
Roasted meats, all neatly carved by expert chefs, freshly shucked oysters all seated in enormous silver ice-filled serving bowls, trays upon trays of cooked vegetables of kinds I had never seen before and… a dazzling array of sweet desserts and treats that made me almost go weak at the knees at the very sight of them.
“Come on Meridiana, you’re starting to drool,” whispered the Magus gently into my ear as he dabbed my wet lips with a soft piece of paper that he withdrew from his pants pockets.
Once again I nodded dumbly as I allowed him to escort me to our table. He even seated me, pushing me and my chair in one I had sat down. After he had taken his seat, a young man, quite a handsome one from the Indus I believed?... came over to us, again dressed in the livery of the hotel.
“Good evening, sir, madam. Would you care for something to drink?” he inquired ever so politely.
“And good evening to you sir. Yes indeed, may we please have a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, two glasses and a bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water?” he asked with a real smile to the servant… no member of staff.
“Of course sir, I shall get that for you immediately,” replied the waiter with a pleased smile at being spoken to so politely.
“Thank you,” said the Magus then he turned to me and asked,
“Do you need a moment Meridiana? I understand this might trigger you again…”
I shook my head.
“No. It is overwhelming… but in a good way Magus. I have to ask, how can a place like this provide so many people with so much food? Even in the height of the Empire, there were magnificent feasts to be sure but… you say this happens everyday, that this is just a Tuesday and not a busy night?”
He nodded.
“This is the age of abundance Meridiana. Many of us, who live in what is known as The West, have dwelt in an age of such wealth and richness that almost all here never think on their incredible luck and privilege to live in such times. They do not know that it will come to an end. Maybe that is a small mercy. All golden ages end as you well know. So I say, let them dwell in ignorant bliss for now. We can enjoy it while it lasts.”
“Huh? Why do you believe that your golden age will end Magus?”
“It’s a long explanation and one I do not wish to go into detail here and now Meridiana but later, I will share my thoughts with you on this. Ahh, here comes our champagne.”
The waiter and another staff member had returned, with one carrying two bottles while the other had a metal bucket partially filled with ice. The waiter from the Indus placed both bottles on our table, displayed the label to the Magus who briefly nodded. Then, the waiter removed the cork from the bottle with an adroit twist of his wrist. It made a pleasing pop and I could see a little haze of cold… smoke? lightly emanate from the neck of the bottle. He poured the brightly bubbling and fizzing wine into both our glasses, carefully making sure the foam did not overflow them. He was very good at his task.
“Thank you good sir,” said my Magus to the waiter who beamed back at him with a happy smile. He placed the bottle into the bucket of ice and withdrew, leaving us alone, amidst the crowed dinning room.
The Magus took up his glass, holding it in front of him. I mirrored him.
“Here’s to a good dinner with interesting company and later, ripping the shit out of a casino Meridiana.” He pushed his glass gently forwards, lightly clinking it against mine. I wasn’t familiar at the time with that form of salute and toast but went with it anyway, after all… when in Rome as they used to say.
“That sounds… delightful Magus. I am eager for it all.”
I then took a sip of my champagne and was transported into a realm of heavenly bliss.
It was exquisite.

OCOC

Back again dear reader?
How lovely!
As I sit here in the well illuminated Magus’ office, I can hear the soft pattering sound of falling raindrops outside plus there is the scent of Petrichor in the air, gently drifting in through the open windows.
It is…gorgeous.
Such simple things that are part of the miracle of life on this planet that drifts along, circling a massive ball of nuclear fire through the inky black void of space.
Being with my Magus has made me ever so philosophical these days but I do still so much enjoy butchering people like bleating, terrified sheep. That can be so entertaining! The blood, the screams, the pleading and crying… all as wonderful as the sound of raindrops descending from the sky, landing on the roof with a pleasing resonance.
Oh I do wax lyrical at times… teeheehee…
Now then, back to my amazing story:
I had just sampled my Rum & Raisin Gelato for the first time, taking in the icy, milky sweetness and pungent flavour of the rum blended into the creamy concoction when… WHACK!
A ball flew out of nowhere, smacking me rudely in the side of my head, knocking my Gelato out of my heads, causing me a moment of stunned incredulity.
I felt no pain if that was your concern dear reader.
As my Magus said, it takes more than a surprise sneak attack with a leather clad football to harm me. Normally I would have plucked the offensive object out of the air yet I was so intent upon savouring my Gelato that my guard was down for an instant.
I spun around to see a group of six buff, fit, muscular looking young men, probably in their early twenties in age, all considering me and my Magus with derisive smirks.
One in particular, the one who had hit me with his ball, a tall, well-muscled, shirtless young man called out to us, with an arrogant snide tone in his voice,
“Hey, give us our ball back!” he demanded as I now had the offending item in my hands.
“Apologise to the lady and buy her a new Gelato,” said the Magus in a cold flat tone as he stood up, glaring daggers at the overly muscled moron.
“What? It was an accident man, don’t get upset, ok boomer?” the young offender laughed out aloud mockingly at us.
I was burning with fury at this point as was my Magus. I could feel his power itching to smite this fool.
The strutting, ignorant, puffed up idiot pushed out his muscular chest and strode the twenty or so feet towards us, trying to look threatening, thinking he could intimidate us and make us cower before him.
“What you going to do about it you, eh? Come on you fat fuck, you wanna have a go, do ya?” he called out as he stopped right in front of the Magus, daring him to act.
My Magus didn’t flinch an inch as the cretin had no idea he was seconds away from something extremely unpleasant. My Magus never took his eyes of the cretin but spoke to me,
“No but she will. Meridiana, remember what I said, no killing but everything else is fine. Teach this muscle brained mouth breathing imbecile a lesson he will never forget lest I butcher him...”
The arrogant young fool suddenly appeared apprehensive as I stood up, his ball now in my left hand. I extended my talons from the fingers in my hands, just enough to puncture and rip the ball apart into pathetic shreds which I tossed aside once done.
His eyes widened in total shock as he stumbled a step backwards.
“Tremens!”
I unleashed my power of Id Insinuation, a Psionic discipline of the mind which we Succubi possess that reduces our victims to apoplectic quivering wrecks, losing all control of their bodily functions from experiencing all-consuming pain, psychic misery and abject terror. I am a master at this Psionic Discipline if you are curious.
The arrogant, blustering fool had no mental discipline or defence against such an assault, collapsing down upon the ground with a low groan of wretched pain, his bowels and bladder immediately releasing as he began fitting uncontrollably, foam appearing from his mouth.
My Magus, went over to the now prone young man, rolled him onto his left side, removing a small leather-bound wallet (I learned the name later) from the back of his flimsy short pants and took out a colourful, small rectangle from it. Then he dropped the wallet back onto the spasming idiot on the ground.
“HEY! YOU”RE STEALING FROM WAYNO!”
“No. I am taking compensation from your inconsiderate dickhead who shall now be called Wanko as he owes the lady a Gelato. Pray that is all we take from your idiot friend,” my Magus said in a harsh growl.
‘Wayno’s compatriots were taken aback by the harshness of the glare from my Magus, not knowing what to do.
They had seen their leader felled with nothing but a word from me. I gave them a very wide, open smile, briefly showing them a glimpse of my fangs for just a second then made them normal human teeth once more.
Their eyes widened hugely in astonished fear.
I looked at my Magus with a beaming smile. This was how to use Power.
Reduce your enemies into snivelling, gibbering terrorised wrecks.
People started stopping and began staring at the scene that was unfolding around us. In a way I was a little sad as my perfect experience was ruined by an utterly inconsiderate, thoughtlessness of a bunch of overly charged testosterone filled idiots playing a stupid game with a ball when it was clearly obvious that there were many people about and one missed catch would result in… well a lost Gelato for a start!
The Magus focused his will, them waved his right hand with a small gesture saying,
“Sapiens Obscura!”
Everyone in the nearby vicinity all immediately stopped with a blank look on their faces, staring hollow eyed at the Magus.
“There is nothing to see here, you will remember nothing of this. Walk on, go about your business and have a lovely day.”
The crowd who had stopped to watch, were starting to get out their phones to film the incident, all suddenly did as the Magus commanded, just walking away with a faint puzzled smile on their faces as though nothing had happened.
Even the idiots’ friends walked off in a daze, leaving him still trembling and fitting in his own filth upon the ground.
I glanced back in almost adulation at my Maus.
What Power!
He saw me looking at him, shrugged and sighed.
“Here, you can have my Gelato, Meridiana. I shouldn’t eat it anyway, bad for my blood sugars. We should go as the glamour will not last and we do not want to attract more attention to ourselves.”
“That was wonderous Magus, to be able to influence so many minds like that…” I almost gushed at him.
He stared balefully at the still writhing, convulsing moron who had thoroughly soiled himself at this point, then shrugged.
“A simple use of The Will and The Way, combined with a hypnotical charm, makes it easy to do however I only had one prepared so we should not linger here. Let’s just walk away further down the path to a less crowded area and appreciate the sunset.”
I nodded in agreement, taking a small, tentative taste of the Magus’s Vanilla Gelato. Delightful!
Vanilla was far a more subtle flavour, not as bold as my now destroyed Rum & Raisin waffle cone. Perhaps a better flavour in the end as subtlety is a hallmark of refined taste. I enjoyed it immensely.
With my Gelato in my left hand, I took the Magus’ arm in my right, we gently strolled away from the scene of the destruction of my Gelato and the mind of a callous, bullying, cretinous idiot. He might recover… I hoped not. One less muscle bound thuggish oaf was what the world could do with right now. He would have made for a tasty snack though…
“I thought you said we should be careful, not use our power like that?” I asked after a couple of minutes of sedate walking.
I noted, glancing briefly to our rear, that there was no commotion behind us although after a few minutes some new passers-by had stopped to try to help the fallen fool.
“If he genuinely apologised to you for his oafish stupidity rather than try to bully us, I would not have done anything. Oxygen Thieves like that deserve a short, sharp shock. It is better than Percussive Cranial Adjustments.”
“What?”
“Punches to the head. If your hands are not conditioned and strengthened, you risk breaking bones within them by punching people in the head. There is a strong risk that you may render your foe unconscious, causing them to collapse, smacking their head on the floor resulting in them getting more damage to their already asinine cerebellums. Then the screaming and wailing starts, police are called, arrests are made, lives are ruined blah blah blah.. not worth the trouble no matter how tempting it is. However, in certain cases, a swift kick, punch or hard knee to the balls of the miscreant can solve a lot of problems extremely quickly and not result in a brain injury,” he added with a dark smile.
I erupted in evil laughter!
My demonic cackling drew some apprehensive eyes from passers-by but at this point I didn’t care. Even my Magus winked at me with a dry, faintly amused smirk.
“Oh Magus! That is most amusing. I shall use that tactic from now on as you are correct but you missed one minor detail,” I said with an infernal glint in my eyes.
“I did? Do tell,” he replied with a glimmer of mild curiosity.
“By ‘kneeing them in the balls’ as you so delightfully put it, you do damage to their second brain as almost all men think with their balls!”
The Magus stopped, then briefly chuckled at my cutting wit, shaking his head lightly.
“Very true Meridiana, very true. Come, here’s a free and clean enough bench for us to sit and watch the ocean and sunset,” he said as we came upon another empty park bench that looked out over the beach and sea.
I nodded and took my seat, focusing again upon my delightful, sweet snack while enjoying the ambiance of just being at the beach, watching humanity blithefully and ignorantly walking by, their minds closed to almost everything around them. Many had their faces glued to their phones, or had devices covering their ears, walking along at a brisk pace, ignoring the beauty that surrounded them. If I wasn’t a demon, I would had felt sorry for these people… but I didn’t. It made me despise them all for being such thoughtless idiots, so completely self-absorbed, locked inside in their pathetic little heads.
My Magus interrupted my musings,
“So what was that you did to that reprobate then Meridiana? I need to fully understand what powers and abilities you possess so we can properly plan for the missions ahead.”
“I see,” I replied primly as I crossed my legs, with them facing towards my Magus. I took another small bite from my Gelato then said, “How about you tell me what you think you know then I will… be honest with you Magus. Hmm… my that was difficult to say… no matter, I will fill in the gaps of your knowledge after you speak. I am so extremely curious as to what you think you know.” I sat back and observed him intently.
He shifted in his seat, turning more towards me, pausing in thought before speaking once more,
“Well… I know you can do the following: you can Shape Shift, altering your appearance to appear like different being, but does extend to animal forms?”
“No Magus but that is a good question! I can appear as other humans but there is a limit as I can only do so within a certain size range limit to the power. I cannot appear as a small child nor a giant man. I can appear as another type of demon, just not the massive ones like say a Pit Fiend or other large demons and I dare not appear as a Demon Lord or Prince as if they ever found out that a demon or someone was impersonating them… the torment they would inflict would be… beyond extreme for such an affront. Go on.” I took another little bite of my Gelato. So Good!
“Interesting… ok…your kiss will drain the life energy from your victim, reducing them to a crumbling lifeless husk?"
I nodded with a wide smile as I extended my long, deep red tongue, lapping and twirling around my Gelato seductively. He ignored it. Sigh.
“How long does it take for you to fully drain your victim?”
My eyebrows were raised at that question. My Magus was wise to ask this and it made me consider it too.
“I am impressed Magus, no one has ever bothered to ask that. I estimate maybe twenty to thirty or so resting heartbeats, perhaps a little longer? To be honest I never really paid attention as to how long the kiss took to drain my victim as I am normally in the moment, relishing the sensation of drinking a human’s lifeforce and energy but now I will. Thank you Magus. This makes me more aware of my abilities for my own purposes.”
“Hmm… I suppose we can time it in the future, but not here in this city. A withered husk appearing will attract too many questions for now. Next then, I understand that you can become Ethereal? Stepping into the that plane of existence briefly and becoming untouchable here.”
I nodded.
“How long can you maintain that ability, and how often can you use it?”
“Another excellent question Magus. I can use it at will as often as I like. As to maintaining it… you know I have never truly thought about that as I only use it to step away from threats that might actually harm me. Perhaps this is something else we can experiment on together Magus?” I said with a hopeful, demure smile.
This time I received the glimmer of approval from him which made me grin inwardly. His desire for knowledge! That’s his weakness! Oh happy day. And it included Gelato as well!
“That we must do as it may be vital for your own safety and survival. Knowing how long you can safely stay in the Ethereal Plane will be paramount. Next… I know you can Charm, use the power of Suggestion and Domination, that you have the power of Extrasensory Perception, which you used on me earlier on and you have the power of Clairaudience which allows you to listen in on your targets from a distance. Quite useful in combat and stealth situations I would say?”
“Yes it is Magus. I have used that many times to spy upon my victims and enemies, gaining much useful information without them ever being aware.”
I smirked once more as that power enabled me to ferret out so many secrets that were thought to have been spoken without anyone else listening. I now nibbled on the sweet wafer biscuit cone of my Gelato, oh how glorious that was.
“I know that you have Psionic Abilities, powers of the mind, but this is now where my knowledge falls short. I also believe that you are an adept in The Arts, capable of wielding magic and spells.”
I smiled broadly back at my Magus. He was indeed well informed.
“Yes, that is all true. Now I will tell you what I am fully capable of. Firstly I can walk… travel between the dimensions if I so choose. I do not need to create a Gate to travel between realms, I simply picture where I wish to go and I appear there. I can only do this for myself though. In addition, I must take care in not pushing to go beyond my limits, try to cross too many dimensions in one trip, as I could strain my mind and lose myself between dimensions. Next, I can go Invisible at will,” and did just that right in front of him, for a couple of seconds before reappearing once more. He nodded briefly and I was somewhat disappointed that I did not receive a bigger reaction. Oh well. There was still some waffle cone left.
With another little sigh I carried on,
“I can also detect the presence of magic within a thirty foot radius for over an hour or so but I have to maintain my concentration for this to continue otherwise the detection ceases after a minute. I have the power of Telekinesis…”
Now my Magus’s eye lit up with real interest. I stopped speaking as I knew he wanted to ask questions.
“Now that is an impressive ability. How much weight can you lift at your maximum exertion? What is your range? Are you able to use the power in a delicate, fine tuned way for minor manipulation?”
His enthusiasm was immensely gratifying. It was the most animated that I had seen him be thus far.
“Oh my Magus… so many questions! I had no idea that such an ability would intrigue you so much… perhaps I should have demonstrated that power when we first met?” I said with a teasing smirk.
He harrumphed but waited for me to continue.
“I know I am able to lift a war horse in full cataphract armour as I did so a few times during the campaign of General Flavius Belisarius against the Persians at the Battle of Dara, much to their shock and horror. It turned the tide of the battle I have to say with a little modesty. Empress Theodora was the one who summoned me and used me for a decade to help her favoured General. I liked her. She was utterly ruthless and exceptionally intelligent." I took a moment to have another bite of my Gelato before continuing,
"At the end of my service to her, I gifted her with Cancer which took her life painfully. And that leads us to another of my abilities, Cell Adjustment. I can, if I so choose, alter the very cells within mine or your body Magus, healing you and reshaping your metabolism. I also can do harm with it too, although that takes a lot more power and isn’t an instant way to kill people but it still can be fairly quick way to murder someone, often painfully so. I may cause a blood clot to form which travels to the brain or thicken the arteries of a victims heart making it have a seizure or perhaps flooding their body with so much adrenaline that they fit uncontrollably… so many options….” I mused openly as I tried to remember the ways I had killed with this power before.
I am a Master of Human anatomy by the way, having spent tens of thousands of years eviscerating my victims, inspecting their corpses afterwards as well as later studying under learned Greek physicians back in the early days of the Roman Empire.
My Magus gave me a cool assessing, calculating stare. I could see he had taken the hint, that I could completely alter his physiology, potentially removing the excess weight from his body, repairing the damage that such a condition had done to him. My hook was baited.
“I… see… go on Meridiana.”
There was a very cautious tone in his voice now. My inner smile only grew.
“Moving on, I can shield my mind exactly like you did with an Intellect Fortress and Thought Shield. The power I used upon the thoughtless buffoon, the Id Insinuation, I can also employ over a twenty by twenty foot area. All within will feel my wrath and despair as he did. Unless they are incredibly strong willed or have mental defences like we do. I can also let loose a Psionic Blast if I so choose but that is a wasteful use of the power in my humble opinion. And of course I have my spells,” I said as I used my power to open the tiny pocket dimension to where I had hidden my tome of magic and other priceless treasures.
A small tear in the fabric of reality briefly appeared in front of us and the Magus looked in, seeing my not insignificant horde of treasures, which included my priceless tome of spells.
“This is another of my abilities, Pocket Plane. It can access a tiny alternate reality, where I keep all my precious things. Only I can access it, no one else can,” I said with a pointed glance at the Magus. He understood instantly and was deeply fascinated by the pocket plane.
Everything was stashed carefully away from all who would covert its contents, including my Demon Lord who despite all the torture he and his minions inflicted upon me for nigh on a thousand years, was never able to break me, denying him from stealing my treasures from me!
I would rather cease existing than let that happen which he eventually learned thus giving up on the attempt as he preferred to keep tormenting me for eternity anyway, rather than end my existence. I quickly closed the portal lest it attract unwanted attention.
"Now as you mentioned earlier, I am an Adept in The Art, ranked at a power-level of fifteen I am proud to say. I suspect that you are a few levels higher than myself but do not have as many spells as I have, do you?”
I took one last bite of my waffle cone, casually dangling the prospect of more power to the Magus. Such a wonderful combination, frozen sweet cream and sugary crunchy biscuit. The Roman Byzantines would have gone mad for it. Ahh well.
“You are correct Meridiana. Spells and magic are extremely rare these days. I have some theories as to why that is however we can discuss them later. Sufficed to say, I will need more spells and that is also why I summoned you, to teach me as much as I am teaching you and I know full well you are going to try and ensnare me with that,” he said with another dry, cold laugh. “Instead of you trying to enslave me, how about we do deals instead?”
Now that was a language I could speak and my smile grew ever so wide.
“But of course my dear Magus, just give me control of what is left of your soul…” I laughed.
He had the temerity to laugh at me.
“Oh no Meridiana… you fail to grasp your situation. This is not you holding power over me, it is me holding power over you… oh you see it now don’t you? I have turned your face to alabaster, because you discovered that what you thought was your servant was all along, is your master. You are wrapped around my finger,” he said pointed to a shining band of gold around the third finger on his left hand. I stared in horror at it.
“Yes, not only are you bound to me body and soul, but your essence is bound within my wedding ring. My wife bought that for me with pure love in her heart. You know certain objects have power. This is one of them… one ring to rule you… “ he laughed chillingly again at my dismay. Oh how deliciously evil he can be.
I was stunned.
He had trapped my essence in a Phylactery. How, I did not know?
The wedding ring, an object that bound two hearts together, the circle a symbol for eternity, now held my essence within its golden circle of eternal love.
“Oh don’t look so pissed. You’d have done it to me, well not via a wedding ring that's for sure but still, you would have enslaved me. Again, I do not seek to control you but I am not stupid, I know the parable of the Frog and the Scorpion. You will always try to enslave and dominate me, it's who you are, it's your nature. Look, Meridiana and think before you lose control again. I am not your usual chump of a wanna-be Magus. Times have changed. I am prepared to unleash you upon the world to spread chaos and mayhem. If anything, you OWE me from getting you out of hell. And I am housing you, feeding you, clothing you, giving you knowledge and will protect you from other demons that WILL come looking for you. Oh yes, don’t think that your former lord hasn’t noticed by now that you’ve flown the coup! He will be furious. And that binds us together even more so because part of my plan is that we kill him and seize his throne for ourselves," said the Magus casually.
Dear reader… in all my existence, nothing has ever floored me with it’s sheer breathtaking audacity. My face was already drained of colour when he revealed his total control over me but more so, the scope of his plan… beyond incredible.
I bowed my head to him in total subjugation…for now.
“I am yours Magus. I will do as you say. Your plan to gain our…freedom… is audacious in the extreme. If we can achieve this…” I said breathlessly, my eyes alight with burning lust for him now. Again, to my immense disappointment, he ignored my sultry steamy gaze.
“Always aim as high as you can Meridiana. The Will and The Way will get us far, further than you can imagine but I need more knowledge and power as do you. Now do you see why I want you as a partner? We have a target painted on us and the clock is already ticking. Soon your former lord will start to try to send his minions through the void to retrieve you and drag me there as well. We don’t have time for games Meridiana, that is if you wish to stay here?”
“I do want to stay… I will do as you ask Magus but I must ask…why? Why take such a risk?”
“It’s better to rule in hell then serve in heaven don’t you think?” he said with a evil grin as he stood and offered his hand to me. “And your old boss needs his head blown off with a sawn-off double barrelled enchanted shotgun, filled with 12 gauge 000 buckshot made from the metal from the nails of The True Cross… right to his fucking face!” my Magus snarled savagely.
Oh how beautiful that sounded.
“Absolutely! I am all in. I have no real choice anyway do I?”
I took his hand in mine and ever so gently squeezed it.
“You do. I admit that I have forced this upon you but look at the alternative, spending eternity, eventually going insane from boredom, within your cell because Pope Sylvester II confessed on his death-bed. That wasn’t your fault. Mind you, you did underestimate the willy priest now eh?”
I nodded with a sigh and chagrin upon my face.
“Yes, that is true.”
“Your lord throws an epic tantrum, what I’d call “chucking a wobbly”, even though you were one of the top demons in soul possession and ruination. What a stupid cunt. Only a complete fuckwit throws away his best employee in a fit of pique like that.”
I burst out laughing at that dear reader. No one would EVER dare to call my former lord those things but my Magus did. I felt the ebullient elation once more. This man had an epic vision.
“Now then, I assume you are still hungry? And for food for now Meridiana.”
“Yes Magus,” I said with a small smile.
“Good. We’ll go grab dinner at the best buffet in town as that will be the the most effective way you can satisfy your appetite. It’s only Tuesday so it won’t be overcrowded. Then we can go to the casino next door where you can use your skills to steal a fortune from those rapacious bastards!”
My smile could not be wider dear reader. The promise of all I can eat (sadly not human souls or hearts) and the chance to steal from those who steal with their rigged games!
This was turning out to be the most amazing day in all my life.
We made our way back to the car when I noticed that all the cars had little metal plates on both the front and the back, inscribed with Arabic numerals and roman letters.
As we got to the car, I noticed what the Magus had on his metal plates:
HWY2H3LL
Oh rapture!
Part 6

In this post i talked about why kaguya is far stronger than momoshiki and kinshiki so read this before coming back here.

1. Power cliffing / shounen buff

This point is kinda sad since people are willing to say that 100 years old onhoki is not only far stronger than war arc onhoki but also the likes of juubidara. In all cases this point is also debunked because the Kages (with naruto after he lost kurama too) were threatened to face another 10 tails but why is that? shouldn't they all be able to one tap it? Do the Shounen buffs apply also to a character that gets simply remembered? maybe yes since jiraya did fairly well against urashiki (urashiki for me can even be discarded but kishimoto himself asked about that arc so its up to you if you want to count it). AND in all cases its boruto's anime now so why the fuck would they buff everyone especially naruto and sasuke only to nerf them soon after?
2) Six paths senjutsu and Six paths sage mode are the same thing
This is an highly debated point and people don't seem to understand that SPSM and six paths senjutsu are DIFFERENT
Naruto is the ONLY one that got SPSM and the link, so the SPSM IS NOT NECESSARY to use the six paths senjutsu, juubidara, juubito, asura, hagaromo, and amura used it no problem without having to use six paths sage mode.
Hagoromo is able to grant Six Paths Senjutsu to Asura and naruto but you also can obtain it by becoming the 10 tails jinchuriki . As you can see naruto got the SPSM (unique to him) thanks to the link with the beasts (Also unique to him) while he and ASURA got the SIX PATHS SENJUTSU the SAME WAY that sasuke and madara got the rinnegan so INDRA + ASURA' s chakra in fact madara also pointed out that Naruto now had the body of the sage while sasuke had the eyes and he himself had both and he pointed out that ONLY AFTER naruto showed the six paths senjutsu and NOT when he was only using the six paths sage mode.
Its clear also that they are 2 different things because as you could notice NARUTO was stronger than SASUKE because he had 1 form more so sasuke had to syphon the chakra from the 9 beasts to equalize him. Syphoned chakra from the 9 beasts = Link with the beasts, Rinnegan = SIX PATHS SENJUTSU
ITS ALSO CLEAR THAT SIX PATHS SAGE MODE IS NOT NECESSARY TO USE SIX PATHS SENJUTSU SINCE ONLY NARUTO HAD SPSM, NOT EVEN ASURA HAD IT AND HE WAS STILL ABLE TU USE SIX PATHS SENJUTSU
3) Naruto and sasuke kept hagaromo's chakra, they only lost the seals
Its clear that after the last 1v1 naruto and sasuke LOST every leftover of hagaromo's chakra in fact naruto LOST the six paths senjutsu since he lost the indra part in his chakra gained thanks to hagaromo (hagaromo is basicaly already indra + asura), sasuke on the other hand KEPT the rinnegan because it CAN'T revert. it doesn't mean that they lost the six paths chakra but they lost hagaromo's one, the rinnegan itself has six paths chakra (so even nagato had it) and the same applies with the link but they LOST hagaromo's chakra and naruto LOST the six paths senjutsu and ITS FAIR that ONLY naruto lost 1 power since he WAS stronger than sasuke so that EQUALIZED them again
you will say how do you know well its simple NARUTO NEVER USED THE SIX PATHS SENJUTSU EVER AGAIN because
HE NEVER FLIED
Manga : Naruto NEVER FLIED in the manga not even against delta since he clearly slided/walked down the crater (and the anime too showed that since the scene was 1 o 1) and neither when isshiki entered the village since in that chapter naruto is clearly shown to jump on buildings and when he reached isshiki he landed on ground, EVEN IF (and he didn't ) he flied in those 2 scenes it would be a plot hole since BASE naruto CANNOT fly.
Anime: Naruto NEVER flied either , he dashed and jumped, its strange that you people can only come up with dobious dashes and frames no? Teen six paths senjutsu naruto is CLERALY shown levitating and flying.
The LAST : the levitation in that film is NOT a naruto's ability, rock too were levitating (do rock have the six paths senjutsu?), naruto used rasengan and he bounced on surfaces the WHOLE time to redirect, its ONLY 1 dobious instance were it MAYBE considered flying but not even that and its clearly and error because 1) why the fuck would naruto decide to bounce and redirect with rasengas if he could easly fly .2) naruto didn't even use the six paths sage mode in that film so how the fuck could he fly. 3) The film is full of error and plot holes such as sasuke deactivating the rinnegan (i guess he didn't need to let his hair grow long to cover the rinnegan if he can deactivate it), Kurama got out of naruto without naruto giving 2 shits, naruto the perfect jinchuriki trapped in a genjutsu for 3 days, super little naruto that knew about the shadow clones ecc
HE NEVER SHOWED THAT FORM AGAIN AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE ORBS BUT ALSO THE DESIGN
EVERY six paths senjutsu character had the SAME marks behind their backs, juubito, juubidara, hagaromo , TEEN NARUTO ecc, so why the fuck would they change that? AND its NOT a design change "look he still has the symbols but now its in the neck" do you know who else had basically the SAME design as this "new " naruto's design? Teen naruto kurama mode BEFORE meeting hagaromo AND KCM MINATO TOO, strange no? why whould they revert back the design to a design that didn't have the six paths chakra? They are ALMOST THE SAME DESIGN , its not a new design at all.
plus guys its kinda suspicious that sasuke only awakened 1 rinnegan on the same side as the symbol, it almost seems like that the symbols had hagaromo's chakra but who knows i guess.
AS ESTABLISHED ,if SPSM is NOT needed to use the SIX PATHS SENJUTSU (since ONLY NARUTO had six paths sage mode) and naruto still retained hagaromo's chakra (according to you) than why he never used it EVER, not even against code to protect kawaki and boruto, remeber that kurama and the link are not needed to use it so why didn't he use it ever?
4)naruto could use the lava release so he still has six paths chakra
He still had six paths chakra because he still had the link with the beasts BUT the six paths sage mode and the six patsh senjutsu are NOT the same, he LOST hagaromo's chakra and with that he also lost the six paths senjutsu but he KEPT the six paths sage mode. In fact ONLY naruto could use the beasts power like that while ALL the other six paths senjutsu users couldn't.
5) the kages were preparing for otsutsuki's treats
Its clear that they were not preparing only through training but also with ceramic statues, moon busting cannons, technology ecc, NON SIX PATHS CHARACTER cannot become juubidara + for NO REASON, the went from HEBI SASUKE'S LEVEL to JUUBIDARA + ? its stupid to even insinuate that, as i said the kages cannot be that strong they AT THE VERY VERY VERY BEST AND IF WANKED WITH 2 HANDS reached hashirama but thats it.
6) sasuke said in a novel that he could beat kaguya
HE NEVER SAID THAT , it was JUST a justice speech aloong the lines of "i am the one that must protect the world alone bla bla bla , i will do whatever it takes bla bla bla" in fact chino (the girl with the ketsuryugan) said something along the lines of " You are not alone in those kind of battles because you can count on your friends (naruto)" its bullshit to take that as a statement
7) some complains on my powerlevel list such as teen naruto > juubidara .
Adult sasuke and adult naruto > fused momoshiki and i can kinda agree i guess.
Now guys lets be real here hagaromo showed even some feats that could be very well considered as shinjutsu, momoshiki being stronger than the so called progenitor of chakra is BULLSHIT and it RUINS the powerlevels and creates plot holes so why the fuck are you still beliving that?

I’ll preface this by saying that this story is humiliating but I need to put it out there because you never know who needs to see this
Went to get a 12 volt battery replacement done. All I needed. Left my vehicle parked in their lot overnight as they told me they couldn’t do the service last minute. Whatever. Next day, mechanics come out and try to jump my car, during which they tell me there’s a cost associated with it. They insisted on doing the service but I stood my ground and demanded we went inside to get a quote, of which they wanted to charge me 70 DOLLARS. (To get the car from their own parking lot into the service centre) I had my friend drive from my university to jump the car so I could get the battery replacement done. Strike one.
Strike two: I go back to tell them there’s an issue with my installation as the car now said “Hybrid Battery Fault” or something to that effect. They tell me it was because my car is “old” and that there was no conceivable way it was them.
Strike three: I tell my dad about the situation and I drive my car all the way to London so he could see it. He advises we go to the Canadian Tire near him. Turns out, the other service centre installed the WRONG BATTERY. Problem immediately goes away after putting in the correct one.
Strike four: London Canadian Tire finds a WRENCH under my hood...drove 140km with it there.(My battery is located in the trunk of my car so had no reason to pop the hood)
No words.
In case anyone wants to know, this was the Guelph Stone Rd. Canadian Tire.
EDIT: I’m LOVING all the Canadian Tire hate comments. Keep at it. I want to hear your experiences.
EDIT FOR ANYONE THAT’S JUDGING:
I don’t have tools and I drive a hybrid that requires a special installation process where the battery needs to be hooked up with the computer so as to not return false check engine codes. I’m just a student and I’ve never worked on my car because I just purchased my first one. My parents are also not super savvy when it comes to car maintenance so I was never taught anything.
I know I could learn fairly easily but honestly I just wanted the job done professionally. I have way too much schoolwork to worry about these kinds of things. Oh and I should mention that I don’t have a garage and my car is parked like half a kilometre from where I live because I’m on campus.
Honestly I just need a car that works. I have money. Idgaf if I have to pay a little bit.
Then again, this is the internet, so it’s easy to judge.

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So First let me say this, this will probably be disliked to oblivion,
so ive always had an issue with bhvr when it comes to balance because they never do a good job at it,with this recent update makes me even more disatisfied with the changes to the game lately
i also hate how they completely gut perks into the ground just because they are (used) alot even if it is a healthy perk, think like the last iteration of Ds to prevent tunneling, or the old corrupt intervention,
so first lets talk about some perk changes i would have done
Pain Res- similar to what bhvr did to it however it resets once u go through all the survivors so say u hook 3 people on a scourge hook u need to get that last person hooked before it resets so u can rehook the other survivors to get value, the 4 token system absolutely murders the perk even if its suppose to be rewarding to get a hook, however they need to change how scourge hooks spawn, to avoid oppressive play, have it so hooks have better spawns around the map however they also rotate to prevent scourge hook camping,
Dead hard- keep it similar to how it is, remove the stupid unhook requirement, but make it so u gain a token while being in chase for a period of time, also to balance it idk why bhvr never did this before when we have a system to balance exhaustion perks, why have they not increased the exhaustion times to test out the waters? yeah it will still be used alot but it would be fairly more balance, maybe we would also see people run vigil more with it as well to help recovery speeds
CoH- they where so close to balancing this perk with their recent update but they overnerfed it, simple the boon placer gets the selfcare effect while the rest of the team only gets aura reading, or make it so while ppl heal in the boon radius u slowly build up a token to self heal as the boon placer.
CoB - remove the aura part of it but possibly increase its regression rate a bit,
however i will say this the 3 gen kick meta needs to go its one of the most boring metas there is to the game and its significantly unfun be it playing survivor to have a gen completley regressed to 0 because ur or ur teamate is unable to tap it to stop the regression,
however this also brings into another issue, 3 gen meta u can eaisly force it in the game now a days due to how some killers are designed, or worse yet how map design is, Bhvr wants smaller maps which causes gen spawns to be super fked up alot of the time in maps ull see super strong 3 gen setups just to basic spawn, imo bhvr needs to go back in and recheck all the maps and their gen spawns and properly move gens around the map, no more natural 3 gen spawns where gens are super close to gether, hell i remember i had a game against skull merch on saloon, and she had the perfect 4 gen setup that we couldnt break due to her drones, 1 gen on gallows 1 to the building right of shack, one off in that corner of the map where gallows is at and one in the open field between gallows and main building, better map design and spawns are needed,
another note on perks and metas, overgutting perks is a bad thing u want to nerf perks slightly, and buff the absolute garbage perks out there to bring them up (and both sides have to many garbage perks), if u only nerf whats meta but change nothing else u just pigeon hold people into less uniqueness, u wnat people to have more options not less
sry for the ramblings of a madman this post may not be well put together but its jsut some thoughts i wanted to put out before i forget them,
if u disliek it feel free to downvote, also give some of ur opinions and as a community we should come together as survivors and killer players to try to strive for better balance to the game, because u need both sides to start a game of dbd and to play it, and both can be equally as unfun due to how things are,
also dont forget to feed ur local demogorgons. and headpat sadakos

Shedet et Neith découvrent enfin la pyramide au pôle Nord.
Bonne lecture.
La bride du cheval en main, Shedet se rend à pied devant l’entrée de la pyramide. Ses jambes tremblent d’excitation tandis que celle de Neith frétillent de peur, ses foulées sont tantôt large tantôt courte. De la pyramide, seule le sommet est visible, une pointe en pierre noire presque similaire à celle de l’obélisque que Shedet avait construit. La structure oubliée a été complètement ensevelie par le pôle Nord, une dizaine de mètres sépare le sol de sa pointe. A mesure qu’ils s’approchent la peur submerge le couple. Une large ombre pointue se crée grâce aux nuages masquant la lune, le sable est léger et semble les ensevelir à chaque pas. Neith essaye de marcher sur les pierres et lorsque ses pieds s’enfoncent dans le sol elle geint faiblement puis sautille sur la pierre suivante. « Je ressens une aura étrange autour de cette structure, songe le déchu après avoir observé les environs, ou alors ce serait l’ambiance du pôle Nord qui me brouille l’esprit. L’apparition du dieu Khonsou est une simple coïncidence pas besoin de s’inquiéter et puis j’ai entendu dire que le medjay Odion traquait des monstres. Il faut que je me concentre sur moi. Je dois essayer de trouver des réponses au sujet de ma perle et de son maudît frère, songe-t-il en contemplant Neith ». Tout autour de lui le sable a envahit d’anciennes structures appartenant au nome des deux divinités. Le crâne vert d’une statue du dieu Sobek émerge du sol. La pointe de son sceptre dévoile un cartouche avec son nom encore déchiffrable. Des monts encerclent la zone, des sommets de temple ou de maisons voire sans doute d’un ancien palais. Difficile de l’affirmer tant cela ressemble au sommet d’une montagne. Le sable a complètement dévoré cet ancienne ville, Shedet tente d’imaginer quelles autres structures s’y cachent. Quelles statues et maisons dorment sous terre, quelles mystères sont piégés sous cette pente colossale au Nord de sa position. Tout ici a disparu des mémoires, le sol les a emprisonné et une pensée le submerge, une image brève sortant de sa mémoire. Le royaume entièrement enseveli de cette manière, dévoré par le désert comme l’affirmait le doyen à Boubastis. Le vent anime la zone morte et déplace des mètres cubes de sable tel les vagues d’une mer agitée. Un cri de Neith le fait sursauter, un tourbillon de plume tombe du ciel.
— Lâche-moi! Sale bestiole lâche-moi!
— Du calme, dit Shedet en se précipitant sur elle, c’est juste ton faucon regarde.
— Montou? Tu me suis encore depuis tout ce temps, saleté! s’égosille-t-elle en lui jetant du sable. A chaque fois il me surprend de cette manière.
— Calme-toi Neith, soupir le déchu, tu as de la chance qu’un faucon te soit aussi fidèle. Depuis quand le possèdes-tu?
— Depuis que je me suis enfui de Memphis, répond-elle la gorge serrée. Je te le donne si tu le veux, je
n’ai jamais su m’occuper des animaux.
— Il faudrait qu’il m’obéisse et je n’ai rien à lui donner. Allez avançons, la nuit va bientôt s’achever.
Shedet récupère la bride du cheval et avance tandis que Neith essaye tant bien que mal de faire fuir Montou. L’oiseau semble lui rappeler de douloureux souvenir et ses serres lui ont écorchées l’épaule droite. « Si je ressors vivant de cet endroit je tenterai de l’apprivoiser. Un faucon de cette qualité est hors de prix et il me sera bien utile ».
Devant l’entrée de la pyramide, les deux voyageurs ont le souffle coupé. « Je trouvais cela étrange de devoir pénétrer par le sommet d’une pyramide mais maintenant je comprends mieux. Quelqu’un ou quelque chose a crée une ouverture en la pulvérisant. D’après les traces noires on dirait qu’il a utilisé un explosif ». Le seuil de cette entrée artificielle est enseveli par le sable, les cotés sont détruits et arborent des pointes comme les crocs d’un prédateur. L’intérieur est aussi sombre et terrifiant que le gouffre de Dahab. De temps à autre un souffle glacial s’en extirpe, la peau de Shedet tremble, ses rares poils se hérissent et son sang commence à refroidir. Néanmoins l’intérieur l’hypnotise comme l’ouverture d’un puits abandonné, il se demande ce qu’il trouvera au fond.
— Qu’est ce que tu fais? demande Neith en lui attrapant l’avant-bras. On ne sait même pas si c’est ici.
Shedet se rend compte qu’il avait déjà effectué quelques pas pour s’enfoncer dans la structure. Conscient de son acte, il recule et observe Neith grelotante de la tête au pied.
— Tu te fiches de moi? râle le déchu, tu m’as trainé jusqu’ici alors nous allons entrer.
Le cheval commence à hennir, il souffle par ses naseaux en faisant face à l’entrée et tente de partir mais Shedet le rattrape de justesse. L’attitude de la jument accentue l’anxiété de Neith qui s’étreint pour se réchauffer.
— Pourquoi tu penses que ce n’est pas ici? demande Shedet en ramenant la jument.
Le regard de Neith porte sur la lune cachée par les nuages puis l’entrée ténébreuse. Ses bras frissonnent et son corps grelote alors qu’elle tente de se réchauffer en les frottant plus rapidement.
— Mon frère avait peur de l’obscurité enfin c’est ce que ma mère disait. Même moi je suis terrifiée par cet endroit.
— Mais tu m’avais bien dit qu’il avait changé. Peut-être qu’il n’est pas venu seul ou alors il avait combattu sa peur et réussit à rentrer sans problème?
— C’est possible mais je ne comprends pas pourquoi il serait venu ici. Je ne sais plus quoi penser de cette histoire…
« Serait-elle en train de se défiler? Je le pense à moitié néanmoins elle semble convaincue par ses paroles. Etrangement j’ai de plus en plus envie de rentrer, songe-t-il en fixant l’entrée. Quelque chose m’attire mais mes tripes me retiennent. La même sensation que je subissais avant mon entrée à l’hôtel ».
— Reste planté ici si tu le souhaites moi je rentre.
Alors qu’il s’apprêtait à fouler le sol délabré de la pyramide, Neith lui attrape l’épaule.
— Je viens mais attends, tu ne vas pas progresser dans l’obscurité?
— Mince ma lampe, heureusement que tu me l’as dit.
Shedet retourne près du cheval qu’il attache à une pierre dont la pointe ressemble à un crochet. Dans la sacoche de la jument deux lampes solaires et quelques rations sont présentes. Les lampes sont en réalité des scarabées mécaniques qui émettent une vive lumière et bougent automatiquement au niveau de l’épaule de l’utilisateur. Des dispositifs hors de prix volés à Miysis comme tout le reste. « J’ai aussi caché des bandages et préparation médicinales au cas où mais comme c’est une noble cela me sera plus profitable ». Dans une autre sacoche, le déchu récupère une bonne quantité de carotte, le cheval blanc oublie sa peur et remplie son estomac. La préparation achevée pour s’enfoncer dans les entrailles de la pyramide, Shedet surprend sa compagne de voyage la dévisager:
— Qu’est ce qui te prends encore? demande Shedet en haussant la voix. Je t’ai vexé ou alors tu as définitivement changé d’avis?
— Non mais… je pense avoir mal vu. Ton oeil de pierre m’a semblé bouger quand tu t’approchais de l’entrée.
— C’est un oeil en pierre, raille Shedet, impossible que je puisse le bouger. Soit tu as mal vu soit il a dû glisser dans mon orbite, c’est quelque chose qui est souvent arrivé.
« Par Thot, en réalité ce n’est jamais arrivé, elle a forcément dû se tromper. Elle est stressée donc c’est bien la seule chose possible. La perle fait couler des larmes noires et maintenant elle bouge? Que se passera-t-il ensuite? il se calme en inspirant et expirant quelques secondes puis reprend ses esprits. L’entrée ne me parait pas si dangereuse mais elle a été creusé par un groupe de personne ou avec un appareil sophistiqué. Les bords semblent brûlés presque fondu, seul un équipement de Haute-Égypte est capable d’une telle prouesse ». L’entrée est silencieuse comme celle d’un tombeau, les ténèbres se dégagent dès que la lampe de Shedet illumine l’intérieur. « De la poussière, de la terre et du sable en grande quantité mais aucune structure pour faire tenir le tout. Je n’ai pas l’impression que nous allons risquer grand chose mais je resterai prudent ». En se retournant Shedet aperçoit Neith masquer sa terreur après avoir observé les environs. Un bruit sourd a fait écho depuis le pôle Nord, un cri ou le fracas d’un objet contre un autre, difficile d’en être certain.
— A toi l’honneur, dit Shedet en l’illuminant avec la lampe.
— Par Isis, pourquoi moi? s’étouffe Neith tout en se couvrant les yeux, c’est toi qui est le plus proche de l’entrée.
— Parce que c’est toi qui m’a amenée ici, alors maintenant dépêches-toi de rentrer ou je fais demi-tour.
— Nous pourrions attendre le matin, suggère-t-elle, la nuit me rend un peu anxieuse…
Shedet la prend par le poignet et la tire devant l’entrée néanmoins il ressent sa peau refroidir à mesure qu’elle s’en approche.
— C’est maintenant ou jamais, enfin j’exagère mais je ne reviendrai pas. Je risque beaucoup rien que pour avoir sorti la jument de son enclos; un long silence ponctue chacune de ses phrases, exaspéré il déclare. Par Thot, tu as gagné je rentre en premier.
En réalité Shedet se sent submergé par une intense curiosité lorsque son regard se porte de nouveau sur l’entrée. L’air mystique qui envahit le tunnel le rend presque euphorique.
Shedet se faufile dans l’étroit couloir artificiel. Le sable a envahit le sol comme l’eau remplirait un récipient, sa tête touche le plafond et ses pieds menacent de glisser à chaque pas. La lampe est très utile permettant une visibilité parfaite sans quoi les lieux serait aussi sombre qu’un four. « J’arrive à peine à respirer, heureusement que les longues journées au chantier m’ont permis de me renforcer ». Il entend Neith en arrière toussoter à chaque pas, malgré sa peur elle se força a le rejoindre lui qui a finit par l’oublier en si peu de temps.
— Comment fais-tu pour respirer dans ce cloaque? Je sens les grains de sable glisser dans ma gorge.
— L’habitude tout simplement, répond Shedet nonchalamment, les chantiers ont toujours cette atmosphère.
— Impossible! Tu serais déjà mort, s’étonne-t-elle, est ce aussi difficile que cela en a l’air de travailler dans cette grande pyramide à Bast?
— Evidemment, quelle question idiote. J’ai faillit en mourrir au moins une centaine de fois. Entre les accidents volontaires et involontaires, les Sittiu, les éléphants, le feu…
— C’est bon j’ai compris, interrompt-elle en toussant une nouvelle fois, je voulais juste faire la conversation avant de perdre l’esprit.
Shedet finit par avance à tâtons à certains moments tant la pente est un peu plus raide. Les murs sont creusés non pas par un outil en cuivre ou de fer mais bien d’un appareil utilisant le système Neb-Rê, le déchu en est presque certain. Les parois sont lisses à quelques endroits mais aussi ruisselantes de minerai doré, la température élevée a crée de fabuleux motifs abstrait qui n’attire en rien le regard de Neith. Cette dernière toussote en permanence néanmoins elle se déplace plus facilement dans cette galerie. Le tunnel devient abrupte à certains moment toutefois il ne se dirige que dans une direction, Shedet avance lorsque la pente plus raide le fait glisser.
— Shedet! panique la demoiselle.
— Du calme j’ai juste glissé, dit le déchu en se frottant la tête, fais attention le tunnel est traître à certains endroits. Je rêve ou la grande Neith s’inquiète pour quelqu’un d’autre.
— Par Isis, je suis altruiste bien plus que cette cruche de Hathoriti, et aussi plus belle, marmonne-t-elle mais juste assez fort pour que son compagnon l’entende.
En vain, Shedet avance toujours à tâtons et se colle à la paroi, le sol plus abrupte lui donne l’impression de se rapprocher de la fin.
— A propos de ta famille, dit Shedet en brisant ce silence sépulcrale, tu es certaine qu’il ne reste que toi.
— Oui sûre et certaine, répond-elle d’une voix enrouée par la poussière, pourquoi tu ne me crois pas?
— Je pensais que quelqu’un t’attendais quelque part en Haute-Égypte ou ailleurs.
— Qu’insinues-tu? Tu me parles d’un mari? Serais-tu jaloux? demande-t-elle sur un ton mielleux avant
de tousser.
— Aucunement, je demandais pour que tu me laisses tranquille une fois cette histoire terminée.
Neith laissa expirer un souffle de colère, et ne parla plus ou plutôt se retint. Un mot sortit de sa voix rauque mais Shedet n’eut pas le temps de le décrypter puisqu’un crissement se fit entendre derrière lui. Le choc d’un poids le percute au dos suivit du cri de Neith. Tous deux chutent avant de s’écraser sur une dune de sable. Le tas doux mais granuleux a amorti le choc pour Shedet dont le corps est endolori à cause de Neith toujours vautrée sur lui. Elle reprend ses esprits et se découvre dans l’obscurité à califourchon sur le corps du déchu. Ce dernier tousse, gémit et tente de se relever sans succès.
— Est-ce que tout va bien? demande-t-elle en se posant à ses côtés, je suis désolée, mon pied s’est coincé et je n’ai pas pu me reprendre.
— Ce n’est pas grave, répond le déchu se rasseyant, j’ai connu pire; la lampe scarabée arrive par le tunnel puis éclaire le couloir. Les dieux soient loués nous pourrons ressortir par le tunnel. J’ai bien cru que nous étions tombés du plafond mais la sortie est accessible, ce qui signifie que les intrus étaient ressortis. Neith tu m’entends?
Neith reste bouche bée face aux murs, sa lampe éclaire l’opposée du trou notamment un symbole étrange qui la fige sur place. La poussière voile le regard de Shedet toutefois en vérifiant bien son corps rien ne semble brisé. « J’ai toujours mon oeil, songe-t-il en le tâtant, vais-je enfin découvrir son secret? Le frère de Neith a sans doute trouvé cette perle noire ici ». Neith tressaille légèrement, debout en face d’une fresque son regard ne s’en détourne plus. La température est basse dans cette structure même Shedet se découvre la peau granulée par la chair de poule et les ongles bleuit.
— A ton avis qui est venu ici? demande Shedet en s’étirant.
— Je ne sais pas, je recherche des traces… attends regarde par-là!
Elle pointe du doigt le linteau en pierre donnant accès à un couloir. Au milieu de la poutre en pierre affublée d’une gravure de la déesse Maât, un symbole fut creusé presque par-dessus. La pierre a fondu, toujours grâce à un objet utilisant le système Neb-Rê. « Le dessin d’une flèche, un repère sans doute, mais pourquoi sur la déesse? En tout cas je vois aussi des traces de pas partielles, plusieurs même ». Tout à coup le vague souvenir de l’hôtel Ouas lui reparut, des traces de sang, deux cadavres dans une scène toujours aussi mystérieuse et morbide. Son regard porte vers Neith, confuse et cachant sa peur de poursuivre en faisant mine de contempler les gravures.
— Tu viens? demande Shedet en lui braquant sa lampe, apparement les derniers visiteurs sont passés par là.
Le froid ou la peur fait claquer les dents de Neith. Un flot de mot incompréhensible sortit de sa bouche avant qu’elle ne réponde par un simple hochement de tête.
Le couloir est magnifiquement préservé, les couleurs et gravures sont intactes comme si le temps s’était arrêté. Les colorants et pierres précieuses luisent à chacun de leurs passage notamment les parures des gravures sur les dieux. Certaines émeraudes ou rubis ont été retiré même les yeux en opale. Shedet avance presque à tâtons de la même manière que Neith à l’arrière, il observe les mots et dessins dans l’espoir de comprendre où il se trouve réellement. Des représentations de la déesse Isis auprès de son mari Osiris retiennent son attention principalement les textes hiéroglyphiques à côté.
— Grand souverain des trois… grand bâtisseurs… femme de… ancêtre. Bon sang je n’arrive pas à lire ces inscriptions.
Neith s’avance d’un pas timide et observe les hiéroglyphes quelques secondes avant de dire:
— Grand souverain des trois terres, grand bâtisseurs et propagateur des récoltes sur nos terres. La femme Rekhetrê digne épouse du grand Menkaourê le sauveur des moissons.
— Comment arrives-tu à lire? demande Shedet abasourdit.
— Ces symboles sont anciens, montre-t-elle du doigt un hiéroglyphe en forme de vagues, celui qui les écrits a dû vivre il y a au moins cent ans. Et je le sais car au Harem cette maudite directrice nous a fait étudier les écritures sur une vaste période de notre royaume.
— Le Harem, marmonne Shedet tout souriant, il a dû s’en passer des choses avec la famille royale?
— Ne m’en parle pas, les princesses ne font que radoter et colporter des ragots sur tout et n’importe quoi. Le temps semble suspendu lorsque l’on s’y trouve. En fait maintenant que j’y pense cela ne me gênait pas sauf lorsque les ragots se portaient sur moi. Maudites princesses, grommelle-t-elle. Toujours vouloir en savoir plus sur mes problèmes.
L’attitude de Neith changea durant quelques instants, des souvenirs charmants et douloureux lui ont fait oublier sa peur de l’obscurité. A mesure qu’ils descendent les escaliers couverts de sable Shedet ajoute:
— J’ai toujours voulu y aller mais mon objectif n’était pas encore atteint. D’ailleurs j’avais envisagé de me convertir en artisan pour pouvoir m’y rendre, même un instant. J’ai vite abandonné lorsque j’ai compris que cela n’aurait jamais été possible.
— Tu faisais quel métier avant… tout ceci?
— Je nettoyais les chambres et maison des riches nobles, dit-il sur un ton arrogant, je peux me vanter d’avoir nettoyé presque tout Memphis.
La remarque sarcastique fit rire Neith, un petit gloussement dont l’écho résonne dans ses oreilles.
— Alors tu as aussi dû nettoyer le grand Casino Athyr? demande Neith assez peinée, était-ce difficile?
— Par Thot, je ne l’ai fait qu’une seule fois, le travail était exténuant et surtout l’homme qui le dirigeait n’arrêtait pas de crier. Quand nous avions terminé le nettoyage avec d’autres collègues il ne nous avait payés qu’une misère en argent et une toute petite émeraude. Rien que d’en parler j’enrage, il nous avait aussi laissé tourner quelques leviers en espérant que cela nous contenterait… désolé j’avais oublié qu’il était ton neveu! panique-t-il en voyant la tristesse sur le visage de sa camarade.
— Mon oncle, corrige-t-elle d’une voix ferme, ne soit pas désolé je sais très bien qu’il n’était pas très sympa. Sauf avec moi, il m’avait avoué que ses machines étaient quasiment impossible à gagner. Une chance sur trente millions de gagner le gros lot je crois, mais ma cousine avait réduit les chances afin de ruiner son établissement.
Sa voix s’éteignait petit à petit à l’évocation de sa cousine, elle place aussitôt ses mains devant ses yeux les cachants comme si une chose affreuse se trouvait devant elle.
— Du calme, je suis navré de t’avoir fait parler de ces affreux souvenirs.
« Par Thot, je n’ai vraiment pas besoin de cela ». En retirant ses mains Neith se fige après avoir observé le mur en face de la base de l’escalier.
— Une autre flèche, dit Shedet, on est sur la bonne voie enfin la même que ton frère…
— Ce n’est pas mon frère qui a fait ça, corrige-t-elle les yeux noyés de larmes, jamais il n’aurait laissé des traces de son passage. C’est la troisième flèche que je vois ainsi que des traces de ses pieds…
L’empreinte d’un pied étrange a marqué le sol sous la flèche, si la forme du pied gauche est normal il manque néanmoins le gros orteil. Cette image laisse pantoise Neith.
— Tu es sûre? s’inquiète Shedet, je ne me souviens pas que son cadavre manquait d’orteil.
— D’après ma mère il avait honte de son pied parce qu’il l’aurait mutilé en échouant à une expérience. Sa fierté l’empêchait d’aller se faire soigner mais apparemment c’était aussi une sorte de rappel. Afin qu’il n’oublie pas ses erreurs; Neith marque une pause en fixant son empreinte, maudit sois-tu! grogne-t-elle en effaçant la trace d’un coup de pied.
— Je pense qu’il savait ce qui l’attendait, dit Shedet en contemplant le couloir sombre, il a dû laisser ses traces par paresse en se disant qu’il ne reviendrait plus en ces lieux. Il a dû se dire que personne d’aussi stupide que nous viendrait ici.
La seule réponse de la demoiselle fut un autre grognement avant de s’enfoncer plus loin dans le couloir d’un pas plus ferme.
Le couple arrive dans un embranchement, les chemins de droite et gauche sont liés à des chambres. De petite salle utilisées autrefois pour les offrandes mais seules quelques grains de céréales se baladent par-ci par-là. Des poteries pulvérisées par le temps, et quelqu’un sans doute, jonchent le sol, des tessons sans aucune valeur. En face d’eux un escalier mène plus en profondeur. Le voyage continu et la curiosité de Shedet augmente à chaque fois qu’il voit les mêmes symboles décorer les murs. « Son frère, ou qui que se soit, est bien passé par là. Il cherchait quelque chose tout en bas, et selon l’architecture de ce tombeau pyramide je vais sûrement rejoindre une grande salle aux offrandes ». Le déchu observe Neith d’un rapide coup d’oeil, cette dernière frémit moins lorsqu’elle fixe avec attention les symboles laissés sur les murs.
— Neith? Je descends, tu viens?
Elle ne répond que d’un lent signe de tête, son visage rayonnant a changé, plus sombre et moins joviale. Ses pas trainent sur le sol comme ceux d’un enfant que l’on emmène de force aux champs, son idée de chercher les traces de son frère a eu un effet dévastateur sur son moral. Les marches d’escaliers sont plus propres qu’au dessus mais plus escarpé, le fond obscur bloque la lumière comme un mur invisible. Shedet n’arrive pas à savoir si cela l’amènera à une chambre, un autre couloir ou un gouffre sans fond. Les fresques dépeignent cette fois la vie d’une princesse, une femme très fine aux cheveux noirs et vêtue d’une robe rouge. Une scène la démontre devant des champs de blés maniant une houe. Un peu plus bas la scène se répète inlassablement tantôt en compagnie de végétaux tantôt avec des animaux de ferme qu’elle dirige. « Je doute fortement qu’une femme aussi élégante ait un jour tenu des outils néanmoins tout est possible. Il ne faut pas que j’oublie que les conditions de vie avant notre grand Pharaon actuel était plus terrible. Ces premiers colons ont failli être décimés par plusieurs grandes famines, j’espère vraiment que nous ne subirons pas une telle tragédie ». Sa vie est similaire à tous les membres de la famille royale enfin ce que croyait Shedet avant de voir son nom.
— Elle se nommait… je n’arrive pas à lire le cartouche.
— Renenoutet, lit Neith d’un ton atone, cela fait longtemps que je n’ai pas vu ce nom. Sa descendante est… enfin était, reprend-elle tristement, une amie au Harem. Attends un peu… non je me trompe c’est son arrière arrière grand-mère que nous voyons là. Regarde ce symbole, en réalité c’est un titre royal que l’on décernait il y a plus de trois cents ans: protecteur des greniers. Par Isis, cet endroit est plus vieux qu’on le pensait.
— Maintenant je comprends mieux pourquoi je n’avais trouvé aucune information, dit Shedet en contemplant les gravures plus bas, c’est une structure d’un autre temps. A ton avis, va-t-on trouver la dépouille de cette princesse tout en bas?
— Impossible puisque cette Renenoutet repose dans un obélisque mais je ne sais plus où exactement. L’avancée du désert a dû être plus importante autrefois. Cela a forcément obligé les prêtres à déplacer les momies.
— Le désert a englouti cette région tu veux dire. Tu as bien vu l’extérieur Neith, la pyramide est noyée sous terre. On ne reconnait même plus la ville ni le nome, ces frontières ont été considérablement réduites. Cela ne t’a jamais inquiété la progression du sable sur nos terres fertiles?
— J’habitais à Memphis, répond péniblement Neith, le désert n’est qu’un décor comme un autre. D’ailleurs quand on nous parlait de l’avancée du désert au Cartouche tout le monde en riait. Les filles répondaient que si le désert avance nous n’aurons qu’à construire dessus.
— Mais toi tu n’étais pas de cet avis?
— Moi je m’en fiche, corrige-t-elle sur un ton méprisant, un jour quelqu’un trouvera une manière utile de se servir de ce sable. A chaque problème ces solutions.
Neith lui passe devant, les yeux rivés sur les marches dont un motif décoratif de soleil et de plantes luit à la lumière. Ses pas sont plus lourds, l’écho qu’elle provoque le déstabilise.
— Comme je viens d’une famille de paysan cette avancée du désert me tracasse, dit Shedet en la rattrapant, je te signale que des hectares de terres sont devenus stériles à cause de ce phénomène…
— Et alors? dit Neith sur un ton hautain, du bétail et des céréales il y en a partout dans le royaume. Ce ne sont pas quelques parcelles en moins qui changeront la donne. Surtout que nous mangeons bien plus chaque année, les greniers débordent même ceux des paysans.
A ce moment Shedet avait l’impression de parler avec la véritable Neith, une noble qui n’a pas idée des problèmes qu’il avait vécu à cause de ces pertes. « Il est vrai qu’aujourd’hui nous mangeons à notre faim mais autrefois parcelle en moins ou pas, l’assiette de l’impôt restait la même. Les scribes étaient sans pitiés et le sont toujours d’ailleurs. A cause d’eux la vie était misérable lors des mauvaises récoltes. Je me souviens que nous avions dû manger en cachette des crocodiles que père avait trouvés par hasard. Nous mangions des cadavres de bêtes tandis que le nomarque et ses amis se goinfraient à en tomber malade. Si malade que l’administration de Memphis les avaient critiqués pour la mauvaise gestion du nome. Sans père j’aurai été mort de la fièvre qui me consumait. Neith ne semble pas avoir eu ce genre de problème mais malgré son statut je suis certain qu’elle n’a pas vécu dans le bonheur. Les nobles et la famille royale s’entretuent sans pitié, c’est un miracle que Neith soit encore en vie ». Les escaliers finissent par les mener dans un couloir et non un gouffre comme le voyait si mal Shedet. Les bas reliefs sont étrangement plus abîmés qu’au sommet, les couleurs flamboyantes ont écaillées. Des traces de vandalisme sont visibles surtout au niveau des visages des personnes importantes. La haine se ressent à chaque couloir dans cet ancien temple. Neith se stoppe et jette un coup d’oeil au fond du couloir, les pieds vissés au sol.
— Ne me dis pas que tu as vu quelque chose? demande Shedet sur un ton sarcastique, à part des insectes je ne vois pas ce qui pourrait vivre ici.
— Ce devait être le vent qui balaye le sable, se rassure Neith, de toute manière on ne voit rien. Il fait si sombre.
— C’est le but d’un tombeau, dit Shedet en lui passant devant, on ne devrait même pas être ici. Si je n’avais pas vu ces marques, ajoute-t-il en montrant une autre sur un mur, je ne serai pas resté. J’ai vraiment envie de savoir ce que ton frère faisait en ces lieux.
— Moi aussi, murmure-t-elle.
Le couloir s’achève sur une vaste salle délabrée. L’entrée de cet ancien temple ou ce qui y ressemble. Des colonnes jonchent le sol un peu partout et le reste semble détruit depuis peu. Le sable a formé de petites dunes au milieu des décorations en pierre noir. Deux statues de la déesse Isis et Hathor gardent l’entrée par laquelle le couple arrive. Deux autres statues assises, du dieu Anubis cette fois, protègent une ouverture à leur droite. Tout à coup le déchu s’arrête dans sa progression. Il aperçoit un objet en mouvement au centre de la salle, une forme ressemblant à un cadavre.

I need to preface that I am an unapologetic lover of the 1967 film soundtrack of Camelot. My Dad listened to it all the time when I was a kid. So, just know Richard Harris was my childhood Arthur.
My Dad is visiting me in NYC, so I got tickets to Camelot at LTC. Center orchestra, row C, seats 4 & 5. I don't always enjoy the front row, as I'm pretty short, but I could see fine and the conductomusical director shared a few words with us prior to the show and at intermission which my Dad loved.
Thoughts:
- I don't know how I feel about Andrew Burlap's Arthur. There were a few moments when his voice sounded lovely, but he brought a certain talk-singing style to the songs that I found disappointing. I kept wishing he would just sing. I felt like he and Phillipa came off as comparatively younger, so it made the awkward relationship and sometimes impetuous/selfish behavior more believable.
- Arthur reminded me of Jim from The Newsroom. I like Sorkin, but considering I already had a fondness for the original material, it was too quippy for me.
- I enjoyed the digital/projected elements. I wasn't sure about them from previous reviews, but I think they added beautifully to the set.
- The staging was odd. I realize it's probably old-fashioned, but the amount of staging that was designed to be back to the audience, facing upstage, was unnecessary to me. I know it matters less with modern mics, but it felt gimmicky.
- There were too many modern anachronisms. I read in an interview that they didn't want to feel constrained by linear time, but stating it's the Middle Ages while at the same time referencing Voltaire and Morgan Le Fay as a scientist was odd to me. The choreo for "The Lusty Month of May," was also too modern for me.
- Phillipa has the voice of an angel. She sounded timeless and her costumes were stunning. I felt like she hammed it up a bit at times especially in "Take Me to the Fair," but I also believed she wanted to see Lancelot harmed, so some of it worked.
- I liked the more feminist/assertive changes to Guenevere's character.
- Jordan Donica's voice was gorgeous. He played Lancelot a bit stoic, but I'd see another show of his in a heartbeat.
- I could do without the Mordrid/Morgan Le Fay plot. A lot of Arthur's relationship with Guenevere is often explained with him being inexperienced with women, so to have him have a prior relationship/love that resulted in a child seemed incongruous to me. I don't think it's a necessary part of the plot and Arthur, Lancelot, and Guenevere can ruin Camelot all on their own.
- The political considerations added to the context, but the romance was sacrificed. I didn't believe any of the main trio really loved one another, and the emotional gravitas of the ending was lost.
Overall, it just felt like unfulfilled potential. I didn't feel the loss of Camelot as poignantly at the end, because it never got off the ground. The previous magical elements had a wistful, hopefulness that's been replaced with an idealized pragmatism. I understand that people were always sacrificed for ideals in the original story, but here the emotion was sacrificed to make a statement.
That being said, I'd go again in a heartbeat because the soundtrack is still beautiful and carries such nostalgia for me.
https://preview.redd.it/zjhqjf87zera1.png?width=4032&format=png&auto=webp&s=7148496906fbf4b634efae3442d9c03ba745d61e

Ahh, dear reader, hello there! So lovely to see you once more... well figuratively speaking that is… or is it?
After all, I am exceedingly well versed in The Arts. Maybe I am watching you at this very moment, with Clairvoyance or perhaps a Scrying Spell or maybe an enchanted object like the good old fashioned Crystal Ball? The Magus has one you know…
Just teasing… or am I? …teeheehee…
Anyway, this latest instalment comes to you courtesy via a Voice to Text application my Magus recently acquired for me, as he said listening to me speak aloud while typing is too distracting for him. I find that interesting considering his immense mental discipline yet understandable at the same time. After all, extoling ones inner monolog to an uncaring audience would be tedious to experience. Hmm… I’ve just thought of a new torture for the souls of the dammed, specifically for writers who think they are better than everyone around them. How ingenious of me!
In any case, I would prefer to distract him in other ways, mark you.
I also must say what wonderfully inventive creatures you humans are! An application of mathematical code, the base language of reality. It is very much like a spell in its function and nature I would say, that it allows my phone, yes the Magus got me one, to record all I say and transcribes it into neatly typed words on its electronic pages. It’s like having a monk-scribe in your pocket! Unquestionably wonderful!
So as I relax in my fabulously hot, luxurious scented, oiled bubble bath, I can easily regale you with further tales of the adventures I have had thus far on this wonderous blue and brown spherical rock that is third in line from our star. And I do not have to type with two fingers either, which is a massive bonus let me tell you!
If memory serves… ahh yes, we had just returned to the car where I saw a sign of my Magus’s humour on display in the form of his licence plate.
I do have to admit dear reader, I was indeed highly amused. He knows he’s going to hell, he just insists that it be on his terms! I love it! Such confidence, such audacious willpower.
That is exceedingly… stimulating for Succubi.
Ok dammit, it makes me incredibly horny, and I’m not talking about the ones on my head either you know! We are intensely lustful beings, us Succubi, after all.
I was already in a highly ‘excited’ state when we got to the car, so much so that I had to use my Cell Adjustment Psionic discipline to tremendously dull down my inflamed senses as I did not wish to leave the tell-tale mark of my inflamed passion on the lower back portion of my new dress and also not on the car-seat when I sat back down in the vehicle.
Ahem…
After a few moments, which caused the Magus to glance up at me with a slightly puzzled expression, of standing outside the car (he had no idea nor cared… hmmph!) I opened the door and folded myself back inside the vehicle and resumed my seat. I later learned that I could have mostly avoided this… embarrassment… by actually wearing what you call absorbent lined underwear! I wasn’t wearing panties at the time as I was totally unaware of their existence. I do so now as its much more comfortable in lots of ways and in addition, stops the shiver when an errant chill wind blows unexpectedly up your gusset!
Moving on…
Getting into the car, the Magus paused until I had done up my seatbelt before starting the engine, waiting for another car to pass us by before safely pulling out and sedately driving off. I later learned that we could have gone screaming down the road in a cloud of burning rubber if the Magus was of a mind to. I would have if given the opportunity! Something to look forward to dear reader.
Instead, we drifted slowly through the placidly moving traffic as I watched the sun descend below the horizon of the ocean. I had only been back here on Earth for a few hours but every second was total bliss. I do not think that most of you humans realize how good you have it here. Even those who do not reside in the more developed and advanced nations, being on Earth is special.
There are infinity more worse places you can be, let me assure you of that.
We drove back mostly the way we had travelled to this particular beach. This time though it was much later in the day, heading in the opposite direction, I became aware of many more things that had escaped my attention earlier on.
We passed by denser zones and clusters of buildings where I could see various shops, food outlets, restaurants and varying vendors, all brightly lit up now as the daylight was fading. I saw incredibly tall metal poles with blazing, glowing lights illuminating the surrounds with a warm yellowy orange glow making it still easy to see. Electric lighting will never cease to amaze me. Yes dear reader, I can experience a sense of wonder and joy at simple things, even beyond the act of slaughter and soul draining. Would it astonish you that I like flowers? Such strange lifeforms that had developed aromas they use as a method of propagation. Delightful.
Anyway… we shortly crested the hill that we had previous ascended westwards earlier on the way to the beach and then I saw it!
I was awestruck once again.
Towering edifices, glittering, shining buildings monstrously higher than Hagia Sophia was, the most immense human made structure in the world when I was last in it. These glistening towers of glass, metal and stone made that church look like a feeble children’s toy. I could see over a dozen of these buildings of varying size, clustered together in less than a square mile.
The Magus glanced to his left and saw me gaping at them.
“They’re called Sky Scrapers Meridiana. They’re generally office buildings, places of business where people daily work in their wage-slave jobs then go home at night. The buildings are left vacant but light up at night as you can clearly see.”
I turned and gawped at him.
“They’re empty at night?”
I could not comprehend why such space, that had amazing views, would be left empty of an evening?
“Yep. Well most of them are. There will be some that still have people in them, conducting various types of business overnight because its what they do for a living.”
“What do they do?” I asked in a murmur as I turned back to see the vista be obscured by a large set of commercial and residential buildings that we were currently passing.
The Magus shrugged.
“They’ll be doing all sorts of things, financial trading, working back late to do their jobs… various affairs of commerce and such. It’s not that important really Meridiana. I’ll take you into the city another day when we have time for you to be a tourist. Now, if I may, I want to know more about your Telekinesis. I got an idea of how much you can lift, probably over 1400 kilograms at least if my guess as to how much a warhorse in armour with a rider would weigh… maybe more? Probably more but we’ll test that later. Anyway, it’s your fine control skills I’m interested in.”
I turned back to the Magus who was looking ahead, driving us through the busy traffic that had become a factor. I later learned that it was a time of day called ‘rush hour’.
“I am capable of very delicate manipulation with my Telekinesis, especially in regards to the erotic arts,” I said to him with a husky, low, salacious purr.
“That’s cute but I really want to know if you could snatch out of the air and control a very small, fast moving bouncing ball, say the size of your thumbnail?” he asked in an offhand manner as he slowed down due to the traffic which was banking up in front of us.
I inwardly sighed once more. Such a challenge he was!
“Yes I can but why?”
He briefly turned to me and broadly grinned before returning his attention to driving.
“There’s a game that we will ‘play’ after dinner. It is called Roulette. The game features a spinning wheel with thirty seven little slots. Into the spinning wheel a little white ball is spun in and circles around, eventually slowing and bouncing into once of the numbered slots. The slots are alternately coloured red or black and all are numbered from 00 to 36. You can bet where the ball will land, either in red or black and specifically in a numbered slot. If the ball lands in a slot you bet on, you get a payout of thirty seven to one. Ever dollar you bet wins you 37 back. You can also just bet on which colour the ball will land in giving you your money back plus it’s value as a reward. Bet $100, you get your $100 back plus another $100.”
“Dollar... that’s money right?” I said as the implications slowly dawned on me. You could make a fortune from this!
“Yes Meridiana. Dollars are what we use as currency these days. Gold is still used but not in the way you were used to. It’s still valuable as are other precious metals but that’s going to take a long explanation which is a distraction for now. So, do you think you could perhaps catch the bouncing ball with your power, directing it into the number we bet on?”
I thought about it for a few moments.
“I will have to see how the ball moves but I think I could, yes.”
“Excellent. You stand to make us a lot of money tonight. There are other games like card games, slot machines which I’m uncertain that your powers would be able to mess with. Roulette is our hunting ground. We must be careful though.”
“Why?”
I was surprised by his tone of caution. We were power incarnate! What could possibly touch us?
“Casinos hate losing money. Roulette is going to be the hardest one they can prove that we’re cheating on if you use your Telekinesis. We will be closely watched the entire time we are in the casino. There are devices called cameras, similar to Crystal Balls, that observe everything they see, relaying the images back to people in other rooms whose task it is to spot potential cheaters in the casino. They also have people walking the floor, disguised as ordinary folk, always watching everyone else. And I want to avoid the eyes of any infernal beings who may be in the casino.”
“Ahh… I see… a healthy paranoia then, for them and us hmm?”
He nodded once, emphatically.
If you have a fortune, you need to protect it, especially from people like me. His caution in regards to our identity was also most prudent and he was correct that there was a possibility that there may be others of my ilk lurking in the shadows, walking in human form as we often do.
I have to confess dear reader, that I am a master thief as well as an expert assassin, in addition to being an accomplished warrior although I rarely fight in hand to hand combat, preferring seduction, subterfuge and skulduggery as my main methods of killing. Yet still, I can fight and kill extremely proficiently with many weapons, being skilled at one of the highest levels of melee combat, the use of weapons and ways of fighting with them. I’ve been around a while you know? You pick up on things like that if you wish to live as long as I have.
Besides… stabby, stabby, stabby, bash, slash and smite can be loads of fun when you’re doing the stabbing and bashing with a well-balanced blade or mace in your hands. But I digress…
“You have it Meridiana. Yes the casinos’ management are extremely paranoid. We will have to alter our appearance as well before we enter the casino. I shall use a minor low level spell while you can take a new face. We will do so after dinner.”
I nodded then a thought came to me. I asked,
“You said we were going to something called a buffet? I know what the word means as my abilities allow me to understand any spoken language, much like the enchantment known as Tongues. Yet I’m finding it hard to match the word with the concept.”
The Magus raised an eyebrow in interest at this revelation.
“Oh right. Just because you know a word doesn’t mean you automatically understanding it conceptually and in context either. Good to know. Well, a buffet is an enormous array of various foods, hot and cold, sweet to savoury, where you merely help yourself and consume as much as you wish. You pay for the privilege of course.”
“Truly? How much will this cost you?” I inquired wide eyed.
I noticed that we had moved through the traffic and had turned down a descending road and were now going into a massive concrete tunnel along with hundreds of other cars, all slowly moving in the same direction. It was quite honestly astounding that everyone was not smashing into one another. All the drivers were…well mostly were, attentive to their immediate surrounds and situation as we gradually merged our car into the main lane of traffic which was making its way under the earth via the huge yawning tunnel ahead.
Such staggering feats of engineering and construction which would have made the Emperor Justinian weep copious, bitter tears of pure envy. Oh how I wished I could make him see this and realise his idiotic boast was pointless when he finished Hagia Sophia. He bragged that he had surpassed Solomon himself with his church. He had but it wasn’t worth it. Justinian nearly bankrupted the Eastern Roman Empire, all for a useless church and his own vanity.
Moron.
Still, I shouldn’t care, his hubris ended up sending him to hell anyway so... yay! His actions also exacerbated the effects of the famine and plague that swept the through the empire and western Europe in the year 535 with his stupid desire to re-unify the Roman empire under his rule. You will be pleased to know dear reader, that he is burning in eternal torment for his multitude of sins so it is all good. My thoughts of deceased, vainglorious emperors and their fate were interrupted as the Magus spoke again,
“Hmm? … it should set us back about $80 each I’d should say? A small price to pay in all honesty when you see what is on offer. Drinks will be on top of that price, unless you just have plain water but tonight Meridiana, I shall introduce you to Champagne, one of humanities greatest achievements.”
This was enticing to hear!
“If you say so Magus. I completely believe you as you will not be lying to me,” I said, nodding and trying to think about Champagne.
So many new concepts were entering my mind, it was hard to keep my mind and thoughts in order. I understood that Champagne was a special type of wine, one which had a fizz embodied within it, making it highly regarded but that’s all I could deduce for now.
Also… I had a thought: the Magus could and would never lie to me. The feeling I had earlier, in being able to trust everything he said to me because of the oath he gave to me, was an unfettering sensation.
All my existence I have dealt with bare faced lairs, deceivers, misshapers of the truth who twisted words to suit their own selfish ends. With the Magus, all I had to be concerned with was his agenda, which actually had my interests aligned with his own. Truly remarkable.
I needed that champagne now!
We emerged from the tunnel, traveling with the traffic over wide dark river, again on another immense concrete bridge this time. There was a gigantic colosseum off to our right, all lit up with multiple coloured lights that ran around the circumference of the structure. It was like as though it was enveloped in a rainbow. Frankly, it was amazing to behold.
Beyond that, I could see many more large towers and structures, lining the sides of the vast road we were hurtling along now. The Magus had increased our speed as traffic had thinned out. Never in my life had I moved so fast, well unless I was using a Haste spell to briefly increase my physical speed, which I use in combat if necessary.
I barely had the sense we were travelling in the car at roughly 80kph. Such an odd experience to have for the first time. There was no rushing of wind, no press of air on my face, just comfort and air-conditioning. Marvellous!
After a few minutes later I saw our destination.
Again I was nearly stupefied by the gigantic structure. Multiple massive buildings, all surrounded by lush green, well-manicured and maintained gardens made my jaw go slack with disbelief.
“That’s Crown Casino, Towers and hotel Meridiana. I can see you are impressed. Let me just say that if you think this is amazing, wait until we go to Las Vegas…” he said as he turned the car into the driveway of the complex.
“There’s even more impressive structures than this?”
My mind boggled dear reader. It was almost too much to take in.
“Yep. My city is a small one compared to others around the globe. We will travel to them, in due course. I know you can use your powers of Dimensional Walking, moving through other planes of reality and appearing on a different part of the planet. However, there will be times when we will need to travel together conventionally. Perhaps one day, if I learn the right spells, we will be able to avoid having to fly in an aeroplane and by-pass the utter tediousness of baggage check-ins, airport security and so on…” he muttered darkly.
“HUMANS CAN FLY!?!” I said in a loud strangled astonished voice.
The Magus chuckled with genuine amusement.
“Think back Meridiana. I said humanity has been to the moon and back. I said we can travel safely and comfortably in a machine, called an aircraft, across the planet. Some ‘planes are huge while others are not much bigger than the car. Oh, that reminds me, we will have to construct an identity for you. We will begin that process tomorrow. You are going to need a passport soon enough,” he said as he found a relatively unoccupied parking area west of the massive structures.
He saw my puzzled expression and mistook it for wondering why we had parked here.
“It’s free to park here and there are hardly any security cameras in the vicinity.”
I nodded dumbly.
“But of course Magus…”
He saw my expression as he switched off the engine. A tiny look of… sympathy appeared on his face. He spoke to me in a soft, calm, soothing tone,
“Take a breath Meridiana. Close your eyes and focus upon the stillness within the vehicle. You are safe here with me. Nothing will harm us. Just breathe and relax, let each breath calm you. With every breath you are at peace within yourself and the world around you.”
I did as he said and instantly sensed my whirling mind begin to centre itself, become still.
I may be an ancient and powerful demon dear reader, however I have been imprisoned for nigh on a thousand years and now have been released into a world that I was unable to recognise at all.
The Magus later told me I was suffering from a psychological malady called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Yes dear reader, even us demons can get mentally fucked up. I mean, compared to the average human, we’re all demented, tormented psychopaths which explains a lot about ourselves but still… even a psychopath can suffer from mental trauma. Demons can go insane.
I breathed rhythmically, each exhaling breath calming me. With one final exhalation, I opened my eyes, turned to my Magus and softly smiled at him.
“Thank you,” was all I said. I meant it.
He nodded briefly, his intensely burning eyes boring into mine, deeply searching, looking for signs of any madness that may still be lingering within. Well, there’s always the hunger for sex and mayhem, but that’s natural for me.
“Come on, you look fine now, let’s go,” he said as he got out of the car.
I followed his example, releasing my seat belt and stepping out of the car. Closing the car door behind me, walked over to the Magus then I threaded my right arm around his left as we walked off like a normal couple, casually strolling through the car park towards the casino and hotel.
I could hear the noise of all the adjacent traffic all still travelling busily along the massive road that went past the enormous complex. There was the calls of various birds I’d never heard before, the waft of scented flowering plants and the heavy aroma of moisture in the air from the nearby river. I closed my eyes for a second just to let it all wash over me as I sedately walked along with my Magus.
Soon we came to the entrance. Huge dark glass doors magically opened for us upon our arrival. To my right I could see various coloured signage, advertising the types of ‘fast food’ eateries that people could choose to dine at. They were all brightly lit and mostly clean.
It was at that moment I saw my first wretch.
A dishevelled, unkempt, shabby man sat listless outside the fast food eateries upon the low stone wall that contained a small, well-kept garden. He looked up at us as we approached, his eyes full of misery and despair.
“Got any spare change?”
“Sorry mate, no one carries cash anymore,” lied my Magus to him with a conciliatory voice, a sad but brief compassionate smile appeared briefly on his face.
The wretched man’s face became even more resigned. He nodded back in understanding, returning his fallen face back to morosely contemplating the ground at his feet.
We kept walking, leaving the broken man behind us.
I was about to congratulate the Magus in his treatment of the beggar when I had to stop as I was confronted by an incredible sight.
Before us, in the huge well-lit lobby of the building, was a huge pair of MOVING METAL STAIRCASES!
One staircase ascended while another came down from the landing some 50 feet above us. On either side were normal, marble clad stairs that some people were using. Yet many other people were on the moving metal stairs, all just taking the experience of being raised or lowered completely for granted.
“It’s just an escalator Meridiana. A simple machine that makes life a little more comfortable. Take it, go for a ride. I’m taking the stairs as I need the incidental exercise,” he said to me as he pried my clutching hands from his arm. I had been unconsciously gripping him tightly in my amazement at seeing such a machine.
The Magus walked off to the left, climbing the steps briskly while I gingerly walked forwards, watching the metal stairs endless appear and ascend upwards. The hand rail also moved in synchronicity with the metal stairs. I observed as a pair of young women, chatting intently to each other, walked past me and up to stand upon a metal stair which was part of dozens of metal stairs it seemed. I saw them be lifted by the moving stairs, rising above and away from me.
Summoning my courage, I stepped forwards onto a moving stair, wobbled slightly as I was not used to the speed which it moved, making me grab the moving banister tightly to steady myself as I rode my way upwards. I let out a small laugh as it was such a novel experience. The young women in front of me turned around at my laugh, raising their eyebrows at me as well as actually truly seeing me for the first time. Their smiles faded as I grinned back at them.
The young women could see my infinitely superior beauty on full display. They looked hesitant, now uncertain of themselves as they mistakenly believed themselves to be beautiful. They were, passible, not ugly but not worthy of a harem to be perfectly honest. I later learned dear reader that many foolish young women, especially in what you call the western world, regard themselves as queens, rating themselves ten out of ten on a scale of dazzling good looks. These sad women are delusional. I mean, if they were that beautiful, why weren’t their faces on the covers of the glossy magazines I see in various ‘supermarket’ check outs? No matter, vanity and hubris are all ways to damnation and misery. So many people sending themselves to eternal torment simply because they were raised by idiotic parents who never properly taught their children the need for humility. It’s all win-win for the pits you know…
My Magus met me at the top of the stairs, holding out his hand to me and then leading me through the vast interior of the complex.
“That’s the casino,” he indicated to our right.
Looking, I could see dozens of people making their way inside into the brightly lit and noisy interior of the casino. I caught the whiff of desperation, despair, avarice, lust, elation and a strong aroma of human urine. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. Yes, even I have some standards dear reader.
“Magus, why does it reek of piss?” I asked as we strolled by and proceeded into the most immense, glass covered atrium I have ever seen.
“Oh, you can smell that?” He looked intrigued.
I nodded with a mild look of disgust.
“Hah… interesting. Well… some gamblers get stuck on a poker machine. They sit there for hours, desperately hoping that the machine they are playing on will pay out. The poor fools stupidly believe that if they play at the machine long enough, they’ll win big. So they stay seated, ignoring the need to relieve their bodily urges, to the extent that they prefer to piss themselves rather than abandon the machine that is draining away their money. The poor fools are incapable of understanding that the machine is designed to rarely pay out. Every time they play, it has a simple algorithm that calculates the chance of a payout. Most machines will payout a small amount of money occasionally, thus keeping the gambler hooked in the mistaken belief that the big one is just around the corner. It rarely, if ever, is.”
I stopped, stunned at what I just heard. The Magus stopped and looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
“That’s… diabolically genius!” I stuttered as I considered the fiendish brilliance of the whole concept.
Someone had made hell on earth not only possible but also could make a fortune from it as well as breaking people’s souls and spirits in the process! The concept of dangling hope in front of a damned soul, then snatching it away was one of the oldest known tortures of hell. This was magnificent, a culmination of the perfection of thousands upon thousands of years of the torture, all neatly packaged in a fairly simple machine designed to beggar it’s user and turn them into slaves to it. Gobsmacking was the only word I could think off that fully encapsulated the way I felt at that moment.
“Yes it is, isn’t it? I have always suspected that those machines were most likely invented by a demon. It makes perfect sense,” he said as he shrugged, then tilted his head, indicating we should proceed onwards.
I noddled dumbly as again, I had been totally overwhelmed by the latest piece of information the Magus had informed me of. I barely registered the hundreds of people all wandering around the massive lobby of the hotel atrium. Many were dressed finely while others, mostly men, were dressed casually. My Magus was one of them, still wearing his novelty T-shirt and hemp pants. They were clean though and his shoes, a brand known as Babuuk, made him look somehow better dressed then the other men who were similarly attired. Maybe it was just his subtle aurora of power, his sheer confidence and his towering Will that made him stand out from the mouth breathers all around us? I guess it was.
We arrived at the entrance of the restaurant and the Magus was greeted by a short Asian woman, dressed neatly in the hotels livery.
I started to realise that there were people from so many different races of humanity all around us. I had come from a time where only what was left of the Eastern Roman Empire was this diverse, and even then it was but a shadow of the heyday of the full glory that was Rome. Here were people from almost all the lands of earth, all happily co-mingling, getting on with having dinner with family and friends. Very surprising indeed.
The Asian woman at the reception counter spoke to us with a friendly smile,
“Good evening sir, madam. A table for two for you then?” she asked politely, her voice tinged with a broad accent I had not heard before. She spoke English yet I could tell that wasn’t her first language.
“Yes please,” politely replied the Magus.
This was something I did not expect. Despite his and my obvious power, he was respectful and even kind to the servants. All of them. He didn’t condescend nor sneer down at the servants of the hotel. It is still something I have difficulty reconciling. I said nothing, just observed. Oh, he has since instructed me not to call them servants, they are members of staff and will be treated with respect until they show they do not deserve it, then they are fair game. I can live with that.
“Table seventy one is ready for you both, have a lovely evening.”
She actually meant it! I could see it in her eyes, she was truly enjoying her task. She was smiling and joking with her fellow staff members, politely greeting the next people behind us with her cheerful friendly demeanour.
Astonishing.
In my prior experiences, servants and slaves were a miserable lot but then again, that was understandable. They had no choice as to their circumstances. They had to obey lest they suffer harsh punishment.
As we proceeded into the large dining room, with over a hundred tables of varying sizes, I could see off to my left where the food was.
I stopped again and stared dear reader.
I have been to banquets with Emperors and Kings, Popes and Princes, all sumptuous feasts but nothing was like what I saw before me. Dozens upon dozens of people had plates in their hands, all calmly wandering around the incredible cornucopia of varieties of food that were on display, all brightly lit up for them to simply help themselves to as much as their plate could hold.
Roasted meats, all neatly carved by expert chefs, freshly shucked oysters all seated in enormous silver ice-filled serving bowls, trays upon trays of cooked vegetables of kinds I had never seen before and… a dazzling array of sweet desserts and treats that made me almost go weak at the knees at the very sight of them.
“Come on Meridiana, you’re starting to drool,” whispered the Magus gently into my ear as he dabbed my wet lips with a soft piece of paper that he withdrew from his pants pockets.
Once again I nodded dumbly as I allowed him to escort me to our table. He even seated me, pushing me and my chair in once I had sat down. After he had taken his seat, a young man, quite a handsome one from the Indus I believed?... came over to us, again dressed in the livery of the hotel.
“Good evening, sir, madam. Would you care for something to drink?” he inquired ever so politely.
“And good evening to you sir. Yes indeed, may we please have a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, two glasses and a bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water?” he asked with a real smile to the servant… no member of staff.
“Of course sir, I shall get that for you immediately,” replied the waiter with a pleased smile at being spoken to so politely.
“Thank you,” said the Magus then he turned to me and asked,
“Do you need a moment Meridiana? I understand this might trigger you again…”
I shook my head.
“No. It is overwhelming… but in a good way Magus. I have to ask, how can a place like this provide so many people with so much food? Even in the height of the Empire, there were magnificent feasts to be sure but… you say this happens everyday, that this is just a Tuesday and not a busy night?”
He nodded.
“This is the age of abundance Meridiana. Many of us, who live in what is known as The West, have dwelt in an age of such wealth and richness that almost all here never think on their incredible luck and privilege to live in such times. They do not know that it will come to an end. Maybe that is a small mercy. All golden ages end as you well know. So I say, let them dwell in ignorant bliss for now. We can enjoy it while it lasts.”
“Huh? Why do you believe that your golden age will end Magus?”
“It’s a long explanation and one I do not wish to go into detail here and now Meridiana but later, I will share my thoughts with you on this. Ahh, here comes our champagne.”
The waiter and another staff member had returned, with one carrying two bottles while the other had a metal bucket partially filled with ice. The waiter from the Indus placed both bottles on our table, displayed the label to the Magus who briefly nodded. Then, the waiter removed the cork from the bottle with an adroit twist of his wrist. It made a pleasing pop and I could see a little haze of cold… smoke? lightly emanate from the neck of the bottle. He poured the brightly bubbling and fizzing wine into both our glasses, carefully making sure the foam did not overflow them. He was very good at his task.
“Thank you good sir,” said my Magus to the waiter who beamed back at him with a happy smile. He placed the bottle into the bucket of ice and withdrew, leaving us alone, amidst the crowed dinning room.
The Magus took up his glass, holding it in front of him. I mirrored him.
“Here’s to a good dinner with interesting company and later, ripping the shit out of a casino Meridiana.” He pushed his glass gently forwards, lightly clinking it against mine. I wasn’t familiar at the time with that form of salute and toast but went with it anyway, after all… when in Rome as they used to say.
“That sounds… delightful Magus. I am eager for it all.”
I then took a sip of my champagne and was transported into a realm of heavenly bliss.
It was exquisite.

< First Previous >
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????? POV
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"Brought th' greenhorn like ya said Boss!" (Terris)
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"Good. Now then, freshy, how ya gonna make up f'r the loss of that group we were gonna snatch and sell off?" ('The Boss')
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"Well, they ain't coulda gone far right, so we just gotta find 'em again and snatch 'em right? An' it'd make sense to go the direction they'd sent out that big hunt party right? So's we should go west from where we spotted em and we should fine 'em again...I think?" ('Greenhorn')
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"So ya ain't completely brain dead then. Good. Terris, grab one of th' one's we've got already, slap a collar on 'em and make them act like a translator fer ya. Hmmm...we ain't wantin' t' have t' hunt 'em down again, so take an empty slave wagon, an' that beast t' pull it, yanno th' one. Oh, an' greenhorn, if ya screw this up, yer gonna be on th' beasts menu. Ya get me?" ('The Boss')
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"Yeah....I uh...I getcha boss"
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Vahlu POV
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Preparing for a bit of roaming was always something before, but now its...honestly alot less stressful. The little Poppit ridding on my back and shoulder while holding my emergency food sack in it's mandibles. Tucking my sandboard under my arm as I leave my tent, I'm quickly spotted by some of the other hunters who quickly grab their kits with nods toward me.
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"You don't have to go if you don't want to, yanno." (Vahlu)
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"We don't have too, but all of us are gettin' a bit...antsy without something to do and bein' cooped up in camp like this. Yanno how it goes!" (hunts-skink)
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"Fair enough. I figured we'd roam out toward the old campsite a bit.. Check and make sure we didn't forget anything important at the old campsite, not that I think we did, and then on the way back just swing around a bit from the path, like this." (Vahlu)
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Drawing two circles in the sand, one bigger than the other, I'd then draw a line from the big circle to the little circle. From there an upward ark from the small circle back to the big one.
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"This route will get us to the old spot quickly to do that quick check, then let us look for other things of interest on the way back. Any complaints?" (Vahlu)
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"I got one their Vahlu. What if we did an ark in to the old place too, get even more ground covered, and, not take the same path back that we took out here in the first place. Last thing we want is for a new greater sand runner to be out there after Poppit made a snack of one. They usually avoid our numbers but, better to be cautious." (veteran hunts-skink)
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"Good call out, wasn't even thinkin' on those things, and while Poppit had eaten one so easily before, that was...before. Let's put it like that. A'right then, make sure ya got your own Poppit with ya, Curator seems keen on keeping us safe, they are light, and, if they help out, some things that might have been a problem to deal with might not be." (Vahlu)
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Waiting for confirmations from the others and seeing the little sandtraps crawling up onto their partners, even as the older hunts folk with me suppress their reflexive shudders, we'd quickly wrap up our preparations. That's when that familiar presence naggles in the back of my head.
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"By the by Vahlu, if you run into any serious problems, don't be afraid to call for help. There are some...tricks...I may be able to pull out of my proverbial hat t' help out. No guarantees on all of them, but if it's serious, no tricks, I'll just use the tried and true method of the people I was of before. Throw a rock, and, if that doesn't work, it just means you didn't throw a big enough rock! Jokes aside, I'm only a mental shout of help away, and you know I'm not afraid to get my 'hands' dirty." (Curator)
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"Got it. A'right you guys, lets head out, I want to be back before sun down!" (Vahlu)
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With a chorus of 'got its' and slight cheers, the band of hunters heads out. Lead by Vahlu, the eight person team would head out, following the planned route, as best the could anyway!
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Vaslo POV
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While my brother is preparing for his excursion outside Curator's domain, I'm getting a crash course on the 'needs' as it were. Babe listens in 'ceiling' of his core chamber, and Vekla sits beside me, also eager to learn more of what Curator knows.
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"So, what I'm going to cover first is what my people called the 'rule of 3s'. Really useful way to order things by importance in various situations. First of these rules is '3 minutes without air' this means if you were to fall into the water of the oasis and be fully under it, or get buried deep in the sand, we'd have about three minutes to get you out to keep you from death." (Curator)
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"Sorry to interrupt but...what's a minute?" (Vekla)
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I'm so glad that the sh...Vekla is here, he asked before I could and that saves me the embarrassment of not knowing something Curator seems to think is basic knowledge.
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"Okay...that's...a good question. So, if we say this world has the same length of a full day, one day would be twenty four hours. Each hour, would be comprised of sixty minutes. So it's a...fairly...short unit of time, not much at all. When I say a full day I mean sun at the highest point in the sky to that same time after it's set and risen again. This little explanation here? You could fit it, once, maybe twice in a minute." (Curator)
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"Oh, so, very short amount of time. Gotcha, and I can see why that'd make it the highest priority since it'd kill you the fastest." (Vekla)
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"Exactly. These rules are all about 'not dying' but still make for good fundamentals to check against before trying to thrive instead of just survive. Next on the list is three hours of exposure. This means you should do something about getting out of the elements to an extent within three hours, or if we go based on the sun, the same time it'd take to go from highest point in the sky to halfway to sunset. That's about 3 hours, now, imagine what would happen to you, without any shelter, or shade, if you were under the sun for that entire time? It...might not be as hard on yall with scales but those without scales would potentially perish in that time. From over heating, or dehydration. A better way to think on it would be, outside after the moon is to the highest point for that same amount of time. You'd probably be dead if you didn't burrow into the sand, or, have a tent to help hold the warmth in through the night." (Curator)
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Nodding along with what he says, that makes perfect sense, nights are dangerous for that reason, it gets so cold, one can feel their flesh getting hard and stiff if exposed to it for too long. There don't seem to be any questions there from anyone.
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"Next rule, the third rule of threes, is three days without water. Most things can't survive from being properly hydrated, for more than three days, there are exceptions to this, but as a general rule, creatures usually need some form of liquid intake every three days to not risk drying out to the point that their organs start to shut down. With right now, water is a reliable resource for you all so that's not really an issue currently, the big thing will be to ensure that folks do their uh...business, from cleaning to...letting out waste...decently far away, and, in a way that, should we suddenly get rain, it won't be washed into the oasis and contaminate it. In more crass terms: don't piss or shit in the place your water flows up from." (Curator)
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"Makes sense, and we did set up the waste pit in a way so that our camp is between it, and the oasis, so that should be fine" (Vaslo)
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"Good, good. Next is 3 weeks without food. While going that long without eating isn't pleasant, it's possible, but, makes one susceptible to something called 'refeeding syndrome' that's actually why on our first meeting I was so...insistent that you eat slowly Vekla. I didn't want you to eat so fast that it shocked your system and made your internals decide they'd rather just not anymore, in the simplest way to put it. It's much more complicated than that, but, either way, it'd lead to death in most cases." (Curator)
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Looking over to Vekla I can see the big gulp he reflexively takes before nodding.
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"Thanks for...keeping that in mind when we first met. I didn't even know something like that could happen." (Vekla)
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"I'm glad you did also, otherwise many of us may have just...stuffed our faces on those tasty leaves and killed half the clan!" (Vaslo)
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"I'm just glad you all listened to me on that. Now onto the current state of things, for now, we've all those bases covered to an extent, the only thing that needs more notable work is food. We've got more of the leaves, but, unless we get more of those plants growing it's a limited resource, and from there we're back to the situation of you all needing to hunt down everything and hope it's enough. That's actually why Vahlu is heading out again already, he's not ONLY hunting, but also keeping an eye out for plants and other things to bring back. Who knows, maybe there are other critters out there that could be brought back for raising to later be butchered like cattle." (Curator)
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"That is...sadly the state of things isn't it? We are needing just a bit more to get truly stable to then work on improving other things, like making better shelters and such. Yes?" (Vaslo)
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"Exactly! Like I said, it's a good foundation to build on. Take my chamber here, and the sandstone it's built from and atop. I didn't set this just on the sand, that'd make it shift and move, it extends DEEP into the sands, so that it won't move, anchored down deep. Stable, and a strong foundation to have things upon." (Curator)
< Next >

Todays fun fact is based on a recent experience. Apparently, snakes REALLY dislike strong mint smells. I recently spread some snake repellant to try and discourage some brown rat snakes from nesting near my house (I don't mind them but, family member who lives with me has toddlers, and, while their harmless, I'd rather not have to worry about them getting traumatized when the mess with the 3-4ft long snake after being told not too XD) and man, that stuff was so minty I'd have thought some one powdered a case of the green 5 gum and shoved it up my nose lol.
Also, while I do intend to keep the story here any everything free, some one I know suggested I set up a ko-fi thingy incase folks wanted to buy me a coffee (or in my case energy drink, I swear, coffee is a better laxities than exlax XD)