Aaaaaaand my period has landed. How wonderful for me. I mean if I didn’t get it it would be concerning, but at least I would know for a fact it would be a medical concern and not a baby concern. Unless god saw me to be a fit mother for his second child but that’s unlikely. That’s one positive about having no sex life, ZERO concern about pregnancy or STIs and stuff. Would I prefer to worry and get railed every now and again? Sure. But also lately I have zero sexual energy about me anyway, I just have such little interest in it. But anyway. I have my period and I have to go to the office so I’ve stocked up my handbag with ibuprofen and tea bags. Let’s see how it goes. I must remember to mark it off in my diary, it’s my attempted way of tracking it. I’d be curious to see how close my dates are to last month. I’m really failing with my 2023 diary, I had all these hopes and dreams for it and I even bought a… cover? I can’t remember the word for it. A leather cover with pockets and stuff. This is my issue and it applies to my whole life - I’ve used it sparingly and it’s March, so therefore I shouldn’t bother for the remainder of the year because it would just be weird to have a semi filled in diary. This is my f’ing ISSUE. Fuck. And for that reason alone I’m going to use this stupid diary and write lots of stuff in it. I shall not continue being the moron I am. I really truly f myself off sometimes.
I’ve got a reasonable amount of work stuff done today, it’s a lot easier at the office I guess. One of the girls in my team came in with her twelve week old baby and I’m ready to be pregnant now. We had cake to celebrate someone’s work anniversary, it was delicious but SO rich and I felt a bit unwell afterwards and I didn’t even have much. I took the smallest slice I could reach because yknow, calories, but it was chocolate with caramel or something so it was all levels of decadence but kinda too much? I could probably eat an entire bowl of caramel though, I LIVE for caramel. Caramel and lemon/citrus are my favourite dessert things, but also vanilla. I obviously love chocolate but it’s nowhere near my favourite kind of treat. I wish I liked dark chocolate more, I don’t mind it and sometimes it’s lovely but it tastes too… grown up. I don’t think my palate is sophisticated enough for dark. I want milk chocolate and white chocolate (but only a little bit) and caramelised white chocolate. Yum yum yum. Why am I thinking about chocolate, YOURE ON A CALORIE DEFICIT YOU NUMBSKULL.
I went to collect my prescription at lunch time and I also got some new skincare bits but only because I’m going to go on a lil skin barrier Bootcamp for a fortnight or so. I’m going to use the LRP cicaplast serum and balm with an SPF in the morning and an oil in the evening. And then cleanse, obviously. SUPER simple. No actives or anything. I think my barrier is compromised and I want to try get it back in action. And then I think I should be okay to start retinol and ease up to every second night. I’m only using the medik8 retinal 3, so it’s not super potent or anything, but I think I just have skin that is a bit sensitive, a lil like me. But I’m also thirty, I can’t not be using some kind of vitamin A. I also got another claw clip because I use them ALL THE TIME. I’ve noticed I really hate having hair around my face if I can avoid it, more so if I’m feeling anxy, it really makes me start to get worked up and stuff. I think I really am someone who gets overstimulated, which makes me feel so dumb. Idk why it just does. Anyway and I think that’s all I did and I walked around the block to just be outside and move a bit as I’d been sat down all morning. I can’t walk leisurely when I’m alone, even when with people, I feel so… something. So I have to walk fast, as if I have a purpose. I think it’s so I feel less judged, because if I walk slowly when I’m alone people will think “damn what a loser with no friends” whereas if I walk fast I feel like people will think “oh she must be off to meet friends and do something”
I got laser today, just my underarms. Im getting some top up treatments over the next few months. It’s just expensive so I’m splitting it up a bit. And I’m self conscious to have my legs wide open for some stranger. I seem to be more self conscious than ever about how I look down there.
I had quite an anxy day to be honest. I didn’t feel especially low or anything, I could feel myself sinking into it a little at one point but it was more anxy than anything. Like feeling looked at and judged. I felt SO looked at today. It made me so uncomfortable and paranoid.
F me these cramps are making themselves known this time around. Not the worst I’ve had by any means but just this constant dull pain like I’m slowly being pulverised from the inside out. I was almost doubled over at work at one stage in pain but I obviously couldn’t and I couldn’t stand up either so I was pretending to read some report while crouched over my desk as inconspicuously as possible.
I’m really so so looking forward to spending time with my honeybunny tonight. Idk why he’s stuck in my mind with that name, that or baby, if he knew he would truly crucify me I’m sure. He’s honestly my favourite. Okay I’m going to stop now so I can eat then playyyy night night

All values in USD.
Assets and Debt
Retirement Balance: nope because I'm planning on leaving the US (for my bf) after finishing school. Not sure how retirement balance works across countries.
Equity: nope but almost bit and bought a house in the middle of the insane housing price crisis? windfall?? in 2021. Boy would my life be different rn
Savings account balance: zip but 90k in bonds
Checking account balance: 60k
Credit card debt: nada, and using a debit card in Europe
Student loan debt: nothing, because my parents (bless them) paid for my (subsidized, bless FAFSA + need based scholarships) college tuition, and I got a free masters (thanks to my advisor + TAships) and am currently doing a free (aka on my advisor's bill again lmao + TAships) phd
Income
Income Progression: a string of tech internships (every single summer except freshman and masters and first year of phd) with pay from between 5500/month to 11000/month (pre-tax, adjusted for bonus and currency exchange rate) That high end was from a fancy startup and pre-brexit lmaoooo. Low end was gov work. And my current phd income is 2500/month, so this is actually an income regression lol
Main Job Monthly Take Home: Current internship is 5000/month but my overall taxes are low because I'm not here long enough for it to bump up my income taxes more than one rung. So keep in mind I make like 1700/month the rest of the year
Side Gig Monthly Take Home: I wish! Once I get my big girl job I'm going remote and setting up a ceramics studio, a grocery store, and then volunteering and making games. Work can go stuff itself. Honestly the more and more I work the more and more I feel like I want to turn stage left exit society, tyvm. People meme academia as being abstract and useless (and sometimes toxic...that one's deserved maybe) but unless you are at a specific type of company, corporate research can be equally "useless" but by way of having insanely short (as in, to production by year's end) deadlines so you're kind of forced to "fit a square peg into a round hole" eg work on a business problem that you (or your higher up) did not spend enough time defining and then somehow make it look like research when maybe the most cost-effective solution was something else entirely...sorry for rant
Do your parents pitch in monthly? Been financially independent since last year...to my great surprise. I used to be financially independent since undergrad graduation but apparently my mom started sneakily paying off my CC debt again in my phd so I had to change the linked bank account back. My mom thinks I'm poor lmao...I'm not
Expenses
Rent (includes utilities): 2000 ouch (Europe) + 500 (US) monthly
Transport: bike (free after fixed costs, yay!) and bus (free with school)
Renters insurance: none. Getting renter's insurance is like wearing my retainer...everyone tells me to do it (including myself) but I make up a million excuses as to not
Savings contribution: whatever's left in the month. Usually 400+-100
Investment contribution: is the stock market even real? I'm just kidding. But I don't really understand my finances, and I feel embarrassed about that, but at the same time I feel like after factoring in all my personal considerations, I'm better off not doing anything other than guaranteed bonds.
Debt payments: no. college is done, no house, no car
Cellphone: Prepaid in Europe, like 5 a month. But my US phone is actually on my parent's family plan. So I guess I'm still not financially independent...
Subscriptions: Occasional magazines 50 annually, school union 100 annually
Regular therapy: None. Therapy has been a hit and miss for me
Paid hobbies: Art supplies like 100 a year, books like 300 annually, audio like 100, bike stuff 100, kitchen stuff...400, fancy specialty ingredients...800, clothes 400 but my mom gifts me a lot over the holidays like 500-1000 worth, and gifts for f&f I budget around 800 a year
[Money Diary]
[Tuesday]
7am: wake. super groggy. Drink two gulps of fanta to actually wake and immediately regret it
8am: on the bus to work. Today is going to be a slow day which is nice.
8:30am: grab a rhubarb and rose yogurt for breakfast ($2). Delicious. Have to order this somehow when I'm back in the states.
12pm: Brought eggplant and bolognese for lunch. Eat with another intern and talk random stuff about our phds.
4:30pm: leaving early cuz today is my bf's last night in the country. I head to a bakery and grab a croissant and pretzel and baguette ($7) for him as an apology for an argument we had yesterday. I also head to a grocery to grab a pumpkin ($10) for curry later. I race to the bus! Almost miss it. Everyone is looking at me because I'm panting and I feel that strange awkwardness you get from being caught running without gym clothes.
6pm: Back home. We heat up leftovers (ramen for me and bolognese for him) and watch a chill video about balancing in gaming. It was either this or a math video and the math video was too long.
7pm: I ask him about when he's coming back to see me so I can let my mom know if my schedule fits my family's June paris trip or not (my mom's extremely hyped about this so I would like to come.) Because he's been dragging his feet figuring out his schedule we get into another argument, which then carries back into our argument from yesterday.
9pm: Answer some emails and book a flight for my return trip because my sister is going to her dream college and I want to be with her on visit week ($156)
10pm: I'm trying to read my paper for tomorrow's meeting but it's not going well because we are still talking about our problems
12pm: We cuddle and sleep. Argument's not resolved because neither wants to give
Total: 19 (Food) + 156 (Plane)
[Wednesday]
6am: wake. notice that it's 6am and go back to sleep
7am: wake and wake up bf. He's leaving today and so we cuddle, but like sadly (LDR, whats new.) Eventually I get hungry so I go and munch on plums. I am a bit distracted because I have a lot of meetings that I'm not well prepared for.
8:30am: catch bus. We joke a bit about yesterday's argument. Eventually, say goodbye when I transfer trams. I watch a video to prepare for my first meeting on the tram. Then I have a meeting, read to prepare for next meeting, rinse, repeat. Go out to eat with coworkers ($18)--conversations are so awkward (because of me. I don't have the extra mental capacity to try socializing with overworked dudes 4 years older than me and I've lost a concerning amount of EQ over the course of my phd.)
2:00pm: After a particularly stressful meeting (went well, thanks to my clutch skills) I decide I need to take a walk outside as a break. I go to the bakery to buy a chocolatine and apple danish ($5). I am not even hungry. I am just retail theraping and desserts look cute and smell good. Head back and have string of meetings until the end of the day. Very angry about my schedule
5:30pm: say fuck it cuz my brain is shot and go home. Why am I the only one who leaves before 6? Isn't this supposed to be Europe? I hate working a 9-6.
6pm: eat dinner (ramen), shower with rice on the stove (no rice cooker), rice burns omg now the bottom of the pan is burnt. I soak the pan overnight and leave my personal pan out for people to use.
7pm: reddit as revenge procrastination. I make a note to buy steel wool for the burnt pan
9pm: start writing money diary. Have wayy too much fun writing money diary while snacking on Comte and aloe vera water
11pm: realize its late and I have to finish reading a paper for Friday. I read a bit of the paper
1am: sleep
Total: 23 (Food)
[Thursday]
6am: Wake and look at random stuff on reddit for an hour and a half. I don't feel that hungry so I head out to work.
8:30am: I am very sleepy for some reason. I don't have a lot of meetings today, so I check emails, slack, and find a manageable task for the day. I end up getting distracted dealing with administrivia (ugh visa work!) I see that I have a seminar I want to attend the night and mark that down too.
10am: I decide I should try doing something productive so I start brainstorming. It doesn't really get anywhere, but I've realized that I probably need to read another paper to get a better idea of what I should do.
12pm: Head out to eat with other interns. I get shawarama ($16.) Delicious. Head back for more meetings. I try to read a bit but my focus is pretty shot so I start doing a more chill writeup instead.
7pm: We are having drinks at a bar tonight, and it takes time for people to get ready so I work late. We head out to the bar, which is crowded. I order a burger and soda because I don't want to make my sickness worse ($20.) We have a good time chatting and I get closer with some coworkers I didn't know well.
7:45pm: I say goodbye and leave early. As I'm scrolling through my phone on the late night bus, I realize that I've missed the seminar. I'm legitimiately devastated. I was thinking this seminar would help a lot with me pushing through a huge bottleneck in my thesis that's been stressing me out for the last year. I panic message my labmate to ask if the seminar was recorded, and thank the fucking lord, buddha, allah, hayao miyazaki, yes. It was recorded. My pants on fire are doused, my soul is saved. I cannot wait to fucking graduate.
9pm: I get back and notice the cleaning lady's cleaned the burnt pan. I feel a bad but grateful. After showering I am tired as hell. I really can't work today, but I stubbornly stay awake thinking that if I lay in bed scrolling through eBay long enough I might recharge. It doesn't work but I find some really nice stuff (cool architectural glass vase from a designer whose stuff I usually hate, secondhand clothes from one of my fav designers, suitcase from a brand with a style that I love but quality that is absolute trash for its price, and a gift for my college friend for her next bday) that I want to bid on.
11pm: Sleep
Total: 36 (Food)
[Friday]
6am: Wake and look at videos but now with zen. I have come to terms with my laziness. I get out of bed at 7:30 instead of 7:45 (progress!) and I snack on the chocolatine from two days ago. I finally find the time and motivation to deal with some administrivia and I head to work. On my morning bus trips, I like to press my forehead against the cool window glass and zone out to stripes of greenery but today I'm thinking about eBay and how I might travel to go visit my favorite eBay stores in person lol. A quick google search shows that a roundtrip ticket is $200. Interesting.
12am: Nice lunch with coworkers at a bakery. I get a croissant sandwich ($6) and a gift for one of my coworker friends ($14).
4pm: I wrap up writing a draft and go chat and review some stuff for school and then catch up with my coworker friend to give her the gift. 6pm: Head to the grocery for a dinner salad, plums, and some orange-mango juice ($13). Look for steel wool but there is none???
6:30pm: shower because I feel a little under the weather.
8pm: call my bf and tell him some juicy gossip at work. He gets bored around the 1 hour mark.
11pm: I start working on my writeup for school. I message the dude who is receiving the writeup that it's gonna be late. He is really nice about it but I feel like I'm taking advantage of his kindness because I am always late. Disappointed in myself but not sure how to change.
1am: sleep
Total: 33 (Food)
[Saturday]
6am: wake. Seriously not motivated to continue the writeup. I waste time on eBay and youtube for 5 hours.
11am: get dressed, brush teeth, and look alive. I've been planning out my day a bit so I call my bf while I clean my room and check up on my fridge. I toss out a quarter kg of ground beef that I forgot to finish, it is two days past expiry. I take stock of what I need for meal prep this week (carrot, onion, meat, steel wool) and load up my laundry before heading to the grocery. I end up also getting a lightweight aluminum bowl (it says stainless steel though??) for washing, blueberries, dried mangos, mushroom medley ($35.) I make curry with rice for next week and rice balls to add to miso soup later.
4pm: Eat curry. I call my bf after and try to write my writeup but I get very frustrated over trying to understand a paper and complain to my bf
7pm: I head over to my friend's place for a going-away party. I feel a bit ambivalent about attending because I still have my writeup but I had already agreed to come and I will miss these people when they leave. I want to aim to leave around 9pm. The host's house is lovely and we have some great food.
9:40pm: I head back home, shower, and work on my writeup.
11pm: sleep
Total: 35 (Food)
[Sunday]
7am: wake. My wakeup time is off from normal but then I remember that today is daylight savings in Europe. I still feel tired so I end up watching some dumb videos on youtube. I bid on two items on eBay ($70...tentatively). My friend from uni messages me about meeting up to chat tonight. Hyped.
11:45am: I remember my clothes are still in the dryer. The landlord wants the laundry room free between 11am and 3pm for airbnb reasons. I rush down to grab them. I got there right on time because the landlord has 3 minutes on the washer left.
12pm: Heat up curry and eat it with an apple, some Comte, and a plum. I take a supplement with water. I've been forgetting to do that.
12:30pm: Start working on writeup. I am determined to finish it before there is no sun left so I can enjoy the outdoors a little this weekend. Have my bf on vc.
4pm: One of my bfs jokes lands the wrong way and we have to talk about it. I'm fuming mad because I'm wasting time here.
6pm: Facetime with my friend from college! It's been awhile so we catch up for a long time. 9pm: Heat dinner (curry) and eat. Then I go and read a bit more.
11pm: I have a bit of a mental breakdown because I can't finish the writeup by the weekend, and it's not because I don't have time, but because I have bad mental health around it. I have a long heart to heart with my bf over the phone. I cry a little. Life is sometimes hard and everyone's life is really hard at some point. At some point I just start rambling about nothing. I fall asleep at 1:30am.
Total: 70 (eBay)
[Monday]
4am: wake. I have a bit of a shitty morning because my eyes are still swollen. I woke up early to work on this writeup but tbh I'm barely awake and not in the mood. This was a bad idea. I intermittenly wake and sleep between 4am and 6am, of which at tail end I realize that I'm just playing myself for a fool and then I actually sleep for a good hour or so.
7:15am: Wake for real and get ready.
8:30am: Arrive at work. I buy yogurt ($2) and eat a banana while checking emails. I decide to use company time to work on my writeup because I'm blocked at work by someone else right now anyways (this is about as far as my lukewarm ass will r antiwork.)
12am: Lunch with coworkers. I have a sandwich I really don't care for ($10.) I'm a bit woozy from lack of sleep so I don't remember much. Also, I got my period.
1pm: Meetings, meetings, meetings. So many meetings.
6:30pm: Meetings end. Catch up with my intern friend before she leaves. Will miss her. I go the grocery to buy a baguette ($1) and then go to the fancy, overpriced but also conveniently-located-right-next-to-my-bus-stop bakery to get a croissant and chocolates for my period ($25.)
7:30pm: I grab Mickey D's because I want to. Fish filet sandwich, fries, chicken nuggets, and a soft drink ($18.)
8:00pm: zone out in bed and chat with my bf
11:00pm: Work on the writeup
1am: sleep
Total: 56 (Food)
[Reflections]
Weekly total:
Food + Drink: 207
Home + Clothes + Beauty (aka eBay): 70
Transport: 156
Honestly, this was the first time in a long time that I had done such a detailed review of my week. I was honestly a bit impressed by how often I wound up on eBay (ngl the times I'm on reddit, I'm oftentimes searching for new brands and designers I like, so that I can go find them...on eBay. It kind of feels a little like I may have a bit of a shopping addiction?) I use it wayy too often to cope. The nice thing about it is that I always find great deals on eBay, but I think it's probably time to switch hobbies.
Also, I need better work hygiene. Like sleep hygiene but for work. I might start going into the office weekends just so that I can wrap up stuff early, leave, and then actually have a weekend.
This week was a bit pricier than usual because I ate out for dinner and bought a plane ticket, but tbh it's not that ooc for me. Food is almost exactly the same as what I spend a week in the US and usually I budget 400/m for misc stuff so it seems like my habits haven't changed much even after moving lol. I know some people might balk at the idea of 800/m for food and 400/m discretionary spending on a 2k/m income but being no car + having the school pay for my insurance (& offering a lot of free things in general) + most importantly, no debt makes it less of a dangerous risk and more of a poor choice lmao. In Europe, I think I will end up spending more on misc things here than back in the US because Europe offers a higher density of concerts, entertainment, and designers that I like within a 30 euros train distance (and 200 euros plane distance for the ones I really like.) My personal preference is to spend <2 hours a month total thinking abt finances (so basically budgeting if I have a major life change + just going thru my CC statement and updating my tracker) so I am happy with how I spend and prefer to overspend a bit rather than think about it too much.
For those who are curious, my monthly budget here:
food (weekly): 70 for groceries + unavoidable 50 for eating with coworkers 3x a week
overall (monthly): 3700 (income) - 2500 (rents) = 1200 - 300 (food after sodexo) = 900 - 600 (misc spending) = 300 (base savings) + 1000 (relocation) = 1300 (total savings) + a bit more after tax return
​
Hope you enjoyed reading! I'm curious to see people's reactions.

Studying in the United Kingdom (UK) is a dream come true for many students around the world. However, obtaining a study visa for the UK can be a challenging and complex process, and it requires careful planning, preparation, and attention to detail. In this article, we will explore the tips and strategies that study visa consultants recommend to maximize your chances of getting a visa for your study in UK.

1. Start Early

The first and most important tip for obtaining a study visa for the UK is to start early. Ideally, students should start their visa application process at least six months before their intended date of travel. This will allow sufficient time for gathering documents, submitting the application, and getting a decision from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

1. Choose the Right Course and University

Choosing the right course and university is essential for getting a study visa for the UK. Students should research different universities and courses to find the one that best matches their academic background, career goals, and personal preferences. They should also ensure that the university is recognized by the UKVI and has a valid Tier 4 sponsor license.

1. Provide Accurate and Complete Information

Providing accurate and complete information is crucial for getting a visa for study in UK. Students should ensure that all the information they provide in their application form is true and verifiable. They should also provide all the required documents, such as transcripts, English language proficiency certificates, and financial documents.

1. Prepare for the Visa Interview

Preparing for the visa interview is essential for getting a study visa for the UK. Students should familiarize themselves with the visa requirements and the interview process. They should also practice answering common interview questions and be prepared to provide additional information or documents if requested.

1. Seek Professional Advice and Assistance

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In conclusion, obtaining a study visa for the UK requires careful planning, preparation, and attention to detail. By following these tips and strategies, students can maximize their chances of getting a study visa for the UK and realize their dream of studying in one of the world’s most prestigious education destinations.
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I'm (38f) currently NC with my nmom (58) but was considering the possibility of breaking it since my brother's birthday is next month. I was wondering if anything had changed since she and I had last spoken. So I decided to implement a little test. Today at work, my boss achieved something worthwhile to be celebrated (for example, he finished constructing his 1 millionth hamster wheel entirely of Legos). He received his award built entirely of Legos, and everyone congratulated him.
I sent the picture of my boss holding up his Lego-built award and texted my mom, bragging on my boss and expressing how happy I am to work for him. Well, whaddya know, she didn't say anything in reply. Not a word. Nothing. Normally, I'd be bothered and irritated, but her not saying anything really taught me a very important lesson.
Her mistreatment towards me had nothing to do with me, but about her.
My nmom didn't say anything in response like a normal human congratulating on someone else for their achievement because it the focus was on someone else and not her. Any NORMAL mother would say something like, "Well, it must be quite an accomplishment building hamster wheels out of Legos. Your boss should be proud of himself" or "I'm happy for you that your boss wanted you to share in the joy of his accomplishment. It sounds like he values you. Congratulations for him and I'm glad that you're fitting in at work." NOPE! Not my nmom. She couldn't be bothered by even congratulating a complete stranger on achieving anything because someone else was the focus of my attention, not her.
This began to answer a lot of questions about the lack of nurturing I had experienced growing up and a lot is beginning to make sense.
Why did my nmom hate me when I was born? Because I'm now the (appropriate) focus of her attention, care, nurturing, and the meeting of my needs. Well, it was supposed to be that way. Instead, she continued to see my existence as an infringement of the attention, care, nurturing, and meeting of her needs.
Why did my nmom refuse to provide for me encouragement and support as I was beginning to dream for my young future? Because I was not encouraging and supporting her. She believed that my needing her to be there for me as I planned my life after high school deprived her of the same and believed that, since my existence had already stolen so much from her, I owed her encouragement and support while she had the freedom to ignore mine.
Why did my nmom plant seeds of doubt in my mind and made me feel like no man would really love me? Because she saw any potential suitor that had received my attention as a threat and that she, and she alone, should be the sole focus of my intimate efforts, time, attention, and be given the key to unlock the hidden secrets of my heart and soul. If I was fully convinced of this lie, I would (eventually) abandon any chances of developing a real intimate relationship, which could lead to a committed relationship, which could lead to my having my own family and instead reinvest that time dedicated to serving my nmom and treating her like a partner instead.
It all was about her. It was about her always wanting to be the center of attention, wanting to be the center of my universe, and the sole recipient of anything that I was willing (out of the belief that I was not worth any better) to give without demanding or even expecting anything in return from her. It was all about her using me to meet her needs and then mistreating me when I had somehow failed to live up to her unspoken and unrealistic expectations.
The same goes for all of you. Your Nparent's treatment (or mistreatment) of you is not a reflection of who you. You are not unlovable, too difficult to love, ungrateful, unwanted, stupid, ignorant, invisible, or worthless. The only reason your Nparent believes that about you is because you are not dedicating yourself to being used for their own benefit, at all times, with a willful and subservient attitude. Your Nparent believes that about you because they placed on you unrealistic expectations, one of them being that you are an extension of them and, therefore, you are there to make them look good and feel good. When you decide to put your foot down, get out of their house, cut off their precious resources (that would be you), and refuse to make them the center of your world, they will waste no time putting you down, cussing you out, pushing you away, cutting you down to size, and clipping your wings in any other way so that you are always dependent on what they think of you to make you more malleable to their manipulations so they'd get that what they want from you.
I really hope that helps to put things in perspective.

Hello everyone,
So, I thought it would be fun to do some predictions for what I think will happen in Sons of X coming out in May… even though it’s the one-shot that I’m like 98% sure I know what’s going to happen in. Mind, that’s not because of any sort of predictable or bad writing or anything like that – it’s just because of the nature of the comic. Sons of X is a direct sequel to Legion of X and is more akin to slapping the last two issues of LoX together than a new series that picks up where LoX left off.
I was initially planning on doing predictions for the other Before the Fall one-shots, but I don’t have nearly the level clarity on what’s going on with those one-shots as they are more of a continuation building off what their respective series have laid down than a direct sequel. They’re all about setting up new situations and introducing new threats for further down the road instead of wrapping up what’s come before.
Of course, we know that Heralds of Apocalypse is going to see the return of Apocalypse and his family – likely setting up the potential Genesis War that was mentioned in this previous Storm & the Brotherhood issue by Ironfire (he’s set to appear in Issue 12 of X-Men: Red as a sort of herald for their return). If I had to guess what will happen in that One-Shot, I’d probably say that Genesis, Apocalypse, and their four children will return from Otherworld and overthrow the current Head Seat of Arrako (being held by Lodus Logus, likely resulting in his death). This would then lead to a clash between Genesis – representing the old ways of Arakko - and Storm representing the New. Maybe this conflict will be resolved in the one-shot, but that’s very unlikely.
Mutant First Strike may have some relation to what is going on in X-Men: Green, Marauders, or Bishop’s War College. Or it could be something completely new. Frankly, I’m not comfortable making any sort of predictions on it until we’re further down the road. And the same goes for Sinister Four – which I feel like will be completely contingent on how Sins of Sinister ends – so until that series ends, I’m not making any predictions on it.
But that’s enough about the other One-Shots. Let’s get into my predictions for Sons of X!
Oh, and for the sake of simplicity, I’ll be using the solicitation for the one-shot as a sort of guide for my predictions.
“A BATTLE OF THE TITANS OF THE X-UNIVERSE! A man of innumerable personalities and powers vs. the most powerful artificial intelligence in this universe: Legion vs. Nimrod! With Nightcrawler in Orchis’ clutches, David Haller and his allies will have to confront the mastermind who destroyed Warlock and nearly took Krakoa with him.”
· This is the main premise of the One-Shot, and I’m not going to lie, it’s a bit of a hard sell for me, especially after we saw David fight off an entire Phalanx invasion from the Astral plane after being seriously weakened by Xavier during the last few issues of LoX. Pitting him against Nimrod now feels like pitting Thanos with all the Infinity Stones against Avengers 1 Iron Man.
· That said, I do expect Nimrod to pull out the win here. With Fall of X right around the corner, Nimrod and ORCHIS need to be reestablished as a major threat to Mutantkind and there is no better way to establish an antagonist as a major threat to the protagonist than having said antagonist defeat a powerful foe – and there are few foes nearly so powerful as Legion. Additionally, all of this ties into other elements that have been building up throughout LoX, namely David himself envying the heroes’ death in the wake of Magneto’s death during Judgment Day.
· Alright, here’s how I think it will likely go down; realizing that Nightcrawler, Pixie, and Dr. Nemesis are missing, Legion and the others will discover that they have been captured by ORCHIS, forcing the Legionnaires to launch a head-on assault on ORCHIS. This will then likely prompt Nimrod to arrive to defend the base and Legion decides to engage Nimrod in one-on-one combat to buy the others time in rescuing Kurt.
· Of course, it’s going to turn out that Nimrod and ORCHIS don’t care about Kurt and were just using him as a lure to goad Legion into confronting them. Why? Well, Nimrod has secretly been spending all of LoX and likely even back during Way of X infiltrating Legion’s mind in the Astral Plane. It is likely that during this time, Nimrod was able to work out all the different weaknesses in David’s mind and how to exploit them. Namely, his alternate personalities.
· Nimrod will easily be able to release all of David’s alternate personalities, causing them to run rough shot in the nearby area, likely endangering innocent people and being caught on live television. Of course, David will be trying everything to stop them from doing any harm, but he cannot do that and fight Nimrod at the same time.
· With David distracted, Nimrod will kill him off, putting an end to the threat and likely making himself look like a hero to the rest of the world. And if any of David’s alters actually managed to kill anyone, it would prevent him from being resurrected (although, let’s be real here – even if this event went public that would be enough to convince the Quiet Council not to have him resurrected.)
· And with David’s death, would also mean the destruction of the Altar and everyone inside it. As established back during Legion of X #5, if the Altar is destroyed, anyone who is trapped inside of it will be assimilated into the Astral Plane without any hope of being resurrected. Characters like Blindfold, Fabian Cortez, Dust, and anyone else hanging out at the Altar will be subjected to this fate.
· Finally, the Legionnaire’s assault on ORCHIS, when paired with David losing control, will likely cause the Legionnaires to be labeled as terrorists, forcing the Quiet Council to have them disband.
“But Nightcrawler is not himself… Mutant monsters roam the Earth… Mother Righteous, her role in SINS OF SINISTER unrevealed, takes another stab at universal control…”
· And here, we come to the other half of this One-Shot. Obviously, both Margali and her curse are still at large at this point, though I don’t think it will be for much longer. My guess is that Mother Righteous, trying to uphold her bargain with Nightcrawler (which she's going to abandon) will then stumble upon and learn about what Margali is chasing after and then kill her to obtain it instead.
· Now maybe my theory on Nightcrawler being the Winding Way comes true here, maybe it doesn’t. Either way, the fact remains that the only reason that Margali is even in this story is that she’s trying to obtain magical power for herself and she’s going to use the Hope Sword which she extracted from Kurt to obtain it. Mother Righteous will likely try to obtain that power for herself if at all possible. However, I don’t think either of them will be successful in the end. Likely because Mother Righteous will kill Margali and then Righteous will be defeated by Banshee.
“…and Legion’s allies aren’t all they seem to be either… Banshee, broken once again, dreams of lost vengeance…”
· I think these are referring to the same thing here, but I could be wrong. There could be other possibilities for someone not being all that they seem to be on the Legionnaires. Namely, Lost was previously a ward of ORCHIS before being sent to Krakoa as a Trojan Horse for Onslaught. It is possible that she has been some kind of sleeper agent this whole time, though there is very little evidence to support this from Legion of X itself. That said, the only possible way I could see Lost having an impact on the story is if she’s the one who convinces the Legionnaires into their full frontal assault rescue mission for Nightcrawler.
· However, one of Legion’s allies who isn’t all that he seems is definitely Banshee, having made a deal with Mother Righteous back at the start of LoX and being merged with Vox Ignis. Probably as a result of some fallout of Sins of Sinister, Banshee will likely be left without Ignis in much the same place that he was before he made the deal with Righteous.
· And this is why I see Mother Righteous ultimately failing in trying to obtain said magical power as Banshee will get his revenge – possibly at the cost of his own life/soul/immortality/possibility of resurrection as Righteous may be able to prevent him from being resurrected due to the faith he put in her during his time as Vox Ignis.
· Likely, the way the other non-Legion vs. Nimrod plot goes down will likely be that after rescuing Kurt and seeing his condition, the Legionnaires will see about trying to cure it. Thankfully, Pixie and Nemesis were there when they confronted Margali the first time and Pixie can track Margali using her Soul-Dagger. However, upon reaching Margali’s location, they will likely find Margali dead and Mother Righteous attempting to complete her ritual to obtain massive magical power. The Legionnaires (namely Banshee) will ultimately stop Righteous, possibly at the cost of Banshee. The Hopesword would then be restored to Kurt and possibly whatever power that Margali & Righteous were trying to get, depending on how far along in the ritual it got.
So, overall, I see Sons of X being an overall downer ending (actually, I expect all of the Before the Fall One-shots to be downers, with Fall of X having the biggest downer out of all of them). Legion will be dead with the Quiet Council (and Xavier, in particular) refusing to have him resurrected. the Altar will be destroyed along with anyone trapped inside it at the time. The Legionnaires will be forced to disband after being labeled as terrorists and the world will be celebrating Nimrod’s victory over Legion and hailing him as a hero. And, if my theory about Nightcrawler and the Winding Way turns out to be correct, Kurt’s going to have a whole truckload of baggage and headaches to deal with.
But with all that out of the way, I can’t wait for May 3rd and see how much I got right/wrong.
But what do you guys all think about these predictions? What predictions do you guys have for the one-shot? Let me know down below.

Coming all the way from Vancouver, Canada I recently had the great blessing to be able to stay in NYC for 6 days and here is the list of places I ate at and my short reviews:
Night 1
NR ramen cocktail bar in the UES. We went there last year and had a bit more enjoyable of an experience then due to the great service (thank you Ray!) but as per this time, the ramen was still good (nice chewy noodles and rich broth) and the cocktails inventive and on point. Wish they would do dessert. Really busy spot and I was happy to see others enjoying this fun ramen bar. 7/10.
Day 2
Rule of Thirds in Brooklyn. Brunch with cocktails, Japanese breakfast for my daughter and the souffle pancake for myself. Wife had... I forget. Everyone was happy. I really loved the cucumber side dish. The pancake was not as good as what I have had at a Japanese chain place called Gram but it was decent. Overall the room was great, service nice and the location a hit as we did a bunch of vintage shopping in Williamsburg right after. 7/10.
Night 2
Atomix. Wow. Just wow. Dream like atmosphere and the service was fantastic. The food was inventive, challenging and at all times delicious. There was a tuna, caviar and snap pea dish that blew my mind. They also made sea cucumber delicious. How is that even possible? The matcha cocktail was another scene stealer. And the rice cream dessert with fresh black truffle shavings, come on. Pure heaven. I have been a fan of Korean food for a long time. This version of Korean fine dining was something special. 10/10. Highest recommendation. I will never forget this meal.
Day 3
Hop Kee in Chinatown for lunch. This was a misstep. The portions were big but not delicious. Thr service was laughably atrocious but at least endearing. The server delivered the wonton soup and then began to dig around in it after it was on the table to make sure we got duck meat. We had in fact but wish we hadn't. The duck tasted gamey. The salt and pepper squid dish was rough. The prominent flavors here were salt and grease. The rest of the meal went about the same. We left wondering how any one could recommend this place. Is this the typical quality of Chinese food in NYC? If so, Vancouver blows it outta the water. 2 outta 10 as the free tea was nice as it helped us digest all the grease. Kinda cool to get fortune cookies too. Reminded me of when I was a kid.
Night 3
Keen's Steakhouse. We absolutely loved the meal and the experience of eating at this NYC institution. I took on the challenge of the mutton chop and did my best with that delicious beast of a dish. My wife and daughter split a massive T-bone and barely got through it. Creamed spinach and mashed potatoes for sides were both perfect and the Pimms went down smooth. House made carrot cake for dessert was a hit. Our server Thomas was fantastic. The place is fun. The prices more than fair. I cannot wait to return someday. 10/10.
Day 4
Off to Washington DC for the day but we did Liberty bagels for breakfast and those were well enjoyed on our Amtrak ride. I won't grade bagels though as I am not an expert. I pretty much have never had a bad bagel from a bagel shop that serves them fresh.
Day 5
Clocktower restaurant for breakfast. This was a mistake. Overpaid for a really sad excuse of a breakfast. I have had better instant oatmeal. Coffee was nice and regularly refilled. But I would never go back. 15 dollars for a smoothie in a oversized shot glass. What was I thinking. Yikes. 1/10.
Sushi 35 West for lunch number 1. Wow. Best sushi I have had in North American including a recent Michelin star winning place in Vancouver. We scoffed down this amazingly delicious fresh and fast food find in Herald Park. Every bite was superb. If I lived in NYC, I would be eating here 5 times a week easily. And for the prices, it is probably the best deal in town. 10/10.
Chick fil-A for lunch number 2. Daughter had to have the nuggets. Hey it is what it is. 5/10.
Papaya King for lunch number 3. The special combo with the Papaya drink, all scoffed down super quickly so we could get outta here and back to the hotel to rest up for our late dinner. It was my third visit and I place I will religiously return to every time I am back in NYC. It is a damn good hot dog and drink. Simple as that. 7/10.
Night 5
Eleven Madison Park. The all plant based menu had me hesitant to book EMP but given its proximity to our hotel I felt like I should book it since I kept asking myself when would we have the chance to do it again. I am so glad we did. Although the meal had some dishes far better than others, the room itself, the elite level of service (thank you Brandon) and the overall experience was one of a kind. The abundance of truffles on the menu and the truffle cocktail (called the mushroom) were heavenly. And the granola gift at the end is a perfect way to end a one of a kind experience. I appreciate you plants! I truly appreciate you. 10/10.
Day 6
Katz's Deli. Best pastrami this side of Schwartz's in Montreal. Loved the space and the experience. Price is crazy at 26 bux but we split the sandwich in 3 and all felt full leaving. The cherry sodas and the pickles were also great. 8/10.
Russ and Daughters for bagels and an egg cream. Loved this place and don't regret that egg cream no matter my lactose intolerance. Totally worth it.
Shake Shack at the airport for burgers and fries. Perfect way to end the trip. I have yet to eat a bad burger from SS. 7/10.
If you got through all that, thanks and also I hope some of these reviews help others in deciding where or where not to eat when visiting the amazing food mecca that is NYC. I will be back someday and Sushi 35 West better still be there!! Mama Mia, that sushi....

Hey guys I have a couple story lines I thought I'd share this story line is on Zack Ryder after winning the Intercontinental Championship at Wrestlemania 32. It starts on the Raw after Wrestlemania and ends at Extreme Rules. let me.know what you guys think
PART 1: RAW AFTER WRESTLEMANIA April 4, 2016
SEGMENT 1:ZACK RYDER AND MIZ. LOCKER ROOM HALLWAY Through the parking lot doors a smiling Zack Ryder, wheeling along luggage and the Intercontinental TItle over his shoulder walks through the locker room hallway. His smile goes away as we see The Miz standing in front of his locker room door. Miz- just the man I was looking for. Zack Ryder- What do you want? Miz- Whoa what's the hostility? I mean it's not like I was the one who sneaked up behind you and knocked you off the ladder right? Zack gives Miz a mean look. Miz- But that's in the past,look I'm actually here because I want to celebrate you. I mean what a Hollywood story. It's almost like it was written for the movies and I couldn't think of a better place to tell that story than on the most must see-talk show in WWE history, Miz TV. Now I know you have a title Match against Kevin Owens but I would love to have you on the show to truly make you the star you really are. Zack Ryder- Really? Miz- Ya really it would be my honor. Miz pats Zack on the shoulder and eyes the title. Miz- It looks good on ya Champ. Miz walks away as Zack watches confused. Michael Cole-That's not like the Miz we know. JBL- Shut up Michael the man is a humble A List celebrity. He knows a good story when he sees one. The mere fact he has even asked Zack to share the same ring as him will sky rocket Zack up the list. Michael Cole - Well I don't know about that but tonight Zack Ryder will have his first title defense against the former Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens. Shane granted Owens a rematch after claiming Sami Zayn cost him the match.
SEGMENT 2:MIZ AND ZACK RYDER AND DOLPH ZIGGLER. IN RINGMIZ TV Miz stands in the ring with his Miz TV set up. Miz- Ladies and gentlemen i have been honored to interview someone with one of the greatest stories in this business. A true underdog who never gave up. I welcome your new Intercontinental Champion, Zack Ryder. Zack Ryder comes out and joins Miz in the ring. The crowd starts to chant "You deserve it" Zack Ryder- Thank you! Miz- You really do deserve it Zack and if I learned one thing about this business. It's the WWE Universe who pick the champions and I think they picked the right one. Zack Ryder- Well thank you Miz I mean I really didn't think I would be on Miz TV if I were to be honest. No offense but I kind of feel like you're up to something. Miz- laughing Zack, see you're a natural. I can see you on other shows speaking to Conan or Jimmy Fallon. Zack this very interview could start up a movie career you always wanted. You could be a A lister just like me. Now. Enough about what's next. Let's talk about how you got here. How did a guy from a poverty struck place like Long Island end up becoming Intercontinental Champion? Zack Ryder- Well first off I want to thank my father who is sitting in the front row. his father waves from the crowd to cheers If it wasn't for my dad taking me to Madison Square Garden to watch WWE and telling me to follow my dreams, I don't think a Zack Ryder would even exist….. Dolph Ziggler music hits interrupting Zack. Dolph walks down to the ring. Dolph Ziggler- Stop the sob story. No one wants to hear your story Zack. You got lucky. You know everyone talks about how they were the underdog and climbed to the top, I've done that time after time after time again. And I'm always looked at as the underdog. No matter how many times I put my body on the line for you people. It's never enough. Zack, you will be a one hit wonder. And if you don't lose tonight to Kevin Owens by some fluke. I'll be waiting in line to show the world and your dad you don't have what it takes to be the Intercontinental Champion. Zack and Dolph stare down. Miz goes to break them up. Miz- Alright guys this is a tall show. No one will be fighting here. Zack Ryder backs away from Dolph. Dolph goes to load up a super kick when Miz pushes Zack out of the way and takes the kick instead. Dolph rolls out the ring taunting Zack Ryder as Zack checks on the Miz starring on angered and confused.
SEGMENT 3:KEVIN OWENS V. ZACK RYDER(C) >INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The finish of the match, Owens goes to pop up PowerBomb Zack. Zack punches Owens while sitting on his shoulder and Hurricaneranas Owens into the referee causing the referee to be knocked out. As Owens gets back up. Zack goes for a RoughRyder where Owens reverses it into a pop up PowerBomb. Kevin Owens goes for the cover but realizes the Ref is down. Owens goes to check on the Ref. As he turns Sami Zayn runs in and closelines Owens. As Owens rolls in the corner. He pulls himself up and leans against the turnbuckles, where Sami Zayn gives him a Helluva Kick. Sami leaves the ring. Zack gets up and sees Owens laying flat on the mat. Zack climbs the top rope and gives Owens the Elbrodrop. The Ref comes to and pins for the 1 2 3. Zack Ryder successfully defends the Intercontinental Championship

TL:DR at the end ;)
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William Afton, Springtrap, The Purple Guy, a cold blooded child murderer that tainted Freddy Fazbear's legacy, a lot is known about his murders but today I plan on uncovering a horrible truth that MatPat finds "unreasonable" for him to do, what if William Afton made the child-capturing robots designed specifically for remnant extraction (The Funtimes) BEFORE any of his own kids had perished.
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As you probably know, MatPat's latest timeline theory puts Crying Child's death (who I will refer to as CC from now on) BEFORE Charlie's (William's first victim). With the reason being that there HAS to be a reason for William to commit such a terrible act. BUT It is my belief that the first death in the franchise, before CC's and Elizabeth's is Charlie. Although, you might be thinking, there's no reason someone could do such a thing without being thrown to the edge first, right? but... what if there was no need for one?
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Story:
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After a long time of being on Henry's shadow, William grew tired. His love for robotics wasn't leading him anywhere yet and his motivation was through the floor. William's own son, CC, was absolutely in love with Henry's creations, he had toys for all members of the gang except for William's Yellow Bunny. Once again, the very man that had taken his dream was driving his son away from him, UNBELIEVABLE.
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Afton found himself going to the bar a lot lately, getting a little too drunk for his own liking, "I've never lost control this much" or "I used to be so self-disciplined" were the thoughts that crossed his brain on that particular rainy night. He pulled himself together and walked to his car. Still a little drunk and angry he drove to Freddy's, he wanted to see his Yellow Bunny, his own creation before heading home. But instead, he saw her. Charlotte Emily, Henry's daughter, was right there outside the restaurant. His anger that had been piling up since Henry first touched his life was all coming back. He didn't know if it was the alcohol, anger or jealousy but a very ugly thought crossed his mind. Once a happy entrepreneur consumed by jealousy and hatred towards that man, Henry Emily, his rival, his co-worker and the father of the kid right in front of him.
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Then It happened. Too quickly for Afton to even realize, Charlotte Emily was no more, his anger wasn't gone and his motivation wasn't back but It felt just right for him. He wanted more.
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Afton slowly noticed something on the security puppet on the next few days. Tears were streaming down her face. Charlotte Emily was once again. But how could it be? Could he exploit this? Maybe he had found a way to copy life by taking it, maybe he could use it to create a new life, something that never really lived could emerge, his Yellow Bunny could be alive and all he needed was to kill again. And oh he did.
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Five victims and a very close encounter with the police later, he decided he couldn't just kill recklessly again, he had become very skilled in engineering, so he created his own company called Afton Robotics to make his own murder robots without Henry interfering, The Funtimes. He wanted to test how far he could go with this weird things he was discovering, remnant, illusion discs and creating life out of death... Or maybe, he was just looking for an excuse to kill again, a wish that would come to reality very soon by his own hands or should I say... Claw.
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When Baby's eyes turned green, he knew he had found a new reason to kill. He had to get her back.
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He lashed out on the next one... He hid them in that old golden Freddy suit at his favourite place. The one with the Golden Bonnie. It was the perfect revenge, to stain Henry's character for what happened with Elizabeth, even though he knew deep down that it was his own fault.
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But then, he realized, his son was going to celebrate his birthday there, "how could I be so careless" he wondered. But It was too late, even though the bite should NOT have done such severe damage, his little boy was dead now.
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His only son left, Michael blamed himself for his passing but William knew it was his fault. He shouldn't have killed that one. And on his youngest son's dying bed he could only tell him one thing.
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I will put you back together
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End of the narrative
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Okay, time to explain myself:
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The death of Elizabeth Afton just makes sense to be before Crying Child's. The mouths on FNaF 4's animatronics, Crying Child being traumatized, "Remember what you saw", the body on Golden Freddy's broken suit on the mini games also indicates that there were murders before his death (more on them later). But there remains the problem of "why would Baby exist if there's no reason for Afton to kill yet?" And that's where my story comes into play, I don't think he needed a reason, maybe he killed Charlie for the same reasons MatPat said except for CC's death. (Also I kinda liked the detail of CC having a toy of every member of the Freddy gang except for SpringBonnie or whatever he is called as it brings more reasons to William's spiral into madness) William enjoyed murdering Charlie and seeked for reasons to convince himself that murdering kids was ok. (More on that later)
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I also gave a reason for Cassidy being "the one he should not have killed". They are the body in Golden Freddy on that FNaF 4 minigame, they are the vengeful spirit, and they killed CC by biting stronger than the suit could on it's own (reference to the fact that an animatronic should not have the strength to crush his skull like on that old GT)
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That being said, WHY OH WHY did I say that he wanted to make the Yellow Bunny live? Well, It fixes the other problem with the timeline, I think William did NOT use the souls of the missing children on the Funtimes but on the Springtrap suit. Why? Well, there is a common storyline on the Fazbear frights books on which someone wants to make robots more human like, something MatPat has repeatedly used on his theories. On his narrative, MatPat said William wanted his creations to entertain the masses, so I propose that if he could make Golden Bonnie come to life on his own, then his character would be the best.
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Also, It makes sense with the Candy Cadet's story about the keys, the kids weren't dead on that story yet, but to me the golden keys represent the kids souls and he melted them together to create a new soul being the huge molten golden key made out of the four keys, but it failed and the kids died (representing either his own kids or the MCI victims who died for it to be created).
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I think the MCI kids eventually end up on Molten Freddy, but on a similar way their agony got into the Blob later, the pieces of the original suit. After Mike burns Fazbear frights to the ground my theory is that they separate from Springtrap. That way, that fire is not useless so it's better for the narrative on top of everything. Then, Ennard (still united with Baby but after being puked by Mike) finds the spirits and merges with them, but they fight Elizabeth so they go their separate ways.
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But hey, that's just a theory, A GAME THEORY
hope you like it :D
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TL;DR: I think MatPat is mostly right with the timeline except for the order of the children deaths and murders
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My version:
1st: Charlie, murdered on a drunk fit of rage
2nd: MCI (missing children's incident)
3rd: Elizabeth Afton
4th: Cassidy
5th: Crying Child
6th: Rest of the kids
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And the inclusion of the MCI victims on Molten Freddy
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My version:
1st: MCI 1
2nd: Funtimes are created
3rd: "cancelled due to leaks"
4th: MCI get put into Springtrap
5th: sister location game story
6th: Springtrap burns on FNaF 3
7th: Ennard + Baby find the MCI
8th: MCI take over Ennard and kicks Baby out

I will start by saying that I despise D3 & haven't play a Blizzard game since SC2, my history with Blizzard games goes like this Diablo->StarCraft->Diablo2->StarCraft2-> THE END
For many-many years D3 was my most anticipated game, when the game was close to release I could spot from a mile away that this was not the game I had in mind & will definitely not be something I would like to play & that was the case in the end, D3 was by far the biggest disappointment I had in my life as a gamer till now, needless to say I skipped it & act like it never happen.
Forward to D4 Open Beta, I would be honest here although the game looked nice I was almost certain that I wont like it for various reasons, so you could say I was somewhat biased before even start playing, well let me tell you although I could find many things I thought needs improvement the devs at Blizzard who crafted this game manage to give me a hard slap in the face & make me admit how wrong I was, yep I never expected to say this but I was wrong because D4 have been crafted exceptionally & the potential for what is going to become in the future is literally limitless.
During the beta I lived and breathed D4, I played for about 44 hours (check this to get an idea https://i.ibb.co/cFCRKM9/Screenshot082.jpg) apart from sleeping and eating I did nothing but play the game trying to see as much as possible, if the game wasn't fun, if I wasn't having fun playing there is no way I would have spent that many hours playing a game in such a short time, & that is the biggest proof that D4 is fun, so the developers imo can be proud because they created a fun game & I'm sure the majority out there agree with that sentiment.
Anyway let's move on with my review, I'm going to split this review in 3 sections, THINGS I LIKED ABOUT THE GAME, THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE AS MUCH OR AT ALL & IMO NEED IMPROVEMENT, THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE THAT WOULD MAKE THE GAME MORE FUN TO PLAY.
So without further ado:
THINGS I LIKED ABOUT THE GAME

1. The Game Looks Gorgeous, the visuals & the art direction is on point, exactly how a Diablo game should look like, with that I mean gritty & gory also realistic & serious, so huge props to those responsible for this aspect of the game, they really did an amazing job.
2. The Atmosphere, everything is dark & grim, there is people in distress everywhere, people in need of help, you go out of town & you find either people frozen because there were caught on a blizzard, massacred bodies that were eaten by wild beasts, so many other such examples but the atmosphere feels nice, also I liked especially the icy theme & the heavy blizzard out of towns in the first region of the game.
3. The Sound Design, there is nothing more to say here other than to give my highest praise to the sound design team because they truly did an amazing job & there is nothing to complain about.
4. The Combat, the combat feels really nice (as long you change the combined move+interact+basic attack all-in-one button from the options, else it feels clunky) I had a great time slaying thousands & thousands of mobs while grinding dungeons or taking part on events out in the world map, it felt smooth & neither fast or slow, just perfect somewhere in the middle, it felt really good can't find anything to complain about.
5. The Campaign & the Cutscenes, let's put those two together as they are essentially part of the same thing, the main story, at least what we had the chance to experience on the first zone, looks really nice & I enjoyed it while playing, there is ofc some parts of it that I liked more than others, but it was enjoyable for the most part & I definitely looking forward to see more of it, also the cutscenes in some cases were made in exceptionally way that definitely elevate the presentation to the viewers.
6. The Side Quests, now who would guess that I'm gonna like the side quests of all things on an MMO, I play MMORPGs for the past 20 years more or less & the side quests was never something I enjoyed doing because they are always terrible made & feel like a chore, well I think that more than half of the side quests I did in D4 was fun & interesting because they were carefully crafted & they were really well made, they didn't feel like side quests to be honest but more like a part of the main story.
7. The Transmog/Wardrobe system, I loved this, it's straight 10/10 & I would like to see any game company include this kind of system on their game in the future, it's perfect I love everything about it because it offers so much customization & freedom to alter how your character looks & stuff like that is always welcome.
8. The Cinematics, well those are always top-notch on any Blizzard game but I had to say it anyway, especially the intro, the first trailer we saw deserve to get some awards, definitely.
9. Monster Level Scaling, before I tried the beta I was against this but then I played the game & I was constantly thinking every time I was roaming some before low level area "if not for monster level scaling this area would have low level mobs that would pose no threat to me & I couldn't get any valuable drops out of them whatsoever..." in short it would happen what usually happen on any mmorpg, all low level areas become useless after a point when your level is high enough & there is no point to revisit all those low level areas anymore, also there is one more reason I liked monster level scaling & I thought this kind of feature suit a game like Diablo perfectly, because it would be anticlimactic to exiting a town & every mob you are facing is low level scrap, if that happen it would definitely ruin the atmosphere that this world is bloody dangerous & there is things out there that wanna murder you & eat you alive, & it's very important to feel that way at all times else the game won't feel as fun anymore, at least not for me.
10. Cursed Treasure Chest & Cursed Shrine events, I really like those they have a nice surprise element, instead of getting loot or buffs you get a swarm of mobs in your face, fun mechanic.
11. Legendary Aspect System, the fact that every legendary item found in the game has a kind of super mod, which can be extracted and transferred to any item we desire in order to help perfect the kind of character we are trying to build, is something really awesome & I liked that idea very much, especially when you consider that those Aspect mods have also quality levels like any other mod in the game, that means that you are not only searching for an Aspect you need & once you found it that's it, you want it to have good rolls also & that add to the RNG level & that means that there is something more for us to looking forward to when we are out there hunting for loot.
12. Sorceress Ice Spells, I played a Blizzard Sorceress during the beta (here a link to some gameplay if anyone wanna check how my character plays https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZV7S6uUB5M) & I really liked how ice spells look, especially Frost Nova & Blizzard, & I also liked very much how Frozen enemies look, the devs did a really good job with the ice element.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE AS MUCH OR AT ALL & IMO NEED IMPROVEMENT

1. The Bosses, there is a few good ones but for the most part the bosses have many flaws from their mechanics, the level of challenge they offer, even their looks for many of them, they are not good enough also there is many similar looking ones on some dungeons that look like they devs copy/paste them everywhere, & also one great flaw over all regardind the bosses is that they are not memorable, there is many memorrable bosses on past Diablo games but I didn't felt that for the bosses I fought on D4, they seem generic & lack identity, the devs definitely need to do more on that front, we would like to have some scary, challenging & memorrable bosses for D4 please.
2. Skills Customization, this is more or less something most people who played the game agree I think, there is not enough stuff on the skill tree to build really unique characters & have in mind I'm not saying in any way that I would like to see PoE level of depth but there is a middle ground to be found & I think the devs can do much more to offer to players another layer of depth to customize their build, for example why there is no way to alter our skills & what they do although so many people asked for something like that repeatedly in the feedback we gave? why there is no way for example to change Ice Shard from a single row projectile spell to multiple projectiles or to increase the AOE range of my Blizzard or Frost Nova? we need more options Blizzard, we want every skill to have a number of different options for us to choose from in order to be able to create our own truly unique build.
3. Number of Active Skill Slots, it's way too limited atm, I couldn't get any ultimate skill because I couldn't remove any of my current skills from my skill bar because my build would be ruined if I did that, I suggest for two more skill slots if not two definetely one more else it would be impossible for most people to use an ultimate skill, who would choose to put a skill with a CD of 1 minute instead of something else that we would be able to use every few seconds or as often we want as long we have available resources to use? six are not enough Blizzard & most people agree with that, give us more options & don't limit the game to that extent, this could ruin the game for a lot of people you know.
4. Randomness of the Dungeons Layout, I did so many dungeons during the beta & I left kind of disappointed with the level of randomness I experienced, most of the times it was long corridors with a few rooms left & right on your way or a long corridor that open up in a big room at the end that has two more corridors left & right like the letter T, those were the dungeons where we need to find some objects that help to open a door, this was the case for the majority of the dungeons I did during the beta & I can't say I liked that, on that aspect the game missed the point completely on how a procedural generation game suppose to be, if the layout of a dungeon is not random enough, if the layout doesn't feel completely different every time you enter, then it's not good enough, you never felt that way for example while playing D2 so on that aspect D4 falls short & completely miss the mark.
5. Cellars, those super-mini dungeons (they are literary one room in size...) doesn't do it for me, for the most part it kept me wondering what's the point? it was nice when their purpose was to help progress some quest but aside from that to have them all over the map when they are not that fun to do & they doesn't offer any kind of challenge, since you need less than a minute to clear everything there is inside, so ye.. the devs imo need to overhaul this feature, it needs to be more challenging, it needs to be more rewarding, it needs to be worth doing else there is no point for it to be in the game, that's my opinion anyway.
6. Lack of Unique Challenging Mobs, the game needs more tough & scary mobs to fight along with those packs of common & magic mobs we slay in large quantities to spice things up during grind, to offer some challenge, to offer that surprise factor we so much need to make grind more interesting & fun & to also offer to players the chance to get some sweet drops from them because at the end of the day that's what the game is all about, I speak for some kind of Elites, Champions, Mini-Bosses even, that kind of stuff, make them big, make them noticeable, make them scary, & finally make them able to put up a fight & make players feel that this is not a target you erase from your screen with a few push of a button & you move on to the next, but that's an enemy that needs a higher level of focus & effort on our part to put them down.
7. Character Creation, the character creation didn't offer the amount of variety & options I would like to see myself & I fount it very lacking compare to what other games ussually offer, it didn't offer as many options in hairstyles, face types, hair colors, eye colors, & in general there was not as many options & it was impossible to create a character we have in our minds because our options are so limited, this btw would lead to the majority of players look exactly the same & that is not ok, that is actually really-really bad.
8. Fonts, ok this might not sound as important for some, but for me reading dialogues from quests that are written with Arial font (here an example https://i.ibb.co/vZSZR9L/Screenshot037.jpg) ruin the immersion of the game, finding journals during grinding & presented with a story written on Arial font ruin the immersion of the game, watching Arial font all over my status window make me to always wonder WTF!? the devs were thinking when they decided to fill the game with Arial font on everything? did they really feel that this kind of font is fitting for a Diablo game? because there is a lot of people out there who can't fathom why they did that myself including...

THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE THAT WOULD MAKE THE GAME MORE FUN TO PLAY

1. Skill Enhancing System, I would like to have the option to enhance/alter my skills in unique ways, to have the freedom to choose from a variety of options in order to create my own unique build, this is something the game needs atm as what the skill tree offer to players definitely lacks depth & there is no way to do what I'm talking about from inside the skill tree currently, compared to some other ARPGs it's really disappointing to see what the D4 devs created, especially since they received so much feedback from players years before the game's release & it seems they either never read it or just chose to ignore it.
2. Vertically Based Dungeons, THIS-IS-THE-FUTURE-OF-DUNGEON-CRAWLERS, I experienced a few dungeons in the game where we had to climb down a ladder to a lower level & you already made the first step but let's take this to the next level, now imagine entering a simple dungeon like those we played during the beta but instead of the usual simplistic, small-scale layout we get a huge totally random maze-like map that aside from the ground floor it also has another 3-5 levels either underground or on the upper floors, & each floor has it's own unique boss, now something like that would be so fun to play & will really feel that I'm playing a next-gen dungeon crawler, an ARPG that has some unique, revolutionary design choices & doesn't feel like anything I've played in the past, Blizzard you are in the perfect spot right now to make that revolution happen, to differentiate yourself from the pack, give to nerds out there what they have only dreamed off till now.
3. Secret/Hidden Doors/Rooms & Destroyable Walls, words can't express how much I love this kind of stuff, my enjoyment level would go up considerable if the dungeons in an ARPG offer this level of exploration, exploration is my thing & I can't enjoy a game if there is no secrets to find, if there is no meaning to carefully explore everything, if there is nothing interesting to discover, so put this kind of stuff in the game & make it worth it for us exploration-junkies although I'm certain that this is something anyone is going to love & it will make the game more fun to play for everyone.
4. PvEvP Dungeon, something for PvX fans, now imagine a massive dungeon where 4 players enter at the same time & spawn at random locations, drop rate is boosted & you can really get some sweet loot inside this dungeon but PVP is always ON & you can't turn it OFF, also in case a player kill you everything in your inventory drop in the floor, doesn't this sound like something that would be really fun to play? for me it sure does!

I will start by saying that I despise D3 & haven't play a Blizzard game since SC2, my history with Blizzard games goes like this Diablo->StarCraft->Diablo2->StarCraft2-> THE END
For many-many years D3 was my most anticipated game, when the game was close to release I could spot from a mile away that this was not the game I had in mind & will definitely not be something I would like to play & that was the case in the end, D3 was by far the biggest disappointment I had in my life as a gamer till now, needless to say I skipped it & act like it never happen.
Forward to D4 Open Beta, I would be honest here although the game looked nice I was almost certain that I wont like it for various reasons, so you could say I was somewhat biased before even start playing, well let me tell you although I could find many things I thought needs improvement the devs at Blizzard who crafted this game manage to give me a hard slap in the face & make me admit how wrong I was, yep I never expected to say this but I was wrong because D4 have been crafted exceptionally & the potential for what is going to become in the future is literally limitless.
During the beta I lived and breathed D4, I played for about 44 hours (check this to get an idea https://i.ibb.co/cFCRKM9/Screenshot082.jpg) apart from sleeping and eating I did nothing but play the game trying to see as much as possible, if the game wasn't fun, if I wasn't having fun playing there is no way I would have spent that many hours playing a game in such a short time, & that is the biggest proof that D4 is fun, so the developers imo can be proud because they created a fun game & I'm sure the majority out there agree with that sentiment.
Anyway let's move on with my review, I'm going to split this review in 3 sections, THINGS I LIKED ABOUT THE GAME, THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE AS MUCH OR AT ALL & IMO NEED IMPROVEMENT, THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE THAT WOULD MAKE THE GAME MORE FUN TO PLAY.
So without further ado:
​
THINGS I LIKED ABOUT THE GAME
​

1. The Game Looks Gorgeous, the visuals & the art direction is on point, exactly how a Diablo game should look like, with that I mean gritty & gory also realistic & serious, so huge props to those responsible for this aspect of the game, they really did an amazing job.
2. The Atmosphere, everything is dark & grim, there is people in distress everywhere, people in need of help, you go out of town & you find either people frozen because there were caught on a blizzard, massacred bodies that were eaten by wild beasts, so many other such examples but the atmosphere feels nice, also I liked especially the icy theme & the heavy blizzard out of towns in the first region of the game.
3. The Sound Design, there is nothing more to say here other than to give my highest praise to the sound design team because they truly did an amazing job & there is nothing to complain about.
4. The Combat, the combat feels really nice (as long you change the combined move+interact+basic attack all-in-one button from the options, else it feels clunky) I had a great time slaying thousands & thousands of mobs while grinding dungeons or taking part on events out in the world map, it felt smooth & neither fast or slow, just perfect somewhere in the middle, it felt really good can't find anything to complain about.
5. The Campaign & the Cutscenes, let's put those two together as they are essentially part of the same thing, the main story, at least what we had the chance to experience on the first zone, looks really nice & I enjoyed it while playing, there is ofc some parts of it that I liked more than others, but it was enjoyable for the most part & I definitely looking forward to see more of it, also the cutscenes in some cases were made in exceptionally way that definitely elevate the presentation to the viewers.
6. The Side Quests, now who would guess that I'm gonna like the side quests of all things on an MMO, I play MMORPGs for the past 20 years more or less & the side quests was never something I enjoyed doing because they are always terrible made & feel like a chore, well I think that more than half of the side quests I did in D4 was fun & interesting because they were carefully crafted & they were really well made, they didn't feel like side quests to be honest but more like a part of the main story.
7. The Transmog/Wardrobe system, I loved this, it's straight 10/10 & I would like to see any game company include this kind of system on their game in the future, it's perfect I love everything about it because it offers so much customization & freedom to alter how your character looks & stuff like that is always welcome.
8. The Cinematics, well those are always top-notch on any Blizzard game but I had to say it anyway, especially the intro, the first trailer we saw deserve to get some awards, definitely.
9. Monster Level Scaling, before I tried the beta I was against this but then I played the game & I was constantly thinking every time I was roaming some before low level area "if not for monster level scaling this area would have low level mobs that would pose no threat to me & I couldn't get any valuable drops out of them whatsoever..." in short it would happen what usually happen on any mmorpg, all low level areas become useless after a point when your level is high enough & there is no point to revisit all those low level areas anymore, also there is one more reason I liked monster level scaling & I thought this kind of feature suit a game like Diablo perfectly, because it would be anticlimactic to exiting a town & every mob you are facing is low level scrap, if that happen it would definitely ruin the atmosphere that this world is bloody dangerous & there is things out there that wanna murder you & eat you alive, & it's very important to feel that way at all times else the game won't feel as fun anymore, at least not for me.
10. Cursed Treasure Chest & Cursed Shrine events, I really like those they have a nice surprise element, instead of getting loot or buffs you get a swarm of mobs in your face, fun mechanic.
11. Legendary Aspect System, the fact that every legendary item found in the game has a kind of super mod, which can be extracted and transferred to any item we desire in order to help perfect the kind of character we are trying to build, is something really awesome & I liked that idea very much, especially when you consider that those Aspect mods have also quality levels like any other mod in the game, that means that you are not only searching for an Aspect you need & once you found it that's it, you want it to have good rolls also & that add to the RNG level & that means that there is something more for us to looking forward to when we are out there hunting for loot.
12. Sorceress Ice Spells, I played a Blizzard Sorceress during the beta (here a link to some gameplay if anyone wanna check how my character plays https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZV7S6uUB5M) & I really liked how ice spells look, especially Frost Nova & Blizzard, & I also liked very much how Frozen enemies look, the devs did a really good job with the ice element.

​
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE AS MUCH OR AT ALL & IMO NEED IMPROVEMENT
​

1. The Bosses, there is a few good ones but for the most part the bosses have many flaws from their mechanics, the level of challenge they offer, even their looks for many of them, they are not good enough also there is many similar looking ones on some dungeons that look like they devs copy/paste them everywhere, & also one great flaw over all regardind the bosses is that they are not memorable, there is many memorrable bosses on past Diablo games but I didn't felt that for the bosses I fought on D4, they seem generic & lack identity, the devs definitely need to do more on that front, we would like to have some scary, challenging & memorrable bosses for D4 please.
2. Skills Customization, this is more or less something most people who played the game agree I think, there is not enough stuff on the skill tree to build really unique characters & have in mind I'm not saying in any way that I would like to see PoE level of depth but there is a middle ground to be found & I think the devs can do much more to offer to players another layer of depth to customize their build, for example why there is no way to alter our skills & what they do although so many people asked for something like that repeatedly in the feedback we gave? why there is no way for example to change Ice Shard from a single row projectile spell to multiple projectiles or to increase the AOE range of my Blizzard or Frost Nova? we need more options Blizzard, we want every skill to have a number of different options for us to choose from in order to be able to create our own truly unique build.
3. Number of Active Skill Slots, it's way too limited atm, I couldn't get any ultimate skill because I couldn't remove any of my current skills from my skill bar because my build would be ruined if I did that, I suggest for two more skill slots if not two definetely one more else it would be impossible for most people to use an ultimate skill, who would choose to put a skill with a CD of 1 minute instead of something else that we would be able to use every few seconds or as often we want as long we have available resources to use? six are not enough Blizzard & most people agree with that, give us more options & don't limit the game to that extent, this could ruin the game for a lot of people you know.
4. Randomness of the Dungeons Layout, I did so many dungeons during the beta & I left kind of disappointed with the level of randomness I experienced, most of the times it was long corridors with a few rooms left & right on your way or a long corridor that open up in a big room at the end that has two more corridors left & right like the letter T, those were the dungeons where we need to find some objects that help to open a door, this was the case for the majority of the dungeons I did during the beta & I can't say I liked that, on that aspect the game missed the point completely on how a procedural generation game suppose to be, if the layout of a dungeon is not random enough, if the layout doesn't feel completely different every time you enter, then it's not good enough, you never felt that way for example while playing D2 so on that aspect D4 falls short & completely miss the mark.
5. Cellars, those super-mini dungeons (they are literary one room in size...) doesn't do it for me, for the most part it kept me wondering what's the point? it was nice when their purpose was to help progress some quest but aside from that to have them all over the map when they are not that fun to do & they doesn't offer any kind of challenge, since you need less than a minute to clear everything there is inside, so ye.. the devs imo need to overhaul this feature, it needs to be more challenging, it needs to be more rewarding, it needs to be worth doing else there is no point for it to be in the game, that's my opinion anyway.
6. Lack of Unique Challenging Mobs, the game needs more tough & scary mobs to fight along with those packs of common & magic mobs we slay in large quantities to spice things up during grind, to offer some challenge, to offer that surprise factor we so much need to make grind more interesting & fun & to also offer to players the chance to get some sweet drops from them because at the end of the day that's what the game is all about, I speak for some kind of Elites, Champions, Mini-Bosses even, that kind of stuff, make them big, make them noticeable, make them scary, & finally make them able to put up a fight & make players feel that this is not a target you erase from your screen with a few push of a button & you move on to the next, but that's an enemy that needs a higher level of focus & effort on our part to put them down.
7. Character Creation, the character creation didn't offer the amount of variety & options I would like to see myself & I fount it very lacking compare to what other games ussually offer, it didn't offer as many options in hairstyles, face types, hair colors, eye colors, & in general there was not as many options & it was impossible to create a character we have in our minds because our options are so limited, this btw would lead to the majority of players look exactly the same & that is not ok, that is actually really-really bad.
8. Fonts, ok this might not sound as important for some, but for me reading dialogues from quests that are written with Arial font (here an example https://i.ibb.co/vZSZR9L/Screenshot037.jpg) ruin the immersion of the game, finding journals during grinding & presented with a story written on Arial font ruin the immersion of the game, watching Arial font all over my status window make me to always wonder WTF!? the devs were thinking when they decided to fill the game with Arial font on everything? did they really feel that this kind of font is fitting for a Diablo game? because there is a lot of people out there who can't fathom why they did that myself including...

​
THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE THAT WOULD MAKE THE GAME MORE FUN TO PLAY
​

1. Skill Enhancing System, I would like to have the option to enhance/alter my skills in unique ways, to have the freedom to choose from a variety of options in order to create my own unique build, this is something the game needs atm as what the skill tree offer to players definitely lacks depth & there is no way to do what I'm talking about from inside the skill tree currently, compared to some other ARPGs it's really disappointing to see what the D4 devs created, especially since they received so much feedback from players years before the game's release & it seems they either never read it or just chose to ignore it.
2. Vertically Based Dungeons, THIS-IS-THE-FUTURE-OF-DUNGEON-CRAWLERS, I experienced a few dungeons in the game where we had to climb down a ladder to a lower level & you already made the first step but let's take this to the next level, now imagine entering a simple dungeon like those we played during the beta but instead of the usual simplistic, small-scale layout we get a huge totally random maze-like map that aside from the ground floor it also has another 3-5 levels either underground or on the upper floors, & each floor has it's own unique boss, now something like that would be so fun to play & will really feel that I'm playing a next-gen dungeon crawler, an ARPG that has some unique, revolutionary design choices & doesn't feel like anything I've played in the past, Blizzard you are in the perfect spot right now to make that revolution happen, to differentiate yourself from the pack, give to nerds out there what they have only dreamed off till now.
3. Secret/Hidden Doors/Rooms & Destroyable Walls, words can't express how much I love this kind of stuff, my enjoyment level would go up considerable if the dungeons in an ARPG offer this level of exploration, exploration is my thing & I can't enjoy a game if there is no secrets to find, if there is no meaning to carefully explore everything, if there is nothing interesting to discover, so put this kind of stuff in the game & make it worth it for us exploration-junkies although I'm certain that this is something anyone is going to love & it will make the game more fun to play for everyone.
4. PvEvP Dungeon, something for PvX fans, now imagine a massive dungeon where 4 players enter at the same time & spawn at random locations, drop rate is boosted & you can really get some sweet loot inside this dungeon but PVP is always ON & you can't turn it OFF, also in case a player kill you everything in your inventory drop in the floor, doesn't this sound like something that would be really fun to play? for me it sure does!

​
This story contains existential material some readers may find distressing. Please be advised.
​
—
​
Nine o'clock on the dot on a Sunday morning, James Newton put on his suit and tie—tweed and checkered yellow, the ones he wore to his parents' funeral—and spent fifteen minutes in front of the mirror psyching himself up. "Come on, James," he urged his reflection. "A miracle, that's what you need. Gimme a miracle, somethin' that'll make this whole thing go away!"
He told himself that, and he got excited for the good news he would surely receive, and he got ready to go out the door. Three times he did this, and right as his hand touched the knob, he suddenly found he had to go back for another go at it.
Eventually, though, there was only so much psyching up he could muster. He finally left his apartment, walked down many flights of stairs, and got on his way walking down the street to his appointment.
It was a beautiful day. The sky was clear of any clouds or smog, a rare thing indeed, and the sun was merrily shining. Birds chirped, though their song was somewhat obscured by the roar of passing aeromobiles as they zipped by in the skyways. Below, where roads were needed no longer, the people were out and about on the promenade in their Sunday best, going about their business and having a grand old time.
James fit right in, a smile plastered on his face and a nod for everyone he passed. He swung his arms easily and let his gait fall into a comfortable strut, and no one would suspect a thing was wrong; no sir, no one at all.
James' path took him right into the heart of the city, where buildings rose to two and even three stories tall, brick-built all of them, with a marble state building here and a library there, and the sky was filled with aeromobiles. Trees grew in their little holes in the center of the promenades, and small gardens and parks littered the places where parking lots used to be. A flock of pigeons pecked at the ground around the garbage bin for people's leftovers. James scattered some crumbs from his pocket that he'd prepared just for them. "Good will to all the world!" he said heartily to the flying rats. "Good will, or who knows what might happen? Ha ha!"
His destination was a private practice in the middle of a lot park, fenced in with a tree in each corner, ferns and vines imported from somewhere stretching from leafy branch to leafy branch. The building itself was brick, of course (God's chosen building material, that), and space enough for only one corridor and three rooms—a waiting room, the good doctor's office, and the operating room. Humility was all anyone needed these days, and by God the owner of this establishment was practically drowning in it.
James pushed through the glass door into the waiting room with gusto. "Morning, Caroline!" he greeted the secretary by her desk. "I'm here for my appointment!"
She smiled up at him. Caroline was a sweetheart to be sure. "Hello Mister Newton," she told him. "The doctor's in if you want to get to it. You know he doesn't have anyone else to see."
"That I do, miss, that I do." James unbuttoned his suit and went to hang it on the coatrack in the corner. "Don't mind if I leave my jacket here, do you, Miss Caroline?"
"Please do!"
"Thaaank you kindly." James cleared his throat. "I'll just be on my way back then!" He stepped back into the corridor and strode to the good doctor's office with a whistlin' tune and readjusting his tie. Good thoughts, James, he reminded himself. Good thoughts and good will only, and you're sure to get good news in return!
—
"I'm terribly sorry, Mister Newton." The good doctor's voice was tinny and cool as his steel exterior. "Your diagnosis has not changed. I predict you have six months to live, possibly less."
James couldn't look at him. He couldn't look anywhere 'cept the linoleum beneath his best brown dress shoes. The ones he wore to his parents' funeral.
He didn't know if he could speak. He tried anyway. "I thought—" He swallowed the frog in his throat. "I thought I was gettin' better."
The good doctor leaned forward across his desk, his metal hands folded in front of him. "Mister Newton, I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that your chances were good, even probable. The truth is that very few people with your diagnosis live long after symptoms begin to appear, and you are well on your way to showing symptoms. I believe you were told—"
"I remember," James said hoarsely. He chanced a look at the wall to his left, then had to look away again. It had a poster of a cat hanging to a branch that said, Hang in there! in a speech bubble. It didn't make him feel better.
He tried looking at the good doctor instead. That was a mistake as well; James couldn't help it, and he knew it weren't fair, but something about the doctor's unmoving expression and cold lamplit eyes gave him the chills something awful.
He looked back down at his shoes. "What can I— what can I expect?" His voice wobbled. "Is it gonna hurt? When the symptoms start showing up?"
"Oh, I imagine so," the good doctor replied. He stood and went to pull a projector screen from its holster in the ceiling, as wide as man's wingspan. The doctor touched something at the top, and graphs and timelines filled the screen. It was one of those special screens; the ones that didn't need light shining on them to show pictures.
"See here," the doctor said, pointing to one of the graphs. "Around this time, about a week from now I'd say if my projections hold, your throat will begin to constrict and lose some of its elasticity, making it harder to breath and swallow food and drink. It will only take a week more before you're completely unable to do either. I suggest seeking hospice before then, the medical professionals should be more than capable of providing equipment that can ease the burden on your body to perform these functions. During this time, however, you'll have these symptoms to start looking out for as well…"
The good doctor's voice blurred and became background noise. James clenched his hands tighter and tighter together between his knees as the robot droned on and on about the terrible, painful things he would endure before he finally died.
Good things, James, he thought to himself desperately. Good will and good news will come to you eventually. Good will and good news will…
But the good doctor just kept droning on.
—
The drink plunked down on the bar before him. "There you are, chum, your fifth Molly's Got It All of the night! You sure are looking to forget something fierce, aren't ya?"
James pushed up his head and looked at the robot serving drinks at an awkward angle. The bartender's voice was just as unnatural as the good doctor's; only, where the doctor was cool and neutral even with a scalpel in hand and a terminal diagnosis in his processor, the bartender was painfully, infinitely cheerful.
He took his drink and swallowed half of it. "Thanks barkeep," James slurred. "Y' really know how to take care of a guy." He sluggishly raised his glass in celebration, but the bartender had already moved on to the next customer, that tinny, unnatural cheer stabbing James' ears.
He shook his head and scoffed into his glass before he took another drink. Good news and good news and good news.
"Bartender's right," a voice to his left said. A human voice, teasing. "You really are lookin' to forget."
James listed that way and looked at the person up and down. The lady was dressed in oversized overalls, big black construction boots and a button-up beneath it all, flatcap pushing her unruly curls into submission. Construction worker chic. She had a smile on her face just shy of a smirk.
James looked for a moment more before grunting and turning back to his drink. "I got my diagnosis back today," he said, not caring who heard. "I'm on my way south."
"Aw, shoot," the woman said sympathetically. "Well that's too bad, I'm sorry to hear it."
"Yeah." James polished off the last half of his drink and raised his hand to get the bartender's attention. "Same thing that killed my daddy." And my mama, he added in his head, but she din't have the same disease. Naw, it was his daddy dying from it that killed her. She couldn't live without him.
"Nothing the doc can do?" the woman asked gently as the bartender came over.
"Naw." James ordered another Molly's Got It All. Dangerous, he knew, but he was already going to die, so he might as well splurge. No one to take care of at home, no one to take care of him, so he din't have to care.
"You be sure to drink some water now, friend," the barkeep said even as he made a new drink and set it before James. "You're deep in your cups now."
"Yeah, yeah." James waved the bartender away and sipped from his sixth Molly before realizing the woman was still looking at him. "What?" The question came out ruder than he meant.
Her eyes sparkled in the low-key bar light. "I find you interesting." Her smirk stretched into a smile of the same kind.
James flushed. He liked her attention, but… "Sorry," he said, looking into his cup. "I don't think you want to get mixed up with me. Dying and all."
"Oh, who said anything about anything?" the woman dismissed. She scooted her stool closer to James' and leaned her chin on her hands, looking at him with that smile of hers. "Annabelle," she introduced herself, "if you'd like to know. And if you'd want to return the favor…" she trailed off expectantly.
James flushed deeper and found himself smiling back. "Jem—" He cleared his throat and tried to focus his drunken brain. "I'm James." He thrust his hand towards her for a handshake without thinking about it and felt stupid.
Annabelle looked at his hand with raised eyebrows, then took his hand in hers and shook it. "It's very nice to meet you, Mister James," she said in a serious tone. It was the twinkle in her eyes what betrayed her. "Now why don't you tell me what's going on?"
—
They talked for hours after that. Well, James talked, mostly, but whenever he tried to direct a question at Annabelle she returned the prompt to him, asking a deeper, more thoughtful question than a heavily inebriated man could come up with, so of course he went along with her. They talked so late nearly everyone else had gone, but there were no closing hours courtesy of the barkeep, so there was no rush. James couldn't get anymore Mollys after a time, though, owing to the alcohol limit law programmed in the bartender's processor and all.
But he didn't care. He was enthralled with Annabelle and her thoughtful questions and her genuine interest in him. At least, she seemed genuine, but James was too drunk to tell. All he knew was that it felt nice to have someone to talk to, finally.
And he did talk a lot. He told Annabelle things he hadn't told anybody, alcohol loosening his lips. He talked about his mama and his daddy, his childhood home out in the boonies where they didn't have no aeromobiles or robot doctors, his friends growing up and the games they used to play. He talked about school, and neighbors, and hopes and dreams, and sorrows, too.
He told her about his parents' deaths. That wasn't the first or last time he'd cried that night. He told her about his daddy's affliction, the thing what put him in the grave, and the thing that would put him there too. "It was so hard, watchin' him those last few days," James said, wiping at his eyes with his sleeve. "He couldn't get out of bed, with all those tubes in him and what not, and he couldn't talk, obviously, and Mama couldn't stand it either even if she didn't say so, but the doctors said, they always said, 'It's our oath to help people, ma'am, if there's even a percent of a chance we can save them.'" He shook his head. "My mama used to say to that, she used to say," he gave a snort of amusement, "'doctors: they're gonna help you, even if it kills you.'"
Annabelle smiled at that and rubbed his back. She'd gotten real close to him over the night's conversation. So close James could feel her there even when he wasn't lookin'. It made him flush and blush and gave him the butterflies, the amount of attention she was giving him. Thoughts of his impending demise were banished by her wonderful smile.
He didn't want her to go away. He didn't want to think about death again. "Hey," he said hesitantly, wondering if his request was appropriate. "D'you think… well, do you think we could—"
Annabelle smiled wider and put a hand on his arm and gave it a squeeze. "Honey, I was thinking the exact same thing." She patted his hand. "Just let me freshen up in the ladies' room and we can get going, yeah?"
James' heart leapt into heaven. He agreed enthusiastically, and Annabelle slipped off her stool and went into the back to the ladies' restroom, leaving James by himself positively brimming with joy.
Ten minutes went by. Then fifteen. Then twenty.
James started to get anxious. He wanted to go and check on her, but, well, was that too much? The bartender asked him if he wanted to pay his bill, but James distractedly said he'd pay while he was heading out with Annabelle.
Thirty minutes passed. Forty.
"Y'know," he said aloud, mostly to himself as he got up from his seat, "I think I will check on her, y'know, in case something happened to her." He wouldn't go in, obviously, but he could always knock, right? So James went to the back of the bar and knocked on the door to the ladies' room. "Annabelle? You okay in there?"
There was no answer.
James' fear peaked. "Barkeep," he called, "can you check the ladies' room with your sensors? I think my friend might be hurt."
The metal man behind the bar looked up from the glass he was polishing. "I'm sorry, mate, I didn't want to say anything according to how much I saw you enjoying her company, but I'm pretty sure your lady friend up and booked it from my establishment almost an hour ago. My scanners are only picking up one body signature, and that's yours." Analytical words, all spoken with the stupid cheer of an empty-headed tin man.
Fear became disappointment. "You sure?" James asked, hoping against hope.
"Scanners don't lie!" the bartender replied.
Peachy. Just excellent. Good news and good news, James thought bitterly. Crestfallen, he slumped back to the bar and sighed, "Guess I'll pay my bill, then."
"Right-o!" The bartender whipped over to the cash register and waited for James to sullenly follow him there.
He reached into his suit pocket. Then his other one.
Where was his wallet?
"Something the matter?" the bartender pipped.
James couldn't handle the robot's overly happy voice right now. "Yes, just—give me a moment," he nearly growled, reaching inside his suit jacket to the pocket there.
Nothing. He patted his pants and the back of his pants. Nothing. James crouched low to look at the ground beneath his stool and nothing. "I—" He didn't know what to say. He'd had his wallet walking in. Had to; needed his worker card to get served. Where could it have—
By now the alcohol had worn off enough that James could mostly use his brain. He put two and two together and realized what had happened. "I'm sorry, but I think my wallet was stolen," he told the bartender, stricken. He hadn't noticed; but of course he hadn't noticed. He'd been drunk. Very drunk. And Annabelle had known that, if that was even her real name.
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that!" Again, the unnatural cheer, especially considering his next words. "And I'm sorry to say that if you can't pay, I'll have to be calling the sheriffs!"
"What?" James stared at the bartender. "I can't just open a tab and pay it off later?"
"Sorry, no can do!" The robot was already moving towards the rotary phone on his side of the bar. "My processor isn't powerful enough to retain information longer or more complicated than my regulars' names and the laws I was programmed with, and I'm afraid I wasn't programmed to read or write! If you want to blame anyone, blame the Howie Blayton Manufacturing Company!"
Good news and good news and good news. James felt a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach. Stranded in the local detainment center while his body collapsed in on itself? No way!
"Hey there officer!" the bartender said brightly into the transmitter. "I'd like to report a miscreant here at—hey, where are you going?"
The door was already closing behind James as he fled into the night.
—
He ran until he was sweating through his nice tweed suit and breathing so heavy he wheezed. He hadn't made it as far as he would have just weeks ago. It felt like his throat was caving in.
James looked around. He was standing on a little bridge that spanned a creek to a forest path, an overgrown jungle of a place. The grass was so long it hung from the lip of the creek bed to the still water below.
He was still in the heart of the city, but the roar of aeromobile traffic was far away. He must be at the edge of one of the city's massive replanting projects.
He sat down heavily on the bridge, letting his legs dangle. Good news, his mama always said. Good thoughts and good will, and good news will come to you. She said that while daddy was sick in bed and she sat by his side. She never left his side, really. James had had to work double shift at his delivery job just to keep things afloat, there.
And now he was soon to be right where his daddy was, and no one like his mama would be there for him.
James thought he had cried all he could cry that night, but tears began to form in his eyes and spill down his cheeks nonetheless. He put his face in his hands and let the sobs wrack his aching throat once again.
As he cried, a secret memory unearthed itself in James' mind. It was a memory from long ago, back when his daddy was dying, on one of the rare moments his mama left to go to her job and take care of things on her own instead of relying on James. James, like his mama, barely left his daddy's side when he could manage it.
And on that day, while his mama was far away, James watched as his daddy suddenly began to thrash and writhe, flinging the tubes in his mouth and his stomach and his private parts every which way, his eyes rolled back in his head. Little ten-year-old James didn't know whether his daddy was awake or half-comatose, but he knew he was scared, and he couldn't be scared. Scared weren't a good thought, and James needed to think good thoughts.
So he tried to calm his daddy by telling him how brave he was, how everything was gonna be alright and mama would be home any minute—but his father couldn't hear him.
"Shauna!" his daddy shouted, voice obscured by the tube jammed down his throat. "James! I can't see, Goddammit—Shauna! Shauna, where are you?!"
James was terrified. He reached to grab his daddy's hand before remembering that he couldn't touch him 'cause it would hurt him. "Daddy," James cried. "Daddy, it's alright, I'm here!"
"Shauna! Shauna!" Tears were rolling down Daddy's cheeks, his unseeing eyes staring terrified at the ceiling. "Shauna!" he sobbed. "Shauna, I'm scared! I'm scared!"
"No!" James shouted over his daddy. "No, you can't say that, daddy, good thoughts! Only good thoughts, you gotta—"
His father's thrashing grew more violent as he continued to be unable to hear his son. One of the tubes lashed James across the face, and he fell to the ground screaming. On the floor, James could only see the writhing blankets and the occasional flash of a hand, all while his daddy sobbed and screamed like a child having a nightmare he couldn't wake up from.
Mama came home to find James sobbing on the floor and her husband dead under the covers.
A secret memory, and a secret fear. James remembered the terror on his daddy's face as he died. He remembered his father's blindness, his father's deafness, all caused by his disease. He remembered his father, unable to be touched, machines surrounding him, nothing anyone could do for him.
James remembered his daddy crying for his wife, unable to tell that his son was right next to him. Even with someone there, his daddy had died alone.
Alone. And there was nothing anyone could do.
James clutched at his hair and breathed through gritted teeth. He didn't want to die alone. He moaned in fear, his teeth chattered, he rocked himself back and forth on the edge of that little bridge. He didn't want to die alone.
But he would. Even if he wasn't, he would die alone, and all the good intentions and good thoughts in the world wouldn't save him. Everyone dies alone. No one can share in your last moments, even if they're right next to you. No one will know, even if they care so much for you they'd die without you. You're trapped in your head until the bitterest end.
James wailed and beat at his legs with his fists and screamed at the unfairness. He didn't want to die alone!
"I don't want to die alone!" he shouted into the night. The night did not respond.
He continued to sob and scream and wail, all alone.

For context, I inherited two members from an manager-less team at the beginning of 2023. The team is in a engineering discipline that is based on my prior work experience, so I was asked to step in and help foster their growth and fix the team. I found that both reports have screwed around for the better half of last year, with no notable KPIs hit, and have started course correcting to get them in the right place. Their existing performance reviews were either missing or all fluff from previous managers, with no detail on programs that they supported and work outcomes.
While our company has a flex WFH policy, both reports have been calling into critical team meetings from the car, or have been entirely absent. Report #1 lied to me about failing to attend a meeting saying he was helping another coworker, when the coworker in question was in attendance to my meeting! Report #1 later admitted that he didnt want to "miss a train". A similar issue came about with report #2, lack of attendance and then excuses. At this point I wouldnt be surprised if they were moonlighting elsewhere (This is in software QA), but my intent was to get them back on track. I met with both of them individually highlighting the critical nature of these meetings, and that they were required to be present and attentive, and barring extraordinary circumstances they were required to attend.
Around mid Feb, there was a critical path project assigned to both reports. Report #1 got their act together and was able to support and complete their portion of the assigned project. Report #2 was allocated about 1/3 of the project due to being newer, and had made no progress. Around 1.5 weeks in, Report #2 reaches out via company comms and says that their road to leave their house is blocked by a tree, and internet is intermittent or not working. I respond to the employee and they go offline again, for another 2 days. By the 3rd day, he responds again via comms and says he is online, but then does not respond to any inquiries. This happens on and off for another week, then the employee goes dark. At this point in time I've been engaged with HR, documenting and outlining the issues with both report #1, and particularly report #2. After 3/6, I finally get a response from report #2, saying he was out with COVID from 3/2-3/6, but went dark again until 3/8.
While report #2 did have a doctor's note and I believe the intermittent power outages, issues related to weather, and covid, I dont believe the closed road existed beyond a day or two. Furthermore, the employee made no attempt to complete his assigned tasks, and no attempt to be proactive in getting work done or relaying this to team members prior to contracting covid. Furthermore, report #2 only filed sick time (exempt salaried employee) for days 3/2-3/6, but was absent from meetings or in person 2/16-3/8.
I setup a meeting with report #2 and HR, outlining his performance issues and absences with a written warning that gets documented on their record. HR wants me to ask that they submit PTO for the days they missed, which I relayed to report #2. Report #2 said it was entirely out of their control, and that they had no way of contacting the team due to no internet, no power, no cell service, and subsequently no way to contact the team. They commented that they were unable to complete their work due to it requiring an internet connection. While most of our work is online, obviously within reason some things could be done offline. Furthermore, there was no effort to relay this to the team.
Fast forward to today, report #2 is calling me out in group emails or threads, and overextending themselves, almost being vindictive. IT issues with Report #2's machine- messages 3 people and CC's me on thread. Doesnt understand a bug ticket they are reviewing? Adding every developer involved, and specifying on group threads verbatim "I don’t want to get in trouble for not working ". At this point in time I feel like the employee is trying to absolve themselves of responsibility so I meet with them again today in person, and review the prior written warning.
I basically covered WFH guidelines and policies, responsibility of the employee to complete their work, should challenges arise (bad internet, weather, etc), they can either take PTO for the time off, or work with the team to cover their absence. Report #2 demanded that I add his comm attempts to his "record" and that he was not at fault outside of that. He then said the HR manager working with him (They are both African American), gave him a "Black on Black, no excuses" sort of attitude that made him "uncomfortable" in response to his absences and performance, and that I wouldnt understand (I'm caucasian). Report #2 also said he was "Talking to an HR professional" regarding this issue and that it was his right to have his contact dates documented.
At this point this has become an absolute nightmare for me. I manage another remote team which has been a dream, but I also helped build that team. I think I got to a slightly better place today with report #2 by highlighting it is the report's responsibility to complete their obligations, and should issues arise, it is also their responsibility to handle with professionalism. That said, between the messages about race, lack of accountability, I really feel like things are getting to a tipping point.
In addition to the previous written warning, HR is requesting that I now send a PIP, and I have to be "extra thorough" since it seems like report #2 is going to poke holes in anything. While I am trying to be empathetic and see through the eyes of report #2 (Life can be hard sometimes), I feel like things are beyond the point of being salvageable. While I plan to proceed with the PIP, is there anything I can do to ensure the company is covered? Some of report #2's actions seem like a veiled threat of lawsuit, though we have more than enough information around report #2's absences, performance issues, and insubordination.
TLDR:

• Employee basically off grid for a month
• Refuses to take accountability
• Starting to pull race card, says he feels uncomfortable, pulling in external HR
• Need to issue PIP and hopefully move on with my life

Can anyone share their ideas on what exactly happened in the end of This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno?
SPOILERS AHEAD
The main points I am having trouble with are:
Was the demon always with Thiago passed down through generations or did the old tenant of the condo bring this through?
What’s with the scene when Thiago dreams of the condo and the white family hearing noises in the walls and hearing Thiago walk towards the father? It was an almost exact copy of Thiago’s experience and I cannot understand the meaning behind it. Was this to show Thiago that the cycle of the demon will continue through him to this new family or am I looking too hard at this moment?
How was Thiago able to kill the previous tenant of the condo and be at the train station when Vera was killed, essentially to “blame” for calling Esteban’s name, appearing almost just as he did at the end of the novel? Was this the demon disguised as Thiago while Thiago lived his normal life as he remembers it? Or was he possessed or in a dream like state that his physical self was there but he cannot remember?
I really wanted to give this book a chance, I was not expecting horror (my bad for not reading reviews) which I usually don’t go for because I find it cheesy.
I thought this would take a turn that Thiago did all these things to cause the deaths and that essentially everything was a delusion his mind created to deal with the guilt, but it took such a turn that I just don’t understand.

​

Table of Contents
Chapter 17 l Chapter 18 l Chapter 19 l Chapter 20 l Chapter 21 l Chapter 22 l Chapter 23
Chapter 24

​
St. Michael
Failure.
The thought hit me hard. I watched as Xyphiel crested over the wall and stared down upon me. All I could see in his visage was my failure.
Once, so long ago, at the edge of the memory of eternity stood a Niten Dragon whose passion for God and his kind rivaled my own.
He was to be, in truth, my successor.
A man born of peace, not war. A man who would sacrifice everything unto his family, his kin, and at the end of the day, smile and request if there were more he could give.
Now the abomination before me glared at me with contempt and downright glee.
Corrupted by Pride and by my Brother Lucifer. The Fallen Prophet Xyphiel stood before me, in his most impure form.
The darkness in his eyes was an abyss that knew no true depth. Hovering over those twin pits of pitch-black void sat a pair of dark crimson embers. His once scaled, Seraphim wings, were replaced by the Cherubim wings of my Brother Lucifer, yet even those Xyphiel had altered.
No more were they white, nor even blackened by soot as they could easily become. Nay! Now they rose behind him in a charred crimson, catching the fading light of the sun here and there.
His armor, stained with the blood of millions as his hand, clad in a golden gauntlet, wielded the Puriel Blade.
I would free that blade from his hand by the end of this day, one way or another. I knew that within, he drew from the demons imprisoned in the Puriel Blade.
The Puriel blade housed legions of demons, lost souls, and Fallen angels. Xyphiel had not let it out of his sight all this time. Likely drawing from Lucifer and God knows how many other unholy powers which were trapped within.
I knew my goal and my hand was outstretched, waiting for the tool I could use to achieve it.
Geoffery placed my original sword in my hand.
As it touched my gauntlet I could feel the blade’s spirit emboldened. Through Geoffery’s works over the millennia, he had tempered it in Justice and Goodwill, as I had instructed him.
Though far from my disciple, I turned to Geoffrey, appraising the blade and hearing it resonate with the songs of its use as it defended the helpless and smote the wicked by Geoffrey's hand.
As if the blade itself took me through Geoffrey's life as he battled against man and old Gods alike.
This particular blade was forged once from the remains of a defeated Old One. The spirit purified in God’s divine power, its essence cleansed of darkness and void and replaced with unending light and hope.
I had missed this blade, my Blade of Ohr Tahor. With it and my shield of Chazak Choma, I readied myself to do battle with Xyphiel, as it was foretold.
For I knew that Xyphiel wielded the power of my Brother, Lucifer of Pride, and now I would have to defeat him.
If I failed this day, all was lost.
“Geoffrey Karkade, you have done well. Now, return to me my blade, so that I may try and fulfill my Father's prophecy,” I praised Geoffrey, my eyes never leaving Xyphiel.
“Done well??!” Xyphiel scoffed, laughing as he approached, landing several meters from myself, The Metatron Timothy, and Geoffrey. “Do you not know what he is responsible for, Michael?”
I narrowed my eyes at him, readying my shield and sword, “I have had enough of your venom, Fallen Prophet! This ends today!” I shouted.
Xyphiel did not acknowledge me, addressing Timothy, “Ask your supposed mother, Boy! Your dear uncle is the one who destroyed all of Nite at the behest of Lucifer! Now he claims to be Michael’s disciple. Yet…” Xyphiel’s brow furrowed in fury as his eyes fixed on me, “When I came to the Guardian Council, I was offered no mercy…”
Before I could speak, Geoffrey called out, “There’s a difference between you and me, Xyphiel! Though it is true, I did as you said long ago! I set myself upon a path to atone for my misdeeds, rather than wallow further in the mud of corruption!”
I couldn’t help but smile. Of all the people, I never thought a former child of Lucifer would be able to hold a moral high ground over a Niten Dragon.
That being said, neither Geoffrey nor Timothy of Enoch could yet stand against Xyphiel. “Go, now!” I shouted, “Aid your comrades!” I turned to Xyphiel once more, “This fate is mine to face.”
“Archangel, I’ll fight by your side!” Timothy of Enoch protested, “I’m the sundered child, this is my fate as well!”
Geoffrey, for his part, pulled Timothy away, “St. Michael knows what he’s doing. If he says you’re needed elsewhere, then elsewhere you go! Come on, there’s plenty to defend!”
Timothy was pulled, reluctantly, from my side as I approached Xyphiel.
Xyphiel scoffed, “Geoffrey ought to burn for lying to the boy,” he chuckled as he fixed his gaze upon me, “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into, Michael.”
I charged ahead, not wanting to listen to Xyphiel’s putrid words a moment longer. My sword was raised high, my shield ready to parry or deflect. The time for speaking had ended.
The Sword of Samael had been drawn and now it was time for the wrath of God to descend upon the damned.
Even if one of those fallen were once our own brightest.
I felt a sense of Déjà vu.
Xyphiel blocked my strike with the Puriel blade and I could hear the blades sing a ballad of anguish and despair as they collided.
“Michael,” Xyphiel tsk’d me, his wrist holding firm, though at its limit as I clashed with him, “Striking first? What happened to turning the other cheek?”
“That is meant for those who might be forgiven for their transgressions, one day!” I growled, pushing my shield against Xyphiel, forcing him back, “Not for the likes of you!”
Xyphiel took a step back, gripping the Puriel blade in both hands, raising it upwards as he crouched down, the point aiming towards me. A Lancing pose, of sorts, like a viper ready to strike, “Ah, yes. I can never forget! I am The Unforgiven, after all.” Xyphiel lunged forward, the tip of the Puriel blade rocketing towards me.
I parried it with my shield, turning and swinging my blade down towards his wrist.
To my shock, his gauntlet-clad hand caught my wrist before I could sever his. I felt the claws of his hand digging into my flesh and wisps of blue mana seeped from my wounds.
“You see, Michael? You think you have the advantage in this battle, but you’re sorely mistaken,” Xyphiel taunted.
I twisted my wrist from his hand and pushed him back once more with my shield.
Xyphiel withdrew, though he continued his verbal onslaught, “While you sat high above in Heaven, singing lovely choirs to God Almighty, I was fighting,” Xyphiel grinned, looking to the chaos unfolding around us, “As were they,” he motioned to the armies of darkness seething around us.
I kept my focus on Xyphiel, waiting for his next strike.
“Ever embattled, even with one another, fighting day in and day out,” Xyphiel grinned, “Growing ever stronger, longing for the day they would destroy you.”
I flexed my hand behind my shield, waiting to make my strike. If I could pull the Puriel blade from him, or better yet, shatter its hilt, then Xyphiel would no longer hold the legions of Demons imprisoned within.
While he wouldn’t be defeated, it would be the first blow to land upon him. I would take his dark powers, piece by piece.
“We have not been resting, Fallen Prophet. We have been preparing as well, for the day to finally set the world right!” I called out, charging forward.
Xyphiel stood firm, pridefully believing he had anticipated my attack.
As I charged forward, I did not attack with my blade, instead moving to strike with my shield.
Xyphiel was caught off-guard, and as he blocked my shield with the Puriel blade, I thrust my sword into the gem of its hilt.
I watched as the jewel was struck firmly, and cracked. “I am sorry, brother Puriel. It had to be done.”
The gem let out a shockingly pitiful spat of light sparks and white smoke before it shattered, crumbling to the ground.
Something was wrong.
I felt no shift in strength from Xyphiel, no change in his temperament.
The Puriel Blade didn’t even feel different as it scraped and trembled along my shield.
“Confused, Michael?” Xyphiel said with a vicious grin.
I leaped back, keeping my guard up as Xyphiel’s grin remained. “Where is the true Puriel blade? The blade that you used to imprison Lucifer and his armies!” I demanded.
It had to be a replica or a fake. Did Xyphiel have the blade elsewhere on him and refused to fight due to the risk it would put him in?
Xyphiel glanced at the sword in his hand and back to me, “This is the Puriel blade, of that I can assure you, Michael. Did you think I would take anything else into battle?” His grin grew ever more contemptible, “My goal was, after all, to slay angels.”
I growled, “If that was the true blade, then the prison would have broken when I shattered the seal upon it!”
Xyphiel took his gauntlet-clad hand off the blade, his eyes locked on mine, “Puriel’s Seal, perhaps, but…” Xyphiel opened his palm, and at its center was the Greater Seal of the Scribe Lord, “But whoever said I was using his seal when I have my own?”
The seal on Xyphiel’s hand now pulsed with horrific energy, a darkness I had never seen before.
But even so, the seal was once used to lock the Damned and Fallen deep within Hell! Unless… Could he have been so mad?! “You couldn’t…” I stammered.
The seal began to rotate slowly on his palm, as a key turns in a lock, “It is as you have said, all those years ago, Michael! I am the Seal!”
Xyphiel’s eyes shifted from his deep crimson to violet, to red, and back to crimson, “You imprisoned those demons within yourself?!” I cried out in shock and horror.
“All at my disposal, but I wouldn’t be a fool to rely on all of their power,” Xyphiel chuckled, “I only needed to leverage one.”
“One?” I asked though I knew who.
Lucifer.
“But, perhaps you’re right, Michael,” Xyphiel spun the Puriel blade in his hand and I watched the jewel pieces lift from the ground and merge once more unto the blade’s hilt. Now the insignia within it was that of a Mobius Crest. The symbol Xyphiel had adorned himself with often.
A reminder of his immortal existence and a perceived curse.
“Perhaps they shouldn’t be imprisoned,” Xyphiel snapped his fingers, grinning at me, “Let us compromise…” I watched as the center of the seal on his hand, opened once more, “I shall release all but one.”
I rushed towards him.
My new goal was clear: I had to take his hand. I had to sever his connection with the seal. I had placed it upon his hand all those eons ago, it was fitting that I remove it.
Xyphiel turned, his seal-bearing hand facing behind him as he blocked my strike with the Puriel blade. “It’s rude to interrupt, Michael!”
A cone of blackened light erupted from Xyphiel’s hand as I watched, powerless, as he unleashed yet more potent demons.
Xyphiel turned to me, grinning wickedly, “You’ve done exactly what I wanted, Michael. All of Heaven is here now… and I can unleash the true breadth of my army!”
I heard a horrific roar as I saw the mighty wings of the gigantic demon of Destruction and Chaos, Abaddon, unfurl into the air.
“I have released you!” Xyphiel called out, “Serve me, Xyphiel, Lord of Pride, and today, you shall feast on the flesh of angels!”
Abaddon soared into the air and bellowed back, “Prisoners of Lucifer - our new Lord gives us freedom! Let us reward it with death upon the children of God!” Abaddon's massive form crashed through one of the walls of the city, roaring in celebration as yet more horrors poured out of the seal upon Xyphiel’s hand.
The flood stopped and I witnessed demons tearing into the forces of God, their numbers more than I could imagine.
“Seems it is far easier to get into Hell than Heaven, dear Michael,” Xyphiel boasted, “While you were busy singing and training, the armies of Hell swelled and readied themselves for this day.”
My eyes widened as Xyphiel’s golden-clad hand took hold of the Puriel blade.
Xyphiel rushed towards me, the Puriel blade readied at my chest, “The day that Heaven itself shall fall!”
…
Ragna
I lay there on the floor where Zepherina had fallen.
She came to save me and now she was trapped here.
Could I have failed her more?
Zepherina, Rachel, Eva, or Timothy?
My regret reached even further back.
Moira, Alyssa, Xahara, and Soradoria?
How many did I let down or fail? Over and over again.
I curled up in a fetal position, a half-empty bottle clutched to my chest.
I envied Alexander of Macedonia.
How death came for him so easily. I wanted nothing but darkness to take me, swallow me up, and ferry me away.
I’d rather feel nothing than an ounce of what I felt now.
The ground shook and I looked around me, the entire room shaking.
“Mom!” I heard Zepherina shout from below.
Ripping out of the floor was a sight I had thought I would never see again.
My eyes went wide as I gazed upon a strange figure rising from the shattering floor.
Was this another illusion from this damned place? Was I just dreaming in a drunken stupor? This figure rising from the floor had the wings of a Nite but the body of a Dei.
She looked like my mom or a version of her. But it couldn’t be, I saw my mother die, Guardians know how long ago.
No, this figure had the face of Zepherina.
This representation of Zepherina had white Niten Dragon wings, and her head adorned with white horns. Her eyes sat in her seemingly empty eye sockets, a glowing white mist around a pair of solid amethyst spheres which gazed upon me with a surprising level of authority.
But it wasn’t authority or pride holding those eyes on mine. I saw hope looking back at me.
“Z-Zepherina?!” I gasped, “What-What is this?!” I stammered.
Zepherina hefted me off the floor like I was nothing more than a cardboard cutout, “Time to sober up and get out of here, Mom!” She declared as she ferried me out of the bar and towards the throne room.
I let the glass bottle and tumbler slip from my fingers as I grabbed a hold of her, unsure if the glass was what I heard shattering or if that was the tower around us crumbling to pieces.
I could hear Madison shouting now, “Zeph, what the fuck did you do?!”
“It wasn’t me!” Zepherina protested, but still running, “Okay, it was but not-Nevermind! Come on, we have to get out of here! The whole tower is coming down!”
Zepherina was right and I glanced around us frantically, unsure where we were or what was what.
I still had some drink in me, my vision wasn’t fully clear and I was still groggy.
All I could do was gaze up at Zepherina’s potent form, holding onto me firmly and securely.
Every step, every movement she made exuded confidence and prowess.
There wasn’t a single moment where I held a shred of doubt in her resolve.
We weren’t in danger, I knew that much. Not with Zepherina here. Not with my daughter here.
I heard the sound of a slight animalistic whine and turned to see that under Zepherina’s other arm was Stalphous, glancing at me, uncertain, his eyebrows raised in concern at the chaos going on around us.
“Madison, get it in the air!” Zepherina shouted as I watched Madison rush into a transport vessel.
The Tower of Mourning was all crumbling around us and Zepherina’s hands were full, Madison was doing all she could.
I could hear Stalphous whine.
I felt the same.
Helpless, unsure of what was going on.
Then the transport started to slip off the edge of the tower!
No! I wasn’t helpless!
I thrust my hand out, something I hadn’t needed to do when using my telekinesis in so long. Addled as I was, I needed a guiding hand to help me focus.
I held the vessel as best I could.
I could feel Zepherina tense up as we flew towards it and we stopped as we came to the vessel, which I held in place with my mind.
Barely, I might add.
We were still collectively falling, just a bit slower than we would had I done nothing.
“I’m not… Completely… Useless…” I stammered, my primary focus less on talking and more on holding the ship in place while Madison got its engines warmed up.
Thankfully, it didn’t take long.
Soon, the vessel was hovering on its own and I could release it.
Zepherina flew in, dropping Stalphous into the loading area and sitting me upright in a passenger seat, “Madison, you got them from here?” Zepherina asked.
Distracting me from the events next was Stalphous rushing me and licking at my face, the foul scent of his breath helping me sober up, “Stal, Stop,” I tried to instruct him as his smooth yet slimy tongue slid over my face.
I had to keep his tongue from my eyes, I wasn’t going to want the bacterial soup of his saliva getting in there. Weakened as I was, I might get an infection.
“I gotta go, Mom,” Zepherina informed me with a reassuring smile.
I had to slow her down or at least get some idea of what was happening before she left, “Zepherina, look at you! What form is this?!” I demanded.
Zepherina’s face remained warm, serene, and confident, “I’ll explain later, I gotta go save Themyscira from Xyphiel, okay?”
Zepherina was going to face Xyphiel? Now? She said the words with such conviction. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind.
Zepherina was going to stop him? My daughter planned to fight Xyphiel head-on?
The fight of her life lay before her, and here I was, holding her back. Yet she still came for me? She saved me? I could not let her go alone.
“You did this, didn’t you? You defeated what was holding me there?” I said, motioning to the collapsing tower below us.
Zepherina simply nodded, stretching out her shimmering Niten wings, getting ready to leave. Standing there, she looked like my mother, Yuki.
I reached out to caress her cheek, “Zepherina…” I wanted to say so much. ‘I’m proud of you,’ ‘you’re incredible,’ ‘that’s my girl!’
So cliché but still, I could barely speak. I was so taken aback by how powerful she had become.
“We’ll talk later,” Zepherina said comfortingly.
I moved to stand, but I was strapped in. I immediately began to undo the belt buckles holding me in place.
I wasn’t going to sit back, drinking myself into a stupor, feeling sorry for myself.
Zepherina’s face fell as she spoke in a concerned tone, “Mom? I gotta go. I don’t have time-”
I didn’t let her finish, “Take me with you,” I demanded.
Zepherina paused for only a single moment before she smiled at me, opening her arms, “Then let’s go.”
Madison shouted over the hum of the engines, “Uh, hey, guys?!” She said as she pointed northward.
There a massive pillar of light reached out from the horizon and high into the apex of the firmament above. A grand spectacle of swirling glowing white clouds at the top with many streaks streaming down from the heavens above.
Zepherina’s voice cracked through the hum of the engine, “They opened up Heaven’s Gate,” she said in awe.
The battle hadn’t just begun, it was well underway.
Even I knew what that meant: Sofia had sacrificed herself to open the gates. Despite my disdain for her, I had to respect her for it. It was certainly no easy feat to give yourself over to a greater cause.
“Well, my old foe, Godspeed to you,” I thought as I turned to Zepherina. “What are you waiting for? Let’s not be the last ones to get a shot at Xyphiel.”
Zepherina smiled, grabbing hold of me, “Hold on tight, Mom.”
I turned to Madison, “Make sure Stalphous is safe, Captain!”
Madison shouted back, “It’s Colonel now!” She shouted as she gave me a thumbs up, “And Stal’s safe with me!”
Stalphous sat calmly on a passenger seat, his thick lizard-like tail wagging back and forth as he licked his snout happily.
“Be good for your auntie!” I shouted as Zepherina and I took off.
I had to hold on tightly as we soared faster and faster toward the pillar of light.
I couldn’t even see the world around us, the wind was so intense. I shut my eyes, holding onto Zepherina for dear life.
I could feel the feathers of my wings being ripped off by the sheer force of the air, we were traveling so fast.
Yet, somehow, I knew those were feathers that would fall regardless.
I could feel my strength returning. Whether that was by my power or Zepherina’s, I didn’t know. Nor did I care, to be honest.
We slowed and I opened my eyes, watching a final white feather flutter off of my blackened wings.
I smiled at my dark wings, noticing my hair had darkened as well.
I turned to Zepherina, her smile had turned into the stone-cold look of a warrior.
My attention was caught by the sounds of clashing blades, weapons firing, and the din of war cresting over the battlefield.
We landed on the top of the capitol building, Zepherina setting me down.
“Mom, wait here until you’re ready to join in. I’ve got scores to settle,” Zepherina said, a pair of glowing white blades of pure light materializing in her hands.
“Zepherina,” I said, slowly getting to my feet.
Zepherina turned to me, an aura of divinity surrounding her.
I smiled at her, “I’m so proud of you. Thank you. I love you.”
Zepherina’s stone-cold face cracked a smile, “Love you too, Mom.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, she jumped from the rooftops and dove into the fray.
I moved to the edge of the capitol building’s roof, and looked around, “Rage, confirm you can hear me.”
“Confirmed. Welcome back, Mother,” Rage reported.
I sighed, turning to a door on the roof, “I’m not at full strength yet. How functional are the old armature systems?”
“Fully maintained in storage mode at this time. Would you like to exhume it?” Rage asked.
“Yes, Rage. Please do,” I ordered, heading down into the capitol. “I’m not going to be useless. I will fight, to my last breath.”
“Oh, I am so happy to hear that, little Sellenia!” My eyes went wide as I looked out into the distance to see Zelletia’s massive form descend from the sky, landing on the battlefield.
Zelletia’s huge head turned right and left, searching for me below.
Had she not seen me yet?! I rushed into the Capitol building, moving to the stairwell.
Normally, the elevator would be my first inclination, but all things considered, I had to hurry.
The armory was in the basement.
I jumped over the railing and sprung my wings straight up, falling down the center of the stairwell as quickly as gravity could move me.
“Come out, Come out, wherever you are… Or is little Sellenia too afraid to meet her doom with the rest of her supposed empire?!” Zelletia’s voice taunted.
I growled to myself as I landed below, rushing through the hallways as I felt the ground shake under my feet.
Rage was keen enough to know that I needed the doors unlocked and I slammed my way through as many of them as I could while I made my way to the armory.
To where Esmeralda and Brittany should have been.
I smashed into a lab to find only Esmeralda sitting calmly on a stool drinking a glass of wine, a bottle next to her.
I was about to admonish her but it struck me that up until a few minutes ago I was doing the same thing, “Esmeralda!” I shouted.
Esmeralda turned to me, bowing her head and lifting her glass, “My Mistress, however, can I be of assistance?”
“I believe you had considered armor for Zepherina that would nullify demonic power, yes?” I asked.
“Yes my Empress, but I believe you said she was not yet ready…” Esmeralda mused.
“I need it,” I ordered.
“You?” Esmeralda turned to me, confused, “But you do not need such-”
“Did I stutter, Esmeralda?” I growled, narrowing my eyes at her.
Esmeralda flinched, dropping her glass, “O-Of course, My Mistress. My humble apologies… Allow me to fetch it.”
“Now!” I commanded, glaring at her.
Esmeralda was on her hooves and moving quickly through the lab as she did I hurriedly removed my shirt and boots.
Within, Esmeralda opened a large chamber where a set of plate armor stood on a mannequin about Zepherina’s height. Luckily we had similar builds.
Esmeralda was careful not to touch the armor, as she unveiled it to me, “The engineers did well enough where I cannot touch the blessed armor. An alloy made of blessed metals plated in pure silver, with every aspect of the forging, even the plating, performed in the sacred waters of the Guardian Temple, courtesy of the Temple's custodian, what was his name? Juan or Jorge...? Yes, I think it was Jorge. Some Spaniard," Esmeralda turned to me, “Well either way, were you a demon it would burn your skin upon first touch…” Esmeralda looked me up and down, “Or a Fallen.”
I moved towards the armor, hesitating for a moment as my reflection stared back at me from the shined silvery surface. Etchings across the shoulders and chest bore the sigil of Penthesil and etched along its sides were holy symbols and runes.
I paused for a moment, then the ground under my feet shook, “Fuck it. If it burns me the entire time that means it’ll burn anything else I touch.”
My hands moved to the buckles and I quickly slipped the armor on, being as careful as I could to not come into contact with the outside portions of the armor whenever I could.
Esmeralda gave me a curious expression as I donned the armor.
I finally picked up the helm, my hands properly protected by the gloves, “What are you staring at?”
Esmeralda looked me up and down, “...By all accounts, if you were a Fallen Angel, that should burn you. At least as far as I know,” Esmeralda’s eyebrows rose in thought on her otherwise flawless face, “Unless that only applied to Fallen whom were cast down into Hellfire?"
“No time to debate the how or why,” I said as I looked around, “Weapons?”
“There wasn’t much need for a weapon with Zepherina having the so-called Dragon Slayer blade you designed for her,” Esmeralda said with a shrug.
I glanced at my wing and focused on a feather, pulled one out, and tested if I could form it into a blade.
My feather was a proper sword. I nodded and formed a second one. “Taking another method to slay this dragon.”
“Good luck, My Empress,” Esmeralda said with a bow.
“Where is Brittany?” I asked.
“Brittany is aiding Lady Dmitria in the Atlantic States in the Americas, My Mistress,” Esmeralda informed.
I moved past her, “I won’t force you to fight your brethren.”
“I had no intention to do so,” Esmeralda admitted, “You had given me no order to defend the Capitol nor to fight. So I shall remain here.”
I nodded to her, “If you should be captured, you are to claim you never stopped serving my father, make no mention of our pact, and assume your previous responsibilities while avoiding my brother, until I call upon you. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”
Esmeralda’s face soured, “I would have rathered you to order me to fight… But very well, My Mistress,” Esmeralda bowed low to me, “It shall be as you command.”
I rushed out of the labs as the ground shook again.
I could hear Zelletia’s voice in my mind, but I could somehow tell this was not a message just for me. Her voice was ringing out to all those in the city, “Is this how the Empress of Penthesil addresses a challenge?! She hides on the battlefield!? How cowardly of you, Little Sellenia!”
I rushed to the stairwell and jumped up into the air, flying up through the stairwell until I reached the roof.
I did not bother with the door and just crashed through the doorway and into the air, spreading my wings wide to slow myself down once I was over the Capitol building.
I responded as Zelletia did, in the minds of all around me, “Not running from you worm! Just waiting for you to be exactly where I wanted you to be!”
Zelletia was there, where I expected. Standing at the center of my capital city. The last place I wanted to see her, but for my attack, she was just where she had to be.
I dove towards her, my armor blinding her at first as I swung my blades at her eye.
Even as she swatted me away, I could hear her roar in pain as the flesh on her massive paw burned.
That being said, I was still swatted down to the ground.
I pushed myself to my feet and slammed my swords together, reforming them into a polearm as I rushed towards her towering front paw.
I let loose a war-cry as I drove it between the scales on her toes, causing her to lift her foot instinctively. As she raised her front paw, I was riding along with her, my polearm impaled deep into her flesh.
Just as I was about level with her chest I pushed off of Zelletia’s scales, watching as my boot caused her scales to burn and wither.
Zelletia let out a deafening roar, the power of which knocked over a building before her, blowing any soldiers, demons, or angels away as she did.
I was luckily away from the blast as I dove towards her ear.
Zelletia’s head thrashed slightly and I had to adjust, landing on her horn. I wrapped my legs tightly around her massive tree-sized horn and took a firm grip of my polearm, swinging down and thrusting the polearm into her ear.
My blade pierced through her flesh and I felt as I struck her eardrum.
Zelletia’s thrashing increased wildly now, as she stumbled, her equilibrium thrown by my strike.
“You vile little insect!” Zelletia’s voice bellowed as she slammed her horn, and me with it, down into the ground.
I rolled over, pushing myself away from Zelletia as a cloud of dust and debris burst into the air.
The ground shook once more and rising out of the cloud was a surprisingly smaller sight.
Zelletia was in her Rex Dragon form still, but now an eighth the size. Still, Zelletia was over twelve meters tall.
I glared up at her, “What, did I make you dizzy, snake?”
Zelletia growled, turning quickly, far faster than I expected, sending her tail whipping at me at high speed.
I gasped as it collided with me, knocking me through a building’s wall as I tumbled across the battlefield.
I landed in a mass of demons and soldiers.
One large demon grinned down at me. It was some kind of towering goat-like creature with burning green eyes. It reached a massive hand towards me moving to hold me down while it rose a bloodied cleaver the size of a small car in its other hand.
The moment its free hand touched my armor, however, the flesh on the demon's skin burned.
The goat demon reeled back, screaming in pain.
I reached out, grabbing at its wrist as more fur and flesh burned, “The Ragnarök has come for you all!” I pulled hard on its wrist, ripping its arm from the socket and causing the huge beast to tumble forward.
As it fell I whipped the polearm through its body, slicing the creature in half, allowing both sides of its body to fall on either side of me.
I turned to the demons around me who quickly turned and began to run, my soldiers all crying out in joy, “Let none escape!” I shouted.
Zelletia landed before me, roaring at me and the soldiers around me.
They took up arms quickly, ready to fight her.
I shook my head, “Leave this one to me!” I ordered, “Kill the retreating Demons!”
My soldiers quickly took up my charge.
“Oh Sellenia, you must feel so special! Having little pathetic creatures listening to your every command as if it matters…” Zelletia taunted, “How fitting that you become a queen when you have robbed me of my right to rule at every turn!”
“I am no queen! And you have no right to call me Sellenia!” I shouted, readying my polearm, “I am Empress Ragna Misho,” I narrowed my eyes at Zelletia’s, “And I’m going to end you.”
“Try it, Little Sellenia!” Zelletia roared in anger at me, her foul breath making me dizzy.
I held firm and rushed towards her, only to be swatted aside by her paw before I could get in range of her.
The blow carried the same force as she had when she was larger. This time I had to drive the base of the polearm into the ground to stop myself from flying backward.
“My size change was tactical, insect!” Zelletia grinned, spreading her wings, “I was too large to keep track of you before… But now,” Zelletia’s maw turned up into a wicked grin filled with snaggle teeth, “I can find you easily.”
I groaned as I got to my feet, “Just means I can inflict more damage on you.”
“Try it, flea!” Zelletia snapped at me.
I took to the air, polearm at the ready now, dodging her strikes as best I could.
Zelletia was right, however. She was far faster now.
I barely missed her massive jaws as they snapped near my shoulder.
With a swift motion I struck at her cheek with my polearm, but her tail once again swatted me out of the air.
I was sent straight down with such force that I bounced upwards for a moment before I turned and fell onto my back.
Zelletia loomed over me, my vision tunneling and blurred as her voice rang in my ears.
“I will admit, watching you languish in the Tower of Mourning was enjoyable… But I will take just as much satisfaction in killing you. When you get to your mother’s realm of the Dead, do tell her that her throne will be the next I take!” Zelletia laughed heartily, “All that was robbed from me shall be mine at last!”
I heard a roar of pain, followed by a flash of brilliant yellow light.
Landing next to me was one of Zelletia’s massive horns, severed completely from her head.
Zelletia roared in pain and anger, her voice shrill as she cursed, “You pathetic little Niteling!”
Landing next to the horn I saw a pair of draconic paws, with yellow scales and tan claws. Wrapped around them were white leathers and silvery shin guards.
My eyes followed the legs up, looking to see an outstretched claw of a Niten Dragon reaching down towards me.
My vision cleared and my eyes focused on her brilliant blue eyes as she spoke, my heart caught in my throat.
Tears filled my eyes as I looked upon a face I had all but forgotten to time long ago. But now, before me, there was no mistake, it was her!
“You’re lucky I got here in time,” Tassel’s smiling face looked down at me as she took my hand, pulling me to my feet and greeting me with a wry and friendly grin, “Why am I always saving your ass, Sellie?”

The session of the Armenian-Russian intergovernmental commission on military-technical cooperation has kicked off

"Opening the session and welcoming the participants, Deputy Minister of Defense Karen Brutyan emphasized the importance of strengthening and developing bilateral military-technical relations.
The Deputy Minister of Defense expressed hope that during the session there will be effective discussions related to the prospects of cooperation," reads the Facebook post.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107405.html

Speaker of Parliament meets Bundestag President in Germany, calls for sanctions against Azerbaijan

Speaker Simonyan said that Armenia attaches great importance to the implementation of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and appreciates Germany’s support in this matter.
Speaking about the post-war situation and the need for urgent solutions to regional security issues, Speaker Simonyan said that the no less destructive developments happening in South Caucasus – around Armenia and the Armenian-populated Nagorno Karabakh – are overlooked by many.
At the request of Bas, Simonyan presented details on the crisis in Lachin Corridor, the danger facing the blockaded 120,000 Armenians of Artsakh and the multi-layered humanitarian problems.
Simonyan warned that Azerbaijan is seeking to forcefully displace the Armenian population before the eyes of the whole world by continuing its policy of ethnic cleansing and creating unbearable living conditions.
The Speaker of Parliament reminded that the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – issued a binding ruling on February 22, ordering Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.
“We expect our German colleagues to take practical steps to ensure the immediate implementation of the court’s decision by Azerbaijan through the application of sanctions against Azerbaijan,” Simonyan said.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107385.html

Azerbaijani troops breached line of contact and advance into Nagorno Karabakh

In violation of the 9 November 2020 trilateral statement, the Azerbaijani forces breached the line of contact in the Shushi-Lisagor section on March 25 and secured some “positional advance”, the official Information Center of Nagorno Karabakh reported.
The Nagorno Karabakh authorities immediately notified the Russian peacekeepers on this yet another violation by Azerbaijan.
“The authorities expect the peacekeeping contingent to take practical steps for eliminating the consequences of this violation and preventing new violations,” the Information Center said in a statement.
“Azerbaijan’s false claim on the alleged use of the Stepanakert-Ghaybalishen-Lisagor mountain road for arms shipments is simply a pretext for their own renewed aggressive and destructive actions. They ambushed and killed three on-duty police officers and injured another on March 5 under this same pretext. The government of Artsakh has numerously said that in conditions of the ongoing blockade since December 12, the given mountain road is used for civilian, urgent connection between Stepanakert and four communities in Shushi region, which is carried out with [high-clearance] large vehicles, given the highly complex and hazardous terrain.
And the existence and normal functioning of the Defense Army doesn’t pose any danger for anyone, because it is envisaged exclusively for self-defense, taking into account the real and direct dangers and threats against the physical existence and safety of the people of Artsakh,” it added.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107223.html

Azerbaijan’s attempt to advance further into Artsakh territory foiled

On March 27, at around 9:00 am, units of the Azerbaijani armed forces tried to advance towards one of the heights adjacent to the Stepanakert-Lisagor road, Artsakh’s Defense Ministry informs.
The attempted advancement of the was prevented thanks to the actions of the soldiers of the Artsakh army on combat duty,
The incident was reported to the command of the peacekeeping troops of the Russian Federation.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/27/azerbaijans-attempt-to-advance-further-into-artsakh-territory-foiled/

Nagorno Karabakh reacts to Azerbaijani meeting offer

Below is the full statement issued by the foreign ministry of Nagorno Karabakh.
In connection with another proposal made by the Azerbaijani President's Office to hold a meeting between representatives of Azerbaijan and Artsakh in Baku in early April, we consider it necessary to reiterate the principled position of the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh regarding possible discussions with Azerbaijan, their modalities and objectives. The Republic of Artsakh has always advocated and continues to advocate for dialogue and a peaceful, negotiated solution to all existing problems. We have never refused contacts with the Azerbaijani side, which is evidenced by the meetings held between the representatives of Artsakh and Azerbaijan with the mediation of the command of the Russian peacekeeping forces deployed in Artsakh. The conditions proposed by the Azerbaijani side regarding the place and agenda of the meeting, as well as the context in which the proposal was made, indicate that the goal of the Azerbaijani authorities is not to have genuine discussion on existing problems, but to disrupt a possible dialogue or to impose their own political agenda through coercion, blockade, creating unbearable living conditions and the use of military force. In this regard, we consider it necessary to recall that three days ago, on 26 March, the Azerbaijani armed forces, in flagrant violation of the trilateral ceasefire statement of 9 November 2020, crossed the line of contact and moved further into the territory of the Republic of Artsakh, in the direction of the unpaved road Stepanakert-Lisagor. Moreover, on 27 March, the Azerbaijani armed forces made another attempt to take control of the mentioned road, which is the only possibility of emergency communication between the communities of Shushi region and other settlements of the republic under the conditions of blockade. We reaffirm our readiness, in line with the established practice of previous meetings, to meet with the representatives of Azerbaijan with the mediation and at the deployment site of the command of the Russian Peacekeeping Contingent in Artsakh to discuss issues of ensuring the normal life activity of the people of Artsakh and the proper implementation by the parties of their obligations, in particular, those related to the unimpeded functioning of the Lachin Corridor. In this context, we consider the reopening of the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia through the Lachin Corridor and addressing the humanitarian, infrastructural and other urgent issues caused by the blockade to be a priority The authorities of Artsakh are also open to discussing other issues, which would not be aimed at imposing ready-made solutions on the part of Azerbaijan, but the search of mutually acceptable solutions to stabilise the situation and prevent further escalation of tension. We emphasize once again that the continued blocking of the Lachin Corridor and aggravation of the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh are unacceptable and in no way contribute to creating an environment conducive to dialogue. We are convinced that only proper implementation by Azerbaijan of its international obligations, both under the Trilateral Statement of 9 November 2020 and the order of the International Court of Justice of 22 February 2023, may testify to Azerbaijan's willingness and interest to address issues through dialogue and negotiations without resorting to coercion and the use of force. We reiterate the inadmissibility of politicisation of dialogue on technical and humanitarian issues and emphasise that the political issues of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict settlement must be discussed in an agreed and internationally established negotiation format, based on the equal rights of the parties and the existence of solid international guarantees for the implementation by the parties of their obligations.”
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107369.html

Charles Michel conducts separate telephone calls with Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders

On 25 March, European Council President Charles Michel had separate bilateral telephone conversations with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.
Following his last meetings with both leaders in Munich on 16-17 February 2023, President Michel raised with them various topics discussed in the Brussels process between their first trilateral meeting on 14 December 2021 and their fourth meeting on 31 August 2022.
Michel reaffirmed the EU’s strong commitment to helping the sides reach a long-awaited normalisation and sustainable peace and expressed concerns about the continuous crisis around the Lachin corridor, the recent casualties and sharp increase in tensions on the ground as well as accompanying negative rhetoric.
The EU top official urged his counterparts to look for compromise solutions and to refrain from any actions that could lead to risks of escalation.
In both calls, the leaders agreed to stay in close contact.
https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/latest-news/charles-michel-conducts-separate-telephone-calls-with-armenian-and-azerbaijani-leaders/

Armenia’s Constitutional Court greenlights ratification of Rome Statute

The High Court ruled today that the Stature corresponds to the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia.
The decision paves the way for Armenia to join the International Criminal Court.
Although Armenia signed the Rome Statute in 1999, in 2004, the Armenian Constitutional Court ruled that the Statute was partially incompatible with the Armenian constitution and could not be ratified.
The ICC is the world’s first permanent international court to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Central to the Court’s mandate is the principle of complementarity, which holds that the Court will only intervene if national legal systems are unwilling or unable to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The Armenian Government greenlighted the ratification of the Statue at a sitting of December 29, 2022.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/24/armenias-constitutional-court-greenlights-ratification-of-rome-statute/

Opposition nominates candidate for Ombudsman

The two opposition caucuses in the Armenian parliament have nominated their candidate for Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman), a position that has been vacant since the resignation of Kristinne Grigoryan in January.
The opposition’s candidate is Edgar Ghazaryan, a former Armenian Ambassador to Poland and former Chief of Staff of the Constitutional Court, the chair of the human rights and public affairs committee Taguhi Tovmasyan said in a statement.
Ghazaryan is a vocal critic of the incumbent government.
The ruling Civil Contract faction earlier announced that its candidate for the position is Anahit Manasyan, the Deputy Prosecutor General of Armenia. Manasyan hasn’t been officially nominated yet.
Candidates must pass a confirmation vote in parliament to be installed as Ombudsman.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107345.html

United States expresses concern over Azerbaijani ‘military movements’

“Assistant Secretary Karen Donfried spoke with Foreign Minister Bayramov this morning and expressed concern over Azerbaijani military movements,” State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said when asked to give updates from the situation on the ground regarding Armenia-Azerbaijan.
“She emphasized the U.S.’s commitment to Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiations. As the Secretary has also spoken about this quite repeatedly, direct dialogue is key to resolving this issue and reaching a lasting peace. There is not a military solution to this conflict. We’ll continue to facilitate discussions between Armenia and Azerbaijan bilaterally as well as with partners, and as well as throughout multilateral organizations as well,” Patel added.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107342.html

Khandanyan presents situation resulted by the blockade of Lachin Corridor to the delegation of Czech Foreign Ministry

According to him, now Armenia is in the continuous processes of democratic reforms and is consistent to the succeeded experience of the Czech Republic.
The Committee Chair noted that this year the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and the Czech Republic. According to him, during the past three decades, inter-state warm relations were succeeded to develop and at present, Armenia is ready to deepen the cooperation in all possible spheres of mutual interest with the Czech Republic.
As Sargis Khandanyan observed, the inter-parliamentary cooperation is rather active. He expressed conviction that the mutual interests will promote the strengthening of cooperation between the parliaments of two countries.
Armenia highlights the effective cooperation with the Czech Republic on the bilateral, as well as multilateral platforms, in the EU and multilateral formats, including the UN, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and other formats.
Jaroslav Kurfürst thanked Sargis Khandanyan for warm reception and words. He also emphasized the deepening of cooperation between the two countries, noting that on the occasion of the establishment of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, a number of events and mutual visits are scheduled.
According to the Director General for European Issues of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, the cooperation in parliamentary format has an important role for enriching the agenda of inter-state relations and deepening of the existing friendly ties.
The Committee Chair presented the situation in Armenia and in Nagorno Karabakh, spoke about the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor, underlining that as a consequence of closing of the only road connecting with the outside world, 120.000 residents of Nagorno Karabakh is in full blockade.
Issues of regional security were also discussed.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107331.html

Armenian Prime Minister holds meeting with new Georgian Ambassador

PM Pashinyan congratulated Ambassador Sharvashidze on taking office and expressed confidence that his activities will boost the development of the Armenian-Georgian relationship, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a readout.
The Prime Minister praised the Armenia-Georgia cooperation course and attached importance to further expanding the economic ties and initiatives aimed at utilizing untapped potential.
Ambassador Sharvashidze vowed to make maximum efforts to strengthen the Armenian-Georgian ties.
PM Pashinyan and Ambassador Sharvashidze exchanged views around prospects of cooperation and discussed the trade-economic agenda. In this context they attached importance to active contacts and mutual-visits between business circles and their involvement in investment programs.
The importance of the signing of the agreement on introducing simplified visa-free travel requirements between Armenia and Georgia was stressed in terms of strengthening humanitarian ties.
Both sides attached importance to regional stability and peace.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107141.html

Canada calls on Azerbaijan to release Armenian POWs, reopen Lachin Corridor

“I share the concerns of Armenian Canadians and Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. We continue to call on the Azerbaijani authorities to reopen the Lachin Corridor. We need to prevent the worsening of the humanitarian crisis. Canada supports the 2020 ceasefire agreement, including the return of Armenian prisoners of war. It is important that the ceasefire – which is supported by the EU monitoring group – be respected,” Mélanie Joly said in response to MP Jean Yip, who noted that it’s already been over 100 days that the Lachin Corridor is blocked and that many Armenians in Canada are worried over the tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan and that the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh could soon escalate. She asked on the Canadian government’s position and efforts in this matter.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107367.html

Armenian Ambassador to UN debunks Azeri accusations on “child soldiers”, letter published as official UNSC, GA document

Margaryan wrote the letter with reference to the groundless, repetitive and false accusations by Azerbaijan which have already been repudiated on several occasions.
Read the full thing in the link, it's a long letter
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107193.html

Armenian Defense Minister calls for continuous enhancement of combat readiness given regional situation

The three-day assembly will feature reports, lectures and exhibition trainings, the defense ministry said in a statement.
Defense Minister Suren Papikyan welcomed the participants of the event at the Defense Ministry headquarters on March 28.
Speaking about the regional military-political situation and the military’s objectives in this context, the minister attached importance to continuous enhancement of the combat readiness of troops, implementation of frontline re-equipment and reinforcement works, and also discussed the ongoing reforms in the military.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107357.html

Due to the regional military-political situation, the Minister of Defense emphasized the increase of combat capability in the troops

According to the preparation plan for the academic year of 2023, on March 28, the three-day operational meetings held with the leadership of the RA Armed Forces started in the administrative complex of the Ministry of Defense.
Defense Minister Suren Papikyan welcomed the participants on the first day of the meeting. Touching upon the regional military-political situation and the problems faced by the armed forces in that context, the minister emphasized the continuous increase in combat capability of the troops, the implementation of frontline furnishing and fortification works, and also referred to the reforms launched in the armed forces.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107357.html

Greek community of Armenia celebrates independence day

The Pontic Greek community of Yerevan organized a Greek national holiday celebration in the Educational-Cultural Center of National Minorities of the Prime Minister’s Office on March 26.
Greece celebrates Independence Day on March 25.
Colonel Gerasimos Avlonitis, the Defense Attache of the Embassy of Greece in Armenia, attended the event.
Eduard Polatov, the head of the Patrida Greek community of Armenia also delivered remarks
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107274.html

Armenian military builds new base intended for women recruits

Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan visited on March 25 a military base which will house the women’s regiment and a boot camp for women troops.
Papikyan surveyed the buildings and issued concrete instructions regarding the deadlines of the construction.
The Armenian military plans to introduce a new option of voluntary military service for women.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107216.html

Armenian patriarchate calls on Israeli authorities to take serious measures following attack on St. Mary's Church

Below is the full communiqué released by the chancellery.
“The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem strongly condemns the attack on the St. Mary’s Church of Gethsemane, which according to the Status Quo of the Holy Places is under the joint control of the Armenian and Greek Orthodox Churches.
Though it was the first attack on St. Mary since the beginning of this year, the Christian Holy Shrines have been in constant state of both physical and emotional duress by rogue attackers. Had these previous attacks on the Christian Holy Places been swiftly condemned by the local authorities leading to the perpetrators’ punishment to the full extent of the law, there would not be an influx of new attacks on the churches and monasteries of these Christian communities.
Religious intolerance and hate crimes in all their forms and perpetrations will never allow the conditions of peaceful co-existence to manifest. In fact, their presence – especially when gone unchecked by prevailing authorities – will encourage other hateful crimes and intolerances to take place. These actions and their lack of condemnation lead to unsafe conditions for these communities and establishes a lack of trust between worshipers, tourists, and residents with the local authorities.
Therefore, we call upon the Israeli Government and the Police to take serious measures to prevent such attacks and to protect both the Christian Holy sites and their daily worshipers from further vandalism and suchlike attacks.”
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106888.html

Nagorno Karabakh arrests two Stepanakert residents on suspicion of espionage

In a statement released Saturday, the Nagorno Karabakh Investigative Committee said “two residents of Stepanakert city established contact with agents of the Azerbaijani intelligence agencies” and regularly relayed classified information, including top secret data, in exchange for money.
Authorities said the suspects conveyed information on Nagorno Karabakh’s economy, the security of citizens, the social programs in response to the blockade, the changes happening in the composition of the government, the presidential orders and other information relating to the population - actions that constitute “high treason.”
The law enforcement agency did not mention how the suspects gained access to top secret information.
Both suspects are charged with high treason and are being held in custody.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107207.html

Russia, Belarus barred from upcoming Yerevan European Weightlifting Championships 2023 by EWF

The men’s and women’s teams of Russia and Belarus were not included in the final entry list of nations by the EWF.
The EWF European Weightlifting Championships 2023 are scheduled to take place 15-23 April in Yerevan, Armenia.
In 2022, the EWF indefinitely banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in its events. Russia and Belarus nonetheless submitted bids to participate in the Yerevan championships but the EWF turned them down.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107020.html

As a result of the Lernakert excavations, burials attributed to the phase of transition from the middle bronze to the late bronze were discovered.

Burials attributed to the phase of transition from the Middle Bronze to the Late Bronze Age (2nd half of the 16th century - 1st half of the 15th century BC) were opened, in which both the Middle Bronze Age Red Berd and the Late Bronze Age objects were found. These tombs of the transitional phase (Middle Bronze to Late Bronze) have a retaining wall-cromlech with a diameter of 5-15 meters. The cells are underground, oriented north-south. In the burials attributed to different phases of the Late Bronze Age, the remains were placed in the ways of burial and reburial. Accompanying possessions in these tombs are shells, rarely beads. The tombs belonging to the early Iron Age have retaining wall-cromlechs (8-20 m square), low mounds made of small stones and east-west facing slab cells. Group burials were documented in the Lower Iron Age tombs. It was discovered
On the eastern slope of the hill of the Iron Age fortress Vari Berd, a "wheel-shaped" structure consisting of other adjacent circular structures was confirmed by aerial photography. "Wheel" structures are famous in Armenia in the foothills of Aragats, where they are found in the context of monuments called "desert kites". Remains of the "Spinal" structure were also documented in the highest ancient site of Aragats Mountain, Karmir Sar, where excavations revealed a collection of dragon stone carvings in their original environment. The example of Lernakert is special in that it is documented for the first time in the context of the castle. However, the latter's function is not yet clear.
The Lernakert excavations are important in terms of the study of the Early Bronze Age society. In particular, the research of the ancient DNA of Lernakert has received a wide response, which shows that the skeletons discovered in burials made at the same time, but in different tomb groups, had no family ties. It proves that different superstitions lived in the communities.
The study of the dynamics of changes in the early Bronze Age landscape of Lernakert makes it possible to follow the formation and construction processes of the defense system with the data of two fortresses in one complex. Due to the combination of data from Lernakert burial site with data from Artik, Harichi, Horom, Mastara, Talin and Lchashen, the processes of formation of complex societies in the Late Bronze Age can be outlined. Groups of privileged people, soldiers, religious servants and merchants are noted in castles and burial grounds.
Articles on the results of the excavations were published in Armenian and foreign periodicals, reported both at local and foreign scientific conferences.
The Lernakert archaeological expedition was co-financed by the Shirak Armenological Research Center of the NAS of RA, the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the NAS of RA, the State Committee of Science and the National Association for Armenological Research and Studies (NAASR) within the framework of the theme "Trends of the Bronze Age landscape transformation of the northwestern slopes of Aragats Mountain".
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107376.html

The President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan received the Chairman of the Constitutional Court Arman Dilanyan.

"I think the most important function of the Constitutional Court and the Presidency is to be able to monitor how well the Constitution works and is preserved in the Republic of Armenia. I would like to continue our conversation on this topic so that in the future we can decide where we have shortcomings, where we can make it more efficient and most importantly, do it together. I would also like to know your opinion in that regard," said Vahagn Khachaturyan.
Expressing his gratitude for the reception, Arman Dilanyan emphasized that the primary duty of the president is to follow the protection of the Constitution.
"In my opinion, it is the most important function of the presidential institution according to our Constitution. In other words, when we read the Constitution, the very first article is about the institution of the president, according to which the president follows the observance of the Constitution. It is not declaratory, it implies very specific powers. "It is the institution of the president that can fully highlight the national problems, analyzing these problems from an objective point of view and presenting them to the Constitutional Court as well," said the President of the Supreme Court.
During the meeting, Arman Dilanyan presented to the President of the Republic the ongoing reforms in the Constitutional Court and the programs of upcoming events. During the conversation, it was emphasized on both sides that the close cooperation of the Presidential Institute and the High Court and the harmony of the agendas of the two constitutional bodies guarantee the normal and uninterrupted functioning of the state bodies in the country.
During the conversation, reference was made to raising awareness about the activities of the Constitutional Court in social, educational and other spheres, raising awareness among citizens about the functions of the Constitutional Court.
A number of issues related to the training and training of personnel in the judicial system, the process and principles of recruitment were also discussed.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107322.html

SC Secretary Armen Grigoryan had working meetings in Tallinn

The Secretary of the Security Council presented the security threats of Armenia to his colleagues, in particular, the possible escalation by Azerbaijan towards Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
The parties emphasized the security cooperation between Armenia and Estonia, as well as the processes of strengthening democracy in Armenia.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107411.html

With the efforts of the Pan-Armenian Youth Football Association, 6 young football players from different countries will come to Armenia

The events are held in cooperation with the Football Federation of Armenia.
During the evening, world champion Yuri Dzhorkaef, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, FFA president Armen Melikbekyan sent video messages. National team football player Yura Movsisyan, SADA Systems president Hovig Safoyan, Arpinet LLC executive director Armen Muradyan, entrepreneurs, coaches who contributed to the development of Armenian football, football players, football fans took part in the event.
During his short visit to the USA, Hakob Arshakyan also met with the members of The Armenian Society of fellows council, scientists and entrepreneurs, and discussed the prospects of scientific and technological development of Armenia.
Meetings were also held with the head of the Los Angeles City Council, Paul Krekorian, community representatives, and a wide range of issues of bilateral interest were discussed.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107364.html

Ruling Civil Contract faction nominates Anahit Manasyan for Human Rights Defender

The post of the Human Rights Defender has been vacant since Kristinne Grigoryan resigned in late January.
Everyone having attained the age of 25, enjoying high authority within the public, having higher education, having been a citizen of solely the Republic of Armenia for the preceding four years, permanently residing in the Republic of Armenia for the preceding four years, and having the right of suffrage, as well as having command of the Armenian language may be elected to the office of the Defender.
According to law, the Defender shall be elected by the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, upon recommendation of the competent standing committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, by at least three fifths of votes of the total number of the members of the Parliament, for a term of six years.
The Defender shall assume office immediately after having been elected by the National Assembly by taking an oath.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/28/ruling-civil-contract-faction-nominates-anahit-manasyan-for-human-rights-defende

Armenian FM discusses regional developments with the Ambassador of Spain

During the meeting the interlocutors exchanged views on topics related to regional security and stability. Minister Mirzoyan touched upon Azerbaijan’s actions, including the recent aggressions againts the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, the rhetoric at the highest level and the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan, emphasizing that such actions of Azerbaijan do not contribute to Armenia’s efforts to establish lasting peace in the region. Ararat Mirzoyan stressed the importance of lifting the blockade of the Lachin corridor as well as the importance of sending an international fact-finding mission to the corridor.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/28/armenian-fm-discusses-regional-developments-with-the-ambassador-of-spain/

Armenia, Cyprus play a 2-2 draw in a friendly: Grant-Leon Ranos scores a brace

https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/28/armenia-cyprus-play-a-2-2-draw-in-a-friendly-grant-leon-ranos-scores-a-brace/

Armenia loses 1 - 2 against turkey in Euro Qualifier

https://www.espn.com/soccematch/_/gameId/655264

Dr Sophie Scamps raises Artsakh blockade in Australian Federal Parliament

Dr Scamps said, “A couple of weeks ago, I was treated to a surprise visit in my electorate office by students of the AGBU Alexander Primary School in Duffys Forest in my electorate of Mackellar. AGBU is an independent, co-educational, bilingual English and Armenian Christian school. While I’m absolutely delighted to have received a visit from these year 5 and 6 students, they came with a very serious message. The students presented me with a letter they had written, asking me to address the Australian parliament on a very important matter: the ongoing blockade of the Lachin corridor in Artsakh since 12 December 2022, as part of the ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.”
“The Lachin corridor is a road that connects the Republic of Artsakh to the Republic of Armenia. The letter went on to explain how the supply of food and medicine is running dangerously low as a result of the blockade, and gas supply between Armenia and Artsakh has been cut off.”
“There is a vibrant Armenian community in my electorate of Mackellar, and I’ve had many representations from those people in addition to the schoolchildren. On their behalf, I have made representations to Foreign Minister Wong’s office about this ongoing crisis and met with foreign department specialists to discuss the matter. The crisis affecting the people of Artsakh must not be forgotten or overlooked while the world is distracted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
ANC-AU Executive Director Michael Kolokossian welcomed the advocacy efforts undertaken by the Year 5 and Year 6 students of AGBU Alexander Primary School.
“During this difficult time, every Armenian-Australian must be advocating for an end to this illegal blockade. It is heartening to see the youngest members of our community play a key role in standing up for their homeland.”
“We thank Dr Scamps for engaging with the Armenian-Australian community and bringing this issue to the floor of parliament. Her principled stance is greatly appreciated as we work to end this blockade,” added Kolokossian.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/28/dr-sophie-scamps-raises-artsakh-blockade-in-australian-federal-parliament/

Farmers in Artsakh targeted by Azerbaijani forces

The report states that at 11:30 a.m. on March 27, Alyosha Zakaryan, the chief specialist of the Martakert region of the Artsakh Republic’s State Inspections Management Committee, reported to the regional police department that March 26, the enemy targeted them in the administrative area of Martakert city. about firing erratically.
The police officers found out that on the same day around 11:30 a.m., while doing agricultural work in the pomegranate orchard belonging to the State Inspections Management Committee in the administrative area of Martakert city, Azerbaijani combat positions fired irregular shots from rifle weapons at the workers.
No one was hurt. Agricultural work was stopped. The police passed the information on to the Russian peacekeeping troops.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/27/farmers-in-artsakh-targeted-by-azerbaijani-forces-3/

Armenia participates in International Agroindustrial Food Fair in Cuba

Armenia showcases agricultural products, brandy and wines at the event.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/24/armenia-participates-in-international-agroindustrial-food-fair-in-cuba/

Sarsang water levels dropping at alarming rate amid blockade, Artsakh authorities say

Since January 9 Azerbaijan has been barring Nagorno Karabakh authorities from accessing and repairing the damaged power transmission line which supplies Nagorno Karabakh with electricity from Armenia.
“The only source of electricity we have now is the Sarsang Reservoir,” Ararat Khachatryan, the acting chairman of the Water Committee of Artsakh said.
“The water levels are over eight meters lower compared to the same period last year. Today the inflow is 4 cumecs, which is a very low indicator. The Tartar flow can reach up to thirty, forty or fifty cumecs. The consumption is a lot higher now. When water levels are high, less water is actually consumed for obtaining electricity, but when the water levels drop, pressure also drops and it takes more water to get the same amount of electricity,” Khachatryan explained.
“Since January 9, Azerbaijan has been impeding and barring us from carrying out repair works in the territory under its control where the high-voltage electricity transmission line supplying Artsakh from Armenia passes. Before the blockade, especially in winters, when the electricity supplied from Armenia was insufficient, we were using the Sarsang Reservoir. After the war we are left with only five small HPPs in Artsakh, which work only under 20% capacity,” Khachatryan said, warning that if the power line doesn’t get fixed soon there will be insufficient water levels in Sarsang.
Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan earlier warned that the significant decrease of water resources in Sarsang Reservoir (which had a capacity of 600,000,000 cubic meters) will lead to a serious crisis in spring and summer first of all for the Azerbaijani farmers themselves because the water resources won’t be sufficient enough for irrigating the 96,000 hectares in Azerbaijan’s Tartar, Aghdam, Bardi, Goranboy, Yevlakh and Akhjabad regions. The Artsakh authorities said that the residents of these regions should be aware that they won’t have irrigation water and will subsequently lose income and harvest thanks to their own authorities and the self-proclaimed “eco-activists”.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/17/sarsang-water-levels-dropping-at-alarming-rate-amid-blockade-artsakh-authorities-say/

Artsakh's human rights defender had meetings in the Uruguayan parliament

Gegham Stepanyan thanked the members of the friendship group and the forum for the efforts invested in protecting the interests of Armenia and Artsakh, as well as raising awareness of the current situation in Artsakh.
During the discussions, reference was made to the policy of ethnic hatred conducted by Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh and the works being carried out to counteract it, as well as the issues related to the involvement and expected support of the international community in the direction of lifting the ongoing blockade. Further steps of cooperation in the specified directions were discussed.
link

Japanese sakura flowers will blossom in Yerevan (for some reason)

The Japanese Embassy in Armenia on Tuesday approved the funding program for the renovation of a building where the “Khikari” Armenian-Japanese Cultural Center will function. The $120,000 grant program is called “Khikari Center Improvement Project.”
“The preparation for the project took three years, but I am confident that nice and good dreams always come true if you continue to wait and believe,” she noted.
Piliposyan also extended her thanks to all supporters, which include the Armenian MFA, Ministry of Culture, Government-Affiliated Charitable Project Coordination Commission and, of course, Japan.
The aforesaid building will be allocated for fifteen years and free of charge. The Center also will have a small Japanese style garden. Moreover, they already have promised to bring Japanese sakura (cherry blossom) flower seedlings to Armenian capital city Yerevan.
The renovation is scheduled to be completed by the year’s end.
https://news.am/eng/news/146489.html

Illegal building being done next to this building in Yerevan

link

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Read it on my Substack and Letterboxd
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https://preview.redd.it/u38nbo7fwkqa1.jpg?width=284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c7c4db2a52de791b299645d94a7e24728d6bc3b
What purpose does faith serve? That is one of the questions asked in Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 sci-fi film 'Stalker'. The film follows an unnamed protagonist who works as and is called a "stalker". Stalkers act as illegal smugglers to bring their clients to "the Zone" and later inside the Zone "the Room", where their deepest and innermost desires are fulfilled. Our protagonist brings in a writer and a professor, both referred to by their job titles.
The film acts without much context to its characters. Stalker has a wife who begs him to quit working and help care for their deformed daughter, however, he persists. It is never directly revealed to us his motivations for working in such harsh conditions for seeming low pay nor why he doesn't simply use the Room himself. The film's plot is undoubtedly straightforward, yet its runtime clocks in at an astonishing 161 minutes. The director, Tarkovsky, knows this and uses it to his full advantage. The first shot is medium wide containing no action nor dialogue, yet lasting for over three minutes. Some shots are even longer. Indeed, Tarkovsky is quoted as having said "The film needs to be slower and duller at the start so that the viewers who walked into the wrong theater have time to leave before the main action starts."
The film is filled with long takes, close-ups, forward dollies, and slow-moving shots. Tarkovsky reminds us of his previous work 'Mirror', a slower and better film full of flashbacks, dream-like sequences, flash-forwards, montages, and long takes. Andrei Tarkovsky, whose father Arseny was a famous Russian poet, is known as a master of poetic cinema. Take for example his "floating scene" in 'Solaris' and the last sequences of 'Ivan's Childhood' and 'Andrei Rublev'. Stalker is no exception. The film has incredible editing holding and lingering on certain shots longer than expected. It contains multiple dream-like sequences with top-down tracking shots, dollies, and profiles. It contains a slow filmmaking language preferring to have the camera on a tripod or dolly rather than gimbals and steadicams, in fact, the film holds no handheld shots. The cinematography seen on screen is shot gorgeously by Alexander Knyazhinsky. It uses dark shadows paired with harsh lighting. The film's first act, set outside the Zone, where martial law, abandoned buildings, and poverty, are rampant, is symbolically shot in a sepia monochromatic tone. The scenes inside the Zone are shot in color, similar to that seen in 'The Wizard of Oz'. What is seen inside the frame is wonderful production design. We watch bleak buildings, winding roads, and the chaotic Zone full of grass, water, and an abandoned nuclear power plant. The Zone reminds us of our habitat and its further corruption.
Yet 'Stalker' is far more than a mere technical showoff. It tackles faith at its core with plenty of Christian symbols sprinkled through, e.g. the crosses borne in the Zone. The movie may be viewed as an allegory of a missionary tackling hope in a faithless world. The world's lack of color is in direct contrast to that of the Zone, which serves as a sort of salvation. The Zone is natural yet ugly, appearing like a wasteland as abandoned as faith in its world. A lesser script would have made this an action film, but 'Stalker' slows down and takes its time. The writer and the professor represent two sides of the same human coin: one emotional and the other rational. Though, by the climax of the film they both seem to have lost faith in the Zone and the Room as shown astounding wide long take that must not be spoiled. Tarkovsky, a Christian himself, never explicitly states the film's views, only showing the stalker's perspective. Is the world's demise due to a lack of faith or is causality reversed? We do not know and Tarkovsky is not interested in answering the question.
The final shot of the film is one of the most meaningful shots in all of cinema. We see the stalker's daughter leaning on a table through a close-up. We zoom out seeing three glasses moving unmotivated. One may wonder if the girl has some form of telekinetic ability. We zoom out further and hear a rumbling noise. A train or subway system is to be suspected. I believe there are two main interpretations. The first states that whatever caused the noise also caused the glasses to move, after all, light travels faster than sound. It is blunt and logical, the professor's view of the world. Science and rationale keep intact. The second is more fantastical. The girl has a telekinetic ability. Unlike her father, she is mostly seen in color. It represents the divine and unknown. We see the future the youth hold. She is young, innocent, and seemingly gifted. Through faith, the young are empowered. Like Tarkovsky before me, I once again ask you this question: Is the bleakness of the world caused by its lack of faith, or is its lack of faith caused by its bleakness?

Lingerie is a type of women's undergarment that has been worn for centuries. It is designed to be both functional and fashionable, providing support and coverage while also enhancing the wearer's body shape and appearance. In this discussion, we will explore different aspects of lingerie, including its fit, fashion, trends, history, reviews, where to buy, and more.

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