#7TH Descendant of Sacrifice

[malusokay]

The Pomegranate Plague of Gen Z Poets

First, it was the moon. Then cigarettes. Then, girls by windows, ethereal in their ruin. Now? Pomegranates. (from my substack)

If you’ve spent enough time around poetry circles, you’ve seen it before. The doomed love, the Persephone complex, the vaguely sacrificial undertones. And, of course, the fruit.

The Persephone Myth (The Popular Version)

So you think you know the story: Persephone, wreathed in flowers, is stolen by Hades, dragged screaming into the Underworld. Her mother, Demeter, weeps and starves the earth in protest. Zeus, eventually deciding this is a problem, orders Persephone’s return—but oops, she ate six pomegranate seeds, so now she’s doomed forever.

That’s the version that survives in girl poetry, anyway.

What Promegerants Girls won’t tell you? The actual myth is a mess. There is no single, definitive version—just fragments, scraps stitched together across centuries. And the pomegranate seed detail?

It barely even shows up.

What We Actually Have:

• Persephone’s myth wasn’t even originally Greek. The story of a goddess being dragged into the underworld predates Greek mythology entirely.

• In Mesopotamian myth, Ishtar (Inanna) descends into the underworld to confront Ereshkigal, queen of the dead. She is stripped of her power and trapped, only escaping by offering someone else in her place—a theme that later appears in Persephone’s myth. This suggests Persephone’s story wasn’t a Greek invention but an adaptation of older Near Eastern fertility-death-rebirth cycles.

• Despoina (“the Mistress”) was worshipped before Persephone—and before Hades was even relevant. In older, pre-Olympian cult traditions, Despoina was the actual chthonic goddess of the underworld. She was venerated alongside Demeter and was probably a far more powerful, independent figure before later mythology reduced Persephone to “Hades’ wife.” Despoina’s cult was deliberately secretive, meaning much of her lore is lost—but she was deeply tied to the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were about life, death, and rebirth, not tragic romance.

• Hades wasn’t even a major figure in early versions of the myth. Before he was written in as “the husband,” the underworld was associated more with Gaia (Earth) and Nyx (Night). Hades’ later dominance in the story came as Olympian mythology reshaped older chthonic traditions.

• Persephone was originally Kore (“the Maiden”)—not a tragic heroine, but an archetype of the life-death-rebirth cycle tied to agriculture. She wasn’t a person; she was a function. The whole point was that she disappears, then re-emerges—her personality was secondary to the cosmic process she represented. Only much later did people start treating her as an individual.

• Hesiod’s Theogony (~8th century BCE), one of the oldest Greek texts, barely mentions Persephone. To him, she’s just Hades’ wife, no backstory necessary. This matters because it shows that her abduction wasn’t even a central myth at first—it developed later.

• The Homeric Hymn to Demeter (~7th century BCE) is our earliest and most detailed source. But forget romance—it’s a political nightmare. Hades kidnaps Persephone (the Greek verb used, ἁρπάζω, literally means “to snatch away”—no courtship, no tragic longing). Demeter shuts down the harvest, and Zeus steps in not out of fatherly love, but because no crops mean no sacrifices, and no sacrifices mean starving gods.

The pomegranate? One sentence. Persephone eats something in the Underworld, so she has to stay. That’s it. The number of seeds? Not even mentioned. The whole “I bit into a pomegranate and now I am bound to darkness forever ”dramatics? A complete invention.

• Ovid’s Metamorphoses (~8 CE) is where we finally get the six seeds detail—but Ovid was Roman, writing centuries after the Greek versions had already evolved. His retelling heightens the drama, turning Persephone into a tragic, doomed figure rather than a cosmic force tied to ritual.

• Later Orphic traditions tried to clean it up, recasting Persephone as the mother of Zagreus (a god later merged with Dionysus), tying her to death, rebirth, and mystery cults. At this point, the myth had already spiralled into layers of mysticism.

• Persephone wasn’t always tragic—she became terrifying. The helpless waif image is a modern fabrication. The ancient sources tell a different story—one where Persephone is feared, not mourned.

• In Euripides’ Helen (412 BCE), she is invoked as a vengeful queen of the dead.

• In Homer’s Odyssey (Book 10), Odysseus fears Persephone’s wrath during his necromantic ritual—she is powerful enough to control the dead without Hades.

• Hecate was Persephone’s underworld counterpart and guide. In later versions, Hecate leads Persephone back to the upper world, further reinforcing Hecate’s enduring role in the chthonic realm.

• In Roman tradition, Proserpina (Persephone) was linked to Libera, a goddess of wild fertility and ecstatic rites. This completely contradicts the modern image of her as a fragile, tragic figure.

The Pomegranate Wasn’t Inherently Tragic

• In Hippocratic medical texts, pomegranate juice was used for contraception and abortion remedies—a practical, everyday association, not one of doom.

• In Pliny the Elder’s Natural History (1st century CE), pomegranates were used to treat fevers and digestive issues. No poetic suffering, just ancient medicine.

• In Greek funerary practices, pomegranates symbolised rebirth, not entrapment. They weren’t about being bound to darkness forever—they were about the cycle of life continuing.

Why This Completely Destroys the Promegerants Version of Persephone

1. The myth is about agriculture and divine power, not doomed love. The earliest versions barely mention Hades—this was Demeter’s story, a myth about the life cycle, cosmic balance, and the survival of humanity.

2. Persephone wasn’t always Persephone. She was Kore, an agricultural symbol, not a tragic heroine. Her function came first, her personality second. The idea of her as a fully realised, suffering individual came centuries later.

3. She wasn’t even the first queen of the underworld. Despoina was worshipped before her—an older, more powerful chthonic goddess with nothing to do with victimhood or romance.

4. The pomegranate was never central to the original myth. It’s a tiny, passing detail used as an explanation for why Persephone had to stay in the Underworld. The number of seeds? A Roman invention.

5. The whole myth wasn’t even Greek to begin with. It likely evolved from Mesopotamian myths like Ishtar’s descent, meaning the Promegerants version is a distortion of a distortion.

6. Persephone wasn’t a victim—she was a force of nature. The later versions of her myth don’t show her as tragic—they show her as terrifying. She was a queen who ruled the dead, feared even by heroes. If Promegerants Girls really wanted to stay true to the myth, they wouldn’t write about Persephone tragically eating seeds—they’d write about her punishing mortals for disturbing the dead.

From Chthonic Queen to Tragic Girlcore

The Promegerants version of Persephone strips her of her original role and reduces her to an aesthetic prop. In the oldest sources, she isn’t even a person—she’s a cosmic force, an idea before she’s a character.

Persephone was never just a tragic girl in a dark room with red-stained lips. She was a goddess of cycles, a ritual figure whose presence dictated the survival of humanity. The oldest myths barely even cared about her personal emotions—because that wasn’t the point.

And the pomegranate? Once a symbol of fertility and power, now just a moody Tumblr metaphor for doomed relationships. Would the ancient Greeks recognize Promegerants Persephone?

Absolutely not.

They’d probably assume she was some mediocre Roman poet’s overdramatic rewrite.

In other words: the version we cling to is a late, Romanized, overly romanticised distortion of a much darker and weirder myth—one that was never about love, tragedy, or women choosing their suffering.

Why Has This Myth Been Hijacked?

Because it’s too easy. The modern interpretation lets poets turn Persephone into:

• A stolen innocence narrative—without engaging with its actual horror.

• A tragic queen figure—without ever giving her power.

• A martyr for womanhood—as if eating a fruit were some grand metaphor for the inevitability of suffering.

But Persephone’s story was never about being loved and ruined.

It was about bargaining, power, and gods who don’t care about human grief.

The Pomegranate Problem™

At this point, the pomegranate isn’t a symbol—it’s a decorative prop.

Its original meanings—fertility, power, the tension between life and death—have been stripped away, replaced with moody girlhood aesthetics.

Poets don’t use it because they understand its history. They use it because it sounds expensive—like a fruit for people who romanticise heartbreak in foreign cities.

But if your poem still works after swapping “pomegranate” for “grapes”, then what are we even doing here?

Read This Before You Write Another Pomegranate Poem

• Homer’s Odyssey → Pomegranates appear in King Alcinous’ eternal orchard, a symbol of wealth, abundance, and divine favour. Not doom.

• Euripides’ Ion → Associated with Aphrodite, symbolising fertility, passion, and desire. Again—not doom.

• Aristophanes’ Lysistrata → Used as an innuendo for female sexuality (which, frankly, would make for a far more interesting poem).

• Dionysian Mysteries → Linked to ecstatic rites, resurrection cults, and the cycle of life and death. If you want to write about pomegranates and darkness, this would actually make sense.

• Roman Religion → Sacred to Juno, particularly in marriage and childbirth rituals, reinforcing their connection to fertility and renewal, not suffering.

• Theophrastus’ Enquiry into Plants → Describes pomegranates as a cultivated luxury fruit, prized for its sweetness, medicinal properties, and status.

• Herodotus’ Histories → Mentions Persian warriors decorating their spears with pomegranates, symbolising strength, fertility, and victory.

• Pausanias’ Description of Greece → Describes pomegranate offerings at Demeter’s sanctuaries, representing fertility, rebirth, and ritual purification—never suffering.

• Plutarch’s Moralia → Links pomegranates to beauty, sensuality, and indulgence in Greek and Roman culture—so, more hedonistic pleasure, less tragic metaphor.

Next time someone writes about a pomegranate-stained mouth, ask them if they mean Persephone or Aristophanes’ sex jokes.

How to Write a Pomegranate Poem That Survives Scrutiny

If you must use it, at least be rigorous. If you’re going full Persephone-core, then be specific. Make it about something real.

Tell us if the juice stains the sheets, if the seeds taste like metal, if they stick between your teeth like regret.

Don’t just drop in “pomegranate” and expect us to do the heavy lifting.

Or consider letting the myth go.

There are so many other symbols, so many richer, underused classical references.

And If You’re Tired of the Pomegranate, Try These Instead

there’s a whole world of classical symbols that carry just as much weight—without the overuse. Here are a few:

Chthonic & Underworld Imagery:

• Asphodel – The ghostly, liminal flowers of the underworld in Greek myth, growing where souls linger. Less overdone than pomegranates, just as eerie.

• Lethe – The river of forgetfulness. Its waters erase memory, a far more unsettling metaphor for loss than a single piece of fruit.

• Orphic Gold Leaves – Real funeral tablets placed with the dead, inscribed with guidance for navigating the afterlife. The ultimate memento mori.

• Owls – Athena’s symbol, but also a nocturnal watcher associated with wisdom, death, and the unknown.

Fertility, Desire & Ruin:

• Fig Trees – Symbolizing sensuality, abundance, and decay (the Greeks also had fig-wood coffins).

• Laurel Wreaths – Victory and poetic ambition, but also a crown of temporary glory—since laurel leaves wither fast.

• Myrrh – A resin used for perfume and burial rites, evoking both seduction and decay. (Also linked to Myrrha, who was cursed to fall in love with her own father. Greek myths were wild.)

Dionysian Madness & Ecstasy:

• Thyrsus – A staff tipped with ivy and pinecones, wielded by Dionysus and his followers. Represents intoxication, divine frenzy, and the thin line between revelry and destruction.

• Ivy – Unlike flowers, it never dies in winter. Clings, suffocates, overtakes. A more interesting metaphor for entanglement than Persephone’s six seeds.

If you must use a pomegranate, at least make it bleed. But if you’re ready for something richer—there are so many other symbols waiting.

[lilithlounge]

Vertex in Synastry: Fated Encounters & Karmic Connections

Ko-fi or Buy Me A Coffee for a personalized Synastry Analysis!

In astrology, the Vertex is often called the "fated point" of the natal chart. It’s associated with destined meetings, pivotal relationships, and life changing moments that seem to happen when we least expect them. When someone’s personal planet or angle touches your Vertex in synastry, it can mark a connection that feels almost written in the stars but these encounters aren’t always easy or simple.

I’ve personally experienced this in my current relationship. My partner’s Vertex falls in my 11th house, and my Vertex is in his 2nd house. From the very beginning, our meeting felt oddly serendipitous like we were pulled into each other’s lives for a reason bigger than either of us could explain. Over time, I noticed how he helped me dream bigger about my future and the people that surrounds me (classic 11th house themes), while I encouraged him to rethink his values and relationship with stability (very 2nd house). These are the kinds of shifts the Vertex often signals in synastry.

The Vertex becomes a major player when another person’s:

1-Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, or Mars conjuncts or opposes it.

2-Ascendant, Descendant, Midheaven or IC aligns with it.

3-Outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto aspect it, which can indicate deeper karmic lessons.

Themes You Might Notice in Vertex Synastry

Fated Meetings: there’s an immediate feeling that this encounter was meant to happen.

Recognition: even if you've just met, there’s a strange familiarity between you.

Turning Points: your life might shift course after meeting this person.

Unpredictability: the timing and circumstances of the meeting can feel completely out of your control.

Vertex Overlays by House

1st house The Vertex person feels changed just by knowing the planet person. Their sense of self is challenged, expanded or reborn through the relationship.

2nd house Hi. Themes of security, self worth and material life come to the forefront. Relationships here can trigger shifts in finances or fundamental values.

3rd house The connection sparks new ways of thinking and communicating. It’s often marked by constant conversations, ideas and mental stimulation.

4th house A sense of "coming home" emotionally, often tapping into family patterns or healing deep inner wounds. Ancestral themes.

5th house Passionate, playful and often very creative. Sometimes it brings children or a renewed sense of joy and self expression.

6th house The relationship reshapes everyday life, work habits or health routines. It often introduces themes of service, healing or practical support.

7th house One of the strongest Vertex placements for relationships. The other person feels like a natural partner or a mirror showing you your relationship patterns.

8th house Profound change. These relationships are often deeply intimate and may touch on shared resources, we are talking Pluto themes, so deep fears or rebirth through crisis.

9th house The connection challenges and broadens your worldview. It spark spiritual growth, education or even long distance journeys.

10th house Your public life or career can be reshaped by this connection. He/She might push you toward greater visibility, success or a new professional path.

11th house Hi again. A fated friendship or shared mission is often at the heart of this connection. You might come together to build something larger than yourselves.

12th house It can feel mystical, otherworldly and honestly sometimes confusing. Themes of sacrifice, healing and past life connections are common.

So, is it a Soulmate indicator?

The Vertex points to important connections but not all of them are meant to last forever. Some people come into our lives to wake us the fuck up, push us toward our purpose or help us close a karmic chapter/cycle.

When there’s mutual Vertex activation and especially if it’s supported by Venus, Moon or North Node aspects it can suggest a deep soulmate bond that leaves a lasting imprint on your life, whether or not it lasts "forever" in the traditional sense….

[talonabraxas]

Archangel Zadkiel Talon Abraxas Archangel Zadkiel and Holy Amethyst

Archangel Zadkiel is known as the angel of mercy. He helps people approach God for mercy when they've done something wrong, reassuring them that God cares and will be merciful to them when they confess and repent of their sins, and motivating them to pray. Just as Zadkiel encourages people to seek the forgiveness that God offers them, he also encourages people to forgive those who have hurt them and helps deliver divine power that people can tap into to enable them to choose forgiveness, despite their hurt feelings. Zadkiel helps heal emotional wounds by comforting people and healing their painful memories. He helps repair broken relationships by motivating estranged people to show mercy to each other.

Zadkiel means "righteousness of God." Other spellings include Zadakiel, Zedekiel, Zedekul, Tzadkiel, Sachiel, and Hesediel.

Energy color: Purple

Zadkiel's Symbols

In art, Zadkiel is often depicted holding a knife or dagger, because Jewish tradition says that Zadkiel was the angel who prevented the prophet Abraham from sacrificing his son, Isaac when God tested Abraham's faith and then showed mercy on him.

Role in Religious Texts

Since Zadkiel is the angel of mercy, Jewish tradition identifies Zadkiel as the "angel of the Lord" mentioned in Genesis chapter 22 of the Torah and the Bible, when the prophet Abraham is proving his faith to God by preparing to sacrifice his son Isaac and God has mercy on him. However, Christians believe that the angel of the Lord is actually God himself, appearing in angelic form. Verses 11 and 12 records that, right at the moment when Abraham picked up a knife to sacrifice his son to God:

"[...]The angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, 'Abraham! Abraham!' 'Here I am,' he replied. 'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' he said. 'Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.'

In verses 15 through 18, after God has provided a ram to sacrifice instead of the boy, Zadkiel calls out from heaven again:

"The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, 'I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring, all nations on earth will be blessed because you have obeyed me.'"

The Zohar, the holy book of the mystical branch of Judaism called Kabbalah, names Zadkiel as one of two archangels (the other is Jophiel), who help the Archangel Michael when he fights evil in the spiritual realm.

Other Religious Roles

Zadkiel is the patron angel of people who forgive. He urges and inspires people to forgive others who have hurt or offended them in the past and work on healing and reconciling those relationships. He also encourages people to seek forgiveness from God for their own mistakes so they can grow spiritually and enjoy more freedom.

In astrology, Zadkiel rules the planet Jupiter and is linked with the zodiacal signs Sagittarius and Pisces. When Zadkiel is referred to as Sachiel, he is often associated with helping people earn money and motivating them to give money to charity.

[acute-crashout-jeyuso]

Sacrifices (Book 2 of 3 BTR Series) a Jhea Fanfic.

Chapter 23: Cleaning House..

February 28th, 2025 – 1:55 PM

Damian descended the stairs, his steps light but deliberate, scanning the cozy yet sophisticated interior of Jey and Rhea’s home. His gaze landed on a massive family portrait hanging prominently in the living room. It was a blown-up photograph taken in Pensacola, showing Jey, Rhea, and Jey’s sons, Jeyce and Jaciyah. In the picture, it looked as if Jey was carrying all of them, their smiles beaming with happiness.

“I love the family portrait,” Damian said as he reached the bottom of the stairs, gesturing toward it.

Jey looked up from the couch, where he was scrolling through his iPad, and smiled. “That’s my favorite one,” he admitted, his voice filled with pride. “Rhea thought it be perfect in the living room..”

Damian nodded, his expression warm but observant. “She was right. It says a lot about what you two have built here.”

Jey leaned back into the couch, clearly pleased. “You like your guest room?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Yeah,” Damian said, smirking slightly. “I knew Rhea decorated it the moment I walked in.”

Jey chuckled knowingly. “She spent Wednesday night putting up those framed posters of you and her—the Terror Twins’ biggest moments. She’s been hyped about surprising you with that ever since she started working on it.”

Damian shook his head, impressed. “She’s too much, man. She doesn’t miss a detail.”

“That’s her,” Jey said, leaning forward. “I took care of the room her parents are staying in, though. That one’s all me. Got pinnacle moments from my career framed in there—me and Jon winning our first tag titles, me winning my first Intercontinental championship. Stuff that shows what kind of man she’s marrying.”

Damian’s smirk faded, replaced with a pointed look. “Oh, you mean someone who gets too frustrated and takes it out on her?”

The room fell silent. Jey froze mid-motion, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processed the unexpected shift in Damian’s tone.

Damian took a step closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over Jey. “She told me what you said to her in Titusville, Jey,” he said, his voice low but firm. “You’ve got to cut that shit out—for real.”

Jey’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond immediately.

Damian didn’t back down. “You think it’s just words, but it’s not. Every time you let your frustration spill onto her, you’re chipping away at something that’s already been through enough. You keep doing that, and you’re not just fucking with her—you’re fucking with me.”

Jey exhaled sharply, sitting up straighter. “Damian, I—”

“No,” Damian interrupted, his tone even sharper. “Listen to me. She loves you, Jey. She’s fought like hell to get to this place with you. You’ve got a family, a home, everything. Don’t screw it up because you can’t handle your emotions.”

Jey’s shoulders sagged slightly, the weight of Damian’s words sinking in. “I know,” he finally muttered, his voice quieter. “I know I’ve got to do better. I’m working on it.”

“You better,” Damian said, his tone softening just a bit. “Because if you don’t, you’re not just answering to her—you’re answering to me, too.”

Jey nodded, the tension in his expression easing slightly. “Thanks, D. I mean that.”

Damian gave a small nod, stepping back. “Good. Now, let’s grab a drink or something before Rhea gets home.”

Jey stood, a faint smile returning to his face. “Sounds like a plan.”

The two men headed toward the kitchen, the air still heavy but a bit more settled. Both knew the conversation was far from over, but for now, they would let it rest.

—

Meanwhile..

Rhea stood confidently at the front of the boardroom, a series of notes and ideas scattered across the large table in front of her. The room was alive with energy as she laid out her vision for the upcoming WrestleMania 41 match card. Her focus was on the return of the Money in the Bank ladder match, a historic moment in WWE history that would see the 7th and final participant—a returning Jey Uso—make his mark.

“Jey’s inclusion in the match would add an unparalleled layer of intensity, if this is his first ever Money in the Bank win, he needs to do an Uso splash from the ladder to take out at least three others.” Rhea was saying, her eyes scanning the room for feedback. Paul sat at the head of the table, his gaze fixed on the presentation. Bruce seated to Rhea’s right, was flipping through notes. The conversation was fast-paced, each of them contributing ideas about how Jey could return and make an impact at WrestleMania 41.

But as Rhea continued to talk, discussing the timing of Jey’s cash-in and how it wouldn’t do justice to Gunther if it were to happen too early, she suddenly stopped mid-sentence. Her hand instinctively went to her stomach, her breath hitching slightly. It wasn’t like her to lose focus, but something felt… off.

“Everything okay?” Paul’s voice was calm but laced with concern, his eyes narrowing as he saw the change in Rhea’s demeanor.

Rhea tried to shake it off, her free hand moving slightly as if to dismiss the feeling. “Yeah, just a little winded. I’m fine,” she managed, but her words were clipped, her breathing coming in shorter bursts. She tried to power through, but it wasn’t working. She could feel her energy slipping away as the room around her seemed to blur slightly.

Bruce, who had been sitting quietly, immediately noticed the change. “Rhea, you sure you’re alright?” he asked, his voice filled with genuine worry.

Rhea opened her mouth to respond, but the words never came. Instead, her vision started to fade, and her body felt heavy as if it no longer belonged to her. Her legs gave way, and before she could catch herself, she collapsed, fainting in front of both Paul and Bruce.

Bruce leaped to his feet instinctively, his hands reaching out to steady her before she hit the ground. “Rhea!” he shouted, panic rising in his voice. He gently lowered her to the floor, brushing her hair back from her face.

Paul’s expression hardened, a mix of concern and frustration evident on his features. “Get a medic, now!” he barked.

Bruce pulled out his phone, his fingers trembling as he dialed. “We need a medic in here, now. Rhea just passed out.” He gave the details of their location as Paul knelt down beside Rhea, checking her pulse, his mind racing.

“She’s breathing,” Paul muttered, though his worry was palpable. “But this doesn’t feel right. This isn’t just exhaustion.”

Seconds later, a medic burst into the room, a team member following closely behind. They quickly assessed Rhea’s condition, checking her vitals. Bruce stood back, his face pale with worry. He exchanged a look with Paul, who looked back at him with equal concern.

“She’s not responding as she should,” the medic said. “We need to get her checked out immediately. I’ll make sure she’s stable, but I recommend getting her to the hospital, just to be safe.”

“Do it,” Paul said, voice firm but carrying a hint of uncertainty. “Bruce, notify Jey.”

—

As Jey and Damian continued their conversation, discussing how things had been going in the past few days, Jey had just started telling Damian about his son Jeyce sneaking out when his phone buzzed, interrupting him. Jey looked at the screen, recognizing Bruce’s name immediately. His tone shifted from casual to concerned as he answered the call.

“Hey Bruce,” Jey greeted, his voice tight.

“Jey, it’s Rhea,” Bruce responded quickly, the urgency clear in his voice. “She collapsed during the meeting. We’ve sent her to Stamford General. I need you to get here as soon as you can. I’ll send you the details.”

“Alright, I’ll be there,” Jey replied, trying to keep his composure. He hung up the phone and turned to Damian, his expression shifting from casual to serious.

“Damian, get Rhea’s parents from upstairs. We’re heading to the hospital,” Jey said, his voice urgent.

Without hesitation, Damian nodded. “Got it, I’ll grab them.”

Within moments, the group was piled into Jey’s Mercedes. Jey’s hands gripped the wheel tightly, his mind racing with worry as he sped toward Stamford General. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and all he could think about was getting to Rhea. His son, his family, none of it mattered right now — only Rhea and the baby.

They arrived at Stamford General about twenty minutes later, Jey parking the car with a sense of urgency. Everyone rushed inside, moving quickly through the emergency room, heading for maternity and youth.

Jey walked up to the desk and addressed the clerk. “I’m looking for my fiancé, Demi Bennett,” he said, his voice calm but sharp with determination.

The clerk quickly scanned her screen, then looked up at Jey. “ER31, that’s where she’s located. Room 31 down the hall.”

Jey didn’t waste another second. He motioned for Rhea’s parents and Damian to follow as he hurried down the hall. As they reached Room 31, they saw Rhea lying in the bed, a nurse by her side, and a doctor standing nearby, watching her closely.

Rhea smiled softly when she saw Jey. Her eyes softened with relief, and despite the situation, she managed a faint but comforting smile.

“Hey, baby,” she whispered, her voice weak but warm.

Jey moved quickly to her side, his hand finding hers, squeezing it gently. “You scared me, Rhea,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “What happened?”

Rhea’s mother, looking both worried and relieved, stepped forward. “What’s going on, doctor? What happened to my daughter?”

The doctor nodded and addressed them calmly. “Ms. Bennett collapsed due to stress. That’s the primary cause. We’ve done a thorough check, and everything else is stable. But stress has its toll, and it’s essential she takes it easy from now on.”

Jey’s eyes locked with the doctor’s, his concern growing. “And what about the baby? Is everything okay with the baby?”

The doctor’s expression softened as he reassured them. “The baby is doing just fine. About fourteen weeks along, and everything looks good. Stress can have serious effects on a pregnancy, especially in the early stages. It can cause high blood pressure, reduce blood flow to the placenta, and sometimes lead to premature labor. However, in this case, the baby is healthy and strong.”

Jey’s chest eased at the doctor’s words, though his protective instincts remained strong. He turned to Rhea, his thumb gently caressing the back of her hand. “I don’t want you pushing yourself anymore, Rhea. You’re not doing this on your own. We’ll take care of everything.”

Rhea smiled weakly, her eyes filled with gratitude. “I didn’t realize how much I was pushing myself… I just… I thought I had to keep going.”

Jey leaned in, his forehead resting against hers. “You don’t have to, Rhea. You’re my world. We’ll slow everything down. Just focus on yourself and the baby. We’ll take it from here.”

Rhea’s mother gave a small, relieved sigh, stepping closer to her daughter. “You need to listen to the doctors and take better care of yourself, sweetheart.”

The doctor nodded in agreement. “We’re going to monitor her here for a little while and after we are going to release her, but with proper rest and reduced stress, she should be fine. I’d advise she avoid any strenuous activities, and definitely no more late nights or overworking herself.”

Jey looked at the doctor, a serious expression on his face. “Don’t worry, we’ll make sure of it.”

The doctor gave a brief smile, nodded, and excused himself from the room.

—

5:32 PM

Later that evening, after Rhea was discharged from Stamford General, she found herself resting on the bed in the guest bedroom. Her mom had stayed by her side, ensuring she wasn’t alone as Jey, Damian, and Rhea’s dad were downstairs, talking quietly.

Rhea settled back against the soft pillows, her hand resting on her growing belly, a small smile on her lips as she turned her gaze toward her mom. The soft hum of the house created a sense of calm around them.

“Mom,” Rhea began, her voice quiet but thoughtful. “What do you think of Jey?”

Her mother looked at her with a knowing smile, the kind of smile only a mother could give, filled with a mixture of love and wisdom. “He’s exactly what you needed,” she said, her voice soft yet firm, as though she had seen the change in Rhea herself. “He’s patient with you. He’s protective, but he knows when to let you stand on your own. That’s rare.”

Rhea smiled at her mom’s words, the warmth of her approval soothing a part of her that often felt restless. “I’m glad you think that. I don’t know… sometimes I wonder if I’m doing this right.”

Her mom reached over, gently squeezing her hand. “Sweetheart, no one knows how to handle life perfectly. You just learn along the way. And with Jey, you’ve got someone who’ll support you, even when you don’t think you need it.”

Rhea leaned back further into the pillows, her thoughts drifting to the future. “How did you do it, Mom? How did you handle being pregnant and having a career? I feel like I’m juggling everything and it’s overwhelming.”

Her mom chuckled softly, her eyes softening with the memories of her own experiences. “It wasn’t easy being pregnant with you, Demi. You kicked me at the worst possible times, and Jesus, I thought you were sitting on my bladder the entire time.” She paused for a moment, laughing at the memory. “And I don’t know what it is with you, but you wanted pineapples all the time. I swear I couldn’t keep enough in the house.”

Rhea laughed lightly, a small sigh escaping her. “I still love pineapples,” she admitted. “Did you have heartburn too?”

Her mom laughed with her, the sound light and comforting. “Oh, all the time. I’d eat one of those pineapples, and it’d be like my chest was on fire.”

Rhea smiled at the warmth of the conversation, feeling more grounded with each passing minute. “I’m sorry, Mom,” she said, turning her head to meet her mom’s eyes. “I know I haven’t made things easy for you, especially with everything going on right now.”

Her mom shook her head, brushing a strand of Rhea’s hair behind her ear. “You never have to apologize for being yourself, Demi. But…” she paused, her tone becoming slightly more serious. “Have you started journaling like I told you to?”

Rhea sat up slightly, pulling the blanket higher around her body. “Yeah, I’ve been trying. I don’t know if it’s helping, though. When I write, I just feel like a mess. Like I can’t keep my thoughts straight.”

Her mom smiled gently, a look of understanding in her eyes. “It’s not like a pain pill, where you see relief in 20 minutes, sweetheart. You’ve got to let it take you. Sometimes it helps you make sense of the chaos, even if you don’t see it right away. You’ll feel it in time.”

Rhea nodded, letting her mom’s advice settle into her mind. “I know. I just wish it didn’t feel so… heavy all the time.”

Her mom’s gaze softened as she reached over, rubbing Rhea’s arm. “I know it’s tough. But the most important thing right now is you. Don’t forget to take care of yourself. And don’t push everything down. It’s okay to let things out, even if it’s just in your journal.”

Rhea closed her eyes, taking in her mother’s words. She knew she was right. “I’ll try, Mom. I promise.”

There was a brief pause before her mom smirked mischievously, her eyes narrowing slightly. “No offense, but I think your fiancé is a little full of himself,” she said teasingly.

Rhea raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “What do you mean?” she asked, her voice curious.

“Look at all these posters of Joshua and his brother,” her mom said, gesturing to the walls of the guest bedroom, where framed posters of Jey and his brother Jon hung. “They’re everywhere. Like he’s the king of the world.”

Rhea laughed, shaking her head. “Mom, the other room has me and Damian all over the walls. I’m sure Jey doesn’t mind.”

Her mom smiled, clearly just enjoying the moment of playful banter. “I’m just teasing, sweetheart. But really, I can see why you’re with him. He cares about you, and that’s all that matters.”

Rhea smiled softly, her heart swelling at her mom’s words. “Thanks, Mom. I really needed to hear that.”

Her mom leaned in to kiss her forehead gently. “I’m always here for you, Demi. Just remember, you’ve got this. And if you need help, don’t be afraid to ask.”

Rhea nodded, feeling a sense of peace wash over her. “I’ll remember, Mom. I promise.”

As the room settled into a quiet rhythm, Rhea relaxed, grateful for the comfort of her mother’s presence. Even amidst the chaos of life, she knew that with her family by her side, she could face whatever came next.

After Rhea fell asleep for a bit, Rhea’s mother descended the stairs slowly, a soft smile tugging at her lips as she saw her husband, Damian, and Jey gathered in the living room. They were chatting quietly, though the mood had shifted slightly with the tension from earlier. The house felt warmer now, as though the presence of family brought an air of comfort after everything that had happened with Rhea.

As she entered the room, her eyes naturally fell on the family portrait hanging on the wall in the living room. The picture was a beautiful moment captured in time. Rhea’s mother smiled softly at the picture before turning her attention back to Jey.

“These are your kids, Joshua?” she asked, her tone warm and curious.

Jey stood up from his seat, his posture relaxed as he met her gaze. “Yes, ma’am,” he said, his voice respectful. “From a previous marriage. That’s my youngest, Jeyce, and my oldest, Jaciyah. He’s actually about to graduate this year.”

Rhea’s mother’s eyes softened, a gentle warmth filling her expression. “My bonus grandbabies,” she said fondly, her voice carrying a hint of pride. “They must be quite the handful.”

Jey chuckled, his smile genuine. “Oh, they definitely keep me on my toes. They’re with their mother right now, though.”

A thoughtful expression crossed Rhea’s mother’s face, her gaze drifting momentarily to the photograph as though envisioning the children growing up before her. “I hope you two have a good partnership despite the divorce,” she said, her tone gentle, yet probing.

Jey paused for a moment, considering the question before answering. “Yes, actually,” he replied, his voice calm. “She’s only about twenty minutes away now. She was living in San Francisco, but she’s here now. So, we’re able to maintain a civil relationship for the kids’ sake.”

Rhea’s mother nodded thoughtfully, her expression reflecting approval. “That’s good to hear,” she said with a slight smile. “It’s important to maintain peace, especially for the children.”

Jey’s eyes softened at her understanding, feeling a sense of relief in her acceptance. “It’s not always easy, but we try to make it work. I think that’s the most important part.”

Rhea’s mother tilted her head slightly, curiosity lighting her face as she asked, “And what does she do for work? Your ex-wife?”

Jey smiled, feeling a sense of pride as he answered, “She’s an assistant manager at a marketing company. Funny enough, WWE actually uses them from time to time for promotional work, so she’s been involved with some of our projects.”

Rhea’s mother raised her eyebrows in surprise, impressed by the connection. “Well, that’s interesting. Seems like everything has a way of tying together, doesn’t it?”

Jey grinned, nodding. “It sure does. It’s funny how things work out sometimes.”

The room fell into a comfortable silence for a moment as Rhea’s mother looked at the family portrait once more, her thoughts likely drifting to her daughter and the growing family she was becoming a part of. Rhea’s journey had been complicated, but Jey knew that her family, particularly her mother, was an important anchor in her life. And he intended to make sure he fit in, supporting Rhea and her loved ones, no matter the challenges ahead.

Rhea’s mother finally turned back to Jey, a thoughtful expression on her face. “It’s clear how much you care about her,” she said softly, her tone serious but filled with warmth. “I can see it in the way you talk about her. I just hope that with everything going on, you’re both able to find a way to balance everything.”

Jey met her gaze, his heart full of determination. “We will. We’ve got a good foundation, and I’m not going anywhere. I’ll make sure she’s taken care of.”

Rhea’s mother nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “I’m glad to hear that. You’re good for her, Joshua. I can see it.”

Jey’s heart swelled at her approval, the sense of responsibility heavier now than ever. He was ready to protect Rhea and their future, no matter what challenges they faced. But for now, he was grateful for moments like this—moments of connection and understanding that brought their families closer together.

For Dinnertime, Damian had managed to entertain Rhea’s parents with his impromptu lesson on how to make pupusas, his lively chatter filling the kitchen. Meanwhile, Jey couldn’t focus on the conversation or the smell of fresh cooking. His mind was with Rhea, his thoughts heavy with worry. He couldn’t shake the image of her in that hospital bed, so fragile. The weight of everything — the stress she had been under, the baby, his careless words in Titusville — it all sat on his chest like a ton of bricks.

He needed to see her, to make sure she was okay.

Jey quietly excused himself from the kitchen, leaving Damian to handle the pupusa lesson, and made his way upstairs. He moved silently through the hallways, stopping in front of the guest room where Rhea was resting. His heart ached as he opened the door and saw her, asleep, peaceful for the moment. He closed the door behind him, walking over to the bed.

He didn’t want to wake her, but the need to see her eyes, to feel her warmth, overtook him. He leaned down and softly kissed her forehead, a gentle caress that stirred her awake.

Rhea slowly opened her eyes, blinking against the soft light in the room, and then she smiled at him, her eyes still clouded with the remnants of sleep. Jey’s heart lifted, but his worries still lingered.

“Hey, baby,” Jey whispered, his thumb tracing her jawline. “You scared the shit out of me today.”

Rhea’s smile faded slightly, her gaze shifting. “I’m sorry, Jey,” she murmured, her voice a little raspy. “I’ve been having bad dreams.”

Jey’s brow furrowed. He could feel the weight of her words — the fear in them, the strain. He sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand in his.

“Why don’t you tell me about them?” he asked softly, his voice filled with concern.

Rhea sighed and looked away, a small frown pulling at her lips. “I don’t want to bother you anymore than I already am,” she said, the words heavy with something more than just the surface meaning.

Jey shook his head, squeezing her hand tighter. “Baby… are you still upset about what I said in Titusville?” he asked, his voice quiet but desperate to understand.

Rhea met his eyes, her expression guarded. For a moment, she stayed silent before replying, her voice soft. “It’s okay,” she said, trying to convince both him and herself.

But Jey could see it — the hesitation in her eyes, the slight tremor in her words. He knew she was lying, and it broke him all over again.

Jey’s eyes softened with regret. He reached for her cheek, his thumb gently stroking her skin. “I’m sorry, Rhea. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t realize how deep it went,” he murmured, his voice thick with remorse.

Rhea smiled faintly, her lips pulling at the corners. “It’s okay,” she repeated, though the words felt hollow. She wasn’t okay, and Jey knew it.

Jey’s heart ached. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers. “I’m really trying, baby. I’m trying to be a better man for you,” he admitted, the vulnerability in his words raw and unguarded.

Rhea looked at him, her eyes glistening with something he couldn’t quite define. “I know… I know you are,” she said softly. “It’s just… maybe I shouldn’t let you see my vulnerability for a while.”

Jey’s chest tightened, his hand still holding hers. “Baby, now you’re shutting me out,” he said, his voice breaking a little with the emotion he was trying to hold back.

Rhea closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. When she opened them again, her gaze was distant. “Jey,” she started, her voice shaky, “what did you expect? You think if we pick out our wedding cake, watch some movies, and cuddle, everything just goes back to normal?”

Jey opened his mouth to speak, but Rhea cut him off, her words rushing out in a raw burst.

“No, Jey,” she said, her voice growing firmer, “I just… I just want to keep my emotions to myself for a while. I need to deal with this on my own.”

Jey felt his world slip, like the floor had been pulled out from under him. Her words stung, sharper than he anticipated. He tried to stay composed, but the pressure of the situation, the weight of her hurt, left him feeling helpless. He wanted to fix it, wanted to make everything right, but it felt like he was losing her little by little.

“Rhea…” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “Please don’t shut me out. We’re in this together. We always have been.”

Rhea didn’t respond immediately. She just stared at him, the silence stretching between them like a growing distance neither of them knew how to bridge.

Jey’s heart sank as he realized the truth of what she was saying. She needed space, and he couldn’t force her to open up before she was ready. He wasn’t sure how long it would take for her to heal, but he knew he had to respect her boundaries, even if it hurt.

He gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, his hand lingering on her cheek for just a moment longer than necessary. “I’m here when you’re ready,” he said softly. “But I’m not going anywhere.”

Rhea’s eyes met his, and for a brief moment, he saw a flicker of the woman he had fallen in love with. But it quickly faded, replaced by the heavy mask she had put back in place.

“I know,” she said quietly.

Jey kissed her forehead again, his own frustration and helplessness simmering beneath the surface. As he pulled away, he sat quietly beside her, watching her drift off again, wishing there was more he could do.

But for now, all he could do was wait — wait for her to heal, wait for her to come back to him, or wait for them to find their way back to each other.

Jey carefully adjusted the blanket over her, brushing a strand of hair from her face before quietly leaving the guest bedroom. He moved down the hall, his steps deliberate to avoid waking her, and heard the faint ring of his phone from the master bedroom.

Heading towards it, he picked it up from the nightstand and glanced at the screen. The name “Takecia” lit up, and Jey furrowed his brow briefly before answering.

“Hey, T,” he greeted, his tone neutral but curious. “Everything okay?”

“Hey, yeah,” Takecia replied cheerfully. “Just checking—are you still good to pick up the boys on Sunday?”

Jey relaxed and leaned against the doorframe. “Yeah, that’s fine. Sunday works.”

“Perfect!” Takecia said with a hint of amusement. “Oh, and by the way, Demi and Jeyce are too cute.”

Jey’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Wait a minute,” he said, a slight grin forming. “Mr. Bartley actually let Jeyce see Demi again?”

Takecia laughed, the sound light and teasing. “Yup. After I made him write an essay about how sneaking out and kissing girls on his couch is not a good idea. Oh, and I brought Dacre some of my famous brownies. No one cannot resist my baking.”

Jey chuckled, shaking his head. “You always did know how to win people over with those brownies, T. They’re still the best.”

“I know,” she said smugly. “Anyway, I’ll see you Sunday. Be safe.”

“Will do,” Jey replied before ending the call.

As he set his phone back down, he turned to find Bella and Barry, their two large dogs, sprawled out across the oversized king bed. The sight made him shake his head with a smirk.

“Must be nice,” he muttered, scratching Barry behind the ears before heading downstairs.

The soft hum of conversation and the clinking of dishes greeted him as he reached the kitchen. Rhea’s parents and Damian were gathered around the kitchen island, pupusa ingredients around them. Damian leaned casually against the counter, mid-laugh as Rhea’s dad shared a story from their past.

Jey stepped into the room, his presence immediately noticed. “You’re back,” Damian said, nodding toward him. “How’s Rhea?”

“Sleeping,” Jey said with a small smile. “She’s tired, but she’s good.” He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and leaned against the counter, taking a moment to soak in the warmth of the scene before him.

“Good,” Rhea’s mom said, relief evident in her tone. “She needs rest now more than ever.”

Jey nodded in agreement, his gaze drifting toward the clock on the wall. “Yeah, she does. And I’m making sure she gets it.”

Rhea’s dad smiled. “That’s what we like to hear, future son-in-law. Keep my daughter safe, and you’ll stay on my good side.”

Jey laughed, lifting his water bottle as if to return the toast. “Always, Mr. Bennett.”

—

Rhea woke up groggily, blinking at the clock on her bedside table. The glowing numbers read 10:21 PM. She stretched and rubbed her eyes before sitting up, remembering that her parents were likely heading to the guest bedroom by now to get some rest. Not wanting to disturb them, she grabbed her blanket and quietly made her way downstairs.

As she reached the living room, she saw Jey and Damian sitting on the couch, casually watching TV and nursing beers. She smiled at the sight and asked, “Where are my parents?”

Damian looked over his shoulder with a small grin. “Traded rooms with me. Said they’d rather see their daughter on posters than Jey’s face.”

Rhea giggled, her exhaustion fading slightly. She plopped herself onto the couch beside Jey, pulling her blanket up around her shoulders.

Jey turned to her, his eyes warm and attentive. “You want something to eat, baby?”

Rhea thought for a moment, then grinned mischievously. “I want hot Cheetos with nacho cheese.”

Damian raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Really? I made pupusas earlier with your parents. You sure you don’t want those?”

Rhea shook her head firmly. “I still want hot Cheetos with nacho cheese,” she said stubbornly, her tone light but teasing.

Jey sighed with a playful shake of his head. “We don’t have any of that. Late-night run to the gas station?”

Damian leaned back on the couch, taking another sip of his beer. “Looks like it. Could probably use more beer while we’re at it.”

Rhea smiled and slipped on her slides, heading toward the counter where she grabbed her keys. She handed them to Jey with a smirk. “You’re driving. I’m too tired.”

Jey chuckled, taking the keys and motioning for her and Damian to follow him. They headed to the garage, and as the door lifted, Damian’s eyes landed on Rhea’s plum-colored Tahoe parked neatly beside Jey’s Mercedes.

“Look at you with another purple monster,” Damian said, referencing the color of her SUV with a grin.

Rhea laughed, running her hand along the hood of the car. “Jey bought it for me.”

Jey shrugged, a proud smile on his face. “She wanted a family car. Figured this was the one.”

Damian gave a nod of approval, grinning. “Well, you did good, Uce. This thing is clean.”

Rhea slipped into the passenger seat as Jey climbed into the driver’s side. Damian got comfortable in the back, his beer still in hand. Jey started the engine, and the Tahoe rumbled to life, the familiar hum comforting to Rhea.

“Let’s go get your hot Cheetos and nacho cheese preggers,” Jey said with a smirk, backing out of the driveway.

“And don’t forget the beer,” Damian added, already scrolling through his phone for music to play during the drive.

—

March 1st, 2025 6:37 AM

The dim, cold light of the holding cells flickered as Thomas groggily stirred awake on the hard bench that served as his bed. The echoing clang of a baton against the bars jolted him fully upright.

“Cal, Thomas!” the guard barked, his voice sharp and commanding. “You made bail. Get your things.”

Thomas blinked, still disoriented, as he rubbed his eyes and stood up. He glanced around the cell, unsure of what was happening. Who would bail him out? He hadn’t called anyone.

Dragging his feet, Thomas gathered the meager belongings he had and the guard escorted him down the narrow hallway, the sound of their footsteps reverberating off the concrete walls. The air smelled faintly of bleach and sweat, a pungent reminder of where he’d just spent the last week.

As they reached the exit, Thomas squinted against the harsh sunlight that greeted him. Parked directly in front of the facility was a sleek black SUV with heavily tinted windows. The vehicle idled quietly, its polished exterior looking completely out of place against the gritty backdrop of the county lockup.

The rear door of the SUV swung open smoothly, and Thomas froze as a familiar figure stepped out. It was Morris.

Morris adjusted his expensive suit, his movements slow and deliberate, the picture of composure. His piercing eyes locked onto Thomas with an intensity that made his stomach drop.

“I’d get in the car if I were you, Cottonmouth,” Morris said coolly, his voice calm but carrying an undertone of menace.

Thomas gulped audibly, his throat dry. He hadn’t heard anyone call him “Cottonmouth” in two years—he earned the nickname for the way he always managed to talk his way out of trouble. But Morris using it now was no compliment; it was a warning.

Heart pounding, Thomas hesitated for a moment, but the weight of Morris’s gaze left no room for argument. Slowly, he descended the steps of the lockup facility and approached the SUV. He climbed in cautiously, the leather seats cold against his back as the door slammed shut behind him.

His fate undetermined..

—

Meanwhile - Liv and Dominik’s Hotel Room

Liv skipped down the hallway of the hotel, her blonde hair bouncing as she carried a small bag of snacks. When she reached the door to their room, Liv pulled out her keycard with a grin, unlocking the door. The click of the lock echoed softly as they stepped inside.

“Snacks are here!” Liv chirped, dropping the bag onto the bed.

Dominik, already sprawled out on the bed, perked up immediately. His eyes lit up as he saw the familiar red bag. “My Cheetos!” he exclaimed, reaching for the Hot Cheetos like a child grabbing their favorite toy.

Liv laughed, shaking her head. “You and those Cheetos, Dom. I’m gonna hit the bathroom real quick,” she said, disappearing into the bathroom.

“Cool,” Dominik replied, ripping open the bag. “I’ll pick out a movie!”

In the bathroom, Liv shut the door and locked it behind her. Her playful smile faltered as she reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a small box. She stared at it for a moment before opening it and pulling out the test inside.

Her hands trembled slightly as she followed the instructions, quickly taking the test and setting it on the counter.

“Okay, 90 seconds,” she muttered to herself, pacing nervously in the small space. Her mind raced with what-ifs as she anxiously counted down the seconds.

When the timer hit 90, Liv turned back to the counter. She picked up the stick and looked at the small window.

Her mouth dropped open, her eyes widening as she stared at the result.

—

The drive back from the gas station was filled with light conversation and an air of calm, though an undercurrent of tension lingered, at least for Rhea. She sat quietly in the passenger seat, her thoughts bouncing between the events of the day and the unresolved feelings stemming from Jey’s words in Titusville. She hadn’t fully let go of the hurt.. and to be honest, she was afraid of another incident like that happening again.

Back at the house, Damian finished the last of his beer with Jey, sharing a few more laughs about old times before excusing himself to his guest room. “Alright, Uso, I’m out. Don’t do anything stupid,” Damian said with a smirk as he walked up the stairs.

Jey chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah, yeah. Goodnight, man.”

As the sound of Damian’s door clicking shut echoed, the house settled into a quiet hum. Jey returned to the living room, where Rhea had already sunk into the couch, her legs curled beneath her, a blanket draped over her lap. She glanced up at him, her expression guarded but soft.

“You want a sprite?” Jey asked, motioning toward the kitchen.

Rhea shook her head. “No, I’m good. Just water, maybe.”

Jey nodded and disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, returning with a glass of water for her and a beer for himself. He handed her the glass and sat down beside her, leaving a respectable amount of space between them.

For a while, they sat in comfortable silence, the faint hum of the refrigerator and the soft ticking of the wall clock filling the room. Jey sipped his beer, stealing glances at Rhea, trying to read her mood. She stared at the television, though it was clear her mind was elsewhere.

“You’re quiet tonight,” Jey finally said, his tone gentle, testing the waters.

Rhea turned to him, her eyes meeting his. “Just thinking,” she replied simply, her voice calm but distant.

Jey hesitated, setting his beer on the coffee table. “About what?”

Rhea took a sip of her water, the coolness grounding her for a moment before she answered. “Everything,” she said softly, her gaze dropping to the glass in her hands.

Jey’s stomach tightened. He shifted closer to her, his voice low and sincere. “Rhea… I know I hurt you. I know I can’t just erase it. But please just.. try to see where I was coming from.”

Rhea let out a small sigh, her fingers tracing the rim of the glass. “It’s not just the words, Jey. It’s… how it made me feel. Like I wasn’t enough. Like I wasn’t doing this right.”

Jey reached for her hand, his touch light but firm. “That’s not what I meant. You’re everything to me, Rhea. I was frustrated with the situation, not you. I took it out on you, and that’s on me.”

She looked at him, her eyes searching his for sincerity. “I understand.”

Jey felt flushed, his grip on her hand tightening slightly. “I promise I’ll do better. No more saying things I don’t mean just because I’m in my head. You deserve better than that, and so does our baby.”

Rhea’s guarded expression softened, though a hint of hesitation still lingered. She wanted to trust his words, to believe he could change. “Okay,” she said after a long pause, her voice still not convince though Jey didn’t press on it more than he already had. “But you have to mean it, Jey. I can’t go through this again.”

“I mean it,” Jey said firmly, his eyes locked on hers. “I’m not perfect, but I’m going to try. For you, for us, for our family.”

Rhea nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Don’t think I won’t call you out if you mess up again,” she teased lightly, her tone softening.

Jey chuckled, relief washing over him. “Fair enough. I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

—

March 1st, 2025 2:36 PM

“Hello, how can I help you?” the airport customer service representative asked, her polite tone masking the tedium of a long shift.

Brent Villanueva, better known as Ball Python, shifted uncomfortably on his feet. His tall frame and lean muscles drew attention from passersby, but he avoided eye contact. The single carry-on bag slung over his shoulder held his few belongings—essentials for a quick escape.

“I need a ticket to Reykjavik,” Brent said firmly.

The representative raised an eyebrow but said nothing, her fingers clicking against the keyboard. “Next flight leaves in four hours. That’ll be $1,937.26.”

Brent pulled out his worn debit card, the edges frayed from years of use. As she processed the transaction, he glanced around nervously. The buzz of the airport surrounded him—families on vacation, business travelers glued to their phones, and tired workers trudging toward their gates.

“Thank you,” she said, handing him the ticket.

Brent nodded, stuffing the paper into his jacket pocket before stepping away from the counter.

He wasn’t running because he wanted to. He was running because staying meant certain death.

Copperhead was gone—word spread fast in their circle, even without direct confirmation. And Cottonmouth? Well, Cottonmouth was just stubborn enough to think he could survive whatever King Cobra threw his way. Brent wasn’t about to make the same mistake.

Morris, the man they all feared and called King Cobra, wouldn’t waste time tracking down his so-called “loyal followers.” Brent knew he’d already painted a target on his back the moment he joined *****’s plan to kill Black Mamba. He just didn’t think Morris would take Mamba’s side…

Brent tightened his grip on the strap of his bag and made his way toward the security checkpoint. The loudspeaker above crackled with boarding announcements, each word a reminder that time was running out.

He couldn’t help but think of the other two men still in Pensacola. Maybe they would make it out, but more than likely… they wouldn’t. Brent had seen it before: the calculated way Morris cleaned house, ensuring no loose ends.

As he approached the TSA line, his heart pounded. He was almost free, but deep down, a voice inside of him whispered: Can you ever truly escape King Cobra’s venom?

The airport was cold, the fluorescent lights casting a sterile glow. Brent stepped forward, the weight of his decision pressing on his shoulders. He didn’t look back. He couldn’t.

Four hours later, when the plane roared into the sky, Brent Villanueva left Pensacola far behind… or did he?

[story-weavr]

A Study in Astrology:

Arising from its ability to indicate the seasons and their respective natural activities, astrology has played a massive part in human cultures.

The importance of them even goes as far as to indicate what a person is like when they are born.

Rather than the stars being determinators of a person’s character, I believe astrology is a tool that God gave us to be more introspective of ourselves.

To honestly look inside ourselves and see who we truly are and what we need, whether it’s to enhance our strengths or address our flaws.

Below is how I interpret the planets and the stars. I highly encourage the reader to use this as a tool for their own interpretation of or investigation into astrology.

Planets:

I am only considering those planets that would have been visible to the naked eye as they would be the ones that would indicate events. I will also include which Babylonian god rules them.

The first three are what is considered the inner world of a human

Sun ☀️ _the ego, consciousness _ Shamash

Moon 🌙 _ Emotion, unconsciousness _ Sin or Selardi

Rising/ Ascendant/ 1st House ⭐️ _ expression _ as it the constellation that is rising from the horizon at one’s birth

The following are how one interacts with the world

Mercury ✍️ _ communication, logic _ Nabu

Venus ♥️_ expression of love _ Ishtar

Mars 🔥 _ passion, drive_ Nergal

The next two planets are both about growth as indicated by their brightness & must always be considered together.

Jupiter 💼_ ambition, “to reach” _ Marduk

Saturn 🧙‍♂️_ wisdom, experience_ Ninurta

Descendant/7th House/House of Balance_ the shadow self, the part of a person one doesn’t realize that they have_ the star sign which setting on the horizon at the time of one’s birth

Stars

Each constellation and their symbols are tired very closely with the mythology of different ancient cultures: Babylonian, Egyptian, and Greek just to name a few.

They will be listed according the Babylonian New Year, which began in March-April

Aries ♈️ _ Babylon_ Agrarian worker -> ram due to association with Dumuzid, god shepherds & agriculture, 1st husband of Inanna, -> Canaanite = Adon -> Greek Adonis

Dumuzid spends half the year in the underworld and the other half above with his wife -> his yearly death brings hot dry summers

Egypt_ Amun-Ra = ram, fertility, creativity; Greek _ the ram who saved innocent children; Chinese _ cattle sacrifice, harvest

Bringer of plenty, self-sacrificing, adaptive to changing situations

Taurus ♉️ _ bull, related to “Seven Maidens”; spring equinox;

Heavenly Bull_ Sumerian-Inanna (divine wrath) & Egypt (sacrifice for sake of spring)

if provoked frightening

Gemini ♊️ _ the twins,

Babylon- minor gods guarding doorways or specifically Underworld or representations of major god Nergal, plague and pestilence & King of Underworld (warlike but necessary for protection of the peace)

opposing traits (peace & war, life & death) working in conjunction

Cancer ♋️ _ Greek-Hera’s crab, Egypt-Scarab (immortality/rebirth -Sirius), Babylon- snapping turtle (death, passage to underworld) + Enki,

initiate summer solstice

basically will justifiably bite a bitch; literally what turtle does to get rid of Nergal and summer; shell protects inner soft bits

Leo ♌️ _ lion, Egypt-Sekhmet or Sumer’s Inana

- protection, regality, Sun

- fierce hunter, passion, aggressive

Virgo ♍️ _ female (maiden or mother)

Demeter &numerous Greek maidens

Egypt = beginning of harvest

Babylon-Shala war of grain

Libra ♎️ _ Greek- Scales (Themis-justice); Babylon-claws of scorpion & the balance/ scales (Shamash- Sun, truth, justice)

Scorpio ♏️ _ Babylon = the Scorpion with Libra as its claws = scary guardians, serve higher beings

Sagittarius ♐️ _ centaur firing a bow & arrow

Babylon_ Nergal the chimera-centaur; Sumerian _ Pabilsag, elder/Chief & warrior/hunter; Greek _ centaur or satyr

The cunning intelligence of man and wild instinct of animal

Goal oriented, fierce

Capricorn ♑️ _ sea goat, Babylon- Enki = water+earth, fertility, hope

- stability, creativity

- high expectations, ambitions, standards

- sensitive and emotional;

- wary and kind(nurture in others/ survival)

Aquarius ♒️ _ water carrier, Babylon-Ea or Sumerian-Enki,

flood of water- positive or negative depending on region

Pisces ♓️ _ Greek - 2 fish, Babylon - 2 constellations: “the great swallow”(dove?) & “the lady of heaven” (Inanna?), Egypt - great fish who saved Isis

plentiful bounty _ the sun, wisdom, helpful

I hope this guides you on your journey of introspection, both of yourself and those around you. 🌌 🔮

If you want to find you’re birth chart, use the following site:

[bluedragonbooks]

Transcription Error

It was such a small thing. An error in transcription … nothing more. But, the consequences ...

Had left me staring at a small pile of ash where my Master had been standing, and virtually immortal, and forever cursed to be a gangly pubescent 15 year old.

It was infuriating ... 3 .. no 4 centuries later and despite the fact I was a 12th level arch-mage ... I still got regularly mistaken for a mere apprentice or 1st level wizard.

...

I'd tired of using a glamour after my first century, hoping my reputation would serve ... apparently not ... given the insults recently heaped upon me by a former 2nd level wizard and recently transfigured toad ...

Who would be spending the next 10 years as familiar and test subject to various apprentices during their training.

Perhaps I should tell you how it began …

Roland, my Master would shortly reach the venerable age of 60.

The perfect age to invoke the traditional immortality spell appropriate to and required of a 6th level Mage of his standing and experience and who wished to being granted status as a 7th level arch-mage.

As Senior Apprentice, I had been given the menial tasks of making the preparations:

Acquiring the 12 magical ingredients including the powdered unicorn horn which needed to be tested for purity given the level of "substiution" in that market;

I had impressed the Mage by using my own virginity to summon one of the creatures and bargaining for a small scraping of horn sufficent for the task ... I wouldn't realise the true cost of that little bargain for some time ...

I mean what healthy 14 year old virgin boy isn't plagued by perpetual priapism ... especially when magically bound by the terms of his apprenticeship to remain "un-released" ...

Prepared the sacrificial scroll with the binding contract; rewritten 7 times until his master was satisfied with the accuracy of the final version;

Drawn the trifold summoning circle suitable for summoning and restraining an 8th level demon of sufficent power; my Master had made me redraw it 3 times, not for inaccuarcy but to increase the potency;

Transcribed the summoning, the list of ingredients, the circle and all the necessary rituals into my own book of spells as my master had done with his Master ... and the generations of Master before him ...

In truth the fault belonged to Toby.

The clumsy lad was lowest apprentice and had bumped the table, which jostled the scrolls, one of which fell on the floor and had when replaced, replaced the flawless 7th scroll with the 6th which had the transcription error.

A rune inverted, and "Master" becomes "Servant"

That particular rune is a multi-purpose modifier of a type common to most languages.

It's meaning depended solely on context, it has no meaning of its own other than direction of relationship Higher/Lower if upright or Lower/Higher if inverted.

Master/Servant; Father/Son; Mother/Daughter; Sire/Offspring; Owner/Slave etc.

I had "Given" my blood to my Master as sacrifice to initiate the summoning, a finger prick and a few drops on a cloth ... a gift freely given.

My Master had offered the blood, blood of a virgin, blood of the Servant ... as sacrifice for the contract, with a payment of "Immortality" to be given to the "Master" except ... unbeknownst to all the contract now said "Servant"

The Demon had been summoned, the bargain had been struck and immortality granted ... apparently ... but as the Demon was released, it had winked at me before it departed.

The traditional test of the immortality spell was to summon a bolt of magical light, a spell of disintergration ... to trigger the first regeneration.

I realised something was wrong ... "Master ... wait ..."

Too late ... a word was spoken and a blue-white torrent of light descended.

By the time the apprentices could see again there was nothing remaining of my Master but a small charred circle and an even smaller pile of cooling ash.

And I was immortal … and forever cursed to be a gangly pubescent 15 year old.

Wizards are not naturally immortal, in fact creating their own form of immortality is their graduate thesis.

[sheetmusiclibrarypdf]

Stravinsky The Rite of Spring Le Sacre du printemps piano solo sheet music

Stravinsky The Rite of Spring Le Sacre du printemps piano solo sheet music, Noten, partitura, 楽譜, 乐谱Best Sheet Music download from our Library.Browse in the Library:Please, subscribe to our Library.The Rite of Spring: A Primal Scream That Shattered Music and Reshaped the 20th CenturyBrowse in the Library:

Stravinsky The Rite of Spring Le Sacre du printemps piano solo sheet music, Noten, partitura, 楽譜, 乐谱

https://youtu.be/16wxtFTiN0Y?si=DoNxnic5XMkDCpQR

The Rite of Spring: A Primal Scream That Shattered Music and Reshaped the 20th Century

Igor Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring) is not merely a ballet score; it is a seismic event in cultural history, a primal scream that shattered the conventions of Western art music and irrevocably altered the trajectory of the 20th century. Premiered amidst chaos in Paris on May 29, 1913, its raw energy, rhythmic violence, harmonic audacity, and thematic brutality remain potent and challenging over a century later. I. Genesis and Infamous Premiere: A Theatrical Riot - Commission: The visionary impresario Sergei Diaghilev, leader of the Ballets Russes, commissioned Stravinsky after the successes of The Firebird (1910) and Petrushka (1911). - Inspiration: Stravinsky claimed a vision: "I saw in imagination a solemn pagan rite: sage elders, seated in a circle, watching a young girl dance herself to death. They were sacrificing her to propitiate the god of spring." This concept of prehistoric Slavic paganism – fertility rituals culminating in a chosen sacrifice – became the core. - Collaboration: Nicholas Roerich, an expert in Slavic antiquity and mysticism, designed the striking, earthy sets and costumes. Vaslav Nijinsky, the star dancer, choreographed movements deliberately angular, heavy, and "anti-ballet," rejecting grace for ritualistic stomping and inward-turned postures. - The Scandal: The premiere at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées descended into legend. Within minutes, the unprecedented sonic assault – shrieking winds, pounding dissonances, complex polyrhythms – combined with the jarring visuals provoked whistles, catcalls, arguments, and even physical altercations. Accounts vary, but the cacophony in the auditorium nearly drowned out the orchestra, conducted valiantly by Pierre Monteux. It was a cultural flashpoint, dividing the audience violently between outrage and fascination. II. Harmonic Revolution: Dissonance as the New Consonance Stravinsky obliterated traditional tonal hierarchies, forging a new harmonic language perfectly suited to the primitive subject matter: - Polytonality/Politonality: The simultaneous use of multiple keys or tonal centers. This isn't just complex chords; it's layers of conflicting harmonic worlds clashing. - The "Augurs of Spring" Chord: The most famous example. It superimposes an E-flat dominant 7th chord over an F-flat major triad (often practically written as E major). This polychord creates a harsh, grinding, unstable sonority that becomes a primal rhythmic ostinato. It's not "wrong notes" in a traditional sense; it's a deliberate collision of harmonic planes. - Bitterness through Dissonance: Stravinsky used dissonance not as tension needing resolution, but as a stable, expressive color in its own right. Clusters, unresolved major/minor seconds, and grating intervals evoke rawness, violence, and unease. Consonance becomes the surprise, often fleeting. - Modal and Folk Elements: Beneath the dissonance lie fragments of Russian and Lithuanian folk melodies. However, Stravinsky subjects them to radical distortion – octave displacement, rhythmic fragmentation, harmonization with clashing chords – stripping them of folksy charm and rendering them stark and ritualistic. - Static Harmony & Ostinati: Long sections are built on relentless, repetitive rhythmic ostinati (short repeating patterns) underpinned by static or slowly shifting harmonic blocks. This creates a sense of inevitability, hypnotic ritual, and immense cumulative power, rather than traditional harmonic progression. III. Rhythmic Innovation: The Engine of Primitivism Rhythm is arguably the most revolutionary element of The Rite: - Additive Rhythm: Instead of dividing a regular meter (like 4/4) into equal parts, Stravinsky builds phrases by adding or subtracting short note values (e.g., groupings like 3+2+2+3 within a bar). This creates asymmetrical, lurching, unpredictable pulses. - Complex Meter Changes: The score is littered with rapidly changing time signatures (5/8, 7/4, 3/16, 11/4, etc.), often several per bar. This constantly disrupts the listener's sense of downbeat and metric stability. - Displacement Accents: Stressing weak beats or off-beats within a bar, creating syncopation on a massive scale and a sense of rhythmic dislocation. The "Sacrificial Dance" is a masterclass in this technique. - Polyrhythm & Cross-Rhythm: Multiple conflicting rhythmic patterns played simultaneously (e.g., 2 against 3, 4 against 5), creating layers of dense rhythmic tension. - Percussion Dominance: The large, diverse percussion section (bass drum, timpani, tam-tam, guiro, etc.) is not merely accompaniment; it often drives the texture and provides the brutal, visceral heartbeat of the ritual. IV. Structure: A Ritual in Sound - Two Parts: The ballet is clearly divided: - Part I: L'Adoration de la Terre (The Adoration of the Earth): Introduces the tribes, auguries, games, and processions, establishing the primal world and the sense of impending sacrifice. Key sections: Introduction (haunting bassoon solo), "Augurs of Spring," "Ritual of Abduction," "Spring Rounds," "Ritual of the Rival Tribes," "Procession of the Sage," "Adoration of the Earth," "Dance of the Earth." - Part II: Le Sacrifice (The Sacrifice): Focuses entirely on the selection and sacrifice of the Chosen One. Atmosphere becomes more intense, mystical, and terrifying. Key sections: Introduction (mysterious nocturnal sounds), "Mystic Circles of the Young Girls," "Glorification of the Chosen One," "Evocation of the Ancestors," "Ritual Action of the Ancestors," "Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One)." - Block Form: Stravinsky constructs the score like a series of distinct, contrasting blocks or tableaux. Transitions between sections can be abrupt and jarring, mimicking the ritual's phases rather than smooth symphonic development. Repetition and variation of rhythmic/melodic cells within blocks create hypnotic intensity. - Orchestration: While using a large late-Romantic orchestra, Stravinsky treats it unconventionally: - Extreme registers (very high winds, very low brass/strings). - Unusual combinations (piccolo and bassoon duet). - Treating instruments for percussive effect (pizzicato, col legno strings; stabbing brass). - Soloistic writing within dense textures. - A constant exploration of timbral extremes to evoke primitive sounds – shrieks, groans, roars, whispers, crashes. V. Influences: Roots of the Revolution While utterly original, The Rite didn't emerge in a vacuum: - Russian Nationalism & Folklore: Continuing the lineage of Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov, but pushing folk elements to brutal extremes. - Impressionism (Debussy & Ravel): Stravinsky absorbed their harmonic freedom and coloristic orchestration, though he applied them to radically different ends (primitivism vs. atmosphere). - Exoticism & Primitivism: The broader European fascination (Picasso, Gauguin) with non-Western art and perceived "primitive" cultures fueled the aesthetic. - The Ballets Russes Environment: Diaghilev fostered an atmosphere of radical collaboration and innovation, pushing boundaries in music, dance, and design. VI. Legacy: The Shockwaves Endure The Rite of Spring's impact was immediate and profound, rippling through nearly every aspect of 20th-century music and beyond: - Liberation of Rhythm: It shattered the dominance of regular meter, opening the floodgates for complex rhythmic exploration in composers like Bartók, Messiaen, Varèse, Carter, and minimalists like Reich and Glass. - Emancipation of Dissonance: It accelerated the breakdown of tonality, demonstrating that dissonance could be structurally fundamental and expressive, paving the way for atonality, serialism, and later experimental styles. - Orchestral Innovation: Its radical approach to texture, timbre, and instrumental technique became a benchmark for modern orchestral writing. - Neo-Classicism: Ironically, Stravinsky himself reacted against The Rite's primitivism, leading him towards Neo-Classicism. However, the rhythmic energy and clarity learned in The Rite informed that later style. - Film Music: Its visceral power and ability to depict primal energy and violence made it a model (consciously or not) for countless film scores, especially in epic, horror, and action genres (e.g., John Williams, Bernard Herrmann). - Jazz & Popular Music: Its complex rhythms and harmonic daring influenced jazz innovators and later progressive rock and avant-garde pop. - Cultural Icon: Beyond music, The Rite became a symbol of modernism, artistic rupture, and the power of art to provoke. Its premiere scandal is legendary. Its imagery permeates visual art and literature. - Enduring Power: It remains a cornerstone of the orchestral repertoire, a formidable challenge for performers, and a work that continues to shock, awe, and fascinate audiences with its raw, untamed energy. It sounds as modern today as it did in 1913. The Rite of Spring is not just a piece of music; it is a force of nature captured in sound. Stravinsky, drawing on primal inspiration and fueled by the avant-garde spirit of the Ballets Russes, crafted a work that systematically dismantled musical conventions and rebuilt them in a terrifyingly original image. Its revolutionary harmonies, cataclysmic rhythms, block-like structure, and brutal orchestration created a sonic depiction of pagan ritual that was simultaneously ancient and shockingly modern. The riot at its premiere was a testament to its power to disturb. Its enduring legacy lies in its profound liberation of musical elements – rhythm, harmony, dissonance, timbre – and its demonstration that music could express the most fundamental, violent, and ecstatic aspects of the human experience with unprecedented force. It is the definitive sound of the 20th century's artistic break with the past, a Rite that forever changed the landscape of music.

Read the full article

[adriannececile]

[OPEN] Norn of Augäth adoptable

Original auction running on Commishes (https://ych.commishes.com/auction/show/452GI/norn-of-augath/). Ends at february 17th 8pm UTC-4. You can bid on Commishes or below in comments ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── A seer of Clan Augändr, a tribe of Viking serpents rumored to descend from the lineage of the mythical world serpent, she combines a brutal fighting style with the arts of deception. As a seer she collects the eyes of her enemies and implants them in different parts of their bodies with spells and seals that must remain covered for 6 days and 6 nights, only on the 7th day she can show them and use them as mystical eyes, either to keep them or give them to the blind, with this she improves her ability to see the present, past & future, interact with undead spirits, alter the luck of someone with evil spells like evil eye, modify the effect of her poison for good or evil (useful to create potions).  Otherwise if cornered she can sacrifice all the collected eyes to invoke the soul of her ancestor to let herself be possessed and be guided in combat as a berserker. While this makes her a formidable warrior, collecting eyes requires time and patience as few are chosen by the Valknut as worthy to be claimed. Her spear is specially designed for this task and storing leftover enchanted eyes. Although she is a tall and imposing figure, she has no problem in making alliances with beings of different species as this may be what destiny has in store for her. Her customs although uncomfortable make her a skilled spiritual guide and she sometimes collects the spilled blood of friends, enemies and her own wounds in a small bottle using it to make ritual marks on her body and that of her companions to protect herself and strengthen her bond. ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ★SB: 100$. Includes NSFW version (can be futa too) ★MI: 5$ ★Up to:    •200$: +back view    •300$: reference sheet with three full colored icons and other details (like this: https://sta.sh/0tgadmch26k) ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ~Terms of Service~ ✩Invoice must be paid within 24 hours after the end of the auction; otherwise, I'll rerun the auction. Payment plans available starting at $150. No refunds ✩Buyer will receive .PNG fullcolor images (2131x4000px) without watermark and no background in .PNG format ✩Can request changes like colors, expressions and body proportions

Posted using PostyBirb

[esotericfaery]

Intimate Spiritual Diaries 19 - Game Stats Through My Natal Chart: Team Celibacy / Virginity vs. Team Romance

TLDR: The maths keep mathing with quick notes on asteroid Vibhuti, fixed star Asellus Borealis, Venus, Orpheus, Vesta, Pallas, Mars, asteroid Lilith, Saturn, Mercury, Vertex, Descendant, 1st house, 5th house, 7th house, conjunctions, squares and sextiles.

~

Team Celibacy / Virginity:

133 Total aspects

122 Exact aspects

2 Squares

1 Sextile

130 Conjunctions

120 Exact conjunctions

(I've written about these in previous entries already).

~

I was going to put a "Team Romance" section here, by looking at my Venus sextiles, but I tricked you, because there's no contest 😏.

I had thought that my four "main" Venus sextiles had something to do with romantic harmony that's weak and passive enough to diffuse in favour of the difficult aspects in Team Celibacy / Virginity, yet now it's obvious that Venus also wants me to be celibate. I already knew that Venus wasn't only about romance, but it's a karmic load-off for me to know that She can also specifically show that She doesn't want you to have any romance.

It's easier for me to know I'm on the right path when everyone agrees.

My 5th house Venus in Leo (dramatic flare, childlike behaviours) is exactly conjunct Vibhuti (epiphanies leading from lack of purity to liberation) to the degree and widely conjunct Vesta (detachment, career focus). Asteroid Orpheus (wallowing in the perceived beauty of the melancholy) is at 5°; critical for Leo, so indicating a strong pressure point. Vesta is exactly conjunct fixed star Asellus Borealis.

They widely square 1st house (identity) Pallas in Taurus (the resilient warrior), along with 7th house (all types of partnerships) war God Mars & asteroid Lilith (from feminine repression to empowerment) in Scorpio (shadow work transformations).

~

Asteroid Vibhuti's trait of one who is not as clean as they're supposed to be, is what had caused me to, against my better judgement, try having romances with several men who were incompatible with me; I settled for less because I didn't value myself. Vibhuti is one who shows what is toxic, and how that can be purified into value through inner and spiritual focus. This is a "burning" away discordant influences and bringing in divine glorification. Vibhuti in particular has helped Venus to help me finally, permanently stop and heal the most damaging cycle of my life, and I am eternally grateful.

It's also important to note again here for your own charts that your exact aspects have more power than the wider aspects of the 10 planets and the angles, so that's why it's essential to find your prominent asteroids, Arabic lots and fixed stars.

Vesta with Asellus Borealis indicates vulgar slander from those in their wounded feminine energy, and I have heard about multiple men making obscene false claims about me behind my back.

The other aspects above:

Massive, transformational tension as pertains to drive, strategy, and the irrational-seeming idea of death / ending linked to competition or choice; negative feelings used as a way to gain privilege. I used to trigger mens fragile, competitive egos just by existing. My confident detachment and sharp strategic skills caused them to lack confidence.

Sense of loss of anticipation and an awareness of what might have been, in personal and professional relationships, as a recognition of endings.

Empowerment in what's valuable, in the areas of love relationships, in concentration on something outside the self.

This sense of my own empowerment and harmonic ease was in a pattern of men feeling intimidated by me, through nothing I was doing.

This further empowers my Venus through Her wide sextiles with Saturn (limitations & responsibilities), Mercury (communications), Vertex (fate), & Descendant (what type of person you want a long term relationship with).

Responsibility & charitable nature from a standpoint of purity, to make sacrifices for the greater good. Danger of violence is protected through the power of spiritually transforming sexual energy into ritual work.

Once I realized all of that, it was easy to see that Venus is Team Celibacy / Virginity along with everyone else.

This knowledge itself is healing, because my primary focus is always on what heals the most karma, and now my path ahead is cleared of all rubble.

~

Stay tuned for posts on other topics, including friends, family and career.

~

Gratitude to all Deities and to my Ancestors for your wise guidance which brings me into proper alignment with my soul path in the beauty and freedom of Karmic Law.

[yhwhrulz]

Wayside Chapel Daily Devotional 7th February 2024

2/7 Genesis 44:33

33 Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.

When the famine struck the land, the half-brothers of Joseph came to Egypt for food, but Israel kept Joseph's full brother, Benjamin, at home. His bothers did not recognize Joseph. He was now more than thirty-years-old, dressed in Egyptian clothing and speaking another language. Joseph implied that they were spies and interrogated them. They were sure their sin had caught up with them. It had! But it was not to punish them, but rather to save them. They mentioned their youngest brother at home, so Joseph kept Simeon until they could prove the truth of their statements by bringing Benjamin.

Israel refused to let Benjamin go to Egypt until their food ran out. When they finally came to Egypt, Joseph had them dine with him. Then he had his servant hide his royal cup in Benjamin's bag of grain. Soon after they left for home, the servant went after them. Finding Joseph's cup in Benjamin's bag, he ordered him to become Joseph's slave.

Judah had made a pledge to his father to bring the boy back safe. He offered himself as a slave instead of Benjamin. Joseph is about to reveal himself to his brothers and end their anxiety, and here we have an important shadow of God's plan. Judah is the line from which Jesus came into the world. The descendant of Judah, Jesus, will offer himself in our place. We were slaves of sin, but Jesus pledged to the Father to bring us home safely. He put Himself in our place. In that atoning sacrifice God revealed Himself to us as the God who loves us and would do anything possible to have us with Him forever.

Consider: God has planned each day of our lives. He put these pictures before us in history so that when His plan unfolds, we will understand how much He loves us. Take a moment to rejoice in how much you are loved by Him.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

7th October >> Mass Readings (USA)

Our Lady of the Rosary 

on

Saturday, Twenty Sixth Week in Ordinary Time.

Saturday, Twenty Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: White: A (1))

(Readings for the feria (Saturday))

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Saturday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading Baruch 4:5-12, 27-29 He who brought disaster upon you will bring you back enduring joy.

Fear not, my people! Remember, Israel, You were sold to the nations not for your destruction; It was because you angered God that you were handed over to your foes. For you provoked your Maker with sacrifices to demons, to no-gods; You forsook the Eternal God who nourished you, and you grieved Jerusalem who fostered you. She indeed saw coming upon you the anger of God; and she said:

“Hear, you neighbors of Zion! God has brought great mourning upon me, For I have seen the captivity that the Eternal God has brought upon my sons and daughters. With joy I fostered them; but with mourning and lament I let them go. Let no one gloat over me, a widow, bereft of many: For the sins of my children I am left desolate, because they turned from the law of God.

Fear not, my children; call out to God! He who brought this upon you will remember you. As your hearts have been disposed to stray from God, turn now ten times the more to seek him; For he who has brought disaster upon you will, in saving you, bring you back enduring joy.”

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 69:33-35, 36-37

R/ The Lord listens to the poor.

“See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive! For the LORD hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not. Let the heavens and the earth praise him, the seas and whatever moves in them!”

R/ The Lord listens to the poor.

For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. They shall dwell in the land and own it, and the descendants of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall inhabit it.

R/ The Lord listens to the poor.

Gospel Acclamation cf. Matthew 11:25

Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 10:17-24 Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

----------------------

Our Lady of the Rosary 

(Liturgical Colour: White: A (1))

(Readings for the memorial)

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Saturday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading Acts of the Apostles 1:12-14 All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

After Jesus had been taken up into heaven, the Apostles returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.

When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Luke 1:46-47, 48-49, 50-51, 52-53, 54-55

R/ The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. or R/ O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

R/ The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. or R/ O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

“For he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.”

R/ The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. or R/ O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

“He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit.”

R/ The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. or R/ O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

“He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.”

R/ The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. or R/ O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

“He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.”

R/ The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. or R/ O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

Gospel Acclamation cf. Luke 1:28

Alleluia, alleluia. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 1:26-38 You will conceive in your womb and bear a son.

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[talonabraxas]

Archangel Zadkiel and Holy Amethyst Talon Abraxas

Archangel Zadkiel is known as the angel of mercy. He helps people approach God for mercy when they've done something wrong, reassuring them that God cares and will be merciful to them when they confess and repent of their sins, and motivating them to pray. Just as Zadkiel encourages people to seek the forgiveness that God offers them, he also encourages people to forgive those who have hurt them and helps deliver divine power that people can tap into to enable them to choose forgiveness, despite their hurt feelings. Zadkiel helps heal emotional wounds by comforting people and healing their painful memories. He helps repair broken relationships by motivating estranged people to show mercy to each other.

Zadkiel means "righteousness of God." Other spellings include Zadakiel, Zedekiel, Zedekul, Tzadkiel, Sachiel, and Hesediel.

Energy color: Purple

Zadkiel's Symbols

In art, Zadkiel is often depicted holding a knife or dagger, because Jewish tradition says that Zadkiel was the angel who prevented the prophet Abraham from sacrificing his son, Isaac when God tested Abraham's faith and then showed mercy on him.

Role in Religious Texts

Since Zadkiel is the angel of mercy, Jewish tradition identifies Zadkiel as the "angel of the Lord" mentioned in Genesis chapter 22 of the Torah and the Bible, when the prophet Abraham is proving his faith to God by preparing to sacrifice his son Isaac and God has mercy on him. However, Christians believe that the angel of the Lord is actually God himself, appearing in angelic form. Verses 11 and 12 records that, right at the moment when Abraham picked up a knife to sacrifice his son to God:

"[...]The angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, 'Abraham! Abraham!' 'Here I am,' he replied. 'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' he said. 'Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.'

In verses 15 through 18, after God has provided a ram to sacrifice instead of the boy, Zadkiel calls out from heaven again:

"The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, 'I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring, all nations on earth will be blessed because you have obeyed me.'"

The Zohar, the holy book of the mystical branch of Judaism called Kabbalah, names Zadkiel as one of two archangels (the other is Jophiel), who help the Archangel Michael when he fights evil in the spiritual realm.

Other Religious Roles

Zadkiel is the patron angel of people who forgive. He urges and inspires people to forgive others who have hurt or offended them in the past and work on healing and reconciling those relationships. He also encourages people to seek forgiveness from God for their own mistakes so they can grow spiritually and enjoy more freedom.

In astrology, Zadkiel rules the planet Jupiter and is linked with the zodiacal signs Sagittarius and Pisces. When Zadkiel is referred to as Sachiel, he is often associated with helping people earn money and motivating them to give money to charity.

[sakiaii]

Armored x Magic girls ‘title forever work in progress’ extra

I had this fantasy once but it does not belongs anywhere in the story.

it's more like a trailer showing all characters from all eras xD

There's a huge army of monsters and just a handful of riders facing them off. they don't need a reminder why only a handful of them is facing this army but for audience it's said so we know how they're here to slow the army as villages are being evacuated. it's a suicide mission and they are prepared to make that sacrifice as they charge 1/10th of this army that was sent to take them on. suddenly you hear a dragon off in the distance over the trees followed by bells and then drums and riders leader is now shouting retreat as well as the enemies army. retreat, in formation, change formation, in formation can be heard. the camera is placed so it will only catch the horse stomping the ground as it passes by and at the same time a boot as someone runs in the opposite direction. enemy soldiers are holding spears when one of them is attacked by a hawk and then flies away as that soldier gets smacked by his own trying to hit the hawk and then magic rains down on them and on the ground soldiers charge them as hawk joins other hawks in the sky and fly over a hill that now has bunch of people. hawk lands on hand of 3rd series character. queen from 1st kingdom 1st era is there. their sorceress already doing the shield the soldiers teamwork tactic. dragon lands next to 2nd kingdom and we see ruler from 1st era, next to her are 1st era ancient vampire lady and grey beard wizard with cane and on the left Crimson Dawn and further down left Oni sisters she gives a nod later and that's a sign for werewolfs to charge from the forest and attack from the left. jumping and standing on the trees Oni give a signal too and attack. 3rd kingdom is there with aircrafts landing and bringing out robots as their elite is already on the battlefield doing their signature attacks with team white joining on discs. canon crack on the sky as we see flying ships descending from the clouds and witches on brooms flying by and striking army from air as they fly by. on one ship some girl already shot from her gun at high distance and now ties rope around her leg and jumps head first cuts the rope and lands on the ground, starts walking but someone stepped on the rope part still around her leg stopping her and as she sees her captain aiming at her with a flintlock he shots the enemy behind her giving her a smile as she removes the tied part and starts attacking the enemy. magical creature is also flintlocking enemies with a barrage of magic shots.

other scenes involve armored girls individually doing attacks with magic users that have similar attacks like dragon armor's electric dragon or phoenix armor and her fire bird attack. 2nd era 1st story groups show up doing their thing (didn't mention it then but one was only part werewolf so here a werewolf just smells her like she smells funny) (i also didn't mention iron staff earth witch thing was also blizzard attack so she and character that wasn't important for 7th series but had the same attack are doing it together). now as we hear trumpets on the left the character i also didn't talk about shows up with a goblin army and her thing was also fire bird. troops far in the back just standing there see snow falling as arrows fall down and we see on the right a man on a horse, giant and wolf next to him and archers behind and from the left again xD cavalry knights in shining armors and there is a big focus on their shields crest.

and now the sun darkens as enemy soldiers still waiting far in the back look at what's casting the shadow and see an army standing in the air and they panic and start bumping into each other trying to escape. only one girl descends down after commander gave the signal BOOM and she's already back as this army is flying somewhere else and of in the distance a mountain is cut in half.

in the end we see 2 cloaked women (Gabriela and Irene) just walking next to each other through the battle around them as if invisible.

100% sure i forgot to mention a detail or few just now xD

A bit added to this is a scene where a father closes the book his little girl is reading and says how this are spoilers as he puts the book back on the shelve in the middle and says how each book is a journey towards that future and he picks the first book giving it to her smiles and leaves but the girl picks up the other one again and just takes a short peek in before returning it and in that peek we see surrounded by black smoke hard to see Raven armor and then the eyes light up.

another that does not belong anywhere had a old retirement castle for wizards getting attacked. old grandpas and grannies made attacking monster question their life choices with their attacks but there was another incoming problem so the castle send out the beacon. now some small 2 kingdoms not big or important enough to play a part in any of the stories are fighting each other when a dragon, bells and drums are heard. 2 opposite leaders rush to meet and now the situation has changed as they're saying we'll take the bridge and you go down there and if we find out before you what's going on we'll send messenger. it is because the 3 kingdoms are now known protectors of world of magic that when they sound the alarm you know something big is going on.

another that does not belong in any series but happens before series 9. it had a castle actually a school being attacked by monsters and Irene drops from the sky wearing her cloak but also her old green uniform. she just stands there but monsters are being attacked and you see her shadow is moving really fast while she is standing still. after she defeats the boss and starts moving towards the bridge leading to castle the principal has everyone go inside "why" because "there is a reason why white and green uniforms were retired"

and why i don't want to include the 5th kingdom in 1st era final battle and why i do xD first it would be nice to find out who the 2 mysterious people from 5th series were og i did not know, plus it would pave the way to 3rd era as 5th's king and 1st's queen were secretly in love ergo why he was helping despite their no interference oath. and why it would be bad.. well first things first. the scene starts as queen is joined on the battlefield by delegation which arrival stuns everyone, queen bows to them with her hand on chest saying "the heart needs to be protected" and they do the same. no other words are exchanged as delegation just observes. when the battle is over a dragon can be heard and the queen as well as the 2nd kingdom dragon are shocked but the queen was more shocked and could barely walk muttering "no...what have you done" tears going down her face as she repeats "the heart needs to be protected" clutching her arm to her chest as the delegation say "a heart was protected today" "but our oath never specified which heart". now Gabriela rushes and teleport away and sees another battlefield and 5th kingdom is really powerful tossing the enemy left and right, up and down xD as white dragon lands and a man walks towards her she falls to her knees and with the hand on chest actually shouts "the heart needs to be protected!" but the man says the heart was indeed threatened today but this monsters largely underestimated them as we see now a scene from their kingdom where monsters entered but were instantly defeated by remaining guardians. in my opinion this diminishes the struggle they went through to achieve this victory. the roles 3 kingdom played and Irene saying how it was easy and enemy only gave them what they wanted.. there was clearly an ambush which 5th kingdom dealt with and they're the most magic powerful kingdom in the magic world. idk i just feel it takes away from their accomplishment that day in original version i mean we even had people coming from future to help idk..

[rockislandadultreads]

August 30th - National Beach Day

Death by Beach Read by Eva Gates

It’s spring in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Lucy and Connor have moved into their new home at last, a historic cottage on the Nags Head Beach. The house needs a lot of renovations, but they worked hard over the winter to get it ready. Lucy is now happily immersed in her work at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, planning her wedding, and decorating the house. That is, until a dead body disrupts their peaceful new abode.

The first night Lucy’s alone in the house, with the company of Charles the library cat, she hears sounds. Investigating they see footsteps in the dust of the unfinished living room, and the door to the outside is open. Lucy's reminded that the house is said to be haunted: forty years ago the teenage daughter of the owners fled in the night, and never again stepped foot inside her family home.

But the sounds have an all-too-human origin and one evening Lucy and Connor find the dead body of a man they don’t even recognize in their kitchen. They soon realize he has a long-time connection to their house. Lucy's forced to find out what happened all those years ago and why it’s threatening her happiness today.

Meanwhile, the Classic Novel Reading Club is reading The House of the Seven Gables by Nathanial Hawthorne, a book about another old house full of secrets. Can Lucy find parallels to her own situation in Hawthorne’s fiction before the killer strikes again?

This is the 6th volume of the "Lighthouse Library Mystery" series.

Mermaid Beach by Sheila Roberts

Bonnie Brinks and her all-woman band, The Mermaids, are the pride of Moonlight Harbor. They’re the house band at The Drunken Sailor, and that’s just the right amount of fame for Bonnie. A lifetime ago, she went to Nashville to make it big, but she returned home with a broken heart and broken dreams. Now she’s got a comfortable life and a brilliant daughter, Avril, who plays for The Mermaids alongside Bonnie and Bonnie’s mother, Loretta.

Avril has big dreams of her own. Her life in Moonlight Harbor is good—she loves singing and playing guitar with The Mermaids, and she has the sweetest, most loyal boyfriend a girl could ask for—but it all feels so…small. She can’t help wondering if there’s something more out there for her. And she doesn’t understand why her mom won’t support her going to Nashville to find out.

Meanwhile, Bonnie threw in the towel on her love life long ago, but Loretta sure hasn’t. She’s determined to be swept off her feet, and she wants the same for her daughter. When the hunky new owner of The Drunken Sailor turns the tables on the band and Avril announces she’s leaving Moonlight Harbor, Bonnie’s comfortable life seems to be drifting away. Will these three generations of Mermaids find their happy endings on the Washington coast? Or will the change in the winds leave them all shipwrecked?

This is the 7th volume of the "Moonlight Harbor" series.

The Beach at Summerly by Beatriz Williams

June 1946. As the residents of Winthrop Island prepare for the first summer season after the sacrifice of war, a glamorous new figure moves into the guest cottage at Summerly, the idyllic seaside estate of the wealthy Peabody family. To Emilia Winthrop, daughter of Summerly’s year-round caretaker and a descendant of the island’s settlers, Olive Rainsford opens a window into a world of shining possibility. While Emilia spent the war years caring for her incapacitated mother, Olive traveled the world, married fascinating men, and involved herself in political causes. She’s also the beloved aunt of the two surviving Peabody sons, Amory and Shep, with whom Emilia has a tangled romantic history.

As the summer wears on, Emilia develops a deep rapport with Olive, who urges her to leave the island for a life of adventure, while romance blossoms with the sturdy and honorable Shep. But the heady promise of Peabody patronage is blown apart by the arrival of Sumner Fox, an FBI agent who demands Emilia’s help to capture a Soviet agent who’s transmitting vital intelligence on the West’s atomic weapon program from somewhere inside the Summerly estate.

April 1954. Eight years later, Summerly is boarded up and Emilia has rebuilt her shattered life as a professor at Wellesley College, when shocking news arrives from Washington—the traitor she helped convict is about to be swapped for an American spy imprisoned in the Soviet Union, but with a mysterious condition only Emilia can fulfill. A reluctant Emilia is summoned to CIA headquarters, where she’s forced to confront the harrowing consequences of her actions that fateful summer, and a choice that could destroy the Peabody family—and Emilia’s chance for redemption—all over again.

The Girls of South Beach by Treasure Hernandez

Anissa Burke has one goal, and that’s to be the baddest bitch to ever walk the earth. Using seduction to her advantage, she stays laced in designer clothes, in the best homes, and behind the wheel of fancy cars. Things are good, and when Anissa meets a pimp named Leon, he promises to make them even better.

At first Leon treats her like royalty. He tells her she’s better than his other girls and even shows her the game. Soon, though, she begins to see the evil in him take root, and his love turns to brutal blows. Tired of seeing bruises on her skin and giving him all her money, Anissa can’t take it anymore. After witnessing Leon commit a murder, she calls in an anonymous tip that leads to his arrest.

With Leon gone, his spot is up for grabs, and Anissa knows she’s the only one who can step into it. The girls trust her, and under her wing, they become the highest paid underground escort business in South Beach. However, sometimes the things buried in the past can dig themselves up.

When escorts start turning up dead around the city and an attempt is made on her life, Anissa discovers that Leon has been released from prison. With vengeance in his heart, he wants back what he’s started, and he won’t stop until there is no more breath in Anissa’s body.

[liuisi]

we, as christians, are called to not be involved in the things of the world, and that DOES mean not identifying yourself with a "side" in any conflict. because those conflicts are Of The World, and there is not a "side" that will ever fully represent Christ. we are called to be set apart. a secret third thing, if you will.

okay. to be blunt. this is about the palestinian genocide. (and yes, it is a genocide. there is no other way to describe the systematic killing of a people and erasing of their culture, and you do not need to take a "side" to know that. i am not arguing about this, it has been extensively documented for almost 10 months now, and even before that.)

i'm seeing a Lot of christians take israel's side to the point of trying to justify what, again, has been extensively documented here. (note: i am an arab christian. the type of treatement palestinians have been subjected to by israel is common knowledge in my circles, and just because you were not aware of it before does not mean that it wasn't happening. you cannot deny lived experiences.)

i couldn't presume to know why, i am not in these people's heads. i've heard a lot of talk of it being because israel is "God's chosen people", and to that i say yes, but. read the old testament. has israel being God's chosen people mean that everything they did was according to God's will? the old testament is literally ABOUT the failure of israel reflecting the failure of man to do what is right without a personal relationship with God.

not to mention that after the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the cross, we are now in the dispensation of grace, in which ALL are welcome to approach God. the veil has been torn, etc. you can no longer give israel a special status just because of what they identify as.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

are there prophecies about the remnant of israel coming back to God after the rapture? yes, of course. but we are Not In That Time. and also, i feel that it is important to mention that "israel" here are specifically the historical people, the descendants of abraham, not the Modern Day Country. these people will, in their time, repent and follow the one true living God, but i cannot stress enough that we cannot put an entire Country on a pedestal and give them leave to do whatever they want because of this. mankind, at its core, is evil without God. a country/leadership that does not know God is not one that christians should associate with.

like. i don't know how to explain to you that you have to Care About Other People. God despises evil, and killing is undeniably evil! you cannot associate yourself and support a country that is doing so much evil while simultaneously claiming to wanting to be like Christ! (and before someone brings up that "oh, palestinians have done evil, hamas, october 7th, etc." of course. you cannot support that either. the point i'm trying to make is that you cannot condemn hamas and then turn around and say but THIS killing is justified/okay/not as bad.)

i want to make it clear that, as i stated in the beginning, this is not about taking a side. you should not be "on the palestinian side" just as you should not be "on the israeli side". what you SHOULD be is compassionate towards all people, condemning evil, and loving what is good.

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. (Romans 12:9)

can i be so honest

[captainkurosolaire]

Prompt #22 ~ Kiss of Death

Conclusion from: Prompt #14 ~ Whetstone - ♫Lovers on the Sun♫

The escapee of an assailant gave procedure carried, a freed child and sought to sprint out of this hazardous facility in haste. The hostile territories weren't yet finished. A familiar Fae, shouted, <Watch out Master!> In their connection, before a sonic boom of noise shattered his enhanced sense's rung, the infliction was amplified, sending him reeling. He dexterously faltered on his back. Close to the exit. Agitated in pain, unable to use or be reliant on any of his senses but touch. Equipping youth with one of his entrusted daggers, "Run!" Sending them off with an aggressiveness command in his voice. Life's dependency on the line. A matriarch subjugator of the base. "Don't let that experiment escape. Who could've thought a troublesome cat could cause this." As her barking commandment gave to one of her men stepping in and giving an aim shot. The Seeker launched a tricky sleeved dirk attached to a rope and upset the aim and balance disarming and cultivating the man into his pull and grasp. He'd yank him inbound, into kicking distance. Breaking the shin and sending him into a leg-lock squeezed the man's life out in seconds with a fearsome entanglement. Taking advantage of his scent. His feline eardrums were blistered and leaking sanguine from the overflowed frequency of that sound-wave weaponry. The child escaped in line out of sight. The men of her control rushed forth in droves.

Forcing the assassin broke open his eyelids. In pure concentrated golden hues, glowering. He scattered up with a flexible roll back. Blocking the doorway and spiraling in counter blocks registering their aims and disarming them in dispatched his gifted Truesight saw their movement's before they even made them, but at-strict quick cost, of giving him a short burst before becoming indefinitely blind so only could sustain it for a tiny window. He unhooked a bomb strapped onto one of their waists and saw how they used it once in history, and turned and swift-round kicked one in the groin to pull and shove it down a man's throat. Then smashed him into his fellow, then cartwheeled in a series of acrobatics back. Exposing a link of connection he strung them into forcing them to meet a messy catastrophic demise. That unbridled velocity and quick-footed motion were dumbfounding captivating. Sadistically the matriarch even despite seeing her men being murderously and viciously dispatched by the opposition felt a fluster. She saw one of her men's head's be swiftly beheaded and rolled over to her. Blood churning scream's came as this man etched in shadows, prowled and ate people like a dining panther. Their number's meant only added to a body-counter for his expertise. He punctured through a man's chest with his bare hand called lethality and plunged a darkened heart out. Then gushed it to just blind and kill the next man. None could get past his essence. Leaving them strangled and hung up on their own intestine's, their own disembowels used as deathly instrument's. She was left in disbelief and hysteria, twisted, fear, death, whatever she felt was euphorically maddening she let a pitch swoon. Her third-eye was coated in red. That nameless reaper had his gaze only her left standing. His eye-sight was dysfunctional and fading. Lives spent yearning maintaining, just perished in seconds. He was leaving a trail of a combination of his own injuries and limping with fractures. But his face was masked with a red not of his own. She seemed broken to mania. Contract's only end when the target is dead, or the contractor dies. He was the written pen. She felt genuine death and fear, but yet, instead of it deciding to make her, unmoved, she was so motivated more. He gripped a vice around her throat, in his touch, she felt broken. The twist, he was met ceremoniously with an underhanded shock of her arm's that served as a taser. It stacked up and the voltage cranked sent him into a new downfall. His eyelids closed to a shutter, little sight to see preservation. She straddled the clad leather man, in a sultry tone, and her own turned on state as she grind hips onto his lower extremities, "I want you." Rattling off with sultriness. Unable to fend, her own fast pace. She took his loosened blade from his grip, and put it to his throat. Pressing sharp steel upon flesh, breaking skin, wedging between to deliver a final joy. Lips terribly close to another. His body felt entirely numb and drifted, the tightness ring onto his finger, becoming the only thing felt. Contemplating lastly. Before delivering a final song to the Subjugator. Their lips met. And when they did, her literal heart-stopped instantaneously as she slunk off him. Even the balm of his lip's gave a respite of death; too poisonous to contain. He heaved exhales dying out to his steep injuries. Emerging a particularly wise fox gave a canted, of judgement over him, it appeared almost translucent. His eyelid's left open to a crease. Panting out. Resonating a voice internally. <"The Father's shadow must create light."> Looming in forewarned, an oddly spiritual fox delivered a spectral omen. Blurred vision perhaps hallucinating from overexposure to his True-sight resuming to blindness, the spirit drifted aetheric particles away.

Cryptic messages held mystery beyond even where shadow's roamed into as. Sensational presence of what felt, served alarmingly unlike anything. As if was caressed by a power beyond conception. Yet known. It was another thread onto a ball of yarn. Injuries racked over and sent him into an unconsciousness, faded to black. He found himself breathing heavier in nightmare as a nightmare surfaced. Overabundance dread, smelling fresh decay that meteor showered corpses stained into gore-crimson seas. His feet found an empty ability to retreat, or go anywhere, finding little room to maneuver stifling lungs; unable to escape. Cloud's swallowed swirls a puncturing blackest hole, roamed above devouring Sun and Stars alike. Massively awakening an all-consuming silhouette Colossus towered above on an Isle that felt insignificantly like standing upon a pebble-stone, a little rock. The heathen let out a signal and a deafening battle cry upon this hellish out-land. Birds of prey, beckoned pecking and tearing away color, into just pure instilled red and darkness. This felt like a vision of a battlefield, yet to come. It felt inconceivably real. Even his suppressed emotions and conditioned mind was shattered before it. Why did his heart feel so strange? Beyond this veil nightmare, he was actually being revitalized and given chest compressions. Were all these collection's of being on the brink? Or more. Whatever it was, the nightmare changed into a turn. He heard a pitching whine from an apparition on this inhabited place of an infant. In a crater before the Colossus who began proceeding forth, it would've crushed; like witnessing an incoming train. Unless he did something about it, there was nowhere back, no side to turn. Only forward to an executioner behemoth, who engraved death's certainty. That familiarized tone... A parent could only know... that was his child. The boy with a sick heart. Right when finding the answer, and procedure of step's came dashing forth, in this brink. He saw unfathomably shadows do emit light. Only in a pacific condition. Awakening appendage and stitch back together with medicinal ointments and treatments. He had a choice, to ignore this. Or maybe be alert, recognize. Where the murdering had stacked summits, and made him nearly feel anything. Only his wife and child could make him feel. Wasn't too late for even a shadow in acting as guardian over his son left before hardships. A sword, carried a new foundation, of purpose to see truth; peace, because if achieved that, it'd reward him to see his child and be there, one-day. His end would be the ember to begin.