#COLD FORMED SQUARE HOLLOW SECTION

[hollowsection-blogs]

JF Engineering Products LLP is a reputable company that produces a variety of round hollow sections, rectangular hollow, mild steel pipes and galvanized steel pipes. We are a corporation that adheres to a whole quality management system and is ISO 9001:2008 Certified. We have been balancing the quality of our products and price while concentrating on exports, earning praise for our innovative and market-handling strategies.

[zhishang-steel]

More than Steel: Explore the key role of structural steel in modern architecture

Structural steel is designed for a variety of building uses. It has high ductility, a property that allows for stress redistribution. Because of the high ductility of structural steel, it can be customized to a variety of shapes, sizes and thicknesses. Most countries have strict standards to regulate the shape, size, chemical composition and mechanical properties of steel.

The shape design of structural steel usually has a good strength-to-weight ratio, which enables it to support extremely heavy loads without deformation, so steel becomes an excellent reinforcement material. These include a variety of shapes, such as I-beams, Z-shaped steel, hollow structure cross sections also known as HSS-shapes, which are very common around the world, but specific standards vary from region to region.

In many countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, I-beams are referred to as universal beams (UB) or universal columns (UC), respectively. In Europe, sections such as IPE, HE, HL and HD are included. The United States includes wide flanges (WF or W shape) and H-profiles. All construction industries usually use I-beams, which are very effective for bearing bending loads.

In addition, there are such as C-beam or C-section, also known as structural channel steel, T-section is also known as tee, track profile asymmetric general beams, metal plates, open web steel joists and so on.

Structural steel products can be manufactured by hot rolling, cold rolling or by welding profiles together. In the past few decades, "Angle iron", "trough iron" and "iron plate" have been used to describe wrought iron. Today, however, steel has replaced iron, but the terms are still used informally, but it is incorrect to use these old terms to refer to steel. The correct terms are Angle, groove and plate.

Structural steel standard

European standards of discovery

There is an official European Committee for Standardization called CEN.

When it comes to steel manufacturing, there are many current national standards, and most steels used in Europe comply with the European standard EN 10025.

For example, S275J2 and S355K2W are typical names for steel grades, where S indicates that they are structural steels, followed by three numbers describing the yield strength in Newtons per square millimeter or mpa, followed by an alphanumerical combination that is the toughness grade classification. The second letter W in the last example indicates that the product is composed of weathering steel. The name may also include letters for fine-grained steel (N or NL), tempered steel (Q or QL), etc.

The shape of a set of standard structural profiles is defined by five European standards:

European I-beam: IPE - Euronorm 19-57

European I beam: IPN - DIN 1025-1

European flange beam: HE -- Euronorm 53-62

European Channel: UPN - DIN 1026-1

Cold forming in Europe IS IS 800-1

American standard

In the United States, alloy steels used in the construction of buildings are certified and specified by ASTM International. The name of the building material begins with A, followed by two to four numbers. Four-digit names are commonly used for mechanical engineering. Steel used in machines and vehicles has a separate naming system.

The most commonly used types of structural steel include:

Carbon steel

A36 - for structural shapes and plates.

A53 - For structural pipes and tubes.

A500 - for structural pipes and tubes.

A501 - For structural pipes and tubes.

A529 - for structural shapes and plates.

A1085 - For structural pipes and tubes.

High strength low alloy steel

A441 - for structural shapes and plates - (replaced by A572)

A572 - for structural shapes and plates.

A618 - For structural pipes and tubes.

A992 - Suitable for applications such as W or S I-beams.

A913 - For hardening and Self-tempering (QST) W shapes.

A270 - for structural profiles and plates.

Corrosion resistant high strength low alloy steel

A243 - for structural shapes and plates.

A588 - for structural shapes and plates.

Tempered alloy steel

A514 - for structural shapes and plates.

A517 - For boilers and pressure vessels.

Eglin steel - Used in low-cost aerospace and weapons equipment.

Forged steel

A668 - For steel forgings

What is the CE Mark?

The European Directive Construction Products Directive (CPD) introduced the CE marking for all steel and construction products. CPD ensures harmonization of classification and description, facilitating the free movement of products and materials throughout the EU. A factory's factory Production control (FPC) system must be evaluated by a suitable certification body approved by the European Commission before it is allowed to add the CE marking to articles and/or materials. This ensures that these "safety critical" items actually meet the quality specified on the label. For example, CE marking on products such as prefabricated steel structures and bolts can verify that the manufacturing and final properties of the product meet the relevant harmonized standards (see below).

When it comes to steel construction, the standard is indicated by the following descriptive names:

For sections and plates, it is: EN 10025-1

For hollow profiles: EN 10219-1 and EN 10210-1

For pre-tightening bolts, it is: EN 14399-1

For non-preloaded bolts: EN 15048-1

For fabricated steel, it is: EN 1090-1

The CE marking standard for steel structures is EN 1090-1.

As of the end of 2010, the standard covering the CE marking of steel structures is EN 1090-1. After a two-year transition period, the CE mark became an EU standard in 2014.

Concrete or steel?

Of course, steel and concrete are not the only materials used in construction, but they are among the most abundant and widely used materials in most modern buildings. Steel of various grades and properties, concrete of various grades and properties, and other materials such as clay, mortar, ceramics, wood, and masonry are commonly used.

For load-bearing purposes, such as structural frames and load-bearing beams, materials commonly used include some combination of structural steel, concrete, masonry and/or wood. Depending on the conditions of the structural components and the desired performance, different combinations, grades and designs will be used. By far the most common and abundant building materials in these cases are reinforced concrete and steel. The optimal grade, material mix and design are determined by the engineer. Factors that influence these decisions include weight, strength, constructability, sustainability, availability, life, fire resistance, appearance, and cost.

Let's look at some of these factors in more detail:

cost

This will depend on several factors, such as construction location, order size, transportation costs, support machinery, components, and availability and cost of skilled and unskilled labor. For example, reinforced concrete requires formwork before pouring, which accounts for about half of the final cost. The preparation is demanding, but once this work is done correctly, the concrete can be poured and allowed to cure. They form a strong solid material that conforms to the desired shape in pre-cured liquid form. Precast concrete has become a popular way to reduce costs (through factory manufacturing methods) and maintain greater regularity in shape and form. Manufacturing is fast, so, assuming transportation is available and efficient, using the prefabricated method can also speed up other aspects of construction, resulting in cost savings. Since steel (used to reinforce concrete) is sold by weight, structural designers determine the lightest and least amount of steel that can still produce the strength and other properties required for a component. Buying the same components in bulk (even though some may be over-engineered for their purpose) can significantly reduce costs compared to buying every component with properties specific to the job at hand.

Strength-to-weight ratio

Strength-to-weight ratio or specific strength is a useful way to classify building materials. Strength divided by density, the resulting rating is used to indicate how useful a material is in a given situation or for a given purpose. For example, the compressive strength of concrete is ten times the tensile strength, so the strength-to-weight ratio is much higher in cases where compressive strength is the main required attribute.

Sustainable development

As environmental issues become increasingly important and urgent, many construction companies and material suppliers list sustainability attributes as the main feature of their products. The use of sustainable and sustainably manufactured materials usually does not significantly affect the performance or cost of the structure, and some of these materials are actually cheaper. For example, more than 80% of structural steel members are currently made from recycled materials (A992 steel). It is cheaper and has a higher strength-to-weight ratio compared to grade A36 steel members. The concrete, which uses primarily natural materials as components, is now made permeable, which reduces the need for drainage and overflow infrastructure as water can move through the surface on its own. Disposing of old concrete is also less harmful to the environment because it can be used as an aggregate for other construction projects rather than simply thrown into a landfill.

Fire resistance

For buildings and the people who live and work in them, fire can be one of the scariest and most dangerous risks. In dry and windy conditions, fires can mean raging blazes within minutes, and wooden structures are particularly vulnerable to this danger. In this case, even structural steel may be at risk of failure. The use of reinforced concrete, both as a major part of the structure and as a firebreak or protective layer for other materials, is one way to mitigate these risks.

corrosion

Exposure to corrosion in water, heat, moisture, salt, and other substances can cause long-term problems for some building materials, not only damaging the appearance of the material, but also damaging the integrity of the structure. When installing certain materials, special measures must be taken to ensure protection from these potentially harmful elements, and these materials need to be maintained regularly and recommended care procedures followed. Structural steel may rust if exposed to water, wood may rot, and mold may seep into cracks and cavities in the structure, posing a danger to those who live and work near the structure. However, these are well-known risks, and both material manufacturers and construction companies take steps to reduce the risks and educate users on best practices to ensure safety and extend the useful life of these products and structures

Structural steel is an indispensable material in the construction industry, which is known for its excellent physical properties and flexible construction performance. This material has extremely high compressive and tensile strength, which means that it can withstand significant pressure and tension, maintaining its robustness. The excellent toughness and ductility of structural steel enable it to remain stable under a variety of environmental and functional requirements, while its high stiffness ensures the straightness and shape stability of the structure. These properties make structural steel the material of choice when constructing Bridges, tall buildings and other infrastructure.

In terms of construction, the plasticity of structural steel is extremely high, and it can be processed into various shapes required by forging, forming, bending and other ways. It is connected in a variety of ways, and can be connected with other parts by bolts, welding, cutting and forming to adapt to different design and construction needs. Compared with concrete that needs to be mixed, poured and cured on site for a period of time, structural steel can be used immediately after arriving at the construction site, greatly shortening the construction period and improving the construction efficiency, which is crucial for the progress control of engineering projects.

Although structural steel performs well in fire resistance because it is itself non-combustible, its strength and stiffness are affected at high temperatures, which can lead to structural failure. Therefore, in order to meet the requirements of international building codes, steel structure components usually need to be wrapped in refractory materials, which undoubtedly increases the overall construction cost.

In terms of corrosion resistance, structural steel is prone to corrosion when in contact with water, especially in saline environments. To prevent corrosion, protective paint or other protective measures are usually applied and steel components are placed away from water sources.

Mold problems are generally more common in porous surface materials such as wood, and less so in steel structures. This is because mold tends to grow on porous surfaces, and the closed nature of steel limits mold growth.

In modern urban construction, skyscrapers and super high-rise buildings mostly use steel structure, because structural steel has high strength, rigidity, and can be quickly put into use, making the construction progress more controllable. Due to the high strength-to-weight ratio of structural steel, it is particularly suitable for use in tall buildings where structural integrity needs to be maintained from the underground foundation to the tip.

For some low-rise buildings, because they do not require such a high strength-to-weight ratio and have fewer floors, it is more economical to use concrete as a building material. Although structural steel and reinforced concrete are both preferred building materials, builders often also consider economic factors when selecting materials. They need to make a trade-off between maintaining a profitable business and choosing cheaper materials.

In actual building design, engineers and designers often combine the advantages and disadvantages of steel and concrete and use them for different purposes. For example, steel is used in the structural frame of the building, while reinforced concrete is used in the floor slab. This design not only gives full play to the advantages of the two materials, but also enables rapid alternate construction between floors during construction.

In short, the design and construction of structural steel is a comprehensive consideration of material characteristics, cost effectiveness, safety and aesthetic process. With careful design and material selection, it is possible to create building works that are both affordable and safe to use.

More than Steel: Explore the key role of structural steel in modern architecture

[metaldivine]

Hastelloy C276 Round Bars Suppliers in Chennai

Divine Metal & Alloys This Hastelloy C276 Bars are being manufactured, supplied and traded by us to our esteemed clienteles in best possible rates. Hastelloy C276 Rods (UNS N10276) can be used in the as-welded condition in most chemical and petrochemical process equipment. Although these Alloy C276 Round Bars tends to work-harden, you can have it successfully spun, deep-drawn, press formed or punched. Alloy C276 Rods can be used as-welded for most chemical process environments. Alloy C276 Bars can be successfully fabricated by many methods. Inconel C276 Round Bars also has extra ordinary corrosion resistance and the ability to with stand extreme temperature. These offered Inconel C276 Rods are available in various specifications to meet the application requirements of the clients'. Divine Metal & Alloys also offers these products in custom-made shapes and sizes with respect to highest international standard quality.

Hastelloy UNS N10276 Round Bars are used in many industries because of their superior properties. These bars are composed of a combination of Nickel, Molybdenum, and Chromium, allowing them to resist corrosion when exposed to extreme temperatures and harsh chemicals. As a result, they are excellent for use in highly corrosive environments such as aerospace parts, pharmaceutical products, and nuclear power plants. In addition, their remarkable physical properties make them ideal for construction in high-stress and high-temperature applications where metal needs to be durable and robust.

Alloy c-276 bars have quickly become popular among industrial manufacturers due to their incredible advantages. Its high level of resistance to corrosion makes it an early choice for those looking for long-term use of the material. Additionally, it shows impressive mechanical strength, giving it a greater career span than many other materials. Furthermore, even in extreme hot and cold temperatures, c-276 can hold its own against severe conditions as if unaffected by them. Furthermore, its versatility and ease of welding make it an ideal option for industrial engineers.

Hastelloy C276 Round Bars Specification

Specification

ASTM B574, ASTM B574 UNS N10276 , NACE MR-01-75, ASME SB574 Bar Products, AMS 5750 (Hastelloy C, UNS N10002), Inconel C276 (trademark), Werkstoff Nr. 2.4819, ASTM B751, DIN 17744, DIN 17751, DIN 17750 and DIN 17752,VRC276GradeHastelloy C276 – UNS N10276UNS N10276 Hex Bar size2-100mm A/FASTM B574 Hastelloy C276 Round bar sizeDiameter: 3-~C276mmASTM B574 Hastelloy C276 Square bar size4 to 100mmN10276 Flat bar sizeThickness: 2 -100mmWidth: 10 to 500mmHastelloy C276 Rectangles Size33 x 30mm to 295 x 1066mmASTM B574 N10276 Angle bar size3mm*20mm*20mm~12mm*100mm*100mmUNS N10276 Section3.0 to 12.0mm thicknessHastelloy C276 AMS 5666 Channel Bar80 x 40mm to 150 x 75mm section; 5.0 to 6.0mm thicknessN10276 Hollow Bar32mm OD x 16mm ID to 250mm OD x 200mm ID)ASTM B574 N10276 Billet Size1/2" to 495mm DiameterFinishCold (bright) drawn, centreless ground, hot rolled, smooth turned, peeled, slit rolled edge, hot rolled annealed, Rough Turned, Bright, Polish, Grinding, Centreless Ground & BlackToleranceH8, H9, H10, H11, H12, H13K9, K10, K11, K12 or as per clients’ requirementsSurfaceHot Rolled Pickled, Bright, Sand Blasting Finished, Cold Drawn, Hairline, PolishedConditionHardened & tempered, annealedTechniqueHastelloy C276 Cold Drawn, Hot Rolled, Forged Round Bar,Cold Rolled, RodProcessingBar cutting to 650mmFormHastelloy C276 Round, Welding Rod, T-Bar, Rod, Precision Ground Bar, Channel Bar, Square, Flat Bar, Blocks, Round Rod, Hollow, Rings, Rectangle, Hex (A/F), Triangle, Threaded, Profiles, Billet, Ingot, I/H Bar, Half Round Bar, Forging etc.Our stockyad location for fast delivery across IndiaHyderabad, Noida, Shivamogga, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Agra, Coimbatore, Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Pune, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Dhanbad, Navi Chennai

[bptina]

Galvanized square tube

Galvanized square tube is a kind of hollow square section steel pipe with square cross-sectional shape and size made of hot-rolled or cold-rolled galvanized steel strip or galvanized coil as billet by cold bending and then by high-frequency welding, or a galvanized square tube made of cold-formed hollow steel pipe by hot-dipped galvanizing. Uses Since galvanized square tube is galvanized on square tube, it makes the application range of galvanized square tube has been greatly expanded compared with square tube. It is mainly used in curtain wall, construction, machinery manufacturing, steel construction projects, shipbuilding, solar power generation bracket, steel structure engineering, power engineering, power plant, agriculture and chemical machinery, glass curtain wall, automobile chassis, airport, etc.

[unicronian]

a bunch of powers/hybrid smp character design hcs based around their powers in the mod:

(small warning for slight body horror in tubbo and wilbur’s sections, and horror themes in wilbur’s section)

this got long so here’s a snapshot of my fav bits above the read more:

tubbo can open his stomach up like a shulker, and just reach in there and put stuff in and get it out again

wilbur’s physical appearance is dependent on how well rested the person looking at him is

tommy glides by t-posing because his arms are his wings

ranboo can open unhinge his jaw and open his mouth like an enderman, and he has like an extra layer of mouth skin like a snake that you can only see when his mouth is unhinged

Phil hates places with low ceilings cause his wings are super long and he can’t stretch them out

Niki’s got gills on her neck to help filter water, so when she wants to talk to people above water she has to stick just her head out of the water and leave her neck beneath it

You know su!peridot’s augments she had at her intro, jack can like do that with his clawed fingers. Just like detach them at will and control them but they can’t go very far from him so it isnt very useful

Shulk!Tubbo:

tubbo has pretty thick skin with a slightly sickly pallor even though he’s perfectly healthy

he also has a carapace that’s similar in color and texture to a shulker’s shell covering the parts of his body that don’t bend(arms, legs, top of his head, upper chest) he can use these to block sword blows but if the sword is sharp enough it’ll stick cut into his skin

the carapace itself doesnt bleed, but it does heal and tubbo feels pain if it gets cut

like a lobster or turtle the carapace is a part of tubbo’s skin and can’t be removed(without extreme pain)

his hands are also reinforced by his carapace, giving him sharp claws at the tips of his fingers, and this is why he can punch through stone easily and without breaking his hand

he’s also pretty heavy underneath this extra armor and as a result he’s got a lot of intense muscle mass

tubbo can open his stomach up like a shulker, and just reach in there and put stuff in and get it out again, but it has limited storage

it kind of makes his stomach look like a shulker, with interlocking squares

the stuff inside his stomach exists in a type of hammerspace(we’ll just call it shulkerspace) so if you were to cut him open the stuff wouldnt be there

you do NOT want to stick your hand into tubbo’s shulkerspace, he can do it with no ill effects but if someone else did they might as well wave goodbye to that hand even if tubbo doesnt close his shulker mouth on your hand

Phantom!Wilbur:

wilbur can do like... ghost things like turning invisible and walking through walls in phantom state

particularly astute(or anxious) people can sense when wilbur’s nearby in phantom state, but not accurately guess where he is

wilbur oftentimes goes in and out of phantom state without even realizing it, sometimes just vanishing in the middle of the conversation because he let his mind wander

he also burns in the daylight which is sadge but not when in phantom state so he sometimes goes into the phantom state on reflex when entering a very bright room

wilbur can sense how tired people are, and if they are tired enough to summon phantoms wilbur can sense whose insomnia the phantoms are targeting on sight

wilbur looks like how you’d expect a ghost to look: see through, human, or at least... that’s what he looks like when you wake up in the morning

his physical appearance is dependent on how well rested the person looking at him is, but he is always corporeal when out of the phantom state

by nighttime, when you’re getting ready for bed wilbur’s eyes are green and if you look closely they glow in the dark, and if you look closer a skeleton makes itself clear beneath wilbur’s skin. it is not a human skeleton

by morning the next day without sleep transparent membrane stretches between wilbur’s claws and you can clearly see the skeleton. fangs protrude from its mouth and its rib cage stretches grotesquely outwards with every breath wilbur takes

by the second night wilbur’s transparent skin is blue and phantom membrane has escaped the confines of his hand and run down the length of his arm, extra bones begin to grow from the skeleton to accommodate the growing wing. it is harder to see through him.

by dawn of the third morning you can see a tail, more bone than blue, leathery skin, lashing behind wilbur, it seems to always whip itself in your direction. it stings when it touches you, but not for long. his frayed wings are fully formed.

night falls and wilbur’s glowing green eyes are sunken in, practically floating in black eye sockets. his skin looks vacuum sealed, giving you a perfect map of the meatless bones inside. he is entirely opaque, you cannot see through him but his stark white skeleton, expanding, stretching, and clawing at you, is clearly visible

you sleep, and wilbur looks human once again

this version of wilbur doesn’t only exist in the minds of the sleep deprived. if you let him stay in the edges of your vision too long, no matter how rested you are, you can see this form

by the time you focus your vision on him wilbur will be back to his normal state. you can’t see what your brain desperately tries to refuse. it is only when your mental walls have been broken down that you can witness wilbur’s form. for better or for worse.

Avian!Tommy:

instead of having an extra set of limbs like phil tommy’s wings and arms are the same limbs, like a harpy(and like wilbur)

where the wing’s wrist is(essentially where it bends, if you’re unfamiliar with bird anatomy) Tommy has some extra human-like clawed fingers that he uses as hands

tommy isnt strong enough to fly with them, even if he is very light thanks to hollow bones. he can glide, though

yes, this does mean that tommy glides by t-posing

tommy also has talons for feet, which sort of assist him in being slightly faster than everyone

his feathers are the same colors as a red parrot’s, and he keeps them very well maintained so they keep their lustrous color

he’s also got a lot of feathers dotting his body, like around his ears and stomach and they protect him from the cold in the high up areas he likes sleeping in

ok i dont really have anything to say abt his veganism he’s just Like That because parrot(cause god knows chickens are omnivores)

he has a beak that he uses for nuts and seeds and he can make bird noises!

And he’s got a small feathery tail that isnt useful for much but does look cool

Even though he can’t fly Tommy does have a third eyelid like a bird, it goes side to side and is transparent, he mostly just uses it while gliding or swimming

Enderian!Ranboo

Very tall boy with very long arms

Honestly very similar to dsmp!ranboo

Water burns him like acid and leaves behind very distinctive burn scars but he heals pretty easily from water burns

He is Constantly bamboozled by people wearing pumpkins and he’s Not a fan

Ranboo can open unhinge his jaw and open his mouth like an enderman, and he has like an extra layer of mouth skin like a snake that you can only see when his mouth is unhinged

He’ll avoid eye contact at all cost because it agitates him and gets him unreasonably angry at whoever he’s talking to, the others have gotten very good at avoiding eye contact with him, though

Teleporting is a lot of fun to him and he’ll sometimes just teleport around just for the sake of it, because he can sense the change in location when teleporting in a way humans with ender pearls cant

Enderians are the results of people trying to fuse together with end-based magic and so all of them have the half and half texture of their skin, but most of them all have the same powers

Speaking of skin, Ranboo’s ender skin is strangely smooth and he doesn’t have a protruding nose, just slits in his face he smells through

He also doesn’t have any body hair at all, but his long ears generally distract from that

Elytrian!Phil

Phil is an incredibly light person, compared to a human he’d be dangerously underweight

He’s essentially skin, hollow bones, and elytra because if he was anything else he wouldn’t be able to fly especially with armor on

However this and his hollow bones means he’s pretty weak in all areas, especially underground

Thanks to his Brain he gets slow and weak under low ceilings and also sadge

Aside from the kind of unearthly tint to his skin Phil looks pretty human, aside from the elytra of course

He’s got insect wings protected by an elytra. So, elytra on beetles and things are kind of like a half circle protecting the wings and pressing them to the body of the beetle, and this works because beetles are wing shaped- phil is not

So, phil has very unique elytra that completely encase his wings, and the top part moves out of the way to let his wings fold out so they’re like twice his height- and that partially adds to his dislike of low ceilings, he can barely stretch his wings

Phil’s got fragile beetle wings so they look pretty fragile but they can withstand a beating and carry Phil a ways(though it’s partially phil’s innate magic that lets him shoot into the sky)

Phil has a transparent third eyelid just like Tommy

And, he has antennae that he uses to feel the wind while flying

Merling!Niki

Niki essentially has two types of skin: a human-looking thick layer of skin that covers the upper portion of her body and an even thicker scale-like layer that covers the lower half

Her human-like skin is very rough and it doesn’t absorb water like human skin does, the scales are smooth but also don’t absorb water

She has two legs and a long, thick tail she uses to propel herself through the water, the tail is entirely covered in her blue scales

Her hands and feet are webbed so when she swims she spreads her hands out to help push herself through the water

Niki also has decorative fins on various places on her body like her ears, legs, arms and stomach, they’re all blue and can’t be controlled in anyway

She’s got gills on her neck to help filter water, so when she wants to talk to people above water she has to stick just her head out of the water and leave her neck beneath it

Breathing in air and rain at the same time is extremely uncomfortable and leaves her constantly feeling short of breath but she considers it well worth it to walk on land for a period of time

She also has sharp teeth because: yes

She doesn’t have eyelids, though, her eyes are built like a fish’s

Blazeborn!Jack

Jack constantly gives off heat, he wont burn anyone but you’ll get very hot if you stand too close to him for too long

He has metallic blaze skin that glows like molten metal if he was recently on fire or in lava

You know su!peridot’s augments she had at her intro, jack can like do that with his clawed fingers. Just like detach them at will and control them but they can’t go very far from him so it isnt very useful

And, of course, he’s immune to poison and hunger because he’s basically an android, he’s like a gold material and metal cant get poisoned or hungry

Jack will, however, become fatigued if he’s away from intense heat like fire or lava for too long, like a week

He gets hurt in water because the water basically sucks the heat away from him and that actually hurts him

Staying in a cold biome too long would do the same thing if jack didnt go prepared with warm clothing and probably a flint and steel but tbf to jack humans also die in cold biomes if they’re unprepared

I’ve got nothing for fragranceman right now as i’m not sure if schlatt’s going to be on the server a lot

But i might make skins for these!

[draconic-ichor]

In the Steel Steeds Heart

Chapter 16: Bloodmoon’s Dawn

Warnings: strong language blood/gore, body horror, dead bodies, fire

Summary: Heisenberg searches for Juniper the morning after the hunt.

Feedback appreciated. 18+

Heisenberg trudged through the village. The sun had just started to rise in the pale dawn, the village trying to regroup after the Hunt.

He’d heard the gunshot, over the screams and howls. It made his blood run cold, fear and worry churning his gut into a mess.

The feeling didn’t leave him as he wandered the somber streets, the smell of blood and shit assaulting his nose.

But, above that, the horrid odor of burning hair and flesh rose with the wind. He rounded a corner to see a collection of men throwing bodies into a fire, the heat of it reaching his skin from that distance.

Most were Lycans, but there were a few dead and mangled villagers added to the blaze. Their fear of the dead turning spurred the villagers to burn both the creatures and the felled alike.

The thought of finding her on the pile….

He shook the thoughts away, trying to avoid the darkness that crept the corners of his brain.

He heard the wails of a woman, mourning a lost husband or son. He didn’t care to listen for details.

He continued along the street, looking into every fire for a familiar shape. His pale eyes scanning the charred bodies for anything resembling a varcalac alpha.

He sighed with relief when none were in the masses. Heisenberg had found her boots and coat discarded in the snow, her compass not far after. He deposited them in a safe location before searching the rest of the village.

The sound of bells echoed through the cold morning. He sneered, watching as the villagers began to flock towards the church. Mother Miranda, no doubt, was there to welcome them with promises of safety.

A few of the villagers stopped, falling to their knees before Heisenberg. Their voices were low and desperate mumbling for a mix or forgiveness and pity.

He reeled back a bit, before hurrying around them. He didn’t have time to waste coddling.

What he was looking for obviously wasn’t here anymore. He set his sights for the stronghold.

He walked the paths, over countless paw prints and bloody drag marks under his boots. The Lycans always retreated to the stronghold after hunts, to eat the dead they stole and to rest.

Heisenberg saw a few on the way, scrabbling around the rocks and tying up body’s for safekeeping.

The smell of gore was stronger as he entered the already opened doors, he could hear the creatures shuffling around within. If the villagers weren’t so fearful, they might have half a mind to torch this place.

He didn’t use caution as he strode through, the sound of his boots echoing off the ancient walls.

In a shadowy corner there was movement, something much bigger than a Lycan, and too bestial to be Urias.

He came forward, eyes adjusting to the darkness. His breath caught with relief: she was here and she was alive…

Juniper was still in her mutated form, laying bunched up along the old stone. Other Lycans and varcolacs were piled around, resting after the hunt.

Heisenberg stepped closer, seeing blood leak from a wound on her arm.

She raised her beastial head, a low growl coming from her chest.

“Hey now bitch, it’s me,” he lowered his voice, showing her his hands, “It’s Karl.”

She pulled her wounded leg closer, head dipping down. Her bloodied lips curled up as her wet nose twitched.

Sniffing at his offered hands, her hackles lowered.

Juniper leaned down and licked her wound gingerly.

Heisenberg knelt down by her, trying to look the leg over. It looked to be a bullet wound. Juniper’s tongue lathed it over, blood oozing out of the hole as soon as she licked it away.

“Got caught?” He frowned.

He could sense the metal still lodged in the flesh.

He reached out and gently touched her muzzle. Her multiple green eyes flicked up to him as she closed her unnaturally elongated jaws.

He scratched the bridge of her nose, easing as he watched her close her eyes.

There was a pleased rumble from her throat as she nuzzled into the contact.

“What I have to do is going to piss you off.” He admitted, worry etching into his features.

“Hies….en…” her voice croaked out, distorted and garbled in her mutated jaws.

He smiled weakly, “Yea, Doll. It’s me.”

“H….urt.” Her eyes of liquid green looked into his.

He squared his jaw, feeling a thorn in his chest.

“It’s going to get worse before it gets better.” He focused on the metal. Being as careful as possible, he began to dislodge the bullet with his powers.

Her form tensed, muscles bunched under the skin. She made a sound of warning, baring her teeth.

He didn’t waver, his eyebrows bunching with concentration. Suddenly, with a wet sucking sound, the bullet came free.

Heisenberg released it, the metal tinkling against the stone of the floor.

Juniper’s pointed ears came forward at the foreign sound. She sniffed the bullet with interest.

“Now what will we do with you?” He sighed, “Did you eat anyone?”

Juniper stood, shaking like a dog before padding closer to him. Her large head nudged him, causing Heisenberg to fall back on his butt.

She snuffled his shirt, pressing him down onto the stone.

He chuckled, trying to push her massive head away as her tongue came out.

She lapped at his face, her breath smelling of blood.

Heisenberg pushed her head to the side, “Damn, who's the nasty one now, bitch?”

She warbled pacing back into her spot, sitting down. Frowning, Heisenberg scratched his chin.

How to get her home?

He made a makeshift collar out of a piece of sheet metal folded in on itself, hooking a chain through it like a leash. Seeing her collared and chained sent a pang though him.

He frowned, his aggressive handling involving her throat still a stinging thorn in his mind.

He was surprised however how easily she followed the lead.

How much of her mind is left in this form?

He thought. Now that she was tired out and fully fed she was better behaved then the Lycans, padding after him as he led her out of the stronghold. The Lycans outside tilted their heads curiously as they passed.

Juniper’s back tendrils lazily flowed around her, like sea grass in the ocean current. They would sometimes bat into Heisenberg or disturb the snow covered branches overhead.

The trip back took much longer than expected. Heisenberg was forced to avoid the outskirts of the village entirely, making the way back longer anyways. Not to mention, in this form everything smelled new and interesting to Juniper’s sensitive nose. Heisenberg would get stopped every few feet by her shoving her face into a log or trying to scratch around in the dirt. It was akin to walking a large dog, he mused.

With the factory grounds in sight, his patience waned in wake of her most recent pit stop.

“Buttercup, you are really pissing me off.” He hissed, yanking on the chain. She whined, looking at him dejectedly as she padded up beside him.

Her head shot up, sniffing at the air. Her ears perked up as she looked towards the factory excitedly.

Heisenberg chuckled, “Yea, we’re going home.”

Before he could brace himself she went tearing off towards the factory, almost ripping the chain from his hands. He was forced to take a full run to keep up with her.

When they got to the fence he let go as she scrabbled over the top.

Falling off onto the other side with a thud, she looked at him expectantly.

The gate rattled open, as he walked through. He paused to ponder what to do with her now. He had hoped she would have changed back during the journey over, but her mutated form was locked in like a tick. She was also filthy, caked in a layer of blood and grime.

He led her to the back of the factory, practically having to push her onto the larger elevator. This was saved for when he had to transport larger scrap into the underbelly. But she should fit fine.

He took her to base level four.

Once there he hooked the chain to the wall, positioning her over some grates. She tugged at the bonds until she heard the sound of a faucet turning.

He came back brandishing an old rubber hose.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.” He said as he pointed the nozzle at her.

Heisenberg hosed her off, blood and mud washing away. The dirty water trickled away through the metal grates she stood over.

After he shut the water off, Juniper stood dripping and shivering. Her mane of dark curls, heavy and waterlogged, she resembled a drowned sheepdog.

“K-Ka….rl?” Her monstrous voice eked out. She pulled her twisted legs closer to herself as she shivered.

He frowned, “Yea, Yea…I know the water was cold.”

She gave a small whine like a dog, looking down.

“You should dry off soon, it’s warm here.” He soothed.  He made sure the ventilation system kicked on, forcing dry air though the lower sections of the factory.

He heard a hollow clinking sound, spinning around to find Juniper’s jaws biting at the large pipes. She pulled at them, shaking her monstrous head a bit.

“Hey!” Heisenberg shouted, “Don’t eat my shit!”

One of her many eyes flicked over to him as she continued.

He stomped closer, hearing a growl from deep in her chest.

“Hey!”

She paused for a moment, peering at him before starting to tug at the pipe again. He pulled on the chain, causing her to stumble back a bit with a whimper.

“Juniper, stop it!” He scolded her like a dog. She huffed.

He noticed the tendrils on her back began to recede, pulling into the bubbled flesh. Her scar also looks less angry.

Seeing her safe and starting to calm gave him time to think. Questions pooled around his head:

Miranda had to know Juniper could turn…but why was she testing the limits of it? Did she want to use her as a weapon or was it just more of her sick curiosity?

He didn’t know, but it made him feel sick. He hated seeing Juniper like this, twisted and bloodthirsty.

Seeing her start to get even a shadow of control over this form brought him some relief. If she could control it fully she’d be much less of a danger to herself.

Was it hunger related? Or just moon patterns, maybe?

The bloodmoon had definitely affected her much more deeply than any moon faze had prior. He scratched his beard, deep in thought.

[noblecrumpet-dorkvision]

Randomly Generated Spells, Statted

I took 24 hours of spell names generated by @Spellgenerator on Twitter during 10/19/2020 and statted them out as quickly as I could. Beware their balance and grammar.

Gingerbread Trap

4th-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 ft. (20-foot square)

Components: V, S, M (a piece of candied ginger)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You conjure a hollow gingerbread house to fall onto your foes, trapping them inside the cube of cookie. The house falls on each creature in a 20-foot square centered on a point you can see within range. Each of those creatures must make a Dexterity saving throw.

On a successful save, a creature can use its reaction to move to the outside of the area if it is able to move.

On a failed save, a creature is trapped in the gingerbread house. Each 5-foot square of the gingerbread house’s walls and ceiling has an AC of 15, 30 hit points, immunity to poison and psychic damage, and it is edible. A large creature can eat through a 5-foot section of gingerbread using their action. When a section of the house is destroyed, it opens a hole through which creatures can escape. All uneaten gingerbread disappears when the spell ends.

Norah’s Elastic Wounds

2nd-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (a tiny rubber ball)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

One willing creature you touch gains wounds that repel their foes. For the spell's duration, the target gains resistance to bludgeoning damage. In addition, whenever the target takes damage from a melee weapon attack, the attacker must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the attacker is bounced 15 feet away from the creature and is knocked prone. On a successful save, the attacker's target is pushed 5 feet away from them instead.

Charm Objects

4th-level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (30-foot radius)

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Each object and construct in a 30-foot radius centered on you becomes charmed by you for the spell's duration. If those objects or constructs are creatures, they can make a Wisdom saving throw to resist the effect, and have advantage on the saving throw if you or your allies are fighting them. Even creatures that are normally immune to the charmed condition become charmed in this way.

Charmed objects treat you as a friend and will follow your verbal commands to the best of their ability, even if you do not share a language with them. Each time an object takes damage, it makes a new saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

Abhorrent Blood

3rd-level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (an aberration's eyeball)

Duration: 10 minutes

One creature you touch gains an enchantment that weaves fear into their spilled blood. Whenever the target takes damage from an attacker within 10 feet of them while the spell is in effect, the attacker must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the attacker becomes frightened of the creature. The frightened creature can make a new saving throw at the start of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success. The effect also ends if the frightened creature loses sight of the source of its fear or ends their turn more than 30 feet away from the source of their fear.

Line of Rodents

4th-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (40-foot line)

Components: V, S, M (a clump of rat fur)

Duration: 2 rounds

A stream of rodents flies forth from your extended finger. Each creature in a 40-foot long, 5-foot wide line must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature becomes covered in swarms of biting rodents for 2 full rounds before they disappear.

Creatures covered in rodents at the start of each of their turns take 5d4 piercing damage and must make a Wisdom saving throw. Those that fail this save become frightened and move in a random direction up to half their movement speed during their turn. Roll 1d4 for the direction: 1, north; 2, south; 3, east; or 4, west.

Crystal Globe of Copper

3rd-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S, M (a copper bead)

Duration: 1 minute

You conjure a crystal globe surrounded in a filigree of copper which appears at a point you designate within range and hovers there. You can use a bonus action during each of your turns to move the globe 30 feet in any direction.

Whenever an effect would deal fire, lightning, or thunder damage to one or more creatures within 20 feet of the globe, the globe takes that fire, lightning, or thunder damage instead. If the effect would harm multiple targets, the effect harms only the globe instead. The globe has AC 20, 30 hit points, resistance to fire and lightning damage, and vulnerability to thunder damage.

The spell ends if the globe is destroyed or if you end your turn and the globe is further than 120 feet from you.

Boost of Arrows

2nd-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Self

Components: V

Duration: 1 turn

Your standing jump height and distance becomes 30 feet until the end of your turn. The next time you jump this turn, your movement does not provoke opportunity attacks and you can make one ranged weapon attack with a held ranged weapon against any number of creatures within 15 feet of you at the start of your jump. You must expend a piece of ammunition for each attack made this way. Each attack that hits deals a bonus 1d6 thunder damage.

Eduardo’s Obsidian Memory

6th-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (a shard of obsidian)

Duration: 8 hours

One creature you touch has their memories warded against tampering, and also harms those that make the attempt. The creature automatically succeeds at saving throws against magic that would alter or erase their memory and gains resistance to psychic damage for the duration. Whenever a creature targets the warded creature with a spell or effect that would alter or erase their memory, they must make a Charisma saving throw or take 10d8 psychic damage as they are bombarded with shadowy energy.

Boneweaver’s Iron Blast

5th-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 150 feet (20-foot radius)

Components: V, S, M (a shard of iron)

Duration: Instantaneous

You cause an eruption of iron shards in a 20-foot radius sphere within range that shreds flesh, armor, and objects alike. Each creature within the spell's radius must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d10 thunder damage and 4d10 slashing damage. Armor and shields worn by those creatures takes a permanent -1d4 penalty to the AC it offers. Armor reduced to an AC of 10 or a shield that drops to a +0 bonus is destroyed.

Creatures that succeed at this saving throw take half as much damage and their armor and shields are unaffected. Inanimate objects in the area automatically fail their saving throws. Undead creatures are immune to the effects of this spell as the iron shards pass harmlessly through them.

Sculpt Steed

3rd-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: 8 hours

You transform a friendly beast into a form suitable for a Medium or Small creature to ride. The creature's size becomes Large or Medium (your choice).

If the creature increased in size, it gains an additional d4 of damage from any attacks it makes for each size category it increased. It's Strength score becomes 16 and its Intelligence score becomes 2 unless it was already higher.

The creature's existing movement speeds become 60 feet, unless it was already higher. If a creature lacked a form of movement, it remains 0.

If it had no attacks, it gains a Slam melee weapon attack with an attack bonus of +5 and deals 2d4 + 3 damage on a hit.

The creature gains the knowledge and training for that of a standard riding animal.

When the spell ends, the creature returns to normal.

Elemental Boost of Copper

1st-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (a copper wire)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Your arms take on a copper sheen, greatly conducting certain channeled energies. For the duration, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC.

In addition, whenever you roll for damage for a spell that deals fire or lightning damage while this spell persists, you maximize the values of up to 2 of the damage dice rolled.

Melancholic Illusion

5th-level illusion

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Components: V, S, M (a frowning mask)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create an illusion around a point or creature within range. Creatures of your choice that can see the illusion that start their turn within 30 feet of it must make a Wisdom saving throw or become overwhelmed with melancholy as they behold a sad memory from their past. The affected creature becomes stunned until the start of its next turn. After that the creature rolls a d6 and subtracts the result from each of its attack rolls and ability checks as long as it can see the illusion and as long as the spell persists. It cannot attack a creature that is the source of its sadness.

Once a creature succeeds or fails at a saving throw against this spell, they automatically succeed at saves against this spell until it ends.

Carsil’s Chilly Dart

3rd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: 3 rounds

You launch a freezing dart at a creature that hinders their movement. Make a ranged spell attack against a creature within range. On a hit, the target takes 3d8 cold damage immediately and 2d8 cold damage at the start of each of your turns for the following 2 rounds. Each time a creature takes cold damage from this spell, the target must make a Constitution saving throw or become restrained until the end of their next turn.

Elastic Polyhedron of Dust

5th-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S, M (a pinch of dust)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a many-sided polyhedron of animated dust particles centered on a point you can see within range. The polyhedron is composed of a top and bottom, plus up to 1d4+3 20-foot square panels arranged as you choose (provided each connects to one another). Creatures inside the polyhedron looking out or outside looking in treat the area on the other side as heavily obscured.

Creatures passing through the walls of the polyhedron must succeed at a Strength check against your spell save DC to do so. Those that fail this check are repelled and pushed 15 feet away from the polyhedron's face.

Arrows, bolts, and other ordinary projectiles launched at targets behind the panels of the polyhedron are rebounded on the attacker, using your spell attack modifier and the weapon or projectile's damage. (Boulders hurled by giants or siege engines, and similar projectiles, are unaffected.) Creatures in gaseous form can’t pass through the polyhedron.

Thunderous Scepter of Acid

3rd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A club or quarterstaff you are holding is imbued with elemental power. For the duration, you can use your spellcasting ability instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of melee attacks using that weapon, and the weapon’s damage die becomes a d8. When you hit with a melee attack using the weapon, the attack deals a bonus 2d6 thunder and 2d6 acid damage.

The weapon also becomes magical, if it isn’t already. The weapon is useless in the hands of another creature, acting as a normal weapon of its type.

Imprison Emotions

8th-level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (a jeweled phylactery worth 5,000 gp, consumed by the spell)

Duration: Until dispelled

One creature you touch becomes completely emotionless, with their feelings trapped inside an elaborate jeweled phylactery, transported somewhere in the planes of shadow to wallow. The creature becomes immune to the frightened and charmed conditions, as well as any effect that would alter their emotional state. They gain advantage on Wisdom saving throws.

The creature also gains disadvantage on all Charisma checks as they can no longer appeal to others' emotions or empathize with them.

Once the spell ends, all of their emotions return to them in a rush. If the creature has been under this spell's effects for more than 1 month, they must make a Wisdom saving throw, taking 10d12 psychic damage and becoming frightened for 1 hour on a failed save. a successful save halves this damage and causes them to only become frightened for 1 round.

Time Weapon

5th-level divination

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: 10 minutes

You conjure a sword enchanted with the power of time itself. During each of your turns, you can use an action to make a melee weapon attack against a creature within 5 feet. On a hit, you can choose to attempt to change the state of the creature, affecting them with the energy of the past or the future. An unwilling creature must make an Intelligence saving throw to resist the effect.

If the creature was affected by the past, their damaged form repairs itself partially or wholly. The target regains a number of hit points equal to 4d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.

If the creature was affected by the future, they take force damage equal to 4d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier and disappear. The creature reappears in the same place from which they disappeared in 1d4 rounds.

Touch of Water

6th-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (a vial of water)

Duration: 2 hours

One creature submerged in water that you touch transforms into a water elemental for the duration of the spell. Their equipment merges with them and their statistics become those of the creature, except for their Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, which remain the same.

When the creature is reduced to 0 hit points, the spell ends. When the spell ends, the creature immediately reverts to their original form and they take any remaining damage if damage caused them to revert.

Whip of Resistance

2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a whip of radiant energy to lash out against the unjust. During each of your turns, you can use an action to make a melee spell attack against a creature within 15 feet of you. On a hit, the target takes 4d4 radiant damage and if the creature is of a lawful evil alignment, they must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened of you for the duration of the spell. The creature can attempt a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Mezziane’s Direful Rebuke

2nd-level divination

Casting Time: 1 reaction, taken when a creature damages you with a single-target attack or spell.

Range: 30 feet

Components: V

Duration: Instantaneous

When a creature harms you, you rebuke them with a fearful threat of consequence. One creature that damaged you with a single-target attack or spell must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 3d8 psychic damage and becomes frightened of you until the start of their next turn. On a success, the damage is halved and the target is not frightened.

Macabre Cube of Courage

4th-level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (20-foot cube)

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You surround yourself in a shroud that impassions your allies and frightens your foes. This shroud takes the form of a 20-foot cube centered on you which follows your movements.

Friendly creatures within the cube are immune to the frightened condition and deal a bonus 1d6 necrotic damage with each of their attacks.

Hostile creatures that start their turn in the cube must make a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute and must spend each of their turns attempting to leave the cube's area. It cannot take actions other than the Dash or Disengage actions until it is out of the cube's area.

A frightened creature makes a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending this effect on a success.

Trace of Morality

3rd-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (30-foot radius)

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You gift the undead with death, and call the living to the grave. Each creature in a 30-foot radius of you must make a Charisma saving throw. Undead creatures that fail this save lose any immunities or resistances to necrotic damage for 24 hours. All creatures then take 5d8 necrotic damage, or half as much damage if they succeeded at their saving throw.

Illusion of Fire

3rd-level illusion

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create the illusion of any evocation spell that deals fire damage, provided it is cast within this spell's range. The spell functions normally, except that that spell is completely intangible and causes none of its normal damage or ill effects. Creatures that would normally take fire damage from the spell, were it real, must make an Intelligence saving throw.

On a failed save, the creature takes 2d10 psychic damage.

On a success, the creature realizes the illusory nature of the spell and stops taking damage from it.

The illusion's fire appears to ignite flammable objects. Fire created by the illusion persists until this spell ends.

Sigmund's Addictive Glass

3rd-level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: 1 hour

One glass vessel that you touch becomes enchanted to compel the next creature that drinks from it to drink as much alcohol as they can. That creature must succeed at a Wisdom saving throw to resist this effect. On a failed save, they are compelled to keep drinking alcohol using the enchanted vessel and continue to do so until they pass out from the alcohol's effects or until the spell ends.

The creature can consume a number of ounces of alcohol equal to 1 + their Constitution modifier with no ill effects. Beyond that, each ounce of alcohol consumed forces the creature to make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. When the creature fails 1 of these saving throws, the creature becomes poisoned. After failing a total of 5 of these saving throws, the creature falls unconscious for 1d8+2 hours.

The creature is under no compulsion to knowingly harm itself or others in its pursuit of drink. If the creature takes any damage while under this effect, they can attempt a new saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

Hand of the Earth

2nd-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a hand made from rocks and soil that appears on the ground at a point you can see within range, occupying a space of roughly a 5-foot square. If a creature ends their turn in the hand's space, that creature must make a Strength saving throw.

On a failed save, the creature takes 3d6 bludgeoning damage and becomes restrained. A restrained creature can attempt a Strength check against your spell save DC using their action, freeing themselves on a success.

On a successful initial save, the creature takes half this damage and is not restrained.

You can use a bonus action during each of your turns to move the hand up to 30 feet along the ground in any direction.

If the hand enters the space of a creature during this movement, the hand stops moving and the target must make a save against the hand as if it ended its turn in its space.

Zone of Wonders

9th-level illusion

Casting Time: 1 hour

Range: Self (1 mile radius)

Components: V, S, M (2,000 gp worth of golden fleece)

Duration: Permanent

The area within a 1-mile radius centered on you when the spell was cast becomes suffused with fey magic that heightens the efficacy of illusions and makes it easier to buy into the strange and wonderful. Creatures have disadvantage on saving throws against illusion spells and on ability checks to discern illusions. Each illusion spell cast in the area has its duration doubled and the area it affects doubled.

Deep Javelin

2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: 1 round

You empower a javelin you touch to pass through the creatures it hits. A creature can use an attack to throw the javelin at a target within 120 feet. The javelin strikes at each creature in a line 5 feet wide that extends out from you to the target. Each creature in the line excluding you and the target must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking the javelin's damage plus 2d6 piercing damage on a failed save or no damage on a successful one. When the javelin reaches its target, make a ranged weapon attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes damage from the javelin plus 2d6 piercing damage.

The javelin's magic fades at the start of your next turn or once an attack is made with it.

Quisley's Gold Retreat

2nd-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You transform yourself into a golden piece of jewelry or statuette for the spell's duration. While in this form, you are petrified as gold and become a Tiny object. You remain aware of your surroundings out to 30 feet using your normal senses and you can continue to concentrate on this spell while in this form.

You can take damage in this form. Your AC is 15, you have 10 hit points, and you have immunity to necrotic and poison damage. If you are reduced to 0 hit points in this form, the spell immediately ends and you return to your normal form with the same number of hit points you had before the spell took effect.

Deplete Feast

2nd-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Components: V, S, M (an empty bowl)

Duration: Instantaneous

You cause all edible food and drink in a 30-foot radius area centered on a point you can see within range to completely waste away into dust. Constructs made of food must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 1d10 + 20 force damage.

Find Invisibility

1st-level divination (ritual)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (30-foot radius)

Components: V, S

Duration: 1 hour

For the spell's duration, you can sense if there are creatures or objects within a 30-foot radius of you that are invisible. The spell does not tell you where they are or their direction to you, but it does inform you how many invisible things are within the radius.

World of Thought

9th-level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (180-foot radius)

Components: V, S

Duration: Permanent

You and all creatures in a 180-foot radius become trapped with you in a world inside your mind. While you all are in this mental world, no time appears to pass at all in the real world thanks to the speed of thought.

The mental world has the same initial appearance as the normal world. Creatures cannot move beyond the spell's radius.

Creatures in the mental world use Intelligence modifier in place of their Strength modifier, their Wisdom modifier instead of their Dexterity modifier, and their Charisma modifier instead of their Constitution modifier for all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.

In addition, since this world is in your own mind, you can use a bonus action during each of your turns to alter the physical shape and properties of a 20-foot cube of area in the world. You can change the atmosphere, water, temperature, gravity, and the general shape of the terrain within the sphere, including inanimate plantlife or manmade constructions, but not creatures.

Creatures other than you that are reduced to 0 hit points in the mental landscape are ejected from it, appearing at an empty space within 5 feet of you. Those creatures are reduced to 1 hit point and falls unconscious for 1 hour or until the sleeper takes damage, or someone uses an action to wake the creature.

If you are reduced to 0 hit points in the mental world or if you choose to end the spell using a bonus action, the spell ends. When the spell ends, all other creatures are ejected from the mental world to empty spaces on the ground within 30 feet of you. You awaken and are no longer in the mental world. Creatures' expended spell slots, items, and lost hit points are carried over from the mental world.

Gaseous Mace

6th-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a magical mace that seems to be made of mist. During each of your turns, you can use an action to make a melee spell attack against a creature within 5 feet. On a hit, the creature turns into harmless mist for the spell's duration. While in the form of mist, a creature cannot take any actions other than to move. The creature has a fly speed of 20 feet and is moved by strong winds. When the spell ends, creatures turned to mist by the spell return to normal and fall if they are in the air and do not have a fly speed.

Freezing Arsenal of Joy

6th-level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: 1 hour

You enchant up to 4 pieces of ammunition you touch to magically trap those they hit in an icy prison while presented with illusory images of joy.

When a creature is hit by one of the enchanted pieces of ammunition, the missile disappears and the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target becomes restrained by ice and then must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed Wisdom save, the creature becomes charmed by you for 1 minute and is stunned while charmed in this way.

At the end of each of its turns, a charmed creature makes a new Wisdom save, ending the charming effect for itself on a success. A restrained creature can use their action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC, freeing themselves on a success.

Any remaining ammunition disappears when the spell ends, and creatures charmed or restrained by the spell are freed.

Repair 'That' Guy

7th-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

When you learn this spell or copy it into your spellbook, choose one specifically-named humanoid creature. Whenever you cast this spell, if that creature is visible to you and within the spell's range, that creature is returned to full hit points and cured of all conditions afflicting them. If the creature is missing any limbs, those limbs immediately regrow.

Laura's Topaz Reward

4th-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You cover a creature you can see within range in a set of magical armor with the scales of a topaz dragon. The creature's AC can't be lower than 18 and gains resistance to psychic damage while wearing the armor.

The creature can use its action during each of its turns to emit a watery blast in a 30-foot cone from its draconic helm. Each creature within the cone's area has water magically drawn from their bodies and must make a Constitution saving throw. Creatures take 6d6 necrotic damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a success.

Elementals made of water take the maximum damage from this effect, while constructs or elementals not made from water take no damage whatsoever.

Shroud of the Present

6th-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 hour

Range: 150 feet (30-foot radius)

Components: V, S, M (a stopped clock)

Duration: Until dispelled

You create a magical ward on an area, preventing it from aging. You choose a location centered on a 30-foot radius within range. Anything within the spell's area ceases to age while there. Divination magic is also warded against divination. Any divination spell or effect that would sense something in the area's location instead just senses the location as it was when this ward was created.

Hail of Enfeeblement

4th-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You cause a volley of magical arrows to rain down upon your foes. When you cast this spell, make a ranged spell attack against each creature in a 30-foot square centered on a point within range. On a hit, a target deals only half damage with weapon attacks that use Strength until the spell ends.

Each affected creature makes a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of their turns. On a successful save, the effect ends for that creature.

Why's Radiant Gate

4th-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (ashes from a burned door)

Duration: Until dispelled

You ward a magic portal or door of your choice that you can see within range, protecting it from unwanted intrusion. When you do, you choose a question with a factual answer.

Whenever a creature tries to pass through the warded portal, they hear the chosen question verbalized for them in their native language. Unless they answer the question correctly first, passing through the portal causes them to burn with radiant energy. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 10d6 radiant damage on a failed save or half as much on a success.

If this spell affects a magical portal, it disappears if that portal closes or is dispelled.

Arrow of Fright

2nd-level illusion

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

You fire a magical psychic missile at a foe. Make a ranged spell attack against a creature within range. On a hit, the target takes psychic damage equal to 1d12 + your spellcasting modifier. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the start of your next turn.

Expeditious Wind

2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You summon a wind that hastens creatures that move through it, and hinders those against it. The wind travels in a 150-foot long, 20 foot wide line starting at a point you can see within range. When the wind appears, you choose a direction for the wind to blow in. Creatures moving with the wind move 2 feet for every 1 foot of movement spent. Creatures moving against the wind must spend an additional foot of movement for every foot moved.

Racket of Evil

5th-level illusion

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 150 feet

Components: V, S, M (a bell made from bone)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create an unholy noise that blares within a 40-foot radius centered on a point you choose within range. Non-evil creatures in the spell's area are deafened and have disadvantage on saving throws to maintain concentration on spells and effects.

In addition, good-aligned creatures that start their turn in this area must make a Wisdom saving throw or become paralyzed until the start of their next turn. Creatures immune to the frightened condition are immune to this effect.

Shield of Reflection

4th-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: 1 hour

You create a magical shield to ward off a spell or attack. If you are hit with a weapon or spell attack, you can use your reaction to reflect it back onto the attacker.

To do so, you make a new ranged spell attack against the attacker. On a hit, the target suffers the damage and all effects of the attack that would have hit you.

Healing Pocket of Fling

3rd-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 5 Feet

Components: V, S, M (a small satchel)

Duration: 1 hour

You conjure a small pouch that flings healing potions at your allies. A creature holding the pouch can use an action to launch a healing potion at a creature within 60 feet of them. That creature can use its reaction to catch and drink the healing potion.

The pouch contains 5 potions of healing when the spell is cast. If additional healing potions are placed inside, they can also be launched in this way.

The potions and pouch disappear when the spell ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level, it creates potions of greater healing instead. If you cast it using a spell slot of 5th level, it creates potions of superior healing. If you use a spell slot of 6th level or higher, it creates potions of supreme healing.

Nelvin's Slimy Maul

3rd-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You conjure a magical two-handed weapon made of slime that takes the shape of a maul. During each of your turns, you can make a melee spell attack with the weapon using your action. On a hit, the target takes 2d6 acid damage and becomes slimed.

A slimed creature takes 1d10 acid damage at the start of each of their turns. A creature can use its action to scrape or wash off the slimed from a slimed creature and end this effect for that creature.

Golden Pyramid of the Moon

8th-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 hour

Range: 150 feet

Components: V, S, M (a miniature gold pyramid worth at least 100 gp)

Duration: 24 hours

You cause a massive golden ziggurat to rise into existence at an unoccupied cube of space that is 120 feet on each side. Each tier of the ziggurat rises 30 feet and is 15 feet smaller on all sides than the tier below it. The pyramid has steps on each side leading up to the pyramid's top.

The pyramid causes the area in a 5-mile radius to be shrouded in eternal night, covering the area in darkness for the duration.

Undead creatures within a 5-mile radius gain advantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead. Undead creatures within a 1-mile radius gain a +2 bonus to melee weapon attack rolls and deal a bonus 1d6 necrotic damage with each of their attacks. Undead creatures within 100 feet of the pyramid have advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects and have a +2 bonus to their AC.

If this spell is cast on the same location every day for 1 year, the spell becomes permanent.

Ban Steed

3rd-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (a miniature fencepost)

Duration: 8 hours

You ward an area against most creatures that could be used as mounts. You choose a 60-foot radius area centered on a point within range. Medium or larger beasts, as well as creatures summoned by the find steed or find greater steed spells, cannot willingly enter the area.

Creatures in the area cannot willingly ride or climb on other creatures.

Searing Life

2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

You fill an ally with radiant healing energy that also burns nearby enemies. One creature of your choice within range regains 3d6 hit points. Then, each other creature within 15 feet of that creature must make a Constitution saving throw. Those creatures take 3d6 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the hit points regained and radiant damage increase by 1d6 for each spell slot above 2nd.

Alarm Plant

1st-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You channel foul necromantic energy to distress a plant creature. One plant creature you target within range must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened for the spell's duration.

While frightened by this spell, the creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of sight to you, the creature can make a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the spell ends for that creature.

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[goddesstrolls-archive]

The external temperature is dangerously low.

236400143 “Helios” opened his eyes, gaze flickering somewhat as he took in his surroundings.

Curled in a fetal position he drifted, suspended in a faintly glowing fluid. A cluster of nanobots, no bigger than a speck of dust, drifted in front of his muzzle. In a moment of curiosity he focused on it, and then turned his gaze to the light coat of frost on the exterior of the glass chamber. It was amplified somewhat by the curve of the glass, and the fluid within.

8 °S. The air was a couple degrees above freezing, but it was still cold enough for frost and ice to form on surfaces. Exiting the chamber while it was covered in ice would do no one any favors, so from there Helios pinged the primary heating system. 

The sections responded one by one, and highlighting them on the building map Helios could quickly determine a pattern in the ones that weren’t. The rooms closest to the outside were not responding- Frozen solid, most likely.

While he assessed the rest of the building’s system, the room slowly began to warm up. It was quite clear that the outside temperature had dropped too low for the heating system’s automatic setting to keep up. Helios could have written a program for the heat system to sense the temperature and maintain it at a specified level, but he felt that it would be too exhaustive and the system would sooner give in and cause a sudden crisis. The option he chose alerted him sooner to a far less dangerous situation.

Most of the systems responded; Only the exterior ones, such as the sensors, and some of the systems in the rooms closest to the surface, did not. This helped confirm Helios’ theory that they were frozen solid. He couldn’t even determine the temperature outside, at the moment.

Finally, the temperature in the room raised high enough to melt the frost on the glass. Releasing a few of the fluid nanobots he was suspended in, he checked if there was more ice that might cause jamming- This was not the case, so he drained the tank, and lowered the glass.

Helios stood, perfectly dry despite being suspended in fluid. As he stepped down from the chamber platform and noted the puddles of water on the floor, he took control of some of the cleaning bots. He opened hatches in the walls and moved the little cylindrical bots out, moving them along the floor as he continued on to an open part of the room.

Very little of his species’ technology was truly automated. All systems worked on manual input; Robots were controlled directly, and had no A.I. capabilities. They were simply hollow shells for an arcrux to metaphorically step into.

Helios moved a pair of mechanical arms from slots in the smooth ceiling, taking his own measurements, and then printing a thick synthetic mesh directly onto his skin to clothe him. He knew it’d been something over a century since he’d last been awake- His previous set of clothes had long since broken down.

While ‘asleep’ he’d maintained a regular cleaning and maintenance system to prevent the building falling into abject disrepair. 

He continued the process of clothing himself, taking the time to form a second, bulkier layer of insulating mesh and light armor. A helmet and oxygen tubes formed around his head, and plates formed on his paws to protect from the snow and allow him to move through it easier. 

The oxygen containers he needed were more complex, and required different tools. He moved part of the wall out to form a small square table, moving the primary printing device out over the table and forming the (largely empty) oxygen container on it.

He adjusted the printing device, using it to purify and condense oxygen from the air to fill the container.

He adjusted the limbs he’d been using to form his clothing, creating little hands to pick up the container and attach it to his back with straps and tubing.

Within a few minutes, he was fully prepared to brave the elements outside. He returned both printing devices to their slots in the wall and ceiling, and began to make his way towards one of the exits.

[whiskeyworen]

Miriya’s Pad

(Art commissioned from CheruSake) Author’s Note: This was my first attempt at a Guild Wars 2 fic, just as an experiment. I was very satisfied with the outcome, but chronologically it predates ALL the other GW2 stories I’ve put out here. In fact, if you read any of my Danae sister fics, there’s references to THIS one. If it sounds kind of clunky in terms of dialogue and descriptions, I apologize; I was still getting my feet back under me in terms of writing. It’s a bit cliche, and pretty corny, but I felt it was a cute fic. I’m actually really nervous about sharing it here, cuz I don’t know if people will like it at all. In terms of in-game chronology, this would be Pre-Scarlet by only a few months. Lion’s Arch was still the ramshackle version we all miss. That said, please enjoy. ***** "...And our final stop on our tour of Rata Sum is my personal quarters!" Miriya announced brightly, as the magitek cubes that formed the doorway slid in the cardinal directions. The internal barrier field dropped immediately once the cubes had slid into the ceiling, walls and floor. She stepped proudly inside, hands on her hips and smiled. "It's...Wow! Surprisingly spacious!" Kaleb blinked as he stepped inside. The barrier popped back up behind him and the door-cubes shifted shut once more, cutting out the natural noise of the Maguuma Jungle outside. He looked around in amazement at the personal dwelling of his teammate. "From outside it looks so...small." Miriya smirked and crossed her arms. "That's because I had it carved into the side of the mountain and disguised that way." She scuffed her sharp nails on her coat, smugly admiring them. "That and a little bit of fifth dimensional pocket-space manipulation make it nice and big." The home was open-concept in the Asuran style, a cube turned on its corner and hollowed out, easily thirty meters on a side, which gave it an amazingly high ceiling and a strangely deep and terraced floor. Looking up, Kaleb could see a Mystic Stone the size of his entire body hovering just below the top corner of the ceiling, providing a soft, diffuse blue light.  There were hard-light paths starting around the perimeter of the room, leading up to solid stone platforms held in place by mechanisms Kaleb could barely wrap his mind around. Each one had some kind of device or piece of furniture on it, though the purpose of some of them eluded him. To be honest, it looked less like a home and more like yet another Asuran laboratory. Turning his gaze from the ceiling to the floor,  he counted fourteen terrace steps down to what appeared to be a pool of water in the centre of the room, occupying the 'bottom-most' corner of the building's turned cube design.  Around the circumference of the room ran continuous Asura-design windows; high density force fields with a distortion added so those looking in or out can not see precisely what is there.

"It's um... very nice." He finally replied a bit hesitantly, stepping carefully in the room; each terrace was Asura-step scale, not human standard. If he tripped he'd no doubt fall all the way down into that pool of water in the bottom of the room. "So-o... this is where you keep your stuff? Kinda looks like another lab." "Well it IS a lab, silly." Miriya chuckled, crossing the room to a particular section of wall. A portion of the panels making up the wall and floor rotated at her approach, recombining to form a table and sink. Beside that, a cupboard slid into place from where the gaps were left by the panels, as well as a larger cube-shaped artifact half again as large as the diminutive Asura. "But it's also my home. I paid top-gold to get the constructor golem krewes to come out this far from Rata Sum and build it for me. All to my very demanding specifications." Kaleb nodded, exploring the room. He stepped up to one of the hardlight paths and experimentally tested it with an armoured toe. When it didn't give under his weight or the weight of his armour, he shook his head. Fancy Asuran gizmos. This was one of the reasons he was a soldier and not an engineer or inventor. "I see. So, why are we here now?" Miriya washed her hands in the sink, drying them in a device that clicked out of the side of the sink unit, and turned to face him. "We're here to relax and have a drink, and to be refreshed. Naturally." "Uh-huh?..." He crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at her, a disbelieving look on his unshaven face. "If that's so then why's the rest of the group not here? Doesn't seem rightly fair to enjoy..luxury...without our friends." She made an exasperated sound, running her fingers back through her slicked back, molten lava-colored dreadlocks. With a flick of a wrist she sent the sink back into the wall, as well as the cupboard, but the larger artifact remained present in the room. Counting off on her little fingers, she explained. "One: Dhangalor is more interested in learning how to make his turrets and flame-thrower more efficient and effective. I wouldn't be surprised if we found him in three days, down in one of the weapons labs.  Hopefully he won't learn how to make mass-conversion generation devices; The idea that he could make a device that spawns grenades for him or unlimited turrets scares me more than your god Grenth." Tick: "Second. The moment we walked into the city, Slane disappearred. I wouldn't know where him or his...ugh.... partner... are even if I put a tracker on him. Which I don't have, incidentally." She stepped over to the large artifact, touching a blue power gem on it. The panels on the artifact slid open to either side, revealling a chilly, frosty interior, from which she drew a large, dark green bottle. "Third. Corvus is Priory. He's all about knowledge and technology. If he's not aiding Dhangalor, he's buried up to his nose -- a feat at that! -- in computer files and parchments and datapads." The little Asuran necromancer spun on her heel, presenting her treasure to the still suspicious human. The bottle looked old, and had a label that bore a very particular seal on it. The label was torn slightly near the base, and very, VERY worn... but there was enough to recognize the maker. ---SCALO- V-NERY. est. ---- "...and finally Fourth: I've been saving this bottle to drink with a human some day, and I feel it's the right time now. I trust you enough to enjoy this bottle and not squander it, nor to act inappropriately with it. I know how rare it is, and I think you know how rare it is." His jaw dropped, as did his arms. "Ascalon Vinery?! Did that come from the ruins of Ascalon??" He laughed nervously, facepalming. "Second most rare wine in all of Tyria, and it's just sitting in her...her...whatever. That cold thing..." "It's called a ReFridgerator. Prototype design." She looked at the device with a bit of concern. "Most of the time it keeps things chilled. Though there was one time I left a panel open and....well.. I had to defrost the place. Like, 'Claw of Jormag' kinda defrost." Still shaking his head, Kaleb smiled, and ran a hand through his close-cropped red-black hair. "Alright. You got my attention. Ascalonian wine, and a relaxing evening with a friend. I can do that, easily." Miriya grinned, and put the bottle on the top of the fridge before walking across the room to a green square on one of the terraces. "Do you mind if I get comfortable? This armor is nice, but compared to my own clothes, I always find it confining and itchy." She stepped on the square and a series of panels slid up around her, covering her to the neckline. She continued talking as she changed, the sound of shifting cloth coming from behind the barriers. "It's such a relief to get off the road too. Sometimes I just want to come home, relax for a while, before my next project." "I understand the sentiment completely." Kaleb nodded, turning his back to her changing; even though she was completely hidden, he was still a gentleman. Even to Asura. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the muscles and bones creak a bit with tension. "Been a while since I've been home too. Or out of this gear." He stretched and shrugged. "Ah well. What can ya do?" The panels around her sliding down, Miriya stepped out of the 'booth' and straightened her tunic. "Well, what I CAN do is offer you the use of one of my guest booths to change. I'm sure I can cobble some basic clothing together from the info-net if you give me a few minutes." "You can do that?" He blinked, raising an eyebrow. Kaleb had no idea what an info-net was, but if he could just take his armour off for a few hours... "What do I need to do?" She pointed at the green square, tapping a nearby toe-button with her toe. The green square turned blue, and resumed flashing. "Just step on the square. I just turned the dimensions to 'human', so it'll cover more of you than it would have a moment ago." Kaleb stepped onto the square and waited for a second. The panels slid up again, this time up to HIS neck. There was just enough space inside for him to flex a bit. "Hey, this is neat, but... uh... can't exactly take my gear off in a space this small." "Don't worry about that. The booth does the dressing and undressing." She replied, a hard-light display open in front of her on the front of the booth. She flicked through diagrams and designs until she found a suitable one. "Ah here we go. Aaaannnndd..... ordered. Seven seconds delivery? What is this, the stone age??" "What?" "Oh, nothing. System seems slow, that's all." She shrugged and moved a new screen up in front of her. "Just one last thing; full body scan for fit accuracy. Otherwise when it goes to remove your gear, it might...uh...remove body parts instead. Not exactly a smart system." "WHAT?!" Kaleb started to fidget, staring around at the panels in horror. "Take it easy! I only have one scar from a mis-scan! I don't want you to lose anything important!" That was enough to get him to freeze solid, staring straight ahead. His adam's apple bobbed in fear as he swallowed heavily. Inside the booth, a panel flipped open on all four walls, revealling a golem-eye. Flat green light played out from these eyes, scanning Kaleb up to his neck, and down to the soles of his boots. There was a quiet 'ding' and the eyes flipped shut. Next, a set of waldo arms rose out of the floor, sliding along a series of control crystals built into the seams of the chamber, and unfolding when they reached certain predefined points. Magitechnical fingers and drivers unfolded from these waldoes, and set about removing his armour, piece by piece, carefully drawing each piece back into the floor. "Miriya.... This is weird..." Kaleb muttered uneasily as his armour appeared to be disintegrating around him. "Am I going to get my stuff back in one piece? This...thing won't like, mash it into a scrap cube or something will it?" "Oh don't be a big baby." She replied, watching the readouts. Everything was going as planned. The monitors indicated a rapidly increasing percentage of armour removal, leaving a rather bare looking Kaleb underneath. A smile quirked her mouth, and without saying a word, she flicked a toggle switch visibly with her right hand, while her left hand hooked under the display and pressed a small red button. For....posterity. Yeah, that's it. For study. She told herself, as a flash blinded Kaleb in the booth from all sides. "What was that?!" He asked worriedly, down to his boxer shorts within the booth. "Hmm? Oh nothing. Sensor glitch." She replied almost distractedly, as she copied the scan file into another section of her database, under heaviest quantum encoding that she could get, and then proceeded to delete the original. "Nothing to worry about. It should be done now. If you reach out in front of you, you'll find some clothes on a little shelf. They were just transported from Rata Sum via micro-gate, so...uh...they might feel a little fuzzy. Residual dimensional static and all that." Kaleb indeed did find the clothing, folded neatly on a small shelf. As he picked it up, the walls of the booth slid back on all sides, extending planes as they did so to keep his privacy intact. Clearly the machine somehow intuited his need for movement space. A moment later and he had slid on the Asuran-designed human-size clothing. "Hmm...very nice material. This isn't wool, is it? I've not felt anything this soft before." "It's Jungle silk. We harvest it from the spiders and wurms. They might be dangerous monsters, but they can be quite useful for natural materials." She smiled, as the walls of the booth finally slid back into the floor. Seeing him fully dressed again, she tipped her head to the side, crossing her arms, and considered him. "Hmmm....Well, they don't look too bad on you. Perhaps I should have gotten the shorts too, so you could replace those human ones you have on." "Huh?" Kaleb was checking out his new duds in a reflection, when he realized what she'd just said. "You didn't see me in my shorts, did you?" "What? Oh no...no no!" Miriya flushed, shaking her head rapidly and holding up her hands in denial. "No no... That's not what I meant! I just meant I should have completed the set! That's all! Really!" His raised eyebrow made her flush even pinker, and she quickly turned away, running up one of the hard-light paths to her cupboard for glasses. Once she was certain he couldn't see her, she let herself exhale heavily. All that work, and she nearly flubbed it up! Returning with the glasses, she called up a table and hovering chairs out of another wall, placing the glasses on the table and pouring them a glass of wine each. "Now that you are... comfortable...Hehe, about that wine I mentioned?" **** "...And that's when I told him, I told him 'How could I have possibly have punched out your son, when he was already unconscious from the booze?'” Kaleb pointed out, and mimed an unconscious man, slumping on his chair and lolling his tongue out of his mouth. Miriya was doubled over laughing, slapping the table top in mock surrender and nearly knocking her wineglass off it. “Oh, by the Alchemy! How in Tyria did you ever get out of that situation?” She asked when she gained enough composure back, tears of laughter still streaming from her large green eyes. She continued to laugh and snicker as she tried to control it. The last two hours after they started to drink had been a blur. The lovely Ascalonian Wine had gone from a full bottle... to the dregs, which were swiftly being drained by a half-toasted Kaleb. He slammed the bottle onto the tabletop, and grinned. “Well you see, this big ol’ Norn, he thinks he’s defending his son’s honor or something, so he’s all puffed up and about to go Bear on me or somethin’... and then he looks over at his son, sees him facedown in his own drool, a shiner on his face that I claim came from the table as he fell... and he just deflates like a balloon. He shakes that big top-knotted head of his and hauls his son up by his backstraps, and just says ‘Yeah. Yeah, I can definitely see that. Boy hasn’t learned to hold his lager yet. Sorry if he bothered you.’ “ “No... No WAY.” Miriya’s jaw dropped. “You got to be kidding me.” Kaleb shook his head, sitting back and looking smug. “Nope. That’s what he said. He actually apologized for his son’s behaviour. Didn’t realize I had slugged that freakin’ twerp for his talk about how wussy--” He slurred it wuzzy “--humans are, and laid that kid out. I’m just glad it turns out he was drinkin’ age. Couldn’t use that bluff if he wasn’t.” “Cog’s gears, Kaleb, you definitely got guts. Standing up to a Norn in his hometown bar like that.” Miriya shook her head, and rubbed her eyes a bit. “I’d have had to call in my minions if that’d happened to me.” “And you woulda been squished for it.” Kaleb replied somberly, staring at her. “The moment they see your eyes and hands do that glow-thing, they would have flattened you with a damned boot. Not many like Necros these days.” “True, true...” Miriya nodded, levity completely gone. She traced the rim of her glass with a dark green-painted nail. “What about you? Do you like Necros?” He pondered for a moment. “Well, I don’t mind them... I don’t mind most anyone. But if they’re undead, I kinda mind them. Orrian and all that crap. But I don’t mind Necros that use Grenth’s gift for good.” She nodded, still circling the glass, an odd expression on her face. “That’s good, that’s good. Um,” She paused, flicking her eyes up to him for a moment to read his face before looking aside. “So....what about me? Do you like me? I mean, uh, I’m a Necromancer, after all.” He nodded, and thought about it for a second. “Well, duh, of course I like you. We’re teammates! I might not know how the Whispers operate, but if the Pact teamed us together, they must see something there, in our dossiers! And we work really well in combat together, as well as in info-gathering. Yeah, I like you. Of course I do, Miriya!” Miriya forced a smile at him, laughing along with him for a moment, before whispering off to the side, almost to herself. “That’s not what I meant...” "I hate to ask, but, do you have anything more like this wine?" Kaleb asked, tipping the dregs into his glass. He made a face, somewhere between concerned and goofy. "I mean, if we're going to keep drinking that is. I'm finally buzzed enough that I feel comfortable without my armour!" She laughed in spite of herself, in spite of the disappointment of his previous answer, but she steeled herself, hopping off her floating seat and heading for the refrigerator unit again. Looking inside she hemmed and hawed, listing things off. "Let's see, we've got that vile concoction that Colacokaia, that Hylek potionmaster forced upon me, we have indigo formula, and Sunny D....AH, here we go." With a triumphant, if a little unbalanced swing, she held the bottle up for his view. "It's... uh... says something about champagne. I forget where I got this from." He took the bottle from her, raising an eyebrow appreciatively as he considered it. "Not bad, but we can't just go chugging a bottle of champagne. That's more of a sipping kind of thing, in a relaxed situation. It's why nobles drink it at their 'parties' or whatever." He made a little, foppish, flippant gesture with his fingers and stuck out his tongue that made her grin. "You mean we should relax more? I thought we were pretty relaxed already!" Miriya laughed, hands on her short hips. "Any more relaxed and I'd probably be asleep!" Kaleb laughed and shook his head, putting the bottle on the table. "Nah, nah. I mean it wouldn't be good for sitting here at this table, trading dirty stories and reliving old fights. It's more...civilized a drink, I guess." The diminutive Asura pondered for a moment, before an idea struck her. "I got it! Come over here." She led him down the terraced interior of her home to the square shaped pool of water occupying the 'bottom' corner of the cube, and with a flourish indicated the gently lapping blue water. "Ta-da!" "What?... it's a pool of water." He replied, nonplussed. He crossed his arms and looked at her, confused. "Is there supposed to be something in it?" "Yes!" Miriya grinned, tugging at his pantleg. "Us!" She caught herself, and released his pantleg, coughing a bit. "I mean, it's not just a pool of water. I configured this corner to be either a hot spring or a cool bath, depending on what I felt like." "Really? You can do that?" He blinked, and considered the square of water. It was roughly his height on all sides, and he couldn't tell how deep it was based on the terracing and false-depth illusion of the shifting waters. "So....what, we should sit in it while we drink the champagne?" "Well, yeah?" Miriya shrugged and smiled, before running around the square to a panel on the edge of one of the stairs. After fiddling around with the controls, she pushed a red blinking square, and, much to her delight, the pool suddenly erupted into gentle bubbles. "Ah ha! There we go. Jaccuzzi." "Ja-whatzee?" "Nothing." She tested the water with a toe, smiling at the temperature, before turning and hopping up a few steps on the terrace. "Just one problem though; Our clothes. Shouldn't get them wet. Those'd get very itchy and kinda ruin my pool to boot." "So...what?" Kaleb knelt down and dipped his fingers into the water. "We'll strip down to our skivvies? This is as warm as that Norn hot spring...you know the one, in Lornar's Pass?" "You mean Wayfarer Foothills. Zelechor Hot Springs." Miriya frowned, shaking her head. "You are always so bad with locations. I'm surprised you get anywhere." "Hey, my hammer takes me wherever I need to go." He smiled, standing up. "Now, is there another booth, or where should I put this stuff?" "Oh! Anywhere!" She grinned, waving a hand at the terraces around them. "Just leave it high enough to not get wet." He nodded, and started shedding clothes, tossing them onto a higher step. Miriya stared for a moment, feeling the blood rush to her face, before she realized she WAS staring, and quickly looked aside. "Uh, I suppose I better...um...get ready too!" It took her almost no time to get rid of her simple tunic top and light pants, leaving her bathing suit-like bodysuit as the only remaining piece of clothing. It was hot pink and white; not her usual colors, and for a moment, she was horrified and embarrassed by the dichotomy between her normal dress and her bodysuit. Please don't let him say anything about the bodysuit. Please don't let him say anything about... "Nice bodysuit you got there. Didn't figure you for the color pink." He smirked, settling into the warmed water. SCRAP! Miriya swore internally, flushing almost as pink as her suit. She immediately leapt into the pool, covering herself to her neck in water while keeping her arms wrapped around herself. "I-I..er... I forgot about the color...You wear a body suit most of your life as an Asura, and you kinda forget about it!" He shrugged, taking the champagne bottle and looking around. "Uh, do you have any wine glasses or champagne glasses down here? The others we left up on your table up there." "Oh! Yeah... Um... Hang on, I'll go get them." She hopped out of the water, moving as fast as her little legs could carry her; the faster she moved, the less he'd see the pink suit. A few moments later, she slid into the water beside him, and placed the glasses on the exposed step behind them. "Here." "Thank you muchly." Kaleb smiled, and poured them each a generous portion of champagne. That done, he handed one of the champagne flutes to her, and saluted her with it. "To good friends, good drinks, and faking it like high society fops!" Miriya giggled, and tipped her glass so it dinged against his lightly, the pure crystal note a pleasant sound. "To one of the best teammates I've ever had, and possibly my best friend in all of Tyria." They both sipped. "Aw, that was sweet, Miriya." Kaleb smiled, scratching the back of his head after he finished his sip. "I knew we were friends, but I didn't know you thought of me as a best friend." "Well, I do, you big lug." She smirked and gave his arm a playful punch. She put her glass behind her, one step up on the shelf, and rubbed an ear in thought. "You never judge me based on my size, even when we first were introduced, never thought of me as weak or cowardly for being a magic user...never turned away when you learned what kind of magic I used, or what it sometimes does to me..." She shivered a bit, wrapping her arms around herself. "Using the Death Shroud is so intoxicating but... There are times I worry that I'll lose myself to it. And that I might end up no better than an Orrian." Miriya rubbed a tear away from her eye with a finger. Damn the alchohol... it was making her resolve fall away. Already she could feel the depression sinking in again. Soon she'd have to retreat to her room and spend the rest of the night getting herself under contro-- Her thoughts were interrupted by Kaleb wrapping an arm around her and drawing her up into his lap into a hug. It wasn't a comradely hug, like he might have done outside in the cities, or a brotherly hug as he'd done to her before in celebration of things. It was just a hug, but it was much more than just a hug, in a way she couldn't define. It took her a moment of stunned shock to respond, but she finally relaxed, wrapping her smaller arms as best she could around him and hiding her face in his chest. After a few moments, Kaleb spoke. "Miriya, don't ever doubt yourself. Don't ever doubt your skills; I know I don't. You mastered a fantastically powerful magic few dare to. I read the story about how you came to the attention of the Whispers: You made those Inquest pay for what they did. I think you might be one of the most powerful people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing." Miriya listened, and smiled sadly, closing her eyes as she realized he was only seeing her skills and abilities, and not her. So close...so very close... she lamented, still fighting the urge to cry. He just doesn't see... "I've never been scared of you or your skills, Miriya. Not even when you used the Death Shroud. Because I know you'd never harm anyone you cared about." He gently stroked her braids and ears with one hand, not letting her draw away with the other. "You're an amazing person, Miriya, and I think that no matter what, you'll accomplish anything you set your mind to." Miriya's eyes snapped open at that compliment. She quickly mulled it over in her head, and slowly withdrew her arms from the embrace. "Miriya?...are you okay?" Kaleb asked, concerned at her silence and her retreat from the hug. She had her head turned down, so he couldn't see the expression on her face at all. "....I can accomplish anything eh?" She whispered, half to him, half to herself, staring at her hands where they braced against his bare chest. To Kaleb's ear, he could hear the quiet wavering in those few words. "There's just one thing I can't seem...to do..." "What would that be?" He asked softly, wondering about his friend. He could see her shaking quietly, as if she were cold, though the water was quite warm. Her small digits reflexively twitched where she had them on his chest. "Is it something I can help with?" She half-laughed, half-sobbed, shoulders rocking with the effort to resist. Would she take the chance? Would it do anything, mean anything? What do I even have to lose? "Yeah....it's...something you could help me with." She whispered in a shaky voice. "What is it? You can tell me." NOW. "This." She replied, and quickly tilted her head up to catch him in a kiss. Her arms flew around his neck, half to support herself, half to keep him from snapping his head back in surprise as her lips found his. Miriya kept her eyes tightly shut to avoid looking him in the face, seeing the shocked, perhaps betrayed expression on his face as she broke through the friend-barrier to get what she wanted. At contact, she felt that electric charge that she always felt directed at him. In other situations, it had been when he'd touched her shoulder, or playfully flicked her ear with a finger. Or when he hauled her up to sit on his shoulder while they travelled. Little moments of contact, each with an electric pulse, at least to her. They were all friendly gestures, so she put off how they felt, guilty for feeling more. This moment though...the electric shock was so many magnitudes greater...but so was the accompanying guilt. I just tricked my best friend...she cried inside as she kissed him. I just tricked him, got him drunk, and now I'm stealing a kiss that wasn't mine to have...he's going to stay so far away now... her thoughts then fell apart into unrequited sorrow. Slowly, Miriya broke the kiss, letting her hands slip from his neck, and settling down into the warm water of the pool. She never looked him in the eyes; she just turned to the side and curled up on herself, arms around her knees, looking away. Looking ashamed. "I-I'm sorry." She whispered, sniffling. "I-I'm sorry I did that...I just... I wanted t-to..." "Hey. Hey Miriya." Kaleb's soft voice made her ear twitch. With her eyes clenched closed, she almost jumped when she felt his finger under her chin, turning her face up to look at him. Her green, almond-shaped eyes opened in terrified surprise, and she stared at him, pleadingly, but so badly scared of what the question might be. "...For how long, Miriya?" He asked. Her eyes searched his for any sign of anger or betrayal...or disgust. It wasn't long ago historically that humans thought they were the center of all things and that all were below them. Nothing like that was in his eyes. Only warmth and concern. "For how long have you been holding yourself back like that?" There was a moment of silence as she processed his question. Her face alternately lit up with happiness, but seemed so ready to break into full on tears at the very same moment. Her mouth almost stretched into a smile, though it was a shaky one, and a tear escaped her eye, sliding down her smooth cheek. She let out a half-chuckle, half-cry, before shaking her head. "....since...almost since the first time we met." "You entered the room, smiled, and introduced yourself...you and that big dumb iron hammer of yours. " She laughed a little, staring up at him. "I didn't know what to think. I was told there'd be a human on the team, but I expected some dour soldier...instead, you walked in and made me laugh." Miriya reached up and gently touched his hand where it cupped her cheek. "You didn't bat an eye at my Necromancy...you joked with me and made me feel welcome when we camped out on missions...I'm not sure, but I think you even snapped me out of the Death Shroud that one time, by...just being there." She turned her head in towards the palm of his hand and gave it a soft kiss. "I never thought I'd be attracted to a non-Asura. Never even entered my mind...till you. Once I realized that, I had to get your attention some how. Even if for a moment." A sigh escaped her. "When I learned we had business in Rata Sum, I contrived a way for us to be alone. I introduced Dhangalor to a weaponsmith friend, and I lent Corvus my card to the datablocks in the archives." "And Slane?" Kaleb asked. "Didn't have to do a thing. He just disappeared." She chuckled ruefully. "For all I know he's in this room and cloaked, watching my humiliation." The Asura turned her head to look him in the face. "I tricked you, to get you to come here. To get you alone... to get you drunk..." Another tear fell. "I-I'll understand if you want to leave, or if you never want to talk to me again...I just, I just..." Miriya was interrupted once again by Kaleb. This time however, he cut her off by giving her mouth something else to do. Eyes wide in surprise, it took her a moment to realize he was kissing her this time, and when that registered, she all but melted into his arms. "My poor Miriya..." Kaleb sighed after the kiss was broken. He stroked her cheek, rubbing a tear away. "I didn't see the signs...didn't know how you felt. I honestly thought you thought I was a... what's the term?" "...Bookah?" She chuckled feebly. He smiled. "A Bookah. That's it. I know, and I knew, that I could never match you mentally in damned near anything. But I didn't see all the times, all the little things you said and did...till now." "....and now?" "I'm not going to send you away, or ignore you, for starters." He smirked, raising an eyebrow. "And I'm not going to stop being your best friend either. So you don't need to worry your pretty little head about that." Miriya couldn't repress the giggle, which earned a broad grin from Kaleb. "That being said, I gotta admire your little plan. You did catch me off guard with that kiss...but...honestly it wasn't that bad." Her jaw dropped, and she stared at him as he winked. "It was actually pretty good. I had no idea you were that good a kisser." "I...I-ya...wha..." "You know, I think in the back of my head, I always wondered what it'd be like to kiss you. You had those lovely lips, and that black lipstick..." He grinned. "I never would have thought you'd have had a crush on a simple human." That earned him a smack to the shoulder. "You! I... I ARGH!..." She reached up and grabbed his cheeks so that he was looking her straight in the eyes. "Simple human?! Says the guy who goes and rips the scrappin' ARM off a Destroyer troll and beats it to death with it?! And then has the club at the end of that arm turned into a new hammer head?" She glared at him, teeth grinding, a low growl in her throat, before kissing him again. "You're just damned lucky I think you're cute, big Bookah." She purred, stroking his cheek, feeling the stubble under her nail. "Oh, now we're name-calling?" Kaleb chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Or is that supposed to be my pet name now?" "Mm, no...not a pet name." She frowned a bit, before smirking. "How about a code name for in public? Others might think I'm insulting your intelligence, but you'd know I'm not?" "Works for me...Bookah never really insulted me anyway." He shrugged. "Always made me think 'Book-reader' or something. So coming from an Asura, it doesn't actually sound like an insult." "Good...Then that's what I'll nickname you in public; Big Bookah. MY Big Bookah." She licked her lips playfully, her emerald eyes examining him so close up. "Mm... That does sound good."

[oveliagirlhaditright]

So... I’m a few days late for this, and I apologize. I was busy making birthday presents for the best friend and lost track of time.

And if people can’t use this because it’s late, they of course don’t have to. But...

This is what KH means to me... My thank you to the KH team...

I would have loved to write something for them, but I don’t know if they’d be big on getting fanfiction for their own work. I also could have done a digital manipulation or gmv for them... But IDK. Maybe them getting their own work back to them in a fan-edited way wouldn’t seem good at all? Because you didn’t do most of the work there. They did. You just edited it. And maybe you even edited in a way they wouldn’t approve of, and they see your work as copyright infringement?

So that leaves drawing, but I’m not the best drawer yet...

So screw it. I’m just going to write an essay about what this series has meant to me, the last seventeen years.

(Warning. This will be long. And probably emotional.)

Where do I even begin... I discovered this series when I was nine-years-old, right after the first game had come out. And seeing the advertisements for it on Disney channel made me want to have it so very badly.

I actually didn’t have a PS2 at the time... And while my sister and I did want other games alongside KH, yes, it was mainly for KH that we wanted a Playstation 2... So we begged our parents for one for Christmas, and they were gracious enough to get us one and quite a few games... and, of course, Kingdom Hearts with them.

We actually didn’t start with that one, though (even though I wanted to). My sister wanted to somewhat save the best for last, I guess... And when we did finally end up playing it, I had actually caught a bit of a cold (and it was only the promise that we’d finally play Kingdom Hearts, that day that got me to game. Even though I had been every day before, and had enjoyed all the other games--don’t get me wrong--but I was feeling that crappy, and it took the incentive of Kingdom Hearts to get me to agree).

And to say that I fell in love with it from the get-go would be an understatement. The opening cinematic pulled me in, it’s true (and already, I could tell this was different from the other games based on movies that I’d played), but it was mainly the Dive to the Heart section that really captured me (and made me forget my illness). That atmosphere still gives me chills and wonder, and calls me back to give it a go again years and years later. And I’m glad something like it has been included in games since, like in KHII, KHIII, Re:Coded, and what have you.

I was nine... So I stumbled my way through a lot of this game--and I mean stumbled--I had no idea what I was doing most of the time. In the fights, a lot of the ways I’d let Donald and Goofy do all of the work... and it took me a whole month to find Maleficent in Hollow Bastion. But I did end up beating the game, and understanding all of it.

I also ended up getting deep thoughts about it--as it is a mystery series that leaves you thinking--and I know I used to annoy people by talking about it. Haha. But this series got me thinking in a way that nothing else had... And that I honestly don’t know if most other kids my age could have... at least without something like this in their lives.

At this point, the series owned my soul. It touched me more than any other piece of media ever had, and ever will--and I’d had plenty pieces of media I really liked back then, such as Sailor Moon and yet they didn’t even come close. And while I’d shipped other couples before, such as Usagi and Mamoru from Sailor Moon, Sora and Kairi was the first one where I really felt like “These two have to be together”--and my life became about waiting for the next game (it still very much is, as sad as that might be to say).

I remember I would go to the store, and often times ask people who worked in the game section if they knew anything about a Kingdom Hearts II (this was before I had the Internet), and I recall being really sad one time when one of the workers told me maybe there never would be. LOL And to be clear, this was the time even before Chain of Memories.

Eventually, I saw Chain of Memories advertised on Cartoon Network and then begged my parents for a Game Boy Advance, so I could play this sequel. And for the Christmas that year, they complied as well (gosh, I have the best parents in the world). But I was saddened when I realized I couldn’t really play it with my sister (and her best friend) who I’d played the first game with. So my sister just told me to play it, and then tell her everything that happened. Which I did... With notes, and everything. Oh, yeah. I kept notes on KHI, CoM, and KHII, I think. I was that level of crazy (in a good way!).

Around this time, I was also subscribed to Disney magazines... And when I eventually got one that had Kingdom Hearts II in it: the one that revealed Sora’s new outfit as Beast’s Castle as a world--the first I’d ever heard of it, and the first I realized that Chain of Memories wasn’t the “true sequel” (as much as I did like Chain of Memories, I was glad to hear this. And even moreso that it was coming back to consoles, so I could experience it with my sister and her best friend again), I legitimately screamed so loud, you don’t even know. It’s a good thing I was home alone that day... And screaming about anything Kingdom Hearts related has pretty much become a trend of mine. Oops.

...So then I ended up pre-ordering Kingdom Hearts II from GameStop, with all of the cool things that came with that (like the special edition strategy guide that had four different covers, based on Sora’s Drive Forms. I have the Valor/Brave Form one), and I asked my mom to pick it up for me while I was at school so I could come home the day it came out and immediately start playing it. It came out near the beginning of that year’s spring break, and I beat the whole game in that time... You couldn’t have pulled me away from my Playstation 2 that break if you had tried. 

I also know that I tried out for my school’s show choir the time that Kingdom Hearts II had just come out... Something I really should have cared about, but I didn’t as much as I could’ve... And while my mom had gotten busy talking to someone, waiting for me to come back from my audition, when I got back and she was still talking to them... I sort of wanted her to hurry along, so I could get back to my game... Something I think my mom even admitted to that person (but in as nice a way as possible)... Oh my gosh.

I also know that one day, I was thinking about KHII in class--I’d left off on the half-way mark of the game, with the 1000 Heartless battle and all that--so it was heavy on my mind... Our teacher was asking us about our weekends, and someone else in class started talking about how they started playing Kingdom Hearts II, and I gasped loudly--to which everyone stared--and I said that I had the game, too, and loved it... My teacher then said that was the most emotion they’d ever gotten out of me.

Ahahahahaha. I have many other embarrassing stories that I could admit with this series--particularly with KHII, and I have on past accounts--but you know what? I’m going to save myself some humiliation and keep them to myself.

But KH... It means the world to me. How can it not? It’s been a constant joy in my life for so many years: That’s been with me through just a little before my double-digit years, all of my teens, and into my adulthood.

I’ve made many friends through this series, too, either by convincing my friends to give it a try or making friends with people I know love the saga.

It’s a constant light for me, and always has been, that reminds me of my childhood (for so many reasons. The Disney for sure being one of them) and simpler times: And that there always is a light at the end of the tunnel... 

In fact, the KH characters even feel like friends I’ve had for a long time--that I can always count on--and who I’m always happy to see.

And even now, that feeling hasn’t faded away (it probably never will). Since the way I reacted to KHIII, is pretty much the way I did KHII: Even fourteen years later, and as an adult now.

Kingdom Hearts even introduced me to all the things I love. I found YouTube--after I finally got Internet--when a friend told me I could watch the Kingdom Hearts II secret ending there, as I hadn’t unlocked it myself (and since I had doubts in myself as a gamer back then, I wasn’t sure that I could. Even though I had unlocked the one for the first game. And did eventually do so for the second game... and all of them, except for KHIIFM so far). And YouTube, amvs (a lot of them for KH) is how I found my love for video editing.

And moreover, I’m a writer. And it was in Googling stuff about Sora and Kairi that I eventually discovered fanfiction (that I actually, stupidly, thought was official stuff by the actual writers at first, because I found fanfiction on sites that weren’t called that), and through that started it myself and honed my writing skills. My writing style is probably even inspired by KH, in a lot of ways--like how I handle mystery and when I deliver information to the reader, and all.

KH also did simpler things, like getting me into other Square Enix games (Final Fantasy, The World Ends With You, Bravely Default), and gaming in general.

I wouldn’t be the person I am today without Kingdom Hearts, and that’s just the facts.

I’ve even bonded over it with my dad. My dad doesn’t know the series at all, God bless him, but he’s always willing to talk to me about it and ask me questions since he knows I love it so much. He always asks me when the next game’s coming out. Or if he knows one’s coming out, he’s aware of how happy that must have made me... Or if I’m playing it around him, and he hears a long song begin to play, he knows I must have beaten it. He also went to the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra with me:D

My mom also knows the series through me. A bit more than my dad, since she used to come up and watch us play it some (my dad also did a few times). But I felt it’s more fitting to mention my dad here, since he actually knows it less... And still admirably does this stuff, and is still this in the know about how much it means to me.

...I’ve admitted this before (like in an official survey to Square Enix)--even though I don’t like to, for obvious and personal reasons (and this is for sure something my parents don’t know and never should)--that in really rare, dark times of mine... Kingdom Hearts has saved me from suicide: Those times that I struggle with depression, and felt like I really had nothing else to live for... And yet wanting to be alive to finally see the end of Sora's story, drove me to give life another chance.

And I don’t really think I can say much more than that, or go deeper, to express just what this franchise is to me.

So Kingdom Hearts team... from the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything.

[everythinggodofwar]

The Treasure of Koninsgard (part 8)

The day everything changed...

The warm morning sun trickled through a crack in the wall of the shoddy old cabin in the middle of the woods where Sigyn slept. She blinked her foggy eyes and groaned when the ray of sun hit her face and woke her up from her peaceful slumber.

With a still-numb hand, she rubbed her eyes to get rid of some of the film over them. Finding it tiresome to move, she just rested her palm over her eyes to block out the sun and tried to relax.

It was a lovely spring morning. She heard the sound of morning birds singing to each other and the gentle hum of the wind through the trees. She enjoyed those sounds.. She enjoyed the warmth of the sun and the bright colors of the forest especially in the spring when wildflowers bloomed and the trees were a fresh shade of green. She didn’t get to see much of that while she lived in the realm between realms; there, everything was the same boring color of blue or purple or white. Even inside their old home where mother and Dagny had created enchanted bifrost windows that showed all sorts of places and even a garden with a dome over it to make it look like the outside world, it was hard not to feel trapped, like there was nothing else out there beyond the front doors.

Midgard was much more beautiful, and it seemed safe enough. Sigyn couldn’t quite understand why they hadn’t come to Midgard way sooner.

As she came to, she looked over to her mothers side of the cabin to see an empty bed. She scanned the entire room to see if she could find her, but no such luck. She sighed and, with and inhuman grunt, sat up in her bed. Mother was always gone..

She threw the blankets to the side and swung her legs over the side of the bed, allowing her bare feet to graze the cold stone floor. As much as she hated boring days like this would be, she knew it was time to get up and start the day.

She looked around the cabin for something to do. There was a shelf full of books to read, a chest full of toys and games, and a journal mother had made for her to draw in, but despite all this Sigyn couldn’t find a single thing in there that interested her. What she really wanted was to go outside and explore; she knew that was against the rules, though. If mother wasn’t there she had to stay inside, but mother was hardly ever there..

She groaned as she hopped out of bed and felt the cold ground against the bottoms of her feet. A small piece of paper with some writing scribbled on it sat on the table where Sigyn and her mother usually ate. She rubbed her eyes and made her way over to read it.

“Hunting. Will be back by sunset.” The note read in Mother’s handwriting.

Sigyn sighed and set it back down. Not surprising. Mother was always “hunting,” though she hardly ever brought anything back. It had been a solid two weeks since they had had a decent meal. All mother usually came back with was berries -which were few and far between- and ingredients for potions. Sigyn wondered if “hunting” was just an excuse for her mother to get away from her. Sometimes she wondered if someday her mother would just leave and not come back at all.

Ever since Dagny had banished them, mother had been so distant. She hardly ever talked to Sigyn anymore and when she did the conversations were short and awkward. They used to be close-at least closer than they were now. Sigyn wondered what could have happened between her and Dagny that could have been so bad that it ruined her relationship with her daughter.

She just shook her head in disappointment made her way over to the bookshelf to see if there was anything interesting- though she already knew exactly what was there.

“Hmm..” she scanned the disorganized books lining the tattered bookshelf in hopes of something catching her eye. She had already read pretty much everything they had, and the things she hadn’t read she really didn’t have much interest in..

The Legends of Beowulf? No.

History and Lineage of the Pharoahs? Definitely not.

Her eyes stopped at the stupidly large book simply titled “Greece and its Gods.” She pondered this one. She hadn’t read that one yet, and mother would be happy to know she was using her time to study another culture. Plus she had always liked hearing about the Greek gods whenever she could. She didn’t know much about them, so it could be interesting..

After a moment of pondered she made up her mind and pulled the book off the shelf. She plopped it down on the dinner table and took a seat.

She didn’t think she would enjoy it so much, but after a couple hours of page after page after page, she realized she was very interested. The book began with a lineage chart of the gods, which she briefly glanced over but quickly decided was too long to read diligently. The book had four sections. The first section had maps and historical information about the land of Greece and the surrounding areas. The second section held a description of each of the significant gods. Her favorite one so far was Athena.. The third section held a whole bunch of interesting stories and tales about them.

The book seemed to be working its way up to some major event. She supposed she would have to keep reading to see what that was. When she reached the end of the second section she turned the the beginning of the third section with an obvious excitement.

This section was just titled, “The Ghost of Sparta.”

Just before she could begin, she was interrupted by her mother bursting through the door in a panic.

“Sigyn!”

“What??” Sigyn retorted, slightly frightened by the sudden outburst.

“Thank the gods.” Alva ran to Sigyn and wrapped her arms tightly around her. “You’re still here.”

“Of course I am!” Sigyn retuned the embrace but not without confusion. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“We have to go.” Alva let go and ran to her bed to grab her important belongings that she hid underneath. “Grab your coat.”

“What? Why? What’s going on?” Sigyn just stared in shock at her mother as she hustled around the cabin to grab whatever was important.

“We’re not safe here anymore.”

“Why not? I didnt lose control! Just like you said!”

“I know you didn’t. We just have to go.”

“Where?”

“To Dagny.”

“Dagny? But you said-”

“I KNOW.. what I said...” she sighed. “Your aunt is the only one who can help us.. We don’t have a choice.”

“Is father coming?”

Alva ignored the question. “Get your coat.”

Sigyn stood up begrudgingly and grabbed her coat- not that she thought she needed it in the middle of spring. “Can I bring anything?”

“Only if you really need it.” Alva opened the front door and motioned for Sigyn to hurry. Sigyn took a final look around the cabin; she figured this would be the last time she saw it. With a sad sigh she turned to the door and headed outside.

The sky was dark now. Had she really been reading all day?

Alva clutched Sigyn’s trembling hand and practically dragged her through the forest to the nearest portal to the realm between realms. Once they got there she released her daughter’s hand and, as fast as she could, rummaged around in her bag in desperation to find the key.

Sigyn screamed when a sudden burst of lighting followed by a loud crack of thunder came out of nowhere from behind them. Thor was near. And Odin would be with him.

“Come on. Come on.” Alva muttered in panicked frustration as she continued searching for the key. That lightning had come from where there home was.

“Mother??”

“I got it.” She ripped the key out and held it over the pile of rocks and wood as they formed together to create a door. “Come on.” She snatched Sigyn’s hand again and shoved the door open.

Alva dragged Sigyn through the door, but not before Sigyn glanced back when more lightning lit up the sky to see the silhouette of a giant of a man in the woods behind them.

Alva breathed a sigh of relief when the portal closed behind them, but Sigyn just stood there, frozen, as all the color drained from her face.

“Sigyn?” Alva shook her daughter gently to pull her out of her daze.

She didn’t respond, however,- or so much as acknowledge her mother.

“Sigyn??” She said, more forcefully this time.

Sigyn’s wide eyes darted up to meet her mothers, but she said nothing. She couldn’t.

“Do you have it?”

Sigyn blinked her eyes and forced herself out of her fear induced daze. She nodded and pulled the small wooden bear she was instructed by her mother to always carry in case of emergency out of her coat pocket.

“Good.. You know what to do.”

Sigyn nodded. She knew exactly what to do; mother had taught her repeatedly in hopes of making sure if the time ever came to go back to their old home she could- with or without Alva. With shaky hands, Sigyn twisted the figurine at the middle till it cracked open, revealing a small, hollowed out compartment in which a small black travel stone was hidden. She sat the stone on the ground and whispered, “Stefna.”

The travel stone lit up like a small star and began to spin around faster and faster and faster until it shot up in the air and carved a doorway out of thin air.

Once the stone had finished its job creating the door, it’s light faded, and it dropped to the ground, where Sigyn grabbed it and returned it to its hiding place inside the hollowed wooden bear.

Alva looked around to make sure they weren’t being followed. “Let’s go.” She grabbed Sigyn’s hand with haste and practically shoved her through the portal.

As they passed through the portal and allowed it to disappear behind them, Sigyn looked up at the all-too familiar sight of their old home. At the end of an expansive pathway stood the proud old manor of stone and encompassing world tree branches with its large front doors and billowing towers.

The building itself was a simple square shape, with four towers total -one at each corner of the square. It stood three stories high without a single window-save for the bifrost “windows” inside; inside their were dozens of rooms each with its own specific purpose, whether it be for practicing a specific area of magic or potions or even just for leisure. Even though it had been so long, Sigyn knew every single room and every corner of this place. She was happy to see it again, but part of her wondered if Dagny would even allow them to come back.. She was so angry last time she had seen her.

“Mother..” Sigyn said in barely a whisper.

“Yes?”

“I’m scared.”

Alva looked down at her daughter, at first in shock, but it only took a moment for her eyes to open. For them to really open. It was like it was the first time she had really seen her daughter in so long. For so long she had been blinded by her anger at Dagny that she had allowed herself to grow apart from Sigyn. Now her daughter was frightened and confused beyond repair because she hadn’t been there to help her heal her emotional wounds. She had never meant for that to happen..

Still.. she knew what she had to do.

“Hey.” She smiled and bent down to Sigyn’s level. She gently squeezed her hand and placed her hand on her cheek. “Remember what I’ve always told you?”

Sigyn nodded.

“Say it.”

“I don’t have to be afraid.”

“Why?”

“Because.. because I’m strong.”

“And.. because you have the spirits of your ancestors behind you every step of the way.” She placed her hands on Sigyn’s shoulders to provide some sense of assurance. “Remember that?”

“I remember.”

“Good.” She stood up and took Sigyn’s hand, gently this time. “Let’s go find your aunt then.”

“Okay.”

Together, they made their way up to the front door. Alva hesitated before knocking. She considered the consequences carefully; her and Dagny’s rivalry went back for centuries- from even before they had openly fought- so she knew her sister would demand some sort of compensation in exchange for her help.

Finally, Alva made her decision; she knew what she had to do. She knocked three times to announce her arrival and opened the door.

The two stepped inside. Sigyn looked around at the familiar parlor; large bifrost windows lined the walls, letting some sun in the otherwise dimly lit room, a large staircase directly ahead of them led up to the second story, and a large iron chandelier with magic blue lights instead of candles hung from the high ceiling. On either side of the staircase were two statues of what mother called “guardians”; they just looked like men with armor on and their faces covered by veils. Dagny always said they kept evil away, but Sigyn wasn’t so sure about that.

On the floor in front of the staircase, the three symbols representing the nornir were carved into the floor. Dagny chose to have those there as a reminder of their fate being governed by someone else; though, in her more recent years she seemed to have done away with that idea.. or maybe just the desire to believe in that idea.

“Alva?” Sigyn heard her aunt’s familiar, tranquil voice ring from upstairs. She looked up to see Dagny standing at the top of the staircase with one one pale, bony hand rested on the railing. “What are you doing here?”

“Don’t pretend you didn’t see us coming.” Alva replied coldly, referring to her sister’s ability to see visions.

Dagny chuckled. “I saw many things, sister.” With her usual graceful, almost ghost-like, walk, she began to take steps down the stairs. “But.. that doesn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?”

“You don’t need a vision to know the answer to that.”

“Hm. True.” She took her time walking down the stairs, as to show she has all the time in the world and not a thing to worry about. Once she finally reached their level, she looked down at Sigyn and smiled. “Hello, dear.. I’ve missed you.”

Alva held her arm out in front of Sigyn and moved to stand in between them. “Don’t talk to her.”

Dagny shifted her fiery gaze from her niece to her sister and scoffed. “What have you been filling her head with?”

“I’m only here for one thing, Dagny.”

“Oh!” She laughed humorlessly. “I know! I know exactly what you’re here for.. BUT.. If I recall, I already gave you your answer.”

“She’s my daughter!”

“I told you no!” She was getting visibly more angry. “How many times must we do this, sister? How long before you learn?”

“Mother,” Sigyn began timidly, sensing something was wrong there, “what is she talking about?”

“Sigyn, you remember where your room is, right?” Alva asked, ingoring her previous question.

“Yes, but-”

“Go.” She ordered, never stopping glaring at Dagny. “Your aunt and I have much to discuss.”

“But I-”

“Go!”

Sigyn’s shoulders sunk as her mother stepped away from her and pointed in the direction she wanted her to go. She sighed and started off sulking to her room. Why wouldn’t she be allowed to talk with them? They never told her anything. She always felt like they were keeping secrets from her.

As she neared the hallway that led to her room, she looked back to see her mother and aunt walking up the stairs, whispering to each other. She watched for a moment as they disappeared down a hallway. She knew she should listen and just go to her room like her mother had said, but she was tired of never knowing what was going on. She was tired of never understanding what everyone was talking about. She had been good; she hadn’t used her powers at all since mother told her not to. Surely she deserved to at least know what they were doing.

She made her decision. She ran to the stairs and tiptoed after them. Once she reached the top, she could faintly hear their voices; though it wasn’t loud enough to understand what they were saying. She crept along till she reached the hallway they had gone in, and, ever so carefully, she stuck her head in and peered down the hall. They were still walking through, on their way to their final destination.

“How exactly did he find you?” Sigyn could hear Dagny ask.

“It was my fault..” Sigyn could understand this, but what she said afterward was impossible to hear. What did she mean ‘my fault?’ Sigyn wondered.

“In here.” Dagny opened the door to the one place Sigyn was hoping they wouldn’t go- the only sound proofed room in the house.

Sigyn groaned. That’s inconvenient. She didn’t even know why they had that room; all she knew was that it was enchanted to where no sound escapes it, no matter how hard someone may try to listen in. Of course they would go in there..

Giving up and disappointed, Sigyn crossed her arms around her stomach and sulked down the stairs. Might as well just go to her room.

Once she reached her old room she took a minute to examine it. Carefully, she studied every inch to see if anything had changed. It hadn’t.

Her large canopy bed with the frame that arched overhead hadn’t moved an inch since the last time she’d slept in it. The dresser full of clothes she’d grown out of by now stood by the wall opposite the bed with its arrangement of toy dragons and random trinkets on top still in order. At the far end of the room was a bifrost window with a large cushioned window sill beneath it. The window showed what was, in Sigyn’s opinion, the most beautiful place in all the nine realms: the top of the highest peak in Jotunheim and in all the realms.

Sigyn made her way over to the window and sat down, taking in the view that still as beautiful and calming as the last time she’d seen it. There were no giants in sight today, but that was okay. The view was enough for her.

On one of the cushions was a floppy old stuffed dragon; Sigyn had always liked dragons- or the idea of them at least. She picked up the old toy and hugged it against her chest. She wished she would have brought this with her when she left the realm between realms, but mother hadn’t let her pick out what she could take with.

She took a deep sigh and let herself sink into the cushions. She let the overabundance of pillows surround her as she gave into fatigue. She hadn’t realized how tired she was till then. Apparently reading all day long can really wear a kid out.. that and running for their life from a maniac parent.

“Mrkyr.” She whispered, and the bifrost window darkened, allowing the room to be enveloped in darkness.

She closed her eyes and allowed the fatigue to take over, pulling her into a deep, dreamless sleep.

[aliceslantern]

Beyond this Existence: Counterpoint, a Kingdom Hearts fanfic, chapter 5

Summary:  After being recompleted, Ienzo vows to do everything in his power to atone for the atrocities he committed in the past. But this life hasn't been easy, and he's plagued with memories and nightmares. When Demyx suddenly reappears, the two discover that they have more in common than they thought, though the secrets in their past might tear them apart. Zemyx (Demyx/Ienzo), post kh3

Read it on FF.net/on AO3

For the next day--for the next several, actually, it was so hard to tell time in this lab--Ienzo worked tirelessly. He read through the backlogs of the apprentices’ original research, thousands of pages of it, examining and cross-examining psychological and chemical experiments alike. There had been, in total, some hundred subjects, not counting those who had been deemed outliers or had gotten turned away at the beginning. One hundred people.

He knew better than to eat before he worked. He drank tea with extra honey to keep up his blood sugar and willed himself to feel numb.

The first dozen or so subjects had been volunteers, and unrelated to one another. After that, there were some pairs, a mother and son, friends. The first twenty or so had samples taken, were asked some questions about their life experiences and their relations to one another, and then the results were studied. This was the more-or-less harmless beginning.

There were physiological correlations for the existence of bonds between hearts. Heart rates would nearly synchronize, especially between family members or lovers or anyone who had bonded for many years, rather than just friends or those in strained relationships. Rates of oxytocin and dopamine were generally higher, and people were generally happier and more well-adjusted.

It was around then they started getting cocky. To put it mildly.

If the strength of bonds could make someone happy, what would happen if they were to break?

Or if a person had no bonds--did that make them more unstable?

They started to keep subjects longer, overnight, then for weeks on end, in those awful hollow cells in the lab’s basement. There was fear, panic, and this made it all the easier for the loaded questions to stick. Rather than build people up, this psychology tore them down.

Soon after the first Heartless was born from them. This person had been a young woman, and she’d screamed and screamed for hours before finally succumbing to the darkness within.

Ienzo remembered feeling scared. And to a degree the others had too, but they hadn’t backed down. They interpreted it as another discovery about human nature.

He closed out of the files briefly and rested his head in his hands. This felt like torture. But if he could only find some insight, he might be able to use this pain to help Sora. If only he had samples from Sora and Riku, or Sora and Kairi. If the trace was there, physically, there might be some way to induce a sleep that would allow Riku to connect with Sora, something akin to what had happened during the Mark of Mastery exam. But how? He had no magic to perform such rituals, and to do so medically was dangerous.

He felt like he was back at square one. Ienzo stood, noting the tremor in his knees. Firstly, he needed to eat and take care of his body. He could figure out the rest once he was stable.

He did so, was able to keep down a meal and sleep for a few hours. His circadian rhythm was hopelessly off; it was the middle of the day. For some reason his teeth were chattering, even though he wasn’t cold, and he knew he needed a break from this project before it started to worsen his own psychological state. Yet to do nothing and purely rest would be a bad idea. He needed distraction.

Ienzo went back to the study room and sat on the bench. It was uncomfortable, he noted, not that he was after comfort. He opened the first page of the score. He could only read treble clef, and not very well; he had to mutter a quick mnemonic under his breath to orient himself. The metering was odd, too, with the sixteenth note carrying the beat. He tried to count it out. Did it work rhythmically with his translation? It was really only the written language that evolved, the actual words had remained mostly the same when spoken.

Ienzo could not seem to get it right. Playing the keys felt awkward, though he could remember Dilan once remarking he had pianist’s fingers.

“You going ahead without me?” Demyx’s voice startled him. He smiled slightly.

“Oh, Demyx. No. Not quite. I just… I was trying to figure out the rhythm of a phrase. It changes the meaning of the characters in my translation, which changes the meaning of… just about everything.” He set his head in his palms. “I’d basically have to start over.”

“How long have you been at this?” Demyx asked. “It… seems like you’re pretty tired.”

Ienzo blinked, then looked out the window. The sky was pink. “...Quite some time,” he admitted. “I… tend to lose track.”

Demyx sat next to him on the bench. “Which section do you mean?”

“This little bit here. See?” He touched the measure in question. Ienzo played the phrase, and he saw from Demyx’s grimace that he’d had it completely wrong. “I can’t for the life of me count it out correctly. I… should have waited for you.” In a moment of exhaustion, he considered confessing what he’d been up to. He didn’t want to bear it alone, but why should he burden Demyx? Their relationship was tenuous as it was.

He held out his hand, unbandaged. The scar was red, but it seemed to be healing well. Ienzo was struck with the odd urge to run his finger over it. He hadn’t seen a naturally healed wound in a long time. That had to be why, right?  “Well, you’re in luck. I’m all healed up. Even took out the stitches. Let me see. Oh, right. I remember this.” He wrinkled his nose. “It’s the meter. 29/16ths.”

Ienzo did not know what that meant. “Beg pardon?”

Demyx rolled his eyes a little. “I know, right? God, at least make it an even number. 30/16ths would be so much easier to count. And they’re short measures, too, that all bleed into each other. It’s so…”

“Chaotic,” they said at the same time.

Suddenly, Demyx looked shy. “Well, it sounds kind of more like this.” He played through the bridge with more fluidity than Ienzo had. “I’m sure on the actual sectioned instrument it would be completely different. And that would be…” He thumbed through the pages, seeking the same phrase. “...This one. And it’s got a treble clef, which means your options are really, really open. ...What’s this?” He gestured to the rune next to it.

“They’re letters. Let me see.” Ienzo checked the dictionary. “My guess would be either an F or an S. Runes are, for whatever reason, pretty phonetically similar to our language now. If I had to start my studies all over again I think I would focus on linguistics. It’s just so delightfully complicated, and it really reveals a lot about human psychology how words and roots formed--” Goodness, he was rambling. He cut himself off. Linguistics was one of his favorite subjects in private study, but it had never applied to anything he’d done as an apprentice. It left it untainted.

Demyx’s brows furrowed. “An F? But it could mean flute, but that would mean it transposes higher, and that… feels off.” He played the notes in octave. “But if it’s an S… what could it be?”

Ienzo went back to his translation from several days previously. “Dawn. That’s the first character. So, if I’m correct at all, the first phrase is “Dawn town.” Maybe’s more like “Dawn, Town,” with a comma. Maybe it’s more of an action line. But that’s not the correct participle.”

With an unreadable expression, Demyx said, “Daybreak Town.”

“I’m sorry?”

He shook his head. “Not dawn. Daybreak. The rhythm wouldn’t fit.” He played it again. “It fits with “Daybreak”.”

That was absolutely correct, Ienzo realized. With a little jolt, he realized that, here with them working at about the same level of competency, he was having fun with Demyx. It had been a long while since he’d found this sort of eager ease in his research. The pain of the past few days dissipated a little. “You’re right. That’s so apt. Daybreak Town. I wonder what that is. Is it poetic license? A place? I’ve no clue.” He stood up and started poring through geography books. “Perhaps there’s a reference to it in some sort of history…” The sunlight was fully through the window now, warm as it grew weaker.

When Ienzo looked back up, he saw Demyx staring at him with an puzzled look.

“You’ve an odd expression on your face. Is everything okay?”

Demyx jumped a little. “Yeah, uh, fine.” He cleared his throat. “You seem pretty passionate about this kind of stuff.”

“Passionate?” He paused. Yes, that was right. “Yes. I suppose. I’ve never defined it at such, but I… I always feel most myself when I’m in my research. Making connections.”

Demyx nodded and sat forward a little. “I know what you mean. That’s how I feel when I make my music. Like… I’m part of something worth something. Like I have…”

“Purpose,” Ienzo said. “I refuse to believe things are meaningless.”

“I find you easier to talk to than Zexion,” Demyx said. “Why is that?”

The comment made him feel weak. Was it possible Ienzo was wrong? Could he ever leave behind Zexion’s darkness? “He and I are… not the same,” he said. “Every day I’m working harder to be a better person, to make up for all of the terrible choices I’ve made. It is… exhausting.” He looked away. He wondered if he should bring it up, this anxiety they had so in common, but decided against it. “You are different as well. I know it’s still hard to realize this.”

He shook his head. “The others don’t either. I just wonder how much of our Nobody selves were made of bad memories. I mean… I was a complete asshole. The way I treated Roxas--” He trailed off, turning pink. Was it possible he felt regret?

“It’s unfortunate there’s no way to quantify what you mean,” Ienzo said. “There must be purchase in it. If you’ve no conscience, no empathy, it’s easy to make bad decisions. Because none of it matters. I don’t want to live like that any more. Now that I’ve a choice.” It seemed like a revelation to him. Was Zexion psychologically different enough that he was not entirely to blame? But--what about when he was a child?

“Me either,” Demyx said quietly.

This commonality found, Ienzo drummed his fingers on the piano bench. “Hopefully this research will shed some light on the past,” Ienzo said. “Shall we get back  to work?”

The next morning, Demyx was late. Ienzo was disappointed, but not surprised. He tried to push through a few more of the lyrical lines.

With yesterday’s context, the first line became Daybreak Town is a fucking mess. Was it some sort of self-deprecating folk song? But considering how chaotically the song began, Ienzo wondered if it were more of a tone poem.

More fights breaking out. That line was simple enough. Keys and sparks flying everywhere. By “keys”, did they mean Keyblades? What else could they mean?

While Ienzo puzzled this, Demyx came in quietly. He was pale, his face drawn, and he clutched one elbow in self-support. He started rehearsing quietly, his playing not as fluid or as perfect as before. Ienzo bent back over his book. He considered asking if something was wrong, but if it were, what could he say in reassurance?

“Do you ever have nightmares?” Demyx asked so suddenly it startled him.

“Well… I suppose to a degree. Everyone does at some point or another. Why is it you ask?”

“I had a really bad one last night and I can’t get it out of my mind. It just… it felt so real,” he said.

So that was why he was so shaken. Ienzo turned towards him. “What was it about?”

Demyx shuddered. He spoke haltingly, in a low, restrained voice unlike his normal patter. “I was in the Keyblade Graveyard. There were… so many bodies in armor… cut up… bleeding… completely dismembered… The Keyblades were everywhere. There was so much blood in the dirt that it was muddy, and red.”

Ienzo considered this. These dreams were terrible, but unfortunately a price to pay for surviving Xehanort. “Perhaps this is a manifestation of survivor’s guilt, because you weren’t one of the true vessels, and thus, didn’t perish in battle. It’s a natural psychological response. We internalize trauma differently as humans.”

He hugged himself more tightly. “Trauma? Do you think I’m traumatized?”

Surely he didn’t think this behavior was normal for humans? “In all likelihood, yes. I’m not qualified by any means to make that diagnosis, but considering what you’ve been through--and by extension, the rest of us--some sort of post-traumatic stress is not uncalled for.”

“I just want it to not bother me.” His voice dropped to almost nothing.

Ienzo frowned, knowing that sensation all too well. “I’m sure. If there was something I could do to help you, I would. Unfortunately, there’s no easy cure. You just must remind yourself that the pain you feel is illogical, and it will pass. The best key to these things is usually reason.” It wasn’t much help, but it was something he could offer.

“Always one of my strong suits,” he said dryly.

“You just need something to center yourself,” Ienzo said. He was aware of how artificial he sounded, and he hated it. “Something you can hang onto when these moments come.”

Demyx’s eyes met his. “Do you experience the same thing?”

Right. He was sharper than they’d given him credit. There was a reason Demyx had been largely in charge of reconnaissance. “For many years. Even before the Organization.”

Demyx hesitated. “What happened to you?”

Ienzo froze. He didn’t have to tell him, but at the same time, part of him wanted to. “You know I was very young when Ansem the Wise took me in.”

He shrugged. “Yeah. Of course.”

Ienzo took a deep breath. “Do you know why that is?”

“I just figured you were that smart.”

It was so much easier not to make eye contact. “You flatter me. ...My parents passed away when I was a child. It was… not natural.” Maybe if he said it quickly, he could get it over with.

Demyx turned towards him more fully, a sad, knowing expression on his face. “Heartless?”

“No. Heartless were not as common then. There was another type of monster, one created from negative emotions. We know now that they come from Ventus’s counterpart, Vanitas. But then… they were everywhere. I was actually coming from here… this very castle… with both of my parents. It was open to the public then. And… well. There was a swarm.”

The memories to him were very vague, cauterized by time and trauma. He remembered more having the story explained to him than experiencing it.

“Both of my parents passed. I only survived because Aeleus was on duty and stepped in. I’ve still got the scars.” It felt odd, but not entirely uncalled for, to show Demyx the scars at the top of his shoulder. They’d stretched and whitened as he’d grown, and often he forgot they were there.

It was then Ienzo became aware of how closely they were sitting; there was little enough space. Demyx lightly brushed his fingers against the scars. Ienzo flinched at the unexpected touch. “I’m sorry,” Demyx said quickly. “I wasn’t thinking. And, um. I’m sorry about your parents, too.”

He fixed his shirt. “I don’t remember much of them, even now. But you see. When you insist I cannot understand… I understand better than you know.”

“Yes,” he said.

For a moment they held eye contact. Ienzo could still feel what it had been like to have these scars touched, the slight calloused scratch. A feeling he could not recognize bloomed within him. Whatever it was scared him. He glanced over at the clock and noted with relief that it was getting late. “It’s about time for me to start making dinner. You’ll join us, right?”

“Right,” he said. Ienzo left. In his pockets, his hands trembled.

Ienzo had always thought he understood emotion, at least from a purely literal perspective. This is sadness. This is fear. This is anger. And so on.

What was it he was feeling?

Whatever it was it was strong, and he could feel it under his skin, all too warm and alive. It was not necessarily unpleasant. The only anxiety he was experiencing came from the unknown.

After dinner, he sat in his bedroom and tried to puzzle it out. It had happened when Demyx touched his old Unversed scars. Ienzo ran his fingers over them experimentally but felt nothing but skin. The last time he’d been touched by anyone else--Ansem, when he was sick--he’d felt an odd revulsion. What was so different about Demyx’s touch? This was, he realized, the second time he’d felt this emotion, not the first; it had been there last week when he’d stitched his hand. And again when he’d watched him play piano.

Ienzo’s breathing hitched. He let himself remember having the scars touched, and felt a soft pulse of the emotion, like light.

He got up and crossed over to his bookshelf. He pulled out the old dictionary and riffled the thin, brittle pages until he found what he was looking for.

Longing, n; a strong desire especially for something unattainable. See also: pining, passion, lust.

Was it even possible?

He put the dictionary away and sat on his bed, shaking all over. The panic made him dizzy. Somehow or another these feelings had grown within him against all awareness, bright and sharp and piercing. Ienzo wanted--

That’s what it was. He wanted the unknown. And he wanted Demyx to be in it with him.

“Oh, fuck,” he said.

[myhouseidea]

In the DoThink · Hangzhou 2022 Sales Center, the designer broke the traditional “Metropolis” concept, injecting new elements into the “Metropolis” style, showing urban fashion and avant-garde style with a simple and bright space atmosphere.

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In the interior design, the designer made full use of the space of the existing building to redesign, in order to create an indoor space with reasonable layout, smooth movement, comfortable and elegant feelings, and conducive to business management. For example, the designer made full use of the advantages and disadvantages of the main structure of the interior building, through the different forms of partitioning, the space was divided into one virtual space after another, so that the space of different functions can be independent of each other, and also can maintain the overall sense of consistency in the circulation of large space.

The building space of the sales office is relatively square, and the designer used the exquisite and wrought iron bookshelf and marble wall to divide the space into sections, so that the cubic indoor space forms different space scenes.

Another eye-catching place in the sales office is the background wall of the reception area, the design of the hexagonal honeycomb elements, with a light and simple reception desk, and a glass chandelier make the space simple, gorgeous and elegant design tone.

In the negotiation area, the sapphire blue is used as the main color, and the bright colors of yellow and green are added to enrich the space level. The softly-lined sofas are arranged in an orderly manner in the space, neutralizing the toughness of the linear lines of the space, but adding a bit of active enthusiasm. The designer also used exquisite metal hollow screens in the space layout, echoing the space materials and color tones, and building several functional spaces that are connected to each other.

In the construction of the sand table, the large metal lighting made up of geometric lines and block surfaces reflects the main theme of the space. It shows a feeling of being different from the coldness of modernism. The simple shape , the exquisite texture , makes it generous and smooth, simple and perfect , revealing a low-key luxury.

The design of the VIP room is a good description of what is the beauty of space. That is, it evolves by the essential elements that have been carefully selected, from the form to the spiritual purification, rather than just some simple surface decorations.

The project is located in the silver Lake Science Park. The project will focus on technology and innovation in the future. This means that more young white-collar workers become the main customers. Returning home from a busy job, they are more eager to take the noise off and let all their senses stretch freely in silence. Therefore, we take “regaining quiet from the busy,” as the starting point of the design of the whole space, and then create a stable and comfortable atmosphere through concise design words.

Interior design: DA GROUP Interior furnishing design: DA GROUP Project location: Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China Art/design instruction: Luo Yufeng Furnishing instruction: He Wen Project area: 670 m2 Completion time: December 2018 Main materials: artistic glass, marbles, champagne gold stainless steel with specular finish, GRC Photography: THREEIMAGES

DoThink · Hangzhou 2022 Sales Center & Show Flats In the DoThink · Hangzhou 2022 Sales Center, the designer broke the traditional “Metropolis” concept, injecting new elements into the “Metropolis” style, showing urban fashion and avant-garde style with a simple and bright space atmosphere.

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The Dalnegorsk UFO Crash of 1986

By Paul Stonehill and Philip Mantle

“Out of the corner of my eye I saw something that fell on the mountain. There was an indistinct impact, not reverberating, but quite strong. The noise of the impact lasted less than a second. There was an explosion, and large reddish-white flames. It seemed something was engulfed in powerful fire. The sphere was approximately one meter in diameter. The fire roared. I observed all of it for about 5 minutes. The fire burned for 1 to 2 minutes, and then stopped.”

Source: Inoplanetyane v Moskve article, published in Lipetskaya Nedelya newspaper, issue dated April 7, 2004.

Dalnegorsk

The Primorsky Krai region occupies the South Eastern extremity of Russia. Primorsky means “maritime” in Russian, therefore the region is sometimes referred to as Maritime Province.  Primorsky Krai is bordered by China, North Korea, and the Sea of Japan.  The picturesque town of Dalnegorsk (a former mining settlement) is located in the Primorsky Krai, in a narrow valley by the Rudnaya River, surrounded on all sides by forests and hills. These hills are also riddled with a number of deep caves.

International fame came to Dalnegorsk in 1986, on January 29; at 7:55 p.m. to be precise. Some have called the event that occurred there on that winters night the Roswell Incident of the Soviet Union.

That cold January day an orange-reddish sphere flew over this town from the southeast, crossed part of Dalnegorsk, and crashed at the Izvestkovaya (Lime) Mountain; also known as Height or Hill 611, because of its size. The object flew noiselessly and parallel to the ground. Its shape was described of being near perfectly round with no projections, wings or windows and its color was similar to that of burnished stainless steel.

The Crash

Some local witnesses at the time assumed it was a meteorite, while others thought it was something quite out of the ordinary.

One eyewitness, Yevgeny Serebrov, a schoolboy at the time (nowadays he’s a scientist), mentioned that the object had neither tail nor trail behind it. There was no explosion, only a powerful impact when it hit the mountain. Scientists, who arrived later in Dalnegorsk from Vladivostok and Khabarovsk, used a chronometer to determine that the object moved at 15 meters per second. They told Yevgeny and other boys that meteorites and fragments of rockets cannot fly in such fashion. Source: Shariki iz parallel’nogo mira, article by N. Leskova, published in a Russian newspaper Trud (Moscow), January 17, 2003.

Duration of the Fire

V. Korotko, editor of the local newspaper Trudovoye Slovo, was near the mountain during the crash of this mysterious object. He stated that a small fire broke out at the impact site but that it burned for only a short while.

Height 611 is located across from a local bus station (avtovokzal).V Kondakov, a local mechanic, was at the bus station at the moment the sphere flew over the town. He said the sphere was flying so low that it seemed it would cut off part of the chimney of Dalnopolimetall industrial enterprise. It was round, without any protrusions or holes. It seemingly was made from metal, and its color resembled slightly incandescent stainless steel. Kondakov thought the sphere a shell, a projectile. He did not hear any noises. Kondakov observed how the object crashed down on the hill, but heard no sounds of the impact. The ground at the site of the impact began to burn.

According to Mikhail Gershtein, Russia’s top UFO researcher and author of numerous books about ufology and paranormal phenomena, many eyewitnesses compared the fire burning at the site to electrical welding. The extent of the fire was alternatively described as one to two minutes, about an hour, or even late into the night.

Recovery of the Fragments

On February 2, 1986 a parent of one of the children that observed the crash, accompanied by an adult and some schoolchildren, made an excursion to the site. They found a burned tree stump, a hollow that was not deep, and branches that seemed to have been cut off the tree by the object as it descended. There were no large fragments of material like that of an airplane crash.

They collected, very methodically, melted drops of some substance that had a metallic tint, rocks, and a piece of the tree stump. They took everything to the local museum of regional studies. Its director was Valeri Viktorovich Dvuzhilni. The drops resembled soft metal. Several various acids were used on them, but there was no reaction. Then they decided to obtain further scientific opinion from V. Berlizov, a local expert, and a member of the 1947 scientific expedition to the site of the Sikhote-Alin meteorite. V. Dvuzhilni wanted an expert opinion on what this material could be. Source: Dalnegorskaya zagazka, article by S. Glukhov and V. Popov, published in Sotsialisticheskaya Industriya newspaper, issue dated April 5, 1986.

There was no quick reply from the experts, and Dvuzhilni decided to use the other means at his disposal. His group was able to climb the mountain three days after the crash. The UFO, Dvuzhilni told Soviet journalists from Magadansky Komsomolets, broke off a terrace of the rock, about two cubic meters of it, and 10 square meters of snow had ‘evaporated’ at the site. The vegetation had been burnt away and the ground seemed to have been burnt as well.

The newspaper revealed that the team found magnetized fragments of silicic shale.  Can you imagine a brick that attracts metal? High temperatures annul magnetism, but in this case it was quite the contrary. This, mentioned Dvuzhilni, once more confirmed that it was not a ball lightning or a plasmoid that arrived in Height 611, but a UFO. Source: Puteshevstviye v Dal’negorsk article, author A. Molchanov published in Magadansky Komsomolets newspaper, issue dated June 24, 1990.

The team was amazed that the area burned by fire was strictly defined, as if separated. A rhododendron bush growing at the very edge of the area burned to ashes remained absolutely untouched by fire. But the rock, composed of light brown silica shale, cracked and fissures were formed, and it turned black as coal. A thin layer of soil was mixed with ashes. Careful examination of the site turned up some thirty grams of an unusual substance. It consisted of solidified droplets of dark colors. Most droplets were tiny, from half a millimeter to two millimeters in diameter, and some were larger, from three to five millimeters.

Dvuzhilni contacted the laboratory of Bor and Dalnopolimetall industrial enterprises. The analyses performed there revealed that smaller droplets consisted of an incredible alloy of lead, and it contained up to 17 elements of the Mendeleev Table.

Large-sized droplets turned out to be compounds of chromium, nickel, and aluminum. Only a diamond saw blade was able to cut through them. Another incongruity was revealed: the alloy of metals had to have crystalline structure but was actually amorphous, like soap. Such amorphous metals can be produced in laboratory settings (using liquid helium to cool melted extremely hot metal), but the crash took place on a naked rocky mountainside.

Analyses of Recovered Objects

The objects collected at the site were later dubbed as “tiny nets” or “mesh), “little balls,” “lead balls,” “and glass pieces” (that is what each resembled).  Closer examination revealed very unusual properties. One of the “tiny nets” contained torn and very thin (17 micrometers) threads. Each of the threads consisted of even thinner fibers, tied up in plaits. Intertwined with the fibers were very thin gold wires.

The study of the droplets determined that the distance between atoms in the crystalline array of metal balls was 3.84 angstroms, not the usual 3.86 angstroms, as is usual in metal. Most of all the specialists were amazed by items which were dubbed “net” (“mesh”). They were composed of amorphous carbon. The rare earth atoms there were distanced from each other. Scientists calculated 18 elements in the “net”. The gold content of the “net” was equivalent to 1100 gram per ton (only 4 grams per ton are needed for industrial exploitation of ore-deposit); and silver content was equivalent to 3100 grams per ton. Using electronic microscopes, scientists discovered that the surface of the “net” contained quartz threads of 17 microns in thickness. The threads intertwined and tied together into a precise cord.  One of the threads revealed a sort of golden section: an extremely thin gold line somehow placed in the very middle of the “net”.