#Peninsula Pulse

[olympicjournal]

Peninsula Pulse

[No. 001] Nov 17, 2024

Clallam County: Where the Action Never Stops

Fentanyl Chaos + Law Enforcement Upheaval Let’s talk Clallam, where the OPNET drug task force is on life support. State officials just pulled the plug on its $180,000 annual budget, leaving law enforcement scrambling. Local officials are calling this a disaster amid a record-setting fentanyl overdose crisis. With Clallam County staring down its highest-ever annual overdose death toll—potentially crossing 50 lives lost—defunding seems as logical as a screen door on a submarine.

Meanwhile, a tragic crash on Highway 101 near Gardiner took the lives of a mother and her child. This heartbreaking incident has reignited conversations about road safety and seatbelt use in the region. Let’s hope some good policy emerges from this sorrowful event.

SEQUIM’S ARTISTIC REVOLUTION Our little lavender town is stepping up its game! A local photographer is breaking free from the frame, proving that art isn't just for your grandma's living room walls anymore[1]. This rebel with a cause is joining the Strait from the Artists tour, probably to show us all how to think outside the box – or should I say, outside the frame?

PORT ANGELES GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS Hold onto your wallets, folks! Port Angeles is implementing an annual business license fee[1]. If you're raking in over $25k, prepare to shell out $190. Because nothing says "support local business" like another fee, am I right?

WITCHES ON WATER In a twist that would make Salem proud, about two dozen witches paddled from Northwest Maritime to the Pourhouse pub[1]. No word on whether they used broomsticks or kayaks, but I'm betting it was a spell-binding sight!

Jefferson County: Keeping It Classy

Jefferson County: Progress with a Side of Dystopia Jefferson’s main stage featured a sobering blend of hope and bureaucratic theatrics. On the one hand, local organizations are scrambling to pick up the slack as OPNET funding disappears, hoping advocacy and recovery efforts can stem the tide of addiction. Yet, there’s no escaping the fact that losing proactive policing might leave communities more vulnerable.

On a brighter note, the arts are alive! Port Townsend is buzzing about an upcoming film festival, showcasing the creative resilience of this quirky enclave. A friendly reminder to support local filmmakers because Hollywood doesn’t have a monopoly on storytelling.

FROM WAR TO PEACE In a heartwarming turn of events, we're seeing a shift from "inhuman to humane"[2]. It's almost like someone's been reading my Julius Evola collection and decided to turn over a new leaf. Who says right-wingers can't appreciate a good redemption story?

HONORING OUR HEROES Veterans Day ceremonies are popping up faster than organic kale in my garden[2]. From Gardiner to Port Townsend, we're showing our vets some well-deserved love. Because nothing says "thank you for your service" like a good old-fashioned ceremony and maybe a free coffee at the local diner.

Kitsap County: The Quiet Achiever

Kitsap County: Storms and Showdowns Over in Kitsap, heavy rains and strong winds recently knocked out power for thousands. Our neighbors weathered the storm with admirable grit, but the incident underscores the need for robust infrastructure in an era of increasing climate volatility. Also, Kitsap’s ongoing push for better public transit has sparked heated debates, with locals torn between economic feasibility and environmental urgency. Cue the popcorn; this saga isn’t over yet.

Folks, I scoured the interwebs for some juicy Kitsap news, but it seems our neighbors are keeping it on the down-low.

BELL HILL HINT

Here on East Bell Hill, we know that self-reliance isn’t just a hashtag; it’s a lifestyle. Whether it’s OPNET’s funding woes or a highway tragedy, these stories remind us of the importance of community resilience. The world can be chaotic, but we’ve got donkeys to hug, gardens to tend, and a local arts scene to uplift. Let’s keep questioning the narratives, supporting each other, and building something real.

THE KAI-LIGHT REEL

Now, let's zoom out for a second. While we're all caught up in our local bubble, remember that we're living in a world that might just be a giant computer simulation. So next time you're arguing with your neighbor about property lines, just remember – it might all be ones and zeros, baby!

But hey, simulation or not, there's something beautiful about our little corner of the world. From the artists pushing boundaries to the witches making waves (literally), we're keeping it real – or as real as it gets in this matrix.

And you know what? In a world that sometimes feels like it's spinning off its axis, our community's commitment to honoring veterans and shifting towards more humane perspectives warms my heart. It's a reminder that even us skeptics can appreciate the good in people.

So, whether you're a right-wing homesteader like yours truly, a left-leaning lavender farmer, or somewhere in between, remember – we're all in this together. Unless, of course, we're not, and this is all just a highly sophisticated computer program. In which case, I hope I'm at least coded as devastatingly handsome!

Stay free, stay skeptical, and for the love of all that's holy, stay away from those business license fees! This is Kai, signing off from the hilltop. Until next time, stay wild and wonderful!

Citations: [1] https://www.myclallamcounty.com [2] https://www.peninsuladailynews.com [3] https://www.sequimgazette.com

[uncharismatic-fauna]

An Affinity for the Southern River Terrapin

The southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis), also known as the tungtung or the royal turtle, is a species of freshwater turtle residing, as its name implies, in the southern part of the Malaysian Peninsula, particularly along the western coast. They reside in estuaries, portions of large rivers that are regularly exposed to ocean tides.

While initially plain in appearance, the southern river terrapin can be visually striking. The body and shell are entirely black, or dark brown in females. The only spots of color are carried by males: bright yellow or white eyes and orange inner cheek flaps that are exposed when the mouth opens. Batagur affinis is also quite big, with females (the larger of the two sexes) reaching an average length of 62 cm (24 in) and a weight of 38 kg (83 lbs).

The tungtung is an omnivorous species. Its serrated beak allows it to feed on a variety of plants like grasses, algae, and fruits, as well as freshwater invertebrates like crustaceans and mollusks. Due to the high salinity of their habitats, they often leave the rivers and forage for food on land. The large size and thick shells of adults deters most predators. However, eggs and hatchlings are vulnerable to monitor lizards, otters, birds of prey, and crocodiles.

Mating for Batagur affinis occurs from October to February. Males and females remain relatively solo throughout the rest of the year, although they aren't overly territorial. Once a male locates a female, the two touch noses and he pulses his jaw to emphasize his bright orange cheek pouches and the white stripes on the inside of his throat. After copulation, the female lays a clutch of 20-40 eggs in nests dug in the sandy river bank. Young royal turtles hatch anywhere from 60-120 days later, depending on the temperature of the nest. Juveniles can take 18-22 years to reach maturity. Adults regularly reach ages well over 45, and individuals as old as 100 have been recorded.

Conservation status: The southern river turtle is considered Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Over-harvesting of both eggs and individuals has decimated populations, and those that remain are threatened by habitat destruction. However, both local and international conservation efforts have been underway to preserve the species and its ecosystem.

If you like what I do, consider buying me a ko-fi!

Photos

Eng Heng Chan

Paul Calle

Thorn Sophun

[kinardsevan]

can't outdrive pain (some day it's gonna take the wheel)

Evan leans back on the couch as he slides the photo album back down on the coffee table. He wasn’t snooping at all, but in the process of moving some things around in the closet while moving his own things in, he’d stumbled upon it. And the thing was, he didn’t really have one of his own. His parents weren’t present enough when he and Maddie were kids to think of having family photos done after Daniel’s death. Most of the pictures that did exist were from disposable cameras Maddie paid for with her own money once she was old enough, and a number of those photos had gotten destroyed by Doug. Evan never really complained about it because there was stuff that Maddie had hung onto and still had, even now, like the postcards he’d sent her while bouncing all over the US and into Peru before he’d ended up in LA. 

Still, for all he’d expected to find in the album, which wasn’t a lot, given how tight-lipped Tommy still was about his childhood…he wasn’t expecting what he did find. 

. . .

“Baby?” 

Tommy comes around the corner of the living room into the kitchen as Evan slides a tray of fresh brownies onto the counter, smiling up at him as he reaches behind himself to untie the apron. There’s enough batter on it that he’s going to have to wash it, but that can be a problem for later. 

“You baked for me,” Tommy cooes as he crosses the space, a smile crossing his face as the wafting heat of the fresh brownies hits his nose. Evan tugs the apron over his head and folds it, setting it aside on the counter as Tommy reaches him, slotting an arm under Evan’s around his back, kissing the corner of his mouth. 

“You kept talking about them yesterday and I had some free time,” Evan replies. He chuckles softly as Tommy trails kisses down his jaw to his neck, nuzzling against his pulse point briefly. 

“So good to me,” Tommy murmurs against his skin. 

“Yeah,” Evan murmurs, his face scrunching as he tries not to think of the photo album. When Tommy pulls away, he busies himself finding a knife so he can cut into the brownies and get them each one. “How was your day?” 

“Long,” Tommy replies, circling the peninsula and leaning against the counter. He grins happily when Evan passes him a plate with the brownie on top of it. It’s still steaming, almost too hot to eat yet. “What about you?” 

Evan inhales a deep breath, unsure if it’s the right time to ask. He gulps.

“I found something today,” he admits. “I was emptying boxes, trying to find space-..” 

“I mean I’d expect you to do that,” Tommy replies. “You are moving in. You should find space for yourself.” 

Evan nods, still his expression is mildly pained as he looks up at his boyfriend. “I found a photo album.” 

“Oh.” 

Tommy says it like it’s so simple; like it doesn’t mean anything. But the look in his eyes betrays the sound of his voice, and it makes Evan’s stomach flip. 

“I wasn’t trying to-..” 

“I’m sure you weren’t,” Tommy says. There’s no anger in his tone, but it still hurts Evan to hear it. His gaze is locked on the counter between them now, refusing to look up. Evan sighs softly, settling his own plate down. He walks around the peninsula and slides his arms around Tommy’s waist, physically having to move his boyfriend to get him to turn towards him. 

“Talk to me, babe.” 

Tommy gulps. “I honestly never wanted to have to tell you.” 

“Tommy,” Evan lilts. He slides his right hand back, bringing it under his boyfriend’s chin and making him look up. When Tommy’s eyes meet his, they’re wet. Evan’s frown sets deeper, reaching his thumb up and brushing away at the first tear as it falls. 

“You know what my childhood was like,” Evan murmurs. “How little my parents cared when my bone marrow wasn’t enough to save the kid they were concerned about.” 

Tommy nods. They’ve had many conversations about his personal hatred towards the Buckleys and how fucked up he thought it was that at three months old, they’d put their newborn through that kind of procedure to save their oldest child. They’d originally planned to the cord blood—at least, that was the story that Maddie had told him when he’d asked—but it had become contaminated, and given that Evan was already intentionally a genetic match for Daniel, they’d managed to convince his care team to allow the bone marrow transplant, given that it was a last-ditch attempt. It wasn’t Evan’s fault that the graft hadn’t taken. 

Still, for as little as Tommy had given in information about his childhood, he’d never really wanted Evan to know just how much he could understand the pain he’d suffered through. 

“I told you my father and I don’t talk,” he rasps, sinking against one of the barstools against the counter. Evan nods. 

“What I didn’t tell you was why,” Tommy continues. 

Evan sits down in another one of them, his hands sliding down until they find Tommy’s and squeezing them lightly. 

“Kinda figured after everything about Gerrard that it was because of your sexual orientation,” he replies. 

“That was certainly part of it,” Tommy replies with a quirk of his eyebrows. “But it wasn’t all of it.” 

Evan nods again, watching and waiting as Tommy stares at the counter. 

“Things were never good between him and my mom. That militant attitude you joke about me having? He always had it. It was like even after he took off his fatigues, the drill sergeant attitude stuck around. A-and when my mom left, he turned it on me,” he explains. Evan nods. The few photos from Tommy’s childhood showed telltale bruises. The average person looking at them might take them for childhood injuries, but their job and Evan’s own childhood had given him a generous education on what abuse looked like. 

“When I was ten, he broke my arm,” Tommy tells him. Evan had seen a picture of him in a sling but hadn’t pieced that together. “My teachers figured it out, and they called CPS. They tried to find my mom, but whether she’d disappeared into a bottle or was so far into drugs at that point, I’m not sure. Either way, she wasn’t an option, so they put me into the system.” 

Evan lifts Tommy’s hand, kissing his fingers. 

“It wasn’t great there, either,” Tommy admits softly. “There were people who…” He pauses, shakes his head. “Nobody hit me, but it wasn’t any better. A-anyway, he did the classes they required him to do, and I was sent back to him right before I turned thirteen.” 

“You’re not going to tell me it got better,” Evan surmises, his throat tight from the expression on Tommy’s face. 

“No,” Tommy whispers back, pressing his lips together in a hard line. “At that point, I’d figured out that I was gay, at least to myself. I was home for like three months when he caught me kissing this kid who lived around the corner.” He pauses again, staring down at Evan’s hand on his as the blonde traces his thumb over the back of Tommy’s knuckles softly. “He beat me up so badly from that, that I didn’t leave the house for a week. But it was summer, so no one knew.” 

“No one caught him,” Evan asks, anger tinging his tone. “CPS didn’t-..” 

“They’d done a visit like a week before that,” Tommy explains, glancing up at him. “Had no reason to come back so soon. Anyway, after that, I just kept my head down and stayed away from home as much as possible. When I got into high school, I joined as many extracurriculars as I could. I found ways to make money so that I could afford the hotel stays and travel, and when I was seventeen, I enlisted. He thought that was great until he found out I wasn’t going to be a marine because ‘no son of mine is going to join the army. Three generations of Kinard men have been marines’.” 

Evan huffs, shakes his head. 

“You already know how it went there,” Tommy says softly. “When I got home, I called up a friend from high school and was able to sleep on his couch for a few weeks until I got my own place and enrolled in the fire academy. And then when I was twenty-five, he showed up at the 118.” He pauses again briefly, lets out a haughty laugh. “He got on great wtih Gerrard.” 

“Of course he did,” Evan mutters under his breath. He already hates the man they’ve both had to call their former captain. 

“He said he wanted to mend fences, but I knew after seeing him with Gerrard that nothing had changed,” he states. “So I didn’t make an effort, and he’s one of those people who thinks your elders deserve respect regardless of how they treat you, so when I didn’t call, it didn’t move forward.” 

“Thank god for small favors,” Evan replies quietly. Tommy nods. Evan looks up at him, and it seems that Tommy’s finished. He stands up from his stool and moves into his boyfriend’s space, wrapping his arms loosely around his neck, fingers sliding up through the curls on the back of his head. “He’s unworthy of any of your time.” 

“That’s what I tell myself,” Tommy responds softly. 

“I hope you know that you are worth so much more,” Evan tells him, brushing his thumb back and forth over the back of Tommy’s head. “I know you still hold guilt over how you were with Gerrard, but that trauma bond didn’t really give you the space to be a better person.” 

Tommy quirks his lip up in a skeptical expression. That’s a common disagreement for them, but Evan is determined to get him to forgive himself one day. 

“I love you,” Evan adds. “Every part of you.” 

Tommy gives him a small smile. “Sometimes I think you love me more than I deserve.” 

“Well, welcome to the party,” Evan replies with a smile on his own lips. “Evan Buckley. My boyfriend makes me feel the same way.” 

Tommy chuckles. 

“What’s the saying,” Tommy murmurs to him, pulling Evan closer, looping his arms around his waist. “We’re all just looking for someone whose demons play well with ours?” 

Evan leans down, brushing his lips against Tommy’s before leaning back enough to look down at him through lidded eyes. “Think I’ve found mine.” 

Tommy smiles at him, pulling him in so they’re chest-to-chest. “God I hope so.” 

[silvrash-797]

Gloomstruck

Chapter 3: Emptiness

Prev

Read on ao3

Legend was attentive as he led the way out of the portal, the rest of the Chain following in short order. Seeing no immediate threat, everyone gazed around in wonder as it snapped closed behind them.

They stood in a patch of soft sand, marked with concentric rings and bordered by lush vegetation. What appeared to be tree roots grew upwards from the edges of the sand, meeting above them in a giant knot that pulsed with life, light, and vitality.

“What is this place?” Wind asked, awe plain in his voice. “It looks kinda like my island!”

“Sorry Sailor,” Wild said, peering at his Slate, “but this is nothing like your island.” He sighed, then muttered, “I thought I was done with this place.”

“You recognize it, then?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah. And it’s the worst place to be hunting for black-blooded monsters.” Wild checked his Slate one more time, then put it away. He spread his arms wide. “Welcome to the Zi-ner Lightroot, in The Depths of central Hyrule.”

“The Depths? Capitalized?” Legend remarked.

“Yup. A barren, subterranean wasteland stretching the length and breadth of my Hyrule. I had to spend a lot of time down here during my second adventure.”

“So, what can we expect? What do we need to watch out for?” Warriors asked.

Legend hiked a thumb at the glowing mass above them. “That’s a lot of light magic. I assume it’s counteracting darkness of some sort?”

“That’s right.” Wild paused, ears twitching. “This whole place was revealed after the Upheaval, and it is infested with dark, dangerous monsters. Add the black blood on top of that…We’ll have to stay sharp – and not get hit.”

Legend rolled his eyes at the statement, but kept his thoughts to himself. Obviously they’d try not to get hit – nobody liked being injured.

Wild caught the motion and bristled. “I’m serious, Vet. These monsters do more than just injure you. You touch any of the red stuff around here – on the ground, walls, or infecting the monsters – you start getting sick. Sick enough that it strips the literal vitality from you.

“Spend too much time in contact with the Gloom, and you. Will. Die. Only time spent in sunlight, divine light, or consuming specially prepared foods can save you. That’s what these lightroots are holding back.”

Wild cut himself off with a snap, breathing hard. The Chain stood in silence, digesting the gravity of the task before them. Finally, Legend spoke. “Got it. Sorry, Wild.”

Wild sighed, relaxing slightly. “I’m sorry, too,” he replied. “I just…can’t count the number of times I had to emergency teleport out of here because of the Gloom sickness. My Slate can’t handle so many people if something happens to us. It worries me.”

Sky wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder. “We’ll be careful,” he promised, “and keep an eye out for one another.”

Hyrule and Wind joined the hug and, slowly, the rest of the Chain followed suit. Together they basked in the comfort of the light magic above them, preparing mentally and physically for the difficult journey ahead.

Wild chuckled before moving to disentangle himself. “Thanks, guys.”

Warriors clears his throat and brought his original question back around. “What do we need to do to prepare? Do you know where the closest camp might be?”

Wild pulled up his map again, and Legend drifted closer to peek over his shoulder. All he could make out was a mess of pink and gray topographical lines, some tree-like symbols, and a few other symbols he could make neither heads nor tails of.

“What’s all that pink?” he asked quietly.

“Gloom,” Wild’s response was equally soft as he zoomed in and out on different places of the map.

“Seriously?”

“Honest to Hylia. It’s why I’m so worried.”

Wild spoke up, addressing the rest of the Chain. “There are three monster encounters nearby. A large mining camp to the north, at the end of the peninsula, a smaller camp just southwest of here, and a flux construct to the southeast. I think there’s also a talus wandering around somewhere, and a couple of Yiga camps.

“Long-range weapons are going to be our best bet against the infected monsters. I have a couple of plants that work to confuse them, but unless you have a way to fuse them to your arrows, getting close enough to throw them gets dangerous fast.”

“Alright,” Warriors said. “Everyone, have bows, rods, boomerangs, any other long-range item you own ready; keep swords and shields close to hand.”

He turned to Wild, looking at the map. “You said this is a peninsula?”

“Yeah, there’s a river on the surface that divides the land into impassable cliffs down here.”

“Then well start north and work our way south. Stay alert, everyone.”

Wild led the way around the Lightroot until they came to a ramp leading to the valley floor. Legend shuddered as the comforting, living light gave way to oppressive, rotting grayness. He watched in disgust as particles of dust or other such matter took the place of the clear air they had been breathing.

Several of the Chain coughed or sneezed at the change and fished out bandanas or other cloths to filter the air.

They followed a meandering path past a puddle of Gloom and up a series of short cliffs. Before they mounted the last one, however, Wild turned them to the right, towards the point where a thin stripe of Gloom crossed the path.

“Uhh, Wild?” Hyrule balked, breaking the looming silence. “I thought you said to not touch the Gloom?”

“Usually, that would be the case. There are a few safe areas.” He pointed to a spot in the center of the path. “See there, where it’s thin and there’s more black than red?”

Murmurs of acknowledgement rippled through the air.

“Spots like that are safe. If you absolutely must step in the Gloom, stay as close to the edge as you can.”

Gingerly, they picked their way across the gap, emerging into a clear plain between two giant, mushroom-shaped trees.

Peering ahead, Legend spotted something like firelight flickering in the distance. He nudged Wild with his elbow. “Is that the camp?”

Wild pulled out his Slate and held it in front of him. A magnified view of the torchlight appeared on the screen, and he panned it around. “That’s it alright. Although…huh.”

“What?” Four asked.

“Well, this kind of camp always has monsters posted on lookout towers at the perimeter, but look.” He pointed the Slate at a spot to the left, where a crude tower could easily be seen. “There’s nothing there.”

Four, Twilight, and Time all gasped suddenly, whirling around and staring out behind them.

Legend half drew his fire rod before he could form a cohesive thought. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sky in the same position with the Master Sword. “What is it?” he demanded.

“I thought I felt something,” Four whispered.

“Heard something,” Twilight added.

“We’re being monitored,” Time intoned.

“What do you mean monitored?” Wind asked.

“Watched,” Legend spat. “By what?”

“I can’t tell yet.”

The Links exchanged uneasy glances.

“Stay on guard,” Warriors reminded them. “Something here isn’t right.”

Legend followed behind Wild and Sky as they continued across the plain to the rock outcrop surrounding the monster camp. Silence reigned as Wild slithered up to look over the edge.

And then he kept going.

“Cub!” Twilight hissed. “What d'you think you’re doing?!”

“Relax, guys,” Wild’s voice floated over the stone barrier, “there’s nothing here.”

Legend rounded the scaffolding on the left, peering into the camp. Wild was right – aside from a few discarded weapons, some wooden boxes, and a single glowing golden flower, the place was deserted.

He found Wild staring at his Slate. “Strange…according to my calendar, we should have had a blood moon not too long ago – just a couple of weeks. We were still in Sky's era, then. There should be half a dozen monsters here. Where’d they all go?”

“I’m not complaining,” Hyrule ventured. “One less fight is one less fight.” Wind nodded his fervent agreement.

Suddenly, the hair on the back of Legend's neck prickled uncomfortably, and his magical senses clamored a warning. He dashed to the top of the scaffolding, heart pounding in his chest as he observed their surroundings. Distantly, he saw Warriors and Hyrule doing the same thing.

Nothing. He pulled out his magic mirror and scanned the area again, but nothing revealed itself.

“You felt it too.”

Legend squeaked and instinctively swung a punch at whatever had snuck up behind him, only years of training with Blaino allowing him to pull back at the last second when he realized it was just Time. “Geez, Old Man. Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

Time smiled thinly, the marks on his face stark against his pale skin. “Sorry. You feel it, though?”

“Yeah, you were right. Something out there is watching us. But what could survive in a place like this?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we’ll find answers at the next camp.”

But no answers were forthcoming. They backtracked towards the other monster camp, then the construct’s platform, and finally the wide, open plain Wild was sure usually had a stone talus stomping around; every single one was devoid of life.

“Is there anything alive out here?” Wind complained. “We’ve been wandering for hours and all we’ve found are a handful of arrows and some really cool mushrooms Wild says we can’t eat!”

“This doesn’t make any sense,” Wild muttered, checking his Slate for what Legend was sure was the hundredth time. “Where did they all go? I’m the only one who comes down here, and even I couldn’t clear every monster in two weeks!”

“Can you think of any other place we could go to find black-blooded monsters?” Twilight asked him gently.

Wild sighed. “There are a few arenas south of here, where I could come to hunt the monsters behind the strange phenomena that plagued the land at the start of my second adventure. If anything survived, it would be those.”

Suddenly, an unholy, bloodthirsty screech rent the air, and Legend watched Wild's face go white.

[aquaquadrant]

there is a ticking clock

Warnings: Mild language, shipping

Summary: Etho walks through the forest with a clock in his pocket.

A/N: Ik I’m late to the party but I’ve been on vacation, after I came home I binged Etho’s pov and then stayed up til 2 am writing. Y’all can blame @lunarcrown and this post for this one. Hope u enjoy, pls reblog if u do! - Aqua

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

~

there is a ticking clock

~

Etho walks through the forest with a clock in his pocket.

It’s a standard clock made of gold and powered by redstone, no bigger than the palm of his hand. He’s attached an iron chain to it, because he knows its intended recipient prefers to have a clock within view at all times instead of hidden away in an inventory. It’s easier not to lose track of time that way. Because if it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind.

Another clock is ticking against Etho’s wrist, beating with the same rhythm as his pulse. The numbers are green. The game’s just started and he has plenty of time. This is what he tells himself as he tugs his sleeve down to cover up the timer. He can still feel it, though. Always ticking.

‘You have twenty-four hours to live,’ Grian had said. ‘Good luck.’

Etho’s luck has held pretty well so far. He hasn’t died yet, he’s found a good team, and he’s even gathered some decent resources. Including enough resources to make a clock. Just four lumps of gold and one handful of redstone dust. Redstone is more precious to Etho than gold, maybe even more than diamonds at this moment, but he hadn’t given it a second thought as he put the clock together.

Like the other players, Etho has lived countless lives in countless worlds. But one thing that remains constant is that whatever world Bdubs is in, he needs a clock. It doesn’t matter if he’s in a world where he can’t sleep- which is a special kind of hell for Bdubs, Etho knows- he still needs to have one. 

It helps him, Etho thinks. Knowing when the night will come.

Etho knows what happened on Third Life; Scar gave Bdubs a clock, and Bdubs killed Impulse for him. Etho also knows what happened on Double Life; Bdubs and Impulse were soulmates, and Impulse gave Bdubs a clock as a token of their bond. Forgiveness and a promise all wrapped up in one gesture of kindness- and perhaps, something more.

They were married, back then. Etho doesn’t know what that means, now that they’re in a new world.

(The clock’s always ticking.)

Etho’s already found Bdubs in this world, but they’ve ended up on different teams. Bdubs with Scar and Cleo, Etho with Tango, Skizz, and Impulse- ironically. That doesn’t bother Etho. He’s never had a problem with Impulse. The guy is too earnest, too kind. Even when he and Bdubs were soulmates, he’d welcomed Etho’s allegiance with open arms- and perhaps, something more.

If Etho had been brave enough to ask. If Joel hadn’t been so committed. If things hadn’t gone so badly so quickly. That’s always how it goes, isn’t it? They think they have more time before it all goes to hell, and they’re always wrong.

But this time will be different. This time, Etho knows exactly how much time he has left.

(The ticking clock won’t let him forget.)

It wasn’t that hard to track down Bdubs. Etho follows his voice like a compass, weaving through the dense oak trees, ducking under branches, hopping over small craters in the dirt. He slips a hand into his pocket as he goes, just to make sure the clock is still there. He wraps the chain around his fingers. The metal’s cool against his skin.

He doesn’t call out to Bdubs, not yet. He only catches brief glances of the other player, a flash of red and white against the green forest. Bdubs is talking to himself, oblivious that he’s being followed. Or maybe he’s not. Maybe he’s just humoring Etho until he can get the drop on him, turn the tables on him. It’s a game of cat-and-mouse they play often, a thrilling dance. Etho’s always loved the chase, and Bdubs knows it.

Bdubs disappears around the side of a peninsula with a modest hill on it. The hill where Etho is currently setting up for a mob farm. Etho holds his breath as he follows, inching across the sandbank. His ears are pricked and his eyes are up, muscles tense, waiting for a possible sneak attack- but he hears Bdubs continue on the other side.

Etho steps around the corner.

Bdubs is walking towards the small island that is the top of Etho’s underground base- his and Impulse’s and Tango’s and Skizz’s. Impulse and Tango are currently working on it, flattening out the terrain to make room for the future structure.

Etho pauses, only a few blocks from the narrow sandback that leads to the island.

He’d wanted to do this in private. Like a secret pact, just between them. Impulse and Tango are on his team, the TIES. They’re allies; he shouldn’t be keeping secrets from them. But deep down, Etho knows who he’d choose if it came down to either of them or Bdubs.

If it came down to anyone or Bdubs.

They haven’t noticed him yet. Etho takes a step back, watching the trio. Bdubs has made it across and is chatting to Impulse from behind an abruptly placed door. Tango is still clearing land away. None of them notice as Etho turns around and sprints down the coast, his footsteps light on the sand. He leaps over the river and darts back into the forest, back into the trees.

No voices call after him. He stops to catch his breath.

Later. He’ll do it later- he’s got plenty of time.

(The clock on his wrist is ticking.)

He ends up going to Bdubs’ base at the top of the mountain, because- well. They have cows. Etho’s own team has tried multiple times to acquire two cows, to no avail. If Etho takes two now, he’ll have solved his team’s problem and given Bdubs a reason to come after him. He just knows it’ll tick Bdubs off. So he’ll take two cows now while no one is home and then Bdubs will come for him later and Etho can give him the clock then.

Except Cleo’s home, actually. And she makes it quite clear that the only way Etho is taking any cows is by force. Etho doesn’t want to get into a fight with Cleo; not this soon, not over this. So he concedes defeat and returns home.

He’ll figure out another way to get Bdubs alone, to give him the clock. He’s still got time.

(Always ticking.)

When Etho reaches the end of the forest that overlooks his base, he pauses. He can hear faint voices, and peeks out from behind a tree, not yet willing to reveal himself.

Bdubs is still on the island, talking with Impulse while Tango lingers beside them. Etho can’t make out what they’re saying from this distance. He tries to listen anyways, and catches only snippets. He watches intently, noting who has a weapon equipped, just in case anything should go wrong-

Something familiar is in Impulse’s hand. Something gold.

Etho’s heart jolts. His pulse thrums in his ears, beating in sync with the ticking of the clock. He can barely hear the loud exclamation Bdubs lets out, breaking into a wide grin as his face lights up with joy.

Impulse has given Bdubs a clock.

Etho’s heart drops into his boots. His grip tightens around the clock in his pocket. 

The three of them are still talking, out of earshot. Impulse’s face is happily flushed as he rubs the back of his neck. Bdubs is nodding enthusiastically, clutching the clock to his chest. Tango is watching with folded arms and an amused expression. Even without words, Etho knows what it means.

Suddenly, they’re turning towards Etho. He jolts in surprise, body tensing up as he’s split between running or freezing. He isn’t sure if they’re actually looking at him- Bdubs seems to be pointing more towards the mountain.

But he isn't going to risk it; spying from the treeline is a bad look. He emerges from the forest at a jog, casually making his way down the hillside, into the water, and is thankful that he’s wearing a mask that conceals most of his expression. They notice but don’t acknowledge him as he climbs onto the bank of the island.

“Yeah,” Bdubs is saying to Tango, “just right up the hill. Me, Cleo- 

“That you?” Tango asks, glancing up at the mountain.

“-Scar. And- yeah.” Bdubs blinks, nods his head. “Uh, and, we’re gonna-”

“B- Bdubs?” Etho calls softly, stepping forward to tap him on the shoulder.

His other hand is in his pocket, holding the clock, fingers twisted in chain. It ticks against his skin, like the clock etched against his wrist. His next sentence is already on his tongue, a sheepish yet amused, ‘Guess Impulse beat me to it, huh?’ as he pulls the clock out. It’ll get some laughs, but hopefully it’ll also get his point across to Bdubs. Hopefully he can still save this.

It takes Bdubs a second to process that Etho’s talking to him. “Yeah, we’re gonna create a-” He breaks off mid-sentence, head whipping over his shoulder to gawk at Etho. “Uh- may I finish?” he asks incredulously.

The words die on Etho’s tongue. Bdubs’ tone is- well. It’s Bdubs. All loud and brash and full of unrestrained emotion, never holding anything back. But something about it is different. Something about it is wrong. There was a very real shock there, almost a panic. Like he doesn’t want Etho to be here right now-

“For goodness sake,” Bdubs continues grumbling, face red, “come in an’ interrupt me, n‘less it’s an emergency, a creeper behind me…”

He’s still holding the clock in his hand. 

Etho just stands there, blinking. Impulse and Tango are snickering behind their hands, mistaking the situation as humorous. Not realizing there was anything behind Bdubs’ tone behind a teasing annoyance. Maybe Bdubs doesn’t even realize it.

(The clock is still ticking.)

Seemingly satisfied, Bdubs turns back to Impulse and Tango. He finds his train of thought, starting again. “Uh… I just-”

“Bdubs.” Etho finds his voice, stepping forward again. “I just- I just wanted to say-”

Bdubs fully whirls around this time. “Would you please?!” he shouts.

It should be funny. That’s how he means it, Etho knows. That’s what they do; they banter, they jibe. That’s just the dynamic they have. Etho picks at Bdubs, and Bdubs reacts. He pretends things annoy him more than they do. It’s funny. 

Unbeknownst to Bdubs, he’s given Etho the perfect setup. All Etho has to do is pull the clock out of his pocket, hold it out, and deliver his line. But the joke will stem from Etho’s lateness, the hilarity and redundancy of him giving Bdubs a clock right after Impulse already has.

And a joke like that hits a little too close for comfort.

Etho backs off, managing a chuckle. “Sorry, sorry…”

Bdubs smoothly picks back up his conversation. “We’re makin’ an amphitheater,” he tells Tango and Impulse, “and we’re just gonna sit and watch and wait when people die, and come back. It’s fun.”

“I like it, I like it.”

“Oh, great!”

“It’s nice…”

A small pause as the conversation lulls. Finally, Bdubs turns to face Etho. He puts his hands on his hips, one eyebrow quirked expectantly. “Yes, Etho?” he asks, like an exasperated school teacher. “Goodness.”

Etho’s heart pounds. The clock ticks.

(It’s always ticking.)

Etho shoves the clock deeper into his pocket and withdraws his hand. He shrugs as he turns away.

“Nothin’,” he breathes finally. He grins, letting the curve of his mouth shape a humor into his words that he doesn’t feel, and is once again thankful he’s wearing a mask. “Nothin’.”

Scowling, Bdubs throws his hands in the air. “What?” he demands, stalking a few steps after Etho as Etho retreats further; a shallow imitation of their usual dance. “All that for nothin’?”

A comical response, as expected. Impulse and Tango are laughing, oblivious. Etho makes himself laugh, too. He can’t feel the clock in his pocket ticking anymore, but he can feel the one on his wrist, beating with his heart.

(Tick, tick, tick.)

He’s out of time.

Etho doesn’t really pay attention to the conversation after that. He wanders into the shallows around the island, collecting kelp. It’s not cows, but it’s something. And after just a couple more minutes, Bdubs starts ambling back towards the shore, not even addressing Etho in his farewell. 

Etho wonders if he’s the reason Bdubs chose to leave now. He wonders if Bdubs would’ve stayed and talked more with Impulse, had Etho not arrived when he did. He wonders what would’ve happened if he hadn’t left, if he’d approached Bdubs at the start and given him the clock before Impulse.

He thought he’d had more time. That’s always how it goes, isn’t it?

(Yet the ticking hasn’t stopped.)

The next day, Etho walks through the forest with a clock in his pocket.

~

[dreamdepot]

Dreams of the Kingdom - Chapter 16: Dreams of Hope

Previous < First > Next

Retrieve the Master Sword and find the final piece of the Triforce as you prepare to confront Ganondorf.

AO3 Wattpad or below!

Thank you for your patience on this delayed chapter!

Chapter 16 – Dreams of Hope

A/N: Lyrics for Zelda’s Lullaby by twilightstorm1994

==============================

The sun shone over the sparkling water, but the world was silent save the lapping of waves. Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the roar of the Light Dragon as it climbed back into the heavens. You and Link stood at the tip of the spiral Rist Peninsula, staring at the dragon – no, Zelda – rise into the sky. Silent Princesses grew at your feet. Tears rolled down your cheek. The final memory played over and over in your mind.

Link squeezed your hand. “We’ll get her back. We’ll find a way.”

You wiped your eyes. “Yeah.” You felt the piece of the Triforce that had washed up on the beach pulse in your hand. “Yeah, we’ll find a way.”

You stood with Link for a little longer. With one more shuddering breath, you steeled yourself. “First, we need to find a way up to the Li… to Zelda. The Master Sword is waiting for you.” Link nodded. “The question is how.”

“We can try getting up to a sky island and dropping down as she passes, maybe the Sokkala Archipelago? Not sure if our gliders will make it though, and we’re out of wing capsules. We’ll need to- wait, what’s that?”

A low drone filled the air. Both you and Link searched around, expecting to see approaching monsters, but none were nearby.

“Mr. Pri-i-i-nce! Mr. He-e-ero!” Both of you looked up. A rickety biplane buzzed through the air. It was a mix of wood, leaves, and repurposed Zonai parts, just barely held together by ropes. Somehow, it managed a smooth landing on the sand. “Ya-ha-ha! We found you!”

“Captain Hollo?” You said in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

The Captain and his companions saluted. “Your majesty, we’re here to help you! We’ve been practicing, and we’ve made our first successful prototype for you!”

You tried not to focus too hard on the word “first”. The biplane, despite being held together by hopes, dreams, and rather thin ropes, was just big enough for both you and Link to ride on. “Do you think it’s strong enough catch up to a dragon?”

“A dragon?!” Captain Hollo followed your eyes up to the sky. “Um… isn’t it dangerous to get close to the dragons?”

“It’s really important,” Link said. “We need to get up there.”

Captain Hollo did his best to look brave, but he and the other Koroks trembled. “Well… if you’re sure. It should make it, just be careful not to fly to fast otherwise it might break the wings…”

“That’s not exactly comforting…” you said, “but thank you. Link, let’s go.”

“Right behind you.” You clambered up onto the aircraft as the Koroks waddled to the propellers. “Wait… these don’t have capsules, how did you get propellers?”

For wearing a leaf mask, it was surprising how easily you could see Captain Hollo blush. “Well… we might have took it from one of the shrines Sir Link’s already finished…”

Link tried to hide his groan. “To be fair, you don’t need them anymore,” you offered, even if it was a bit worrying how seriously the Koroks took their materials.

Instead of focusing on that, you watched the Koroks adjust the leaf flaps and climb on each other’s backs to reach the propeller blades. With a mighty heave, they forced the blades down. “Contact!” The Koroks shouted as the propellers spun to life.

“Good luck!” Captain Hollo said. The Koroks saluted as the aircraft began to roll.

“Thank you!” You shouted back. You and Link carefully leaned back on the wing, getting enough of an angle to lift off, just before the water.

“This might take some getting used to,” Link muttered, as the two of you shifted your weight to keep the wobbly biplane on a steady course.

“Let’s just hope it stays together.” The extended wings made of wood did not look sturdy as they shook with each cycle of the propellers. In spite of that, you steadily gained altitude until you were climbing up over Akkala and into the skies. “Alright, let’s go pay my sister a visit.”

==============================

It was lucky for you that dragons usually don’t fly very fast. Just as the ropes and Zonai devices started to give out, you soon came up to Zelda’s flank. As you followed Link, leaping off of the biplane, its wings snapped off and the wreckage slammed into a floating island before crumbling to the surface below. You and Link landed softly on the glittering scales, safe and sound.

“She’s flying a lot lower now,” you muttered. “Do you think some part of her remembers?”

“I’m sure that deep down, she knows.” Link said, taking your hand. “Come on.”

Together, you climbed up the undulating dragon’s back. Reaching its mane, you paused, subconsciously stroking the hair before continuing your climb forward towards the halo of light just above. There, over the final crest, was the Master Sword, embedded in her head.

You crept down to her snout and gave it a gentle pet. “Hello sister.” You swallowed the lump in your throat and let out an uneasy laugh. “To think I was complaining about my headaches. Can’t imagine that felt very good for the past millennia.”

Zelda gave you a long, slow blink and a short snuff.

Link patted her head, and then turned to the Master Sword. “You might want to brace yourself up here. I have a feeling she’s not going to like this.” You couldn’t argue with that, quickly hunkering down next to Link and gave him a thumbs up. “Sorry Zelda,” he said, before planting his feet and grasping the sword.

Link was right, Zelda did not like it. She roared and began to charge across the sky. “Come… on!” Link grunted, pulling as hard as he could but the sword would not move. “She won’t give it up!”

“Maybe she thinks we’re trying to steal it?” You shouted back over the wind. Zelda soon curled into a nosedive, but the two of you held on. At the last moment before plummeting into Hyrule Field, she curved back up, climbing straight into the sky.

Your hand slipped, and you flung back into empty air. Suddenly, you jolted to a stop. Link strained, hanging on to you with one hand, the Master Sword with the other. Muscles straining, he pulled you back up until you could catch a foothold on the scales as Zelda leveled out.

The wind whipped around you as Zelda bucked and roared. You embraced her, locking your body under her horn and pressing yourself against her ear. “It’s okay Zelda, I’m here, I know it hurts. Your brother’s here. It’s okay, you can let it go.” Link strained to pull the sword as Zelda climbed higher and higher. The air grew thinner, and it was getting harder to breathe. “I know you don’t remember me, but I’ll never leave you!” You pressed your forehead against her cool scales as she thrashed left and right. Something, anything… what could help? Then it struck you; memories of the nights she cried after your mother’s passing.

You sucked in as much air as you could and began to sing.

Go to sleep

Rest upon your bed

May this night bring dreams to your head

Hear my voice

Never let it die

Keep this lullaby

Soon the sun shall set on

Long it will be till dawn

Never from you will I be gone

Carry on

Rid this world of fear

Now the time is near,

Peace will soon reign here…

Zelda’s thrashing tapered off as she rose higher, until she settled into a calm flight. You lifted your head, stroking her scales. “She remembered,” you said softly.

Suddenly it became easier to breathe. Zelda flew miles above the clouds where the sky was filled with golden light. “What… is this place?” you muttered. You turned to Link, seeing that the hairs had released their grip on the Master Sword. Link hesitated for a moment, before taking the sword in hand.

Effortlessly, the sword came free. Petals of light peeled away from the Master Sword as Link lifted it, revealing an almost crystalline core. The new blade pulsed with an almost holy light.

Link…

Link…

Your sister’s voice echoed around you as you were blinded by light. In a shower of sparks, an image of her appeared before Link, seemingly frozen in time.

The Master Sword… She is the key to destroying the Demon King. He defeated her before but her long slumber has healed these wounds. When you two next face the Demon King… you will have my strength to help you, through her. Link you are our final hope. I pray this sword reaches you in the future. Protect Hyrule, and protect [Y/n] from him…

The image soon faded, and Zelda began her descent. Link pressed his hand against the Master Sword. “It’s good to have you back.” The Master Sword pulsed with light in response, as Link sheathed her.

You meanwhile focused on your sister. “I’ll see you soon, Zelda,” you said, hugging her snout again. “We’re gonna bring you home, I promise.”

Zelda dropped the two of you down at the Great Sky Island, before taking flight once again. As she flew into the distance, you swore you could hear her roaring more as singing back to you.

“Where are we going now?” Link asked.

You ran the mental checklist. Each of the Triforce pieces but one had been found. Looking out across the sky and down to Hyrule Field, you soon found what you were looking for. “There,” you said, pointing to a massive stump in a small lake on the western edge of Hyrule Field. “We’re going to the place where it all started. The first dream.”

==============================

Water dripped down the twisted knots of roots. “Is it down there?” Link asked.

“No, but it has to be here somewhere. The first dream was obviously here.” You shimmied down the root, deeper below the Ancient Tree. Every so often, you’d toss a Brightbloom seed to help light up the dim trunk. “I wonder if it was like this for that Link,” you said, more to yourself. Such a little kid having to deal with this awkward climb was not a pretty picture.

That was nothing to say of the monsters that enjoyed making life difficult. The Keese were dealt with easily enough, but the variety of Likes and Horroblins on the narrow roots made the going slow. Each of the smaller caves were empty, and despite not wanting to investigate the pond at the bottom, your options were growing limited.

You sat on a mossy root and closed your eyes. “Okay, come on, you’ve shown me visions the rest of the time, why not now? Something to help?”

Nothing happened.

“Please, anything? I can feel how much time and history is in this tree, there has to be something. A hint from the Era of Twilight? Maybe Hyrule’s Dark Ages?”

Still nothing.

You heard Link shimmy down the vines, landing next to you. “No luck?”

“Nope.” You pulled the other shards out of your pack. “They haven’t so much as sparkled since we’ve gotten here. Hoped we could use them like a dowsing rod or something.” You ignored how the Master Sword seemed to glow a bit brighter at hearing the word “dowsing”.

“Not a bad idea, but maybe they gave us a different hint?”

“How so?”

“Not sure yet,” Link said deep in thought. He knelt next to you and moved some of the pieces. “Three we found by defeating monsters, Colgera, Ghirahim, and Marbled Gohma. Three were given to us, the Mine Construct, Captain Hollo, and Cece. One we found washed up on shore at Malin Bay, and the last one we know is somewhere here.” Link frowned. “Guess that doesn’t help a ton. Maybe we could say the ocean gave us one and the last one we have to beat another monster somewhere here?”

You shrugged. “We’ve slain nearly every monster here already.”

“What about the dream?”

“I mean that Link did have to fight Aquamentus, but when was the last time anyone saw an Aquamentus?”

“When was the last time anyone saw a lot of these monsters?”

“Good point,” you sighed. You stared into the water below, turning one of the shards over in your hand. The light from the Brightblooms bounced off and sparkled across the water. “Too bad we don’t have a map and compass. Treasure hunting was so much easier when we were kids,” you laughed.

Link didn’t laugh, but he looked a bit confused. “Hey, didn’t you say the name of that place was the Bird or something?”

“The Temple of the Eagle. Why?” Link stood quickly and started changing into his Zora armor. “Link, why? What do you see?”

“There!” He said, but instead of pointing he jumped into the water. Without thinking you jumped after him. In the murky, stagnant water, it was hard to see, but Link dove deeper and deeper. You dropped a Brightbloom into the water, letting it light up the bottom. Deep in the water were shattered statues, now home to minnows. Link, however, dove to one statue in particular, an eagle. Link pulled out a stone axe and began to hack away at the statue. As a chunk broke away, he grabbed it and swam to the surface.

“Got it!”

“What?”

Link swam over and held out the piece to you, a chunk of the eagle statue with a sparkling bronze eye. “When you were playing with that one shard, I saw it reflect off something in the water, this bird statue. When you said it was the eagle, I figured it had to be it.”

You hugged him, almost dragging you both underwater. “Link, you’re amazing! Let’s get back up there and get the other shards.” As your hand grazed the piece in the statue, you felt a burst of energy, almost knocking you and Link back.

The remaining pieces in your pack floated down, spinning around the last piece. Faster and faster they spun, the excess stone disintegrating away as they slowly merged together. The depths of the trunk grew brighter and brighter until you had to shield your eyes. Then, all at once, everything fell still.

You opened your eyes to see the room had changed. You and Link were on solid ground, warm and dry. The dirt and roots had been banished away, replaced with dark blue stone. Eerie Zonai-like carvings filled the walls, but with more grotesque gargoyle-like faces. Eight menacing dragons surrounded you, each holding a small triangle in their jaws. A small set of stairs led up to a raised altar and floating just above that was a golden triangle. It lazily spun in the air, slowly flipping point down. The crest of Nayru appeared for a brief moment upon its face.

“What is this place?” Link asked. “Did it teleport us?”

“I think this is the old Temple of the Eagle. And that… that’s the Triforce of Wisdom.”

You stared for a moment at the holy artifact before you. “What are you waiting for?” Link asked.

“Are you sure?”

Link smiled. “If the goddesses were whispering in your ears, then they probably want you to be the one to wield it.”

You nodded, slowly climbing the steps. As you grew closer, you swore you could hear the whispers of rulers past. You reached out your hand, pressing it against the cool surface.

In a burst of light, the Triforce of Wisdom disappeared, leaving your hand in the air. The energy pulsed throughout your body, warm and comforting. You rubbed your hand, nearly your entire arm turning to gold.

Well done, Prince and Swordsman… came an unfamiliar voice. Bring together the eight fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom to rebuild the Light Force. Do this and you shall defeat Ganon…

“Who…” you started, but the voice was already fading away, only with the plucking of the harp echoing around you. Instead, a blue light wrapped around the two of you, whisking you away from the altar and back to the surface in the center of Hyrule Field. A gentle breeze wrapped around you as the power faded. You looked down to your hand to see your tattoo had changed to show two of the triangles were now filled in.

“Do you think two pieces will be enough?” Link asked.

“It was, at least once in the past. Besides it might have to be. None of my other dreams seem to lead anywhere special and we haven’t seen any signs of the Triforce of Courage. Unless you’ve been having weird dreams?”

Link laughed. “No, unless you count the one about that Goron scarecrow, the metal construct, and the weird lion. I don’t think having a bunch of creepy women hitting on me really counts – more of a nightmare honestly.”

“Heh, pretty sure that was just from eating too much of that mushroom pizza I made.” You looked up at Hyrule Castle. “Well… we’ve been everywhere that have been in my dreams so far. The only major place left is up there.” You let out an uneasy laugh. “Where better to hide the Triforce of Courage than the place that scares me the most?”

“It doesn’t make me feel great either.” Link seemed lost in thought.

“It doesn’t matter. We have two pieces of the Triforce, and the power of four sages backing us up. We’ve got this.”

==============================

All too soon, you found yourself at the Lookout Landing Observation Deck, the sun already dipping low in the late afternoon sky. You tightened the straps on your pack, making the final pass on your checklist for battle. Your pack was filled with extra food and elixirs, especially anything that would counteract gloom. Your Ancient Sheikah armor was polished and ready, still perhaps the strongest set of armor you owned. It had protected you well enough during your siege against the Calamity, save when you were cornered by several Guardians. It would have to do now as well.

Your quiver was filled to the brim with arrows, your best bow slung on your back next to your Sword of the Six Sages and several backup weapons Link fused for you.

“Ready?” Link asked, similarly prepared in his Champion’s Leathers. The Master Sword seemed to glow with contentment, now returned to its rightful place with him.

“Ready.”

“Good luck boys,” Purah said, taking a final look through her telescope at the castle. “It looks like you’re expected. One of the fake Zeldas are already waiting for you.” She then turned to you. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait for the Sages to get here first?”

You shook your head. “I know they’ll get here soon, but we don’t have time to waste. The Blood Moon is supposed to happen tonight. We can’t give Ganondorf the chance to regroup his forces.”

“Then there’s no time to waste,” Purah said, straightening her glasses. “I’ll send the Sages as soon as they arrive.”

“Any last words of wisdom?” Link asked.

“Princey, Linky,” Purah said solemnly. “Go kick his ass.”

Link barked out a laugh. “Yes ma’am!”

“We’ll be back before you know it,” you said, leading the way to the tower. You almost stepped on the pad before Link pulled you back.

“Don’t even think about it. Boyfriend or not, I’m still your knight. Don’t want you getting ambushed.”

“Fine, you win,” you said, raising your hands in defeat. Link snuck in a quick kiss before getting launched into the sky, with you not far behind him.

As Hyrule Castle loomed in the sky, your mind returned to the very beginning, back in the Depths. Sharpe’s words echoed back to you.

==============================

Landing back at the castle grounds felt like déjà vu. Even so, you felt a pang of sadness at how much further it had degraded. The plants were now ashen, and pools of gloom had spread like a plague across the walls. Moblins and Horriblins had taken up residence and various Likes grew under the balconies. Part of you expected to see the Eyes of the Calamity watching from the malice, but there were none. Despite that, you could still feel Ganondorf watching you from all angles.

If your home felt foreboding and intimidating when you were here to fight the Calamity, now it felt depressing. “It’s never going to be the same, is it?” Link gave you a questioning look. You motioned to the castle. “I know we wanted to try to restore it, but it really is beyond repair now, isn’t it?”

Link put his hand on your back, his touch a small comfort. “Maybe. But maybe that’s a good thing.”

“How?”

“Wiping the slate clean. We get rid of Ganondorf once and for all and Hyrule will be safe. Maybe that means it’s time for us to build a new castle from the ground up.” Link scratched the back of his head. “Think about it. You and Zelda have been haunted by the shadows of Hyrule’s past for your whole life. Hell, even me too! Maybe it’s time we break away. Learn from the past but leave it behind.”

You stared at the ground with a soft smile. “Maybe that’s what Sharpe wanted me to do when he said to break the cycle. Maybe it is time we leave the past in the past for good.” You looked up at the entrance to the Sanctum, high above. Everyone you had met along the way had helped you get to this moment.

There were your brave sages, Tulin, Sidon, Riju, and Yunobo.

There were your friends old and new; Purah, Robbie, Impa, Tauro, Paya, Teba and Saki, Penn, the Stable Trotters, Lady Yona, Captain Hollo, Sophie, Captain Buliara, the people of Tarrey Town, Bludo, everyone who had ever helped to rebuild Hyrule and help you stop the Calamity.

Sharpe… the Champions…

Zelda…

You turned and saw Link, determination in his eyes. All this time, he’s been there by your side, and you knew he always would be.

You grinned. “Alright, let’s go. Let’s end this nightmare. Tomorrow is going to be a new day for Hyrule.”

==============================

A/N: Thank you for your patience on this delayed chapter. As the speedrunners say, we're now in "go mode" so you know what that means. Next week, I hope you’re ready for suavemente... I mean, Ganondorf.

[xtruss]

Fagradalsfjall Volcano Erupting in July. In 2021, Fagradalsfjall erupted for the first time in about 800 years, kickstarting a new era in volcanic activity in Iceland 🇮🇸. Image credit: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

'Time's Finally up': Impending Iceland Eruption is Part of Centuries-Long Volcanic Pulse

Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula is now in a new era of volcanic eruptions that will last for up to 500 years, and the building magma beneath Sundhnúkur and Grindavík is part of this millenia-long cycle.

— By Hannah Osborne | Live Science

Iceland's potentially imminent eruption in the Reykjanes Peninsula is part of a 1,000-year cycle of volcanic activity that will likely cause eruptions for centuries, scientists say.

"Time's finally up," Edward W. Marshall, a researcher at the University of Iceland's Nordic Volcanological Center, told Live Science in an email. "We can get ready for another few hundred years of eruptions on the Reykjanes."

Seismic activity began increasing in the south of the peninsula in October, with hundreds of earthquakes recorded there each day. On Nov. 10, authorities evacuated the town of Grindavík, with experts warning an volcanic eruption could take place in just days.

Infographic showing the seismic activity that has hit Iceland in recent weeks. Image credit: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

According to the Icelandic Met Office (IMO), a magma tunnel stretching 9.3 miles (15 kilometers) formed beneath the ground between Sundhnúkur in the north and Grindavík. The area affected also encompasses the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa — a tourist hotspot that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

Magma in the tunnel — also known as a dike — appears to be rising to the surface, and there is a high risk of it breaking through. The greatest area of magma upwelling is currently close to Sundhnúkur, about 2 miles (3.5 km) northeast of Grindavík, according to the IMO. Researchers believe the amount of magma in the tunnel is "significantly more" than what was present during the eruptions at Fagradalsfjall, which sparked back to life in 2021 after more than 800 years of inactivity.

That 2021 eruption marked the start of a new cycle of volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Geological records show periods of inactivity last between 600 and 1,200 years, which is then followed by pulses of eruptions lasting between 200 and 500 years, Clive Oppenheimer, a professor of volcanology at the University of Cambridge in the U.K., told Live Science in an email.

"It looks like 2021 kicked off a new eruptive phase which might see the several fault zones crossing the [Reykjanes Peninsula] firing on and off for centuries," he said.

Grindavík has been evacuated over fears an eruption may take place in or near the town. Image credit: Kjartan Torbjoernsson/Getty Images

The Reykjanes Peninsula sits above two tectonic plates that are being pulled apart. The strain that builds up is released in bursts as part of the cycle. "We are now in one of these pulses," David Pyle, a volcanologist and professor of Earth sciences at the University of Oxford, U.K, told Live Science in an email. "Each eruption releases just a bit more of the stored-up strain, and eventually, when all of that strain has been released, then the eruptions will stop."

It is currently unclear if an eruption will take place as a result of the magma tunnel. "These sorts of dikes are actually a tectonic, not a magmatic feature. In other words, the lava is filling a fracture, not forcing its way into the rock," Marshall said.

Should a fissure emerge, an eruption could last for several weeks. The large amount of magma involved compared with previous eruptions in the region could result in more lava flow at the surface, Oppenheimer said.

What happens next is a waiting game, Marshall said. "I predict — if an eruption occurs — that it will occur between a few days to threeish weeks. If it hasn't erupted in three weeks, I don't think it will happen. Cooling will begin to close the fractures."

— Hannah Osborne is the planet Earth and Snimals Editor at Live Science. She worked for several years at Newsweek and at International Business Times U.K. as the Science Editor. Hannah holds a Master's in Journalism from Goldsmith's, University of London.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Another Atmospheric River Hits British Columbia

About a month after a powerful atmospheric river brought abundant rain to coastal British Columbia, another storm drenched southern parts of the Canadian province and western Washington in the U.S.

The atmospheric river made landfall over British Columbia on October 18, 2024, and moved down the coast on October 19-20. Portions of southern Vancouver Island recorded up to 300 millimeters (12 inches) of rain between October 18 and 20, while the Vancouver metropolitan area on the mainland received up to 150 millimeters (6 inches). According to the Vancouver Sun, the rain overwhelmed the city’s storm drain system, leading to widespread flooding.

Toward the south, the storm also brought rain and wind to portions of western Washington. Up to 150 millimeters of rain was also measured on the Olympic Peninsula. Gusty winds toppled trees and contributed to 14,500 households in the Puget Sound region briefly losing power on October 19. NASA-led research has shown that atmospheric rivers are associated with the most damaging storms in the middle latitudes, especially with regard to the hazardous wind they produce.

A second pulse of water vapor moved over southwest British Columbia and northern Washington on October 20, when the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the NOAA-21 satellite acquired this image. In the image, an elongated stream of water vapor—the hallmark of atmospheric rivers—had reached the western coast of North America after crossing the Pacific Ocean. When atmospheric rivers encounter land, they often release that water vapor in the form of rain or snow.

According to the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at the University of California, San Diego, forecasters expected the atmospheric river to hit western Canada as a Category 3 or 4 event, the second- and third-highest tiers on the scale. The storm follows an unusually strong Category 5 atmospheric river that hit British Columbia in September 2024. Experts suspect that the September atmospheric river was among the most intense events to transit the northeast Pacific in a satellite-based record going back to 2000.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Wanmei Liang, using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). Story by Emily Cassidy.

[sarandipitywrites]

DRDW: Ch 3 is LIVE

CW: on-screen violence, death, car crash (implied)

Daxter's zoomer — a two-seated craft that looked as though someone had lashed two of Keira's S-Classes together with cables and metal and called it a passenger vehicle — sat at the threshold where the cobbled road of the slums gave way to shining metal. The roads, the buildings — everything gleamed under streetlights of violet-tinged blue. The eco pulsed under Jak's feet, tangible even under the layers of earth and steel. There were mines down there, Aster had said — enough eco to sink Haven Peninsula into the Iron Sea. "Where're you goin'?" Daxter hissed. Only the flaming plume of his ponytail was visible; the rest of him was crammed under the dash, his arms elbows-deep in wires. Jak was starting to think that, maybe, this wasn't actually Daxter's zoomer. "Get your ass in the zoomer, 'fore—" "Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Daxter's head popped over the body of the zoomer. He blinked at the red armored guard. "Uh, crime. What's it look like?" The guard stepped back, raised its gun. "Get out of the vehicle. Now." It cocked the gun, squeezed the trigger in the span of a heartbeat. Jak was faster. He barrelled into the guard. It toppled, hit the ground with a metallic thunk. Bullets sprayed into the air, rattled like hailstones. A scream. A crash. Scalded metal, searing eco. Charred flesh. The guard's helmet in his hands, visored eyes staring up at his. A twist. The back of the helmet. The front again. A wheezing gasp from the ground as Jak leapt over Daxter, landed in the zoomer. Arms twitching, fingers seeking. Damn. Usually that killed them.

if you're an enjoyer of Jak & Daxter, dystopian dark fantasy, or the above snippet, check out Dead Roots, Dark Water on Ao3, perhaps

taglist: @sam-glade, @televisionjester, @surroundedbypearls

[wayti-blog]

"Archaeologists using laser-sensing technology have detected what may be an ancient Mayan city cloaked by jungle in southern Mexico, authorities said Wednesday.

The lost city, dubbed Valeriana by researchers after the name of a nearby lagoon, may have been as densely settled as the better-known pre-Hispanic metropolis of Calakmul, in the south part of the Yucatan peninsula.

What the study, published this week in the journal Antiquity, suggest is that much of the seemingly empty, jungle-clad space between known Maya sites may once have been very heavily populated.

"Previous research has shown that a large part of the present-day state of Campeche is a landscape that was transformed by its ancient inhabitants," said Adriana Velázquez Morlet of Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History, a co-author of the report. "Now, this study shows that a little-known region was a urbanized landscape."

Mexico's National Institute said about 6,479 structures have been detected in LiDAR images covering an area of about 47 square miles (122 square kilometers). The technique maps landscapes using thousands of lasers pulses sent from a plane, which can detect variations in topography that ware not evident to the naked eye."

continue reading

[minecraftdreamer]

The morning was coming with the persistence of a hangover that followed a long night of revelry. The sun cast a delicate warmth across the cloudless sky, glimmering off the tranquil surface of the water. It was a good sky. A sky that seemed to know of the deep greens and endless blues that colored the world below it.

A small house perched on the edge of a gentle peninsula, half-hidden by the eager embrace of ivy and wildflowers. Its red-tiled roof, a testament to forgotten crafts, spoke of seasons withstanding and the permanence of nature’s eternal cycle. It was a simple abode; its white walls reflected the early light, and its windows were the eyes to the soul of the landscape.

A wooden pier stretched out into the water like the calloused hand of a fisherman, weathered and steady, floating on the whispers of ripples that kissed the muddy banks. It was the sort of pier that knew stories of quiet mornings and the hooks that braved the depths.

In the distance, emerald hills rose and fell with easy grace, a patchwork quilt sewn by some grand, unseen hand. They held secrets, those hills. They knew the silent songs of birds taking flight and the rustlings of small creatures amidst the underbrush.

There was no sound but nature's own here – the melody of rustling leaves and the soft conversations of waves meeting the steadfast shores. On days like these, the earth spoke in hushed tones, and one could almost feel the pulse of the world, slow and full of intent.

This home, this land, was a declaration of simplicity, a sanctuary from the racing world. Here, time paused and waited for men to stop and listen to the honest rhythms of life.

[essektheylyss]

Trick or treat! :3c

okay so in poking around my discard piles, I realized I still have the original first scene of chapter two for luminous worlds, and it is delightful and also has some very :3c fjord vibes, so here's the full thing under a cut! this is actually the only thing with remnants of SIGNIFICANT plot divergences; it was back when Gemma and Artur were one character and neither of them were outside the Exandrian atmosphere. (also feat. Maryllis's original filler name lol)

The sun glints brightly off the distant sea, enough that your sensitive eyes are tight as you look anywhere else though you are protected from the shade by a slatted trellis covered in grape vines, but the breeze is pleasant enough and the surf here laps quietly against the rocks at this low of tide, the peninsula where Palma Flora sits protecting the coastline of Port Damali from the strongest currents of the Lucidian Ocean.

Fjord pours over maps, of the Coast, of Western and Eastern Wynandir, and you should be reading the unfamiliar names, familiarizing yourself with how the continent has changed while you slept, but the sun is beginning to pulse a migraine behind your eyes and your mother’s warnings echo in your mind. A servant sets out another immaculate tray of appetizers, followed by breakfast dishes of poached eggs and a tangy cream sauce that you know you have tried, but only in this region, though you don’t know what it’s made of.

It smells delicious, and you half-heartedly cut into your eggs even as Fjord eats heartily, still staring at his maps, laid out far enough away that they aren’t in danger of spillage. His reading glasses rest halfway down his nose, and he peers through them as you watch, one hand smushed against your cheek.

“Aren’t we in a rush?” you ask, as he reaches across to butter a piece of bread with some kind of herbed cheese. “Do we have time for all of this?” You gesture toward the food in his hand, and his eyebrow skyrockets as he shoves it whole into his mouth.

“Well, I prefer to save the world on a full stomach, personally,” he says, and covers his mouth with the back of his hand as he talks around his bite. “And I also prefer to discuss the fate of the world over brunch rather than in some dark war room. So I think we are doing just fine on time.”

“I have eleven days before this,” you flick your wrist, and the beacon you have kept in stasis all these centuries falls into your palm, “starts spitting out souls that Leylas Kryn would very much like to get her hands on. She will not mind invading the Menagerie Coast to do so, considering that is already on her to-do list. So perhaps—“

“Eleven days until it opens, yes,” Fjord agrees, and spreads cheese onto another slice of bread, maddeningly. “We have longer than that to counter her movements, however. She doesn’t even know you’re awake, in fact, and she certainly doesn’t know where you are, so right now, we have the element of surprise.”

“Mother told me—“

Fjord chokes on his bread. “Your—“ his voice lowers an octave as he clears his throat. “Your mother? Spoke to you?”

You nod, and flick your wrist again, sending the beacon back where you have it hidden for safekeeping. “I can speak with any soul held inside a beacon within my possession.”

“They just… talk to you? Anytime?”

“No, in dreams.”

He laughs, a small nervous chuckle, and goes back to his breakfast. “Well, better you than me.”

Your lip curls, revealing one sharp canine. “Fjord, do you fear the souls of the dead?”

He purses his lips, avoiding your eyes. “Not my cup of tea, thank you. What did your mother tell you?”

“She said I should get in touch with my brother. He would know best what is happening inside, though I… admittedly don’t know if he’ll talk to me. If he’s even alive, against all odds.”

“Well, your dead mother sounds like a very wise woman,” Fjord agrees, with a bit of apprehension that does not seem to alleviate. “Fortunately I am in contact with your brother, as a matter of fact. We should be able to get some good information from him.”

“Verin is alive then?” Your heart feels as though it has risen to your throat. “He became consecuted?”

Fjord nods slowly, and you lean forward.

“That means he found Mother’s notes?”

“Yes, he did,” Fjord agrees, and he peers at you with softness, a gentleness really, that you can’t place.

“Where are they?”

“Safe, but I do not have access to them at the moment. They are in very trusted hands at the Cobalt Soul.”

Memories flood back, of blue monk robes and a wicked swing. “Beauregard didn’t—“

“No, no. But she found a trustworthy individual in the Port Damali archive, and they chose another, and so on and so forth.” He smiles. “And right now, my great-great-great-great—well, some amount of greats down the line—granddaughter has them kept away within the Archive at a secure location. Unfortunately, she is in Tal’dorei at the moment on some kind of assignment, so I don’t know that we will be able to obtain the papers before our… ah, other engagements.”

Eleven days. You would very much like to get your hands on those notes, but there is other work to be done before then. “Perhaps you should reach out to Verin. Like I said, I… I don’t know that he has any interest in speaking to me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Fjord chides, returning to his maps. You half-heartedly eat through another third of your breakfast, though the hunger that gripped you yesterday has subsided. “He will be thrilled to hear you’ve awakened.”

You can taste blood on your lips, the remnants of a memory that hasn’t fallen into place, and somehow doubt it.

“Where is your wizard friend?” you ask casually, though Fjord can see through you like a window.

“He will be joining us, I imagine. Could you please let up on the man?”

Fjord did in fact sleep through your conversation last night—that’s perfectly fine by you. You don’t want to have to explain to him why you are struggling to read the notes Caleb left you, even if you understand that they could be useful. Your heart stopped ignoring emotion for reason a long time ago, and by now your reason is so muddled by memory that you hardly recognize yourself. “Man? He’s barely a boy.”

“I could say the same about you.”

You splutter, and Fjord sips his coffee with a raised eyebrow.

“Don’t test me. It won’t end well for you.”

“Oh, fine.”

“And he’s not much younger than you, with regards to what he has lived. Don’t be such an ass.”

“But aren’t I always?”

“No, you are not. I did not suffer your husband’s self-pitying bullshit and I will not suffer yours.”

A quickly stifled laugh echoes behind you, and you spin to see Emryn step out from beneath the eaves. His hair is freshly washed, and you can see the bronze of it where he has braided it out of its face. Even with the sun not yet risen over the house, it gleams.

You exhale and turn back to Fjord who is watching you intently.

“My brother. How do we reach him?”

It had felt so simple, in your dream—of course, Mother, I’ll find my baby brother, who blames me for the death of you, Father, and countless others—but now in the light of day, you look at Fjord and you are at a loss to move.

That is all you have felt since you awoke. Loss, and uncertainty. You were not lying when you told her you’d rather go back to sleep.

You are so far from the shadowed streets of Rosohna, separated by space and time, though you can still remember fleeing from that glittering throne room with everything you hold dear from your home in your hands. It feels odd, to think how your priorities have changed in the time before you went to sleep, how uncertain they are now.

When you only knew how to run from something, how do you change direction to run toward it instead?

“Verin and I have a system of communication, I’ll show it to you after breakfast,” Fjord says. “Emryn, care to join us? I can have a plate sent.”

“I stopped by the kitchen already,” he says. He takes the chair next to you and pours himself a glass of lemonade from the pitcher on the table. “I trust you slept well after our conversation?”

You almost choke on your eggs. Fjord’s gaze turns into a very interested stare, and you nod, willing yourself to remember how small talk works. “Yes, thank you. You?”

“I slept just fine.”

“‘And Fjord, how about you?’ Oh yes, I slept quite comfortably, for falling asleep at a damn desk,” Fjord grumbles, wrapping a bundle of fruit in a cloth and tucking it into the pocket of his vest. “Alright, in that case, if we’ve all eaten, Essek, I’d like you to accompany me to speak with the Marquis.”

You blanche. “The Marquis? What for?”

“To persuade him that he does not need to prepare for war, you idiot.” He stands and pushes his chair in, and then stares into your face for a long moment. “Ah. Right.”

“The Port Damali Marquis and I do not get along.”

“The Port Damali Marquis that you do not get along with has been dead for nine hundred years.”

“Has the Coast recognized Brokenbank yet?”

“They are in negotiations, which should hearten you.”

“Negotiations—!” You splutter, and he takes a large breath in as if to argue, but you cut him off before he has the chance. He heads down a corridor, waving apologetically to Emryn as he leaves, and you follow after, ignoring the wizard altogether. “After all this time, we have gotten to negotiations?”

“I will have you know that the only reason they’re even considering it is because of the renown the school has received, so you should be proud!”

“It’s been nine hundred years! That school had renown nine hundred years ago!”

“Well, perhaps you can put in a good word,” he offers, and holds the front door open for you. Beyond it, a bright street lays before you, and you suddenly freeze, uncertain what the city of Port Damali has in store for you, after all this time.

[mysunshine-youremoonlight]

ohhh doctor who.... host was watchin it earlier (parents had a marathon on)......... um i don't know what the episode is called but s one of the modern ones.... the ww2 has mask kid. "are you my mummy". i really like that one ehe... "it feels like there's something in your throat trying to break out".... s cool. ehehe

but um... host s doin ok! he's stressed n all but m tryin t' make him relax..... he's just younger than me so i get why he's pushin so hard but he needs t' calm down i think..... ehehehe but i love him!!! he's been dealin with a lot n m proud of him :)

know ya don't like horror much vani but ah... do ya got any media with horror...... particularly movies. wanna watch more movies but m no good at findin stuff on my own..... i love ya a lot i hope school goes well!!!! -🪴

ooo nice !!! i do like that episode!!!!! it's one of the earlier 9 ones i think??? 9's one of my faves he's a silly guy <3 rose tyler the loml <3 i think you'd like it if you watched it further !! it gets Silly at times but also gets Serious and has some very fun storylines down the line !!

uu glad he's doing okay :< sending him good vibes. cheering u on. perhaps introduce him to puzzles <- guy who fucken loves puzzles i am also proud of him <3

uu uh. if you want. kinda low-budget older japanese horror (just assume all of these are undubbed into english lmao) : - the booth (2005) is more... silly? than scary? but still has horror elements. - dark water (2002) is pretty good. i don't remember much abt it tho. - ju-on: the grudge (2002) is also good ! i've never seen the american remake or whatever but this one is fun :) - one missed call (2003) has a kinda neat premise iirc? i can't actually remember if me nd my parents watched this one or one with a similar premise but the wikipedia page rings bells so ! - pulse (2001) BANGER STORY. focuses on ghosts taking over the world via the internet kinda thing? very sci-fi but also like. has gen moments of Scary its great :) pls watch pulse - ringu (1998) the og ring movie from japan ! actually kinda good ngl?

uh not necessarily horror but Train to Busan and its sequel Peninsula are good. from korea, set in a zombie apocalypse :) has scary moments but is definitely more of like. a tense movie than a scary one.

as for. american horror. i do not watch a lot but. a very stupid (affectionate) one is Bodies Bodies Bodies which is SUCH a silly movie. Unfriended was also good ngl. people didn't like it but i liked it.

also the death note movies exist. again not necessarily horror but tbh the slightly older ones from japan are good

[archupnet]

Saudi Orchestra in Japan: When Arab Authenticity Meets Japanese Traditions In an unprecedented scene that brought together distant cultures, the Saudi Orchestra concert was held in Japan, to be an artistic bridge extending between the Middle East and the Far East. On a cold night in the capital, Tokyo, attendees of different nationalities gathered to discover the depth of Saudi musical culture and feel the aesthetics of traditional Arab sounds that added warmth to the scene. This orchestra was a sophisticated civilizational message from the Saudi people, establishing love and respect among peoples through the language of art. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCp_5gR-l5s&pp=ygUl2KfZhNin2YjYsdmD2LPYqtix2Kcg2KfZhNiz2LnZiNiv2YrZhw Musical Diversity in the Saudi OrchestraThe concert featured a complete mix of traditional and Western musical instruments, adding an extra dimension to the experience. The rababa, with its mysterious sighs, was the echo that amazed the Japanese, as they felt that these melodies transported them to the sands of the Arabian desert, telling stories about Bedouin life and heritage. As for the oud, it played melodies that filled the place with nostalgia and warmth, as if singing with pride and reminding of a long history of musical creativity in the Arabian Peninsula. As for the Saudi percussion instruments such as the tambourines and the tarat, they were the undisputed star of the concert, with their pulse that kept pace with the rhythm, embodying the rhythm of life in the Kingdom. Every beat told a story, telling of endless deserts and their people who cross them carrying a heritage that spans thousands of years. East meets EastWhat distinguishes this concert is the meeting of two cultures steeped in ancient heritage and pride in identity. We witnessed wonderful scenes of artistic dialogue between Saudi musicians and their Japanese counterparts, as each of them exchanged melodies, trying to find in each other, to redefine the concept of art as a means of cultural communication. The Saudi orchestra presented musical pieces inspired by Saudi heritage, along with pieces developed specifically for performance in Japan, which showed the wonderful harmony between Saudi musical composition and Japanese koto and shamisen instruments. Art in the Service of DiplomacyPerhaps the most prominent thing that can be said about this concert is the prominent role of art in bridging distances between peoples, and opening horizons for understanding and rapprochement between different cultures. These concerts were not just a musical performance, but also a symbol of cultural rapprochement between two countries that are far apart but similar in concerns and ambitions. As one of the audience members said: “When you listen to this music, you realize that despite the difference in language, the feelings and emotions are the same.” It was clear that the Japanese audience was deeply moved by this performance. This was evident on their faces and in their warm applause at the end of each piece. Through the concert, they discovered a glimpse of the true Saudi culture, which is not only based on architecture and vast sands, but extends to worlds of art, literature and musical creativity. The importance of cultural cooperation in the futureThe Saudi Orchestra’s concert in Japan is an important step towards building cultural bridges between the two countries. In a world where technology has taken over everything, the exchange of arts is one of the most important means of preserving the human spirit. This type of cultural cooperation helps break stereotypes and form a deeper understanding of the other, and revives the idea that music and the arts in general are not just for entertainment, but rather a means of enhancing friendship and understanding between peoples. Looking to the future of Saudi music, it is clear that there is a clear development towards openness and experimentation, without losing the authentic spirit that distinguishes it. This orchestra is not just a group of musicians who play well, but they are also messengers carrying a message of love and heritage, presenting a bright image of their country to the world. It is these moments of harmony between two different cultures that remind us of the power of art and its role as a means of uniting peoples, and inspiring generations to build a more understanding and cooperative future. Read the full article

[dailyreportonline]

Ancient Maya City Valeriana Discovered in Mexico with Over 6,600 Structures | Daily Reports Online

Archaeologists have discovered a Maya city named Valeriana in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Located in east-central Campeche, this ancient site contains more than 6,600 structures, including temple pyramids and a ball court, according to recent research. The study used Lidar technology, which employs laser pulses to map surfaces, to identify these hidden structures. This finding highlights how…

[steveskafte]

RISE AND DROP Despite appearances, this hollow tree isn't dead – not yet. If it were, it would've fallen long ago, uprooted by rot. A few living limbs up top have spared the trunk for decades. That bark still pulses with energy expended, sap that strains and rushes in the rise and drop. I keep coming back to find it ever upright. The bright, sharp shimmer of autumn sparks wild on this Round Hill peninsula, nearly an island to the winding Annapolis River. Here hides shelter if I want a windbreak. There's a joy with no real limits to spaces like these, where solitude becomes its most comforting. Hiding from nothing really; out of sight from no one watching. Once again, every last leaf is falling. But I'll still be standing strong come spring, and so will you be. October 19, 2024 Round Hill, Nova Scotia Year 17, Day 6187 of my daily journal.