#Symbolism of Pillar of Cloud and Fire

[seekingtheosis]

Mother Mary as the Pillar of Cloud & Fire

In the name of God the Father, Christ Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit, One True God. Amen. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus It has been a blessed experience to learn and share about the various imageries used for the blessed Theotokos in the Orthodox Christian worship and its teachings. As we draw closer to the Feast of the Assumption of the blessed Mother, let us look forward for…

[talonabraxas]

The Revelations of John seek to tell us what will happen in the course of time. The Apocalypse is written in pictures that express the appearance of the eternal spirit of the world. John, who beholds them, is to record these highest mysteries.

The Seven Apocalyptic Seals Talon Abraxas

We are, to begin with, concerned with seven communities, represented symbolically by seven lamp stands and seven stars. The stars are the communities' geniuses watching over them.

In the second vision John sees the four apocalyptic living beings, the lion, the bull, the eagle, and Man, surrounding a throne where sits the spirit of God. Twenty-four elders are sitting around the throne of the spirit of God. “And I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.” (Rev. 5:1) A lamb opens the book. The book contains, with the opening of the first four seals, what is expressed symbolically in the four apocalyptic riders; with the opening of the fifth seal the martyrs appear. These are those who have lifted themselves up to knowledge and life in the spirit. The opening of the sixth seal is followed by a horrible earthquake. With the seventh the revelation becomes audible: the seven trumpets sound forth. Mysterious pictures are then revealed; for example, a being whose legs are like two pillars, one foot stands in the sea, the other on the earth. “Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand.” (Rev. 10:1,2) --Rudolf Steiner: Munich, April 22, 1907

[twisted-art-wounders]

YGO AU: Breaking the Seal 18

Chapter 18 Homecoming

Yugi's soul has been taken to Doma were he discovers Dartz's true intentions and makes a choice for himself.

The waves crashed outside as the ocean roared around the small island temple of DOMA's HQ, a great storm was brewing as clouds started to move in blocking out the suns light. A ritual of great power was about to take place and the world was about to shift in a whole new direction. In a dark and cold void a lone orb of light stayed suspended in the air the faint sounds of crying coming from the orb, echoing all around the void as it flickered in distress. A sad and lonely lost soul waiting and hoping to be saved.

Dartz stood before his alter with torches upon the spiralling snakelike pillars rising from the ground, he watched the fire dance around illuminating the temple. In his hands he held out his medallion with the Seal of Orichalcos symbol engraved into it's face, a look a pure satisfaction crossing his face.

“Finally phase one is complete. Now to phase two...”

Dartz held up his medallion and closed his eyes chanting a spell in a language long since forgotten by the living world. Around him tiny flickers of light started to grow and surround him making up the circular pattern that was the Seal of Orichalcos on the ground the glowing green aura pulsed sending a wave of energy that penetrated the void rippling across to the lone soul that floated there.

Yugi stayed curled up in the sphere his soul was being held in, tears running down his cheeks as he knew this was the end of him. Chocking sobs rung through his mind, he knew no one could hear him in this place and this was were he was going to disappear...

But an echoing voice called out to the orb

<i>Come home....Come home...little one...</i>

Yugi opened his reddened eyes, he hadn't stopped crying since he'd gotten here. Rubbing them with his palm his vision was still blurry so couldn't see anything but darkness, but he did hear the voice...it was so soothing so comforting in this cold and lonely place. His soul soon started to follow the voice as it got louder and louder he could just make out a faint green light...

<i>Come home....Come home...little one...</i>

Coming closer and closer to the light it grew more brightly, brilliant and welcoming Yugi was compelled to enter the light. He reached out a hand to grab hold of the light as he did everything became white and blinding. Now he felt warmth...a comforting embrace surrounding him on all sides, like being wrapped in a puffy-fresh from the dryer-duvet holding him closely.

He was safe...

Opening his eyes again he saw the face of a familiar friend; Dartz greeted him with a warm smile both his hands holding onto Yugi's as his body floated up before him.

Yugi had to blink a few times as his eyes widened with joy, the relief he felt to see his friend standing before him again.

“D-Dartz??” Yugi mumbled out weakly.

Dartz only pressed his lips wider into a gentle smile, his mismatched eyes half closed as he greeted the boy.

“Welcome home, Yugi.”

//Home?//

Yugi thought as he felt his feet slowly lower themselves to the ground below; he was just a soul now right? He'd felt this kind of weightlessness before when he was outside of his own body but this time he wasn't attached to his body at all.

“Dartz, what happened to me?” It felt so surreal to be in this form he was so distracted by this feeling he failed to notice Dartz wasn't in his typical outfit...

Yugi nearly chocked on his words once he finally got a proper look at Dartz.

Unlike before he wasn't in his usual purple business suit; he was in white robes with blue trim, wearing some kind of silver thin chained head piece over his forehead, but what truly spooked Yugi was the fact he was wearing a medallion with the Seal of Orichalcos on it. Yugi gasped as he pulled his hands away and took a few steps back from the man, his long shadow casting over him with a smirk on his face.

Yugi shock his head in fear and horror “N-no! It can't be! Y-you're part of DOMA!?”

Dartz chuckled a bit stepping forward with his hands behind his back smile still upon his face, he was swimming in delight to Yugi's reaction.

“Oh I'm not just part of DOMA my child...I'm the leader.”

Yugi felt all of the wind leave his lungs -if he still had those right now- all at once, all the power in his legs had drained causing him to fall to his knees, abject terror frozen in his eyes as he looked up at the man he once called a friend.

“I- I knew it... <i>I KNEW IT!</i> How could I have been so stupid!?” Yugi yelled holding his head.

“Of course you're part of DOMA! How could I have been so blind!?”Yugi slammed his fists into the ground.

“Now, now enough of that kind of talk. I know it is quite a shock for you...” Dartz looked down at Yugi who was shaking on the ground, Yugi then glared up at him with tears treating in his eyes.

“You <i>lied</i> to me! You lied about being part of DOMA!” Yugi pointed in anger.

“You never asked if I was part of DOMA. ” Dartz replied quickly.

“<b>ARGH!!</b> Lying through omission is <i><b>STILL</i></b> a form a lying <b>DARTZ!</b>” Yugi spat out.

Dartz held up a hand and spoke calmly “Yugi, calm down. I knew you're reaction would be...heated but you need to listen to me.”

“Listen to you!? Why on earth should I listen to you! You're a lair! And you're the villain!” Yugi got up on his feet now and glared at the teal haired man. “You made me hurt Pegasus! You made me almost take Joey's soul! You turned me into your pawn! I wont listen to you- you- you monster!” Yugi clenched his teeth and fists in rage.

Dartz watched Yugi for a moment, he needed to choose his words carefully less he upset the young man even more then he already was. Finally he turned to the side and started to walk around him, watching him closely as he did.

“I am not the monster Yugi. I've been trying to save you from the true monster. Sadly you're so entangled in his chains you still can't see it...yet.”

Yugi growled and crossed his arms “Don't you <b>DARE</b> try and tell me the Pharaoh is behind all of this! I'm not gonna fall for you're tricks!”

“Tricks? You think I've been tricking you? Did you not witness the Pharaoh's actions during the duel? He is the very reason you're even here Yugi...”

Yugi hissed he knew that part was true but it still didn't detour him “It-it was a mistake! The Orichclcos did that to him! He didn't-”

“He never needed to use the seal at all. He had the card in his possession the entire time, Raphael wasn't going to use it. All the Pharaoh needed to do was admit the darkness in his heart and end the duel in a loss. But he didn't want to. There were no real stakes in that duel; the professor was set free was he not? You only lost your soul when the seal was activated...without it you would have been able to stay attached to your body...”

Yugi clenched his fists thinking about it, he was right if only the other Yugi had just surrendered the duel then maybe...Yugi shook his head roughly.

“H-He just made a mistake! He didn't mean to! he... ”

Dartz closed his eyes with a smirk “Always making excuses for him...my he has you trained well.”

Yugi's body stiffed, He resented that remark... to be compared to some obedient pet! He narrowed his eyes to Dartz.

Dartz was circling Yugi now, much like a hungry wolf cornering a small lamb and keeping it scared. Too scared to try and run.

“You are aware of the evil intelligence of the Millennium Items? How all of them carry a piece of the king's memories along with a great evil...”

Yugi did remember that is what Pegasus had once told him, that some of the items carried their own conciseness...some of them did carry evil in them.

“You've encountered one of them before... Bakura I believe? Yes... Ryou Bakura and 'Evil' Bakura...He is like you and Pharaoh right? Two minds in one body... only his evil is quite straight forward isn't it? You know of his evil intent...but the Pharaoh is quite ruthless with his cruelty to you...making you think he is your friend...when really he's been using you.”

Dartz kept his eyes trained on Yugi; watching for his reaction, waiting to send the next blow needed to put him off balance.

“No! He's not using me!” Yugi held his head “I know some of the items are evil! But my puzzle isn't!”

Yugi now held his puzzle close to him and teared up a bit “My Puzzle...”

“Has it not recently been trying to harm you? It nearly drowned you last time...and this time it buried you in sand....Almost as if it's been trying to get rid of you...”

Dartz's words echoed all in Yugi's mind, the painful memories of his puzzle trying to hurt him in his dreams...it stung at his heart causing it feel like it was on fire.

“Yugi... do you know why you were chosen to complete the puzzle?” Dartz didn't wait for an answer to continue.

“Yes the king's memories were sealed into the Millennium items along with a great evil...But over time the Pharaoh himself has become corrupted by that same evil. With his soul tarnished in darkness he needed someone...another soul whose purity would counteract that darkness...a partner.”

Yugi's eyes were wide he knew this other soul...it had to be him right? This is why he was able to solve the puzzle in the first place...

“Only a soul of purity can stop the evil in this world...He knows it is you who is destined to save everyone but he cannot stand that fact. It eats him up inside to know he is only darkness while you are purity in it's richest form. He's always been rather prideful hasn't he? If he cannot be the hero then no one can...”

“We're partners! I want to help him! It's my duty to help him save the world! That's why I could solve the puzzle! I'm supposed to help him!”

“Of course you want to help him, it's within your nature...your selfless actions have always pulled him back from the brink of evil hasn't it? Were it not for you, why Seto Kaiba would have died in Duelist Kingdom, right?”

Yugi's mind was flooded in that cold and painful memory of the duel on top of the castle in Duelist Kingdom. Kaiba was going to kill himself if Yami didn't surrender the duel and Yami still call for the attack, he was willing to put Kaiba's life on the line in order to win. It took all of Yugi's strength to gain control again and stop the attack...

Yugi dropped the puzzle only to hold himself tightly, he shuttered thinking about how awful he felt stepping in and stopping the duel...he knew he wasn't supposed to step into Yami's business...he was weak after all what right did he have to tell him what to-

<i>“I don't need you butting into everything I do! Do you hear me!? Be quiet and stay out of this!”</i>

His sharp and cruel words strung in Yugi's heart...

“And isn't it convenient that recently he's been testing the waters so to speak? Didn't he pose as you and go to school? I'm sure no one even noticed you were acting...different. Your family didn't seem to notice your absence during dinner...Almost as if he's trying to integrate himself seamlessly into your life.”

“He was trying to help me! He was- he wasn't trying to take over my life!”

Dartz chuckled as he kept circling Yugi coming closer and closer.

“Ha ha...there it is again that auto response he has programmed into you... It wouldn't be too hard for him to do it now would it? You already call him your 'other self' and even your friends call him 'Yugi'...Almost as if he's been slowly sewing himself into your place...”

Yugi held his head again and growling trying to block out his words but they still got through.

“Who does Kaiba consider his rival in gaming? Who is the one Joey wanted to duel in Battle City to prove himself a real duelist?”

Yugi's heart pulsed harder as it sank deeper and deeper into a well of pain.

“Stop...”

<i>“...Who was Tea calling out for in that frozen wasteland?”</i>

“<b>Stop it!</b> He's not trying to take my life!”

Yugi yelled with tears running down his cheeks trying to wipe them on his sleeve but they kept coming.

<i>“I fear you may be too late for that...”</i>

Those echoing words surrounded Yugi on all sides, his head was pounding in painful pressure as he found himself thrust back into a dream like world...No not a dream a nightmare! That same nightmare from before.

His friends; Tea, Joey, Tristan, Duke, Bakura, Mai and even Kaiba were all outside of a doorway, framed together in a picture perfect setting. All of them laughing and surrounding Yami Yugi he too had a deep smile on his face. Yami was the only one who noticed Yugi behind the glass. Yugi blinked confused as he reached out only for his hand to bounce off some kind of clear surface. Glass...this was a mirror! He was trapped behind it!

“W-what is this?” Yugi started touching the frame up and down, he was trapped in this rectangular mirror a prisoner of the glass.

“Hello? Can anyone hear me!? Other me-”

Resting his hands on the glass he could only watch as Yami sneered at him before turning to his friends and gently making them turn away from Yugi. They all looked so happy together such a lovely group of friends. They all started walking away with Yugi unable to move since his whole body was trapped behind the mirror.

He banged against the surface and screamed at them.

<b>“WAIT! I”M HERE! I'M RIGHT HERE! CAN'T YOU SEE ME!?”</b>

They only continued to walk into the bright light becoming more and more faded as he stayed trapped in the darkness, Yugi slammed his fists harder and harder but it did nothing. Tears streamed down his face as his knees wobbled and forced him to fall to the ground.

“Do-don't leave me here!...I don't want to be alone...” Yugi whimpered out as the last remnants of his friends shapes vanished into the light.

“I...don't want to be alone! They're gone....all my friends...they left with-with!” he chocked out before he felt the ground below him give way and he started to fall.

He didn't even try to fight it this time; his body was sinking lower and lower into the deep darkness. His lungs started to fill with the suffocating pain of drowning, a fear and experience he'd dealt with before but now he felt burning. It was like his heart was on fire with sorrow and despair burning into him as he truly and utterly felt alone.

<i>Alone...I'm all alone...No one misses me...no one loves me...</i>

Deep in the darkness he saw it once more...that warm green light from earlier. He reaches for it again that warmth. He felt that same warm embrace wrap itself around him, he was in someone's arms...Dartz's arms.

Yugi's eyes were red from all the crying he was doing, he looks up to see Dartz's gentle smile. A warm touch to his cheek was the only invitation Yugi needed to bury his face in his chest and sob. Dartz held onto him closely rubbing his back and petting his hair.

“I'm so sorry my child...I had to show you to the truth...it was the only way to save you...”

“You're the only one who ever really cared about me...” Yugi sniffled out. “You've always been trying to help me...But I didn't listen to you!” Yugi sobbed again.

“Yes...The moment I first saw you I knew you were the savour this world needed...But unfortunately you were shackled by chains of the Pharaoh. I knew his claws had dug into you so much that if I tried to help you too quickly he would notice me and then he'd try to keep you away from me...Hide you from your true fate...”

“My...true fate?” He looked up at the teal haired man.

“Yes. I told you I would help you Yugi...I'd help you achieve your true destiny...And I still intend to do so.”

Dartz pulled away from Yugi and tilted his head up so he could stare deeply into his amethyst coloured eyes. His own green and gold eyes shimmered with a powerful aura as it entered Yugi's eyes causing them to shimmer with same energy and power. Yugi felt compelled to devote himself to this man anything he'd say Yugi would follow him.

“To awaken your true power you must accept the Orichalcos. Do you wish for me to unlock your power? To awaken your true self?”

Yugi paused only for a moment, everything that had happened to him...the pharaoh, his friends...he had nothing left did he? He had no identity anymore and this...this was the only way to discover who he truly was now.

“...Yes.”

Yugi nods closing his eyes as a final stream of tears ran down his cheeks.

Dartz grinned and held up his hand with a single finger extended he touched the boys forehead. A powerful force of green energy rushed into Yugi flowing from his head down into the rest of his body, the burning power of the ancient magic flooded his very soul causing a great and powerful thunder to emit from deep inside. Deep within the core of Yugi's soul something had awakened...something powerful with a earth shattering roar. A roar that echoed throughout the planet causing title waves to rear up and crash into the shores of land masses, the earths surface started to shake a earthquake had run along the land masses, not enough to do significant amounts of damage but enough to draw everyone's attention.

--

As the helicopter glided across the sky Raphael was just about to climb back up the rope ladder to join his coworker in the aircraft when he felt a strong jolt pull against the rope. He looked down to see two stow always had managed to jump and hang onto the rope ladder below him flaying in the wind like paper stuck on a fans housing. He did recognize them as the two duelists Gurimo had duelled and stolen the souls of.

He had let them go a few days ago but here they were now dangling from a helicopter rope. Raphael was about to cut them off with a knife he hid in his boot and let them drop to their deaths when they begged him to allow them to join DOMA. Both claiming to be the Japanese regional champion and runner up and they would be good fits for DOMA. At first Raphael was just gonna finish cutting the rope but then he decided against it, maybe they could be good for something...Dartz would deal with them he guessed as he put away the knife again.

Just then a rumbling caught his attention he looked out to see the ground and all the surrounding area was shaking and rumbling from a powerful earthquake. It was so loud it caught even Rex and Weevil by surprise who were confused about a random earthquake happening so suddenly in the middle of the dessert like this.

Back at the campsite Tea and Rebecca had to brace themselves for the earthquake that rattled the ground around them, it took them off guard for the few seconds it lasted. Rebecca wasn't really worried she was used to earthquakes being a thing in her home state, the same with Tea since she too was used to them in Domino.

On the road Duke was driving Mai's Jeep with Yami in the passenger seat beside him while Joey and Tristan rode in the back. It was quite the whole ride back as no one really had anything they could say. Not like any talk would help at this point...Yugi was gone and they couldn't help him.

Mai was following behind them on her motorcycle , her own mind was preoccupied with what had happened not too long ago, her own heart was heavy with guilt over Yugi's capture. Then the mild earthquake had hint causing both drivers to stop and wait for the shaking to end.

Duke gripped the steering wheel as he felt the entirely of the area rumble and shift. Yami was still upset by the events earlier so even this earthquake didn't really register to him all that much, but the sharp and dagger like jolt to his heart did. He grasped his shirt squeezing it hard and a cold sweat ran down his face. Joey and Tristan both looked at each other surprised by the sudden event. They both looked at Yami who seemed to be a bit out of sorts but when they asked him if he was alright, he only gave a half-hearted “yes” to them. With everything already happening they decided not to press him any further. But in Yami's mind he could only question why now he was feeling his heartache? Did DOMA do something to Yugi?

Mai was stopped and looked around seeing everything had gone still again she shrugged her shoulders and started her bike again. They continued down the road for 10 more minutes before reaching the campsite, Yami felt guilt pierce into his stomach at the site of the RV came into view.

--

Yugi looked at himself in a standing mirror; on his right and left ear dangling from the lobes were two tear shaped shards of Orichalcos stones, the same ones that were used in his previous duels against Joey and Pegasus. Yugi admired how they glittered in the candles light.

“So...my soul is now split between these two shards right?” Yugi turned to Dartz who stood behind him with his hands at his side watching the young man he nodded.

“Correct, just like a hologram they project your form and give you weight along with tangibility...think of yourself like a Solid Vision hologram as it were.” Dartz came beside him after going into his hidden pocket and pulled out a medallion simulator to his own, placing a hand on his shoulder making the boy look up to him he presented it to Yugi.

“This is for you. It is a symbol of our connection to each other...while you wear it my strength is your strength.” Dartz rubbed the top of Yugi's hair, Yugi gently took the object into his hands.

He smiled as he could make out his refection in the gleaming dark green stone, engraved in it was the Seal of Orichalos. Yugi looked up at Dartz's medallion and yes it did match his, they were like family now and this made Yugi's heart flutter a bit.

“It will guide you and identify you as an elite member of DOMA. I will always watch over you, my son.”

Dartz smiled at Yugi such a soft and loving look he gave the boy.

<i>Son...</i>

Yugi liked to hear that word. It was a word he liked to hear from his own father when he would visit home...he'd not been back in Domino for 6 months now. Work was always pulling him away, he always put his job over seeing Yugi. Another person in his life who never valued him...but now Dartz was here. He called him his son...he cared about him unlike his real father.

“Thank you...”

Yugi turned back to the mirror thinking about how he should wear his new pendant when his focus fell down towards the chain around his neck which lead to the Millennium Puzzle he still wore. Yugi took hold of the chain in his free hand and pulled the puzzle away from his chest, he glared down at the golden pyramid. In a swift motion he pulled the puzzle from around his neck and held it in front of his face leering at it in disgust.

“Am I still so attached to him... that I even manifest this puzzle when I'm only a soul? Do I really have no identity of my own without him?”

He gritted his teeth and let go of the chain causing the puzzle to fall to the ground below his feet, it hint the stone floor with a 'tink' before settling on it's side. Yugi raised a foot ready to bring his boot down on the cursed object, he wanted to shatter it back into the many pieces it took to make it and then break those pieces again until it was dust! Dartz watched with anticipation to witness Yugi shattering his last connection to the Pharaoh before his eyes. But Yugi was hesitating...his foot lingered over the puzzle for a few moments before he brought it back down beside him. Dartz was a bit disappointed to see him stop then he noticed Yugi was transfixed on the mirror.

Yugi looked at his own face in the mirror, somehow the face looking back at him hinted to that of Yami Yugi glaring deep into his eyes, if only for a brief moment making Yugi recoiled a bit in fear. He turned away now ashamed to even share the same space as him. He tried to look at something else, his clothes? Oh no...even his clothes! They weren't his own! Not anymore...

Dartz's lips turned down into a slight frown with a sigh “Sadly my child he truly has invaded too much of your life...You don't even see yourself anymore do you?” Dartz tilted his head slightly.

Yugi shock his head slowly he was so embarrassed to admit it; before it didn't bother him to see his other self when he looked in the mirror. It made him happy to know the spirit was by his side giving him confidence that maybe...he could be just like him. But now he felt the sting of the Pharaoh's betrayal. How all this time he was waiting to take over his life, slowly making him think he could be someone as amazing as him but really he was nothing of value...

It was all a lie...all of it. Yugi held back a slight sob as tears stung the corners of his eyes again, how many more tears did he have left in him?

Dartz bent down slightly and took Yugi's shoulders in his hands.

“Now now no need to cry my child.” He then looked directly into the mirror and placed a hand under Yugi's chin to force him to look forward and stare into the mirror again.

“You may not see it yet but I see a strong and confident young man hidden under all the gloom and doom that wicked spirit tried to instill in you...Why he's made you feel so self-conscious about your appearance you don't even see how handsome you are.”

Yugi tried to look away as a red blush appeared on his cheeks.

“D-don't tease me like that...I'm not attractive.”

“Nonsense. Confidence is quite attractive to young ladies you know...As clique as it may sound Yugi I think a makeover may help boost your self esteem quite a bit.”

“A...Makeover?” Yugi looked up at the older man.

Dartz then stood up and proudly adjusted his robes in the mirror. “Clothes make the man after all.”

“Clothes make the man...huh.” Yugi repeated before tugging at his jacket a bit, he started to think now.

“If my body is like Solid Vision then I can modify my appearance to look anyway I like right?”

Dartz nodded again prompting Yugi to close his eyes, he started to concentrate on his appearance and how he wanted his clothes to be different. Opening his eyes again he could see his outfit did change; instead of his usual school uniform attire he was wearing a black sleeveless top with black leather pants.

Yugi smiled amazed at the fact this was the outfit he envisioned himself wearing and now here it was! Yugi lifted his arms and looked at his outfit from the back to front and giggled a bit.

Dartz had a warm smile on his face as he watched Yugi do a small twirl in the mirror. Inside he rolled his eyes, while he needed to get Yugi into the proper head space in order to push him in the right direction for their mission. It was still rather tedious to watch the teenager play dress up, but alas it was necessary in grand scheme of things.

“You're creativity is nothing short of impressive my child. But do try to go a little more extravagant? You have unlimited possibilities at your finger tips.” Dartz encouraged.

“Extravagant? Well I guess I can try something different...” Yugi thought as he started to cyclical through a few more outfits on his mind, Dartz stayed behind him and watched.

--

As they exited the vehicle Rebecca had run up to the passenger side of the Jeep latching herself onto Yami Yugi in an embrace. A relieved sigh left her mouth as she was happy to see Yugi had returned with not a scratch to him. Tea had come up beside them and had the same relaxed expression her face, happy to see them all back safely. But Yami Yugi's face was sunk in he didn't make any form of eye contact with the two.

Joey had just finished closing the door as Mai had removed her helmet, her long blonde hair falling behind her as she rested the helmet on the seat and set the kick stand again. Suddenly the air around them had grown thick with unrest, something was wrong and the two girls were now aware of it.

“Guys, what's wrong?” Tea asked looking between Joey, Tristan and Duke before her eyes finally fell on Yami Yugi. “Is everything okay, you won right?”

Silence from Yami Yugi.

“Tea...we got a problem...” Joey finally said.

“Yugi didn't win.” Tristan added.

“He's...gone.” Mai finished.

“What?” Tea's mouth hung open as her blue eyes wavered. “...Gone? No! It's not true! Because when you duel DOMA they take your soul!” She shouted.

“They <i>did</i> take his soul.” Joey said again looking down.

“But Yugi's standing right-” Tea turned again and finally noticed Yami Yugi's expression, her heart finally sank once she realized the truth. “No...”

“No...it can't be! Yugi! Change back for me! Come on!” Rebecca pulled at his arm looking up at Yami Yugi who only avoided eye contact with her as he spoke.

“I'm sorry Rebecca...but my partner is...” He couldn't finish it, he wouldn't finish saying it as the pain of that memory was still fresh like a open wound.

“...Why?”

Rebecca was now shaking with anger as she pulled away from Yami and shouted at him.

“Why are <b>YOU</b> here when he's gone!? You're the one to entered his body why are you here and Yugi's gone!?”

She growled and started to beat against his chest in frustration “You monster! You took him away! You're the one who should be gone not him! You're the one who should be dead!” she sobbed as she buried her face in his chest and let tears stream down her cheeks.

“Give him back! Give him back!” she sobbed.

Yami only looked away from her, his guilt was already at it's climax but hearing her words sealed it for him. She was right he was the one who deserved to be gone...he should be dead...

Tea had come up to Rebecca to try and stop her form hitting Yami but she only turned to her and buried her face in her chest now sobbing. All Tea could do right now was try and comfort the poor girl as best she could, she was doing everything in her power to not cry as well. Mai had come up now to see if she could help Tea with calming Rebecca down only to hear Yami mumble something to himself, this made all of them turn their attention to him.

“She's right...I should be dead! I was the one who played the Seal of Orichalcos. Yugi was against it all the way up until the end...And now he's paying the price for my failure...I could never make it up to him...only with my own soul...”

Joey growled and come up to Yami now “Don't talk like that!”

“I deserve to be taken instead...I should give up my own soul and maybe-”

Before he could even finish his sentence he was met with a fist from Joey that sent him sprawling down into the dirt. This got a collective yell form everyone directed towards Joey but he ignored them and continued to shout.

“Get a grip! You think losing your soul will somehow make things better? Stand up and fight! We still have a chance to get Yugi back! If he was taken by DOMA then his soul must be at their HQ! Once we find it we'll save him!”

Yami slowly got back onto his feet, but was still shaken from the fall more so from the punch then anything.

“But we have no clue where to look, and even if we do face them none of us have been able to take down one of their swordsmen yet... ” Duke was being rather pessimistic so Tristan grabbed onto him to hush him before he spread more of the depressive atmosphere among them.

“He's right. None of us stand a chance against DOMA or their swordsmen...maybe we never had the power in the first place...” Yami looked down at his own hand clenching his fist tightly.

Mai had finally had enough of the gloom and doom talk so she shouted out. “Alright enough of this, let's just get out of the sun for now and try and figure things out later.”

Mai had gone up to Yami and grabbed him by the shoulders to force him to walk back into the RV.

“Come on, Mr. 'King of Games' You need a 'time out' anyway after that stunt you pulled last night!”

--

Yugi had just finished cycling through a few more outfits; a few he owned already back at home and a few more he saw online but had no chance at affording any time soon. He figured out all he had to do was think about the combination of clothes he wanted, envision them on his body then a quick snap of his fingers and they would appear. A red studded top with black slim pants, A white open sweat shirt with a black under shirt, blue jeans and sneakers, A jersey with the numbers '013' on the front and back his last name on the top with baggy cargo pants. No none of these felt right to him...maybe he should try someone else's style?

Kaiba's? No that jacket was waaaay too long it'd drag, Joey's? No, Joey mostly stuck with t-shirts and jeans while it was fine on him Yugi wanted something a little more stylish...Tea had good tastes...maybe-

Yugi looked himself over in the mirror, he saw his more baby like features; soft cheeks, big round eyes, innocence...maybe if he was more sharper...Just like that his rounder features started to stretch and tighten, his eyes started to become more darted and thinner, his nose becoming sharper and longer along with his face. Before he knew it he was standing at 6 ft 10in just over Kaiba's height... no 7ft felt right. Not overly muscular but just enough definition to look like he regularly worked out at a gym -he normally didn't- but you could tell he looked to be in his early twenties now.

Now to complete the look a snappy black tie styled tuxedo! He saw old photos of his grandfather in suits like this back when he was in his 40's. He was an avid smoker too always had some kind if cigarette in his mouth, he always looked so cool it was hard to believe he gave up such a fashion for overalls...

Yugi admired his new look in the mirror; he'd always hoped deep down this is what he'd look like when he reached his twenties. No more baby face, no more childish appearance that made people mistake him for a child on more occasions then he cared to count. Finally he'd be seen as a man...the man he always wished she'd like.

Dartz had come up beside him and looked him over from head to toe, a gingerly smile across his lips as he watched Yugi become lost in his new looks.

“Well then, I see you've managed to discover that your new power allows you to modify more then just your clothing. You can be this man if you like Yugi. A strong handsome man stands before you now, do you like him?”

He asked watching Yugi's expression go from confident to more of sombre and sunken almost displeased with himself.

“...If I looked like this all the time would she...finally notice me?”

Yugi asked himself mostly, it was weird he finally looked how he wanted but...was this really what he wanted? Or was he just trying to please someone else again? Yugi looked down at his hands and clenched his fists before looking back up into the mirror.

He shook his head and reverted back to his original shape, his original outfit again, his eyes wavered and turned hard as he growled.

“It doesn't feel right....nothing feels right! Because I don't know what I want!” Yugi shouted looking back into the mirror only for it flash Yami Yugi's face at him. His hard eyes were glaring at him with disgust. Yugi jolted at his judgmental glare and took a few steps back turning away again, eyeing the puzzle on the floor he swiftly grabbed it and held it up by the chain.

<b>“STOP JUGDING ME!!!” </b>

He shrieked before throwing the puzzle into the mirror face shattering it into large pieces that rained down on the ground.

Yugi fell to his knees and started sobbing into his hands, Dartz was right behind him but his expression was filled with more annoyance as he rolled his eyes at the child. It was time to finally take some action. He got down on one knee and cradled Yugi in his arms, shushing him as he did.

“Shush it's alright...he cannot judge you anymore. It's clear you lack direction my child but fear not for you have the answers you need...in fact you've known this for sometime now haven't you?”

Yugi sniffled as he chocked on a sob, “I... I do?” Yugi then looked down and saw Dartz was holding the tarot deck again.

“You did have your own reading earlier...it gave you an answer but you did not know how to interpret the answer. Allow me.”

Dartz allowed Yugi to sit across from him and placed the deck between them, almost like magic he pulled three cards from the deck and laid them out in same order Yugi originally pulled them in.

“You'r first card was 'The Star' Ah such a lovely card I believe it represents you quite well...it means inspiration and new hope, you are blessed by the universe my child you always have been.”

That made Yugi blush and smile at the same time, he didn't think he was so lucky but now it did feel like he was rather fortunate especially now that he was being guided by Dartz.

“In your past it means you have not been communicating with your self enough, you've been putting someone else before yourself in every way...you must listen to the voice within for someone else has not been serving your best interests lately...”

The Pharaoh, it <i>had</i> to be the Pharaoh...Yugi was putting him before his own needs, he was the one who was losing his soul and yet all he could think about was helping him recover the God cards...those horrible cursed cards.

“Your next card was the 'Hanged Man' in your present but it was upside down, yes?” Dartz held up the card in the upside down position before placing it down on the ground.

“Y-yeah! I was gonna ask about that since I know I shuffled them all right side up and-” Yugi was interrupted by Dartz again.

“It means a seemingly noble deed, a sacrifice if you will would not be fruitful...a useless endeavour that will end in tragedy and loss.”

“Sacrifice...” Yugi thought to how he sacrificed himself to save the Pharaoh and how doing that is what lead him to lose everything...

“No... I- I did this to myself because... I wanted to help him!”

Yugi's hands were shaking as they formed into fists, a single tear fell to the ground but not out of sorrow this time, it was built from anger...a burning hatred for his former partner.

“I never should have saved him! I was so stupid to think- to think he <i>cared</i> about me...Everything that's happened to me...it's all his <b>fault!</b>”

He shouted feeling a burning sensation upon his forehead the Seal of Orichalcos had now appeared, burning as hot as the rage he felt in his heart towards the Pharaoh. Yugi's purple eyes now carried a slight reddish tint in the corners, he clenched his fists and growled thinking about the heartless dead king who used him for his own selfish needs.

Dartz was pleased to finally see Yugi's rage start to build up, he was finally in the position needed to set him upon his coarse. He pulled the final card from the deck and placed it down before him in the future.

“'Judgment' It is time for you to change, to transform and free yourself! All of your hidden potential...everything he overshadowed in you it is time to release it. No longer will you fall for <i>his</i> manipulation!”

“Never...I'll <i>never</i> let him use me again!” Yugi shouted.

Dartz now stood up and held out his hand for Yugi to take, Yugi followed suit standing next to Dartz with the Seal of Orichalcos burning over his forehead he took Dartz's hand and squeezed it tightly. He could feel the overwhelming power the man had as it entered the medallion he kept in his pocket. Both shards started to glow and react to each other, Yugi could feel the stones in his ears flood with energy as he started to float into the air. The seal had appeared below him and encased him in it's power, winds and gusts blew around the temple as Dartz stared up at Yugi with a twisted smile.

“The Great Leviathan has chosen you, Yugi Mutou! Now it is time to fully awaken as the Chosen Savour! Release the shackles of the Pharaoh and shine brighter then him! Blazing star so bright! Speak his name and tell him your desire!” Dartz shouted to the boy raising both his hands into the air.

“O Great Leviathan...I am your servant! Grant me the power I beg of you! Grant me the strength to fulfill my destiny!”

Yugi's words echoed all throughout the temple as the powerful roar of the great beast rumbled the building to it's core, and burning white flash of energy enveloped everything and shot out of the top of the temple in a concentrated beam of green energy it hit the sky and once more the sky was covered in a aurora of rainbow colours if only very briefly before it all had become calm again.

--

After finishing up at the medical bay with a fresh sling for his arm to rest in; Valon had walked down the hallway and stopped in front of the large doors to Dartz's office. Holding up his none bandaged arm he knocked on the door before cracking it open slightly and peering into the room. Up in the very back corner of the office was Dartz's wet bar and there was the man himself at said bar, he seemed to be mixing a drink for himself.

Valon was a bit surprised to see him do this; Dartz always held himself up to be such a clean and sober man, so to see him actually make a beverage during office hours was a bit of a shock to brunette. He cleared his throat a bit before calling out.

“Sorry to disturb ya boss, but I just got a transmission from Alister and Raphael. They're about 5 mins from landin'.”

Dartz didn't turn around he just continued to work at the bar; pulling out a decanter with a green liquid inside he opened the top and took a quick sniff. Once he was sure it was what he wanted he poured it into the silver martini shaker, along with another bottle of something white, perhaps rum or some other kind of liquor ether way into the measuring cup it went. He was always so calculated with his work, one wrong ingredient or measurement meant the drink would be off and to a man of his tastes that was unacceptable.

“Good.” was all he said as he added ice to the mixer as well.

Valon wasn't sure if he should mention this or not but hoping to get more of a reaction out of his boss he added.

“Sounds like Raph succeeded sir, he got the soul of the Pharaoh just as you requested!” Valon grinned.

“No.” Dartz roughly closed the top of the mixer shut before continuing “He didn't.” He then began to shake the container a few times.

Valon was confused, how could Raphael have failed? He was the most competent and determined between the three of them, so it's not like him to come back without results...

“But how could he-”

The sounds of the shaker drowned out most of the noise in the room but Dartz's voice was still loud enough for Valon to hear clearly when he ordered.

“We will all debrief in the meeting room, go and wait for them by the elevators.” Dartz stopped shaking the container and reached for a martini glass near him, he slowly poured out his drink as Valon excused himself from the room closing the door behind him.

Dartz finally turned around with his drink in hand, he leaned against the bar slightly as he examined the contents before closing his eyes and swirling it slightly. Giving a slight sniff before taking a simple sip, it was to his satisfaction so he decided it was time to head out. He glanced over to the side of his desk behind a curtain a figure was watching him, so he gave a small smirk.

“It's almost time for you to meet your fellow DOMA members...Are you ready?”

The figure only smiled back to him, the glimmer of a green medallion around their neck glowed slightly matching the dangling shards that hung from their ear lobes.

“I can't wait for the whole world to meet the <i>new</i> me...”

[definegodliness]

The Black Library

An eye for the macabre lead you through the mist and into The Black Library. Here, the occult reigns in ancient scrolls and tomes, their pages filled with heathen rituals, blood magic, and necromancy. You wandered through cold halls with arms spread wide and fingertips caressing rows and rows of leather-bound backs, titles and symbols feeding your fascination; breathing life into a darkness beyond your imagination. Without hesitation, you picked the single most darkest book that caught your fancy.

A small book, inconspicuous, yet therein you saw the premise of it safeguarding far greater secrets than any of the richly decorated variants. It was a diary, which — strange, how looks can deceive — proved merely painted black to match the scenery. A fresh coat, not so long ago. The tar would still stain your fingers as you examined its cover, burned heavily. However despite tar and fire you could still make out its original colour along the edges of deep claw-like cuts. A puny flake, or two, lingered inside the scratches and showed an almost glowing celestial blue.

Your heart raced. Curiosity. Amazement. What was such a book doing here, hidden inside The Black Library? Why had it been maltreated, and in such a savage manner that it was left unrecognisable? You tried opening it up, but it remained shut, until you half-subconsciously whispered: please.

Then it showed you its pages, surprisingly pristine, not even the tar on your fingers could stain them as you leafed through the words that made your heart sink. Airily prose and sweetly love poems let their light shine over a plane built on pillars of hope, wishes, and dreams. There were trees, and flowers, and meadows, and skies with lamb-like clouds drifting in the wind. You saw them, but you didn't want to. The book wouldn't let you close it, so you closed your eyes instead. Yet it kept turning page after page. Celestial blue, increasingly brighter, shone a star inside the cold halls, and all of the book cases' ornamental skulls rang your ears by their high pitch eldritch screeches.

Inside you, the initial curiosity sparked in your heart made place for rage. You spent a lifetime seeking, and found only this... this mellifluous silliness. Seething fingernails pressed into the cover, scratching; screeching along with the ornamental skulls. Their screeches, now, deafened. The library's walls started crumbling around you. This book, this diary, you suddenly knew, was written to lay The Black Library to waste.

You raced toward the fire pit, dead center. And immediately the thickest black smoke spew forth from the diary as you dropped it into the flames. Blind. Tears in your eyes. Voiceless. Embers in your throat. Slowly, you suffocated. Then, bodiless. Burned. You saw yourself, with an eye for the macabre, walking through the mist of your own disintegrated stardust.

In that last second of consciousness, you gulp and gulp the stifled hollers begging yourself to stop. It's blocked. It's blocked. It bursts.

You scream so loud you wake yourself up. You wake. Dead center in a meadow. The sky, for a while, seems tar black. Then, all the stars spread out from one single dot. A puny flake of celestial blue. Young again, you understand nothing. Save for this moment wherein you feel at peace in the dark. You pick up your diary of dreams, and start writing a poem. It starts with the words:

One more.

--- 11-7-2024, M.A. Tempels ©

[mare-sanguis]

Notes on "Lady Justice" here

Notes on the flowers in ep. 8 here

Notes on the colors in ep.10 here

Notes on the numbers on the car plates of No. 3 and KMC here

It seems like I cant reblog this post by @onomatopagu-et-cie it seems like i have to do it manually 🥲

Anyway, we left off at the symbolism of hands- or more who uses what hand and how it, right now, seems like KMC is ambidextrous.

I gathered some information (during class break, so it might be rushed but i'll read over it again as soon as I got enough time) about the "ambidextrous angel" i mentioned.

All highlighted texts are important to the statement I made earlier.

The paper I'm citating is "The Ambidextrous Angel (Daniel 12:7 and Deuteronomy 32:40): Inner-Biblical Exegesis and Textual Criticism in Counterpoint)" by Eugene P. McGarry (the whole of Deuteronomy 32 is pretty interesting and fitting to the whole topic of the drama- I will come back to this at the end of the post, where I dissect the different things I find the most interesting and important)

Eugene starts his paper with this paragraph where he introduces the angel

He later continues by expanding on what the angel does as soon as they set feet on earth. Tho, here its mentioned the angel only uses one hand to swear an oath, yet in the following paragraphs highlighted it shows it varies and its sometimes rather ambiguous and mysterious if one hand is used or two. Something nobody know of its true or not. There also is a man in "linen clothes" mentioned.

The author elaborates on what the man (presumable also the angel) taunts his people

I will just add all the following paragraphs I found interesting one after another, so its easier to read.

And at last we end with a painting description of Albrecht Dürers woodcut "Johannes, das Buch verschlingend/ Der »Starke Engel" (Saint John, swallowing the book/ The mighty Angel), 1498

-> Sheet 8 from the collection: The Apocalypse.

Excellent, deep black and even impression of the Latin text edition from 1511. With fine margins all around, trimmed only at the bottom right edge and at the top edge in the middle up to the border line.

This eighth paper marks the turning point of the end-time events. The criminal judgment against humanity hereby ended. The “Strong Angel” appears to John on the rocky island of Patmos, pointing to the saved souls in the altar at the top left with his hand raised as if in oath. “And I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven; "He was clothed with a cloud, and had a rainbow on his head, and a face like the sun, and feet like pillars of fire" (Revelation, X, 1). The shapeless angel gives John a book, which he, excited by the words, takes in in order to learn new prophecies. The individual words seem to detach themselves from the pages and flow into Johannes’ mouth. In this way, Dürer symbolizes the divine inspiration that puts the words of his “revelation” into John’s mouth and ultimately moves him to write them down"

-> Now about the Deuteronomy 32

Thats it :,)

I hope i was able to contribute at least a bit to all those hidden symbolisms.

And who ever comes across reading it, I'd love to have a little chat with you to brainrot about it all a little more because so far I have only interacted with two people in this fandom but I really really need more

(oh and this got nothing to do with theories and all but I'd like to mention I published 2 tkv fics to far (KSJ/KMC centered) in tag on ao3, the other 2 should drop in the next few hours...just for anyone whos interested ofc)

[finn-m-corvex]

Find A Word!

Hey everyone! I was tagged by @lightning-chicken and (inadvertently) @weekend-whip to dig through my WIPs and find eight different words: snap, blue, echo, flicker, dance, horror, flood, and opposite!

I'm going to go ahead and tag @splinnters @impulsivefanwriter @taddymason and @rainofthetwilight! Your four words are: beam, pillar, angry, and blood.

Upon saying that, we have seven current WIPs of mine to look through, so let's do it! (Only using five)

[Disclaimer: I don't edit my works till after I finish the draft, so none of what you're about to see is properly edited and will look different when I eventually publish it]

snap - Even the Earth Trembles (Ch2, waiting to be published)

Fire and ice were set in stone. You would know when ice began to form or when fire started to spark, but you could never guess when the earth would start to shake or when the lightning would strike. If you learned Kai and Zane well enough, you would be able to tell when they were about to snap or cry or scream or sob, but there was no telling when Cole and Jay would break. Did he and Cole have signs? Yes, but they were mere precautions, just like the recurrence rate of earthquakes that people thought could be used to predict them or the theories about where and how lightning will strike an area.

He knew spontaneity, and Jay knew Cole.

blue - Would You Like to Enter Prime Empire? (Ch5, waiting to be published)

“Not exactly.” Scott grabbed the top map and slid it over so everyone could see. It was vibrant shades of green and blue, with a large gray smear that looked like a storm cloud rolling in. Jay could make out a raging river separating a forest that almost looked like it had no end, only coming to a stop at the edge of a huge cliff-face. The cliffs were huge and jagged, almost guaranteeing your death if you happened to fall from its heights. But the most striking thing about the map was the large maze-like structure at the top of the cliffs, adorned in dragon imagery that Jay found vaguely familiar. Where had he seen it before?

Pointing to a large green circle on the other side of the river, Scott’s face soured. “This is where the portal will spit you out when you go through. Following the path, you have to make it across the river, through the forest, up the cliffs and then find your way through the maze.”

echo - Would You Like to Enter Prime Empire? (Ch5, waiting to be published)

“Yes sir,” everyone echoed, and Jay helped Scott to gather up the papers and other supplies while the others walked away in pairs. He glanced at one of the drawings that had three animals in a triangle shape, carefully looking at the symbols sketched out on each. He recognized the symbol.

Lightning.

“Scott,” he called, holding the paper out to the mechanic. “What are these?”

“I don't know.” Scott traced a finger along the one acting as the tip of the triangle: a dragon. “This one is a dragon, obviously, and I think this one,” he pointed to the right corner, “is a goat, maybe? I'm not sure what the last one is, though.“

flicker - What Would You Wish For? (Prologue, unpublished)

Lights flickered to life, and Jay threw up his arm to cover his eyes from the sudden brightness surrounding him. When his eyes finally figured themselves out, Jay lowered his arm, looking up towards the ceiling with a curious expression.

There was a golden statue hanging from the wall in front of him. He looked very stern, a carefully trimmed moustache and beard on his face, his suit and tie immaculate in the golden light. It was just the man’s torso, no legs to be found, and a red banner was hung in front of him, attached to the walls on either side. It looked like it was up there after the fact, almost like whoever built the tower forgot to put it up when they were mounting the statue.

“No gods or kings, only man,” Jay read, eyes roving over the statue. The man looked vaguely familiar, but Jay couldn’t place him; maybe he was in one of Jay’s past history textbooks? “What kind of communist manifesto nonsense is this?”

dance - Mechanical Hearts (Ch1, waiting to be published)

Freshmen were swarming on the sidewalks, coming from the dorms on the western side to make it to their classes. Most of them scurried along at top speed, desperate to not be late on their first day of big boy school; Jay knew that it wouldn’t last long. Just because he didn’t live on campus didn’t mean he wasn’t familiar with the old song and dance of being on time to class.

Something told him that the student services building was going to be packed, and he hated it when it was packed.

He also hated being right.

Cole grimaced when he saw the mob of kids standing outside of the building, pulling the car over to park next to the sidewalk. “That’s a lot of people, huh? Guess a lot of kids are having trouble this year.”

horror - Lightning in a Cubicle (Part 4, waiting to be published)

“Say, Cole,” Jay started, cutting his rant about the horrors of cardstock paper short, “would you happen to know anything about a group called the Ninja?”

Cole choked. Sora looked slightly alarmed and quickly whacked him on the back, Cole finally catching his breath and looking at Jay with wide eyes. “What?”

“If you’re from Ninjago, then you should know who the Ninja are, right?” Jay continued.

“O-Oh yeah,” Cole scratched the back of his head, “I guess you could say that. I, uh, actually knew them before the Merge happened?”

“What was the girl like?” Jay asked, fiddling with his sleeves. He couldn’t shake the feeling of deja vu, even though he knew for a fact that he had never been in this kind of situation before. “She’s really pretty, you know.”

flood - What Would You Wish For? (Prologue, unpublished)

What was this wet stuff on his overalls?

Before Jay could contemplate it anymore, there was a loud sound of metal ripping apart, and he barely had time to take a deep breath before the cabin was flooding with water.

The water was freezing, rushing in and filling the cabin in mere seconds. The salt stung at Jay’s eyes, and he groped around the closest wall until he finally found a small hole from where the window smashed in. Everyone else was yelling for help behind him, but Jay was blind with his eyes slammed shut, so he had no idea how he would’ve even begun to go about helping them too. And for some reason, he didn’t feel very inclined to help them after they basically ditched him in the crashing procedure.

opposite - Even the Earth Trembles (Ch2, waiting to be published)

So you would think that if Cole was having sensory issues, Jay would be the first person that he would go to.

But he didn’t.

Which was really the opposite of what Jay wanted to happen. Rather than go to Jay for any sort of advice or information on how to help himself. Cole decided that the better option was to withdraw into himself and pretend like everything was fine. And what made it even worse was that Jay could feel Cole struggling to cope with it. Every time Cole would turn down physical contact Jay felt his heart squeeze, even though he knew that it wasn’t really what Jay was feeling. Empathy sucked sometimes, but it sucked even worse whenever there was someone bottling something up; Jay always, always knew when his family was doing that.

[zponds]

(Credit for these goes to blazingemeraldau)

I was thinking about concepts for designing the three orbs in the Pokémon Advanced Generation (Hoenn Anime) rewrite, so I asked Blazingemeralau to draw the three orbs for me, and she did. I also got permission from her to post the drawings of the three orbs she made.

The Red Orb has a bit of a flame pattern, due to Groudon being associated with magma/lava and fire, and that shows the connection between Groudon and the Red Orb.

The Blue Orb has the textures of waves due to Kyogre being associated with rain and water, and that symbolizes the connection the Blue Orb has with Kyogre.

And finally, the Jade Orb has cloud textures because clouds are in the sky, and Rayquaza is associated with the sky, and that symbolizes the connection the Jade Orb has with Rayquaza.

Now as a reminder, these three orbs make their appearance in “Thrives of Mt Pyre”, the Scuffle of Legends episode trio (“Droughts and Downpours”, “Groudon and Kyogre”, and “Battle of the Ancients”) and “Training with the Orbs”.

Now the Red Orb and the Blue Orb make their first appearance in “Thieves of Mt Pyre”, when Archie and Team Aqua arrive and take the Blue Orb, and later in the same episode, Maxie and Team Magma take the Red Orb.

And the two orbs reappear in the Scuffle of Legends episode trio, when Archie uses the Blue Orb to awaken and control Kyogre, and when Maxie uses the Red Orb to awaken and control Groudon… but both team leaders end up becoming controlled themselves when the orbs absorb into their bodies. The Jade Orb makes its first appearance in “Battle of the Ancients”, when Max arrives at the top floor of Sky Pillar, where he, under orders from Steven Stone, takes the Jade Orb and uses it to summon Rayqaza where Rayquaza would fight Groudon and Kyorge.

The three Orbs make their final appearance in “Training with the Orbs”, after Ash and May have gotten the orbs out of their body (the Red Orb for Ash and the Blue Orb for May) after training with Tate, Liza and Juan on Mirage Island. The hoenn gang returns the two orbs to Mt Pyre, and Max returns the Jade Orb to Sky Pillar.

[doom-nerdo-666]

What if Doom had a Heaven before Eternal?

For a series about Hell, Doom never really had a "Heaven".

Doom Eternal finally gave Doom a Heaven but it's a rather unexpected take on it: Urdak, a very alien dimension with a sci-fi aesthetic, whose "angels" are creatures called Maykrs, most of which wearing layers of metal to hide their alien appearences.

The idea being that Heaven is not what people think and Urdak even inspired many religions. In a way, i see this being comparable to the 90's Doom novels deciding that "demons are aliens all along" except Maykrs are still divine.

This direction of the story and art direction may differ from previous games, only making me think "what if Heaven existed in other Doom games?".

You could bring up the Holy Water Pistol in D2RPG, some level names and what they reference, the occasional crosses in the series or even Quake having inclusions of Jesus portrayals and Wolfenstein's Spear of Destiny.

Or even a wad like Eviternity but i also had some ideas on Heaven portrayals for Doom:

Whenever i think of Heaven in Doom, i think of something that parallels Hell. 

Like how Hell was made/worked and how it could apply to Heaven to make it fit Doom (While adding some more unique stuff).

Because between Doom Eternal's Urdak and wads like Eviternity, i like to imagine something more that tries to come off as a "What If The Old id Software Put Heaven In Doom?", even if i do it wrong. 

Hell in itself technically looked like Hell and had some elements and references you'd associate with Hell but at the same time, some elements from horror, science fiction, fantasy and a lot more "outside" material.

It's like a combo of ideas that makes the setting unique and abstract, while allowing for some mapping potential even.

The ISSUE though is considering Sandy Petersen: A mormon that didn't mind Doom because the demons are cartoons that you kill.

But during Quake's development, i heard he objected to a Jesus texture being used on the floor.

Classic Doom

Know the Evil Eye candles in OG Hell? They could be similar but with the symbols resembling yellow crosses instead.

Some Angelic/Heaven symbols for teleporters like the ones you'd find in Hell.

Maybe some tall pillars and some architecture inspired by greek/roman architecture like arcs or some medieval/middle age elements.

Diamond switches or switches with golden chains/buttons, as a response to eye/skull switches.

Floating bells or some floating things holding bells to parallel the floating rocks with skulls.

Stuff with trees and flowers to replace the flesh and meat of Hell.

Stained glass windows and paintings, to replace the nailed skin walls like the one based off Adrian Carmack/Kevin Cloud's knee wound texture.

Stone/marbel/iron face portraits could be angels, Jesus, God, some other tradional religious characters or even a "classic" Kahn Maykr.

Textures resembling clouds, some of which being "transparent" so they're like the iron bars and gates, so they have gaps/"holes" in them, while also being placed as moving textures (Like horizontal moving textures).

Golden gates and doors.

Some props could have halos/rings above them (That Urdak temple even has a giant ring above it).

Something rainbow related? Like a path/corridor floor or a bridge.

Some Maykr/Urdak elements like white/red tubes/tech, black rock, red trees and cross holograms (Hell always had tech so i can see Heaven having some as well, even if it's not the main focus) along with stuff based off D2016 MP map Empyrian and those Urdak assets in Nekravol.

Their own FIREBLU, like uh... GOLDCYAN? (Was cyan a color in the original game's palette?).

Snow and ice, to contrast Hell's focus on lava and fire.

To contrast that skull computer switch from Doom 2: A golden tree with computer screens attached.

Some Hell level geometry being represented like the upside down cross hole from E2M1 but it's a proper cross or a reverse intro of E3M1 where you're rising down from above instead of rising up from a hole (Heaven = sky and Hell = beneath the Earth).

They could have wood and bookshelves.

A ceiling hanging candelabra.

Chess floor tiles.

For colors: Blue is more common and red is less common.

Fountains and wells?

Purple neon lights because of tech in Heaven.

Giant halos above stuff that are technically ceiling sectors.

Maybe flags and banners like Doom 2's?

References to stuff like "Hallelujah" as a word in a level name.

Some of the music could be some songs in major key or some "happy" sounding versions of certain songs.

Maybe take some bits from Mick Gordon's music and put them in more "Bobby Prince" like music.

Some levels being easy to contrast Hell being hard or is that kinda dumb?

Power ups could be crystals or something?

For barrels, maybe some wooden barrels or even giant glass bottles/flasks with Holy Water in them, that also have golden rings around, some cross on top/on the cork and some tiny gold legs as support (One for explosive and the other to replace the burning barrel prop).

I know keys get to be "cross keys" with red/blue/yellow variants.

What about an Intermission Screen Map? (This mean applying the concept to both Doom ONE and TWO, sort of like: Shores of Heaven, Paradiso, Heaven on Earth and beyond/more, probably).

Instead of damaging floors, imagine healing floors, like how Quake even had an area with healing water.

Maybe an inverse to Hell's stretched/fused faces wall texture, like "resting/peaceful" souls even if it's uncanny.

For enemies/characters:

Angels could be traditional angels but less humanoid like with blue skin or some not-so-human aspect to them and they could be the Imps.

Maybe centaurs and lions?

Knights like the Night Sentinel ones that serve under Heaven?

"Blessed" Soldiers/Humans.

Eagles?

For Cacodemons, have like giant thick rings with multiple eyes (Ophanims).

Lost Souls could be Cherubs (Maybe even make a reference to the D3 ones).

A Jesus Mech: Basically mech robots that look like Jesus' head in a Transformer/Gundam like body because uh...

A "classic/non-Urdak" Kahn Maykr: A female angel statue with a brain shaped like a pope hat/papal tiara and golden feathers (Call her "Angel Mastermind").

Not sure where i'd put the Maykr Drones (I imagine them like statues of angels with pope hats and with chainguns attached to their chests).

Some enemy type could use a crossbow as a weapon (Either angels or knights).

Some hooded figure with light coming out, that covers their face.

Something horse related or even unicorns.

Some or one type of enemy could have wooden wheels like a wagon.

This probably would require a lot more than just replacing Hell assets like replacing some from UAC/Earth as well, if it were a megawad done just to explore a Doom Heaven.

I feel like Heaven wouldn't be that morally good, but they could have some "goody goody" image to contrast Hell being blatantly evil.

Or it could be good but imagine if the "Angel Mastermind" locked God in some place and allowed demons to attack Heaven and corrupt angels into enemies, as she's tricked by Hell into thinking he could finally rule Heaven.

And when she's defetead, someone like the Icon of Sin speaks to her and says she was being used before she's teleported to Hell and tortured for eternity.

As for Doom 64

If Hell was mostly gothic and atmospheric, i guess Heaven can be more "classical" or Romanesque for its architecture and their versions of Gargoyles statues could be angel statues?

Also a Angelic version of the Unmaker but unlike the Unmaykr from Eternal, it's more "Christian" and called what, the "maker"?

As for Doom 3

Heaven would have beautiful temples and buildings corrupted/invaded by Hell and the horror would increase because of the idea that everything is DOOMED when not even Heaven can make it, since even Martians had trouble with Hell.

Cherubs would turn out to be Heavenly angels turned into what they are in Doom 3.

Maybe a cutscene of a poor angel guy getting crushed by a Hellknight.

Doom 3's Hell and demons were said to look a bit "alien", so i wonder how could that apply to Heaven.

RPG Series

(Yes, i lazily screencapped a sprite rip from Spriters Resource)

If the Holy Water Pistol means anything, we could get a somewhat goofy take on Heaven.

Maybe even with unicorns and fairies (Too far?) but still with some sci-fi stuff applied to them.

What about GOD?

Ignoring 2 certain characters from Eternal, i had some ideas about a Doom version of God.

I imagine it'd be based off Romero for obvious reasons. So i imagine the "head on a stick" sprite but with some fancy/golden pole/pillar with some fancy plate/platform on top, holding the head of God.

And the disembodied head resembles Romero's face but with white/grey hair and beard.

And maybe there's a comfy pillow beneath the head.

Maybe the head is inside of a glass sphere or a crystal.

Another idea would be a giant wall texture of an angelic counterpart of the Icon of Sin, like the face of an old wise man in some giant computer screen. 

Or god being made of stone.

Or him with blue skin or even have something to do with the sun or clouds.

Or a giant robot head with robot tentacles and a beard.

(Maybe he has multiple forms, i dunno)

More on Urdak

Heaven in Doom has a lot of potential that i fear if Urdak is the only time it happens.

Nothing wrong with Urdak and this post is just me imagining fanfiction tier ideas that might be out-of-reach and absurd.

Because Doom was never that into religious references or portrayals like other media.

But it's also because of all the stuff i said about Doom's versatility and potential being from treating it like an "empty canvas" and how most people's interpretation includes cherrypicking specific elements from a mixture of things that made Doom.

But speaking of Urdak related ideas (Because it probably could've been more explored)

This is copypasted from that "meytr" Rentry post and slightly edited:

Blessed Soldier (Fodder): Based off the Slayer Maykr skin; Could use a rail-gun and bouncy grenades; Despite the limited arsenal, they have a grapple hook that lets them “steal” a weapon from the player’s arsenal and use it.

Cherubs (Fooder): Those baby things from Doom 3; They shoot weak slime projectiles that can blind the player’s view; Killing them causes them to explode in a damaging slime pool.

Black Squid thing (Fodder/Ambient): Those things from TAG1 that act as temporary platforms; They use their tentacles to absorb the player’s health and try to chase the player: A way to defeat them is by jumping on top of them and crush them; For some reason, i feel like using them to do a reference to the Chaos Eaters from Dark Souls.

Ophanim (Fodder): Shaped like a thick metallic ring with eyes; Acts like a Lost Soul equivalent from Urdak; Tries to slice the player with its circular saw-like shape; They have a chance to charge and can miss Doomguy, causing them to bounce off walls like boomerangs or low gravity tennis balls.

Maykr Angel/Principality (Heavy): Those guys from the cutscenes (Like the one that says “Welcome home, great Slayer”); They borrow abilities from TAG1 Samur like the 3 projectiles, teleportation and summoning electric eyes.

Maykr Archangel (Ambient): That giant “living” cross shaped thing from Urdak; They shoot projectiles through 4 directions; Also buff Maykrs like their version of a Buff Totem; Their weakness is a yellow hologram-like symbol that acts as a weak spot.

Maykr Guard/Virtue (Super Heavy): Remember that one concept art Maykr with multiple eyes, a staff and a text-on-a-loincloth thing? These guys can summon tornados (Heretic Iron Lich) and shoot homing projectiles; They also do a Devil May Cry Vergil-like attack where they summon energy staffs around them; Another attack consists of shooting giant ring shaped projectiles, that strafe left and right (Like a zig zag pattern) as they travel, but if you’re lucky, you can go through said rings like hoops.

Maykr Mech/Dominion (Super Heavy): Remember that one concept art Maykr that looked like a mech with a giant mechanical arm? These guys can summon a “rain” of rockets like DHunter and Tyrant; They can also build up a powerful laser that leaves a burning trail of energy; They also shoot small homing fire columns that make the player jump.

Reinterpretated Khan Maykr (Boss) with new attacks: She can shoot “black hole” projectiles; She could have an unique ability of creating energy platforms underneath the player, that appear and move upwards to make the player hit a ceiling hazard or be crushed in general, though the player can simply run away from these platforms (Think of this as a twist to Exultia's falling platforms and Arch-vile fire pillar jumps).

If these enemy attack ideas are absurd, that's another reason to add more Maykr enemies: So you can split some attack idea concepts instead of making some enemies feel bloated.

Also, completely unrelated to Doom but here's 2 designs from the Shin Megami Tensei series:

(Cherub, Devil Summoner and Ophanim, SMT II)

Now imagine Doomguy fighting these 2, in a crossover starring the Strange Journey protagonist.

[heneve]

Exodus 13: Dedication Of The Firstborn

Overview:

Exodus 13 is about the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt and the commands God gave to them, including:

Consecration of the firstborn. God commanded the Israelites to consecrate all their firstborn, both human and animal, to him. This was a reminder of God saving the Israelites' firstborn from death during the 10th plague (death for Egypt's firstborn) and Passover.  

Observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Israelites were to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread (no yeast bread - symbolises the spread of sin) as a reminder of their deliverance from Egypt.  

Transmission of knowledge to children. The Israelites were to teach their children about the deliverance from Egypt.  

God's care for the Israelites. God led the Israelites out of Egypt by guiding them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  

Questions:

Why is the firstborn offspring important in Exodus 13?

The focus on the firstborn in Exodus 13 has both symbolic and practical roots within the context of the ancient Near Eastern worldview and Israelite culture.

Symbol of Strength and Leadership: In many ancient societies, the firstborn son held a unique status as the primary heir, carrying on the family legacy and often inheriting leadership responsibilities. By setting apart the firstborn, the Israelites symbolically dedicated their strength and future to God, showing that their most valued "first fruits" belonged to Him.

Divine Ownership and Sacrifice: The firstborn of every household—whether of humans or animals—was seen as the "first fruits" of a family’s labor and blessings. Offering the first of what was produced

2. Why is it not allowed to eat food with yeast?

The prohibition against eating leavened (yeast-containing) bread during certain festivals, especially Passover (Exodus 12:15-20), holds both symbolic and historical significance in the Jewish tradition.

Symbol of Purity and Separation from Sin: Yeast, or leaven, became associated with sin or impurity in Hebrew thought. Just as a small amount of yeast permeates a whole batch of dough, sin was seen as something that could spread and corrupt. By removing yeast from their homes and diets during Passover, the Israelites symbolically demonstrated a cleansing from impurity and a return to purity and holiness.

Reminder of the Exodus: When the Israelites fled Egypt, they left in such haste that they didn’t have time for their bread to rise (Exodus 12:39). Eating unleavened bread during Passover serves as a reminder of this hurried departure and God’s swift deliverance, highlighting the urgency and readiness that marked their liberation from slavery.

Commitment to Obedience and Tradition: Observing the practice of eating unleavened bread, as instructed by God, became a mark of obedience and identity for the Israelites. It was a way to remember their history and keep their covenant with God alive through a concrete, annual ritual.

Thus, avoiding yeast during Passover is rich with meaning, reminding the Israelites of both the purity and faithfulness required in their relationship with God and the historical reality of their exodus from bondage.

3. What is the visible sign in Exodus 13 Verse 9?

In Exodus 13:9, the "visible sign" refers to the instructions God gives the Israelites to remember and celebrate their deliverance from Egypt. The verse says:

"This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand."

The "sign on your hand" and "reminder on your forehead" are symbolic expressions, emphasizing that God's law and their freedom from slavery should be constantly remembered, visible, and close to them. These expressions imply that this memory should influence their actions (hands), thoughts (foreheads), and words (lips). Over time, these verses inspired the Jewish practice of wearing tefillin (phylacteries) — small boxes containing scripture passages, bound to the forehead and arm during prayer as a physical reminder of God’s commandments. actions (hands) - Remembering God's deliverance was meant to inspire them to act justly, uphold righteousness, and follow God's commands in every aspect of life. thoughts (foreheads) - The forehead represents thoughts and intentions. serves as a reminder that their minds and hearts should be aligned with God’s will, shaping their inner motivations and choices. words (lips) - Speech and teaching. suggests that they should speak of God's laws, share His teachings, and pass down the story of deliverance. This encouraged an oral tradition, where the story of Exodus and the law were shared with future generations to keep the covenant alive.

The sign, then, serves to keep the memory of God's deliverance and the importance of His commandments ever-present in daily life.

Reflections:

"When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, "If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle." (verses 17-18) Sometimes, God does not give us the easiest way in life, not because He does not care for us or He leaves us abandoned, but because He does not want us to turn away from Him. In this manner, He wants us to seek and trust Him especially in times of "battles" and difficulties. He wants us to walk an extra mile so we don't get the chance to back down easily. He wants to see us winning the battle with Him in our hearts, and faith and hope as our guidance. "The LORD went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with pillar of clouds, and He provided light at night with pillar of fire." God is always ahead of us, even when everything seem unclear. He provides us the light so we can walk straight knowing He is there to light our paths in life. He is always present in times of doubt and darkness. He is always ahead. He is always leading the way, preparing it for us. We just need to really keep that faith knowing He is just around, even if we don't see Him physically, but He provides every means to make it known to us that He is alive, that He is always present.

Yeast symbolises impurity and the spread of sin.

Firstborns are reminders of "first fruits" of family's labor and blessing.

God reminds us to use our action in a just manner and uphold the righteousness of God in our everyday life. Our forehead to remind our hearts and minds should be aligned with God's will, shaping our inner motivations and choices. Lips to share about God, and we should speak only Words that will lead people to God.

[yhwhrulz]

Today's Daily Encounter Monday, July 22, 2024

I AM WHO I AM

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"1

When God identified Himself to Moses, He said, "I AM WHO I AM." This may seem like a strange name to us, but in essence, it is saying that He has existed from eternity past to the present and into future eternity. In other words, God's presence is a certainty.

However, His presence manifested itself in different ways throughout Jewish history. For example, when God led the children of Israel through the wilderness, He went before them in a pillar of cloud during the day, and in a pillar of fire at night (Exodus 13:21). After the tabernacle was built, he would meet Moses there and speak to him above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant (Exodus 25:22). While these were visible physical manifestations, they also symbolized His eternal presence.

Then, when Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land, God said, "I will be with you; I will not leave you nor forsake you" and "I will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:5,9). These promises are also for us, for they give us the assurance that God will never abandon his children.

So remember that our heavenly Father goes before us to prepare the way, and He accompanies us in every situation. Let us pray today to be aware of His presence in our lives.

Suggested Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your name is a name full of promise. You promise me not to leave me alone, you promise me that you will be with me day and night, and you are faithful to your promises. I ask you to make me fall more in love with you, just because you are God, the Great I AM. I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Exodus 3:13-14 (NIV).

Today's Encounter was written by: Rosina N.

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[sadmanyeyes]

Chapter 5

Oni booty:

Ling Ling yells at the two for being late, asking what they were doing. Turns out, at the end of the last chapter, they were filling the fountains with gasoline because the claw monster hates light...so the natural solution is drive into the fountain and torch it!

Ling Ling lifts and shakes the proven immortal Yakumo, saying there are no such things as monsters, complaining that the statue could be taken out of the mansion while they're goofing around. She tells them not to fuck this up because she needs the money.

Later on, Pai and Yakumo discuss how if the statue can turn her human, they're not too far from their goal. He asks her what she plans to do when she turns human...and she doesn't know. Hell, she doesn't even know what a brain is. Yakumo himself plans on getting back to his old life, far away from any monsters. This upsets Pai for whatever reason but Ling Ling tosses Yakumo the survival knife, saying she found the statue. She kicks down a wall and gives chase, finding (surprise surprise) Mr. Chau with the Ningen. Yakumo and Pai tell her to be careful...and she whoops his ass, telling him she already called the police and they'll be surrounding the place at any moment. She tells him he can't escape...and he goes "Bet" and flashes a bright light. She says she won't fall for his tricks and kicks at him, knocking him against a pillar. He escapes inside a hidden door, yelling at the claw monster (Tochau) to kill them. Ling Ling tackles him inside the door as Tochau attacks, getting scratches on Pai while making her drop the light.

She's fine but Tochau is still in the room, waiting for them at the door. There's nothing they can lead it away with without the light, let alone get rid of it...Yakumo goes to open the window to use the sunlight but, oh shit, it's raining! Yakumo asks Pai if she could turn into a triclops but she doesn't know what he's talking about.

So Tochau attacks again and Yakumo jumps out the window onto the window...landing thingy with Pai. This sucks rancid dick for him because he's afraid of heights. He jumps down onto the tile roof while escaping it. demanding to know why the Tochau wants the statue so damn much. Oh yeah, they have the statue. That part's important because Pai grabs it and runs off with it to lead the Tochau away, saying she's fine with whatever happens as long as Yakumo is safe (oh, the irony). Yakumo yells yes, it very much fucking matters what happens to her as they are linked in life and death before he throws himself on the invisible Tochau, stabbing it with the knife and hurling it off the roof with him into the fountain. Which then explodes.

A mysterious woman (who, I'm just gonna put this out here, looks like Huang) watches with a smirk as a shellshocked Pai approaches the fountain with the Ningen in hand, horrified. Then Mr. Chau comes out of nowhere and snatches the statue away from her, saying it belongs to Kaiyan Wang. Then, a regenerating Yakumo comes out of the fire, asking who is Kaiyan Wang.

Seeing the symbol on his forehead, Mr. Chau runs away...only to bump into Ling Ling, who tells him the police are here and he needs to give up. He's then shot down by Huang, dying while telling her she has betrayed Hsunkai. Huang says he's the murderer and she can't let him leaving after he stole and killed her husband. She guns him down while Pai tells her to stop, not wanting Mr. Chau to die. With his still dying breath, Mr. Chau says they'll never have the statue and throws it to the sky, where a giant hand comes down from the clouds and levitates it up in a pillar of light.

He says the Ningen will return to the world of darkness and tells everybody to despair in their search, finally dying for real.

So the police show up, they take away the body and Yakumo and Pai. Yakumo is bummed because he knows he's not going back to his old life for a while but Pai says she's happy anyway. Yakumo is confused...but he's less bummed.

In another location, Huang, with a similar mark to Yakumo's on her head, apologizes to Kaiyang Wang, saying she'll get the statue back for him...but she recognizes Yakumo's mark and finds it interesting.

The chapter ends with Yakumo and Pai eating away Ling Ling's pay with a big meal.

End of the chapter...and the mini-series(!). But we're far from done...

[talonabraxas]

The Revelations of John seek to tell us what will happen in the course of time. The Apocalypse is written in pictures that express the appearance of the eternal spirit of the world. John, who beholds them, is to record these highest mysteries.

The Seven Apocalyptic Seals Talon Abraxas

We are, to begin with, concerned with seven communities, represented symbolically by seven lamp stands and seven stars. The stars are the communities' geniuses watching over them.

In the second vision John sees the four apocalyptic living beings, the lion, the bull, the eagle, and Man, surrounding a throne where sits the spirit of God. Twenty-four elders are sitting around the throne of the spirit of God. “And I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.” (Rev. 5:1) A lamb opens the book. The book contains, with the opening of the first four seals, what is expressed symbolically in the four apocalyptic riders; with the opening of the fifth seal the martyrs appear. These are those who have lifted themselves up to knowledge and life in the spirit. The opening of the sixth seal is followed by a horrible earthquake. With the seventh the revelation becomes audible: the seven trumpets sound forth. Mysterious pictures are then revealed; for example, a being whose legs are like two pillars, one foot stands in the sea, the other on the earth. “Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand.” (Rev. 10:1,2) --Rudolf Steiner: Munich, April 22, 1907

[wolint]

PILLAR AND FIRE.

PILLAR AND FIRE

Exodus 13:20-22

 

THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM! Capitalizing this phrase should help us realise how important the action of the Lord is and what it means to us collectively and individually as Christians. Throughout the events of Exodus, clouds, and fire signified God’s presence by the visible token of His presence, God’s Shekinah glory, in a majestic cloud as Psalm 78:14 put it. In the daytime, he led them with a cloud, and all night with a fiery light.

Nehemiah 9:12 says by a pillar of cloud God led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them how they should go.

The pillars of cloud and fire provided God’s guidance!

In addition to guidance for the Israelites, the pillar was a testimony to other nations of God’s involvement in the matters and protection of His people. In Exodus 14:24 God troubled the Egyptians through the cloud, and Moses used this in Numbers 14:14 in his plea to God not to destroy the Israelites because of their sin. God’s provision of the pillar was remembered in the prayer of the Jewish leaders in Nehemiah 9 as an instance of God’s care and provision for His people.

Exodus 13:22 says, “Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” The pillar is a picture of God’s faithfulness and a lesson to us that God never leaves nor forsakes His people as He reminds us in Hebrews 13:5–6. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do to me.”

The pillar was not just symbolism but a real phenomenon. We don’t know how God made the pillar but was obviously a miraculous event that God used to lead His people for the wilderness. During the day, the pillar guided their journey and at night it gave light and, to comfort them.

The pillar of fire, illuminating the way for the Israelite nation, was a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, the Messiah who came to save the world from sin.

Fire is a symbol of purification or God's presence, while light stands for holiness, truth, and understanding, as evidenced in Christ stated in John 8:12.

In Galatians 2:8-10 the Apostles were referred to the as pillars. Peter, James, and John were leaders in the early church, who faithfully serves wherever they were assigned to evangelize the uncircumcised (Gentiles), and the circumcised (Jews) and unify them in Christ.

According to Exodus 33:7-9, Moses erected the sacred tent (the “Tent for Meeting with God,” he called it) far outside the camp, and everyone who wanted to consult with God went out there and whenever Moses went to the Tabernacle, the people saw it, and as he entered, the pillar of cloud would come down and stand at the door while the Lord spoke with Moses. Even though the Lord has said he would no longer come among His people, we have hope in His promises because of His presence in the pillar of the cloud and our continued relationship with Jesus.

Revelation 3:12 says only those who conquer, will become made pillars in the temple of God. The victorious saints will not be mere stones, but we shall all be eminent as pillars, immovably firm.

According to Genesis 28:18, early in the morning, Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head, set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on the top of it.

We are called to put on the whole amour in Ephesians 6:13, and to be a pillar on fire for God.

Everything outside of God is dark, so we must allow Him to be the light leading us in the path of life, and be a pillar on fire for God, strong, immovable, firm and people who know their God according to Daniel 11:32.

PRAYER: Lord God, help me to always look for and follow your pillar of glory, rather than the crowd around me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Shalom

WOMEN OF LIGHT INT PRAYER MIN.

[shammah8]

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THE GLORY IN US

Saturday, November 11th .

Pastor Chris

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

Observe the powerful construction in the verse above; it says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” It doesn’t say, “Christ with you” or “Christ from Heaven”; rather, it says, “Christ in you.” This is the mystery—a revelation that remains consistent throughout Scriptures.

In the book of Genesis, we read of God’s voice walking in the garden in the cool of the day, as Adam and Eve heard His voice (Genesis 3:8). At various times, God appeared to individuals like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Whenever He revealed Himself, they built altars as symbols of the places where they met with Him.

However, such encounters were occasional; they were not in constant fellowship with Him. But God had a new plan. He revealed Himself to Moses and introduced His Name as Jehovah—the Lord in the camp—God among His people. He instructed Moses to build a tent, where He would meet with them. The glory of the Lord entered the Tabernacle, and Moses communed with God there.

As they journeyed, the tabernacle was carried with them, symbolizing the presence of the Lord. Later, David desired to build a permanent house for God, but God gave the plans to Solomon, David’s son. Solomon constructed the magnificent temple, and when it was completed, God filled it with His glory (2 Chronicles 7:1-3).

But thanks be unto God; today, a greater glory than what was manifested in the temple of Solomon, a greater glory than the one Moses saw on the mountain in the presence of God resides in us. Hallelujah! The Holy Spirit who manifested as the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, now dwells within us. O, how glorious we have become!

                 PRAYER

Dear Father, thank you for your amazing presence in the quarters of my heart. Christ in me, the hope of glory! I’ve been granted the grace and ability in Christ to reign and rule over all circumstances. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Christ in me is my assurance of a life of continuous victory and unending success. Blessed be God!

FURTHER STUDY:

2 Corinthians 3:7-18 But if the ministration of death, written [and] engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation [be] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious. 12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13 And not as Moses, [which] put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which [vail] is done away in Christ. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty. 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Colossians 1:26-27 [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

[lordgodjehovahsway]

Exodus 13: God Calls Israel to Consecrate All Firstborns as Sign of Him Delivering Them Out of Egypt

1 The Lord said to Moses, 

2 “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.”

3 Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast. 

4 Today, in the month of Aviv, you are leaving. 

5 When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites—the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you are to observe this ceremony in this month: 

6 For seven days eat bread made without yeast and on the seventh day hold a festival to the Lord. 

7 Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. 

8 On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 

9 This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that this law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. 

10 You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.

11 “After the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your ancestors, 

12 you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord. 

13 Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons.

14 “In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 

15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’ 

16 And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.”

Crossing the Sea

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 

18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.

19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”

20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 

21 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 

22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

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True guidance

21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. Exodus 13:21-22

God led the Israelites to the wilderness and the pillar of clouds and fire guide them. When the pillar moves, the people move - where it went, they follow. The pillar symbolizes God's constant presence and consistent leadership. The Lord went before his people and He was with them.

There are times when we feel abandoned because of uncontrollable circumstances or feel clueless as what to do next - let us be reminded that God fulfills His promise in our lives and we find guidance in the Him. We have the leading of the Holy Spirit and the instruction of God's word. Whenever we step out of faith, God is with us.

Lord, thank you for word and for reminding us of Your promises. Thank you Lord for Your guidance. We pray you continue to help us see and understand our journey and may you give us a lens of faith to trust you everyday. Lord we pray that you deepen our desire to know you and to be directed by you through your word. In Jesus name, Amen.