#ewan Goldman

[luverofralts]

Arkhelios Adventures

"I'm so glad you could make it, Lauren. It feels like it's been forever since I've seen you."

The youngest Durant sibling smiled at her sister. "College has been intense. I mean, I'm still in my first year, but with exams coming up, everyone is going a little crazy."

"That's how I remember it. I thought Nathan was going to burn down the student union building one exam period. I mean, he didn't even end up writing the exam, but he still went crazy with the rest of us."

"I'm so glad you met Trent," Lauren replied, looking over her shoulder in case Nathan suddenly showed up. She wouldn't put it past him. "Nathan creeps me out. There's something not right about him."

Cindra laughed, despite her sister's worry.

"Nathan likes people to think he's dangerous and scary, but he's a sweetheart deep down. Very deep down. Don't worry about him. He's harmless."

Lauren gave her sister a skeptical look but didn't push the subject. Let Cindra have her creepy crush. Lauren wouldn't be caught dead anywhere near Nathan Helios.

Everard and Luci tossed a baseball back and forth to warm up. They were about to start the official Siew family games and baseball was the first event. Luci was naturally athletic and had no doubts of her ability to lead her team to victory. Her little brother on the other hand....

At least Everard was trying to practice. Etienne was about to go swimming in the pool, and Fiolett was working on a drawing she refused to abandon. Who knew what Rien was up to? Luci had learned long ago not to count on her twin sister to do anything with her. If she had to guess, Rien was probably off talking with Adam about weird ghost sightings or something crazy like that. Ever since Theo had been sent away to school, Rien had been speaking to Adam an awful lot. Luci would normally assume that this meant that her sister had a crush on Theo's boyfriend, but this was Rien they were talking about. She was probably just telling him that he was being haunted by spirits.

"Rien? Honey, I thought you were playing baseball with your brother and sister? Did they finish playing already?"

Adrian approached his daughter reluctantly. It was obvious that Rien had no intention of playing with her siblings or being social. At least this time, she wasn't alone. Adrian had nearly tripped over Travis Maricourt scribbling furiously in a book by the hot tub, completely disengaged with the barbecue.

"I'm sorry, Dad, but I'm needed elsewhere," Rien replied cryptically. "Baseball seemed like a waste of time, considering how little of it is left."

"Uh...huh. Well, where are you needed? I can help you and then you can go play with the other kids here. I saw Travis Maricourt writing over by the hot tub, maybe you two could play alone together."

"Thanks for the offer, but it's not me who needs to socialize. You need to talk to people at the party," Rien insisted. "Hang around Queen Maura to help her. You'll know what to do when the time comes. I have my own role to play. Have you seen Princess Georgiana?"

"Are you going to play with Her Highness, or continue your cryptic riddles with her?" Adrian asked wearily, already knowing the answer. "Please don't say anything that would scare the princess. She's younger than you and scares easily."

"I'll play nicely, Daddy. I promise."

Adrian tried not to wither at the glare his daughter was giving him. Of course, she'd inherited Roman's patented stare, the same as Theo. Whenever the kids were angry, it was like being surrounded by little Roman clones. Thank god that most of them seemed incapable of scowling like their father, aside from Theo.

"Rien, you know that I love you very much," Adrian tried. "Go play with the princess and have fun. Maybe you and I could play cards with your siblings later. That would be fun, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, Daddy. That sounds like fun."

The tone of her voice very clearly conveyed that playing cards would be the worst thing that could happen to her, despite her ominous words. Adrian bit his cheek to keep from groaning or reprimanding his daughter for lying. There wasn't a parenting book out there that could help him parent Adrienne.

"I'll see you soon," Rien declared suddenly, wrapping her arms around her baffled father. "Remember, hang around the queen. There's a collection of heirloom swords in the second bedroom upstairs. Do you remember how to use them?"

"Yes, I remember how to use many weapons. I studied all of that in military school. How the hell do you know about a collection of swords? Have you been playing with them? You're too young to-"

Rien let go of her father and gave him a sad look. Her eyes didn't look like she was twelve. They held secrets and sorrows well beyond her years in a way that Adrian would never understand. He'd never met Roman's grandparents, but Roman often mentioned how similar Rien sometimes looked to his grandmother. Whoever she looked like, there were times that Adrian stared at his daughter and didn't recognize who stared back.

"Remember, the queen needs you," Rien said again, skipping off to find Georgiana. As usual, Adrian made a mental note of this behaviour to address with Roman and despite his skeptical nature, went in search of Queen Maura.

"I heard there was a barbecue here, but I don't smell anything cooking. Don't tell me that I missed Dad's famous burgers."

"Oliver! You made it! I thought you had exams to study for." Claudia ran to embrace her little brother, excited that he'd actually kept his promise and came to the family gathering.

"Yeah, well, we're not all monarchs wealthy beyond imagining," Oliver laughed. "I'm a poor college student. An offer of free food doesn't come along very often."

"Oh, you're impossible!" Claudia teased, tickling her brother like they were still children. "A poor college student whose tuition is covered by his very rich sister, along with a generous fund for personal expenses."

"Well, I still eat a fair amount of ramen regardless. I won't let your money take away from the college experience."

"Well, maybe I'll withdraw my tuition support next semester if that's how you feel," Claudia laughed. "Then you won't have to fake the 'authentic' experience."

"Ah, who can say what's authentic?" Oliver replied, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Maybe I'll accept your charity for a few more years after all."

This was a dance Claudia and Oliver performed seamlessly over the years. She'd offer whatever Oliver could possibly need in life and he'd playfully decline, only to accept it moments later. He'd been too young to understand his sister's change in rank when she took the throne, but he'd never been jealous of her. She was the queen and he was free to live as he chose. Claudia had frequently offered her brother a royal title and estate of his own, but Oliver had turned her down every time. Apparently, the monarchy was a "Claudia and Dad" project, while the "Oliver, Travis, and Mom" project was perfectly content away from the throne.

"Speaking of charity, where are the hamburgers I was promised? I'm wasting away here."

Claudia rolled her eyes.

"Blame Dad. He was supposed to be here to barbecue after work, but I guess he got busy. You know how obsessive he is about grilling things. God forbid someone other than him gets to touch the grill so we can eat."

"Well, where's Uncle Travis? I've seen Dad let him grill before and I'm starving. Let's just start grilling and apologize later. He can't be mad when we've waited this long."

Ewan Traver watched as his uncle, Ewan Goldman, arrived in a shower of sparkling light just in front of the front entrance of the cottage. It was a relief to see him, especially since Ewan's own son, Oliver, was currently leading a rebellion among the family to replace his father with anyone else who knew how to use a grill. The family was currently split between honouring the original plan and replacing Ewan with his reluctant brother, Travis.

"Uncle Ewan! Finally! Everyone's been going feral waiting for food. You're late."

"Uncle Ewan?"

Ewan Goldman made no attempts to respond to his nephew. Instead, he stared at the ground, unable to meet the younger Ewan's eyes. A shiver ran down Ewan Traver's spine. Something was wrong here. Dangerously wrong. This intuition was confirmed when dark, glossy wings emerged from his uncle's back, wrapping around a body that had gone from looking normal and healthy to a sickly hue that radiated an unnatural cold that Ewan could feel from several feet away. When his uncle spoke, it wasn't his usual cheerful voice, but one that sounded hollow and deadly.

“I’m not here to join in the festivities. Unfortunately, I’m here for work. I’m so sorry.”

[arkhelios-gameplay]

"...And you can't undo corruption," Edana whispered to herself.

Anna nodded. "However, this is essentially the same information you already knew, isn't it?"

"I suppose so," Edana said. "It still doesn't resolve the problem."

"So our recommendation-" Anna shot a nervous glance at Ewan, as if hoping he'd be happy at the use of our. "If you don't want to attempt to resurrect him again but using non-demonic magic, is to consult... Outside of the coven." She looked at Edana knowingly.

"Outside of the coven?" Edana repeated.

"There are some capable warlocks and witches who don't belong to it," Ewan chimed in. "I know of two very talented ones, ones that specialize in life and death respectively, I spoke to one of them and-"

"No," Edana said. "No, I'm not risking the wrath of the Council." Arya saved Remy too many times to count, but Remy was 'a teenage girl who didn't know better'. Edana was an adult woman who certainly knew better.

"Then resurrection it is," Anna said solemnly.

Edana swallowed. "Not a word of this to anyone outside of this dining room," she said. If Remy knew she had an even partially correct solution to the issue, she would never stop.

[thediaryofatheatrekid]

The Movie in My Mind: Ragtime

Anne Hathaway as MotherEwan McGregor as FatherZachary Levi as Mother’s Younger BrotherVictor Garber as GrandfatherJosh Groban as TatehCorbin Bleu as Coalhouse Walker, Jr.Brittney Johnson as SarahAlistair Brammer as Willie ConklinMichelle Williams as Evelyn NesbitRami Malek as Harry HoudiniKatrina Lenk as Emma Goldman

[tartarusfm]

there are so many fcs i can’t believe haven’t been taken yet ! i am banging for people to bring us deepika padukone, jon bernthal, zendaya coleman, henry goldman, hunter schafer, rege jean-page, katie mcgrath, kaylee bryant, nico tortorella, reese witherspoon, michiel huisman, jamie clayton, john boyega, carla gugino, chris evans, sandra oh, pedro pascal, ryan destiny, quintessa swindell, evan mock, zoe kravitz, lucien laviscount, cierra ramirez, janelle monae, aron piper, mina el hammani, kat graham, sidharth malhotra, nafessa williams, ariela barer, sean teale, chris hemsworth, moon gayoung, tom hiddleston, natasha liu bordizzo, jorge lopez, avan jogia, jonathan daviss, jodie comer, teyonah parris, robert sheehan, ursula corbero, logan lerman, margot robbie, dev patel, jurnee smollett, zoe kravitz, luke pasqualino, ewan mcgregor, santiago cabrera, daniel gillies, chella man, parisa fitz henley, taraji p. henson, tyler hoechlin, jamie chung, michael b. jordan, dichen lachman, zion moreno, aaron tveit, jessie mei li, sofia boutella, rj cyler, brie larson, evan roderick, aisha dee, chris pine, tessa thompson, idris elba, kat dennings, gong yoo, and moon bloodgood !

[evoldir]

Fwd: Postdoc: EBI_Sanger.EvolutionaryBiol

Begin forwarded message: > From: evoldir@evol.biology.mcmaster.ca > Subject: Postdoc: EBI_Sanger.EvolutionaryBiol > Date: 23 July 2020 at 07:31:10 BST > To: rdmpage@gmail.com > Reply-To: brian@helix.biology.mcmaster.ca > > > The EBI–Sanger Postdoctoral (ESPOD) Programme builds on the > collaborative relationship between EMBL-EBI and the Wellcome Sanger > Institute, offering projects that combine experimental (wet-lab) and > computational (dry-lab) approaches.These are competitive postdoctoral > fellowships lasting three years and two fellowships are awarded each year. > > This link describes a set of 7 pre-defined projects, including > two highlighted below of likely interest to this audience > https://ift.tt/1PRWmB6 > > Additionally, there is an opportunity to identify a PI at EBI and > Sanger and develop your own proposal to work between two groups at these > institutes south of Cambridge in England. > > > Project 2: Mara Lawniczak > and Ewan > Birney groups Long reads > to investigate within species variation across the Tree of Life > https://ift.tt/3jwdW2O > > Project 3: Mark Blaxter , > Rob Finn and Nick Goldman > groups Photosymbiosis genomics > https://ift.tt/3hF5GMj > > Other projects include > > Project 1: David Adams > and Alex Bateman groups Deep > mutational scanning of the dark proteome > > > Project 4: John Marioni and > Sarah Teichmann groups > Strategies for integrating spatial data across individuals > > > Project 5: Ellen McDonagh > , Gosia Trynka > and Emma Davenport > groups Investigation > of genetic signatures associated with pharmacological outcomes for > immune diseases > > > Project 6: Evangelia Petsalaki > and Matthew Garnett > groups A data-driven framework for uncovering the role of understudied > kinases in signalling network adaptation > > > Project 7: Daniel Zerbino > and Leopold Parts > groups A unified view of human coding mutation effect > > > The Wellcome Sanger Institute is operated by Genome Research Limited, > a charity registered in England with number 1021457 and a company > registered in England with number 2742969, whose registered office is > 215 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BE. > > Mara Lawniczak > via IFTTT

[mellowyknox]

“August: Osage County" Trailer

Production: The Weinstein Company New York Director: John Wells Cinematographer: Adriano Goldman 

More: https://vimeo.com/74363601

Year: 2013

[myserendipities]

Humanity may soon generate more data than hard drives or magnetic tape can handle, a problem that has scientists turning to nature's age-old solution for information-storage—DNA. In a new study in Science, a pair of researchers at Columbia University and the New York Genome Center (NYGC) show that an algorithm designed for streaming video on a cellphone can unlock DNA's nearly full storage potential by squeezing more information into its four base nucleotides. They demonstrate that this technology is also extremely reliable. DNA is an ideal storage medium because it's ultra-compact and can last hundreds of thousands of years if kept in a cool, dry place, as demonstrated by the recent recovery of DNA from the bones of a 430,000-year-old human ancestor found in a cave in Spain. Erlich and his colleague Dina Zielinski, an associate scientist at NYGC, chose six files to encode, or write, into DNA: a full computer operating system, an 1895 French film, "Arrival of a train at La Ciotat," a $50 Amazon gift card, a computer virus, a Pioneer plaque and a 1948 study by information theorist Claude Shannon. They compressed the files into a master file, and then split the data into short strings of binary code made up of ones and zeros. Using an erasure-correcting algorithm called fountain codes, they randomly packaged the strings into so-called droplets, and mapped the ones and zeros in each droplet to the four nucleotide bases in DNA: A, G, C and T. The algorithm deleted letter combinations known to create errors, and added a barcode to each droplet to help reassemble the files later. In all, they generated a digital list of 72,000 DNA strands, each 200 bases long, and sent it in a text file to a San Francisco DNA-synthesis startup, Twist Bioscience, that specializes in turning digital data into biological data. Two weeks later, they received a vial holding a speck of DNA molecules. To retrieve their files, they used modern sequencing technology to read the DNA strands, followed by software to translate the genetic code back into binary. They recovered their files with zero errors, the study reports. They also demonstrated that a virtually unlimited number of copies of the files could be created with their coding technique by multiplying their DNA sample through polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and that those copies, and even copies of their copies, and so on, could be recovered error-free. Finally, the researchers show that their coding strategy packs 215 petabytes of data on a single gram of DNA—100 times more than methods published by pioneering researchers George Church at Harvard, and Nick Goldman and Ewan Birney at the European Bioinformatics Institute. "We believe this is the highest-density data-storage device ever created," said Erlich. The capacity of DNA data-storage is theoretically limited to two binary digits for each nucleotide, but the biological constraints of DNA itself and the need to include redundant information to reassemble and read the fragments later reduces its capacity to 1.8 binary digits per nucleotide base. The team's insight was to apply fountain codes, a technique Erlich remembered from graduate school, to make the reading and writing process more efficient. With their DNA Fountain technique, Erlich and Zielinski pack an average of 1.6 bits into each base nucleotide. That's at least 60 percent more data than previously published methods, and close to the 1.8-bit limit.

https://phys.org/news/2017-03-short-movie-dna.html

[jamesmsolari]

Telegram will launch its Gram cryptocurrency by October 31 or bust

TechMyBiz for all things “IT”

Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge Telegram’s cryptocurrency— the Gram — may be going public after all. The encrypted messaging app company plans to deliver “the first batches” of the coin in the next two months, according to a report at The New York Times. The last time we reported on the Gram, it was to note that Telegram was canceling its initial coin offering (ICO), so the news may come as a bit of a surprise unless you’ve been following Telegram and cryptocurrency closely. But if you have, you’ve probably heard a rumor that Telegram has a hard deadline to make it happen: if it doesn’t deliver by October 31st, it legally forfeits the $1.7 billion it raised to make those coins a reality. That October 31st deadline is real, according to legal documents reviewed by the Times, so the company’s trying to make those coins real, too, and as quickly as possible. Users will apparently store them in a Gram digital wallet, one that Telegram plans to offer to all its 200 million users around the world, according to three anonymous investors who spoke to the publication. It’s not quite clear how regulators might deal with a new Telegram cryptocurrency, seeing how Telegram itself is a decentralized messaging operation that’s happily tangled with governments in the past. Facebook’s Libra is the closest parallel, but one based in the United States, and it’s already encountered quite a bit of early scrutiny.

Source: http://tz2d.me/?c=t26

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The post Telegram will launch its Gram cryptocurrency by October 31 or bust appeared first on TekMyBiz.

Source: https://tekmybiz.com/tech/telegram-will-launch-its-gram-cryptocurrency-by-october-31-or-bust/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=telegram-will-launch-its-gram-cryptocurrency-by-october-31-or-bust

from TekMyBiz https://tekmybiz.wordpress.com/2019/08/28/telegram-will-launch-its-gram-cryptocurrency-by-october-31-or-bust/

[londontheatre]

It’s such a good thing that the British Theatre Academy is giving so many young performers the chance to shine on a West End stage. They’ve done it before and I’m quietly confident they’ll do so again. For this production of Jason Robert Brown’s 13 The Musical, 19 characters are played by a total of 47 performers throughout the run. Beyond that, as the cast photos are not accompanied by their names in the show’s programme, it is quite impossible to say for definite who was played by whom. No matter: though Evan Goldman is both lead character and narrator, this is a truly ensemble piece of musical theatre.

Occasionally, for this opening night performance at least, the American accents were oh-so-slightly questionable – mind you, I’ve heard worse from adult performers. Though none of the characters in the story are, according to the programme, “older than the show’s title”, let’s just say I would be surprised if this extended to the ages of all of the performers themselves. But this isn’t Lord of the Flies. It’s just that the older characters, apart from a few minor cameo roles filled by members of the company, are off-stage.

As ever with Jason Robert Brown musicals, the musical numbers are wordy, and taken together, there are few truly memorable verses. Perhaps only the final two songs, ‘Homework’ and ‘Brand New You’, have melodies that stick in the mind. The sound balance between the performers and the band, the latter directed by Chris Ma, is excellent, allowing the rapid dialogue and the narrative-driven songs to be understood as they were meant to be.

The style of humour has, to be blunt, zero subtlety. One school pupil, Archie, tells Evan that, “No one makes fun of me on the special needs bus. That would be ironic.” Elsewhere, the suggestive ‘Hey Kendra’ is so flirtatious that I wonder, if it were to be hypothetically broadcast, which side of the ‘watershed’ it would deemed suitable for.

Whenever the laughs came, the punchlines were responded to heartily, a wholly justified acknowledgement of the flawless comic timing. None of this, quite extraordinarily really, results in hammy performances, for which director and choreographer Ewan Jones must take at least some credit for. Not being subjected to the hair-dryer treatment in a West End musical production was refreshing.

The storyline is not the most profound of plots. 13 The Musical could hardly be renamed Dear Evan Goldman. Everything is going so swimmingly for Evan in the first half that it is no surprise that things change for the worse in the second. Nonetheless, the portrayal of youngsters’ feelings and emotions are captured so plausibly, and as performed here, it’s highly convincing.

[See image gallery at http://ift.tt/1FpwFUw]

  In all of the playground politics that goes on, much can be applied to adult life, where powers of perception are required in similar measure to understand not only what was said but what wasn’t said, and more particularly, what was meant by what was and wasn’t said. The plotting and scheming is no different to the world of politics or working in an industry where competition is strong and keeping everyone on their toes.

It boils down to this: I was engrossed by every minute of this coming of age story – even the cheerleading in ‘Opportunity’. And it is always good to see a cast clearly enjoying themselves on stage. An exuberant and joyous production, this is another triumph for the British Theatre Academy. Long may their splendid work continue.

Review by Chris Omaweng

An original musical with music and lyrics by Tony Award-winning composer, Jason Robert Brown, (Parade, The Last Five Years, Bridges of Madison County) and book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn, it premiered on Broadway in 2008 and is the only Broadway musical ever with a cast and band entirely made of teenagers.

13 The Musical is an hilarious, coming-of-age musical about discovering that “cool” is sometimes where we least expect it. Geek. Poser. Jock. Beauty Queen. Wannabe. These are the labels that can last a lifetime. With an unforgettable rock score, 13 The Musical is a musical about fitting in – and standing out! Evan Goldman is plucked from his fast-paced, preteen New York City life and plopped into a sleepy Indiana town following his parents’ divorce. Surrounded by an array of simpleminded middle school students, he needs to establish his place in the popularity pecking order. Can he situate himself on a comfortable link of the food chain… or will he dangle at the end with the outcasts?!

Composed of a precocious cast, no character in 13 is older than the show’s title. The cast is comprised entirely of teenagers, but the stories that come to life here are ageless, the emotions they explore timeless, the laughter and the memories they provide priceless.

Ambassadors Theatre West Street, London, WC2H 9ND Booking to 23rd August 2017

http://ift.tt/2w4QZ0O LondonTheatre1.com

[vivikawidow]

President Philip Owen addressed the entire room. “Ladies and gentlemen make no mistake, we must all work together to stop this. You may not have wanted to be involved with the problems in Russia with the Yugasov but we have been left with no choice.”

Alex Grimsby leaned forward clasping his hands tightly together. “What do you propose we do?”

President Owen replied “I am sending a covert team to Minsk. They will need all the help they can get. I need to know that you would be willing to support me in uncovering what is happening there and stop it. They will have orders to retrieve known war criminal, Andrei Borkov, at the same time.”

Selena, who sat quietly throughout, finally spoke up. “Mr President, I’m not sure what help I can be,” she said. “I’m haven’t been sworn into office yet. I don’t have any real authority.”

“I know I can rely on you to gain Lord Isle’s support until your official election.”

“So who is this team you are sending?” asked Ada.

Philip Owen lifted himself onto his feet and made his way to the long side of the table. “You have all heard of Rogue Battalion?”

Prime Minister Grimsby seemed dismayed. “Sending Rogue Battalion? Is that necessary for a fact finding mission?”

“I am only sending a small number led by General Raphael Diorra. He is the only man I would trust to get the job done,” the U.S. President explained.

Chancellor Gultrich leaned back in her chair. “If you want me to get involved then I should know who this team will consist of.”

Philip Owen lifted a controller from the table and with a push of the red button; an image of a young soldier flashed onto the screen. “First we have Lewis Bakersmith AKA Baker. He normally spends his leave with his family in Ohio. A team has been dispatched with his orders. They will be waiting on him. He is the finest navigator the United States has to offer. If anyone can find their way through Minsk, it is this man.” Baker wasn’t quite what many would assume as a soldier. He was very tall and slim. Thick rimmed spectacles hung on the end of his long nose. President Owen pushed the button again. This time the screen showed a handsome young Hispanic man with a wealth of experience. “Carlos Pablo Guerra AKA Carlos. He was sent to a military academy at thirteen to keep him out of trouble. That was great for us because now he is the best sharpshooter we have, and he will watch over the rest of the team loyally. A team is preparing to head out to his home in New York to bring him in.” Another flick of the button changed the screen to show a large man with a body builder physique. “Martin Murdoch AKA Bait. He is currently serving time in a secure facility.”

Selena stopped him. “This man is a convict? What did he do?”

“He was arrested five years ago for assaulting someone who was being a little rough and over eager with his wife. The police came in heavy handed, knowing that he was Rogue Battalion. Three of them ended up in the hospital trying to restrain him, one in a coma. Because of his background they had to punish him harshly but he is released from prison when special assignments call.”

“You trust this man with this mission? Is that wise?” Louis put to the president.

“There is no knowing what they are going to find there,” said Philip. “We need men of strength. Besides if anyone can keep him in line, Raphael Diorra can.” The screen flicked again. This time, the screen showed a broad Jewish man with pale skin and neat black hair. “Howard Noah Goldman AKA Noah. He is fluent in five languages including Russian. He will be invaluable to the team in communications. He normally lives with his mother in Florida. Word has been left with her for him to be in contact.” The screen slid once again, now to show a fair haired, sallow skinned man. “The team will be supported by an explosive expert. Henry Lafayette AKA Gator. Our boys had some trouble trying to get to his home through his Alligator farm in Louisiana but the word will be waiting for him,” President Owen paused for a moment to look at his notes. He pushed the button again, and the image was of a young black man. He was the only one so far to be smiling. He appeared intelligent and strong. “Medical support will be provided by a very promising young man. John Wayans AKA Wayne. He wasn’t with the team in San Mojo, but he knows General Diorra well. In fact he is a student of the General’s sister at Columbia medical school.” A smile came to Philip Owen’s lips as he read on. “We are all familiar with Captain William Davis. He will be joining them. He has been close friends with General Diorra for many years. There is no better man to assist him. However, it seems our boys were a little over eager to find him. He was on a fishing trip and wouldn’t turn back. It seems I owe him a salmon or two… and a boat.” President Owen had met Davis personally. It didn’t matter whose company he was in; Davis was always the same way. He was strong minded and loyal to Raphael. Philip couldn’t help but laugh when he received an invoice from Davis for the two salmon and a boat, which he paid immediately from his own pocket. The image on the screen was of a down to earth man with dark hair and a round face. He was highly decorated, and he was unafraid of any challenge. When the President pushed the button again, the image dissolved to that of a large, muscular black man. His thick arms and broad shoulders would have made him at home in a boxing ring. “Ewan Freeman AKA Bones. He is the finest tank commander. He has said he would only agree to any mission if he could take Nancy with him.”

Alex stopped Philip. “Is that his wife?”

President Owen shook his head. “It’s his tank. It has been with him on every mission, and it has never steered him wrong yet. It isn’t possible, but he will cooperate.” Philip Owen looked at the final name. He pushed the red button one final time. Bones was replaced by a dark eyed Native American warrior. “Linciu Habaru. He is of the Fosgon tribe.”

“What is his speciality?” Selena was fascinated.

“Well, it is impressive. However, I can’t tell you. I would have to show you,” President Owen said before playing a video that showed security footage of Linciu fighting several soldiers. It was from when he first joined the army. He was outnumbered eight to one by men much larger than himself. He restrained them all with ease and subtle breaks to the bones of their limbs. The footage then dissolved to Linciu commanding a raven.

Prime Minister Grimsby agreed. “That is impressive. I have never seen that done with a raven before.”

“Commander Habaru has been a huge asset to the military. He can use that raven for signalling, messaging and in some cases even defence. There isn’t a terrain that he can’t harvest to his advantage.” Philip Owen shut the screen off. “Ladies and Gentlemen we all trust Raphael Diorra and we know the prerequisites for entry into my ‘Rogue Battalion’. They are the elite; they are the best. They will find out what is going on in Minsk. Do I have your support?”

The mission to Minsk will prove more than even the elite Rogue Battalion could have anticipated.

Enjoy this? The full story will be with you soon as part of the Conflict: Global Crisis graphic novel series!

Subscribe to the page for more info, news and stories from the Conflict. Rogue Battalion are about to face their toughest mission yet. Are you ready to enlist?

Meet Rogue Battalion; Their toughest mission yet! President Philip Owen addressed the entire room. “Ladies and gentlemen make no mistake, we must all work together to stop this.

[luverofralts]

Arkhelios Adventures

"We really need to bring this cottage into the new era. We don't need pictures of war criminals on our walls for 'history's' sake. Respect the past, but focus on the future. Yes. Yes, I like that. When I get a free moment, I'll mention it to the palace art team."

Maura murmured to herself as her eyes took in everything in the cottage that she wanted to change. It was her reign, and the cottage should reflect that. While she did love the historical photos and would probably face an intense battle to move them with her relatives, times had changed. Photos of King Ben, the national hero who had saved the islands from Pleasantview, but had murdered several of his children as well as some of their spouses, the Red Queen, who had no business being on any wall because of her crimes, and Queen Celeste, who tried to overthrow the grim reaper while enslaving her zombified mother, disgraced the warm feeling Maura wanted the Siew family cottage to have. Maybe if she put all their pictures upstairs in what had once been King Ben's office, she could balance honouring the past while still creating a better future.

"I can shove that picture in my attic if you'd like. You're glaring at it like it kicked a puppy."

Maura turned to see her cousin Claudia walking up to her, her usual confident smirk on full display.

"You're welcome to it," Maura offered, smiling despite her frustration. Claudia often had that effect on her. "I'm making a list of photos that may need to be retired."

Claudia scoffed.

"Just imagine living with the portraits of terrible people whose blood runs in my veins every single day. Pleasantview would fall before it gave up worshipping the ghosts of its past."

"Well, I guess you don't have to worry about being lost to history someday," Maura teased. "Give it a century or two and you'll probably be promoted to a demi god."

"I would make an excellent demi god," Claudia agreed. "But you can't be inventorying every picture here. Some of our relatives were good people. Not many, but some. Besides, don't you have a royal archivist? I just email mine and the pictures are rotated within a day. They deal with all the safety procedures needed to store the pictures for the next hundred years and I get something new to look at. I know this cottage is for all Siews, but the monarch of Twikkii Island owns it, so it should fall within your archivist's obligations."

"I'd prefer to deal with them myself. They can store them for me, but I'll be making the choices of which picture to display. It's probably the thing I like most about this job. If my mother had lived, I'd imagine that I might have been a royal curator for her. There'd be more pictures of Trent and Callista than I'd like, but no job is perfect."

"Very noble of you," Claudia remarked dryly. "They are your half-siblings, I'd imagine your mother would want pictures of them around. Honestly, with your complexion, jealousy's not flattering. You're the queen, and Trent is an orphan. Have some compassion for your little brother or are you getting rid of those pictures because the people in them are starting to look just like you?"

"Not all of us come from the two happiest dead people in existence. I'm an orphan too. My father was murdered by my grandmother. Mom shouldn't have remarried. She just forgot about him, like he didn't even exist."

Claudia raised a skeptical eyebrow, baffled at her cousin's behavior.

"Are you okay? Usually your daddy issues aren't this obvious. Added to a pregnancy that is obviously not your wife's, you're starting to look a little unhinged. Is something happening? I can help, unless you've got some insane grudge against me too."

"It's nothing," Maura snapped, turning away from her cousin. "It's just pregnancy hormones. Everything is great. I love my life. Everyone is jealous of my good fortune, so I should love my life. And I do."

"You could always step down if you hate your life," Claudia teased. "I'd be happy to claim my inheritance from my mother and add Twikkii Island to my realm."

Maura shot Claudia a nasty look, but after a moment to think, the nastiness faded into a weak smile.

"Do you have days like this? Days when you just want to fake your death and flee somewhere you've never been? That makes me a bad person, right? I feel like a bad person."

Claudia wrapped her cousin in bone crushing hug.

"All the time. I think about what my life would have been if Dad had never found out his true parentage. Would I be happier? What job would I have? It's only natural when you're in a position like ours. It doesn't make you a bad person to have doubts about your life. It makes you human. Look, why don't you come visit me more? Or I can stop by your place and we can go to that wonderful spa we went to before your wedding. You need someone to talk to, and I'm probably the only one who understands what you're feeling. Unless you want to ask the old, boring kings of Strangetown or Crystal Cove."

Maura laughed, despite her mood. Claudia always had been good at getting under her skin.

"Okay. I promise to spend more time with you to stop from being a complete bitch all the time. Ulyssa would probably love to have me out of the palace for an afternoon anyway. For now, help me log which paintings I should store. You know our history probably better than even I do."

Claudia craned her neck, looking for a certain portrait that had always creeped her out.

"I'd vote for that one," she said, pointing across the room. "Every time I'm here, one of the dogs is always barking at it. It has to be cursed or something. Something is off about it."

"Ah. You have a good eye. It creeps me out too. It's King Ben, after all. The man was a monster. No wonder the dogs can sense his evil."

"Oh, there's a million pictures of him all around this place," Claudia scoffed. "He was a fine king. He saved your country from becoming a part of mine under my psychotic grandfather. The heroism and the murders kinda cancel each other out, I think. No, he's not the problem. She is."

"Who? Is that his cousin or something? The names aren't engraved on the frame."

"His sister, Winter," Claudia replied. "She was a hell of a witch. I have some of her books in my library. Talented, but like you, a little unhinged."

"Ha, ha. I'll add it to the list."

"Are we supposed to be doing something? I feel like we should be doing something."

Adam looked nervously around the cottage, looking for guidance. It wasn't often that they were invited to the Siew cottage and just standing in it made Adam paranoid that he might accidentally break something expensive. He'd been there before, of course, but he never truly felt welcome.

The Siew family was gathered for a family barbecue, and even those at the far ends of the family tree were invited to celebrate. Adam and Remy got their invitation because their half-siblings were Siews. Elowen and Bronwen weren't just going to leave Adam and Remy out of a royal feast just because only their mother had married into the Siew family.

"Don't start cleaning something just because we don't have titles," Remy groaned. "We're invited guests, not the help. We're not doing anything to set up. Period. Our earned coven titles are more than good enough."

"Apprentice is a better title than princess or Duke?"

Remy punched her twin on the arm.

"Yes. Yes, it is. Now let's go find our sisters. They probably know where the booze is."

"Dad! You made it! I thought you, Dad, and Vrai were going away this weekend."

Ewan Traver embraced his father, Travis Traver, surprised at his presence. Ewan had inherited the title Travis had never wanted, and took care of the Goldman estate and all the responsibilities that went with it. His father, despite being born in Twikkii Island to two of its citizens, disliked spending any time on the island. He had been raised in Pleasantview and Crystal Cove. However tropical the island was, it held no allure for Travis, so his presence there was somewhat surprising.

"Your father and Vrai went ahead. I might join them later, but I wanted to be here. The anniversary is coming up and it's good to be with family. This was where she grew up. I wanted to see it the way she once did."

Ewan paused, unsure of what to say. His Aunt Celeste, better known as Queen Celeste of Crystal Cove, had practically raised his father after their father died giving birth to their half-brother, Ewan, and their mothers were murdered. The two siblings had been unsettlingly close until Celeste's death, due to the stranglehold she had on Travis' life. She blocked his mother's family from contacting him and insisted that he name his oldest son after their father. Aside from eloping with Ewan's father, Leonid, Travis' entire life had been carefully planned by his controlling sister. But Celeste had been gone for over a decade now and Travis was free to chart his own path forward. He hadn't recognized Celeste in the year or so proceeding her death, and he couldn't forgive her for telling his biological family that he didn't want anything to do with them. Or co-running a cult obsessed with killing the Grim Reaper. Or naming the child she created to sacrifice after him. Or murdering their half-brother, Ewan, as a child.

There were many things Travis hated about his sister, but every year near the anniversary of her death, he spent time in Twikkii Island, trying to understand the little girl who had been born there and where she had gone so wrong. He hadn't had any insight on how to forgive her yet, but every year, he was hopeful.

"So, are you going to help plan the memorial ball this year? Edana has been pretty busy and I've got some of the vendors lined up, but I could use some help."

Travis smiled tightly. The queen had provided a grant to the Goldman estate to celebrate Travis' parents after it had been revealed that their deaths were caused both directly and indirectly by the crown. Unhappily, the deaths of his parents and the death of his sister fell within the same month, so every time he left to grieve for his sister, he was expected to also celebrate the lives of the parents he'd never known. The anniversary of the day that his daughter, Tristianne, had been taken from him was only a few months later. It seemed fitting that he was in a polycule with the Grim Reaper; death seemed to follow him wherever he went.

"We'll see," he said at last. "The hospital still might call me in for a few consults. A retired doctor still has his obligations to old colleagues."

Ewan mirrored his father's tight smile. That was a no. It would hurt less if his father would just tell him upfront that he wanted nothing to do with whatever Ewan or the queen planned. It would be far more honest.

"Sure, just let me know your schedule when you can. No worries if you're busy."

"Isn't there supposed to be food at a barbecue? I'm starving."

Elowen set up the pool table while Victoriana waited.

"The food won't be ready for another hour at least. Mom said we have to wait for Grandma and Grandpa to come and they're at work. Grandpa refuses to let someone else touch the barbecue when it's his 'passion'. They'll be here soon enough though."

"Very soon," Adrienne agreed. She was too young to play pool, but she enjoyed watching the game. It was the closest she got to socializing with her extended family.

"Fine, I guess I can wait. There were chips in the kitchen though, right? We could steal some of those."

"Do you like my dress? I got it last weekend in the Pleasantview mall. It was on sale and I couldn't possibly say no to it."

Bronwen spun around dramatically to show off her dress to Fiolett. The younger girl clapped enthusiastically, wishing that she had a dress that pretty. She had a lot of dresses, sure, but they were all picked out by her dads. Fiolett couldn't wait until she was a teen and could pick out dresses for herself. That was a long way off though, so she admired other people's dresses for now.

"Be sure to congratulate Roman and Abe for me. That's wonderful that they renewed their vows. If I could find it in myself to forgive Trent if he cheated on me, I'd want to renew our vows too. It's a fresh start. Good for them."

"It's not entirely like that, it's...." Adrian trailed off, trying to find the words to explain a demon wedding. Truthfully, he wasn't entirely sure himself what Abe and Roman had volunteered for, but he didn't want Cindra to know that. "Well, maybe it is a bit of a vow renewal. Theo officiated it, so I guess it's like a magical, demonic vow renewal. You couldn't talk me into one."

"That would mean walking down the aisle again," Cindra teased. "We all know you're terrified of weddings. Otherwise, Evren would have a ring on his finger by now. Are you ever going to make an honest man out of him?"

Adrian frowned, not liking the direction their conversation had turned.

"Maybe. Not that it's any of your or Trent's business. It would make the legal process of passing my title to my legitimate daughter from another marriage harder. It's just easier this way."

"It does not," Cindra laughed. "Everyone knows that Luciana is going to become a duchess one day, the queen more than anyone. She'd have the legalities all sorted out in an afternoon. You're just chicken."

"I am not! Evren doesn't want to get married either."

"That's not what Trent said after he went bowling with Evren last week. Evren told him that he's just waiting for you to make a move. You'd say no if he proposed, so he's waiting for you to do it."

"He would never say something like that to my cousin," Adrian insisted. "You're just hoping to plan another wedding, no matter who it's for."

"Who can blame me for wanting to celebrate love? Planning my own wedding went amazingly and I want to plan another one!"

"Wasn't your little sister, Lauren, around here somewhere? Plan her wedding!"

Travis Maricourt was as far as he could get from the noisy group of people as he could be. His parents weren't coming until later, so most of the afternoon was his to sneak off and enjoy. Claudia wouldn't force him to socialize and Oliver hadn't bothered to leave college for a family event since their mother's birthday. Their father's birthday was coming up, and that was probably the last Travis would see of Oliver until the next family birthday. Travis couldn't wait to start college and finally get some time to himself without his parents "encouraging" him to talk to people he had no interest in talking to.

He didn't trust his annoying relatives not to read his journal if he brought it with him, so instead, Travis brought his magical theory workbook. Theory didn't feel like homework to him, like it did to his classmates. It was fascinating to map out the bones that held up the living world, to see how the pieces of an existential puzzle clicked together. His parents talked a lot about how the worlds of life and death overlapped, and Travis simply had to know how it all worked. Not that he would change existence or anything if he learned how. He just had so many questions.

"You were right."

"I usually am. Today, I wish I wasn't, though. I don't know what this means. There's definitely a current running through here, but why?"

Izanami bowed his head, contemplating the situation.

"I don't like this," he finally decided. "This feeling...it feels old. Demonic, probably."

"It feels like it did over a decade ago," Lukas insisted. "Like when Leo was attacked...but also different. There's this sense of...nothingness. Can you feel it too?"

Izanami nodded his agreement.

"I'll contact Gee and let him know how he should do my job. You can't intervene here."

"I know that. I'll go to the school and make sure that the children are safe. I'm not taking any chances with their safety. But this will probably blow over and be fine, right? Oh! Arterius! Call him and tell him to meet me at the school. Just because he's an adult doesn't mean he's exempt from family meetings."

"Of course, dearest. I'll join you in a moment."

Lukas vanished into a shower of sparkling light. As soon as they were out of sight, Izanami closed his eyes and tried to listen to the hum of existence. Screams echoed over loud waves crashing against jagged rocks. A hurricane roared as it churned into existence. A royal ship cracked in two as it sank beneath the wild waves.

Lukas lifelessly lying encased in a glass tomb. A howl of wind that swept away the souls of the dead. The cold truth that sometimes even the dead could die.

It had all happened before, and now it was happening again despite Izanami's best efforts. A shiver ran down his spine as he felt several names engrave themselves on the list in his son's office. The deaths had been finalized. There was no hope of changing them now. It was beginning.

[arkhelios-gameplay]

Weeks of research and all he comes up with is essentially the same idea my teenage daughter had? Edana frowned. "You don't have anything else?" she questioned.

"The magic used to resurrect him involved the power of corruption," Ewan said. "I specialize in death."

[luverofralts]

Arkhelios Adventures

"Maura? Can you hear me?"

Queen regent Ulyssa watched her wife's still body as her chest rose and fell with her breath. Maura was breathing, which meant she was alive. After the disastrous past few days, just watching Maura breathe seemed like a miracle.

The past few days had been a blur for Ulyssa. Maura was sent home from the hospital to see if she would recover in a quieter, familiar setting. Ulyssa's father had assured her that this was good news, and it meant that they had faith that Maura would pull through. Maura’s child had to be removed from her for both of them to have a fighting chance to survive. The infant seemed to be doing well, or so Ulyssa was told. She didn't have the energy to deal with her wife's affair child. Not when her own family was failling apart.

"I hope you can hear me, Maur. You can't die on me, not when I need you the most. Our people are scared, our children are traumatized, and it hurts so bad to even think of you dying. I've loved you since I was a teenager. You were my high school sweetheart. I can't lead this family without you."

Ulyssa closed her eyes, and the only things she could see were two of her children's empty rooms and two little coffins she had picked out three hours earlier. The royal physician had given her something to help her relax, but it was barely touching her pain.

Maura couldn't die. Ulyssa didn't give her permission to die while they were still at each other's throats. She needed Maura to wake up so that she could hold her as tight as she could and tell Maura that she loved her with everything she had. The past didn't matter. The affairs didn't matter. Becoming both queen and a mother too soon didn't matter. Ulyssa had loved only one person after Zane and she wouldn't let Maura die too.

"The funerals are next week. I delayed them as long as I could just in case you woke up. I know how pissed you'd be if you missed our children's...if you...." Ulyssa trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. "Lauren's funeral is this Friday. Cindra is going, but Trent and I have to stay here in case something else happens. I can't believe that I have to miss my little sister's funeral. I can't believe she's dead in the first place. You would know what to do if you were here. You've always known just what to do. I love you, Maura. Please, please wake up."

"Mommy?"

Ulyssa turned over to find her oldest son staring fearfully at her.

"I had a bad dream," Adrion whimpered. "I-I saw Alysiara and-and she...her face was-"

"Hey, it's okay," Ulyssa said soothingly, running to her son's side. "You're safe now. I won't let anyone hurt you, I promise."

"It's not okay. Mommy's going to die, isn't she? I don't want her to die! I want my brother and sister back!"

"Come with me. I want to show you something," Ulyssa replied, guiding her reluctant son towards his unconscious mother. "Mommy's right there. She's not going to die. She's a fighter just like you. I miss Alysiara and Spencer too. I miss them so much, it feels like my chest is going explode from all my sadness. I bet you probably feel the same way."

Adrion nodded, his eyes glued to Maura on the bed.

She didn't look scary or connected to the scary machines she'd been hooked into at the hospital. People weren't yelling orders or preparing her for surgery. She was just there. Sleeping. At least he hoped she was sleeping.

"I just want everything to be normal again!" Adrion cried, clinging to his mother tightly. Ulyssa wrapped her arms around her son as he began to cry.

"I know. I know you do. I want things to be normal too. But we have to be strong. One day, you're going to be the king, and you'll need to lead this country like Mommy does. When bad people try to hurt us, you will tell your children the same thing I'm telling you now." Ulyssa paused, trying to remember the words her father had once told her after losing her mother. "We are strong and brave, and no one is ever going to love you more than me and Mommy. I'll protect you and your siblings with my life if I have to. If anyone tries to hurt you, they'll have to go through me and Mommy and Uncle Trent and Uncle Adrian and the queen of Pleasantview and all her witches. This attack won't happen again, I promise you. You're descended from warrior kings and queens on Mommy's side and the biggest, toughest survivors on mine. We're going to get through this."

"She looks sad. She needs someone to keep her company. Can I stay with her?"

Ulyssa looked at her son kindly, smiling softly at his kindness, even if she couldn't allow the request.

"Honey, she needs to rest. There will be lots of doctors coming to check up on her, don't worry. You need to be a big older brother and help your siblings. I'm keeping the country safe until your mom can again, and we need someone to protect your siblings, to be a leader. I want you to watch what I do and what Mommy will do when she's better very closely. One day, this will be your job. Can I count on you to practice being king and protecting your siblings?"

Adrion nodded tearfully. Some of the clouds of grief disappeared from his face now that he had a mission and something to focus on.

"I'll be right back!"

Ulyssa watched as her son bolted down the hall towards the children's bedrooms. At first, she worried that Adrion was running into Alysiara or Spencer’s rooms, but minutes later, her son returned, carrying a familiar large stuffed fox toy in his arms.

"Mr. Fox can take care of Mommy while we're gone," Adrion declared. Mr. Fox was easily his favourite toy in the world. He had been a gift from Claudia, who had inherited the descendants of King Mordred's fox breeding program to her displeasure. She had handed care of the domesticated foxes over to a highly qualified candidate, but the farm they lived on was a popular place for young royals to visit. Adrion vowed that one day he'd have one of Aunt Claudia's foxes as a pet to his parents' frustration. Trusting Mr. Fox to care for his mother was an important gift from her young son and it made Ulyssa want to cry just looking at the toy nestled in her wife's arms.

"That's a very nice thing you did," Ulyssa said, trying not to cry. "Mr. Fox will take great care of your mother. I'm sure that when Mommy wakes up, she'll be very thankful to have had his company."

Please wake up. Please, please wake up.

"With Mr. Fox on duty, it's time for us to do our part, too. I'm going to be meeting a bunch of important grown-ups downstairs, and you're going to stay with your siblings upstairs where the guards will protect you. If you need anything, ask them for help. I'll be back upstairs with you guys in a few hours. I love you. Remember that."

"I love you, too."

Ulyssa took a deep breath and then released it. She wasn't used to sitting in this chair. Hers was the seat next to it. The throne for the consort. Sitting in Maura’s place didn't sit well with her. Ulyssa had never wanted Maura’s thone, and it felt wrong just sitting in it without a guard yelling at her for trespassing.

Still. Maura needed her to do this. Ulyssa would do this for the woman she loved and the country she loved and then sob about how awful it felt to sit in the throne room alone.

"Welcome Lord Goldman and...Prince Goldman was it?"

Ulyssa paused, unsure of what titles she was supposed to be using. She knew both men but, Ewan, Duke Goldman, was closer to her own age. His father barely came to royal events if he could get out of them, so Ulyssa tried not to beat herself up about confusing his title. Maybe even Maura forgot about him sometimes.

"It's Dr. Travers," the older man replied stiffly. "Prince Goldman was my father, and Duke Goldman is my son. I don't need a fancy title in my life, trouble usually finds me easily enough without one."

Ewan scowled beside his father, hoping that Ulyssa didn't pick up on Travis' rude words. She was a grieving mother, for God's sake! All those years listening to his older sister had made Travis wary of titles, roles, and ceremonies. It was an attitude adopted by his maternal family as well. They had welcomed Prince Ewan Goldman into their family as Ewan, master of the grill and the man in possession of their daughter's heart. Duke Ewan didn't see things quite that way, which often caused friction between father and son. Grumbling about the monarchy to family was one thing, openly being hostile to the queen's appointed successor was another entirely.

"We've come here to renew the pledge of our family's loyalty to Her Majesty," Ewan said politely. "There has been talk of a war since the attack. This is the second attack on the throne in a decade, and we want to make sure that our families will be safe going forward. That the country will be safe going forward."

"A war?" Ulyssa repeated. She hadn't been briefed on declaring war on anyone yet, and it was probably a burning question in many of her subject's minds. "I appreciate your concern and loyalty. I'm not ready to declare war quite yet, but unlike the last attack on our beloved Queen Cherry, I vow to find the person responsible for the deaths of my children and soon. When the time comes, I'll be sure to inform you."

"Are we done?" Travis whispered to his son, at a volume that Ulyssa could clearly hear him. "Medora wanted me to take her shopping for a dress for the Goldman Memorial Ball. I promised not to be late."

Ulyssa could see Ewan grind his teeth, trying to ignore his father.

"You're dismissed," Ulyssa declared before father and son could start an argument consisting entirely of glares. "Thank you for your kind thoughts for my family."

Ewan smiled at Ulyssa as his father sped through the building like he was allergic to it.

"He doesn't mean to be disrespectful," he replied. "It's a fight to get him to the island at all these days. Too many 'bad memories'. But he's working on it. So he says."

Ulyssa watched as Ewan chased after his father with envy. Holding court in Maura’s place was confusing and unnatural to her. She wished that she could escape it as easily as Ewan had.

"Your Majesty, you're holding court. I wasn't sure if I'd find you here. Shouldn't you be at Maura’s bedside like a proper wife?"

Ulyssa could recognize that voice anywhere. It was the voice of the nightmare that Maura could never see her as, as Claudia was always nice to her cousin. Maybe it had been Ulyssa's trying to dig up dirt on Claudia by visiting her parents that had started the permanent glower Claudia gave her, but honestly, Ulyssa had always felt it in some way. Even when they were engaged, Claudia made no secret of her dislike for Ulyssa to anyone who would listen.

Of course, Claudia would show up here at the moment Ulyssa felt weakest.

"Hello, Claudia."

"Hello, Your Majesty," Claudia corrected. "I'm a queen, and you're a stand-in. Maura is my equal and cousin. You can address me as Your Majesty while holding court."

Ulyssa gritted her teeth, but vowed not to show weakness to Claudia. Maura always said that Claudia was just trying to test people for weakness with her words. She never truly threatened people, she just listened to what they revealed about themselves.

"Hello, Your Majesty," Ulyssa replied, trying not to fall for Claudia's tricks. "What do I have to thank for your presence here?"

"Well, I came to check on Maura’s condition personally," the queen replied, sitting casually in a nearby seat that didn't belong to people outside of the immediate royal family. "Of course, I've already been informed about her, but I wanted to visit with her personally. I've also come to pass along my sorrow for the loss of your children. No parent should have to go through what you're going through."

Ulyssa couldn't judge if that comment was sincere or another trap to avoid. She decided to believe the best of the queen, like Maura would.

"I appreciate you saying that. It hasn't been easy. Truthfully, a part of me wished that I'd died with them. I don't what I'll do if Maura doesn't make it. I...I can't lose her too."

Claudia's intense gold eyes searched Ulyssa's face, looking carefully for lies. Eventually, she appeared satisfied with her results and seemed to relax slightly.

"You do seem earnest. After your fling with Roman, I've always wondered what you would do if something were to happen to Maura."

A million angry words sprung to Ulyssa's mind, but she tried as best as she could to silence them. This was clearly another test.

"Roman Bellamy is a man we are both fond of, even though he can't possibly measure up to our spouses," Ulyssa said as charitably as she could manage. "Truthfully, I haven't thought of him in years. I'm sure he sends his condolences for the tragedy that has consumed my family, but I have no interest in hearing it from him personally."

"Hmmm. You're getting better at lying, but like so many other aspects of your life, it's still a bit lacking. An admirable attempt though." Claudia paused, watching as Ulyssa struggled not to react to her words. Maura had had a poker face mastered by the time they were teens. Clearly, she hadn't instructed her wife on how to do the same. "Look, Queen Regent, I'll be blunt to save you the trouble of trying to discern my intentions yourself. I've come to talk about how our countries will need to operate going forward from this tragedy."

"How they need to operate? I wasn't aware that you had any influence on how the monarch of this sovereign country chooses to 'operate'. Maura can make her own choices and I will make them in her place."

"My children died, Claudia," Ulyssa hissed, finally reaching her breaking point. "Everything you fear actually happened to me. I don't give a fuck about your fears or threats. My children are gone. I hope that never happens to you, but I couldn't care less about your opinions about my family. I'm sure Princess Victoriana is perfectly safe with your 'forces' to watch over her."

"Your family was attacked, Regent. Only your family. The Durant family was targeted, and my daughter could have been killed just for sharing a cottage with them. I don't intend to let that happen again. I can easily defend myself, but I will not tolerate anyone who puts my daughter in danger. If the heir to the Pleasantview throne is harmed in any way, there will be consequences. Not just from me, either. Forces with power beyond your imagining will make their displeasure known, and you don't want that, trust me."

"Oh, she is well protected," Claudia replied, ignoring Ulyssa's outburst. "But there is always the danger of being caught unaware. My security didn't recognize the danger here until it was too late. I trusted Maura’s team when I should have relied on my own. Twikkii Island seems to be unsettled when Pleasantview security personnel are seen in the streets. Making the public feel secure isn't my responsibility, and in the future, I will have my security team here with me. They're here right now and so far, no one has noticed."

Ulyssa nodded curtly. She had never seen Maura disagree about Claudia's security team. If anything, having them around might benefit Twikkii Island security. Claudia had a much larger budget to work with and a loyal coven of powerful magic users.

"As long as they are discreet and willing to inform our security of their findings. I see no issue with that."

"I'm going to need ownership of a piece of the cottage," Claudia continued. "Not the entire lot, just a fraction of it. Legally. Let's say the room that is already reserved for my use. This is nonnegotiable."

Ulyssa's blood ran cold despite Claudia's pleasant smile. What would Maura say? She was always worried that Claudia might come for her throne someday. Claudia did have the stronger claim legally as the daughter of Queen Spencer’s oldest daughter. If she was going to pursue that claim, she would probably also be targeting the Strangetown throne as well, seeing as her mother had been the oldest heir of their oldest heir. Was this what was happening? Was Claudia finally making a move to conquer while Maura was fighting for her life?

Ulyssa didn't think so. She had watched Claudia and Maura together over the years and Claudia seemed to earnestly care about Maura. Besides, if this really was a coup on Claudia's part, it was far too clumsy and ineffective. If Claudia really was planning to take over the throne, Ulyssa had always imagined such an attack to be more aggressive, striking fear into the hearts of everyone in her path.

"What do you need with a small ownership on land belonging to the crown?" Ulyssa asked, trying not to show weakness. She had no idea how successful she was.

"For your protection. For my protection. I'll explain it to Maura when she's back in charge. For now, you can get the paperwork started. I'll have one of my lawyers meet with your representative tomorrow. After everything I've done for Twikkii Island over the years, I'd expect it as a gift, but unfortunately, money needs to be exchanged. A single simoleon will do to make the transfer legal."

"You want to buy part of the land owned by the crown for a simoleon?" Ulyssa repeated, blown away by the sheer audacity of the Pleasantview queen. "Maura would never agree to that! No one would!"

Claudia smiled.

"Maura will. It's such a small ask after all I've done for her. For all I'm going to do in the future."

"Think on it," Claudia said, rising from her seat. "I'll have my lawyer visit tomorrow around noon. Give Maura my best. I think she's going to like my special project. Oh, and congratulations on your new daughter. Be sure to let me know what her name is, and I'll send a gift."

Ulyssa struggled to keep her composure. It would be so rewarding to flip Claudia off, but Ulyssa was half convinced that the woman had eyes in the back of her head. Claudia was the last person Ulyssa needed to piss off at the moment, so her hands remained firmly in her lap.

When she was confident that Claudia had left, Ulyssa rose from her throne and signaled to a royal guard that she was ending court early. This merited some deeper thoughts on the matter. Snuggling with her children while reading what little the Twikkii Island monarchy had on Claudia was probably much closer to what Maura would want than thanking wellwishers for their sympathy. Twikkii Island wasn't going to fall for Claudia's scheme on Ulyssa's watch.

[arkhelios-gameplay]

"I gather that you were not interested in attempting to resurrect him again?" Ewan asked.

Edana gritted her teeth. "Absolutely not," she said.

"Resurrecting him with demon magic may not succeed," Ewan agreed. "However, if we attempt to resurrect him using non-demonic magic-"

[arkhelios-gameplay]

"Cain Helios...?" she reminded him gently.

"Right," Ewan said, looking down at a spellbook. "This is demon magic, so I might not have been the best person to turn to..."

I'll die before I ever ask a demon for help, Edana thought, but she didn't say so out loud. "My daughter was involved," she said instead. And if a teenager can comprehend this magic, so can you, she was tempted to add. However, with the glares and glances Ewan and Anna kept shooting at each other, and Edana's husband being a major factor in their broken marriage, she realized rocking the boat, even as a joke, would lower her chances of ever saving Cain Helios' soul, and her daughter's mind, significantly.

[arkhelios-gameplay]

Suddenly, Ewan woke up from his thoughts. "What- Oh, I apologize, my mind drifted for a moment."

Edana nodded slowly. Most likely he had been fantasizing about various ways to murder Edana's husband, Ewan Traver.

Her husband had an... unfortunate tendency to begin love affairs outside of their marriage. Edana didn't mind, so long as he avoided scandal.

Of course, he never avoided scandal, and had decided that having sex with Anna Goldman, while her husband was in the other room, was a brilliant idea. "Ewan cheated on her with Miruna Maricourt first," her husband had said, as if that made it all right.

Then Anna had given birth to a baby boy named Hendrik. Lab results went in, and lab results came out - the wrong Ewan was the father. Their divorce shocked everyone who weren't aware of Edana's husband's most recent indiscretion.

Now here they were. Trying to discuss magic with a giant elephant in the room.