#i was possessed by this image of the reverse god of prophecy

[sxaymz217]

Huh, its like reverse Apollo.

So I guess its Epimetheus.

Hindsight but still just as devastating, if a little lamer lol.

I think whoever named worcestershire sauce that should have the worst tummy hurty ever

[rebeltheanomaly]

Roughdraft/Notes on Grieftale Act 1 Part 3

Papyrus turns around and spots you. "AH! HUMAN! DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE SPIKES, THEY'LL GO DOWN WHEN YOU SOLVE MY PUZZLE!" he grumbles to himself "THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN GET PEOPLE TO SOLVE THEM" then he perks up "REALLY? YOU HAVE A PUZZLE? HAVE I FINALLY MET SOMEONE AS PASSIONATE AS ME?" *Grins* The manufacturer doesn't need it, the buyer doesn't want it, and the user doesn't know he's using it. What is it? "OH! I KNOW THIS ONE! SANS TOLD IT TO ME WHEN HE WAS FEELING MORE LAZY THAN USUAL! IT'S A TOMB! *his grin falters a tiny bit, just to the point that it looks like a condescending smirk* Here's another one, would you rather know the date or cause of your death?* "HMM I DON'T KNOW THIS ONE..." He bends over and rubs his chin and he tries to think. 

*Asks another disturbing question* Would you rather murder 3 innocent children or 3 of your closest friends? "I- I WOULD NEVER MURDER ANYONE! THE ANSWER IS NO ONE!" Papyrus cries. "THERE'S ALWAYS ANOTHER WAY! *smile falters, but is internally laughing like a maniac at what is in his eyes, a "Pathetically Naive Idiotic Child who doesn't see the world for what it is", he makes his face one of concern to mask his true intentions* Oh, i'm sorry... I just... Tend to dwell on those things.... Being through what i've been through will do that to you.. Papyrus looks concerned... then perks up. "HERE! SOLVE MY PUZZLE! IT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER! THEN WHEN THE SPIKES ARE DOWN I CAN GIVE YOU A BIG HUG!!" Ok...*looks around at the puzzle, strategizing, then completing it with ease* "YAY! YOU'RE SO GOOD AT PUZZLES!!" He exclaims, pulling you into a hug. "YOU MUST CARE ABOUT PUZZLES LIKE ME! YOU'LL LIKE NEXT NEXT ONE EVEN MORE!!" He runs off, even floating off the ground, and you see sans a little up ahead, waiting for you apprehensively *Sans senses the demon still in control, and can feel it's aura, it's nothing like Chara or any other fiend he's had to deal with....* Sans feels for the knife in his pocket, gripping it tightly. he stares wearily at you but doesn't make a move, since his brother is still alright. "Hey kid... about what you were trying to do earlier..." he can't seem to bring himself to make eye contact. "nevermind. good job on the puzzle. go on, my brother is waiting for you. just... don't try anything you might regret, okay?" *Grins* The other kid will regret.... *he then walks off* sans's eyes go dark and he tenses, holding himself back. "Calm down sans." he thinks to himself. "They haven't done anything yet. You made a PROMISE." *He runs along, tripping on an icecap "hey, watch the hat!" icecap snaps. "i mean, what hat? i don't have a hat." *grins and runs off with his hat, leading him on a chase* "H-hey! i need that to look cool!" i cries, chasing you up the hill *grins evilly* Have it your way then... *throws it and... basically cuts his head off, like that one guy from Mortal Kombat...... FATALITY!! he turns to dust, his body first, then his head with a shocked expression that says "the ironyyyy" you're now at the top of the hill, and you can see that to safely cross the ice you need to solve another puzzle *goes on, sees the nice cream guy's stall* He looks over at you enthusiastically. "Hey there! Care for some nice cream? It's the frozen treat that warms your heart. I started my own business! See-- every nice cream has a nice message inside the wrapping!" he pulls one out and offers it to you *the gelato suddenly melts and pools at his feet, way more then what's possible, to the point that he's standing in a puddle of it. Suddenly, a giant hand comes out of the puddle and crushes NCR (Fallout joke) guy in it's fists. Lucian looks upon the gorified rabbit creature and sniggers* Guess it's not just revenge that's best served cold... (Insert CSI "Yeaaaahhh!" here) nice cream guy gurgles, his blood turning to dust. he looks down at you with tears in his eyes as his head disappears. You see a fork in the path, the right leading down a hill where you can see sans standing at the bottom, not noticing you. L:*grins, then grimaces, he felt an unpleasant sensation as his skin touched a certain kind of metal, which is picked up by one of Alphys's cameras.... (FORESHADOWING HIS WEAKNESS) He growls and takes whichever path leads to a dead end, scowling to Sans's amusement, though he doesn't know the true extent of his evil yet, he at least knows it's taking control of the kid's body, and that's never a good sign* you find another door to the ruins, with mushrooms in the front. on your way out you find a deer-looking creature, adorned to his dismay with christmas decorations *Ignores it at first, he then takes a vial of blood out of his pocket and rubs it on the burn, soothing it* the deer notices and grimaces (or is that just its face) "that's disgusting." it says. Sans looks over to you, curious. "SANS WHY ARE YOU NEVER WHERE I NEED YOU TO BE" you hear from up the hill. Sans looks up and disappears, leaving you with the deer. (Grins and splashes the rest of the bottle in the deer's face) The deer groans in disgust, rubbing their face in the snow *He finds the decorations become incredibly heavy* the deer is unable to lift their head from the snow, they start to suffocate and struggle, kicking wildly until they run out of breath and energy T^T (The child's leg suddenly turns into a talon as it crushes the Deer's head in with it, grinning) It's so annoying i can only show parts of my true form while i'm stuck in this hideous body... *His leg changes back* But atleast i'm making good progress.. you peer into the cracks in the walls and spot eyes, upon further inspection an entire family of deer are stuck in the ruins, they watch with bloodshot eyes, seeing through you, as if they've stared outside for so long they've lost touch with reality *Looks at them, kinda liking their appearance* Hehe.. *pulls out his Bladed gloves he got from the box, grinning madly* *He lunges at them, ripping one clean in half* (Meanwhile, Alphys discovers an archive on the last creature that had a Crimson soul) Computer: A soul of true evil, those who possess this soul come to spread suffering, madness, chaos and misery. They gain incredible power, and if they manage to kill everything that opposes them they can even destroy the world and remake in their own twisted image. The last one with a Crimson soul comes from prehistoric accounts, when monsters were in their dark ages, for humans hadn't yet came into existence. The Crimson Devil caused several disasters and countless fatalities that happened before earth’s continents were separated. *She sees truly terrifying images, which seem to be artist's interpretations of the event... she has too warn them* Lab:*Alphys's Lab A.I. responds to the words from the computer* So, is it ok to start panicking? "oh my g-goodness, o-oh my!" she gasps, watching the (dog army?) get ripped limb from limb. "this... this is what the files were talking about! i h-have to warn everyone!" she fumbles with her phone, dialing undyne or asgore or anybody that could help. Lab A.I.: Wait.. *rewinds it a little bit, seeing Lucian burn himself on that metal* Do you see that? "Th-this could change everything! I c-can save everyone! oh my gosh, I have to investigate!!" Lab:*scans it* Platinum... Maybe you should look at the archives for the Platinum soul… She scurries to the opposite wall (not visible in the game), which is lined with shelves covered in books. She begins scanning for a book relating to human souls or platinum. The Crimson, unyielding Malice, The Charcoal, Unending despair, and the Platinum, Undying hope... The Crimson will rise and bring utter cataclysm to the world, having learned from it's past mistakes, it will target the one who is destined for the weapon that last took its power. After taking the the body, it will suppress the soul until it is weakened enough to take the body of them, then will challenge the most powerful being that it hasn't yet destroyed, _S__E_ __E___R All will seem hopeless, until the Platinum, along with the Crimson's victims, will all empower the being, now godlike. Even for all the power it has gained, it will fall back to lick its wounds, but not before inflicting the Platinum with an utterly despairing melady The Platinum will turn Charcoal, and even though most of the damage has been reversed, the destined one's family will still be dead by their hand. They will only be saved when the following has been achieved: "The Angel will fall upon belief he is a demon His newfound comrades will cause him to rediscover meaning in his life A black weight will lift on his shining heart And so the new age will begin" i’ll call undyne and we can both support the charcoal soul so it can become platinum again! Lab: Are you really willing to take that chance? Alphys, this isn't some Anime you watch, this is real life, i mean that Prophecy could be only partially true, i mean, this was back when Monsters still believed in Gods for Science sake. (Atheist humor) “monsters will believe again after asgore becomes one, just like i believe in this human!! undyne is going to help too, i just know it!” she dials and explains the situation to undyne, who immediately interrupts her with “WHAT? THERE’S A HUMAN?? WHERE?” Lab:*lets out a long groan* Welp, we're screwed... alphys: oh hush, look we can see the platinum soul in action!! L:*is ambush comedied by Snowdrake* "M.. m.. macaroni and freeze! You gotta chill out, man, or i'll fight you in cold blood!" You slash him across the face. "You're not funny." "THIS won't be funny either!" He cries, sending crescent blades at you, which you dodge effectively, except you slip on the ice a little and take a small cut in the neck. You growl. "Is your flesh rotten as you?" he heckles, continuing to attack you. You dodge more easily this time and get close, smirking. "..heh." You say, staring him right in the eyes. "What are YOU laughin' at?!?" Snowdrake barks, pretending not to be upset. You wanna hear the biggest joke of all? (Incoming Joker reference) "i bet it won't be better than mine." he utters with false bravado *Proceeds to insert nihilism into his head* Everything! All you creatures have ever valued or worked for.. I't all ends... So why care about anything? When everything burns... *grins sadistically as his words worm their way into his mind* One day, you and everything you care about will be gone, and no one will remember it... Life is but a successful virus clinging to a speck of mud suspended in endless nothing... They struggle to make a retort, and slink away utterly crushed… *Grins and manifests his newfound despair as endless jokes playing in his head, constantly reminding him of how pointless everything is, he eventually can't take it anymore...* snowdrake bursts into tears, wiping them away uselessly with his wings. he approaches the river... and just keeps walking until he falls in "as if by accident". in his head he thinks "i guess i walked into that one... ugh that was terrible." he lets himself sink to the bottom, letting out all the air in his chest. (grins and walks on, finding the snowman) Lab: YOU SEE alphys: he was just being rude, he didn't kill him! he just walked off!) "hello traveler! i wish i could see the world like you... please, take a piece of my snow, so that i can?" Lab: I picked up something from that, he was using despair fields to manipulate his emotions... And don't tell me that grin doesn't just scream "Sadistic Psychopath" to you. L: *grins and melts him with Crimson energy, kicks him into the lake, and walks away, he doesn't see the thing rising out of the lake behind him Alphys: What happened to that snowman??? Lab: the negativity magic he radiates... it could have merged with his snow. when he hit the water it froze around him. Lucian:*turns around and grins* This should be interesting.. the ice golem trudges out of the water, its yells incoherent, though if you concentrated you think it might be saying "betrayed" It sends a shower of ice shards down at you *His body lights up in flames of Hatred, then jumping into the golem* your searing heat melts straight through it, leaving a gaping hole in the middle. In the middle hole is a very small, broken soul, which turns to dust. The golem shudders, and turns into water, dousing the area. (grins at his work, he walks on, once again seeing the damned flower) I suppose you want to die too weed? Flowey looks almost intimidated. he's not doing a good job of hiding his nervousness. "unlikely, you overpowered idiot. I'm the prince of this world's future, and you'll get what's coming to you." (he ends up trying to fight back, which happens several times btw) (L guffaws) Goat boy, you had your chance long ago… Flowey starts to grow taller and taller, yet still staying proportional. His face turns dark and twisted. "Now's fine, you idiot" (L's host gains claws, wings, a scorpion-esque tail, and horns) Hehe, you pathetic creatures are all the same... Either too dumb to live, or too weak to fight… Flowey's vines strike the ground like spears, which you dodge successfully, but you get slashed across the arm (not too serious) by one of the last ones. "If it's dumb but it works then it's not dumb, trashbag." flowey says, grinning. (grins) The more damage you do to me, the stronger I become... (tail slashes him) “What? That doesn’t even make sense, you’re just saying that to look cool.” flowey retorts, curving his body away from the tail and sending a shower of pellets Then let me show you... (he realizes attacks that are supposed to do damage only give him more Hp, Atk, and Def.) "What the hell?! HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT?!?" He attacks you with all he has (he pins him to the ground, and stares into his eyes) You clearly don't realize what you're up against! "I..." shit! he thinks. I have to get away! he shrinks at an unexpected rate, weakening your hold of him. He wriggles back into the ground. "don't think this is over, barf brains." he heads for alphys' lab. (he grins and wanders on, wondering if there's any more monsters on the way to snowdin) You approach the bridge, Papyrus and sans waiting on the other side. "HUMAN! THIS IS YOUR FINAL AND MOST DANGEROUS CHALLENGE! BEHOLD! THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!" Deadly objects pop out of a wooden structure above and below the bridge. "WHEN I SAY THE WORD, IT WILL FULLY ACTIVATE! ONLY THE TINIEST CHANCE OF VICTORY WILL REMAIN! ARE YOU READY? BECAUSE! I! AM! ABOUT! TO DO IT!" L: Go ahead.... "well? What's the holdup?" sans asks his bro. "HOLDUP? WHAT HOLDUP? I'M... I'M ABOUT TO ACTIVATE IT NOW!" "that uh... doesn't look very activated." "WELL... THIS CHALLENGE SEEMS... MAYBE TOO EASY FOR THE HUMAN TO DEFEAT. YEAH! WE CAN'T USE THIS ONE! I AM A SKELETON WITH STANDARDS! THIS METHOD IS TOO DIRECT! NO CLASS! AWAY IT GOES" The deadly devices retract into their positions, and papyrus sighs with relief. he runs off, and sans smiles at you awkwardly. "Well... I don't know what my brother is going to do now. Thanks for playing along, i really appreciate it. Just make sure you understand blue attacks, and you'll be fine." (Grins at him, and references his conflict with gaster) I wonder how your father would react..... Knowing you don't even try to save him.... Sans stiffens, his eyes wide and shocked. He rests his hand against his skull, thinking hard with a manic expression. "k-kid... how do you know about gaster?" (he chuckles) You'll know soon enough... (he walks into snowdin, no one seems to have evacuated yet) Sans watches you walk away, unsettled and shaken. He chuckles nervously, grabbing bunches of his sweater in his fists to keep them from shaking. "Heheh... that's right... they probably learned about him in a reset..." He lets go of his sweater, but his hands are still shaking, so he stuffs them into his pockets. His finger brushes against the cold surface of the knife he confiscated. He thinks to himself "I don't remember a reset where they faced gaster... Jeez, I don't have the energy to deal with this right now." He teleports to the entrance of the ruins, sitting down, looking exhausted from the stress. He knocks on the door without thinking. "Knock kno-" his eyes settle on the slight color difference between the snow and toriel's dust in front of him, and his soul squeezes painfully in his chest. He pulls his hood over his head and brings his knees to his chest, burying his head in them to keep warm. he thinks: "The kid's creepy, there's no denying it, but they've been okay so far. They looked genuinely scared and confused when tori-- It couldn't have been them. It had to be a mistake. In any case, they're good to Pap. I'm sure Papyrus will have fun with them... I have time. I'm just... so tired." His eyes close and he drifts to sleep. (explaining why he doesn't save papyrus) (he looks at all the people, he steps inside grillby's, which has no one but a certain fiery bartender at the moment...) His eyes narrow and he stops cleaning his glass. "I'm sorry, we've just closed." (he grins) Then I'll just take my order and leave... (gazes at him) Grillby stares back without any hint of emotion, clearly waiting for you to order. You can sense he's on edge, but nothing he does gives it away. *He grins and slashes at him* Your life. Grillby sort of expected this based on your behavior, so he dodges quickly and throws his glass at you. You dodge as well, but cause a large enough racket that the bear outside walks in. "hey what's goin' on in here? As mayor i need to know!"

[fishdavidson]

(BELATED!) Dream Journal 2019-07-10: Sort of Like Good Omens, But With Superheroes And Loud Farts

Good news, everyone! So far the new medication is not affecting dreams! However, I didn’t end up posting last night because I played Electronic Super Joy and AudioSurf 2 (purchased in the most recent Steam sale) until it was too late for me to write anything substantial before going to bed. But now that I have steeled my resolve to not play any more computer games until I have caught up on my writing, I’m finally getting around to posting some high-quality content.

This dream in particular was an almost perfectly coherent narrative without doing any editing, and it was a pretty cool story, too. And the best part is that it even had a semi-plausible and self-consistent mythology. So let’s get to narratin’!

It is mere days before the end of the world, but everyday life looks pretty similar to how it looks today. Except there were a handful of superheroes that the general public knew about who were trying to keep the world safe from various threats. These superheroes were more like Iron Man than Superman, in that they were regular mortal people that happened to own super-suits and fantastic technology.

An unnamed detective with an interest in historical archaeology is trying to solve a case where some expensive Vera Wang ceramics were stolen. She finds the plates in a disused janitor’s closet in an apartment building, and the only person who had access to that closet claims the plates were counterfeit items purchased at a dollar store. Either way, the plates got confiscated as evidence and the detective went home for the evening.

Later that night, the detective is contacted by a superhero who is basically Arthur from Amazon’s version of The Tick. Arthur has discovered something written in an ancient language that he believes may herald the impending end of the world. The detective translates it, and she confirms it has some bearing on an ancient prophecy about the battle for the end of the world.

It postulates that Adam and Eve were forbidden from ever entering the Garden of Eden again, but Adam will one day be reborn and use powerful magic to unmake the world as we know it and reshape it into a new Eden that Adam and Eve will live in to spite God. Yes, my asleep mind actually came up with this. But it gets even better!

Adam has come into our world already and reached adulthood. His mighty powers begin to manifest, but they are not quite as strong as God’s powers of creation. In order to achieve omniscience, Adam has only a scant handful of days to accomplish several large tasks:

Sing the Song of Creation, which had long since been lost to time

Find the Letters of Creation, which were a set of love letters written between Adam and Lilith.

Summon Eve into the world

Move all the land into one big supercontinent that shall become Eden.

You might think that it is nearly impossible to reconstruct a song that has been lost for thousands of years and was never written down, and you’d be right. Unfortunately, Adam realized that he can just pick a song and use his semi-divine powers to declare it to be the new Song of Creation. His choice is a little too on-the-nose, and he chooses “The Circle of Life” from The Lion King soundtrack.

This is where I, Fish Davidson, enter the picture. It’s also one of the few points in the dream that aren’t as narratively consistent. Somehow I have managed to acquire five of the twelve known Letters of Creation. Twelve letters? SUBCONSCIOUS SYMBOLISM, I SAY!

I meet up with Adam in the service corridor of a shopping mall. Adam wants to negotiate for possession of the letters. Why he doesn’t smite me on the spot at this moment is beyond me, but I have brought the letters in a ziploc bag and I am prepared to do stupid and reckless things to prevent the end of the world.

I have not come to negotiate. I am just here to stall for time.

Adam starts singing “The Circle of Life,” and it is filled with majesty and divine power. It is hard to resist singing along, so I do the only thing I can think of: yank the letters out of the bag and start literally eating them. Apparently reading the letters aloud was the key to bringing Even into this world, which would allow the newly-reunited power-couple to work even faster. But I put the kibosh on that plan by gnawing on that ancient parchment like a cow on grass-flavored methamphetamine. You can’t read the letters if they are impossibly shredded by the gnashing of teeth.

Meanwhile, Arthur has reverse-engineered something called the Engine of Creation with the help of the detective’s impressive knowledge of history. The Engine is an apocryphal golem that looks like a large clay urn with dog legs that God supposedly used to create land and vegetation in the beginning. It requires the power of a true god to work at full capacity, but Arthur is reasonably confident that it will still work (albeit less efficiently) with some big batteries and a bit of ingenuity.

Adam has already begun moving big chunks of land toward Africa. Most of South America is now underwater, traveling like a jet plane under the sea toward the western coast of Africa. By the end of the day, South America, Africa, and Australia will be one big continent.

Arthur has is charging every battery he can get his hands on, and has even sacrificed the nuclear reactor in his flying super-suit to power the Engine of Creation (codenamed Seedy) in an attempt to make more land for the displaced people of South America.

Seedy gets powered up and runs around like a playful puppy for a moment before it lowers itself to the ground and starts shaking. If God was there to give Seedy some extra power, it would be spraying industrial quantities of dirt and trees everywhere. But on battery power, all Seedy can manage to produce is a loud 10-second long fart and a single turnip.

In more traditional narratives, this would be the place where all hope seems lost. Adam has far more power by himself than we could ever muster on our own. But between Arthur activating Seedy and me eating the Letters of Creation, God got angry enough to come back Old-Testament style and smite Adam with an adequate amount of force to destroy him forever.

Humanity, you’re welcome.

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

Header image is Adam and Eve expelled from Eden by an angel. Etching by H. Winstanley after G. Reni, 1728.

[kaibagirl007]

Come Undone 4/6

( the fourth part of a mini side-fic series to accompany my RP with @dragontamer05 )

During the couple of weeks since agreeing to their truce, Seto’s days had been spent on his own between worlds whilst he continued to monitor his descendant’s irrational and fluctuating mood via their spiritual link. It wasn’t ideal, but after having realised that his constant presence and persistence only made Kaiba more reluctant,- and disposition and health worse,- he had hoped that the timeout might help the other reclaim some stability and develop a more optimistic frame of mind that would work for them both.

Nothing was altered though, but a small success came when a positive mood change was sensed with no trace of narcotics in use. Was this it? Had his descendant finally heeded some of the advice so many had offered which had been rejected until now? Something had certainly lifted the other’s spirit and he was curious to find out what…

The screeching and screaming sound of what Seto had once been told was ‘music’, filled the cockpit of the dragon jet as his ghostly form materialised in the seat behind the pilot. He peered out at the view beyond the cockpit and groaned as the aircraft looped, causing him to feel queasy. ‘Be thankful I do not possess a physical form’

“You’re not a fan of flying I see.” Kaiba quipped back in amusement as he turned down the sound of the symphonic metal band he’d been listening to. He kept calm as he refused to let the other’s appearance ruin his last remaining pleasure and the good mood flying in his jet gave him. Besides, he was,- rather surprisingly,- starting to miss human interaction these past few days and secretly welcomed the company.

‘If man were meant to fly, Ra would have bestowed us all with wings.’ Seto responded as he timidly glanced down at the earth below them. ‘How can anyone possibly find this enjoyable?’

“Heh, I thought you’d be used to looking down on the world from the afterlife.”

‘Sometimes your ignorance is astounding.’

“Oh, I’m the ignorant one?” Kaiba scoffed. What the hell had he said to offend this time? “That’s rich coming from someone obstinate gaijin who expects his outdated gods, rituals and beliefs to still be relevant thousands of years later, and on a world-wide scale!”

Both exchanged annoyed looks towards each other via a small angled mirror that allowed the pilot to see his passenger behind him.

“I never asked for you to be here, so leave if you so greatly disapprove… But if you choose to remain, don’t preach to me about the past. All that destiny bullshit you’ve been spewing is nothing but just that; bullshit.”

‘Unfortunately for you, it is all true.’ Seto kept his cool as he spoke, though he was gravely disappointed with the attitude that had failed to alter at all in his absence. Maybe if he tackled things from a different angle he’d have a better response? ‘Anyway, I am beginning to doubt if you are even the slightest bit deserving of Kisara.’

“Reverse psychology isn’t going to work on me.” Kaiba smirked as he flew his jet higher. Had the other just tried to play on his ego and expected him to argue his self-worth? Someone really hadn’t been paying attention over these last six months or so. He wasn’t worthy, not after what he’d done.

Silence filled the cockpit as the current track playing came to an end and neither of them spoke during that void. For a moment, Kaiba considered turning his music off altogether before changing his mind as the next track started. He wasn’t listening to it though as his mind focused elsewhere. “Why me? What is it that makes you so strongly believe I’m ‘destined’ to be with Kisara?”

The pharoah’s bait had been taken as his descendant now willingly sought information. ‘That would be my doing.’ Armed with the knowledge that the other had witnessed certain events of ancient Egypt due to the powers of the Millennium Items, Seto’s eyes stared out from the small mirror as he began his explanation. ‘During the days that followed Kisara’s death, I allowed my heart to overrule my head and sought the gods help to free both her Ba and Ka from the stone tablet she had been imprisoned in. It was a decision that divided my council, but as the newly appointed pharaoh, my judgement was final. And so, with Mana’s help, she and I conducted a ritual that made it possible for direct contact with the gods where I attempted to bargain with them many times, each to no avail..’

As Seto paused for a brief moment, Kaiba’s quick glance at the mirror saw eyes glazed in the memories that were now being recalled. Eyes that were far older,- and presumably wiser?,- than any he’d ever seen. There was also a sense of sorrow that seemed to run far deeper than that felt for a woman whom the other had barely known.

‘Lucky for me, my persistence had not gone unnoticed and drew Osiris’ attention. It was him who came to me and made the proposal I would accept.’

“And what proposal would that be?”

‘I was told Kisara would one day be reborn many years from then.’ Seto felt pleased that some kind of progress was being made by the other finally hearing him out. ‘That she and my descendant would meet, perform a ‘union of souls’, and her Ba free to move on into the afterlife once their time together was over.’

Despite what had been said, Kaiba still remained sceptical. Was he seriously supposed to believe that him wedding Kisara was the solution to everything? “If that’s one part of her soul, then what will happen to the other?”

‘Her Ka,- the Blue Eyes White Dragon,- is as immortal as the gods themselves and will remain anchored to the stone tablet. However, she would become free to roam as she pleases. Currently she is tied to the stone tablet, Kisara and your deck. There was another territory for her too, which I believe you destroyed with your own hands.’

“I did no such thing!”

Seto remained calm as a defensive flare in the other’s mood was felt. Even so, he ventured, ‘Are you sure?’

Kaiba felt his breath catch in his throat. Could it be possible that the incident where he had torn the fourth Blue Eyes White Dragon card is what was being spoken of? Is that what was considered territory for the Ka to roam? No, it couldn’t be. If it was, then that would only add weight to the whole ‘destiny’ bullshit… This is all just inside my head, NONE of this is real, it never has been! I’m experiencing a mental breakdown-

‘This is not breakdown, Seto. You are my descendant and destined to be with Kisara. Her love still burns for you, as yours does for her. Stop hating on yourself and fix things!’

Eyes narrowed at the face staring back at him in the mirror. “Heh, there’s contradiction in your words. Either I fix things or leave it to destiny; which is it?”

‘Destiny made you in my image, bestowed my name on you, and amplified far too many of my negative traits in your personality.’ Seto could feel the other in the early stages of shutting down and did his best to remain calm as he spoke. ‘Not only that, but destiny entrusted Kisara’s Ba to the pregnant archeologist who helped uncover the Blue Eyes’ stone tablet. Destiny then brought you both together in a fateful encounter where you unexplainably fell for each other at first sight. The rest-‘

“Is down to me? Pfft, your prophecy turned out to be a dud. If I were you, I’d ask for a refund.” The jet’s controls made a crunching sound as Kaiba forced the levers and control stick so that the jet performed a twisting u-turn and begin the return journey to the island retreat he owned where he had been staying the last few days to avoid his brother’s surveillance.

The jet’s manoeuvre,- something he sensed had been done on purpose just to spite him,- made Seto queasy and prompted an angry burst. ‘I have not spent three thousand years in solitude just to watch you defy destiny!’

“Three thousand years in solitude? Heh, and people have the nerve to call me antisocial.”

‘Forfeiting my place in the afterlife was the price I paid to Osiris. I cannot move on from my solitary limbo until Kisara is free.’

“Then more fool you.”

‘Grr!’ Seto grit his teeth in frustration. He couldn’t take this much longer and was losing his patience. ‘If you love her as much as you claim you do, you WOULD NOT want for her to be trapped for all eternity!’

“DO NOT blame this on me!” Kaiba was fed up of being accused of predecessor shit he’d had no part of and certainly wasn’t going to foot the blame for something that had happened thousands of years ago. “If you had loved Kisara at all then you wouldn’t have let her die like she did!”

‘I did not foresee, nor could I have prevented what transpired. But I loved her, as was evident by my actions-‘

“Mhmm, you loved her sooo much that you went on to copulate with other women.”

‘YOU are one to talk!’ Seto growled furiously as he stared at his descendant’s reflection. ‘As pharaoh I had an OBLIGATION to find a queen and father an heir. It was NOT because I felt so very little self-worth within myself!’

“Oh yeah?” Kaiba contested defensively at having had his destructive behaviour made light of. “Well, I’m sure your queen and offspring were ‘thrilled’ to be nothing more than commodities for you-“

‘HOW DARE YOU INSINUATE THAT I DO NOT LOVE MY WIFE AND CHILDREN!!’

A nerve had been touched upon, but had not brought the satisfaction Kaiba had previously hoped it would. The other’s choice to use ‘do’ as opposed to ‘did’ told him all he needed to know. Instead of gloating, he found himself concerned for his doppelgänger now struggling to conceal the grief that thousands of years of being kept apart from those he loved had caused. “This whole thing hasn’t just been about Kisara, has it? You’ve an ulterior motive too.”

The soft rumblings of heavy metal played in the background whilst Seto avoided eye contact in the mirror. There was nothing more he wanted to say. It would only be used against him in highlighting his selfishness for wanting to advance to the afterlife. Silently, he looked out amongst the clouds and saw white fluffy dunes as far as the eye could see. It wasn’t too dissimilar from the midnight sands he’d often stared out across from his bedroom window during times of contemplation. Okay, so maybe this sky view wasn’t as unpleasant as he’d first assumed.

His thoughts drifted into memories thousands of years old. Memories that any living being would have long lost the capability to recollect so vividly, yet he did each and every day: the unexpected romance that had blossomed with his wife several months into their arranged marriage; the births of all five of their children; the untimely deaths of two of them; his own death on the battlefield as he lay cradled in his eldest son’s arms, followed by his family,- and kingdom,- mourning him thereafter.

Eventually, the pharaoh swallowed his pride and confided in his descendant. ‘A wounded heart struggles to believe that it will ever love again. I bargained with Osiris before realising I would heal in due time. Not only did I fail to heed the warnings from those closest to me, I naively sacrificed everything beyond life in return for Kisara’s eventually release. There is a part of me that still loves her,- no doubt there always will be,- but I went on to find love again. Even though we’re apart, my wife and our children are where my heart truly resides. The separation from them anguishes me greatly…’

“I’m sorry.” Kaiba’s apology was unexpected but nothing short of sincere. He could not even begin to imagine what the other’s pain felt like to be parted from those he loved for thousands of years. “Had I known, I would have thought twice before acting like such a jerk.”

‘You were acting?’ Seto mocked. He withdrew his gaze from the clouds and returned it to the mirror where he saw a look of compassion awaiting him. He was amazed that it had been his own unbosoming to have broken through the other’s defences. It was progress for both of them which continued as he gave his own apology. ‘I too am sorry, for the burden that destiny-‘ he stopped and amended his choice of words, ‘-for the burden that I placed upon you.’

Hearing somebody apologise so earnestly and profoundly to him was a rarity that Kaiba had only ever experienced one,- possibly twice?,- before. Feeling a slight awkwardness descend on him as a result, his eyes wandered to the sky beyond the cockpit. “Personally, I blame the gods. They’re the ones who preyed upon your grief, toyed with you and then failed to deliver what was promised.”

‘Does your acceptance of the situation mean you will-‘

“No!” Kaiba was quick to interject. “I will not set things right with Kisara… At least, not yet.”

Seto frowned as he felt his descendant’s self-confidence clouded over once more. The absence of the emotional wall between them was a clear indication that some progress was being made, but how long was it going to take before the other rediscovered and found acceptance within himself and realised he was worthy of Kisara’s love? Weeks? Months? A year, five, maybe ten? However long it would be, he wasn’t about to abandon him during the process, though he would let things proceed at their own pace without interference from now on.

“Knowing what you do now, would you have done things differently back then and not made the deal?”

A response was momentarily mulled over before Seto gave his honest reply, ’No. Love is not an emotion that you can just turn on and off whenever you please. At times it may feel like it makes you weak but in actual fact, it fortifies and makes you stronger. I will not deny that it can sometimes seem terrifying too, but once you tame that fear, love becomes nothing short of euphoric. And in my experience, there is no greater feeling known to man than when it is reciprocated.’

Once knowing that feeling himself, Kaiba silently agreed. Having allowed his fear to get so out of control though, he doubted his actions would ever be redeemable for him to feel it again. Maybe they weren’t? “What if… you’re mistaken and I’m not the one mentioned in the prophecy?”

’There is no mistake about it,’ Seto assured in a calm and patient manner. ‘You are the last of my line.’

“You’re forgetting my brother; he and Kisara get along quite well.”

The pharaoh shook his head. ‘My descendants are by male lineage.’

“I assure you, Mokuba is all male.”

‘That fact is not what I am disputing- Oh!’ Seto’s eyes widened with realisation and surprise. ‘You genuinely don’t know.’

“Don’t know what?” Kaiba’s eyes flickered from the view outside the cockpit to the reflection in the small mirror. Why was his ancestor suddenly looking so uneasy? “Wait a minute… are you trying to say that he and I don’t share the same father?”

‘Yes. I am sorry that you found out this way.’

What?! Kaiba shook his head as his face twitched. ”No, that’s… that’s not true… Our mother, she… she wouldn’t… No! You’re wrong! DON’T LIE TO ME!!”

Seto could now sense all of the progress that had been made crumbling fast as the other’s resistance to him began to rapidly reform. ‘Regardless of who his father might be, he is still VERY MUCH your brother. Do not EVER forget that!’

Hot, confused and angry tears silently seeped from Kaiba’s now vacant stare. How was he ever meant to look at Mokuba the same from then on? A half-brother that was the end result of infidelity or rape. More tears symbolised that the remaining happiness of his past had now been well and truly obliterated. He suddenly felt very, very empty…

’Say something,’ Seto gently urged as he did his best to try and console his descendant. ’Do not keep it all in. We both know that only leads to extreme heartache.’

No response.

Aware of not much else besides the fact he was zoning out as he flew, Kaiba attempted to ground himself by focusing on the words of the track softly playing in the background:

…(Blaming it on life will never make you stronger)

BE PREPARED FOR THE CONFRONTATION…

The operatic and death metal lyrics seemed to resonate with Kaiba, like some sort of great epiphany had just occurred.  “Let’s play a little game,” he smirked as he pulled at the controls and took the jet even higher into the sky.

’A game?’ Whilst it wasn’t an unusual stance for his descendant to take when dealing with his issues, the pharaoh failed to see just how this had any connection to everything else.

“You want me to confront my fears, right? That’s what I’m doing.”

Seto made the mistake of looking down below them. ‘Holy Ra, this is EXTREMELY high up!’

Although Kaiba knew his jet was one of the most advanced out there, any higher than the 50,000ft he was now at, he’d be in danger of hypoxia; the air was already thin enough as it was. Not that it mattered, since he’d begin to descend soon enough. “I’m putting an end to this destiny bullshit once and for all.”

‘I do not understand how this-.’

“It’s quite simple. Will I hit the land/sea before the music track ends, or will I get the opportunity to pull up once the music track has ended? Destiny says I’ll live to fly another day, right?”

’That is NOT how it works!’ Seto argued in a panic. Judging from the wild look in the other’s eyes, he had very little chance of getting through to him. ‘What you are attempting to do is nothing but suicidal!’

“Oh, how easily you abandoned your faith!” Kaiba laughed. “Where’s your gods now, huh?” He cranked up the volume of the stereo just as the instrumental break led into more lyrics:

If you blame all your failures on someone else

You avoid every chance

(You've lost your last chance)

(To learn from yourself)

‘Don’t do this, Seto.’

Too late…The jet’s controls were thrust forward and it entered into a sharp nose-diving descent.

If you blame all your failures on someone else

Without any remorse

(Without your remorse)

’STOP THIS! YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO LIVE FOR!’

No response.

If you don't face the weakness of your own self

You will take the same course

(You'll take the same course)

Seto retreated into his descendant’s mind in the hope he’d be able to avert the situation from there. No such luck though as he found his route block by a fully erect wall and a sinister looking doppelgänger.

’ThIs OnE iS mY DiScIpLe NoW.’

We can't blame all our failures on someone else

FOR OUR OWN PROTECTION

(So much to protect)

’Who are you?’ Seto asked. He wasn’t the slightest bit fazed by the other’s appearance, the voice on the other hand gave him cause for concern.

’SoMeOnE yOu HaVe ChOsEn To ReNoUnCe.’ The doppelgänger’s face momentarily morphed into that of an animal which had been extinct for close to two millennia.

We can't learn from decisions in our own lives

WITHOUT SELF-REFLECTION

(We will never flee from contingency)

’NoW tAkE lEaVe, DeSeRtEr, AnD pRaY tHaT mY bRoThEr WiLl StIlL hOlD tRuE tO hIs WoRd.’ The god of chaos dematerialised through an otherwise impenetrable wall, and the pharaoh found himself banished to the realm between worlds once more.

WE WILL NEVER FLEE FROM CONTINGENCY

The track ended and the tail of the dragon jet skimmed the water’s surface as a sharp ascent was executed.

“I guess there’s actual truth to this destiny bullshit after all,” Kaiba mused aloud whilst experiencing the greatest adrenaline rush he’d ever known. He felt invincible,- no, he was invincible. Fuck everybody else, no-one was going to stop him from living life as he saw fit. TiMe FoR a PaRtY tO cElEbRaTe.

[sgapologetics]

Exponential Growth!

Throughout my Christian walk there has been one area of theology that has evolved more than any other. When I was young in the faith I went from a continuationist to a cessationist. I also went from a synergist to a monergist very early in my Christian walk. This one area though, which we know as eschatology, has evolved more than once and has went from one end of the spectrum to the other. I started as a dispensational premillenialist, then went to a somewhat form of pre-wrath premillenialist, to an amillenialist, and finally settled at a postmillenialist. Now that I'm postmil I see it all over scripture and it somewhat blows my mind that I didn't see it before. This is very similar to what happened when I became a Calvinist, I saw it everywhere. In this blog post I want to deal with a couple portions of scripture that I believe are undeniably postmillenial verses. 

First, let's go back to the old covenant. Looking at Daniel 2 with me let's focus our gaze onto verse 44, it states, "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." I think most commentaries agree that this prophecy, which is simply an interpretation of a dream, is speaking about the first advent of Christ and the coming of the Kingdom of Christ. These kingdoms that Daniel is speaking of are the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman kingdoms. There were four kingdoms and during the last kingdom (Roman) God established His Kingdom. This is exactly what this context is talking about, the establishment of the Kingdom of God. 

Notice what it says about God's Kingdom though, the text says that it will break into pieces and consume the other kingdoms and it shall stand forever! I don't know about you but if you tell me you're going to break something into pieces and consume it I don't think what is left will be that recognizable or may not even exist. In other words of you broke something into pieces and consumed it I would think that you dominated or had such an influence on whatever it was that it you controlled it. The Hebrew word for consume means to fulfill or to put an end it. Did this not happen in those kingdoms? Is Christianity still reigning today and these earthly kingdoms demolished? Yes, because God established His Kingdom and it consumed the other kingdoms and is still doing so today. 

I want you to notice something else about this interpretation of the dream. This portion of breaking into pieces and consuming is an interpretation of verse 35. Let's see what verse 35 says, "Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." Notice the last phrase, "the stone that smote the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth!" What an awesome picture of God's Kingdom subduing and consuming the Earth! I think obviously we know that to go from a stone to a great mountain means exponential growth! If we don't think so let's go throw some great mountains or maybe go try to climb a stone. The latter would be easy and the former impossible. This shows the exponential growth of the Kingdom of God. 

Our second place we'll be looking is in the New Covenant. Let's turn to Matthew 13. In this chapter Jesus is speaking in parables and coming to verses 31-33 we see two parables Jesus speaks that have the same meaning. The first one is the parable of the mustard seed and it goes as follows, "The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof." (Matt. 13:31-32) I know many people when they come to parables they try to teach all kinds of things but in parables they typically were used to teach one main truth, we are not to be hung up on every detail in them. For instance, we aren't to be arguing the size of mustard seeds or what kinds of birds is meant but we are to see the big picture. The big picture in this parable is clearly that the Kingdom of Heaven is going to grow exponentially. From a tiny seed to, in the words of Luke, "a great tree!" (Luke 13:19) It's very clear from the very words of Jesus that the Kingdom will grow exponentially. 

The second parable in this section clearly teaches this same truth. Jesus say's, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." (Matt. 13:33) Now I'm no cook by any stretch of the word and the only thing I really know about leaven is what the Bible teaches about it. The Apostle Paul say's in another portion of scripture that, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." (Gal. 5:9) So leaven starts small and consumes or grows exponentially to where the whole lump is leaven. Once again showing growth that completely makes whatever it started as to be unrecognizable. Just as the stone that turned into a great mountain, or a mustard seed that turned into a great tree, this leaven consumes the meal! This is what the Kingdom of God is like! It had small beginnings but it has and will continue to grow exponentially! Yes there may be times that it looks like the Kingdom is failing (I.e. The dark ages) but there is always a reformation! 

Let me try to tie these prophecies together. Not only does scripture clearly teach this but as we look through history we see it being fulfilled. How is it fulfilled? The answer is none other than Jesus Christ and Him being the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant. Back in Genesis 12 God said to Abraham that through him he'd bless all the families of the Earth. Then in Genesis 13 God says to Abraham, "if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered." Then in Genesis 15 God says, "Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be." Then in Genesis 17 God says He's going to make him the father of many nations. Then in Genesis 18 God says, "all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him." Finally in Genesis 22 God says, "I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore." I show all of this to take you to Galatians 3:29 where it says, "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Remember Paul was writing to Gentiles in Galatia so the fulfillment of "the promise" wasn't only for jews but all those that are in Christ! He is the fulfillment of the seed promise! By extent all those in Him, which is an innumerable amount of saints, enjoy this blessing of the Kingdom! 

Lastly, I want to see that no other eschatology can rightfully exegete these texts. Why do I say that? Well because no other eschatology sees continual growth in the Kingdom. They see a stone turning into a small mountain then turning back into a stone! They see a mustard seed start to grow into a tree then reverse back into the mustard seed! They see the Kingdom failing in this current age even though Jesus said the gates of Hell shall not prevail against us! They see the waters flowing from the temple in Ezekiel 47 come knee high then retreat! They don't see this Kingdom of God consuming the Earth in this present age! They don't ultimately see victory from the church and the spread of the gospel, they see failure! 

Now for the record, I love my brethren that hold to opposing eschatology. I think I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't because I've been there. I also don't think they are somehow less than me as a citizen of Heaven. As a matter of fact I think many of them do way more than me for the Kingdom even in the midst of thinking that it's going to fail in this age. I praise God for these people and I pray they don't stop working for the Kingdom! This was not meant to be a bash on anyone just an exalting of what I believe to be a Christ honoring doctrine. A truth that He died for and raised victorious over this world! So that when He asked of His Father for the uttermost parts of the Earth His Father will answer. 

"Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." (Psalm 2:8)

For His glory! 

[little-laboratory]

Mod Sarah is a genius

I know that this may not be fluff, but I would like the cheer up Mod Sarah from  @dragonagecompanionsreact by proving her genius! \o/

A few days ago she answered a “persona ask” and attributed majors arcanas to each character. Not everyone knows persona nor the reading of the arcanas. Mod Sarah was so spot on it’s crazy!!

So here are the definitions of the arcanas that she mentioned with both their reading (Normal position / reversed position). The definitions and picture come from my personal deck of tarot card. 

Cassandra: Justice → Represents proper Balance.

Normal position: Justice, harmony, equity, virtue, honor, virginity, just reward, good intentions, well-meaning actions, advice, self-satisfaction.

Reversed position: Vacillation, false accusation, fanatism, severity in judgment, abuse.

Iron bull: The Devil → Represents the subordinated mind

Normal position: Subordination, decay, bondage (I am not making this up! It’s in my booklet!! X”D), malevolence, weird experience, seeming inability to realize one’s goals, violence, shock, fatality, selfishment, temptation to evil, self-destruction, lack of principles.

Reversed position: Release from bondage, respite, recognition of one’s needs by another person, overcoming insurmountable handicaps.

Black Wall: The Tower → Represents the spirit facing destruction. (woooow, just WOW)

Normal position: Change in a complete and sudden manner, abandonment of past relationships, unexpected events, termination, adversity, downfall, disruption, loss of stability, loss of money, loss of love and affection, terrible change, annoyance.

Reversed position: Continued oppression, living in a rut, entrapped in an unhappy situation.

Sera: The Fool → Represents the spirit

Normal position: Folly, mania, extravagance, delirium, frenzy, insecurity, frivolity, passion, enthusiasm.

Reversed position: Negligence, absence, bad decision, indecision, apathy.

Cole: The Star → Represents the spirit of hope and faith

Normal position: Faith, inspiration, bright prospects, mixing of the past and present, fulfillment, pleasure, promising opportunity.

Reversed position: Unfulfilled hopes, disappointment, lack of opportunity, stubbornness. (feel the lower approval Cole!!)

Varric: The Sun → Represents the peace of mind

Normal position: Satisfaction, accomplishment, contentment, success, favorable relationship, love, joy, devotion, unselfish sentiment, engagement, favorable omen, a good friend, high spirit, warmth, sincerity, achievement in the arts ( his books!).

Reversed position: Unhappiness, loneliness, cancelled plans, clouded future, lack of friendship.

Solas: The Moon → Represents the spirit of inspiration (this is harsh to Solas but sooooo on spot)

Normal position: Deception, twilight, obscurity, trickery, caution, warning, bad influence, ulterior motives, selfishness, slyness, false promise, disgrace, slander, liable, being taken advantage of, failure to avoid the dangers which surround, danger.

Reversed position: A minor deception recognized before damage is done, trifling mistake, overcoming bad temptations, taking advantage of someone.

Vivienne: The Empress → Represents fertility as a result from intuition

Normal position: Feminine progress, action, fertility, material wealth, mother, sister, wife, marriage, children, feminine influence, wealth, punishment, profusion, capable of motivating others, a leader business woman, level headed, practical, decisive, intuitive.

Reversed position: Vacillation, inaction, lack of concentration, anxiety, frittering away of resources, infertility, infidelity, loss of material possessions.

Dorian: The magician → Represents will power (don’t doubt yourself Sarah! You got this one spot on! Better than the emperor ;)

Normal position: Skill, diplomacy, self-confidence, flexibility, domination, strategy.

Reversed position: Weakness of will, ineptitude, insecurity, delay, willpower applied to evil ends, indecision.

Lelianna: Death → Represents the spirit of transformation (so many people think this is a bad card, you’re right, It ain’t ;)

Normal position: Unexpected change, loss, failure, the ending of familiar situation or friendship, loss of income or financial security, illness, possibly even death.

Reversed position: Stigmatism, immortality, slow changes, partial change, avoidance of serious accident, inertia.

Cullen: The Chariot → Represents the triumph of the mind (God damn you’re good *w*)

Normal position: Adversity, possibly already overcome, conflicting influence, tur moil, vengeance, success, escape, fleeing from reality, perplexity, need for supervision (like remember him asking Cassandra to boot him out if he has unfit for duty? Tada)

Reversed position: Unhappiness, defeat, failure, conquered, overwhelmed. (lyriiiiiiiummm)

Josephine: Temperance → Represents self-control of the mind.

Normal position: Moderation, patience, accommodation, harmony, management, compatibility, fusion, good influence, consolidation, mother image (again, not making this up xD), father image, worldly image, exuding confidence and complicity, fortunate omen.

Reversed position: Discord, conflict, hostility, impatience sterility, frustration.

Krem: Strength → Represents the eternal spirit, able to overcome obstacles. (YES!!)

Normal position: strength, courage, conviction, energy, determination, defiance, action, fortitude, innate ability, zeal, fervor, attainment at considerable peril, conquest, heroism, virility (HA!) resolution, physical abilities

Reversed position: Weakness, pettiness, sickness, tyranny, lack of faith, impotency

Harding: The Hanged man → Represents the spirit of renunciation and sacrifice. (why not? : ) )

Normal position: Life in suspension, transition, apathy and dullness, boredom, abandonment, sacrifice, repentance, readjustment, regeneration, improvement, surrender.

Reversed position: Lack of sacrifice, failure to give of one’s self, preoccupation with the ego, false prophecy, useless sacrifice.

Dagna: The Hermit → Represents the guiding spirit.

Normal position: Counsel, knowledge, solicitude, prudence, caution, resignation, withdrawal, misguided, failure to face facts, possessor of secrets.

Reversed position: Imprudence, incorrect advice, immaturity, rashness, confusion.

Jim: Judgment → Represents the spirit of cosmic conscience (not making it up!! I swear!! This is hilarious!)

Normal position: Atonement, judgment, the possibility that present conduct toward other people is unfair and unkind, rejuvenation, promotion, the desire for immortality (ya don’t say Jimmy boy XD), the possibility exists that someone is taking unfair advantage of you and will be sorry in the future (watch out! Don’t mess with him!), legal judgment in one’s favor.

Reversed position: Delay, aversion, incapacity to understand the facts, indecision, divorce, theft, alienation of affection.

SEE! She how brilliant she is!! With her associations I could do a dissertation by pulling apart these definitions. But I think I might bore a lot of people x””)

So cheer up Mod Sarah. You’re a great person with a beautiful mind. Hang in there \o/

[almighty-god-saved-me-blog]

The Lord Jesus said that He will return, and what will be the manner of His return?

The Answer from God’s Word:

For several thousand years, man has longed to be able to witness the arrival of the Savior. Man has longed to behold Jesus the Savior on a white cloud as He descends, in person, among those who have pined and yearned for Him for thousands of years. Man has longed for the Savior to return and be reunited with the people, that is, for Jesus the Savior to come back to the people from whom He has been apart for thousands of years. And man hopes that He will once again carry out the work of redemption that He did among the Jews, will be compassionate and loving toward man, will forgive the sins of man, bear the sins of man, and even bear all of man’s transgressions and deliver man from sin. They long for Jesus the Savior to be the same as before—a Savior who is lovable, amiable and venerable, who is never wrathful toward man, and who never reproaches man. This Savior forgives and bears all of man’s sins, and even dies upon the cross for man once more. Since Jesus departed, the disciples who followed Him, and all of the saints who were saved thanks to His name, have been desperately pining for Him and awaiting Him. All those who were saved by the grace of Jesus Christ during the Age of Grace have been longing for that joyful day during the last days, when Jesus the Savior arrives on a white cloud and appears among man. Of course, this is also the collective wish of all those who accept the name of Jesus the Savior today. Throughout the universe, all those who know of the salvation of Jesus the Savior have been desperately yearning for the sudden arrival of Jesus Christ, to fulfill the words of Jesus when on earth: “I shall arrive just as I departed.” Man believes that, following the crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus went back to heaven upon a white cloud, and took His place at the Most High’s right hand. Similarly, man conceives that Jesus shall descend, again upon a white cloud (this cloud refers to the cloud that Jesus rode upon when He returned to heaven), among those who have desperately yearned for Him for thousands of years, and that He shall bear the image and clothes of the Jews. After appearing to man, He shall bestow food upon them, and cause living water to gush forth for them, and shall live among man, full of grace and love, living and real. And so on. Yet Jesus the Savior did not do this; He did the opposite of what man conceived. He did not arrive among those who had yearned for His return, and did not appear to all men while riding upon the white cloud. He has already arrived, but man does not know Him, and remains ignorant of His arrival. Man is only aimlessly awaiting Him, unaware that He has already descended upon a white cloud (the cloud which is His Spirit, His words, and His entire disposition and all that He is), and is now among a group of overcomers that He will make during the last days. Man does not know this: Although the holy Savior Jesus is full of affection and love toward man, how could He work in “temples” inhabited by filth and impure spirits? Though man has been awaiting His arrival, how could He appear to those who eat the flesh of the unrighteous, drink the blood of the unrighteous, wear the clothes of the unrighteous, who believe in Him but do not know Him, and who constantly extort Him? Man knows only that Jesus the Savior is full of love and compassion, and is the sin offering filled with redemption. But man has no idea that He is also God Himself, who is brimming with righteousness, majesty, wrath, and judgment, and possessed of authority and full of dignity. And so even though man eagerly yearns for and craves the return of the Redeemer, and even Heaven is moved by the prayers of man, Jesus the Savior does not appear to those who believe in Him but do not know Him.

from “The Savior Has Already Returned Upon a ‘White Cloud’” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God is incarnated in the Chinese mainland, what the compatriots in Hong Kong and Taiwan call the inland. When God came from above to the earth, no one in heaven and earth knew about it, for this is the true meaning of God returning in a concealed fashion. He has been in the flesh working and living for a long time, yet no one has known about it. Even to this day, no one recognizes it. Perhaps this will remain an eternal riddle. God’s coming into flesh this time is not something anyone is able to be aware of. No matter how large-scale and powerful the Spirit’s work, God always stays composed, never giving Himself away. One can say that it is as if this stage of His work is taking place in the heavenly realm. Even though it is perfectly obvious to everyone, no one recognizes it. When God finishes this stage of His work, everyone will awake from their long dream and reverse their past attitude.[1] … In rescuing man off the cross, Jesus was only completing redemption work; He was not doing perfection work. Thus only half of God’s work was being done, and finishing the redemption work was only half of His whole plan. As the new age was about to begin and the old one about to recede, God the Father began to deliberate the second part of His work and started preparing for it. In the past, this incarnation in the last days may not have been prophesied, and therefore that laid a foundation for the increased secrecy surrounding God’s coming into flesh this time. At the break of dawn, unbeknownst to any, God came to earth and began His life in the flesh. People were unaware of this moment. Maybe they were all fast asleep, maybe many who were watchfully awake were waiting, and maybe many were praying silently to God in heaven. Yet among all these many people, not one knew that God had already arrived on earth. God worked like this so as to more smoothly carry out His work and achieve better results, and it was also to avoid more temptations. As man’s spring slumber breaks, God’s work will have long been finished and He shall depart, bringing to a close His life of roaming and sojourning on earth. Because God’s work requires God to act and speak personally, and because there is no way for man to help, God has endured extreme pain to come to earth to do the work Himself. Man is unable to stand in for God’s work. Therefore God risked dangers several thousand times greater than those during the Age of Grace to come down to where the great red dragon dwells to do His own work, to put all His thinking and care into redeeming this group of impoverished people, redeeming this group of people mired in a heap of manure.

from “Work and Entry (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Now the new work of God has begun, and it is also the beginning of a new age. God brings to His house those redeemed to begin His new work of salvation. This time, the work of salvation is more thorough than in times past. It will not be done by the Holy Spirit working in man to allow him to change on his own, nor will it be done through the body of Jesus appearing among men, and least of all will it be done in another manner. Rather, the work will be done and steered by God incarnate Himself. This is done in order to lead man into the new work. Is this not a great thing? God does not do this work through a part of men or through prophecies, but by God Himself. …

This time, God comes to do work not in a spiritual body but in a very ordinary one. Not only is it the body of God’s second incarnation, but also the body in which God returns. It is a very ordinary flesh. In Him, you cannot see anything that is different from others, but you can receive from Him the truths you have never heard before. This insignificant flesh is the embodiment of all the words of truth from God, that which undertakes God’s work in the last days, and an expression of the whole of God’s disposition for man to come to know. Did you not desire greatly to see the God in heaven? Did you not desire greatly to understand the God in heaven? Did you not desire greatly to see the destination of mankind? He will tell you all these secrets that no man has been able to tell you, and He will even tell you of the truths that you do not understand. He is your gate into the kingdom, and your guide into the new age. Such an ordinary flesh holds many unfathomable mysteries. His deeds may be inscrutable to you, but the goal of all the work He does is sufficient for you to see that He is not a simple flesh as man believes. For He represents the will of God as well as the care shown by God toward mankind in the last days. Though you cannot hear the words He speaks that seem to shake the heavens and earth or see His eyes like blazing flames, and though you cannot feel the discipline of His iron rod, you can hear from His words the fury of God and know that God shows compassion for mankind; you can see the righteous disposition of God and His wisdom, and moreover, realize the concern and care that God has for all mankind. The work of God in the last days is to allow man to see the God in heaven live among men on earth, and to enable man to come to know, obey, revere, and love God. This is why He has returned to flesh for a second time.

from “Do You Know? God Has Done a Great Thing Among Men” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

1. “Reverse their past attitude” refers to how people’s conceptions and views about God change once they know God.

From: The Lord Jesus said that He will return, and what will be the manner of His return?

[jessemichaelspoetry-blog]

The Fourth Monster: Deep Fatalism in Beowulf

    In Beowulf, the oldest surviving epic poem in old English, the eponymous hero represents more than just an individual figure. Because he is at all times and in all ways outstanding, omni-virtuous, and protective of the populace, he is an embodiment of (Christianized) Pagan warrior values, a symbol of the good king. However, securing the future is not one of his powers. The outcome of Beowulf, after hundreds of verses about his virtue and strength, is the foretelling of doom for the people that Beowulf once protected. Beowulf initially comes across as a celebration of heroic leadership but the story's conclusion conveys an opposite embedded idea: that individual heroic leadership is a shaky investment at best, and can never provide real security for a nation or an individual.          In Beowulf, a good king is one who is able to establish a protected space. This power of domain is symbolized by the mead hall, a place of ritual gift-giving, celebration and sorting of rank. The Dane Hrothgar showed in his youth that he could wreck mead halls like his great progenitors, having amassed a "mighty army", and in his later years, he builds a hall of his own — the hall of halls. All of this is to say that when this greatest of hall-builders, Hrothgar, humbly accepts Beowulf's help, it shows that Beowulf is greater than the greatest. There is superlative (Hrothgar) and then there is Beowulf, who is something like the platonic ideal of superlative. "There was no one else like him alive," the text recounts (Tolkien’s translation has the Yodaesque "herein might the strongest of mankind was / he, noble and of stature beyond man's measure") (Heaney 190, Tolkien 160). Beowulf's obvious exceptionality is verified when he shows up in Denmark: Hrothgar's coast guard spots the Geats arriving and he flourishes his spear, but his "formal challenge" mostly amounts to telling Beowulf and company that they look fantastic. Even in a theater of heroic and noble actors, Beowulf stands out because he is more than just another player, he is the very embodiment of excellence. 

     Hrothgar's Mead hall is a "circle of light" within an encroaching darkness (Tolkien, Of Monsters) and Beowulf's role there demonstrates his superpower: the ability to protect. Beowulf's protective capacity is reiterated many times throughout the text. Beowulf is strong: he has killed 9 sea monsters before arriving in Denmark, he is the only one who can heft the ancient sword in Grendel's mother's lair, and he is possessed of the firmest handgrip on the planet ( Heaney 576, 1590-1591, 750-751). In addition to Beowulf's deeds, there are plenty of speeches from the narrator and other characters about Beowulf the defender: "(Beowulf), proud and sure, had purged the hall, / kept it from harm" (Heaney, 824-826). "Now Holy God has, in His goodness, guided (Beowulf) here...to defend us from Grendel" (381-383).  Finally, Beowulf himself testifies to his own qualifications: "...I battled and bound five beasts, raided a troll-nest and in the night-sea slaughtered sea-brutes. I have suffered extremes and avenged the Geats (their enemies brought it upon themselves, I devastated them)" (420-424). All of the above shows how Beowulf is above all, a defender against monstrous, unprovoked violence. This constant emphasis on protection coalesces into a worldview: the universe of Beowulf is a dangerous, hostile and terrifying place, teeming with threats both natural and supernatural, and the best thing one can hope for is to take refuge behind a formidable leader.  A good king, therefore, is a king who can slay enemies and create a "circle of light," so to speak.

    Though martial power is the greatest virtue in the scope of Beowulf, the hero also has another quality that further distinguishes him from other men, even from other great leaders. Beowulf is particularly and unusually good — he marries force to fairness and generosity. As with his other superlative qualities, his goodness is confirmed by the narrator, by witnesses, and by Beowulf's own words and actions. Hrothgar acknowledges that Beowulf is a peacemaker: "What you have done is to draw two peoples, / the Geat nation and us neighboring Danes, into shared peace and a pact of friendship / in spite of hatreds we have harbored in the past. " (1858 - 62) Beowulf's goodness is also directly recounted in narration: Beowulf "...behaved with honor / and took no advantage; never cut down a comrade who was drunk, kept his temper / and, warrior that he was, watched and controlled his God-sent strength and his outstanding / natural powers." (2177 - 2183) Most importantly, in the context of the sudsy Mead hall culture, Beowulf's combination of righteousness and strength puts a stop to any beard-twisting skepticism around the benches. After he clears Hrothgar's dual monster problem, all doubtful grumbling is silenced; "every affront to his deserving (is) reversed" (1289). In the event-landscape of Beowulf, the narration, the adventures and the dialogue all let us know over and over again that Beowulf, the character, is the epitome of all virtues. Understanding this categorical identification of Beowulf with good itself is especially important in light of Beowulf's eventual failure to protect. It is this contrast between the greatest of all kings and the most dismal of all fates (exposure to monsters and invaders) that reveals the poem's true theme. In the end, Beowulf is not about heroism at all, it is about futility and loss. 

     Just beyond Beowulf's protective perimeter is an unstable world full of natural and supernatural threats. Euphoric praise of Beowulf is matched with dark, tragic and violent elements and themes. For example, there is Grendel and his mother, who represent both menace and tragedy, born of Cain's original murder and banishment. There is Hrothgar's agonized grief over the loss of his retainers (1320-1325). There is the slaying and plundering of Hygelac (1220). There is the poem within the poem, The Saga of Finn, which recounts how tragedy upon tragedy is heaped on the innocent Hildeburh (1070 - 1150). There is the treasure hoarder's speech, a morbid lament of extinction and despair (2240 - 2270). Taken as a whole, Beowulf  doles out brooding desolation and ultra-masculine bluster and in roughly equal measures. Particularly poignant is Hrothgar's admonition about kingship and warrior-hood delivered to Beowulf over the hilt of an ancient sword:

For a brief while your strength is in bloom but it fades quickly; and soon there will follow illness or the sword to lay you low, or a sudden fire or surge of water or jabbing blade or javelin from the air or repellent age. Your piercing eye will dim and darken / and death will arrive, dear warrior, to sweep you away. (1761-1769)

Hrothgar, who has "wintered into wisdom," is admonishing Beowulf about Beowulf's ultimate enemy, time. The fact that Hrothgar's speech comes on the heels of Beowulf's greatest victory and entry into maturity is not coincidental, it is a response and a warning. "Yes, warrior vigor is great but you are susceptible to being killed as soon as you weaken a bit, and even if you survive, you are going to get old and die anyway," Hrothgar says, in effect, and this message foretells the poem's ultimately fatalistic —and realistic—view of heroic leadership. Although he is warning Beowulf against greed and pride, all the physical threats he catalogs (the sword, fire, surge of water, blade or javelin) will happen regardless of Beowulf's choices — they are statements about the warrior-leader's ultimate lack of control.  What Hrothgar says to Beowulf is what the poem says about Beowulf.

    This fatalism resolves into doom prophecy by the story's end. The narrator goes out of his way to omnisciently state that the extended lament of an unnamed courier is accurate and prescient ("he got little wrong in what he told and predicted" -3028-3030).

They will cross our borders and attack in force when they find out that Beowulf is dead... the swept harp won't waken warriors, but the raven winging darkly over the doomed will have news, tidings for the eagle of how he hoked and ate, how the wolf and he made short work of the dead  (3,000 - 3,026)

The rider's warning shows how Beowulf's protective powers are as fragile as they are formidable. Though heroic glory may be exhilarating, it amounts to little more than a dream-state. Bloodshed and ruin is the currency of waking reality. The first non-domestic female speaker highlights the gravity of  matters by voicing "a wild litany of nightmare and lament: her nation invaded, enemies on the rampage, bodies in piles, slavery and abasement. Heaven swallowed the smoke." (3150-3155) This pulling-of-the-rug from beneath Beowulf's previous achievements might be viewed as a poetic device to further convey the hero's power by bemoaning his absence, except for a unique moment that takes place while the pyre is being built. "Often, when one man follows his own will many are hurt. This happened to us," Wiglaf states (3076 - 3078). Tolkien's translation amplifies the point about Beowulf's hubris, with Wiglaf saying that Beowulf could not be steered towards any "well counseled course" (Tolkien 2578).  Here, for the first and only time in the poem, Beowulf's bravado is called into question, however passively. Even though it is a small aside, it is huge because of the stakes involved. Wiglaf is admitting that Beowulf's stubborn combativeness ultimately results in the destruction of  his own kingdom. Beowulf has been elevated and praised to God-like status. If this greatest of kings offers no permanent protection against the encroaching darkness, what security is there in the world? An image rather than a literal statement from the poem best answers this question: that of royal gold melting in Beowulf's funeral pyre and seeping into the earth. They let the ground keep that ancestral treasure, gold under gravel, gone to earth, as useless to men now as it ever was. (3165 - 3168)

Works Cited Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1999. Print. Tolkien, J. R. R., Christopher Tolkien, and J. R. R. Tolkien. Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary: Together with Sellic Spell. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print. Tolkien, J.R.R. Beowulf: the Monsters and Critics. DISCovering Authors. Online ed.                    Detroit: Gale, 2003.