#protect the grubs at all cost!!!

[pemaillustrate]

The grub pin designs are done!! Look at the cuties!! Preorders start feb 26th.

[titsybitsyspider]

rewatching all the spiderman movies and in spiderman i i know jj jameson is kind of a money-grubbing asshole but always remember when the green goblin was theatening his life asking for spiderman’s photographer, jameson lied. he was being held by the neck by this psycho flying bomb, has no reason to believe he will survive this, and peter is right there in the room, but HE LIES. he protects peter, and, albeit unknowingly, gives peter time to suit up and come back for him. but he doesn’t know spiderman is coming. he doesn’t trust spiderman, he has no way of knowing if he’ll survive this encounter, and the odds aren’t in his favor. so yeah, jameson kinda sucks, but remember that moment, when he saves peter’s life, almost at the cost of his own.

[xenayami]

GONE

This series is going off based on @honey-minded-hivemind Dark AU for their platonic yandere xmen x reader please check them out for the original and support them on what they do they are incredible. ❤️

The reader of this story will be Fem. Her, Kurt, Kitty, and Pietro will all be aged to 14.

Beware this is a dark au so things could get graphic you've been warned and bad GRAMMER.

Prologue

Reader was founded by the x-men in a homeless shelter for kids when she was 12. Discovered by Charles Xavier who had found her through his power, sending Logan and Scott to retrieve the girl. Her abilities were to create spheres of protection and have the power to heal. But as many mutants' reader does have a limit to such lengths of what her powers can handle. Never had a family or even knew of her own. But when THE wolverine stretches his hand out for her to take how could she say no.

At some point, Lance was severely injured from a mission he was sent on with two other teens. Scott who had returned with Lance in his arms begged reader to heal him. "Please Kid... you're the only one I know that can help."

She barely succeeded managing to get lance out of the dying state but not healed completely. As soon as she was done her nose begins to bleed and later resulting to her collapsing. Of course, when she had awoken, she overheard the wolverine yelling at Scott. How could he put you through such a thing if he need someone to help Lance, he could of gone straight to hank. Not a 14-year-old who barely knows how her power works. "I regret it Logan I know I just thought-

"YOU THOUGHT WRONG!"

Her and Logan always had a close relationship since she joined the school. They both were loners. But the x-men saved them from such fate. Whenever reader was in his classroom training harder than any student, he had encountered he asked her. "Because I want to get stronger to protect the ones I care about." From that moment on he had watch over her like a daughter.

When reader first arrived at Charles Xaviers school, she immediately fit right in. Rogue and Jean loved her like a little sister. Scott and Gambit as well along with Wanda and Pietro. Logan thought of you as his daughter just as Erik 'Magneto' did as well. Charles loves you like his own as for the rest of his students and his x-men. Hank adores you as much as mystique.

There was a particular group you always hung out with Kitty, Pietro, Kurt and Jubilee. They were the first friends of you had since you came to the school, since ever. Knowing you've been by yourself for as long as you could remember. You had loved every single one of them.

You had finally found your family.

One night, when everyone was sleeping you silently swore to yourself, I'm going to get stronger I will, I want to have the strength to protect my family and friends. Even if it cost me my life.'

Unknown to you accouple of ears lingered near your room and hear you.

After that day everything was peaceful.

Until

Reader, Kurt, Pietro and Kitty were all going to go and shop for a surprise gift for their friend Jubilee. Scott and Jean sent them off.

"Now be careful out there got it, things can get out of hand when you least expect it." Scott stand Infront of the group crossing his arms over his chest looking at the group of kids.

"Geez yeah yeah we get it. Just don't tell Jubilee where we were, okay?" Pietro huffs. Jubilee was failing in a couple of classes and training lessons, so she had to stay behind. They thought going out to get her a special early birthday present would cheer her up, only to encounter Scott and Jean. The group fully understand the dangers of being a mutant lingering out and about. But they believe as long as they were together, they'll be alright.

"We'll be fine promise! We're just gonna get some grub probably hang around the park a bit and then shop for an early surprise present for Jubilee." Kitty chuckles at Scotts worriedness the group of teens, they had train for situations in case they get into trouble. They just need a break from the school for a bit and explore the world and experience the joys of being a teenager.

"Right ve promise!" Kurt joins in.

"I'll look after them Scott don't worry; we'll be back before midnight! I swear." Read was always trying to be the older sister of the group and the adults found that precious. Scott looks at her with soften eyes.

Scott looks hesitant but then Jean lays a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sure they'll be fine Scott beside I'm sure the grownups need a break from the kids anyway. Let them go out." Scott looker over his shoulder and sighs in defeat.

"Fine. Reader."

She straightens up.

"Be safe."

And with that the group leaves the mansion for their outing. A couple of miles away from their home and going straight into town. Kurt walking on readers left side and Pietro and Kitty walking on her right.

"Vhet should we get for our friend?"

"Don't know maybe a necklace? Oh! or earrings!"

"You guys think too much. Just get her favorite song on a cd and call it a day."

"You're only saying that cause you never think. it's got to be meaningful dumbass."

Unaware of their surrounds the group was peaceful walking about in town. Laughing and joking around such as normal teenagers do.

but

A smoke grenade lands in front of the group, WOSH it sets of, and the kids were choking on the smoke. Kurt kneeling down waving his hands in the air trying to push the smoke away, kitty and Pietro were blinds and where also coughing. Reader the only on left standing was struggling to make out the attacker.

"Mutant brats"

Readers vision begins to blur, and then turn dark.

Reader wake up again in a strange room chained in a circle with Kurt, Kitty, and Pietro.

"Reader! Your awake! Thank goodness." Kitty with tears in her eyes.

"Where are we?"

Pietro growls, "Thats what I wanna know." Furious that they got caught and he couldn't do a thing about it.

"Are we?" Questioning if any of them had attempted to use their gifts to escape.

"Unable to use our powers I'm afraid so my friend."

Reader looks down in guilt, "I'm sorry guys this is my fault, I should of been more aware.."

"What? There was no what you could of know this would happened. Don't be so hard on yourself." Pietro looks over at her calming his attitude to try and make the situation better for his friends.

"They'll come guys don’t worry!" Kitty trying her best to lighten the mood.

"I'm afraid not this time kitty."

A strange man in a lab coat appears Infront of them.

"And I'm gonna make sure of that."

"Vho are you sir?" Kurt curiously asks but something about this man seemed off this thought sent shivers down some of the group's spines.

"Nothing to concern yourself with mutt. You won't live long enough to remember it."

Kurt eyes widen in fear and shock. Reader moves closer to him moving her body in front of his. Shielding him from the intruder.

"The x-men will stop you."

"I highly doubt it. But don't you baby mutants spawns worry, they'll be joining you soon."

Reader chuckles at the man. "Keep dreaming."

A blow to the head sent her on the floor.

"READER!"

Blood trailed down her mouth as she struggles to sit up only to be kick back down again.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!"

"BASTARD!" As soon as Pietro commented that last part the unknown man pulls out a blade about to charge at him who was defenseless reader bolts towards their direction and takes the hit. Readers blood spills more onto the ground. Kitty screamed in terror, Kurt froze in fear, Pietro stood in shock.

"R-Reader..."

Collapsing in front of him struggling to get back up. The only thought running through her mind was to protect her friends no matter what.

"Pathetic. Just like your so-called x-men, saving life's all for nothing and taking in mutants. To what? Treat them like family. Disgusting."

With hatred in the hearts for this man run filled like crazy but reader bolding stands up.

"S-so what?"

Reader stuggles to sit up completely unfazed of the attack no matter how badly her body is damaged. That sentence alone started a spark to keep the group going.

"Thats w-what we do! You got a problem with it!? X-men put their lives on the line every day! Bitch and groan all you want! You don't got the power to change a thing!"

Unknown man sits still in silents and them maliciously smirks and them kicks the reader on the side where her wound was.

"Your gonna die anyway why waste your breath. This room is reequipped with a machine that will incinerate you lot. And don't even think of using your so-called mutant powers, this room was made with sentinel technology so don't even think about."

They were powerless.

"You have a minute."

The man leaves with a grim expression.

Kitty panics and rattles the chains, Kurt does his best to break it, Pietro struggles to move towards reader grabbing her and pulling in towards the group reader holding onto her wound putting pressure on it. Blood was dripping all down her body.

"W-what do we do!"

"Our Vates are in god's hands now my vhriend."

Holding her hand as she begins to break down in tears. both reach towards reader and Pietro who were also holding hands.

"Stay strong... Kitty." Reader struggles to breath.

"Reader..."

"We're not gonna go out cryin." Hope light in the readers eyes.

Kitty looks over at her who was struggling to sit up straight but was still standing strong that alone gave kitty the encouragement she needed, "R-right. RIGHT! X-MEN NEVER GIVES UP THE FIGHT!"

Pietro nods and also shouts. "Thats right. We're going to show that bastard a bond that can never be broken!"

"I vhill cherish our bonds my Vhiends. No. My family. I love you all of you."

As the four where all held each other together the fear immediately vanishes. As the room shakes and rumbles the sounds of a machine above the ground was held over them begin to glow. They must of guessed it was the one the stranger was talking about.

Reader held them in a group hug all with smiles on their faces..

"We're going home everyone. Back home to our family."

In a blast of light everything exploded and nothing was left.

BACK AT THE MANSION

The x-men all gathered in the war room frantic on the kid's disappearance. Scott and Jean worries came back again when they did not show up for their classes as did Jubilee who had not seen any of her friends. Mystique concerned for her son's well being, her daughter rogue flies all over town to search for them. Magneto confronting Charles on his carelessness for the safety of his children especially Pietro his son and reader who he had grown fond of.

Hank searches with all of his technology. Nothing came to aid.

Logan rampages through the streets and the mansion to find more clues. He had assumed some mutant hating freak got to them.

Gambit did his best to search deep undercover through all the bars to pick up tips on some missing mutant kids. Nothing.

Now they regather in the war room.

"This is your fault summers!"

"Yelling at me won't find them Logan!"

Rogue goes between the two. "Fighting with one another wont help either sugars."

"She's right they have to be out there somewhere we just have to look harder!" Jean intervenes. This was all her fault. She had insisted they go. They never should of left.

"Charles?!" Erik holding onto him. Charles head his head in pain.

As sharp pain goes through the professor's head. He saw the unknown man that had taken the kids hostage. He scans throughout his memories and saw the most recent one.

Recent.

He saw a vivid images of blood. Readers blood. And then later a bright light. Explosion that contain Kurt, Kitty, Pietro and Reader.

Refuses to belief it he tries again and to reach out to any of the children. Nothing there was nothing. If he could not reach them then that could only mean.

"NO!"

Charles shouts in anguish and despair. "MY CHILDREN MY POOR CHILDREN!"

The last image he saw was all of them holding each other in their arms embracing one another with blood soaking their clothes and smiles on their faces. Perhaps hoping for them to come for them. They never did.

"Charles?! What had happened?" Mystique ask.

Charles weeps quietly but Erik answers for him. With a menace look on his face as he stares at the group. He had realize what Charles had saw. Knowing his old friend all too well that could only mean one thing. His son... reader.... kurt and kitty. All dead.

"They are gone."

This alone silent the room.

"They have spilled blood of our children, and we must avenge them." Magneto never like the human he only tolerated them for his children's sake and for Charles but after this. He will show no mercy.

"I agree." Charles says in a shaken voice. "They must pay. Taking the life's of children of the innocent will not go unpunished." He always wanted a relationship between mutants and humans but to take the life of children he had help raised as his own. Children who could do no harm. A darkness stirred within him.

X-men stood in silence, but understood what they must do. Storming out the mansion they now go out on a man hunt to hunt down the unknown man that had kill their kids. Along with those who were involved and those who stood by and watched.

7 Years later

Amongst the rumbles of the abandon building, a sudden movement causes accouple of rocks to move. A hand emerges.

"AH!"

Kitty pushes the scattered building parts of her. Coughing out the dust as she catches her breath. Kurt and Pietro also emerge gasping for air.

"Everyone alright?"

"Reader!"

Kurt pushing the rumbles aside and digging reader out of the pile. Pulling her to surface.

"Is she?"

Kurt checks, "Alive. And breathing. But how did we survive. No should of live after such."

"Defiantly." Pietro agrees but notices a small light on his outer skin glowing the same as kitty and Kurt. This familiar sensation, it feels like reader. They would know because every time one of them were injured she would offer to heal them despite over working herself.

"Did she?" Kitty questions in shock at the realization.

"She must have put barriers on us when the explosion hit. But the question is how?"

"Indeed" Kurt agrees as he held reader's unconscious body. Struggling to wake her up.

Kitty moves near him and help shakes her. "Reader... come on! Please wake up!' Tears weld in her eyes praying in her mind that her friend will wake.

Pietro looks down in shake as he looks down his hand that was stained in blood. He knew it was his fault for her injuries, but why would she do such a thing and risk her life. Just why.

Where are we anyway...

NEXT CHAPTER

After the 7-year leap reader, Kurt, kitty, and Pietro never aged they remain 14 since the reader's shield held them in for over 7 year unable to age. But unfortunately, everyone they had loved had.

MY Thanks to @honey-minded-hivemind for letting me write this hope you enjoyed. Stay tuned for more!

[oneofthosebells]

Not managed to pull anything proper together yet for Wille's month, but the Day 11 prompt (Future), reminded me of a crack fic idea I kind of really want to write one day...

Erik gets a vision of his own future somehow (psychic, witch, friendly angel, take your pick) shortly before parents' weekend and the car crash. But it's a limited vision; he gets flashes of his own death, the funeral, the video leak, Simon breaking up with Wille - twice - and lots of flashes of Wille suffering and heartbroken. Disturbed by the vision, Erik drives (slowly and carefully for once) to Hillerska for parents' day where he quickly sees that Wille is head over heels for Simon.

So, of course, he asks his good pal August to give him the lowdown on Simon, and August is more than happy to badmouth the rude, money-grubbing little commoner who shows no respect for his social betters and isn't at all a suitable friend for a prince. And Erik realises that not only was his vision of the future true and that Simon is going to break his little brother's heart, but that it must be Simon who leaks the video, for money or fame.

So Erik, with August's eager help, sets out to get rid of Simon any way they can. But every plan fails. Because they hadn't reckoned with just how far Wille would go to protect Simon and prevent him being kicked out of Hillerska. Wille calls his brother in an outrage that August is trying to get Simon expelled for dealing drugs?! And how DARE he when it was all August's fault in the first place, and he's never actually paid Simon for any of it, and can Erik throw some royal weight around and back Wille up in proving Simon's innocence and getting August expelled instead please? Because they can claim August is just blaming Simon to cover up his own misdeeds in stealing/buying ADHD meds from other students. [Sara can testify August tried to buy meds from her, and there's no actual evidence of Simon's involvement as no money has exchanged hands and there's no second lot of meds with Micke's name on in this timeline]. Erik can't tell Wille he's not on Simon's side, and to his horror, there's enough evidence against August on top of unpaid tuition fees to get him kicked out.

The weeks/months go by and Erik gets more and more desperate without his mole on the inside - because Wille seems blissfully in love and happier than he's ever been whenever he speaks to him, but Erik knows Simon's going to break his heart, he's seen it. And he knows for definite that Simon is a wrong 'un - he got August expelled! He's anti-monarchy and a socialist! He's clearly a bad influence!

Then one day, Wille calls him upset because he had a big row with Simon, and maybe they are just too different to make it work, and he thinks this is it, they've broken up - but then Erik's hopes are dashed when Wille calls him happily the next day to tell him actually they've sorted everything out again.

Erik's frustrated and desperate and maybe losing the plot a little bit by now because he's been obsessed with ending this relationship for so long now he's almost forgotten the original reasons why. But he does remember the one thing from his vision that would definitely break them up - the video leak. Erik doesn't have a video, but he does have revealing photos - (probably August took them, haven't quite worked out the details of that one yet) - and as Erik's obsession with getting rid of Simon at any cost reaches a peak, he clicks send on the anonymous tip off to a journalist...

(@youngroyals-events)

[mouse-drawings]

Worst adventuring party ever.

Thankfully, Zabava is being paid by each bug that wishes to travel with her and Roseline. It doesn't make protecting three bugs all by yourself any easier.

In fact, the Guild of Mercenaries advises its members to take up no more than three responsibilities at a time. If your number of responsibilities grows, you should ask for your fellow guild members or even other suitably equipped bugs for help.

The Guild of Mercenaries also reminds those in need of their services that a mercenary is not a good alternative to a babysitter. And yes, hiring a mercenary for a grub will cost as much as for an adult, if not more.

[thefourdiamonds-fantrolls]

🐛 For Bree lixi ovo

<> The teeniest little sickly bean to ever live, precious and needs to be protected at all cost. No adult version for my own sake and cuz I wanna finish up the grubs. More can be requested still cuz I do enjoy drawing the little things <>

[indisfuckigntrolllllsssss]

[Lapita Fithum]

handle: crystallineSoldier

land: Land of Chains and Gusts (LOCAG)

Specibus: Shotgunkind

classpect: Prince of Blood

Prospit

Denizen: Medusa

Typing Quirk: .”THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPS OVER THE L🜍ZY DOG”

interests: HUNTING and STUDYING LAW

Lusus: N/A

Song: Numb - Marina and the Diamonds

lore under the cut!

He never remembered much from the earlier parts of his life. All he knew was the Traveling Cabaret, a traveling circus hosted by purplebloods and featured people all across the hemospectrum. From a rustblood with eight arms to a fuchsia with scaled wings, it seemed like a glorified freak show. He knew this all too well, as an olive without pupils. Even such a benign mutation prompted the circus to break into Lapita’s hive and paint the walls with his goat lusus’s rich olive blood. He was so young, only half a sweep old, but that memory has never left him. Fear led to hate, hate that he harbored for every member of the circus. He hated the people that called him “dead-eyed” and “a living corpse” and showed him off as a little party trick.

He hated everyone except for his moirail, a jadeblood named Marfen Pozlas, who had two unfortunate blessings. He was born male, and was a descendent of one of the most famous magicians on all of Alternia. Even with all the pressure on Marfen to be as good as the man who came before him, he still managed to smile so genuinely. Lapita idolized him, knew that he couldn’t live without his moirail.

Oh, the irony.

The circus had stopped at Thrashthrust, a dense forest on the outskirts of the city. After the day’s performance, at the crack of dawn, Marfen beckoned Lapita to meet him where nobody would see. The two stood in the middle of the forest’s clearing, the morning breeze ruffling their hair.

“aren’t you tired, lapita?

”TIRED OF WH🜍T, EX🜍CTLY?”

“aren’t you tired of being nothing *m*ore than just… their puppet…? don’t you *w*ant to break a*w*ay from it all?”

“WH🜍T 🜍RE YOU GETTING 🜍T?”

Marfen took Lapita’s hands in his, the morning sun reflecting in his childlike eyes, reignited with a new hope to live.

“*w*e can escape the*m*. right here, right no*w*.

“…”

“*w*e can *m*ake a ne*w* life for ourselves! no *m*ore *w*orrying about ho*w* *m*uch blood is going to be spilled today, no *m*o-“

Lapita punched Marfen across the face, his lack of pupils not hiding the sheer desolation in his facial expression.

“YOU RE🜍LLY 🜍RE ���� DUMB🜍SS KID. DO YOU H🜍VE 🜍NY IDE🜍 WH🜍T THEY’LL DO TO YOU OUTSIDE THIS PL🜍CE? THEY’LL JUST CULL YOU. 🜍 M🜍LE J🜍DE TH🜍T DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO C🜍RE FOR THE MOTHER GRUB? WORTHLESS. 🜍BSOLUTELY WORTHLESS, YOU HE🜍R ME?”

“lapita…”

“YOU KNOW WH🜍T? FINE. H🜍VE YOUR LITTLE ESC🜍PE F🜍NT🜍SY. WE BOTH KNOW YOU’LL END UP B🜍CK HERE 🜍S 🜍 CORPSE. SO GO. H🜍VE YOUR FUN, STUPID WIGGLER.”

Marfen was left in the woods outside, dazed and with tears of betrayal in his eyes. Over the horizon, he saw hundreds of trolls surround Lapita, demanding to know where his moirail went. He closed his eyes, waiting for him to point directly towards the forest.

He pointed towards the city.

That final act of protection may have cost a morailegance, but inadvertently saved two solitary lives.

He never saw Marfen again… at least not until he began to play.

[lavoixhumaine]

TIL that Courtney B. Vance is the current President of SAG-AFTRA Foundation and I’m like yeah, that sounds about right. He that dude, sir.

I fully support the strike and I believe Angela Bassett won’t be showing up on the picket lines. Not because I don’t think she supports it but more that it’s obvious that those against the strike will most likely use her name for headlines to try and discredit what WGA and SAG-AFTRA are fighting for—fair wages for all.

The media showed their full ass when she had the heinous gall to show real, honest-to-god human emotions at the Oscars. So fuck them. Protect the Queen at all costs.

Those lazy ugly gluttonous bastards are gonna paint big name performers as money grubbing jerks the way actual gluttonous money-grubbing Disney went hard at Scarlett Johansson during the whole Black Widow debacle. So yeah. I’m all for the big names quietly donating and showing their support behind the scenes while the rest of them are fighting ferociously on the picket lines.

PAY PEOPLE WHAT THEY DESERVE AND STOP GIVING YOURSELVES BONUSES YOU DON’T FUCKING EARN. IT’S NOT A HARD CONCEPT TO GRASP. JUST STOP BEING SELFISH OVER-INDULGENT OUT OF TOUCH ENTITLED ASSHOLES.

EDIT: it would be awesome if she showed up but I’m saying I understand if she doesn’t.

[copdog1234]

So, my party has now adopted a child. She's a kid who I fed on the streets and her mom is probably dead and I was nice, so she came to me. I will protect her at all costs. Also, she came with a free cat named Grub.

[female-malice]

Like a lot of people in the climate space, my mind has been spinning this week as I've watched images of the entire world reeling from intense heat, flash floods, wildfires and other climate-change-intensified extreme weather events, interspersed with a sudden deluge of denialism, new and old. At the same time, I happen to be researching both the fossil fuel industry's role in expanding legal protections for "corporate free speech," which it's now trying to extend to fraud, and its role in criminalizing and otherwise suppressing actual free speech around the world. It has me thinking about something I've been on my damn soapbox about for years: accountability isn't just "a" climate solution, it actually has to be the first one. How in the world do people expect any of the other solutions to work without that one coming first?

If fossil fuel companies and other polluting industries are allowed to continue to mislead the public, extract from the public, and impose their costs on the public, how will any proposed solution actually manage to solve anything? What's happening with the IRA is a really good example. It's moving the needle in a big way on the electrification of transportation and the shift toward renewable energy. But it's also sparked an absolutely enormous wave of disinformation and obstructionism, from fake activist groups battling wind farms (supposedly on behalf of whales but actually on behalf of fossil fuel companies) to old-guard climate denialists like Steve Milloy making the rounds on all the conservative talk shows to tell people that everything from wildfire smoke to extreme heat is perfectly normal...healthy even! Their efforts include a very effective re-labeling of gas as "clean energy" and the positioning of various fossil-fuel-friendly non-solutions, from waste incineration to bogus carbon capture tech as part of the transition. They seem to be pushing for a future in which for every dollar that actually moves us away from fossil fuel dependence there's one (or more!) that keeps us from moving on at all.

Electrification is another good example. Many in the climate space are so terrified of disinformation taking hold that they are unwilling to even entertain a conversation about how we might approach lithium mining more equitably than we have oil drilling, never mind how we might reduce car dependency across the board. With zero accountability for either the automotive or the fossil fuel industy, they're left to do what they've alway done: prioritize profits over public health, environmental sustainability, or the equitable treatment of workers. Rather than re-train auto workers to participate in the new EV economy, automakers are hiring new people they can pay less and looking to move to right-to-work states where they won't have to deal with unions. A move that will no doubt be vaguely blamed on "climate activists" or "climate policy" because we still haven't held the people actually to blame—extractive industries and the executives directing them—responsible in any way.

Hundreds of climate cases are currently trying to do exactly that. To combat them, industry is pulling out all the stops: painting the litigation as being driven by money-grubbing lawyers, arguing that evidence-based accusations of fraud are actually attempts to censor companies, cranking up the propaganda machine, and doing everything they can to lock in as much fossil fuel use as possible for the next few decades. All while looking for every possible way to discredit and suppress climate activists.

Oil companies' arguments in court today hinge entirely on the work they've done to help create the concept and legal protection for corporate personhood. They are counting on the rights of personhood to deliver them from tens of millions of dollars in damages. But if they want the rights of personhood, they must also accept the responsibilities: consequences for bad behavior, requirements to change that behavior, and an obligation to consider the common good.

Those of us who see accountability as a critical climate solution are often accused of being a hammer that sees all oil companies as nails, righteous zealots seeking only to blame and punish. That's not it at all. We are, above all, pragmatists who know that bad behavior, especially if it's profitable, never changes absent consequences. Any parent could tell you that, and frankly so could any human. When have you ever seen someone who consistently benefits from and gets away with treating others poorly have a sudden, voluntary change of heart and course correct? That goes double for companies, which are not, despite their loud protest to the contrary, people.

-Amy Westervelt

[pemaillustrate]

Your a wizard Eridan

Here’s a cute little doodle I did of grub Eridan. Yes I am making grub Pins.

[seismic-lawns]

Gladiator Big Talk: Jumpstart Foundations, Black/Red

So on the gladiator discord, (Gladiator is a competitive singleton format using the Timeless card pool on arena and you should check us out, it's great) I do a series of long, hastily written thoughts on every single new-to-arena card and call them Big Talks. Foundations and Jumpstart Foundations are very big sets, so I've decided to move them over here! Some notes:

This is comprehensively talking about every single new-to-arena card in the main set of Foundations. If I don't bring up a card, it's probably because it's already in the format or in the Main set, which is out! Find the Black and Red reviews here.

I'm sorting this by collector number, which, for this set is baffling, so Ctrl+F is your friend if you want to find a specific thought.

Each card is also a link to it on scryfall, so you can follow along without having the full set open.

Without further ado, let's start off with Revoke Demise:

Black

Revoke Demise: I am a big fan of No One Left Behind for being able to modulate between 2 and 5 mana, but I think I’m much less of a fan when the reduction is only by 2, even with the slight consolation of a couple of life. I don’t think I’d play the smaller version, and I’m skeptical I’d be happy to play either, so I think you should pass on your Demise Revoking License.

Scourge of the Undercity: This is a very mid creature that I think once in a blue moon could be almost close to playable. I don’t think it will ever get to playable, but these kinds of cards are easy to overlook and are on rare occasions the right card for a job. 

Wriggling Grub: Mmmmmm tasty grub, any creature that’s not horribly below rate and turns into multiple bodies is enough to get an eyebrow raise, and this lil guy being 3 bodies makes it a very efficient fuel piece for crats decks.

Aphelia, Viper Whisperer: I am really interested by this girlie, but there’s a few hangups. Her body is great defensively, but runs into a lot more trouble offensively, so attacking to make a token really only makes sense on t3, but that’s also a pivotal turn where mana use is really important. Her ult is also nice, but seems hard to make worthwhile since it quickly turns more and more trivial to trade with her and make her contribution irrelevant. I might try her in Jund bard, but I don’t expect much staying power out of her.

Evereth, Viceroy of Plunder: The bar for sac outlets is surprisingly low, and I think this passes the bar despite not being an instant speed sac outlet. It’s a pretty strict upgrade to Defiant Salvager, and if you hold up your mana well (and you really should), she can be a sizeable nail in an opponent’s coffin that can only really be answered by an exile effect. Also, flying defiant salvager is just pretty nutty. You can reasonably stop there.

Fumulus, the Infestation: I think this guy is just unfortunately too narrow all around, and is going to struggle to find a good home to sit in long term, even if making all your dudes doomed travelers is exciting.

Nazar, the Velvet Fang: Yeah no, I think Ambition’s Cost is already not fantastic, and one I have to protect and work for? No chance.

Ozox, the Clattering King: There’s a part of me that thinks this might make it in crats, but 3 mana for each 2 bodies is kind of pushing my patience a little bit. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if it made it, but I think your mana sinks are still better spent elsewhere most of the time.

Rev, Tithe Extractor: I think this is just a good creature. It’s a little annoying that you need to connect with her around to get any meaningful value, but it is just a boardwide permanent ragavan, and you know that’s nothing to scoff at, especially when she makes it easier to get there. I could see this in Ruin Your Evening or a few other decks that are more go-wide in black to ensure triggers and consistently accrue card advantage.

Gorex, the Tombshell: Gorex is I think just too small to be worthwhile, even if it is a slow gravedigger on top of that. I might want to try it in Dredge as a pretty easy 2 mana 4/4, but it’s not much more to just play one of the other cool dredge cards instead.

Dark Confidant: Yeah this card’s sick, obviously. I do think I like it most in decks that want utility creatures, which does indeed whittle its applications slightly, and this does die to the jeskai answers that are at their peak right now, but it’s a classic, and it definitely can work well in some shells.

Howling Banshee: Unfortunately, our bar for 4s is just so comically high, which sucks, because I like cards like the Banshee.

Killing Glare: Nah, even decks on a lot of removal look more shallow than this needs.

Priest of Gix: Meat Storm Meat Storm Meat Storm Meat Storm but yeah essentially this is only a card for combo applications, and while I think they’re playable and potent, these kinds of combo decks haven’t been well-positioned in years.

Serpent Assassin: Ravenous Chupacabra, eat your heart out.

Army of the Damned: I want to try this in a cheat out spells deck, because it’s funny as hell, but the card shouldn’t be played without parent supervision.

Balustrade Spy: This is a really cool card to have on arena, but it’s a HUGE cost to make it into a combo piece for our format, especially since our charbelcher decks wanted to have a few lands, we might be able to get away with a belcher/oracle combo, but on that note, this is admittedly worse than most other ways we have to combo out in our format that’s seen play, and we’ve played Cow tech in this format.

Bloodgift Demon: I’m kind of surprised that this guy wasn’t already on arena, but uh it does suck that your 5s just are so good these days because I want to play these cool bad cards like I can with 2 drops

Creeping Bloodsucker: Oh, hey, it’s a bad 2 drop that you can still play and win with! Actually this seems fun in the lifegain decks for being a cheap blocker with power that also hurts and gives you nice triggers. I’d play it in a deck with more than 3 pridemates.

Dark Supplicant: hehehehehe no

Devouring Swarm: We have better sac outlets for the most part, but this having flying is pretty neat. That said, I think it only edges out like Defiant Scavenger and even then, that’s a little bit of a stretch.

Dross Hopper: 2 mana monoblack sac outlet at instant speed baybeee! That said, I don’t think it’s good, I just like seeing more free sac outlets.

Endless Cockroaches: it’s worse than my new enby polycule Ozox and Jumblebones but it does fit the role of “keeps being a spell to cast with a free sac outlet” which is something I guess

Gnawing Zombie: Gnaw, I’m good.

Grave Strength: If your dredge decks have creatures that want to kill your opponent I think this spell goes hard and you should play it. Ok that’s about it.

Graveblade Marauder: Wowie Unstoppable Slasher really did a number on this guy. I think you can still get away with playing this, but damn is the Slasher just so much better.

Heartstabber Mosquito: I hate mosquitos with a burning passion and (unrelated) also hate this card.

Moan of the Unhallowed: You know, I think you could do worse. Not terribly worse, mind you, but I think it’s possible to do worse than this card.

Necropolis Regent: Being immediately relevant in combat is nice, but it is ultimately a victim of “Mythic from before 2018 Syndrome” where it has a very big dumb effect but dies to every piece of removal in the book. That said, if you double all your creatures’ power off of it and then it dies, I think you’re ultimately still pretty happy.

Night’s Whisper: Yeah you like having more sign in blood effects, although this one is worse than literal SiB a surprising amount of the time, with the huge uptick in draw punishers in the last two years. But like yea still play this.

Pharika’s Chosen: I love this card so much. Don’t play Typhoid Rats 2 Electric Boogaloo, but this girl’s got the vibes.

Read the Bones: I'm one part mad that I missed this card in my first draft of this review, and one part glad that it happened while the card was grossly outmoded.

Reaper from the Abyss: I absolutely love this guy, he was one of the first Mythics I played with in a deck, and god is it fun to annoy the hell out of people by killing a threat each turn if you played magic: the gathering. Is it good? Well it’s awful easy to kill, but I think it’s at least close to playable, and it would fill me with untold joy to see it pop off.

Rodolf Duskbringer: Eh, this guy is a 6 mana 4/4 that likely won’t have any protection the turn you play him, and his reanimation wants you to put even more mana into it, so I’ll pass.

Ruthless Technomancer: Generating a whole lot of treasures is nice, but I really wished this did something more with its enters effect. I’m sure it’ll find a place somewhere, but I also doubt it’ll be a long standing piece in a deck.

Scion of Darkness: hehehehehe noooo

Ukud Cobra: I’m so here for the random uncommons from DTK getting reprinted for the first time in foundations it fuels me, they’re bad but they fuel me

Ulcerate: This was a shockingly playable card before they started printing good removal, like fatal push. Now? no.

Urge to Feed: I’m trying to figure out how many vamps you need for this to be quite nice and it’s somewhere between 2.5 and 18 I think, either way, not looking great.

Wakedancer: More like sleepdancer amirite gamers

Red

Frontline Heroism: I do like that this can make sorcery speed combat stuff more exciting, and I think this will be a legitimately good piece for heroic decks. Turning “Spell that targets” into even just a 1/1 blocker on top of that is nice, and if the spell cantrips, does other good things, or even just makes the creature real beeg, this card really goes above and beyond.

Hearts on Fire: God I love these lesbians so much. This is not a terrible spell in a RW wide valiant deck, but it’s probably not worth a slot unless you’re in some way building your lesbian theme deck (which is valid and good).

Sandstorm Crasher: I was decently high on this card for a bit, but at 4 mana and needing to last a turn and exert to get 1 copy, I think I’m actually pretty low on the card in practice. It’s just such a deeply rigid design that you don’t actually have much going in the way of flexibility of what you can or want to do with it that just sours me a lot on the card. Its best use may be to play in a deck like sneak that can make it easier to get it attacking and your impact is greater, but at that point there’s little reason to run it over Delina to get nonlegendary copies and the chance at multiples, but who’s seen Delina in the wild in the past calendar year?

Scholar of Combustion: This is a really cool sidegrade to Archeomancer, and is great for getting a fake extra turn by exiling something like a mana drain just with threat of use. It’s certainly no snapcaster, but it’s a really interesting card to consider for decks that just want to torture their opponent a little.

Anep, Vizier of Hazoret: I’m significantly higher on this guy than I should be, but any creature that essentially draws 2 cards on their first attack is hard to pass up in my book, and at least try in a bard class list where it’s also not hard to buff up or protect the 4/2, which is the worst part of the card by far.

Cleon, Merry Champion: This seems super cool in blitz as a way to hopefully chain pump spells, and when it doesn’t hit another castable spell, you still have the opportunity on the next turn to cast them. I really hope a UR or RW blitz deck comes out of this release, and that this factors into it.

General Kreat, the Boltbringer: This guy goes hard, being both an impact tremors and a pseudo-rabblemaster in one is really nice, especially since you don’t have to attack with Kreat specifically to still pop off. Play her in goblins, and I think she’s got enough applications to find play in other niche decks potentially.

Gornog, the Red Reaper: Cowards can’t block warriors is usually just a somewhat funny line, but holy shit this makes it worthwhile, turning each of your opponents’ creatures into a card that pumps your whole team eventually. Play this card in red decks that want your opponent to die, because the baseline is a 3/3 haste that falters a creature on attack.

Ivora, Insatiable Heir: I’m gonna say I’m not a fan of Ivora here. She’s a little too much work to make her shine, and I don’t think we’re in a space to really make a deck to capitalize on her right now. When we do get a really good and proper madness deck, though, she’s gonna slap. As is, if someone makes Tour d’France a deck again, this will certainly get in.

Brothers Yamazaki: Rip Brothers in a singleton format 😔

Rionya, Fire Dancer: The fact that this is baseline a Kiki Jiki per combat is admittedly quite nice. Also, this goes infinite with Combat Celebrant, and I’m fairly certain can win regardless of blockers with a storm count of 1, so the kiki typal deck just keeps getting better.

Blood Feud: 6 mana to destroy 2 creatures situationally is not worthwhile in our format.

Ghitu Encampment: I think this creature land is fine, but nothing to write home about. You’ll play it in 1-2c decks with red, I think, but it’s among the first to go if you’re cutting utility/enters tapped lands.

Akroan Crusader: Akroan Crusader is a good card for blitz decks, but ultimately is on the lower end of cards with staying power in that deck. Making creatures without heroic triggers is about the most medium payoff you can ask for, but you’ll legitimately still take it.

Anje’s Ravager: This card is going to be core for red going into the future methinks. This is an on-rate creature that generates card advantage consistently while also not being an enormous cost sunk into it. I don’t think the madness is anything to really take seriously, but it’s little extra gravy if Thoughtseize gets played significantly more.

Arena Athlete: This is under the bar for your blitz cards, as iconic as this guy is.

Boldwyr Intimidator: 7 mana is so hot for a red 5/5 without flying ngl

Coordinated Assault: This card’s not for us I don’t think, but I just love the vibes of Theros.

Crimson Wisps: Yeah I’ll take more expedites, join the club the more the merrier.

Falkenrath Marauders: I think we can do considerably better these days, but its potential to go really far is intriguing. That said, I’d just rather get the beef upfront in the current year.

Fiendish Duo: This only doubling damage to opponents really puts a damper on this one, but being a surprise 10-20 damage in the right scenario in sneak attack at least makes me start thinking, though it certainly doesn’t beat out anything significant, I don’t think.

Fiery Fall: Yeah I’m not excited.

Goblin Goliath: This card’s a real vibe but it is awful in our format.

Goblin Rabblemaster: I think we’re past the point where this is just playable in our format, but it is good in goblins, so you’ll play it there. I think you also play it in the warriors deck if someone decides to try that again.

Goblin Researcher: I don’t think you’d play this 3 years ago, let alone now.

Kruin Striker: This typically gets to be a 3/1 trampler most of the time, which isn’t quite enough, I don’t think. However, in go-wide decks where it reliably is a 4/1 on t3

Markov Blademaster: Double striker that grows is pretty cool and good, but being a 1/1 double strike on 3 makes me dubious that it can get through outside of some really specific strategies.

Markov Enforcer: I think this card’s just kind of bad for us, ngl

Markov Warlord: Yeah same here

Mogg Flunkies: HELL YEAH MOGG FLUNKIES WE’RE SO BACK idk play these guys in goblins or maybe some really aggressive shells but they’re not amazing

Pyrophobia: Common red removal moment

Satyr Hoplite: This is I think surprisingly close to playable in RW heroic, but it’s really scraping as far deep as you want to go.

Scion of Opulence: I think this is tempting for the pile of blood decks, but i’m not that excited even there, where it’s still a pretty uncommon trigger on a pretty bad body for a pretty middling effect.

[fortworthlandclearing]

Fort Worth Land Clearing: Your Trusted Partner for Land Clearing in Celina, Texas

Introduction

Are you planning a new construction project in Celina, Texas? Whether you’re building a residential home, a commercial complex, or an industrial facility, the first step is often clearing the land. This crucial process involves removing trees, shrubs, rocks, and debris to prepare the site for construction. This is where Fort Worth Land Clearing comes in. While it might seem like a straightforward task, land clearing requires expertise, heavy machinery, and adherence to local regulations.

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Land clearing is a critical first step in any construction project. Choosing the right partner is essential for a smooth and successful process. Fort Worth Land Clearing is your trusted ally for land clearing services in Celina, Texas. Our commitment to quality, safety, and customer satisfaction sets us apart. Contact us today for a free consultation, and let us help you bring your vision to life.

[treeremovalpensacola]

FMC: Durentis Insecticide

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[greenleaf22me]

What to Look For in Lawn Care Programs to Get the Best One for You

Everyone wants to have a beautiful green lawn accentuating their house and helping to make it as attractive as possible. They also want their lawn to be easy to maintain and free of pests and weeds. With busy schedules, many people like you don't have the time or energy to put into your lawn maintenance program. That is why hiring one of the many lawn care companies in United States might be the answer to your problem. What you do need to do however, is to compare lawn services to find the one that suits you best-and the one that offers you the most for your money. Best Lawn Care Services in Fort Myers

Here are a few things you should look for before you commit to a professional lawn care service:

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The professional lawn care service you decide on should guard against various pests as well. They should offer protection against chinch bugs and white grubs, while still remaining within the restraints of using as many environmentally friendly products as possible. A good option for dealing with grubs is the use of Nematode (biological) grub control. This method uses microscopic worms to kill grubs in your lawn. Ask if this type of treatment is available in the lawn maintenance program you choose.

Professional lawn service companies should also provide treatments for fungus problems, do professional soil tests, and use soil supplements and additives to give you the best lawn possible. They should provide core aeration, in which plugs of soil are removed to increase oxygenation to improve your soil structure and allow grass to grow better. They should also offer weed control protection and management for broadleaf weeds (such as dandelions, plantain, clover and others), creeping charlie (that thrives in moist, shady areas) and crabgrass.

Some lawn maintenance companies go beyond only looking after your lawn. Some companies will also help with vegetation control for driveways, patios and walkways. Some will also help control insects in your trees, or provide deep root feeding of your trees and shrubs. Lawn service companies like these go above and beyond in their lawn care programs, and if you require these services it is good to ask at the onset if the professional lawn maintenance company you decide on provides these options. Sanibel Lawn care Services

While comparing all of the products and lawn maintenance programs offered, you still need to look at costs. Compare the products and services of one professional lawn care program with another and find out which is most cost effective. Remember to compare 'apples with apples' so that you know you are getting the best price for your lawn maintenance service.

[happyhappybios]

Dafira Hegala

This page contains mention of death, blood, stalking, harassment and kidnapping.

Danger scale: Hostile

Key notes: Revenge Ghost, Dead, Fiancee, Haunting, Bitter

(Symbol by @.greatestgamer)

⛈Dafira's mood⛈

Name: Dafira Hegala/Deneba

Age: died at 30 sweeps (65 y.o.)

Height: 5’4 (165 cm)

Blood colour: Olive

Wiggling day: 20 July

Symbol: Coma Berenices

Gender: Female (She/Her)

Orientation: Lesbian

Occupation: Dead, Ex-assistant of a famous alchemist

Place of residence: Сemetery - Mausoleum

Lusus: MotherCattle (Highland; Middle size; No longer live with her)

Hobby: Haunting

Hemoloyalty: Despises highbloods

Fetch modus: None

Strife specibus/Weapon: None

Personality:

Darifa is a revenge ghost who is seeking justice for her and Arided. She is a bitter, hostile and unapproachable ghost for others, but patient, understanding and supportive towards her new family. Dafira won’t talk with anyone, except Arided and Ghosty, and will scare anyone who approaches close. She doesn’t want to interact with other trolls anymore.

Darifa won’t tolerate rude behavior towards her family and will hurt others to defend them. (so please do not provoke her)

Before Dafira’s death, she was a timid, non-conflict, sweet and clumsy troll with a big soft heart. She was a naive troll who believed in seeing at least something good in every troll and giving second chances.

But she was too careless to see what’s going on around her…

After she returns back as a ghost, Darifa remembers everything that happened to her and Arided. Her anger and hate grew inside her rapidly, poisoning her mind and soul and before she knew she promised herself to avenge Arided and kill every highblood who was part of the betrayal.

Likes:

Reading

Romance books

Chocolate cakes

Coffee

Scaring other’s trolls

Screams of her enemies

Moons

Sewing

Dislikes:

Tea

Raisins

Betrayal

Highbloods

Rude behavior towards her family

Technology

Big places

Pollen

Trivia:

Dagira was hatched in the ‘Victorian era’ similar to human’s, like Arided.

Dafira has a pollen allergy.

Dafira is a sweet tooth. Her favorite food is chocolate cake and she would eat it non-stop.

Dafira has a habit to come on time to meetings, but then spend extra time on something else and it leads her to come late.

Dafira’s dream was to become a scientist and work in one of the most famous university in Alternia.

Dafira won’t admit it, but she is good at writing poems. She thinks it's an unnecessary skill for a future scientist.

Relationships:

Matesprit - Proposed/Taken - 🌌The Last Night🌌

Arided. Her heart will always belong to her beautiful fiancee. A lot of sweeps will pass before Dafira could meet Arided and promise to avenge her for unfair things that happened to her..

Moirail - Closed. (Not interested)

Kismesis - Closed. (Not interested)

Auspistice - Closed. (Not interested)

Out of quadrants

Acquaintance/Friends - Ghosts. Dafira is a bit jealous of ghosts that always accompany Arided, but she knows they are important for her. She is trying her best to be friendly and nice with them and some of the ghosts become good friends of hers as well.

Children - Ghosty. Ghosty is a little white blooded wiggler that Arided is taking care of. Dafira didn’t expect Arided to adopt a grub at all, but she didn’t complain. She thinks Ghosty is a good kid and she will protect them at all cost.

Backstory:

Dafira was a normal troll who had a normal life, but with big goals and dreams. Since her childhood, she dreamed of becoming a scientist or, at least, a science teacher and getting a job in one of the most famous university in Alternia.

Unfortunately, her long time dreams shattered as she didn’t get enough points in the exam to even attend the dreamed university. She was devastated by this, but didn’t give up yet. Dafira applied to a college with the same degree. It wasn’t the best college, but still well known enough to get a job easily.

Her motivation started to slowly fade as she was studying, feeling worthless and unappreciated. 

Is it what Dafira wanted from the start?

Or it’s just a kid’s dreams that should be stayed as such?

Dafira didn’t know and didn’t care anymore.

She finished college and applied her resume to different places for a job. Nothing was looking interesting to her as each job had the same low payment and work conditions. Dafira wasn’t really worried about payment as she wasn’t interested in it, but she wanted to feel appreciated.

And receiving high payment is an appreciation of her hard work.

Feeling as if she was giving up once again, Dafira suddenly was invited to a job interview with a famous alchemist - Pr. Celbal Rasall. He was searching for an assistant who could help him with experiments that were described as moderately dangerous. At first, Dafira wanted to refuse it as she valued her life and time, but high payment and recognition from other scientists lured her to agree.

Later on, she started to work for Pr. Celbal Rasall.

She would lie if she said she didn't regret it.

But, the biggest lie would be if she says she didn’t enjoy her job. There was something about Pr. Celbal Rasall and her job made her think she is capable of something more.

And she likes this feeling.

…

Some sweeps passed before…

…she met her.

Her future fiancee, Arided Deneba, a gorgeous jade blood who was a Winner of the National Fencing Championship and a highly respected troll in high troll’s society.

Their first meeting was awkward to say the least. They met in the cafe where Dafira spilled coffee on Arided’s new costume and later dropped a piece of chocolate cake on her shoe. Dafira was super embarrassed about it but Arided’s calm attitude calmed her down.

Their second meeting was a sudden one. They met in the Dr. Fakhri’s laboratory where Dafira worked. She didn’t expect to see her again, but wasn’t opposed to the idea to get closer to the jade as well.

Their romance finally bloomed after it.

They both started to spend more and more time with each other, knowing more details about each other's pasts, likes and dislikes and so on. Each time on their ‘dates’, Dafira fell for Arided more and more, finding more reasons to love her.

Soon later, Arided asked her to become matesprits.

Darifa accepted happily.

But, their happiness didn’t last long.

Dafira became a target of stalking and harassment from obsessive fans of Arided and rivals. She was attacked on the streets by a group of trolls multiple times and was stalked by some dangerous individuals that tried to break a door of her flat and steal important documents. Thankfully, Dr. Fakhri prevented the stealing and later let her live in his laboratory for a while before the hate fades away.

Dafira didn’t know details why it was happening, but she heard Arided’s explanation about her situation and trusted her to end it all.

Dafira knew sooner or later it would happen at some point as dating something famous like Arided was a risk. 

She didn’t regret it. 

She loves Arided and will trust her and her decisions.

But…

…she was too careless to see what’s going on around her.

Dafira got kidnapped by hired assassins. 

They used her blood to write a threatening letter for Arided and then threw her in one of the mausoleums, leaving her to bleed. Dafira tried to cry for help and struggled to make her ropes to lose, but it all felt hopeless.

She felt hopeless, how…

Suddenly, she heard Arided’s voice outside. It gave her hope for the better.

She cried. She yelled. She screamed for Arided to notice, but…

…nothing changed.

Her hopes got crashed when she heard one of assassins saying:

‘We killed her.’

After that, she doesn’t remember what was happening to her. 

Everything was red. She felt a big mix of emotions: rage, despair, sadness and revenge.

Her wound opened up as she tore the ropes apart, bleeding even more and soiling the bottom of her dress. She banged on the door desperately, screaming and roaring from rage. The knuckles of her hands bleed, but she didn’t feel the pain anymore.

She will never forget who caused this pain.

She will never forget who did this to them.

Never forget.

…

30 sweeps (65 years) later…

Dafira’s desire for revenge woke her up from a long sleep, but as a ghost. Darifa remembers everything that happened to her and Arided. Her anger and hate grew inside her rapidly, poisoning her mind and soul and before she knew she promised herself to avenge Arided and kill every highblood who was part of the betrayal. She knew the faces of her enemies and was thinking of finding them on her own, but finally she met…

…her, once again. All alive.

And her revenge faded into the background for now on.