#shadow alpha 02 draws

[shade-02-draws]

A sea slug mermaid based on chromodoris willani!

[rainforestakiie]

If you take request perhaps an Omega Adam x Omega Lucifer, where Lucifer protects Adam from Lilith (who is an Alpha), and throws her out of their nest .

The Omege lovers comfort each other and snuggle .. Just wanna have something cute 👉🏻👈🏻👀 ofcourse if you don't take request, you can ignore this !

love your stories on ao3 and your short stories here ! :)

hello, thank you for the message. i really hope you like this au! thank you so much for letting me be so creative. i worked really hard on it.

i love omegas in general and i love omega adamsapple. haha. it's so fun to write.

here is part 04 of promised souls! with your request added into it!

Promised Soul (Omegaverse Mythology AU) = Part 01. Part 02. Part 03. Part 04.

The warmth wrapped around Adam like a lover’s embrace, cradling him in a cocoon of blissful comfort. He ached to burrow deeper into the softness of his nest, surrendering to the quiet pull of sleep that fogged his mind and tingled across his skin. The gentle weight of drowsiness ghosted over him, drawing a sigh from his parted lips, soft and full of contentment. His long lashes fluttered, trembling against his cheeks, and a reluctant whine escaped as consciousness tried to tug him from the dreamy haze that enveloped him.

His eyelids twitched, heavy with the desire to stay closed, but he forced them open with a groggy grumble. Mornings had never been his friend, but this was especially cruel—the sky outside still clung to the edges of night. He yearned to sink back into the warmth, his eyelids already drooping again, inviting the return of sleep. A pleased hum escaped him as he felt a tender nuzzle against his mating glands, a gesture so sweet and intimate that it soothed his soul.

But then, something stirred uneasily within him. A knot of tension twisted deep in his gut, a signal from instincts older than thought. Adam blinked his eyes open once more, scanning the familiar, shadowed corners of his small, box-like flat. His brow furrowed in confusion, the unease settling in his chest like a stone. What was wrong? His Omega instincts screamed that something was off, though the room appeared unchanged.

His gaze flicked to the blankets across from his nest, disturbed and rumpled as though someone had once laid there but had since vanished. Who could it have been? Where could they have gone? Adam snorted, shaking off the eerie thought and lifting his arm to wipe his nose—only to freeze. His arm refused to move. Panic prickled through him as the realization struck—he couldn’t move at all. Not from lack of trying, but as if some unseen force held him bound. His muscles twitched in resistance as he struggled to turn his head, to glimpse what had become of his nest.

His heart skipped as his gaze fell on something strange—where there had once been worn-down pillows and tattered cushions, his nest was now lined with iridescent feathers, shimmering in every colour of the rainbow. They were soft, thick, and crossed in intricate patterns, moving in a slow, rhythmic rise and fall, as though breathing. The sensation was alive, unnervingly alive.

A delicate rattle reached his ears, and his eyes darted down toward his feet. There, nestled in the feathered confines, was the golden tail of a rattlesnake, shaking with a soft, deliberate rhythm. The tail was framed by white and blue feathers, scales glimmering like jewels in the dim light.

Adam’s breath caught in his throat. What in the world...?

Adam blinked slowly, his eyes tracing the length of the feathered serpent coiled around him. The creature’s scaled body shimmered with hues of gold, green, and blue, each intake of breath making the gleam more hypnotic. A shiver crawled up Adam’s spine as he became acutely aware of the soft, warm breath against the back of his neck, the nuzzling pressure sending goosebumps across his skin. His heart quickened at the realization of the black and green clawed hands draped protectively over his middle, holding him close in a tender embrace.

The Nephilim—Lucifer—had wound himself around Adam, claiming the nest and transforming it into something far more luxurious and warmer. Adam felt the temptation to surrender to it, to drift back into sleep with this divine being wrapped around him. But curiosity gnawed at him, and with a slight wiggle, he managed to shift from his side onto his back. A sigh escaped his lips as the weight of Lucifer settled more comfortably against him, familiar and intimate.

Lucifer’s face, sharp yet beautiful, nuzzled against the hollow of Adam’s throat, before brushing against his chest, his cheek nestling there as if Adam’s body had been made just for him to rest on. Gold and crimson eyes, both ethereal and dangerously alluring, peeked up at Adam through long, dark lashes. The Godling’s sinuous form coiled tighter, his body still tangled around them both, turning the nest into their shared sanctuary.

"Good morning," Lucifer greeted with an almost childlike yawn.

His full, red lips parting wide to reveal snake-like fangs nestled in the roof of his mouth. His soft tongue flicked out as he stretched, a small pearl of moisture gathering in the corner of his right eye. It was a sight so innocent and disarming, yet so utterly otherworldly.

“Morning,” Adam replied, blinking down at the divine being draped over him. His gaze flickered toward the rumpled blankets across the flat. “Didn’t I leave you over there last night?”

Lucifer hummed in response, pressing his cheek tighter against Adam’s chest, his purring breath vibrating softly through his body.

"It was too cold over there," Lucifer murmured, the words low and sweet, “And you looked so much more inviting.”

The Godling peeked up with a mischievous gleam, his forked tongue flickering out briefly, teasingly. His claws, sharp yet gentle, twined up Adam’s arms, gripping his shoulders possessively.

 “And you’re so warm...” Lucifer purred, his voice a sultry whisper, laced with affection.

Adam’s breath hitched as heat flushed his cheeks.

“O-Oh,” he stammered, a high-pitched sound escaping his lips, not quite a gasp, not quite a whimper, as Lucifer pressed a kiss to his collarbone, the touch light but electric. “W-Well, um... maybe you should... move?”

"Move?" Lucifer’s crimson eyes widened, and he scoffed in mock offense, snuggling in closer, his pouty lips brushing against Adam’s chest. "Why would I ever do that?"

Adam opened his mouth to respond, but his words were swallowed by a sharp yelp as Lucifer’s teasing escalated. The Nephilim raised his head, his lips trailing like whispers across Adam’s chin, nipping playfully before pressing a series of feather-light kisses down his throat. His long tongue flicked over the exposed skin, cool and soft, leaving a trail of shivers in its wake.

Adam’s body tensed, his pulse quickening under the tender assault, but somewhere deep inside him, beneath the rush of embarrassment and surprise, there was a warmth, a comfort in being so adored, so cherished. And even as his mind raced for words, for some semblance of control, his body relaxed instinctively, surrendering to Lucifer's affectionate embrace.

Adam’s breath hitched sharply in his throat, his eyes widening as Lucifer leaned over him, the weight of his presence suffocating yet intoxicating. Lucifer’s red and gold eyes gleamed with a light that seemed to steal the very air from Adam’s lungs, leaving him helpless under the godling's gaze. He hadn’t noticed before, but now, as the light shifted, Adam could see the soft feathers—red and white—sprouting amidst Lucifer’s golden hair, glistening with a divine glow.

“Adam~” Lucifer’s voice was a seductive melody, the sound wrapping around Adam like a caress.

He grinned wickedly, his tail rattling softly in delight. His eyes grew heavy-lidded, his cheeks flushed with an almost feverish warmth as he lowered his face closer to Adam's. The slow, deliberate movement sent shivers down Adam’s spine, and his lips parted in a soft, breathless whisper.

“W-What are you doing?” Adam managed to ask, his voice trembling with both anticipation and shyness.

Lucifer’s lips hovered a mere inch from Adam’s, and the godling released a soft, teasing whistle, his claws tracing up Adam’s throat in a slow, deliberate caress. His fingertips brushed against Adam’s cheeks, sending sparks of sensation through his skin.

“You’re my mate,” Lucifer murmured, his voice low and sultry, “And mates show their affection like this~”

Before Adam could fully process his words, Lucifer’s lips pressed gently against his. The warmth of the kiss was overwhelming, soft yet insistent, as Lucifer purred against him, the sound vibrating deep in his chest. He moved his lips tenderly against Adam’s, licking lightly at his bottom lip as if savouring the taste of his phoenix mate. The sensation was dizzying, and Adam’s heart raced wildly in his chest, his body trembling under the gentle onslaught.

Lucifer’s fingertips traced the faint specks of ash dusting Adam’s skin, lingering over them as if they were precious relics. As he broke the kiss, Lucifer’s lips trailed along Adam’s cheeks, pressing soft kisses to each speck as if worshiping the remnants of what Adam had once been. Adam’s breath stuttered, his body burning with the unexpected tenderness.

“Adam, you’re so cute~” Lucifer purred, his voice thick with affection.

He tilted his head, rubbing his cheek against Adam’s like a cat marking its territory, his skin warm and comforting. Adam felt the heady rush of Lucifer’s pheromones filling the air around them, a scent that made him feel simultaneously vulnerable and desired. Though Lucifer lacked a nose, he still buried his face in Adam’s throat, nuzzling against his pulse before inhaling deeply.

“And you smell so nice too~”

“That’s not possible,” he murmured, shaking his head in disbelief. Adam made a face, his brow furrowing. “I failed in the rebirth... I don’t have any pheromones.”

Lucifer pulled back slightly, his eyes sparkling with mischief and certainty.

“Oh, but you do~” he said with a grin, his lips quirking into a playful smirk. “You do. I can smell them, and they’re wonderful~ “

Lucifer licked his tongue along Adam’s cheek, dragging it towards his throat. A gasp escaped Adam as Lucifer’s mouth searched for his Omega glands. “Mingled with mine, it’s even better~”

Adam’s cheeks flushed crimson, his heart pounding at the thought. Lucifer’s words were laced with a dangerous kind of charm, one that made it hard to think clearly, let alone resist.

Lucifer's hands glided over Adam's body, his sharp, clawed fingers teasing at the fabric of Adam's worn shirt. Feathers, soft and delicate, shivered along his skull, slowly sprouting through the cascade of golden curls. With a mischievous smile, Lucifer pressed his face close, nuzzling against Adam, drenching him in his intoxicating scent with playful delight.

Adam gasped, his breath hitching as a sudden wave of dizzying heat flooded his senses. His entire body quivered, his breath shallow and ragged as warmth overwhelmed him. It was only made worse by Lucifer's much warmer body winding even tighter around him, the end of his serpentine form vibrating with soft, rumbling purrs.

“Adam~” Lucifer giggled, stretching luxuriously above the trembling Phoenix Omega. He took Adam's hand, guiding it gently to his cheek. “Do you like me? Don't you think I'm the perfect mate for you?”

Adam’s mouth opened and closed, unable to form a single word as steam, impossibly, began to rise from his flushed skin. He was completely lost, his thoughts a tangled mess. Just yesterday morning, he had resigned himself to the belief that he would never have a mate—that no one would ever find him worthy. After Lilith’s brutal rejection, he had been certain he would live, and die, alone. Yet here was Lucifer—a Nephilim—claiming to be his destined mate, his perfect match. Adam couldn’t even begin to process it all.

“Does my beauty leave you speechless?” Lucifer purred, his cheek, rosy and warm, pressing sweetly into Adam’s trembling hand, a soft, teasing coo escaping his lips.

Lucifer’s gaze softened as he looked down at Adam, his claws brushing gently along his jawline, tracing the delicate curve of his face. His voice, usually laced with mischief, carried a note of sincerity now, and the teasing grin faded into something more tender.

“I missed you; you know?” Lucifer whispered, his voice a soft murmur, his breath warm against Adam’s skin. He nestled closer, his body winding protectively around the Phoenix.

“I didn’t know it at first... but I’ve been searching for you for so long. I didn’t find anyone else in the Pentagram, no one, favourable.” He chuckled lightly, the sound rich and warm, vibrating through Adam’s body. "They were all too... predictable. But you—you're different."

Adam blinked, still trying to grasp the strange situation unfolding around him. His heart fluttered, an odd mix of disbelief and warmth swirling in his chest. He could feel Lucifer’s heartbeat against him, steady, reassuring.

“But... you’ve only just met me,” Adam managed, his voice a breathless whisper.

Lucifer’s eyes twinkled, his smile softening.

“I’ve known you longer than you think, Adam,” he said, pressing a kiss to Adam's temple, the light touch sending a shiver through Adam's body. "You may not remember, but I’ve been watching, waiting for you to be ready. My father, Quetzalcoatl, always insisted that his children venture into the Middle Realm to find their chosen mates. He believed there was something special about the creatures of Earth. Something... unique.”

He sighed softly, resting his forehead against Adam’s. “But I... I didn’t care about following in my siblings’ footsteps. I thought I was better off alone, that no one could be my equal.”

Adam, despite the overwhelming heat in his body and the fluttering in his stomach, found himself curious. He tilted his head slightly, his brow furrowing as he listened intently. “So why did you change your mind? You didn’t want to come here... but you did.”

Lucifer hummed thoughtfully, his fingers continuing their gentle exploration of Adam’s skin. “Gabriel, my brother... he was the last of my siblings to descend to Earth. He told me the creatures here had changed since our ancestors' time. That they were no longer simple beings... but something more, something mysterious. Something worth finding.” He paused, his lips curving into a soft smile. “And he was right. When I saw you, I knew. You are everything I’ve been waiting for. No one else compares.”

Adam’s breath hitched, his mind racing. “But... how? Why? I thought you’d see us as... monsters,” he asked, his voice shaky but laced with genuine curiosity. “Is it true? The legends of Quetzalcoatl?”

Lucifer chuckled softly, a deep rumble in his chest as he nuzzled closer, his forehead resting against Adam’s. “Most of what the Pentagram monsters believe... it’s true,” he murmured. “My father did indeed descend to the Middle Realm long ago. He saw something in humanity, something that the other realms could never understand. He believed in love, in connection. And he passed that down to us, his children. But the creatures of this world... you’re not monsters, Adam.”

His golden eyes sparkled with warmth as he tilted Adam’s chin up, their gazes locking. “You’re beautiful. Flawed, yes... but that’s what makes you so special. You make me feel something I didn’t think I was capable of.”

Adam’s heart raced, his cheeks flushed with both heat and affection. He had never imagined someone like Lucifer could exist, let alone choose him. And yet, here they were, tangled together in something that felt surreal, but at the same time, perfectly right.

Lucifer smiled, brushing a lock of hair from Adam's forehead, his voice dropping to a low, affectionate whisper.

"You're my perfect mate, Adam. My other half... the one I've waited for. And I’ll never let you go."

Adam’s chest swelled with a warmth he couldn’t quite explain, but for the first time in a long time, he felt wanted. Truly wanted. He leaned into Lucifer’s touch; his eyes fluttering shut as a soft sigh escaped him.

Lucifer’s smile widened, and there was a certain gleam in his golden eyes as he began to recount the story of his father. Adam, still cradled in his arms, listened closely, intrigued by the ancient history.

“My father, Quetzalcoatl, wasn’t just some deity overseeing the Middle Realm. He was a creator, a god who shaped this world with his own hands,” Lucifer began, his voice filled with reverence. “But it didn’t start peacefully. No, the world was born from conflict. My father’s brother, my uncle, Tezcatlipoca, wasn’t so fond of this place. The two of them fought fiercely, their power clashing until they caught hold of a monstrous creature, splitting it into pieces.”

Lucifer’s hands gestured dramatically, his feathers flaring out as he spoke, his enthusiasm contagious. “Those pieces became the earth and the sky. Quetzalcoatl took the land, the seas, the life, while Tezcatlipoca... well, he wanted nothing to do with it. He retreated to the underworld, far from the light and life that filled my father’s world.”

Adam’s breath hitched; his attention completely captured. “So Quetzalcoatl was the one who stayed? Who nurtured everything?”

Lucifer nodded, his fingers lightly caressing Adam’s arm. “Exactly. In the beginning, my father created the first humans—Steve and Eve. He wanted to see them thrive, to live in harmony in the paradise he had made. The garden they lived in had everything they could have ever wished for, a perfect world just for them.”

Adam's brows furrowed in thought. “Steve and Eve... I’ve read about them. They were supposed to be the first, right? The first humans.”

Lucifer nodded solemnly. “Yes, but my father didn’t expect humans to be so... fragile.” His voice lowered, tinged with sadness. “Eve was the first to fall. She ate a rotten apple, a fruit that had been tainted, and it poisoned her from the inside out. My father tried everything to save her, but it was too late. The disease had spread through her body, and she passed.”

Adam’s heart ached at the thought. “That’s awful... and Steve?”

Lucifer sighed deeply, his feathers trembling slightly as he continued. “Steve was heartbroken. My father thought of making him a new wife, but Steve... he couldn’t bear it. The grief overwhelmed him, and he threw himself from the highest cliff in the garden, choosing to follow Eve in death rather than live without her.”

Adam stared at Lucifer, his chest tightening. “I didn’t know... that’s not in the textbooks.”

Lucifer chuckled softly. “Not all stories are written down, Adam. Some are passed through whispers, through bloodlines.” He shifted closer, pressing his forehead gently against Adam’s, his breath warm on his skin.

“Humans turned out to be far more complicated than my father had expected. Fragile, yes, but dangerous too. They couldn’t survive alone, without guidance. So, my father decided that the next breed of life had to be stronger. More resilient, less susceptible to disease, hunger, or the whims of the weather.”

Adam’s eyes widened with curiosity. “How did he do that? How did he create something stronger?”

Lucifer’s smile returned, his pride in his father’s tale shining through. “He went to the underworld, where Tezcatlipoca resided. He carried the bones of Steve and Eve with him, determined to give life to something new, something better. At first, my uncle refused. Tezcatlipoca had always blamed Quetzalcoatl for creating life without reason, for being too sentimental. He believed everything my father made would eventually fail.”

Adam leaned forward, captivated. “But your father didn’t give up, did he?”

“No,” Lucifer replied, his voice brimming with excitement. “Quetzalcoatl challenged Tezcatlipoca. And despite all my uncle’s tricks and deceptions, my father won. He’s strong, Adam, stronger than anyone. Tezcatlipoca, in his defeat, showed my father something he had created in secret, emerald, green bones, pulsing with strength and power, far greater than anything in the Middle Realm. Those were the bones my father wanted to use to remake Steve and Eve.”

Adam blinked, awe filling his features. “Emerald bones... that’s incredible. So, Tezcatlipoca just... let him take them?”

Lucifer grinned widely, his eyes gleaming. “Not exactly. Tezcatlipoca never gave anything away freely. He agreed, but on one condition—there had to be a blood sacrifice. A tribute, made to him, from the creatures that would take over the new world.”

Adam’s breath caught in his throat. “Is that why there were... blood sacrifices every hundred years? Is that why those rituals existed?”

Lucifer shrugged casually, though his grin remained. “Blood is important to us. It’s the essence of life, the price for power. Even my father respects it, as much as he loves his creations. And Tezcatlipoca... well, blood was the only currency he ever valued.”

Adam sat back, trying to absorb the weight of it all. The myths, the legends, they were all so much more real than he had imagined. “I never knew... I didn’t realize the sacrifices were part of the deal.”

Lucifer chuckled, his fingers gently brushing through Adam’s hair as he nuzzled closer. “It’s all part of the balance, Adam. Life and death. Creation and destruction. My father understood that better than anyone.”

He paused, a warm, affectionate look crossing his face as he gazed down at Adam. “I’m proud of him, you know. Of his strength, his love. He fought for this world, for beings like you... and for beings like me.”

Adam swallowed hard, his heart thudding in his chest as he gazed up at Lucifer. There was so much love, so much reverence in the way Lucifer spoke of his father, and Adam could feel it radiating off him. It was infectious, drawing Adam closer into the warmth of Lucifer’s embrace.

Lucifer smiled, a playful glint in his eyes as he leaned in to press a gentle kiss to Adam’s forehead. “And now you, Adam, you’re part of that incredible story now. My father’s legacy... it lives through you, too and our children.”

“Children?” Adam squawked, his eyes growing wide.

A laugh escaped Lucifer and wiggled his form up against Adam’s. His long slim arms sliding around Adam, pinning him to the bottom of the nest. His cherry-red lips shined as he brought them close to Adam’s.

“That’s right. Our children~” Lucifer cooed, his eyes growing dark and hungry. “I’m gonna fill you up! We’re going to have at least five litters~”

“What?” Adam gasped, shuddering as Lucifer rolled their hips together. “W-Wait – I’m – I can’t carry five litters!”

Nipping at Adam’s throat, Lucifer moaned softly. “Don’t worry. We’ll take turns.”

“Take turns?” Adam repeated with a brilliant blush spreading across his face. “What breed are you-“

A sudden knock on the door shattered the intimate moment between Adam and Lucifer. Adam froze, his entire body going rigid as his breath caught in his throat. Lucifer, however, merely glanced toward the door, his expression one of annoyance, his lips curling into a displeased pout.

"Who dares interrupt us?" Lucifer muttered irritably, his feathers ruffling with irritation.

From the other side of the door, a voice rang out, sultry and commanding. "Adam? It's Lilith. Open the door."

Lucifer’s frown deepened the instant he felt Adam’s reaction. His heart raced wildly, his skin flushing hotter, and a cold sweat broke across his forehead. Lucifer tilted his head, his sharp golden eyes narrowing at Adam.

“And who’s that?” he asked, his voice dripping with judgment.

Adam, suddenly panicking, leapt to his feet, throwing a frantic look at Lucifer. “Hide! You must hide, now!”

Lucifer blinked, completely caught off guard as Adam bundled him up within his arms and practically throw him inside the cupboard.  

“Adam, what—” he started, but before he could finish, he was unceremoniously thrown inside. He let out a startled yelp as he tumbled into the small, cramped space, landing in an ungraceful heap.

Rubbing his head, Lucifer pouted, glaring up at Adam through the cracks of the cupboard door as the Phoenix hurriedly explained. "You need to stay quiet, okay? Don’t make a sound, don’t come out, nothing. Lilith is dangerous, and if anyone finds out about you... I don’t know what’ll happen.”

Lucifer opened his mouth to protest, but Adam was already closing the door, leaving him trapped inside the dark cupboard.

Lucifer grumbled to himself, his pride bruised, but his curiosity piqued. He realized the wooden panels of the cupboard door could be tilted slightly, and he carefully adjusted them, allowing him to peer through the cracks. He watched, both irritated and confused, as Adam frantically straightened his clothes.

Adam caught sight of himself in the mirror, grimacing as he noticed the blood smeared across his body and his tattered clothing. Lucifer, unimpressed, could only roll his eyes as he watched Adam try to make himself look more presentable—though there was only so much that could be done.

Finally, Adam opened the door, and Lucifer’s feathers bristled in recognition. Standing there was an Alpha Jorōgumo, Lilith. She was tall, imposing, with an almost predatory grace. Without hesitation, Lilith pushed her way into the flat, her nose twitching as she immediately caught the scent of fresh blood hanging in the air.

Adam awkwardly closed the door behind her, but before he could say anything, Lilith spun around and grabbed his arm with surprising strength. Her eyes were sharp, glittering with suspicion.

“What happened?” she demanded, her voice sharp and biting. Adam flinched, unable to speak as Lilith’s grip tightened. “How did you get out of Quetzalcoatl’s temple? How weren’t you caught?”

Adam opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He could barely form a thought, let alone a coherent answer. Lilith’s questions came fast, firing off like bullets. “And how did you get back here? What’s going on? Are you not hurt?”

“Lilith, are you okay?” Adam finally managed to stammer, though his voice was shaky and strained.

Lilith ignored his question entirely, her eyes narrowing as she launched into a rant.

“The other Jorōgumo... we found them, scattered around the temple. Dead. Ripped apart and drained of blood.” Her voice dropped, her tone becoming almost curious, even impressed. “Whoever did it was strong. Impressive, really. The Jorōgumo are not easy to take down, let alone an entire herd.”

She paused, her sharp gaze finally flicking around Adam’s flat, taking in the sight of the blood splattered across the room. Her eyes lingered on Adam’s poor excuse for a nest, the telltale stains of blood within it. A slow smirk spread across her lips.

“At first, I thought it was your blood,” she murmured, her voice dark and low. “But no... the scent in here is too rich. It’s not just you. There’s the scent of multiple people... multiple bodies.”

Her eyes gleamed with a sinister hunger as she turned her gaze back to Adam, taking in the sight of him—dishevelled, covered in blood, and clearly panicking.

Adam’s stomach twisted in knots as he looked down at himself. He pulled at his clothes nervously, his voice barely above a whisper. “It’s not my blood...”

Lilith’s lips curled into a dangerous smile. “I know,” she purred, taking a slow, deliberate step toward him. Her eyes were dilated with want, her breathing shallow.

“It’s the blood of my clan. And you—” She closed the distance between them in a flash, pinning Adam to the wall, her body pressing against his. “You took them down, didn’t you?”

Adam’s face flushed with heat as Lilith’s breath brushed against his skin. He tried to squirm away, but her grip was firm.

“I... I didn’t do it,” he stammered, his heart racing in his chest.

Lilith wasn’t listening. Her eyes were glazed over with something dark and dangerous as she leaned in closer, her voice a low, seductive whisper.

“I’m impressed, Adam. I might even consider you as a mate.”

Adam’s heart skipped a beat, his panic rising as he tried to slip out from under her. “I didn’t do it!” he insisted, managing to duck out of her grip and back away. His eyes darted toward the cupboard, hoping Lucifer was staying hidden, though the situation was becoming more dangerous by the second.

But Lilith followed, her gaze predatory, never leaving him.

“Oh, don’t be modest,” she purred, her voice laced with amusement. “Who else could’ve taken down that many Jorōgumo? You’ve impressed me, Adam... and that’s not easy to do.”

Adam’s pulse quickened, his mind racing as he backed further into the flat. He needed to figure out a way to get her to leave before she realized just who, or what, was hiding inside his cupboard.

His thoughts were cut of when Lilith suddenly grabbed him. Her strong hands yanking him close and her face pushing into his throat, inhaling his scent sharply. His body prickled, his skin twitching and hairs standing up on. Adam’s eyes grow wide, and his mouth gapped.

“W-Wait, Lilith, you don’t understand-“

“You don’t smell of anything, but that’s alright.” Lilith said, running a hand down his back. She tilted her head back to look up at him with hooded, glassy eyes. “I’m going to fuck you, Adam. I’ll make you come so hard that you won’t be able to see straight. If I knew how strong you really were all this time, I would have bedded you like you wanted months ago.”

A laugh escaped her. Lilith opened her mouth, revealing rows of sharp teeth. Her spider fangs beginning to stretch out towards him. “Who knew. You just had to kill one of my sisters and I’d become all hot and bothered.”

“Lilith, wait-“

Lilith's fingers clamped around Adam's chin, her grip firm and possessive as she pulled him closer, her eyes dark and predatory. Their lips hovered dangerously close; her breath warm against his skin. Just as Adam’s heart raced in pure terror, sensing her venomous intent, a bone-rattling screech echoed through the room, so sharp and fierce it could have split the heavens.

Lucifer exploded from the cupboard with a roar that shook the very walls. His serpentine body unfurled with startling speed, scales glistening in the dim light. His six massive wings, glowing with an otherworldly power, burst from his back, filling the room with a blinding light as they unfurled.

In the blink of an eye, Lucifer was upon them, moving with the swiftness of a predator. His long, coiling form wrapped protectively and possessively around Adam, spiralling around his torso, shoulders, and head, his immense wings shielding the trembling Omega from Lilith's sight.

Lucifer's sharp teeth flashed dangerously as he hissed at Lilith, his entire being radiating fury.

"How dare you touch my mate!" he spat, his voice low and venomous.

Adam stumbled in the embrace of Lucifer’s coils, his hands instinctively reaching up to steady himself as the Nephilim's sinuous body wound tighter around him. His vision was blocked by Lucifer’s enormous wings, and he found himself clinging to the serpentine form just to keep from falling over.

Lilith gasped and stumbled backward; her eyes wide with shock. She had never seen anything like Lucifer before, and the sheer presence of his dark shadow, now growing monstrous and dragon-like, sent a shiver down her spine. She struggled to find words, but all she could do was stare at the terrifyingly beautiful creature before her.

"Adam is mine," Lucifer snarled, his eyes glowing like molten gold, filled with anger and protectiveness. "He belongs to me! No one—no one—is allowed to touch him, let alone mate with him, but me!"

His wings flared wider, and he loomed over Lilith, his entire body exuding a terrifying dominance. "Leave, or I’ll devour you, just as I devoured your precious Jorōgumo clan."

Lilith’s eyes flickered with fear as she stumbled back further, her confidence and seduction evaporating in the face of Lucifer’s raw, terrifying power. Without another word, she spun on her heel and hurried out of the flat, slamming the door behind her. Her presence disappeared as quickly as it had come.

Even after the door had clicked shut, Lucifer didn’t release Adam right away. His body remained coiled protectively around him, his wings still shrouding Adam from the world. He waited, eyes locked on the door, until he was certain Lilith had truly gone. Only then did he slowly unwind himself, but his anger still simmered just beneath the surface.

Lucifer turned on Adam, his eyes blazing with hurt and frustration.

"How dare you?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "How dare you even entertain the idea of mating with someone else when I’m here? How could you let her get that close to you?!"

Adam, still a little shaken, held up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"Lucifer, I—I wasn’t trying to! I didn’t want that," he stammered, trying to calm the furious Nephilim. "I don’t like Lilith like that. She’s an old friend from when we were kids."

Lucifer’s anger flickered, but it didn’t vanish. His golden eyes narrowed, his wings rustling restlessly behind him.

"She was all over you," he snapped, his jealousy clear in every word. "And you didn’t stop her."

Adam took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. "Lilith isn’t interested in me that way, not really," he said gently. "She’s a Jorōgumo, Lucifer. She only wants strong, powerful mates, someone who’s worthy of her. And I’m... I’m not that."

The words made Lucifer’s expression darken with renewed frustration. His voice dropped to a near-growl. "Is that what you want, then? Do you wish she was interested in you? Would you rather have someone like her instead of me?"

Adam sighed softly and stepped closer, cupping Lucifer’s cheeks with both hands. The warmth of Adam’s touch stilled Lucifer’s angry energy, though the tension in his body remained.

"I used to wish she was," Adam admitted, his voice soft but honest. Lucifer’s whole body stiffened at the confession, his heart twisting painfully in his chest. But Adam wasn’t finished. "I thought if Lilith showed any interest in me, then maybe... maybe I wasn’t as hopeless as everyone said. That maybe I wouldn’t be alone forever."

Adam’s eyes softened as he continued. "But that was before... before I found you again."

He smiled, his heart swelling with emotion as he looked into Lucifer’s glowing eyes. "Before I felt you calling to me like you always have. And now that I know you’re real, that you’re here, I can’t imagine being with anyone but you."

Lucifer’s breath caught in his throat, his golden eyes widening as Adam’s words sank in. For a moment, he was stunned into silence. Then, his anger melted away, replaced by a deep, overwhelming tenderness. His wings folded inward, brushing against Adam gently, protectively.

"Does this mean..." Lucifer began, his voice soft and almost shy for the first time, "you’ve accepted being my mate?"

Adam blushed deeply, his cheeks turning a soft pink as he averted his eyes for a moment, feeling bashful. But then he nodded, his gaze returning to Lucifer’s with absolute certainty.

"Yes," he said quietly but firmly. "I love you, Lucifer. I’ve always loved you. Even when everyone told me you weren’t real, I believed in you. And now that I know you are... I don’t want anyone else."

Lucifer’s entire face lit up with pure, unbridled joy. He smiled, wide and radiant, his wings shimmering with happiness as they gently curled around Adam once more.

"Adam..." he breathed, his voice full of love and wonder.

In that moment, all the tension, the jealousy, and the fear melted away. There was only them—two souls intertwined, finding each other again after so long. Lucifer leaned in slowly, his lips brushing against Adam’s forehead in the gentlest of kisses.

"You are mine, then," Lucifer whispered, his voice soft and filled with awe. "And I’m yours."

Adam blushed even deeper but smiled, resting his head against Lucifer’s chest, feeling the steady, warm rhythm of his heartbeat.

"Always," he whispered back, his arms wrapping around Lucifer’s serpentine form.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, Adam felt whole.

[shade-02]

Y'all it's a month till my oc's birthday!!!

[shade-02]

Ohohohoh I wanna tallk about my oc's for a hot second!

Specifically facts about my dragon oc's, as they all exist in my own little ocverse, if you will!

1. Dragons come in all different colors, shapes, and sizes.

Particularly, the color of their scales corresponds to what type of magic they can inherently use (red=fire magic, brown=earth magic, blue=water magic, green=flora/plant magic, ect.)

But, this doesn't mean that they can't learn or use other forms of magic! It just means that the magic they are born with is easier to use.

2. Female dragons are bigger than male dragons.

They also have an extra set of horns! These are usually located just bellow the larger pair, but this is not always the case.

3. Dragons inherently seek out things of value, whatever that may be, like friends or experiences. Some dragons may not have like a single place for their hords, they hoard experiences or other things that cannot be contained to one place, while others have a more "traditional" horde.

(Example: Green dragons in my story primarily have magic that would be a kin to flora/plant magic, so they would probably hoard rare or endangered species of plants and would take great pride in the cultivation and preservation of these species!)

BONUS FACT: My dragons have naming conventions! But only for middle and last names ;p

Middle names; named after someone who was close or important to one of the parents.

Last names; usually correspond to what type of dragon they are/what type of magic they use.

It's Show & Tell Time

Share your top three favorite facts about your favorite special interest.

[inkformyblood]

You Speak Of Grace

Commander Cody Week Day 02 Origins [ @commandercodyweek ]

Pairing: Codywan

Summary: Cody is about to meet his new Jedi, but he will make sure his men are as prepared as they can be. Little does he know that Obi-Wan is anything but what he was expecting.

“Once more.” Cody’s voice rang out as the test alarms died away, eliciting a fresh wave of groans from the assembled clones. From behind his helmet, Cody glanced over the group, running through the list in his mind once again. The heavy gloves hid the faint trembling of his hands as his fingers danced over the datapad, drawing up another scenario. “Test Scenario 00726. Oya!”

Distantly, Cody could almost hear Alpha-17’s low rumbling laugh echo forth from his memory at their displays of grumbling compliance. He carefully ignored the brother at the back — Crys, he thought, judging from the bright yellow daubed over his pauldrons and the dark hair growing up through the unnatural yellow dye — who ducked behind a console and emerged after swallowing down the last dregs of his caf.

The consoles rang shrilly as they ran through the necessary checks once more, heads lowered as the other clones focused on their own work. Cody sensed movement just behind him, but didn’t turn, watching the grey painted shape of Helix, their medic, move up behind him in the reflection of a console.

“Permission to speak freely, sir?”

Helix’s voice was soft but no less filled with purpose, expecting to be heard and understood. Cody was the Commander of the Battalion, but Helix was the medic, and that was something entirely different.

“Granted.”

Helix tapped the comm on his wrist, shifting to a private channel, and Cody stifled the reflexive twinge of fear that rattled down his spine. Fear was useful, Alpha-17 had barked at the younger clones in the Command Track, echoing the words of the trainers before him, but it was also dangerous. Drawing in a deep breath, letting it flow through him rather than rule his thoughts, Cody switched to the private channel as well.

“You are doing a good job,” Helix murmured, his voice slightly distorted over the comm. “You are already a good commander, and having a Jedi won’t change that.”

Cody didn’t respond, didn’t want to think about what Helix could read in the sudden stillness of his hands or the lines of tension that flickered into life along his shoulders, but merely nodded, his throat tight.

Helix lightly tapped the back of his wrist guard against Cody’s hip in a silent benediction. “I’m going to head down to medical. Over the next few days, I’ll need to check on the troopers and the Jedi to get a baseline.”

“I’ll draw up a rota,” Cody promised, adding yet another item onto his mental checklist. Dimly, he spared a thought for how his brothers in the command track were faring. Their own comms channel had been eerily quiet since they had received their battalion allocations and left in the early hours of the morning with one final message each of “Oya”.

“Appreciate it,” Helix said with an inclination of his head and stepped away. The other medics, Border and Patience, shadowed him like ghosts, barely half a step behind in a haunting unison that would have made the trainers proud.

Cody turned back to the men, tracking their progress as they worked through the machines, feeling a warm glow of pride settle in his chest. This would work. This had to work.

A warning prickled at the base of his skull, and Cody was already turning to face the doorway by the time his mind had drawn the context clues together.

As Helix left, his pace had slowed slightly, and the soft whoosh of the doors closing took longer than it should have. One of the troopers had raised his head, gaze fixed at something over Cody’s shoulder as one of his hands formed the beginning of the symbol for ‘Mother’, a warning of being watched back on Kamino. But the critical clue was the message flashing from the Command Track Chat from Bly that only read ‘oh no my Jedi’s hot.’

“Hello there.”

“Hello, sir,” Cody said, running on instinct as the rest of his mind went blissfully blank. The only information he had been given was a name and a grainy holo picture to recognise his Jedi by. A small thrill ran down his spine at that thought. Possession was still something all the clones were getting used to, and the knowledge that this man was his, was theirs, was more than Cody could have thought possible.

“Jetti on bridge,” Cody barked over his shoulder to the others, feeling the weight of their eyes on his back.

Obi-Wan smiled, the edges of his eyes — so unbelievably blue, like the point where the ocean met the sky — crinkling. “Please, Commander, call me Obi-Wan.”

“Obi-Wan,” Cody repeated with a nod, further committing it to memory. He was grateful for the helmet that was still covering his head as he felt the heat settle in his cheeks. Full armour was cumbersome for now, but it had been better to be safe than sorry.

“From what I understand, you have names as well?” Obi-Wan’s gaze darted around the room; his voice pitched low. “I don’t wish to cause any offence; this situation is very new to me.” He tucked his hands into his sleeves, clasping them in front of him.

“CC-2224 is my designation. But my name is Cody, sir.”

It was as if Cody’s words ripped the oxygen from the room, every trooper freezing in place in perfect military rest. Obi-Wan had to feel the pressure lowering onto his shoulders, but he merely grinned once more.

“Cody. That’s an excellent name and a good choice.” Obi-Wan paused, glancing around the room and meeting the gaze of every trooper who quickly lowered their heads back to their consoles at Cody’s signal.

“I trust I can count on you to keep me right, Cody? I will defer to your expertise.” Obi-Wan’s grin was as warm as sunlight, intoxicating when it was directed at just Cody, and he felt his cheeks burst with heat once more.

“Yessir,” Cody said, snapping back into parade rest out of habit.

“I’m not sure what the Kamioans have told you, but if you’re amenable, full armour outside of active combat isn’t required.” Obi-Wan paused with a heavy sigh, looking far older than he was for a moment before he pushed whatever memory it was away. “This isn’t my first war, but no need to make it harder than it needs to be.”

“So,” Cody swallowed, turning his head slightly to track Boil and Waxer’s whispering, their heads pressed together out of the corner of his eye, “Permission to dismiss the men to store their extras?”

“Permission more than granted, Commander.”

If Cody had thought that his mind went blank before, it was nothing compared to being alone on the bridge with Obi-Wan. In every scenario, every training simulation or exercise, nothing could have prepared him for this moment. Alpha-17 and the others took after Prime almost perfectly, and that applied to his lack of attraction as well, at best able to offer rough support to a heartbroken trooper in basic training.

Obi-Wan began to move around the bridge, glancing over the simulated manoeuvres that had been programmed in with a gleam of interest in his eyes. “If you want, Cody, you can store your belongings as well. We’re going to be working together for a while, and I see no reason to start out with extreme formality.”

Cody’s hands were steady as he reached up to remove his helmet, subtly pressing at the itch that had erupted two hours ago at the nape of his skull as he did so. Obi-Wan’s face softened as he watched him, unable to hide the obvious curiosity in his eyes.

“I can definitely see the resemblance.”

Cody laughed, the noise startled out of him, jaw snapping shut with a click.

“I’m sorry, sir,” he began, but Obi-Wan cut him off with a wave of his hand, his shoulders shaking with barely suppressed laughter.

“Please, don’t apologise, Cody. If there is anyone at fault, then it is me.”

“No, sir.” Cody paused to find the correct words, tapping his fingers against the edge of the datapad as he thought. This wasn’t what he had been expecting, Obi-Wan wasn’t what he had been expecting, but he always had been quick on his feet. “As you said, no reason to start out with extreme formality. No fault here.”

Obi-Wan hummed quietly as he thought, and Cody took a moment to inspect the Jedi he would be serving under. The robes hid much of his frame, but Obi-Wan had moved with confidence, despite the fact that the fabric wouldn’t give much protection or possibly act as a hindrance. Cody made another note on his mental list, needing to confer with the other Commanders once everyone had settled again.

“I think this is going to be an excellent partnership, Cody,” Obi-Wan said at last. “With that in mind, with the full reassurance that you can tell me no at any time for whatever reason, would you like to join me for a cup of tea? I believe there is some final paperwork to go over.”

“Yessir,” Cody answered before the full implication hit him. Obi-Wan would be sharing, even serving most likely, something precious of his, something he had deliberately chosen to bring aboard a battleship, knowing the cargo restrictions. “I’d be honoured.”

“Excellent! Anakin, my padawan—” Obi-Wan paused, and Cody wordlessly fell into pace at his side, a few inches shorter than the other man as he titled his head to continue watching him, “—he never quite got the taste for it, unfortunately.”

“I am looking forward to it, sir.”

Obi-Wan gave him a look, his grin all fond curled edges.

“Obi-Wan,” Cody corrected himself. He felt like a fool to hope, but it was a hope he held onto tightly.

Out of sight, Cody tapped a message into the Command Chat before silencing it, knowing the explosions it would spawn. ‘Mine’s better, vod.’

[clearkoalacollective]

Game Giveaway, COVID-19 Edition

Hey, everyone! If you’re stuck at home with nothing to do, I’m here to help! The usual rules apply: first come, first served, be nice to each other, don’t be greedy.  You'll need to do your own research on the games to make sure your computer is capable of running them. I'm not giving any recommendations because I don't know anything about the vast majority of them, and I don't want to point out the "good ones" so they get snatched up quickly. I will update the list as games are claimed, so every title on the list should still be available, but I'm only human, so I apologize in advance if you request something that's already been taken. Multiple titles on the list mean I have multiple keys for that game. Send me a message with the title you’d like and I’ll send you the key!

1 Screen Platformer

11-11 Memories Retold

A Glider’s Journey

Aaero

Aaero

Acceleration of SUGURI 2

Action!

Action Henk

Adventure Boy Cheapskate DX

The Adventure Pals

The Adventure Pals

Almost There: The Platformer

Ame no Marginal -Rain Marginal

Ancient Planet

Animal Super Squad

Anna’s Quest

Anomaly 2

Anomaly Defenders

Anomaly Korea

Anomaly: Warzone Earth

Anomaly Warzone Earth Mobile Campaign

ARMA Gold Edition

Artemis: God-Queen of the Hunt

Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation

Assault Android Cactus

Auto Age: Standoff

Avernum 2: Crystal Souls

Avernum 3: Ruined World

Back to Bed

Balancelot

BalanCity

Battle Riders

Battlevoid: Harbinger

Beckett

Bezier

Bit Blaster XL

Black the Fall

Blackwake

Black Mesa

Black the Fall

Blackwake

BlazBlue: Chronophantasma Extend

Bleed 2

Blockstorm

Bomb Defense

Border Force

Borderlands 2 Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack 2

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel

Bounty Train

Carcassonne - Inns & Cathedrals

Carcassonne - Tiles & Tactics

Cathedral

Chasm

Chime Sharp

Chivalry: Medieval Warfare

Chivalry: Medieval Warfare

Chronology

Clatter

ClusterPuck99

Colt Express

Company of Heroes

Copoka

Cosmonautica

Crawl

Crazy Machines 3

Crusader Kings 2: Dynasty Starter Pack

Cthulhu Realms

Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX)

Dead Island Definitive Edition

Dead Rising 2

Deadlight: Director’s Cut

Death Squared

Deep Dungeons of Doom

Defend Your Life: TD

Deponia Doomsday

Deponia Doomsday

Dimension Jump

Distance

Distrust

Downtown Drift

Draw Your Game

Dreadlands

DreadOut

Dreaming Sarah

Duck Game

Duskers

The Dwarves

Emily Is Away Too

Endless Legend - Classic Edition

The Escapists - Alcatraz

The Escapists - Duct Tapes are Forever

The Escapists - Escape Team

The Escapists - Fhurst Peak

Euro Truck Simulator 2

Evergarden

Everything

Everything

FaceRig

FaceRig Pro

The Fall

fault - milestone two side:above

fault milestone one

Fearless Fantasy

Feather

F.E.X. (Forced Evolution Experiment)

Fidel - Dungeon Rescue

Fight’N Rage

Figment

Filthy, Stinking, Orcs

Finding Paradise

Flat Heroes

Flinthook

Fluffy Horde

Forged Battalion

Forts

Framed Collection

FreeCell Quest

Frog Detective

Full Throttle Remastered

Galactic Civilizations III

The Gardens Between

Gloom: Digital Edition

God’s Trigger

GoNNER - Press Jump To Die Edition

Grey Goo Definitive Edition

Guild of Dungeoneering

Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2

Guns of Icarus Alliance

Gurgamoth

H1Z1

Hacknet

Hacknet

Hacknet Labyrinths DLC

Hand of Fate 2

Hard Reset Redux

Headlander

Hearts of Iron III Collection

Her Story

Hero Defense

Hexcells Complete Pack

Highway Blossoms

HIVESWAP: Act 1

Holy Potatoes! We’re in Space?!

HoPiKo

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

How to Survive 2

Hurtworld

Husk

Idol Magical Girl Chiru Chiru Michiru Part 1

Idol Magical Girl Chiru Chiru Michiru Part 2

Immortal Redneck

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Final Cut

Infested Planet

Invisible Inc.

The Journey Down: Chapter Three

Jump Stars

Kalaban

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

Kentucky Route Zero

Kentucky Route Zero

Kero Blaster

Kimmy

Kingdom: New Lands

Kona

Lakeview Cabin Collection

Lara Croft GO

Laser League

Last Day of June

Layers of Fear: Masterpiece Edition

Lion Quest

Loot Rascals

Lost Castle

LostWinds

Love is Dead

Love Letter

Machinarium

Machinarium Collector’s Edition

Magicka

Maize

Majesty 2 Collection

Marooners

Masquerade: The Baubles of Doom

Master Spy

Memoria

Memory’s Dogma CODE:01

MetaMorph: Dungeon Creatures

Metrico+

Mimic Arena

Minecraft: Story Mode

Minion Masters

Mirage: Arcane Warfare

Misadventures of Laura Silver: Chapter 1

Monstercat Gold 1 Year

Moon Hunters

Moonlighter

Motorsport Manager

Mr. Shifty

Mr. Shifty

Must Dash Amigos

Mysterium - Hidden Signs (expansion)

Mysterium - Secrets and Lies (expansion)

NAIRI: Tower of Shirin

Narcissu 10th Anniversary Anthology Project

NBA Playgrounds

Nemo Dungeon

Neon Chrome

Neon Drive

NeuroVoider

Nex Machina

Ninja Senki DX

No Time To Explain Remastered

Offensive Combat: Redux!

Okhlos

Old Man’s Journey

On Rusty Trails

Outlast 2

Override: Mech City Brawl

Oxenfree

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2

Painters Guild

Paper Fire Rookie

Paperbark

Paradigm

Paradigm

Paratopic

The Park

Partial Control

Passpartout: The Starving Artist

Pirate Pop Plus

Planet Alpha

Pony Island

Pool Panic

Potatoman Seeks The Troof

Pretzel Rocks Premium (1 year)

Primal Carnage: Extinction

Primal Carnage: Extinction

Project CARS

Project CARS 2

Prototype 2

Pumped BMX+

Purrfect Date - Visual Novel/Dating Simulator

Puss!

Q.U.B.E.: Director’s Cut

Q.U.B.E. 2

Quest of Dungeons

Rapture Rejects

Rapture Rejects

Rebound Dodgeball Evolved

Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad

The Red Solstice

Refunct

Regular Human Basketball

Regular Human Basketball

Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition

Resident Evil Revelations

Restream (1 year)

ReThink

Rising Dust

Rising Storm 2: Vietnam (includes 2 DLCs)

RIVE: Wreck, Hack, Die, Retry

Road Redemption

Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder

Rogue Rocks

Running with Rifles

Rusty Lake Hotel

Samorost 3

Sanctum 2

Satellite Reign

Scanner Sombre

Scanner Sombre

Scanner Sombre

Scrap Garden

Scythe: Digital Edition

Seasons After Fall

Serial Cleaner

SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell

Seven: The Days Long Gone

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun

Shadowrun: Hong Kong - Extended Edition

She Remembered Caterpillars

Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom

Silence

SimplePlanes

SkyScrappers

Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition

Slime-san

Slipstream

Snake Pass

Sniper Elite

Sniper Elite V2

Songs of Skydale

Sonic Mania

Sorcerer King: Rivals

Soul Axiom

Space Run Galaxy

Spectrum

The Spiral Scouts

Splasher

The Stanley Parable

State of Mind

Staxel

Staxel

Steamworld Heist

Steamworld Heist

The Stillness of the Wind

STRAFE: Millennium Edition

Stronghold Legends: Steam Edition

Styx: Shards of Darkness

Subterrain

Sudden Strike 4

Sundered

Sunrider: Liberation Day - Captain’s Edition

Super Chicken Catchers

Super Daryl Deluxe

Super Rude Bear Resurrection

SuperLuminauts

The Surge

Swords and Soldiers 2 Shawarmageddon

Tales of Berseria

Team Racing League

THE TEAR

Teslagrad

Think of the Children

Thomas Was Alone

THOTH

Throne of Lies: The Online Game of Deceit

Ticket to Ride: First Journey

Tiltagon

Tiny Echo

TIS-100

Tom Clancy’s The Division + Survival (uPlay)

Tormentor X Punisher

Tower of Guns

Tower Unite

Toy Odyssey: The Lost and Found

Train Valley

Tricky Towers

Tricky Towers

TumbleSeed

Tumblestone

The Turing Test

Twilight Struggle

Uurnog Uurnlimited

Verdun

Victor Vran

Virginia

Void Bastards

Wargame: Red Dragon

Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus

Wasted Pizza

Wasteland

Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut - Standard Edition

We Were Here Too

The Window Box

Witch It

Wizard of Legend

WORLD END ECONOMiCA episode.01

WORLD END ECONOMiCA episode.02

WORLD END ECONOMiCA episode.03

World to the West

Wurm Unlimited

XSplit Premium (1 year)

XSplit VCAM

Yoku’s Island Express

Yume Nikki

YUMENIKKI -DREAM DIARY-

Zero Reflex: Black Eye Edition

Ziggurat

Zombie Army Trilogy

[angelynrostrand]

Chapter 2

Summary:  To the outside world, nothing should connect shy girl Angel Monroe and popular boy Xavier Hazelwood. But that isn't entirely true. They both hold secrets. Behind both of them lie 2 separate wolf packs. Xavier is well on his way to Alpha status and running the pack. Angel is not a wolf but instead the last healer in the world. When the realization comes forward that they are connected by destiny, will they decide to fulfill it? Is their connection predetermined by fate or will they choose their hearts? Lives and packs cross and mingle while romance and conflict brews. The story of 2 opposite souls on a collision path. Will destiny win out? Even the most innocent face, has the darkest secrets.

Word Count: 2,892

Warnings: None for now

http://happyholiday21.com/2018/02/02/cozy-cottage-ideas/

I walk down the staircase, my brother guiding me. Thank goodness, because I am not good at walking in heels. Plus, I feel so awkward when a group of strangers looks at me. A group of 35 people gathers in the dining hall to eat. We all make our way to the table, my father at the head with my brother and I on either side of him. We all pray and begin to feast. The small talk is centered around my brother in anticipation for tonight’s event. I continue to look around the table and, if I am not mistaken, that is the same boy from school. Xavier Hazelwood. He catches me staring at him. Shoot! I looked down hoping he doesn't think I am a stalker.

"Excuse me father, I need to go to the restroom," I say.

"Miss Monroe, can you show me the bathroom? I also need to go." It is Xavier, with a cheeky smile.

"Yes, of course." We both stand up and he follows my lead.

During the walk, I feel a weird connection with him. I think it is because we both know each other's secret lifestyle. We stop and I point, "The bathroom is down the hall. The 5th door on the right." I am about to go when he speaks up.

"Don't you also need to go?" He asks.

"Actually, I just used the bathroom excuse to get some fresh air."

"Well, that's a shame."

"Why?"

"Because I only used the bathroom excuse to...to be with you." I am shocked when he says that. Why would he want to be with me?

"How about we both get some fresh air," he says. We both continue to walk around and end up outside. 

"So, your brother is going to be the next Alpha?" he says.

"Yes, I am very proud of him. Oh and thank you again for what you did back at school."

"You're welcome. Were those drawings of a wolf? Is that someone? Or just a random photo of a wolf?" he asks. So many questions all at once.

"Yes, that picture is of my brother. I want to give it to him as a gift tonight." We both sit down on a bench near the pond.

"Well, maybe one day you can draw me?"

"I have never drawn anyone besides my family," I say.

"I could be your first," he says. I look down, hoping he doesn't see my red cheeks. Come on Angel, get it together. 

"Who are you, Angel Monroe?" That sentence pulls me back and I don't know how to respond to him.

"I am no one," I say.

"I don't believe you. You are different. You are special." He says it like he truly means it.

"Wow, do you say that to all the girls? Nice pickup line." He laughs, which causes me to smile. "I think we should get back. People are going to start asking questions." We head back inside to the dining hall. We walk to our seats and continue to eat and chat with members around us. 

After 30 more minutes of eating, the second part of the ceremony begins. Everyone stands up and walks outside. First, it is my brother and father and later the other wolves will join in. I stay in my seat. Since I am not a wolf, I cannot join them. Most of the time I can never join special ceremonies like these, but this one is the only one that will make me secretly sad inside. As everyone leaves, only one person stays back.

"Xavier, what are you doing?" I wonder aloud.

"Hey, that was my line. Why aren't you joining us?" he asks.

"Well, as you said, I'm different and only wolves are supposed to attend. I am not like them or you," I say tenderly. He gives me a sad look. "Go, I bet it will be fun. When you guys come back, there will be more food and there will be music playing like a real party. I smile, hoping it is convincing enough.

"Alright, wait for me," he says and walks away with the rest of the group.

I wait and wait and wait. I understand it is a long process, but I don't want to wait in an empty room. I decide to head to my cottage. I pull up my dress and the moment I enter my small rustic cottage, I feel like for once I belong. I sit down on the old floral couch. I am surrounded by plants and herbs. Books and art hanging on the walls. Spellbooks on bookshelves. This is a place where I don't have to hide my powers and can truly be myself. I finally relax. Then I hear a noise coming from outside. I am on alert. I stand up and walk up the window to see if anyone is there. It freaks me because no one is supposed to know about this place. It’s supposed to be my personal sanctuary.  I walk outside and see people are coming back. There are now lights and music pouring out of the mansion. I guess I should go back. Then I hear the footsteps again.

"Who's there?" I question. The footsteps become heavier and out of the shadows appears Xavier. I release a big breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you." He walks onto my porch. "Where were you? I thought you were going to wait for me."

I laughed. "I never agreed to that."

"What is this place?" He gestures towards my cottage.

"This is my secret hideout. I come here when I want to escape... I guess."

"Can I come in?" He asks and I freak out because all my spell books are laying around.

"Why don't we sit here?" I say and gesture to my porch swing. He sits down causing me to swing back and forth.

"So what did you mean about being different?" He asks. I go into a panic. I can't tell him and I don't want to lie. This is why I don't have many friends.

"I just am. Enough about me what about you. What pack do you belong to? Why did you come?"

"Wow, you are the first girl I have met that doesn't want to talk about herself." He smiles and laughs a little. "Well, I am from the Midnight Pack. My family thought it would be a good experience to see an Alpha transition because, one day, I will be an Alpha too."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I should have been addressing you as Alpha Hazelwood, not Xavier"

"No please, continue to call me Xavier. I'm not an Alpha yet." He says and it reminds me of my brother this morning. He is handsome and soon will be an Alpha. I thought we could be...well nothing. I thought he was into me. Or something. He is just a nice gentleman. We could never be anything. 

"What about your mom? I didn't see her" he asks. I refocus on him.

"Sorry, what...?"

"Your pack's Luna?"

"Oh,"  I mumble, realizing what he is asking. "She passed away a year after I was born."

"I'm so sorry..."

I cut him off. "Honestly it's fine. You didn't know and you were curious. It is understandable." I smile. And just like that, he switches gears.

"Are you cold?" he asks. I realize that I am hugging my bare arms.

"Ya, I think we should go back to the house." We both stand up and start to walk back when he kindly takes his jacket off and places it on my shoulders.

"Here, have my jacket so you don't die."

"Thank you. You are very kind."

We walk back and he talks about his family and his European trip for his birthday. He is an only child and recently turned 18. His future beta and third in command went with him. They are his best friends. His eyes brighten up every time when he talks about them. It is refreshing to hear about friendship and how much he loves them. I keep smiling. We finally make it inside. I hand his jacket back, but he just keeps it in his hands. I notice my brother walking towards us.

"Angel, who is this?" Eric asks. He makes odd eye contact and they slip into an awkward staring contest.

"This is Xavier Hazelwood from the Midnight Pack," I say, "Xavier this is my brother Alpha Eric Monroe." They shake hands.

"Congratulations, Alpha Monroe," Xavier says.

"Thank you, now if you don't mind, I am going to borrow my lovely sister." Eric takes my hand.

"Of course." Before he could say goodbye, Eric leads me to the dance floor for a brother-sister slow dance.

"Angel you know you can't...."

"Eric I know. But it was nice to have a friend for once."

"I don't think he wants to be just friends."

"Eric you don't have to and trust me. He is a soon to be an Alpha and to him, I am just a human." We both swayed back and forth.

"I don't know. I don't like the way he looks at you."

"You don't like anyone who is a boy." We laugh and dance until the song is over.

"Can I have the next dance?" My brother and I break apart and see Xavier. I look at him and then at my brother.

Before I can speak, my brother does it for me. "No, you may not. I think she doesn't want to."

"I think she can speak for herself," Xavier fights back. My brothers steps towards him and gets in his face.

"Okay guys calm down. Eric, it is fine, it is just a dance."

"No, I am here to protect you from some boy who just wants to get his dirty hands on you"

Eric starts to yell due to the music and I notice people are paying attention.

"Well I am not some boy and I truly care about her!" Xavier is now yelling.

"Why should I believe you?" Eric has some people's attention. With all this commotion, they are starting to gather. I'm starting to panic. From the yelling to the hot air, and now the small space I'm in.

"Because I'm... because I am her mate!" I turn my head fast towards him.

"What?" It was like an out of body experience. People fall silent, including my brother. My father walks up to us and says, "I think we should all move to a private room."

After all the guests have left, we gather in my father's study. My brother, father, Xavier and his parents, and me. The whole time I just sit there, with people arguing back and forth. I keep my eyes on the floor, mostly in shock. What do I do? Do I tell him and his family about my secret powers? Would they use me like how most people would? Do I reject him or will he reject me because he thinks I am just a human?

"Angel will not be dating or let alone be someone's mate!" My father yells.

"Why not? My son is strong, smart, and will be an Alpha!" Alpha Hazelwood retorts.

"She can't! She just can't be!" My brother interrupts.

"Why not?"

I finally speak up. "Because I'm a human and Xavier deserves someone better than what I can offer." I hate lying. Xavier's mom is next to me and grabs my hands.

"Angel, that doesn't matter. We have a lot of human mates in our pack. They will accept you. Are you scared they will not?" When I look at her, I want to cry. It has been so long since I had a motherly figure in my life. Someone who is patient and kind. I look at her. Then, one by one, I look at everyone in the room. I stop at Xavier, he looks at me with hope, but also in pain.

"May I have a moment with Xavier?" I ask Alpha Hazelwood and Luna Hazelwood.

"Yes, of course, dear," she says. Everyone rises and walks out of my father's office.

Now it was just Xavier and me alone. I don't know if I should speak first or if he should. We both sit on the black leather couch.

"Angel I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry? I should be the one apologizing for my family's behavior"

"Angel, please don't reject me. I want to get to know you and.."

"Xavier I won't reject you." A smile grows on his face. "But things are difficult at the moment with my family and my pack."

"Whatever it is, we can help. My pack will protect you and your pack."

"I appreciate your offer but I think you need to go to my brother about that." He just nods. "Xavier, I did have a nice night though. I enjoy talking to you." We both smile at each other.

Then he posed a question I wasn't expecting. "What do you want to do?"

"Well, I want to go to bed and take off these heels. But on the more serious note, I would like to be friends. If that's possible."

"I think I can do that, but I think you should know my intention is that I still want you to be my mate. Someone who can run the pack with me and be loving to my pack "

"Well thank you for your honesty. We should let the adults back in" I say.

"Adults? They were fighting like children."

"I know. I was just being kind." Then we hear yelling again. I glance up at him. We both stand up and open the door to see two grown men fighting. I am about to say something, but instead, I just walk up to Luna Hazelwood.

"Shouldn't we stop them?"

"No, let them fight it out. They weren't even fighting about you guys but about each other's outfits like some teenagers." She doesn't sound too considerate, but it is odd seeing my father fighting.

"Still, I don't like this. Xavier and Eric go get them before they seriously hurt each other." They just groan, but do what I ask. "Please be careful." Xavier is able to control his father. Same with Eric, but our father accidentally punches Eric in the face, causing him to fall down. Everyone stops moving. I rush to his side to see the damage.

"Eric are you ok? Just go back to your room. I'll be there in a minute to help you." He nods and leaves. "Dad, I think you should also go to your room. I will walk the Hazelwood family out. Okay?" He also leaves. "I think we all need to cool off."

"I agree," Luna Hazelwood says. We all make our way to the front door.

"I am sorry for my family's behavior."

"I am also sorry for my actions and I hope your brother is ok," Alpha Hazelwood says. He and his wife headed to their car.

"Well, I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow," Xavier says. I smile and agree. We shared a goodbye hug. It is warm and safe.

 "Bye," he walks off and I close the door with the last image of Xavier smiling.

I go to my brother's room to check on him. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Like a loser. Not my best moment and I still can't believe he is your mate."

"Let's not talk about him. Let me see your face" He pulls the ice pack away from his face. It reveals a black eye and few cuts on his eyebrow. "Wow, dad really got you."

"Don't laugh at me."

"Sorry." I know he is just embarrassed to start his Alpha career like this. I place my hand on his eye and whisper a chant for a healing spell. I remove my hand and see he is back to normal. "There, all better."

"Did you give me a third eye?"

"No. Do you want one? I can try." I scare him by putting my hands on his eye again.

"No. No, I'm good."

"I'm sorry I ruined your party but I have a present for you." I hand him my gift in wrapping paper. I put it in a wooden frame. He pulls open the paper and looks at the drawing.

"Angel thank you and you didn't ruin it. This is the best gift I have ever received. Thank you." He kisses my head and goes to bed. 

Finally able to rest in my bed, I look at my hands. Every time I heal someone it becomes a reminder to me. That someone killed my mom for these exact hands. There are people who will kill me or use me because I am different. If Xavier really gets to know me, will he use me like the others? Would he accept me? I am glad I was able to attract a kind mate but I need to stay hidden from the world. If I am exposed, I can't survive in this world. People like me are always in books but we don't end up with a happy ending. I want a happy life. A simple life where I can be worry-free. 

[thebookrat]

As promised, here is part 2 of my Urban Fantasy Backlist Love mini-series! Here are 3 urban fantasy-esque series that I love and recommend. If you want to weigh in on the first video, where I ask for your thoughts on 3 I own but haven't read, you can find that video here! Also, SO. MANY. CAMEOS. from Catsanova.

THE BOOKS: MERCY THOMPSON series by Patricia Briggs

Moon Called is the novel that introduced Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson to the world and launched a #1 bestselling phenomenon... Mercy Thompson is a shapeshifter, and while she was raised by werewolves, she can never be one of them, especially after the pack ran her off for having a forbidden love affair. So she’s turned her talent for fixing cars into a business and now runs a one-woman mechanic shop in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State. But Mercy’s two worlds are colliding. A half-starved teenage boy arrives at her shop looking for work, only to reveal that he’s a newly changed werewolf—on the run and desperately trying to control his animal instincts. Mercy asks her neighbor Adam Hauptman, the Alpha of the local werewolf pack, for assistance. But Mercy’s act of kindness has unexpected consequences that leave her no choice but to seek help from those she once considered family—the werewolves who abandoned her...

MORGANVILLE VAMPIRES series  by Rachel Caine

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood.

FEVER series by Karen Marie Moning 

MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks . . . until something extraordinary happens. When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death—a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone—Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae. . . . As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane—an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book—because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands. . .

via The Book Rat

[smartmaxeg]

How to create a realistic digital image

How to create a realistic digital image

Best tips for creating realistic similarity in ZBrush and Maya

Create any 3D art - a complex and time-consuming process, but develop a realistic digital double - one of the most difficult but useful tasks in the CG world.

The planned pipeline was for this realistic three-dimensional images: study of mood, measurement and scanning in the image, detailed retologiya wale, UV diffusion, composition, initial shading, design, final creation of shading, lighting, rendering and layout. Overall, the study and experience was excellent.

Leaving the comfort zone to try to carve or draw someone you know, not a celebrity or a fake figure - is the perfect exercise for traditional and digital artists. Because my way is my wife, I had the opportunity to examine her personally. This experience is very different from what you'll see in digital reference images.

01. Start the basic network

This first stage is very important. Study your model, take notes and pay attention to asymmetric differences. Start with a low-fiber core network - you can get one, or you can use the free version on our list of free 3D models. Keep polygons from the beginning, because that will make everything faster and smoother.

Before starting modeling, compare your Maya focal length settings with ZBrush and close your settings for consistency. Otherwise, when you bring your model to Maya, you'll see a difference in your measurements. Adding a light bulb will show the shapes and shapes that change in the face of your model.

02. Make your face shades

Shadows will give you the best hint of flying jets. Gradually begin to collect details. Another important thing at this point is to keep the measurements and check back of everything. Make sure to work in each area of ​​the face at the same time.

The main thing is not to go away and not get lost. Keep it simple and get the probabilities from the start.

03. Keep checking your links

Try getting right from the start and do not get lost in the details

At this stage, many problems related to shapes, planes and proportions can arise to get the look of your appearance. Using multiple reference images for your model's face from different angles helps fix it.

04. Add thin skin details

How to Create a Realistic Digital Image - Thin Skin Details

Get thin skin details straight, and you're on your way to a realistic mite

Use Surface Dispersing Maps to get accurate facial details. It is important not to rely on cliches and alpha maps and a lot of repetitive strokes of the brush on the sculpture, since each plane is different.

You can adjust this command and use the unique sculpture details in your model. At this stage, the smallest details will bring more realism to the sculpture.

05. Understanding the anatomy of the eye

It pays to learn about eye anatomy, if you want to look real

It is very important to understand the anatomy of the eye so that it looks real. Sculpture of the corneal line, iris, solid, pupil, Astrakhan and tear which is between the lower lid and cornea.

Use physically accurate shaders in V-Ray to draw a solid iris in Mary. Use projection and drawing techniques to help you understand the details of your eyes.

06. Complete the installation

Inspired by this image of Rembrandt

The skin texture is made in Mary and shaded in x-ray. Image view on a 3D model provides the basic layer of texture, which you can add by drawing all the details behind the layer.

Rembrandt's photographs and dramatic lighting in his paintings were a great inspiration, so we tried to create a similar look and feel of the final image.

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[impactcomicscbr]

NEW STUFF FRIDAY 6th October 2017

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BLUE BEETLE #12 GENERATIONS HAWKEYE & HAWKEYE #1 ALTERNATE TORQUE COVER GENERATIONS MS MARVEL & MS MARVEL #1 HARLEY QUINN #28 JUSTICE LEAGUE #29 KISS VAMPIRELLA #1 (OF 5) COVER A DOE LUKE CAGE #5 MARVEL LEGACY #1 VARIANT QUESADA LENTICULAR COVER MISBEGOTTEN RUNAWAY NUN #1 COVER A CASE NAILBITER HACK SLASH HACK SLASH NAILBITER ONE SHOT (MR) RICK & MORTY POCKET LIKE YOU STOLE IT #1 (OF 5) RICK & MORTY POCKET LIKE YOU STOLE IT #2 (OF 5) RIVERS OF LONDON DETECTIVE STORIES #4 (OF 4) SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER #4 (OF 5) COVER A ROBINSON (MR) STAR TREK BOLDLY GO #11 COVER A CALTSOUDAS STAR WARS ANNUAL #3 SUPERGIRL #9 WAYWARD #23 COVER A CUMMINGS & BONVILLAIN (MR) WONDER WOMAN 77 BIONIC WOMAN #6 (OF 6) COVER A STAGGS X-MEN GOLD #12

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10 20 & 30 GN VOL 01 (MR) ALONE (G13) GN AMERICAN VAMPIRE TP VOL 01 (MR) ANCIENT MAGUS BRIDE GN VOL 05 ANCIENT MAGUS BRIDE GN VOL 06 ARCHIE GIANT COMICS 75TH ANNIV TP ASTERISK WAR ACADEMY CITY ON WATER GN VOL 05 AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER PROMISE LIBRARY ED HC AVENGERS VS X-MEN TP AVX BATMAN TP VOL 03 I AM BANE (REBIRTH) BOYS TP VOL 06 SELF-PRESERVATION SOCIETY (MR) BTVS SEASON 8 LIBRARY HC VOL 01 LONG WAY HOME BUNKER TP VOL 02 (MR) CATWOMAN TP VOL 04 GOTHAM UNDERGROUND (N52) CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC ACCELERATOR GN VOL 02 CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC ACCELERATOR GN VOL 03 CITRUS GN VOL 01 (MR) CONAN OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 CITY OF THIEVES CONSTANTINE TP VOL 01 SPARK AND THE FLAME (N52) COPPERHEAD TP VOL 03 (MR) DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS TP VOL 02 ALLIES DEATH OF ARCHIE LIFE CELEBRATED TP DEATH TP (MR) DEATHSTROKE TP VOL 01 THE PROFESSIONAL (REBIRTH) DESCENDER TP VOL 01 TIN STARS (MR) DOOM PATROL TP VOL 01 BRICK BY BRICK (MR) DRIFTER TP VOL 03 LIT BY FIRE (MR) FOREVER EVIL TP (N52) FUSE TP VOL 04 CONSTANT ORBITAL REVOLUTIONS (MR) GIRL FROM OTHER SIDE SIUIL RUN GN VOL 02 GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNETS NEST TP (MR) GOTHAM ACADEMY TP VOL 02 CALAMITY GREEN LANTERN SINESTRO CORPS WAR TP HACK SLASH OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 (IMAGE ED) (MR) HARLEY QUINN TP VOL 03 KISS KISS BANG STAB HEAD LOPPER TP VOL 01 ISLAND OR A PLAGUE OF BEASTS (MR) HELLBLAZER TP VOL 01 ORIGINAL SINS NEW ED (MR) HELLBOY TP VOL 03 CHAINED COFFIN AND OTHERS HULK TP PLANET HULK I HATE FAIRYLAND TP VOL 02 FLUFF MY LIFE INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US TP VOL 01 INVINCIBLE TP VOL 09 OUT OF THIS WORLD ITS TOKYO CHARLIE BROWN ORIGINAL GN JOKER DEATH OF THE FAMILY HC (N52) JUSTICE LEAGUE TP VOL 03 TIMELESS (REBIRTH) JUSTICE LEAGUE TP VOL 05 FOREVER HEROES (N52) JUSTICE LEAGUE TP VOL 06 INJUSTICE LEAGUE JUSTICE LEAGUE TP VOL 07 DARKSEID WAR PART 1 LADY MECHANIKA TP VOL 03 LOST BOYS OF WEST ABBEY LITTLE RED WOLF HC LOCKE & KEY TP VOL 06 ALPHA & OMEGA LOW TP VOL 01 THE DELIRIUM OF HOPE (MR) LUMBERJANES TP VOL 06 MARVEL UNIVERSE THOR DIGEST TP MARVELS THOR RAGNAROK PRELUDE TP MOCKINGBIRD TP VOL 01 I CAN EXPLAIN MOEBIUS LIBRARY WORLD OF EDENA HC MONSTRESS TP VOL 02 (MR) MOON KNIGHT TP VOL 01 FROM DEAD MURCIELAGO GN VOL 01 NAILBITER TP VOL 03 BLOOD IN THE WATER (MR) PAPER GIRLS TP VOL 01 PREACHER TP BOOK 01 (MR) PREACHER TP BOOK 03 (MR) RICK & MORTY TP VOL 01 SABRINA CHILLING ADVENTURES TP VOL 01 (MR) SAGA DLX ED HC VOL 01 SAGA TP VOL 01 (MR) SAGA TP VOL 02 (MR) SAGA TP VOL 03 (MR) SAGA TP VOL 04 (MR) SAGA TP VOL 07 (MR) SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN TP VOL 01 SCOTT PILGRIM COLOR HC VOL 02 (OF 6) SERENITY HC VOL 01 THOSE LEFT BEHIND 2ND ED SEX CRIMINALS TP VOL 03 THREE THE HARD WAY (MR) SIN CITY NEW MILLER COVER TP VOL 01 HARD GOODBYE (MR) NOTE PRI SPIDER-GWEN TP VOL 00 MOST WANTED SPIDER-MAN DEADPOOL TP VOL 02 SIDE PIECES SPREAD TP VOL 03 NO SAFE PLACE STAR WARS TP VOL 05 YODAS SECRET WAR STRAIN TP VOL 01 STRIKE THE BLOOD GN VOL 08 SUPERMAN RED SON TP NEW EDITION THOR AND MIGHTY AVENGERS TMNT USAGI YOJIMBO HC ED TRANSMETROPOLITAN TP VOL 03 YEAR OF THE BASTARD NEW ED (MR) TRANSMETROPOLITAN TP VOL 04 THE NEW SCUM (MR) V FOR VENDETTA NEW EDITION TP (MR) WAKE TP (MR) WALKING DEAD TP VOL 01 DAYS GONE BYE WALKING DEAD TP VOL 05 BEST DEFENSE (NEW PTG) WALKING DEAD TP VOL 18 WHAT COMES AFTER WALKING DEAD TP VOL 27 WHISPERER WAR WALKING DEAD TP VOL 27 WHISPERER WAR WARLORD OF MARS OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 (MR) WAYWARD TP VOL 02 (MR) WICKED & DIVINE TP VOL 04 RISING ACTION (MR) WICKED & DIVINE TP VOL 05 IMPERIAL PHASE I (MR) WONDER WOMAN TP VOL 01 THE LIES (REBIRTH) WONDER WOMAN TP VOL 02 YEAR ONE (REBIRTH) X-MEN TP MESSIAH COMPLEX Y THE LAST MAN TP BOOK 01 (MR) SWORD ART ONLINE NOVEL VOL 11 ALICIZATION RUNNING

MYLITES 2 SILVER GOLD (ORDER IN 50)

[brendagilliam2]

The best free graphic design software

Not everyone has the cash to spend kitting themselves out with the most expensive graphic design software, particularly when starting a new business or embarking on a new career in design. Many will default to Adobe’s fantastic Creative Cloud suite of applications, but for those who want to do the groundwork there is a lot of free graphic design software out there that can do the job just as well.

But to save you from doing said groundwork, we’ve compiled this list and divided it into five sections – use the drop-down menu above to navigate to the page you want.

01. Gravit Designer

Gravit Designer delivers a full vector toolkit for free

Platform: Online, PC, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS

Previously known as plain old Gravit, Gravit Designer is a full-featured vector design app suitable for all manner of jobs, from screen and icon designs through to presentations, illustration and animation. 

With a clean and intuitive interface that adjusts itself as you need it, this free graphic design software packs a wealth of tools for creating detailed and beautiful vector imagery, including non-destructive booleans, a knife tool and path graphs, plus multiple fills and blending modes, and a powerful text engine. 

It’ll export as PDF, SVG or bitmap, and if you need to access a project on the go there’s the Gravit Cloud service that enables you to get to your work wherever you are. 

02. Vectr

Vectr’s online options make it great for live collaboration

Platform: Online, Mac, Windows, Linux, Chromebook

Available both as a browser-based web app and as a stand-alone desktop app, Vectr is a free editor for creating 2D vector graphics. With all the vector features you’d hope for, plus plenty of options for using filters, shadows and fonts, it’s versatile enough for day-to-day design tasks. Particularly useful are its live collaboration and synchronisation options, which enabling you to hook up with anyone, anywhere, to create in tandem.

03. SVG-Edit

Although SVG-Edit is limited to the SVG format it’s surprisingly capable

Platform: Web Browser

If you’re looking to quickly output SVG or edit an existing SVG file, there are a few online editors that will do the job just as well as Adobe Illustrator. SVG (scalable vector graphics) is an open format that allows you to reproduce your Vector drawings programmatically, and one of the nicest projects is SVG-Edit.

This is built entirely on HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript without requiring any server-side processing. So not only can you use it to create and edit documents, but as it’s open source you can also download and modify the code – making your own version if you want.

The standard – albeit basic – toolset of every vector-image editor is here, and although it’s limited to the SVG format it’s surprisingly capable.

04. Inkscape

Free graphic design software Inkscape has very good SVG integration

Platform: Windows/Linux (Mac possible if you’re technically minded)

As with many of the free options available, Inkscape focuses on the SVG format as its primary file format. This highly capable editor has a very good SVG integration, supporting many of the more advanced features that aren’t always available in other apps – such as alpha blending, cloned objects, and markers.

Full support for different colour modes means this is a viable alternative to Illustrator for both print and web design, and although the interface is somewhat simpler than Illustrator, it’s still possible to achieve extremely sophisticated artwork. Of particular note is the ability to trace bitmap images, support for variable width strokes and native import of Illustrator files.

There are source binaries available for Windows, Linux and Mac, and compiled versions currently offered for Windows and Linux.

Next page: Free image editing software

05. Photo Pos Pro

Need to fix your photos? Photo Pos Pro can do that and more

Platform: PC

If you’re on PC and need a decent set of image editing tools without Photoshop’s price tag or GIMP’s immense toolset, Photo Pos Pro should hit your sweet spot. Built with image enhancement and editing in mind, it’s perfect for typical photo editing tasks such as fixing contrast, lighting and saturation, but it’ll also stretch to more advanced techniques. 

It boasts an extremely user-friendly interface as well as an in-depth help system to get you started, and if you want to expand its tools to fit your needs there are plenty of expansions and plugins available.

06. Krita

Krita has been in development since 1999

Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux

Designed with the VFX industry and concept artists, illustrators, matte and texture artists in mind, Krita is a free and open source painting tool that’s been in development since 1999. It comes with a full set of brushes suitable for all manner of work, and there’s a whole host of plugins available, from advanced filters to painting assistants for perspective work. 

Notable features include brush stabilisers to smooth out any shaky lines, a wrap-around mode for creating seamless textures and patterns, and a pop-up palette for quick colour-picking.

07. Pixlr

Free graphic design software Pixlr comes with more than 600 effects

Platform: iOS, Android

Free graphic design software Pixlr claims to be ‘the most popular online photo editor in the world’. It boasts more than 600 effects, overlays and borders, and lets you do all the main things you’d expect from a photo editor, from cropping and resizing to removing red-eye and whitening teeth.

If you’re used to using Photoshop, then you’ll find Pixlr’s user interface easy to pick up, as it’s very similar. This free app is available in both iOS and Android varieties.

8. Paint.NET

For photo editing, free graphic design software Paint.NET is an excellent alternative to Photoshop

Platform: Windows

Paint.NET is a Windows-based alternative to the Paint editor that Microsoft shipped with versions of Windows. Don’t let that put you off, though, as it’s surprisingly capable, useful and free graphic design software.

The focus is on ease of use, and there’s a definite tendency towards photo editing rather than artistic creation. That said, there are a range of special effects available, allowing you to easily create fake perspective, blend and push pixels around the canvas, tile and repeat selections, and so on.

A good range of selection tools, support for layers, and adjustments such as curves and brightness/contrast mean that Paint.NET is a great alternative to Photoshop for photo editing, especially if you can do without some of the more recent additions to Photoshop’s toolset.

09. Sumo Paint

Free graphic design software Sumo Paint works in the browser

Platform: Web browser (requires Adobe Flash Player)

Sumo Paint is a highly capable browser-based image editor. All the standard features you’d expect from a desktop tool are present and correct (and by buying the Pro version you can install a desktop version of the app if you prefer).

You need the Adobe Flash Player to use this tool, so you’re not going be using Sumo Paint on your iPad. That said, it’s lightweight and quick to load, and the free version is very usable.

The standard range of tools and adjustments you’d expect are all included. Brushes, pencils, shapes, text, cloning, gradients and so on are all quickly accessed from the Photoshop-esque floating toolbar. It can also open saved documents from your hard drive, making Sumo Paint a perfectly viable option for editing and reediting.

10. GIMP

GIMP is a popular, free graphic design software alternative to Photoshop

Platform: Linux, Windows, Mac

Open-source free graphic design software that debuted on Unix-based platforms, GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. Today it’s available in versions for Linux, Windows and Mac.

GIMP’s interface differs somewhat from Photoshop, but a version of GIMP is available that mimics Adobe’s look and feel, making it easier to migrate over if you’re ditching Photoshop. The full suite of tools is available here – everything you’re accustomed to is within easy reach, including painting tools, colour correction, cloning, selection and enhancement.

The team that oversees development has worked hard to ensure compatibility too, so you’ll be able to work with all the popular file formats without any trouble at all. You’ll also find a very capable file manager built in, along similar lines to Adobe’s Bridge.

Next page: Free 3D software

11. SketchUp Make

3D becomes much easier if you use SketchUp

Platform: PC, Mac

For getting your first foothold in the world of 3D, it’s hard to go wrong with SketchUp, and its free version, Sketchup Make, is an ideal starting point. It provides a friendly and forgiving introduction to building stuff in 3D, starting you off by simply drawing lines and shapes that you can then push and pull around to turn them into 3D forms. 

If you need a bit of inspiration, you can search the SketchUp 3D Warehouse’s immense library of models and download them for free.

12. Daz Studio

3D software Daz Studio is available to download completely free of charge

Platform: Mac, Windows

Daz Studio is a 3D figure customisation, posing and animation tool that enables artists of all skill levels to creating digital art using virtual people, animals, props, vehicles, accessories and environments.

With Daz Studio, you can create custom 3D characters and avatars, design virtual environments, produce graphic design elements and much more. There’s also a handy table that shows you what this free tool offers in comparison to its paid alternatives (scroll down here).

13. Blender

The superb animation Big Buck Bunny was made using free graphic design software tool Blender

Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux

If you’re serious about 3D but struggling to afford software, then you’re in luck. Blender is a free, open source 3D content creation suite, available for all major operating systems.

Started by Blender Foundation founder Ton Roosendaal back in 2002, Blender is now largest open source tool for 3D creation. Its makers are constantly working on its development, but you can pretty much do anything 3D related with this software, including modelling, texturing, animation, rendering and compositing.

14. Sculptris

Master the art of digital sculpting with Pixologic’s free graphic design software Sculptris

Platform: Mac, Windows

If you’re interested in the art of digital sculpting, check out 3D software Sculptris from Pixologic. Perfect for all skill levels, the software is a great starting point for users new to the discipline, while more experienced CG artists will find the software a quick and easy way to realise concepts.

Sculptris is based on Pixologic’s ZBrush, the most widely-used digital sculpting application in today’s market. So, when you’re ready to move on to the next level of detailing, skills learned in Sculptris can be directly translated into ZBrush.

15. Houdini Apprentice

Get to grips with the Houdini graphic design software with this free Apprentice version

Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux

Houdini is a 3D animation and visual effects tool, used widely throughout the media industry for film, broadcast, entertainment and visualisation. And its cheapest version costs just a little under $2000.

But the makers of the programme – Side Effects Software – are a good bunch and, knowing that cost can be an issue, offer an Apprentice version for free. With this you can access all the features of the full version in order to develop your skills and work on personal projects. The programme is purely for use non-commercial and learning purposes.

Free data visualisation software

16. Google Charts

Display real live data with Google Charts

Platform: Web browser

Google chart tools are powerful, simple to use, and free. You can choose from a variety of charts and configure an extensive set of options to perfectly match the look and feel of your website. By connecting your data in real time, Google Charts is the perfect infographic generator for your website.

17. Vizualize.me

Free graphic design software Vizualize.me hints at how resumes could look in the future

Platform: Web browser

It was only a matter of time before an infographic resume generator turned up. With this you can visualise your resume in one click and also take a look at previous examples. Enabling people to express their professional accomplishments in a simple yet compelling personal visualisation, we think this is an option worth exploring.

18. Easel.ly

Free graphic design software Easel.ly offers a dozen free templates to start you off

Platform: Web browser

This free web-based infographic tool offers you a dozen free templates to start you off, all of which are easily customisable.

You get access to a library of things like arrows, shapes and connector lines, and you can customise the text with range of fonts, colours, text styles and sizes. The tool also lets you upload your graphics and position them with one touch.

19. Infogram

Create infographics for your website or to share on social media

Platform: Web browser

Infogram is a great free tool that offers access to a wide variety of graphs, charts and maps as well as the ability to upload pictures and videos to create cool infographics.

The data upon which the infographics are based can be found in an Excel-style spreadsheet, which the user can easily edit and see the results change in real time. When you’re happy with your infographic you can publish it to the Infogram website for all to enjoy, or embed it in to your own website or share it via social media.

Next page: Other useful tools

20. Klex

Klex is an easy-to-use way of banging out great designs quickly

Platform: Online, PC, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS

Made by the people behind Gravit Design, and sharing the same engine, Klex is an easy-to-learn and accessible tool for anyone who wants to create impressive graphics in just a few clicks. While obviously not aimed at pro designers, it’s a perfect tool for anyone who wants to quickly bang out memorable designs. There’s a plethora of ready-made templates to choose from, plus thousands of assets and a great selection of effects and filters, as well as customisation options and a load of fonts and text assets.

21. Expression Web 4

Expression Web is free graphic design software to download from Microsoft’s website

Platform: Windows

If you’re a PC user, Microsoft has made its Expression Web 4.0 software free of charge. There’s no tech support available for free downloaders but its a pretty powerful alternative to likes of Dreamweaver that won’t cost you a penny. In this article, illustrator, artist and graphic designer Stefan Lindblad explains why it offers an alternative worth investigating.

22. Google Fonts

No list of great free graphic design software would be complete without Google Fonts

The Google Web Fonts project – renamed Google Fonts – is an extensive catalogue of free and open source designer web fonts, presented in an intuitive directory. The initiative invites users to explore and test fonts in more than 135 languages, and create their own customised collections of font families.

23. Behance

Sign up for Behance using either your email address or via your social network

With millions of views each month, online creative community Behance is a key resource for artists of all disciplines. It’s a fantastic way to see what your peers are up to, as well as finding new work and creative inspiration from top web designers and agencies. Find the best ways to get your work noticed on Behance here.

24. WordPress

Create your own portfolio blog with WordPress

There are a whole lot of designers who don’t have their own blog, but it’s a great way to showcase your fantastic work, get recognition in your industry, earn extra income and get new clients. WordPress is the most popular platform for blogging, and while it can be a little fiddly to set up, there’s lots of helpful information online to get you going. Check out these articles:

Top WordPress resources

Brilliant WordPress tutorials for designers

Top free WordPress themes for designers

25. Dribbble

Dribbble is a great source of inspiration as well as a designer’s tool

Dribbble enables designers to share their creations easily, and is a good source of inspiration as well as a great way to promote your own work. Check out this article to find out which designers you should be following on Dribbble.

Related articles:

The best new graphic design tools of 2017 so far

15 tools every web designer needs in 2017

Review: Adobe Creative Cloud 2017

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The post The best free graphic design software appeared first on Brenda Gilliam.

from Brenda Gilliam http://brendagilliam.com/the-best-free-graphic-design-software/

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Mermay doodle via post it note at work

[hiswordisalamp-blog]

New Post has been published on http://hiswordisalamp.samddavis.com/2017/02/16/seven-trumpets-revelation/

Seven Trumpets of John's Revelation, What are they?

Bewes trivializes John’s trumpets, just as he has trivialized other prophecies before.  “It takes less than a Titanic— or a war— however, to rock complacency and upturn human scales of value.  It only takes a coronary or a bereavement, or unemployment— and suddenly we are looking for answers about life and its meaning, answers about this world… and the next… and God. [The Lamb Wins p.63]”  Even the sinking of the Titanic is trivial compared to the cataclysmic events described in the book of Revelation. How much more trivial is a coronary, or a bereavement or unemployment? When witnessing an event so awful it silences the ever-praising angels, we ought not to reduce this event to the level of our everyday sorrows. Revelation depicts the world literally ripping itself apart in the birth pangs of a New World, and Bewes compares that sorrow to a human coronary failure.

Death, unemployment, and coronary failure are all terrible scars of living in this fallen, sinful, judged world, and I have seen all these things first hand. Nevertheless, Revelation is talking about the Last Day, “…waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 2Peter 3:12 (ESV)”

Bewes says, “Now we retrace and go over the whole ground again, seeing that same period between Christ’s two comings— but this time from the point of view of the unbelieving world. [The Lamb Wins p.63-64]”  The text does not tell us it is showing the unbeliever’s perspective.  We are seeing things which will happen to them, but we don’t actually know they will see the locusts or the colorful warriors, and what unbeliever ever described history or the ebb and flow of the world as being like locusts with armor and women’s hair and human faces and power to torment people making them wish for death for five months.  If the trumpets are the unbeliever’s perspective on history we should find descriptions like this in unbelieving literature and philosophy.

I am unaware that the Bible ever provides us with the unbeliever’s perspective except to tear it down and criticize it.

On page 64 Bewes calls the trumpet judgments warning trumpets, but they are not warnings.  The book of Revelation is the warning and once these events take place the thing we have been warned about will be upon us.  These trumpets are not warnings but the trumpets by which a general directs his troops.

Hail, fire, and blood are thrown on the earth burning a third of the ground and a third of the vegetation.

A great mountain falls from the sky turning a third of the sea to blood, killing a third of all the sea creatures, and destroying a third of all the ships.

A star falls from heaven [presumably breaking into many pieces] striking a third of all freshwater sources, making them bitter and killing many people.

A third of the sun, moon, and stars are struck and can no longer give their light.

Locust demons roam the earth tormenting unbelievers so they want to die but cannot.

Four angels bound until this day and hour at the Euphrates River lead and an army of [2*10,000*10,000=] 200,000,000 presumably demon soldiers riding horses which breath fire and sulfur and having tails like striking snakes.  I think the angel with the little scroll, the seven unrecorded peals of thunder, and the two witnesses are part of the sixth trumpet rather than an interlude.  Among my reasons, the eagle does not announce the passing of the second woe until after the description of the two witnesses.

I believe the seventh trumpet includes all the events between 11.15 and 15.8, and that the seven bowl judgments are part of the seventh trumpet, just as the seven trumpets were part of the seventh seal.  Like the Russian nesting dolls again.  The eagle never announces the passing of the third woe [the seventh trumpet], which implies it does not pass until all the bowls are poured out and the wrath of the lamb is finished.  In Revelation 16.17 we hear a voice from within the temple, from the throne say, “It is finished.”  This is the closest we get to announcing the passing of the third woe, and it does not happen until after the last bowl, suggesting the seven bowls were part of the seventh trumpet [which is the third woe].

These trumpets are so terrible they cannot be warnings, they are the things we have been warned about at other times.  Bewes’ point about repent or you will all likewise perish is a good one, but not the point of Revelation.  Revelation says almost exactly the opposite: “(ESV Rev. 22.10-13) And he said to me, ‘Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.  Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’ ”  Revelation is so late in the game that unbelievers have almost no time left to repent.  In fact, those sealed with the mark of the beast are beyond repentance; their time is past.

On page 65 Bewes is being inconsistent with himself.  First, he says the trumpets are the history of the era between Christ’s comings from the perspective of the unbeliever [p.64], then he says the seven trumpets fit into our Christian worldview [p.65].  “As we take in the vision of the seven trumpets, we can see how they fit in with our Christian worldview. Built into the way in which we look at our existence is the idea of imperfection, fallenness, and judgment. This world can never provide us with a Utopian ideal; those who look for it or expect it will consistently be disappointed. We do not think like that. All along the road, we are to expect adversity–and storms.” How are these trumpets simultaneously history from the unbelievers’ perspective and fitting with our Christian worldview?

On page 65 Bewes calls the first trumpet, “a storm on land.” He generalizes and trivializes the first trumpet into any and every land-based storm. Bewes emphasizes “not all the earth” is struck in this storm,” only a third of the earth” is struck. Since only a third of the earth is struck, this must not be a final judgment. The kinds horrible storms which men have historically called, ”acts of God” represent little pinpoints on a global satellite map. The first trumpet describes a storm which will affect one-third of the world’s land mass. How anyone could consider a storm of this scale as “not a final judgment” is beyond me.

On page 66 a mountain fell from heaven burning with fire, struck the sea, turned a third of it to blood, killed a third of its fish, and destroyed a third of its ships. Bewes says, “This is reminiscent of the plagues of Egypt by which Pharaoh of old was warned.” This is true and a good connection. Unfortunately, Bewes goes afield from there, “But perhaps the vision also reminded some of John’s readers of Pompeii and for Vesuvius! In every generation, we can identify similar natural disasters.” According to the idealist perspective, Bewes is minimizing the second trumpet just as he did the first trumpet, and just as he did many other things before. Vesuvius and Pompeii, even the plagues of Egypt, are mere shadows and dim reminders of the terrible scale and intensity of the plagues of Revelation.

This is the kind of thing I have in mind when I say that Bewes treats Revelation the same way the Liberals treated the Gospels. They took all of Jesus’ predictions of His death and resurrection, as well as the narrative accounts of these events, and reduced it to the pithy remark that God is a God of second chances.

On page 66 Bewes recounts the star falling from Heaven, striking a third of the fresh water and making it bitter so that it kills many people. Bewes draws the following connection,” every time a drought takes place or a tidal wave causes widespread pollution, human beings in their frailty are once again reminded of their utter dependence upon God, and of the fact that they stand under judgment.” This remark is again subject to the same criticisms I have already made of the idealist perspective, reducing the cataclysmic to the level of the mundane. But beyond that abuse is again internally inconsistent. He alleges the trumpets are history from the unbelieving perspective. Perhaps natural disasters do remind sporadic unbelievers of their dependence upon God and their state of judgment, but not necessarily in any lasting, meaningful, Or repentant way. Revelation 9. 20 – 21 certainly leaves us with the impression that those who survived the trumpet judgments did not remember their dependence upon God or their state of judgment.

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In preparation of my oc's birthday, send me asks about him and all answer them!

😊😁☺

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My friend @kiwi-draws and I played cryptid farm on itch.io. Here's some old art detailing the shenanigans that ensued!

And here's the link if you want to support it and play it yourself:

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The Hollow Knight!!!!!