#shame that the horns of the first two turned out to be some low quality material they didnt meltttt...

[dailyanimal]

ponyyys🦄

[anarcho-mom-unist]

A survey of my ‘spotify wrapped’ from 2020

So, I listen to music between a lot of platforms, I hate how spotify operates as a company (and like in a way that’s pretty comparable to my loathing of the publishing/distribution sides of creative industries,) and I fucking refuse to ever pay for spotify askjdhd

However based on the aggregate of my 100 most-listened-to songs from a year of mostly hitting shuffle on an artist, album, or playlist on mobile, I do have some reflections and highlights. From that I made something of a survey of that list which includes my #1 and #100 song in addition to 1 song from each set of ten, for a total of 12 songs. These represent artists and genres I really got into this year, as well as longtime favorites that are worth talking about:

1. “Bad Trip” - Bad Trip (single) - Xena Elshazlii & Fady Haroun: "Bad Trip” is probably my favorite 2020 release, like if I had to pick one. The track has incredible energy, from the soft piano and vocalization intro to the verse with it’s sparse drums, subtle bass line, and slight strings to an absolute banger of a chorus with punchy staccato synths, reinforcement of the drum groove, and addition of an electric guitar. Elshazlii & Haroun pack a lot into 2-and-a-half minutes of music, and the variations in texture, mix, & music in each iteration of the song’s discrete sections are *chef’s kiss* ---verse 1 and chorus 1 are not identical to verse 2 and chorus 2, to say nothing of the short instrumental transition b/n the first chorus and second verse. Whenever I listen to “Bad Trip” I’m compelled to hit ‘repeat’ ---which is not a normal occurrence for me---and experience the builds and releases that this track brings once again. I don’t know much Arabic beyond the slang terms and exclamations that peppered my grandparents’ & parents’ speech when they spoke to each other in Armenian, but I’d be a liar if I didn’t tell y’all that “Bad Trip” is among the songs that make me want to learn the language so I can better sing along w/ them.

3. “City Lights” - Sailorwave II - Macross 82-99 ft. Kamei:  "City Lights” is the opener to Macross 82-99′s 2018 EP Sailorwave II, and it does that job immaculately. While I recommend the entire EP and an exploration of the Future Funk genre as a whole, you can’t go wrong with getting a taste of either through “City Lights.” The track bursts to life w/ synth brass chords and fast drums, quickly finding its way into punchy up-tempo horn line w/ light rhythm guitar and an active & bouncy bass line joining the mix. “City Lights” more or less goes from A to B to C and after the instrumental opening, the track shifts to a more under-voice horn line offering a countermelody to a mid-to-low register vocal line which is soon after joined by high voices punctuating the beginning of each phrase. The horns, guitars, and singers are cut from the track as the song enters its final section, a rap verse from featured artist Kamei accompanied with a slower-moving bass and light synth chords & wash in the middle register. Taken all together, “City Lights” ---like “Bad Trip” before it---packs a lot of music into a short duration & leaves me wanting more, which I especially long for when listening to the track outside of the context of the EP (which is what I usually do.)

12. “Turn to Hate” - Pony - Orville Peck: There’s a lot I could have done better in 2019, and “check out Orville Peck” is pretty high up there. “Turn to Hate” is a song that is at once heartrending, sincere, & catchy as all get out. Peck does one of my favorite possible things a musician can do on this track, and that’s make me Feel Things at a quick tempo. The vulnerable lyrics sung in outlaw country bass are supported by a fairly simple chord progression that acts as a solid foundation for a lot of texture ---moving guitar lines in the accompaniment part and middle-ground lines that move in and out of the melodic foreground. My moment of pure delight on the track is Peck’s laconic “yeehaw” that leads into a guitar solo that does so much work w/ its relative simplicity. “Turn to Hate” is an excellent song to get you into Orville Peck’s music if you aren’t already, if any of this piques your interest then I strongly recommend exploring his output of classic country meets 2010s indie meets camp gay sensibilities meets emotional realness. (This is as good a place as any to advise you to check out Yola and her album Walk Through Fire.)

27. “Water No Get Enemy” - Expensive Shit - Fela Kuti & Africa 70: I’m a newcomer to Afrobeat which is a fuckin’ shame because it contains a lot of the things I love most in music: rhythmic density and variety, jazz and “folk” idioms working together, a sense joy in the music-making with righteous anger at injustice in the music’s purpose, and a kick-ass horn section. "Water No Get Enemy” by Fela Kuti & Africa 70 is as good an intro as any to Afrobeat as it’s a delightful & excellent piece of music by the genre’s pioneer. It’s worth mentioning that in addition to its musical quality, Afrobeat is also deeply connected with Pan-Africanism and the resistance to the presence of European colonizers in Sub-Saharan Africa. To be frank, whatever I write can’t really do justice to this song or the musical movement from which it comes, go listen to it... a jam you can dance to while hating the British!? Immaculate. 

31. “Vardavar” - EP No. 1 - Tigran Hamasyan: The first of two songs from Armenian Jazz-fusion pianist/keyboardist and composer, Tigran Hamasyan, is a fast moving rhythmically dense piece of music named after the Armenian holiday of the same name ---Vardavar is a holiday of pre-Christian origin that Armenians celebrate in July in observance of the transfiguration of Christ, it involves throwing buckets of water on each other! Appropriate to its namesake, the running piano line through much of the track and the melodic lines are both exceptionally fluid and reminiscent of water. The rhythm of the tune follows a highly irregular subdivision of the bar that it’s best to feel along w/ as a listener ---seriously, unless you’re transcribing the tune or practicing/rehearsing it, don’t worry about counting---and get lost in with the flow of the music. Notable features of the track are the dense layering of instrumental/vocal lines on the melodic and countermelodic material, breakdowns & entire sections where the music takes to longer notes, “slower” feel & division of the bar, and a slower harmonic rhythm, unexpected unisons b/n instruments, and the transformation of Armenian folk melodies & texts between vocalized material and statements of the original material. There is no living musician whose work I love more than Tigran’s and if you’re not familiar with it “Vardavar” is an excellent place to start.

46. “Boyish” - Tropical Jinx - Little Big League:  "Boyish” is better known as one of the singles from Japanese Breakfast’s sophomore album Soft Sounds from Another Planet where Michelle Zauner presents the tune at a slow tempo with an unassuming instrumental accompaniment, wash of synths in the chorus, and low-register closing guitar solo which leaves the audience with a sense of melancholy & vulnerability. The original version from the 2014 LP of Zauner’s former band, Little Big League, offers a different take on the text: noisy guitars, driving rhythm, aggressive drumming on a rock groove, and a vocal delivery offering more of the rage of heartbreak than its sadness. Zauner refers to “Boyish” as an ‘ugly girl anthem’ and that intention is very apparent on this version of the track ---whereas the Japanese Breakfast take on it gave me a sense of being in the gender hinterlands b/n acceptable presentations of masculine and feminine. Both versions of the song are really worth seeking out for different reasons, and I chose to highlight Little Big League on this list because they’re a solid guitar-driven emo band that deserves appreciation in its own right.

50. “Dreaming” - Eat to the Beat - Blondie: What do I need to say about Blondie!? A CBGB act from the late-70′s that straddled the worlds of Punk and New Wave at their peak with a mix of an exceptional rhythm section (that bass!) diverse and compelling guitar work, and the captivating and ever-iconic vocals and presence of Debbie Harry. “Dreaming” might be my favorite song from Blondie and has had a special place in my heart since I first listened to them with my mom. It’s one of those songs that I’m tempted to call a perfect pop song: a joyful performance, lyrics that are at once simple and relatable ---whom amongst is unfamiliar with longing!?---music full of hooks & containing the kind of energy that just goes and takes you with it!

65. “Holy” - Shadow Theater - Tigran Hamasyan: The second entry from Tigran Hamasyan comes from his 2013 album Shadow Theater ---an excellent work as a whole---and is one of the slower, more spacious, and simpler tracks from it. “Holy” is a setting of the Armenian liturgical piece “Soorp Soorp” which is frequently used in the celebration of the Eucharist (even in the Armenian Protestant church I grew up in) and it’s achingly beautiful. There’s always something to be said about a musician capable of complex and virtuosic feats on their instrument doing something very simply and very well, and that’s what the entire ensemble brings ---including frequent collaborator Areni Agbabian who provides the vocals. Even as the texture thickens in the middle of the song, the middle ground & harmonic support coming from strings and bassoon (Ben Wendel) is simple, under-voice, and reverent. “Holy” is the kind of piece of music that offers an encounter with God ---even if one would never otherwise believe in something beyond the material; even just for a moment.

77. “The Day the World Turn Day-Glo” - Germ Free Adolescents - X-Ray Spex: X-Ray Spex is one of those bands I’ve listened to before on a recommendation I received ages ago but never really followed up on beyond the one song sent my way. “...Day-Glo” is a fuckin’ banger of song that just bursts with this wonderful energy from the jump & showcases the best qualities of X-Ray Spex’s sound: driving guitars, wild saxophone lines, and chaotically charismatic lead vocals from singer Poly Styrene. X-Ray Spex have an output that is wild and fun as hell to explore, and “...Day-Glo” is an excellent place to start ---you’d also do well to check out their more notable song “Oh Bondage, Up Yours!” 

84. “Marquee Moon” - Marquee Moon - Television: Listen, you don’t need to read some internet lesbian with a music degree go off about Television ---one of the most musically interesting acts to come out of CBGB and one of many definitive proofs that Punk is not a label that people should fucking fight about having a true definition of. Clear 11 minutes in your day, find a pair of headphones so you can experience the use of stereo in the recording and enjoy each element of the song, especially with regards to Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd’s interlocking guitar lines.

96. “Leylum” - Kokorec - Collectif Medz Bazaar & Sevana Tchak: Armenian folk music, baby!! Collectif Medz Bazaar offer a lively and joyful rendition of the classic folk song “Leylum” which has been burned in my mind from church and community gatherings ---the fun ones with music and all of your aunties dancing in a circle and such. Listen to this song and DM me if you aren’t dancing along of joining in on the response parts as best you can. I think this particular recording offers a nice entry point into an exploration of Armenian music, the instrumentation hits a lot of the staples of Armenian folk ensembles ---duduks, dohl, dumbek, clarinet, shvi, etc.---and the song itself is an up tempo dance tune which I find to be easier to start with than ballads or liturgical music.

100. “Electrastar” - Paradize - Indochine: Back in the hazy past of 2017, one of my friends from undergrad and I were hanging out and playing music for each other. In a departure from his usual library of French Baroque music, he played a song by French New Wave band, Indochine. That song was “Electrastar” which is a consistent favorite of mine, my favorite song from its album ---Paradize, which is already a solid record---and a great entry point into the musical output of a band which has been active for about 40 years. "Electrastar” features driving rhythm guitar, pulsing synth under the texture, eminently catchy chorus and post-chorus, and a very care-full and effective approach to the mix. Also, not for nothing but that album cover is 👀

Survey of 2020 Listening

[dreamsofpilots]

Horns pt. 2

Josh Dun x Reader

Brendon Urie, Barns Courtney, Tyler Joseph

Demon Reader and Josh spend some quality time together, then the darkness comes.

AN: This got really long and I apologize. I’m not really sure where I’m going with this story. 

Warnings: Demons, cursing, mentions of abuse, some gore, idk stuff.

“Get up.” a gruff voice demanded. I groaned in protest, burying my face deeper into Hound’s fur. 

There was a sigh, and then, “Y/N?” 

I peaked my eyes open, glaring up at the stupid human who was far too loud this early in the morning. 

Josh huffed, “Glare all you want, it’s still time to get up. We have work to do.” 

“I’m sorry, what?” I scoffed, looking over to Josh who had moved to the doorway. “We? Work? I don’t think so, bub.” 

He sighed again, clearly struggling to hold his patience, not like I cared. “If you’re going to stay here, you’re going to help with the chores. You don’t like it? Leave.” 

Hound mumbled beside me, kicking his paws into the air as he stretched, and I mulled over my options. I couldn't leave until I had the Colt. With that realization, I glared daggers at Josh, who in return just stared back, his expression passive and unfazed. 

What a dick.

I plopped my face into my pillow with a loud groan, “Ugh, fine!”

“Good. Meet me in the barn.” his fading footsteps told me he had walked away and I looked over at Hound. He was laying on his back, tongue lolling out of his big mouth. He looked so pleased with himself. 

“You’re coming too, mutt.”

I received a low growl in response, which I promptly ignored, standing up to go out to the barn. Hound growled and whined but the sound of his nails clicking against the hardwood floors echoed behind me. 

Outside the barn, in the bright light of the morning sun, the two of us glowered. Creatures of Hell shouldn’t be out at this time of day. Especially not to do chores. 

Josh glanced at us, and even had the audacity to smirk. “Not morning people I see.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, “We’re barely even people.” 

Josh laughed, a light airy sound. If only he knew I wasn’t kidding. Bet he wouldn't make me do chores then. 

Josh pointed to a bale of hay as he handed me a pitchfork. “We’re going to take some of this round bale out to the horses in the run-in shed. Then we’ll clean and fill water buckets, and I’ll have you muck some stalls, while I exercise a few of those horses.” 

Josh glanced down at my heel clad feet before scratching his hat covered head. “Wait here a sec.” he said before walking into the barn. He returned a few minutes later holding a pair of the most ugly and beat up boots I had ever laid my eyes on. 

I lifted an eyebrow, “You must me joking.” 

Josh shrugged. “Suit yourself.” he said as he began walking away, “Just figured you wouldn’t want to get manure on those uppity shoes of yours.” 

His attitude was enough for me to throw a tantrum right there, not caring how childish it made me look. “Oh my gosh, FINE!” 

I snatched the boots from Josh’s outstretched hand, and that stupid smirk returned to his stupid, albeit handsome, face. Not like I would ever let him know that bit of information though. The freaking human. 

Once he had explained what to do, I spent a good part of the morning working. Sweat rolled down my face and back, and dirt found a new home under my fingernails and up my nose, making me sneeze. It wasn’t long before blisters formed on my palms, only to burst after a few more pitchfork full thrusts. I groaned, knowing they would heal quickly just because of what I was, but still not happy about having them in the first place. 

A noise from Hound drew my attention from the barn to look outside to a fenced in ring. Josh was working with a horse from the ground, urging the animal to canter around the circle, using just his body language to adjust the beast’s movements. His shirt was off and sweat glistened on his muscles in the afternoon sun. His cheeks were tinged pink from exertion, and his eyes were completely focused on the beautiful chestnut mare. They seemed like they were lost in a dance together, and I found myself getting entranced. Hound nudged my hand gently with his snout, leaving a wet trail on my skin. I absentmindedly patted him, not tearing my eyes away from Josh.

Not that I could even if I wanted to.  

Josh ended the lunging exercise with the mare, and laughed as she joined him in the center of the ring. Her lips nuzzled at his cheek and ear, making his eyes light up and crinkle at the sides, his smile wide and brilliant. He looked like the happiest human on the planet.

His eyes met mine, causing me to jolt, a stupid blush rising to my cheeks, before I retreated back into the darkness of the barn. 

I continued working wordlessly as Josh brought the horse into the barn, tying her to the cross ties. He began grooming her down, and we both worked in silence for a while, before Josh paused and asked a question, breaking it. 

“Why were you out in the desert by yourself?” His voice was low, and he seemed cautious, as if he wasn’t sure he was allowed to ask me anything personal. 

“I wasn’t by myself, I had Hound.” 

He snorted, shaking his head. “You know what I mean.”

I fell quiet again, not sure if I wanted to answer him. He didn’t seem to mind, as he didn’t press any further, and we fell into a comfortable silence. Nothing but the sound of my pitchfork through the sawdust, and his curry comb on the mare’s hide could be heard. 

“I was running from a bad situation.” I finally gave in, not really understanding why.

Josh didn’t respond at first, trying to interpret what I meant. “An abusive relationship?” His tone made it more of a statement than a question, as if he already knew the answer. 

I glanced at him from where I was in the stall, watching him over the back of the mare. He didn't look my way, his eyes on her neck as he groomed her, and yet I could feel his attention was in my direction.

“You could say that.”

His hand stopped mid brush, warm almond eyes meeting mine. “Are you- are you ok?” 

I held his gaze in mine, trying to absorb the warmth of concern flowing from him, the feeling of it so foreign. I thought of my plan to find the Colt, bringing it back down to Hell, and shooting Brendon in the heart, letting the power of the Colt destroy his existence. “I will be.” 

Josh came to the stall door, rubbing the back of his neck. A blush crept into his cheeks, as he opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to form words. 

“If you -uh- if you n-need a place to stay or whatever...I mean- well- see- I could- I could use the help around here a-and if-”

“Thank you.” I chimed in, mostly to stop him from squirming. Humans were so odd. Was I this ridiculous when I was alive? I couldn’t remember. “I really appreciate it.” 

Josh nodded, the blush even darker on his cheeks now before going back to the mare and leading her away. 

Josh finally let us have a break for lunch, which Hound and I gratefully accepted. Josh went inside to make food, and I took to the hose for a long drink. Once I had my fill, I turned the nozzle to Hound who lapped at it noisily. I giggled at the stupid look the Hellhound had. He huffed at my laughter, jumping up to press his giant paws against my chest, effectively knocking me down. 

I landed with an ‘oof,’ dust flying around me. Hound made a sound similar to a laugh as he rolled off me, kicking his legs into the air. I glared at him, a smile managing to tug at my lips despite my irritation. “You’re going to get it now, mutt.” 

Hound stopped rolling about at hearing my tone, his body tensing. He may be a Hellhound, but I was a demon, and I meant business. The two of us leapt from the ground, Hound turning towards the house, and me lunging for the hose. Once I grasped it, I turned the spray on the beast, effectively soaking his dark fur. 

He jumped at the sudden cold spray, running around me in circles to get away. I lost my balance as I spun, my bum plopping into the dirt once again, the stream from the hose soaking my clothes through. I growled and Hound laughed again, rubbing himself in the dirt in a poor attempt to dry off. “You stupid mutt!” I yelled at him.

Sudden peals of laughter from behind me made my head whip round to see Josh, doubled over, clutching his stomach as he laughed. I flushed, standing up and wiping at my clothes in an attempt to regain some of my dignity. Josh continued to laugh as he wiped at his eyes. “You two looked so ridiculous!” he added in between his guffaws. 

I responded with a few colorful words, and Josh paused, eyes wide, before breaking into laughter once again. “Stupid human,” I mumbled, stomping past him and Hound as I went into the house to get cleaned up. Shame boiled in my stomach, what kind of a demon gets laughed at by a human? This one, apparently. 

My shame only increased when Josh gave me some of his clothes to wear, since mine were essentially ruined and I didn’t have any others. I hadn’t expected to be here this long so I didn’t think to pack. I could pop back down to Hell, but I didn’t want to run the risk of being caught by Barns, or worse, Tyler. If Tyler ever got a hold of me, he wouldn’t just take me back to Brendon, he would make sure that every step hurt along the way. 

After changing, and eating with Josh in silence, the man disappeared into the barn once again. He had a smile on his face during the length of the meal, and I couldn’t help but think that he had come to some sort of decision about me. I avoided every sideways glance and attempts at conversation. I would not allow this situation to escalate into more than it was. I was here to find the Colt, not to make friends. 

The sun was hanging low in the sky by the time Josh entered the house once again, the rickety screen door banging behind him. Hound lifted his giant head from my stomach to stare at the intruder, and I quickly pulled the collar of Josh’s shirt down from where it rested against my nose, because no I was most certainly not enjoying the earthy scent of him on the fabric. Definitely not. 

“Come with me, I want to show you something.” Josh didn’t even bother to wait for a response, simply exiting the house once again with that same stupid smile on his face. I groaned in protest but followed anyway, stopping short on the porch when I saw two horses waiting tacked up in the yard. 

Josh ran a hand down the muzzle of the same chestnut mare from before, while also holding the reins of a speckled red roan gelding. He smiled, flashing his bright teeth as he held the gelding’s reins out to me. “No.” I stated, turning around quickly. 

“Wait! Come on! It will be fun, live a little.” Josh pleaded. 

I don’t know why I even entertained the idea. Maybe it was the way his voice sounded so hopeful, or the way his hair blew gently in the breeze, or the softness that he held in his eyes. Or maybe it was something else entirely, something that I didn’t quite understand yet. Whatever it was, I felt a tightness in my chest, and a twist in my stomach that wasn’t altogether unpleasant at the thought of riding with Josh through the desert. 

With a stiff nod, I approached Josh and the horses hesitantly. Josh smiled and followed me around to the gelding’s left side, grasping my hand for a moment before handing me his reins. “I’ll give you a boost.” I buried my face in my shoulder for a moment, hiding my blush before collecting myself. Demons shouldn’t act this way. 

Instead of Josh intertwining his hands for me to place my foot into to lift me up, he simply grasped me by the hips and sort of threw me up onto the horse’s back. It happened too quickly for me to react, and by the time I came back into myself, Josh was already up on his mare and urging her forward with a click of his tongue. 

I glanced at him, mouth agape, and he just grinned at me in response, placing his hat on his head.

Cheeky. 

“What’s his name?” I asked Josh as we left the farm, heading into the desert. Hound plodded along beside my horse, his nose quivering in excitement at all the new smells. 

Josh turned slightly in his saddle, his grin wide. “Inferno, on account of him being red.He has a temper like you, so be careful.” He clicked his tongue again, squeezing his legs to urge his mare into a trot. 

I leaned forward to pat Inferno’s neck, he turned his head to eye me. We sized each other up, and when I flicked my eyes to black for a second, he threw his head and nickered slightly. It was as if he was laughing, pleased to see a spirit similar to his own. I could tell we would be friends. 

Feeling confident in my new connection with Inferno, and with Hound by my side, I urged the beast faster, quickly outpacing Josh and his steed. Josh hooted with excitement after I barreled past, and soon we were both flying across the parched earth, laughing as we went. 

It felt good to have the horse under me. His hooves pounded into the dirt and his muscles bunched under the saddle. I could feel every one of his movements, Inferno felt strong, powerful, and his energy seeped into me and I felt the same. For the first time in a long time I felt more like myself. I wasn’t just some pet for the devil. I wasn’t a plaything that would be degraded and abused. I was a demon, fierce and mighty. I could make the world mine if I wanted to. I was free. 

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, I pulled Inferno up at a lone tree. Josh pulled his horse, Sparrow, I had learned along the way, next to me and we both dismounted. I let Inferno graze at what sad excuse of foliage he could find, and plopped myself next to the tree, Hound joining me at my side. 

Josh fiddled with the saddlebags that hung on Sparrow’s tack and pulled out small fabric parcels. I raised an eyebrow at him as he sat next to me and handed me one. “Sandwiches.” he simply said, unwrapping his. 

I gave half of my sandwich to Hound, and we ate in a comfortable silence, nothing but the occasional snort or tail flick from the horses breaking it. 

After the sandwiches were gone, and the sun had sunk lower, Josh shifted beside me, his shoulder brushing mine. I jumped slightly at the contact, but found that I didn’t want to pull away. Sensing this, Josh leaned a little further into the contact, not by much, but enough to know that it wasn’t an accident. 

“So this...boyfriend...of yours...” Josh began, after clearing his throat of nerves. 

I tensed, but quirked an eyebrow at him, “What about him?” I asked, trying to keep the tension from my voice. 

Josh didn’t seem to know where he was going with his question, and thought on it a minute before continuing. “What’s he like?” He asked quietly. 

I didn’t understand why he was bringing this up or why he wanted to talk about it. Perhaps it was going back to our conversation in the barn. He just wanted to understand. “He’s the King of Hell.” I sad flatly. 

Josh snorted, “No, I mean like, what did he do to you? I m-mean if you don’t mind me asking of course! I-I don’t want to make you uncomfortable I just-”

“It’s fine.” I cut off his frantic ramblings. “I can’t really tell you in detail, mostly because I know you won’t believe me, but he hurt me. Brendon made me his slave and used my body however he wanted and messed with my mind. He played with me, belittled me, made me do his bidding. I was his slave and he treated me as such. That’s why I’m going to find a way to kill him.”

Josh was quiet, processing my words. “While I can’t understand how you must feel, killing is-”

“Josh. Where I come from, who I am- I’m not like you, or like anyone else on this planet for that matter. Where I’m from, killing is not frowned upon. In fact, it’s encouraged.”

Josh’s brows bunched up as he considered me, his eyes were filled with concern, and it made me uncomfortable. I didn’t want his pity. “I don’t understand. Where are you from? There’s no way that-”

“Look, Josh, there are just some things about me and my past that I can’t explain. You won’t believe it or understand, so please just, try to let it go. I don't want to think about him right now...”

I was startled when I felt a warm drop on my hand. I was crying? I haven’t cried since I first became a demon. Even when Brendon was at his worst, I never let the tears fall. And now, with this human-

Hound whined and licked at my face, his breath hot and smelling of Hell’s sulfur. Josh glanced over to see what the mutt’s fuss was, when he noticed the silent tears streaming down my face, and my look of complete horror. Without a word, I was suddenly bundled against his chest, his heartbeat loud in my ear, and his earthy scent surrounding my senses. 

Josh shushed me when I began to protest, and held on tighter, running a large calloused hand through my hair. Despite myself, I relaxed into the touch. I couldn’t remember the last time that I had been held gently. I hadn’t known Josh long, and my demon side recoiled at every nice action, but there was something so comforting about him, that I couldn’t help myself. He didn't judge, he didn’t push, he just wanted to understand. This random stranger walks out of the desert and he just up and decides that he’s going to take care of them. What a strange individual. 

“Feel better?” His voice was low and deep, cautious. He could sense that I was like an unbroken horse, ready to bolt at any moment. He allowed me to pull away from his touch as I nodded. “I want to help you in any way that I can, I hope you know that.” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, and my stomach flipped. 

I stared at him, searching deep into his brown eyes. He stared back, not shrinking away from my gaze like most people. I felt something deep within my chest, a sensation that was long forgotten. He smiled, and I swore it could have made the sunset jealous. 

I found myself leaning in, my breath caught in my throat and warning bells going off in my head, but another part of me was egging me on. Josh began leaning in as well, glancing down at my lips. 

We both jumped apart after Hound let out a sharp growl. The beast stood, hackles raised and teeth bared. His eyes were focused somewhere out on the sand. The horses could sense whatever he did, and became restless. Inferno pawed at the ground in agitation, Sparrow threw her head, the whites of her eyes clearly visible. 

“Wha-” Josh began, eyes wide in confusion. We both stood, Josh placing himself slightly in front of me. That was when I heard it. The keening howls of Hellhounds. The sound surrounded us and multiplied, echoing off each other and building in intensity.

“I don’t see anything do you? That doesn’t sound like coyotes.” Josh spun to look at me, filled with worry. Hound leaned against me, each of his muscles rigid. His ears swiveled following the sounds and continued to growl low in his throat. “I’m so sorry, Josh.” I whispered. Josh shook his head, not understanding. 

The singing began, like I knew it would, cutting through the howls like a knife. 

Lonely shadows following me.

Lonely ghosts come a-calling.

Lonely voices talking to me.

Now I'm gone, now I'm gone, now I'm gone.

The singing continued, and I closed my eyes, breathing deep. Barns was coming for me, just like he said he would. He had given me a day to return to Brendon, and I hadn’t. The setting sun was a reminder that my time was up. 

I stepped in front of Josh as Hellhounds began appearing in front of us one by one. Their eyes flashing red and their bones jutting as they moved. They circled around us as Barns’ voice continued the song. 

Oh gimme that fire

Oh gimme that fire

Oh gimme that fire

Burn, burn, burn

It was a song of Hell, every demon and dark creature knew it. It helped to instill fear, and as I glanced over at Josh, I could tell it was working. 

Barns appeared before us in a cloud of black smoke, eyes black and horns visible. Hound keened beside me, wanting to fight the others, wanting to rip out Barns throat. Josh gasped and stepped closer, spreading a protective arm out in front of me, but I could see that he was shaking.  

“Well, well, well. What do we have here Y/N?” Barns tilted his head, a smug smile on his face, “Got yourself a little pet?” 

Pushing past Josh, I stood my ground. “I’m not coming with you Barnaby.” My voice was firm and commanding, and Hound snarled as punctuation. 

Barns let out a great laugh, the Hellhounds joining him as they bayed. “Well I’m afraid you don’t have a choice. Brendon has been a mess since you ran away. He killed a whole legion of demons just for sport when you didn’t come home yesterday. You’re coming back. Tonight.”

I could hear Josh gulp behind me, “Demons?”

Barns tilted his head again and laughed. “What? She didn’t tell you pretty boy? Y/N is a demon, and not just any demon, the Devil’s pet.” 

Josh stilled, eyes fixed on me. I sighed, knowing that all of the tenderness that he had shown me was now a thing of the past. Holding his gaze, I let the glamour fall, eyes flicking to black. Hound did the same beside me with a whine, his eyes turning red, and body becoming more skeletal. 

Josh took a step back, holding his hands up. “I don’t-” he didn't seem to know what to say. 

I turns back to Barns. “I’m not coming with you. I have something that I need to do.” 

Barns shook his head, absentmindedly stroking a Hellhound at his hip. “ I promised Brendon I could do this without getting Tyler involved, but I’m not above doing so. If you don’t, you can bet your ass Tyler won’t spare your little human friend.” He flicked at some invisible dirt on his shoulder, “I might consider letting him live if you come quietly.” 

A sudden cry of pain erupted from behind me. While Barns was talking, a Hellhound had crept up on Josh, biting him in the leg. His pants were already soaked with blood, and his leg was blackening from the Hellhound’s venom. Josh writhed on the ground, screaming, and something within me snapped. I threw up my hand, throwing Barns backwards with the invisible force.

Chaos.

The Hellhounds descended, jumping, and nipping at us and the horses. Hound and I went to work, attacking left and right, tossing the other Hellhounds away like they were nothing. 

I stole a moment to rush to Josh’s side, fixing my eyes so that I wouldn’t scare him further. “Josh! I’m so sorry.” He just moaned in pain, eyes closed tight. I lifted him up, draping his arm across my shoulder, and kicking a Hellhound in the face as it tried to pounce. With great effort, I managed to get Josh into Sparrow’s saddle, her hooves kicking out at Hellhounds making it difficult. 

Josh slouched in the saddle, already losing too much blood. Deciding he wouldn’t be able to ride on his own, I found rope in one of the saddlebags and tied him to the saddle. Satisfied, I turned towards Inferno, still holding Sparrow by the reins, but I was knocked to the side by a blow to the head. 

Barns had recovered and punched me. He clambered on top of me, pinning my wrists above my head. “You’re coming back to Hell Y/N!” he growled, spittle landing on my face. I bucked my hips up in an attempt to get him off, but he just pinned my legs with his, holding my wrists tighter with a laugh. 

“For once, I am going to best you in a fight. There’s no way you can win this with only one loyal Hellhound. Brendon gave me 20 to use. You’ve lost Y/N, and now that pretty little human is going to die. It’s all. Your. Fault. 

I screamed, writhing beneath him, and managed to bite his forearm. He retracted the limb with a shout before bringing it back down to land a blow against my jaw. My head was thrown to the side, and I managed to catch Hound in my line of sight, he was fighting three other Hellhounds, and managed to grab one by the scruff with his angry jaws. 

Realizing he couldn't help, I attempted to struggle out of Barns’ grasp to no avail. The noise of the fighting, and the horses screams were all becoming too much, and I just wanted it all to end. 

A gunshot rang out. 

Everything stopped. 

Barns’ hold on me lessened as he stared at his chest. There was a gaping hole there, dripping with blood. I glanced over his shoulder to see Josh, propping himself up against Sparrow’s neck, a rifle in hand. 

Taking advantage of the distraction, I pushed Barns off into the dirt. Josh collapsed against his horse again, the venom in his system becoming too much. I leapt into Inferno’s saddle, after grabbing Sparrow’s reins in hand, glad that both the horses had stayed despite the danger. 

Urging the horses into a gallop, I whistled calling Hound. He bounded after us, still in his Hell form. Josh moaned in his saddle, clutching at his leg, eyes meeting mine, pleading, and wide with fear. 

My heart broke, and my own version of fear churned in my gut. “Hang on Josh,” I begged as we made our escape, the keening from the Hellhounds becoming harder to hear, “Hang on.” 

[gwdiscotech]

Mudbox and Kaiju

What is Mudbox:

Mudbox is a software based around digital 3D sculpting and painting developed by Autodesk, it is one of the largest and most common sculpting tools in the industry along with its competitor Zbrush.

Sculpting Examples:

Z Brush -

Mudbox -

Starting in Mudbox:

Upon opening mudbox, you’re given a variety of options, the tabs on the left are short videos that instruct you on how to use the software, in the middle are some preset models which can be used as a starting point and on the right are recent files which you’ve worked on.

Once in the software itself, the UI layout differs from its Modelling counterpart a little, but thankfully the tools are rather easy to find and the scene navigation works the same way.

In the top right is where all of your outline is kept, this displays the objects within the scene and object's sculpt and paint layers.

Much like photoshop or gimp, you can create layers for sculpting objects, this is a good nondestructive method of sculpting that allows you to modify an object without completely ruining what you've done beforehand. For example, on my own kaiju, I had a layer for the head's base shape, a layer where I refined that shape, a layer of the eye sockets, for skin detail and so on.

You are also able to increase the subdivision level of your layers, and you'll need to due to the base objects having rather low polygons. It's best to leave the base object at its default polygon count and just subdivide the layers.

While sculpting you are generating a displacement map, which is a texture that manipulates the position of object's polygons. This essentially means you arent actually changing the shape of the object, because as soon as you take off that displacement map, the object turns back its default state. This technique allows you to create different LODs and actually gives you the power to show a 8 million polygon object on a mesh that only possesses 500 polygons which helps drastically with performance.

Kaiju Research:

Kaiju, from Japanese “strange beasts” are giant monsters in Japanese culture that are often depicted attacking major cities, engaging the military or battling other kaiju. Possibly the most famous kaiju is Godzilla and is the first kaiju film. Godzilla is a great example of the somewhat metaphorical nature of Kaiju, for example Godzilla serves as a metaphor for nuclear weapons and the fear’s of post-war Japan after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as the Lucky Dragon 5 incident. Other prominent examples of Kaiju include Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah and Gamera.

The Japanese word kaiju originally referred to monsters and creatures from ancient Japanese legends, the term earlier appeared in the Chinese “Classic of Mountains and Seas.” Once Japan was opened to foreign relations after the end of sakoku, the word kaiju came to be used to express concepts from paleontology and legendary creatures around the world. For example, in 1908 it was suggested that the extinct Ceratosaurus was alive in Alaska, and this was referred to as a kaiju. Despite this there are no traditional depictions  of kaiju or kaiju-like creatures in Japanese folklore; but rather the origins of kaiju are found in film.

Due to Kaiju character’s being considered giant science fiction and fantasy creatures, their appearance is usually very alien and unlike anything found on earth. Many kaiju share a few physical traits, such as leathery furless skin, multiple eyes and many arms and legs. Their behaviour can also be depicted as antagonistic, protagonistic, or even as neutral force of nature.

There are a few other terms related to kaiju, such as diakaiju which literally translates to “large kaiju” or “great kaiju” and refers to the larger monsters, though the exact distinction is debated. Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra are referred to as the san daikiju, the three great kaiju.

Another term within the kaiju sphere is kaijin, literally translating to “monster man” or “mystery man” and is the term used for humanoid kaiju.

Examples of Kaiju:

Sculpting Kaiju:

A sphere is usually the best shape to start with when you're sculpting an organic shape since it helps in avoiding a boxy shape, but a sphere too round for a kaiju head, so i used the scale tool to turn it into an oval shape then rotated it slightly so it wasn’t perfectly straight along the X axis.

Using the sculpting brush I blocked out the general shape of the head, mostly the ridges above the eyes and along the cheeks, I also used the version of the sculpting tool that takes away (Hold Ctrl while using the sculpting tool) to give a more dramatic depression where the eyes would sit. During this process I used the mirror option to keep the head symmetrical.

I decided to use the scrape tool to refine the head’s shape, especially around the ridges. I added a sphere to the scene which would represent the creature’s eyes, I then used the sculpt tool to model the eye socket and eyelids around the sphere.

In Mudbox, there is a texture/stamp option which uses a heightmap to dictate the shape of the brushes. There are variety of different stamps that come with Mudbox, I used a few of the scale stamps to make the creature’s skin less smooth and hopefully more life like and organic.

I decided to add horns to the creature, I did this by adding another sphere to the sphere which I sculpted to a point then copied it and added to the creature. I found that I liked how the lower horns look, but didn’t particularly like the two higher ones appeared, so I removed them.

Finally I added the last small details such as the mouth and a few scars, for this I used the knife tool which makes small cuts into the mesh.

I’m still debating whether or not I want the creature to have a mouth, since it has a rather mystical quality when it doesn’t have one.

Overall, I'm very happy with the outcome I got, though it's a shame that I didnt model the jaw as a separate object that could be animated; I may have to try and remove the jaw and make it possible to be animated.

[hezroudhiaga]

Burden to Bare

Hezrou awoke early in the morning hours and begun to stretch along the couch like a typical kitten waking from a good nap. He paused when his hand had shoved some foreign object that was left on the couch. Looking down at it he saw a familiar letter. The paper was the same quality as the invitation to the Syndicate.

Did Yukihana leave this here for him? Strange. He figured she'd of woken him up to something so important as to a letter from the Syndicate. Or at least set it on the table for him later.

Sitting up slowly he yawned and rubbed his ear as he flipped the letter in a claw to look it over before peeling it open carefully, using his sharp nail to cut it open easily. Pulling the letter out he looked down as photos fell into his lap from the partially opened letter. Blinking a moment he picked the photos up that lied face down and flipped them over.

A hard chill shot through his spine and his blood ran cold.

These photos looked amateur. All of them of Yukihana doing regular things from leaving the house to walking around the Goblet. Anger boiled into him. Who the hell would be stalking Yukihana!? He prayed that whatever this letter was, it was a mission to kill whomever it was that took these creepy photos. He set the photos back into his lap and opened the letter, reading it over.

Greetings, my feline friend. I need your skill. This special mission requires you to seek out a former Syndicate member. A former Unseen that has since gone AWOL and dropped all communications with me and my inner circle.

Lately, Red Dragons are turning up dead and piked onto wooden pillars on display in Ul'Dah, Limsa Lominsa and New Gridania with a note stabbed into their chests reading, "The Truth!". Authorities are already investigating the situation and to the meaning of the message, but I have a special order just for you. I need you to find this Unseen and eliminate them. For the better of our cause and revolution we cannot have such a blight in our operations. Do us proud, friend.

I also would like to inform you that lately I had been feeling under the weather. Do not fret, it is taken care of thanks to our lovely mender, Yukihana. I had to admit...I can see why you like hanging around her. She's so beautiful up close. So fragile. I feel this mission is perfect for you knowing that such an attractive Rein is at risk.

...just think. It seems your target is looking to kill our members. It would be a shame if Yukihana was one of them. Let’s stop this vigilante before it’s too late.

The letter ended abruptly and that last section only seemed to boil Hezrou's blood further. He couldn't figure out why, but hearing Akuma seem to...hit on Yukihana...Just set him off. Putting the letter and photos down on the table he got up and headed to the bedroom to get himself ready.

He had a lot of ground to cover and knew it could take a long time just to find his target. But given he was already in Ul'Dah and that the photos were in that region, it was a good place to start. The whole city was seeming tense from recent events of what was described by the letter. Guards were piled high in the more public areas as well on high alert to any suspicious activities. His eyes scanned about as he walked around, but was mindful not to look too off with his movements to not draw unwanted attention to himself. The good thing about Ul'Dah, from his knowledge as an Eorzean, was that it was a place of merchants. Anyone would talk about anything if given enough Gil. And he had plenty to use.

He paid a good few ranging from peasants to high class merchants for any information they might know of the murders that took place. Many mentioned a small cloaked Au Ra was seen stalking about the city late at night near those bodies. They weren't sure if it was because of them that the bodies were there or not but did find it odd that such a 'beast', as they called them, would be loitering about their streets. Many didn't like them, much to Hezrou's surprise. One managed to see this Au Ra and claim it to be female. He assumed as such, given the sheer size some of the males he'd seen. He never saw a female more than a few inches under him at best.

So an Au Ra was seen here. Hezrou frowned a bit at this thought. That meant it was definitely connected to the Syndicate. Their group had many of that race. Akuma even mentioned many times about helping his race in Doma and Kugane. And most Au Ra were more common in the other two cities given their friendlier nature than the merchant and Gil hungry Ul'Dahans. The final merchant he paid said he saw that very Au Ra pass by not too long ago. Talked about dark horns and a dark complexion. Long black hair and glowing rings around their eyes. Perfect! This was his target, he felt it!

Thanking the merchant, he headed off in the direction he was offered and sure enough he found her sitting alone at a table. She had her hood down so she stuck out like a sore thumb to be an Au Ra. He blended in easily as a patron at the bar and kept a very, very close eye on her. For hours he waited, watching her just sit there and do her own thing. It was close to closing time when she was ushered out by the bartenders and forced to leave along with everyone else and before they would get to Hezrou he was already making his way for the door.

As they walked, the Miqo'te kept a distance with her but still attempted to hide himself to avoid her suspicions. But she didn't care about any of that. She knew he was sent to her. An Unseen just knew.

"You know, you made it obvious when you didn't buy drinks." She said rather loudly. The Miqo'te didn't answer, but did see the ring of her glowing eyes as she looked over her shoulder at him. "Are you here about the bodies?"

"I am..." Hezrou answered. Strange. She wasn't hostile upon recognizing him? Surely if she was an MIA member of the Syndicate she would of been more guarded than this. Something wasn't right here. But then again, nothing felt right anymore. Even when he trusted someone he thought was innocent they were lying. She was lying, too, he thought. Just like that disgusting old Keeper of the Moon that had lied to him back at the Carnival and gotten hundreds slain for his stupid ideals of family over a Gem of Doma. She smiled a bit and shrugged. "I've been looking into it myself. Not quite sure what it all means but...I hear there's more in Limsa. I already found some in Gridania and here."

"Then let's go to Limsa together." Hezrou suggested. "Sounds like the plan I was going for!" She laughed. "See, I knew you rookies were alright!" She gestured for him to follow before beginning a jog and Hezrou was right behind her. He brought his hand to his sword, as if to draw it and even pulled the blade just a tad but...no. He clicked it back into it's sheath. He wanted to see where this went.

The trip across by airship was quiet. Stagnant. Hezrou felt on edge as he watched her but didn't find a way to kill her yet. Not yet, anyway. Not in a public and small place so high up that he'd die with them. He had to make this a quick kill but not in public. Curiosity had him on why she was acting like this. So...open to him as a member. They exchanged brief chats about what drew them to join Akuma's cause. Hers was that she had nothing else left. Her tribe was gone in the Steeps long ago, and Akuma was there to bring her in. But...something on her face showed she begun to feel unease about taking about Akuma.

"Hey, rookie, you're new and all...But watch out for Akuma." She said quietly as they left the airship with her leading the way and him right behind her. "Why is that?" Hezrou asked almost as if he was surprised to hear such a thing. She looked forward, her guard clearly dropping around him as they walked slowly. It was the dead of night by now and nobody was around once they got deeper into the city above the seas. "His 'revolution'...It's not what he makes it out to be. I was looking into his private life and I found...things. Horrible things. He always talks about saving our race but..." She stopped halfway across a crossing. Either side of them was a deadly drop to the rocks and raging sea below. "In La Noscea, there is a mass graveyard of Rein corpses. You'd think it was just raiders or pirates that hatred for our kind like when we first came here and no one would shelter us when we fled Doma from the Empire...But it's far more cruel and pointless than that."

Hezrou quietly listened, but their stop at the bridge made him nervous. They were alone and a few steps from death. He felt this was just to distract him in a deeper meaning of thought through pointless lectures of their leader but he was lying to say he wasn't curious. She left herself wide open and couldn't understand for the life of him how a murderer of their own organization could just...do this. Taking this moment he quietly drew his sword in a skilled silence only practice and meditation could allow while her back was completely turned. It would be quick. But a slow death for those she had killed against the Syndicate. Against Akuma. For risking Yuki's life.

He rushed forward and went for a quick stab at her back but the wind of his blade alerted her. Drawing her daggers she twisted and deflected his blade. He avoided the second blade from crashing down by drawing the blade back to block it. "What the hell are you doing?!" She yelled in shock and anger. "Doing my duty!" Hezrou hissed and shoved her back towards the edge. She staggered and teetered at the edge a moment before regaining her balance at the edge with a sigh of relief. But it was short lived as Hezrou followed it with a thrust again at her chest.

Ducking low from the blade she kicked her leg out to trip him but only managed to knock one leg out before he flipped back onto a hand, his sword outward to avoid cutting himself and cartwheeling back a short distance to regain his footing. "Not bad, rookie." She growled. "So you're the murderer?"

"Me? Hah. Nice try." Hezrou jeered back. "Stop playing me a fool. I was sent here to kill you for going AWOL and slaughtering our members. Now hold still and let me kill you! I won't let you escape alive!" He rushed forward and she brought her blades up to defend herself. There was a flurry of attacks from both of them as they tried to block and strike one another, their cold steel clashing and sparking into the dark, salty air about them. "You idiot!" She yelled among the clashes. "He's playing you a fool! All of us are!" She got distracted in her words and cried out in pain as the blade cut deep into her arm and held the wound tightly as she leaped back. "Akuma is a monster!"

"As we all are." Hezrou growled back. He had nothing left to say to her. She was backed into a corner now and he had the upper hand now. "I am not the murderer! Why would Akuma send someone to-" She froze. As if realizing something. "O-Oh..." She said with a trembling voice, almost as if she was terrified, yet nearly bursting into laughter. "That's what it was for. Wasn't it?" She begun to laugh as tears filled her eyes. "So the jester comes to kill the fool, eh? Fine!" She suddenly rushed Hezrou with surprising speed and her injured arm abandoned as she begun to slash at his blade in quick succession. It was so quick Hezrou almost couldn't see it. He begun to back up to keep pace with her but she was suddenly overwhelmingly fast! He didn't get what came over her but looking into her eyes, her face. She wasn't angry or vengeful. No. She looked like a trapped animal. Like she was truly fighting for her life here. Her eyes were filled with pain, hurt...Hezrou didn't get it. He had no time to. Not when his own life was now at risk.

All it took was a change of pace. A quick passing second for one mistake. Everything felt like it had begun to slowly go into slow motion. Hezrou's ears high and his tail becoming steady. He was use to this. This sort of pressure. This adrenaline of being so close to death's door from an attacker yet so alive. He'd missed this.

He wasn't a Samurai first. No...not at all. He had armor. A shield and sword, too. He was the one who ran headfirst into a tight battle and slayed countless beasts and men alike for Gil. For her. The wife he never deserved to have. She'd all but forgotten him now with her ill memory and he had abandoned her to live out her life as what she wished. Without him. He tried to jog her memory but it failed to spark the love she use to have for him as he loved her. So he was forced to snuff the flame. Forced himself to this life to avoid it. Forced the shield and sword behind him with the memories of her. But at this moment, this very second...It came back. The will to live. The will to fight and the will to win. He thought of his life family. The Syndicate. Yukihana...The one person he had begun to trust here. The very person that motivated him to fight now and protect her.

Closing his eyes, he let his body move on it's own, like instinct, as he leaned back from a slash that would have slashed his throat in that very moment. He danced around her slashes like he was dancing, slashing her blades away from time to time as he dodged. But not once did he open his eyes. He didn't have to. Her movements were so sluggish now. So forced and angry. He could hear the blade, her steps, the quick breaths she took and grunts of her attacks. It was enough for him to sense her so clearly and relying on sight wasn't always the answer. His ears twitched as the blade of her daggers came again and he twisted the sword ever so slightly to parry the attack and deliver a swift kick to her stomach that made her stagger.

The break in her charge made him see his opening and his eyes shot open to her. "This ends!" He hissed and rushed forward, thrusting the sword through her chest. A pained cry escaped her as she coughed up blood and her daggers fell from her hands as she gripped the blade through her with a gasp. One of the blades had clanged and tipped over the edge in the void of the ocean. She looked shocked at first, but then gave him a soft, bloody smile. "So...you're his after all. He's already swayed you by his words alone?" She breathed softly. He twisted the blade to bring up another cry and she begun to laugh afterwards. Hezrou looked a mixture of puzzled and shocked that she was laughing so suddenly. She reached out with a bloody hand to touch his face and he froze, not moving an inch. She brushed her thumb against his cheek, smearing blood against the tattoos on his face. What she said next he knew he'd never be able to get out of his head.

"Oh...It hurts more to hold grudges than to forgive. The anger we hold inside damages us, nobody else. Don't...be a prisoner of yourself. La Noscea...go there...Learn...the truth..." The light in her eyes faded, along with the ring around them as her life slipped from her. The smile remained, however, as she lost her footing as the weight of her body was too much as the life left her body and she slid off his blade and into the void. Her bloody hand dragging down his face as she had leaned back and fell.

Hezrou stood there, the blade still where it was and dripping blood as he watched her fall. Why...? Why was this so easy? What did she mean by this? Shaking his head, he looked around before he took off running to avoid any guards that could patrol any minute. Or anyone for that matter, and left Limsa entirely.

He didn't stop running...No, not until the only thing surrounding him was the wilds and beasts. La Noscea. A mass graveyard? He had to investigate it. See if it was true. It wasn't far from where he was. It didn't take him long at all to look around the area and find what he was looking for. There was a cliff side that was leading to what looked like a dead end near the beach and he was horrified to see nothing but bones piled on each other like they had been dumped there over time. Hidden so nicely in a corner of the area that there was no reason someone would look there. But he would...He turned every rock and mountain to find this place by morning and for what? He wasn't satisfied. No, horrified, was a better word for it. He knew what they were...All Au Ra. The skulls had the all-too-familiar horns on them in various shapes and sizes. Men, women and children alike. It was then he realized. Suddenly the weight of what he had done felt heavy on his chest. His bloody blade fell from his hand into the grass with a soft clang as he fell to his knees slowly. His eyes wide as he stared off toward the rising sun over the seas of La Noscea.

"Was...she telling the truth?..."