#some gases are dense as hell

[macadam]

I think a cool route to explore is the possibility of taking inspiration from the really interesting rock formations and caves on earth.

Taking something like this and making it denser, and maze like, with bits of technological fauna like, say, a bunch of vine-like wires, or fern inspired things on the ground, could create a feeling of dense wilderness without being as plant centric in design.

Even something like the basalt columns shown above would be a cool way to create an environment with height and thickets to push through. Separate the coloumns in your design and you’ve got something that’s… sort of like a tree. But also not anything like a tree at all.

Here are some more examples of cool land formations that feel very wilderness like without being, y'know, a flat barren desert:

Additionally exploring caves as the cybertronian equivalent of wild untamed land would be very interesting. Humans don't spend a lot of time wandering around caves because we can do things like loose our sense of direction, suffocate, and starve. But I imagine caves are a lot more navigable for a cybertronian. So instead of having most of the wilds exist in-between cities, it could be primarily underneath cities, which would suit the narrative of a completely overdeveloped and resource extracted world that cybertron exists as a lot of the time.

A cybertronian forest could be a large expanse of crystal towers, too tough to cut through and build on top of. Picture the cave above without a ceiling.

I think it's also a really cool and alien way to explore what wilderness could be for different planets, and different species. For cybertronians, most deserts are probably just really awesome open highways to travel through. But a landscape with lots of towers and differing levels and wires that can snag, that's something you'd have to trek through on foot and could get trapped in.

God another obstacle to my possibly writing TF fanfic is that I cannot begin to imagine what the Cybertronian landscape looks like.... Like as an earth creature it is hard to imagine a planet without trees or grass or whatever but Cybertron would not have that stuff. And yet it can't be a totally flat featureless plane. There is wildlife. There is a Cybertronian wilds. What does that look like!!!!!!! Do they have tree analogies? Do they have plantlife analogies???? What do they look like????? How do world build???

I need to read the books and hope that they somehow expand on this shit.

[bb-enablefreebuild]

House Environment Headcanons

Since we all know that the Nine Houses system is our solar system, here's how I think the planets have been made suitable for human habitation. Take these with a grain of salt!

The First House: Earth with no ice caps. Contrary to popular belief this wouldn't cover all land, but it would significantly shrink it. I assume that Canaan is located in the sparse remains of New Zealand, probably the north island since thats the part where NZ is most broken up! I remember in GTN, Gideon describes the First as being smeared with grey and green in certain places.

The Second House: Terraformed Mars, pretty much. The iron rich soil would definitely make the landscape ruddy. This map from reddit is sort of what I imagine, but the deserts are much more red! Reactivating the volcanoes on Mars would help with the atmosphere.

The Third House: I'm sure they get a fuck ton of resources from all of Jupiters moons, but the bulk of the population probably lives on terraformed Ganymede. There's likely no land, but hey Io is a hell scape with a fuck ton of dirt! Also in NTN jod reveals he has land-raising abilities. I wouldn't be surprised if he could just create a large island for the Third. I imagine the Third House is one large metropolis located on a mountainous island, high enough from sea level to prevent tsumanis, hurriances, etc.

The Fourth House: Most likely the fourth house was founded on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. I imagine the atmosphere is pumped with greenhouse gases to keep the air warm. I always saw the Fourth as a global boreal forest with snow most of the year.

The Fifth House: Titania was most likely the moon that was terraformed. Contrary to what the temperatures should be, I think the Fifth is quite warm, think American Midwest. I think some combination of hyper-futuristic technology allows for sunlight to be absorbed and disbursed throughout the planet. I love to think of the Fifth as filled with farms with some small cities scattered about!

The Sixth House: Miniature Arrakis with days so hot that the scholars all live underground with blacked out windows. If your familiar with The Last Airbender, I see the Sixth being a sprawled out version of Wan Shi Tong's library with platforms that shuttles land on before descending beneath the surface. Like the fremen in Dune, I think the people of the Sixth would obsessively collect water and store it in underground pools. Maybe cavaliers have their own form of still-suits on the occasion they need to leave the safety of the libraries.

The Seventh House: Venus....fucking Venus. Hell world. Hell hole. A terraformed Venus would probably be entirely tropical and warm-temperate at the poles. I'm sure that after 10,000 years the entire planet is habitable but in the beginning (around Cytherea's time) I think the house made do with floating cities in the upper atmosphere. When the surface was deemed safe the cities could slowly descend and settle around the growing flora. Either way, the atmosphere of Venus is VERY dense and I think it would be covered 90% in clouds. Assuming they have insane amount of rainfall they could trade water with the Sixth or other parched planets.

The Eighth House: Most likely founded on Triton, which is Neptune's largest moon. I don't think the Eighth has the luxury of a livable atmosphere and lives in sealed buildings built partly into the ground. Shuttles are taken into specific decompression bays to adjust to the artificial gravity and oxygen. This environment also explains why the people of the Eighth are so clinical and obsessed with cleanliness/order. If one thing goes wrong then SHAZAM! entire House destroyed. That doesn't mean there isn't beauty in the Eighth, I think that there's dozens of greenhouses of both the recreational and functional variety. They're likely the house that has the most womb-vats and other biological equipment, perhaps thats how they make most of their money?

The Ninth House: We get the most information about the Ninth in GTN, and we can understand that its cold as balls. To me this is giving Siberian wasteland without snow. There's patches of grubby plants here and there, and obviously Drearburh, but its main temperatures are just cold and colder. I see the "soupy white" atmosphere is located close to the ground and it slowly turns navy as it goes higher. Imagine a cloud covered night except the center of the clouds shows the stars. Did I mention the Ninth is cold as balls?

[fruitlicense]

I just finished watching Shadow and Bone (finally!), which was fun and interesting as expected, but I am now back in Petty STEM Major Mode and it’s still because of how the Darkling describes his and Alina’s powers.

(see my previous book-based complaints here)

I think this quote was what really set me off:

“It’s not magic. It’s science. Or rather, Small Science. We do not conjure from nothing. We manipulate that which already exists around us” (S1:E3, 11:53-12:04).

My first reaction was “oh shit, if the Darkling is applying this to light then he has no fucking idea about how photons work, huh.” Not that I expect people in real life to know how photons work off the top of their heads, but I don’t like the Darkling or his methods, so I’m allowing myself to hold him to unreasonable standards in retaliation. Anyway.

I was getting confused because as far as I have been taught, photons (which make up light) are massless, and Grisha power seems to depend on having something to manipulate - which... implies mass??? I think??? Since Alina at least has some kind of particle to theoretically manipulate as a Sun Summoner, even if it is massless, I was willing to give her a pass, but the Darkling doesn’t get that because a) I personally think he’s annoying and b) shadows aren’t tangible and they don’t have a corresponding particle, so what the fuck is he manipulating?

In my last post about this, I figured maybe he was banishing photons, but the more I think about it the more I think that doesn’t really work. Darkness can be defined as an absence of light, and the most logical way to achieve darkness in physics terms is to absorb photons. 

I’m starting to wonder if “shadow summoning” is just the in-universe rationalization for the Darkling’s ability to manipulate some unknown substance that completely absorbs photons. But then the question becomes... what is it? It can’t be darkness itself because there is no matter to an absence of light, but what the hell is this perfectly photon-absorbent, easily accessible substance?

The Darkling’s summoned shadows appear almost completely dark and sort of fluid, which almost makes me wonder if it’s just really dense air? Like how planets with thick, dense atmospheres will block a lot of the light trying to travel to the surface? I feel like this doesn’t work and the reason is probably because of something I haven’t learned yet, but it would be incredibly funny if the Darkling was just a really specialized Squaller and just let everyone think his bloodline was entirely unique.

Or maybe the darkness comes from ash or something, maybe a byproduct of Inferni’s combustion? They have to summon combustible material to set on fire, so something is burning, and they never tell us what the initial combustible materials or byproducts are. If there were a byproduct, it would be readily available in places where a lot of Inferni used their powers. The problem with that is that I think Inferni tend to use combustible gases in the atmosphere, since we never see anything visible, and that wouldn’t produce ash.

I guess a third option could be that he’s manipulating light/photons at frequencies that humans can’t see and therefore they appear dark, but that doesn’t explain how they would absorb other photons. Plus, I’m basing that off of two physics classes and some Wikipedia skimming, so who knows if that even makes sense. It probably doesn’t.

Basically, I have concluded that I have no fucking idea what the Darkling’s “shadows” are actually made of, especially since in this gif they seem a little bit iridescent? Which means they might be reflecting some light instead of absorbing it all?? And the Fold looks grey in some light, not black??? I have so many questions.

Anyway I’m sure Leigh Bardugo was not getting this pedantic about how the Darkling’s powers work when she wrote the books, which is honestly probably the wiser decision, but the fun part of fandom is that we get to be pedantic and overly detail-oriented, so if anyone has any theories PLEASE tell me, I want to think about it more.

[awheckery]

Would you mind sharing your brioche recipe?

I DO NOT MIND AT ALL

BUCKLE UP KIDS

GOOD DAMN GLUTEN-FREE BRIOCHE

250g (8.8 oz) cornstarch OR potato starch OR arrowroot starch

150g (5.3 oz) tapioca starch

100g (3.5 oz) brown rice flour

50g (1.8 oz) millet flour

50g (1.8 oz) sorghum flour

30g (1 oz) gluten-free oat flour

20g (.7 oz) teff flour

1 tbsp xanthan gum OR guar gum

1 tsp salt

-

20g (.7 oz) yeast

1 ½ tsp sugar

80 mL (2.7 oz or 1/3 c.) warm water

-

25g flaxmeal, preferably golden

80 mL (2.7 oz or 1/3 c.) hot water

-

40g (1.4 oz) honey

50g (1.8 oz) sugar

-

5 large eggs at room temperature

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

-

113g (4 oz or 1 stick) butter plus ~50g (2 oz or ½ stick) separate (it should be possible to substitute coconut or olive oil, but I have not tested this)

320 mL (10.8 oz or 1 1/3 c.) half and half OR high fat unsweetened dairy substitute

NOTE ON MEASUREMENTS: Gluten free baking involves more precision than most other baking, because the flours weigh and behave differently from wheat flours. You could try to convert to volumetric measures with Google but I can’t guarantee that’ll work. This has been tested a hundred times or more with consistent, predictable results. Weigh your ingredients.

-

Preheat your oven to 170 degrees F (or 75 degrees C).

Measure your flours, xanthan/guar gum and salt and whisk them together thoroughly in a mixing bowl and set to the side.

In a separate, large mixing bowl, combine yeast, 1 ½ tsp sugar and warm (NOT HOT, you will kill your yeast) water, and set in a warm space. Set aside and ignore it for five to ten minutes, or until it’s frothed up and doubled in size.

While the yeast is waking up, in a third small bowl (I know, we’re using all your bowls), combine your flaxmeal and the hot water until it turns into a goopy slurry.

Now, add the sugar and honey to the yeast bowl, along with the flax slurry, apple cider vinegar and four of the eggs. Mix well, then add a half cup or so of your flour mixture. If you’ve baked any sort of bread before, you know that we are making a sponge! This is the part where, if you’ve never made gluten-free bread before, things begin to look a little weird. It's gonna look kind of like thin, foamy cake batter, and that’s normal. Set aside until it’s just about doubled in size.

You don’t wanna let it over-rise because these gums and flax make great substitutes, but they don’t trap the gases from the yeast quite as effectively as gluten. In yet another (microwave safe) bowl, melt the first stick of butter. Stir in the half and half and microwave for thirty to forty-five seconds, or until warm-ish.

Now, mix in the rest of your flour blend to the sponge, adding in alternating increments with the butter/half-and-half mixture. If you’ve made gluten-having bread before, here is where things start to be very distressing, because this is not the sort of dough you can knead. In point of fact, this isn’t the kind of dough you can just throw on a stone in a nice ball; you need a pan. (No, seriously, pan not optional). This recipe makes either two small loaves, or a bunch of rolls, or a small loaf and rolls.

With a flourless cooking spray, liberally spray the interior of your pan(s) and transfer the dough so the pans are approximately 2/3 full. I recommend a spatula, and also spraying your hand with the cooking spray to assist said spatula, because this stuff is STICKY, like soda bread from hell. Smooth the tops of the dough as best you can, and slot your pans into your low-temp oven, because unbeknownst to you, you’ve constructed a no-budget proofer box! Set a timer for fifteen minutes and use the time to wash up, because by now your kitchen is a small disaster area.

Once your timer goes off, take your bread out to continue to relax and breathe in a cozy place in your kitchen and raise your oven temp to 375 degrees F (190 C). While the oven’s heating up, crack your last egg, whisk it, and brush it over the top of your dough with a pastry brush. Once your oven’s preheated, take a very sharp knife and gently saw some slashes in the top of your dough. (You want the slashes because they’re a.) necessary for rising and b.) attractive.)

For rolls, set your timer for fifteen to twenty minutes (loaves need closer to thirty or forty), but keep an eye on the oven. You want a golden brown top and ovens tend to vary on how they hold temp, but you’ll know they’re done when you jab them with a thermometer and they’re 190 degrees F (85-ish degrees C) in the center. Melt the final half stick of butter and give your bread a glaze while they’re still warm.

That’s a lot of very specific words, and maybe you don’t trust like that. Maybe you want visual proof that this isn’t a fool’s errand. Okay. Here’s a roll:

Huh. Whaddaya know, that looks pretty bread-like. But what about the interiors? You tell me.

That thar appears to be… hmm. What’s the word I’m looking for… ah yes. BREAD. IT’S BREAD. IT’S HELLA BREAD. IT IS IN FACT A BRIOCHE.

When it’s warm, it’s light and fluffy like some kind of miraculous cloud. When it’s cooled, it’s dense and hearty rib-sticking peasant bread. It freezes well. It thaws fine. Toast it, use it for sandwiches, crumble it up for breadcrumbs to make meatballs, drag it around a soup bowl to sop up the broth. LIVE YOUR TRUTH.

It makes bread pudding so good you see see god and french toast that’ll make your knees go out, no lie.

I KNOW WHAT I’M ABOUT.

[apocryphalfemme]

Designatory Date Night

Well, I lied.  I finally played Mass Effect: Andromeda a week or so back and I’m here to report that I love Vetra Nyx so completely that I was inspired to write some simply brain-rotting fluff.  (An entire two years ahead of schedule, I know!)  Und so, I give you Designatory Date Night.  Read it below the cut, or on AO3.

Love,

Clithroe

““Pathfinder?”

“Yeah, SAM?”

“If I may ask, what is it you’re thinking of doing?”

“I’m thinking...”  As she recalled her earlier train of thought, Ryder’s face lit up.  “I’m thinking I’ve got an idea for the best date night, ever.””

Or

Ryder leverages the privileges of her job to show Vetra a good time.

“Anwar, what the hell am I looking at?”

“It appears to be a... a solar system, Pathfinder,” Suvi murmured.  “The solar system, in fact.  I believe we’ve found Avaarus.”  Ryder drummed her fingers against her console, brimming with nervous anticipation. 

“But it’s in the middle of nowhere.  We’re not even in Heleus space anymore, right Kallo?” she asked.

“Confirmed, Pathfinder.  We’re in deep space, just a ways outside of home.  I should mention that the next known celestial cluster is the Boone Traverse and we’re not getting anywhere near there without a mass relay,” Kallo said.  “Whatever this is, it’s a lone entity.”

“So... what?” Ryder breathed, disbelieving.  “Heleus just lost an entire star and a handful of planets?  Did it wander off when the angara weren’t looking or something?” 

“Ryder,” Suvi piped up. “It’s possible that what we’re seeing here is one of the more dramatic effects of the Scourge.  If Avaarus really was originally located where angaran maps say, then the system may have been wholly ejected from the cluster as the Scourge spread.”  Their pilot chirped an incredulous noise.

“Is that even possible?”

“Come on Kallo, two whole years in Andromeda and you’re still asking questions like that?” Suvi teased.  Kallo cut back with something sarcastic, but Ryder wasn’t listening; her attention had been caught by what was orbiting their runaway star.

“Okay, no, that can’t be right.  Avaarus is supposed to have four orbiting bodies.  That,” she pointed, “is at least seven.”  That got their attention.  Kallo and Suvi’s conversation petered out as they each ran their own, individual counts of this bizarre, seemingly truant system.  Kallo was first to break the silence.

“With eyes alone, I’m actually counting nine, Pathfinder”

“I think I’m seeing thirteen,” Suvi reported.  SAM’s vox crackled to life over the bridge speakers, only to prove them all wrong.

“Pathfinder, there are at least sixteen distinguishable celestial bodies orbiting this star.”  Kallo gaped, shocked into silence.  Suvi giggled, a tad manic.  Ryder swore.

“Holy shit.  SAM, what… are they?  Where did they come from?”

“The majority appear to be planets in varying states of compositional decay, Pathfinder.  Preliminary scans indicate that many may have once been capable of bearing life.  Cross-referencing with what remains of old angaran star charts and the inferable ejection path of the star Avaarus, I believe it is possible that we have discovered what happened to several planets that the angara report as having mysteriously disappeared over the last several centuries.”

“Holy shit,” Ryder swore again, for good measure.  “So if this really is Avaarus… I guess our friend here decided it wasn’t going out alone, huh?  Stole a few planets on the way out the door.”

“Ryder, the implications of this are incredible,” Suvi babbled, ecstatic.  “We knew the Scourge was powerful, but to learn that it can generate gravitational effects significant enough to move entire stars… forget terraforming, this is stellaforming!”

“Tann’s going to have an aneurysm,” Ryder chuckled.

“Don’t forget why we’re here, guys.  We’ve still got a job to do,” Kallo said, gently reminding them of their purpose in hunting down this most elusive system.  

“Right, yes.”  Ryder ran a hand through her hair before tapping her mic.  “Jaal, can you come up to the bridge?  I think we may have found what we’ve been looking for.”  Their resident angaran’s voice crackled immediately back.

“Oh, really now?  Of course!  On my way, Ryder.”

“God, it isn’t half pretty, is it?” murmured Suvi, completely ignoring her instruments panel in favor of staring at the solar system projected before them with a slightly glazed look.  

Ryder had to admit that her science officer’s assessment was dead on: Avaarus was a gorgeous system and that was putting it lightly.  Around the titanic, vividly blue-white star, sharply violet shades of gas spiraled out in a tight corkscrew.  At the edge of the heliosphere, thousands upon tens of thousands of asteroids spun in a truly magnificent debris disk.  All throughout, a plethora of mostly ringed planets hung suspended in the void, bathed in astral gases, caught in the midst of their aeons-long cosmic dance.  It was a perfect celestial tableau.  The fact that Ryder had seen dozens of equally stunning systems did nothing to detract from the moment; this sort of thing was enough to steal the breath from your lungs and, for her, it still did, every time.

Vetra would love this, she thought.  Before that particular idea could go anywhere, however, the quiet reverie they had fallen into was interrupted by the opening whoosh of the bridge doors.

“Alright Ryder, show me what you’ve got!” Jaal called cheerily, sauntering up to them.  Ryder turned and grinned.

“Hey, Jaal.  Allow me to present, for your consideration... the long-lost Avaarus system!” she said, spinning back to fling her arms wide.  “Or at least, we think it is.”  Jaal laughed.

“It’s a start, to be certain.  Any luck in finding the colony?”

“Anj Guhloan was supposedly on the fourth planet from Avaarus, right?”

“Correct.”  Ryder hummed an acknowledgement and cast a critical eye upon the projection.

“Right, then.  SAM, scan everything that could be big enough for an angaran settlement to hide on.  With all the crap this star picked up on the way out, who knows if Avaarus IV is still where it should be.”  Only after the merest second of delay, her AI chirped his response.

“Done.  I have identified what may be the remains of an angaran satellite in orbit around the fifth planet.”

“Bingo.  Kallo, I know this place is a minefield, but can you get us in closer?”

“Oh, please,” Kallo scoffed.  “I could fly through this blindfolded.”

“As entertaining as that sounds, I’d rather not be on the ship while you attempted it,” Jaal protested.  Kallo chuckled to himself.

“Have it your way.  Approach vector clear, Pathfinder; taking us in.”  The ever-present hum of the drive core pitched up a little as Kallo wove through the debris disk and into the core of the heliosphere.  Ryder had to hand it to him: while he could be a little over-sure at times, he was, inarguably, a pilot of sterling quality.  The Tempest progressed at a healthy pace through a chunk of space so dense with detritus that a lesser navigator would have been reduced to crawl.  

It was only a few short minutes before they were close enough to the planet in question for Suvi to start taking more detailed scans.  Ryder was less than thrilled to see her science officer’s face falling as she pored over her gathered readings.

“That’s not a happy expression, Anwar.  What are you getting?”  Suvi muttered something unintelligible and tapped her mic to ping their AI.

“SAM, can you get me a scan of the star, please?”

“Of course, Ms. Anwar.”  As her eyes flicked across the new influx of data, Suvi spat something foul.

“Keep us in the loop, Suvi, what have you got?” Ryder asked.

“Bad news, I’m afraid.”  Suvi twisted in her seat to face them.  “It looks like the star Avaarus is well on its way to becoming a superluminous supernova; this system’s going to go off like a firecracker sometime in the next couple centuries.  Avaarus IV - or, Avaarus V now, I guess - if it ever really was Anj Guhloan, has been a molten, liquid hunk of rock for a long time now.  I’m sorry, guys.  The planet’s cooked.”  A hand pressed to her forehead, Ryder sighed.

“Damn.  I’m sorry, Jaal.  That is not the news I wanted to give the angara.”  She was surprised when Jaal smiled at her, apparently far less distraught than she had expected.

“Do not worry, my friend.  The angara, myself included, have accepted that, between the Scourge, the kett, and our own occasional stupidity, many of the settlements that once were are now undoubtedly gone.  Though I am disappointed the lost colony of Anj Guhloan was not waiting for us, I am thankful to have borne witness to its fate.  The angara who lived here will not be forgotten, for we now know what happened to them.”  Ryder smiled wistfully back.

“Well, I’m glad we could at least give you that.  SAM, send a report to Aya and update the Initiative’s maps.”  Ryder rolled her neck, eliciting a disconcerting crack in the process.  She groaned.  “And on that note, I think we’re done for the day.  Kallo, Suvi, go eat something and get some sleep.  And…” she trailed off as she checked her omnitool.  “Oh my god, guys, tell me when we’ve been going for longer than eight hours!”  Kallo and Suvi, now standing and working out their own muscular kinks, looked at her in surprise.

“I, uh… I didn’t notice, Pathfinder,” Kallo murmured.

“How long have we…?” Suvi asked.

“I believe you three have been up here flying for more than ten hours, actually.  Last I checked, that is,” Jaal said, grinning.  Head cradled in her hands, Ryder heaved another groan, this one infinitely more weary than the last.

“Then remind me instead to set an alarm next time, or something.  Alright, clear the bridge you lot, I’m going to get enough hell as it is from Lexi about overworking you.”

“Oh, come on, Ryder,” Kallo argued.  

Suvi cut over him, to say: “This is what we signed up for!”  Ryder pointed at the door, but couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face.

“Out, now!  Food and then bed; we can poke around the system in more detail tomorrow.  Jaal, make sure they get some of that roast Drack made yesterday down their throats?”

“You’ve got it, Ryder.”  Saint that he was, Jaal gently but firmly shepherded her protesting bridge crew out and down to the galley.  The door slid shut behind them, leaving the Pathfinder by herself.  

Sometimes, you don’t realize how tired you are until you’ve a second to yourself; the newfound silence afforded Ryder both a blissful moment of recuperation and the recognition of the fact that she was, indeed, knackered.  She stretched her arms - damn, if she wasn’t stiff - and turned her attention back to the now rediscovered Avaarus system.  Exhausted as she was, she didn’t quite want to leave it yet, especially for something so trivial as sleep.  (Yes, she was entirely a hypocrite).  There was something equal parts forlorn and magical about watching the silver-blue star floating alone in the void; so far away from everything.  And yet, as if in defiance of its exile, Avaarus burned all the more beautiful.  Though, it wasn’t really alone, was it?  It had its stolen planets to comfort it through the coming explosion.  In much the same way as the ultimate fate of Anj Guhloan was beheld by Jaal, so too would the fate of Avaarus be beheld by its stolen audience.  It was a strangely reassuring thought.  As she gazed at the plethora of elliptical orbiters, a thought occurred to her.

“Hey, SAM.”

“Yes, Ryder?”

“What’s the plan for these planets?”

“Initiative protocol dictates that they be scanned, designated, and marked on Initiative maps.  Planets of note - those that could be potentially habitable or those with valuable resources - will be highlighted and the relevant officials made aware of their existence.  In the case of these particular planets, considering they are molten slag bar none and located a significant distance from the Heleus cluster, it is unlikely the Initiative will take any interest beyond the academic.  There may be some investigation into the stellaforming effects of the Scourge, as Ms. Anwar puts is it, but that is where it will likely end.”

“So this is as far as things go for them, huh?  At least, as far as we’re concerned?”

“That is correct, Pathfinder.  The Initiative has more immediate concerns.”

“That’s kind of sad.  Something so beautiful deserves a bit more attention than... wait, SAM, what exactly are these planets being designated?”

“I have tagged the orbiting bodies, in order, as H-977, H-978, H-979a, H-979b, H-.”  Before he could get too far into his alphanumeric monologue, Ryder cut him off.

“Okay, right, thanks SAM.”  Chewing at the inside of her cheek, she stared off into space, thoughtful.

“Pathfinder?”

“Yeah, SAM?”

“If I may ask, what is it you’re thinking of doing?”

“I’m thinking...”  As she recalled her earlier train of thought, Ryder’s face lit up.  “I’m thinking I’ve got an idea for the best date night, ever.”

“Ah.  I believe I understand.  Would you like me to ask Ms. Nyx to come up to the bridge?”

“Nah, I’ll go grab her.”  Ryder turned around and made for the door, but was arrested in her escape by SAM once more.

“Have fun, Ryder.”  Ryder beamed.

“Thanks, buddy.”  

With a hop, skip, and a slap to the face to keep herself awake, Ryder was away.  She didn’t bother with the ladder to the lower deck - as she jogged onto the clear plex of the catwalk, she unceremoniously jumped off the side to land on the ground below.  A combination of her biotics and sleep deprivation was enough to negate the jarring impact entirely and in the span of a heartbeat, she was off down the hall.  As she hustled past the med bay, she caught at the very edge of her vision Lexi’s head poking out to investigate the noise.

“Ryder, what on earth did you just-.”

“No time, doc!  Everything’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

“Ryder, you know full well that your telling me not to worry about something only ever makes me worry more!”  But Ryder was gone and heading into the cargo bay before Lexi could get too far into giving a proper scolding.  Lucky for her, it looked like just about everyone else was asleep - no one was around to see her eager jog over to what had become Vetra’s office.  

Slowing to a stop, Ryder took a moment to catch her breath.  She didn’t want to look excessively keen - though in a committed relationship she and Vetra may have been, she still had a calm and collected reputation to maintain.  It didn’t matter that Vetra knew it all to be, by and large, a conscious affect: it was the principle of the thing.  The Pathfinder was always composed - even in the face of giddying affection.  Once she had herself together, Ryder headed in.  The door slid open to reveal Vetra hunched over a mess of crates.  She was, quite impressively, stacking them with just the one hand while simultaneously checking them against the list projected on her omnitool, all while muttering obscenities under her breath.  Ryder crossed her arms and leaned against the frame, indulging in having caught her partner unawares and in her element.  Vetra was much more relaxed when other people - Ryder aside - weren’t around and it gave Ryder a sort of tender joy to see her so at ease.  But of course, such sappy sentiments would never stop her from teasing her girlfriend, not at all.  As Vetra straightened back up, Ryder announced her presence in as serious a tone as she could fake.

“Ms. Nyx, your assistance is urgently required on the bridge.”  Vetra turned around to meet Ryder’s gaze, crossing her own arms in the process.

“Is it now, Pathfinder?” she said, with a poorly constrained smile.  

“Indeed.  Life and death situation; fate of the cluster at stake.  The usual.”

“Mmm, I’m sure.  Unfortunately for you, Ryder, it just so happens that I’m currently having the time of my life processing requisitions.  Can your little ‘situation’ measure up to the sheer euphoria of cataloguing rolls of toilet paper?”  Vetra deadpanned the statement so completely that Ryder found herself staring at her partner in disbelief, mouth dropping.  Vetra, clearly delighting in Ryder’s bewilderment, had the gall to wink at her.  Too tired to retort, Ryder finally broke.  She sprang forward, proffering a hand and letting all her excitement shine past the bit.

“Oh my god, come on already, you silly turian, I want to show you something!”  Vetra smiled in turn and reached out to take said hand.

“Yeah, alright, I was getting pretty sick of checking for delivery discrepancies anyway.  So what have you - whoah!”  As soon as she had a hold on her, Ryder tugged Vetra into a jog, pulling her out of the office and around onto the cargo lift.  She punched the ascent and the thing began its slow, clunky climb.  Unfortunately, slow and clunky was something of an understatement; Ryder found herself tapping her foot with impatience as they rose ploddingly.

“Excited, are we?” Vetra poked.

“Trust me, babe, you’re going to love this.”  

“If it’s whatever’s responsible for you smiling like this, then I’m sure I will.”  Vetra slung an arm around Ryder’s shoulders, who in turn threw an arm around Vetra’s waist; overt affection came more easily when they were alone.  Additionally, being wrapped around each other had the added benefit of slowing Ryder down a bit: pulled close to Vetra’s side, she was forced to adopt a slightly more sane pace as they made their way back through the ship and up to the bridge.  Ryder didn’t mind.  It was totally worth trading speed for.  When they eventually came up on the bridge doors, Ryder called a halt before they could enter.

“Okay, close your eyes.”

“Seriously?”

“Hey, I did it that time you tried to kill me with a blackened piece of cow.”

“Fair point.”

“Look, I’d cover them for you if I could, but I can’t help the fact that you’re absurdly tall.”  Vetra grinned evilly down at her.

“Well, I can’t help the fact that you’re a shrimp.  And don’t pretend you don’t love it, short stack.”

“Yeah, I do, now close ‘em, Nyx!” Ryder muttered, her face flushing a little as Vetra eyed her.  Apparently sufficiently appeased, her partner deigned to close her eyes.  Ryder guided her temporarily sightless charge through the doors and to the fore of the bridge.  With her implant, she signaled SAM to collapse the navigation panel and guided Vetra to sit on the now available ledge before joining her by her side.

“Okay, you can open your eyes.”  Vetra did so and promptly gasped.

“Oh, wow.”

“Right?”

“That’s...”

“Right?!”

“Hot damn, Ryder.  That’s gorgeous.”  Ryder hummed an affirmation, thoroughly pleased with herself.  “You know how to pick ‘em, babe.”

“What can I say?  I’ve got exceptional taste in star systems.”  Vetra elbowed her affectionately.  

“You sure do.”

“So... do you wanna name them?”  Vetra spluttered, incredulously amused.

“Be serious.”

“I am serious!”

“Ryder, is that even something you’re allowed to do?”

“Aw, c’mon, I’m the Pathfinder.  If anyone can get away with naming a couple of planets, I think it’s me.”

“You’re ridiculous.”  Vetra shook her head, but Ryder knew she just about had her.  Her partner just needed the right incentive.

“I’m giving you dibs on naming the first one.”  That got her.  Vetra opened her mouth to speak, closed it again, and peered curiously into space.

“Which one’s that?”  Ryder snorted and pointed.

“Purple-blue ice giant with the three moons, very edge of the heliosphere.”

“Oh, you spoil me.”

“I try.  So, give us a name!  What are you thinking?”

“Hmm.  I’m thinking… Not Dead Yet.”  Ryder stifled a chuckle.  

“Why that?”

“Looks like it’s almost been ejected from the system, but the big bastard’s clinging on something fierce.”

“A name the Initiative can relate to, I’m sure.”

“That’s the idea.  Alright, your turn, oh mighty Pathfinder.  What’re we going to call that one?”  The planet in question was a chthonian-in-progress; a gas giant in close orbit to Avaarus, its emerald-colored atmosphere in the process of being stripped away to reveal the molten aluminum-iron core.

“Stinky.”  Vetra burst out laughing.

“What?! You’re messing with me.”

“Look at it!  That thing is trailing bright green gas like no one’s business.”

“Ryder, I’m no scientist, but I’m pretty certain that’s burning atmosphere.”

“Yeah and it’s stinking up the neighborhood as it goes.”  Vetra heaved a much-put upon sigh, but the breadth of her toothy turian grin and the fluttering of her mandibles betrayed her amusement.

“Alright, fine.  Stinky it is.  Which one next?”

“That one.  Whatcha got?”  The planet Ryder was indicating was another gas giant, though this one was significantly prettier than the newly-dubbed Stinky.  Ivory clouds of gas billowed across it, cut though with the occasional twisting carmine storm.  It was a bloody, alabaster gem, stark against the black.  Vetra considered it thoughtfully.

“Would I sound crazy if I said it kind of looks like my sister?”

“Y’know... no, I see it, it kind of does.”  Ryder and Vetra gave each other a dubious, slant-eyed look at exactly the same time and erupted in giggles.

“Spirits, babe, Sid’s going to flip if I tell her I named a planet after her!”

“All the more reason to do it!”  Vetra huffed.

“Screw it.  Planet, I dub thee Sidera.”

“She’ll be thrilled.”  Falling victim to a yawn of massive proportions, Ryder leaned her head against Vetra’s shoulder and fought to keep her eyes open.  “Go on, you can do the next one too.”  Vetra cast her eyes around the system, searching for her next victim.

“How about that protoplanet?” she asked.  As Ryder murmured her sleepy approval, Vetra curled an arm around her.  “Well, as long as I’m being all sentimental… Prag’rath.”  Ryder scrunched her nose in confusion.

“Prag’rath?”

“The batarian mercenary who taught me to shoot.”

“Aw, that’s sweet.”

“She’d kick my ass for it.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell.”  Though there were yet planets in need of names, tiredness and the sheer splendor of the system had Vetra and Ryder lapsing into a warm and comfortable silence, pressed close together.  The Avaarus system slowly and silently spun before them, its striking beauty framed by the stars so incredibly remote in the distance.

“Is this something normal couples do?” Ryder asked.  Vetra peered down at her.

“Naming planets?  I mean... no, probably not.”  Vetra brought Ryder’s hand up to her lips, pressing a kiss to the back of it.  “But I’d like to think it’s very us.  This was a lot of fun, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I’m glad.”  Ryder settled further against her partner and finally stopped fighting the exhaustion of the day, letting her eyes droop shut.  Though already half-asleep, she whispered, “Vetra?”

“Yeah, babe?”

“I love you.”  The last things Ryder registered before finally succumbing to sleep were the pale, sparkling light of Avaarus and Vetra’s voice, murmuring in her ear.

“I love you too.”

[vannahfanfics]

Ooooo there's a part of me that really wants to challenge you and ask for Drake and Nami (can be shippy or general) for the prompt "Snow."

Voila, my dearest! Your challenge was pretty fun to write, and so I hope you have just as much fun reading it! :3

Frenemies 

“Oh shit.”

Nami could not think of anything more eloquent or lady-like to exclaim in her situation, not that there was anyone around to critique. She shuddered and pitifully rubbed her bare, paling arms as the snow whirled around her in frantic flurries and shuffled her feet constantly as the cold moisture soaked into the absorbent fabric of her boots, all while staring wide-eyed at the dismantled mess that was the Weatheria hot air balloon she may or may not have taken for an unauthorized joy ride. She had only wanted to jaunt around in the sky for the bit, had that been too much to ask? The crash wasn’t even a result of her inability to pilot the massive thing; par for the Grand Line course, a giant bird had taken affront to its territory being invaded and attacked it with a razor-sharp beak, tearing the fabric asunder and sending Nami plummeting down. She had only just managed to land on the shore of a nearby island, but unfortunately it bore a winter climate.

Nami had not been dressed for the occasion in the slightest, having only prepared for the warm and sunshiney sea; as such, she was wearing far less than the required clothing, a tank top and some shorts. “I’m so screwed,” she whined pitifully and hung her head. The snow crunched under her feet as she trudged back to the destroyed hot air balloon; she could buy a few hours of time by basking in the lingering warmth of the trapped gases under the fabric, at least. She grabbed the wicker basket and turned it about such that it faced opposite the direction of the wind, then snuggled herself inside. The gas was slowly leaking out from under the billowing fabric, which provided a small dome of heat for the marooned navigator. Still, she knew that it wouldn’t last very long; she just had to hope and pray that someone would come for her. From the air, even though she was spiraling out of control, she had not spied any sort of settlement on the relatively small island. It looked completely abandoned, and therefore marching through a blizzard scantily clad as she was would constitute no less than a death wish. Nami rubbed her numbing fingers before placing them in the bubble of dissipating heat, hoping to stave of frostbite for as long as she could.

The cold crept in slowly, like a lioness stalking her like the meek prey Nami was, all while the snow continued to rain down endlessly. A healthy bit of it had piled up on the edge of the wicker basket; due to the lingering heat, the bottom portion was gradually melting into icy water, seeping through the woven wood strips to drip down onto her already chilled frame. It splashed against the numb skin of her shoulder with steady, repetitive splashes, and Nami imagined it as the ticking of a clock; first, a steady progression towards her rescue, but as time continued to pass, the nagging thought began to form in her mind- that it was a countdown to her freezing to death. She was not sure how much time had passed at all when the first shiver gripped her body; fifteen minutes? Fifteen hours? It was so hard to tell with only the dripping to tell time, as the dense gray clouds above hid the sun.

She was shuddering hard now, shaking the wicker basket with every wracking tremor. The snow sloughed off the edge of the basket to begin piling up beside her, progressively building a thick wall between herself and her continuously dwindling heat source. Every time that Nami swept her arm over the rising snow mound, the snowflakes countered by sinking into her flesh with sharp little teeth, spreading even more numbness across her already cold, unfeeling body. She would then desperately hug her arm to her chest, praying her body heat would revitalize it just a little bit.

By the time the breath was fogging in little puffy clouds before her face, her eyes were beginning to droop. Sleepiness was never a good sign but Nami could not muster the will to fight it. Her arms and legs were beginning to feel like ice itself, blocky and rigid and so, so cold. The ends of her fingers were white as the piling snow outside, as all the heat had begun to drain from her extremities to protect her core from the spreading chill plague. Her head lolled to the side, bumping against the wicker basket as she struggled against embracing the allure of restful sleep. Only for a few minutes… I’ll just rest until help gets here… she thought in the wintery haze. She was very aware of her heartbeat pounding in her ears, but it was strange, because it sounds like boots crunching against hard snow. Hope flared in her chest at the realization, and she managed to turn her stiffened neck to look out the basket’s open end. Was someone here to save her? The fabric of the hot air balloon had flattened out, only occasionally rippling with the tug of insistent winds; Nami was out of time. She opened her mouth to call out to whoever could be there, but the words were frozen in her throat. There was no mistaking it now; they were footsteps, they had to be-! Somehow, she managed a feeble whimper just barely audible above the whistling snowy winds. Please-! I’m right here!

Nami felt like she was going to cry as a navy-blue gloved hand curled over the edge of the basket. The snow was pushed around into heaps as the person effortlessly whirled the basket about to peer inside. Nami’s heart instantly plummeted and she felt incredibly nauseous, her hopes dashed in a matter of seconds. Her savior- if she could even call him that considering what could happen next- was none other than notorious Navy officer-turned-ruthless pirate X Drake. With another meek whimper, she pressed herself into the corner of the wicker basket looking the entire picture of a sopping kitten, dampened by the leaking ice water; to think that Cat Thief Nami had been reduced to such a state. It was pathetic, but Nami really didn’t have much in the way of an arsenal to combat it. Terrifying scenarios began to bounce through her half-frozen mind.

What if he kidnaps me and turns me in for the reward? What if he manages to track down someone else from the crew and tries to ransom me off? What would he do to me in the meantime? What if he has no intention of pawning me off at all and keeps me around as some form of morbid entertainment? What if he just kills me off right now? Her eyes had dilated greatly from terror and her breath was coming in shallow, high-pitched bursts now. With the remainder of her strength, she reached for her Climatact strapped to her leg.

“St-stay away!” she warned him. Despite her sorry state, she still managed to pour plenty of venom into her shaky voice. X Drake just stared at her levelly, his blank expression never shifting. Nami had no idea what was running through his mind at all.

“There’s no reason for you to be afraid. I have no intention of harming you.”

“Fat chance of that! You’re a pirate, a traitorous ex-Navy pirate at that!” she spat. That seemed to get at least a slight rise out of him, as his ginger eyebrows arched down over his dark eyes, just barely shadowed by the curved brim of his hat. “Why should I trust you?”

“You’ll freeze to death otherwise. Believe me or not, you don’t have much choice but to trust me here.” His reasoning was maddeningly sound. Nami didn’t have a choice. She didn’t have the time to wait around from someone from Weatheria any longer; she could very realistically die within the hour. Biting down on her lip in frustration, she frantically wracked her mind for any other alternative before uttering a very simple, curt “Fine.”

Drake stepped away from the basket as she shifted on her hands and knees to crawl out; it was more effort than she would’ve ever imagined. Her limbs had grown as stiff as oak wood from spending the entire time curled up in a single position, which was exacerbated by the freezing cold. Her palms burned like they were afire as she plunged her hands into the deep snow, and she wasted no time in pushing herself to her feet. She almost fell right back down, however, as her knees knocked together wildly from how hard her body was shaking. She hated that she presented such a meek, weak figure to the tall, menacing pirate, and to combat that image some she made sure her face was twisted into a very distrustful scowl.

“What a fierce woman you are,” he laughed heartily, not intimidated in the slightest. Her shrugged out of his fur-lined coat and held it out to her. Nami’s pride dictated that she accepted no pity and that she march on through the blizzard clad as she was, but holy hell, she could feel his intense body heat radiating from the garment, whispering sweet nothings of warmth and comfort. Nami threw her pride out the window and pretty much dove into the coat, sliding her arms through the long, wide sleeves and nearly melted into a puddle on the spot. Is was gargantuan on her, falling down to the middle of her calves and requiring her to roll up the sleeves several times, but that just seemed to make it all the more a bundle of life-giving heat. She found herself immediately relaxing despite the presence of the man beside her. Feels so good… she thought, her mind now muddled by the lovely warmth. She only looked at X Drake when he began to chuckle good-naturedly at her, and it was then that she noticed that he was dressed in a great many layers. It was freezing, no doubt, but not that excessive.

Right… His Devil Fruit power is reptile-based. Is his weakness the cold? She wondered. It would make sense. Considering that, the fact that he had trekked across the island to investigate the balloon crash and offer her the very nice coat chipped away slightly at her mistrust of him. Rumors weren’t everything; maybe, just maybe, Nami had been lucky to land before a pirate captain who carried some form of chivalry.

“I am curious. Where did you come from?” he inquired as he kicked the destroyed fabric of the balloon with a small frown. “I had heard rumor that the Straw Hats had been scattered after the events at Marineford. Considering you are alone and piloting this thing, I surmise that is true.” Should she tell him? Weatheria was very close; he might even offer to bring her there. Then again, would she put the weather wizards of Weatheria in danger by revealing her location? If he ever desired to exploit the fact that Nami was separated from the monstrous members of her crew, he could jaunt over and kidnap her like it was a Sunday walk. His eyes flickered to her, intense but not menacing. “I see you are still mistrustful of me. Very well then, I won’t pry.”

“You can rest assured in the fact that someone will come for me eventually, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“’Rest assured’? I think not. I hid out on this island to avoid the Marines; it isn’t much of a secret hideaway if someone knows that I’m here,” he pointed out with a voice that had finally taken some edge. She swallowed nervously; it was beginning to seem that she was right in not trusting him. He made no move, however, only watched her guardedly, and she knew her next move would determine her fate. Nami decided to bet that some honesty might get her out of this unscathed.

“I came from Weatheria. The weather wizards don’t have much interest in the squabbles between pirates and the Marines. If you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you.” The corner of his mouth twitched in what have may have been an attempt at a smile, and then he straightened up to his full intimidating height, towering over her as he tried to gauge the truth of her statement. Nami felt highly uncomfortable under his interrogative stare but did her best not to quail.

“Very well.” As he whirled on his heel to begin tromping away, she was a little unnerved on how easily he accepted her statement. She really couldn’t get a read on the guy, and she really prided herself on her ability to measure people up.

It was then that Nami noticed that the cold was beginning to seep back into her skin, despite the very padded coat. Right! My clothes are soaking wet. He raised an eyebrow at her as she drew har arms into the body of the coat and began to fidget around. “What are you-“ he didn’t finish his sentence as he saw Nami’s shorts drop into the snow, and his face immediately blazed a rich shade of crimson. “Why are you getting naked?!” he cried and whirled around with a hand over his eyes, though Nami was more than concealed by the coat.

“My clothes are wet. The coat won’t do any good if I’m still wearing them,” she answered while nonchalantly pulling her shirt through the neck of the jacket. It dropped against her shorts with a wet plop, and Drake let out a strangled gasp. A smirk appeared on Nami’s lips. So, the big, bad X Drake is shy around women? Good to know, she thought. She decided to keep her underwear on, because she didn’t trust him nearly enough to go completely commando with him around yet. She bent down to pick up the sopping wet clothes, then looked up to find him tromping several feet ahead of her.

“Come on, unless you want to die out here,” he called to her without even looking over his shoulder. He was probably mortified by his raging blush. Resigning herself to the fate that would at least prolong her survival, Nami hurried after him. It was a struggle for several reasons: her small stride was dwarfed by his, covering at least a foot and a half per step, and the snow had piled up to her knees. She had to hold up the hem of the coat as she literally waded through the thick white powder, while Drake was just moseying along with the stuff barely coming up to his calf. Nami very quickly fell behind, huffing and puffing; she was fairly certain that she had developed a fever to combat hypothermia as well, for her skin was flushing an angry red color and sweat was pooling on her forehead and making her tangerine hair stick uncomfortably to her scalp. After a point, Drake glanced back to see her several yards behind attempting to push her way through a snow drift. “Do you want help?”

“No!” she barked back at him, face twisted in a determined frown. She had already presented herself to be a damsel in distress enough today, and like hell she was going to let him carry her the rest of the way. With a jerk, she forced her leg through the wall of snow and stepped down, only to find that it concealed a very large hole. With a shrill shriek, her entire body sank down to her shoulders, with her arms splayed out over the top of the snowbank and her head tilted back to keep from getting a mouthful of the stuff. Immediately her skin bristled at the intense cold, and she very shrilly squeaked, “Yes, help me, please.” X Drake was chortling to himself as he strode effortlessly through the snowdrift to pluck her up by the back of her hood, lifting her like a kitten by its scruff. She dangled in the air for a second as he allowed her to brush as much of the wet snow from her body as possible.

Thankfully he decided not to carry her bridal-style or another degrading manner, but piggyback-style. His shoulders were so broad that Nami’s arms could barely meet around his neck, and it was an effort to hook her legs around his hips. She really didn’t complain, though, as the sheer amount of furnace-like heat rolling off his body chased away the rest of the cold and left her warm and content. It was even better that he was blushing bright pink from head-to-tow since he was very aware that she had naught but underwear on beneath his coat; Nami found that so amusing. Still, it was a little embarrassing clinging to him like some kind of little spider monkey. “Why are you doing all this?” she asked, unable to contain her curiosity. She could count on one hand the number of pirate captains who would take it upon themselves to rescue her asking nothing in return, much less let her parade around mostly naked under their coat without giving her more grief.

“I may have defected from the Navy, but that doesn’t mean I have become completely ruthless. A man has his own personal code of values, and chivalry towards women is in mine,” he answered with a small shrug, but given his size, he very nearly pushed her off and she had to wrap her arms tight around his neck to keep that from happening. “I would have to be a total monster to leave a young woman to freeze to death in the snow.”

“I know of several members of the Worst Generation who would do just that, or ‘rescue’ me only to hold me hostage or ransom me to the Marines,” she grumbled. His shoulders shook with a rumbling laugh.

“They don’t call us ‘the Worst Generation’ for nothing, indeed. I suppose you should count yourself lucky, Nami.” As she thought; he knew exactly who she was. Still, she was beginning to feel at ease with the ginger-haired pirate’s companionship; he seemed to have no ulterior motives and had not attempted to molest her in any way as of yet. She was still on her guard just in case it was all a front, but at the very least, he was easy to talk to. “Tell me, why is it the Straw Hats have decided to go their separate ways?”

“We’re training to take on the New World,” she answered. It wasn’t like he could use that information specifically for much of anything, so why lie? The Paramount War had been broadcasted on Saboady Archipelago for all to see; everyone knew that Luffy only escaped by the skin of his teeth, and was severely injured. The only reason that rumors weren’t flying that he had died was because he had declared war on the World Government only a few days later.

“And the World Government,” he mused as she thought about the incident. “Straw Hat sure is a bold one. He has a very loyal crew, for them to be willing to join in his crusade against them. The World Government isn’t a bunch of pushovers.”

“I believe in him one hundred percent! He’s going to be King of the Pirates, after all!” she insisted and was completely unabashed to do so. X Drake laughed heartily again, seemingly finding her confidence very entertaining rather than insulting. “Why’re you laughing? You’re shooting for the title too, aren’t you?”

“I have my goals and ambitions, yes,” he mused while looking back at her with glittering eyes, “but I would be a fool not to admit that the boy has potential. The fact that you speak so confidently of him is a testament to his charisma and uncanny ability to draw people to his cause.” Nami found herself smiling broadly, because he was right. Even his enemies found themselves admiring of him; he was just that special. The smile drooped like her lead hot air balloon as he added, “However, don’t think that I will be singing his praises if we meet in the new world. I won’t simply allow him to become Pirate King because I think he’s neat.”

“Bring it on. He’ll kick your ass,” she said bluntly. Another round of booming laughter. She had heard tales of his brutality and menace, but Nami was beginning to think that when he wasn’t a rampaging dinosaur, he was a pretty laid-back guy. It was almost a shame that the next time they did meet they would be enemies, because she almost liked him.

“We’ll see about that,” he responded in a contented hum. He suddenly stopped walking and looked up, frowning; Nami followed suit and could not silence an overjoyed cry as she saw the unmistakable form of a hot air balloon drifting through the billowing gray clouds. “It seems that the weather wizards have come to retrieve you after all,” he remarked wryly. No doubt, Nami’s shock of orange hair was visible against the harsh backdrop of white, as the hot air balloon immediately began to descend towards them. With a huff, Nami hopped down from X Drake’s back, landing in the snow. It wasn’t that deep there, and her boots were able to keep most of the cold out, as they had dried some while she was being hauled on his back. “Until next time, then,” he remarked with a tip of his hat and turned to walk away, cloak flapping in the winter wind.

“Wait! Thank you for everything.”

“Do you think it wise to thank your enemy? He may hold it against you someday,” he remarked cryptically, but looked back at her with a wry smile.

“Then let’s be frenemies!” He gave her an absolutely dumfounded look, to which Nami responded with a beaming grin. “Y’know, we’re enemies when it’s necessary, but the rest of the time, we’re friends!” He blinked at her, every stage of grief passing through his expression, before he let out a snort of laughter.

“Straw Hat certainly keeps amusing company,” he remarked. Nami giggled and stuck out her tongue a little as she smiled charmingly. The hot air balloon had since descended well into range, and a rope ladder dropped down to dangle right above the snow beside her.

“So, again, thank you. Oh! I should give you your coat back!” Nami cried and began wriggling out of the garment, causing Drake to blush furiously and whirl around.

“No! Keep it!” Nami laughed, because of course she had no intention stripping down to her negligee in front of the ex-Marine. She hopped up onto the rope ladder, and the weather wizard in the basket far above her head began pulling it little by little back into the hot air balloon. Nami tossed a wink and a smile over her shoulder at the still-blushing pirate captain.

“See ya in the New World! I hope it’s under good circumstances!” she called down to him before climbing up the rungs of woven rope. It certainly wasn’t an encounter she had been expecting to have in the limbo that was this two year-training period, but hey, Nami wasn’t entirely ungrateful. The more enemies she could charm for Luffy’s sake, the better! Besides, conversing with X Drake wasn’t really that bad. If things were different, she could almost imagine the Straw Hats idolizing him.

Alas, they already had their idol in the form of a dorky, airheaded, optimistic but reliable straw hat-wearing boy destined for greatness. Sorry, X Drake, but frenemies it’s gotta be!

Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to perusemy Tableof Contents!

Tag List: @searchfortheonepiece

[draculalive]

Mina Harker's Journal.

5 October, 5 p.m. -- Our meeting for report. Present: Professor Van Helsing, Lord Godalming, Dr. Seward, Mr. Quincey Morris, Jonathan Harker, Mina Harker.

Dr. Van Helsing described what steps were taken during the day to discover on what boat and whither bound Count Dracula made his escape:---

"As I knew that he wanted to get back to Transylvania, I felt sure that he must go by the Danube mouth; or by somewhere in the Black Sea, since by that way he come. It was a dreary blank that was before us. Omne ignotum pro magnifico; and so with heavy hearts we start to find what ships leave for the Black Sea last night. He was in sailing ship, since Madam Mina tell of sails being set. These not so important as to go in your list of the shipping in the Times, and so we go, by suggestion of Lord Godalming, to your Lloyd's, where are note of all ships that sail, however so small. There we find that only one Black-Sea-bound ship go out with the tide. She is the Czarina Catherine, and she sail from Doolittle's Wharf for Varna, and thence on to other parts and up the Danube. 'Soh!' said I, 'this is the ship whereon is the Count.' So off we go to Doolittle's Wharf, and there we find a man in an office of wood so small that the man look bigger than the office. From him we inquire of the goings of the Czarina Catherine. He swear much, and he red face and loud of voice, but he good fellow all the same; and when Quincey give him something from his pocket which crackle as he roll it up, and put it in a so small bag which he have hid deep in his clothing, he still better fellow and humble servant to us. He come with us, and ask many men who are rough and hot; these be better fellows too when they have been no more thirsty. They say much of blood and bloom, and of others which I comprehend not, though I guess what they mean; but nevertheless they tell us all things which we want to know.

"They make known to us among them, how last afternoon at about five o'clock comes a man so hurry. A tall man, thin and pale, with high nose and teeth so white, and eyes that seem to be burning. That he be all in black, except that he have a hat of straw which suit not him or the time. That he scatter his money in making quick inquiry as to what ship sails for the Black Sea and for where. Some took him to the office and then to the ship, where he will not go aboard but halt at shore end of gang-plank, and ask that the captain come to him. The captain come, when told that he will be pay well; and though he swear much at the first he agree to term. Then the thin man go and some one tell him where horse and cart can be hired. He go there and soon he come again, himself driving cart on which a great box; this he himself lift down, though it take several to put it on truck for the ship. He give much talk to captain as to how and where his box is to be place; but the captain like it not and swear at him in many tongues, and tell him that if he like he can come and see where it shall be. But he say 'no'; that he come not yet, for that he have much to do. Whereupon the captain tell him that he had better be quick -- with blood -- for that his ship will leave the place -- of blood -- before the turn of the tide -- with blood. Then the thin man smile and say that of course he must go when he think fit; but he will be surprise if he go quite so soon. The captain swear again, polyglot, and the thin man make him bow, and thank him, and say that he will so far intrude on his kindness as to come aboard before the sailing. Final the captain, more red than ever, and in more tongues tell him that he doesn't want no Frenchmen -- with bloom upon them and also with blood -- in his ship -- with blood on her also. And so, after asking where there might be close at hand a ship where he might purchase ship forms, he departed.

“No one knew where he went ’or bloomin’ well cared,’ as they said, for they had something else to think of -- well with blood again; for it soon became apparent to all that the Czarina Catherine would not sail as was expected. A thin mist began to creep up from the river, and it grew, and grew; till soon a dense fog enveloped the ship and all around her. The captain swore polyglot -- very polyglot -- polyglot with bloom and blood; but he could do nothing. The water rose and rose; and he began to fear that he would lose the tide altogether. He was in no friendly mood, when just at full tide, the thin man came up the gang-plank again and asked to see where his box had been stowed. Then the captain replied that he wished that he and his box -- old and with much bloom and blood -- were in hell. But the thin man did not be offend, and went down with the mate and saw where it was place, and came up and stood awhile on deck in fog. He must have come off by himself, for none notice him. Indeed they thought not of him; for soon the fog begin to melt away, and all was clear again. My friends of the thirst and the language that was of bloom and blood laughed, as they told how the captain's swears exceeded even his usual polyglot, and was more than ever full of picturesque, when on questioning other mariners who were on movement up and down on the river that hour, he found that few of them had seen any of fog at all, except where it lay round the wharf. However, the ship went out on the ebb tide; and was doubtless by morning far down the river mouth. She was by then, when they told us, well out to sea.

“And so, my dear Madam Mina, it is that we have to rest for a time, for our enemy is on the sea, with the fog at his command, on his way to the Danube mouth. To sail a ship takes time, go she never so quick; and when we start we go on land more quick, and we meet him there. Our best hope is to come on him when in the box between sunrise and sunset; for then he can make no struggle, and we may deal with him as we should. There are days for us, in which we can make ready our plan. We know all about where he go; for we have seen the owner of the ship, who have shown us invoices and all papers that can be. The box we seek is to be landed in Varna, and to be given to an agent, one Ristics who will there present his credentials; and so our merchant friend will have done his part. When he ask if there be any wrong, for that so, he can telegraph and have inquiry made at Varna, we say ‘no’; for what is to be done is not for police or of the customs. It must be done by us alone and in our own way."

When Dr. Van Helsing had done speaking, I asked him if he were certain that the Count had remained on board the ship. He replied: "We have the best proof of that: your own evidence, when in the hypnotic trance this morning." I asked him again if it were really necessary that they should pursue the Count, for oh! I dread Jonathan leaving me, and I know that he would surely go if the others went. He answered in growing passion, at first quietly. As he went on, however, he grew more angry and more forceful, till in the end we could not but see wherein was at least some of that personal dominance which made him so long a master amongst men:---

"Yes, it is necessary -- necessary -- necessary! For your sake in the first, and then for the sake of humanity. This monster has done much harm already, in the narrow scope where he find himself, and in the short time when as yet he was only as a body groping his so small measure in darkness and not knowing. All this have I told these others; you, my dear Madam Mina, will learn it in the phonograph of my friend John, or in that of your husband. I have told them how the measure of leaving his own barren land -- barren of peoples -- and coming to a new land where life of man teems till they are like the multitude of standing corn, was the work of centuries. Were another of the Un-Dead, like him, to try to do what he has done, perhaps not all the centuries of the world that have been, or that will be, could aid him. With this one, all the forces of nature that are occult and deep and strong must have worked together in some wondrous way. The very place, where he have been alive, Un-Dead for all these centuries, is full of strangeness of the geologic and chemical world. There are deep caverns and fissures that reach none know whither. There have been volcanoes, some of whose openings still send out waters of strange properties, and gases that kill or make to vivify. Doubtless, there is something magnetic or electric in some of these combinations of occult forces which work for physical life in strange way; and in himself were from the first some great qualities. In a hard and warlike time he was celebrate that he have more iron nerve, more subtle brain, more braver heart, than any man. In him some vital principle have in strange way found their utmost; and as his body keep strong and grow and thrive, so his brain grow too. All this without that diabolic aid which is surely to him; for it have to yield to the powers that come from, and are, symbolic of good. And now this is what he is to us. He have infect you -- oh, forgive me, my dear, that I must say such; but it is for good of you that I speak. He infect you in such wise, that even if he do no more, you have only to live -- to live in your own old, sweet way; and so in time, death, which is of man's common lot and with God's sanction, shall make you like to him. This must not be! We have sworn together that it must not. Thus are we ministers of God's own wish: that the world, and men for whom His Son die, will not be given over to monsters, whose very existence would defame Him. He have allowed us to redeem one soul already, and we go out as the old knights of the Cross to redeem more. Like them we shall travel towards the sunrise; and like them, if we fall, we fall in good cause." He paused and I said:---

"But will not the Count take his rebuff wisely? Since he has been driven from England, will he not avoid it, as a tiger does the village from which he has been hunted?"

"Aha!" he said, "your simile of the tiger good, for me, and I shall adopt him. Your man-eater, as they of India call the tiger who has once tasted blood of the human, care no more for the other prey, but prowl unceasing till he get him. This that we hunt from our village is a tiger, too, a man-eater, and he never cease to prowl. Nay, in himself he is not one to retire and stay afar. In his life, his living life, he go over the Turkey frontier and attack his enemy on his own ground; he be beaten back, but did he stay? No! He come again, and again, and again. Look at his persistence and endurance. With the child-brain that was to him he have long since conceive the idea of coming to a great city. What does he do? He find out the place of all the world most of promise for him. Then he deliberately set himself down to prepare for the task. He find in patience just how is his strength, and what are his powers. He study new tongues. He learn new social life; new environment of old ways, the politic, the law, the finance, the science, the habit of a new land and a new people who have come to be since he was. His glimpse that he have had, whet his appetite only and enkeen his desire. Nay, it help him to grow as to his brain; for it all prove to him how right he was at the first in his surmises. He have done this alone; all alone! from a ruin tomb in a forgotten land. What more may he not do when the greater world of thought is open to him. He that can smile at death, as we know him; who can flourish in the midst of diseases that kill off whole peoples. Oh, if such an one was to come from God, and not the Devil, what a force for good might he not be in this old world of ours. But we are pledged to set the world free. Our toil must be in silence, and our efforts all in secret; for in this enlightened age, when men believe not even what they see, the doubting of wise men would be his greatest strength. It would be at once his sheath and his armour, and his weapons to destroy us, his enemies, who are willing to peril even our own souls for the safety of one we love -- for the good of mankind, and for the honour and glory of God."

After a general discussion it was determined that for to-night nothing be definitely settled; that we should all sleep on the facts, and try to think out the proper conclusions. To-morrow, at breakfast, we are to meet again, and, after making our conclusions known to one another, we shall decide on some definite cause of action.

[imjustthemechanic]

Natalie Jones and the Golden Ship

Part 1/? - A Meeting at the Palace Part 2/? - Curry Talk Part 3/? - Princess Sitamun Part 4/? - Not At Rest Part 5/? - Dead Men Tell no Tales Part 6/? - Sitamun Rises Again Part 7/? - The Curse of Madame Desrosiers Part 8/? - Sabotage at Guedelon Part 9/? - A Miracle Part 10/? - Desrosiers’ Elixir Part 11/? - Athens in October Part 12/? - The Man in Black Part 13/? - Mr. Neustadt Part 14/? - The Other Side of the Story Part 15/? - A Favour Part 16/? - A Knock on the Window Part 17/? - Sir Stephen and Buckeye Part 18/? - Books of Alchemy Part 19/? - The Answers Part 20/? - A Gift Left Behind Part 21/? - Santorini Part 22/? - What the Doves Found Part 23/? - A Thief in the Night Part 24/? - Healing Part 25/? - Newton’s Code Part 26/? - Montenegro Part 27/? - The Lost Relic Part 28/? - The Homunculinus Part 29/? - The End is Near Part 30/? - The Face of Evil Part 31/? - The Morning After Part 32/? - Next Stop Part 33/? - A Sighting in Messina Part 34/? - Taormina Part 35/? - Burning Part 36/? - Recovery Part 37/? - Pilgrimage to Vesuvius Part 38/? - The Scent of Hell

Getting the hang of alchemical thinking, our heroes catch up with the alchemists... maybe.

The next question was where to look for the two alchemists, and the most obvious answer was on the volcano itself.  Newton and Desrosiers had gone to Mount Etna to tap its energy for their reactor, and it seemed likely that they would do the same with Vesuvius, if they weren’t actually going to build the Philosopher’s Stone inside the mountain itself.  But where, exactly?  Vesuvius was huge, its two cones studded with several vents and craters.

They pulled out the Voynich manuscript again.

The manuscript was, of course, a two-dimensional map encoded in a picture of flowers, was the real volcano was a three-dimensional structure in stone, so without being able to read the labels there was not much they could learn.  They looked anyway, and Nat found herself wondering if the colours meant anything.  The map of Etna had used a lot of yellow, which was famous as the colour of Etna Broom, a tree that grew high on the slopes were almost nothing else could gain a foothold in the dense basalts.  The plant that seemed to represent Vesuvius was mostly green, with what looked like tiny white blossoms.

“Where is there something white on the mountain?” Nat asked.

“Snow?” said Clint.

The group looked up from their table at a street café at the mountain looming over the city.  In the summer there wouldn’t have been any snow on top of it, but it was October, and there was just a dust of white around the peak.  She smiled.  “Of course,” she said.

That meant they were going to have to climb the mountain, which was a daunting prospect indeed.  Even dressing for it was a fairly complex task: it was hot down here by the seashore, but the peak was cold enough for snow, meaning they were going to have to add layers as they went.  Climbing mountains had not been on the list of things they’d expected to do when they’d left Folkestone on the Chunnel train, so some shopping was required.  Fury was going to be annoyed enough about their expense list, Nat thought, even without any cruise ship voyages.

About an hour up the slope, they came across a tour group.  Thinking the guide might know an easier route, they slipped in among the crowd and tried to look like they belonged there.  Hopefully they wouldn’t be asked to get on a bus at any point, since it would then be clear that there weren’t enough seats.  Despite the air growing chillier, the route was still very steep and the tourists around them were sweaty and exhausted.

The tour guide, on the other hand, was a wiry man in his fifties who trotted up the slope like he’d done this every day for his entire life.  He would get thirty or forty yards ahead, and then have to stop to wait for the tourists to catch up.

“Vesuvius is still an active volcano, and the area around Naples is prone to earthquakes,” he announced, as they reached a scenic lookout.  “The government has been offering financial rewards to people who will agree to relocate, but most stay.  Their logic is that their grandparents and great-grandparents lived here and there was no eruption in those times, so why should there suddenly be one now?  The people in ancient Pompeii and Oplontis probably thought the same things.”

That made sense, Nat decided.  The ever-present it won’t happen to me mindset that led people to do all kinds of stupid things.

“Has the mountain been abnormally active lately?” asked Clint.

“Not abnormally,” the guide replied, “but everything in the area must be built according to seismic codes, and if anything happens we’ll all have to evacuate.  If you’ve been paying attention to the news, you’ll have heard about the evacuation of people from around Mount Etna in the last few days.  We’re always ready to do the same thing here if we need to.  Are you worried?”

“Maybe a little,” said Clint.

“Then why did you come on the tour?” the guide asked.  Other people laughed.

As they climbed higher, the air got colder.  The trees got smaller and scrawnier, too, and the landforms around them became stranger and stranger.  The rocks there were black and red, like those in the walls on Santorini, and protrusions and small cliffs were folded into odd shapes the lava had made as it flowed around obstacles or piled up on top of itself.  Smaller stones at the side of the path were full of air bubbles and came in very irregular shapes, looking almost like chunks of hardened foam.

“You’ve got all the pumice stones you could possibly want,” Sam observed.

“Laura just buys the white ones from the bath shop,” said Clint.

“Oh, look at this!” the guide exclaimed, pointing down an overlook.  “If you’ll look in there, you can see some vulcanologists checking their equipment.  We have sensors all over the mountain to tell us about the heat, the escape of gases, and the movement of the earth.  At times like this, it’s particularly important to make sure we know what’s going on deep underground.  The volcanism of the entire Mediterranean is fed by the meeting of the African and European crustal plates.  If there is activity in one area, as there was in Etna yesterday, it’s likely to spread to other areas as well.  We’re considering Etna a warning that we should look very closely at Vesuvius.”

But Natasha had noticed something very interesting indeed.  Two white-suited figures were working next to a gash in the ground at the bottom of a shallow fissure.  The gash was surrounded by yellowish-white crystals that looked almost like flowers.  “What’s that white stuff?  It can’t be snow,” she said.

“That’s sulfur,” said the tour guide.  “If the wind were blowing in the other direction we’d be able to smell it.  One of the reasons the scientists wear breathing apparatus is because not only will they smell the rotten egg smell, the crystals indicate that sulfurous gases are vented there, and if they breathe those in, they’re terribly toxic.  The poet Dante said sulfur was the smell of hell.”

The people around the vent were too far away for anybody to have seen their faces even without the gas masks.  One of them put a metal suitcase on the ground, opened it, and removed some object which was then driven into the ground.  The mountain began to rumble, and people in the tour group cried out.

“Stay calm!” said the guide.  “Stay calm and stay away from the edge.  It’s just a small tremor, we have them here all the time.”

Although the sound was alarming, the actual shaking was barely enough to feel.  Even so, Nat couldn’t shake the sense that its appearance was somehow related to what the scientists were doing.  Especially when, a few seconds later, the tremor stopped and so did the steam rising from the vent.  Perhaps it was her imagination that made it seem like the air temperature also dropped a couple of degrees.

“There, you see?” asked the guide.  “It’s over.”

The scientist picked up the metal briefcase again.  Was there something glowing inside it?  Or was that just the sun reflecting off the shiny surface?

“Gather around everybody, let me count,” the tour guide said.  “There should be thirty of you.”

Nat motioned to her companions.  “Come on,” she said.  “Before he realizes there’s thirty-seven.”

“You think it’s them?” Sam asked.  He must have noticed the same things as Nat.

“I hope so,” said Jim.

“Down, boy,” Nat told him.  “You don’t want to be thrown over another cliff.”

“Oh, I’m ready this time,” Jim promised.

The group quietly separated from the tour and began climbing down through the shrubbery along the edge of the pit.  Nat would have liked to go right down into it, but that was clearly not a good idea – now that they were closer, the smell of sulfur hung thick in the air.  Gravel shifted treacherously underfoot as they clung to the vegetation and to each other, and there were a couple of heart-stopping moments, when somebody nearly tumbled in, before they made it to the lower end of the fissure in the hillside.  There they crouched in the foliage, waiting to see who would climb out.

They waited.  And they waited.  And they waited.  The sun got lower and the air colder.

Nat had played waiting games like this before, and she hated them.  It was like lying in bed wanting to check the time, but knowing that if she rolled over and looked at her phone she’d find only thirty seconds left until her alarm was due to go.  She desperately wanted to peek out of her hiding place and see if the supposed scientists were on their way, but didn’t dare.  If she did, they might be right in front of her, and she would have just blown all their covers.

Eventually, she just couldn’t take it anymore.  Very slowly and carefully, she leaned down to put a cheek on the ground and peek under the bushes, where she saw… absolutely nothing.  Next she straightened up to look over, again carefully avoiding any noises or sudden movements.  She raised her head above the bush and looked down into the fissure.  There was nobody there.

Her companions took this as a cue to see for themselves.  Everybody sat or stood up, not nearly so subtly as Natasha had done, and everybody saw the same thing: nothing.  The two white-suited scientists, or whoever they’d been, were gone.

“Where the hell did they go?” asked Jim.

The options were very limited.  “Either they climbed up the steep way,” said Natasha, “or they went into the cleft.”

The first possibility could be quickly eliminated.  There was no other way out of the fissure – any route but the one they’d been waiting by would have required ropes, climbing harnesses, and a team of other people to do it safely.  They must have gone into the cleft itself.  Could anybody do that and survive?  The pair had been wearing heat suits and gas masks, but surely somebody would need more protection than that to go inside a volcano.

Then Nat noticed something – or rather, she noticed the gap where something wasn’t.  “What do you smell?” she asked.

There was a moment in which everybody stood around sniffing, trying to figure out what she was going for.

“Rocks,” said Clint.  “Damp greenery.”

“Nothing much,” said Jim.

“The brimstone smell is gone,” said Sir Stephen.

He was right.  They hadn’t been able to smell sulfur from the lookout, but they had smelled it on their way down, and now it had faded away.

“Gone gone, or we just got used to it?” Clint asked.

“Let’s find out,” said Natasha.  She started to climb over the lip of the fissure to get closer to the cleft, surrounded by its crystalline sulfur flowers, but Jim grabbed her arm.

“I’ll do it,” he said.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Newton said I could be strangled, and Mrs. Desrosiers said my cells could fall apart,” Jim said, “but if I’m cut I heal, and nobody said anything about me being poisoned.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t be,” Allen protested.

“Yeah, but I’m less likely to be poisoned than any of you,” he said.  “And if I die, there’s nobody to miss me.”

Nat wanted to protest that she would miss him, but that would be cheesy.  She caught Sir Stephen’s eye and knew in her gut that he wanted to say something similar, but he didn’t dare, either, because he didn’t want Jim to think he only meant he would miss Buckeye.  Nat would miss Jim when he was gone, but that wasn’t important right now.  She just nodded, and he climbed past her and let himself slide down the slope towards the gap in the rocks.

[scumsucking]

From Cosmos by Carl Sagan:

The clouds of Venus turn out to be chiefly a concentrated solution of sulfuric acid. Small quantities of hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid are also present. Even at its high, cool clouds, Venus turns out to be a thoroughly nasty place.

High above the visible cloud deck, at about 70 kilometers altitude, there is a continuous haze of small particles. At 60 kilometers, we plunge into the clouds, and find ourselves surrounded by droplets of concentrated sulfuric acid. As we go deeper, the cloud particles tend to get bigger. The pungent gas, sulfur dioxide, SO2, is present in trace amounts in the lower atmosphere. It is circulated up above the clouds, broken down by ultraviolet light from the Sun and recombined with water there to form sulfuric acid - which condenses into droplets, settles, and at lower altitudes is broken down by heat into SO2 and water again, completing the cycle. It is always raining sulfuric acid on Venus, all over the planet, and not a drop ever reaches the surface.

The sulfur-colored mist extends downwards to some 45 kilometers above the surface of Venus, where we emerge into a dense but crystal-clear atmosphere. The atmospheric pressure is so high, however, that we cannot see the surface. Sunlight is bounced about by atmospheric molecules until we lose all images from the surface. There is no dust here, no clouds, just an atmosphere getting palpably denser. Plenty of sunlight is transmitted by the overlying clouds, about as much as on an overcast day on the Earth.

With searing heat, crushing pressures, noxious gases and everything suffused in an eerie, reddish glow, Venus seems less the goddess of love than the incarnation of hell.

As nearly as we can make out, at least some places on the surface are strewn fields of jumbled, softened irregular rocks, a hostile, barren landscape relieved only here and there by the eroded remnants of a derelict spacecraft from a distant planet, utterly invisible through the thick, cloudy, poisonous atmosphere.*

* In this stifling landscape, there is not likely to be anything alive, even creatures very different from us. Organic and other conceivable biological molecules would simply fall to pieces. But, as an indulgence, let us imagine that intelligent life once evolved on such a planet. Would it then invent science? The development of science on Earth was spurred fundamentally by observations of the regularities of the stars and planets. But Venus is completely cloud-covered. The night is pleasingly long - about 59 Earth days long - but nothing of the astronomical universe would be visible if you looked up into the night sky of Venus. Even the Sun would be invisible in the daytime; its light would be scattered and diffused over the whole sky - just as scuba divers see only a uniform enveloping radiance beneath the sea. If a radio telescope were built on Venus, it could detect the Sun, the Earth and other distant objects. If astrophysics developed, the existence of stars could eventually be deduced from the principles of physics, but they would be theoretical constructs only. I sometimes wonder what their reaction would be if intelligent beings on Venus one day learned to fly, to sail in the dense air, to penetrate the mysterious cloud veil 45 kilometers above them and eventually to emerge out the top of the clouds, to look up and for the first time witness that glorious universe of Sun and planets and stars.

[lillaxtrigger]

Young Hope: Chapter 36

Out along the middle of the vast blue pacific, the gentle ocean breeze blow above the crystal clear waters and bellows out towards a flourishing lone island; the winds brushing against the bright and vibrant leaves and flora that make up its very forest. Alongside the very winds do a pair of winged shadows run along the top of these very tropical trees and flowers; the shadows speeding through the treetops until coming to a small, clear meadow; the two who owned these shadows fluttering down and landing upon the clearings soft grassy plain. Once the pair of angels roost on these very plains, the one boasting an indigo blue main gazes up towards the very sky that he had just descended down from; taking in a deep breath of the luscious tropical air before stating that: “Ah, this. This is just perfect right here. The calm ocean winds, the clear blue sky, the wildlife singing their natural song out in the distance. It all makes for one hell of a vacation spot, hope I can take some of my friends and fam here to party once we get all this business outta the way.” “Rest assured, Tore; our journey is nearing its climax. With two of the three search nods within our possession, one more is all we need to obtain to free the Kybr and reunite with our long lost kin.” the man with the cosmic wings declares.

“Then what do you think were waiting for, lets speed through this island and find the final one!” the blue boy excitedly suggest as he starts to take off. Before his ecstatic pupil could fly very far, Mall reaches his hand out to the speeding young boy and grasps his blazer collar with his spacial powers; Tore letting out a choked grunt as his whole body swings back. “Slow down there, my young Kybr. I’m afraid what we seek lies not along the beautiful tropics of this island.” “Uh, then where do you expect us to find it?” “Simple, go to hell.” “Uh, wow, okay. A little outta nowhere. You could just say its a surprise or something. Don’t gotta verbally stomach jab me like that.” “No, Tore. What I mean is the final nod we seek dwell deep beneath the earth and his stored away in the very pits of the damned; held within the confines of the demon kings very castle of flames and crimson brick.” “Oh. Wait, if you know that for a fact, then why’d ya choose to go down to this little slice of paradise? Wouldn’t it be faster just to dig our way down?” “Hmph, simply digging through the earth so brutishly would no doubt garter far too much attention then we need. I happen to know for a fact that there lies a hole that lead straight down into the underworld somewhere along this very island.” “Oh come on. A portal down into hell somewhere out in this tropical paradise?” “A jarring statement which makes it all the more inconspicuous.” “So this is the only hole leading straight down to hell or...” “Well, I do know of another portal somewhere down in the chilling arctic. Would you rather-” “Ah! Ya know what, why don’t we just start down here and see where it all goes.” Letting a little chuckle escape from his mouth, Mall begins to head straight out of the clearing and into the lush green tropics; his blue ward following after as they begin to navigate around the countless trees and flora that make up the islands very ecosystems.

Out further through the tropical forest, the dozens of tree’s starts to cluster and grow more dense the further they travel through the island; their numbers mattering little however as Mall simply stretches the space between it all for him and his pupil to casually walk along. As they continue to stroll through the middle of the tropical island jungle; the indigo angel takes the moment between both him and his mentor to ask: “Hey uh, not to sound pretentious here; but out of all the handful of Kybr that were left in this universe of ours, why’d you up and decide to take me along in this little fetch quest of yours?” “Well, I admit that you weren't exactly my first choice.” “Really? Who else did you have in mind?” “I was tempted to reach out to another half breed Kybr much like you; one that had boasted far more experience and strength. But before I could take the chance to confront this man however, I discovered that he was aligned with those that had seen to our races entrapment; a traitor to his very ancestors. One whose assistance I had discarded.” the cosmic angel explains with a gnarled hiss at the end. “He’s that strong? Who is this guy?” “Hmm. I still remember the day that I had discovered him clear as the cosmo’s; his orange hair flapping in the winds he soared the skies with his glorious golden wings. There was not a single doubt in my mind that he realized what aspect of this very universe he could control.” “Ah...” Tore utters, beginning to realize who exactly his mentor may be referring to.

“Uh, before...You mentioned that you had a daughter, right?” the blue boy shifts the conversation to. “...Yes. Why do you ask?” his cosmic mentor confirms without so much as looking back at him. “Wh-what was it like being a-a dad? Ya know, sharing those precious moments with here?” A soft sigh escapes from the angels mouth before he goes on to explain how: “In those fleeting moments that I had spent with her, an incredibly powerful feeling began to bloom within me; one that I had never felt in my near eternal life before. Those times I had played, taught, trained, imagined, and flew with her; all those moments will remained forever carved within my mind for the rest of this long and overwhelming journey of life. I...I would give anything to experience that strange, but blissful feeling of being what they would call a father once more...”

“Wow. And I never really knew what it was like to even have a dad...” Upon the blue angel injecting this does his mentor glance back at him, uttering to the boy: “Really? Is he-” “No no, he still very much alive. It’s just that he never ever comes back to spend a single second with the family he help make anymore. Mom just always gave me the excuse of how he’s just way too busy with whatever he’s doing every time I bothered asking. And I could tell that all times I asked for him, I could see the disappointment and sadness in her eyes. She’s tried to mask it with how fine she is with; but there’s just those moments I caught her without that mask and just see her cry. I eventually just stopped asking; I realized then that he was never gonna come back. Like even when things got to their absolute worst, I didn’t depend on him to just swoop in and fix everything; how could I? And what’s worse about it is that I still remember those times he did bother come around when I was just little bitty tike, all before my sister was even born. I have nothing else to go off of. It would have been one thing if he’d just never showed up in my life; but those memories of when he actually bothered to be a dad make the fact that he’s never coming around again for my mom, my sister, me just sting all the worse...It just...fucking sucks!”

Upon hearing his blue ward express such outrage causes the cosmic angel to stop dead in his tracks; Tore inadvertently bumping right into his back and nearly falling over. As the indigo angel catches himself from tumbling down, he witnesses his mentor fully turn back towards him and says: “I am truly sorry to hear your plight, my boy. Your father, whatever his business in this universe may be, I can say without any doubt is that he is missing such a treasuring experience. To share in the very joys of life with your own kin, and taking it so flippantly for granted...Truly such a tragedy.” “Mall...Do….you think...Nah, never mind.” the blue boy stutters. “Are you sure?” “Yeah, I’m fine. Lets just get a move on.” Choosing to drop the subject, the two angel’s continue their little venture deeper into the tropical jungle’ Mall resuming to bend the space before them to let them past through the thicket of the forest.

Their peaceful walk through the lush island jungle eventually has them come to another clearing; both of them gazing beyond the tropical trees to discover a gargantuan stone monolith standing tall before them, its rocky surface rugged and covered in vines and aged bone to reflect its long lifespan. “Wow! How did we not spot this on the way down?” the blue boy ponders as his mentor hovers closer to the temple. Running his curious eyes over the face of the stone building, Mall brushes his fingers across the littered vines while claiming: “Strange, this structure wasn’t here before the last time I visited.” “When’s the last time you flew down here?” “Oh, it was rather long ago. I can’t believe the time has escaped me so easily, but I am certain it was a thousand  years at the least.” “Hey, a lot can happen here in that time. Maybe some people washed up here and built this thing with their bare hands, and outta themselves apparently.” “Perhaps; but when this monolith was constructed matters little to us. It’s what’s built over that were meant to descend down to.” “So, if the way down to hell is under this thing, should we just smash right through it?” “Heh. I think I may provide a much less crass method of uncovering our way down.” “And that would be?” “Tore, are you aware of atoms?” the cosmic angel questions. “Those small dots that make up everything?” “Indeed, my boy. Between every single atom that makes up this entire universe there are molecular bits of space that stand between each of them; from the loosest of water to the densest of stars, from the softest gases to the most hardened of refined solids; there exist this space between it all.” “Okay, so what’s that gotta do with what’s in front of us.” “It mean that those bits of space let me do this.”

Mall then ascend over to the upper front of the ancient temple, remaining utterly still in the air as he takes in a deep breath and shuts his eyes; the angel clasping his hands together and remaining peacefully silent as he prays. The song of the tropical jungle sings out as the cosmic angel hovers in the air, the countless animals providing the islands native ambiance as his blue wards simply stares up to him. “Uh, Mall...You okay up there.” Despite the indigo calling out to him, Mall remains still in his quiet focus. Uh, what’s he doing just standing there? He hasn’t done a thing for a whole straight minute, is he alright? Is he even awake?...Maybe shaking him will help? Right as the young angel starts to rise up towards his master, the spacial angel finally opens his eyes to the world once again; Tore hovering back when seeing the very cosmos itself reflected within his sclera’s. It then that he sees Mall finally break from his prayer and thrust his hands straight out towards the stone monument; Tore gazing back just in time to witness a line of pure spacial essence penetrate the rock and run straight down the middle of the ancient building. At last does the angel of space begin to part his palms away from one another, Tore watching as the stone temple before them follow suit and begin to split apart; the entire jungle trembling as both of monument’s halves grow further and further away from one another. Watching this marvel of spacial control play out before him, the indigo angel hovers closer to discover the split open sides of the parting monolith to find the parts cut open extremely smoothed and whole; all with not even a jag or crack left along the surface.

Once finished splitting the ancient temple, Mall closes his eyes up as he takes in another calm breath; his eyes returning to normal as he lets out a relieved exhale and declares that: “And there we have it. Our way into the depths of the underworld has been opened.” Hovering beyond the fractured halves of the monolith does the indigo angel gaze upon a wide and deep pit where the structure once stood; the numerous rocks decorating the pit offsetting the seemingly endless darkness. “Whoa! So this hole right here leads straight down to hell, does it?” the blue boy questions. “Indeed it does. How else do you think we would be traveling down?” “Well, I did think of another way, but just dropping down this hole here is a lot less work and thankfully way less traumatizing.”

As the two angels land right along the very edge of the fiery pit, Tore takes the moment to ask his mentor: “So, where exactly in hell are we supposed to find the last nod?” “Like I said, the search nod was being kept under the very depths of the king’s very castle, guarded by the most frightening of hell’s demon’s.” “King, you mean the devil?” “The devil, Satan, the unholy demon, King Lucitor, whatever he goes by nowadays, him and his royal family have held dominion over the fiery pits of the underworld for as long as the earth had existed.” “You think we’ll haveta face this guy.” “We’ll be lucky if we don’t see a single sign of him during our hellish trip. With Hell itself being his dominion, there is no other place he exudes power then his very own land.” “Jeez. Sounds exciting.”

With the initial questions gotten out of the way, the two Kybr at last jump into the massive fiery hole and begin their descent down into the hellish pit; the glow of their wings lighting through the darkness as they glide down. As both of them drop through the hole, the blue boy peeks back up to see the light of the sun above shrink down into a meager dot; eventually disappearing among the light of the fiery rock. Lowering his eyes downwards, Tore finds the earthly dirt that makes up the pit start to be replaced with hard brimstone and the melted flesh of men; the occasional head and limb protruding out from the blazing sides. The two angels could feel the very air they descend through begin to rapidly rise in temperature the further they drop; Tore wiping the constant stream of sweat that pours out from his forehead during their glide down. Its then that his ears manage to catch a bone chilling sonata of countless shrieks and screams all echoing down from below; these outcries making the blue boy shiver and shake. Gazing down towards the dark void they hover down towards do both of them see blobs of color all bubbling out from below, all these colorful faces and bodies erupting out around them and rising out from where they’d descended. Once their horrible shrieks die down, the indigo angel looks to his spacial mentor and asks: “Hey uh, you don’t think that whatever we do down here won’t effect what happens up there, should it?” “I don’t imagine it would on a big scale.”

Right up on the very surface of the earth that they had come down from, a whole group of people dressed in tribal attire all surround of what remains of their fractured monument; a good number of them running their palms along the smooth cut rock while the rest gaze down the very hole that was hidden under the rocky temple. As the people stare down along the seemingly endless pit, a mass of colorful lights start to rush right out from its very depths; all of them fleeing into the jungle as the hole erupts in a dozen colors and the wisps scatter through the air.

After several minutes of dropping down through the pit of blazing brimstone and melted flesh do both angels finally see a bright orange light beneath them; the fiery bright orange light beating against their bodies as they finally descend down from the bottom of the pit. The blazing orange glow finally fades away to let the angels take in the very view of the fiery underworld, Tore’s very eyes lighting up when witnessing the expected motif of like brimstone, lava, demonic monsters and screaming people. Though some of the other pieces of hell’s first impression still caught the blue boy off guard; stretched out human faces blanketing the rock, fleshy tentacles with sharp toothed maws along their ends, amalgamations of horrible rock and flesh pulsing and screaming in agony, even some people’s entire bodies melded into the boiling rock. “Holy hell hole! I expected some of this stuff like the lava and fire, but the rocky flesh things, the tentacles, the human faces on rocks. Really seems like something you see outta a horror show. It’s all seriously looking metal as all he- Wait a sec...Ah, you get it don’t you.” the indigo angel describes. “Quite the horror show indeed. A place no better for the gods to toss away their undesired. Attempt to be as selfless and free as you wish; but if your not looked down kindly upon them, then they’ll toss you down here to suffer for all eternity without so much as a second thought.” “Jeez, the gods are kinda dicks, aren’t they?” “A lot of them are, yes. But none of them dared to lock us Kybr within this very purgatory. With our very souls themselves able to mold the very universe we dwell in, how could they?”

“Well, since were finally down here, we might as well streak through the fiery skies til we reach the kings castle.” the indigo angel states as he readies to take off. Before Tore could rocket off out through the hell’s very blistering air, he suddenly crashes right into what felt like a super solid wall; the blue boy peeking ahead to find the very space in front of him solidified in cosmic stars. Knowing full we’ll who had erected such a wall, the blue boy turns back to his mentor and question: “Ah, what is it now?” “Do you seriously expect to freely glide through the skies of the underworld undetected with wings as bright as yours. As brilliant as they are, they will surely attract more then our fair share of trouble.” “So what? Let’s just wallop whatever gets in our way.” “Tore, please just listen. Were not out up above in the great wild yonder anymore. We’re in the very den of our very foe’s. We cannot proceed so carelessly. If the king of hell finds out we’re coming, then he will surely make sure to haul the nod somewhere we cannot reach it. Tis why we much walk far more carefully while traversing through this fiery hellscape. The keyword being walk.” A small whine leaves the blue boy’s mouth as both he and his mentor flutter down to the brimstone below; Tore putting away his wings as they land and asking: “How long do we gotta trudge through this hellscape til we reach the castle.” Thrusting his very own hand within his body, Mall digs through the space held within his very body and pulls out the golden halo; holding it in the palm of his hand until the holographic map appeared. “Hmm…Judging from where we had entered from, I would estimate have about...10 miles.” Upon the cosmic angels estimate does his pupil let out a loud outcry, one that echo’s alongside the other moans and agonizing screams that sound throughout the fiery airs of the underworld.

Their miles long journey throughout the hellish landscape takes them across the hills and loops of rugged brimstone, streams and river of flowing molten lava, riding along the backs of a few wondering leviathans and giants; all of which provides for them the sites of tormented, forgone, and punished. Be them boiled, fried, scorched, poked, or severely nipple twisted by the devilish inhabitants; their outcries join in along the other millions of guilty and punished that sing out their chorus of suffering throughout hell. Along side these sonata’s do dozens of demon’s of all shapes and sizes glide along the fiery skies of the underworld; some taking on human appearances while others take on borderline strange shapes as they fly.

After hoping right off the back of a giant and landing on solid stone, Tore lets out a growling sigh before expressing how: “Holy hellish heatwave here! It is boiling down in this hell hole. I mean as expected, sure; but you don’t really get how hot it is until you take a little trip down here. I’m starting to become more sweat than skin by the minute. We’ve been trudging through this whole nightly field trip of horror show delights for days on end now and we can’t see a single bit of the head honcho’s hell castle.” “Tore. It’s been an hour since we dropped down in here.” “Whatever, still feels the same. Spend an hour in hell and it feels like an eternity. Just how much longer do we gotta keep trudging through the inside of this semi supernatural oven compartment til we reach the keep?” “We’re here.” “Oh great I- hang on, what?”

Upon hearing his galactic teacher claim such, Tore peeks behind the cosmic angel to spot a huge, towering castle of crimson brick whose walls and towers take the shape of numerous twisted demonic body parts; the front gates of the castle taking the form of a gaping maw. The castle itself stands upon a pillar of brimstone set right in the middle of a boiling lake of molten magma; the lava bubbling along the bottom rising right out from the lake in rising pillars and flowing right up through hell’s very ceiling in columns of twisting molten goo. “Wow, now this is one hell of a place for the king of demons to live; huge ass castle, incredible of the hellish plains, sweet lava pillars rising from the lake. Couldn’t pick a better venue for a palace. So now that were here, what might the game plan be for breaking into this place.” “Well, it goes without saying that a straight forward approach is out of the question. Our best bet for this to go as smooth as possible would be for one of us to infiltrate the back of the keep and sneak out to where they’ve hidden the nod; a task of which I think is more suited for you, my ward.” Mall elaborates. “I-Why me?” “Your wings, child. Since they glow pale white, attempting to glide around the castle without getting seen would be nearly impossible; that is of course unless you glide just above the lake of molten liquid bubbling underneath. With how borderline bright this lake of molten goo is, nobody would pay any mind to a white spot traveling along the surface; they’d think of it as a simple glint or part of the lava itself. That’s how you will make your way to the back of the castle and sneak your way in; traverse the castle and take the nod back from the demon kings clutches.”

“Okay, okay, okay. I get that part of the plan. But what are you gonna be doing while I’m tiptoeing through this place?” the blue boy asks his mentor. “I shall stay out here and draw out the castles very forces, keeping them occupied and distracted while you navigate through its halls in search of our prize.” “Oh, that ain’t fair. Why do you get to do all the fun stuff while I’m just sneaking around?” “Because Tore, with my more developed control over the forces of space, I can keep the hellish strongholds army occupied far longer then you can.” “Ah...” “That is why I am trusting you to reach the nod while I work to keep the enemy forces at bay.” “Really?” “Indeed I am. With all that we’ve been through; cleansing the warp gate and restoring it to its former glory, fending off the rogue forces of the abandoned citadel side by side; even retrieving one of the nods deep within the chilling mountains, there isn’t any other Kybr left in this plain of existence I trusts more than you.” These very words brew within the blue wards a strange warmth deep within the bowels of the angel’s stomach; Tore clutching his side as he answers: “I’ll do it.” From his backside does the spacial angel presents the golden halo to the boy, Tore holding his hand out for the gadget as he mentor responds with: “I know you will.”

Parting from his spacial teacher, the indigo angel ventures to the very edge of the molten pit; his eyes glaring down to the lake of boiling magma that stews beneath them. With but a single bounding leap, the blue boy delves down towards the searing lake of lava; feeling the very air around him grow blisteringly hot the closer he drop down towards the fiery goo. Right as he’s but a few feet away from taking that seething molten dip, Tore finally erects his glowing white wings straight out from his backside and pulls up before he could dive bomb right into the magma lake; the intense heat from the lakes surface radiating on his stomach as he soars but only a few feet right above. Once gliding along the top of the molten liquid, the blue boy takes a little glance back to where he had fallen from to see his galactic mentor begin to ascend high above the brimstone rim and hover right before the crimson keep.

As Mall waves his hands in opposite clockwise motions, stars begin to conjure right out from his palms until he creates an entire ring of them. Once he has conjured the collection of stars, the cosmic angel commands them all to fire out towards the keep before him; each of these stars breaking apart in a small explosion of dust and shake the entire castle. Once the stardust start to settle and waft away, an entire slew of demonic monsters start to march, crawl, slither, and fly right out from the depth of the keep and rush out to the battlement to face the angel that dare attack their rulers palace. The horde of demons bare what weapons lie in their hands, what twisted teeth are in their maws, and what sharp talons are along their feet as the hellish army approach. Despite the legions of hell’s very castle charging at him, the spacial angel refuses to waver as he simply stretches both of his arms out to his sides and start to then conjure two galaxies right in the palms of his hands; the two galaxies spinning faster as they grow to the size of the angel’s entire body. Once these pairs of galaxies grow big enough, Mall casts them out to the demonic horde charging right at him like a pair of throwing discs; the galaxies cutting straight through the entire army easily.

Yep, he’s gonna be just fine. Certain of this very fact, Tore returns his site out to the rest of the molten lake before him; just in time to pass around the very column of brimstone holding the entire castle above the lake of blistering magma. Once behind towering pillar of rock, the indigo angel starts to rise up from the boiling magma and along the rugged brimstone until reaching the top of the crimson abode; gently fluttering down to an open balcony.

The young blue boy withdraws his bright pale wings as he start to enter the door left open leading inside; seeing only a pitch black darkness waiting on the other side. As he gently closes the door behind him, the blue boy’s eyes start to see a dozen shapes offsetting the dark red void before him; tiptoeing around these objects as he sneaks over to the other side of the room. Traversing through the dark red does the blue boy’s eyes catch what seemed like a door, resting his palm upon its wood and struggling to simply push it open. Feeling down for a knob, the indigo angel finds one along the side and attempt to twist, only to find it refusing to budge no matter how much he twists it. Locked. Could just break the door down, but that’d cause too much of a commotion. Need to find another way out.

While his eyes start to adjust to the darkness, the blue boy peeks back to where he had tiptoed from and spots something offsetting the shadows; the bars running along this rectangular object suggesting it to be a standing cage. Strange. Wonder what they could have trapped in here? Curious of what could be held inside, Tore carefully sneaks around the countless objects and shadows that litter the floor as he starts to approach the cage; left confused when seeing the very top of it to be left without any lid. Wait, is this really a cage? Finally making it to the supposed cage, the blue boy peeks down the open top to find something lying along the bottom; his curious stare beginning to widen when his eyes further adjust to the dark and discovers what lies inside. What he discovers lying within is a slumbering human toddler that sports a pair of demonic horns along the top of its head; the child’s slumbering sighs brushing against its single sharp tooth as it sleeps. Oh...oh no. Taking a peek back towards the stuff that he had been sneaking around, he finally sees to be toys, dozens of toys fit to be played within by a small child; much like the child he stands before. Oh no. Glancing back to the toddler in the keep, drips of sweat starts to run down his forehead when seeing the toddler rolling around in his sleep; little grunts escaping from the baby’s mouth as it snoozes. Oh no! Of all the places to land in!

Realizing what sort of dicey situation he was in, Tore starts to slowly back away from the occupied crib as his eyes frantically wander around the room for an alternate escape. Need to find another way out before this little tike wakes up. Come on. Where’s the door? Where’s another door!? Midst the blue boys rapidly growing panic, he starts to crack a smile when his eyes lock out the side of the toddlers bedroom and discover another wooden door left along the side of the balcony. That very same smile shatters in but an instance when the angel feels himself fall back against a lone toy left in the middle of the floor; his back slamming against the floor with a loud thud. After harshly falling right onto the floor, the blue boy peeks back up towards the crib and his relieved to find the young tike having snoozed past his little trip. Oh, thank god.

That same relief is swiftly dashed away when the very same toy that he had tripped over begins to glow out a dozen colors and play a rather loud early preschool tune; the music echoing through the bedroom and causing the horned toddler to wake up crying. As the young child continues to scream out, a feminine voice sounds off from the locked door cries out for: “Issac.” Hearing a sharp click from that very door, Tore quickly picks himself right off the floor and starts to hurry over to the other way out; one of the doors swinging right open to reveal a human woman dressed in red and wielding a long sword bursting onto the scene irradiating a lot of ferocious mama bear energy. “I’m here baby. I-”

The very first site that her dagger eyes find tainting the confines of her very child’s bedroom be the blue boy busting straight through the door leading right to the crimson hallway. Determined to not let this blue ruffian get away with scaring her child, the long haired brunette flips her weapon around and hurls it out to the intruder like a throwing javelin; Tore glancing back as he races through the hall to see the razor sharp blade careening right at his back. Hoping to evade the oncoming swords deadly tip, Tore springs into the air just in time as the blade approaches; the weapons razor edge brushing right along the crotch of his pants as it thrusts right underneath the blue boy. Having evaded the horrible sting of the moms blade, the blue boy continues to flee out towards the turn up ahead; the mom stopping right in the doorway of her child’s bedroom as she watches the intruder flee, all the while hearing him repeat out: “I’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorry!”

Once having escaped that dicey situation, the indigo angel hops right off the floor as his wings pop out from his back; gliding through the crimson halls of the castle as he peeks back for any sign of the sword wielding woman. Thankfully, he fails to find even a bit of her anywhere in site and lets out a shuttering breath. Oh god, that was way too close. Another moment late and the old jewels would’ve been skewered. Left utterly impaled by the cold steel of a protective mother; oh irony would have been as poignant as the following pain. Don’t really know how much a difference it would’ve made afterwords though. Never really was much a horny bastard as Roy is. I-...God, ain’t got the time to think about the aftermath of post makeshift castration surgery. Need to get back on track here.

Thrusting his hand right into his pants pocket, Tore digs through his blue denim jeans for a moment before pulling out the very halo that his mentor had bestowed to him before they had split off. The blue boy takes a minute to inspect the ring glossy golden sheen for any sort of buttons or switches that could make the radar appear. How do you even turn this on? As the boy attempts to search along the rings inner rim, his hand slides along the edge of the gadget finally gets the map to flash right on; unfortunately engulfing his entire head in its light and causing him to careen right into the curved crimson hall ahead of him.

After the brickwork that makes up the wall all topples down onto the blue boy, Tore effortlessly digs himself right out from the debris and takes a peek at the map that the halo expelled from its middle; a pair of small dots pulsing along the 3-D map of the hellish stronghold. The indigo angel knew for sure that the blue dot perched along the top of the keep was where he stands; but finds the other yellow pulsing deep beneath the underworld palace. Kay, so our little prize here is practically buried right under this whole hellbound palace; a little redundant here, but where else would they really put it. It would be faster to bust through each floor right into the basement, but that could draw way too much attention. Gotta stick to the plan here, Tore, no matter how dumb and boring it is. Hope Mall is out there having fun at least.

Back outside the crimson castle’s walls does a seemingly endless onslaught of numerous demons all pour out from the front of the stronghold; all of them baring their weapons, fangs and claws as they charge out to the cosmic angel. Despite their overwhelming numbers, not even one of them is able to even close in on the galactic angel as Mall casts forth a wave of pure space that sends a large chunk of the army flying back; some of them demon’s slamming right into the castle they emerged from while others careen out into the hellish horizon. The pieces of this army that have evaded this angels powerful wave all slip out from the edge and curve back towards both of the man’s sides in hopes of pulling off a pinching counterattack. Seeing both of of the approaching groups of demon’s closing in, Mall stretches his arms out towards the pair of swarming monsters and opens the palms of his hands to unveil a pair of rapidly growing wormholes. Though the two nearing armies attempt to stop themselves from running right into these holes, they’re already caught within their gravitational pull and are sucked straight into their cosmic depths.

As the angel dispels these wormholes does he feel something lumber out from behind; Mall turning around to discover a towering giant of molten lava, cracked brimstone, and burnt flesh all erupt out from the brimstone plains the castle overlooks. Witnessing the lumbering behemoth charge towards him, Mall puts both of his wrist together and opens another cosmic wormhole before the racing giant; launching forth the various winged beasts that he had sucked right a moment ago towards fiery amalgamation. The numerous demons fired upon the towering behemoth unwittingly dig their claws and weapons right into the monsters burnt, but soft flesh and magma; the overwhelming barrage causing the giant to trip and plummet down into the lake molten lava below.

Gliding right form the castle windows do several other demon’s donning fiery masks and dressed in arcane attire all over out to the battlements to face the angelic threat to their kings keep; their hands glowing like the very fires of their natural hellish dominion. The whole collective of arcane demons all surround the cosmic man and wave their hands out to the angel; small sparking flames beginning to surround Mall as the demon’s wave their glowing palms at him, soon rapidly growing together to form a massive hellish ball of flames that engulf the angel in its overwhelming heat. Right when these magical demon’s think they might have quelled this cosmic threat, the very sun they have conjured around the angel suddenly starts to implode; the demonic magicians witnessing their ball of searing flames being consumed a single black dot piercing through its middle. Soon is every single one of their embers consumed within a black hole hosted in the palm of the cosmic angel’s very hands; Mall clasping his palms to both close the hole and expel a force of space that sends the demon wizards all careening away in different directions.

Planning for a counter attack of his own, Mall reaches down for the brimstone making up the cliff side behind him and uproots the very rock from the hellish earth; the magma held within still freshly glowing as he hovers the fiery boulders to his sides. When clutching his hands into fists do these same rocks break apart under his spacial grasp and split into smaller flaming stones; the cosmic angel then casting these rocks right out to the walls of the castle; each stone beating against the crimson brickwork and causing the palace to tremble. As the angel continues to launch the salvo of rocks like a meteor shower, a column of hellfire sears out from behind him; Mall sensing a looming threat as humanoid figure with demonic horns and three fiery red eyes hovers out from the pillar of flames.

Within the halls of the hellbound keep itself, a whole battalion of demonic soldiers donning orange armor and twisted weapons all hurry through the hallway; the one leading the troops glaring back to the army and stating how: “My soldiers. We must defend this keep from the siege outside long enough for the royal family to safely escape; fight like your kingdom is on the line!” The demonic armada cheers out from their captains words as they all rush through the palace corridors; not a one even noticing the young blue boy perched along the overhanging arches above them as they continue forth.

Once the whole army had marched around the corner, Tore drop right back down onto the hallway’s velvet carpeted floor; a small groan escaping from his mouth as he glances back to where the demon had left. God, this sucks. Down here in the literal capital of hell itself and this angel’s stuck with sneaking past all of it. Could’ve took those guys on single handedly too. Be at least a little fun to whomp these grunt soldiers. Upon these thoughts does Tore then feel the entire castle quake beneath his feet; the blue boy nearly falling over from the trembling hallway. Feel’s like Mall’s out there having loads of fun. Its then that parts of the hall he stand within begin to break apart under the constant trembling; the brickwork, pillars, and arches that make up the corridor all collapsing of the stone walls and crashing to the floor. Alright, now we got some action. Time to put it in gear!

While the crimson hallway he dwells in breaks apart, the blue boy takes off through the crumbling scene playing out before him; witnessing the arches and columns tumble down towards him. Dashing out through the crumbling halls, the indigo angel weaves himself all around the debris that fall from above; squeezing through the brief gaps that he finds between the cluster of descending crimson brick. In his rocketing hurry forth, Tore comes to witness the very ceiling ahead collapse all at once in heap of crumbled bricks and fractured pillars piled up before him; failing to give the boy even a single bit of room to past. Despite the seemingly impassable mess of castle reminiscence blocking his way, the blue boy refuses to slow down by even a smidgen; instead flying faster towards the wreckage as he raises both himself and his fist into the air. Once ascending high up to the fractured ceiling, the indigo angel starts to bomb down towards the mess of impassable wreckage and hammer his fist down upon the mess of hellish bricks; the entire blockade exploding in a shower of rubble with just a single strike as Tore slide along the floor in the aftermath. As Tore’s skid starts to come to a crawl, he starts to feel the entire palace begin to calm down and cease its constant trembling; the indigo angel letting out a relieved sigh when feeling the floor beneath him stop shaking. Whew, glad things are starting to settle. Better hurry before Mall makes the whole place fall into the lava lake below.

But just as the blue boy was about to take off through the rest of the hellish hallway; his ears catch a lone groan echoing out from right behind him; Tore nearly falling to the floor as he stopped dead in his tracks. Whoa! Where’s that coming from? Peeking back around towards the mess of crimson bricks behind him, his site trails around for wherever the continuing low moan could be coming from; soon tracing these cries of pain out towards a pile of rubble set along the wayside. Almost immediately tracing where the groaning his coming from does he zip straight to the debris and start to shovel through the broken bricks with his bare hands. After tossing aside a chunk of one of the castles pillars, the indigo angel finally uncovers the very source of the painful moans; reaching into the depths of the pile and dragging out a lone girl with maroon pink hair and three eyes dressed in a torn regal dress. Once dragging the horned girl out from the rubble does he soon discover the countless spots of blood red staining her dress; all bleeding alongside the numerous cuts and bruises that litter her pinkish red skin. Oh man, that don’t look to good. She’s bleeding pretty badly here. Doubt she’d wake up in time to get any first aid.

Tore takes a peek down both sides of the crimson corridor before kneeling down to the wounded teenage girl; his hands looming over her body’s bruises as his palms start to glow a multitude of colors. Right, here goes. The very moment that the angel places his palms upon the wounded young girl, the light that emanates from his very palms start to slither all around her body and circle around her bleeding wounds; Tore watching as the glow seeps straight into her cuts and starts to close them all up; the girl’s very skin regenerating right over these bruises as if they have never formed. Once all of the girls visible wounds had been fully healed, the indigo angel lifts her right off the cracked castle floor and puts his ears right up to her chest in hopes of hearing a heartbeat over her breasts; drips of sweat running down his forehead when hearing nothing but silence. A few brief moments pass before the blue boy hears the girls heart beat once more to the rhythm of life; a relieved smile stretching across his face. That very same smile starts to waver when beginning to hear multiple heartbeats playing alongside the one he had listened to, almost like hearing an entire drum band performing their seasonal tour gig right in her very inside. Well, guess she alive...I-I think...I-No-no time to think too much into this; there’s a search nod that needs retrieved.

Setting the girl gently back down onto the floor, Tore leaps up and takes up through the rest of the castle hall up ahead; the girl he leaves behind begin to awaken from her wounded stupor and shakes her head as the sound of gliding wings invade her ears. Arising from the cracked crimson floor, the young teenage girl looks out to the hall with all three of her eyes to discover only the bright pale wings of a lone figure gliding right around the corner. The demonic young woman brushes her hands right along the spots of her torn silk dress, the parts of her body where she had felt the worst pain left patched up and healed; almost as if the tormenting agony she had felt had been nothing but a nightmare.

Gilding past that solved cause for panic, the indigo angel at last comes to the very end of the hall to discover an open doorway leading into nothing but darkness; his wings piercing through the void to let him find a massive spiraling staircase beyond the door. Gazing down the very stairwell, Tore fails to find the bottom of the hollow well among the darkness. This trip just keeps going deeper and deeper down, don’t it. Practically boiling down here hotter then the surface of the lava. First feels like the old jewels down there were on the verge of freezing off back in the mountains, now this scorching heats making it feel like somebody’s eyeballs are just seconds away from melting right out of their skull. God, don’t know what would be worse, the agony of having your peepers melting away, or the horrible eternal darkness ya gotta suffer through afterwards; with nothing but the burning pain from the scars to taunt ya...What the hell is going through my head here!? Need to get back on track here. Placing all of that horrid mental imagery in the back of his head, Tore decides to spur the comforting, but slow pace of taking the stairs and rather takes a the daring leap straight down into the depths of the castles dark crimson pit; the glow of his pale wings illuminating the darkness as he flutters down into the depths.

During the young angel’s constant descent further down into the pit below, the staircase that spirals down along the wall starts to break off and vanish from the walls despite the well continuing down to what felt to the young man like miles on end. His plummeting descent is then suddenly accompanied by what sounded like horrible outcries of despair and shrieks of dread; all of which grow ever louder the further Tore descends down through the depths. What with all the noise? What else could they have stowed away down here?

At long last does the indigo angel finally discover the bottom among all the seemingly endless darkness; the floor and the walls left along the bottom devoid of any sort of constructed brick. All that remained for the blue boy to find was the very bedrock of the earth holding veins of the planets very molten lifeblood underneath. Gazing around the jagged bedrock, Tore finds a lone tunnel stretching through the surrounding darkness; all the horrible screams and agonizing cries coming from what lies in its depths. Thrusting his hand straight into his denim pockets, Tore swiftly pulls out the golden halo that Mall had entrusted him with; brushing his hand along its very rim to make the map appear and finding the glowing dot being simply a straight shot down this very tunnel. With the mcguffin not much farther, Tore takes off down the blistering hot tunnel, the sweat dripping through his body evaporating mere seconds after coming out. Keep it cool, Tore. This little heatwaves practically nothing against what your used to.

In his trip through the darkened bedrock tunnel does the boy eventually discover a bright light shinning along the end of the tunnel; constant sonata of agony ringing at its absolute loudest. Tore stops along the very end of the tunnel to behold the very source of this strange glow and desperate cries. Standing before the blue boy be a giant wall of multiple glowing orbs attached to one another; each one set in the shape glowing incorporeal bodies all crying out and moaning in despair and agony. Wow, this looks freaky? Just what even is it, and why is it kept down here? Pulling out the radar once more, the angel discovers himself just mere paces away from the very nod that he was tasked to retrieve; literally just beyond the wall of wailing heads and bodies. Whatever it is, it ain’t gonna stand in the way of getting that nod.

The blue boy takes a daring lunge right towards the wall of screams with his hand held high, thrusting his fist right into the one of the heads slithering the surface; the entire wall violently pulsing and shrieking when upon feeling the angel’s strike. The overwhelming pulse that reverberates from this very wall causes the angel to tumble backwards; Tore covering his ears as he keeps himself from falling on his ass. Gah! Man, that thing is hella loud; almost popped an ear drum just hearing it scream. Seems like simply pushing through this whole wall won’t be enough. Maybe it’d like a little bit of power thrown its way.

As the young man steps back a little bit further away, he starts to charge up a ball of pale power right between the palms of his hands; the gathering power illuminating through out the entire bedrock tunnel as it grows more and more. Finally does the blue boy fire out a concentrated beam of pale power right out from his hands and straight towards the wall of countless glowing heads and bodies. The very moment that the ray hits the wall do the heads along the surface such every bit of their power straight into their screaming maws; every piece of his blast devoured by the numerous bodies within the wall. After every bit of the beam had been eaten up, the wall lets out a small reverberating belch that echoes out through the tunnel behind; Tore gawking at the wall with an incredibly confused stare. Di-...Did it seriously just eat my beam? I-It just ate it up like an ice cream sundae! How did-What the actual… Before the young man could wind himself up too much on the bullshit that he had just bared witness to, the blue boy calms himself down and returns his gaze to the glowing wall set before him. Alright, hitting it didn’t work. Blasting it didn’t work. What else hasn’t been tried here?

Staring to the numerous colorful heads and bodies that slither along the surface of this bizarre wall, watching them all wriggle around reminds him of something familiar; something that he had recently experienced. Those things. What are they? They looks pretty familiar. They kinda look like all those things that gathered around when sitting on that throne back in the Kybr city. And those things strangely looked like people I know. But what’s something like this doing in the bottom of hell, though. Whatever they might be, this wall and what when down when sitting on that chair look way too similar to just be a coincidence. Wonder what would happen if…

Wishing to test something out, Tore slowly approaches the wall of glowing bodies once more and reaches his open hands out to those held within; gently resting his hands along the very blockade itself. As soon as the young man’s palms touch the blockade, every single being trapped within the wall aims their eyes of pure white down upon the angel holding his hands out to them. Uh… Without even so much as a single warning do all of them start to thrust themselves straight down into the indigo angel’s mouth; Tore struggling to even pull himself back and scream as every single one of them force their way into him. Once the last of these people finally slither their way into the young boy, Tore stumbles down onto the bedrock underneath him; his throat glowing a multitude of colors as he lays there to catch his breath before fading away. Ow...Wish all that would’ve gone down a little better. Slowly pulling himself right off the warm bedrock ground, Tore then sees the wall that had once obstructed his path to have been dispelled; the angel finding the very search nod he had descended down into the depths of the castle to retrieve standing atop a pedestal of hardened magma.

A big smile stretches across the boy’s cheeks as he glides over to the winged golden ring, the light from the magma veins that decorate the chambers bedrock reflecting off the nod as the indigo angel starts to inspect every inch of its rim. How did Mall say to shrink this oversize wedding ring down to pinkie size again? He put his hand on it and it just started shrinking down to size. He mentioned something about spreading your power through the ring and it’ll just scale down on its own. So, it should start to go down when…

Thinking back to when his spacial mentor had shrunk down the nod he had found deep in the heart of the snowy mountains, Tore slaps the palm of his hand right onto the outer rim of the giant ring and injects his own power straight through the rings golden surface. The giant ring takes in his energy and begins to illuminate a rainbow of colors along its shinning surface, reducing its own size before the blue boy’s very eyes. Soon enough does the once impressively massive golden ring is reduced to the size of but a mere pinky ring; the indigo angel swiping the search nod from the magma pedestal and dunking the precious mcguffin straight into his white blazers inner pocket, zipping the zipper pocket tight to safely secure the nod. Right, got the mcguffin in hand. Better glide right on outta here before the old buns in the back of the trunk start to burn up in this natural kitchen stove. The very prize he came all this way down for safely secure, Tore takes off back down the very bedrock tunnel he had flown down from at breakneck speeds; the magma veins orange glow mixing alongside the angel’s illuminating wings.

Held within one of the dark red strongholds rooms above, a whole army of demonic soldiers all scuttle around within preparing for battle; the bigger of the demon’s helping the others in readying themselves to face the threat outside. Its in that moment that the biggest demon of all step before them and grabs their attention with: “Alright, ladies and gents!” Each any every soldier in the room breaks their site away over to the presenting demon as the giant continues with: “My friends! The day has finally come for us to truly serve our beloved ruler in defending our homes very capital from this holy menace that seeks to tear it down. We fight on this day not only for our livelihoods, but for the royal family’s lives, the gentle young prince, the sprite princess, the fierce queen and the fiery king. I swear upon this day that the sanction of this hellish palace shall remain unbreached!” Upon the giant demon’s speech does the rest of the army cheer out with their own brands of outcries and praise; the entire room echoing with sentiments of: “We’ll follow you to the ends of hell captain!” “Lets get out there and show them what hell’s forces are made of!” Interrupting these praising outcries does the floor all of them stands upon start to tremble and fracture beneath their feet; all of them gazing down to find a bright pale light leaking out from the growing cracks. Despite their desperate attempts to scramble away from the expected burst, not a single one of them makes it out in time as the floor beneath them explodes in a flash of white light.

The bright flash start to dim away to reveal the resulting explosion having reduced the demonic army’s quarters to rubble; several of the demon’s still left conscious moaning in pain as they remain buried in dark red debris. The indigo angel hover right out from the depths of the hole he had blasted, letting out a sharp hiss as he beholds the result of his reckless escape back up to the castle’s main floor. “Ooh, didn’t think anyone was still in here. Everybody okay?” “Yeah, think so.” “My friend’s still breathing.” “I can’t see my own brain matter, so I guess I’m fine.” Just little cut, but I’m mostly- Your brain matter?” “Okay, that’s a relief. Sorry about the mess.” the blue angel apologies’ with before taking off through the door leading to the hall. “Wait, which one of you said that? Darfon? Letta? Jenovo?” “I literally just woke up, what the hell happened?”

Gliding right out from the depths of the crimson corridor does the Tore finally make it out to an open hall decorated within numerous statues seemingly carved from bone and brimstone, several treasures that sparkle through the rooms crimson air, and dozens of painting’s hanging along the walls of the hall. One of these painting hanging overhead manages to grab his attention; a family of four dressed in royal attire, three of which Tore seemed to recognize. The youngest boy being the very same one he saw in the cradle, the older woman being the same one who thrown a long sword and nearly cut his testicles off, and the older girl being the very one he pulled out from the castle rubble. Don’t really know who the man with the demon horns and three eyes are, but it might be a good guess to say that its the big boss around here that Mall talked about. King Lucy-something? Peering down beneath this painting of the royal family, the indigo angel finds the front doors of the stronghold left cracked open; able to see a bit of hell’s fiery red horizon out from the little bit of the open door. Last stretch right here, just bust through the door and were home free.

Taking right off to the open front doors, the blue boy’s eager escape is put to a stop when pillars of flaming obsidian breach out beneath the crimson floor; popping out all around every side of the entrance hall and blocking off every possible escape he could take. Tore could practically feel the scorching heat irradiate off these pillars as all of them rise up, practically trapping the angel in a thick cage of flaming black. Once the entire entrance hall is covered in these obsidian flames, a great pillar of blazing flames bursts out from the floor behind him; the indigo angel peering back to witness a dark horned figure rising out from the column of searing inferno and glaring out to him with three blazing red eyes. The hellfire subsides as the fissure beneath the figure closes back up, revealing to the young boy the very same man depicted in the royal family portrait; his glowing eyes dimming to show his contemptuous glare.

After taking in a deep breath, the man goes on to first state how: “To think that you two not only have the sheer audacity to stage an attack upon the very capital of hell, you, young man, dare to break into my crimson palace, terrorize my family, and break the sealed souls of the damned to poach my ancestors most sacred treasure. Word simply pale to describe the furious contempt that boils within my very body upon knowing your actions. I guarantee you, young man, that for these unforgivable sins, that you shall never see the comforting light of the sun for the rest of eternity. Your soul shall be damned to the deepest darkest pit of hell!” Upon these words does the kings unkempt fury finally flare out in the form of a raging inferno that exudes out from his pale lavender skin; the angel before him readying himself as he blocks the incredible heat blasting out from the demon’s very body. Guess he’s beyond talking through things here. Doesn’t seem like there’s any other option. Gotta fight this one out!

Immediately right out of the gate does the king thrust his palms out to the floor the blue boy stands under; Tore leaping into the air as the crimson ground fractures and cracks beneath him. From the inside of this dark red brickwork does a geyser of colorful souls spew out through the fractured floor; the myriad of spirits letting out their chilling wails as they wrap themselves around the boy’s entire body and begin to pull him back down into the fissures depths. “Ah, let me go!” the boy screams as he tries to brute force his way out from the souls grasp; the spirits refusing to free him as they drag the angel down closer and closer towards the open fissure. When closing in to the fiery crack along the crimson floor, Tore lets out a furious growl as his entire body begins to emit a powerful light; a bright flash bursting from the boy’s very being as he once more demands: “I said, let go!” The king of demon’s shields his very eyes from the incredible glow, peeking between his fingers to see the very spirits he had summoned all being drawn straight into the angel’s body; their outcries of agony silenced upon being consumed. The boy’s glow begins to finally dim after every spirit is absorbed; the crack along the floor closing back up. The royal demon peeks back to the boy, finding not even a single trace of his summoned souls left along the indigo angel’s body as the young man looks around himself. “Again?” Tore utters. “Hrmph. Fine. If the souls of the damned are not capable of taking you. Then I shall plunge you into the scorching hellfire myself!”

Declaring this to the angel, the fiery king casts out a wave of molten lava straight to the blue boy; the red hot goo rising up after the hovering young man. Tore rockets right towards the wave of rising magma and glides right over, feeling the goo’s intense scorching heat as he hovers right over its surface. Quickly after flying right over the kings boiling wave does he toss out a ball of light towards his fiery foe; the royal demon smacking the orb aside with but the back of his hand. Turning back toward his blue foe, the king sees the angel rocketing right in front of him and preparing to deliver a straight strike; the devil catching his fist with the very hand he had swatted his orb away with. Clutching the angel’s fist tight, the three eyed demon throws the blue angel right over his head and dive bombs straight down to dark red floor; slamming the boy straight down onto the ground with a thunderous pound. Remaining held down onto the floor, Tore witnesses his demonic foe’s cheek start to rapidly swell as they glow a bright orange; the boy struggling to free himself from the kings iron grip as his foe’s cheeks grow bigger and bigger. After looking over to find his legs free, the indigo angel flips backwards and drives his feet straight into the demon’s jaw; the king’s mouth forced up as the blow makes him unleash a bout of hellfire out from his maw.

The blow sends the fiery demon sliding back and free’s the angel from his grasp; Tore dashing away towards the front of the stairs and prepares for what the king’s next move may be. As soon as the devil stops sliding back, he reaches both of his arms out to the twin stairs that stand right behind the blue boy; the pair of staircases uprooting themselves from the floor upon their kings command. Feeling the ground right behind him tremor, the indigo angel gazes back to witness the stairs rise up akin to a twin headed serpent; both of the starting steps suddenly hammering themselves straight down towards him. The blue boy leaps back from the twin stairwells as they thrusts themselves into the floor, one of these staircases pulling itself out and lunging out to the retreating angel; the steps inflicting a powerful uppercut that sends Tore flying straight upwards. Having sent the angel careening, the other case of steps reaches right up and wraps itself around the angel like a crimson constrictor; the blue boy failing to free himself from its grasp as the stairs that sent him up join and squeeze the young man in their vice grip. Watching as the twin stairs tighten their grasp, the demon king soon witnesses the blue boy beginning to break apart their chiseled brimstone with but his arms and legs; punching and kicking through the constricting staircases until they’re reduced to nothing but rubble. Right at the very moment that the Tore manages to free himself from the steps grasp, the angel aims his site upwards to see the demonic king hover above and hurdle a massive ball of flames straight down towards the boy; sending him crashing straight down towards the floor.

Once the fires subside, the angel opens his eyes to witness the royal demon rapidly plummeting straight down towards him; his foot letting out a blazing inferno like a descending meteor. Moments before the devil could stamp his fiery foot down upon the blue boy, Tore leaps right off the floor and off to the side; evading the brick shattering stomp. Though the indigo angel attempts to gain some distance from the fiery demon, the king takes grasp of his ankle before he could take the chance to fly far; his royal foe’s scorching hot grasp burning his leg. Holding the angelic intruder in his grasp, the king of hell tosses the young man straight out to the blockade of flaming obsidian; Tore feeling the walls intense heat right on his as he crashes straight into the pillars of fiery black. Raising his eyes out to where he had been thrown, the blue boy sees the demonic king thrust his fingers straight through the crimson floor; columns of raging magma erupting from the floor and traveling towards the young man. Before the pillars of molten liquid could come and consume him, Tore kicks himself right out from the obsidian wall and takes off to the side of the entrance hall; firing out a beam of pale white from the palm of his hands.

With nothing but his own palm does the king block the pale ray, letting him see the blue boy jump up hand rocket down towards him; Tore preparing to deliver a powerful punch to his horned head. With his other hand, the his demonic majesty catches the young man’s fist before the angel could drive it right into his face; refusing to let go as the king keeps him trapped under his grasp. Left caught in the kings grip, the blue boy tries to thrust his fingers right into the royal demon’s eyes; the king catching his other hand before he could even land the blow. Both of his hands caught within the demon’s clutches, the indigo angel then attempts to thrust his legs straight into his fiery foe’s stomach; a fiery explosion going off between the two right as Tore was about to kick. The sudden blast of flames sends the blue angel crashing straight into the entry halls ceiling; the devil rising right up to the boy with a column of lava lifting him up. Tore opens his eyes to find the demonic king rising right up at him with flames in his very hands; the boy quickly prying himself right off the roof and lunge right out to the approaching king. Failing to expect the blue boy to charge right at him, the king is left with little time to react as the angel dives straight down and slaps his hand right into his face; Tore firing out a powerful ray from his palm at point blank and sending the devil crashing right into his own obsidian barricade.

Gently hovering down to the crimson floor, the blue boy takes the brief moment to take a little breather; gazing upon his body to see the numerous burns he had suffered during the ordeal. His palms glow a warm light as Tore runs them along his whole body; taking the time to mend these fiery wounds. Mall wasn’t kidding. This guys hella tough. Pretty much see why he’s the king of the underworld. Don’t really know how long all that will keep him down, but hopefully it should be long enough to figure out a way out of here. Just need to figure out how to bust through those flaming walls.

Before the boy could even try to formulate a plan of escape, a pair of limbs suddenly burst out from dark red floor and tightly grasp the angel’s legs; Tore struggling to escape from their clutches as the rest of the body rises from the bubble molten magma to reveal the king himself. Keeping the blue angel trapped within his very grip, the fiery demon’s mouth opens his maw wide and begin to collect the embers of the underworld that linger around them both; these sparked gathering into an incredible flame that threatens to bellow out and expunge the blue boy in its raging blaze. Right before these flames could be unleashed, Tore clasps both of his wrists and fires a pale beam straight down into the kings open mouth; the surprising blast staggering the fiery king and forcing him to let go of the angel. As soon as he is freed from the royal demon’s hold, the boy hovers out just as the kings mouth erupts in a fiery explosion; the very edges of the expelling flames brushing right against the retreating young man’s back and scorching his rear.

Having been afflicted by these burns, Tore plummets back down onto the hall floor and stumbles back until coming to the rim of the obsidian cage; the young boy letting out a pained hiss as he feels his back sting. Though he attempts to fight through the pain and starts to get off the floor, his efforts to rise back into the fight are thwarted then and there as he gazes up to the king of demon’s looming over him; the devils dark shadow engulfing the boy’s body. With his fiery foe literally standing before him, the angel’s mind races on how he could possibly escape; realizing that there was very little he could do.

Glaring down upon the grounded angel with a flaming red stare, the king simply demands that he: “Surrender...and kneel.” The royal devils request is spurred as the young man slowly rises right off the floor; peering up to the king of hell to say: “I refuse to die…Not without fighting to my last breath...and raise this part of hell.” The angel before him looks up to him with dead set determination; a sigh escaping from him as he shakes his head. “Fine. Your way it is.” Holding his hands out towards the young man, a small ember starts to quickly grow between his palms; the bellowing blaze’s fiery orange glow shinning upon Tore’s front.

At last does the demon king unleash the gathered flames in a blazing eruption; Tore holding his arms against his face as the inferno rapidly approaches. Moments before the indigo angel could be engulfed in the searing fires, the devil’s blazing fury is unexpectedly thwarted as they split off away in front of the blue boy; the angel lowering his arms to find his devilish foes expression matching his own confused glare. “What!?” Out from behind the royal demon, a single hand grasps the demonic kings neck and lifts the devils entire body right off his feet; the young Kybr peeking right behind the king of demons to discover his cosmic mentor holding him by his very neck. “What do you think you’re doing to my pupil.” Mall growls, a contemptuous glare glistening in his eyes. “You!? You’re still alive!? Were the fiery pits of the damned not enough to hold you?” “No space in this universe can ever contain me.” From declaring such, the galactic angel faces the demonic king out towards the opposite side of the room and lets out a spacial force that launches his fiery foe right out to the obsidian wall in just a heartbeat, powerful enough to send cracks along the blockade of flaming black. Having tossed the king of hell aside, Mall turns back to his indigo student as he slowly picks himself off the floor; offering his hand as he asks him: “Will you be alright? Taking his mentor helping hand, he feels the cosmic angel lift him back on his feet; answering how: “Yeah, I’ll fine. This ain’t nothing I can’t fix up.” Standing back up, Tore then reaches right around to his backside and gently places his palms right onto his afflicted burns; a small hiss escaping from his teeth before his hands begin to glow out their comforting warmth.

Soon enough are all the boy’s severe burns that cover his very back are fully fixed; his melted skin returning whole once more as the burning pain subsides. “Phew, glad all that’s gone. Am I really glad to see you, Mall; you seriously weren’t kidding about this guy. Just from the way he fights, you can tell that he’s practically the embodiment of hell itself all wrapped up in a devilishly handsome man shaped box. But I more than bet that with you on the scene, we can both beat him back and fly outta this castle together.” Taking a quick peek back to the very royal demon that he had thrown back, he could more than tell he was on the verge of getting back up at any moment; the king letting out groans and growls as starts to reawaken. “Tore. Have you found the search nod?” he asks his pupil. “Yep. Got it stashed away in my blazer pocket right here.” “Good.” Upon hearing his students confirmation, Mall thrust his arms out to the obsidian columns that stand right behind the blue boy and widens the gaps between the pillars; the space expanding to give a view of the hellish horizon outside. “You must leave and escape to the surface while there’s still time.” “But...what are you gonna do?” the indigo angel asks his spacial master as he looks away from the freshly made opening. “I shall stay behind and keep the king of demons at bay to give you the time to flee.” “You’re seriously wanting me to leave you behind!? Hell no! Ain’t no way I’m gonna let you face this guy yourself. If your that eager for me to get outta here, let’s just leave together.” “This is not up for debate, Tore! So long as we dwell within this fiery domain, there is nowhere that the devil cannot reach us.” “But I can’t-” “Tore, listen to me. If both of us fall here, then our journey thus far shall be all for nothing. There will be nobody left to free our kind from their eternal dimensional prison. I’m begging you, my boy, no matter what fate may befall me, that you shall flee from the walls of this crimson keep and you shall never look back.” A moment passes as the blue angel’s eyes shift between the hole waiting behind him and his mentor gazing down to him; a frustrated growl leaking out from his teeth upon finally heeding his mentor’s request and taking out towards the fiery horizon.

As the Mall closes the gap that his pupil had slipped out through, the royal devil behind him starts to pick himself off the floor and glares out to the cosmic angel; the galactic man turning back to face the hellish king as his majesty tells the angel: “Don’t think I haven’t figured out what this whole assault has been about. But I never thought I would see the day I would have to defend my family’s treasure from you, Kybr.” “You know of us?” “Indeed I do. Did you really believe that my ancestors would leave me in the dark about something so critical that lied sealed underneath my very own castle. To be honest, for the longest time, I simply thought nothing of it. With only a few Kybr known to exist, ignorant of their origin, how could I?” “A palpable mistake. If your ancestors had bothered to tell you that much about us, then surely they have more than warned you of what we are capable of. Of who you stand against.” “They surely have. Which is why I shall see to it that they are never freed.”

With this declaration, the royal demon thrusts the palm of his hands right underneath the cosmic angels feet; the floor beneath Mall breaking apart in cracks of red and erupting out in a pillar of red hot magma that engulfs his entire body. The demonic king’s bold stare is shaken when watching the spacial angel part the ascending column of fiery hot liquid from his body; all with not even a single burn to speak of along his body. Simply hovering right out from within the pillar of magma, Mall then thrusts his finger straight through the air before him; an incredible glow stretching out and widening in front of the demonic king as the angel runs his finger across. From this gash left in space does an entire torrent of cosmic matter start to pour out towards the king of hell; the fiery devil erecting before him a wall of blazing obsidian as the wave of space approaches. This sheer volume of cosmic power crashes right into the wall of blazing black, quickly beginning to crumble apart against its unending flow. When witnessing the entire blockade break under the torrent cosmic energy, Mall pinches one of the torn rifts ends and slides his fingers across to restitch the very air before him and make the flow of spacial power cease. Upon closing the rift back up does the cosmic angel see everything he had unleash the wave onto reduced to stardust, with nothing but embers left wafting where his majesty once stood. That was far too easy. What are you planning?

Knowing full well that his hellish foe is far from destroyed, Mall slowly ascends up to the middle of the entrance hall; the little embers scattering through the air as the cosmic angel awaits his demonic adversary’s next move. The embers that surround him than start to rapidly enlarge; the angel witnessing them swiftly grow more fierce and on the verge of bursting out before him. Once growing to the size of his head, all the enlarged embers that surround the starry angel finally go off and engulf the entire hall in a raging inferno. The bellow of smoke resulting from the blazing explosion starts to clear out through the cracks of the castle, with pieces of the floor continuing to burn and smolder. Among the smoke does Mall remain utterly unharmed; the space surrounding him wafting the smoke away. Upon putting this spacial shield away, Mall continues to gaze around for any sign of the demonic king himself; taunting out: “Is this really all the current ruler of the underworld is capable of? I remember when the Kybr of yore fought against your very ancestors; their might was truly something to behold with one’s own eyes. Even drawing forth what you would deem respect from us. Has the annals of time sanded away your families might?”

The embers behind the angel gather together to recreate the devils very limb as it reaches out to man’s back; the hands very claws squeezing the back of Mall’s neck as the rest of the king’s body reforms and tells him. “Believe me, I am nowhere near finished.” Right out from the very hand he holds his galactic foe, the fiery king engulf the angel in a layer of blazing fires; Mall letting out a painful scream as these flames quickly coat his entire body. Having lit his starry intruder ablaze, the king of hell throws the cosmic angel down towards the floor of his entry hall; Mall flaring like a descending comet as he acts fast and lifts his arms up. Stretching his arms out in opposite directions, Mall fires out a pair of tiny cosmic glints both underneath where he careens down and right on the very ceiling above the king; these glittering lights expanding into full blown wormholes. When diving straight down through the hole planted along the floor, Mall drops right out of the other set along the roof of the entry hall; the fires that crawl along his body fade as he divebombs down towards his royal highness. Peeking right up towards the approaching angel, the king could do little as his starry intruder delves down at breakneck speeds; quickly raising his hands high to attempt and block Mall ramming assault. When the two of their bodies collide, a powerfully intense wave of hellish flames and cosmic space echoes out from the castle and travels out beyond; the impact causing the entirety of hell itself to quake.

The cosmic angel right up in the demonic rulers face, the king spews out a glob of lava straight into his angelic foe’s very eyes; Mall reeling back from the hellish king and crying out as he slides the sizzling goo right off. While the angelic man continues to feel the burns left along his eyes; the demon king takes the chance to wave his hand out towards the stunned angel, a stream of more souls streaking right out from the obsidian wall and flowing straight towards his galactic foe. When these damned spirits pass straight through the angel’s very body, an overwhelming sharp sting reverberates through his body; the pain of which is enough to make him cry out. After feeling that unexpected bout of agony, Mall witnesses another bout of souls streak out towards him; the cosmic angel twisting the very space around him to attempt and ward off the spirits. But the very wall of twisted space doing very little to heed the damned soul as it simply passes right through both the barricade and him; Mall feeling these spirits horrible torment surge through his insides.

Having realized the angel’s alkalies heel, the king of hell then spreads his arms out to the obsidian walls beside him; a whole flurry of tormented souls all phasing through these black walls and glide out to the cosmic angel. Realizing the predicament he is, all that Mall could do was weave and dodge the flood of spirits that hunger for his very essence; a couple of them managing to pass through him and widdle down his defenses. Soon do more and more of these spirits begin to pass through and inflict their lives of suffering surge through his body; constant grunts and screeches escaping from the angel’s mouth as these souls continue their spiritual assault. The very pain that these souls inflict upon him causes him to drop down to the floor of the entrance hall; hell’s own king hovering before him as he kneels down in pain.

“Must I remind you of where you are? No matter how strong or confident you may be, no matter what sort of power you may wield; you stand within the very dominion that is under my command. Every demon, every piece of brimstone, every glob of lava, and every single soul sent down here to be damned for eternity; all of which answer to my beck and call.” “Nnnhhh...Perhaps. But you yourself fail to account what sort of power I command. A very aspect of this reality of which makes up part of the universe; even when it is a part of your so called kingdom.” The tormenting agony of hell’s very souls fading away, Mall drags himself right off the entry hall’s dark red floor as a his entire begins to irradiate the very cosmo’s itself; declaring to the demonic king that: “Its time you discover why your ancestors had feared the Kybr; a fear that made them align with the very gods they despised!” Upon these very words does the an entire tidal wave of tormented souls burst out from the obsidian wall behind the hellish ruler; the King shouting how: “You shall not have even the chance!”

Right before this torrent of hellish spirits could inflict their tormented wrath upon the cosmic angel, a streak of pale white and indigo blue crashes straight through the entrance hall’s very roof and lands right in front of Mall; the galactic man opening his eyes to discover this figure to be none other than his very blue pupil. The cosmos reflecting along his body disappears as he watches his student take in the flood of tortured souls that was aimed at him; not one of these spirits phasing through his body as each and every one of them is drawn within his very being. The demonic king watches with utter astonishment as each and every soul he had summoned is effortlessly absorbed by the angel that he was a moment ago ready to finish; the spirits suffering screams silencing upon entering the boy’s body. Once the last of these lost souls goes straight into Tore’s body, the blue boy lets out a massive exhale before their fiery demon yelps out: “All those souls at once...Impossible!” “Phew, sure felt like it. I don’t know how Roy is used to doing this?”

Mall stands back up off the cracked crimson floor as his pupils turns back with a smile; that very grin deflating when seeing the irritation in his teachers eyes while growling: “What do you think you’re doing here? Need I remind you of the importance of fleeing with the nod?” “You really expect me to just leave ya down in the depths of the underworld itself? Hell no! I couldn’t live with myself if I did that.” “That’s exactly what you should’ve done! The welfare of our kin is far more important then this petty fight. As your teacher, you will flee with the nod!” “I said I ain’t gonna just callously leave you behind. I don’t care what you say, I’m stay weather you like it or not.” Upon facing his blue pupils utter stubbornness does the cosmic angel run his fingers down his own face while letting out a frustrated groan; questioning him: “Do you even understand the severity of this situation? We are teetering on the precipice of the Kybr’s very fate. They may never be released from their dimensional prison if both of us were to fall here. My life matters little with those stakes on the line.” “Well, it matters to me!” the blue boy barks back, his outburst quelling the spacial angel’s rage.

“...How could it possibly-” “I always felt like something was just missing from my life. Something I knew that was just gone since I was little. I don’t think I can really explain it, but since I’ve been taking this trip with you, Mall, that feeling was starting to fill back up. It was like something that just crumbled down over time was being put back together again. I don’t wanna lose somebody I can count on like that. Somebody I can look up to more then just a teacher...” Aiming his blue eyes to his mentor’s own, Tore reaches his hand out for the cosmic angel and begs: “Please, don’t take this burden alone. Let me fight by your side.” Mall is ultimately stunned by his blue pupils very words, a warm smile slowly cracking along his face while reaching to the indigo angel and grasping his palm; at last giving in and declaring that: “Very well. Let us finish this quest together.”

At last coming to terms with each other, the pair of angels then here clapping going off beside them; the two peeking back to their fiery foe to see him applauding with a calming stare. “A truly touching speech, young man. Your partner has found an incredible treasure to keep by his side, one that very few in this universe are truly able to appreciate.” “So does this little moment mean that your gonna let us go?” Tore asks the king. A sharp inhale is drawn within the devils lungs; a blazing flame bursting out behind his body as he harshly answers him with a fiery red stare: “No.” “Whelp, worth a try asking.” Putting his hand upon his indigo pupils shoulder, the cosmic angel insists to: “Fear not, my boy; we do not need our foe’s mercy. The two of us are more than capable of facing this hellish challenge together. We shall glide out from the depths of this fiery pit together, a fact of which I guarantee.” Seeing his cosmic mentor stand tall against the flaming threat blazing before them, Tore takes a stance alongside his teacher; both of them ready to face off against the king of hell himself.

Upon their newfound conviction, the very first move that their demonic adversary makes right out of the gate is to reach over to the obsidian barricade that surrounds them all; dozens upon dozens of flaming black arms protruding out from the walls and lunging their blazing grasp to the angels. Just when the numerous limbs were ready all choke and pull apart the pair of angels, Mall throws his own hands out to command the very space that surrounds him and his pupil; denying these arms an inch closer to them and creating an opening right towards their master. “Now Tore, move in!” On his mentors orders does the blue boy take off through the tunnel of warped obsidian arms and towards their fiery foe; balling his hand into a fist as he nears to slug the king straight into the face. Just as the indigo angel readies to strike, the demon king breaks his own arms away from his obsidian limbs and puts his palms forth; the royal demon catching the boy’s fist before it could even land on his cheeks. While holding the troublesome blue boy in place, his majesty slaps his free hand right upon the angel’s chest and lets a fiery explosion burst out from his palm; the violent combustion launching Tore straight over to the wall of flaming black.

Witnessing his blue pupil sent careening across the hall, Mall reaches his hand out to the very space he flies to and stops the boy from crashing straight into the obsidian barricade; the cosmic angel returning Tore right back on his own two feet. “Thanks for the save!” the indigo angel thanks his mentor, a glow of pale white shinning through his hand. From the palm of his hand does the blue boy fire out a ray of white light out towards their demonic foe, his demonic majesty swatting away the bright beam like last time. His students wave smacked aside, Mall intervenes and manipulates the very space it travels to bend it inward and send it right back on a course to the devils back; the pale wave exploding when hitting the kings backside. Recovering from the unexpected blast, the hellish demon’s very eyes start to glow out a fiery red as his body starts to radiate a powerful heat; directing his hands down to the very floor of the hall as molten magma begins to rise up from its cracks. Even when hovering right off the destroyed crimson tile, the angels see the lava underneath them continue to furiously bubble and rise; the blue boy warning his mentor: “Think all of its about to blow!” Just as the indigo angel predicts, the lava that boils beneath the three erupts out from the cracks of the entrance hall and swiftly floods the entire room in bubbling hot liquid; Tore blocking his face as the lava raises right up at him.

Once parting his arms away from his face, the blue boy discovers not a single drop of the fiery magma anywhere on him and melting his flesh; peeking down to where the lava rises to find it parting just beneath his feet. Mall...Glad to see ya being a team player. Thinking of his teachers actions, Tore soon sees the space before him carving a path straight through the erupting molten liquid; the blue angel rocketing right through this newfound way without an ounce of hesitation. Soon does he see this very path lead him straight towards the side of the demon who had conjured the rising magma; his majesties body as bright as the very molten liquid he commands. The approaching angel thrusts his leg right to the side of the demonic king and thrust his foot straight into the devils stomach; the very magma he conjured suddenly cooling down and hardening as the blow makes him cough up bits of boiling hot blood. All the lava that the demonic king had raised up from the cracks of the castle floor starts to drain back down the very moment that the devil had been hit; the king himself launched right towards his own blockade of flaming obsidian.

The king regains his senses as he careens out to the wall of blazing black and flips his feet out to his own barricade; landing right onto the surface of the obsidian to unleash and flurry of damned souls straight towards the spacial angel hovering at the wayside. Just when the spirits were ready to lunge straight through the angel, the blue boy throws himself right between his mentor and incoming wave of tormented souls; taking in the entire wave with but the palm of his hand hand and absorbing their very essence. Seeing his spiritual assault having been thwarted, the devil lets out a seething growl as he drives his fists straight into the very wall he stands upon; the blazing obsidian breaking apart into chunks of black. From his very maw does the demon spew out globs of his own lava straight to the floating pieces of blazing black and sticking them all together into fiery black boulders; then eagerly casting them all out to the pair of angels. Just before the barrage of obsidian could crash down upon them both, Tore witnesses the entire salvo of flaming black balls disappear before his very eyes; as if the very space before him had swallowed these rocks into their void.

From these very spacial anomaly do both Tore and the devilish king watch as the hall they hover within slowly fade out to project the very depths of the cosmos; the blue angel peeking back to his mentor taking a strange pose as he body glitters like stars. The royal demon sees the very stars of this fading in space shine brighter, soon realizing them to be the very balls of obsidian he had tossed streaking out to them all like a pack of meteors. “No!” his majesty exclaims as he rockets off towards the very angel manipulating the very space; his entire body coated in the very flames of hell itself. Right before the fiery demon could tackle the still angel in his hellish charge, his blue ward hovers against him and manages to hold the devils blazing rage back with but his bare hands; Tore’s arms beginning to burns up from the raging fires. The indigo angel struggles to hold the furious rage of the king back from his preparing teacher; both of them inching closer and closer to the cosmic angel, with Tore refusing to yield despite his arms beginning to darken and crisp. Just as the fiery king pushes the body just inches back to his still mentor, his hellish flames begin to be overridden by an intense, colorful glow; one of which floods right out from the boy holding him back. With but one push, Tore lets out a shockwave of colors that finally pushes his hellbound foe back from his master; though nowhere near enough to send the demon flying backwards. Even when having been shaken by the incredible wave of colors, this does little to deter the king of demon from continuing his flaming assault and simply dashes out to the two once more; Tore preparing to take in the devils fiery charge despite his arms having been burnt to a darkened crisp.

But at last do the cosmic angel’s meteors finally begin to descend down upon them and constantly rain down around the demonic ruler; the cluster of raining meteors far too dense to let him continue his charging assault. Tore simply watches as the demonic king attempts to dodge and destroy the comets that careen right after him; casting forth his fiery blasts out to the blazing obsidian to throw them off course. Alas does his majesty fail to evade the constant blazing black shower and succumbs to the cosmic onslaught, every single fiery meteor sent his way thoroughly beating every single inch of the king in their spacial downpour. After a straight minute of taking in the seemingly endless barrage of falling comets, the space that surrounds them finally starts to fade away; the last of the meteors finally cease descending when they all returns to the confines of the entry hall. The pair of angels flutter back down to the floor as their fiery foe crashes straight down.

Once landing back onto the cracked floor of the entry hall, they come to witness his highness slowly begin to pull himself back up; the flames that coat his body burning brighter than ever. “Jeez! Can’t believe this guy’s still standing after taking all that.” the blue boy complains. “Though he still readies to fight, I imagine that his body cannot take much more punishment.” “So all we gotta do is get a couple more good blows in and he’ll be down for the count?” “Indeed. And I know just how we shall finish this fight.” the spacial angel claims before leaning to his mentor’s ear.

An inhuman growl seeps out from the demon king’s teeth as he finally gets back up on his feet, his eyes glowing bright red as a furious bout of flames bellow out from his very maw and blazes out to the pair of angel’s standing before him. When the furious flames are but a few moments away from burning both the angels to a crisp, Mall thrusts his arms over to the sides and conjures a pair of wormholes for them to escape in; the two leaping right into the portals depths before the blazing fires could reach them. As his hellish majesty’s blazing red eyes glaze around the confines of his own keeps entrance hall, he shouts out: “I know you two cannot escape from me! Even if you leave the walls of my castle, I shall still find you no matter where you hide! Come out and accept the punishment for your sins.”

The very scorching air that wafts behind the demonic king grows weak and twisted, an opening breaching through the space itself and expelling the cosmic angel himself; tucking in his arm as he readies to slug his fiery foe. Just moments when Mall was ready to swing his fist into the back of the kings head, his flank is suddenly thwarted when the royal devil catches his fist right in the middle of the air; witnessing his hellish foe conjuring a plume of flames with his other hand. Right as the demon was ready to roast the galactic angel, another portal appears out from the side and ejects Mall’s own blue pupil straight towards the kingly devil; thrusting his own fist right into his majesty’s face. The unexpected blow causes the demon to lose his grip of the cosmic angel, their furious foe staggering aside as both Mall and Tore slipping back into the pockets of space. Before the demon king could even recover from the last blow, the indigo angel reappears out from the spacial distortion and drives his foot right into the devils stomach; Tore’s attempt to slip away stopped when the king grabs his leg, the demonic monarch gazing to the boy with hellfire in his eyes as prepares to counter. Right below where the demon stands however, the galactic Kybr ascends right out from a portal that opens on the floor and uppercuts the hellish ruler right in the jaw; sending him skyrocketing right in the air.

Just as the stunned monarch was about to drop back down towards the floor, Mall comes out from a pocket of space and strikes the dazed demon right in his backside; sending him careening out towards the side. Before the devil could crash right into the obsidian wall however, the blue boy himself pops out from the wall and delivers an intense elbow to the kings side; making the demon tumble back towards the opposite side of the entrance hall. The two angel’s continue to repeatedly vanish and reappear from the very pockets of space, popping out to take turns beating the devil back; the king himself able to do little as he’s smack back and forth like a horned shuttlecock.

Once finished beating the actual hell outta the devilish monarch, Mall reappears out from underneath the king and kicks him back upwards; shouting for his pupils to: “Finish it!” Upon his mentor’s request does the indigo angel warp back from the pockets of space and dive bomb down towards the rising devil with his clenched fist glowing a multitude of colors. Tore finally hammers his fist straight into the demon kings very stomach and continues plunging down towards the ground until crashing right down; the impact shaking the very castle and even the hellish rocky plains set beyond.

The crimson dust at last settles, Tore slowly arises from the floor to find their fiery foe left in a dazed stupor; moaning aloud as he lies underneath the blue angel. The blue boy eyes widen as the obsidian walls that once confined them all at last crumble to black dust; his spacial mentor reappearing out from a pocket of space as he starts to giddily cheer: “We did it! We actually beat the devil himself! Never in life did I think I could even do that!” “For a young Kybr of your age and experience, it is indeed a victory more than worth basking in.” “Couldn’t have done it without your help, Mall. Seriously thought I was nothing but fried chicken wings before you came in and save my buns.”

During their little celebration do both of them then feel the very keep itself start to tremble and quake; molten lava pouring out from every single orifice of the crimson brickwork; all of the molten liquid seeping straight into the demon kings very body and causing it to glow brighter. “I suggest we wait until we’ve escaped to bask in our triumph.” Mall suggests. Both angels then take off right through the busted open front doors as the king’s body starts to blaze out a fiery inferno; the pair of Kybr gliding out to the hellish fields of rock and fleshy formations as the castle they leave behinds explodes in a fiery blaze.

Flying far enough ahead away from the very capital of hell, Tore peeks back to discover an entire flock of winged demons all swarming towards them; the blue boy warning his spacial mentor: “We got a swarm on our tail.” From his blue pupils warning does the cosmic angel peek down to the very craggy plains they glide right over, finding a few crevices fractured along the brimstone; Mall turning over to his student and ordering him to: “Withdraw your wings and plummet down.” “What!?” “Trust me!” Like his cosmic teacher instructs him to do, Tore withdraws his bright pale wings right into his back and drops down towards the brimstone crags below; Mall descending down alongside him as both angel’s slip straight down into a sizable crack left along the rocky plains. The hellish swarm that had been pursuing them simply flies right over all the numerous crevices that litter the brimstone plains; all of them glancing down to see not a single sign of their angelic pursuits. From one of these numerous cracks, Mall peeks out from beyond the crevice shadows and watches the flock all fly away into the distance; the galactic angel claiming: “None of them have spotted us. I’d suggest we keep moving while it remains that way.”

Right before Mall could take flight, his pupils words stop him from taking off; requesting: “Hang on! Think while we have a minute, that I could get something off my chest?” “Oh, alright. What is it are you wanting to say?” “You uh...You remember what I was talking about, with my dad never really coming around anymore…?” “Yes.” “I-I just wanna say that...all this time you’ve been teaching me more about my powers and what I could really do. It’s really been th-the closest thing I could imagine having moments like that… You think after we finish this little quest and set the Kybr free that we can still do all that stuff; train, teach, fly, all that stuff...Maybe some other things too like...like a dad would do?”

Upon hearing all that the angel pleads out for him, not a single word is able to escape the cosmic angel lips; able to do little but gaze upon the indigo angel with nothing but shocked silence. “...Ya know what, I kinda figured that asking for that was pretty much a long shot. Le-let’s just drop it.” Tore frantically requests. “T-Tore, no. It’s alright.” his cosmic mentor rebuttals, kneeling down to the boy’s level. Clearing his throat, Mall gazes to the young Kybr and explains: “I must admit here that this whole entire journey that you had graciously taken alongside me has uprooted deep and buried feelings that I honestly thought for the rest of my existence I would never come to cherish again; something I had experienced when teaching my own daughter of her own potential. The fact that you look up to me in such a similar way that she did...it brought the life that I had thought once had faded long ago back into my very being. I may never understand what forces in this universe prevents you from spending time with your biological father; but nothing in this reality makes me happier knowing that you see me as one.” Taking in the galactic angel’s heartwarming words, tears begin to flow out from the blue boy’s very eyes; Tore suddenly rushing right out and holding his cosmic angel in a warming embrace. Even with his mentor staining his sparkling toga with drips of snot and tears, Mall returns the gesture and hugs the boy right back.

In the midst of their heartwarming embrace, Tore finally opens his crying eyes and peeks out above the very crack they hide in; the blue boy’s eyes widening as he grabs his attention with: “Uh, Mall. Think that swarm might have spotted us.” Breaking away from his blue pupil, Mall peers up above them to discover the very legions of hell all looming right over the both; their numerous glowing claws, talons, weapons, and teeth all reflecting the bright orange hellfire. “Well...Thought I would wish for a far more peaceful escape, this is nothing that the two of us cannot handle. So Tore, are you ready to join me in taking on whatever this universe has to throw at us?” he asks his pupil, staring back with a smirk. Tore wipes away the tears remaining on his face and looks to his mentor with a determined grin; claiming that: “You kidding? I’d more then happy to.” Upon these very words does the indigo angel let his bright white wings protrude out from his back, joining the cosmic angel as they both charge head first out to the demonic army set before them; both of the Kybr taking the whole horde on with a pair of confident smiles.

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The last step in the duo's journey to free the Kybr from their imprisonment. Will Tore's heartfelt efforts yield the companionship he seek, or does it still hold something in the shadows? Only two more chapters to go.

[aghostnotaguardian-archive]

ALLOW ME TO LIST MY FEELS (AGAIN) 2/2: 

If anyone’s been getting a laugh outta watching me trying to beat my feelings for fictional characters into submission and failing, you might want to take a peak at this.  Maybe NOW I can get some sleep. >B{

Still spoiler-heavy!

Alrighty, now that the general stuff is been taken care of, time to move on to my two favorite categories!

Lotor’s Generals (Yes they feckin’ EARNED the right to have their own category)

-In general (hmm I’ve been using that word a lot...): they’re Lotor’s four top generals (obviously) and they’re basically all the fighting power he needs to reconquer the planets recently freed by the Voltron Lions. No. No you did not read that wrong. Just the four of them are enough to crush any sizable rebellion that stands against them.  They’re also ALL women, and they’re ALL at most half-Galra, they’re ALL trusted by Lotor enough to be know about his plans, and they’re all spectacular to watch on the screen (so spectacular that I’m compelled to do at least one sketch of each of them @A@). Now, onto the specifics:

-ACXA (Auxia? Axia?): She’s Lotor’s right-hand general, leader of the four, and also seems to be their science officer (wow, talk about a triple-threat).  Be it in space or on the ground, with her gun or without, she’ll be tough to beat (just ask Keith and Lance), and is capable of combative acrobatics that would put Cirque du Soliel to shame.  She’s very serious and no-nonsense, but there’s still hope for a bit of the Comically Serious trope (but just a bit). Possibly half-Altean due to having pointy ears and the colored pupils that Allura and Coran have.

-EZOR: Can a female villain character be cheerful AND a sheer badass? OK, Ty Lee blew that question out of the water in Avatar, but Ezor is quick to follow. She’s the group’s Spy Extraordinaire and has my favorite character design following Narti.  She also shares the role of the comic foil with Zethrid, and taking on the good guys in battle always puts a smile on her face~ I love all of the generals, but if anything were to happen to Ezor in particular, I would feel the need to wreak unholy vengeance. Just a thought. @w@

-ZETHRID:  The Muscle of the group.  She’s always in the mood for warmongering and carnage, very occasionally to the point of comedy (”BRING THE PAIN!!”) Not that I’m complaining. I know how you feel, Zethrid. I do. Just look at 2016.  She doesn’t let her blood thirst get in the way of the team, so A+ for self-control.  When the group’s not on a mission, Zethrid does what many of us would do if we were there and plays with Narti’s cat.  Definitely the most fun to watch~

-NARTI:  She, by far, has THE Coolest character design of the crew - Lotor included (sorry, babe).  She looks like a cross between Assassin’s Creed and Star Wars, that should give you a pretty good idea.  She’s blind, but she has a seeing-eye gremlin-cat who also helps her out in battle (and does not like being tempted with treats, ZETHRID).  She’s got a tail that if it hits you at the right angle, you will not be walking for MONTHS, and is capable of possessing people with just a touch - which, honestly, if I had that sort of power, I would need to make a quick trip to D.C. ...

And those are the badass generals...

Now, for the category I’ve been the most excited for AND dreading...

L O T O R

OK, lemme just work on the super-basic facts so I can get my defenses up:

-He’s the prince and Emperor Pro Tem of the Galra Empire, the son of Zarkon, he has his own space cruiser that he uses to travel the universe, and - 

Oh God that’s all the basic information I have without going nuts NO WAIT I’M NOT READY -

OK YOU KNOW WHAT?! I NEED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH DREAMWORKS OR NETFLIX BECAUSE I GOT A BONE TO PICK WITH WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS - 

This-th-this this DEVIOUS, THIS CONNIVING - 

T-this so strong THIS BRUTAL. T-THIS CHARMING SNAKE-IN-THE-GRASS -

-Whispers- Beautiful~+*# -SMACK-  THIS EVIL GENIUS, THIS LYING - 

This...this...

If You can hear me, O Merciful Lord on High, I need H E L P.

HOW IS THAT EYE COLOR POSSIBLE IT’S BLUE AND PURPLE?!!!!!!

I - 

I give up. I give up, OK? Pretty Fictional Villain Prince with Gray Morality: 1, Bru-Mun: 0. Zilch. Nada. Farewell, I say to my treacherous heart. That’s All She Wrote. Now STOP IT. 

-FRUSTRATED SCREAMING- 

OK, now onto the...more serious stuff. 

Yes, Lotor is the temporary Emperor while Zarkon is taking a big snooze from the last season’s finale, he’s (sorta?) confirmed to be half-Galra like his generals as well as half-Altean, and...honestly, they’re making it damn hard to hate this guy, aside from the reasons I’m sure most of you have already deducted from this post.

For starters, his introduction to the series is the best I’ve seen YET.  How does he come into the picture, you ask? First of all, he’s fighting a Galra gladiator THREE TIMES HIS SIZE in the area (while wearing a mask), while in the meantime two Galra commanders in the audience are talking about fighting Lotor for the throne (as well as badmouthing both him AND his generals for being half-Galra), unaware of the asskicking the mastermind, Throk, is about to receive. Lotor defeats the gladiator, then removes his helmet revealing who he is.  Lotor then proceeds to point his sword right at where Throk is in the audience, and what are his very first words of the series???  

“You wish to challenge me? Then come down and claim your crown!”

Yep, this badass fucker (no pun intended) just gave the guy who was trying to pull the wool over his eyes an open invitation IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE GALRA EMPIRE to try and take the throne from him through combat.  Throk accepts (with a little incentive from Lotor’s generals - who were hiding in the audience right next to the guy while he was talking about stealing the throne), and Lotor beats him, AND ON TOP OF THAT, he openly points out the weaknesses in Throk fighting style throughout the fight.  

After winning the match, Lotor turns his attention on the audience, which leads to his big speech they showed at SDCC about how the Empire needs to change how they rule the planets they’ve conquered, and how trying to keep the planets fighting for their freedom under their boot is a waste of energy. But how do they keep their planets from leaving, then?

Smooth af. Wait...THAT’S NOT A PUN.

It’s hard to imagine a planetary system would become loyal to the Galra after everything they’ve been through, but keep in mind one of the reasons the commanders were bad-mouthing him was because, and I quote, “He allows the planets he conquers to continue to rule themselves! Can you imagine?” 

Actually, yeah, yeah I can, but you keep doing that thing imperial-based closed-minded thing you guys do. B/ 

So, the scene ends with the audience chanting his name (naturally). Yeah, you can say that he only said that speech to manipulate the Empire (hell, he even says that the masses are easily manipulated to his generals once they’re away from the crowd [smooth-talker], but since this is the Galra Empire we’re talking about, we’re not going to feel that badly for them), but he actually meant AT LEAST SOME of the speech he said??  We see him basically doing that same thing the commanders were bad-mouthing him for in the next episode, with the offer that the leader will never need to rely on Voltron for protection again, as shown here: 

Throwmeoveryourshoulderalready.

Here’s hoping we get to see more of that gray morality in the next season. Moving on. 

Lotor is a master at combat, and it’s hard to say which he’s better at fighting in space or on the ground because he’s that effing good. 

He can wipe the floor with his opponents with a sword - 

Oof.

And with his own fighter, which, by the way, is the coolest that I’ve seen aside from the Lions themselves. 

The wINGS ROTATE. IN SPACE. HE CAN DO THOSE ART-NOVEAU SPINNING TOP FANCY LOOP-D-LOOPS IN SPACE HOW COOL IS THAT?

I wonder how it works - 

Oh. Oh, that’s how. Haha, Iregreteverything.

Okay THAT LOOK ALONE SHOULD BE ILLEGAL. I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH HANDS TO FAN MYSELF OVER THIS F*CKER. 

And part of what makes him a skilled combatant as well as a skilled leader is his intelligence and skills of observation.  Can he see what strengths and weaknesses your particular way of fighting has and know when and where to strike based on that knowledge? YES. Was he able to see the Voltron Lions were disorganized due to having new Paladins AND a new leader and was able to lead them into a trap by luring them to a planet with extremely dense gases and would have captured them all one-by-one starting with the weakest (Allura at the time) had said space princess NOT connected with her lion? YES. Did he play them (by “them” I mean KEITH) like a fiddle in the meantime? YEAH. Was he able to lure them into ANOTHER trap during ANOTHER episode where he was able to make off with the piece of comet that Voltron had acquired? Does space have stars??? 

Yet, I should point out, that for all his strengths and skills, he does know how to accept when things don’t go his way - mostly probably because he knows how to turn any outcome to his advantage whether he loses a fight or chooses to retreat before it has the chance to get any worse. It’s still something I love seeing as opposed to more typical villains.  One example is when Allura beats him on the gas planet by freezing one of his fighter’s wings; all Lotor gives Allura for that is a resigned, “Well-played Paladin,” before he’s forced to retreat, nary a lion in his net.  Another example is after the team is FINALLY able to form Voltron in the same episode; Lotor’s ship is retreating, and his answer to Zethrid saying they should fight Voltron right then and there was that they will fight Voltron on a day they’re best prepared for (or when Voltron is LEAST prepared, or not at all). Acxa asks if the Paladins being able to form Voltron will be a problem, and Lotor’s response? 

“No. An opportunity.” 

Villain, thou art a Schemer AND a Devil. 

khfkrhrjhfsjfhdkp STOP THAT. 

Yes, Lotor is a talented combatant and leader, and he’s sharper than a brand-new set of butcher knives, with all the wickedness that comparison entails. In addition to all that, he’s as calm and collected as calm and collected villains come.  Like I said before, whether his plans don’t go as well as expected or he’s in the heat of battle, it’s hard to get him riled up at all... 

Except for this scene: 

(Crap, hold I forgot the subtitles): “I am the leader!” 

What are your secrets? 

Allow me to explain. 

Haggar tried to have a spy monitor Lotor’s activity, but he quickly caught on, had the spy captured, and personally threw the spy’s severed mechanical arm at Haggar’s feet.  He warns Haggar to back off, to which Haggar responds that the Empire needs Lotor’s leadership, even though many ideas are floating through his head “just like [his] father.”  That leads to the above scenes with Lotor making it VERY clear to Haggar that he hasn’t forgotten his role, is about to leave, and then makes it a point to actually STOP and tell Haggar of the last line.  That’s when he does leave with such a look on his face that had me thinking he was trying to forget Haggar had compared him to Zarkon.  

This was the ONLY scene throughout the entire season that we see such a strong emotional reaction from Lotor.  Haggar had more or less jabbed her finger into a raw nerve, and now it’s got me asking questions about Lotor’s history with his family that I’m not entirely sure if I want the answer to and then I’m horrifically reminded that these are the same people who came up with ZUKO FOR CRYING OUT LOUD and DAMMIT NETFLIX THIS NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED IN SEASON 4 - FOR SCIENTIFIC REASONS. 

OK, so those were my...observations on Prince Lotor. Let’s see, any final thoughts from me about him? 

-He has an impossible dual eye color. 

-His voice is smoother than a silk-and-satin sheet. 

-I didn’t fall for him, the jerk tripped me. 

I hate you. Marryme. 

[pokemaniacal]

Pokémon Moon, Episode 14: In Which Literally All Hell Breaks Loose

Even if Lillie and I are both working to stop Lusamine, save her, or both, I’m still not sure I trust her.  If I’m going to help her summon a legendary Pokémon capable of wreaking an age of eclipse upon Alola, I want my own damn legendary Pokémon in case things suddenly turn pear-shaped… and luckily, I know just where to find one: back on Ula’ula Island, just across the bay from Aether House.

When I present Left and Right with my Zygarde Cube – now containing enough cells to manifest Zygarde’s serpent form – they take it with reverence and begin chanting something ominous-sounding in Old Kalosian.  Using their arcane devices, they assemble Zygarde’s body from its fragments, their chanting reaching fever pitch as its form coalesces.  Addressing me as “Apostle of the World-Shaker,” they command me to take Zygarde and use it to crush the unbelievers of Alola in a final crusade of wrath and vengeance that will level the injustices of the world and bring perfect order to this sinful region.  I make some vague, noncommittal mumbling noises and then slip out the door with Zygarde’s Pokéball while they’re not looking.

Zygarde is one of the most inscrutable Pokémon around.  I still have no idea what it’s even doing in Alola, and its sense of justice, balance and order is a little alien to me.  But I know one thing: the kind of chaos that the Ultra Wormholes and Ultra Beasts will bring to the region is anathema to Zygarde, and fighting other legendary Pokémon is what it was made for.  In generation VI, its Aura Break ability was only useful against Xerneas and Yveltal, since they were the only Pokémon with Aura abilities, but here in Alola… I suspect, and have every intention of testing this suspicion, that the auras used by both the Totem Pokémon and the Ultra Beasts to increase their powers will also fall under Zygarde’s influence.  Gladion thinks his weird-ass Pokémon is a beast killer?  Wait until he sees my weird-ass Pokémon…

The team:

Tane the Decidueye Male, Timid nature, Overgrow ability Level 40 Steel Wing, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Spirit Shackle

Rhea the Toucannon Female, Lax nature, Keen Eye ability Level 39 Screech, Roost, Beak Blast, Brick Break

Ashley the Psychu Female, Timid nature, Surge Surfer ability Level 39 Discharge, Hidden Power (Ice), Nasty Plot, Psychic

Joanna the Salazzle Female, Timid nature, Corrosion ability Level 39 Flame Burst, Nasty Plot, Sludge Bomb, Toxic

Sigourney the Golisopod Female, Careful nature, Emergency Exit ability Level 40 Brick Break, Payback, First Impression, Leech Life

Zygarde Genderless, Sassy nature, Aura Break ability Level 30 Safeguard, Stone Edge, Dragon Dance, Thousand Arrows

[lifesobeautiful]

Alien Landscapes: Places on Earth You Should Totally See

Planet Earth has more than its share of magnificent spectacles, many of which tourists queue to see. Earthly wonders like the Niagara Falls and spectacular man-made miracles such as Egypt’s pyramids are fascinating for sure, but they keep our feet and imaginations planted firmly on the familiar ground. Postcards, textbooks, and holiday brochures make us feel we’ve seen these sights before even when we haven’t.

But we needn’t venture too far off the beaten track to encounter some truly alien landscapes right here on Earth. Our planet is home to bizarre and magical sights which would seem perfectly at home in a sci-fi movie or gothic fairy tale. Jagged mountain ranges shrouded in fog, gaping holes churning with molten lava — these are mysterious places that can stir your soul.

Marble Caves, Chile

via The Times

The hypnotic swirling patterns which adorn the walls of the Marble Caves have been formed over thousands of years as wind and water chiseled away at the rock face.

Known locally as ‘The Marble Cathedral’, its space has an ethereal quality caused by the plunging shards of rock, which looks like it’s been painted with a cosmic paintbrush. Experience the glorious cavern on a boat trip with winds beneath the voluptuous blue rock.

The Singing Sands of Liwa, UAE

via Expedia

As wind and heat combine, the desolate sand dunes of Liwa in the United Arab Emirates vibrate. And with their frantic movement, it creates a haunting song. The low-pitched wail seems to emanate from the entire desert.

To be surrounded by this choral hum is to be transported to another place and time. With the dunes undulating before you in shades of peach and gold, the roar of the sands is a rousing soundscape that will make the scorching desert impossible to forget.

Abraham Lake, Canada

via Feel The Planet

Nestled snugly in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Abraham Lake might look stunning, but it can be as dangerous as it is bewitching. With frozen bubbles suspended just below the water’s surface, the Lake appears like a scene from Alice in Wonderland.

The icy orbs, however, are actually pockets of trapped methane gas which is highly flammable. At a distance, these bubbles resemble frosty lily pads or jellyfish frozen in time beneath the lake’s glassy surface.

Tianzi Mountain, China

via World Atlas

These ragged peaks of rock are often wrapped in a dense grey fog, so the shards stick up like cacti on some faraway misty planet. Sedimentary rock was eroded over millions of years, leaving craggy formations of quartz sandstone towering in the gloom.

It created an alien landscape that was otherworldly enough to inspire the floating Hallelujah mountains on the planet ‘Pandora’ in James Cameron’s blockbuster movie, Avatar. The giant mountains reach a peak of more than 1,200 metres and are considered sacred by local communities.

The ‘Gates of Hell’, Turkmenistan

via The Times

The churning Darvaza gas crater, found in the Karakum Desert of Turkmenistan, is a fiery field of natural gas. A Soviet drilling operation opened an underground cavern in the 1970s. It has been known locally as the ‘Gates of Hell’ ever since.

When the rig collapsed, engineers set fire to the gas lake. They hoped that it would burn off in a few months. Almost 50 years later and it’s still going strong. Filled with scalding gases and glowing orange embers, the crater certainly looks like the fiery entrance to Hades and must be seen to be believed.

Grand Prismatic Springs, USA

via Independent

The third largest hot spring in the world has rainbow-striped layers of color. It’s caused by layers of microbial organisms around the edges of the mineral-rich pool.

Ranging from a spellbinding turquoise to a deep, hypnotic green, the central pool is wrapped in rings of yellow and red, depending on what time of year you visit. Surrounded by lush alpine forests, the spring is an unexpected drop of otherworldly color against a picture postcard backdrop.

Cappadocia, Turkey

via Wikipedia

The pastel skies and peculiar clusters of rock in Turkey’s Cappadocia make it a mesmerizing spot like no other. With tall spires of rock known to locals as the ‘Chimneys of Fairies’, the landscape will set your imagination free and you can see how the area has inspired myths and folklore passed from one generation to the next.

If the unfamiliar landscapes weren’t enough, a gentle shoal of hot-air balloons floating across the sky at sunset should do the trick. The mounds of autumnal colored earth and stone are actually home to a huge community of around 10,000 people. They have built underground dwellings in this magical terrain.

The post Alien Landscapes: Places on Earth You Should Totally See appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

This article was first shared from Dumb Little Man

[rearadmiralanarchy]

All right fellas... Time for some SCIENCE

I’ve been thinking about doing this for awhile and have finally decided to sit down and (likely badly) explain how that rocky alcohol from chapter 4 of the Firefly AU could work.

Now, bear with me because this will get long, but also keep in mind that brewing science, microbiology, ecology, climate science, chemistry, and physics are all not my field of expertise (hell I don’t even have a field of expertise, I’m just a humble lab technician with a biology degree) but I will do my best here.

Now then let’s get started with the basics.

Anaerobic Respiration through Ethanol Fermentation.

Fermentation reactions are used for making everything from biofuel, alcohol, and cheese, and are generally the less preferred pathway for making energy. They are typically defined as an ox/redox reaction that results in energy and a byproduct from breaking down sugars using enzymes. The one I’ll be looking at is one that produces ethanol specifically, and goes a little something like this:

C6H12O6 (sugar) --> 2C2H5OH (two ethanol) + 2CO2 (two carbon dioxide)

Now, compared to other energy producing cycles, this one sucks, and is only really used when other cycles are unavailable but sugars (glucose is preferred, but xylose, sucrose, cellulose, lipids, and starch all work too) are abundant. The byproducts of this reaction (the ethanol and carbon dioxide) are actually often toxic to whatever is using this process... which is why we use stills, centrifuges, genetic engineering, and bioreactors when we are trying to take advantage of the cycle.

Most organisms that undergo Ethanol Fermentation are microorganisms (yeasts and bacteria) but some genetically modified plants can undergo the process (and give us biofuel) and so can some fish (because reasons). For alcoholic beverage production, both yeast and bacteria are often used and each have their pros and cons.

The basic necessities for delicious alcohol production are an abundance of simple sugars (or at least an enzymatic way to break complex carbohydrates down), a good environment, and some specialized genes. Which means it’s time for some world building to create the best bioreactor.

Now, according to the description of the planet in chapter 4, most of the oxygen was found in deep valleys and ravines lining the planets surface with a toxic, unbreathable atmosphere above. The microorganisms responsible for fermentation lived underground and the drinkable alcohol came up from natural springs, and had a metallic and almost earthy taste. This could be possible if the atmosphere was made up of a mixture of air (oxygen and nitrogen), and let’s say methane, with some carbon dioxide, most of which would need to be in the cave systems (to keep it anaerobic). The atmosphere would more than likely have some extra stuff in very low concentrations, so let’s focus on these for now.

Based on density of gases, methane is less dense than air (let’s base the ratio of oxygen to nitrogen on our own planet just to make the planet mostly inhabitable) and would thus tend to be a little bit higher in this hypothetical planet’s atmosphere. If we say these planetary wide ravines and valleys are super deep and this planets atmosphere is a smaller size than ours, this would give us our toxic (at higher concentrations or where it displaces too much oxygen) and unbreathable atmosphere (where you would also not want to light a match). Arguably that might make landing a spacecraft a bit difficult since you’d have to be wary of accidentally exploding, but I did say it would be hard to get this liquor and exploding certainly makes things difficult.

Now that our atmosphere is vaguely established, the next step is sugar (which is always my favorite step). Sugar, specifically glucose makes life go around. Literally. Living things love breaking down sugar (since, you know, it is fuel), but they also love making sugar and use it for all sorts of things (at least they do on Earth). So let’s assume that what we got here is good enough for this hypothetical planet and assume that life there is also a series of proteins, DNA, carbohydrates, and lipids in various arrangements.

“Life finds a way” isn’t just a pretty phrase. It is highly accurate, and so it’d be no surprise to find a thriving ecosystem in say- an underground cave system. We have plenty of models here on Earth to choose from as well- but our main focus is finding stuff that can be broken down into sweet, sweet sugar.

Now on Earth, most of what we use for ethanol production is plant mass due to the high concentration of cellulose, maltose,and sucrose which are all found in plants. Now, finding a plant in a cave is... well kind of weird. Plants typically rely on photosynthesis for their sugar production, utilizing various pigments to convert sunlight and CO2 into glucose and O2- however life always finds a way.

And that is unfortunately often found through the form of parasitism.

It’s hard to imagine a plant being a parasite but we are, in fact, about to celebrate a holiday in which one is very prominently displayed so...(hooray for mistletoe). Parasitic plants tend to develop ways in order to feed off other plants, usually by siphoning nutrients straight from the roots of their victims. If there are plants able to thrive in the valleys of the planet, parasitic plants might be able to leech off their roots. It might be tough to get through all the stone between surface and cave, but there is also another way.

Decomposers and detritivores are often overlooked, but play a truly important role in breaking down and recycling organic matter. Often the role falls to things like fungi, bacteria, larvae, and worms, but there are some plants (such as some orchids) that fall (albeit loosely) into this category. The term is “myco-heterotrophy”, in which there is a plant+ fungus relationship that is not always mutually beneficial. Overall it’s a pretty cool set-up, but I won’t go into too many details because this would get 10x longer.

Between saprophytic plants and parasitism, plants have found ways to thrive without sunlight, and if we fill these cave systems with consumers (such as bugs and fish), saprophytes all vying for detritivore supremacy (yay poop-eating), decomposers like bacteria and yeast all hard at work cleaning up the aftermath... well that would vaguely take care of our food sources.

These microorganisms will, of course, need the appropriate genes to be able to break down less simple sugars (starch, lipids, cellulose) as well as ones that will let them turn that sugar into ethanol. Arguably this is the easiest part, as such genes are pretty common. What is a bit more tricky is finding genes that allow for tolerance. Alcohol tends to have a low pH, making things a bit more acidic, it also can act as it’s own inhibitor as well as being toxic in high concentrations. Inhibitors are things that can cause a process to stop- which is why having a high tolerance for both acidic environments and high concentrations of alcohol would be key.

Now having a steady flow of diluent (a solution that dilutes) would help with the accumulation of too much alcohol, which takes us finally to the good stuff. Alcohol is typically mostly water by volume (beer is a good 95% water), so a spring that is actually water (or in this planet’s case, fancy mineral water) washing that alcohol away into a spring would work just fine to keep concentrations from being too high.

Now, depending on how mobile or immobile the fermenting microorganisms are can affect the actual alcohol taste and production. This can take the form of natural aggregates (clumps) formed through flocculation (an actual brewers term, wow!) in which all the microorganisms sort of bunch up and then fall out of solution and become a sediment at the bottom of wherever they are. The second form is through something like a sponge, where bacteria or yeast can get trapped and the solution can still move through. The third form is just free-floating microorganisms.

If the microorganisms clump together, not all of the sugar will be converted into alcohol, but it will be less dry and strong as if they are all suspended. If the microorganisms are stuck in a bioreactor, they can produce way more alcohol. No matter which of the three, the end result would still probably be a very fancy mix of alcohol, mineral water (due to erosion and to fulfill the taste requirements in the chapter), and given the production of CO2, carbonic acid (carbonation).

Long story short, cave crawlies and weird stuff got broken down in a cave full of mostly CO2 and very fancy mineral water and turned into ethanol, where it sprung from the surface of a mostly inhospitable and slightly flammable planet in bubbly springs and then some truly adventurous people would try it and decide it was good enough to drink. Some time later, Guido Mista would try some and go, “yeah this is weird but not too bad,” and buy a bottle for the road.

Here are some very good videos on the basics of the cellular processes mentioned above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP21LH3T9yQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6mRPgvAEOc

Some other sources I used

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/ethanol-fermentation

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/fermentation

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/gas-density-d_158.html

http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=4001

https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1994.tb04272.x

Hope you enjoyed my probably improbable science!

[incredibletinyhouse]

You thought asteroids were bad? ESA warns COMETS may do far ‘MORE DAMAGE’ if they hit Earth

Comets are not harbingers of doom, just harmless lumps of ice that produce majestic sky displays when passing the Sun, right? Not according to the European Space Agency, which has warned of their deadly capabilities.

A comet is “likely to cause more damage than an average asteroid of the same size,” the agency says – despite the fact that comets tend to weigh less than asteroids of similar size because the material they are made of is less dense.

Therefore, an average comet of a given diameter will likely cause more damage than an average asteroid of the same size#AsteroidDay#SpaceCare

📸Halley’s Comet, 1910 pic.twitter.com/Own3ujjAD5

— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) June 19, 2020

This tidbit of alarming knowledge comes ahead of Asteroid Day later this month, as the ESA tries to raise public awareness of the dangers space may pose to Earth.

The difference between asteroids and comets is actually not as definitive as one might think, but broadly speaking we know which is which. The former objects are rocky or metallic, come from the region of the Asteroid Belt and may require some heroic oil drillers with a nuclear bomb to go to space and stop them, at least according to Hollywood.

via GIPHY

Comets, on the other hand, are made of frozen volatiles that the Sun boils and turns into spectacular plumes of gases and dust as they pass by – something which spooked the hell of our ancestors. They are relatively rare, though, and are only found in large quantities on the outskirts of our solar system.

The ESA/NASA mission SOHO, which was launched in 1995, has recently celebrated its 4,000th comet discovery. For comparison, NASA tracks almost 23 thousand asteroids in Earth proximity, including over 900 that are larger than one kilometer in size.

Congratulations to the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory #SOHO on its 4000th #comet discovery! Launched in 1995 to study the Sun, SOHO has also become the greatest comet finder in history – with the help of many citizen scientists ☀️🛰️☄️ Details: https://t.co/lQG5HqyOKs pic.twitter.com/iMVqn2X1s8

— ESA Science (@esascience) June 17, 2020

But in terms of destructive power, size and mass are not the only things that matter. Comets approach Earth at greater speeds, so if one were to collide with our planet it would have more energy to release in an atmospheric explosion than a heavier, slower-moving asteroid would.

Comets are less dense than asteroids, therefore for a given diameter they are also less massive and carry less energy. However, most comets are in higher-eccentricty and inclination orbits, resulting in much higher relative velocities with respect to Earth

📸Orbit of Comet 67P pic.twitter.com/a4x5CL6YYH

— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) June 19, 2020

The most powerful impact event in recorded history, the 1908 Tunguska incident in Russia, may have been caused by a comet rather than an asteroid, judging by the lack of debris following the crash. The Chelyabinsk meteor which wreaked havoc – again, in Russia – in 2013 was a rocky one, but most of its mass was obliterated in the airburst, with only small chunks reaching the surface.

Luckily, only around 100 comets that we know of come close to Earth, so their destructive potential will hopefully remain hypothetical in our lifetime.

Currently, we know of ~ 100 near-Earth comets (going up by one or two entries per year). Fortunately, the chance of an impact from an ‘NEC’ is significantly lower than for near-Earth asteroids, of which we currently know there are 22 933!#SpaceCare 📸1998 OR2, @NAICobservatory pic.twitter.com/2CC4gBpWP3

— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) June 19, 2020

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[componentplanet]

Happy Mole Day! Also, What the Hell Is Mole Day?

Today, October 23, is Mole Day — the unofficial holiday when we celebrate Amedeo Avogadro and his contributions to molecular theory. In 1811, Avogadro hypothesized that given two volumetrically identical samples of gas at an equal temperature and pressure contained the same number of particles. In other words, an equal volume of hydrogen and nitrogen at the same temperature and pressure contains the same number of molecules. This rule allowed for a method of calculating the quantity of gas in a given container.

The unit of measurement associated with Avogadro is the mole. A mole is defined as the base unit of “substance,” defined as 6.022*10^23 particles (defined as atoms, molecules, ions, or electrons). The definition was tweaked in 2018 — a mole was previously defined as the number of atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12.

Avogadro’s number was set at 6.022*1023 to make certain that the mass of one “mole” of material in grams would be approximately numerically equal to the average mass of one molecule of the material in daltons. Wikipedia gives the following example: “one mole of water contains 6.022*1023 molecules, whose total mass is about 18.015 grams – and the mean mass of one molecule of water is about 18.015 daltons.” Concentrations are substances are often expressed in terms of molarity, reflected in a measure of moles of dissolved substance per unit of solution (commonly abbreviated mol/liter).

Mole day is celebrated on October 23, from 6:02 AM to 6:02 PM, though some heretics celebrate on June 2, June 22, or February 6 (6/2, 6/22, and 6/02 in countries where the day is written before the month). I’ve got to give a shout-out to my high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Nance, in all of this. He was absurdly fond of moles and mole day, and it wasn’t unusual to find questions on our tests that challenged us to find the molarity of a mole of moles suspended in a given volume of solution. Other fun tasks included calculating the various dimensions and physical properties of a “mole of moles.” The video below compares the size of a mole of moles to other objects in the solar system.

Randall Munroe took up this question in an XKCD “What If,” with rather gruesome results. Keep in mind that having 6.022*1023 of something is really rather a lot of it. When you pile up a mole of moles, what you end up with is a moon comprised entirely of moles.

What do you know about the core of the Earth? Probably at least two things: 1). It’s made of iron. 2). It’s molten. Moles are less dense than iron, but it turns out that when you’ve got 6.022*10^23 of something, it doesn’t really matter what it’s made of. What you end up with is a small planetoid, roughly half the mass of the moon with 1/16 of its gravity. The outer surface of the planet would freeze, while its fur forms an insulating layer. Below the mole-crust lies the mole-mantle, where anaerobic bacteria populations would still survive. These would slowly break the moles down into kerogen. Some of that kerogen might even form a layer of oil between the mole-mantle and the mole-core. As the planet cools, decompositional gases and molten (pun-intended) mole-oil might explode to the surface in the first-ever documented incidence of a molcano. As Munroe notes, a mole of moles also contains enough calories to feed the entire population of Earth for approximately 30 billion years, as long as you don’t mind eating organically mined, cosmically irradiated insectivore.

An oft-overlooked problem with our mole-moon is precisely where it ends up. Should it encroach upon Earth’s Roche limit, Very Bad Things would result. The Roche limit refers to the closest point from the center of a planet that a satellite can approach without being pulled apart by the planet’s gravitational field. Earth’s Roche limit is ~11,470 miles above the surface. If the mole-moon gets closer than that, it’s going to come apart. I don’t really know how to estimate the result of slamming a trillion trillion (approximately) worth of moles into a planetary surface, but it’s probably bad.

If any of you are wondering about the quality of my chemistry education, let me reassure you, the story problem questions in Mr. Nance’s class didn’t get this detailed. My answers occasionally did. This has more to do with the fact that I was a pretty terrible chemistry student and had a faint hope he might be one of those teachers who awarded points on the basis of ingenuity and cleverness as opposed to being any damn good at actual chemistry.

It may have even worked. I passed the class.

Happy Mole Day!

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from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/300732-happy-mole-day-also-what-the-hell-is-mole-day from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2019/10/happy-mole-day-also-what-hell-is-mole.html