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I am a recent retiree from the Army. I have been interviewed for one position I did not get, and I am looking for pointers on improving my resume. I also use the USA.jobs resume creator when required. I have 15+ years of operations experience up to the Sergeant Major level but also just graduated with an accounting degree with honors. I am trying to leverage my education and experience, but also applying to the fields separately. I keep getting conflicting advice on my resume, so any help is appreciated.
Citizenship: Yes - United States Citizen Security Clearance: Active Secret Clearance Availability: Full-Time/ Permanent
PROFILE SUMMARY
Accomplished leader with over 15 years of experience in operations, strategic planning, and team leadership. Dedicated to driving organizational excellence through dynamic strategies aligned with institutional objectives. Proven track record of adept leadership, fostering cohesive teams, and ensuring timely project delivery. Skilled in problem-solving and communication, adept at identifying and resolving operational challenges. Proficient in fiscal management and cost optimization, resulting in budget-friendly solutions and improved profitability. Experienced in organizational development, enhancing work culture, and boosting employee engagement and retention.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
[U.S. Department of the Army](): Senior Operations Manage Operations Sergeant Major 1-314^th Infantry Battalion - Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ April 2022 to Retirement (40 Hours per Week)
~Duties & Related Skills:~

• Trained and supervised staff on financial databases and digital systems crucial for accurate financial record-keeping and daily operations
• Received formal recognition for administrative expertise, driving successful financial operations, and influencing process improvements
• Collaborated with operational partners to facilitate two Army-level training exercises and coordinate financial aspects of all training activities
• Conducted specialized correspondence training for financial and operational staff, enhancing financial reporting accuracy and efficiency
• Identified, remedied, and approved Defense Travel System travel claims, resulting in substantial cost savings and heightened quality assurance in financial processes

U.S. Department of the Army: Senior Operations Manage Future Operations and Planning Lead & First Sergeant Fort Drum Garrison Headquarters & 10^th Mountain Division Headquarters - Fort Drum, NY September 2019 to March 2022 (40 Hours per Week)
~Duties & Related Skills:~

• Provided direct administrative and technical support to senior executives and a team of 15,000 personnel
• Revamped and optimized the future operations staff section, fostering a professional environment focused on organizational enhancement and superior customer service
• Handpicked to lead a planning and future operations cell, surpassing fifteen highly qualified candidates based on proven expertise and exceptional results
• Conceptualized, developed, and implemented standard operating procedures for expeditionary logistics nodes, resulting in considerable time savings for outload and mission command establishment
• Demonstrated mastery in overseeing six digital automation networks and executing senior operational actions for five international training exercises, ensuring seamless mission command
• Successfully planned and executed training exercises involving over 3,000 personnel across a dispersed area spanning 250 miles, achieving a 100% success rate

U.S. Department of the Army: Senior Operations Manage Current Operations Lead & First Sergeant 1-504^th Parachute Infantry Regiment & 82^nd Airborne Division Headquarters - Fort Liberty, NC December 2015 to August 2019 (40 Hours per Week)
~Duties & Related Skills:~

• Supervised division current operations section, enabling rapid worldwide deployment of contingency forces within 18 hours
• Demonstrated effective communication, interpersonal, multitasking, and leadership skills, driving results in dynamic environments
• Maintained precision and diligence in performing duties, consistently delivering accurate results
• Excelled in planning and organizing tasks under adverse conditions with minimal supervision, achieving exceptional outcomes
• Conducted data analysis, program evaluation, and risk management for eleven joint-level exercises, earning formal recognition from executive leadership
• Coordinated real-world deployments, humanitarian missions, international exercises, orders production, emergency responses, casualty affairs operations, and daily correspondence with upper echelons
• Projected an expert proficiency with Microsoft Suite tools, PowerBI, and Tableau.
• Managed a $15 million renovation and transformation of a joint task force operations center, overseeing assets worth over $2.5 million

CIVILIAN EDUCATION
Institute: Southern New Hampshire University Degree: Bachelor of Science – 2024 Major: Accounting Honors: Summa Cum Laude (3.9 GPA)
MILITARY EDUCATION
Basic, Advanced, and Senior Leadership Course U.S. Advanced Airborne School Air and Unit Movement Officer U.S. Air Force Air-load Planner Combat Lifesaver Emergency Medical Technician
CERTIFICATIONS
· U.S. Defense Counterintelligence & Security Agency – DOD Mandatory Controlled Unclassified Information, Awareness & Reporting · U.S. Department of the Army – Information Security Program, Army OPSEC Level 1 · U.S. Department of Defense – Certified OPSEC for EOP Operators/ OPSEC Awareness for Military Members, DoD Employees & Contracto Combating Trafficking in Person for Investigative Professionals/ Combating Trafficking in Person General Awareness/ Combating Trafficking in Persons for Acquisition & Contracting Professionals/ Level 1 Antiterrorism Awareness, Military Occupational Code, Managing your Transition, Financial Planning for Transition, Employment Fundamentals of Career Transition, Identifying & Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information PII, Introduction to Privacy Act 1, 2, & 3
SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES (KSA)
· Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and proficiency in deployment and mobility operations, including wartime contingency plans and adherence to relevant instructions, regulations, directives, and local operating procedures.
· Proficient in handling classified and/or protected documents, with adeptness in utilizing various automated data management systems.
· Proficient in budget analysis and administration, encompassing knowledge of budgetary methods, practices, policies, procedures, regulations, and precedents, as well as the accounting system for budgetary information.
· Skilled in implementing security methods, rules, regulations, and principles, supporting security administration, resolving security-related issues, and performing diverse security assignments.
· Proficient in providing authoritative consultation and conducting complex training administration, with the ability to assess program needs, evaluate status, and recommend/implement improvement solutions.
· Proficient in applying tact and diplomacy in advising individuals and high-level officials on complex and sensitive issues, related to planning, organizing, and directing functions of small organizations.
· Demonstrates entry-level proficiency in applying basic principles, concepts, and practices of the occupation.
· Effective communication skills in conveying factual and procedural information clearly, both orally and in writing.
· Proficient in assessing and measuring organizational trends, concerns, and needs, identifying gaps in services, and providing recommendations for effective plans and tools.
· Ability to analyze problems, identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and utilize critical thinking skills to recognize solutions.
· Skilled in conducting one-on-one training, group presentations, and training sessions through oral communication.
· Demonstrates ability to plan, organize work, follow instructions, and manage multiple ongoing projects effectively, with proficiency in locating, assembling, and composing information for reports, inquiries, and limited technical correspondence.
· Proficient in identifying training needs, instructing personnel, and communicating effectively both orally and in writing.
ADDITIONAL DUTIES
Budget Analyst 2022 [– ]()2024 Knowledge Management Officer 2016 – 2018 Digital Master Gunner 2016 – 2018 Army Instructor 2011 – 2013 DTS Authorizing, Certifying, and Reviewing Official 2008 – 2024
AWARDS
Eagle Scout Bronze Star Medal Meritorious Service Medal (4) Army Commendation Medal (6) Army Achievement Medal (5) Army Good Conduct Medal (7) Drill Sergeant Identification Badge Combat Infantryman Badge Expert Infantryman Badge Command Cyber Readiness Award First Army Commanding General Award Friends of Lynn Woods Cyrus M. Tracy Award
ORGANIZATIONAL PARTICIPATION
National Eagle Scout Association Veterans of Foreign Wars National Infantry Association 82^nd Airborne Division Association
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY
Habitat for Humanity 2022 - Present Salem Hospital 1992 - 1996
EDUCATIONAL FOCUS AREAS
Organizational Leadership, Leadership Communication, Operations Management, Principles of Management, Human Relations in Administration, Principles of Finance, Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting I II & III, Advanced Accounting, Cost Accounting, Auditing Principles, Auditing and Forensic Accounting, Financial Statement Analysis, Business Valuation, Federal Taxation, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Business Law I & II, Global Business Dimensions, Driving Business Opportunities, Critical Business Skills for Success, Applied Marketing Strategies, Data Analytics for Financial Professionals, Statistics, and Technology in Society.

Today illustrated that the Democrats have become America’s cheerleaders, emphasizing how investment in the nation’s infrastructure has created jobs and rebuilt the country. This week, the Biden-Harris administration is touting its investments in rebuilding roads and bridges, making sure Americans have clean water, getting rid of pollution, expanding access to high-speed internet, and building a clean energy economy, contrasting that success with Trump’s eternal announcements of an “Infrastructure Week” that never came.
The White House today announced that it has awarded nearly $454 billion in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including more than 56,000 projects across more than 4,500 communities across the nation. Those include fixing more than 165,000 miles of roads and more than 9,400 bridges and improving more than 450 ports and 300 airport terminals. It has funded more than 1,400 drinking water and wastewater projects and projects to replace up to 1.7 million toxic lead pipes, as well as more than 8,000 low- and zero-emission buses. It has funded 95 previously unfunded Superfund projects to clean up contaminated sites. It has improved the electrical grid and funded 12,000 miles of high-speed internet infrastructure, and exposed internet junk fees.
The White House explained that this investment is making it cheaper to install clean energy technology and lowering families’ monthly energy bills, and highlighted today the available rebates to enable people to take advantage of the new technologies.
On Wednesday, May 8, a report from the Semiconductor Industry Association and the Boston Consulting Group explored the “breathtaking speed,” as the president of the semiconductor organization put it, at which the industry is growing. In the Financial Times on May 9, John Thornhill reported that the CHIPS and Science Act, which provided a $39 billion investment in the semiconductor industry, has “primed a torrent of private sector investment.” With the influx of both federal money and an additional $447 billion of private investment in 83 projects in 25 states, the report forecasts that the U.S. will increase its share of global manufacturing capacity for leading-edge chips from today’s rate of 0% to 28% by 2032. Thornhill compared this investment to that spurred by Russia’s 1957 launch of the Sputnik satellite.
The Economist yesterday announced that the U.S. “is in the midst of an extraordinary startup boom,” and explored “[h]ow the country revived its “go-getting spirit.”
In contrast to the Democrats’ confidence in America, the Republicans are all-in on the idea that the country is an apocalyptic wasteland. At a rally in New Jersey Saturday, Trump announced: “On day one we will throw out Bidenomics and reinstate MAGAnomics.” He promised to extend his 2017 tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations.
But the gist of his speech was an angry, vitriolic picture of a failing nation full of “enemies” that are “more dangerous” than China and Russia and who are “going to destroy our country.” In his telling, the criminal case against him in Manhattan is “bullsh*t,” and President Biden has done more damage than the “ten worst presidents in the history of our country” combined: “[h]e’s a fool; he’s not a smart man…[h]e’s a bad guy…the worst president ever, of any country. The whole world is laughing at him.”
Trump lied that other countries are “emptying out their mental institutions into the United States, our beautiful country. And now the prison populations all over the world are down. They don’t want to report that the mental-institution population is down because they’re taking people from insane asylums and from mental institutions.” Then he riffed into “the late great Hannibal Lecter,” the fictional murderer and cannibal in the film The Silence of the Lambs, apparently to suggest that similar individuals are migrating to the U.S.
House Republicans this week are working to pass a nonbinding resolution to condemn Biden’s immigration policies, although it was Republicans, under orders from Trump, who killed a strong bipartisan immigration bill earlier this year.
The only way to turn back this apocalypse, Trump and his supporters insist, is to put Trump and his team back into the White House. From there, Republicans will return those they consider “real” Americans to power.
The last few days have added new information about what that means. On Thursday, May 9, Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) introduced the More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed (MOMS) act. Britt—who is best known for her disastrous response to Biden’s State of the Union speech from her kitchen—said the measure would provide a federal database of resources for pregnant women and women parenting young children, but that information excludes anything that touches on abortion.
The measure is clear that it enlists the government in opposition to abortion, but more than that, it establishes that the government will create a database of the names and contact information of pregnant women, which the government can then use “to follow up with users on additional resources that would be helpful for the users to review.”
A government database of pregnant women would give the federal government unprecedented control over individuals, and it is especially chilling after the story Caroline Kitchener broke in the Washington Post on May 3, that a Texas man, Collin Davis, filed a petition to stop his ex-partner from traveling to Colorado, where abortion is legal, to obtain an abortion. Should she do so, his lawyer wrote, he would “pursue wrongful-death claims against anyone involved in the killing of his unborn child.” Now Davis wants to be able to depose his former partner along with others he says are “complicit” in the abortion.
Antiabortion activists are also seeking to make mifepristone and misoprostol, drugs used in many abortions, hard to obtain. In Louisiana, state lawmakers are considering classifying the drugs as “controlled dangerous substances,” which would make possessing them carry penalties of up to ten years in prison and fines of up to $75,000.
More than 240 Louisiana doctors wrote to lawmakers saying that the drugs have none of the addictive characteristics associated with dangerous controlled substances and warning that the drugs are crucial for inducing routine labor and preventing catastrophic hemorrhage after delivery, in addition to their use in abortions. “Given its historically poor maternal health outcomes, Louisiana should prioritize safe and evidence-based care for pregnant women,” the doctors wrote.
Louisiana lawmakers also rejected a bill that would have allowed anyone under age 17, the age of consent in Louisiana, to have an abortion if they became pregnant after rape or incest. Passionate testimony from those who suffered such attacks or who treated pregnant girls as young as 8 failed to convince the Republican lawmakers to support the measure. “That baby [in the womb] is innocent.… We have to hang on to that,” said Republican state representative Dodie Horton.
Today, at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization promoting Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander participation and representation at all levels of the political process, Vice President Kamala Harris encouraged young people to innovate and to move into spaces from which they have been traditionally excluded.
“So here’s the thing about breaking barriers,” she said. “Breaking barriers does not mean you start on one side of the barrier and you end up on the other side. There’s breaking involved. And when you break things you get cut. And you may bleed. And it is worth it every time…. We have to know that sometimes people will open the door for you and leave it open. Sometimes they won’t. And then you need to kick that f*cking door down.”
Harris’s advice reflects the history that happened on this date in 1862, when the enslaved mariners on board the shallow-draft C.S.S. Planter gathered up their families, fired up the ship’s boilers, and sailed out of the Charleston, South Carolina, harbor. The three white officers of the ship had gone ashore, leaving enslaved 23-year-old pilot Robert Smalls to take control. Smalls knew how to steer the ship and give the proper signals to the Confederates at Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, and three other checkpoints.
Smalls piloted the Planter, the sixteen formerly enslaved people on it, and a head full of intelligence about the Confederate fortifications at Charleston to the U.S. Navy. In Confederate hands, the Planter had surveyed waterways and laid mines; now that information was in U.S. hands. Smalls went on to pilot naval vessels during the war, and in 1864 he bought the house formerly owned by the man who had enslaved him.
A natural leader, Smalls went on to become a businessman, politician, and strong advocate for education. After serving in the 1868 South Carolina Constitutional Convention that made school attendance compulsory and provided for universal male suffrage, he went on to serve in the South Carolina legislature from 1868 to 1874, when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served until 1887. When President Barack Obama signed an executive order establishing the nation’s first national monument concerning Reconstruction, he cited the life of Robert Smalls.
—
Notes:
https://newjerseymonitor.com/2024/05/12/trump-brings-2024-campaign-to-the-jersey-shore/
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a60774814/trump-rally-new-jersey-weird-speech/
https://www.britt.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/MOMS-Act_FINAL-Britt_Rubio_Cramer1.pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/11/katie-britt-proposes-federal-database-to-collect-data-on-pregnant-people
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2024/05/03/texas-abortion-investigations/
https://lailluminator.com/2024/05/08/rape-incest/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/05/13/abortion-pills-louisiana-controlled-substance/
https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2024/05/12/america-is-in-the-midst-of-an-extraordinary-startup-boom
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/13/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-kicks-off-infrastructure-week-by-highlighting-historic-results-spurred-by-president-bidens-investing-in-america-agenda/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/13/fact-sheet-president-bidens-investing-in-america-agenda-is-helping-american-families-across-the-country-save-money/
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/icymi-the-great-american-innovation-engine-firing-again
https://www.ft.com/content/0d39e8f0-38ba-40aa-8ec8-d04e82afb690
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/politics/chips-grants-fuel-industry-growth.html
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/11/trump-rally-new-jersey-trial-fascists-00157482
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/12/presidential-proclamations-establishment-reconstruction-era-national
https://www.nps.gov/people/robert-smalls.htm
Twitter (X):
cspan/status/1790048826440503495
Fritschnestatus/1790051154887340473
rosiewestwood/status/1788291766866567439
CecileRichards/status/1789020452855140723
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-13-2024

Brother me and my girlfriend started dating in 2015 both 15 , we moved in together at 21- as of now basically almost 24* (im 23 shes 24 , a couple months older) , she had her own dark world and toxic household and so did i. Difference is i had a complete “family” , she was raised by her mother who treated her indifferent because she is her dads twin. She gave the most purest and sweetest love . It even gives me chills to write about it. She surprised me countless times , validated my feelings , took care of me more than own mother did bro. She put her ass on the line for me whenever and vice versa. We traveled to her country mu country and countless other places at a young age all alone . Im gonna be honest i cheated by grabbing another girls ass in 2018 and a year later in 2019 the girl from hs called her to tell her and she waited for me in my house but i was such a coward i kept denying and denying even though she knew exactly what had went on. Fast forward in 2021 shit got so rough my family always hated her for no reason (jealousy is a real thing bro) and so much happened. And imma be honest in 2022 i was taking care of her since we moved in together but 2022 i told her quit her job around early January February i told her i got us cause i found a job paying great so why not? That was my baby you know? So that year i went to a whorehouse with this dumbass loser i was working with and i fell for the temptation. Mind you this was a bad year for her she gained weight up to 260 and her family (mom and sister) they always treated her like shit and always was jealous of even me getting her stuff and just loving her and supporting her. Im not gonna lie yes i cheated and she found out about it the same day cause i fell asleep and went through my phone. My dumbass recorded a voice note that those whores can’t even give oral correctly they use all teeth , so when she found out that was a dealbreaker. Bro i destroyed her with that and i know i fucked up so bad this chick had a hot meal from scratch ready for me every single day after work.
Anyways fast forward to 2023, she told me when i get a job i got you and everything you ever did. She got the gastric sleeve surgery in September 2022 so 2023 in February she had started losing weight drastically and then eventually got a job the same month. Brother she was destroyed and still gave me food everyday still helped me still gave me sex just still was trying not giving up. I unfortunately didn’t see it this way due to my own internal problems and trauma and my selfish and stupid ways. Anyways even for my bday she took me to miami wasted $3k on the trip and it was amazing. Eventually it got toxic i got fired around October and i wasn’t really fully employed after that for a while so she had to pick up alot and my egocentric ass said hey i did it for you whats the problem a couple months you hold me down? (She should of been left me) but it got toxic and the stress from work her family me and me not working she was crashing out she would spazz on everyone and i dont blame her looking back she was just going though alot. We started cursing eachother out really bad and even got physical. Not fists punch or slaps just grabbing eachother , breaking stuff, throwing stuff out, breaking property.
Anyways for her birthday we went to paris (February 2024) and it was great till we argued (i really shouldn’t have gone cause i got a job in February the whole month and first month on the job i requested a week off already and i lied saying it was something else but it was really this trip i had) anyways after this trip she someway somehow forced me to quit my job because i was out from 6am-7pm everyday monday through Friday. March came and dont get me wrong guys my family i am blessed enough that they were sending me little amounts of money here and there to get me through they know i needed to pay rent food etc. march came and someway somehow when she said something to me she slammed the door and walked out so i immediately reacted and then slammed the door open to chase her . I come back the whole door is ripped off the frame . All the hinges ripped off. I ran away like a coward because she kept screaming at me and cursing me out saying you gotta replace it now but i didnt have 1$ to my name and im asking my mom and she is being a bitch on purpose. Long story short that was march 23rd i get arrested 4 days later because of property of destruction and then get out on limited order of protection. We ran into eachother a couple days later and we spoke she invited me over and i lived with her again the whole month of April.
Anyways in april im still just relying on my parents at this point because all these jobs im applying for are not in my favor to respond to me (no one hit me back up) . So towards the end of the month literally the Sunday before the 1st of May we get into another heated argument she said you dont do shit around here you a grown ass man this that and that and tbh bro i can show you my cashapp my mother send me like $1500 that month and every time she would send me $100 here or $300 there for food or something she would tell me waste it on weed. (We kinda of had a weed addiction we were wasting $40 a day 7days a week on weed, you do the math) so anyways most of the money my mom is sending me is being spent very inconsiderately and bad . I didnt think much of it cause i thought hey fuck it man im here whatever she wants to make her happy.
Anyways fast forward after the argument sunday before may 1st the weekend before may 1st i leave again because it got so crazy i wasn’t trying to spazz out so i walked out and left. Monday she tells me come back ik your mom isnt cooking im not heartless i still wanna be friends with benefits or friends . Whatever she said and also she said i built this bond with you no one knows me like you do. (We lost our virginity to eachother , we literally told eachother our deepest darkest secrets , met eachothers families, did all this together was very intimate) so i went back and as she said we ate we cuddled etc. the next day after work we go out the whole day because her and mom and sister arent on good terms i forgot to mention we lived in a basement and her mother on the 1st floor. The whole month of april they were on bad terms (just walking by eachother not even talking or acknowledging eachother) so we go out the next day after that Tuesday before May 1st. After work we do all that and come back home at 6/7 ish . I havent checked her phone in ages cause i fucked up alot and honestly i kind of had a feeling if i did i was gonna see exactly what i was looking for.
Anyways i still did it cause im a stubborn hardheaded motherfucker, and ofc i saw her texting sexual with some guy she told me she was talking as friends on and off for since November. The convo went like him: im dying to find out i just wanna carry you on top of me , her: omg i forget you’re so tall i love it , him: omg i forget you’re so short i love it, her: Stoppppp omg with the emojis, him: plus if you aren’t gonna wear that dress when we go out atleast where it when you invite me over :p , her: lol i guess im small ( she posted a picture in a shirt blouse showing her curves and body and curly hair) , bro i saw this and went back inside from checking her phone in the middle of the road and said is this what you’re doing to me ? Are you serious? She laughed in my face and said well you’re reading it aren’t you? I lost it and spit in her face and called her a nasty you know what just like her sister. How shes just like her sister (her sister fucks any guy to fill her void and to get money/gifts in exchange. (Going back as to why they weren’t on good terms in april her and her sister got into a physical fight because her sister wore her deadstock jordans i got her from 2018 that are now worth $700 and fried them . What blew my mind during the fight was her sister looked and me straight in the eyes that day and said i know alot about you as if she got something on me. That made me wonder alot. Also she called my ex gf a slut which made me think what the fuck) anyways fast forward after i catch her cheating on me she chases me in her underwear for 12 blocks and im toying running around cars with her at that point and i threw her phone on the ground and she ran right past it. Long story short i got arrested and now im facing a felony cause of that and its no contact as of rn till July when this court date happens. I miss the fuck out of her and regardless of anything i wish her the best and miss her dearly . Side note my brother showed me she was what appeared on a date Yesterday

Job Position	Salary	Locations
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US Tech - Tech Lead - Generative AI Solutions		Sacramento, CA, San Francisco, CA, Hartford, CT, Kansas City, MO, Fayetteville, NC, Los Angeles, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Albany, NY, Tampa, FL, Dallas, TX, Tulsa, OK, Irvine, CA, Birmingham, AL, Portland, OR, Raleigh, NC, Remote, Richmond, VA, Jacksonville, FL, Baltimore, MD, Salt Lake, UT, Austin, TX, Fort Worth, TX, US, Columbus, GA, Chicago, IL, Toledo, OH, Cincinnati, OH, Las Vegas, NV, Little Rock, AR, Louisville, KY, Detroit, MI, Indianapolis, IN, Grand Rapids, MI, Milwaukee, WI, Minneapolis, MN, San Antonio, TX, St. Louis, MO, Greensboro, NC, San Diego, CA, Oklahoma City, OK, Philadelphia, PA, Seattle, WA, Miami, FL, Des Moines, IA, New Orleans, LA, Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH, Boston, MA, Atlanta, GA, Houston, TX, Nashville, TN, New York, NY, Orlando, FL, Richmond, CA, Rochester, NY, Cleveland, OH, Washington, D.C., Denver, CO, Charlotte, NC
US Tech - Data Scientist - Gen AI Solutions		Oklahoma City, OK, Richmond, CA, Tulsa, OK, Chicago, IL, Sacramento, CA, Salt Lake, UT, Greensboro, NC, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C., New York, NY, Hartford, CT, New Orleans, LA, Indianapolis, IN, San Antonio, TX, Albany, NY, Philadelphia, PA, San Francisco, CA, Fort Worth, TX, US, Orlando, FL, Louisville, KY, Houston, TX, Little Rock, AR, Nashville, TN, Minneapolis, MN, Portland, OR, Columbus, OH, Atlanta, GA, Austin, TX, Pittsburgh, PA, Cincinnati, OH, St. Louis, MO, Des Moines, IA, Kansas City, MO, Cleveland, OH, Las Vegas, NV, Columbus, GA, Dallas, TX, San Diego, CA, Jacksonville, FL, Boston, MA, Detroit, MI, Miami, FL, Rochester, NY, Tampa, FL, Los Angeles, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Baltimore, MD, Fayetteville, NC, Irvine, CA, Birmingham, AL, Raleigh, NC, Grand Rapids, MI, Charlotte, NC, Toledo, OH, Denver, CO, Remote, Richmond, VA

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Senior Software Engineer	USD 137k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Machine Learning Engineer	USD 146k - 210k	US
Data Analyst/Engineer	USD 85k - 115k	US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 168k - 201k	US, Remote
Sr Big Data Analyst	USD 144k - 160k	Dallas, TX, US
Senior Engineering Manager	USD 190k - 250k	Remote, US
Mainframe Systems Integration Testing Engineer	USD 51k - 82k	Indianapolis, IN, US
Senior Applications Engineer	USD 156k - 235k	San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, Sunnyvale, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 160k - 222k	US, Remote
Lead Platform Program Manager	USD 107k - 259k	San Jose, CA, US, Austin, TX, Remote
Staff Backend Engineer	USD 185k - 307k	San Francisco, CA
Software Engineer	USD 125k - 214k	Remote
Senior Cloud Security Engineer AWS	USD 148k - 190k	Remote
Reliability Engineer	USD 136k - 197k	US
Senior Manager, Data Engineering	USD 161k - 214k	Austin, TX, US
IT Systems Engineer	USD 76k - 151k	New York, NY, Europe
Senior Staff Engineer	USD 110k - 261k	US, Remote
Senior Manager, MarTech and Ads Engineering	USD 120k - 261k	US, Remote
Senior Software Engineer	USD 82k - 185k	Arlington, VA, Fort Worth, TX, US, Remote, Spokane, WA, Berkeley, CA, Vancouver, British Columbia, Des Moines, IA, Everett, WA, Tucson, AZ, Scottsdale, AZ, Wichita, KS, Detroit, MI, Boise, ID, San Jose, CA, Anaheim, CA, Atlanta, GA, Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Cincinnati, OH, Arlington, TX, Santa Barbara, CA, San Francisco, CA, Albuquerque, NM, Washington, D.C.
Senior Director, TV Network Sales	USD 148k - 237k	New York, NY
Senior Full Stack Developer Network Software Engineer	USD 150k - 200k	San Francisco, CA
Full Stack Engineer	USD 120k - 150k	San Francisco, CA
Sr Site Reliability Engineer Cortex XDR Cloud	USD 124k - 201k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Staff IT Data Engineer	USD 143k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Systems Engineering Manager	USD 218k - 300k	US
Systems Engineering Manager	USD 218k - 300k	Miami, FL, US
Systems Engineering Manager	USD 218k - 300k	Tampa, FL, US
Cortex Systems Engineer	USD 192k - 264k	Boston, MA, US
Senior Lead, Infrastructure/Cloud Architecture	USD 110k - 178k	New York, NY, US, Remote
Basketball Data Scientist	USD 100k - 195k	San Francisco, CA, Remote
Research Engineer	USD 105k - 250k	Sunnyvale, CA, US, Ontario
Lead Architect – Software Cloud Multiple Openings	USD 171k - 171k	Minneapolis, MN, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	New York, NY
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	Palo Alto, CA
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	Palo Alto, CA
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	New York, NY
Senior Software Engineer	USD 165k - 210k	Palo Alto, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 165k - 210k	New York, NY
Senior Product Manager	USD 127k - 159k	New York, NY, US, Remote

Job Position	Salary	Locations
	Senior Software Engineer	USD 104k - 116k
Desktop Applications Developer	USD 86k - 95k	US, San Antonio, TX
Red Hat Linux Software Engineer	USD 81k - 146k	San Diego, CA, US
ServiceNow Custom Application Developer	USD 110k - 145k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 97k - 132k	US
Data Analyst	USD 88k - 112k	Remote, US
Manager, Software Engineering	USD 154k - 220k	US, Remote
Principal Systems Engineer	USD 176k - 176k	Phoenix, AZ, US
Test Infrastructure Engineer	USD 90k - 140k	Golden, CO
Tech Lead Manager TLM	USD 211k - 249k	Remote, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 211k - 211k	Canada, Remote
Staff Software Engineer	USD 211k - 249k	Remote, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 211k - 249k	Remote, US
Software Engineer	USD 147k - 174k	Remote, US
Software Engineer	USD 149k - 149k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Site Reliability Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Salesforce Engineer	USD 84k - 118k	Remote, US
Senior Container Security Engineer	USD 120k - 174k	US, Remote
Senior Security Engineer	USD 120k - 174k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 170k - 193k	US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 177k - 245k	San Francisco, CA, Remote
Software Engineer Mid	USD 150k - 235k	San Francisco, CA
Machine Learning Engineer Mid	USD 160k - 250k	San Francisco, CA
USA Data Scientist III	USD 90k - 216k	US, Reston, VA
USA Senior, Software Engineer	USD 90k - 180k	US
Senior, Software Engineer	USD 90k - 180k	US
USA Software Engineer III	USD 90k - 180k	US
Senior Manager, Data Engineering, Services - Parcel Stations	USD 110k - 220k	US
USA Staff, Software Engineer	USD 110k - 220k	US
USA Software Engineer III	USD 108k - 216k	US, Bellevue, WA, Remote
Senior Software Engineer	USD 146k - 243k	Remote, US
Senior Data Scientist Marketing Solutions	USD 110k - 226k	US, Remote
Data Platform Engineer	USD 120k - 180k	Remote, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 142k - 249k	San Diego, CA, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 158k - 277k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Staff Software Engineer	USD 163k - 285k	San Diego, CA, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 137k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 137k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Machine Learning Engineer	USD 146k - 210k	US
Data Analyst/Engineer	USD 85k - 115k	US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 168k - 201k	US, Remote
Sr Big Data Analyst	USD 144k - 160k	Dallas, TX, US
Senior Engineering Manager	USD 190k - 250k	Remote, US
Mainframe Systems Integration Testing Engineer	USD 51k - 82k	Indianapolis, IN, US
Senior Applications Engineer	USD 156k - 235k	San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, Sunnyvale, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 160k - 222k	US, Remote
Lead Platform Program Manager	USD 107k - 259k	San Jose, CA, US, Austin, TX, Remote
Staff Backend Engineer	USD 185k - 307k	San Francisco, CA
Software Engineer	USD 125k - 214k	Remote
Senior Cloud Security Engineer AWS	USD 148k - 190k	Remote
Reliability Engineer	USD 136k - 197k	US
Senior Manager, Data Engineering	USD 161k - 214k	Austin, TX, US
IT Systems Engineer	USD 76k - 151k	New York, NY, Europe
Senior Staff Engineer	USD 110k - 261k	US, Remote
Senior Manager, MarTech and Ads Engineering	USD 120k - 261k	US, Remote
Senior Software Engineer	USD 82k - 185k	Arlington, VA, Fort Worth, TX, US, Remote, Spokane, WA, Berkeley, CA, Vancouver, British Columbia, Des Moines, IA, Everett, WA, Tucson, AZ, Scottsdale, AZ, Wichita, KS, Detroit, MI, Boise, ID, San Jose, CA, Anaheim, CA, Atlanta, GA, Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Cincinnati, OH, Arlington, TX, Santa Barbara, CA, San Francisco, CA, Albuquerque, NM, Washington, D.C.
Senior Director, TV Network Sales	USD 148k - 237k	New York, NY
Senior Full Stack Developer Network Software Engineer	USD 150k - 200k	San Francisco, CA
Full Stack Engineer	USD 120k - 150k	San Francisco, CA
Sr Site Reliability Engineer Cortex XDR Cloud	USD 124k - 201k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Staff IT Data Engineer	USD 143k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Systems Engineering Manager	USD 218k - 300k	US
Systems Engineering Manager	USD 218k - 300k	Miami, FL, US
Systems Engineering Manager	USD 218k - 300k	Tampa, FL, US
Cortex Systems Engineer	USD 192k - 264k	Boston, MA, US
Senior Lead, Infrastructure/Cloud Architecture	USD 110k - 178k	New York, NY, US, Remote
Basketball Data Scientist	USD 100k - 195k	San Francisco, CA, Remote
Research Engineer	USD 105k - 250k	Sunnyvale, CA, US, Ontario
Lead Architect – Software Cloud Multiple Openings	USD 171k - 171k	Minneapolis, MN, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	New York, NY
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	Palo Alto, CA
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	Palo Alto, CA
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	New York, NY
Senior Software Engineer	USD 165k - 210k	Palo Alto, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 165k - 210k	New York, NY
Senior Product Manager	USD 127k - 159k	New York, NY, US, Remote

Job Position	Salary	Locations
	Senior Software Engineer	USD 82k - 185k
US Tech - Tech Lead - Generative AI Solutions		Sacramento, CA, San Francisco, CA, Hartford, CT, Kansas City, MO, Fayetteville, NC, Los Angeles, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Albany, NY, Tampa, FL, Dallas, TX, Tulsa, OK, Irvine, CA, Birmingham, AL, Portland, OR, Raleigh, NC, Remote, Richmond, VA, Jacksonville, FL, Baltimore, MD, Salt Lake, UT, Austin, TX, Fort Worth, TX, US, Columbus, GA, Chicago, IL, Toledo, OH, Cincinnati, OH, Las Vegas, NV, Little Rock, AR, Louisville, KY, Detroit, MI, Indianapolis, IN, Grand Rapids, MI, Milwaukee, WI, Minneapolis, MN, San Antonio, TX, St. Louis, MO, Greensboro, NC, San Diego, CA, Oklahoma City, OK, Philadelphia, PA, Seattle, WA, Miami, FL, Des Moines, IA, New Orleans, LA, Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH, Boston, MA, Atlanta, GA, Houston, TX, Nashville, TN, New York, NY, Orlando, FL, Richmond, CA, Rochester, NY, Cleveland, OH, Washington, D.C., Denver, CO, Charlotte, NC
US Tech - Data Scientist - Gen AI Solutions		Oklahoma City, OK, Richmond, CA, Tulsa, OK, Chicago, IL, Sacramento, CA, Salt Lake, UT, Greensboro, NC, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C., New York, NY, Hartford, CT, New Orleans, LA, Indianapolis, IN, San Antonio, TX, Albany, NY, Philadelphia, PA, San Francisco, CA, Fort Worth, TX, US, Orlando, FL, Louisville, KY, Houston, TX, Little Rock, AR, Nashville, TN, Minneapolis, MN, Portland, OR, Columbus, OH, Atlanta, GA, Austin, TX, Pittsburgh, PA, Cincinnati, OH, St. Louis, MO, Des Moines, IA, Kansas City, MO, Cleveland, OH, Las Vegas, NV, Columbus, GA, Dallas, TX, San Diego, CA, Jacksonville, FL, Boston, MA, Detroit, MI, Miami, FL, Rochester, NY, Tampa, FL, Los Angeles, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Baltimore, MD, Fayetteville, NC, Irvine, CA, Birmingham, AL, Raleigh, NC, Grand Rapids, MI, Charlotte, NC, Toledo, OH, Denver, CO, Remote, Richmond, VA

Job Position	Salary	Locations
	US Tech - Tech Lead - Generative AI Solutions
US Tech - Data Scientist - Gen AI Solutions		Oklahoma City, OK, Richmond, CA, Tulsa, OK, Chicago, IL, Sacramento, CA, Salt Lake, UT, Greensboro, NC, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C., New York, NY, Hartford, CT, New Orleans, LA, Indianapolis, IN, San Antonio, TX, Albany, NY, Philadelphia, PA, San Francisco, CA, Fort Worth, TX, US, Orlando, FL, Louisville, KY, Houston, TX, Little Rock, AR, Nashville, TN, Minneapolis, MN, Portland, OR, Columbus, OH, Atlanta, GA, Austin, TX, Pittsburgh, PA, Cincinnati, OH, St. Louis, MO, Des Moines, IA, Kansas City, MO, Cleveland, OH, Las Vegas, NV, Columbus, GA, Dallas, TX, San Diego, CA, Jacksonville, FL, Boston, MA, Detroit, MI, Miami, FL, Rochester, NY, Tampa, FL, Los Angeles, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Baltimore, MD, Fayetteville, NC, Irvine, CA, Birmingham, AL, Raleigh, NC, Grand Rapids, MI, Charlotte, NC, Toledo, OH, Denver, CO, Remote, Richmond, VA
Project Manager		Orlando, FL, US

Job Position	Salary	Locations
	Senior Software Engineer	USD 104k - 116k
Desktop Applications Developer	USD 86k - 95k	US, San Antonio, TX
Red Hat Linux Software Engineer	USD 81k - 146k	San Diego, CA, US
ServiceNow Custom Application Developer	USD 110k - 145k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 97k - 132k	US
Data Analyst	USD 88k - 112k	Remote, US
Manager, Software Engineering	USD 154k - 220k	US, Remote
Principal Systems Engineer	USD 176k - 176k	Phoenix, AZ, US
Test Infrastructure Engineer	USD 90k - 140k	Golden, CO
Tech Lead Manager TLM	USD 211k - 249k	Remote, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 211k - 211k	Canada, Remote
Staff Software Engineer	USD 211k - 249k	Remote, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 211k - 249k	Remote, US
Software Engineer	USD 147k - 174k	Remote, US
Software Engineer	USD 149k - 149k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Site Reliability Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Salesforce Engineer	USD 84k - 118k	Remote, US
Senior Container Security Engineer	USD 120k - 174k	US, Remote
Senior Security Engineer	USD 120k - 174k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 170k - 193k	US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 177k - 245k	San Francisco, CA, Remote
Software Engineer Mid	USD 150k - 235k	San Francisco, CA
Machine Learning Engineer Mid	USD 160k - 250k	San Francisco, CA
USA Data Scientist III	USD 90k - 216k	US, Reston, VA
USA Senior, Software Engineer	USD 90k - 180k	US
Senior, Software Engineer	USD 90k - 180k	US
USA Software Engineer III	USD 90k - 180k	US
Senior Manager, Data Engineering, Services - Parcel Stations	USD 110k - 220k	US
USA Staff, Software Engineer	USD 110k - 220k	US
USA Software Engineer III	USD 108k - 216k	US, Bellevue, WA, Remote
Senior Software Engineer	USD 146k - 243k	Remote, US
Senior Data Scientist Marketing Solutions	USD 110k - 226k	US, Remote
Data Platform Engineer	USD 120k - 180k	Remote, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 142k - 249k	San Diego, CA, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 158k - 277k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Staff Software Engineer	USD 163k - 285k	San Diego, CA, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 137k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 137k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Machine Learning Engineer	USD 146k - 210k	US
Data Analyst/Engineer	USD 85k - 115k	US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 168k - 201k	US, Remote
Sr Big Data Analyst	USD 144k - 160k	Dallas, TX, US
Senior Engineering Manager	USD 190k - 250k	Remote, US
Mainframe Systems Integration Testing Engineer	USD 51k - 82k	Indianapolis, IN, US
Senior Applications Engineer	USD 156k - 235k	San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, Sunnyvale, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 160k - 222k	US, Remote
Lead Platform Program Manager	USD 107k - 259k	San Jose, CA, US, Austin, TX, Remote
Staff Backend Engineer	USD 185k - 307k	San Francisco, CA
Software Engineer	USD 125k - 214k	Remote
Senior Cloud Security Engineer AWS	USD 148k - 190k	Remote
Reliability Engineer	USD 136k - 197k	US
Senior Manager, Data Engineering	USD 161k - 214k	Austin, TX, US
IT Systems Engineer	USD 76k - 151k	New York, NY, Europe
Senior Staff Engineer	USD 110k - 261k	US, Remote
Senior Manager, MarTech and Ads Engineering	USD 120k - 261k	US, Remote
Senior Software Engineer	USD 82k - 185k	Arlington, VA, Fort Worth, TX, US, Remote, Spokane, WA, Berkeley, CA, Vancouver, British Columbia, Des Moines, IA, Everett, WA, Tucson, AZ, Scottsdale, AZ, Wichita, KS, Detroit, MI, Boise, ID, San Jose, CA, Anaheim, CA, Atlanta, GA, Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Cincinnati, OH, Arlington, TX, Santa Barbara, CA, San Francisco, CA, Albuquerque, NM, Washington, D.C.
Senior Director, TV Network Sales	USD 148k - 237k	New York, NY
Senior Full Stack Developer Network Software Engineer	USD 150k - 200k	San Francisco, CA
Full Stack Engineer	USD 120k - 150k	San Francisco, CA
Sr Site Reliability Engineer Cortex XDR Cloud	USD 124k - 201k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Staff IT Data Engineer	USD 143k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Systems Engineering Manager	USD 218k - 300k	US
Systems Engineering Manager	USD 218k - 300k	Miami, FL, US
Systems Engineering Manager	USD 218k - 300k	Tampa, FL, US
Cortex Systems Engineer	USD 192k - 264k	Boston, MA, US
Senior Lead, Infrastructure/Cloud Architecture	USD 110k - 178k	New York, NY, US, Remote
Basketball Data Scientist	USD 100k - 195k	San Francisco, CA, Remote
Research Engineer	USD 105k - 250k	Sunnyvale, CA, US, Ontario
Lead Architect – Software Cloud Multiple Openings	USD 171k - 171k	Minneapolis, MN, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	New York, NY
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	Palo Alto, CA
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	Palo Alto, CA
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	New York, NY
Senior Software Engineer	USD 165k - 210k	Palo Alto, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 165k - 210k	New York, NY
Senior Product Manager	USD 127k - 159k	New York, NY, US, Remote

Job Position	Salary	Locations
	Senior Software Engineer	USD 104k - 116k
Desktop Applications Developer	USD 86k - 95k	US, San Antonio, TX
Red Hat Linux Software Engineer	USD 81k - 146k	San Diego, CA, US
ServiceNow Custom Application Developer	USD 110k - 145k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 97k - 132k	US
Data Analyst	USD 88k - 112k	Remote, US
Manager, Software Engineering	USD 154k - 220k	US, Remote
Principal Systems Engineer	USD 176k - 176k	Phoenix, AZ, US
Test Infrastructure Engineer	USD 90k - 140k	Golden, CO
Tech Lead Manager TLM	USD 211k - 249k	Remote, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 211k - 211k	Canada, Remote
Staff Software Engineer	USD 211k - 249k	Remote, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 211k - 249k	Remote, US
Software Engineer	USD 147k - 174k	Remote, US
Software Engineer	USD 149k - 149k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Site Reliability Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Salesforce Engineer	USD 84k - 118k	Remote, US
Senior Container Security Engineer	USD 120k - 174k	US, Remote
Senior Security Engineer	USD 120k - 174k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 170k - 193k	US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 177k - 245k	San Francisco, CA, Remote
Software Engineer Mid	USD 150k - 235k	San Francisco, CA
Machine Learning Engineer Mid	USD 160k - 250k	San Francisco, CA
USA Data Scientist III	USD 90k - 216k	US, Reston, VA
USA Senior, Software Engineer	USD 90k - 180k	US
Senior, Software Engineer	USD 90k - 180k	US
USA Software Engineer III	USD 90k - 180k	US
Senior Manager, Data Engineering, Services - Parcel Stations	USD 110k - 220k	US
USA Staff, Software Engineer	USD 110k - 220k	US
USA Software Engineer III	USD 108k - 216k	US, Bellevue, WA, Remote
Senior Software Engineer	USD 146k - 243k	Remote, US
Senior Data Scientist Marketing Solutions	USD 110k - 226k	US, Remote
Data Platform Engineer	USD 120k - 180k	Remote, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 142k - 249k	San Diego, CA, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 158k - 277k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Staff Software Engineer	USD 163k - 285k	San Diego, CA, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 137k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 137k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Machine Learning Engineer	USD 146k - 210k	US
Data Analyst/Engineer	USD 85k - 115k	US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 168k - 201k	US, Remote
Sr Big Data Analyst	USD 144k - 160k	Dallas, TX, US
Senior Engineering Manager	USD 190k - 250k	Remote, US
Mainframe Systems Integration Testing Engineer	USD 51k - 82k	Indianapolis, IN, US
Senior Applications Engineer	USD 156k - 235k	San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, Sunnyvale, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 160k - 222k	US, Remote
Lead Platform Program Manager	USD 107k - 259k	San Jose, CA, US, Austin, TX, Remote
Staff Backend Engineer	USD 185k - 307k	San Francisco, CA
Software Engineer	USD 125k - 214k	Remote
Senior Cloud Security Engineer AWS	USD 148k - 190k	Remote
Reliability Engineer	USD 136k - 197k	US
Senior Manager, Data Engineering	USD 161k - 214k	Austin, TX, US
IT Systems Engineer	USD 76k - 151k	New York, NY, Europe
Senior Staff Engineer	USD 110k - 261k	US, Remote
Senior Manager, MarTech and Ads Engineering	USD 120k - 261k	US, Remote
Senior Software Engineer	USD 82k - 185k	Arlington, VA, Fort Worth, TX, US, Remote, Spokane, WA, Berkeley, CA, Vancouver, British Columbia, Des Moines, IA, Everett, WA, Tucson, AZ, Scottsdale, AZ, Wichita, KS, Detroit, MI, Boise, ID, San Jose, CA, Anaheim, CA, Atlanta, GA, Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Cincinnati, OH, Arlington, TX, Santa Barbara, CA, San Francisco, CA, Albuquerque, NM, Washington, D.C.
Senior Director, TV Network Sales	USD 148k - 237k	New York, NY
Senior Full Stack Developer Network Software Engineer	USD 150k - 200k	San Francisco, CA
Full Stack Engineer	USD 120k - 150k	San Francisco, CA
Sr Site Reliability Engineer Cortex XDR Cloud	USD 124k - 201k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Staff IT Data Engineer	USD 143k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Systems Engineering Manager	USD 218k - 300k	US
Systems Engineering Manager	USD 218k - 300k	Miami, FL, US
Systems Engineering Manager	USD 218k - 300k	Tampa, FL, US
Cortex Systems Engineer	USD 192k - 264k	Boston, MA, US
Senior Lead, Infrastructure/Cloud Architecture	USD 110k - 178k	New York, NY, US, Remote
Basketball Data Scientist	USD 100k - 195k	San Francisco, CA, Remote
Research Engineer	USD 105k - 250k	Sunnyvale, CA, US, Ontario
Lead Architect – Software Cloud Multiple Openings	USD 171k - 171k	Minneapolis, MN, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	New York, NY
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	Palo Alto, CA
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	Palo Alto, CA
Staff Software Engineer	USD 185k - 235k	New York, NY
Senior Software Engineer	USD 165k - 210k	Palo Alto, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 165k - 210k	New York, NY
Senior Product Manager	USD 127k - 159k	New York, NY, US, Remote

Job Position	Salary	Locations
	US Tech - Tech Lead - Generative AI Solutions
US Tech - Data Scientist - Gen AI Solutions		Oklahoma City, OK, Richmond, CA, Tulsa, OK, Chicago, IL, Sacramento, CA, Salt Lake, UT, Greensboro, NC, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C., New York, NY, Hartford, CT, New Orleans, LA, Indianapolis, IN, San Antonio, TX, Albany, NY, Philadelphia, PA, San Francisco, CA, Fort Worth, TX, US, Orlando, FL, Louisville, KY, Houston, TX, Little Rock, AR, Nashville, TN, Minneapolis, MN, Portland, OR, Columbus, OH, Atlanta, GA, Austin, TX, Pittsburgh, PA, Cincinnati, OH, St. Louis, MO, Des Moines, IA, Kansas City, MO, Cleveland, OH, Las Vegas, NV, Columbus, GA, Dallas, TX, San Diego, CA, Jacksonville, FL, Boston, MA, Detroit, MI, Miami, FL, Rochester, NY, Tampa, FL, Los Angeles, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Baltimore, MD, Fayetteville, NC, Irvine, CA, Birmingham, AL, Raleigh, NC, Grand Rapids, MI, Charlotte, NC, Toledo, OH, Denver, CO, Remote, Richmond, VA
Controls System Engineer		Houston, TX, US

Job Position	Salary	Locations
	Senior Software Engineer	USD 104k - 116k
Desktop Applications Developer	USD 86k - 95k	US, San Antonio, TX
Red Hat Linux Software Engineer	USD 81k - 146k	San Diego, CA, US
ServiceNow Custom Application Developer	USD 110k - 145k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 97k - 132k	US
Data Analyst	USD 88k - 112k	Remote, US
Manager, Software Engineering	USD 154k - 220k	US, Remote
Principal Systems Engineer	USD 176k - 176k	Phoenix, AZ, US
Test Infrastructure Engineer	USD 90k - 140k	Golden, CO
Tech Lead Manager TLM	USD 211k - 249k	Remote, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 211k - 211k	Canada, Remote
Staff Software Engineer	USD 211k - 249k	Remote, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 211k - 249k	Remote, US
Software Engineer	USD 147k - 174k	Remote, US
Software Engineer	USD 149k - 149k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 180k - 212k	Remote, US
Senior Site Reliability Engineer	USD 185k - 185k	Remote, Canada
Senior Salesforce Engineer	USD 84k - 118k	Remote, US
Senior Container Security Engineer	USD 120k - 174k	US, Remote
Senior Security Engineer	USD 120k - 174k	Remote, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 170k - 193k	US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 177k - 245k	San Francisco, CA, Remote
Software Engineer Mid	USD 150k - 235k	San Francisco, CA
Machine Learning Engineer Mid	USD 160k - 250k	San Francisco, CA
USA Data Scientist III	USD 90k - 216k	US, Reston, VA
USA Senior, Software Engineer	USD 90k - 180k	US
Senior, Software Engineer	USD 90k - 180k	US
USA Software Engineer III	USD 90k - 180k	US
Senior Manager, Data Engineering, Services - Parcel Stations	USD 110k - 220k	US
USA Staff, Software Engineer	USD 110k - 220k	US
USA Software Engineer III	USD 108k - 216k	US, Bellevue, WA, Remote
Senior Software Engineer	USD 146k - 243k	Remote, US
Senior Data Scientist Marketing Solutions	USD 110k - 226k	US, Remote
Data Platform Engineer	USD 120k - 180k	Remote, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 142k - 249k	San Diego, CA, US
Staff Software Engineer	USD 158k - 277k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Staff Software Engineer	USD 163k - 285k	San Diego, CA, US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 137k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 137k - 233k	US, Santa Clara, CA
Senior Machine Learning Engineer	USD 146k - 210k	US
Data Analyst/Engineer	USD 85k - 115k	US
Senior Software Engineer	USD 168k - 201k	US, Remote
Sr Big Data Analyst	USD 144k - 160k	Dallas, TX, US
Senior Engineering Manager	USD 190k - 250k	Remote, US
Mainframe Systems Integration Testing Engineer	USD 51k - 82k	Indianapolis, IN, US
Senior Applications Engineer	USD 156k - 235k	San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, Sunnyvale, CA
Senior Software Engineer	USD 160k - 222k	US, Remote
Lead Platform Program Manager	USD 107k - 259k	San Jose, CA, US, Austin, TX, Remote
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Senior Director, TV Network Sales	USD 148k - 237k	New York, NY
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ServiceNow Custom Application Developer	USD 110k - 145k	US, Santa Clara, CA
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IT Systems Engineer	USD 76k - 151k	New York, NY, Europe
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Senior Director, TV Network Sales	USD 148k - 237k	New York, NY
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Full Stack Engineer	USD 120k - 150k	San Francisco, CA
Sr Site Reliability Engineer Cortex XDR Cloud	USD 124k - 201k	US, Santa Clara, CA
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Research Engineer	USD 105k - 250k	Sunnyvale, CA, US, Ontario
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Moving to Indianapolis for a job, how’s the poker scene? I see tons of charity and one off games in the city besides just the casino, are those worth going to? Any of the casinos within a couple hours worth a trip, like Fort Wayne or the Caesars in southern Indiana? Is there enough action to justify playing on weeknights or is it mainly a weekend scene?

I’m a board passer radtech who, after the board exam, went and find work immediately. The work I was offered then was in the cardiology department which was really not our forte and still accepted it anyways. Fast forward to 2024 (5 years later) I have decided to quit my job and my sister gave me an idea to enroll in SLP ( she’s an OT and gave me an idea how big the salary is with speech pathologist and how in demand they are in the country). Now, I am about to enroll into this course and want to know if it would be worth it to go back to college despite it being so different than my previous course? And if I can survive this? Given that I have not been in school for 5 years? Or should I just continue to look for another job?

Out there - Patreon (for all those curious or wanting to support :))
At the Beginning
Adventure Arc - Arc 2
Wilderness Arc - Arc 3
Academy Arc - Arc 4
Nobility Arc - Arc 5
Previously on Leveling up the World...
DOMAIN INVASION
​
DOMAIN INVASION
​
DOMAIN INVASION
​
Rectangles kept on flashing in front of Dallion’s eyes. The emperor’s attempts to kick him out of his domain were increasing. The first wave had been merely a test to probe the defenses. Since no immediate response had followed, Jeremy had pushed on with more settlements, wedging them within Dallion’s territory.
Both attacks were performed in perfect coordination. It was obvious that the emperor was leading Archduchess Priscord, who in turn had decided that the risk was worth the potential reward.
As Dallion flew from his domain in the north in the direction of the Academy, he concentrated on a top-down view of his domain. It wasn’t so much looking as a general feeling of the dimensions changing. Moving settlements about had trained him to have a full sense of his territory.
Circles of nothing kept on eating into his domain as settlements with reasonably large populations invaded. Dallion could tell that they were soldier forts full of Priscord’s troops. The moment they got anywhere close to a settlement of his, they would rush out and attack outright. So far, they had captured three minor towns with minimal resistance.
​
DOMAIN INVASION
You have increased your domain
​
The TOWN of GRIFFIN FORT has become part of your domain
​
Another pair of rectangles popped up. Euryale had sprung into action, taking on one of the invading forts.
For a moment Dallion hesitated whether to get involved as well. If he made a push in the same area, he could well strand several of the invading forts, potentially commencing a counterattack.
No, the wiser part within him said. There would be time for that later. For the moment, all his focus had to be on the Academy.
Summoning three clay cylinders, Dallion cast three aether echoes and sent them to scout the general area he where remembered the Academy being. Adzorg had done a good job suggesting that as a target. In theory, the emperor could move its location like any other settlement. However, that wasn’t entirely true for the Academy buildings. Having them remain so long at their original location had caused the magic lines of the area to thicken like roots taking hold. Moving the buildings would rip a large part of them out, severely limiting a lot of the spells that the mages took for granted. In a worst-case scenario, a series of wild vortexes could appear, turning the Academy into the vortex fields. The archbishop was probably aware of that, which was why he hadn’t attempted to glass them with his magic rockets until now. That left the morsel ripe for the taking.
Veil, any trouble? Dallion asked through his domain.
You bet. Nothing we can’t handle, the overseer replied. She’s using hunting troops.
Actual hunters?
Nah, just the common riff-raff that we were volunteered to way back. Level twenty, all of them.
That was somewhat strange. Provided that the emperor was still in possession of the skill altar, one would have assumed that he’d boost the skill level of all his troops. Or maybe that was on purpose. After all, Priscord’s troops remained loyal to her, not the emperor himself.
“Be ready, Gleam.” Dallion summoned the shardfly near him.
You know they must have added a few extra illusions since our last visit, the creature said.
I see them, Aquilequia said in a smug manner. Being a great dragon, even when reduced to level one, had more advantages than the achievement had let on.
Dallion could feel the anger and bloodlust erupt from Gleam. It was the shardfly’s nature to face something strong, especially a dragon. Thankfully, she was loyal enough to keep herself from doing anything rash. After all, Dallion had promised her a go at the emperor’s great dragon in the near future.
It’s right over—
Before Aquilequia could finish, a purple beam of light erupted from below. Shattering the area illusion hiding it, it struck one of Dallion’s aether echoes, evaporating it on the spot.
Instinctively, Dallion thrust his harpsisword in the direction, sending a spark infused spiral attack. Dozens of aether barriers emerged in an attempt to block the attack. All they did was shatter one after the other, barely diminishing its power.
Careful, dear boy! Adzorg warned. There are buildings you don’t want to destroy.
“I know.” Dallion split into fifty instances.
In sync, Dallion’s remaining two aether echoes performed a series of line attacks, scarring the ground below them. Chasms, several feel wide and hundreds of feet deep, covered the terrain, breaking any illusions along their path. In the cases when buildings were destroyed, Dallion would ignore the instance, choosing one more appropriate.
“Aqui, can you consume threads?” Dallion asked.
Not directly. The dragon glided closer. Why?
“No reason to waste a good opportunity.”
​
COMBAT INITIATED
​
A purple rectangle flashed, then disappeared. It was immediately followed by a cluster of purple rays. Over half of Dallion’s instances were instantly vaporized, along with another one of his aether echoes. Alien was clearly not pulling any punches, making full use of the imperial rune golems entrusted to him. Curiously enough, there didn’t seem to be any bladerers or battle mages.
“Stop!” Dallion shouted, mixing his music skill with magic.
There seemed to be a momentary pause. The new set of rays quickly made it clear that his attack wasn’t as effective as he thought.
They’re not letting any mages take part? Dallion wondered.
There might be a whole range of reasons, Adzorg explained. My guess would be that Alien is keeping them close at hand.
Even the skilled ones?
Choosing to push the archmage into action, Dallion landed on the ground on a cluster of magic concentration. Based on the intensity, there could be no doubt that a building of moderate importance had stood there in the near past.
“Aqui!” he shouted. “Better learn this fast!”
He reached into the ground and grabbed the threads of magic flowing through it. With measured strength and perfect precision, he pulled them out as if he were taking out a weed, careful not to have any threads snap. Once he had pulled enough of them, he tore them out with one brisk action. Losing their contact with the rest of the mesh, the magic threads merged together, forming a ball of pure magic.
“Eat this,” Dallion offered, bursting into another set of instances. It was a good thing too, for one ray vaporized that particular instance of him.
Damn it, Dallion thought. The golems were adapting to his actions.
The dragon sniffed the ball of magic like a cat. Her indecision might have been described as adorable if it didn’t occur at the worst possible time. There was an option to have Gem assist, but that might prove rather risky. Aquilauia’s nature tended to be on the vicious side, same as Gleam.
“Aqui.” Dallion gently pushed her using his music skill.
Able to see the strands of music, the dragon still felt compelled to hurry up, gobbling the ball of magic in one bite.
​
AQUILEQUIA has assimilated the MAGIC cluster.
​
A purple rectangle flashed. Sadly, there was no mention of level increase. Even for a level one, the dragon required a lot more to advance. That wasn’t the point, though.
Shards of hardened aether rained all over the ground, as Dallion’s last aether copy cast a myriad of spells, providing him and the dragon with cover.
“Did you understand the principle?” Dallion asked as he pulled out another cluster of magic threads from the ground.
Yes. The dragon attempted a pout as she devoured the next ball of magic offered. I got it.
And just to prove it, she then sunk her teeth into the ground, draining an even larger amount.
​
AQUILEQUIA has assimilated the MAGIC cluster.
​
“You know what to do,” Dallion said, splitting into instances again. “Gleam, watch over her.”
Do I have to? The shardfly sighed like an older sister being denied a night out to look over her infant sibling. Even so, she did flutter close to the dragonlet, as did Dallion’s aether echo.
Dallion performed another spiral attack. He’d already discovered a number of buildings, yet not the one he needed. Fortunately, the Learning Hall also wasn’t among the revealed areas. As far as he could tell, he’d stumbled on one of the academy’s libraries and the senior mage cluster. The latter had been transformed into a battle mage training area, with most of the previous occupants having gone rogue or finding refuge among influential provincial nobles.
It’s always the rats that run first, Dallion thought as he summoned his new armadil shield.
“Gem,” he said. “Guard my back. Lux, help him.” A dartbow wrapped in blue flames emerged as well.
Alright, boss. The aetherfish said, floating the shield to cover Dallion’s back.
Lux followed, chirping instructions in his typically cheerful fashion.
I’d almost forgotten what this was like, Dallion said to himself. Sadly, there wasn’t much time to reminisce. While the human mages were focusing all their effort on casting defensive spells, the golems were attacking in full force. At any single point several cast days of destruction indiscriminately in Dallion’s direction, while dozens more were charging straight at him, as if that would make any difference. Done was the time when he would be intimidated by a twenty-foot entity made of stone with speed and reaction in the high eighties.
Music spark attack, Dallion thought as he slashed the air with his harpsisword. Strands of music shot out, drilling through anything they came in contact with. Just for good measure, Dallion followed up by a line strike with his aura sword, casting twenty spells as he did.
Use a bit more instances, Adzorg suggested. Even when observing near perfection, the old man had something to criticize about. You still could be a target for rockets.
​
AQUILEQUIA has assimilated the MAGIC cluster, increasing her level to 2.
​
“Good work girl,” Dallion praised as rune golems disintegrated by the dozens.
​
MULTI KILL
(+2 Body, +2 Perception)
Killing twenty in one strike isn’t anything special. Killing twenty entities with an awakened level of eighty, is.
​
A kill achievement? For some reason that made Dallion think of his grandfather. He, too, had killed off dozens of similar levels. Did that mean he had earned that achievement as well during the Order of the Twelve Suns massacre?
Careful, boss! Lux chirped.
A wave of destruction came out from beneath the ground, vaporizing all but five of Dallion’s instances.
Instantly, Dallion split again, and just in time as more waves followed from beneath the ground.
​
MAJOR WOUND
Your health has been reduced by 50%
​
Even with all his effort, Dallion had still suffered a partial hit. A ray of purple had effectively severed both his feet. The pain was tremendous, though severely dulled by his high body level, as if he was having a tooth pulled with partial anesthetic.
An immediate soothing sensation followed, as the firebird moved the dartblade to where his legs were, transforming it into a pair of metal bowls.
“Is everyone alright?” Dallion looked about with his instances.
There was no trace of his echo, though Aquilequia and Gleam seemed unharmed, located on the only patch of land that remained unaffected.
Nymphs aren’t the only ones who can play tricks, the shardfly said. Looks like you lost a few inches.
Smiling at her humor, Dallion performed a series of spiral attacks directly below.
The ground tore, revealing hundreds of partial golems buried there. The designs seemed ancient—something that must have been constructed during the first days of the Academy.
“You really were planning things out forward, weren’t you?” Dallion said out loud. Even back before Jeremy had openly rebelled he had set things up so nothing he had created would fall in enemy hands. The capital, the Academy, and Moons know what else were nothing but expendable pawns that had served their purpose.
The realization sent chills throughout Dallion’s body. If the emperor was willing to use them here, he’d be willing to destroy every structure of the Academy, people included.
“Damn it!” A hundred instances of Dallion darted straight down. Unsummoning both his blades, he reached forward in an attempt to come in contact with the ground as fast as possible.
​
AREA AWAKENING
Next

Special thanks to u/SpacePaladin15 for creating the NoP universe.
​
I'd also like to thank u/xskipy10 for their awesome fanart of the main cast as well as their recent Tohba meme and their fanart of Michael baysitting. You're work is a treasure!
​
Thank you as well to u/Accomplished-Golf-59 for his take on Michael, Teylim, and Tohba in his submission for the Banner Art Contest, and u/Spacer_Catgirl4969 for their awesome music video featuring a pixel-art Dohkar in his bar. Be sure to give ALL of these awesome creators your love and support.
​
And let's not forget u/Guywhoexists2812 who has been an awesome source of memes as well as sick pixel art, such as THIS and THIS!!!! And even THIS!!!!!! And how could I forget THIS!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!
​
Today, we join Khornel and Michael as they prepare for yet another protest show as they continue the fight against those abusing their power. LETTUCE...conclude...for now...
​
First
​
Previous
​
Songs Mentioned/Used: Gives You Hell by The All American Rejects
​
Memory Transcript Subject: Khornel, Krakotl Talent Manager Date:[Standardized Human Time] February 2, 2137
​
Aaaand DONE!
​
I turned my head from side to side, inspecting my handiwork. While I still wasn’t QUITE as good at it as Ms. Teylim, touching up my feather dye was becoming easier and easier with practice. I’d even experimented a bit this time, and I was really liking how it turned out.
​
If only this crappy mirror wasn’t so smudgy.
​
Regardless of the state of the motel’s bathroom mirror, I was satisfied with the way I looked. My blue and newly touched up orange feathers were complimenting each other perfectly. And the slight hint of pink along the border definitely helped the whole spectrum of colors come together.
​
Perfect.
​
Once I was out of the bathroom, I sat down on the bed I was sharing and went through my bag to make sure I had everything.
​
Pad? Check!
​
Client contracts? Check!
​
Pens? Check!
​
Extra pair of glasses in case he forgets…again…
​
Check!
​
Credits for the fare? Eeeehhh, we can walk.
​
Other than that though, I had everything.
​
“Hey… Khorry?”
​
My crest perked up at the voice. I turned around to see Scolina working at the small table in the kitchen area.
​
“Yeah? What’s up?”
​
“Sorry… I know you’re about to leave, but could you…help me with this?”
​
I gave her a reassuring smile as I came over. Looking at the page she was working on, it seemed she’d gotten stuck on one of the problems for her math courses. Since she hadn’t received any education in the facility, she had a lot to catch up on, especially considering she was only a cycle younger than me.
​
“Oh, I see the problem. You were right to divide both sides of the equation here, but the problem is when you tried, you accidentally wrote the fraction upside down. Since you’re dividing the zero by something else, it should be on top.”
​
“So when I accidentally put it on the bottom-“
​
“You created an irrational loop because-“
​
“You can’t divide by zero.”
​
Scolina cradled her head in her paws, continuing to stare down at her homework.
​
“Thanks, Khorry. Sorry I’m so dumb.”
​
“Hey! Don’t you ever say that about yourself! You’re not dumb, ‘Lina. You’re just behind, and that isn’t your fault.”
​
“But…but I-“
​
“Listen, if I had a credit for every time I made a dumb mistake in just these past few months alone, we wouldn’t need to live here. Making mistakes doesn’t make you dumb, it just means you’re learning.”
​
She sniffled a bit before wiping away at her with her arm, the small pink sleeve that covered her scar soaking up any tears that were forming.
​
“Thanks, Khorry.”
​
I bent down and draped my wings around my sister, giving her a nice warm hug. After everything, while she DID have a very touching reunion with her father, the absence of her mother and the introduction of Trivah, Dailo, and Trilly was a bit too much change to deal with all at once.
​
So we all decided that she’d stay with us for now until she’d adjusted a bit. It was odd at first, to be sure, but I liked having her here. Grandfather adored her and I had to admit, having a little sister, at least unofficially, was something I was definitely warming up to.
​
“Always happy to help. Now, I’ll be working late tonight so be sure to get both yourself and grandfather to bed at a decent time, alright?”
​
“Okay. Bye-bye, Khorry.”
​
“Bye-bye, hatchling.”
​
I ran my beak through her head fur, preening out a small tangle and freeing a spine that was loose. Once I’d disposed of it, I turned to head out the door, but not before stopping at the other bed, where Grandfather was sat, listening to the radio. His expression instantly brightened as he heard me coming.
​
“Off to change the world again, Little ‘Nel?”
​
“I’m gonna try.”
​
“I know you will.”
​
I knelt down and gave him his hug as well. I missed this. After so long without him, every hug was a nostalgic treasure.
​
“And I’m not little anymore!”
​
“Perhaps not, but you’ll always be MY Little ‘Nel.”
​
“I know, Grandfather. I’ll be sure to make you proud out there.”
​
“You already do, my child. Now go. And be sure to tell that future Grandson-in-law of mine to run a comb through his head fur from time to time. I can’t even see and I can tell how scruffy he looks.”
​
I pulled away as felt my face turn warm, adding a splash of purple to the spectrum of color on my face.
​
“It’s not like that! WE’RE not like that! …Not yet, anyways…”
​
“Well, then tell him to hurry it up already! I want great grandpups before I die!”
​
CAW! CRAW!
​
“GRRRRGH!! NOPE! Not having this conversation! Goodbye! Love you!”
​
“Love you too! Best of luck today!”
​
“Bye-bye, Khorry!”
​
I barely heard the taunts of my family behind me as I stomped out the door and slammed it. After taking a moment to settle my feathers back down, I walked down the hall to the next door over.
​
Knock knock knock!
​
“It’s open!”
​
My mood instantly brightened from the kind, muffled, voice inside the room. I opened the door and was immediately greeted by the sight of Ms. Teylim making a meal, along with her adorable hatchling excitedly bouncing in his high chair.
​
“Khornel, dear!”
​
“NEWWY!!!”
​
I walked over at a brisk pace before kneeling down to give them both hugs.
​
“Where’s Michael?”
​
“He should be-“
​
SLAM!!!
​
“Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Lost track of time!”
​
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes as my scatterbrained best friend and business partner sprinted into the kitchen area and quickly grabbed a slice of strayu from the table.
​
“You ALWAYS lose track of time!”
​
As much as I wanted to scold him for not being ready by the time I got here AGAIN, we didn’t have the time.
​
“Let’s just get moving before we’re late.”
​
“Right! Let’s go!”
​
However, just as we were about to leave…
​
“Ahem. Forgetting something, my joey?”
​
Michael looked up for a moment and frantically began checking his pockets before looking back at Ms. Teylim. Her smug look said it all. After a quick facepalm, he immediately jogged back to the kitchen area and knelt down to give her a goodbye hug, as well as a peck on the cheek for good measure. Lucky…
​
“Muah! Bye, Ma! Love you!”
​
“Be careful!”
​
“We will!”
​
Once he broke free from the hug, he made one last side trip to Tohba’s high chair, already going to plant a kiss on the top of his head. Again, lucky…
​
“MIKEY!”
​
“Mmmmmmm-“
​
“HEEHYEHAHAHA! TICKWES!!”
​
“-mmmMUAH! Bye-bye, Bud! ¡Te amo!”
​
“BYE-BYE, MIKEY!!”
​
With his goodbye hugs and kisses out of the way he made his way over to me…
​
My turn?!
​
…Only to run right past me and out the door.
​
Awwwe… Phooey…
​
Dejected as I was, I chased after him and down the hall.
​
“What?! I don’t get a kiss, too?!”
​
“Buy me dinner first, Bird Brain!”
​
“UGH!! You’re the WORST!!”
​
Memory Transcript Subject: Dohkar, Venlil Militia Leader Date:[Standardized Human Time] February 2, 2137
​
“COMMANDER ON DECK!”
​
STOMP!
​
My four brothers stood in a line in front of the bar, still as statues as I came down the stairs. I still wasn’t sure how to feel about most of them. While I left, they all stayed, and continued fighting for The Guild even when they knew what they were doing was wrong.
​
Still, I knew these men. They all trained with me, ate with me, stood by me…grew up with me, and now, they stood here, ready to fight with me. While I could never forgive them for standing by while the people I loved suffered, I am willing to let them prove they’re willing to change.
​
“At ease.”
​
I marched in front of them, inspecting each to make sure their garb and gear was in order. In some ways, it resembled their old Guild uniforms minus any actual environmental protection. However, instead of chrome, we wore the same white coloration of the APCs that had broken through the Guild Offices walls. Black boots, gloves and bandoliers offset the white of our suits. And finally, five stripes of bright, blazing, blue accented our new badges, reminiscent of not only the blue helmets of the UN troops that fought by our sides, but also the eyes of a particular human musician, one I was looking forward to hearing sing again.
​
“Alright men, in order for this rally to go smoothly, we need to be on our guard. My most recent talks with Tevis didn’t go quite as well as I’d hoped, but I did manage to get him to leave us be for the most part. While we WILL still have to deal with the Interim Guard being there, they won’t be coming nearly as armed or numerous as usual. They’re simply there to observe, nothing more. Keep your eyes on them, but don’t do anything rash, or let any of the civilians do so either.”
​
I turned and marched down the line once more. While I was itching to move onto individual orders, there was the Mazik in the room to address.
​
“Now, I know many of us are shaken by news of the archives on Talsk. Believe me, I am too, but that’s all the more reason for us to stay vigilant. The people are afraid, confused, and questioning everything. The Magistrate, on top of their normal nonsense, will be that much more desperate to keep control. It is our job to be the barrier between the people we serve, and those willing to use this crisis to exploit them. There will come a time to rest and collect our thoughts, but now is not that time. The people need us. This town needs us, and until that is no longer the case, we MUST remain strong.”
​
“SIR!”
​
Once I was at the end of the line again, I turned back around and began giving out individual orders, starting with-
​
“Bennic, out of everyone else in the squad, you’re currently the one with the best rapport with the people. I’m having you in charge of evacuation in case something goes wrong. Keep your eyes peeled for escape routes and be ready to begin herding everyone together at a moment’s notice.”
​
“Yes, sir.”
​
Next in line was Abra, our weapon specialist. Out of everyone, he was our best shot, even better than me. But he ALSO had one of the itchiest flamer fingers among us as well.”
​
“Abra, have you already made sure everyone’s gear is working properly?”
​
“Yes, sir. Every sidearm, baton, and smoke bomb we have is cleaned, checked, and functional.”
​
“Good, then I just want you to stay vigilant. Find some higher ground and keep an extra close eye on the Interim. The moment one of them tries something funny, I want to know.”
​
“And if they try harming the civilians?”
​
I furrowed my brow at him. I knew what he was getting at.
​
“Aim for NON-lethal, and make sure you have proof that THEY were the aggressors first.”
​
He gave a dejected chuff before responding.
​
“Yes, sir…”
​
What am I going to do with you, little brother?
​
Next was Ento, probably the only other Yotul here in town other than Teylim and Tohba, were they still here.
​
“Ento, were you able to make your last diagnostics check on the sound equipment last paw.”
​
“Yep! Everything on our end was working perfectly last I checked. We’ll still have to wait until they try connecting to know for sure, though.”
​
“Do everything you can to make sure it works. Leave the Interim and civilians to us.”
​
“Yes, sir!”
​
Finally, there was our medic, Canuck. Besides Bennic, this Zurulian was probably the one I was closest with growing up, if only because I’d always get the brunt of Albiel’s punishments when I’d stand up for the others, and it was usually Canuck patching me up.
​
“Canuck, in the case of an emergency, I want you to return to Dr. Forrik’s clinic. Since he’s still caring for his wife, I need you there getting everything ready in case something happens.”
​
“You sure you lot will be alright without me there?”
​
“We’ll be fine. The clinic will need you more than we will.”
​
“Yes, sir.”
​
With one last turn, I inspected my squad one last time.
​
“One last question.”
​
“What is it, Ben?”
​
“What about our…junior recruit?”
​
I sighed and looked back towards the staircase leading upstairs, just in time to catch a pair of suspiciously Nevok-shaped ears dip back from around the corner. I made sure to speak loud enough for him to hear me.
​
“He is to stay here and hold the fort. And he should bear in mind, I don’t just let ANYONE watch over MY bar. This is a large responsibility I’m trusting him with, and I trust he won’t let me down.”
​
The ears reappeared and solemnly nodded before retreating back up the stairs. Once I was sure my point was made, I turned back to my squad.
​
“Alright, if that’s all, we’ve got protestors to escort! Let’s move out!”
​
“SIR!”
​
Memory Transcript Subject: Khornel, Krakotl Talent Manager Date:[Standardized Human Time] February 2, 2137
​
The Soulroot tram station was surprisingly bustling. I half-expected the place to be a ghost town like most places were after Cilani’s interview. But with the news breaking about the Farsul’s archives breaking, it seemed the people of Soulroot were out and about more than ever, either flocking to the many churches and chapels in the area, or simply deciding to pray at the Soulroot itself for answers…any answers.
​
“Damn. I always forget just how big that thing is.”
​
Speak of the devil…
​
We both gazed out the window of the tram car as it passed through the massive central park area of the city. In its exact center, dwarfing even the buildings surrounding the large, wooded park, was the city’s namesake: Kihri, The Soulroot. One of five massive Seraphim Trees spread across Venlil Prime.
​
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
​
“Yeah. I can’t believe it was so close. I would’ve loved to have visited here.”
​
“Maybe we will when we have time.”
​
“I hope so.”
​
Once we passed the park, we turned back around and returned to our pads. He was working on another instrumental while I decided to pull up our current client list. I suddenly remembered something as soon as the list loaded and I saw the newest addition.
​
“Oh! By the way! I got us a new client!”
​
“Oh, sick! Who are they?”
​
“A restaurant in the next district over. It’s called The Lackadaisy. It IS an hour-long tram ride there, but it pays well, AND I got us a few perks as well.”
​
“OoooOOOoo! Like?”
​
“Like us getting to eat AND take out half off on the paws we play there. It might not be dinner, but I’d say half off lunch and take out once a week isn’t half bad.”
​
“You da bird, ‘Nel. When do we start?”
​
“You are scheduled to play during the lunch rush in two paws. We are to enter through the back entrance and meet with co-owners Sylvon and Kenta.”
​
“Sylvon and Kenta. Got it!”
​
Now approaching: Five Meadows
​
“This is our stop.”
​
We knew the tram wouldn’t take us all the way there. The Magistrate’s lockdown had seen to that, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t hang out by the border. In fact, the border that separated Soulroot and Five Meadows had become a popular gathering spot for people from both towns to “voice their displeasure”, which was exactly why we were here. With the lockdown of Five Meadows in effect, the war still ongoing, and the news of archives now made public, the people’s opinion of the local Magistrate was at an all time low. It was time to take advantage of that.
​
Once we exited the tram and saw crowds growing on both sides of the fence separating us from our home, we immediately spotted the makeshift soundstage we’d be using, as well as several figures on the other side garbed in white. They only got clearer once we got closer. Michael was even more excited to see them as I was.
​
“Heya Dohk!”
​
Dohkar, dressed in the new uniform of the Five Meadows Militia, greeted us with a warm smile, being sure to stay a decent distance away for the electric fence.
​
“Mike, Feathers, it’s good to see you two are alright.”
​
“Likewise, nice duds by the way. Totally doesn’t make you look like an oompa loompa or anything.”
​
“Watch it, Ape. I’ll have you know it was Trivah who made these.”
​
“Shit! Is she alright?”
​
“She’s fully recovered and here with her family. You’ll forgive me if I don’t call them over. The last thing I want is Trilly and Dailo trying to get through this fence.”
​
“No worries. Just tell them I said hi.”
​
A yotul garbed in the same uniform ran up to Dohkar and greeted us with a nod.
​
“Everything’s set up, you two. Once you're connected, let me know and we’ll do a sound check.”
​
“Right!”
​
Memory Transcript Subject: Michael Ruiz Andrews, Human Street Musician Date:[Standardized Human Time] February 2, 2137
​
Breathe…focus…
​
Sometimes…I wonder if it was all worth it…
​
Breathe…focus…
​
In a lot of ways, life was the same as it was back on Earth. Here I was, stuck in a shitty apartment, well…motel room now, I guess. I still had a shitty landlord that hated my guts. I was still struggling to make ends meet, playing music I wasn’t all that crazy about for people I wasn’t all that crazy about. I still didn’t have any real direction to take my life in, or any real plans for the future. So…was it worth it?
​
Breathe…focus…
​
I’d lost almost everything I had. I lost my guitar, the only real thing I had to remind me of Dad, and everything he taught me. I lost pretty much all of my possessions. Hell, the only reason I had new clothes to use at all was thanks to the human embassy here in Soulroot. I lost my home a second time, just days after finally bringing myself to start calling it that. I even almost lost my life. My scar still itches from time to time just thinking about it. So…was it really worth it? Remembering all the pain, suffering, heartache, and loss I’d been through in these past few months, sometimes I really question it.
​
Breathe…focus…
​
But then…then I remember the GOOD times. I remember all the people I’ve met, all the songs and memories we’ve made together.
​
Breathe…focus…
​
I remember meeting Mom, and my baby brother. I remember singing for them for the first time. I remember sitting and eating breakfast with them, talking and laughing the early hours away. I remember watching Tohba and teaching him how to sing, just like Dad taught me. I remember meeting Dohk, his honest words and advice keeping me grounded when the world around me just didn’t make sense. I remember meeting ‘Nel, slowly but surely building a friendship and trust that I wouldn’t give for anything.
​
Hopefully she puts up with me long enough for me to finally be ready.
​
I remember all the strife and challenges I’ve gone through, knowing that I wasn’t alone for any of it. I remember all the things I’ve gained: A life, a family, a mentor, a partner…
​
A home…
​
Breathe…focus…
​
A home worth fighting for.
​
Breathe…focus…
​
A home worth living for.
​
Breathe…focus…
​
A home…worth playing for…
​
So breathe…focus…and play…
​
The speakers come to life with a chill beat, soft snares and shakers keeping the pace as the ambience builds. A triangle marks my entrance as I take over, plucking at Teyrin’s strings. I nod along with the bouncing melody, letting myself get into it. I see a few in the crowd begin swaying along as I begin to let my soul sing.
​
I wake up every evenin’…with a big smile on my face! And it never feels out of place!
​
It’s hard to not grin as I speak, letting the notes express my current mood perfectly. I make sure to give those Interim jerks guarding the border a smug look which they definitely don’t appreciate.
​
And you’re still probably workin’…at a nine-to-five pace! I wonder how bad that tastes!
​
When you see my face, hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell!
​
When you walk my way, hope it gives you hell, hope it gives yooou hell!
​
I turn to ‘Nel, standing up on stage singing next to me. There’s no one I’d rather be up here with.
​
Now, where’s your picket fence, Love? And where’s that shiny car? Did it ever get you far?
​
You never seemed so dense, Love! I’ve never seen you fall so hard! Do you know where you are?
​
When I’m up here…and I think about my old life on Earth…
​
And truth be told, I miss you… (Miss you…)
​
And truth be told, I’M LYIN’!!!
​
We turn to the closest Interim chump keeping us from our home.
​
WHEN YOU SEE MY FACE, HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL! HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL!
​
WHEN YOU WALK MY WAY, HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL! HOPE IT GIVES YOOOU HELL!
​
WHEN YOU FIND A MAN THAT’S WORTH A DAMN AND TREATS YOU WELL!
​
THEN HE’S THE FOOL, YOU’RE JUST AS WELL! HOPE IT GIVES YOOOU HELL!
​
I hope it gives you hell!
​
Memory Transcript Subject: Jerrick, Nevok Fugitive Date:[Standardized Human Time] February 2, 2137
​
The mood of the song calmed for a moment. I watched the live broadcast just hoping nothing would happen. Everything going on was just so CRAZY. With the raid, the Magistrate taking over, and now the archives, it just made everything I did in the name of The Guild even more pointless.
​
Tomorrow, you’ll be thinkin’ to yourself, “Yeah, where did it all go wrong?” But the list goes on and on!
​
Everything I did for HIM…pointless…
​
And truth be told, I miss you… (Miss you…)
​
And truth be told, I’M LYIN’!!!
​
I hope you rot, Father…
​
WHEN YOU SEE MY FACE, HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL! HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL!
​
WHEN YOU WALK MY WAY, HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL! HOPE IT GIVES YOOOU HELL!
​
WHEN YOU FIND A MAN THAT’S WORTH A DAMN AND TREATS YOU WELL!
​
THEN HE’S THE FOOL, YOU’RE JUST AS WELL! HOPE IT GIVES YOOOU HELL!
​
Memory Transcript Subject: Michael Ruiz Andrews, Human Street Musician Date:[Standardized Human Time] February 2, 2137
​
A figure stands in my periphery… I know who she is…
​
Now you’ll never see! What you’ve done to me!
​
She’s not my mother…
​
You can take back your memories, they’re no good to me!
​
“You’ll never be rid of me, Blue.” I know…
​
You can hiss all your lies! You can look me in the eyes!
​
With that sad, sad, look that you wear so well!
​
But that just means you get to watch as I live my life without you in it.
​
[Warning!: You Are About To Access Restricted Files: Continue?: Y/N…]
​
[The Following Is A News Broadcast Archived By Magistrate Intelligence…]
​
[The camera opens on a female, human, reporter with green eyes standing in front of an energetic crowd…]
​
“WHEN YOU SEE MY FACE, HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL!!! HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL!!!”
​
“AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, THE “FREE FIVE MEADOWS” RALLY IS WELL UNDER WAY!”
​
“WHEN YOU WALK MY WAY, HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL!!! HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL!!!”
​
“AND YOU CAN JUST FEEL THE ENERGY OF THE CROWD HERE!”
​
“WHEN YOU FIND A MAN THAT’S WORTH A DAMN AND TREATS YOU WELL!!!”
​
“ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE FENCE, IT APPEARS THAT THE RUMORED “FIVE MEADOWS MILITIA” ARE ACTUALLY HERE GUARDING THE PROTESTORS!”
​
“THEN HE’S THE FOOL!!! YOU’RE JUST AS WELL!!! HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL!!!”
​
“HOPEFULLY, WE’LL BE ABLE TO GET AN INTERVIEW! UNTIL THEN, JUST LISTEN TO THIS!!!”
​
Memory Transcript Subject: Michael Ruiz Andrews, Human Street Musician Date:[Standardized Human Time] February 2, 2137
​
Breathe…focus…and ROAR!!!
​
To my old life on Earth!
​
WHEN YOU SEE MY FACE, HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL! HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL!
“GIVES YOU HELL!!!”
​
To the Federation killing my people!
​
WHEN YOU WALK MY WAY, HOPE IT GIVES YOU HELL! HOPE IT GIVES YOOOU HELL!
“GIVES YOU HELL!!!”
​
To the Magistrate holding my hometown hostage!
​
WHEN YOU HEAR THIS SONG AND SING ALONG, THOUGH YOU’LL NEVER TELL!
“YOU’LL NEVER TELL!!!”
​
To every last asshole who thinks I’m a monster for what I am!
​
THEN YOU’RE THE FOOL, I’M JUST AS WELL! HOPE IT GIVES YOOOU HELL!
“GIVES YOU HELL!!!”
​
To that monster who took my mom, rotting in whatever cell he’s being held in.
​
WHEN YOU HEAR THIS SONG, I HOPE THAT IT WILL GIVE YOU HELL!
“GIVE YOU HELL!!!”
​
And lastly, to that figure, that voice in my head telling me I don’t deserve a home…
​
YOU CAN SING ALONG! I HOPE THAT IT PUTS YOU THROUGH HELL…
​
The End

We just finished our first international trip to Ireland as a couple in our early 30’s.
LOVED IT! had an amazing time and so many things I wouldn’t change and so many things I would have done differently!
Our itinerary.
Day 1 Land in Dublin at 10AM Drive to Galway Stop at Clonmacnoise Night in Galway
Day 2 Aran Island Ferry Bike rental on Aran islands with a stop at cliffs after. Night in Galway
Day 3 Leave Galway Drive to Killarney Stoped at Dunguaire Castle (did not plan this) Stoped at Cork screw Hill (did not plan this) Arrived at Cliffs of MoheHiked entire route. Arrived in Killarney
Day 4 Rented a bike and did the boat tour from Ross castle Biked the Gap Night in Killarney
Day 5 Left Killarney Stopped at Muckross Abbey Stopped at Torc Waterfall Stopped at Lady’s View
This is where the trip got FUN!
Right outside of Sneem I had a Tractor in the opposite oncoming lane where I had to take a sharp turn around a cliff…got to far left and struck the bottom of the cliffs…tore the tire to shreds…pulled off to the side of the road and called AAA a man showed up in a van, took our tire and came back in 10 mins with a new one. Was back on the road within 1 1/2 hours…however the alignment was completely off…and the axel was probably bent…right tire would scrap wheel well and screech like hell…So our Ring of Kerry adventure was over and now we needed to get back and exchange the car at a nearest (enterprise rental) 1 1/2 hours away in Tralee…so we had to go back track 20 mins and go through single lane roads through the ring of Kerry NO TOURISTS should be on especially with a busted car not safe to drive…but it was our only option to exchange the car…it was an absolute adventure in itself and some of the views cutting through that ring were amazing…
Exchanged car in Tralee Drived to Dingle Night in Dingle at Dick Mack’s and the Fish Box for dinner.
Day 6 Drove Slea Head Drive (consolation prize to Ring of Kerry) Stopped at Fairy Fort/Petting zoo Stopped at Beehives Sropped at the Slea Head and saw where they filmed Star Wars Went back to Dingle for lunch and Ice cream Drove back to Dublin to return car
Day 7 Day in Dublin Little museum of Dublin tour Dublin castle tour Dark side of Dublin street tour
Day 8 Took a early morning walk to see Trinity College and Saint Patrick Cathedral Fly home
Did all this while eating amazing food and drinking plenty of Guinness nightly lol.
TAKEAWAYS:

1. WE DID WAY TO MUCH! Haha we were operating on fumes half the time…partner is definitely sick with a cold and I easily had one the first half of the trip…
   
2. Don’t be afraid to drive, GET THE FULL INSURANCE…I did and only had to pay an extra 250 Euro and the car was a complete walk away…car easily had 1-2k euro worth of damage done to the axel…250 plus insurance is a small price to pay vs the 1-2k I would have had to pay.
   
3. Drive slow, I was going 10-20km/h under the speed limit the entire time especially on local roads.
   
4. Wish I Skip Galway…I would have just went to Doolin…I live in the NYC area and honestly Galway felt very touristy to me…I’d rather had stayed in Doolin and done the Ferry there and stayed away from the city.
   
5. Everyone takes card…we took out $500 in cash but honestly really didn’t use it. Taxi in Dublin did but that was it. Maybe take out $250? Or if you are sticking to a budget that would be a good option.
   
6. Verizon Wireless worked perfectly pretty much the entire time…cost $10 a day with the oversea plan but worked great.
   
7. There were so many times we wished we packed lunch and could just sit and eat on the cliffs or in the gap and relax. PACK LUNCH and just enjoy the view for 1/2 hour and relax. I wish we did that, we’d also would have saved some money on food.
   
8. Wish we spent more time in Dingle and spent more time exploring Killarney National Park.
   

HIGHLIGHTS:
-The boat tour and biking through the gap was AMAZING and I highly recommend. The guide on the boat tour did an amazing job and was very informative.
-The Fairy Fort/Petting Zoo was a fun experience. I hate looking like a tourist. But considering we were there in spring and all the sheep just had lambs and I kept seeing adorable animals I couldnt touch, was annoying in the best way possible! Here I could pet and feed goats/sheep/donkeys/lambs and alpaca? lol. Highly recommend this experience.
-Muckross Abbey was beautiful and probably the coolest building we saw and it’s FREE!
-Aran Island bike rental and ride was dope…definitely felt kinda touristy though…just too many people honestly.
COSTS:
Total cost was about $2,800 per person with flights/food/cahotel/excursions. So 5.6k total? We definitely had a few 100 euro dinners…next trip we’ll definitely budget better but honestly we did A LOT…ate and drank pretty well.
FINAL THOUGHT:
Go slow…Drive Slow…don’t plan too much…Enjoy the trip.

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This chapter took a long time to get out. Life has me super busy. Two jobs, married, two kids, still sober. I like how this turned out, however, someone new stole the show this time. As always, leave feedback, I appreciate it so very much.
[FIRST] [DELETED SCENES] [PREVIOUS]
~ ~ ~
As I reentered my true body without recieving a mending, the vicious wounds I endured manifested into being as I reactualized into my true Self. Through the pain, I couldn't help but think on Raver's words to me.
"The doors have to be closed."
~ ~ ~
Without recieving a mending in Raver's Dreamtime bubble, reactualization was a fucking bitch. I Perceived my Self as having quite the damaged form, my Soul was fucked over by bombardment from dreadlight and my physical body simply disagreed with it all, stating that I was mostly whole and intact, only being damaged by wounds I had already endured. The three parts had an argument of a sort amongst themselves and with the power of the Dreamtime, reached a tortuous compromise.
I'm certain I seizured and blacked out through the process.
I awoke with my body shaking and covered in a cold sweat, Tsula and Luna above me, chanting in the secret language of their esoteric Traditions. The two of them each held diffetent tools required for their cultural and subtle manipulation of reality. Soft hands, awash with mana and glowing tattoos, were placed on my chest, right where my heart was. Cold, icy fingers cradled my soul protectively, keeping it connected to my body in the here and now as harsh, physical laws rent my form.
I was paying the price for Raver's hubris, and I had almost overdrafted. Thoughts of mortal over reach faded from my mind as I slipped into cool and soothing darkness.
Cold and bloodied fingers were pressed against my chest and did little to assuage the burning ache that was my soul. I couldn't focus on anything else as I gazed at the hollowed out body of my beloved. She had been beautiful, gorgeous even, and due to give birth to our daughter in two weeks. Now, the... dead thing in front of me could barely be defined as a corpse. Her skin had been peeled away like a banana and her insides removed, leaving a bloodied, hollow space. The flesh and bones had been scooped away like ice cream, leaving little in the way of remains. Our unborn child had been pulled out and repurposed with the stolen parts of her mother by dreadlight and a mage's fell Will to form the body of a Thing.
With silent tears streaming down my face, I placed the ring I had proposed to her with and put it onto my finger, next to my plain tungsten one. The simple act of removing it almost caused what remained of her hand to simply fall apart in my fingers. I'm not sure how long I stayed like that. I couldn't even hold her body against mine for fear of it crumbling away into a vile mess. I ignored what was going on around me as I kneeled in the spent summoning circle.
The world around me split and rent itself into distorted imagery, as though I were looking at everything from under a pool with gentle waves. Some parts were compressed together and others were stretched out, not quite like a mirror maze as the world was still simply one cohesive image. Additionally, things seemed closer or further in ways that defied conventional Euclidean geometries. The only area not affected by this blatant disregard of spatial dimensions, had been myself and a scant few feet around me.
What...?
A heavy thud broke me out of my thoughts and I saw my Father landing next to me. Since both of us had been prepared, he was wearing, much like myself, full motorcycle safety gear. It had been enchanted and bolstered by hidden runes and severed Will, turning everything into protective objects that even defended against potent and offensive mysticism. The equipment in question had been chosen for its sheer mundanity and ease of access, letting the powerful enchancements skirt around the Lie and Consensus leaving the magic fully intact and potent.
"Alistair," I heard my Father say to me with grim calm as he twisted the space in front of us into a right angle, redirecting rapid gunfire, "I can't do this alone."
I remained silent.
"Damnit, Son," he growled out then literally kicked my ass with his heavy boot, almost knocking me over onto my side, "get a hold of yourself, Its here now. You handle the mages."
That got me going. I finally got up, my grief was as a lead weight and prevented me from doing what was needed. With a last look at C'Leena's hollowed out corpse, I grit my teeth, steeled my nerves and called forth my magic from the Aether.
Was I dreaming? No, worse, I was in a memory...
"Stay out of my way and watch yourself," Father said to me, "I can't pull my punches against that."
"Gotcha," I replied almost absently and turned to face the assembled shadow mages. They had inexplicably stopped theit gunfire to admire the Thing they brought into existence from Somewhere.
I couldn't help but stare, either.
Standing on top of the northernmost anchor stone, an ugly, multi-faceted block of copper with glyphs and sigils harshly hewn into it, was a naked woman. The glyphs themselves were hard to look at, as though their mere presence were an affront to reality itself, which they were. The woman's skin was a darkened olive tone and she was tall as well as athletic, lithe and fit. Her shoulder length black hair was bushy and curly, flowing about her head almost like an afro. As she ran her hands down her body, I could not help but notice that everything was oddly symmetrical and too perfect. It was unnerving me greatly and triggered an uncanny valley response that tore at my heart.
The body this Thing was wearing had belonged to my fiancée.
Father didn't let It have time to get acclimated. Sidestepping forwards, he drew upon the full capabilities of his Path, eyes backlit by stars, an impossible physical sword of abstract spatial geometries held in his left hand, and a reality defying, super-dense distortion held in his right.
The world contorted and screamed under his might.
I awoke with a start and a low groan, glad to be awake and free of that horrid nightmare again. Not for the first time, I wished I had that motorcycle gear still. I had been far too reckless then and immediately thereafter, and everything had been damaged beyond repair. I could never find anyone I trusted enough to make those enchantments anyways. Farnsworth could only enhance the mundane qualities as he didn't know enough about mana warding to permanently imbue the protections I wanted nor needed for my line of active field work.
Looking around, I saw Rue asleep on the other side of the bed and Spades was nestled between us, his massive form making a visible dip in the mattress. The big monster dog was on his back, legs splayed open and snoring loudly with his tongue hanging out of his muzzle. I was reminded a lot of my Lola when she had still been around in the flesh, making me smile with old and pleasant memories. I must have been out for some time for Spades to be here.
A quick, almost reflexive, mental orison told me everything I already suspected. My mana reserves were shot, my body had been through the ringer and my soul was frayed and burnt. While I knew I owed my continued existence to Raver and her godsend, I also knew it had taken a great and terrible toll on my Self. Miracles like that usually held some kind of hidden cost, even if they weren't readily apparent.
Getting off the bed slowly, I began to look for my pack. It took far longer than than usual as I had to steady myself quite a bit from the spinning room. I managed to be quiet, however, and didn't wake up Rue nor Spades. Finally in the shower, after some time and using the wall to support myself, I let the almost scalding water roll over my aching body. The pendant on my neck protecting me from recieving any burns or aggravating the injuries I had, both old and new.
With the hot water soothing aching muscles, I began to think and take stock of my situation. I had never been on the back foot like this, low on any kind of resource, having few allies, and being pressed for time. It was like something out of a bad novel or shitty indie Steam(R) game. Though, real life was often stranger than fiction and had no real need for a logical cause and effect dynamic. If this was going to become the norm, then I had to find another method of approaching my wendigo problem.
I was simply running out of time.
After some long moments of thinking, I began to wash my hair, using the guest products on the corner caddy. They were so much nicer than anything I would have willingly bought and made me seriously consider changing up my usual shampoo. The only idea I could come up with regarding those wendigos, besides an overwhelming frontal assault, was to appeal to their bottomless gluttony and barter for passage.
I resigned myself to actually try to negotiate with their clan leader, leveraging their horrid taboos against them to get what I needed.
Wendigos, unlike most strange cryptids, vampires and were-folk aside, had a lot of things known about them, especially how they powered their supernatural capabilities. It was a simple and rather straightforward process, the more heinous the act, the more mana they drew from it. Cannibalism, sacrilege, incest, murder, torture, hedonistic gluttony, or any number of other terrible and minor sins. As well as general lawbreaking and felonies, oftentimes combined to have as many as possible occur in the same sitting.
I audibly gasped with a sudden epiphany.
My fate had already been decided, by myself no less. In a bar I couldn't remember the name of, when I had been gazing into my bronze coin, I saw what I needed to do. I had to gift what measly scrap of knowledge I understood from Beyond the Infinite to those creatures. To let those wendigos defile and mutilate such sacred and pure knowledge to whatever whims their baleful minds could come up with.
"Fuck," was the only thing I could whisper at the thought of it all as I turned off the water, getting out of the shower. I cooled the bathroom down with but a thought and wiped away the condensation on the mirror with a towel that wasn't my own, finally getting a good look at myself without vertigo, as that had finally passed.
I looked like shit, and that was a compliment. Huge, fist shaped bruises of black, green and yellow littered my torso, though most were located on my left side and blurred together into an ugly shapeless mass. The ones on my right, however, were well defined and I could easily count the number of strikes. My face held a swollen black eye, I never noticed my diminished field of vision as I had gotten used to having them over the years. Turning gingerly and opening the mirror a bit so I could see my back, I grimaced. It was another spiderweb of a bruise, earned from when I had been smashed against the edge of Raver's Dreamtime bubble.
At least none of my fingers were broken, only very stiff and swollen, just like the rest of me. I probably couldn't drive for another day or so, either, not with my hands the way they were. As I looked, surprised I hadn't noticed earlier, the inside of my right hand was, branded. The skin, while fully healed, held the symbolic glyph that heralded the Path of Stars. A circle with nine curved lines inside it. Each line only intersected two others, but with the irregular placement of them, I could trace an intersection to any other one. In each of the open spaces, slightly off center, as a simple dot.
"Miracles leave their marks," I muttered to myself, almost disbelieving the literalness of the phrase.
I didn't bother drying off and struggled a bit getting into the clothes I brought with me, maroon athletic shorts and a black tank top. Exiting the guest bathroom, I thought about where I wanted to go. Settling on a destination, I went into the backyard, found a patch of grass in the shaded, morning sunlight and lay down. The grass was thick and rather soft, and the smell of the lemon tree and the garden was more pleasant and fragrant than they should have been.
Warding myself against dreaming, I pulled on the principles of the Aether, specifically, those of sun and storms. Since the Aether was a realm of energy and mana in all of its varying forms, I employed an advanced technique, a mysterion. It was something only able to be done by those that actually hailed from the Aether rather than having mastery over it. Pulling some of the sunlight and ambient warmth into my form, I converted measly scraps of energy directly into mana. The process was slow, and almost hardly worth the effort. It was like filling a bathtub with water, a single milliliter at a time.
Mana was now such a rare commodity, every miniscule drop of it mattered.
I settled in and entered a trance-like state, most of my attention devoted to my mysterion, though some of it was allowed to drift off elsewhere. While not exactly a dream, and while maintaining my mana draw, my mind conjured up nonsensical imagery and conversations between myself and others. I didn't pay them any attention as my thoughts wandered and drifted idly.
"I thought I'd find you out here," Rue said as I heard her sit down next to me. I didn't hear her walking, however, she continued to speak, "you've been asleep for a few days. What happened?"
"Got fucked," I replied easily, a little sarcastically as well. "Truthfully," I amended, "I got summoned by Raver. She pulled a shenanigan with Fate to let her have a waking dream."
"So she was hallucinating?" Rue stated, though it was more of a question.
"Damned straight," I confirmed, "she had Sasquatch and Farnsworth make something for her. It had to have been lethal, something like that. Anyways, we were talking and then one of Them showed up. Inside the Dreamtime bubble of hers. Found Raver's luminescence despite Mirzam hiding it."
"Shit. So It was physically there? That means It had a stolen body..." Rue said, trailing off.
"Yeah, it had a body alright," I almost growled out, "broke Raver's ritual with little effort. I spent everything I had to make a patch job just to keep it active, burned through all my mana, too. I did not want to be dispersed."
"I see," Rue said to me with understanding, "I wouldn't want to have to find my physical body without a tether either." There was a small pause before she spoke again, "So what happened next?"
"I made it mad with insults to buy time for the repaired shenanigan to stabilize Raver."
"What do you mean?" Rue asked as I heard her stretch out a bit, my eyes still closed.
"Her shenanigan was woven in such a way that whatever drug Sasquatch and Farnsworth made for her didn't just kill her," I answered with a pause then continued, "it let her do things beyond normality, anyways, my fucked up patch job let me tell Sasquatch that Raver had to stay dreaming."
"So he wouldn't just purge the elixir out of her," Rue stated, then added perhaps a tad bit defensively, "I know some things from other paths, not much, but some."
"That's good," I answered back, "knowledge is power."
"With us, it's quite literal."
I murmured in assent.
"So why did you make It mad?" Rue asked, "wouldn't It just draw strength from human emotions, especially in the Dreamtime?"
"It did," I answered back, "but It couldn't act properly on them, like human emotions were new and novel. The whole encounter was sloppy after a certain point, but I did almost die. Raver saved me, gave me a miracle."
"I saw," Rue said simply, "the mark on your hand was a giveaway."
I could only murmur in agreement again then asked, "Did you find a card in my hands, too?"
"I did," Rue replied after a few moments of silence, "it was debit card, with a note attached to it."
"From Procyon, right?"
It took a few moments for her to answer. "Yes, it was from Procyon," she took a breath and continued with wavering effort, "that damned bastard had it all planned out. Wrote a fucked up letter to me on a Google(TM) doc telling me not to worry and that this had always been his exit plan."
"Sounds like he knew what was going to happen," was all I could say.
"Yes, but, I miss him!" Rue all but snarled at me, then, in a small and quiet voice, whispered, "He was my best friend, and maybe we could've been more, y'know? Now... there's... There's just nothing, only memories of him left to mourn."
"I didn't know," I answered simply.
Rue spoke with a wavering breath before continuing, her thoughts more than a little disjointed, "a lot of what he wrote was personal, so I won't get into that, but he was certain that something catastrophic was going to happen to him and myself. So he made sure that I was at my secondary home, recovering from a job. I had just completed a mission from Raver and Mirzam, and was going to perform a ritual to patch up Spades after I got some sleep. Procyon also stated that someone has been altering things for a very long time."
"So that's why you were caught with yout pants down," I said, "you didn't even have time to recover." I paused, adjusting my mysterion as I had to refocus due to our conversation, "what did they have you do?"
"Some hedge wizards actually got a hold of an actual necromancy grimoire and charged mana tools in a graveyard," Rue said with a bit of a tired sigh, "they knew exactly what they were doing, and would have been rather powerful shadow mages if they had been capable of using starlight."
"Fuck," was all I could say, then formed an actual response after a few moments, "that shouldn't have been an issue for you. Hedges don't have our capability, though numbers may have evened out their odds."
"You're right, but they brought a spirit back before I could stop them," Rue answered with more than a little spite, "a real nasty piece of shit, too. Turned on the hedges, absorbed them, and put up a real mean fight against Spades and I. It was touch and go for a long time and I was actually fearful for my life, too."
"You won, though."
"Yeah, managed to send it kicking and screaming back to the Pit, exhausted most of my mana to do so. Fucking bastard."
There was a small silence between us as Rue became lost in her own thoughts. It was a while before I asked her, "Can you elaborate on what Procyon said about Fate being altered?"
"I can, actually, though it's a bit difficult since I'm not even a novice with the Path of Stars," Rue answered as I heard her shift a bit on the grass next to me. She paused as she seemingly collected her thoughts, "it's just that certain events were made to happen sooner or later. The big one, for our Node at least, was that you were always supposed to make your ancestral home translocate. It happened sooner than it should have."
"Fuck," I said, "So I wasn't supposed to send it away a few days ago?"
"No, that was supposed to happen after our wendigo thing, if the letter is to be believed."
"Fuck," was all I could say, "I do suppose that was a snap decision, I really didn't want Them to get a hold of anything inside. If I had been able to wait, or even had help, I'm sure I wouldn't have lost it to time and space."
"Exactly," Rue said with bitter excitement, "and we'd have access to everything in it. Losing your home was a big blow to our Node."
"Yeah, but at least They don't have it," I answered more spitefully than intended.
"Silver linings and all that, right?"
"Yeah, gotta look at the bright side, no matter how bleak," I answered back with a bit of sarcastic mirth, then said as I stretched a bit, readjusting my focus on my mysterion as well, "speaking of wendigos, I know what we need to do to solve that."
"Oh? Do tell, I couldn't come up with anything myself, kept running into dead ends," she said, then added, "lack of resources and help."
"Well, I don't think you're going to like it, I'm not sure I like it either."
"Don't keep me waiting," Rue said to me with a bit of sarcastic exasperation. I could sense her looking at me even though my eyes were still closed.
"I'm going to leverage their taboos against them, appeal to their insatiable greed and offer them what little I can understand of That Which Lies Beyond the Infinite." I sighed and added, "after all, how could they resist the allure of new magic?"
"You're right," she answered, "I definitely don't like it. I'm pretty sure it's not even wise to do so."
"Wise or not, it's the only way forward, I even saw it in a vision when I was manipulating fate magic."
"Have you talked to Mirzam or Raver about this vision of yours?"
"No, not yet, and I'm pretty sure I don't need to."
There was a bit of silence between us as she digested my words. I felt compelled to elaborate as I adjusted my mysterion again, losing a bit of my focus due to the depth of the conversation we were having.
"Acrux," I said, getting her attention fully by using the name of her star, "there's something you need to understand." I sat up, abandoning my mysterion in favor of giving her my full attention. Blinking a bit at the rise of light and warmth, I continued my thought process, "in the Dreamtime, the Thing I was fighting against, It was surprised and enraged that I was able to call upon knowledge that Lay Beyond the Infinite. Whatever those glyphs and powers are, They never wanted humans to know of them, let alone have them."
"Yet you want to give such power to wendigos of all things."
"At least the knowledge, corrupted or not, will still be on Earth," I said then added, "I'm not sure what you remember, but I know you've seen something from Beyond the Infinite. Your self revival and Spade's new form are proof of that. I was there, guided by Oracle. I Perceived something unknowable, something terrible, something no mortal has any right to gaze upon. Something I can hardly even begin to try to put into words. Raver Perceived it, too. It's how she managed to give me a godsend. So, what did you Perceive, really?"
Rue brought her knees up to her chest, thinking deeply. I could tell she was using her Perception to look inwards upon her Self. I waited patiently while she struggled to look at her soul's reflection against her mind and struggled even more to put the image there into words.
At long last, she spoke, her eyes still closed as she did so, "I'm not sure what I saw, there was too much, and I felt so small. Insignificant. Less than even a dismissed, intrusive thought. There is one thing I do remember. A doorway made of the might from two universes worth of truths and laws. A Thing was trying ro break through, but couldn't, not fully, yet the doors were opened, letting smaller ones through."
"The Doors have to be closed," I said, quoting Raver, before continuing, "that's what Raver said to me, before she sent me back to my body."
"Why didn't they mend you then?"
"They were being attacked in the waking world, too. It was a good plan on Their part, They just didn't expect us to put up so much of a fight."
"They never do, though I think that's changing."
"So that's our endgame, not sure how we're going to do it," I said, bringing the conversation back to topic, "at the moment, however, I'm going to eat a few of those mana-stuffed protein bars and fix your leg. I can't keep spending mana to be able to drive your truck. You'll have to use your own mysterion to get mana, too."
"I hate my Path's mysterions," the venom in her voice was palpable.
Before I could say anything, the backdoor opened, revealing Luna. She was wearing a bird-patterned sundress and her hair had been tied back into a loose ponytail. She put her hand over her eyes to shade them from the sun as she squinted against the brightness relative to that from inside.
"Hey, you two," she called out, "Grandmother says she needs to talk yo you."
"Alright," I called out, shakily getting up to my feet with a bit of a grunt. Everything still hurt. Rue had a bit of trouble as well, her leg was not recieving the rest and healing it deserved and needed.
"We're a mess, aren't we?" Rue asked aloud as we began to walk towards the bak door.
"Yeah, but you should see the other guys," I replied with a light chuckle, only to wince and hold my sides, "I forgot how much laughing hurts with fractured ribs."
"I really don't envy you right now," Rue said with a bit of a smirk as we entered Tsula's home, Rue entering first. "I wonder what Tsula wants to talk to us about?" Rue asked aloud, not really talking to anyone in particular.
I could only wonder as we followed Luna to the living room, the house pleasantly cool due to central air conditioning.
~ ~ ~
The moon was not in the sky, and I greatly enjoyed not having to endure the accursed, purifying light of day reflected by its surface, even if greatly diminished. The loathsome wound in my side had been a mortal blow, burning through my toughened flesh and form with unnerving ease and stunning, blinding pain. Once more, I looked at the oily, thin, and black ichor that dripped from my fingers, more human-like than I was comfortable with.
The mote of dreadlight I had recieved for my services had been the only thing that had kept me from vanishing entirely. Mortal alchemy -- science -- had advanced to such a degree so as to emulate the harsh light of day far too remarkably well. That hadn't been the worst part, that damned thaumaturgist had ensorcelled a curse upon the weapon as well. With effort, as the bulk of my power was directed at repairing the oozing wound, I altered my form and shape, struggling to maintain the illusion as I walked out onto the sidewalk from a side alley.
My contract was not yet completed.
The first two nights I had hidden myself away in the dark depths, raging against the oblivion that threatened to overtake me and ending my existence. The preparedness of the thaumaturgist had been unexpected, as well as the skill and the knowledge he had wielded so effortlessly. Without my guidance, nor presence, to instill fear into the gifted abetters, the wraiths I had gathered with me fell and fled into the night, abandoning their duties and contracts.
I would have never made this mistake against the herald of the bear.
Had I known the name of the mortal's star I had been tasked against, I would have demanded more than a simple mote of dreadlight and a paltry handful of coerced allies. Realistically, I should be grateful that I still had a kind of semi-existence. Quelling my anger and hatred, and swallowing my utter revulsion, my form rippled and took the guise of a tall, middle-aged human male in a common and unremarkable suit carrying an old and worn briefcase.
The artificial illumination around me flickered, emitting a grating hum in my presence and the thin television flickered oddly as it tried to display my image, failing to accurately do so. While tracking Arcturus's quintessence had been a bit of a task, as far too much time had passed, my familiarity with it granted me an advantage that overcame that difficulty. Traveling in my wounded state, however, had been much more arduous. Looking the woman at the reception desk over, I took on my role with hiden revulsion, aided by the illusion I was conjuring and the mimicry of my physical form.
"I'm detective Aiden Roth, and I'm looking for someone. I believe that he was here a few nights ago, definitely this past week," I said. My false, human voice had been made to sound smooth, suave and strong, interlaced with a suggestion, using what little forte I could spare. I put the worn and well-used briefcase I had conjured with me onto the counter with a heavy thud, using more of my forte to emulate such a simple thing. Opening it up, I fished out an image and showed the slightly grainy, black and white picture to the receptionist.
As the woman perused the conjured image, I could not help but hiss, my hand going to my side as I expended more of my forte than I had anticipated. The cursed wound fighting back fiercely against the dreadlight tethering my existence and life. I held my disguise with willpower of monumental proportions. A strength of will I rarely had been pressed to draw from.
Seeing the concerned look the woman gave me, I simply stated, shrugging off the pain with yet more expenditure of will, "An old injury, it flares up from time to time. No matter, have you seen this individual?"
"I'm going to need to see some kind of badge or warrant," the woman said with a genuine smile, "sorry."
The fear of losing her menial job overpowered my subtle suggestion. Unfortunate.
"Sure," I replied with a fake and well ptacticed, fetching smile, adjusting my forte to include another suggestion. I showed an actual badge with my assumed name and likeness. The mortal I was impersonating had been slain many years ago by my own hands, and the subtle illusion taking hardly any of my forte adjusted the dates and design of the badge to whatever was current.
Only a thaumaturgist, or a very particularly skilled sorcerer, could pierce the illusion. Against this mortal, there was no chance of resistance and she accepted the stolen badge without question.
She looked it over, as if trying to divine the legitimacy of it. "Okay," she finally admitted, "he was here a while ago, maybe a four or five days? I remember, 'cause I tried to flirt with him..."
I ignored her prattling and asked when she finished speaking, "Can you show me the room he used?"
"Sure, but it's been cleaned a few times since then."
With a nod, I let her lead the way to the room in question, staying silent. The lights around me flickered and hummed loudly in my presence. Had the woman been more observant, she could have seen my true shadow as I had not the forte to expend to hide it entirely from the ever changing lights. She opened the room in question, using what I could only assume was a master key card.
I immediately recognized the faded auras of quintessence.
"This will do," I stated, closing the door behind me and dropping my revolting disguise, using my forte to lock it.
I revealed my true form. My legs and arms lengthened and thinned, the black suit and red tie I was wearing became my skin, armor and form. My face and eyes became blank, gaunt and sunken, skin stretching out over it. The wound in my side made itself visible, it was an ugly red, peeling and oozing burn from my shoulder to my waist and took up most of my torso. The dreadlight I was using to prevent my oblivion illuminated the wound with a kind of sickly, crimson colored backlight. Black ichor oozed out from it and dripped onto the floor as I used the bulk of my forte to ablate the caustic, foreign quintessence from my form.
The woman looked at me as even her pitifully dull, mundane human senses told her that there was incredible danger in the room with her. She screeched and irrationally ran towards the bathroom as my presence became impossibly tall in the very finite space in the motel room. Using the smallest iota of my forte, I remotely smashed her fleeing form against a wall, pinning her there with unseen force as she begged, and sobbed for her pitiful life.
I ignored her for the moment.
Drawing upon more of my forte, freed up as I no longer needed a disguise, I sensed out where quintessence had been used, discovering two places, the bed and a wall. Imbuing the wall with my own forte, I witnessed a spectral, moving image of Arcturus throwing five darts at a map placed on the wall, one at a time, then draw intersecting lines to a single point on the map.
"Wendigos..." I hissed out in loathing, the skin on my face stretching and contorting with the movement as i spoke aloud with a nonexistent mouth. Even I knew their territory.
Turning to the second source of quintessence, I did the same thing. I saw Arcturus ward himself against dreaming and then hold a brilliant shield in the air, as well as a ball of fire. My knowledge of actual thaumaturgy told me that I would have great difficulties against those Knowings. I put the mystery of his Dreamtime excursion out of my mind for now, there was nothing I could do regarding that.
My expenditure of forte caused my horrid wound to pulse against my form painfully. With a hiss, I turned to the woman meekly begging me to spare her life as she was still pinned against the wall. I could use a thrall, especially as I could no longer gain allies, not without offering something in return to my current contract holders.
That was not a barter I wanted to engage in.
"Please... don't kill me... please... I'll do anything... please..."
The absolute terror in her eyes was delectable. Her fear invigorated me with energy and reminded me I needed to feed. However, the morsels offered by her would be more than sufficient for my needs. I dragged my left hand across my oozing wound, covering it in my own essence then flexed my forte. The clothes she was wearing split in half down the middle, revealing her naked form, making her shriek. I could see the ideas her panicked mind vomited forth as she renewed her struggles with vigor.
What I had in mind was so much worse than the mundane taking of her physical body she expected.
Using the full might of my forte, I lengthened and sharpened my index finger, the tip dripping with the gathered ichor of my essence. In an instant, less than the blink of an eye, I appeared in front of her from where I had been by the bed and plunged the very tip of my sharpened, needle-like nail into the center of her heart, cutting through the most sensitive parts of her breast to do so due to the angle I had chosen for just this purpose. As I let my ichor suffuse her body with each beat of her racing heart, her vascular system visibly turning black under her skin as she screamed and writhed in agony, an odd thing happened.
What could only be considered my blood had been tainted by thaumaturgy qnr bolstered by dreadlight as well as my own forte. As it mixed with the blank canvas of the mortal in front of me, I could sense the candle of her soul. Reaching out with dreadlight, letting the wound burn my side with a hiss of inhaled breath, I ignited it with three kinds of mysticism.
A horrified realization overcame her as she knew I had fundamentally altered her to suit my whims. Having a thaumaturgist thrall would be a great boon.
"You'll do quite nicely," I said with an actual grin, the skin stretched over my mouth revealing impossibly large, gleaming flat teeth, as I watched the physical and mystical changes taking place.
My new thrall would never be human again.
I feasted on her terror, anguish and torment.
It was delicious.
~ ~ ~
Arcturus and Acrux will be back. C'Leena Thomas, Prosthetist is going to be my next update.
[[NEXT]]

This chapter took a long time to get out. Life has me super busy. Two jobs, married, two kids, still sober. I like how this turned out, however, someone new stole the show this time. As always, leave feedback, I appreciate it so very much.
[FIRST] [DELETED SCENES] [PREVIOUS]
My bare-bones-ish Discord.
~ ~ ~
As I reentered my true body without recieving a mending, the vicious wounds I endured manifested into being as I reactualized into my true Self. Through the pain, I couldn't help but think on Raver's words to me.
"The doors have to be closed."
~ ~ ~
Without recieving a mending in Raver's Dreamtime bubble, reactualization was a fucking bitch. I Perceived my Self as having quite the damaged form, my Soul was fucked over by bombardment from dreadlight and my physical body simply disagreed with it all, stating that I was mostly whole and intact, only being damaged by wounds I had already endured. The three parts had an argument of a sort amongst themselves and with the power of the Dreamtime, reached a tortuous compromise.
I'm certain I seizured and blacked out through the process.
I awoke with my body shaking and covered in a cold sweat, Tsula and Luna above me, chanting in the secret language of their esoteric Traditions. The two of them each held diffetent tools required for their cultural and subtle manipulation of reality. Soft hands, awash with mana and glowing tattoos, were placed on my chest, right where my heart was. Cold, icy fingers cradled my soul protectively, keeping it connected to my body in the here and now as harsh, physical laws rent my form.
I was paying the price for Raver's hubris, and I had almost overdrafted. Thoughts of mortal over reach faded from my mind as I slipped into cool and soothing darkness.
Cold and bloodied fingers were pressed against my chest and did little to assuage the burning ache that was my soul. I couldn't focus on anything else as I gazed at the hollowed out body of my beloved. She had been beautiful, gorgeous even, and due to give birth to our daughter in two weeks. Now, the... dead thing in front of me could barely be defined as a corpse. Her skin had been peeled away like a banana and her insides removed, leaving a bloodied, hollow space. The flesh and bones had been scooped away like ice cream, leaving little in the way of remains. Our unborn child had been pulled out and repurposed with the stolen parts of her mother by dreadlight and a mage's fell Will to form the body of a Thing.
With silent tears streaming down my face, I placed the ring I had proposed to her with and put it onto my finger, next to my plain tungsten one. The simple act of removing it almost caused what remained of her hand to simply fall apart in my fingers. I'm not sure how long I stayed like that. I couldn't even hold her body against mine for fear of it crumbling away into a vile mess. I ignored what was going on around me as I kneeled in the spent summoning circle.
The world around me split and rent itself into distorted imagery, as though I were looking at everything from under a pool with gentle waves. Some parts were compressed together and others were stretched out, not quite like a mirror maze as the world was still simply one cohesive image. Additionally, things seemed closer or further in ways that defied conventional Euclidean geometries. The only area not affected by this blatant disregard of spatial dimensions, had been myself and a scant few feet around me.
What...?
A heavy thud broke me out of my thoughts and I saw my Father landing next to me. Since both of us had been prepared, he was wearing, much like myself, full motorcycle safety gear. It had been enchanted and bolstered by hidden runes and severed Will, turning everything into protective objects that even defended against potent and offensive mysticism. The equipment in question had been chosen for its sheer mundanity and ease of access, letting the powerful enchancements skirt around the Lie and Consensus leaving the magic fully intact and potent.
"Alistair," I heard my Father say to me with grim calm as he twisted the space in front of us into a right angle, redirecting rapid gunfire, "I can't do this alone."
I remained silent.
"Damnit, Son," he growled out then literally kicked my ass with his heavy boot, almost knocking me over onto my side, "get a hold of yourself, Its here now. You handle the mages."
That got me going. I finally got up, my grief was as a lead weight and prevented me from doing what was needed. With a last look at C'Leena's hollowed out corpse, I grit my teeth, steeled my nerves and called forth my magic from the Aether.
Was I dreaming? No, worse, I was in a memory...
"Stay out of my way and watch yourself," Father said to me, "I can't pull my punches against that."
"Gotcha," I replied almost absently and turned to face the assembled shadow mages. They had inexplicably stopped theit gunfire to admire the Thing they brought into existence from Somewhere.
I couldn't help but stare, either.
Standing on top of the northernmost anchor stone, an ugly, multi-faceted block of copper with glyphs and sigils harshly hewn into it, was a naked woman. The glyphs themselves were hard to look at, as though their mere presence were an affront to reality itself, which they were. The woman's skin was a darkened olive tone and she was tall as well as athletic, lithe and fit. Her shoulder length black hair was bushy and curly, flowing about her head almost like an afro. As she ran her hands down her body, I could not help but notice that everything was oddly symmetrical and too perfect. It was unnerving me greatly and triggered an uncanny valley response that tore at my heart.
The body this Thing was wearing had belonged to my fiancée.
Father didn't let It have time to get acclimated. Sidestepping forwards, he drew upon the full capabilities of his Path, eyes backlit by stars, an impossible physical sword of abstract spatial geometries held in his left hand, and a reality defying, super-dense distortion held in his right.
The world contorted and screamed under his might.
I awoke with a start and a low groan, glad to be awake and free of that horrid nightmare again. Not for the first time, I wished I had that motorcycle gear still. I had been far too reckless then and immediately thereafter, and everything had been damaged beyond repair. I could never find anyone I trusted enough to make those enchantments anyways. Farnsworth could only enhance the mundane qualities as he didn't know enough about mana warding to permanently imbue the protections I wanted nor needed for my line of active field work.
Looking around, I saw Rue asleep on the other side of the bed and Spades was nestled between us, his massive form making a visible dip in the mattress. The big monster dog was on his back, legs splayed open and snoring loudly with his tongue hanging out of his muzzle. I was reminded a lot of my Lola when she had still been around in the flesh, making me smile with old and pleasant memories. I must have been out for some time for Spades to be here.
A quick, almost reflexive, mental orison told me everything I already suspected. My mana reserves were shot, my body had been through the ringer and my soul was frayed and burnt. While I knew I owed my continued existence to Raver and her godsend, I also knew it had taken a great and terrible toll on my Self. Miracles like that usually held some kind of hidden cost, even if they weren't readily apparent.
Getting off the bed slowly, I began to look for my pack. It took far longer than than usual as I had to steady myself quite a bit from the spinning room. I managed to be quiet, however, and didn't wake up Rue nor Spades. Finally in the shower, after some time and using the wall to support myself, I let the almost scalding water roll over my aching body. The pendant on my neck protecting me from recieving any burns or aggravating the injuries I had, both old and new.
With the hot water soothing aching muscles, I began to think and take stock of my situation. I had never been on the back foot like this, low on any kind of resource, having few allies, and being pressed for time. It was like something out of a bad novel or shitty indie Steam(R) game. Though, real life was often stranger than fiction and had no real need for a logical cause and effect dynamic. If this was going to become the norm, then I had to find another method of approaching my wendigo problem.
I was simply running out of time.
After some long moments of thinking, I began to wash my hair, using the guest products on the corner caddy. They were so much nicer than anything I would have willingly bought and made me seriously consider changing up my usual shampoo. The only idea I could come up with regarding those wendigos, besides an overwhelming frontal assault, was to appeal to their bottomless gluttony and barter for passage.
I resigned myself to actually try to negotiate with their clan leader, leveraging their horrid taboos against them to get what I needed.
Wendigos, unlike most strange cryptids, vampires and were-folk aside, had a lot of things known about them, especially how they powered their supernatural capabilities. It was a simple and rather straightforward process, the more heinous the act, the more mana they drew from it. Cannibalism, sacrilege, incest, murder, torture, hedonistic gluttony, or any number of other terrible and minor sins. As well as general lawbreaking and felonies, oftentimes combined to have as many as possible occur in the same sitting.
I audibly gasped with a sudden epiphany.
My fate had already been decided, by myself no less. In a bar I couldn't remember the name of, when I had been gazing into my bronze coin, I saw what I needed to do. I had to gift what measly scrap of knowledge I understood from Beyond the Infinite to those creatures. To let those wendigos defile and mutilate such sacred and pure knowledge to whatever whims their baleful minds could come up with.
"Fuck," was the only thing I could whisper at the thought of it all as I turned off the water, getting out of the shower. I cooled the bathroom down with but a thought and wiped away the condensation on the mirror with a towel that wasn't my own, finally getting a good look at myself without vertigo, as that had finally passed.
I looked like shit, and that was a compliment. Huge, fist shaped bruises of black, green and yellow littered my torso, though most were located on my left side and blurred together into an ugly shapeless mass. The ones on my right, however, were well defined and I could easily count the number of strikes. My face held a swollen black eye, I never noticed my diminished field of vision as I had gotten used to having them over the years. Turning gingerly and opening the mirror a bit so I could see my back, I grimaced. It was another spiderweb of a bruise, earned from when I had been smashed against the edge of Raver's Dreamtime bubble.
At least none of my fingers were broken, only very stiff and swollen, just like the rest of me. I probably couldn't drive for another day or so, either, not with my hands the way they were. As I looked, surprised I hadn't noticed earlier, the inside of my right hand was, branded. The skin, while fully healed, held the symbolic glyph that heralded the Path of Stars. A circle with nine curved lines inside it. Each line only intersected two others, but with the irregular placement of them, I could trace an intersection to any other one. In each of the open spaces, slightly off center, as a simple dot.
"Miracles leave their marks," I muttered to myself, almost disbelieving the literalness of the phrase.
I didn't bother drying off and struggled a bit getting into the clothes I brought with me, maroon athletic shorts and a black tank top. Exiting the guest bathroom, I thought about where I wanted to go. Settling on a destination, I went into the backyard, found a patch of grass in the shaded, morning sunlight and lay down. The grass was thick and rather soft, and the smell of the lemon tree and the garden was more pleasant and fragrant than they should have been.
Warding myself against dreaming, I pulled on the principles of the Aether, specifically, those of sun and storms. Since the Aether was a realm of energy and mana in all of its varying forms, I employed an advanced technique, a mysterion. It was something only able to be done by those that actually hailed from the Aether rather than having mastery over it. Pulling some of the sunlight and ambient warmth into my form, I converted measly scraps of energy directly into mana. The process was slow, and almost hardly worth the effort. It was like filling a bathtub with water, a single milliliter at a time.
Mana was now such a rare commodity, every miniscule drop of it mattered.
I settled in and entered a trance-like state, most of my attention devoted to my mysterion, though some of it was allowed to drift off elsewhere. While not exactly a dream, and while maintaining my mana draw, my mind conjured up nonsensical imagery and conversations between myself and others. I didn't pay them any attention as my thoughts wandered and drifted idly.
"I thought I'd find you out here," Rue said as I heard her sit down next to me. I didn't hear her walking, however, she continued to speak, "you've been asleep for a few days. What happened?"
"Got fucked," I replied easily, a little sarcastically as well. "Truthfully," I amended, "I got summoned by Raver. She pulled a shenanigan with Fate to let her have a waking dream."
"So she was hallucinating?" Rue stated, though it was more of a question.
"Damned straight," I confirmed, "she had Sasquatch and Farnsworth make something for her. It had to have been lethal, something like that. Anyways, we were talking and then one of Them showed up. Inside the Dreamtime bubble of hers. Found Raver's luminescence despite Mirzam hiding it."
"Shit. So It was physically there? That means It had a stolen body..." Rue said, trailing off.
"Yeah, it had a body alright," I almost growled out, "broke Raver's ritual with little effort. I spent everything I had to make a patch job just to keep it active, burned through all my mana, too. I did not want to be dispersed."
"I see," Rue said to me with understanding, "I wouldn't want to have to find my physical body without a tether either." There was a small pause before she spoke again, "So what happened next?"
"I made it mad with insults to buy time for the repaired shenanigan to stabilize Raver."
"What do you mean?" Rue asked as I heard her stretch out a bit, my eyes still closed.
"Her shenanigan was woven in such a way that whatever drug Sasquatch and Farnsworth made for her didn't just kill her," I answered with a pause then continued, "it let her do things beyond normality, anyways, my fucked up patch job let me tell Sasquatch that Raver had to stay dreaming."
"So he wouldn't just purge the elixir out of her," Rue stated, then added perhaps a tad bit defensively, "I know some things from other paths, not much, but some."
"That's good," I answered back, "knowledge is power."
"With us, it's quite literal."
I murmured in assent.
"So why did you make It mad?" Rue asked, "wouldn't It just draw strength from human emotions, especially in the Dreamtime?"
"It did," I answered back, "but It couldn't act properly on them, like human emotions were new and novel. The whole encounter was sloppy after a certain point, but I did almost die. Raver saved me, gave me a miracle."
"I saw," Rue said simply, "the mark on your hand was a giveaway."
I could only murmur in agreement again then asked, "Did you find a card in my hands, too?"
"I did," Rue replied after a few moments of silence, "it was debit card, with a note attached to it."
"From Procyon, right?"
It took a few moments for her to answer. "Yes, it was from Procyon," she took a breath and continued with wavering effort, "that damned bastard had it all planned out. Wrote a fucked up letter to me on a Google(TM) doc telling me not to worry and that this had always been his exit plan."
"Sounds like he knew what was going to happen," was all I could say.
"Yes, but, I miss him!" Rue all but snarled at me, then, in a small and quiet voice, whispered, "He was my best friend, and maybe we could've been more, y'know? Now... there's... There's just nothing, only memories of him left to mourn."
"I didn't know," I answered simply.
Rue spoke with a wavering breath before continuing, her thoughts more than a little disjointed, "a lot of what he wrote was personal, so I won't get into that, but he was certain that something catastrophic was going to happen to him and myself. So he made sure that I was at my secondary home, recovering from a job. I had just completed a mission from Raver and Mirzam, and was going to perform a ritual to patch up Spades after I got some sleep. Procyon also stated that someone has been altering things for a very long time."
"So that's why you were caught with yout pants down," I said, "you didn't even have time to recover." I paused, adjusting my mysterion as I had to refocus due to our conversation, "what did they have you do?"
"Some hedge wizards actually got a hold of an actual necromancy grimoire and charged mana tools in a graveyard," Rue said with a bit of a tired sigh, "they knew exactly what they were doing, and would have been rather powerful shadow mages if they had been capable of using starlight."
"Fuck," was all I could say, then formed an actual response after a few moments, "that shouldn't have been an issue for you. Hedges don't have our capability, though numbers may have evened out their odds."
"You're right, but they brought a spirit back before I could stop them," Rue answered with more than a little spite, "a real nasty piece of shit, too. Turned on the hedges, absorbed them, and put up a real mean fight against Spades and I. It was touch and go for a long time and I was actually fearful for my life, too."
"You won, though."
"Yeah, managed to send it kicking and screaming back to the Pit, exhausted most of my mana to do so. Fucking bastard."
There was a small silence between us as Rue became lost in her own thoughts. It was a while before I asked her, "Can you elaborate on what Procyon said about Fate being altered?"
"I can, actually, though it's a bit difficult since I'm not even a novice with the Path of Stars," Rue answered as I heard her shift a bit on the grass next to me. She paused as she seemingly collected her thoughts, "it's just that certain events were made to happen sooner or later. The big one, for our Node at least, was that you were always supposed to make your ancestral home translocate. It happened sooner than it should have."
"Fuck," I said, "So I wasn't supposed to send it away a few days ago?"
"No, that was supposed to happen after our wendigo thing, if the letter is to be believed."
"Fuck," was all I could say, "I do suppose that was a snap decision, I really didn't want Them to get a hold of anything inside. If I had been able to wait, or even had help, I'm sure I wouldn't have lost it to time and space."
"Exactly," Rue said with bitter excitement, "and we'd have access to everything in it. Losing your home was a big blow to our Node."
"Yeah, but at least They don't have it," I answered more spitefully than intended.
"Silver linings and all that, right?"
"Yeah, gotta look at the bright side, no matter how bleak," I answered back with a bit of sarcastic mirth, then said as I stretched a bit, readjusting my focus on my mysterion as well, "speaking of wendigos, I know what we need to do to solve that."
"Oh? Do tell, I couldn't come up with anything myself, kept running into dead ends," she said, then added, "lack of resources and help."
"Well, I don't think you're going to like it, I'm not sure I like it either."
"Don't keep me waiting," Rue said to me with a bit of sarcastic exasperation. I could sense her looking at me even though my eyes were still closed.
"I'm going to leverage their taboos against them, appeal to their insatiable greed and offer them what little I can understand of That Which Lies Beyond the Infinite." I sighed and added, "after all, how could they resist the allure of new magic?"
"You're right," she answered, "I definitely don't like it. I'm pretty sure it's not even wise to do so."
"Wise or not, it's the only way forward, I even saw it in a vision when I was manipulating fate magic."
"Have you talked to Mirzam or Raver about this vision of yours?"
"No, not yet, and I'm pretty sure I don't need to."
There was a bit of silence between us as she digested my words. I felt compelled to elaborate as I adjusted my mysterion again, losing a bit of my focus due to the depth of the conversation we were having.
"Acrux," I said, getting her attention fully by using the name of her star, "there's something you need to understand." I sat up, abandoning my mysterion in favor of giving her my full attention. Blinking a bit at the rise of light and warmth, I continued my thought process, "in the Dreamtime, the Thing I was fighting against, It was surprised and enraged that I was able to call upon knowledge that Lay Beyond the Infinite. Whatever those glyphs and powers are, They never wanted humans to know of them, let alone have them."
"Yet you want to give such power to wendigos of all things."
"At least the knowledge, corrupted or not, will still be on Earth," I said then added, "I'm not sure what you remember, but I know you've seen something from Beyond the Infinite. Your self revival and Spade's new form are proof of that. I was there, guided by Oracle. I Perceived something unknowable, something terrible, something no mortal has any right to gaze upon. Something I can hardly even begin to try to put into words. Raver Perceived it, too. It's how she managed to give me a godsend. So, what did you Perceive, really?"
Rue brought her knees up to her chest, thinking deeply. I could tell she was using her Perception to look inwards upon her Self. I waited patiently while she struggled to look at her soul's reflection against her mind and struggled even more to put the image there into words.
At long last, she spoke, her eyes still closed as she did so, "I'm not sure what I saw, there was too much, and I felt so small. Insignificant. Less than even a dismissed, intrusive thought. There is one thing I do remember. A doorway made of the might from two universes worth of truths and laws. A Thing was trying ro break through, but couldn't, not fully, yet the doors were opened, letting smaller ones through."
"The Doors have to be closed," I said, quoting Raver, before continuing, "that's what Raver said to me, before she sent me back to my body."
"Why didn't they mend you then?"
"They were being attacked in the waking world, too. It was a good plan on Their part, They just didn't expect us to put up so much of a fight."
"They never do, though I think that's changing."
"So that's our endgame, not sure how we're going to do it," I said, bringing the conversation back to topic, "at the moment, however, I'm going to eat a few of those mana-stuffed protein bars and fix your leg. I can't keep spending mana to be able to drive your truck. You'll have to use your own mysterion to get mana, too."
"I hate my Path's mysterions," the venom in her voice was palpable.
Before I could say anything, the backdoor opened, revealing Luna. She was wearing a bird-patterned sundress and her hair had been tied back into a loose ponytail. She put her hand over her eyes to shade them from the sun as she squinted against the brightness relative to that from inside.
"Hey, you two," she called out, "Grandmother says she needs to talk yo you."
"Alright," I called out, shakily getting up to my feet with a bit of a grunt. Everything still hurt. Rue had a bit of trouble as well, her leg was not recieving the rest and healing it deserved and needed.
"We're a mess, aren't we?" Rue asked aloud as we began to walk towards the bak door.
"Yeah, but you should see the other guys," I replied with a light chuckle, only to wince and hold my sides, "I forgot how much laughing hurts with fractured ribs."
"I really don't envy you right now," Rue said with a bit of a smirk as we entered Tsula's home, Rue entering first. "I wonder what Tsula wants to talk to us about?" Rue asked aloud, not really talking to anyone in particular.
I could only wonder as we followed Luna to the living room, the house pleasantly cool due to central air conditioning.
~ ~ ~
The moon was not in the sky, and I greatly enjoyed not having to endure the accursed, purifying light of day reflected by its surface, even if greatly diminished. The loathsome wound in my side had been a mortal blow, burning through my toughened flesh and form with unnerving ease and stunning, blinding pain. Once more, I looked at the oily, thin, and black ichor that dripped from my fingers, more human-like than I was comfortable with.
The mote of dreadlight I had recieved for my services had been the only thing that had kept me from vanishing entirely. Mortal alchemy -- science -- had advanced to such a degree so as to emulate the harsh light of day far too remarkably well. That hadn't been the worst part, that damned thaumaturgist had ensorcelled a curse upon the weapon as well. With effort, as the bulk of my power was directed at repairing the oozing wound, I altered my form and shape, struggling to maintain the illusion as I walked out onto the sidewalk from a side alley.
My contract was not yet completed.
The first two nights I had hidden myself away in the dark depths, raging against the oblivion that threatened to overtake me and ending my existence. The preparedness of the thaumaturgist had been unexpected, as well as the skill and the knowledge he had wielded so effortlessly. Without my guidance, nor presence, to instill fear into the gifted abetters, the wraiths I had gathered with me fell and fled into the night, abandoning their duties and contracts.
I would have never made this mistake against the herald of the bear.
Had I known the name of the mortal's star I had been tasked against, I would have demanded more than a simple mote of dreadlight and a paltry handful of coerced allies. Realistically, I should be grateful that I still had a kind of semi-existence. Quelling my anger and hatred, and swallowing my utter revulsion, my form rippled and took the guise of a tall, middle-aged human male in a common and unremarkable suit carrying an old and worn briefcase.
The artificial illumination around me flickered, emitting a grating hum in my presence and the thin television flickered oddly as it tried to display my image, failing to accurately do so. While tracking Arcturus's quintessence had been a bit of a task, as far too much time had passed, my familiarity with it granted me an advantage that overcame that difficulty. Traveling in my wounded state, however, had been much more arduous. Looking the woman at the reception desk over, I took on my role with hiden revulsion, aided by the illusion I was conjuring and the mimicry of my physical form.
"I'm detective Aiden Roth, and I'm looking for someone. I believe that he was here a few nights ago, definitely this past week," I said. My false, human voice had been made to sound smooth, suave and strong, interlaced with a suggestion, using what little forte I could spare. I put the worn and well-used briefcase I had conjured with me onto the counter with a heavy thud, using more of my forte to emulate such a simple thing. Opening it up, I fished out an image and showed the slightly grainy, black and white picture to the receptionist.
As the woman perused the conjured image, I could not help but hiss, my hand going to my side as I expended more of my forte than I had anticipated. The cursed wound fighting back fiercely against the dreadlight tethering my existence and life. I held my disguise with willpower of monumental proportions. A strength of will I rarely had been pressed to draw from.
Seeing the concerned look the woman gave me, I simply stated, shrugging off the pain with yet more expenditure of will, "An old injury, it flares up from time to time. No matter, have you seen this individual?"
"I'm going to need to see some kind of badge or warrant," the woman said with a genuine smile, "sorry."
The fear of losing her menial job overpowered my subtle suggestion. Unfortunate.
"Sure," I replied with a fake and well ptacticed, fetching smile, adjusting my forte to include another suggestion. I showed an actual badge with my assumed name and likeness. The mortal I was impersonating had been slain many years ago by my own hands, and the subtle illusion taking hardly any of my forte adjusted the dates and design of the badge to whatever was current.
Only a thaumaturgist, or a very particularly skilled sorcerer, could pierce the illusion. Against this mortal, there was no chance of resistance and she accepted the stolen badge without question.
She looked it over, as if trying to divine the legitimacy of it. "Okay," she finally admitted, "he was here a while ago, maybe a four or five days? I remember, 'cause I tried to flirt with him..."
I ignored her prattling and asked when she finished speaking, "Can you show me the room he used?"
"Sure, but it's been cleaned a few times since then."
With a nod, I let her lead the way to the room in question, staying silent. The lights around me flickered and hummed loudly in my presence. Had the woman been more observant, she could have seen my true shadow as I had not the forte to expend to hide it entirely from the ever changing lights. She opened the room in question, using what I could only assume was a master key card.
I immediately recognized the faded auras of quintessence.
"This will do," I stated, closing the door behind me and dropping my revolting disguise, using my forte to lock it.
I revealed my true form. My legs and arms lengthened and thinned, the black suit and red tie I was wearing became my skin, armor and form. My face and eyes became blank, gaunt and sunken, skin stretching out over it. The wound in my side made itself visible, it was an ugly red, peeling and oozing burn from my shoulder to my waist and took up most of my torso. The dreadlight I was using to prevent my oblivion illuminated the wound with a kind of sickly, crimson colored backlight. Black ichor oozed out from it and dripped onto the floor as I used the bulk of my forte to ablate the caustic, foreign quintessence from my form.
The woman looked at me as even her pitifully dull, mundane human senses told her that there was incredible danger in the room with her. She screeched and irrationally ran towards the bathroom as my presence became impossibly tall in the very finite space in the motel room. Using the smallest iota of my forte, I remotely smashed her fleeing form against a wall, pinning her there with unseen force as she begged, and sobbed for her pitiful life.
I ignored her for the moment.
Drawing upon more of my forte, freed up as I no longer needed a disguise, I sensed out where quintessence had been used, discovering two places, the bed and a wall. Imbuing the wall with my own forte, I witnessed a spectral, moving image of Arcturus throwing five darts at a map placed on the wall, one at a time, then draw intersecting lines to a single point on the map.
"Wendigos..." I hissed out in loathing, the skin on my face stretching and contorting with the movement as i spoke aloud with a nonexistent mouth. Even I knew their territory.
Turning to the second source of quintessence, I did the same thing. I saw Arcturus ward himself against dreaming and then hold a brilliant shield in the air, as well as a ball of fire. My knowledge of actual thaumaturgy told me that I would have great difficulties against those Knowings. I put the mystery of his Dreamtime excursion out of my mind for now, there was nothing I could do regarding that.
My expenditure of forte caused my horrid wound to pulse against my form painfully. With a hiss, I turned to the woman meekly begging me to spare her life as she was still pinned against the wall. I could use a thrall, especially as I could no longer gain allies, not without offering something in return to my current contract holders.
That was not a barter I wanted to engage in.
"Please... don't kill me... please... I'll do anything... please..."
The absolute terror in her eyes was delectable. Her fear invigorated me with energy and reminded me I needed to feed. However, the morsels offered by her would be more than sufficient for my needs. I dragged my left hand across my oozing wound, covering it in my own essence then flexed my forte. The clothes she was wearing split in half down the middle, revealing her naked form, making her shriek. I could see the ideas her panicked mind vomited forth as she renewed her struggles with vigor.
What I had in mind was so much worse than the mundane taking of her physical body she expected.
Using the full might of my forte, I lengthened and sharpened my index finger, the tip dripping with the gathered ichor of my essence. In an instant, less than the blink of an eye, I appeared in front of her from where I had been by the bed and plunged the very tip of my sharpened, needle-like nail into the center of her heart, cutting through the most sensitive parts of her breast to do so due to the angle I had chosen for just this purpose. As I let my ichor suffuse her body with each beat of her racing heart, her vascular system visibly turning black under her skin as she screamed and writhed in agony, an odd thing happened.
What could only be considered my blood had been tainted by thaumaturgy qnr bolstered by dreadlight as well as my own forte. As it mixed with the blank canvas of the mortal in front of me, I could sense the candle of her soul. Reaching out with dreadlight, letting the wound burn my side with a hiss of inhaled breath, I ignited it with three kinds of mysticism.
A horrified realization overcame her as she knew I had fundamentally altered her to suit my whims. Having a thaumaturgist thrall would be a great boon.
"You'll do quite nicely," I said with an actual grin, the skin stretched over my mouth revealing impossibly large, gleaming flat teeth, as I watched the physical and mystical changes taking place.
My new thrall would never be human again.
I feasted on her terror, anguish and torment.
It was delicious.
~ ~ ~
Arcturus and Acrux will be back. C'Leena Thomas, Prosthetist is going to be my next update.
[[NEXT]]

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