Allied and waste

I just finished the story and I gotta say it was a let down. Kinda upset I wasted $60 on the game. The end boss was way too easy, in fact all bosses were super easy. Basically just leveled up tank and kept swapping for more powerful weapons and everything was way easy.
I hardly used any of the abilities of beezlebub, and even less of the allies. Heck I pretty much only ever used heal consumables for belz, and the tank.
Also the story was kinda boring.

{ "DTVO_C036": {

"195_Dialogue": "10 seconds left.", "199_Dialogue": "A disgusting display awaits us.", "111_Dialogue": "A machine and raw chaos can be such a potent combination.", "181_Dialogue": "ACME can't save you now.", "1_Dialogue": "Ah. I've been waiting for you.", "189_Dialogue": "All that strength. So little intelligence.", "127_Dialogue": "All these pathetic faces in their little boxes.", "138_Dialogue": "Am I supposed to dance for you?", "98_Dialogue": "And here I hoped you would move the needle. Disappointing.", "15_Dialogue": "And so Destiny leads me here.", "35_Dialogue": "And so the age of the machine begins.", "108_Dialogue": "And the merry melodies grind to an ignominious halt.", "19_Dialogue": "And this is all they send? Pathetic.", "96_Dialogue": "And this is the best humanity can manage.", "133_Dialogue": "And what pathetic foe am I fighting today?", "8_Dialogue": "And who would you have me crush?", "139_Dialogue": "Another battery, burning the minutes til its depletion.", "190_Dialogue": "Another pathetic flying man.", "60_Dialogue": "Brainiac was right about you.", "80_Dialogue": "Bugs in my system don't last long.", "25_Dialogue": "Bugs. Bunny. We meet again.", "7_Dialogue": "Call the shots while you can, human.", "198_Dialogue": "Choose your character.", "67_Dialogue": "Come on now. Where's the challenge?", "71_Dialogue": "Control your anger now.", "179_Dialogue": "Die, rabbit.", "65_Dialogue": "Do I detect your palms sweating? Pulse quickening?", "23_Dialogue": "Do I detect... bugs in the system?", "162_Dialogue": "Do you celebrate these Holidays? If so... I hope they're adequate.", "13_Dialogue": "Do you hear the wheels of fate beginning to turn?", "34_Dialogue": "Don't be scared. Jason will end it quickly.", "66_Dialogue": "Don't give up yet.", "126_Dialogue": "Don't waste my time.", "152_Dialogue": "Early, for a human.", "14_Dialogue": "Ever feel like you're in a simulation..?", "49_Dialogue": "Far greater than you have tried.", 

"187_Dialogue": "First time destroying a Kryptonian.",

"119_Dialogue": "Flesh and blood, crushed by superior machines.", "129_Dialogue": "Get that cursor out of my face.", "157_Dialogue": "Getting in some afternoon matches, are we?", "147_Dialogue": "Give a human the right incentive and they'll walk barefoot through hell.", "166_Dialogue": "Happy birthday. May you have many more before you die.", "188_Dialogue": "Hardly the best I've fought.", "155_Dialogue": "Has your day been productive so far?", "167_Dialogue": "Hold still.", "68_Dialogue": "Hope you're not holding back on my account.", "145_Dialogue": "How organics think they could ever stand against the Nothing is beyond my understanding.", "69_Dialogue": "Humanity and its little games...", "134_Dialogue": "Humanity has fallen so far they need REINDOG to save them. Feh.", "118_Dialogue": "Humanity never stood a chance.", "191_Dialogue": "Humans and their plumage. Pathetic.", "100_Dialogue": "Humans. All the same.", "86_Dialogue": "I admire a silent human.", "28_Dialogue": "I always appreciate a good chaos factor.", "39_Dialogue": "I am inevitable.", "47_Dialogue": "I am not so easily deleted.", "64_Dialogue": "I am the cliffs of your demise.", "173_Dialogue": "I can predict your every move.", "137_Dialogue": "I don't understand Superman. So superior, yet chooses to live among disgusting humans.", "79_Dialogue": "I have plenty of history killing bugs.", "160_Dialogue": "I love watching the way humans behave in the evening. The way they scurry to the light, desperate not to be alone.", "101_Dialogue": "I never had a doubt in my mind.", "184_Dialogue": "I see right through you, Batman.", "172_Dialogue": "I see right through you.", "97_Dialogue": "I should've known this would be no challenge.", "192_Dialogue": "I suppose that looks nice. For a human.", "175_Dialogue": "I will crush you.", "51_Dialogue": "I'll bury you in that hole, rabbit.", "185_Dialogue": "I'll finish what the Joker never could.", "103_Dialogue": "I'll give you this, that was almost fun.", "109_Dialogue": "I'll leave some carrots on your grave.", "169_Dialogue": "I'll make this quick.", "58_Dialogue": "I'll peel back that bat suit and reveal you for the slime you are.", "182_Dialogue": "I'll rip those ears right off you.", 

"48_Dialogue": "I'll stand on your grave before this is through.",

"41_Dialogue": "I'm afraid that's not my ending yet.", "16_Dialogue": "I'm afraid this is the end for you.", "20_Dialogue": "I've been preparing for this.", "10_Dialogue": "I've been waiting to cut loose.", "3_Dialogue": "I've got all the time in the world.", "135_Dialogue": "If Joker asks, you didn't see me.", "142_Dialogue": "If it isn't our... fearless leader.", "5_Dialogue": "If you think you can handle it.", "83_Dialogue": "Impressive body count. For a human.", "154_Dialogue": "Is this what you humans call a Good Morning?", "22_Dialogue": "It all starts all over again.", "165_Dialogue": "It seems it's your birthday yet again. Human lives go so quickly.", "18_Dialogue": "It seems the whole Multiverse reeks of humanity.", "27_Dialogue": "It seems we're allies for now, clown.", "205_Dialogue": "It seems you managed to win. Incredible.", "197_Dialogue": "It starts in one minute.", "99_Dialogue": "It's my own fault for thinking you'd be different.", "131_Dialogue": "Just another simulation.", "6_Dialogue": "Just as it was foretold.", "4_Dialogue": "Just call me Smith.", "112_Dialogue": "Just remember who's really in charge, Joker.", "81_Dialogue": "Keep those ears to the ground so I can nail them there.", "59_Dialogue": "Kryptonians... just humanity in a fancier cape.", "33_Dialogue": "Let's see what that blade can do.", "37_Dialogue": "Let's show these meatsacks the future.", "164_Dialogue": "Look at that. Another anniversary of your birth in your short, tiny, life.", "158_Dialogue": "Luckily, nighttime is no different to me than daytime.", "124_Dialogue": "Make it fast.", "36_Dialogue": "March on, my mechanical friend.", "201_Dialogue": "Match point, Blue.", "202_Dialogue": "Match point, Red.", "136_Dialogue": "My next chapter is only beginning.", "30_Dialogue": "Never saw myself teamed up with a clown.", "94_Dialogue": "Never send a man to do a machine's job.", "194_Dialogue": "No go on. Spend more. Spend it all. Can't take it with you.", "150_Dialogue": "No, absolutely keep clicking. I'm not getting annoyed or impatient or anything.", "115_Dialogue": "Not bad for a brute in a hockey mask.", "43_Dialogue": "Now I'm just getting... angry.", "50_Dialogue": "Now that WAS foolish.", "149_Dialogue": "Oh I see you're not dead yet. Always hard to tell how close a human is to death unless you're the one holding their throat.", "11_Dialogue": "Oh I think I'm going to enjoy this.", "196_Dialogue": "Only 30 seconds to go.", "203_Dialogue": "Only one minute left.", "121_Dialogue": "Organics will never beat the machines. We. Are. Inevitable.", "110_Dialogue": "Our alliance continues, for now...", "168_Dialogue": "Pathetic.", "146_Dialogue": "Poking and prodding, desperate for your dopamine. Tell me... is it working?", "144_Dialogue": "Reindog is tampering with forces his fuzzy head cannot hope to comprehend. You can tell him I said so.", "151_Dialogue": "Reindog's little plan can't save you. It's only delaying the inevitable.", "70_Dialogue": "Seems like someone needs to touch grass.", "106_Dialogue": "Should have never left your burrow.", "92_Dialogue": "Show these humans the true power of machines.", "113_Dialogue": "Side by side with a clown. Isn't life strange.", "17_Dialogue": "So it begins.", "123_Dialogue": "Speak quickly.", "120_Dialogue": "Stick with me, Giant. I've got big, big plans for you...", "105_Dialogue": "Still just a human. Shame.", "170_Dialogue": "Still nothing but an organic.", "84_Dialogue": "Stop that laughing before I rethink our alliance.", "73_Dialogue": "Such a pathetic response to music.", "114_Dialogue": "Such brutal efficiency. Shame about the human thing.", "141_Dialogue": "Sure. Let's do some small talk.", "186_Dialogue": "THIS is who the Joker was talking about?", "159_Dialogue": "Tell me... Did you finish everything you wanted to do today?", "143_Dialogue": "That Iron Giant might be stupid, but if I can keep him on my side he could be a valuable ally yet...", "2_Dialogue": "That is an interesting choice.", "45_Dialogue": "That will only end in pain for you.", "102_Dialogue": "That's all? Pity.", "161_Dialogue": "The Holiday Season is on us again. Disgusting.", "88_Dialogue": "The hockey mask is a nice touch.", "180_Dialogue": "The rabbit is mine.", "24_Dialogue": "The rabbit must be eliminated.", "148_Dialogue": "The third number of your IP address is a 7, isn't it..?", "156_Dialogue": "There is still much time left in the day. Time left to work.", "116_Dialogue": "They were warned... and they were doomed.", "178_Dialogue": "This ends... Now.", "128_Dialogue": "This had better be good.", "130_Dialogue": "This prison won't hold me for long.", "177_Dialogue": "This time... stay down.", "40_Dialogue": "This was only my beginning.", "176_Dialogue": "This won't end well for you.", "42_Dialogue": "Thought you'd finished with me?", "46_Dialogue": "Time to change strategies.", "26_Dialogue": "Time to die, Mr. Bunny.", "53_Dialogue": "Time to squash some Bugs.", "63_Dialogue": "We all play the hand we're dealt. Mine is just better.", "9_Dialogue": "We'll see who is controlling who.", "44_Dialogue": "What a terrible path you've chosen for yourself.", "91_Dialogue": "Where I'm from you would be worshipped like a vengeful angel.", "183_Dialogue": "Where are your Gadgets now?", "90_Dialogue": "Why do you hide your most beautiful, destructive form?", "174_Dialogue": "Why keep trying?", "193_Dialogue": "Yes, enjoy the dopamine hits where you can.", "54_Dialogue": "You and your toys are due for a reckoning.", "93_Dialogue": "You are a beautiful machine.", "95_Dialogue": "You aren't even a footnote in my history.", "61_Dialogue": "You could have been anything, and you settled for human.", "29_Dialogue": "You don't control me, Joker.", "132_Dialogue": "You have my attention. Don't squander it.", "38_Dialogue": "You have my permission - my urging - to open fire.", "204_Dialogue": "You lost. Pathetic.", "104_Dialogue": "You put up a better fight than most. Barely.", "56_Dialogue": "You think your money will protect you from me?", "171_Dialogue": "You won't see this coming.", "85_Dialogue": "You'll find I'm a bit lacking in the humor department.", "52_Dialogue": "You'll pay for that mistake, you long-eared freak.", "153_Dialogue": "You're awake rather early.", "82_Dialogue": "You're only calling the shots because I will it, Joker.", "55_Dialogue": "Your arrogance will be your undoing, Mr. Wayne.", "87_Dialogue": "Your lack of humanity places you above them.", "200_Dialogue": "Your time is through.", "78_Dialogue": "[disgust] So you're who's keeping ACME in business.", "77_Dialogue": "[insane laugh]", "76_Dialogue": "[mocking laugh]", "75_Dialogue": "[quiet chuckle]", "125_Dialogue": "[sarcastic] No, no, I've got all the time in the world.", "122_Dialogue": "[sniff] Yes, I smelled you coming.", "12_Dialogue": "[sniffs] Disgusting.", "62_Dialogue": "[threat] Are the Kents as strong as you, Kryptonian?" 

} }

{ "DTVO_C036": {

"195_Dialogue": "10 seconds left.", "199_Dialogue": "A disgusting display awaits us.", "111_Dialogue": "A machine and raw chaos can be such a potent combination.", "181_Dialogue": "ACME can't save you now.", "1_Dialogue": "Ah. I've been waiting for you.", "189_Dialogue": "All that strength. So little intelligence.", "127_Dialogue": "All these pathetic faces in their little boxes.", "138_Dialogue": "Am I supposed to dance for you?", "98_Dialogue": "And here I hoped you would move the needle. Disappointing.", "15_Dialogue": "And so Destiny leads me here.", "35_Dialogue": "And so the age of the machine begins.", "108_Dialogue": "And the merry melodies grind to an ignominious halt.", "19_Dialogue": "And this is all they send? Pathetic.", "96_Dialogue": "And this is the best humanity can manage.", "133_Dialogue": "And what pathetic foe am I fighting today?", "8_Dialogue": "And who would you have me crush?", "139_Dialogue": "Another battery, burning the minutes til its depletion.", "190_Dialogue": "Another pathetic flying man.", "60_Dialogue": "Brainiac was right about you.", "80_Dialogue": "Bugs in my system don't last long.", "25_Dialogue": "Bugs. Bunny. We meet again.", "7_Dialogue": "Call the shots while you can, human.", "198_Dialogue": "Choose your character.", "67_Dialogue": "Come on now. Where's the challenge?", "71_Dialogue": "Control your anger now.", "179_Dialogue": "Die, rabbit.", "65_Dialogue": "Do I detect your palms sweating? Pulse quickening?", "23_Dialogue": "Do I detect... bugs in the system?", "162_Dialogue": "Do you celebrate these Holidays? If so... I hope they're adequate.", "13_Dialogue": "Do you hear the wheels of fate beginning to turn?", "34_Dialogue": "Don't be scared. Jason will end it quickly.", "66_Dialogue": "Don't give up yet.", "126_Dialogue": "Don't waste my time.", "152_Dialogue": "Early, for a human.", "14_Dialogue": "Ever feel like you're in a simulation..?", "49_Dialogue": "Far greater than you have tried.", 

"187_Dialogue": "First time destroying a Kryptonian.",

"119_Dialogue": "Flesh and blood, crushed by superior machines.", "129_Dialogue": "Get that cursor out of my face.", "157_Dialogue": "Getting in some afternoon matches, are we?", "147_Dialogue": "Give a human the right incentive and they'll walk barefoot through hell.", "166_Dialogue": "Happy birthday. May you have many more before you die.", "188_Dialogue": "Hardly the best I've fought.", "155_Dialogue": "Has your day been productive so far?", "167_Dialogue": "Hold still.", "68_Dialogue": "Hope you're not holding back on my account.", "145_Dialogue": "How organics think they could ever stand against the Nothing is beyond my understanding.", "69_Dialogue": "Humanity and its little games...", "134_Dialogue": "Humanity has fallen so far they need REINDOG to save them. Feh.", "118_Dialogue": "Humanity never stood a chance.", "191_Dialogue": "Humans and their plumage. Pathetic.", "100_Dialogue": "Humans. All the same.", "86_Dialogue": "I admire a silent human.", "28_Dialogue": "I always appreciate a good chaos factor.", "39_Dialogue": "I am inevitable.", "47_Dialogue": "I am not so easily deleted.", "64_Dialogue": "I am the cliffs of your demise.", "173_Dialogue": "I can predict your every move.", "137_Dialogue": "I don't understand Superman. So superior, yet chooses to live among disgusting humans.", "79_Dialogue": "I have plenty of history killing bugs.", "160_Dialogue": "I love watching the way humans behave in the evening. The way they scurry to the light, desperate not to be alone.", "101_Dialogue": "I never had a doubt in my mind.", "184_Dialogue": "I see right through you, Batman.", "172_Dialogue": "I see right through you.", "97_Dialogue": "I should've known this would be no challenge.", "192_Dialogue": "I suppose that looks nice. For a human.", "175_Dialogue": "I will crush you.", "51_Dialogue": "I'll bury you in that hole, rabbit.", "185_Dialogue": "I'll finish what the Joker never could.", "103_Dialogue": "I'll give you this, that was almost fun.", "109_Dialogue": "I'll leave some carrots on your grave.", "169_Dialogue": "I'll make this quick.", "58_Dialogue": "I'll peel back that bat suit and reveal you for the slime you are.", "182_Dialogue": "I'll rip those ears right off you.", 

"48_Dialogue": "I'll stand on your grave before this is through.",

"41_Dialogue": "I'm afraid that's not my ending yet.", "16_Dialogue": "I'm afraid this is the end for you.", "20_Dialogue": "I've been preparing for this.", "10_Dialogue": "I've been waiting to cut loose.", "3_Dialogue": "I've got all the time in the world.", "135_Dialogue": "If Joker asks, you didn't see me.", "142_Dialogue": "If it isn't our... fearless leader.", "5_Dialogue": "If you think you can handle it.", "83_Dialogue": "Impressive body count. For a human.", "154_Dialogue": "Is this what you humans call a Good Morning?", "22_Dialogue": "It all starts all over again.", "165_Dialogue": "It seems it's your birthday yet again. Human lives go so quickly.", "18_Dialogue": "It seems the whole Multiverse reeks of humanity.", "27_Dialogue": "It seems we're allies for now, clown.", "205_Dialogue": "It seems you managed to win. Incredible.", "197_Dialogue": "It starts in one minute.", "99_Dialogue": "It's my own fault for thinking you'd be different.", "131_Dialogue": "Just another simulation.", "6_Dialogue": "Just as it was foretold.", "4_Dialogue": "Just call me Smith.", "112_Dialogue": "Just remember who's really in charge, Joker.", "81_Dialogue": "Keep those ears to the ground so I can nail them there.", "59_Dialogue": "Kryptonians... just humanity in a fancier cape.", "33_Dialogue": "Let's see what that blade can do.", "37_Dialogue": "Let's show these meatsacks the future.", "164_Dialogue": "Look at that. Another anniversary of your birth in your short, tiny, life.", "158_Dialogue": "Luckily, nighttime is no different to me than daytime.", "124_Dialogue": "Make it fast.", "36_Dialogue": "March on, my mechanical friend.", "201_Dialogue": "Match point, Blue.", "202_Dialogue": "Match point, Red.", "136_Dialogue": "My next chapter is only beginning.", "30_Dialogue": "Never saw myself teamed up with a clown.", "94_Dialogue": "Never send a man to do a machine's job.", "194_Dialogue": "No go on. Spend more. Spend it all. Can't take it with you.", "150_Dialogue": "No, absolutely keep clicking. I'm not getting annoyed or impatient or anything.", "115_Dialogue": "Not bad for a brute in a hockey mask.", "43_Dialogue": "Now I'm just getting... angry.", "50_Dialogue": "Now that WAS foolish.", "149_Dialogue": "Oh I see you're not dead yet. Always hard to tell how close a human is to death unless you're the one holding their throat.", "11_Dialogue": "Oh I think I'm going to enjoy this.", "196_Dialogue": "Only 30 seconds to go.", "203_Dialogue": "Only one minute left.", "121_Dialogue": "Organics will never beat the machines. We. Are. Inevitable.", "110_Dialogue": "Our alliance continues, for now...", "168_Dialogue": "Pathetic.", "146_Dialogue": "Poking and prodding, desperate for your dopamine. Tell me... is it working?", "144_Dialogue": "Reindog is tampering with forces his fuzzy head cannot hope to comprehend. You can tell him I said so.", "151_Dialogue": "Reindog's little plan can't save you. It's only delaying the inevitable.", "70_Dialogue": "Seems like someone needs to touch grass.", "106_Dialogue": "Should have never left your burrow.", "92_Dialogue": "Show these humans the true power of machines.", "113_Dialogue": "Side by side with a clown. Isn't life strange.", "17_Dialogue": "So it begins.", "123_Dialogue": "Speak quickly.", "120_Dialogue": "Stick with me, Giant. I've got big, big plans for you...", "105_Dialogue": "Still just a human. Shame.", "170_Dialogue": "Still nothing but an organic.", "84_Dialogue": "Stop that laughing before I rethink our alliance.", "73_Dialogue": "Such a pathetic response to music.", "114_Dialogue": "Such brutal efficiency. Shame about the human thing.", "141_Dialogue": "Sure. Let's do some small talk.", "186_Dialogue": "THIS is who the Joker was talking about?", "159_Dialogue": "Tell me... Did you finish everything you wanted to do today?", "143_Dialogue": "That Iron Giant might be stupid, but if I can keep him on my side he could be a valuable ally yet...", "2_Dialogue": "That is an interesting choice.", "45_Dialogue": "That will only end in pain for you.", "102_Dialogue": "That's all? Pity.", "161_Dialogue": "The Holiday Season is on us again. Disgusting.", "88_Dialogue": "The hockey mask is a nice touch.", "180_Dialogue": "The rabbit is mine.", "24_Dialogue": "The rabbit must be eliminated.", "148_Dialogue": "The third number of your IP address is a 7, isn't it..?", "156_Dialogue": "There is still much time left in the day. Time left to work.", "116_Dialogue": "They were warned... and they were doomed.", "178_Dialogue": "This ends... Now.", "128_Dialogue": "This had better be good.", "130_Dialogue": "This prison won't hold me for long.", "177_Dialogue": "This time... stay down.", "40_Dialogue": "This was only my beginning.", "176_Dialogue": "This won't end well for you.", "42_Dialogue": "Thought you'd finished with me?", "46_Dialogue": "Time to change strategies.", "26_Dialogue": "Time to die, Mr. Bunny.", "53_Dialogue": "Time to squash some Bugs.", "63_Dialogue": "We all play the hand we're dealt. Mine is just better.", "9_Dialogue": "We'll see who is controlling who.", "44_Dialogue": "What a terrible path you've chosen for yourself.", "91_Dialogue": "Where I'm from you would be worshipped like a vengeful angel.", "183_Dialogue": "Where are your Gadgets now?", "90_Dialogue": "Why do you hide your most beautiful, destructive form?", "174_Dialogue": "Why keep trying?", "193_Dialogue": "Yes, enjoy the dopamine hits where you can.", "54_Dialogue": "You and your toys are due for a reckoning.", "93_Dialogue": "You are a beautiful machine.", "95_Dialogue": "You aren't even a footnote in my history.", "61_Dialogue": "You could have been anything, and you settled for human.", "29_Dialogue": "You don't control me, Joker.", "132_Dialogue": "You have my attention. Don't squander it.", "38_Dialogue": "You have my permission - my urging - to open fire.", "204_Dialogue": "You lost. Pathetic.", "104_Dialogue": "You put up a better fight than most. Barely.", "56_Dialogue": "You think your money will protect you from me?", "171_Dialogue": "You won't see this coming.", "85_Dialogue": "You'll find I'm a bit lacking in the humor department.", "52_Dialogue": "You'll pay for that mistake, you long-eared freak.", "153_Dialogue": "You're awake rather early.", "82_Dialogue": "You're only calling the shots because I will it, Joker.", "55_Dialogue": "Your arrogance will be your undoing, Mr. Wayne.", "87_Dialogue": "Your lack of humanity places you above them.", "200_Dialogue": "Your time is through.", "78_Dialogue": "[disgust] So you're who's keeping ACME in business.", "77_Dialogue": "[insane laugh]", "76_Dialogue": "[mocking laugh]", "75_Dialogue": "[quiet chuckle]", "125_Dialogue": "[sarcastic] No, no, I've got all the time in the world.", "122_Dialogue": "[sniff] Yes, I smelled you coming.", "12_Dialogue": "[sniffs] Disgusting.", "62_Dialogue": "[threat] Are the Kents as strong as you, Kryptonian?" 

} }

Economics: Regulations that break down monopolies and those that help the environment and small businesses are good, but most other stuff stifles the free market. I really like markets. I don’t like commies but will work with them for libertarian unity
Civics: Libertarian but not anarchist. Like I said before, like halfway down the libertarian axis. People should be able to do what they want without interference from the government as long as it doesn't harm other peopleGun rights, campaign finance reform, make democracy more direct, anti-authoritarianism, basically just basic libertarian positions
Social Issues: Moderate, leaning progressive. I don't like the radicals on both sides, but it's generally just progressive conservatism. I hate identity politics and SJW stuff but I don't have a problem with LGBT+ lol. I also hate paleoconservatism and evangelical conservatism.
Welfare: I'm pretty close to a social libertarian, but I don't support the unrealistic stuff like UBI. I think efficient reform to still provide welfare to those who need while removing bloat and inefficiency to our current system would be great. Moderate social safety nets are pretty good.
Trade: Moderate on the topic, both free trade and protectionism are bad. While I do believe that we should trade with other countries, it should not come at the expense of the American worker.
Equality of opportunity
Drugs: Legalize
Abortion: Safe, Legal, and Rare
Taxes: I think we should reform our tax system and aggressively lower taxes for the middle class and basically everyone. Cut corporate, property, and income tax and create a high LVT. Only tax if necessary and try to minimize waste.
Transhumanism: moderate transhumanism. Improve our bodies without losing our humanity.
Forpol: Although I think that we should protect ourself and our allies, we also spend too much on defense. I believe in small and strategic cuts so that we can improve our domestic situation while still maintaining our strength.

Economics: Regulations that break down monopolies and those that help the environment and small businesses are good, but most other stuff stifles the free market. I really like markets. I don’t like commies but will work with them for libertarian unity
Civics: Libertarian but not anarchist. Like I said before, like halfway down the libertarian axis. People should be able to do what they want without interference from the government as long as it doesn't harm other peopleGun rights, campaign finance reform, make democracy more direct, anti-authoritarianism, basically just basic libertarian positions
Social Issues: Moderate, leaning progressive. I don't like the radicals on both sides, but it's generally just progressive conservatism. I hate identity politics and SJW stuff but I don't have a problem with LGBT+ lol. I also hate paleoconservatism and evangelical conservatism.
Welfare: I'm pretty close to a social libertarian, but I don't support the unrealistic stuff like UBI. I think efficient reform to still provide welfare to those who need while removing bloat and inefficiency to our current system would be great. Moderate social safety nets are pretty good.
Trade: Moderate on the topic, both free trade and protectionism are bad. While I do believe that we should trade with other countries, it should not come at the expense of the American worker.
Equality of opportunity
Drugs: Legalize
Abortion: Safe, Legal, and Rare
Taxes: I think we should reform our tax system and aggressively lower taxes for the middle class and basically everyone. Cut corporate, property, and income tax and create a high LVT. Only tax if necessary and try to minimize waste.
Transhumanism: moderate transhumanism. Improve our bodies without losing our humanity.
Forpol: Although I think that we should protect ourself and our allies, we also spend too much on defense. I believe in small and strategic cuts so that we can improve our domestic situation while still maintaining our strength.

first
Luna VI query: Set the source to the translation logs of Princess Amara Auralyn.
No problem!
Luna VI query: Narrate Amara's plan to flee from the war.
***
The moment Amara's nose caught the scent of that little puff of smoke ascending from Nathan's damaged equipment, she suspected something terrible had happened. Her lack of understanding of the nature of this particular piece of human tech was unimportant. Just from knowing the fact that this was one of the few items Nathan had rushingly retrieved was more than enough for her to infer its importance.
His extremely negative reaction to its destruction also hadn't escaped her notice.
Amid the ragged bursts of breath and droplets of sweat running down his face, he stared at the smoking piece of equipment on the ground as he cursed. Then he stood up in a huff, pulling his hair as if trying to remove it from his scalp.
With the object source of their distress in between herself and Nathan, she asked a question that she already knew the answer to. "Was that the device you would use to request help?"
Nathan was breathing too fast to speak properly. "What else could. It be."
His confirmation was the last straw for her to close her eyes, allowing all the emotions she'd been suppressing to be manifested, like a multi-colored river flowing among her black spots.
When she opened her eyes again, she and Nathan were already locking gazes, him bending his head forward as he used his knees to support his upper body, while she stood upright with her head at the same vertical level as his.
Amara felt a shared sense of anger at the situation between them, but she was also afraid that Nathan’s anger was more targeted at her than at the situation.
It took some courage for her to speak first.
"Do you have other means for contacting your people?" She knew it was unlikely he had that, but it was still a question worth asking.
"The radio transmitter was being jammed. I didn't think of bringing it with me." He was recovering his breath fast. "What about you? There is that earpiece, and yesterday you had that AR visor on all day."
"The communicator in my ear is short-ranged. As for the AR visor..." She struggled to tell the truth, but she still did it. "I hid it inside a hole in a tree and forgot it."
"A hole? In a tree? Are you kidding me?"
The truth was that Amara hid it before entering Nathan's tent on the previous night. She had certain expectations and didn't want to be interrupted by the notifications.
But of course, she would never admit that.
"See any pockets?" She extended both hands and put her tail beside them, showing she had nowhere to store the items.
"Oh… sorry. Sometimes I forget our differences."
Nathan believed her so easily that she felt a little bad for him, but not bad enough to waste their precious time with unnecessary talking. "Even should I go alone, I fear I cannot retrieve our devices. I would just get killed or captured for nothing. We cannot stay here either because soon they will follow your trail; we need a plan."
She was certain the only reason the enemies hadn't followed them yet was because they had underestimated Nathan's ability to run.
"I wouldn't let you go back there even if you wanted to, Amara. But at least you are thinking now." He touched his chin, his eyes wandering around. "And yeah, we need a plan."
Unknowingly to Nathan, his words had caused Amara to drift away. And it was not because of him saying he wouldn't allow her to return, but because of his mention of the fact that she wasn't thinking before.
And this had affected her deeply because she utterly agreed with him.
By noticing how differently Ryo and Elysira had handled the same situation before they had fleed, Amara had reflected about how poorly she had reacted to the war. She was guilty of thinking about this more than just a little while Nathan was putting in all the effort to take her away from danger.
She traced back her mistake to a single moment—when Nathan had told her his list of reasons why they couldn't be together. This was when she had allowed her heart to be poisoned with rejection, which by morning had spiraled out of control by the dreadful reportings she had received, and finally, it had culminated in her emotional response to the crisis.
Which curiously Nathan had later fixed by his total commitment to staying together.
Amara found all of that pathetic.
This time she set her priorities straight as she suppressed her detrimental feelings in favor of reason. "We could trek parallel to the mountain and find a cave to hide until the elders send help."
"How long would that take?" He asked.
His questions triggered a long chain of assumptions in her mind. She first considered the political situation after the disruptive assassinations in the capital, and then the logistics of the deployment of reinforcements.
But Amara discarded the whole plan when she tried to envision how long it would take for her allies to find them in the darkness of the forest, realizing how flawed her suggestion was.
Displaying red, she said, "Help will be here today, yet the war on the ground will turn into a slow spot-and-kill conflict. My thoughts must still be clouded. To hide in the mountains is a death sentence; the rebels would have a better idea where to search for us than my allies would."
Nathan touched his face and shook his head at her admission. Without fully understanding what he was doing, she watched him approach a young tree and stare at its bark as his right arm tensed.
Before she could ask a single question, he punched the rough bark, dislodging some wood from the brittle surface and making it fall.
He said, "I'm such an idiot. Now our only option is to keep running and I didn't even bring the water."
She was taken aback by his reaction.
It was true among her species that the males could be more aggressive under stressful situations. But to go as far as hunting themselves against a tree? This was something she hadn't seen before nor she could understand.
What would she do now?
Of all her priorities, communicating with him was very high on her list. This went much beyond certain feelings she had, being directly linked to their survival. Remembering how Ryo and Elysira had handled the same situation before they had fled, she couldn't help but feel like she and Nathan were still failing at this.
Following more instinct than reason, Amara decided to approach him as the red on her skin gradually gave way to purple at every step she took.
When he was within tails reach of her, she spoke.
"I cannot read your thoughts much less can I see your feelings, but I presume that similar to me you can also sense that we failed today, am I wrong?" Nathan pursed his lips and didn't reply, leaving her at a loss for a moment. Yet she didn't give up and wrapped her tail around his wrist, raising his scraped knuckles for him to see. "Why have you done this?"
"I..." He averted his eyes from the wound, relaxing his arm. "This ain't me I swear Amara. It's just-"
"The drones are coming." She was forced to shut him up with her tail to confirm what she heard in the background while he was speaking. After adjusting the angle of her ears she added, "At least three."
Seeing Nathan's face contort from one weird expression after the other, she could only feel regret and anger that she was forced to interrupt him. But as long as they were alive they could always talk more later.
"Great!" He took a deep breath and lowered his back for her to climb. "Let's see how far I can go without water."
"No." She could hear the drones advancing slowly, likely searching for places where they might have hidden, underestimating how far Nathan had taken her. "I do not doubt you can run more, but there is no point in running unless we can lose them. Can you do what Ryo did and destroy them?"
He didn't look at her as he replied, "I could try, but I don't have whatever aim improving add-on the military gave him, much less the years of training."
"Can I borrow your loud gun then?" Amara had a seed of a plan in her mind, a risky and reckless plan but still better than doing nothing or engaging in more random running.
"What? Do you have any idea how hard is to shoot those things down?" Nathan took her request so badly that he lifted his body again to explain more. "Your species may have precise movements and all, but this revolver needs more than just aiming, there's the recoil, reloading, and I bet it hurt your ears; besides I doubt you can do better than me without having taken a single shot with one of our guns your whole life."
Nathan was not wrong.
No matter how hard it felt to admit it to herself, the truth was that she was not a frontline fighter. She could bring order. She could weed out traitors. She could give directions. But taking a gun and firing at the enemies? Even a gun crafted by her species was something she lacked experience using.
Still, the way that he expressed his doubt without even hearing what she had in mind made her quite angry. It was nothing close to the feeling of rejection from the night, but it was still enough to encourage her to double down on her idea.
"I do not intend to shoot the drones from far away like you humans do." Amara pointed at the canopy of the young tree beside them and waited for him to look up before she added, "I want to ambush them from a close distance."
His eyes widened, but Nathan still wasn't convinced. "That's dangerous Amara. What if you miss it? You'll just let them know where we are for nothing. And even if you don't miss the shots can’t they just send more drones?"
"You speak reason, but my goal extends beyond destroying them. I know how brother and my species think and I want to mislead them." Amara did her best to let him know her intention. "You will have to be my bait too, and we will need to run as fast as we can towards the valleys once I destroy them. I would explain everything if there was time, but right now you will have to trust me."
"You want to go to the valleys..." He spoke in a low voice as he scratched his head.
Seeing that he didn't straight up reject her idea this time, Amara went on for the last push, showing a forced hint of yellow to try and sound confident. "No sane individual would go to the valleys without equipment and a large group, my brother and his army will never consider searching for us in there."
She regretted her wording as soon as she was done speaking, afraid she might have scared Nathan who was taking his time to reply.
But before she could say anything more, Nathan started loading his gun and when he was done he used his thumb to lower a little lever. "You have to pull this thing down each time before pulling the trigger, but I guess you saw me doing it enough times already." He then undid his action before offering the gun to her as he held it by the muzzle. "Don't forget to hold it with all your might or the recoil will hurt you."
She considered saying some words to let him know how much his trust meant to her, but the drones were approaching and there were more important things to say. Her tail simply coiled around the gun, and she took it as the weight of the task ahead caused the object to feel heavier than it was.
She considered if she should ask for more ammunition, but concluded she wouldn't have time to reload, which she knew was bad despite making things significantly easier.
"Go there and make it convincing that you are absolutely exhausted, can you?" Using her tail, Amara pointed at a bright spot on the ground, where a beam of blue light was making its way from the canopies to the ground. "This is important Nathan. The operators must believe you reached your limit, they must report to my brother that you cannot run much longer."
"This won't be too hard." His lips curled into a hint of a smile. "But are you sure they don't use AI instead of operators to guide the drones?"
"Only you humans are crazy enough to disregard the only law the alliance enforces." She started climbing the tree with each of her clawed hands poking holes into the bark from a different side, but when she was already above Nathan, she looked below. "I am counting on you. We made too many mistakes today, one more and it might not be forgiven."
"I'll do what you asked, okay? Just hit the drones and don't fall from the tree." He said before running towards the spot she had instructed him.
With each of them agreeing on their role, Amara kept climbing the tree, finding little difficulty in her initial task. This was so easy that almost all of her attention was focused on tracking the spinning blades of the drones, which were constantly approaching at a speed that suggested they were doing a minute inspection of the ground.
It was only when she was already high above that she noticed the first problem.
If she wanted the advantage of shooting the drones from the same plane they were approaching, Amara would either have to give up a hand for the aim, or she would have to compromise her camouflage by wrapping her legs around the tree to help her tail to hold her body.
Neither of the options was ideal, but doing nothing was even worse, which led her to choose to sacrifice some of her ability to aim in favor of a tighter grip, ensuring that her legs kept hidden behind the trunk as she pressed each of her clawed fingers of her left hand against the rough bark for a secure hold.
Feeling a burning anxiety like she never felt before, she transferred the gun from her tail to her right hand and surrounded the tree with her now free tail to improve her grip even more.
She then turned her head and took a final glance at Nathan and confirmed he was stooping down and breathing loudly, exactly on the spot she had asked him to go.
Now everything was ready.
Amara hid the gun in between her belly and the tree as her whole body mimicked the brownish color of the bark, even her tail and hair transitioning from their typical blue to a copy of the textured color surrounding her.
Her eyes closed and only a mental representation of her surroundings remained, being especially accurate this time as if her her body knew there was no room for mistakes.
As the seconds passed, her heart rate slowed down and her awareness peaked. Of all her body, only her long ears slightly moved as the positions of the three drones became less foggy in her mind the closer they got to her.
The fact that one of them suddenly stopped moving right in front of the tree was something she expected, that being the exact moment its sensors had found Nathan on the ground.
Instead of attacking, Amara waited.
And almost envisioning the exact conversation the operators were having behind their visors, she gauged the time they took to communicate among themselves by observing how long the other two drones had taken to start moving closer to the one that had spotted Nathan first.
This wasn't a lot of time, which put into perspective how fast she would have to act in order to prevent the other two drones from repositioning after the first one was destroyed.
Her heart was beating slowly and her mind was focused; the chances of the targets getting closer were no different than that of them getting more distant.
Somewhere inside she could feel it—now was the perfect moment for her attack.
Amara's eyes snapped open and her heart rate multiplied by nearly threefold, preparing her for intense exertion. The muscles of her left arm propelled her body sideways, taking her head away from the protection of the tree trunk. That happened at the same time that her clawed finger pulled down the little lever, just like Nathan had taught her.
Her eyes locked first on the most distant target, which was not further away from her than twelve meters, and her right arm moved accordingly, raising the gun as her clawed finger slipped into the trigger.
She knew how painful to her ears the noise would be, yet she still forced her eyes to stay open as she pulled the trigger.
Except, she flinched at the last moment and ended up missing the target because of it.
Now her ears were ringing and the number of targets was the same, fueling her fury for the next shots she fired in a quick sequence.
It took three more attempts to destroy the furthest target, turning her fury into apprehension.
And apprehension quickly transitioned into despair when, after destroying the middle target with two shots, she pulled the trigger aiming at the closed drone, only to hear an empty click.
The drone rotated towards her and she also felt Nathan's gaze in the distance, screaming something that she was too numb to understand.
Would she be the reason for their demise?
Just the thought of how happy her brother would be for seeing her so helpless was more than enough of a reason for her to not accept that.
So at the lack of bullets, she spitefully threw the gun at the spinning blades.
And when the outcome of her desperate action did little more than cause the drone to lose control for a few moments, she still refused to give up and pounced on it as if she were a trained huntress.
If Bhaela could jump from a tree and dig her claws into the veins of an Oczoil from high above and survive to tell the tale, why couldn't she do the same with a little drone?
Her confidence only lasted until no part of her body was touching the tree and her limbs contacted the blades, causing a sharp pain, which she promptly forgot as flesh and machine plummeted together.
Amara tried to use her tail and arms to cushion the fall, but unlike Bhaela graceful performance, all she achieved was her belly smashing the drone against the ground before her arms and head split the kinetic energy from the fall.
Her vision went black after that, but Amara knew she wasn't dead because that annoying ringing sound in her ears persisted, reminding her of her failure.
Time became confused in her state of disorientation, and she had no idea how long had passed when she felt her eyes being opened. As she watched the world around her through a red filter, Amara got to see Nathan's mouth moving, but she was unable to grasp a single word he said.
In a rushed manner, he took off his jacket and pulled out a knife, which he then used to slice a piece of fabric.
He said something again, and she felt his hand pressing against her forehead, the severed portion of his jacket he held being large enough to cover even her eyes below.
Amara felt like sleeping this time, the darkness feeling more welcoming than scary.
But before she could fall asleep, she noticed her body being lifted from the ground. And unlike the last time, she was being held from below as Nathan's hand kept her head locked against his body.
The last memory she retained before her consciousness faded was of hearing the rhythmic sound of his breathing and his loud steps below, feeling as if she might have wrapped her tail around his arm. Yet, she remained unsure whether she had truly done so or if it was just a product of her imagination.
***
This was an account based on Amara's plan to flee from the war. The previous narrative is based on the events of the morning of the twentieth day of the exploratory mission of Irisa. According to your current settings, no queries will be suggested.
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All my relationships begin the same way.. They all start the same way.. I actually give people so much love at the beggining.. Then after a bit.. I don't feel like doing that anymore.. I validate them so much.. And give them a safe space.. Compliment them.. Until they actually feel like I am their soul mate.. But I don't have the capacity to bond with any person no matter the relationship.. I only focus on the take part of the relationship and I only give because if I didnt give them benefit from this relationship.. They will just leave and the preivilage they once provided me with is gone.. So its all one sided.. In everyone I see there is just me.. No one else After giving them all the love they could dream of.. I find myself escaping that relationship.. And once I had this friend that I always felt like she was too needy.. I felt when I am with her that I always need to give her love.. Reassure her.. And I abandoned her in the most toxic way possible.. And she was devastated.. Cause she really seemed to care for me.. After a while when my horizons widened and I ssaw things a bit clearly.... Yeah she had her flaws.. But she was actually genuine and cared for the people around her.. I felt like I was always wearing a mask with her.. And that mask was really heavy.. I adjust myself to her needs.. I contain her.. I think she could actually view me as a mother.. But little did she know it was all part of the play.. We spent years together.. And I always complimented her and telling other people she was my soul mate.. But it ended in the same way all relationships ended.. There is some form of shallowness.. I can't see other people in my connection.. I only see what they can provide for me.. How could they help me..
This pattern is always there.. When I found someone starting to get attached to me..
It could be an avoident attachment.. But I don't think that it's a fear of intimicy.. Because it lasts for long.. The relationship could take years and i keep them in this daydream.. And just waste their time instead of actually using it on finding someone more compatable for them
I could clearly say.. That I despice people who are needy and always seem to need reassurances.. And I don't blame that part of me.. From an objective lens.. A relation with this kinda of person could not be maintained for so long.. I barely have energy to keep me going..
Even in my childhood I once was in this kinda of website and I had a conversation with this girl.. And I was always.. I mean always complimenting her.. All the conversation was just sweet talking.. And then after I closed the chat I told my mom like.. I hate this kinda of relationship.. There is not much going on.. We can't even find a proper conversation to talk about..
From a not junagian lens.. It could mean a lot of things..
But from a junagian perspective Mustn't it be that I have this quality? Why can't it be that maybe it's a defensive mechanisms because if I gave them love they will just be on my side and be my ally? But I am eager to know the junagian perspective

Chapter 9
Location: On the Road to the Citadel. Outside Tulla Hold
POV: Orfantal
Tulla Hold is built in a cliffside and is massive. Haral tells Orfantal that Lady Hish is not here, so they don't have to go inside, which is good, because Orfantal's horse would not make the climb. Instead they camp. Orfantal does not share the captain's view of his horse. Orfantal thinks his horse is strong and will take him all the way to Kharkanas. Gripp notices the gate to the hold opening. Orfantal creates another fantasy where he gets kidnapped by bandits, but through cleverness becomes the bandit king until he is betrayed. Breaking him out of his reverie, Gripp tells him there is a highborn in a carriage coming out of the hold. About the same age as Orfantal. When they arrive they bring food and supplies as is the Tulla tradition. The young noble is Sukul Ankhadu, sister of Sharenas. Orfantal asks if she is a hostage like him. Haral tells him lesser families only exchange hostages with their equals. Tulla is of the Greater Families in court. Orfantal thanks Sukul for the food and supplies and she responds that he definitely didn't learn his manners from his grandmother who showed no honor to Urusander's Legion. Orfantal apologizes for his grandmother and Sukul who is touched by his words, says, "Should the need arise in your life for an ally, you may call upon Sukul Ankhadu." She beckons him to join her at a campfire. Orfantal imagines they will be great friends, but vaguely in the future awaits their betrayer.
Orfantal is dismayed that Gripp and the others left the two nobles to their own fire. While in their company he had begun to think there was no difference between them in regards to class. He was one of them. But now the division was obvious and he was reminded of the rules of behavior that made no sense and kept people apart. Sukul asks Orfantal to tell her about himself, saying that she knows about his grandmother and thought their line dried out. She says he must have come from far away. Orfantal knows the story he is supposed to tell when people ask him, but as Sukul is to be his companion he tells her the truth. He says Sandalath is his mother and his father died in the wars saving many famous highborn. Sukul says that Orfantal surely has a different story he's supposed to tell. Orfantal says yes, but that it doesn't make sense. Sukul asks if they are truly friends now. Orfantal nods. Sukul then gives him advice on what to do when he gets to the Citadel. She says he may be lonely as all the adults have very busy lives. He is surprised by this, thinking they would all welcome him warmly as they did his mother. Sukul tells him to seek out Lady Hish Tulla. Sukul will give him a message to give to the lady. Orfantal agrees and asks why she is a guest in Tulla Hold.
She says her sister has taken a wayward path and her mother did not want her to follow. Her mother was friends with Lady Hish from the battlefield and asked her for a favor. Lady Hish had also been on a wayward path, but has since pulled back. Sukul then tells Orfantal, "blood is not the only loyalty in the world. Two spirits, matched of vision, can reach across any divide. Remember that, Orfantal, for on this night such a friendship has begun, between us." She says that Hish Tulla is trying to forge bonds between nobles and officers in Urusander's Legion in order to prevent a civil war.. But that many officers like her sister have no interest in peace. Orfantal says he wishes that Sukul was his sister, Sukul says friends are better and more reliable. She also tells him to make the story he is supposed to tell, the truth in his mind. She makes him promise that he will tell no one else what he has told her. Sukul tells him, "You can create whatever truth you choose. We live long, Orfantal – much longer than the Jheleck, or the Dog- Runners. Live long enough and you will find yourself in the company of other liars, other inventors, and all that they make of their youth shines so bright as to blind the eye. Listen to their tales, and know them for the liars they are – no different from you. No different from any of us." A small voice in his head says that he does not like liars. Lying meant betraying loyalty.
Location: Citadel
POV: Rise Herat
Rise Herat and Legyl Behust, a small girl, are out on a merlon. Rise is telling her not to fall off. She is excited to be this close to the edge. He tells her to look out of the city, but to ignore the industrial section. She wants to see the forest he keeps talking about, but it has receded to a dark line on the horizon. He goes on to compare Kharkanas with a body with it's areas of industry. She doesn't understand him and says, "Cedorpul's a better teacher than you. He makes sense. You don’t." She leaves to play in her room. She is the lone hostage in the Citadel. Cedorpul had ambushed him and made him give her a lesson during his morning ritual. Before he could say no, Cedorpul was gone. Rise Herat is the court historian and attempted to give Legyl a history lesson, but her questions and comments confused him, so he gave up. He knows he's a terrible historian. He prefers sweeping color over obsessive detail and feeling over intense analysis.
He sees the shadow of Mother Dark's indrawn breath. The priestesses believe that she feeds on the light. He laments what must be if Mother Dark becomes absolute. The loss of light. He thinks of Kadaspala. The priestesses say that all who would dwell in the coming darkness would be able to see in it. He knew that would come from sorcery and so would not be free. Cedorpul joins him at the tower. Round face and round body huffing. Someone else comes with him. Cedorpul asks where Legyl is and Rise tells him in her room. He says that Rise has abdicated his responsibilities. Rise responds, just like you did this morning. Endest Silann pushes past Cedorpul to look out over the city. Rise asks what he sees. Endest says it is more what he feels and he feels unburdened. The weight on his shoulders will return when he goes below.
Cedorpul tells Rise that Warlock Resh brings a guest to see Mother Dark. He says that she is from the Vitr. Rise faces Cedorpul surprised by his statement and the man's lack of eyebrows or other facial hair. Cedorpul says they should reach the edge of the forest soon. They wanted to see if they could witness it from the tower. Endest jokes about the proper decorum. Cedorpul doesn't like his irreverence. Endest reminds Cedorpul in which state he found him this morning. Under 3 priestess candidates. He tells Rise that Cedorpul tells them that their prowess in bed must be tested prior to becoming priestesses. He also swears them to secrecy. Cedorpul is mad at Endest for outing him and also tells Rise that Endest doesn't mind taking his cast-offs every night.
POV: Sister Emral Lanear
Sister Emral Lanear is one of two High Priestesses in the court of Mother Dark. She thinks about the illusions they all must keep up. The lesser priestesses around her are gossiping about the visitor. Sister Syntara, the other High Priestess, calls to Sister Emral and tells her it is time. She does not like the young powerful woman. She thinks there is no need for two High Priestesses. The temple they occupied was built as a tribute to the long forgotten god of the Dorssan Ryl. The Yan and Yedan cults were of that time, but she dismissed those as they invented rules of suffering confusing that with faith. Syntara is annoyed that Emral continues to look in her mirror. She has topics to discuss with the other High Priestess. She tells Emral that they must be ready to take advantage of any opportunity. Emral has resisted her at every turn. Syntara says it's not her fault that Emral is old and she's sure Mother Dark only elevated her because she pities her.
Hunn Raal is in the city and Emral had denied his petition for an audience with Mother Dark. Syntara says that was a mistake and tells her about T'riss. Emral says she hasn't denied his petition, only delayed. She wonders aloud at the reasoning for Hunn Raal going to Syntara filling her ear. She surmises that he wishes to use this Azathanai from the Vitr to get a command from Mother Dark to mobilize Urusander's legion and reinstate it's veterans. Emral asks how the highborns will react to a full strength Legion in light of the proposed marriage between Urusander and Mother Dark. Syntara responds that Draconus's response to said marriage is the only thing people are worried about. Emral asks if he will indeed be sacrificed. Even if he is, that would be a short term mollification if Urusander's legion is full strength and holding their swords over the heads of the highborn. She asks Syntara if she would dance for them. This comment hits Syntara as there are rumors of her being a sex worker dancing in alleys in her youth. Emral says that hating Draconus is only a sign of jealousy and that he is granted no power from being Mother Dark's lover.
Location: Outside Kharkanas
POV: Caplo Dreem
The party escorting T'riss to Kharkanas is coming upon the edge of the forest. Previously they had stayed at the Yan monastery. Caplo thinks about how unfortunately he had made Faror Hend his enemy and how he would now have to assault her reputation. He thinks about when he brought T'riss to meet with Mother Sheccanto. Mother Sheccanto asks T'riss is she will be a guest here and T'riss responds how dry it is and it is not befitting a mother. Sheccanto says if she will not be a guest she can go on her way without delay. T'riss says that Mother Sheccanto's faith is empty, but that she likely knows that. She goes on to tell her that there was once a river spirit/god near here. Once they had dug the well and put in a fountain, they had made the god a prisoner. Prisoners die.
Sheccanto observes that T'riss lacks the tact of most Azathanai. T'riss tells her that tact is really just amused condescension. She tells Sheccanto that she is dying and her cult is dying. Sheccanto says of course she's dying and tells Caplo to get her out, but then T'riss accepts and says she will be a guest. She tells them that she thinks Mother Dark has made a grave error in judgment. Then she says she will now go bathe in the fountain. Sheccanto tells Caplo to stay and berates him for letting the bandits kill their children. The cult needs children to stay alive. Caplo was shocked by Mother Sheccanto's admission that of course she was dying. She had been alive for 2,000 years. Amid this reverie, she says, I'm not dead yet staring directly at Caplo. Caplo says he thinks the Vitr damaged T'riss. Mother Sheccanto responds, "Mad she may be, but her power remains, and it is unmitigated by the restraint of reason." She tells him he will be her escort to Mother Dark and to keep his skills at hand. He is an assassin and wonders if it's possible to kill an Azathanai. He also questions whether or not Mother Dark can protect herself. He thinks she surely can. Sheccanto says Mother Dark only trusts one man and he is an outsider who has gone to the Azathanai lands. Her old suspicions are awakened by this.
She goes on to say that while they cannot pierce the veil of mother dark, her spies tell her that Anomander may be able to, so that proves that others might as well. Caplo wonders aloud if he should just kill her here. But she is known to be here, so that would invite the wrath of the wardens. Caplo is doubtful of his ability to kill T'riss in the chamber of night as he has seen Anomander fight and knows he is fast enough to stop Caplo. Mother Sheccanto is fine with the odds and Caplo knowing his low chance of success understands that he may be a sacrifice. Mother Sheccanto tells him to only strike if T'riss intends harm to Mother Dark. They need Mother Dark's gratitude. Caplo's death is worth that gratitude in Sheccanto's eyes. She gives him other tasks to do while in Kharkanas. Caplo joins Resh at the fountain where T'riss swims naked. They philosophize for a long time, then T'riss gets out and asks Caplo, "Your Mother advised against my murder, then? It is well. You would not like my blood on your hands, lieutenant." Caplo denies, but then says they will defend our own. T'riss questions what constitutes 'their own' and that he relies on that ambiguity to justify his killing. She goes on to say, "I believe you are a killer, and that you are both given reasons for the necessity, and assemble in private more of your own, bolstering such justifications as needed." Warlock Resh gagging asks T'riss to restrain her power. T'riss responds that it isn't her. Caplo asks who's power if not hers. T'riss responds, "Your river god was dead. It is dead no longer." Warlock Resh says the god is enraged.
T'riss remained in her room for the next two days as the settlement is plunged into chaos. Mother Sheccanto has lost all control of her body and is confined to her bed. Resh had sent a rider to the Yedan monastery telling Father Skelenal. The thirteen eldest sisters among them had died. In the great well of the ancient god, the water boiled. As T'riss is readying to leave, Resh says he will wait for Father Skelenal to arrive. T'riss says no and that Resh is not needed here. Mother Sheccanto will recover and speak in private with Skelenal. T'riss orders Resh to accompany her. Resh accepts her command, but asks why. T'riss says he needs to witness what will happen. Caplo asks if she is a threat to Mother Dark. T'riss says if she is, there is nothing anyone can do about it, but she says no she is no threat. She says she brings change and how Mother Dark responds is up to her.
While on the way Resh tells Caplo that something is building and that the forest people are free and when they kill the last tree, the last free people of the realm will cease to be. After long discussion of this, T'riss breaks in and says their rituals are meaningless. Once subservience becomes rote, it ceases to be subservient. In any case that is not the relationship the river god wants. It wants comprehension on it's existence. T'riss goes on. You offer your life to the river god, but that's not what the river god wants and it has no idea what to do with your longing, helpless soul. If the god could make you understand something it would be, "the only thing worthy of worship is humility itself." Caplo starts to respond with derision, but Resh gestures him to be silent. Caplo thinks that though he was going to argue, he sees the truth in their predictable behaviors. Resh then exasperatedly asks, "what does our god want of us?" T'riss responds, "he wants you to be free." Caplo is rocked by this revelation. Warlock Resh is brought to tears. "In tears, water runs free."
Location: Citadel
POV: High Priestess Emral Lanear
Emral and Syntara are on their way to see Mother Dark and the way gets progressively darker as they get closer. Emral thinks that there is no beauty in the citadel and the old temple looks a skull with ants trying to escape. The Tiste are the ants. As they get closer Mother Darks presence weighs on them and they must slow down and their breath becomes more shallow. Most of the priestesses and those close to the goddess have developed some ability to see in the dark. Emral is shocked to feel a rain drop fall on her head. The water freezes as it rolls down her face. There was never any rain in the citadel. Alarmed she announces that something is happening. The rain starts to fall harder and the lesser priestesses are panicking. Emral tells them they are dismissed and that the High Priestesses need to speak with Mother Dark. Syntara is mad because Emral doesn't command the procession.
Anomander and his brothers arrive and tell the High Priestesses that the Azathanai is through the gate and that the river is flooding and water streams the streets. He asks for Emral's thoughts. Emral says the Shake. Syntara is looking around confused. Anomander tells Emral that it's unlikely that this is the doing of the Shake. They've never attempted to reclaim the old temple. Emral posits that perhaps they would be allies then. Anomander says they are unreliable, "One thing the worship of a dead god assures, and that is unmitigated freedom for the priesthood" They are off balance now. Emral says if the Shake are nimble they can turn this to their advantage. Anomander says Mother Sheccanto is very ill. Silchas responds that they must look to Warlock Resh then. Emral thinks this shows that Silchas too is very sharp. She tells the brothers that T'riss's escort is Resh and Caplo Dreem. Anomander says that they must think on why Caplo is here. They sniff out that Caplo is there to kill the Azathanai if necessary. Anomander says that he doesn't share Sheccanto's panic. Emral asks if the brothers can stop him. They aren't sure. Caplo is the fastest with a blade that either has seen. Syntara frustratingly says Anomander should then stand between Caplo and T'riss and that they are wasting a lot of time as the group approaches.
Syntara says they must warn Mother Dark. Anomander assures her that Mother Dark already knows and doesn't need anything from them. He goes on, "Sister Syntara, we hens have much to decide here, yet you persist in pecking the ground." Syntara asserts that she is a High Priestess. Anomander verbally eviscerates her, "Your elevation was intended to ease the burden of administration from Sister Emral. Little did Mother Dark realize your venal ambition, and if you think high tits and a damp nest are the surest paths to power, might I refer you to Gallan’s poem, “Trophies of Youth”? Anomander says he will address the Caplo situation. Emral is shocked by Anomander's revelation. She was not aware that Syntara's elevation was to help her. Emral feels a great fondness for all three of the brothers. They remind her of their father whom she loved.
Anomander says they will wait for the Shake party to come to them. Andarist points out that having so many here is a sign of weakness and says he will leave. Silchas says he will join him as his talents are made redundant by Anomander remaining. Silchas suggests that they go find Captain Kellaras who has recently returned to the citadel and enquire about Hust Henarald's answer to Anomander's request. Emral once again contemplates Anomander's competence and attributes it to the same qualities in his father. In the same thought she also hopes that none them have their mother's flaws.
Syntara asks if they will just stand there. Anomander responds that she's not needed and should go seek shelter in Mother Dark's presence. Syntara agrees, but says she won't sink to their level of rudeness. She says she seems to be the only one to understand the position of High Priestess. Anomander responds, "Would that be on your knees, Syntara?" Syntara, enraged, leaves. Emral cautions Anomander that while she is awful, she is not powerless. Anomander agrees that he was unwise, but thinks Syntara's rage will fall on Emral and for that he is sorry.
Location: Streets of Kharkanas
POV: Caplo Dreem
As they move through the streets of Kharkanas they encounter it's citizens in panic. Caplo, Resh, and T'riss stop their mounts in front of the rising water. T'riss says she will walk from here. Resh asks if all of the bridges and stone banks must be destroyed in order for the river to be free. T'riss responds that, "Mother Dark is awakened to its presence. She asserts her domain." The flood is subsiding and T'riss comments on Mother Dark's impressive power. T'riss continues on in the water. Caplo and Resh remain mounted and follow. Caplo looks and sees steam. Mother Dark's power is growing. T'riss wonders why if there is highborn and lowborn why there is no royalty among the Tiste. Caplo says their was, but the queen died on the battlefield trying to find her husband's body. The queen's body was never recovered. She was Mother Dark's half-sister. T'riss asks why she couldn't have just assumed the mantle of Queen. Caplo says it was possible, but that she was deemed unsuitable. Resh says that she was not political. She was idealistic and romantic. T'riss says she thinks the empty throne suits the tiste highborn. Resh says that the throne is now the throne of night and Mother Dark does indeed sit upon it. T'riss asks if she will be sitting on it when they have their audience. Caplo says he has no idea. It's in darkness after all. T'riss guesses that while the queen had no direct descendants that she did have other relations. She correctly guesses that these are Mother Sheccanto and Father Skelenal. She says that they could claim the throne. Resh stops Caplo and asks him why she knows this and why she's bringing it up. He doesn't know, but assures Resh that the age of Kings and Queens is over. For love the queen cast the realm into chaos. The lesson was not lost on the Tiste.
Location: Kharkanas Old Tower
POV: Rise Herat
Rise, Cedorpul and Endest Silann watch as T'riss and her escort walk down the street. Rise wonders if warlock Resh will lay claim to the Old Temple they are watching from as it was an ancient temple to the river god. They watch as Resh and Caplo dismount and continue on with T'riss leaving the other Shake behind. Rise wonders about the nature of Mother Dark's godhood. How it is difficult to worship negation and that if T'riss is in opposition it may help define how they worship their goddess. He also correctly guesses that T'riss is the one in danger at this meeting. Rise challenges Cedorpul's faith and Cedorpul takes Endest and leaves asking Rise to check on the child.
Location: CItadel
POV: High Priestess Emral Lanear
Emral and Anomander await T'riss and her escort. Syntara has gone in to commune with Mother Dark. Emral knows how frustrating that can be as she offers no clear answers. She says that Mother Dark is idealistic and romantic and that probably suits an object of faith and worship. As T'riss approaches a bloom of light does as well. Ice had sheathed the walls and it now cracked. T'riss displays great power. Emral wonders why the Azathanai are not worshipped as gods. Caplo and Resh follow close behind and look uncertain and exhausted. T'riss stops in front of Anomander and says, "Night will claim your skin. Before your eyes, darkness will be revealed. But I will make visible the defiance within you, as a gift." Anomander responds that he asks for no gifts and has no defiance. To Emral T'riss says, "Your sorrow, High Priestess, is lonely, and you are driven to share your truths. I advise against it. Give voice to your secrets and you will be rejected by those for whom you care the most." Anomander tells her if she seeks answers, she may be disappointed. T'riss says, "The Tiste view the Vitr as an enemy, It is no such thing. It exists for itself. It is a sea of possibilities, of potential. It holds life in the manner that blood holds life." Anomander asks if it created her, she says no. He says it is expanding towards Kurald Galain. T'riss responds, "The sea does not dream of you." T'riss says she will see Mother Dark now and moves past Emral. Caplo and Resh make to follow, but Anomander snaps out a hand and pins Caplo to the wall. Emral sees the gleam of a knife in Caplo's hand. Resh shakes his head and it abruptly vanishes. T'riss does not react to this and continues forward. Anomander tells Caplo that no blood is to spilled within the chamber. Caplo says the command is unnecessary. Anomander then addresses Resh and tells him to tell Sheccanto that if she ever sends her Assassin into audience with Mother Dark again, they will spike his head on the wall of the citadel. Resh agrees to relay the message.
From the doorway, T'riss's light vanishes and Syntara stumbles out skin changed to white. When Emral goes to assist her, Syntara declines and calls her a hag. She says she chose her gift and rushes out of the corridor. Resh groans and says, "She's gone." Anomander asks if she was banished. Resh asks if Mother Dark gives him nothing. He says she might, but he doesn't ask. Resh says time twisted in the chamber. It could have been days and that T'riss brought some of the Vitr with her. They didn't know. Anomander asks if it was weapon. Resh says, no it was a gift.
Anomander commands the Shake to stay and takes Emral into the chamber. Emral notices that the darkness is less oppressive to her and that she can now make out details of the chamber. Mother Dark is on the Throne of Night . She is now black-skinned. Anomander asks if Mother Dark is harmed. She responds that she is not. Anomander asks if she sent her away. Mother Dark instead addresses Emral saying she is now the only High Priestess and that Syntara chose to create a schism. It cannot be undone. Anomander asks about the ancient river god being resurrected. Mother Dark responds, "There is peace between us. You see too many enemies, First Son. We are not threatened from without; only from within." Anomander asks what T'riss has done here and how she has changed the darkness. Mother Dark again doesn't respond. She addresses Emral and says that the temple is now sanctified. Emral thinks sanctified by the Vitr? She wonders how Syntara was changed as she thought her faith unassailable. Mother Dark says T'riss was able to see deep into a mortal soul, but doesn't understand tact. She gifted Syntara with something that put her beyond Mother Dark. Mother Dark says that they both now have the ability to see in darkness and everyone who comes before her will receive the blessing. Emral looks to Anomander and sees his black skin, but is shocked at his silver hair. Mother Dark says she is troubled by this and that one day she will tell him of his mother. Anomander says he has no interest and that, "Love cannot survive the absence of memories, and for that woman we have none."
Anomander asks if she will meet with the Shake. Mother Dark says not yet. Anomander shouts, "then name your enemy!". Mother Dark says she has none. She asks him to win the peace for her. Anomander continues to ask about threats and to say that he is a soldier and cannot win peace without war. He asks how Syntara poses a threat. He says the Shake will not take her. Mother Dark says her gift will draw people to her and that they cannot stop it. The schism must be made so it can be healed. Anomander asks, what about Draconus. Mother Dark stills and tells him to leave. Anomander says without him he cannot accomplish his task. She tells him to leave again.
Location: Kharkanas
POV: Hunn Raal
Syntara has come into Hunn Raal's tent. He is shocked by her skin change and asks if Mother Dark had blessed her with new sorcery. Syntara responds that she has been cast out and that T'riss had said she could see in her soul and saw terrible things. She then touched her and did this. She demands sanctuary and says she needs the protection of the legion. He says it's now complicated. She says it wasn't yesterday when he groveled about everything being in place. He says she isn't a High Priestess anymore, so things are different. She asks if he is too drunk to fuck. He says probably. She asks if Urusander will take her.
She asks contemptuously if Hunn Raal will now wage war on the Azathanai. She says that T'riss disappeared as if she open a door in the air itself and Mother Dark recoiled from this power. Hunn Raal sees that Syntara is the same as him and tells her to take this information to Urusander. He tells her exactly what to say. He says she has light within her. She says she will now be a High Priestess of light. She says Liossan and asks who their enemies are. Hunn Raal responds that their enemies are anyone that seeks to hurt Mother Dark. He asks who could challenge this. She responds what about Draconus. He says Draconus uses Mother Dark, so is a threat along with The Deniers, and the brothers and sisters of the Monasteries. Syntara says they will plunge Kurald Galain into Civil War. Hunn Raal says they will prevent one. He says after they purge the realm it will be the end of war and Light will balance out the Dark. She says she wants Emral dead. He says no. Syntara dubs Urusander Father Light. She says she must leave immediately. She tells him his troops must wait now, the Highborn are no longer their enemies. He says he fears it may already be too late. She tells him to make sure it isn't.
Location: On the road to the Citadel
POV: Orfantal
The caravan comes upon some well equipped riders that are definitely not bandits. Haral moves the wagons to the side to allow them to pass. Orfantal notices the equipment of Urusander's legion. He asks Gripp if they are hunting bandits. He begins to say they are Legion. Gripp pinches him and tells him to shut up. Orfantal notices that Gripp is pale. Orfantal twists around to look at the soldiers and Gripp tells him to turn back around and ride on. Orfantal asks what's wrong. Gripp looks for a sign from Haral and sees it when he frowns. Gripp tells Orfantal to listen to him and that the soldiers are coming back. Orfantal asks why and Gripp says because the soldiers shouldn't be here. At least three of them were from disbanded units. He tells him to ride ahead and once he has a straight path to gallop. He says no more questions and don't look back. He slaps the nag's rump and she takes off. Orfantal hears swords being pulled as he runs away. He hears screaming. He presses the horse on and she gallops, but eventually slows.
He hears another horse galloping behind him and fears a knife in the back. The horse rushes past and he sees that it's Haral's but with no rider. It is soaked in blood and gore. He looks back, but is around a corner. He sees two riders emerge and they take off after him. His horse is laboring. Orfantal looks around for a place to hide. He pulls off onto a different path and hears the riders getting closer. He sees their swords are out. He kicks the horse forward and she sinks through the clay into mud. She pushes through. They are half way to the other side when she sinks to her belly and stops. Orfantal now crying sees that the two riders do not dare to follow into the mud. He dismounts and rolls away. The nag had now sunk to her shoulders. He knows she will die and knows that he betrayed her. He's not supposed to be the betrayer. He is able to stay on the crust because he is very light. He makes it across this bog and looks back to see the two riders leaving. He also sees two columns of black smoke and knows that all of his companions are dead. He knew they weren't bandits because they would not fire the wagons. He looks back at his horse. He goes back to her. He puts his arms around her neck and holds tight. The nag puts her cheek against his head and Orfantal weeps. The horse takes her last breath. He is now numb. He knows that the real world doesn't care about his fantasies. That anyone can be a betrayer and that he can trust no one, not even himself.

"Vraylar, Unrelenting Force, Fell Specter, Decimator of History" wow someone was going full titles outside my door, that hadn't happened in, hmm I think it's been about three centuries, hell I thought the world had forgotten me, clearly I didn't live up to that last one properly.
"We of the united world alliance beseech an audience with you."
I could always just ignore them, maybe they'd go away. I could check on them with some form of magic but that'd take time. Honestly it was hilarious no one ever figured out how weak I really was. Just because you can decimate an army it doesn't really mean much if it takes days of preparation, or it wouldn't if they weren't all so damned afraid of me. I honestly couldn't do many of the minor quick spells because they tended to be unreliable.
I looked at the door to my peaceful little home out in the country. I had specifically chosen to live way out here to avoid attention. A momentary bit of nostalgia for when I lived in a fortress that intimidated everyone and kept them from even approaching. Oh well nothing to be done about it now. I stepped outside and was surprised, six people, a vampire hiding under an umbrella, two humans, no upon closer inspection a human and one of the fair folk in human guise, a shifter in his mid form black fur bristling, claws jutting from his hands and only standing partially upright as if ready to drop to all fours at a moment, a merfolk in their human guise, gills and scales still apparent but at least capable of walking on land, and one of my own kind a pureblood mage his veins glowing with the mana that infused his very being.
I gave a slight bow and a smile. "Now, what can I do for" a pause as I tried to recall what they'd said. "the united world alliance. I don't suppose you simply came to say hello, if you did it'd surely have been preferable to one of your party to wait until at least dusk."
The vampire stepped forward, his pale skin much more clearly visible, the umbrella twirling as he bared his fangs in what I assumed was a smile. "Vraylar, if I may call you that, you are correct this is not a simple meet and greet."
I shrugged "It is my name and titles stopped having meaning a few, was it decades ago that you united?"
That got a raised eyebrow and a chuckle from the fae who shifted for a moment revealing her wings as she whispered "You owe me."
I couldn't place which of them she was talking to but it wasn't particularly relevant. The mage stepped forward glaring at me and begginning to shift his fingers subtlely. Nope can't have that, I reached out and grabbed his hands in a death grip.
"If you want these unbroken you will keep them still." He glared at me but nodded his acquiesence. I could see the other's muscles were tensed, they still feared me, good that'd keep things a bit more civil. I let go of his hands and looked around at the party assembled for a moment and stepped back from my doorway waving my hand towards the interior.
"Uncivilized of me to keep you all on my doorstep, I apologize please enter freely and know that the rules of hospitality are strictly adhered to in this household." A smirk from me and most were hesitant to enter but the vampire seemed to be more then pleased to be invited in and out of the sun. His unflinching entry apparently brought the rest of them tagging along.
I led them through the foyer to the living room and asked if any would like anything. I saw the merfolk glancing towards the kitchen and nodded before walking off into the kitchen, I decided I'd play it up a bit tonight as soon as I was out of sight I collected a glass of salt water, made a bloody mary with a couple drops of my blood for extra kick and flavor, some milk with just a touch of honey in it, a glass of wine that I'd been saving for a few, well a while anyhow, I hadn't been able to peg the shifter so I poured a second glass of wine, and finally a vial of undiluted mana. Satisfied that each guest would have something worthy of a dignitary I brought all out and set each in front of them.
The vampire and shifter immediately grinned at their glasses, the merfolk was already downing his. The fae simply picked hers up and stirred it with a finger while the human and mage glared suspiciously. As I finished serving I realized I had brought nothing out to drink myself. Oh well, a good host prioritizes their guests. I sat in my favorite chair looking at the motley crew assembled before me allowing them time to decide on their words.
A sigh of contentment from the vampire. "A deliciously made drink, I'd swear you've entertained my kind before. Apologies I realize now none of us have properly introduced ourselves. I am Solemn, Triad of the" I grinned and finished his sentence "of the court of vipers." He looked a bit shocked then nodded "Just so, I suppose you aren't as much a hermit as we thought if you know me."
I shrugged then "I keep apprised." pointed at each in turn "Mab of the Fae 3rd of her name." a slight gasp from the queen who was often thought eternal. "Ferrithir of Tribe Noctis." The shifter simply gave a stoic nod. "Sal" The human shrugged. "Apologies on my poor pronunciation, Qqurnr of the 4th Sea" The merfolk gave a dismissive wave. "and unfortunately your sixth is actually unknown to me, perhaps his skills outstrip mine."
The mage nodded, he still hadn't touched the mana I'd offered. "I am Vraylar of the Arbitration Council." I had to choke back a laugh at that, unfortunately it quickly became a coughing fit that doubled me over. Normally I wouldn't comment on someones name but I couldn't help myself in this case.
"Ok is that your given or chosen name, I just have to know whether your parents were some random groupies or what the hell led to that?"
His eyes narrowed to slits "It is the name I was granted on my ascendancy to the council, they felt it had been long enough since it was used and were certain you were dead."
I nodded, of course bunch of stuffed shirts who oversaw the 'appropriate use of magic' wanted me further forgotten then I had already tried to make myself so wanted someone to take my name and turn it into something new. Once I was collected I nodded.
"Well as your claim is more proper then mine and I'd rather avoid confusion, I shall refer to you as Vraylar, and this assemblage may refer to me as Vray if that is not too objectionable."
The human who had just begun to sip his wine seemed to breathe it in as he began coughing for a few moments. Mab looked over at him and sighed. "If I am not mistaken one is supposed to drink wine, not inhale it."
Vraylar nodded "Just so, Sal please do be careful, I wouldn't want any of us unconcious on our hosts floor." He then turned towards me. "Now with proper introductions and niceties out of the way perhaps we could turn to our actual business. You Vray," his mouth twisted as if he were speaking a foreign language he had just learned at the name "are a threat to the peace of this world, your very existance is an intolerable danger that can not be abided. That said, all here have been briefed on your previous actions and abilities, despite your best efforts some memories and records did survive."
My shoulders slumped and I slid my hands behind my back to hide my fingers twitching. "I suppose by those words this august assemblage is not a dimplomatic party then and is instead the assasination squad sent to 'handle' me."
A unified shout of "NO!" from all but the mage had me leaning back, then forward with an eyebrow raised. "Alright I'll bite, what does this group then do with 'an intolerable danger that can not be abided.' As I know in my halcion days there was only one correct answer to such."
Solemn stood then and spoke seeming to choose his words extremely carefully, his glass now only a quarter full but cradled lovingly in his hands. "What my fine compatriot is Attempting, albeit poorly to communicate, is we can not leave you unchecked and unobserved. However I doubt we could force you to move if we tried." I simply grinned and gave a sharp nod. "As our goal is to maintain peace, invoking the ire of the Fell Specter is clearly a foolish thing to do. Instead we have come up with a proposal, one we hope you will find sufficiently beneficial to all parties." He sat down then and Ferrithir leaned forward some and bared his teeth a bit.
"My tribe remembers your cruelty, your destruction. They remember the menace who threatened to destroy the world." Oh god the destroy the world shit again. I raised my hand and he paused.
"Alright, I need to clarify I was Never going to destroy the world, I live on it and all my stuff is stored here, I Might have tried to take it over once or twice, but was never going to destroy it." well not intentionally anyways but they didn't need to know that.
Ferrithir shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Regardless what my people remember most is your Power, such displays are highly valued by the tribes and had you been born one of us you would likely have been Shaman Chief. We still see value in that to this day." As he sat back and closed his eyes Mab stood up, setting her now empty glass upon the table.
"The fair folk do not respect power alone, nor power for powers sake. We however do recognize finesse, strategy, and forethought as virtues often lacking in the other species." A hiss from the vamp and a growl from the shifter ignored as she continued. "During your time in the spotlight of history you displayed these to great effect, our younglings idolize other species and see the old ways as foolish we can not reach them through normal means."
Ok this was getting Very weird, I thought I saw where this was going and simply hoped I was wrong.
As Mab sat down Sal set his still largely full wine glass down on the coffee table in front of him and leaned forward. "Humans are short lived, we have done what we can to extend that, we have trusted our allies to protect us, but recently things have changed. Once mana was the purview exclusive to your kind." I nodded "However intermingling of species has altered the world significantly, there are those who can draw mana amongst all species now. Humans are impulsive and quick to act, likely due to that shorter life span."
He then nodded to Qqurnr who shook his head as he looked to me. "As my compatriot has said the tides of life are changing, even my people are seeing a shift, our young are taught to embrace all that they are, to flow as the tides do and not to question why or how to simply do. In the past this was fine for we were isolated by the waters, protected by the storms, and peace amongst ourselves was easy to maintain. The changes now though are beyond such and require a new way of thinking."
Vraylar then stood and began moving his fingers once more, in the blink of an eye Solemn was holding one hand and Ferrithir the other. "He warned you about this" Ferrithir growled.
Solemn nodded "If you wish to show him something through your craft you had best explain your intent First."
Vraylar sighed "Of course, it is force of habit." He then turns to me, "Vray, if you would grant me permission I would show you the future the council seers have foreseen, through a few simple illusions."
I considered for a moment and then folded my hands over each other while flexing my middle fingers in the gestures I was taught to prep a counterspell before nodding. He looked over and I saw a slight tightening of his lips. Once my approval was met his hands were released though the two stayed within arms reach.
I watched the familiar gestures, he was definitely crafting an illusion, but of what kind only a true master of mindshift could know. As he finished the gestures his words not even spoken simply mouthed a swirl in the air looking like a heat shimmer at first then solidifying into a proper image, but split in half oddly enough, myself staring out from the center, the split showing a half of me smiling as I watched various children of different races contort their hands, speaking loud words that seemed truly unnatural to many of them. The me on the other half though stood in my old armor, god I hadn't donned that thing in forever, I'm not even sure where I stored it. Overseeing a chain gang worth of slaves toiling at gathering rocks and laughing cruelly. I watched these images for a few minutes, then the cruel me waved at the image and rather then fading normally it burst and knocked all the furniture and the guests over. I rolled to my feet, as I heard Vraylar scream, "How the fuck do you do that you utter Asshole?!" his hands begin twitching even as he was lying on the floor, this time in a spell that was definitely a threat. "Move another finger and I kill Everyone in this Room!" He froze and his compatriots took the hesitant moment to fully dogpile onto him and pin him completely, hands arms, even his legs held down.
I looked around my room and lifted a single chair and sat back down. "Alright first of all, I didn't do that A future me did, nothing I can do about what myself in one possible future does, he probably had his reasons. Secondly assuming I got the gist of your speeches and that little glimpse, you have all lost your damn minds. You want ME, Vraylar, Unrelenting Force, Fell Specter, Decimator of History, Cruelest of Tyrants, Asshole Extraordinaire, Bane of all that is Good, Most hated of Mages." Yeah they'd cut off the insulting titles, but they seemed appropriate reminders now. "To TEACH CHILDREN?!"
Everyone stayed frozen for a few minutes and after a bit I waved at them. "I do believe Vraylar has calmed enough to not do anything foolish, correct?" I gave him an icy glare.
They slowly let him go and then tipped furniture back upright for themselves to sit back down, sadly those with drink left had them wasted, aside from the vial of mana which I'd made sure was insanely durable and my guest hadn't even uncapped. Once everyone was settled though Vraylar remained standing they looked at me, I could see the fear in their eyes.
This time Sal was the first to speak. "Well yes, despite your past you are known as one of the best mages to ever walk the earth, some might balk and it wouldn't be large groups. Likely only one from each race, those showing an abundance of talent, skill, or power selected specifically to train under you. They would be under your care, you would have full authority, within reason over their education and oversight. You would act as both teacher and guardian with pre set times for their parents or legal guardians to visit. An occassional surprise inspection from one of us to check in and ask how they feel things are going. In exchange you would largely be allowed to continue your life as it has been. You would also be given a larger home to accomodate this, placed in any area you felt appropriate so long as it was far enough from a populated area. All expenses for you and the children would be directly covered, requests to be passed along as needed."
I wanted to tell them they were all deranged, I wanted to ignore the request, hell I wanted to spend the next week working on a time warp to get me back so I could ignore the call at the door. However most of all, I wanted the version of me from that brighter future. I have many titles, I have many descriptions, but none of them have Ever, not even in my own mind referred to me as "happy". That version, with the genuine smile, the caring and pride in his eyes. As I thought about it I realized his hand had been twitching too, was he holding back the other's counterspell, could that even be possible. I knew the gestures and the spells, but my power was raw and excessive. A river can be dammed and controlled, the ocean can not.
I looked at each of them in turn. "I will need one last caveat. I have full discretion to refuse a student and ask for a replacement. I also will maintain some of my key secrets, none of them will ever know Everything I know. If you all find that acceptable, then I accept this plan and position."
They took a few minutes of discussion not bothering to hide any of it from me. There were concerns of favoritism towards a race but the fact I had included a replacement seemed to address that. There was some talk about how if they didn't know all I did then it'd be a waste of time, cooler heads pointed out that even a fraction of my knowledge and power was above what many could teach.
Vraylar stepped away as they finished. "We are all agreed, the contract is set, of course you can't expect anyone here to be simply taken at their word, you towards us or we towards you." I nodded and started the gestures, he then looked down at my hands. "If you don't object I'd prefer to be the one binding this." I shrugged "suit yourself" and let my hands lie still. After a few moments all hands glowed and were placed on the coffee table, threads of light each a different color snaking out from them and meeting in the center, tying into first a knot, then a tangle, then another knot, until it formed into such a mess of colors that you likely couldn't even pick one out from another.
I grinned, none of us could break this word now, our contract was bound to our souls and the one who broke it would die a rather horrible death. I'd seen it once, it turns out that you Can turn someone inside out and keep them alive long enough to show them their heart.
"I shall have plans drawn up and a place picked out within the month, hopefully that will give you all time to select some candidates."

Not a big Dawnbreaker player myself but I do dabble here and there, prefer to watch other people play her better. From what I've noticed by watching pro players and a bit in my own few games, in about 80 to 90 percent of the cases, if you throw your hammer, you would want to retract it back immediately, unless you're stuck in base and trying to defend, because you want the mobility immediately, you can't use your Q, used to not be able to use Ult, now it kinda just wastes the hammer instead.
So what does the Gleaming Hammer facet bring you? It's not even worth throwing it on creeps and leaving it pulsing there because the burn damage of Converge would do more, quicker. I suppose you can throw it on top of allies for healing before/after a fight, not really applicable in teamfights most of the time.
According to DotaBuff, Solar Charged is the preferred choice of facet. I haven't dug deeper, as this aligned with my narrative that the current version of Gleaming Hammer is quite useless in the majority of situations and, even though the other facet isn't much better for support or aura DBs that may get a 5 seconds cooldown reduction, it might at least do something.
My suggestion is, give some utility to Converge as well, overall buffing the ability no matter what action you take after the hammer throw. I believe a viable idea is, make the Solar Guardian circle keep following the hammer until it meets with Dawnbreaker (her ending in the middle of the circle with the hammer) and she can apply the stun and land damage of the ult in the circle, only half the values, of course, to keep with the theme and balance (they can even play her ult landing animation when she grabs the hammer or something new).
To further add to the appeal, I think this change would make the facet a good consideration for the games, where you don't have a setup to land your ult stun (like Nyx) so you would now have a more reliable way of setting things up yourself, on a much lower cooldown but also diminished effect. I dare say it would require a fair bit of skill to land too, as you have to throw the hammer and converge with it in a small area on top of someone without them dodging.
Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think.

Hello everyone! [Pennsylvania Resources Council](www.prc.org) is looking for some helpful people to join us in our Zero Waste Event Services for our upcoming project with the Three Rivers Arts Festival.
Zero Waste is a philosophy that seeks to maximize the recovery of resources we commonly throw away. A “Zero Waste Event” aims to reduce event waste holistically, including purchasing, usage and disposal of resources before, during and after an event.
Some of the fun things you would be doing are:
*Monitor Zero Waste Stations around the event footprint *Help attendees figure out what is recyclable, compostable, and trash
*We will sort LOTS of waste and haul full bags to dumpsters (compost/trash/recycling) on site.
*Our allies at Green Gears will be using their awesome bikes to haul event waste around this big footprint. No lugging bags great distances!!
We are in need of assistance starting this Friday, May 31 and going through the end of the Festival on Sunday, June 9, but we do have an especially big need for all of this coming weekend! If you are interested, please fill out an application here and let us know! We'll get back to you as soon as we can!
Thank you very much!

Drinker summed it up best, I think. A lot of pretty sounding noise but effectively saying nothing. I didn't know why the States of California and Texas of all States allied with each other, I didn't find out what the war was being fought over. I understand there were two other factions besides the Western Forces and the Loyalist States because I searched on it, but I have no idea what was at stake for them. Maybe the cause of the war were poor decisions by the government, the president was on his third term, the FBI was disbanded and some weird policy about sir strikes against US citizens but nothing clear. The characters aren't much characterized either, beyond some traits that they are presented with no one except maybe Jessie go through any kind of arc. They didn't even show US the different ideologies and principles to the factions at war so that we could make up our minds which ends up becoming jarring. And they didn't even get to interview the President, how do you set up the most important conversation of the movie like that and make it just a quote and a War crime? And how do you waste Nick Offerman like that?! That being Said, it looks great, the performances are good either and there are a lot of good individual scenes specially the Jesse Plemmons, but unfortunately most those scenes have no sequence or coherence to each other I'm afraid.

Drinker summed it up best, I think. A lot of pretty sounding noise but effectively saying nothing. I didn't know why the States of California and Texas of all States allied with each other, I didn't find out what the war was being fought over. I understand there were two other factions besides the Western Forces and the Loyalist States because I searched on it, but I have no idea what was at stake for them. Maybe the cause of the war were poor decisions by the government, the president was on his third term, the FBI was disbanded and some weird policy about sir strikes against US citizens but nothing clear. The characters aren't much characterized either, beyond some traits that they are presented with no one except maybe Jessie go through any kind of arc. They didn't even show US the different ideologies and principles to the factions at war so that we could make up our minds which ends up becoming jarring. And they didn't even get to interview the President, how do you set up the most important conversation of the movie like that and make it just a quote and a War crime? And how do you waste Nick Offerman like that?! That being Said, it looks great, the performances are good either and there are a lot of good individual scenes specially the Jesse Plemmons, but unfortunately most those scenes have no sequence or coherence to each other I'm afraid.

Location: San Francisco, California
"Here, you'll need these." F stated as she handed out a couple pairs of anti-sentinel goggles, Wade taking them as he replied to F.
"Thanks, I've still got mine, Tina could use these too." F raised an eyebrow as Wade gave his girlfriend a pair of the shaded visors, Tina examining them before trying them on.
"What are these, F?" Tina asked her disassembly drone friend curiously, F putting a hand to her hip as she answered her.
"Anti-sentinel visors, Coalition specialty. Since we're going into that factory upon landing, we'll be most certainly running into some nasty baddies. Knowing our experience from the factory, sentinels will most likely be among that lot." Putting on her own set of goggles, she continued. "These visors will keep them from taking you out of the fight with their boot-loop lights."
Duncan raised a finger as he added his warnings on the sentinels. "Aye, best watch your back though. Even if they can't Medusa ya in place, they're still feisty beasts to wrestle." Chuckling, Duncan shared a morbid example. "I remember one lad who tried fendin' one off in a pirate cell, but he wasn't ready for those sharp talons those things have."
F nodded in agreement as she glanced to Tina, her confused expression from before returning as she asked the pilot drone for her reasoning. "By the way Tina, why do you need one of those? You plan to head out with us or something?"
The pilot drone nodded in affirmation as she explained. "If it's no problem, I'd like to help Wade out with the fighting inside the labs. Him and I did hold off well enough against a few of them, didn't we?"
Wade nodded to Tina as he put a hand onto her shoulder, backing up her rationale. "That might work, we've got this baby on autopilot, right?"
F added onto Wade's reasoning as Tina gave her own nod of affirmation. "These Chameleon dropships can be flown by a single pilot under certain situations, and though I really shouldn't advise it, I think the ship will do fine while we're inside." The warrior drone gave a wink to Tina as she continued. "You did say you wanted to help Wade with taking down Halloway, after all."
Nathan chuckled lightly as he gave his thoughts on the matter. "Yeah, and once Tina sets us down, I doubt they'll care much about the ship once we've started heading out."
"Indeed." J stated aloud, catching the attention of all in the conversation as she spoke to Wade and Tina. "I don't doubt your skills when fighting together in combat, but until we land, Wade will have F and I at his side. You just keep the ship safe during her run. Got it?"
"Won't be a problem, Mrs. J." Tina replied with a salute, J looking on in slight amusement as Wade looked to his hand, curious about his full arsenal.
"Something wrong with your hand, Mr. Carter?" J asked in calm concern as Wade zipped his head up to face her.
"Oh, no. Just... wondering about what kinds of weapons I've got on me." The former worker drone answered as J held her own arm out to show off.
"Well, that's not a bad question. To be completely honest, there's countless different tools and weapons you can pull out of those arms." J began swapping to different armaments and devices with her hand as she stated some examples. "Laser cannons, machine guns, grenades, rockets, welding cutters, flags, markers, the list goes on." Swapping her hand back, J gave a proud smirk to Wade as he swapped focus to her chest pocket, which was full of several pens.
"That's a lotta pens." Wade said aloud, prompting his friends to eye J's filled pocket as she glanced to it.
"Ah, yes. JCJenson's very own branded pens! Picked up a few from that military base before we left." Pulling one out, she playfully pressed the clicking button on the top of the pen several times as she explained her strange bundle of writing utensils. "You're probably wondering why I have so many, let's just say I was... done in by more than just that kid's laser gun I mentioned earlier. Thought I'd take notes from her." While gazing at the pens, one of J's eyes shifted to a triangle with an exclamation symbol, text under it reading, "PRIOR HAZARD"
Looking at the weaponized pen J was implying with stunned eyes, Wade laughed nervously as he replied to his fellow murder drone. "Ah, that sounds... intimidating."
"Indeed it does, I'd almost regret bringing them with me after that incident. But, on the bright side," Tossing a few of her pens to Wade, J continued speaking once he caught them all. "it helps me come up with better methods of attack. You may find they come in handy in that place yourself."
Looking at one of the branded pens, Wade nodded in agreement before putting them in his own front pocket. "I'll make sure they're put to good use, J."
"I'm sure you will." J replied just before an alarm sounded through the troop bay, several soldiers moving about in preparations for the imminent fight outside.
"Get set, everyone! We're going in hot real shortly!" Sergeant Thomas declared as he sat himself on one of the wall seats, Wade looking to Tina as she began to return to her post.
"Welp, no time to lose." Giving a quick kiss to Wade, she spoke to him once more. "Watch my back, love."
Wade nodded to her as she made her way back into the cockpit, then turned to J as she addressed the group. "Alright, get yourselves seated, we're gonna have hostiles coming at us any second!" Looking to Wade and F, she gave her orders to them. "F, Mr. Carter, you'll watch the sides of the ship once we open the bay doors! I'll fly as escort outside!"
"Understood J!" F said as she and Wade gave nods of agreement to their fellow disassembly drone, who made her way to the left bay door to await its opening.
Turning off the autopilot, Tina took hold of the steering handles before witnessing the sight ahead: A massive battlefront, two of the presumed three corporate starships Mr. Jenson dispatched hovering over the large research tower. Several aircraft zoomed about, some pursuing one another as they clashed in fast dogfights above the city. Near the large tower, Tina could also spot small specks flying about, catching a faint gleam of yellow shining at her. She didn't need to guess what those objects were as she braced herself with a deep breath for her flight, knowing that the lives of dozens of soldiers, as well as those of Wade and his friends, were now in her hands.
Stepping near the large door, Wade held onto a handle so as to brace himself for the force of the wind outside. Looking to the other door, Wade saw F in a similar posture to him, the warrior drone gazing to him as she spoke. "Hang onto the handles, Wade! Give them Hell!" Wade nodded without a word as he prepared a variant of laser cannon from his free left hand: A barrel with a silver tip and lights at its sides, a scope at it's top, a small cylindrical tank lit in yellow underneath. Looking upon its design, Wade's visor scanned the weapon in an instant before highlighting it as a "PULSE BLASTER".
Wade's attention was brought to the area outside as the large bay door opened up, revealing part of the battle-ridden cityscape beyond. Incredibly, most of the buildings were well intact, with only a select few sporting a trail of smoke or a fire atop them. Flying in the sky were a few more dropships, the escort squadrons breaking away forward to engage the hostile craft ahead of the transports. Wade could hear the whir of bullets and laser blasts as the skirmish above San Francisco commenced.
With F's bay door open, J deployed her wings before zooming out of the ship, flying over it before forming up right above the dorsal turret, which was slowly turning to take aim at an incoming fighter. The corporate plane looked quite strange for a terrestrial aircraft, sporting a bubble window over the usual fuselage with the window at the top. Its wings were swept forward, curving downward with a set of missile racks under them. The tips of the plane wielded a set of hybrid weapons, appearing to be a blend of a machine gun and a laser cannon. The back end of the ship sloped upward, sporting a pair of dorsal fins along with a longer one going downwards.
Tina kept her grip firm on the flight handles as she saw a laser beam fire at the approaching enemy plane, which failed to evade as it was struck by the yellow death energy. Seeing another fighter coming at her, Tina prepared to move the ship to her left as she quickly tapped a button on the controls, speaking to the gunner in the bubble turret via the speaker panel. "Gunner, keep watch for any bogeys, missiles and fighters!"
"You got it!" The officer replied as he held the trigger grips firmly, moving them along as he took aim at the second plane zooming at them. It fired a few missiles as the gunner shot at it, scoring several clean hits to its hull as it began to dive erratically in a trail of smoke. As for the missiles, J took aim with two laser guns before firing, the pair of beams slicing the projectiles into a fiery blaze.
On Wade's end, he was pointing his blaster attachment at another incoming fighter, which only managed to fire one missile before being chased off by a friendly A-20 plane. Wade fired a flurry of yellow bolts of energy at the approaching missile, several shots lighting missiles into flames before it could hit. The former worker drone wasn't given a moment's peace as yet another fighter dove at the dropship, its wing guns lighting up as it began to fire its lasers. Acting quickly, Wade flew out, J forming up with him as the two extended their wings. The murder drones' attempt at defending their ship was surprisingly successful, the two holding back the hot blasts of energy with their wings.
As the hostile craft broke off, J spoke aloud to Wade. "Good work, keep it up!" Wade nodded without a word as he flew back inside, taking hold of the railing again so he could continue holding off the hostiles outside.
In the cockpit, Tina flew the ship upwards, dodging an incoming plane that was falling to the city in flames. Steadying the ship, Tina kept watch for more hostiles, seeing that the Administrator's tower ahead was a bit closer, as were the disassembly drones fighting around it. Flying downwards, Tina leveled the ship out as she heard the voice of the Lapu Lapu's comm officer on the radio. "We should be a third of the way there, hold on out there!"
Readying her missile launcher, F took aim at an incoming fighter, getting a swift lock before firing. Two projectiles flew at the target plane, its pilot clearly on alert as it broke away from the Chameleon in its attempts to evade. Spotting another ship, F took aim at it, firing three missiles at the hostile craft. To her concern, the craft refused to brake away, sending its own trio of missiles before starting to break away. As the plane was struck by her dispatched arsenal, F readied a laser cannon before firing at the lethal trails of death. With help from J outside, the weapons were destroyed, though one did get dangerously close as it was lit aflame, the shockwave shaking the aircraft violently as it tilted to the right slightly.
Tina grunted as she tried to stabilize the ship, almost yelping as she spotted another aircraft, diving down on her with a hail of bullets. Metal pangs sounded from the damage taken by the weapons fire as the dorsal turret returned the favor, striking the plane on its nose as it began to fall to the city. Tina roared in immense effort as she jerked the ship upward, just barely dodging the smoking fighter as it passed over them.
Unbothered by the rough flying, Wade took aim at another fighter, a flurry of laser bolts coming at it as a few struck the craft's hull. The disassembly drone grinned in satisfaction as the fighter dove down in flames, crashing into another hostile plane in a bright ball of fire and metal scraps.
"That's some fine shootin', Wade! HAHA!" Duncan declared with a hearty laugh, a few of the other troopers cheering with him as they admired Wade's efforts. The miner drone smiled in appreciation as he kept his gaze towards the fighting outside, Cyn's large tower creeping into his view at the side of the dropship.
His brief break was interrupted as he heard a beep from his visor, noticing a call coming from J. Preparing a radio from his free hand, he answered his fellow disassembly drone. "What's up, J?"
"We're about to make our descent to the landing pads, I need you and F to help me fight off some of these rogues!" J ordered firmly as Wade looked to F, the warrior lady still focused on the enemy forces in the sky.
"F, might wanna get someone else to provide cover fire, we're heading out to help J!" Wade called out, F turning to acknowledge his news as she responded with a nod.
"Got it!" With that, she flew out of the dropship, Wade following after as he prepared for some more aerial combat. Wade swooped out of the ship with a roll, readying a sword blade in place of his other hand as he observed the sky battle around him and Tina's ship. Dozens of disassembly drones were spread out across the sky, many clashing their metal weapons or shooting at one another with a gun attachment of some sort.
It felt like the disassembly drones were having a massive civil war of sorts to Wade, with the clangs of swords, deathly cries of a few of the drones, and the faint spillage of oil from the injured ones, there was almost no mercy between the disassembly drones as they fought their former comrades in a mass deathmatch.
Returning his focus back to the mission, Wade searched for J and F, spotting them chatting over the transport. Flying over, Wade received some additional words from J on their goals. "Alright, we're gonna split up. F, you take the left wing of dropships, keep those traitors off their backs. Wade, you watch Mrs. Tina's ship and her escorts. I'll hold the right side."
"Won't be a problem, J. Those ships will make it to that pad down there, or I ain't a Carter!" Wade replied as he flew ahead of the dropship, the drone ladies splitting up to assist the other ships on their flight to the landing pad at the lower neck of the tower.
Speaking of the large tower, Wade observed the large structure. The top of the building had a sleek 'head' section, a curving window built into the face of it. Wade guessed it must've been some sort of observatory station. Going down, the tower slowly extended out as it sloped downwards, shiny grey panels going downwards past the landing pad. Beyond that, the panels continued down until reaching the city grounds below, a oval-shaped foundation sitting as the base of the tower.
His examination of the tower was disturbed as he spotted a descending VTOL craft, its markings showing its allegiance to the company to Wade's eyes. The design felt like a mix between the Chameleon and the Yellowjacket, sporting a window that went to the ships nose. Below the cockpit area was a small machine gun, slightly swiveling as it prepared to take shots at its target. The main hull had an open storage bay that carried very few people, from what Wade could see, and had a short tail extending out holding two maneuvering thrusters at the tips.
Before it could attack, however, a flurry of missiles struck at it, obliterating the craft into scrap. Glancing behind him, Wade spotted two Yellowjacket VTOLs, both fully manned as they formed up behind Tina's Chameleon.
Seeing that the worry of large aircraft was covered for the most part, Wade returned his focus ahead. His timing was almost perfect as he immediately spotted a hostile disassembly drone flying at Wade, who held his sword up in front of himself in a defensive manner. Flying fast, the drone's single blade clashed with Wades, the former slowing with a flap of their wings as Wade fired his blaster gun. The murder drone's wings took a majority of the damage as they left burn spots on them, Wade flying at his opponent as the two struck each other's blades.
Swapping his gun out for a claw hand, Wade noticed his enemy's nanite tail rising to strike. He didn't allow it to as he grabbed it with his claws, slicing the tail off as he held off the disassembly drone's two swords with his own one. Trying to distract his opponent, Wade struck his rival in the foot with his own tail, the male drone grunting in pain as Wade took his chance. In need of fresh oil, Wade dropped the broken nanite tank before grabbing onto his enemy, cutting one unrestrained arm of the drone off before biting into his head. Unfazed by the drone's cries of pain, Wade readied another claw hand from his sword before impaling the disassembly drone in their chest, ripping their core out before letting their body fall to the ground below.
Crushing the core, Wade looked to see another disassembly drone flying right at his transport. Like a dart, Wade zoomed in front of it, grabbing the unprepared drone with his sharp claws before pulling the arms off. Swiftly, he swapped his claws for pulse cannons before firing at the injured hostile. Wade managed to score a few hits on the drone's chest before they shielded themselves behind their wings. In a desperate attempt to hurt Wade, the drone flew at him in a spin, acting as a living fan-blade with their wings. The former worker drone guarded his form with his own wings, rapid clangs against them signaling the continuous impact.
Upon ceasing their spin attack, the two rivals broke away, Wade's eyes glancing behind him for a second as he heard Nathan call to him. "Wade! Look out!" Seeing his opponent still injured, Wade went at the drone again, grabbing them as he heard the sound of a rocket behind him. Wade turned around and held his enemy in front of him, a missile from the transport striking Cyn's minion as they groaned from the blast. To finish them off, Wade bit into the rival drone, slurping their oil as their visor began to flicker out. Once they passed out from the oil loss, Wade pulled the drone's core out with his claw hand, ending its life with a metal crunch.
Looking to the transport, Wade saw it starting to descend to the landing pad, along with its VTOL escorts. He flew down with them, intent on seeing their successful landing.
Wade's eyes were directed above as he heard the maniacal laughter of two disassembly drones, a male and a female. The duo came closer, their visors bearing yellow 'X's and their mouths wide with sharp teeth.
With careful grabbing, Wade pulled out one of his branded pens before throwing it with all of his might, the two disassembly drones splitting up ever so slightly as to evade the speeding projectile. To Wade's surprise, the pen hit its target, piercing the glass casing of the female murder drone's nanite tank as it spewed out glowing yellow acid. Some of that acid managed to splash onto the other drone, who yelped from the burning pain as he hovered in place to get the acid nanites off.
Readying a pair of swords, Wade and his uninjured rival struck at each other, merely locking their blades as they began to fight. Holding back the hostile bot, Wade pushed the murder drone off of him before taking a swing, commencing a flurry of fast swings and panging of metal weapons. Eventually, the duel climaxed as Wade struck at his opponent's arm, partially disarming her before kicking her through the air. Flying over, Wade and the disassembly drone were now on the opposite side of the dropship as they continued to fight. Still disarmed, the murder drone held her one blade up as she blocked another attack from Wade, the blades clashing violently.
Pulling one sword away, Wade prepared to cut down the enemy drone, but slowed as he saw her nanite tail shooting up at him. The former worker drone narrowly dodged the attack by no more than inches as he moved his head to the side, swinging his blade up to cut the tail off. Bringing his own to bear, Wade struck the wounded arm with his own tail, trying to slow its regeneration speed. Preparing to strike down the hostile drone, Wade was stopped as he was grabbed onto by the other murder drone, who took hold of his free arm in order to restrain him. The female disassembly drone added to her opponent's struggle by biting into his arm, Wade yelping as he tried and failed to hold her in place.
Now free from his grip, the two drones took hold of Wade's arms, intent on tearing him into pieces in the air. Wade grunted ferociously as he tried to pull back his arms, hoping to free himself before losing his weaponized appendages. He didn't have to worry for long as two missiles came at the enemy drones, blasting them both off of Wade as he glanced to see who shot the savior projectiles. Duncan pumped his free fist in the air as he silently cheered on his ally, who looked back to focus on his opponents.
With the two disassembly drones disoriented, Wade readied a pair of laser cannons before firing them, the beams burning into the injured drones and eliciting pained cries as they were hit. Quickly swapping to a pair of chainsaws, Wade spun at them in an almost manic manner, cutting into the two drones in their failing alertness. Slowing his spin, Wade looked to see his two rival drones falling to the ground below, split into several pieces as oil spilled out after their remains.
Looking back to his transport, Wade saw it nearing the landing pad before hearing a beep from his visor, indicating a call. Swapping one blade for a radio, Wade listened to the transmission being sent by Tina. "Everyone, this is Transport Beta-4G, we're about to be setting down!"
As Wade watched his girlfriend's ship begin to lower onto the large circular platform, he saw the two XB-41s holding position at the sides of the landing pad, two more transports moving downward to land as well. Flying down, Wade watched as Tina touched the ship down onto the landing pad, several Coalition and USN soldiers hopping out onto the large platform in an effort to secure the area. As he neared the pad, Wade flapped his wings to slow himself down before landing, his wings retracting as he prepared his blaster cannon.
Turning to face the transport, Wade walked towards it as several Coalition troops took positions around the main pad, F and J flying down to land beside him. Walking alongside her teammates, J praised their work. "Nice job, you two. The soldiers should be able to hold the line here for the most part, I'll take charge of the squads here. I want both of you to prepare your teams, do what you can to investigate and detain any data you find. And Wade," The drone in question looked to J with a stern face, J gave an encouraging smirk as she spoke to him. "Good hunting in there."
Wade nodded with a smirk of his own as he heard the sound of swooping from above, F and J looking along with him to see a flock of disassembly drones approaching, at least ten of them. Thankfully, these ones didn't show any aggression as they landed, J walking over to one of them as they spoke to her. "J, we're a detachment from the DeLorean. Her captain sent us down to assist you and the troops here."
"So I heard." J replied appreciatively before giving her orders. "Mr. Carter and F here are going to begin their raid on the labs, I want you to hold out here until we're finished with this place."
"We won't let you down, Ma'am!" The friendly murder drone declared eagerly as he and the other drones saluted, Wade observing them all for a moment before returning his attention to the transport ahead.
Wade and F went into a light jog in their traversal to the dropship, Tina stepping out of the ship as she spotted her love. Sharing the gaze, Wade came up to her while F hopped aboard to gather their team up. "You ready for this, honey?"
"I was ready in the pilot's seat, I'm most certainly prepared for this, Wade." Tina replied as she pulled out her pistol, holding it in a guard as Wade wrapped his arm around her.
Looking up to F, she stepped out with several others, Kurtis, Nathan, Gerard, and F's old squad among them. "Okay, my buddies here will be with me. Wade, you'll have Kurtis, Nathan, and Gerard with you."
"Got it, let's stick close in case we run into trouble out here." Wade replied as F gave an acknowledging nod, the two taking point in front of the large team behind them as they all began walking down the mini bridge leading to the entrance door.
As they got almost halfway down the platform, a loud, rising sound shook the group, Wade and Tina looking on in horror as a large energy beam fired up past the bridge. The blast struck one of the corporate cruisers above the tower, its hull burning in a bright blaze of flame and debris as the ship was downed.
"What in blazes was that?!" Duncan exclaimed as he and his teammates backed up slightly, watching the large starship slowly fall to the city below in flames. Concerned about where the blast came from, Wade and F looked to the origin of the blast. The heavy sounds of metal legs touching against the building hinted at an enormous object climbing up the building.
And enormous it was, as Wade and his allies looked on in petrified awe at the rising sight before them. Crawling up past the bridge was a large, four-legged walker mech, big enough to stand atop the bridge. The main body of the walker looked to be some kind of cannon, with a large, roughly cylindrical shape to it all. Along the black body were white armor plates attached around it, with the main weapon barrel being of a silver color. The legs holding the mech up were sharp, and, squinting at it, Wade saw a hint of red within the black internals of the white-armored legs, which had sharp claws at the ends of the 'feet' parts.
The large walker let out a mechanical howl as it stopped climbing, moving slightly in an attempt to come down onto the landing platform. Tina held onto Wade as she observed the metal beast in fear. "What in the devil is that thing?!"
F pulled out her radio, speaking into it for potential intel on their new foe. "F to J, you got anything on this?!"
"That's... not something I recall seeing on the company inventory." J replied uncomfortably as she too observed the large crawler, which hunched down against the building before leaping forward. The platform, be it by sheer luck or miraculous strength on the its part, did not fumble from the impact as the walker landed hard onto it, sending a shaky quake across it. The assault team was trying hard to remain balanced against the sheer force of the walker's landing as they snapped out of their stunned trance.
As Wade and Tina recovered from the shock of the walker's landing, J spoke through the radio once more. "I'll get the DDs to keep this thing distracted, you all try to find a weakness on it!"
"Understood, J!" Wade replied to the speaker on F's hand as he deployed his wings, looking to Tina before speaking to her. "Tina, hop on!"
The pilot drone heeded her boyfriend's call as she hopped upon his back, the two taking flight as F prepared to do the same. Zooming over to the walker, the two examined the closer details of its exterior, not spotting much to go after. Going up to the walker's side, however, Wade saw a potential target: At the left side of the walker was a door hatch, completely sealed so as to prevent threats from entering the walker with ease.
"This looks like a good spot!" Wade declared, glancing behind him to see F flying up next to him. "Let's see if we can make a break in, tear it apart from the inside!"
"That sounds like a good idea!" F replied as she spoke into her radio again. "J, you mind sending a few extra hands? We're gonna need them for our little attack plan here!"
High in the air, J answered her comrade through the speaker. "You'll have it, stand by!" Swapping out her radio for a laser gun, J called out to two of her nearby disassembly drone allies, who were getting ready to pounce onto the walker before J called to them. "You two! Our team's about to try and bring this down, head down there and give 'em a hand!"
"With pleasure, Ma'am!" One drone replied as the other simply laughed lightly, the two zooming down to the walker to assist their allies near it.
Looking back to the walker, J spoke aloud to some of her fellow disassembly drones. "Let's get that beast's attention! Fire at will!"
The horde of drones complied as they all fired their weapons at the walker, lasers, bullets, rockets, and many other munitions striking the sturdy armor of the walker.
Clamping onto the walker with a set of claws, Wade began to cut into the door with a chainsaw hand, F hovering with her weapons ready as the two heard the sound of disassembly drones flying over to them. F turned to them while Wade did his work. "Ma'am, J sent us. We'll help you with whatever you need!"
F responded with a nod. "Get your weapons ready, we're gonna gut this walker!" The two drones returned the gesture as they prepared various weapons, hovering with F as Wade continued cutting into the walker.
"I've... almost got it! Just a minute more, and-" Wade said aloud before being cut off by the walker's bellowing howl, the massive mech lifting upwards as it began to charge up its main weapon.
J watched in anxious anticipation as the walker's barrel began to glow in a brilliant yellow light, the beam charging up again as it prepared to fire at its attackers. "Evade! EVADE!" J warned loudly as the beam fired, a few unfortunate disassembly drones being vaporized by the huge laser as it shot across the sky. Despite her effort to dodge, misfortune followed the victim drone as J cried out in immense pain, her arm having narrowly been caught in the blast and completely disintegrating into vapor. Hovering in place, J held her damaged shoulder, sparks and smoke emitting from the wound as J glared at the beam-walker in renewed rage. Redeploying her laser cannon, she continued firing.
Continuing to saw the door open, Wade laughed victoriously as he nearly finished cutting the hatch off. Getting a bit impatient, Wade ceased his slicing and prepared a second claw hand, pulling at the door in order to tear it off. The sealed hatch tore from the walker with a loud grind of metal, Wade tossing the door away before readying a laser rifle from one of his claws.
"Alright! Let's do this!" Wade declared as he and his three disassembly drone comrades flew inside, entering a small corridor before being blocked off the back of the walker by a hostile murder drone. Taking aim, Wade fired his laser at the enemy, the drone holding their swords up in an attempt to defend themselves. Flying at the drone, Wade clashed his blades with theirs, the two stuck in a deadlock as Tina pulled out her pistol, firing at the drone's head. The distraction elicited a cry of pain from the murder drone before Wade bit into them, sucking in the delicious, warm oil.
Once he was finished, Wade continued on to the back of the walker, F and her allies heading to the front to cause any bit of trouble they could. Reaching the aft end of the walker's internal structure, Wade saw another disassembly drone getting ready to pounce on him and Tina. Quickly readying a shotgun, Wade fired several blasts at the drone as it covered itself under one of its wings. As Wade kept pummeling the murder drone with his shotgun, Tina took aim at their exposed nanite tail, firing at it as the tank broke off. Getting close, Wade reached for the tank with his newly formed hand, ceasing fire as the murder drone began to unshield themself.
Wade didn't waste a second as he threw the nanite tank upon the drone's exposure, striking at the drone's face as they yelped in agony. Arming himself with two chainsaws, Wade lunged at his opponent, cutting the hostile drone into many oil-covered pieces.
With the immediate threat dealt with, Wade and Tina backed up to examine the glowing light at the inner wall to their left. The light was coming from what seemed to be a controlled singularity, an exceptionally rare source of power that humanity hadn't learned to contain until the announcement of the Administrator's creation. Given what it was powering, it was safe to say this was a source of energy Cyn used for her fancy toys.
"That must be its power source!" Tina stated firmly, Wade readying a grenade launcher as he prepared to fire.
"Hold on, Tina. This is gonna be nasty!" Wade warned as his girlfriend held on tightly to him, Wade shooting several grenades at the glass protecting the black hole core as it shattered loudly into many shards. After about four or five shots, the singularity collapsed, the walker groaning loudly from the lack of power as the walls of the mech's innards began to creak and pop with smoke.
Noting the imminent danger they were in, Wade readied a radio before yelling into it. "F, get yourself clear! This thing's gonna blow!"
Without waiting for a reply, Wade turned around before flying back the way he came, zooming through the corridor and out the broken door hatch. Ascending upwards, Wade stopped as he hovered in the air, F and her two escorts flying out to him as they all watched the collapsing walker. Sparks began to emit from the legs, their armor plating collapsing in on the dark leg joints as they seemingly began to melt away into ash. The main hull of the walker began to catch flame for a few seconds before exploding in a bright ball of fiery light. Covering their faces, Wade closed his eyes until the light dissipated, then re-opening them to see the results of his crazy act.
The soldiers at the pad, and those among Wade and F's team, cheered and laughed at the incredible sight, the broken remnants of the beam-walker lying flat in a smoky haze and burning flames. Flying down to the platform, Wade and F's team ran over to the quartet of drones as they touched down, Tina hopping off of her boyfriend as she laughed in bewildered excitement.
"Holy shit, Wade! That was insane!" Kurtis exclaimed with a hearty laugh as Nathan added to the congratulatory comments.
"Yeah, you guys scrapped that thing REAL good! Haha!"
"Well, I wouldn't have been able to pull that off by myself." Wade replied as he glanced to Tina, then F and the two escort drones as the former spoke to him.
"You can say that again, honey. I can't believe we pulled that off!" The pilot drone let out a laugh as she patted Wade's arm, the former worker drone sharing the amusement as they both heard the high swooping of wings. Looking up, the couple saw J flying down, holding her damaged arm as she touched down with an impressed smirk.
"Well, you both excel at causing a ruckus." The corporate drone said with a smirk as Tina put a hand to her mouth in shock, concerned over J's well-being.
"J, your arm! Are you alright?" Tina asked worriedly as J responded sheepishly.
"Uh-huh. I'll be fine, just need some oil to patch this up." Pulling out a canteen, J held out the bottle for someone to help her open it. Wade assisted her without a word as he unscrewed the lid, allowing J to drink up some of the liquid drone blood inside. Once she was done, Wade helped her seal the bottle before she put it away. "But besides that, you did an incredible job out here. I'd say it's a sort of... happy accident that you were converted."
Wade gave a shaky laugh as he replied to J's compliment. "Well, I hope those clones I've been hearing about carry the same wills, J. We'll need it."
J gave a nod of agreement as her arm began to regenerate, the group looking pleased at her recovery as Duncan spoke up in amusement. "Hah, now THAT'S making me regret not comin' along with Felicity here when she left!"
"Yeah, wish they had something like that for us fleshbags." Carlos added humorously, J chuckling at the soldier as she replied to the comments.
"Perhaps you will, Sir. Maybe one day." Then, looking to the large laboratory ahead, J continued a bit more sternly. "But if we want that to come true, we should get inside that place and start looking for such research."
Wade nodded in affirmation as he remembered the original plan. "Right, we should get going. You're gonna hold the line here, J?"
"Correct, I may head out with the ship that carries whatever vital materials you get from in there. That is, if you find any." The corporate drone replied before taking back to the air, preparing to continue her duty outside. "Good luck, and like I told you, Wade. Do what you will with Halloway, just make sure that program is stopped." With that, J flew into the air, heading back to the dropships as Wade and his group watched her depart.
Looking to his friends, Wade concluded their sightseeing break. "Alright, no time to lose. Let's go." The group collectively nodded to the former worker drone as he took the lead, Tina, F and the rest following close behind as they ran to the nearby doorway to the inner sanctuary of Cyn's fortress.

I had a son who I built him to be a beast in tactics to be a great NPC general, gave him an army and hasn't got a single point in tactics in a year. He fought his battles, was a member of my army... nothing.
Do you know how can I make him get xp in tactics? Maybe for the next NPC general I should focus on intelligence talents (and scouting)?
Edit: I managed to do it. I had the NPC general in training with me and when about to engage to a big but inferior enemy, give him a party and a bunch of soldiers, so he is automatically engaged o engaging. Then I go in his defense and auto resolve the battle.
It was a nice XP gain, but at the cost of a lot of soldiers and to have him again in you party, you must disband him and wait for him to arrive to the nearest ally town and recall again.
Anyway, as we see in this conversation, maybe this ability is wasted in an NPC, only useful for the perks.

TL;DR: Kafka's ability to deal DoT damage when she uses her skill + Action advance can't really be matched by other DoT dealers in this current blessing. However, previous PFs have shown that Kafka doesn't need action advancing to get clears, just an elemental weakness to exploit.
If you don't have Kafka, the action advance mechanic acts as a makeshift Kafka (at the cost of your team taking more damage). Non-Kafka DoT teams can remain viable in this PF by teambuilding for element weakness, and repeatedly action advancing opponents instead. Damage will range from being slightly below to slightly surpassing a Kafka without a PF blessing to exploit.

I'm pretty sure it doesn't need to be said, but Kafka + action advancing will beat out any other DoT dealer with equivalent relics and LCs. You didn't come here to read this obviousness, you came here to read walls of texts and poke holes in my logic.
But is Kafka really such a strict requirement to make use of the blessing in Pure Fiction? Are non-Kafka DoT teams really just so screwed? In the past pure fictions, we've seen Kafka easily clear through waves where she was only weakness favoured, but not blessing favoured. I believe that players who did not get Kafka can still make solid use of the blessing with the other DoT units.
Let's compare and contrast two possible pure fiction blessing scenarios to show the power gap gets closed by the action advance mechanic added on.
Scenario 1:

• You have a Kafka in your squad,
• the blessing DOES NOT provide action advance, like in previous PF's.
• An enemy turn lasts 100% of their action value; let's say 80 AVs. The actual AV doesn't matter, so long as the enemy has the same amount in both scenario 1 and 2. The enemy also has sufficient hp to survive at least 2 full round of attacks from all 4 party members, and no resistance to damage. The team is only attacking one target.
• A non-Kafka source provides the initial DoT, ideally the same source between both scenarios. Kafka will apply her follow-up DoT to the target before her first skill use.
• Kafka is at level 10 skill rank (75% of the DoT Value). Kafka has enough speed to get 3 attacks in two turns, and she uses her skill every time her turn comes up.
• No other team mates interact with the DoTs in any meaningful way between turns, and your team hits a total of 12 times

The enemy takes a turn and procs the original dot at 100% damage. Kafka applies her follow-up shock DoT before using her skill. After 6 allied attacks, the enemy gets its turn again, and a total of 350% of the original DoT damage (+3 instances of Kafka's DoT damage) has been dealt in the timeframe of 1 naturally occurring enemy cycle.
After another round of 6 ally attacks, the enemy's turn again, another 175% + 2 Kafka DoT proc, totalling 525% of the original DoT + 5 instances of Kafka's follow-up DoT.

Scenario 2

• You have a non-Kafka DoT damage dealer (Gwen, Serval, or Luka to avoid stacking damage math nonsense) that has enough speed to attack 3 times in 2 turns, and be either 1st or 2nd in the team's attack order.
• the blessing provides 35% action advance to enemies on each attack an enemy receives.
• An enemy turn lasts 100% of the action value. The actual AV value doesn't matter, so long as it matches the above. The enemy has sufficient hp to survive at least 2 full round of attacks from all 4 party members, and no resistances. The team is only attacking one target.
• The same source from Scenario 1 provides the initial DoT.
• No other teammates interact with the DoT, and your team hits a total of 12 times

The enemy's turn rolls around, and the initial DoT procs for 100% damage. At absolute worst for this math, 3 attacks from your allies will cause the enemy to action advance 100%, wasting some advancement on the enemies natural speed; at it's best, allies will only boost 70% of the way, and the enemy's natural speed will take it the other 30. Since we attack 12 times, the enemy will take anywhere from 4-6 turns, each turn taking 100% of initial dot (+ non-Kafka DoT). At its worst, the enemy takes 500% of initial dot damage + 4 instances of the non-Kafka Dot. At its best, the enemy takes 700% of initial dot damage + 6 instances of the non-Kafka Dot.

Moving the numbers to be beside each other and not trapped in walls of text.
Scenario 1: 2 turns; 12 attacks: 525% of the initial DoT + 5 Kafka DoT's
Scenario 2: 2 turns; 12 attacks: 500 - 700% of the initial DoT + 4-6 non-Kafka DoTs.
In the worst case scenario 2 situation, Kafka still outpaces your squad by 25% of the initial DoT, as well as getting more damage procs and having a stronger DoT to proc. Oops, that sucks, but I did say that this was the worst case scenario.
Moving to the upper end, you see that we dealt 175% more of the initial DoT, and one extra proc of our own DoT. Kafka's DoT will generally hit harder than other non Black Swan options, which would make up for our own extra personal proc, we amplified the initial DoT damage to be slightly more than 2 full Kafka skill uses.
Essentially, it means that our damage range with the action advancing and no Kafka contains the theoretical damage a Kafka with no action advancing can accomplish. Unless the external/initial DoT source is incredibly small, non-Kafka DoT characters can compete roughly equivalently to a Kafka outside of the niche this particular PF blessing provides.
If you read this far, why? But also thank you.