demographic: - male, polish, white\ -attending to top tier piblic high school ranked 50 in a country\ -around 100k$ income a year\ gpa:\ -around 3.9 uw in american system\ -my school doesn’t do weighted gpa\ -my school doesn’t do rankings\ APs:\ -there are no ap classes to take in my country\ SAT: -1570\ ECs:\ -created a website for my dad’s company\ -created a website in the investment topic\ -regularly took part in school sports competitions like table tennis or volleyball\ -school volunteer\ -took part in outside school environmental protection actions\ -leader of a school investment club\ -tutoring my friends and peers\ -regularly going to gym\ -tennis lessons\ -singing lessons\ -created resell short time business\ -president of a class\ -class treasurer\ -touring future students of my school\ -summer job\ -internship in a bank\ awards:\ -finalist of economics olympiad\ -finalist of maths olympiad\ -school scholarship for grades\ can you suggest me reach, match, safety schools? i’d love to attend top 25 college. i am able to spend up to 40k yearly in total. i am thinking of california new york florida or illinois unless i have chances for reputable college outside these states. thanks for responding🙏

Sang time sang pandemic halos maintain lang ang price kay wala sang buying power mga taho, need mag attract or pakulo mga businesses to survive. Subong wala na pandemic dasig pag saka sang costs. So maintain lang ang swledo giyapon kag wala masyado buying power ang mga tahu kay gina save for basic needs gid kay ka expensive na mag purchase sg mga wants kag unnecessary expenses.
Before: 10 ka tahu ma buy worth ₱100 product = business income ₱1,000
7 ka tahu ma buy worth ₱100 product = business income ₱700
Wala na reach sang target sales ang business to compensate sa sweldo & costs nila, kay nag decrease ang customers niya, so e increase ya ang price to cover up ang ila operating costs maski diutay taho ga buy sg ila products now, unlike na damo taho ga buy sang products sang una.
Now: 7 ka tahu ma buy worth ₱150 = business income ₱1,050
Wala na masyado buying power ang mga consumers sa middle earners lalo na sa lower income earners. Number 1 priority na ka Pinoy mag save for rainy days example basi matabo liwat ang pandemic, job losses, hospital, food, water, house, clothing expenses, or ma close ang company etc. wala sang savings. Domino effect, inflation.

My son starts yr 10 in september and has been told he needs to pick CS or Music, he can't do both. Bugger.
While there's no way I can teach GCSE music from home, there's a decent chance that I could teach CS. That's what my ancient degree was in and that's that my day job used to be before it turned in to management.
The school uses the OCR board for CS and I'd stick with that, so that he can get some help and extra teaching materials from the teacher every now and then if he needs to - and if the teacher agrees.
If we go ahead with this I'll speak to the CS teacher, who was very keen to have him in his class, so I'm hoping that'll be positive.
I'll also set a timetable that we have to stick to, so that things don't immediately fall apart.
And lastly, I'd like to try to do it all in 1 year, using the summer to get a good head start - though I don't want to burn him out. This would mean he'd get the experience of sitting a single GCSE with very little pressure compared to yr 11, there would be no exam timetabling clashes with other subjects, and he'd presumably have another year to continue his study and try again if it all went horribly wrong on the day.

• Is this insane?
• Are we doomed?
• Any advice?
• Anyone have experience from either side of this?
• Are there better places to discuss it and get advice/help?

Thanks and good luck with the rest of your exams!

Hello World! I had a question about employability of a BCS CS degree vs a Music and Computer Science degree. I wanted to know if jobs that say "Required Computer Science Degree" will count a Bachelors of Science Music and Computer Science Degree as a Computer Science degree. Most of the classes are the same except for the music and electrical engineering components of the course. Basically, will employers disregard my Music and Computer Science degree and prefer a generic Computer Science Degree?

Is there still time to improve and seem appealing to internship recruiters between now and second semester of junior year? Did I screw myself? All responses are greatly appreciated

How many of yall out there work a full 40 hours a week and take full time classes?
I am in my first semester after taking 4 years off after high school. I live on my own, with no financial aid from my parents. Completely independent. So I really have no choice but to work a full time job.
That said, im motivated to get my bachelors (Associate’s first). I’m a compsci major, and taking asynchronous online courses at a local community college for now until i transfer in to a state school after my AA.
Heres the topic of discussion. What do yall study, and what do you do for work?
I find myself in a very lucky position where i work a job that gives me paid time off during the same time as the school, and the school pays for 6 credit hours a semester. I do pay out of pocket for the other two due to the fact i’m not old enough to be considered independent by FAFSA… I also get to work on my coursework 6 hours of the 8 hours im at work since its an overnight position. The only downside that it’s overnight, and the pay isnt great.

I am experienced software engineer Specialized in java in backend (spring boot , sql MySQL). Have also worked in front end tech like angular and javascript.
I looking for some part time and freelance work.
I am open some other wfh part time jobs
Any leads will be helpful and gratefully
I am also available to teach mathematics upto class 10 seba and cbse any boards
I need to support myself to sustain in Guwahati

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-me-pay-tuition-and-graduate
Hello, I am a 23 year old senior at the University of Houston who needs your help to finish my bachelor's degree. I have one semester left however, the tuition i owe from my previous semester is preventing me for registering and finishing it. I have tried my best to work hard to earn it: taking dual credit and AP classes and when in college, taking as many hours as I could. However, during and after covid left me burnt out one reason being family which you can read more about here, https://www.reddit.com/QAnonCasualties/comments/rte190/how_do_you_guys_cope_living_with_antivaxxe. To make a long story short my GPA started to slip and I lost the scholarship I was depending on. Also, since I have taken so many classes with all the credit I had earned before classes and all the hours I took fulltime, usually around 18 credit hours, I received a message from financial aid that I exceeded credit hours and I wouldn't be able to get the grant anymore. I am currently taking a break from school and have been working a full-time job as a teaching assistant but it's not enough to pay what I owe. I really want to finish because its something I always wanted. Please, I need your help, I'll post updates here on to let you know how it's going. Please, getting this degree would help me so much in life and to take the next steps in life. Thank you for reading this and I hope you have a lovely day. <3

With the Dawntrail job action Live Letter imminent, I figure there's no better time to post this. Most of the skill list is the same as current; only the rows with a note next to them have changes.
My main motivation was just (re-)introducing WHM's Water magic. I made it a lower level AOE which later upgrades to Holy, much like Stone and Aero upgrade to Glare and Dia respectively. Almost every change is to facilitate that.
The new lower level AOE would be a boon for dungeons between Toto-Rak and Aurum Vale. But the extra upgrade tier in between (current) Holy and Holy III does necessitate either a slight nerf to it at 45 or a slight buff at 72; I went with the former for this list.
Besides that, I made a small edit to Freecure's effect to avoid the dreaded Cure I trap, and lowered Afflatus Rapture's acquisition level to get AOE lilies earlier (and pad SB's scarce skill list).
Please let me know what you think!

Action	Type	Level	Notes
Stone	Class	1
Cure	Class	2
Aero	Class	4
Repose	Role	8
Esuna	Role	10
Medica	Class	10
Raise	Class	12
Lucid Dreaming	Role	14
Rescue	Role	18
Stone Mastery	Trait	18
Stone II	Class	18
Swiftcast	Role	18
Maim and Mend	Trait	20
Water	Class	25	Added Water as AOE with no stun (100 potency?)
Cure II	Class	30
Freecure	Trait	30	Freecure now procs off Stone instead of Cure
Presence of Mind	Job	30
Regen	Job	35
Cure III	Job	40
Main and Mend II	Trait	40
Surecast	Role	44
Water Mastery	Trait	45	Water upgrades to Water II (130 potency?)
Water II	Job	45	Gets the stun effect same as current Holy
Aero Mastery	Trait	46
Aero II	Class	46
Benediction	Job	50
Medica II	Class	50
Afflatus Solace	Job	52
Secret of the Lily	Trait	52
Asylum	Job	52
Stone Mastery II	Trait	54
Stone III	Job	54
Assize	Job	56
Thin Air	Job	58
Tetragrammaton	Job	60
Stone Mastery III	Trait	64
Stone IV	Job	64
Divine Benison	Job	66
Afflatus Rapture	Job	68	AOE Lily moved from 76 to 68
Plenary Indulgence	Job	70
Aero Mastery II	Trait	72
Dia	Job	72
Stone Mastery IV	Trait	72
Glare	Job	72
Water Mastery II	Trait	72	Water II upgrades to Holy here (140 potency?)
Holy	Job	72	Torn on buffing Holy here or nerfing it at 45
Afflatus Misery	Job	74
Transcendant Afflatus	Trait	74
Enhanced Asylum	Trait	78
Temperance	Job	80
Glare Mastery	Trait	82
Glare II	Job	82	Name change only, no jump from I to III
Holy Mastery	Trait	82
Holy II	Job	82	Name change only, no jump from I to III
Enhanced Healing Magic	Trait	85
Aquaveil	Job	86
Ehanced Divine Benison	Trait	88
Liturgy of the Bell	Job	90

I am a 24-year-old blind guy living in what is pretty much the middle of the country in the US in Lincoln, Nebraska. I just graduated community college with my associates of applied science in computer information technology with a focus on applications development this past December. Over the course of my schooling in the latter half I tried to get internships, but I was always skipped over in favor of other students and as I am now graduated, I’ve tried applying for internships even now, but pretty much every internship i’ve come across requires that you be a student, which obviously I’m not. What few software developer positions. There are in my area are senior level positions or require more job experience than what I obviously have, which is none in the industry. I am currently in the process of building an iOS app to put on the App Store to try to help with that, but realistically, I don’t know how much that will help grab employers attention. What else can I practically do to get my foot in the door?

I’ve been working in my current company for about 9 months now.
I’m working full time and pursuing part time degree as well. honestly, it’s quite overwhelming and hard to cope as I was always rushing to meet deadlines for my assignments.
The workload is very heavy to the point that I can’t leave work on time and because of that, I will usually be late for my night classes. It has affected my mental & physical health and I dread going to work.
I had a talk with my supervisor previously regarding the overwhelming workload but nothing has changed.
What should I do next?
I intend to take a break from work after leaving the company. Should I quit without a job? I’m also afraid of how long it would take for me to find another job :( even though I do not have much commitments and financially wise I should be able to sustain without a job for a few months..

I can't tell if I'm trans or just trying to find somewhere to belong. I know if you think you're faking it you're probably not, but in my case it's not "faking" it might just be coping from a lack of identity?
I don't know what to think but I'll try to explain my life story (sorry it's gonna be long, ik my posts are usually long but this one is going to be stupid long) in case anyone can help (also sorry for being so annoying I know a lot of ppl have super trans-related problems and my problems are like 1/2 trans if I'm too much just tell me and I'll stop). Just finished typing it and yeah this is stupid long and I probably shouldn't post this anymore cuz it's dumb but at this point I have nothing left to lose so I'm gonna anyways.
TW: Suicidal ideation + mentions of death + mentions of self harm
When I was in elementary I was friendly and social with everyone, and part of a close friend group of 2 females and 1 enby (they didn't know at the time). I felt comfy in that group but summer came and I didn't talk to them bc I didn't have a phone. When I started middle school I didn't get in any of their classes, so I told myself I'd focus on my studies. So then the people i met in middle school who were my "friends" were only because I wanted someone to talk to but I had lost my personality so I kinda just shaped my personality around them. But that's also around the same time I realized I kinda really hated everything about myself. Uncertain about what I want to do with my life. Hated my appearance (had just constantly gotten buzz cuts my whole life) + I hate my face and body. I assumed it was body dysmorphia after looking up how I felt and accepted that I was just depressed. Come high school I just kept feeling worse, then we had to put my dog down and I didn't cry a single tear when he got injected. I realized I was really fucked up from that and that night when I was alone I completely shattered. All sense of self left me and I realized that I felt completely alone. I even started SHing myself around that time (though nothing too intense, was mostly just with a broken utensil, only a razor once which freaked me out a ton since my shoulder kept bleeding and after that I stopped and just started hitting myself instead). I decided to try piece myself together and the first thought was to figure myself out. I determined I was probably aroace since I had never "liked" anyone (still dunno if i have) even though I want to. Thought that was it but then when I started working after high school I saw a Coolyori meme after getting into DDLC. The meme wasn't even from egg irl but id assume it has been posted there. I don't remember exactly what it was but it was something along the lines of looking like Sayori. Then I found egg irl and realized that yeah I think if I had been born a girl and had a girl childhood I probably wouldn't have been depressed. I mean, girls are pretty and I might've been able to hold onto my friends and not fuck everything up. But now I just wonder if I actually want to be a girl, or if I just think it would solve my problems. I also wonder if I just wanna be more feminine because I have 2 sisters, no brothers, my dad never hung out with me, all of my friends that I've been close to growing up were girls (except that one enby + an enby online I met), and the people I played with in the summer were girls. I'm struggling to figure out if I'm just depressed or actually trans and I care too much about not burdening others to be able to ask for help + I developed really bad social anxiety as well. I just am tired of living in a state of anxiousness and self-hatred at this point. At this point I just wish some outside force could set me free cuz I'm too tired. If anyone actually read of this thank you but I'm also sorry I wasted so much of your time. 💜
Any input/advice/insight is appreciated and much needed 🫂

Hello, I am an international student from Taiwan and am about to study grad school in the United States.
I have applied for master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and my specialized research area is Fluid Mechanics. I really fancy Fluid Mechanics and have decided to do research master's degree (or maybe thesis option), instead of just coursework master's degree.
Luckily, I recently got offers from University of Michigan and Georgia Institute of Technology, I have difficulty choosing which school to attend and thus hope you can give me some useful pieces of advice, I will be truly grateful. I am unable to visit the campuses in person and financial issue is not a problem to me, so we can just neglect the tuition aspect.
Here are some Pros and Cons I've analyzed for both of them. Since I am not an expert to this, please correct me if my understanding is wrong.
Georgia Institute of Technology
Pros:

1. The ranking of Mechanical Engineering (or simply Engineering) of GT is slightly higher than UM.
   
2. In terms of Fluid Mechanics, GT has more research resources and faculties. The overall intensity of Fluid Mechanics research is much better at GT than at UM. Plus, there are more Fluid Mechanics labs that align with my interest in GT.
   
3. GT does better in job opportunities, such as the Co-op, Graduate Internship Program and their career fairs, which allow their graduate students to find a suitable job more easily upon graduation.
   
4. Labs are generally supported by some tech giants or have joint research projects with corporations. This help me learn more about those companies and thus help me find jobs more smoothly after graduation.
   
5. GT really boast with their Engineering and STEM programs, which will probably give me more resources toward my research.
   
6. I want to apply my knowledge of Fluid Mechanics and work in aerodynamic industries in the future, GT is more connected to them, including NASA, SpaceX and Lockheed Martin.
   
7. Less Asian students than that in UM, this do good to me since I want to step out of my comfort zone and interact with different ethnicity.
   
8. Atlanta is a metropolitan city where I can have a bunch of places to unwind and chill out.
   

Cons:

1. The campus size is only 373 acres, insignificant in comparison to UM. I personally prefer large campus.
   
2. The student group is consisted mostly of engineering students, which is monotonous (less diverse) and somewhat boring. Also there are less female students.
   
3. It is kinda scorching and wet during summer in Atlanta, I hate humid weather !!
   

Among all the merits mentioned for GT, 2. & 3. matter most for me. They are the main points to consider.
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Pros:

1. UM is a mighty traditional public with long history (founded in 1817), their buildings are quaint and picturesque. Their overall reputation is phenomenal in the states, and there are other prestigious programs than Engineering in UM such as Law, Nuclear, Medicine and Dentistry.
   
2. UM has strong school spirit (go blue, wolverine), diverse student groups and fantastic social life. I will have the sense of belonging and recognition here.
   
3. Many multidisciplinary programs which I can gain non-engineering ideas to nourish my mindset. Also their alumni network is world class.
   
4. Large campus size (3203 acres). Plus, Ann Arbor is a fabulous college town where I can enjoy some fancy shops and restaurants, the environment around UM is undoubtedly satisfying.
   
5. Strong alumni network. This helps me become more connected and provides more opportunities at workplace.
   

Cons:

1. Even UM's Mechanical Engineering is reputable, the Fluid Mechanics research is deficient, there is limited resources and faculties in Fluid Mechanics. It will be hard to find a lab there that fit with me.
   
2. It is freezing during winter in Michigan. This will discourage me from going out and study.
   
3. I think their Mechanical Engineering department receive less funds and grants than that in GT, because GT focuses on Engineering and STEM subjects so they probably allocate their budget mostly in Engineering.
   

Conclusion:
GT and UM are both prestigious, if I want to focus my graduate time in studying, doing research and seeking internships, I will pick GT. On the other hand, if I want to enjoy the campus, develop social life and experience the diverse community, I should pick UM.
Since I am just an undergraduate student in Taiwan, I haven't been to either of these schools and are less familiar to these schools than you guys. If you can provide me with useful advice and suggestion, I will be sincerely appreciated. Thank you very much.
View Poll

I contemplated sharing all of these since the first two happened so long ago, but they’re eerie enough that I think that they should be shared. I have two stories from when I was young, when I was around age 5-6. Though they were over 20 years ago, the first one I remember vividly and the other occurred later yet I can’t recall that one much at all. However, my mom tells that story like it was yesterday so I’m pretty sure my brain blocked it out or something.
So for context, my mom had me when she was 20 and was a single parent for a while. My father was completely out of the picture, so we lived with her childhood best friend in different apartments when I was young. So one night, it was dark but not extremely late (like 7-8) and I was coloring in the kitchen while my mom was in another room. I vividly remember a knock coming from the sliding glass door only a few feet away from where I was. I turned to see a middle aged man with a sinister smile, pointing at the handle to let him in. I immediately screamed, which scared this guy off, and my mom ran in and called the cops. My mom later told me he was peeping at my her and her best friend for a while but this was the first time I had seen him and that he attempted to come in. Apparently he had left… evidence that he was there a couple of times but I don’t think the cops ever got him. But the rest of the time we lived there, my mom had security from her job (House of Blues) sleep over a lot for protection.
The next encounter is one I don’t remember happening but the story still terrifies me because of what might be out there and how easily these things can happen. It was a different apartment, like a townhouse, but only a few blocks away from where the other thing happened. There was a couple that lived across the street and my mom always got very strange vibes from them. The man would openly stare at me (around age 6) and my mom’s best friend’s niece (who was 11) when she would stay over, which would prompt my mom to angrily yell at him for being creepy for staring at us the way he was, calling him a perv. My mom’s best friend thought she was being paranoid but then at some point, I was playing outside, and that same man lured me over into his apartment with his dog. It didn’t take long for my mom to notice I was gone… it wasn’t even 10 minutes before she ran over to come get me. The couple acted like nothing was wrong and that I just wanted to see their dog but she freaked out on them. When we were home, I told her that he took pictures of me with their dog and she called the cops. They were kicked out but the pictures were never found… which creeps me the hell out to this very day.
The most recent creepy encounter was also with my mom but it was about 6 months ago. I’m still not sure if this was us being paranoid or if we were being followed but it felt wrong. We went to the mall looking for shoes for my wedding and started at Belk. My mom had to use the restroom so I went off on my own and while I was browsing, I got annoyed with this guy wearing a baseball hat because he seemed to be constantly in my way or hovering. It struck me as odd that he kept ending up around me in the women’s shoes section and I got annoyed with him quickly, shooting him a glare that seemed to back him off a bit. The aisles for shoes are short so I noticed him walking toward another man with a newsboy cap on the other side of the section with his arms crossed. I wouldn’t have thought much of it except the two spoke briefly before baseball cap guy made another round through the section. I’m not sure how to put it but they seemed out of place, like almost dirty or something, and I felt weirded out so I pulled out my phone to text my husband and pretended to look busy until my mom came back. She eyed the baseball cap guy lingering around but I felt much safer when she arrived, and I loudly complained a bit about the selection and “surroundings” so we headed somewhere else. We went into a bunch of different stores and when we were on the other side of the mall at an Earthbound (trendy hippie store if you’re unfamiliar), my mom made a loud comment how she kept seeing a guy in the same stores we were in. In the moment, even though I did have a strange feeling, I waved it off to keep browsing since I don’t go to the mall often and wanted to enjoy the day with my mom. She said she must be going crazy when I blew it off but the next store was when my mom’s suspicions grew into a serious full blown anxiety attack. I honestly was still oblivious to this guy but I saw how she was looking around a lot, had us weaving through people and quickly going down aisles. Like I said, I still wasn’t paying attention to the people around us so I bought a couple of things but as soon as I had my bags, my mom yanked me and rushed us out. While we were walking, she grew serious, kept glancing behind us and told me how she didn’t feel right about this guy with a newsboy cap and thought we were being followed. I took a look back for myself and sure enough, the man she described, and I finally recognized him as the same guy I briefly saw in Belk an hour or so ago, just left the same store we did and was walking toward us. He was by himself, looking down, carrying no shopping bags. We ducked into the first store we came across and the employees picked up on our frantic and nervous energy. When asked if we were okay, we told them what was going on and they stood in front of us, hiding us from view and assured us that we were safe. We didn’t see him (or the other guy with the baseball cap) after that but it spooked us to the point where we couldn’t even enjoy our day out anymore so we went home.
This same mall is known to be unsafe and honestly, this whole city is rampant with human trafficking so even though it could have been just paranoia, we anticipated the worst. Interestingly enough, this same mall recently posted a policy that visitors under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult after 4pm on Friday and Saturdays along with safety guidelines on how to stay safe. So there’s that.
Stay alert and aware of your surroundings. Trust your gut. I don’t walk alone without my phone in my hand, and I call someone anytime I’m in a parking lot or gas station. It’s sad but it’s always been hard to ever feel safe when I’m alone.

Kumar K DSA + OA course is the best I think - I have enrolled in his course 2 months back ; I really enjoy the DSA course ; its more tilted towards challenging OA problems of product based companies; 800 hour DSA course contains topic wise + pattern wise covering of all variations and many different OA + Interview practice problems; and daily live classes are taken by him Mon-Sun without any holiday
He also provided me 1-1 Mentoring so its all going pretty good for me. I agree the charge is very low he should have charged at least 10x more.
You can watch his 100+ DSA youtube videos I liked them and then I joined. :- https://www.youtube.com/@kumark6326/videos
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Im 20 yr old student (m) . Currently going through most idk what to say phase of my life , got scammed by a friend recently which was my exam fees , many bad incidents are happening I've got to appear for my cfa exam in next year feb , this all is resulting in me falling into depression, my mind is always full of thoughts, since childhood i was a bright student a good athelete and saw my self success, rich in future but as im growing up life's been hitting me really hard , i don't know what to do . Im from a middle class family, every time something comes up related to money i get sad in an instant i feel like i should've been earning by now , i feel like a failure. I've got a loving, beautiful girlfriend but im screwing my relationship also it's whol another different story , now I've became a porn addict sitting whole day doing nothing productive, i liked music since i was a child, i always imagined myself doing performances also did some in college, i want a different life I really don't know what i want I've applied for a modeling agency that too i think i got scammed I've paid the money but there are no updates i get sad everytime i see my bank account, this shit is crazy, i never thought i would be this miserable in my life ever ever . Life has been hitting real hard its tough to be alive at some points

Im 20 yr old student (m) . Currently going through most idk what to say phase of my life , got scammed by a friend recently which was my exam fees , many bad incidents are happening I've got to appear for my cfa exam in next year feb , this all is resulting in me falling into depression, my mind is always full of thoughts, since childhood i was a bright student a good athelete and saw my self success, rich in future but as im growing up life's been hitting me really hard , i don't know what to do . Im from a middle class family, every time something comes up related to money i get sad in an instant i feel like i should've been earning by now , i feel like a failure. I've got a loving, beautiful girlfriend but im screwing my relationship also it's whol another different story , now I've became a porn addict sitting whole day doing nothing productive, i liked music since i was a child, i always imagined myself doing performances also did some in college, i want a different life I really don't know what i want I've applied for a modeling agency that too i think i got scammed I've paid the money but there are no updates i get sad everytime i see my bank account, this shit is crazy, i never thought i would be this miserable in my life ever ever . Life has been hitting real hard its tough to be alive at some points

Android Software Engineer
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Job Description:
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2. Senior Android Developer: Lead and mentor a team of junior developers, in addition to designing and developing high-quality Android applications.

To view the job description and apply, please visit: https://shorten.asia/A4e1YsfE

DC Next Proudly Presents:

THE NEW TITANS

In Shadow of Kestrel
Issue Nine: War Dove
Written by AdamantAce, GemlinTheGremlin & PatrollinTheMojave
Edited by Deadislandman1 and Voidkiller826
 
Next Issue > Coming Next Month
 
 
“Raven!”
Slade’s gruff voice pierced through the deafening, wave-like roars in Raven’s head, but the rage was too much to bear. Her hands sizzled as hellfire danced in her palms, her body readying for another attack. She locked eyes with a reptilian soldier, dismounting his simian steed and charging on foot, but as she lunged forwards to strike him, she watched a man fly into her path. Slade Wilson caught the young Titan’s hand and pushed, throwing Raven backwards.
“Come on, kid, snap out of it!” But as Slade’s words fell on deaf ears, he felt the familiar sting of a fist to his jaw, a crack echoing in his ears. He recoiled from the attack but powered through his injury and stood his ground. Sinking his heels into the ground, he locked eyes with the girl before him. Her face seemed contorted and uncanny, as if all of the rage she was feeling was pouring out of her. She groaned angrily as she thrusted her head downwards, her forehead making contact with Slade’s teeth, before pulling her head back up again in preparation for another attack.
Before she could make one, however, one of the lizardmen had almost reached the warring duo’s sides, and as he lunged forward with his long spear, he made contact with Raven’s side. A small rip formed in the side of Raven’s outfit, which seemed to only anger her further. However, it did seem to distract her enough; Mar’i fired off a single Starbolt which struck only the ground - a warning shot.
“Raven! Please!” the half-Tamaranean cried out. But the Raven she knew was buried under unfathomable amounts of fury; she ignored her teammate’s call and instead flew forwards and swung out at the reptiloid. The strike glowed with red flame, sending the creature skidding across the floor, barely conscious. Slade spotted a flash of something else on her face, as if she was finally able to fight back against the endless rage - pain, perhaps, or anguish. But in an instant, it was gone.
That flicker of something other than white-hot anger was enough for Slade.
He clutched his side as his still open wound began to ache, the bandages feeling wet with fresh blood. His jaw felt crooked, and as he gritted his teeth, it felt as though they sat differently atop each other. And yet, he clutched his staff tightly in one hand, and with the other he beckoned to Raven.
“Kid, you’re fighting it, I know you are!” Slade felt his mouth filling with blood rather than saliva.
Within a moment, Raven’s attention was locked on the white-haired man once again. She fired bolt after bolt of black and red flame, but Slade was still dextrous despite his pain. He dodged and dived, weaving through the fire, until he finally managed to make contact with his opponent. He drove his staff into her chest and pushed his weight against the weapon, forcing her backwards. She rose into the air, a black mist pouring from her arms and over her face, a large ghostly corvid taking her place. He felt the deathly cold shadow of the bird’s wing fall over him, his feet leaving the ground as she scooped him into the air.
He looked down at the ground far beneath him. A fall from this height would kill anyone, he thought, let alone someone beaten half to death.
Then, as a verdant bolt of energy struck it in the side, Raven’s Soul Self shrieked and the shadows retreated inwards. Slade felt himself falling through the air for a second, then two, before he felt his back collide with something soft and cushioned. As he looked up, he met the gaze of Conner, who soared to the ground in an instant, placing the snow-haired man on the ground and giving a swift nod.
Raven let out a pained, frustrated yell as she returned to the ground, aided by a grappling line expertly positioned by Tim, and in response, Conner jetted off towards the sound of her cries. Slade’s feet faltered beneath him, and he stumbled to keep his balance. His breathing was laboured and his vision was becoming fuzzy. It felt as though, he realised, all the blood loss and violence he had suffered over the past few hours were finally catching up to him. Was this what dying felt like?
“Slade!” shouted a voice, followed by the dulled drumming of hurried footsteps. Slade pulled his hand across his face to wipe away the mental haze and drops of blood. It was Don, sprinting towards him. When Slade felt Don clasp him by shoulders, he realized just how slowed he was by his injuries. “Plan?,” Slade coughed out.
“You’ve seen what she can do. I only see one way out of these without one of the kids getting hurt. I’d do it myself, but I’m out of practice and this is too important to leave to chance.” Don looked around anxiously, his face betraying that he had a lot on his mind. “I’m giving you the powers of a god.” Slade opened his mouth to ask a question, a million came to mind. He glanced across the battlefield. Through a blurry film, he saw Raven’s Soul Self bat Conner away with its wing. He careened into the trunk of a thick tree, uprooting it with a deep crunch. “Are you sure?,” Slade asked, breathless.
“I’m not losing another Titan.” Don squeezed his eyes shut. His grip on Slade tightened as pale, almost blinding light enveloped them. It felt warm. No, better than that: it felt peaceful. With his enhanced senses, Slade could hear his erratic heartbeat slow. Fleeting visions bubbled up in his mind, opening up his awareness beyond the wildest dreams of Project Veritas. He felt rivers of magical energy flowing through the air and earth. Each of them spiralled towards a depression. Towards Raven, he knew instinctively. Iridescent blue light spread outward from his shoulders. It washed over his body armor, bleaching the jet black panels until his entire body shone with radiance. The pain from wounds old and new faded, replaced by serenity - and power. Don opened his eyes again and sighed gently; a concoction and joy, relief, and quiet mourning.
“There,” Don remarked. Slade felt lighter, less angry, less burdened. He looked down at the iridescent light enveloping his body. Magical energy buzzed against the surface of his skin. “The powers of the Dove - officially yours.”
Slade sucked in a nervous breath. “Don…” Even rejuvenated, he was still lost for words.
“They’re yours now,” Don smiled weakly. “Now go earn them. There’s a Titan in dire need of our help.”
Conner floated out of the dense jungle, rubbing his forehead. “Is Slade glowing or do I have a concussion?”
Slade looked over at Raven. She seemed less erratic, her movements driven by her brain rather than her gut. Tim’s staff batted fiercely against her, each strike buffeting her back more and more, but it was clear to Slade that Raven was not any weaker physically - her mind, however, was another story.
Slade began marching towards her, the ache in his side dulled. “Raven. You’re strong. Fight this rage inside of you.” Raven glared at him, a spark of something in her eyes, as she swooped in towards him at top speed. As she neared him, however, Slade readied his staff, stretching it out in front of him. As the tip of the weapon struck Raven, a beam of white energy coursed through her, as if she had been struck by lightning, and her body was flung backwards across the dirt.
Slade danced a hand over his rifle, but something felt different. He pulled it into his hands and inspected it swiftly; nothing seemed out of order. Raven rose slowly from her supine position, snarling softly to herself. Her movements had slowed, the expression on her face becoming closer to horror than rage. She was doing it.
“You’re nearly there, kid,” Slade soothed, his words suddenly like butter. He watched Raven’s shoulders start to relax. “That’s it. Just fight this, Raven. You’re almost there.”
Despite her tremendous progress, Raven’s blistering fury won out once more, and she charged a large bolt of hellfire in her hands. Slade fiddled with his rifle and crossed his fingers. There was a standstill between the two. Slade analysed his rifle again; there was something different about the barrel, as if it had been swapped out for another similar model. The stock felt lighter, too, as if the weight had been–
Raven roared at him, swiping wildly with glowing fists, and in an instant Slade instinctively pulled the trigger.
What fired from the gun was not a silvery bullet, but a familiar glowing bolt of white light, cloud-like in appearance. As it struck Raven, she sucked in a deep breath, the energy engulfing her. Her face softened and her posture relaxed. Then she swung out for the man’s weakened side, his bandages poking through the aura of light. And yet, as he stayed steadfast, not even attempting to dodge the attack. Sparks flew from the point of contact. Slade just readied another shot and fired.
Her body swayed with the blow. Slade closed the gap between them and focused on the new warmth he felt, concentrating it into his staff as best he could. Then, as he held it out in front of him at arm’s length, he swiped at Raven and struck her in the side of the shoulder. Each blow seemed to be more effective than the last, but as Raven’s movements continued to slow, Slade held fire.
“You’re doing it, Raven,” Slade encouraged. He watched as the other Titans surrounded Raven, each of them ready for any further attacks. Everyone watched with bated breath as their teammate and friend thrashed and recoiled from the hit. Her breathing was rapid, although it felt closer to panic than unabashed fury. She clasped her hands over her head, groaning. Then, suddenly, she stopped.
Her face had softened completely, her jaw slack, and tears filled her vision. She looked up at Slade with a comfort in her eyes. The aura emanating from him was pervasive and contagious, and although she had felt lost in a sea of impossibly vast emotions, its warmth and comfort cut through. The anger was still there somewhat, the last remaining dregs still working its way out of her system, but the comfort, the peace that Slade was providing was the anchor for her to stabilise herself. She had only ever seen this kind of power when Don…
Raven’s eyes widened as she realised what that meant. She collapsed to her knees, suddenly feeling the bone-deep fatigue her rage had suppressed. Her teammates rushed in around her. Mar’i dropped to a knee by her side and put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s OK. You’re safe. Everyone’s OK.”
“Don I’m—” She wiped away a stream of tears, stumbling her way out of the emotional vortex she’d been sucked into. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened. I’ve lost control before, but never like this.”
Don looked older. Creases ran across his forehead and around his eyes. His smile hadn’t changed. “Raven, my brother and I got those powers when I was a kid. We didn’t ask for them. We weren’t ready for them. We didn’t know how to use them, let alone control them.” He laughed dryly, recalling Hank. “I don’t regret anything. Giving my powers to Slade is the best thing I’ve done with them in years. I know Hank would feel the same way.”
In the moment of silence that followed, Raven rose to her feet and pulled her cloak tightly around herself. She was still shaking. Tim’s eyes drifted from her to Slade. “Something’s gnawing at me. Kestrel’s powers are weakened in Skartaris. Don’s…” He coughed, “Slade’s powers are amplified. If this place is what affected you—”
Mar’i’s face flashed with recognition, “—your powers must be tied to the Lords of Order and Chaos!”
Tim furrowed his brow. “Maybe.” He hardly had time to consider further when a thundering crack tore open the sky. Two bolts of swirling energy - one red and one blue - met above them, forming a swirling portal at their vertex. The Titans readied their weapons, expecting the worst.
“It’s them.” Slade murmured, still put off by his uncanny awareness. Terataya and T’Charr descended from the sky, one wreathed in mist, the other, magma. The two elementals stopped a few feet above the ground, hovering.
Terataya was the first to speak. Even at a whisper, her voice reverberated through the air. “I don’t usually care for surprises, Don, but this was a pleasant one.” A thin smile appeared on her face.
“Slade Wilson.” Terataya’s neck turned at an unnatural angle to face him. “You wield the powers of Order with great skill. Who understands the dangers of unchecked War better than a soldier. Become my champion. Protect the balance.”
Slade took a step back, then glanced at Don.
“She’s right.” Don said, with only a hint of hesitation. “It took me years to use the powers like you used them today. You’re a natural.”
Slade looked at his hands, still gently pulsing with pale blue light. “Thanks.” He allowed himself a weak smile. “But no thanks.”
“What.” T’Charr’s voice boomed.
“It doesn’t take Zatanna to realize an old soldier like me makes a piss-poor Avatar of Peace. I fight for a living, and I’m not deluded enough to think that makes me good at anything but fighting. If you want someone who understands the need for balance, Don just sacrificed everything special about him for it.”
Don raised an eyebrow. “None taken.”
“His actions today were noble, but they do not make up for years spent squandering the gift.”
“Squandering? The Titans wouldn’t exist today if he hadn’t pulled them together. Everything they’ve done. Everything they’ve achieved for your balance wouldn’t have happened without him, including stopping that monster you made.”
“Watch your tone, mortal.” T’Charr threatened.
“There may be a vein of truth to his words, lover.” Terataya said. “But *if we were to restore Don Hall’s power, we would need assurances. His indecision led down this path.”*
Rocks ground against each other as T’Charr landed beside Don. “You would have weeks, not years, to select a counterpart and return to your duties.”
Don’s response was instantaneous. “I’ve made a decision.”
“You’ve decided if you’ll take up the mantle of Dove again?”
Don nodded. “And who should be the new Hawk.”
Terataya giggled. “Full of surprises today. T’Charr?”
“We should discuss this.” He said. “In private.”
The three of them vanished, leaving the Titans and Slade alone on a battlefield riddled with bits of dino meat and ape fur.
 
○○ Ⓣ ○○
 
“You don’t think they’re gonna come back in like, 200 years, right?” Conner asked. He sat beside the depowered Slade Wilson, who was downing aspirin to make up for the sudden deficit in peace energy.
“I don’t know.” Tim said. “But we should give them more than fifteen minutes.”
As if on cue, the skies opened again. Again, the chromatic energy lit the sky and again a portal opened its swirling maw. This time, however, it wasn’t two elemental Lords to descend. Raven squinted to make the figures out.
“Oh my god.” Conner said, having a far easier time with his super-vision.
“What? Who is it?” Tim asked.
“Donna!” Mar’i shouted. She shot off the ground towards her. Her black combat armor was replaced with a crimson and white bodysuit studded with stars that seemed to twinkle as the light shifted around her. The sword at her side was gone too, replaced with a coiled loop of rope suffused with the same brilliant energy. The two collided into an embrace, spinning through the air as they held each other tightly.
Don was the first to land, restored with the powers of Dove. He looked stronger than ever, and maybe more importantly, happier. Even Tim’s typical thoughtful brooding has been pierced by an unimpeachable joy.
“I don’t understand,.” Raven said. “S-She’s alive. How is this possible?”
“I knew there was only one person who could be trusted with the powers of War, with Hank’s abilities.” He scratched the back of his neck, a bit guilty. “And she’d been staring me in the face for years. It took some doing, but eventually T’Charr and Terataya saw that too.”
Donna landed beside him, Mar’i only a step behind. By now Conner had stepped forward. He tried not to choke over his words. “I’m sorry. If I’d—”
Donna didn’t let him get the words out before pulling him into a grapple-turned-hug that quickly grew as the rest of the team piled in. Slade flicked another aspirin into his mouth.
“Danyah!” A voice called out from over the ridge. It was Travis, mounted atop a fanged reptilian creature in the vague shape of a horse and flanked on either side by his gold-armored honor guard. He broke into a gallop, stopping just short of the Titans. “When I saw the skies, I feared the worst. Is it really you? Has sorcery brought you back to us?”
“It’s me, Travis. A Lord of Chaos brought me back.”
“Not to interrupt,.” Slade said, still nursing his wounds. “But did either of you ask them to bring us back to Chicago?”
“I…” Don grimaced. “Donna, how do we get home?”
“How did you get here? Surely you could return the way you came.” Travis said.
“No, we can’t.” Tim said, pressing a few buttons on his wrist’s holographic display. “Whatever magic pervades Skartaris is also causing some extreme time dilation. I can’t guarantee we’d return to the 21st century, or even to Earth.”
“I spent a decade in Skartaris and returned to Earth nearly two centuries later. It’s the influence of Chaos. We’d need a Skartaran mage of overwhelming power to stabilize our return.” She spat the word mage with disgust. Travis’s expression seemed to confirm the reputation of Skartaran spellcasters.
Before their anxiety could spiral, the sky above began to churn. Moments later, the ground shook as a violent bolt of lightning cleaved the air, striking with such ferocity that all but Conner and Donna were flung backward. Mar'i skidded across the damp undergrowth, her senses overwhelmed by the acrid scent of ozone. Her mind was racing; their victory was hard fought, and she doubted they had much left in the tank for another confrontation. She dug her hands into the ground and pushed herself up as she choked from the smell. The Warlord Morgan and his military guards snapped to attention, forming a protective ring around the crater that now marred the earth.
From the smoking pit, a figure rose, unfolding from a crouch like something out of Terminator. Adorned in a red and white jumpsuit that accentuated his lithe build, the young man's appearance was marked by a red cowl and goggles, with sandy brown hair rebelliously spilling out.
Conner squinted through the dissipating smoke, murmuring under his breath, “A speedster?” The Flashes had had a variety of different sidekicks and other allies over the years, but none of them recognised this one
With a nonchalant flair that seemed at odds with the charged atmosphere, the newcomer greeted them. “Hey, everyone chillax. I'm here to get you guys back home.”
Donna, ever the leader, stepped forward and spoke with a commanding curiosity, now emboldened with the war aura of Hawk. “And who are you exactly? Why should we trust you with such a claim?”
Flashing a cheeky grin, he tilted his head and responded, “Well, I’m a speedster for one. Name’s Impulse. If I run fast enough, then I can… well, I guess bend time.”
Behind Donna, the group exchanged sceptical glances. Raven's face remained shadowed by recovery, Mar'i and Conner braced for action, and Tim discretely checked his gadgets, no doubt for something that he could use on a speedster should the need arise.
“Yeah, we figured that much,” Don cut through the tension, his voice calm yet insistent. “Who sent you?”
Impulse chuckled, his demeanour remaining unfazed by their scrutiny. “Look, the details aren't the fun part. Trust me, I can get us back.”
As a silence thick with doubt and scepticism settled over the group, Impulse seemed to realise his casual assurances weren't sufficient. With a theatrical sigh, he reached up and removed his mask, revealing a face familiar to both Mar'i and Raven.
“Brody!?” Mar'i exclaimed, her surprise echoing through the clearing as she stared at the boy who had once hobbled through their college classes with his leg in a cast.
The young man’s grin widened, his eyes sparkling with mischief and a hint of pride. “Actually, it’s Bart.”
 
○○ Ⓣ ○○
 
When Slade emerged from the shower, his skin was glistening with moisture, the water tracing the contours of his scars. He wrapped a stark white towel around his waist, and crossed the plush carpet to sit on the edge of the hotel room bed. He released a slow, deep breath; it was a good job the speedster kid arrived when he did. The notion of being stranded in an alien land or, worse, a different time had gnawed at him with a ferocity that was hard to admit. Without Bart’s intervention, every one of Slade’s meticulously crafted plans would have been utterly dashed.
Facing him, a wall-mounted mirror caught his rugged reflection. Drawn to his own image, Slade studied the scars that mapped his trials, the slick white hair that crowned his head, and the deep lines etched into his face. A familiar discomfort nagged at him, focusing his attention on his right eye. Unable to alleviate the irritation through the skin, Slade exhaled heavily and carefully removed the eye altogether. The movement, fluid and practised, spoke of years of adaptation.
He placed the prosthetic gently on the bed beside him and as he massaged the socket, a decades-old habit, his mind wandered. He wasn't accustomed to keeping the prosthetic in for extended periods. Showering with it had been an uncomfortable experiment in necessity - he didn't like it, but understood the importance of maintaining the facade. The Slade he would have people believe he was would have never lost an eye, because that Slade had led a life far from by the darker paths Slade had truthfully trodden.
His thoughts wandered to his brief time wielding the potent powers of Dove, and Slade felt a twinge of regret at their loss. The clarity and strength those powers had provided were intoxicating, yet he recognised that he had a more important goal, one he couldn’t compromise. His current role demanded not the accumulation of power but the perfection of his deceit, ensuring that all believed he was not the Slade Wilson they knew, but a Reawakened, more innocent doppelganger.
Now, with the glass eye resting beside him, Slade stared at his unmasked visage. Maintaining the myth of the noble Slade was critical. The ruthless mercenary, the World’s Deadliest Killer - those identities had to remain buried. The Titans had believed him enough to entrust him with divine powers, their faith a testament to his performance, but the game was far from over; in fact, it was entering its most critical phase.
 
 
Next: Return to normality in The New Titans #10
 

nadidissapoint ako sa sarili ko kasi graduation na and i promised my parents na sasabitan nila ako ng medal, i even bragged about it pero na-distract ako with my responsibilities as a class pres, as in all my time and effort went into my classmates. saakin magpapass, ako magchecheck, ako maglilista, ako magbabantay, ako maghahandle sakanila. syempre teens kami, madali din ako mapressure. nakakainis kasi bakit parang nawalan ako ng motivation sa lahat, i also have a kind-off job in youtube. my parents wants me to focus on youtube and my studies at the same time kaya ang exhausting. kahit sabihin nila na hindi sila dissapointed saakin, syempre feel ko nagsisinungaling sila. kahit mga old classmates ko tinatanong ako what happened with me and my grades, it's hard to keep up when they expect me to just handle it without breaking.