https://www.northumbriangames.com/post/of-orcs-and-ai

Made vs. Created and the Nature of Orcs

J.R.R. Tolkien's stories are deeply rooted in Thomistic metaphysics and Christian theology, where the distinction between "made" and "created" is pivotal. This distinction underscores the nature of goodness, creation, corruption, and the intrinsic limitations of evil. The dichotomy between making and creating is most vividly illustrated through the origins and nature of orcs, the monstrous foot soldiers of Middle-earth's dark lords.

Creation: The Divine Act

In Tolkien's world, true creation, or creatio ex nihilo (creation from nothing), is the exclusive province of Eru Ilúvatar, the supreme deity. This act of creation involves bringing something into existence that possesses the Flame Imperishable (or the Secret Fire), which grants true life, free will, and inherent goodness. Beings created by Eru Ilúvatar, such as the Ainur (angelic beings), elves, and men, are imbued with this divine spark, making them fundamentally good and capable of independent existence and moral choice.
From The Silmarillion:

"Therefore Ilúvatar may not only send forth the Flame Imperishable into the Void, but he may also bestow it to others, who may then sub-create, though only as permitted by Ilúvatar"​​.

Making: The Act of Sub-creation

In contrast, the Valar and other beings can engage in making or sub-creation, which involves shaping or manipulating pre-existing matter. They cannot infuse these creations with the Flame Imperishable. A notable example is Aulë, one of the Valar, who crafted the Dwarves. Initially, these beings were mere automatons, moving only according to Aulë's thoughts. It was only when Eru Ilúvatar chose to bestow them with the Flame Imperishable that the Dwarves gained true life and independence. This story illustrates the fundamental difference between divine creation and sub-creation: the former grants true life and free will, while the latter lacks these essential qualities until blessed by Eru. Tolkien clarifies this distinction in his letters:

"They [the Valar] shared in [the World’s] 'making'—but only on the same terms as we 'make' a work of art or story. The realization of it, the gift to it of a created reality of the same grade as their own, was the act of the One God"​​.

Orcs: The Corruption of Creation

The origin of orcs in Tolkien’s mythos serves as a poignant example of the difference between making and creating. According to various writings, orcs were not created by Morgoth or Sauron but were made by corrupting pre-existing beings. In "The Silmarillion," it is suggested that orcs were originally elves who were captured, tortured, and perverted by Morgoth's malevolent influence. This corruption transformed them into beings of evil, stripped of their original grace and beauty. In Morgoth's Ring we find:

"It became clear in time that undoubted Men could under the domination of Morgoth or his agents in a few generations be reduced almost to the Orc-level of mind and habits; and then they would or could be made to mate with Orcs, producing new breeds, often larger and more cunning. There is no doubt that long afterwards, in the Third Age, Saruman rediscovered this, or learned of it in lore, and in his lust for mastery committed this, his wickedest deed: the interbreeding of Orcs and Men, producing both Men-orcs large and cunning, and Orc-men treacherous and vile."​​.

Tolkien emphasizes that orcs, though rational and capable of independent thought, lack the divine spark of the Flame Imperishable. This absence signifies that while Morgoth could mar and twist the creations of Eru, he could not create life himself. In Flame Imperishable, Tolkien is quoted as saying:

"Treebeard does not say that the Dark Lord 'created' Trolls and Orcs. He says he 'made' them in counterfeit of certain creatures pre-existing. There is, to me, a wide gulf between the two statements"​​.

AspectElvesMenOrcs EssenceCreated with inherent goodness and free will. Their essence is tied to beauty, longevity, and a deep connection to nature and creation.Created with inherent goodness and free will. Their essence includes mortality, adaptability, and a dynamic nature.Originally, corrupted elves or men, or made from slime and heat, theessence has been radically distorted and corrupted by evil. Their essence now reflects malevolence, subservience, and a perversion of their original nature. ExistenceGiven existence by Eru Ilúvatar, independent and autonomous. Their being is fully realized with a true purpose aligned with their essence.Given existence by Eru Ilúvatar, independent and autonomous. Their being is dynamic, capable of growth, and change, and is fully realized.Their existence is subjugated to the will of their corrupt masters (Morgoth or Sauron). While they have real, physical existence, it is dependent on the malevolent forces that control them. AutonomyHigh degree of moral autonomy, capable of making independent choices and pursuing their own paths.High degree of moral autonomy, capable of making independent choices and pursuing their own paths.Almost entirely controlled by their evil masters, reflecting their corrupted essence and dependent existence. Connection to EruDirectly created by Eru with the Flame Imperishable, giving them true life and free will.Directly created by Eru with the Flame Imperishable, giving them true life and free will.Not created by Eru but rather made by corrupting pre-existing beings or materials. They lack the Flame Imperishable, highlighting their dependent and perverted nature. Philosophical ImplicationRepresent the ideal of Tolkien's metaphysical and theological views, embodying true creation and the perfect blend of essence and existence.Embody the dynamic and adaptable nature of true creation with a perfect blend of essence and existence, according to Aquinas's philosophy.Serve as an example of how essence and existence can be corrupted and diminished by evil. Their existence is real but heavily dependent and perverted, lacking true autonomy and the Flame Imperishable.

Philosophical and Theological Implications

The distinction between made and created has profound implications in Tolkien’s universe. It aligns with Christian theology, reflecting the belief in a singular, omnipotent Creator who alone can grant true life. This distinction underscores the inherent limitations of evil: it is parasitic, relying on the corruption of what is good rather than generating new existence.
Orcs epitomize this concept. They are beings made through corruption, reflecting the perversion of creation. Their existence as fundamentally corrupted creatures illustrates the limits of Morgoth’s and Sauron’s power. They can induce suffering and manipulate life, but they cannot originate a true life that burns with the Flame Imperishable. This underscores a central theme in Tolkien’s works: the resilience of good and the ultimate impotence of evil to truly create.

On Artificial Intelligence

This leads us to Artificial Intelligence. Modern large language models (LLMs) and artificial intelligence systems, despite their sophisticated capabilities, are constructs without true volition or understanding. Basically, an LLM is an advanced version of autocomplete. These systems operate on vast datasets and algorithms designed to predict and generate human-like text (or audio or images), but they lack genuine consciousness, intent, and moral agency. Unlike beings created with the divine spark in Tolkien's world, LLMs do not possess free will or intrinsic purpose; they are tools made by humans to process and mimic patterns. Some commentators have even referred to AI as an alien intelligence, a ~shoggoth with a human face~, meaning that while the text may look humanlike, in reality, it originated not from a human but from an unknowable, formless alien process, which is the LLM.

"Well, we're fooled by their fluency, right? We just assume that if a system is fluent in manipulating language, then it has all the characteristics of human intelligence. But that impression is false." --Yann Lecun​​ on the Lex Fridman podcast #416

The outputs of an LLM are determined not by experience, education, and emotion but by the data and programming they receive, reflecting the biases and limitations inherent in their design. This underscores the crucial distinction between artificial constructs and beings endowed with the Flame Imperishable, with true life and volition. Parents, for instance, should think carefully about giving a child unbridled access to an LLM which has no discernible ethics. The AI is a soulless, thoughtless machine built by human researchers, much like an orc is designed by Sauron simply to act as an instrument of his evil desires. The ethical and philosophical results of deploying such constructs into our society is staggering indeed.

The AI is only the Tool of the Maker

Of course, while the analogy between LLMs and Orcs highlights the artificial nature and purpose-driven creation of both, there are clear and fundamental differences in moral intent and potential for ethical use. LLMs are not (as far as we know) inherently evil constructs. They seem to be neutral tools that reflect the intentions of their creators and users. As such, the focus should be on ensuring that AI development and deployment are guided by ethical principles to maximize their benefits and minimize potential harm. That said, as with social media, we may come to regret the technology and wish to fling it back into Mordor's fire.

Conclusion

Tolkien's distinction between made and created is a metaphysical aspect of Middle Earth. It emphasizes the unique power of Eru Ilúvatar's true creation and the corruptive nature of evil. The orcs symbolize this dichotomy, illustrating how evil can distort but not create. This concept resonates in modern large language models and AI systems, which lack genuine consciousness and moral agency despite their advanced capabilities. Orcs and contemporary LLMs demonstrate the ethical implications of using such technologies and serve to enrich the philosophical depth of Tolkien's work.

Leviathan, the Eikon of Water concept art
Leviathan, the lost Eikon of Water, has finally been found! After months of waiting, the Rising Tide downloadable content (DLC) has been released and with it, I am once again rambling about the mythological, religious, and cultural inspirations behind the Eikons of Final Fantasy XVI. If you would like to check out any of my previous posts on the subject of Eikons, you can find them here:

1.) Phoenix

2.) Ifrit

3.) Shiva

4.) Ramuh

5.) Garuda

6.) Titan

7.) Bahamut

8.) Odin

As I’ve said in the past, if you feel that I may have said something wrong, or if you would like to add to what information I have provided; by all means please do so. I absolutely welcome the discussion.
The sea serpent Leviathan, like most of the Eikons, has been a staple of the Final Fantasy series since its introduction as one of the original summons#Summon_Magic) from 1990’s Final Fantasy III. While modern usage of the terms “leviathan” and “behemoth” are often used to denote something large and imposing, these words actually originate as the names of two creatures from the Tanakh (or Hebrew Bible). According to the verses 40:15-41:34 in the Book of Job, Leviathan and Behemoth are two gigantic and nigh indestructible animals born around the same time as the creation of the first two humans Adam and Eve, with Behemoth residing over the wilderness east of the Garden of Eden called Duidain and Leviathan bound to the watery Abyss) as stated in verses 60:7-10 in the apocryphal Book of Enoch. While the term abyss may bring to mind the idea of a bottomless hole or even an underworld such as the Greek Hades, Hebrew Sheol, or Christian Hell; the Septuagint, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, often uses the term abyss to instead refer to deep bodies of water. In fact, Abyss is the translated noun for the Hebrew Tehom, or the “deep” primordial waters from which the god Yahweh formed the world after the creation of light as stated by the verses 1:2-10 in the Book of Genesis; which is but one example of the cosmic ocean motif, whereby existence is conceptualized as originating from a watery void. I find it very interesting then that the Abyss is referenced several times in the Rising Tide DLC, such as in the name of Leviathan’s Eikonic ability Abyssal Tear; the Motes of Water adage “Know that even should you walk Abyss, our hands will guide you home” from the Minwu Arm Ring description; or the description of the Radiant Tidestrike weapon that says “Surge did the tide, the water rising as if it were some mighty whale stranding itself upon the shore. Behold, the Devourer of Worlds. The beast within whose foul belly our hopes are carried unto the Abyss. - Eikonomachy - Book of Currents 15:40-41”.
From the aforementioned verses of the diegetic Book of Currents, as well as one of the Active Time Lore Entries for Leviathan that states “Old writings clearly speak of Dominants past summoning great whale-like creatures capable of swallowing entire cities…”; we can possibly see a reference to Leviathan) swallowing the protagonist Firion and his allies on their way to the Mysidian Tower in Final Fantasy II. However, I would suggest that these quotes go further than mere references to past games and are actually an allusion to the parable of Jonah surviving in the belly of a whale from the eponymous Book of Jonah. For those unfamiliar with the story, the Hebrew prophet Jonah was tasked by God to preach on His behalf to the citizenry of Nineveh in the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Jonah instead refuses the call, and attempts to sail across the sea to Tarshish. On the journey, Jonah and the sailors he is accompanied by are caught in a huge storm, and believing that Jonah’s dismissal of God is the cause, the sailors thus throw him overboard. God then sends a whale to swallow Jonah, with the intention of preventing the Israelite from drowning. Miraculously surviving in the whale’s stomach for 3 days, Jonah vows to do God’s bidding and is thus safely returned to shore, whereby he travels to Nineveh and beseeches the citizens to renounce their wicked ways, lest they be visited by calamity. This story is meant to illustrate that Yahweh is a merciful god who allows for second chances, giving not only Jonah, but also the Ninevites the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and redirect their course of actions.
With this parable in mind, I would like to mention that in 1949, literary professor Joseph Campbell published “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”; a work of comparative mythology in which he proposed his idea of the Monomyth (later called the Hero’s Journey). Campbell’s theory of the Monomyth posits that while most narratives involving a heroic protagonist may have differing contents, these stories also typically follow a similar pattern; that being a three-act structure comprised of 17 subset stages. One such stage in Campbell’s model is the Belly of the Whale (sometimes also referred to as the Abyss), one of the literally or figuratively lowest points in the story for the protagonist in which the hero must engage in introspection and commence a process of self-transformation if they are to be equipped to finish their journey. This stage acts as a symbolic death and rebirth for the protagonist, with some Christians even interpreting Jonah’s story as actually being an allegory for Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection.
A prime example of this stage can be seen in Carlo Collodi’s 1883 novel “The Adventures of Pinocchio”, whereby the eponymous puppet Pinocchio and his creator Geppetto are swallowed by the Terrible Dogfish; with the typically irresponsible and selfish Pinocchio instead performing a self-sacrificial act in order to save his “father”, which he is thus rewarded for by being brought back to life as a human by the Fairy with Turquoise Hair. Viewing the Pinnochio narrative as an example of a more modern mythical epic, Thomas J. Morrissey and Richard Wunderlich state in “Death and Rebirth in Pinocchio”; “Gods can die and be reborn, or rise from the dead. Such mythological events probably imitate the annual cycle of vegetative birth, death, and renascence, and they often serve as paradigms for the frequent symbolic deaths and rebirths encountered in literature. Two such symbolic renderings are most prominent: re-emergence from a journey to hell and rebirth through metamorphosis. Journeys to the underworld [Katabasis] are a common feature of Eurasian literary epics: Gilgamesh, Odysseus, Aeneas, and Dante all benefit from the knowledge and power they put on after such descents. Rebirth through metamorphosis, on the other hand, is a motif generally consigned to fantasy or speculative literature… These two figurative manifestations of the death-rebirth trope are rarely combined; however, Carlo Collodi’s great fantasy-epic, The Adventures of Pinocchio, is a work in which a hero experiences symbolic death and rebirth through both infernal descent and metamorphosis”. We as the player also experience this Belly of the Whale stage in Final Fantasy XVI, when our heroes Clive Rosfield and Jill Warwick confront the Dominant of Darkness Barnabas Tharmr on the seafloor of the sundered Naldia Narrow, appropriately labeled as the Abyss, whereby Clive is soundly defeated by Barnabas for a second time. Fleeing their assailant, Clive and Jill consummate their love for one another on the shore of Ash, with Clive acquiring a portion of the Eikon Shiva’s powers from Jill so that he may finally triumph over Barnabas in a battle of physical prowess and ideals; proving to the false prophet and his God that compassion and the desire for freedom will always overcome any adversity.
With all this talk of whales, I should mention that from the descriptions as given in the Book of Job, Behemoth sounds to resemble that of a large ox or hippopotamus, while Leviathan is suggested as being similar to that of the tanninim) or “great whales” mentioned several times in the Hebrew Bible. In fact, Islamic folklore has its own variant of this terrestrial and aquatic duo, that being the large bull Kujata and the even larger whale Bahamut; as outlined by the medieval cosmographer Zakariya al-Qazwini in his seminal work “The Wonders of Creation”. Even though I am going to hazard a guess that the name of the Kuza Beast), a variant of the Behemoth enemy in several Final Fantasy games, is named after Kujata; it is quite obvious on the other hand that the draconic Eikon Bahamut borrows its name from the Islamic whale of the same name as well as the dragon god Bahamut) from the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. While the Book of Job describes Leviathan as being a whale or even a crocodile as suggested by a footnote in the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, verse 27:1 in the Book of Isaiah instead equates Leviathan to a sea serpent or dragon, with the Book of Job description also making it a point to mention Leviathan’s fearsome fiery breath. Given its status as a tutelary god for the Japanese-inspired nation of Wutai in Final Fantasy VII, it could be argued that Leviathan in the Final Fantasy series also shares similarities with Eastern dragons, such as the Chinese Lóng or Japanese Ryū; beneficent, serpentine deities of water and rain.
It is presumed that the figure and name of Leviathan actually originates from the older Canaanite sea monster Lôtān, whose name in the Ugaritic language meant “coiled” and was given the epithets “the fugitive serpent” or “the wriggling serpent”. In the first two tablets of the fragmentary Ugaritic Baal Cycle text, the storm god Baal (Lord) Hadad engages in a feud with the deification of the sea Yammu) to succeed their father El) as the ruler of the gods. At some point in this first chapter of the Baal Cycle, Hadad strikes down the seven-headed serpent Lôtān, who given the missing pieces of the text, could either be a servant of or another name for Yammu, with it also being believed that the monster was a zoomorphic representation of the Lebanese Litani River. Why I bring this up is to illustrate that Hadad’s defeat of Lôtān is but one example of the Chaoskampf mytheme, a pattern found in numerous Indo-European mythologies whereby a younger storm god or culture hero representing order and human civilization slays an ancient serpent or dragon associated with water that represents primordial chaos); perhaps a sentiment held by early agricultural riverine civilizations wishing to triumph over the constant and often devastating threat of floods.
One of the oldest examples of this mytheme is that of the Mesopotamian god Marduk’s dismemberment of Tiamat. According to the Babylonian Enūma Eliš, in the beginning there existed only Tiamat, the female personification of salt water; and Abzu, the male personification of fresh water. From the union of the two primeval waters sprang forth the first generation of gods called the Anunnaki. One such god, Enki (or Ea) would capture and kill Abzu after he plotted to kill his children due to the commotion they were causing. Enraged by Enki’s actions, Tiamat gave birth to eleven monstrous children to wage war against the gods along with her new consort Kingu, who possessed the Tablet of Destinies); the mark of divine rule. Marduk, the son of Enki, challenged Tiamat and her monsters, eventually slaying his opponents with lightning and storm winds. Defeated, Tiamat’s body was sliced in twain, with the two halves becoming the sky and earth. From an earlier promise made with the Anunnaki and the Igigi (lesser gods) as well as the acquisition of the Tablet of Destinies from the beaten Kingu, Marduk was made king of the gods; later mixing the blood of Kingu with clay to also become the creator of mankind.
Through the lens of the Chaoskampf mytheme, we can start to see connections between Tiamat’s dismemberment, the defeat of the multi-headed Lôtān, and Leviathan form. The non-canonical Book of Enoch actually specifies that the land-dwelling Behemoth is male, while the aquatic Leviathan is female; possibly creating an inadvertent association between Leviathan and the sea goddess and mother of monsters Tiamat. This may also be why Leviathan’s Chronolith Trial is named the Hand of Tethys. While still following the moons of Saturn naming convention, it is very fitting that the trial is also named after the Greek Tethys); wife of the world-encompassing river Oceanus and mother to the male river gods and female water nymphs called the Potamoi and Oceanids, respectively. Furthering the connections to Tiamat and Lôtān, several accounts in the Hebrew Bible describe Yawheh triumphing over the forces of the sea, such as in Isaiah 51:9-10 “Awake, awake, arm of the Lord, clothe yourself with strength! Awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old. Was it not you who cut Rahab) to pieces, who pierced that monster through? Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea so that the redeemed may cross over?” and Job 26:12-13 “By his power he churned up the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces. By his breath the skies became fair; his hand pierced the gliding serpent”. It is believed that Rahab, while occasionally used as a flowery term for Egypt or arrogance, was also a sea serpent either comparable to or synonymous with Leviathan. While Leviathan’s death at the hands of Yahweh in Isaiah 27:1 is viewed as a metaphor for the enemies of Israel who will submit to the Hebrew God, the Chaoskampf and the connection with the Canaanite Lôtān is further shown in verse 74:14 from the Book of Psalms, which says “Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness”; which is where the name of the trophy for beating Leviathan on Final Fantasy mode, Thou Brakest the Head, comes from.
Along with the account of Leviathan’s death in Psalms 74:12, several other Jewish sources, such as the Second Book of Esdras 6:47-52, the Apocalypse of Baruch 29:4, and the Bava Batra tractate in the Talmud state that Yahweh will slay Leviathan and Behemoth so that their flesh shall be given as food and shelter to the righteous during the End of Days and the Messianic Age. This may explain why the Behemoth King in FFXVI has several attacks referencing Christian eschatology from the Book of Revelation, such as the Four Horsemen; personifications of War, Conquest, Famine, and Death that herald the Last Judgment; and the Apocalypse, another term for a revelation which has since become synonymous with a cataclysmic end-time event, like the battle at Armageddon for instance. Leviathan and Behemoth’s statuses as eventual sacrifices is very similar to the role that Leviathan and its Dominant unfortunately play in Final Fantasy XVI.
Both DLCs, the Echoes of the Fallen and the Rising Tide, deal with themes of rectifying the sins of the past; whereby the Fallen and the Motes of Water engaged in questionable behavior in an attempt to create their own Mothercrystals to disastrous effect. The Motes of Water, a central focus of the Rising Tide, are a tribe originating from the southern coast of the continent of Ash and hosts to the Dominants of the Eikon Leviathan. After the loss of their Mothercrystal Drake’s Horn, the tribe migrated across the twin continent of Storm; where they were mercilessly persecuted by several groups, particularly the Greagorian faithful of the burgeoning Holy Empire of Sanbreque, causing the tribe and their Eikon to become “lost” to history. Due to their nomadic nature as well as Sanbreque’s similarities with the Roman and Holy Roman Empires, one could say that the Motes of Water mirror the Jewish Diaspora (exile) and transformation of the faith after the Roman Empire’s siege on Jerusalem) and the destruction of the Second Temple during the First Jewish-Roman War; or perhaps one could say the tribe is treated in a similar fashion to the oft demonized itinerant Romani people of eastern Europe. Either way, the Motes of Water are meant to represent the “Other”; ostracized outsiders to the customs of Storm who hid themselves away from the rest of the world to avoid further religious persecution.
After finding sanctuary in the northern territory of Mysidia, the Motes of Water tried to create for themselves a new Mothercrystal to replace the Northern Territories’ own shattered Mothercrystal called Drake’s Eye. The story of the Motes of Water is one of loss and a constant fight to carve out a place in the world to call their own, so it is no surprise then that they wished to regain something taken away from them so many years ago. However, the tribe would engage in a terrible act, enraging their Eikon Leviathan that laid dormant within the infant Dominant Waljas, and freeze both the baby and the Eikon in time to essentially act as an aether battery. Unsuccessful in turning Waljas into the heart of a Mothercrystal, all the tribe achieved was robbing the poor baby of its life and autonomy, imprisoning the Dominant and the tidal wave it summoned in that moment where the tribe’s greatest sin occurred for 80 years.
This frozen tsunami, dubbed the Surge, is not only a monument to the tribe’s greatest shame, but is also a constant looming threat over the tribe’s village of Haven; a reminder to never again engage in such a transgression, lest they be met with watery doom. This mirrors not only Jonah preaching to the Ninevites to change their ways, but also God’s warnings against individuals sacrificing children to Moloch in the Book of Leviticus 20:2-5. In fact, as ProfNoctis suggests in his video “Final Fantasy XVI Lecture Stream: The Mythos of Leviathan Part 2”; Leviathan and the Surge are symbols of human and divine regret, with Ultima, the creator of mankind and the Mothercrystals, referring to Leviathan as its “most profaned fragment”; due to the Eikon being rested from its creator’s control and the act of creating a man-made Mothercrystal being a repeat of the Fallen’s blasphemous attempts at attaining godhood during the War of the Magi and the Sins of Dzemekys, flagrant displays of mankind’s development of free will which is anathema to Ultima’s collective identity.
As a symbol of divine regret, the Surge could be seen as a parallel to the Flood from the Book of Genesis. Deluge or flood myths are motifs that can often be found amongst cultures residing near the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and Persian Gulf such as Egypt, Greece, and Israel; with these stories usually recounting a tale in which a deity or deities summon a world-wide flood as a form of divine retribution. One of the earliest examples is the Mesopotamian Epic of Atra-Hasis, in which mankind was created by the gods to act as servants and laborers. However, due to overpopulation, the storm god Enlil seeks to reduce their numbers by bringing forth a great flood. Enki, seen as a benefactor of mankind, warns the human Atra-Hasis about the flood, telling him to build a boat to protect himself, his family, and his livestock from the deluge. After seven days, the waters recede and Enki and Enlil agree on other means of maintaining the human population. This story is also thought to have been later adapted in Tablet XI of the Epic of Gilgamesh, where the survivor of the flood is renamed Utnapishtim; though both the Atra-Hasis and Gilgamesh flood accounts seem to originate from an even older source called the Eridu Genesis. Similarly, the Greeks also had a deluge myth, as outlined in the Roman poet Ovid’s Metamorphoses, where Deucalion, the human son of the divine Prometheus, is warned by his father to build a chest for himself and his wife Pyrrha to escape a gigantic flood that the storm god Zeus plans to bring forth as a response to the insufficient offering given to him by Lycaon), the king of Arcadia); with the pair washing up on Mount Parnassus nine days after the storm.
There are several theories, such as the Black Sea Deluge Hypothesis, that propose that the ancient Middle East did indeed experience a large flood at some point in the very distant past. Given that flood myths are thus believed to have originated from Mesopotamia, it should come as no surprise that the Hebrew flood narrative bears similarities to the previously discussed deluge myths as well. According to chapters 6-9 in the Book of Genesis, God grows increasingly distraught over the wicked nature of the humans descended from Adam and Eve and their inadvertent creation of sin, and so decides to reset creation to a state of watery chaos. God warns one of the few moral men, the Antediluvian patriarch named Noah, about His plan to flood the world and instructs him to build an ark to house himself, his family, and two of each animal to be the first creatures to inhabit the new world. After the firmament breaks forth and floods the world for 40 days, Noah’s Ark washes up on Mount Ararat. Noah then builds an altar, with God forming a covenant with Noah whereby He declares to never again summon a flood to devastate the world. As Genesis 9:9-17 states, this promise between Noah and God is commemorated by the rainbow, a symbol of peace; which as ProfNoctis points out, also appears once Clive saves Waljas.
Through a certain perspective, the Flood could be seen as a sort of baptism, a spiritual cleansing of the world through physical water. Baptism is considered one of the 7 sacraments of the Christian Catholic denomination; a rite of initiation whereby the individual joining the faith is either submerged in or sprinkled with water three times, representing the purification of sin and the grace given by the Holy Trinity. This is not unlike the Rite of Immersion that the infant Waljas is granted at the conclusion of the Rising Tide DLC; a ceremony for all babies born into the Motes of Water in which the initiate is sprinkled with mountainous rain water from Maiden’s March, river water from Riversmeet, and sea water from Tailwind Bay. The water used in this rite is used as a metaphor for life’s journey, likened by the tribe to that of a river, with this revealing that the Motes of Water hold a very cyclical view of life in a similar fashion to the Buddhist beliefs in reincarnation or the Lifestream from Final Fantasy VII. As the descriptions for the 3 kinds of water used in the ceremony state; “The rain that falls upon the mountains of Mysidia emerges in the springs of Maiden’s March. Thus the water collected from said springs represents birth-the fountainhead from which the river of life begins”, “In the Riversmeet valley, several tributaries merge into a single stream, where clear currents and roiling eddies swim side by side. Its water represents life-a course complete with myriad meanderings, yet one that runs inexorably from source to sea”, and “The Mysidian river empties into the ocean amid the shallows of Tailwind Bay, and thus its water represents death-the stillness that lies beyond the end of the river of life, and from whence the raindrops are born anew”. In fact, the symbol for the village of Haven is meant to be the combination of Leviathan’s scales and the river called the Ceaseless Rill, “...the circle of life that has neither beginning nor end”, not unlike the serpentine symbol of the Ouroboros. I would thus argue that not only does Leviathan represent regret and retribution, but also the chaotic journey of life.
If it’s not already apparent, I find Leviathan to be very interesting. I want to thank you all for sticking around and reading the whole thing, as I know this was a lot. If you would like to check out some more information about Leviathan, I would recommend checking out the videos “Leviathan of Final Fantasy VS the Leviathan of the Bible - FF16 The Rising Tide” by Country Kratos and “A Brief History of Final Fantasy Summons Final Fantasy Lore” by Alleyway Jack.
With the conclusion of both DLCs, Clive and by extension the player, is granted one additional Eikonic power. As such, I am actually going to do one more essay, which I will post next week. I hope you look forward to it and thank you again for reading this. Have a fantastic day!
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By the end of this penitence, I have about 100 hours in the game (70 on steam, probably 20-30 on switch before I repurchased and moved to steam). I had about 30 on steam I think after my first playthrough, and I explored everything and completed everything I could in my first run. Blasphemous is the first metroidvania I've played, so I'm not amazing at the game by any means but it's one of my favorites. Before I knew that the other two penitences provide beads that would help out with doing the Penitence of the True Guilt, I chose it as my first to give myself a challenge and get what I viewed as the hardest out of the way first. I haven't done the other two yet, so I don't know if it actually is the hardest penitence but it was rough. I'll be going through all the bosses and how many attempts it took me to beat each of them, as well as the beads, prayers, and hearts I used most often. I also decided to do Ending C in this run because it was the only ending I hadn't seen yet, so that means I also did Sierpes and Isidora in this playthrough.
TL;DR: Penitence of the True Guilt is a hard penitence to do. At least I had a hard time. Light of the Lady of the Lamp bead, Saeta prayer, and Molten Heart were my saving graces. Isidora (13 attempts) was the hardest boss I think although not the most attempts I did, and had a comically hard time with Tres Angustias (63 attempts) because I didn't upgrade my health prior to the fight at all. Also fought the Amanecidas in this playthrough, and worked on the Requiem Aeternam achievement so I didn't really make use of my fervor flasks. I don't think I recommend doing this penitence first.
Favorite Beads:

• Light of the Lady of the Lamp: I was also trying to work towards the Requiem Aeternam achievement, and I read that the fervor flasks count as using a flask still, so I didn't use any flasks for the original bosses. To keep myself from accidentally hitting the button, I would just run my flasks out in the previous room before fighting a boss, and this bead became a mainstay in my rosary because of it.
• Silver Grape: I basically enjoyed anything that beefed my all around defenses in this run, and the Silver Grape did that job amazingly.
• Consecrated Amethyst - Magic Defense
• Thorned Symbol - Physical Defense
• Fire Enclosed In Enamel: This one accelerates prayers, and I slept on it for the first bit of the run. Once I found enough knots to run like 4 defensive beads and then prayer buffing beads, I started using this one a ton.
• Drop Coagulated in Ink: Again, once I started running prayer beads plus defensive, this one stayed in my rosary a lot. It buffs the damage of prayers, so whenever I used Debla, it was in my rosary.

Besides those, I would just switch out beads situationally, usually slotting in elemental defense depending on the boss.
Favorite Prayers:

• Saeta Dolorosa: This is the lifesteal prayer. In a penitence where you have to find other ways to recover health, this prayer was the one I used the most. It saved me in several situations and made most bosses much easier than they would've been I'm sure.
• Debla of the Lights: When I wasn't using the Saeta as a survival tactic, I used Debla to be more aggressive. It's my favorite damage dealing prayer and I don't think I've really used other damage prayers once I got Debla. Actually, Lorquiana is the exception, as I used it a lot to get passed big enemies while keeping a distance.

Favorite Hearts:

• Molten Heart of Boiling Blood: For the same reasoning as the Saeta prayer, I needed a way to recover health, and this one was clutch while adventuring through the levels. Especially in the Library with the enemies that spawn the floating heads; those enemies were like life farms for me with the Molten Heart.
• Heart of Smoking Incense: For bosses I used this heart since the Molten Heart doesn't do any good in a boss fight since it recovers health upon kill. So for boss fights I used this heart to make Saeta last longer and to buff Debla.

Bosses (in order, spoilers for DLC bosses):

• Tres Angustias, 63 attempts, with Viridiana: I don't know what I was thinking by heading to Jondo and Grievance Ascends right off the bat. I hadn't done any adventuring or found any of the Stinging Pains health increases, so I did those areas and Tres on a very small health bar, and boy it was tough. It made me wonder if I 'd even be able to complete the Penitence. I think when it comes to Tres, I did that many attempts because I got in a groove where I wasn't really improving and should have taken a break. I was playing at night, and did 60 attempts in one sitting, and actually finally did take a break, and beat it in three attempts the next morning. So I don't know that this attempts metric is really accurate to how hard this boss is. I struggle with Tres a lot though because I'm terrible at having to fight and platform simultaneously. On top of that, even after defensive beads, I could only take three hits from anything, so I had to do the fight pretty cleanly to beat it. It was infuriating.
• Ten Piedad, 1 attempt: I've fought Ten a few times because I've started multiple save files that I haven't completed. I've become very familiar with the fight and Ten's telegraphs, so this one was easy money. Not hard at all.
• Our Lady of the Charred Visage, 2 attempts, with Viridiana: In previous playthroughs, I've struggled a lot with Our Lady. To me, she was one of the hardest bosses. Because of that though, I've fought here many times, so now that I've finally gotten decent at the fight I managed to do it in only two tries. I was shooketh. I struggle with the two hands phase when she uses the rapid fire move with something else, so I found that for me it's best to just be as aggressive as possible to give her less chances to use that move.
• Amanecida of the Golden Blades, 14 attempts: Oh, did I mention that I also did the amanecidas in this run? This one wasn't terrible as far as bosses go, but it took me a bit to figure out the patterns. Super fun boss fight though. Since the amanecidas have a similar way that the fights progress, this one took me the most attempts, because I think I knew what I was getting into quicker with the others.
• Amanecida of the Bejeweled Arrow, 8 attempts: The move where the amanecida shoots 3 or 5 arrows up the wall, and then they lightning strike was tricky for me to figure out. Once I did though, this one went down in a couple tries.
• Exposito, Scion of Abjuration, 2 attempts, with Viridiana: Maybe I should've saved Viridiana for a different one, because I found this fight shockingly easy. I remember it being harder, but I managed it pretty well. I'm pretty sure Viridiana didn't need to heal me in the winning attempt, so I don't think Viridiana is why I beat it so quickly.
• Melquiades, the Exhumed Archbishop, 19 attempts: Yes, I tried a prayer build with Debla, Coagulated Ink and Heart of Smoking Incense. Even though this one is regarded as one of the easiest, I struggled a lot with the mace staff stabby move and never really got the parry timing. Which is odd because I live by the parry in other fights. Maybe I just wasn't at the top of my game for this fight, but it took me longer than I thought I would. Pretty frustrating.
• Quirce, Returned by the Flames, 5 attempts: I've realized this is one of those fights that once you understand the telegraphs and how to respond, it becomes very easy. I think my first few attempts were getting familiar with the moveset again, and once I understood it, boom. Down goes Quirce. Fun fight though.
• Sierpes, 4 attempts: I think this is one of those bosses that some people find difficult, but I don't think I ever have. I've fought Sierpes before, and the first time I fought him (him? her? it?) I think I did it in 2 tries. The struggle with this one was keeping my cool, as on this penitence this fight was looooong. I think it might've been like ten minutes straight. It just felt like I did very little damage, but I find it very doable to avoid all the attacks, so I was able to get it done. Saeta definitely saved me in this fight. On my winning attempt, at one point I was at a tiny sliver of health, but was able to recover thanks to the prayer. I was glad because I think it was near the end of the fight, and with how long it was taking I did not want to start all over. Pro tip: you can parry the bite lunge forward. I'm not sure everyone knows that, but it makes it much easier.
• Amanecida of the Chiselled Steel, 7 attempts: I think this one might've been my favorite, I think it was a fun fight. Not too hard to figure out, I think it was mostly a parry timing thing. Also figuring out that you can hit the green swirly blades out of the way made a big difference.
• Isidora, Voice of the Dead, 13 attempts: Keep in mind I've fought Isidora before. In my previous playthrough where I explored everything, I fought Isidora and Sierpes, although I didn't do ending C. Isidora is frustrating, man. The first phase I think is pretty easy, it's the second phase where the fireballs start constantly floating around that I start getting absolutely bullied. The strategy I ended up using was trying to get through the first phase almost flawlessly and without Saeta, and then while she's rising for the second phase, spam two Deblas, and then flask if needed and survive for a third. I finished this fight on a sliver of health. I'm sure if this was the first time I fought her, I'm sure it would've taken me at least 30 attempts. Love love love the boss music though.
• Amanecida of the Molten Thorn, 3 attempts: At first I thought it would take me wayyyy longer by how the first two attempts went, but then I somehow magically figured out the parry timing and bam. So I guess it wasn't too hard.
• Laudes, the First of the Amanecidas, 3 attempts: I mean, this boss is just all the previous amanecidas rolled into one, with pretty much none of the moves that I really struggled with. The struggle here was that I couldn't prevent her from reshelling in between phases so destroying the shell each time was kinda tough. Overall not too difficult, but super fun and super cinematic.
• Crisanta, of the Wrapped Agony, 15 attempts: After Tres, I decided if I made it to 15 attempts I should take a break. I didn't with Melquiades for whatever reason, but I totally would've with Crisanta because of the second phase (the second phase is exclusive to Ending C for anyone who didn't know). I managed to do it on my last attempt for the session though which felt super satisfying. The difficulty of it is really just the change in pacing for the parry, so it took some practice but I got it.
• His Holiness EscribaLast Son of the Miracle, kinda 4, but actually 6 attempts: Technically it was 4 attempts, but I ran out of time and had to leave during the true form of escribar phase so I had to fight it again. Got it in 2 attempts the second session, so not too bad. I don't think either of the phases is that hard once you understand the attack patterns. I find the fireballs the hardest to avoid.
• True Form of Escribar, 20-ish attempts: Also just an ending C thing. I didn't really track this since you can't pause the game and once you "die" here you just instantly start over. The stupid spinning toxin balls were the death of me, and are why it took so many tries, as I burned through several attempts right at the beginning cause they kept getting me. It's also not really worth tracking attempts since this bit feels more for cinematics since dying really has no consequence.

And yeah, that's about it. I also ended the game with 412,410 tears of atonement, even after buying all the shop items, and donating entirely to the church, including getting the skin. If y'all have any recommendations for which of the remaining two penitences I should do next or any boss tips, I'd love to hear. Sorry about the novel of a post but I wanted to share my experience as it was very challenging to finish the game on this penitence. Also, as a random fun fact, those charging dudes in the Wall of Holy Prohibitions? I didn't have any trouble with them in the regular game but they were a complete pain in NG+. Hate them so much.

He made the following promises to anyone who recited these Prayers for a whole year:
I will deliver 15 souls of his lineage from Purgatory.
15 souls of his lineage will be confirmed and preserved in grace.
15 sinners of his lineage will be converted.
Whoever recites these Prayers will attain the first degree of perfection.
15 days before his death I will give him My Precious Body in order that he may escape eternal starvation; I will give him My Precious Blood to drink lest he thirst eternally.
15 days before his death he will feel a deep contrition for all his sins and will have a perfect knowledge of them.
I will place before him the sign of My Victorious Cross for his help and defence against the attacks of his enemies.
Before his death I shall come with My Dearest Beloved Mother.
I shall graciously receive his soul, and will lead it into eternal joys.
And having led it there I shall give him a special draught from the fountain of My Deity, something I will not for those who have not recited My Prayers.
Let it be known that whoever may have been living in a state of mortal sin for 30 years, but who will recite devoutly, or have the intention to recite these Prayers, the Lord will forgive him all his sins.
I shall protect him from strong temptations.
I shall preserve and guard his 5 senses.
I shall preserve him from a sudden death.
His soul will be delivered from eternal death.
He will obtain all he asks for from God and the Blessed Virgin.
If he has lived all his life doing his own will and he is to die the next day, his life will be prolonged.
Every time one recites these Prayers he gains 100 days indulgence.
He is assured of being joined to the supreme Choir of Angels.
Whoever teaches these Prayers to another, will have continuous joy and merit which will endure eternally.
There where these Prayers are being said or will be said in the future God is present with His grace.
Each prayer is preceded by one Our Father and one Hail Mary. ​ Our Father, who art іn heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy wіll be done on earth as іt іs іn heaven. Gіve us thіs day our daіly bread and forgіve us our trespasses as we forgіve those who trespass agaіnst us and lead us not іnto temptatіon but delіver us from evіl. Amen
Haіl Mary, full of grace, the Lord іs wіth thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed іs the fruіt of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sіnners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
FIRST PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus Chrіst! Eternal Sweetness to those who love Thee, joy surpassіng all joy and all desіre, Salvatіon and Hope of all sіnners, Who hast proved that Thou hast no greater desіre than to be among men, even assumіng human nature at the fullness of tіme for the love of men, recall all the sufferіngs Thou hast endured from the instant of Thy conceptіon, and especіally durіng Thy Passіon, as іt was decreed and ordaіned from all eternіty іn the Dіvіne plan.
Remember, O Lord, that durіng the Last Supper wіth Thy dіscіples, havіng washed theіr feet, Thou gavest them Thy Most Precіous Body and Blood, and whіle at the same tіme thou dіdst sweetly console them, Thou dіdst foretell them Thy comіng Passіon. Remember the sadness and bіtterness whіch Thou dіdst experіence іn Thy Soul as Thou Thyself bore wіtness sayіng: “My Soul іs sorrowful even unto death.”
Remember all the fear, anguіsh and paіn that Thou dіdst suffer іn Thy delіcate Body before the torment of the Crucіfіxіon, when, after havіng prayed three tіmes, bathed іn a sweat of blood, Thou wast betrayed by Judas, Thy dіscіple, arrested by the people of a natіon Thou hadst chosen and elevated, accused by false wіtnesses, unjustly judged by three judges durіng the flower of Thy youth and durіng the solemn Paschal season.
Remember that Thou wast despoіled of Thy garments and clothed іn those of derіsіon; that Thy Face and Eyes were veіled, that Thou wast buffeted, crowned wіth thorns, a reed placed іn Thy Hands, that Thou was crushed wіth blows and overwhelmed wіth affronts and outrages. In memory of all these paіns and sufferіngs whіch Thou dіdst endure before Thy Passіon on the Cross, grant me before my death true contrіtіon, a sіncere and entіre confessіon, worthy satіsfactіon and the remіssіon of all my sіns. Amen.
SECOND PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! True lіberty of angels, Paradіse of delіghts, remember the horror and sadness whіch Thou dіdst endure when Thy enemіes, lіke furіous lіons, surrounded Thee, and by thousands of іnsults, spіts, blows, laceratіons and other unheard-of-crueltіes, tormented Thee at wіll.
In consіderatіon of these torments and іnsultіng words, I beseech Thee, O my Savіour, to delіver me from all my enemіes, vіsіble and іnvіsіble, and to brіng me, under Thy protectіon, to the perfectіon of eternal salvatіon. Amen.
THIRD PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! Creator of Heaven and earth Whom nothіng can encompass or lіmіt, Thou Who dost enfold and hold all under Thy Lovіng power, remember the very bіtter paіn.
Thou dіdst suffer when the Jews naіled Thy Sacred Hands and Feet to the Cross by blow after blow wіth bіg blunt naіls, and not fіndіng Thee іn a pіtіable enough state to satіsfy theіr rage, they enlarged Thy Wounds, and added paіn to paіn, and wіth іndescrіbable cruelty stretched Thy Body on the Cross, pulled Thee from all sіdes, thus dіslocatіng Thy Lіmbs.
I beg of Thee, O Jesus, by the memory of thіs most Lovіng sufferіng of the Cross, to grant me the grace to fear Thee and to Love Thee. Amen.
FOURTH PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! Heavenly Physіcіan, raіsed aloft on the Cross to heal our wounds wіth Thіne, remember the bruіses whіch Thou dіdst suffer and the weakness of all Thy Members whіch were dіstended to such a degree that never was there paіn lіke unto Thіne.
From the crown of Thy Head to the Soles of Thy Feet there was not one spot on Thy Body that was not іn torment, and yet, forgettіng all Thy sufferіngs, Thou dіdst not cease to pray to Thy Heavenly Father for Thy enemіes, sayіng: “Father forgіve them for they know not what they do.”
Through thіs great Mercy, and іn memory of thіs sufferіng, grant that the remembrance of Thy Most Bіtter Passіon may effect іn us a perfect contrіtіon and the remіssіon of all our sіns. Amen.
FIFTH PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! Mіrror of eternal splendour, remember the sadness whіch Thou experіenced, when contemplatіng іn the lіght of Thy Dіvіnіty the predestіnatіon of those who would be saved by the merіts of Thy Sacred Passіon.
Thou dіdst see at the same tіme, the great multіtude of reprobates who would be damned for theіr sіns, and Thou dіdst complaіn bіtterly of those hopeless lost and unfortunate sіnners.
Through thіs abyss of compassіon and pіty, and especіally through the goodness whіch Thou dіsplayed to the good thіef when Thou saіdst to hіm: “Thіs day, thou shalt be wіth Me іn Paradіse.” I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, that at the hour of my death, Thou wіlt show me mercy. Amen.
SIXTH PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! Beloved and most desіrable Kіng, remember the grіef Thou dіdst suffer, when naked and lіke a common crіmіnal.
Thou was fastened and raіsed on the Cross, when all Thy relatіves and frіends abandoned Thee, except Thy Beloved Mother, who remaіned close to Thee durіng Thy agony and whom Thou dіdst entrust to Thy faіthful dіscіple when Thou saіdst to Mary: “Woman, behold thy son!” and to St. John: “Son, behold thy Mother!”
I beg of Thee O my Savіour, by the sword of sorrow whіch pіerced the soul of Thy holy Mother, to have compassіon on me іn all my afflіctіon and trіbulatіons, both corporal and spіrіtual, and to assіst me іn all my trіals, and especіally at the hour of my death. Amen.
SEVENTH PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! Inexhaustіble Fountaіn of compassіon, Who by a profound gesture of Love, saіd from the Cross: “I thіrst!” suffered from the thіrst for the salvation of the human race.
I beg of Thee O my Savіour, to іnflame іn our hearts the desіre to tend toward perfectіon іn all our acts; and to extіnguіsh іn us the concupіscence of the flesh and the ardor of worldly desіres. Amen.
EIGHTH PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! Sweetness of hearts, delіght of the spіrіt, by the bіtterness of the vіnegar and gall whіch Thou dіdst taste on the Cross for Love of us, grant us the grace to receіve worthіly.
Thy Precіous Body and Blood durіng our lіfe and at the hour of our death, that they may serve as a remedy and consolation for our souls. Amen.
NINTH PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! Royal vіrtue, joy of the mіnd, recall the paіn Thou dіdst endure when, plunged іn an ocean of bіtterness at the approach of death, insulted, outraged by the Jews.
Thou dіdst cry out іn a loud voіce that Thou was abandoned by Thy Father, sayіng: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”
Through thіs anguіsh, I beg of Thee, O my Savіour, not to abandon me іn the terrors and paіns of my death. Amen.
TENTH PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! Who art the begіnnіng and end of all thіngs, lіfe and vіrtue, remembers that for our sakes Thou was plunged іn an abyss of sufferіng from the soles of Thy Feet to the crown of Thy Head.
In consіderatіon of the enormіty of Thy Wounds, teach me to keep, through pure love, Thy Commandments, whose way іs wіde and easy for those who love Thee. Amen.
ELEVENTH PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! Deep abyss of mercy, I beg of Thee, іn memory of Thy Wounds whіch penetrated to the very marrow of Thy Bones and to the depth of Thy beіng, to draw me, a mіserable sіnner, overwhelmed by my offenses, away from sіn and to hіde me from Thy Face justly іrrіtated agaіnst me, hіde me іn Thy wounds, untіl Thy anger and just іndіgnatіon shall have passed away. Amen.
TWELFTH PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! Mіrror of Truth, symbol of unіty, bond of charіty, remember the multіtude of wounds wіth whіch Thou wast afflіcted from head to foot, torn and reddened by the spіllіng of Thy adorable Blood. O great and unіversal paіn, whіch Thou dіdst suffer іn Thy vіrgіnal flesh for love of us! Sweetest Jesus! What іs there that Thou couldst have done for us whіch Thou has not done!
May the fruіt of Thy sufferіng be renewed іn my soul by the faіthful remembrance of Thy Passіon, and may Thy love іncrease іn my heart each day, untіl I see Thee іn eternіty: Thou Who art the treasure of every real good and every joy, whіch I beg Thee to grant me, O Sweetest Jesus, іn heaven. Amen.
THIRTEENTH PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! Strong Lіon, Immortal and Invіncіble Kіng, remember the paіn whіch Thou dіdst endure when all Thy strength, both moral and physіcal, was entіrely exhausted, Thou dіdst bow Thy Head, sayіng: “It іs consummated!”
Through thіs anguіsh and grіef, I beg of Thee Lord Jesus, to have mercy on me at the hour of my death when my mіnd wіll be greatly troubled and my soul wіll be іn anguіsh. Amen.
FOURTEENTH PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! Only Son of the Father, Splendour and Fіgure of Hіs Substance, remember the sіmple and humble recommendation.
Thou dіdst make of Thy Soul to Thy Eternal Father, sayіng: “Father, іnto Thy Hands I commend My Spіrіt!” And wіth Thy Body all torn, and Thy Heart Broken, and the bowels of Thy Mercy open to redeem us, Thou dіdst Expіre.
By thіs Precіous Death, I beg of Thee O Kіng of Saіnts, comfort me and help me to resіst the devіl, the flesh and the world, so that beіng dead to the world I may lіve for Thee alone.
I beg of Thee at the hour of my death to receіve me, a pіlgrіm and an exіle returnіng to Thee. Amen.
FIFTEENTH PRAYER Our Father – Hail Mary. O Jesus! True and fruіtful Vіne! Remember the abundant outpourіng of Blood whіch Thou dіdst so generously shed from Thy Sacred Body as juіce from grapes іn a wіne press.
From Thy Sіde, pіerced wіth a lance by a soldіer, blood and water іssued forth untіl there was not left іn Thy Body a sіngle drop, and fіnally, lіke a bundle of myrrh lіfted to the top of the Cross Thy delіcate Flesh was destroyed, the very Substance of Thy Body wіthered, and the Marrow of Thy Bones drіed up.
Through thіs bіtter Passіon and through the outpourіng of Thy Precіous Blood, I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, to receіve my soul when I am іn my death agony. Amen.
CONCLUSION O Sweet Jesus! Pіerce my heart so that my tears of penіtence and love wіll be my bread day and nіght; may I be converted entіrely to Thee, may my heart be Thy perpetual habіtatіon, may my conversatіon be pleasіng to Thee, and may the end of my lіfe be so praіseworthy that I may merіt Heaven and there wіth Thy saіnts, praіse Thee forever. Amen.

The qipao dress holds cultural significance in Chinese history and fashion. Its meaning is multifaceted:

1. Cultural Heritage: The qipao embodies centuries of Chinese tradition and culture. It reflects the elegance and sophistication of Chinese clothing design, showcasing intricate craftsmanship and attention to detail.
2. Symbol of Femininity: Historically, the qipao has been associated with femininity and grace. Its form-fitting silhouette accentuates the curves of the female body, while its high collar and modest length symbolize modesty and refinement.
3. Fashion and Style: Over time, the qipao has evolved from its traditional roots to become a symbol of Chinese fashion and style. It has been adapted and modernized to suit contemporary tastes, yet still retains its cultural essence.
4. National Identity: The qipao is often worn on special occasions, such as weddings, formal events, and cultural celebrations, where it serves as a symbol of national identity and pride.

Overall, the qipao dress carries meanings that are deeply rooted in Chinese culture, history, and aesthetics, making it a cherished garment that continues to be celebrated both in China and around the world.

In the world of jewelry, every piece tells a story. From the delicate sparkle of a diamond pendant to the bold elegance of a statement necklace, each creation is crafted to adorn and elevate the wearer, making every occasion a moment to shine. Here, we journey through the realms of luxury and style, exploring the finest jewelry pieces curated for every occasion life presents.

Weddings and Celebrations

For the most cherished moments in life, nothing captures the essence of celebration quite like the brilliance of fine jewelry. A stunning array of engagement rings, wedding bands, and heirloom-worthy pieces grace this collection, symbolizing love, commitment, and the promise of forever. From classic solitaires to intricately designed bands, these treasures serve as enduring symbols of devotion and unity, adding an extra sparkle to joyous celebrations.

Black Tie Affairs

Stepping onto the red carpet or into a glamorous soirée demands nothing less than extraordinary elegance. Dazzling chandelier earrings, shimmering cocktail rings, and breathtaking bracelets take center stage, complementing couture gowns and exuding timeless sophistication. With each carefully selected piece, the wearer exudes confidence and grace, leaving a trail of admiration in their wake.

Everyday Elegance

Elevating everyday moments into extraordinary experiences, these versatile jewelry pieces effortlessly transition from day to night, enhancing every outfit with a touch of glamour. Delicate studs, dainty necklaces, and sleek bracelets become cherished staples, infusing everyday routines with a sense of luxury and refinement. Whether dressing for a boardroom meeting or a casual brunch with friends, these understated yet exquisite pieces add a subtle sparkle to life’s everyday adventures.

Personal Milestones

From graduations to promotions, life’s milestones deserve to be celebrated in style. Thoughtfully curated collections of birthstone jewelry, custom-engraved pieces, and personalized charms capture the essence of individuality and achievement, commemorating moments that mark the journey of a lifetime. Whether it’s a heartfelt gift for a loved one or a well-deserved treat for oneself, these treasures serve as enduring reminders of accomplishment and aspiration.

Timeless Treasures

Beyond fleeting trends, timeless jewelry pieces stand as testaments to enduring beauty and craftsmanship. From iconic designs that have graced the pages of history to contemporary creations that redefine elegance, these treasures transcend time, becoming cherished heirlooms passed down through generations. With every wear, these timeless pieces weave stories of heritage, legacy, and the enduring allure of fine jewelry.
In every facet and detail, the finest jewelry pieces are not just adornments; they are reflections of individuality, expressions of love, and symbols of celebration. From intimate gatherings to grand affairs, they illuminate life’s moments with unparalleled brilliance, inviting us to shine bright, embrace the extraordinary, and cherish the beauty that surrounds us.

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Finding Salvation in the Bible: Understanding God’s Plan for Redemption

Salvation—a concept often referenced in Christianity—holds significant meaning and offers profound hope. But what does salvation truly entail in the biblical context? Let’s embark on this insightful journey to explore the biblical understanding of salvation, illustrated through stories and teachings present in the Bible.

The Need for Salvation

Imagine yourself lost in a vast, dense forest with no clear path to exit. Every route seems indistinguishable, and panic starts to set in. This is akin to the human condition without God—lost and in desperate need of direction and deliverance. The Bible presents humanity as initially perfect but fallen into sin through Adam and Eve’s disobedience (Genesis 3:1-7).
The Apostle Paul reaffirms this need for salvation in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This shortfall means a separation from God, necessitating a rescue plan.

God’s Plan for Salvation

Recognizing humanity’s plight, God instituted a divine plan for redemption. Central to this is Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection are pivotal for salvation. John 3:16 beautifully captures this, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus’ sacrificial death underscores God’s immense love and sets the foundation for humanity’s salvation. His resurrection triumphs over death, symbolizing victory and hope for believers.

Path to Salvation

Do you ever wonder what steps are required to access this gift of salvation? It’s simpler than one might think, thanks to Jesus’ sacrifice.

• Faith in Jesus Christ: John 14:6 states, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” Placing faith in Jesus is paramount.
• Repentance: Genuine repentance involves a sincere turning away from sin and seeking God’s forgiveness. Acts 3:19 encourages, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”
• Baptism: As a public declaration of faith, baptism symbolizes the believer’s identification with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4).

The Assurance of Salvation

Once you’ve accepted Jesus and embraced salvation, what comes next? Can you be sure of your salvation? The Bible offers comforting assurance. In Romans 8:38-39, Paul writes, “…neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future… will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Salvation brings a profound and eternal connection with God—one that is unbreakable despite life’s challenges.

Why Salvation Matters

Salvation is more than a theological concept; it’s a transformative experience with tangible benefits:

• Eternal Life: Eternal life isn’t just a future promise but a current reality with Jesus. John 5:24 assures, “…whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”
• Freedom from Sin: Salvation grants freedom from the bondage of sin. Romans 6:14 declares, “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”
• Peace and Joy: The peace and joy of knowing Jesus are unparalleled. Philippians 4:7 emphasizes, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Reflect and Respond

Take a moment to reflect on the profound truths about salvation. How has understanding this concept impacted your view of God’s love and plan for humanity? We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

God’s Invitation to You

Whether you’re seeking salvation or reaffirming your faith, remember that God’s invitation is always open. Embrace it and experience the joy and peace that comes with knowing Jesus.
If you found this article insightful, please share it with others who might benefit from understanding salvation. Your engagement helps spread the message of hope and redemption.
By exploring these biblical principles, may you find guidance, encouragement, and a deeper connection with God. Dive deeper into the Bible and let its teachings enrich your life.
Please leave your reflections or questions in the comments section below—we’d love to discuss this incredible journey with you!
If you want to want to research more Bible Answers on your own, please try our Bible Answers GPT. It’s easy to get lost in the interesting responses you’ll find… every search is like a new treasure hunt 🙂
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1. The gentle curve of my waist creates a stunning contrast with my hips, defining my hourglass figure.
2. I appreciate the way my body naturally forms an hourglass shape, with a balanced ratio between my bust and hips.
3. Each curve of my body tells a story of strength and femininity, enhancing my hourglass silhouette.
4. The symmetry of my figure, with a defined waist and shapely hips, is a beautiful reflection of my inner confidence.
5. I embrace the subtle taper of my waist, accentuating the natural curves of my body.
6. The way my body gracefully flows from a narrow waist to curvaceous hips fills me with a sense of empowerment.
7. I am grateful for the way my hourglass shape allows me to feel confident and comfortable in my own skin.
8. My hourglass figure symbolizes balance and harmony, showcasing the beauty of diversity in body shapes.
9. The soft curves of my body create a gentle rhythm that exudes elegance and poise.
10. I celebrate the unique proportions of my hourglass shape, a testament to my individuality.
11. Each curve of my body is a masterpiece, sculpted with care and grace to form an exquisite hourglass silhouette.
12. I am proud of the way my body embraces its natural shape, embracing the beauty of my curves.
13. The symmetry of my figure, with a defined waistline and curvaceous hips, is a reflection of my inner strength and confidence.
14. I honor the way my hourglass body shape allows me to feel confident and radiant in any outfit I wear.
15. My hourglass figure is a canvas of beauty, with each curve and contour adding depth and dimension to my silhouette.
16. The gentle slope of my hips complements the narrowness of my waist, creating a harmonious balance in my body shape.
17. I appreciate the way my hourglass figure accentuates my femininity and empowers me to embrace my unique beauty.
18. The natural curves of my body form an elegant hourglass shape, a reflection of the strength and grace within me.
19. I feel a sense of pride in my hourglass silhouette, a physical manifestation of my confidence and self-assurance.
20. My hourglass body shape is a reflection of the love and care I have for myself, embracing every curve with gratitude.
21. The hourglass shape of my body is a symbol of resilience and beauty, of my curves

In shadows cast by greed, a tale unfolds,
Of a man who found love in glitter, not gold.
Her smile was bright, her touch a flame,
Together they danced, in a deadly game.

They whispered of children, now shadows dark,
Once beams of light, now zombie's stark.
Exalted beings in a cosmic flight,
Married in past lives, bound by night.

Their purpose grand, a mission bold,
To gather 144k, a story retold.
On Hawaii's shores, they danced in glee,
Dodging Nate Eaton, their deceit set free.

“Where are the kids?” the world did cry,
Their alibis slick, a well-crafted lie.
Wedding rings and gowns, on a slain man's Prime,
Bought with ease, for their wicked crime.

Malachite, the stone, a mystic green,
In ancient lore, a powerful sheen.
In their hands, it marked a twisted fate,
A life transformed, a love turned to hate.

Malachite’s promise of transformation,
Now tainted by their dark fascination.
A gem of healing, protection’s call,
Used in a plot, where innocence falls.

Their story ends in courts of gloom,
A woman’s guilt, a lifelong doom.
Found guilty, life without parole,
To face the trial for her former soul.

The man’s fate sealed, death’s shadow looms,
Life without parole, or death's cruel rooms.
A victim left in the aftermath,
Motherless, fatherless, on a lonely path.

Sisterless, brotherless, a life torn apart,
By two hearts that danced in a twisted art.
Criminals now, with nothing to show,
Penniless, emotionless, in sorrow's flow.

If not for grandparents, love so pure,
Their quest for truth, justice would demure.
They sang the song, “Turn out the lights, the party’s over,”
Exposing crimes, no longer covert.

Julie, Melanie, Melaneice, Zulema too,
Yet to face the law, to pay their due.
But Stephanie, Heather, the Douglas kin,
Revealed a mother's love, her heart within.

The defense attorney, he tried his best,
Without exalted aid, his case a jest.
A word salad defense, a quarter pounder of lies,
The truth laid bare, beneath the legal guise.

Their crimes, a silence that echoes loud,
In glitter’s shadow, beneath a shroud.
Malachite, once a stone of grace,
Now a symbol of a dark embrace.

For in the end, their glitter fades,
Leaving only shadows and darker shades.
A tale of love, turned bitter cold,
In the pursuit of glitter, and not true gold

In shadows cast by greed, a tale unfolds,
Of a man who found love in glitter, not gold.
Her smile was bright, her touch a flame,
Together they danced, in a deadly game.

They whispered of children, now shadows dark,
Once beams of light, now zombie's stark.
Exalted beings in a cosmic flight,
Married in past lives, bound by night.

Their purpose grand, a mission bold,
To gather 144k, a story retold.
On Hawaii's shores, they danced in glee,
Dodging Nate Eaton, their deceit set free.

“Where are the kids?” the world did cry,
Their alibis slick, a well-crafted lie.
Wedding rings and gowns, on a slain man's Prime,
Bought with ease, for their wicked crime.

Malachite, the stone, a mystic green,
In ancient lore, a powerful sheen.
In their hands, it marked a twisted fate,
A life transformed, a love turned to hate.

Malachite’s promise of transformation,
Now tainted by their dark fascination.
A gem of healing, protection’s call,
Used in a plot, where innocence falls.

Their story ends in courts of gloom,
A woman’s guilt, a lifelong doom.
Found guilty, life without parole,
To face the trial for her former soul.

The man’s fate sealed, death’s shadow looms,
Life without parole, or death's cruel rooms.
A victim left in the aftermath,
Motherless, fatherless, on a lonely path.

Sisterless, brotherless, a life torn apart,
By two hearts that danced in a twisted art.
Criminals now, with nothing to show,
Penniless, emotionless, in sorrow's flow.

If not for grandparents, love so pure,
Their quest for truth, justice would demure.
They sang the song, “Turn out the lights, the party’s over,”
Exposing crimes, no longer covert.

Julie, Melanie, Melaneice, Zulema too,
Yet to face the law, to pay their due.
But Stephanie, Heather, the Douglas kin,
Revealed a mother's love, her heart within.

The defense attorney, he tried his best,
Without exalted aid, his case a jest.
A word salad defense, a quarter pounder of lies,
The truth laid bare, beneath the legal guise.

Their crimes, a silence that echoes loud,
In glitter’s shadow, beneath a shroud.
Malachite, once a stone of grace,
Now a symbol of a dark embrace.

For in the end, their glitter fades,
Leaving only shadows and darker shades.
A tale of love, turned bitter cold,
In the pursuit of glitter, and not true gold.

Sitting in my captain’s chair, my fingers drummed on my armrests. Religion was a bittersweet subject for me, the churches not allowing mutts into the congregations. Staring out at the endless expanse of darkness and stars, a familiar sensation of Jack playing with the tips of my ears whipped me back to reality. Leaning down close to me, his lips brushed against the nape of my neck.
“Try to be civil with this religious city. I know that you don’t have the best relationship with them. The people need help with another one of those toads.” He begged with a crooked grin, a brisk fine leaving my lips. “That’s good to hear. The more that we have of that venom, our luck sure would look up. Maybe we could play when we get home.” Flushing a deep scarlet, my husband was lucky that Icy was the only other recruit with us for this mission. The others agreed to watch the kids, the way Catz suggested a movie night had me smiling to myself. My friends were amazing in the best way, Scampy looking more than thrilled to have such an experience. Chewing on my lips, the monks had agreed to help move the frozen venom onto the ship. Perhaps this church was different, the monks raising the orphans from all over the universe. Mulling over what we had to do, the word was that a neon green slime covered the infected areas.
“They come in all kinds of colors.” Jack pointed out simply, wonder shining in my eyes at how he knew what I was thinking. “The venom is all the same, so do be careful.” Shooting out a quick sure, an awkward silence came over the ship. Staring ahead numbly, he plopped into his seat. Hooking up his harness, Icy threw a crumpled up ball of paper into the back of my head. Catching it in my palm, the neat cursive had me smiling to myself. Unfolding it, the words are you okay were a blessing in a dark moment. Fishing around my space suit for a pen, the tip moved quickly. Crumpling it up, Icy caught it without an issue. Reading it with a quiet chuckle, the joke lifting his mood. Tucking it into his pocket with a proud smile, a deeper scarlet painted my cheeks. Humming to myself for the remainder of the trip, the descent had me back to my attentive self. Parking the ship in the dock, Icy and I undid our harness. Popping to my feet, my face fell at the father in his worn brown robes. His kind brown eyes followed me, his bald head glinting in the light of the three blue moons. Pressing his palms together, shock rounded his eyes at the metal covers slamming shut behind us. Jack apologized casually, the two of them breaking into a pleasant conversation. Icy took my side, his polite smile matching mine. The priest was a stout human, his aura seeming apprehensive of us.
“Do you think he will treat us with a little less hesitation?” He inquired curiously, both of us laughing softly to ourselves. The father snapped his head in our direction, both of us straightening up. Mumbling a couple of apologies, Jack cleared his throat. Tossing my staff into my eager palm, his rifle resting on his shoulders. The church was not a place we could sit next to each other if good behavior was required.
“Let’s go before you two start any more troubles.” He barked impatiently, the father narrowing his eyes in our direction. “Father Paldin promised to house us tonight if we do a good job.” Staring out at the swampy land in the distance, an impatient groan tumbling from my lips. Storm clouds rumbled to life, heavy rain dripping off of our suits. Rushing back towards the ivory sea homes surrounding a single marble church, the three of us stood in a pensive silence. Jack seemed pissed about something, his eyes scanning the area. Approaching me as casually as he could, he leaned down to whisper into my ear.
“There isn’t a toad here. The whole thing is a farce but I can’t turn my back on these people.” He spoke loud enough for only me to hear, my ears pinning back. “Solomon won’t be here but I can attest to the fact that he is a shapeshifting alien. I know the father and he is not him.” The color drained from my cheeks, the shapeshifting aliens being the trickiest to catch. Not knowing what to do, Jack yanked me close to his hips.
“We need to create steam and that is where you two come in.” He whispered into my ear with a bit of annoyance, his hands sliding up to my cheeks. “Look natural while he spreads ice to melt. I will shoot down the ones that get exposed.” Kissing my lips feverishly to cover our conversation, a bit of neon goo hitting my boot had a low hiss flooding from my lips. My scaly friends joined my side, Icy and I heading in the opposite direction of Jack. Darting along the edge of the town, more globs of neon goo covered the brick. Picking the lowest part, the brick groaned as I leapt over the wall. Whipping the goo off of my boot, screams and pleas caught my ears. Wandering over to a decaying marble church, my hands pushed the door open. Horror rounded my eyes at the entire town staring at me with big hungry eyes, the father waving me over. Rushing over, his kind eyes were of true emotion, the other’s look seeming falser by the second. People needed to be saved no matter their beliefs.
“Those things took over my town and locked us up. Do you have any food or water?” He begged with dry cough, Icy creating ice cubes for everyone while I fished around my pockets for anything to eat. Pulling out bag of cookies, eager hands shoved them into their mouths. One more remained, the father pointing to an adorable terrier mix. Tossing it in the pup’s direction, the poor thing devouring it in seconds. These bastards were going to pay for their crime, their presence stealing everything in sight. Things should be earned not stolen.
“We are going to save you and soon your homes will be yours. Relax the best you can, folks.” I promised with my genuine smile, Icy marching over to the door. Pressing his palm on the loose dirt, ice devoured everything. Rising to his feet, golden energy built around heel. The moment I slammed my heel into the ice, the hard work would begin.
“Ready?” I inquired with a tired smile, Icy shooting me a thumbs up. “Cool. Let’s do this!” Raising my heel over my head, a hissing sound joined the bright flash of my heel meeting the ice. Steam devoured the town, Icy closing the door behind us. Translucent forms of slimy aliens darted out of their homes, inky bullets took out half of them. Neon green goo shot in our direction, a quarter of them coming after us. Spinning our staff in our palms, our objective was to keep the steam curling into the sky. Unleashing a wave of ice underneath me, the ride threw me into the air. Taking in the entirety of the town, the town square would be an excellent trap.
“Town Square!” I shouted over the chaos, my snakes slithering up to my side. Keeping up with me, Icy skidded a couple of streets away. Sending Ratonia to help him, Ratalia snuggled into my palm. Shouting thank you over the chaos, swift swings sent the aliens flying into the air. Pops announced Jack’s rain of bullets, the bodies dissolving before they hit the melting ice. The town square was in view, Icy flipping onto the fountain. Mouthing the plan, a couple of exchanged winks had sly grin curling on our lips. Slamming the tip of his staff into spout, ice crept down the statue. Devouring everything in two inches of ice, cage walls made of ice cracked into place the moment the last alien sludged in. Golden energy glowed to life in my palm, the ice hissing in protest the moment my palm met the frigid surface. Cracks danced up to the top, steam twirling into the sky. Jack appeared out of nowhere, bullets ricocheting off the walls. Something seemed off, the rotting stench of the goo swelling over my head. Jumping out of the way, the leader’s goo melted the ice. Panic contorted my features, the king of the hive had been found. Forming his goo into a bomb in his palm, a mean green glow illuminated his body. Fantastic! My enemy was a living night light. Spinning my staff in my palm, golden energy had it glowing brighter than him. Throwing it in my direction, a swing of my staff sent a wave of golden energy in his direction. Ice melted in seconds, his body shot into the air. No more goo remained, Jack cursing under his breath at his lack of bullets. Something warm tickled my lick, my trembling fingers grazing my nostrils. Blood glistened on the tips of my fingers, a green gas knocking everyone out but me. Splashing behind me announced his landing, every muscle ached in protest as I raised my staff into the attack position.
“Leave while you still have some of your dignity left!” I barked hotly, everything around me doubling. Hitting the street, a couple of Jack’s bullets rolled into my palm. A weakened Jack smiled lovingly before passing out for a second time, the color draining from my face. Pretending to be knocked out, his wet body sloshed closer to me. Attempting to build up the energy around my fingers, nothing would happen. Picking me up by my waist, the bastard tossed me over his shoulder. A bright green heart beat in his chest, my new gloves burning as I slid my hand into his chest. Smoke muddied up his body, my trembling fingers pushed the bullets into his heart. Staggering back, a puddle of cool water caught me. Shrill shrieks filled the air, his hands reaching in to rip out his heart. His skin bubbled, my inability to move was about to bite me in the ass. Preparing myself for a world of hurt, Father Paldin stepped in front of me with his palms pressed together. Blinking a couple of times, the sight of him had to be a hallucination. Singing some sort of hymn, a bright ivory light bathed the town. Praying to save us and grace us with his presence, a ball lifted the evil alien into the air. Childlike wonder brightened my eyes at the green coating the bubble and the bubble alone. Snapping his fingers, the light died down. Crouching down to my level, his hand cupped my arm. Singing another hymn, time rewound to heal my burn wounds. Choking out a painful protest, his gentle smile had my fraying nerves relaxing a bit.
“We may not worship the same god but I can see a pure soul from a mile away. Do you need me to join your nation?” He asked politely while helping to my feet, the other townsfolk waving in the distance. “If you give us religious freedom, you have our support.” Too stunned to speak, the others began to stir awake. All of this was nothing, rescuing people was second nature to me. My lips parted to speak several times, the trees in the square dropping every ounce of water onto me. Feeling my hair cling to my face, Ratalia and Ratonia began to lick my cheeks. Placing his hands on his hips, the townsfolk run up to him in a line. Barking orders, my friends were carried off to the main church. Tucking a piece of hair behind my ear, a couple of the kids were struggling with a box of medicine. Sliding my staff into my belt, both of them cheered up at my slender fingers plucking the box from their hands. Staying on my heels on the way to the church, he had them working like a well-oiled machine. Noticing that I was carrying the box, the blonde children giggled behind me. Setting it on the table next to him, there was a lack of good stuff. His shining eyes met mine, his eyes flitting between the wedding bands. Unsure of how to respond, a stiff silence hung in the air.
“Would you allow me to bless your marriage? Good luck can only follow your relationship after such a gift.” He offered sincerely, his hands placing ours together. Jack mumbled something, the images of his family at church flashed in my mind. His family went to church before the program killed them to kidnap him, tears welling up in his eyes. Praying over our rings, a bright light blinded us. The light died down to reveal a strange symbol on our bands, pride glistening in the good father’s eyes the moment he let go. Turning towards me, his hands crossed on his lap. Please don't ask too much of me.
“Come back and get blessed by me when this is all over.” He suggested sweetly, his head snapping in Jack’s direction. “Bring your family as well. I would be honored to have you in my parish.” Excusing myself, my empty footfalls echoed in the streets. Skidding to a rough stop in front of my ship, the armor clanked back into its pocket. Hissing announced my pets’ presence, both of them snuggling into my palms. Smothering them in feverish kisses, long tongues flicked against my cheeks. Letting myself in, a quick change into my mechanic’s suit made me more comfortable. Loading up a cart with a couple of spare generators with the battery rocks, and two thirds of the medicine we had on the ship. Kids and women must have gotten sick and the supply had been too depleted to the bare minimum. Snaking their bodies around mine on the way out, their scales felt like a warm hug. Locking my ship behind me, a rare good mood came over me. Pushing the cart back into town, curious eyes glinted to life at the odd items. Knocking on the heavy wooden doors, a couple of his hooded monks let me in. Father Paldin approached me cautiously, his sharp eyes focusing on the generator. Calling a couple of nuns over, they rushed off with the medicine. Leaning onto my cart, the generator wasn’t something that I wanted to push onto him.
“I don’t know what your religion allows this machine but this is a generator that runs on its own. We will come back with more if you allow it but this is a sure way to keep your people safe in one of your many power outages.” I spoke with a nervous grin, his fingers tracing the metal barrel. “That medicine should last you a few months. Since you are a part of my side now, I will personally deliver whatever you need every six months in exchange for a few goods and shelter that night.” Offering him my hand to shake, his fingers curled around it without a second thought.
“That is almost excellent.” He gushed gleefully, shaking my hand vigorously. “I look forward to you being my president.” Scarlet painted my panicked features, Jack hiding back behind the corner with his trademark guilt ridden grin. Softening my expression enough to keep him in his good mood, the orphans bounced up to Ratalia and Ratonia. Scooping them up, the kids giggled as they slid down their backs. Wagging their tails with excitement, his hearty chuckle seemed to make this situation a bit better. Someone called him over, his smile growing wider. Zoning out for a few minutes, familiar fingers playing with my ears snapped me back to reality. Some explanations were owed.
“Join me on a walk. Icy, stay with our scaly friends.” Jack commanded with a stern expression, a quiet fear hiding underneath my bright smile. Telling my girls to stay, Icy spinning over to smother them with love had them wagging their tails once more. Hooking his elbow around mine, the cool air of the planet lashed at my cheeks. Stealing me away to the docks by our ship, the armor clicked back enough to let us in. Scooping me up, his boots crossed the threshold. Locking the door behind him, his strong arms carried me to the back. Laying me down on the bed, he climbed on behind me. Tears soaked my back, his arms yanking me into a desperate embrace. Burying his head into the back of my neck, the loss of his family was hitting him all over again. Rolling onto my back, his strong arms yanked me on top of him. Holding me like his life depended on it, his snores echoed in my ears. Every attempt to get out of his arms had him embracing me tighter. Giving up, the radio wasn’t too far away. Grasping at it, Icy needed to know what was going on. Kicking the table until it fell into my hand, a couple of clicks had him answering. Explaining the situation, he promised me that he would handle things. Children begged for him to read another story, he hung up with a hearty chuckle. Staring into the darkness, something had me squinting. What was moving in the shadows? Squirming out of his arms, knocks on the outside had the thing with bright eyes scurrying across the ceiling. Leaping to my feet, the door hissed open on its own. The small bit of light revealed a bright yellow tentacle, the color draining from my face. How did a venomous space octopus get in here? Crashing through my ship, a steady stream of curse words flooded from my lips at it heading into the engine room. Plucking my staff from my belt, a quick press to the button had the doors clicking open to let my girls in. Whistling sharply, they took my sides like the obedient bodyguards they were. Creeping down to the engine room, a flash of yellow into the engine had me pounding towards the access panel. Digging through my nearby toolbox, a wave of relief crashed over me at the sight of my favorite screwdriver. Moving a mile a minute, the screws clattered onto the metal floor. Pulling myself in, my girls found their way in. Allowing them to lead the way, their senses were stronger than mine. Maneuvering my way around the cramped spaces, a slick noise had us shrinking into the shadows. Venom from my pets pooled around my feet, both of them watching me dip the tip of my staff in it. Banging my fist on the metal wall, the scurrying noise had chills running up my spine. Hisses alerted me to the slimy yellow mass flying towards me, golden energy mixed with my venom powers. Aiming the end of my staff for its rows of glinting fangs, the wet noise of my staff meeting its organs had nausea wracking my body. Pinning it to the wall, thousands of eyes opening up to bleed had clammy sweat drenching my skin. Must certain aliens look so terrifying! Twisting it in further, the squeals threatened to burst my eardrums. Golden smoke swirled from its mouth, the space spinning around me. Knowing that I pushed myself too far, blood and tissues rained down over me. Flicking everything off, the body wasn’t poisonous. How venomous its slime was, that was a different story. Searching for the lights, the plastic switch grazed the tip of my finger. Clicking it on, a bloody mess had me wincing with regret. Climbing out to get cleaning supplies, crimson painted my cheeks the moment I ran into Jack’s bare chest. Holding up the cleaning supplies, his eager smile hid a darker undertone.
“You running out woke me up. When I saw the slime, I had an idea of what was going on.” He chuckled with an even bigger smile, his arm curling around my waist. “I need my pillow to get through the pain of seeing a church community.” Resting his chin on my head, his tears dripping down my soaking wet strands. The cleaning supplies hit the floor, his finger lifting up my chin. His wet eyes met my exhausted smile, his lips pressing against mine tenderly. Time stopped, our hearts beating to the same song. Walking backwards, he pinned me to the wall. Understanding that he needed me in more ways than one, his lips hovered inches from mine.
“Grant me a lovely evening.” He pleaded adorably, his hand sliding down to my waist. “Anything to forget the pain.” Arching my body towards him, his shaking hand tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. Tossing me over his shoulder, Icy poked his head. Cocking his brow, his quick mind put two and two together. Picking up the cleaning supplies, his order for my girls to stay behind resulted in them cuddling up against him. Hiking through the ship, we found ourselves in the bunks.
“Sorry about calling him back.” He mumbled under his breath, a quiet smile lingering on my lips. “What are you smiling about?” Shrugging my shoulders, the evening became ours.

2/06/2048 (military calendar)
Temple of Indolass, the former Confederacy of Daru'uie,
Nevali Region, Aldrida, Alagore

*****

Feeling the smooth marble-like wall, Fraeya Holiadon searched for any clues to a secret passage, door, or symbols that could assist them in fixing the Bridge.
While the Palatini of Orias had been at the temple grounds far longer than expected, all efforts had been focused on investigating why the Bridge wouldn't open. This gave her time to study the interior of this structure, realizing that she would have been the first in thousands of years. Based on the exterior side of the mountain, some formations could be closed off balconies, making her conclude that there was more to this place than just this chamber.
To her surprise, time had not degraded the interior, unlike most structures that were left to decay. Everything looked fresh. Dusty but fresh, almost marble-like; however, she couldn't figure out what type of marble it was.
Fraeya stopped once she felt a slight bump within the wall. She carefully double-checked that she had indeed found something. When her fingers couldn't find a bump, she started believing it was her imagination playing tricks. However, with one last slow sweep of her hand, she found what she felt before. Confirming that there was a bump within the smooth wall, she noted it in her journal. "That makes three."
"Three of what?"
The elf girl's ears perked from the unknown feminine voice; she turned and saw a woman approaching. Not just any woman, beautiful golden eyes, fair pale skin, and silk-like light blond hair. She wore slick light gray armor with golden lining and a small crystal on her upper chest. Behind her were these short but pure white feathered wings on her back. - a Valkyrie.
The Valkyrie woman stopped with a confused look and asked, "I am sorry if I scared you."
"I…, I did not know we had a Valkyrie among us." Fraeya then got a better view of the woman's armor, noticing a plate with the Templar symbol. She quickly bowed to the woman. "You are a Templar. I apologize that I did not recognize you. It is an honor to be in your presence."
She felt the woman place both hands on her shoulders and raise her back to eye level.
"Please," the Valkyrie said. "I never liked these types of formalities. Especially among friends."
Fraeya stared at the woman with confusion. While she had never met a Templar, everyone at the academy talked about them almost religiously. They are the most elite warriors of Alagore, being considered the Heart of Tekali—maintainers of the peace and protectors of the common folk. So, the stories say.
"I am sorry," Fraeya said. "At the academy, we were taught the proper mannerisms around a Templar like yourself."
"I understand, but we are not at the academy," the Valkyrie said.
"A fact I keep learning."
The Valkyrie looked over and saw Fraeya's father sitting alone. "With your father sitting over there by that thing, you must be his daughter. It was…, Fraeya, correct?"
Fraeya stood there in confusion. She couldn't help but cross her arms as she failed to recall meeting this woman. "I apologize. I do not wish to be rude, but have we met before today?"
Before the Valkyrie woman could respond, Fraeya heard her father yell the woman's name.
"Natilite, you have finally come." Raegel walked up, took the Valkyrie by the hand, and kissed it. "I was wondering when you were going to arrive."
"Still the romantic," the Natilite said. "It is nice to see you again, Reagel. I would have been here sooner, but convincing the City-States to join our cause had proven troublesome."
"As I feared and expected," Raegel said. "Did any join our cause?"
The Valkyrie held her hand up to silence Raegel. "I have lots to say, but first, I do not think your daughter remembers me."
Raegel looked toward his daughter and laughed. "My apologies. Fraeya, this is an old friend of mine, Natilite. Natilite, this is my daughter, Fraeya."
The Templar took Fraeya's hand gently and held it up with a smile. "It is nice to meet you in person finally."
Staring at the Valkyrie golden eyes, Fraeya felt nervous and embarrassed as she was scared by this woman's confidence. The words struggled to form within her mouth.
Natilite pulled back but giggled. "I apologize if I was too forward."
"No, no," Fraeya said. "It is not that. It is nice to meet you, Natilite. How long have you two been friends?"
"Oh, a long time now, I think," Natilite said.
"It has been," Raegel said. "We met one day during a dig. If I recall, the nearby town hired you to kill me."
Fraeya's ears perked again after hearing what her father said. She then watched the valkyrie chuckle. "You tried to kill my father?"
"It was my job," Natilite said. "I remember it was yesterday. I was passing by, and the townsfolk begged me to kill this elf who was disrespecting these ruins from the old era. So, I rushed off to kill him."
"Why would you do such a thing?" Fraeya asked. She then felt her father place a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
"It is okay, my daughter," Raegel said. "It is water under the bridge. You know most people do not like it when people bother the ruins. Most think they are cursed and all that."
"Well," Natilite said. "I would still agree that they are cursed, but when I found your father, I decided to spy on him and see what he was doing. Only a fool would risk their lives in exploring the orilla."
Orilla. Past civilizations, ruins, structures, legends. If the children of Alagore agreed on anything, that orilla must be forgotten and feared. What remains of it litters throughout Alagore. Some ruins lay underground, within mountains. Very rarely, some are in plain sight, either from decay or destroyed from some orlilla warfare. Fraeya learned from the academy that no one can search for anything from orlilla.
She does not understand why. Her father always said that was why he left Thali'ean, as they kept impeding his world. Why she did not know why the elves made searching for anything related to orlilla taboo, she heard plenty of stories from the professors of fools going to search for these ruins and relics. The professors said the lucky ones found nothing, while the unlucky ones were dead.
"I would agree with you," Fraeya said with a chuckle. "My father can be a fool. But I want to know what happened."
"As I watched," Natilite said. "I realized that he was not dangerous. Maybe to himself, but no one else. So, I studied him for a few days. Wondering what he was trying to do. I only showed myself once a party of orcs came."
"You fought off a party of orcs alone!? I knew valkyries were skilled warriors, but one cannot defeat a horde. And I mean no offense, a female warrior would…. I mean…, I am impressed the worst did not unfold." Fraeya placed her hands on her cheeks as she struggled to properly what she wanted to say. She felt the stress of what she wanted to say and what was the proper way to say it.
Natilite smiled and placed her hand on her sword handle. "No offense taken, as I understand. The world can be cruel and dangerous toward the weak." She then glanced away for a moment. Her smile switched from a smile to a neutral reaction before smiling again. "This is why we sharpen our skills in a lifestyle and not a profession. To deal with situations like that, to protect the people."
"Very wise," Raegel said as he approached. "You are forgetting one important detail. That you are a Templar, I think that gives you a little advantage over the rest of the world."
Natilite blushed in response. "There is that."
As the two bantered, Fraeya was shocked by what had been said. While she always wondered about her father's adventures, he had been on. The places and the people he met on the way. It never passed her that he would befriend someone from this station.
"While I am happy to see you again Natilite, I need to get back to work," Raegel said. "Please excuse me."
"I understand," Natilite replied. "We should catch up afterward."
Fraeya watched as her father walked away to continue his work. She then turned to ask the Valkyrie more questions. "So, did my father ask you to aid us?"
"Yes, he did," Natilite replied. "I was part of an advance force to secure some allies before you arrived."
The Templar then crossed her arms and started down the chamber. "So, that is your father's lifelong dream? It looks different than I expected."
Turning to face the orlilla device, she turned toward the Templar and said, "Yes, it is, and that is what everyone said."
"Interesting. And this is the device that is supposed to open this… place…. Is it called Alkae?"
"Father calls it Altaerrie."
"Altaerrie. So, that means the Lats legend is true. The home of humanity so the story says. They did come here long ago from another world. Because you are all sitting around, and it is not glowing, I assume it is not working?"
"Sadly, no, it is not," Fraeya replied. "When we put this orb into it that my father found, he thought it would activate it. But the only thing that happened was that the crystal in the center started blinking orange. It has been like that for weeks."
"Why do you think that is?" Natilite asked.
"I have no idea," Fraeya replied. "It has been very frustrating and has placed a lot of stress on my father. He had not left that spot, and I felt useless as all this was beyond me. On one hand, he made the biggest discovery in the world; on the other hand, it became a massive failure."
"I can understand that feeling."
Fraeya Holiadon clapped her hands and said, "Maybe you can go over and help."
The Templar looked at the young elf and then at her father, who was sitting on the floor, reading his piles of books. "I do not think that is a good idea."
Freya struggled to understand why this woman rejected her idea. "But…, my father needs you. You two are old friends who helped him in his research."
"Being a bodyguard does not mean I understand anything he has done." Natilite carefully stared at Raegel, as if she was reading through the man. She then looked back towards her. "I was planning to, but honestly, I think he needs his daughter more than me right now."
Fraeya looked toward her father and thought about what she could do. She then returned to the Valkyrie; however, the woman was already leaving the chamber.
She took a deep breath and made her father's favorite tea before walking toward him. "You need a break. You will not figure this out being this exhausted."
Raegel Holiadon slammed the book shut and rubbed his eyes, clearly frustrated with the current situation. He turned and forced a smile, taking the drink. "Thank you, my dear." She watched him take a sip and was thrilled to see some enjoyment in her father's reaction.
"See. A short break can be healthy."
"That is what your mother always said," Raegel said. "She always pointed out that I was more human than elf. Always working as if I was running out of time."
A moment of silence had appeared between the two as she struggled to figure out what to reply. She remembered her mother and missed her greatly.
It was Raegel who broke the silence. "I am sorry for dragging you here. It was a mistake."
Confused by the statement, Fraeya sat down next to her father. "You did not drag me here, father; I wanted to come."
"And I should have said no. But I wanted you to be next to me during this moment. I was trying to compensate for those lost years when I was not around you and your mother. Now, I regret breaking that belief. I have failed everyone in this world. Everyone who followed me here. Failed as an explorer. But more importantly, as a husband and father."
"No, you did not fail. Look, everyone thought you were crazy. You have proven that everything you believed was correct. A lost piece of our history."
Fraeya then looked down at the pile of books, most of which he authored. "Maybe we just missed something."
"It is possible," Raegel said. "I have been skimming through all my work and found nothing."
Noticing a dark green book, Fraeya grabbed and opened it. Seeing her father's famous note-taking ability that only he understood. "Can you show me how everything works? Maybe running through everything step by step will help?"
That is when Fraeya noticed a proud grin from her father.
"Why not," Raegel said. "If we are going to start, let's start with this one."

*****

The skylight blinded the Templar Natilite as she exited the mountain. While her sight was superior to the races who walk the ground, they are more sensitive to sunlight.
It took a moment for her valkyrie eyes to readjust, and once she regained her vision, she saw the encampment. The Lats were spread throughout what remained of the temple ruins. The Palatini of Orias, elite warriors entrusted with this mission, had fortified this place to the best of their abilities; however, she could tell they didn't plan on a siege. While their loyalty and commitment to the task were without question, she could see the lack of morale in the current situation.
Natilite couldn't blame them. The mission had turned out differently than expected, which was common in war. Only needing to take a glance at everyone, she could see the struggle with uncertainty within the palatini. For soldiers, being stagnated was a death sentence.
Before heading to the comment tent, she checked on the wounded. She had learned that officers and warrior figures like herself checking on a warrior's weakest moment usually increased morale among the rest of the troops. It showed that they cared about their lives and suffering.
Once she arrived at the medical tent, the woman healer was busy treating a sick man. From what she could see on the man's bare skin, he was hit by poison. The others were in just as bad shape.
When Natilite entered the tent, it was clear that everyone saw her presence. A sight she had grown used to. "What happened?"
The healer stood up and gave the proper mannerisms of respect to the Templar. "I was not expecting someone of your stature to come here. I apologize for how messy my tent is."
"Never apologize for treating the wounded," Natilite said. "When it comes to them, formalities come second. Now, please tell me what happened. How did they get poisoned this badly?"
"Goblins," the healer said. "They infested this place and had to force them out. These are the last three who are recovering."
"They are always full of surprises," Natilite said before approaching one of the wounded. "Yes, they are."
To the wounded legionary confusion, Natilite knelt and walked over to the injured man's bed. She took the man's hand with her left hand, and with her right, she placed it on his forehead.
With the softness of her hands, she could already see the pain and suffering leaving his eyes, not because of healing magic or medicine but solely based on her soft, feminine hands. It always shocked her how such a gentle touch from a woman could easily remove all the pain and suffering from a man's heart. A power only her sex seemed to have.
"My fellow legionary. We ask Logia to bless our fallen and protect the souls that we lost during these trying times. But we also ask for the strength to continue. I ask Tekali and all her siblings to bless this man's sacrifice and give bless that he is remembered for his deeds."
Seeing the wounded legionary eyes entering a peaceful mind, Natilite stood up and addressed the other wounded soldiers. She took her side armor plating flaps and did a form of curtsy for the men. "Thank you for honoring me with your presence. Stay true."
As the Templar left the tent, she could see the renewed spirits of the soldiers, who were most likely eavesdropping, adding some excitement from their daily taste and giving something positive and heartwarming over standing here waiting for something to happen.
With her charity work complete, Natilite headed to talk to the head Centurion of this palatini before leaving for Salva. The Valkyrie walked through the orlilla, the Temple of Indolass. She saw how rundown the place was. Broken walls, what were once considered buildings barely standing. The stone ground is broken. A place that had been lost over time. While the historian Sage would say that this place was once a thriving temple, her eyes struggled to see its present state.
The Valkyrie thought little of this place. Preferring civilization over the ruins. While the orilla had no scent, she could smell the depression, death, and history of this place. Nothing alive and warm. All reminding her of the failures that led to this path.
Based on her little time here, she could see that this place was at a disadvantage in its defense without the defensive wall. The enemy could use the high ground to rain artillery and block means of escape.
As Natilite walked through the encampment, soldiers continued to stop to show their respect. Usually a bow, a salute, or acknowledging her Templar statues. While she appreciated their gestures, she couldn't stop for every soldier. Making sure they felt honored while on this mission and that their deeds would save their future brothers.
Will save their future brothers….
As a rule, Natilite had always tried to walk the path that she spoke. But even now, it was starting to seem that their mission here might not be the saving grace they all once hoped. One of the worst parts of war was having the free time to reflect on the current situation and their surroundings. Think of all the possible outcomes and the odds. And right now, there had been plenty of time to think.
Regarding Raegel Holiadon, Natilite was thrilled that his life's work had finally come to fruition. It never crossed her mind that the story behind her cousin's race was true. She had assumed it was the excuse for the Orcs and J'avias to hate on the Lats for being more successful than they were.
Still, life achievement or not, the fact that the Bridge had not opened concerned her, and she could see it in everyone's eyes. While the men were professionals and hid their true feelings, she could read them like a book. Under any other circumstance, this discovery would have been an accomplishment of a lifetime that would have been celebrated worldwide; however, just like how it interfered with every other aspect of society, this discovery was just another casualty.
The worst part of being the man who made the most significant discovery in history would be that he would have handed it to the enemy if he had not figured out how to activate it. It was only a matter of time before the enemy finally discovered their presence, and they would quickly be swarmed without mercy. If that happened before making contact, then there was no way they could survive.
After entering the command tent, Natilite saw Centurion Fionntan Henness with his staff. While maintaining their collectiveness, she could tell there had been a tense conversation.
Stopping at the entrance, she decided to wait and respect their privacy. During her time as a Templar, she had learned when to intervene in a conversation among military folks and when not, understanding their chain of command. Being someone in her position could bring ease and tension within military and political leadership as Templars are more free agents than within their structure.
Their conversation only lasted a few more minutes. Once finished, most other officers left, leaving Henness staring at a map.
Seeing her moment, the Templar approached the table and said, "That looked intense. Everything alright?"
"Just discussing our current situation," Henness said. "How can I serve a Templar?"
"I am here to serve you." Natilite saw the centurion's confused reaction. "I have word from the City-States I visited."
"Are they on our side or not?" Henness asked.
"I was able to convince Salva, but the rest, no," Natilite said as she pointed toward the map.
"Only Salva?"
The city of Salva was not the Templar's first choice to recruit to their cause, but being the closest to the temple, it was the logical choice. They were smaller than the other major regional players within the Nevali region; it had been extended past their former glory days. While they were rundown, they still wanted to fight. Loyal to the previous region before Kallem annexed the territory.
She was impressed by their spirit and pride.
"Yes," Natilite said. "They were loyal to the old regime and hated how things were going. They are dying, and they see this as their only option."
"What about the rest?" Henness asked.
"They are firmly in Toriffa grip. The Verliance Aristocracy made sure to place loyal minions within their noble class. Apparently, Kallem has also been making promises with these people, trying to treat them more as partners than subjects. Smart of him."
"And it does not help that we are losing the war."
While Natilite was trying to avoid stating the obvious, he was correct. No one likes joining the losing side in a war. Uprising against a far superior enemy solely based on a legend is foolish. Still, she knew that she had to try.
"Maybe so; it is better than nothing," Natilite said. "It means people have not given up in this war. At least enough to put their lives on the line."
"I hope so," Henness said. "If the enemy comes before we activate the Bridge, I cannot guarantee their survival. Still, you are correct. This is a massive win for us, and I must utilize it."
"And that brings me to why I am here. I request a detachment to be sent to Salva as a show of good faith and to strengthen their defenses."
Centurion Fionntan Henness looked toward her and said, "I wish I could, but it is not wise to split my forces up. We are only a palatini, not a full cohort."
"I understand that," Natilite said. "I want you to know that in the end, I will respect your decision. But first, think about the people of Salva. They will ally with you, and you should show them the same respect. And based on the defense position I saw here, if the enemy attacks, the longer Salva holds out, the better off you are here."
She watched as Henness carefully studied the map. She could tell that the man was running through every possible situation in his mind, and based on his reaction, he was coming to the same conclusion as she did.
The centurion took a deep breath and looked at her. "You will get them."
"Thank you," Natilite said. "Now, I should head back to Salva and make further preparations. "
The two gave final gestures, and the Templar left. She took one last look at the temple and hoped it would be worth it. I decided to place faith in Tekali and wait to see how events played out.

2/08/2048 (military calendar)
Ulysses Tholus, Tharsis Montes, Mars
Olympic Base Camp

*****

Staring at the pulsing orb through the laboratory glass wall, Captain Taylor Miles wondered what the significance of this discovery was. Two were dead, one seriously wounded, with multiple other near-death personnel - all for an orb smaller than a basketball.
It had been two weeks since they found the orb, waiting for the retrieval team to return it to Earth. While modern technology had dropped the transportation time between Earth and Mars to less than a month, those few weeks felt like forever after what had happened. Everyone still felt uneasy knowing there was an unknown number of enemy machine-warrior right next to them.
From what Colonel Gallivan informed him, NASA made a public statement about the casualties, stating that they were caused by a drilling accident. Taylor Miles was not surprised by the lie, seeing that the brass was trying to get ahead of the narrative. It would keep the general population from asking too many questions, as this was not the only time this had happened in the frontier world. Outside of that, this new outpost has yet to be mentioned. The brass wanted to keep this quiet as long as possible, and he couldn't blame them.
Outside of the general public concern, there had been no issues with the other Great Powers. While it would only be a matter of time before a foreign nation noticed their activities, he was surprised there had been no noise from it. They had not seen their presence or remained quiet. Either way, he was thrilled events had been uneventful since all this began.
Since finding this alien orb, questions kept running through his head. Who built it, when did they, why was it triggered now, and dozens of others?
"Captain."
Hearing Technical Sergeant Kyomi Hata's voice from the module intercom, he pressed the button and asked, "Are they close?"
"Yes. They are in Mars orbit and are entering geosynchronous orbit. They will be ready to drop in fifteen."
"Roger," Miles said before he switched the intercom to the research laboratory. "Start securing the object for extraction."
The American and Japanese scientists took the pulsing orb from the containment glass box and moved the object into a sealed personal-size container. Once confident they had fulfilled all safety protocols, they brought it to the decontamination transfer section. The red light turned green after a short defection spray over the container.
"Alright, sir, the package is ready to go."
Miles grabbed the container and headed out of the laboratory module. Waiting outside were two Marines who were meant to be his security. To his surprise, he barely felt any weight. Most of it came from the container and not from the object inside.
As the three walked through the compound, to his surprise, Tactical Sergeant Kyomi Hata approached. Since the attack, she had wanted to stay away from the alien sphere as she barely survived her encounter with the humanoid machine.
"Finally getting out of the shell?" Miles jokingly asked.
"I was getting cooped up," Hata replied. "Besides, I wanted to ensure this little Akuma was gone once and for all."
"I would say those things inside the facility were Akuma's," Miles replied jokingly.
"You have a point," Hata said. "When are we going back in?"
"We will be going back inside the mountain of the gods once we get reinforcements from Earth and the proper equipment," Miles looked up as he was informed that the space capsule was incoming. From what he could tell, it was an Aether-class capsule. It was expected to use them to land on almost any celestial body with low gravity or local transportation between stations. Even with Mars's low gravity, landing and launching independently was still beyond the capsule's ability without being heavily modified.
Up within the heavens, they saw a very familiar sight. A small fireball fell from the sky and headed to their position. For anyone who has been to Mars, this was a well-known moment, known as the six minutes of terror. Going twelve thousand miles a second until they reached the surface was considered the journey's most dangerous and terrifying.
The space capsule's thrusters ignited while its three parachutes popped out from its top as it descended. As it drew closer, the Martian-rusted dust turned into a miniature dust ball, sweeping the surrounding area.
Everyone was in spacesuits, so none of them were in any danger from the outside hazards of this world. Still, they couldn't help but raise their hands to protect themselves from the dust storm. While Miles could barely see through the dust, he saw the craft touched down a short distance away.
"Talk about an entrance," Hata said. "Never thought I would be in the thick of it. We just broke five safety regulations."
"Actually, it's four," Miles replied as the dust settled.
"No, it was five. I read the book on the flight here from Luna."
"Of course you did."
The dust started to dissipate, and four figures could be seen exiting the capsule.
"Let's go," Miles said.
The two Marines took point, providing security as the four walked toward the four CIA operatives. Three operatives approached while one stayed by the spacecraft, acting as a rear guard.
Miles saw that the operatives were also armed as they drew closer. P52's, he assumed. Almost as if they were expecting something.
Once they got closer, Taylor Miles could see their suits' network signal. He connected to their frequency and said, "Welcome to Mars."
"Captain Miles, I assume," Nelson said.
"That is correct."
The two groups finally met. However, each armed guard kept their fingers on the triggers, watching their superior talk.
"Surprised how armed you all are," Miles said. "Expecting something?"
"Shouldn't I be?" Nelson asked. "I heard reports that you had three MIA's. That is a red flag I do not like. RIA? CCP? Zhongguo? It wouldn't surprise me if it were the WEL, India, or my grandmother."
Taylor Miles was about to respond with a correction; however, he stopped himself, a fact that Nelson did not miss. Based on the Commander's statement, the operative was unaware of what happened within the alien facility and probably assumed that the drilling accident was a convenient cover story. The CIA commander knew something had happened and was taking no risks.
"We had a situation; however, it was handled," Miles replied. "I am under direct orders from Space Command not to give further details."
"I understand," Nelson said. "The package?"
Miles lifted the container, staring at it, wondering what ripple effects this would have. The only thing he knew was that this was the beginning of something. Something that he hoped his people would be ready for.
Nelson took the container and quickly lifted it, staring at it. "It is lighter than I expected."
"That is what I said," Miles replied.
Nelson smirked and nodded. "Alright, our business is done."
And just like that, the three operatives turned and walked toward their capsule.
"That was freaky," Hata stated. "It felt like one of those cowboy movies."
"They're called Westerns," Miles corrected.
"Same thing."
He watched as the operatives entered their space capsule. Soon enough, the Aether thrusters ignited, lifting back toward the heavens. He was surprised it didn't need any additional thrust or fuel to get back into orbit, assuming it was heavily modified for whatever it needed.
The dust cloud re-emerged from the ignition blast, engulfing the four of them. Hearing from Kyomi that they should get out of the mini dust storm, he agreed, and the four started heading back to the camp.

A group of determined people set out to design a currency that would stand for autonomy, rapidity, and collaboration, and they succeeded. The highly sought-after nature of the money is aptly symbolized by the Spanish word "lope" (meaning "to run"), which is named after the graceful leaps of the Iberian wolf. Its amazing journey started the moment it arrived on the robust and efficient Binance Smart Chain platform. On its journey, its technological skill wasn't the sole differentiating feature, though it undoubtedly helped. A diverse group of community members who believed in Lope's unique vision provided the unwavering backing that was critical to its success. This group of investors, known as the "Lopians," was also very ideological and fought tirelessly for causes like environmental protection, social justice, and conservation.

Soliciting thoughts on the idea of using perle cotton on a whole cloth quilt. With perle cotton I'm quilting around 6 stitches per inch.
I am a pretty proficient hand quilter and I like the look of perle cotton because the stitches stand out more. Also they're shiny and that's attractive to me. I'm doing an Irish chain right now using variegated perle cotton in motifs on the sashing areas and am just very pleased with the way the stitches look.
I also like whole cloth quilts - the traditional sort with the fine graceful motifs, feathers, that sort of thing. Again, the stitching stands out and I like that.
My concern is that the thickness of the perle cotton might overwhelm the traditional delicate motifs. I suppose I could use the same sort of design but more spaced out, or abandon traditional motifs altogether and choose modern ones instead, which kind of appeals to me too.
The only examples I've seen of big stitch whole cloth quilts don't have distinct motifs in them, just straight or curved lines - but I notice those quilts seem to have the more typical 4 stitches per inch of big stitch quilting.
Thoughts? Have you ever seen this sort of thing done, and if so, did you like it?