Chapter 2. (Dracula)
Nine Hundred years later deep deep far in the the Shadow Forest a place called Castlevania in the black castles the kings chambers a beautiful black haired blue eyed woman named Isabell Bolton was travailing in pain as she was giving birth to her first born child, the queens maid that was there helping deliver the baby held the little child cleaned him up and wrapped him in the blanket.
“Is the Baby ok Sara?” Isabell asked very exhausted.
“Yes it’s a boy!” Sara said very excited as she gave the mother her baby.
“He’s So Handsome. Luther come quick see our boy!” Isabell said with glee.
King Luther Bolton came in and grabbed his son hugged him.
“My boy Oh my baby boy.” King Luther said very happily.
Suddenly a dark and evil witch named Festus appeared in the room with them she was pure evil.
“Oh! what do we have here aww how sweet the Dark One was finally born He will be called Dracula he will be a terror of this world he will be known all over the nation and he shall live till the end of time his power will come on his thirtieth birthday when he drinks from the cup of Shalom that’s full of blood of the wolfs tears no one will stop his destiny he is a warrior of Econdire!” The witch said with a wicked evil laugh.
King Luther drew his blade and pointed it to her as he gave the baby back to the mother.
“You will not take my child and he will not become what you said!!! You will die this night!” King Luther shouted as he charged at the witch. She disappeared as King Luther swung his blade.
“Hahahaha you can’t kill me mortal and you can’t change what is to come I’m just here to warn you if you don’t want that to happen then you must kill the baby you can change prophecy Luther Bolton! Or seek out the skull face man named Slaygar he will gladly take the child and the Prophecy will not come true! Or should I say. “Your Majesty” hahahaha! Oh Luther. Ten years from now on a day before your wife gives birth to Your fourth son you will die and Dracula will be crowned King then time will count down. Hahahahahaha!!!” Festus said laughing as she disappeared out from a window in black smoke. Luther ran to the the window she disappeared from then she went to his wife who was weeping and crying out of fear
“Honey shush it’s ok!” King Luther said as he looked with worry and concern out the window.
“We’er not calling him Dracula we’er not his name is Gabriel Luther Bolton!” Isabell said sternly. “He will be a beacon of Hope.” Isabell said smiling.
“Yes That’s Beautiful, Gabriel. I like that name. Gabriel.” King Luther said in his thoughts he was worried about the prophecy.
Years passed and Gabriel had three more brothers Drakeul, Nathen, and Samuel, Then his father got sick Gabriel was ten years old and he was trying everything he could to heal his father he was a mage a healer and he put all his herbs and couldn’t stop his father infection nor could he keep him from getting sicker. He was only able to take the pain away for a wile. But King Luther got worse and worse. The King grabbed Gabriel by the arm as he coughed and said.
“We got to get you better father I....” Gabriel said his voice shaken as he was interrupted.
“Gabriel listen it’s over there’s nothing more you can do. I feel my body shutting down before I go...” King Luther said as he winced in pain.
“No Father!” Gabriel said weeping.
“Shush! Gabriel be strong for your mother and your brothers she’s in labor now so you got to be Strong your a good man and you be a good king but I got to tell you something and you got to fight for what’s right no matter what! Your hear me son?” King Luther said as he was feeling weaker and weaker.
“Yes sir.” Gabriel said as he straightened his shoulders.
“Ten years ago when you was born a evil witch came and told us that you was the Dark One and you was to be the terror of the world til the end of time and you had a different name but I’m not at all going to speak that name and she said you was to be the warrior of Evondire.” King Luther said as he looked a his handsome boy and he smiled at him.
“Econdire? The evil prince?” Gabriel asked confused.
“Yes son and....” Luther told him all what had happened even to the point where they searched for the good witches mages sorcerers and wizards.
“They said Love is the first thing that change this fate and they said have more children as many as possible before My death and to surround you with Love and train you to be the best of yourself that love and good will overcome evil.” King Luther said as he tried hard to make sure His son knew to not loose his Live for others and those who loves him.
Gabriel looked at his father he didn’t know what to say but he swallowed and said.
Gabriel: I will live to the best of my ability to Love and be good to all.
“Good now go be with your mother and the child they need you...” King Luther didn’t finish his statement when he took his last breath and he left this world.
“Father! Father! No Father come back! Father!!!” Gabriel shouted and wept over his dead father.
King Luther died, Gabriel put his head on his fathers chest and wept the tears fell from his face on to his fathers chest. One of the Priests of Shalom walked up his name was Dagon Gibbs.
“My son he’s gone hey come here hush now.” The Priest Gibbs said with comfort.
“Bring him back Father Gibbs! Bring him Back!” Gabriel shouted still crying.
“Hush now I can’t do that I’m not God my son. I’m sorry for your loss I will prepare his ceremony but you mother gave birth to a son you need to go to her. Your coronation to be Crowned King after the ceremony of your father’s funeral. Life must go on Prince Gabriel you have a lot of priorities and obligations that Have to be done be strong Prince Gabriel.” Priest Gibbs said with a comforting voice.
Gabriel walked to the room his mother was and heard the cry of the baby he opened the doors to see his smiling mom holding her baby boy her blue eyes sparkled. She saw her firstborn and her smile faded. She then said to Gabriel.
“Gabriel come see your baby brother! I named him Logan!” Isabell said as she noticed the look on Gabriel’s face.
Gabriel held his baby brother.
“He’s so handsome and healthy, Luther would be so so happy.” Isabell said as she put her hand on Gabriel’s shoulder.
Gabriel looked at his mother and the tears fell from his eyes as well as his mothers.
“I know he be in here if he wasn’t gone but he is I know it. It was prophesied by that witch.” Isabell said as her voice shook with grief.
Gabriel put his head down.
“Oh I know baby you tried your best but his time was up sweetie. We talked long about this. I can’t grieve now you got to be ready for what’s come Gabriel.” Isabell said with sadness.
She began to weep, as she held Gabriel close to her. Gabriel gave the baby to Drakeul and hugged his mother as they wept for her for their loss. They had the beautiful ceremony for King Luther they buried him in a tomb under the castle.
Seventeen years passed the palace grew and the people where happy everything looked great Gabriel had a beautiful women they got married his it was so beautiful they had two sons identical twins Trevor and Alucard.
The year started off wonderful but then an man named John Bayn a wicked king from the deepest part north he was full of rage and sought nothing but power he attacked Transylvania and declared war against Gabriel, the king caused Gabriel to loose his source for food and he cut his supply of water king Bayn got some men inside Gabriel’s city who turned some of the people against Gabriel.
“Gabriel my brother what is your plan we have to do something we have to fight against these basters or we going to loose the city!” Drakeul said as he looked at his brother who was now king.
“Easy Drakeul getting angry at the King won’t fix this.” Samuel said as he grinned.
“He has a point Samuel we got to do something!” Nathen said to them both.
Gabriel turned around and looked at his brothers.
“Tonight we will gather the most faithful soldiers and we will attack and kill that king. I will not loose my city I will destroy my enemy!” Gabriel said with determination.
The Priest Gibbs walked up to the war table And looked at King Gabriel.
“Your Majesty. Think before you act I pray you. I dreamed of you last night, you was dark cold bitter your eyes were as red as the blood I seen you drink from the cup of Holy water from Shalom’s Temple but it was filled with blood blood that came from the Wolf’s tears you must not give in to this anger it take you far then you want to go.” Priest Gibbs Said with a Urgency and a warning.
Gabriel looked at the Priest as did everyone in the room.
“King Gabriel I beg you sir be patient don’t go wait the Lord will make away and give you Victory! Please Your Majesty stay they will come to you and the witches prophecy won’t come to pass! If you go out there, My King. The curse will happen three years early then what was told!” The Priest Gibbs said again with Urgency.
“Father Gibbs. I will not give into a witches curse I will not let a curse stop me from protecting my people I will do what has to be done and show them I am not to be played with they will know not to come against me! Like they knew not to come against my father.” King Gabriel said as he began to give out his plan.
“My King...” The Priest Gibbs said as he put his hand on King Gabriel’s shoulder.
“No Father Gibbs! They killed your son today! It stops now!” King Gabriel said as he gently put his hands on the Priest Cheek. “I will not give in to the Curse I will hold on to my Love for others and the Love y’all have for me” King Gabriel said as him and his knights went out the war room.
The Priest swallowed hard, tears fell from his eyes he didn’t know he lost his son last he spoke he sent him to the market to get bread.
“How...” He asked his voice shaky.
King Gabriel turned and looked at the Priest “They skinned him alive and put him on a spike right out the gate I’m sorry we took him down and took him to his chambers.”
Tears fell down his cheeks he walked towards Gabriel. One of the knights put their hand on the Priest shoulder to push him back, the king lift his hand stopping the knight, Gabriel walked to the Priest. The Priest put both his hands on Gabriel’s cheeks.
“Gabriel please I beg you my son is dead please heed my warning don’t make me loose another son. Listen to me don’t go out there bad things will take place that will hurt you in a way that you will curse the Lord in His temple! Please Gabriel hear me.”
Gabriel hugged the old priest as he wept over the lost of his son, not knowing that the old man was weeping over him that night was the last night of Gabriel would be a human king but Gabriel didn’t realize that the Lord himself was trying to talk through Gibbs and Gibbs was weeping because he knew Gabriel would not take heed to his warning.
Later that day just before the king and his twelve knights were going to fight for their land he kissed his wife Hope, and his two sons Trevor and Alucard.
“Here Sweet Husband.” Queen Hope Said with a sweetness in her voice.
She put a letter in his hand.
“I will be waiting their.” Hope said with love in her voice.
“Ok I’ll meet you and the kids there.” King Gabriel answered as he smiled at his beautiful wife.
Logan came running up.
“Brother!” The Prince Logan shouted.
“Logan what are you doing?” King Gabriel asked seeing Logan was decked in armor.
“Let me fight I can fight!” Logan asked determined to fight.
“No Logan you must stay here!” Gabriel demanded.
“But Brother I can fight I’m not a child I’m seventeen! I killed a Lion and stopped a thief and kept several prisoners from escaping! Please let me fight for our kingdom!” Logan asked with hope in his eyes.
“I know! What you been doing it has not been unnoticed. That’s why I need you here protect my wife and kids stay with them ok! Please Logan do this for me brother.” Gabriel said as he walked passed Logan. Logan didn’t like it but he nodded and went and stood by Hope.
They walked out the city Drakeul, Nathen, and Samuel walked side by side with their king brother Gabriel tonight was the night for Victory! The 12 Knights walked behind them as well as fifteen thousand of the faithful soldiers.
The war began the fight was harsh side by side the Bolton brother’s fault side by side and backed to back fighting the enemies as well as the twelve knights who was protecting them they fault and killed many, then faced the face King Gabriel and King Bayn began to fight each other it was a hideous battle Gabriel took a lot of wounds but before it was over King Bayn was on his knees.
“You Won but I have brothers and friends they come and avenge me! You will not stand! Your own people don’t even trust your leadership! Hahaha!” King Bayn taunted.
Gabriel swung his sword cutting Bayns head off, he picked up Bayns Crown and handed it to a red haired knight named Andrew Archer, who seemed to loose his helmet during the battle.
“Take this that will be one of my trophies.” King Gabriel said as he handed the crown to the red haired knight.
The Red head Knight Spoke.
“What about the rest any prisoners?” Andrew asked with concern.
Gabriel looked at the village that was still burning and relived walking through and seeing again what they did to those poor people. He looked at Andrew and said very coldly.
“We will show no mercy they all will die but slow I will hang them on a spike and point the towards the village they destroyed and the people they murdered so they see why they are dying so painfully!” Gabriel said with anger in his eyes. Andrew Swallowed hard and they all did as they were told and they left back to the city the screaming and pleads for mercy echoed in their ears.
Back at the castle of Transylvania a war broke out Gabriel’s soldiers was fighting for their lives against some other soldiers who was turned by the King Bayns men. Hope Trevor and Alucard was in the Temple of Shalom and the Logan was fighting to protect them Hope was a Mage she used her magic to destroy the last few guards that turned against her, she looked at Logan.
“Logan You Ben and Cole take my Sons and go!!! Go Now!!! Keep them safe!” Hope said scared for their lives.
“I can’t just Leave you!” Logan shouted.
“You must Logan protect my babies please!” Hope said with urgency.
Logan Ben and Cole took Trevor and Alucard and ran them out of the city they got on their horses and headed south. Gabriel came and saw what was going on they went and fought killing every betrayer and every last one of Bayns men. Then Gabriel remembered the note and ran to the temple and when he Got there he saw the Priest Gibbs knelt down by Hope her stomach was carved into with a knife her hands cut off her throat slit. Gabriel fell beside her.
“NO!!!! MY BABY!!!! HOPE!!!! NOOO!” King Gabriel shouted tears falling downs his cheeks as he wept. He stood up anger and raged filled him he cursed cursed the temple and the wolves he cursed everything that the temple represented and he pointed at the Priest and yelled!
“THIS IS YOUR FAULT!!!!” King Gabriel shouted in anger tears screaming down his cheeks falling to the floor.
He cursed the priest. All the 12 knights stood around him his brothers got between him and the Priest.
“Gabriel! What are you doing! It’s not his fault!” Drakeul said trying to get Gabriel under control.
“Gabriel calm down you.... Oh My God!” Samuel said as his mouth dropped open his eyes widen.
Gabriel turn to see what everyone was looking at and saw the statue of the Wolf of Shalom from its eyes were tears of blood that dropped into the Holy Water cup. Gabriel was then immediately A trance he walked to the cup.
“NO!!! STOP HIM DONT LET HIM DRINK FROM THE CUP!!!” The Priest Gibbs said with urgency.
His brothers ran to him and pulled on him he sent them flying back with a wave of his hand.
“That ain’t no magic I ever seen.” Nathen said his eyes widen and his voice shaken with fear.
Gabriel picked the cup which was full of blood and began to drink it the priest and Drakeul yelled!
Drakeul and Priest Gibbs Shouted as One. “GABRIEL!!! NOOO!!!
Gabriel drunk the cup all of the blood in the cup then the curse happened but three years early. Gabriel yelled as his body changed and his face went pale and fangs grew in his mouth and his eyes went from a beautiful blue to crimson red.
Then the Angel of the Lord appeared and said. “My name is Gabriel I am the Messenger of the Lord you have defiled this temple of the Lord and you cursed the God that created you and came against the church of the most high God you our forever cursed to walk this earth as a monster til the end of time you will bring fear and terror....”
The Angel stopped when Drakeul walked up to him, Drakeul look the Angel in the eye fear filled him he trembling knelt down grabbed the Angel by his feet he felt the Archangels Power he spoke his voice shaky.
“Please I inquire a audience with the Lord!” Drakeul asked shaking.
“You cannot see the Lord you will not survive.” The Angel Gabriel said.
“Then please tell him applaud him to have mercy no he didn’t show mercy and he did the most worse thing but please I beg you don’t let him be damned take me instead give him another chance! Please don’t let him be damned!” Drakeul pleaded with him and his brothers salvation.
Drakeul began to weep at the Angels feet, The Archangel looked at Drakeul was a little fascinated how he a soldier who Stern and cold would be weeping over his brother who did such terrible deed. Then the Lord Spoke to the Angel.
“Gabriel Bolton will still be cursed but there is away that he can redeem himself but he will have to find it but he is forever bound from the temple of the Lord until he redeems himself and only you Brothers can help him find the boy that can change him the boy must become Him and he must become the boy and the certain deeds must be done, only then shall the spirit of your Brother be redeemed however the curse of Your Brother will be on a innocent Christian who will battle to redeem the Spirit of Dracula. Your brother Gabriel’s name will change this day he will be known as Dracula the rest of this worlds time! You will share his curse soon and help him walk the right path.
The brothers looked at each other confused.
The Angel looked at the twelve knights.
“From this day till the end y’all are the wolves of Shalom there shall be many of warrior wolves through y’all and y’all will fight against Dracula and all that becomes as he is that choose evil over good and there will come a time where Vampires and Werewolves will join together to fight an even. Greater foe an evil that has been locked away. There will rise a dark mage who will set the dark lord free and become the dark lord this will be the road that may redeem Dracula. But as of now your fight is to get and keep Dracula out of the temple this day!” The Angel of the demanded.
The twelve Knights became Werewolves the first ever to walk on earth. The Angel looked at Gabriel.
“Take him Out!” The Angel commanded. Then he disappeared!
Gabriel attacked the Werewolves and the fight was extremely hideous the werewolves gave a beating but each place they clawed open healed instantly, Gabriel beat them till the turn back in human form his blood was ragging but the. The power hit them and they arose again as the werewolves and begin to drive him out of the temple.
As Gabriel taught them he saw himself in a mirror the monster he became the crimson red eyes sharp fangs pale face the sharp claw like finger nails and at that moment he saw what he done and he saw what he did to the knights and as he saw them in wolf form walking towards him wounded even but still coming he didn’t want to hurt them they were his men his people and he was hurting them and he defiled the Lords Temple. He ran out the temple his brothers followed him.
“Gabriel! Gabriel! Drakeul Shouted.
He turned around quickly he put his hand around his brothers shoulder and with that same hand lifted him off the ground like he was paper without the help of his other hand.
“My Name Is not Gabriel!!! I am Dracula!” Dracula shouted. Gabriel Bolton was no more.
He threw his brother into his other brothers Nathen and Samuel caught Drakeul and the impact knocked them three feet back they pulled themselves up off the ground and they saw his face pale as the dead his eyes which used to be beautiful blue was now bloody red, he spoke again.
“My name is Dracula every King every army will never dare to attack my country or my family I will crush them and they will know the meaning of fear!!!” Dracula shouted crazily.
Dracula said his blood boiling hot as things were transitioning in his body.
And so the prophecy was fulfilled but three years before the time. And so fear filled the land the terror of Dracula spread through each city of Transylvania and Castlevania where Dracula’s Castle was the place which was beautiful and full of light was now darkened and full of fear.
Three days later at the docks of Dragons Bridge Logan asked Ben and Cole to take his little nephews to a safe place he was going back to his brothers to help fight.
“Logan! Are you crazy man Hope asked you to get Alucard and Trevor to safety man come on with us.” Cole said with concern for Logan.
“Yea man we’re young we got to get to Safety” Ben said.
“I must go back make sure it’s safe and send for y’all. And no y’all can’t come with me y’all thirteen and fourteen” Logan said sharply.
“No I’m fifteen Logan and you need to come with us man” Ben shouted at Logan.
Cole: And I’m two days from Sixteen. And your not seventeen yet your three days from seventeen and Hope asked you to save her nephews!
“I know y’all keep them safe now please go! I will not hear anymore.” Logan said as he turned from them.
And with that Logan turns away from them in the boat and went off towards home with his friends calling for him to come back and to not be stupid, but Logan kept on walking. Ben spoke.
“Come on Cole he’s not gonna listen to us.” Ben shouted angrily.
They set out for the other side which lead to a country called Albion and to a city called Camelot where King Constantine Pendragon III ruled and Uther Pendragon was a young mighty Prince who had a Amethyst who used a spell to keep him young for a thousand years. The children would be safe there the Ben and Cole thought.
As for Logan three days passed it was his birthday he turned seventeen and he was not happy for the things he was seeing and home the enemy that attacked the city was outside the gate dead hanging from a spike he heard on of them groan he drew his sword and thrust it through the dying mans heart to end his suffering he heard more, and saw a whole line of them he went by killing them ending their suffering. Dracula stood in front of his brothers and spoke.
“No one will dare to attack me now unless they want to die which I’m more then happy to oblige, brothers with this power we’re unstoppable I can give you this gift and you can be stronger.”Dracula said to his brothers. Drakeul Samuel and Nathen couldn’t believe what they were hearing from there Brother. “Was Gabriel really gone.” They both thought. Drakeul walk up to his Brother.
“Brother! Listen to yourself this is insane! look at you! this ain’t no gift it’s a curse! The Father Shalom Cursed you made you this monster, I will not become this thing you are!” Drakeul shouted out. Dracula looked at his brother with a elite shock look the laughed mockingly
“O dear Brother you actually think I’m giving you a choice that’s rather cute.” Dracula Taunted.
In a flash he grabbed his brother he moved faster then lighting he but Drakeuls neck and began to suck his blood Drakeul went limp almost dead Dracula bit his wrist and let the blood poured down to Drakeuls lips then Drakeul died. Samuel turn to run as did Nathen out the door, Dracula flicked his hand and the door slammed shut in his face Dracula grabbed him and done the same thing to Samuel as he did Drakeul. And Nathen tried to fight Dracula but failed and suffered the same fate. Dracula took a red towel and wiped his mouth and turned around to see Logan looking straight at him fear hit him hard he watched his brother suck the blood from his other two brothers.
“Gabriel what....” Logan said scared and shaken over what he saw.
“Hush now Logan they be back and my name is no longer Gabriel it’s Dracula I am a Vampire”Dracula said with a soft a soothing voice. He was hoping to calm his baby brother.
“What Happened to you what did you do what did you become? This isn’t right Gabriel it’s not right!” Logan said still scared and shaken he never seen something like this before.
“It’s a gift Logan and I can give it to you and you never be weak again!” Dracula said trying to tempt him.
“No!!! Your a Monster this is a curse you are not my brother I don’t want your gift!” Logan shouted.
Logan turned and walked outside straight into Dracula’s arms. Fear jumped in Logan’s chest his heart started beating very fast. Dracula embraced him with a loving hug put his cheek to his brothers in a gentle hug.
“Easy baby brother I hear your heart beating way too fast trust me you be way stronger.” Dracula said as he pulled Logan back in the door and closed it then he tilted Logan’s head to the side and he bit his neck as Logan screamed.
“NOOO! BROTHER!!!! NOOO! PLEASE!!!! NOOO!” Logan screamed.
Logan died with the blood of Dracula running through his vainest and Dracula’s blood was very powerful. Dracula put his brothers in three tombs and closed them up and said. “In Three days they will be reborn more powerful then before.”
Three knights past and Dracula’s brothers came out of their tombs.
“I refuse to be evil!” Logan Shouted.
His eyes red as blood face pale white he looks like his brothers as they all looked like Dracula.
“We all refuse to be evil!” Drakeul said.
“Lets remove ourselves from this Kingdom of Dracula!” Nathen said.
“I Agree!” Samuel said.
Suddenly The Angel of the Lord appeared it was the Angel Gabriel again.
“No harm can be done to Dracula. Like you he is immortal and will forever be so as for you friends your decisions and Trevor and Alucards decisions will be the results of Dracula’s salvation or his soul forever damned. Now go you are the Guardians of Shalom save the world from your brothers wrath and hunger and save your brother.” The Angel Gabriel said. Then the Angel disappeared Logan up looked and said to his Brothers.
“Y’all go I’m going to Dracula!” Logan said as he walked to the Throne Room of Dracula.
“Little brother you can’t.” Samuel said with concern.
“Yes I have to!” Logan replied.
Logan went out to find his brother. He found his brother in the Castle sitting on his throne with a golden cup full of fresh blood.
“Logan! How’s my baby brother? You looking handsome.” Dracula asked.
“Dracula I will not follow you I will not be evil...” Logan snapped.
“Brother I’m not evil! I did what I had to do!...” Dracula interrupted and said as Logan interrupted him saying.
“Shut up Brother look at yourself look what you become look at the hideous mess you done at front gate half of them was still alive! No brother there’s nothing you can say or do to get me to follow you! You can burn in Harcarsh with the devil! But as long as I can breath you never see your children again.” Logan shouted at Dracula. Logan walked out the door and flew like lightning towards Albion and to the city Camelot he was going to do all he could to make sure those baby boys never be in reach of Dracula.
Ben and Cole made it into Albion and got off at the docks in at a small village of Noplend. No sooner then they showed up Dracula walked the land. Cole was looking at the beautiful land, Ben spoke.
“Cole this is so beautiful!” Ben said
“Yes it is!” Cole replied.
“So glad to see my little brothers friends are keeping my two boys safe.” Dracula said behind them.
They both turned around and saw their King they heard the rumors that spread about the good Great King Gabriel turned to an evil monster known as Dracula, when they saw him fear hit them their kings face was Pale white hair to his shoulders his eyes bloody red his fingernails were like claws and talons.
“My King Gabriel...” Cole said shaken as he tried to bow.
“Stop! My name is Dracula! You two kept my children alive for that I’m grateful but Logan will soon join you and I must show him something when he finds you you be dead and the message will be clear of what I can do, and when you come back as the same as he is he realize I could have kept you both dead!”
In a flash he rushed at Ben but His neck drained his blood and gave him his blood forcing him to swallow it then he broke his neck. Cole seen what happen drew his sword and attacked Dracula yelling at him for killing his best friend. Dracula drew his sword blocking Coles blade and he played with Cole speaking to him as each time the blades met.
“Cole don’t take it personal boy, it has to be this way.” Dracula said to him.
“You killed my Brother.” Cole shouted in anger trying to kill his King that looked like a monster with his red eyes and sharp fangs showing as Dracula started laughing.
“And your next it has to be this way and o yes y’all thank me later.” Dracula said as he grabbed Cole.
“Do you hear your self Dracula or who ever you are now your killing your own!” Cory shouted scared.
Dracula thrust his sword into Coles chest and pulled it out, Cole dropped his sword and feeling the life drain drone him as he felt Dracula bite his neck and drink his blood, Cole pulled away fast Dracula held his weak body closer to him Cole was getting weaker by the second, Dracula bit his wrist and forced Cole to open his mouth and the blood poured in Cole spit it out and Dracula did it again and Cole tried to resist but Dracula covered his mouth with his hand Cole kicked and and tried to get away he died with Dracula’s blood in his mouth the blood went down his throat and spreading through his veins. Dracula heard his sons crying he went and picked them up.
“Hush now it’s ok they both be back watch them and watch Logan. Logan needs to learn you can’t take my sons from me and not get away with it.” Dracula said as he kissed both his sons before he disappeared in blood red smoke.
Logan came and saw what Dracula did to his friends he fell to his knees and wept.
“NOOO!!! NOOO!!!” Logan shouted crying.
He heard Cole gasp air and he rose up quickly as did Ben they both were now vampires their eyes bloody red as Dracula’s and Logan’s was.
“What NO! I’m sorry I’m so sorry this happened to you!” Logan said as he could feel a sharp pain in his heart. The pain was intense more then usual and it stayed it didn’t ease like it used to after awhile.
Dracula laughed.
“Well now sense everyone is up and doing good let’s have a talk about my children!” Dracula said still laughing.
“Brother why did you do this?!?” Logan shouted his tears dropping to the ground like rain.
“Because I can and you learn to love it! Now as for my sons you should know better then to try to keep my children away from me. Y’all will protect my children and y’all find a good family for them and let them be raised by a mother and father and you protect them. Yes I’m not crazy look at me I know I can’t raise my children alone don’t ever try to keep them away from me?” Dracula said stern and angrily.
“Take my kids to King Arther and Queen Guinevere make sure their safe.” Dracula demanded not knowing that Arther and Guinevere didn’t exist yet.
“Um King Gabriel...” Cole said his voice shaken.
Dracula looked at him with a cold glare.
“Dracula Sorry. Um their is no King Arther Or a Queen Guinevere.” Cole corrected himself and then said plainly.
Dracula put his head down confused he started having visions that morning and he was have more he shook his head again.
“Right King Constantine III Arther Pendragon is not born yet. Take my sons to Constantine.
“Dracula are you ok? Brother” Logan said. Despite the situation Logan still Loved Dracula and he could feel the love.
“Shut up and Go!!! Get my kids there!” Dracula shouted he could feel Logan’s love and it was a warmth to his cold heart and it hurt him cause all he could think about was Hope.
When the red smoke he disappeared from them. Logan covered his face and shook his head and looked at the children sleeping and he looked at his friends and said.
“Ben, Cole, I’m sorry I’m sorry he did this to you.” Logan said tears falling from his eyes.
“It’s ok Logan I feel good and strong better then I ever had. But we need to figure out what to do to keep Trevor and Alucard safe.” Ben said hoping to make Logan feel better.
“Your right well let’s go to Camelot.” Logan replied.
“I’m so thirsty. I... I want blood!” Cole said as he held his stomach.
Logan’s thirst hit him to as well as Bens.
“Logan the babies.” Ben said with concern.
A mage appeared he was old his hair and beard was long and white his name was Amorous.
“Logan Bolton Son of Luther Bolton the Vampire that will save Emyrs and Merlin and set them on their paths to their destiny.” Amorous said very happily.
Logan, Ben, and Cole, looked at the mage their mouth was open the smelt his blood and he looked like food to them. Amorous pulled out three big water bags that were full of blood.
“Here drink and get your strength there’s much you have to learn. And let’s get the little ones to a good home.” Amorous said as he gave them the blood to drink. Their long journey began.

Basically, you fight a boss rush, but all of the bosses are extremely powerful alternate versions of their original self. First boss: Maurice. (Unlike in the original game, where it's Named the malicious face, This one is literally just Maurice.) Now shoots homing projectiles, And has an extra three heads! The moment you kill one of the heads (This also means it has four times the hp) All of the others become permanently enraged. Second boss: Swordsmachine Omega and swordsmachine Delta. Swordsmachine Omega Loses the shotgun, And has forearms all wielding different swords. can swing two swords at once, making its attack un-parry-able. Swordsmachine Delta Loses the sword, And now is highly trained in the shotgun (One is Core eject and one is over pump.) Once you kill it, it will use a maximum over pump and create a red explosion (I don't know the name for the original tech, so just go with "maximum over pump"!). third boss: Elite Cerberus. Although they are no longer baller, They now have A giant stone axe! (And the edge is the same glowing material as the ball), Their stomp now creates a small explosion, They can also try to freaking round house kick you! Once you kill them once, The author will become enraged, and the one who killed well resurrected self enraged. 4th boss: Just V2s Second encounter. 5th: The parasites. His design is now completely taken over by the parasites, They now always shoot ten homing projectiles, And you cant Parry his punches anymore! =( But you can enrage him by punching his hand with the knuckle blaster. 6th: Just Gabriel's second encounter. 7th: V1...?: Think this shadow link boss fight From Ocarina of time, Just this time, you also have to avoid puppets (Like the weird things made of blood) of past bosses, Also incredibly hard, because there's no sick music, only terrifying background noise!!! 8th: the sullen titan. No longer has a weak spot, two heads and another tail, And on phase two, it sinks the platform! Making it hard to see in the murky water. 9th: Gabriel, Fallen Angel, He is the final boss and not actually Gabriel (He's actually a super advanced puppet), Although he is pretty similar attacks to Gabriel Apostate of hate, He is much faster and can clone himself during certain attacks. Also gains a new attack That shoots a giant burning cross at you! Sorry there is no earth mover and Prime souls,

I have been removing my tape at a modest pace and non-forcefully for some months. I have noticed different amount of redness(that looks slightly puffy) going across areas where it felt like the tape was being forced off a bit. They never seem to last for more than a few days and never hurt. I still got them when letting the tape fall off naturally from water but they are more spots than lines and fewer. Is it just from the tension? I've never pulled to the point of pain

Somewhat important context: I'm Asian American, so I got hit with lactose intolerance early on.
Used to be allergic to a lot of things (dairy, nuts, red dye) but they were forced out due to the old trick of feeding when early. I'm much older now and practically eat everything that is served to me with no issues (except if the food is improperly cooked) but I have a friend who is also AA and can't really eat many things that I normally eat. He explained that he does have an allergic reaction to some vegetables and shellfish that might cause swelling and other nasty stuff which obviously is a massive risk, so it often creates issues when choosing places to go since anything that has these things could pose a risk.
I do understand what having a reaction is like, I had one many years ago and it wasn't fun going on a goose chase looking for hospitals that treat people quickly especially when you suddenly collapse in a mall after days of swollen spots appearing on your leg (this was with my family, I don't think I could handle doing this with just a group of friends). I'm wondering though, what is the difference between us? My parents believe that it's because I got exposed to more kinds of foods while he didn't, but I'm wondering if something else could have been at play.

I sometimes randomly get these red/purple spots on my neck and chest every couple of weeks/months? They don’t itch or anything I’m just wondering if this looks like something serious? From the 6 dots near the area it looks like it could be a spider bite or something but usually they aren’t there when I have this.
https://imgur.com/a/nr4nDgi

Hi guys I'm hoping someone can offer some advice on this, first of all I am somebody who unfortunately grows alot of hair, dark and I guess thick hair, I remove this by shaving and I have tried everything I can think of to shave correctly flowing guides and changing many things, but I am suffering with my skin always being itchy, red bumps, and rashes. I get these mostly between my thighs, on my arms usually on the under side, and occasionally on my knees, because my arms always have spots from this I cannot wear Tshirts, I am extremely miserable with this and don't know what to do, I have recently just started using a lazer hair remover buy ofc u have to have before using it so the the problem consists. Should I go to a doctor? Any advice would be grear

First Chapter. Link for all the chapters available here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road
There was quite the queue forming in the stuffy hallway down in the bowels of the corps headquarters. And in the nature of queues it was getting longer by the hour, the creaking pews on either side of the aisle filling up with disgruntled, sweaty, blank-faced junior officers, all of them suspended in the mind-numbing amber of bureaucratic inefficiency. Well, in truth the seats were more like benches than pews, but such was the atmosphere of ponderous solemnity and absolute silence that one could easily have mistaken it for a shrine of sorts.
This was despite the fact that nearly all of the offices had been converted into pens for farm animals. Flocks of meat crickets chirped inside their wicker coops while families of oinking unguloids rooted in their beds of dried rice stalks. Mound Shakka had become the main supply depot for the Expeditionary Force that would soon be headed north. Accommodation for all the livestock and droves of support troops had been difficult to find since noncombat personnel such as clerks, smiths, line cooks and cobblers outnumbered the real soldiers by a ratio of 1:5. The Fleet Quartermaster Corps had worked its magic with what little space the already overpopulated settlement could spare and this menagerie had been one of their many ingenious solutions.
But if the hallway was a shrine and the bored officers its devotees, then the altar at the center of it all was the tiny cubicle office whose doorway bore the legend in faded green paint: “Defensive Mapping Agency Hydrographic and Geographic Center’s Office of Distribution and Services (Pathfinder Liaison Office).”
It was a somewhat long-winded appellation, to be sure. But the mere mention of the name was enough to send the bravest pencil-pushers into paroxysms of paranoia and dread.
Had they triple stamped the approval sheets in the appropriate color of ink? Had they used the correct stock number to indicate the maps they needed to requisition? And most importantly, would the stern guardian of the inner sanctum show them mercy today?
As if in answer to that question the door flew open with a bang and a mustachioed corporal stormed out, crying:
“How can you do this to me? This is outrageous! Unfair! How can I be a commissioned officer and be denied access to my flipping field sketches?”
“You will sit down, corporal,” came the stern reproof from the man inside, making all the waiting supplicants jump in their seats as if at the crack of a bullwhip.
“I…I…” the officer gulped, his frustration petering out beneath the withering glare of the bald man sitting behind the cheap plywood desk and stacks of misprints.
“I’m sorry,” the corporal finally whimpered, all but tucking his tail between his legs. Everyone else studiously examined their fingernails or stared at the ceiling, having no desire to catch a stray bullet from the exchange.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I’m sorry, navigator Deschane,” the luckless man finished, meekly returning to his seat, “B-but please, sir, you must understand. I’ve been trying to get these set of maps for my unit for days now. I’ve completed forms 22-A through 34-D along with all the supplementals. I filled in the boxes with black ink and the region names in blue as per regulations. I’ve even listed the stock numbers alphabetically just like you told me to, which I’m beginning to suspect isn’t even an actual requirement at all!”
“Indeed, it isn’t,” Deschane admitted, “That was just a helpful suggestion on my part. It wouldn’t hurt to be more organized, now would it?”
“So I’ve done everything you asked?”
“Why, yes,” Deschane said, sounding pleasantly surprised. He put on a pair of wire spectacles and shuffled some sheets of paper around, “You have completed all the documentation needed to requisition copies of classification level C field sketches. Good job.”
Deschane held out a stack of freshly printed papers and the corporal’s face lit up with happiness. But his hopes were immediately dashed when Deschane continued: “Now just repeat all those steps for the other grid zones and I can give you the rest of the maps you ordered.”
The navigator handed him a single copy off the pile and withheld all the rest. The corporal gave a feeble chuckle and said:
“I think I just misheard you, dear fellow. Did you just say that I have to redo all this paperwork fourteen more times?”
“The regulations are quite clear. Form 29-E can only be used to apply for one copy at a time. So you see, my hands are tied.”
“Alright, fine,” pressed the corporal, still stuck at the bargaining phase of the five stages of grief, “So all I have to do is fill out fourteen more copies of 29-E and not all the rest of that rubbish, aye?”
Outside, the people in the queue all winced at his stupidity. It was never a good idea to get uppity with Nv. Deschane.
“That would suffice,” Deschane frowned, “But for the purposes of filing it would be more efficient if each copy of 29-E came attached with copies of all the other forms, just to avoid confusion in the procurement process. Otherwise there really is no telling how long the process might be delayed. Days? Weeks? Months?”
“Navigator,” the corporal pleaded in a fit of depression, which was the fourth stage of grief, “My battalion cannot attack the enemy if it does not know where that enemy is! We cannot function without maps! Do you want us to go in completely blind, like hogs to the slaughter?”
“All I’m asking is that you adhere to standard procurement procedures. Yours is not the only battalion in need of crucial information. Rest assured that our staff is working round the clock to provide for the needs of the brave soldiers spearheading the coming offensive. But you must understand that good maps are a precious and delicate resource that must be handled with care—”
Deschane’s rational explanations were interrupted by the door to the adjoining office flying open with a cacophony of curses and bestial squeals. Corporal Ven appeared,s struggling mightily to wrest a stack of envelopes from the jaws of a very annoyed mother hog. Finally tearing them loose and shooing the belligerent sow back into its pen, she did an about face and saluted Deschane, announcing:
“Here are the planimetric maps for the 9th Infantry Regiment.”
Then Ven saw a bite-sized chunk missing from the corners of the sheaf and her face took on a crestfallen expression. Deschane accepted it with a nod of thanks and turned his attention back to the mortified corporal, who licked his mustachios nervously and said:
“I think finally understand what’s going on here. And look, I get it. Anyone who gets reassigned to a reeking dungeon like this one has got to make a living somehow. If it’s a question of money—”
“I believe I was the one who misheard this time,” Deschane cut in, his voice as frigid as an ice pick in a freezer. The people in the queue shook their heads; the corporal had dug his own grave good and deep now, “Are you under the impression that I’m soliciting a bribe?”
“Don’t be absurd!” the nitwit backpedaled, “That’s the furthest thing on my mind. Just an exchange of gifts between good friends, is all—"
“Leave the door open on your way out,” Deschane said, his pen scratching busily at an approval slip.
“But why?”
“I don’t need financial incentives to do my job. I am not a base criminal, sir.”
“Then why are you making my life so bloody difficult?”
“Because I believe in organization,” Deschane said without looking up, “This virtue above all else is what allowed humanity to claw its way back from the brink. It is the engine that drives our ascent back into the celestial firmament from whence we came. And if the engine fails,” Deschane peered at him over the rim of his spectacles, “then so shall we. Next!”
The corporal left the office with a look of dazed acceptance. The line shuffled forwards. Hours passed and the queue eventually shortened. Most of the officers were turned away in disappointment, while the rest dashed out from the cubicle clutching their fresh copies to their chests as if they could hardly believe their good fortune. This went on until the refracted light of the solar prisms studding the walls went the color of runny eggs, signaling the arrival of dusk.
“That’s it for today folks,” Ven said, taking out her glowbowl of bioluminescent algae and shining it into the faces of the men who’d dozed off on the pews, “Same time again tomorrow!”
There were groans of half-hearted protest as the intelligence officers drooped off back home to try another day. A latecomer arrived just as the last of them filed out. He went over to the animal pens, clicking his tongue at the unguloids and tossing them bits of corn husk from the floor.
“I’m sorry sir, but you’ll have to come back in the morning,” Ven told him, “Navigator Deschane is—”
“A very busy man. So I have observed,” the man turned, smiling sweetly. He was dressed in the most outlandish garb Ven had ever seen, a scandalously skimpy loincloth beneath robes of see-through abaca being all that covered his modesty.
“Oh! Wow,” Ven quickly averted her eyes, a warm flush creeping the back of her neck, “I didn’t realize you were so…so.... erm…”
“Ethnic?” the tribesman tactfully supplied.
“Yes! That’s the word. I hope,” Ven added in an undertone.
“I am Nong Acklund, a geologist from the Darood, in the Occupied Territories,” the tribesman introduced himself with a clipped accent, “May I ask for a moment of his time?”
The tribesman walked past her before she could object, slithering eel-like into the darkened office where Deschane was busy getting onto his crutches.
“Ah, navigator! I tried to catch you yesterday at your award ceremony, but you left as soon as you concluded your acceptance speech.”
“Hmph,” was all Deschane had to say to that.
“Oh, ha ha! There it is again: the entire text of your speech. If brevity is the soul of wit, then I guess that makes you a veritable prodigy!”
Deschane’s forehead knitted into a worrying frown. Ven knew that look and placed herself between the two to protect Nong from bodily harm.
“Soldier, what is this civilian doing here?” Deschane said quietly and without taking his eyes off the shameless exhibitionist.
“He is attempting to be funny,” Nong replied, “He sees now that this approach will prove fruitless. I’ll get to the point: I am here to ask you about what happened at Mound 13.”
“They covered all that at the ceremony. I have nothing more to add. Corporal Vendamme, remove this person before I do.”
Ven reached for Nong’s shoulder, but once again the tribesman evaded her, stepping closer to the navigator.
“I see. Either they have bought your silence, or you have been cowed into submission.”
“What did you just say?”
“Or is it something else?” Nong went on, blissfully unaware of the danger he was in, “Perhaps your being difficult and unpleasant serves a grander purpose. Even after those idiots confined you in this midden heap to rot, you are doing all that you can to delay their much-vaunted offensive for as long as possible. After all, an army is blind without good intelligence, and your superiors in their matchless arrogance gave you control over just that, didn’t they? Now the only question that remains is this: are you a traitor, Navigator Deschane? If not, then why are you deliberately sabotaging the war effort?”
Deschane was a long time answering that one.
“Everything I do is for the good of the Fleet,” he said at last, “I fight for the species. And if you call me a traitor one more time, I’ll rip your throat out with my thumbs.”
Indeed, Ven was wondering why he hadn’t done it already. Deschane had been through a lot in these past few days, and had been begging for an excuse to cut loose. The tribesman beamed again, only this time it was genuine, each crooked tooth gleaming like ivory.
“A believer! Excellent. You fight that we may reattain our ancient godhead—yes, I overheard that conversation with that poor young fool. But it is one thing to believe, and another thing entirely to know. And so, my good navigator, I have one final question. Do you know what this is?”
Nong drew something from the folds of his loincloth and slammed it on the desk. Initially Ven thought it was some sort of tribal fetish, an idol carved from ultrapod horn and sculpted into the crude likeness of a human. It was about ten centimeters tall and sported an eggshell head, hunched shoulders and a single crimson dot in the place of a face.
Ven had owned a similar doll in her childhood, made for her by her native servant, a sweet old maid by the name of Riyah with raisin-wrinkle cheeks who smelled like rosewater. There was a thin horizontal slot in the middle of its belly—perhaps it was a child’s piggy bank?
But then Nong touched something on the side of the idol and the thing stirred to life, stocky legs pumping as it strode ponderously across the desk. It swiveled on its waist and knocked over a pile of misprints with its arm and sent them scattering all over the dung-spattered floorboards. Then it turned to Ven and spoke in a tinny little voice:
“…your…future…built…today. Say chzzztt!”
The red eye flashed dangerously, and Ven flinched. The idol hummed and whirred as some hidden mechanism activated. A square of semirigid material shot out of the slot and spun in the air. Ven caught it before it fell and found herself looking at an image of her frightened face etched into a card of strange transparent crystal, with the following words stamped below it:
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
“Well, paint me in polka dots and slap me silly,” she breathed in amazement, “Look, sir. It’s me!”
She held up the card for Deschane to see and received the second, even bigger shock of the day. The navigator was biting into his clenched fist, his throat working as he held back a tide of emotions.
“I thought I’d gone mad…” he whispered in a broken voice, as if he were all alone in the room with no one to hear him, “They’d half convinced me of it. Blood loss, shell shock, narcosis, morphine. Any number of reasons. My men…” he looked up at Nong, his upper lip stiffening, “My boys. Rene. Lethway. I failed them—failed them all. I thought it was a mistake on the part of providence, that I had been spared and they had not. But now...”
Deschane reached out with trembling fingers and touched the idol reverently.
“Yes, I do know what this is,” he told Nong, his voice now stronger and more assured, “This here is hope.”
First Chapter. Link for all the chapters available here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road

I live in Brighton, UK and so does my gf (19). We went on a date for our 1 year last week and instead of paying for desserts we went to the local corner shop instead to get a magnum each, I also bought us a can of monster each. The magnums were too expensive there so we decided to go to Tesco to get some instead, when we were inside I spotted one of my good mates who works there and my gf didn’t know them. I jokingly said to him she’s going to steal that tango whilst winking at him and he started playfully telling her not to. She went really red in the face and walked off. I realised that I hadn’t told her who he was so I went to find her to explain myself, however her replies once I started explaining were cold and short. So I bought the magnums whilst she was waiting outside but before I could give it to her she said her father was almost here, I wasn’t meant to be giving her a lift home. Before she left I apologised and she said it was fine and that she loves me so I thought it was all ok. But now I have only had a handful of messages off her since the incident and I don’t know what to do? AITAH?

When looking at his head from a certain angle his hair looks like it's thinning and he has bites or red spots near his ears! I'm really worried any knowledge or help with understanding this is greatly appreciated 🙏

Hey guys! I’m dealing with an injury and not really sure what to do about it so I thought I might try this subreddit. So about 3 months ago I believe I injured my vocal cord by yelling while sick and the result of that was since then I can no longer talk without developing a very large lump feeling in my throat. On top of that I can also very clearly feel an extremely sore/painful spot on my right vocal cord. I have currently seen the ENT 3 times and have been told that everything looks completely normal. I also took a week of vocal rest to see if that would help and during that time I felt totally normal but once I got back to talking that lump feeling and the sore spot came back. Has anyone experienced something like this before? Or does anyone have a suggestion on where to go next? I think maybe I will try speech therapy and see if helps. Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance!

TW: Mention of bleeding/blood.
Yesterday evening, I went to have a wee as I normally do. When I wiped, I saw a teenie, tiny, speck of red of my wad of toilet paper. Of course, my stomach drops immediately and I ask my husband to come look at the toilet paper since it obviously looked like blood. He looks and says I could send a photo to my midwife to ask her opinion.
As I’m staring into this wad of toilet paper, I keep thinking:
”Why is this kinda…orange???”
It then clicks for me. An hour before, I had asked my husband if he’d dump our pot of spoiled tomato soup into the toilet and that as he did it, he was like “Aw, man! It’s splattering everywhere!!”
So, I unravel the toilet paper and see that the sheet that was beneath the top layer of paper indeed had a bright orange spot on it. And, sure enough, the toilet paper holder had the same tomato splatters on it from when my husband had dumped the soup.
I’ve never, ever been so relieved to have wiped myself with tomato soup!! Needless to say, I will be checking my toilet paper for soup before wiping from now on. 🫠
TDLR; thought I was bleeding when I wiped my piss, but it was actually a tomato soup splatter from dumping spoiled soup into the toilet.

Hej!
We moved to Sweden last week. We are enjoying our new home a lot!
I have a question regarding car insurance and the import of our car.
We are very aware that the process can take some time as we were only allowed to drive for 7 days in Sweden. I have applied for the verification of origin at the Transportstyrelsen and requested a coordination number and a temporary vehicle registration (90 days) as well. Last friday, a kind lady from Transportstyrelsen stated that it could take up to two weeks (usually) to receive a coordination number from Skatteverket and only after that they can invoice me for the process of the import of our vehicle.
In the meantime, our car is basically grounded in our yard. Not a problem, or so we thought.
However, yesterday I got a little accident involving my eye and some wood. We were able to see a doctor locally. Today (or tomorrow, but the sooner the better) however, my injury needs some extra attention and I am also in need for medication.
Would not be a problem if we were able to drive. Is there a way I could get some kind of additional insurance for our car and be able to drive it legally untill we get our red license plates for the 90 day car insurance? Or are medical reasons a valid exception to these rules?
We do not want to do anything illegal but we are in a 'tough' spot at the moment. Our car is from another EU country and is currently not registered anymore in this country.
Any advice would be much appreciated!

This is going to be a long one and patience may be required. There will also be no poll, as I think this requires in-depth discussion. You can scroll down to "Discussion Prompt" to just get the meat of it.

Hunter's Log

Top-bottom, left-right	Warm Season	Cold Season	Breeding Season
Day 1	Hunted Daimyo and acquired Vespoid wings	Crazy funkcat goes in my room, rummages through my item box, tells me to "take that bucket off my head", then gives me an afro and leaves. Anyway, then I hunted a Gendrome.	Talking & delivering requests
(Night)	-	I upgraded my house! I have a bath now (which I cannot use, but it's still cool)! Also unlocked Snowy Mountains (finally)	1st successful solo Rathian hunt
Day 2	Purple Gypceros with almost no health (due to botched meal). Yikes! Succeeded though!	Ate with the Chief. Delivered machalite to upgrade the Smithy. Talked to people and delivered requests.	-
(Night)	Repelled Kushala Daora and saved the village	Hunted Bulldrome & Mined for Aquaglow Jewels in the Swamp	A-Class Congalala & Mining
Day 3	Hunted Yian Kut-Ku for shells	Shared a meal with the Novice Hunter. Hunted P. Gypceros, & collected 3 Machalite. 2 stolen by Gyp. Grrr.	Hunted an enormous, silver crown Rathian!
(Night)	Repelled Kushala Daora from the desert	Gathered Machalite, hunted Bulldrome	-

- Empty tables mean that the last activity took that long to complete before the next one.
Multiplayer
Hunted Congalala with one other person. Hunted a Gendrome with them, then did an event quest with them (Melynx, Felyne and Velocidrome - chaos)! Hunted a Cephadrome with them, and then also a Blue Yian Kut-Ku. Hunted my first ever Rathian (before the solo one). Then, with four players, I hunted a Congalala, 3 Purple Gypceros, and 2 Blue Yian Kut-Ku. Hunted my first Khezu with someone. Failed. Abandoned a Rathian with that same person. Hunted an A-Class Purple Gypceros. Completed my first exams. Abandoned Blangonga because someone disconnected again. Hunted Blangos, Bulldromes to get Anteka Horns, then finally attained a set of Vespoid arms and legs which allow me to have the Transporter skill. Hunted Bulldrome. Attempted to find a secret area that I thought might be in the desert. Unfortunately, I did not manage to find it. Gathered Prism Dandelions and slayed White Velociprey. Failed hunting Rathian solo (why did I think I could do that alone?), ended via subquest. Collected potion ingredients, collected ores. Then hunted a Rathian with friends and then finally, a Pink Rathian.
Technically this paragraph is for the year after this one as I already started it, but it is important to the topic so I will shift it back one year in my posts. I farmed machalite a whole lot, then fought my first successful Khezu with 3 people joining me. It was a Red Khezu as well! Did tons more machalite mining, hunted a Congalala, did more machalite mining, and hunted a Rathian twice. Hunted Gypceros, then another Rathian, an Iodrome, then another Rathian. I needed Rathian spikes, which is a pretty rare drop in this game. I helped someone do their exams, then did some of my own exams. By now I had full Rathian armour, which is awesome! I upgraded that armour by hunting some genprey. I finished off my exams, then hunted a Khezu, Purple Gypceros, and mined even more machalite. Hunted another Khezu, entirely for zenny this time because the bounty was pretty good. I got disconnected in my best ever machalite run... And was informed that Basarios gives better machalite anyway. I repelled my first Lao-Shan Lung!!! Then, I helped someone with their exams. Attempted to hunt another Lao-Shan Lung, and failed. People wanted to take a break so I did a quick machalite run while I waited. Then, when they came back, it happened. I slayed my first Lao-Shan Lung with 3 other incredible hunters! What an amazing experience! Lastly, I helped someone deliver some sootstones, hunted a Khezu with them, and then hunted Blangonga.

Discussion Prompt: Has Monster Hunter forgotten how to do stakes?

The first mentions of Kushala Daora come from rumours rapidly spreading through Jumbo Village. I don't know if this was just my slow uptake, but to me it seemed like the rumours were becoming more common (like they were "spreading") as I was progressing in the game. Word had it, that a powerful dragon had been spotted, and that it had a black, steel-like hide and could command the very winds.
I had somewhat of a fiasco in the last year, where I got absolutely dunked on trying and failing to save an ioprey fang to complete a delivery for the Travelling Merchant. I skipped the season because of this, and once I delivered the items, the story progressed. I came back from a quest to find a wyverian woman I had never seen before. This immediately made me anxious. Talking to her, my heart sank. She said she was a wyverian scholar who studies and tracks the patterns of elder dragons. She said the mysterious dragon that the rumours seemed to be talking about was an elder dragon. She explained that elder dragons are disastrous and destroy everything in their paths, and that there were two options for Jumbo Village. Either everyone evacuates, or I repel Kushala Daora. This felt like getting bad news at a doctor's visit. The coldness with how she described how dire the situation truly was, was chilling, especially with everything I have done for Jumbo Village at this point. On the plus side, she seemed competent in my abilities and was insistent that I simply repel it. The catch to this was the dread of knowing that no one would evacuate and that the livelihoods of all these people rested on me and me alone - Just an aspiring hunter who shows some promise.
This reminded me of Ceadeus in the 3rd generation. To me at least, Ceadeus kind of sneaks up on you. I was sort of just doing my own thing, and then suddenly I'm told that the guild found out that a giant sea dragon is under the island and has issued an evacuation order. Ceadeus hits really hard during the fight and after you repel it, in my opinion. Repelling your first Kushala Daora, the build up is far superior, but the atmosphere of the fight and the feeling of having saved the village are both pretty mediocre. Still, I felt proud for having done it successfully, because the game presented good stakes and build-up. It was I who accomplished that. I saved Jumbo Village, and I'll do it again if I have to.
It's been a long time since I played the story of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, but from memory, the stakes are somewhat weak there. They are still strong and potent, because your entire world, and the ecosystems it relies on are at stake. You do feel like a hero for beating Shagaru Magala. I only really have one criticism: The story does not seem to put any emphasis on how this will affect your caravan, or the people of the villages/towns. Heck, you do not even really get super attached to those people because they are not a part of your caravan. You do not see them frequently and you are given very little opportunity to help and nurture them continuously. So compared to Monster Hunter 2 and 3, it feels kind of flat.
5th generation is really where things go downhill though. I do not remember a single time in World or Iceborne when something the player cares about is in threat. Safi Jiiva would had felt amazing to fight if it was attacking Astera, but instead the players come to it. Much of World and Iceborne is handwaved as "research". To me, Xeno Jiiva felt urgent. However, it was less in an "it's going to attack Astera! Oh no!" sort of way and more in a "this thing has a horrible potential and it cannot be allowed to live" sort of way. This is good for a more Lovecraftian story, but it does not make the player feel like a hero. It makes you feel like you just witnessed things you should not have.
Rise and Sunbreak... I have complicated feelings about. On one hand, the stakes are good on paper. "The rampage is going to destroy Kamura", and being a dedicated Kamura hunter, are both strong motivations. This is good stuff. However, you do not really feel the urgency and there are basically none of these heart-wrenching moments where you see and feel how the danger is affecting people. What's more, many of the villagers are described as combat-capable, and throughout the entire game they act pretty nonchalantly. I do not mind this myself, but its impact on the emotional side of the story is pretty hard to ignore. Sunbreak meanwhile, puts you up against a plague that threatens Elgato. The fact that you are the Kamura hunter sort of kills this a bit in my opinion, as you do not have the connection to any of these characters like you do the Kamura villagers at this point. The game has to work double time to convince you to care about these new characters and that hurts. It does get there eventually, however, especially after Fiorayne is injured and you are set out on a series of quests to help her recover. Monster Hunter needs that kind of storytelling. To me, it did feel a bit like too little too late, but it is at least something. I think the fact that much of Sunbreak's story was released in patches does not do it any favours in this regard.
There is also something to be said for rejecting the idea of danger to an ecosystem, or danger through illness or plague, and instead just aiming straight for the head. I fought my first Lao-Shan Lung in Monster Hunter 2 recently, and the impact it left on me was also very different and profound. Lao-Shan Lung is not an evil monster. It just migrates for some reason and has a bizarre habit of destroying anything in its path. It does not mean any harm. Still, when a Lao-Shan Lung starts heading towards Dundorma... One of the most prolific capital cities in the world... You can imagine the destruction that would cause. Destruction not just to the city, but to society as we understand it in the Monster Hunter setting. Imagine if you failed to repel this elder dragon, and one of the biggest trade cities in the world went down with you. That... Kind of slaps? You do not see stakes like that in any other Monster Hunter game, as far as I know. Gogmazios comes close, but something about it just does not hit quite the same and I am not entirely sure why. Maybe it is because in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, you do not quite see the scope and importance of Dundorma? Regardless, when I first repelled Lao-Shan Lung, it felt like I had done something big. When I first killed Lao-Shan Lung, it felt like my party and I were heroes. We returned to the city that we saved, and the game rewarded us with vouchers to hear songs in the Assembly... So we celebrated. We went to the Assembly and heard a beautiful opera song. We drank, we laughed. It was almost like our triumphant return was simulated. All that was missing was a parade.
What do you think? Has Monster Hunter forgotten how to introduce stakes? Please provide your thoughts and experiences, but keep it snark-free!

I just finished a session of D&D 5e, and safe to say it was… wild… but after the game the DM said that anyone who can figure out what concept she’s based the final section on will get inspiration and I wanna do that. Also cause I want to figure out the fuck is happening.
So here’s what’s going on, only the relevant bits:
The party appeared in a dark forest. After mingling with each other, trying to determine if the others were really them (has to do with previous things), a shadowy figure with antlers appears, signaling for us to follow it. Eventually it reaches a branching path, and travels down it. One of the other party members travels down the other one while the rest follow. Eventually my character takes a different path. Eventually the other two take a different path. When the other path was taken, we’re lunged at by the shadowy creature and impaled.
Once all of us are impaled we move on to the next bit, where we travel down a path to a tea party, where a harpy and a red faced manticore are sitting. They invite us to sit, and once we all do the harpy says they’re celebrating her bird’s birthday. The bird, sitting on the harpy’s shoulder, complains that they invited us, and insults us each in some way. One of the players got angry with it, and felt a snake slither up their side, before presenting them with a dead version of the bird. He stabs it in the throat, causing both versions heads to explode… before we end up back in the forest with the shadow creature. Before the session ended I traveled into the forest, off the beaten path entirely (the DM did mention “the path less traveled” earlier), and got impaled once more and taken to the tea party.
Does anyone have any fuckin clues what this might be??? It’s not a wonderland thing, we asked if it was that. But I’m honestly stumped. She said it was based on a concept, not anything in specific.

I didn't have this earlier today, but just noticed this red spot on my eyelid. I'm dealing with some other health issues and worried it could be vascular related. I didn't get hit or injur my eye so I'm a bit worried. Thank you.

Hello everyone
My daughter will be 2 soon and my husband and I have been talking about whether or not we want another child. Some reasons we may choose not to are that my pregnancy had a lot of complications and we really don’t know what the likelihood of any of them reoccurring would be.
The main one I am concerned about is pregnancy dermatitis. The problem is, we aren’t really sure if that is what I had, as neither my OB nor the dermatologist she sent me to had ever seen it to the degree that I experienced it. They wanted to do a biopsy for a more definitive diagnosis but I started oral steroids and they were effective so we decided a biopsy wasn’t necessary.
My question is, have any of you had pregnancy dermatitis? How severe was it? Did it affect just one pregnancy or did it happen when you got pregnant again?
For info, my rash was literally from my scalp to the bottoms of my feet. It was extremely itchy and painful. I couldn’t sleep without ice packs on my back and between my thighs. It started on my face and forearms first, then spread from there. At one point the rash began peeling, and eventually all my skin peeled, from head to toe, including inside my mouth, in my ears, the palms of my hands, etc. The rash ranged from red to purple and there wasn’t a single spot of unaffected skin. I couldn’t even walk from the pain on my thighs. The only thing that worked was a high dose of oral prednisone that had to be tapered extremely slowly. It was hell.
TIA