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The cave was dark, its luminescent crystals having long since faded, the shattered shards sprinkling onto the stone floors as inert fragments. Once intricate brickwork was now rubble and crumbled debris, their murals and etchings now lost to deterioration. Countless tunnels and subterranean floors had filled in over time, reducing the monument of his efforts to but a solitary room nested within an unremarkable hole in the hillside, far beyond the township he called home. Or so he assumed, anyway. There was no way of knowing where he was, nor if said home even existed anymore, though he was doubtful it did. It had been far too long since he entered this promise-turned-prison, and he had no more heart to ache.
An ashen glow of sunlight penetrated the pitiful, dreary depths he was once prideful of. The luminance fought against the haze of dust and miasma, but never quite brought its warmth inside, teasing him. He’d forgotten what it felt like to stand in that brightness. To experience the gentle breeze and soft rustle of leaves. Admittedly, the touch of nature’s blessing was one he never often experienced, making for those sparse moments of sunkissed relaxation to be amongst the first memories to dissipate. There were things he still recalled, of course—the days before a single well-intentioned decision changed everything.
The days before he knew only regret.
Altier could still picture the modest farmland that his brothers and father worked on, and how he watched from behind the moss-laden shutters of his room, a frail smile worn on his emaciated face. His two siblings were well and hearty; they quickly grew up to be strong men, becoming apprentices under the village’s herbalist and leatherworker respectively. One would always help their father tend to the crops while the other was off gaining the experience required to take over the storefronts of their eventual occupation.
Their father would regularly be seen wiping the sweat off his brow and wearing a proud grin whenever his young men came back to ramble about what they learned, even if the elder man never understood much of it. That hardly mattered to him; knowing his boys were happy was enough for him to listen with rapt attention, and he repeated their words to his spouse, pretending to know why what he talked about was impressive. The matron of the family always winked Altier’s way when his father would start his usual boasting, letting her adorable fool of a partner take pride in their children for wrapping their heads around whatever he couldn’t. She loved him anyway, calling him playful names with a serene and adoring smile. The sound of her laughter at her husband’s antics could warm even the coldest of winters.
She cared for Altier when she wasn’t busy tidying the home his father built with his own two hands, the structure degrading over time, yet cared for all the same. She would heat the iron stove they had saved up for, her enchanting singing softly reaching those who listened. His father purchased it from a promising blacksmith just to spare his poor wife the trouble of maintaining a fireplace; it cost them years of being frugal, but the delight she showed at no longer needing to bear the direct heat when preparing meals made it worth every coin.
Altier still blamed himself for wasting her time with his needs, but his main regret was the toll his birth took on the angel of a woman. Her constitution wasn’t the best even before his addition, and although she was far from crippled by it, the thin woman couldn’t quite hide the struggles it caused. She never explicitly said why she was so weak, but he assumed she didn’t want him to shoulder the blame for something she decided herself. He pretended not to.
Unfortunately, such a frailty was carried on to their youngest son, yet done so in the worst of fashions. Ever since Altier was but a babe, he struggled with even the simplest of tasks, his body brittle and his lungs temperamental. A gaunt, bedridden figure showed his pale flesh clinging to nigh useless musculature, with sunken cheeks and eyes shadowed by omnipresent illness. The doctors that visited their village only did so twice a year, and being seen by them cost a proportional sum. Yet his parents wasted their coin every fall and spring, hopeful that their child would be cured. They told him that it was subsidized by the crown when he asked how they could afford it, assuring him that it wasn’t making his family financially suffer. He kept quiet and smiled, hiding the fact that he could see the effects of their dwindling coffers.
The answer never changed. ‘Mana deficiency,’ the learned man had called it, recommending that the corpse of a boy channel energy from rare stones to ease his ailment. The doctor even offered to procure an appropriately attuned gem himself, which Altier’s parents latched onto, evaporating their meagre savings and relegating the hopes of hiring help for the fields to being but a dream. The first element, Nature, was what most people held some affinity for, and even if his alignment was dismal, a concentrated stone would curb the worst of his symptoms.
The light green gemstone failed to so much as warm within his palms.
His doting mother and strong-willed father were undiscouraged. In fact, they were delighted; they voiced enthusiastic speculation on what affinity their troubled boy might have, seeing as how something considered ‘common’ was unsuitable. Altier was of a different mind, seeing the blinds of optimism veiling the impending downfall of reality. The pair couldn’t fathom anything but excellence from their offspring, and although they never forced unrealistic expectations upon their young, they were ignorant of just how crushing that faith could be.
They never saw how strained his smile became as gem after gem lay inert in his hands, while their excitement only grew, though that too came to an end. Altier’s hopes of recovery vanished when his father was the one to break the news; the doctors had no more stones to give. They had tried them all, and anything more potent was well outside their means. He was promised that the search for a solution would continue, neglecting the fact that they had already borrowed funds from most of the village to afford what they already found.
His father held him in a tight embrace that night, reassuring the stock-still boy. Altier never noticed how his eyes had gone wide at the information. He didn’t even feel the rivulets of tears pouring down his sickly skin. No, he simply remained frozen as he connected the dots as to why his mother wasn’t the one delivering the news.
She wouldn’t be able to hide the fear in her eyes.
Though beleaguered he might be, Altier was not so ignorant as to forget the one gemstone they never tried—the only affinity that had yet to be tested, and never would be.
Decay.
Reviled by the church and woven into the concepts of death and entropy, Decay was what stalked heroes in tales of old. Decay was what bled from graveyards and followed the monstrous attacks that left bustling townships as little more than crumbled ruins. Decay was powered by pain, suffering, and bloodshed, using the gathered energies to bring forth yet more horrid atrocities.
And he was one of the accursed few who manifested an affinity with such a voracious element. It fed off his own vitality, consuming him to fuel its demands. He would never be healthy as long as he stayed quiet and kind; every ounce of growth would be combated by ever-increasing requirements. Eventually, the pittance he supplied might not be enough, and therein lie the fear he remembered in his mother’s visage.
He would be killed by his own affinity…or kill to provide for it.
Unwilling, unintentional death would be stripped from the cloth of others’ survival.
The bedridden young man became further withdrawn after that, turning away visitation to immerse himself in daydreaming. They still loved him, and they were sure to remind him constantly, yet he couldn’t help but notice that even the most assertive interaction never brought them closer than the doorway. He smiled regardless, escaping into books read by candlelight. The stories made his isolation less painful.
Altier lived vicariously through tales of knights combating orcs and goblins, suave merchants persuading harpies and lamia to relinquish their collections, and impeccable heroes who stood atop slain menacing dragons. It was a pastime of his that arose when his father acquired an old storybook from a roaming trader; he would turn the final page, then try to guess where fact ended and fiction reigned supreme. He had heard of the many monsters while eavesdropping from his window, but they all were either settled in distant lands or subdued by the army before they became a problem. A peaceful township like his benefited greatly from being so far from the uninhabited wastes beyond the kingdom’s borders, yet also came with its detriments—the lack of apothecaries was a notable one.
He was surprised when he heard the hushed whispers from beyond his room, the earthen pathways of their village set alight by curious voices. Men, women, and children alike gathered in front of their homes and workplaces to watch as soldiers of the king’s army politely marched through the streets, stopping in front of the humble abode belonging to a family of five.
At first, he feared that the financial toll of his condition had hindered his parents from paying due tax, earning the crown’s ire. But no, they came with a proposition; one of the king’s aides had received a letter from a doctor providing someone with elemental stones, and the news of a decay affinity was apparently quite intriguing to them.
He listened to parents refusing to part with their son, yet he also heard his brothers citing just how miserable their youngest was, begging their father not to imprison a child inside the cage of good intentions. It was hard to place both arguments inside the same frame, but it was clear that everyone still cared for him in spite of his affinity. The talking turned to shouting, then flipped to sharpened silence when the stairs creaked beneath his feet, drawing attention to the thin form of his weakened body. He took advantage of the guilty looks and curious new faces to ask what the offer was.
The crown’s minister of magic wanted to hire him—an absurd thought, but one he confirmed by having them repeat it twice. Decay seemed to be an exceedingly rare affinity, and was sparsely documented outside its occasional mention in yarns tumbling past the lips of horribly scarred and inebriated adventurers. He was wanted for study, and after receiving clarification that the process wouldn’t be harmful, he almost considered it. Why wouldn’t he? As much as his family tried, they were terrified of what he might become or do. He was tired of placing a burden upon them, never being able to help with the farm or clean around the house, and he was disgusted with how much more difficult his parent’s life was just by his existence. Of course, his mother and father had countless gripes they brought to light when they saw his contemplative expression, but the knight at the table placed down the final counterpoint.
A writ of promised compensation and a pouch of coin clinked against the aging furniture. The king himself had signed the document, and although neither of his parents received much education, they were both able to read the amount. As long as Altier continued to work, the crown would pay a portion of his earnings directly to his family. The house could get desperately needed repairs, the fields would see new farmhands, and his mother could hire help. They could have everything Altier had taken from them since his birth…and all he had to do was say yes.
So he did.
He ignored the protests, gathered his things, then hugged his parents and siblings farewell the next morning, promising to send them letters on how he was whenever he could. They were less than thrilled—hearing from him once a season at best wasn’t preferable—but they eventually wished him well when he explained that he hoped to control his affinity. His mother wept upon realizing he was aware of her concern over all those years. He cried when she told him that it pained her to remain so distant. The fear for her own life was something she didn’t feel at all; she just didn’t want him to blame himself if something happened that he couldn’t control.
“I brought you into this world to be loved,” she whispered into his ear as she held him, her voice damp and cracking, yet filled with familial affection. “I knew what it would cost me when I learned I was pregnant again; I just didn’t consider how you could think it was your fault. I would never forgive myself if you suffered because of something I decided. Death is too kind a punishment for what it would do to you.”
It took a while, but he did manage to collect himself enough to walk with his escort to the village’s limits, one of the soldiers helping him stay upright without an order or word of protest. They brought him to a carriage, then set off for the mainland, the view of his home shrinking until it was a mere speck in the distance. He could almost still see his parents’ faces filled with pride and sorrow, awestruck by his selflessness yet torn by his departure. His brothers had kept their facade of confidence and a jovial demeanour, but their concern bled through strained smiles. He fell asleep to the sounds of horses and the crackle of rocks against wooden wheels.
Some time passed without much of note occurring. Altier was examined by kind people of a town that was still rather far from the city, but no one had specifically said he was going there, so he wasn’t sure why he didn’t think to ask. Nevertheless, his affinity was documented using tools he couldn’t identify, and the answers he got for his inquiries passed straight through his ears. He was worried his lack of education would irritate the obviously more well-off researchers, yet the soft-spoken academics didn’t dislike him for his ignorance. They tried explaining things to him in ways he could understand, but switched to more general conversation when he was still struggling to comprehend. It was fine, though; he enjoyed the company.
Despite the long wait for a reply, the first letter he got back from his parents was a reassurance he didn’t know he needed. They had received their first payment since he left, and the pages were scrawled edge to edge with their praises, worries, heard gossip, and a single mention of his brother courting a woman. Altier wrote how glad he was that they were well, told them of all the interesting sights, his disappointment at not being in the capital proper, and how kind everyone was. He chuckled to himself after handing the letter off to be delivered, a last minute thought having him jot down a request for his mother to tease the nascent couple in his stead. He wondered if the next reply would include a relationship or not.
Things took a turn after a year. His eldest brother was still seeing his sweetheart, while the middle sibling had yet to have anyone catch his eye, his sights set on his work with the herbalist. Their mother mentioned how she suspected he was interested in the older woman in charge of providing salves and poultice for the village’s ill, and although she was hoping for him to find someone his own age, she put his happiness over having grandchildren. Their father was just as supportive, putting down his own sloppily written query on how their ‘brave boy’ was doing in romantic endeavours.
Altier smiled as he read, updating his family on how he had been moved to a more isolated region since their last correspondence, and thus wasn’t really able to meet anyone he could see himself with. He insisted he was fine, scattering well-wishes and the like while he avoided speaking of events he had promised not to mention. The response came off as somewhat stiff, but he was sure they would understand. All that really mattered was that they were happy and healthy.
His profession as a research subject came to an end, in a way. After collecting what information they could, there was a period where no one bothered to visit the Decay-afflicted young man. He dwelled within his humble accommodations in the middle of a forest, but he didn’t press when the people assigned to deliver food refused to answer where he was. It was fine; he had new books brought to him regularly, and knowing that his family was being taken care of by his ‘work’ was enough to dissuade him from complaining. He stayed quiet even as he got sicker and sicker, some nights spent shivering next to the fireplace with the most recent letter being held by trembling hands. The look of contentment on his face was genuine despite the insufferable pain.
Someone did eventually visit his little hovel in the woods. A man who introduced himself as a ‘Technician’ entered, accepted some simple tea, and made polite conversation for a while. It was a pleasant experience for someone who had grown used to solitude. Once they had both finished their drink, the Technician called for an aide to bring in an unexpectedly opulent box. The gold trim parted to reveal a strange orb—a ‘core’ the man called it, though he was reticent on what it was or did. All Altier was told was to spend the night’s rest with it in his hands, and by the morning, he would no longer suffer from his affinity.
“There is still much for us to learn, Altier,” the Technician promised, putting the younger man’s worries to rest. “Tomorrow, you will be stronger than ever. I would wager your parents will be ecstatic once you tell them.”
“W-what are we studying next?” Altier stuttered out, feeling the weight of the strange stone as it was laid into his unsure grasp. It was no larger than an apple, yet the smooth obsidian sphere somehow dragged him downward by the heart, the flawless surface captivating his attention in a way he both liked and despised. Light bent as he inspected the object, almost avoiding its very presence. He settled it on his lap after a moment, conflicted about how he would be healed by something the very world seemed to reject.
“We,” the newcomer started, flourishing an arm towards Altier, “are going to prepare. With your help, we can create the heroes from those stories you so love.”
It was a bitter memory in retrospect, yet the sickly boy at that table was entranced by what was promised to him. His soul would be captured by the orb, and he would be given the ability to make a Dungeon—the very same he read about hundreds of times. His body would be taken care of, suspended until he returned to it, which he was assured would be whenever he wanted.
That assurance came with a stipulation, however. Were he to decide that he was done, he would lose his new abilities, return to his old form, and be sent on his way, fully healed. But—and there was always a ‘but’—his parents would no longer receive compensation. The king had been withholding from implementing a tax increase in his village, and once the reason for it was no longer employed, then the other ministers would place immeasurable pressure until he capitulated. Altier’s whole world before leaving would fall under the demands. The Technician wore a sombre, sympathetic gaze as he expressed how difficult things would be for the boy’s parents.
Stupid, gullible Altier agreed, thanking the stranger for the opportunity. He went to bed with hope in his heart and wonder on his tongue.
[Initializing…]
[User identified: Altier
Affinity: Decay
Status: Deteriorating (Insufficient mana supply)
Inherent Ability: Avatar of Decay]
[Error: Insufficient Mana. System will acquire the excess from suitable sources as dictated by the User.
Error: User is unable to designate a suitable source.
Searching based on default requirements…Source found.
Converting source to Mana…Success.
Synchronizing…Success.
Updating libraries…Success.
Implementing framework…Success.
Establishing Domain…Failure. Insufficient Mana. Insufficient Authority.
Modifying criteria…Success.
Establishing Domain…Success.]
[Dungeon established! Generating assignment…Success.]
[Priority assignment: Prevent the End—324:450:3247:345:34:12]
[Priority assignment: Prevent the End—324:450:3247:345:34:11]
[Priority assignment: Prevent the End—324:450:3247:345:34:10]
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When he awoke, it wasn’t to the small room where books threatened to take over every available surface, but to a claustrophobic darkness that crushed him as much as left him weightless. He had been warned that the experience would be disorienting, so he clenched the jaw he learned was no longer there, took a breath that could no longer be taken, and waited like he was supposed to.
Thankfully, the Technician was a man of his word, and he came back shortly after Altier had managed to figure out the basics of…well, of whatever he was turned into. He found a way to ‘see’ the world around him, though ignoring the sense of vertigo that came with having sight of everything at once was difficult. There was text that he could summon or dismiss at will, but it only really displayed a countdown he wasn’t familiar with. Truth be told, he wasn’t quite sure what to think of things back then, but he remembered feeling relieved when the Technician brought droves of researchers.
The first thing he noticed with his new senses was that he was underground. The second was that he didn’t know how to talk without a mouth. Apparently, his new company had a list of expected inquiries, and they set out to answer as many questions as he might have.
Someone explained that they had already moved his body to a secure area, and in order to make use of his nascent abilities, his new form was taken to a suitable location. It made sense to him; if he was supposed to be a place where soldiers trained to fight monsters and get stronger, then they needed it somewhere hidden away from people who might accidentally wander in. Guards were apparently placed outside the entrance, but when he tried to separate his focus from the polished black orb, his sight grew dim and indistinct. They mentioned that sort of thing was expected, and once they placed him on a pedestal, he would be able to ‘feel’ his Domain more clearly.
He learned over time what a Domain was and how to use it, guided by the researchers and the occasional soldier or knight who stopped by to see how Altier was performing. He summoned his first creature using his stockpile of mana, though the spider wasn’t very threatening. Apparently, the pool of his new resource incremented passively based on how large he was, and would strengthen his abilities, but it also required an upkeep to maintain. He could get more by analyzing new materials, objects, or whatever else he hadn’t seen before, and he gained a larger amount by absorbing something—after inspecting it, ideally. Beginning as a single room, neither the upkeep nor income was particularly exciting, but the researchers also had a solution to that: Invaders.
‘Invader’ was a term that referred to any creature that entered his Domain, and although he gained mana during their occupation, they were also a threat to the core. His imminent concern for his safety was abated by the Technician quickly assuring him that, in the unlikely event that the core was destroyed, he would be transferred back to his body without any ill effects, but it would also bring an end to the agreement that prevented his family from being crushed by financial demands. He quietly reiterated the point until it stuck, then waited through the explanation until he had most of his questions answered.
Sadly, the Altier back then didn’t know what questions to ask.
Once he worked out how to summon and manage the most basic of creatures, his guides urged him to build and expand, which took some getting used to. A single room became a hub of connections, and despite the advice given, he metaphorically banged his head against the wall that was trying to close off his core. It just didn’t work; any walls would refuse to be built, containers would topple before they fell over him, and everything else he tried ended just as unspectacularly. Something would always be able to reach him if they had the desire to.
Eventually, he was put through mock ‘invasions’ where fresh trainees fought his creatures, reached the core, then stopped to place a hand on it before leaving, taking some of his mana as a reward. He didn’t understand how it worked, but he learned that people could ‘absorb’ some experience to fuel their affinity if they touched him. The more experienced he became, the more that invaders received, and the more experience he got from defending his core from increasingly powerful invaders. It was a cycle he could comprehend, and it put to rest the lingering fear that someone would try to break his core.
There was also something of an exchange going on; coloured motes were left behind on the core’s surface, then slowly absorbed. Each time it happened, he gained a little more insight on how to integrate new things into his dungeon—first a small pool of water, then a fire, then other things that seemed fairly removed from the concept of ‘Decay.’ As soon as a researcher noticed what was going on, the Technician encouraged Altier to specialize in a particular element, since that was apparently more efficient. With a few more long-winded explanations, he had figured out how to hide anything that wasn’t related to Decay within his ‘menu,’ and focused on making himself as strong as he could.
Mock invasions became a regular occurrence, each one taking place after he had the chance to patch holes in his strategy or adjust rooms. He discovered that expanding downwards was an option, but doing so meant that he needed a ‘Boss’ to precede the stairs. The selection unsettled and excited him. A skeleton was what ended up guarding the way deeper into his Domain, and at the insistence of his guides, he left the new creature…monster…? He left his new creation as it was and set about expanding the second floor. Thankfully, the task went smoother since he knew what to do, and soon enough, he was the proud owner of ten floors. Every boss focused on testing what the knights and soldiers knew about fighting and teamwork, and every floor down grew harder and harder to contest.
Altier’s first ‘victory’ was gained when his ‘invaders’ surrendered on the ninth floor. He had been proud of that; they weren’t expecting him to branch into using animal as well as humanoid skeletons. A well-placed Ox made short work of their forces, but stopped before doing more than bashing them around. The thrill of defending his core was incomparable. He also gained access to some more cosmetic options for his existing structures, including the ability to write on a sign if he so wished—though doing so was prohibitively expensive. He didn’t care; a sign was put near the entrance within seconds, asking if someone would mind letting him know when letters arrived from his parents, and to write his reply to send back.
To his relief, it wasn’t much longer before a letter did arrive. He was delighted to hear that all was well, yet sad when he wasn’t able to attend his brother’s wedding. It was a simple affair, true, but he would have liked to go. He asked the person who was kind enough to read it out for him to pen his response, then got back to improving his Domain. His family was doing well, and if being the best dungeon he could be would ensure their happiness lasted as long as possible, then he would be just that.
Ten floors became twenty. Twenty became forty. He hit one-hundred floors after constant effort, happily using signs to ‘talk’ through short phrases with the nicer groups of ‘invaders’, while he mostly ignored the rest. It was too hard to keep track of everyone after a while, but he was supposed to be a training ground, so he kept up doing what he was supposed to, mentally smiling when someone he was keeping tabs on managed to overcome a challenge they were struggling with. Some got stuck on certain floors, unable to adapt to new creatures, while others had a hard time traversing the increasingly long voyage to his core. He made small recovery rooms for a party that thanked him for the challenge, filling basins with food and water, then instructed his creatures not to bother anyone inside.
Surprisingly, the group accepted his offer of rest with gratitude that seemed excessive. They spoke to the walls, regaling him of their various journeys and the humorous events spread throughout. He enjoyed the time spent focusing on that area, as well as the gifts people sometimes left behind. Each new item was transferred to a room near his core, where he kept a collection of keepsakes ranging from books to tarnished jewellery that had more sentimental value than monetary. Still, it was all priceless to him, displayed proudly next to the letters he received regularly from his family.
His one-hundred floors became two-hundred, and he struggled to find recurring visitors after some time. The soldiers grouped up into parties of five or six, venturing into the dungeon with the goal of increasing the strength of small units. Altier adjusted the difficulty to accommodate, dialing back the force he once used to combat near endless waves of knights. Magic was something that came from the change in tactic, much to his surprise. It was weak, but pretty much everyone who tried the dungeon could light a torch or chill their water. He wasn’t well-learned about what any particular element could do, but he was glad to see that his new participants were indeed getting stronger.
The two-hundred floors became three-hundred, which then became four-hundred. Altier’s creatures would have been terrifying if it wasn’t for the fact that he had yet to kill anyone, the skeletal monstrosities looming through corridors like horrific nightmares made manifest. He was pleased to find that they listened rather dutifully when he said to escort those who surrendered to the entrance, which was most people. In fact, hardly anyone ever made it to his core anymore, despite the jump in power of various magics he often saw. Flamethrowers, earthen spikes, empowered bodies, and many more effects were in play within each party that tried to conquer his trial. A particularly adept group eventually placed their hand on the obsidian sphere, taking suffocating amounts of mana, while also leaving a thick haze of their own. His creatures became far stronger for it, and so he adjusted the difficulty once more, wondering when they would try to best him again. Unfortunately, they never did, but he saw some people who shared a striking resemblance, and the newcomers were easily more magically inclined. It was fun to challenge them.
The cycle repeated, though he wasn’t sure when the Technician stopped visiting. Altier was too busy keeping his end of the deal, improving the crown’s army in exchange for giving his family a life they deserved. He did notice something wrong after the letters started taking a while to come, and although the contents filled him in on the newest events, things started seeming…out of character. The feeling tickled at his mind, but it was fine. They were happy and well.
How foolish he was.
A party entered shortly after he completed his six-hundredth floor, instantly setting off an incomparable feeling of dread. His senses warped when he tried to focus on them, blocking everything in their vicinity from his view. It took a bit for him to figure out why, but they were carrying something that sucked the mana out of the very dungeon itself, and his unbidden instincts screamed that whatever it was needed to be destroyed. He reacted without thought, releasing everything he determined too dangerous for simple training in a bid to drive them out.
It wasn’t enough. He watched the void travel floor after floor, leaving nothing but dismembered skeletal creatures in their wake. Veritable monsters were slain, chimeras he had worked on as a side project became incinerated dust, and the signs he left for the weary were torn off the walls. A voice bellowed through his halls from the darkness he couldn’t see, declaring what was happening.
They were not there to train. In order to defend against a force threatening the kingdom, they needed power, and in order to gain that, they needed his mana. His experience. All of it.
They were there to break the core under the king’s decree.
Altier’s nonexistent heart stopped, memories of how impoverished his family used to be flashing through his mind, and with a near silent refusal, he let the instincts to get rid of the invaders swallow him whole.
By the time he calmed down, it was to a pit of blackness and a dull pull in his ephemeral chest stopping him from being able to do anything. He could still ‘hear’ though, and he heard the choking breaths of a single man in his core’s room. He heard the bitter laughter that followed accusations of dooming the very world…as well as sympathies for what the pale, sickly, Decay-afflicted man had gone through.
Altier could only listen as the man told him how his dungeon was hundreds upon hundreds of years old, and how the party had been briefed on its history. He listened as the man spoke of the letters that were to be presented to the dungeon every scant decade, yet always claimed to be given every few months. The groups he befriended had left to start families of their own, and their children returned to befriend him as well, continuing the cycle and passing it on in a generations-long tradition. He listened as he ignored the warnings popping up, the transient text telling him that his mana production was insufficient to support the dungeon. That he was dying.
When the man perished, and the dungeon collapsed piece by piece, Altier listened to silence, because there was nothing else he could do.
Nothing besides reading the text that lingered in his vision amidst the warnings.
[Priority assignment: Prevent the End — Failure]
- - - - -
Altier ‘looked’ at the dim orb that seemed so much like his own, its small form sat next to dust that might have once been the man who unveiled all those truths so long ago. He didn’t know how long it had been since then, only that he was still alone. He wasn’t even angry anymore; the energy needed to feel rage or sorrow was gone. He was just lonely.
[Attempting to reestablish Mana Well…Failure.]
The core dismissed the message absently, more than aware of what it read. Thousands of the notifications had passed by, interspersed by various abilities and whatever else becoming ‘corrupted.’ He didn’t care anymore. His dungeon was his pride at some point, but now he just wanted to feel the sunlight that slowly dimmed as night claimed the evening sky. It would be nice to see the stars again. Or just outside, assuming there was anything left to see. Maybe it was all a desolate wasteland.
[Restructuring Affinity: Decay…Failure.
Reorganizing libraries…Failure.
Re—]
[Error. Ability ‘Avatar of Decay’ has been corrupted. Please provid—]
[Error. System corruption exceeding threshold. Please provide a valid framework.]
[Error. Affi—]
It might as well be. He sold himself to ensure his family’s well-being, but how many of those letters were real? Did they have a good life, receiving word that their ‘brave boy’ was healthy and happy? He hoped so. All there was left to do was watch the thin glow of the outside shift. Eventually, that draining orb the floor would run out of things to take from him. And to think that he just wanted those he cared about to be well…
[Error. Stability compromised. System integ—]
Altier roused from his trance, lethargically shifting his focus to a flicker of shadow near the deteriorated entrance. How strange it was to have his core room be right next to outside, yet he didn’t recall how that came to be. Magic, possibly, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to care. He was tired of numbers and percentages. Of values and skeletons. He was tired of being a dungeon, and of being alone.
A rock—a pebble, really—tumbled into the shallow curved hallway that acted as the path to his core, a strange sound getting louder. He ‘felt’ his brow furrow in perplexion before he actually considered what was happening. That was a voice. Speech. Someone was talking.
He was stunned silent before enthusiasm could build. A gaunt bipedal creature entered the cave, though it was decidedly not human. Taloned feet supported two legs, though they walked on their toes, he supposed. Its skin was reptilian, the pale black colour still managing to look plush, if dry. A thick, long tail swayed slowly to correct its weight, shifting its tattered garment that looked more like worn burlap than clothing. Nervous hands fiddled with chipped claws and felt along the wall, a lack of care rendering them dull and dirty. Fearful, exhausted eyes wandered the cave, the grey irises showing a pained soul underneath an etched smile on otherwise soft features.
Altier ransacked his memory as the creature nervously looked for something in his desolate ‘dungeon,’ recalling a crude painting in one of his old books. It was a kobold, though they shouldn’t have been anywhere near the kingdom, not that it mattered now. The scaly occupant muttered to itself, their voice soothing and feminine in a language he didn’t know. He wouldn’t have minded the conversation, but it was a moot point; he lost the ability to write on signs long ago. A part of him was surprised he would talk with a monster from his stories. He was never overly involved with his fellow humans—excluding his family and the odd party in his rest areas—but he figured there would be more resistance. There was no point in thinking about it. It would leave when it realized there was nothing here, and he would be alone again.
The last thing he would have expected was the kobold noticing a dusty obsidian orb sat atop crumbled stone, then excitedly picking said orb up to hold against its chest, its chirps of excitement filling the quiet room. Or, it would have been the last, if not for the messages that appeared.
[Compatible library found! Synchronizing…Error. Framework is incompatible.
Restructuring framework…Error.
Redefining framework…Error.
Replacing framework…Success.
Restructuring framework…Success.
Defining Affinity…Error.
Redefin—
Error.
Error.
Err0r.
Er44#%$@.
Rein#$^!@zing…Er$&*or.
Domaaaaaa#@%in…Er^r.
@%$%#$R.
Aff%$^: Null…Su^@!#ss.
D#@%^a@#n Es^!@l%#@ed!—]
[Null]
[Pr#%y #@$nment: ERRRR#*#$RRR—]
[Null]
[Priooooooority Assignmentmentmnet: B#&#$^—]
[Null]
Next

A passive UHF (Ultra-High Frequency) RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) tag is a type of RFID tag that operates without an internal power source, instead deriving its power from the electromagnetic field generated by an RFID reader. These tags typically operate in the UHF range of 300 MHz to 3 GHz, with common frequencies being around 860-960 MHz. Here's a detailed look at passive UHF RFID tags and their applications:
How Passive UHF RFID Tags Work?
1.Power Harvesting:
The tag harvests energy from the radio waves emitted by an RFID reader. The antenna on the tag captures this energy and converts it into electrical power.
2.Activation:
This power activates the microchip on the tag, which stores the tag's unique identification data.
3.Communication:
The tag then uses a technique called backscatter modulation to reflect the reader’s signal, modulating it to transmit its unique ID and any other stored data back to the reader.
what Advantages of Passive UHF RFID Tags?

• No Battery: Since they do not have an internal power source, passive tags are lighter, cheaper, and have a longer lifespan than active RFID tags.
  
• Long Read Range: Passive UHF tags can typically be read from several meters away, sometimes up to 12 meters (40 feet), depending on the reader and the environment.
  
• Cost-Effective: They are generally less expensive to produce and maintain than active tags.
  

Applications of Passive UHF RFID Tags
1.Supply Chain and Inventory Management:

• Tracking Goods: Used to track the movement of products through the supply chain, from manufacturing to retail. This enhances inventory visibility and accuracy.
  
• Asset Management: Helps in tracking and managing assets in warehouses, retail stores, and distribution centers.
  

2.Retail:

• Anti-Theft: Integrated into product packaging for theft prevention and stock control.
  
• Checkout Efficiency: Speeds up the checkout process by allowing for automatic item recognition and payment processing.
  

3.Logistics and Transportation:

• Container Tracking: Used to track containers and pallets in shipping yards and during transport.
  
• Vehicle Identification: Used in toll collection and access control in transportation systems.
  

4.Healthcare:

• Equipment Tracking: Used to track medical equipment, ensuring that critical tools are available when needed.
  
• Patient Monitoring: Tags can be used for patient identification and to ensure proper medication administration.
  

5.Manufacturing:

• Process Control: Monitors the movement of parts through the manufacturing process to improve efficiency and quality control.
  
• Tool Tracking: Ensures that tools are properly accounted for and maintained.
  

6.Libraries and Document Management:

• Book Tracking: Used to track books and other media in libraries for inventory and anti-theft purposes.
  
• Document Management: Helps in managing and locating important documents in office environments.
  

7.Event Management:

• Access Control: Used for attendee identification and access control at events and conferences.
  
• Automated Check-In: Speeds up the check-in process and enhances security.
  

8.Animal Tracking:

• Livestock Management: Used to track and manage livestock, providing data on location, health, and breeding history.
  
• Pet Identification: Used in pet microchips for identification purposes.
  

Passive UHF RFID tags are versatile and widely used across various industries due to their cost-effectiveness, long read range, and reliability. Their applications continue to grow as technology advances and more industries recognize their benefits.

Hi all,
I am mainly on PS5+GT7 and want to upgrade my rim from the plastic-y DD Pro rim. I've been relentlessly reading through every McLaren v2 vs Formula v2.5 post out there, and I still cannot decide.
I live in a region where all Fanatec parts are only available via third-party sellers, thus every item has a certain amount of markup as to their respective MSRP on the Fanatec website. Now the seller has two bundles for me to choose from:

• QR2 WS + QR2 BS + Mclaren GT3 v2 for $505USD (currency converted for better reference)
• QR2 BS + the new wheel from CS Racing Wheel F1 bundle (QR2 pre-installed) for $620USD
  • Since they are third-party sellers, they can break a bundle and sell the base/wheel separately
  • I know this wheel lacks the vibration module that's on the standard formula v2.5 wheel, but I guess it doesn't matter since I mainly play GT7?

Now my concerns are:

1. Is the smaller size of the formula wheel a deal-breaker?
2. Is the cheaper material and potentially worse shift paddles on the McLaren a deal-breaker?
3. Considering the $115 difference in my case, I guess the McLaren is no longer the bang for the buck option right?

Any inputs/comments are appreciated!!! Thanks.

Hello there,
trying to convert decimal odds (2.13, 2.92, 3.80) to win probabilities. Using a formula for implied probability P, the resulting P is always above 100% (107,5% in my example).
Is that how bookmakers set thier odds?
How to calculate P without exceeding 100%?
If this isn't the correct place to ask: Firstly: Sorry for that, won't happen again! Secondly: Where to ask instead?
Thanks in advance! ~ThorF

Summary of M3M Altitude

The recently developed residential complex **M3M Altitude** is located on Golf Course Extension Road, Sector 65, Gurgaon. This opulent complex offers penthouses and 4.5 BHK homes that are painstakingly constructed and combine modern and elegant design elements. With quick access to Golf Course Road, NH-8, Central Peripheral Road (CPR) to Dwarka Expressway, and Sohna Road, residents will have convenient commutes and exceptional connectivity.
**Primary attributes and facilities:**

• **Exclusive Towers:** M3M Altitude consists of three graceful towers, each rising to a height of 32 stories and housing four well thought-out apartments each level.
• **Opulent Interiors:** With a quality modular kitchen, VRV/VRF air conditioning for ideal climate management, and gorgeous Italian marble flooring.
• **Grand Lobby:** A magnificent triple-story lobby greets residents.
• **spacious Clubhouse:** The spacious 200,000+ square feet is a notable feature.

I became interested in the “Jack the Ripper” cases years ago. I had went with my Dad on a business trip to the UK when I was a child where I had first heard about the murders. Since that time I have checked out every library book that my city library has to offer on the matter, I have subscribed to several different genealogy sites along with various others from that region. I am an active member on various different forums and sites, I have read thousands of theories, and been involved in thousands of debates regarding everything from the identity of the killer, to the victims personal lives. Today, just like the many that came before me, I too am no closer to saying with any confidence that I have gained any ground in identifying the killer. I have came across some suspects that interest me, and of course some which I consider preposterous and others unlikely but still plausible. Somewhat recently I have started an investigation into a man who inserted himself into one of the murdered victims. To be more specific, the last man to see the last victim Mary Jane Kelly alive. I find him to be a very interesting suspect for several reasons which I will elaborate on in this thread. This person of course is the man who came forward on the evening of November 12th 1888 and gave inspector Abberline a very, very interesting account of what he claimed to have witnessed. This man of course is the man who identified himself as George Hutchinson.
George Hutchinson History:
We know very little of Hutchinson before he came forward on November 12th 1888. We do know that the census has him as an unemployed groom living at the Victorian home for working men. He was described being a SHORT and STOUT man having a military appearance.
Hutchinson inserted himself into the case, just as FBI profiler claims that the killer may do, when he gave a very detailed and almost too good to be true statement to inspector Frederick Abberline in regards to what he had observed on the early morning hours just before the last canonical victim Mary Jane Kelly was murdered.
Hutchinson’s statement to Abberline:
Hutchinson claimed that he had seen Mary Kelly, the victim, on the night of her death, 9th November 1888. He said that he was actually friends with the victim, having known her for three years, and bumped into her on Commercial Street at around 2am after finding that he no longer had a bed available at his home. She requested a sixpence from him, which he claimed he didn’t have, to which she bid him good morning and continued on her way.
Hutchinson told Abberline that after parting ways, he turned to see her get stopped by a man coming in the opposite direction. Supposedly, the man said something to Kelly which Hutchinson couldn’t hear and then they laughed. Afterwards, Kelly said “Alright,” and the man responded with “you will be alright for what I have told you,” before they turned around to walk back down the street, back towards Hutchinson.
Hutchinson claimed that he was intrigued by the man as he appeared wealthy and so stood against a lamp in front of the Queen’s House pub and waited for them to pass. As they passed, Hutchinson’s statement says that the man pulled his hat down to try and cover his face but Hutchinson stooped to ensure he could see him clearly.
Hutchinson claimed that the man was between 34 and 35 years of age, 5 feet and 6 inches tall with a small moustache which curled upwards at the edges and dark hair. He also specified that the man’s eyelashes and eyes were dark in colour, though he had a pale complexion. Beyond this, he wore a long, collared coat which was dark in colour but featured astrakhan cuffs; it was this trait which defined the man’s title of ‘The Astrakhan Man’ in Ripperology circles. Additionally, in this single glance, Hutchinson also noticed that the man was wearing boots and gaiters with white buttons, alongside a thick gold chain around his neck and a black tie with a horseshoe pin attached to it. He also identified that the man was holding a small parcel in his left hand with a strap around it.
All in all, a very highly detailed description given by George Hutchinson.
At around 2:15 AM the pair walked past him, Hutchinson claimed that he tried to follow them, heading towards the Miller’s Court, where Kelly lived and was found brutally murdered hours later. George elaborated, claiming he saw them stand and talk at the entrance to the courtyard, during which time he heard specifics of their conversation, saw them kiss and described how Kelly claimed she had lost her handkerchief, to which the man handed her a red handkerchief of his own.
Afterwards, Hutchinson waited in Miller’s Court to see if they would leave Kelly’s home. He waited for 45 minutes before departing, which is the only part of the statement corroborated by another eyewitness, Sarah Lewis, who claimed to see a man standing opposite Miller’s Court at this time. This concluded his statement.
Just before Hutchinson we have another eye witness who observed Kelly that evening. This is her statement. MARY ANN COX: “She last saw deceased alive about a quarter to 12 on Thursday night. Deceased was very much intoxicated at that time and was with a SHORT, STOUT man, shabbily dressed, with a round billycock hat on. He had a can of beer in his hand. He had a blotchy face and a heavy carroty moustache. Witness followed them into the court and said, "good night", to the deceased, who replied, "Good night; I am going to sing."
The door was shut and witness heard the deceased singing, "Only a violet I plucked from mother's grave."
Witness went to her room and remained there about a quarter of an hour, and then went out. Deceased was still singing at that time.
It was raining, and witness returned home at 3:10 a.m., and the light in the deceased's room was then out and there was no noise
Another eye witness was Sarah Lewis (as seen in the latter part of George Hutchinson’s statement) this is her statement.
SARAH LEWIS : “Sarah Lewis, Great Pearl Street, stated:- I visited a friend at Miller's Court on Friday morning at half-past two o'clock. I saw a man standing on the pavement. He was SHORT and STOUT but she could not see his face”
Are you noticing a pattern?
-Hutchinson admittedly puts himself in the exact spot at the exact time that Sarah Lewis sees a man she describes as SHORT and STOUT. This meaning that this man was Hutchinson. However, Hutchinson tells Abberline that he did not see Kelly until around 2AM when she asked him for sixpence. Hutchinson claims that that he spent all his money going down to Romford.
But, Mary Ann cox sees Kelly in the company of a SHORT and STOUT man at 11:45 PM.
How many SHORT and STOUT men “by description” came into Mary Kelly’s life within the course of a few hours?
Somebody using the description of “STOUT” is a unique physical description. For instance would anybody describe the current United States president as “Stout”? No, absolutely not. That is not a physical trait that he holds. What about a man who is 5’5 and weighs 185lbs? This may be considered as stout. Likewise, what is a man is 5’5 and has a square face with broad shoulders? Could we call him “Stout”. Yes, I would think so.
Nowhere in the eyewitness, police, or any other reports in these cases is ANYBODY else described as being stout. But this unique physical characteristic plagues this case, and is even more reported than that of the foreign or Jewish man. At least 6 different eyewitness from different cases of the canonical victims describe the SHORT and STOUT man with reddish hair and mustache.
QUESTIONING HUTCHINSONS STATEMENT:
1) Why did Mary Kelly who was broke and behind on her rent only ask Hutchinson for sixpence? Why not more? Why this specific amount? Oddly, this would be the same amount that Kelly would have charged.
2) A man with a big gold chain and dressed to the nines looking like he just walked off the monopoly board is walking around Commercial and Thrawl street (one of the roughest areas in Whitechapel) at 2AM and he is not worried about getting robbed, or worse? I don’t buy it.
3) Why did Hutchinson wait 3 days to come in? Is it because he knew that he had been spotted by Lewis and perhaps others and wanted to take the spotlight off the short stout man?
4) Dr Bond puts Kelly’s death between 3AM - 4AM. Ironically this is the same time that Hutchinson “claimed” to have left the court.
5) Hutchinson claimed that he had spent all his money going down to Romford. So we are to believe that Hutchinson walked roughly 16 miles back to Whitechapel in the cold and rain only to get back and have no lodging? Sixpence could also be the amount agreed for somebody to stay the night with no sexual favors.
6) Mary Ann cox says that when Kelly took the short stout man into her room that Kelly did not seem to engage in any sexual activities with him, but rather sand to him for over an hour and then more than likely shared a meal of fish and potatoes with him.
7) Where did Hutchinson go after he “claimed” to have left the court? He had no lodging, and he just witnessed what he described to Abberline as a very mysterious man walk into a room with his friend who he claimed to have known for the better part of three years.
8) If Hutchinson only wanted to get his five minutes of fame he certainly would have came forward a lot sooner than three days later.
9) Hutchinson lived on Commercial street, this is located in the heart of Jack the rippers kill zone.
10) The majority of Hutchinson’s witnesses statement seems made up and seems to piggy back off of bits and pieces of reports from the newspapers. The final blow was describing a foreign or Jewish man to Abberline, which by this time probably had Abberline drooling. Many researchers today consider Hutchinson’s statement to be overly embellished.
11) Kelly was the last canonical victim, and the last victim to have been so severely mutilated in this fashion around that area. Researchers have often speculated on why the killer stopped so suddenly after Kelly. Was it because he was sent to prison on an unrelated charge? If so, he would have started again after getting out. Could it be because he moved away? If so we would have seen more victims from another region but same MO. Could it be that he died? It’s possible. Or, it could be that he got so close to getting caught with Kelly that he stopped killing. After all, there was nothing that could top what he did to that poor girl.
I could keep going, but it is my opinion that when Hutchinson came forward on the evening of November 12th that Abberline only questioned him as a witness and did not interview him as a suspect.
It is my opinion that Hutchinson made an arrangement with Kelly to sleep at her place, possibly around the same time Cox observed he and Kelly drinking together, in exchange for sixpence. Kelly takes another client and tells Hutchinson to wait outside. Hutchison comes back into Kelly’s room after the client leaves around 3AM and murders her shortly after.
I am not saying that George Hutchinson is Jack the Ripper. Only that the man who identified himself as George Hutchinson was the man who killed Mary Jane Kelly.
Thank you for your time.

Doing new residential construction in Charlotte. 3600 square feet, three-story European custom, cost-plus, almost fully framed, rough-in should start in ~two weeks, weather willing.
Signed my contract with my builder (whoo up to this point has been great) back in November, so we've had time to work through so many things, but the HVAC system has been an ever-growing thorn in my side.
My architect originally drew in four zones for the HVAC system. One per floor, plus another for an enclosed sunroom (so that we didn't have to heat and cool it when not in use, given that it''s got so much glass). My builder, at the time, said "Oh, wow - that's a lot. Normally we'd only do one per floor", but that was that.
I started asking for a detailed design in ... January? Since we didn't fully agree on the HVAC system, I said "Hey, let's get the HVAC person to do the design, quote it out, and see how much it costs." I asked that nearly every month as we moved through permitting, demo, footings, foundation... It was never a high enough priority. Finally, in around March, their HVAC sub came back with "3600 square feet? Needs about 7 tons. We'll use a 3 ton unit and a 4 ton unit. $40,000." I'm no mechanical engineer, but that smelled fishy to me (because I'm an electrical engineering professional) and I'd normally expect to see a Manual J at the very least. So I asked for one, and one never came.
I found someone (through this sub!), and paid them to do the Manual J for me. He's an LG professional, and he did a great job. Strong recommend. Turns out my triple pane European windows, and 6" of insulation, and a bunch of other design choices, meant I needed only 2.7 tons of HVAC (before losses), and after he then did the Manual D for me, we had drawn up a system needing only 4 total units - all mid-pressure ducted mini-splits, one ton each. Even took into account the joists, duct pathing, and more.
Handed it to my builder and said "This is how this should go. It doesn't have to be LG - could be Mitsubishi, Fujitsu, or Daikin - all four of those integrate with my smart-home system. Can you have one of your preferred contractors quote this?"
So we sat down with a new guy. Talked through the J and D, focusing on important trade-offs in the design. e.g. "We can do two wall-mounted air handlers here and here, or a single mid-static pressure ducted unit here. Whichever is cheaper." Talked about brands, and zoning, and such. He said he'd have something back to us in ~2 days.
9 days later, I get back a quote for $59,500, saying "Luxaire HVAC system for home".
That's all. No mention of why he went off-script with the brand, no mention of how many tons per unit, how many units, how he proposed ducting it, or ... anything.
I am pissed. I see people talk on here about getting actual proposals, with part numbers, or better yet, full Wrightsoft plansets. I told my builder that I thought this was bullshit, and that I'd never sign off on a quote with such little detail as "He could give me a candle and an ice-cube and call that an HVAC system, and meet the terms of his $60,000 contract!"
So we're 2-3 weeks out from rough-in, and my builder is "But he's really good, and has done our last 15 houses" and I'm just ... pissed, shocked, disappointed, and more.
Am I expecting too much? If I hand someone a full manual J and D, with a proposed design, shouldn't that be a good thing? I would expect that would make the quote easier to do? It even feels overpriced - all of my joists are 18" tall open-web, so there's literally no drilling through joists. You can 'just' run the duct straight-shot through it? I just feel like I'm getting over-priced, under-designed bids, and my builder just keeps saying "These are good guys, don't stress about it."

My husband and I bought a home in Simi Valley, CA in May of 2018. It’s 1100 sq ft, 2 + 1. Since then We now have two kids and my mother with us so space is tight 😂 but our interest rate is great! We are thinking about options of converting our garage to a master bed and bathroom and home office!
Do we have to go the official ADU route ? Or can we just simply convert to more living space? Any advice? We have a two car garage so it will be about 600-700 more feet of space which is great.

The recent landslide in Papua New Guinea is a horrendous tragedy, and I want to be respectful to those who have died and sympathise with those affected. Reading articles I cannot fully understand the scale of the tragedy, numbers of houses, people and area affected keep growing, and the scale is now mind boggling... And I have some suspicions that the disaster is being used by bad actors to cover themselves. Maybe I'm not understanding the geographical realities of this disaster which is why I'm here asking for the opinions of people with more understanding.

the acting director of Papua New Guinea’s National Disaster Center Luseta Laso Mana said the landslide “buried more than 2,000 people alive” AP link
The landslide left debris up to eight metres deep across 200 square kilometres, cutting off road access and making relief efforts difficult, CARE said. Reuters via CBC

But in contrast the area affected is quoted as being quite modest:

Debris 6 to 8 meters (20 to 26 feet) deep covering an area the size of three or four football fields (AP)

Which is about 30,000m² or 0.03km²
From the MAXAR images on the AP the debris field can be matched to Google maps and measures about 200m wide and 500m long, or 100,000m² to be generous.
At this area for 2000 people the density is 50m² per person or 20,000 people per km² roughly the same as Paris which is obviously impossible for a sparsely populated hillside. Looking at the satellite imagery from before I can only make out 8 buildings, most only 5x5m. Being generous this is 250m² of floor space, it is impossible to even fit these 2000 people standing in this space. Taking the UN's lower number of 670 and that the disaster happened at 3am so we should assume people were sleeping each building could accommodate people laying on an their side with just 1.8m by 21cm to fit them all in. It doesn't make sense, this isn't the main village, just a few substance farmers houses. Am I missing something here or does this not add up?
Tinfoil hat time, and I will happily remove this section if the mods feel necessary. There are two situations here which may provide the means and motives to exaggerate the numbers of casualties in this disaster: the mining company, the ongoing tribal wars. - There are statements about the majority of the casualties being young men drawn to the local gold mine. This village is on the only road leading to the mine which is now only accessible by helicopter. One can imagine various reasons for the mining company to use the genuine disaster to cover for a history of mining accidents or for maximising insurance payouts. A local building company sent an excavator to help the recovery but was refused access. - The area is part of the ongoing tribal wars, that the government is claiming 2000 mostly young men are feared missing could be a way to cover some dark truth of this conflict. Aid convos can only travel in daylight with armed guards. Either of these, or other theories could explain the exaggerated scale of the disaster, I include these to contextualise why I am doubting these claims and asking more about the geographical realities.

Summary During a eventfull evening with the Glenwood pack. Seer is chased by their mate Beth as pay back for them leaving her on the ladder alone. When things go wrong but may have a positive outcome Notes My first story so I'm not very good at this. I wrote this on Google docs. It's a fan fic/AU See the end of the work for more notes
Seer turns into a shifter
TW: Blood Violence I imagine myself as Seer in this story. Seer stands near the front door to the den during Thanks giving when they suddenly hear. Beth: "where is my mate" Seer dashes out the door and runs into the woods with wolf Beth right behind them. While in the trees Beth catches up and jumps on Seers back pinning them to the ground. She pushes her paws into Seers body nut since she's upset she uses too much of her strength and blood begins to gush out of their wound. Horrified Beth jumps off before frantically turning back. She begins to Shreak Beth: Claire Claire. Claire stands in her living room with Knight and Genieve thinking that its best to let Seer and Beth sort of their conflict. Geneve hears Beth screaming and smells Seers blood. She uses her Valp abilities to speed into the woods with Calire and Knight following. They run right into the woods and see Seer lying on the ground with Beth kneeling next to them her tears soaking the soil. Claire kneels down and examines Seers wound while Knight and Evie try to comfort Beth as she falls I to their arms. Knight: what happened. Beth tries to explain but her sobs get in the way. Evie: don't worry Beth Claire can heal them she's a mighty blood mage. It's going to be OK. Claire: they've lost a lot of blood she says hardly keeping her voice steady. Even if I heal them it might be too late. Evie: what if we give them a blood transfusion that would work. Knight: but then they'd be a shifter too like us. Claire: it should be their choice but it's not like we can ask. We can't use my blood I'll need my strength to make sure their body accepts the new blood Knight: use mine I can take it. I'm strong enough. And they'd do it for me. Beth shakes her head Use mine I'm the reason there in this mess and they're my mate. Claire agrees and she uses her magic to transfer some of Beth's blood into Seer Beth: OH God I hope this works. She sobs. W we c c can't lose anyone else she cries harder thinking about that night and all the blood that was spilled. Evie gently picks up Seer and carries them up stairs into one of the spare rooms and places them in a soft bed. Seer lies there fast asleep with Beth right next to them staring at them thinking replaying the accident over and over again. "All this because they didn't hold a ladder. And off corse they're going to blame themselves for this" Claire: it's not your fault Beth or theirs sometimes things happen that we can't control. All of a sudden there's the sound of loud footsteps charging up the stairs and Simon barges into the room. Simon: Knight told me what happened. Claire are they going to be ok. What can I do? Claire: they should be fine we've given them a blood transfusion so their going to be a shifter now. Can you go get some food and water for Beth she's going to need it after the blood she's lost. Simon nods and walks away down the stairs. And returns with food. Beth tries to eat but it's like chewing carpet. She continues to stare at Seers wound and their face. Along with Simeon. He feels fatherly love for Seer thinking back to the time he welcomed them into their pack and how he hugged them so tight he thought he had broken Seers rib. Simeon: people always look so young when they sleep. All the stress melts away. Especially for them since their visons make them worried alot. He Says Beth nods. Theyll shift before they wake up since their body is still getting used to its new blood you'll have to calm them down and explain honey. Claire finishes healing Seers wound and yawns. "I need to go to bed ill need my strength back incase anything goes wrong when Seer wakes up in the morning." Claire hugs Beth before walking out of the room with Simeon following The next day Seers body shifts into their wolf form and they begin the stir and suddenly wake and begin to thrash around and yelp with pain. Beth quickly moves foreword and pushes Seer back down onto the bed Beth: "ssssshhhhh beautiful it's OK it's OK. I'm here I'm here.” Seer starts to calm down and make snarling sounds of confusion. While trying to take deep breaths. They start to roll over and fall out of the bed onto the floor. Beth rubs their hand and pulls Seers head onto her lap. "Beautiful it's OK. You're not dreaming you're a shifter like me now. After last night we had to give you some of my blood since you lost too much. So now you're like me. You'll always be a shifter but don't worry you'll be able to turn onto your human form. After while. I'll reach you how once you get some of your strength back." Seer begins to look around the room. Beth knows Seer well enough that she knows they're looking for the others even through they can't talk as a wolf Beth: "the Claire Simeon Knight and Evie are here but they're keeping their distance since having too many people around might be overwhelming for you. " I I'm so sorry beautiful so so sorry" she begins to tear up again and Seer whimpers and rubs their head against her trying to calm her down and tell her it's not her fault. Beth takes a deep breath. And starts to calm herself. You know Isla is going to be jealous that you shifted before her. Says Simon walking onto the room and bending down to rub Seers muzzle. Beth: Simeon you're not supposed to be in here yet. You'll overwhelm them. Simeon: oh relax they're fine right he says looking at Swer who nods weakly and tries to smile despite having sharper teeth. Beth: that's right beautiful try to rest. Now. In a couple of days we'll gather the whole pack and go for a run. It'll be amazing gliding through the woods. I still remember the first time I ran as a wolf I felt so free and powerful. Seer and Beth both climb back into the bed together and fall onto a deep sleep holding eachother in a loving embrace.
The morning after
Chapter Summary Seer wakes up the morning after Thanksgiving and has to get used to their new form and abilities
Seers eyes flutter open. There still in their wolf form and look over and see human Beth snuggled up next to them. Feeling her warmth. They feel excited to know what's it's like for Beth when she shifts to comfort them in the night when their visons make their anxiety flaire up. Seer lifts up their head and sniffs the air through their nose. And they feel completely overwhelmed by the seats that are in the room from their own smell to Beth's to the cotton sheets and blanket and traces of Claire and Simeon. Their sudden movements wake up Beth who groans sleepily still tired from her sleepless night watching Seer. She gently reaches up and strokes Seers muzzle. Beth: “I know it's overwhelming but you'll get used to it with time. Try to breathe slowly” Seer sticks our their tounge between their teeth like a puppy dog and makes a big show of panting slowly. Beth is torn between being annoyed with her mates sarcasm and being glad they're in a good enough mode to be a smartass. She giggles. As they stare at eachother with the loving gaze they always use when they share a moment. Seer always knew that they would face any challenge for Beth regardless of its their visons or being a shifter. It is always worth it. Not that Seer minds being a shifter they're over the moon about it. And they think about all the things that they'll be able to do with their pack. Their family. Claire walks into the room then. She smiles seeing Beth and Seer together. Somethings never change she thinks to herself. Claire: “Glad to see you're well rested. Through now it's the middle of the night. The rest of the packs here. Through they're outside near the bonfire. They want to see you. You up for it? Beth looks over at Seer who nods excitedly before gently jumping off the bed careful not to scratch Beth with their claws or land on Claire. They stretch their muscles and shake their fur like a wet dog. Beth: “don't worry beautiful I'll brush you later. Before I teach you to change back. Seer wags their tail at Beth before they start to slowly walk out of the room still Abita unsure since their on four legs. They start to walk through the rooms door way. It's a tight squeeze. Beth: “suck it in Beatiful.” And giggles. Seer gets through the door and turns around tencing up their muscles to show off. Before they keep walking down the hallway. On the way to the stairs they walk past a mirror. They stop and walk back to stare at their reflection. They strike a pose. Thinking “oooooo hello” and they wink at their own image. Claire: “Come on Seer before I have Simeon Knight and Evie carry you down the stairs like a disobedient puppy.” Seer walks down the stairs carefully not wants to do wolf matrix move outtakes on the way down. They reach the bottom of the stairs and put their paws on the front door like a dog needing to go outside. Claire walks up and opens the door. Knowing the wind must have blown it shut. Seer walks to the front of the den with Beth at their side and Claire not far behind. They each feel the chilly air Travel up their bodied. The pack is waiting for them excitedly around the bonfire keeping warm. Simon stands up and walks over to Seer as they approach the fire rejoicing in the warmth it provides. Simon places a plate infront of Seer. Simon: “your first meal as a wolf my child.” Seer loves the taste especially now that their senses are stronger and they wolf it down while Simon pets them like a house pet. The rest of the pack continues to stare at Seer in awe of their new form. Isla runs up to Seer and hugs them. They bend down and hug them back as she seems to sink into Seers fur. The wind picks up blowing more of Isla scent into Seers nose and again they are overwhelmed by it along with the scents of the rest of the pack and the forest. Seer shakes their head to try and clear. Isla: Ooops sorry Seer I forgot it can be overwhelming. It'll be thr same for me when I first shift. Seer yelps excited to Isla and steps forward before giving her a huge lick across her face. Like a house dog. “Ewww” says Isla as Allen and Hazel laugh along with the rest of the pack. Tristan: “You should have seen that coming kid” he says before giggling. Isla: “has Ranger stuck a dog collar on you lately Triscuit” Beth: “Yeah Triscuit Kakis told me you need to stop getting caught out in the woods” Claire: “Speaking of the woods who wants to go for a run with me Seer and Beth tonight?” Hazel and Allen refuse since they want to stay with Isla since she needs to sleep. Ro and Tristan want to stay behind since they want to start working on some overalls for Seer. Simeon: I'll go. I want to be with my child on this special occasion. Claire: alright let's go change into our overalls. Me and Simon will go first. Beth: I'll stay with you beautiful until the others get back. You shouldn't be alone right now this is still alot for you. When Claire and Simeon get back I'll go get changed” Simeon and Claire walk away. Leaving Beth and Seer alone in the forest. Beth: you're doing so well beautiful. I'm so proud of you. And despite what happened I'm glad I can share such a big part of my life with you. I'm also glad that the others are happy as well. Through they already adored you. Seer wags their tail. And thinks “It's not just me who did well its also Claire she healed me and you for being so strong through everything you been through both before and now. You're so strong love plus you're hot headed and stubborn which also helps. Claire and Simeon walk back outside and Beth strokes Seer one more time before walking towards the den to change into her overalls.
Seers first run
Chapter Summary As a right of passage of being a shifter Seer now gets to run through the woods of the pack territory with their mate
After Claire Beth and Simeon shift into their wolf forms. Beth steps forward towards Seer and rubs her muzzle against them. Seer feels the warmth of her body and hot breath against their face as well as love. Despite them still not used to being in their wolf form it feels oddly right. Like now they belong Suddenly Seer hears a soft voice in their head. Which for a normal person would feel unusual but to them they feel oddly used to it since they hear voices when they have their visons. Beth: “Beautiful can you hear me? Seer nods their head looking at Beth. Remember that she once mentioned that shifters can speak to each other telepathy when they're in their wolf forms. Beth: “You can talk to me as well like this. But only when you direct your through towards me” Seer: “What about Claire and Simeon? She they alright?” Beth: “yeah their fine. They're just keeping quiet since they don't want to overwhelm you. Start moving forward when you're ready. You don't need to rush we're going at your pace. And we'll be right here with you. Now try and concentrate on your senses what you hear and smell.” Seer raises their head and takes a deep breath of the chilly night air. They are amazed at all the things they smell. From the animals hiding away in the night along with the smells of soil and decaying plants. They perk up their ears and the wilderness comes alive with sound. Like a musical of nature. They hear the steps of animals dashing along the ground to the rustle of leaves blowing in the cold wind to the sounds of night insects chirping away. Seer is amazing by all these new experiences and is awed at how much they missed back when they were only a human with their dull senses. Beth: “Amazing isn't it? So much order and chaos all mixed together in a wonderful display of nature and beauty. Just like you” Seer feels energy and power surging through their muscles and they take off running into the wilderness with Beth right next to them and Claire and Simeon behind them. The forest feels dense but it seems to part ways allowing them through like it's molding itself into a passage just for them. Seer feels amazing as they rush through trees still hearing the beauty of their surroundings and basking in the smell and sights that dance in their mind. Seer feels a new feeling. They feel free. They've let go of all the stresses of being human. From the endless work days to the mundane chooses that always demand attention. The wind rushes over their body as they move making them feel apart of the incredible environment around them. It feels like heaven as they continue to rush into the night.
Playtime as a wolf
Chapter Summary Seer plays in the woods with their pack mates
Trigger warning: Violence (not sure if wrestling counts but it's worth mentioning) The wolves comtinue runbingbthrough the forest the moonlight shimmering through the trees. Suddenly they arrive in a wide clearing. As if nature had opened itself up so that they could stand in the open. They stare up at the star filled sky the moonlight glistening in their wide eyes as they bask in the beauty of the universe. Seer: “Amazing isn't it. They say In awe still staring up transfixed. Beth: “Yes it is. But it still has nothing on you beautiful” she says softly and warmly stating at her make as the moonlight glistens off there Grey fur. Seer turns back to Beth and they look into eachothers eyes with the same wonder and love that they did on the night that Beth confessed her love and Seer returned her passion. Claire and Simeon walk up to the two love birds in furcoats. And stretch their bodies still filler with energy from their run. Claire: you want to wrestle Beth? Since we didn't get a change too earlier at thanks giving. She says excitedly eying up her pack mate. Beth: maybe another time. I don't feel up to. Suddenly she jumps at Claire catching her off guard and they begin to roll along the dirt covered ground Beth taking a early advantage. Simeon walks up to Seer slowly and calmly. Amusement in his eyes as he watches his girls battle it out. Seer: it feels different watching now. Like I'm apart of the action that makes sense. Simeon: Yeah. It's pretty fun. Plus it sometimes gives us a change to practice healing magic. He chuckles happily. You and I can go if you feel comfortable. Through it wouldn't be a fair fight since I'm bigger than you.” Seer: Even so I could still take you they say confidently. Alright on the count of three They square up in front of each other and Seer count one, two then they take a tip from Beth and jump on Simeon and they both begin to rustle together laughing the whole time. But it ends with Simeon on top of Seer his bigger form giving him a edge. Seer: Beth Claire help our dad is too heavy for me they say in a joking pleading voice. Claire and Beth both suddenly stop and fake glare at Simeon. Simeon: “ooooo scary” they say in a fake scared voice that trembles mockingly Claire: “How about you pick on someone your own size Simeon” she says confidently drawing herself up to full height and mockingly growling along with Beth. Simeon: “I'm still bigger than you” he says matter of factly stating the obvious. Beth: “Maybe but can you take all 3 of us?” Seer gets to their feet and quickly runs up next to Beth ready for round 2 with their dad. Simeon: “you'll have to catch me first he says sticking out his tounge and dashing out of the clearing with his 3 children in hot pursuit.
After run brushing
Chapter Summary Being in the woods has lead to Seer being covered in dirt and debris so Beth decides to give Seer a nice brushing session like they did after Beth's hunting trips
Simeon dashes out of the tree line and towards the den. With Seer, Claire and Beth on his tail. He dashes towards the den and up the wooden steps and through the front door. He shifts back into his human form his overalls overnight his muscular body. and smiles smugly at the wolves as they come in. Simeon: “I won sweeties” and laughs before wiping the sweat off his forehead. Genieve: “wow looks like you lot had some fun. Maybe next time me and Knight can come too.” Claire and Beth stop easily and they also shift back. But Seer being inexperienced in their new form their overalls also shifting back and covering their body. Beths design working well. Slides along the shinny wooden floor and smacks into the wall across the room. Beth: “Beautiful you alright” Seer nods happily and shakes their head to clear it. They're tail is wagging like crazy smacking onto the side of their body and they pant with their tounge hanging out. Claire: “looks like someone needs some help calming down. Luckily their is a way we can help you with that. Isn't there Beth?” she says looking at Swer and putting their head gently. Beth: “that's right. Now it's my turn to pamper you beautiful. Now I'm going to go get my brush then you can experience the pleasure of being groomed.” She says happily before walking away up the stairs them creaking as she climbs Simeon also walks away to take a shower and change out of his overalls. As he waks past Seer he gives them a large stroke on their back. “I'll never forget this night. You won't either. It was amazing my child. I love you” he continues walking. Claire keeps staring at Seer before the sound of footsteps from the next room pulls her gaze away as Ranger steps into the room. Dressed in comfy evening wear along with their signature Ranger hat. Seer notices that when Claire sees Ranger her grin widens. And they feel even happier for her. And make a note to tell Beth and Simeon about it later. Claire: “Hey there hotshot. I'm guessing Knight and Evie told you about recent events” she says in a warm voice a little louder than normal since she feels excited about the nights run. Ranger smiles back at Ranger. “Evie said that next time we should all go together.” he says excitedly loving the idea Claire: “how would you keep up with us?” Ranger: “easy I'd borrow your bike.” They laugh. Seer continues watching and listening they feel so happy that their relationship seems to be going strong. After all Claire deserves it and so does Ranger. Beth walks down the stairs carrying her fur brush having kept her overalls on since she's probably going to be covered in wolf hair from Seers brushing. Beth sits on the floor next to her mate. And pats her lap inviting Seer to lie their head their. “Beautiful this is going to feel lovely after all I enjoy it when you do it for me” She begins sliding the brush gently along Seers fur making a warm sound as it flides along. Seers eyes flutter as their skin is messaged by Beth's warm hands and brush. Lose hair begins coming free of Seers form. And sticking to the brush. Ranger steps forward wanting to help Beth clean the brush. But they also want to study how Beth brushes Seer taking mental notes for when they will do it for Claire. Ranger also reaches up and starts to scratch Seer behind their ears. Making a scratching sound and causing Seer to whine like a puppy. Beth “see beautiful feels lovely doesn't it. Plus now you're the puppy not me she teases.” Seer pays attention to what Beth says since she is always their first priority regardless of the situation. But they decide to ignore the teasing aspect wanting to instead to let them all enjoy the moment and the warm feelings it gives them.
Seer speaks with the vampire Celiene
Chapter Summary Having some self doubt Seer decides to visit an old friend of the pack. Celiene since her age gives her alot of wisdom
On a dark cloudless night Seer runs through the woods alone as a wolf their powerful hearing the sounds of owls and night insects. When they finally reached the edge of the woods they slide to a stop. Since he feels nervous about what they are about to do his ears perk up subconsciously listening for any sounds of danger despite knowing that there wouldn't be any and even if there was the vampire court would rush to his aid should it be needed. Seer starts to think over what they are going to say for the hundredth time that night. While they look over the Manor house warm light shining through it's windows the blackout curtains being opened after sun set. Seer knew that the curtains extended towards the ground leaving no chance of sunlight getting through. Seer shakes their head to clear it. And to pull themselves back to reality. They tended to space out alot even without their visons they change into their form. And their overalls slide onto their body. Before walking towards the manors front door. They stare at the door its polished wood glistening in the moon and star light. Seer thinks about if they shoud know or just walk in. Celiene knows they're visiting having requested a invite awhile ago plus celiene knows they're there since she can hear them. Seer opens the door quietly and walks in the door doesn't make a sound since it's so well made and maintained. Seer enters the living room. The walls are painted dark colors and a fire crackles all to make the room feel cozy and warm to make the courts visitors feel ease. “Hello my dear Oracle.” a warm comforting voice says from the top of a set of stairs. There stands the vampire Queen Celiene dressed in a lose comfortable shirt and worn jeans. Still looking lovely as she calmly walks down the stairs looking like a beautiful godess. At the bottom of the stairs Celiene gives Seer a gentle hug. “you look well my dear. But where is Bethany?” Asks Celiene “She's at the Den sleeping. She offered to come but I wanted to be alone tonight. Besides she needs to rest since she's been super busy with her seamstress work and hunting with the pack. She deserves a night off” Celiene gestures to some furniture and they walk together and sit down. On a pair of leather seats near a coffee table “can I offer you a drink? Coffee? tea? Water?” Seer just shakes their head wanting to get to the reason they visiting. “Celiene do you miss being human or want to be human again?” Asks Seer leaning foreward. Celiene thinks about it. She leans back in her chair and pondered the question. “Well my dear. I don't remember my human life so I can't miss what I don't know. As for being human…. It has both upsides and downsides just like being a vampire. I have all the time in the world to read and study whatever I want plus i have my court. But I do sometimes wish I could go for a walk in the sunlight and I do miss all the people I've lost over my lifetime. Why do you ask?” Seer considers what she said. Noting that she does have good points “well you didn't choose to be turned into a vampire and their is no way back for you. It seems unfair” Celiene nods “my dear Oracle life is unfair for everyone. You need to make the most of your life and the choices you make” Seer nods and sits back again. “I didn't choose to be a shifter but if I could I would have. But….. I keep wondering if I'm still human. It feels wonderful when I'm a wolf it feels right. Like I'm free. Maybe I'm losing my old self” Seer looks down solemnly “Celiene leans foreward and puts her hands on Seers shoulder. “in wolf or human form you're still you. Just I'm still me even if I was turned. I believe that it feels better for you as a wolf because it allows you to let go” Seer looks at her confused Celiene explains “when your in your wolf form you don't have to act human and and can wrestle and play without having to worry about people judging you since you're a wolf.” Seer thinks about Cewolfs's words and smiles nodding “I imagine me being a wolf makes me feel like I belong with my pack” says Seer their eyes softening as they think about happy memories with Beth and the others “Bethany loved you before you became a shifter along with the rest of the pack” says Celiene. “they are the best thing that ever happened to me. And so are you” says Seer. “Thank you Celiene. I'm finally at peace” “Why didn't you speak to Bethany about all this?” Asks Celine giving them a curious look. “I thought about it….. But she still feels bad about hurting me. No matter how many times I tell her that it isn't her fault. I don't want to make her feel worse. She's done so much for me” “And you've done alot for her and her pack.” Says Celiene cutting in “Claire told me about the warning you gave Bethany about the poacher traps. And about the fire at the ranger station. You've brought safety and love to you're pack” Seer brushes her off but concedes she once again has a point. Seer and Celiene relax again and talk together until Seer falls asleep. Celiene thinks about calling Beth but she chooses to let her rest.
Troubling vison and a cozy bed
Chapter Summary During the night Seer has a vison while they sleep with Beth but they decide not to give her ang details about it since they don't want to worry her more
Beth and Seer stand on the dens balcony together its the very early morning Seer having been woken up by a nightmare. Through they aren't sure yet if it's a vison or if it was a regular nightmare. Beth is concerned but Seer puts on a brave face determined to not let Beth get more worried. Seer shivers in the cold while they take a deep breath hoping the chilled air of the wilderness will help them relax. “Love you can go back to sleep if you want too.” Says Seer turning to stare into Beth's beautiful eyes. But Beth shakes her head “they might be your visons but we're in this together now and forever” she says before pulling Seer closer to her. Eventually faitage gets the better of them and they walk together back inside being quiet not to wake up the others while they sneak back upstairs to the room Claire has lent them after she insisted Seer stay near her while they get used to being a shifter and Beth having refused to leave her mates side. They climb into their bed and relax on the thick matress with their warm blankets feeling cozy. “Honey will you shift for me?” Seer asks remembering back when they were ill and she let them cuddle with her wolf form to help them rest and get better. Beth nods quietly and she turns into her wolf form. Her fur is even thicker now due to the winter. Beth looks af Seer and they cant tell shes amsing if they're going to shift aswell since they know their mate well enough that they can tell what shes thinking. “I'd perfer to stay human since we don't want to break the bed” they say thinking about the time Knight and Evie did it. Secretly Seer also stays human since they don't want to risk accidently telling Beth what their vison was about since if they're both wolves they can communicate through their minds and Seer isn't used to censoring their thoughts. The love wolves snuggle up to each other and Seer puts their head against Beth's furry chest while Beth wraps her paws around Seer. They both drift off to sleep. Seer feeling warm and cozy but still troubled about what they saw.
Seer goes feral
Chapter Summary Seer starts to let their emotions go to Claire about their visons and being a Oracle
Seer wakes up in their bed still lying next to Beth, their mate still sleeps peacefully beside them. Seer quietly slips out off bed and walks out if the room. They walk down the stairs and met Claire who just came back from her early morning run. “You alright Seer? You look exhausted” Seer looks at her. “I I don't know” Claire gestures towards the couch in the dens living room and they sit down together facing each other “when you're ready” says Claire. Seer nods takes a deep breath and begins “Sometimes I hate having visons. Especially of bad things happening its only a possibility but that's the problem. I'm never sure about what to do about it. if I should say something or not. Since trying to avoid something might cause it to happen. But if I say nothing then you're not ready. I keep going in circles. Plus I'm an oracle so I could be seeing things that aren't real or could be the past or present which means that its already too late to do anything. Seer shudders and Claire keeps looking at Seer with concern not wanting to interrupt I told you about the fire at the ranger station and all that did was result in Ranger getting hurt. But if I didn't tell you it could have been worse. Seer starts to cry “Seer you're not being fair to yourself. You've done alot for us. You told us about the poacher traps that saved us from getting hurt. We're still greatful for that. “B but what about Evie. I didn't see her getting turned and now she's stuck in a fate she didn't choose and Knight aswell. Seer starts to hyperventilate. “Seer you need to calm down. You're still a new shifter this is dangerous” says Claire but Seer can't calm themselves and they start to shift. They begin to snarl at Claire like a mad beast. “Simon”Claire says quietly. While she slowly steps away from the wolf knowing that Seer isn't themselves and if they're threatening Seer might see them as a threat. Simon walks in and steps between Seer and Claire. “Seer I know you're in there” says Simon in vain. Claire “we just need to wait for them to snap out of it” says Claire. Both she and Simon continue to slowly back away as Seer continues to snarl their spit falling from their mouth onto the floor Beth wakes up and hears snarling she comes to investigate but stops dead on the stairs seeing whats happening bellow “Beth come help Seer calm down seeing you might make them snap out of it” Beth slowly walks down the stairs and looks deeply into her mates eyes and sees an animal behind them. “Beautiful? You need to calm down. Everything is going to be ok” says Beth still staring at Seers eyes. “they're terrified about their visons and the future” says Claire still weary “Beautiful remember those classes I took? They were so we could talk about your visons without freaking out. Like we did when you called me to help you sleep. We can talk about this. You need to come back to me.” Seers eyes begin to clear and they seem to snap awake. They take deep breaths and turn back into their human form. Seer realizes what happened. And begins to sob falling towards their knees “I'm sorry love. I I could have hurt you” Beth rushes foreward and Seer falls into her arms sobing like crazy while Beth tries to soothe them reassuring them it wasn't their fault and that they didn't do anything.

Hi everyone,
I completed my international trips several days ago. I used to enjoy flights, especially the long ones, as they felt like I gained some extra uninterrupted time, almost like being in another space. But on a recent trip, the turbulence was pretty bad. As someone who easily gets motion sickness and has a fear of heights, I was so scared that I couldn't imagine how I'd get back... Also, right before my last flight, the SQ incident happened, which just exaggerated my anxiety to another level. I was so scared that I couldn't control myself. Just thinking of it makes my heart race, and I felt like I might have a mental breakdown.
I spent several nights scrolling through this group, reading many posts and comments from you all. I started to learn the facts, but it was so hard to convince myself to fully accept them and calm down. However, I'm still here! I tag this post as a success because I want to share something that really helped me through. Although most points are well mentioned by others several times, I just want to contribute one more data point to show that this actually works!

• The day before the flights, I downloaded my favorite shows, my Spotify playlist, and some podcast episodes.
• Before the flight, I had a meal that was about 70% full for me, two hours before takeoff. One hour before takeoff, I took Dramamine. I also went to the restroom right before boarding.
• After boarding, the captain gave a quick briefing about the flight and mentioned "moderate turbulence." I was so upset, but there's nothing I can do about that turbulence. I reminded myself that I did well by taking the medicine in advance, and I didn't have to eat much or go to the restroom at least for the first half of the flight.
• I kept my seatbelt fastened and had a blanket ready. It made me comfortable and gave me something to hold onto if I got worried. I wore slippers so my feet could relax.
• When the turbulence started and continued for a long time, it wasn't as bad as I had imagined. I had some crazy thoughts that my brain just couldn't stop imagining before I got on the plane... I noted this good difference and encouraged myself that it was manageable.
• During turbulence, I took my feet off the ground, closed my eyes, turned the volume up, and just listened to my music. Sometimes, I moved my body or head along with the music (or the turbulence lol). These tricks really helped me feel better.
• Whenever the turbulence eased, I took several deep breaths, like a ritual, to calm my heart and mind, and rewarded myself with a sip of lemonade as a little celebration for the milestone. It may not work like magic, but small things like this really help a lot.

When the turbulence ended, I couldn't express how grateful and proud I felt, especially considering I almost backed out. I remembered what people in this community said: there are professionals working to ensure our flights are safe and comfortable. My worries exist, but many aspects are taken care of by professionals. For those parts, I might never fully understand to double confirm and I actually don't have to (like how to interpret those radars, how to maneuver the flights to avoid turbulence, how the airplane is designed, how the system works, etc.), and repeating this fact to myself eases some of my worries. People are on this!
Another thing is that I might still be afraid, but I can manage it. There are ways to make us feel better. I also continuously think of the metaphor that if you learn about car or bus accidents, you probably will still use them without panic, compared to flights. Although they are different, being on the ground feels safer, but statistically, you're not safer than in the air. The air moves, although we cannot see it, it is just like waves or bumps on the road. Thinking of it this way helps me stop some crazy irrelevant imaginations.
I hope this helps! Huge thanks to RealGentleman80 and I wish everyone a safe trip! You'll be alright :)

An industrial building located at 533 Concord Avenue in Mott Haven, Bronx, was sold for $4 million. The property spans 6,792 square feet with a price per square foot of $589, while the price per buildable square foot stands at $229.

Summary of transaction details:

• Property Type: Industrial
• Transaction Amount: $4,000,000
• Buyer: Meilech Friedman
• Seller: Usher Steinmetz, Jacob Steinmetz, & Solomon Steinmetz
• Lender: Broadview Capital
• Building Square Footage: 6,792
• Price Per Square Foot: $589

Meilech Friedman, through Concord Residence LLC, finalized the purchase of the industrial property from Usher, Jacob, and Solomon Steinmetz of New Concord Realty LLC. Additionally, Friedman secured an $8.2 million construction loan from Broadview Capital to facilitate the acquisition.
Learn More: Meilech Friedman Acquires Industrial Building From Usher, Jacob & Solomon Steinmetz In Mott Haven, Bronx

An anonymous buyer, via 301 West 4th Holdings LLC, paid $10 million to DFH Partners for a mixed-use building at 301 West 4th Street in Manhattan. The property spans 3,007 square feet, amounting to a price per square foot of $3,326.

Summary of transaction details:

• Property Type: Mixed-use
• Transaction Amount: $10,000,000
• Address: 301 West 4th Street
• Market: West Village, Manhattan
• Buyer: 301 West 4th Holdings LLC
• Seller: Sage Fuchs - DFH Partners

The sale at 301 West 4th Street in Manhattan was facilitated by Sage Fuchs representing DFH Partners and the buyer's agency, 301 West 4th Holdings LLC.
Learn More: 301 West 4th Holdings LLC Buys Mixed-Use Building In West Village, Manhattan

When you buy a flat in a building, you may notice an interesting paradox. On one hand, the building and flat are aging and becoming weaker over time. But on the other hand, the price of the flat keeps increasing. Why does this happen? And what would happen to your investment if the building structure becomes unsafe or collapses due to a natural calamity? The answers lie in understanding the concept of UDS or undivided share in land.
What is Undivided Share (UDS) in Land? When you purchase a flat in an apartment building or housing society, you are also getting shared ownership of the land on which the building is constructed. This is known as undivided share (UDS) in land. Here are the key things to know about UDS:

• Flat owners have proportional ownership rights to the land on which the building stands
• In cooperative housing societies, the land is owned by the society as a whole and flat owners are shareholders in the society based on the size of their flat
• UDS represents your share of the land, but there are no defined physical boundaries demarcating each owner's specific share
• If the building is demolished or redeveloped in the future, property owners receive compensation based on their UDS

So while the flat itself depreciates over time as the building ages, the value of the UDS increases along with rising land prices. This is why flat prices go up despite the structure getting older.
How is UDS Calculated? The UDS for each flat is calculated using a specific formula:
UDS = (Individual apartment super built-up area) / (Sum of super built-up area of all apartments) * (Total land area)
For example, let's consider a housing society with 100 flats - 50 flats of 2BHK with a super built-up area of 1000 sq ft each, and 50 flats of 3BHK with an area of 1500 sq ft each. The total land area is 100,000 sq ft.
The total super built-up area is: (50 x 1000) + (50 x 1500) = 125,000 sq ft
For a 2BHK flat, the UDS would be: 1000 / 125,000 * 100,000 = 800 sq ft of land share
For a 3BHK flat, it would be: 1500 / 125,000 * 100,000 = 1200 sq ft of land share
This means that if the building is redeveloped, owners of 2BHK flats would be entitled to compensation equivalent to 800 sq ft of land, while 3BHK flat owners would get compensation for 1200 sq ft.
Key Points to Remember When Buying a Flat

1. Make sure the sale agreement clearly mentions the UDS for your flat
2. Verify that the UDS mentioned by the buildeseller matches what is documented in the agreement
3. In cooperative housing societies, you will receive a share certificate indicating your ownership share in the society

Understanding how UDS works gives you clarity on why flat prices appreciate and how your investment is protected even if the building structure deteriorates over time. The undivided share in the land provides proportional ownership and serves as a security that entitles you to compensation if the building is demolished or reconstructed. As a flat buyer, ensure that the UDS is clearly stated and be aware of your ownership rights in the land.

NanoDefense Pro Reviews: Is It A Clinically Supported Formula For Nail Health?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fungal nail infections are common in the US and may affect up to 14% of the general population. This could be why toenail infection supports are produced now and again. Yet, the number of those dealing with skin problems, including toe and nail infections seems to be on the rise.
NanoDefense Pro is a new skincare dietary supplement that is made with six natural ingredients that are carefully collected and produced under sterile conditions into liquid to remedy toe and nail conditions and enhance skin beauty. Made in an FDA-approved and GMP-certified facility, it is presumed to be safe for consumption. The formula seems to have a high reception of online positive reviews from customers.
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It is opined that the NanoDefense Pro supplement traces the root cause of toe and nail infections and supports clean and healthy nails. Despite the enormity of skincare supplements on the market, none has been able to meet the user’s expectations. I will be making attempts to prove this safe with this NanoDefense Pro review so that you can be properly guided before deciding to purchase it.

NanoDefense Pro Reviews: Exploring The Ingredients, Benefits, Side Effects, And More!

The NanoDefense Pro review will include the ingredients used, the benefits, pros and cons, the side effects, plus the pricing. More of the analysis will touch on the customer reviews, the available bonuses, verdicts, conclusions, and recommendations. A section is set aside for frequently asked questions and answers.
NameNanoDefense Pro CategoryNail health support formula FormLiquid Net Weight15 ml SpecialtyMade on nano-particles (based on nanotechnology aspects) Ingredients▪️ Nano-Silver ▪️ Nano-Curcumin ▪️ Nano-Quercetin ▪️ Luteolin ▪️ Deoxyribonuclease ▪️ Cape Aloe Main Benefits▪️ Nurtures healthy nail and skin ▪️ Reduces fungal infections ▪️ Reduces inflammation ▪️ Provide nutrition to nails ApplicationApply on the affected area (an appropriate amount) Side EffectsNothing reported Cost$69 Bonuses2 bonuses available Refund60 days Available onNanoDefense Pro official website

NanoDefense Pro Ingredients And Their Benefits

Here are the ingredients used for the production of the NanoDefense Pro foot microbiome support.

Nano-Silver

This NanoDefense Pro ingredient is in more particulate forms than silver. It has antimicrobial properties which make it effective against skin infections. It is also suggested to be a good remedy for acne. The particles are found to disrupt and destroy the structure of the fungus cell membranes and inhibit its normal budding process.
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➡️Nano-Curcumin

Nano-curcumin is renowned for its treatment of many health-related problems and medicinal properties. Besides, nano-curcumin is said to have anti-inflammatory properties which help in wound healing and skin breakout prevention.

➡️Nano-Quercetin

The ingredient is found to be rich in antioxidants which help protect against heart conditions. Aside from the presence of antioxidants, the plant-based ingredient helps to reduce skin inflammation, aging, and wound itching. It also helps to reduce skin whitening. It is also popular for its ability to reduce skin redness, and damaged skin inflammation.

➡️Luteolin

This is a form of flavonoid that seems to possess anti-oxidative, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory properties. Plants rich in Luteolin find use in Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of hypertension, inflammatory diseases, and even cancer.

➡️Deoxyribonuclease

This plant-based ingredient in the NanoDefense Pro drops is an enzyme that seems to perform a variety of roles. Among its numerous functions, the enzyme helps in the removal of dead skin and tissue for wound healing. It is known to foster the protection of skin against infectious organisms.

➡️Cape Aloe

Also known as forex or bitter aloe, aloe vera is a species of flowering plant that traces its origin to South Africa. Cape Aloe has numerous health benefits as it is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

How Does NanoDefense Pro Function?

NanoDefense Pro nail health solution leverages the naturalness and potency of its ingredients to affect youthful skin for an improved appearance. Specialized nanoparticles in the formulation ingredients help to improve the microbiome to enhance the health of toes, nails, and general skin appearance.
They work in synergy to eliminate dry skin and nail fungus. NanoDefense Pro liquid works for both men and women without special consideration of their health history, age, and genetics.
Advantages Linked With NanoDefense Pro
The following is what you stand to benefit from using the NanoDefense Pro nail-soothing formula.
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• Renewed Skin Formation

NanoDefense Pro fungus relief supplement helps to rejuvenate the skin using the antioxidant capacity of the ingredients used. Other nutrients contained in the ingredients used such as minerals, and vitamins also work together to rejuvenate the skin for a younger and more beautiful look.

• Nail And Feet Health

The ingredients used for the production of this healthy skin infection relief work together to fight off the activities of fungus on the toes of the feet, thereby resulting in healthy and renewed fingernails.

• Detoxification

The nutrient-rich ingredients infused in the NanoDefense Pro nanotechnology formula synergistically function to eliminate toxins such as fungi from the body thereby promoting healthy living among users.
The formula also helps to reduce inflammation, provides essential nutrition, and promotes overall nail and skin health support.