I've seen a lot of people writing Danny as a space ancient and Dan and Dani as ghosts with moon and sun cores, being sort of parts, versions of Danny and therefore weaker. Now, consider: Dan and Dani are both powerful ghosts with really cool cores and stuff but Danny is just some guy™

Dan, who came from an alternate timeline and is kind of from the future but also not, is Clockwork's apprentice and will eventually become an ancient of time. He probably only agreed to have some lessons with Clockwork to understand better what happened to him, but he enjoys his apprenticeship now.

Dani, with her love of travelling, loves seeing all the different places the world offers to her, and that includes space and different planets and maybe even parallel universes, and she accidentally ends up being an apprentice of the space ancient. For now she's probably a baby ancient of freedom or something like that, but she might become an ancient of space in the future.

We can also have something like Dan having a core of destruction or Dani being the Speed Force if you want it to be dcxdp, or any headcanon of yours about their cool powers.

And then there's Danny. And yeah, everyone knows that he's super powerful, but also he's just some guy.

It can go different routes. Does everyone know that Danny is just Danny? Or do they think that with siblings (well, technically a clone and an alternate version, but whatever) so powerful, he must be even stronger? Is Danny actually something terrifyingly eldritch and ancient and strong, almost a god, but he just doesn't know himself? Or is he just really some guy?

Now, because it's obvious that I have a dcxdp brainrot, have a regular "JL summons/meets a powerful ghost" but its Dan and Dani, and they keep mentioning their original/brother who won a fight against them at some point. The JL is very concerned about Dan and Dani's godlike powers, and they can't imagine what Danny is like. And then they meet him (in his human form), and it's just a young adult in casual clothes, very friendly and helpful, with no evident powers. Imagine the confusion. Imagine Dan and Dani, radiating power, in their eldritch ghost forms, admitting that fighting Danny for real is the dumbest thing to do and not even they would succeed... And then there's Danny is jeans and silly t-shirt, waving shyly.

18 and 33

18: rant about your favorite musician

So I was bullied pretty badly as a kid at school and at home, and there was a period of time where I was drowning in a sea of age-appropriate content that felt extremely condescending and fake - it wouldn't ever engage with the idea of being sad or depressed in a serious and nuanced manner outside of the token "you're sad now but things aren't so bad!" message. Most adult media I had access to at the time, mostly shitty early-00's action movies airing on TV, was very vapid and about as thematically hollow as the age appropriate stuff. Nothing really represented me and made me feel heard, nothing validated what I was going through and the negativity I was feeling towards others and myself.

As a 12 year old, I found the media which finally validated the depression, hurt and general violent negativity that existed within me due to all of my negative experiences.

And that media...

was End of Evangelion, an anime movie in which the apocalypse happens in an immeasurably bizarre and fucked up way, where there's a bunch of overt giant robot violence but also very alarming and grounded person-to-person violence, and where the ending is unendingly bleak.

I then found the Mountain Goats through a show called Moral Orel when I was 16, and I lamented the fact that I hadn't found them before I found one of the bleakest anime movies of all time to cope with what I was going through. Because my Evangelion fandom ultimately did me a lot of harm - and while I was a stupid kid at times in how I engaged with the Mountain Goats (sending John stupid asks on Tumblr like a fucking asshole), there was a much more resonant catharsis that came with the music I heard, and it facilitated healing over time rather than escapism and outright nihilism.

I feel like had I found them earlier, I could have negated some of the harm I did to myself - like Tallahassee came out when I was 6, and I was pirating music all the time on LimeWire from 13 onwards. There's a hypothetical past where my music piracy led me to find the Mountain Goats way earlier than I eventually did, and it would have changed my life forever.

The Mountain Goats laid out a template for how I found all of my other favorite bands. There was the initial hook - the prerequisite "No Children" and "Old College Try" from Moral Orel - followed by immense overplay, followed by branching out into their other music. Once the connection has been made to a strong base of starter songs, I then get interested in listening to full albums, which is where I find the second wave of songs to latch on to after the first wave gets overplayed. Rinse and repeat until I've exposed myself to all of their music. TMG was the first band to facilitate this process, and I've done the same thing to every "core" musical act I've listened to since.

What I like about the Mountain Goats is that they're not afraid to broach difficult subjects? The Sunset Tree is a masterpiece in this regard, there's a level of vulnerability on that album that you don't get from most other artists - the closest equivalent I can think of is A Crow Looked At Me by Mt. Eerie, about the singer's wife dying of cancer.

There was a part of me that used to approach The Sunset Tree with a lurid voyeurism, a desire to validate my own pain by engaging with the pain that the album puts out there - but now when I hear songs like Hast Thou Considered The Tetrapod, I'm capable of seeing a broader picture and having more than just the desire to be validated by listening to another person's trauma. I would consume media like this to feed an unending hunger, but now I take it in bite sized portions and stay mindful of what it represents outside of my own experience.

One thing I want to talk about is John's early work, because when I started listening to the band I couldn't stand the lo-fi stuff. The whirring sound gave me a headache. But over time I've built up a strong base of his earlier material, even stuff he considers an old shame, that I absolutely adore.

The first "going to" song, to my understanding, is Going to Chino. And if you haven't heard Going to Chino, I recommend it - it's silly, it's overwrought and it's passionate. You'll never hear a more earnest commendation of a town's access to the 60 freeway in any other songs on earth. There's also Minnesota, which to this day might be John Darnielle's most romantic song. He acknowledges that he's a different person than when he started making music and he prefers to move forward as opposed to living in the past, but there's a lot of power in songs like No, I Can't or Yoga, regardless of how far removed he becomes from the self that made them.

My favorite song might be From TG&Y, because it hits on a very personal note - engaging in self-destructive behaviour to cope with a town that's sucking all of the life and goodness out of you. I've only ever drank to excess, but there's something very relatable about feeling how run down you are after a bender, having this awful manky taste in your mouth the whole time as you shift from place to place, and having this impulse of needing to run away and start a new life before this way of living kills you.

There's a lot of myself wrapped up in the Mountain Goats, and whether they're the primary band on my radar at any given moment or not, I can always spare a few words about how they make me feel.

33: what do you think about a lot

I think a lot about queer people in the past and how they've able to live their lives. I'll give you three examples.

Lately, I've had this pet idea about the anime/manga series Ranma 1/2. I haven't seen or read it, but I do know that it's about this young guy named Ranma who is afflicted with a curse or the like that results in him changing gender depending on the temperature of the water that gets dumped on him.

Ranma 1/2, from what I've gleaned, has resulted in a few gender awakenings - if I'm not mistaken, I think Dan Shive was one of those people, who went on to create the webcomic El Goonish Shive which deals with gender in a similar way at the start before taking more of a serious turn as the comic goes on.

But I have this idea in my head about early Ranma 1/2 fans writing stories about Ranma coming to terms with being a woman, and deciding to find a way to break the curse in a way that would leave the character as a woman. I wonder if there's anyone who tapped into their transness back then through their Ranma fandom, and whose journey is documented in their work.

It's like, there's people back then who Get It. Who came into their own in a time where the concept of gender transition was less accepted than it was now. And that's my people - geeky fanfiction writers. I want to know that there are people who found an innate truth to them, and who were able to be happy.

Another example I want to talk about is Robert Reed, who played Mike Brady on the Brady Bunch. I care deeply for Robert Reed. From what information is the most easily accessible about the man, he was apparently a pretty angry guy at times - he wasn't proud of his role on the Brady Bunch, and he'd get into arguments with the producer of the show. He was a closeted gay man playing the most sanitized TV dad in America, and if that news ever came out, it would sink his career and the entire show along with it.

But he was a good man. Notably, the producer of the Brady Bunch would tolerate his outbursts because his instincts would usually turn out to be right. And while he was upset with the material, he was never abusive to his co-stars. A bunch of them speak fondly about him to this day - he'd take the kids on day trips and stuff, and became something of a mentor and father figure to them. You don't hear wholesome stories like that from the 70's any more, but by all accounts Robert Reed seems to have been a decent man.

Robert died of colon cancer, but at the time of his death he had HIV as well. He was an incredibly private person - the only reason we know that he's gay is because he called Florence Henderson a week before he died to let her know and to get her to tell the rest of the cast. Apparently he kept in touch with her for years, and he saw fit to let everyone know before he died.

My understanding is that he had a partner at the time, though I'm not 100% sure. I hope Robert Reed had love throughout his life, y'know. I hope he had people who he loved and was loved by in return. I'm sad that he lived his whole life in the closet, and I hope he was able to find comfort and fulfillment in the relationships he did have in his life.

The last example I want to talk about is David Hyde Pierce - Niles from Frasier and the professor from Treasure Planet. I learned a while back that he had come out as gay in the late 2000's, getting married before Proposition 13 went into effect in California. I saw a topic about him on GameFAQs recently and I wanted to bring up that he was gay and married, but it had been a while so I googled him again to get my facts straight.

Not only is David Hyde Pierce still married, he's been in a relationship with his husband since 1983.

It means so much to me because people break up all the time in Hollywood. Whether it be the stress of the outside world gawking at them all the time, or the vice and excess of the entertainment industry corrupting people over time, or just falling out of love ala Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman - relationships in Hollywood don't last. And you don't hear much about gay celebrities and their love lives unless it becomes a point of controversy, ala Elton John's adoption issues or George Michael getting outed.

But the entire time David Hyde Pierce was on Frasier and doing voiceover - for all intents and purposes, at the top of his career - he was in a relationship with a man he'd already loved for a decade beforehand. And they continued to be together until gay marriage became legal, at which point they married each other, and they're still married to this day.

I'm really happy that they've been able to go the distance. May we all have what they have one day.

NEW TEEN TITANS #1-6 AUGUST 1984 - MARCH 1985 BY MARV WOLFMAN, GEORGE PEREZ, ROMEO TANGHAL, DAN JURGENS AND ADRIENNE ROY

SYNOPSIS (FROM DC DATABASE)

The Titans enjoy a training exercise on Titans Island. The game is tag and their objective is to capture their newest member, Jericho. Jericho keeps the Titans on their toes by alternately taking possession of each of their bodies and using their unique talents against each other. In the middle of the exercise, Raven appears on the scene. In the spirit of fun, Jericho tries to enter Raven's body. Raven, suffering from her own secret inner turmoil, panics and teleports away, forcing Jericho out of her body. Jericho's eyes are wide with terror and he signals to the others about a great darkness that he senses inside of Raven.

Everyone returns to the Tower to discuss the matter. They want to help Raven, but unless she elects to confide in them, they don't know what to do. Raven enters the meeting room and tells them that she is leaving the team. She is dealing with matters of the soul that the others could not hope to understand. The Titans plead with her to let them help, but Raven is adamant. She announces that she will depart the following morning.

Meanwhile, the citizens of Tamaran celebrate the end of the Citadel War. The Royal family sends a special envoy towards Earth to recover Starfire and return her home.

That evening, Jericho visits Raven's room. Raven thanks him for her concern, but tells him that there is nothing anyone can do for her. The journey that she must take is one that she must take alone. After Raven falls asleep, Joey decides to enter her mind in the hopes of learning the exact nature of her problem. He finds his spirit displaced to a nightmarish dreamscape made up of bones and tortured souls. At the center of Raven's soul is the essence of that which has been corrupting her – her demonic father Trigon. The essence of Trigon unleashes a psionic attack that forcibly expels Joey from Raven's body. When he comes to his senses, Raven is gone. The Titans go to Raven's room and Joey tries his best to describe what he experienced (using sign language). The sky outside Titans Tower grows immensely dark and peals of thunder accompanied by an omnipresent sinister laughter echoes all around them.

An impenetrable darkness blankets the Earth, and an unnatural thunderstorm assails New York and Titans Tower, all of which are manifestations of the imminent return of Trigon.

Lilith rejoins the Titans to help them search for the vanished Raven, but first insists they also recruit Wally West, the former Kid Flash, because of his former close relationship with the empath. She then leads the young heroes in a seance, using Raven's rings as a focus. Raven's image appears, but rejects their help, after which the Titans are mystically transported to an Azarath in the throes of destruction. Despite their efforts, Azarath and all its inhabitants are apparently destroyed. 

Back in New York, Raven returns to Earth in a terrifyingly transformed state, with red skin and four eyes like her demonic father, and announces his coming. 

Then Titans Tower is transformed into a solid mass of rock and a gigantic Trigon appears atop it.

Lilith taps the power of Raven's rings to return herself, the Teen Titans, and Arella to Earth, which has been totally taken over by Trigon. The demon himself appears to be asleep atop Titans Tower, while the Titans encounter the transformed Raven in the streets of a hellish version of New York. They attempt to reason with her, then fight her, to no avail.

Jericho is thrown into shock by his attempt to possess her, and Wally West and the other Titans are banished into the realm of their own nightmares. There, each confronts an evil version of him/herself: Nightwing's double shows him a murdered Batman whose death the new Robin, Jason Todd, was unable to prevent, and demands that he return to the role of a twelve-year-old sidekick: Cyborg finds himself regarded as a monster by Sarah Simms and her students, who look to a normal Victor Stone for protection; Wonder Girl watches as her counterpart uses her Amazon strength to kill her husband, Terry Long; Changeling sees himself as a scavenger feeding on the bodies of his deceased loved ones and terrorizing his living friends; Starfire's duplicate taunts her with an image of her homeworld enslaved by the Gordanians, and claims that she can only save the planet by returning to slavery herself; and Wally is witness to his own doppelganger and the transformed Raven making love, after which the evil Kid Flash invites Wally to take his place. On Earth, Raven, Lilith, and Arella see the Titans as a stone column of lost souls.

Raven attacks Lilith and Arella, but finds herself unable to destroy them. Each of the Titans trapped in nightmares of their own worst fears is taunted by his or her evil double until, one by one, they turn on their tormenting duplicates and kill them.

The column they made up on Earth is shaken apart, and the Titans reappear as their own dark sides. Raven believes they are now Trigon's slaves, but Lilith tells her that by forcing the heroes to kill, she has instead sealed her own doom. Raven orders the transformed Titans to destroy Lilith, but instead they unite against Raven herself and slay her. With her death, the Titans return to normal and to their right minds, just as Trigon awakens to take vengeance for the death of his daughter.

Trigon awakens at full strength, possessing the souls of everyone on Earth except the Titans and Arella, and grown to an even more gigantic stature, many times the size of the former Titans Tower.

Maddened beyond endurance, Wally West launches a hopeless attack on the demon with his super-speed, and the other Titans follow him into battle. With minimal effort, Trigon levitates the stone mass that was once their headquarters and sends it hurtling down on all the Titans except Nightwing, whom he then disposes of with a single blow of his staff.

Only Lilith and Arella remain, but Lilith senses the Titans are still alive. Starfire had used her starbolt powers to protect them from the falling tower and now uses them to free them from the rubble. She then locates and revives Nightwing.

In despair, Wally is ready to give up, but the other Titans decide to fight on, even in a seemingly hopeless cause. As they rush to confront their foe, Lilith tries to rouse Arella to action, but fails until Raven's mother suddenly hears the clairvoyant Titan speaking in the voice of the deceased Azar, former spiritual leader of Temple Azarath.

As the Titans approach, Trigon begins to open a gateway to his ravaged home universe, intending to recreate it by allowing it to absorb the dimension containing Earth. While the Titans fight a delaying action, Arella and Lilith, who is being controlled by Azar, replace Raven's rings on her body. Raven's soul-self, now an angelic pure-white entity serving as a conduit for the power of Azar, rises from her still form and grows to envelop Trigon, ultimately destroying him. The form of Raven rises from the battle site and is lost to view, the darkness which had covered the world vanishes, and the Earth returns to normal.

Although the memories of most ordinary people are hazy in the aftermath of Trigon's destruction, the people of New York recognize that the Teen Titans have saved the Earth from the demon, and give them a heroes' reception and a huge parade. Depressed over what has happened to Raven, most of the Titans are in no mood for the festivities, and some are wary of the sudden wave of publicity. Wally West, meanwhile, has returned home to Blue Valley, not telling his parents of his involvement in the battle. Following the parade, the Titans make plans to rebuild their demolished headquarters, Arella leaves to search for her vanished daughter, and Cyborg visits Jericho in the hospital. 

All of the young heroes are haunted by the nightmares induced by Trigon, and finally, at Terry Long's suggestion, they take a second camping trip to the Grand Canyon together to talk things over. Each tells the others about his or her nightmare experience, and Terry offers his advice to the group, as well.

REVIEW

I am not gonna lie to you. This is the Titans’ finest adventure, and they have been struggling since then to repeat their greatest hit. Proof of this is how this story plays into the “Titans Hunt” story. And of course, how often this plot resurfaces around Raven.

Artistically, the story also has a lot of creative spins. Issue #2 was delayed so the penciled pages could look good. The result is pretty good, and the Baxter format helped a lot. In fact, they would have probably not taken that risk with newsprint format.

I don’t like Wolfman and Perez handling Wally West. They struggled a lot with him during their run, and here he looks very weak as a character (beyond his health issue). He has his heroic moments, but in the climax, he stays behind, defeated. It made sense at the time, but a year from this issue he was going to become The Flash (they didn’t know this at the time), so it feels like a very low point for Wally. Sure, not as bad as Heroes in Crisis.

This was also one of my first Titans comics. Not a bad start!

The Jurgens issue is a relaxing issue where the characters can cope with everything that happened during the Terror of Trigon arc.

I give this story a score of 10

President Election

"Coming to you live with the latest news on the presidential election is Dan Clancy. To my right is Republican Zachary Clark. To my left, this fine gentleman actually implored me to not refer to him by any name in particular backstage. He also isn't aligned with any of our major parties. In other words, he's in a league all to himself."

The man sitting on the couch adjacent to Dan was an exceptionally tall man with a dark complexion. He was of Middle Eastern descent resembling one of the old Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. He had a short-pointed mustache and beard. He was dressed in a black outfit and tie with sharp-toed cowboy boots on his feet. From a slight glance, he seemed completely normal. And yet, he had an aura that suggested he was not completely human. He nevertheless charmed the audience appointed to hearing the campaigns. Zachary had a more relaxed composure. To his right on the couch was a notebook that documented everything that he was intending to say during his interview. It was just on the typical issues such as illegal immigration, cutting funds to government programs, the usual. His opponent seemed to be bereft of any notes, which made him think that it would work in his favor.

"Alright," Dan said clearing his throat, "let's get started. Clark, do us the honors and state your views about raising taxes."

Zachary chuckled on cue. "Well Dan," he began, "you would already know I am against it."

The man in black snickered at Zachary's simple answer. Zachary himself tried to play it off as unimportant, but eventually, he became annoyed with the guest's poking fun at him. "What you think what I said was humorous or something, punk?"

The man grinned. "I seem to recall that you own a megacompany, Zachary, do you not?"

"It's none of your business," Zachary responded.

The opponent further laughed. "Remember that one man that you let go? About how he is now struggling to make ends meet." He leaned forward on the couch with his hands arched. "Wouldn't that fall on you?" Zachary remained speechless at the man's accusation. The man lifted his eyes with a smirk spread across his face. "It's always amusing to see how you mortals always take the easy way out rather than actually contribute anything to your society; how you big cats glut yourselves on all the luxuries life has while damning your fellow man to pick up after you."

Zachary's face fumed a deep red. "That is not my view, and you should know that!"

He continued to argue with the nameless candidate whose response was to further laugh at his expense. This further earned Zachary's ire. Dan managed to regain control over his talk show, this time turning the debate in the stranger's favor. "Alright, sir," he said, "what are your views on raising taxes?"

The man perked up in his seat. His eyes were a deep emerald color. "Actually, Dan, I'd like to ask you a question."

Dan shook his head vehemently. "Sir, that's not how this works," he attempted to say. However, the oddest feeling manifested within him. He couldn't speak or scream. Almost as though an invisible hand was keeping his lips sealed. The man stood up from the couch and walked in front of the live audience. Ignoring Dan's squealing for relief, he continued to speak.

"How does it feel to know that everything you've valued is worthless?"

Zachary stood up from his seat. "What the hell are you suggesting?" Without as much as a word, the stranger grabbed Dan's coffee mug and smashed it against his desk. He then took one of the shards and stabbed Zachary in the eye before slitting his throat. The audience screamed as they saw Zachary's body crumpled on the floor. The stranger looked at the shard in deep contemplation and tossed it across the set. He spoke again in the midst of the chaos. "See how life can easily be taken away with little rhyme nor reason?"

He snapped his fingers causing a wave of insanity to wash over the audience. A majority of their eyes became glazed over and they spoke an intelligible gibberish. The stage itself shifted with alien geometric shapes resembling no shape that mankind knew. Several were reduced to babbling idiots unaware of the fate that had befallen them. The stranger scanned the room seeing a few people that were not rendered insane hollow shells of their former selves. Two were a man and a woman desperately trying to pry open the doors of the studio.

"It won't budge!" shouted the woman.

They were too invested with their fixation on escape they failed to notice the stranger was quietly walking towards them. He grabbed the panicking woman's arms and forcibly pinned them against the door. "I'm afraid those doors are bolted shut."

"Please don't hurt me," she begged.

His smile returned wider than before, nearly taking up his entire face. "I'm not going to hurt you, my dear," he said in a reassuring fashion. He held his index finger in front of the woman's face and placed it squarely on her forehead. The woman's struggling against his grip subsided  with her eyes getting plunged in the back of her head. Within seconds, her screaming returned, more pronounced.

"Get out of my head! Get out of my head! Get out of my head!"

She madly repeated this over and over even when her body collapsed on the ground spasming. He had shown her visions, visions of ancient guards invading the Earth subjugating and destroying human civilization. But that all paled to the vision of one of the gods awakening from their deep slumber spelling absolute destruction of everything there was and would ever be. It was the type of knowledge that would drive anyone to sheer madness. The man was cowering in fear.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

The stranger did not answer wrapping his fingers around the man's neck and snapping it with ease. The man's corpse fell on top of the woman's throbbing body. The man started to change form becoming larger in scale and his body burst open. Waves of tentacles erupted from every orifice. His head transformed into a slender, hood-like shape with razor-sharp teeth adorning it. Four fleshy arms ripped through the sides of his abdomen.

The transformation and ensuing chaos were being broadcasted through different stations. More people were exposed to the man's true form and were being overtaken by madness. Fires began to spread throughout the streets engulfing civilians and causing massive accidents. Cars collided into each other and planes crashed into buildings. Soon nothing left of the city will become a reality. The stranger observed all of the destruction letting out a guttural chuckle.

"In the end, none of your pathetic lives matter to the likes of an Outer God."

Dan found himself alone in the studio the grip on his lips subsiding. Around him were the corpses of the audience members that were driven into ravage episodes of madness. The Outer God towered over him and glared at him with his many eyes. "Another city is washed in utter chaos, and soon the entire country will be driven mad as well."

Dan was on his knees. "Please, I'll do anything you want; just please don't kill me."

Another venomous laugh bellowed from the Outer God. "Why would I kill you? I can destroy your world right now as a matter of fact." He started to slither away, turning to look at the talk show host again. "I'll let you live but only so you could remember all of the nightmares that happened this night. I shall let that knowledge fester deep inside you until you've nothing left but an insane husk screaming night after night. It is then that I shall awaken my father Azathoth to turn your pathetic world into dust. Until then..."

The creature disappeared leaving Dan completely alone with his thoughts. As far as he was concerned, he was the only one left with the full knowledge over what transpired in his studio. And yet, he could already feel that his sanity was eroding ever so slowly. In time, he'll be back and the world will be destroyed. And there wasn't anything he could do aside from coming to terms with what he was told.

Best of DC: Week of August 14th, 2019

Best of DC: Week of August 14th, 2019

Best of this Week: Justice League Odyssey #12 - Dan Abnett, Will Conrad, Rain Beredo and Andworld Design

Darkseid is.

The former ruler of Apokalips’ plans have finally come to fruition after the small team of heroes brings together the final few relics to complete Sepulkore, the planet that will release a wave of cosmic energy all over the Ghost Sector and make it immune to the destruction of the Multiverse. Narrated by Darkseid, this issue expands on how far back he’s had these ideas and plans in place, even anticipating the betrayal from Cyborg, Starfire and Azrael from the beginning. He hasn’t been lying to them at all, but rather, omitting a few things so that his plans would proceed as they naturally would.

In the last issue we see Darkseid take control of Cyborg, turning him into a dangerous, Motherbox like being with all of the knowledge of the universe and more at his disposal. Darkseid orders Cyborg to keep Azrael and Jessica Cruz distracted while he fights an enraged Starfire. He sees the spark in her eyes and flings her into the core of Sepulkore, where she was destined to be the flame that lit the fire pits of this new hell. As Sepulkore awakens, Darkseid becomes even more powerful. Azrael is left with no other choice than to call his warriors into the fight as well.Unfortunately for him, as soon as the Azraelites enter Darkseid’s presence, they are turned into a new fodder-force: Para-Angels. Azrael succumbs to Darkseid’s control soon after as well. 

With all of the pieces falling into place, Darkseid smiles. His new Apokalips is lit and it connects with all of the other remaining relics in the Ghost Sector, becoming a reality unto itself. Darkseid monologues to himself that he has always known that the Source Wall would fall and the Multiverse would be destroyed eventually. Since his early years, Darkseid has been lying in wait, creating myths of heroes that would be Gods and those Gods would serve him. The Eternal One - Darkseid.

His new acolytes look upon him, chanting “Darkseid is,” as he returns to his full power. Jessica Cruz stands tall against him, however. I want to take a moment to say how much I love her journey as a character. She started out as this young girl that could barely leave her apartment and she could barely control her fears which allowed Power Ring from Earth 3 take control of her. Since then she has fought to get past her fears, anxieties and PTSD to become one of the most courageous Lanterns in all of the Green Lantern Corps. 

With only about two percent power left in her ring, she tells Darkseid that she will not let him win. His plans will fail if she has anything to do about it and Darkseid is mildly impressed. Darkseid could crush her, without question. She’s barely a fly on his rader, but he’s super into her tenacity. He offers her a place at the table, he cold become as powerful as Cyborg, Starfire or Azrael, a New God of Indomitable Will as Darkseid puts it.

Jessica says “Screw You,” and plants Darkseid with a mean right cross, firmly planting her in the same club as Guy Gardner and Hal Jordan, the “Are You Absolutely Insane? You Really Thought It Was A Good Idea to Punch HIM?” Club

Summarily, he swats her away, crushes her ring hand and Omega Beams her to hell.

*HEAVY SPOILERS ARE HEAVY*

Summarily, he slaps her, crushes her ring hand and Omega Beams her to hell.

*HEAVY SPOILER HOURS ARE OVER*

Will Conrad does the art for this issue and every single page is a wonder to look at. Darkseid is made to look unreasonably imposing as his power increases over time. Cyborg with his advanced mech body looks like a thing of terror as he has a faceguard only over his mouth and his human eye is a milky white. I also appreciate how his metal parts are shaded to give them a sheen. Sepulkore itself is drawn with an immense sense of scale and the architecture of it complex and effective, looking like a huge dodecahedron. Darkseid himself even has a new design that mimics some of his Superman: TAS look with tights added.

Justice League Odyssey might be one of the best ongoing Justice League stories right now because of how different it is to the rest of them. With a team almost as strange as the mid-2000s R.E.B.E.L.S. team and it being centered around an even stranger area of space, everything is so cool. Though there have been a few artists, each have taken different approaches to make all of the different locations and character designs cool.

What should really be applauded is the work when it comes to Beredo’s colors. For the most part, this book is awash in an oppressive red hue as Darkseid become stronger as the book goes on. This color blends well with Starfire’s fiery starbolts and Azrael’s flaming sword. It also worked best with Jessics Cruz being the only contrasting color in the bunch as her green made her the hopeful hero. Beredo makes everything feel dire as hell and it really sells the mood of the book.

I can’t wait for the next issue of the series because Darkseid has effectively won. He has a new Apokalips that he can rule from away from the dangers of the Multiverse and Perpetua. With his new New Gods, the Dark Sector will be another oppressive entity that Darkseid can hatch his schemes from with he regained power. The best question of all, however… who will stop him?

---------------------------------------------------

Barry Allen is back and better than before.

Runner Up: The Flash #76 - Joshua Williamson, Rafael Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Tomeu Morey and Steve Wands

After re-living one of his first adventures as The Flash, Barry sees just how out of touch with things that he has been lately. He realizes that he hasn’t taken the time to slow down since Wally returned and he’s just been throwing himself into adventure after adventure without any regard for his friends and family and it has caused their lives to suffer because of it.

Iris has practically left him. Wallace West distanced himself from Barry as much as possible, even going so far as to briefly join a team with Deathstroke. Avery, the Flash of China, isn’t even that close to Barry, but he also left her and Wallace in the middle of an argument just before he went off on his Force Quest. In an effort to put a stop to the Rogues that have now branched out of Central City, he’s been going through the escapees left and right.

We begin with Kid Flash and Avery fighting with Girder and Tarpit in the middle of Central City. The two young Speedsters are quick, but not all is right as they have a hard time putting any serious damage on either. Just as Tarpit is about to burn them alive, Barry zips in and saves the teens.

Rafa Sandoval is absolutely one of my favorites of DC’s current crop of artists and my favorite Flash artist. His slick lines and shading combined with Morey’s coloring and Tarragona’s inks makes everything look smooth. Costumes look good, bright and vibrant. Flash’s deep red stands out and compliments Wally’s yellow and surprisingly Avery’s dark pink and purples. Shadows are appropriately dark and every blast of lightning and every blur is stunning to see.

Barry gives his young proteges some advice in dealing with Tarpit and Girder, allowing the young speedsters to defeat the villains. After the win, Wallace is less than enthused to see Barry again and begins to walk away before Barry asks them both to run with him, to see how he's trying to make up for his mistakes.

Begrudgingly they agree and we get another amazing shot of Barry running while flanked by Avery and Wallace. I really loved this because it reminded me of the old Flash Family days and because Barry is really trying his best.

He shows them the rebuilt Flash Museum and they're amazed that he managed to rebuild it all by himself. Barry reveals that there's something more and they use their vibration abilities to enter their new headquarters, which I don't have a pun for yet. They're greeted by Commander Cold(?) And Steadfast, the new avatar of the Still Force, and Barry explains what's been going on with their powers.

Wallace had been noticing small things, but he thought it was all in his head. Apparently with the release of all of these new forces, the Speed Force is collapsing under the weight of these new forces that aren't supposed to exist alongside it. This is further backed up as The Black Flash returns for a cliffhanger ending.

As all of this is going on, in another city altogether, Heatwave is causing havoc, seemingly with his own heat powers having returned. The cops show up to confront him, but are suddenly incapacitated by blasts of ice. Captain Cold, Leonard Snart, has begun to gather his Rogues. With updated Cold Gear, to mirror his own New 52 ice powers, he hands Heatwave a Heat Gun and he two OG Rogues reunite to gather the rest of the troops and finally take down The Flash.

With this first part being so affectionately referred to as "The Death of the Speed Force part 1" I can't imagine that any of this will end well. The Speed Force has been in existence for the better part of almost 30+ years now and there's a good chance that we've seen all that we possibly can from it. It's been used to trap people, reset universes and even bring back past Speedsters for big events.

With the Speed Force dying, now's a great opportunity for new stories to be told with the Flashes exploring new ways for their powers to work if the Speed Force does indeed get destroyed in the future. But what will this mean for other speedsters still trapped like Jai and Iris West II, and Jay Garrick? Will they be immediately freed or will Doomsday Clock somehow tie into things? Only time will tell! High recommend!

Here are some book recommendations if y’all want any...

ARTEMIS by Andy Weir

Not crazy, eccentric-billionaire rich, like many of the visitors to her hometown of Artemis, humanity’s first and only lunar colony. Just rich enough to move out of her coffin-sized apartment and eat something better than flavored algae. Rich enough to pay off a debt she’s owed for a long time. So when a chance at a huge score finally comes her way, Jazz can’t say no. Sure, it requires her to graduate from small-time smuggler to full-on criminal mastermind. And it calls for a particular combination of cunning, technical skills, and large explosions—not to mention sheer brazen swagger. But Jazz has never run into a challenge her intellect can’t handle, and she figures she’s got the ‘swagger’ part down. The trouble is, engineering the perfect crime is just the start of Jazz’s problems. Because her little heist is about to land her in the middle of a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself. Trapped between competing forces, pursued by a killer and the law alike, even Jazz has to admit she’s in way over her head. She’ll have to hatch a truly spectacular scheme to have a chance at staying alive and saving her city. Jazz is no hero, but she is a very good criminal. That’ll have to do. Propelled by its heroine’s wisecracking voice, set in a city that’s at once stunningly imagined and intimately familiar, and brimming over with clever problem-solving and heist-y fun, Artemis is another irresistible brew of science, suspense, and humor from #1 bestselling author Andy Weir.

THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J. Maas

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin--one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin--and his world--forever.

WARCROSS by Marie Lu

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty-hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. To make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation. Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

SCYTHE by Neil Shusterman

Two teens must learn the “art of killing” in this Printz Honor–winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology. A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control. Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

THE 5TH WAVE by Rick Yancey

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown

While in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci—clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Even more startling, the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion—a secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci—and he guarded a breathtaking historical secret. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle—while avoiding the faceless adversary who shadows their every move—the explosive, ancient truth will be lost forever.

SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price―and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone. . . .

A convict with a thirst for revenge. A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager. A runaway with a privileged past. A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction―if they don't kill each other first.

SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo

Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold—a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed.

Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite—and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.

As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.

Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems.

I hope you try them!

Arcane Ascension - Pt. 1

Nick was working in the pasture like every other day. He was twenty years old and had purchased the plot of land two years prior, only to find out that it needed a lot more work before any other livestock could properly live there. The grass and trees were dying from lack of nutrients and rain so Nick had spent his first entire year digging a well and irrigating the land. Last year he planted bean crops sense they were known to help revitalize the ground and it would provide enough profit to get him through the year. He had finally been able to purchase some sheep, which were now grazing in the pasture. He still had to spend his days taking care of them and fixing holes in the fence.

The truth is Nick hated his life. Everyone else in the village had wives by the age of twenty but he never felt anything for anyone. His parents had said it was his job to have kids and that even if he didn’t like anyone, he should just get married to have children. The other people in the village disliked Nick for his odd personality and intelligence.

As Nick worked hard to fix a hole in the fence around his land, an adventuring party had arrived at the small village. Among them were four people. Auwyn was the party leader, an incredibly wise elvish archer known for her skill with the bow. Dan was second in charge, a human who was unknown by choice as he made his living using a dagger and lockpicks. Sebastian, a Sea Elf, was skilled with elemental magics and known for his good nature and willingness to help others. Finally there was Aaron, an alchemist with very little fighting capability but immense utility in nearly every other situation. Auwyn had gathered the party to travel to the village of Jor since Orcs had been raiding through the kingdom and Jor was directly in their path of destruction. Jor was an interesting village because it was in a strategic location at the top of a group of hills with natural rock formations that could be used for cover. Auwyn was certain the group could defeat the Orc tribe before they further damaged the kingdom.

Auwyn is fifty five years old (Equal to somewhere around a twenty year old human) and roughly five foot eleven inches tall. She has long bright red hair which curls near the tips. She wears a set of studded leather armor over steel chain mail. Dan is thirty two years old but manages to appear in his early twenties. His features are what most would describe as “average” and is easily forgettable. Sebastian has never disclosed his age, but most estimate he’s at least a few hundred years old. He stands at six feet three inches tall and wears only simple clothing of a nice design. Sebastian deliberately wears clothing nicer than a commoners but cheaper than anything a noble would touch, allowing him to more easily blend into human societies. His hair is a sea green color. Aaron is a sixty three year old human, easily far older than most commoners ever dream of being. He wears loose fitting robes that cover his entire body and make almost no skin visible. The hood he wears obscures most of his face with the exception of his mouth and his eyes, which glow blue from under the hood.

Unfortunately, as Auwyn discovered the moment they got to town, the village had no actual structure. No town hall or ruling party as far as she could tell. She approached several people but most avoided her or ran, finally she decided to enter the local tavern. She instructed Aaron to begin his preparation while she worked, they’d be defending the town even if they didn’t want them to. She entered and immediately wanted to leave, the tavern smelled of old food and liquor. There were only three people including what she presumed to be the tavern owner and all three looked at her as though she was a demon. She entered slowly, noticing Dan sneaking out of the corner of her eye. Sebastian simply followed behind her, keeping his hands in front of himself.

“You adventurin’ types never come ‘ere fer the drinks, do ya?” The owner said, spit flying from his mouth as he talked. Auwyn fought to hide her disgust. “Unfortunately, we are here on much more grave matters. I noticed a lack of ruling body so I presume you use a democratic process, would you mind calling a town meeting?” She asked, using a higher, more girly tone of voice than normal. People normally responded better to someone who sounded like their daughter. “I uh, suppose I could. Why are you here though?” He said. “No, we’d rather wait.” She responded.

A few hours later the entire town had gathered. There were maybe fifty people in total. Among the group was Nick who was angry to be disturbed as there was much work to be done. His mood instantly improved when he noticed the grou- wait, there was only two of them? He had always thought adventurers came in groups of four or five. Well either way they looked strong, maybe they were looking for something?

Auwyn broke the silence once everyone had finally arrived. “My name is Auwyn, I am an official member of the Adventurers guild and am here to provide service free of charge. A tribe of Orcs have been cutting a swath through the kingdom and are heading directly for your village, my group would like permission from you to set up an ambush here. It is likely we cannot stop them from damaging the surrounding area and there may still be casualties, but we can guarantee that whatever happens will be a much better outcome than if you deny our help.”

The entire village began arguing and debating, many people thought this was  a ploy by the adventurers guild to steal their land or enforce some kind of law/tax on them. After an hour or so of arguing they had finally agreed (I use the term loosely, there was a couple fights and some bribery going on) to let the adventurers use the town. Those living closest to the point of attack would evacuate.

The next three days were full of preparation. The entire party gathered supplies for Aaron. He was their best hope - sure, the three of them could probably kill the entire tribe, but not nearly fast enough to save the town. There would easily be three to five hundred Orcs by this point and they needed something faster than the typical approach. Auwyn was slightly apprehensive of bringing Aaron on this job as he was known for getting... carried away with his projects. Multiple massive runic circles were drawn around the village by this point, each one with intricate symbols and smaller runes in them. Outside the village Aaron had planted many alchemical potions and devices which would likely decimate any who triggered them. Indeed by the time night set they were as ready as they could be. When dawn approached the four set out, ready to defend this village. Aaron activated the runes and each one would fill with magic before the next activated, eventually surrounding the entire town. When the last rune completed, the inside of the ring filled in, revealing it to be a village-wide runic circle. Mana filled the air, creating a dense bubble. Aaron had already warned the villagers not to leave the bubble, else they would not be able to reenter.

The Orcs first emerged at the base of the hill an hour later. Dozens of large humanoids with light to dark green skin, tusks, and brutally large muscles. Each Orc was easily worth five human soldiers because of their brutality. Their weaponry was made from iron fused with blood, creating orichalcum, which wasn’t stronger than steel but heavier and fit the Orcs brutal fighting style. Before they could signal the charge an arrow had flown into the center of the mass, exploding shortly after. Screams and yells filled the morning air as bone shattered and flesh charred. Only fifteen Orcs died and the injured yelled in anger as blood lust filled them. The charge began, the amount of feet hitting the ground causing the earth to shake.

Arrows would fly into the group every second or so, usually taking down an Orc with a single well placed arrow to the heart. When they were half way up the hill they hit the first wave of traps. Explosions began to ring out, white fire exploding outward like water and splashing onto any within range. Those hit by the white fire couldn’t get it off themselves as it melted flesh and caused blood to evaporate. Fifty or so Orcs had died before they hit the second wave of traps. Runic circles began to activate as Orcs ran over them, glowing bright red. Each one had to charge for one and a half seconds before fully activating. Sebastian had been doing his best to work the clouds in the atmosphere, the altitude made it difficult but he’d had days to create and filter the moisture. The storm clouds had formed right on time. As each rune activated lightning would connect from the clouds to the circle, causing explosions of electricity to ring out through the hordes of bodies.

With maybe a hundred of the Orcs dead the back of the horde was finally visible. At the back were the best armored Orcs, likely the chief and his guards. One guard suddenly yelled in pain and surprise as a wound opened on his main arm where it connected to the shoulder. The arm went limp as tendon and muscle were severed. The Orc whirred around with his other arm raised as a dagger pierced his opposite shoulder, the blade twisting after entering the joint and forcing the bones apart. By this point the chief and second guard had began to rush over but saw no visible opponent. The injured Orc began yelling and running around. With both of his arms disabled he chose to bite the air, trying to find the invisible attacker. The chief suddenly fell forward as a wound opened on the back of his knee. The second guard went to help but suddenly had a dagger stab into his stomach from below before ripping to the side, causing his stomach to spill out. He finally saw their attacker, a human armed with daggers who was moving at near imperceptible speeds. He disappeared as the Orc attempted to attack him, appearing again as he jumped into the air above the chief. A dagger penetrated the chiefs back as the man swung over him, landed opposite before lunging to the side and stabbing the first body guard in the thigh. The knife left the guards thigh, blood spraying out from the wound as it then pierced the Orcs chest, slipping between it’s ribs. The knife twisted as it came out, breaking ribs. Dan then jumped, doing a back flip as the Orc attempted to bite him. Dan landed ten feet away and smiled at the Chief as he began to charge. Each of the wounds on the Orcs began to glow bright red before blood sprayed from the wounds, coating the ground in blood. The spray stopped when each Orc had no more blood in their body, each of the body guards falling to the ground. The chief was able to charge and attack with his minimal wounds but was ineffective, blood loss slowing him. Dan simply avoided attacks and opened more shallow wounds on his chest until he died.

Sebastian had finally been able to assist as the Orcs closed within three hundred feet of the village. Stone walls would randomly rise from the Earth, blocking their advance or causing an Orc to impact them. Water began to flood the grounds, rolling down the hills. Lightning began to strike the wet Orcs, conducting through the water and frying them instantly. Arrows continued to kill the Orcs closest to the front. Unfortunately, none of the adventurers noticed as a group of five ran around, attempting to enter the village from another side.

Finally, with about a hundred Orcs left, they impacted the bubble around the village. A further eighty would die as the bubble killed any who touched it, instantly ripping flesh from bone with sheer force. Flesh would remain outside the bubble while their skeletons went through the other side. The bubble faltered and broke after enough entered, leaving a small force. The remaining were quickly mopped up by arrow, dagger, and lightning. Just when the group had finally thought to celebrate they heard the screams and realized a group of Orcs must have gone around the side.

Nick had been at his pasture. It was on the eastern border of the village, far from where the Orcs were supposed to be attacking from. He felt no need to waste time - after all, winter would be here before he knew it and he needed to stock up on food. That was when he heard one of his sheep make a sound of pain. Nick ran out to find five of the green humanoids entering his pasture, attacking his sheep. Two had already died and Nick didn’t know what to do. He had resolved to run - after all, the sheep were useless if he was dead - but the Orcs noticed him before he could turn. They closed in quickly. They seemed to have a quick discussion before four backed off and a single Orc with blade in hand walked up to the pitiful human.

The Orc swung the blade at Nick who devoted everything he could to avoiding the blade. He had never learned any kind of combat, never trained, but he had spent his entire life working. He had strong muscles and was used to long periods of work. This allowed him to narrowly avoid most of the blows although one eventually caught his leg, causing blood to spray from the wound as he backed up. Adrenaline kept him from feeling the pain as he finally overcame his fear. Nick decided if he was going to die then it wouldn’t be for free, he had worked for everything he had ever gotten and he damn sure wasn’t going to give this Orc his land easily. He struck with his hands, fists impacting the sturdy flesh of the Orcs chest. It seemed ineffective as the Orc started backing away so he could easily use the sword. Nick didn’t know much about Orc anatomy but he hoped they were similar to humans as he made sure to stay in close and raised his leg, stomping with all his weight on the Orcs knee cap. Sure enough the force was enough to bend it backwards as bone snapped. The Orc yelled in anger as Nick grabbed at the blades handle. A claw pierced into his side as the Orc attack with his free hand. Nick haphazardly kicked at the downed creature as he attempted to wrest the blade away. He started to feel dizzy and realized the hole in his side must be bleeding heavily as he finally got the sword from the Orc and with his last breath, raised the blade and swung it blindly at the body. Nick collapsed, taking one last look at his opponent. The Orc had a sword blade buried in his neck and was bleeding out. They made eye contact before the Orc died. The other Orcs began to walk over, seemingly laughing at their comrades defeat. Nick began to wonder how he was still alive as he realized the Orcs blood was running from his body, and seemingly entering his own. Flesh regrew and his ribs began to reconnect as the blood entered him. Just as the four Orcs got to him, ready to finish him off, he felt a surge of immense power and stood. The fallen Orcs blood had healed him and Nick now had a ring of the blood flowing around himself. His actions weren’t really his own, he simply acted instinctively as the ring formed a barrier to block sword swings. He began to form spikes on the barrier and as they pierced the enemy Orcs their blood was added to the shield, causing it to grow. Eventually the Orcs began to back off, realizing their attacks were a waste of effort. Nick drew the blood back and formed it into a wide blade, slicing downward and cutting an Orc completely in half. His blood added to the pool and Nick formed it into twenty individual spikes, firing them outward at the three remaining Orcs. The bodies fell to the ground, twitching as they bled out. All of their blood joined the pool as Nick pulled it close to himself.

Auwyn had just reached the source of the yelling, a pasture near the eastern border of the village. One of the villagers was standing there and it took a moment to dawn on her that he seemed to be controlling blood and blocking attacks with it. He wielded it like a weapon, killing the remaining Orcs. Auwyn mentally communicated with Sebastian “One of these commoners is a blood mage, contain him.” Sebastian nodded as he closed from the side. Nick was afraid as walls of rock began to emerge from the ground, encasing him. He pulled the blood inward, compressing it as small as he could. The blood compressed into a tiny ball before exploding outward, carving holes into the box. The walls broke down from the damage, collapsing. A chunk of rock impacted Nicks back, causing him to fall and instantly break several ribs. He spat his own blood as more rock grew around his wrists, pinning him there. He blacked out from the pain.

Auwyn and Sebastian took the unconscious man and locked him in iron shackles before constructing a prison on the site. A building of rock formed and Sebastian reinforced it with granite after seeing this guy nearly destroy solid earth with blood. After the prison was finished and Dan informed on what happened they sat down to discuss the matter. “Does he look like anyone you’ve seen posters for?” Auwyn asked. “I’ve never seen him before, but if he’s a blood mage then odds are there’s a bounty for him somewhere. Came to live a in a rural village to escape the law, obviously.” Dan replied. “If I may interject... I’ve been around the town. His name is Nick and he’s a social outcast, but grew up here. I believe we’ve found a dormant blood mage who just got his first dose of blood.” Aaron said, his low, raspy voice and weird accent still creeped Auwyn out. “If that is the case then he may not be executed, but we still have to bring him back to the guild either way. We can’t leave something as potentially catastrophic as a blood mage here, where he could grow his power and learn everything the wrong way.” Sebastian chimed in. Auwyn thought about it for a moment. “If he grew up here and is only twenty then it’s unlikely he’s committed a crime. It’s not exactly the first time a peasant has managed to kill an Orc, especially if it was a weaker one. They do tend to overestimate their abilities, attempting to fight one on one to prolong the suffering. We will need to take him to the guild and let Guildmaster Cassiel know.” Auwyn finally said. The others nodded in approval.

Nick awoke in a dark room. He didn’t feel any pain so he assumed his wounds were healed. His hands were shackled behind his back. There was no visible entrance or exit, and there was very little light filtering in through small cracks near the ceiling. He wasn’t sure who attacked him or why he was in this box, but with no way out he resolved to simply wait. Eventually a door shaped section of wall descended into the ground, allowing light to filter in as a group of four people entered. He recognized them as the adventurers. “Why have you taken me captive? I have done nothing wrong!” Nick yelled, angry that he would be imprisoned like this for no reason. “I apologize for the trouble but we had to take precautions. Do you remember how you survived the attack?” Auwyn asked calmly.

“One of the Orcs attacked me, it looked like the other four were cheering him on. I... I killed him, but he should’ve killed me at the same time. His blood healed me and I instinctively began using it and next thing I knew I’d killed them all. That’s when that box appeared around me and I blacked out.” Nick said, slowly coming to grips with the situation as he said it aloud for the first time.

“Do you know what they call people with your abilities?” Auwyn asked. Nick showed a look of confusion. “You are a blood mage, Nick. One of the few. Your kind are exceedingly rare and feared by many. There is much to discuss and we have a long journey ahead. Unfortunately we cannot leave someone like you here in this rural village, at least not right now. We are taking you to the capitol, to the Adventurers Guild, and there Guildmaster Cassiel will have final say on what happens to you. It is unlikely you’ll be harmed since you have committed no crimes, however, he may decide you need to be trained or otherwise watched.” Auwyn said, attempting to seem sympathetic.

Nick thought about it. “The truth is I’ve always wanted to leave this place. I lost a lot of sheep to those Orcs in the attack so I’m already down a lot of money.. I have no reason to stay.” Nick said. Auwyn nodded.

The next day they were to leave. Sebastian informed the group he sent advanced warning of their arrival, and a brief summary of what happened. “How? I haven’t seen a courier in ages, let alone one that could go fast enough to make a difference.” Nick asked. “I am an Elf, in case you couldn’t tell. My kind are capable of telepathic communication over long distances. Cassiel is a human so I can’t just tell him everything, I had to send an abridged message to an Elf I know near him in the hopes that they will relay the message accurately.” Sebastian replied in a matter of fact tone. Nick nodded, feeling stupid.

Cassiel had just finished hearing one of the most interesting reports he’d gotten in years. A blood mage, unaware of their own power, found in a rural village on accident. No crimes committed and capable of being taught. If the guild could get a blood mage and teach him to use his power for good, without slaughtering innocents, they could potentially have a massive advantage over everyone else. Cassiel twisted his longsword, an agonized yell escaping the mouth of the soldier on the ground in front of him. Cassiel stood amidst an army, many of the soldiers already dead. An elf to his side was idly dodging arrows. Cassiel was a five foot ten inch tall human with blond hair and golden eyes. His armor is a shining silver and gold full plate with metal angel wings attached to the back. His sword glowed with powerful magic. He stared out at the remaining enemies. “Bellum.” He spoke the word precisely, making sure every sound was perfect and although none of the enemy soldiers understood it every one of them knew fear. Those on Cassiels side, those who watched in horror, knew it to be a true name. Each of the enemy soldiers screamed in agony as their enemies rose from the dead, animated by mana and struck them down until no man remained and the ground was covered in a pool of blood.

126 - A Door Ajar part 3

Always keep your eyes closed during a storm. Otherwise your soul will get all wet and mildewy.

Welcome to Night Vale.

I hate sounding like a news media alarmist, but a phantom ocean has completely destroyed Old Town. I mean, destroyed. Wave after wave of cold brine has entirely swept away the Old Town drawbridge. Which is a shame, because the city made considerable strides towards its completion in recent years. Also missing: a number of cars, pets, human beings, and the teetering stack of bath tubs that granted wishes. A more complete list of the missing items has been posted at the newly reopened Pancake House. Come on down to the Pancake House, check if any of your loved ones have been affected by this horrible disaster, and enjoy free hotcakes. One free hotcake per missing loved one.

The surviving residents of Old Town have been placed with compulsory volunteer host families throughout the rest of town. Many of the survivors of the recent shipwreck have finally been placed in their own permanent housing, and are now hosting flood victims. Having experienced recent displacement themselves, The Really Tall One, Dr. Shouty, Old Wood Teeth, Rebecca, and the Captain are proving to be elegant hosts, and have been reported to supply slipper socks, steamed hand towels and all natural calamari flavored toothpaste to their guests. This generosity has put many Night Vale residents, who initially complained about hosting the shipwreck survivors, to shame. You know who you are, and so do we. There’s a list of those who should be ashamed of themselves posted at the newly reopened Pancake House.

Sometimes I get really tired of negative reporting. As the most prominent voice in local current events, I feel like what I say and how I say it does make a difference in framing the attitudes of the people who listen. That, that’s a big responsibility. So I’ve been thinking, it’s important to focus on the positive things too. I’m gonna try to do that more. Starting now.

What I said before was an exaggeration. Old Town isn’t completely destroyed. Oh yes, it’s uninhabitable, and some people who live there are now non-living. But there’s a lot of beauty left there, too! I mean, one might look over Old Town from the roof of the Earth Sciences building and appreciate the miles of pristine, shining water. Water we desert-dwellers never get to see! All of the tragedy and destruction is almost totally invisible beneath the waves, so it’s actually pretty easy to ignore. Oh, and one architectural landmark does remain. The controversial new traffic roundabout is glowing with blue light, and can be seen just below the water line, and will be ready to use again… soon.

Speaking of the roof of the Earth Sciences building, I should tell you guys what happened with Carlos the other night. It went really well, mostly. I mean, he was very open about the fact that he’s been hiding something from me, but he said it wasn’t a big deal and he doesn’t want to talk about it. I know I said all I wanted was for him to admit something was bothering him, and that him pretending nothing was wrong was really what was driving me crazy. But it turns out that wasn’t true. Now I’m being driven crazy by not knowing what it is. I mean, what if it’s about me? Even if it’s not about me directly, the fact that he doesn’t feel comfortable telling me it has to be a problem with us, doesn’t it? We’re supposed to share everything with each other, aren’t we?

I couldn’t let it go, so I finally asked him to see a couples counselor with me. The Really Tall One, who until last week had been staying with my sister and her husband, got her counseling license last week, so we’re going to see her. I even get a discount since she’s become so close to my niece Janice. We have our first phone session together scheduled for later today. I’m, I’m really hoping we can get to the bottom of this so I can stop obsessing! I mean, a-and also so Carlos can let go of whatever is distracting him so much, and then we can both get back to distracting each other. The emotional complexities of sharing a life with another are all that’s on my mind. Also, the sudden ocean which destroyed Old Town.

Oh, breaking news on that: all members of the Marine Biology Association have been reported missing. Randy lance, Girl Scouts Splinter faction leader, reports that the GPS tracking devices she secretly adhered to the biologists’ shoe heels have stopped transmitting, and no one has seen any of the biologists in over 24 hours. Members of the Tourism Board have declined verbal comment, instead offering a giddy smile while waving a giant foam number 1 finger. And with no biologists to throw a tantrum about menacing biohazards hidden in an unsecured locker, members of the Tourism Board have gone out to the storage unit in Radon Canyon to relocate their secret aquarium of semi-animate clear jelly collected from our new ocean to a more public venue.

Making our flooding situation even worse is the hard rain. On the bright side, we don’t normally get much rain around these parts. The gentle percussion of water is so soothing! It reminds me of my new sleep meditation track, Bloodstorm. More on the weather in a moment, but first an update from Radon Canyon. I’ve received word that the blobs of semi-animate translucent jelly in the Tourism Board’s aquarium have fused together to form one giant jelly cube that now completely fills the 12 foot by 12 foot storage unit from wall to wall. Horrifically unnerved by this discovery, agents from the Tourism Board who went to recover the aquarium have all left Radon Canyon and hired the Really Tall One for private therapy sessions. Head of the Tourism Board, Madeline LeFleur, released a statement which only said: “Well crap”. LeFleur was last seen in full sprint toward the airport.

And now, a PSA.

Deb: Hello friends. This is Deb, a sentient and occasionally benevolent, patch of haze. Speaking for the Department of Motor Vehicles. We’ve had some complaints about our eyeball donation program. We want to emphasize we created this program with only the best intentions. We’re sure you understand that. According to a survey, people in the donation program have been very satisfied they can retain some sort of consciousness after death. However, they have been reportedly very unsatisfied with what their eyes continue to see. This has ranged from nonconsensual television viewing in the middle of a season they’re not caught up with, to the witnessing of crimes and subsequent ethical dilemma of testifying in court against their own host bodies.

We hear your concerns. And you know what? Fine. The eyeball donation checkbox will be discontinued on all new DMV forms. The DMV itself has also been discontinued. If you need any services from the DMV, please go to another town. Please don’t call or come to the office. If you see any DMV workers around town, [tearily] please don’t speak to them or acknowledge their presents. It’s obvious you don’t like them. It will only make this harder for all of us. We think a little space would be good for us right now. But we do want you to know we were only trying to something nice. We care deeply about our DMV customers and have only wanted the best for you. We know that doesn’t make it right, but no matter what, just remember: the DMV loves you. The DMV has always loved you. That’s the important thing. If we could afford the rights to that Green Day song, we’d play. Good knowing you. Love, the DMV.

Cecil: I want to get back to the Carlos stuff, listeners. I really need to talk this all out, but I keep getting breaking news updates. We finally have word on the missing biologists. That’s good news. We found them out in the Scrublands. The bad news is we were only able to find partially eaten pieces of them. With the leadership of the Marine Biologist Association vacated, Randy Lance declared herself and the Girl Scouts Splinter Faction as the city’s foremost experts in marine biology. Lance surmises there is an aquatic creature of large tooth size and insatiable hunger living in this new ocean. Lance speculated the biologists were engaged in a heroic attempt to study the marine biology abruptly available to them, when events took a tragic turn. The biologists’ loved ones clarified that the biologists were actually fleeing town under the cover of night and got caught in the worst possible intersection of time and space, dying an agonized and terror-filled death in the exact matter that comprised their worst collective nightmare.

“He died doing what he loved,” a spouse of one of the deceased said. “Running away from his problems.”

[a song starts playing] Oh, oh look at the time! That’s Carlos and the Really Tall One calling in for our first counseling session. Um, oo, probably a good time for a weather report.

[“Clockwork Family” by Dan Warren. soundcloud.com/danwarren]

Well, that was an interesting first counseling session. Carlos apologized for being so quiet recently, and I said it was OK, I was just worried about him, and the Really Tall One said we both sounded like we loved each other a lot. And I said, well yes but that’s not the point right now, the point is I want to know all of Carlos’ secrets! And Carlos said, “Cecil, if it really means that much to you, I’ll tell you. The truth is, this isn’t my first phantom ocean. Before I ever came to Night Vale, there was an incident. It happened years ago, it was a different situation, but similar enough that I got preoccupied thinking about it these last few weeks. And sometimes I just need a little space to process things on my own first. It doesn’t mean I’m hiding anything from you. I mean, I kind of am, but if it were truly serious or was directly about us, I would talk with you about it. This is just a scientific and catastrophic phenomenon, not something to do with us.” That is verbatim what Carlos said. I wrote down every exact word, like an inexperienced journalist carefully investigating a huge story.

And then I said, “Yes OK fine, but what happened? What incident?” And – he said he still didn’t really want to talk about it and I asked the Really Tall One, “Aren’t there some sort of therapy exercised we could do to encourage Carlos to reveal every detail of his past to us immediately?” And she said “No”. And I said, “Maybe hypnosis or telekinesis?” I mean, she’s new to the counseling profession and maybe isn’t aware of all the tools available to be her yet. She said we have to accept that Carlos doesn’t want to talk about it right now, and maybe doesn’t want to talk about it ever. She said a person’s secrets are their own to keep or disclose and it isn’t necessarily an indication of the degree of intimacy in a relationship.

And I said, [chuckling] “Oh, really? Tell that to my 8th grade self!” Immediately embarrassed, I doubled down and said, “I played truth or dare and revealed to my friends that I’m afraid of mirrors and that I have a crush on someone in the room.” “That’s cute!” Carlos said. “Who was there?” And I said, “I can’t tell you!” And then I said, “I can’t remember, actually.” I don’t even remember what year I was in the 8th grade, let alone how old I am or even what I look like, because of the whole mirror thing. But I didn’t want to tell Carlos all that. It was too painful and complicated and not important. And the Really Tall One who could, I’m sure, hear all of my thoughts, smiled over the phone, which I thought was smug. I’m still not sure how I feel about any of this.

I have a lot more to say here, but there’s been some breaking news updates piling up on my desk. Let’s skim through the most interesting looking ones. Yeah. In order to protect us from the growing jelly cube and its apparent power to create random phantom oceans, the City Council decided the key to the jelly-filled storage unit in Radon Canyon will be destroyed, fed to whatever aquatic beast ate the marine biologists. A new budget line item was then approved to pay monthly rent on the unit indefinitely rather than, quote, “ever open that door again”. This cost to the city will be covered by the new tax increases on rental cars, gasoline, and dreams where you realize you’re naked in public.

A memorial service was held for the remaining body parts of the members of the Marine Biology Association. It was a beautiful service, in which each body part was given recognition for its unique contribution to the whole of who each person was. Inspired by this touching memorial, as well as the silent horror finally locked away in Radon public storage, the Tourism Board has decided to abandon plans for the Harbor Waterfront expansion project. Instead, it will shift its focus to renovating the recently destroyed Old Town. Plans for new Old Town are already underway, with some blueprints taken from the children’s redesigned Old Town drawing contest, hosted by the Girl Scouts Splinter Faction. The Captain is even slated to open a fusion restaurant there later this year. Mmmm, I love non-specific fusion cuisine.

[clears throat] Members of the Tourism Board have acknowledged that a huge amount of money and effort will go into the renovations and that all of the work, time, and expanse may or may not be destroyed by a similar incident at any moment. “C’est la vie”, they were hard to utter. It’s possible they actually said, “sepa vediare”, a protection spell that makes all sand eels harbingers of good fortune. Mm, hm.

OK, I only have a few moments of airtime left, and I just wanted to say, well… You know how if you keep staring at that one spot in the ceiling, it starts to look like a face? And the harder you look, the more it takes shape, and when you can finally see it really clearly, the face never disappears and it’s always there watching you? Or, or like how Oxyclean has those commercials where they can get blood out of everything from jeans to gloves to loaves of bread, but when you actually use the product, [angrily] those stains just never go away, reminding you day after day of what you’ve done? Or, no, OK, anyway.

[calm voice] What I’m trying to say is Carlos, if you’re listening, I’m sorry I freaked out and kept pressuring you to talk. Taking space for yourself is not the same as pushing someone away. And I guess I needed a little space too to figure that out. Whatever you need, I totally respect that. I can even go hang out at the Pancake House tonight if you- if you want some alone time. OK, I just wanted to say that before… Oh. Oh, Carlos just texted. “Come home now and I will do the opposite of push you away.” Well. Maybe what I’m trying to say is, [cheerfully] I think I’ve been on the air too long, I really should be getting home like right now.

Stay tuned next for bubble wrap being popped by rolling pins meant to simulate the explosion of fireworks.

Good night, Night Vale, Good night!

Today’s proverb: Pick a company and invest all your money in it. The absolute worst that could happen is that you’ll lose every cent and it would be terrifying and life-changing, so give it a shot.

Song Tag Double Whammy

So my dude @fujiquacki tagged me in some things and I’m gonna do em and add vague descriptions because it’s 3am and I love music. (sidenote this took me like 3 hours so now it's 6am whatever tho)

I'll do the tagging stuff now, I don’t think i have 10 mutuals who aren’t also tagged in fuji’s post but I’ll tag as many as i can way up here so you don't have to read like 1100ish words of me being gay for music if you don't want to lmao

@standarddivination, @thecockmeister, @samsucc, @marvelfangeek09, @tia-lewise, @pure-love-and-destruction, @thehavenabovereality, come check this out and do it if you feel like it lol

Part 1:

Rules: If you can, list the Top Ten songs you are listening to lately, and tag ten mutuals to do the same!

1) Get Got // Death Grips

(Brutal experimental industrial hip-hop that about police chases and death with really dark and intimidating synth)

2) Garden Shed // Tyler, The Creator

(The number one song about being in the closet ever, also some really trippy melodies and great vocals from both Tyler and Estelle, also I don't know what pedals they used to get the great guitar effect in the bridge but i fkn want them)

3) Under Your Thumb // Godley & Creme

(Fabulous synth and a haunting (haha) story about meeting the ghost of a suicidal woman on the train she threw herself in front of.)

4) Thou Shalt Always Kill // Dan Le Sac vs Scroobious Pip

(More great hip-hop, this time an inspiring message about how to think critically and not worship content creators)

5) Barracuda // Heart

(That classic flanger riff at the start is really ingrained in my mind recently and also Ann Wilson's voice is freaking great on this track wow)

6) Garbage Truck // Sex Bob-omb/Beck

(Scott Pilgrim is my all time fave and I got a new fuzz pedal that sounds so much like this I've been thinking of covering it, indie rock with heavy overdriven bass and simple but loveable vocals)

7) Now The Action Is On Fire // Biffy Clyro

(The kind of heavy alternative rock that’s the staple of Biffy's early albums, the driving guitar and interesting drum pattern contrasted with violins and soft vocals on this one keep me coming back to it despite it being fairly hefty at like 8 minutes long ish)

8) Just Keep Walking // INXS

(A great Australian mix of New Wave, Ska and a dash of poppy melody, this track has a sweet bassline and a catchy hook and I haven't been able to stop playing it since I bought the band's 1st LP last week)

9) Friend Zone // Yucky Duster

(Brooklyn quad Yucky Duster's intro to their self titled album is a fabulously blunt deconstruction of the way creepy guys think. Coupled with a great guitar riff that makes for a short but surprisingly replayable track here)

10) The Working Hour // Tears For Fears

(MMMMMmmmmmm that saxophone and also Roland Orzabal's voice is honey right here wow I love new wave and synthpop and damn I'm very gay for the 80s in general but jeez this song exemplifies it)

Part 2:

Rules: Write the first 10 songs that come up on shuffle, write your favorite lyrics, then tag 10 people.

Moonage Daydream // David Bowie Keep your electric eye on me babe Put your ray gun to my head Press your space face close to mine, love Freak out in a moonage daydream oh yeah! (This one always makes me think of like an awesome raypunk romance type scene I love it)

Irresistible // Fall Out Boy You ought to keep me concealed just like I was a weapon I didn't come for a fight but I will fight 'til the end This one might be a battle, might not turn out okay You know you look so Seattle but you feel so LA (I’ve never been to Seattle or LA but damn I guess I’m feeling what he’s saying here)

Here Comes The Hotstepper // Ini Kamoze Nah, na na na nah Na na na nah, na na nah, na na nah Na na na nah Here comes the hotstepper (murderer) I'm the lyrical gangster (murderer) Big up di crew in-a di area (murderer) Still love you like that (murderer) (A true classic, really, if you don’t naaa nananana along with this we aren’t friends)

Lullaby // The Cure Quietly he laughs and shaking his head Creeps closer now, closer to the foot of the bed And softer than shadow and quicker than flies His arms are all around me and his tongue in my eyes Be still be calm be quiet now my precious boy Don't struggle like that or I will only love you more For it's much too late to get away or turn on the light The spider-man is having you for dinner tonight (Robert Smith is creepy af when he wants to be and this is such a great depiction of depression and addiction in a lyrical form wow)

Letter From God To Man // Scroobious Pip vs Dan Le Sac So I apologize for any mistakes I made And when my words misconstrued But this apology's to Mother Nature Cause I created you (Weirdly not the only song about how we’re messing up earth but probably the wittier of the two)

505 // Arctic Monkeys But I crumble completely when you cry It seems like once again you've had to greet me with "Goodbye" I'm always just about to go and spoil a surprise Take my hands off of your eyes too soon (damn this breakdown is depressing but also a banger)

Waiting // Green Day I've been, waiting a long time For this, moment to come I'm destined, for anything at all (aimlessly drifting has always been my thing so yano)

A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More "Touch Me" // Fall Out Boy And you're just the girl all the boys want to dance with And I'm just the boy who's had too many chances I'm sleeping on your folks' porch again, dreaming She said, she said, she said "Why don't you just drop dead?" (I feel like this pre-chorus haunted me back in my angsty emo days and it will probably actually haunt me for the rest of my life, but secretly i kinda love it)

Forest // System Of A Down Why can't you see that you are my child? Why don't you know that you are my mind? Tell everyone in the world that I'm you Take this promise to the end of you (A song about mother earth pleading with her offspring humanity to recognize what they’re doing to her and step out of the forest of their denial, equally ghostly and heavy this chorus is always hard hitting)

Shoplifters Of The World Unite // The Smiths Shoplifters of the world Unite and take over Shoplifters of the world Hand it over, hand it over, hand it over (Karl Marx’s “worker of the world, unite...” remixed by Morrissey to suit harsh realities in the dole lines of working class England)

Thanks for coming to my musical TEDx talk you guys

SAIYAN RAP CYPHER - Lyrics | FabvL

SAIYAN RAP CYPHER - Lyrics | FabvL

SAIYAN RAP CYPHER | FabvL ft. RUSTAGE, Daddyphatsnaps, Dan Bull, NerdOut & More [Dragon Ball] 

Joey Nato:- Ayo, you know what's crazy? I learned that me and that dude Gohan got a lot in common Nato, all the haters that tried me will be first to tell You that you won't get buy me with a perfect sell 'Cause I'm married to my goals like my goals Videl My father taught me how to win, but I learned to fail And pick a low in my life, any low I've had Was in the pickle low key, but the key was fight back Even when I was a teen, I would know I'm bad The way I killed a 16 would make Gohan snap Look, legend in the making, can't stop my story And if a Sensu bein' a little hostile towards mе I'm a power up quick and deliver that fast pain Thеy Saiyaman only as good as his last game I heard you pack a punch, but I guess none landed Dummy, you should know I'll beat you one handed And if you mess with family, take a guess what we'll do We won't wanna fight you, nah, we'll wanna kill you, Nato Dreaded Yasuke:- See me walking in the public Sporting the green and black armor on Bandana with the blood drip I was considered low budget Look at me now, fighting the crowd, take you all by the dozen Judging my exterior, I'm raising my thermals Thinking I'm inferior, making ya soul furlough Beat you down thorough Hoping you can manage my final spirit cannon and make ya blood curdle This the time to panic When you see the golden hair, even battle damaged I give you a thousanf-yard stare Not gonna be fair when I start feeling my rhythm You should be scared, ya blood staining your denim Standing there thinking how did I get my momentum? And will be passing down, cause of nepotism Super Saiyan ain't nothing to playing with Enemies don't gotta chance, even when I show them the tip Dan Bull:- Ay, what you bringing? What you saying? I'm the king of the Saiyans Someone from the southern U.S.A., would say I'm advanced Solving the toughest puzzles There must be tuffles living in my brain Still ruling my people, I don't really care what Frieza claims King Vegeta's staying, like a Fajita stain Firing execution beams and heaps of Ki in waves I've seen regimes and seasons change, how could it be the same? You keep on feeding the flames, you're going to free this ape Vegeta's ancestors stand the test of time I guess it's down to diet, genes and some exercise Best alive 'till my son took the crown Now I rest in the sky up above trunks looking down There's a bright future ahead of him, like every parent's hoping for I might have met my descendents if I never had that broken jaw There's so much lore that I could go through more Than even Goku could hope to when he grows new balls Shwabadi:- Yo, I see you thought it was over But then the fusion tango boosted power roasting opponents The coldest foes that I'm owning, the Ki is flowing an ocean You had the nuts to step to one of us, but now you're facing Bofa These thugs People that keep the beam tucked Lethal when thinking you'd of dreamed to beat us Fetal position, you can clear the tear ducts Crying to yourself 'cus you're weak and we're peerless I got twice the will in me, a Gemini man Don't need a smith, come with quickness when I jeopardise plans Double vision, they can't seem him, 'cus I'm fast with the hands Punisher drive, push 'em aside, now I'm sending 'em back This dual personality, you woulda thought'd be a mismatch Two beefy dudes sandwiched together, that's a Big Mac One man think tank, never skipped gym class Think fast, Kamehameha with a Big Bang Gameboy Jones:- Coming to you live, it's the man from the planet of the apes You don't want the smoke and I ain't talking 'bout a vape Tide pod ship, yeah my whip so clean I've been taking planets way before I even hit my teens Raditz stacking cabbage, I'm banking on being savage Heart is full of malice, unleash it by causing havoc You don't want the beef that's unfortunate, there's no salad If I see my brother, I'm snapping that little carrot No app, but I'm bringing in the discord I'm pedal to the metal, that's how opposition gets floored Microsoft, I'm about to give you one note Facing me is suicide, us Saiyans are to cutthroat Pride of a lion, check the mane But I go ape shit, me and you are not the same Compared to me, you ain't even looking half as nice If you wanna beat me, you'll sacrifice your life! None Like Joshua:- This is for Gohan, so long you robots Krillin's own thot, isn't even the most hot or that nice Like I am when it comes to tough fights Goku taking 20 episodes, I'm taking one slice More humble than any Saiyan here on the track 'Cause I know when to attack and when to hold it back Coming from the future, man, it's all out of whack 'Cause Goku's got to live, so don't shoot, he's not Goku Black Or Zamasu, what I've seen will haunt you Travel to the past seems too paradoxical But I've got to killin' villains, saving my fam Now my sword is shaving off years from your lifespan Simpin for Mai chick, she's searching for my Dragon Balls I don't need to make a wish, I can hurt the baddest gods Immortals underestimate me 'cause my dad's a loser Thia Mai is too young, so it's back to the future Zach Boucher:- They don't hold a single hope if they're alone Find a sacrifice against this elitist, you will need it That's my last advice I'll be undefeated and I mean it though, I pack a fight Handing eveybody, one way tickets to the after life Now they're coming at me assuming they're quick Nah, practically practice, they're done with, I'm over this shit Getting so impatient, God I hate how it's over so quick So I'll let you die for nothing, like the Namek, Tien, and his buddy did Say he's Super Saiyan, but I'm saying that he sucked at it You just need to find the little strength that you've been mustering While I keep it deep inside my veins until it clutters You're like Gohan, how you stuttered Killed your friends and all your brothers I was sick of living deep inside the dark But that's when I met Vegeta, he would teach me where to start They don't realize I'm still alive to tear you all apart You call it destruction, I call that a pockmark Connor Quest:- Goten since I was below ten, I've been hard as stone henge Enemies they curve me like a road bend Broke them limits, making grown men fidget When you see me up in GT, I'm the golden ticket Need a scope lens just to even see the height I'm hitting Deny the physics, these guys are tripping If they think that I could give in Collide the digits, call it popping the Trunks Because I'm riding with him, feel the burn As you get offed by the son Flip round turn the tension high No, these clowns ain't friends of mine Kamehameha drop a body to the floor Get a strike to a vital just to end your life Step with a rush on your neck, bust collarbones This is how you make a hero's son, fuck Boruto Ki on lock, you can fight with us You'll be sweeping up the pieces of your teeth after you bite the dust DizzyEight:- Looking for a hero? Then it's us Had to double up to maneuver when it's clutch Give him big rounds, know for the dough I go nuts Fella, sit down, it's known I bring thunder when I punch Ya'll talk too much, enemies do the most What I speak leave 'em toast, when I spit they go ghost You're not the real thing, I'm in a game full of clones They copy what I'm on, then hope that they explode You can't copy me If you do, you do it sloppily They're just throwing shots at me But I promise you never stopping me So much potential You can check my credentials You don't know that you in for Greatness what I'm meant for FabvL:- Hold up, I see 'em wanting the prince Throw your best punch, guarantee I won't even flinch I got the drip that'll turn your number 1 to a bitch Shoot this Galick gun unload it, yeah I'm draining the clip So call me sensei I've been healing the game, better than Dende Type a hero that the villains and their friends say Is truly worthy of the crown, never dead weight Hyperbolic rent payed the best way I got the baddest chick in the whole galaxy Used to say that Super Saiyans were a fallacy Now I've learned that evil deeds are just cowardly Richest man on Earth, so fuck your whole salary Really think you could hang with all the best? No way, royal blood, got it running through my chest Don't play, stupid villains, I could kill without regret All day, listen up, you will do whatever that I say! NerdOut:- Y'all done screwed up I acquired the jewels and now I'm fused up You about to get bruised up Best of both worlds, I use superior stragedy You're not even half the man that used to be half of me You choosing defeat If I wave my arm, the wind will put holes in you Now that's shooting the breeze Go ask Majin Buu, oops it's too late I'm out for 60 minutes, but for you? I only use 8 Laughing while I'm waiting for this union to dissolve 'Cause I don't think the ladies are approving a ménage But if Chichi and Bulma wanna cuddle tonight They better watch out 'cause now I got double the pipe And Gogeta's no match, he stay losing He had to do choreographed Tik Tok dances to make a fusion So which Super Saiyan are you choosing? These dim-witted half-pints or pinnacle of evolution Rustage:- Hit that, Wukong with the staff breaking bodies like a Kit Kat Rip your team in half like I'm moses when I split that Whiplash punches like it's gift wrapped, spit facts Treat you all like Frieza with a bitch-slap Saiyan from the planet of the apes, I'm not playing Best be praying to this God I'm raising stakes I ain't waiting, I be saving every person, every race Passion blazing 'cus I'm facing any aliens in my way Say my name, call me Goku Hanuman, stand my ground, yeah I won't move Chris Chan, when I'm loud with a blown fuse Understand, hear the sound of your bones bruise Go through faster than my flows do A monkey but better than Luffy, I'm king of the planets Ain't needing no piracy I'm stunning, just look at my moves, I'm top of the charts And I'm needing no rivalry And finally, they're fighting me bust in beats like it's Chichi Easy your characters tough, but can they beat me? Daddyphatsnaps:- So you made this far, huh? Now you and me Hahahahaha Somebody hold me back, I'm going berserk And at the rate I'm going, bro I'm 'bout to blow up the Earth It's lunch time, eat your every punch, I'm knowing it hurts your pride Legendary Saiyan, I was chosen at birth, I'm the truth 'Cus I always been the hardest, I'm a bad bitch You had to work to get to where I started so savage Had the Super Saiyan gods saying "oh damnit" He's so made bitch, he breaking up the whole planet Well, if it's gonna go, then I got something I should get off my chest And I ain't talkin' 'bout the X, see you sipping the flex I got these little green bitches out here gripping my pecs I'm ill turn you green bitches then your hitting the deck I'm a god damn God, are you out of your mind? It's strange, millions of scenarios, you die every time Murder you without a trace and 'geta brought me the lime You'll get bodied out your body if you rowdy with mine

https://img.youtube.com/vi/VigYo7W10Ik/maxresdefault.jpg from Blogger https://bit.ly/343heDB

Hey, Jude!

A tiny book, a short Letter.

An encouragement to keep the faith and a warning to those who work through deceit and who rebel against the truth of Love. because Love is God our Creator.

The Letter of Jude:

Jude, a slave of Jesus the Anointed and a brother of James, to you, the ones whom God our Father loves and has called and whom Jesus, the Anointed One, has kept. Kindness, peace, love—may they never stop blooming in you and from you.

Friends, I have been trying to write you about our common salvation. But these days my heart is troubled, and I am compelled to write to you and encourage you to continue struggling for the faith that was entrusted to the saints once and for all. Vile men have slithered in among us. Depraved souls who stand condemned have made a mockery of the grace given to us, using it as a pretext for a life of excess, lived without any thought of God. These poor fools have denied Jesus the Anointed, our one Lord and Master.

You have heard the stories many times, and the Spirit has enlightened you about their meaning, but you still need to be reminded. Remember when the Lord saved our ancestors from the land in Egypt? He breathed life into their earthen lungs and took back the life from those who did not believe. And God has kept the rebellious heavenly messengers bound and chained in utter darkness—shadowy gloom—until the time when His judgment arrives, because they failed to keep their rightful positions and abandoned their appointed realms. Sodom and Gomorrah and all their neighbors were defeated by their own sexual perversions as they pursued the strange and unnatural impulses of the flesh. Let these who went their own way and are experiencing the eternal heat of God’s vengeance—a punishment by fire—be a warning to you.

These stories are examples to help you understand the fate of those dreamers who have slipped in and defiled your community, rejected those in charge, and insulted the glorious majesty of the heavenly messengers. Even their chief, Michael, when disputing with the devil over Moses’ body, did not offer his own taunting judgment against him. Michael simply said, “May the Lord’s rebuke fall on you.”

The deceivers among you despise what they do not understand; they live without reason like animals, reacting only with primal instincts; and their ways are corrupting them. Woe to these deceivers! They are doomed! They have followed in the footsteps of their father Cain, sold their souls for profit into Balaam’s deceit, and suffered the devastation of Korah’s rebellion.

These men are cold stones on the warm hearth of your love feasts as they glut themselves without fear, thinking only of their own benefit. They are waterless clouds, carried away by the wind; autumn’s lonely and barren trees, twice dead, uprooted; violent waves of the sea breaking over the bow, foaming with shame; lost and wandering stars destined to live forever in gloomy darkness.

During the seventh generation after Adam, the prophet Enoch said, “Look! The Lord came, and with Him tens of thousands of His holy messengers to judge wicked men and convict the impious and ungodly for all they have said and all the hard things they have done against the Holy One.” These men are complainers who look long and hard to find the faults of other men. They are led by their own lustful desires like fools down the path of destruction. They are arrogant liars who want only to get ahead of others.

But you, friends, remember the words of the emissaries of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King: “At the end of time, some will ridicule the faithful and follow their lusts to the grave.” These are the men among you—those who divide friends, those concerned ultimately with this world, those without the Spirit. You, however, should stand firm in the love of God, constructing a life within the holy faith, praying the Spirit’s prayer, as you wait eagerly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, which leads to eternal life.

Keep being kind to those who waver in this faith. Pursue those who are singed by the flames of God’s wrath, and bring them safely to Him. Show mercy to others with fear, despising every garment soiled by the weakness of human flesh.

Now to the One who can keep you upright and plant you firmly in His presence—clean, unmarked, and joyful in the light of His glory—to the one and only God, our Savior, through Jesus the Anointed our Lord, be glory and greatness and might and authority; just as it has been since before He created time, may it continue now and into eternity. Amen.

The Letter of Jude (The Voice)

thousands of years ago God spoke directly to Moses here on earth, just as He speaks in Heaven. and the Lord was here on earth speaking as a man 2,000 years ago, and then went back to Heaven and sent His Spirit (His Heart and thought-life, His silence) to us, to inspire our hearts and lives to be in line with Love and its truth. but we have to choose. we have a will that is free to do so, or to reject it.

and we do hear His voice in the Scriptures that reveal a new covenant of grace which is an act of rebirth through the True illumination of the Son. we have this written down to both conserve it, to share it, and to show what is to come, that will be...

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the first chapter from the book of Numbers where Moses was instructed to take a census of the tribes of Israel:

[Census in the Wilderness of Sinai]

God spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai at the Tent of Meeting on the first day of the second month in the second year after they had left Egypt. He said, “Number the congregation of the People of Israel by clans and families, writing down the names of every male. You and Aaron are to register, company by company, every man who is twenty years and older who is able to fight in the army. Pick one man from each tribe who is head of his family to help you. These are the names of the men who will help you:

from Reuben: Elizur son of Shedeur

from Simeon: Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai

from Judah: Nahshon son of Amminadab

from Issachar: Nethanel son of Zuar

from Zebulun: Eliab son of Helon

from the sons of Joseph,

from Ephraim: Elishama son of Ammihud

from Manasseh: Gamaliel son of Pedahzur

from Benjamin: Abidan son of Gideoni

from Dan: Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai

from Asher: Pagiel son of Ocran

from Gad: Eliasaph son of Deuel

from Naphtali: Ahira son of Enan.”

These were the men chosen from the congregation, leaders of their ancestral tribes, heads of Israel’s military divisions.

Moses and Aaron took these men who had been named to help and gathered the whole congregation together on the first day of the second month. The people registered themselves in their tribes according to their ancestral families, putting down the names of those who were twenty years old and older, just as God commanded Moses. He numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai.

The line of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by tribes according to their ancestral families. The tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.

The line of Simeon: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300.

The line of Gad: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Gad numbered 45,650.

The line of Judah: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.

The line of Issachar: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400.

The line of Zebulun: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400.

The line of Joseph: From son Ephraim the men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500.

And from son Manasseh the men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200.

The line of Benjamin: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400.

The line of Dan: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Dan numbered 62,700.

The line of Asher: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Asher numbered 41,500.

The line of Naphtali: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400.

These are the numbers of those registered by Moses and Aaron, registered with the help of the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each representing his ancestral family. The sum total of the People of Israel twenty years old and over who were able to fight in the army, counted by ancestral family, was 603,550.

The Levites, however, were not counted by their ancestral family along with the others. God had told Moses, “The tribe of Levi is an exception: Don’t register them. Don’t count the tribe of Levi; don’t include them in the general census of the People of Israel. Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of The Dwelling of The Testimony—over all its furnishings and everything connected with it. Their job is to carry The Dwelling and all its furnishings, maintain it, and camp around it. When it’s time to move The Dwelling, the Levites will take it down, and when it’s time to set it up, the Levites will do it. Anyone else who even goes near it will be put to death.

“The rest of the People of Israel will set up their tents in companies, every man in his own camp under its own flag. But the Levites will set up camp around The Dwelling of The Testimony so that wrath will not fall on the community of Israel. The Levites are responsible for the security of The Dwelling of The Testimony.”

The People of Israel did everything that God commanded Moses. They did it all.

The Book of Numbers, Chapter 1 (The Message)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for Sunday, may 24 of 2020 with a paired chapter from each Testament along with Today’s Psalms and Proverbs

demon Rap monster x reader demigod part one

My dear friend i would like to inform you that my family is holding a masquerade ball in my honor and i would love my dearest friend to join me in this coronation of mine.The only thing i request of you is my protection during this vulnerable time,this shouldn’t be a problem for you as your a demigod of Zeus .. but i feel as though my life is at stake due to the coronation of my powers and blood to ignite to its peak.  please,Entrust the safety of myself in your hands …. yours sincerely and loving friend  (Y/F/N) —————————————————————————————————                            ————————————————————— 

 lights flare from the buildings as classical music can be heard from the mansion as the car pulls up into the pebble driveway.as i walk up to the doors of the ballroom,i can see various people chatting to one another.The aura around me was feeling natural well as normal as it can get for the supernatural world i live in. 

 as i draw closer into the crowd fulled with masks i dart my eyes around the room, scanning for the familiar presence of (Y/F/N).

 “ nice to see you again (Y/F/N)” 

 she quickly spun around to come face to face with mine, her eyes where wide and frighten “no need o be so jumpy,now that your hero is here to save the day~” i say with a small chuckle in return only getting pulled into a firm hug by the girl. 

 “ oh thank god that you came! I’ve been so scared its driving me crazy! thank you so much for coming, i can finely breath now” she blurts out quickly in one go.

“hhhaaa. anything for a friend like you, and look how fast you’ve grown! i remember when you where this cute little child~ well you are still are my cute little friend~” i pinch her cheeks in the process as she tries to force my hands away.

“Okay (Y/F/N),you just do you tonight. well i watch form a distance. don’t be afraid to come and get me if someone or something is off to you, i deal with it for you” i say with confidence as well with a reassuring smile.

“yes,yes,i will. thanks again for doing this for me…. this means a lot” the girl hugs me one last time before taking her leave.

“well let the babysitting begin” 

—————————————————————————————————                         ————————————————

——————————————————————————————————- -Rap mon POV- 

 Somethings off. Something unusual. The smell of a nostalgic scent fills my nose, whatever let’s just get this over and done with.

 “See her?” J-hope says with a casual smile as he looks around. He adjusts his suit as he jolts his shoulders upwards to move his clothing. I grin as i bends down slightly to show J-Hope where the girl is.

 Jimin, V and Suga look around in place as they search for the irritating scent, that I noticed when we first got here. “Guys? What’s wrong?” jin ask with no clue of the unusual presents, ash we need to teach him more locating skills 

“J-Hope, locate her father and change yourself to look like him. That should make things easier” Suga says as he fidgets due to the scent. J-Hope nods as we walks off in search. Suga nudges V and nods his head as all three of them come to intention and try to ease the tension.

 “Maybe we should see what the scent leads us to?” V questions as he shrugs his shoulders. Suga looks at him with concern and Jimin nods slightly at the idea. “Why? So you can go into heat?” Suga fires.

 V chokes on air as Jimin covers his mouth trying to prevent his laughter. “Come on guys, let’s try be on focus And V, are you really in a heat?” i grins with a small chuckle. V whines and groans at the memory of what happened last time, he face palms and let’s his hand fall from his face. “Come on guys, be nice to me. That was one time!” V complains as he starts to walk away. 

Quickly Jimin grips his shoulder before he can walk to far off. “Wait. Look.” Jimin gestures towards a girl on the second floor of the ball room above us. “So it’s her?” Jimin nods with confidence in reply to Suga as they stare for a moment

. -(Y/N) POV- 

 Someone’s Watching Me I know it. I through my attention around the ballroom trying to locate the sense that I’m getting, to see a group of men looking at me.

 “Fuck.” i stare back as one of them with caramel brown hair smiles and waves at me, earning him two smacks on the chest and back from the two standing beside him. 

I clutches the fabric on the thigh area as i feel for a handle that is hidden underneath the fabric. I back off to make way towards (Y/F/N). Giving one last look  over my shoulder sees them glare slightly at me well I smirk back at them.

 “It’s a group huh how interesting" I comment to myself

. “(Y/F/N) was right, I’ve got to hurry.” i says making it to the first floor quickly. As i try to make it to (Y/F/N), a tall man with blonde hair and Dark black eyes stopped me in my tracks. 

He gives us a soft smile and stops in front of us. “miss, I’m sorry about the rudeness of my friends back there.” As he said this, the other guys from before make their way over to me.

 “No, no, that’s fine! no harm done, but we must be on our way, byeeee” i exclaimed in a hurry as i tries to push past them. The male with blonde hair steps in our way again and looks me over.The blonde one nods as the others grip my wrists. I stiffened up like a wall and started to look pale, while gritted my teeth.

 “But miss, the night is still young and I would love to dan–” i cuts him off lazily, as i manages to free one of my wrists. “Sorry man, but I’ve got things to do. So, if you’d be so kind as to get out of my way, that’d be great” i patted the blonde guys chest. Just as I do this …. It all faded to a black abyss … Well FUCK ME .

 ————————————————————————————————–                       —————————————————————

 -RapMonstersPOV still-

 I walk out of the mansion with J-Hope as he leads the oblivious (Y/F/N) into the open. We round a corner and I stop in my tracks, earning (Y/F/N) my back in her face as she bumps into me.

 “O-oh, I’m sorry! It’s just it’s really dark out her-” she stops as she sees me look over my shoulder down at her. A glint in my eye that no other but my victims have seen. in an instant she starts to cower behind J-Hope.

 “Oh I can have some fun with this!” J-Hope clasps his hands together as he starts to shape shift into my form. Making the girl more frightened than before. “I, Rapmonster, am a demon. Fear me!” J-Hope exclaims as he laughs. I stare at J-Hope who is laughing by himself and push him into a bush.

 I walk up to the girl and place my index and middle finger together on her forehead. “Till you wake, pure one~” I give a devilish smile as her eyes fill black and she falls.

 JHope appears out of the bushes with his orange head self and rubs his back. “You really hurt my feelings sometimes you know!” I look over to him and smile gently. 

 “Say that to Suga, not me.” I pick up the girl and we start to make a short travel through the forest as a short cut to the car. As we arrive to the car, the other five members are already there. 

 “I still don’t think he’ll approve” Jungkook complains with his arms crossed against his chest. “I’m sure it’ll be fine, no worries.” V replies as he leans against the car. Jimin following suit as Suga watches the car doors. 

 “There are worries if you say there isn’t V” I raise my brow as I walk up to them, girl on my shoulder. I open the trunk to one of the two cars and place the girl inside.

 “They have a girl that is irrelevant ” Jungkook explains as he glares at the boys who brought the girl. “They aren’t irrelevant actually.” Suga leans his head back slightly as he looks over to Jungkook.

 I look at Jungkook then at the four who supposedly brought the girl. “Let’s see” I let out a breath to see what the nonsense is about. Jimin opens the back car door which I’m already located at and I see a girl with a white rabbit rose mask on. 

 “ why the hell isn’t she being watched?” I say slightly irritated at the thought. “Suga is.” I look over at Suga to see him leaning against the car and looking up at the night sky. “Sure.” I reply as I sigh I open the door and lean my arm against the top door frame as I bend down and look at her. 

I remove her mask and throw it next to her, I look at her eyes and see brown eyes with small golden flakes. I pinch the bridge of my nose as I look over to the group. 

 “she’s a damn Demi-Go-” I’m cut off by a loud crash as a car door is kicked, flying towards tree trunks, causing a small line of destruction. As the girl jumps out of the car she was placed in.

 “Look I may be a bit out of it at the moment but I can still handle myself and all you punks!” She yells hazily. She places a hand on the car to stable herself as she starts to come to her sense quickly.  I grit my teeth, not wanting to deal with the Demi-God. The ground starts to shake as I look up and over the car at the girl. She is now standing with confidence.

 Shit, she’s at full strength now. I feel a zap of electricity run through my torso and I tumble back. The others are already ready for what’s to come, but are oblivious to what they are facing. Due to the ground shaking, I fell back and had a hard time getting up from my torso being zapped, my nerves running crazy. 

Jin runs to my side and helps me up, my eyes darting to the girl. “ (Y/N) HELP …. in the trunk.” The girl we kidnapped form the ball declares.

 “Got it.” (Y/N) replies in a simple matter. I lean onto the car trunk where the girl is now located and look straight at her. My dark lagoon green hair falling slightly in front of my eyes as I stare daggers at her. 

 “You ain’t taking our supply of power” I chuckle as the others back me up. 

 “to bad~” (Y/N) giggles as the ground starts to shake more violently and the ground begins to show a crack. Pipes that must lead to the mansion supply are shown but break from the crack of earth rock, revealing water. 

I look back up and see her leaning on the trunk with me. “What the-” The others try to remove (Y/N) away but are stopped with a strikeout lightening, causing them to stop I their tracks. 

 “I wouldn’t come any closer.” She says casually as he looks over at them.

 “Hey mister, is the inside of that trunk Rubber?” She turns to me and I raise a brow. I feel a zap once more from the metal trunk as I fall back to the ground. The boot pops open with a click from the electric touch of a finger and (Y/F/N) is removed from the trunk. 

 “How’d you know if it was rubber or not?” jin asks as she walks up next to (Y/F/N). “Just a hunch.” She shrugs “hey can you get me out of here “ (Y/F/N) asked with discomfort straining her voice a bit in the process. 

 Fuck …… come on you’ve got this think of something quickly before the power we strive for slips through our fingers…. Ahg 

there is  only one way that i can think of that can make anyone summit to an other person, well geuse im doing this ..

i used my powers to heal me from the damage that she had coursed to my body just minutes before hand,with that i run to her with inhuman speed and was now right in front of her while grabbing onto her wrists.

“ what the hell do you think you do–”  

i cut her off by  forcefully but yet passionately placing my lips on her this automatically stopped the grouped from shacking, good I've got her of garde, got to do this fast before i get into more trouble than im already in.

i place my moth in the crook of her neck and bite down on the skin i had access to, forming my mark on the female as well as my sent started to wrapping around her body.

as i pulled away form her neck licking the blood off that trickled down her neck coming from the mark i just gave (Y/N) i could feel the strong bond i just formed with the girl infront of me, as she was now my mate.

“stand down,and come with me” I looked down at her smaller frame, she just nodded and looked accepted the facts of what just happened.

i took her hand in mine and lead her to one of the cars and placed her one my lap, what a day I've had.

“ what the hell just happened” the other members sate well walking to the car with (Y/F/N).

END of  part one

.garden

A/N: A very shitty (imo) Dan/Val Gods AU feat. Meddling Paulina and Sam. If you have trouble visualizing the temples, just message me! I had trouble figuring out how to even describe what was in my head, so don’t feel bad if you don’t get it! 

Warning: Language

Valerie crushed the goblet in her hand, rage seeping through her eyes and threatening to kill anyone in their path. "I will kill him."

Sam eyed her from across the room, absentmindedly wrapping vines of ivy around her wrist. "You won't." "Yes, I will." The Goddess of Justice stood up, crisp, white robes fluttering around her ankles. "I will murder him and force him to pass through his own domain like a mortal." Sam rose a brow. "You realize that Jazz will kill you if you do that, right?" The Goddess of Wisdom had always been quite protective of him, even if he was only part of her brother's original soul. "I don't care." Valerie began to pace back and forth in the small garden house. "As long as Phantom dies, I'm fine with whatever she does to me." Paulina, who was busy paying attention to her own reflection in her mirror, pouted and sat up on the couch. "Wait, is Phantom really dying?" She let out a sigh. "That sucks. I never even got to see him naked." Sam let out a sound of disgust. "Paulina."

"What?" She glared at the pale-skinned woman. "Don't try and tell me you haven't thought about it."

Paulina tilted her head to the side, inky black hair falling past her shoulders in perfect curls. "Val, if you're going to kill him can you at least let me look 'im over one last time." "Nobody's killing anybody," hissed Sam. "Valerie, if you just talk to him I'm sure he'd-." "No." Sam let out a heavy sigh, the ivy around her wrist drooping with stress. "Then what do you want? It's not like he knows that you're bent out of shape over this." "He messed with my temple," Valerie hissed, "My sanctuary. He should at least give me an apology." "Then tell him you're mad!" "And go near that thing he calls a temple?" Valerie rolled her eyes. "As if." Sam sighed and drained the life from the ivy. "Fine. If you're too stubborn to take care of it, then I'll do it myself." Valerie stopped. "What in the hell is that supposed to mean?" "Exactly what I said."

"You didn't have to come with me," said Sam. "I know," said Paulina, way too giddy for someone that was currently walking into the underworld. "I've never been down here before." The Goddess of Beauty looked around, taking note of the cave-like walls and chill air. "But, now that I'm here...this is kinda...grungy." "No shit, he lives in the Underworld," hissed Sam as they descended down the stairs. Back when the Earth was first created, Dan had not existed. The Original Gods had never planned to have a God of Destruction or two Gods to reign over the night. Dan wasn't created until one fateful night when the God of Vengeance tried to steal the son of the King and Queen of the Heavens. The baby's spirit was split in two, resulting in Dan and his counterpart, Danny. Dan was cursed to stay in the Underworld while Danny stayed in the Heavens. Ever since then, Dan had remained reclusive and cold to all the other Gods, even his own parents. The only people he was even seen talking to were the God of Time, Clockwork, and the Goddess of Wisdom, his older sister. The pair finally reached the tall entrance doors. Solid marble hid things that two of them had never seen before. Their imaginations were the only things they could use to visualize the rumored horrors that Phantom kept locked away from the other Gods. Sam took a deep breath. "Are you ready?" Paulina nodded. Sam pushed the door open and paused. "Oh." She blinked. “Holy shit.” Paulina gawked. "This is Phantom's place?" The two looked around the temple, amazed by how elegant and beautiful it was. The first floor was circular, with windows on almost every wall so one could gaze out at the stormy ocean that encompassed the room. Tall columns accented with gold brushed against the painted ceilings. Two sets of stairs flanked the throne in the middle, which was surrounded by trinkets and treasures thrown out by humanity. Dan entered the room, hair flickering around his face and past his shoulders. Undead servants trailed behind him, arms full of scrolls and maps. He looked at the pair in surprise. "Samantha? Paulina?" He sent his servants away with a flick of his wrist. "What are you two doing here?" "It's Sam," corrected the Goddess. She nudged Paulina and the two of them bowed. "God of Destruction and keeper of the moon, we have come to ask a favor of you." Dan raised a brow. "A favor? I don't do those." Sam rose and frowned. "It's very important. If you would just listen-." Dan waved his hand and turned away. "If it involves your petty matters in the Heavens then don't throw me in the mix. I mind my business and will continue to do so." "But you minding your business is what brought us here," stressed Sam. "Please, you just-." "It's concerning Valerie," chimed in Paulina using her sickeningly sweet voice. As Dan turned around, she jutted out her bottom lip. "She has been very upset lately because of what you did." Whether it was because if Paulina's devilish tricks or the mention of Valerie, Sam would never know, but Dan's blue face began to tinge with blush. "Something I did?" he asked. He stepped closer toward the women and they realized how tall, how foreboding, he was. "What did I do to upset her?" "Her garden," explained Sam, "Your tides ruined her garden a few days ago. It was a gift from her human father." Dan made a strange face. "Gift from her human father?" "Yeah," said Paulina, "Not all of us were born in the Heavens, y'know." Dan weighed this new information in his head. "Then tell her I'm sorry,” he said after a moment of thought. Sam frowned. "That's it?" Dan quirked a brow. "Very sorry?" Part of Sam wanted to strangle him, to break the windows and flood the place as she wrapped goopy seaweed around his neck and choked him to death. It was a sentimental gift for crying out loud! And with Valerie’s father long gone and the centuries passing faster than the seconds, there was no way that she or Valerie could replicate the garden. Flora got lost and evolved over time just like empires. But the other part of Sam was then one that huffed and bowed. She knew there was no way Dan would understand; all those years of being trapped down here probably ruined his emotional development and fucked with his logic. She accepted this, because this was probably as good as it'd get. "Thank you, Phantom," said Sam. "I'm sure Valerie will be happy to hear this." He nodded and the two Goddess left without a word.

"We can't tell Valerie that," said Sam as she plopped down on Paulina's mountain of pillows.

Paulina lived on a piece of a cumulus cloud; her temple composed of cotton-like matter and rays of sunshine. She has decorated most of it with diamonds, roses and whatever else her devotees left at her altar. It was the most beautiful temple around, which was quite fitting for the Goddess of Beauty.

Paulina floated down on her favorite cloud and pulled out a brush. "You're right," she said as she brushed her curls, "Maybe we can work out something with Clockwork and get him to reverse this whole week." Sam shook her head as she stared up the night sky. The stars twinkled brightly, something Danny often did. He liked for the constellations to be visible and for the stars to be as bright as the moon when he placed them in the sky. Sam sighed. "We just need to think of something-." Suddenly, they heard a loud boom that bounced off the sky and echoed through the stars. Someone was flying. Flight was an ability that Gods only used in emergencies. It was draining, using up all your energy and strength. Too much flight could kill a God, so why was-. They flew past Paulina's cloud, fluttering both of their hair. "Who in the-?" Petals. They scattered across the sky in a flurry of colors, drifting down like winter snow. Paulina caught one in her hand. "You don't think-?" The two women looked at each other and gasped. "Shit! Phantom!" The two of them chased after him, panic setting in. They descended  the stairs and watched helplessly as he flew toward Valerie's temple. Sam huffed, "You don't think he's doing what I think he's doing, right?" "That bastard is crazy!" said Paulina as she rushed up the steps. “Of course he is!” Out of breath and surely too late, they finally reached Valerie's temple: two adjacent valleys that her temple covered and often shifted with when the tectonic plates moved. The building, made of marble and gold, stood proudly on the surface. Outside on her balcony stood Phantom, bundles of flowers in his arms, talking to Valerie. Sam and Paulina hid at the landing of the stairs behind a few bushes, listening in on their conversation "I mean it," Dan said, pushing the flowers toward her. "So here, these should be enough for you to start a new garden." Instead of taking all of them, Valerie plucked one flower from the pile and placed it in her hair. "Why?" He frowned. "Why? Your friends barged into my temple, telling me that I upset you. I assumed this would make up for it." "But why? We've never talked before and we're definitely not friends-." "Rude," noted Dan. "-so why do you even care that I was upset?" "Because..." Dan trailed off, feeling his face- his whole body really -grow warm. Valerie sighed, noticing his lack of speech but not knowing the real reason behind it, and decided not to push the issue any further. She took the bundles of flowers from his arms. "Thank you." "...you're welcome." Dan turned to leave, glad to finally be through with the whole ordeal, but Valerie stopped him. "Don't you feel weak?" she asked, grabbing his hand. Dan turned slightly, hoping to avoid showing her his blushing face. "W-What?" "You flew here from the Underworld. You're not gonna be able to make it back down even if you use the stairs." She pulled him close. "Stay the night. I'll have the servants prepare a room for you and everything." Paulina and Sam gawked at their friend. "She can't be serious?!" whispered Sam furiously. "That'll ruin her standing with the other Gods!" "Shh!" hissed Paulina, "They're talking again." "I insist," said Valerie, tugging on his sleeve. "If someone caught me here-." "Who cares?" "You should," said Dan, brow furrowed. "Well, us Kuano Gods don't care about that type of stuff like you Originals do." Valerie casted a wicked look toward the stairs. "Isn't that right, ladies?" Sam let out a squeak as she turned pale. Paulina on the other hand-. "Yeah!" she shouted, glad to be free from her hiding spot. "Go inside Phantom!" Dan scoffed at Valerie's friends. "Fine, I'll stay for the night," he told her before walking inside. Valerie smiled and followed him inside, observing the flowers as she did so.  The Goddess of Beauty pumped her fists in the air. "Yay! Just don't do anything I would do, Val!" "Paulina!"

A/N: Kuano Gods are Gods that were humans. Sam, Paulina, and Val are Kuano Gods, which means that when they died they became Gods. Dan, Danny, Clockwork and Jazz are Originals, meaning they’ve been Gods since day 1.