#( reflection ; ferah. )

[knightsxfhell]

with G Ruiz @knightsmc

While her relationship with her younger sister didn't exactly fit neatly into the mould of a stereotypical older sister, Ferah had at least always been protective of the younger Turhan. She disliked her little Ayda's association with the Knights, worried that it might pull her into a more dangerous life, and she had remained aloof on any of the brief run ins that had occurred with them while she was in her sister's company. It wasn't snobbery, she convinced herself, she didn't look down on them or even think herself better. They'd simply made a life choice she wouldn't ( somewhat of a rarity when she was constantly making what some would deem poor choices ) and she wanted no part in their way of life. There was no denying that she was a risk taker, always plunging head first into whatever gave her a dopamine fix that week, but there was some moral line she'd personally draw about breaking the law. Pushing boundaries and bending rules was one thing but it turned out her recklessness had a limit - not her own safety but the fear of a court room.

It wasn't like her to reflect on her decision making, generally trusting her gut enough that when her mind was made up it was impossible to change. Her snap judgements might have been arbitrary or even harsh at times but she was yet to feel as though she'd been wrong. Although now she was a few whiskies deep and her gaze couldn't help drifting over to the man across the bar so clearly wearing a Knights of Hell cut, making her wonder if she'd been just a little too hasty in dismissing them all. A guy who looked that good couldn't be that bad, right? Getting impatient with her own internal argument Ferah once again made a snap decision - his character hardly mattered if it was only for one night, then the notion of good or bad would take on an entirely different meaning. One she was determined to find out.

Shot was tossed back and she ran a hand through her hair, tempted to slick on a little more lipstick before deciding she undoubtedly already looked good enough. There was no need to try too hard when the cowboy boots and Daisy Dukes she still had on from work made all the effort for her. With a quick whisper in her friend's ear they'd headed over to the group of men, her demeanour friendly and warm for once. Drinks were bought, laughs were had and the whole time she'd made a point of catching the road captain's eye at every moment. When she was satisfied she had him captivated enough she made her way outside, claiming to need some air and expected him to follow. Hopping onto the bike she thought was his she waited for him to appear, slow grin spreading over her lips when she saw him exit the bar. "Why don't we just cut the unending game of eye tag we're doing and skip to the good part?" Brow raised expectantly, giving him her best bedroom eyes but just in case he hadn't gotten enough of a hint, blunt question fell from her lips. "You gonna take me home or what?"

[reignfms]

 you  didn’t  forget  about  us,  did  you?  in  your  eagerness  to  celebrate  a  new  union,  thoughts  of  our  little  messages  had  gone  all  but  forgotten  by  so  many.  but  we’re  not  so  easily  forgotten,  not  so  easily  dismissed  or  halted.

 let  us  leave  a  reminder  in  a  way  you  might  take  to  heart.

 a  message  in  flame.

 as  our  nobles  are  winding  down  on  a  night  of  dornish  fun,  as  they  prepare  to  bid  the  new  couple  goodnight,  screams  sound  from  the  depths  of  the  extravagantly  decorated  ballroom.  fire  has  caught  to  the  many  tapestries  hung,  quickly  spreading  to  every  surface  possible.  the  screams  intensify,  bodies  scrambling  out  as  smoke  and  flame  fill  every  space  of  the  room.  

 guards  pour  from  every  corner  of  the  palace,  buckets  of  water  begin  passing  down  lines  of  any  willing  to  help.  for  a  few  moments  there  are  no  nobles,  no  commonfolk,  no  dornish,  no  southerners,  just  people  seeking  to  stop  great  tragedy  from  striking.  

 of  course,  not  all  stay  to  help,  and  trust  the  martells  see  who  is  so  unwilling  to  save  their  home  after  their  hospitality  has  been  offered.

 but  those  who  came  together  succeed,  the  flames  smothered  in  water  and  weary  bodies  slowly  filter  off  to  bed.

 come  sun  rise  they  are  given  a  new  edict  from  the  ruling  princess  martell,  the  gates  of  the  palace  are  closed,  none  in,  none  out.  our  characters  once  again  find  themselves  trapped  in  the  aftermath  of  tragedy,  another  royal’s  iron  fist  eager  to  seek  out  those  who  sought  to  harm  their  own.

OOC INFO

as you can see, we end all weddings with a bang!

this plot drop is not optional, all threads from here on must reflect these events. all characters are now unable to leave sunspear’s palace until further notice.

you do not have to drop your event threads though it is highly encouraged to do so. all players may have one free starter, but again we are telling, not asking, everyone to make the effort to also reply to opens and not solely focus on closed threads. unlike the event, we will be handing out warnings to those players who have not responded to any opens after some time has passed.

if you are interested in having characters be involved in this plot drop, please dm the main and remember that some things are limited so asking is a lot kinder than telling.

options for involvement include those who fled rather than helping put out the flames, those injured in the mass escape from the ballroom, deaths (npc or otherwise), victims of attempted kidnappings, and those who may have been a shining star amongst the helpful ( i.e. helping others out of the fire, tending to wounded, one of the first to jump in to help put out the flames ) this does not mean everyone who helped, just those that were the most helpful/notable.

INVOLVED

deaths ;; ranida fowler. vamond velaryon. malaessa velaryon nee belmore. ormond yronwood.

fled to their rooms/missing in action ;; pimchanok targaryen. daegon greyjoy. valeria bolton. keiran bolton. lukas harlaw. myranda bolton. alarra goodbrother. agnar bolton.

injured ;; achara fowler. denyse martell nee redwyne. jeyne lannister. guinevere lannister. brandon reed. melina hightower. ku’ahn allyrion. vivienne beesbury. vareena tyrell. tobias tarth. loreon lefford. ravella stark. viyanna martell.

nearly nabbed ;; alexia stark. sharra martell nee arryn. lyanna stark. nymeria martell. maery greyjoy. mara martell.

most helpful ;; cedrick ryswell. alistair manderly. harrion stark. ferah tyrell. mace redwyne. agnes blackwood. maira qorgyle. suriya martell. axel tully.

[crxwnsxfxre]

( naomi scott, cis female, she/her, 30) ** ♔ announcing dahlia ali,  the seamstress from scotland ! upon closer look, they resemble naomi scott. it is a miracle that she survived the last five years and for that reason, they are for the kingdoms working together. reflecting on them now, they remind me of strained eyes focusing on delicate needlework, standing against a wall during a party, fresh baked pie cooling in a windowsill.

FULL NAME: Dahlia Ferah Ali NICKNAMES: Lia BIRTHDAY: December 5 AGE: 30 ZODIAC: Saggitarius TITLE: Seamstress to the Royal Family of Scotland SEXUALITY: Heteroflexible PERSONALITY TRAITS (+): Creative, Organized, and Patient PERSONALITY TRAITS (-): Quiet, Introverted, and Isolated

BIO HCS

Dahlia Ferah Ali was born December 5 in England, to her father Behzad and her mother, Ava. The family was poor, living in poverty for all of Dahlia’s life. Behzad was a stable hand while Ava was a seamstress. Though her father was a hardworking and dedicated man, and despite her mother’s beautiful work and designs, something always seemed to come between them and achieving true financial success. Still, the family was happy and filled with love, their bonds strong and their home comfortable. 

When Dahlia was a child, she would spend hours watching her mother sew, design, and craft, her eyes wide and her imagination wild with possibilities for herself, and the creations she might one day make. Recognizing the passion and interest in Dahlia’s eyes, Ava began to teach her daughter as she went. It wasn’t long before it became obvious that Dahlia’s talents surpassed Ava’s, something that made her mother more proud than she could verbalize. 

Once she was old enough, Dahlia began working with her mother, putting her ideas and talents to good use, and helping to earn as much money as possible for the family. Soon, word spread about Dahlia’s talents, and she began to be commissioned by some of the wealthiest in town. Still, she remained humble, always crediting her mother and her family’s love for her abilities. 

Dahlia’s parents added another to the family, a brother whom Dahlia loved dearly. She was 5 years his senior, and always enjoyed helping her mother with raising him whenever she could. She always felt a bit motherly towards him, and their bond was a strong one. 

When the plague came, Dahlia’s family was hit hard, and they truthfully barely survived financially. Within a few short months, the illness had then taken her mother, leaving her father brokenhearted and unable to work. In order to make money for the family, Dahlia’s brother left, seeking work across the land to send back as he could. Still, the situation continued to worsen, and soon it became apparent that the Ali family simply couldn’t continue to survive as they were, and it was common knowledge that the plague showed no signs of slowing. So, Behzad did the only thing he knew how- protected his daughter. A trip into town lead him to meeting travelers from afar, those bearing the Royal Scottish crest. Through a conversation and agreement, he gave Dahlia tearfully over to them, ensuring her that they’d promised her safety and upkeep in the Scottish palace, in exchange for her work. 

[lhaewiel]

So, I was looking for new songs and ended up listening to ladies singing metal.

Have a non-comprehensive list of songs I loved under the cut. Just look for them and listen, you won’t regret it

band maid - real existence the pretty reckless - going to hell tristania - year of the rat arch enemy - war eternal the letter black - fire with fire arkona - goi rode goi lullacry - feel my revenge the gathering - leaves fireflight - unbreakable eluveitie - the call of the mountains baby metal - gimme chocolate theatre of tragedy - storm unsun - whispers leaves eyes - edge of steel evanescence - my heart broken sirenia - the path to decay edenbridge - alight a new tomorrow epica - victims of contingency pythia - one little kiss halestorm - i miss the misery amberian dawn - fame and gloria delain - suckerpunch nemesea - forever amaranthe - the nexus xandria - nightfall nightwish - endless forms most beautiful lacuna coil - nothing stands in our way within temptation - sinead phantasma - let it die visions of atlantis - winternight xenesthis - reflections cadaveria - death vision disdained - i live for your pain eths - crucifère coronatus - kristallklares wasser celestivl - crossing the river ganglion - save your heart save - Отравленный поцелуй synergy - midnight madness villielain - voittamaton the fall of eve - shields of faith mizantropia - i'm after you neverstar - lose control tacere - deep tears of tragedy octaviagrace - other blue helion prime - life finds a way visionatica - she wolf midnight eternal - signs of fire omega lithium - stigmata elvello - born from hope hydra - between two worlds temperance - save me light and shade - you are souls of diotima - our atlantis adastia - to the north infy - vanishing sleeping romance - fire and ice edge of paradise - rise of the fallen the order of chaos - apocalypse moon mysterya - in my head akado - oxymoron n. 2 louna - mama secret rule - the saviour collibus - dead inside arise - aquareum synlakross - curly wolves magica - bittersweet nightshade forever still - awake the fire whyzdom - dancing with lucifer wishmasters - sanctuary liljana - my secret place norhod - fading with the darl sinheresy - paint the world heliosaga - to heal all wounds scars of tears - S.O.S. phosphene - scream dharma - waves elyose - rédemption anthology - scream into the darkness aeverium - heaven's burning exit eden - impossible seven kingdoms - kingslayer metalite - afterlife secret rule - i have the sun cellar darling - black moon tristania - Evenfall vuur - my champion diabulus in musica - inner force arkona - yarilo leaves eyes - across the sea edenbridge - the moment is now angel nation - last time together amberian dawn - dragonflies nemesea - hear me tarja turunen - victim of ritual the slot - БОЙ! unleash the archers - cleanse the bloodlines xandria - call of destiny arch enemy - the eagle flies alone evanescence - imperfection delain - frozen sirenia - dim days of dolor visions of atlantis - return to lemuria battle beast - bringer of pain the dark element - the ghost and the reaper kobra and the lotus - you don't know epica - edge of the blade lacuna coil - delirium nightwish - élan within temptation - whole world is watching Tarja Turunen - Until my last breath Nightwish - the escapist Şebnem Ferah - Vazgeçtim Dünyadan Within Temptation - And We Run Özlem Tekin - Aşk Her Şeyi Affeder Mi Arch Enemy - War Eternal Epica - Cry For The Moon Anette Olzon -  A Song Of My Life Amy Lee - Bring Me To Life Epica - Unleashed Evanescence - Bring me to life Nightwish - Nemo Revamp - The trial of monsters within temptation - angels lacuna coil - trip the darkness warlock - all we are amaranthe - 1.000.000 lightyears nightwish - bye bye beautiful Therion - Poupée de cire, poupée the son arch enemy - nemesis leaves eyes - my destiny

[rivalsofnycupdates]

“She had stars in her eyes and mercury on her hips.“

■ ABOUT. ■

name: Ferah Demir age: twenty-five occupation: socialite / student gender: cis-gender sexuality: bisexual

■ HISTORY. ■

A luck meeting would be the start of an unconventional love story between Ferah’s mother and a man who was stationed oversees in the military. He’d met the woman and her child when visiting the restaurant she would work at during the day, finding Ferah usually curled up in the corner as she silently waited for her mother to end work. It was an harder life than most would understand and while she made enough money for them to live comfortable, the male was outraged at the small one bedroom home she lived in. Soon enough, they fell in love right on the tail end of his tour. He’d vowed to return and while she hoped that his words were true, she also couldn’t hold hope. They kept in contact throughout the year and at the second mark, the male booked a plane down to return to his beloved. It was a whirlwind afterwards as he stayed in the small village for two years before they married and returned to his hometown of New-York. 

It was a new world for the newlywed woman and child, especially since the male had been honourably discharged due to an injury he’d sustained. Without wanting to show down and stay at home feeling sorry for himself, the male delved into politics. He’d worked his way up during his time in school and after, quickly becoming an outspoken member around New-York. With their first child on the way, Ferah’s younger step-sister, he decided that it would be the perfect time to put his name in for the race to become mayor of New-York City. Despite the hard work and stress it had put upon his family, it soon worked out as he got voted in and vowed to make great change. His main goal had been to end the violence within the city and to make it a peaceful space for everyone to be able to walk freely and without fear. 

She grew up known as the Mayor’s daughter, having bodyguards and security was a mere part of her life. Despite that, she was one of the popular kids and melded well with the other children. Often asked to go out and do things, she was given a longer leash than one would expect given her status. Perhaps a little bit of a wild child, the little brunette can be quite adventurous and impulsive as she’s young and trying to find herself. There are instances where she acts more spoilt than she intends. While she has no intent to shove her life down the throat of others, it hasn’t always gone across that way, which has also brought her a lot of pain and hatred from those around her.

■ WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON? ■

Following in her step-fathers shoes, the brunette has enlisted in law school in order to become a lawyer. Despite not believing that she will go down the political route, she is mainly intrigued with being a defence lawyer, though she has a fascination with criminology and crime in general. While her step-father has voiced his absolute disgust and distraught directed towards the criminal activities and clubs within New-York, she finds it interesting and something that lures. If anything, it may be the reason why she finds herself in sticky situations with the wrong people. 

■ KEEP THIS AWAY FROM YOUR ENEMIES ■

Ferah has a lot of friends in different places. While she has always been watched quite carefully because of her high profile step-father, she’s managed to slither her way out of the grasp of her security team multiple times. Throughout the years, many have been hired in terms to keep her in a firm grasp as any bad move can reflect negatively upon him. Nevertheless, her ex relationships haven’t been the most sane as some have been openly involved with crimes. While her own experience with drugs are limited, she has done numerous things while intoxicated. In fact, she got pregnant after a one time stand and once she told her father at the tender age of sixteen years old, she was booked for an abortion the next day. Many of her past mishaps have been discreetly swept under the rug due to her families power. Even when she almost got a DUI, she was escorted home by a security and her car was replaced the next day. At this stage in her life, she’s almost become an expert on how to hide and keep her curricular activities under wraps.

■ RELATIONSHIPS. ■

■ Jordan Walsh Jr: He’s been sort of an uncle/older brother to her since he has been working closely with her step-father for some time and has always looked out for her and been someone she feels comfortable going to. 

■ Raymond Evans: He’s someone who’s caught her interest but little does she know that he’s actually been trying to lure her for information and power that her family holds.

■ CONNECTIONS. ■

■  Mason Sanchez > Friend

■  Dakota Fuentez > Best friend

■  Jonah Grayson > Curiosity

Ferah Demir is a TAKEN character and is portrayed by Aslihan Malbora who’s FC IS NOT NEGOTIABLE.

[vantelieth-blog]

                             Vol. II Chapter III: A Semblance of Truth

Yeula awoke from her slumber with her head snuggled underneath a flowery blanket and the light of dawn radiating her half-opened eyes from beyond the elegantly framed window positioned at the bedside. She sat up and peeled back the flower-patterned curtain, relaxing at the familiar sight of her quaint neighborhood. Beyond the gated yard of the her own house, rows of impressively decorated houses of ivory wood could be seen behind equally expansive yards on the other side of the street. The residential subdistrict she called her home was in every way archaic compared to Golem's more prominent locales, but Yeula could appreciate such a place to return to after a hard-fought day in a clamorous city.

She gently closed the curtain before exhaling a sigh and placing a palm over her face. She had often risked everything for the Erenet Family, but rarely had she met a moment she suspected she would die. Such a thought lingered as she found herself confronting a rogue from Fortitude and her armed body of goons with only a gun and a sentry at her own disposal. And above that, it was her own responsibility to protect the young twins. She had succeeded well enough in their eyes, but that was only to be expected; she was nothing short of an incalculable heroine to them. And she would have it no other way—she would never show weakness again, not to a bitter enemy nor a closest ally.

With a stretch and a yawn, Yeula lazily crawled from the comfort of her bed and faced the confines of her room—or whatever she could make of it from the scattered mess. Piles of paraphernalia such as stuffed animals and electronic trinkets had been placed haphazardly on the ground, and one could hardly reach the room door without stepping upon at least a couple of the many discarded papers littered about. The countertops saw far more care, livened with neatly-stacked scholarly books, cherished accessories, intricate ivory lamps and upright teddy bears. Of the assortment of accessories, Yeula snatched a silver bracelet along with a necklace with a pair of glimmering tags respectively colored blue and green, each one personalized with black flame imagery and complimented with a couple of rings of the opposing color farther from the middle of the necklace. Retrieving her outfit of choice from her dresser, she stepped out into the hallway with both of her hands helplessly full.

“Rise and shine, O' turbulent Yeula!” a gleeful female voice spoke from the household communicator. “You have two presently scheduled events for this wonderful morning. Would you now like to review your schedule or make any necessary changes?”

“No, thank you,” Yeula groaned, opening the door to her bathroom by twisting the knob under her forearm.

“Very well, ma'am,” the entity conceded from the communicator. “Well then, what would you like to have for breakfast today?”

“Anything's fine; thanks,” Yeula dismissively replied as she took the first step onto the white and blue tiles of her large, luxurious bathroom. Numerous portraits of grassy plains inhabited with towering automatons decorated the walls. A human-sized fountain with water pouring into its basin from the maws of the stone birds situated atop its pillar furnished the center of the bathroom. A wide mirror from the left reflected most of Yeula's figure, and it was there she turned her attention.

“You have a new message from Farah Erenet,” the entity stated from the communicator. “Would you like me to read it for you?”

“I'll read it myself, thanks,” Yeula hastily replied, almost interrupting the entity.

“Suit yourself. Would you like any help bathing?”

With the push of a button, Yeula opened the compartment of a touchscreen music station panel located next to the mirror, on which she promptly browsed through a selection of genres before deciding on an instrumental composition, cranking up the volume until she could effortlessly ignore her aide's incessant inquiries. Laying her outfit over the counter and throwing off her pajamas, she made her way into the marble shower behind the fountain, closing her eyes and trailing off in thought under the soothing warm water.

What lay on Rubis' mind before the moment of her downfall? What were her intentions all along? And what organization, if any, had she affiliated herself with? Today, Yeula would have answers to those lingering questions, if Ferah had indeed done her research well. Today the sisterly duo would convene and discuss not only the events of the day before, but their plans for the future without an ally from Fortitude. Yeula sighed in thought of her failure to save Rubis, wondering if her own rash decisions were to blame. In some way, it felt as though she had killed Rubis herself.

After a prolonged shower, Yeula wrapped herself in a towel and stood against her hazy reflection in the mirror. Bringing a comb to her head, she proceeded to style her blue-dyed hair, cut evenly short at the back and reaching down her chin to form a frame around her face. Her hair parted smoothly at the center of her crown and partly concealed her eyebrows. With her hair neatly styled, she threw off her towel and got dressed in her preferred outfit, comprised of an open high-collar, form-fitting beige vest with only one sleeve to cover her left upper arm and several pairs of extravagant black buttons down the bottom of the vest; per her usual choice, she kept her vest tucked into her black jeans and partially unbuttoned just above her navel, exposing much of her torso and her patterned dark bra. Worn over the vest was a black cloth draping over her leg and buckled in place. Worn over her pants was a pair of black boots with white soles. Her garb was accessorized with a silver bracelet, a single black glove without an index finger or a thumb over her left hand, and the necklace she carried with her earlier. The provocatively roguish features of her ensemble, particularly the bronze buckle of the brown belt around her pants with an engraving depicting a crossing of swords, would make her character apparent to any onlooker without a second glance.

Dressed for a new day of service to the Erenet Family, Yeula stepped back into the hallway and descended the steps into her living room where her aide, a hovering automaton with a round body and narrow arms, awaited her. Beyond the expected furnishings—a velvet sofa placed behind a table and before a widescreen television set—several tall acoustic sets stood in a row against the wall; above a pair of miniature desks upon which computers were placed, a rack encompassing most of the wall on the other side of the front door held smaller, relatively archaic sound devices such as headphones. A large ceiling fan blew a gentle breeze over the entire space.

“Your breakfast, Yeula,” Yeula's mechanical aide announced, motioning to a plate of greens and a couple of vitamin supplements over one of the computer desks.

After taking a seat by the desk, Yeula gave her aide a contorted look. “What's this?”

“Excuse me?” Yeula's aide naively responded. “I've assembled a nutritional dish to complement your active lifestyle, as requested of me by your beloved sister. Besides, your usual overconsumption of carbohydrates won't help keep up that pretty little face of yours!”

“I don't remember Ferah ever requesting—” Yeula took a moment to plant her palm over her face. “Fine, whatever. Did you happen to go shopping while I was asleep?”

“Anything for the pleasure of my beloved master!” Yeula's aide said as it cheerfully circled around the space.

“How about notifying me before running off on your own next time? We need you in one piece.” Yeula faced her computer. “Number Six, power on.”

“Always an honor to be showered with concern, my beloved master!” Yeula's aide gleefully responded. Yeula simply ignored her and took a bite of her so-called breakfast.

The screen of the computer's monitor lit up as it responded to Yeula's command. Yeula browsed the internet for several minutes before standing up and waltzing to the front door without finishing her food. “Keep an eye out for trouble while I'm gone, all right?”

“Anything for the pleasure of my beloved—” Yeula's aide paused mid-speech after noticing Yeula's unfinished plate. “But Yeula, you haven't even—”

“Take care,” came Yeula's dry interjection as she stepped into the pleasant breeze and the fair temperature of the outdoors, letting out her enthusiasm by slamming her front door shut and dashing into her parked vehicle. After reaching for personalized headphones in a compartment below the wheel and wearing them over her ears, she meddled with the dashboard's panel until an artificial male voice spoke to her.

“Please provide identification,” the voice requested as another compartment at the side of the panel lifted open to reveal a hand-shaped indentation. As Yeula placed her right hand into the indentation, the vehicle lifted off the ground, hovering slightly above the air in a ready state. “Identification accepted. Welcome back, Yeula.”

And with that, Yeula switched to auto-pilot and took to the skies alongside other civilian vehicles. With her hands free, she reclined against the door with her legs dangling over the other side, lowering her head to feel the caress of the breeze.

“Oh, damn,” Yeula mumbled as she recalled the message of her adoptive sister, hustling upright and accessing the email over the panel.

“Farah here,” began the voice message. “Preparations for the grand reopening of Prime District are going as planned—the reopening is scheduled to coincide with Golem's thousand-year anniversary tomorrow. As you can expect, the whole South District is about to become more festive than ever. I invited most of the gang over there for some all-day quality time. Care to join us? Oh, and we'll have a moment to discuss my findings of Rubis, as I promised.” Farah trailed off into a bout of laughter before continuing, “by the way, have you noticed anything different with your helper? We had a little discussion about your diet the other day. Actually, don't message me the answer; I'd rather hear it in person over by The Antiquity. Care to join me there? Don't keep me waiting.”

“Oh, Ferah,” Yeula sighed, rubbing her eyebrows in annoyance.

The disaster of Prime District prompted a citywide evacuation and lockdown that Yeula was not given a chance to witness during her stay on Fortitude grounds. One circulating rumor was that FOG had even quarantined a few of the evacuees and kept them long after the passing of the disaster. FOG's official statement was that an experiment conducted by a shadowy organization known as the Covenant had gone horribly awry, infesting the streets with numerous man-machines and endangering even the Haizer family, among the few who remained in Prime District after the disaster. In more recent years, any civilian who so much as flew above the city ruins in any sort of vehicle was shot down on sight. What Yeula was certain of was that the disaster began shortly after Argen was carried to Prime District, indicated by a massive black pillar reaching the skies that many survivors could clearly remember seeing. As for Argen, no mention had been made of him ever since. It was all just as she had predicted back then—for one reason or another, she would never see him again.

“You called?” Yeula asked as a ring chimed over her headphones, connecting her to the individual over the line.

“Oh, hi,” a man nervously replied. “I believe I called you before about changing my Golem ID?”

“Oh, yeah...” Yeula took a moment to observe the panel of her car, which relayed to her the exact location of the caller. “Well then, have you approached our collectors with the established payment?”

“Yes.”

“I'm a bit preoccupied with important business right now, so it'll take me a while to confirm your payment before we can move on to the next step. You could take that time to either try your luck with another representative or maybe reconsider your actions. There'll be no turning back, you know.”

“I've made up my mind; let's just get this over with.”

“Alrighty.” Upon reaching an expansive plain of shrubbery and trees outside of the residential subdistrict, Yeula lowered her altitude to a few feet above the road and took the wheel. Even after so many years since her escape from the barren fields of Golem's militarized zone, Yeula could appreciate the sight of nature just as much as the day she was set free. “I'll get you in touch with some of our ex-Reunion officers when the time comes; they'll instruct you the rest of the way. As a client, just remember that the Erenets are not in any way responsible for any action you choose to commit with your falsified ID. If you can remember that, you'll stay in our good graces. Have a nice day.” Her final line served as a voice command for her headphones, terminating the call before the man could respond.

Upon reaching a commercial area of South District, Yeula parked her car by side of the street and set off in the direction of a building behind a garden with a few chairs and tables. Her eccentric outfit along with her elegant stride earned her a few stares of interest and bewilderment. As she approached the seemingly antiquated bar, a woman with brown hair tied in a ponytail and a red scarf waved at her from the view of one of the windows. She hurriedly pushed through the double-door entrance to be greeted by what indeed was an unusual sight for the present-day Golem with its wooden architecture. A few touches of modern-day technology were yet present, such as a holographic television hanging behind the counter. A number of the patrons were dressed to fit their surroundings, including the bartender, a woman with long, pale blond hair framing her face, clad in black with a long skirt, a tunic with a shawl over its shoulders, a pink bowtie, and a cap embellished with a pink flower. The bartender looked at Yeula with her right eye—having her left eye concealed under an eyepatch—and smiled as she gestured her to come over. Yeula partially ignored the woman and took a rest on a velvet seat on the other side of her adoptive sister.

Despite hearing much of The Antiquity, Yeula never had much an interest in visiting the famed bar herself. The bar had apparently underwent considerable changes since the bar was purchased following the passing of the former owner, but that did little to deter the ever-passionate votaries of Golem's old traditions, including Farah. Yeula simply folded her hands on the table as she sat face-to-face with her adoptive sister, waiting for her to strike up a conversation.

Farah stared at Yeula from the corner of her hazel eyes while treating herself to a plate of steak; Yeula could hardly see under the reflection of Farah's simple pair of glasses. “Oh, what's up?” she asked with her mouth full.

“You invite me to a bar miles away from home and that's all you have to say?” Yeula sighed.

“Oh, no. I just figured you'd have something to say about that changing up your diet, at least? I did mention that in the message, didn't I?”

“So you're telling me that you thought it was a good idea to have a chat with my service bot about my diet while researching Rubis at the same time? And please tell me you found something to say about Rubis.”

Farah laughed after swallowing her food. “Hey, if you don't like it, a genius hacker like yourself could just force a few changes, right?”

“It my servant; it doesn't need any modifications,” Yeula groaned. “I'll just tell it to stop taking advice from my clueless big sister, and bam, problem solved!”

Farah shrugged with her palms in the air. “Try not to end up like Relt, okay?”

“Just keep off my back about my diet and I won't look so heavy,” Yeula smirked. Her discussions with Ferah were often laconic and littered with playful insults directed at one another. Farah was to Yeula like a sister she had always desired in her childhood, an honest woman she could always trust to speak her mind, occasional pranks notwithstanding. Meeting Farah in the wake of being sent back to Golem was like a first breath of fresh air she continued to savor.

Ferah gave Yeula a warm smile. “Well, jokes aside, I'm glad to see you're okay after yesterday, sis. I forgot to ask if you were hurt, actually.”

“Just a couple of bruises. Could've been much worse.”

“Well, I'm glad you're acknowledging how lucky you are to be alive. The same goes for Alco and Tredy. Their parents were worried sick about them before we gave them the good news.”

“Their parents are idiots for letting those twerps tag along with me to begin with,” Yeula murmured. “Do I look like a babysitter to them?”

Ferah chuckled. “But it couldn't be helped, sis; you've always been an inspiration to them. And as long as you're with them, they think there's nothing to be afraid of. You should be flattered; you're a role model already!”

“Doesn't make me any less of a bad influence. My lifestyle is my own; it's not made for anyone else. And before you say anything, I'm not beating myself up; that's just how it is.”

Ferah gave a subtle nod before looking away with a contemplative look in her eyes. A moment of silence fell over the duo before Ferah changed the subject. “Anyway, you might like to know that I've discovered a few things about Rubis. It turns out she had associated herself with a small-time criminal syndicate and was en-route to their base before you intercepted her. The weapons she had stolen from Fortitude were likely a form of offering in exchange for their services. Fortitude equipment is something us civilians rarely have any access to, even those who dabble in black market trade. FOG seems to be very serious in keeping military gear out of unwarranted hands. It makes you wonder if there's perhaps something more to it than we suspect.”

Yeula nodded. “Is that so? Anything more about Rubis herself?”

Ferah looked surprised. “Aren't you any bit curious about Fortitude's equipment?”

“Naturally, but just sitting here speculating won't get us anywhere.”

“Good point, I guess. So, apparently, Rubis had a daughter who should be around your age by now. It might do us well to scout her should an opportunity arise. She might know a few things about Fortitude from her mother.”

“Where is she? And how did she react to her mother's death?”

“I'm not completely sure, but I'm almost certain she's still alive somewhere. Ultimately, we should concern ourselves with her later, until I can gather more intel.” Ferah's lips curled into a sly smirk. “And speaking of family, sis… I heard a rumor that your father would be returning from his duties soon.”

“Oh, didn't know about that,” came Yeula's unmotivated response.

“I heard your father was once a man of high standing,” Ferah continued. “He did something spectacular to get himself noticed just as his daughter is doing right now. Good genes must run in your family.” Farah shrugged. “Well, that said, I hope you don't plan on going anywhere if you ever do get to see him again, since we all still have much to gain from your talents.”

“And why would I do that?”

“I don't know, I just figured you two would at least have some catching up to do if you were to be reunited.”

Yeula vehemently shook her head. “Let's get something straight, 'sis'—I don't care about my father and never will. There's not gonna be any reunion if I have anything to say about it. The Erenets are the only family I have now.”

Farah shushed Yeula. “Keep your voice down,” she whispered. “You know full well that mentioning that name here is bound to give us a ton of awkward stares.”

“So what?” Yeula whispered back. “The Guard's not gonna do anything if we're just sitting here talking.”

“I just don't like being stared at, okay?” Farah openly expressed, inadvertently earning her a few stares.

“You should have a picked a quieter meeting place, then, because I still have some questions about the reopening of Prime District.”

“Still wondering where your old boyfriend ran off to?” Farah chuckled at Yeula's annoyed expression. “While I agree that FOG's explanation is obviously some sort of cover-up, it's hardly our business.”

“It's been my business since the very beginning and I don't intend to rest until I have an answer.”

“The description of these 'experimental cyborgs' that raided Prime District sounds awfully similar to the 'black beasts roaming Golem' nonsense the media churns out every other day, I admit. It makes me almost want to believe that Fortitude holds some purpose other than warding off outsiders like the existence of this 'Argen' you told me about suggested.”

“We know there are other colonies outside of Golem, so why does the government contain civilians inside the walls?”

Farah shrugged. “Golem's Central Database doesn't ID any outsiders, if what we know from our ex-Reunion employees is correct, which means that Golem doesn't entirely affiliate itself with outside colonies. Maybe Reunion is making peace offerings with clans Golem has been at war with for ages.”

“If we've been at war with these neighboring colonies all this time, they'd probably have some kind of effective weapon against us. And if that's true, that'd mean they should have been capable of breaching our walls at least once, don't you think? Look, Farah, I've been to Fortitude's camps before—I've seen the kind of weaponry they carry outside Golem's walls, and let me tell you they're doing far more than just warring with humans or scavenging for materials out there.”

“Isn't that just speculation? For your amusement, another, albeit far more believable story that counters your argument is that Golem has been breached before, but FOG simply chooses to keep quiet about that for morality reasons.”

“And don't you think people would remember something like that ever happening no matter how hard FOG tried to cover it up?”

Farah narrowed her eyes. “So where are you going with this?”

“I'm telling you, RICOR exists!” Yeula exclaimed, leaning closer to the chuckling Ferah.

“First of all, where are these so-called Responsive Insurgent Covert Operations Regiment operatives? Even our ex-Reunion officers say that no such occupation exists within the Central Database.”

“RICOR officers are likely capable of operating within Golem without an official ID, which would explain why the Central Database makes no mention of RICOR. They've likely established an isolated database for ID'ing their own members and granting them the same privileges as any citizen of Golem, just like we've done for ourselves and our clients thanks to Reunion's deserters.”

Farah briefly frowned. “That wouldn't be too far-fetched, I suppose. So, you're trying to say that this 'RICOR' organization has been involved in some kind of secret war against… an invisible threat invading Golem from outside? Keep in mind that you're far from being the first person to connect the dots in such a way—the problem is that no one has ever been capable of proving, beyond all doubt, that RICOR and the 'black beasts' are actually a thing.”

“That's why I need to haul ass back to Prime District as soon as I get the chance. Say what you want, but FOG can't cover all of its tracks, especially not from someone like me.”

“Whatever you say. If you ask me, the grand reopening of Prime District doesn't present much more than a great business opportunity for us. Prime District had remained largely untouched by the Erenets before the incident, and now will be as fitting a time as any to make our name known and heard throughout the entire colony! Thousands of would-be criminals will shower us with gold for the services we can provide them; more and more Reunion officers and genius hackers like yourself will join our ranks, making us more powerful and efficient than ever. Before long, maybe some FOG operatives, including those from Fortitude and perhaps RICOR if they exist, will defect to our side as well. In the end of things, you, me, and our entire family will be seen as the true rulers of Golem with the Haizers grovelling at our feet. And if it turns out that FOG does have some secrets we can expose to the public, the masses at large would undoubtedly begin to trust us over them. The era of the Haizer family will at long last come to an end, beginning a new chapter of Golem history where we will rule solely over the entire colony… and soon, the entire world beyond it!” Farah placed her hands on her hips and feigned a menacing laugh, immediately silencing herself upon noticing the influx of puzzled stares in her direction. “Well, what I was trying to say was… good luck with your investigation, sis.”

“Does that mean you actually—”

“And no, that doesn't mean I totally believe what you're saying, but if you turn out to be right, well… we'd have nothing to complain about. Anyway, most of our affiliates should be scattered around South District passing time until tomorrow by now, and I say we join them. How many months has it been since the two of us last met up for something that wasn't strictly business?”

“Where to?” Yeula asked as she rose from her seat.

Farah pulled a stack of gold coins from her pocket and laid them on the table. “I heard that FOG is hosting a public execution a few blocks down from here. You haven't had anything to eat recently, have you?”

“Not really, thanks to your meddling.”

“You'll thank me later.”

As Yeula remained fixated on Ferah, a cold hand brushed against her shoulder, nearly causing her to fall back onto her seat from surprise. She turned to the culprit to find the eccentric bartender looking up at her with a wide smile.

“Why, hello there,” came the bartender's gentle greeting. “Please pardon my intrusion, but I couldn't help but notice that you two had mentioned the incident of Prime District.”

Yeula gave the bartender a contorted look. “Yeah? What of it?”

“My name is Floe Kaster,” the bartender responded, extending her hand to Yeula. “You are a relative of Farah's, I presume?”

With some hesitation, Yeula took the bartender's cold, soft hand and meekly gave it a single nod. The mere sight of the bartender's face gave Yeula a sort of unease she could not quite place. “That's right,” she answered, her mundane tone withholding her troubled emotions.

“Ah, you must be Yeula, then. You know, I've heard so many wonderful stories about you.”

“Wait, what? How do you—”

“I told her, all right?” Farah interjected as she rose from her seat. “There's no need to panic.”

“We get patrons from all walks of life around here,” the bartender, Floe, continued. “The Antiquity has always provided a safe haven for those who wish to chat with peers and enemies alike and put any moral differences aside for once. It's not at all my concern that you two happen to be from the Erenet family, so… relax.” Floe tipped her cap upward as she lifted her head in contemplation. “Prime District… I was actually there during the invasion, you see. I lost all of my property along with many dear friends that day, but in the end I'm simply grateful to have made it out with my hide intact; and what a pleasure it is to have been presented with such an outstanding bar. As far as uncovering the truth of whatever happened that day goes… I can't say that's been much of a concern to me, but that's not to say I would mind if that became someone else's little project when Prime District reopens for us commoners.” Floe once again placed her hand on Yeula's shoulder, causing her to flinch. “I wish you good luck on your future endeavors, little one. Stop by for a drink next time, won't you? Assuming you're old enough, of course.”

“We'll be taking our leave now, thanks,” Farah announced as she grabbed Yeula's other shoulder.

Floe nodded. “So soon? Well, my apologies if I seemed overly nosy. Can I expect to see the both of you again sometime—”

“Hold on,” Yeula interjected, brushing off her sister's hand, “Is there anything you can tell me about what you saw during the attack?”

“Nothing a dedicated researcher like yourself would not have already heard,” Floe replied while adjusting her cap. “Have a nice day, you two; enjoy yourselves out there.”

As Yeula and Farah casually left the bar, Yeula observed the bartender staring at them with a smile through the window until they were nearly out of sight and on the way back to Yeula's car. “I don't know what it is, but that woman scares me like no other,” she murmured.

“Now you're just being paranoid again,” Farah sighed.

“Call it paranoia, but my intuition never has and never will prove me wrong.”

“Better proven wrong than crazy, I always say,” Farah laughed.

An uneasy feeling that she could not quite place… That would be all Yeula would receive from the look of the bartender for a long time to come. Her intuition had made that much known to her, at least; but as it was, she had greater concerns at the moment.

[nvlv]

Pantha du Prince _ Jupiter’s Delight from jonas vahl on Vimeo.

jupiter’s delight experiments with the visualisation of space.

jupiter's delight - remix by pantha du prince after ÜberBach by arash safaian

composed by hendrik weber and arash safaian sebastian knauer, piano pascal schumacher, vibraphone zurich chamber orchestra label: neue meister

a le berg production director: jonas vahl director of photography: maximilian pittner production company: le berg producer le berg: yannick fauth co-production: bwgtbld editor: christian zimmermann art director: johannes geier color: michael rossiter // the mill visual effects: gero eckhardt lightspeed tunnel artwork: berkay ferah service producer mongolia: gregg mikolasek fixer mongolia: ganerdene yuljinsenge 1st AC: rouven schardt

starring: b. dulguun

special thanks: philipp ernst // century rolls music ute baron // arri rental nina boriri // focus film lab michael boxrucker // kodak amsterdam berlin // moritz grub the mill czar film

the video reflects the universal music of bach mirrored by arash safaian and pantha du prince in a contemporary way. mondholz ep – remixes by pantha du prince after ÜberBach by arash safaian released on neue meister berlin.

[gerrymotion]

Pantha du Prince _ Jupiter’s Delight from jonas vahl on Vimeo.

jupiter’s delight experiments with the visualisation of space.

jupiter's delight - remix by pantha du prince after ÜberBach by arash safaian

composed by hendrik weber and arash safaian sebastian knauer, piano pascal schumacher, vibraphone zurich chamber orchestra label: neue meister

a le berg production director: jonas vahl director of photography: maximilian pittner production company: le berg producer le berg: yannick fauth co-production: bwgtbld editor: christian zimmermann art director: johannes geier color: michael rossiter // the mill visual effects: gero eckhardt lightspeed tunnel artwork: berkay ferah service producer mongolia: gregg mikolasek fixer mongolia: ganerdene yuljinsenge 1st AC: rouven schardt

starring: b. dulguun

special thanks: philipp ernst // century rolls music ute baron // arri rental nina boriri // focus film lab michael boxrucker // kodak amsterdam berlin // moritz grub the mill czar film

the video reflects the universal music of bach mirrored by arash safaian and pantha du prince in a contemporary way. mondholz ep – remixes by pantha du prince after ÜberBach by arash safaian released on neue meister berlin.