#and if you prove you can match or exceed that strength

[trappedinafantasy37]

If you can't handle Minthara at her 😠 you don't deserve Minthara at her 🥺

[roadandruingame]

RaR Musings #7: Meaningful Mechanics

I saw a post this week about other people in the ttrpg design space, lamenting their years of work, and being dismissed for their project seeming like "a dnd clone". A fair concern, to be sure, but it would turn out the criticism stemmed from having a fantasy themed roleplaying game, that uses a d20 and adds proficiency, has character creation that involves classes, and spellcasting with multiple levels of spells. Others suggested there might be similarities if you use the standard stats, like STR, DEX, and INT.

So what's a guy with a fantasy themed roleplaying game that uses Xd10, adding proficiency, has a character creation engine that has classes as a minor element, and spellcasting with a mana system allowing you to cast spells at a higher level, using some basic stats, to do?

Firstly: not worry about it. Creativity is iterative, and DND has been the fantasy roleplay standard for nigh on 50 years, having affected pop culture and videogame design alike. It'd be hard NOT to have anything similar to it, and for those who have no experience outside of DND, dipping a toe outside that space can seem daring and adventurous. The writer is probably upset because they don't understand how generally meaningless their reinventing of the wheel was in terms of convincing people to play their game instead; in fact, there wasn't any mention of WHY he made the effort to design his own game in the first place. Was it distaste for existing products? Because he had vision? Or just to prove that he could do it too, a kind of intellectual parroting?

Game mechanics can't be copywritten, so while it's not illegal to copy mechanics, there needs to be certified thought put into what those mechanics are meant to achieve, and why they may fail to do so.

As an example: both d20 games and Road and Ruin involve rolling dice to generate a random value, and then adding your proficiency as a flat number.

DND falls down here because even high proficiency, like +11 or +13, barely crests over half of the value generated by random d20, much less the more regular +1 to +6. This means a specialist, someone who has lifelong expertise at their craft, can still bungle even a basic action, giving other players a chance to perform, but completely botching the class fantasy of being a specialist, and there's no coded mechanics for varying levels of success or failure to even reward being a specialist beyond increased binary success rate. Multiple overlapping proficiencies don't have cumulative value, and outside of house rules, you can't mix and match Attribute to Proficiency, such as using Strength for Intimidation. However, the system is simplistic, and easy to understand. Not having different values for different proficiencies means only having to refer to a single number as a bonus, which makes stat scaling much more predictable, and as mentioned, giving other players the limelight means the skill monkeys won't hog it.

Road and Ruin HAD a much more 'unique' skill check system; roll your attribute (1-10) as Xd10, and your proficiency (two 0-5 proficiencies combined) determined the minimum score any dice could land. Dice were adjusted, totalled, and the sum divided by 10 to find Success Rate, with scores of 1 or higher expected. This ended up being too much adjusting and adding; it produced the ideal values, but was too slow, and not very fun, especially to do repetitively. Worse, it didn't enable 'skill' to exceed 'raw talent'; you needed a high attribute for the guaranteed 'floor' that proficiency provided to matter, and I wanted those with training to potentially exceed those without training. If INT4 rolls 4d10, and Proficiency 3 meant you couldn't get below a 3 on each, for a 'floor' of 12-40, that still meant an average ~22, regardless of if you were trained or not. Specialization 'rolled' an additional 1d10, but set it aside as an automatic 10, thus improving skill checks beyond what was possible via random dice rolls, raising both floor and ceiling by 10, but not solving the issue of speed or reliability.

So now, Road and Ruin has a Roll + Proficiency system too, except you roll Xd10 (1-5), and Proficiency is two scores (0-5 each), combined, and multiplied by Specialization, with a cheat-sheet of the most common Proficiency results for your character. Adding the dice, and Proficiency, before finding successes, is still slow, but faster now, and due to the multiplication of scores and specialization, your character may even automatically succeed basic tasks, without the need for a roll at all. Such skillmonkeying requires utmost devotion though, and is far better suited to an NPC assistant; but, said NPC will still be built using the same mechanics as what goes into a character, making it easier to understand and appreciate their service.

More importantly: I like it. I understand that others might not; it doesn't have the hallmarks of DND's 'gamble' economy, getting high rolls and confetti when you hit a 20, but frankly, I'm building this game for me, not for people who are satisfied with DND. Even my nine attributes are inspired by World of Darkness, though slightly redefined to suit the needs of my setting instead, and the proficiency skill list is entirely my own, designed to offer as many cases of two overlapping skills as possible. Using any attribute in the skill check, based on what you aim to affect rather than what the proficiency is most known for (using DEX and herbalism to get plant clippings, or INT and herbalism to recall plant facts, for example) is a much more direct and diverse way to handle skill checks, rather than trying to remember whether Nature in DND is Intelligence or Wisdom, and why. Rolling multiple dice instead of 1d20 helps protect against fringe rolls, making the rare cases truly rare, as well as creating a market for spells, equipment, and abilities that affect your skill checks to have meaningful use, rather than simply adding a +1.

But I'm having fun doing all this. Road and Ruin began because I was upset with DND, and over the years, I've done a lot of work, first to intentionally distance it from DND, and only later to begin to paint it in my own colors, doing what I want, not in rebellion of what I don't. Anybody looking to design their own systems should be more preoccupied with how their mechanics feel; if people think that it's too similar to an existing product, one that you intentionally avoided? Then that's tough beans for them. They don't get to define how you have fun, and at the end of the day, that's what playing, and designing, a game is all about.

[bloopiepoops]

Saizo meets Lee

The air was thick with the scent of mist and honeysuckle. Deep in the bamboo forests, the Hidden Blade clan compound stood carved into the mountainside like a secret too proud to hide. Kaze stood near the entrance in his standard Hoshidan gear, the wind brushing against his shoulders. Beside him stood Rock Lee, now nineteen—taller, broader, and still bursting with the energy of ten men compressed into one green blur.

Lee adjusted the Hoshidan-styled headband wrapped across his forehead and stared wide-eyed at the entrance like a pilgrim reaching a sacred shrine.

“I can feel the weight of silent warriors here… it smells of ancient discipline!” Lee exclaimed with reverence. “Truly, this is the origin of my beloved senpai’s strength!”

Kaze rubbed his temple. “Lee. Please remember: speak with caution. My brother—”

Before he could finish, the shadows stirred like a gust of wind—and he emerged.

Saizo stepped into view, expression as flat and sharp as a blade. His crimson scarf curled behind him like smoke. His gaze zeroed in on Lee with the intensity of a drawn kunai. The weight of his presence was suffocating.

“You’re the outsider,” Saizo said flatly, eyes narrowing. “The one Kaze speaks of.”

Lee’s hands immediately clasped into fists as he trembled—not in fear, but anticipation. “So this is the legendary Saizo! Brother to my beloved senpai! The embodiment of discipline, power, and icy resolve!”

Kaze exhaled.

Saizo raised one unimpressed eyebrow. “...Does he always speak like this?”

“Always,” Kaze murmured. “Since he was fifteen.”

Saizo’s arms folded across his chest, unimpressed. “You’ve trained in Hoshido’s schools. I’m told you’ve been a consistent... shadow to my brother.”

Lee straightened proudly. “Indeed! Kaze-senpai is my guiding light! I strive to match his grace, power, and patience every day—though I fear I often exceed him in spirit!”

He struck a dramatic pose, sparkles practically emitting from nowhere. Saizo blinked once.

“You want something,” Saizo said coldly.

Lee’s eyes practically sparkled.

“A SPAR!” he shouted, pointing. “Please, Saizo-sama, grant me the honor of facing you in battle! Test me! Temper me! If I am to follow in Kaze-senpai’s footsteps, I must surpass his kin!”

Kaze groaned quietly. “Lee…”

But Saizo's expression didn’t shift. In fact, he looked bored.

“And what makes you think you're worth my time?”

Lee inhaled deeply, settling into a familiar stance. Calmly now, voice lower. Steady. Older.

“Because I’m no longer the boy who ran after Kaze-senpai in the school courtyard. I’ve studied Hoshidan ninjutsu. I’ve trained under two of your nation’s best,” he said, glancing at Kaze with a quiet nod. “I am Rock Lee. I do not possess talent by birth. But I have cultivated my body and mind with relentless effort. And I would be honored to measure that growth against the Saizo.”

Something in the way he said it—earnest, respectful, but completely undaunted—caught Saizo’s attention. He stared for a long moment.

Then, slowly, he stepped down into the courtyard. “Then prove it.”

Kaze’s mouth parted. “Wait, you're actually—?”

But it was too late. Lee had already moved into position, fists raised.

The courtyard filled with wind and motion.

Lee was fast—blindingly fast now. His footwork tore dust from the earth, his strikes sharp as steel. Saizo dodged with practiced grace, blades flashing, a perfect contrast to Lee’s explosive force. Where Lee struck like a hurricane, Saizo moved like smoke—slipping through gaps, punishing openings, calculating with surgical detachment.

But Lee smiled.

Even bloodied lip, even scuffed cheek—he smiled.

“Your movements… are magnificent,” Lee whispered between blows. “I can see now—this is the foundation of Kaze-senpai’s beauty in battle!”

Saizo narrowed his eyes. “You talk too much.”

“And you respect too little!”

That earned Lee a well-placed knee to the gut. But he laughed through it.

When it was finally over, both stood breathing heavily—Saizo untouched but alert, and Lee panting, clearly outmatched but thrilled.

Saizo stared for a long moment. Then, at last, he spoke.

“You’re loud, reckless, and you’ve no sense of subtlety.”

Lee beamed.

“But,” Saizo continued, “...your devotion is real.”

He turned to walk away, but paused.

“Kaze,” he added, “you’ve chosen an unusually spirited disciple.”

Kaze bowed slightly. “He tends to… choose himself.”

Saizo almost smirked. Almost. “Hn. I’ll allow him to observe my training. So long as he shuts up during stealth drills.”

Lee gasped like he’d just been granted a sacred scroll from the heavens. “I SHALL NOT FAIL YOU, SAIZO-SAMA!”

“Too loud,” Saizo muttered, already vanishing into the trees.

Lee collapsed dramatically on the ground beside Kaze, beaming and bleeding.

“I have met my next mountain, Senpai,” he sighed happily. “What a powerful family you have…”

Kaze shook his head with the smallest smile. “You’ll never rest, will you?”

“Not until I become a worthy shinobi,” Lee declared with stars in his eyes, “and a worthy man for Lady Makia!”

Kaze gave a long-suffering sigh. “One step at a time, Lee.”

Scene: Bamboo Courtyard, Hidden Blade Compound – Late Afternoon

The shadows were long as the sun dipped low, casting golden stripes through the tall bamboo stalks. In the center of the courtyard, the steady sound of fists meeting flesh, sandals striking stone, and breath drawn with discipline echoed like a drumbeat.

Saizo and Lee were sparring again.

Only this time—it was different.

Lee had grown sharper since their first match. His form was refined, his instincts less wild. He’d learned to read Saizo’s subtle feints, to anticipate the flash of steel and the disappearing steps. His green tunic was torn at the shoulder, a bruise blooming near his collarbone—but he was holding his own.

Then—he landed a hit.

A clean blow to Saizo’s ribs—a twisting kick that broke past his guard and forced the older ninja back a full step.

Saizo’s eyes narrowed.

“…You’ve improved,” he admitted, voice cool.

Lee, panting, allowed himself a wild grin. “You were the wind—untouchable! But now I have learned to flow with the wind, not against it!”

Saizo gave no verbal reply—but his stance lowered. Sharpened. This time, he was going to fight seriously.

And then—

“Ooh! Go Lee! Go Saizo!”

A cheerful voice drifted in from behind the garden path.

Both men stopped.

Makia stood just a few paces away, smiling as she passed by carrying a basket of herbs and linens from the nearby healer’s cottage. Her cloak caught the sunlight, her braid tucked loosely over one shoulder. Though pale, she looked serene.

“I didn’t expect to see such passion this late in the day,” she teased lightly.

Lee immediately beamed, posture shifting into proud formality. “Lady Makia! You honor me with your presence!”

But Saizo—Saizo stiffened. Just slightly.

Lee didn’t miss it.

His brow rose. His eyes flicked between the two—and then widened.

“W-wait… wait a second!” he blurted. “That reaction—those stoic eyes—your warrior’s stillness—You have a soft spot for Lady Makia, don’t you?!”

Saizo’s gaze turned glacial. “You’re imagining things.”

But Lee was already spiraling into an emotional frenzy, pointing a shaking finger like he’d uncovered a grand betrayal.

“Not another rival in love! First Kaze-senpai, and now you?! I’ve loved Lady Makia since I was fifteen—I won’t lose to anyone!”

Makia blinked. “Um…”

“I’m right here,” Saizo growled.

Lee didn’t care. “That look when she called your name—I saw it! You like her, don’t you?!”

“…You talk too much,” Saizo muttered, slipping back into stance.

Lee grinned and mirrored him. “Then prove me wrong in battle!!”

And just like that—their spar reignited with twice the intensity.

Fists flew like lightning, blades flashed as Saizo pushed harder than before, but Lee—invigorated by love and righteous rivalry—met each strike with the passion of ten warriors.

From behind her basket, Makia blinked at the whirlwind of motion and heartfelt shouting.

“Do… I get a say in any of this?” she asked softly.

No one heard her.

Lee was already shouting declarations of undying love and defiance while ducking Saizo’s flying kunai. Saizo’s eye twitched once—only once—as Lee declared,

“MY YOUTHFUL FLAMES SHALL NOT BE DIMMED, EVEN IN THE FACE OF YOUR GLACIAL HEART, SAIZO-SAMA!”

Kaze, passing by on his way to the main house, paused at the edge of the courtyard.

“…Do I want to know?” he asked Makia.

She offered a helpless smile. “Lee thinks Saizo might like me now.”

Kaze sighed, long and tired. “Ah.”

Then he watched as Saizo nearly swept Lee’s legs from under him with a perfectly timed feint—only for Lee to recover and counter with a soaring flip-kick.

“…He has gotten better,” Kaze murmured.

Makia nodded. “He said he’d grow stronger for me.”

“…Then he’s doing exactly that.”

Lee, mid-flurry, shouted toward Makia without even looking:

“WATCH CLOSELY, MY LADY—FOR I SHALL DEFEAT EVEN YOUR MOST FEARSOME ADMIRER!”

Saizo’s eyes narrowed. “You are infuriating.”

“You inspire me!”

And as the sun sank behind the bamboo, their battle raged on: one man stoic and cold, the other burning with unyielding devotion—and somewhere in the middle of it all, a very amused girl carrying a basket full of tea herbs.

The moon hung low over Hoshido, veiled in wisps of cloud. From atop the tiled roof of the compound, the wind carried the distant hum of insects and the rustle of bamboo. Kaze sat with a cup of tea cooling beside him, gazing down at the dim lights of the courtyard below.

Footsteps approached.

He didn’t need to look up to know it was Saizo.

“You’re up late,” Kaze said.

“Tch. Could say the same to you.”

Saizo lowered himself to sit beside him, arms crossed, silence lingering as they watched the shadows sway in the wind.

“…Your little protégé is insufferable,” Saizo muttered after a while.

Kaze smiled softly. “Lee?”

“Loud. Overly dramatic. Obsessed with fighting. Talks like he’s performing in a festival play.”

“And yet you sparred with him three times this week.”

“Hmph.”

Another pause.

“…He’s talented,” Saizo admitted, though it sounded like he had to pry the words from somewhere deep in his throat. “His form is unconventional. Sloppy, even. But he’s fast. Precise when it counts. Reads his opponents well.”

“He learns quickly,” Kaze nodded.

“…Still won’t shut up about loving Makia.”

Kaze glanced sidelong at his brother, a knowing glint in his eyes.

“That bothers you?”

Saizo didn’t respond.

Kaze turned fully toward him. “He’s sincere, you know.”

Saizo scoffed. “He’s a fool.”

“Maybe. But he’s a passionate fool.”

Another beat.

Kaze’s voice softened. “He loves her with everything in him. That’s what drives him. His strength… his fire. It’s all born from the moment she showed him kindness.”

Saizo frowned, his brows tight. “That’s not sustainable. It’s naïve. Foolish to devote yourself to someone who won’t return your feelings.”

“But he doesn’t care,” Kaze replied. “That’s the point. He doesn’t need her to love him back to fight for her. To want to be better. That’s what makes him admirable. Don’t you think?”

“…No.” But Saizo didn’t sound entirely convinced.

Kaze looked back out toward the courtyard. “You’re older than him. Wiser, some would say. More disciplined. But you were caught off guard by him today. Not just his skill. His spirit.”

Saizo’s lips pressed into a tight line.

Kaze continued, gentle but firm. “You fight for honor, for our clan, for duty. But Lee fights for something intangible. He trains with his whole heart because it means something. Even if it hurts.”

“…He’s reckless.”

“He’s powerful,” Kaze corrected. “Strong enough to make you work for a victory.”

Saizo didn’t respond immediately. He traced the edge of a roof tile with a gloved hand.

“…Why her?” he finally asked, low and almost to himself. “Of all people, why is he so taken with her?”

Kaze’s eyes softened. “You’ve met Makia. That’s answer enough.”

Saizo tensed.

“She’s kind,” Kaze said. “Gentle in ways most people never are. She sees people. Even the loud ones. The strange ones. The angry ones.”

“She’s sickly.”

“She’s stronger than both of us.”

Another long pause. Wind stirred their hair and robes.

Saizo muttered, “So now I have to compete with a lovesick puppy?”

Kaze actually chuckled. “You already are.”

Saizo’s eyes narrowed, sharp and unreadable. But behind the stoic mask was a flicker of something else—conflict.

He didn’t say it aloud, but Kaze knew what churned behind his brother’s silence.

Lee fought because he loved. Saizo fought because he couldn’t afford to.

And suddenly, the younger boy’s idiotic declarations, his persistent smile, his endless drive… didn’t seem so foolish after all.

They sat quietly for a while after that, watching the stars blink into view.

And somewhere deep within, Saizo felt unsettled. Not because of Lee’s skill or his passion—but because he saw something in Lee that he could not understand.

Hope.

Absolutely—this is a compelling and layered character study moment between Saizo and Kaze, both observant and introspective in their own quiet ways. Here's how their conversation might unfold:

Scene: Rooftop of the Hidden Blade Compound – Late Night

The moon hung low over Hoshido, veiled in wisps of cloud. From atop the tiled roof of the compound, the wind carried the distant hum of insects and the rustle of bamboo. Kaze sat with a cup of tea cooling beside him, gazing down at the dim lights of the courtyard below.

Footsteps approached.

He didn’t need to look up to know it was Saizo.

“You’re up late,” Kaze said.

“Tch. Could say the same to you.”

Saizo lowered himself to sit beside him, arms crossed, silence lingering as they watched the shadows sway in the wind.

“…Your little protégé is insufferable,” Saizo muttered after a while.

Kaze smiled softly. “Lee?”

“Loud. Overly dramatic. Obsessed with fighting. Talks like he’s performing in a festival play.”

“And yet you sparred with him three times this week.”

“Hmph.”

Another pause.

“…He’s talented,” Saizo admitted, though it sounded like he had to pry the words from somewhere deep in his throat. “His form is unconventional. Sloppy, even. But he’s fast. Precise when it counts. Reads his opponents well.”

“He learns quickly,” Kaze nodded.

“…Still won’t shut up about loving Makia.”

Kaze glanced sidelong at his brother, a knowing glint in his eyes.

“That bothers you?”

Saizo didn’t respond.

Kaze turned fully toward him. “He’s sincere, you know.”

Saizo scoffed. “He’s a fool.”

“Maybe. But he’s a passionate fool.”

Another beat.

Kaze’s voice softened. “He loves her with everything in him. That’s what drives him. His strength… his fire. It’s all born from the moment she showed him kindness.”

Saizo frowned, his brows tight. “That’s not sustainable. It’s naïve. Foolish to devote yourself to someone who won’t return your feelings.”

“But he doesn’t care,” Kaze replied. “That’s the point. He doesn’t need her to love him back to fight for her. To want to be better. That’s what makes him admirable. Don’t you think?”

“…No.” But Saizo didn’t sound entirely convinced.

Kaze looked back out toward the courtyard. “You’re older than him. Wiser, some would say. More disciplined. But you were caught off guard by him today. Not just his skill. His spirit.”

Saizo’s lips pressed into a tight line.

Kaze continued, gentle but firm. “You fight for honor, for our clan, for duty. But Lee fights for something intangible. He trains with his whole heart because it means something. Even if it hurts.”

“…He’s reckless.”

“He’s powerful,” Kaze corrected. “Strong enough to make you work for a victory.”

Saizo didn’t respond immediately. He traced the edge of a roof tile with a gloved hand.

“…Why her?” he finally asked, low and almost to himself. “Of all people, why is he so taken with her?”

Kaze’s eyes softened. “You’ve met Makia. That’s answer enough.”

Saizo tensed.

“She’s kind,” Kaze said. “Gentle in ways most people never are. She sees people. Even the loud ones. The strange ones. The angry ones.”

“She’s sickly.”

“She’s stronger than both of us.”

Another long pause. Wind stirred their hair and robes.

Saizo muttered, “So now I have to compete with a lovesick puppy?”

Kaze actually chuckled. “You already are.”

Saizo’s eyes narrowed, sharp and unreadable. But behind the stoic mask was a flicker of something else—conflict.

He didn’t say it aloud, but Kaze knew what churned behind his brother’s silence.

Lee fought because he loved. Saizo fought because he couldn’t afford to.

And suddenly, the younger boy’s idiotic declarations, his persistent smile, his endless drive… didn’t seem so foolish after all.

They sat quietly for a while after that, watching the stars blink into view.

And somewhere deep within, Saizo felt unsettled. Not because of Lee’s skill or his passion—but because he saw something in Lee that he could not understand.

Hope.

Would you like to follow up with a scene where Lee and Saizo interact again, maybe with Lee picking up on Saizo’s conflict in his own chaotic but sincere way?

Scene: Early Morning Training Ground – The Fourth Spar

The mist was still thick across the ground when Saizo arrived.

He didn’t expect Lee to already be there.

And yet, there he was—mid-handstand on a single finger, perfectly balanced, the other hand holding a small dumbbell for no clear reason.

“Ohayo, Saizo-senpai!!” Lee beamed, flipping down in one smooth motion. “Ready to be humbled by the blazing passion of youth?!”

“…Tch. You never stop talking.”

“Only because my soul burns too bright for silence!”

Saizo sighed through his nose, but his weapons were already drawn.

This time, Lee was faster.

Every feint came with a readjustment. Every missed blow became a setup. His technique was wild but deliberate, and Saizo found himself parrying harder, dodging faster, calculating deeper than before. They exchanged thirty hits, and for the first time, Lee landed a strike clean across Saizo’s shoulder.

They both paused.

Saizo’s eyes flicked down to the small nick in his sleeve.

“…Hn. Not bad.”

Lee beamed like the sun. “Your praise means more to me than victory itself!”

Saizo rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the ghost of a smirk.

As they caught their breath, Lee stretched, wiping sweat from his brow. “It’s all thanks to my motivation,” he said cheerfully. “Training alone would never make me this strong.”

“Oh?” Saizo replied dryly. “Let me guess. Love?”

“Exactly!” Lee pointed at him, exuberant as ever. “My love for Lady Makia burns with the power of a thousand comets!”

Saizo twitched.

Again with this?

“She is my eternal muse. Her kindness, her mind, her grace! Her radiant voice that makes even scolding sound divine!”

“Enough,” Saizo snapped, stepping back and sheathing his blade with more force than necessary. “She isn’t yours. And you speak of her as though she were a reward.”

Lee blinked, taken aback for a moment. Then, softly—shockingly so—he tilted his head.

“Do you… think I expect her to love me back?”

Saizo froze. “Isn’t that the point?”

“No.” Lee’s voice steadied, his gaze clearer than Saizo had ever seen. “I love her because I do. Not because I want something from her. That wouldn’t be love—it would be a transaction. A contract.”

Saizo stared at him.

Lee folded his arms behind his head and looked up at the brightening sky. “Makia is… extraordinary. She has a whole kingdom in her head, and stars in her eyes. She doesn’t belong to anyone. She’s not the type who could devote all her love to just one man, and I’d never want her to.”

Saizo said nothing, his throat suddenly dry.

“I love her,” Lee said again, “not for what she could give me, but for what she is. Even if she never loves me. Even if she forgets me.” He smiled, almost wistfully. “The act of loving her makes me stronger. That’s enough.”

There was silence between them.

The kind of silence that settles like snowfall, light but heavy all at once.

Saizo didn’t speak. Couldn’t, really.

Because this idiot—this loud, dramatic, reckless boy—had seen straight through him.

Had answered questions Saizo hadn’t admitted to asking.

Eventually, Lee gave him a warm pat on the back and picked up his gear.

“Let’s spar again soon, Saizo-senpai. I’m gonna surpass you.”

“…We’ll see about that.”

Lee turned and bounded away, humming a song under his breath.

Saizo stood still for a long time.

Later that night, back in the quiet of his quarters, he opened his weathered journal. The ink was already drying on an entry half-finished about duty, purpose, and control. He turned the page.

Entry: On Rock Lee

He is a fool. But I begin to understand the shape of his heart. And I am not sure which of us is more foolish.

Yes—this is a perfect moment to show Saizo’s shift from suspicion to awe, filtered through the quiet intimacy of observation. Let’s explore this scene with rich detail and quiet emotional layering:

Scene: Garden Courtyard of Castle Shirasagi – A Cloudy Evening

The clouds drifted like slow-moving ghosts across the sky. The hush of night had settled over Castle Shirasagi. Most of the palace slept, save for one lone figure strolling through the moonlit gardens, bare feet padding silently across the stone.

Makia.

She moved with the quiet curiosity of someone who had been somewhere too long and was now somewhere entirely new. Her long hair shimmered silver-blue in the dim light, catching the occasional lantern’s flicker as she leaned closer to admire a blossom here, a koi pond there.

Saizo, watching from the shadows of the covered walkway, narrowed his eyes.

She came alone. Again. No guards. No fuss. No magic tricks.

Just quiet... and that persistent sense of soft wonder.

He didn’t trust it.

She was too kind. Too poised. Too openly interested in the world. And most people who acted like that were hiding something. That’s what his years had taught him.

He told himself he was here on duty. Observation. But his gaze lingered too long on the way her fingers hovered delicately above a lily, or the way she tilted her head at the songs of night birds.

Then—

She gasped. Loud and sudden.

Saizo’s form blurred into movement instantly, hand on his blade, stepping into the courtyard with barely a sound. His voice, low and cool:

“What is it?”

Makia spun toward him, eyes wide—not with fear, but rapture.

“Is that the moon?!”

Saizo blinked. Followed her gaze.

There it was. The clouds had parted, unveiling a full white moon, high above the peaks of the Hoshidan skyline. A perfect silver coin against the navy sky.

He blinked again. “…Yes?”

Her mouth dropped open in stunned joy. She took a few paces forward, robes whispering around her. “It’s so beautiful. It’s peaceful. And so clear, and silver, and—” she turned to him, eyes almost wet, “it’s not red.”

Saizo’s frown deepened. “Red?”

She nodded, smile faltering just slightly.

“In Toran… the full moon turns the sky bloodred. The land glows crimson, like it’s been painted in blood and fire. It marks the rise of fiends—dead monsters pulled back to life. The ‘Blood Moon.’ Every full moon is a battle for survival. No one rests.”

He was quiet now.

She turned back to the sky. Her voice quieter. “But here… this moon is just… a moon. Just light. Peace. It’s the first time I’ve seen it like this.”

Saizo watched her long after she went still.

There was something in her expression— a kind of homesick awe, a fragile reverence that came only from someone who had never known peace before. Not really. Someone who still flinched at beauty because it felt like a trick.

And just for a moment, something in his own chest ached.

He didn’t speak. Just stood beside her a while, quietly, as she continued gazing at the sky.

Later that night – Saizo’s Private Quarters

The paper was blank for a long while before Saizo finally dipped his brush in ink.

Journal Entry – Moonlit Garden Observation

Subject continues to display signs of genuine wonder. Full moon triggered no fear, only reverence. When asked, she described her world’s version of the moon as a harbinger of death. Here, she looked at ours like it was a gift. …I did not expect to feel anything. Yet I stood beside her, and I did not move. She said nothing more. I stayed longer than I intended. …The moon is just a moon. So why did it feel warmer than usual?

[brasscopper]

Brass Flat Bar Sydney – Order Now, Build Better Today!

In today’s construction and design industries, quality materials are no longer just a preference—they’re a necessity. As Sydney continues to grow and evolve, so does the demand for strong, reliable, and aesthetically versatile materials. Enter the Brass Flat Bar—a go-to choice for architects, builders, and fabricators across the region. Whether you’re working on a high-end fit-out, custom metalwork, or artistic installations, sourcing the right Brass Flat Bar in Sydney can make all the difference.

Why Brass Flat Bars Are in High Demand

A Brass Flat Bar is more than just a rectangular metal strip. It’s a symbol of strength, malleability, and timeless beauty. These bars are widely used in commercial, residential, and industrial applications due to their:

Corrosion resistance – Perfect for Sydney’s coastal climate.

Machinability – Easy to cut, weld, and shape.

Aesthetic appeal – Warm golden tones that suit both classic and contemporary design schemes.

From door hardware and handrails to marine fittings and shopfitting components, Brass Flat Bars serve countless purposes with reliability and class.

Sydney’s Construction Scene: Built on Materials That Last

With Sydney being a hub for design innovation and architectural advancement, builders need access to materials that not only meet but exceed performance expectations. Brass Flat Bar Sydney suppliers have risen to the challenge, offering precision-cut bars in a variety of thicknesses and lengths to cater to everything from intricate detail work to structural supports.

Testimonial

“We were designing a high-end retail space in the CBD and needed a material that was both durable and luxurious. The Brass Flat Bars we sourced from a Sydney-based supplier were flawless—polished finish, exact dimensions, and easy to work with. Our clients were thrilled with the result.” – Lauren J., Interior Architect, Sydney

Brass Tube and Flat Bar: The Perfect Pair

While Brass Flat Bars are ideal for creating clean, linear forms, the Brass Tube is another popular option for Sydney-based fabricators. Tubes provide a hollow profile that’s equally strong and versatile, often used in:

Lighting fixtures

Balustrades

Furniture framing

Instrument components

Combining brass tube with flat bars can lead to bold and imaginative designs. Their matching finishes and complementary structural capabilities make them a staple pairing in many modern applications.

What to Consider When Ordering Brass Flat Bars in Sydney

Sourcing Brass Flat Bar in Sydney isn’t just about price—it’s about value, availability, and specification. When evaluating suppliers, consider the following:

Material grade – Look for high-quality alloys like CZ121 for machining or CZ108 for forming and bending.

Stock sizes – Suppliers should offer a range of widths and thicknesses for fast delivery or custom cuts.

Lead time – Local Sydney suppliers can often dispatch same-day or next-day for stocked items.

Surface finish – Depending on your project, you may need polished, mill, or brushed finishes.

With Sydney’s thriving construction timelines, getting the right materials quickly can keep your project on track.

Supporting Local Supply Chains

There’s a growing shift toward supporting local suppliers, and the brass industry is no exception. Sydney-based metal stockists are known for their ability to deliver precision materials with tailored customer service. Ordering locally means:

Shorter delivery windows

Direct access to expert advice

Reduced environmental impact from long-distance freight

More than just a transactional purchase, working with local suppliers builds relationships that can prove invaluable for future projects.

Brass: A Material That Grows With You

One of the understated benefits of brass is its long lifecycle. It ages gracefully, developing a rich patina over time or retaining its polished glow with minimal maintenance. Whether it’s a feature wall in a boutique hotel or structural detailing in a heritage restoration, Brass Flat Bars offer durability that meets design.

Testimonial

“I’ve used brass tube and flat bars in multiple restaurant fit-outs across Sydney. It’s the material that keeps giving—easy to install, looks incredible under lighting, and holds up even in high-traffic areas.” – Carlos D., Commercial Builder

Order Now, Build Better Today

The time to act is now. With Sydney’s building sector in full swing and the availability of Brass Flat Bar at competitive rates, sourcing your materials early ensures smoother planning and execution. Whether you’re an architect mapping out your next blueprint or a contractor managing deadlines, investing in the right brass products today can mean fewer headaches tomorrow.

In Summary: If you’re in the market for Brass Flat Bar Sydney, now’s the time to secure your supply. With its blend of strength, elegance, and ease of use, brass continues to be a top performer in the world of modern design and fabrication. And when paired with a versatile brass tube, the possibilities only grow.

Stay ahead, build smarter, and let your materials speak volumes.

[nadieselparts]

Maximizing Engine Performance: The Role of Cummins Parts and Multi Layer Steel Gaskets

Have you ever wondered what lies at the heart of a powerful engine's performance? It’s not just about the machine's design or the fuel it uses; the real heroes are often the components that are seldom talked about. This article delves into the crucial roles played by Cummins Parts and Multi Layer Steel Gaskets in enhancing engine efficiency and reliability.

Understanding Cummins Parts

Cummins Parts are synonymous with quality and resilience in the engine component industry. Cummins Inc., a global power leader, is known for its durable and innovative diesel and natural gas engines. These engines are pivotal in various sectors, including transportation, construction, and agriculture. The secret to their long-lasting performance lies in the meticulous design and manufacturing of each part. Cummins Parts are engineered to offer superior performance under the most demanding conditions, ensuring that they not only meet but often exceed the operational demands of the machinery they power.

Significance of High-Quality Engine Components

High-quality engine components are essential for the longevity and efficiency of engines. They reduce the need for frequent repairs and replacements, which can be costly and time-consuming. Additionally, they help maintain the engine’s performance at optimum levels, ensuring that it delivers consistent power output without compromising fuel efficiency. The use of premium parts like Cummins Parts is a critical factor in achieving these outcomes.

Exploring Multi Layer Steel Gaskets

Moving deeper into the engine, another critical component comes into play - the Multi Layer Steel Gaskets. These gaskets are engineered to withstand extreme temperatures and pressures that are typical in combustion engines. They are essential for maintaining the integrity of the engine's internal compartments, preventing fluids and gases from leaking between the different sections. Multi Layer Steel Gaskets are particularly valued for their strength and elasticity, which make them ideal for sealing purposes in high-performance engines.

The Impact of Effective Sealing

Effective sealing within an engine is paramount. It ensures that each compartment performs its function without interference from other internal processes. This is where Multi Layer Steel Gaskets prove their worth. They are not just gaskets; they are the guardians of the engine’s core, ensuring that everything from timing to turbocharging works in perfect harmony. Their ability to seal tightly and rebound even under high pressure helps in maintaining the engine’s efficacy and durability.

Choosing the Right Components for Your Engine

Selecting the right components for your engine can make a significant difference in its performance and lifespan. It is crucial to choose parts that are specifically designed and tested for your engine model. Opting for genuine Cummins Parts and reliable Multi Layer Steel Gaskets can prevent a lot of potential problems and ensure that your engine runs smoothly for years to come.

Conclusion

When it comes to maintaining or upgrading your engine, choosing the right parts is crucial. For those in search of genuine Cummins Parts and robust Multi Layer Steel Gaskets, one reliable resource is nadieselparts.com. Offering a wide range of parts tailored to meet the rigorous demands of your engine, this website ensures that quality and durability are at the heart of your engine’s performance. Whether you’re looking to enhance your engine or simply aiming for maintenance, make sure to choose parts that match the pedigree of your machine.

[sources-across]

Creativity with Reusable Stencils - Unleashing the Power of Custom Laser Cut Designs

In the realm of artistic expression and industrial marking, the use of reusable stencils has become a game-changer. From intricate designs to precise markings, custom stencils have found their way into various domains, offering unparalleled versatility and efficiency. Among the myriad options available, laser cut stencils, particularly those crafted from reusable Mylar, stand out as a top choice for creators and businesses alike.

The Evolution of Stencil Making:

Gone are the days of laboriously cutting stencils by hand. With advancements in technology, laser cutting has revolutionized the stencil-making process. This cutting-edge technique ensures unparalleled precision, allowing for the creation of intricate and complex designs that were once thought impossible. The result is a stencil that not only meets but often exceeds the expectations of artists, craftsmen, and industrial professionals.

Custom Stencils for Every Purpose:

The demand for custom stencils has surged in recent years, and for a good reason. Whether you're a DIY enthusiast, a small business owner, or part of a large-scale industrial operation, having the ability to create unique designs tailored to your specific needs is invaluable. Custom stencils offer a level of personalization that standard stencils simply cannot match, allowing you to leave your mark in a way that is both distinctive and memorable.

Enter Reusable Mylar Stencils:

When it comes to durability and versatility, reusable Mylar stencils take the lead. Mylar, a type of polyester film, is known for its strength and flexibility. Laser-cutting technology enables the creation of intricate designs on Mylar sheets, resulting in stencils that can withstand repeated use without compromising on quality. This durability makes them ideal for various applications, from home décor projects to industrial marking.

Cost-Effective and Environmentally Friendly:

Investing in reusable stencils, particularly those made from Mylar, proves to be a cost-effective choice in the long run. Unlike traditional stencils that may wear out after a few uses, these stencils can be utilized repeatedly without sacrificing quality. This not only reduces the need for constant replacements but also minimizes waste, contributing to a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to crafting and marking.

Hamilton Rand's Commitment to Excellence:

For those seeking top-notch custom stencils and laser cut designs, Hamilton Rand emerges as a reliable source. Their expertise in stencil marking and commitment to quality craftsmanship make them a go-to destination for artists and professionals alike. The diverse range of options, including reusable Mylar stencils, ensures that customers can find the perfect solution for their unique needs.

In the ever-evolving landscape of creative expression and industrial marking, laser cut stencil, reusable stencils, particularly laser-cut and Mylar-based options, have become indispensable tools. The marriage of cutting-edge technology and durable materials allows for the creation of custom designs that stand the test of time. As the demand for personalized and eco-friendly solutions continues to grow, embracing the versatility of reusable stencils opens up a world of possibilities for artists, craftsmen, and businesses alike.

[myreia]

To Ash and Ember

Rating: M (for canon-typical violence, trauma, and language) Characters: Aureia Malathar (WoL), Lahabrea, Thancred Waters Pairings: Aureria/Thancred (pre-relationship) Words: 2057 Notes: Set during ARR. Spoilers for the end of the base game. Read on AO3

It is impossible to breathe in the scalding heat.

Aureia skids backwards, narrowly avoiding a blast of concentrated magic. She once thought herself so clever, climbing easily through the ranks of the Thaumaturge’s Guild and proving herself as a black mage. Spellwork is as intuitive and natural to her as breathing—she feels the pull of her aether, guiding it, commanding it. She is a master of fire and ice and lightning, calling upon it to bend it to her will. She has slain primals, defeated enemies thought untouchable.

In her hubris, she thought she was untouchable as well.

How sorely she was mistaken.

She twists, searching the battlefield for Lahabrea. Since entrapping her in a circle of flames, the Ascian has proved to be more than her match. The air is thick with ash and smoke, stinging her eyes and searing her lungs. Her mind—usually so clear, so adept at perceiving her surroundings and reacting accordingly—is a haze. She knew she would face him eventually, but nothing could prepare her for confronting him like this.

Not when he is possessing Thancred.   

Lahabrea hunts her across the field, appearing where she least expects, showering her with waves of dark magick. His power slams against her, breaking her focus, giving her very little time to throw her own spells back at him in return.

That she is still standing is a feat in and of itself.

Aureia pauses, a faint crackling echoing in her ears. She spins, staff raised, just in time to see him soar several feet above the battlefield. Her heart pounds, panic rising in her gut. Her ward is almost gone, its power all but sapped. If she can’t raise another…

She has to finish this quickly—and without harming Thancred. But how? The Ascian has shrugged off every attack and every spell, slowly draining her energy and her focus until there is nothing left. She can’t fight forever.   

“You are strong, I will concede,” Lahabrea drawls. “But even your strength is limited, Bringer of Light.”

That voice. How it curdles her blood and fills her with rage. The Ascian speaks in a manner all his own, but beneath it she can hear the remnants of Thancred’s familiar cadence. His voice, his laughter, warped and distorted into something foreign and impossible. Something horrific.

She wets her parched lips and searches his face for some semblance of recognition. Is he in there somewhere, fighting to seize control? Or has his consciousness been suppressed and locked away, all but putting him to sleep? Worst still—is he there, watching their enemy thrash her thoroughly through his own eyes and unable to stop it?

Her fingers tighten about her staff, her nails scratching the wood. “As is yours, Ascian!” she shouts. “Why else haven’t you ended me? If your strength far exceeds my own, surely you could kill me here and now.”

Lahabrea laughs, twisting Thancred’s expression with malice and spite. “Your limitations are no mere matter of raw power. You are weak in mind and spirit, girl, and you cannot hide your shortcomings. Even the lowliest of mages in your Thaumaturge’s Guild have sensed how you restrain yourself.”

She freezes, bile rising in her throat. “I’m not, I haven’t—”

“Then come, adventurer!” he snarls, eyes blazing in the red light of his glyph. “Unleash yourself here and now, if you dare. Yet know that if I should perish, so too will the mortal within whose flesh I reside—”

Aureia screams.

Forgetting all semblance of form and stance, she hurls herself forwards and releases a blast of fire. The flames shoot through the air, propelled on a storm of rage and fury, and collide with the Ascian. He falters, pushed backwards by the force, but recovers quickly. Hanging in the air, Lahabrea throws back his head and laughs—frenzied, cruel laughter. His hands move, fingers gleaming with the workings of a spell.

Too late she realizes her ward is down.

Shit.

The spell strikes her in the chest.

Aureia flies through the air, tossed like a ragdoll, and crumples on the ground. She grunts, pain flaring outwards from the point of impact. Her limbs seize, numb and useless, leaving her immobilized facedown in the scorched earth. Her staff splits and falls from her hand, the lacquered wood cleft in two from the blistering heat. Its orb flickers once, twice—and goes out, its power shattered.

Cinders sear her face, her hair, her mouth. The fire is everywhere now, uncontrolled and all-consuming. Flames wreathe her body, coiling up her back, setting her ablaze. The horrific scent of melted cloth and flesh assaults her senses. For a moment, she doesn’t understand that she is the one burning, that it is her skin that is melting. The impossibility of it leaves her dazed. Fire is her domain: her comfort and her protection, the one bright constant in a life shred to pieces. How could it betray her?

A fresh wave of flames shower across her and the blistering pain overwhelms her all at once. She would scream if she could, but voice fails her. Her throat is scorched. That, too, he has taken from her.

Her friend, her strength, her weapon, her voice. It would have been easy enough for him to kill her outright, but no—it had to be done this way. He’s playing with her, toying with her, torturing her to satisfy some wretched desire she can never understand.

Aureia groans and rolls over, head throbbing, back blistering. She sucks in a deep rasping breath, desperately clinging to her last vestiges of life. Tears leak from her eyes, clouding her vision as she bites down on her tongue to keep from screaming. The pain is intolerable. Suffocating. It hurts to move, it hurts to think, it hurts to exist.

Somewhere high above her, Lahabrea laughs, the crowing sound buzzing in her ears. But even as the Ascian celebrates his triumph, something hums in the back of her mind. A flicker of hope, searching for one last catalyst to set it alight.

Aureia stirs, pressing a hand to the blackened ground. A circle of flame roars around her, the remnants of her own spellwork and Lahabrea’s combined, one strengthening, one weakening. There is truth in what he said. Her strength is limited—and she has all but sabotaged herself.

She is holding herself back out of fear.

For every spell she throws at the Lahabrea’s smug face in anger, there is a part of her siphoning off its strength the moment before impact. Ascian or no, she cannot bring herself to hurt Thancred. The thought of killing him with her own magicks is more than she can bear. But now she must accept that eventuality.

Neither of them are walking out of this alive. Either she ends Lahabrea here and now—and possibly Thancred alongside him—or he kills her. And if the Ascian slays her with Thancred’s own hands… She doesn’t want to think about what that would do to him.

If it’s a choice between her and him, there is no question of what he would want. What he would beg her to do.

Aureia raises her head. A hot wind tears across the battlefield, pulling her hair free from its braid and blowing it about her face. She blinks, clearing her vision, and apprises her foe. There is a second part to this equation. For too long, she has rejected a fundamental part of herself—the power that resides deep within her. Hydaelyn’s gift. She has suppressed it, pushed it away, terrified of what it will mean should she accept it as a fundamental part of herself.

No more.

Mark not the Dark Minion’s subtle words. Only Light may banish the Darkness.

The presence brushes her mind like a gentle embrace.

This time she welcomes it.  

She rises on unsteady feet and turns to face her foe one last time. The remnants of her staff lie on the ground beside her, charred and broken. She takes a step, then another, white ash and glittering embers swirling about her in a cloud. She has no weapon other than herself—and that must be enough.

There is no other choice now.

Lahabrea stares at her, startled out of his victory, mouth twisted with contempt. “How—”

Aureia raises a hand, palm sheathed in blinding light.

“Get the fuck out of him, you bastard.”

The brilliance explodes outwards and engulfs them in endless white.

***

Aureia has no memory of Lahabrea’s defeat. One instant, she is crashing into him with the full force her rage and the power of her blade of light, and the next she is kneeling on the ground, shaking and hazy. The inferno roars, the circle closing in around her, as the stronghold beyond collapses into fiery ruin. She takes little note of the surrounding destruction. There’s only one thing that matters to her now.  

Thancred lies some distance from her face-down on the ground, still and unmoving. Back blistering with pain, she grits her teeth and crawls through the blackened ash to his side.

“Thancred…” His name is little more than a whisper, her throat and mouth too dry for speech.

He doesn’t answer.

She inhales a rasping breath, forcing it through her singed lungs. Blinking away panicked tears, she shoves her hands fruitlessly against his side, but her strength has been all but drained away. She curses her weakness, murmuring his name again and again in a desperate hope he will respond. Finally, after several tries, she rolls him over onto his back.

His head lolls, white hair stained grey with soot. His face is ashen, his eyes closed, his expression frozen in cool serenity.

He isn’t breathing.

“Thancred…”

Aureia clutches desperately at his hands, ignoring the painful red blisters bubbling across her palms. She is usually so certain, so controlled, but now… The uncertainty at what to do terrifies her. She is no healer; she has never had the capacity. Magic has only ever been a tool for war and destruction.

She knows little else.

“Thancred…”

She thought herself prepared for this actuality, but now she is facing it, she cannot accept it. It can’t have been her hand that struck him down. She can’t lose him, not again. Not like this. Not this way.

Not without trying to save him.

Wiping tears from her eyes, she places her trembling hands over his heart and presses down as hard as she can. She mutters the count, anxious not to lose track, giving little care to the ash in the air and the burning ruins around them. When the count is up, she tilts his chin back and presses her mouth to his, gifting her breath to him.

“Come on, Than,” she murmurs. “Breathe, damn it. Come on.”

She presses her hands into his chest again, shoulders shaking as she gasps back her sobs. Another set. Another breath. Again and again. She will do this as long as she has to—even if the whole Praetorium collapses around her—until she is certain there is nothing else she can do.

“Come on…”

Aureia stills, slowed by the pain of her injuries and her crushing fatigue. Knowing she has nothing else left in her, she presses her mouth to his. One last try. It is all she has.

Thancred groans, a faint, stuttering sound rumbling in his throat. She reels back, knuckles pressed to her mouth, and stares at him. He coughs, eyelids fluttering, and cracks his eyes open.

“Aureia…?” he croaks.

She lets out a stuttering, sobbing cry and tears roll down her cheeks, staining her face with smudged makeup and ash. Shoulders shaking, she collapses at his side and rests her head on his chest. He stares at her, a faint, exhausted smile on his face, and raises a hand, weakly threading his fingers through the singed tips of her dark hair.

He is too weak to say anything else.

They lie there for a moment, exhausted and worn, too fatigued to rise to their feet. The surrounding fires burn, explosions from the stronghold’s collapse thundering in their ears. Though the danger remains imminent, for the first time since the raid on the Waking Sands, Aureia knows peace. She has no doubt they will make it out.

He’s alive. That is enough.

[asscrackcreed]

Which assassin will legit win in an arm wrestling competition?

TL;DR - this is not an exact ranking, I may change my mind, I might not, I’m still unsure about this, this got so long for no reason

1. Eivor

2. Connor

3. Alexios/Kass

This is a serious discussion!

I WILL FOCUS ON PHYSICAL STRENGTH ONLY

I am also pulling away from the modern au slightly but this is still obviously for my au

Alexios and Kassandra are going to be one because we don’t know much about individual strength

Let’s begin!

Descriptions of strength

Altaïr has canonically never been hit, every time you, as the player, get hit he loses synchronisation. This means that he never had been hit throughout the course of the whole game as losing synchronisation means doing smth that Altaïr hasn’t done (like when Edward goes into an area that’s locked for the memory). Whilst this is more of his manoeuvrability rather than his strength, it’s easy to say that he is still pretty strong compared to the rest. In modern he’d be an active exerciser

Despite losing a whole arm, Malik was still one of the best assassins in the Levantine Brotherhood. We know this because he was a high ranking assassin and even after the incident was able to fight. Like Altaïr, Malik abilities exceed his strength but he definitely is a stronger assassin. Not too active with exercising but does his fair share of it, less on muscles

Ezio, despite his sharp skills, is one of the weaker assassins. Not that he’s completely weak but he uses swiftness and agility more than strength. He has been shot, hurt etc multiple times. I think it’s a bit clear why Ezio isn’t closer to the top. Like Malik doesn’t do so much exercising strength but more stamina etc

Connor is a complete killing machine, fighting dirty, bloody yet quickly is his style. He has a flipping TOMAHAWK like come on. Just the size and shape of him alone can automatically put him in the top 3. He is incredibly strong and ac3 proves it very well. He’s not afraid to fight dirty, I mean he punches his dad in the dick. Connor is so brutal in a match, his hand to hand combat alone proves that, and his dual-wielding skills? He took on a fucking army too! You’d lying if you said he ain’t one of the strongest. weight lifting, circuit training, running, everything bro he’s got it all down

Edward a dirty fighter, he’s definitely stronger than most. He’s not afraid to kick ass and get bloody. This man has been hurt, wounded and punctured like a tire throughout his game but he definitely has strength. He’s near the top too. focus’ more on muscles and less on general exercise (he does run sometimes)

Arno... he’s similar to Ezio, whilst not using his strength he definitely uses agility etc not the best skill to win arm-wrestling though. Does more yoga and running than anything but not too often

Jacob is more similar to Edward but he’s no match for Connor. Jacob might play dirty but Connor is dirtier and stronger by far. Jacob vs Edward would be a good match (Edward would most likely win though). He’s gotten into loads of fights and might occasionally lift some weights

Evie much like Arno stealth is her strongest suit so I don’t see her near the top of the list. sorry I do love her though. Exercises like Ezio and Malik

Bayek is another beast, him vs Connor would be a really tough match. In the game, he fights big threatening things all the time, crocodiles, gods, gladiators. He’s much more efficient at long range too. He’s not as brutal as Connor I’d say. Definitely one of the stronger assassins. Closer to exercising like Edward and maybe Connor

Both Alexios and Kassandra are brutal as fuck, I mean they’re spartan warriors... They definitely have the strength and endurance, a good match for Connor and Bayek. (sorry Edward is losing against them though) Closer to Edward’s heavy weight lifting exercise but maintains some other forms.

Eivor and their dual-wielding axes will definitely shake up the competition. In the game they dismember enemies?! Connor doesn’t go that far in his brutality but I definitely think that this match would be the best to watch. But (ac Valhalla spoilers) Eivor is an isu hybrid and has taken on fights with a knife stabbed in them. They’re also a Viking? Like Connor’s exercising but less strict.

Now let’s narrow this down!

Last few contenders:

Connor, Eivor, Alexios/Kassandra and Bayek

Brutality makes things difficult here, Bayek is the least brutal person out of the 4 so he’s likely to lose. Connor could just about beat the Eagle bearer because he must be a very competitive person and would go all out. Also if this was a challenge told in advance, he’d probably work out more heavily just for it. Eivor is difficult though because they’re the most brutal out of everyone and I can see them being very difficult for Connor to beat. Because we are talking about hand to hand combat (almost) Connor would be between 1 and 2, like he’s fought an army of soldiers and won. He’s repeatedly taken down so many heavily-guarded convoys. Alone! But in modern au, he’s one to exercise a lot and keep his body in shape very seriously. I can see the eagle bearer, eivor and bayek do the same but Connor is the most strict, I’d say. Eivor just happens to be stronger naturally.

Extra: Who beats who? 

[Name - name of people who they beat]

Altaïr - Malik (a very close call though), Ezio, Arno, Jacob(?), Evie

Malik - Ezio, Arno, Evie

Ezio - Arno, Evie, Jacob

Edward - Altaïr, Malik, Ezio, Arno, Jacob, Evie

Arno - ...

Jacob - Malik, Arno

Evie - Jacob, Arno (she is badass af tho she’s strong too)

[tillidontneedfantasy]

‘Romance’ - Camila Cabello REVIEW: Shamelessly In Love

“You know it's been a long time coming,” Camila Cabello sings on the Grammy-nominated smash “Señorita” (which is the most-streamed song of 2019) featuring Shawn Mendes, their follow-up collaboration to “I Know What You Did Last Summer” from 2015. When she sings this line, it’s unclear who the ‘you’ is: Mendes or the audience. Shortly following the release of the track on June 21st, 2019, Cabello and Mendes were seen multiple times out together, displaying affection publicly that would suggest that they are not just friends...because, as she explains, “friends don’t know the way you taste.”

At the release of these stream of photos, many were quick to decide that this must be a stunt as a promotional ploy for the collaboration; but anyone even slightly invested in either one of the pop stars’ lives and music knew that it was, in fact, a long time coming. To any skeptics left, the timeline outlined (yet scattered) throughout Cabello’s second solo studio effort, Romance, should suffice as ample evidence that it’s the real deal, not that she needs to prove it, anyway.

Speaking of that timeline, the main takeaway from Romance’s story is this: men are idiots who don’t realize what they have until they can’t have it anymore. Unrequited love finally turned in favor just too little too late...until it’s not. As two sides of the same coin, “Should’ve Said It” and “Feel It Twice” showcase the two different internal reactions we women go through when someone we wanted for so long doesn’t want us until we’ve moved on with someone else: spite and sorrow. On one hand, she’s dismissive, and on the other, she’s remorseful. In the end, though, this tale has a happy ending, as she seizes the opportunity to finally be with the person she wanted “two years ago” despite the risk. The result? A full, shameless immersion into a world of unapologetic romance. 

STRONGEST TRACK(S): “Bad Kind of Butterflies,” “Living Proof”

Although unlike anything else Cabello has released thus far in her solo career, “Bad Kind of Butterflies” is a compelling and straightforward confessional to her partner that despite her love for him she wants another. “What do I lose if I don't choose and keep it to myself?” she ponders, before ultimately landing upon a decision: “Warning me it’s a mistake, I just know I gotta make it.” Camila deserves some credit here; few people possess this kind of bravery. Many times, people in this situation do keep it to themselves, and then either end up unhappy, live in regret, or make mistakes instead of making an honest choice that will hurt fewer people in the long run. The beautifully haunting production that builds as the song progresses literally gives you the type of bad butterflies she’s describing, as if you’re the one moments away from your possible doom, or maybe an exciting new beginning, or both. Making a choice to follow your heart might trigger an upheaval of your previously planned life-course, but it is never a mistake. Luckily for Cabello, it seemed to work out.

On “Living Proof,” the last pre-release and latest single, Camila indulges in the cliche of linking worship and sex; however, instead of playing as overdone and tired, it just works, mainly due to Cabello’s outstanding vocal arrangement throughout, especially the harmonies in the last chorus. The track is sonically soft and sweet, so hypnotizingly complemented by Cabello’s flawless execution of such a high register; aside from Ariana Grande, no other pop artist can make it seem so effortless. Although the omission of a choir for the bridge and/or outro might be seen by some as a wise choice to balance the cliches, I kind of wish she did it anyway, and her inclusion of one during her wonderful performance on the Ellen Degeneres Show makes a strong case for it too.

WEAKEST TRACK: “This Love”

Perhaps the waltz-like nature of "This Love” is supposed to mirror the dance that Cabello and the subject of this song are playing at, but it fails to do so. When hearing the instrumentals for this track, you are expecting a loving, romantic song. Instead, the listener hears yet again about the games being played by this man and the back and forth between them. The lyrics feel incongruent with the music, and though the track is not bad, it might leave the listener unsatisfied. 

THE IN-BETWEENS

There are plenty of other tracks to satiate the desire for pure romance, as promised. “Easy” and “Used To This” are two gorgeous tracks that perfectly encapsulate what it’s like to allow yourself to be loved when for so long you were unsure if it would ever happen the way you envisioned, making it very easy (no pun intended) to feel happy for Cabello (and Mendes), even so much so that you might find their love endearing enough to temporarily forget that Instagram video (you know the one) (sorry for making you remember it again). Cabello successfully experiments on the sultry “My Oh My” featuring DaBaby, which for some reason is a digital exclusive, and the dramatic and honest “Cry For Me,” which bluntly publicizes a sort of selfishness that most humans have felt but would deny, and gets better with each listen. Other tracks, however, such as “Liar” and “Feel It Twice” tire out quickly. 

BEST PROSPECTIVE SINGLE: “Should’ve Said It”

Cabello sounds most authentic and commanding when she infuses her Latina roots with her pop inclinations. “Should’ve Said It” is effective, unique, and showcases all of Camila’s strengths in a catchy package to which many girls around the globe can easily relate. As Cabello chastises her muse for not knowing what he had until it was gone, you can’t help but vehemently agree while tapping your feet. Can’t you feel it turning into a power anthem already?

                                                            ***

Even in her Fifth Harmony days, Cabello exhibited an unprecedented stage presence. Her first solo album, Camila, proved her star and staying power. There are many ways in which she has leveled up since, as displayed throughout Romance: her vocal range and control are much stronger and cleaner, she has trialed new musical styles that surprisingly suit her, and the production on almost every song is intriguing enough to make you want to listen again. However, the album feels lyrically lackluster; maybe this is because Camila proved to be a great lyricist with her debut, and the quality of writing on this album seems to match its predecessor rather than exceed it. That is not to say that great lyricism implies Shakespearean prose; sometimes, simplicity works just as successfully, if not even more so, as it allows for accessibility. The closing track of Romance, “First Man,” is an example of Cabello’s moving utilization of such simplicity. On an album that can feel repetitive at times considering its subject matter, an ode to the love Cabello shares with her father comes a bit out of left field, a refreshing final pull at the heartstrings. Mentions of jackets for cold weather and making it home safe remind us all that love- whether it is romantic, platonic, or familial- is loudest through the little things. Camila is clearly full of love, and if she continues to build on her ability to tap into it and express it honestly, the sky will be her limit. Grade: 3.5/5

DISCLAIMER - REVIEWER’S BIAS: I never cared for Fifth Harmony much when they were together, so Camila was not really on my radar until she was suddenly on everyone’s with her hit “Havana.” I remember watching her perform it on some awards show and being absolutely blown away by her stage presence. I knew she would be opening for Taylor Swift’s reputation Stadium Tour, and since I of course was attending I decided to listen to Camila shortly after its release, and I was surprised at how much I liked it! Although I enjoy this album very much, I was expecting a bit more from Romance; none of the songs have felt as special as “Consequences” or “Something’s Gotta Give” or “Havana” from her debut, and although I don’t think an artist should ever try to replicate past success or follow formulas that they think might get them there, I feel like that extra punch I was expecting from this album is missing. I still think she did a great job though- I was completely blown away by her vocals and the production, and I am excited to see where her career takes her.

[theflashdriver]

By Land and Sea

When Sonic makes a bet with Amy, it backfires almost immediately. He has come face to face with one of his greatest fears but, at the same time, he isn't one to back down from a challenge. Can he beat Amy at a swimming race or will he flounder? This is the third part of my Sonamy Week catch up! This fic was written for the race prompt! It’s a little over 4.5k words long, I hope you will enjoy!

"This isn't what I agreed to, Ames."

"Oh, it's exactly what you agreed to, my darling." He could hear the delight in her voice; though his eyes were turned from her the blue hedgehog could plainly see the grin on her face. "You promised that if I beat you in a race you'd go on a date with me."

No, he wasn't looking at her; instead, his eyes were fixed upon the racetrack before him. The very racetrack he took issue with. Marked with floating orbs and, no more than 200 metres away, a flagpole that slowly bobbed from side to side. Two lanes of ocean had been isolated, made into a path through the positioning of small orb-shaped buoys. The two met at their ends, a larger central buoy with a blue flag marking the midway point. If the water were land it'd be simple, as fast as Amy was he'd beat her to the marker, around it and back. He'd probably pass her before she got halfway up her lane… well, maybe three quarters. But the sea was a different matter, they were stood on a beach rather than a raceway. Though he avoided water, he'd seen Amy swimming before. She was good and fast, while he might as well have been made from lead. The blue hedgehog needed a life preserver to keep himself above the surface, let alone swim a straight line. No matter how he tried to bolster himself, throwing his eyes to the sky or focusing on that flag, fear and, an emotion he so rarely faced, doubt was plaguing him.

There was a tug at his wrist. Shuddering, he pried his eyes away; allowing them to meet those of Cream. Innocent and full of empathy, she spoke. "I'm afraid that is what you said Mister Sonic. You didn't specify what kind of race, you only said that Miss Amy had to beat you."

"She's got you there, Sonic. You should've been more specific." From his other side he'd heard Tails, the young fox he trusted more than anyone, betray him over the silly technicality. "You kinda brought this upon yourself."

"D-Don't side with them Tails! You know what I meant just like they do! I mean really. When I say race, is your first thought actually…" He shuddered, looking to the lapping waves ahead of them. "…Swimming?"

Amy's didn't hesitate to answer, gleefully posing a question of her own. "Come on Sonic, what would you call this if not a race?"

Many phrases rushed through Sonic's head; a death trap, a nightmare, a one-way ticket to a watery grave, but he settled on, "Lame. Just plain lame." Unable to stomach it, he turned around; eyes closed and chin raised. "It's like challenging Knuckles to chess after he says he can beat anyone in a one on one match, or askin' the Chaotix to solve maths problems rather than mysteries. It's just not what they do, just like I don't swim."

Cream gasped, innocently taken aback. "Oh no, does that mean you're giving up Mister Sonic?"

"Of course not Cream." He'd turned back to the young rabbit, lowering himself to better look her in the eye. "Even if Amy's better at…" Despite having spoken it once already, the word 'swim' felt gross in his mouth. He shook off its vile taste, continuing to reassure the little girl. "Even if Amy's better at this than me, I've got to give it my best shot! No matter how scared you are Cream, you should never back down." It wasn't his best motivational speech, but then he wasn't in the best headspace. He was bolstering himself almost as much as he was trying to send a message.

The young rabbit gave a strong nod, the little chao in her arms matching it. "You're right Mister Sonic! You should always do your best, even when defeat is certain. You might get lucky!" It wasn't quite the glowing affirmation he'd hoped for; even though he knew the rabbit was being genuine, her lack of faith did scuff his pride. Before her wounding could show, she'd turned to face Amy. "Cheese and I will go set things up. Good luck both of you!"

With that, Cream rushed away from the group; what she had left to set up Sonic had no idea. There was a beat of silence, his gut wouldn't let him turn toward the sea and yet he didn't have the strength to face Amy. Thus, he looked to the sky; the sun was shining, the day was windless and only had a few clouds to its name. If this were it a regular race, these would be the perfect conditions.

"Sonic." All of a sudden his imagined visage of Amy was discarded, the anxious way she'd said his name had stripped it all away. "Are you actually scared? You know we don't have to do this if you don't want to"

"Me? Scared?" He snorted, both attempting to reassure her while, simultaneously, puffing himself up. "Yeah right."

"Well, supposing you were, there's nothing to worry about." Unfortunately, his words hadn't been quite enough. She probably wanted him to meet her eye. "The waters are calm today and we shouldn't be at sea any longer than ten minutes. Besides, we're not going too far out."

Finding the strength, he looked to her. Sure enough, there was a glint of concern in her eyes, hands clasped before her. He grinned, shaking his head. "Honestly Ames, I was just putting on a show to make the kids think you stand a chance. Keep things interesting. I'll totally be able to…" The word 'swim' caught on his tongue again, its mere thought made him queasy, but he forced himself through it; maintaining bravado. "Win this race, no sweat."

"Oh really? You're not?" Following his show of confidence, her concern had mostly slipped away, a smile sliding into its place. Amy had leant in, standing on her tiptoes to match his height. "It's cute seeing you flustered for once, Sonic." Perhaps his queasiness wasn't so easily hidden. "Don't worry; I'm sure it'll be an easy lap." There were few cockier than him and so, when it came to smugness, he could recognise it from a mile away. "If anything happens just call me and I'll swim over to save you. I want you in one piece for our date after all."

Attempting to exceed her cockiness, Sonic rose to his own toes and outsized her once more. A winning smirk returned to his lips. "Don't you worry about me Ames, it may be calm now but as soon as I'm out there it's going to get choppy. Maybe duck under when I pass by, the waves are gonna be huge."

"Yes Sonic, I'm terrified of your doggy-paddle." Once again, his endeavour had failed. "Well, as long as I can hear your screaming over the splashing you're in safe hands." Amy lowered herself, turning on her heel, but before she left she looked back to him, a gentler smile on her face. "As much as I want to win, more than that, I hope you have fun; I know you enjoy competition after all. Good luck Sonic!"

"Y-Yeah, good luck Ames!" He ran his finger beneath his nose and, before he could stop himself, called out in reassurance. "Don't worry so much, swimming or running, I like spending time with you." He almost bit through his tongue as she turned around. A pinkness matching her hair had snuck onto her cheeks. "I mean, having you around keep things interesting… you know what I mean?"

Amy's hands clasped, her smile blinding. "Aww, Sonic! Of course, I know what you mean!"

When Miss Rose turned around the spring in her step had more than doubled. He rubbed his forehead. Sonic wasn't sure which parts of that conversation he regretted and, while he was no stranger to making a fool of himself, the knot in his stomach and heat he was feeling were a little too much to handle. He took a deep breath, circling his shoulders, and tried to push out such thoughts. What's done was done, he'd talked a big game so he had to do something… even if winning wasn't in the cards. Just what that something was, he had no idea. Planning was difficult…

"If you're so worried about it why don't you just run off?" Tails question pulled Sonic from his stupor; the little fox had raised a good point. "It's not like you haven't before."

"As stupid of a race as this is, I did kind of promise her, you know?" He ran a hand through his quills, continuing to ignore the heat on his cheeks. "Running off now, it'd just be wrong. Uncool even."

"Wow, I guess this really was smart of her. I didn't realise your word to her meant that much." A glance to Tails proved a fact he'd feared, there was a broad grin on his face. The smugness was spreading.

Flashing his own grin Sonic reached down, ruffling the young fox's ears. "Nah, it's just that Cream's here. Got to be a good role model, after all, I can't let her think heroes back down from a challenge. Let alone lie."

The young boy snorted. "Yeah right, you just don't want to admit it."

"Admit what?" He feigned ignorance.

"Though you whined about the race, and I'm sure you'll moan when you lose, you don't think Amy winning would be such a bad thing." Sonic could practically hear his influence in the young boy's taunts. "In fact, I bet you want to go on that da-

The hedgehog continued to noogie him, further messing his fur and cutting him off. "Yeah, well, when I beat her in this race I'll prove you doubly wrong, won't I? That'll be a change."

Finally, the boy genius pushed him off. The grin on his fluffy muzzle was forced into view. "Lucky I brought your inflatable then, isn't it? Or will you not be needing them, seeing as you're so confident."

Hands crossed over his heart, an overly pained expression overcame the Blue Blur's face. Bending his right leg he allowed himself to lean on the young fox as if he'd been gravely wounded. "My own little bro, siding with the enemy. Where did I go wrong? You knew about this, you knew they'd tricked me all this time and yet you said nothing. Oh Tails, how could you?" His right arm raised to cross his brow as he began to mock cry; "My own bro, betrayed by my own bro!"

Laughter erupted beneath him, Sonic heard the sound of feet struggling to kick up sand as the little fox struggled to support him; "It's not like I could've done anything about it, you agreed before I could say anything."

At that, Sonic brought himself to stand straight; whipping a final faux tear from his eye. "I suppose I'll find it in my heart to forgive you then. Stop me next time though, alright? Tackle me to the ground if you have to, you're meant to be my brains."

"Fine, fine, I promise I'll stop you next time." Tails promised. Reaching behind himself and into a small rucksack, the youth pulled out a dark blue lifejacket. On its shoulder a new addition, a bright orange whistle on an extendable cord.

Sonic took it with a sigh, pulling it over his shoulders before doing the buckle around his belly. "You're really confident in me winning, aren't you Tails?"

He shrugged, that smugness had returned. "Better to be safe than sorry,"

The blue blur turned back to the water, Amy wasn't lying when she said it was calm. It must have been close to low tide but the beach was long and empty. A glance further up the bank revealed Cream and Cheese, staking two flags into the sand; both their finish line and likely starting point. So, there would be a dash from land to water before the true challenge started. While at first he'd thought this would merely give him a small head start, an idea snuck its way to the forefront of his mind. There was a technique that, while difficult, he had performed before in times of crisis. The sand sprawled out far enough for it, the only problem he could really foresee was rounding the midway buoy, a sharp turn. If he could control his turning long enough to manage that then things would be fine. Running on water, well… it was worth a shot at least?

"Well, good luck finding your nerve. I'm sure you'll have fun on the date." Before Sonic could get in another word, Tails had taken off; tail spinning as he rushed over to aid the young rabbit.

Rolling his eyes, Sonic opened the valve in his lifejacket and started to blow; inflating it until he felt safe. The young fox wasn't necessarily wrong; even if this plan didn't work out he was more scared of the water than he was the practically inevitable date. Despite his stutter and regret, he hadn't lied; he did enjoy spending time with her. Amy was always excited to see him and she could pull reactions from him that no one else could. She kept him going like no one else could. Pacing, he cast his eyes across the water's surface; watching the waves froth as they broke against pale sand. It really was gross, everything from the scent of salt to the sound told him he wasn't meant to be here. Even the sand beneath his feet was uneven; it kicked up with every step and certainly didn't make for smooth running. Standing on the beach was definitely way worse than lying on the beach, at least then he could keep his distance from the water, listen to music and properly daydream.

"I thought I'd be seeing you at the starting line, I'm surprised you're still hanging back here." Amy had returned, freeing him from his thoughts. "You'll be swimming in your shoes then?"

"Figured I'd end up waiting for you no matter what." He grinned, turning to her as they wandered toward the finish line. "And well, if we're starting with a sprint I ought to get the most out of my head start."

Her red dress had been shed in place of a red swimsuit. While he tried not to think too long about it, let alone stare too long, he did think it suited her. It was a simple, red, one-piece suit but, around the waist, it had additional fabric that flared out to give the guise of a white skirt with a thin red hem.

"I thought you were going to win this race no sweat." She teased.

Winning would still be difficult but with his plan in mind; there was a spark of genuine confidence in his heart. "Well yeah, but this way you won't even make it to the water. No point in you getting soaked over what's sure to be a landslide victory."

"Oh, we'll see about that." They arrived at the starting line, Cream having gathered pebbles from the surrounding area to construct the start/finish line itself and flags being planted to better separate their lanes. "If you're going to do your best, so will I."

As she started to stretch, warming up well for someone certain they'd win, he couldn't help noticing Amy's hairband had been replaced with a messy bun; her quills bundled near the back of her head. Despite telling himself he wouldn't, he'd found himself staring at the cute sight; pulled in by her excitement. Tearing himself away he reached across his body, beginning a stretch of his own.

With the kids continued to set things up, Tails preparing a camera in case (by some miracle) a photo finish occurred, Sonic saw idle opportunity to pry. "So Ames, what did you have in mind for that date?"

"You'll just have to wait and see." She swapped from crossing her right arm against her body to the left.

"What, no spoilers?" He bent down, touching his toes before reaching behind himself; feeling his calves warm. "Come on Amy, give me a hint at least."

"I know the only way to keep you interested is to keep you on your toes," She continued to refuse. "If I told you now, wouldn't you get bored?"

"A deal's a deal, isn't it? I'm coming on the date if you win, no matter how gross it is." Another glance to Amy found her mid-lunge, returning his gaze. "But that doesn't matter, I'm only asking 'cause I'm gonna win. Tell me now, it might convince me to lose on purpose."

"We both know, as soon as your feet leave the sand, you're going to get stuck my darling." She jested. "Regardless, I want you to enjoy yourself on the date so…"

"So?" He quirked a brow, awaiting her statement.

"Well…I haven't quite decided what we're doing yet." That surprised him; Amy had been asking him out for as long as he could remember… yet she had nothing planned? She elaborated. "I've waited so long for this, I've had my heart set on so many ideas, but now it's so close I'm not sure what I want to do." She stood straight, rolling some final kinks out of her shoulders. "Twinkle Park, going to the movies, getting dinner… I can't decide." There was a sparkle in her eyes that, coupled with the glow in her cheeks brought on by her warm-up, was too much for him.

Maybe, if his plan did work out, he'd treat her to something anyway. Go out for chilidogs or maybe just hang around the beach a little longer, today felt like an ice cream and relaxing kind of day.

Having caught himself staring again, Sonic turned away. "Well, it's good you're not set on anything seeing as I'm gonna win."

"In your dreams my darling Sonic." The pink hedgehog had taken her place on the starting line, lowering herself to a crouching start position.

Sonic matched it, fingertips buried in the sand and eyes locked on the path ahead. The running lane couldn't be longer than twenty metres, even that was a higher estimate. Still, he figured it would be enough to build up the speed, he'd grab onto the buoy on the way around for turning leverage. Yeah, that seemed like it'd work!

At the edge of his lane stood Tails and at Amy's stood Cream, both prepared a flag in one hand and a whistle in the other. Cream was beaming. "The first one back wins! Good luck you two!"

"On your marks…"

"Get set…"

With the blow of the whistle he was off, kicking up sand and bolting forward as fast as he could; not a glance to Tails nor even back to Amy as he claimed his lead. No sound but his footfalls and breathing filled his ears, vision tunnelled on the midway buoy. Soon the dull thudding of his feet turned to splashing, the smack of his soles against water, he had to be prepared for that; had to maintain his pace, quicken it even. He could feel the wind cutting against his cheeks, muffling the sun's warmth as the pounding of his heart grew faster.

Then it happened, the first splash; he'd arrived in the shallows! Sonic closed his eyes, refusing brace himself lest it slowed him. Seaspray coated his body, beads of water like bullets buried into his fur to mingle the salt of his sweat with their own. His footfalls continued; short, rapid, splashes that blurred into each other, making it impossible to identify how far out to sea he was. Confident he could keep this up, the hedgehog's eyes reopened. As he could feel, the waters directly in front of him were flickering up with every step; colliding with his legs and bare stomach. He refocused on the buoy, growing closer with every fraction of a second, in preparation he reached out with his right arm. It couldn't have been ten seconds since he'd left the beach, probably closer to five.

The hedgehog lent in preparation for the turn. Contact was made with the flag. His fingers coiled around the pole's length. A resounding snap cut through his wet footfalls. The flagpole hadn't been strong enough to handle his speed and had broken in two; before he could even realise what had happened it was dragging behind him. The drag from the pole had an immediate impact on his speed, rather than bounce off the surface Sonic's next footfall splashed straight through it. Sonic quickly let go of the pipe but it was already too late, his slowed (but still considerable) momentum led him to bounce off the surface twice, splashing deeper each time, before he found himself submerged and spinning.

The world was a blur, his mouth opened only to fill with seawater as his head dunked time and time again, carried by his own prior speed. When he finally stabilised and surfaced he'd completely lost his bearings, coughing and spluttering the hedgehog found himself surrounded by ocean; kept afloat by his life vest more than his awful attempt to tread water. His shoes waterlogged, he could already feel them starting to slip. Limbs smacking against the surface, Sonic was struggling to turn. Craning his neck, bobbing as though he were tempest-tossed, Sonic could see the base of the buoy and, no more than a few metres beyond that floating grey orb, a bobbing pink head on the approach.

Having spat up what was either his fourth or fifth mouthful of water, he felt a wave meet with his back and push him ever so slightly closer to the floater. He knew he was supposed to lean forward, kick his legs and swing his arms, but the position was just too bizarre to him. The hedgehog was at his best upright, sprinting, not lying down and flailing. Thus, precisely as Amy had predicted, Sonic found himself doggy paddling; arms fumbling through the water as he ran in place. His pace was gruelling, though he continued to wriggle the truth he'd always known had set in. In the water, he stood no chance of beating Amy.

Her consistent, fast-paced, breaststroke was cutting through the water unfazed by its gentle waves. As he watched the pink hedgehog approach he did, admittedly, feel himself relax. Tail's lifejacket, despite its condescending whistle, was keeping his head well above the water despite his frantic efforts. He wasn't comfortable but, at the very least, seeing her so close made him feel safe. Before he could quite make it to the buoy she'd pulled up in front of him, coming to a halt and treading water so very casually.

Soaked and ragged, he used most of his remaining smarm. "Hey, Ames. Long time no see."

"Hey." That prior cockiness wasn't there, instead that gentle smile she'd worn when she'd worried about his fear. "Need a little help?"

"Maybe just a little, looks like you're goin' my way and getting there way faster than me." He smiled.

"Nothing to it but practice." She'd gotten closer still, floating shoulder to shoulder with him. "Wrap your arm around me and I'll show you."

He fully stopped treading water, taking her offer and allowing herself to properly float with her. It'd be a lie to say he wasn't embarrassed but, given the situation, he thought he was keeping his cool rather well. "I think it'll be lost on me but I'll give it a shot."

Amy lowered herself, laying flat in the water, and began to swim again. She'd slowed yes, head permanently raised above the water rather than bobbing, but her pace was still ten times what his had been, "You just need to understand that, as long as you keep moving, you'll keep floating."

"You say that but without this vest, I'd have sunk like a stone regardless of how hard I struggled." He explained.

"That's where the practice comes in, the more you do it the longer you'll manage to stay up."

"I'm sure you're right Ames, but, I think I'll just stick to dry land wherever I can." He couldn't help staring at her as she swam; powerful arms cutting through the water. Words seemed to bubble up without his say. "Then again, I guess I would like to practice running on water some more. If I'd made it around that corner I'd have beat you for certain."

"Well, if you want another shot at it you could always challenge me to another race." He could tell she was joking, at least mostly, "Although, I've yet to decide on our first date, let alone a second…"

As she raised the deal again, a thought entered the hedgehog's head, one he hadn't considered until now. Thinking fast, Sonic waggled his forefinger; "I said if you won I'd go on a date with you, not what kind of date we'd be going on." Finally, having been soaked and beaten, things were back to their natural state. He was the one being cocky. "That means I get to pick what we do."

"Oh Sonic, you really think that matters to me? Of course, you can pick our first date! I'd love that!" Her swimming slowed, she'd turned to look over her shoulder. A smile had spread across her lips, still gently pulling him along. "I didn't pick this race because I knew I'd win, I picked it so you couldn't keep running once you cleared the finishing line. Any time spent with you is a good time."

"Y-Yeah, sure, wh-whatever, Ames." Though he couldn't bring himself to admit it, surrounded by ocean and blushing profusely, he felt the same.

[castle-gaius]

Gaius’ Costumes Descriptions

Haircuts

Default Haircut: How does he see with this hairstyle?! Hat Style: This must make it much easier to see! Xillia Haircut 1: The black hairpin signifies his right of succession. No-Pin Haircut: His original hairstyle, without the hairpin. Xillia Haircut 2: A dyed variant of his old look. Final Boss Haircut: The power of Muzét gave him incredible strength and superhuman fashion sense! School Hairstyle: Gaius' pompadour, which takes several hours each morning to style, is super hard and can also double as the last line of defense! Swimming Hairstyle: Gaius slicks his hair back when going swimming. Now he looks even more like an islander! Dymlos Hairstyle: A hairstyle like that of Dymlos from Tales of Destiny. Having his bangs stick out like that gives him a rather heroic appearance! Judo Hairstyle: Messy long hair is proof of one who has endured long, difficult training to walk the path of the warrior.

Costumes

Default Attire: With the new identity of Erston comes a brand new wardrobe, more suitable for blending in. Color Variation: Gaius dyed his spare outfit for a more imposing clothing option. No Jacket: Without the jacket, the flame emblem really stands out! Xillia Outfit 1: Traditional kingly raiments Gaius used to wear back in Auj Oule. Xillia Outfit 2: A variant of Gaius' royal outfit. Boss Mode: When Muzét gives you powers that far exceed those of ordinary humans, you simply must update your wardrobe to match! School Uniform: Gaius was a class president despite also being the school bully. The stitching on the back shows he had excellent calligraphy skills. Swimwear: Gaius is from a land always covered in snow, but these trunks make him look like a local islander! Dymlos Costume: A costume made to look like the garb worn by Dymlos from Tales of Destiny. Judo Uniform: "Flexibility overcomes firmness" says the main law of judo. Anyone with a sword would probably think otherwise, but hey.

Attachments

Gaius' Crest: If you see this, it means he is done toying with you. How fearsome! Gaius' Headband: Proof of one's right to the succession in Auj Oule. Probably best not to play with it... School Armband: This armband proves that Gaius was class president. He claimed it meant he could eat the other student's snacks if he wanted! School Muffler: A muffler with class and style that suited the schoolyard bully that was Gaius. No one knows where he got it from. Beach Necklace: A necklace sold in Gaius' hometown. It reflects all kinds of light, giving it a consistently sparkly appearance. Beach Towel: A towel that can be worn like a headband to absorb sweat. People will think you just got fresh out of the gym! Swimming Bracelet: A bracelet sold at souvenir shops. You can get anything you want engraved on the inside, apparently.

[thechroniclesofwriting]

Right

I have things to say about the Winchesters being slightly terrifying.  Y’all ready for an entire essay? Strap in kiddies, I’m procrastinating a thesis and slightly tipsy. 

Firstly. Even in height, the Winchesters exceed normality. I want you to consider how high the average interior doorway is. Seriously, go look at your nearest doorway. Pretty high, right? Google tells me it’s 6″6. Dean stands at 6″1, while Sam is 6″3. So, Sam is less than an iPhone away from hitting his head on the top of your average doorway. And unlike NBL, AFL, whatever you national sport acronym is, players, they aren’t just tall. No. Both men are made of muscle. 

For reference, a normal man, no, a skinny teenager, could incapacitate me; female, 5″2, 120 pounds. My 5″11, 21 y-o brother can nullify my most persistent attack in about point two of a second, and continue a discussion at the same time. Imagine what a Winchester could do.

Having said that, one of the Australian Jiu jitsu champions is a dude who spent most of his life shorter than me; I should know, I went to both primary and high school with him. Watching him incapacitate opponents several times his size is a work of art. (Do not tell him I said that). Now imagine that same training in a man double his size. In fact, in two men, trained from a very young age.

Secondly, Sam and Dean fight for a living, where the living is literally ‘living or dying’. If they lose, they die. Violently and painfully. I don’t know about you, but I’d have to be pretty fucking confident that I was going to win a fight if I was going to put my life on the line. So to Hunt, per se, as a living, you are a) very physically strong and b) confident as fuck. 

Confidence is often touted as an attractive quality. Which it is, and Dean and Sam are both incredibly attractive (what nothing). But imagine that confidence being lethal. I don’t know about you, but I generally find lethal intent a little terrifying. Just saying. SO you have these two, very tall men, who work in a unit, who are very well trained, walk a diner, with the soul purpose of finding someone, and killing them. So you have these men who will use everything from charm to straight up, Geneva Convention banned torture, to get their information. Seriously, they break all of the agreements of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment  (UNCAT). 

Thirdly. Vampires, ghosts, shapeshifters, werewolves and demons. Things of myth and legend. The questions that the Winchesters have to ask to determine whether their case is supernatural or just humans-murdering-each-other are mad.  I don’t know about you, but if a dude ask me if I felt ‘cold patches’ in a room, I would straight up tell them ‘yeah around you’ and leave. Who is interested in answering those questions, FBI or not? Guys c’mon. I know it varies from person to person, but how difficult is it to convince someone of a mystical force? And how many people would thoroughly believe that said force might be benevolent? How many would make it God and how many would make it science? And, how many would make it a mental institution? So here we have two grown, confident. trained and intimidating men spouting mystical crap while running around in a Chevvy full of guns? Idk about you, but in this situation, I’d probably favour Chuck’s response.

Fourthly, we are currently in our 14th season. Now, some say we’re beating a dead horse. I say, that’s at least 14 YEARS of Sam and Dean being well renowned, death defying, universe saving, legendary hunters. They show up, other hunters are surprised, they have things to say. In their field, they are essentially Bill Gates (okay no but you get the point). Now to be that hunter, to be that good, you have to spend a good portion of time training. Their Dad raised them in this life, albeit abusively. But do you remember Samuel’s little test for Dean in season 5? ‘Do you kill a Vamp with a wooden or silver stake?’ HA. When was the last time Vamps were the real problem in a SPN episode? I’d imagine that the Winchesters are the cautionary tale that monsters tell their kids. To plagiarise John Wick - he’s not boogey man. He’s the one you send to kill the boogey man. They’re the shadows behind the curtain, the monsters in the closet. Their body count is higher than they are. If the Winchesters arrive, you know it’s universe threatening. 

Fifthly, not only are they renowned and feared hunters who have travelled through time, space, heaven, hell, probably Tartarus and Jahannam, they are also privvy to information that was not widely known to most hunters. Remember that Mary, in 1978, didn’t really know what Angels were? She was 23 and had been raised by a feared hunter. These two have fought against Lucifer, God, God’s weird sister, etc etc. They’re approaching 40 and really very little fazes either of them. You could stab a Winchester and they’d be like ‘good shot can you call Rowenna’. Most of their big bad’s? They befriended later. ‘Oh yeah Crowley we kept you prisoner for a bit but no welcome bring your mom, we’ll help you’. So now we have upbringing, physical strength, training, confidence (and a damn good track record of, y’know, not dying/coming back to life). 

SO FINALLY lets talk genetics. On one side, we have hunters, and the other, the Men of Letters. So overall, two fairly ferocious families. But Mary kills me every time, mostly because of the excellent casting of young Mary. She is so, so Dean. The first time she meets Dean, she confronts him. She’s maybe 19, while Dean at the time would have been approximately 30. I’m 23, and I run from 16 year olds. But she confronts him, and matches him blow for blow. THEN LATER in 78 (so she’s my age, and I’m still fleeing from high school boys) fights an ANGEL and mostly, bests her. 

So we’ve got Mary, the born and bred hunter. But then we have John, Pretty, naive John, who is thoroughly offended that he’s treated as useless, which frankly tells us a lot about him. Where Sam and Dean try to protect their naive father of the horrors of the life that befell them (by his hands), John is forceful in proving his worth. He won’t shy from protecting Mary, and you can see how that might ferment into revenge. That sheer determination; it’s so Sam. You can argue with me, but as a law student, I can tell you that nothing but sheer, cold, logic, like the kind we see in John in 5x13 gets you into Stanford Law. Maybe that’s why he and John clashed so much, and why Sam was so compassionate to Henry; maybe that’s why Dean tolerated his dad more than Sam did. Sam did have a mom, and it was Dean. Because Mary is so upset, so affected by her family, and would’ve protected them at any cost. Like Dean does. (Also I like to imagine Dean being like Samuel, if and when he has a child.). Nature, per se, has given them all the tools to become thoroughly terrifying human beings.

So we have training, confidence, knowledge, experience and genetics. Ladies and gentlemen, I presently to you my thesis on why Sam and Dean Winchester are not people you ever want to encounter.

[spacebunniis]

meta topic: Yexia and how she changes over the course of the story :3c (i know i already Know This but i love it a lot and i think it deserves to be OUT THERE ON YOUR BLOG !!!) ♥

you are the bessssttt ;;U;;❤️❤️❤️❤️

prepare for a LOT

I HAVE

SO MANY FEELINGS ABOUT YEXIA AND HOW SHE GROWS AND CHANGES

uhhh under a cut because even I wrote more than I expected to

alright here is angry nightmare child’s growth to semi-decent tough girl with a good(ish) heart

let’s start! all the way at the beginning!

Yexia is the 5th of 6 siblings, and the clear favorite  of her parents because she’s the strongest (physically, and more importantly, in the force). It’s not exactly a favoritism that is rewarded with anything other than her parents at least do praise her versus the cold indifference (or sometimes disdain) her parents show to her siblings. They still push her to be stronger, and only encourage her to push herself, to go far, and make it obvious that she’s only successful if she has something to show for it. She’s the one who is going to carry their family name, who is not only going to hold their prestige, but raise up their legacy, make their family name better. Yexia and her siblings are all regularly encouraged to fight each other to ‘improve’ their skills, and they do not hold back. At a fairly young age Yexia has a spar against her force-blind sister Izhae, and leaves half of Izhae’s face covered in a burn scar. (sidenote that I don’t know if I’ve talked about before - instead of base game abilities, I always imagine Yexia’s force abilities being more fire based, to match her…explosive…personality  :’D ) This isn’t the only time she leaves scars on her siblings (granted, she’s also got quite a few from them).

By the time she arrives as an apprentice at Korriban she is well and truly awful. She’s her parents favorite, so she’s nothing but a cocky, overconfident asshole. She thinks she’s the best, and she deserves whatever she wants just because she’s so great. There’s not a lot of people who get along with Yexia because she’s hard to get along with. She’s blunt, and not in the good way - it’s just plain rudeness. Yexia delighted in tormenting and taunting others, because that’s how you show you’re better than them. Whatever she’s doing she rushes in with blind surety and recklessness because of course she knows what’s best, of course she can take down anything and anyone.

However, as an apprentice she’s also faced with, for the first time, realizing that everything isn’t going to come easy to her, it’s not all going to be handed to her. It’s not that she isn’t strong, she is, but in what is news to her, so are plenty of other people. There’s plenty of other strong force-users, some who even rival or exceed her. But she has to be the best, and her instinct in the face of this is just to get angrier, and more reckless, and just be more of an asshole in the quest to prove she’s the strongest.

One of the first things that begins changing her world view is Vette, who really is the first to both not be afraid of Yexia AND not to immediately just (rightfully) hate Yexia for being so insufferable. The two of them working together, and Yexia having to rely on Vette for something she can’t do starts to make Yexia reconsider some things. And also you know, first ever friend! Yay! So Vette is able to put up with Yexia’s assholery, give some of it back, and still be enjoyable and nice and well…it feels good to have a relationship with someone that’s based on anything that isn’t hate or rivalry. Yexia doesn’t really know what to do with herself (which does lead to her falling back on just saying rude or angry shit when she’s overwhelmed/doesn’t know how to correctly process feelings).

And of course next, one of the most important factors, naturally, is Azhiera. Apart from being forced to work together, Yexia is drawn to Azhiera for many reasons, just many she can’t exactly figure out at first. For one, she is definitely attracted to her, but doesn’t even realize that until MUCH. MUCH LATER. But also at the beginning I think, she’s a little afraid of Azhiera to be honest. Azhiera is strong, and in the face of a lot more obstacles than Yexia has ever had to face. Even not knowing Azhiera’s entire history, she is still an alien (and a chiss at that) at the academy. And like Vette, Azhiera is never really intimidated by Yexia, which definitely throws her off. This small, sassy, blueberry just refuses to be intimidated, and actually messes with Yexia. Azhiera sasses Yexia back, “accidentally” zaps her, and Yexia gets angry but always comes up short of actually doing anything more than being all bark and no bite at responding to whatever Azhiera is doing.

The more they work together the more Yexia realizes she likes Azhiera, and that, in a weird way they are friends. But she has no way of … properly conveying that, or conveying how important Azhiera is to her with words so it comes out more through actions. She’s always a shield between Azhiera and enemies, she tries to say nice things even if it usually comes out weirdly phrased, in a yell, or roundabout way.

She also begins talking more about feelings with Vette because Vette (mostly) doesn’t make fun of her. The relationship she ends up having with Vette is, Yexia eventually realizes, the kind of relationship most siblings have. They bicker, they tease each other, but at the end of the day they have each other’s backs. They don’t try to one up each other, she doesn’t feel like she has to be better than Vette - they’re equals. And she starts seeing Azhiera as an equal too (or, honestly maybe placing her above a little bit, not that she’d ever admit it but she’s pretty damn smitten).

Which, as cliché as it is, also contributes to her growth. Finding something other than anger as a passion, something like love, a desire to protect her friends and found family - that really pushes her to finally start thinking beyond herself. She (as long as it took) finally begins to realize the ways everyone she encounters has a whole life, their own passions and goals, and that she could never be the best at everything. Everyone has their own strengths - and for the longest time she was only using her strength in the pursuit to become stronger and nothing more. She is still a pretty brutal Sith, and still works her way up in the Empire, but she’s not quite as unforgiving, she’s more willing to show mercy rather than brutally end anyone who crosses her.

(I still haven’t finished warrior’s story though know most of it so bare with me as I skip ahead to expansions!)

Later on she ends up working as Linalae’s right-hand officer (whatever that position is?? idk), because by the time they’re facing Valkorion and Arcann, Yexia is a much more mature person. She still uses her outside voice more than often, is quick to anger and often very intimidating but she’s better at stepping back and actually evaluating situations, in actually giving fair responses to situations. She’s also finally able to take orders from others, and recognize someone like Linalae as a good leader, and someone worth following. (Begrudgingly she also becomes something of a squad 'leader’ for a group of blueberries that has until now been Vette and Azhiera, is joined by my inquisitor Ziseshis, and eventually any other blue babe in the alliance who realizes, they can all kind of stand behind her and let her take all the damage for them, even if she complains and yells about it, she’s gonna protect them).

And, to come full circle, let’s end with family too!! By the time she’s in the alliance she’s lost contact with all her siblings. It’s not like they were ever close to begin with. But she does return home one last time to formally let her parents know she’s not carrying on the family name the way they want her to. At this point she’s lost an arm (that’s a story for another time!), and she tells her parents she’s in love with Azhiera, a chiss, and she doesn’t plan on returning home ever again. Needless to say her parents are furious, and rather than yell or explode at her Yexia just, finally receives the cold indifference they had been giving to all her other siblings. She’s just ignored. So she leaves and returns to her real family.

Eventually out of morbid curiosity she asks Linalae to check in on her sister Izhae. All Yexia knows about her is that she was in the military, since it was her only way of proving any strength. Linalae discovers Izhae also became a Cipher Agent, however, is listed as KIA. It’s not something Yexia can cry over, or even feel a deep sadness over, but it still stirs up something more now than it would’ve in the past. She at least wishes she could’ve apologized to Izhae, for a lot of things. However, she does get the chance to apologize to one of her siblings. When she and her siblings came of age, it was her family’s tradition to send them out to face a large and hard to take down beast as a right of passage (how Yexia got the scars on her face). It is expected that they defeat the monster and return, or die in battle (because coming back without defeating the beast would be unthinkable). Her sister Jaeyi never returned from the fight, and was presumed dead when Yexia was incredibly young. She was used as an example of how Yexia and her siblings shouldn’t be weak, of what not to be. Jaeyi was brutally injured facing the beast, but in her nearly last moments she became so fearful for her death that she was able to drag herself to freedom, far away from the beast before collapsing. She was discovered and healed, and eventually found herself among Jedi who wanted her to join them. Her upbringing and this experience made Jaeyi an incredibly fearful and meek person, bad at standing up for herself, scared of her own shadow, but still trying her best to prove her worth among the Jedi - to prove that saving her was worth it. Still, she never fit in that well, and didn’t feel she was particularly strong or worth while. And since I’ve already rambled enough about Jaeyi on accident - the long story short is, Yexia ends up finding Jaeyi and bringing her back to the Alliance, where Jaeyi is welcomed and slowly begins to fit in. The two of them have a lot to rebuild in their relationship; when Yexia finds Jaeyi, Jaeyi is terrified Yexia will drag her back to their parents or kill her on the spot. It takes a long time for Jaeyi to stop being scared of Yexia. But she gets to watch the way Yexia interacts with everyone, how Yexia has respect and people listen to her, but they don’t respect or listen to her out of fear - Yexia’s actually earned it.

Overall, by the end Yexia is still rough, and speaks somewhat crudely, and jumps to conclusions or actions too quickly a lot of the time. She still yells a lot, and isn’t always good at expressing genuine emotions, or saying nice things. But, underneath all that she is pretty sweet - she genuinely tries to help her friends, she definitely does everything she can to protect what and who she believes is worth protecting. She learns how to step back and assess situations, how to do things that will benefit her and others, she learns how sometimes she needs to put the needs of others before herself. And she’s also pretty good at giving those back-breaking, lifted off the ground hugs.

So that’s !! A lot on Yexia :’D a very angry tomato. I love her so much and to anyone who reads all this thank you so much????? i have lots of thoughts and feelings and so much i wanna write for her and idk if i even conveyed everything properly but ;v; here’s a big long wall of words and love!! TvT

[trevaleyn]

Robbed of Justice

Fire all around.

Ulysses heart thumped rapidly inside his chest as his next breath was singed with smoke. How many wars had he been in? How many demons, undead, cultists, horde and everything in between? This level of wanton carnage and destruction, not even Deathwing had done this and he certainly had the ability.

He heard a scream to his left.

Body struggling to move as his muscles still burned with his last burst of exertion. It was then he felt a sharp pain in his mouth as he had been checked by a shield, the sound of metal striking metal as another jarring pain was felt in the right side of his ribcage. The paladin had just survived an attack on his life, his armor deflecting a Forsaken lightslayer’s sword that had collided with his armor. He growled as he turned to face the gaunt figure, an eager Forsaken recruit ready to prove himself to the dark lady by hoping to kill a seasoned soldier in this battle. Ulysses made his death quick but still painful, a hand raising as the light overwhelmed whatever wards the undead had against it, his body shrouded in unnatural shadow fpr just a moment as he tried to resist before bursting into holy fire as he was immolated into a charred husk within three seconds.

Wiping at his now sore jaw Ulysses dashed into the inn of Lor’danel where he had heard said screams coming from, looking around he spotted an elven citizen cornered by a tauren on the ramp between the first and second floors that acted as an overlook with a perfect view of Teldrassil. 

Giving a warcry the paladin dashed forward. Ulysses was an older man, almost fifty eight, but his strength had yet to leave him, with the recent discovery of Azerite and his refocusing on the light he was able to match and sometimes exceed the strength of other naturally stronger races. His body surging with the light he leaped and threw both legs forward. The horde legionarre turning around just in time for both of Ulysses heels to bury in his chain coated gut, the paladin kicked like a mustang and the sheer force knocked the Tauren off the overlook into an uncomfortable landing in the waters below. He wouldn’t die, but he wouldn’t be a problem any longer either. Though when Ulysses turned to face the elven citizen expecting a look of astonishment or relief at being saved, instead he saw a look of abject horror on her face. An orange light reflecting in her gaze.

No. No. They couldn’t...

Azerite firebombs used on the World tree itself, Ulysses had glanced over just in time to see the third bomb collide with the purple hardwood of the Teldrassil’s bark. The World tree had been set aflame. It was a matter of seconds that another salvo of bombs launched and the world tree would fully begin to burn. 

Anger. Wrath. Vengeance.

Such impulses and thoughts surged through the paladin with what he witnessed,  “We need to go. There’s a boat in the harbor, it’s a small enough sloop we can get past the Horde Blockade! We need to go now though!” The paladin exclaimed, he ushered the elven survivor out of the building, finding another cluster of Alliance civilians as well as a pair of soldiers holding their ground for against an orc. Twelve of them in total, it was a bit much but they could sail Northeast towards Moonglade and travel down through the mountains, the elves would survive even if Teldrassil didn’t.  Ulysses would recall later how silent and haunting the trip was.

No elf, no soldier, no voice at all dared to speak for a long time as they put distance between themselves and the burning Teldrassil. Only when it had become a dark, smokey orange blot on the horizon would Ulysses consider speaking to these lucky few. The light had granted him the abilities of an empath though it didn’t takes such abilities to feel the hearts of those around him be wounded and harden. He could feel there loss, there mourning, there disbelief, there sense of betray and confusion and fear and anger that came with it all.

“The Horde will not get away with this,” Ulysses said with a core of steel in his words. He lofted his hands, a blessing of strength and endurance washing over all of those on the boat, not to lessen their pain but to fortify there resolve. “The journey to justice is a long one. You will need the power of the light. This was an attempt to break the Alliance. To break the elven people. You will bend, but you will not break, not to her and not to them.” The paladin speaking that last word with a newfound venom towards the Horde. They couldn’t control Garrosh, how could they control Sylvanas? Horde honor was weak. Horde muscle was weak. 

Only the light and the blades of the Alliance could stop the Horde now. Just for a moment, the image of that Forsaken who had attacked him sat in his mind, the very instant he burst into flames, the anguished cry of pain and the realization of death that came with it.

For the Alliance.

Ulysses would exact justice for this, and if not justice, at the very least he would exact vengeance.

[orbemnews]

Mentors are great. But a sponsor could really help your career Although much has been said about mentorship, sponsors can advance your career in a way that mentors can’t. And while the two are often confused, there are distinct differences. In a mentorship, a more experienced person gives guidance to a more junior person. In a sponsorship, a more senior person proactively invests social capital and clout in a more junior person, according to Sylvia Ann Hewlett, economist and author of The Sponsor Effect. Sponsors can get you noticed both inside and outside of your company, create opportunities that help you progress more quickly and give you confidence and courage to take risks. For example, a sponsor can directly recommend you for a promotion, get you placed on an important work project and, in some cases, even help you secure your first board seat. So how can you attract and attain a potential sponsor in the workplace? These tips can help: Demonstrate your value It starts with you. Attracting a sponsor requires that you perform at your highest level. Be reliable and consistent, meet deadlines and strive to exceed expectations and deliver great results. By performing well at work, you’re demonstrating your value and potential — both qualities that will help attract a sponsor. You’re also proving to a potential sponsor that they can feel comfortable about putting their own reputation on the line and advocate for you. “It’s all about continuing to deliver performance, trustworthiness and contributing a value add that will win you support over the long haul,” Hewlett said. Take inventory of your assets Take into account what you’ve accomplished and what you hope to achieve in the future. A sponsor can’t help you if you can’t clearly identify your strengths and abilities, but more importantly your goals. Knowing what your goals are helps your sponsor match you for the best opportunities. Hewlett suggests scheduling a 15-minute chat with a potential mentor or sponsor to present your assets and goals. “This can spark driving value together. The hallmark of a successful sponsorship relationship,” she said. Ask them to be your mentor first and then — by delivering trustworthiness and a value add — you can eventually turn this person into a proactive sponsor, she added. Raise your hand for opportunities Visibility at work is extremely important. It’s not enough to just keep your head down and get your work done. You want to get noticed. That can be challenging while working remotely, but there are ways to do this. “Create space for connection in lieu of the more impromptu nature of being in-person or in the office,” said Christie Lindor, founder and CEO of Tessi Consulting. “Geographic boundaries are no longer a barrier and social media has created the ability to directly access more people than ever before. Take advantage of this unique time and use this moment to think big and reach out wide.” Some ways to do this include attending virtual events, participating in discussions during team meetings, contributing to a bigger project or taking on a “stretch assignment.” Stretch assignments are usually a project, role or task that is beyond your skill level or expertise. The purpose of these assignments is to help “stretch” your development and unlock your potential. Some examples might include managing an intern, organizing an event or launching a new product. “Think about who knows you and your work, or who may have heard about you. Authenticity is key when it comes to fostering sponsor relationships,” she said. “Ask a supportive mentor or ally for stretch opportunities in your target sponsor’s line of sight.” Identify potential sponsors Knowing what type of sponsor you are seeking and why is important to figure out up front. Lindor recommends creating a short list of one to three leaders in your organization or industry that you would like to attract as a sponsor. From there, develop a strategy to have a line of sight or visibility for your list of prospective sponsors. You can do this by identifying opportunities to speak or work with a prospective sponsor directly, such as participating in events they’ll be attending or working on a team they may be leading. Then, research and learn about any common interests and values you may share with them. Remember to be intentional. “Be able to answer the question, ‘why do I want this person to sponsor me?’ While considering someone because of their star or celebrity status might be enticing, seek genuine connection points instead,” she said. Build relationships Make sure you’re building the relationships within your organization or industry for a sponsorship opportunity to develop. For example, your sponsor could be your manager or your manager’s manager — perhaps even someone higher up or in a different department. “Many of us are working remotely and having difficulty connecting with people other than those we are in direct work contact with on a daily basis,” said Toni Patterson, a career mentor and strategist. “It’s a great excuse to reach out to someone to say: ‘had we been in the office I would have loved to pop my head in and introduce myself, but since that’s not possible in this time, can we meet online for a 20-minute coffee?’ Once you have them on the phone you need to let them know what you do, what you aspire to do and that you are willing to stretch and challenge yourself in order to do it.” But don’t get discouraged. If you reach out to someone and they don’t seem interested in supporting you, know that “no” may mean “not right now,” Patterson said. “Focus on creating and building relationships. With time, you will find the right person to be your sponsor.” Follow up and stay top of mind Your success is your sponsor’s legacy. So don’t forget to toot your own horn. “Manage the relationship in line with your sponsor’s working styles or organizational culture, learn how they prefer to communicate and adjust to maximize interactions,” Lindor said. It’s also your responsibility to make your sponsor look good and nurture the relationship by doing your best work. And don’t forget to follow up. “Once you are given that stretch assignment, promotion or whatever your sponsorship relationship helped you achieve, make sure you keep your sponsor apprised of how it’s going,” Patterson said. Source link Orbem News #career #Great #Mentors #Mentorsaregreat.Butasponsorcouldreallyhelpyourcareer-CNN #sponsor #success

[mechanicswichita]

Best Medium Duty Towing Service and Cost in Wichita, KS| A1 Mobile Mechanics Of Wichita

More information is at: http://mobilemechanicwichitakansas.org/medium-duty-towing-near-me/ Medium Duty Towing Service near Wichita, KS: Are you looking for the Best Medium Duty Towing Service near Wichita, KS? A1 Mobile Mechanics Of Wichita, the medium duty tow truck can be effortlessly maneuvered and, therefore, it can be used to easily recover vehicles stuck within very confined space. Cost? Free estimates! Send us a message or call us today. Best Medium Duty Towing Service around Wichita, KS. We serve Wichita, KS and other areas. Get a Free Quote Now!

BEST MEDIUM DUTY TOWING SERVICE IN WICHITA, KS WICHITA, KSMEDIUM DUTY TOWING

Medium Duty Towing Adding Flexibility to Our Fleet Medium Duty Towing Service near Wichita, KS: Towing medium You’re on a strict schedule today. With a record amount of service calls to attend to, everything must go exactly as planned. But on your way to the third service call, you start to notice weird noises coming from your company van. You pull to the side of the road to get a closer look and it doesn’t look good. Well, you were ahead of schedule. After a quick Internet search for a reputable towing company, you stumble upon A1 Mobile Mechanics Of Wichita and place a call unaware that you didn’t just become a name on our to-assist list; you became our priority.

The Medium-duty Basics Medium-duty tow trucks’ petite size creates an unmatchable ease of maneuverability, allowing for the retrieval of vehicles stuck in even the most confining situations. The strength of its tow and recovery power exceeds the industry standard, reinforcing the invaluable characteristics that medium-duty tow trucks provide to our fleet.

Getting The Job Done Medium Duty Towing Service near Wichita, KS: Equipped with a modern, wheel-system design, medium-duty tow trucks specialize in eliminating all tow truck and vehicle contact, except for the rubber on the vehicle’s tires. This design allows for a vehicle to be lifted off of the ground by securing either the front-two or back-two wheels, which are then suspended in the air. The other two wheels remain in contact with the road, to provide towing assistance throughout the vehicle’s transportation process.

Which Vehicles Are Medium-duty Worthy? Medium Duty Towing Service near Wichita, KS: When maneuverability is key, medium-duty tow trucks are crucial servicing a wide array of vehicles, including: ● Small fleet vehicle towing, such as FedEx or UPS ● Delivery truck towing, such as bread trucks or walk-ins ● Class C motorhomes ● Camper or recreational vehicle towing ● Commercial breakdown assistance ● One-ton vehicles, box trucks, utility trucks ● Cut-away vehicles, including buses, shuttles, delivery trucks ● Large ball hitch trailers

Medium duty towing and recovery trucks Due to its small size, the medium duty tow truck can be effortlessly maneuvered and, therefore, it can be used to easily recover vehicles stuck within very confined space.

How It Works Equipped with an ultramodern wheel-system design, these trucks are specialized to eliminate all tow trucks and vehicle contact, other than the rubber on vehicle’ tire. Such trucks can lift a vehicle off the surface by securing either the front or the rear pair of wheels, which can then be suspended freely in the air. The remaining two wheels can be left in contact with the ground, which gives towing assistance to the vehicle during transportation.

Which Vehicles Require Medium-Duty? Medium Duty Towing Service near Wichita, KS: The medium duty towing trucks prove crucial due to their superior maneuverability and, therefore, they can be used for services a wide array of vehicles, such as: ● Commercial breakdown assistance ● One-ton vehicles, utility trucks, and box trucks ● Cut-away vehicles, such as shuttles, buses, and delivery trucks ● Large ball hitch trailers ● Recreational or camper vehicle towing ● Class C motorhomes ● Small fleet vehicle towing, including FedEx or UPS ● Delivery truck towing, including bread trucks or walk-ins Medium duty towing and recovery services may be used for providing the following services: ● Winch Out ● Pulling automobiles, farm equipment, and light vehicles, or other containers, vessels or automobile out of a spot or other ditches were a vehicle might be stuck ● Pick & drops ● Stabilize trucks & automobiles ● Pull trucks & automobiles over embankments ● Water recovery from rivers, streams, and lakes for equipment, trucks, and automobiles ● Off road recovery ● Broken down automotive vehicles ● Medium duty Roadside Repair ● Roll over trucks & automobiles

Get Quote on Medium Duty Towing in Wichita, KS Medium Duty Towing Service near Wichita, KS: Call A1 Mobile Mechanics Of Wichita with your details for a free estimate. Customer service is important to us and we do our very best to provide our customers with the best Medium Duty towing in Wichita, KSand the surrounding areas. We are always looking to gain new business and willing to take on any job to help our customers with their needs. Feel free to contact us to speak with us about starting a continuing commercial account or even for private towing needs.

We tow for business, motor clubs, dealerships, and individuals that will complement our focus on customer service. Our Towing company is a complete towing service that can take care of any towing need. We offer Light Duty, Medium Duty in Wichita, KSand surrounding areas. Our company is licensed and fully insured. Our drivers are experienced, friendly, and are required to take continuing education on towing courses yearly as well as drug tested. If your vehicle needs towing, we are available for all emergency towing in Wichita, KSand will do our very best to help you in any situation. Our trained operators are capable of helping retrieve your vehicle no matter the reason. COST Medium Duty Towing Rates Medium Duty Towing Service near Wichita, KS: A1 Mobile Mechanics Of Wichita offers truck towing, or also referred to as medium duty towing options to the locals of the Wichita, KSsurrounding areas. Saving you time and money, A1 Mobile Mechanics Of Wichita medium duty fleet is billed at medium duty prices; as opposed to the many towing providers will dispatch heavy duty wreckers for medium duty towing to increase fees. Vehicles over 26,001 to 49,999 lbs. are in the heavy duty category, medium duty vehicles are 10,001lbs to 26,000lbs; some medium duty vehicles may require a larger truck to tow them, depending on the equipment installed on the truck. Vehicle Towing Capacity Chart A1 Mobile Mechanics Of Wichita medium duty vehicles are classified under 3 classes; 4, 5 and 6, depending on their gross weight rating (GVWR); medium duty towing is recommended for the following: The Class 4 truck GVWR from 14,001 – 16,000 pounds. Vehicles in this class include select Ford F-450 trucks, the GMC 4500, and Dodge Ram 4500 for example. The Class 5 truck GVWR ranging from 16,001 to 19,500 pounds. Such examples of trucks in this class are the GMC 5500, International Terrassa, and the Ford F-550. The Class 6 truck GVWR that range between 19,501 to 26,000 pounds. These trucks in this class the GMC Top kick C6500, the Ford F-650, and International Durastar. You might be thinking about starting a tow truck business. Maybe you’ve been thinking about it for a while now, but you’ve got this question on your mind: how much do tow trucks cost? That’s a great question. The cost of a tow truck depends on the options that you choose for your truck. Most towing equipment is customized to suit the needs and convenience of the end user, and the choices that you make influence the tow truck cost. Depending on the options you choose, the cost of a typical tow truck can be anywhere between $58,000 and $850,000. Anyways, that’s our disclaimer. Below we have some typical pricing for different types of tow trucks. How much does a new tow truck cost? Like we said above, tow truck and wrecker costs can vary greatly. In the list below, we’ve got pricing for different classes of tow trucks so that you can get an idea of the difference in price between a light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty tow truck. Class 4 (14,001-16,000 GVWR) and Class 5 (16,001 – 19,500 GVWR): Examples: Ram 4500 (Class 4) and Ford F-550 (Class 5) ● Light duty wheel lift with the body painted to match: $58,900 –  $ 72,500 (Gas/Diesel) ● Light duty 2-car carrier with a 19’ truck bed: $61,900 – $ 72,500 (Gas/Diesel) Class 6 (19,501 – 26,000 GVWR) and Class 7 (26,001 – 33,000 GVWR): Examples: Ford F-650 (Class 6) and Ford F-750 (Class 7) ● Medium 2-car carrier with a 21’ truck bed, standard removable rails:  $80,000 – $103,500 (depending on chassis) ● Medium wrecker, 12-ton – 20-ton with the body painted to match: $99,995 – $250,000 (cost depends on what kind of chassis the tow truck has) Class 8 (33,001-150,000 GVWR): Example: Tractor trailer ● Heavy standard wrecker, 25-ton – 100-ton with the body painted to match: $250,000 – $650,000 ● Rotator ultra-heavy-duty wrecker, 35-ton – 75-ton $499,000 – $850,000+ These values are priced as the dealer specified and ordered the truck, not as the end user ordered it. The price shows a tow truck with a regular cab chassis and factory appointments. The price also reflects standard equipment painted a single color to match. The pricing does not include extra accessories or bells and whistles. Another thing to keep in mind is that the chassis price can vary based on the manufacture and the specifications. How much does a used tow truck cost? Great question! The prices above are for new tow trucks. It is possible to save money buying a used tow truck, but that depends on a lot of factors. You have to consider depreciation the second you buy a used tow truck, the value goes down (although the same is true of a new tow truck.) Then there’s the quality of the tow truck to consider, meaning how well it has been maintained. If the tires and brakes are in good shape, the interior has been looked after, there’s no broken or cracked glass, the lighting and bed hydraulic system work, and there are no big dents, you’ll probably see a decent return on the investment in the used tow truck. And at the same time, you’ll save money. But again, it all depends on the used tow truck you’re looking at.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How are light, medium and heavy duty tows classified? Generally anything under 10k lbs. is light, 10,001k – 26k is medium and everything above is heavy. Regular vehicles or trucks, like a Honda or Ford F-150, would be light. Vehicles like bobtails, U-Haul trucks or lunch trucks are medium. Buses, cement mixers, trash trucks, tractor trailers, etc. are heavy duty.

How long does it take for a tow truck to come after a call? We have a large staff of drivers that can leave the shop as soon as we get a call. However, our ETAs vary based on the current traffic conditions during the time of the call.

How do I pick-up my vehicle that was impounded? You may pick up your vehicle Monday - Friday, from 8am - 6pm. OPG impounds may be picked up Monday - Saturday from 7am - 7pm. All towing and impound fees must be paid at the time you are picking up your vehicle. If there is a hold on your vehicle, we cannot release it until you obtain a release form from the agency (CHP or LAPD) that impounded your vehicle. You must be the registered owner with a valid driver's license or have authorization from the registered owner.

What types of tow trucks does your company operate? We have a large fleet of mainly Peterbilt tow trucks ranging from light duty flatbeds to the city of LA's only 75-ton Rotator.

CALL FOR US: ● Medium Duty Towing Near Wichita, KS ● Heavy Duty Towing ● Box Truck Towing ● Heavy Duty Towing Services ● Medium Duty Tow Truck ● Tow Truck Near Wichita, KS ● Bus Towing ● Heavy Duty Tow Truck ● Heavy Duty Towing And Recovery Rates ● Towing Services Rates ● How Much Does A Flatbed Tow Truck Cost ● My Car Got Towed How Much Will It Cost Wichita, KS ● Medium Duty Wrecker Rates ● Towing Rates ● Hire A Tow Truck ● How Much Does It Cost To Tow A Bus ● Tow Truck ● Towing A Semi Truck ● How To Tow A Dump Truck Wichita, KS

BEST MEDIUM DUTY TOWING SERVICE IN WICHITA, KS A1 MOBILE MECHANICS OF WICHITA REQUEST MORE INFORMATION. CONTACT US NOW!

BEST TRUCK REPAIR SERVICE IN WICHITA KS A1 MOBILE MECHANICS OF WICHITA REQUEST MORE INFORMATION. CONTACT US NOW! Contact us: A1 Mobile Mechanics of Wichita 24-hour mobile mechanic roadside assistance services in Wichita, KS! CALL: (316) 201-9247 MOBILE MECHANIC WEBSITE: www.mobilemechanicwichitakansas.org Service Area: 55 Cities within 30 miles of Wichita, KS: Andale, KS | Andover, KS | Argonia, KS | Augusta, KS | Belle Plaine, KS | Bentley, KS | Benton, KS | Buhler, KS | Burns, KS | Burrton, KS | Cheney, KS | Clearwater, KS |Colwich, KS | Conway Springs, KS | Danville, KS | Derby, KS | Douglass, KS | Elbing, KS | Garden Plain, KS | Goddard, KS | Greenwich, KS | Halstead, KS | Harper, KS | Haven, KS | Haysville, KS | Hesston, KS | Hutchinson, KS | Kechi, KS | Maize, KS | Mayfield, KS | Mcconnell AFB, KS | Milan, KS | Milton, KS | Mount Hope, KS | Mulvane, KS | Murdock, KS | Newton, KS | North Newton, KS | Norwich, KS | Peck, KS | Potwin, KS | Pretty Prairie, KS | Rock, KS | Rose Hill, KS | Sedgwick, KS | South Hutchinson, KS | Towanda, KS | Udall, KS | Valley Center, KS | Viola, KS | Walton, KS | Wellington, KS | Whitewater, KS | Winfield, KS | Yoder, KS ZIP CODES: 67001 – Andale | 67016 – Bentley | 67017 – Benton | 67020 – Burrton | 67025 – Cheney | 67026 – Clearwater | 67030 – Colwich | 67031 – Conway Springs | 67037 – Derby | 67039 – Douglass | 67050 – Garden Plain | 67052 – Goddard | 67055 – Greenwich | 67060 – Haysville | 67067 – Kechi | 67101 – Maize | 67106 – Milton | 67108 – Mt Hope | 67110 – Mulvane | 67118 – Norwich | 67120 – Peck | 67133 – Rose Hill | 67135 – Sedgwick | 67147 – Valley Center | 67149 – Viola | 672xx – Wichita | 67204 – Park City or Wichita | 67219 – Park City or Wichita | 67220 – Bel Aire or Wichita | 67221 – McConnell AFB | 67226 – Bel Aire or Wichita | 67543 – Haven