#aws live streaming architecture | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

bestducky · 2 months ago

Text

Master Chief x fem! Reader

Chapter 4: That's one big map!

Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

Summary: Bridges made of light!? Portals!? Can we please use a normal form of transportation!

Notes: Things get more interesting, I changed some scenes from the game, otherwise everything is canon!

The path ahead rose gently, carved from cracked stone and overgrown with wild grass that rustled under their boots. At the summit, something utterly alien dominated the landscape. (Y/N) felt herself slow as they approached. The building was massive—an impossible fusion of nature and machine. Its outer shell gleamed a pale, metallic white under the filtered sunlight, so smooth and seamless it could have been poured from the sky itself. Luminous accents of blue and gold traced delicate patterns across the surface, pulsing softly with a life all their own.

It was beautiful in a way that felt almost cruel.

The air around them buzzed faintly, the hum of unseen energies vibrating against her skin. The closer they got, the more the world itself seemed to quiet—no birds, no insects, only the low, ever-present sound of power thrumming through the ground.

(Y/N) tightened her arms around herself, feeling the rough fabric of her shirt between her fingers. Every logical part of her brain screamed at her to stop, to turn back, but she couldn't tear her eyes away. There was something terrifying about the structure's perfection, something deeply wrong in how it stood untouched by time, by decay, as if it had simply been waiting.

Chief moved ahead without hesitation, his heavy steps unwavering. (Y/N) trailed after him, her own movements cautious, almost reverent. Her gaze flicked across the strange architecture—arching spires, floating platforms suspended in shafts of golden light, walls that shimmered like living stone. She had never seen anything like it. Nothing human, nothing natural.

When they reached the entrance, she hesitated.

The doorway stood three stories high, no hinge or seam, only veins of light tracing its edges. No handle, no welcome—just silent, mathematical permission. Then, with a deep, resonant groan, the metal split along hidden seams. Panels shifted and slid into the walls with fluid precision, revealing a passageway beyond. Cold air spilled out, brushing against her skin with a strange electric bite.

(Y/N) flinched back instinctively, heart hammering against her ribs. She had seen automatic doors before—at malls, at hospitals—but this was different. There had been no sensor, no sound of hydraulics, no visible command. It had reacted to them as if it knew they were there.

She stared into the gaping entrance, her muscles locked in indecision. Every part of her screamed that this was wrong, that stepping through would be a mistake she couldn’t undo. She looked toward Chief. He waited at the threshold, one solid hand resting lightly against the frame, his gold visor reflecting her small, frozen figure back at her.

He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to.

She clenched her fists at her sides, feeling the sharp bite of her nails against her palms, and forced herself to move. One step. Another.

The moment she crossed the threshold, the hum grew stronger. Not louder—but deeper, like a bass note thrumming in the bones of the world. The air inside was colder, thinner, laced with a metallic tang that tasted like ozone.

The walls of the corridor were impossibly smooth, curving upward into a vaulted ceiling etched with glowing lines of shifting script. The floor underfoot was the same seamless white metal, marred only by hairline fractures spiderwebbing outward like old scars. Shafts of pale light streamed down from hidden sources far above, catching in the mist that clung low around their boots.

(Y/N) slowed, tilting her head back to stare at the dizzying height. Awe prickled down her spine, battling fear. It was too much. Too alien. Her engineer's brain itched to understand the mechanics of it—the materials, the construction—but her instincts recoiled. This wasn’t built. This was grown. Or shaped by hands that didn’t think the way human hands did.

Her fingertips brushed lightly against the wall. It was cool to the touch, almost soft, as if the metal itself was breathing. She snatched her hand back, heart leaping.

Chief kept moving ahead at an even pace, scanning the path with methodical sweeps of his rifle. His steady presence anchored her, gave her a rhythm to follow when her mind wanted to spiral into panic.

(Y/N) forced herself to breathe slowly.

One step at a time.

One breath at a time.

The corridor opened wider ahead, revealing a massive inner chamber lit by an eerie, sourceless glow. Great pillars of white stone and metal spiraled toward the unseen ceiling, their surfaces engraved with delicate patterns that seemed to shift when she wasn’t looking directly at them. Floating platforms drifted lazily through the air, tethered by thin streams of crackling energy. In the center of the room, a towering obelisk pulsed with soft light, casting long shadows across the misty floor.

She turned slowly in place, trying to take it all in—the impossible architecture, the terrible beauty of it. Her heart ached with the enormity of it all, a sharp, painful longing for home, for anything familiar.

(Y/N) stopped dead in the entrance, her breath catching painfully in her throat.

An immense circular platform stretched out before them, suspended high above a bottomless abyss by columns of shifting, braided light. Floating geometric shapes drifted lazily through the air, orbiting a towering central spire that pulsed with a cool blue glow. Narrow bridges branched out from the platform’s edges, leading into darkness and distant doors she couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

Above them, the ceiling disappeared into swirling mist lit by shafts of golden sunlight that filtered down like something holy.

(Y/N) swallowed hard, her hand tightening instinctively around the hem of her shirt. This wasn’t architecture. This wasn’t construction.

It was like stepping into the exposed skeleton of a god.

A sudden metallic trill echoed overhead. Narrow panels in the floor parted, and a flock of small machines drifted out on columns of pale light—orb-shaped cores ringed by three razor-thin arms that clicked and realigned with unnerving grace. Their central lenses glowed a cool amber as they fanned across the chamber.

(Y/N) took an involuntary step behind Chief’s bulk. “Uh—what are those flying machines?”

“Sentinels,” Cortana supplied, tone matter-of-fact. “Automated Forerunner custodians. They’ll monitor us unless we give them a reason to do something less friendly.”

One Sentinel paused directly in front of (Y/N). A lattice of light swept over her—head to toe—then receded. The machine issued a soft chirp, as if filing her under mildly interesting, and floated away.

She let out the breath she’d been storing. “Good to know we’re only rated ‘minor inconvenience.’ “

Chief resumed his advance, apparently satisfied the drones posed no threat. Their amber eyes tracked him for a moment, then drifted upward, leaving the platform clear for Cortana’s console work. (Y/N) followed slower, unable to tear her eyes from the grandeur towering above and around them, even after the Sentinels had left.

Cortana materialized as Chief slotted her into the console—her form flickering to life in a bloom of soft blue light above the smooth surface.

(Y/N) stopped a few paces back, watching in awe as Cortana's hologram leaned over the console, her fingers moving through holographic displays that shifted and twisted at her command.

"We’re close," Cortana said, her voice sharp and focused. "I’m picking up faint distress signals—"

(Y/N) tilted her head. "From what?"

Cortana glanced over her shoulder at her, faint amusement flashing through her flickering form. "Infinity," she said simply.

(Y/N) blinked. "Infinity?"

Chief answered without looking away from the room, his voice low and steady. "UNSC Infinity. Our supercarrier. Biggest ship in the fleet."

(Y/N) nodded slowly, her mind trying to wrap itself around the concept. Even the words felt too big. Supercarrier. Fleet. It made her world—the small workshops, the crowded streets—feel impossibly distant.

She watched as Cortana plunged deeper into the console’s systems, chasing something only she could see.

Then suddenly, without warning, the entire console shuddered violently. Cortana's form blinked and distorted before being violently ejected in a burst of static, her figure collapsing into thin air.

(Y/N) flinched back instinctively.

Cortana’s voice snapped sharply over the comms. "They’re locking me out of the system!"

The console darkened, streams of glyphs racing like veins across the platform as hidden mechanisms clicked into motion deep beneath the floor.

Chief stepped forward immediately, already assessing, already planning.

Cortana's voice crackled through again. "There’s still a way. Power couplings, connected to the core systems. If we can re-enable them, I can regain control."

(Y/N) watched as parts of the platform shifted—strange mechanical flowers unfolding from the walls to reveal pathways across the abyss.

Two glowing bridges of light—narrow and unstable-looking—extended from the platform toward floating generator nodes embedded in the stone around the perimeter.

Chief started toward the nearest path without hesitation.

(Y/N) stared at the luminous walkway, her heart hammering.

It wasn't solid. It wasn’t natural. It was a ribbon of pure energy stretching over a drop so deep it made her dizzy to look at it.

And yet—

A small, fierce spark lit inside her chest.

Beneath the fear, the awe, the endless crushing wrongness of everything around her, there was something else.

Excitement.

Her hands itched at her sides, aching for tools she didn’t have.

"This is..." she whispered under her breath, almost laughing in disbelief, "This is insane."

Chief paused halfway across the platform, turning slightly to glance back at her.

She shook her head, grinning despite herself. "Back home I was... sort of an engineer," she admitted, voice still breathless with awe. "Or at least, I tried to be."

Her fingers brushed lightly against the glowing lines on the nearest column as she passed, feeling the faint warmth radiating from the Forerunner metal.

"I used to fix broken junk in my apartment," she said, almost to herself. "Now I’m walking on light bridges built by gods."

Chief didn’t answer—he just nodded once, a small, silent approval she could feel in the gesture.

The platform beneath her boots vibrated faintly as the structure shifted again, unseen systems stirring in the depths.

(Y/N) pulled in a slow breath, steadying herself.

She had no tools.

No manuals.

No backup.

But somehow, in this broken, alien place, for the first time in what felt like days—

She wasn’t useless.

Not yet.

Not today.

And that would have to be enough.

They moved across the first bridge of light, the endless drop yawning hungrily below.

Behind them, the Cartographer core pulsed faintly, waiting for the system to come alive again.

And yet, some part of her—buried deep beneath the fear—ached with a different feeling.

Wonder.

Terrible, aching wonder.

(Y/N) hugged herself tightly, trying to hold the feeling together before it could tear her apart.

Chief stood nearby, silent and patient.

Waiting.

Always waiting.

She met his gaze—or rather, the reflection of herself in the gold mirror of his visor—and felt a tiny, fierce spark of determination flicker inside her.

She wasn't ready for this world.

She didn't belong here.

But she was here anyway.

The bridge of light solidified beneath their boots as they moved, humming with an almost musical resonance. (Y/N) kept her eyes forward, trying not to think about the abyss yawning on either side. The first generator came into view—a massive pillar of smooth metal carved with shifting glyphs. Its surface pulsed faintly, a heartbeat buried under layers of ancient code.

Chief reached it first.

He moved with efficiency, placing a gloved hand flat against a recessed panel. A series of symbols flared to life beneath his palm, and with a deep, resonant hum, the pillar began to unfold. Light spilled upward in a sudden surge, stretching back toward the core platform where Cortana waited.

(Y/N) flinched slightly at the sudden flare, but it was beautiful—like watching a sun rise in fast-forward.

Before they could admire it, Cortana’s voice snapped through the comms.

"Contacts! Covenant forces incoming!"

(Y/N)'s blood went cold.

She turned instinctively—and there, across the broken stone and floating pathways, a ripple of distortion twisted into reality. Bright bursts of energy crackled into existence, forming the squat, hunched shapes she recognized from before. Grunts. Behind them, taller, more imposing figures materialized, weapons raised, armor glinting in the strange half-light.

Panic surged in her chest.

Without thinking, she darted toward the nearest cover—an outcropping of fractured Forerunner metal at the edge of the platform. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps as she pressed herself against the cold surface, heart hammering wildly.

Blasts of plasma sizzled through the air.

Chief was already moving—fluid, precise, a living machine of destruction. He dropped into the fray with brutal efficiency, plasma bouncing harmlessly from his shielded armor as he cleared a path with his rifle.

(Y/N) crouched lower, arms wrapped tight around her knees, fighting the instinct to squeeze her eyes shut.

Stay calm. Stay hidden. Let him handle it.

That had been the plan.

Until she realized where she had ended up.

Through the shifting haze of battle, she spotted it— another generator, nearly identical to the first, tucked against the far side of the platform. The second activation point.

And she was closer to it than Chief was.

Far closer.

(Y/N) hesitated, terror clawing at her throat. Plasma scorched the air overhead. She ducked instinctively, her muscles locking.

She could stay here. Hide.

Let Chief deal with it.

Or—

She swallowed hard, heart slamming against her ribs, and pushed herself up into a low crouch.

I’m not useless. I’m not dead weight.

She forced her legs to move, darting from cover to cover, keeping her body low as she sprinted toward the pillar. Every step felt like it could be her last, but somehow—miraculously—nothing hit her.

The generator towered above her, humming with latent energy.

(Y/N) stared up at it, trying to remember what Chief had done. The panel—his hand—the symbols—

Biting her lip, she mimicked his movements as best she could, pressing her palm flat against the smooth surface.

For a heartbeat, nothing happened.

Then the pillar pulsed under her hand.

And the entire structure responded—not sluggishly, not with mechanical delay, but immediately. Like a living thing recognizing something familiar.

Light flared upward in a brilliant rush, faster and brighter than before.

(Y/N) flinched back, shielding her eyes.

She stared at the activated console for a stunned second, blinking.

"...Huh," she muttered under her breath, brushing dust off her jeans. "Thought it would take longer."

The words left her mouth without thought, more confusion than pride. She stepped back quickly, scanning for cover again as the battle raged nearby.

Chief, having just cleared the last of the nearby Covenant, turned at the sudden surge of light. His helmet tilted slightly, his posture shifting in that subtle, careful way she was starting to recognize.

Assessing.

Calculating.

Cortana's voice chimed in the comms, sharp but not accusing. "The generator’s online. Faster than expected."

(Y/N) ducked her head, half-shrugging as she jogged back toward them. "Got lucky," she called out breathlessly.

Neither Chief nor Cortana answered immediately. But as she fell into step behind him again, she could feel it—their attention lingering just a moment longer than usual.

Not suspicion, but respect, if she could call it that. Which made her proud, showing them, she wasn’t just useless.

The bridge behind them solidified, a new path unfolding back toward the core platform.

(Y/N) tightened her fists at her sides, her skin still tingling faintly where she had touched the console.

She didn’t understand what had happened.

The chamber shuddered.

A deep, resonant hum rolled through the floor under (Y/N)’s boots, rattling up through her spine as the Cartographer core flared to life.

The central spire blazed upward in a torrent of shifting blue light, expanding outward like a living tree made of pure energy. Thin strands of illumination spiraled across the platform, connecting the floating islands of Forerunner machinery with lines of burning code. Above them, a massive holographic sphere unfolded—spinning slowly, casting fractured light across the mist-filled air.

(Y/N) staggered back half a step, head tilted back in awe. The sphere was enormous, suspended above the platform like a captured star, its surface rippling with images she couldn’t understand—maps, symbols, complex structures forming and dissolving in impossible patterns.

It was breathtaking. And terrifying.

Nothing human could have made this.

She stared, glasses slipping down the bridge of her nose, lips parted in stunned silence. It wasn’t just technology. It was art. It was language. It was alive in a way no machine back home had ever been.

Cortana flickered into existence at the console nearby, her form brighter now, energized by the facility’s systems. She moved with quick, precise gestures, manipulating the swirling mass of information with her bare hands like a conductor orchestrating a symphony only she could hear.

"There," Cortana said sharply, highlighting a section of the sphere. "Deep beneath the surface. There's an access point near the core. If we reach it, we might be able to find the source of the signal."

Chief stood still, his rifle lowered for now, his gold visor catching and scattering the light from the hologram.

(Y/N) looked between them, frowning slightly. "Wait—core? As in, 'center of the planet' core?"

Cortana didn’t look up. "More or less. This entire installation is built around it."

(Y/N) blinked, then gave a short, incredulous laugh.

"Oh, great," she muttered. "We’re digging our own grave now. Didn’t know self-burial was part of the mission."

Chief’s helmet tilted slightly, a small, almost imperceptible movement. If he was amused, he gave no sign—but Cortana’s mouth twitched faintly at the corner, a shadow of a smile.

"It’s not ideal," Cortana admitted, her tone dry. "But it's our only option."

The platform beneath them shifted again, deep, grinding tremors rolling through the massive structure as more pathways unfolded—narrow bridges of white stone and shimmering light stretching downward into the misty abyss.

(Y/N) swallowed hard, her stomach flipping uncomfortably.

Lower. Always lower.

She shifted the strap of her glasses nervously, tightening her hands into fists to hide the slight tremble in her fingers.

Chief moved first, stepping onto the newly formed bridge without hesitation.

(Y/N) hesitated a breath longer.

The glowing lines pulsed underfoot, inviting them downward into the heart of a dead world.

"Great," she muttered under her breath, voice almost lost in the rising hum. "First the end of the world, now spelunking into alien hell."

Still— she followed.

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

The corridor widened until it dissolved into light. Stone gave way to a sweeping ledge, and (Y/N) found herself staring at a sky that seemed too large for any horizon she had ever known. Mountains reared up in fractured ridges, their peaks lost in bright, swirling haze. Great white spires of Forerunner alloy pierced the cliffsides; smaller monoliths hung motionless in mid-air, tethered to the earth below by ribbons of molten-blue energy. Far beneath the ledge, rivers of light wound through silver forests and out across a valley floor she could barely see.

One step carried her onto weather-worn stone. The breeze was thin and metallic—sharp enough to sting her nose, scented with rock dust and something faintly electrical. She gripped her sleeves, half for warmth, half because the view threatened to tip the world sideways.

Back home she’d fixed radios in cramped apartments, brushed rust from broken circuit boards, breathed city air heavy with exhaust. Now she stood on a mountainside that wasn’t even on her star chart—still not sure which star chart she belonged to anymore.

Chief moved ahead along a narrow path etched into the plateau. Cortana’s hologram glimmered at his shoulder, her voice soft in the comm line. “The distress signal’s stronger out here. A Terminus should be deeper in the structure beyond those cliffs.”

(Y/N) followed, forcing calm into her steps. Somewhere overhead a floating platform drifted, its underside latticed with lights that rearranged themselves like living circuitry. Her heart ached to understand it. Part of her wanted to laugh—of course she’d crossed half a galaxy only to find the most advanced machinery in existence and not a single tool in her pocket.

A gust of wind stirred the grass at the cliff’s edge. Homesickness punched through her chest: not for an exact street or building, just for sidewalks, neon reflections in puddles, the warm buzz of voices carried on traffic noise. Normal things. Earth things. A world that still existed—somewhere, impossibly far behind her—but no longer within reach.

She rubbed the heel of her hand against her sternum, steadying her breathing. Chief glanced back; his gold visor caught daylight and threw it in fractured sparks. He waited until her steps matched his again before pressing forward.

They wound down a sloping ramp toward another entrance carved into the cliff face: tall, flawless, rimmed with glowing script. Luminous glyphs whispered across the doorframe, as though debating whether to let them pass.

(Y/N) swallowed. She was most likely light-years from every reference point she’d ever trusted, walking into halls no human had mapped. Yet the path kept opening, and Chief kept moving, and she—somehow—kept following. Hoping she could go back to Earth. They knew about it, so maybe it was possible?

One step at a time, she told herself as the massive doorway parted with a deep metallic sigh, spilling cool blue light across the stone

The corridor sloped steadily, each level dropping them a little farther beneath the mountain. No sudden lifts, no shimmering portals—just a long march down pristine ramps of pale alloy. The walls glowed with thin seams of light that pulsed in a lazy heartbeat, guiding the way deeper into Requiem’s silent gut.

(Y/N) stayed close to Chief yet still far enough back to stare at everything. Where cracked stone met seamless metal, she traced faint scorch patterns as though someone had once tried—and failed—to cut this place open. Half-buried conduits pulsed behind translucent panels; every so often, a thread of energy leapt from one vein to another, throwing sparks of blue across the floor.

“Hard to believe this is all older than humanity,” she murmured.

“It predates most recorded Forerunner history,” Cortana replied, voice projected from the slip-space of (Y/N)’s earpiece.“Even their own archives call this period ‘pre-dominion.’”

“Translation: antique.” (Y/N) smiled. “My specialty.”

Chief’s boots thudded on the ramp, otherwise silent. (Y/N) shot a glance at his broad back, then lowered her voice into a mock whisper. “Does he ever say more than seven words in a day, or is that classified?”

Cortana’s voice said, which sounded suspiciously like amusement. “You get used to the economy of syllables.”

Ahead, a small alcove opened on the left, housing a waist-high console the color of polished bone. Glyphs drifted lazily across its face like embers floating on water. Chief passed it without slowing, but (Y/N)’s feet stopped on their own.

Curiosity won before common sense could throw a flag. She reached out, brushed the back of her fingers over the smooth surface.

Light flared. Symbols realigned into crisp lines of text no human alphabet had ever taught her. She yelped and jerked back. “Whoa—sorry! Didn’t mean to wake you.”

The console dimmed again, settling into a quiet pulse that almost felt amused. Nothing else stirred.

Chief paused, half turning. “Status?”

“Fine,” she said, cheeks hot. “Console’s friendly. Or merciful. One of those.”

Cortana’s avatar flickered up beside the panel, arms folded. “Whatever you did, you pinged a diagnostics sub-routine. No harm done.” She smiled—just a hint. “Consider it a handshake.”

“Great. I nearly shook hands with a supercomputer the size of a continent.” (Y/N) flexed her fingers, still tingling. “Back home I needed two weeks just to get a toaster to stop murdering bread.”

“You were an engineer,” Cortana ventured as they resumed walking.

“Amateur scavenger, borderline fire hazard—depends who you ask.” She smiled despite herself. “But yeah. I liked fixing things that had no business working.”

Chief led them onto a ascending ramp. The air cooled further; somewhere below, turbines—or lungs—hummed in steady rhythm.

“Part of me wants to take one of these panels apart,” (Y/N) admitted. “Other part remembers the plasma grenades and votes no.”

“Wise,” Cortana said. “Forerunner tech isn’t forgiving. Though you seem to have a… rapport.” Her tone held cautious curiosity rather than suspicion.

“Rapport with walls. My résumé keeps improving.”

Chief’s voice cut in quietly. “Stay focused. Unidentified hostiles still in the area.”

“Right. Serious mode.” (Y/N) mimed zipping her lips, shooting the gesture toward Cortana since Chief’s broad back was already turned to lead the way.

Surprisingly, the AI’s hologram matched the motion—two translucent fingers pinching an invisible zipper across her own glowing mouth. The playful mirrored action was so unexpected (Y/N) couldn’t help the soft grin that bloomed on her face before she hurried after Chief up the ramp, a little warmth flickering in her chest at the first spark of real companionship.

The giant door split apart with a groan, light shearing through the seams until each half slid into the walls. A causeway of white alloy extended beyond—straight, narrow, and impossibly long, suspended over a gulf so deep (Y/N) could see no bottom. Giant pillars—huge hexagonal shafts of metal and stone—rose and sank far below in slow, deliberate patterns, as if the planet itself were breathing through machinery.

At the bridge’s end, a lone console glowed—an altar of glass-smooth metal awaiting a key. Chief strode toward it, and (Y/N) hurried to keep up, clutching her palm against her side. Halfway across, the voice slid into her thoughts again—clearer now, cold as split granite: Reclaimer… fracture… unworthy. She winced, pressing fingers to her temple.

What the hell was that?

Chief reached the console and slotted Cortana’s data chip into the interface. Only then did her hologram flare to life, casting pale blue over the platform.

“According to the Cathedral,” Cortana began, scanning glyphs far above (Y/N)’s comprehension, “this Terminus is just one node of a larger transit grid that spans the entire planet.”

Chief’s visor never left the shifting projections. “What?”

“When I tried to access the outlet closest to Infinity’s transmissions, the system responded with this.”

An emblem spun into view—two arcs orbiting a single dot.

“What is it?” Chief asked.

Cortana’s tone turned almost breathless. “That’s the kicker. It’s the Forerunner symbol for Reclaimer.”

Humanity. The word fell through her like lead shot—heavy, irreversible.

“Humanity,” Chief confirmed. “That’s got to be Infinity. Can you get us to those coordinates?”

“Let me try to open a portal.”

“Whoa, portal?” (Y/N) blurted before she could stop herself. The last “portal” she’d experienced ripped her straight out of her apartment. “We’re skipping steps here, guys!”

Cortana didn’t answer. Light whipped around her, coalescing into a sphere—and then everything faltered. Her hologram stuttered, static rippling across her edges.

“I’m picking up unknown energy signatures,” she said, voice tight.

Chief’s grip shifted on his rifle. “Where?”

“This can’t be right.” Cortana’s figure dimmed but remained fixed in the console. “Set a waypoint out of the tower—”

She broke off as a violent tremor shook the bridge. Beneath them, the pillars surged upward like spears. From their mirrored faces unfolded shapes—metal giants that assembled themselves in glowing seams. From her point of view, they stood maybe even taller than Chief, plated in shifting segments, skull-like masks bathed in amber light; forearms unfolded into blades of crackling energy.

(Y/N)’s breath hitched. “Those are not Covenant.” Whatever they were, they moved with unnerving grace—their machine parts moving smoothly, even if they weren’t connecting with anything.

Chief leveled his rifle. But before he could shoot, Cortana screamed:

“How did—Quick! Into the portal. Chief, GO!” Cortana’s voice snapped from the console. The hologram vanished as her program jumped back to the chip that Chief pulled out of the console and into his armor.

A disc of incandescent white flared open in midair near the console, distorting the view beyond it. (Y/N)’s stomach lurched; every instinct screamed that doors should have hinges, not horizons.

Chief braced, grabbed her wrist. “Move.”

They sprinted. The knight-like machines shifted, tracking with smooth, predatory precision. Before they could even attack, they were already jumping at the portal...well more like Chief jumping and (Y/N) being dragged along in the air, legs kicking at nothing.

“Next vacation,” she gasped, adrenaline surging, “I pick the destination!”

Chief didn’t answer—twelve words was apparently his daily limit—but his grip tightened around her wrist, pulling her hard toward the roiling light.

They plunged through. White swallowed everything: the bridge, the pillars, the metal phantoms, the echoing hum of Requiem’s heart. For one dizzy instant (Y/N) felt weightless, lost between moments.

Then the world slammed back—new ground, new air and the nightmare they’d left behind dissolved, at least for now.

But the voice lingered, faint and amused, at the edge of her mind:

Flesh… bone…pathetic.

#john 117 #master chief #time travel #x reader #master chief x reader #cortana #halo 4 #slow burn #halo #halo series #halo 4 forward unto dawn #x female reader #self insert #halo spartan #master chief x female reader #master chief x fem! reader #romance #suspense #original plot

25 notes · View notes

suddalgi · 8 months ago

Text

Finding yourself in the mountain god's palace far from home, you explore in search of answers. ➶genre: fantasy au, slow burn, power dynamic, soft dom! dk, arranged marriage vibes, 18+! ➶ w.c: 2.5k ➶ chapter warnings: none

➶-͙˚ ༘✫ ➶-͙˚ ༘✫ ➶-͙˚ ༘✫ ➶-͙˚ ༘✫ ➶-͙˚ ༘✫ ➶-͙˚ ༘✫

chapter two

---

“If you go now, you’ll be burned to a crisp.”

Your father’s admonishments were already fading as you ran out the door of your house into the main road, a beaten strip of dirt that twisted down the hill toward your village. You weren’t following it today—your feet carried you weightlessly across the grass toward the fields where the men were working. You could hear their songs rising into the midsummer sky, baked by the sun and perfumed with the thousands of wildflowers that whipped at your legs as you ran.

Maintaining a fair complexion was the furthest thing from your mind. Even as you ran, a giggle was bubbling up inside of you—your mind raced with thoughts of running through the cut rows of hay, chasing the barn dogs and splashing through the narrow streams that wound over the fields. At this time of day, the men would be eating their lunches and singing and laughing together. You’d find a place to sit where the shade was cool, and steal a bit of bread and listen to them talk of the seasons changing and what weather the mountain god has sent and of the fruit groves beginning to ripen.

You jumped across a narrow stream bank, your toes digging into the soft cool mud. You were invisible, another skinny dirt-smeared child, a nuisance underfoot, unimportant. Nothing like your father, with his stiff shirts and his frown that never seemed to go away. And when the weather was cold, you’d have to stay indoors and act the same way. But when it was summer, you were free.

It was a long while before you stopped crying. When your tears ran out, you realized that you were cold. Freezing.

So you brushed yourself off and wiped your eyes, and began to wander. You could barely feel your feet in the dewy grass as you explored the wall, and all the paths, retracing every step you had taken when you first arrived. Nothing was changed. You suspected nothing had changed for a long, long time—except for the ivy that grew over everything, long and wild and untamed.

Somewhere the sun was shining, you just knew it. That place seemed so far away now.

Following the wall, you arrived at the door you had noticed before. It was a huge, thick door of wooden planks wrought together with iron in delicate, careful work. It was painted in the bright, vivid royal colors of blue and red like your temples back home, but the architecture felt foreign. No doubt humanmade, though whatever humans had built this place were likely long gone, honored guests in the halls of the gods for their service. That sounded like a nice fate.

You reached out with freezing fingers, testing the handle with a few careful pushes. It was unlocked, creaking gently from the pressure of your touch. Your heart leapt in your chest, whether from hope or fear you could hardly say.

The idea of leaving this beautiful, awful garden filled your next decision with confidence: you pushed at the door, letting it swing heavily on its hinges inward to reveal a passage laid before you. It was lit with countless touches, a warm living glow, rivaled by the blue wash that poured through tall windows covered in silk screens that bent the moonlight into rippling shapes on the floor. The high-ceilinged hallway led deeper into what looked like some sort of keep built with the same pale stone and subtle finery. Narrowing your eyes, you followed the hallway with your gaze until it turned a corner and disappeared. For a moment you wondered how deep it went, and if it ever ended at all.

You held the door open, stealing one last glance at the garden you had awoken in. The warmth of the palace beckoned you silently like a lover’s breath, warming your skin as you stood before its open, waiting mouth. Whether it was better to embrace it or to stay in this frozen garden, there was no way to tell.

But you were only human, after all. Your tired, shivering frame defeated the logic of your mind and carried you inside the palace, shutting the door behind you.

With the heavy wooden doors firmly closed, the silence that closed around you was changed. Instead of the whisper of wind and the rustling of trees, a profound quiet had settled among the gentle crackle of the torches. You walked forward, your gaze following the shifting light of the windows as they reached up toward the cavernous ceiling. Trapped inside the screens were even more painstaking brushstrokes—countless scenes and characters and words you couldn’t even begin to fully absorb, unrolling like a map before you. Though you did not understand them, you knew they told a story older than the bones of the mountain you stood on.

The mountain. Your thoughts wandered with every step, growing more and more tangible as your panic subsided. Though you had never left your valley and traveled the mountains, the stories you had heard were endless. Miles of trees taller than the shaman’s greatest temples, their thick canopies and strangled branches providing shadowed hiding places for all manner of creatures. Clever, illusory dokkaebi, beautiful gumiho and dragons as long as the rivers that ran though your valley. The gods lived among the clouds because humans could not tread there—it was the danger of the mountains that became their sanctuaries, their temples, their altars. The patron god of your valley was no different, it seemed.

You thought of all the saints that had journeyed to visit the gods, holy pilgrimages and acts of human hubris alike. What made them favorable in the eyes of the gods? Where they pure by their own merit, or were they chosen just like you were? What distinguished sacrifice from honored guest?

You reached out with a hand, tracing the delicate pictures that covered the windows, feeling the texture of their rich history under your fingertips. Someone had made this, whether it was a human or some godly craftsman. They had always been here, even as you had lived every day blissfully, miles below. Maybe they had been waiting for you. Maybe, if you looked hard enough, you would find your own image wrought in silk among them.

Was it right that you were exploring like this? The god had given you no directions, no quarters of your own. Maybe the garden was meant to be your prison—but then, why would the door be left open, as if to invite you inside?

Before you could finish the thought, the hallway suddenly ended. It opened up into a wide room with a ceiling that climbed cavernously above your head. The small torches had become great copper and iron sconces, their flames leaping high and hot around you. Pillars of regal red, blue and green rose around you. Every wall was draped in silk paintings of unmatchable beauty and detail, mountains and fields and distant lands in countless strokes of paint. You stopped at the threshold, your heart pounding at the size of it, following each carefully laid stone with your eyes until they settled on an image set into the floor at the center of the great room.

It was wrought in stone, jade and lacquer, a glittering compilation of what must have taken years of tiny fragments and deliberate precision. Like the rest of this mysterious place, a significant story was clearly illustrated, another you did not know. You approached, kneeling to inspect it thoroughly, your pulse roaring in your chest.

Thirteen figures in a ring, each emanating holy light outward till the sunbeams of glass and stone reached the walls in every direction. Some of their faces were visible, simply illustrated but nevertheless breathtakingly beautiful. Below each one, a name had been written in ancient tongue. They were all different, each adorned in their own flowing hanbok and bearing items that you could recognize—a scale, three birds, a jug of water, a human skull…

They were all gods. Patrons of their own domains, but connected in this ring together, nonetheless.

You inspected each one with awe, until one captured all your attention. One whose face was not depicted—instead it was covered in a veil of white, pinned in place by a long arrow pierced through his chest. At his feet was a lantern, illuminating his pale hanbok even in mosaic form. It was impossible not to recognize him.

Your mountain god, and captor. The name below his feet was written in the way of the gods, but you could read it. Seokmin. Patron god of love.

You had heard his name before. A whispered name of reverence toward your valley’s provider and protector. The priestesses had described him as an affectionate god, a god of plenty and vitality… and the desires of men, fleshly love, lust. Seokmin was the name they prayed to when they offered sacrifices to him. Sacrifices like you.

But even still… what a simple name. Beautiful, even. You sat on the floor in that strange place, tears still crackling on your cheeks, and you tried to fit that name to whoever had spoken to you in the garden. The soft, musical voice, the subtle lisp, like he was any other man. You tried to imagine the other gods calling to him by that name, like he was a friend, or a brother, a name called in affection instead of fear and reverence.

Your thumb traced the smooth, prismatic lacquer that made up the picture’s veil. Being burdened with a thing such a love, it was little wonder that he covered his face. Was it beauty or monstrosity that he hid? If you were meant to be here forever, which would be worse?

Cry if you must, he had said. You’ll have no use for your tears here any longer.

It did not matter if this god was beautiful, or monstrous, or both. If he cared for you, it was the love a farmer would show an injured calf—whether he nursed you or drove a axe through your neck was entirely at the whim of what was most convenient. And what were humans to gods, anyway? Cattle? Vermin?

You had returned to taking in the picture laid before you when the silence was broken by a distant voice. It drifted into the chamber, quietly at first, buzzing at your ears like the tickle of breath. Singing.

When the sound first reached your ears, you weren’t sure it was a voice at all. It hummed ambiently like the echo of a bell ringing, one note resounding weightlessly from wall to stone wall forever into silence. Then you heard the following notes, as quiet as an exhale and colored delicately in the timbre of a tender, male voice.

If there were words, you didn’t catch them, as much as you found yourself straining to listen. Each phrase of music ended in a soft vibrato, a hauntingly perfect run of notes, no breath misplaced. The cavernous palace around you seemed to still in response to the distant lullaby, as if the stones themselves were settling into slumber. It left a haze of warmth over your mind, your lungs loosening in a deep, easy breath as the music poured over your senses.

For the first time since you arrived, you felt your body relax. Something like joy was blooming in your chest, though you didn’t understand it. Even as you wiped the remains of your tears from your face, you felt a renewed urge to cry.

You thought again of the sun-soaked grain fields and fragrant meadows you used to run through as a child, from a valley you would never see again. You thought of the taste of fresh summer fruit warm from the vine, and the farm dogs that followed at your heels, and the freedom of being far from your village in the hidden oases beyond the valley that only you knew. If those memories were a song, you thought it would sound just like this.

Warm tears dripped down to your chin, and you held your cheeks gently in your own palms. As each phrase echoed to silence before the next, you found yourself hoping desperately that each note was not the last.

After a moment you stood, curiosity overcoming your stunned senses. Though the voice was distant, you could follow the echo of it down one of the corridors that lead from this central place. It was impossible to tell just how large this palace was, but there were no doors locked to you, and he had given no instruction not to explore.

Following the music led you through a side passage, the floorboards soft under your bare feet as you passed through a moonlit courtyard with a glittering pond. You walked for a while, unsure of the reason why, as if your legs moved on their own accord.

Your heart thudded a warning in your chest, a human instinct that was completely eclipsed by the sound of the music now growing louder in your ears as you ventured deeper into the palace. Every note was sweeter and warmer than the last, as strange and quiet as a secret that only you and the walls of this place knew. Your path took you through the courtyard, lush grass cushioning your every step as you wove deeper into the beautiful, ornate labyrinth before you.

I just want to hear it, you told yourself. He won’t have to know where I am.

Your steps were light and silent as you finally turned a corner and reached a wide, closed door. Testing the handle, you found it was also unlocked—but several other things caught your attention before you even opened the door.

You noticed the smell first. The fragrance of flowers and rich green growth—similar to the garden you had come from, now made even more inviting by the warmth of being indoors. It was thick and intoxicating in your nose, a welcome change from the rain-soaked stones and the chill of cold.

The knob was turning before you realized. As the door opened, you caught a glimpse of rows of glass windows covered in vibrant screens, and a chamber glittering with moonlight, and more flowers than you could count—and then the music stopped.

You shut the door with a silent gasp, your heart leaping all the way to your throat. You waited there, hoping against hope that the singing would continue… but silence fell heavy and profound over the entire palace. Even the trees stopped rustling outside. Your minds’ eye was still reeling at the glimpse of what was behind the door, all the green that seemed so much warmer than the garden outside. Like it was alive with a soul. Like it had seen you, too.

You contemplated running, but where would you run to? What would you be running from?

You had just drawn your hand away from the door when the sound of soft footfalls reached your ears—footsteps like the ones you heard in the garden, but quieter. And closer.

It was pointless to run. You know that he was everywhere, his grip closed entirely around you in this place. You found yourself running anyway, away from the ornate door, from that haunting voice, back through the passages that had led you here…

Your first act of disobedience. And with eternity stretching before you, you knew it would not be the last.

18 notes · View notes

kieraplaysthesims · 6 months ago

Text

March 1927

The wedding bells of the small church in Britechester rang out joyously in the crisp March air. Inside, Frančiška Ljubica Janosovski stood hand-in-hand with Theodore Bertrand Dowling, her golden curls catching the mid-morning sunlight streaming through the stained-glass windows. Her lace veil framed a face glowing with youthful anticipation, while Theo, barely able to contain his excitement, kept adjusting his perfectly tailored suit—a habit he’d developed when nervous.

The ceremony was simple but heartfelt, a reflection of the couple themselves. Anže and Mateja Janosovski sat near the front, their pride evident despite the bittersweet realization of letting their youngest daughter go. Theo’s parents were notably absent, their absence a pointed reminder of the struggles he’d overcome to reach this moment.

Theo, for all his intelligence and logical reasoning, could never fully explain what it was about Frančiška that set his heart ablaze. She was unlike any equation or experiment he had ever encountered—unpredictable in the best of ways. From the moment he first saw her, with her easy smile and quiet strength, something had sparked inside him. He had deduced, after much internal deliberation, that he loved her. But more than that, he concluded that he would enjoy life with her—that every moment by her side would be filled with a joy and wonder no scientific theory could ever replicate.

As they exited the church, a small crowd of well-wishers from the village threw handfuls of flower petals, laughing and cheering as the couple made their way down the steps to the waiting carriage. Frančiška glanced at Theo with a mixture of adoration and awe, knowing how deeply his ambitions had shaped their whirlwind romance.

Their bags were already packed and waiting at the train station, a modest collection of luggage containing their dreams more than their possessions. Frančiška’s favorite books, Theo’s journals filled with diagrams and equations, and a few sentimental keepsakes were all they needed for their new life.

The steam engine hissed as they boarded the train, bound for Spain and the start of a daring chapter in their lives. Ciudad Enamorada had been Theo’s dream since he was a boy, a place where art and science intertwined, where he could finally breathe in the air of possibility denied to him for so long. As the train began to move, Theo leaned back in his seat, his hand clasping Frančiška’s tightly.

"You know," he said with a grin, his brown eyes alight with warmth, the sun shining on his blond curls, "I never thought I’d get here. To Spain, to a life I’ve only ever imagined. And now... with you, it feels so much bigger than just a dream."

Frančiška smiled, her eyes sparkling. "We’re doing this together, Theo. It’s as much my dream as it is yours now."

The landscape of the Welsh countryside blurred into open fields, then the ferry, and another train where they witnessed distant mountains as they crossed into France. The rhythm of the train seemed to echo the steady beat of their hearts. They spent the journey planning their future, talking about Theo’s ideas for inventions and Frančiška’s hopes of finding a way to blend her love of community with the vibrant culture of their new home.

Theo looked over at her as she spoke, her words animated with excitement. A thought flitted through his mind—how lucky he was to have found someone who made life feel so alive, so electric. For all his accomplishments, it was this partnership that made him feel as though he’d truly unlocked the greatest mystery of all: the sheer beauty of love.

As the train pulled into the station in Ciudad Enamorada, the evening light of the following day, bathed the city in hues of gold and pink. Theo’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of the elegant architecture and winding streets.

Frančiška squeezed his hand, her own excitement mounting. "We’ve made it," she whispered.

Together, they stepped off the train, their feet touching the cobblestones of their new life. In this city of passion and dreams, they would find their place, building a life as daring and remarkable as the journey that had brought them there.

Train Station Picture thanks to Asimsa at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQyyDdSwkRI

#ts4 #ts4 gameplay #sims 4 #the sims 4 #simblr #sims 4 gameplay #ts4 legacy #ts4 historical #decade: 1920 #sims 4 decades challenge #ts4 decades challenge #sims 4 decades #decades legacy #sims decades challenge #decades challenge #sims 4 historical #janleg #janleggen2

3 notes · View notes

okaydays · 1 year ago

Text

young royals feels like:

a dusky summer evening, that time on a Sunday when the world feels like it’s come to a stop, reaching out and wrapping your fingers around the light that streams in through the window at golden hour, heavy melancholy, a bus stop on a snowy winter’s night with lights glowing in the distance, the ecstasy of thumping drum beats, the solemn awe of existing within old architecture, shallow breaths when thinking of the way forward when every option hurts at least a little, seeing ghosts of memories lives and cherished, and -

the breathless joy of a summer afternoon with the future stretching out, glorious and resplendent and new.

#sure #i could go on #yr s3 spoilers #young royals

10 notes · View notes

forbiddenhoardtreasure · 14 days ago

Text

Interactive Streaming Market is driven by surging consumer engagement

Interactive streaming technology enables two-way communication between content providers and end users, facilitating real-time polling, live chats, gaming interactions, and personalized feeds. These platforms leverage low-latency delivery, adaptive bitrate streaming, and AI-powered recommendations to enhance user engagement and retention. Key advantages include improved viewer satisfaction, higher ad monetization potential, seamless integration with social media, and scalable cloud-based infrastructure. Industries such as e-sports, telemedicine, distance learning, and virtual concerts increasingly rely on interactive streaming to deliver immersive experiences, address audience fatigue, and foster community building.

As bandwidth costs decline and mobile device penetration rises, businesses seek solutions that offer dynamic overlays, synchronized multi-camera angles, and real-time analytics. This need drives product innovation in streaming SDKs, low-latency protocols, and edge-computing architectures. With an expanding market scope and growing competitive landscape, service providers must continually refine user interfaces and expand global content delivery networks to maintain market share and capitalize on Interactive Streaming Market opportunities.

The interactive streaming market is estimated to be valued at USD 38.37 Bn in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 183.99 Bn by 2032. It is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.1% from 2025 to 2032. Key Takeaways

Key players operating in the Interactive Streaming Market are:

-Netflix Inc.

-Google LLC (YouTube)

-Apple Inc.

-Amazon.com, Inc.

-IBM Corporation These market companies leverage extensive R&D budgets and robust cloud infrastructures to introduce proprietary streaming protocols and immersive user experiences. Netflix Inc. focuses on interactive storytelling formats, while Google LLC (YouTube) invests in developer APIs to foster third-party innovation. Apple Inc. integrates AR/VR capabilities within its ecosystem, Amazon.com, Inc. enhances interactivity via AWS Media Services, and IBM Corporation offers enterprise-grade analytics and security. Collectively, these market players shape market trends and influence industry share by securing key content partnerships, optimizing platform performance, and expanding subscription-based revenue streams. Rising consumer demand for engaging content formats fuels market growth across broadcast, gaming, and corporate communications sectors. Organizations conduct extensive market research to identify viewer preferences, refine interactive elements, and measure campaign effectiveness. The appetite for real-time audience participation, live commerce, and gamified experiences generates lucrative market opportunities, prompting new entrants and niche service providers to pursue market segments such as live shopping, virtual events, and remote collaboration tools. As businesses aim to differentiate offerings, they adopt interactive streaming to drive business growth, enhance brand loyalty, and increase average view durations.

‣ Get More Insights On: Interactive Streaming Market

‣ Get this Report in Japanese Language: インタラクティブ��トリーミング市場

‣ Get this Report in Korean Language: 대화형스트리밍시장

0 notes

totaltranquililly · 19 days ago

Text

[archival dream] - the tower and the brambles

an overcast sky watched over a monochrome field of endless dead bushes, grey and dry. it was silent, no life dared occupy this space for long.

in the "center" of the field was a house made into a tower, sprawling floors ever upward in illogical impossible architecture. it was crimson, a monument against its surroundings.

i knew someone lived somewhere in that house, someone very powerful. like a dungeon, only upwards. likely a witch.

now, this dream was really cool, but the only caveat was my company within this field. for god knows what reason, my young self was accompanied by the main four from Stranger Things. our mission was explicitly subtle, an attempt in stealth. we gradually moved through the field towards the tower, attempting to avoid noisy twigs and grey-dead crunchy leaves. at one point we passed the end of a drainage pipe and a small stream, the pipe and (allegedly) water equally deprived of saturation as their surroundings.

once reaching the monolith, the five of us cautiously stepped in. looking up, the red soaked dwelling extended farther up than we could see with stairs and ladders circling a jagged interior of various rooms, leaving a vacant center. we were in awe, and afraid.

i don't remember anything after that :P

#dream #dream log #storytelling

1 note · View note

sieyara · 26 days ago

Text

How to Build a YouTube Clone App: Tech Stack, Features & Cost Explained

Ever scrolled through YouTube and thought, “I could build this—but better”? You’re not alone. With the explosive growth of content creators and the non-stop demand for video content, building your own YouTube clone isn’t just a dream—it’s a solid business move. Whether you're targeting niche creators, regional content, or building the next big video sharing and streaming platform, there’s room in the market for innovation.

But before you dive into code or hire a dev team, let’s talk about the how. What tech stack powers a platform like YouTube? What features are must-haves? And how much does it actually cost to build something this ambitious?

In this post, we’re breaking it all down—no fluff, no filler. Just a clear roadmap to building a killer YouTube-style platform with insights from the clone app experts at Miracuves.

Core Features of a YouTube Clone App

Before picking servers or coding frameworks, you need a feature checklist. Here’s what every modern YouTube clone needs to include:

1. User Registration & Profiles

Users must be able to sign up via email or social logins. Profiles should allow for customization, channel creation, and subscriber tracking.

2. Video Upload & Encoding

Users upload video files that are auto-encoded to multiple resolutions (360p, 720p, 1080p). You’ll need a powerful media processor and cloud storage to handle this.

3. Streaming & Playback

The heart of any video platform. Adaptive bitrate streaming ensures smooth playback regardless of network speed.

4. Content Feed & Recommendations

Dynamic feeds based on trending videos, subscriptions, or AI-driven interests. The better your feed, the longer users stay.

5. Like, Comment, Share & Subscribe

Engagement drives reach. Build these features in early and make them seamless.

6. Search & Filters

Let users find content via keywords, categories, uploaders, and tags.

7. Monetization Features

Allow ads, tipping (like Super Chat), or paid content access. This is where the money lives.

8. Admin Dashboard

Moderation tools, user management, analytics, and content flagging are essential for long-term growth.

Optional Features:

Live Streaming

Playlists

Stories or Shorts

Video Premiere Countdown

Multilingual Subtitles

Media Suggestion: Feature comparison table between YouTube and your envisioned clone

Recommended Tech Stack

The tech behind YouTube is serious business, but you don’t need Google’s budget to launch a lean, high-performance YouTube clone. Here’s what we recommend at Miracuves:

Frontend (User Interface)

React.js or Vue.js – Fast rendering and reusable components

Tailwind CSS or Bootstrap – For modern, responsive UI

Next.js – Great for server-side rendering and SEO

Backend (Server-side)

Node.js with Express – Lightweight and scalable

Python/Django – Excellent for content recommendation algorithms

Laravel (PHP) – If you're going for quick setup and simplicity

Video Processing & Streaming

FFmpeg – Open-source video encoding and processing

HLS/DASH Protocols – For adaptive streaming

AWS MediaConvert or Mux – For advanced media workflows

Cloudflare Stream – Built-in CDN and encoding, fast global delivery

Storage & Database

Amazon S3 or Google Cloud Storage – For storing video content

MongoDB or PostgreSQL – For structured user and video data

Authentication & Security

JWT (JSON Web Tokens) for secure session management

OAuth 2.0 for social logins

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for creators and admins

Analytics & Search

Elasticsearch – Fast, scalable search

Mixpanel / Google Analytics – Track video watch time, drop-offs, engagement

AI-based recommendation engine – Python + TensorFlow or third-party API

Media Suggestion: Architecture diagram showing tech stack components and flow

Development Timeline & Team Composition

Depending on complexity, here’s a typical development breakdown:

MVP Build: 3–4 months

Full Product with Monetization: 6–8 months

Team Needed:

1–2 Frontend Developers

1 Backend Developer

1 DevOps/Cloud Engineer

1 UI/UX Designer

1 QA Tester

1 Project Manager

Want to move faster? Miracuves offers pre-built YouTube clone app solutions that can cut launch time in half.

Estimated Cost Breakdown

Here’s a rough ballpark for custom development: PhaseEstimated CostUI/UX Design$3,000 – $5,000Frontend Development$6,000 – $10,000Backend Development$8,000 – $12,000Video Processing Setup$4,000 – $6,000QA & Testing$2,000 – $4,000Cloud Infrastructure$500 – $2,000/month (post-launch)

Total Estimated Cost: $25,000 – $40,000+ depending on features and scale

Need it cheaper? Go the smart way with a customizable YouTube clone from Miracuves—less risk, faster time-to-market, and scalable from day one.

Final Thoughts

Building a YouTube clone isn’t just about copying features—it’s about creating a platform that gives creators and viewers something fresh, intuitive, and monetizable. With the right tech stack, must-have features, and a clear plan, you’re not just chasing YouTube—you’re building your own lane in the massive video sharing and streaming platform space.

At Miracuves, we help startups launch video platforms that are secure, scalable, and streaming-ready from day one. Want to build a revenue-generating video app that users love? Let’s talk.

FAQs

How much does it cost to build a YouTube clone?

Expect $25,000–$40,000 for a custom build. Ready-made solutions from Miracuves can reduce costs significantly.

Can I monetize my YouTube clone?

Absolutely. Use ads, subscriptions, tipping, pay-per-view, or affiliate integrations.

What’s the hardest part of building a video streaming app?

Video encoding, storage costs, and scaling playback across geographies. You’ll need a solid cloud setup.

Do I need to build everything from scratch?

No. Using a YouTube clone script from Miracuves saves time and still offers full customization.

How long does it take to launch?

A simple MVP may take 3–4 months. A full-feature platform can take 6–8 months. Miracuves can cut that timeline in half.

Is it legal to build a YouTube clone?

Yes, as long as you’re not copying YouTube’s trademark or copyrighted content. The tech and business model are fair game.

#CLONE #YOUTUBE CLONE

1 note · View note

jellyfishtechnologies · 27 days ago

Text

How to Hire a Node.js Developer for Your Web Project in 2025

In 2025, it is more important than ever to build fast, scalable, and real-time web applications. Businesses in various industries use Node.js, a powerful JavaScript runtime, to create dynamic backend architecture to manage high concurrency with low response times. However, most importantly, you will need to find a good developer to bring this technology to life. But how do you hire the right Node.js developer to fit your project goals, timelines and budget?

In this blog, we will show you everything you need to know to hire dedicated NodeJs developers from trusted partner Jellyfish Technologies, and use advanced Nodejs development services for web applications in 2025.

Why Node.js Is Still Dominating in 2025

Before we dive into the hiring process, let's quickly understand why Node.js remains a top choice for backend technology:

Non-blocking I/O for real-time applications

Single programming language (JavaScript) in both front and back end

Huge ecosystem with npm (over 2 million packages)

Great scalability with microservices architecture

Strong community support and actively evolving (Node 20+)

Node.js can support the performance and flexibility that modern applications require, whether you're building a live chat app, a fintech dashboard, or an eCommerce platform.

Trending and popular content showcasing

Payment Processing: $10,000 - $30,000

Subscription management

Multiple payment methods

Recurring billing

Regional pricing support

Analytics Dashboard: $15,000 - $40,000

User behavior tracking

Content performance metrics

Revenue analytics

Retention and churn analysis

3. Content Acquisition and Licensing

This is potentially the largest expense category and varies enormously based on your content strategy:

Original Content Production: Variable

Low-budget original content: $10,000 - $50,000 per hour

Mid-tier productions: $50,000 - $500,000 per hour

Premium productions: $1 million+ per hour

Content Licensing: Variable

Archive content: $100 - $500 per hour

Recent TV shows: $10,000 - $100,000 per episode

Movies: $5,000 - $1 million+ depending on popularity and recency

4. Ongoing Operational Costs

Infrastructure and Hosting: $5,000 - $100,000+ monthly

Cloud server costs (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure)

Content delivery network (CDN) expenses

Storage costs (which grow with your content library)

Bandwidth costs (which scale with your user base)

Maintenance and Updates: $8,000 - $25,000 monthly

Bug fixes and platform improvements

Security updates

New feature development

Performance optimization

Customer Support: $3,000 - $20,000 monthly

Support staff

Ticketing system

Live chat implementation

Knowledge base development

Selecting the right development partner is crucial for successful implementation and cost management:

Experience in Video Streaming Projects Look for developers who have previously built streaming platforms.

Technical Expertise Ensure they have experience with relevant technologies (HLS/DASH streaming, CDN integration, recommendation algorithms).

Portfolio and Case Studies Review their previous projects and success stories.

Scalability Focus Confirm they build with future growth in mind.

Maintenance Support Verify they offer ongoing support and updates.

Ready to turn your streaming platform vision into reality?

Contact Miracuves for a personalized consultation on your Netflix clone development project.

#app development #clone app development company #miracuves #business #clone #netflixclonesolution

1 note · View note

tripta-123 · 2 years ago

Text

Live Streaming Solution using AWS Elemental Cloud

Deliver a superb video viewing experience to the audience through AWS live streaming and quickly convey your brand message to them to enhance your ROI.

#aws live streaming #aws live streaming architecture #live streaming with aws #aws live audio streaming #aws cloudfront live streaming #aws live streaming pricing #aws live streaming service

0 notes

xaltius · 1 month ago

Text

The top Data Engineering trends to look for in 2025

Data engineering is the unsung hero of our data-driven world. It's the critical discipline that builds and maintains the robust infrastructure enabling organizations to collect, store, process, and analyze vast amounts of data. As we navigate mid-2025, this foundational field is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by the exponential growth of data, the insatiable demand for real-time insights, and the transformative power of AI.

Staying ahead of these shifts is no longer optional; it's essential for data engineers and the organizations they support. Let's dive into the key data engineering trends that are defining the landscape in 2025.

1. The Dominance of the Data Lakehouse

What it is: The data lakehouse architecture continues its strong upward trajectory, aiming to unify the best features of data lakes (flexible, low-cost storage for raw, diverse data types) and data warehouses (structured data management, ACID transactions, and robust governance). Why it's significant: It offers a single platform for various analytics workloads, from BI and reporting to AI and machine learning, reducing data silos, complexity, and redundancy. Open table formats like Apache Iceberg, Delta Lake, and Hudi are pivotal in enabling lakehouse capabilities. Impact: Greater data accessibility, improved data quality and reliability for analytics, simplified data architecture, and cost efficiencies. Key Technologies: Databricks, Snowflake, Amazon S3, Azure Data Lake Storage, Apache Spark, and open table formats.

2. AI-Powered Data Engineering (Including Generative AI)

What it is: Artificial intelligence, and increasingly Generative AI, are becoming integral to data engineering itself. This involves using AI/ML to automate and optimize various data engineering tasks. Why it's significant: AI can significantly boost efficiency, reduce manual effort, improve data quality, and even help generate code for data pipelines or transformations. Impact: * Automated Data Integration & Transformation: AI tools can now automate aspects of data mapping, cleansing, and pipeline optimization. * Intelligent Data Quality & Anomaly Detection: ML algorithms can proactively identify and flag data quality issues or anomalies in pipelines. * Optimized Pipeline Performance: AI can help in tuning and optimizing the performance of data workflows. * Generative AI for Code & Documentation: LLMs are being used to assist in writing SQL queries, Python scripts for ETL, and auto-generating documentation. Key Technologies: AI-driven ETL/ELT tools, MLOps frameworks integrated with DataOps, platforms with built-in AI capabilities (e.g., Databricks AI Functions, AWS DMS with GenAI).

3. Real-Time Data Processing & Streaming Analytics as the Norm

What it is: The demand for immediate insights and actions based on live data streams continues to grow. Batch processing is no longer sufficient for many use cases. Why it's significant: Businesses across industries like e-commerce, finance, IoT, and logistics require real-time capabilities for fraud detection, personalized recommendations, operational monitoring, and instant decision-making. Impact: A shift towards streaming architectures, event-driven data pipelines, and tools that can handle high-throughput, low-latency data. Key Technologies: Apache Kafka, Apache Flink, Apache Spark Streaming, Apache Pulsar, cloud-native streaming services (e.g., Amazon Kinesis, Google Cloud Dataflow, Azure Stream Analytics), and real-time analytical databases.

4. The Rise of Data Mesh & Data Fabric Architectures

What it is: * Data Mesh: A decentralized sociotechnical approach that emphasizes domain-oriented data ownership, treating data as a product, self-serve data infrastructure, and federated computational governance. * Data Fabric: An architectural approach that automates data integration and delivery across disparate data sources, often using metadata and AI to provide a unified view and access to data regardless of where it resides. Why it's significant: Traditional centralized data architectures struggle with the scale and complexity of modern data. These approaches offer greater agility, scalability, and empower domain teams. Impact: Improved data accessibility and discoverability, faster time-to-insight for domain teams, reduced bottlenecks for central data teams, and better alignment of data with business domains. Key Technologies: Data catalogs, data virtualization tools, API-based data access, and platforms supporting decentralized data management.

5. Enhanced Focus on Data Observability & Governance

What it is: * Data Observability: Going beyond traditional monitoring to provide deep visibility into the health and state of data and data pipelines. It involves tracking data lineage, quality, freshness, schema changes, and distribution. * Data Governance by Design: Integrating robust data governance, security, and compliance practices directly into the data lifecycle and infrastructure from the outset, rather than as an afterthought. Why it's significant: As data volumes and complexity grow, ensuring data quality, reliability, and compliance (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) becomes paramount for building trust and making sound decisions. Regulatory landscapes, like the EU AI Act, are also making strong governance non-negotiable. Impact: Improved data trust and reliability, faster incident resolution, better compliance, and more secure data handling. Key Technologies: AI-powered data observability platforms, data cataloging tools with governance features, automated data quality frameworks, and tools supporting data lineage.

6. Maturation of DataOps and MLOps Practices

What it is: * DataOps: Applying Agile and DevOps principles (automation, collaboration, continuous integration/continuous delivery - CI/CD) to the entire data analytics lifecycle, from data ingestion to insight delivery. * MLOps: Extending DevOps principles specifically to the machine learning lifecycle, focusing on streamlining model development, deployment, monitoring, and retraining. Why it's significant: These practices are crucial for improving the speed, quality, reliability, and efficiency of data and machine learning pipelines. Impact: Faster delivery of data products and ML models, improved data quality, enhanced collaboration between data engineers, data scientists, and IT operations, and more reliable production systems. Key Technologies: Workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Apache Airflow, Kestra), CI/CD tools (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI), version control systems (Git), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and MLOps platforms (e.g., MLflow, Kubeflow, SageMaker, Azure ML).

The Cross-Cutting Theme: Cloud-Native and Cost Optimization

Underpinning many of these trends is the continued dominance of cloud-native data engineering. Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) provide the scalable, flexible, and managed services that are essential for modern data infrastructure. Coupled with this is an increasing focus on cloud cost optimization (FinOps for data), as organizations strive to manage and reduce the expenses associated with large-scale data processing and storage in the cloud.

The Evolving Role of the Data Engineer

These trends are reshaping the role of the data engineer. Beyond building pipelines, data engineers in 2025 are increasingly becoming architects of more intelligent, automated, and governed data systems. Skills in AI/ML, cloud platforms, real-time processing, and distributed architectures are becoming even more crucial.

Global Relevance, Local Impact

These global data engineering trends are particularly critical for rapidly developing digital economies. In countries like India, where the data explosion is immense and the drive for digital transformation is strong, adopting these advanced data engineering practices is key to harnessing data for innovation, improving operational efficiency, and building competitive advantages on a global scale.

Conclusion: Building the Future, One Pipeline at a Time

The field of data engineering is more dynamic and critical than ever. The trends of 2025 point towards more automated, real-time, governed, and AI-augmented data infrastructures. For data engineering professionals and the organizations they serve, embracing these changes means not just keeping pace, but actively shaping the future of how data powers our world.

#technology #artificial intelligence #ai #online course #data science #data science course

1 note · View note

rakeshsynarion · 1 month ago

Text

Top Game Engines for Action and Adventure Game Development

Action and adventure games have always held a special place in the gaming industry. From fast-paced combat to immersive storylines, these genres demand high-quality graphics, responsive gameplay, and seamless world-building. Behind the scenes, all of this is made possible by one critical tool: the game engine.

Choosing the right game engine is a make-or-break decision for developers, especially when building large-scale action or adventure games. Whether you’re an indie developer or working with a professional Game Development Company, the right engine will provide the tools, flexibility, and performance required to bring your vision to life.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the top game engines used for action and adventure game development in 2025. We’ll explore their key features, use cases, and how Game Development Services utilize them to create industry-leading titles.

1. Unreal Engine 5

Unreal Engine 5, developed by Epic Games, has redefined the standards of high-fidelity game development. It is the go-to choice for AAA studios and professional developers building cinematic action and adventure experiences.

Key Features:

Nanite Technology: Enables developers to create vast, detailed worlds with film-quality assets without sacrificing performance.

Lumen Lighting System: Real-time dynamic lighting for ultra-realistic environments.

Blueprints Visual Scripting: Lets non-coders develop complex game logic.

High Scalability: Perfect for PC, console, and next-gen platforms.

2. Unity

Unity is one of the most versatile and widely used game engines in the world. While it’s known for its ease of use and 2D capabilities, Unity also excels in creating engaging 3D action and adventure games, especially for mobile and cross-platform deployment.

Key Features:

Multi-platform Support: Build once and deploy across PC, consoles, mobile, VR/AR, and web.

Robust Asset Store: Thousands of ready-to-use assets, scripts, and plugins.

C# Programming and Visual Scripting: Flexible coding environment for all experience levels.

URP and HDRP Pipelines: Enhanced visual fidelity and performance control.

3. Godot Engine

Godot has been rapidly gaining popularity among indie developers and small studios. It’s an open-source game engine known for its flexibility and low resource consumption.

Key Features:

Open Source and Free: No licensing fees, making it ideal for budget-conscious projects.

GDScript and C# Support: Lightweight scripting with high customization.

Scene-Based Architecture: Simplifies level and UI design.

2D and 3D Engine: Strong capabilities for both 2D adventure games and 3D action titles.

4. CryEngine

CryEngine, developed by Crytek, is known for its high-end rendering capabilities, making it suitable for action games with realistic environments and heavy combat mechanics.

Key Features:

Photorealistic Graphics: Industry-leading rendering engine.

Powerful Sandbox Editor: Real-time editing with immediate visual feedback.

Advanced AI and Physics: Essential for combat systems and dynamic interactions.

Full Source Code Access: Allows for deep customization.

While CryEngine has a steeper learning curve, Game Development Services targeting high-end PC or console platforms often use it to deliver stunning visuals and complex gameplay systems.

5. Amazon Lumberyard (now Open 3D Engine)

Amazon Lumberyard, now rebranded as Open 3D Engine (O3DE), is a fully open-source, AAA-capable engine ideal for building multiplayer action and adventure games.

Key Features:

Integration with AWS Cloud: Seamless backend for multiplayer, analytics, and live services.

Twitch Integration: Great for stream-friendly game features.

Real-Time 3D Rendering: AAA-quality graphics and performance.

Customizable Modular System: Adapt the engine to your game’s needs.

6. GameMaker Studio 2

While it’s better known for 2D games, GameMaker Studio 2 still holds its ground for action and adventure titles, especially when visual effects and fast-paced gameplay are priorities.

Key Features:

Drag-and-Drop Interface: Ideal for beginners and rapid prototyping.

GML (GameMaker Language): Lightweight scripting for deeper functionality.

Cross-Platform Export: PC, mobile, web, and console.

Extensive Asset Library: Simplifies character and environment design.

How to Choose the Right Game Engine

When deciding on the right engine for your action or adventure game, consider the following factors:

Target Platform: Some engines are optimized for PC and consoles, while others focus on mobile or web.

Team Skill Level: Beginners may prefer Unity or GameMaker, while experienced developers can maximize Unreal or CryEngine.

Graphics Requirements: High-fidelity visuals demand engines like Unreal Engine 5 or CryEngine.

Budget Constraints: Open-source engines like Godot or O3DE offer powerful features without licensing fees.

Multiplayer Needs: Consider engines with built-in network capabilities, like Unity or O3DE.

If you’re unsure where to start, working with a professional Game Development Company can simplify the process. They can analyze your requirements, recommend the right tech stack, and handle everything from concept to post-launch support.

Why Game Engines Matter in 2025 and Beyond

The gaming industry continues to grow at an incredible pace, with trends like VR, cloud gaming, and AI-based storytelling reshaping how games are developed and played. The role of game engines will only expand in 2025 and beyond, serving as the foundation for immersive, responsive, and visually stunning experiences.

Whether you're developing a fantasy RPG, a stealth action game, or an open-world adventure, the game engine you choose will dictate the tools, workflow, and capabilities available to your team.

By collaborating with a modern Game Development Company that keeps up with evolving technology and best practices, you can ensure your action or adventure game stands out in a competitive market.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right game engine is one of the most important decisions in the action and adventure game development process. Each engine comes with its strengths, and the best fit depends on your specific project goals, team expertise, and target platforms.

Whether you're an indie creator or part of a studio, utilizing the support of professional Game Development Services ensures a smoother development journey—from initial design to deployment and scaling.

So, if you're ready to bring your action-packed vision to life, now is the perfect time to choose your engine, build your team, and dive into the exciting world of game creation.

#Game Engines

0 notes

jenniferphilop0420 · 1 month ago

Text

Best Way to Build a Crypto Exchange: Cost, Time & Tech Guide

Introduction: Why Build a Crypto Exchange?

Ever thought of owning your own crypto exchange like Binance or Coinbase? With the crypto market booming and digital assets becoming mainstream, launching your own exchange might just be the golden ticket. Not only does it offer multiple revenue streams—like trading fees and token listings—but it also puts you at the heart of the fintech revolution. But here's the catch: building a crypto exchange isn’t just about coding. It’s about compliance, trust, tech, and timing. Let’s walk through the best way to build a crypto exchange step-by-step.

Understanding Crypto Exchanges

Before diving in, you need to understand what you’re building.

Centralized vs. Decentralized Exchanges

Centralized Exchanges (CEXs): These are managed by a company or authority. Think Binance or Kraken. They're faster and more user-friendly.

Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs): No middleman. Users trade directly from wallets (e.g., Uniswap). More privacy, but more complex tech and lower speed.

Key Features of a Successful Exchange

High Liquidity

Secure Wallets

User-friendly UI/UX

Robust KYC/AML

Multi-currency Support

24/7 Customer Support

These aren’t just nice-to-haves—they’re essential.

Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Crypto Exchange

Step 1: Market Research and Legal Compliance

Before writing a single line of code, do your homework.

Regulatory Landscape

Different countries, different rules. In the U.S., you’ll deal with the SEC and FinCEN. In Europe, it’s MiCA. Make sure you comply or risk being shut down.

Target Market Identification

Are you targeting beginners or seasoned traders? Focused on NFTs or DeFi tokens? Your audience defines your features.

Step 2: Choosing the Right Exchange Type

Spot Exchange vs. Derivatives Exchange

Spot Exchange: Buy/sell crypto at current prices. Easier to build.

Derivatives Exchange: Think futures, options—more complex, more regulations.

Hybrid Exchange Possibilities

Want the best of both worlds? Build a hybrid. It combines the liquidity and speed of CEXs with the anonymity and freedom of DEXs.

Step 3: Technology Stack and Architecture

Now, let’s talk tech.

Frontend and Backend Development

Frontend: Built using React.js, Angular, or Vue.js.

Backend: Node.js, Python (Django), or Golang are solid picks.

Database: PostgreSQL or MongoDB.

Cloud: AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure.

Security Infrastructure

Security is non-negotiable. Implement:

Cold Wallets for storage

2FA & Email confirmations

Anti-DDOS protection

Encryption of sensitive data

Step 4: Liquidity Management

No one wants to trade on a ghost town exchange. Partner with liquidity providers or connect to other exchanges via APIs to ensure buy/sell orders always have a match.

Step 5: User Interface & User Experience (UI/UX) Design

Make it clean, intuitive, and responsive. If your users can’t find the “Buy” button, they won’t stay.

Step 6: Integrating Wallets and Payment Systems

Add crypto wallets (hot and cold) and fiat gateways like Stripe, MoonPay, or bank wire support. The more options, the better.

Step 7: KYC/AML Compliance Integration

Use third-party KYC providers like SumSub or Jumio to automate verification. This builds trust and keeps you legal.

Step 8: Testing and Deployment

Before going live:

Run unit tests

Perform bug bounties

Penetration testing

Use sandbox environments

Don’t skip this—bugs in crypto = lost funds.

Cost Breakdown of Building a Crypto Exchange

Let’s talk numbers.

Development Costs

Basic Exchange (MVP): $50,000–$100,000

Advanced Platform: $150,000–$500,000+ This includes design, frontend/backend, mobile apps, and admin panel.

Licensing & Legal Fees

Depending on your jurisdiction:

Licensing: $10,000–$100,000+

Legal Consultancy: $5,000–$25,000

Security Infrastructure Costs

Budget for:

Penetration Testing: $5,000+

Cold Wallet Integration: $3,000–$10,000

DDoS Protection: Ongoing, $500+/month

Marketing and User Acquisition

Your tech is only as good as your users.

PR & Influencers: $10,000–$50,000

Ads & SEO: $5,000/month+

Affiliate Programs: Optional but effective

Timeframe to Launch a Crypto Exchange

How long does it take? Depends on your scope.

Fast-Track MVP: 3-4 Months

Ideal for startups looking to test the waters.

Full-Fledged Exchange: 6–12 Months

Includes all features, high scalability, robust support, and marketing rollout.

Choosing the Right Tech Partner or Development Company

Don’t try to do everything alone.

In-House vs. Outsourced Development

In-House: More control, higher cost.

Outsourced: Faster, affordable, but needs careful vetting.

Key Qualities of a Good Tech Partner

Proven portfolio in blockchain

Transparent pricing

Security-first mindset

Agile development process

Post-launch support

Challenges in Building a Crypto Exchange

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows.

Regulatory Uncertainty

Governments can change rules overnight. Always stay updated.

Security Concerns

Hackers love crypto exchanges. One breach can ruin your reputation.

Tips for Long-Term Success

Want to be the next Binance?

Focus on User Trust

Build transparency. Publish regular audits. Offer cold storage options.

Offer Competitive Fees and Rewards

Use referral programs, trading fee discounts, and token rewards to keep users loyal.

Conclusion

So, what’s the best way to build a crypto exchange? It boils down to balancing tech, trust, time, and talent. Start small, build a solid MVP, and expand with confidence. Stay compliant, invest in security, and never stop listening to your users. Whether you're building for traders, beginners, or institutions, your exchange could be the next big thing in crypto—if done right.

FAQs

1. How much does it cost to build a crypto exchange from scratch? The average cost ranges from $50,000 for an MVP to over $500,000 for a full-featured platform, including tech, legal, and marketing expenses.

2. How long does it take to launch a crypto exchange? A minimum viable product can take 3–4 months, while a comprehensive platform might take 6–12 months or more.

3. Is it legal to launch a crypto exchange? Yes, but it depends on the country. You must comply with local regulations and acquire necessary licenses.

4. Can I build a crypto exchange without coding knowledge? You’ll need a tech team or a development company unless you use white-label solutions, which are faster but offer less flexibility.

5. What are the biggest risks in running a crypto exchange? Security breaches, regulatory changes, and liquidity issues are the most significant risks to be prepared for.

#CryptocurrencyExchangeDevelopment #CreateACryptocurrencyExchange #BuildYourOwnCryptocurrencyExchange #LaunchYourCryptocurrencyExchange #ShamlaTech #CryptoDevelopment #BlockchainSolutions #CryptoExchangePlatform #CryptoBusiness #CryptocurrencyExchange

0 notes