#leader maxima

[tfwarfare]

Transformers Warfare: Magnus (Rank)

The title of Magnus is one worthy of dignity and respect. Often considered to be the second highest rank achievable within the Autobots, just below "Prime", the mere mention of a Magnus on any given battlefield is enough to strike fear in many a Decepticon. To be worthy of such a rank, one needs to be courageous, tough, and compassionate. Many bots have tried to become a Magnus, but few have succeeded.

Known Magni

Ultra Magnus

Possibly the most famous among the Magni is Ultra Magnus, leader of the Wreckers, an elite group of some of the toughest soldiers within the Autobot ranks. Ultra Magnus is one of Optimus Prime's oldest friends, having known each other from the Autobot leaders' days as Orion Pax.

Arcana Magnus

Little is known about this Magnus, aside from her similarity in both color scheme and demeanor towards the Autobot Arcee, leading some to suspect that Arcana is a counterpart to her from an alternate timeline or universe. She is a recluse, preferring to keep hidden on the spider-infested planet of Archa Seven. If this is actually an Arcee counterpart, whatever happened to her to make so unwilling to go against the Decepticons anymore - not to mention her techno-organic spider mode - is a mystery, one few Autobots are willing to uncover.

Leader Magnus

Formerly known as "Leader-1", Leader Magnus is the commander of the Autobot subfaction, The Guardians. The Guardians were originally an Autobot equivalent birthed from a similar Great War on the Cybertronian colony planet of Gobotron, until the planet was destroyed by said warfare and much of the population was decimated. Now a Magnus within the Autobot ranks, Leader looks to keep the rest of his friends alive, and perhaps correct his past mistakes which lead to his home planet's death.

Skyhammer Magnus

One of the few flight capable Autobots who is neither a Triple Changer nor affiliated with the Aerialbots, Skyhammer Magnus is a powerful yet graceful warrior. Although he and his team have spent much time exploring the galaxy, searching for supplies, species to aid, or stray Decepticon outposts to take down, news of Team Prime's location on Earth has drawn them to the planet... just in time too.

Elita-1

Although she doesn't use the Magnus title - Elita Magnus just sounds pretentious - Elita-1 still very much qualifies as one, and is often eager to show Decepticons why that is. Strong and capable, she acts as Optimus Prime's second in command on Earth, having left command of her previous unit to...

Splendid Magnus

Splendid Magnus is a courageous and honorable leader, unafraid to make the hard decisions. Formerly the SIC to Elita-1 in the all-femme attack squad Shield of Solus, Splendid was granted both the rank of Magnus and command of the team when Elita left Cybertron with Optimus.

Delta Magnus

The leader of the Primal Vanguard, Delta Magnus and his team were once some of the best soldiers in the Autobot army. Unfortunately, an attack from the Decepticon Heavy Brigade left a large number of them dead, Delta included. The left over members would reform under the leadership of Grimlock as the Lightning Strike Coalition, then later the Dinobots.

Pyra Magna

Though she doesn't follow conventional naming schemes, Pyra Magna of Caminus is every bit a Magnus as everyone else with the name thanks to her relentlessness and ambition. Much like Splendid Magnus and Elita-1 previously, Pyra leads an all-femme team known as the Torchbearers, which can combine into Victorion. Although the team is more suited for and accustomed to collection and preservation of ancient Cybertronian artifacts, one can always count on Pyra and her "Rust Renegades" to come to their aid, should she hear their cry.

Maximal Magnus

A close friend to the Camien Windblade, Maximal Magnus was a virtuous Autobot of great leadership capabilities. Unfortunately, virtue was not enough to save her from deactivation. When she travelled to Eukaris to negotiate and trade for supplies, she was ambushed by the newly formed Predacons, inspired by the Decepticon Preditron. Maximal Magnus sacrificed her life to save her team and a small group of Eukarians, but in doing so left her team leaderless. However, her sacrifice inspired a new faction to rally up and stop the new threat, using the first half of her name as their moniker. Her group, meanwhile, has found new leadership, though they will never forget their first leader.

[bicycleboyblog]

WARNING for horror, violence, death, nasty men, & distasteful music.

A scene from Chapter 9 of my webcomic, BICYCLE BOY. A pair of despondent, pretty men throw themselves to their probable demise; Poet in search of his lost memories... his travel partner Machk, however, merely seeking relief from his own.

Bicycle Boy is 500+ pages of post-apocalyptic punching and abject misery. I have a lot of fun drawing it! :D Maybe you would also have fun experiencing it.

What began as an identity quest turns sinister as our cyborg gets closer to his origins. Last chapter, Poet, Machk, and Darla were in the midst of a perilous journey to Fort Anne - the city where Poet's supposed creator, Elba Cortez Maxima, resides. The guy juuust wants to figure out why he's a cyborg (and maybe get revenge for limbs lost) but Fort Anne and its ever-expanding, scorched black territory is controlled by a hostile military and their leader, The Senator.

❖ Read it online for free! ⬨ Start from the beginning ❖

[year2000electronics]

cos i'm in an oc mood, here's everyone who currently works at the League of Villains in my superhero story, iris of the storm! in order:

bloodmoon (he/him) leader of the league, retired supervillain, superpower is getting special abilities depending on what phase of the moon it is

allegro maxima (he/him) retired superhero, bloodmoon's former nemesis, hired as a hail mary thanks to a morale crisis in the league, superpower is being able to heal people

roswell (any pronouns) alien, presumably was sent to earth with some sort of mission but he says the mission is to "find 'hot dads'". ok i guess. superpower is being an alien

dr. irving goda (he/him) high-ranking supervillain in the league who uses his position of power to bully allegro, superpower is being a mad psychologist

parzival goda (he/him) irving's adopted son who gets to boss allegro around because irving says he "has senority", superpower hasn't fully developed yet

emperor (he/it) young blood that only just turned 20, livestreamer, vtuber, everything. its gimmick is tech-based evil plans and bloodmoon hates that

final cut (she/her) fashionista supervillain, actually not that hard to work with despite appearances, superpower is that every time she is supposed to suffer a mortal wound, she'll just generate a clone instead

pandemimi (she/her) chaotic maid supervillain, people think her and final cut are a bad match for each other but theyre missing the most important context, superpower is that she gains a crazy power boost if she does what somebody tells her to

hoaxes-pocus (she/they) new supervillain extremely bad at social interaction so she just cheats at it, superpower is making people adore her

the giant killer axolotl, phd (he/him) what you see is what you get with this one really.

[world-of-wales]

CONFIRMED ATTENDEES TO THE CORONATION OF

♚♛ KING CHARLES III & QUEEN CAMILLA ♛♚

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Grand Duke Henri & Grand Duchess Maria Teresa 🇱🇺

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[in1-nutshell]

Maxima meeting Team Bee

SFW, Platonic, Cybertronian reader

RiD 2015

Maxima was not having a good time.

She had been searching for Bumblebee non-stop after he went radio silent for the past couple of weeks.

Maxima had been looking all around, asking for favors, and taking long hours to find him.

Until she got a vision from her late father.

Optimus Prime.

She thought she had finally joined him in the Well because she felt her spark pulsing out of her chassis.

He looked just how he had when… when…

His booming voice reached her audials like a nostalgic song.

Her own voice constricted in her throat.

Optimus tells her to go to Earth to help Bumblebee and his team.

A portal opened in front of her.

Without a second thought, Maxima ran in.

She lands straight into a scrapyard.

Maxima carefully looks around the place for any sign of hostilities.

She finds her first one in the form of a giant green Dinobot.

Grimlock had just come over to this corner of the scrapyard to find something Sideswipe mentioned.

Which now thinking about, sounded made up.

He did notice the mysterious bot in the corner though.

Grimlock and Maxima stared at each other for a bit.

“Ummm… can I help you?”--Grimlock

Maxima shakes her helm a bit and points at her Autobot badge.

“Friendly.”--Maxima

Grimlock relaxes a bit seeing that it was a friendlier bot.

“And actually I could use some help.”--Maxima

“Oh okay! What do you need help with?”--Grimlock

“I’m looking for a friend of mine. I was told I could find him here.”--Maxima

Grimlock scratches his helm a bit.

“I don’t know too much about finding bots. BUT Fix-it might know! C’mon! I’ll even introduce you to the team!”--Grimlock

Maxima smiles at the infectious grin on the Dinobot.

“Lead the way… what’s your name?”--Maxima

“Grimlock! And yours?”--Grimlock

“Maxima.”--Maxima

“That’s a nice name.”--Grimlock

“So is yours.”--Maxima

The two talk and walk to what looked like the main area.

There were three bots and an orange minibot on a ship console that was partially buried in the mountain.

The three bots immediately pulled out their weapons seeing Maxima with Grimlock.

“Hey! Hey! She’s a bot like us!”--Grimlock

“And how do you know she isn’t just lying?”--Strongarm

Maxima squints her optics a bit at Strongarm.

“Now why do you look familiar…”--Maxima

Drift steps forward.

“What is your reason for being here?”--Drift

“Grimlock was taking me to see a ‘Fix-it’.”--Maxima

“That’s me!”—Fix-it

Maxima looks over at the orange minibot.

“And why would you need to see Fix-it?”--Sideswipe

“She’s looking for a friend, right?”--Grimlock

“Yeah—Wait! Your Strongarm aren’t you?”--Maxima

“How do you know my name?”--Strongarm

“Team, we have a situation—”--Bumblebee

Everyone looks at Bumblebee.

Bee looks optics with Maxima.

“Maxima?”--Bumblebee

Maxima gives a smile while walking over to him.

“So, this is where you’ve been?”--Maxima

“Yeah—”--Bumblebee

Maxima slaps the back of his helm.

“Hey!”--Bumblebee

“That’s for leaving without letting me know.”--Maxima

Maxima pulls him in a denting hug.

“Thank the Primes you’re okay…”--Maxima

Bee, feeling a bit guilty, hugs back.

“…When did we get a new bot?”--Russel

“Sweet Solus Prime Bee! You already got found by humans again?!”—Maxima

Maxima makes a quick first impression with everyone on the team.

She makes it clear to Bee that she isn’t going to leave him high and dry.

Bumblebee is glad to have an extra pair of servos helping around.

She becomes his unofficial, official second in Command of the Team.

If he is being honest, he was a bit afraid of Maxima taking the reigns of the team and leading.

Maybe she would have a better chance at leading like her father.

“All I’m saying is that you could definitely lead the team.”--Bumblebee

“Yeah, if I must. I wouldn’t want your job, Bee.”--Maxima

“But you’re a natural leader, just like Optimus was.”—Bumblebee

Maxima pauses for a split second before turning back to her work.

“A natural leader? Yeah, that’s just called ‘Survive long enough for the original leader to come back.’ Bee, do you not think your team would riot if you gave me the command?”--Maxima

“Well…”--Bumblebee

Maxima gives him a stern look.

“You’re a good leader Bee—”--Maxima

“But I’m not Optimus!”--Bumblebee

Both look at each other in silence.

“Maxima… I didn’t mean--”--Bumblebee

“Bumblebee. No one wants you to be Optimus. Not Strongarm, not Sideswipe, not Drift, not Grimlock, and defiantly not me. We want you. You and all of your flaws, terrible jokes and racing stripes.”--Maxima

Bee looks down a bit.

Maxima pats his shoulders in reassurance.

“…I miss him too; I miss him so much Bee. But right now, I think he’d want me to talk some sense into you. So here it is. The leader who you are now, that’s what this team needs. I’ll step in when its needed and give advice, but I’m not going to lead your team, got that Bee?”--Maxima

“Yeah… Thanks for talking sense into my processor.”—Bumblebee

Maxima flicks his door wings a bit.

“Someone has to. Consider it my job to look after your bumbling behind.”—Maxima

Bumblebee swats one of Maxima’s tires.

“Hey!”--Bumblebee

It was quick work to get along with most of Team Bee.

Maxima, Strongarm and Sideswipe made regular sparing partners.

Who knew that a monster truck could have agility?

Not them apparently.

Sideswipe is a bit let down that he can’t patrol with Maxima due to her alt mode drawing too much attention.

But off-road patrols are the best ones yet.

Maxima lets him do stuff on patrol that Bumblebee doesn’t let him.

Strongarm respects Maxima for being a former team member of the legendary Team Prime.

Though there was a time where her respect was more on a ‘tolerance level’ than genuine respect.

Strongarm did think that Maxima was a little bit like Sideswipe but didn’t really vocalize it too much.

That was until Sideswipe tried to take advantage of Maxima’s lax and got in trouble.

Maxima was the first on the scene.

Maxima and the team looking at Grimlock stuck in a rock arch.

Bumblebee and Maxima turn back to Sideswipe with, both with arms crossed.

“Sideswipe. What you did was reckless and endangered not only yourself, but also Grimlock.”--Bumblebee

“It was not my fault that Grimlock fell in the rock! If he’d—”--Sideswipe

“Grimlock was your partner for patrol today, Sideswipe. You both are supposed to have each other’s backs, not just one. If we wanted solo patrols, we would have authorized that. You put yourself and Grimlock in danger when you started blaring the music too loud and got ambushed. Which brings us here.”--Maxima

Grimlock was stuck in his Dinobot mode and stuck on a rock arch.

“It could be worse. Anyways Grims fine, aren’t ya!”--Sideswipe

Grimlock groans a bit.

“Yeah I’m fine… when did we get another Drift… and Strongarm…”--Grimlock

Maxima looks at him unamused and turns to Strongarm.

“Strongarm, take Sideswipe back to the scrapyard, I got Grimlock. We’ll be taking the scenic route to get back before the sun comes up.”--Maxima

“What!?”--Sideswipe

“What?”--Strongarm

“You heard Maxima.”--Bumblebee

“Maxima, with all due respect, how are you going to get Grimlock out by yourself? Let alone get him back home in one piece?”--Strongarm

Maxima walks over to the arch and punches the rock at an angle.

The rock crumbles releasing Grimlock with a small thud.

Everyone was stunned by this.

“H-how—”--Drift

Maxima throws Grimlock over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes and starts the opposite path.

She stops momentarily and turns back slightly.

“You better have a good apology when you get back to the scrapyard Sideswipe because I can get pretty creative with enforcement when I want to.”

Maxima and Grimlock disappear from view.

“…”—Team Bee

Sideswipe looks at Bumblebee.

“Did you know she was that strong?”—Sideswipe

Bumblebee shrugs almost looking smug.

“She’s wrestled with Predacons bigger than Grimlock, Sideswipe. And she isn’t kidding about the ‘creative enforcements. Either.”--Bumblebee

Bumblebee transforms and drives out.

“That didn’t answer the question!”—Sideswipe

“Did he mention Predacons?”—Drift

“… Lets just get back home.”--Strongarm

 Strongarm defiantly looks at Maxima in a different light after that night.

She sees her as another mentor figure alongside Bumblebee.

Drift was a bit on edge with Maxima joining the team.

He did give the benefit of the doubt considering that Maxima was on Team Prime with Bumblebee during the war.

She couldn’t be bad if Bee tolerated her.

Drift truly began to open when his former master came back taunting him for his Decepticon past.

Maxima did not judge him or give him pity sympathy.

She earned some respect points from him that day.

The minis like to hang out with Maxima whenever they have a break.

She will come to the mini’s defense at any moment, something that he is grateful for.

Maxima shielding the mini’s with her frame from the Decepticon.

“Wrong move Con. Wrong move.”--Maxima

Maxima judo flips the Con and drop kicks him to Drift’s pedes knocked out.

“Where did you learn that kick?”--Drift

Maxima shrugged.

“Mulan.”--Maxima

“What’s Mulan.”--Drift

“…Russel! I have the perfect movie for tonight!”—Maxima

Grimlock liked Maxima from day 1.

She already seemed like a nice bot and boy was he right!

Of all the team, his favorite sparring partner was Maxima.

She could take in more hits and more time than most of the members of the team.

And did he mention how strong she was?

Sometimes Grimlock would start arm wrestling matches between the two of them on slower days in the scrapyard.

It was always fun to see how long each other would struggle to bring the other one down.

Bets have been made those days.

Bumblebee currently has the best luck in the betting pool for Maxima, which many don’t think its fair considering that he has known Maxima for longer, therefore, knows more about her than they do.

Drift and Sideswipe are tied at the bottom of the betting pool.

Grimlock also likes how Maxima refuses to hear the team treat him less.

That being said…

The team has learned that the duo sometimes cannot be left alone for too long.

“Hey, has anyone seen Maxima?”--Bumblebee

“Now that you’ve said it, I haven’t seen Grimlock either.”--Russel

“I’m sure they’re fine.”--Denny

BOOM!

Grimlock comes in running fast in.

“Coming through!”--Grimlock

Bumblebee quickly grabbed Denny and Russel and moved out of the Dinobot’s way.

“Grimlock!”--Bumblebee

“Sorry! Gotta catch this time!”--Grimlock

“Catch wh—”--Denny

Maxima comes descending from the sky.

Grimlock dives and manages to catch her in his arms.

“You finally caught me Grimmy!”--Maxima

Grimlock has a huge smile on his faceplate.

“Now its my turn!”--Grimlock

“Grimlock no!”—Bumblebee and Denny

“Grimlock yes!”—Maxima and Grimlock

Grimlock, with Maxima still in his arms, runs back the same way they came in.

Bumblebee sighs tiredly but lets out a soft smile.

“I’d just like to think what Optimus would say right now if he say her like this.”—Bumblebee

“Why Optimus exactly?”—Denny

“Oh yeah you two don’t know. Maxima is Optimus’s daughter.”—Bumblebee

“SHE’S WHAT!?”—Denny and Russel

[theroyalsandi]

Queen Maxima of The Netherlands attends the conference B for Goods Leaders Summit in Amsterdam, Netherlands. | May 11, 2023

[brineffxiv]

Back in Garlemald, we have quite the story to tell.

While we've been away, many of the tempered have been moved, with the assistance of our fellow Scions, to various allied nations for treatment, as we have neither the resources no ability to treat them all here.

Excitingly, our defeat of Anima seems to have caused the other towers to disappear. The rescued captives are now in the care of their own peoples, who have been taught the magics necessary to cure the tempered! I am very pleased with this development, as it empowers the people of the tribes to act on their own, and not need to be trapped in a perpetual relationship of needing to turn to us for charity.

Some of the Ilsabard contingent have been given leave to return home, though Lucia and Maxima will remain along with a smaller force to continue offering aid to those who still call Garlemald home.

Oh boy, Lucia, you are not ready for what we have to tell you. I apologize in advance. This is about to get both very weird and very bad.

Lucia is taking this much better than I did. Props to her. She is willing to pass on the information to the Alliance leaders (that's a yikes task if ever there was one, "Just wanted to let you know, the apocalypse has begun") and even has the presence of mind to release the rest of the Scions from their duties so that we can all confer in Sharlayan and get to work saving everyone's bacon.

Before we leave, Maxima wants to talk to me about my bestie, Zenos. He has an idea to send scouts out looking for him, seeing that it's likely Zenos returned to Garlemald after leaving the moon. I think that's a terrible idea, because while Zenos doesn't delight in bloodshed, he'd have no qualms with killing anyone who stood in his way.

That second option would also have been a good one, because, yeah, I don't expect Zenos to be randomly wrecking havoc throughout the countryside. He's too... introspective. Too bored. None of that wanton destruction stuff would hold his interest. Honestly, I don't think Zenos is a realistic danger to the common citizen of Garlemald at this point; so long as anyone who sees him stays away from him, he's more likely to leave them alone.

Ahhh... Finally. I wondered when that name would pop up. Been waiting for that since Stormblood when I first saw it as a tag suggestion.

Back in Sharlayan, we fill in the rest of our friends on all that has transpired. Estinien says what we're all thinking.

Once we rule out pursuing the ancients' solution - sacrificing half the star's population to re-summon Zodiark - we're left with trying to find the root cause of the Final Days. A daunting task.

...Y'shtola gives quite a bit of shade to the ancients for having made the choice they did, but I've always gotten the impression that it was a last resort type of deal. That by the time they got to the place where they had to realistically consider it, the catastrophe had reached the point where it was either lose half their number or lose everyone. We have the benefit of knowing it's coming and taking action before our entire star is engulfed in a world-ending cataclysm. By comparison, we're in a rather lofty position. And, thanks to the Convocation, we both know a major symptom (stagnation of aether currents) and a method that solved it (having a primal regulate the star's currents) and continued to solve it for thousands of years. We just have to figure out what was causing those currents to stagnate in the first place. We are leagues ahead of where the ancients were at this point, and thanks to their knowledge can potentially find a better solution. It's not right to judge the ancients for the choices they made, in a situation we will never be in, when we are the beneficiaries of those choices.

Too bad we murdered everybody with firsthand knowledge of it, eh? Ironically, the Ascians would probably have made good allies in solving this problem. Though, their being tempered might have forced them down the path of re-summoning Zodiark... Maybe it's for the best they're not here.

That is a good point. I haven't the slightest clue. But, I am sure it will be horrifying!

Y'shtola suggests asking the Forum, now that we know what they're up to. But, before we can do more than contemplate this course of action Tataru interrupts with news: the Forum is holding a public assembly!

I wonder... Have they suddenly gotten a message that the time is nigh to evacuate?

That appears to be exactly what has happened. Prompted by a message from the moon, the Forum has unanimously voted to release the enchantment upon themselves and inform the public of their great duty and the imminent exodus.

I can't fail to notice that this entire scene is backed by the peppy "bad guys doing stuff" music (I really must learn the proper name of that track, lol.) makes me highly suspicious of the Forum, it does.

Fourchenault, of course, has been chosen to supervise this great endeavor. Yay...

I am uneasy that, at no point in these grand speeches does anyone broach the topic of, say, informing any of the other nations what is about to happen. Or of evacuating their people. It's Sharlayan, Sharlayan, Sharlayan. Much as I suspected, Sharlayan is only concerned with saving and preserving their own. All else will be left to burn in the Final Days.

It's difficult not to contrst what Sharlayan has chosen to do with what the ancients did. I remember Emet-Selch claiming that half our number would never voluntarily give up their lives to save the rest... At the time, I agreed with him, and I am unsurprised... And yet, still gravely disappointed, to find that he was right.

The twins have words for their father before we retire to the Baldesion Annex. They are good words, well worth saying. But I find I am distracted by Fourchenault's complete non-reaction to finding out we have no only been to the moon, but that Urianger is still up there and working with their collaborators. The man doesn't even blink. I can't say whether he already knew via the message they received, or whether he thinks we're full of shit! Ah... if only we'd been able to confront them before they'd opted to tell everyone. I'd have loved to see the looks on their faces.

You are so close, Thancred. Say it. Say that Zodiark wasn't evil. All along he'd been our protection against the Final Days. Hydaelyn lied to us. Lied to Minfilia, who gave her life to serve a God that wasn't one. Under false pretenses. Aren't you angry? Aren't you tired of being manipulated?

...Maybe you're right, maybe I do need some sleep.

Back at the Annex, in my room, I am hallucinating the Final Days again.

Suddenly there comes a knock on my door!

Not gonna lie, when this happened I tried to stop and post a little poll for you all to choose who should be at my door. I thought it would be fun XD. But the minimum time to hold a poll for is one day, and I didn't want to wait that long... sooo...

I mean, I couldn't not choose G'raha.

Oh G'raha, you remind me why I love you! You make my heart happy. Darling, stay the night, won't you?

Meanwhile, in the Ala Mhigan quarter, there is something bad happening...

There's also a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo by my DNC and RDM mentors! Omg omg! What are you two doing? Together??

Also meanwhile, in Ishgard, Erenville spots something ominous.

Don't say that, omg. Nothing good comes after people say that!

Oh no, oh no, Thavnair.

[magicaemaxima]

@musesofhororr

The Supreme pressed her lips together and thought to herself for a moment, yes many have heard about her, after all she was the supreme of her coven.

Yet, good things? Cordelia wasn't evil by any means but she wondered who was saying such good things about her. A small smile then formed on her lips as she picked up her cup of tea. "Is that so?" She asked then placed the cup down onto the table. "And who has been saying such things about me?" Cordelia asked softly. "I have heard many things about you as well. Though none of them were about your beauty. It's a shame that was left out."

Dionysia had been in this universe for some time now. Every now and then, she left her own. As an immortal being, sometimes she needed to simply allow the current population of humans to die and new ones to be born in her absence, so that when she returned, no one knew who she was. Though there were always memory spells if someone recognized her. Plus, she had been bored and wanted to see what else was out there.

Apparently what was out there was other witches. In her own, almost all witches had been wiped out by hunters, witch trials, everything. But not in this timeline. Here, witches were thriving, and had a multitude of numbers. Of course Dionysia wanted to find out everything she could. Especially about their leader.

"Some witches of yours I've met." she murmured. Dionysia could tell a witch from a human by smell. Whenever she had met someone in the recent weeks that smelled like a witch, she insisted upon talking to them. "They've said how lovely you are. How strong. How fantastic of a leader. Or, as I've heard it called, a Supreme? Is that the word? I don't have a coven, so I'm still learning these things."

"I would love to know what you've heard about me. I hope I haven't given you a bad impression." While she tried keeping a low profile, there were times Dionysia couldn't help herself; she was prideful, and incredibly reliant on her powerful magic for everything. Because of magicae maxima, usually difficult spells were very easy for Dionysia, which made her all the more casual about using it. She wouldn't be surprised if that had been noticed by Cordelia's witches.

[ifreakingloveroyals]

Through the Years → Queen Máxima of the Netherlands (1,401/∞)

11 May 2023 | Queen Maxima of The Netherlands attends the conference B for Goods Leaders Summit in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images)

[victorysp]

Queen Maxima attends the annual B for Good Leaders Summit in the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam. May 11, 2023.

📷 Blauw Bloed

[bicycleboyblog]

On this week's page of Bicycle Boy, horrific violence! Here's a quick refresher:

Last chapter, our heroes were in the midst of a dangerous journey to Fort Anne - the city where Poet's supposed creator, Elba Cortez Maxima, resides. The guy juuust wants to figure out why he's a cyborg (and maybe get revenge for limbs lost) but Fort Anne and its ever-expanding, scorched black territory is rigidly controlled under a hostile military and their leader, The Senator.

Machk and Poet separated with a very wounded Darla after a scuffle with soldiers. Last we saw, they were apprehended. And so, here we are!

[year2000electronics]

everyone who works at the League of Heroes for my superhero story, iris of the storm!! in order:

lady drake (she/her) leader of the league, retired superhero, party animal who lives by the 'well i'll have a little treat' philosophy, superpower is turning into a dragon

iris maxima (she/her) wannabe supervillain whose application got rejected from the league of villains and her revenge plan blew up in her face, so now she's working at the league of heroes to try and sabotage them from the inside, superpower is being able to search up knowledge like a database on something if she makes eye contact with it

blinding flash (he/him) golden boy of the league, everyone loves him, hes wildly popular and charismatic, and definitely doesnt have an issue with being a people pleaser! superpower is being able to turn into light

the american mothman (he/him) flash's work friend turned real friend after iris starts showing up, hes not actually from america so when he saw the point pleasant statue of mothman he guessed on the colors, superpower is being able to fly and also being surprisingly agile

dr. zuzu goda (she/her) builds robots, including a robot named GREG who only cares about family feud. superpower is building robots

talis streiber (he/she) one of the league's secretaries, was supposed to be an "ambassador for peace" but is constantly too stressed about the planet and its customs to do shit, has a pet named squishbert, superpower is being an alien

professor flux (he/him) kooky zany scientist who rarely makes sense. has interesting hobbies. superpower is magnetism/fields of polarity

sweet melody (zie/hir) became a superhero because zie wants to help people but firmly believes the league lacks the stage presence of villains and so decided to help with that, superpower is musical attacks

mortal coil (he/him) villain masquerading as a hero who runs a "community service program" (kidnaps villains and induces them into his snake-themed hivemind) superpower is uh. having a hivemind

[autumnslance]

School's In Session; Prep for Cold Weather

I've been doing a lot of PvP on Dark and Aeryn this week. Anyroad.

Scholarch Montichaigne's lecture on aether is impressive (and rewatchable in the Unending Journey). Some of it is information we knew before, thanks to the Shadowbringers story through its patches, but it's good to get the refresher on the different kinds of aether that make a person. Also his explanation of memory and magical effects not only explains the Forum's self-administered spell restriction, but also later the pivotal events in Elpis.

Not to mention the honestly impressive conjuration of the paper, pen, paintbrush, and inkwell, and their manipulation. He's showing off for his impromptu class, made of his friends' grandchildren and this weird Eorzean adventurer. It's all in fun...but also a not-so-subtle reminder of just how adept the Scholarch is, and he's but one member of the Forum.

Our understanding of the Lifestream and souls and memory modification refreshed and better explained, we're off to Limsa to meet the trio of badass ladies who run the Alliance.

Seriously one of the things that struck me on first playing this game back in ARR was during the patches and seeing them in a room together, and realizing Eorzea is entirely run by 3 very different women. The men came later. After years in other MMOs with even shoddier track records when it comes to women characters, it was a Thing. While FFXIV isn't always great, the treatments of their leaders has been far more consistent than some.

*stares into the middle distance in Azerothian for awhile*

Before heading to Limsa, I did some of the sidequests that pop up around the Studium. Alisaie's admirer with the mammet, the Forum robes quest (C'oretta in Forum robes is someone's nightmare I'm sure; hers is the bland color scheme), some pretentious tutors, a few wayward books, and of course the beavers. Which gets an accompany quest.

Now that that horror is out of the way...for now....

The WoL declaring their reason for the Scions joining the Ilsabard Contingent gets us another rousing "Heroes Forge Ahead." This scene is also not voiced despite its importance, nor the next one with meeting Raubahn, Aymeric, Gaius, and Maxima in Ala Mhigo. This quest, "A Capital Idea," isn't replayable in the Unending Journey at all; it skips from "Sound the Bell, School's In" to "Best of the Best."

And the men waiting in Ala Mhigo reiterate their dedication to keeping Eorzea safe in the Scions' absence, though also caution the Contingent and its humanitarian goals were not entirely popular in the realm. Still, we're a long way from the city-states' reliance on the Scions for...everything.

Gaius having to stay behind is an obviously painful choice for him and it irks me they brought him back just to stick him in mediocre optional content while sidelining him (so far) despite Garlemald. Though there's strong points about why it's a bad idea for him to go, and gives Maxima time to shine as Lucia's second.

The Ilsabard Contingent Intro is a great scene, one of the rewards for a player who's completed optional content. Emmanellain's fully cringey and cringing here; honestly, this is not his forte and trying to constantly force him into a warrior's role is the worst idea. Also, he doesn't have Honoroit to balance him out.

I do enjoy the moment of Scion levity, as Alisaie nearly gets to watch Y'shtola murder Thancred and Urianger. You know she'd take notes.

Y'shtola: In the meantime, I have a bone to pick with Thancred and Urianger regarding their wagging tongues…

Run, boys! (It won't help)

We also get another of Temulun Mol's prophecies, delivered by Cirina:

Cirina: Two suns─one burning red, the other frozen black. Closer they circled, closer and closer, and as they danced the world fell to ruin. In blinding chaos she spied blackened silhouettes, and knew at once that one was yours. Cirina: Yet we knew not how to interpret this dream, save as a sign that great danger awaits. But whatever lies ahead, I will walk with you, traveler.

ThisIsFine.jpeg.

Handing out the Warding Scales and wow, A-Rhun's dialogue is radically different for a White Mage vs a Non-WHM. Everyone else is mostly the same, though you have far more people to speak to depending on how many job quests are completed, and if Bozja is also unlocked/completed.

A few more reminders of the cold, and just as the fashion-conscious Scions debate what to do to avoid wearing the fugly GC overcoats, Tataru arrives with her new Look and their cold weather gear. Also word that the long-forgotten Scion Roegadyns have returned to handle the Rising Stones, so she will go to Sharlayan to help Krile.

Seriously, as a Roe player, I thought the devs had forgotten Aergmhus and Bluomwyda, last seen after the Crystal Braves fiasco in Heavensward. Then they got a brief mention in 5.55, and now mentioned here. Returning to the Rising Stones from Ala Mhigo, the duo is indeed present, and the only ones in the Scion HQ as everyone else is dealing with the Towers and helping the realm. They've apparently been answering to Riol the whole time:

Bluomwyda: It's been quite some time, hasn't it? As I recall, Ishgard was still at war with Nidhogg's brood when last we spoke. I hear the dragoon from those days is a Scion now. Bluomwyda: As for Aergmhus and I, we recently returned from a mission in the provinces, where we built up an information network at Riol's behest. The man's a tyrant─had us working every waking moment. Bluomwyda: Anyroad, the two of us have been tasked with keeping watch over the Rising Stones, but I'm keeping a closer watch on Aergmhus and his alcohol intake. Last thing I need is for the man to be in a drunken stupor when trouble comes our way.

Aergmhus: Well, if it isn't Mistress [Surname]! Long has it been since we last met, but surely you haven't forgotten, have you? 'Tis I, Aergmhus─formerly of the Maelstrom and the Crystal Braves! Aergmhus: Upon returning from my mission abroad, Tataru called me to the Rising Stones and asked me to “prepare for the worst.” And though the worst has yet to come, I must abstain from indulging in a glass of wine until after it's passed.

Next up: Garlemald!

[cicidarkarts]

Blood Defied - 14: Dragon Attack

< Previous Chapter | Chapter List | Next Chapter (Coming soon!) >

“Confringo!”

Sebastian's incantation came out as an enraged growl. The fiery curse exploded between the group of goblins. Two went flying; the other two teleported out of the way. The head goblin rushed at Credence with his sword raised. A swipe caught her automatic Protego, flinging his arm back. 

From the other side, she heard Ominis engaging the other two goblins. His wind charm blasted one of the goblins into the rocky cliffs. Despite Anne's pain, she pushed through and cast a strong Bombarda. Sebastian's Descendo took two goblins to the ground at once. One recovered so fast that he was a blur of dark colors. His sword sliced Sebastian, cutting through his jacket.

Sebastian didn't even wince as blood stained his clothes. He fired back with a blazing Incendio. Credence took aim at the head goblin before he could recover and hit him with an Arresto Momentum. Sebastian threw the other goblin into his leader's frozen body.

Ominis easily deflected one of the swords with his perfect Protego. He used the energy to cast a Stunner at the second, who had gotten a bit too close to Anne. Anne hit the first with a frigid Glacius just as he regained his footing from the Protego knockback.

Credence and the others drew closer, their wands at the ready. The goblins were gritting their teeth and breathing heavily.

“Tell me how to heal Anne,” demanded Sebastian. “Or I swear to God—” “Foolish boy. Even if there was a cure, you think I'd tell you?”

Credence's heart sunk. But Sebastian's fury rose. He fired another Confringo at the goblins. They teleported in a puff of smoke, scattering along the beach. Sebastian followed the head goblin and summoned him forward. The goblin muttered the counterspell and dropped to the ground.

Credence cast Levioso on her opponent, watching Ominis and Anne from the corner of her vision. One of their goblin opponents teleported behind Ominis. The other was already taking aim. Ominis wouldn't be able to turn in time. The goblin behind him raised his sword. Credence launched her opponent at him. Both goblins hit the ocean, dropping beneath the waves in a large splash.

The leader reached into his pocket and produced a small, black whistle with a row of ridges down its back. Sebastian took aim as the goblin blew the whistle. The piercing screech that filled the air was stopped short by Sebastian's slicing attack. The goblin staggered upon his feet, huffing and panting. His cold eyes met Sebastian's.

“Good luck. You'll need it.”

With that, four plumes of smoke took the goblins away. 

Anne screamed and howled in excruciating pain. She doubled over, clutching her stomach and chest. Ominis held onto her.

“Anne!” He grabbed her shoulders, but then he gazed skyward, his wide eyes wavering in terror. “Something's coming!”

They paused. Credence listened hard but couldn’t hear anything. Ominis tried to drag Anne to her feet and off the rocks.

“We need to get out of here,” said Sebastian.

The moment he took a step, a thunderous clap assaulted Credence’s ears. Then a vicious roar rumbled through the sky. She faced the noise as a shadow engulfed them. An enormous figure blotted out the sun, its wings outstretched. The beast tore toward them with unparalleled speeds. A stream of fire spewed from its maw.

Sebastian and Credence used their Protego to hold the flames off. Lava-like lashes whipped and flickered along the sides of their shield. The heat burned her dominant hand.

“Get Anne out of here!” screamed Sebastian. He struggled against the wall of fire, heels digging into the ground as the force threatened to shove them down.

The shields were at their limit, searing and thick with magic. Not even Protego Maxima could hold the fire back. But when the monster's feet hit the sand and shook the earth beneath them, its flame stopped. The overwhelming power within their shields burst with mighty Stunners. But each bounced off the scales of the ferocious beast like pebbles.

Before them, a black dragon stood poised for attack. It stretched its serpentine neck toward the sky and roared. There was a collar upon it, thick and black like the goblin armor, radiating a sanguine magic. Anne could barely move. Credence heard Ominis urging her to get up, but all Anne could do was cough and moan in agony.

“Bombarda!” called Sebastian, casting at the collar.

Bombarda exploded but neither the collar nor the dragon flinched. It lurched forward, teeth gnashing, jaws snapping. Credence flourished and cast Glacius to freeze the inside of its mouth. It flinched back, pawing at its face with a gigantic wing. At the same time, it swung its tail like a battering ram.

Sebastian snagged Credence around the back of the neck and took her to the ground. The tail boomed overhead like a gunshot and a rush of air forced them deeper into the sand. The dragon whirled around, sloshing through the water. It stopped, eyes upon Anne as Ominis finally got her to her feet. When it saw Anne, it scrambled toward her, screeching and snarling.

“No!” cried Sebastian. He swiped his wand through the air and cast, “Diffindo!”

Three slashes raced toward the dragon and clawed at its sensitive wing. But it barely slowed down. 

Credence and Ominis cried, “Confringo!”

Ominis’ hit the dragon in the throat and hers hit just under the wing. It was enough to make the dragon recoil and stagger. Sebastian rushed to Anne. He grabbed her by the arm and yanked her toward the valley leading back to town.

The dragon swiped a massive wing at them. Ominis was knocked face-first into the sand with a loud thud. Sebastian shoved Anne out of the way. The wing connected with his torso, sending him flying into the cliff. He gripped the bloody slash mark on his stomach as more blood spewed across his hand. He grit his teeth and failed to swallow down an agonized moan.

Credence tried to use something— anything! But all of her attacks were useless: Confringo, Depulso, even Galinn Glacius did nothing to stop the dragon. It still stared at Anne, bloodlust filling its gaze, set upon her like a rabid beast. Sebastian and Ominis had gotten to their feet. Their spells exploded off the dragon’s scales, doing nothing but infuriating it.

The dragon reared back, gulping down air, preparing to erupt once again. Sebastian stood with his wand raised against the unstoppable beast. Ominis stayed in front of Anne, protecting her as she coughed and sputtered and cried in pain upon the ground. Neither of them were a match for a dragon but both stood strong, ready to face death.

Credence knew there was one thing she hadn't tried yet. One thing that would work, that could save her bleeding and battered friends. Her racing heart slowed as she prepared her transfiguration. She wouldn't let them die, even if that meant they would see her as the monster she is.

In the blink of an eye, her body contorted and twisted—elongating, growing. She hissed at the dragon who halted its attack. The gem on her head flashed, entrancing the beast. She swayed, leading it toward her while her coils tugged her friends together. Her body protected them, pushing against their clothes and skin, Sebastian's blood trickling down her scales. Anne called her name, weak and frail between coughs. Credence nudged them toward the path.

“Run!” she hissed. “Credence…?” said Sebastian, a shock and muteness in his voice like she'd never heard from him.  “Run!” Ominis reiterated. “She wants us to run!”

Just as they made a break for it, the dragon snapped out of its momentary trance. When its eyes locked onto her friends, Credence lunged for its throat. Its long neck slithered out of the way. Needle-like teeth jabbed into the back of her neck. She couldn't hold onto her hissing yelp of pain.

She looked to Ominis and the others, ensuring they were out of the way. Sebastian was dragging Ominis up the valley. Their faces were contorted in fear—pale, clenched teeth, wide and glossy eyes. Fear directed at the dragon, not at her, unlike—

Her mind's eye flashed Anaba's wide, horrified stare; gazing as though she were a great evil prepared to kill in an instant. Those striking hazel eyes filled with terror churned her stomach. But that was not Ominis; not Sebastian nor Anne.

Credence wrapped her coils around the dragon and squeezed as hard as she could. Spines dug into her stomach. With a crack, the beast let her go. She whirled her head around and snagged the dragon's wing in her mouth. Her fangs tore through its hard scales and she forced acrid venom into the limb.

The dragon ripped at her with its back claws, slicing open her flesh. She fell, briefly bashing into the sand before shooting back up. The dragon seemed hellbent on attacking her friends—on going after Anne and the familiar dark magic within her. It staggered up the path, scraping its useless wing along the ground. 

Credence struck at its back but her teeth couldn't penetrate. The dragon's tail whipped her face. She snagged it in her mouth and bit down, injecting more venom. Flames inundated her as the dragon tried to free itself. Her magic-resistant scales shielded her from the intense heat, making it feel like the Wyoming summer sun bore down on her. 

“Credence!” Anaba called, smiling bright in her mind. “You're a muggle-born? That's so awesome, so am I!”

Then another memory assaulted her, filling her ears with a young Anaba's sobs. A white boy stood over her, mocking her for being lowbred, a muggle spawn, a mistake, an Indian.

Credence stepped in even then, as her child voice yelled, “Leave her alone!”

Anaba gave as good as she got, defending Credence against prejudiced attacks. “An eye for an eye,” she’d teased, her brilliant smile gleaming. “We get enough crap in the muggle world, don't you think?”

Credence pinned the dragon to the cliffside with her horns and it thrashed and snapped at them. One solid kick threw Credence into the ocean waters, splashing the salty water up the shoreline, dyeing the sand crimson.

The dragon rushed up the path, carving through dirt and rocks in its clumsy wake, that wing and tail dragging heavy behind. Credence slithered after it, shooting streams of venom at the beast. It didn't slow it down. The venom that lay upon its back couldn't get through those tough, keeled scales.

It was going to reach Feldcroft soon. Credence  darted toward it, charging with speeds that burned her unblinking eyes. She latched onto the dragon's throat. It roared skyward as a coppery flavor seeped into Credence’s mouth. Spells were shot in their direction, hitting the dragon and her as she instinctively coiled around it to squeeze out its life. Fire and ice and lightning seared her flesh. She injected venom into the dragon. It retaliated by whirling its serpentine neck around and clamping down on her chest. Its fangs pierced deep into her sensitive underbelly.

She cried out, releasing the dragon and trying to tear away from the assault. But the dragon had her tight. With half of its body useless, it refused to relinquish its only method of defense. Spells peppered her body in tandem, blasting her underbelly and sending shocks of pain throughout her. 

“Don't hurt her!” Anne's distant voice screamed through terror and tears. “Confringo!” came both of the boys’ attacks.

They hit the dragon in the face, one fiery explosion in each eye. It released her. Blood cascaded down her chest, hot and wet, thick as it spattered the ground. So many punctures leaked down her front. She writhed and her coils unraveled from the dragon's collapsing body. Her muscles gave out. Frigid wind rushed past her head as she fell backwards. She couldn't move, couldn't stop her descent.

She hit a body of water, then a gravely bottom. Pond water streaked skywards. As her animagus form failed her, transfiguring her back to small human Credence, the icy water fell upon her in heavy raindrops. It covered her up to the ears, dulling the sounds of the dragon being subdued by the town.

Through the ice, Credence felt something hot burning her flesh. Her chest and stomach were on fire. A trembling, heavy hand reached for her wounds, dousing her frozen fingers in boiling hot liquid. Her heart was so tired it couldn't react when she saw her pale hand dripping crimson.

She was going to die. Whether it was true or not, her mind resigned her to it. She would die here in this pond. But at least her friends were safe. At least Ominis was safe. Thudding footsteps reached her muffled ears.

“Credence!” called Ominis’ voice. The sound graced her ears and flooded her with ecstasy.

Water sloshed as he ran up to her. He drenched his knees when he knelt beside her. She could barely see his face, blurry eyes struggling to make sense of blonde, peach, and striking blue. She focused on the dark brown beauty marks flecking his face, allowing his bleary features to come into view.

“Credence, oh my God,” he called, voice shaking and body trembling. 

His hand touched her chest, then he ripped it away. As his face came into focus, she saw the color leave his cheeks. Her blood dripped off his hand. His blue eyes were wide in panic. He grabbed her again, lifting her head from the frozen pond.

“Ominis,” she groaned, weak and dull. “I'm so glad you're here.” “Y-you're going to be okay,” he said desperately, quivering and sweating.

She tried to take in all the details of his face. Time stopped for her, allowing her to absorb him—his thick brow, his incredible jawline, his high cheekbones. She counted his beauty marks and admired his pink lips. He was so regal. Credence thought back to his stunning smiles, his quick wit, his gentle touches. She longed to marvel at his kindness and his soft-spoken voice, and treasure him for the rest of her life. She reached up with her leaden, exhausted hand. Her fingers touched his clammy face, hot in comparison to her frozen body.

“You're the most gorgeous man I've ever met,” she said. His hand laid upon hers, fingers grasping her and keeping her close. “Credence. I won't let you die. Please. Please—”

She didn't hear him anymore. His lips kept moving but no sound reached her ears. Everything was so cold. Her vision went black.

[abr]

Secondo il merdume popolazzaro allevato a pane e odio e qualche aspirante politico "espressione della laggente" , il fatto che i leader delle parti "chiaccherino tranquillamente" invece di sfancularsi come farebbero delle lavandaie, è indicatore di truffa maxima truffa sono tutti d'accordo maledettih.

Si capisce che non hanno mai visto avvocati di parti avverse che si caverebbero gli occhi, fare il loro lavoro cioè PARLARSI.

MAGARI IL DIBATTITO POLITICO PUBBLICO FOSSE COSI'.

Emergerebbe finalmente che non c'è ragione e torto, non c'è buono e cattivo, ci sono solo INTERESSI e RICETTE. Parlarsi pianamente magari aiuterebbe a farlo emergere: il partito dei pubblici dipendenti ad esempio, che male c'è basterebbe lo dicessero, magari qualche boccalone così eviterebbe.

Invece gnente da fà, anche se di nascosto si parlano poi c'è tuitter la vasca biologica dove immergersi nella merda, dove sentirsi tanto popolazzari.