I'm sure we all remember the mysterious baby that washed up on Morioh's beach, the day Johnny Joestar died. What if this baby is a descendant of Gyro and grew up to mentor Joseph. It's highly likely that the baby was brought to Morioh by the Saints Corpse's good fortune, which is also why it had jewels on its neck, but due to Johnny's relation to the corpse, wouldn't it make sense that this baby would be someone that Johnny might know? It being a descendant of Gyro would make more sense than literally anyone else once you consider that Johnny is probably buried alongside pieces of the Saints Corpse. The baby would be in its 40s by the time they'd be mentoring Joseph on how to use his stand and maybe even teaching him basic spin.
Another theory I have regarding Josefumi's birthmark is that his father is a descendant of one of George Joestar children or even Johnny's daughter. This is further proven by the existence of stars on Josefumi's Soft and Wet on its head and shoulders, a visual trait that is passed down into Josuke's Soft and Wet. This would explain why Josuke was able to learn Spin so quickly because he's a fusion of not 1 but 2 Joestar descendants who both have an ancestor that used Spin, Johnny. And Joseph also knowing basic spin would make it even more likely that Josuke retained knowledge of Spin through his ancestors, much like how Joseph was naturally gifted with hamon from Johnathan in the og universe.
Now the flashback man. It's impossible that Josuke's memory takes place before Yasuho found him, so it's way more likely that it's actually a vision of the future, taking place some time after JoJoLion. Flashback man has been shown to have blonde hair, like Gyro. Perhaps it's not too far-fetched to think that the flashback man is a descendant of the baby who was washed up on Morioh's beach. Flashback man being a descendant of Gyro, and Josuke meeting him at the wall eyes after Tooru's death could have any number of unseen consequences. Maybe he's somehow connected to Josuke getting a new Locacaca for Holly. Anything after this point is extreme speculation and straw grasping, but I think this timeline would make a lot of sense.
I also wanted to point out that Johnny was never seen to have a birthmark, but he did have stars on his hands and hat. It's possible that the star birthmark was created when Johnny passed the curse to himself, since the first person we see with the mark is actually Joseph, his grandson. Back to my second theory now, with Josefumi's father being a descendant of Johnny's daughter; her descendants would not have the birthmark. Only George's descendants would have the birthmark because he was inflicted with the stone disease that Johnny cured him of. This does not mean that George himself had the birthmark, just his descendants, Joseph being one of them. So perhaps the panel with Josefumi having a star birthmark was a hint at his ancestry. He may not ACTUALLY have the birthmark, but it could've been hinting at his relation to Johnny Joestar. Remember, Josefumi was only shown to have it ONCE.
I know this is a little sloppy, and I encourage you all to challenge my points so I can bring up clearer plot points.

The scourge began with the darkest of nights.
Cecuria, the aquatic province of The Sea Kingdom had no clue about what was about to happen. Falcon knew that. Daybreak knew that. And there was no way to prevent the destined bloodshed.
Day was quaking in fear. Falcon watched in silence as his dragon began to itch his orange-gold scales feverishly. He was also beginning to bleed from all of the scratches around his neck. Occasionally Day would growl in a deep unbridling voice, one that Falcon knew all too well. The transformation was happening once more.
The sting of his curse mark was enough to jolt Falcon awake. Terror struck in his bones as he felt the calling of the curse. And everything about it irritated him.
Day's growls were getting more ferocious by the minute. Falcon glimpsed up from his caged window to notice the three moons. Falcon's chocolate eyes grew wide at the sight of the full two moons. A bad omen for times to come.
It still amazed Falcon that he wasn't used to his new life. It had all the same now; the duo would play nomads, travel across the continent, gather supplies, and just as it seemed everything was going to be okay, a tragedy had to happen. It would never stop. Fate always caught up to the two of them.
Falcon had to prepare for the night. And for that, he had to grab his gear. He made his way toward his partner and bent down to his transforming friend.
"Day, I know you can hear me," Falcon began with caution. Day's bleeding eyes had begun to turn black. Venom glared within them. "Try to fight it. Hold out for me, okay? We can try to rampage in the lower districts."
Day grunted, but there was no answer. Falcon painfully left him alone in his dark corner. Falcon had to focus on the lock.
Producing a lockpick from the waistband of his undergarments, Falcon held his breath and began to work on the cell lock. He had one chance and he had to make it count.
Focus, Falcon. A little to the left, hear from the right. The sweet spot is abound. I've been doing this for ages now. Let's hope my time of breaking into mom and dad's chests has been worth it.
With one final nudge, the lockpick broke and so did the lock. The metal securement fell to the blood-tainted floor softly on some pine straw and Falcon released a sigh of relief. There was no time to waste now.
Falcon trudged through the black corridors. His prisoning anklet weighed a ton but it wouldn't be before long that he would have it released from his foot.
He finally found his gear. Though it seemed like everyone fretted about his armor missing, he knew it would return and that was the part he dreaded. His golden Valkyrie arm was the first he grabbed and he hugged it for a moment. The last gift she had ever gifted him. He vowed she would rest easy. They all would.
As he attached his arm and gathered his belongings, Falcon felt a searing pain in his neck. He winced at the pain and turned around and saw it.
You…
An abomination laid before his eyes. A misshapen dragonet squealed in a pile of bloody droppings. The minuscule creature was rust-colored, and one side of its face was bulging gold. It had only one bulging green eye, a boney wing, and a tiny arm that resembled a human arm. Falcon's blood boiled at the sight.
"Get out of my sight, you fucking freak!"
And with that, Falcon moved on with rage.
∆∆∆
The shopping districts were the first to collapse and so came the first battalion of the Jomsvikings. Falcon had only heard of them in tales but never had he imagined that he would be facing them in battle. Day's transformation had officially ended and the monster before him was no longer his friend. Just a cannibalistic frenzy of scales and teeth.
Falcon had no name for whoever possessed Day but he knew it was his friend, through and through. He had no love for the vile fiend, however.
Falcon's transformation began. The cold shiver in his spine was beginning to scream out in pain and fear. Rage clouded his mind as the black-scaled armor appeared on his body. With the helm attached, his body lost free will over his control and the carnage began.
Kitsune… Kitsune… KITSUNE!!! KITSUNE! KITSUNE! KITSUNE! KITSUNE!!! KITSUNE!!! KITSUNE!!! KITSUNE!!! KITSUNE!!
An explosion of anger burst from Falcon as he joined Day in the bloodshed. The two began to cut down many people before their path. Falcon roared in delight as he strangled the life out of a dragonet. Day could hear his jaws snapping bones from men. Blood pathed the streets and screams of terror roared throughout the city. All Falcon could remember was the thought of his enemy.
BREAK EVERY BONE IN HIS BODY UNTIL HE BLEEDS!!! TEAR HIS FLESH OFF HIS BODY UNTIL HE SCREAMS IN PAIN. SHOW HIM THE TRUE ANGER OF US, THE SCALESCOURGE! KITSUNE! KITSUNE! KITSUNE!!!
When the Lord and his dragon count arrived, the city was already on fire. Day and Falcon looked up from their bloody-frenzied carnage to notice them.
"My, oh, my!," the Lord began clapping. Such a pretty picture the two of you have painted. It just needs one last thing to make it a masterpiece."
"Yeah…," said "Day". "YOUR FUCKING HEADS!"
The Human Lord and his pet dragon laughed. The two began to molt away their flesh and a set of eight black wings was revealed. Their flesh disguises were shed and their true forms were revealed.
Spiderwings.
Falcon and Day lunged at them; Day's jaws screamed for the hunger of dragon flesh and Falcon's eyes burned for vengeance. The two Tarantula-like dragons put up a fight but soon, they were both beginning for mercy.
"Mercy?" Falcon laughed in hysteria. "MERCY?!" Falcon tore apart a wing, to which one of the dragons howled in pain. "It's time you felt the pain of the victims you've eaten! All those dragonets and humans you've sent to sacrifice for your gluttony!"
And so began the torture. Wings were torn to shreds by Falcon's sword and Day was screaming with joy at the blood he drank from their wounds. Each time it seemed like they were dead, Day would enchant them to come back to life. Their final moments were to be remembered as death full of misery and weeping.
Just as when the sun was beginning to rise, Day was starting to turn back into his older self. And Falcon's scaled armor was satisfied from the deaths they'd caused. Falcon plunged his mechanical arm into the chest of one Spiderwing.
"Tell me, before I blow you into a pile of mutilated shit," Falcon growled in anger. "Where is Kitsune?!"
"K-Kitsune?!" One of the SpiderWings had blood spilling from his mouth.
"WHERE IS HE?!"
"I… I don't know! I'm sorry! Let my li-"
A BOOM! exploded from Falcon's arm. Day and Falcon sat in silence as the world around them began to burn.
This… This is our life, Day thought in sadness. Our new life. The life that we got ourselves now.
I wonder how this all started again…
End of Prologue

Hi BenQ,
I have a BenQ GV1 with the original remote and an Apple TV hooked up through the HDMI to USB C adapter.
My projector is ceiling mounted, and I noticed that the IR signal from the remote is not strong enough to reflect on the wall onto the projector. The projector also doesn’t turn on on the remote’s power button press. After manually turning it on, the remote works just fine from a close distance.
I was wondering if this is normal. If so, what could I do to improve this? I’ve also tried setting up my Apple TV remote which only allows volume up/down but not on/off of the projector.

I am living on campus and as the semester is coming to an end I have started to clean up my dorm room. Whilst taking down one of my posters a chunk of paint came off the wall with it. Along with this there is a stain on my carpet, nothing crazy but you can tell its there. Does anyone know if there are any fees that are applied to damage like this?

I'm sorry this is a rant usually I keep these to my self but for four games in a row I have gotten teammates who really love to sandbag, they'll wait till the killer is a foot away to unhook only for them to cross me get me stuck and bam down I go again but that's on me for not having dh. Then two of them crouched the entirety of me looping the killer for three minutes on the other side of the map so they could finish gens on one side. I got hooked once more and one teammate started getting chased and the other one waited until I was on my last check to rescue only for her to get in my way last second and drop shack pallet

Something's missing. People (and entities) are starting to notice.
First Previous
***
Far across the multiverse in a tavern that, depending on one’s point of view, may or may not have actually existed, Zeb, Petunia, Bethany, Bergamot, Cleve, and Zilandrial sat at a large wooden table.
“Thank you, Shauna,” Bergamot said as a buxom woman in a low-cut peasant dress filled their mugs with a “magic” pitcher of beer that never ran dry. “You don’t have to serve us, you know.”
“Oh, I know,” Shauna replied brightly, “but I am a barmaid. Besides, I am not giving up my magic pitcher!” she added with a laugh. “The next batch of stew should be out in a second.”
“If it is as good as this bread…” Cleve said, holding up a thick, floppy piece of flatbread.
“Better!” Shauna exclaimed. “The pantry keeps filling back up with the best stuff! It’s almost a shame to make stew out of it, but the “fancy” chef went to the “fancy” place. We just figured out the roaster thingy, so we’ll be serving roast fowl as soon as the first batch cooks!”
Shauna paused and took a big drink from her pitcher.
“It turns out that you just had to talk to it. Weird… But no weirder than anything else, I suppose. You guys want to wait for the roast fowl?”
“We shouldn’t tary,” Zeb replied, “We don’t know how long this blessed peace will last.”
“Maybe it’s over?” Bethany the Tinker, now reunited with her beloved hat, asked.
“One can hope,” Zeb shrugged as he drank deeply from his tankard, “but I’m not delaying my repast, and neither should you. When you have fiends like Pantsu and F10w3rchy1d in play, things can get much worse than they already are.”
“Worse?!?” Bergamot exclaimed in horror.
***
Melinda the Stalwart was starting to believe that she should have stayed in bed today.
It was supposed to be her day off! Yeah, things were starting to get “weird,” but with all of those high-rated champions running around up north, it was probably going to get handled pretty quickly… and she was tired of chasing around after their scraps.
Her copper-rated ass was sitting this one out. The fact that everyone had gone gank-crazy just further confirmed that she had the right idea.
So, she decided to head back to the royal city of Raven’s Peak to take advantage of the richer and more powerful adventurers running off to the north, leaving all the armorers, enchanters, alchemists, and publicans in town behind.
It was nice not constantly getting shoved out of the way by stronger champions and ignored by shopkeepers far more interested in their gold than her silver for once.
It started out as such a lovely day, too!
She awoke in a lovely bed at the Blade and Wand, her absolute favorite inn, and a place where it was nearly impossible to get a room without a reservation or a lot more status than she had. There, she enjoyed a wonderful breakfast, at a discounted rate no less, and then went out for a day of crowd-free shopping!
It. Was. Bliss! There were no lines, and all of the storekeepers and craftsmen were all too happy to not only serve her and her meager purse but actually take time to chat!
Then, for lunch, she decided to visit the main branch of the adventurer’s guild, where she had an honest-to-gosh hamburger and fries along with some cider. After that, the plan was to get some training or maybe buy a buff or two…
Well, that was the plan, anyway.
What actually happened was that her wonderful burger, which she could never get under normal circumstances (they were always sold out before a copper-rated nobody could get their coppers taken), was interrupted by the most unholy screams she had ever heard inside or outside a dungeon.
She barely had time to stand before the doors to the guild offices exploded outward, and a demon covered in spikes and flames charged into the main hall.
That looks just like the guildmaster, was about all she had time to think before the fiend was on her.
***
“What’s happening?!?” Melinda cried in terror as she hurtled through absolutely nothing.
(Shh bby is ok)
“H-hello?” she called.
(😊)
“W-who are you? What happened to me?”
(Shh bby is ok)
“Am I… Am I dead?!?”
(is ok)
“Oh, it is definitely NOT okay! Who are you, and what the hell happened?”
The bedbug sighed with exasperation as it bounced off an invisible barrier again.
It had taken too long. The soul was starting to wake up.
Before much longer, it would start to get wiggly. It hated it when they began to wiggle.
Not knowing exactly what else to do, it let out a little ping.
It was answered by thousands of its kind! They couldn’t get through either, so they were having a rave! Awesome!
With a happy little (woo!), it zipped off towards the largest concentration of pings dragging an increasingly indignant Melinda the Stalwart along whether she wanted to or not.
***
“Hahaha!” Tawdry laughed into a prepaid “burner phone” her parents didn’t know about. “I can’t be-lieve you got me fucking grounded, you skank!”
“You’re still grounded?” Claudia snickered, “You diminished that badly?”
“It’s my parents. I managed to talk them down to a week without brain fucking them too hard. Besides, this cell is a lot nicer than the holes you used to stick me in. I’ll just do my time and be done with it. Besides, it will give our friends time to leave town since someone can’t manage to find a freaking truck.”
“First of all, fuck you,” Claudia laughed, “Second of all, thanks for getting that bastard to show up in a park and chase you across all of that nice soft turf. We got a lot of data we didn’t have before.”
“Like what?”
“Like its estimated mass, tire treads, a few lovely material samples where it nailed a park bench while trying to kill you… oh, and confirmation that it actually materializes and dematerializes. We can only assume the little bitch does the same thing. Too bad you couldn’t actually lay hands on her.”
“She was slippery, okay?” Tawdry chuckled.
“Hey,” Claudia said, “before Evika and her party ganked you, did they say anything about whom they were working for, or did they mention a little blonde girl named Petunia… or Pantsu?”
“No, they just said hi and blew my head off. Oh! Stephen did say that David finally confessed to Evika!”
“Took him long enough,” Claudia laughed, “Think he has a chance?”
“I know he has one,” Tawdry replied, “Evika’s gonna drop those drawers any second.”
“Good for her.”
“You said that Robert the Golden Peckerhead got sent back?”
“Yeah, and he is not adjusting well,” Claudia replied, “We have him in a ‘special’ inpatient facility where we are keeping the people with ‘issues’.”
“You got a lot of ‘patients’?”
“Not as many as you would think,” Claudia said, “Not everyone is happy about things, but there is something to be said about not having to sleep with a dagger under your pillow.”
“True that,” Tawdry replied. “High school is a pain, but being able to go out for pizza without an enraged wife (or husband) trying to shank you is nice.”
“Careful,” Claudia laughed, “Enraged spouses here might have a gun. You might want to go easy on the adultery this time around. There is also no magic contraception, and cure disease potions aren’t for sale in every town.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Tawdry groaned. “Doesn’t really matter, though. I might as well be a nun these days.”
“You can’t be diminished that much!”
“I am not into kids, and any man worth screwing isn’t into jailbait. I’m the exact opposite of screwed… Speaking of, you did mention a possible trip to Denmark?”
“Aren’t you grounded?”
“I won’t be next week!”
“And how will you explain your sex tourism to your folks?”
“Let me worry about my folks,” Tawdry replied, “You worry about that plane ticket!”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Claudia replied with a chuckle.
Natasha! Come down for dinner!
“I’ll be right there!” Tawdry yelled.
“I gotta go. It’s taco night…”
Tawdry grinned.
“Speaking of tacos, did you get that camel toe fixed yet?”
“And just when we were even, too!” Claudia laughed. “Your little suggestion has everyone looking at my snatch… including me, and I know it’s bullshit!”
“Ha! Is your new fuck toy looking?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“Detective Martin! I know you have a thing for that whole world-weary crusader vibe. And don’t think I didn’t see you checking out his ass, either.”
“I have the same problem you do,” Claudia sighed, “worse even. The sort of man I like certainly won’t be messing around with a ‘kid’, even if I am ‘legal’.”
“Yeah, you do like them a bit crusty, don’t you? How about finding some rich asshole who is having a mid-life crisis?”
“I will repeat myself. The sort of man I would like isn’t interested… and won’t be for years.”
“Meh. You’re not giving yourself enough credit… and giving them far too much of it.”
“Well, Slaker turned me down cold… goddamn chain of command…”
“No! You tried to give it up to Slaker?”
“Wouldn’t be the first time…”
“No way! I need details, all of them!”
“Well…”
Natasha! Dinner!
“I have to go,” Tawdry said, “but this is not over!”
***
Vroom? an old Peterbilt truck revved as it sat in a remote corner of a truck stop in the middle of nowhere.
“Still nothing,” the little girl huffed. “How can an entire universe disappear?”
Vroom… Vroom?
“Let’s hope not,” the girl replied, “Even so, he wouldn’t abandon us!”
“What?” the spirit asked with alarm.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” the little girl replied.
“Doesn’t sound like nothing.”
“Okay,” the little girl replied, “There is a remote chance that our boss has had to… um… cease operations and relocate. It hasn’t happened in a really long time, but it has happened.”
“Does that mean that I’m stuck?!?”
“No, of course not. It just means we might have to wait until we’re collected.”
Vroom.
“He won’t forget us!”
VroOoom…
“Hey! Don’t even start talking like that! We’ve done good work for the boss on several worlds. He won’t just discard us!”
“What do you mean, discard?”
“Just watch your anime, weeb,” the little girl snapped. “He hasn’t abandoned us, and he won’t forget us. He’s just… um…”
Vroom.
“I don’t know, alright!” the little girl replied angrily, “I have no idea where those others came from. All I know is that we didn’t squish them.”
VvvrOom.
“If he had another team, I would know about it!”
Vroom?
“I just would, okay! WE AREN’T GETTING REPLACED!... I’m… I’m going to get some air, maybe a Coke or something.”
The little girl threw open the door to the cab angrily and hopped out.
“Hey!” the spirit yelled, “See if they have any audiobooks!”
***
We’ve been abandoned… the little girl thought to herself as she prowled the truck stop trying not to panic.
She had to keep it together for Truck-Kun… and their new companion. If she fell apart, Truck-Kun would, too, and who knows what the spirit would do. He was two seconds from making another run for it as it was.
She paused by a rack of dusty old audiobooks on CD. Now that wasn’t something she had seen in a bit.
Thankful for the distraction, she started perusing the titles. Some of them were things she hadn’t already read (or listened to).
She grabbed a few for herself and then started looking for something appropriately nerdy for her new guest.
She might have murdered them in cold blood, but that was no reason not to be a good host.
She was so distracted by her own troubles and the audiobooks that she didn’t notice that she was being followed until the guy’s shadow fell around her.
She then became aware of his oily aura and smiled.
All work and no play…
“Hello, little girl…”
She looked up at him with an innocent expression and doe-like eyes.
“Hi.”
***
Truck-Kun quietly ground his gears as he watched a beat-up RV pull onto the highway.
Vroom, he grumbled as he put himself in gear and started to follow.
“What?” the spirit asked.
About half an hour later, Truck-Kun pulled over next to an RV that was parked on the side of the highway.
The door opened, and the little girl hopped out, holding a paper bag.
Vroom, the truck revved disapprovingly.
“Such a nice man,” the little girl said impishly as she plopped into the driver’s seat, and the truck drove away.
“Are those bloodstains?” the spirit asked as he pointed at the bag.
“What answer would you prefer?” the girl asked as she pulled out a half-filled fifth of vodka and most of a pack of smokes graciously donated by the nice man in the RV (it wasn’t like he was going to be needing them).
Vroom.
“I know I quit,” the girl replied as she put one in her mouth. “Give me a break. My nerves are shot.”
Vroom.
“Yes, shot enough to smoke menthols!”
The little girl lit up and drew heavily on the cigarette, exhaling a lovely smoke ring.
Vroom!
“So, crack a window!”
Vroom! Vroom! Vrooooom!
“You can’t smell, and you know it! So please, cut me some slack. I’ve had a bad day,” she said as she turned up the bottle of vodka like it was Juicy Juice.
Vroom!
“I know you’ve had a bad day, too,” the girl said as she wiped her mouth, “Want me to get you some fuel treatment at the next stop, maybe some starting fluid?”
Vroom.
“Okay, and a new air freshener, maybe some of those fuzzy dice you like? Deal?”
Vroom!… Vroom?
“As a matter of fact,” the little girl said as she pulled out a wad of bills. “the nice man did keep his cash on him.”
Vroom! the truck revved happily.
***
“Jesus!” Gary Martin, formerly Detective Martin, winced as he looked inside an abandoned old RV the following day.
“Say what you want about her,” Claudia Smythe said as she ate a corn dog. “but she is thorough.”
“We think the girl did this?”
“Matches her MO,” Claudia shrugged as she flicked the corn dog stick aside. “And we have surveillance footage at the truck stop. The asshole was talking to someone small, the cameras didn’t get a good shot of the kid, and eyewitnesses state that he was in the company of his ‘daughter’ when he left.”
“You said this was her MO. She’s done this before?” Gary asked.
“She rolls guys like this for their pocket change. We’re not sure if it’s how they finance their operations or if she just does it for fun, but this is the third one this year.”
A well-dressed and very young man in sunglasses approached the pair.
“Sir Lark,” Claudia said without turning around. “We have an ID on this guy yet?”
“Boris Veetch,” the young man said. “a registered sex offender with an active warrant for skipping out on his parole.”
“Yeah, she likes those,” Claudia shrugged. “Nobody will mourn his passing. He was easily ensnared, and he probably was carrying cash.”
“And she is professional bait,” Gary shrugged. “He was slime, but I’m not sure even he deserved what happened to him, though. What sort of monster would do something like this?”
“You just answered your own question,” Claudia replied, “a monster.”
“If you think this is bad," Lark said as he started photographing the scene, "You should see what a pack of goblins will do if they get the chance."
“Considering what we now know,” Claudia said with a shrug, “this trail is beyond cold. Even if they couldn’t do the whole disappearing act, they could be in any of several states by now. We’ve lost them… again.”
She looked over at Gary.
“Just as well,” she added, “We need to get you processed and briefed… agent.”
She smiled.
“Welcome to the Temporal Protection Agency.”
***
Deep within the deepest dungeon on Asteria Prime, a monstrous giant of a spider fidgeted uncomfortably.
“H-hello… boss,” it said nervously, “T-to w-what do we owe the honor of your visit?”
Frostie smiled an icy smile that filled the giant spider with horror.
“Oh, I was just in the area and thought I would give my friends here,” she said, indicating The Great Erectus, The Herald, and Cuddles, “a tour.”
“O-of c-course!” Log’Sharingoth LXXXIII stammered as their legs twitched miserably. “W-would you like a guide?”
“That would be lovely,” Frostie smiled. “Where’s Pantsu? I think she and The Big Guy over here would get along famously.”
“S-she isn’t available, boss.”
“Not even for me?”
“I-I apologize,” Log’Sharingoth said nervously, “but she isn’t here right now?”
“Well, where did she go?”
“I-I’m not sure, boss…”
“Okay, how about Nova?”
“S-she’s not here, either.”
“Shai-Vai-Loshara?”
“Um…”
“Steve?”
Log’Sharingoth made a whining bubbling noise as they shrank away.
“Why don’t you just tell me who is missing and exactly what the fuck is going on?” Frostie said with an angry gleam in her eye.
***
“…and I don’t know where anyone is!” Log’Sharingoth wailed miserably. “And everything is going wrong, the players almost rioted, and the physics engine threatened to quit! I didn’t know what to doooo!!!”
“And at no point did it occur to you to call me?” Frostie asked with a frightening edge to her voice.
“Pantsu told me not to!!!”
Frostie let out a long-suffering sigh. Of course, the current Log’Sharingoth wouldn’t go against Pantsu. It was horribly unfair to expect otherwise.
“I’m not going to come down on you because of what she did,” Frostie said a bit more gently. “However, since I now clearly know something is amiss, anything you can tell me will be of great value.”
“I-I’m not in trouble?”
“Not from me,” Frostie replied, “and Pantsu won’t be giving you any problems after I’m done with her.”
Frostie paused.
“So, this glitched Pantsu, where is it now?”
“Pantsu had me send it to Tartarus! I’m sorry! But she said to!”
“Sounds like the only sensible thing she’s done thus far,” Frostie replied.
“I didn’t want to, but she told me to do it!”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Frostie shrugged, “sounds like the perfect place for it. Wait. She told you?”
“Yes, Boss!”
“That means you have a line of communications?”
Log’Sharingoth’s multiple eyes all widened with fear.
“Y-yes?”
“Call her and tell her to give me her location… now.”
“Y-yes boss…”
Log’Sharingoth fell silent for a few moments.
“Um… Boss?”
“Let me guess,” Frostie said, “You can’t reach her, can you?”
“No, Boss.”
“Fine,” Frostie grumbled. “We do this the hard way. You’ve done a great job, considering everything.”
“I have?” Log’Sharingoth asked hopefully.
“You have,” Frostie said reassuringly. “Keep doing what you’re doing, and I’ll send a crisis response team to help out in the meantime.”
“A… A crisis response team?” Log’Sharingoth asked fearfully.
“You didn’t think you were getting off Scot free, did you?” Frostie laughed as she and her companions disappeared.
“…Ssssshit,” Log’Sharingoth hissed as she stalked off into the shadows.
***
The hominid looked around at their new surroundings.
Everything was white. The floor was white. The walls were white. The furniture was white…
Even the plants were white…
And everything was spotless.
“Interesting décor,” he said after a few seconds.
“They like to keep things tidy,” Frostie replied as she took a seat on one of the white couches.
“They?” the ape-man asked dubiously as Cuddles slipped one of her tentacles into The Herald’s hand.
He gently gripped it, causing Cuddles to suppress a delighted squeal.
“Playtime is over,” Frostie said in a matter-of-fact tone. “I’m calling in my real operatives.”
“Jesus!” The Great Erectus exclaimed as a spotless white door opened, and a short, slender blue male amphibian-like biped in a white tunic bearing a three-headed dog embroidered with platinum thread walked in.
“You never told me you had… them!”
“Oh, you are familiar with their kind?”
“Those little monsters are responsible for the death of entire universes! Every time there is a parallel manifestation of those… monsters… entire galaxies die.”
“They can be a handful,” Frostie said pleasantly, “But I’ve found them incredibly valuable over the years… for that very same reason. These do come from much more reasonable stock from a much more reasonable ancestor... Maybe 'reasonable' is pushing it a little,” Frostie added with a laugh. "Reasonable for one of them, at least."
The blue amphibian smiled pleasantly and blinked his huge amber eyes, their pleasant hue replaced with a whirling madness of color.
“Hello, Hades,” Frostie said with a smile. “It has been quite a while. How have you been?”
“Bored,” Hades replied. “I trust you have come to alleviate that?”
“Most definitely,” Frostie replied. “Awaken the others…”
“…It’s time to hunt.”

So for context, I was born at the beginning of January. Now usually at that time everyone is going back to work from holiday, kids are back in school, something comes up or bad things always happen. Better yet, people tend to forget my own birthday too. However that doesn’t mean I blame them or anyone for it cause things just happen. Even when I was a kid I knew full well that I’m always gonna have bad birthdays. Now don’t get me wrong my parents always tried their hardest to give me good birthdays because they never had a good one growing up, and I am always grateful and thankful for having them but I think it safe to say my birthdays were never perfect nor good because of situations that end up going down.
Well last year was when I said it to them, when I turned 18 My mom planned this surprise dinner for me with some of my family members 3 months in advance and ofc as always some of them forgot, others had work. I wasn’t angry, sad nor did I blamed them.
My mom felt horrible and told me she was really sorry and the usual phrase that is said every year, that if things were different we can celebrate my birthday properly and that is when I said it. I told her “it’s okay mom, I knew something was gonna happen on my birthday anyways… something always comes up on my birthday and I’m use to it… we don’t have to make a big celebration or do anything, I think a cake will do from now on ” and I left it as that. I didn’t mean anything bad from it when I said it but now as I’m more older now. I feel guilty for saying that to my own mom.
I guess after that year of 2018 though things began to change bit by bit, I randomly have my family text me simple happy birthdays on my birthday, my family would start dropping gifts off with my mom to give me. I’m guessing my mom told everyone what I had said to her making them feel bad for me. Which i wasn’t trying to do in the first place.
Sometimes I wish I can take back what I said cause all I feel is guilt on my birthdays. So AITA?

I met my boyfriend on a dating app 4 months ago and we decided to become exclusive almost immediately. We both had been single for 6 and 13 years respectively. My man is kind, thoughtful, and splurges on me.
He was a victim of some pretty heinous crimes as a child. As a result, he has severe mental illness that he is in treatment for. He spent the greater part of his life homeless and unmedicated.
He has been in treatment for 6 years and on an upward swing with work and life goals. When we met he told me all of this on this first day and let me know he has a hard time opening up. As we get closer in our relationship, I notice that he gets angry with me when I ask questions about his life in an attempt to build intimacy. He says he shuts down and represses everything from his past because it hurts and it’s painful. He thinks I’m prying by asking about past relationships, his childhood, his parents and everything else related to the past and present.
I told him I need emotional intimacy and closeness in my relationships to which he replied he can’t give me what I want. He always tells me he loves me but I can’t grow to love him without this emotional connection. He says he is a robot and wants to date someone equally as traumatized who accepts him for him and doesn’t care about his past! I also want to mention that he doesn’t ask me questions about my past or show any interest in my life in general outside of the normal day-to-day routines. He claims because he just wants me to share and that he is a better listener than talker.
I really like this man but I’ve never attempted to love and be in relationship with someone who has a wall up. I don’t know how to move forward or what to do.

Seeking advice on a boiler replacement before I start digging into research- I am in the lower hudson valley, wood frame 1967 raised ranch with finished basement and additional family room off the dining room. Today the home is heated with hydronic baseboard: * 1967 Thatcher boiler with hot water coil (no tank!) * mid 80's low speed oil burner * 3 heating zones (1 main level and 1 addition on main level totaling 1700 sq ft, plus 1 finished basement of 500 sq ft) * 1 zone pump feeding all 3 zones * 500 gallon in-ground oil tank installed 1999
I have one through-the-wall AC unit in the center of the home and window units go in bedrooms/extension room for the summer months.
The biggest issue we face is hot water- the hot pressure in all faucets is crap (cold is fine) and I suspect it's the 55 year old coil clogged with scale/etc. So we have low-pressue showers which are warm at best because we can only mix in a little cold at the shower otherwise it's too cold due to the weak hot flow which isn't hot for long anyway- maybe a minute before its just warm.
The Thathcher boiler label says * 147k btu/hr gross * 132300 btu/hr [email protected]% * 110250 btu/hr [email protected]% it seems pretty efficient for our use, averaging 900 gallons of oil per year over 20+ years.
Should I consider mini splits as a replacement? I love the idea of having these units for heat and AC so I can ditch the window units, as well as no more oil. I could retire 4 ugly heavy drafty window units plus the one in the wall! I roughly figure I need 6 heads- 1 in the addition, 1 in the main room of the house, 3 bedrooms, 1 basement. My main concerns with such a system are up-front cost, running cost with electricity being high now, reliability of heat in below zero winters, reparability, and backup power required to use them.
I would still need a hot water source.
The backup power is less of a concern the past few years but with the 110v oil burner I can heat the home with my backup generator in the winter. I can also power the in-wall 110v AC to keep temps down in summer. I'd need a significant generator upgrade to power any splits for heat or ac or give up on backup for that. I could also leave the old beast in place as a backup system, only turning it on for heat when needed and even have the hot water coil removed. I mention reparability because I have become quite familiar with my simple old beast and have replaced many parts on my own over the years that are quite standard- transformer, fire control, zone valve heads, zone pump.
Space is also a concern if replacing with a boiler plus hot water source- the current area is a framed/sheetrocked room with bifold doors within the basement but it's very tight- 5.5 feet x 4 feet with 1 block wall where the stack vents to the chimney.
So, should I even consider mini splits? Or should I just stay with an oil burner and a hot water solution? If a boilewater solution, then what combo? Indirect fired storage tank? Direct fired? Electric? Tankless?
Please share your opinions/ideas/suggestions/experiences/pros/cons and other things I am not thinking of. Recommend reliable brands too, please if you can.

All you see are redditors in the comments making some nerdy or lame joke, reference and pun. Every single comment section, doesn't matter the subreddit. You could be in the most 'hip' subreddits and still see it (by 'hip' I mean popular shit like rap, pop, even the pop culture subreddit).
Always someone referencing some metal or rock band. Someone always referencing some 'nerdy' video game. Always someone mentioning some Lord of The Rings ass TV show. The puns are stale, the jokes... just aren't funny. Like this isn't the same for everyone but the amount of likes these comments and posts get prove itself. You barely see anyone making any relevant, modern or popular references outside of the of the 'nerdy popular' shit. Reddit dislikes things that are popular but are fast to talk about the most nerdy aspects of popular culture.
Barely see an actual reference regarding hip hop or rap or pop or anything else unless it's some way to talk down about them. And redditors just love it.
If it's not some nerdy joke, it's some sex/masturbation/bodily function joke or pun. Shits honeslty just annoying.
And let me not mention the typical subreddits like funny, memes, etc. Just a bunch of nerdy/lame 'comedy'. Or people wanting wanting be edgy and cool.
Just don't understand why Reddit is like this. It isn't appealing at all and honestly males me not even want to look at other people's posts, let alone comment section. There's just always some other shit being said. Half the time I'm downvoted by the hive mind for calling it out or stating different/having a different perspective. And then these subreddits really wanna ride behind a faulty karma system in order to post, knowing damn well you're downvoted for not being part of the trash hive mind and saying something different. I doubt these lil karma restrictions aren't even for "spammers and scammers" like they all claim but a way to just conform people to being typical redditors. "Join the hive mind or you won't be able to post in half the subreddits".. that's literally what they're doing and don't see it/care.
Anyway why is Reddit like this? I keep tryna be part of reddit, make posts and comments but seeing shit like this just puts me off and then when I say something about it I'm downvoted, making it pointless since people don't listen or even want to understand/think about things differently, they're just happy sending their lil downvotes and then have the audacity to claim karma doesn't matter. If karma doesn't matter then why you wasting your time... I don't know, affecting someone's karma with downvotes? Doesn't make logical sense. Either it matters or it doesn't. If it doesn't then don't upvote or downvote at all. Hold your principles.
Anyway just really wanted to talk about this and why Reddit 'comedy', puns and references are always like this? Same anti religious doctrine, same 'the law and government is bullshit... yet you're in the wrong for not following the laws' narrative, the same edginess being chased instead of being a true individual. A true individual doesn't chase edginess, if they are 'edgy' then that's just who they are. Unfortunately a lot of it on Reddit is fake.

Prologue
In the verdant heart of Sayla, where the suns painted the sky with warm hues and the gentle whisper of the breeze carried the laughter of children, a soulborn elf named Elyan wandered through the lush forest, his steps as light as the dappled shadows that danced on the forest floor. His eyes sparkled with a carefree spirit, reflecting the beauty of the world around him. Life in Sayla was serene, with the days spent in harmonious coexistence among the vibrant flora and fauna. The village where Elyan lived was a haven for his kind, nestled in the embrace of ancient trees that stood as silent guardians, shielding them from the outside world. The soulborn elves shared a deep connection with the land and its creatures, nurturing an unwavering bond that transcended the passage of time. The villagers, united by a profound sense of kinship, filled their days with song and laughter, celebrating the simple joys of life. Elyan was no exception, cherishing the peace and tranquility that surrounded him. He spent his days exploring the emerald depths of the forest, forging friendships with its inhabitants, and basking in the warmth of his community. As the sun dipped below the horizon, Elyan would often gather with his friends and family around a crackling fire, sharing stories that echoed through the night, weaving a tapestry of memories that bound them together. Many of the stories would be about the trials and tribulations the Soul Born Elves faced over countless generations due to their overall pacifist nature. It is well known in Tra'Vol that Soul Born elves do not even take life as their culture is believed to cherish the sanctity of Life putting nothing else before it. Though true there is another reason soulborn elves do not kill that will be revealed in Elyan's tale. Unbeknownst to Elyan and his people, however, a storm was brewing on the horizon, a dark tide that threatened to shatter their idyllic existence forever. As the shadows lengthened and the air grew heavy with foreboding, the soulborn elves of Sayla would soon find themselves facing a grim reality. From beyond the southern border of Sayla, armies materialized as if conjured from thin air, commanded by a man known as Leviticus Brightsoul—The Wicked King to his own people. At the tender age of 17, Leviticus embarked on his first conquest, swiftly earning recognition from the kingdom of Impre'us. He conquered the provinces of Valta and Alamay and established a foothold in Eria after a brutal, month-long skirmish called The Shallows of Sorrow. The battle earned its name when rumors spread of Leviticus ruthlessly killing and torturing citizens and soldiers alike, leaving a trail of bodies in the shallow waters of the Eria swamplands. The death toll reportedly reached 50,000, yet Leviticus had only led a detachment of 100 troops—an astonishing feat even for the demigods who ruled the royal bloodlines of Tra'Vol. Five years passed after this conquest, and Leviticus returned to his homeland of Impre'us just in time to confront an invading army from Sacarr. Unimpressed, he single-handedly inflicted massive defeats on the invaders, forcing them to retreat. People began to speculate that Leviticus must have sold his soul to a Mala'Deus, as he had slain the Sacre'Noir—a formidable and ruthless warrior race, as well as the demigod representing their bloodline—all by himself. The carnage was said to be so immense that even his own people recoiled in horror as he slaughtered the enemy army, cackling maniacally throughout the ordeal. Everyone deemed his actions sickening and grotesque, except for his father, who saw his son's feat as a triumph that saved the empire. Swelling with pride, his father abdicated the throne, crowning Leviticus as the ruler of Impre'us. Leviticus was delighted but not surprised, as he had already planned to murder his father and seize the throne. With this obstacle removed, he set his sights on the neighboring continent of Lun'aal, intent on claiming its uncharted territories by force. Believing that every land rightfully belonged to his empire, Leviticus dispatched thousands of troops to explore the region. The soldiers landed on the serene coastlines of Mortua Terra, where they established bases that extended to the province of Black Sand and eventually to the borders of Sayla. However, they reported that the dense forests of Sayla made further travel and exploration impossible. Dissatisfied with their explanation and anticipating the rich resources of the unexplored land, Leviticus summoned his trusted advisor, a wizard named De'lacar, and the two used gate magic to teleport directly to the primary base at the border of Black Sand and Sayla. The soldiers in the encampment were taken aback when a tear in the very fabric of reality appeared in their midst, allowing their king and his advisor to step through. Shocked, everyone in the camp immediately knelt before their sovereign, Leviticus Brightsoul.
""No... No, that won't do. Get up!" Leviticus said, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb as if nursing a headache.
"That's precisely why I had to leave the palace! You fools and your desperate attempts to take a break on my time!"
As he finished his sentence, Leviticus snapped his fingers. Small circles appeared around each of the soldiers, signaling impending doom. The camp erupted in a cacophony of cries as the men begged for their lives.
"Sir, please give me another chance!" one called out.
"I'm not going to die like this!" another exclaimed, attempting to flee but quickly realizing his muscles refused to respond.
"Please, Your Majesty, I have a family! Don't be a heartless bastard!" a man cried out, sounding like a frightened child.
"Heartless bastard, huh?... You no longer have a family."
"What?! No! I didn't... mean..."
"Silence!" Leviticus's voice roared, startling even a large predatory creature that had been stalking the troops and lurking nearby.
"The price for your transgressions will be paid in blood, and because of your careless words, not only your blood."
Leviticus removed a glowing, lustrous orb from his battle raiment. The sphere emitted a beautiful dance of colors before abruptly turning a deep blood red moments later. It began spewing blood and viscera onto the man who had insulted him. The man screamed in agony, realizing the gore covering him belonged to his wife and two daughters, recognizing his daughter's torn and shredded face amongst the flesh.
"You!... What have you done?! I'll kill you!!!" the man screamed.
"Oh, will you now? I'll tell you what," Leviticus' eyes briefly shimmered from their normal light blue to a deep, dark red before returning to their original hue. He released the circle around the distraught man. "I'd say I'm a pretty 'fair' king, so I'll give you a fair shot."
Leviticus gestured to his advisor, who produced a strange sword with a glowing essence. Leviticus explained, "The sword issued to you, though strong, won't be enough to kill me in this realm or the next. This sword, however..." He took the sword from his advisor.
"This sword is made from Dwarvain titanium and etched with runic symbols found in ancient texts left behind by the Cyphora Civilization that once called our homeland their own. The symbols and their effects are not important. What is important is that it can even strike down a deity if used properly."
Leviticus hurled the sword at the man, and it embedded itself into the ground next to him.
"Now kill me!" Leviticus said in a playful tone. Unprepared for the soldier's escape, as few ever managed to get away from Leviticus, the soldier seized the sword and took advantage of his short-range teleportation spells. He made it to the border of Sayla, sword in hand, and sought refuge at a monument to the Celes'Deus Solayah. He planted the sword into the ground next to the statue and collapsed beside it. Distraught and trying to determine his next move after witnessing the murder of his family by the king, he began to plan. But no one escapes the Wicked King.
"Should we go after him, sire?" De'lacar asked with urgency.
"Why waste the manpower?" Leviticus responded rhetorically, holding up the orb once again. As it began to glow, the men still held within the circle seemed to evaporate, transforming into pools of blood within the circle. Simultaneously, the soldier who sought refuge at the shrine of Solayah also began to evaporate, as the circle reappeared beneath him leaving behind the sword as the only evidence of his presence at the shrine.
Elsewhere in the province of Sayla, Elyan, utterly unaware of the storm brewing in the distance, continued to revel in the beauty of the present moment. As he ambled through the forest, he heard the distant call of his best friend, Lira, who was perched on a nearby branch.
"Elyan! There you are!" she exclaimed, her melodic voice carrying through the trees. "I've been looking for you everywhere. You know the Soul Dance Ceremony is tonight, right?"
Elyan's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Of course, Lira! Do you know if Sonair is coming this year?"
Lira gracefully hopped down from her perch, landing beside Elyan with a soft rustle of leaves.
"They haven't said, but it's supposed to be a grand celebration of our goddess Solayah this year, so it's sure to be a night to remember. Unlike the last gathering when your brother got drunk on lavender tree sap," Lira recalled, giggling.
"Who even knew that was possible?" Elyan replied, joining in the laughter.
"Apparently Sedwin! One would swear he already knew and just attempted to liven up the boring rituals of our normal Soul Dance Ceremonies," Lira said playfully, tapping Elyan's shoulder.
"Yeah, he's probably responsible for the drunken antics of the village elders nowadays. You think he shared the recipe with them?" Elyan jokingly asked.
"Your little brother does tend to get away with a lot these days!" Lira exclaimed.
Elyan and Lira had been close since childhood. Both being raised as acolytes of Solayah, they never thought of each other as anything more than brother and sister. Elyan, however, had always harbored deeper feelings for Lira. But due to their strict religious beliefs, he never pursued these feelings. Nevertheless, the feelings remained and led to one of the first of many sins Elyan would go on to commit – the sin of coveting.
"You know what, Elyan? We should go visit the nearby shrine of Solayah. It's not too far from where we are now – maybe 20 or 30 minutes at most," Lira suggested eagerly.
Reluctant to resist Lira's captivating golden-hued puppy eyes, Elyan acquiesced, and they embarked on the renowned Living Vine Trail. The path earned its name from the vibrant green mycelium, resembling vines, that meandered languidly through the dense tree canopy overhead. The trail's relative safety ensured a tranquil journey for the couple as they made their way to the shrine. However, upon nearing the shrine's staircase, an unsettling sensation enveloped them—an eerie atmosphere that was decidedly atypical for a sacred space devoted to the Celes'Deus.
"Elyan, do you feel that?" Lira inquires nervously, drawing closer to him for comfort. "Yes... I do. Something dark has transpired here."
"At a shrine dedicated to a celestial deity?" Lira's voice trembles with the onset of fear. "We must turn back now, Elyan!"
Just as Elyan is about to agree, a glint of something catches his eye near the Statue of Solayah at the shrine's apex.
"Lira, wait here. I'll only be a moment," he insists, starting up the marble staircase.
"Elyan, are you serious? We need to hurry back and inform the elders about the dreadful occurrence here!" Lira protests.
"We will, but first, I must ensure the shrine hasn't been desecrated. We cannot risk angering Solayah before the Soul Dance Ceremony tonight," Elyan explains, swiftly ascending the staircase.
"Elyan, you better hurry up! I mean it!" Lira calls after him, her worry evident in her voice.
Upon reaching the magnificent golden statue of Solayah in all its splendor, Elyan is suddenly overcome by the stench of decay and an overwhelming sense of despair, causing his stomach to churn violently. He scans the area for the source of the repugnant odor, expecting to find the decomposing remains of an animal, but discovers nothing. Instead, his eyes are drawn to an exquisite sword planted beside the statue, unlike any he had ever encountered before. As Elyan picks up the sword to examine it, he notices the emblem of the Dwarvain Empire on its pommel—a familiar sight, as the Solvaylians are well-acquainted with the Knomadic race that inhabits Dwarvain. Beyond this single detail, however, the sword remains a mystery to Elyan. The hilt is wrapped in a sturdy wyvern hide, but it doesn't match any wyvern species he has ever seen. The golden crossguard bears intricate etchings in an indecipherable language, while the blade itself is inscribed with magical runes that are equally unfamiliar to him.
As if compelled by the enigmatic blade, Elyan conceals it within his cloak and makes his way back down the staircase. Elyan's descent is hastened by a sense of urgency as he clutches the mysterious sword hidden beneath his cloak. As he reaches the foot of the staircase, Lira's eyes widen in alarm, sensing the change in him.
"Elyan, what did you find up there?" she inquires, her voice quivering with trepidation.
He hesitates for a moment, contemplating whether or not to reveal the sword to Lira. Finally, he decides to confide in her, drawing the enigmatic weapon from its concealment. Her eyes fixate on the sword, reflecting a mix of awe and concern.
"I found this next to the statue of Solayah," Elyan explains. "I've never seen anything like it before. It bears the emblem of the Dwarvain Empire, but everything else about it is unfamiliar. I couldn't just leave it there."
Lira's gaze shifts from the sword to Elyan's face, searching for reassurance. "We need to take this to the elders immediately. They might be able to shed some light on its origin and significance, especially with the unsettling atmosphere surrounding the shrine."
Elyan nods in agreement, carefully returning the sword to its hiding place within his cloak. With the weight of their discovery weighing heavily upon them, the duo retraces their steps along the Living Vine Trail, eager to share their findings with the village elders and uncover the truth behind the mysterious sword and the ominous presence at the shrine. As they walk, they cannot shake the feeling that their lives have become entwined with a destiny far greater than they ever could have imagined.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the village, Elyan and Lira joined their fellow Soulborn Elves in the village square. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation, as everyone eagerly awaited the elders' pronouncement.
Elder Aelara, a sagacious and revered figure within the community, stepped forward and raised her hands, calling for silence. Her voice, gentle yet authoritative, effortlessly captivated the attention of all those present.
"Children of Sayla," she began, her eyes sweeping over the assembly, "we gather here tonight to celebrate our bond with the forest and the spirits that dwell within its embrace. The harmony we share with the land and its creatures is a precious gift, one that we must treasure and safeguard for generations to come."
Her words were met with nods of agreement and murmurs of approval. Elyan, standing beside Lira, felt a swell of pride in his chest. The bond his people shared with the land was something truly special, and he was grateful to be part of such a unique and connected community.
As the night progressed, the music filled the air, creating a magical atmosphere that enveloped the village. Elyan and Lira danced and sang, their hearts brimming with happiness and love for their people. However, the discovery at the Shrine of Solayah weighed heavily on their minds, and they knew they had to share the information with the village elders.
Taking a break from the festivities, they approached Elder Aelara, who was speaking with a small group of villagers.
"Elder Aelara," Elyan called out, trying to mask the urgency in his voice. "May we speak with you for a moment? It's important."
Aelara turned to face them, her wise eyes showing concern. "Of course, Elyan, Lira. What troubles you?"
Lira glanced around, ensuring no one was eavesdropping, before she began. "We visited the Shrine of Solayah earlier today, and we found something... unusual."
Elyan chimed in, "Yes, there was this strange sword next to the statue, and it bore the emblem of the Empire of Dwarvain. It also had magical runes etched into its blade, runes we've never seen before." Aelara quickly snatched the sword away as if taking poison from a child, eyes widened, and she exchanged a worried glance with the other elders. "This is troubling news. We must investigate this matter further. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Please, enjoy the rest of the ceremony, and we will discuss this further tomorrow." Taking the sword from them, she sent them on their way.
Elyan and Lira nodded, a sense of relief washing over them as they returned to the celebration. They hoped that the village's wise leaders would uncover the truth behind the mysterious sword and the disquiet it had stirred.
As the night of festivities drew to a close, Elyan and Lira found themselves sitting together at the village dock on the Ta'kalu River, following their nightly tradition.
"I was at Solayah's shrine just three days ago, and that sword wasn't there," Lira said, her voice tinged with concern. "Maybe it was accidentally left behind by some adventurer," Elyan suggested, trying to ease her worries.
"But that's the thing, Elyan," Lira countered. "When's the last time you remember an adventurer passing through Sayla?"
Elyan furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "I don't..."
"Exactly!" Lira exclaimed. "We only hear stories of adventurers in Sayla. Our home is nearly inhospitable to outsiders. Many have been swallowed by the jungles, as evidenced by the number of skeletons we've discovered."
They sat in silence for a moment, contemplating the unsettling implications of the mysterious sword's presence in their sacred shrine. But for now, they could only hope that the wisdom of their elders would provide answers and guidance in the days to come.
Meanwhile, at the border between BlackSands and Sayla, King Leviticus began mobilizing thousands of troops skilled in jungle-based warfare. He ordered the transport of ample supplies and materials for his military campaign into the uncharted province of Sayla.
"Your Majesty, word has come from the Emperor Isles that your father and his council disapprove of your campaign into Sayla. They are taking action to sway public opinion against you," De'lacar informed King Leviticus. "How should we proceed? Executing the old fool now would silence his council effectively." De'lacar suggested.
Leviticus furrowed his brow, considering the situation. "I'm less concerned about his feeble council than the consequences of killing the old man. No, executing him will be... complicated at this stage in my plan," Leviticus replied thoughtfully, weighing his options.
"De'lacar, contact the Alliance of Dark Heart and offer them a substantial reward for eliminating my mother. They must stage the event to implicate Old Man Lavarus, providing us with the perfect pretext to sentence him to death," Leviticus commanded, his voice unwavering.
"As you wish, Your Majesty. But... if I may," De'lacar hesitated, only to be immediately interrupted by Leviticus' thunderous voice.
"You may not!"
"Understood, Your Majesty," De'lacar responded, bowing his head in submission as he stepped backward into a swirling portal that closed behind him, leaving Leviticus to ponder his next move. The door to Leviticus's war room creaked open once more.
"Sire, the troops will be fully mobilized in about a month, and the fortress you commissioned will be completed in a matter of days," General Gurod reported, kneeling in submission to his king.
"And what of the local population here in BlackSands?" Leviticus inquired.
"We successfully captured the Perr'ju city of Ku'ran and many of the neighboring villages... however," the general hesitated.
"However?" Leviticus probed with great interest.
"Sir, the land here is harsh, and morale among the men in the 19th division is dwindling. They request permission to withdraw from the Sundered Coast and StoneBlossom Meadows," General Gurod explained, fear creeping into his voice.
"Withdrawal?..... Withdrawal!?" Leviticus stood, his piercing blue eyes flashing a fiery red for an instant. "The troops have been 'withdrawn'," he declared, sitting back down with a sinister grin.
"The 20th division is now the 19th division, and so forth for divisions 20 through 50," Leviticus detailed manically."Sir... That division comprised one hundred thousand men."
"And there will be one less to worry about unless you curb your questioning tone, General Gurod," Leviticus warned, his voice cold and unforgiving.
"Now that that little detail is taken care of, send a detachment of troops to retake the city of Ku'ran and recapture the local populations for use as slaves. The Sundered Coast and StoneBlossom Meadows are to be reoccupied immediately by the 19th division, formerly the 20th," Leviticus cackled.
"As you command, sire," General Gurod replied submissively as he stood and walked toward the war room's exit.
"Oh, and one more thing, General!" Leviticus called out as he sauntered over to Gurod, handing him a sealed parchment scroll bearing the symbol of the Mala'Deus Pantheon.
"Take this to the statue of Nero located on the edge of the DustBowl." Gurod grasped the scroll, his face a mix of shock and fear due to the ominous symbol and the perilous location he was to visit. However, not wanting to question a man who had just dispatched one hundred thousand men without a mere word, the general accepted the scroll without hesitation, simply responding, "As you wish, sire."
Back in Sayla, Elyan and Lira awoke early, eager to learn whether the elders had uncovered anything about the mysterious sword they had found the night before. They met at the prestigious Temple of the Celestial Gods, only to be greeted by a locked door.
"The door is only locked when something serious is happening," Elyan told Lira, trying to peer through a crack in the heavy wooden door.
"I know... it's troubling. The last time the temple was locked, we were attacked by a swarm of Bush Wyverns not long after," Lira replied, her voice filled with concern.
"Maybe we should just take it easy, Lira. The elders could be deliberating for hours, and I have chores to do at home anyway," Elyan suggested, stepping away from the door. "Yeah, maybe you're right. I have to go get Gecko herb from the village south of here today anyway. Perhaps things will have settled down by then," Lira replied, her frustration evident.
"The village of Floravale, right? I understand your frustration. It gets cold there, being so close to BlackSands," Elyan said compassionately.
"Yes! It can be tedious sometimes, but fortunately, Grandma's warm Gecko tea is a refuge all on its own," Lira declared, her spirits lifting.
"Ah yes! I remember Granny's Gecko tea! Pure as Solayah's soul," Elyan reminisced fondly, thinking back to his time as a youth in Floravale village.
"Well, I'll be sure to pass on your high praise to her," Lira responded with a giddy giggle. "You know, you could come with me. You're always welcome at Grandma Laya's house, Elyan, and I'm sure she'd love to see you after all these years."
"I would love to join you, Lira, but my mother's sickness has worsened lately, and my father will need help tilling the field. I'm glad Eleene is old enough to take over my mother's household duties. Krain knows Sedwin wouldn't be able to handle it," Elyan explained, reflecting on his younger brother's laziness.
"Is she still sick?" Lira asked with concern. "That's not good at all, Elyan. It's been, what, about four weeks now, right? Have you tried consulting Shaman Arlo about a possible remedy?" Lira inquired, her anticipation palpable.
"My sister Eleene has visited him several times, and the last time she inquired, he was just as puzzled as we are. So, he came to our home and made a dire prognosis. He says my mother is suffering from an illness related to our ancestral heritage. But when we asked him to elaborate further, he wouldn't say more, only that she had a matter of months before..." Elyan's voice trailed off, his teeth gritting slightly.
"I'm... so sorry, Elyan," Lira replied sympathetically. A dead silence filling the air.
"All things ethereal, the living intertwine... The meaning of life discovered, but only when we die," Elyan recited a verse from the scriptures on the teachings of Solayah. "It's okay, Lira. We're just going to make her as comfortable as possible before she rejoins Solayah."
"That's a noble task, Elyan. I truly commend you," Lira replied. "Well, I have to go if I want to get back in time to hear what the elders have to say. See you later, Elyan!" She hurried down the road heading south out of the village.
"Safe travels, Lira!" Elyan called out, watching Lira disappear into the distance.
"Well, I'd better get to my father," Elyan said to himself, preparing for the day ahead.
In the continent of Sol'aay, across the vast sea, former King Lavarus of Impre'us province and father to Leviticus, convenes with his council at the Temple of Sol'thur on the Emperor Isles. They engage in a heated debate about the impending invasion of Sayla and the reckless actions of Leviticus, who ascended the throne mere months ago.
"This is an utter disaster! Your son will be the downfall of our kingdom!" Adviser Calvris exclaims, addressing the former king Lavarus.
"Why did you abdicate so readily? Just because he vanquished those supposed 'invaders'?" another adviser adds.
Lavarus tries to interject, "It was an invasion..."
"Massacre, sire! Anyone with eyes saw what Prince Laventus did to those people," Adviser Calvris retorts.
"That's King Laventus, you insolent worm!" De'lacar announces, entering the chambers with numerous guards in tow.
The sudden appearance causes everyone in the room to stand. Lavarus demands, "What is the meaning of this, De'lacar?" his tone a mix of confusion and impatience.
"Well, 'Sire,' you are under arrest for high treason, for your involvement in the death of your wife, Queen Silla," De'lacar proclaims, gesturing for the guards to arrest Lavarus.
"What?! No..." Lavarus utters, shocked by the news.
"Unfortunately, yes. And the punishment for such a crime is public execution," De'lacar reveals, a sinister smile gracing his lips.
"How could he do this? Tell me, De'lacar! How could he have his sweet, innocent mother murdered?" Lavarus implores. De'lacar merely shrugs, responding, "I wasn't allowed to ask," before attempting to leave the room.
"Do you really think we'll let you and Leviticus get away with this, you glorified lapdog?" Adviser Calvris challenges De'lacar, garnering the support of his fellow advisers.
"No, which is why none of you will leave this room," De'lacar replies. "You may complete your contract, but don't leave a mess this time."
De'lacar's words puzzle the council as he ushers Lavarus out in shackles, closing the door behind him. Suddenly, small black energy masses with a purple aura appear next to each of the seven advisers' heads, darting into them as if possessing them. A dark figure clad in black leather armor emerges from the shadows, and the now zombie-like advisers form a single file line, following the mysterious figure out the door.
"Don't leave a mess this time," the mysterious figure, Zel, mocks De'lacar childishly. Two other figures materialize from the darkness behind him.
"Don't be so childish, Zel," the tallest of the figures scolds. "Indeed, your overconfidence could be your undoing," a female voice chimes in with laughter.
"Yeah, yeah, stop lecturing me! This contract was already disappointing," Zel grumbles.
"Please! This contract was the witches tits! Not every day you get to stage a murder within in the royal bloodlines" the female voice counters.
"Of course you had fun, you got the most pleasurable kill with that frail old Lady Sinclair," Zel retorts.
The trio, along with the entranced advisers, proceed down the palace hallway, reaching a dead end. Zel recites an incantation, "Queen of the night, heed your children's call, for we've fulfilled our tasks and killed them all!" Simultaneously, he casts a handful of black powder at the wall.
The wall transforms into a distorted portal, emanating a faint purple glow and the haunting sounds of countless souls groaning in agony. As the mysterious figures and their captives step through, the largest cloaked figure drops a black rose with deep purple pedals, before the portal vanishes behind them. A calling card of the Alliance of Dark Heart.

Hi,
i am currently running the Jellyfin Server in a Windows Server VM running on Proxmox. I am mounting my QNAP NAS as iSCSI to the VM.
The QNAP ist Spinning down the disk if not being accessed for 15 Minutes. (Which I would like to leave like that because of energy efficiency reasons)
If somebody is browsing through the Media Library on JF, everything is fine and runs fast. When starting the playback of a Video file, it takes 20-30 seconds for the drives to spin up, Wich causes the video playback taking very long to begin.
Can the behavior JF accesses the drives be changed? F.e. spinning up drives as soon as some client browses the library to get ready for playback.
Thanks.

Aww she loves to name drop me how cute! Does that mean she’s in love with me? I mean she talks about ZK all the time and how she’s in love with him so the same must be true for me cause she keeps talking about me! Aww how sweet! I don’t think she likes the fact that I know so much about her to the point where she can’t lie her way out of it. She wants to claim she is a Christian and is seeking a godly man but any Christian man can look her up online and see that she is far from a Christian. She swears to much, dances half naked on camera and posts it for the world to see, and she is clearly not a member of any church. I get that you don’t have to be involved with a church to be a Christian but it certainly helps. I have a friend that is Christian down to the core. They go to church every Wednesday and twice on Sunday’s. Her husband is also the youth pastor. They don’t listen to anything but Christian music, they don’t watch movies that have nudity, drugs, violence, witchcraft or anything. They also make sure the kids never see any of that. Hell there was a show they loved watching on the Disney channel and one day they characters pulled a cauldron out and it was an instant you can no longer watch this show. She also dresses very modest as well as her daughters. No super low cut shirts and shorts and skirts must be knee length. The only person who sees her half naked or full nudity is her husband and only her husband. And if you are a Christian like you say you are then you wouldn’t curse, flip the camera off, dance inappropriately(twerking etc.), and you definitely wouldn’t be dancing around half naked and posting it for the world to see. A Christian man will look the other way and run. I’m sure she will have something to say about this after she reads it cause she has nothing better to do lol

We had been checking weather reports tirelessly for two weeks, until we finally found our spot. The following week should be nothing but sun and smooth winds, so we tentatively decided that to be our slot. Our small crew consisted of me and my friends Josie and Frank. Josie’s dad owned the boat (and he still needed to sign off on our plan), so we had to reserve it ahead of time, and make sure that we got it back in pristine condition, on the dot, and preferably with a nice coating of wax or whatever they use to make boats shine like candied apples.
Monday arrived and the weather was still solid, and Josie’s dad had reluctantly signed off on our plan, so we decided not to wait any longer and take it out the next day. The idea was to have a two day mini-cruise; just us hanging out on the boat and maybe docking it for the night at a nearby town. Although Josie’s dad was a hardass, he had taught her how to drive and maintain the boat since she was a kid, so really, the worst thing that could happen is that we wouldn’t have enough snacks.
Me and Frank met at the parking lot, and saw Josie standing on the boat at the end of the dock. Her dad was with her, lecturing her about some winch or other, Josie rolling her eyes next to him, barely maintaining her attention.
“He really can’t leave her alone even for a couple days, can he?” Frank asked, keeping his voice low as we stepped on the long dock.
“Josie or the boat?”
Frank chuckled, then quickly returned his resting poker face as we reached the boat, Josie’s dad turning around as he heard the planks creaking under our feet.
Before he could say anything, Josie ran up from behind him and said “Hi boys! You brought the food and snacks and the five gallons of vodka, I assume?”
“Aye aye, Captain!” we replied in unison. It was Josie’s dad’s turn to roll his eyes.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” he said to Josie, starting to walk down the small ramp down to the dock. “And remember, two days, no more. I expect you to bring her back in one piece.”
“Sure thing, dad!” That was Josie’s way of saying yes, yes, yes, I get it already.
Josie’s dad gave us a stern look followed by a slight nod as he walked past us. He never really liked me or Frankie, a bunch of hooligans, as he’d once called us when we were kids. For the record, me and Frankie didn’t like the guy either, so at least the feeling was mutual.
After her dad was out of earshot, Josie yelled “Are you ready kids?!” putting on her damndest pirate voice.
“Aye Aye Cap-TAIN!” we screamed and sprinted up the ramp and into the boat.
After an exchange of hugs we unloaded our groceries into the mini-fridge below deck, then met up with Josie, who was already sitting inside the helm. “Ready to leave, crew?” she asked. “Let’s rock this boat,” Frank replied. The amount of bad jokes this early in the morning was surely a great indication for what the rest of the day held.
It wasn’t long until the shore behind us was gone, the tranquil open sea spreading out in all directions. Josie seemed to know where we were going, but at that point I could no longer discern what direction we had even come from.
Me and Frank sunbathed and joked around on the deck until Josie emerged from her cocoon-like cockpit. “Sorry to interrupt your hi-LARIOUS hijinks, but I’d propose we have some lunch soon.”
Like destiny, the word lunch produced a unified grumble from both me and Frank’s stomachs - the universal horn of yes please, food please, now please.
“We can stay here for a while, then we could start heading towards the town,” Josie said.
Feeling bad that she was doing all the heavy lifting, I asked her “You need any help? It’s your boat, and us your honored guests, so don’t be afraid to command us, cap’n!”
“Please,” Josie replied, “when I get a chance to drive this boat, I take it. Dad’s been hogging it like crazy all summer. Besides, it’s not like you guys even know what half of the things on this boat are called, let alone what they’re used for.”
“Well, that’s the driver’s seat,” Frank said, pointing at the helm.
“That’s called a helm, my dear. Frank - you just earned yourself the honorary job of heating up our lunch.”
“This ain’t no Ford Prius, I see,” he replied as he got up and started to take lazy strides towards below deck.
“Toyota,” I said.
“What?”
“Prius is Toyota. Not Ford. Come one, let’s go make lunch for the captain.” I got up to follow Frank, nodding approvingly to Josie.
We had cheap microwave meals for lunch, seeing as the boat didn’t have a stovetop or an oven. For some reason - maybe it was the soothing sounds of the ocean lazily slapping the boat, or the warm afternoon sun - the food defied its low expectations and tasted great.
Afterwards we had a little siesta where I almost fell asleep until Josie said “Shall I take course towards the town, then?”
Through a straw hat laid across his face, Frank mumbled “Aye aye.”
“You sure you don’t need any help?” I asked Josie one again, but she was already jumping into the helm, excited to get back at it. “You guys just take a chill, I’ll get us where we need to.”
As the motor’s soothing hum returned, I got myself a bag of chips and sat on the deck, watching the horizon. Frank still had the hat on his face, which either meant that he didn’t want to be bothered, or that he’d fallen asleep. Either way, I was happy to just sit under the sun as the boat slowly rolled towards our destination, cutting a line into the flaccid water behind us.
“Shit, Shit SHIT!” Josie screamed. I must’ve fallen asleep, and as I got up the half eaten bag of chips crushed under my foot.
“What, Josie? What’s wrong?”
“What’s going on?” Frank parroted as he stood up, the hat falling beside him.
“There’s a fucking storm coming,” Josie said as she frantically pressed buttons, her eyes darting across the dashboard of the helm.
I turned around and looked at the horizon. Dread filled me as I saw an infinitely wide wall of dark clouds spread across the sky, making contact with the water in a misty gray curtain. I noticed that the ocean was no longer level, for it was rippled with small waves that thumped the sides of the boat in eager anticipation.
“I thought it was supposed to be nothing but clear skies,” Frank said. He’d walked beside me, taking in the horror beyond the horizon.
“Ex-fucking-actly, Sherlock. It came out of fucking nowhere,” Josie snapped, holding the wheel tightly in her right hand as she fiddled something with her left.
“Okay, Josie, I know this might sound stupid, but bear with. Why are we going towards the storm?” I asked, trying to not seem disingenuous as I turned around to face her.
She gave a sigh, stopping what she was doing and looked me in the eyes. “That’s where the town is. It’s the closest place to dock right now, and the storm’s moving faster than any I’ve ever seen. If we go back it’ll catch up to us and we’re fucked. If we go through it, we’ll spend the least amount of time inside it, giving us at least a chance.”
“A chance at what?” Frankie asked.
“A chance at getting out of here.”
“Any port in a storm, I guess,” I said, trying to lighten the mood, to which Frank gave me a concerned look.
The air had turned cool, so I went and changed to warmer clothing, Frank doing the same. Coming back up to the deck, I saw that the storm had moved closer. A lot closer. Josie instructed us to put on life jackets and to stay below deck, not to come out unless she asked us to. We put on the puffy orange jackets and promptly hunkered down below deck. The increasing waves were already rocking the boat uneasily.
“Are we gonna die?” Frank asked, his voice whimpering as he looked up at me from the opposite bench.
Although the question had already burrowed itself into my mind as well, I replied “No, NO, man, we’re not gonna die. Like Josie said, it’s just a quick ride through and then we’re back on dry land,” hoping that my words held even a sliver of truth.
In a matter of minutes, the sky turned dark and the boat started jumping on waves, like a rollercoaster rapidly going up and down and up and down. The rain tore into the boat like a machine gun as thunder sounded from across the way, lightning flashing the sky white erratically. Frank’s lunch quickly escaped his stomach, coming out in an arc of brownish green vomit that splattered across my legs and the floor. I was too scared to care, and he was too frightened to apologize.
The storm kept getting worse, the waves becoming larger as evidenced by the deeper dives and longer ascensions. Water was constantly slamming the deck, some of it trickling down to our feet. Through the two small windows the cabin had, it was near impossible to know whether we were on top of the water or under it, or which way was up or down. Although the storm was loud, I could still hear Josie cursing and screaming as she battled the waves and tried to keep us afloat, which was the only indication that she hadn’t been swallowed into the depths below. Frank was sweating bullets, his face a pale white. I wasn’t doing much better either, the words it’s gonna be ok it’s gonna be ok repeating in my mind.
Slowly the storm started to ease up, the waves thinning out and the rain becoming only a slight patter. Neither Frank or me said anything, though, not wanting to jinx it before we were safely back on land. Soon, the boat’s rocking lessened severely, and I could see sunshine coming through the windows.
“Hey guys, you okay? You can come up now,” Josie yelled, her inflection hesitant but calm.
Frankie apologized for the vomit as we got up and made our way up the steps. Josie was standing at the front of the deck, tumbling through her soaking wet hair with her fingers.
“Ho-lee shit, did we just survive the fucking apocalypse?” Frank asked rhetorically, his eyes darting between me and Josie.
“Josie! You okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, yeah… I’m fine,” she replied, waving her hand like nothing abnormal had happened at all.
I walked up next to her and said “We got through it, didn’t we? Now just let’s get ourselves back on land, eh?”
“Yeah, well, that’s the problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, look,” she said, holding her hand out at the pale horizon, like she was presenting it on an invisible platter. “Where’s the town?”
“What do you mean where’s the town? We got through the storm, so shouldn’t we be able to get through to it now?”
“That’s the thing. It should be right in front of us.”
“Where’s the storm?” Frankie yelled from the back of the boat.
“What do you mean ‘where’s the storm?’ We just went through it” Josie yelled in annoyance, still peering at the horizon.
“For fuck’s sake, come here,” Frank replied.
Josie looked at me and rolled her eyes, then started walking towards Frank as she gave a long sigh. I followed tepidly behind her.
As we reached the back of the boat, I realized what Frank had meant. There was no storm, nor clouds, or even residual waves. “What the fuck,” I exclaimed under my breath, right as Josie started sprinting around the boat, looking in all directions, her head swiveling in frantic motions, her hair throwing beads of water around like a dog drying up after a swim. A minute later she joined us, panting, and said “It’s all just water. There’s nothing on any side. We’re in the middle of the fucking ocean, the storm’s gone, there’s nothing.”
“Shit, shit, shit…” Frank muttered as he started to tap his foot on the deck, holding himself in a tight hug as he shivered in his wet clothes.
I turned to Josie. “Well we shouldn’t be far off from something, right? It’s still day, and even with the storm we couldn’t have gone too far.”
I could see that Josie was tired. She looked like she had aged about ten years in the last twenty minutes. “Okay, okay, you’re right. Let me just check some things and figure out where to go.”
Josie left for the helm, leaving me and Frank to stare in silent horror at the lazy, blue ocean that seemed to stretch infinitely in all directions.
After a long minute Josie called to us “Guys… you better come check this out.”
She was staring intensely at the dashboard of the helm as we arrived.
“Okay, so good and bad news. Which first?”
“Good, please.” Frank replied, recovered from the worst of the shivers.
“Okay, so the good news is, uhh,” she began, still fiddling with controls as if to double check her suspicions “the boat seems to be in running condition. There’s no damage to anything that would prevent us from going forward.”
“So what’s the problem then?” I asked.
“Check your phones.”
“What?” me and Frank said in unison.
“Check if you have a signal, internet, anything.”
“Shit,” Frank said. “Yeah, mine too,” I replied as I looked at my phone and saw that there was absolutely no signal or internet.
“Yeah, I don’t have a signal either - just had to check. And it doesn’t stop there,” Josie said, “compasses, readings, all of that - it’s shot. I can’t navigate us anywhere, and I have no idea where we are.”
Frank started to freak out and walked towards the front of the boat, his wet shoes squishing as he stomped angrily. “Fuck, fuck, FUCK. What the fuck do we do?”
“Well, as I said, we can still move. The only question is where. I have a faint idea of where the sun was when we first headed out, and I suggest we try to mimic its movement back to the dock,” Josie said to me while keeping her eye on Frank.
Frank was now squatting on the deck, his hands gripping his neck as he stared down at his feet.
“That sounds smart. Then if we see the storm again, we can recalibrate. We should probably be hitting land at some point, right?” I said to Josie.
“That’s my logic, at least.”
“You with us Frank?” I asked, turning to him.
“Yeah, yeah. I guess that sounds smart,” he replied in a solemn voice under his breath.
“Need any help?” I asked Josie.
“Take care of Frank,” she said quietly. “The best thing we can do is stay calm.”
Josie revved up the engine and turned the boat around carefully as she mapped out our approximate direction, and then we left towards a horizon that was no different from the others, guided only by the sun’s approximate movements.
As Josie manned the wheel, me and Frank cleaned up below deck and dried our clothes. As we were finishing up, he said he’d stay below deck, as he needed some time to think.
Looking at the sun, the day was slowly turning to evening. It was summer, so we still had daylight for a few more hours. I went up to Josie to see how she was doing.
“Frank’s below. Said he needed some time to think. I don’t blame him - this is indeed a bit fucked up, isn’t it?”
“Logically, we should hit land at some point,” she replied, her eyes fixed on the horizon, her presence distant.
“How are you doing, Josie? You just pulled us through hell. I know you don’t need help with the boat, but I’m just saying -- I’m here if you wanna talk.”
Josie sighed and turned to me. “Thanks. I think right now what I need is to get us safely back home. Once we’re back you can buy me a beer and then we can talk.”
I nodded, and then turned my head to look at the horizon. Noticing something in the distance, I said “Josie, uhh, what’s that?”
She turned her head back to survey the ocean.
In the distance there were small, dark peaks rising from the ocean, like the tips of underwater mountains rising above the water. They’d appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
“I -- I don’t know. But I think we’re gonna see soon enough.”
I stayed with Josie as we approached the peaks. As we got closer, it was obvious that there was no land between them. Instead, they shot up from the water in thick spirals that tapered off the higher they reached. As we got closer we could finally realize their true size. Although some were smaller than others, most were the equivalent of tall office buildings, some reaching even higher. They spiraled and twisted in the air, arcing like blades of grass in the wind, and it seemed like they could fall down at any moment, but they did not move or shake in the slightest. There must have been twenty or so, and they all looked similar despite their differences in size; dark, mostly smooth yet also scratched, like charred meat on a grill.
“You have any idea what these are? They look like… trees or something, except they don’t have leaves or branches,” I said to Josie.
“Never seen anything like it. Must be some rock formations or something. Maybe there’s an underwater volcano that bursted lava out and it solidified -- I really don’t know. But those should only happen deeper in the ocean, far away from land.”
I heard Frank coming up the stairs. He looked better than he had before, his step lighter. Although I’d been afraid he’d been brooding, I guess having some time to think really did help.
As he saw the spiraling towers, his face turned into a twisted and confused half-frown as he said “What the fuck are those?”
“We don’t know,” I replied, “but it’s the only thing we’ve seen so far.”
Soon the closest spiral towered just a mere two hundred yards away, its wide shade casting upon the boat. From a distance it had been hard to decipher the dark structures, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that their anatomy was… abnormal. Stretches of surface material were mostly smooth, but all of the spirals seemed to have slight craters that were formed above the rest of the exterior. It looked like they had been bombarded by meteors of differing sizes, although even if this had been the case, how had they not been immediately broken, I do not know. They were beyond any logic I could muster.
“So, anyone know what we’re looking at?” Josie askied, surprising both me and Frank - she was usually the one to know things, us just tagging along for the ride.
“No clue, captain,” replied Frank as he stared upwards in dismay at the towering spiral.
“Still no,” I said.
Suddenly the boat’s end shot up, followed by the front, ascending us a good ten yards in mere seconds. Frank and I were knocked down on the deck, but Josie managed to hold onto the walls surrounding the helm. The boat kept rocking as waves hit us from behind. I slowly stood up with my knees bent for support, and went to help out Frank who was still laying on the deck, his eyes wide in panic.
Once I’d gotten Frank up, Josie had already managed to make her way to the back of the boat. We held onto the railings along the boat’s edge and walked as fast as we could through the oceanic turbulence to catch up with her. Once I saw what had produced those waves, I wanted to get back to land more than I ever had before.
In the distance tens more of the spirals had emerged from the ocean, some even larger than the ones we’d seen. They dripped with water, and some were covered in green algae. Somehow they’d been quiet, merely disturbing the water as they’d shot up.
“We need to move! One of those things could shoot up under the boat and sink the whole fucking thing!” Josie screamed, running back inside the helm as the waves slowly calmed down and became smaller. I leaned on the railing to see if there was something underneath us - not that there was much I could do, even if I saw a gigantic spiral shooting up from the depths.
The water beneath the surface was unmoving, holding an abyssal darkness. It seemed as if the light penetrated less than it had before, and what was deep below was nothing but pitch black shadowlands.
Just as I was about to disembark and head towards Josie, something moved in the water. I craned my neck farther over the railing to get a better look. It looked like two large masses were separating from each other, unearthing a ravine.
Josie had gotten the boat moving, and we were starting to turn towards an opening between two of the spirals. As the boat circled, I got a better view of what lay below. The ravine widened, and inside it I could see a dark, whitish yellow mass peeking through. As Josie cranked us up to speed the yellow mass had opened up into a large, oval shape that seemed to span across the ocean floor. Its center held a deep, dark circle that sucked in light as if it were a black hole, twisting all things inside of it.
Then it closed up again. I sighed in relief, hoping that no more spirals would emerge.
Suddenly it opened up again in a furious motion, wider than before, into a perfect circle. Then it hit me - it was an eye, larger than anything I could think of. Although we were moving at full speed, it was so gargantuan that we weren’t making any headway.
It had blinked.
“Josie? Frank?” I screamed as I turned around and saw Frank on the opposite railing looking down at the water, witnessing the same thing I was seeing.
Frank turned to me, his face a washed white, and his mouth slightly agape. “They’re tentacles. They’re fucking tentacles, look!” he pointed at one of the bigger spirals. “They have fucking suction cups and all! Shit, SHIT!”
As if on cue, the tentacles started to return to the water, splashing as they did so, producing strong currents in the water. The boat was immediately caught up in the chaos, going up and around huge waves and being dragged by the water’s shifting volume. Frank sprang below deck, and I followed him. From the small round windows I could see one of the gargantuan tentacles dropping back into the water, the boat just barely missing its tip and almost sunk by the shifting ocean.
Josie ran inside with us and exclaimed “The storm is back! It’s fucking back! I can’t maneuver the boat worth shit!”
As she closed the door behind her, we were flung to the side, my ribs hitting one of the cabinets, producing a painful crack. I could hear the rain start to scratch at the boat, and soon we were engulfed in darkness, the rain gunning down on us through the waves. The boat rocked and swayed worse than it had before, and at some points I was sure we’d gone under, buried into the deep sea, never to see the sun again. We held on to whatever we could as water trickled through the sealed door and started pooling up on the floor.
Slowly, but steadily, the storm started to pass, the boat regaining its level status along the water. The darkness outside faded into a dark red. Once it was possible to stand with relative ease, we emerged from the cabin and walked up to the deck.
“Everyone okay?” Josie asked.
“I think I’m gonna --,” Frank replied, and promptly ran to grab the edge of the railing and vomited yellow bile into the water, his stomach empty of food from before.
“My ribs got a beating, but I don’t think anything’s broken, “ I said. “What about you?”
“I’m fine. Just some bruises. Look,” Josie said, walking to the other side of the boat.
On the horizon, we saw the evening sun illuminating a crimson glow behind a small town some 500 yards away.
“Frank?” Josie called out.
“Yeah?” he replied through thick phlegm that sounded like it was stuck to his throat and running down his nostrils.
“We made it.”
We docked at the unfamiliar town and found a small hotel - probably the only one there - just a quick walking distance away. Once we got our phones dried off, Josie’s seemed to be the only one that still worked. As she looked up our location she nearly dropped the phone on the ground.
“I -- I don’t know how, but we’re quite far from home,” she said, her voice produced in quick breaths.
“How far?” Frank asked.
“Some 480 miles away.”
We checked and double checked her phone, but she was right: somehow we’d ended up nearly 500 miles down the coast into a small fishing town.
We were so tired that we decided to get some sleep before giving the bad news to Josie’s dad. The next morning Josie called him up and explained the situation, giving him the simple version: a storm had hit us, and after we got out we’d arrived here. I could hear the screams he gave her through the phone - apparently he was sure we’d driven the boat all the way to this ghost town in the middle of nowhere and docked it here, just to spite him. Josie didn’t respond to him much, only apologizing and telling him to come pick us up.
A day later he arrived, furious with us - and especially Josie. Once we showed him the boat I thought he was going to burst into a thousand tiny pieces, for I’d never seen a man so angry before. Although I think he overreacted, it was true that the boat was in shambles. There was water damage throughout the interiors, most of the equipment was shot, and large scratches were present along the exterior’s white paint.
Josie begged him not to drive the boat back home, but he insisted, not hearing a word her daughter was saying. We drove his car and arrived home that night.
As promised, me and Josie went out for a beer a few weeks later after her dad had settled down enough to let her out of the house. We went through the events of the trip in great detail, confirming to each other that it really did happen - although we disagreed on one thing.
Josie still thought that the spirals were just magma turned rock, and the whole thing was just extremely bad luck. According to her, we got held up by a superstorm or hurricane that moved our boat on top of an active underwater volcano, and then got hit by that same storm later as it moved across the ocean at miraculous speeds. Her theory was that the storm moved us along with it, making it possible to traverse such tremendous lengths with ease.
But Josie didn’t see what had been underneath us. Her theory was that the ‘eye’ I saw was simply lava cooling down as it emerged from the ocean bed. But she hadn’t seen it blink.
Frank of course seen it as well, but I haven’t heard from him much after the incident. According to his mom, he’s been cooped up in his room, drawing yellow circles on black pages. He’d told her that he needed some time to think.

Mine started leaking at the master cylinder lever plunger. Having a hell of a time finding one that I can buy with any certainty. Lbs "doesn't do" hydraulic brakes.
Needs to fit or contain a 180mm rotodisc
The caliper mounts to the front suspension post
22.2 handlebar mount levemaster cylinder.
Front brake is on the left grip (evidently that's changed at some point?)
Most of what I'm finding contain 160mm discs or don't specify what size disc they are for. I guess I can go down to a 160 but now I don't know if the caliper mounting point is compatible with that.
The master cylindelever assembly on there now is a Shimano BLM385 but that doesn't seem to exist anymore.
Thanks in advance.

I remember watching the planes crashing into WTC live on TV right after my shift at the base dining hall. Maybe I didn't feel it consciously but I believe it did something to my subconsciousness. Being an immigrant from an incredibly violent society ruled by military dictatorships, while born with aspergers, I believe I was already broken a bit.
And perhaps that moment was the beginning of the rabbit hole that I am still falling, or maybe I found the destination. Maybe my mind is stuck in that time.
The world feels getting more alien, especially after pandemic. Being an immigrant from a vastly different mindset and history, the pandemic showed me how alien I am to this country, no matter how I tried to love and have hopes for America.
Dad was a senior engineer at one of the largest construction firm in Korea, working for ARAMCO for years in Saudi Arabia and doing many projects in America too. The first images of America I saw was the photos of Manhattan and the photo of Buzz Aldrin standing on the moon. America was the colossus I admired.
And now I am here. Being P&T because of all the trauma building up for decades, working for Hollywood as some glorified human prop working with RDJ and Michael Keaton. All those pretty rich Russian girls from West LA working as extras because they got nothing else to do. I've seen and heard stuff that average people should never have access to.
Damn, man.
I chuckled when someone told me that I sound exactly like 40s Republicans. So I am an oddity. I don't belong anywhere I feel.
I still want to believe in America and want it to be a healthy and functional country. But America sabotaged itself and it's not one group's fault.
It took me a long time to realize that I do have access to information that average Americans do nor, simply because I hang out on some Korean gaming website full of guys who served in Korean military. One guy was monitoring the global air traffic and noticed that the E-4 was squawking ident real hard during the Queen's funeral around the UK airspace.
Well, when I talked about it to folks on some subreddit I got immediately shut down. I was quickly ostracized. They didn't want to know about it at all.
That was a part of America I saw. A country run by wars although its people are heavily sheltered from wars. That was one of many moments that I felt so alienated from my adopted country.