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Are you searching for the perfect addition to your outdoor space? Look no further than Indian outdoor rugs. As you would have read Part 1 about the Indian culture, quality, and attractive design of the carpet. Now we will share the further information in this article.
4. Adaptable and Functional
Indian outdoor rugs have excellent functionality and adaptability. Whether you want to build a comfortable seating area in your garden or outdoor space. These rugs are simple to put into various outdoor spaces. They make your outdoor living space cozy or unique and feel warm and welcoming to walk on as well.
5. Durability and Longevity
When choosing outdoor rugs, durability is important. Indian outdoor rugs are designed to be strong and durable for outdoor use. They are made with tough materials and skillful workmanship, so they can handle lots of people walking on them, exposure to sunlight, and it can also take different weather conditions without getting damaged.
6. Eco-Friendly Choice
If you are someone who values eco-friendliness and sustainability, Indian outdoor rugs are a fantastic option. These rugs are crafted using natural fibers such as jute, cotton, and wool, which are renewable and biodegradable resources. By choosing Indian outdoor rugs, you actively contribute to a more environmentally conscious lifestyle, promoting sustainability in your everyday choices.
7. Easy Maintenance
Cleaning is not always an easy task, as you know. But cleaning Indian outdoor rugs is easy because they are resistant to stains, mold, and mildew. Regular vacuuming and spot cleaning are usually enough. These rugs can usually be kept looking their best with regular vacuuming and the occasional spot cleaning.
8. Affordable Luxury
In today's world, it is essential to consider budget constraints when making purchases. Therefore Indian outdoor rugs you can buy at affordable prices because these are both fancy and classy, but they don't cost a fortune like other expensive rugs. They are made well, have beautiful designs, and are reasonably priced. This means that even people with a limited budget can make their outdoor areas look stylish and elegant with these rugs.
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For reading Part 1 - CLICK HERE

Digital signage market is anticipated to grow at a considerable CAGR of 7.9% during the forecast period. Digital signage offers numerous advantages over traditional printed signage, including greater flexibility, interactivity, and customization, which increases its demand in the market. As businesses and organizations seek to leverage digital technology to enhance their marketing and communication efforts, the demand for digital signage solutions has grown. The development of sophisticated software and content management systems has also made it easier for businesses to create and manage digital signage content and to deliver targeted messaging to specific audiences.Besides, the retail and hospitality industries have been early adopters of digital signage, using it to enhance customer experiences and increase sales. As these industries continue to grow, the demand for digital signage solutions is likely to increase as well.
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The global digital signage market is segmented by type, component, location, and application. Based on type, the market is sub-segmented into video wall, video screen, kiosk, transparent LCD screen, and digital poster. Based on component, the market is sub-segmented into hardware (LCD/LED display, OLED display, media players, projectors/projection screens), software, and services. Based on location, the market is sub-segmented into in-store and outdoor. Based on application, the market is sub-segmented into retail, transportation, hospitality, corporate, education, and government. Among components’ hardware sub-segments, OLED displaysare expected to witness the highest growth in the market. Since it combines improved reality with a dynamic shape, OLED is the only technology that overcomes the constraints of traditional displays. Based on self-emitting light sources, OLED delivers greater light and color expression. Its flexibility and transparency are the products of breakthrough OLED material development.
full report of Digital Signage Market available @ https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/digital-signage-market
· Market Coverage
· Market number available for – 2023-2029
· Base year- 2022
· Forecast period- 2023-2029
· Segment Covered- By Source, By Product Type, By Applications
· Competitive Landscape- Archer Daniels Midland Co., Ingredion Inc., Kerry Group Plc, Cargill
· Inc., and others
Market Segmentation
Global Digital signageMarket by Type
o Video Wall
o Video Screen
o Kiosk
o Transparent LCD Screen
o Digital Poster
Global Digital signageMarket by Component
o Hardware (LCD/LED Display, OLED Display, Media Players, Projectors/Projection Screens)
o Software
o Services
Global Digital signageMarket by Location
o In-store
o Outdoor
Global Digital signageMarket by Application
o Retail
o Transportation
o Hospitality
o Corporate
o Education
o Government
Regional Analysis
o North America
o US
o Canada
o Europe
o UK
o Germany
o Italy
o Spain
o France
o Rest of Europe
o Asia-Pacific
o China
o India
o Japan
o South Korea
o Rest of Asia-Pacific
o Rest of the World
Company Profiles
o AdMobilize LLC
o Advantec Co., Ltd.
o BroadSign International
o iSEMC (HHSD Technology)
o Koninklijke Philips N.V.
o LG Electronics
o NEC Corp.
o Omnivex Corp.
o Panasonic Corp.
o Planar Systems
o Quividi SARL
o Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
o Sharp Corp.
o Sony Corp.
o ViewSonic Corp.
o Volanti Displays
The Report Covers-
​

• Market value data analysis for 2023 and forecast to 2030.
• Annualized market revenues ($ million) for each market segment.
• Country-wise analysis of major geographical regions.
• Key companies operating in the global digital signagemarket. Based on the availability of data, information related to new product launches and relevant news is also available in the report.
• Analysis of business strategies by identifying the key market segments positioned for strong growth in the future.
• Analysis of market entry and market expansion strategies.
• Competitive strategies by identifying ‘who stands where’ in the market.

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[Thank you for agreeing to teach them.]
Volta nodded, not entirely sure if it was for the best, but recognizing a request—or in this case, a thinly veiled order—for what it was.
Ever since she had taught Scarlet and the others her field, the occasional rotation of Lilhuns would be assigned to work under her for a time. It made her job easier, especially since the settlement was expanding at a ludicrous rate compared to what she had heard from the new members of the pack.
The Atmo that had joined were quickly treated and cared for, those who did not require so much time for recovery quickly accompanying the existing insects in their tasks. The largest, Mama, frequently assisted in construction and decoration of structures, so they worked with her. Once they had oriented how things progressed and their part in it, they were paired off with a construction group to be assigned a project. It was to the point where there were as many as five buildings nearing completion at once, the majority of them being accommodation for the new members of the pack.
The remaining question was regarding the insect kits. The answer? Well, there were four Atmo slightly smaller than the purple ‘Queen’ that had requested Volta instruct them, the pearlescent shimmer of her scaled carapace dancing in the sunbeams afforded by the skylight the den had been constructed with.
Teaching Violet—as well as the two Atmo that Volta had escorted to this pack—in the ways of sanitation had been an interesting endeavour, all things considered. They held a remarkable dexterity in those long edged appendages, but the lack of something to properly grasp with made finding a way to secure a rag onto the ends difficult. Luckily, Heralt was receptive to assisting her with creating something that would attach to the blades.
It was little more than a mop that secured to the joint and braced around the cutting edge gingerly, the ends of the stick using ‘ironwood’ springs to clamp onto fabric pads that would soak in the cleaning solution and allow them to do the floors and walls. Were it not for how shockingly efficient the task was performed, she would have been useless through the laughter at the sight.
Each Atmo kit held two of the devices on their limbs, allowing them to travel in pairs and simply finish large spaces within the time it would take her to prepare the next batch of cleaners to use. They had only started a short while ago and yet two dens had been finished, Scarlet assisting her in doing whatever furniture or ledges the Atmo were unsuited to completing. The odd pack member going through what Head Sahari called ‘versatility training’ listened to her instructions in an oddly compliant manner, giving the blue-furred female pause at the unusual experience.
All in all; the cleaner was guiding the five insects and three Lilhuns in the ways of cleanliness. Scarlet was primarily keeping an eye on those who interacted with the purple-coloured Atmo, her contributions to the other tasks proficient, despite the split attention. Before, she would have assumed the servant quietly acquiescing orders, but the dark red-furred female was particularly vigilant in matters pertaining to the kit now.
Volta wasn’t sure what happened to the other servants that regularly assisted her on a rotation—save for Kaslin, the female seeming to have been unofficially inducted as Grand…. Toril’s assistant alongside his mate, Tersa—but Faye, the mild-mannered deep gold-furred female, and Raine, the polite and excitable brown-furred female, had been absent for many suns now.
It was almost lonely, in a way.
Almost.
“That should be sufficient for this den,” she announced to the gaggle of Atmo kits and Lilhuns, careful to remind them not to bother the few ‘rock-worms’ that Ferra kept separate from the rest outside. There were only four, the largest one adorned in an odd script, but they were apparently a selection of favourites of the female. Regardless, it would not do to irritate a mate of Atrox.
The brown-furred male was responsible for the ghastly armour that the Grand Hunter wore on occasion, and she was not in a hurry to see if the disturbing tendencies of the male extended to how he displayed his displeasure.
“Where is our next destination?” Scarlet asked, her tail brushing up Volta’s spine in an uncomfortable way. It wasn’t that she disliked the touch, but the owner of it worried her. Something about the servant struck her as more than what was presented, and it was obvious that the female thought of it as immensely entertaining. That much was obvious, even without the sly grin.
“We have proceeded much faster than I was expecting,” the blue-furred female admitted, mentally checking over her itinerary while subtly batting away the offending appendage. “I suppose we should attempt the barracks while the pack is engaged, then rest for a time.”
[May I leave to check on the other Atmo?]
Volta paused, unsure why it was being requested rather than merely presented as a fact. Violet was—as far as it mattered—completely beyond the cleaner’s station, if only because she was an adopted kit of the Grand Hunter, as well as a sort of leadership figure for the insects. It was an enigmatic blend of positions where the purple insect could very well order Volta to do things, rather than ask. Though the hierarchy was not nepotistic in nature, it was safer to adhere to the wishes of the den-kit than it was to disobey.
“You may. What of the others?”
[I will leave them with you and Scarlet.]
The mentioned servant frowned. “I am to accompany you.”
Violet chittered her curious laugh. [These young ones are your task. I must attend to my own.]
Volta discreetly jabbed the female with a claw, glaring at her not to question the wishes of her better. The less attention drawn from the Grand Hunter, the better. Just picturing the disturbing mask and piercing gaze was enough to make her blanch.
Either reminded of her position, or merely interested in playful retaliation, Scarlet sighed quietly, bowing slightly to the insect. “As you wish, young mistress. Do call for me if I am required.”
[I will. Thank you, Scarlet, Volta.]
Volta lowered her head, watching the Queen leave before returning her attention to the group.
“We will do the first barracks, then determine if we are of time to do the second. The kits are to await the floors cleared of obstruction by the Lilhuns before cleaning them. We will manage it in sections so as not to disturb any who may be taking a break. In future—assuming you are to operate independently from myself—it would be best if you are used to working in groups.”
The Lilhuns nodded their understanding, the young Atmo hesitantly conferring with each other before approaching Scarlet to have their mops freed of soiled cloth and materials placed upon their carriages.
The Atmo had all been outfitted with a specially made platform that fitted over their wider base, clasping underneath past their six legs. It allowed them to transport much, their carrying capacity much larger than one would suspect from their size. The kits could comfortably haul all of the materials for the sun by themselves, and the adults had been the subject of idle speculation for mounted weapon platforms—assuming the fragmented conversation she had chanced upon was to be believed.
Volta inspected the odd section that the Lilhuns under her tutelage completed while she waited for packing to finish. She was not necessarily pleased with the results, but it was more important for them to understand the procedure to take for various locations at the moment. They had proven that they understood what to do for the dens, so next came teaching them how to approach high-traffic areas.
Once everyone had been prepared and the materials gathered, they left the den and started towards the barracks, glimpsing the Grand Hunter sparring with some of the pack in the open.
Ever since the Atmo were delivered by a trade caravan, the male had taken to training much of the pack personally, Huntress Pan taking over much of his more mundane work. Those who were deemed adequate were then pawed off to Head Tel for some specialized training, though Volta was not privy to what exactly it was meant to accomplish.
Regardless, Head Sahari was in charge of rotating out the pack amongst tasks, only a few specialists being directly assigned to any one occupation. By all rights, Volta herself should be training under the male, but the nature of her work meant that she was typically better off doing her job when such was under way. Given that the Grand Hunter was a rare case of someone fully understanding the importance of her specialty—and how little she wished to interact with the alien—she was thankfully spared.
Disregarding the events going on, she motioned for her group to follow her. There was work to do.
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“Two up!” he called out, wiping the sweat from his brow. The exertion cleared his mind, and the break from endless paperwork was appreciated. With the influx of members and various training being required, he had gotten rather exhausted mentally. Between the Wraiths being gone for two weeks since he told them to do recon around the Atmo traders, regular interaction with various caravans, planning out what they needed to do, and Robert still not calling him since the man had left to handle something, he had been pretty high-strung.
As always, there was more on his mind. Harrow had become more elusive regarding him ever since he had her transcribe the Union documents regarding the Lilhuns, their conversations vapid and brief. Jax didn’t have anything useful to say about it other than that she wanted time to sort her thoughts. Toril, Idee, Mi’low, and Bratik were given copies of the file to go over recently, since they were the closest thing he had to a counsel unfettered by a close relationship.
His own makeshift family took the news in an odd way. There was a lot to unpack.
Jax had become quiet, his muscles tensing. Harrow ended up staying away from her mate for a few days until he had stopped brooding about it. In the end; the guy just told Joseph that he would trust the Grand Hunter’s decisions regarding it, finding himself at a loss otherwise.
Sahari and Nalah were approached about the bonding information, the latter denying any bond to him, as well as Sahari confirming the same towards her blond-furred mate. The only line of reasoning that they could think of to make sense was that Nalah’s circumstances had messed with her in some way. The two seemed rather distressed by the assertion, but calmed somewhat when he mentioned that nothing would change between them regardless. Sahari could tell how conflicted he was about the whole thing, he just wanted to give them something to hang on to.
It was a bigger deal for them than he had initially internalized. In retrospect; something revered as a literal gift from their god being denied really should have been an obvious point of stress. As begrudging as his acceptance was, he was linked to the whole ‘Great Hunt’ business in their minds, so he was aware of how deeply that belief ran. He didn’t personally subscribe to the religion, but they never really bothered him with anything besides overseeing funeral rites—not that he would have refused anyway.
Pan seemed to mirror his feelings on the matter—a dark feeling of helplessness and sorrow. She had fallen quiet when she heard about the trials on the defectives, that particular section hitting her harder than the others. After an entire day of silence, all she had to say about it was that she loved him, and then spent the night burrowed between him and Tel, unable to sleep. He had a hard time as well, but it extended well past the initial night.
Tel had informed him that his restlessness had made it difficult for her to get any shut-eye, his shifting disturbing her, but it was said in a slightly concerned tone. Her general reaction was fairly subdued compared to the rest otherwise, her lifetime of being at either end of a gun numbing her to the reality of things. It was weird for him, but he was deeply thankful for it on some level.
She kept him sane, her cold response being a candid ‘Wish it, and I will end all who displease you.’
For once, her more violent background gave him something to grip onto. It resonated in him—loose, yet present. A door within him, chained and locked, was brought to mind as he really considered what he wanted for those involved. The traders who abused the Atmo, those who seemed so bent on hurting his friends, the Union ‘GUOS’ who called for the experiments... A thrumming settled in his fists, an itch that couldn’t be sated by just scratching.
A paw flew past his brow, his shifted posture allowing him to slip the claws that had been left exposed in the heat of the spar. His heart hammered, his sweat soaked his clothing, and his focus returned to the fight.
No Union, no traders, no worries. Just the two security members who had doubted Jax’s claims that the smaller Human had somehow bested the male in a fight, and were now bringing out their natural weapons on instinct.
Grabbing the wrist with his right hand and gripping the shoulder with his left, he pulled, using the rotational force to pivot on his left foot and haul the overeager Lilhun to the dirt, the appendage bending behind them sharply. A second fist came from the corner of his eye, the other combatant trying to use the momentary distraction to score a hit.
Using the gripped arm as a balance, Joseph leaned into the spin, firing the sole of his shoe into the head of the opportunistic attacker. The loud slap of his foot connecting with the larger male almost outdid the crumpled form crashing to the ground unconscious. It was only a dull sensation of mercy that stopped him from completing the spin while he maintained his iron grip on the arm of the thrown adversary, saving them a torn and dislocated shoulder.
Joseph breathed heavily, the adrenaline wearing out as Jax checked on the defeated. Minus some stiffness expected in one of them and a sore jaw for the other, they would be fine, albeit embarrassed for such a quick disposal in front of their usual teachers.
The sound of his rubber sole slapping on the ground some distance away killed off whatever motivation he had to continue, his shoes finally giving out.
“I would ask you not to disable my security, Grand Hunter,” Jax said with mock frustration, the black-furred male’s eyes following the two leaving with an expression of exasperation.
“Sorry,” Joseph breathed out, his heart hammering in his chest as his system wound down.
The Head of Security glanced down at him, his expression pensive. “As much as I enjoy my boasting of your prowess to be validated, I do worry that you see more than a spar in them.”
He drew his lips thin as he brushed his sweat-soaked hair back, his arm dropping to his side. He took a few moments to sort the thoughts that returned. “I probably should have called that kick, yeah.”
The larger Lilhun snorted. “They will be fine, it is not their health I am worried about.”
“I’m fine, Jax,” he snapped, averting his eyes when his friend seemed to have made his point. “I…. I’ll be fine. Just some things on my mind right now.”
“Joseph,” the black-furred male started, walking up to place a large paw on his shoulder. “We are here if you wish to talk.”
His breath died in his throat, his eyes closing in defeat. He felt the soreness in his hands surface, hours of constant fighting to soothe the burning in his blood that failed to abate. Bruises made themselves known, dehydration made his joints stiff, and lack of sleep clouded his mind. Jax was right, he was a bit of a mess.
“Grand Hunter,” Mi’low called, his tired glance in her direction revealing the female approaching. “We are ready to speak.”
Joseph placed a hand on Jax’s paw, patting it softly. “Talking will have to wait. Tell Harrow I said hi and that I’d like to hang out again. I miss it.”
The male looked at him apologetically, nodding as he was still unable to offer anything to ease the sting of a friend distancing themselves from the Human. “I will.”
The Human cycled a breath and faced the actress. “The rest?”
Mi’low nodded. “Where will we meet?”
Joseph waved an arm towards the base. “My place. More chairs.”
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Toril was wearing his usual smile, his eyes inspecting everything about the hub from the couch while Tersa stood nearby, her body language telling that she was wary about being in a new place without time to scout it. Bratik was in his wheelchair, Sorren holding his paw as he sat on the opposite side of the chemist. Idee—being the only one to spend time in the outpost regularly—simply thanked Kaslin for the water from her place between the two mated males. Mi’low had claimed a free chair, her legs crossed and back straight as she stayed away from the others on the couch. The Wraith handed Joseph his requested tea since Scarlet was babysitting the insects, then occupied a place out of the way, but close enough to act if things got heated.
He stayed standing rather than occupying his usual place on a table, his second choice of seating being filled up. He could have dragged over the Atmo couch, but he didn’t want to stress his body any more than he had already by lugging it. “So, everyone had plenty of time to read the documents.”
“Indeed,” Mi’low commented dryly, a glare shot in his direction. Idee nodded, though her expression fell as it was brought up. Toril maintained his detached look of amusement, but it didn’t escape Joseph’s notice that Tersa stiffened.
The Grand Hunter took a sip of his refreshment, enjoying the fleeting feeling of warmth from something other than exertion. “And what do we think?”
“We?” Sorren asked, the male not quite used to the Human using their tongue. Joseph’s mastery of the language was still spotty at times, but Kaslin could fill any gaps if needed.
“Yeah,” he replied plainly. “It has more to do with you than me. I just got the message.”
“I find it rather fascinating,” Toril opined cheerily, his energy at odds with the atmosphere of the room. “Such thorough study allows us many insights into facets of our own biology that we may never have known!”
“By slaughtering our kin in the thousand,” Mi’low shot back, a slight snarl pulling her lip.
“As regretful as such is, we can not bring them back,” the chemist noted with a small nod. “We must simply use the information gleaned by our foes without repeating their atrocities.”
“You suggest ignoring their sins?”
“I suggest utilizing what they have learned and incorporating it to our advantage.”
“Or,” Joseph interjected, “we talk about it instead of getting into an argument.”
“Your people are not free of fault, Grand Hunter,” the crimson-furred female spat. He remained silent, already having spent far too long thinking about how none of it would have happened if Humans weren’t in the picture for them.
“You can not hold him as a factor, Mi’low,” Idee said softly, shifting in her seat to get comfortable and smiling apologetically at Sorren when she bumped him.
“Were it not for them, then we may not have lost our homes!”
“Were it not for him you would be little more than bones bleached by the sun, or so I hear.”
“We are not here to cast blame,” Bratik disputed quietly, his voice carrying through the room despite the low volume. “The Grand Hunter has saved each of us. Some from demise, others from the shackles of their station, and others from the fate of losing loved ones.”
Toril and Idee shared a glance as the male continued, Tersa paying attention to him for the first time.
“He seeks our counsel. Not our aimless ire to be spewed upon him for that which he himself had no knowledge of, nor involvement in. His kin were as much victims as our own.”
“Quite,” Toril concurred as the two females ceased their bickering reluctantly. “How would you like to address this, Grand Hunter?”
Joseph blinked, expecting the blame, but not Bratik defusing it so quickly. “Well, we have a few things to work off of. Years of experiments coinciding with missing persons after accepting a job, whoever tipped off your military taking info with them about Sol and the ‘blacklist’, whatever bond fuckery they discovered, and the defects.” He shrugged weakly. “Take your pick.”
“There are too many missing across too wide an area to recognize such a comparative few,” Idee stated, the others in the group silently agreeing.
He nodded, nursing his tea with small sips. “Figured that would be a sticking point. Plus, we don’t really know how long it was going on... or when it started... Not even if it was a bulk recruitment or slow trickle. I guess the missing people are something we’ll just have to keep unknown.”
“The bond information was rather enlightening,” Toril mentioned, his eyes rising to the ceiling as he thought about it. “Our peoples are wildly compatible.”
“As servants, perhaps,” came the scathing remark from the High Huntress. “What use is our gift if it is twisted to be mere subservience? To discard ourselves for some alien race?”
Sorren’s ear flicked. “It is hardly ‘twisted’ to protect that which the Hunt Mother has afforded us.”
“Are we to just accept that our bonds are better suited to that,” she emphasized with a pointed claw in Joseph’s direction, “rather than our kin?”
“Drop it,” the Grand Hunter ordered tiredly, his reflection in his beverage shaking as he shifted on his feet. “Arguing isn’t going to help anything.”
Mi’low held her disgusted expression. “You ask us to trust that which led to our downfall? We are yet another strike against your kin, no?”
He shook his head, his eyes buried in remains of the shimmering image he held in his hands. “I blame the sick fucks that did all this. If you can’t agree with that, then there’s not much reason to hold this meeting.”
“What is it you seek to accomplish?” Toril asked, amused by the theatrics. The rest seemed surprised by Mi’low’s pointed aggression, but the chemist was more interested in continuing.
“I have people looking to get me out of here,” Joseph informed them, laying his empty cup on the table with a soft clack. “People who will probably extend the offer to you. If they come, I need to know what we’re doing about it. The last thing I need is people acting like Mi’low and opening fire on whoever comes to drag us out of the mud.”
“Why would we?” Sorren asked, taking his mate’s paw as he gave a worried glance to the offended female.
“Because our people were tortured due to our interactions with them,” the chemist noted in a matter-of-fact tone, his pleasant demeanour remaining despite the morbid topic.
“Did our people not initiate contact with another species on less hostile terms?” Idee asked, her head tilted slightly.
“But no one lived to talk about it,” Joseph countered, gesturing with an upturned palm. “Plus, that’s assuming whoever was in charge of that call being the norm, rather than the exception.”
“You believe our people to act otherwise?” Bratik asked, his tone inquisitive rather than judgmental.
Joseph shrugged. “To be fair, I’ve almost been killed by more of your species than the wildlife. Granted, a few of those were just people being assholes, but still.”
“Many would see the opportunity as retribution for the Union,” Mi’low mentioned dryly.
Sorren’s face fell. “Then we should not propagate this knowledge?”
The Human glanced between each of them. “That’s why you’re here. My group knows because I trust them with it. I think we should keep this to ourselves, but if we do—and someone finds out—it would just cause a lot of issues. Alternatively; we tell everyone.”
“And suffer the consequences of that action as well,” Idee concluded dejectedly. Joseph returned a wry smile as Toril raised a paw, speaking when the Grand Hunter raised a brow at him.
“Perhaps we should withhold the information from the lesser station?”
“Like, just the Grand Hunters?” Joseph inquired cautiously. Toril tilted his head.
“Those who would be more diplomatically minded, perhaps.”
“I don’t exactly see some of them as what you would call ‘diplomatic’ and I’m not going on some voyage to visit everyone with the info in tow.”
“We are able to make copies,” Sorren offered. “Perhaps we could exchange the information using traders and gain something from it as well?”
Mi’low shook her head. “That is assuming they do not claim us manipulative nor seek to remove him. Some may very well move to strike us all down for ‘withholding’ the information, regardless of how readily we supply it.”
“Do your people know?” Bratik interjected, gathering the attention of the others. Joseph winced in uncertainty.
“I’m not sure. I’d guess my brother does, but I don’t know how sensitive things are. It could have been announced and there’s an intergalactic war, or it might be kept under wraps until conflict isn’t as likely. At least until it’s less likely to blow up in our faces, anyway.”
“They are of lesser force?”
“No clue,” he admitted. “Not my area. All I do know is that there are more species allied against us—or at least aren’t inclined to take a bullet—than are.”
“So our options are rather limited,” Idee concluded, receiving a series of agreements.
“We could,” Mi’low said after a few moments of contemplation, “distribute the information anonymously. Humans are not named directly in the document, and we need not divulge its origin.”
“So, what? Just pass people tablets and ask them to forget where they got it?” he probed, not entirely disagreeing with the idea, but skeptical all the same.
“Tersa may make additions to trader inventories without their knowledge,” Toril offered, the mentioned Blade frowning at him, but not protesting. “Or perhaps Trill’s kit, since she is devoted to yourself.”
“Eh. I guess that’s an option,” he conceded, sighing. “So, about the bond; any opinions? Notes?”
“Stay away from me,” Mi’low answered warily, earning a flat scowl.
“I meant something besides that. I’m not too keen on adding to the cluster-fuck I have going on anyway.”
Sorren smiled. “I am excited to meet your people—should I be so blessed. There are many who would never know the joy of the Hunt Mother’s gift otherwise.”
“I would not mind her words, Grand Hunter,” Toril chuckled. “She is a creature of dishonesty—including her own desires.”
The actress glowered at the chemist. “I preferred it when you were nomadic. It was much easier to ignore your presence. Your words were but some distant wind I need not soil my ears with.”
“Perhaps our meeting is best ended here,” Bratik interjected, waving his functional paw. The other arm was coming along, but still too stiff to use for much. “We should propagate the information through unsigned parcels to the Grand Hunters.”
“One last thing,” Joseph said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “The information on Sol; anything ever get done with that?”
“We were capturing habitable planets in a particular direction, though the decision to do such was made by our superiors.”
He nodded. “Makes sense. Same issue we have now. Can’t let everyone know because chaos is a lot easier to manage when it’s directed. Between the religious connotations and the context around it; there’s no saying if it would lead to riots or worship. Rather not bring the problem to our door.”
“Wise,” Mi’low remarked sarcastically, her judgmental side-eye aimed between him and Sorren.
“Alright,” he said with a raised voice, ignoring the red-furred female to the best of his ability. “Drop off letters and lock myself in a room or something. Sounds like a plan.”
“That will not be required,” Sorren corrected with a laugh. “Though the documents confirmed a high percentile of successful bonds, there were many incompatible pairings. It is unlikely that your informant included every variation of failure, but the bond seems to be as selective as usual, just more receptive to those who meet the criteria. I would speculate that the majority of those who would bond to you by now, have. Barring the new additions, of course. I doubt you will need to worry about bonding to half a species by yourself.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” he muttered. “Okay, you’re free to go back to your work. You know who to talk to if something comes up.”
The gathering dispersed, Toril requiring Tersa to drag him by the ear before he got too distracted. Mi’low stayed behind, waiting for everyone else to leave.
“Thoughts?” he asked, glancing over at her. She shook her head as she dropped the antagonistic persona.
“Two attribute you to their religion, Toril is too interested in your species to act against your best interest, and Idee rather enjoys her time here—as well as sympathizes with your position. Tersa’s allegiance is with Toril, so she will follow him, as well as your tentative arrangement as a superior over her.”
“So, we’re good?”
“We are,” she confirmed. He looked at her for a long moment.
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Going to try and kill me again?” he questioned wryly.
The High Huntress snorted. “Unfortunately, my pack has ostensibly become yours, and with it, my fate. They would rather watch me go than follow. It seems your influence extends past our biology.”
Without an opportunity for him to ask what she meant, she headed to the exit, pausing in the doorway when he called out to her.
“Mi’low?” Her ear tipped back towards him. “Thanks. For putting yourself on the block like that. I know how risky that could have been for you.”
She afforded a single nod before letting it close behind her.
“’Past our biology’, huh?” he muttered, eyeing the empty cup on the table.
He considered bothering Tel, since she would likely offer him a distraction for a while.
Sighing at his remaining intact shoe flopping as he stepped, he decided to do exactly that.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
“How are we holding up?”
Tech leaned back in her chair, yawning widely. “Communications have been down for a while, navigation software is pointing everywhere at once, and if it wasn’t for me, everything else would be dark too.”
“All hail Tech Ops,” Comms quipped, struggling to make his system do much more than transmit static on a loop.
Willin rolled his eyes at Tech’s boasting, but she was probably right to do so. They had aligned themselves in the right direction and simply let navigation go, communications discreetly blinking out as they got close without warning. All they had left was the actual piloting and onboard support systems, both of them hanging by a thread until Tech could run diagnostics to see if she could counter them properly. She might be able to eventually, but she didn’t seem confident beyond keeping the crew mobile and alive.
“How’s it look down there?”
Nav had long since given up making sense of their controls, opting to keep watch for whatever they were approaching. Since they had gotten within visual range, they had occupied themselves using whatever scanning equipment Tech managed to keep shielded. They leaned over the readouts, brows raising before furrowing at the information.
“It appears that they have remained fairly close together. I am reading several AEC distress signatures... Why am I able to?”
Tech raised a paw. “Right here. The jamming is consistent with the United Military’s algorithms, though boosted past what we have the equipment to manage. Can’t override it for you or Comms, but it was never meant to counter the low-frequency of a distress pulse, since that would get lost in normal noise anyway. I took the liberty of limiting the scope of collected data to increase the sensitivity.”
“Not much frequency pollution on an untapped planet,” Willin remarked dryly, his screen mirroring what Nav was looking at. Thirty-eight sources, most of them repeating the initial call-signs. Two seemed to have retained some power, though not much, implying a makeshift solution. There would normally be more to glean, but the measures taken to make picking them out at all possible had stifled it.
“Orders?” Nav asked after a moment. Willin considered it, scouring the somewhat distorted visual feed.
“Let’s get closer first.”
“Understood.”
He adjusted his uniform as they drew near, Tech frowning as more of her fail-safe measures ironically failed. Quick action saved them from listing aimlessly, but any chance of copying the survivor’s distress call faded. The AEC’s were effectively invisible until Tech had dealt with the issue preemptively, and their beacon wasn’t any stronger.
Detriment of a scout craft, he supposed. Help would have to deal with not knowing where his ship had gone until they were up to their necks in the warp-spike’s field. Hopefully, the EW fleet would manage it better.
“Just outside of atmosphere,” Nav reported, activating the scanning equipment again. Normally, it would be able to tell them everything down to the rough number of wildlife in an area, but all the interference gave them little more than confirmation that life existed.
“Well, there goes any advanced recon,” Willin muttered, ignoring Comms silently debating if he should bother Tech to duplicate the feed again. Noticing, she did anyway, the male gesturing their thanks. “Tech, can you get us population density?”
“I’m good, Leader, but not that good.”
“Leader,” Nav called, highlighting a few points on the feed. Whatever it was that they were trying to show him, he didn’t see it. “These areas are likely settlements.”
“Structures?”
“Affirmative. It is subtle, but there.”
He nodded, trusting their judgment. “Which is the largest?”
The feed zoomed in, losing most of the clarity—not that there was much to begin with. “Location coincides with an AEC still actively reporting.”
“They set up around it.”
“Likely, Leader.”
Willin exhaled slowly. “Take us down nearby. I’d say to hide us, but that’s hard to do with open skies.”
“The planet suffers constant rain,” Tech added, her screen already reverting back to a simplistic game while she waited for someone else to need something. “We could descend under the cover of it.”
“Any idea how long?”
Her monitor flickered. “One local sun.”
“Then we spend the time gearing up,” he ordered, waving to have Nav and Comms’ screens defaulted. “You two will make sure our defence armaments ship-board are active and loaded. Tech, queue up whatever armour and equipment we might need for a diplomatic mission.”
She turned in her chair, her head tilting questioningly. “Just us?”
“Just us. We’ll want someone here to keep things warm in case we need to leave quickly. Can you get Comms’ station capable of short-wave?”
She nodded after a moment, her eyes losing focus as she consulted her implant. “We’ll lose the fabricator during, but we should have enough for life-support and in-atmosphere flight. Weapons will have to be swapped out with it too.”
“That bad?”
The purple-furred female shrugged. “It’s that or I take down the defences and we lose it all.” She frowned at her screens. “Even this is pushing it.”
“Can you take down the purifier once we’re down there? Switch to external flow?”
“As long as you don’t mind alien air, sure. It won’t give us more to work with, but it should make it less taxing to keep what we have.”
Willin scratched at his ear. “Do it. They lived here this long, doubt we’ll join the Void breathing it too.”
“Will do.”
He shifted his attention back to Nav. “Set course to that settlement. Keep us above the clouds until it gets bad enough to obscure us.”
Nav signalled their agreement, the scenery shifting slowly as they picked a cloud to shadow in the meantime. Comms looked at Willin expectantly, forcing him to come up with something for the male to do.
“Comms, I want you to monitor anything this place has coming in or out. Set up surveillance.”
The male raised a brow. “My systems are inoperable, Leader.”
“If you try to do anything big, yes,” Willin corrected. “Just keep us informed if something goes through. We don’t need to know what happened, just that it did.”
“Keeping track of possible communications between settlements?”
Willin bobbed his head to the side. “Whatever we learn, it’s more than we know.”
“Understood. I will try to arrange a passive probe.”
The group set about their tasks as he brought up a still-frame of the settlement Nav spotted. It was blocky, blurry, and the chromatic aberration on the edges hurt to look at, but it was a settlement. A large AEC surrounded by silver constructions, all laid out in a slightly haphazard way. He couldn’t judge it too harshly, however. There was a method to the madness. Narrow pathways hidden between dens, each leading to the AEC like a system of routes for select Lilhuns to reach anywhere they may be needed as quickly as possible.
The AEC itself seemed modified, large solar panels placed where a solid hull would be expected, the semi-transparent material likely acting to illuminate the interior. Many of the buildings around it were larger than those beyond, some appearing to be two or three levels.
From sheer volume of dens, Willin figured this was a contender for the largest settlement. His best estimate placed the number of inhabitants in the range of three hundred or so. If the other settlements were even close, then the initial guess of a thousand survivors was woefully short.
That made things complicated, yet so much simpler.
He awaited the distant storm clouds rolling over the landscape, thankful Tech had prioritized the water-proof gear.
He hated being soaked.
Next
A/N: 500k words. Half a fucking million.

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Rules:
Individual item pictures available by request
NO TRADES
PayPal ONLY. Buyer pays fees. Nothing in the notes other than Reddit username and shipping address
Shipping included unless otherwise specified
Prices are OBO. Don't like the price? Want to buy multiple items? Make me an offer!
Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/3LB5b54
Buy #1, #2 & #3 listed below for $1000 shipped
1. Wolverine MTW - $725 shipped
https://imgur.com/M0RrjgG
This has been my work horse for the last 3 years and has easily been my favorite HPA rifle I've owned over the last 12 years. The gun is currently mechanically locked into semi only. Swapping the selector switch for a 3.5 position one (safe/semi/auto) will fix this.
Only issue is a snapped bolt release which is not needed unless using empty mag detection and stock Wolverine mags
Included:
Airsoft Parts

• Wolverine MTW 14.5"
• Gen. 2 Waterproof Trigger Board w/ micro switch trigger
• VFC Crane Stock (Tan / New)
• Amped Filtered Grip Line
• Big Dragon AAC M4-2000 Mock Suppressor (Foam Filled)
• PTS QD Sling Swivel (New)
• Modify Bucking
• Flat Hop Nub (don't recall the brand, maybe Namazu?)
• 6.03x363mm Steel inner barrel (Maybe Prometheus?)
• 4 200mAh 3.7v batteries (extras fit in the buffer tube)
• 2 spare hop up chambers
• 1 spare engine clip

Real Steel Parts

• Midwest Industries 14" Combat Rail ($215 new)
• BCM Gunfighter MOD0 Pistol Grip
• BCM QD Sling Plate
• Smith & Wesson M&P10 Ambi Selector (This mechanically locks the gun to semi)

2. PolarStar MR Regulator + 36" Line - $85 Shipped OBO
Used, but not abused. Signs of wear from normal use. No leaks and functions as it should.
https://imgur.com/XGfc9Fg
3. Ninja 45/4500 Lite PSI Tank & Ninja 68/4500 PSI Tank Lite - $140 Shipped ea or $250 shipped for both
Both tanks are freshly rehydro'd and are good until 04/2028.
https://imgur.com/BOk4bOp
https://imgur.com/HytioTe
https://imgur.com/aP8WYsD
4. Brand New LBX Woodland Combat Shirt (Large) - $40 Shipped OBO
A bit tight in the shoulders for my liking. Only tried on once at home and has been in my closet since.
https://imgur.com/NWY1fTg
https://imgur.com/FmjplYg
5. NEW Reversible DCU/Night Camo GORETEX Pants - M/R - $30 Shipped OBO
New w/o tags. Get your 90's larp on with these sweet night camo pants.
https://i.imgur.com/u6vez6p.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/Y5N2MNa.jpeg
6. New Magpul USA MBUS Front Sight - $15 Shipped
Brand new, taken off my AR.
https://imgur.com/KR8vQvS
https://imgur.com/fvhoyXS
7. TMC G2 DCU Crye Pants + Genuine Crye Gen. 3 Knee Pads - $60 shipped OBO
No tears, some stains around the knees from normal use. Knee pads are in excellent shape.
https://imgur.com/Q7BYk7s
https://imgur.com/VZgIfSN
https://imgur.com/LnlEljH

So my mom has an above ground pool with a raised deck around half of it. Pressure treated lumber, outdoor fasteners etc. She has however neglected the surface maintenance for a couple years and the sealer is gone and the wood is greyed out in the sun and is goving small splinters on the rails etc. I've never refinished a deck, and know nothing about sealing it etc. I'm assuming rent a floor sander for the deck, and do the rails with a smaller sander, and then some sort of stain/sealant? Reccomendations for sanding grits? Stain/sealants? Would prefer to get it sealed well, then just reapply the sealant at the proper intervals. Thanks in advance for any advice

Pictures
The first 3 items are also posted on ulgeartrade but added more items to this post that aren't necessarily UL.
​

• Zpacks Duplex spruce green 21.44oz $500 shipped, add 3% for G&S

Sweet tent, used 7 nights, excellent condition. Super solid for me but wanting to try out a different tent. Does not come with stakes / trekking poles. Save yourself a couple hundred bucks on a new one and give this thing a home! Or make it into your home? Guess it depends on what a tent means for you. I felt like I was in the Chris Smeade Highline documentary every time I slept in it. Anyone else watch that a lot?

• SWD Shoulder Pocket .74oz, lycra stretch mesh. $12 shipped, add 3% for G&S SOLD

Got this for my HMG pack at the time, and it's awesome. Used it to keep my inReach handy. Upgraded to a SWD pack and now I have the same shoulder pocket in Ultra200 instead, so sending this on its way.

• Deuce #3 trowel .97oz $10 shipped, add 3% for G&S SOLD

You can dig a hole with this and fill the hole with excrement. Works great. Some battle scratches but she digs like a champ still.

• Prana Brion 30x32 men's pants $15 shipped, add 3% for G&S. SOLD

Good for hiking, climbing, whatever. Too slim for me.

• Patagonia Quandary 32x32 men's pants tan $40 shipped, add 3% for G&S.

Got these and immediately had them tailored to slim down the leg a wee bit and shortened them maybe an inch or so, so they're perhaps like a 32x31 now. Still an adequately generous fit for hiking and high steps, but less oversized. I don't love when hiking pants are super baggy, so just tailored them to clean up the look a bit. The work was done by a professional European tailor, and is unnoticeable. She is a pro.
I'm about 6 feet tall, they still cover my shoes just a bit, but not tons of excess fabric around the ankle which I like. Used only on one weekend trip, like new condition. Excellent backpacking pant, breathable enough for summer use and bugproof too.

• Patagonia Rock Pants 32x32 men's light tan $30 shipped, add 3% for G&S.

Brand new basically, worn once to the climbing gym and they're not my style. Kind of a cotton synthetic blend I'm guessing. Good climbing pants, especially for outdoor. nice phone pocket on the right thigh that you can access with a harness on. Adjustable waist belt built in.

• Patagonia Quandary 32x32 men's pants gray $20 shipped, add 3% for G&S.

I like getting things tailored. Had these tailored too so even though it says 34 (purchased when I thought I was gaining weight) I had them tailored back down to a 32 waist which is what they are now. same European tailor did the work, you can't tell it was done. leg taper down towards the ankle, fits nice. slight stain on right butt pocket. These are older and more worn than the tan ones, hence the cheaper price.

• Arc'teryx Tee men's green L $18 shipped, add 3% for G&S.

It's the dead bird. It's a comfy tee. I think they discontinued their casual cotton tees so maybe it's collectable? Don't know.

• Patagonia Regenerative Organic Certified Cotton Lightweight Tee men's blue M $20 shipped, add 3% for G&S.

Long name, soft shirt, pay 20 for this $49 shirt and feel good about it.

• Pela case - Google Pixel 5a 5G phone case $15 shipped, add 3% for G&S

It's a phone case. Used a few times. Perfect condition.

• La Sportiva Katana Lace men's 42.5 EU/ 9.5 USM $35 shipped, add 3% for G&S.

Wore these for a couple years, good condition. Too small on me (long time to realize that, I know). They can be resoled for a sweet new rubber experience. Good all around shoe.

I stained some outdoor wood furniture with an oil based stain. It was on top of a plastic drop cloth on my concrete patio and I used a paint brush. I put the paint brush in a bucket of water per the can instructions but I realized I don’t have a lid. Should I leave it in the bucket or leave it out to dry? What about the plastic drop cloth? Everything I find is about rags so I’m unsure what to do.

Namesake: Neon Wound by Silversun Pickups
User: Berc (Deceased)
Automatic stand
Stats:
Power: A
Speed: D (Steady gait similar to a human; capable of running if need be)
Range: Ø (Posthumous stand; can move anywhere)
Durability: A* (Bears countless scars and dents, but still stands strong and cannot regenerate)
Precision: E (Can be directed by manipulating its preprogrammed responses, but not controlled)
Potential: E (Can no longer adapt of alter directives)
Appearance:
｢Neon Wound｣ is seven feet tall, and has the appearance/texture of oxidized copper. Its silhouette is wide-shouldered, armored, and imposing. Its internals seem to consist of an overlapping series of fluorescent webs.
It wears a flowing scarf, and an abundance of chains trail down the back of its neck from the top of its 'helmet', which possesses a protruding section from the forehead down past the chin. Its eyes are rotating white triangles in a black void.
Ability:
｢Neon Wound｣ was originally an automatic stand, which could be released aimlessly or instructed to target an individual/category of entity. It would perform the first action done to it upon summoning to the targeted individual(s) or to those it encountered, depending on the setting. While not possessing a personality of its own, it retained its user's chivalrous nature and respectful mannerisms.
After its user's death, during which it was elsewhere summoned and performing its duty, the stand was miraculously preserved. It retains and continues to carry out the designated actions it was executing at the time, those being [Behead via weapon] and [Defend self]. These instructions, both vague and restrictive, have led to its current state and use.
Namely:

• It will attempt to behead anyone it encounters, given it possesses a weapon at the time. It will respectfully unhand its weapon if a neutral party attempts to remove it. If a weapon is taken from it, it will cease aggressive actions, standing completely motionless until granted its tool; it will only seek out a weapon if one not currently possessed by a sentient being is within line of sight. It can be moved, led by the hand, and (Non-maliciously) touched without consequence in this state.
• The remnants of the user's nature affect the interpretation of the second function, extending its defensive response to those around it, protecting the innocent and prioritizing the beheading of aggressors if armed.
• If destroyed, it will not reform.

｢Neon Wound｣ can be seen, touched, and harmed by non-stand users.
User information/backstory:
There was once a traveler that sought only the growth of others, and would go to great lengths to achieve such results. The wanderer, having shed his true name long ago, was known only by ‘Berc’, and is rumored to have once served in some high court in the past. While no longer a true knight, he was still a chivalrous warrior and desired nothing more than to help others. He had made a great many mistakes and lost his one love to events he may have been able to prevent, and had perhaps been responsible for. Deep in his mind, back then, he had wished death upon himself. Redemption was truly unattainable, and he surely needed to pay for his sins. What good could come of him continuing on?... Yet, he was saved. Not by himself directly, but the actions of a mysterious giant that arrived at his feet one day. It put him through trials he, deep down, wished for. He emerged a better man, and while not perfect, saw the path forwards. He wished for others to be picked up in this same way, and his knight would be the way.
And so it remained. Always present, always watching, always signifying and reminding of the past. It was his ｢Neon Wound｣, serving not to denigrate him in memoriam of past wrongdoing, but as a reminder of his purpose, and the key to a better future. After his experience and revelation, Berc traveled about as a hermit of sorts, assisting others via his stand. His methods were…touch love, to say the least. Many involved intense trials or attacks, forcing them to act and improve themselves, testing them, etc. Though, regardless, it tended to work out for the best, and he left a great many soothed souls in his wake. The jovial man often met his ‘students’ in his endless travels, sharing freshly caught game and joyous stories. He was easily recognizable by his snappy green attire and large beard matched by long hair that only grew longer with age. His laugh was not one to forget, and time spent with Berc was time well spent. Though, there was one trait that had never changed in all his years, and would be the end of him…
He was a fool.
He was trusting, jolly, and held no grudges. Yet, not everyone was grateful to the wandering knight, and there were those who sought vengeance the man was no longer capable of comprehending. One such individual had finally tracked the hermit down. He was once chased down by ｢Neon Wound｣, but let off as one that would not help themselves and therefore could not be helped by others. Berc looked the man up and down, noting the unsheathed blade. His knight was elsewhere, testing a young man and unable to defend its master. Advanced age had left him weak despite his best efforts, and he could see the writing on the wall. He laughed, gave a sorrowful smile, and apologized. He had clearly failed this man, and was deeply sorry for that fact. His final wish was that this alleviated the pain caused to his soon to be murderer at least a bit. Though, it was deeply regrettable that he would not be able to help others from this point on…unlike his gallant stand, he could not live on without his head…
Meanwhile, the young man Berc had sent ｢Neon Wound｣ to give a push to was undergoing great emotional change. The fight had been perilous, forcing him to reconsider his time up until that point. Just moments before, he had been sitting in a ruined home simply waiting to die, but was now attempting to preserve his own life. Why? The sudden looming force of death had done it. It reminded him he had others to truly live for, not merely rot away alongside the out of the way manor where he had failed to protect his loved ones so long ago. They pushed past the pain, accepting the blow it dealt to their neck and tearing the weapon from their attacker’s grasp. ｢Neon Wound｣ halted, assuming a patient position at 'attention'. The former prince had overcome the trial, and gazed upon the blade he had torn from the giant’s grasp. With a bow, he left the stand and returned to a, hopefully fulfilling, life. ｢Neon Wound｣, however, would not be recovered by its user. It would stand resolute and wait for one that would not come, remaining perfectly still in front of the ruined manor for thirty-two years. The forest had long overtaken the area, and the nearby path had since transformed into a road that few strayed far from.
One of those few, a knight surveying the area at the behest of their king, would be the first living person to see the stand since that fateful day with the prince. The knight, Den, approached the decaying manor. The area was good land, and his liege was seeking a new location for an outpost along this road. Drawing his sword to cut down obscuring foliage, he took note of the topography, state of the current dilapidated structures, and a salvageable well. Finally, after circling the area, he stood face to face with the noble statue that had guarded this hopeless home for God knows how long. A thankless job, to be certain. Den cleaned up the statue to the best of his ability, cutting off vines and removing rubble to find its actual structure completely untouched by age. Fascinating.
He would rest afterwards, setting his sword down and removing his stand’s semi-transparent feathers from his eyes in preparation to send back as part of his report. He began unpacking his supplies to pen the accompanying letter as a glint of movement shone in the edge of his vision. Den felt an overwhelming presence-a powerful force unlike any he’d encountered before. He innately, instinctually understood the danger he was in before snapping his gaze towards the statue. It was moving before his very eyes, and was moments away from grabbing his sword, which rested against the same log he sat upon. He rushed to kick the sword away as his stand, ｢DESTINY｣, screeched to life and recreated the ferns that once enclosed the statue’s knees to bind it in place for the time being. Den dove for his sword, managing to recover it mere seconds after the statue tore through the metal foliage.
It stopped.
The statue wound down, and had returned to its stoic pose. This…was a discovery of great importance. Their kingdom was a special one, founded by a mighty warrior given power through a Holy blade. The sword itself was currently kept within the deepest bowels of their fortified capital, only to be used in special rituals such as coronations and granting knighthood. Its power to bless those worthy with miraculous abilities was the bedrock of their nation’s success. The fact the area he now stood in, suggested after consultation by a high priest with a similar blessing to his own, housed an artifact comparable to the founder’s sacred blade was beyond telling. This could not more clearly be fated by God, who had led this humble knight to a guardian. Den’s prodding and investigation revealed the giant could be led by the hand, confirming his theory. He dropped to his knees and hurriedly scribbled his report, sealed with ｢DESTINY｣’s feathers and sent back via his messenger bird. The King needed to know of this at once.
Den began the slow journey home behind his letter, leading the giant. An incident late one night only magnified their awe and appreciation, as it defended him in his sleep, slaughtering a rabid wolf that had apparently lunged at him. The various events like this that transpired over the course of the walk home would be relayed as well, securing the statue’s place in their kingdom’s legacy. The guardian sent by God would reside in the throne room, and would be tasked with performing rituals with the nation’s sacred blade from this point onwards. Its actions, as the knighthood had learned through trial and error, were perfectly suited to the duties. It would stand tall in the throne room as its loyal guardian, and act as the liaison to determine which princes were chosen to lead the kingdom for well over a century. It served its purpose until the tragic end of the nation…

Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/kdirtym
Schedule: Friday - Tuesday 8pm- 1am CST (will also probably go live random points throughout the day apart from the schedule)
Games: Apex Legends, Minecraft, anything that may catch my eye from time to time!
Goal: My goal with streaming is definitely to end up doing it fulltime, I love staying at home while also being able to interact with multiple people, even a community from the comfort of my own home, and to be able to live off of something so entertaining as this, would mean the absolute world to me.
Background
I started out playing Kirby's Dreamland on Gameboy Color when I was little, I got the semi-transparent purple Gameboy Color for Christmas and from there I fell in love with video games and it has been a huge part of my life ever since! One of the main reasons I want to fully commit to streaming is because I believe this is something I can see myself doing happily for the rest of my able-bodied life. During my streaming sessions I will mostly be playing Minecraft and occasionally Apex Legends, I would like to see which one produces better results but I love playing both! Gaming is a huge passion for me as well as making music, I value family like nothing else and with not many cards at my disposal, I decided Twitch streaming may be the best route since gaming is one of the few things I consider myself decent at.

Synopsis:

Nine years following the execution of the old Sovereign, the four dukedoms of Augustein teeter on the brink of combustion.
Excess magic ore mining has resulted in unstable regions of shifting trees, violent storms, and a creeping plague of stillness that leaves everything frozen in time. Watchmen struggle to fend off the relentless attacks of Aberrations, while strict regulations on magic ore force aspiring magicians to sacrifice their own finite reserves at the cost of their health and, ultimately, their lives.
Amara is the sole survivor of a series of magic experiments ordered by the old Sovereign. Left with a reduced lifespan and an unnatural magic with the unique ability to progress, Amara is determined to live out the rest of her life to its fullest.
She’s going out like an explosion, and she’ll make sure that no one can look away.
—
This is a character focused, slow-burn high fantasy story with progression and light LitRPG elements that become prominent after the introductory arc, which spans through chapter 20.
It features flawed and morally ambiguous characters, unreliable narrators, and some darker elements, but there are plenty of lighter moments as well!

​
Prologue - End of an Era
Rosenfell Palace, Helisturn, Arcvale Dukedom of Augustein, Year 986
The palace halls glowed in the evening light. The last rays of sunlight filtered through cracked and broken windows, outlining piles of debris in gold. Clouds of dust rose from broken pillars and walls, shimmering as they drifted over cold, limp figures strewn about like fallen leaves. The plush red carpet, once bright and soft as snow, had been torn and shredded beyond recognition. Dark splotches littered its surface, many areas now beginning to dry and crack while still others remained moist to the touch.
A few hours ago, when the sun had still hung suspended in the clear blue sky, the palace walls had been trapped in a flurry of motion. The ringing of metal against metal, the pounding of heavy footsteps, and the shrill sounds of screams had echoed throughout the space as an invading wave of violence swept the pristine halls. Now, in the aftermath, an unnatural stillness had come to replace the rush.
A young man turned the corner, whistling an old folk song to himself as he walked. He wore an electric blue uniform that was crumpled and ripped around its edges. The color was mirrored by the single glove he wore on his left hand. His right hand was bare, and a lingering ultramarine light outlined a string of letters and numbers across his skin.
One particularly large stain covered nearly the entire stomach region of his uniform, a dark rust red that crumbled slightly whenever the man moved. A few stray splotches of the same color dotted his messy hair and tan skin, but the man made no motion to wipe the droplets off. Nor did he move to clean the equally bloodied spear strapped behind his back, the metal glinting in the sunlight. He simply strode forward with the laxness of a casual stroll, his eyes drifting about the ruined hallway and still corpses.
Finally, after he’d passed by shattered portraits and kicked aside a few bodies blocking the way with his boots, the man came to a halt.
“Oh, there it is.”
Crouching down, the man picked up a single glove lying in a dark pool of viscous liquid. He shook it a few times, and the fabric made a squelching noise. He frowned. The glove was so stained that barely any of the original blue color remained, but on closer inspection, the cloth itself seemed to be holding up well enough. Shrugging, the man slid it on, hiding the glowing numbers that were only just beginning to fade from the back of his hand.
​
ALLEN
Magic Reserves: 101,897 / 122,043
Maximum Output: 13
Variability: 6
​
AFFINITIES
Energy: 50% Minor
Motion: 100% Major
Form: 50% Minor
Perception: 25% Basic
Emotions: 50% Minor
Mind: 25% Basic
Time: 0% None
Probability: 0% None
​
1 ACTIVE ATTUNEMENT
​
“Allen!”
The man in question turned at the sound of his name being called. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of a similarly dressed soldier running forward, who halted when he saw the wreckage within the hallway. Henry’s eyes swept across the scattered bodies, and after a moment of hesitation, he continued forward with careful steps.
The two of them had been watchmen in the same area before Allen had been promoted to Duke Valister’s personal guard, and they’d reunited during the coup’s planning stages. The man was rather friendly, even excessively so at times, and he’d always treated Allen with a somewhat uncomfortable degree of reverence despite being older. But then again, magical prowess always trumped age when it came to respect.
Henry came to a stop a few feet away. In comparison to Allen, his uniform, while still stained and rumpled, was in significantly better condition, and his two gloves were a plain brown rather than blue. He frowned when his eyes fell on Allen’s very bloody glove, shuddering slightly.
“Isn’t that uncomfortable?”
Allen stretched his fingers in response, and the gloves made a squishy sound. “Eh, it still works fine.” He took a moment to assess the other man, cocking his head to the side and grinning at Henry’s poorly concealed disgust. “What, you squeamish?”
“I’m not,” Henry insisted, not meeting his eyes. Allen took a step forward. The other man’s fidgeting was even more obvious up close, and now that he paid more attention, his pale skin had taken on a greenish hue. Allen’s eyes briefly swept over the scattered bodies before returning again. He raised an eyebrow.
“Need me to use emotion magic?”
That made Henry’s head snap up, eyes widening in alarm. “I didn’t know you had an affinity—no wait, that’s not the point.” He shook his head and cleared his throat. “I’m fine, I swear! I’m just, uh, more used to fighting Aberrations.” Not humans.
“It’s just a minor affinity, but I’ve gotten pretty good with it.” Allen shrugged. “Fair enough. Anyway, what’re you doing here?”
“We’re supposed to report to the throne room,” Henry explained. “I came to get you.”
Allen hummed in response. He turned and began to slowly head back down the hallway, Henry following at his heels. “So Raymoth’s dead, right?”
Henry’s eyes darted around nervously, as if he was worried a ghost would appear at the mere utterance of the name. He nodded and cleared his throat. “Yeah, uh, I heard Duke Valister and Duchess Rosevale both did it.”
Allen whistled. “Oh really? Figured it’d just be the Duchess.” Then again, Duke Valister’s disdain for the former Sovereign was well known among his guards. Hell, Allen was half convinced the main reason the Duke had joined the alliance at all was to be part of the Raymoth family’s demise.
Turning the corner, Allen continued down a wider hallway that was in significantly better condition than the one they’d just been in. Not as much direct fighting had taken place there, and any that did had been over fast enough to minimize the mess. Allen glanced around as they walked, but he couldn’t see any other soldiers around. He guessed most didn’t want to risk disrespecting the new Sovereign. He didn’t know her very well, but from the few times he’d seen Duchess Rosevale before and during the coup, he’d understood why her soldiers were so convinced of her victory. She moved with a silent, unyielding assuredness, as if she already was the Sovereign.
For a few minutes neither of the two spoke as they continued to weave their way through the admittedly large palace. Allen didn’t even know what half the rooms were for; he’d probably go crazy if he had to live somewhere like this.
Allen could feel Henry’s eyes watching him, and he turned his head back, eyebrow raised. “What?”
The other man coughed and looked away. “Sorry, it’s just…” his voice trailed. “Did you hear about the notes?”
Allen frowned and slowed his pace. “What notes?”
Henry stared at the ground ahead of them uncomfortably. “When they ransacked Sove—Duke Raymoth’s,” he corrected, “—notes, they found some really…disturbing stuff. Something about magic experiments going on in northern Vanstead, kidnapping kids, stuff like that.” He swallowed, voice quieting to barely above a whisper. “But the thing is, they showed the notes to the Duke and Duchess, but they said it didn’t concern them. I heard—I heard Duke Valister even said it’d be interesting to keep an eye on them.”
That sounded exactly like something the Duke would say. The two of them turned another corner. Allen also didn’t doubt for a second that the Raymoths would’ve been involved in something like that. Aldridge Raymoth had gone a bit off the deep end in the past decade, and continued magic experiments on children sounded exactly like the sort of thing he would resort to.
“Do you really think they’re gonna let them continue?” Henry asked, voice visibly distressed. Surely the new regime will be better than that, was the unspoken thought.
Before Allen could respond, however, a third voice interrupted them.
“You’re late.”
The two came to a halt as a new figure stepped forward from behind a pillar. Allen frowned in recognition.
Desmond Reinford was one of the commanding officers of the Rosevales’ troops. He was around the same age as Allen, but the similarities stopped there. His uniform, as opposed to blue, was a deep red color that contrasted against his dark skin and hair. The man stood slightly shorter than average, but had such impeccable posture that he often seemed taller, unlike Allen who perpetually slouched. His uniform was crisp and without a single stain or tear in sight, and the sheathed rapier at his waist looked equally pristine. If Allen hadn’t seen the man during the coup, he would’ve thought that he hadn’t fought at all.
What most stood out, however, were the man’s gloves. They were a pure, stark white that almost seemed to glow in the quickly dimming hallway. Allen stared at them.
“Looks like someone got promoted.”
Henry nudged his elbow, but Allen didn’t stop staring. His friend laughed nervously. “Sorry sir, we, uh, got lost in the hallways?”
“I dropped my glove,” Allen said bluntly. He pointed at the stained glove in question. It was beginning to dry now, and the fabric was a little stiff.
Desmond met his gaze, eyes cold and sharp. Allen heard Henry swallow beside him.
“I see,” the man said. He gestured down the hallway, where the large, heavy throne room doors stood in the distance. Their deep mahogany surface shone, the light highlighting the intricate carvings detailing Augustein’s myths. All three of the major houses’ crests were carved into the wood, though where the banner of the ruling house would normally hang was empty, soon to be replaced with a new dynasty. Allen couldn’t help but wonder if they’d get a new door, one with the Valister’s crest replacing the Raymoths. Coups had happened plenty of times in their history, but never had one of the three major houses been completely decimated like this.
“The Sovereign is giving promotions and rewards to those of us who fought in the coup,” Desmond said. “I suggest you go before all the ore is taken.” Without another word, the man turned and strode away, likely to check the rest of the palace for stragglers, Allen guessed.
Beside him, Henry’s eyes lit up at the mention of magic ore, only to immediately deflate when the rest of Desmond’s words settled. Allen slapped him on the back.
“Don’t worry, they’ve probably got specific ore rations set aside for everyone. No way they’d just let us take them in a free for all.” Allen was frankly impressed that they were giving away ore at all, considering how stingy the nobility was with it.
Henry looked hopeful at that. “You think?”
Allen nodded. “Yeah, don’t worry. He’s just being an asshole.”
The other man winced slightly. His eyes darted around. “Uh, maybe you shouldn’t say that out loud? Especially, especially if he’s a Rose now.”
“Oh he definitely is.” No one wore white gloves but the Roses, the elite soldiers who served the Sovereign directly and were the most effective at combating Aberrations. All of them were certified as court magicians, and they were handpicked by the Sovereign. Considering the old Sovereign was now dead and a significant chunk of the former Roses had gone down with him, Allen guessed Duchess Rosevale was combing through her personal guard for people to promote. As far as he knew, Desmond had already passed the court magician test, so he would’ve been an easy pick.
He cracked his shoulder and sighed. The adrenaline rush from the coup had been fading for a while now, but now that the sun had nearly set fully and the shadows of the hallway had grown to engulf a majority of its surface, a new wave of exhaustion was settling into his bones.
“Come on, let’s hurry up,” he said. Henry nodded and hurried behind him.
As they passed by a tall window, Allen took a moment to glance outside. A few sprays of stars were visible in the darkening sky, and he could see city lights glowing in the distance as the lamplighters made their rounds. It was, by all accounts, a peaceful night, one that continued completely divorced from the happenings in the palace.
Surely the whole city would’ve heard about the coup. Allen wondered if even now, citizens were huddled together in their homes, or if they stood outside straining their necks to see what was happening in the palace. Waiting to learn the fate of the country.
Allen peeled his eyes away, facing forward and continuing down the hallway towards the throne room.
—
Penrith, Vanstead Dukedom of Augustein Year 995
High up in the watchtower, the villagers looked like a dark stream flowing between the buildings and flooding down the dirt road, some running south, others crossing streets for final traveling preparations and goodbyes.
Two nights ago, the forest had swallowed the village north of them. The watchman had seen it happen, had witnessed the ground tremble and the branches snake out, enveloping the homes, growing and then shrinking, twisting and dancing among the perfectly still buildings. He was almost glad no one had been outside, because that way he didn’t have to see the victims. But then, if the residents of those homes were outdoors, perhaps they would’ve managed to escape.
Or maybe he had seen the bodies and simply hadn’t recognized them, hadn’t managed to distinguish them from the twisted trunks and undulating ground. The warping of the forest was no more merciful to any living creatures who stumbled upon it, and the watchman, for all his years observing the shifting trees, couldn’t say with confidence that he’d be able to tell a corpse apart.
The man leaned forward against the wooden railing, peering down at the commotion. Given the speed the forest had moved at, he estimated they had a week at most before this town, too, was consumed. His own single bag lay packed near the front door of his home, ready to be picked up at a moment’s notice. Though he estimated most would be gone within the next three days, maybe excluding some particularly stubborn folks, the watchman didn’t plan on escaping until everyone else was gone first. Useless sentiment though it may be, he still had his pride.
The waves of people finally began to thin down as the current crowd left, leaving behind the remaining villagers. About twice as many people had left that day than the day before, the watchman estimated.
He sighed and shook his head. Now that the chaos had died down, those lingering on the streets continued with their business. His eyes glanced down at his watch, and he realized his shift had ended three minutes ago.
The watchman stepped back from the railing and stretched his arms. Maybe he’d stop by the tavern. Wallace, the owner, was adamant about keeping it open until “the last damn day we got,” which he appreciated. Just as he turned to go, however, a flash of orange caught his eye. He frowned and leaned over the wooden railing to peer further down the streets.
There, entering from the southern gates, a figure moved opposite to the direction the fleeing stream had taken.
A young woman was walking leisurely forward, her short wavy hair glinting as it caught the rays of sunlight. The lack of panic, hurry, or fear in her eyes made the watchman blink. There was only casual curiosity, as though she had simply been on a stroll and ran across an interesting plant. Her medium brown complexion was somewhat rare in northern Vanstead; perhaps she was from the south and hadn’t heard about the forest creeping closer? The watchman didn’t know how else to make sense of someone deliberately choosing to enter the town at such a time.
The closer the woman approached, the more details became evident. The watchman’s eyes widened.
The woman’s bare arms were covered in scars. Long, jagged lines and thin, thread-like marks. Raised bursts and patches of wrinkled and pulled skin. Some scars had an almost systematic pattern to them, neat and intentioned, while others were so chaotically scattered that it was impossible to differentiate where one began and another one ended.
For several moments the watchman simply stared at her, unable to peel his eyes away, when a sudden movement broke him out of his trance. The woman was waving enthusiastically in his direction.
Brow furrowed, the watchman watched as the woman ran up to the base of the tower, moving deceptively fast. She grinned up at him, beaming and utterly uncaring of the twisting forest approaching in the distance or of the half empty village and the stares she was already receiving.
Head tilted back, her green eyes seemed to glow in the light.
“Hey, can you give me some directions?”
​
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Author's Note:

Hello, I hope you're enjoying the story so far! I decided to finally post here after lurking for a while now. I'm planning on slowly posting all the chapters I've already published on Royal Road, one per day so I don't spam the sub.
Fair warning, I absolutely suck at formatting things on Reddit (trying to format this chapter was a struggle), so sorry in advance for any formatting issues.
Thanks for reading!

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I don't want to go back over it with a sealer . Are there any one step stains that actually protect the wood ?
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I’m really in a bit of a pickle on this one, so any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

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