Tabernus Fabula 19: Nightmare Seekers

[BreakABone]

It is just a trial, but wanted to try on a different name... somewhat. This is basically Tavern Tales translated into Latin, but an online site so who knows how accurate it was.
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“Bond letting your guard down? I expected better of you. You two, I’m not too sure of, but being that you can’t apparently put away your enemies, I would imagine not too bright.” Geo had trapped in three men in a high speed tornado. It kept them afloat and disoriented. With his other hand, he attempted to revive his two fallen teammates.

“You know, they say if you want anything done right, you should do it yourself, but I really loathe micromanagement. I’m sure you know all about that Bond. And I know what you’re thinking another scoundrel bent on destroying us who can’t seem to shut-up, and I do apologize for that, but I really want my friends to share in this moment. Or anyone for that matter because if there are no witnesses than anyone could take credit for it, and we really wouldn’t want that now would we?”

Geo saw that Raged began to stir a bit, “Ahh, looks like one of them may actually witness it. I wonder if he would want to roast you three before the beheading or after. Speaking of which, what did you think of the flaming skulls? A bit too much? I tried to go for appalling; it may have come off as gruesome. It’s a very tight rope to walk.” Geo grew bored of taunting them, but he had to keep his mind busy lest he slip up from boredom.

Meanwhile Fox, Swan and Bond tried their best to keep their insides intact.

“I thought I spoke too much, but this guy is jabbering on and on. You know I think I may actually die from boredom.”

“Don’t worry Swan; no one is going to die today. Right, Bond?” Bond was too busy trying to find some way out of this situation, but taking in the scenario and their given resources. He declared that the situation looked grim. Still he continued to formulate and disprove an getaway plan by the minute.

Raged had began to make motions to get back to his feet. He seemed bemused even as made his way back to his feet. He looked around as if to remind himself where he was. As he surveyed the shore, he saw Geo holding the three men hostage. He recognized the one that took him out; and rushed over to Geo’s side.

“Can I fry ‘em?” That destructive spark returned to his eyes.
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Nighthawk studied the scene with horror and disappointment. He understood that he could simply swoop in there and whisk the three heroes away, but in the back of his mind he knew they did not want his assistance. Whether he had known it or not, he was the one responsible for putting them in this position. Sure, it could have been to get into their head with the first group but the second group that arrived on the island knew of him as well. Somehow, he had been the trigger for this entire scene at the bay.

He closed his eyes like he did so often when life’s stress was too much. Usually when he closed his eyes, he got flashes of the past of some magical time or today flashes of the present and friends in danger. This time he got nothing. His mind was empty, but it was not at ease.

This was only multiplied by the fact that he once again felt eyes peering into his mind. Looking into his darkest secrets and his most private of affairs. He had felt this presence before, and he always hid from it. There was no way someone could see into his mind, but then again it was impossible for a man to fly half way across the globe without a plane and he had accomplished that.

He decided he would hide from it no more. He focused all of his attention onto the eyes staring into his mind. When he re-opened his eyes he found himself teleported to a distinct location. It was barren, but not empty. It was dark, but not gloomy. It was hopeful without people.

Where am I? was the question that ran through Nighthawk’s mind.

“I can explain that,” a voice that echoes through the hollow chamber whispered.
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So tell me what think of name as well as feedback.

[Fox 6]

Is it latin?

How much is left?

[BreakABone]

Is it latin?

How much is left?
It is Latin for now. We shall see if change name again.
As for how much is left, I hope to have done within the month or so. All the chapters are done on paper, but I add/delete so much who knows.

Take this for example, I condensed 3 chapters into 2.
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2
"Sometimes when your hopes have all been shattered
And there's nowhere to turn
You wonder how you keep going."

"What the hell are you singing?" Fox interrupted Swan's vocals.

"For some reason, the song came to me." Swan looked down as Geo was joined by Raged. "And it looks like it is about to get hot in hurr!"

"Swan, I've got to ask. How the hell do you joke at a time like this?"

Swan pondered the question for a bit before he responded. "Well think about it friendo. If I got all gloom and doom. And you got all gloom and doom. Well where would that leave us? With me acting all goofy, it makes it harder for you to think about our impending doom. Besides, it is what I do best."

"Fair enough," Fox accepted his friend's answer but the sad realization that it was now on him to come up with an escape plan frightened him. He glanced over at Bond who now babbled incoherently to himself.

Think Fox think. He knew there had to be some way out. Some flaw or misstep he could turn in their favor. Thus far, nothing came to mind. It did not help that he could barely focus on the scene beneath as he continued to be twisted and turned in the air.

As he thought, a single tiny fireball came shooting past him.

"How do you think that was Geo? Woke 'em up a bit I bet." Raged had sent the fireball to remind the three above that things were about to get worse.

"Are we going to wait for Magus or shall we get this barbecue started now?"

"We started off as a team, our greatest victory shall be as a team!" Geo had to say no more, Raged knew there was no point in arguing.

While they watched the three figures bounce violently in the air, they felt a harsh breeze rush past them. Before they could recover, it spoke.

"YES! Looks like those two will FINALLY get what is coming to them!" Raged and Geo turned to find Typhoid standing beside them now.

"Who are you?" Geo asked.

"The name is Typhoid," there was a look of disgust on Raged's face when the name was said. "I'm a part of the Canadian Coalition. We've been chasing..."

Before his words could escape his mouth, Typhoid felt a flame barely miss his head.

"Whoa there pal, they are the enemies. I'm on YOUR side!"

"No you aren't! You filthy son of a bitch! It is because of you and your little group that we have become what we are now!" Raged spoke these words with such disdain.

Geo recognized he had never seen Raged so fired up even when he took the lives of the innocent.

"It is because of you and your stupid little organization that the past year has been nothing but hell for us!" Raged now shot streams of fire in Typhoid's direction. Typhoid was quick enough to evade the fire however. "For the past year, we could land no work! Why? Because the Coalition would handle it for free! Some of our greatest adversaries were killed by the Coalition with no effort! We became a joke! We still are a joke."

Now Raged used both hands to form a tight circle around Typhoid, but he used his speed to great a gust of wind that blew the fire away. "And now on our moment to regain our reputation and glory, you are here to steal it from us! We won't have it! I will kill you! I will kill those three! And then I will search out the others in your organization and kill them! I will kill you all!" There was such passion in Raged's voice. Geo became a little frightened, but he also knew he had to control his friend.

"Raged could you calm the fuck down until we kill these three, and then you can do what..." It was too late. Raged's anger had gotten the better of him and one of his blast came close to burning Geo but he dodged out of the way quickly.

The only problem was he had to break his concentration to do it. This was all the time the three heroes needed. Fox sent a ball of clay at Geo which knocked him on the ground. He then grabbed ahold of Swan and Bond and pulled them to the ground with him.

"Now let's see how you do when we are on equal footing."

"I wouldn't say equal just let." They turned around.

"CRAP!"
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"What? Who are you? Where'd you come from?"

"So many questions. So much confusion. I'm surprised this place is so empty. But then again a head full of question has no information of its own."

The voice sounded too familiar to Nighthawk, but he would not place it. "Okay so I shall start with just a single question. Who are you?"

A thick fog had set over the room now. "Clearly, you haven't the foggiest who I am?" The strange man chuckled to himself and appeared disappointed when Nighthawk did not join in on the fun. "Think long and hard, and maybe a bit of your haze will clear up."

Nighthawk thought deeply. He knew he knew the voice. He was just unsure how he knew the voice. Unless... he thought back to a time he tried to forget. As the picture in his mind became more clear, the fog in the room dissipated. No it couldn't be, but the voice did strike him, and the fog was clearing up. "You're the man from the market!"

The walls surrounding them now began to fill up with images from that night. "Indeed, I am the man from the market. I see you did what you were told to do and blocked out what transpired. I thank you for that, it made my presence all the more easier."

"What?"

"Again with the questions! Do you want this place to fill up with the fog of doubt again? Look I'm becoming you with all these questions asking."

Nighthawk attempted to think of a way to gather information without asking a question. "I don't know whether I am thrilled or shocked by a grand plan that included me, but I was not aware of."

"You should be thrilled. You will bring about a new order to this world. You will help change the balance of good and evil. Of light and dark. Of hope and dread. You, Nighthawk, will finally get what you always dreamed about, and trust me I know what you dream about. You will no longer be in your brother's shadow. People will know who you are for better or for worse."

Nighthawk did not like the sound of anything he was just told. "You said you could explain this place to me."

"That I did. So get comfortable."
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[BreakABone]

This is a somewhat abbreviated form as I am in deep conversation with one of my residents and been working on this for 2 hrs.
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3
“This place is fairly simple to understand. It is however VERY special to me. You see most people believe the world exists in two states, the physical and the spiritual. We live in the physical for our natural life and cross over to the spiritual after death. What most people take for granted is the 3rd state in which we exist.”

Nighthawk stared at the man as if he was speaking gibberish. The room began to coat itself in a deep mist.

“Imagine this as a giant hotel of the mind. We all have our own special room, but the foundation and structure belongs to one and all. This is what I like to call the Mental Realm. While everyone lives in it; very few take the opportunity to experience it. So there are people like me who take it upon ourselves to learn this area and to make it our own.”

The fog in the area grew thicker.

“Okay, I see this is not getting through to you. Maybe an example would be better.” The fog lifted into the air and when Nighthawk could see again he was greeted by images of the scene at the bay. Fox had just knocked Geo to the ground.

“Some uncanny young lads your new… I guess your former friends are. How they manage to survive time after time is impressive I have to say.”

The phrase “former friends” struck a chord with Nighthawk and as it done before the room reflected that by letting out a loud and long chime.

“Oh give me a break! You have surely realized by now that you are responsible for all of this, and even if you aren’t they will never trust you anymore.”

Nighthawk started to recognize that this man feasted on his emotions, but it was not just him. It was this place, and he had yet to get a complete answer, but he had to ask this question. “How is it my fault?”

“Silly naïve boy! How is this not your fault? Let me lay it out for you. I know of the prophecy and I knew something laid dormant in you. I’ve known for some time, but you did not know. So I took it upon myself those many years ago to inform you of your destiny. Why I could hear you asking. It was simple as long as your mind wandered on that day on that incident with me I would always have a gateway into your mind, and what that gateway I was allowed to enter your mind. As long as we shared a connection, I could exploit your knowledge. This is how your friends so easily followed you today. Who do you think told them!”

The guilt overtook Nighthawk quickly. He was responsible whether he knew it or not for the danger that his new associates currently faced. And now all those haunting images of someone staring inside of his mind made sense. This man literally entered into Nighthawk’s mind and Nighthawk broke down crying. And a little drizzle overtook the room.

“I see the realization is dawning on you. Everything that happened… everything that will happen on the bay today is your fault. Granted, it was all due to my careful and calculated planning. But it was ALL on you!”

The guilt in Nighthawk was uncontrollable; he would never face those men again. The odd thing was while he felt guilty; he thought this place was amplifying his own guilt making it worse in his mind.

Suddenly, Nighthawk noticed a shadow looming high above him. He looked up to find a cage lower down on him.

“Haha excellent!” The other man said.
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Argh losing motivation. I just need to get through this hump.

[Teuthida]

GM always tormenting the winged fellows.

[Combine 017]

Hump! Hump like youve never humped before!

[Fox 6]

nice, I wouldnt mind it being wrapped up either. Its great and all, but i need closure!

[BreakABone]

A lot of this is left so going to see if can speed up the process by maybe submitting 2 or 3 a day. I don't know if that works for everyone.
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4
As Geo’s eyes followed Raged across the bay as he chased Typhoid, they landed on three very angry men all staring at him with death in their eyes. Then a deep revelation washed over Geo, with Raged off after Typhoid and Magus still out of it; he would have to go it alone for the first time.

Under normal circumstances, he would see this as a decent challenge that he would eventually overcome. But now he glazed across at three opponents who proved themselves more than worthy against a handful of combatants. It only took one of them to knock out each one of his teammates. Three of them with their focus on him would not be good, but he had no other option.

He closed his eyes to prepare himself for the battle ahead. He got a quick flash of himself in a translucent state. Curiosity got the best of him, but the image was gone before he could react.

As he opened his eyes, he quickly shot three blasts of air in the direction of his adversaries who dodged them efficiently. Geo had anticipated this and now sent another giant tornado in their direction. He doubt it would work; but he hoped that he could trap them once again. They quickly saw through his plot and planted themselves firmly in the ground as it died down.

Then came the counter attack. First, it was Fox who sent two mud-balls into Geo’s eyes. He used his powers to wash the junk out of his eyes, but when he opened them he was greeted by a giant hammer like fist to the face. This blow sent him tumbling backwards where Swan was waiting.

Swan used his feet to propel Geo into the air and then kept him above ground as if playing with a ball. “Tell me how you like the dizzying sensation.”

While Swan was occupied with Geo, Raged had finally caught wind of the fact that his partner was in danger and sent a fire blast at Fox who saw the red hot streak coming at him and rolled out of the way.

“You want a round two, hot stuff?” Fox faced down Raged.

Before they could get too confident in their victory though, a giant boulder came crashing into Swan.

“And a strike!” said a voice slowly coming towards him. “Looks like I saved you from a rocky situation.” Magus said as he picked Geo off the ground.

Swan rolled around in the ball before crashing a bit away. “Once again, not my idea of a rocking good time.” Swan said as he emerged from under the rock a little dazed.

The Thear Trio now stood tall together once again. The heroes now reformed across the bay from them.

[BreakABone]

Well let's see if I can keep my word about a more rapid pace.
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5
“A victim of your own guilt that is what you have become. And I got to say it is quite delicious to see. While I rather dislike monologuing, you just tickle my fancy so much. I just want to explain how this is the PERFECT plan. Now perfect gets tossed around a lot by people, but this truly is the perfect plot. You already know how I got into your head so I won’t bore you with that, but that was step one. Now comes step two, I shall allow you to watch your new friends get murdered. I know just a tad cruel, but only the beginning. I shall than have them kill your brother! How you may ask yourself? Well you see when little Nighthawk left home in the middle of the night without informing anyone your brother grew worried. Then he discovered something I’ve been trying to hide for all these years. There is a deep connection that goes beyond your bloodline that you share with your brother so he is making arrangements to come over here to save you. Like he has a chance!”

The strange fellow took a break as he admired his handiwork with the cage lowering itself steadily. When it reached the bottom, Nighthawk would be trapped in his own mind forever.

“So you would be responsible for the deaths of your new friends and your brother. Now me personally, I wouldn’t care, but you suffer from this thing people like to call EMOTION. And I can just see it now; you will become distraught over all these deaths and maybe close yourself off to the world, but you see this is the great thing about having the key to the main door. I would just let myself in while you are at your weakest and force you to relive it over and over again. I see it eventually driving you mad. And once that happens, I will let you loose on the city to cause mayhem and destruction in my name. Now I know what you must be thinking, this guy has too much time on his hand, and I would not disagree with you. However, to see the fruits of your labor come true is the most magnificent feeling in the world. And if you think this is bad, you should see the other guy. I’ve been messing with his head for the better part of two decades. Yeah, you heard me!”

The cage came to a screeching halt. “You’re a mad man you know!” Nighthawk had a moment of clarity. All of the fog disappeared when this happened. “None of this can be attributed to me. You set me up years ago. You manipulated my mind and made me your puppet. And now you want ME to feel guilty about it?”

The man simply nodded his head.

“You are sick and twisted man, and I am tired of playing your game.” Nighthawk charged at the man and went to deliver a right hook but phased right through him.

“Like I said poor naïve little boy! Did you really think you stood a chance against me in my own domain? This is your mind, but really you are only visiting. I control this and I control you!”

Nighthawk found himself imprisoned in a birdcage fittingly enough.

“Yeah, you learn a lot when you hang out here all the time. Ha ha Ha HA!”
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[Teuthida]

There needs to be a GM/Dylflon mind battle.

[GameMaster]

I ♥ this chapter.

I give it ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

[BreakABone]

I do wonder what happened to Fyacin. :(
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6
Now Fox, Swan and Bond stood tall against a reunited Thear Trio.

“Is it just me or does it seems like we have been doing a LOT of standing off today? Is this some secret hero test we are going through or something? I can’t imagine many people having such a bad day.”

“Well if you don’t want this to happen again Swan, I suggest we make short work of these three and hope we can take them in without a struggle.”

Bond spoke for the first time in an eternity, “I ordered some GAMES reinforcement, I don’t know how far out they are nor how much we can expect, we were hit pretty hard today.”

“Any help would be appreciated,” Fox said comforting Bond, “so are we ready for this dance once more?”

Before any of them could answer, they could feel the scorching hot heat of the fire ring Raged had sent their way. As was so often the case today, the three heroes were able to evade the blast just in time but before they could even counter they found themselves being assaulted with blast of winds and rocks.

“It seems like the Trio learns quick.” Bond noted. “We will just need to try something new.” Bond surveyed the bay for something that could give them the edge. He spotted it a few feet behind the Trio.

“Fox can you give me a hand?” Fox turned to Bond who motioned for Fox to lob him over to the tree branch behind the Trio. Fox did as Bond asked. Bond flew through the air like an eagle and with great precision caught a hold of the tree branch. He used the momentum to swing himself onto the ledge where he took aim at the Trio.

He shot at Raged’s hand while he was blasting the fire at Swan. It simply grazed his hand but caused enough distraction that when Raged whipped his hand around to check he almost scorched Geo and Magus.

“Hey you blowhead, watch where you are aiming that thing.” Magus demanded. Raged simply growled at him in return.

Fox and Swan used the momentary distraction to close the gap between themselves and their opponents. They wanted to get into an ideal striking position, but their advances were cut off short.

Raged’s fire ignited and he aimed it at the heroes, but his fire died down when a stream of water came across the bay. The Trio all followed the source to find Typhoid standing ontop a hill alongside Dyne and Dylflon.

“Oh come!” Swan exclaimed, “They’re back too!”

[BreakABone]

This chapter is almost over and should be soon. I may even release a lot more tonight seeing how I am stuck at work until 6-7 am and really no one is up then.
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7
“Hey! What gives?” Nighthawk asked as he looked around at his new steel home.

“Really now? Are you dense boy? My powers grow greatly in this plane and I could do anything I want with the snap of a finger.” He snapped his finger and the cage around Nighthawk disappeared. He snapped again and Nighthawk was back in his prison.

“But how… isn’t this MY mind?” Nighthawk asked, the first question he had asked with legit confusion.

“Your mind? My world! My plane! My game! Until you learn the rules, how can you expect to compete?”

Learn the rules… those words festered in Nighthawk’s mind for some time. And like with so many things before it, the room began to reflect that as mold grew along the walls and in the deepest crevices.

The strange gentleman began to look around the room as it transformed. Even though he had spent many years inside of Nighthawk’s head, he had never seen anything like this. As his eyes circled the rooms, the mold began to give way and out of it grew flowers. Flowers… in blossom. This can’t be good the man thought to himself.

The man’s eyes finished surveying the room and when it landed upon Nighthawk again; he was free of his cage.

“What? That’s impossible!”
“Now do you really want to go with impossible if I got myself free? I guess improbable would be a word better suited for the situation. Or even unlikely, but impossible… Come on!”

For the first time in their exchange, it was the strange fellow who found himself a little loss. Was Nighthawk a more admirable foe than he first imagined? No, it couldn’t be.

“No taunts? No long-winded speeches that go no where?” Now Nighthawk had to keep the man on his toes as he thought through step two of his plan.

The man was still a bit shocked at the turn of events, but he had to do something to regain control of their altercation. He ripped off his over clothing to reveal a grotesque looking creature. That made Nighthawk think of a leprechaun that bred with a homeless man. The sight was a lot more frightening than one would believe.

“Is that supposed to scare me or something?” Nighthawk brushed off his fright. It wasn’t too difficult as his mind jumped between fright and laughter.

“Oh no my poor boy, I just needed to shed that clothing to stretch my wings…” Why it surprised Nighthawk he did not know, but the man in front of him grew enormous bird-like wings. “Yeah, you see I really just want to dig my nails into the situation.” Now he grew huge nails protruding through his hands and feet.

“And really what it all comes down to is making sure this is a problem too large for your little mind to handle.” The strange fellow with wings like a bird and talons like a hawk now grew to the size of a herd of elephants.

“Any last words? Mwhahahahah.”
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Things look grim for our birded hero.

[GameMaster]

I hate when Nighthawk responds with smart-ass comments. I hope the strange gentlemen rips Nighthawk to shreds with his talons.

[BreakABone]

And this draws to a close.
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8
“So seriously did we bite the wrong end of the karma apple today? I mean first we are tricked by the Coalition than we are almost killed by them. We attempt an escape and some time control wizard prevents that. Then we are slowly tortured before we were going to be killed again. We escape and they chase us across the country. Then we meet another group of people who wants to kill us and now they all teamed up… wait I am missing some steps in here.” Swan was out of breath after recapping the events of the day.

“Swan, I get it. It’s been a rough day for the both of us, but when we decided to join this side we knew it wouldn’t be easy.” Fox pointed to the two groups that now looked to destroy them.

“Wait wait.. before you guys spell out gloom and doom… look!” Bond directed their attention to the Coalition who was not making their way down to the bay to confront Fox, Swan and Bond, but to attend to the Thear Trio.

“Well that would be a nice change of pace for us to watch them destroy each other.” Swan smiled child like.

“Bad Swan! No matter how we feel about them, we have to value all human life… even that of the Coalition.” Fox spoke to him like a father.

Before the Coalition could reach the Thear Trio; Geo closed the gap between the two groups as Magus held Raged back.

“Listen, my friend over there is just a TAD bit hot-headed. Myself and Magus are a bit more civil than he is. Now, let me just say I believe in honor amongst thieves so I won’t double-cross you, but I will lay it all out on the table for you. Three of us… three of you… three of them. “He pointed towards the alliance of Fox, Swan and Bond. “I say we combine our forces and take out those three first, and afterwards we could celebrate like gentlemen or we can turn on each other and make the last team standing claim supreme glory.”

Geo excused himself while the Coalition spoke it over amongst themselves. They liked the idea of FINALLY getting rid of those thorn in their sides of Fox and Swan, but did they really want to team up with another group.

Finally Dyne turned to Geo and extended his hand, “We will work with you now to take out those three, but after that everything is fair game.”

“I can respect that.” Geo turned to return to his unit.

“That did not look good.” Swan said as he took a deep breath.

“Not at all, I can calculate no means in which we would survive an attack by all 6 men.” Bond said rather grimly.

“Then we do the one thing we can in this situation. We fight! We fight until our final breath! We fight through blood and tears! We will fight until we can fight no more.” Fox’s rally cry got Swan and Bond ready for combat, but then another surprise came.

As the Thear Trio and The Canadian Coalition came together as one cohesive unit; Geo, Magus, Raged and Dyne all started to feel a burning sensation in their body. Then they felt like things were crawling inside of their body.

Finally, they all let out a horrific scream that would have shattered ear drums if it was not directed skyward.

Then out of the sky came a voice that spoke with a hint of death, “After all those years of captivity! After that… that man tried to imprison me. My four physical forms reunited. Finally, the chance to unlock my powers once again!”

As the voice echoed across the bay, the four men began a transformation. They all became physical manifestations of their powers. Dyne sparkled in the sun’s glare with his translucent blue look. Magus became rock solid as if pulled from the earth itself. Raged became a living volcano as fire erupted from all parts of his body. Geo was almost transparent in his air light look.

“Holy shit! Didn’t know they could do that.” Swan said shocked.
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Well this was one of the twist I told some folks about.
Also one of my original ideas after came up with Thear.
Yeah a lot of this will be me wrapping up some of my loose ideas.