Alive in my Shadow. [Open]

[Erebos]

The swamp was his favourite place of all. He felt comfortable, like he could live out the rest of his days here and never return to mother’s side, fearing only the chance that he might be pursued and forced to return to a life he had no interest in leading. Expectations were alive in his shadow, following him everywhere he went, and he found himself sneering every time he looked over his shoulder, wanting nothing to do with the wolf he was becoming. Each day that passed he seemed to grow even further, reaching all new heights, leaving his dainty mother behind. and though the sense of power was welcome he couldn’t stand the thought of traveling to Vor’asa. He was more interested in plants that he was in fighting, but he knew better than to tell anyone that. From what he understood, he would be frowned upon for pursuing that field of work; he was built to be on the battlefield, and so on the battlefield he would be. Begrudgingly, the large puppy maneuvered his way through the sludge, having spent enough time here to have a general idea of where it was safe for him to walk. The threat of crocodiles wasn’t lost upon him, but for some reason he didn’t feel afraid - they were all monsters here.

From the corner of his eye he spotted a colourful bird, and immediately he stilled, observing the ethereal creature in keen silence. He dropped his body to the ground before he could even think about what he was doing, knowing in his black heart long before in his stomach that he wanted to kill this animal. Everything was quiet, too quiet, and he realized with sudden clarity that he could fill the enveloping silence with the bird’s petrified screeches. His ears twitched in impatience, anticipating the perfect moment to strike. It was when the bird dipped its long neck into the murky water that Erebos crashed through the bushes, but before he could even think to sink his teeth into its exposed neck, it lifted its head in hasty alarm and ascended with a single swish of its slender wings. His teeth scraped what he thought to be a feather, and in the midst of his aggravation he spat it from his mouth, a splash of colour now contrasting against the greens of the swamp.

He knew what he wanted to be, and surely a hunter wasn’t it; that didn’t stop him from watching the bird fly away, a look of distaste clouding his boyish features. He was tired of relying on the adults, but this was proof that he wasn’t finished learning, that it would be some time yet before he could truly be independent, and it sickened him to his core to reach such an understanding. Soon enough he would be unstoppable, and only then would he come back for that bird.

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Word Count: 484.
Tags: N/A.
OOC: Open to any Kairos wolves!

[Sabaoth]

For reasons entirely unknown to the brute, his paws continued to bring him back to the irritatingly foul depths of the swamp. It was not as if he particularly enjoyed wading through the vile muck which clung to his legs and his coat, reaching for his every step like disembodied claws, and yet here he was. It was simply due to the matter that the swamp was quiet, often times the sole area that was free from romping pups and snappy mothers, each of whom thoroughly annoyed the warrior. No matter where he ventured in his search for tranquility, Sabaoth was plagued by the constant attentions of others. Even if they did not outright speak to him, he could see them staring, assessing, wondering where the gnarled brute had come from so suddenly. He did not wish to entertain them nor answer their questions, and he’d long ago found that the swamp was the sole place where everything else was drowned out by the squelching of paws in muck and the occasional cry of a startled bird as an alligator leapt from the depths of the muddy water. Several times he’d caught the rippling and gentle waves as slowly, so slowly, the leathery maw of the beasts appeared, glowing topaz eyes finding his hulking form with ease. He would stand and consider them with narrowed eyes, waiting for the moment when they slid beneath the surface once more, deciding that they would not mess with the monstrous brute just yet.

It was on one of these occasions that Sabaoth thought another had emerged, the telltale cry of a startled bird giving him pause as the feathered wraith rose above the line of reaching branches. Whatever had startled it rested just beyond a cluster of brambles and tree trunks before him; Sabaoth approached at a leisurely stroll, pale blue eyes fully expecting to find the slick alligator hide, but instead finding fur. He paused, silently observed the wolf who stood with a vibrant feather at his paws, his eyes first noticing the oddity that was his size. Sabaoth was struck by the impression that the young brute had grown far too quickly and far too large in a short amount of time, reminding Sabaoth of his own childhood when he’d towered well above his mother in a matter of weeks. It was this, along with several other factors, that first suggested to Sabaoth that he had finally encountered a spawn of Goliath. The pelt alone was a telltale sign; he was strikingly similar to Goliath’s coloration, and when Sabaoth spotted the ice blue orbs that danced above an expression of pure disdain, he was certain. They were eyes matching in coloration to his own even; the boy was of his blood, indirectly.

For a while Sabaoth stood still, openly observing the lad. Already he could see that the pup lacked the usual signs of youth – the awkward, gangly posture, the boundless energy, the annoyingly persistent urge to speak. It was practically a young adult who stood before him, something that Sabaoth acknowledged in the recesses of his mind before finally parting his maw to speak. ”Which are you?” He asked, his voice like sandpaper against rock, rough and abrupt. There were too many pups who claimed Goliath as father for him to know the names of each.

TAG: Erebos

WORDS: 556

NOTES: Yayy Uncle Saba xD

[Erebos]

The words would’ve stung had he the emotional capacity for such a thing. The fact that Goliath had too many spawn for his loyal and abiding followers to identify with ease was his reality. With his size he could be Typhon, with his markings he could be Lilith, he could only be set apart from the rest by the way that his pale eyes didn’t so much as flicker at the sight of the colossal beast now before him. For the sake of appearance, he was frightening to look at: the many scars littering his face, chest, and limbs indicated to the observational child that he was a survivor of battle even when at its most horrific. Just like his father, and just like he would one day be, this male was exceptionally larger than could be considered normal, but Erebos had grown so accustomed to the extensive height of his peers, his superiors, and even himself that it was hardly a feature worth paying any mind to for more than a few fleeting seconds at best.

“Erebos.” A small part of him found the larger male’s tone rather disagreeable, but he knew better than to allow himself to say such a thing aloud. He wasn’t afraid of what this wolf could do to him, not in the way he should’ve been, but that by no means meant that a death wish followed him everywhere he went, dictating when and if he’d speak with a volatile tongue and provoke the ire of someone much larger and scarier than him. “I already know who you are.” It could’ve easily been mistaken for childish revenge, but in truth he was merely stating fact. Word had spread quickly of Sabaoth’s arrival - the marveled brother of Goliath - and just because he was nothing more than a quickly sprouting puppy didn’t mean he wasn’t prone to hearing the whispered words as they traveled from ear to ear.

He looked away from the colossal wolf with disinterest, something rather strange given the circumstances of a nephew first meeting his uncle. He never came to the swamp in the hopes of having company, and that would stand no matter who it was that decided to make an appearance and disrupt his privacy. Although he wasn’t directly trying to be rude or offensive, he understood how his actions could be perceived in such a way by a complete stranger; someone that knew him better would know he was simply being aloof, as was the usual for him. With a hasty glance towards the colourful feather at his paws, he looked beyond where Sabaoth and him stood, into the far and unreachable recesses of the swamp, thinking to himself how every once in a while he could’ve sworn the water twisted with the rolling momentum of an alligator and its new meal.

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Word Count: 473.
Tags: Sabaoth
OOC: ~

[Sabaoth]

Erebos. Sabaoth did not respond to the pup’s offered name, but he was careful to remember it, matching the syllables with the dark face of the youth before him. There was something quietly disturbing about the male, but it only intrigued Sabaoth as opposed to startling him. He waited in silence for something more, and he was not disappointed. Erebos’ next words had the colossal brute chuckling darkly, not missing the hint of…defiance, perhaps? No, that was not quite right. Sabaoth mulled over it for a moment as he turned to gaze in the murky depths of the water, very nearly in the same direction that Erebos himself gazed. He’d been reluctant to meet the offspring of his brother simply because Sabaoth had never acquainted himself with pups, and he was not entirely sure how he would handle their bouncy demeanor's. It was becoming clear very quickly that Erebos would not pepper him with insufferable questions or tug at his ears, however.

”It’s good that you do, then,” he finally spoke, his gaze sliding back to Erebos, hunting for any signs of thought flickering across the young one’s face. ”I loathe introductions.” And truly he did. While he’d done a decent job of acquainting himself with several others in Kairos, namely Jedidiah the Sentimental and a heavily pregnant Tala, he’d found that behaving so tamely had taken great restraint. He was not a pleasant creature, this he knew in his minuscule heart, and soon others would begin to realize this as well. It was an odd feeling to recall his own childhood and to draw the conclusion that Erebos reminded him, faintly, of himself. Sabaoth had not enjoyed being around others in the slightest, not even his siblings, and he had a strong suspicion that Erebos did not like to, either.

”You’ve wandered far from your mother, I see,” he observed, his voice failing to convey his feelings on the matter. It was a statement made purely for the sake of utterance. He found that he cared little regarding whether or not a pup wished to get himself devoured by gators; naturally he’d be expected to intervene should an incident occur, but it was hardly why he’d ventured to the swamp. His reasoning was likely similar to Erebos’; he’d come to be alone. ”Do you dislike your siblings?”

Once more memories of his own childhood surfaced, when the majority of his time had been spent skulking through the forests and this very swamp, vehemently detesting the idea of being forced to interact with the headstrong Goliath, the mellow Isaiah, and even little Aaricia. After a moment of considering this Sabaoth lowered his rump to the ground, ignoring the feeling of muck in his tail as he awaited an answer from the boy.

TAG: Erebos
WORDS: 462
NOTES: ~

[Erebos]

That he loathed introductions was curious, because although he had never been so blind as to think the world wasn’t filled to the point of bursting with a colourful multitude of personalities, he had somehow remained alone nonetheless in that nobody appeared to be quite like him, in fact not even close to it. His interest was unseen - felt - but unseen as against his better judgement he did not turn to meet the giant’s eye. It would take more than a measly similarity to make an admirer out of him. He was prone to appreciating the occasional quality, but never would he allow someone to become a basis for him; he couldn’t even rely on his shadow, and though a shame he had learned such an important life lesson so early into his life, nothing could be done to save him from himself. Slowly, the youthful monster was drowning in a pool of his own invisible aggression, succumbing to a hatred that was driven by no sensible reason, but with nobody able to see inside of his head, to see what was being created, nothing could stop it and by now it was too late anyway.

His thoughts were as murky as the swamp water, held things as lethal as the crocodiles, too; this dreary place was a reflection of him thorough and thorough, and perhaps that was why he clung to it so.

The earth cried as the heavy beast sat himself, obviously without the intention to depart anytime soon. The thought of company hadn’t appealed to him in the slightest, but he was willing to admit to himself that a few moments in this mammoth’s presence wouldn’t hurt. His question was met with an empty stare, the puppy armed with an almost ghostly eloquence as his head arched back and over his shoulders, wondering if the look in Sabaoth’s eye had anything to do with past memories he cared not to ponder. “I tolerate them well enough.” It was true, simple, but true; he wouldn’t claim to like nor dislike any of them, but just as well he cared about each of them so little that their existence meant about as much to him as the title he’d earn for himself upon returning from the Agoge. “They’re a part of my life whether I want them to be or not. I would avoid them, but they do a good enough job of staying away from me most of the time -” a sinister look passed through his face, the hint of a smile curling his lip. “- because I think they know I wouldn’t do anything for them. If they followed me here, and they got themselves into trouble, I wouldn’t try to help. It wouldn’t be worth risking my own safety.”

He wasn’t afraid to admit to the darkness inside of him, not anymore. It wasn’t worth hiding from, it wasn’t worth protecting from everyone; it was very much there, it had always been there, he just hadn’t seen it as clearly before now. “Do you dislike your siblings?” It was only natural to return the favour, though he added with a light shrug, “You must like Goliath. Why else would you have come back to him.” There was little he knew about Sabaoth, about his intentions, but he was of an independent enough mindset that he made his own assumptions. Who in their right mind would return to serve a tyranny they despised, after all? Especially when it was your own flesh and blood.

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Word Count: 586.
Tags: Sabaoth
OOC: ~

[Sabaoth]

Sabaoth listened attentively as Erebos spoke, ears pricked forward and eyes flickering with consideration. Perhaps the bold way that the young brute admitted he would allow his siblings to die before his very eyes should have startled Sabaoth, but it did not. Indeed Sabaoth was not sure that he would have rescued his own kin when he was younger…or even now. Sabaoth reflected on this for a moment; if some sort of unusual situation occurred where he’d be risking his own well-being in an attempt to save the lives of his brothers, or sister, would he? The faces of them flicked through his mind; Goliath, who ruled Kairos and had offered Sabaoth a home. Isaiah, who was so very different from the others. And Aaricia…Sabaoth frowned, no longer wishing to reflect on the matter.

”Do you dislike your siblings? You must like Goliath. Why else would you have come back to him.”

The observation made Sabaoth chuckle darkly, although he did not answer immediately, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. Erebos had posed a question that Sabaoth had asked himself for many moons now. ”I am not overly fond of them,” he began slowly, returning Erebos’ frank words with honesty of his own. ”But I do not entirely dislike them. I thought I did, when we were younger. They were so different than I was. And then I believed they were dead. Things changed.” He shrugged, the movement causing his massive shoulders to rise and fall. ”I was hell-bent on destroying those who had taken them from me. I suppose, in a way, that is caring. When I found your father alive and thriving on Ina’mos, it only seemed right to join him in reclaiming our home.”

That was as much as he would speak on the matter of his past. He’d allowed it to haunt him long enough, the ghosts of what was long gone lingering in the dark recesses of his mind. It felt odd to relate so heavily to one so young, and yet it was becoming more and more clear that Erebos was not at all what Sabaoth had expected. This thought prompted another to follow, his mind flashing back to his meeting with Tala and their discussion concerning Tala. For some reason, Sabaoth did not believe that Erebos aspired to be a powerful warrior as many other young ones did.

”What position drives your ambition?” He asked, the curiosity clear in his gaze. Sabaoth himself had always favored the battlefield, and yet it was not the only desirable position that a male could wish for in his eyes. ”Do you thirst for valor and strength like many young males do? Or perhaps something else?” Sabaoth was not daft; he knew that a position as warrior was expected from the large, powerful males within Kairos, and yet it was not something he necessarily agreed with. Naturally there was great pride in battle, but he had seen male wolves who were so unexpectedly quiet on their feet that they could sneak past sentries, and he’d seen brutes who served better behind the sidelines, calculating distances and numbers, and creating strategies. He could only wonder which position the strange pup before him would claim as his own.

TAG: Erebos
WORDS: 542
NOTES: This sucks >.< It'll get better I swear!

[Erebos]

He listened in curt silence as Sabaoth answered his question, speaking of how his opinion on his family had evolved over the years. Their believed death had made an impact, from the sound of it, and then suddenly his world seemed to have returned to its normalcy, because even though he felt like he could’ve related to Sabaoth on a level unlike anyone else, even his own father, there were still things they didn’t have in common: death of a sibling wouldn’t change how he viewed any of them, in fact, he rather looked forward to their demises. The large male’s next topic caught the puppy off guard, shifting his paws to distract himself from responding right away, unsure of what information he could trust Sabaoth to hold. He didn’t want word of his lack of interest in becoming a warrior to reach Datura or Goliath’s ears. He didn’t want anybody to know for the matter. It wasn’t that he was afraid, but rather that he wasn’t looking forward to the outcome. There was no chance that he’d ever be allowed to work with herbs, so what was the point behind having the ambition?

“Mother told me of poisons once.” His words were laced with caution, something that was unusual for the abnormal youth - he could only imagine that Sabaoth, a strong, mighty warrior of Kairos, wouldn’t approve of his misplaced interest. “It can be as deadly as a warrior, but I think it’s more interesting. It attacks what’s inside, rather than what’s outside. A quiet, mischievous killer if ever there was one, for the consumer can be dead before it even knows it’s dying.” He realized too late that he had perhaps said too much, but none of it could be taken back now, and regardless of what Sabaoth would think, it felt right to be talking about it - for once he had found something to be passionate about. “But poisons are not my destiny. Mother has made that very clear.” There was a hint of defiance in his eyes; a chance that he didn’t have complete faith in what he was saying, instead saying it for show. Looking at Sabaoth, all of his scars, his glory from battle, he could only imagine how there was potential for him to eventually become just like that. If he accepted what his parents wanted from him, then he would participate in the Agoge, he would succeed, and then he would return to Ina’mos brand new. No matter what happened, he had managed to accept that there would be no escaping the Agoge, that whether he liked it or not, he had to go through with it, but just because he had proven himself worthy of being named a warrior didn’t mean that he had to become one.

He often liked to dream of a place where he could choose his own path, but from the second he was born, his life was meant to be a lot more difficult than that.

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Word Count: 500.
Tags: Sabaoth
OOC: ~

[Sabaoth]

Poisons. Sabaoth did not miss the guarded way that Erebos replied, suggesting that he’d once been rebuffed for his interest. Despite this, the pup could not hide the rapt way that he spoke of them, and Sabaoth was careful not to appear disinterested despite the usual lack of emotion that showed in his face. Perhaps he might have scoffed and scorned Erebos if he’d expressed interest in healing, or hunting, but poisons…it was an answer that the large brute had never anticipated. After Erebos had finished, he remarked dully that his mother did not approve, and Sabaoth nodded. So it was her who had dashed his dreams. Sabaoth had not met the Matriarch as of yet, and while he imagined that he would have no qualms with her, he would not mince his words, even if it was one of her offspring that he addressed. Judging by the spark of defiance in Erebos’ bright eyes, it was clear that he was not content with her answer regardless.

”Your mother may certainly be looking out for what she believes your best interest to be, but she cannot write your destiny. No one can; it is set in stone, and if you are pulled so strongly towards poison, perhaps you should trust your passions.” He paused briefly before flashing a brutal grin in Erebos’ direction. ”Perhaps you shouldn’t tell her I said that. I’m already setting myself up to be the devious uncle.”

A moment later he sobered, returning his thoughts to the serious matter at hand. The way that Erebos had described them was intriguing; Sabaoth had never bothered with herbs and so his knowledge of poison was limited, but it was a deadly foe and a powerful ally if one was skilled enough. ”You must be careful with poisons, but I am sure you’re well aware of that. I’ve found that it’s not a commonly learned skill, and therefore all the more lethal. If you can gather a wide variety of knowledge regarding the plants and their effects, then I daresay you’d be just as deadly as any warrior. That knowledge coupled with the sheer size of you to defend yourself if need be…well, you’d be something else.” Much like Erebos previously, Sabaoth had allowed himself to get carried away. At his heart he thrived upon battle strategies and ruthless calculations for casualties; it had always been his favorite part of fighting, apart from the literal bloodshed – seeing his perfectly planned ideas unfold.

”I imagine that your father would not consider allowing it, though,” he murmured after he’d gathered his stoic façade once more. ”Pity. It’s clear you have the head for it, as well as the passion. It would be interesting to watch that particular fate unfold.”

TAG: Erebos
WORDS: 456
NOTES: <3

[Erebos]

He hadn’t expected his uncle to be quite so accepting, but nevertheless it was a pleasant surprise. It was perhaps long overdue, but finally Erebos turned to be facing the giant wolf, no longer content to be speaking to him from just over his shoulders. There was something unusual in his pale eyes, borderline respect, but of course he’d never admit to such a thing. He simply hadn’t believed that anyone would ever listen to him talk about his passion, and actually agree with him in that it was worthwhile pursuing. He knew what what his parents wanted him to be, he knew what Kairos needed him to be, but it wasn’t what he wanted to be, and though he was more than capable of realizing that on his own, it was a nice change to see that someone else was on his side for once. He had always been the outcast in his own family, his detachment peculiar, but not worth anyone attempting to alter; he wanted different things for himself than his siblings, and for that reason it was difficult for him to connect with any of them.

Ever since his mother had told him that poisons were of no concern to him, he had been prepared to defy her. The fact that Sabaoth agreed, that he thought her opinion - rather, her best interest for him - wasn’t meant to deter him from his passion was simply excess encouragement. He had always known that the true obstacle would be Goliath, he didn’t need Sabaoth to spell that out for him, but his uncle’s words still had him pricking his ears in interest, catching the hints of something that contradicted what he had said only moments before. “If my mother shouldn’t be able to stop me, then neither should my father, no?” His lip quirked just at the edge, as though now that it had been said, there was officially no turning back on his decision. “I know that my interests will disappoint him -” he seemed bored by this; truly, his father’s feelings in regards to what he did with his life mattered so very little. “- but there’s enough of us walking around with his blood to make up for where I let him down.”

He fixed the bigger wolf with a thoughtful eye, wondering what his take was on this new information. It came as a brief afterthought to him how he would’ve much preferred to have been sired by Sabaoth, but there was nothing that could be done about that. “Perhaps you’ll get to watch that fate unfold, after all.” For the first time, arguably in his whole life, he smiled like he had something to live for - if not only because what he had to live for was to see others die.

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Word Count: 465.
Tags: Sabaoth
OOC: Sorry if this is kind of lame. I experienced a muse fail. x.x

[Sabaoth]

“If my mother shouldn’t be able to stop me, then neither should my father, no?”

Sabaoth glanced sideways towards Erebos, a shrug of his massive shoulders his initial response. ”He can stop you…but only for as long as you live under his rule. You’ll have to take into consideration the consequences of ignoring his edicts, but he cannot dictate your fate any more than your mother can. The weight of that decision falls solely upon your shoulders.” Ah, if Goliath could hear him now; he very easily could be considered advocating disobedience, although that was not his intention. Would his mighty brother be vexed to hear the less than proper advice that Sabaoth offered? Regardless, he would not sit here and preach deference to the young brute when it was clear he had no desire to become a soldier. Sabaoth had found that those who went into battle with no heart for it were usually the ones to die, although with the sheer force of will that Erebos oozed, Sabaoth was not so certain that his nephew would go down easily.

”I know that my interests will disappoint him, but there’s enough of us walking around with his blood to make up for where I let him down. Perhaps you’ll get to watch that fate unfold, after all.”

A soft chuckle slid from Sabaoth’s muzzle as he nodded his head in agreement. ”There certainly is a…vast quantity of his pups running amuck now. I daresay that I never expected to be the uncle of so many.” Indeed it seemed as if Goliath had spread his seed far and wide this season, producing both a large amount of impressively sized males, and more than enough future Kairos mothers. Soon Ina’mos truly would be the land of the giants; even some of the femmes produced were massive in size. After a moment he sobered, reflecting on the final words of his nephew, his words quiet but firm when he spoke them. ”Whatever path you choose to walk, I will offer you my support. I don’t imagine that my word will have very much weight with my brother, but if the time comes when it might assist you, I will offer it gladly.” He was intrigued by Erebos, and admittedly curious to see how the young male grew and matured. Already he displayed a level head and cool disposition that was unusual in pups; Sabaoth could only imagine what he would be like when he’d finally grown to his full size…and if he dared inform his father of his true desires.

TAG: Erebos
WORDS: 421
NOTES: I'm sorry it took me forever D:

[Erebos]

It was an interesting proposition. Although he didn’t think his uncle was purposefully trying to sway his loyalties, it had that effect on him just the same. In the end, what he wanted for himself wouldn’t matter if it didn’t agree with Goliath’s expectation, and if there was no chance of it ever agreeing, then he would need to make a home for himself elsewhere. It didn’t seem impossible, but it did seem unlikely for the time being. As of now his world consisted of Kairos, nothing more, nothing less, and as reluctant as he was toward the idea of the Agoge, it was going to be his first opportunity to see another land.

He pondered this a moment longer, a frown slowly spilling across his once expressionless face. Kairos was a vast and unified empire; from what he had heard, it was the strongest across the continent, but that didn’t mean it was the right place for him. The roles of a male and the roles of a female were too strict for his liking. His being a male meant that it was preposterous for him to take an interest in herbs, but he didn’t see why it had to be that way. He would do something about it if he could, but being an Alpha’s son didn’t give him nearly as much power as he was sure the wolves of lesser standing liked to believe it did. If he had been born to a different litter, perhaps it would’ve mattered less what he wanted to be.

“Kairos will never be to me what it is to my siblings.” He left it at that, his words open for Sabaoth’s interpretation. Whether he wanted to think it meant that he wouldn’t be a part of the ever-growing pack for much longer, or that it meant he wasn’t satisfied but would get over it with time was entirely up to him to decide. Erebos was finished talking - had it been anyone else, he would’ve been finished talking long ago - and there was no need for the young boy to state that, for simply rising from his seat as he did was enough to make it clear that he intended to leave his uncle behind. “I’ll be considering what you’ve said to me for a long time.” Even though he was grateful for his uncle’s advice, there was no thank you left unspoken on the tip of his tongue as he took the path home.

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Word Count: 413.
Tags: Sabaoth
OOC: End thread!