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DKNG - Fundamental DD Inside - DKNG

This is an example of fundamental DD that takes place at ‘smart’ money institutions based on my professional experience in IBD, Private Equity & most recently at a HF (mods can message me for proof). Not thoroughly fleshed out b/c you autists have limited attention spans, but a summary. Figured I’d take the time to give back to this community that has provided many lolz, & should be a good measuring stick when evaluating other forms of fundamental DD posted here.
NFA.
DKNG - DraftKings, Inc.: vertically integrated US mobile betting operator that also provides retail sports betting & back-end betting solutions through SBTech. Think of SBTech as the tech ‘market-maker’ for traditional sports betting, they do all the funny math to set the betting odds & seem to be working on back-end solutions for DKNG Casino
The Big Picture
Only ~2% of the ~$90Bn gambling revenues were placed online which is the lowest in the world where betting online is legal. For example, in other countries online gaming activity represents ~6% - ~52% of total gambling revenues, with ~12% being the average.
Wall Street expects online gaming revenue to be $20Bn-$40Bn within the next 10 years. For this to be achieved, the online gambling market will have to achieve a ~30% penetration rate on total country gaming revenues. There is an expectation that this is could be easily achievable given penetration trends overseas - see page 11 of this: https://s1.rationalcdn.com/vendors/stars-group/documents/presentations/TSG-Investor-Day_March-27-2019.pdf
Other catalysts include increasing adaptation of sports betting in more states. States that have both legal sports betting + online sports betting permitted: NV, NJ, WV, PA, IA. Sports betting permitted but no online: DE, MS, RI, MO, AR. Prior to COVID there was ongoing discussions across many States, especially ones with growing deficits to explore how permitting sports betting could create a fresh avenue of tax dollars. Post COVID there is an expectation that these discussions will be given extra focus as many States will be hungry for incremental tax dollars. Important to note that currently 43/50 States allow DFS, but given the small share DFS has on total Gaming Revenues, it increasingly looks like DKNG is banking on traditional sports betting for a variety of reasons, more later. There are entire articles on Google arguing this catalyst so I’ll end this here.
Digging Deeper
DKNG’s main offerings are Daily Fantasy Sports (“DFS”) products & traditional sports book products to its clients. Long story short, a metric to look for in my opinion (that is curiously not reported by management or remarked on) is the hold % in traditional gaming sector parlance or the ‘rake’ & compare it to the ‘traditional’ gaming products like sports betting & Blackjack.
For DFS: DKNG takes ~15% of the prize pool (note: used to be ~6-11% [2]). Curiously, their main competitor FanDuel also has moved up to a ~15% rake recently. Google searches show the smaller competitors have a rake in the ~13% range.
This ‘rake’ has grown ~2x in 6 years, but it has been a delicate move on behalf of management. Why? B/c the more ‘sophisticated’ DFS players (equal to autistic day traders on Robinhood) have noted this increase & based on some Googling, some have moved down market to the smaller players. As a side note, many live casino games have their rules altered to grow the Hold %. For example, Blackjack games with 6:5 payouts on 21 have materially higher Hold % than the traditional BJ rules that pay out 3:2. Given the findings so far, DKNG may not have much room to materially increase its hold % in DFS games in the near-term from current of 15%. More on this later.
Now why the fuck is this important? This is important b/c the typical sports book (ex-Parlays) have a ~5% hold %/rake. Parlays have up to a ~30% hold (which is why it’s commonly known as the sucker’s bet), & just for reference, the average Blackjack table clocks in 14.5%. What this means: Every dollar put into these games, the “House” or DKNG, will take 15% of your money for DFS games, for sports bets they will be pocketing ~5%, up to ~30% if you’re into parlays, & we’ll just use the standard 14.5% BJ hold for the DraftKings Casino platform.
So why the acquisition of SBTech & a foray into the traditional sports gambling market? As you can see previously, the illegal sports betting market is >30x the size of the current daily fantasy sports market. So it’s clear that the DFS providers including DKNG are foraying into the space to capture this user base & hopefully convert them into games that have a higher hold %, such as DFS/DKNG Casino.
As of May 2020, DKNG has achieved a 30% penetration rate on its ~4mm ‘monetized’ DFS clientele to its Online Sports Book (OSB), from the OSB+DFS clientele, DKNG has converted 50% into its DraftKings Casino platform.
Including non-monetized users, user base totals at 12mm. Based on these unit economics: every 1mm of additional users -> 333k monetized users for DFS -> 100k users for OSB -> 50k users for DraftKings Casino.
Some Numbers – Italicized/Bolded the important
Numbers that represent Risks to Long Thesis
Things to look for when going Long
- Progress of additional States legalizing sports betting – specifically, States with DFS already legalized
- Cost structure evolving to a more fixed mix vs. the mostly variable mix currently as this will be the forward figure that determines profitability
- Increasing User Base (Curr.: 12mm) -> Monetized Base (Curr.: 4mm) -> MUP (1Q’20: 0.7mm)
Share Price Target
Given the cost structure of the company, I’m going to base the price targets around Enterprise Value / Revenues (driven by MUPs & ARPUs).
Bear Case MUP: 5mm -> $20.32 - $45.73
Base Case MUP: 5.5mm -> $22.27 - $50.10
Bull Case MUP: 6mm -> $24.21 - $54.47
These MUPs imply a monetized customer base of 28mm – 33mm. At the high-end, this implies that DKNG monetized customer base will equal MGM’s current total user base.
At yesterday’s close of $43.70, DKNG is trading at 3.5x – 4.5x forward Revenues on an expected >5,000 MUPs.
Share Price drivers / considerations:
- Continued multiple expansion
- MUP Growth exceeding beyond targets
Management Team
Jason Robins, 39 – Co-Founder & CEO. Duke BA, started DraftKings from day 1 in 2011. The 2 other buddies he started the Company with are still at DKNG. Dude navigated the Company through the scandal that rocked them in ’15 & ’16, and was the trailblazer in getting DFS labeled as a non-gambling product that enabled it to open in States without a gaming designation. This shit is the stuff that gets people in history books. His accomplishments make him seem like a very competent guy. Has 3 kids now, and only ~3% economic ownership in DKNG but has 90% of the voting power through his Class B share ownership. Also he actively participates in venture investments, sitting on 10 boards.
His comp plan performance bonus target is pretty murky, but main drivers are EPS growth, revenue growth, then a bunch of margin & return metrics, along with share price returns. Overall, very open-ended & it’s safe to say as long as shit doesn’t hit the fan, he will be eligible for his max payouts year over year. I’m assuming the lawyers tried to encompass everything possible for maximum flexibility to justify him earning his max comp as long as DKNG is still around.
Since he’s got voting control of 90%, I’ll end the specific-person overview here, but want to note that they have a very bloated C-suite. 12 folks at DKNG, 8 folks at SBTech, all with C-suite designations. Whereas their main competitor FanDuel, has 3 guys with a C-suite designations & 1 EVP, but is a sub under a larger ParentCo that has its own management team of ~5 guys.
Looking through glassdoor you can see the biggest complaint among employees giving bad reviews is based on management, all of the specific issues they point out IMO are a result of a top-heavy company. Seems like a good starting point to optimize their cost structure, but given Robins' history of sticking this entire thing through with his co-founders since '11 stuff like this doesn't seem to be a part of his playbook. They’re a public company now though, so it’s going to be interesting to see going forward.
TL;DR:
If I were to initiate a position in DKNG, the stock would have to fall to the $35-$37 range for me to be a buyer of the stock, and based on this rough intro analysis I'll be considering Put options if it breaches $50. I would not touch Calls at this level.
​
[1] Wall Street Research - 6/27/19
[2] https://rotogrinders.com/articles/bang-for-your-buck-a-look-at-dfs-industry-rake-153302
[3] https://draftkings.gcs-web.com/static-files/8f3a5c5a-7228-45bf-aab2-63604111c48d
[4] Wall Street Research - 5/19/20
[5]https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/223071/Dont_monetize_like_League_of_Legends_consultant_says.php
[6] https://rotogrinders.com/threads/how-many-people-actually-play-dfs-regularly-252044
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[A Fractured Song] - Chapter 62 - Fantasy, Isekai (Portal Fantasy), Adventure

We have NEW Cover Art!
Teaser: Timur attempts to bring Frances out of the castle so he can extricate himself and his traitors all safely, whilst leaving her behind. It doesn't go to plan.
Story Summary: After years of beatings and neglect from her parents, 13-year old Frances was summoned with her entire class to the fantastical world of Durannon to fight the monsters invading the human kingdoms and defeat the "Demon King." If she succeeds, she might have the home she never had. But if she can't overcome the trauma and self-loathing inflicted on her by her abusive parents, Frances will die, and be summoned back to the home she escaped, on the day that she left.
[The Beginning] [<=Chapter 61] [Chapter Index and Blurb] [Chapter 63=>]
[Map of Durannon]
This chapter was pre-read by u/totallyundescript.
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To disguise that they were carrying a tied up human girl, Timur and the traitors had put Frances in a sack. Since Timur was disguised as a burly servant, he could easily carry the sack containing Frances.
He tried to carry Frances in what he hoped was comfortable. She didn’t seem to make any noise. Then again, the traitors—which is to say, Selena—had threatened to hurt Frances if she made a noise.
Timur’s solution to get out of Conthwaite castle, which was locked down, was a dangerous, but in his view, intelligent one. The castle had two sally ports, doors in the fortifications that would allow defenders to come out and harass enemy besiegers. They were guarded and exposed to view from the walls of the fortress.
However, Timur knew that everybody was focused on looking into the castle grounds, not looking outward. They just needed to knock out the guards.
The sally port they chose was the northern sally port. It overlooked a craggy path that snaked down from the hill Conthwaite Castle stood on and to the meeting point. Inside the castle, it was located in a remote corner of one of the castle's courtyards, isolated from the rest of the castle. There were two guards by it.
Timur took out the guards quickly by using two words of power that smashed them into the wall and knocked them down. They were so stunned that Claudia, Russell, Selena and Renfrey had a lot of time to rush the pair and tie them up. After pocketing the key to the sally port, they left, leaving the two guards on the outside.
As an extra precaution, Timur cast a heating spell that melted the lock and rendered the sally port completely inoperable.
“Next?” Renfrey asked.
Timur put the sack where Frances was in down and started to undo it. “We get down the path. No torches, though. So I’ll have to untie the blasted mage’s legs.”
Russell frowned. “She might escape.”
“We’ll make a rope tie around her waist then. If she tries to escape, she’ll fall to her death. I can see the path. She, and you all can’t. You need to follow me.” He unearthed Frances’s head and glanced at her. “Do you understand me, mage?”
Frances nodded and the humans quickly pulled the sack off her and undid her ankle bindings. Once they tied another rope around her waist, the group was off.
Although Timur could see the path as well as it was day, he picked his steps carefully and didn’t rush, often pausing to see how Frances and the other humans were doing. The path was almost like a goat’s track, littered with rocks that pressed up against boots, with one side constantly faced with sharp half-eroded stone.
The darkness didn’t help. As they picked their way down the trail, one of the humans would lose their footing and slip on occasion, and they all had staves for both balance and defence.
With her hands tied behind her back, Frances fell several times. Only a quick grab or tug of the rope around her waist would keep her head from slamming into the ground.
Timur had to mutter curses to play his part, but he felt they were getting less convincing. He was honest to Galena, the Alavari’s god, terrified of her hurting herself, and of the possibility of their escape going to hell. He felt his heart pounding in his chest, rattling his nerves, making him watch every edge in the dark with fear that she might slip.
He had no idea how Frances wasn’t just doing more than occasionally whimper or gasp. At least, he had no idea until he had to catch her by her arm one time when a rock shifted under her feet and she nearly went right over the edge.
That was when he realized that she was drenched with cold sweat, and trembling. She was horrified, which reassured him, and also drove that dagger of shame he felt deeper into his stomach.
The party heard the alarm bells ringing sometime after that fall.
“Shit,” Claudia muttered.
“Don’t worry. We’re almost there,” said Timur. He could see the flat ground at the bottom of the slope and the orchard that was their destination. It was an apple orchard, and since it was fall, he could hear his boots crunching leaves as he stepped to the last part of the path.
And just like that, they were off the trail and in the orchard and their rendezvous point. Timur could even see the horses too, tied to the trees and saddled for a long ride.
“Ignis! We are here, where are you?” Timur yelled.
There was no reply. Timur suddenly felt his tail stiffen and his ears stiffen. Something was wrong. Where was his troll—
Two glinting objects flew out from the trees. He followed them to see them smash against the narrow path they’d just gone down and burst into familiar red-orangey flames. Vials of Crownfire. They would go out soon without much to burn on the rock, but until then they couldn’t escape back up. The orchard was now bathed with a strange crimson glow.
The Alavari prince had already turned his attention back to the direction the fire had been thrown from to see two figures charge at them. One had a shield and was unnaturally fast. She leapt at Timur, hammer raised.
The prince didn’t have time to take his wand out. He had to cry out a word of power to throw his attacker backward into a tree. The effort made him wince as he felt the drain on his reserves.
To his shock, his attacker hit the tree with a cry, but instead of sliding down unconscious, leapt back to her feet and charged again, forcing Timur to draw the sword he’d borrowed from the Conthwaite armoury.
The other, an armoured knight, from the way fire glinted off of him, was going after Renfrey. The man blocked his sword with a staff, but the knight drove a gauntleted fist into the man’s face, knocking him down. He was immediately beset however by Claudia and Russell, who came at him from two sides, beating at him with their staves.
“Let her go now!” screamed the female. Her hammer scythed toward Timur. The angel forced the trogre to let go of the rope around Frances’s waist and parry the blow. Only his skill and agility let him deflect the constant flurry of hammer strikes.
“Martin, get Frances out of here!” screamed the girl, who had to be Elizabeth. The knight had to be Martin. Timur grimaced, this was bad, but maybe it was for the best. Ignis was either dead or wounded, but Frances was safe. If he could extricate himself from this situation without hurting Frances’s friends, everything would be fine—
“All of you drop your weapons or I’ll slit her throat!”
Everybody froe and Timur spun to see Selena, one arm around Frances’s shoulder, the other holding a knife to her throat.
Timur forced himself not to grimace and instead smiled. “Well done Selena—”
“You drop your weapons too, Timur.” The maid’s voice had dropped to a raspy growl. “I know you care about this mage.”
The prince felt his breath catch in his throat, and the sword in his hand drop limply to the ground. The maid’s lips were twisted up in a nasty leer. The edge of her knife was touching the side of Frances’s neck.
“Timur what are you— Oh damn, you were trying to leave her with us,” Elizabeth stammered.
The trogre nodded, glancing at Claudia and Russell, who were staring at their friend in shock.
“Selena, what are you doing. We have a deal. Unless you don’t want to escape to Alavaria?” Timur asked.
Selena snorted. “You, an Alavari prince, care for this mage. We can’t trust you.”
“I beat her up! Besides she is our only ticket out of here! Are you crazy—”
And that was when Selena drove the knife into Frances’s thigh and gave it a twist.
The worst part for Frances was that she expected something like this to happen, and so all her senses were honed in on the pain she was going to feel. Only, nothing could prepare her for how cold the steel felt as it entered her thigh. Neither could anything prepare for the agony that rattled up her leg as Selena’s knife churned her flesh.
Frances felt her eyes flare wide and her muffled, unrecognizable scream filled the night air. Timur lunged toward them, but the knife, now bloody, was suddenly up against her cheek again.
“You care about her.” The maid glided what was now the knife’s wet and warm edge against Frances’s face. “If you really hated her you’d have hit her face and broken her nose. Yet the only bruise I see is the one you gave her when you fought. You must not have recognized her.”
Frances shivered even as she lamented her misstep. Of course, she should have asked Timur to give her a bruise. She just didn’t think to do so because her own parents had been so careful not to show marks on her face.
Now Timur, a desperate, panicked look on his features was stammering, “Look yes, I have a deal with her but that doesn’t affect us! We can’t take her with us anyway so I thought we should just keep her for a bit then leave her! Remember, she’s Edana Firehand’s dearest student. Do you really want to enrage Lady Skinmelter more than you already have?”
“He’s right.” The woman that Frances recalled was Claudia said, looking increasingly horrified by Selena’s actions. “Look Selena, we need this. We need to get out. We can’t escape the war in the Human Kingdoms, especially soldiers like Russell and I. Only in Alavaria we might stand a chance of leaving it all behind us.”
Frances held her breath as her captor frowned. She could barely stand. Her leg was throbbing with pain, and there was a growing wetness trickling down her right leg. She knew that it was her own blood flowing out of her.
But Selena was in no rush. She frowned and relaxed the knife against Frances’s neck almost casually. There was nothing casual to the gesture for Frances, though. She could see the mad light in the woman’s eyes.
Everybody waited with bated breath.
“Oh, we will. Just one more thing.” Selene pointed to Martin. “You, Otherworlder girl, kill my dear former lord.”
Timur blinked. “We have no time for this we need to leave—”
“You’re not calling the shots anymore, Fae-kin.” Selena sneered at Elizabeth. “Kill Martin, girl. Or I will kill your friend.”
Frances shook her head on instinct and for her trouble, got the knife pressed further into her cheek. She could feel the edge cutting the skin and she froze once more. All she wanted to do was to scream and fight this madwoman.
But if she did… she was going to die, and she knew what that meant.
As Elizabeth blinked back tears, Martin swallowed. “If I am going to die, I want to know why. Did I offend you in some way?” he demanded.
Selena laughed, a harsh, grating laugh that shook even her own comrades.
“Your mothers sent my son and daughter into battle under your sister, Maria’s, command. Your sister got them killed. I think it’s only reasonable that they pay for that with your death. That I get to stick it to some prissy Otherworlders just makes it better.”
“It was you… you leaked the plan to the orcs. You almost got us all killed!” Elizabeth glared at Selena. “We are trying to defend your homes and you repay us like this?”
Selena snorted. “It was a joint effort, but yes, we got the plans to Alavaria. And you, Otherworders, defend our homes? How can you defend our homes when you have nothing to lose. When you have no attachment to Durannon? And what do we have to give up so you defend our homes? Our food, our iron, our animals and our lives!”
Frances sniffled as the knife began to cut into her cheek, slicing open skin. She had to do something. Elizabeth was going to be forced to make an impossible choice.
“This war will take and take and take until those prissy nobles just work it out! At least Alavaria is offering us an out from this war,” Selena hissed. “Now do it!”
Frances watched Elizabeth tremble, staring at Martin. Her friends were looking at each other, poleaxed by the situation they were in.
She had to do something. Her hands were loose enough, but the knife was at her neck. She could die if she tried to escape, and if she died, she’d return home, back to her parents.
Only, that didn’t seem to be so scary to her. Frances was horrified by the prospect, but the option didn’t seem to paralyze her. She wondered why. It didn’t make sense. She didn’t want to be hit by her parents or see them ever again. So why… why did she dread her friend dying more than seeing her parents?
Because you know what you deserve, what you need. You know you deserve good things. You know you deserved nothing of what your parents did to you. They may scare you, but you can fight that fear and win.
As the answer hit Frances, she made her decision
Across from Frances, Timur frowned as he noticed his friend’s eyes widen in what seemed like some kind of epiphany. He was confused as to why she seemed to brace herself, however, but chalked it up to the pain she felt in her leg.
Martin suspected something different. He could tell that Frances was going to make a move, but he wasn’t sure what she could do. He thought she saw some weakness in their enemy and was getting ready to exploit it, or send him a signal.
Elizabeth saw her friend’s eyes widen too. She also noticed Frances tense her shoulders. Unlike the boys, however, she instantly realized what her friend was going to do.
“Frances, no!” she screamed.
It was too late. Frances slipped the loosened ties at her wrists and grabbed Selena’s knife arm, stepping backward into her. The pair fell over, grappling with one another, Selena shrieking like a banshee, Frances crying out a note to try to keep the knife away from her.
Never one to miss an opportunity, Martin raced for Russell, blocking the hit from a stave with his armoured arms, he tackled the man to the ground. Elizabeth easily dodged Claudia’s wild swing and began to wrestle for control of her staff.
Timur, having finally remembered that he’d loosened Frances’s ropes, only had eyes for Frances as she and Selena rolled over. Even as he raced toward the pair, though, he saw Selena flip his exhausted and battered friend over, and straddle her. Frances raised her arms in a defensive block and cried out, trying to force Selena away from her with her magic.
She managed to throw the woman away, but not before the knife colored red by the still glowing Crownfire, plunged her in the chest.
Then the traitorous maid hit the ground. But she quickly sprang up, charging. Timur froze, wondering whether to get to Frances or attack Selena.
Elizabeth sprinted by Timur, and in a textbook sweep, took Selena’s legs from out under her, before slamming the staff on her head for good measure. The maid crumpled, knocked out cold.
Timur spared the madwoman only a glance before racing to Frances’s side.
Blood was already pooling underneath her body. It poured out from her thigh, from the deep wound in her chest that soaked her cream white dress, and from a cut along the side of her throat. He hadn’t seen that. It looked like it had happened when Frances initially tried to break out from Selena’s grasp. He immediately pressed his hands against the neck wound trying to staunch the blood that bubbled up.
“Oh no, nononono. Elizabeth! Martin! Help!” he bellowed.
Elizabeth was by his side in an instant. Martin, who was tying up Russell, was a hair slower, but not far behind. They immediately pressed their hands against the wounds.
“Magic. Timur! You know healing spells don’t you?” Martin demanded, his tone shrill.
The trogre shook his head. “Yes, but I’m almost flat out. I can’t… it’s so deep! I’ll try—”
“Wait!” Elizabeth with bloody hands whipped out a wand from her belt. “Use Frances’s wand, it’s a Named Wand. I’ll hold her neck.” She pressed her shaking hands against the wound. “Oh, God. Frances, why?” she cried.
“It’s alright… I… I’ll see you soon at school. I’ll find you.” Frances didn’t want to cry, but it hurt too much. She couldn’t remember feeling so weak before, but she fought it. There was too much on her mind. “I… I’m only a little scared. Please, tell Edana I love her. She’s the mother I never knew I could have, and that I’m sorry.” Frances hiccuped, she felt so weak, like she wanted to just fall asleep. “Timur, I’m sorry. I hope you find someone to help you. Martin, don’t f-f-feel bad…”
“No! You aren’t going back to your parents!” Timur grabbed Ivy’s Sting, yelled out several phrases and touched Frances’s neck. Sensing its beloved master was close to death, the wand was all too eager to lend its power and Timur found it incredibly easy to cast his healing spell.
The stab wound started to knit together, but slowly, and the cut on the side of the neck slower still. Timur swallowed and drew everything he had, every last bit of magic and thrust it into the dying mage.
“Come on! Don’t give up! You can’t!” Martin begged. The knight was crying now, tears pouring down his cheeks
Frances sniffled. “Please don’t cry. I…I was so happy in Durannon—”
“And you’re going to be fine damnit!” Elizabeth screamed. Frances blinked as Elizabeth took her hands off of the now-vanished stab wound she’d been trying to cover with her bloody hands. She felt her friend touch her neck with a wet hand. The wound on her neck was also gone. “Oh God, you’re going to be fine,” she wheezed and sat back.
Frances blinked again, suddenly feeling… oddly alert and while exhausted, not so sleepy.
Timur stood up groggily, Martin steadying him.
“I… I sealed the bleeding. She needs to see a doctor immediately, but… Galena that was too close.”
Frances blinked again and tried to lever herself up, but Elizabeth immediately pushed her back on the ground. “You stay quiet. Timur, you need to get out of here.”
The trogre stared at Elizabeth but handed Ivy’s Sting back to the Otherworlder. “You’re… letting me go?”
Martin nodded. He briefly considered demanding Timur to stay, but a quick glance at Frances and he decided to get her help was far more important than getting into another fight. The knight pointed to the orchard. “You saved her life and you never wanted this to happen. The traitors stay, but your troll, Ignis, he’s just over there. We just knocked him out. Take two horses and get away before Edana arrives. I doubt she’ll be as merciful.”
“I doubt it too.” Timur levered himself off of Martin and smiled. “To an actually peaceful meeting next time?”
“I’m not betting on it,” muttered Martin, but he shook the prince’s hand. Elizabeth just gave the trogre a nod.
“Timur, thank you,” Frances rasped.
The Alavari prince managed an exhausted and relieved smile, with none of his usual cockiness.
“Until next time then, my lady.”
Frances felt her cheeks flush, and Timur quickly averted his eyes before turning around. Soon he was jogging into the night, leaving the trio of friends surrounded by unconscious or groaning traitors.
Author's Note: OOOOF wow that was a chapter. Reminder to everybody that if you would like advance chapters, you can check out my patreon. I'm also going to run a Patreon Q and A with questions due on October 4th. The Q and A will be made available a week after chapter 64 is published and will signal the end to my weeklong 'end of book 1' break. All Patreons have four questions they can ask to myself, or any character. You can ask spoilery questions, I just won't post them.
The break for non-patron folks will only take place after their chapter 64. The non-patron folks Q and A will be published instead of a regular chapter update after Chapter 64 is regularly updated and will signal back to regular updates... the see start of book 2 of A Fractured Song. Okay now if you didn't bother reading all of that, the update question is: Favourite action characters or stars?: Donnnie Yen (IP Man), Jackie Chan and Keanu Reeves (John Wick) are mine.
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GSL Code S 2020 S2 | Ro16 | Group A | Rundown

Welcome to one of the only offline tournaments in 2020 on the planet, it's Ro16 time.

Group A:

The cheekily labelled "Group of Life" has become a staple in every GSL Season, as if to prove the top seed in the tournament has way too much power, nevertheless that makes expectations and the preview for it each time quite simple - in this case, TY was the overwhelming favorite heading into tonight with SpeCial trailing not too far behind him, leaving Scarlett and DRG with the challenging task of bringing something extra if they had any intention of making it out alive.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead, Obviously

Like a Phoenix Mutalisk rising from the ashes, DRG decided today was as good a day as any to remind us what greatness looks like by taking 1st place in convincing fashion with a vintage performance, what year is it.

In the fallout that followed, TY then survived a brutal test in the mirror to secure 2nd, keeping the possibility of defending his crown alive as he still enters the Playoffs as one of the clear favorites.

M1 | TY [ 2 : 0 ] Scarlett | ★★☆☆☆ | All It Takes Is A Little Push

  • Golden Wall | The slowed down third Hatch, early Marine harass and anything else that went down at the start didn't end up mattering nearly as much as the perfectly planned and set up push on the main from the Terran starting around 06:30 and culminating at roughly 09:30 when the Zerg could no longer afford to bleed any more units to the unbreakable siege, resulting in her Lair being taken down and seemingly any real chance of turning this game around went with it. As if to contradict that point, TY then lost a billion SCVs to just Lings running around and the battle did slow down considerably, however Scarlett was still basically stuck without tech until the very end of the game and so kept being suffocated throughout the map and eventually run over all the same.

  • Deathaura | The decision to go two base Spire already had me shaking my head and it certainly didn't help TY once again opted for a relatively early push and then even ended up baiting out and taking a ridiculous fight around 07:00 to establish a commanding army supply lead, so the writing was on the wall for this one straight away with the back-breaker coming in shortly after.

M2 | SpeCial [ 1 : 2 ] DRG | ★★☆☆☆ | No One's Safe

  • Ice And Chrome | The early three CCs coupled with a BC rush really made it feel like the Zerg was an NPC about to get dumpstered by an insanely greedy Terran player, so when the Mech followup also came in & the third CC landed undefended and went unpunished, even the fact a whole flock of Corruptors came out blindly to fight a fleet that didn't exist - absolutely everything was pointing to a decisive SpeCial win here. DRG's attempted Roach Ravager attacks also did fuck all, if anything it looked like the Zerg's fate was sealed as soon as they fell flat, and then the inconceivable happened i.e. at roughly 11:15 DRG bet it all on a Muta switch and as 20+ of them arrived and instantly ravaged the borderline defenseless Terran base the game was instantly flipped on its head and SpeCial tapped out immediately, likely in utter disbelief.

  • Deathaura | From there the tilt was real as three SCVs left the Terran base before the game had even started and the dastardly setup planned and executed perfectly by SpeCial consisting of multiple Bunkers going up around 2:50 thanks to DRG's decision to have his defense consist of a huge Drone squad roaming the map meant by the time the rush was getting remotely close to cleaned up the Zerg was down to 11 workers against his opponent's 18+, meaning the winrate of proxy Barracks in tournaments went up accordingly.

  • Pillars of Gold | The second attempt to win the game before it started via buildings in the middle of the map didn't go nearly as well when DRG's Overlord secretly flew over the proxy, so thanks to a little finesse around 02:40 the Zerg took control of the game, despite SpeCial's admittedly persistent harass which came in soon enough and the Terran's solid hold on his side of the map when Roaches waddled over there to accomplish next to nothing. The scheduled push from SpeCial with three Tanks then arrived only to find way more units defending than he'd bargained for, so the Terran packed his things and went home, however DRG wasn't interested at all in prolonging this one any further so he geared up for an assault and simply crashed into his opponent's flimsy defenses at roughly 10:10 with a sea of Ravagers and their thirty or so closest friends, trampling over everything for the win.

M3 | TY [ 1 : 2 ] DRG | ★★★☆☆ | Surprise, Surprise, The King Is Back

  • Ice And Chrome | The cheeky three CC opener with a Blue-Flame Hellion push designed to sell the idea TY was opting for Mech on this map just like SpeCial was very nice, but when his harass got held with relative ease and DRG completely avoided getting duped it definitely felt like the Zerg was then in a great position. Regardless, as you would expect TY came up with an assault on the supposed fourth Hatch all the same and took it out with a mess of Hellbats and Marines at the front, unfortunately for him at that point DRG had around 80 Drones and four more Hatcheries to fuel his forces. The defending Champion definitely had some slick moves here regardless, including a snipe on the crucial Spawning Pool just as he was also attacking on multiple fronts, however all that effort would be for naught as the Zerg absolutely swarmed the map in retaliation at 13:30, overwhelming the defenses with Muta Ling Bane, sniping a base and massacring 30 SCVs, an econ lead that would persist until the very end. TY did everything he could to maintain his army size from there but was never able to get the finishing move off, so when he overcommitted on a particular push around 17:40 and then got chased and gunned down by DRG's flock the gap widened and set up the Swarm's killing blow at 19:15 giving the once upon a time Champion an important lead in the series.

  • Golden Wall | Without a doubt the Terran motto of the day was "when in doubt, proxy a few Barracks" but when DRG once again spotted the shenanigans coming his way it felt like the upset was already secured, instead TY made short work of the Zerg's questionable defense around 02:50 by killing 11 Drones, giving himself more than enough room to transition and eventually drop off some Hellions inside an undefended expansion that forced the Zerg to move on to the next game, trying things up in the process.

  • Pillars of Gold | A relatively calm opening in comparison followed here, with harassment eventually killing a good amount of Drones, which was just shy of enough to realistically slow down the Zerg macro monster. In fact, TY's attempts to keep DRG busy instead of opting for a push were backfiring as the underdog engulfed more and more of the map, securing his territory with a surprising switch to Hydra Ling Bane and while some initial fights seemingly went okay enough for the Terran it was at roughly 14:50 when DRG metaphorically flipped the table and just ran his opponent over with a devastating extremely successful assault largely thanks to the addition of the Viper by the notoriously Lair-only player. Technically still alive, TY did what he could to recover yet the knockout blow would land soon enough after that with two bases and 40 SCVs going down around 16:50, making the inconceivable a reality as the once upon a time Zerg Champion secured 1st place over the reigning Code S Champion in 2020.

M4 | Scarlett [ 1 : 2 ] SpeCial | ★★★☆☆ | Heart vs Determination

  • Deathaura | Aside from some relatively early Raven harassment and a conscious decision to add Roaches to the Zerg comp defensively, an otherwise straightforward macro game unfolded here, with the expected Terran three Tank push arriving at the enemy gates what felt like quite late around 08:40 at which point that assessment could be judged completely void considering SpeCial then simply tore through Swarm territory with ease to pull off the worst bop of the night after the most one-sided fight or lack there of we'd seen so far.

  • Ice And Chrome | When the Roach Warren appeared in the production tab again, the early Hellion Liberator harassment resulted in 13 Drones going down and then the last hope Mutas were queued up, it genuinely felt like this series was all but done already, so as SpeCial sniped more and more workers along with taking down bases seemingly at will, we were all just waiting for Scarlett to give up at that point as she crumbled under the relentless pressure. Instead, the Zerg's last stand at 14:40 became the turning point of the game, with Scarlett's flock reaching critical mass, allowing her to take back control and chase SpeCial all the way to his production, buying herself enough breathing room to get some Ultras out, which allowed the Zerg to confidently go for the base race around 19:50 with the then superior army, taking us into the final game in impressive fashion with that sick comeback.

  • Pillars of Gold | Attempting to punish the three CC opener with a side of BC using Roach Ravager immediately put Scarlett behind at the start of this last map thanks to a single Banshee shutting it down cold, after which a bunch of Hellions charged her mineral lines and killed 8 Drones for good measure. Visibly questioning what to do next, the Zerg went for both a Spire and Hydra Den, then bet it all on the Mutas initially and held on against the constant pressure from SpeCial as he sniped bases one after the other again while dancing around all the defense which eventually included Lurkers and Vipers. Basically forced to defend for the entirety of the game, Scarlett never managed to make it across the map even after taking great fights and winning a number of engagements, most perfectly demonstrated around 19:00 where you could see her struggle to contain the Terran aggression despite having all the necessary tools, SpeCial's setup was just rock solid and after making it rain EMPs until the Zerg's Vipers became a complete non-factor over and over you could see the Terran simply couldn't be denied here.

M5 | TY [ 2 : 0 ] SpeCial | ★★★☆☆ | Bloodbath

  • Deathaura | It was all too easy to get excited when a pair of SCVs left TY's base until we remembered this was TvT, so we got to watch the two players throw blows at each other but that's about it, since SpeCial basically passed the skill-check opener with flying colors and had a significant second base lead as the cherry on top. TY wasn't interested in falling behind more and more though, so he took a chance and it paid off with his third CC being way ahead of the enemy Terran and the icing on the cake were the 14+ SCVs his Raven harassment resulted in, basically giving him an incredible econ lead as he went into standard Bio play. SpeCial on the other hand hunkered down hard and went with Mech, so when he cleaned up everything his opponent had to throw at him and maxed out with a terrifying army, it basically looked like all he had to do was stroll across the map to end the game. Ever the opportunist, TY was unwilling to let this one go, so during the chaotic base race when he noticed the enemy Vikings were ever slightly out of position the defending Champion simply dropped everything he had over all of SpeCial's Tanks at roughly 16:05 and turned the game on its head from there, leveraging the more mobile army and some cheeky proxy production to put his protege in an impossible situation and pick him apart for the win.

  • Ever Dream | The single Barracks proxy from SpeCial, early back and forth skirmishes and both players opting for mirrored Mech was just the start of a game that would turn into what can only be described as a complete bloodbath. SpeCial looked to be in a great position as he sieged up and forced the lift of the third CC early on at 09:30 however from there TY not only held on but continued a worker massacre via his trusty Banshees that would basically never end & even found himself on four bases ahead of the rival Terran while both defending at home and launching attacks of his own, notably around 11:50 as he sniped a CC after a slick runby, snowballing his lead even further. The response from SpeCial was swift and deadly, using his army as a distraction while Liberators murdered every enemy SCV under the sun starting from 12:30 which essentially should have given SpeCial the lead, if only TY himself didn't also pounce on the opportunity to push back so quickly at 13:25 when the Champion's forces dove into enemy territory, netting him over 30 SCV kills for his troubles, basically resetting the game as both players briefly fell under 100 supply. After their collective "recovery", it seemed to be TY's turn to cause pain again, so around 16:15 another wave of worker deaths was kicked off by Banshee harass and finished off with the main army joining in on the fun, scoring an additional 30 SCV kills before he was chased out, giving the Champion yet another impressive supply lead this time in both econ and army. SpeCial impressively held on for a while regardless, in fact somehow bridged the gap numerous times after that, however TY simply would not be denied today, showing incredible fortitude of his own and basically refusing to lose, closing things out at roughly 26:50 when an attempted flank by his opponent turned into a pain sandwich as the Champion tore through the last real army the underdog could afford, depleting both his bank and energy to force the hard earned victory.

If you've followed these rundowns for a while you're going to know I don't say this lightly or often - amazing day of Code S.

  • Match of the Night - entirely depends on your criteria, I would genuinely recommend M3 where DRG proved he was truly back with some incredible macro especially on that last map and also M4 where Scarlett and SpeCial fought incredibly hard, proving their mettle and showing off their skills particularly on the last two maps and I'm sure we can all agree that M5 might go down as one of the best TvTs of the year especially because of the inconceivable back and forth destruction on that last map.

Finally, here are some of my closing thoughts on each player:

  • DRG took down the Code S Champion and did it convincingly, no "Group of Life" caveats required for this man heading into the Ro8 and what a comeback story from the returning Legend. I was very careful to temper my expectations considering how much I loved his play back in the day, in that regard his Ro24 performance didn't have me convinced, but today was something else entirely (I'd even argue he played better as the day went on i.e. against the tougher opponent DRG did better). This is so exciting to see in terms of adding another Elite player to the Zerg pool, I can't wait to watch his next match, here's hoping DRG has it in him to keep going at this pace.

  • TY wasn't at full strength today, that's for sure, and in hindsight it feels like he's created a monster. Nevertheless, the Champion did what was required of him i.e. closed things out in the last match which absolutely could have gone 2-0 either way, so from here we once again enter the master planner's realm. The most impressive part of TY's Championship run last Season was when it came time to focus on individual opponents and longer series, in that regard it's hard to be worried for him based on today, since TY made it clear to take him down you're going to need everything you have and even then it might not be enough, so I definitely don't think this perceived vulnerability means the double crown is off the table by any means.

  • SpeCial really did everything he could tonight and lost by the absolute minimal margin, if a few things had gone right for him he may have very well been first instead if he'd finished DRG when he had the chance, it's crazy. In any case, I think anyone who watched the games today will understand the label "loser" doesn't really apply to any of the players here when everyone brought the heat sooner or later, so it's very hard to criticize SpeCial too hard when he only lost after pushing his opponents to their limit. Legitimately, in an only slightly altered timeline, TY is eliminated from his own "Group of Life" and SpeCial is crowned the King of Mexico, so here's hoping he's not too hard on himself for the losses here.

  • Scarlett started so cold in her first three maps that I was genuinely worried she'd be the designated punching bag of the night, only for her incredible display of heart on series point to deliver that phenomenal comeback and then the Zerg showed spectacular resilience in a war of attrition she would ultimately lose. The reality of the situation is that you can't afford to lose a series uncontested at this point of the tournament, but I do think if she'd made it to M5 we'd have seen a completely different match than the opener, so in that regard I also don't feel the need to stress where Scarlett faltered too hard either, thanks to that impressive recovery by the end (felt like she ran out of time and energy in that sense, the skill is clearly there & the Eye Test beats pointing at a scoreboard and laughing any day of the week).

As always, if you think differently or have something interesting to add, feel free to do so in the comments below.

Catch you on Saturday bright and early for Group B, where we'll see how INnoVation's plan to pick Dark of all people will be working out, with a rejuvenated PartinG capable of taking both of them down also present and an eager Bunny prowling around to eat them alive if anyone were to stumble. In other words, it's Group of Death o'clock.

Thanks as always for reading & see you when I see you! (:

-M
submitted by d1MnZz to starcraft [link] [comments]

In view of the "Parade of Dishonesty" that was the RNC's first night, I offer this humble proposal to the media

How to deal with information on the age of Trump, look at the weather report and gamification for an answer

There is a prevalent issue with the way Trump behaves (and Republican politicians before him), it's the basic axiom of populism: experts, meritocracy, and facts are no competition for popular opinion. That's why they create an alternate reality where up is down and the sky is red and where actual facts have no standing while opinion, confirmation bias, and twisted interpretations take their place. That's why "the mainstream media" is creating "fake news" and are "the enemy of the people." That is why there are information channels that are dedicated to maintaining and profiting from this alternative reality (Breitbart and Fox News come to mind).
But that is also why they (particularly Trump) tend to generate an avalanche of outrageous "information" that keeps the mainstream media chasing its tail. It's impossible to cover yesterday's craziness when today's craziness is even more outrageous. And all of the craziness makes it very hard to cover the actual outrageous things they are doing. That's why they can get away with the destruction of basic democratic principles, there is way too much noise for people to be able to pay attention and react. I have seen this movie before, it's the same tactic that was employed by Chavez in Venezuela. The media never knew how to deal with it and democracy was slowly dismantled under their noses while Chavez laughed at them running around like decapitated chickens.
The media has quite a bit of blame in all of this. Their attraction to shiny objects (squirrel!), ratings, and the horse races requires them to present today's outrage instead of dedicating time to carefully analyze what is going on. The viewer's attention span is limited, they have to keep the conflict going so that we would pay attention. A different model that does not require that conflict and horse race aspect must be found. That job is left to the ever declining newspapers and magazines that only the informed minority reads, leaving the uninformed majority to fend with the avalanche of misinformation on their own. No wonder that it's very common to hear: "I don't trust the media, they just serve lies."
But there is a more problematic aspect to this, it creates an alternative reality market. The market that has led Fox News and right-wing radio to thrive. People that live inside the alternative reality need their beliefs catered to. Fox News is happy to oblige and get advertiser's money to do so. No wonder that it has been found that people that watch Fox News are less informed than people that watch no news at all. Making actual fake news is easy, you just need to create something out of thin air and have a choir to repeat it to the masses. While real journalism requires investigation and corroboration. That's why a lie has travelled around the world in the time the truth puts on its boots.
One effective way to deal with this is satire, there is a reason that many people can be better informed by watching the Daily Show or listening to Wait Wait don't Tell Me on the radio. Chris Hayes already incorporates his Thing 1/Thing 2 segment with this purpose. The problem with this format is that it is narrow in focus, takes too much viewer time and preparation, and it's not for all tastes as it's clearly one more example of "Liberal Bias."
So we have to come up with a way to cover the daily craziness and the alternative reality universe in a way that is (1) entertaining, (2) comprehensive, (3) documents its evolution, and (4) leaves time for real news. I propose we look at the weather report, participatory competition shows, simple easy to understand measures, and the fast ubiquitous flow of information through social media for an answer.

The weather report model

The weather report takes little more than 30 seconds of a news program, yet it's able to convey a lot of information with a few graphs and numbers. This is short enough and informative enough to make it entertaining with no need for conflict (although it might involve some theatrics). This doesn't mean that it should be all of the coverage, some topics might merit some in-depth analysis, but it makes it possible to adequately and fairly cover everything in just a few minutes, leaving plenty of time for the more important stuff. The media could thus condense most of what comes out of Trump's mouth into a few statistics. Categorize and classify the lies under a few catchy names, and reporting on Trump's twitter feed can become as simple as:
23 Tweets today, 20% on the "I'm not a crook" category, 30% on the pure Bullshit category, and 48% on the "I'm better than anyone" category. We'll be covering that interesting 2% later in the show. That brings the accumulated bullshit for the month to 856 Tweets.
Trends and statistics can be extracted, graphs can be plotted, and predictions can be made:
He is traveling tomorrow to France, we predict a 75% chance of bullshit divided into the following categories...
This removes all of the punch and just makes a joke out of the whole Trump strategy.
The same strategy can be applied to Congressional Republicans in general and to Fox News or the right-wing media as a whole. Once the format is implemented it can lead to its refinement and evolution. It might be perceived as non-serious at the beginning, but it would slowly become prevalent as the outrage machine gives it free publicity. Do note that this strategy could not be easily emulated by the Right, as that would imply that they would have to expose their viewers to real news to do it. Thus highlighting the conflict with reality where currently their viewers perceive none.
This is the report from The Alternative Reality: today's main topic was the Muller report exonerating the president, which had 80% of the coverage. Second, with 10% came how North Korea just made a marriage proposal to Trump, and Qanon dropped today to only 9% of the coverage. This graphic maps how those topics where distributed among the main players, including the Russian Bots in Facebook and Twitter, of note is that Fox only had 22% of truthful news today, hitting a new low for the month of June...
For the viewers that are more interested in specifics, online web coverage can take the slack, directing the viewer to actual sources and fact checkers. A simple QR-code on the corner of the screen can allow anyone to follow along the story and see the data behind the labels and closely examine the graphs and trends. It will become a fun game, a water cooler conversation starter, and even some betting pools might arise around it. All of this would increase the flow of information through society, particularly information of how the alternative reality is developing. Light is the best disinfectant.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics model

For this to work, the presentation has to be as transparent as possible. Leave no room for any mistake, correction, of misinterpretation to be used against it. Particularly when the rate of information flow is at a level the makes mistakes quite likely. That makes absolute and blatantly obvious transparency key. It's not enough to issue a correction at a later date, or to put a hard to see footnote at the end of the article. It should be a clearly demarcated, standardized, and visible section of any associated data point. Something that can be seen alongside the heading of the article itself, and in article listings. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is always providing preliminary information on its monthly reports, and revising it up or down for a few months afterwards. This guarantees the immediate flow of information, and more accurate historical information on which to base predictions. People know that the initial information is flawed and the direction the previous information was corrected, so they adjust their expectations accordingly. This is particularly powerful as cautious journalism would probably err towards the direction of giving the alternate universe the benefit of the doubt, thus making most corrections in the "wrong" direction. Of course, this idea can be taken forwards using a model similar to the investigative organization Propublica. There are already several individual attempts that are trying to combat the problem. To provide browser plugins that classify news sites in a truthfulness scale, to modify search results and social media streams so that fact checking is front and center. All of these ideas can be incorporated into a larger organization with the resources to deal with the problem. An Alternative Reality Watch Bureau of sorts.

The game show model

If you introduce the possibility of audience participation into a news segment (or create a game show roughly modeled after Wait Wait don't tell me), you could exploit the dynamism it introduces to lead the audience towards being informed. QR codes to specialized sites, tweets with tags, SMS codes, polls. phone calls, dedicated game apps, actual prizes and the possibility of interviews, live comment streams. All the tools that modernity gives us. TV Networks are always looking for a new show, News Networks could jump into the bandwagon. Audience participation could decide the topic of the day, which of all of the crazy stuff the audience wants to hear a more in-depth coverage of. An audience poll of what's the wackiest Fox segment or Breitbart article. Participants could gain the prestige that Jeopardy participants get, and the public would start following their performance, and getting actually informed in the process.

Gamification of the process

The game show model could be brought fully online and even create a whole new market segment for the distribution of information. Gamification is a modern tool that has been proven useful for the teaching of languages, for expanding charity work, and for other social endeavors. Maybe it's time for actual news to enter the fray. Compete with other users, create different teams: the CNN team, the MSNBC team, the Fox News team. Create an artificial incentive for people to become informed.
This is a market segment that the providers of real news could excel at, new app categories and revenue streams could be created out of it. Something that they are sorely in need of at the moment.

How can this be done?

It should not be that hard. It would have to start from one of the more left-leaning networks such as MSNBC. They could hire John Stewart and some of the Daily Show people as consultants, I am sure they would come out of their retirement to help create something like this. The networks already have plenty of people that can compile statistics and polls, and the fact checking sites and newspaper divisions could surely be invited to participate in the generated social media traffic. The challenge would be to make it serious enough for it to have lasting presence and influence. With just the right dose of humor to get people hooked. It would be a large project overall, but it doesn't have to start that way. Small segments like the Thing 1/Thing 2 segment of Chris Hayes could start testing the waters. Put them in specific time slots on TV and online, so that all can become aware at the same time.
Serious media outlets have to do something like this to deal with the noise avalanche that comes from the president, his party, and his propaganda outlets before the 2020 elections start in earnest. It is their social duty. Democracy itself might be in peril if they don't act.
-- November 2019
submitted by Edgar_Brown to JoeBiden [link] [comments]

What’s the best/easiest way to find races in the US which will have larger pools of money in the race?

I’m in the US and like to Hcap on saturdays. Would I be looking for stakes races, claiming races? Average purse over ‘X’ amount? I know betting on higher odds horses payout more. But is there a way to identify beforehand which races may bring a larger exacta/trifecta pool? Possibly a site that ranks the biggest races of the day?
submitted by anon21900 to horseracing [link] [comments]

4.1

The Kingdom’s in disarray, but I’m the White Knight too!

​
Siegfried’s cheek was swollen into a bright circular bruise that showed the impact of knuckles perfectly across his face. He tapped it lightly with his fingers, feeling the sting, before Gilsa pushed his hand away quickly and lightly pressed a towel of ice to his face. Reicket was taking a drink of water, a cold towel wrapped over his shoulders. Gilsa watched them both with a pained look, because in the end he still couldn’t bring himself to lay a hand on Siegfried.
“You stopped crying.” Reicket congratulated as he tossed the towel back on the rack, “That’s a good sign.”
“I wasn’t crying.” Siegfried truthfully said, taking the ice pack to hold. “I didn’t expect it to be so hard to keep my eyes open.”
“There were tears, it was crying.” Reicket shrugged. “If I get hit in the nose it happens to me too.”
“You didn’t lose your footing.” Gilsa sighed unhappily, “That’s better than most.”
“I dropped my guard though, didn’t I?” Siegfried questioned, “And I couldn’t focus right after. And, my neck hurts, so I think I tightened instead of turning, and-”
Three loud blows cut across the gym from the heavy wooden door.
“Seriously?” Reicket sighed in exasperation.
“Enter!” Siegfried shouted, standing from the bench. He gently took the ice pack away and poked at his throbbing cheek.
“Just tell them to wait.” Reicket mumbled, prompting Gilsa to elbow him harshly in the side. Reicket rolled his eyes and stepped away, not caring about the two glares sent his way. He was annoyed by the constant interruptions, and he thought the others were too, but they were too nice to mention it.
One of an endless number of Siegfried’s counselors opened the door then. He bowed as he did, and Siegfried gave him permission to speak as he went over. If this was another counselor come calling, it was a matter of government. One of the many that interrupted them today, and yesterday, and the day overmorrow. Each time it was something Siegfried merely needed to advise on, or he’d have to leave in a rush to account for something.
“You think that they’d be able to run everything better, since they’ve been doing it since he was a kid.” Reicket drank some water after he spoke, sitting down heavily next to Gilsa.
“It’s the first time there’s been a clear, designated, and capable leader in ten years.” Gilsa’s eyes were locked onto Siegfried. “I can understand why they want his Highness’ input.”
“What are you talking about? There’s always been the Queen.”
Gilsa squinted at him funnily. “Have you ever seen the Queen?”
“Well, no. But I haven’t seen Siegfried much either and he’s always been there.” Reicket shrugged.
Gilsa thought about what Reicket said, how it was so nonchalant, and wondered if they were even considering the same things.
“I’m sorry, I have to go.” Siegfried came back over, his voice disappointed and apologetic. “For some reason there’s a large amount of livestock with hats and fake beards stuck to them.”
Reicket laughed, “And what, you have to go pull them all off?”
Siegfried chuckled tiredly. This was one of many stupidly small problems which were being blown up big enough to reach his ears. “No, I need to ligate the litany of legal problems that it brings. Taxes, importing, figuring out who did it, what happens if any of them are harmed and what relief I can offer.”
Gilsa stood. “That’s fine. When you are ready you know where to find me.”
“Is this like the thing where all the wagons were missing their wheels.”
Siegfried sighed, “It was just the one wheel, if it was all of them that might have been better. No, I’m hoping this is more like the big pile of chairs being stacked at every entrance of the town so no one could leave.”
Reicket snickered, “But then how did we get the messenger?” He asked again, repeating what he’d sarcastically said yesterday. “Or maybe it’s like all the giant gopher holes!”
“It better not be like the giant gopher holes.” Siegfried pouted, “Some people take falling into holes too personally. How was I supposed to -” Siegfried sighed, “Anyway, I’ll try and keep it short. Have a good day.”
Reicket waved as Siegfried left, Gilsa rising to bow since he was always respectful. Gilsa also began cleaning up once the door had closed. Reicket finished his water and placed his hands on his hips. Watched as Gilsa moved to pick up the practice swords, how he took all the towels and folded them nearly, using one to wipe up their sweat from the gym floor. Reicket brought a hand to his mouth and cleared his throat. Gilsa looked over at him, unbothered, with one of his eyebrows raised.
“I - uh - wanted to - uh talk to you.” Reicket said, gaining and losing his nerve. He’d actually been trying to talk to Gilsa for awhile. Okay, he had spoken to him, but he wanted to say something, and he didn’t want Siegfried to come and change Gilsa’s response.
Gilsa threw down the towel he’d use to clean the floor, and raised an arm over his head to stretch it. “What about?” His bone cracked, and then he switched his arms.
“I… uh, wanted to tell you that I noticed.” Reicket raised his arm above his head, almost the same gesture, but scratched the embarrassing tingle coming up his neck instead of stretching.
“Noticed?” Gilsa repeated, confused.
“The rations.” Reicket started with. “When you were separating them, how you… and when we travel, then also all the times - you know I’m not stupid!” Reicket shouted, then immediately sighed, turning to Gilsa with his palms out, “You know?”
Gilsa had a stunned and concerned twist to his face. He shook his head slowly,. “I have no idea what-”
“When you gave yourself less food! And you, you always went into danger first, but would travel in the back to make sure no one snuck up on us, and that - you know - I noticed. Too. And, you know, with the bridge. I - I know you would’ve gone last too, even though you couldn’t cross it without help, and if you went last…” Reicket turned and shrugged, “I can go last sometimes too. Is what I wanted to talk to you about.”
Gilsa inspected Reicket. At least, Reicket felt like he was being inspected. Though Gilsa was really looking at him in a new way. Seeing him for a moment like he had more potential than just another one of the many people Gilsa had trained or trained with. Reicket and Gilsa had been through two journeys together, only two, and perhaps spent a week together otherwise. It was surprising at having this habit pointed out. Gilsa knew he’d been trained like that, he’d forged himself to do so, but he had never expected Reicket to notice. Maybe Siegfried would, since he did it for Siegfried, but he also did so for Reicket the stable hand. Not that Reicket was any less than Siegfried. No, not at all.
Gilsa nodded, “Alright. That I can understand.”
“You do?” Reicket turned to Gilsa, not sure if he was embarrassed at it or relieved.
“I can’t promise I’ll do it, stable hand, but I will speak up about it.”
“And you’ll let me lead more too.” Reicket decided. “That’s what I wanted to say, too.”
“You aren’t leading.” Gilsa informed him, “That is his Highness’ role-”
“You know you’re lying right?” Reicket interrupted.
Gilsa rolled his eyes, “as the White Knight. I’m just making sure he stays safe.”
Reicket knew that Gilsa knew he was lying. He was saying it because Gilsa was supposed to, because of who he was. Reicket rolled his eyes. He’d lead, he’d just ask again later. “So then-”
The door to the gym opened again, and two guards came in. Both were clearly in a hurry, out of breath and immediately snapped to attention as they spotted Gilsa. One raised his hand, a scroll held tightly in it, and the other raised a salute.
“Sir, your presence is immediately needed. There is an evil wizard at our dwarven borders.”
Gilsa rocked back a bit. “But we’ve been at peace with the dwarves for centuries.”
Reicket smiled and clapped him on the back. “Sounds like another job for us then! The Rainbow Knights.”
Gilsa blinked at him, but he wasn’t able to find any words.
Reicket smiled and started running from the room. “I’ll go get the horses!”
The room had a massive set up of tables. Three were made into a massive U in the center of the room, two more flanked the walls, and a desk of papers was before the massive floor-to-ceiling windows which overlooked the ground floor garden. While the wood of the tables were worn and discolored from use all the chairs were plush, new, and overstuffed for comfort. Otherwise it would be impossible to work day in and out as a governor from the uncomfortableness.
“Would they be satisfied if we instilled a councilman there - he could make the decisions required much faster than I.” Siegfried suggested, his hands holding two different letters. “That’s what both burroughs want. Unless I’ve misunderstood.”
“My King, they would still need to proceed with your explicit permission.” Siegfried’s Grand Advisor, Lord Pennywise, offered. He had to be contrarian. To try and see things from the negative, so that they could best avoid them.
“I trust everyone here. I do.” Siegfried declared, setting down the letters. “You all have led this kingdom in wonderful ways, and been incredibly dependable. Your service is incomparable, and I would never fathom excluding your voices - not to mention vetoing them. I am newly King, and… young, and unwise, and so I would trust your judgements in making decisions for the burrows without my input.”
“That is not the attitude of a King.” Grand Advisor Pennywise softly said, though it had the weight of all his sixty years behind it. “Moreover, the complaints from local leadership are about listening to a stand-in. Many already feel as if we do not give credence to their elders or wisemen, and instilling a direct position of power as you propose would cause much disagreement between us and local powers.”
“As the King, such disagreement can be healthy, though.” Advisor Tall cautioned. “It is very common when a new King is crowned for there to be a bit of… push back. Even when your father took the throne there were those who remained unsatisfied.”
“Yes, but I don’t want to disturb the people if I can help it.” Siegfried put in, “If it’s local leadership then perhaps I can meet with them and discuss?”
Grand Advisor Pennywise spread his fingers. “Here we are.”
“To say nothing of the university yet, as well.”
Siegfried raised a hand, “That would require more civil workers than we have, I won’t force people into building something.”
Advisor Tall shook his head. “It would turn away quite a lot-”
A single pounding knock boomed out from the door interrupting their conversation. It startled the other two who were in the room, doing far more route work than they. It took a moment for anyone to answer the door.
“Gilsa!” Siegfried stood up from his chair, hand folding shut the ledger of paperwork. “Hello! You need’nt kneel, please.”
Gilsa stopped where he was about to do just that, and instead gave a small bow. “Your Highness. Commander Julius wanted me to ask your permission to send Green Squadron to the dwarves to investigate the sighting of the Dark Wizard.”
“What?” Siegfried gasped, “But hadn’t we eliminated him?”
“That is what the Commander would like to investigate. The news only reached us moments ago. Dispatching Green Squadron would be a recognizance mission, to better understand the situation.”
“Julius wants to send an armed squadron to our border with the dwarves?” Advisor Tall balked, “That would be a clear act of aggression!”
“We have been at peace with the dwarves for years - it could be possible they aligned with the dark forces during this time of new leadership for warful gains.”
“Stop.” Siegfried interrupted them. “I am talking to Gilsa.”
Grand Advisor Pennywise nodded, and he sat back in his chair, almost becoming furniture as his robes settled about him.
“You cannot think it - to send any force toward the dwarves would overbalance our precarious peace with them.” Advisor Tall cautioned again.
“Shut up.” Siegfried repeated, though he kept the venom out of his voice. “Gilsa, how did you hear of this? When exactly?”
Gilsa seemed a bit surprised at Siegfried’s outburst, but listened all the same. “The rumors were brought to us by a bird - today - from Harrow. It was a sighting reported by hunters. They saw the same little wooden - toy - things. And heard thunder on a cloudless day. Because it was on the mountains, and in dwarven territory, no one has looked into it further.”
“Until today!” Reicket shouted, pushing in Gilsa and making both stumble fully into the room. “Because today, the Rainbow Knights are on the case!”
“Who let - how did -” Gilsa shoved Reicket off him with a stammer, and tried to recollect his bearings.
“We’re all packed and waiting, Siegfried!” Reicket eagerly grinned, “Just give us the word.”
Siegfried looked between Gilsa and Reicket, and then his two advisors. Only Reicket seemed immune to the mood of the room, passing over the decorum with ease and his plan to ride off. To perhaps face the Dark Wizard. To follow his sense of adventure. He had no conniption in doing so.
“I… have to finish matters here first. There’s-”
“There’s a Dark Wizard again! What more do you need to know, you’re the White Knight aren’t you!”
“Yes, but I’m also the King. I can’t just ride toward the border - or leave matters unfinished.”
Gilsa lightly pushed Reicket out of the way. “That’s everything your Highness, I’m sorry, I’ll take Reicket home.” Gilsa hissed at him.
Reicket turned around in Gilsa’s grip, trying his hardest to not be pushed away. “What! Why! We have a job to do!”
“Gilsa, wait, and Reicket stop it.” Siegfried told them. “I just - of course I’ll go as the White Knight. And…” Siegfried paused for a moment. “And I’ll bring Green Squadron as well. For protection. If the burrows need an answer so quickly then allow for their local leaders to make a quick call and have that be in place until I return and review it. Make that the standing issue until you or I can figure something out.”
Siegfried smiled at Reicket, and almost laughed at Gilsa’s horrified look. “I think the reappearance of a Dark Wizard is more pressing than some old farts pestering me about laws.”
Rising from the earth was steam. Massive billowing clouds which plumed up from the rocky breaks between the trees. Huge rings of salt and minerals lined pools of clear water which showed endless black abyss. Mountains rose up around the geysers in low hills, dipping and rising until they formed huge sharp cliffs in the distance, culminating in a final spire piercing the sky covered in fields of snow. Here, were the hot spring pools puffed steam up, there could be no snow for the heat was too oppressive, scorching the grass from the ground and leaving behind on ancient burned stones. Hidden in this bald land, surrounded by towers of green trees was where the dwarven kingdom lay.
No one could force the land to give up the secret of how to enter the dwarven kingdom. Therefore, it was with immense relief and much trepidation that Siegfried, Gilsa, Reicket and the ranks of Green Squadron approached the two dwarves. They were standing with backs to the smoke rising from a fat mounded geyser. Arms crossed. Wreathed in flame.
“Stop staring.” Gilsa hissed at Reicket behind Siegfried’s back. He tried to keep it quiet, but that was difficult being on horseback. “You’re being rude.”
“I can’t help it.” Reicket whispered back. “I thought they were just… short.”
“Hail, friend dwarves!” Siegfried happily greeted, “I am King Siegfried of Crystalandia. I have come to speak with your King on the rumors of the reappearance of a Dark Wizard.”
“Stop. Staring.” Gilsa hissed at Reicket again, and he kicked him in the thigh.
Reicket turned to him with an expletive face. One that tried to urge Gilsa to be quiet and also show he was trying and failing horribly. Gilsa glared back at him for failing, for not being able to hold onto decorum a bit better when faced with the dwarves.
“We greet you, King Siegfried. There is the concern of such force at our door step, and thus we have come to see you.”
“I came with my men because - well - there is a dark wizard about. In addition, I have brought my two most trusted friends; Gilsa and Reicket. They fought alongside me as Rainbow Knights against this Dark Wizard not too long ago. Therefore this concerns me greatly.”
“Rainbow Knights?” One of the dwarves turned to look at the other.
It was difficult to tell, because they didn’t have eyes, so much as smoldering coals set in holes within their heads. The dwarves were made of fire and metal, their skin a roasted copper color, greased with heat and clearly made of impressively strong unmalleable metal. Their faces were blank and unexpressive because of their unbending metal flesh, their entire heads having to turn because even their black coal eyes had trouble moving. They were short, but stout with their iron muscles and thick bodies. Made for lifting, for brawn, power and sheer strength. Where their hair or joints would be was thick glowing lava and fire. Hot lines of red ran up and down them like veins, and the flames from their chins and heads floating up and toward the sky. All they wore were metal skirts made of embossed plates riveted together to cover their hips and legs. Dwarves.
Both carried massive hammers nearly twice their size in their stout fat hands.
“Yes.” Siegfried beamed. “I can prove it as well. Don’t be alarmed.”
Siegfried reached toward his hip them, and he pulled forward the white sword. He didn’t take it from the belt loop where it hung, but maneuvered it to be seen front and center alongside him. There was no denying it then. The fine craftsmanship, the immortal fine gleam, the massive heart-shaped gem. Even a glance was enough to be sure that Siegfried spoke true.
“Aye.” One of the dwarves said, voice as unemotive as his face. “Aye. We see you to be true, King Siegfried. I shall take you and your fellows within Dravenhiem.”
“Your guard and horses must stay without.” The second clarified. “For they have no claim to entry.”
Siegfried glanced over his shoulder to his friends. He had a serious face, and came to a quick conclusion. “I will bring my two brother Rainbow Knights - Gilsa and Reicket.”
“That is agreeable. Follow me please, King Siegfried.”
Siegfried, Gilsa and Reicket dismounted from their horses. Gilsa quickly took off his backpack from his horse and slung it on. Reicket did his best to stare at Siegfried instead of dwarf. Except that quickly became impossible. As they came closer to the dwarves the one who invited them turned around to face the rising heat from the hot spring. Then the copper arms lifted up, hammer held high, and the steam began to part like a curtain. Suddenly the dwarf slammed the hammer into the crust of the pool, making the salt and crusted minerals ring. Within a moment the hot spring began to bubble, to churn, water jumping up in shots and columns, hot air popping and hissing. Massive water pressure built, shooting vertical waves up suddenly, and then it exploded upward in a massive torrent of rising waves, spewing forth all the water which had filled the hole, smoke and glittering water filling the sky above before it cascaded back to the ground in painful rain.
Reicket had stepped back to watch the display of the geyser erupting, Siegfried ducking his head down as he failed to keep dry and Gilsa kept his eyes on the dwarf. The dwarf began walking down the empty hole left behind from the water. Gilsa called for the other two to hurriedly follow.
They began walking down then, a straight hike down, and while it was brief it was beautiful. All underground was coated in lattices of minerals and salt. The ceiling had long hanging poles of glittering microgems. The ground was rocky from the crystals. The walls sharp and cutting. Everything glittered, leading straight down toward massive bridge constructed of a single massive fallen spire of pure crystal. Foggy and full of dark lines and imperfections which did nothing to take away from the impressive size, the whole bridge was from the bottom of this path over a deep casam containing lava. At the other end of this bridge rose a city of metal.
Gilsa's lips pressed flat as they came to the start of the bridge.
Siegfried and Reicket paused for him.
"Are you able to get across?" Siegfried gently asked. "We'll help."
"Come on! Look at at that!" Reicket bubbled, pressing two hands to Gilsa's shoulders to shove him forward. "Just look at the huge metal - tall - wide - crazy cool fort place! Get over it, let's go!"
Gilsa tried walking forward as his heels dug into the smooth glass surface of the bridge. "I - I am. It's just -" Gilsa's eyes were completely round as he started at the glowing heat of the lava beneath the bridge. "I can fall…" He whined, the back of his knees tingling and airy.
"Didn't you tell Ricket to stop, staring? Take your own advice." Siegfried reached back and grabbed Gilsa's hand to pull him along. "Close your eyes if you need to - we have you."
"No, I can. Walk." Gilsa declared, moving his eyes to just glare at his feet. " I can."
Reicket pushed him forward as he snickered and Siegfried pulled him stoically. Their guide hadn't slowed at all for their struggle, and once Gilsa overcame the bridge they needed to race to catch up. Around them the metal city rose in sheets of smooth black iron. There were no windows, and only sharp rectangular doorways. Much of the light rose up from the laval far far below, casting long shadows upward and outwards in several directions, yet a line of the bright black and red laval ran as a gutter across the tops and middle of buildings to bleed the light down and chase away the darkness. Pressed into the walls from top to bottom were words declaring the stores' names, or the family names of the dwarves who lived there. Except now the streets were deserted, and eerily clean.
Reicket couldn't help staring at the completely foregin and magical dwarf again. As much as his heart beat for the excitement of venturing into this new underground place, it also thudded in his chest with nervousness and the prickling feeling of danger. He stepped a bit closer to Gilsa, who walked on the left of Siegfried, and Gilsa glare at him again for staring. As if he too wasn't watching the iron back of their guide sharply as well.
Siegfried, more bold than both of them, spoke. "Is there a reason there aren't any people here? I didn't mean to disturb anything."
"Work." The dwarf responded.
"Everyone works?"
"Everyone." The dwarf responded, and thought it was hard to hear there was the unmistakable glow of deep pride in his voice.
They continued on until an uncompromising squat fortress rose before them. Short, strong, and an almost perfect mimicry of the dwarves within and around its walls, this building implied nothing less than the castle it was. From the front it was a perfect square, and where it lacked windows it made up in a strange artful pattern of rising rectangles. Sharp angles, and yet somehow natural and elegant in their pattern. A pattern which repeated and grew, shrinking near the top and bottom, widening at the edges to grow longer and straighter to bend around the sides. And inlaid at the very bottom was a single double door with vertical thick handles to be pulled open. Though they appeared heavy their guide had no trouble taking hold with one hand and grinding the metal door open against the floor.
Gilsa stood silent in front of the mosaic. His arms were crossed, like he was cold, though the underground city of the dwarves was sweltering. He didn't even turn as Reicket entered the room as well, almost as if he didn't hear him. Reicket instantly felt awkward and hotly embarrassed. He never enjoyed silence, and seeing Gilsa not be aware of him made him worry that maybe he shouldn't just barge in. Except he wanted to star at the art a bit more too.
Better now than later. "It's very pretty isn't it?" Reicket said loudly, trying to let Gilsa know he was there.
Gilsa's eyes didn't move from the glass trapped against the wall. "Yes. Very well done. I thought the dwarves would do more metal work…" His words trailed off, the thought unfinished and lazily thrown out.
Reicket let out a breath, though he still felt as if Gilsa hadn't noticed him and that he was still being intrusive by coming close to see the picture. "I don't know if you can make a good drawing out of metal. I bet they don't paint though!" He wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a bad joke, but Reicket said it anyway. Gilsa didn't laugh or look at him still, so Reicket started at the mosaic as well.
"It sucks that you can't tell which is which, though." Reicket had to cross his arms as he stared as well, almost chilled despite the heat. He flapped his hand nonchalantly, though his chest continued to squeeze and fill him with nervousness. "Since… you know… there's no color anymore."
Carefully cut glass made up the portrait of the Rainbow Knights. The former Rainbow Knights. Most of them, at least. There were five. There was supposed to be seven. White, Red, Orange, Green, Yellow, Blue, Purple. One Knight for each of the swords, one sword for each of the colors. Everyone knew there was supposed to be seven, but here there were five, and in the other mosaics in the halls there were six, a few of four or three, and rarely seven. Not that you could tell they were the Rainbow Knights by sight now. The colored glass losing its one quality, and leaving behind grays and blacks and whites and ghosts.
"You can." Gilsa interrupted. "Heinrich Brightsoar the Third, the White Knight."
He lifted his head to indicate the man. His portrait was clearly white. His sword out alone before the four other figures. Waring the White Armor, wielding the White Sword.
"Yeah, I mean, you can tell him, but the others is what I meant. Because you have to tell based on color." Reicket glanced at one of the other mosaics and noticed that one lacked the White Knight. "Rainbow Knights with no Rainbow."
"Orion Friend. The Purple Knight." Gilsa pointed out with his eyes.
The man there had hands that were shades lighter than the rest of his skin, like they were dipped in some other color, and one hand held a dagger. The man had long hair, and he wore no armor but long flowing robes, and a wreath on his head.
"Hallivar Eddas, the Orange Knight."
This man stood to the left of the former king. He had on the only helmet, one with two horns, and huge pauldron upon his shoulders. He wore gauntlets with spikes upon them. His greaves similar. All of his picture was heavy armor, more strength than grace, and held in both hands hands, pointed to rest upon the ground, was a massive war hammer.
"Oh!" Reicket realized, his eyes turning to the other mosaics then. "You can tell because of the weapons. Then… uh…" Reicket didn't know the weapons which correspond to which knight.
"Tristian Callium, the Green Knight."
He had on some armor, but no where near the Orange. He had a short sword at his hip, hand holding it there, and he was farthest from the White Knight, even almost separate from the others because none of his image touched their tight group. The man had a beard, and short hair, he seemed kinder because his weapon was in its sheath, and on his only armor, his chest plate, was the embellishment of a rose.
"Blackvie Ducere. The Blue."
Gilsa pointed at the man to the right of Heinrich the White. The picture had the man holding the spear up, not as high as Heinrich. He had a cape on, and looked remarkable for the half skirt he wore on his hips. His hair was back in a ponytail, black or near black, and he wore more armor than the Green, but less than the Orange, and despite being a drawing had more presence and commanding than both. Yet still less than Heinrich, who remained front and center.
"You know them all, huh." Reicket felt a bit more relaxed now that he had names to faces, though still nothing more to identify the people. "Is it because you are a knight in training?"
"I guess." Gilsa noncommittally responded. "The Yellow Sword is a scythe. The Red Sword - I don't know. There hasn't been a Red Knight in a long time. I think sixty years. Once I heard it was bow, and once I read it was a sword like the Green or White, and my Grandfather was certain it was a spear. Something about it being the opposite of the Blue."
"Wait, if the Blue Sword is a spear, why would the Red Sword be a spear?"
Gilsa shrugged. "I don't know."
Reicket stared at him. Gilsa sounded a bit… subdued. Then he turned back to the mosaic and grinned. "Which would you want? Wouldn't it be cool to take the Red Sword, if it hasn't had a night in a hundred years?"
"Sixty."
Reicket rolled his eyes. "I'd take the White, but that's Siegfried's so… Maybe the Yellow. My favorite color is gold, because it's gold, and Yellow is the closest. No, on second thought, the Orange looks best. Strong and big, and that is an awesome helmet." He raised his hands above his head. "I like the horns especially. What'd you pick?"
Gilsa was quiet.
Reicket was just about to say something, to ask a question, to break the uncomfortableness which threatened to surface, when Gilsa shook his head.
"I don't know. I will do what my King requires."
Reicket smiled. "Yeah, I figured you'd say that. But then, pick one that's your favorite color, at least?"
"My favorite color is black." Gilsa turned to him and raised an eyebrow.
"Well then, come on, don't be so boring. How come you can't pick?"
"First, the Rainbow Swords pick their user. Second, they have different powers, and since I don't know what they all are, I won't choose."
"What!" Reicket exclaimed, "They have powers! What powers?"
"I just said I don't know."
"Don't know them all. Which do you know?"
Gilsa looked at the mosaic, and then back to Reicket, except not right at him. "The Blue controls water."
"Changed my mind, I want the Blue, Wait, what about the White? Do you think Siegfried would know? What does that one do?" Reicket turned back to the door. "Think we can go check on him yet?"
"They said they'd come get us." Gilsa told him. "Until he's done talking to the dwarven Prince you just need to stay put."
"We could just check." Reicket offered.
Gilsa wasn't sure if he should sigh or roll his eyes. "Why don't you go and look at the rest of the Knights? This place seems endless."
"Oh, do you think they have a picture of the original Rainbow Knights?" Reicket quickly asked, turning around. "That'd be something to see. I'm going to check. Are you coming?"
Gilsa shook his head. "I'll wait here, at the door, and call for you when the dwarf comes."
Reicket looked at him weirdly. "Are you sure? Wouldn't you be incredible if you saw it? We're the first people ever to be down here."
"We aren't, and I'm sure we'll have time to come back and see it if you find the picture. I'll stay here."
Reicket watched as Gilsa turned back to the mosaic of the former Rainbow Knights. The ones before them, and the ones that had been thought to be the last. The ones who had been killed ten years ago. Who lost to an evil so great that all of the color had died with them. Reicket suddenly got why Gilsa needed to keep his arms crossed, holding himself tightly. He turned to go and explore.
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The Chronicle - Part 4

Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 5 | Patreon
Somewhere Near Five Years Ago
Night is approaching and we are close to Bogdan’s home now. The stony foothills that he and his kin inhabit. Here are the rough rivers with their white waters, the rocky hills and flat plains where trollkin and giantkin make their homes, here are the great mountains with the mines that call to the dwarves and goblins. This is a place beyond the borders of Caldera while still firmly within, humans fear to tread in these places for the creatures that lie within.
Humans dubbed this place the Troll Hills and they are a vast, dangerous place between the dwarves of the Gold Mountains and the Calderan humans.
Along the outskirts there are crossroads. We travel a rough dirt packed road from the smaller human towns in the forests and grasslands that my people call home. A well made stone highway travels the border of the Troll Hills, a human highway that is patrolled, maintained, and guarded. A dwarven road leads into the Troll Hills but it is not patrolled, not until one crosses the border into the Gold Mountains.
We don’t fear this place, Mykael and I.
Tychus fears it, his men too.
A figure waits at the crossroads for us, atop a horse with another standing near him. Or, rather, it is what was once a horse. It does not paw the ground or stamp in place, it stands perfectly still, much like the rider. Saddlebags hang from a collapsing flank, red eyes peer out from a rotting face, the white of bone peeking through.
“Taggart!” Mykael says, his arms wide as he leaps down from the cart.
Taggart wears black and red robes, because necromancers should be easy to spot. I suppose the horse is a giveaway though. I’m surprised to see him on an undead steed, that’s not something that most citizens in the kingdom appreciate seeing. We must be in a hurry. I wonder how the College took the news that necromancers would be forgiven too.
Taggart is a shockingly young man for being a rather accomplished necromancer. Having a sponsor that happens to be a vampire lord with substantial authority, power and resources must help in that regard. Taggart was kicked out of the College of Magicians at a young age, a very young age. Showing interest in the dark arts and blood magic will do this. Taggart contended that if he used his own blood, it shouldn’t be frowned upon.
That did not work as an argument.
His hood pulls back and reveals a boy, hardly a man, sixteen or seventeen. Youthful, gangly, awkward. He does offer a crooked toothed smile at us, it’s a unique look. On an undead steed, one of the most promising necromancers taken under the wing of a vampire lord, smiling awkwardly and not quite sure where to put those too long arms. Mykael pats the boy on the thigh and mounts the other undead horse, easily.
“Delightful choice, my boy!” Mykael says. Taggart ignores him.
“Ronson!” The boy says, surprised and unable to hide his excitement. Ronson winks at me and waves at Taggart, he blushes when he realizes his subtlety was lacking, then looks at me to recover. “Lycenius!”
“Taggart.” I say, snorting a laugh. “Growing up quick, boy, good to see you again.”
“Good, good, let’s be on our way! We have a troll to see!” Mykael urges his horse on, Taggart follows dutifully, so do we.
“That’s your necromancer?” Tychus asks me. “He’s so young.”
“There are no old necromancers, human.” I say, keeping up with Taggart and Mykael as we head into the Troll Hills. “Your kind kills them long before they get that chance.”
Now
I stand over Ronson’s body, snarling and vicious, listening to the howls. The Pack have come to Caldera, angry and calling to the night, answering one another in a growing cacophony. Guards shift uneasily, swallow the lumps in their throats, shift their hands on the halberds. There are too few and they are too uncertain about fighting me, or any of the others that call out. Only the hardiest of my warriors are here, I gave the humans some measure of trust but not so much to let them near my child.
Guards group together, as guards will do. Bells begin to ring across the city, great stone towers over their places of worship, temples to the gods. This will rouse the city if the howling had not. I hear shouting, lights begin to shine from houses and doors, voices grow into a swelling storm across the city. Screams of fear, shouts of defiance, these are the sounds of humans.
It gives the guards some nerve, they steady themselves, as still more armed men scramble into the street. Half drunks soldiers, once our comrades, spill into the street from a tavern. They stumble but they draw steel, bare their teeth in rage and I wonder who the monsters truly are.
I am the one crying over my friend and her body while they bring forth their weapons, their hot anger. I smell it on the air, a city on the brink. To their credit, some of the soldiers hesitate. Perhaps because they have seen us fight or perhaps because they have some loyalty. That is shattered when a group of men come round a corner and into the Square.
They wear their wide brimmed black hats, thick brown leather coats that come to their calf, silver inlaid steel plate over their chests with a gorget that rises to their chins to protect their necks. Around their wrists and thighs they wear armor, the places that a werewolf or a vampire would think to attack. Braces of pistols loaded with silver shot hang from harnesses, long silver swords have sprung into their hands, torches in the other. There are twenty of them, at least.
Witchhunters, they call them, but most often they are referred to as Hunters. Witchhunter would be a misnomer, after all they hunt many things other than witches.
There I stand, three groups of foes that wish to see my guts outside my body, not a shred of armor to my name and neither of my swords, forged for larger werewolf hands. I have claws and teeth and a great, burning desire to avenge my friend.
“Come on then.” I growl. “Haven’t got all night.”
They come.
I howl to Moonmother once more and then I leap down, racing for the Witchhunters, they are the greatest threat with their silver. They begin to scatter, spreading into a rough half moon and thinning their ranks, so as not to present one appealing target. Many draw their pistols. I cover ground quickly, dropping to all fours and choosing my first target.
I hear a thrum from a rooftop and a Hunter that howls his own battlecry tumbles, a wickedly barbed crossbow bolt appearing from his forehead, spraying a red mist as he tumbles roughly to the stone. Another falls, pierced through the gorget and clawing uselessly at the metal as he dies. I leap and use one hand to bat aside the silver sword with my claws, the other claw sinks into the face of the unlucky Hunter. I toss his body aside and turn to the others, moving quickly so as not to draw a pistol shot.
They crack in the night air, a dozen shots fired, some at the rooftops where shadowy shapes move about, reloading the devastating crossbows made for use by strong werewolf limbs. Bolts skitter off stone in showers of sparks, others sink into flesh. Shapes bound into the Square and take guardsmen apart or crash into soldiers. One disappears in a snarling mass of fur, a dozen swords rising and falling as he thrashes his way to death.
I take another Hunter by clamping my teeth on his face and I swat at another, drawing red lines across his forehead and cheeks and a scream from his lips. The Square becomes a bloody battleground. A werewolf tumbles from the rooftops, a silver bullet finding his forehead, falling hard to the stone. Another snaps a halberd off halfway down the shaft, ripping through the armor of a guard before swords are driven through his side. Three of my Pack are dead in no more than thirty seconds.
Then fire is lit in my flank, a silver blade parting flesh but only barely. I snarl and grab the man by his gorget and toss him into a brick wall. Steel cracks, just like the bone beneath. A bullet strikes my shoulder and the silver sinks in, acrid smoke hissing from the wound as the silver burns inside. I take the arm of the man who fired off at the elbow and he falls away. Pain blurs my vision and I fall to my knees. They surround me, sounds of fighting fade away, my Pack is too far, outnumbered.
“Filthy monster!” One of the Hunters hissed, raising his sword. This is how I die, in the cold of a city and far from my home. At least I die in Moonmother’s light.
“Stop!”
A familiar voice shouts and the humans obey, confused by the authority that lays in it. The authority of a king, the authority of a ruler. I am on my knees, a beaten wolf surrounded by the surviving Hunters, in a Square filled with soldiers and guards and bodies. One of the main routes into the Square is occupied with a new arrival.
They stand in the light of Moonmother and they are beautiful. They wear blood red cloaks and tunics, tall plumes on their helmets and heavy steel armor. They form perfect ranks, flawless even. Each of them is a stern faces in the pale moonlight. Their eyes are deep black pools that show no light. They stand ready with long glaives, vicious spear-like weapons that vampires use. They carry sturdy, tall shields that their unusual strength keep aloft with ease. They are formidable, heavy troops.
And there are nearly a hundred of them.
At their head is Mykael, the one with the authoritative voice. I can see the pain on his face as clearly as I feel it in my own body. But it pales compared to the young man at his side. Both ride powerful, undead horses. These are warhorses, draped in plate armor. Taggart wears his red and black robes over hard leather armor, leather straps holding small vials in place across his chest. He is no longer a young, gangly youth. Many things have changed in five years.
“The wolves are with us.” Mykael says. “We can all walk away, right now. Let him come to us.”
“Filthy creature of the night!” The Hunter with the sword spits the words, readying to drop it on my neck. The blade does not touch me, with uncanny strength another silver sword is raised to stop it, the ringing loud across the Square. Taggart has barely twitched his fingers, a single red drop falling to the stone from where he pricked himself to draw on the powers he knows.
Blood magic. Necromancy. The hunter with a missing arm rises, eyes a dark void, mouth loosely open. Across the Square more rise, even those from my Pack. Somewhere in the city a fire burns out of control, filling the air with the stench of burning wood and flesh.
“Monstrosities!” The Hunter hisses, as bodies rise to fight once more. “Put them to the torch! All of them!”
I howl and lift him above my head, tearing him asunder and tossing him to the stone. Mykael and his cadre of vampires wade into the fray, easily cutting through half drunk soldiers distracted by their former friends rising again. Guardsmen with little battle experience do their best but it is not enough. Taggart remains in place, fingers moving as silently and constantly as his lips.
Vampires in heavy armor are, and I will never admit this to Mykael, as formidable as werewolves. On their undead cavalry, they rival the centaurs. Mykael is beyond those. He spurs his horse on expertly, it responds without fear and without hesitation for it is already dead. His sword rises and falls and with each strike a human is cut down, his sword slips through clumsy guards and past shields with a terrifying ease.
I use the distraction to wade into the Hunters that remain near me, a zombie Hunter parries sword blows. They keep Taggart safe, none can focus on attempting to kill the necromancer when they have so many enemies to contend with.
The Square becomes a bloodsoaked battleground, a vicious war between man and the monsters they promised peace to. Mykael and I find our way to each other.
“Mykael, they’re going to betray us.” I growl through heavy lips, pulling them back to show him my teeth in a gruesome smile.
“Lycenius, you were always the most observant of us.” Mykael says. “That, that is going to be a problem.”
His sword lifts to point toward the palace, a long, heavily guarded road that winds toward the king’s ostentatious display of wealth and power and pride. Caldera’s king hides behind his walls while his people die, over his betrayal of us. Five years we fought and bled for these people and now there is little hesitation in the slaughter.
That is not my most pressing concern. This asshole of a king has sent his purple cloaked royal guard to see to us. Five hundred of them, at least. They move with precision, they are veterans and they are skilled in combat and I bet not a one of them has been drinking. Behind them march neat lines of riflemen, their long weapons shouldered and gleaming silver bayonets attached.
“We need to get out of this city.” Mykael says, grabbing my shoulder. “Now.”
“Ronson.” I say.
“Get her, then we go.”
I nod. At least Mykael and Taggart are safe. Taggart stares blankly as I heft Ronson’s body over my shoulder, I will beg forgiveness for the roughness of it all later. For now we must move quickly.
“Withdraw!” Mykael shouts. Only the scattered wounded, and scant few of those, remain in the Square. We leave few wounded behind, this is our way. A horrible way, one we wanted to leave behind.
Not tonight.
Tonight we flee into the shadows once more.
submitted by jacktherambler to RamblersDen [link] [comments]

Watch NFR Live Stream 2020 Texas Rodeo Onlin

Watch NFR Live Stream 2020 Texas Rodeo Onlin

Watch NFR Live Stream 2020 Texas Rodeo Online

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https://preview.redd.it/2rj1w5a2hmo51.jpg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=54c4898d92e256fd00af0a9b6036c4325887a50c
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When talking about 2020 Rodeo is basically it basically refers to an annual [National Finals Rodeo](https://nfrliverodeo.com/) event that is meant to happen on Thursday, December 3rd to the Saturday 12th at the Globe Life Field which is located in Arlington, Texas, United States. Additionally, the scheduled event is supposed to cover about Bareback Riding, Barrel Racing, Bull Riding, Saddle Bronc Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping and Time-down Roping. Importantly, NFR live stream 2020. The NFR is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and entertaining rodeos that the world has ever seen. The top cowboys in the world will be putting their boots on and taking each other on to try and claim a world championship in their respective events. Mark your calendars and make sure you do not miss out on a single second of action this December.
Long before the Dallas Cowboys were winning Super Bowls in American football, real-life cowboys were competing in the “Super Bowl of Rodeo” in Dallas, Texas as early as 1959. The seven-competition tradition began there, but also saw stops in Los Angeles, California from 1962 to 1964, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from 1965 to 1984, and Las Vegas host since 1985 but in 2020 The National Finals Rodeo will move from its usual home in Las Vegas to Globe Life Field in Arlington in what would be the park’s first major non-baseball event since its opening this past spring.
Rodeo fans are eagerly waiting to see theNFR live stream. The National Finals Rodeo is not the only showcase of the best cowboys but also showcase of patience, bravery and spurs.
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https://preview.redd.it/0iu4d9h3hmo51.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3973adb40d31c07bd721194cd1115ac28f45ea98
Venue
Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas, United States
Start Date
Thursday, 3rd December 2020
End Date
Saturday, 12th December 2020
Broadcast
The Cowboy Channel
Live Stream
Watch Here
So, don’t miss a single moment of the WNFR live action. Don’t worry, If you can’t attend in Texas NFR, we’ll discuss here how to watch National Finals Rodeo online real-time TV coverage.
Contents [hide]
  • 1 When is the National Finals Rodeo?
  • 2 Where will the NFR Texas 2020 be held?
  • 3 What TV Channel will the NFR be on?
  • 4 How to watch NFR Live Stream 2020 Online
  • 4.1 The Cowboys Channel
  • 4.2 PRCA on The Cowboy Channel+ App
  • 4.3 RFD-TV Now
  • 4.3.1 Supported platforms
  • 4.4 Sling TV
  • 4.4.1 Supported platforms
  • 4.5 2020 NFR Live Stream Using a VPN
  • 4.5.1 ExpressVPN
  • 4.5.2 IPVanish
  • 4.5.3 NordVPN
  • 5 Can I listen to NFR 2020 live stream on radio?
  • 6 NFR Live Online on Social Media
  • 6.1 YouTube
  • 6.2 Facebook
  • 6.3 Twitter
  • 6.4 Reddit
  • 7 How much are tickets to the NFR?
  • 8 Everything You Need to Know About NFR
  • 9 Main Performance
  • 9.1 Bareback Riding
  • 9.2 Steer Wrestling
  • 9.3 Team Roping
  • 9.3.1 Headers
  • 9.3.2 Heelers
  • 9.4 Saddle Bron Riding
  • 9.5 Tie-Down Roping
  • 9.6 Barrel Racing
  • 9.7 Bull Riding
  • 9.8 All-Around Champion
  • 10 Contestants
  • 11 Super Bowl of Rodeo
  • 12 Miss Rodeo America
  • 13 Wrangler NFR Preshow
  • 14 Cowboy Christmas
  • 15 Standings
  • 16 NFR Prize Money
  • 17 Wrangler NFR World Champions
  • 18 Final Words

When is the National Finals Rodeo?

For individuals who plan on attending the NFR festivities in Texas, there are a variety of sponsored activities to get involved with during the 10-day period between 9:00AM to 5:00PM (PT). Each night’s NFR performances will officially take place between 6:45PM to 9:00PM (PT). See complete NFR schedule page.

Where will the NFR Texas 2020 be held?

All of the NFR’s main performances will take place at the Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Normally home of the home of the Texas Rangers baseball team, this venue can seat up to 40,300 people and tickets will go on sale to the public on Sept. 25, 2020.

What TV Channel will the NFR be on?

The Cowboy Channel is the official media partner for the PRCA and Wrangler NFR 2020. Because this is an exclusive deal between the network and the PRCA, the NFR will not be shown on any other TV network during the 10-day period.

How to watch NFR Live Stream 2020 Online

The Wrangler NFR is a 10-day event that includes the fan-favorite Cowboy Christmas as well as the PRCA National Convention. The schedule also includes nightly Buckle Presentations, Benny Binion’s World Famous Wrangler NFR Bucking Horse Sale, the PRCA Awards Banquet and Gala also the Pro Rodeo League of Women Style Show and Luncheon. All performances will be covered by The Cowboy Channel live and simulcast on RFD-TV. Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) move to The Cowboy Channel (TCC) and RFD-TV beginning in 2020. The performances will also be streamed on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus app. The PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus app users will be able to stream events both live and recorded.

The Cowboys Channel

The ultimate annual rodeo event will now be seen by millions of people live simultaneously on two national TV networks. Also included in the deal is a wide variety of other PRCA programming, including expanded live coverage of the PRORODEO TOUR and the PRCA’s Xtreme Bulls Tour events which will result in a huge increase in the amount, availability and quality of PRCA PRORODEO coverage on The Cowboy Channel here. The Cowboy Channel now available on Dish Network-232, Direct TV-603, Cox-260 anytime, and anywhere. You can enjoy Rural Media on these platforms:
  • AT&T (Channel 568 & 1568)
  • Charter Spectrum
  • Comcast
  • Cox
  • DIRECTV (Channel 345)
  • DIRECTV NOW
  • DISH (Channel 231)
  • Mediacom
  • Sling TV’s Heartland Package
  • Suddenlink
To find out if RFD-TV and The Cowboy Channel are available in your area, please click here and enter your zip code also choose your Pay TV provider.

PRCA on The Cowboy Channel+ App

The PRCA on The Cowboy Channel+ App will keep fans up-to-date with their favorite PRCA rodeos and athletes, as well as provide behind-the-scenes access to livestreamed and on demand PRCA rodeo events from around the country. The content can be accessed via the mobile app (available on Android and iOS), as well as any browser, smart TV or device. Viewers will be able to enjoy free access to up-to-the-minute news, bios, rodeos and highlights. Those with a subscription will unlock premium content such as up to six simultaneous live rodeo feeds, classic PRCA archived rodeos, The Cowboy Channel video-on-demand programming, and the only place viewers can stream the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). The Cowboy Channel+ is available for only $9.99 a month or save up to 25% and purchase the whole year for $89.99. To sign up for the PRCA on The Cowboy Channel+ App, visit www.cowboychannelplus.com.

RFD-TV Now

RFD-TV Now delivers both real-time NFR 2020 LIVE programming as well as an expansive on-demand library with access to more than 90 shows such as Hee Haw, Opry Encore, The Best of the Marty Stuart Show, Ag PHD, and FarmHer, as well as daily broadcasts of Market Day Report and Rural Evening News. RFD-TV Now is available on a huge lineup of streaming players and devices including Roku players, Roku TVs, and Amazon’s Fire TV. RFD-TV Now costs $9.99 a month or $89.99 a year.
Supported platforms
Can I watch RFD-TV on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, or Chromecast? Yes! you can here is the complete list:
  • Android 4.4+
  • Android TV 5.0+
  • Apple TV 9.0+
  • Amazon Fire TV
  • IOS 9.0+
  • Roku
  • Web: Chrome, Firefox, IE11, Edge

Sling TV

Sling TV includes RFD TV as part of their Sling Blue Heartland Extra package for $35 a month. Sling TV has 30 channels as part of their plan, including A&E, AMC, BET, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CNN, Comedy Central, Discovery, Disney Channel, E!, ESPN, Food Network, Fox News, Freeform, FX, HGTV, History, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, MSNBC, Paramount Network, Syfy, TBS, TLC, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, and USA Network.
This is the full Sling TV Channel List.
Every Sling TV subscriber can record to their 10 hours Cloud DVR, while 3 users can stream at the same time.
Supported platforms
Sling TV supports a wide-range of devices to stream including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, iPhone/iPad, Web Browsers, Android Phone/Tablet, Android TV, Xbox, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, and VIZIO Smart TV. Sling TV is not available to stream on PlayStation and Nintendo.

2020 NFR Live Stream Using a VPN

Sling TV is only available to residents of the United States. Even viewers located in our neighbor to the north, Canada, cannot access the Sling TV service. In these situations, a reliable and encrypted VPN (Virtual Private Network) can prove to be helpful. A VPN will allow an individual to remotely connect to a server located in a different country that allows the desired website viewing to take place. The following VPNs can prove to be very useful:
  • ExpressVPN
  • This source offers a selection of servers that spans over 90 countries. Currently, they offer monthly ($12.95/month), semi-annual ($59.95/6-months), and annual ($99.95) plans. Included with each plan is the offer of a 30-day money back guarantee in the event that a user is dissatisfied.
  • IPVanish
  • The offering from this source includes servers that span over 60 countries. The current subscription plans consist of monthly ($10/month), quarterly ($26.99/3-months), and annual ($77.99/year) options. Included with each plan is the offer of a 7-day money back guarantee in the event that a user is dissatisfied.
  • NordVPN
  • While maintaining a selection of servers that spans over 60 countries, this VPN source currently has subscription plans that consist of monthly ($11.95/month), semi-annual ($54/6-months), annual ($83.88/year), and bi-annual ($95.75/2-years) options.
Once you have connected to US’ Fastest server, the Sling website will instantly be accessible to you. Simply subscribe to Sling Live TV service and enjoy live streaming of all your favorite TV channels right at home!

Can I listen to NFR 2020 live stream on radio?

This season, you can hear daily from the ten days of the Wrangler NFR, scheduled for Dec. 3-12 (find an affiliate near you), as well as on SiriusXM serving rural America and Canada and is available to more than 34 million vehicles and homes. RURAL RADIO also offers a broad slate of Western sports programming year-round featuring Western Sports Roundup and coverage of WPCA and PRCA events.
Launched in March 2019 under the theme of “All Dirt, All Rodeo, All Year,” NFR Extra follows current and former rodeo contestants, country music performers, stock contractors, rodeo industry insiders and more. New episodes are released weekly with the plan to broadcast daily from the ten days of the Wrangler NFR, scheduled for Dec. 3-12. If not listening on RURAL RADIO Channel 147 on SiriusXM, NFR Extra can be accessed at NFRexperience.com or on Spotify, Apple Podcast, iHeart or anywhere fans like to listen.

NFR Live Online on Social Media

One increasingly popular method of viewing NFR live stream comes in the form of social media viewing. The way this typically works is through an individual using their mobile device to live stream the event to a social media platform of their choosing. The most popular platforms for this method are as follows:
  • YouTube
  • The most popular video-sharing site on the planet has historically built its name upon uploaded videos. However, the site now allows live-streaming capabilities, making it perfect for free viewing of live events such as NFR, as long as a streaming user can be found.
  • Facebook
  • Various individual accounts or pages are bound to be streaming the National Finals Rodeo events. Interested individuals will have to search for these opportunities throughout the platform as it gets closer to the festivities.
  • Twitter
  • This platform has increasingly become the go-to place for action as it happens in real-time. That makes it a prime destination when searching for all things related to NFR. A quick search bar or hashtag follow will almost assuredly lead to the discovery someone streaming the NFR.
  • Reddit
  • Mainly known as a news aggregation site, this platform has increasingly become a well-known discussion forum hub. Within those forums, there is undoubtedly discussion concerning how to watch the NFR live stream on Reddit.

How much are tickets to the NFR?

National Finals Rodeo Tickets have been placed on this website by our trusted brokers, who offer those tickets in a range of values. Have a look at all the ticket prices and select the tickets which best suit your budget. 2020 Wrangler NFR new ticket prices are as follow:
  • Balcony: Individual – $76, Season – $760, 4pk – $304, 6pk – $456
  • Plaza: Individual – $105, Season – $1,050
  • Gold Buckle: Individual – $300, Season – $3,000

Everything You Need to Know About NFR

Beyond the payouts for the Cowboys, the PRCA estimates that the event brings in about $90 million annually to the Las Vegas economy. Furthermore, recent attendance stats have shown that 177,565 rodeo enthusiasts decked out in Wrangler jeans, Justin boots and cowboy hats attended events at the Thomas & Mack with an additional 40,000 fans who watched at the 40 hotels who hosted watch parties. It is during this rare time of the year that many marquees on the Strip have the face of bull riders replace DJs’ faces.

Main Performance

Seven main events have historically taken place at the NFR. Each event has its own monetary prizes that are paid out, and those payouts are determined by each top-placing competitor’s rank in relation to the event’s overall prize pool. Individuals placed in the top-six of a particular event are paid out accordingly, while individuals placed in the top-eight of the overall NFR are also paid out. The NFR’s main events are as follows:
  • Bareback Riding
  • This consists of a horseback cowboy using a bareback rigging as the primary means of staying on top of the horse. This grip has often been compared to the equivalent of hanging on to a suitcase handle and makes for the only support that a cowboy has on top of the wildly bucking horse. An 8-second ride constitutes a qualified ride and the cowboys is judged on riding technique.
  • Steer Wrestling
  • This act involves a horseback steer wrestler, alternatively known as a “bulldogger”, bringing a fast-moving steer to a halt on its back as fast as possible. The bulldogger utilizes a combination of strength, technique, speed, and precision to jump off of their horse from a designated starting point and onto a steer sprinting off from the same starting point.
  • Team Roping
  • Headers
  • One of two horseback team members whose job is to successfully rope the head of the steer in one of three tries as fast as possible; around both horns, around one horn and the head, or around the neck.
  • Heelers
  • One of two horseback team members whose job is to successfully rope the hind legs of the steer as soon as the header has successfully done their part. To avoid a 5-second penalty for roping only one hind leg, the heeler must rope both hind legs.
  • Saddle Bron Riding
  • Similar to Bareback Riding, the goal of the horseback cowboy is to maintain their balance as much as possible for 8 seconds while the horse is bucking. In this event, however, the cowboy sits on a saddle while using one hand to hold on to a thick rein that’s attached to the horse’s halter.
  • Tie-Down Roping
  • This event centers around a cowboy on horseback attempting to restrain a calf by throwing a well-timed rope loop that’s attached to the cowboy’s horse. The cowboy and the calf both leave from a designated starting point, with the calf getting a slight head-start. The cowboy depends on the horse to mitigate any slack in the rope after dismounting, then proceeds to tie-up the calf as fast as possible.
  • Barrel Racing
  • This is a women’s event where horseback cowgirls race against the clock to complete a strategically set course where barrels are set up as landmarks. The intent is for the cowgirls to complete a cloverleaf-shaped run around 3 barrels placed in a triangular formation as fast as possible. Barrels that are accidentally knocked over result in 5-second penalties.
  • Bull Riding
  • The cowboy on top of the bull has the main objective of staying on top and maintaining their balance for 8 seconds. They are judged based on technique and can earn extra points by spurring while the bull is bucking. The cowboy stays on top of the bull by grasping a flat braided rope, which also wraps around the bull’s chest.
  • All-Around Champion
  • Being crowned the All-Around Champion speaks volumes about the versatility and high level of talent exhibited by the winning cowboy. In order to receive this honor, the cowboy must have won the most prize money in a given year and competed in at least 2 NFR events while earning at least $3,000 in each of those events. This is widely known as the highest honor bestowed by the PRCA.

Contestants

There are 120 cowboys from all over the United States that will step foot as competitors within the NFR. A full list of the contestants can be found on the event’s Contestant Roster page. The top 10 ranked competitors are as follows:
  1. Tuf Cooper – Tie-Down Roping
  2. Trevor Brazile – Tie-Down Roping
  3. Sage Kimzey – Bull Riding
  4. Tim O’Connell – Bareback Riding
  5. Jacobs Crawley – Saddle Bronc Riding
  6. Caleb Bennett – Bareback Riding
  7. Ryder Wright – Saddle Bronc Riding
  8. Rhen Richard – Team Roping (Header)
  9. Shane Hanchey – Tie-Down Roping
  10. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi – Barrel Racing

Super Bowl of Rodeo

The NFR has consistently been referred to with this phrase because of the sheer massiveness of its popularity and money-generating power within the context of rodeo. The event is considered to be so big and consistently sold-out that the UNLV basketball team that normally uses the NFR’s venue during the season has to annually build its schedule in a way that keeps the team on the road for the duration of the NFR festivities.

Miss Rodeo America

This event is a pageant that takes place in conjunction with the NFR as part of the NFR’s overall festivities. State rodeo queen winners from across the United States compete for the Miss Rodeo America crown and put themselves in line to potentially win $20,000, among other smaller prizes. In addition to the prizes, the winner is expected to travel to various rodeos throughout the United States and to promote the rodeo during the subsequent year.

Wrangler NFR Preshow

The former Miss Rodeo America titleholder is no stranger to the excitement of the “Super Bowl” of Western competition, with six years of WNFR reporting under her belt. She is most excited about bringing the pre-show to the fans. Be prepared for this Wrangler NFR Preshow, don’t miss a single moment of the Pro Rodeo live action.

Cowboy Christmas

For those that need a break from the constant adrenaline that comes with the NFR’s main events, the Cowboy Christmas experience allows for a welcomed change of pace. This portion of NFR centers around cowboy shopping and serves as a marketplace for hundreds of exhibitors from the United States and Canada to sell to thousands of eager buyers. Typically taking place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Cowboy Christmas will also move to Arlington, TX in 2020. All exhibitors will have the opportunity to Opt-In/Opt-Out for 2020.

Standings

The 2019 PRCA season has been extremely competitive as a lot of the top cowboys are gunning for glory. Tuf Cooper sits atop of the all-around standings and many experts believe that he is going to win his second all-around title in a row. There will be a lot of close competitions and many of the world championships could come down to the last day. You can check the current standings here.

NFR Prize Money

The total payout for the entire event is $10 million and will remain at that amount until 2020. After that, the amount will be adjusted and remain in place for the subsequent five years. All 120 qualifying contestants receive $10,000 as part of participating. This year’s detailed payout structure can be found on the PRCA’s 2019 Wrangler NFR Payoff page.

Wrangler NFR World Champions

2019 All Around World Champion
Stetson Wright
The 2019 NFR World Champions
Bareback Riding
Clayton Biglow
Steer Wrestling
Ty Erickson
Team Roping (Header)
Clay Smith
Team Roping (Heeler)
Wesley Thorp
Saddle Bronc Riding
Zeke Thurston
Tie-Down Roping
Haven Meged
Barrel Racing
Hailey Kinsel
Bull Riding
Sage Kimzey
For a full recap, please click here.

Final Words

All in all, the National Finals Rodeo is a landmark event and a de facto defining period of time within any given rodeo year. For anyone who is a fan of rodeo, the main events and the surrounding festivities are must-see events and must-participate experiences if the financial means allow for it. Don’t miss a minute of the exhilarating NFR live stream action this year from December 3rd until December 12th.
submitted by morshedulpython to nfronline [link] [comments]

My Friends Did Some Dark Web Rituals

During the summer of my Junior year, my parents had to go out of town for a week to visit my grandparents which left me in charge of the house. When I saw my dad’s car drive over the hill and out of sight I went back inside. I‘ll be honest. I’m usually pretty tame in my interests. I don’t even drink. The only drug I do recreationally is weed. Even then it’s only an occasional thing for me.
​
I was planning to binge watch and play some video games during the entire week. First I had to make sure I had the necessary accompaniments before engaging in these activities. From my fridge, I grabbed several bags of lime chip Tostitos, spicy chili Doritos, guacamole, some queso dip, salsa, spinach artichoke dip, and the two-liter of Dr Pepper. I also grabbed a large towel from the laundry in case of messes. As an aside spinach artichoke dip is fucking amazing.
​
I had just got everything set up when I heard my doorbell ring. I let out an annoyed groan. I thought it was my parents who forgot something and that they would lecture me upon seeing all the junk food I had laid out in the living room. They have a bad habit of that. Instead, I opened the door to find my three friends Standing in front of me were my friends Nelson, Orlando, and Phil.
​
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked.
“What do you think?” Nelson said. “We’re here to shoot the shit since your parents will be out of town for the week.”
“How did you know about that?”
“I heard my dad talking about it with yours. Anyway…”
​
Before I could respond he stepped inside along with Orlando and Phil.
​
“Hey,” I protested. “I have to watch the house until they get back. I can’t have you guys fucking shit up for me.”
“Calm down, Max. You have nothing to worry about,” Orlando said in a calming voice.
“He’s right. Besides, we know what your parents are particular about, and with the three of us here your house watching duties will be easier,” Phil assured me.
While his rationalization didn’t quite add up in my head for a number of factors I did feel kind of dickish for wanting them to leave after they’d wanted to come over to have some fun.
“Alright, fine. You guys can stay but call me next time.”
“Sorry about that. Everything was kind of last minute,” Nelson explained. “We barely had time to gather the supplies.”
“Wait, you mean…”
“Hell yeah.”
​
From his pockets, he pulled out a giant bag of weed and some rolling papers. As I said I only smoke occasionally. With that being said I would be lying if I told you I didn’t get excited over how glorious the stuff he had looked.
​
“Where did you get that?”
“My dealer got access to some good shit recently. I was saving it for a special occasion and figured this a perfect time to smoke it.”
“You know what? Fuck it. Let’s do it.”
“That’s what I like to hear.”
Nelson gave me a friendly slap on the back. He and the others entered my living room.
“Oh fuck yeah, Doritos,” Phill exclaimed.
​
The next eight or so hours were a bit of a blur for me. I recall smoking the weed and it hitting me pretty damn hard. After that, I’m pretty sure we played Mario Kart for two hours and watched one of the Toy Story movies after. I want to say it was the second one? That’s the one with Jessie right? Anyway, we were an hour in when I began to freak out.
​
“Guys, I’ve heard something about this movie,” I said.
“What is it?” Nelson inquired.
“Okay so think about this. If the toys in the movie die Andy won’t know and keep playing with them.”
“Where did you see that?”
“From someone on Twitter. It’s freaking me out something fierce.”
“Can the toys even die?” Orlando asked. “I mean even Sid’s toys were still alive despite what he did to them. Plus they don’t have muscles or organs so it’s not as if they can starve to death.”
“Yeah, but they can still feel pain like when Sid burned Woody’s forehead with a magnifying glass,” Phil pointed out.
“That’s true. I guess that means they can if they’re set on fire or something similar to that.”
“Oh god. That’s horrible,” I said. “And if that happened in front of a lot of people they’d have to hold in their screams as they’re burning alive or else people would know that toys are alive. How are they alive? Is it natural or some kind of weird black magic nobody talks about in the movie?”
“Guys, I think the weed is too strong for Max. Turn off the movie. We don’t want him freaking out anymore,” Nelson said.
​
They complied and shut off the move. Then Orlando told me to relax.
​
“I’m not sure if I can. I keep picturing the toys melting and only being able to scream internally.”
“Goddammit, Nelson, look what the weed you brought did to Max,” Phil said.
“Hey, it’s not my fault. None of us are freaking out. These things happen sometimes.”
“Where did your dealer get this stuff anyway?” Orlando asked.
“I think he mentioned something about a Dark Web? Whatever that is.”
“Really? I know about that. I’ve been on there a couple times.”
“You have? What’s it like?”
“Not too exciting to be honest. There are places to buy drugs and weapons and occasionally I’ll come across a weird game. If I come across anything I think is shady, though I dip out before shit hits the fan. Do you guys want to see it?”
“Depends. Hey, Max can we use your laptop for this?”
​
Truth be told, I already knew the dangers of the deep web. Sober me would’ve advised against going on there. High me on the other hand had a different response.
​
“Hell yeah. Fucking internet exploring. Let’s go for it.”
“I think we can take that as a yes,” Orlando said.
​
Again my memory gets kind of blurry at that point. I remember Orlando accessing the dark web through a special browser and him coming across this weird site. It had all these different pictures and symbols. From what I can remember a picture showed a statue of some kind of creature that seemed as if somebody crossed a deer and a goat. There was also another one that seemed to be a combination of a bat and a horse.
​
A symbol showed a mantis holding up a serpent that was coiled around what I can only describe as a folded cross. Imagine someone made a cross out of construction paper. Now picture them taking the left and right intersecting points of it and folding them down towards the center. That’s the best way I can explain it. There were also different languages we didn’t recognize as Orlando kept scrolling.
​
“What’s that?” Nelson asked, pointing to something. “Is that in English?”
​
Orlando hovered the cursor over it which highlighted some kind of hyperlink. Clicking on it took him to the same page except in English.
​
“Oh, so these are ritual instructions,” Phil said.
“It seems to be that way,” Orlando replied.
“Want to try one just for the hell of it?” Nelson suggested.
​
At this point, you may be thinking, “Max, please tell me you tried to tell them that this was a bad idea”. I wish I did. I really do. Again, I would have objected to their idea had I not been high. Instead, I could only lay on my couch and stare up at the ceiling as Orlando instructed them.
​
I only sort of paid attention to what Orlando was saying at that point. I think it involved making a picture on the floor in flour and drawing some symbols in it from something red. He also mentioned some candles and the requirement of chanting a certain phrase. Cut to ten or so minutes later the lights started flickering and I could hear what sounded like thousands of voices chanting at once.
​
“Guys?” I asked, getting up. “What’s going on in there?”
"Oh Jesus," Phil said. "Max, I think we fucked up. We fucked up big time."
Following that, I felt the house rapidly shake.
"What the hell did you guys do?" I shouted.
​
The next thing I knew there was a deafening growl coming from the kitchen. Hearing it sobered me right the hell up. I shot up from the couch and ran to the kitchen. Going into it, I saw a swirling vortex on the floor. Next to it was a bottle of strawberry syrup. From the vortex came a hand.
​
Thick fur resembling steel wool coated it. It gripped my counter, allowing what was on the other side to pull itself up and into my kitchen. Its head resembled that of a buck or deer mixed with a goat. I’m not sure if I should refer to the things sticking out of its head as antlers or horns since they looked like both. I guess I’ll refer to them as horntlers.
​
So its horntlers were so sharp in appearance I wouldn’t be surprised if they could pierce steel. Of course, I was the first person that fucking thing laid eyes on. Its eyes were shark-like and its teeth were as well. Its height was staggering and its physique made me think it could move a fully grown oak with ease. Not only was it big, it was also fast as it was able to grab me by the throat before I could react.
​
“Guys, it’s fucking got me. Do something.” I yelled, trying to pry its fingers off my throat.
​
Its grip was akin to being trapped by a vice. I attempted to free myself by giving it a hard kick in the eye. This only succeeded in pissing it off. Its roar was earth-shattering and the scent of blood and sulfur was heavy on its breath. While this was going on I could hear my friends chattering about what to do.
​
Orlando, who I heard going into my fridge asked someone to toss him my dad’s Bible. Next, I heard some pages of it getting torn out. In the back of my mind, I was concerned because my parents are pretty religious. As you can imagine, however, the eight-foot-tall monstrosity gripping my throat was the more pressing matter at the time. As it opened its mouth and got ready to bite into me Orlando yelled at it.
​
“The power of Christ compels you.”
​
Both I and the demon turned to see him and the others with open water bottles. They splashed water onto it. The moment the water made contact with its fur, it let out a hiss of pain. I could see the part of its body that had become wet was sizzling. My friends kept splashing it.
​
In response, it growled at them and tossed me aside. Its throw was so strong it ended up knocking me out upon impact. I faintly remember the sound of splintering wood prior to everything going black. I awoke sometime later. Sharp pain was running through my back.
​
“Guys?” I groaned out.
“He’s awake,” Max exclaimed, rushing over to me. “How are you feeling, Max? That thing got you pretty good.”
“I feel like I got shoved through a coffee…”
​
The realization of what happened and what I was lying on dawned on me. I sat up and glanced back. To my horror, my mom’s coffee table was in splinters. On top of that, I had set all my snacks on it. That meant Doritos and Tostitos had been crushed into my carpet along with all those dips I had living deep stains. Not to mention, that stuff was coating the back of my shirt.
​
I also saw bits of broken glass that didn’t go into me so I guess I should count myself as somewhat lucky. Although, I didn’t really feel that way. My mom’s screaming could make banshees cover their ears and I dreaded to think what her reaction would be upon seeing the state of her coffee table and the carpet. I groggily got to my feet with Nelson’s help. I had to lean on the wall for support due to my understandable pain.
​
“Hey, Max...Are you feeling okay?” He asked.
“I was shoved through a table. What do you think?”
“You’re right. Dumb question. Are you okay considering your situation?”
“I guess so. How long was I out for?”
“I’m not sure. Orlando?”
“Two hours.”
“Two hours? You guys let me lay in all that shit for that long?”
“We would’ve put you on the couch but thought it would get stained.”
“You could’ve laid me on my stomach. Wait a sec. Where’s Phil?”
​
I realized that I didn’t see him. An expression came over Nelson’s face that basically said., “I really don’t want to say what I’m about to.”.
​
“About that…”
“What? Did something happen.”
“Okay, can you promise us you won’t freak out?”
“Why?”
“Can you promise that?”
“I’ll try.”
“Good enough. So, Phil isn't dead thankfully. Thing is he isn’t in what we would call a good position either.”
“What do you mean?”
​
Nelson pointed towards my front door. I turned to see that it had been busted off its hinges. The door frame was also broken in several places. If that wasn’t bad enough, the corpse of our neighbor, Mr. Taylor, was lying on the floor. His neck had been broken, judging by the fact his head was facing backward.
​
“Nelson, could you hand me a pillow?”
“Yeah sure.”
​
He grabbed one from the couch and handed it to me. I thanked him and pressed my face into it, screaming as loudly as I could. When I was done, I sat the pillow back on the couch, slowly put my hands together, took a deep breath, and turned my attention back to Nelson and Orlando.
​
“Alright, tell me exactly what went down.”
“Okay so after you were knocked out we managed to drive that demon out of the house.’
“Oh yeah. I saw that with the water. How did you guys do that?”
“Holy water.”
“But we don’t have any.”
“Actually we do,” Orlando interjected.
​
He held up a water bottle to me. In it, I could see a rolled-up Bible page that was still somewhat legible. The fact that this had actually worked stunned me. Nelson continued.
​
“Yeah so anyway, we figured it might lead to some trouble if we left a demon deer goat thing roaming around so...We tried another ritual.”
“You did what?”
​
My voice that I had been trying to keep at a calm tone went up two octaves.
​
“Calm down. You didn’t even let me finish.”
​
I laughed at that.
​
“You’re right, Nelson. Please, go on and tell me about what happened after you guys did another stupid fucking ritual. I’m sure it worked wonders judging by the corpse in my house.”
“You don't have to be a dick about it, Max. Anyway, we ended up summoning this bat horse thingy.”
“And how did that turn out?”
“Well, we were trying to get it to go after the first demon we summoned. Instead, it bit Orlando and flew off.”
​
Orlando pulled up his sleeve to reveal some bandages over his wrist.
​
“Okay, so the second ritual failed. You still haven’t explained what happened to Phil and how Mr. Taylor got here.”
“Ya know how they say the third time’s the charm?”
“Please tell me you didn’t.”
​
Nelson looked to Orlando for help. He picked up where we left off.
​
“Max, we thought it was the best option.”
“To perform a third ritual despite the last two going horribly wrong? What made you guys possibly think doing a third one would go well?”
“It was a shot in the dark really. What we summoned that time was a specter and it kind of possessed Phil.”
“Deep breaths, Max. Deep breaths,” Nelson instructed, seeing that I was visibly agitated
“Even though I really don't want to ask this. I’m going to. What happened to Phil after he became possessed?”
“Well, we think the noise ended up waking Mr. Taylor and that’s why he came over.”
​
Mr. Taylor lived right next door to us and had incredibly good hearing. That wasn’t the first time he complained about noise levels. Unfortunately for him, however, it was his last. Nelson continued.
​
“He started hollering at us and asked what we were doing making so much noise. That’s when Phil grabbed him and snapped his neck. Then he left.”
“So let me see if I got this straight. There are two demons out and about because of the rituals you guys did, plus a ghost that is currently possessing Phil, and doing god knows what. Does that sum up the situation?”
“Pretty much. Yeah.”
“I think I’m going to be sick.”
​
My knees felt weak.
​
“Max, try to remain calm,” Orlando called to me.
“Calm? You expect me to be calm? You know what? You’re right. What I have to worry about? Could it be the monstrosities you’ve all unleashed or the corpse in my home? Then again maybe I should worry about the fact my mom’s coffee table has been smashed to bits and the fact the carpet has been stained to hell which I’m sure will elicit calm reactions from my parents. Not to mention the front door and its frame have been busted to shit. Knowing all that I think I’ll go with all of the goddamn above.”
​
Nelson and Orlando had been listening to my psychotic rant for admittedly longer than I would have. Finally, Nelson came over to me.
​
“Orlando, I think he’s having an episode. I’m going to take him upstairs and patch him up. In the meantime, look on that site for anything that can help us. Also if you could do something about Mr. Taylor, that would be greatly appreciated.”
“Got it,” Orlando replied.
​
Nelson gave him a nod and led me upstairs. After a while, he was eventually able to calm me down.
​
“Is it bad?” I asked.
​
I had taken off my shirt to let Nelson see the damage that had been to my back.
​
“Eh. It’s not too bad. There are some scratches and a little blood. Other than that you should be good to go once we’ve got you bandaged up.”
“Aren’t I fortunate?” I said with heavy sarcasm in my voice.
“Hey, nobody’s called the police yet. I’d say that’s lucky.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t run out then.”
​
I put on another shirt and we went back downstairs. Orlando had wrapped Mr. Taylor in a bedsheet and laid him against the wall. I did my best to ignore this while we spoke to Orlando.
​
“Find anything?” Nelson asked him.
“I’ve been trying. There’s so much on this site, finding the information we need is going to take a while.”
“How long is a while?” I impatiently said. “In case you haven’t noticed, time is very much of the essence.”
“I’m aware of that and am searching this site as fast as I can. I don't suppose you have any suggestions on how to speed things up?”
“Did you try using the find in page feature.”
​
Orlando paused and an expression of realization came over his face. Using it, Orlando was able to find out what we needed to do to get rid of the demons and ghost. As it turned out we would need a grill, some charcoal, lighter fluid, a lighter, some cinnamon, and some kind of meat. Armed with this knowledge and our holy water, we headed out after Nelson grabbed something from the kitchen. We headed to Nelson’s house since it was the closest. We got in his truck and he drove us down the road.
​
“Alright, a deer goat demon and horse bat thingie shouldn’t be too hard to find,” he said, speeding down the road. “Phil might be a bit trickier to find.”
​
Orlando helped Nelson watch the front while I watched the back.
​
“Nelson, turn around. I think I saw Phil.”
​
It was a bit too far to tell if it was him. However, considering not many people crab walk across the street with their head facing backward I figured that was a safe assumption. Nelson made a U-turn and pulled into where I pointed Phil had gone. It turned out to be a parking lot with a Rooms To Go, and Walmart.
​
“Keep your eyes peeled in case one of them tries to sneak up on us,” Orlando advised.
​
With water bottles in hand, we stepped outside.
​
“Hang on,” Nelson said, going to his trunk.
“What is it?” I impatiently asked.
​
He came back around now holding a fishing rod he used on trips with his dad.
​
“What is that going to do?” I said.
“It’s going to help us catch Phil. I even got bait.”
​
He held up the bag of sour gummy worms which are Phil’s favorite kind of candy. I was about to tell him that this was a stupid idea and not to take things from our pantry without asking when a pained scream rang out over the parking lot. Not wasting any more time we raced towards its source. We found a Rooms To Go employee or rather what was left of him. His body had been ripped open, leaving his insides spilled out on the street.
​
“Oh god,” I said, feeling a strong wave of nausea come over me.
“Yep, that is some fucked up shit right there,” Nelson stated, wrinkling his face in disgust.” I think I can still see his heart beating.”
“I suggest averting your attention from this,” Orlando advised, clearly trying to keep from puking as well.
​
We tore our gazes from the body. By doing this, we found a trail of blood plus some bloody hand and shoe prints. They led to the back entrance of Rooms To Go that had been left open and continued inward.
​
“Fantastic. Now we’ll have to clean all this up,” I said. “Orlando, how do you think we should proceed?”
“Well, considering that Walmart is still open I think we should try to find Phil before someone comes out of it.”
​
The question of why nobody came out of it to investigate the scream briefly crossed my mind. I admit, I probably wouldn’t either in this situation. God knows, that kind of job is bad enough without getting murdered. Still, the possibility of them taking action by calling the cops wasn’t lost on me. In that regard, we thought it best to speed things up. We thought it would be a simple matter of following the bloody prints to Phil. Instead, we found more prints all over the floor going in multiple directions.
​
“Goddammit,” I said. “How are we going to find him now?”
“We could split up,” Nelson suggested.
“Hell no. Are you crazy? You saw what happened to that guy out there.”
“Let’s just search together,” Orlando said.
​
Not long into our search, we found three other unfortunate employees. One, who seemed to be the manager judging by his uniform, was laying against the wall. He actually seemed pretty relaxed other than the fact he was sitting in a pool of blood with his head four feet from his body with chunks taken out of it. The other two workers lied on top of each other. One was missing their arms and the other their legs.
​
“The night shift sure is a bitch,” Nelson remarked.
“I think that goes without saying at this point,” I replied.
​
Knowing that Phil could be hiding anywhere in the store, we proceeded with extreme caution. We continued for several minutes when Orlando made us pause.
​
“I thought I saw something over there,” he said, pointing to the table section.
​
Even though I couldn’t see Phil, something else did catch my eye, making me gasp.
​
“What’s wrong?” Nelson asked in an alarmed tone.
​
I went over to one of the coffee tables. It was the exact same kind as my mom’s that had been smashed.
​
“Holy shit. I need to take this with me.”
“Max, I don't think now is the right time for this,” Orlando said.
“Yeah, you’re right. We should wait until we’ve found Phil. Then we can…”
​
I was interrupted by a loud growling. From behind another table, leaped Phil. He landed on top of me and began trying to claw my face.
​
“Guys, help,” I screamed, trying to hold up my foot.
​
I brought up my leg in order to keep him away from me. His eyes were black and full of primal savagery. He snarled at me, revealing his teeth that were coated in blood. The scent of it and human flesh on his breath was enough to make my eyes water.
​
“Don’t worry, Max. I got this,” Nelson yelled, throwing back the fishing rod that had a sour gummy worm attached to its hook.
“Nelson, for the love of Christ that’s not going to work,” I told him as Phil was attempting to scratch at my eyes.
​
Most likely due to being possessed he was a lot stronger than he usually was. My leg eventually gave out and he pinned my arms to the floor. He reared his head back with his mouth wide open to take a bite out of me when the line of Nelson’s fishing rod came zipping towards us. Would you believe me if I told you it actually worked in getting his attention? I wouldn’t and I was there.
​
He jumped off me and towards it. He managed to snag the hook in his mouth. I watched all this with a dumbfounded expression on his face. His body jerked and twisted in ways that I don’t think is normally possible. Meanwhile, Nelson was trying his hardest to reel him in.
​
“He’s a fighter,” He grunted, yanking on the fishing rod.
“Max, help us out here,” Orlando called, assisting him.
​
I rushed over and grabbed the handle along with them. Together we managed to overpower Phil and yank him towards us. When he was close enough Orlando thought fast and pulled out his water bottle. He splashed his face with, inflicting pain upon the spirit that was possessing him. He fell back, managing to free himself of the fishing line in the process.
​
“Grab him,” Orlando ordered, snatching a twine of rope off a table.
​
Nelson grabbed Phil’s arms while I grabbed his legs. Despite his thrashing, we managed to carry him to the coffee table that was the same as my mom’s and put him on it. With the ropes, Orlando tied him to it, making sure to cover his mouth thereby muffling his growling.
​
“One down. Two to go,” Nelson said.
"If just one was this much of a pain in the ass, I am not looking forward to finding the other two," I remarked. "Actually, Orlando is there any way you can exorcise Phil right now? That way he can help us search."
"Sorry, Max, the ritual I found is an all in one deal if you know what I mean. Getting the things to unpossess only Phil would take longer than doing what we are now."
​
I sighed in annoyance but understood. We lifted the coffee table and carried it out along with Phil.
​
"Okay, that takes care of that," I said as Nelson closed the hatch once we had loaded it and Phil into his truck.
"Let's take five before going after the other two. This cardio's going to be the death of me," Nelson told us, leaning against his trunk.
"Agreed," Orlando replied. "Aside from that, we should decide how to proceed from here."
​
We decided that one of us would stay to keep an eye on Phil. I reluctantly agreed to do it.
​
"If something happens, call us," Orlando told me.
"Oh sure. I bet that'll work wonders as I'm getting impaled by the deer goat or snagged and carried off to be devoured by the bat horse."
"Don't worry. We won't be gone long. Good luck," Nelson said.
​
I watched them run up to the store and disappear inside.
​
"I guess it's just you and me," I told Phil.
​
He gave me a muffled growl in response.
​
"At least he can't bite me," I thought.
​
Between the deer goat and bat horse, I'd prefer the former due to the fact I can run pretty fast. I’d have a decent shot of running to one of the trees and climbing it if it came down to that. Ten minutes of nervous watching went by and I decided to get my phone out and call Nelson to see how things were coming along. As I was about to do this, what I can only describe as a neighing screech echoed above me. I glanced up in time to see the bat horse descending upon me.
​
“Shit, “ I yelled, narrowly avoiding getting snatched by its claws and sliding under Nelson's truck.
​
It landed beside his truck. Its claws clicked on the ground as it was searching for me.
​
“This is it,” I thought. “It’s going to find me and carry me off to drain me of my blood or something. Wait, why do I get the feeling I’m forgetting something?”
​
I saw its knees bend slightly as it was about to peek under Nelson’s truck. Something diverted its attention that came from the trunk.
​
“Oh shit, Phil,” I cursed, getting out from under the truck.
​
I made it out in time to see it lifting him along with the coffee table from the trunk. Without thinking, I leaped at it, managing to grab hold of the other end of the table.
​
“Let go, asshole,” I screamed at it only to get a deafening roar in response.
​
The thought that what I had just done was a terrible idea didn’t occur to me until I was roughly ten feet off the parking lot. I let out a scream that was a lot more high pitched than I intended it to be. As it was about to carry us higher Phil managed to break free of his restraints. The bat horse was carrying him by his ropes so I guess it must have cut through enough for him to get loose. Having freed himself of his restraints, he pounced from the table in midair and onto the bat horse.
​
This left me to fall along with the table. Fortunately, I managed to land while keeping it from hitting the ground. Unfortunately, its weight in combination with the height I was dropped from caused my ankle to twist on impact. Despite the intense pain shooting up my right leg, I managed to gently set the table down. Phil was still on the bat horse and clawing at its face.
​
It managed to fling him off and with my luck, he of course landed on me. I yelled in pain, feeling my right leg break under his right. He didn’t pay any attention to my anguished cries and instead stepped off me as if I was an unfortunate bug that had been crushed by his shoe. He only stared as the creature flew at him. I wondered why he made no move to defend himself or at least dodge.
​
I got my answer when it was a few feet from him. He was facing sideways from me as he was staring at the demon. His mouth opened wide and I could see a light begin shining from it and his eyes. The ghost or specter or whatever you want to call it went out of him and into the bat horse. As it did I could see that it was shapeless aside from a pair of glowing yellow eyes.
​
The demon reacted to being taken over by basically spazzing out. It jerked and twisted while flapping its wings. Phil was understandably groggy, having gotten free of possession only moments ago. He shook off his dizziness and looked around in confusion. He saw me and asked how he got to where he was when a bright flash caught our attention.
​
The bat horse was now glowing with the specter’s light. It kept flickering from solid to translucent. It dove towards Phil with a much faster speed than it had previously. He had no time to react. He was once again possessed.
​
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I groaned.
​
At that point, I thought I was definitely fucked. Even if my leg wasn’t broken there was no way I could’ve outrun Phil with how fast he was. That feral glint in his eyes returned. I could only mentally prepare myself for what I hoped would be a quick demise. He was about to jump on me when a roar rang out over the parking lot.
​
Nelson and Orlando were running towards us. Behind them was the deer goat. Impaled on its horntlers were two Walmart employees. I think it decided to have a little fun in the store and that’s why nobody came out of it. Nelson was pushing a buggy full of the things we needed aside from the grill which Orlando pushed.
​
Now, Phil’s attention was on them more specifically, the deer goat. It stopped chasing Nelson and Orlando and focused its gaze on him. They went past him and brought the stuff to the truck. Phil dashed towards the monster and stopped. Nelson parked the buggy beside his truck and knelt down to me.
​
“Max, are you okay?” He asked.
“My leg is broken. That means I'm fucking dandy.”
“Oh sorry. I didn’t notice that.”
“How did Phil get free?” Orlando said, staring at him as he was still engaged in his stare down.
​
I explained to them what happened.
​
“Wow, what do you call that, possessedception? I didn’t even know ghosts could possess demons,” Nelson said.
“Neither did I but we can worry about the logistics of all this later when we aren’t in immediate danger,” Orlando commented. “We should get things ready while they’re distracted.”
​
With my leg broken, I could only watch Phil and the demon as Nelson and Orlando set things up. The way they stared each other down was similar to how cats do prior to engaging in battle. He let out a hiss and they lunged at one another. In spite of the size difference, Phil managed to match its strength. Neither could make the other budge an inch.
​
This struggle went on until eventually, they traded blows. He gave it a hard punch across the face and he returned the favor by knocking it back. He landed on all fours and scurried around it so fast it couldn’t keep track of him. He jumped on its back and it was trying to shake him off. During this, I glanced over to see how things were coming along with Nelson and Orlando.
​
“Is it ready yet?” I asked.
“Have some patience. These things can take a while,” Orlando responded.
“My bad. It’s not as though time is of the essence or anything.”
“Chill out, Max,” Nelson cut in. “We’re nearly ready.”
​
Orlando had lined the grill with the other items except for the aforementioned meat. Nelson had it. He held a bag of beef jerky. I checked on Phil as Orlando was pouring the lighter fluid. The demon was screaming in pain as he was yanking at its horntlers. Somehow, he had managed to pin it down.
​
I was confused as to what he was doing at first. Then saw that he was attempting to rip its horntlers out. My mouth fell open in shock. I wondered if he would actually be able to do it. Sure enough, he ripped them loose with a sound akin to branches snapping.
​
“Jesus fucking hell,” Nelson exclaimed.
​
Hearing the deer goats screams actually made me feel sort of bad for it. Phil smiled and took bites of the employees that were still attached to its detached horntlers. Then turned towards us and smiled.
​
“Guys, please tell me you're nearly done,” I said.
“Nelson, pour the jerky in and light the fire,” Orlando instructed. “I’ll read the chant.”
​
Nelson poured the jerky in and took out a match. Then dropped it in. As the flames soared up Orlando rapidly spoke the chant. Phil was nearly on us when he stopped. His body was convulsing and the specter’s light shone so brightly in him I could see his skeleton.
​
“I think it’s working,” I shouted. “Keep going.”
​
The specter along with the bat horse came out of Phil’s mouth and were sucked towards the grill. A portal formed over it that they were pulled into. The deer goat’s corpse was pulled in as well and the portal closed and exploded in a bright flash. I could see stars when it cleared. Phil was lying unconscious in the parking lot so Nelson and Orlando put him and me into the truck.
​
“Man, that was some wild shit,” Nelson said.
“Yeah, maybe next time you guys should listen to me,” I replied.
“Settle down. We did help you out.” Orlando told me.
“Fair enough. I’m worried about what’ll happen to Phil, though, His DNA is probably all over the store and so is ours now that I think about.”
“Actually, that reminds me of something. The deer goat caused a fire by knocking some water jugs over and causing them to spill towards a plugged in floor polisher.”
“Did that start a fire?”
“It did.”
“How far has it spread?”
“Last we saw it was heading towards the grilling section.”
“Wait. Doesn’t that have propane tanks?”
​
My question was answered by a massive explosion that came from inside Walmart. The flames of which spread to Rooms To Go.
​
"Drive. Fucking drive," I urged.
​
When we got home Nelson got in the new coffee table. Orlando helped me inside and took care of Mr. Taylor’s body. Nelson got some cleaning supplies and assisted me in cleaning out the stains.
​
“Mr. Taylor has been taken care of,” Orlando informed us when he had come back inside.
“That’s good,” I said. “What about Phil?”
He slept peacefully on the couch as if he hadn’t become possessed and killed a bunch of people.
“I think I have an idea,” Nelson said. “Orlando, can you help me?”
​
They carried him upstairs. Later they put him back on the couch with the blood cleaned off of him and his shirt changed. Orlando threw the one he had on into the washer.
​
“Ow, my head,” he murmured upon waking up. “What happened? I thought I was in a parking lot and why do I taste metal?”
​
We thought it best not to tell him what actually happened and simply told him that we managed to exorcise the demons and spirit without any trouble.
​
“I wish I would’ve been awake to see that.”
“Yeah, it was pretty crazy,” I said.
“Too bad I passed out. That’s never happened to me.”
“It’s probably because of low blood sugar or something. Hey, quick question. Do you ever watch the local news?”
“Not really. Why?”
“No reason.”
​
Mr. Taylor’s body was discovered the following day. Orlando had laid him next to his ladder that was propped up against his house so the official story was that he had fallen and broken his neck. Oddly enough, I only saw the fire briefly mentioned on the news. I’m guessing Rooms To Go and Walmart wanted to keep it under wraps since it can’t be determined how it got started and they were trying to avoid a lawsuit.
​
Aside from the broken leg that I had to explain to my parents by telling them I fell down the stairs it was a pretty good summer. Nelson was able to get his cousin who works in construction to replace the broken door so I managed to avoid that trouble with my parents. Hopefully, no other weird and dangerous shit is in my future.
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Horse racing tips Betting on favourites - YouTube

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