#operator lucan

[diffident-drifter]

Whispers in the Walls hype

#Mun doodle #Operator Lucan #Wally #Man in the Wall #The Man in the Wall #Whispers in the Walls #Warframe

[slytherizz]

A Different Kind of Wager - Sebastian Sallow x Female!MC/Reader

Summary: Sebastian makes a wager with his girlfriend that will make the outcome of their final Crossed Wands duel before their graduation far more interesting.

My main fic has been sucking the life out of me with the angst and suffering. So here is some shameless smut I've been working on!

Word Count: 5.9k

Warnings: 18+, aged up characters, explicit sexual content, duelling as a questionable form of foreplay, Lucan Brattleby runs an illegal gambling operation

You can find all the tags on Ao3 :)

She nibbled idly on the end of her quill her brows drawn together in that cute little frown as it always graced her features when she was deep in concentration. With their NEWT’s closing in fast Sebastian felt like he’d barely seen anywhere but the inside of his dormitory and the dusty shelves of this library for weeks. 

Not that he was getting much work done. 

The blazing summer sun pouring through the windows made even the normally cool library stiflingly hot. Her tie was pulled loose where it hung around her neck, the top buttons of her blouse undone exposing the heat and blossoming beads of sweat on her clavicle were more than a bit distracting.

Over the last few weeks, Sebastian barely had enough time to sleep around his revision let alone spend any quality time with her outside of the library. Which had left him more than a bit frustrated that even a glimpse of skin was enough to have his thoughts so far from his own Potion’s essay.

So, he’d settled himself into the comfortable position of twirling her hair around one of his fingers whilst staring directly down her shirt. Sebastian hoped if he kept this up for long enough she’d eventually snap at his annoying prodding. If he got her wound up enough it would more often than not end in a frustrated fumble and if he got her seething which with how badly her history of magic revision seemed to be going was likely he’d work her up enough that she’d let him fuck her in the restricted section to release the tension.

A loud bang rang out echoing through the library as the heavy oak doors slammed pulling Sebastian abruptly from his fantasies. Sebastian cringed internally for the poor sod who had surely invoked Scribner’s wrath. He heard muffled apologies answer Scribner’s shrill scolding which rang through the echoing library like a bell. He’d been on the receiving end of one of the aged librarians foul moods more times than he cared to remember and did not envy the recipient.

Flushed with embarrassment, Lucan Brattleby scouted sheepishly once Scribner was satisfied he’d had an earful and moved her attentions elsewhere. Although taller now the fifth year was no less baby faced the scarlet of his robes accentuating the flush in his cheeks. As he spotted them from the far side of the library and hurried towards the back table where they’d sequestered themselves away.

“Ah, there you both are! Been looking all over the bloody castle for you.”

“Seventh-year Lucan,” she sighed rolling up her parchment with a smile “If we’re not in the library we’re crying in the toilets.”

“Not too busy for tonight I hope,” he smiled nervously, eyes wide in a pleading stare. 

Sebastian had forgotten, between preparation for NEWT’s and spending the week desperately trying to get his girlfriend alone a final match of the Crossed Wands was far from the top on his list of priorities.

“Don’t you worry we’ll be there,” she smiled before Sebastian could disagree with more than a few ideas of what he'd rather do with her in his free time.

Lucan breathed a sigh of relief “Good that would throw the entire betting pool out of sorts. Not that I can let you two in on the fun I’m afraid. Can’t have one of you throwing a match and making off with the pot,” he grinned, brown eyes alight with mischief “I have some class as to not allow insider betting…that and the Ravenclaws would have my head.”  

“Surely you can spare a kickback for old friends?” Sebastian quirked.

“You do it for the glory Sallow and you know it,” she grinned at him.

“Touché.”

“Slight change of plans for tonight,” added Lucan blushing clearly seeing it painted across Sebastian’s face exactly what he’d rather be doing tonight. “We’re in the Astronomy Tower. Too many close calls with Professor Weasley in the Clocktower Courtyard.”   

“Don’t you worry we’ll be there. One last hurrah before exams completely destroy our social lives,” she sighed.

“I’ll see you both tonight!” Lucan clapped his hands together with glee looking between them conspiratorially before hurrying off.

If Sebastian was frustrated with their lack of time for each other now, he realised that would only get worse with exams looming over them edging closer. Sebastian leaned back in his chair and sighed dramatically, and he swore he saw her roll her eyes.

“It’s been ages since we duelled. It’ll be nice to do something apart from our usual verbal sparring,” she encouraged. But Sebastian’s thoughts were far from duelling when the idea struck him.

“Shame to let Lucan have all the fun," he said slowly leaning in close enough so his breath could disturb the loose hairs around her face "Care to make this more interesting?”

“I know that look. What are you plotting?”

“How about a little wager?”

“What kind of wager?” she narrowed her eyes at him.

Sebastian's eyes flicked around the room, as Lucan slammed the door a second time sending Scribner once again on the warpath. Directing her spitting rage towards some poor Gryffindor second-years who had tried to smuggle pumpkin pasties into the library and had gotten crumbs and oily fingerprints all over their books.

Satisfied they were secluded away from any prying eyes he hooked his finger under the hem of her long skirt where it had ridden up over her crossed legs. His hand stroked purposefully up the bare skin underneath, ghosting up the inside of her thighs teasing the soft skin with a gentle scratch of his fingernails that sent a shiver through her.

She looked at him half amused, but he could see how her pupils had been blown wide from the lightest touch that promised everything.

“I have some ideas.”

***

Even Sebastian was baffled at the sheer number of students who’d managed to sneak out of their common rooms to make the long trek to the Astronomy tower that night. Whoever had done the imperturbable charm had done an impressive job not a sound could be heard from outside of the classroom, despite the deafening din inside. There had to be at least fifty students crammed into the observation deck. They clang to the railings hitching themselves up high to get the best view.

“Last call to get your bets in. Come on don’t be shy!” Lucan shouted over the hectic crowd that had surrounded him. Students jostled each other as they attempted to push forward to get closer to the board. “I’ve got some 20:1 odds-on Prewitt - put your money on the Underdog and you could walk away with half the pot.”

Lucan was truly in his element. His left fist clutched full of betting slips, he scratched frantically with his chalk at the betting pool he’d meticulously crafted on the blackboard he must have nicked from the arithmancy classroom and lugged up to the tallest point of the castle. Students inspected the match-ups before shoving galleons into his waiting hands.

Sebastian really did admire his entrepreneurial spirit. Taking over an unsanctioned duelling club in your third year was one thing but making a profit off of it was a stroke of genius. He’d begun his enterprise last year started in with a few well-meaning bets and had now spiralled to a size where even students who’d never participated in the duelling themselves would attend every match just for a piece of the action.

Sebastian cast his eyes over the crowded room, a couple of overeager fourth years were stretching relishing that they’d made it this far in the tournament at all. A few Slytherin second-years in their pyjamas who looked very pleased with themselves for having managed to sneak out of the common room to watch the show were whispering huddled in the corner.

His eyes connected with hers across the far side of the room. She was leaning against the rickety balcony he suspected was only still standing due to magic embedded in the castle. She was smiling at him, the moon high in the sky illuminating her features bathing her in an ethereal glow. Despite the commotion in the tower, the nerves of competitors were so palpable Sebastian felt he could cut the tension with a knife she looked beautiful and serene. For a moment he considered doing away with the tournament and their wager all together and dragging her off to her secret hideaway opposite the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy.

Sebastian battled against the grain of the crowd towards her. Weasley tried to grab his attention and pull him into a conversation about some combat-enhancing potions he was brewing but Sebastian patted the redhead on the shoulder placatingly never letting his eyes leave hers.

She smiled up at him a devilish glint in her eye as he came to lean against the banister beside her.

“You know if you want to back out of the bet I’ve thought of some creative forfeits,” he nudged her arm. She rolled her eyes; at the smug look he knew was plastered over his face. But he liked the way the small smile played on her lips. Lips that if he had his way wrapped around his cock before the night was up.

“Not scared of losing are you, Sallow?”

“Oh, not at all,” he leaned in closer, wrapping a strand of her hair around his finger to push it behind her ear. The smell of mallowsweet that always clung to her hair and clothes invaded his senses only making him more impatient to have that scent coating his skin “Just giving you the chance to save your knees while you still can.” He whispered into her ear low enough that only she could hear, relishing in the way she licked her lips instinctively at the thought. Despite the cool night breeze that came in through the open sides of the tower Sebastian could feel the heat creeping up his neck. Just as he’d decided to sack off the duels entirely and drag her away Lucan’s voice sounded over the muddle of raised voices.

“Right that it - Bets are closed. Sallow. Prewitt. Duellists take your marks for preliminaries!”

“See you in the final,” she winked and pushed him towards the middle of the tower. The red-head was already waiting looking insufferably smug as ever. Despite Sebastian’s general disdain for Prewitt, he did often find it amusing how even though he’d never once bested him in a duel he could delude himself into thinking this time could be any different.  

“This is my year, Sallow,” he called across from him taking an offensive stance.

“Sorry Prewitt, I have too much on the line to go easy on you tonight,” Sebastian replied not meeting the Gryffindor’s eyes instead turning slightly to wink at her.  

***

It wasn’t fate that landed her opposite him in the final duel that night. Sebastian had been quietly confident when he’d made his wager with her that it would always come down to the two of them. As much as Lucan insisted that his matchups were done completely at random, and he’d never sully his reputation with such cheap tricks. Lucan also knew people liked a show of seeing their two best duellers face off against each other. Having them knock each other out in the first round, well that would be bad for business.

Sebastian was certain he could live a hundred lifetimes and still remember the way she moved. As if it was seared into his brain that first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. She was like a raging storm, and he was a lost ship being pulled out to sea. That ancient magic in her veins practically glowing like an azure snake crackled amongst her fingertips like the poised lightning of a vengeful god ready to send his sails and crew to a watery grave.  

Their dance began. She still duelled as if she was some untamed wind whirling reactively and unrefined. Her wand lashing out from her fast like a whip, she cast with her whole body. The wand was not just a tool but a very extension of herself. Never one for fancy charms she sent a confringo towards him that singed the edges of his cloak and sent the crowd quickly leaping from their view around the railings as the curse hurtled towards them. She’d leave her left side fully exposed and just as fast as he’d send a curse flying in her direction, she’d pivot so quickly the vulnerability was lost in a flurry of robes and hair. He parried and struck with his wand missing his mark again and again as she moved like a knife through butter. As they twirled around the moving iron plates marked with stars, they used this new terrain to their advantage. Taking cover when the discs shifted blocking their opponent and their spells from view only to spring from the other side with curses of their own. Sweat glistened faintly on her brow, and a wide grin spread across her face that he knew was mirrored on his own.

His eyes met her across the devilish glint in her eyes practically stopping his heart for a moment. The rest of the world, the crowds slipped away and there was only her. Her fire, her perfect storm.

It took his brain a moment to right itself and realised he’d been hit, and he was now meeting her piercing gaze with his arse firmly on the floor. Her brow gleamed with sweat, hair tangled and wild, blazing with victory. A goddess of war, triumphant. And she was his.

As suddenly as they disappeared the crowds seemed to come flooding back in a riotous cheer as they surrounded her. Weasley slapped her on the back his face broken into a wide toothy grin. He peeled off from the crowd hand outstretched to assist Sebastian to his feet. He gratefully took it dusting himself off, chuckling to himself.

“Tough luck mate,” he smiled placatingly. “I would say there’s always next time but that was your last shot. I’m afraid you’re out of the history books now. I lost eight sickles betting on you as well.” He ran his fingers through his ginger hair frowning to himself stewing over his lost winnings.

Sebastian smiled at him apologetically despite the fact he couldn’t give two shits about Weasley’s shrapnel not when he had a debt of his own, one that he was eager to pay.

Sebastian leaned against the railings in wait for her. The crowd swarmed around her dragging her this way and that, chattering over each other each eager to get her ear. Some cheered some muttering reluctant congratulations looking away enviously as Lucan handed those who had bet on her their winnings. Not nearly as much as the house would take however as Lucan lined his pockets.

Sebastian was beginning to grow impatient, it felt like an eternity as he waited for the crowds to finally disperse. This earned him a few smirking looks, everyone thought he was embarrassed, and Hogwarts' self-proclaimed ‘best dueller’ had been bested yet again. He played the part of the good sport despite his growing frustration, laughing off the snide little barbs from the likes of the insatiably competitive Imelda and most shockingly even a mocking glare from old Puffskein Dunkein. The audacity of a man afraid of puffskein to look at him like that Sebastian almost laughed out loud.

When at last a pair of gushing fourth-year Hufflepuffs girls had finally left her side whispering and giggling as they left the tower to follow the rest of the crowd. Sebastian slipped up behind clearing his throat as she turned to him eyes bright with triumph.

“So…what was all that about saving my knees?”

“No need to show off, pet. It doesn’t suit you,” he grinned slowly encroaching in on her. The once deafening tower was now quiet and still. The only lights left were the soft moonlight and glowing stars. Sebastian thought if he listened hard enough, he could hear her heartbeat increase with every step he took towards her.

She released a loud undignified snort of laughter “That’s rich coming from you.”

Sebastian silenced her pressing his lips hard against hers in a desperate kiss that ignited a fire in his bones. With the pressure of NEWTs, he hadn’t realised how starving he was for her touch. He nipped at her bottom lip and she gasped parting her lips just enough so he could slip his tongue between them to tangle with her own. His hands ghosted down her sides wrapping around her so he could pull her flush against him. He knew she’d already be able to feel his already hardening length exposing exactly where his thoughts were as they pressed into her. He pulled away from her a little breathless, freckled hands coming up to clasp her cheeks.

“A debt is owed, pet. Ready to collect?”

“What now? Here?”

“Did I not mention it’s a time-sensitive offer?”

She huffed out a surprised laugh as she met his eyes. But he noticed that telltale way she bit down on the inside of her cheek, noted how even in the low light her pupils were blown wide as saucers. He kissed her again more passionately this time, edging her towards the small table in the corner covered in ripped-up betting slips from sore losers and broken astronomy equipment.

In his haste, Sebastian swept the papers and objects littering the table a telescope clattered to the floor with a loud metallic clang. He gripped her hips forcefully and lifted her to plant her on the edge of the desk. He kissed up the column of her throat savouring every rasping vibration against his lips as her breathing caught in her throat.

“You were excellent, darling. Thought you might actually finish me off,” he murmured against her skin as he loosened her tie around her neck as he had done his own. He could already see a flush creeping up her clavicle as he worked the buttons exposing more of the stained flesh beneath. Her skin was salty on his tongue but after a week of nothing but longing looks and stolen kisses it tasted like ambrosia. He pulled the offending garment from around her shoulders throwing it unceremoniously to the floor. He pulled at the ribbons letting her stays flutter open before pulling the thin silky chamise over her head. Her nipples pebbled fully exposed as the night air swept in through the tower, mussing her hair. He brought the crown between his teeth tongue flicking out to tease the flesh and she groaned. Her hand came to settle on her neglected left breast pinching the twin between her own fingers. Wickedly gorgeous a movement that he knew meant she ached as much for him this last week as he did her. He released her from his teeth and kissed her quickly. Grinning Sebastian ran his hands up her thighs fingers pressing hard into those sinfully tight trousers she wore.

He hooked his fingers into her waistband as she lifted her hips assisting him as he peels her trousers and knickers off of her legs. She wriggled her feet out of the bottom and Sebastian discarded them next to her shirt in a pile on the floor. Bare and laid out before him he cursed himself for ever letting her wear clothes at all.

Dropping to his knees Sebastian coaxed her legs apart by peppering kisses along the inside of her thighs. Pausing momentarily to nip and suck small bruises on the tender flesh as he worked up towards the apex of her thighs. He bent her knees up to rest them on either side of his shoulders, he pulled her hips sharply forward spreading her out before him like his last meal.

“Did you like seeing me on my back as much as you do between your thighs?” he goaded. Her lips parted to reply but all that came out was a low whine as Sebastian flicked his tongue across her bundle of nerves. Her hips jolted forward in search of reprieve. More pleasure only he could give to her. A pleasure he now owed her.

He dragged his tongue across her clit more purposefully this time. Her hands shot down to knot almost painfully in his hair, as he kept him close to her aching heat demanding the payment that was due. Sebastian was a lot of things; ruthless at worst, an insufferable show-off at best but he was not a sore loser. He sealed his mouth over her aching heat, burying her tongue in her folds.

The sight of her above him he doubted there was a more perfect sight in this world. She was bare and spread out like a nymph from some Greek tragedy and he was a mere disciple who had come to pray at her altar. He chased her sounds, swirling his tongue around her nub lapping up every drop she offered to him. He dragged his tongue across her weeping entrance, a broad stroke with the flat part of his tongue. From the way her legs had already begun to tremble, he knew she had been aching for this, for his touch just as much as he had. He always marvelled at how quickly she came undone when he used his tongue, but with how much he’d been driven practically mad with need all week he wanted to savour this. Every flash of skin, the sway of her hips, when she leaned in too close, and her scent seeped into his mind had him as pent up as he had been before they were together and all thought of her had been a mere albeit all-consuming fantasy. So, he wanted to take his time with her, use that control he had over her and bring her to the brink and back until she was a crumpled mess.

She writhed sinful curses and breathy moans slipping from her lips as she ground her hips forward seeking relief on the flat part of his tongue. He was teasing her he knew. Edging her closer and closer towards that summit of bliss and that wasn’t part of their deal. But after a week of nothing but stolen kisses and fumbles above their clothes in quiet classrooms and hidden alcoves, he wanted her to come crashing down when she was near breaking and begging for release.

Just as he felt her legs begin to clamp together practically suffocating him between her thighs he ceased his ministrations of his tongue, sucking small bruises on the inside of her thighs. Not that Sebastian thought suffocating between her thighs was a particularly bad way to go out. He released her clit switching between sinking his teeth into her soft skin before swiping the marks with his tongue.

“Seb- what the fuck?” she groaned in protest, she bucked her hips towards him practically at breaking point in need of her release. Her fingers smoothing his mop of chestnut hair he guessed now looked even more tangled and wild than usual as she desperately tried to pull him back towards her aching heat.

Sebastian released his grip on her thighs, skimming his fingers along the inside of her thighs leaving goosebumps in his wake before he slid his fingers into her tight heat. Her eyelashes fluttered as he teased her open with two freckled fingers. He crooked his fingers and grinned as her light panting transformed into keening mewls as he hit that sweet spot inside of her that made her crumble from the inside out. He knew it was cruel to make her wait, she had earnt her prize fair and square, but he’d been starving for her for all week, and he wanted to feel her come undone harder than he ever had. Even if it took all night. He pumped his digits slowly coaxing her towards the brink again with each purposeful thrust. She was practically vibrating, so dangerously close to the edge Sebastian thought he saw the ghosts of tears in her eyes as she writhed desperately.  

“Sebastian, please. I can’t- Fuck,” she groaned desperately. Sebastian sealed his mouth over her clit and sucked - devouring the quivering nub.

The combination of sensations must practically set fire to all her nerves. Even if no one had heard the unsanctioned duelling tournament he still wouldn’t be surprised if they heard her now. The loud unabashed cry that she released as her earth shattered even her legs clamped around his ears did little to muffle her glorious sounds. Despite his own need twitching almost painfully in his trousers at the sight of her shuddering release; all Sebastian cared about was prolonging her bliss. He lapped purposefully at her swollen flesh as she rode his fingers forcing her hips down onto them. Each thrust is more forceful than the last. He’d gladly let her wake the whole castle with her strangled cries. Let them all hear the pretty sounds the Hero of Hogwarts only made for him.

Her legs at last went boneless panting hard as she collapsed back on her elbows. Her head lolled helplessly to the side as she gazed at him through hooded eyes of admiration and desire. She looked practically drunk at the sight of him still buried between her legs.

“My congratulations to the victor,” he said smugly. Licking the residual wetness that still coated his lips as he at last removed his fingers from her tight heat. His tongue laved at the bruises he sucked on the inside of her thighs soothing their ache. He travelled up her pausing only to run his nose through the sparse hairs at the apex of her thighs which made her groan again as his heated breath tickled her still-sensitive nub. Impatient at his torturous pursuit up her body her hands clasped his freckled cheeks to pull him towards her. She claimed his lips not caring to wipe his mouth. She nipped greedily at his bottom lip her tongue flicking out to meet his won as she tasted the need her body had for him still sweet on his lips.

Her hands ghosted across his hipbones that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The scratch of her fingernails had Sebastian’s hips instinctively jerked towards her. Chasing his own need for release rutting forward his still-clothed member twitching against her exposed heat. She captured the grunt he released with her lips her deft fingers frantically working the buckle of his belt. He encircled her wrists with a large hand stopping her pursuit.

“Ah- Ah. You won fair and square. No need for that,” he grinned. He could practically feel his own body cursing the part of his mind that wasn’t completely overcome with desire for the witch spread out before him and was still capable of rational thought. He focused on the need his cock had to claim her into his lips fastening his teeth over her fluttering pulse.

“Don’t make me beg,” she groaned. With the little room she had to move her hands in his grip she pulled him forward by his belt loops more forcefully until his hips were flushed against her. Even through his trousers, he could feel the heat from between her thighs that made his cock twitch demandingly.

“But I so love it when you do.” His hands buried into her hair in a possessive grip to pepper kissed along her jaw.

“Shut up and fuck me already,” she practically growled, palming his cock through the fabric. Sebastian knew he would grant any request from her lips. Taking her hips in a bruising grip she yelped as her backside was pulled sharply over the edge of the rickety table. He didn’t let her fall instead letting her weight pass to him flipping her around so she could take a firm hold of the table and steady herself. She turned to look at him, her eyes hooded pupils blown wide biting so hard on her bottom lip he thought she might draw blood. To the world, she was a triumphant warrior, a heroine forged in fire and bloodshed but for him and only him in secret moments stolen under darkness and moonlight, she would shed that armour. And give herself to being his to claim and conquer.

Sebastian shucked his trousers down forcefully kicking them off from around his ankles. His cock sprang free of its prison, arching proudly in front of him. Sebastian swiped his fingers through her still soaking folds coating his fingers in her slick and his spit.

“Please Sebastian-” she whimpered at the contact, desperate to feel more than just his fingers inside her. He teased her kiss-swollen bottom lip down, pushing his digits roughly into her mouth. She closed her mouth greedily around his fingers languidly dragging her tongue to clean them off. Her pupils were blown wide as black as the night sky; he almost came completely undone just at the lusty look she was giving him. He could wait any longer to be inside her and feel her around him. Sebastian angled his hips and breached her walls with a strong deliberate thrust. She released a strangled cry her head lolled against her shoulder her desperation to finally be filled by him satiated.

“Fuck-” Sebastian hissed. He didn’t wait for her to adjust to him as he took her hip in a bruising grip thrusting his hips forward. Still tender and swollen from how he’d already made her quake her oversensitive walls fluttered around his cock as she took the entirety of him. As he rocked his hips into her Sebastian thought he could rename every star in the sky with the speed with which filthy moans and praise to him and everything he made her feel tumbled from her lips. Each is more wonderous than the last.

He hastily undid the remaining buttons on his shirt to admire his incessant plunges into her warmth. Only caring about how she practically swallowed him whole.  

“Taking me so well,” he grunted, rough and low. Her spine curved at his praise drawing him in deeper. The head of his cock teased that sweet spot inside her. The more of her weight shifted backwards the more she arched towards him until she was flushed against him and rutting her hips back frantically in search of more friction. He slowed his pace to draw himself almost fully out of her before filling her again with a languid thrust. “Tell me how it feels darling.”

“Incredible. Fuck- I’ve needed you all week- inside me. Please Seb more,” she whimpered.

He wondered how many students dreamt of having her and how even they in all their wildest fantasies couldn’t begin to imagine what it was like to take her under the stars.

He pressed his forehead into her shoulder, wrapping his arm around her to settle on the curve of her stomach. Holding her in place so he could increase his tempo slamming home hard. Each thrust into her tight heat drew keening mewls as he edged her closer towards her second climax.

Sebastian could feel that coil inside him tightening threatening to snap. He wanted to feel her crash down around him. He didn’t just crave it. He needed it. Like a man lost in the desert and she was his oasis gulping down water greedily until he was sick with it. Sebastian curled his hand around her throat, squeezing just enough that a choked whine could still escape from her lips as her head began to spin. Each finger that pressed around her delicate neck said the words his sex-addled mind couldn’t make his mouth form.

Only I can make you feel like this. You are mine. I am yours. I love you.

He pulled her backwards harder onto his cock by her throat, spearing her with brutal efficiency. Curling his fingers tighter his other hand slipped down the planes of her stomach to apply soft pressure to her hooded bundle of nerves sending a shock through her like a burst of electricity. He could feel her body begin to clench and tremble around him in a way that was maddening. Whatever words she tried to speak came out as little more than a garbled cry over the grip around her delicate neck.

“Come for me, darling. Please- I can’t hold back any longer. I need to feel you come undone all over my cock,” Sebastian groaned into the shell of her ear as he began to tease furious circles over her still-swollen clit.

Sebastian doubted there was a more beautiful sight than the witch he loved unravelling under the full force of his fingers and his cock. Her walls clenched around him. Spasming and contracting as they sucked him in impossibly deeper into her cunt as she let out a shriek. With a final uneven snap of his hips that coil inside him snapped and his own release spilling inside her. His hips spluttered, pumping it deeper into her, her name and filthy praise erupting from his lips in a sound he could only liken to a primal whine.

Her body was flushed with a thin sheen of sweat that coated her glittering under the moonlight. His forehead came to rest between her shoulder blades he released his hold on her throat to wrap his arms around her as she struggled to stay upright on weakened trembling legs. He peppered soft apologetic kisses across the small bruises that were beginning to bloom around her throat. Still buried deep inside her his thumb stroking her nub gently, she whined and bucked her hips to try and shake off the overstimulation. She chuckled against her skin, and at last, releasing the small bundle of nerves she sighed with relief.

He removed himself from her aching core and she groaned at the loss of him inside her. As if she only felt whole when he was filling her completely. On shaking legs, he guided her over to rest gently on the edge of the desk again. He kissed her more gently now and she hummed against his lips. A pleasureful little sound that even despite being completely spent had him wondering if he could muster up the energy to take her again as his tongue flicked lazily out tangling with her own.

“I love you,” he smiled and she practically glowed. To him, she was brighter and more beautiful than any star that any astronomer could find in the farther reaches of the cosmos.

“You let me win, didn’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he mused, pushing her hair behind her ears absentmindedly. 

“Either way the result was the same. You’ve been looking up at me from your back since you were fifteen,” she smiled slyly, her eyes twinkling with mirth. She bent down to scoop up her trousers before shimmying back into the tight material that he still had no idea how she got away with wearing the wildly inappropriate attire on the school grounds.

“Oh- You want a rematch? I’d be more than happy to take my winnings.”

“Oh, I’m sure you would be.”

“Care to make it more interesting?”

“I’m listening,” she grinned. His little witch had always been a thrill seeker, but their rematch was a contest he wasn’t willing to lose. He didn’t just want her mouth. He wanted her hand.

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[supersaiyanjedi14]

SWTOR OCs

I don't have anything special planned for Halloween, so instead let me treat you to more additions to my Star Wars AU. This time, my PCs for Star Wars: the Old Republic (or rather my would-be PCs seeing as I've never played the game myself).

-Lucanus "Lucan" Subartuk, the Hero of Tython, Battlemaster of the Jedi Order, Commander of the Eternal Alliance

-Baya Vihsii, the Bas'en'thor, master of the Jedi High Council, envoy of the Rift Alliance

-Staxos Patror, Meteor, commander of Havoc Squad

-Jali Telas, the Voidhound, captain of the Quasar

-Lord Charom, the Empire's Wrath, nepotistic tool turned humbled aspiring reformer

-Logoi Kallig, Darth Nox, Dark Council Master of Ancient Knowledge

-Vrirm'vase'aercemmi "Mvasea", Cipher 9, Imperial Intelligence operative, destroyer of the Star Cabal

-Ujexes Djannis, Grand Champion of the Great Hunt, Lord of Clan Lok

Bonus: Lucan as the Outlander

Feel free to ask me anything about them!

Credit for my pixels here.

#star wars #star wars au #my pixels #the old republic #swtor #jedi knight #jedi consular #republic trooper #smuggler #sith warrior #sith inquisitor #imperial agent #bounty hunter

[vide0-nasties]

random thot but you’re the expert here, which fallout game would suit the camelthots most?

WAS A MISTAKE ASKING ME THIS BITCH DFGJF 💖💖

Short Answer: Fallout 4, but I'm barfing up under the cut lmao.

Long Answer:

The Knights 12 is already built to hardcore fuck as the Brotherhood of Steel bc they're literally based off feudal knights in their ranks—Squire, Scribe (seperate semi-non-combat research/tech/clerical role), Knight, Paladin, Sentinel with sub ranks and titles.

Arthur would be the Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel, which funnily enough the canon Elder is named Arthur (Maxson). He's been urged into a burgeoning occupation of the Commonwealth (Massachusetts) by the Proctors of his various Orders (Sword, Shield, and uhh Quill I think??), but he's reluctant to committ so many forces in such volatile and unmapped territory that's not only wilderness but also occupied urban. Don't know if Synths are gonna be the Devils of this game but I'll come back to mess with that later.

——— There IS a super mutant subplot that's pivotal in the Bethesda East Coast Fallout lore that's heavily focused on their eradication and has a massive influence on their plot.

Since this is a military op, Lancelot is probably one of Arthur's most trusted Sentinels, alongside Lucan. Guen I can see being a Head Scribe or Proctor, as well as Ysele.

I could see Morgana being an ousted Head Scribe who was meant for the Elder title, but muscled out. Weligan I could see being a traveling merc that's built a rep for himself up and down the east coast as a mutant killer, becoming smth like a living legend or smth in that neighborhood. Also, could be a Railroad operative, which would be the perfect thing for his rep to hide. Lead em to what the right hand is doing and away from the left hand.

Elowen I feel like is a hmm. See, so much is tired up in the Brotherhood it's hard to get away from it. But she was a waster in the Capital Wasteland, where the Brotherhood's home base is, and (after the events of Fallout 3, where basically they abuse the Lone Wanderer into facilitating their ascension to being the ruling force in the Wastes [hi Lone Wanderer!Perrin and RW crew 😭😭] by leveraging their good name, they go on a colonizing campaign and make it a Steel territory, then they recruit recruit recruit) was inducted to the BoS as a kid. We got child soldiers baby!! Guyeruenna (sp) and their bunch are former wasters turned Steelers from the same territory.

Mordred I could see being yeah a waster turned Steeler, but not by choice. Could've even been a raider or raider captive. Not sure!

I think the main outliers are the other pagans, who were in the Commonwealth already. This is where the rest of it gets fucky.

Deorwine I could see as being the mayor and last inhabitant of Goodneighbor, which is basically a walled anarchist community, that was wiped out by raiders. The timeline is fucked but it exists, and the other pagans are actually settlements across the region. Nimue is the leader of an independent settlement, and Gawain is kind of next in line to become the General (leader) of the Minutemen, which had become incredibly corrupt at the end before its reformation.

I have to fiddle around and figure out who is the player character role this time—Perrin's the Wanderer and Z's the Courier for instance, so we're looking for the Sole Survivor here—and I think that might be Elowen actually? The basic plot needs redone but that's a given bc Bethesda plots are hot garbage.

I WILL CONTINUE TO CHEW TY FOR ASKING LOVE DFHJD

#holler holler get $

[avrablake]

7 snippets 7 people

Thanks for tagging me @thegreatobsesso

I'll pass on an open tag and also tag @ashen-crest @tabswrites @ambiguouspuzuma @author-a-holmes @bloodlessheirbyjacques @withlovelunette @odysseywritings

I decided it would be fun to do a different POV for each snippet (chosen randomly by the wheel of destiny). Putting them under the cut:

Iris POV

She nearly jumped when Lucan’s small hand rested on her arm. “Sorry,” she whispered, and took his hand. He squeezed hers like it was a lifeline. His face looked calm, as it almost always did, but she could see the way his eyes darted around the room. He looked a little pale and she knew he must be feeling the same as her—overwhelmed and out of place. They followed behind the Averys as they moved to greet their hosts, but all Iris wanted to do was hide in the corner of the room and hope no one noticed her.

Nolan POV

Nolan crumpled the letter in his fist before he’d even finished the last few lines. He’d been a fool. It was no wonder his father had summoned him to dinner. He’d behaved in a way that did not fit his station. He’d repeatedly sought out a girl he knew nothing about. He’d even sent her a letter. And all along it had been a lie. Dr. Avery may be charitable enough to believe otherwise, but Nolan wasn’t so foolish. Only foolish enough to fall for her deception in the first place.

Lucan POV

“When was the last time you ate something besides this junk?” Lucan asked, gesturing toward the half-eaten meal. Gram grimaced as he shrugged and Lucan knew the answer. Lucan turned back to the door. “I’ll be right back. I'm going to buy some groceries." Gram didn't respond, but it was fine. He didn't have to. He had answered the door. That was enough to let Lucan know he would answer again. “The door’s unlocked,” Gram said quietly before the door closed and Lucan smiled.

Kaori POV - Nightshade

After she told them her plan, Jiren’s face turned red with rage. “I won’t trust my son’s rescue to that monster,” he shouted. “He’s done enough harm already. If it were up to me he’d be thrown in prison permanently, and we'd never deal with him again.” “It’s not up to you,” her father’s voice had returned to its usual cold, flat tone. Its stark contrast to Jiren’s yelling gave his words a chilling weight. Jiren blanched but still set his jaw stubbornly. “For now, leave us," her father continued. "I will talk with him and my daughter alone.”

Gram POV - Nightshade

“Have you seen him, Nolan?” Gram asked incredulously, “He’s just a kid. There’s no way all the rumors about him are true. Sure, he’s been involved in some of the Syndicate's attacks, but he didn’t do it alone.” Nolan just shook his head. “Kid or not Gram, it doesn’t change the facts. He’s dangerous. I intend to do everything in my power to see that he’s brought to justice.”

Ryu POV - Nightshade

“Remember, Ryu,” Kaori paused, hesitating. “Remember when we find him that he can make you believe anything he wants you to believe. Why do you think so many of our operations were a success? He can get in your head if he wants, change what you think or even what you think you see.” Ryu’s eyes widened. “This is the first I’m hearing about that. Can telepathy really do that?” A brief smile flashed across Kaori’s face and Ryu’s stomach dropped. He couldn’t tell what that expression meant, but he didn’t like it. “There are a lot of things father never told you, Ryu,” and she almost sounded sad for him. “That’s why you need me.”

Thea POV - Beyond the Darkness

She looked up to see who she had bumped into. A large man smiled down at her and stretched out a hand to help her up. “Hey sorry about that. You alright…” Thea’s own apology caught in her throat and she froze as the man’s question trailed off unsubtly. She could tell by his expression. He recognized her. He knew who she was.

#tag game #7 snippets #btd snippets #nightshade snippets #iris and nolan #lucan pov

[pigeonwhumps]

Surgery

Sam and Lucan masterlist

Whumptober masterlist

Day 25: SILENCE IS GOLDEN | lost voice | duct tape | "you better start talking"

Taglist: @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump @onlybadendings @whumpofdory @haro-whumps

Lucan loses his voice.

Set a few weeks after Lucan's auction (and the last pre-Sam piece for now before we head back to Sam and Lucan in the present and Lucan's recovery arc – I know I've written a lot of Lucan pre-Sam during this Whumptober!)

1.5k

CWs: non-con surgery, non-con body modification, shock collar, electric shock, dehumanisation, 'it' as a pronoun for dehumanising, non-human whumpee (faerie), multiple whumpers, slavery setting, threats of caning, broken bones and poisoning

Lucan awakes to a blaring alarm.

The handlers have started doing that recently. Setting off alarms at random times of the day and night (entirely random times, since Lucan’s cell doesn’t have any windows), and expecting him to be alert and ready to do whatever pointless tasks he’s ordered to complete when they enter the cell. Sometimes he obeys, sometimes he doesn’t – it depends, mostly, on how scared he is. And how much pain he’s in already.

He knows they’re trying to ‘train’ him for going to Caroline Jones. And it terrifies him, because he can’t see a way out. Even if he were to escape this place, even if he somehow managed to get rid of his bracelet and microchip, what would he do? He’d still have no legal identity, they deleted that when he was taken.

Not that there seems to be a way out of this place anyway.

Lucan really can’t summon up the energy to fight today, and he scrambles out of the cage he’s forced to sleep in, slipping onto his knees, hands in front of him, head bowed, facing the door of his cell, just in time for the electronic lock to click open and admit two handlers. At least he has clothes now, blue Swift House-branded overalls with his number emblazoned on the front in white. They’re scratchy and thin but it’s better than nothing.

“Very good. On your feet, 12735.” Lucan climbs to his feet, hands behind his back. “Now against the wall, facing me, hands by your side.” Lucan obeys, keeping his eyes on the floor, and he hears something big being wheeled into the cell. “You’re doing good today. Get back here and climb on the table.”

Lucan fights the shiver of pleasure his body desperately wants from the praise and looks up. The table. He has to know what that means, and–

Oh, god.

There’s a metal gurney with leather straps standing in the doorway. The kind they use in hospitals sometimes, although less comfortable. His uncle was right, wasn’t he, about the illegal operations. It’s not really a surprise but Lucan didn’t think about it much. He didn’t want to, since the allegations are likely what made his uncle disappear, but... they really are true. Oh, fuck.

“No. I’m not coming with you!” He tries to back away but he’s already against the wall, and he moves sideways, kicking out as the handlers near.

An excruciating jolt of pain shoots through him and his legs crumple, a scream ripped from him before he blacks out.

_

When Lucan comes to, he’s strapped to the metal table and being wheeled down the corridor. Everything feels like jelly but he still makes a weak attempt to escape. One of the handlers chuckles.

“Keep going like that, you’ll tire yourself out before you’re sedated.”

Lucan carries on struggling. “What are you going to do to me?”

“Shut–”

“No, let it speak. It’s allowed last words, after all.”

“Last words?” yells Lucan, panic rising. “What are you going to do to me?”

“That would be telling.” The handler grins as he pushes Lucan through the door into... oh, god, it’s an operating theatre. “Where d’you want it, Doc?”

“Just over there, in the preparation room. And remove its clothes!”

“Much as I hate to admit it, you’ll have to sedate it first. It’s a struggler.”

The surgeon heaves a sigh that just makes Lucan try harder to escape. “Fine. Bring it over here. You, hold his arm down while I insert the IV.”

“Yes, sir.” A young woman places both hands on his arm to hold it still and he doesn’t think, he just bites. She yelps and withdraws, but before Lucan can even blink something’s shoved into his mouth.

“You’ll pay for that behaviour later,” snarls the handler as he ties the gag. “You’re lucky you’ve been bought or you’d be downstairs before you could say ‘mistress’. Hopefully this surgery will mellow you out a bit though.”

And although Lucan continues to struggle as much as he can, before he really registers it the IV’s inserted and everything disappears.

_

When Lucan wakes he’s cold. He’s definitely dressed, he can feel the scratchy fabric, but... he’s still cold. And his throat hurts. He touches it gingerly.

He actually touches the scarred band of skin. He’s not wearing a shock collar.

That jolts his eyes open.

He’s tied to a bed in a small white room, nearly unrestrained. There’s a woman sorting something out in the corner and she must hear him move, because she turns.

“You’re awake! That was quick.” She picks up a cup of water and brings it over, and Lucan spots the yellow bracelet below the bandage. “Here. Drink this, slowly.”

Lucan sips at it, wondering what happened to her, and she says quietly, “You bit me earlier, before the surgery. It’s okay, I don’t blame you.” Lucan opens his mouth to apologise anyway but nothing comes out. What the hell? What did they do to him? The woman looks at him sadly. “I’m so sorry.” Lucan frowns exaggeratedly and then gestures to himself, heart pounding. She looks around nervously, then mutters, “He removed your vocal cords. I’m not allowed to say more, I’m sorry.”

Lucan has to replay the words in his brain before he can really understand what she’s saying. He doesn’t have any vocal cords? He can’t make a sound now? His defiance to the handlers earlier was the last he’d ever speak?

No. No, it can’t be. It... no. He’s already had his freedom and life taken away, they can’t take his voice too.

A handler enters the room and smiles at the panic on Lucan’s face. “You told it then. Very good.” Lucan opens his mouth instinctively to protest again but nothing comes out. Of course it doesn’t. The handler laughs. “And I see the operation was a success. You’ll be much easier to handle now, won’t you?” The man reaches out a hand to touch Lucan’s hair, and he snarls silently, snapping at him. Just because he has no voice doesn’t mean he can’t bite. “No. You know, I’m not above muzzling you just because you can’t talk. I’d keep that in mind.”

Lucan snaps his mouth shut. Being muzzled is the worst form of punishment, it’s humiliating and he’s not a dog. He doesn’t want that on top of what’s just happened. The handler smirks.

“Very good. You know, I can see why Caroline paid for us to do this. She wants you to obey and look pretty, and you’ll certainly do that now. Personally, I prefer my slaves to make noises when they’re punished, but each to their own. Silence is probably a good thing in your case, anyway. Can’t protest if you can’t talk.” The handler winks, and Lucan grits his teeth as the handler touches his hair. It’s an intimately personal part of him, sacred really, and the handlers here know that, playing with it whenever they can now it’s starting to grow back. Lucan hates it every time. Usually it’s enough to make him protest, but... now he can’t speak, now he’s been promised a muzzle if he snarls... not today, he won’t. “Your new Mistress doesn’t want you to walk, either, but you’re lucky. She doesn’t want that done surgically, she wants you still capable of it physically. And since the surgery was only on your throat, you’re well recovered enough to start that training. So. When I untie you, you’re going to get on your hands and knees and follow me. Nod if you understand.” Lucan nods, and the handler unties him.

Lucan doesn’t move. If this is the last protest he has left, staying still when he should be obeying, he’ll do it.

The handler sighs. “I have a long list of infractions to punish you for already, 12735, don’t add to it.” When Lucan still doesn’t move, he adds, “If you don’t obey, I’ll punish this one.” The young woman takes a step back, clearly frightened, and Lucan forces himself out of bed and onto his knees – despite the fear and dread curdling in his stomach, he doesn’t want her punished in his stead. “Finally. Now follow me. And you had better get used to that position. If you ever get to your feet without orders, I’ll cane your hands and feet until they’re bloody, break both your kneecaps, and force you to crawl like that. And then we’ll see what iron we have in storage. You know what it feels like to consume that.” And he does. He really does. It’s so painful. The handler’s threats are too much, he’s not sure he could stand them, and Caroline Jones is more terrifying than all of them. What sort of a person is she if she’ll casually pay to alter Lucan permanently, like he’s nothing, just a toy for her whims? “First rule, now that you can’t speak, is to bow when you’d normally say, ‘yes, sir’.” Lucan does – much to his own chagrin, he’s too scared to disobey again – and he can feel the handler smile as he ruffles Lucan’s hair. “Good boy.”

#their first day together is just taking me so long to write #whumptober2022 #no.25 #silence is golden #lost voice #oc #fic #non-con surgery #dehumanisation #slavery #sam and lucan #lucan oc #whumpee and whumper #non human whumpee #fae whump #fae whumpee #multiple whumpers

[todaypatch]

Three in court charged over €6m 'ghost broker' fraud

Two businessmen and an art teacher have appeared in court charged in connection with €6 million "ghost broker" motor insurance policy fraud.

Forty-five-year-old Alexander Afanaschenko of Bewley Drive in Lucan, 38-year-old Mikhail Yegorov from Charnwood Court in Clonsilla, and 44-year-old Elena Olenik from Berryfield, Finnstown in Lucan, Dublin, were brought before Blanchardstown District Court today.

The charges follow an investigation by the Garda Special Investigations Unit in Roads Policing Division based at Dublin Castle.

The court was told that more than 2,500 motor insurance policies, valued at €6 million were identified as having been fraudulently obtained from ten insurance companies.

Garda George Thurlow told the court it was alleged Mr Afanaschenko was a director of a named company which operated as a "ghost broker" from January 2013 until September 2018.

He faces 210 charges: 91 counts of money laundering, 76 deception charges, one count of fraudulent trading contrary to the Companies Act, as well as being accused of using false documentation.

Fraudulent documents were allegedly used get policies with beneficial premiums.

Originally from Russia, Mr Afanaschenko has lived in Ireland for 18 years and was the holder of Irish, Moldovan and Russian passports. There was no objection to bail with conditions.

The court was told that Mikhail Yegorov is from Ukraine, but identifies as Irish and has lived in Ireland since 2014.

Garda Sergeant John Carey said Mr Yegorov is accused of 21 money laundering offences by possessing the proceeds of criminal conduct, and one charge of fraudulent trading of a ghost broker venture.

It is alleged he worked with Mr Afanaschenko and that he and his co-accused were paid to use false information, including fake licences and no claims bonus certificates, to get genuine insurance policies with reduced premiums.

The court heard €180,000 allegedly went through one bank account over two years.

The two businessmen had bail set with €5,000 lodgements, and their legal aid applications were deferred.

The judge ordered them to sign on regularly at their local Garda stations, to surrender travel documentation, alert gardaí if they will be away from their homes for more than 24 hours, not to leave the jurisdiction, and have no contact with injured parties.

The third accused, self-employed art teacher Elena Olenik who is originally from Latvia, faces 15 money laundering charges and 20 counts of forgery of documents, Garda Thurlow told the court.

Her solicitor Wayne Kenny said she is currently on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and she was granted legal aid.

The court was told the Director of Public Prosecutions directed trial on indictment in the Circuit Court.

All three have been remanded on bail to appear again at Blanchardstown District Court in July for service of the book of evidence and to be returned for trial.

[lorenzospurio]

N.E. 02/2024 - "La religiosità spirituale nelle opere delle poete lucane: da Isabella Morra ad Anna Santoliquido", saggio di Francesca Amendola

L’opera di un poeta è fusione totale tra parole e immagine, che origina quello che Bachelard chiama retentissement, ossia  la capacità della poesia di creare una sorta di “vicinanza”  tra poeta e lettore, che mette in moto l’attività di comprensione e interpretazione. Petrarca scriveva che «la poesia, in quanto vera poesia, è sempre sacra scrittura» poiché nasce da una commistione tra ispirazione…

View On WordPress

#Amalia Marmo #Anna Santoliquido #Antonia Caracciolo #Arcadia #Aurora Sanseverino #canzoniere #Cristo #critica #dolore #fede #Forenza #Francesca Amendola #Giuliana Brescia #inquietudine #Isabella Morra #Laura Battista #letteratura #Lorenza Colicigno #Lucania #Lucinda Coritesia #Matera #N.E. 02/2024 #pace #passione #poete #politica #profetessa #religione #Rivista Nuova Euterpe #Rosalba Griesi

[newssprint]

Art teacher and two businessmen face 260 charges over alleged €6m 'ghost broker' insurance scam

Alexandr Afanascenko (45), Mikhail Yegorov (38) and Elena Oleinik (44) were remanded on bail when they appeared in Blanchardstown District Court today.

These are the two businessmen and an art teacher who have been charged over an alleged €6 million “ghost broker” motor insurance fraud operation. The three are accused of taking part in a scam that allegedly saw 10 insurance companies conned into issuing around 2,500 policies after false information was supplied through the “brokerage.”

Alexandr Afanascenko (45), Mikhail Yegorov (38) and Elena Oleinik (44) are facing trial on more than 260 charges combined and were remanded on bail when they appeared in Blanchardstown District Court today.

Judge Gerard Jones adjourned the cases for the preparation of books of evidence.

Mr Afanascenko, from Bewley Drive, Lucan, is charged with 210 offences.

He is facing 91 counts of money laundering, 78 of theft by deception from insurance companies and policy holders, 40 charges of using false documents and one of fraudulent trading.

Mr Yegorov of Charnwood Court, Clonsilla is charged with 22 offences - 21 counts of money laundering and one of fraudulent trading.

Ms Oleinik (44), of Berryfield, Finnstown, Lucan is charged with 35 offences - 20 counts of forgery and 15 for money laundering.

Garda George Thurlow said it was alleged Mr Afanascenko operated as what was colloquially known as a ghost broker in relation to insurance fraud between January 2013 and September 2018.

It was alleged he was director of a named company from March 2016 “and that this company was used as a vehicle to carry out this activity and launder the proceeds of criminal conduct through same,” Gda Thurlow said.

He said around 2,500 motor insurance policies had been identified as having been facilitated and the alleged deception involved totalled in excess of €6 million across 10 insurance companies.

The garda said there was deception used to incept the policies and fraudulent documents were used to get beneficial premiums.

The charges were on a sample case basis, Gda Thurlow said.

Garda Sergeant John Carey said it was alleged Mr Yegorov was involved in handling the proceeds of criminal conduct as a result of this ghost brokerage.

Asked if the two were working together, Det Sgt Carey told the judge they were both part of the same company but Mr Afanascenko was more directly involved in ghost brokering.

The allegations against Mr Yegorov were “more that he knew this was going on and permitted it to take place.”

It was alleged they were getting genuine insurance policies from legitimate insurance companies but providing false and misleading information on behalf of the policy holders and charging a brokerage fee.

This included providing false no claims bonus certificates and driving licences, the court heard.

The court heard approximately €180,000 went through the bank accounts over a two-year period.

The accounts were accessible by both Mr Afanascenko and Mr Yegorov, it was alleged.

Gda Thurlow said Ms Oleinik’s involvement had “got to do with forging the documents.”

Judge Jones granted bail to the first two accused on €5,000 cash bail each, with conditions that they surrender their passports, do not contact witnesses, do not leave the jurisdiction and sign on at a garda station.

He deferred decisions on granting legal aid for both men, saying he wanted to see statements of financial means.

Ms Oleinik, a mother-of-three was already on bail given at a garda station. The judge granted her legal aid after her solicitor Wayne Kenny said she was a self-employed art teacher on Covid payments.

The DPP directed trial on indictment on all charges and the three accused were remanded on bail to July for the preparation of books of evidence.

The investigation is being carried out by the garda Special Investigations Unit attached to the Roads Policing Unit at Dublin Castle.

[temperedgods]

Part 1 Chapter 9

Part 2 is done, pretty much. Needs editing as does any piece of work I make. Didn't edit this one as much as I wanted to but I should get it out soon. Punch a senator.

Lawrence woke up first, or so he thought. He found Lucan downstairs drinking a cup of coffee.

“Mornin.” Lucan greeted him.

“Long night?” Lawrence asked.

“Not really. Ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in a while so we hung out for a bit.”

“Wonderful. Anyone follow you?”

“No. “Lucan said indignantly.

“You sure?”

“I’m pretty sure I would’ve noticed.”

Lawrence poured a cup of coffee. A few minutes later Riley found himself downstairs and went to Lucan for a pet.

“Is he usually the one to get up first?” Lucan asks.

“Pretty sure. I’m pretty sure he tries to upturn their place before they get up. Doesn’t do that when guests are around.”

Riley smiled as Lucan continued petting him. 

The old woman who ran the BnB came out from the kitchen and let the two know that breakfast would be ready for their group. Riley, smelling the prepared meal, quickly bolted upstairs to wake up the rest.

Lucan and Lawrence heard heavy footsteps upstairs and while Lucan looked up at the ceiling Lawrence asked.

“What’s her name?”

Lucan snapped his focus back to him and looked quizzical.

“You’re obviously very tired but you haven’t complained about it despite us running on empty for a few days now. So, you must’ve met a nice woman last night. Or someone else.”

Lucan peered to see if anyone was about to come downstairs.

“Look Lawrence, I’m not really sure if it was a one time thing. We didn’t make that clear before I left.”

“You should make that clear to them. If you’re even thinking about it I can safely say you want to see her again. You look more on edge than after the fight outside Kentshire”

Lucan thought for a moment before Riley came down the stairs with everyone else. Julia had taken Charlie’s bed so she joined them for the time.

“I’ll think about it.” Lucan responded.

Julia eyed the two but didn’t press on it.

The host brought out plates of breakfast filled with meats, breads, and yogurt. A coffee and tea urn were also set out to keep the demand in check.

It was a nice breakfast without a bar fight, and a quiet one. Everyone looked tired despite a full night’s sleep, with Malan only being awake in name only.

The breakfast was broken by a knock at the door. Lawrence immediately went up to get it, while pulling a gun out from under his coat. He looked through the peephole and put his weapon back.

“No one from Northwin said they would be here.” He announced and opened the door.

Outside was a Northwin soldier that was a few years older than a new recruit. A patch he had on his fatigue made it clear he was in a tank division, emblazoned with a tank in front of a shield. Standing beside him was a man wearing a leather coat and jeans while holding a camera.

“Good morning officer Mikael.” The soldier announced while giving a salute.

“It’s Lawrence. What are your orders?”

The other man stepped forward and held out a hand.

“Barry Alanos, I work for the Cherryville Tribune and was assigned to follow you after that fight you had in Harzenburg. It was only yesterday after that dragon came here that I was able to find you.”

Lawrence cautiously shook his hand.

“So you’re a war reporter? You look a little- inexperienced, to be a war reporter kid.”

“All of our war correspondents are already at the front lines in the south sir. I just got the job by chance.” “Because of that and a new policy with Northwin I am also here.” The soldier interrupted. “Lieutenant Gabriel Berkshaw, 8th tank battalion. We will be escorting you during your operations, and I will be personally escorting Mr. Alanos.”

Malan was holding herself up on Jordan’s arm who carefully slid her over to be held up by Riley. Jordan stood up and exclaimed

“Don’t we have a say if this guy comes with us?”

Lawrence turned back. Barry answered the question

“The people deserve to know what you do today.” Jordan nodded their head and sat back down.

“I would love to learn more about all the things that led up to this point here, actually. Possibly get some interviews as well if that’s alright?” Barry asked Lawrence

Lawrence cracked a smile.

“Sure, I imagine we can add another two spots at the table.”

Lawrence turned around and let the two in. Before they got chairs, Riley got up and introduced himself as he usually does.

“Right, I almost forgot.” Morgan said while getting up. “This is Riley, he’s an anthu, that myself and Jordan” He pointed to his partner while they waved with a half asleep Malan on their shoulder. “Have had for a few years now. He loves to meet new people if you couldn’t tell already.”

Riley smiled and Barry gave a reluctant pet. Riley’s smile grew bigger from receiving the attention.

Morgan’s gaze turned to Gabriel.

“I think I’ve seen you somewhere before Gabe.” Morgan asked.

“We have. The field commander knew I had previous experience in Riverton with your group so that’s why I was ordered to come here.”

“Oh so you were at Riverton? Well I’m glad we could have you with us.”

Riley went back to his seat and Morgan ushered the two to their chairs. Barry pulled out an audio recorder and placed it in the middle of the table and began documenting the conversation. The group recounted their adventure thus far. From being almost shot in a back alley, meeting a witch, almost committing friendly fire, having a bar fight, partially defiling an ancient dig site, trying to stop an act of terrorism, and most recently seeing two ancient dragons emerge from their stone tombs.

“That’s the 15 minute version of the story.” Lucan closed out. “I didn’t know much about the stuff before Kentshire.”

Gabriel swallowed a hunk of bread and cleared his throat.

“Right. You mentioned you had another member since passing through there. I was led to believe it was Charlie Sigil? Some of the accounts from Harzenburg mentioned he was there despite being missing for months. Where has he been this whole time?”

“Oh yeah Charlie. He said he got captured by eagles and he’s a druid now. He’s also got a hot girlfriend now who looks like she could rip a tree in half.”

Everyone eyed Lucan.

“What?” Lucan yelped. “We all know that’s true.” “Doesn’t mean you have to say it.” Kracak said lightly.

“Ok well I am glad people will know he is doing well.” Barry answered. “Do you know if he has changed his allegiance since being a druid?”

“No comment.” Lawrence quickly answered, quickly eyeing everyone to not go against that answer.

“Okay, I do need to ask about your sleepy friend as well.” Gabriel pointed to Malan.

“Oh she’s just tired. We’ve all had a long day. Days.” Jordan answered.

Gabriel scribbled something in his notes.

“Wasn’t the wizard with you as well? My sources weren’t clear on if it was Nolan or Joseph.”

“It was Joseph.” Answered Lucan. “We’re not sure where he is now but hopefully he will show up later since he was pivotal to our last few successes.”

“He is a powerful spellcaster.” Gabriel scribbled some more notes down. “The dragon that was in Midlow park yesterday, where did it go?” “Oh I can actually answer that one!” Morgan chimed. “Before leaving Joseph brought me to go see some weird guy and his friend a violet Halcyon do a spell on the talisman.”

Lucan’s eyes went wide. Morgan didn’t see it but Jordan and Kracak did and both eyed him. He stayed quiet for the rest of the interview.

“The guy did some weird magic and now the dragon Corlyx is in this talisman.” Morgan pulled the item from his pocket and presented it to the two. It glistened even in the slightest bit of sunlight, making light waves as it moved back and forth from being disturbed.

It shifted its movement ever so slightly. Riley’s ears perked up and looked out the window. Kracak also had the same response.

“Something’s up. I felt something too.” Lawrence announced erupting from his chair, the furnishing flipping from his dramatic rise. 

What sounded like thunder hit like a blunt thud through the house.

“Artillery.” Lawrence bellowed.

The house shook as a shell hit a few hundred meters away.

“Under the table, now!” Lawrence screamed.

Gabriel and Barry scrambled under the table while the group rushed outside to scan the situation. 

The Dismayed had found a way to get enough artillery in range of Gregora to rain fire on the capitol. 

Lawrence pulled out a pistol and took aim at a shell. The shell exploded mid air as he fired.

“That’s not gonna get all of them, we need a better way to handle this!” He shouted.

A figure shot around the sky, hitting falling shells in fantastic fireballs. THe figure was shrouded completely in fire. Shockingly, it wasn’t Joseph as he also appeared in the sky and took a few out before landing.

“Sup guys. Odd weather.” He stated.

“Joseph! The Dismayed are doing this and you’re the fastest in the sky, take out the artillery!” Lawrence commanded.

Joseph sighed.

“Fine. I’ll go deal with it.”

He sprang back into the air and zipped off, missing the other flying figure.

The group scrambled to make sure people were safe and under cover, each taking a single street to keep the people inside.

Lucan barreled down a street, peering through windows to make sure their dwellers were safe inside. Out of a side street he saw two men carrying rifles who quickly spotted him.

“Your doom is near!” They belted out.

Lucan quickly dispatched them with his shotgun. He had as much adrenaline as blood running through his veins. This fight felt more real than the last ones.

“Lucan?” A voice rang out behind him. 

He snapped back to the real world and turned. It was Nijali, looking confused and horrified. Without much of a thought he pushed her back inside and slammed the door behind, pushing her under a table.

“Lucan?! What is happening!” She blared.

“Artillery. The Dismayed they’re trying to attack the city and-” “Dismayed? Wait, is that why you’re here? That means you’re hanging out with the wizard! Lucan, that guy is gonna get you killed!”

“He’s taking care of the artillery as we speak. We only got to this point with his help so I don’t think he’s gonna get me killed.”

“He's helping people?” “Yes! And he helped us get from Alberts to Harzenburg so we could stop that asshole from burning down 10 city blocks to find some shitty talismans!”

Nijali peered at the floor, another artillery strike shook the house.

“So, you’re going to help stop them?” She faltered.

“Of course. I’ve come this far, we can’t stop now.”

Lucan grabbed her hand, she squeezed tight.

“Y’know, being a hero is pretty hot.” Nijali broke the tension.

Lucan laughed but was interrupted by Nijali kissing him.

Nijali ended the kiss by pushing him away.

“You should go save the world now.”

Lucan smiled.

“Y’know you can come with me if you want.” “I think I can stay back here. If there are more of those weirdos like we saw, we’re gonna need to put a stop to them too.”

Lucan headed for the door.

“Lucan.” Niajli said as he was about to open the door. He turned back. “Come back okay? I want to see you again.”

“I’ll come back. I’d love to see you again.”

He went for the door again and right before exiting he said

“You do need to invite me over again, while we’re not in the middle of a war. You do have a nice place.”

Nijali chuckled and Lucan exited the rowhouse.

He jogged back down the street and reconvened with the rest of the group. Most of them were speaking with a man in a dull red fighting clothes commonly seen used by monks.

Lawrence was enjoying a cigarette and greeted Lucan.

“Talking to your girlfriend?” He bluntly asked.

“Yes, and I said what you recommended me to do.”

“Good.” Lawrence flicked his cigarette and stamped it out. “Think that girl will really like you.”

“Thanks. So who’s the new guy.”

“Ulfgar. He’s a pyromancer, son of Avignis.”

Lucan raised an eyebrow.

“The Phoenix?” “The exact one. Apparently has a half sister too. We saw her flying around doing the same thing. She’s a daughter of Dracis.” “Wow. Why didn’t we get them to help us out?”

Lawrence patted Lucan on the shoulder.

“Because the world doesn’t revolve around us, kid.” “I’m 33.” “And I’m much older than you, kid.”

Lawrence walked over with Lucan in tow.

Barry was getting pictures of the entire ordeal. Ulfgar was very interested in speaking with the entire group, and wanted to know what was happening.

“I saw the dragon yesterday but had assumed something that the college or the council was doing. Never a dull moment here with either of them. But there were a few of those, Dismayed as you called them, running around even after the bombardment ended. Me and my sister will try to round them up before they cause more trouble while you and finish up with the rest of them.”

There was nothing but smiles on the group, happy to see someone else helping out.

“When we’re done we’d love to keep in contact in case something else like this happens.” Jordan suggested.

“Absolutely!”

Gabriel called for everyone to follow him to the Northwin operations camp. By now any plans they may have had were pushed up to this very moment.

The camp was abuzz with soldiers moving out to aid in rescue and firefighting operations in the city. Others had been preparing for assaults and sweeps of the town to get rid of any Dismayed who wormed themselves in.

There was a garage near one of the city’s gates. The open bay doors revealed tanks preparing for an excursion.

“Stanley!” Gabriel barked. One of the men loading in shells turned and ran to attention.

“What’s the updated situation?” Gabriel asked in a much softer tone than his previous statement.

“Well the high command has ordered an immediate embarkmentattack. Aerial reconnaissance has shown some sort of structure these goons are coming from.”

“So we’ll find Naturius there.” Lawrence announced.

Stanley scrambled back to attention.

“At ease, I’m not in the ranks anymore.” Lawrence insisted. Stanley went back to his normal state.

“Apologies, you’re a legend around here.” “I’m just a man, no different from you.” “Of course. As I was saying, they wanted us to ship out there as soon as possible. We can get everyone situated on one of the tanks or the armored carriers. Expect heavy resistance. It's an opportunity to test out those new anti-armor weapons.” Gabriel eyed one of the tanks being equipped with a second front facing weapon. Rather than a barrel that fired shells, this one was a solid rod with a small hole cut down the middle. Tons of electronics were being installed in the tank and wired to control the weapon.

“It’s something to do with light. They explained if the sun could put all of its light and heat on one point in an instant. Burns a lot of power but can cut through solid steel they say.” “Wonderful. We can get everyone situated and head out.”

Gabriel turned around as Stanley ran back to his duties.

“Alright we got a compound where your Naturius is. We’ll escort you there. Get in, put a bullet in his head, and we get out.”

“I don't think it’s going to be that easy.” Morgan replied.

“Get what you need done. I’m not too interested in the details.”

They broke right before a private of the quartermaster detail arrived to speak with the group. He said that the armory was open to them if they needed anything for their mission.

Kracak, Lucan, and Malan were quick to jump on this and followed the private back to Northwin’s armory.

The lieutenant at arms welcomed the 3 into the front of the armory.

“Order’s are from the crown that we give you anything that will help in your mission. We got a few selections of rifles and shotguns you may find interesting.”

Malan had a wood finish bolt action rifle, but the composite rifle they had with a magnifying scope was enticing enough to get a replacement. Lucan had already been given his shotgun, but did like the armor piercing slugs they had for ammo. Kracak took a machine pistol as a backup weapon.

“Thank you.” Malan said to the quartermaster.

“No, thank you. My sister attends Altonia.”

“Oh.” Malan muttered.

“We’ll make sure they get the justice deserved.” Lucan announced.

The quartermaster nodded and the 3 exited. 

Jordan and Morgan were playing catch with Riley, something they were very behind on. 

One of the soldiers, an infantryman, stepped over to watch the game.

“Is that an anthu?” The infantryman asked.

“He is. His name is Riley.” Morgan answered.

“I’ve only heard stories about anthu.” He continued. “I heard that they’re great if you want some alone time and-”

Shocking pain screamed up the man’s shoulder. Gabriel stood right behind him, a steel grip on the infantryman’s shoulder.

“We should be courteous to our guests. Morgan, Jordan, and especially Riley are guests.” Gabriel asserted.

Gritting through pain, the infrantryman agreed. Gabriel let go and the soldier quickly fled, holding the shoulder in pain.

“Don’t worry too much about them. They’re mostly tough talk and don’t understand the concept of manners.” Gabriel assured.

 Jordan, after seeing the whole interaction from afar, walked closer with Riley in front of her.

“Well, thank you for that Gabriel. I can’t imagine what he was about to say about Riley.”

Morgan stuck a hand out to shake his. Gabriel shook his hand.

“Please, my mom calls me Gabriel when she’s mad at me. Barry only called me that because he wanted to be formal. You can call me Gabe. ”

“Barry didn’t ask?” “He’s a bit too scared. Seemed terrified when I said I’d be away for a few minutes to come and save the day over here. He’s new to this stuff so I don’t feel offended by it.”

JordaMorgan saw the ring of a seal hidden under Gabe’s cufflink. He could tell from the insignificant length what spellcaster he is.

“Sorcerer?” Jordan asked.

Gabe’s eyes shot left to right.

“Maybe? Who wants to know?”

“We’ve met a lot of spellcasters in our lives, Gabe.” Morgan added. “You’re family with the rest of us.”

Gabe’s heart skipped a beat.

“Have you had this since the last time we met?” Jordan asked.

“No, actually. I got it shortly after Riverton. It inspired me to continue that path.”

“That’s wonderful!” Morgan exclaimed. 

“If this is over.” Morgan corrected himself before even starting. “When this is over, we’d love to have you over. We could give you some notes and anything we can to help you however you need.”

“Well, thank you for the offer. If I ever get time away from my post I will have to take you up on your offer.”

The three who went to the armory made their trek back. Joseph also stepped back over after he did some basic illusion tricks to impress the soldiers. Lawrence and Julia had done some autographs for other soldiers, with Will awkwardly standing by.

“With everyone here we can get you situated on a tank or carrier.” Gabe announced.

He ushered the group back over to the garage bays. 4 tanks had their engines roaring and billowing foul exhaust. With them sat a 6 wheeled carrier, lighter armor than the tanks but more agile and a machine gun posted on top.

Lawrence and Morgan, Kracak and Will, Joseph and Julia, and Gabe and Barry posted themselves on tanks. Jordan, Malan, Riley, and Lucan found themselves sitting in the carrier. Once the door had closed they set off to their destination.

Over the radio Gabe had given them an update on their destination.

“Aerial reconnaissance tells us their HQ is some sort of castle that sprang up in the middle of the Gregoran pine barrens.”

Lucan grabbed the receiver in the carrier.

“Was there any sign of a giant shiny white dragon?”

“Not that I was told of but they faced some casualties on their reconnaissance. It sounds like that might be your answer.”

Lucan, or anyone, did not like that answer.

The escort saw some gunfire but with the armor it was harmless. That was until a stolen tank had found itself on the tail of the escort.

A fast acting Joseph popped from the cupola and cast a stream of lightning so strong the engine exploded out from the back of the tank making the diesel beast dead in its tracks.

More vehicles descended on the escort. Tanks opened fire as trucks had swathes of Dismayed soldiers open fire on them.

The tanks stopped and turned their weapons around. Blasting soldiers with shells, and trying the new light guns on the trucks and tanks.

The first shot a hole straight through the steel engine of the trucks, spewing gasoline and oil on the ground turning to an instant fireball. Another cut a vertical slice into a tank before the other tanks could try to return fire.

Morgan had jumped out and had summoned his shield as a means to draw fire away from others getting out of the vehicles.

Julia and Lawrence, on the same page, opened fire with heavy machine guns with efficiency. The Dismayed soldiers scrambled to find cover as Gabe erupted from his cupola and took out all he could with his rifle.

Will rushed and went to encircle their soldiers, quickly turning to his beastly form and running around them, splitting their fire into two ranks.

Joseph had also used an earth moving spell to cause the ground underneath the enemy tanks to rupture and boil, shooting dirt and rocks high into the sky and a tank into the depths.

The last two tanks took no time to act fast and fire on their targets.

Lucan had opened the back door to see a tank aimed right at the carrier, and slammed the door shut and jumped to protect the others from the direct hit.

The back of the carrier exploded, sending shrapnel and fire everywhere and hurling the other half on its backside. The 4 passengers crashed around inside, half conscious from their crash. Lucan, ears bleeding and only seeing in blurry vision, pulled his shotgun to his chest as he waited for someone to come and try to finish the job. One Dismayed sprinted and attempted to aim his gun at Lucan before being cut down by a shotgun slug to the chest.

Lucan could feel his consciousness slipping as more rushed him, but was pulled back as Jordan fixed their gun on the others and cut them down with a submachiengun.

A massive cut on their head and fleeting consciousness, Lucan knew that Jordan had given something to an affirmative as he heard Malan bust down the passenger door and Riley scampered out.

He trained every ounce of power in his body to heal Jordan’s head trauma and other injuries.

In that moment of healing, Malan readied to heal Lucan. 

“Follow Riley, I can take care of him.” Jordan ordered. Malan nodded, and quickly followed Riley’s path.

Lucan may have considered himself clinically dead for a moment there. That being said, Jordan definitely felt a pulse as they rushed a healing spell onto him.

Lucan felt his memories rush back. His most recent is seeing Nijali laugh at a joke he made while sharing a bed together.

“Nijali!” He yelped while quickly jumping forward.

Jordan looked at him oddly, before cutting down another Dismayed that tried to sneak on them.

“Is Nijali a friend?” Jordan asked.

“A bit more than that.” Lucan answered.

“If that’s the case you may need to bring her over sometime to our place. But we should go for now.”

Lucan agreed and the two slipped out of the passenger exit.

The second tank shell hit Lawrence’s tank directly. Its engine shattered and detonated. Lawrence had known the shot was inevitable and quickly closed to cupola and had himself and the crew brace for impact.

Lucan and Jordan saw the tank sail off the side of the road and down a gully taking a few trees with it. They both quickly looked at each other, and followed after the tank.

Lawrence hadn’t lost any consciousness during the explosion. He had some training on dealing with high impacts and what to do if you somehow survive them. The driver of the tank wasn’t so lucky, his neck turned almost completely around as he had tumbled around the tank. The gunner was strapped in his seat but passed out. Lawrence went to check if he was alive but felt an angry and burning pain sear up his left side.

A flathead screwdriver had wedged itself into his abdomen. While a short necked screwdriver, the pain was all the same to him.

He heard voices drawing close to the tank, and ones he didn’t recognize. He tried to ready a weapon but the flathead was forcing him to hold back. He gritted his teeth and removed the tool out of his body.

He grabbed a shotgun from under his trenchcoat and trained it on the cupola.

While muffled he heard two voices arguing on how to open the tank. He waited for one of them to be mid thought, and forced the cupola open. Blasting one away, pausing to rack another shell, and taking down the next. 

The last few drops of adrenaline ran out in his body and aching pain soon replaced fear.

He stumbled out of the cupola and steadied his gun for any others who wanted to take him down.

He saw Lucan and Jordan, the two best people to see in this situation, and waved to them.

“Gunner’s alive but needs attention now!” He yelled at them. Lucan wormed his way inside to tend to the soldier.

Jordan immediately recognized blood on Lawrence’s shirt.

“Show me where you got hurt.” Jordan ordered.

“I’m fine, worry about-”

“Show me it Lawrence.” Jordan ordered.

He sighed and pulled his shirt up. The wound was nasty, still bleeding and showed the screwdriver had rotated around in his abdomen.

Jordan quickly went to heal his wounds.

“You’ll be fine but not heavy lifting for a month or two. I know you like to carry Will to bed so maybe lay off on that.”

Lawrence stared daggers at Jordan. They however were unaffected.

“You two are lovely together Lawrence. There’s nothing to feel bad about.” 

Jordan cracked a smile and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Lucan pulled the gunner out and threw him over his shoulder.

“Guy should be fine, other than a few broken bones.” Lucan announced.

“Good, we should regroup with the rest.” Lawrence replied, sticking his shotgun back under his coat. They hiked back up the gully to find most of the Dismayed attackers dead or retreating. Joseph stood around checking for anyone playing dead.

While catching his breath from the hike, Lucan asked something he thought about while at the bottom of the gully.

“Lawrence, where the fuck do you store all your guns?”

“My trench coat has a pocket dimension so it all goes in there.” He answered.

“That’s how you got into my wizard dimension!” Joseph yelled.

Lawrence half grinned at the upset wizard.

“Well,” Joseph said deflated. “It is pretty impressive. You gotta show me how that works sometime.” “Mikael secret.”

After seeing Lawrence’s tank fly sky high, Morgan fled into the forest on the opposite side to get a moment to think of a plan. No such luxury was allowed as some Dismayed had followed him and he needed to deal with. 

A soul spear had cut through two of them as three more ran for cover. Not risking a forest fire, Morgan opted for briar entanglement. Two had gotten entangled allowing Morgan to bash them with his mace, as another had narrowly dodged the spiked vines from latching to his legs.

Disposing of the second one, the last Dismayed jumped Morgan from behind, attempting to choke him out with his rifle. Morgan swung his mace around, slamming it into the pits of his knees and goring his calves. These soldiers had a death wish, and saw pain as only temporary for the goal of apocalypse. He wouldn’t be letting go anytime soon. 

That was until a bullet was caught in his temple and the Dismayed crumpled over.

Morgan looked behind and up to see Malan hanging out in a tree, her rifle still smoking from the shot she had taken.

“You live up to the nickname ‘the whisper’ don’t you?” Morgan asked.

“Sort of, I just took the commotion as an opportunity to pick my target.” Malan answered, sliding down the side of the tree.

“By the way. Jordan really likes lavender, the smell and the flower. You should bring some to them sometime.”

“Sure.” Malan blushed. “Thanks for the advice.”

The two retreated back to the start of their skirmish. Everyone else still alive had rendezvoused already, Barry taking ample pictures of the aftermath. Riley was also desperate to get a picture of himself during the photography.

“Riley! Morgan!” Jordan exasperated. 

The two rushed to Morgan and Malan. Riley embraced Morgan, whining in relief Morgan was okay. 

Jordan and Malan hugged, glad they had both made it out alive. Jordan saw this as a perfect moment to finally kiss the other cleric.

Finished with their reunion, Jordan rushed to Morgan to also kiss him.

“You two work well together I see.” Jordan commented.

“Well, she did get me out of a tough spot.” Morgan retorted.

“Morgan is being bashful. He helped me out too.” Malan added. She winked at Morgan.

“As much as I enjoy a reunion,” Gabe yelled. “We still have a mission to follow through on! Pile on and we’ll be there shortly!”

From an outcropping across the valley, Erebos watched the entire fight go down through an anti material rifle scope. Darius stood behind him, seeing the fight clearly with Magic Eye.

“Y’know I can give them a leg up from here. None of those old tanks The Dismayed snatched would stand up to a shot from this.” Erebos said in a heavy Pentoran drawl.

“No,” Darius responded. “They can fight their own battles.”

Erebos turned back to him.

“So what would you call your meddling?”

“Pushing the pieces together.”

An explosion rattled the entire valley as the carrier flung upwards.

Darius turned back to Nijali, cautiously watching.

“Your boyfriend is fine. He’s in there and making it difficult to get rid of.”

Nijali’s stare went dead.

“I don't know what you're talking about.” “It’s been obvious since the first moment we regrouped. That and Thiala told me what her city watchers had to say.”

“You mean her pigeons?” “Yes, they are vital to our surveillance of the capital, and that was the least of the problems they had reported back to me.”

“Why are we up here anyways if we aren’t doing anything to help them?” Erebos interjected.

“To see what they really are capable of. If they manage to somehow fuck up with Naturius, I won’t hesitate to interrupt and fix the mess Joseph has failed to clean up.”

“You don’t think the most powerful wizard can stop this mess?”

“I think he can, but he’s too foolish to realize what it might mean if he fails.”

“You think that if this was a big enough deal, he would’ve brought that other wizard with him.”

“Nolan has his own problems to deal with, none of them involving the end of the world. To your left.”

A stray bullet ricocheted off the outcrop near Erebos. He did not flinch, but Nijali did.

Nijali got anxious and stepped forward.

“Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to-”

“No! Stay. You go down there and the paladin will know something is up. Naturius needs his plan to fail mercilessly and with no one the wiser. Joseph sees you there, and all the tracking Kane and Thiala have done will be for nothing. And everyone, Joseph, you, me, your little boyfriend, we all lose.”

Niajli still looked like she was about to scramble down there.

“Your boyfriend will be fine. I promise.”

That appeased her for the moment.

A phone that Erebos had sitting beside him went off. Quick to answer it he relayed the message he had received.

“Thiala and Kane have found the Outsider. Somewhere outside of Lentrau, just destroyed an armored battalion. They’ll keep following it until we can get there.”

“Then we shall leave now to catch that demon.” Darius announced.

He cast a magic platform and stood on it and ushered the other two on board.

The road to the castle was short lived, and the castle was well fortified. The 3 tanks they had left would not fare against the units head on and they had pulled for cover and concealment to develop a plan.

“Our sneak attack we’ll have to spread thin so they can’t pick us all off at once.” Lawrence started.

“We should hit them with something to get them confused and panicked.” Jordan added. “Joseph that earth spell to open the ground underneath those tanks before, we could use that to-”

A war horn was sounded to their left, followed by the yell of a familiar voice. 

Kracak quickly popped her head beyond their hiding spot and reported back.

“Charlie’s back. And he’s brought all of his druid friends.”

Shocked, Morgan asked.

“All of them?”

“Pretty sure yeah. There’s a shit ton of them and they all look very angry and very ready for a fight.” Moments later there was an explosion followed by gunfire.

Jordan and Morgan popped their heads and saw an army of druids taking the Dismayed head on. They saw volleys of arrows, various large birds and other predators, battleaxes and hammers, and many many spells came down on the Dismayed. Even with their large numbers, they stood no chance to the numbers of the Druids. Riley saw this as an opportunity not only for more hands to pet, but to bite many other ones. He sprinted out to the battle with his bound staff that quickly found itself bearing down on the Dismayed.

The rest followed suit, all wanting to keep him safe.

In the middle of a breath Jordan said to Morgan.

“Y’know when you and Malan were gone for a bit, he did beat down like 5 Dismayed. I think that was the most he had ever fought at once.”

They both looked and saw as Riley, fighting beside Charlie, bashed one Dismayed and knocked him into two others.

What was a beatdown now turned into a nightmare for the Dismayed. Any ranks they had broke down as heavy armor and spellcasters joined the ranks of the Druids to break through to the castle.

Lawrence saw little use to utterly rout them and yelled for everyone to get into the castle as he gunned down Dismayed with dual pistols.

Will had turned to a beast and slashed the locks off the large wooden door and opened the door for everyone. Once inside he quickly jammed the door shut behind them.

Both Charlie and Shelly had joined the group for this final showdown.

“Hey guys!” Charlie exclaimed. “Glad you could make it out here!”

Morgan chuckled at seeing Charlie again and without thinking embraced the rockstar.

“Glad to see you again!” Morgan said back.

Lawrence cleared his throat and had everyone look to the middle of the atrium.

There was a large circular marble platform that clashed with the cobblestone flooring. Above it were two marble semicircles that slowly opened revealing some sort of elevator shaft.

Everyone just looked at it, not stating the obvious. Barry took the moment to take another picture of the group looking at this obvious trap.

“Y’know what fuck it.” Joseph announced. He conjured a flat magical board. “Everyone get on, we're doing this my way. Morgan, get that talisman ready for whatever they got planned up there.”

All of them walked onto the board and Morgan had the talisman in his left hand while everyone reloaded or prepared spells.

They slowly ascended 3 stories and arrived at a throne room where Naturius, some of his lackeys, a handful of spellcasters, and his general had sat.

 “I’m disappointed you did not take my provided transportation.” Naturius announced. The lift he had provided followed shortly after at a pitiful pace.

“You’re not the type to trust with anything.” Morgan snipped back.

Lawrence said nothing and pulled ahead everyone else and opened fire on the Dismayed king. The bullets bounced harmlessly off a ward he had set.

“Come now don’t you think I already thought of that?” Naturius admonished.

The castle shook violently as the dragon Garrick ripped the top off of the castle.

“Aw Garrick!” Naturius complained. “You just built this place, why do you need to destroy it?”

Garrick did not respond.

“Fine be that way. Kill them!”

Garrick trained his gaze on the group. 

Morgan held the talisman high above him.

“Stop! This talisman holds Corlyx, your half sister Garrick! You destroy us and this talisman destroys the entire continent in an instant!”

Naturius shifted his eyes between Morgan and Garrick.

“Well? Go on then, kill them!”

“Lord Naturius!” His general pleaded. “It would be unwise to let such-” “Silence General Rivers!”

Lawrence laughed.

“Rivers? You mean lieutenant Rivers? The one who broke a general’s daughter’s heart and was forced to languish at that rank for his own avarice? That’s your second in command?”

Rivers gritted his teeth.

“Kill them.” Rivers sneered.

Naturius grinned and readied to give the word.

“If you kill us then the continent goes away and so do you!” Morgan exclaimed.

“Why should I care? It’s what we’ve been wanting for a thousand years!”

“But wouldn’t lady death credit me for this? I’m the one who holds the talisman and I can as easily shatter it on the ground as well causing the same end! I hold everyone’s fate in my hands, and not yours!”

Naturius cautiously looked at the amulet, carelessly dangling from Morgan’s hand.

Everyone stood in silence, bracing for what would happen next.

“Fine!” Naturius relented. “What do you want?”

“A battle between both dragons. Like fate has always wanted. If you win you get to destroy the world like your people have wanted for so long. We win and well, what happens won’t really matter.”

Naturius refined his gaze at Morgan.

“Then have at it.” Naturius announced.

Morgan said some words at the amulet as it glowed and erupted the dragon Corlyx above the castle.

Both dragons floated atop the castle, the forest, the continent. Not looking at each other but through one another.

Garrick roared and bared his teeth down onto Corlyx. She swiped at him, tearing through one of his wings.

A holy fire erupted from Garrick’s mouth and blasted Corlyx as she erupted in blinding darkness throwing her half brother through the sky. 

Garrick strafed and swiped her with his tail. She snapped at it with her mouth and nicked the end, sending pain through Garrick.

Something strange went through Corlyx. She felt invigorated, like the power of 20 suns were in her. She could not stop herself as she dug her claws and fangs into Garrick and flew high into the sky.

Everyone watched in terror as the champion of darkness shined brightly and in an instant, the two dragons exploded sending shockwaves that were felt even by those in Atrocostas an ocean away.

Tears welled in Naturius’s eyes. He dropped to his knees.

“My work! A thousand years! All for nothing!”

“Well shit.” Joseph muttered. “Didn’t expect that to happen.”

Morgan snapped his look at him. He grabbed Joseph by the robes and pulled him in.

“You didn’t know this was gonna happen?”

“What? No of course not! I was hoping they would fight long enough for Lawrence or Will to take down Naturius!” “Joseph is right, I was gonna maul him if that fight kept going.” Will added.

“Don’t encourage him Will!” Jordan scolded.

“Look, we can still get Naturius.” Joseph looked over to the broken king.

Lawrence stepped forward and pulled a machine gun to his ready.

General Rivers stepped forward along with the sorcerers.

“We’ll take things from here. Men!” 

The sorcerers revealed grimoires that opened themselves as they chanted a spell shifting the air and encasing the throne room inside a reddish fog.

“We will take care of these foolish heroes. This fool's reign is over!” Rivers proclaimed.

Lawrence pulled his gun and aimed for Rivers. It went *click* and no bullets came streaming out of it.

The others tried their weapons and even spells, none had worked. Shelly had tried to raise her battleax but felt as if she was lifting the world and to no avail. Even Will could not feel his beastial form haranguing him like it usually does.

Rivers pulled out a heavy caliber handgun.

“Of course my men did make a carve out for my own personal armory. So that all of you can watch in fear as I personally execute every one of you. The last two of the Mikael family and the ever powerful wizard.”

“Try me bitch!” Joseph sneered.

Lawrence slipped his weapon away and raised his fists.

“Try me too!”

Rivers laughed.

“Oh? Are the rumors about the fragility of Rivers’s wrists actually true?” Lawrence speculated aloud.

Rivers growled, and holstered his pistol and raised his fists.

The two engaged in hand to hand combat.

“So, we’re gonna just watch them fight?” Lucan asked.

“We should come up with a plan to get rid of this field.” Jordan answered.

“We should kick the shit out of the sorcerers.” Shelly proposed.

No one was ecstatic about the idea, but Gabe agreed.

“Most sorcerers, at least the ones who are way too interested in cults, think they’re safe behind their wards and spells. We can show them that’s not the case.”

Shelly nodded and they stepped forward. Seeing no other good plan, Morgan and Jordan followed suit with Riley en tow.

Rivers had seen the plot being brought into action and tried to lift his gun to fire, but Lawrence countered by slamming both fists into his wrist and elbow.

The sorcerers tried to counter but had quickly realized their foes were much faster than they anticipated. They saw their quick and brutal end as the 5 kicked or punched their heads into the hard cobblestone floors and walls. 

With concentration, and in more cases their lives, broken, the red fog quickly subsided.

Lawrence reacted to the fog subsiding, leaving Rivers to use his non-dominant hand to grab his gun to bear on Lawrence. Lawrence grabbed his hand and pointed upwards with the gun going off on the unstable roof. Cobblestone bricks fell and quickly shattered what foundation was left beneath them. The marble lift shuttered and collapsed, sending the two men falling down the dungeon at a terrifying pace on the platform.

“Lawrence!” Morgan yelled looking down the shaft. He heard the dull thump of the platform hit the dungeon floor. 

Gabe took no time to waste and prepared ropes for everyone to follow. Will took less time and descended viciously to the bottom in his newly regained form.

Lawrence’s everything hurt. He looked for a gun to protect himself and noticed a handgun was missing. He grabbed another and stumbled through the torch lit dungeon following a blood smeared path.

He saw Rivers pulling himself across the dungeon with one arm and holding Lawrence’s gun in another.

“You could get away faster if you used both arms.” Lawrence announced him.

“I do not wish for cowardly retreat, only glorious victory at any cost.” Rivers staggered

“Now you know why I left Northwin. You and all the others felt blood spilt was more valuable than anything in the world.”

“Indeed it is.”

Rivers pointed his gun and pulled the trigger. Nothing came out.

“And you really are just like the rest and never check what really matters.”

Lawrence drew his gun and fired at Rivers. Brain and skull splattered out of the back of his head, and he slumped over dead.

He stood there for a moment and slumped over on the wall, the adrenaline now retreating in his body.

“Lawrence!” He could hear through the ringing in his ears.

He kept hearing it over and over again until it was loud enough to be on top of him.

He felt the warmth of a healing spell for the second time that day, and the face of Gabe, providing him with the healing. Lucan stepped forward and provided him a hand to get back up.

“Wish I could’ve helped you but he had one ready on hand.” Lucan claimed.

“Well, thank you soldier.” Lawrence grimaced.

“I’d hope you would help in my time of need.” Gabe replied. 

Morgan stepped forward.

“We heard a gunshot, did he shoot you?”

“No no, he grabbed a gun I hadn’t reloaded yet and didn’t check to see if it was good to go.”

“Wow. That’s quite some luck.” “Not really. He was just less lucky than I was.”

Lawrence caught his breath and was ready to leave.

They ventured back up and opened the door.

“I can fly back up and grab our little prisoner.” Joseph declared. “Maybe a nice look at the forest will cheer-”

The doors opened and they saw Naturius standing outside. Some of the rubble had cut him up and he’s bleeding from every extremity.

His arm shook as he pointed directly at everyone.

“You!” He snarled. “You took everything from me!”

“Kid,” Lawrence implored. “You’ve lost. At least keep your dignity.”

Naturius’s other hand revealed a ceremonial dagger that he slammed into the palm of his other hand. Blood gushed onto the ground, filling a seal he had made into the dirt around him.

Joseph took no time to explain anything, casting a fireball right at the broken king.

A dark green and black form caught the fireball shielding Naturius from damage. It erupted from the seal with a long neck and hulking body. Its roar had chilled everyone’s blood.

It returned with a green fireball as everyone dashed to safety.

“What the fuck is that thing?” Jordan asked a nearby Joseph.

“Guardian dragon! The enforcers of the deep pits of Ykasha!” He easily answered.

“Hard to kill, got it.” Lawrence said from afar. Under his jacket he revealed a long rocket launcher and aimed for the beast. The rocket slammed into the side of the beast, only angering it.

Everyone else had opened fire on the creature as it rampaged around a ravaged battlefield.

Lucan unloaded shell after shotgun shell into the beast while Kracak and Malan aimed for the eyes. Joseph called upon deep rocks in an attempt to skewer the dragon. Riley distracted the creature and dodged its breath attacks. Will unleashed the beast and jumped onto the neck of the monster. Morgan and Jordan combined powers for a magnificent soul spear.

Gabe tried to keep Barry safe as he took more pictures of this fantastic battle. But the more pictures he took the more he saw a fruitless battle.

Lucan was reloading when he saw the dead body of a Dismayed soldier, followed by the rest of their little army all as corpses.

“Joseph! I have an idea!”

Joseph flung himself to the necromancer to hear his idea. Lucan showed his grimoire tattoo and the spell he had.

“Damn, didn’t expect you to be that proficient.”

“That’s the thing, I don’t have enough strength to summon a damn dragon.”

An explosion cracked near them as they both braced.

“Well, I can help but it would still be some time to get it going.”

“What about Morgan’s sword?”

Without responding Joseph grabbed Morgan and also brought him to their idea circle.

“Need your sword for some energy.”

Morgan didn’t hesitate.

“Use what you need!”

He popped up and cast a frost javelin at the demon.

Joseph put his hand on Lucan’s shoulder and concentrated deeply. Never before did Lucan feel this much magic surge through him as he watched the nearby corpses glow with a black fog.

Joseph yelped and Lucan was lurched into a different plane.

It was bright but gray black and red. He saw a cave in this tarry fog ahead of him. A great dragon emerged from the cave, angry at the disturbance.

“Who dares disturb me?!” The dragon shouted. It had purple scales with a red stomach

“I am Lucan, a necromancer and-”

The dragon pulled his head right in front of Lucan. His eyes were a deep crimson, and filled with rage.

“A necromancer? Could find himself here? Preposterous!” “I had help from a wizard.” Lucan muttered. “Which one? The one who plays pranks or the one who sits atop mountains all day? I find either a laughable ally!”

Lucan had enough of this.

“Listen, I don’t care what you think about wizards. My friends are probably being slaughtered by a guardian dragon and I-”

“A guardian dragon?” The dragon slinked back and eyed Lucan from afar.

“They think themselves high and mighty as Ikos’s guard dogs! What business do they have on the surface world?”

“A warlock who wants to destroy the world summoned him?” “Oh and now they get first right at destroying the world?” The dragon huffed smoke through his nostrils. His head snaked back down to Lucan.

“I’ll cut you a deal necromancer: I will help you in fighting this nuisance provided you help me with something in the future of my choosing.”

Lucan had no other option.

“Deal!”

It felt like some time had passed for Lucan but it was only an instant.

The dragon had formed itself from the bones of the dead and revealed a terrifying bone dragon that Lucan sat atop of.

He yelled at the top of his lungs as his new ally rained destruction on the guardian dragon. 

Natruius was angered, but quickly had his leg injured by Lucan firing his shotgun atop the dragon.

“I am the great and terrible Grymbzx!” The dragon roared as it slashed at the guardian, taking a chunk of flesh with it.

“Your domain over the underworld has no power to the living!” The skeletal beast commanded through purple fire.

The guardian’s scales melted under the high temperature of the fire and fell as Grymbzx dug his claws into it. It let out one angered screech as life bled from its eyes.

There wasn’t any bombastic celebration, just deafening silence as everyone looked at the dead dragon as Grymbzx fled back to Ykasha. 

Naturius had fled, crawled, into the nearby forest as the two dragons fought. Lawrence saw it happen, but realized he’d been beaten and couldn’t ever stage an assault like this ever again.

Lucan collapsed to the ground, heart beating out his chest. Malan approached and held out some water for him.

“Thanks for the save.” She complimented as he grabbed the bottle. “We probably would’ve died without that.”

Barry snapped a picture of the two. Gabe, cleaning his gun, asked him.

“Does everything need to be captured for your story?”

“No. Pictures like that they’ll get to keep for their own memories.”

Gabe raised an eyebrow.

“How very noble of you.”

Will hadn’t gotten the chance before but with the fight now over, he embraced Lawrence. 

Barry raised his camera but Gabe put a hand on it.

“While this is a very sweet moment, a picture can be found by someone else. A memory can’t be found like that.”

Barry looked at him upset, but complied. He instead trained his camera on Riley who had gone to everyone else excitedly hugging each person. He got a few of those, and decided it was enough once Riley came to him for attention.

#wizards #werewolves #druid #paladin #warlock #cleric #dragon #sorceress

[diffident-drifter]

Can't tell if I wanna go through the work just to hide it under his sleeve or modify his outfit to keep his arm out

#warframe #operator lucan #operator #tenno #warframe spoilers #kinda #mun's art #ft Wally and Ding Dong

[cameronchiro]

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#Spinal Decompression Chiropractor Exeter ON #Spinal Decompression Chiropractic Treatment Exeter ON #Spinal Decompression Therapy Exeter ON #Decompression Treatment Exeter ON

[hivemedia]

Three charged over €6m ‘ghost broker’ motor insurance fraud

Two businessmen and art teacher remanded on bail and have not yet indicated how they will plead.

Two businessmen and an art teacher have been charged over a €6m “ghost broker” motor insurance policy fraud.

Alexander Afanaschenko, 45,of Bewley Drive, in Lucan, Mikhail Yegorov, 38, of Charnwood Court, Clonsilla and Elena Olenik, 44, who lives in Berryfield, Finnstown, Lucan, Dublin were remanded on bail after they appeared before Judge Gerard Jones at Blanchardstown District Court on Thursaday.

It follows an investigation by the Garda Special Investigations Unit in Roads Policing Division based at Dublin Castle.

In excess of 2,500 motor insurance policies, valued €6m, were identified as having been fraudulently obtained from 10 insurance companies, Judge Jones was told.

The Director of Public Prosecutions directed trial on indictment in the Circuit Court. The three defendants, who have not yet indicated how they will plead, were ordered to appear again in July to be served with books of evidence and returned for trial.

Garda George Thurlow told the court it was alleged Mr Afanaschenko was a director of a named company which operated as a “ghost broker” from January 2013 until September 2018.

He faced 210 charges: one count of fraudulent trading contrary to the Companies Act; 76 deception charges as well as 91 for money launder offences and the rest were for using false documentation.

Fraudulent documents were used get policies with beneficial premiums, it was alleged.

Mr Afanaschenko, from Russia but who has lived in Ireland for 18 years, was the holder of Irish, Moldovan and Russian passports. There was no objection to bail with conditions.

Mikhail Yegorov was from Ukraine but identified as Irish and has lived here since 2014, the court heard. Garda Sergeant John Carey said Mr Yegorov was accused of 21 money laundering offences by possessing proceeds of criminal conduct, and one charge of fraudulent trading of a ghost broker venture. It was alleged he worked with Mr Afanaschenko but the co-accused was more directly involved.

It was alleged they were paid to use false information, including fake licences and no claims bonus certificates, to get genuine insurance policies with reduced premiums.

The court heard €180,000 allegedly went through a bank account over two years.

The two businessmen had bail set with €5,000 lodgements and their legal aid applications were deferred. Judge Jones ordered them to sign on regularly at their local Garda stations, to surrender travel documentation, alert gardai if they will be away from their homes for more than 24 hours, not to leave the jurisdiction, and have no contact with injured parties.

Self-employed art teacher Elena Olenik, originally from Latvia, faces 15 money laundering charges and 20 counts of forgery of documents, Garda Thurlow said. Her solicitor Wayne Kenny said she is currently on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. She was granted legal aid.

[dailyrun]

Three in court charged over €6m 'ghost broker' fraud

Two businessmen and an art teacher have appeared in court charged in connection with €6 million "ghost broker" motor insurance policy fraud.

Forty-five-year-old Alexander Afanaschenko of Bewley Drive in Lucan, 38-year-old Mikhail Yegorov from Charnwood Court in Clonsilla, and 44-year-old Elena Olenik from Berryfield, Finnstown in Lucan, Dublin, were brought before Blanchardstown District Court today.

The charges follow an investigation by the Garda Special Investigations Unit in Roads Policing Division based at Dublin Castle.

The court was told that more than 2,500 motor insurance policies, valued at €6 million were identified as having been fraudulently obtained from ten insurance companies.

Garda George Thurlow told the court it was alleged Mr Afanaschenko was a director of a named company which operated as a "ghost broker" from January 2013 until September 2018.

He faces 210 charges: 91 counts of money laundering, 76 deception charges, one count of fraudulent trading contrary to the Companies Act, as well as being accused of using false documentation.

Fraudulent documents were allegedly used get policies with beneficial premiums.

Originally from Russia, Mr Afanaschenko has lived in Ireland for 18 years and was the holder of Irish, Moldovan and Russian passports. There was no objection to bail with conditions.

The court was told that Mikhail Yegorov is from Ukraine, but identifies as Irish and has lived in Ireland since 2014.

Garda Sergeant John Carey said Mr Yegorov is accused of 21 money laundering offences by possessing the proceeds of criminal conduct, and one charge of fraudulent trading of a ghost broker venture.

It is alleged he worked with Mr Afanaschenko and that he and his co-accused were paid to use false information, including fake licences and no claims bonus certificates, to get genuine insurance policies with reduced premiums.

The court heard €180,000 allegedly went through one bank account over two years.

The two businessmen had bail set with €5,000 lodgements, and their legal aid applications were deferred.

The judge ordered them to sign on regularly at their local Garda stations, to surrender travel documentation, alert gardaí if they will be away from their homes for more than 24 hours, not to leave the jurisdiction, and have no contact with injured parties.

The third accused, self-employed art teacher Elena Olenik who is originally from Latvia, faces 15 money laundering charges and 20 counts of forgery of documents, Garda Thurlow told the court.

Her solicitor Wayne Kenny said she is currently on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and she was granted legal aid.

The court was told the Director of Public Prosecutions directed trial on indictment in the Circuit Court.

All three have been remanded on bail to appear again at Blanchardstown District Court in July for service of the book of evidence and to be returned for trial.

[avrablake]

Belated Blorbsday, cause I just read the heartbreaking Kaori and Nix short scene. Why does Gram save Nix for the first time in that alley? How does their friendship develop to found family? 👀

@writingonesdreams

Everyday is Blorbsday imo. I'm always happy to answer questions about my OCs.

I love this question because I love the friendship between Gram and Nix and the story of how they met is one of my favorite things I have ever written.

There's some backstory I need to explain in order to answer this question. Here comes another essay:

Keep in mind Nightshade is still in the first draft

First I'll explain some of the events leading up to the moment Gram finds Nix in the alley. I'm still working out some details.

Kaori, at some point, makes contact with the Military and begins giving them information in order to undermine her father. They want Nix and she wants them to attack Syndicate headquarters so she can overthrow her father and his top leadership.

Kaori makes a deal to make sure the Military is able to capture Nix and they agree to attack Syndicate headquarters. Kaori's plan was to escape with Nix once her father and brother were dead and return after the Military's raid to take her father's place as clan leader, a position she believes should be hers.

But Nix stops her from killing Ryu and becomes severely injured in the process. She feels betrayed by him and so she leaves him behind.

Nix stumbles into an alley and that's where Gram finds him.

Now a little about Gram and his state of mind at this point:

Gram grew up with two childhood friends: Lucan and Alyssa (Aly). Lucan was adopted by a wealthy family in the capital, but remained friends with Gram and Aly. Aly and Gram fell in love and got married. But Aly struggled with health issues (I think I explained channeling sickness to you).

Gram joined the Military as a soldier, and eventually Lucan decided to work for the Military as a Researcher. He convinces Aly to come to the labs, hoping he can help her with her chronic illness. After initial testing with Lucan, she's assigned to another researcher and ability experiments are performed on her. She gets really sick and eventually dies.

Gram is devastated by her death and is in a pretty low place for a long time. He's sort of just returning to normal around the time of the Military's attack on the Syndicate. But he's really jaded toward the Military now. He has a strong sense of justice and is compassionate by personality anyway, and he's starting to notice more and more how their operations are often cruel and unjust. He's seen enough of the "Syndicate" to know that most of the people that fall under that umbrella are just normal citizens who have nothing to do with the conflict.

But as they ran through streets littered with the aftermath of battle, the smell of smoke hanging heavy in the air, frightened cries as ordinary citizens rushed to hide from the danger around them, Gram couldn’t help but question—not for the first time—whether this war were in fact pointless. There didn’t seem to be a right side in the conflict. The military wasn’t pursuing justice, peace, and a better life for all: Gram was certain of that much. The Syndicate never hesitated to attack military facilities, murdering soldiers to obtain weapons, technology, and information—so they were hardly innocent either. But this operation had been an attack on a town, homes, ordinary people. All to capture one kid that they intended to use as a weapon. Gram had a hard time seeing how anyone could call that justice.

And then he finds 17 year old Nix in that alley.

His squad recognizes that he’s the one they are after. They take him prisoner and treat his injuries. Gram is infuriated by the whole situation. The Syndicate turned a kid into a soldier, then left him behind to die or get captured. And no one in the Military leadership sees Nix as anything but a threat or a tool. 

There’s some dispute among the Military leadership about what to do with Nix, but once it’s finally decided that Nix will be handed over to the Research Division for experimentation (the Military really wants to figure out how to give people telepathy and Nix is the only telepath they know of) Gram loses it. Those experiments are, of course, a sore topic for him. 

“This isn’t about the prisoner,” Nolan told him, his voice quiet but firm. “This is about Alyssa.”

The words were like a slap in the face. Gram had lost his wife a few years prior. The grief was still like an ache in his chest that would never go away. She’d been his entire world, but that world was gone now, and everything that was left seemed a little dimmer, a little more gray.

It didn’t help that he had good reason to blame the military for her death. Gram couldn’t completely deny that there was truth in Nolan’s words. The thought of the researchers getting their hands on a kid not much younger than Aly had been when they’d tested her, made his stomach churn.

“Maybe you’re right, Nolan.” Gram’s voice turned quiet. The anguish of his own powerlessness clawed at his insides, threatened to tear him apart. It had been a long time since he’d felt this way. “There was nothing I could do when they took Aly. There was nothing I could do when she came back sick. There was nothing I could do knowing that she might never be the same. There was nothing I could do when I had to watch her die.”

Gram looked his friend and commanding officer in the eye, his gaze hard and stubborn.

“But there is something you can do, Nolan. You don’t have to stand here and watch this happen to someone else.”

But Nolan refuses to help. Gram decides he can’t sit by and let the Military experiment on Nix, so he breaks him out of prison and helps him escape. Mel and Nolan intervene to reduce Gram’s punishment to demotion. He’s essentially exiled from Military territory until he captures Nix and brings him back.

But instead of tacking Nix down to capture him, Gram tracks him down to try to help him, to try to keep the Military from capturing him again. He invites Nix to come live with him. Nix is reluctant at first, but eventually learns to trust Gram and stays with him. They develop a really close bond and would do just about anything for each other.

#blorbo blursday #blorbsday #nix #gram #kaori #aly #nightshade #nightshade snippets

[news24press-blog]

Three charged over €6m ‘ghost broker’ motor insurance fraud

Two businessmen and art teacher remanded on bail and have not yet indicated how they will plead Two businessmen and an art teacher have been charged over a €6m “ghost broker” motor insurance policy fraud.

Alexander Afanaschenko, 45,of Bewley Drive, in Lucan, Mikhail Yegorov, 38, of Charnwood Court, Clonsilla and Elena Olenik, 44, who lives in Berryfield, Finnstown, Lucan, Dublin were remanded on bail after they appeared before Judge Gerard Jones at Blanchardstown District Court on Thursaday.

It follows an investigation by the Garda Special Investigations Unit in Roads Policing Division based at Dublin Castle.

In excess of 2,500 motor insurance policies, valued €6m, were identified as having been fraudulently obtained from 10 insurance companies, Judge Jones was told.

The Director of Public Prosecutions directed trial on indictment in the Circuit Court. The three defendants, who have not yet indicated how they will plead, were ordered to appear again in July to be served with books of evidence and returned for trial.

Garda George Thurlow told the court it was alleged Mr Afanaschenko was a director of a named company which operated as a “ghost broker” from January 2013 until September 2018.

He faced 210 charges: one count of fraudulent trading contrary to the Companies Act; 76 deception charges as well as 91 for money launder offences and the rest were for using false documentation.

Fraudulent documents were used get policies with beneficial premiums, it was alleged.

Mr Afanaschenko, from Russia but who has lived in Ireland for 18 years, was the holder of Irish, Moldovan and Russian passports. There was no objection to bail with conditions.

Mikhail Yegorov was from Ukraine but identified as Irish and has lived here since 2014, the court heard. Garda Sergeant John Carey said Mr Yegorov was accused of 21 money laundering offences by possessing proceeds of criminal conduct, and one charge of fraudulent trading of a ghost broker venture. It was alleged he worked with Mr Afanaschenko but the co-accused was more directly involved.

It was alleged they were paid to use false information, including fake licences and no claims bonus certificates, to get genuine insurance policies with reduced premiums.

The court heard €180,000 allegedly went through a bank account over two years.

The two businessmen had bail set with €5,000 lodgements and their legal aid applications were deferred. Judge Jones ordered them to sign on regularly at their local Garda stations, to surrender travel documentation, alert gardai if they will be away from their homes for more than 24 hours, not to leave the jurisdiction, and have no contact with injured parties.

Self-employed art teacher Elena Olenik, originally from Latvia, faces 15 money laundering charges and 20 counts of forgery of documents, Garda Thurlow said. Her solicitor Wayne Kenny said she is currently on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. She was granted legal aid.