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_ Tempest _
"... Viride ... can you cut it already?" Azalea turned towards him, giving him a look.
"I don't think so. This feaolk barely knows how we work, why should I give him a chance?" Viride spoke, walking over to me and getting right in my face. I glared at him and stepped away as I sensed anger from behind me.
"I think you should before I get involved with this feaolk business." I hear Seiro grow behind me. Oh god. Well ... you know what, I won't complain this time. Thank you for that.
"Tsk. Fine." Viride sneered at him before turning and walking away. "Let's leave where the mutt doesn't hear more of our conversations."
"Ugh. Sorry about Viride, he's just ... not so fond of you for some odd reason." Azalea told me, shaking her head.
"It's fine. I think he took my existence as, "I'm going to insult this person to the ends of the earth!"" I said, making both Azalea and Seiro snort, though Azalea sort of giggled. Yep. He has a crush on me. That's the only possible way where he's literally laughing at the statement. I didn't mean for it to be funny. Though, I'm not too happy that Azalea is already interested in me. I don't want to know what moves she'll make on me. I think that's the right ... word for it. I don't know. I never saw Seiro do that to me and I think ... he's more respectful when it comes to that.
"Okay! Should we join the others? Everyone is returning to their circles." Azalea asked me.
I gave her a dull expression as I didn't want to, even if I agreed to go over to join them. I sighed with annoyance before getting poked in the shoulder. I turned over to Seiro who did that. "This is just climbing along the pole right?" He asked.
"... Yes." I nodded, catching Azalea in the corner of my eye looking disgusted at him. ... I have no comment on that.
"So ... I have a curious thought that I wondered about this one. Does it goes past the trees?" He asked.
"I don't know." I glared at him.
"Then why don't you find out for me?" He asked, grinning.
"No." I stared at him. Shit. Now he got me wondering if it does go to that height or past it.
"Aww, I'll give you something at the end~" He charmed, which failed again. "Or ... if ... hmmm ... if you could last up there for five minutes ... I'll double that reward for you~"
"I would die if I stay up above the trees," I told him.
"I'm sure you're adapted to those conditions." He said.
I narrowed my eyes at him as he grinned down at me. "... So. Do you want me to die or are you trying to figure out if I'm a Wind Elemental or not?" I whispered to him quietly.
"The second one." He chuckled in a whisper.
"Fine. I'll prove to you that I'm not." I said, accepting his ... offer.
"Good. Good luck and ..." He looked over my head and tried to find someone. "Kick that damn feaolk's ass for me."
"Or for the both of us." I corrected him. "I hate him too."
He nodded and stepped away as my other friends joined up with him. I could see them asking him questions about our secret.
"Tempest," Azalea whispered to me as I nodded to her, walking over to my white circle. "Why did you choose a wololk to like?"
I turned over to her with confusion. "I mean, I like him as a friend, what's wrong with that?" I asked.
She frowned at me as I could sense jealousy generating within her. "Nothing wrong with that." She shook her head and walked over to her white circle. I raised my brows and continued on, arriving in it at last. Viride chuckled at me, giving me a sneer as I ignored him and focused on my surroundings. Okay. Let's put up the feathers now. I closed my eyes and breathed in and out. I kept doing this method until I was relaxed and calm. And soon enough, the detector ability I have resurfaced and let me know that a lot of people were behind me. It was there before but I think I wasn't focusing on my surroundings at the time.
I sighed and opened my eyes, looking up to the fog as I could see nothing. Well, that sucked. I looked around as I could see lineart around everyone, making me confused. I lifted a hand to my face, rubbing it as I felt small feathers there. I blinked repeatedly. "You finally figured out how to make your feathers appear?" Viride asked behind me.
"Yes. I did." I answered. I think ... the small feathers are letting me know everyone's outlines. That's really useful. I wonder if the other feaolks see this too. I could ask Azalea when this is all over. ... Or Viride but ... I don't want to deal with him. I looked over at the host again, reannouncing the same instructions as before. I breathed in and out, preparing myself this time around. Maybe that's why I failed last time. But this time, I'm doing something risky.
I felt nervous rising up within me as I shook it off, focusing on the task at hand. As the host was beginning to count down, I slowly opened my wings wide. I braced myself when the host said "fly," and soon I instantly took off of the platform with the others. I flapped my wings to go higher and higher. I didn't bother to look at the others as my focus was on the fog. I could disappear in it and keep away from the other flyers. But I need to be close to the pole--- I winced when I was rammed out of the sky.
I almost panicked but I kept myself focused and corrected myself mid-air, turning over to see Viride coming at me again. Oh you idiot, you couldn't wait until I was in the fog? I swooped right above him as I sensed panic rising within him. I saw him flail around before turning over to me. I hovered in front of the pole as he flew right at me. I grinned and flew up into the fog, hearing a thud. Jeez, that gotta hurt. I snorted, turning over to the pole's outlines. I nodded my head and turned over to the other feaolks' outlines.
One was coming at me as I quickly swooped out of their reach, flying higher and higher. I looked down and saw two outlines of feaolks fighting one another as the others were falling down. I raised my brows and continued my climb. I widened my eyes when I was rammed out of the way. I turned a sharp left as I was about to hit the pole. I collected myself and turned over to the feaolk who tried to slam me into the pole. "Another feaolk who has the ability, Advanced M&D? This will be an interesting battle." The stranger spoke and I could feel his grin on me.
I cannot see the folks' faces, only the outlines of their bodies. Also, what is Advanced M&D? Probably another ability that the feaolks have. I flew up when the stranger came at me. He whirled around and zoomed right at me. I winced when he headbutted my torso, making me cough slightly. Don't give up! I grabbed hold of his shirt, gripping tightly on it as he grabbed my arms, trying to rip them off of them. I held my grasp there before thinking of something. I do accidentally knock feaolks out with my wings ... right? So ... why don't I try it on you?
He pried my arms off of him as he swung his wing at me. I dodged swiftly before boosting myself right in his face before he had time to swing another one at me. I swiftly struck him with my wing, not too hard but enough to send him falling down below me. I blinked at him as I tilted my head. I think ... that may have been ... too hard? I thought I just hit him as regular folks would. Are my wings really made out of steel bones? Or ... do they just feel like it?
No time to question it even further. I have to get to the top. I looked up and flapped my wings up and up, climbing higher and higher to the end of the pole. I saw a small flag at the top as I reached for it. I grasped it in my hand, pulling it off of the end as I blinked at it. So ... people have to reach for a flag, huh? That was easy. I raised myself higher and higher, feeling the oxygen drain away from my lungs. I breathed more slowly as I breached the top of the fog. I flew out into nothingness, widening my eyes at the sight.
I halted and hovered, holding the flag close to me as I glanced up at the night sky with a full moon. It was oddly large as the stars sparkled all around and across the night sky. "... Wow..." I breathed, realizing the oxygen up here was scarce, but that didn't seem to bother me. I didn't wonder about it as the sight was beautiful to see. A smile slipped on my lips as the giant moon shined its light on me. I blinked at it. ... Moons ... aren't supposed to be that big ... right? It feels odd that it's huge like that. I looked at the stars sparkling up there. You know ... this makes me feel like I was seeing the outer world, something that is beyond the stars.
But that may be my imagination.
I blinked out taking in view of the place, tilting my head. How long have I been up here? I looked down below me as I saw the fog stretch out far from every corner of the world, making me widen my eyes once more. "... Damn ..." I mumbled. This ... This is amazing! Everything here is amazing! This feels like the freedom I am feeling! I was swirling around, halting when I was getting dizzy a little. Okay, not too much. There is barely any oxygen up here and yet I'm breathing into the little bits of it and perfectly fine about it. What is this?
I shook my head and looked down at the fog. I should return to the others. Okay, hold on tight little flag. I flapped once more before diving straight down. I held the flag close to me as my wings subconsciously pulled closer to me. I squinted my eyes from the dust flying into my eyes as I rubbed them for a moment before seeing the outlines come in once more. I could see the platform and the pole itself, making me spread out my wings and guide right down. I saw outlines of the folks shaping in as I glanced down at a particular spot. Two figures were there, standing next to a group.
I tilted my head, seeing everything now that I was out of the fog. I noticed I was tilted as I corrected myself the right way. I guided right down to the two feaolks, flapping my wings as my feet touched the ground. I stretched out my wings before closing them back up and looking over at the shocked expressions of my friends and Azalea and Viride's. I blinked at them all as I crossed my arms, still having the flag in my hand.
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Oh right. I uncrossed my arms and showed them the flag as Azalea gasped loudly. "... HOW DID YOU..."
"I just flew up there," I told her.
"Smartass!" I heard Carla giving me looks as I snorted.
"You guys should have seen it up there!" I said, smiling widely. "It's ... it was something that was out of this world."
"... You were only supposed to fly to the top of the pole and grab the flag," Azalea told me.
"Well, I accidentally flew out of the fog and into this wonderful night sky. With a giant moon for some odd reason. No idea why it's there." I said, feeling the excitement pulse within me. "But... it was amazing! I never saw anything like it! And ... and if you look past the stars ... I think, there was something else that was fading into existence. I ... I think there was a world beyond this one!"
"Really?" Carla looked at me with curiosity.
"I'm not so sure but what I saw above the treetops, it's true," I said, smiling at her.
Carla huffed. "I wish I could go up there and see it myself.
"Wait ... you went above the treetops?!" Azalea asked me, looking shocked.
"Yeah. I didn't see no more trees up there." I told her, nodding my head.
"... Never once a single feather reached up that high. Infact, I never heard such stories of one reaching up there." She told me, looking surprised and interested. Oh god, did this prove to her that I'm better than Viride? Gosh, she's gonna be more interested in me now than ever.
"So ... you were gone for over five minutes." I heard Seiro say, turning over to him as I glared at him. He was grinning widely as I sneered at him.
"So what?" I said.
"I think my predictions are cleared."
"No, it's not," I said, rolling my eyes. That can't be true. A memory flashed in my head, taking me back to the times when my father had me on the tallest rock platform where no other feaolk would be at. I blinked as I heard the slight voice of my father telling me something:
"... Why do they not believe you? You're something special to them! Why ... why is being an enchanter so ... important than what you have?" I heard the young me ask. I turned over to the scene, seeing the tallest rock platform once more. I looked around, seeing there were clouds all around with some holes here and there. I glanced back at the conversation.
The adult stared at me for a good moment, widening his eyes. "... You detect something more special within me?"
"Yes! I always had this ability since I was four! I never told anyone but you." The young me continued with a chirp, nodding his head.
"... Well, let's keep it that way then. I don't want Aloe to have full control over you." He said.
"... What ... what does it means?" The young me asked him, sitting next to him.
"It ... means, you're a Wind Elemental, one of the most powerful elementals in history." My father answered, having an arm around my young self as he was glancing down at him.
I widened my eyes, shocked at hearing the news. ... W-W-W-What?
"... I ... I'm an elemental...? but ... I don't feel like one!" The young me said, frowning.
"There's ... nothing ... well, I don't know. I can't really explain it as being a wind elemental is difficult as it seems." My father said as his voice faded away and I could hear the reality of my friends' voices. ... I ... I don't believe it. How can I be a Wind Elemental?!
"Let-" I heard Carla shouting as I blinked back into reality. I looked around as feaolks were surrounding me. I widened my eyes as I backed away from the stares. What is going on?! I turned all around as their faces lit up with excited smiles and scary ones. I felt fear rising within me as I felt like I was trapped in this circle. All around, these strangers were trapping me in a circle I didn't want to be in.
"He definitely has the spotted swirls pattern! I saw them with my own eyes!" One of them shouted.
"Really?"
"A winder master at once?!"
"I gotta see! Let me touch his wings!" I saw hands reaching out at me as I frowned, trying to get out of their reach. Soon those excited smiles were replaced by people laughing down at me with their wide white smiles. Another flashback occurred as it was a memory of my sister gaining her enchantment magic at age three when I didn't. The young me attempted every possible gesture to activate enchantment magic so that I wouldn't get left behind. Well, I ended up getting left behind when I tripped and fell on my face, hearing the waves of laughter from the adult enchanters. When I looked up, it was all horrors from there. They were seeing how much how I wanted to become like my sister and immediately scold me so that I wouldn't become like her.
I blinked at the vision changing, spotting a bright light blue glow shining away from the memory and back into reality. I stared wide-eyed at the large wolf who stood protective of me. I gazed at the glowing patterns on their pelt, tilting my head at their meanings. Soon he circled around me with his ears pinned against his head, "DO NOT surround someone LIKE THAT! The guy doesn't even know what the hell you guys talk about!"
He was shouting at the feaolks that surrounded me. They were an inch away due to the large wolf's presence until they decided to step closer to me. Once they did that, I felt panic rush through me as I thought they were going to hit me.
"Step away wololk! This isn't your time to shine." I heard one of them shout.
"Yeah!"
"Stop stealing the spotlight!"
"Go somewhere else!"
"Go back to your pack, you damn mutt!"
The voices continued on, telling the large wolf off while others retorted by insulting him. Oh, you have done enough shouting. I voiced for them to stop but they didn't hear me. They were so focused on getting rid of him, trying to get him away from me when he stood closer to me. I didn't like it at all, and yet I sat there like I took everything for granted. I slowly squeezed my hands into fists, clenching my teeth. This is why I threatened people to get them to shut up.
I immediately got up to my feet and subconsciously opened my wings wide as I saw a gush of wind releasing from me and rushing through to the people who surrounded me. "SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!" I shouted, watching them fall down to their feet and knees. Instantly after that hit, they shut up and stared at me with wide eyes. "ENOUGH OF IT. I don't want to hear any more of it! If you continue with your stupid remarks towards my friend, I won't hesitate to strip you of your feathers to make you flightless PERMANENTLY." I hissed, giving them all death glares.
The silence was all that was left after that speech. The feaolks were too hesitant to do anything as some of them were slowly getting up while the rest were slowly inching away on the ground. Those who stood, stood their ground as a few inched closer to us. I narrowed my eyes at them, standing my ground, and kept my wings wide open.
"Calm down ... we were just admiring you until the mutt had to take away the spotlight." A silver-haired feaolk said, looking nervous. "We don't want that mutt taking all of it."
I clenched my teeth. "If you didn't notice- WHICH I'M 99% SURE YOU DIDN'T NOTICE, you all were scaring me into a corner. Admiring me to death? As always for your cruel fucked tales." I snapped. "You can admire me another fucking day as this isn't the day for you guys to decide to circle me and cause me to feel pain again. I am NOT YOUR TROPHY TO STARE AT."
"Okay ... Jeez!" The one said, backing away as a few others were doing the same.
"Jeez, I didn't know this wind master could be this mean." A dark blue-haired feaolk commented, narrowing his eyes at me. "Wouldn't you be wise instead of stupid?"
"Oh shut up. You were with the others when you surrounded them." I heard Seiro snap as I turned towards him. He was in his humanoid form as he was still glowing. He growled loudly with his ears pinned as I turned back to the dark blue-haired feaolk.
"Shut it Mutt-"
"You think, I'm stupid?" I quickly approached the man. I'm not letting you get a chance to say "mutt," towards him, fool. The feaolk took a few steps back until I halted right in his face and continued. "You think, I'M STUPID? You guys surrounded and trapped me where I felt like you all were going to attack me! You're calling me stupid without even thinking where I even came from!"
"But you should be respectful--- more respectful to us instead of resorting to the behaviors of those modern feathers." He hissed, looking slightly frightened.
"WHO CARES?! What I act doesn't have to deal with whatever the fuck are modern feathers! If I act differently than what you call wind masters, then so be it. I shouldn't be sticking to a certain behavior for you folks to admire at. Go admire at another wind master because I ain't one, to begin with." I hissed back, making him take another step. He thought I was going to hurt him, and he was right for the most part.
"So go on. Or you won't have a voice after I'm finished with you." I threatened him. He immediately took off running as the rest did the same. I huffed with rage as I panted. I turned and walked back over to Seiro who was glaring at the one who ran.
"Fucking cowards."
"Let them run, they deserve for the shit they pulled," I told him.
Seiro sighed and nodded, turning towards me. "Are you okay?" He asked, perking his ears up with a concerned expression.
"I'm fine." I nodded, feeling my breathing calm down. "... Are ... you okay with insults they threw at you?"
He frowned and looked away from me. "... I'm ... used to them. I've heard worse."
I frowned, wanting to ask more about his welfare before turning over to Azalea slowly approaching us. She looked terrified to the core and yet she was facing her fears at the same time. Viride was with her and I'm surprised he didn't run away. She gulped and halted when she neared us, keeping herself as still as possible. I narrowed my eyes, taking breaths in and out to calm myself down.
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"... W-Whoever hurt you if that person did harm you ... deserves to be burned- no ... rot in hell." She managed out with a shaky voice.
I let out a breath through my nose nodding my head in agreement, "Can you explain why did they surround me?" I came back from looking at one of my memories and I saw that. And that wasn't a good sight to come back to.
She nodded quickly, slowly sitting down and taking multiple breaths. She stood back up and opened her mouth to speak at last. "You ... have spotted swirl patterns on your feathers, or at least what I heard from the man who pointed it out. That ... automatically means that you are a wind master, which also means you have all abilities of a feaolk. Remember what I said about powerful enchantment magic in enchanters getting worshipped with wind masters? That is why they reacted that way. It's been a long while since we have seen a wind master--- which can be also known as Ancient Feathers." She explained.
"... Explain?"
"Ancient Feathers ... are folks who always had all of the abilities and used to dominate the skies above us. That was in the old times when we were powerful back then- decades later, here comes us, modern feathers who lack those abilities and only have either one or two, rarely three abilities. These abilities are becoming scarce as time passes and soon, there might not be any abilities left for us to use." She explained, appearing relaxed now.
I slowly nodded. So ... Wind masters aren't Wind Elementals, they're Ancient Feathers who have all of the abilities. Which is me--- Which I already know. "Interesting. But I already know all of that stuff with the patterns and abilities."
"... You did?" She asked, looking surprised.
"I saw my feather patterns and that's about it. Along with being told before I have all of the abilities." I answered.
"It ... makes sense why everyone surrounded you that fast," Seiro spoke. "They're obsessed with looking at other's feather patterns. I don't understand their ways at all."
I turned to him, nodding my head. "I don't understand that either."
"That is how we choose our flares. Mind you, mutt." Azalea shot him a glare.
"Stop calling him a mutt." I sneered at her.
"But he's---"
"Stop calling him one." I approached her and she immediately became terrified. "Or you'll be a flightless feaolk."
"OKAY." She screamed, making me step away.
"Don't you dare strip her off her feathers." Viride sneered at me, being protective of her.
"It's okay, Viride. He's ... very protective of his wololk friend." Azalea told him, gently pushing him away from me.
"Too protective, mind you," Seiro whispered to me.
"I am very protective of my friends, mind your ass back." I turned to him, retorting back at him.
He stared at me before snorting, "Alrighty~"
I rolled my eyes and turned back to the two feaolk who gave us wary looks. "May I ask what are all of the feaolk's abilities?" I asked. I actually don't know any of them even though I have them all.
Viride sneered at me as Azalea nodded. "Feather Manipulation is one of the abilities and almost all of us have that ability. It's a very common one. Energies Detector is another one. With that, you can see anyone invisible or sense someone that is next to you or behind you. Advanced M&D, also known as Advanced Movement and Detector is an ability where you are more adaptive to moving so well in the air. Up there, you can make quick maneuvers and dodge very easily. They also have some outlines that appear in their sights, but that only happens if the feaolk makes their feathers appear on their bodies. Steel Bones is just the feaolk's bones becoming as tough as steel- sometimes even diamonds. And those hurt ... A LOT. The last ability is Growth, where your feathers grow much, MUCH faster than ours. Ours takes 2 to 4 months to grow in while yours only take 2 to 10 days to grow in."
Oh. So it's just me and that other feaolk then... I slowly nodded. Also, that's why my wings are hard as diamonds. I can knock someone out even if I try to not hit them that hard. Nice... I apologise to those who I hit with my wings. Energies Detector ... probably one of the first abilities that I knew that I had from the very start. Along with Growth. "Now the mutt knows of this information, thanks to you Azalea," Viride grunted.
"I already knew all of this from a helpful book," Seiro told him.
"What?! Who spilled our secrets?!" Viride glared at him.
Seiro just snorted and shook his head. "Having other folks know about our folk is forbidden and it should not be taught to them at all," Azalea said, glaring at him too.
"Well, it's too late for that," Seiro said, grinning widely. "Besides, had to learn about them because of this little one."
"Don't call me little." I glared at him as well.
"Alright." He nodded.
"Let me tell you one thing first, feaolk." Viride glared right at me. "This is so wrong and forbidden as to what you are doing with this wololk. Feaolks fonding with other folks besides our own is looked down upon. Even if you're not flares with him or not, it's still frowned upon. Someone should have taught you to stick with our own folks and not them."
"Well, then my mother taught me wrong then about your words," I told him. "Besides, you're closed-minded if you think that way about your culture."
"She definitely did." Azalea nodded, taking it seriously. "Curse her for doing that."
"Actually, I am glad she did that and I don't have to stick my brain into some brainwashed shit," I said. Along with my father as well. I hope Western Feaolk Colony is nothing like Eastern Feaolk Colony. "Should we see our friends?" I asked Seiro.
"... We should go to the host for your flag," Seiro told me.
"Oh." I turned over to the host who was gathering up some more flyers. "Right." I turned and rushed over to them. "Hey!" I called out, halting when they turned to me. They widened their eyes at the flag. "I ... got this." I held out the flag to them.
"... The second ... feaolk to get that flag. Wow. I'm impressed!" The host said, smiling and nodding. They grabbed the flag and turned it over to the stands next to them. They placed the flag in a bin as they grabbed a bag out of it the next. They turned to me and handed it to me. "Enjoy your prize!" I nodded and grabbed it, turning and walking over to one of the gates. I exited through it and walked around the fence and over to the group.
"THAT WAS AMAZING CASTIT!"
"Tempest." Paradise corrected Carla once more.
"Tempest, sorry. I keep forgetting." Carla shook her head. She gazed at me with a smile.
"... With my whole attitude of threatening everyone?" I asked, raising my brows.
Paradise and Carla stared at one another, smiling nervously as they looked back at me. "Yes."
"You're scary, brother when you become that way." Purity said, walking over to me.
"Sorry. Some folks needed to learn their place." I said, looking guilty.
"No need to feel guilty. I think they deserved it." Seiro said, padding over to me with his glowing patterns still. I stared at him as I tilted my head. Does he know his patterns are still glowing? I don't think he knows. "Especially that dark blue one."
"Seiro, you're glowing," I told him.
He widened his eyes as his patterns disappeared off of him. "... O- I did it again." He hissed afterwards. "I need to control my anger more."
"Why do you glow?" Carla asked.
"It's a secret," Seiro told her, putting his finger in front of his mouth.
Carla huffed as I shook my head. A Keikama is what you are? Whatever that is. Yes. I overheard his conversation with his brother again. If he needs to keep it a secret, then I think it's wise to keep it one. Paradise shook her head before turning over to me. "I need to ask you a question."
"And that is?" I said, raising my brows.
"... Do you know ... that you're a Wind Elemental?" They asked me.
I stared at them as I could feel a certain fox grinning widely right beside me. "Do ... you detect me being one?" I asked.
They nodded. "Yes. I've been detecting that you were one. Ever since we met. But I didn't tell you that because I thought you knew you were a Wind Elemental." And they aren't lying at all.
"Told you."
"Oh shush." I turned to glare at him. He continued his grin as I turned to the other two.
"So ... you're an elemental brother?" Purity blinked.
"Yep. Told by Paradise and my father long ago." I said, nodding.
"... Your father knows?"
"Yep. I recalled a memory of me and him discussing that before all of the chaos broke." I answered, nodding my head.
"Damn. Two elementals we have." Carla nodded her head. "This is exciting!"
"Yeah ... and it seems like ... I'll have to practice with it," I said. Do I? Well, it's wise to do so in case I need it to fight.
"We can do that after the festival," Paradise said.
"Definitely! And ... and, we'll have to tell the others." Purity said.
"... Yeah." I nodded.
"We'll do all of that after we have all of our fun! Come on! Let's find some more games to play!" Carla smiled. We all agreed and exited out of the Reach the Top area. We ventured over to one of the activities and joined in. Some of us watched while the others compete against other players. I leaned against the wall, smiling softly before thinking about something. No. I'm not thinking about me being an elemental. I'm ... thinking about Seiro's crush on me.
Should I confront him about it? I should but ... I don't know how to confront it. I'll just ask him and continue on from there.
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- End of Chapter 35
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