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Games have been around for as long as humans have. In fact games are an integral part of cultures, ancient and contemporary. Because of this obvious prevalence, it's very easy to spot how games, and in turn gaming, have evolved. Games aren't exclusive for sporting events and exercise adjacent activities. We have board games, puzzle games, and of course video games, which is a host to a plethora of different genres and play styles in itself. With the rise of video games as an integral part of pop culture and media consumed by people of all ages, concerns also rise. The adverse reactions of concerned parents about video games is almost a tale as old as time but are these unfounded? Is there really only one victor between Gamestop discounts and Carolina Footwear Coupons? Is there no way to balance outdoor games and video games?
Defining outdoor games is relatively simple. They're the usual traditional way one would play just about any game that comes to mind, but outdoors. From games on the playground to the world wide celebrated sporting events, these are all easily defined as outdoor games. Video games on the other hand may be a little more difficult to dissect.
Video games are games that can be played on a computer, a phone, tablet, or a game console. The term video game is a very broad term simply because there are just too many kinds of games one can play. Traditional board games and card games have been adapted to video game formats, allowing you to take your card deck or your Monopoly board with you wherever you are in the world. In fact, outdoor games have been turned into video games as well with games like the 2K and FIFA series are some of the best selling games world wide.
While video gaming has its fair share of pros, like its accessibility to just about anyone, regardless of age, gender, or even mobility (especially for those who are differently abled). An added bonus is its availability regardless of the weather and protection from environmental hazards. But things aren't always great when you consider the rising number of obesity cases among those who are avid gamers. Online gamers often have unhealthy diets that lead to becoming overweight. Additionally, muscle pains and increasingly worsening eyesight are also problems many online and video gamers face.
With those pros and cons in mind, many might consider that outdoor games are much more beneficial, with the ideas of their health and social upsides. But it is also important to remember that this isn't always the case especially these days wherein many communities are observing lockdown measures in order to avoid COVID-19, perhaps only leaving their homes to go and buy essentials or seek rapid testing near me, should they suspect they have contracted the virus. Exposure to the outdoors and all its elements may leave us feeling ill with just about any other sickness, like the flu. The biggest worry one should have when it comes to outdoor games would be injuries. Even the most professional of athletes can still get injured when playing football, rugby, or basketball so it isn't unlikely that those of us who play just for fun or exercise are still at risk.
With all of these pros and cons of video games and outdoor games in front of you, the answer is clear that there really isn't a clear answer. Both of these gaming formats have excellent benefits and also terrible consequences should we play our cards wrong, but it's important to remember that the choice of which we'll prefer is ours. With all of these options, a wise choice would be to see what are the outdoor games that can fill in the gaps that video games leave behind. It's always great to go outside to stretch our limbs and to break a sweat on the court. But on days we're feeling a bit too sore, it won't be wrong to break out the Mario Kart or a little World of Warcraft with friends. It's important that we see the limits within ourselves so we get the best results and benefits from gaming outdoors or on video.


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How to rent out your holiday home through Gites?
It is very simple - for you, but also for your potential guests! After you have approved the booking, they can safely and directly pay via Gites. You can manage your outstanding reservations in every detail.Start advertising right now
Guests pay their bookings via a secure Online Payment Provider (OPP) that is under supervision by the Dutch National Bank (DNB), giving extra security to potential renters.
Guests who book your holiday home can use payment methods they are familiar with and enjoy extra security from Gites. This also ensures the payment is settled.
Complete freedom to personalise your offer to interested renters.
You can process additional costs or reductions in the price offer before you approve it. Additionally, you can adjust arrival - and departure times if desired, or add other agreements to the booking.
Gites ensures that installments are paid in time
Automatic emails remind guests about upcoming payments. In one click they can pay via payment methods known to them.
Apply customised prices in the calendar, including additional charges.
Complete freedom to classify the rental year as you wish. Seasons, non available weeks, everything is possible! You can also clarify extra costs or discounts.
Renting out your holiday home step by step
Create your advertisement and set rental prices per period
You can create your own rental periods, think of high season and low season. For each period, you can specify minimum stay, fixed changeover days or even flexible periods ... Plus you can set fees for a deposit, cleaning, linen and towels. During the booking process an exact price calculation based on this data is made for the potential guest.
A potential renter asks for additional information
You can use the contact form on your ad page to receive questions concerning your home from potential tenants. You can answer them via e-mail or through the Gites website. The perfect time to convince these potential renters to book your property! The renter can directly start booking from the conversation page on Gites...
I've received a booking request! Should I approve or reject it?
Once a new booking request comes in you have 48 hours to accept or reject it. If you wish to accept the booking, you can adjust the price by adding additional price lines. Think of details which the system does not know, such as taxes or varying discounts for longer rental periods. Then you give the renter a definitive offer. It has clearly been pointed out to the renter that the price has been adjusted. Additionally, you can communicate any alternative arrangements with the renter which are saved with the booking.
The tenant accepts the reservation definitively by means of a deposit
After you have approved the booking the renter receives an automatic message. He/she has 48 hours to make the deposit payment. In case the deposit is late you have the freedom to cancel the booking, or allow the renter more time. As soon as the renter has paid a rental contract is made which meets French legislation, as your house is located in France. This contract offers extra security to both property owner and renter.
The renter pays the following instalments at fixed periods
Gites sends automatic reminders to renters and ensures that deadlines are paid on time. As property owner you do not have to do anything for this. If the renter does not meet the deadline, you can cancel the booking and receive (part of) the rental sum as stipulated in the policy.
Everything is settled, you will shortly receive the rental sum
When the final payment is received, you can prepare the house for the arrival of the guests. Two business days after the arrival of your guests you will be paid by Gites.
Payments, cancellations and warranty
- The renter pays Gites online and we offer the following payment methods: all countries in the world: Visa & Mastercard, as well as these additional payment methods: NL: iDeal, BE: Mister Cash, DE: Sofort, UK: Maestro.
- The safety deposit is arranged between property owner and renter. It is possible to communicate about the deposit through Gites.
- Cancellations by the renter are handled by Gites in accordance with the cancellation policies. In the case of a cancellation the property owner receives the booking deposits paid, minus the commission.
- Cancellation by the property owner less than 28 days before the arrival date leads to a fine for the owner, the renter receives compensation.
- We offer the renter a guarantee that his/her money is refunded if the house does not exist on arrival or is not available. In connection with this guarantee you are paid after the arrival of the renter. We make this payment within 2 business days.

subset: commoncrawl


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All Manufacture collections can be beautifully combined with each other – Unleash your creativity!
Matt-structured porcelain surfaces with a black slate look combined with a hand-painted copper shade made from non-metallic special pigments give the iconic trend range its extraordinary look.
The new Coffee To Go mug with the Manufacture Rock design has a fascinating matte black look and elegant feel.
Whether as a jewellery bowl or decorative storage option - our Manufacture Collier vases cut a fine figure everywhere.


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We're already in the 4K era: it seems like the majority of new TVs, streaming services, and devices support the higher quality video format. The de facto physical format for 4K is off to a slow start, however. The UBP-X1000ES is Sony's first to support Ultra HD Blu-ray playback, with full 4K and HDR support (although Sony has yet to specify whether it will be using the HDR10 or Dolby Vision standard.) Along with the new 4K Blu-ray discs, the UBP-X1000ES also supports CD, DVD, and Blu-ray content, as well as the ability to upscale older 1080p content to 4K.
It's important to note that the X1000ES is part of Sony's ES series, the company's top-of-the-line models designed for custom A / V installations, so Sony fans looking for a more middle of the road (and likely cheaper) Ultra HD Blu-ray player after the PlayStation 4 Pro passed on the feature will probably want to look elsewhere. The X1000ES is expected to ship in Spring 2017, with pricing still to be announced.


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I am so perplexed and saddened in this time of such uncertainty. In this past Sunday's reading's, we hear; "Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world".
I think we are all called to that light, that light in knowing that Jesus is there for us. Yes, we cannot receive Him right now in the Eucharist but he is here with us. When we are troubled and feel all alone, He is there.
Shortly, we will be coming into that sacred time of our Church year. Although we cannot partake in the Easter Tridium as we have in the past, we can still receive the deep spiritual awareness of Christ's love for us in remembering His Passion, Death and Resurrection.
I keep thinking of the fear, anxiety and apprehension the Apostles felt after their Lord and Master was put to death and taken from them. They hide in that fear for three days not sure, confused and wondering. But, on Easter Sunday, Peter and John, went to the tomb and saw the light.
They waited longer for the actual chance to see the Lord. We to must wait also, He will come to us again in the Eucharist. We to must look for that light, it is shining we must believe, our faith calls us believe and it will sustain us.
Pray for those affected by this pandemic, people giving of themselves to give life and healing to others and all who must realize that the light will shine ever brighter again.
Deacon Ray


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25251 Paseo de Alicia, Suite 202
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Alicia Dental is a trusted Laguna Hills area dental implants practice providing natural-looking, comfortable tooth replacement. We make it our mission to use a gentle touch during the process.
We hold ourselves to the highest standards to replace missing teeth and provide you with natural-looking results. Our goal is to restore your confidence and your bright, healthy smile.
Here at Alicia Dental, your comfort is our number one priority. We will do our utmost to put you at ease and keep you feeling relaxed and secure. Under the experienced leadership of Dr. Robert Kluss, our dedicated team of professionals is at your service to explain your treatment thoroughly and answer any questions you may have.
Second opinions are readily given by Robert Kluss, D.D.S., at his practice in the Laguna Hills, CA area. Dr. Kluss wants you to be able to make an informed decision about your oral health needs. Dr. Kluss believes that if a treatment plan is sound, particularly one that is major and/or expensive, it should hold up to scrutiny by other dental professionals.
At Alicia Dental, we accept several types of dental insurance. With the proper information, Dr. Kluss and his staff will be happy to file your insurance claim for you. We strive to make the insurance paperwork process as simple and streamlined as possible. You are only personally responsible for the co-pay or deductible amount.
Laguna Hills area Invisalign® dentist Robert Kluss, D.D.S. is happy to provide your new clear braces. At Alicia Dental, we want you to have the straight teeth and beautiful smile you desire.
We're happy to assess your needs create your individual treatment plan for braces. You may be able to have your new Invisalign® aligners sooner than you think!
2701 W. Alameda Avenue, Suite 606
Burbank, CA 91505
Secure, removable overdentures in the Burbank area are available from Dr. Tavitian. The extra stability that comes from using implants means that your new dentures won't slip around.
You'll feel more comfortable compared to regular dentures. You'll feel more confident when talking, eating and smiling.
If you are missing one or more teeth, you'll want to talk with Burbank area dental implant dentist Dr. Alexandre Tavitian about replacements that look and feel as natural as your own teeth. If dentures are causing you problems, you may consider dental implants. Unlike dentures, which can be removed, Dr. Tavitian offers dental implants that are permanently anchored into the jaw itself.
Alexandre Tavitian, D.D.S. is proud to be a trusted Burbank area Zoom!® teeth whitening dentist. Our patients love the short amount of time the tooth whitening treatment takes as much as they love the results.
You'll be able to relax in our comfortable surroundings. In just about an hour, you'll have a sparkling white smile!
Burbank area dentist, Dr. Alexandre Tavitian has extensive experience providing dental phobia treatments that help patients ease their dental anxiety. If fear of the dentist is keeping you from getting the quality dental care you need, we can help. You're not alone. Our trained team works with all kinds of anxiety and stress. We'll help you get the dental treatment you need in a way that makes you feel comfortable.
215 N. State College
Anaheim, CA 92806
If you need gum disease treatment, Anaheim area gum disease dentist, Dr. Scott offers extensive experience. Unhealthy gums can be a risk factor for more serious health problems if not treated promptly.
Our professional team will assess your situation and create a personalized treatment plan. We're committed to your life-long healthy gums and teeth.
Dr. Richard Scott is a trusted Anaheim area veneers dentist. Our professional team is dedicated to providing you with quality results in a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere.
You won't have to feel embarrassed any longer by crooked, chipped or discolored teeth. With your new dental veneers, you'll be thrilled to show off your healthy teeth and beautiful smile.
If you're looking for dentures that look great and last, look no further than Richard B. Scott, D.D.S. located in the Anaheim, CA area. Richard Scott, D.D.S. will assess your needs and fit you with durable, comfortable, natural-looking dentures - at a price you can afford.
Dr. Scott has extensive experience providing gingivitis treatments in the Anaheim area. Bleeding gums can lead to more serious health problems if not treated promptly.
Our friendly, professional team will evaluate your needs and design a personal treatment plan. We'll help you have healthy gums and teeth for life.
Chou, Joesky D.D.S.
1808 W Lincoln Ave # 101
Anaheim, CA, 92801-6732
Ohanesian, Sako D.D.S.
145 S Chaparral Ct # 201
Anaheim, CA, 92808-2265
World Resources Institute
1583 Wakefield Ave
Anaheim, CA, 92802
Mark s bowles D.D.S.
1520 e lincoln ave ste 1
Anaheim, CA, 92805
(714) 772-2114
If you've fractured your lower jaw, it will have occurred in one of three places: where the lower jaw joins the upper jaw and facial bones; near the angle of the jaw; or in a vertical line between the teeth.
When the opposing segments of jaw are brought close enough together, bones heal quickly. New bone is actually generated between the two segments and the bond can be stronger than before the trauma.
We "wire" the jaws for the rest of your recovery. Also, the splinting of the teeth helps keep the jaws properly opposed. Healing takes about six weeks, during which time the wire remains in place. You'll be limited to a liquid diet and perhaps less animated conversation.
It's a good time to read that big novel and relax; let nature take its course.
Corrective oral surgery (orthognathic surgery) moves teeth and jaws into a more balanced, functional and healthier position. Unequal growth of the jaws, birth defects or injury can create problems. Orthognathic means "straight jaws" and corrects a wide range of facial and jaw fractures and irregularities.
Its benefits include an improved ability to:
When only the teeth are involved, orthodontics can correct many "bite" problems but it cannot reposition jaws. Corrective oral surgery is usually performed when needed in connection with orthodontics corrections. The orthodontist and oral surgeon work together in developing your specific treatment program. A complete evaluation of the patient's condition through X-rays, photographs, facial measurements and dental impressions help them determine the best course of therapy.
Your orthodontist and oral surgeon will work closely together in preparation for your complete treatment program. First, pre-surgical orthodontics will move your teeth into a new position to fit together better after surgery. This means you'll be wearing braces for 6 to 18 months prior to the surgery. Your teeth will be carefully evaluated during orthodontic visits. When your dental correction team determines that your teeth are properly positioned, the surgery will be scheduled.
The surgery is performed in either a hospital or outpatient surgical center under general anesthesia which "puts you to sleep" during the operation. The length of surgery will depend upon the amount and type of surgery needed.
Since most incisions are made inside the mouth, no external scars are usually visible. If incisions are needed externally, the surgeon carefully conceals them in natural skin creases.
After surgery, you will experience some discomfort that is usually not significant; the pain can be controlled with medications. Your healing will take some time. Normally you can return to work or school within two weeks.
After four to eight weeks following surgery, your orthodontics treatment will continue to complete the proper positioning of your teeth. Usually your braces are removed within 6 to 12 months after surgery.
Following the removal of your braces, schedule an appointment with your dentist for a check-up. You'll have plenty to celebrate with all the benefits gained as a result of the corrective oral surgery.
By Brian J. Gray, DDS, MAGD, FICO


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The organizers for the annual Maryland Deathfest, which will take place May 26th and 27th at the Sonar in Baltimore, MD, have posted the following update:
"The rumours going around about CYNIC cancelling their appearance at Maryland Deathfest are true. As the organisers of the event, we will state everything that happened as accurately and as truthfully as possibly. All of the necessary steps to confirm CYNIC through their agency were taken by us and they were confirmed on November 21, 2006 as the band agreed on our original offer. We were given a definite green light to announce CYNIC on the MDF website also in November and all parties involved have known about the scheduled appearance of CYNIC at the festival for 4 months. Between December and March there were numerous attemps from our side to contact both the band directly as well as their agency, but each attempt resulted in absolutely no reply or further information given to us. Part of the agreement was that we would pay for the band's flights in advance, but we never even received a reply about it each time we tried contacting the band to arrange the flights. Finally we received a sign of life from CYNIC's agency in March asking for us to complete some information fact sheet to help assist them in completing the contract accurately. Shortly after rumours started going around that the band will not be playing the festival as we were not the first people to be informed of such an issue. After writing both the band and agency to get some kind of explanation about what is going on, we still have not received a legit reason and the band didn't even offer a personal message to deliver to the fans who have planned to travel to the festival to see them. They simply forwarded us an e-mail from their agency that said, "unfortunately CYNIC will not be playing the festival". We received a very vague answer on the phone from their agency that was simply a waste of time and the agency acted like they don't know why the band is cancelling. We don't believe that one bit, so at this point we don't even care to know the real reason that the band cancelled. We'll leave it to the fans of CYNIC to formulate their own opinion about the matter. An agreement was made by all parties 4 months ago, the green light was given to announce the band, but they suddenly cancel 2 months before the festival without a legit explanation. The lack of communication by both the band and agency is extremely frustrating for us and not how we prefer to deal with any band that performs at MDF. We aren't magicians or psychics and can only report the facts about what happened from our side. We understand that some people will be extremely frustrated by this news and you can believe us that we are just as frustrated as anyone. If you want to express your displeasure regarding this issue, please direct it to the band and not us as this has nothing to do with how we handled everything.
As a result of the cancellation, one additional band will be confirmed in the near future. It will not be a band of headlining status and we anticipate pushing up ZYKLON one space to headline the second night. Stay tuned for more on that.
In addition, you might've already heard the news regarding LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER cancelling their appearance at MDF approximately 1 month ago. GHOUL (Creepsylvania) has been announced to replace them on the bill.
Finally, the bands confirmed for the MDF pre-fest are as follows: PIG DESTROYER, INSECT WARFARE, PUTRID PILE, PISSCHRIST and DEFEATIST. One more band will be confirmed for the pre-fest. The show will take place on Friday, May 25th at Sonar and further information regarding start time and ticket price will be revealed shortly."


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Gallery Exhibit Opening - Cowboys: East Germany
Eric O'Connell is an Assistant Professor of photography and photojournalism at Northern Arizona University, holds an MA in visual anthropology (USC, 2010), and has worked and lived in New York City and Los Angeles as a commercial photographer for nearly 20 years. Having grown up in a ranching family in New Mexico, he is not only uniquely positioned to look at this subculture, but invested in this subject matter, as a matter of personal, and fond experience.
Gallery Exhibit Press Coverage:
Cowboys & Indians Magazine
KUT's Texas Standard Time - Interview with Eric O'Connell
More information:
Eric O'Connell:
Wittliff Collections - Texas State University:
German-Texan Heritage Society:


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Before InSight discovered Marsquakes, seismic shocks had been directly observed only on the Moon.
In 2019, NASA's SEIS seismometer installed on Mars by the InSight lander recorded the first seismic event on the Red Planet. Since then, the instrument has detected more than 500 marsquakes and made other massive discoveries.
Recently, the SEISS seismometer completed its first full year of data. That is, it worked during each day of the last Martian year. Apart from hundreds of marsquakes, data results revealed some unexpected surprises.
The following list of important facts summarizes all that has been achieved and discovered by InSight, including previous scientific results.
10 important things you should know about Marsquakes
1. Since the first registration of the "Marsquake" in April 2019, the instrument has recorded more than 500 such events, and their maximum magnitude has never been more than 4, which is unusual.
2. Scientists offer two versions of what is happening: either Mars is a seismically quieter planet than previously thought, or this is only a temporary period.
3. The frequency of such events was also unusual. Since April 2019, their number grew and soon the seismometer began to register tremors every day, but at the end of June 2020, there were practically no registered cases. For example, SEIS detected only five seismic events in September 2020.
4. The researchers speculate that the change of seasons may be to blame, due to which strong winds, which create small fluctuations in the planet's surface layer, interfere with the operation of the instrument, which has very high sensitivity.
5. Another interesting fact was the absence of cases of detection of surface seismic waves on Mars. To date, only P-waves and S-waves propagating in the inner layers of the planet have been recorded.
6. Despite detecting hundreds of marsquakes per year, researchers can rarely calculate the direction and origin of the seismic waves. This is because few have clear seismic phase arrivals.
7. In the rare cases when marsquakes could be traced, they came from one of the youngest geological structures on the Red Planet – Cerberus Fossae.
8. Scientists suggest that the SEIS seismometer needed some time before it could confidently distinguish between the types of vibrations, distinguish weak signals from rich and varied background noise, and be able to systematically characterize these new signals.
9. Yet, NASA researchers need to understand the noises on Mars completely before they could find the most accurate way of interpreting InSight's data. Even the lander interferes with the recordings and scientists need to find a way to exclude its noise entirely.
10. Although the scientific mission itself is devoted specifically to the study of Mars, the results of its study will shed light on the geophysics of all terrestrial planets, including ours, and will also help in compiling mathematical models of possible geophysical processes on exoplanets.
Seismicity in the Solar System
Until marsquakes became a thing, seismic shocks have been directly observed only on the Moon – with the help of seismographs delivered there by the Apollo.
The first seismometer flew to Mars aboard the Viking landing probes in 1976, but the Viking-1 failed to bring this device into working order. The same device on the Viking-2 began to work, but it turned out that the very position of the device and its relatively low sensitivity did not allow obtaining real data – it reacted mainly to the vibrations of the probe itself and the wind.
There is evidence that it felt a shock in November 1976, but it is more likely that the device was triggered by a strong gust of wind.
Join the discussion and participate in awesome giveaways in our mobile Telegram group. Join Curiosmos on Telegram Today. t.me/Curiosmos
• Banerdt, W., Smrekar, S., Banfield, D., Giardini, D., Golombek, M., Johnson, C., . . . Wieczorek, M. (2020, February 24). Initial results from the Insight mission on Mars.
• EurekAlert. (n.d.). Seismicity on Mars full of surprises, in first continuous year of data.
• Giardini, D., Lognonné, P., Banerdt, W., Pike, W., Christensen, U., Ceylan, S., . . . Yana, C. (2020, February 24). The
seismicity of Mars.
• Johnson, C., Mittelholz, A., Langlais, B., Russell, C., Ansan, V., Banfield, D., . . . Banerdt, W. (2020, February 24). Crustal and time-varying magnetic fields at the Insight landing site on Mars.
• Seismological Society of America. (2021, April 23). Seismicity on Mars Full of Surprises, in First Continuous Year of Data Collection.


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The blue sky was spreading above.
Azure sky without a single cloud continued forever.
He didn't think it was beautiful. He couldn't think of such an empty sky as beautiful.
It was just like inside his heart... empty.
Still looking at the sky, Kusanagi Takeru shed tears.
This sky was the sky he knew well. It wasn't cracked-up nor in twilight.
It was his own world's sky, he was used to.
He has come back.
The world was still here. There were no signs of it collapsing, the blue sky spread endlessly. As he looked around there were just ruins and ash left behind by Hyakki Yakou, but he could tell at a glance that the world wasn't destroyed.
"............Really... Lapis... you alone..."
Takeru clenched his fist and put it against his chest.
The world was saved. God died and the world was protected.
Takeru's wish to save everything has come into fulfillment.
............Aside from one person, his partner called Lapis.
He couldn't honestly rejoice. There was a sense of loss inside his chest.
Fallen on the ground with his arms spread, he sank into disappointment.
Suddenly, feeling heat on his back Takeru raised his body.
When he touched it, a piece of paper covered in ash was sticking to his back.
The piece of paper broke apart from where he touched it, but there were slight traces of a magic circle on it.
There was no mistake. It was a transfer magic's instant charm.
He furrowed his eyebrows and searched his memory. Then recalled his farewell with Nagaru on the fragment of mythological world.
Certainly, back then she put her hand on his back.
Takeru brushed away the ash and put a hand on his cheek.
"...ha-haha... that person, just how amazing is she..."
While letting out dry laughter he shook his head saying "good grief".
Did that tanuki girl predicted everything this far? That he wouldn't become God and Lapis would sacrifice herself?
It was unthinkable, but the fact that he couldn't deny it was what made Hoshijiro Nagaru scary.
He remembered Nagaru. His memory which was supposed to be gone, was back. Not just that, his sense of pain too... even his blind left eye was cured completely.
There was not a single scratch on his body. It was perfectly clear as if he was just born.
Surely, Lapis has healed him. Of course, not as a Magical Heritage nor Sacred Treasure.
"She's a God, after all..."
His voice trembled, tears started flowing again. Pathetic. Beyond help. Although it was hard to say he sorted out his feelings, back then he parted with Lapis convinced it would be the best.
Mocking himself, Takeru curled up and cried.
The pain of a loss wouldn't heal so quickly.
But... he had to bear it. He had that responsibility and it was also a punishment for his sins.
——That moment, sunlight was reflected by something on his side provoking his eyes.
Squinting, Takeru noticed it.
It was an azure sword pierced into the ground.
The moment he saw it he knew that no voice would reply.
As usual, magic power was dwelling inside it. As a Magical Heritage this sword would respond to its owner's requests.
However, there was no Lapis inside it. What remained, was only Lapis' vessel.
It was a soulless sword called Mistilteinn.
Takeru stopped extending his hand towards the sword and stared at it.
He recalled Lapis' voice.
『"I will be by your side... forever... even if you don't notice me."』
He recalled Lapis' warmth.
『"I will continue to protect your happiness forever..."』
Strength has returned to Takeru's eyes which were overflowing with tears.
『"——Host. You stay in there. You have to stay in there. You have to go back."』
——That's right.
You have to go back.
To that place.
To your comrades.
He was requested to, by his partner.
To become happy.
If you have time to cry in a place like this, better hurry. Struggle.
Hurry and run back.
Don't forget you are Kusanagi Takeru.
"That's right................................. let's go back. To where everyone is."
Takeru extended his stopped hand and grasped the sword's handle.
There was no warmth in it, no voice came.
However, it was a proof that she existed.
She must be his side. Even at this moment.
So puff up your chest.
Go back home proudly.
Takeru stood firmly on his two legs and put the sword in the sheath.
The sound of the collar clashing onto the sheath reached his ear.
From that moment, Takeru was no longer shedding tears.
Kusanagi Takeru who was selfish and once decided something, would never yield, has returned.
"...All right...!"
He raised his face to look forward.
In order to return to his comrades.
In order to take a new step forward.
"————Oh? You're making quite a depressed expression for a world's savior... is that a hero's face?"
Takeru immediately stopped his leg.
Right from the first step, an obstacle has appeared on his new path.
He tensed his shoulders after stopping in tracks.
He was surprised only for an instant. It was unknown how many times was he astonished, made shiver and despair by this voice so far.
It could be said he finally got used to it. It was always like this. He came out with timing like this. Whenever it seemed like everything was settled, he suddenly popped out.
Takeru closed his eyes tempted to sigh and once again put his hand on the sword.
Holding the sheath with the other hand he grasped the handle and turned around towards the voice.
Wind blew and made his hair sway. On top of the rubble covered with ash and dust, that guy stood there facing Takeru. Like an exaggerated actor he let his hair blaze in the wind as he looked Takeru's way with serious look in his eyes.
"What happened? Tell your big bro everything. Can it be that you failed to save everything?"
"...Whoaah, no answer?! Must be bull's-eye... what did you give up on? Hmmm, mm-hmm... Since you came back alone it means..."
"——Ahh, it was your partner? That azure girl, did she become God instead of you? Or did you sacrifice her yourself?"
"That's it! Bingo?! Aren't I smart!"
Talking ridiculousness he tried to provoke Takeru by making lots of clamor.
Good grief, this man was a genius when it came to annoying others. However, his eyes were serious. Glaring at Takeru he made a smile with just the tips of his lips.
Happy from the bottom of his heart. Rejoicing from the bottom of his heart. He stared at Takeru's despair, savoring it.
Takeru faced directly towards the man, confronting him.
The man glared at Takeru while his blonde hair swayed furiously on the wind.
——Kusanagi Takeru and Haunted faced each other under eerie, cloudless sky.
"...So boring provocations won't make you budge. I can tell even if you don't answer, seems lik you tasted quite the despair."
"Despair? Not really, I immediately cut down and discarded it."
Haunted snorted and raised his both hands.
"Looks like it. So it was no good... a mere God was unable to make you despair."
"Yeah, despair sucks ass and I have no intention of letting my sword rust."
"Aww, thaaat's the momentum. I don't like it, but I have to praise you. Thanks to you the world was saved. With this, despair will continue eternally... I am honestly grateful to you. Thanks, you piece of shit."
"You're welcome, you piece of shit. Don't make me laugh. Continue? It ends here."
The wind blew again.
Until the wind finished blowing, the two remained silent.
"...I come back and the first person I meet is you... you a stalker or something? Did you wait while politely pretending to die?"
"Such an awful accusation, I have no interest in men... But it's true that I was waiting. See, I believed that you will come back."
"You say that now?"
"On what basis did you believe?"
"Of course I would believed. You need no basis to believe. You are my enemy and I longed to make you despair in this situation, ceaselessly believing in it."
Wind blew for the third time.
The wind gradually grew stronger and started letting out rumbling sounds as it wound around the two.
"Y'know... until now, I fought enemies while giving myself a reason to... for myself, for my comrades, for my sister."
"I really want to retort saying it's ultimately all for your own sake, oh well. And like that, you saved almost everything, I won't deny that."
"Yeah... but there's just one, one guy whom whenever I fight, any reason I use feels like an excuse. No matter what I think of, I just end up wanting to cut the guy up."
"Ohh, what a coincidence. I have one person like that too."
"And... he humiliated me with a sword."
"Yeah, he stole despair from me."
"I won't bear it until I get my pride back."
"I will not stand it until I crush his hope to dust."
The two pulled out their swords from their sheath at the same time.
Sheaths rubbed against the blades letting out sounds similar to a bell.
Takeru pulled out the azure katana.
Haunted pulled out a jet black rapier.
As if proud of their weapons the two pulled out their swords.
"Well then... let's begin. Continuation of that time."
"I came here intending that right from the start. You don't know just how long have I waited for this moment."
Takeru bared his fangs, Haunted raised the tip of his mouth in a smile.
There was no longer any need for talk. The two were bound by fate.
Were he to look, Takeru would find plenty of reasons to fight against him. Haunted stole Mari's family from her, killed Ikaruga's sister, cornered Kiseki's heart... if he included more details there would be no end to it. And there surely was plenty of things Takeru didn't know.
But——surpassing those reasons, there was will inside him telling him he has to cut Haunted down.
Narrowing it down, he realized it's "aversion". Takeru aiming for hope and Haunted, aiming for despair. It was natural that the two who were polar opposites would feel aversion towards one another.
However, it was pointless to draw such a line between them. Polar opposites, reverse cognate aversion... there was no need for such complicated explanations.
Naming the aversion simply came very well to him.
Indeed so.
——He pisses me off.
That's all.
Wind did not blow for the fourth time.
What was in that place, were blue sky, silence and rubble.
It was the best place for cutting each other up.
There was nothing to get in their way, no one to stop them.
Slash the enemy plenty, get slashed plenty yourself——and cut him down.
The two erased their smiles and in the silence they focused their nerves onto combat.
Takeru raised his sword up and pierced the enemy with his red, demon eyes.
Haunted stretched his left behind himself and clenching the sword with his fist he held it near his chest.
Even after losing its soul, Takeru's Mistilteinn responded to its master's request.
A magic circles appeared and their bodies was covered with armor from his feet up to his head.
Takeru with an azure one. Haunted with a dark one which seemed like it was painted with night.
Once complete, their blades sparkled.
"Kusanagi Double-Edged style's initiate, Kusanagi Takeru——I'll cut you down no matter what!
——Prepare yourself, Sorcerer!!"
"Very well! I will bestow it upon you! The despair!
——I will cut you! Witch Hunterrr!!"
Like previously, the two clashed.
They kicked off the ground at the very same time. Heading straight for each other, they released their first attack. Takeru slashed vertically from above, Haunted did a twisted thrust from his heart.
It should be impossible for the two attacks to meet. They were a "point" and a "line". With a slash and a thrust, it turned into a match as to which one would reach the opponent first.
However, those two were an exception. Whether it was a line or a point, speed, skill or technique, they would inevitably meet. They didn't aim for that, it was fated that would happen.
A sound of impact unthinkable to come from sword attacks had spread and dust swept up as if an explosion had occurred.
The two blows balanced each other. They were equal. One sword was blown away by the other's impact and they opened distance.
A cloud of dust turned their visibility zero. Wrapped in cloud of dust they glared at each other and——pushing through it they once again moved forward.
Their gazes intersected. Killing intent full of desire to cut had caused lightning to strike down.
This time the two didn't leave everything to strength. They used skill.
"Kusanagi Double-Edged style, Yamata no Orochi!"
Takeru went at full power right from the start. Eight strikes released practically at the same time. A technique impossible to use with just a human body, a technique that exceeded human bodily performance. Both vertical and horizontal attacks coming from above in 180 degrees.
There was no way to avoid it but to move backwards. Haunted who had stepped forward could not avoid it even if he leaped backwards in this moment.
Therefore he had to pull out his best of his slender body.
Haunted flexed his rapier, Dáinsleif, bending it like a snake and slid it into the gap between attacks.
He aimed at Takeru's face. Haunted wasn't resolved for honorable defeat. He could not die as many times as he did before. In battle with Kurogane Hayato he managed to make Hayato think that his stock of lives ran out and he died, but in fact his stock decreased from two to one.
If he dies this time, he would really fall into hell. However, Haunted wasn't afraid. What he feared was not being able to make Kusanagi Takeru taste despair. Bring it on, laughed the necromancer. This urgency, the smell of battle, this thrill of being a single mistake away from death.
"It's despairlicious! Can't get enough of this!"
The rapier slips past the eight strikes and approached Takeru's eyes.
——Takeru didn't pull back. The thrust wiggled like a snake and approached Takeru's right eye. In state with Soumatou activated Takeru twisted his head as much as he could. The blade brushed past his eyebrow's edge and blood spouted out.
But he did avoid it. Because of Dáinsleif's characteristics Takeru's wound was not healed, but it was perfect if the damage was reduced to this much.
He smashed the eight hits. He was confident of his victory. Against Haunted, he let out every technique while confident of his victory. Otherwise it would be impossible for him to win.
However, in that moment——Haunted did something unbelievable, he shrunk his body parts to an utmost limit.
Magic? A type of body strengthening? Who cares, he evaded it!
Just like the rapier, Haunted's body turned slim like a string and passed between the slashes.
This guy was able to freely fiddle with his body. It was something only one who knew everything about human body could do. It was easy for him to shrink his muscles and body fat, as well as soften bones.
Because of momentum caused by Takeru's missing the target, his sword pierced the ground.
After avoiding Yamata no Orochi, Haunted returned to his original size with a popping sound.
"What the hell's that...!"
"I used to work in a ciiircussss——!!"
He was smiling after accomplishing something so ridiculous. Although, he had no time to smile.
Takeru was full of openings. The rapier's cleave approached him. Although a rapier wasn't very suitable for slashing, that distinction was pointless when it came to Dáinsleif.
He concentrated all his nerves on bending his knees alone. Dáinsleif's blade passed over his head and the blade cut his hair. Takeru succeeded in evading, but he still had a huge opening.
Haunted's swordsmanship was flexible. His sword twisted like a snake and his "thrust" changed trajectories. Takeru saw the rapier change its trajectory and approach his shoulder. The thrust that was supposed to avoid his eyeball had let out squeeky sound and unnaturally approached the back of his head. From that posture it was impossible to thrust with the sword's tip at Takeru's head.
However, Haunted's arm was bent in opposite direction. His swordsmanship really was like acrobatics.
Takeru couldn't avoid. It was impossible.
So I won't avoid! I'll blow him away!
Pushing his right hand on the ground for support, raised his bent left leg and burst into Haunted's waist.
It landed so nicely even Takeru himself was surprised.
Haunted's body bent in 90 degrees in the waist and was awkwardly blown away. The rapier's tip didn't reach Takeru and rolled together with Haunted on the ground.
He killed the impact from the kick by piercing the sword into the ground.
Falling on his knees, he turned his frustration towards Takeru.
"A swordsmanship freak kicking? Aren't you embarrassed...?!"
"We're killin' each other here, there ain't place for embarrassment, you dumb bastard...!"
Takeru and Haunted pulled out their weapons from the ground and making a pointless wing in mid-air, they once again confronted each other.
There was no meaning behind that swing. It was just a show of anger.
"That style pisses me off, leaves everything to power as always!"
"That's my line! You're wriggling like a damn eel!"
"I hate Kusanagis Double-Edged style!"
"I won't acknowledge your swordsmanship!"
They say whatever's on their tongue, each of them talking as whatever they wanted made it seem like a kids' fight.
However, both of them were serious. They disliked each other so much they couldn't bear it.
The opponent's every move pissed them off to no end, made them sick and disgusted to the bone. The blood vessels on their temples cramped up furiously.
"From here on I'll be dictating the pace...!"
"As if I'd let you, from the start to end this'll be my field...!"
Haunted once again pulled back the sword in a thrust stance, confronting him Takeru took "seigan no kamae" stance.
The two gripped the sword's handle as if to gather strength and when they reached boiling point, they burst.
A storm of point attacks assaulted Takeru. Haunted's continuous strikes were so fast that Takeru was barely able to see them with Soumatou. Receiving them with a sword, he withstood it.
Takeru's stance was a very orthodox one, a very basic swordsmanship stance that allowed one to respond with both defense and attack. A stance with the sword raised up and set horizontally. A stance with a sword set low and with slashing edge pointing upwards. It was possible for him to easily change his combat styles into these stances. That was ideal for responding with an attack after defending.
A single strike after receiving a storm of thrusts. A slash from above from his basic stance, a basic "men" strike in kendo.
Takeru wasn't just probing the opponent, his technique started from this attack.
This simple slash was a trap. Just like Haunted's storm of thrust was a trap that invited Takeru's attack, Takeru's behavior was also a trap that invited his enemy to parry.
The slash approached Haunted's head. As if waiting for Takeru's attack, Haunted has interrupted his thrusts and pulled his rapier's blade as to entangle it with Takeru's attack.
The long sword's base has rubbed against the rapier's blade.
Received it. Parried it. As the blades rubbed against one another, a distinctive metallic sound echoed. The rapier Haunted swung had bent to an abnormal level turning circular, and then literally——wound around Takeru's long sword.
From among people Takeru knew, only Orochi could parry attack so violently. Along with a creaky sound, Takeru's attack was slipping behind Haunted's back.
He was waiting for this moment.
"I told you didn't I, that this is my field——! Ghost Light Firefly!"
Takeru initiated his technique. By parrying, Takeru shocked Haunted who was convinced that he took advantage of Takeru's attack.
For Takeru has parried a parry.
Using the power that was pushing the sword back, he drew an arc and flanked the rapier's blade.
Having his parry returned back at him, Haunted's body staggered greatly. What shocked him was the fact that despite intending to use Takeru's attack to swing back at him, he ended up being the one receiving a sword swing.
It wasn't his first time seeing this. Before fighting Hayato, Takeru had demonstrated this technique when the two fought. Takeru possessed techniques that Haunted could do nothing despite knowing them.
Finding a large opening, Takeru did not let it go.
Using this delicious opportunity he would bite in even harder!
True-Light style's Wolf Blade. The slash also called "reverse wind" which came from below and upwards was a technique that left a lot to pure strength. The entire body weight and body springs utilization caused Takeru's sword to approach with a momentum similar to that of a wolf leaping at prey's throat.
"Don't underestimate MEeEee!!"
Haunted screamed and fought back. Putting his rapier against Takeru's sword he slid along its blade. Bending his head to strongly he extended his arms holding the sword to the limit.
The rapier's blade clashed onto the collar and Takeru's blade stopped at the tip of Haunted's chin. Although dreaded by the unexpected way it was prevented, Takeru did not stop. By striking the back of his own sword with his shoulder, he repelled the Rapier that was pushing against his sword's collar.
It was an application of Double-Edged style's Monk with Iron Mallet. In the middle of using another technique, and not with a fist but by tackling the sword with his shoulder, he pushed the slash forward.
Repelled, Haunted was thrust backwards. Using the recoil from when he used Monk with Iron Mallet, Takeru immediately attacked Haunted again.
Ghost Light Firefly never stopped. Whether the opponent used his attack or any other "power", Takeru further accelerated using that power.
Parry, be parried, and parry the parry again. By doing so he could increase the speed and power without end. Haunted's specialty were thrusts. They didn't attack straightforwardly but had distorted trajectories and since they were released from acrobatic postures, they were hard to read.
However, not to an extent where he couldn't deal with them. Just as Takeru declared, he held the strength to dictate the battle's pace.
Before long, Takeru's slashes surpassed his opponent's speed and he started overpowering Haunted.
The memory Takeru forgot before he separated from Lapis. Although he really didn't like it, Haunted's parries reminded him of his training with Orochi. He received Orochi's guidance in the Magic Academy and the two crossed swords. They enjoyed themselves as they increased speed.
His master, Orochi said,
Read the flow, ride the flow.
However, if you ride the flow too much you will get caught by surprise. Don't miss the change in flow.
Open your eyes wide, catch a glimpse of it. While maintaining the flow, don't overlook Haunted's tiniest move.
Taking a step forward with the right leg, Haunted released a thrust in a way he showed his back to Takeru.
From above, aiming low, the flying fish jumped out of water and once again charged at Takeru while thrusting the rapier's tip at him.
The rapier's blade bent into an arc, aiming for Takeru's forehead. Takeru took a stance with the sword high and pointing downwards. Pulling his left leg back and to the side he held the sword overhead to protect it.
But the next moment, that thrust drew a different trajectory from the predicted one. Haunted twisted his wrist slightly.
——Along with a squeak, the arcing trajectory has turned into a reverse arc in an instant. It was like a moon changing from a first quarter into the second quarter.
The thrust was approaching from above, but had changed into pushing upwards.
Passing by Takeru's defense as he protected his head, the needle-like sword tip approached Takeru's throat. The change in the flow. By changing attack pattern, Haunted decided to take control of it.
Takeru read it——but he could not handle it. It was impossible for him to defend from his posture. Even Ghost Light Firefly could not make perfect defense real. Ultimately, it only parried attacks. It was meaningless unless he could receive the attack.
Therefore, he decided to rely on something other than his skill.
Taking his left hand off the handle on the sword maintaining the stance, he set it up as if he was holding something in it.
Even though it didn't respond, it should have.
Even if you don't have a soul, I believe you are my sword.
There was no answer to his call.
However——without any sound, a kodachi appeared in his left hand. Takeru grasped the handle strongly and holding it in reverse-grip he brushed away the thrust approaching his throat.
Along with a metallic sound, Haunted's attack was blocked.
Takeru used the kodachi to repel the rapier with as much strength as possible. As a result of a parry's impact, Haunted was slightly blown away.
Releasing his stance, Takeru raised the sword upwards taking exaggerated posture.
"Double-Edged style——Baboon Menace!"
Although it was a technique used as a faint against magical organisms, if it actually hit it had plenty of power. Haunted clenched his teeth and attempted to avoid the swung-down sword.
However, because he was repelled, his legs weren't touching the ground.
Twisting his body was his limit.
Takeru's blow slashed Haunted's body diagonally from the shoulder. Although it was shallow, Haunted's armor was broken and blood spurted from his torso.
Their gazes met again.
While Takeru's gaze said "serves you right", Haunted smiled joyfully while gritting his back teeth.
"That's how it has to be! You only are yourself when holding that sword!"
"I don't need you to tell me that... Lapis and I are the strongest!"
"Ha! So he says! What do you think, Nacht?"
When Haunted called that name,
《"Let's prove it, prove that we are above them."》
A flat voice sounded in their heads.
Dáinsleif. During the mock battle tournament assault, Takeru heard her voice just once. She was the personality of an S-class Magical Heritage which competed with Lapis.
Takeru did not forget her performance. Seeing Haunted kick off the ground and retreat backwards, Takeru stopped Ghost Light Firefly and braced himself.
A sound of countless number of objects piercing the air has spread. Haunted swung his sword around as he leaped backwards.
This action was not pointless and Takeru was aware of that.
The residua of slashes, and——
"Dance! ——Entertain me!"
——Flying slashes.
Takeru requested an analysis filter in a hurry. Attaching a membrane made of magic power to his retina, he visualized the invisible slashes.
His vision dimmed slightly. However, when Takeru has visualized Haunted's slashes it was already too late.
He swung his sword quickly to strike them down. Out of the flying slashes there were two he failed to destroy, they grazed his shoulder and his side.
Blood spurted like a fountain. Although it wasn't a fatal injury, it was one he could not heal. Takeru forcibly covered the wounds with armor. When he first fought against Haunted and was wounded, he had a hole opened in his lung. Compared to the pain back then, this was nothing.
However, it took two seconds to block the wounds——meanwhile the space between him and Haunted was filled with a dreadful number of residual slashes.
In the middle of numerous slashes remaining in the air, Haunted spread his arms and shrugged.
"My partner is also really enthusiastic this time. However, she's a little frustrated too. Thanks to you sacrificing your partner, the best opportunity to take revenge is gone."
Hearing Haunted's words, Nacht snorted.
《"I'm not frustrated. I only see that azure girl as a sword As long as her performance as a sword remains, I can break her."》
"Nfufu♪ or so she says?"
Haunted stroked Dáinsleif's blade as if to boast of his sword. Holding a nodachi in his right hand and a kodachi in his left, Takeru snorted at Haunted's provocation.
"...Then how about we make sure of it. Let's settle who stands above...!"
Grasping the nodachi in front of himself, Takeru made the azure blade shine brilliantly.
Haunted too, held the black sword in front of himself like a knight.
Proud of their weapons, the two clashed again.
"Let's start——"
"——The main course!"
Crossing blades in both hands, Takeru charged forward.
He didn't think of avoiding. As long as he sees the residual slashes, they were not a problem.
If there are obstacles in front of you, cleave 'em all down!
Lapis whom he held in his hand shook the air and let out a bell-like sound.
Haunted opened his mouth to laugh loudly as he swung his sword.
The still-remaining residual slashes attacked Takeru all at once.
Just like guided missiles, they all assaulted him without fail.
Running straight, Takeru struck down the slashes. The dark red slashes clashed onto Takeru's sword and broke like glass.
They were brittle. Compared to the sword Haunted was actually swinging, they seemed to be made of candy.
"As if something like this will stop me and Lapis!!"
Ten, twenty, thirty. Takeru rushed madly ahead as he crushed the slashes.
Smashing with his everything.
In order to prove that he and his partner are the strongest!
"Your way of living is like that of a locomotive. I'm unimpressed by how you only look ahead of you——!!"
*thump*! Haunted suddenly stomped his right leg.
Beneath Takeru who had been rushing in a single pattern, appeared a wriggling black magic circle.
While dealing with slashes he looked beneath his feet and shivered.
A huge whale-like monster who looked like it just came out of sea, had jumper out from beneath Takeru's feet. Pushed away by the whale monster, Takeru was blown into the sky.
Haunted put his head over his forehead and whistled as he watched Takeru turn small in the sky.
"It's a pet I've been keeping since I was a kid, I let it out first time in a while and here it is, even bigger than before!"
He didn't think summoning magical organisms during his sword fight was unrefined or anything. Takeru was probably the same, he too probably would use any means to win. There were no rules in this battle. If there was one, it would be a rule where you die the moment you hold back.
Cowardice, blasphemy, heresy. Both of them welcomed it all.
《"There is no time for pointless chatter. He's coming."》
Surprised by Nacht's voice, Haunted stared at the whale monster swimming in the sky. The moment he heard a cry that sounded like a blowing horn, something ran on top of the whale monster. Seeing Takeru run on in a spiral with the sword pierced in, Haunted happily swung his sword sideways.
Immediately after the whale monster has turned into magic particles as a result of Takeru's counter-attack, Haunted made several magic circles appear and summoned an army of variants from inside, sending the army into the sky. 《Belladona Forest》. By opening a gate to another world, Haunted continued summoning an army of low-level magical organisms as long as his magic power lasted.
An abnormal army approached Takeru as he fell from the sky.
Takeru demonstrated that when facing Kusanagi Double-Edged style, using variants was the height of foolishness. Using various Double-Edged style's techniques, he slashed up the army of monsters.
Avoiding what he could not handle by ejecting magic power, Takeru descended right above Haunted.
Haunted grasped Nacht's blade and instructed her to harden the blade. When the strength and hardness of the blade raised to the limit he affixed the blade in slightly curved shape, then returned it to the sheath. Since the sheath was not a Magical Heritage, it was bent and distorted by the blade.
The slender, straight sword such as rapier could not be used for quick draw techniques. Although it was possible by slightly bending the blade, it didn't have much meaning.
However, it was a fact that this stance made it easy to match the incoming attack. It was perfect for dealing with a fast-moving opponent. Of course, he also did it out of pure interest as well, wanting to try it at least once.
"—————Come...!! I'll smack you down like a fly...!"
He had no intention of avoiding. Even if he tried to avoid, Takeru would correct his aim by ejecting magic power and come crashing from above. That's what Haunted felt.
That's why a direct confrontation. Haunted decide to play with him.
——Takeru started to rotate vertically in the sky. Since his left arm was injured in the whale monster's attack he could not use the kodachi. He transformed the sword into a huge zweihander.
He approached the surface Haunted was standing on, having a perfect grasp on their distance. It was a technique he used countless times, his body knew the perfect timing to smash the attack in.
"Kusanagi Double-Edged style——"
Rotating to the limit and on the verge of clashing onto the ground, Takeru released his technique towards Haunted's head.
"——Mantis Slope!"
At the same time, Haunted pulled out the warped rapier from the sheath and bending his upper body he released the quick draw.
Although the enormous zweihander was overwhelmingly more powerful than the rapier, the strength of the rapier could block any impact.
The blades have approached one another.
The moment Takeru's sword hit the rapier, the zweihander changed into a tanto.
Haunted turned speechless in shock. The rapier which was pushing against the zweihander's huge blade had cut the air as the zweihander disappeared, and Takeru slipped by to slash Haunted's left arm with the tanto.
At the same time as Takeru landed, the earth caved in and swelled up at the same time. Having his left arm cut off with the tanto, Haunted cramped his face with frustration. Takeru looked up at him from his landing posture and returning the sword shape to a nodachi, he clenched it with his right hand.
Dáinsleif held by Haunted let out a creaky sound.
Holding the sword in shape of a nodachi, Takeru glared with flame in his red demon eyes.
And——the two's sword fight was resumed.
Both of them used one arm. Their exhaustion wasn't as light as to allow them to focus completely on parrying.
They were completely reckless. Using all the strength they had they slashed at the bastard in front of them.
The blades met with a high-pitched sound. Takeru's response with techniques also eventually turned into very basic movements with his sword. Haunted's peculiar Western swordsmanship had also warped and started losing its shape, as he turned into a beast swinging around its fang.
Blood splattered, meat was torn, everything around them was dyed red. It was unknown whose were these wounds or whose was the blood.
They were both full of wounds.
And yet, anger didn't allow them to stop their bodies.
They couldn't allow the person in front of them to exist. That's what the two felt right from the start.
I hate how he acts. I hate how he thinks. I feel sick hearing his goals. His voice gives me a headache, it's uncomfortable to the point of barfing. If I could stomp on his face I'd surely greet a happy morning next day.
I can't physiologically accept this guy's existence.
They both understood to a painful extent that they both felt the aversion. This guy is strong. There are things about he's far better at than me, they thought. If they were proper humans they would have become worthy rivals for one another.
However——I will never acknowledge him. I'll pass on the mutual acknowledgement.
He's my enemy. A hateful existence I need to kill.
The two hated each other to no end. Got annoyed by the other to the limit.
I won't allow him to live——!
I won't stop until I cut him with my own hand——!
I won't feel good until cut him down——!
Both of them shouted as they cut each other with their selfish pride.
The despair. The hope. Those things disappeared somewhere.
Takeru, the child of swordsmanship was gone.
Haunted, the child of despair was also nowhere to be found.
What remained were two hideous beasts.
It was unknown how long has the exchange of attack and defense... no, exchange of attacks, alone has continued. The sun floating above the blue sky was right above them. Sun burned their beat-up bodies. Although they were in the middle of winter, their bodies were so hot they couldn't bear it. Their field of vision was hazy due.
Exchanging several hundred, several thousands of slashes the two approached their limit. Blood has dried on top of their bodies and it felt like blood flowing inside their bodies turned into sand. With their bodies heavy, they couldn't move well. But they did not stop. They wouldn't stop until they cut down the other.
Takeru raised Lapis up and swung her down on Haunted's face.
His speed was high, but because his posture and step-in were poor it was easy to avoid.
Haunted was able to pull back half of his body. Unable to completely avoid it, it had cut his shoulder. Suppressing the blood that was coming out, he staggered backwards.
Pissed off by himself retreating, Haunted let out a thrust.
Takeru tried to avoid it, but stumbling over the rubble his posture broke and his neck was gouged.
And he fell on his knees.
The distance between them was one meter. In front of him, there was a man struggling for his breath with a pathetic look on his face.
Realizing that they were in the same state, annoyed the two.
They stood up with force of stubbornness.
Staggering, they stood face to face.
Exhaling like beasts, baring their teeth they glared at each other. And the next moment——twisting their necks they head-butted each other at the very same time.
Because of the impact they dealt on one another, they staggered backwards and stopped five meters away from each other.
They both exhaled. They exhaled in order to fight. With a hand on the forehead they both shook their heads in pain and glared through fingers at the opponent.
Investigating the opponent's will to fight and damage received.
It was the same. This exhaustion, will to fight, they were equal.
Convinced, they squinted.
——Convinced that next would be last.
The next attack would most likely deprive one of them of their life.
That was what this distance, this interval meant.
They calmed their breath and stretched their backs.
The aversion and beastly impulses disappeared, the two returned back to being humans.
"Make sure... to give it your all into this strike, not to leave regrets... Kusanagi Takeru."
"...Let's settle this... Haunted."
They faced off.
The time to smash their anger against one another was over.
At the end, they swung their swords for the sake of things they believed in.
Haunted, for despair.
So that he can purely chase after despair.
"Killing you here is the best despair for me. That won't change. The despair of your death will not touch just you, but also extend to various other people. Like a seed sprouting, it would cause flowers to bloom everywhere."
"I will kill you in order to see that. Tasting the despair of all of you is my current way of living."
Haunted set up his sword in front like a knight and clad himself in magic power.
Black, similar to the night magic power built a magic circle beneath his feet and darkness wrapped around Dáinsleif's blade.
《Berserk Enchantment》. While simultaneously forcing bodily and mental madness, it granted probably the greatest destructive power among all Magical Heritages existing in this world.
The last strike.
Haunted intended to put in all of his own and his partner's power into this strike.
Takeru looked at the sword he was clenching in his right hand, at Mistilteinn.
Until now he exchanged sword strikes with this guy for his own sake. Although this time too, it was for his own sake, but this time it was for the sake of his own stubbornness and pride.
However... this strike wasn't the same.
Staring at Mistilteinn... staring at Lapis, he opened his mouth.
He recalled the wonderful smile Lapis showed him in the end.
And that place.
He recalled that place, everyone was waiting in.
That place, where he was always greeted.
"I will put everything into this strike so that I can go back."
"In order to come back to where I belong——I will cut you down."
That was Kusanagi Takeru's wish.
That was Kusanagi Takeru's hope.
For comrades' sake.
For little sister's sake.
For his own sake.
And——for the one that's watching over him from somewhere, his partner's sake.
"I see. That hope of yours is very much like you... I look forward to crushing it."
With a smile on his face, clad in the darkness, Haunted set up the sword.
Takeru returned the sword into the sheath and lowered his hips.
"............Let's end this."
He proposed,
"............I'll do that."
And Haunted nodded.
"Your despair."
"Your hope."
""——I'll sever it here!""
Touching the handle with his fingertips, Takeru quietly instructed.
"Lapis... 《Twilight Enchantment》."
The blade was lit with flames inside the sheath.
Up until now he never felt heat from that flame. He thought it was just magic and a power to hunt the heretics.
He felt it to be very warm now. Similar to Lapis' hand touching his cheek, soft and warm...
Takeru closed his eyes and recalled.
Demon's Heart did not bestow madness. It removed useless thoughts, leaving only the will to fight.
The will to fight. The reason for fighting.
A goal and action.
In order to return to where he belonged——he would slash.
The sound disappeared, his body's sensations disappeared.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the delayed world.
The world has slowed down and was left behind.
He saw the particles of light. Everything and all has stopped moving.
In the middle of it, Takeru took a step forward.
Together with his partner he aimed forward.
He wasn't chasing after the light. His goal wasn't light.
The particles of light resumed its movement and started to flow again.
Holding the sword behind Haunted, Takeru looked at the platoon's room.
I'll return to that place.
That was his wish.
"Let's go back, together."
Takeru who had pulled out the sword from the sheath, had saw the door open beyond light.
After Hyakki Yakou's invasion had stopped, the ocean of demons filling the entire capital had turned into ash and the giant tree had died then fell onto the ground. Because the Hyakki Yakou which filled the ground had become ash, they confirmed land subsidence in various places. There was not even a remnant left of the capital.
An entire night has passed since Hyakki Yakou's invasion. Ever since Ootori Sougetsu disappeared along with Kusanagi Takeru, the 35th platoon made survival their highest priority.
Ouka collected Kiseki who had lost her consciousness and leaped on the helicopter Usagi and Ikaruga were on, retreating from the collapsing tree.
Afterwards, Heretic Alliance had gathered at the school site's location, then gave Ouka and others treatment. The one who received most serious injuries was Mari. While exhausted from her battle with Mother Goose, she had the control of her soul deprived and battled against Ouka. Furthermore, she exhausted her magic power the second time by giving it to Takeru. It wouldn't be strange if a normal witch died because of that.
Although Ouka and others weren't that worried, when the Seelie in charge and a healing sorcerer said that "A long-term medical treatment is necessary, but her life isn't in danger.", they were all relieved.
Ouka, Usagi and Ikaruga have remained in the first-aid tent until the morning broke out, comforting each other.
None of them said anything. Each of them was thinking of what to do from now on. Not knowing anything about what happened to the world's destruction at Sougetsu's hands, they were left behind by Takeru.
What should we tell Kiseki? What will happen to Kiseki from now on?
We... the world... they knew nothing of what's ahead.
The three comforted each other. If they are together, it would somehow work out. Same as always, they would combine their strength and open the path. To think so, they needed time.
At the very least, until the morning...
——Hoshijiro Nagaru has returned just thirty minutes earlier.
"That explosion just now... can it be...?"
Riding a four-wheeler they borrowed from beside the first-aid tent, with Ouka and Usagi riding with her, Ikaruga suddenly stepped on her brakes as they were assaulted by a sudden shaking and a flash of light.
Ignoring Usagi who tried to restrain her, Ouka jumped off from the passenger's seat and started running. She ran in the direction of that explosion. Ikaruga and Usagi too, chased her from behind.
Nagaru said this.
『"I can't guarantee anything, but go check this location... If he still remains human, then maybe..."』
She said that there is faint hope. Ouka and others had no choice but to cling onto that hope.
Jumping over the rubble, despite having her legs sinking in the ash she desperately proceeded forward.
"Takeru...! Takeru...!!"
Calling his name, she aimed for the explosion's hypocenter.
Ahead of where she arrived, there was an enormous crater.
Stopping at the edge of the crater she looked around.
It was an empty scenery. With everything destroyed in there, it turned into an endless world of ash.
In the center of the crater... Ouka found a certain object.
At the bottom of the crater where a mountain of ash was piling up.
Pierced in on top of that mountain there were two swords.
A black and slender one, and an azure katana.
The two swords were crossed as they were stuck in ash.
Ouka fell on her knees and squinted. Grasping ash she formed a fist with her hand.
Frustration and sorrow overwhelmed her. Her tears fell to ash and black points spread on the ground.
He must have came back. He did what he had to do and came back to this world.
That truth was her only salvation.
The place he belonged to, was here.
Even if his body was gone, his soul must have returned back here.
That's why, stop crying. Ouka told herself.
——That moment.
Something wriggled inside the mountain of ash and it collapsed.
Ouka raised her face in surprise.
The ash fell from the mountain, it was raising up from the inside.
Ouka pulled out a gun from her belt.
Aiming at the mountain of ash she breathed in.
Which is it?
Which sword will he hold?
A man completely painted over with ash appeared from inside the mountain. Getting on one knee he shook his head covered in white ash and extended the palm of his right hand.
And the man——had grasped his beloved sword with that hand.


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Virtual | Talks | Literary
Hanif Abdurraqib
Event includes closed captioning and ASL interpretation.
In conversation with Wesley Morris
Launch of A Little Devil in America
Part of Unbound
Co-Presented by BAM and Greenlight Bookstore
Poet, essayist, and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib—recently announced as a guest Curator-at-Large at BAM—celebrates the launch of his new book A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance, a profound reflection on how Black performance is inextricably woven into the fabric of American culture. Whether it's Merry Clayton singing in "Gimme Shelter," a schoolyard fistfight, or a dance marathon, Abdurraqib delves into the poignancy of performances big and small. His work has layers of resonance in Black and white cultures, the politics of American empire, and Abdurraqib's own personal history of love, grief, and performance. He'll be joined in conversation by Wesley Morris, critic-at-large at the New York Times and a staff writer at the New York Times Magazine.
Use coupon code HANIF15 to take 15% off your purchase of A Little Devil in America and receive a signed bookplate (while supplies last) through Apr 7 via Greenlight Bookstore here!
Leadership support for off-site programs provided by:
Leadership support for BAM Access Programs provided by the Jerome L. Greene Foundation
Support provided by The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation
Wesley Morris is a critic-at-large at The New York Times and a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine. He co-hosts the podcast Still Processing with Jenna Wortham. For three years, he was a staff writer at Grantland. Before that, he spent 11 years as a film critic at The Boston Globe, where he won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for criticism. He lives in Brooklyn.


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The Cross of Jesus is rejected as foolishness when not received through faith alone. God chose the Cross of Jesus because it successfully filters out all rational human intelligence. It is God's wisdom on how to keep out everything except faith in Jesus if you desire His gift of eternal life. A narrow door indeed!
The Wisdom of God
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God's grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God. 1Cor. 1:18 (AMP)
The Offense of the Cross
The Hand Writing on the wall. Is it too late for a nation?
How to live the Christian Life
John 3:16
Who is Jesus?
Three Things You Cannot Do Without


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Custom TM closure sewn onto the butt of a custom order Tmarie figure suit. Custom orders come with 2, they are only available in silver metal clear stones. We also include clear hooks just incase you prefer those. If replacements are needed for any reason the prices are follow: 1 set (both top and bottom) $15 2 sets (both top and bottom) $25
Custom TM figure closure


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On this day in sports history
The Greenville Standard
The regular season is over. Today I will mention the records and coaches of the footballs seasons.
For Fort Dale Academy, in 1973, Julius Head coached FDA to a 3-7 record. In 1979 his team went 11-2. In 1984, head coach Frank King's record was 3-7. In 1990, FDA went 5-6 under head coach Jim Autrey. In 2001, FDA went 8-4 under head coach Speed Sampley. In 2007, Sampley coached his team to an 8-3 record. In 2012, his team had an 8-4 record
For the Greenville High School Tigers, in 1973, the team's record was 2-6-2 under head coach John Davis. In 1979, under head coach Bill Whelan their record was 1-8-1. In 1984, under head coach Wayne Woodham the Tigers record was 12-3. In 1990, Danny Adams head coached the Tigers to a 9-3 record. In 2001, head coach Alvin Briggs GHS record was 6-5. In 2007, head coach Ben Blackmon's record was 6-5. In 2012, head coach Ernest Hill Tigers went 6-6.
For Georgiana School Panthers, in 1973 head coach Roland Pettie record was 1-8. In 1979, his team went 7-2-1. In 1984, Pettie coached the Panthers to a 5-6 record. In 1990, head coach Durwood Helms coached the Panthers to a 5-6 record. In 2001, Georgiana's record was 4-6 under head coach Rico White. In 2007, the Panthers record was 6-6 under head coach Shane Smothers. In 2012, Georgiana's record was 1-9 under head coach David Watts.
For McKenzie School Tigers, in 1973 head coach Roy Davis, Jr. team's record was 0-10. In 1979, head coach Mason Porterfield coached his team to a 10-2 record. In 1990, the Tiger's record was 11-2 under head coach Sam Dour. In 2001, head coach Shane Smothers coached his team to 7-4 record. In 2007, their record was 6-4 under head coach Miles Brown. In 2012, Brown coached McKenzie to a 3-7 record.
Next week I will talk about the playoff records of each team over the years.


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Big Data, Aircraft, and a Better Future
Aircraft manufacturers are exploiting the opportunities that come with collecting the vast amount of data available, from customer reports to engine exhaust temperatures. Why is it potentially so useful? What are some of the best ways to use it?
The hype phrase today is "Big Data." It is a phrase Mark Bünger, Research Director for Lux Research, believes can have a number of definitions depending on who is doing the defining. Bünger was the lead analyst on a report that Lux published in April 2015 that surveyed both the technology as it is today and how various industries are adapting to the opportunities—and perils—in trying to exploit it.
Avoiding a precise definition in an interview with Aerospace & Defense Technology, Bünger explained Big Data is about raw data, databases, and speed. Companies now have access to a growing number of sensors attached to infrastructure and assets, from oil derricks to aircraft engines. These sensors provide vast volumes of data in high velocity. The data is variable—think spreadsheets to Twitter tweets. A major finding of its study is that, while information industries like banking and media know how to derive benefit from vast data sets, there is risk for industries that Lux terms "material-centric."
There is one material-centric industry that is gaining advantage in collecting, storing, and using data vast enough to qualify as Big Data. "The aircraft industry is pretty far along and other industries should follow its lead," he said.
This is especially true for engines over airframes, according to Bünger. "The [operating] conditions in engines are dynamic, with thousands of parameters, sometimes every millisecond. With airframes, the data rate is lower because data is only interesting during takeoff, some during flight, and then landing."
He also noted that it's not just the data for engines during flight that is worth tracking. Tools and parts in support of maintenance and repair operations are also useful. These require more advanced data capturing techniques, since the information is less structured even while using them efficiently is important. All of it becomes useful to the right company that knows how to use it.
"Big Data is a technology that is going to be very impactful for us," said Larry Volz, Chief Information Officer and Vice President for Pratt & Whitney. He too was wary about putting a precise definition on the term. "It is more about using the information we already have from our products and processes in a different way, moving from a descriptive analytical look at current information into being more predictive."
Predictive analytics—predicting future behavior and actions—is really what it is all about, according to Volz.
Moving From Reacting to Predicting
The key to predictive analytics is modeling all of that data statistically to gain new insights. The challenge and opportunity is in the nature of the data. The data store available to Pratt & Whitney today is indeed both vast and varied.
"We take data during manufacturing from our ERP/SAP system, we collect data during the build and overhaul operations, from customer service, our global field representatives, and warranty reporting system. We combine that with data from our on-wing engine health monitoring system, the Advanced Diagnostics & Engine Management, or ADEM," Volz said.
He also stressed that the company has all along been working with large data sets, such as simulation data used by design engineers to predict engine power output, NVH, and fuel burn. Now, by applying statistical models, they extend predictive capabilities to in-service use. He relates that they accurately predict unplanned engine events that could cause a delay or interruption in a flight.
Although there were pockets of usage, as Volz described it, in 2014 the company decided to invest heavily with a company-wide initiative, working with IBM. He believes that incorporating outside expertise was important. "You need that expertise in areas such as statistical data modeling that a company like ours does not necessarily possess," he explained. "We now have 90-95% confidence in the statistical models, based on our legacy fleet of engines."
What does he view as the enabling technologies to make this true in 2015? "There is a convergence of three major factors," he answered.
First is P&W's prior investment in a global enterprise system that captures all of the product and process data needed. "That foundation is critical," he said. Second is the vast increase in the industry's high-speed computing infrastructure that can store and process these huge data sets at what Volz describes as a reasonable cost. Third is the ability today to merge both synchronous and asynchronous data and use them in predictive models—not just tables of numbers (synchronous), but word documents from customers and comments from field service representatives (asynchronous). "We can take sentiment data from customers and roll that into our statistical models," he said.
P&W is expanding this predictive analytic capability beyond engines. It will deliver its eFAST on all of Bombardier's CSeries aircraft systems to provide realtime monitoring of all critical aircraft systems, not just engines. The eFAST system will be the infrastructure unit used to perform data transmissions from the CSeries aircraft's onboard Health Management Unit to the ground.
Aircraft Industry on the Cusp
IBM, Pratt & Whitney's partner in expanding its monitoring and predictive analytic capabilities, certainly sees a future in the field. IBM has invested more than $30 billion to build its capabilities in using data better. The investments include R&D, more than 30 acquisitions, and new business units for Analytics, Watson, and Internet of Things (IOT). But a focus on the data itself, however "big" it might be, is not the primary focus of its efforts, according to Jerry Kurtz, North America Leader, Big Data & Analytics at IBM Global Business Services.
"The focus of our energy is making use of all available data, internal or external, structured or unstructured, to provide insights not available before," he explained. "It is all about moving beyond the past and present by predicting the future. We want to help companies like Pratt & Whitney predict problems before they happen."
His experience with companies like Pratt & Whitney among many others led him to stress three important fundamentals that companies need to address in getting value from predictive analytics: business capability, information foundation, and organizational governance. "Business capability is about identifying specific use cases that provide specific value, such as the case with Pratt & Whitney predicting future engine events" through modeling, he explained.
Information foundation is the investment needed to make the right data accessible to provide useful predictions. "This is more expensive and actually provides less actual value than developing a specific use case, but it is required," he remarked.
Finally, he also stressed the third factor— an organization ready to move into a new world of predictive, prescriptive, and cognitive use of data. Questions around positions and roles need to be answered. "What is the role of the CIO or Chief Data Officer? Does the organization need new skills? Do you insource, outsource, or co-source these capabilities?" he asked rhetorically.
He also believes that the aircraft industry, more than some, is ready to significantly expand its capabilities quickly. If industries like finance, insurance, and banking have significantly moved up a capability curve in taking advantage of analytics, aircraft will follow quickly. Why?
"They have spent the last few decades getting their house in order in basic transactions," he explained. This means installing the latest generation of ERP as well as getting structured processes and data in place. "This is really hard to do, but most companies [in aircraft manufacturing] are beyond that now," he said, making them ready to exploit data effectively for predicting and anticipating future events rather than reacting to events as they occur. The future will include tying this knowledge back into future designs, making a closed-loop system.
"I have seen fads in my 25-year career, and this is no fad," said Kurtz. "Everybody in aerospace is dipping their toes in the water. Everyone in aerospace manufacturing is working with us (or others) on some number of projects."
He thinks that in just a few years companies will have scalable, on-demand, cloud-based solutions with hundreds of models running in production, with predictive dashboards helping managers not only understand how engines or aircraft are currently operating, but how to intervene best to keep them that way for the future.
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Dr Krikamol Muandet - Research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Tuebingen, Germany Data Science
Date: - Location: Eurecom
Abstract: In this talk, I will present a novel single-stage procedure for instrumental variable (IV) regression called DualIV which simplifies traditional two-stage regression via a dual formulation. We show that the common two-stage procedure can alternatively be solved via generalized least squares. Our formulation circumvents the first-stage regression which can be a bottleneck in modern two-stage procedures for IV regression. We also show that our framework is closely related to the generalized method of moments (GMM) with specific assumptions. This highlights the fundamental connection between GMM and two-stage procedures in IV literature. Using the proposed framework, we develop a simple kernel-based algorithm with consistency guarantees. Lastly, we give empirical results illustrating the advantages of our method over the existing two-stage algorithms. Joint work with Arash Mehrjou, Si Kai Lee, and Anant Raj Preprint: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1910.12358.pdf Bio: Krikamol Muandet is a research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Tuebingen, Germany. His research interests lie at the intersection of kernel methods, Hilbert space embedding of distributions, counterfactual inference, causal inference, and learning theory (website: http://krikamol.org).


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Jackie Bell joined the Firm in 2014 as a Public Finance Professional. Prior to joining Bryant Miller Olive in 2014, Mrs. Bell spent fourteen years as a Public Finance Professional for other public finance firms located within the State of Florida. As a Public Finance Professional, she has supported bond counsel, underwriter's counsel, disclosure counsel, borrower's counsel and issuer's counsel on a variety of tax-exempt financings, including general government, utilities, airports, single and multifamily housing, industrial development, charter education, community redevelopment, pooled loan and other complex financings. Prior to her work as a Public Finance Professional in the legal field, Mrs. Bell spent more than 15 years as a senior banker with regional investment banking firms. That experience includes serving as financial advisor or senior managing underwriter for various Northwest Florida issuers, including the City of Pensacola, Escambia County, Escambia County Utilities Authority, City of Fort Walton Beach, Pace Property Finance Authority, Holley-Navarre Water System, Inc., and the School Boards of Santa Rosa County, Escambia County and Okaloosa County, Florida.
Leadership Florida, Graduate
Leadership Pensacola, Graduate and Past Co-Chair of the Alumni Board
Co-Leader, Stepping Stones, A Women's Ministry of Pathways for Change
Community Life Center United Methodist Church, Member
Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce, Past Member of Board of Directors and Chair of Local Issues Committee
Five Flags Sertoma, Past Member of Board of Directors, Vice-President, Sponsorship and Social Chairman
American Cancer Society, Past Member, Board of Directors
Community Drug and Alcohol Commission, Past Member, Board of Directors
Waterfront Rescue Mission, Past Member, Board of Directors
Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies (BRACE), Founding Board Member and Past Chair
Grace Music, Inc., Founding Board Member and Past Chair
National Hero Finalist, Sixth Annual Volvo for Life Awards (2007)
Emerging Leader of the Year (1993), Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce
The Presidents Volunteer Service Award (2007)
Outstanding Leadership Award (2008), Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies (BRACE)
Whatever It Takes (WIT) Award, Pathways For Change (2017)


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We have secured tickets for the football match Croatia – Spain!
For fans of football coming this year to Meeting G2.4. two great things have matched:
- The day after the end of the meeting, on Thursday, November 15, in Zagreb, the football match in the League of Nations will be played by Croatia and Spain,
- Organizing Committee MG2.4 secured 25 tickets for fans of Croatian nationals coming from abroad
We believe that this news has made you happy as much as us, because after two main days at the Conference and trip to Lika on Wednesday, your will be able to spice up your time in Croatia with a sports spectacle and watch live world soccer stars, including the best football player in the world – Luka Modrić.
We thank the Croatian Football Association for co-operation and we look forward to the upcoming match. Go Vatreni!