Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections Perspective By Isabella Somma Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Original artwork by Isabella Somma Perspective. How you view situations, the world, people around you, and everyday life. It influences your beliefs, personality, and how they you treat the people around you. Your perspective can change as you get older, based on whom you surround yourself with, interests and hobbies, beliefs, and morals. Your perspective has an influence on your artwork and creations too. As an individual, I feel that my perspective on how I view objects, landscapes and colors changed as I began to understand the world around me and its complex aspects of depth, shape, and light. As a young artist, when I looked at a landscape or view, I only saw that the trees were green, the sky blue, the ocean blue, the sunset red, orange, and yellow. However, as I got older, I began to really look at a landscape and dissect the different elements to it. The way the shadows cast on the trees and the way the light from the sun cascades through the holes in the leaves. I noticed the movement of the wind and the water. This opened my eyes as I was able to recognize and pick apart distinct aspects of the images I was trying to recreate. Like impressionist artist Paul Cezanne, who captured the movement of the sky and changing light in landscapes, I began to understand movement of light and how it impacts the final product you see. In a previous assignment I had to complete, I investigated Paul Cezanne and studied how he manipulated paint strokes to create images that give the illusion of movement and free flowing. This inspired me to try working with this view of the world constantly in movement. It changed my perspective on the world and how we see it. Everything is more complex than we initially thought when we were children. Simple things such as trees have so many dimensions, colors, and textures many chose to ignore. Investing my time in art helped me to realize this and change my artistic perspective. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections The Ocean Amulet By Alanna Tieschmaker Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by Obscured Oddities Spread out and look for her!" the lead guard commanded, sending out the other guards he had brought with him. "That traitor cannot have gone far. We need to find and secure the amulet! He ran in a direction the rest of the guards had not gone in, searching for the traitor himself. Little did he know the very person he had been searching for was right above him. "No one ever thinks to look up" she whispers to herself, climbing down from the tree she had perched in. She looked around for a moment, trying to decide where the best place to go would be. "I need to get to the ocean" she mumbled. She looked down at her prized possession, which she had hidden in a bundle of cloth to prevent the reflection of the sun from giving her position away. Assured it was still safe, she set off south full of hope, toward the ocean. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- She broke out into a sprint after seeing the light before her. She had finally made it to the end of the forest, and she could see the ocean. It was a beautiful dark blue with hints of light blue beneath and waves crashed down on themselves for as far as the eye could see. Unfortunately, she was not alone. In her rush to make it out, she had become careless and stepped on multiple twigs alerting the guards that she had tried to so carefully to avoid. "There she is!" cried one of the guards, as he reached for something on his back. He pulled out a long horn and blew into it. A loud noise blared from the horn as the air passed through his lips. The rest of the guards would be here soon. The other guards that were in the original group pulled out the swords that they had sheathed on their hip. Seeing what was happening behind her, the runaway tried to push herself even faster. ' Get to the ocean, get to the ocean ' she chanted to herself. The guards quickly started to advance as they saw what was ahead of her. 'So close...' the traitor thought as the mesmerizing waves in front of her drew closer and closer. 'Wait...' Her eyes widened in realization and she quickly dug her heels into the ground, to stop her momentum. The sight of the ocean had caused here to become reckless, and it had almost cost her life. It was not a straight shot to the coast. Instead, she had almost run off a cliff. She turns around sharply, hoping to go another way, but the guards had advanced again, preventing any chance of passing them. "You have nowhere to go! Surrender!" a voice bellowed. The growing crowd of guards parted to reveal the head guard. He pulled his sword out, a sharp, pristine silver blade that reflected his status. Looking at her with contempt in his eyes, he read out: "Andrea Taylor, you are charged for treason against your kingdom and thievery from the queen. You shall return the stolen amulet and return to the palace where you will face your punishment." "You think I'll return this?" she cried as she held up the uncovered amulet. The sun reflected off its surface and it seemed to shine. "You think I would let that treacherous queen have what is not hers?" "If you do not stand down, we will be forced to kill you and take the amulet by force." Andrea locked eyes with the captain. She could tell he was not bluffing. He was prepared to kill her in cold blood. She knew she could not allow that to happen. So, in one quick movement, she turned on foot and used the gained momentum to throw the amulet as far into the ocean as she could. "NO!" the captain cried, realizing what she planned to do too late. He charged forward and tackled her to the ground, but it was too late. The amulet flew and straight into the water. There was no way they could get it back as they were. The ocean was deep, and his men lacked diving gear. The amulet was gone. " Huh. .." Andrea huffed from where she was pinned. She had done what she had set out to do. She had gotten the amulet away from the queen and to the ocean. It was safe from them. The captain swiveled to look at her, horror dawning in his eyes. "What have you done? You've domed us all to her wrath!" The queen would not be happy with him for losing her prized possession. He could be sentenced to death with this. "I have given everyone else hope," Andrea replied. The guards quickly surrounded her. They pulled her to her feet and tied her hands together. As she was marched back to the castle to face her surely unjust trial, she smiled. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Apples Never Fall By Anonymous Contributor Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by Media Store Apples Never Fall, a compelling thriller by Liane Moriarty, is a mystery novel based on a true story. It takes place from 2019-2021, demonstrating its prolonged timeline and modernistic plot points. The novel follows the Delaney siblings after the disappearance of their mother, Joy Delaney. The police soon identify their father, Stan, as a person of interest. As the story progresses, readers eventually discover the circumstances surrounding Joy’s disappearance. I highly recommend this book, as it proves to be a compelling fictional thriller, leaving readers at the edge of their seat during the read. Happy reading! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections The Four-Leaf Clover: Leprechaun Luck or Genetics? By Alyssa Garufi and Hannah Lee Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Image provided by Smithsonian Magazine Sir John Melton once said, “If a man walking in the fields finds any four-leaved grass, he shall, in a small while after, find some good thing.” With St. Patrick's Day, millions of people around the world are going to be looking for their own lucky four-leaf clover. But what makes the four-leaf clover so lucky and rare to find? The answer lies in genetics! Most clovers have three leaves, with their scientific name being the genus Trifolium – that's Latin for three leaves. However, people have discovered that some clovers have four leaves, rather than three. While these four-leaf clovers do exist, they are extremely unique and difficult to discover. Why is this the case? Traditionally, the original three-leaf clover has symbolized faith, hope, and love. In the Christian faith, the three-leaf clover also symbolizes the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is because according to Christian beliefs, Saint Patrick used a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to a group of Irish people looking to convert to Christianity. However, the significance of the four-leaf clover is much different. Four-leaf clovers were Celtic charms thought to allow people to see fairies and to offer magical protection. In addition, they were also thought to ward off bad luck. As time passed, the four-leaf clover eventually came to symbolize good luck, rather than warding off bad luck. The legends say that the rare four-leafed clover is where we get our luck from. Don’t thank the leprechaun for this luck, however - thank genetic mutation . The four-leaf clover originates from a genetic mutation in the original three-leaf clover that caused it to have an extra leaf. According to Wayne Parrott, a professor of crop sciences in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in Athens, the clover’s lucky fourth leaf sprouts from a mutation in the DNA of the genus Trifolium . The type of clover most associated with the four-leaf clover is the white clover. Parrott researched the DNA of this white clover and discovered which genes influence the shape and color of the leaves of the clover. He discovered that the white clover was an allotetraploid - which can be broken down into ploid , meaning chromosome, and tetra which means four. This discovery showed researchers that the white clover chromosomes each come from a different species, making this white clover the perfect breed of clover to study in order to understand the science behind the legend. In Parrott’s study, he grew 178 white clover plants and recorded any plant that had at least one four-leafed stem. The results of the study showed that four-leafed stems tended to favor warmer conditions - proving to Parrott and his team of researchers that the original three-leaved genome was likely an adaptation of the four-leaf clover for colder climates. The clover plant originates from the bean plant which has a lot of leaves, thus further validating the results of his study. Since the three-leaf clover made the clover more likely to survive, it is today the most prominent type of clover in the world. However, as DNA replicates, mutations occur, and every once in a while, there is a mutation that weakens the plant's ability to mask the four-leaf gene, allowing for us to find an occasional four-leaf clover. However, this mutation does not often occur, explaining why it is so rare and lucky.  Now you know the significance of the four-leaf clover, and how it differs from the three-leaf clover. You also know about the fascinating genetics behind its odd occurrences in nature. So exactly how likely are you to find one of these lucky plants? Scientists say that for every 10,000 clovers, one of them will have four leaves. That’s about a .01% chance of finding a four-leafed clover. So, next time you find a four-leaf clover, thank genetics for the luck it brings!  BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections New North Staff Jeselys Vazquez Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by Jeselys Vazquez Hello Spartans! Every year we get new and wonderful staff that make our school community more special than ever before. Ms. Tariq is one of the new school counselors, who stuck out to me and intrigued me to know more about her and share it with students, so you know your new staff better. Ms. Tariq has been a counselor for 8 years. Before coming to North, she worked in the city before kids and a family came along. All her life she wanted to be a school counselor, but Ms. Tariq’s life took her to a different road where she worked for the airlines in her college days and traveled around different countries. However, she was going back and forth on wanting to study while working at the same time. Soon as life went on, Ms. Tariq realized that as she got older and wiser, with her heart guiding her to where she is meant to be, she decided she had to fulfill her dream. The thing that influenced her job most as a school counselor at North is that her parents were immigrants. Growing up, there were times of struggle, which is why she understands students’ struggles when it comes to education and having the right guidance when troubled and wanting to help her students become successful for their future goals. Especially with having that experience and understanding to push through and work up to the major she wanted, without giving up, has had an incredible impact on how far she has come. Having that personal experience and knowledge helps Ms. Tariq understand the struggles of students and what they go through, how they are feeling, and help guide seniors when going through the change from high school to college. She also guides students through their high school experience, making sure to work their schedule with the classes they need to graduate. Some fun facts about Ms. Tariq are that she speaks 4 languages; she learnt them growing up as family and friends spoke, and she worked in a translation center. Ms. Tariq says that work is “Very busy, there is never a dull moment. I look forward to meeting students, and always have a packed schedule due to seniors this time of year.” A daily struggle Ms. Tariq encounters is students not being happy with their schedule: they want more free periods. So far since she started working at North, Ms. Tariq likes the community since everyone looks out for one another and she always receives a friendly smile. However, Ms. Tariq does not have much time to socialize with teachers, to get to know others better, and chat with students often, but she still tries her best. Every day, her goal is to make sure all her students graduate the best way possible, get to love North, say their experience was worth it, and be glad to be part of the North family. In fact, Ms. Tariq even has a piece of advice that an incredible, wise woman said to her that has stuck with her till today and keeps her going. “Dr. Small said to me that it does not matter if someone likes you or not, as long as you like yourself, that is all that matters.” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Professional Sports' Response to the Corona Virus By John McCarthy Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Image provided by Al Belo COVID-19 has had a major impact on multiple aspects of our lives. The response to the virus is a dividing issue that strengthens or weakens the faith in a system. The question surrounding every school, business, and state, has been whether to reopen their facilities or to remain closed to prevent the spread of the virus. Have professional sports leagues dropped the ball in their COVID-19 responses? Sports fans are emphatic about the fact that once again, professional sports are being played. We love watching and talking about the excitement, competition, and tradition of our favorite teams and players. Although viewer engagement and money flow through sports once again, coronavirus cases are a common occurrence, especially in the contact sports. There have been many cases of players and staff members contracting COVID-19. On the grand stage, every decision and repercussion is amplified for league officials. Each of the Big 4 leagues, the MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL, have given players and staff the choice to opt-out of activities because of coronavirus concerns, but does the operation of the leagues themselves eschew the severity of COVID-19? The Los Angeles Dodgers recently won the 2020 World Series over the Tampa Bay Rays after a shortened sixty game season. After the seventh inning of game six of the World Series, Dodgers’ third baseman Justin Turner was taken out of the game because he tested positive for the coronavirus. The Dodgers went on to win the game and the series. A World Series celebration typically consists of a dog pile on the pitcher’s mound followed by popping champagne, and there was no exception this year. A beautiful and crazy moment for the franchise, winning their first championship in 32 years. Justin Turner participated in the celebration, hugging his teammates and coaches without proper PPE (Dave Roberts, the Dodgers’ manager is a cancer survivor). Although the excitement can get the best of anyone, nonetheless this was a blatant example of a poor decision that shows a lack of integrity on the part of Turner. The NFL has seen its fair share of COVID-19 cases in its first ten weeks. Games have been postponed because of positive testing. Eleven Tennessee Titans players and 13 staff members contracted the virus after their Week 3 game. Instances such as these can cause a ripple effect across the league due to contact tracing. The Titans were fined by the NFL for not following the safety protocols. However, no suspensions were made. Players and staff contracting the virus on various teams continues to cause postponed games. The NBA has set a great example of a safe way to conduct their league despite the coronavirus. The league set up a “bubble” in Orlando, Florida where every game would be played. Moreover, players would live in the Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. Lakers center, Javale McGee, said life in the “bubble” was similar to dorming in college or a three-month road trip. The “bubble” worked extremely well. The LA Times wrote, “The NBA may be the U.S.'s best coronavirus success story, thanks to the bubble.” The NHL had a very similar protocol to the NBA. In a 24-team playoff bracket, the NHL reported zero coronavirus cases in over 30,000 tests. The league set up two bubbles, one in Toronto for the Eastern Conference and one in Edmonton for Western Conference teams. With stringent guidelines and minimal travel, the NBA and NHL show how sports can continue safely and orderly, with much of the excitement a normal season would have. Although the coronavirus cases caused modified seasons the return of sports, most of the major leagues put good safety protocols in place so we can all watch the sports we love. The world of sports, parallel to America, had its economy shut down for months, causing measurable suffering for multimillionaires. The real suffering was apparent in the boredom of die-hard fans unable to tailgate or watch their favorite teams. If league commissioners and players would have known how many cases would occur league-wide, would money and TV ratings still prevail? I believe sports have been shut down long enough, but the league operators and team administrators need to recognize the intense health issue COVID-19 presents and step up their game. I hope that sports continue to entertain, inspire, and empower safely in spite of a formidable opponent, COVID-19 BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Graveyard Blues Jasmine Roberts Volume 6 Issue 3 Image Provided by Mohammad Arshad On October 29 th , I visited my first cemetery in the Huntington area of Long Island, aptly named Old Burial Ground, because of its historical lineage as one of the first cemeteries implemented in Huntington which became a sight which staged a “heinous” scene during the American Revolution. (Old Burying Ground (17th Century) & Fort Golgotha). For me any cemetery represented the lands of ungodly evil. There were habits I committed to as a youth, that exemplified my terror of the groaning and greying world which crossed and lingered unspoken with our own. For instance, whenever my family and I drove past a cemetery, I would quickly suck in my breath close to my chest, back erect to retain it, as if my life was a secret which needed to be kept close to my heart and away from the dead and buried. Even if the stretch was long and the graveyard followed along like one giant stone snake, I found it hard to let go of my breath or I would be susceptible to possession. In that time of my life, I was educated wrongly about the truths of life and death. Death is seen as both sacred, yet its consequences wicked within my household. All souls live purely, and once they are dead, they become wicked. This is why I held my breath. However, many things happened to me in the short expanse of my life from youth to young adult. I can assure you that I no longer hold my breath. Now when I see a cemetery, I stretch over the barrier between my car door and the tiny grey curtain walls of a kingdom that I would soon visit, tomorrow or maybe a million years from now. My eyes grow wide, and I now let out a breath in amazement at the beauty of a chipped mausoleum, or the simplicity of a grey flash in the corner of my eyes. So, when I stepped foot upon the sodden grassy lands of The Old Burial Ground with nothing but my phone, which only took photos with a fractured phantom of a line running down the middle, and my tote bag which holds some of my earnest treasures. I was on a mission. There were others who accompanied me on this little journey of mine up and down the hill, maybe for them I came across like the snow, silent and quick to slip between your fingers, as I left them to venture toward every crack and every raised root of a tree. Nevertheless, for me I was daring something utterly new. After years of practiced understanding that death and horror, the macabre and the morbid, were all little weeds planted by the Devil, simply walking into a cemetery was the same as climbing Mount Everest and I must admit, it was a glorious accomplishment when I found myself at the top of that steep hill, looking over at all the living while I stood amongst the dead like Pluto upon his throne. That down there were more people scared of the dead than I felt; I felt invincible and for once I was not scared. Amongst the dead, I felt livelier and there I realized underneath the swaying maiden that was a weeping tree that Autumn morning, I felt safe. After that one visit, I was enraptured, a new curiosity was spiked within my soul. I had found a key and was only searching for more to add to my silver ring. A rural cemetery is defined as “a pleasure garden instead of a place for graves” (The Rural Cemetery Movement), cited by Fanny Kemble in a piece by Wilson Center Dig Lab. The Old Burying Ground is a more simplistic example of a rural cemetery. However, a more handsome cemetery awaits in Brooklyn, New York named Greenwood Cemetery, founded in 1838 during rapid Industrialization, to solve the problem of overcrowding within churchyards. Arguably considered, “Brooklyn’s first public park by default long before Prospect Park was created.” (White & Willenksy). Around 600,000 graves make residences and 7,000 trees. (Glenn) From photos alone, it resides as a hidden treasure. To simply enter its magnificence, one must walk underneath an arching behemoth of angular, jaunty, and gracefully shaped gates which hint to the influence of Gothic architecture, designed by Richard Upjohn. To be buried in Greenwood Cemetery would be like retiring to the Ritz Carlton. Amongst death, life blooms relentlessly in the posse of vibrant grasses and trees which guard the daises. Even the residences of the dead are fabulous. One short walk along Camelia Path, might lead one from a tomb of the gothic to a monument of the Egyptian Revival. Greenwood Cemetery is the second home in New York City. It reflects, even in its aesthetics, the diversity of the city. It represents how cultures and contexts come together in the city, not to assimilate and repeat the same tomb, but instead clash and differ, but knit together to form an exciting landscape which would transform death from once a tragedy into a romantic necessity of a beautiful life. Microsoft Word - Old Burying Ground.doc The Rural Cemetery Movement · The Oconee Hill Cemetery Project · Death and Human History in Athens   White, Norval  & Willensky, Elliot (2000).  AIA Guide to New York City  (4th ed.). New York: Three Rivers Press.  ISBN   978-0-8129-3107-5 .  p. 687. Collins, Glenn (April 1, 2004).  "Ground as Hallowed as Cooperstown; Green-Wood Cemetery, Home to 200 Baseball Pioneers" .  The New York Times .  ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved July 28, 2019. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Precious Memories Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 High school life, what a ride, As a junior, with dreams so wide. Books and tests, and late-night cram, Sometimes, it feels like a big exam.   Lockers jammed with secrets and chatter, Every day, something new to matter. Prom on the horizon, we're almost there, Hoping for a date, and the perfect hair.   Teachers, some strict, some really cool, In this high school world, we're no fool. Homework piling up, stress on the rise, But with friends by our side, we'll reach the skies.   Lunchtime gossip, and cafeteria food, Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's crude. Navigating cliques, and teenage drama, As a junior, life's like a never-ending saga.   But as we grow, we learn and find our way, With each passing moment, we seize the day. Junior year, it's a journey we'll survive, For in these high school memories, we'll thrive. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Interview with Mr. Arata  By Gurjosh Multani Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by VSCHSD Q: State your name and your occupation. " My name is Anthony Arata, and my occupation is Permanent Sub here at Valley Stream North, but I am in Grad school at St. John’s University in order to become a Special Education teacher.” Q: Have you lived anywhere other than Valley Stream and if so, where? “I live in Franklin Square.” Q: Do you enjoy your job? “I love my job.” Q: Anything else to add to that? “It's an honor to be able to come back to where I went to high school and to inspire kids how I was inspired to be a teacher.” Q: What inspired you to start working this job? " My 10th grade special education teacher Mr. Achatz.” [pronounced “ACK-its”] Q: How do you feel about the recent threat to this school? "It's scary, but the reality of every day as a teacher and a student is that it can happen anywhere and there's protocols to be safe, but there're people who want to harm students and we just have to be as safe as possible always. And if you see something, always say something.” Q: What would you do for the security of the school if you were in charge? “If I was in charge of the security... Hmm Well, we already have cameras everywhere, which is definitely necessary, and the ID is to keep track of who comes in and out. But I would maybe just have scanners that way they could see when you walk through, so it scans you. That way we can prevent the lines in the morning, so it'd be an easier transition for students and faculty.” Q: Do you have any advice for the new generation of kids? "Find your passion and do something that you love because I go to work every day, I'm happy to be there, and I love what I do. As long as you do something that makes you happy, it's then that you'll be set for life.” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections My Past, Not Relevant By G Heiss Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Image provided by The Guardian It has been hours since the king had been summoned home. He previously was in the mortal realm to take care of affairs and deals people wanted to make. Then his second-in-command called him down in an emergency pentagram. He almost felt sorry for the guy who was probably standing there confused for a while, staring at the scorched ground left in his wake. Why did you summon me here, Corvin?" Since he was in his home now, Varis could feel his energy boost and return to him, large magenta wings now protruding from his shoulder blades and spreading out to their full 11-foot span before folding against his back. Four horns painlessly growing out from his skull, two curling upwards from the top of his head, the other two sprouting out from seemingly the bottom of his brunette head of hair. By this time, his nails had extended to claws, his eyes turned from white and brown to black and red, sharper than average teeth growing more and a whip like tail extending from his lower back. The tail thrashing as it grew before it settled as he waited for his second in command to answer his previous question. Corvin Rex. An ash demon who had a raven animal morph. The two have known each other their whole lives, despite them being away from each other for a long period of time. "Your presence was requested, Varis. An Imp by the name of Zodariis has been causing trouble in the slums and was brought here. His pale skin seemed to vastly contrast from the king's own tanner skin. And when Varis turned to walk to the throne room, one of Corvin's pale hands caught his wrist. Red irises met black and Varis felt himself tense at the rare sight of Corvin's face of concern. "Be wary, Varis.. Something seemed off about this imp…" Varis forced his body not to shudder as he swallowed down his nerves and scowled. "I'm not scared a low-leveling Imp from this ring of hell." His voice echoed in the hall as he twisted his wrist slightly to get the other demon to let go. When Corvin did let go, Varis began to walk down the lavishly decorated hall toward the throne room. The halls were decorated with large pillars and numerous paintings of the previous rulers of the 9 rings. Said pillars were Roman in origin, laced with small golden details that he had never really bothered to look at in the past. Red eyes flicked to the many photos on the walls as his scowl grew. Varis could almost feel the eyes of the previous rulers follow his moments in almost a judgmental way. Calrash. One of the first demon queens to take the throne at the beginning of what the humans call the Cambrian. She was a tyrant to say the least, but she had been the first who dared to challenge Lucifer for the title, and she had been the only successful one at that. "Meus Rex." A distant voice made it way to Varis's pointed ears and immediately his attention is on an incubus guard that was standing in front of his father's painting. Ur'Gest Cicero. Benevolent to the 9 circles that watched his every move. Behind closed doors however, Varis knew better. "The Imp is being held by the best of the guard. It has shown some impressive strength for an Imp." Varis could hear him talking, but his eyes were trained on his father’s own red eyes. The sound of echoed skin on skin was deafening in the castle halls. Each slap of skin was followed by a child's cry of pain. "You were supposed to be the powerful one! Why were you born a runt?!" Guards who passed the door always had a look of sympathy for the child. But none had the nerves to stand up to Ur'Gest. Anyone who seemed to do so, weren't seen the next rise of the blood moon. "What do you mean, father?" A young version of Varis, bruised and red looked up at his much larger father with tear-stained cheeks and unshed tears still stinging his eyes. Then he got picked up by his small wings. Another cry of pain came from the boy as his father tightened his grip on the wings and tossed him aside. "Pathetic. You should be able to fly by now." Varis's eyes widen in fear as the king, his father, drew closer...And closer. Raising a hand to-- "Meus Rex!" The guard choked out, clawing at the hand around his neck and struggling for oxygen. Varis let go of the guard and had a look of regret on his face. "Please, escort yourself to the infirmary to see to any potential wounds. I am so sorry about that, I got lost in thought." The guard bowed his head and quickly walked away to head in the direction of the infirmary. Varis looked down at his hand that had been choking the guard previously, scowling and taking a few deep breaths. His father was gone. Ur'Gest died over 8 centuries ago. While Varis was still relatively new to the throne, having only been king for two centuries, things were already vastly different. Varis had spent most of his "teenage" years in the mortal realm. When he learned to adapt as time went on, he closely observed how the world leaders went about managing their countries. Taking liking to George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte for a short amount of time, Toussaint-Louverture, and Henri Guisan. His magic had allowed him to learn, to study with the children that were "his age." "Your Highness." There was a voice again that pulled him from his thoughts, this one was different from before. When Varis focused, it was two of the most decorated soldiers he had made sure were kept in the army. The two soldiers were kneeling down with their wings folded against their backs with one arm on their knees and the other on the odd-looking Imp. The Imp should've had a red pigment in his skin if  he were to be from the pride ring. Maybe even an orange. However, this one had green. Varis narrowed his eyes to see into the Imp's soul. His real name was Niagron, he died of an assassination and was a greedy man in his life by the name he can only find being Kyoji. A dark aura surrounded the demon king and a low growl came from his throat as he approached the Imp and grabbed its face by its chin. "What do you want, greed spawn?" Venom laced with Varis's voice as the Imp growled back and moved to get out of the king's grasp. "I want to challenge your authority, Cicero!" Every other demon in the room went silent. They all recall just how powerful the last king was and how the king's own wife, Varis's mother, killed him by essentially drowning him in lava. Ur'Gest was a fire demon, his wife, Flanora, a lava demon. It was publicly known that not even Varis knew the full extent of his own power. "We can escort him to a separate location where--" "No." Varis butted in and took a deep breath. "Why do you propose to challenge me, greed spawn?" Murmurs from servants, guards and soldiers rose at this notion. Varis was interested in the fight and the fire in the Imp's eyes reminded him a lot of himself back in his youth. The last challenge to a king that had happened that wasn't an internal matter was when Ur'Gest came into power. And that was nearly 3000 years ago. "I came to challenge your logic! What made you say you had the right to waltz down back into hell and take the place of king? What in your past make you king?!" Another round of silence. The soldiers who were previously holding the Imp backed away as they knew just a fraction of what their king is capable of. The servants are also hyper-aware of his untamed power that had direct ties to his emotions. Especially his anger. The Imp's eyes widen in alarm and any previous fearlessness he had quickly dissipated as the king's appearance began to change. Growing in size in all proportions by at least another ten feet. His previous human looking skin now turning an angry red and his eyes appeared as if they held the infinite space of void. Magenta wings turning a deep shade of scarlet and the tip of his tail igniting in blue flames. " Prior actus non refert …" Varis's voice was loud . The whole castle seemed to echo the deep guttural voice that now belonged to the king. Not even moments later, the screams of the damned could be heard throughout the entire pride ring. Servants of the castle looked at what remained of the Imp with some pity and others looked disgusted. Ashes were quickly swept away as Varis returned to his normal size and his second in command pushed the doors open as if he were in a hurry. "What happened? Where is the Imp? What did he want?" The look on Varis's face alone was enough to shut the ravenette up, black eyes looking to the king's face as he slowly approached. Something was evidently wrong. But Corvin knows better than to pry. "He came to challenge my authority, asking what gave me the right to sit on the throne." Corvin sucked in a tense breath, his jaw clenching at the notion and he gave a strained nod of his head to show he understood why Varis looked the way he did. "And… what did you say?" "My past? Not relevant." Latin Translations: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meus Rex : My King Prior actus non refert: Prior actions do not matter BACK TO TOP