Kane eyed the horizon quietly, it had been a long couple of weeks for them all, Ascondia had complained of one thing or another and Alvin was slowly becoming less patient with Kanes temperament toward the Queen.
It was as Kane pushed up from the cold snow he caught the blade against the back of his neck, instinct took him for a blade only to have it snatched away
.
“Easy now fella” A cold tone caught him “We don’t wanna be killing ya”
As Kane turned the whole group were pinned with blades to their throats, Ascondia was ranting about been the Queen with Alvin reminding them assault of the Queen was punishable by death.
“Now just why is our great Queen out so far from her nice protected throne?” The captor crowed in reply
“Because occasionally we have more important things to worry about” Kane snapped in reply “Now how about you release us and we all go our own way and forget this whole thing happened, before it gets real ugly real fast”
“We’re the ones armed good sir, and you all will hand over your coins then we’ll be on our way” The leader or at least Kane figured he was the leader as the other four had their attention on him, the fourth held a bow to the group of Alvin, Ascondia and Aishani.
“Five on Four my love what do you figure their odds to be?” Kane tossed the remark to Aishania a playful glare in his eye
Aishani flicked her golden eye to Kane from her position beside him, a smirk forming upon her plush lips, while from her hand pressed against his but in the contact there was the sense of something solid being placed within his palm. By feel, it was clear that this was a throwing knife that was strapped upon her thigh but removed in enough time before being caught off guard by the bandits. "Depends..." She purred.
That is when he felt the static build in the air, a sign of Aishani preparing to possess the ability drawn on her by the webbed markings, blink. Her hand lifted in a lightening fast strike to the assailant that held her pinned by her throat, blinking to stand before him and utilize his own weapon to plunge into his gullet. Then before the others could react, the static increased when she appeared to the man keeping Ascondia pinned to slit his throat while the other was shot in the leg with a throwing knife. Turning to step forward in another issued blink, but something appeared from the forest. In a flash the archer was skewered, with a bloody choke. Now, Shadow have arrived at the perfect time.
"Keep the gimp, alive." She said while blinking to fall to her knees before Shadow, caressing those dangerous legs with her mitted hand and crooning to the arachnid that was the size of a large dog. The front legs lofted and lightly tapped at her shoulder.
As the blade reached his hand Kane took a step forward then ducked under the leader ending behind him his hands snapping to the front and back of his head and one sharp turn the resounding snap of the bones in his neck sent him to the ground.
The others barely had time to react as the emerald flash of flame saw him behind Alvins captor burying the short knife into his spine not fatal but crippling. The arrival of shadow saw three dead and two injured but for the moment alive, Kane simply spun the blade in his hand beore retrieving his blade.
“The problem with raiders is they always think they have the upper hand” Quietly he wiped the blade on one of the fallen before turning to face the others “So I’m going to assume this wasn’t random, no one in their right mind attacks the Queen”
“No milord, Regal said we could do it” Groaned the one Kane had dropped moments before “said you’d be good for coin, also said you weren’t exactly yourself of late, he said you were weak”
“Said you were no threat” Piped the second of their captives.
“Had this attack been a week earlier I’m fairly sure they’d still be dead, my point is why would you attack” Kane now crouched before the one he had injured his blade pressed to his cheek “Just for the money?”
“Yes milord, Regal said it would be easy, said you wouldn’t hurt civilians” Kane laughed coldly “You threatened the Queen, we already established the punishment for that, and as for us we are little busy with something so this is time I don’t need to waste”
Aishani straightened from her arachnid companion, while the blade spider moved at her side to lift those front legs in the direction of Ascondia and Alvin, almost as though deciphering the threat those two possessed. She glanced to Shadow then placed a hand upon the lifted leg, as though a silent communication was relaying between the two and reluctantly the pulpits stilled. "Shadow speaks of another. Who else did you happen to bring with you...?" She growled softly, walking through the snow, the white blanket crunching beneath her feet to grasp the hair within her slender fingers to yank back and force his eyes to peer deeply within her own.
“N … n … no one” He croaked under Kanes blade, the weight had nicked the flesh of his cheek sending a trail of blood down his cheek “I swear to you mailady”
Aishani narrowed her gaze to the man, nearing him with a tilt of her head while leaning closer to him and gliding her tongue against his cheek to lick the trail of blood and whisper beside his ear. "I don't like liars..." She growled, yanking his head back then releasing her tangled fingers from his hair, straightening. She then narrowed her gaze to the surrounding area outwards from their current position, while a flash of blades flew through the air, aimed for Ascondia. Such things happened in a matter of seconds, leaving Aishani to reach with a step forward and disappearing only to stand before the Queen with a smirk, grabbing her and then the static of a powerful pull caused them to disappear and appear near Kane in the next moment as throwing knives were lodged into the snow.
Snow fell from a tree, surprisingly high up, as a figure wrapped in leather crouched like a perfectly poised panther, ready to strike. Her hair was darker then night, while her skin resembled the snow but was kissed with a subtle red to the tip of her nose. Lips a deep red while her eye's held an intents black hue.
At her hip was a long sword, sheathed. A cloak wrapped her shoulders, hood down, while nestled between the beauteous full bosom was a necklace with a red ruby, incrusted in silver and that is when Kane would recognize the sigil of Rexialis House. Such was a well-known house to deal in all illegal trades, including the flesh, thieves and mostly the best assassin's but after the Dragon Wars, seemingly dropped off the face of the realm. But, now, he was face to face with one.
Kane didn’t hesitate as he kicked his captive back into the snow, rising straight to the full 7 foot frame that suddenly looked far more dangerous than he had in some time, his eyes darkened as he watched the newcomer.
“We have enough problems to deal, they just keep coming today” His eyes stayed on the newcomer as Alvin moved to put himself between Aishani and Ascondia “I have the Queen covered Lady Aishani, I fear Lord Kane may need you”
“You know me so I’ll leave you to do your introduction, though a family reputation for murder mayhem, slave trading and more leaves little guess work”
The female remained calm, while balancing herself perfectly on the limb without so much as a hand for balance. Aishani rounded from behind Alvin to stand at Kane's side, with Shadow at her side protectively. This female simply tilted her head to the side while the smirk grew to a wolfish grin now. Now, in a thought the Rexialis House, it was run by the Billote's since a marriage bound the two houses together to give birth to a ruthless group that was primarily all family in the higher ranks.
She remained at a height, to gain an overall perspective of the group below her. Those dark eyes flashed as though assessing the situation. Extending her arm back while retrieving the hand with a flash of blades upon the fingers, like a fan with a flick of her wrist, she sent the knives through the air as the female turned to rush further away utilizing branches as her leverage. She meant to escape.
Aishani was already in pursuit, feet crushing in the snow, then silent in a leap up that landed her on the branch that the female previously had occupied, flashing from one branch to another. Even with the ability to blink, while Aishani was gaining on the female, she still was faster. Shadow gave chase from the ground level and was exceedingly faster than both fading into the distance, when Kane would arrive, he would find a flash of weapons and a web was being created to trap the female.
Kane eyed the female a light nod to Aishani before closing in on the woman his eyes had grown cold and his patience all but worn thin his blade snapped the tree above her head carving a chunk from the tree with ease.
“Let’s try this again, you know who I am, I already figure your from Evermore, so my guess would be Dragons Keep, which means you’re working for my father, which means you’re not leaving this forest alive” Kane shrugged calmly “I’m tired of fighting with his support troops trying to slow me down, because he knows I will kill just about anyone to get to my daughter, so anything you wish to impart on me I suggest you do so now before I allow my lover to pluck you apart piece by piece, or Shadow”
Kane eyed Shadow for a moment “Take your pick” his voice was unnaturally clam and any emotion was drowned in the wave of frustration that now boiled just below the surface of his patience.
There was a thud and the crack of a tree branch that sounded like thunder in the otherwise silent skeleton of a forest, followed by a grunt. Then steps in the snow, as though, someone was fighting in the distance. The sound of fist meeting body was heard, while this was short lived and Aishani came back with a trickle of blood from her nose. Her plush lips were twisted in a triumphant smirk, Shadow was behind her, as the struggling female was wrapped in a netlike web and being pulled.
The female growled and cried out while attempting to chew and pull the webbing apart, Aishani then stopped at Kane's side, clearing her throat. "Now, let's try this again. Kane, my love, after you." The female within had a swollen eye and a split lip, not nearly as beautiful as before while her black eyes flashed dangerous, similar to a cornered animal. Aishani ran a finger to her bloodied nose, while licking the digit clean.
Ascondia had now caught up her eyes flashing dangerously as she closed in on the newcomer. As she rounded on her Kane caught her wrist.
“Get off me Kane” She barked angrily.
“Stay put!” Kanes voice was cold and sharp enough to make Ascondia throw him a glare
“I am the fucking Queen and she will answer to me!” Ascondia snarled back
“You’re the Queen, with one guard and a really pissed off demon, a giant Spider and a drow, you might want to think where the threat is actually coming from” And with that he nodded to Alvin who pulled Ascondia to the side
“Tempers are a little frayed as you can imagine, so if you’d care to tell us what we want, maybe I’ll forgo slitting your throat”
The female in the webbed netting simply sat and glared at all of them, those dark eyes like chips of obsidian. "I'm sorry, I seem to have been running away, when you were shouting at me. I missed everything you asked...my name. It is Virra Billote. You are Kane...you must be the daughter that psycho bitch, Z'ress, is after and will stop at nothing to get." A smirk spread upon her split and bleeding lip, spitting the blood into the snow and staining it red. "I followed that ... spider. I didn't know an Elcarus had the potential to summon and control such a creature."
Aishani grew bored while crouching in the snow, her attention diverted to Shadow, a smirk on her lips. Then she stood, while nearing Kane. "My love, Aerian is alive. Not doing well...but, alive."
“And we’re still a day or so out even without rest” Kane sighed softly before looking to Virra “You are correct the spider is not my trick, as you said we cannot do such things, Aishani on the other hand” Kane smiled softly “Let me put it this way you are of House Rexialis which pretty much makes you a wanted criminal across the entire realm, I will make it go away, for you, providing you help me get my daughter and brother out of my fathers hands”
Kane quickly drew a map into the snow “We can’t go in the main doors their mages would tear us apart before we got close, there is however an old cellar that collapsed right before my grandfather died, which leads into the old detention cells and then into the newer ones, we can get in and out quietly, providing we know what’s waiting for us and what condition Aerian and Hades are in”
"You mean that red head and guy...that kinda looks like you? Wow. You really are Ceremon's son, he made the same deal with my father. The terms were to protect the house in a long term sense...Hey, wait! You can't go near the castle..." She stopped mid-sentence, then fell silent, poking holes with her finger in the snow beneath her.
Aishani flicked her gaze up from the map that was being drawn to the girl, narrowing her eyes upon Virra. "My love...I'm going to knock her out..." She growled, it was clear the venture and having to tolerate the Queen, without intimacy, was definitely winding her up to be dangerous, her patience wearing thin.
"What good would that do you?" Virra spat. "Besides, you don't know what is awaiting you, should you arrive. That entrance you spoke of is not really hidden anymore. After all, if I know about it and Shadow does...then." She shrugged passively, tentatively touching her lip. "You really think, it would matter? No protection could keep me safe from my father or the House. As you said, I'm a wanted criminal, better off dead then by his hand."
“And I’m Kane Elcarus, she’s the Queen we can actually make YOU’RE crimes disappear” Kane was careful to ensure she understood this was to her and her alone “You can take residence In Dentarius there isn’t a place that’s safer, well except the mansion but … still we will proect you as if you are our own, and you might want to be aware Ceremon has an army of lunatics with no real power between them, he collects them like pets” Kane stood striding back and forth with though for a moment “So yes the redhead and guy that sort of appears like me, not the crazy one you understand the one they have locked up, time is running out, I need to get to Aerian, I need to know what we’re walking into, please I need your help”
Kane could feel the frustration fighting with the fear of losing his only chance to pull his daughter out in one piece “I failed her once before I’ll be damned if that happens again, you have my word you will be protected with all the power of House Elcarus and Dentarius itself” again he made sure she understood this was for her and her alone.
There was silence from Virra while her dark eyes looked over Kane and then Ascondia skeptically. When Kane stood, Aishani placed a hand of comfort and support upon his bicep with the curl of her nails into the thick coat that he wore, her delicious aroma slithering in his sense, crisp as the fallen snow around them to further such stability from her.
"Fine. I'll help..." Virra whispered, as though her voice trembled. "Just let me out of this...web...net...thingy..."
Kane spun on his heel rounding on her “I’ll trust you, I expect you to do the same” With that he ran his hand over Aishanis shoulder gently “Let her out” as he turned to face Ascondia and Alvin his voice dropped “We’ll set up camp here tonight, it’s late, she’ll need time to rest”
He sheathed his weapon at his hip and turned to face Virra “And you will tell us all we need to get them out, that’s our deal, once they are out and safe so are you” Alvin was very quickly busy with erecting the tents against the dark backdrop of the forest, Ascondia as ever was complaining a Queen shouldn’t have to erect her own tent much less sleep rough each night as they had for some time now.
Virra's eyes flashed to Aishani when Kane gave his lover the go ahead to release her. Aishani briefly nodded to Kane, moving over and releasing the tether fasten to the webbed netting by whispering a few words and it melted away, she then turned to move and assist Alvin in lifting the tents up.
But, suddenly, Ascondia was cut short of her complaining while a snowball was thrown in her direction, Aishani leaned down packing another, tossing it up and down in a threat, her plush lips formed into a coy smirk. "I think...you can pitch in. I'll help teach you how to pitch your OWN tent." She tossed the snowball aside and moved to assist Ascondia in rising. "But I am NOT going to do it for you when you have two able hands. We are all in this together, quit...your bitching."
Virra was rolling over laughing in the snow now, to the sight of Ascondia. "I like her. I take that back, you are nothing like that psycho bitch, Z'ress." But, at the venomous glare cast by Aishani, she scrambled to rise and moved over to the map. She considered it for a moment in silence, then settled down and beginning to add on more cells and drew frowny faces even a penis and a pussy, snickering but then smothered it out. "I'll explain everything once things are settled."
Kane reached into his back pack pulling out a length of rope eying Virra for a moment “Do I need to waste my time tying you up, or will you behave while we go get dinner?” It was a statement rather than an actual choice an inclination of trust.
Quietly he rose to his feet collecting his bow as he threw a glance to Aishani and Ascondia who had at least stopped complaining and was busy erecting her tent, Alvin had already begun preparing the fire. He waited until he felt Aishani at his side as they ducked out into the forest in search of their next meal.
Virra rolled a shoulder passively to Kane's words that left neither trust or lack thereof. Her dark eyes were startlingly beautiful against her porcelain skin, a lazy one-side smirk formed upon her lips, leaving him to believe this female was always up to no good. In a way, reminding him of Aerian. But, she extended her arms forward with her wrists next to the other. "Got it, Kane. Might be best...for now, if not for you but for me."
It took sometime before Aishani moved to his side, her golden eye flashing upwards to him with a nod. When they ducked into the forest, Shadow came with them, an extra hand in capturing a meal.
Kane edged along his foot setps barely registering, impressively quiet for a man of his size, he ducked between a growth or bush and high rising rocks out into an isolated cove of sorts.
The moment she followed him through he rounded on her his lips capturing hers hungrily for a few moments before he dropped back. “I wanted to thank you, I wouldn’t have gotten this far without you, or Shadow, and I’m pretty sure our dear Queen would have long since lost her head” he rolled his shoulder slowly with a smile.
“I know all this isn’t helping things, for either of us in a lot of ways, but we’re almost at our destination, I am finally feeling far better all thanks to you” He smiled softly as he crept toward the edge of the lake, the water crystal clear and ice cold as it vanished over the edge and down into the waiting rivers below “We will hit Evermore soon, the terrain is terrible and weather worse, I don’t know what’s to come and that bothers me”
Shadow passed them, while leaping from tree to tree, skittering soundlessly on the snow. Aishani was as though a ghost at his back, following him down and between a growth. Yet, the instant he turned, Aishani's eyes widened briefly in surprise to the press of his lips against hers. That succulent warmth sung clear into his core, stirring with the recovered sweep of her own plush surface, giving into the moment with such thirst it was insatiable. As he stood back, her eyes were closed and then lids lifted slowly, looking up to him with that golden hue humming softly in the dying light.
A smirk formed upon the luscious surface of her lips, tilting her head walking with him to peer over the edge, then back to him. She lifted a hand, covered in the mitt, her eyes fixed to him while her aroma was slithering into his senses. "That is where you are wrong. While, yes, the circumstances prevent us of...certain pleasures. This is helping us grow, Kane. We are here in this frigid hell, joining for the same cause and goal ultimately. No one ever sees eye to eye, but, the strength is growing. There is one thing, I do know. You will have me at your side to face the unknown, together we will overcome our obstacles. You are not facing any of this alone. So long as I breathe, you never will." She glanced over her shoulder sharply, then up to a tree. Across the lake, was a female doe attempting to gather bark from the trees due to the lush grass being settled beneath the snow for the winter.
Kane crouched beside her “I don’t doubt you Aishani, never have from the moment we met, my problem is I don’t know Ascondias end game and our new house guest could be walking us right into our parents hands”
He drew the bow slowly his eyes stayed on the doe before the arrow took flight absolute and clean dropping the doe with practiced accuracy, he smiled softly as he drew back slowly, and he kissed her cheek as they walked toward the fallen animal.
“So what do you think of our guest can we trust her? She reminds me too much of Aerian and in a lot of ways that bothers, but she may be our only hope of getting Aerian and Hades out alive”
Aishani remained silent as Kane took aim and shot down the doe, glancing to him when he pressed his lips against her icy cheek and stood. Shadow was already moving to the deer, weaving a web into a net very much the same to which caught Virra, when finished, she assisted Kane on placing the body of the doe into the net. "Anyone's end game is a potential threat. But, right now, we are on fixed on getting Aerian out, Hades as well. Let us focus on this, but, be prepared. As for our...guest, I am not entirely too sure what to think. But, it does not hurt to be at the ready. She does remind me of Aerian, amusingly so. In fact, that could help our cause, especially since she has seen her and knows the exactly location."
“Yet she has yet to confirm if Aerian is still alive, or what state she was in before she followed Shadow to us” Kane sighed softly his eyes now focused on the doe “It bothers me that I don’t even know if my daughter is still alive”
As they finished wraping the doe Kane sat just for a moment allowing the pain of the situation to take hold before one deep breath pushed it all back to the back of his mind “Well time to get us all fed, we should find you something to eat as well, I know you’re not so keen on meat as the rest of our party” A soft smile that he had tried not to forget such a detail.
Aishani placed a hand upon his bicep, her display of comfort and strength. "Kane, you know she is still alive, as well as Hades. Do not give in so easily. Yes, I understand that we don't have proof, but, in my heart I know they are both alive. It would not suit Z'ress's purpose to have them dead. Perhaps, after everyone has full stomachs conversation would come easier. Not to mention, I can have a snowball ready any moment for Ascondia, believe it or not, that felt good." Her plush lips formed into a wicked smirk, but as he made the mention of her diet, Aishani chuckled. "I made sure to pack extra dried fruit, my love. I will be fine, plus it is difficult to maintain my diet in the winter, I know that."
Kane chuckled at the snowball comment “That was fun to watch” before he nodded “Another piece to the already rather large puzzle at hand it would seem, though I’m now certain Ceremon is responsible for a large piece things to come” Kane shrugged as they began the task of taking the doe to camp.
They walked back in silence as Kanes mind attempted to fit things together, as well as quell the urges that now sat just below the surface the need for her overwhelming but their task would for the moment prevent those actions. As they entered camp Ascondia had finally finished with her tent and Alvin had built a makeshift spit over the fire, he looked to where he had left Virra who seemingly was still present in camp.
Shadow skittered ahead of them in the direction of the camp now, while her presence was spoken like a scream beside him in the sensual scent that her frigid skin drifted to his senses. The thing with Aishani, was that neither needed to speak to fill empty space, each took time to savour the presence of the other. A deeper connection between them growing on this venture.
Aishani moved over to inspect the tent that was pitched by Ascondia and congratulated her on a job well done, while returning to Kane's side to assist him on cleaning the deer to cook for the others. While she preferred vegetables and fruit, it was clear she was a hunter and knew how to prepare the animal with her daggers.
Virra sat apart from the others, her dark eyes drinking everything in and watching. As her body remained relaxed, even casual in the binds fixed to her wrists, almost nonchalant about the situation.
Kane cut through the pelt with practised ease handing of the cut as it extended beyond his reach, it wasn’t long before the meat over the fire and the scent of meat wafting through the camp. Kane made one slow circle to check the perimeter before settling back by the fire.
As the meat cooked Kane offered a plate to Virra “You look like you haven’t eaten well in a while, you probably should” it was at this point Ascondia burst into another rant on why he was treating the prisoner so well and barely paying attention to the Queen, Kane simply allowed her the moment then continued with his offering.
“You don’t even care” Ascondia spat angrily
“Ascondia, you need to calm down, and realise that not everything you say is the law, and out here, even less so” Kane replied darkly “We need her, and for that she needs to remain alive, I said we would protect and I assure you that is what I intend to do, remember Dentarius does not answer to the crown”
Aishani settled by the fire boiling down snow to make a mushroom and vegetable stew to go with the deer, since she decided to instead focus on spicing the food while her and Alvin discussed the type of spices that she brought with her. She chuckled but when Ascondia burst out in her spoiled rant, Aishani turned her a bored expression to her. Beginning to hand out bowls with the stew now that the meat was ready.
Virra looked to Kane then to Ascondia. "You're nothing but a spoiled brat, I don't see a Queen right now." She said calmly, but, there was a little impishness in her tone that was relayed by the lazy one sided smirk. Patting her lap for the food. "That red head, Aerian, I think you called her...she is alive you know?" Virra said lifting some meat to nibble on. "That other one too...the one you call Hades. Poor shape last time I saw them. Apparently, Z'ress decided there would be a benefit to stripping them of their clothing."
“Hareavor torture tactics” Kane fell silent he didn’t need further pieces of the puzzle to that line Kane placed his bowl down and made his way to the outskirts his mind now turning far faster than he could handle.
Virra looked to him when he stood, her dark eyes flashing, though, she returned to eating from her plate.
Soon, there was a presence beside him, he didn't need to look in order for him to know it was Aishani. A hand was placed within his, while without a word, she lead him from the group to find a rock to settle upon and offered him a bowl. "My love, you have to eat. You will do none of us any good, that does include your daughter, if you don't eat." The rock was large enough for the two of them to sit, Aishani settled first and when Kane did, she wrapped her arms around him and folded her legs to keep him near but allowing hi enough space to eat.
He ate slowly, the wave of emotion that flooded from would be enough for her to feel, anger mixed with fear at simply knowing he was too late to prevent the attack on Aerian. As he finished he simply stared into the empty bowl “I don’t know if she will come back from this, I knew what was coming and I’m still too late”
His words were more a thought spoken aloud though for only the two of them to hear, Aishanis presence had for the moment settled him or at least given him a measure of control blocking the darker emotions from taking root “We need to leave at first light, we cannot hold off any longer that, I would go now, but I still need to rest as best I can”
He lay his head against hers as he tried to make sense of things.
Aishani remained silent, allowing him to know that she was present as he ate. Listening to him, but as his head leaned in to her, she lifted her chin to allow a roost over his crown, and her fingers wove through his hair. "Give your daughter some benefit of the doubt, Kane. She is a fighter and strong, takes after her father. You have bounced back from so much tragedy, granted, it left scars and scars remain long after. But, with time, such marks are forgotten and fade." She fell silent for a moment, perhaps, contemplating her own words due to the webbed scars that marred her back. "Yes, you are right. You need rest, as do we all. I would not cloud your mind with making sense of things. But, I do know one thing, Ceremon will go to any extent to get what he wants and so will Z'ress...a dangerous affair. Do not think so deeply inward, my love. You know, exactly what Ceremon wants...don't you?"
“Your mother wants you and my father wants me, seems we are about to deliver them just that, I just plan to snatch it way just as fast” He felt his resolve finally settle in his hands taking hers as he led her to their tent, just before they reached the camp he stopped “We can’t put our newcomer with Ascondia, nor with Alvin it seems tonight we have a house guest”
Aishani cleaned off the bowl in the snow and then looked to him while removing her legs and arms, her heat lingering upon him and appeared to feed his resolve. She curled her hand within his, looking up to him with her golden hue while the other milky ghost of her eye was fixed to him. She stopped after he did, then looked to Virra sitting away from Ascondia and Alvin. "Hm. Well, then we have a guest. I'll set up another bedroll for her in the tent." Aishani lifted her hand to curl around the nape of his neck, drawing his lips down to press against her own. While it was a briefest of kisses, this held a passion that stole the very breath away from him, but, she walked away with her hips playing beautifully against the jeans and heavy coat. Moving to dip within their arranged tent.
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