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Feyan hums joyfully. Little Aly is finally all grown up! Yafe and Yafel will be getting their Class in a few months too.
Aly fidgets as Feyan paints markings on her body, making her smudge the design.
"Lay still!" Feyan chastises. She wants Aly looking perfect.
"That tickles," Aly complains but holds still. Once the paint dries, it will stick for several days, and any little blemish will be stuck for the entire duration. Feyan wipes off the faintly glowing smudge and continues the full-body design.
Once the body paint is done, she styles Aly's hair, a complex but beautiful style with locks of hair runs down in front of her and loops back up. Her bangs are swept to the right and pulled as her long hair is folded up and tied into a bun with the golden tips making it look like a sun is behind her head; holding her hair up are two golden pins with sapphires embedded in them.
"Can you give me a little more to work with, dear?" Feyan says. Aly has a Bond skill that can make her hair grow or shorten, but for this design, she needs it longer.
Alysara obediently obeys, making her hair longer. After styling her hair, Feyan moves on by dusting her cheeks with sapphire powder that sparkles under the blue glow of the paint. She then dusts Aly's hair, ears, tails, and shoulders. Feyan stands back to get a full look at her daughter, nodding with satisfaction. The sapphires go really well with the royal blue of her hair. The glow of the paint is just enough that it can really only be seen in the shade.
There's still about half an hour before the Lojyo and Feyan still aren't done; being a jeweler, she has made tons of jewelry for this occasion. She has Aly try on many jewelries, all types of necklaces, armlets, bangles, anklets, headdresses, clip-on earrings, rings, all with a consistent style to match the ceremony.
Feyan struggles with the many choices she made. She wants Aly to wear them all, but it'd be too much! Perfection is not when there's nothing more to add but when there's nothing left to take away. Hardening her heart Feyan decides to remove a few pieces to make her [Perfectionist's Eye] happy.
"Okay, you can put this on now" Feyan hands Aly a black robe to hide her body until the time is right. The robe touches the ground and is even longer in the back to cover my tails and decorated with tiny gems, looking like stars in a night sky.
With everything now ready, Feyan and Aly walks to the Lojyo and partakes in the festivities. Everything goes normally, first with the dancing and socializing, then the displays of crafts and skills and a story or two, then finally everyone makes their way to the bath, but they don't go in yet.
Tusile and an apprentice priestess first wade into the bath waters and calls for Aly to join them. Alysara slides the robes off her showing her bare body, and wades into the bath waters.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I can't help but feel self-conscious with all eyes on me; I've never liked being the center of attention. Nakedness is not something the Runalymo have a stigma against, and after a lifetime of communal baths and seeing this same ceremony performed for others, that's not what I am really embarrassed about.
"Young Alysara" Tusile says. Holding a pair of earrings.
The earring rings have three centimeter long sapphires and as wide as my thumb accentuated with gold. According to the mana saturation in the gems, it should faintly glow at glow-in-the-dark levels.
"You have grown into a fine adult and master craftsman who cares for your community. I am proud to bestow upon you your earrings to show that you are ready to lead your life without dependency on anyone else."
Tusile clips the earrings on my ears, the small needle bearly a discomfort with my [Pain Tolerance]. I heal my ears as the apprentice priestess hands Tusile a gold and silver jug finely decorated with religious symbols. In it is special bathing oil that is heavily saturated with beauty essence and smells strongly like mint. Tusile then rubs me down in the oil, making sure the oil reaches the roots of my hair and seeps into my tails.
Myrou's projection smiles at me throughout the ceremony, watching as I am washed. Once the ceremony is finished, everyone joins me in the bath to congratulate me before washing up and going home at the end of the Lojyo. I go to sleep, tomorrow when I wake up, I'll officially be fifteen years old.
In the morning, I mentally prepare myself; I will find out if there's any evolutions uncorrupted or not. I hesitantly bring up my options
Four Tailed Runalymo Nurturer:
(Grand) (Unique)
You are selfless and have risked yourself for the sake of others many times, even if they don't consider themselves a Runalymo. You have sought to protect children no matter who they are and have done your best to bring prosperity to your people. Now you'll nurture your people to good health and restore their bodies to see that they prosper even further.
Does this mean my milk will be able to heal people? It was embarrassing at first, but after a few months, I got used to taking care of my bodily needs; still, I'd rather have something better. I don't see a whole lot of practical use out of this.
Four Tailed Runalymo Actor:
(Grand) (Unique)
You have taken roles to support you in the toughest of times, from the throws of battle to the intense political and diplomatic battle of minds and ideas. Now this will serve you with greater potential.
Hmm, I hadn't expected this one, but it does feel a little weak
Four Tailed Runalymo Farseer:
(Grand) (Artifact)
You have seen far beyond your lands and seen being far more powerful than any of your race has ever become. You bring knowledge of the outside world and new opportunities to prosper; you have spread your knowledge and invented new technologies and powerful items. You have learned all the secrets of mana and some of magic and divinity and that which feeds them. Now you'll be able to see great lands, the void beyond the sky, the depths beneath the oceans, and all the secrets that lie in the deepest crevices of the world.
Surprisingly uncorrupted and a good contender for a potential evolution. The heirloom tier upgrades too, which when considering how last evolution my [Sense Mana] was at two hundred fifty and it's not [Sense Magic] at over level seven hundred fifty, I'm surprised this isn't heroic; the Artifact tier must be taking up a lot of available divinity.
Four Tailed Runalymo Magic Scholar:
(Grand) (Artifact)
You have researched and studied many things and even invented a whole new craft with great potential. You have taught others and written your findings to preserve your discoveries. Now you will be able to see your inventions and discoveries to their success; you will revolutionize the world with fantastic technologies and spread knowledge of your newfound craft.
Hmm, this seems to help me better understand my Inscriptions? It's also Artifact, so it's helped by my [Sense Magic], or maybe it's hindered by it? In any case, this is also a great contender. Do I want to see further? Or do I want to understand Inscriptions better?
Five Tailed Runalymo Soul Savior:
(Heroic) (Unique) (Corrupted)
You have saved your people from extinction, have given pieces of your soul to see that they thrive; you are their savior, their champion. What was given can be taken back; you are the arbiter of life and death, for you now wield ectoplasmic powers. Infuse others with strength and grant them the blessing of your soul and punish those who wish to take advantage of others.
Five tails and Heroic? Hmm, as usual, corrupted options seem a little ominous. This seems to give me the ability to use soul spells or something of that sort. In any case, I'm not going to take this evolution even if it's Heroic tier.
Five Tailed Ectoplasmic Nurturer:
(Heroic) (Unique) (Corrupted)
You have saved and healed the souls of many thousands of people; you have given and risked yourself, now you can do so without pain and little effort. Let the ill and wounded drink from you and be healed, body, mind, and soul. All will desire your nourishment; none can resist; they will do anything for it, anything you wish.
Not only healing the body but the soul and mind too? If I had the option of an uncorrupted version, I would have picked this during that time; I wouldn't have had to go through that pain. However, this is corrupted, and it's long passed those two years. Right now, this won't even be on my radar.
Five Tailed Runalymo Phantom:
(Heroic) (Unique) (Corrupted)
You have spent a long time in the soul layer, become familiar with it, and infiltrate souls with your mind. Take the plunge and truly become a denizen of the soul layer. Manifest projections of your image onto the material layers to scare or speak with others. Possess the soul or bodies of others, consume ectoplasm to sustain your shortening anima
What is Anima? And the soul layer? I assume that's referring to the space the soul is on and that my mind component has to traverse it to get from one soul to the other. Well, now I have another breakthrough for my Sense Soul to try and get; maybe I'll learn something new.
Five Tailed Mana Savant Runalymo.
(Heroic) (Artifact) (Corrupted)
You have seen farther than most, Seen secrets only a few have ever peered into, and made powerful items from the secrets you discovered. You will continue to seek out knowledge in all forms to reveal every last secret this realm has to offer. You will continue to make ever more powerful artifacts from the greatest of materials and rarest of rituals. All things of mana are under your control; you are the master of all things mana and magic-related.
This one seems to be based more on making things, on crafting items. A powerful choice, but what does that actually mean? Will it improve my [Inquisitive Perfection]? Anyway, it's corrupted, so I won't waste too much time on it.
So it's between Scholar and Farseer, of the two, which do I want? One helps me study and understand; the other helps me explore.
The answer is obvious. I purify [Mana Manipulation] and see what my choices are. This is my opportunity to purify a cursed skill or two; that's my number one goal, not getting the best evolution right now.
I need this evolution opportunity to the moment I purify my cursed skills; I can transfer them to a safe magic framework. This means that I need to get a legendary point within almost five years. I should also consider trying to get my [Mana Manipulation] to enhancement threshold. That will give me a legendary point, but I don't want to use it for something other than enhancing the skill, not unless I have to.
I should talk to Safyr about trying to get a legendary point, maybe Kayafe too.
I fly over to the Guardian and ask her for advice. But first, I tell everything new I learned about [Sense Magic].
"Hmm, the role Miasma plays with magic... That does make sense," Safyr says, digesting my lesson. "It explains why cursed skills are the way they are. This does reinforce the idea that the purification of cursed skills is indeed the expulsion of the miasma."
"Yes, but the skill also needs to then immediately be put into a magic framework to prevent the buildup of more Miasma," I confirm.
"So that brings us to why you are here, you now have the opportunity to do that, but you don't have the means to purify your cursed skills."
"Yes, I need a legendary point to expel the miasma," I nod, confirming Sayr's deduction.
"That is not something easy to do, Alysara. Legendary points are always granted by slaying another legendary being or crafting a legendary item, but that's where the easy ones stop. The reason is simple, in theory anyway. I assume the legendary status is transferred to the slayer or the maker, granting them a point; however, in general, Legendary feats are ones that defy great odds or actions that may involve an entire continent or something of equal absurdity, such as a single person giving mind components to an entire race without any help" Safyr pauses to let that sink in.
If I did not have Safyrs help, then I would have had no choice but to awaken people to keep people alive, not to mention without the ectoplasm crystals, it would have taken a lot longer. I doubt I could have done it without Safyrs help.
"Of course, simply defying great odds is not good enough; there has to be some great consequence to failing, usually death," Safyr continues. "Many make trials to cultivate legendary tier beings but even then, the vast majority of people who do them fail and die."
"So you're saying that my best sure way of getting a legendary point is by doing a trial?" I ask.
"Yes," Safyr confirms. "But if there is one that you can do, it will be Kayfe's Trial; to make the Likeness of Venaro, Myrou, and Varath."
To study Venaro's Likeness, I'll need to kill the Mind Eater, which means I need very high mental resistance skills, and that means I need Safyrs help. I need to get my bond at least to level one thousand, get a second class, and level both my first and second Class to high enough that I can challenge an exalted tier monster with three Heroic tier Classes.
Maybe I can get the Fairy queen's help? But maybe she doesn't have mind resistance skills, which might be bad for her. Maybe I can keep the Mind Eater's minds occupied? But I don't have enough minds...
"I can't do that trial without enhancing [Mana Manipulation], and I'm not sure if enhancing it will be dangerous or not," I say.
"Hmm," Safyr ponders the issue for a minute before speaking. "Assuming you are right, then it should not be an issue. The danger is the class Framework, right? Then enhancing it may even make it safer to use since it is vastly strengthened, or maybe it will use up the miasma; if you're right, then it needs the miasma to be strengthened."
"But what if I'm wrong? I can be turned into a cursed being."
It's a risk you will have to take," Safyr says coldly. "Unless there is a magic item that can at least temporarily do what you need it to do."
"Like an item that can do what I need [Manipulate Magic] to do? Only a magic item can do that; I can't just create a magic item whenever I want!" I cross my arms and sigh in frustration. Every solution has a problem that I can't solve!
"You'll need to make a sacrifice then. that is the only proven way to ensure a magic item, even if it's not what you want."
Sacrifice? What can I sacrifice? If I copy Kayafe's [Manipulate Magic] skill as an inscription, I am confident that whatever I make will be capable of doing what I need it to do.
"If you can't part with anything, then I suppose you can also try and improve an existing magic item," Safyr says, watching me with an amused grin.
An existing magic item?
"My Kyhosa!" I say aloud
My Kyhosa has [Mana Manipulation] as a useable skill, but I never used it because it's always inferior to my own skill... but that means I have to find a way to not catch it up my own skill but surpass it...
I'll figure something out. I have plenty of time to find a way to improve it and maybe make it surpass my own skill.
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Feyan hums joyfully. Little Aly is finally all grown up! Yafe and Yafel will be getting their Class in a few months too.
Aly fidgets as Feyan paints markings on her body, making her smudge the design.
"Lay still!" Feyan chastises. She wants Aly looking perfect.
"That tickles," Aly complains but holds still. Once the paint dries, it will stick for several days, and any little blemish will be stuck for the entire duration. Feyan wipes off the faintly glowing smudge and continues the full-body design.
Once the body paint is done, she styles Aly's hair, a complex but beautiful style with locks of hair runs down in front of her and loops back up. Her bangs are swept to the right and pulled as her long hair is folded up and tied into a bun with the golden tips making it look like a sun is behind her head; holding her hair up are two golden pins with sapphires embedded in them.
"Can you give me a little more to work with, dear?" Feyan says. Aly has a Bond skill that can make her hair grow or shorten, but for this design, she needs it longer.
Alysara obediently obeys, making her hair longer. After styling her hair, Feyan moves on by dusting her cheeks with sapphire powder that sparkles under the blue glow of the paint. She then dusts Aly's hair, ears, tails, and shoulders. Feyan stands back to get a full look at her daughter, nodding with satisfaction. The sapphires go really well with the royal blue of her hair. The glow of the paint is just enough that it can really only be seen in the shade.
There's still about half an hour before the Lojyo and Feyan still aren't done; being a jeweler, she has made tons of jewelry for this occasion. She has Aly try on many jewelries, all types of necklaces, armlets, bangles, anklets, headdresses, clip-on earrings, rings, all with a consistent style to match the ceremony.
Feyan struggles with the many choices she made. She wants Aly to wear them all, but it'd be too much! Perfection is not when there's nothing more to add but when there's nothing left to take away. Hardening her heart Feyan decides to remove a few pieces to make her [Perfectionist's Eye] happy.
"Okay, you can put this on now" Feyan hands Aly a black robe to hide her body until the time is right. The robe touches the ground and is even longer in the back to cover my tails and decorated with tiny gems, looking like stars in a night sky.
With everything now ready, Feyan and Aly walks to the Lojyo and partakes in the festivities. Everything goes normally, first with the dancing and socializing, then the displays of crafts and skills and a story or two, then finally everyone makes their way to the bath, but they don't go in yet.
Tusile and an apprentice priestess first wade into the bath waters and calls for Aly to join them. Alysara slides the robes off her showing her bare body, and wades into the bath waters.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I can't help but feel self-conscious with all eyes on me; I've never liked being the center of attention. Nakedness is not something the Runalymo have a stigma against, and after a lifetime of communal baths and seeing this same ceremony performed for others, that's not what I am really embarrassed about.
"Young Alysara" Tusile says. Holding a pair of earrings.
The earring rings have three centimeter long sapphires and as wide as my thumb accentuated with gold. According to the mana saturation in the gems, it should faintly glow at glow-in-the-dark levels.
"You have grown into a fine adult and master craftsman who cares for your community. I am proud to bestow upon you your earrings to show that you are ready to lead your life without dependency on anyone else."
Tusile clips the earrings on my ears, the small needle bearly a discomfort with my [Pain Tolerance]. I heal my ears as the apprentice priestess hands Tusile a gold and silver jug finely decorated with religious symbols. In it is special bathing oil that is heavily saturated with beauty essence and smells strongly like mint. Tusile then rubs me down in the oil, making sure the oil reaches the roots of my hair and seeps into my tails.
Myrou's projection smiles at me throughout the ceremony, watching as I am washed. Once the ceremony is finished, everyone joins me in the bath to congratulate me before washing up and going home at the end of the Lojyo. I go to sleep, tomorrow when I wake up, I'll officially be fifteen years old.
In the morning, I mentally prepare myself; I will find out if there's any evolutions uncorrupted or not. I hesitantly bring up my options
Four Tailed Runalymo Nurturer:
(Grand) (Unique)
You are selfless and have risked yourself for the sake of others many times, even if they don't consider themselves a Runalymo. You have sought to protect children no matter who they are and have done your best to bring prosperity to your people. Now you'll nurture your people to good health and restore their bodies to see that they prosper even further.
Does this mean my milk will be able to heal people? It was embarrassing at first, but after a few months, I got used to taking care of my bodily needs; still, I'd rather have something better. I don't see a whole lot of practical use out of this.
Four Tailed Runalymo Actor:
(Grand) (Unique)
You have taken roles to support you in the toughest of times, from the throws of battle to the intense political and diplomatic battle of minds and ideas. Now this will serve you with greater potential.
Hmm, I hadn't expected this one, but it does feel a little weak
Four Tailed Runalymo Farseer:
(Grand) (Artifact)
You have seen far beyond your lands and seen being far more powerful than any of your race has ever become. You bring knowledge of the outside world and new opportunities to prosper; you have spread your knowledge and invented new technologies and powerful items. You have learned all the secrets of mana and some of magic and divinity and that which feeds them. Now you'll be able to see great lands, the void beyond the sky, the depths beneath the oceans, and all the secrets that lie in the deepest crevices of the world.
Surprisingly uncorrupted and a good contender for a potential evolution. The heirloom tier upgrades too, which when considering how last evolution my [Sense Mana] was at two hundred fifty and it's not [Sense Magic] at over level seven hundred fifty, I'm surprised this isn't heroic; the Artifact tier must be taking up a lot of available divinity.
Four Tailed Runalymo Magic Scholar:
(Grand) (Artifact)
You have researched and studied many things and even invented a whole new craft with great potential. You have taught others and written your findings to preserve your discoveries. Now you will be able to see your inventions and discoveries to their success; you will revolutionize the world with fantastic technologies and spread knowledge of your newfound craft.
Hmm, this seems to help me better understand my Inscriptions? It's also Artifact, so it's helped by my [Sense Magic], or maybe it's hindered by it? In any case, this is also a great contender. Do I want to see further? Or do I want to understand Inscriptions better?
Five Tailed Runalymo Soul Savior:
(Heroic) (Unique) (Corrupted)
You have saved your people from extinction, have given pieces of your soul to see that they thrive; you are their savior, their champion. What was given can be taken back; you are the arbiter of life and death, for you now wield ectoplasmic powers. Infuse others with strength and grant them the blessing of your soul and punish those who wish to take advantage of others.
Five tails and Heroic? Hmm, as usual, corrupted options seem a little ominous. This seems to give me the ability to use soul spells or something of that sort. In any case, I'm not going to take this evolution even if it's Heroic tier.
Five Tailed Ectoplasmic Nurturer:
(Heroic) (Unique) (Corrupted)
You have saved and healed the souls of many thousands of people; you have given and risked yourself, now you can do so without pain and little effort. Let the ill and wounded drink from you and be healed, body, mind, and soul. All will desire your nourishment; none can resist; they will do anything for it, anything you wish.
Not only healing the body but the soul and mind too? If I had the option of an uncorrupted version, I would have picked this during that time; I wouldn't have had to go through that pain. However, this is corrupted, and it's long passed those two years. Right now, this won't even be on my radar.
Five Tailed Runalymo Phantom:
(Heroic) (Unique) (Corrupted)
You have spent a long time in the soul layer, become familiar with it, and infiltrate souls with your mind. Take the plunge and truly become a denizen of the soul layer. Manifest projections of your image onto the material layers to scare or speak with others. Possess the soul or bodies of others, consume ectoplasm to sustain your shortening anima
What is Anima? And the soul layer? I assume that's referring to the space the soul is on and that my mind component has to traverse it to get from one soul to the other. Well, now I have another breakthrough for my Sense Soul to try and get; maybe I'll learn something new.
Five Tailed Mana Savant Runalymo.
(Heroic) (Artifact) (Corrupted)
You have seen farther than most, Seen secrets only a few have ever peered into, and made powerful items from the secrets you discovered. You will continue to seek out knowledge in all forms to reveal every last secret this realm has to offer. You will continue to make ever more powerful artifacts from the greatest of materials and rarest of rituals. All things of mana are under your control; you are the master of all things mana and magic-related.
This one seems to be based more on making things, on crafting items. A powerful choice, but what does that actually mean? Will it improve my [Inquisitive Perfection]? Anyway, it's corrupted, so I won't waste too much time on it.
So it's between Scholar and Farseer, of the two, which do I want? One helps me study and understand; the other helps me explore.
The answer is obvious. I purify [Mana Manipulation] and see what my choices are. This is my opportunity to purify a cursed skill or two; that's my number one goal, not getting the best evolution right now.
I need this evolution opportunity to the moment I purify my cursed skills; I can transfer them to a safe magic framework. This means that I need to get a legendary point within almost five years. I should also consider trying to get my [Mana Manipulation] to enhancement threshold. That will give me a legendary point, but I don't want to use it for something other than enhancing the skill, not unless I have to.
I should talk to Safyr about trying to get a legendary point, maybe Kayafe too.
I fly over to the Guardian and ask her for advice. But first, I tell everything new I learned about [Sense Magic].
"Hmm, the role Miasma plays with magic... That does make sense," Safyr says, digesting my lesson. "It explains why cursed skills are the way they are. This does reinforce the idea that the purification of cursed skills is indeed the expulsion of the miasma."
"Yes, but the skill also needs to then immediately be put into a magic framework to prevent the buildup of more Miasma," I confirm.
"So that brings us to why you are here, you now have the opportunity to do that, but you don't have the means to purify your cursed skills."
"Yes, I need a legendary point to expel the miasma," I nod, confirming Sayr's deduction.
"That is not something easy to do, Alysara. Legendary points are always granted by slaying another legendary being or crafting a legendary item, but that's where the easy ones stop. The reason is simple, in theory anyway. I assume the legendary status is transferred to the slayer or the maker, granting them a point; however, in general, Legendary feats are ones that defy great odds or actions that may involve an entire continent or something of equal absurdity, such as a single person giving mind components to an entire race without any help" Safyr pauses to let that sink in.
If I did not have Safyrs help, then I would have had no choice but to awaken people to keep people alive, not to mention without the ectoplasm crystals, it would have taken a lot longer. I doubt I could have done it without Safyrs help.
"Of course, simply defying great odds is not good enough; there has to be some great consequence to failing, usually death," Safyr continues. "Many make trials to cultivate legendary tier beings but even then, the vast majority of people who do them fail and die."
"So you're saying that my best sure way of getting a legendary point is by doing a trial?" I ask.
"Yes," Safyr confirms. "But if there is one that you can do, it will be Kayfe's Trial; to make the Likeness of Venaro, Myrou, and Varath."
To study Venaro's Likeness, I'll need to kill the Mind Eater, which means I need very high mental resistance skills, and that means I need Safyrs help. I need to get my bond at least to level one thousand, get a second class, and level both my first and second Class to high enough that I can challenge an exalted tier monster with three Heroic tier Classes.
Maybe I can get the Fairy queen's help? But maybe she doesn't have mind resistance skills, which might be bad for her. Maybe I can keep the Mind Eater's minds occupied? But I don't have enough minds...
"I can't do that trial without enhancing [Mana Manipulation], and I'm not sure if enhancing it will be dangerous or not," I say.
"Hmm," Safyr ponders the issue for a minute before speaking. "Assuming you are right, then it should not be an issue. The danger is the class Framework, right? Then enhancing it may even make it safer to use since it is vastly strengthened, or maybe it will use up the miasma; if you're right, then it needs the miasma to be strengthened."
"But what if I'm wrong? I can be turned into a cursed being."
It's a risk you will have to take," Safyr says coldly. "Unless there is a magic item that can at least temporarily do what you need it to do."
"Like an item that can do what I need [Manipulate Magic] to do? Only a magic item can do that; I can't just create a magic item whenever I want!" I cross my arms and sigh in frustration. Every solution has a problem that I can't solve!
"You'll need to make a sacrifice then. that is the only proven way to ensure a magic item, even if it's not what you want."
Sacrifice? What can I sacrifice? If I copy Kayafe's [Manipulate Magic] skill as an inscription, I am confident that whatever I make will be capable of doing what I need it to do.
"If you can't part with anything, then I suppose you can also try and improve an existing magic item," Safyr says, watching me with an amused grin.
An existing magic item?
"My Kyhosa!" I say aloud
My Kyhosa has [Mana Manipulation] as a useable skill, but I never used it because it's always inferior to my own skill... but that means I have to find a way to not catch it up my own skill but surpass it...
I'll figure something out. I have plenty of time to find a way to improve it and maybe make it surpass my own skill.
