rate_review Reviews

K: Ah... I have such a terrible memory. I forgot about the mirror shields. Remembering those, I realize that my previous comment is completely devalued. I like your sense of logic.. You would make such a good debate partner! About the blood shield - I haven't thought about the essence in them. Would the blood shields, in fact, have an essence as well? Seeing as it's blood, it seems logical, but it's also something of the mind - not entirely physical. Of course, in the world of mind-exploring, the shields are very much physical (for example, Claudius' old shield which Sex literally broke into), but this mind-fucking/mind-walking thing seems a bit like a dream to me. Not exactly tangible - always just a little out of reach. It doesn't make much sense when I put it down into words, but that's just kinda what I feel about it.

Your idea of a vampire DRINKING the blood shield made me shudder. But, if it's a blood fountain kinda shield, then we wouldn't have to worry about the shield running out. However, this gave me an idea. If it's possible to drink from a blood shield, would that allow the Brothers to strengthen their mind-walking? I mean, they probably will get exhausted from doing it too long - would drinking blood-shields allow them to regain their strengths and allow them to do more mind-walking? Uh, I hope you understand what I mean.

Thinking about shields, I came to the thought of light. Making a shield of light. Sunlight is a vampire's most obvious weakness. If they could somehow craft a shield out of sunlight - wouldn't that be the strongest shield possible? (Unless it wasn't a vampire probing the mind..) I don't think we would have to worry about the one with the shield getting affected.. because Marcus wasn't affected by the mirror shield (and he's TERRIFIED of mirrors). Of course, it also seems really difficult.. since light isn't matter.

Just a brainstorm.

Hello Kiix,
my irony is biting me in the ass but since you took all the effort of testing out the forum etc., I will take a look. Reading the last review from ATOI ... yes, the forum is appreciated. Thank you!

ATOI: since you aren't registered, there's no use to answer your question in the forum-section. To me a water-shield differs from a blood-shield. Blood is by no means translucent. I you want someone to see behind, you have to drop your shield and leave your core without protection; that makes it all or nothing, when it comes to trusting somebody.
Remember X' (first) and Marcus' shields are made of mirrors, hardly a thing to find within a body and so I imagined them to well, 'imagine' the used materials.
Another idea, that pops in my mind when I think about the blood-shield is the meaning of blood to a vampire. It calls to him and I sometimes think it would be able to tempt a mind-walking vampire with a blood-shield. If the essence wouldn't come through, than the shield would hardly be blood, just ink. While Kiix never mentioned anything in this direction, I'm not entirely sure if a vampire, going against a blood-shield (maybe even drinking from it) would become sort of a parallelism to Endellion, sucking souls.

So to me water and blood, although both liquids, aren't similar :-)

Forum ... Forum!

ATOI I agree with you about Armor, being as stubborn as a mule but I still think Hades is absolutely capable of making Marcus incapable of acting without killing him and the eldest brother-combination isn't blind to logic himself. The old Marcus might have been but not the mature Marcus. He surely realizes the importance of his being alive to Claudius, the winglets and the brothers. Maybe Hades is a little 'frightened' of being warped from Claudius himself. He can't beat him in a fight - both, because of his abilities as also for his status as emperor. A talk with Claudius or Liam - we had the same idea.

The shield-thing is interesting. I would appreciate a little insight as well as ATOI. If I was a vampire, I'd try to establish a water-shield. Water, when calm, can be as clear as glass but rippled you can hide behind; transformed into a storm it's devastating and it is possible to dose the energy. It coul even wash away the soul of an attacker.

Claudius ending up as enemy. The diary and the hellcats let me doubt that but while reading I sometimes get the very same impression.

Oh, never mind about my offer to make a forum for you.

I'm not registered on the AFF forum though.

I checked out the plushie - it's adorable! But then, I've always imagined Nightshade to have short fur.

K: True, I haven't taken into account just how Marcus have changed. In fact, I still don't know how he's changed, exactly. Everyone has talked about how he's different from before, but I suppose we'll have to wait until the next chapter (or later) to see what the change is all about. The thing about Marcus, Armor, and even Claudius himself... they're too busy protecting people to figure out when it's ideal to stop and step down. That's how Claudius got himself 'killed' before. He was too worried about Sex to truly pay attention to the battle. Of course, there was a whole bunch of stuff too, but I truly think that Marcus and Armor may be a little unwise to their limits.

The idea of a water shield is an interesting one. But then again, wouldn't a blood shield and a water shield be similar? Both are liquids. There is the exception that a blood shield will not be see-through, but is that really necessary? And the difficulty of a water shield is how to make one. I mean.. a blood and bone shield - that's in your body, which is why you can make one. But a water shield?

Thanks for answering!

On to the questions:
'Marcus is ranked, where he wants to be ranked.' I did not forget that and I deem it fitting for him to stay second before and especially after the brother's disappearance. I didn't expect him to challenge Claudius, I admit I thought Claudius reclined - Emperors usually are busy and in von Drachenfeld ... well, let's say you never know what to expect next.

Marcus flying under Hades radar'. That's another story. Remember I absolutely adore Honeybee and might give him too much credit for but I don't think Marcus was under his radar after his little maniac episode. Hades might look like a teenager and occassionally play that part but he is the ancient of the ancients and knows his business well. A slip, like underestimating Marcus due to his infatuation with Claudius and Sex, just isn't Hades.

I also don't believe he wouldn't challenge MArcus because he considers the possibility of killing him. He is confident enough to think he can beat him up without actually killing him, even if Marcus doesn't step aside for the sake of Claudius. While it is possible and even to be expected - the house challenges can't usually lead to the death of one opponent.

Not challenging him because Claudius might be pissed? When has that stopped Hades ever before? If not Liam or Claudius had a talk with him, I don't think he would come to the conclusion to leave Marcus first. Why? If he left him there because Marcus already lost his music, that would be pity and rather lame. Marcus leaving there because of Claudius? No. As first he stands first in line, when it comes to killing but too when it comes to put himself in danger and Claudius would definetly prefer Hades over Marcus when it comes to getting in danger. Not only because Hades isn't his nr.-1 person but also because the brothers are still out there and Marcus plays father for the little wings.

I think in time Hades will come up with an explanation and tell us why he didn't challenge for first or behave crancy and threaten us with a blade of his. :-)


Something, I find disturbing is Claudius having the mindfuck-ability. Yes, as a treat of the blue line he would have it and maybe Marcus even inherited it from him but if so, Hades would have known from the birthing of Marcus, that Claudius was blue legacy. But why I absolutely dislike Claudius having the ability is, that Marcus is lowered again. He is the only one among the household without special abilities and he will sooner or later realize that his potential is nothing but that beside the winged ones. He can't reach behind a certain level. I could welcome it, because I was never fond of Marcus but I think he and Armor need something to work with around the rest of the family. I want that ability exclusive to him and the brothers - as something only he could give to X. I want him to have one thing, he can count on and resort to, when his confidence is shaken again, when he feels weak (and I have a feeling Clove will have lots of that).

Maybe I will give it a second thought and reconsider. If so, I will bug you again :-)

LY writing, Thanks!
K

Hades hands DOWN!

Honeybee just got more experience. Marcus cant handle battle that is why Armor was made.

I didn't even realize k had answered my review earlier. Whoops.

(We really do need a forum for this, I swear.)

I never did think about why Hades chose to remain Second. And I suppose, if one thinks about it, Marcus is more.. can we say gentle? person. He 'searches' with his Mindfucking ability, but he doesn't kill. I guess that's the big difference between Marcus and the Brothers' abilities. Hmm, you mentioned that Claudius now has the ability too. Would he be able to kill as well?

And this may just be me.. but I'm incredibly bitter about Claudius' increase of skills. He's stealing the limelight from the Brothers.. and he was strong already.. what of now? Won't he be somewhat stronger than the Brothers?

Claudius: Ancient, Carnage aka Black Death abilities, wings (larger than SAXS too!), mindfucking, Hand of Light, Healing Light, House of Assassins under his power - he practically has the whole Blood Nation under his power right now.

AH! That reminds me. This is a very very important question (in my eyes): What of the invitation to Britta's Den? Did Claudius accept it? If so, what happened? And if he didn't, I'm sure Britta would be furious - and a deadly war would've sprouted. If it's peaceful, some sort of truce must've been discussed..?

I've got to stop stepping all over the place.

Another thing I've been wondering... Liam (and not Billiam, I mean.. Sigmund Liam.. or, Liam Liam.) vs. SAXS - it'll be more of a battle now then it used to be, wouldn't it? Do you think it's even remotely possible for the SAXS brothers to win?

Ah! I see that K has the same sorta feelings about Claudius and his Mindfuck ability as me.

Claudius was impressive and Fatherly before, but now he seems... too impressive. Almost like a different person. It scares me a bit, but depresses me more. I used to love the idea of the SAX brothers at the top, with his protective Pod behind him, but now... Claudius is possibly even stronger than the SAXS brothers (7 years.. 7 years is more than enough training with Liam by his side.. wait, would Liam offer him lessons? I have a feeling that Liam would prefer the Brothers over Claudius.. but that may just be me..)

But I do agree that Marcus and Armor should get a 'level-up'. These past 7 years should've offered SOMETHING to the two. Being First ought to have allowed Marcus to work his abilities a bit more, therefore allowing him to sharpen his skills even further. Armor, I'm not so sure. I'd like for something to happen with X's stupid fuck, but the past 7 years have been... short for him.

--- Onto another note ---

This is about Hades again.

K: Hades would probably HAVE to kill Marcus. Knowing Marcus and Armor, if SAX are gone, then they would devote themselves to their Father, in a way. And they probably would've realized that SAX wouldn't want Hades to be First to Claudius (in a warped sorta sense). Regardless of the exact reason, Marcus/Armor would probably do their best to stay at First. And this would most likely lead to death. Remember, Armor is a stubborn mule. He wouldn't throw his hands up and surrender, no matter what.

A possible reason that Hades would be satisfied with remaining Second? Claudius. Either Hades doesn't trust himself to be First to Claudius, or Claudius (however indirectly) warned Hades against challenging Marcus. It's even possible that Liam has something to do with it. Hades is a stubborn ass too, but I'm sure he's not blind to logic.

Out of curiosity, is Hades a House name? (As in.. Claudius = Carnage, Marcus = Cipher, Azrael = Azrael) Because he used to be Cillian...

Really, I can't stop talking.

I was reading K's comment again "I guess Marcus can't break his shield that easily or/and Hades' mind is too stubborn to let itself be overtaken by Marcus' control", and I was wondering - what sort of shield would Hades have? I can't recall a time when the Brothers has tried to penetrate his shield, but I'm sure his shield wasn't as strong as Claudius' old one, or X would've mentioned it.

Speaking of Claudius, what sort of shield does he have now? Sex broke his old one... he wouldn't have re-crafted it, would he?

I have a feeling that Claudius is going to end up being the enemy of SAXS. And it pains me greatly.