nextgen_media:

It was a normal day in Los Angeles and at the Defenders' Compound. Or so it seemed. It only took a few minutes, but the compound was transformed into a castle with part of it looking like a skull. Castle Grayskull now stood where the main building of the Defenders' compound once stood. Around the castle a thick woods sprang up and surrounded the castle.

One one side of LA Skeletor and his crew started heading for Castle Grayskull. He wanted to get inside and learn all of its secrets.

On the other side of LA Hordak and his crew started headed for the Whispering Woods. He wanted to capture She-Ra and her rebels.

brit_sorcerer:

The annual tradition of Rate the Babe was usually held at the Avengers mansion, but this year it would be held at Excalibur's headquarters in London. Quinn was more than happy to play host and set up refreshments. There was of course plenty of beer and it was accompanied by pub food.

Quinn was already on his fourth beer when the guys started arriving.

shield_maiden:

Svalin and Hal were in the training room sparring, in other words beating the crap out of each other, when the world seemed to shift for a few moments. When the world righted itself, they found themselves standing outside near a forest. There was a loud roar in the distance.

skald_iona:

Iona had kept mostly to herself for months now. Ever since her almost-not-in-reality wedding...the shame and humiliation had left her isolated in her own mind. It had taken some coaxing (and a little flirting) but Halbjorn had finally convinced her that her self imposed exile was needless - selfish, even. And truly, how could she deny her Prince anything - even her company?

So she had shyly asked for Vernique to help her find a dress and to aid her in preparations for the premier of He-Man. She had to admit - it felt nice...good, even, to be dressed up and to feel the thrill of anticipation of an unforgettable night to come.

nextgen_cosmic2:

The Collector was always searching for unique and unusual items to add to his personal collection. He had numerous worlds filled with items he had collected over the eons. His attention had wandered away from Earth for awhile, but that changed. Now something unique caught his eye and he was determined to add it to his collection.

He landed on the front porch of the Defenders' compound. He blasted the door into oblivion and walked into the building.

shield_maiden:

Svalin's sword didn't stop. It moved from one opponent to another in wide sweeping strokes. Occasionally a large overhead blow was required, but enemies still fell before her.

shield_maiden:

When Svalin needed to think she headed to the training room. Smashing and killing things, in a sense, helped her clear her mind. When she was fighting things she blocked everything else out and focused on the task in front of her.

butterflybullet:

Still reflecting -- and fuming, yes, some fuming -- on what she had overheard, Vernique this time just doesn't bother trying to confront her wife to start with. She stalked outside to where her favorite brother-in-law was.

"Hal, I need help."

nextgen_misc:

The trail eventually led the Avengers, Future Foundation and the Defenders to the other dimensional realm that served as the home of the Greek gods. They traveled to a few realms that were home to other gods only to find them destroyed and in ruins. Olympus wasn't in ruins, but it was under attack. Battle raged all around and the skies thundered and were lit up by lightning bolts.

shield_maiden:

Lady Sydney had declared that it was time to decorate the main building and the grounds for Christmas once the Migard calendar said it was December. Svalin didn't know much about decorating, but she could carry the boxes of decorations and reach the high places for Sydney. She was always eager to lend a hand and enjoy watching Zoey and Solver's faces light up at the sight of twinkling lights and shiny decorations.

She was carrying the last box of decorations down from the attic.

nextgen_asgard:

Eir Einmyriasdottir waited until the middle of the night and almost everyone was asleep or elsewhere. She crawled out of bed and quickly dressed. In multiple layers. The winds were bitter cold and the snow was piling up. It was a winter like she had never seen in her life. The last item she put on after her fur lined boots was a fur lined cloak.

She walked over to the door and opened it a crack. The hallway was silent and she didn't hear or see anyone. She opened the door wider and darted across the hall to her sister's room. The door opened silently and she slipped into the room making sure to close the door behind her.

"Astrid," she said as she gently shook her sister awake.

butterflybullet:

Vernique was livid. How could she not be making herself clear? Since when was she bad at communicating? She heads straight for the first person she can think of whom she loved and couldn't stand the reasoning of as much as Svalin.

"HAL! If you've got a moment, I need help with a translation!"

nextgen_asgard2:

The Asgardians returned to Asgard after the incident with Malekith and Surtur. Svalin, Aridis, Halbjorn and Asleif reported what happened to their father and mothers, causing much concern in Asgard. The opposition was taking more direct action involving Solver and all of Asgard had to be more vigilant.

Aridis informed her father of Asleif's role in what transpired and what she did for her siblings and what she thought she was doing for Asgard. People were ordered to assemble in the great hall.

nextgen_asgard2:

The Hulk and Algrim were taking care of each other and were gone from Asgard. The threat that loomed over the city and her inhabitants was almost gone. The city was still on guard against Frost Giants and other enemies of Asgard, but for now they had a short respite.

It was time to see to the wounded and repair what they could before the next attack came. It was also time to celebrate a marriage. Alfveror had petition Lady Frigga for her permission to have the wedding and the Goddess of Marriage had agreed.

Despite the hard times they had just face and most of Asgard's warriors sporting injuries and quite a few dead, the city had a festive air about it.

Svalin had left to find her wife and son as soon as she got Hal back to the city and had gotten him medical attention. Her sister would see to Asgard as a queen's duty.

The wedding was about to start.

shield_maiden:

The approach of Algrim was known well in advance. Svalin wasn't going to take chances and be surprised again. She had sentries posted outside the city and they would provide early warning to a new threat. A new threat was approaching the city and word had reached Svalin. Thankfully there was a little time before Algrim reached the city.

Svalin knew she couldn't defeat Algrim. Her father had told her tales of his fights with the being and knew how powerful Algrim was. Thor could face him, but he was still unconscious and her brother was off fighting the Hulk somewhere. If only Hal were here Svalin would have some hope. Some Goddess of Hope she was. Who had ever heard of a Goddess of Hope having none herself?

Thinking about Hal led her mind down a path to a possible solution.

She handed the throne of Asgard to Aridis despite many objections of her mothers and Balder. Svalin had to leave to save the realm. She jumped on Tryggvi and flew off to find her brother.

nextgen_asgard2:

Alfveror arrived on Migard just outside the main building of the Defenders' Compound. He was inside the fence and the unexpected arrival tripped the alarms. A loud warning signal filled the air and was deafening to heightened senses.

He stood still and waited.

shield_maiden:

*BAM*

*BAM*

*BAM*

The pounding on the door was strong enough to make it sound like the door was being pounded in. Svalin ran to the door but she didn't open it. She knew it was her brother. "Thou'rt not going to take this hall!" she yelled out to her brother.

It was actually their house, but to Svalin at the moment it was a great hall to be defended at all costs. The princess of the realm, really a hunting dog, had to be protected and the hall had to be defended against the Dark Elves and Frost Giants. Said "princess" was sound asleep on a rug in front of the large hearth and enjoying the warmth of the fire.

Svalin was holding her wooden sword Father had made for her and upon her head she wore a great helm (one of their mother's cookpots they bent out of shape for dragon hunting). She wore her normal clothes, but did have a small dagger tucked in her belt.

She climbed up on a chair and then up on the table and moved to a nearby window. She pushed the window up and looked down at her brother.

skald_iona:

Los Angeles had an unending stream of inspiring actors, musicians and entertainers of every shape and size, and an unending supply of venues for them to display their talents. It was Open Mic Night at one of the local coffee shops that The Defenders liked to frequent and Iona had had the flyer requesting talent in her room for weeks, months before she finally decided to act on her desire.

It wasn't stage fright exactly, she'd performed in far greater halls than this, she'd sung for all of Asgard in the Great Hall more than once, but she hated feeling like she was imposing on her friends, demanding attention...But the idea had been welcomed and several of the Defenders were now ensconced in the back of the coffee house along with the old, well used but greatly loved guitar she had finally found on Midgard to claim as her own. Drinks were ordered as the acts were called up one at a time as the old familiar excitement started to build.

nextgen_citizen:

Zoey loved birthdays and today there were three of them. Svalin, Halbjorn and Aridis all had their birthday on the same day and that day was today! They were three of her bestest friends and she made them each a present. She had her mom help with getting the frames for the picture of the Defenders that they had made and Zoey put the picture in each frame. Along with the photographs, she drew a picture of the Defenders for each of them.

She happily delivered her gifts.

butterflybullet:

Vernique had had flying time with Solver and was now trying to get him to settle down in the afternoon sun. Sometimes she thought things would be easier if she kept him inside more, but most days she willing to get a little exhausted.

She spotted her brother-in-law. "Hal!"

skald_iona:

A movie set wasn't at all what she had been expecting. Then again, the Asgardian hadn't had *any* point of reference to start with. The set, the cameras, the number of people walking around - it had been magical and at the same time overwhelming. She had wanted to stay out of the way, despite Hal's reassurances that she was welcome and was doing her best to stay close to the Prince without getting in the way of the dozens of people, all of whom seemed to be in a hurry. Scrambling a few steps to keep from getting hit by a golf cart, she almost slammed right into Hal's back, "...is it always so...frantic?" It seemed a world away from home. Oh wait...

shield_maiden:

Svalin stood off to one side and watched the actors and actresses move around the set. Her brother was filming a new movie...He-Man or something like that and Svalin was taking a break from her consulting work on fight choreography to watch. The studio had taken her on as a special consultant when it came to choreographing fight scenes. It wasn't real battle, but it kept her in practice and she liked teaching people how to properly use a sword.

This was the tenth time they were doing this scene and Svalin thought about wandering over to the table of food soon.

skald_iona:

Iona was truly enjoying Midgard. What parts of it she'd managed to see that is. Once she discovered the TV and the *wonderful* invention of Netflix, she'd been veritably glued to the TV, pouring over the stories. Movies. Here they were called movies. The red program was even an oracle, making suggestions that had, thus far, been mostly entertaining. And then she came across...She couldn't believe it. Halbjorn's face on screen, playing a character, Cuchulain.

After watching both of his films, it had taken her days to work up the nerve to seek him out. But she came prepared! Armed with a heaping plate of leftovers from Midgard's *wonderful* holiday recently past, she knocked softly on his door.

butterflybullet:

Vernique had gotten Solver down for a nap, and she was sitting alone, listening to music, particularly an odd little folkish song that Dr. Vernard had mentioned at a charity function. "It is a beautiful song," he had said, "by my favorite American songwriter. And I hate it."
A girl had to look into something like that, right?
...Yeah. Bad plan, listening to a song about sun gods and the necessity of violence, right after putting your baby sun god, with his Great Big Destiny, to bed.

It's not that she was a pacifist or something, it's just....

shield_maiden:

It was strange that when Svalin first came to Migard she didn't want to be here or stay, but the place had grown on her and now she enjoyed it. She missed it and the people when she was in Asgard. It was good to be home and back into what was now considered normal life.

The sun was just coming up in the east and Svalin was already up and outside. She had seen to Tryggvi and Snowflake and decided to get a few hours of practice in before the other residents of the compound woke. Vigfrior wasn't in her hand, but instead it was at her waist. She had her Bat'leth in her hands and worked through her forms.

butterflybullet:

Solver had been fed and cleaned and still was a bit fussy, so Vernique had taken him outside for a walk before it was time to put him down for a nap. Let the baby sun god soak up the sun.
She spotted her supersexy brother-in-law. "Halbjorn!" She said cheerfully.

shield_maiden:

The sun was bright and the air was crisp with the hint of the cold that was to come with winter. It was the perfect day for hunting and it was exactly what Svalin had planned to do. She walked easily beside the others and was eager to find prey.

She had been awake with the dawn and had been anxious to go. Nine months of sitting around and doing little were past her and it was time to get back out there. The days since Solver's birth had been spent getting back in shape when she wasn't spending time with her family. Hours in the practice yard with anyone who would spar with her and miles of running. She was a bit determined to get back into top shape as quickly as possible.

A bow was in her hand and Vigfrior at her side. She would have loved to bring Tryggvi, but horses and her brother didn't get along well so they walked. Svalin didn't mind. It would only help her get back in top shape.

nextgen_parent:

The fight was a brutal one. The dead have been gathered, and they are many. But even more of their enemies have fallen, and will not have the strength to attack again for a long time.

Odin was plunged into the Odinsleep, battling some foe that none of the other have found sign of, aside from obvious verification that it was a massive and fearsome fight... and the Lord of Asgard was victorious... but how long he'll sleep is anyone's guess.

Thor has ascended to the throne, sign of the continuance of the kingdom. Sign that Asgard was bowed, but did not break. They continue to defy all foes, all endings. And when they fight, even when they fight and die... a celebration is still called for, including recognition of significant heroes and events.

And today, there were at least two.

Thor calls his eldest daughters before the throne, and Vernique with them.

nextgen_asgard2:

Asgard. The Golden Realm. The Realm Eternal. One of the nine worlds. Home of the Norse gods. Darkness covered the land and the realm's inhabitants had retired for the evening. Peace and quiet had fallen over a land frequently subjected to strife and violence.

A blinding light shattered the darkness and Kang and his followers materialized from the portal. Kang took a second to survey the scene. The reshaping of worlds started here. Tonight he would have the one who would be a thorn in his side decades from now. Tonight gods would fall and die and the babe would be his. The last weapon to be collected and one that would help him reshape worlds in Kang's image.


"Kill them all," Kang said to his gathered forces collected from various worlds from various points in time.

The ones that had given the so-called-heroes the most problems. The new Mandarin, son of the former, at the height of his power before he made the mistake of getting involved with the Stark girl. Apocalypse plucked from time just before his defeat at the hands of the X-Men, X-Factor and the Avengers. Hyperion the titan of myth plucked from time before his defeat at the hands of heroes. These joined the deviants he grabbed before their defeat and a being named Mongul.

"The babe being born this night is mine," Kang said. The child would serve Kang and be the implement of Kang's will.

nextgen_asgard:

The lie-smith had drawn lots with the lady of strife, and they'd each chosen a handful of targets. Loki had, of course, cheated. His hobby and his grandson were too amusing to leave to chance. His favored granddaughter might feel some of the sting of this game, but all that he did served the greater Loki, which was what mattered in the end.

These days would be most amusing.

quitethecharmer:

Vincent supposed he had nothing to lose except maybe a few hours of his time, and it was for a good cause in any event. So, he had bought a number of tickets to an Unlimited Wrestling Federation charity event that Grimm was emceeing, and sent out invitations to his only notable male friends, Halbjorn and MacKenzie. He encouraged them to invite anyone else they liked, and he would most likely accommodate them.

ng_olympian:

Between Marlow and Dawn the Defenders had managed to track the shadow demons who had abducted Svalin to the gates of Hades. Countless shades wandered on the shores of the river Acheron. These were the paupers and the friendless, those who did not possess an obolus to pay Charon.

A small boat floated on the dark waters of the river and the cloaked figure of Charon stood in the boat waiting to ferry souls across the river. A skeletal hand clutched a pole and the other was outstretched waiting to receive a fare for crossing.

On the other side of the river stood a large three headed dog and a large two headed dog. Cerebus and Orthus guarded the entrance into Pluto's realm.

shield_maiden:

Svalin would admit that she wasn't the best at gift selection and gift giving unless the gifts happen to be weapons or armor. Those she could make herself and give to people, but her pregnancy prevented her from working the forge. Thankfully Svalin had some jewels and gold from her wedding gifts and Lady Sydney had helped her find a jewelry maker in the city.

The necklace was beautiful when it was done and Svalin hoped Vernique liked sapphires. She had almost went with rubies, but she thought the blue jewels were pretty and would look good on her wife.

She wrapped the necklace in a black velvet cloth and went to find her wife.

nextgen_misc:

Night had settled over the city of Los Angeles. A waning gibbous mood had risen and the light of the stars was blocked out by the thick smog that usually blanketed the city. The hours moved on and the city slowed down. Citizens were asleep in their beds and off to dreamland.

The same held true for the residents at 1800 Palos Verdes Drive.

They wouldn't stay asleep for long. Something stirred in the darkness outside.

shield_maiden:

After the second broken chair of the morning their mother Einmyria had made all four kids go outside despite the rain. Four kids all the same age under the same roof for an extended length of time usually led to some furniture casualties. Svalin and Halbjorn had been rather active and had caused the furniture breakage, but all four were shuffled outside despite many protests of innocence from Asleif and Aridis.

Svalin crossed her arms over her chest and harrumphed. She and Hal were only practicing their dragon slaying. The chairs made excellent dragons until they splintered apart. MomOne was quite vexed and she was certain to tell MomTwo and Father. They were certain to be punished later.

"Mother wouldst not be so vexed if we wert to slay a real dragon," she grumbled.

shield_maiden:

Svalin was stretched out on one of the large couches in the rec room of the main building and was trying hard to enjoy sitting still. Her feet and ankles had started to swell and her wife wasn't going to let her do much besides sit and put her feet up as much as she could. Svalin had tried to argue but it didn't get her anywhere except sitting on the couch with her feet up.

She sighed and looked at the television. To Kill a Mockingbird was on and Svalin was still waiting for the killing to start. Why was kill in the title if there was no killing in it? It didn't make much sense to her, but it was one of her wife's favorite movies and Svalin would watch it.

Svalin focused on the television and was surprised by the sudden kick. She gasped and reflexively put her hand on her stomach.

dark_of_winter:

Sigurdur Hogunson returned to the Golden City the moment the messenger found him. The All-Father demanded his presence immediately and Sigurdur's mind raced with the implications. He was not a wise man, and therefore did not know why the Lord of Asgard needed him. Questions arose in his mind during his ride to Odin's hall, but no answers presented themselves.

He hoped that he had not displeased his lord and master.

He arrived at the hall and was admitted without further word. No one spoke to him, but their glances asked the same question that stuck in Sigurdur's mind.

Why? 

When he reached Odin's throne, Sigurdur stopped at a respectable distance and slammed his fist to his heart, taking a knee and kneeling before his liege.

"I, Sigurdur Hogunson, present myself to thee, my King. How may I serve Asgard this day?" he asks in greeting.

shield_maiden:

To say Svalin didn't deal well with inactivity was a big understatement. She was not the type to sit still and do very little which made this pregnancy into a very taxing thing. The blood of warriors ran her her veins and it wasn't easily stilled. It made her irritable and restless.

Svalin was awake before the sun had risen. A nightmare, one of her son destroying Asgard and Migard and Jon accusing her of letting it happen, woke her and she found sleep elusive afterward. The words spoken to her by her grandfather on her wedding day weighed heavily on her mind. She could not easily ignore the possibility of her son being the cause of the destruction of two worlds.

Svalin made her way up to the main building and to the training room. Some exercise and practice would help calm her thoughts and help her center herself. She programmed the room to a low level setting and had it create some robot opponents. Svalin knew they were a creation of light and force fields, but they would serve her purpose well enough.

Vigfrior was a sword and she started hacking through the fabricated robots.

team_mascot:

Zoey was always happy when there was going to be a party. The Asgardians didn't have an exact birthday, but it was sometime in the spring. So today they were going to celebrate the Asgardians' birthday. Zoey of course wanted a party with balloons, streamers, ice cream and cake, but Mom had said that they would be having dinner of their favorite foods and then cake. Not a regular birthday party.

Zoey did help Sarah and Malinda make and decorate the cake.

Dinner came and the Defenders gathered around the large dining room table.

"Happy birthday!" Zoey said and handed each one of them a card she had made herself. She went shopping with Mom and the two of them had gotten the Asgardians some clothes.

butterflybullet:

She'd never really pictured this happening. Of course, she'd married off her dolls as a girl, but the idea of her wedding had always brought with it the idea of really settling down with one guy, which had never been much on her agenda. This, of course, was different. This was Svalin. And she loved Svalin, and honestly wanted to be there for her and be a family with her. And while there would be sacrifices involved, it wasn't the same as Really Settling Down. A platonic marriage that still came with a fancy party. Nothing wrong with that!

Her parents had been brought up to Asgard, along with the Avengers and the Defenders.

The first royal wedding in a generation was the Event of the Season, with quite a bit of bustle about it.

...And the dress was going to be perfect.

But first, Spa day with Mom and the Mothers-in-law --two of them. Oh gosh.

She hoped Svalin was okay.

nextgen_asgard:

Asgard was no stranger to attacks. Attacks on the Golden Realm came frequently and the host of Asgard would rise to meet the challenge before them. It was a never ending cycle of death and violence. One day it would end with a final battle, but that would not be today.

Legions of the deal led by Hela followed after the Destroyer. Multitudes of the dishonored dead and the common dead followed their mistress to the walls of Asgard. The dead weren't the only ones approaching the city. Trolls and Frost Giants were also in the ranks of the enemy. Their numbers were far greater than the number of those defending the city.

At the head stood a giant figure in shining armor. The Destroyer, once created to challenge the mighty Celestials, led the advance on Asgard.

nextgen_misc:

Daniel, Zoey, Scotty, Ellie and Rufus had told Thor and Sif about what happened in Hel while Einmyria made sure they ate and rested. The Thunder God's face wore a scowl as the children told the tale and Sif's expression mirrored his. They left the kids with Eimyria and returned to Odin's great hall. A dark cloud loomed on the horizon and Asgard would prepare to face it.

The host of Asgard started preparations for a battle and the sons and daughters of Asgard on Migard would be called back.

sydney_ashcroft:

Grace's birthday was on Thursday and Syd had made sure she they acknowledged the day, but they were saving the big party for Saturday. The Defenders as a team had gone out to dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse. When they returned home anyone who wanted to watch movies camped out in the living room.

Syd had the two chefs, Hugh and Malinda, make Grace's favorite food for dinner and her favorite cake for dinner on Saturday. When dinner was over, Syd and Zoey brought the cake out with the candles lit.

"Happy birthday to you...." they sang as they brought the cake to the table.

Syd ignored her own birthday.

nextgen_parent:

Sersi propped herself up on and elbow and smiled at the god laying next to her. It had been nice to finally have a toy that could keep up to her. They were far and few in between and Sersi had to savor each one. This one she had definitely savored and would next day. Or two.

She ran her fingertips lightly over his well muscled chest.

"So my pet," she purred. "Ready for another round?"

shield_maiden:

For Svalin getting two new weapons at the same time was like a kid getting toys at Christmas and not knowing which one to play with first. Vigfrior was one of the most perfect weapons Svalin had ever picked up. The sword was...well perfect. The grip fit her hand with perfections, the balance was unlike she had ever seen and it the ability to change into different weapons. Svalin no longer had to worry about carrying a small arsenal with her.

Then there was the Bat'leth. Her brother had done excellent work and she truly didn't deserve such a gift. Svalin had been practicing almost non-stop with the two weapons when she wasn't doing other chores around the compound. At first the Bat'leth felt clumsy and awkward, but Svalin was a warrior and she practiced religiously and took to weapons like no other. Now her movements were fluid, almost graceful and she knew she could now use the weapon in combat.

Maybe soon she would get her chance to use both weapons in combat.

She thought about Vernique as she went through her afternoon training routine. She had left a message with her inviting her out to visit for a few days. Svalin may have said something about wanting some new Migard clothes. If anything brought Vernique out, it would be the promise of shopping and the chance to dress Svalin up.

She hadn't heard back from Vernique, but she had used Sydney's phone because she didn't have one of her own. Though she knew Syndey would tell her if Vernique had called. That she was sure of.

She continued to go through her forms and Zoey mirrored her movements. She could tell the child had been practicing while she was away and had improved. After practice they would see to their horses and then Svalin promised Zoey she would take her swimming.

nextgen_misc:

The Seven Heaves Casino and Resort was the newest casino in Vegas and business was booming. Tourists and locals alike came to the new casino to check it out and to see if they could hit a jackpot. Some came out winners while others came out losers. Some came out completely changed and had a new outlook on life after finding religion. It was an unusual place to find religion, but then again the owners were very unusual themselves.

shield_maiden:

Svalin had settled back into her room at the Defenders' Compound and went to the stables to see to Tryggvi and Snowflake. Zoey had been taking very good care of her horse and Svalin was proud. The dogs and tiger seemed to be doing well and it made Svalin happy.

When she was all settled in she made her way up to the main building for something to eat and some mead. She grabbed some cheese and a loaf of bread from the kitchen and a bottle of mead. It wasn't Asgardian, but would do in a pinch. It felt good to be home.

She grabbed a seat at the breakfast counter and started to eat.

shield_maiden:

The view from the highest tower in Asgard was the same as she remembered it, but this time it didn't offer the calm and peace it usually did. Svalin's heart and mind were heavy and the beauty of the Golden Realm didn't offer the solace she had been seeking.

It was good to be home and good to be back in Asgard, but at the same time she was sad to be home. She'd probably never see Jon again. He had been right when he said they each had duties to see to and she would do hers. She just wished it didn't hurt so much.

Momone had been happy to see her return and Sif being Sif was proud Svalin had proved herself worthy and would take her proper place in Asgard. Momtwo had practically smothered here with TLC and had noticed she wasn't herself. Svalin had told her about Jon and the time spent with him. It got her a good dose of home cooking and a generous amount of mead. Nothing helped heartache than some TLC from Momtwo.

She swore Astrid and Eir had grown a few inches in the months Svalin had been gone. Skari had grown a lot. Soon he would be taller than Svalin, but she would still be able to kick his ass if needed.

Svalin had made a quick stop to pay respects to Lord Odin and Lady Frigga, but for the most part she kept to herself.

nextgen_media:

Rome, Italy – The Vatican is addressing the recent rash of robberies at a few churches and monasteries throughout the world. Two churches and two monasteries were broken into during the night and ransacked. Many valuable religious artifacts were destroyed and some are reported missing. The Vatican is not saying what artifacts were stolen, but it will only confirm that some objects are missing. Authorities are investigating, but so far there are no leads. CONT PAGE 2A


Almeda, TX – Miracles continue to happen in the small town of Almeda, Texas. People are being miraculously healed by Maria Sefanos. No matter the injury or sickness, it seems like Ms.Stefanos is able to heal or cure them. She has decline every interview request, but there is word that she is able to do this miraculously healing by the power of the goddess. People will not say which goddess it is, but people have started to convert to the worship of this unnamed goddess. A small cult is forming and local officials have not taken any actions. CONT PAGE 3A


New York, NY – Hell's Kitchen is seeing a surge in it's goth population. Goths have flocked to this area of New York and appear to be forming some sort of cult. They gather each night in one of the small community parks and hold some sort of rites for the 'Dark Goddess' as they call her. They will not name this Dark Goddess, but the air has a cult like feel to it. Authorities have yet to take action. CONT PAGE 4A


Los Angeles, CA – It seems like people have found the Fountain of Youth in Los Angeles outside of plastic surgery. A new treatment at a new clinic has rejuvenated the stars. This new treatment is provided by New Beginnings Clinic. A trip to the clinic has the customers coming out with ten to twenty years off of their appearances. Details on the procedure are unknown and so far the owner, Ms. Abigail Pederson, has been unavailable for comment.



San Fran, CA – The new drug Nirvana is becoming more and more popular in the streets of San Francisco. The people using the drug have claimed to have seen “the Goddess” and have started worshiping her. The name of this goddess is unknown and these so called worshipers will not release the name. Police are trying to stop the spread of this drug, but so far their efforts have been unsuccessful.

nextgen_holiday:

Christmas. Yule. Saturnalia. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti. Many cultures have celebrated and still celebrate a winter festival. There have been many names for it over the millennia. No matter the name it is a time to come together and celebrate with feasts and gifts with friends and loved ones.

Each culture has a legendary figure who would deliver gifts to children during this time. In Russia and some Slavic cultures he is known as Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost, and comes not on Christmas but on New Year’s along with his granddaughter Snegurochka, or ‘”Snow Maiden”. In the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe he is known as Father Christmas. In the Netherlands and Belgium he is known as Saint Nicholas or “Sinterklaas” and in France he is known as Père Noël. In the United States we know him as Santa Claus.

No matter the name or who is delivering gifts, it is the season of peace, joy and togetherness. It is the season for thinking about loved ones, friends and those less fortunate. It is a time to witness the goodness and generosity the human race is capable of. It is a time for peace on Earth and goodwill toward man.