Posts from 4

Come on, finish writing the newspaper already, how long is it going to take?

what criteria were used to determine that Arcomage was rated 11?

I actually thought the same thing at first. But then I figured that 11 might be too dark for you.

because there’s a guy there with bottles, and he looks like a drug addict?

Yes.

Well, I wouldn't be offended by that. And, in general, not everyone can offend me, because I only pay attention to the words of some of the mortals.

The picture is indeed dark and depressing, but it doesn't depict a ghoul. Unfortunately, you are mistaken.

16 - Siever, because I know a person who can guess me without any problems.

I told you right away that I know at least one person who will be able to guess me without any problems.

Look at you, you bugs! You deceived everyone!

What could an event as colorful and delightful as a masquerade ball be like in the kingdom of Heroesland? No, there were no vampires here, no girls in tight dresses and skirts, no anime cosplayers, no... Wait a minute. Here is a pretty girl with long blonde hair and two pigtails on the left and right, drawing considerable interest from a guy who approached her, with curly locks on his head and a knife tucked into his belt. Yes, a knife in his belt. These two were chatting sweetly; the girl giggled and smiled, while the proud guy behaved with dignity, a smug smile never leaving his lips until the girl noticed what was hanging from the guy's belt. Of course, I mean the knife, and not what one might think.
- Mm... Why do you have a knife? – she asked warily.
- Oh, this? – the guy pulled it from its sheath, and the exquisite blade appeared in all its glory.
- And... why are you holding it by the middle of the blade?!?
- Ah..., the guy drawled, while his palm bled profusely.
Meanwhile, some strange pixelated creature, moving on its head and waving its limbs, "moved" toward the chatting couple.
- Actually...
- Huh? – asked the bleeding guy.
- Actually, Maria Shido, whom this person is cosplaying, is a girl! Consequently, it can be assumed that the person you are talking to is also one!
- Now repeat what you just said?! – the curly-haired guy shouted in indignation, but the creature vanished as inconspicuously as it had appeared. Immediately after, the guy turned to the "girl" and, with wounded feelings, said they were not meant to be together, regardless of what had happened, and hastily departed.
- "Pff, as if something actually happened, lol" - thought the guy dressed as Maria Shido to himself.

Suddenly, the grand doors of the hall flew open, and all the girls who had ever dreamed of a prince on a white horse were stunned – into the hall, literally riding an armored stallion, entered a knight in shining armor, with a plumed helmet, a white cape, and all other attributes of an invincible knight, a rider fast as a hurricane, a warrior mighty as a giant. A black dragon breathing fire was emblazoned on his shield. However, he failed to make it further into the hall; two guards blocked his path with their Kalashnikov rifles and ordered him to "drive the horse to the parking lot," otherwise they would be forced to use force and throw him (the knight) out onto the street.
- Kind gentlemen, does it not seem to you that it is somewhat cruel to send such a noble animal as a horse to a dirty car park?
- Well... Then take it wherever you want, but we won't let you into the hall.
One of the guards approached the other and began whispering in his ear:
- Listen, isn't this by any chance the one they didn't want to let inside two years ago?
- Hm... Devil! I don't want what happened to him to happen to me! – turning to the knight, the guard said, - please, proceed, park your horse wherever you wish.
- Thank you!

Leaping (yes, exactly so, heavy armor is no obstacle for a mighty warrior) from the saddle, the knight headed toward the nearest masquerade participants, where he met a second visitor in armor with a huge shield on his back.
- What are you trying to compensate for with the size of that shield, sir? – the knight addressed him.
- I beg your pardon? It seems my hearing is failing me, and I did not catch your words.
- Oh, forgive me-forgive me, my fault. Apparently, I spoke them so softly that they did not reach your ears.
- Gentlemen, enough! – a man with a cane in his hands interrupted the conversation between the two armored men, - has anyone seen our valiant king? I must meet with him!
- Haven't seen him since he had his dinner and departed in an unknown direction! – replied a man with a long dark beard.
- You probably meant "had his supper"?
- No, exactly "dinner"!
- Hm, in that case, same apologies, for I am forced to leave your company and return to the search for my lord.
Listen, boys, what on earth is that?! – forgetting basic politeness, the bearded man questioned, pointing at a guest in a strange white suit with eyes moving in circles.

As for the queen, she was not hard to recognize; a golden crown gave her away completely, and she was in the most prominent place, towering over the others on the "inner balcony" of the fourth floor, watching everything from above. Two other people could be seen beside her. It was no secret to anyone that the attractive blonde person in the blue cloak was her brother, but the second one inspired terror. A man as huge in height as he was in width, with incomparable musculature.
- Revan! This thing is simply disgusting! – Neyra Drake commented on the leader's appearance.
- Come on! I think your brother would agree with me; in this case, its characteristics are what matter, not the appearance. This Exoskeleton is my latest development; it increases strength many times over while maintaining high speed and mobility!
- Can you say that in plain English?
- Basically, this thing makes him cooler and more destructive, - explained the guy in the cloak.
- Ah, now I get it!
An attractive girl in a green-yellow outfit with dyed curls and a hood approached the trio, reminding the leader that he wanted to make a small announcement.
- Ah, right, thank you, - Dragniel took the microphone into the huge hand of the exoskeleton and addressed the guests, - taking this opportunity, I would like to congratulate Ment and Vegtam on their birthdays, and also wish them all the best!
- "Damn! Stupid Reinhard, after this I feel like a scoundrel" - thought Ment to himself.

And it seemed to someone that this was the right time to "start." But start what?
A person with dyed blue hair, standing below among everyone else, activated a radio microphone and pronounced "I order the commencement of Operation Midnight," and immediately after, pulled a gas mask over his head; several other guests did exactly the same. Windows shattered as grenades with sleeping gas flew through them, after which armed men on ropes, also wearing gas masks, jumped inside. They ruthlessly opened fire on the guests; their extravagant costumes provided no help. Everyone tried to flee in panic, but there was no escape.
Suddenly, a paralyzing rifle appeared in the center of the pixelated creature, and the target was none other than the curly-haired guy. With his hand still bleeding, yes. An electrical charge left the barrel of the gun and almost hit the target. Why almost? Because the man with the cane pushed him away just in time.
- I've been looking for you all evening! We have to run!
And apparently, only through his own insight was he able to guess that his friend was in danger. The man deactivated the pixel camouflage and rushed after them.
Meanwhile, a full-scale battle was taking place upstairs. Hostor and Dragniel protected the queen from the attackers as best they could. And she, having taken a weapon from a corpse, fired automatic bursts in all directions, screaming that some jerks had ruined the party.
One of the attackers removed the mask of a military blonde, and a person with darker skin and a head shaved on the sides with hair tied back into a ponytail appeared before the trio.
- Ment? But why? – asked a stunned Neyra.
- There are reasons for that.
- Reasons?! – Hostor, who until then had been shooting attackers with his Beretta 92, lunged at Ment, knocking him off the balcony. Both flew down whistling.
Dragniel, however, easily killed the scoundrels using the exoskeleton to its full potential.
He smashed someone's head against a wall, tore limbs off some, crushed organs and broke bones for others.
The blue-haired person, as before, listened to the squad's radio communications
- "DESTROY THIS THING"
- "IT'S A MONSTER, AHHH!"
- Damn it, Nebo, your turn, where are you?! – the commander exclaimed.
- Don't get worked up; after all, I'm not the one piloting the transport, - Nebo looked at the pilot, who was chewing cream puffs.
Just as he was about to finish off another special forces soldier, Reinhard was stopped by a loud sound—the sound of a wall exploding—but his attention was even more drawn to a person reloading a rocket launcher sitting in a helicopter by an open door. And without saying a word, he fired again. The rocket hit Reinhard's exoskeleton and it no longer moved. Drakkosha and Neyra were knocked back and stunned by the blast wave. Nebo did not hesitate; leaving his deadly weapon in the helicopter, he descended to the ground and picked up Neyra, saying into the radio "mission accomplished."
There was also a person in red pants planting some grass, but that is a completely different story...

List of images:
1. Tox
2. Ment
3. Nebo
4. Lord Mortulus
5. Dragneel
6. Neyra
7. Morning
8. Hostor
9. Vegtam
10. Drakkosha
11. Arandor
12. Vistrit
13. Plesen
14. Amko
15. Imaris
16. Siver
17. Omega

Best result:
Amko: 9
1. Siver
2. Ment
3. Nebok
4. Vistrit
5. Mortulus
6. Neyra
7. Morning
8. you, mister
9. Vegtam
10. Drakkosha
11. Arandor
12. Omega
13. Plesen
14. Nya -
15. Imaris
16. Togz
17. Hostor
Second place goes to Hostor, with 7 correct answers.
Third place, and accordingly six correct answers, go to: Nebo, Wishmaster, Morning, Neyra Drake. Let's hope I didn't mix anything up.
As for the contest itself—overall, it seems to me that this idea can be developed and repeated sometime; it's a quite interesting and simple task. In this case, I should not have set a gender restriction (which made Neyra and Drakkosha very easy to guess), and also established a need for some associative similarity or something similar.
Among those who sent images, I can mention Nebo, Morning, Hostor, Vegtam, Arandor. They aren't obvious, but not too difficult either; with some effort, they can be linked associatively.
The next contest/nomination, as always, will be a bit later.

Yes, I haven't found many matches yet. I didn't think Siever would post an anime.

Seriously! Aren't you ashamed? To deceive people like that!

I only have three. And I'll reread the story because I didn't quite understand who was on which side.

For some reason, I have a feeling that Nera's abduction won't end well.

Everyone guessed Arcomage.