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“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss I dont know what to write here because I dont know if i can put into words how i feel at this moment. It's as if the last few years has been building up to this exact moment. Here, in the cold room of my apartment, i look at my keyboard and reflect on everything that has happened. My name is Robert Peterson. I am a 26 year old software developer from the United States of America. For the past two years i have led a double life. A life as a Researcher at a Facility dedicated to the containment of hostile monsters and entities. I studied those monsters and developed bonds with my fellow Researchers. I have climbed the ranks of Research to the very top. Looking back on all i have accomplished, it's hard to describe the feelings that flow. I first joined GamingLight SCP-RP in the summer of 2019. My main goal at the time was to interact with the SCP's on site and to play with them. I learned really fast that it wasn't as simple as i assumed it to be. Strict rules were in place and i had to follow them. I joined research in September of 2019. I was AWFUL for the first few months. I had no desire to follow any sort of rules or listen or even try to learn from Command. I was a loose cannon, a minge, a plague on the site. I would constantly try my hardest to annoy anyone and everyone who got in my way. When Protege got Lead researcher, i dragged him from meeting room down to 682's CC and threw him in. This was the first huge mistake on my end. I was scolded and reprimanded and nearly removed from the branch. I was demoted from Lead to Senior and I thought I had completely fucked my chances of ever getting command. Very soon after that i got PK'd and had to change my name to Tomato. That was strike two. I was basically on the door out. Command applications came and went, and i was denied again and again. I began to wonder if i was just wasting my time. Maybe i should just quit. No one on the server likes me. I don't have the talent or skills to be command. What is the point. I should just leave... And then i got command. Suddenly, I had responsibilities. Mass tests, trainings, gradings. I was scared, but through some force beyond my comprehension, I made it through. Not only that, but I began to build relationships with the people in command and enlisted. I wasn't just another face on the wall at meetings, i was a face that held some sort of respect in the community. Now granted i had a long way to go to get high command but through the summer of 2020 i was producing the best documents of my life and cranking out mass test after mass test like there was no tomorrow. The spark was at an all time high and I was for sure I was cruising towards high command. And it didn't fucking happen. I was beyond upset. So upset that i quit out of frustration. I was angry at Glados for getting AHOR at the time. I was angry at Weiss and Starstep and SMT and JMT and Admins and everyone. I quit, i had enough. No more getting fucked over. I'm out Goodbye... And wouldn't you know it, it broke my fucking heart to leave. Reading all the messages in my retirement post absolutely shattered my heart into pieces. The love i felt from strangers i have never met in real life was nothing short of magical. It was like nothing i have ever felt before. So i came back, and worked my way back up the ranks until August 8th, 2021 where i received the title of DHOR. That and landing my current job are some of the proudest days of my life. I walked, head held high, knowing i had done it. I had reached my goal on the server. And the spark died. I have done it all on this server. Every test, every conversation, every document. I ran out of ideas 6 months ago and have been burnt out for over a year at this point. I took an LOA last week for a few days and when it came time to get back on the server Sunday i realized............ I didn't want to get on the server. The spark i had is gone. The inspiration i had is gone. I haven't written a document in months. I have barley done any command logs in months. It's time for me to hang up the lab coat and step away. When i was a child i didn't have any friends. I was socially awkward and was dealing with un-diagnosed mental issues at the time (OCD, Autism). High school came and went and i managed to even make a few friends and get a girlfriend. College came and after 3 years i Proposed to my Girlfriend. Going into summer of 2016 i had it all. Then i found out she had cheated on me and left me. Then all my friends stopped talking to me. Then the next girl i tried dating was killed overseas attempting to provide aid to the people of Syria. My depression had reached an all time low at this point. So much so that one night i was sitting in my room.... Crying with a bottle of pills in my hand as i told my mom over the phone goodbye...... Thankfully, i didn't take them (Love you Mom!) and attempted to move on. But depression is an ugly beast. It rips and tears at you until you have nothing left and it gnaws at the bones of your soul and beats you down every day. From late 2016 to mid 2019 i barley spoke to anyone other than family. Then, by chance, i decided to buy Gmod and play some servers. I discovered SCP-RP and... ... I had people to talk to. People who listened. People i could joke with. People i could play games with. People who cared that were not my mom or dad or family. Hundreds of people i could talk to. It was all i every wanted. It was all i ever needed. I was happy. For the first time in years i was truly happy. I'm still truley happy. Im happy. At 12:20 AM CST On October 13th, 2021.....Im Happy. As is tradition, i want to mention people who i have been friends with or interacted with that have made an impact on me. These are in no order and i will be adding to this list over the next week. Glados-You have no clue how much your friendship means to me. Seeing you online is like a welcome beacon that means fun will be had. You are thoughtful and caring and such a wonderful human being. D - One of my closest friends on the server. One of the nicest human beings i have ever met. Your genuineness and thoughtfulness know no bounds and i look forward to years of gaming ahead with you. Moonrose - Honestly one of the best people i have ever met. You haven't even been here a year and the effort you put into this branch is insane. I respect you more than you could ever imagine. Eyelander - You have done an absolutly amazing job as a member of command and i fully expect you to be the next DHOR. Besides the cringe jokes that i give you way too much crap for, you are a fantastic person and i love having you around. Light - I stole your name. I admit it. Again, just a wonderful person to be around and you bring so much to any teamspeak channel you are in . snow, nydekore, grumpysharken, Daddy D Boi, and Will Nye - All fanstastic additions to this branch and i fully expect great things for you guys in the future. Keep your heads up and keep going strong. Alexan - Welcome back. I hope you have a great time back in research ~Nya~ Parkland - Keep up the fantastic work and i expect you to be command soon Zack Morden - One of the best people you will ever meet. Kind, caring, and thoughtful. You are a shining example of a member of this community. Jummy and Vlad/monika - I coul't be prouder of you two. I want you both to always remember that. I am so happy to call you guy's friends and I can't wait for more adventures in the future with you guys. Rhodes - One of my other close friends. I hope you are living your best life buddy. Such a wonderful person to be around Soviet - Welcome back. I will visit you one day at your work i promise. Another fantastic person to be around and a true friend Starstep - Still not sure if you are a robot or not. Besides that you are another awesome person to be around and chat with. Weiss - Fought for me every step of the way, and for that i can never truly repay you. One of the best people on the server and a great friend. Skela - I cannot wait to shake your hand and hand you $100 next year when you bench 275 lbs. A phenomenal human being and a good friend. Hoovy - I hated you at first. I really did. You PK's me and i hated you. But the more i got to know you the more i realized how much that PK saved my research career. Thank you. You are a good person! Zeeptian - Thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating this server. I will be adding more to this list so please don't lock it. Finally, I want to say this. Thank you all so much to the best gaming experience i have ever had. I love you all. -Robert 'Tomato' Peterson “We’ll meet again, Don’t know where, don’t know when, But I know we’ll meet again, Some sunny day.” – Vera Lynn

I have so much school stuff going on I don't have anytime at all to possible do good in school and be active and help SF, I know im not a high ranking Officer like Emily or Blunt but im doing this Retirement Topic because i would like to be some what professional about it instead of just never getting online and making the HRO put in the work of Spamming me asking me to get on and to do Onyx stuff, on the topic of Onyx Squad as the highest Onyx Squadron Member before this topic. I would like to Promote Magic to the Captain position of Onyx Squadron. if im allowed to do that. I hope everyone that I was friends with during the short stay I was a SF Member have a good time with the rest of their time on Gaming Light, if you guys are still online playing this when i eventually come back, which i do plan to. to have some more fun memories. For those who don't know me at all, not surprising as im only an NCO. but if I do remember your names when im back ill be sure to hit you up if your still playing this. I plan on staying in the Discord(s) of Gaminglight, And the Squadron Discord if im allowed to. Thank you all for reading this, This is SF Elite Pilot Gravity. Former Captain of Onyx Squadron And now Former member of SF. Signing off. Cya boys when i get on when ever im on. i think iv said enough already and your probably tired of reading this all. So as tradition with all my other posts I will put in a Movie Script of Hercules, I was going to put revenge of the sith but none of the scripts had no spaces so it would have been enough wording to go to pluto and back so i chose this instead. (THIS IS LONG ENOUGH SO IMAGINE THAT) You think you know the truth about him? You know nothing. His father was Zeus. The Zeus. King of the gods. His mother, Alcmene, a mortal woman. Together, they had a boy. Half human, half god. But Zeus' queen, Hera, saw this bastard child as an insult, a living reminder of her husband's infidelity. Alcmene named the boy Hercules, which means "glory of Hera," but this failed to appease the goddess. She wanted him dead. Luckily, he took after his father. Once he reached manhood, the gods commanded him to perform Twelve Labours, twelve dangerous missions. If he completed them all and survived, Hera agreed to finally let him live in peace. He fought the Lernean Hydra! He battled the Erymanthean Boar! But his greatest Labour was the Nemean Lion. This was no ordinary beast. It had a hide so tough, no weapon could penetrate it. But even this monster was no match for the son of Zeus. What a load of crap! Every word is true. You know what I think? This friend of yours doesn't even exist. Laugh all you want. He's coming. And be warned, Gryza, he despises pirates. Macedonia has been good to us. Plenty of villages ripe for pillaging. We are here to stay. Finish him. The more you struggle, the faster you drop. Indeed, your fleet is strong. I... Yet, as I was about to explain before I was so rudely interrupted, the Nemean Lion was strong, too. Yet, he still destroyed it. And not with a sword or a spear or arrows. No! I did it with my bare hands! Or so they say. Hercules. Is this all the men you have? There's 40 of us. One of you. The king of this land has offered me gold to dispose of you. So leave, or die. I get paid either way. Make him bleed. Five men with a single blow. Still think you can destroy the son of Zeus? Bring me his head! Seems they need more convincing, Autolycus. That's why we're here. Atalanta. Amphiaraus. May Zeus forgive you. Tydeus? Die, Hercules! Good man. Hurry! Hurry! Uncle! Uncle, hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Any longer, Uncle... And the girls would finally be safe from your attentions. The rest of you may go. But not you. Thirteen, 14,15,153, - 17, 18, 19, 20. - That was fun. Twenty pirates at two gold pieces a head, minus the headless ones. Let's see. Not a bad night. You see how the pirates ran? My story softened their resolve. Their resolve must be broken, Iolaus. When you spread the legend of Hercules, make it bigger, scarier. The more they believe Hercules is truly the son of Zeus, the less likely they are to fight. Amphiaraus? Care to join us here on Earth? A lion and a crow in strange alliance, fighting across a sea of corpses. If you're going to use those herbs, Amphiaraus, at least share. Hold it! Hold it! Hold it! Hold it! Fight it! Keep practicing, boys! So who's next? You? You? That's a pretty sight. One more payday, Autolycus, that's all we need. Then we get to live like the kings we've served. Or live simply. You still dreaming of barbarian lands? Beyond the Aegean. At the shores of the Black Sea. That is where I will live out the rest of my days in solitude. Boring, if you ask me. Maybe so, Autolycus. But I'll never find peace unless I move as far away as possible. What of Tydeus? Without you to temper his rage, I fear what he may become. Tydeus will go with me. Civilisation has become too civilised for us. Uncle! Join us. The girls are eager to welcome you. See? I told you I knew Hercules. Are you his servant? I'm his nephew. Are you, really? I tell of Hercules' Twelve Labours, like the Nemean Lion, the Apples of the Hesperides, the Belt of Hippolyta with its buxom naked Amazons and exciting bondage. - I immortalise him... - He talks, while the rest of us fight. It is a wonder you share the same blood as Hercules. Have fun. Ladies. What do you want with Hercules? My words are for him, not you. Atalanta, it's all right. You certainly are a hard man to find. Maybe I don't want anyone to find me. I'm not just anyone. My name is Ergenia, daughter to Lord Cotys. Your father is most fortunate to have such a beautiful heir. My father is most unfortunate. He battles a warlord, Rhesus. Our land is torn by civil war. Every day, villages are destroyed, crops ruined, innocents slaughtered. We all have problems. Well, perhaps I can convince you to make our problems your own. Unfortunately, My Lady, Hercules is fully committed till the Feast of Dionysus. We could, however, advance you to the front of the line, for the right price. I thought heroes fight for glory. But mercenaries fight for gold. Lord Cotys is a rich man. I like him already. If you agree to aid him, he will pay your weight in gold. Eat up. "A lion and crow in strange alliance." Told you. Where are we going? It is good to see you safe, My Lady. This war claims more victims every day. We were concerned, My Lady. Thank you, General Sitacles. I was well protected. The mighty Hercules. An honour. Though not quite as big an honour as I expected. General, go tell my father Hercules is here. Uncle? Hera. Impressive. It's meant to be. It took five years and a thousand men to build her temple. Hera is the patron goddess of Thrace. Everyone knows the legend, how Hera seeks to destroy Hercules. Perhaps the right cause might finally reconcile you. Mother! Arius. - You're Hercules. - That's right. My name is Arius. I know all your Labours by heart. You killed the giant Geryon with a single blow, cleaned the Augean stables in one night. Hercules is probably tired. And the Labour of the Hide, and the Labour of the Mares. That's enough, Arius. Come along. Stay away from him. Men who deal in violence attract violence. But he's Hercules. He's no mere mortal. He's the greatest! Lord Cotys will see you now. Have you ever met royalty, Hercules? Once or twice. Father! Megara. Welcome home, my love. Hercules! Whenever I'm here, I imagine this is what Elysium must look like. Well, men like us have the means to create our own paradise on Earth. Look. Magnificent, aren't they? Well, do not keep us in suspense. Are we safe from the monster Hydra? The Hydra's heads, Your Majesty. The masks of serpents. No wonder men thought they were monsters. You've done your sovereign a great service. Come. Let the people have their hero. All hail King Eurystheus. And the mighty protector of Athens, Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! A man faced with such adoration might be tempted to think himself a god. I only want to be a husband and a father. Lord Cotys awaits. Hercules. Welcome. An honour to host such a legend. Lord Cotys. But in legend, you fight alone. My reputation would not exist without my comrades. Autolycus of Sparta. Tydeus of Thebes. Atalanta of Scythia. Iolaus of Athens. And Amphiaraus of Argos. Amphiaraus? The famed seer of Argos. It is said you have glimpsed your own death, so you fight each battle knowing that it is not yet your time to die. What else can you tell of the future? Only what the gods see fit to reveal. A shame. It would have been a great gift to know the outcome of this war. The gods can be frustrating sometimes, Lord Cotys. With respect, I fear that the task ahead might not be suitable for a woman, even if she is an Amazon warrior. I stand corrected. When the kings of yesteryear built this citadel, it was intended as the high seat of all Thrace. But now Thrace is divided. This war has depleted our forces. We're left with nothing but farmers and merchants to replenish our army. It takes every one of us to resist Rhesus. People think that he cannot be killed by an ordinary mortal. Only by a god. Rhesus is a sorcerer. His magic words confuse men, bend them to his will. He leads an army of monsters, half horse, half human. Centaurs? - You've actually seen them? - They have been seen. Come, Hercules. Let me show you what misery Rhesus has brought us. Every week, more refugees arrive seeking my protection, most of them covered in blood, crippled or burnt by Rhesus' men. I feared nothing could ever be good again, till you arrived. I'm just a mercenary fighting for gold. How we view ourselves is of little consequence. How others perceive us is important. And your name, like it or not, is a rallying cry. I have seen too much reality to trust in legends, and I am not alone. Nobody has any faith anymore. The people need a hero. They need someone to look up to. My son believes in you. Bring us peace, and I will believe in you, too. I'm convinced these are good people. I see. And who's more convincing, Cotys or his daughter? All the gold on Earth is not as convincing as a pair of breasts. Maybe, but gold never ages. Which is why I got them to double our price. Double your weight in gold? Well done. Amphiaraus? If it be the will of Zeus. Which title sounds more terrifying to our enemies? "Hercules: Saviour of Thrace" or "Hercules: A Legend is Born"? Both sound terrifyingly boring. What are we supposed to do with an army of farmers? Train them. Oh, shit. In war, there is one thing more important than killing. Surviving. My companions and I will show you how to stay alive, so that you may return home to your farms someday. Autolycus. Shield wall! Form! Corpses! Every last one of you! Because your shield wall was weak. Dead. Dead. Very dead. Soldier, many lives depend on you. When attacked, lock your feet in the ground. You understand? Yes, sir. When a shield wall is strong, nothing can ever defeat it! You must learn to work together, react together. When you do, each individual will become a link in a chain that will be stronger than iron. I hope the enemy has a sense of humour. Right. Today's lesson, how not to stab yourselves! It is imperative that we strike now, My Lord, given this opportunity. There you are! Hercules, my scouts have brought news. Rhesus is on the move. Archers who shoot lightning from their bows. And infantry 4,000-strong, their minds bewitched. Demons march with them. So now we're fighting demons. No stranger than the monsters I hear you faced, Hercules. My Lord, Rhesus is preparing to attack Bessi lands. He will be on them within six days. If the Bessi fall, we're next. Unless we intercept him. Your men need weeks, if not months, of training before they're ready. The Bessi are a fierce but primitive tribe. If we do not protect them, then there will be a bloodbath. Face Rhesus with an untrained army and you risk losing far more than a single battle. My Lord, Rhesus is coming. I vouch my life on it. The longer Rhesus lives, the more villages will be burnt and the more innocents will be killed. Assemble your men. We march tomorrow. Hercules, the gods have offered us a gift. We must not squander it. Are your gods going to be fighting with us? No. The son of Zeus will. I've seen how you watch over Hercules. Tell me, how did a woman, beautiful woman, fall in with these hardened men? Killers? Son of Zeus need a woman's protection? I don't protect him. I protect you from him. General, from now on, maybe you should favour the company of your men. He pulled a knife? It was only a small prick. Your mother told you to stay away. You should listen. What's wrong with him? Tydeus is my most loyal warrior. He was born in war. When I found him, he was more animal than human. He never speaks of what he saw. He never speaks at all. But he relives it every night. Come. Let's find your mother. When I grow up, I want to be a great hero like you. - Like me? - No hero is greater than Hercules. I know all your Labours. Like the Cretan Bull, you wrestled it for seven days and seven nights. That's a bit exaggerated. - And struck it 49 times with your club. - Maybe not quite that many. Until it fell dead and Crete was saved. It's my favourite Labour. Also Queen Hippolyta's Belt, with its buxom Amazons and exciting bondage. - Do you even know what that means? - No. - Mother. - Arius. You're supposed to be in bed. Why are you in the hospice? My mother saves people's lives. Many of our physicians were killed during battle. So, out of necessity, I taught myself the art of healing. If I could be like you, I would protect all of Thrace and no one would ever get hurt. Here. I was going to give this to someone else, but I never got the chance. Only a hero may wear this. But to become a hero, you must grow strong. Is this the Nemean Lion's tooth? - It is. - Thank you. Thank you. Good night. Good night, Hercules. Have no fear. If you fall in the service of a just cause, your souls will go to Elysium, where they will dwell forever among the shades of heroes, like Theseus. Odysseus! And the great Achilles. Or if you're lucky, you'll go to Hades, where all the fun people are. Iolaus. Your place is beside Lord Cotys, where it's safe. I've been giving it a lot of thought, and I really feel I'm ready to fight. You're a storyteller, not a warrior. We share the same blood. And I will not see it shed. Chariot. Now. Thracians, the shield wall is your home. Your shelter. When you sleep, the wall is your blanket. When you fight, the wall is your armour. The shield wall will never break formation as long as there is breath in your body. Remember these words, and you will taste victory. - Move the army out! - Move out! Halt! Halt! - Halt! - Halt! We are too late. Rhesus has already been here. Leave the chariots. We'll go down on foot. The lion and crow cross a field of corpses. I hate being right all the time. Halt. - Halt! - Halt! This head is rotting. A week old, at least. Yet some of these bodies are fresh. Uncle! And we've walked into a trap. Shield wall! Form a single square! Protect Lord Cotys! Iolaus, go! Shield wall! We're here to help them. Why are they attacking? This is Rhesus' doing. They say his spells have the power to cloud minds. Turn comrades against each other. King's guards, around Lord Cotys! Amphiaraus, do we die in this battle? My time's not come yet. Not sure about yours. That's comforting. I think he wants a challenge. Hercules' fists have been dipped in the blood of the Hydra! Lethal to anyone but him! Watch! Did you see that? The gods fight on our side! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Battle position! Lady Artemis, if I am to fall, let me be judged... Stand fast! Hold your position! Do not yield! No retreat! Stay in the wall! Hold the lines! Do not yield! Defend Lord Cotys! The wall has been breached! Seal up the shield wall! Defend Lord Cotys! Whip! Hercules! Bring the chariots! Defend your Lord! No! Advance! Advance! Make way! Where is Rhesus? Lord Cotys. We came here to save this village, but, no, they killed half my army. Rhesus. This is all his doing. And yours. I warned you. Your men are brave, but untrained, unprepared for battle. Give me time to make warriors. Very well. Cover up, before your loyal army sees you bleed like a mortal. Phineas. You plead your life. And I gladly offer it. I failed to see this trap. The fault is mine! Spare the other scouts. General Sitacles. I think we've lost enough men for the day, don't you? But just to avoid future misunderstandings, I'll be taking charge of your scouts from now on. Is that clear? Thank you. Another mistake, I'll end you myself. I'm applying a salve of mint, chamomile and clay to seal the wound. This is extract of lithops for the pain, a powerful sedative. It should rest you after consuming it. It may have certain side effects. I don't need it. Forgive me, I forgot. No mortal can harm Hercules. And your lion's hide is indestructible? Drink, son of Zeus. Arius' father was the same, he distrusted medicines. Where is he now? Taken by the gods before my son was born. I'm sorry. I never knew my father. Well, he must have been very, very strong. Tell me about Arius. He's a good boy. And someday, he will make a fine king. Do you have any children? Do they live in Athens? Thank you for your care. The sedative will help you rest. How could you do such a terrible thing? By law, I should execute you, but I believe a more fitting punishment would be to let you live. So you can walk the earth in torment, haunted by the knowledge that you alone are responsible for the death of your loved ones. The great Hercules. Hands forever stained with innocent blood. Get out, you monster. Get out! No! It happened again, didn't it? Another vision of Cerberus, the three-headed beast of Hades? The gods show you things they don't share with others. There's a word for that. Madness. When we were driven from Athens, I consulted the Oracle of Delphi on your behalf. Do you remember her prophecy? "Hercules must finish the Labour that remains unfinished." And what is that, Hercules? Confront the beast that haunts you. Only then will you find peace. I speak from experience. No matter how far you run, no matter how fast you go, the beast will follow. Man cannot escape his fate. Room for one more in your company? It'd be a pleasure having female companionship for a change. Atalanta doesn't quite count. No offence. If only your manhood was as long as your tongue. Both can satisfy in different ways. You're a famed storyteller, Iolaus. Grace me with a story. Any particular subject, My Lady? Murder, of a woman and her three children. Is it true? Did Hercules slaughter his own family? - Who said so? - Soldiers talk. They say if Hercules ever returns to Athens, King Eurystheus will have him executed. Hercules had completed his Labours and returned home. But Hera... No myths. I want the truth. No one knows the truth. Not for sure. We found Hercules alone. His wife, Megara and the children, dead. He remembers nothing. Do you believe he is innocent? We grew up together, both orphans, trying to survive in the streets of Athens. We found a home in the army. Looked out for each other. Hercules' strength set him apart. Kings of Athens started to send him on all the most dangerous missions. The Twelve Labours. And he took me with him. To fight by his side. And with each mission, our numbers grew. Scythia, the Amazon kingdom where the royal family had been assassinated. My family was gone. Everyone was gone. Hercules helped me avenge their murder. He became my brother-in-arms. Thebes, the city of corpses, where we found a single child, still alive. Hercules took Tydeus in when everyone else saw nothing but a wild animal. You know how a rumour spreads. How a legend grows. Hercules' deeds were so incredible, they could not possibly have been performed by a mere mortal. So we played along. We encourage people to think Hercules was the son of Zeus. It's good. Scares the enemy. Iolaus helps. He talks nice. You're very loyal friends. You're avoiding my question. Hercules is a warrior. And there is something that haunts warriors. It can cloud their minds. We call it the Blood Rage. This rage afflicted Hercules. He made me vow to keep the world away from him. To make sure that he would never harm innocents again. And that, My Lady, is the truth. The truth, whatever the truth, the death of his loved ones haunts Hercules. Only the gods can help him, if he listens. Come! Gather around, soldiers of Thrace, and behold, when Hercules gives an order, even the gods listen. Zeus' master ironsmith, using the forges of your own citadel, has crafted these divine weapons that will make you invincible. As steel is hewn into shields, so, too, will you be hewn into warriors. You shall carry the shield of Hercules! It's lighter. Infused with the souls of Stymphalian birds from Hercules' sixth Labour! Spirits of birds? How does that work, exactly? Well, much as birds take flight, so, too, are these shields lighter than air. It's in the fibres. Here. Try on the helmet of Hercules. It covers my whole face. Forged after Hercules' very own helmet, when he defeated the demon Geryon. You sure it wasn't your horseshit that frightened Geryon to death? General Sitacles, perhaps you would care to inspect the armour of Hercules? Leather armour? We will be skewered like pigs. Linothorax. Hewn from the skin of the Erymanthean Boar. It's indestructible. Wait. If it's indestructible, how did Hercules cut it off the boar? He used an indestructible blade. Get up. Next! Again! Both eyes open. Keep practicing. Firmer grip. Elbow up. Good. Shield wall! Form! Stand tall. Excellent. Careful you don't cut yourself, boy. Again! Rhesus is here. Close enough to stick a blade between his ribs. What did you see? Centaurs. Half man, half horse. Hundreds of them. He saw shadows in the night. My Lord, I will go ahead into the Rhesus camp. I will bring word of his plans. If we let them get past Mount Asticus, Thrace will fall. You want to stop Rhesus? We'll go through the forest and they'll never see us coming. It'll slow down our chariots. A gamble. I have a plan. The scouts have returned. Rhesus has made his camp in Mount Asticus, 72 leagues away. Once these men are ready, we march. So, have you seen if we win or lose? The gods have been annoyingly silent on that matter. What they have told me is that I'm soon to discover there truly is a heaven or a hell. When will you die? Within a week in a place that looks an awful lot like hell. As always, the gods are generous with hints, but cheap on specifics. Cheer up, Hercules. I've lived, not always well, but long enough. I'm ready for what's next. Thracians, halt! Shield wall! Form! Battle positions! Tydeus? There is no enemy camp. This is the right place. Centaurs! They're real. It seems that we're expected. Centaurs? Rhesus! You have come looking for a fight, and we are happy to oblige. Hercules. The son of Zeus. Your legend ends here. Look at me. Do I look afraid? Phineas. Traitor! Hades will have you! After it has you, My Lord. It is over, Cotys. Mount Asticus on your front. The woods at your back. And my troops outman you three to one. Surrender now and we shall consider being merciful. Men die who speak to my lord in such a manner. You've made your choice. Go! In this moment, on this day, become the man you were born to be! You have it within yourselves to write your own legends! Let it be to death or victory! Charge! Shield wall! Flanks out! Maybe today. Now! Watch as the Amazon uses the arrows of Artemis... Silence, boy! Spears forward! Archers, ready! Loose! Advance! Set them aflame! Take cover! Defend Lord Cotys! Maybe not. Shield wall! Attack! Push forward! To kill a snake, cut off its head. Victory is yours, Lord Cotys! It is not over yet! Fucking centaurs. Hail, Lord Cotys! Hail, Lord Cotys! Hail, Lord Cotys! Hail, Lord Cotys! Hail, Lord Cotys! Halt! Get up. Get up. - Up. - Enough! You helped a tyrant enslave a nation. All I did was stop you from burning more villages. I burned no villages. Then who did? Ask yourself, if Cotys is beloved, why did he need to hire mercenaries to do his dirty work? Keep moving, dog. You've been fighting on the wrong side. Where are you going? I'm taking some water to the prisoner. Sit down. It's time. Thrace is finally united. One land, one King, one Thrace. One land! One King! One Thrace! Thrace is not a man, a king, or a god! Thrace is her people! Who cares what Rhesus claims? Our work is done. Let's collect our fee and be gone. Don't do anything foolish. Where are you going? I saw pity in your eyes for Rhesus. Why? Look at me. Cotys is responsible for this war, isn't he? You lie very well. Clearly, your father's daughter. I didn't do it for my father. I did it for my son. If I disobeyed Cotys or resisted in any way, Arius would be executed. I did what any mother would. I protected my child. My husband was king. And Cotys poisoned him to take his place. Rhesus fought back. Civil war broke out. Arius is the legitimate king. My father is old. He will not live forever, and once he is gone, my son will be a good king. And he will heal this land. That's a dream. And you can help. Please, when you leave Thrace, take Arius with you. Please keep him safe. Find another saviour. Hercules? The King commands your presence. My Lady. Champion of Thrace! Something tells me we're not gonna get paid. - You could be right. - Oh, shit. You wanted conquerors, not heroes. You betrayed me, Cotys. Betrayed? A mercenary who has long since sold his conscience for gold can hardly presume to judge his employers. Let's not quibble about details. We all know your legend, Hercules. But here is mine. When I was a general in the army of Thrace, I had dreams of ruling this kingdom. But thanks to you, my dreams have grown. I now crave an empire. My thousands will train more thousands, and they even more. The lessons of Hercules will spread. What you began here can never be stopped. And if you fear what such an army may do, then lead it. You want me to serve you? Spare me the moral outrage. Child killer. Getting us all killed, bad idea. Well, I must take this as a "no." In that case, your services are no longer required. You will be paid in full. Bring them the gold. If we hurry, we can be spending our fortunes in Macedonia. Take mine, too. What do you think you're doing? Let's go. There will be no more innocent blood on my hands. I can't leave without setting this right. I see. And who's gonna be paying us for this suicidal endeavour? Thrace needs our help. To hell with Thrace. We have gold. You remember the Black Sea. That beach you spoke of is within reach. Leave now, be free. I would never be free. In this fight, you're alone. Never saw that one coming. - How can you just walk away? - You can't just leave. - Why not? - It's all right. You've sacrificed your lives for me. Now you can finally be free. Whatever debt you feel you owe me is paid. Debt? You think we follow you because we owe you? Look around, Hercules. We're family. All we have is each other. We will fight for you. And if it's our time, we will die for you. Because you would die for us. Take that, too. I have no need of it. This is madness. You want madness? Tonight, a spear of flame will pierce my heart. Is that not the most insane death you've ever heard of? Crazy. The lot of you. Autolycus. Iolaus. Go with Autolycus. I think I'll stay. Nephew. Uncle, all I've ever done is tell stories of great deeds performed by others. It's time I stopped telling their stories. Started living my own. Well, you may have all completely lost your minds, but not me. Not me. Autolycus? Live like a king, my friend. What about Cotys? He paid us to save Thrace. Let's not disappoint him. Lay down your arms. Lay down your arms! Or your nephew dies first. I invite you to join me. You refuse. I order you to leave. You return. Get your hands off me. I overheard her conspiring with Hercules. They were planning to remove the young Prince from your protection. No. Let go of him! Don't touch him! Arius! No! No! You're hurting him! No! Hercules, no! Help me! Stop! - Help! No! - Arius. No. Arius! No! Magnificent, aren't they? An extraordinary species. Incredibly loyal. As long as they're fed. - Remember them? - Eurystheus. They remember you. Confused, Hercules? Kingdoms are won with armies, but empires are made by alliances. King Eurystheus and I will now rule all of Greece. Cerberus only exists in my mind. Speak a little louder, Hercules. I didn't quite catch that. The wolves. They were there that night. The wolves were there. You drugged me. The wolves were there the night my family was murdered. My men told me how your children screamed as my wolves gnawed on their bones. As their fangs despoiled your daughter's pure flesh. When the people called out your name louder than mine, you see, when they saw you as a god, how long before they saw you as their king? I wanted nothing! Precisely! Your sin, Hercules, was that you had no ambition! I can deal with an ambitious man! He can be bought! But a man who wants nothing has no price! Killing you would have turned Athens against me. I had to ruin your name. My Wife! My children! Well, you have our permission to join them in death. All of you! Starting with my faithless daughter! No! Get off me! No! No! No! Unhand me! No! She's your own flesh and blood! I will raise Arius to be my worthy successor! You stay away from my boy! You monster, you bastard! - You are a monster! You are a monster! - No! You are not a man! You're a demon! Who are you? Are you a murderer? Damn you! I curse you! Are you a mercenary who turns his back on the innocent? Stay away from my son! Are you only the legend? Or are you the truth behind the legend? No! Father, please, please, please. We believe in you. We have faith in you. Have faith in yourself. Save me! Remember the man that you are. Father, the gods will punish you! You cannot escape this time! Remember the deeds you have performed, the Labours you have accomplished! No! No! - Stop it! - Leave her alone! Now, tell me! Please! Who are you? I am Hercules! Unleash the wolves! Get away! Three wolves should be more than enough for one lion. Hurry! - Hurry! - Hurry! No! The gods have revealed your innocence. The final Labour is complete. But I'm just getting started. Doesn't take a vision to know what's waiting for us up there. My time. Excuse me. That was my moment, my fate. You're welcome. I'm going after Eurystheus! Hercules, listen to me. None of this is my fault. You see, Cotys poisoned my mind. Turned me against you. I like you. No, stop. I command you to stop! I'm your King! You took an oath to obey me! You swore to Zeus! Wait, wait, wait. You fight for gold. I have plenty of gold. Name your price. Find it in your heart to forgive. You want forgiveness? Ask my family for forgiveness. I've never killed a god before. I really think I'm ready to fight now. Well done, warrior. - Eurystheus? - Dead. - We need to find Arius. - Follow me. Soldiers of Thrace! You followed me in battle. Follow me now. Don't be fools! Hercules is mortal! Not a god! Anyone who sides with him will die! And I will show you. Bring him. - Arius! - Mama! No! He's your grandson! You failed to save your children, Hercules. But you may yet save him. Please, Father! No! Admit defeat! Bow to me! You have until the count of three! One! Two! Don't just stand there! Kill someone! Protect Lord Cotys! Arius, run! Mother! Get the boy! Tydeus! Attack! Hold them back! Spears! Go through the fire! Here! Here! Help! Come on! Easy, Tydeus. Hercules. Lock shields! March! Find peace, my brother. As you said, Hercules, there is no way to defeat a shield wall! There is no way out! Come out and face me! You're no hero! You're no god! You're nothing but a mercenary! Your wife and children deserved to die! What're you doing? Get back up there! Hercules must die! Come on! Kill that filthy bastard! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! Hercules! You want to know the truth about Hercules? There it is. To be honest, I prefer it to the legend. The world needs a hero they can believe in. Is he actually the son of Zeus? I don't think it really matters. You don't need to be a demigod to be a hero. You just need to believe you're a hero. It's what worked for him. But then again, what the hell do I know? I'm supposed to be dead by now.

Dear EMS and the people whom it may concern, Even though I am no longer a Command Member within this Department of Medical Services I would like to give a big thanks to everyone inside of it, who I considered or still consider a friend, an ally and a partner. We have all done great things together and my times towards this Department really will never be cut off. Thank you to all the wonderful memories that the Department and people inside have given me, the lessons learned and friendships made. Thank you for dealing with everything, through relationships, humor, the dark side, and the good- we stuck together. I wish EMS and the people inside a wonderful New Year, not only as Medics or Command but as friends or enemies. A New Year, without Ender, but more lessons to be learned and memories to be brought without me. If I were to continue, I would need a new forum post. I will always be here, through good and bad, to support whomever it may concern. Here is to 2020! Thank you, EMS for everything... With great honor and privilege, Retired Deputy Ender DR-2 (Reserved Captain Ender CN-1)