The Sorcerous Prince - 24. Chapter 24: Mission in the Mountains

Chapter 24: Mission in the Mountains

Mihai and Empress Guadalupe were in King Damian's office. “They are in the Smoky Mountains, about half way in between Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Cherokee, North Carolina,” Mihai said. “Their base is actually a group of mountains.”

“How do you know this?” Empress Guadalupe asked.

“I've been wondering about that myself,” Mihai replied. “Jeradu revealed the information to me through the bracelet somehow. The exact location is in my mind. It's underneath the mountains. The White Dragon Corps will be involved in the operation. They're on their way here right now. They will want to form two groups. Both will require a force of 1,000 White Dragon operatives, as many Imperial soldiers as are available and any royal or imperial figures who are going to be involved. I will be in one group, and my father will be in the other. We must create an electromagnetic shield, one that no one can escape. Not even we will be able to escape until the shield is lowered. It will create a barrier that allows us to go in but no one to leave. We have to do this without music. Rather, the White Dragons will have to collect the magic through alternative means.”

“How did you come up with these ideas?” the Empress inquired. “Is that through the bracelet too?”

“Yes,” Mihai said simply. “He can reveal everything to me. The White Dragon Corps already know the plan as well. I just wanted to make you aware of it now. I think it's imperative that we work well with them. This kind of infiltration is their specialty. Even with the numbers we will have we will be outnumbered by the enemy, so we need to take out as many as we can quickly and efficiently. Jeradu estimates somewhere around ten thousand. That is the White Dragon Corps greatest strength, evening the odds. Their two divisions will enter first. The army will be right behind them fighting off any enemies that come their way, and believe me, there will be some.”

“That's fine,” Empress Guadalupe said dryly. “We have about four thousand soldiers available in the area. With the White Dragon Corps, that should be enough. Do you know where Princess Ashtar is within the facility?”

“Yes I do,” Mihai replied. “She is on the lowest level of the complex. She's in a room with about fifty Dark Dragon operatives. It's not going to be easy. She is surrounded by an electromagnetic barrier. I can break it but only after I have defeated the enemies.”

“Show me the layout of the facility through telepathy,” the Empress ordered. Mihai did exactly what his aunt wanted. The facilities location made it difficult to penetrate, even with magic. The key would be stealth, which was the specialty of the White Dragon Corps. “I'll formulate a plan with the general of the White Dragon Corps when they arrive.”

“They're probably going to be pissed,” Mihai sighed. “Dad worked with them to push the Order of the Dark Dragons out of North America, and the White Dragon Corps had even removed almost all of its forces from the continent. Now they'll have to relocate some of their forces.”

“It can't be helped,” the Empress stated. “The Order is always on the move, and they are masters when it comes to hiding, and it's often the White Dragon Corps who track their movements. For a while, the Order has not even targeted royal families, because they have had their hands full fending off the White Dragon Corps. How they got to the US and built a base without it being discovered until now is beyond me. Someone should have noticed their activities. Even through magic, you cannot build such a facility quickly. It would have taken at least a week.”

“They must have set up some diversions,” Mihai suggested. “I know that demons have a different goal, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility that they are working with demons to set up these diversions. They could be focusing on a common enemy.”

“That's very true,” the Empress agreed. “They have occasionally acted as allies before, so it's not at all unheard of. Still, at other times, they are enemies.”

“Yeah, I can't see the Order liking it when the demons massacre entire villages.” Mihai cringed at the idea. He had seen the remnants of such massacres in South American villages. The bloodthirsty demons would rape the women and mutilate their vaginas. They would also occasionally rape men, though they often preferred ripping out their hearts and entrails. Magical people would have to perform special magic to make people from other towns and villages believe that such towns never existed.

“Correct,” the Empress confirmed. “The Order wishes to control all people, magical and mortal alike. They only kill out of necessity, whereas demons take pleasure in such practices. The White Dragon Corps mainly works against demons in rural areas of Asia while the Empire takes care of the rest. Still, I have talked to Jeradu about working together more. He said that he would consider it if most magical people accepted the legitimacy of magical martial arts. I can't even get the council on board with that.”

“I've always thought of it as legitimate,” Mihai said sincerely. “I don't understand why so many don't.”

“Truthfully, it's because musical magic collects the most energy of all forms of magic, thus making it the strongest,” the Empress reminded him. “Personally, I don't buy that argument, because magical martial arts will teach you how to absorb magic from all around you. That makes it the most effective. Most have used some limited martial arts magic in general practice, but they have not mastered it. From my understanding, you're already strong with martial arts. I think you should join the White Dragon Corps at some point.”

“That is my intention,” Mihai replied with a wry grin. “I want to learn all magical techniques!”

“Good!” the Empress exclaimed. “Now, you are going to have a difficult battle tonight, I suggest you take a nap!”

“Very well then,” he replied. “Should I use one of the bedchambers here?”

“I'm sure they won't mind,” the Empress laughed. “King Damian already knows you'll be involved in the mission to save his daughter.”

The Empress met with General Akita from White Dragons. They were experts in dealing with the order, which was why they were getting involved. Teleportation would likely be impossible to the whole facility, as they would safeguard such a large installation. Most of their lairs were much smaller and not built in this fashion. He had looked through archives and found a similar facility, one that had been destroyed some thirty years previously. General Akita also wanted to make sure that every single operative of the Dark Dragons in the area was killed. He suggested a barrier within a two-mile radius of the facility.

In addition, General Akita suggested that there should be four divisions, one in each cardinal point. He volunteered that he had two soldiers with electromagnetic gifts, and she told him that her brother and nephew also had such abilities. It was decided that the four of them would create the shield, one that would not be broken until they made sure that every single Dark Dragon operative had been eliminated. It was also contingent on at least one of them being outside the forcefield. When the Empress suggested that her brother should be the one to be protected, General Akita gave her a dumfounded look. She explained that Mihai had other abilities that made him an asset. She went as far as to say that Mihai, Pavel, and Konstantin should team with Baron Charles Levesque this time around and that they needed to be part of the rescue team, which was supposed to be a thirty-person team that stormed the laboratory where the princess was being held.

It was believed that they were performing scientific experiments on Princess Ashtar. The group was to be made up of six teams of four and one additional team of six. The group of six comprised of Baron Charles Levesque, Imperial Princess Selena, Queen Constance, Mihai, Pavel, and Konstantin. The laboratory would have around fifty enemy combatants, most of whom were scientists. However, even scientists were known for being proficient with battle magic and magical martial arts. The remaining forces would be responsible for killing the remaining Order members within the facility, of which there were thousands.

Everyone was wearing White Dragon Corps uniforms, which comprised of white uniforms as well as conical hats and porcelain masks with animal designs. Even though escaping would be damn near impossible for any of the Order members, it was imperative that all involved in the mission were unidentifiable.

***

In the mountains, there had been a recent snowstorm, with about six inches of accumulation. Mihai was wearing a special communication device, one that would link his mind to his father’s as well as two White Dragon lieutenants named James and John Mathews, who happened to be twins with strong electromagnetic abilities. Mihai closed his eyes and imagined his side of the shield. Meanwhile everyone else in the squadron concentrated on lending him some power. Because they needed to be quiet, there were not any magical instruments used. Instead, those proficient at it, gathered magic from nature and provided energy for a selected person. The entire Corps and many of the soldiers were capable of assisting in the process.

With their minds linked, the four men shot projected invisible blasts of electromagnetic energy toward the center point that would act as the rotunda of their shield, which extended well above the mountains in the area. For the next ten minutes, the shield extended to the entire two-mile radius, and descended clear to the center of the planet. With musical magic, it would have taken half the time, but it could not be helped. Next, terrakinetics created tunnels. Everyone searched for entrances to the facility, but none could be found. Luckily, the facility was made of wizard's steel and surrounded by an electromagnetic field of its own. With ease, Mihai disabled the shield on the south side while the remaining three did the same for their sides. After that, creating a door was a simple task.

Mihai's group was to be the last to enter the facility, for the others were to clear the path for them. It was essential that none of them died on the way to the laboratory. Mihai led the way, because his new ability from the bracelet made it easy for him to find the laboratory. The door was one that required a retinal scan, so the only way in was forced entry. One of the members of the remaining teams punched through the door. Mihai had turned his magical weapon into a katana for the mission, and he had combined his wand with it. This meant that any spells that he wanted to use would involve the katana. Combined the two would also be able to draw magical energy much faster.

Mihai spotted someone in a black karate gi and a ninja mask running toward him. Mihai charged his katana with electricity and sliced off the operative's head with a blindingly fast movement. The rest of the group had already spread out, attacking opponents. Two more ran toward Mihai, and they seemed quite strong. Knowing that attacking them head on was not a good idea, Mihai teleported. Reappearing right behind the taller and more muscular of the two, Mihai stabbed him in the heart. Upon withdrawing the sword, blood gushed toward Mihai’s chest and abdomen. However, he had to teleport again to avoid the other opponent, thus avoiding most of it.

Mihai had a much more cruel idea for the second. Standing behind him, Mihai entered his mind, causing the man's brain to create three times as much electricity as it normally produced. His opponent, in agonizing pain from every nerve in his brain firing, fell to his knees. With a quick slice of his still electrified blade, Mihai beheaded the man. Hideous as it was, Mihai quickly stabbed through the now missing head and flung it at a female Order member nearby, causing her to scream. Her screams became louder when Konstantin, or someone else with strong pyrokinetic abilities, shot a fireball at her from his sword, which set her skin afire.

Mihai laughed at the bitch's misfortune, but his celebration was short-lived. Even though he temporarily surrounded his body with an electromagnetic shield, someone sent him flying into the next room. Concentrating, Mihai surrounded his body with water to cushion him from slamming into the wall. From what Mihai could tell, this room was specifically designed for battles as it was totally empty. The fact that the whole room was made of wizard's steel suggested that the room itself was meant to inflict lots of damage from crashing into the walls, falling down to the floor, or being sent soaring into the unforgiving ceiling above. This kind of “sparring” room was typical of the Order members, who often took out frustrations upon one another. Looking at the door, Mihai saw a masked figure floating into the room, one who closed the door behind him. “I think you need a real opponent,” the man boomed. “I'll take off my mask if you will.”

“You first,” Mihai said calmly. The man lifted his mask off his head. While the man's hair was as white as snow, he was definitely not old. In fact, Mihai figured he was only one hundred or so, which was still young for magical people. He had eyes in a deep shade of blue. Honoring his opponent's wishes, Mihai removed his own mask.

“You're a young one,” the man said. “How is it that you defeated Gavin and Harold? They were skilled in magical martial arts and quite physically strong.”

“If they were skilled, they would not have died so easily,” Mihai retorted. “They seemed more like oafs to me. Anyway, how did you know who they were?”

“They were the largest Order members in this area,” the man snapped. “They also move a certain way. They could never fool me. Just who are you?”

“My name is Mihai,” he replied.

“Mihai Rousseau?” the man pressed further.

“Maybe... maybe not,” Mihai snickered. “Why bother asking my name before I kill you anyway?”

The man laughed. “You think you can kill Dr. Agony, the savior of this world? You're dumber than I thought.”

“I know I can kill you,” Mihai shot back. “Enough talk! I'll even let you make the first move!”

“You arrogant brat!” Dr. Agony seethed. Using telekinesis, Dr. Agony pulled out a large magical shuriken, quickly hurling it towards Mihai. Surprisingly, there was not a single molecule of magnetic metal within the shuriken, and judging by the fact that the man penetrated Mihai 's personal shield with his powers, all Mihai could do was try to dodge the weapon. As he was unsuccessful, Mihai screamed in pain as his right hand was sliced off. Meanwhile the shuriken ripped off his left hand and then both of his feet, causing him to fall to the floor. “Where's your arrogance now, kid? You're pathetic!”

Dr. Agony continued his assault, removing more and more of Mihai's body parts with the shuriken. When nothing was left of any of his limbs, Dr. Agony spoke again. “Now I will end your pain! Your head shall be removed next!” The shuriken flew towards Mihai, who was now helpless. The blade, rotating much more quickly this time, made quick work of Mihai's neck.

Mihai's head floated into the air, and he yelled, “That hurt you motherfucker!”

“How are you still alive?” Dr. Agony roared.

There was a flash of light, and Mihai's body appeared before him, completely unharmed and once again masked. “Did you really think it would be that easy? You saw what I wanted to you to see. While you were blabbering earlier, I accessed your mind. I happen to be a powerful telepath, and your mind is so weak. You've been my puppet ever since you entered this room. It was all an illusion. Oh, but if you look down right now, you'll see something real.

Looking down, Dr. Agony screamed. “How the hell...”

“Are you that much of a fucking idiot?” Mihai laughed. “You are my puppet. I am controlling your powers, which you used to stab yourself in the abdomen. Now look to your left.” Dr. Agony looked toward his left and saw something he never expected. There was a cross, one made from wizards’ steel. Just then, Dr. Agony also noticed something tightening around his hands. “You like the steel gloves?”

“Fuck you!” Dr. Agony growled.

“No, the only one who's fucked is you,” Mihai retorted before forcing Dr. Agony over to the cross. “You called yourself a savior earlier, no? I think this is quite fitting for you.” Mihai replaced the gloves with shackles around Dr. Agony's wrists, and added some to his ankles. “Now I think I'm going to find out if everyone is finished back in the lab.” Focusing the increased vision from his dragon wisdom, Mihai noticed that every single one of the Dark Dragon operatives was dead and that seemingly all of his comrades were still alive. Dr. Agony was trying to use telekinesis, and Mihai knew it. “Don't bother! You're surrounded by an electromagnetic field that has disabled your powers.”

Mihai casually walked over to the sliding doors made of wizard's steel and opened them. “Pavel and Charles, come in here please!” The two of them did as he asked. Mihai walked over to Dr. Agony, and closed his eyes. Moments later, Konstantin's familiar, Kyle, appeared. “Sorry to startle you, Kyle. I need you to put Dr. Agony into a deep sleep.” Mihai had entered Kyle’s thoughts and it he was not yet used to it.

“Of course, Your Highness,” Kyle replied. Within moments, Dr. Agony was sedated, and Mihai removed the electromagnetic field.

Pavel asked, “What do you need?”

“I need you to remove this shuriken and heal him,” Mihai said flatly. “Don't even think of arguing. Just do it.” Pavel did not say a word as he removed the object with telepathy and discarded it. Mihai liquified some of the steel floor, causing the weapon to sink through it. Pavel had already started healing the wound, and before long, it was gone. “Good work! Now I want you to probe his mind. Find out what he wanted to do to Princess Ashtar after the experiments were completed.”

Pavel entered Dr. Agony's mind, searching for answers. When the query was answered, he yelled, “That sadistic motherfucker! Why would you want me to heal him?”

“It's simple,” Mihai sniggered. “Charles and I are going to do something to him, and I want him to endure the mental torture. He'll be dead soon enough anyway! He wanted to torture, rape, and kill her, so that is what we will do to him psychologically. It is ironic that his worst fear is being on the receiving end of such treatment, which makes him that much more deserving. Still, I could never do that physically. So... can you take my hand, Charles? We have practiced this a few times. This time it's for real. Doesn't it sound like fun?”

Taking Mihai's hand, Charles said, “Of course! I wouldn't have it any other way.”

“Oh, before we get started, we all need to back away. This will be a little messy.” All of them backed up about twenty feet, being the distance Mihai predicted was safe. Charles and Mihai closed their eyes and held hands. They then synchronized their minds. Combining Mihai's telepathic ability with Charles' most unusual nightmare power, they could create a scenario where Mihai was the source of the victim's nightmare. While Mihai could have done this on his own, it would have taken much longer to set up. This was because it would be delving much deeper into the victim's mind and making the pain real. In addition, the injuries inflicted in the nightmare were real. That aspect was something Mihai was not capable of causing on his own.

Dr. Agony found himself bending over the foot of a bed. He was naked except for the ropes, which were secured underneath the mattress and around his hands and midsection. “So tell me, Dr. Agony, how does it feel? You love doing this to little girls, don't you?”

“Fuck you!” he spat.

“I told you earlier that the only one who's going to be fucked is you,” Mihai retorted. In the nightmare scenario, Mihai's dick was already hard, and he used it to find Dr. Agony's ass. Pushing, he forced his cock into him, which caused Dr. Agony to yelp. “Yeah, you'll be feeling the pain this time!” Mihai shoved his dick further and further into Dr. Agony and noticed some blood starting to form. “You make their pussies bleed I bet, and now you're the one with the bleeding man pussy!” Mihai fucked him harder and harder, tearing Dr. Agony's colon more and more. Before long, Dr. Agony was screaming bloody murder, and Mihai continually slapped his ass until the outside was bleeding as well. A few minutes later, Mihai grunted as he shot his load deep inside him before quickly pulling his dick out of him, which only made the pain worse.

“Why did you do this?” Dr. Agony cried.

“Because this is exactly what you wanted to do to that sweet, innocent child!” Mihai snapped. “It's not over either. Did you know that the human body is seventy-five percent water? I just so happen to be able to manipulate the water in a human body. The pain caused by the pressure of so many blood vessels bursting is said to be tremendous. This is how you shall die!”

“No!” Dr. Agony murmured. “Please have mercy on me!”

“A sadistic son of a bitch like you?” Mihai growled. “I don't think so!”

Within the nightmare, Dr. Agony once again found himself on a cross. Beside Mihai, four large metal spikes appeared. “You call yourself a savior, eh? How about I treat you like one?” One of the spikes launched in the blink of an eye into his right hand, causing him to screech. Another spike pierced the left hand. The remaining spikes went through his feet. “Feels bad, doesn't it? Don't worry! You won't suffer forever.” A metal bar wrapped itself around Dr. Agony's body to keep him secure for what was soon to come. Suddenly a bubble full of water appeared. “This water will seep into your pores.” The water streamed into his body. The pressure was intense, and this was the worst pain Dr. Agony had suffered so far.

“You... bastard,” Dr. Agony mumbled.

“No, I'm not a bastard,” Mihai replied. “My parents were married hundreds of years before I was conceived.” Mihai waved his right hand. The pressure in Dr. Agony's body began to increase dramatically. Mihai saw destruction on a cellular level, which was obvious from the purple bruises appearing all over his enemy's body. Blood started to trickle from his eyes, nose, and mouth. As Mihai increased the pressure, Dr. Agony's eardrums burst, and watered-down blood burst out of his ears like a fountain. Before long, Dr. Agony's eyes bulged out through the sockets, and the pressure eventually caused both eyes to shoot out of his head with a cascade of water behind them.

Dr. Agony's nose was the next to go as the pressure ripped it completely off. His right arm was the next to go. The spike ripped through flesh and bone as the pressure caused the arm to rip from the shoulder. The effect was that his hands as well as his entire arm were bisected. The left arm was the next to go, and soon, his private parts were sent flying by a geyser of blood and water. During this time, Mihai was adding more and more water. The pressure in his left leg was so great that it exploded, leaving chunks of flesh and bone everywhere. His right leg exploded next with similar results. It was at this moment that Mihai noticed that Dr. Agony was about to take his last breath, so he exited the nightmare and watched from the real world as Dr. Agony gasped for air one last time.

“God damn, Mihai!” Pavel yelled. “Did you have to do something this fucking disgusting?”

“Yes,” Mihai said flatly. “And if you value your tongue, you had better stop yelling. Your mother said I could do so as long as I used a potion to allow a new one to grow...” Pavel said nothing more. Mihai was actually lying, but Pavel did not bother to probe his cousin's mind to find out whether or not he was bluffing.

Constance, Selena, and Konstantin entered the room. Upon seeing the severely damaged corpse, Konstantin turned to the side and puked on the floor. “That's nasty,” Mihai said.

“Not nearly as nasty as that man's body,” Constance quipped. “How did he end up like that?” Mihai told everyone about the battle and why he had destroyed Dr. Agony's body the way he had. “He was going to do something like this to that innocent little girl? It seems to me he got what he deserved.”

“Indeed,” Selena agreed. “He was a true barbarian. It seems that the rumors about him were true after all.”

“We can talk about that later,” Mihai said, changing the subject. “There's something coming. I can hear the flapping of their powerful wings. There are at least twenty dragons heading this way. We need to rescue the girl from her prison. Let's hurry!” The seven of them, including Kyle, ran back into the main part of the lab. Mihai had noticed that the girl was in the center of the room.

“This is no ordinary electromagnetic field, Mihai,” Pavel gasped. “This is actually a combination of electricity and dark phoenix fire.”

“That means that only a phoenix can break it,” Mihai replied. “You need to call upon Achilles. I'll call upon Holly as well. There's more that the two of them must do! First of all, they are the only ones who can possibly detect a dark phoenix in the area. They also need to strengthen our own electromagnetic field with phoenix fire so that we can retreat. That way Jeradu and his crew can take out these dragons. There are too many for us to fight off.”

“I agree with all of that,” Selena said. “There's no reason to risk so many lives. We could possibly defeat them, but many more will die in the process. It's best that you call upon Holly and then use that bracelet to inform Jeradu. After that we need to get out of here quickly. Mihai, do you sense any of the Order members remaining alive?”

“No,” Mihai stated. “I would feel the darkness of their hearts. They've all been vanquished. Our side is only about one-hundred short.”

“That dragon wisdom is truly amazing!” Pavel exclaimed. “But let's get started now!” Mihai and Pavel closed their eyes, and concentrated. Two phoenixes appeared within moments. “We need the two of you to destroy this force field. Kyle, if you wouldn't mind, make sure that the girl remains asleep. She does not need to see this gruesome scene. As it is, the memory modifications she'll require are extensive.”

“We'll free her!” the phoenixes replied harmoniously. The phoenixes’ bodies became even brighter than usual. Slowly, the shield faded away, and when it was almost gone, Pavel had to hold Ashtar's body up with telekinesis to keep her from falling.

During the entire process, Mihai was using the bracelet to contact Jeradu telepathically. Jeradu had decided to waste little time and made Mihai aware that he wanted the area vacated quickly. He also agreed with the idea of using phoenix fire to maintain the electromagnetic field around the radius of the facility and that there would be an investigation into any key Order members who had been dispatched.

Once Ashtar was completely free, Konstantin picked her up. The phoenixes’ bodies shot the special flames that allowed everyone to be teleported out of the area. They were united with the empress and her team comprised of Ashtar's father, Frederico, Viviana, and herself. “What's going on?” the Empress asked, looking up as Holly and Achilles strengthened the barrier.

“We need to leave,” Selena said flatly. “There are twenty dragons coming. The phoenixes are strengthening the shield so that we can find and confirm what key members of the Order have been iced. They won't have enough power to take us all back to Atlanta. You need to get ready to activate the teleportation ring. I'm not trying to give orders, but that's what we should do. We may or may not be able to defeat all those dragons, but the loss of life could be horrendous.”

“Very well,” Empress Guadalupe replied. Since phoenixes could not be drawn into a teleportation ring, Empress Guadalupe tossed the ring into the air, and the entire force was soon just outside the barracks behind the Palace of the Southeast.

“I want to thank you all for rescuing my little girl,” King Damian quaked with tears trickling down the sides of his face. “She is precious to me.”

“We were happy to help, though it is unfortunate how many souls were lost,” Mihai said warmly.

“I do hate for lives to be lost in the battle against evil,” King Damian lamented. Still crying, he spoke again. “I know this will seem like an abrupt change of subject, but will she wake up soon?”

“We didn't want her to see the 'mess' in the lab,” Pavel replied, entering the conversation. “That's why I asked Kyle to allow her to sleep. As it is, I fear she will need extensive memory alteration.”

“Very true,” King Damian agreed. “I had heard in the briefing that Dr. Agony was there. If he got the chance to...”

“He was under strict instructions not to touch her until the experiments were done,” Mihai quivered. “I'll spare you of the details of exactly what he wanted to do. I'll say this though. Charles' power came in handy. We used it to give him the exact same treatment he was going to give Ashtar. His mangled body is still in the fight room beside the laboratory.”

“The two of you defeated him on your own?” King Damian was flabbergasted, knowing just how powerful Dr. Agony was.

“Actually, it was mostly Mihai,” Charles replied. “He only wanted me in there so that we could use my ability to create nightmares based upon worst fears. Mihai could never have made it quite as realistic on his own. Trust me when I say he deserved it. There were other test subjects he raped, tortured, and killed. He was a true barbarian.”

“Understood,” King Damian seethed. “I'm glad you took that monster out. I can't stand anyone who would do that to a child.”

“Children weren't his only victims,” Mihai growled. “He didn't care what age, gender, or racial background his victims belonged to. He gave them all that treatment. He gives monsters a bad name.”

“I see,” King Damian quivered. “What do you say we all get some much deserved rest?” There were no objections to his idea, so King Damian led the imperial family and their entourage to the palace. Before long, all of them took showers and got ready for bed after a grueling evening that none of them would ever forget.

***

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