cosmos

There’s a growing, unspoken truth in the modern world: citizens don’t trust their governments’ collective judgment anymore. And why should they? The data don’t lie. It tells stories in plain, hard numbers that refute the polished narratives delivered in press conferences and political speeches. We’re living in a time where people are more connected, more informed, and more skeptical than ever, and yet, those in power insist on repeating the same tired song and dance, as if we’re still spellbound by the old tricks. But we’re not. Everyone knows, and that’s the problem—they refuse to acknowledge that we know.

It’s a tale as old as time, but with a 21st-century twist. We’re all familiar with the chase: the white rabbit of opportunity, that ever-elusive promise of stability, prosperity, freedom. Only now, the rabbit’s path is lined with algorithms, data-mined promises, and the dollar signs that keep us running. It’s a system engineered to keep us chasing, to keep us focused on the next shiny thing while those who hold the strings pull them tighter, all while telling us it’s for our own good.

And that’s the part that grates: the insistence. The patronizing way leaders speak as if the collective citizenry hasn’t figured it out yet, as if we don’t see the traps set in plain sight. They tell us to trust the process, to believe in the system that has worked so tirelessly to outmaneuver us at every turn. But how many times can you run that same loop before the game becomes obvious?

The chase isn’t just a metaphor; it’s the reality of a system designed to funnel energy and ambition into a never-ending cycle of productivity, consumption, and control. You work, you spend, you push for the next step up while the ladder grows higher and the ground beneath it weaker. It’s a dollar-dollar-bill world, where freedom is wrapped in chains disguised as choices. And the more you play, the tighter they get.

Call it what it is: a modern take on an old form of servitude, with just enough glitter to make it feel different. We’re slaves not by whip or chain, but by a system that rewards obedience to the chase and punishes those who stop to question its merit. And while we’re told to look forward, to chase that rabbit, the real game is happening behind us, in the rooms where data is spun into power and influence, where decisions are made that shape our lives without our input.

It’s not about paranoia; it’s about seeing the pattern and knowing that we’re more than players in someone else’s story. Yet, the system insists on pushing, nudging us down the rabbit hole where questions are drowned out by the hum of the chase. It’s time to pause, to look at the data and what it really tells us about who holds the cards and why they insist we keep running. Because the game isn’t rigged in our favor, and pretending otherwise only strengthens the hand that deals it.

Cocoons are deceptive things. To the casual eye, they’re symbols of transformation, a delicate pause before the triumph of wings and flight. But what if, instead of the inevitable emergence of the butterfly, there’s a chainsaw waiting on the other side? The machinery of power, sharp and unyielding, lurking just beyond the soft, silken shell. And if you had to place a bet on who wins that face-off—the tender fluttering wings or the relentless teeth of steel—you’d be wise to put your money on the chainsaw.

This is the dance of modern governance, where institutions don’t so much serve citizens as they do the machinery that feeds them. It’s not the butterfly’s story; it’s the chainsaw’s. Government structures and their sprawling networks, purportedly built to uphold the will of the people, have a habit of morphing into self-serving ecosystems, prioritizing their survival over their original purpose. The cocoon, the promise of democratic transformation, becomes an illusion, hiding the real players—the policymakers, leaders, and employees who hold the levers.

Consider the nature of service here: it’s not the nurturing hand that tends to the needs of the public but the calculated maneuvering that preserves the status quo. Governments serve themselves first, their leaders second, and only then, when the chainsaw has had its fill, do they dole out what’s left to the people. The machinery operates with efficiency, yes, but not for the butterfly struggling within. It spins stories of defense, prosperity, and collective good, but the reality behind the silk threads is one of protecting those in power and those who keep the gears turning.

Why? Because maintaining that illusion of service, that cocoon, is critical for control. If citizens believed that their well-being came second to political chess games and administrative survival, the cracks in the system would be laid bare. So, it’s easier to keep the cocoon intact, to sell the hope of transformation while the chainsaw waits quietly in the wings.

This is why policies are made not just to address issues but to ensure the structures remain intact. It’s why spending priorities might lean more toward bolstering institutional power than truly enriching the lives of those who pay for it. The butterfly might dream of emerging, believing that change is built into the fabric of governance, but in practice, the wings often never spread. The delicate promise of transformation is snatched away by the relentless logic of power maintenance.

So, when asked whom these systems serve, the answer is both simple and cynical: they serve the chain saw, the machinery, the self-sustaining ecosystem of governance. Citizens are kept in view, sure, but more as an audience to the show than participants in the reality. And as long as the cocoon stays pretty, the noise of the saw will be ignored, drowned out by the hope that one day, somehow, the butterfly will break free.

The cosmos, from the earliest human reckonings, was never just a scattered array of stars but a grand narrative woven into existence itself. To our ancestors, the night sky wasn’t a mere expanse of black punctuated by light but a living text—scrolls of the divine and the mortal, the known and the unfathomable. The stories of gods, heroes, and mythical creatures mapped the heavens, shaping how people understood their world and their place in it.

In the earliest writings, the cosmos was often a sacred domain. The Sumerians, with their epic of Gilgamesh, carved stories into clay that spoke of gods who ruled the heavens and mortals who reached for eternity only to be gently reminded of their limits. The Babylonians, too, gazed at the night and saw a cosmic order, their priest-astronomers tracing the movements of celestial bodies and divining the will of the gods. In this view, the cosmos wasn’t distant and impersonal—it was a place charged with meaning, where the fate of empires could be read in the planets’ paths.

Ancient Greek philosophers like Pythagoras and Plato brought another layer to this cosmic tapestry. To them, the cosmos was a harmonious entity, a “kosmos,” orderly and beautiful, a symphony of mathematics and divinity. Pythagoras heard the “music of the spheres,” an elegant chorus where each celestial body hummed a note in an unseen, eternal song. Plato, in his Timaeus, spoke of the cosmos as a living being, imbued with a soul, crafted by a divine artisan. Here, natural science and philosophy weren’t split; they were lovers intertwined, their insights stitching the cosmos into a unified whole.

Even further east, Vedic texts in India saw the universe as cyclical, where time itself was not a line but a wheel, turning through ages (Yugas) that represented the rise and fall of cosmic order. The Rigveda sings of creation as a paradoxical act, where the gods themselves were born from a primal chaos they did not understand, a nod to the mysterious nature of existence.

Arabian cultures, centuries later, would reflect this same blend of wonder and intellect. The One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights), a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales, shows that these stories were more than just entertainment; they were woven with the mystical and the celestial. Scheherazade’s tales unfolded night after night like constellations themselves, a tapestry of human experience under the vastness of the night sky. Her storytelling was a triumph over mortality, an assertion that stories, like stars, could live on, flickering between memory and myth.

Spider web cultures—the Indigenous beliefs of many North American tribes—likewise hold that the cosmos is alive, with each part connected in an intricate web of existence. The Ojibwe speak of the “Grandmother Spider” who spun the universe into being, connecting all life with threads that shimmer, even in the darkest places. For them, the cosmos was as much a guide as it was a mystery, a reminder that time itself was woven into the fabric of the world, spiraling and looping back in sacred stories and songs passed down through generations.

And then, there is the nature of time within these old conceptions. Time was rarely linear in the ancient imagination. In Hindu cosmology, it flows like the sacred river Sarasvati, winding back on itself, pooling and rushing onward, never in a straight line. The Aboriginal Australians, with their concept of Dreamtime, perceive it as an ever-present dimension where past, present, and future merge, a realm where stories of creation exist in a state of perpetual happening.

All of these philosophical, religious, and scientific views share an intrinsic understanding: the cosmos is more than the space it occupies. It’s a storyteller, an archive of all that was, is, and will be. It’s an infinite web spun by beings both tangible and divine, whispered through the voices of seers and shamans, poets and philosophers. The stars were not just points of light but cosmic waypoints, guiding humanity not just on journeys across the sands or seas but through the uncharted landscapes of the soul.

Like Scheherazade’s tales that saved her life with each dawn, these stories saved the earliest cultures from losing sight of wonder itself. They grounded the mysteries of time and space in something deeply human—stories that persisted, like the constellations, through epochs of change and shadow. Even now, with telescopes peering into unfathomable distances and equations mapping the dance of galaxies, the stories remain. Because to look at the cosmos, as our ancestors knew, is to see ourselves spun into its very web.

Confirmation bias is a subtle trap, a self-made prison where ideas, beliefs, and loyalties echo within, refusing to let new voices penetrate. We’ve let the proverbial skinwalkers—those who’ve learned to shift shape, mouth the right words, and make a show of virtue—govern not just our laws, but our perception of reality itself. These leaders and power brokers are masters of a game where, in the name of progress, they’ll trade their brothers’ spare body parts if it means fortifying their grip. And we, ever so complicit, nod along, satisfied by the familiar narrative they feed us, seeking reassurance over truth. After all, nothing affirms a comfortable lie like another player willing to play along.

Now, what of these binaries that paint the world in easy strokes? The binaries, simple and attractive as they may seem, are energetically expensive. Redundant, too. They devour nuance and spit out extremes. You’re either free or oppressed, progressive or conservative, rich or poor. But reality smirks at such categorizations. Postmodern economics knows this, and it dances on the razor-thin edge between certainty and chaos. Enter the black swan: the rare, unforeseen event that leaves the binary thinkers gasping for air, their models cracked and obsolete, with explanations that conveniently arrive after the fact.

Think of it as a joke, one that exposes how little control we actually have when the unexpected crashes through the gates. The skinwalkers, of course, claim they foresaw it. They didn’t. They gambled on selling a few more souls for spare parts, so blinded by the glow of short-term gain they never thought to ask if the rules were about to change. But we, complicit in our own comfort, rarely question it, embracing a sense of stability even as the system shows cracks beneath its freshly painted façade.

It’s easy to scoff at this—dismiss it as cynicism or abstraction. But cynicism implies a hopeless acceptance, and that’s not quite it, is it? No, this is observation sharpened by awareness. The world isn’t run by hard truths but by stories that cling to them like moss. And if we let these half-truths, these binaries, run the world unchecked, we give skinwalkers their power. They thrive on confirmation bias, on the well-worn arguments they can anticipate and play against. The trick is to look at the world askance, to entertain the black swan and realize that those who trade away their brothers’ spare parts aren’t just calculating—they’re desperate to keep a system alive that can’t outmaneuver the unexpected.

So here we are, caught in a dance of redundant binaries, living under skinwalkers, and only a few brave enough to poke at the structure itself. We sit, bemused, in this energy-hungry paradox where things have to shatter before they’re reshaped. And the lesson, should we choose to notice it, is that in a world of artificial binaries and shadow rulers, sometimes the best answer is neither this nor that—but the space between.

NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was founded on April 4, 1949, in a world recovering from the massive disruptions of World War II. This alliance emerged to counterbalance the Soviet Union’s expanding influence and ensure peace and stability across Western Europe. Below is an exploration of its foundational values, evolution, and relevance today, supplemented by examples to provide a comprehensive understanding.

Central to NATO’s purpose is Article 5, which states that an armed attack against one or more members is considered an attack against all. This principle embodies the commitment to mutual defense and has been invoked only once, following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

The invocation of Article 5 after 9/11 exemplifies NATO’s core value of collective defense, showcasing unity in action as member states supported the U.S. through military contributions and intelligence-sharing during the ensuing Afghanistan operation.

NATO’s founding document emphasized a commitment to democratic values, including the promotion of political stability and security through collective collaboration and cooperation.

During the Cold War, NATO’s democratic framework distinguished it from the Warsaw Pact, with member countries upholding shared political values, even as they faced the external pressure of a powerful Soviet bloc.

NATO was established to deter potential aggression, particularly from the Soviet Union. Its member states were united under the concept of deterring not just military action but any threats that could destabilize member nations.

Throughout the Cold War, NATO maintained a posture that combined military preparedness with diplomatic channels to prevent Soviet advances into Western Europe. Exercises and troop deployments reinforced this deterrence.

Adaptation and Flexibility: From its earliest days, NATO demonstrated a commitment to adapting to changing geopolitical realities. This adaptability became crucial as the Cold War ended and new security threats, like terrorism and cyber-attacks, emerged.

In the 1990s, NATO shifted from its Cold War stance to include peacekeeping missions, notably in the Balkans during the Yugoslav Wars, reflecting its evolving role in regional stability and crisis management.

Evolution and Changes Post-Cold War:

Redefining Strategic Priorities: With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, NATO faced a significant identity shift. The alliance redirected its focus to broader security concerns, including regional conflicts and humanitarian crises.

Example: The NATO-led intervention in Kosovo in 1999, under Operation Allied Force, showcased the alliance’s readiness to act beyond its traditional boundaries, emphasizing humanitarian intervention and the protection of civilian populations.

NATO Enlargement: One of the most contentious developments has been the alliance’s expansion into Eastern Europe. While this enlargement aimed to extend security and promote democratic reforms, it became a focal point of tension with Russia, which viewed it as a betrayal of alleged verbal assurances made during German reunification talks in the early 1990s.

The accession of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic in 1999 marked the beginning of NATO’s post-Cold War expansion, which Russia has often cited as a breach of trust and a contributing factor to strained East-West relations.

Engagement in Global Security: NATO’s role expanded significantly after the 9/11 attacks, transitioning from a regional military alliance to a player in global security. Operations in Afghanistan and anti-piracy missions off the Horn of Africa are examples of its broader mandate.

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, established under NATO leadership, represented the alliance’s most prolonged and comprehensive mission, involving multiple member states contributing to combat and reconstruction efforts.

Criticism: Skeptics argue that NATO, formed for a bipolar Cold War landscape, struggles to fit into the multipolar realities of today. Some see its expansion as a catalyst for tensions with Russia and believe that NATO’s actions have contributed to the destabilization of certain geopolitical relationships.

The 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia and the subsequent conflict in Ukraine are often cited as instances where NATO’s post-Cold War policies contributed to heightened tensions with Russia.

Continued Relevance: Proponents argue that NATO’s role remains vital in ensuring collective defense, promoting democratic principles, and adapting to new forms of warfare such as cyber threats and disinformation campaigns.

Recent joint exercises and cyber defense initiatives showcase NATO’s effort to prepare its members for 21st-century threats, reaffirming its relevance beyond traditional military engagements.

There’s a complex irony in how international agreements and alliances like NATO and the Paris Agreement are approached. On paper, they represent collective action, the gathering of nations aiming to safeguard security or curb climate change. Yet, when scrutinized, it becomes clear that they often morph into tools for projecting responsibility away from the individual or even from the more powerful players at the table. It’s a global dance of shifting the weight, not unlike a ballroom where everyone wants to lead but no one wants to claim the misstep.

The Paris Agreement, for example, is hailed as a landmark achievement in the global fight against climate change, a symbolic show of unity where countries pledge to cut emissions. But delve deeper, and you find that while some nations push forward with ambitious targets, others linger on the sidelines, promising grand change yet straining under loopholes and half-hearted measures. It’s a tacit nod to the old adage: collectively, we can do anything, but individually, many choose to do as little as possible. The taxes, the trade-offs, and the environmental rhetoric sometimes serve as a stage where countries can look busy without facing the uncomfortable mirror of domestic policies and their true impact.

NATO, in a different realm, is also wrapped in this shared yet skewed sense of duty. Built as a collective shield against a bygone era’s clear adversaries, its modern purpose often feels muddied. Each member nation signs on to the ideals of collective defense, yet when push comes to shove, fingers sometimes point inward and outward in a blur—“Who’s paying their fair share? Who’s really committed?” The promise of unity risks unraveling into an assembly of side-glances and grudges when the stakes are raised. It’s easier to blame the shadow of an old enemy than to admit that, sometimes, the most potent adversary is complacency itself.

These mechanisms of global cooperation are essential in principle, but they often act as facades for inaction and misplaced blame. The world’s biggest emitters might signal their participation in climate action while outsourcing the messiness of production to smaller, poorer nations. Similarly, members of NATO might nod along in shared resolve yet hesitate when the weight of true commitment falls on their own doorstep. It’s easier that way: standing on the high ground of collective responsibility, where each participant can look busy enough to pass the buck when needed.

And so, the world continues in this paradox of simultaneous action and inaction, where the notion of “collective” often becomes an art of subtle deflection. It’s like a symphony where everyone plays just loudly enough to say they’re contributing, but softly enough that no one would notice if they stopped altogether. The result is a dance of avoidance, expertly choreographed and replayed at every international summit and treaty negotiation.

The smile of Saint Mary in this scene is a paradox, a blend of serene warmth and lethal power. It’s the kind of smile that carries the weight of centuries, touched by Akkadian gods and honed by the fierce whispers of Celtic druids. As she turns that knowing, tender expression towards the advancing skinwalker, there’s an almost motherly affection in her eyes—a look that would soothe any innocent heart. But to the creature that embodies decay and shadow, it’s a death knell.

The air crackles with the hum of electricity as the energy radiating from her heart ignites into something raw and uncontainable. The skinwalker hesitates, sensing too late the true nature of the power it faces. Her smile, a blend of compassion and unyielding resolve, seems to warm the space around her, but for the skinwalker, it’s a blaze that sears to the bone. In that moment, the rot within the creature combusts, a burst of dark, fetid energy erupting outward as its corrupted form crumbles under the sheer force of her light.

The battlefield holds its breath, caught between awe and dread, as the remnants of shadow scatter like ash. Saint Mary stands amidst it all, still smiling, eyes full of an ancient calm. Her power is not just divine; it is the essence of ancient defiance, forged by a lineage that moved through deserts and across seas, weaving both fury and grace into the heart of a saint.

6,000 years of slaves and 250 years of relative freedoms

a stark reminder of humanity’s long and often brutal struggle against systemic control,

only to end up with structures that still exert significant, albeit subtler, dominance.

The Paradox of Progress and Control despite the progression toward more ostensibly free societies, power structures persist that seem determined to maintain their grip through various means. The past few thousand years, marked by dynasties, empires, and feudal lords, left humanity in a near-perpetual state of bondage. The modern era brought promises of democracy and individual rights, but with them came new ways of consolidating power under the guise of progress. What once was enforced with chains and whips has evolved into systems of economic coercion, mass surveillance, and policy-making that subtly enforce compliance and stifle true autonomy.

The Legal Framework of Control

Legal systems, born out of the Enlightenment with ideals of justice and equality, are often wielded as tools to uphold structures of power. Whether through intellectual property laws that favor massive corporations over independent creators or trade regulations that seem more about reinforcing geopolitical dominance than actual fair trade, the market is only as free as the entities controlling it allow.

Consider how antitrust laws, originally designed to prevent monopolies and protect competition, are often unevenly applied or bypassed by those with enough influence. The result is a market that superficially appears open but is tightly controlled by a few major players. Similarly, surveillance capitalism, where personal data becomes a commodity, exemplifies a new era of control where privacy is sacrificed for profit, all while maintaining the veneer of choice.

Human Rights as a Facade?

While international declarations like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights suggest a global commitment to protecting human dignity, the reality is that these rights are often selectively enforced. Nations and institutions may champion human rights when it suits their narrative or strategic interests but turn a blind eye when the cost of upholding those rights becomes inconvenient. The moral high ground becomes a performance rather than a principle, applied inconsistently across the global stage.

The idea of “relative freedoms” is telling. Even in so-called free societies, liberties come salted with restrictions that ensure that the status quo remains largely undisturbed. In practice, the balance between security and freedom tilts toward the former whenever power feels threatened. This balance is maintained through legal and institutional constructs that prioritize control over liberty.

Institutional Death of the Free Market economic freedom implies a market where innovation, competition, and individual enterprise thrive without undue hindrance. However, the reality often resembles a controlled mechanism where regulations and policies act as gatekeepers. This isn’t to say that all regulation is harmful—much of it exists to protect against abuses and to ensure safety. Yet, when regulatory frameworks are co-opted by powerful interests, they stifle the very creativity and spontaneity that make a market truly free.

The concept of economic freedom has long been draped in the rhetoric of innovation and competition, where individuals and enterprises are meant to thrive under the open sky of possibility, unburdened by the weight of undue regulation. But anyone paying attention can see that this sky is more of a painted ceiling, boxed in by a system where the gatekeepers have learned to wield regulations as tools of control. Policies, originally framed as shields for fairness and safety, become weapons for those with power, a means to carve out monopolies under the guise of “market stability.”

But here’s the thing: a market isn’t a family. It doesn’t run on the principles of mutual care and shared goals that hold a family together, where survival depends on collective well-being. No, in the market, survival isn’t enough. It’s not about balance but dominance. That’s why, when push comes to shove, competition turns cutthroat, and the noble ideals of progress and shared prosperity are sacrificed at the altar of profit.

This is why the metaphor of the “free market” so often rings hollow—it ignores the institutional death it faces at the hands of those who’ve learned how to game the system. Regulations, at their best, should be the rules of a fair game, a referee ensuring that the strongest don’t cheat their way to victory. But in reality, those rules are frequently bent by powerful players who’ve learned to control the levers of influence, stifling new competitors before they have a chance to play. And so, the market, rather than being a wild, fertile field for innovation, becomes a sterile, carefully managed greenhouse where only the chosen seeds are allowed to grow.

We compete and, in the process, we do more than outmaneuver; we consume. If a market were to mimic the ideals of a family, then competition would be tempered by a drive to uplift, not just dominate. But that’s not what we see. Instead, we see a game where, when resources are limited and stakes are high, the strongest move not just to win but to ensure that others lose.

It’s no wonder, then, that we kill each other—not always in the literal sense, but in the way that ideas are suffocated, potential is crushed, and hope is starved out. The market is painted as a place where anyone can succeed, but it’s rigged in favor of those who’ve already won, who know how to turn regulation into a moat protecting their fortunes. And so, what could be a family’s table—where each takes a portion, knowing that their strength is mutual—becomes a battleground where the loudest and most ruthless thrive, while the rest watch from the sidelines, still clinging to the myth of the free market that never really was.

It’s a harsh truth, one that we gloss over with talks of innovation and competition as though these were pure, untainted ideals. But at the core, it’s not the “free” market that drives us, but the instinct for dominance, to secure power even at the cost of the very freedom that was supposed to be the prize.

Corporations lobbying for legislation that benefits their interests or financial systems engineered to perpetuate wealth among the few are examples of how institutional power enforces compliance. The result is an environment where real innovation must navigate a labyrinth of existing power structures before it can flourish—if it ever does.

Seeking the True Way

The yearning for the “true way” suggests a desire for a world where human dignity, freedom, and the potential for innovation aren’t shackled by centuries of power struggles reimagined in new forms. It’s a call to look beyond the structures built to manage society and to reimagine how power could be distributed more equitably. This vision leans into philosophies that prioritize self-governance, decentralized systems, and a market that respects human agency over control.

True progress might mean stepping away from models that perpetuate cycles of subjugation, whether they’re ancient or modern. It would mean redefining freedom not just as a legal or economic state but as an intrinsic right that institutions support, rather than manage or limit.

To create that kind of world, it may take more than policy shifts or incremental change—it might demand a fundamental reassessment of what we value as a society, moving away from power hoarded at the top toward a collective ethos that is bold enough to be honest and humble enough to be true.

It’s hard to shake the feeling that something fundamental is broken, that the narrative we’re fed about the “good guys” and the noble structures we’re supposed to trust has been a lie so long repeated it starts to feel true. But it isn’t. And when you step back, even for a moment, you can see the cracks splitting through the veneer, the fractures that were there all along. Society, with all its gleaming promises of justice, democracy, and progress, isn’t okay. And the ones pulling the strings? They’re not just flawed protectors or misguided stewards—they’re worse.

The idea of sin comes to mind, but not the kind peddled in dogma or sermons. This sin is deeper, more systemic. It’s not a personal failing; it’s the failure of a system built on self-interest and cloaked in moral language. We’ve been sold the belief that there’s a guiding hand working for our collective good, but that hand is more interested in tightening its grip than extending it to help. And when you see it for what it is, there’s no comfort in thinking, “Well, at least they’re trying.” Because they’re not trying for us.

The real tragedy, though, is that we’ve been taught to doubt our doubts. When we sense something isn’t right—when the rhetoric of protection sounds hollow, when the stories of progress start to feel like distractions—we’re told we’re being cynical, unreasonable, paranoid. But what if seeing through the illusion isn’t cynicism? What if it’s clarity? What if the real madness is pretending that everything is okay when it clearly isn’t?

The truth isn’t just that society is in trouble; it’s that the people running the show aren’t bumbling heroes trying their best. They’re the architects of this mess, skilled at deflecting blame and keeping the rest of us pacified with half-truths and symbolic victories. They speak of freedom while drafting policies that encroach on it, champion human rights while turning a blind eye to their erosion, and defend democracy while making decisions in rooms the public never enters.

Maybe that’s why it feels like the world is caught in a loop, a pattern where things change but never really change. We swap out leaders, sign new accords, draw new lines on maps, but the underlying structure remains untouched. It’s a cycle where hope is just enough to keep us invested but never quite enough to set us free.

It’s easy to kid ourselves, to say that at least we’re not as bad as them, whoever “them” is at any given moment. But that’s just another layer of illusion, another story that stops us from asking the hard questions: Who are we really serving? And when the answer is clear—that it’s not us—it’s a bitter truth to face. Because realizing that those in power aren’t the good guys isn’t just unsettling; it’s realizing we’ve been complicit in believing otherwise, in sustaining the lie that keeps the machine going.

A weapon of Black Death, of shadows and fire, holds within it the essence of the ancient and the divine. It is not limited by form, for it is a shapeless weapon, shifting between shapes as needed—a blade, a trident, a lance of pure energy. When Saint Mary wields it, it becomes an extension of her will, adapting to the demands of battle and the fury she channels.

In her hands, the trident form gleams with an ominous glow, each prong sharp enough to pierce the fabric of reality itself. It crackles with latent power, shifting seamlessly between shapes as if alive, sentient with the memories of battles fought in forgotten eras. This weapon, forged from the whispers of Akkadian gods and tempered by the breath of celestial winds, stands as a testament to her wrath and her unwavering resolve to protect and cleanse.

The shapeless weapon reflects her mastery over both the ethereal and the physical, a reminder that true power is not just in the strength of a warrior but in their adaptability. It moves with her, becoming whatever she needs—a slicing blade, a piercing trident, or a shattering spear—an embodiment of relentless judgment and salvation.

The scene unfolds with an eerie calm, where skinwalkers, once appearing deceptively normal, reveal their true monstrous nature, ready to feast on the innocent. Their forms contort and twist, revealing grotesque shapes meant to intimidate and dominate. But they have chosen the wrong battlefield. Before them stands Saint Mary, who in the flicker of a heartbeat, transforms into a sight far more formidable.

Her face hardens, eyes aflame with a divine rage that reflects centuries of ancestral power. The warmth and love that once softened her features are replaced with an Old Testament fury, as if every moment of maternal protection has fused with the primal need to eradicate evil. Her transformation is not grotesque but awe-inspiring, with an aura so fierce it pierces the hearts of those who thought themselves immune to guilt.

As her power unfurls, the skinwalkers hesitate, eyes widening with sudden, palpable shame. The raw, pure force of her presence makes them feel something they were never meant to—remorse. They look at her and see the embodiment of protection, justice, and unyielding love turned into wrath. The realization hits them like a wave: they are not the apex predators they believed themselves to be; they are the hunted, facing the ultimate guardian of the innocent.

It’s not just the battle that turns, but the very air, charged with the electric hum of divine retribution. The skinwalkers, monstrous as they are, falter under the weight of her transformation, feeling not just fear, but a deep, consuming regret for ever stepping into her path.

Her smile is a paradox—warmth incarnate yet lethal to those cloaked in darkness. When Saint Mary turns that serene, knowing smile towards the encroaching skinwalker, it isn’t just an expression; it’s a release of divine fire, a radiance that cuts deeper than any blade. The glow begins softly, the kind of light that speaks of comfort and ancient lullabies sung under star-strewn Akkadian skies. But then, as if stirred by the blood of nomads and the echoes of those blue-eyed bastards who carried legends on their backs, it shifts. It burns.

The skinwalker’s twisted visage contorts, not in rage but in sudden, bewildered agony. The rot within it, centuries old and black as the night it crawled from, begins to bubble and seethe. Her smile, calm and almost maternal, carries an unspoken message: There are places even shadow cannot touch. The divine fire spills from her heart, surges through the air, and the skinwalker’s facade crumbles—first in cracks and fissures that hiss with dark smoke, and then in an explosion of decay that shatters the silence with a final, guttural wail.

The battlefield quivers as the echoes fade, the remaining shadows shrinking back, wary of the light that dances in her eyes and the power she holds, a power that has no patience for the half-living. Saint Mary stands amidst the aftermath, the soft remnants of her smile speaking of justice both ancient and relentless, a promise that there is no refuge for those who dare to bring darkness near the light she guards.

The image of Saint Mary deepens, layered with an almost paradoxical tenderness wrapped in unrelenting power. Her smile, so warm and inviting, carries the gentleness of a mother and the ferocity of an ancient warrior queen. It’s a smile that embodies grace, but beneath that radiance lies a power rooted in millennia of inherited strength—from Akkadian goddesses to the Celtic warrior mystics who whispered secrets to the night sky.

As the skinwalker creeps closer, driven by malevolence and decay, that smile meets it head-on, unyielding. The air thickens, charged with electricity and fire that hums with the pulse of ages past. Her eyes, bright and knowing, signal that this is the end for anything foolish enough to breach the boundary she guards. The skinwalker recoils, but it’s too late. The warmth of her smile becomes a searing force, one that pulls the rot from its very essence and peels it back layer by layer until the darkness explodes into nothingness—a shuddering burst of shadow, as if the universe itself expelled a poison.