tsubasa reverse updated: "lament of blood"

[mood | ecstatic]
[music | The Mann - Paul Linford and Chris Vrenna (Need for Speed Most Wanted OST)]

before all, i want to greet every visitor a very happy new year! i hope this year's better for all of us. XD

so there, anyway, i just finished this year's last update for Tsubasa Reverse, "Act 13: Lament of Blood". sounds like some sort of Castlevania game huh? lol. anyways, special thanks to Sakura who motivated me to finally finish this update before the year passes through to oblivion. as for the chapter guides, i'll probably post it here later.

the chapter can be found HERE.

Lament of Blood contains some gore, so be forewarned. i haven't really exceeded its T rating, though.

and yeah, FP's acting up again. i found that there were some reviews that i haven't received an alert about, and it's getting kinda irritating. special mention goes to The Breakdancing Ninja, the newest reader to the saga of Tsubasa Reverse and who gave me a very welcome review. i'll probably spend the first week of January returning reviews as i have no excuse now to slack off; i'll do my best to update regularly this time.

so that's it. again, happy new year! and if you're here to read TR, then go ahead and click the link above (or find it on your own at the navi bar on the left).

~DD

merry christmas!

[mood | cheerful]
[music | Last Christmas - BoA (Winter Love single)]

merry Christmas everyone!!!

well i know it's late, but what the heck, it's just the 26th today.

so belated greetings for the holidays and here's to hoping your Christmas was better than mine, and a good new year to all!

~DD

i am the dark lord's heir.

[mood | excited]
[music | NightmaRe - SNoW (Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori OP)]

why does SNoW like irregular letter cases? just wondering.

anyway, i was able to play the first expansion pack for the Electronic Arts' Battle for Middle-earth series, The Lord of the Rings The Battle for Middle-earth II: The Rise of the Witch-king (i know, it's one of the damnably-long game titles in recent history). it chronicles the rise of the leader of the Nazgûl, the Witch-king, in the northern territory of Angmar with which he destroyed the divided kingdoms of Arnor. the story is set 1,300 or so years after the Last Alliance (or about 1,700 years before the events of the Lord of the Rings), and the game puts you as the Witch-king and the conquest of Arnor.

EA has tweaked a lot in this game, and even includes Angmar as a new playable faction, which makes a total of seven. there are massive changes in the War of the Ring, Create-A-Hero, and Skirmish types, plus there are all-new units for existing factions. the centerpiece of these new units are the mini-heroes, or those units who are between a hero and an elite horde in power. mini-heroes are distinguished by a limit on how many can exist at a battlefield at any given time.

the list below describes the all-new units for The Rise of the Witch-king.

1.) Men of the West

• Knights of Dol Amroth - the famed knights from the princedom of Dol Amroth, a province of Gondor. during the War of the Ring, they fought under the banner of Prince Imrahil and were known as "Swan Knights". in ROTWK, they're built for a limit of only 3 battalions at any one time, costs 1500 gold and 95 Command Points. a battalion consists of 5 knights and have a level-4 passive ability that gives mounted units near them bonuses in damage and armor.
• Rohan Spearmen - because in BFME2 Men lost the invaluable spearmen from Rohan, now they're back as a cheap and easy way to fend Angmar's Thrall-Wolf Rider rush. these spearmen can be built even from a level 1 Barracks.

2.) Elves

• Noldor Warriors - the Noldor are the second clan of Elves who saw the light of the Blessed Realm. Feanor, who wrought the Silmaril Jewels, was the most well-known of their race, and they were one of the largest clan of Elves in Middle-earth after their exile from the land of the West. Noldor Warriors number only 5 per battalion, with a limit of 3 at any one time, and are fully upgraded with Forged Blades when using swords, and Silverthorn arrows when using bows. They have a level-7 active ability that gives them boosts in damage.
• Lindon Horse Archers - these were the kinsmen of Gil-galad, the High Elven King who, with the aid of Elendil, the High King of Men, defeated Sauron during the Last Alliance. Lindon Horse Archers are mounted archers, just like the Rohirrim, but they can only use bows.

3.) Dwarves

• Prince Brand, the Prince of Dale (hero) - historically Dale was the leading ally of Dwarves, and Brand perished with King Dain during the War of the Ring. Prince Brand is the only Dwarven, non-Dwarf hero and can toggle weapons from sword to bow and vice versa.
  
• Dwarven Zealot - the mini-hero of the Dwarves in this expansion. basically a souped-up Guardian, Zealots have berserker rage at level 7 which pumps up their offensive capabilities.

4.) Mordor

• Gothmog, Lieutenant of Minas Morgul (hero) - best known for his barf-like skin color and heavily disfigured face, including his valor during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, Gothmog is a cavalry hero and even afoot he is very quick and agile.
• Black Riders - the mini-hero of Mordor. they're the Nazgûl mounted on their deathly horses, famous for their first appearances during the first movie of the film trilogy. you can only have 1 Black Rider battalion at any given time.
• Black Orc Warriors - like the Dwarven Zealots, Black Orcs are improved versions of the Orc Warriors with more durability and offensive power.
  
• Haradrim Lancers - EA's answer to Mordor's total lack of quick-moving infantry. Haradrim Lancers came from Harad, one of the kingdoms of Men sworn in allegiance to Sauron, and are mounted on horses bearing lances.

5.) Isengard

• Uruk Deathbringers - these highly-trained Uruk swordsmen wield their dual swords to devastating effect, much like massively-empowered Uruk Berserkers. they are the mini-heroes of Isengard, and each battalion only consists of 3 Deathbringers.
• Warg Packs - replaced the Warg Riders with more terrifying, and improved versions, with Uruks riding Wargs and wielding lances.
• Wild Men Axethrowers - just like those of Angmar's Axe Throwers, but without their vulnerability (Thrall Master).
  

6.) Goblins

• Azog of Moria (hero) - the new hero of the Goblin faction, Azog is the leader of the Goblins residing at Moria and a very formidable opponent. he's an all-around support-offensive hero.
• Fire Drake Brood - the mini-heroes of the Goblins. because of their sheer power only 2 are allowed at any one time.
• Half-Troll Swordsmen - EA wasn't content with the Half-Troll Marauders, who are basically the strongest pikemen in the game. now they give the Goblins arguably the best infantry to date, in the form of the Half-Troll Swordsmen.

anyway that's about it. more info on my life will be posted later, because i'm so busy playing this game. XD laterz~!

~DD

tsubasa revolution is now up!

[mood | happy]
[music | May It Be - Enya (The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Theme]

i just uploaded Tsubasa Revolution, the Tsubasa Christmas Special on my page at Fictionpress. check it out HERE. you can also find it on the navigation bar to the left.

to those who don't know, Tsubasa Revolution tells the story of a young man, Shino, who has spent his entire life searching for a love that he knew he'd die upon finding. his fate and that of his love is intertwined with a tragic fictional romance called the Sakura no Monogatari, or the Tale of the Sakura Tree. the story also comes with a supplementary glossary to explain the several terms used in the course of the narrative, as most of these terms are Japanese (the setting was patterned after feudal Japan btw).

aside from this accomplishment i've done nothing today but to drool over Battle for Middle-earth II's expansion pack, The Rise of the Witch-king, which was released last November 28th. omg cool, there's an all-new faction, Angmar, which in LOTR lore was the Witch-king's dominion when he destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Arnor, a counterpart of Gondor.

anyway here's to hoping you'd read Revolution and review. thanks in advance!

~DD

and an end was come.

[mood | satisfied]
[music | Baby It's You - JUNE (Bleach 9th ED)]

"Here ends The SILMARILLION. If it has passed from the high and the beautiful to darkness and ruin, that was of old the fate of Arda Marred; and if any change shall come and the Marring be amended, Manwë and Varda may know; but they have not revealed it, and it is not declared in the dooms of Mandos."

- the end of Quenta Silmarillion (The Silmarillion 2nd Edition, 2001)

i just finished reading The Silmarillion (i know, it's long overdue being such a fantasy fan), and i was like, blushing after i read it. it was magnificent, even with those long-winded English that Tolkien used, and very dramatic and poignant. even up to now while i'm writing this, i'm filled with the sense of child-like wonder that only the master, Tolkien himself, could impart to his readers.

to those who don't know, The Silmarillion is the backbone of the works that J.R.R. Tolkien (The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings) had written, but was not published in his lifetime for the lore and world of Middle-earth grew with him. The Silmarillion, according to Tolkien, is his most important work, and details the creation of the world, the birth of the Elves and Men afterwards, the first Great Enemy, and the creation of the Silmarils -- the three Jewels that were the centerpiece of the drama of the First Age, and the entire book.

according to the Silmarillion, the entire fate of the Elven race (or the Eldar, as they are known by the gods, or Quenya, as they refer to themselves) are intertwined with the Silmarils. these were jewels crafted by the master craftsman Fëanor, who in his pride desired to trap the light of the Two Trees of the Blessed Realm - Telperion and Laurelin. in the course of the story, the Silmarils were stolen by Melkor, a renegade god who was later known as Morgoth, the Great Enemy, of whom Sauron was only a vassal of. from then on the story told of the Elves' hopeless but valiant war against Morgoth to win back the Silmarils, until the arrival of Men with which, it was foretold long ago, that their greatest peril yet final redemption lied. among other stories, it also narrated the first union of mortal Man and immortal Elf, Beren and Luthien, of which the most noble race of Men and Elf were descended from, including Aragorn and Elrond.

the second edition of The Silmarillion i read came with several supplementary documents. first was the Ainulindalë, or the "Music of the Ainur", that said of the creation of the world and the supreme god, Iluvatar (or called Eru, "the One"). next was the Valaquenta, or the lore of the Elves concerning the creation of Arda, the name of the world, and the descent of the gods subject to Iluvatar to earth, the Valar, and their attendant spirits, the Maiar. then came the Silmarillion proper of the Quenta Silmarillion, after which is Akallabêth, the recollection of the fall of the favored Men, and The Rings of Power and the Third Age, the link to the Lord of the Rings.

it was published last 2001 by the Houghton-Mifflin Company and edited by Tolkien's son, Christopher Tolkien.

just as the Philadelphia Inquirer said, "It is beautiful... an enchanted tale of tragedy and triumph... The Silmarillion is magical in the grand old style."
i heartily agree.

~DD

anger management vol. 1

[mood | bitchy... VERY]
[music | Seigi to Jiyuu - Sahashi Toshihiko (Mobile Suit Gundam SEED OST III)]

i'm able to accomplish a fair number of things today (in my standards, lol), but i just can't explain why i'm so lethargic today, i feel like i'm tired of the world. sound like a dying old man?

i finally was able to fix the damned error in my PC whenever i try to scan with the Logitech QuickCam Communicate STX installed. before, Windows asks that i reconnect the camera when i try to scan something, but with the suggestions of the wonderful people at Ichiraku Ramen i finally was able to arrive at a solution.

guess what.

i merely updated the scanner driver. LOL. i've scanned the lineart (read: character design reference only) for Aoikaze Luinhil, the first to be finished. i'm too lazy to upload it now, though; maybe the next post?

anyway i uninstalled Kaspersky Anti-Virus earlier today. the uninstallation procedure was such a pain in the ass: imagine deleting every track of the software during the previous scans. KAV called it "iStreams" or whatever. i deleted it, restarted the computer... or, rather, tried to. Windows won't load this time, most probably because of files that shouldn't be deleted that Kaspersky FUCKING DELETED because it was such a craptastic goddamned program.

anyway i just rebooted Windows with last known good configuration, and from then it worked fine. er, i think so. at least Kaspersky isn't around anymore. and oh, i uninstalled RF Online as well, because the fucking client won't patch the newer mp3s. i prolly need a new installer; this one is the installer i got from Warzone, the shop near Mapua Intramuros, during the Giga 3 days.

which leaves only DOTA as a game here in this PC. /swt

i updated most of my utility programs today, of which my switching to the Final version of WMP 11 is the most noteworthy. i downloaded a new version of MUBlinder today (version 3.2), which includes separate blinding plugins. oh, the wonders people make to circumvent everything Microsoft does. if i was Bill Gates (or whoever the hell runs Microsoft now) i'll probably end up mental because of these bastards.

i also updated my CCleaner, downloaded a new version of CounterSpy (1.5.82), and cracked it so i have 9999 days before it expires. that's nearly 28 years of subscription! yay me. there was also a new version of VLC media player, so i took it, and updated the definitions of my AV and AS software. it just ticked me big time when i saw PC-Cillin 2007 Internet Suite is very NOT compatible with AVG.

and to top it all off: i downloaded LimeWire. lol. and i said i hated P2P proggies. so tell me, is it just me or everyone who uses LimeWire are addicted to porn? try a search and see what you find out.

so why the hell do i feel so tired and disappointed? i dunno. maybe because it was just this damned PC everytime? there was even an SMS to my aunt earlier regarding two employers who'd like to see my resume (come to think of it, i haven't sent them an email yet -_-). so why...?

WHY... WHY FUCKING WHY?

do i seem so angry at the world? yup. maybe. there's also this pervert who sent a message to Sakura earlier this evening. i won't post the details here, but the message was like, uh, Japanese of "fuck me". lol. i was infuriated, but the rage quickly passed and devolved into something like, "oookay..." sort of thing. like, God, how many pathetic, super-FAIL lowlife morons would actually send something like OVER THE FREAKIN' MOBILE NETWORK? okay, top of the miserable losers list. instant winner. lol. not to mention this fag IS a boyfriend of someone she knows.

our hamster Amigo is to be sent to the foster care of.... dandandandandan!!! a trash collector.

WHAT THE FUCK? i know it's occupational prejudice but still...

why does the poor animal need to be blamed for our misfortunes (yes, i'm talking about superstition)? aw well. if we really can't find anyone to get this pitiful rodent, i guess it's bye-bye. if you're reading this and you want a Siberian hamster, my God, please email me, right away.

okay so the mood probably should be 'angry' more than 'bitchy'. i dunno. if you can't, probably gtfo and leave me alone. as Yoda says:



Tsubasa Reverse? wth is that? lol. only made 2 pages today. my skills are leaving me... or am i just too angry to care at the moment?

~DD

the bane of honor, the death of duty.

[mood | pensive]
[music | Kimi Ga Tame - Suara (Utawarerumono final episode ED)]

"Love is the bane of honor, the death of duty... A craven be as brave as any man, when there is nothing to fear. And we all do our duty, when there is no cost to it. How easy it seems then, to walk the path of honor. Yet soon or late in a man's life comes a day when it is not easy, a day when he must choose."

- Maester Aemon Targaryen, of Castle Black

i just found this quote, from George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones, the first book of the epic fantasy A Song of Ice and Fire, really touching. as i'm sure most of you have experienced the very same thing that Maester Aemon had said, i'll leave it up to you, to ponder and reflect on what you must really do -- when such a time comes. because i experienced it, and destroyed my future for the sake of love, a love that was a, as the song goes, "kastilyong buhangin" (sand castle).

now as i go through another relationship that i hope to be something that i would stay with, if not forever, then as long as possible, i ask myself again this question. what should i choose?

would it be the one i love?

or would it be the one i must do?

there are always uncertainties in life, i learned, but some things are more uncertain than others.

but there are also certain choices that you would always take, regardless of being wrong.

just something for you people to think about as you read this, and something that i must think on as i retire for the night. it's always about choices, this life; and these choices cannot be undone once decided. life is too short for us to have errors, so when you choose, choose well, as i haven't.

that day will come sooner or later. choose wisely.

~DD

writer's block?

[mood | frustrated]
[music | Annani ni Isshodattanoni 2006 - See-Saw (Gundam Seed/Seed Destiny ~ The Bridge]

ARGH.

and i thought i'd be able to make some progress on the 14th chapter of Tsubasa Reverse today. instead, nothing happened, and here i still am trying to internalize so i can write at least a page before i go to sleep. not to mention, i deleted TWO entire pages of text last night because i was dissatisfied with it.

and TWO PAGES is like, "ohmg wtf r u doin" kinda thing. if you've tried sitting in front of a computer and thinking of what to write next, you'd probably hate me forever for nonchalantly erasing two pages. lol. but oh well...

i'm thinking of uploading Revolution already. fan reaction to the 13th chapter was actually very low, with only 3 reviews for said update, although i'm hoping it was because of not doing anything for three weeks. so if you're here and reading, stop wth you're doing and READ! and review, while you're at it. lol. so yeah, if this keeps up i prolly would up the schedule for Revolution, which was supposed to be my Christmas Special.

at least Sakura was able to make the lineart for Aoikaze Luinhil. the day itself was not wasted... but still! i need to really write the 14th right. about. now. but i'll probably post some thoughts on characters to pass the time.

and what the hell happened to RF Online? my client disconnects halfway through the patching. o_O

i refuse to succumb to writer's block. i'll be updating soon.

~DD

we are one.

[mood | nostalgic]
[music | One - Lee So Jung (RF Online Love Theme)]

i remember a year ago i used to cut classes in college just to play this game. back then, nothing mattered to me aside from this, where everyday from morning to evening before i retire to bed i could hear this main theme playing as the client updates itself.

since then a lot had happened. i founded one of the best, if not the best guild, in the server where i played, directed them to victories, shared in their griefs, scolded them, praised them, led them whenever possible. i saw this guild rise to prominence, saw guilds and friendships break apart, but only the establishment i helped found stood the test of time. loyalty, honor, and courage -- the very cornerstone where this guild was erected on, the vision that i and an honored friend had begun, once, a year ago.

i witnessed the downfall of my race, and i saw how we were almost torn. i kept them together, we kept ourselves together. and finally, in that day over half a year ago, i decided to quit, to reorganize my priorities, and the life that i have shunned in my attention to this virtual world of war and alliance.

but contrary to the beliefs of my peers when i decided to leave, the guild lasted. it became stronger, more powerful, more bonded. this post is meant to thank you that the vision of Gai`alshadar has lived on, stronger than ever before. i thank you for the honor of serving with you, and while my strength has already waned far below your present capabilities, i will always think of you with pride.

rise from your sleep, my children... prevail, children, for the day of Fate. mabuhay ang Gai`alshadar.

this is the lyrics of RF Online's main theme, One, sung by the Korean singer Lee So Jung.

ONE
RF Online Main Theme
Vocals: Lee So Jung
Composition and Arrangement: Cho Sung Woo

"When I saw you for the first time / I knew you are the one.
You didn't say a word to me / but love was in the air.
Then you held my hand / and pulled me into your world.
From then on my life has changed for good / Now I'll never feel lonely again
'Cause you are in my life.

Love / how can I explain to you / the way I feel inside when I think of you?
I thank you for everything that you've showed me
Don't you ever forget / that I love you.

"Love / I know that someday that soon / you'll be right next to me.
Holding me so tight / so I will always be yours,
Although we can't be together now / remember that I am here for you
And I know that you're there for me.

Whenever I long to be with you / I just close my eyes and pretend you're here.
I see you, I touch you, I feel you / like real.
Nothing can change what I feel inside.

How long must I be far away from you?
I don't know, dear but / I know we are ONE."

~DD

new review up!

[mood | disappointed]
[music | Stargazer ~ Hoshi no Tobira - Satori Negishi (Gundam SEED Stargazer ED)]

i posted a new review for the DVD version of Stargazer in my Friendster profile. My thoughts on the DVD version is all in there.

just so you know, your 6300 yen (tax included) would really go to a BIG waste if you insist on buying that one, even if you're a collector. believe me. Sunrise put only a token effort into fulfilling their promise of "additional DVD footage", when all it was were few stills played during the ED (of which Stargazer can still boast of).

and they haven't even cleaned the animation!!!

the DVD was released last November 24th and comes with the two animated Astray shorts.

~DD

the cast list of Tsubasa Reverse - revealed!

[mood | cold]
[music | Colors - FLOW (Code Geass ~ Lelouch of the Rebellion OP)]

aw. while i do love rain, it's been raining here nonstop for over half a day already. omg it's wet. but it's cold, so it's probably okay; at least i don't have to sit in front of the fan.

as promised, here's the cast list of Tsubasa Reverse as they are used in the story, 13 chapters on and 46,000+ words up. note that these names are the member names of Ichiraku Ramen; their real names would be updated as soon as I get hold of them. the character names are on the left; the ones where I got them from are on the right.

CAST:

1. Nive Eventide/Seles - me
2. Fanella Laehlian/Selesvain - vermilion
3. Liera Heldottir - xiel
4. Amitiel Riognach - akee
5. Cassiel Riognach - kana
6. Kera Evergrace - Machi-chan
7. Aoikaze Luinhil - Aoikaze
8. Fyreon Zethia - +yami_akira+
9. Alocer Nightstrider - Alocer
10. Ladrinne Milan - yume_tsukine
11. Alesandir Elan - Aki-kun
12. Damien Aisling - fausT

STAFF:
Original concept: yume_tsukine, from the RPG Kibou no Tsubasa
Series composition: Diamond Dust
Original character design: Diamond Dust
Character artwork: Stellar
Blog layout and design: Stellar
Editor: Maiya_sama
Game scenario editor/mechanic design: Diamond Dust, Lord_Specineff13
Manga translation (proposed): kittikai

anyway that's it for the meantime. as the project goes bigger, I'd probably include more people in this staff list, which is actually just crediting them rather than them having an actual hand in the production of the story.

~DD

first post ~ yay!

[mood | accomplished]
[music | Ryuusei Miracle, Ikimonogakari (Tenpou Ibun Ayakashi Ayashi OP)]

Y HALO THAR! it is I once again. welcome to Divergent Wing, the blog dedicated to my ramblings as I make the world of Tsubasa and my otherwise insane, outrageous, sarcastic, and totally contradicting moods.

you may ask, "WTF IS TSUBASA?!"

no, it's not Tsubasa Chronicle. in fact, Tsubasa came from an Ichiraku Ramen play-by-post RPG, "Kibou no Tsubasa". I made the original story for that said game that was sadly discontinued, so to salvage what was left of it I made the story as a novel, and here it is. the Tsubasa stories are actually quite numerous, but the main story is called Tsubasa Reverse--the parallel world retelling of the RPG as it would have been if it had succeeded.

the Tsubasa stories are focused on the world of Nithelice, a world with a single, middle continent. most of the side-stories are set on Nithelice prior to its Winter Age, an era of endless winter, while its full-length novelizations (Reverse and Exceed) are set nearly two hundred years into this ice age. while their plots are seemingly divergent from one another, they are actually overlapping and are quite related, in Nithelice's rich and varied over six-thousand-year history. Tsubasa also uses moral concepts to illustrate its underlying themes; for example, Reverse concentrates on the idea of moral conflict, Exceed on the question of what makes a man a man, Revolution on timeless love, and Redux on friendship and loyalty.

the post after this is the cast list of Tsubasa Reverse, as most of the characters in the story were characters made by the members of Ichiraku Ramen. in that post I will give credit to them, but insofar as the characters and their dealings in the story are concerned, they copyrighted to me.

i chose the name Divergent Wing to illustrate two points: first is that this blog goes outside the box to give readers and visitors alike a glimpse of how i view the story and its progress. second, it refers to the legendary lost wing of the God of Winter, Imrassar, that was said to end the Winter Age.

so please stay with me, dear reader, as we embark on a journey across the World of Tsubasa, and hopefully to its quest of becoming a published fantasy novel or a manga. a big thanks to Meira (a.k.a. Stellar), who did the wonderful layout featuring Cain from Trinity Blood and a theme evoking the image of something long frozen.

~DD