The Ballad Of A Semi-Benevolent Dragon

Chapter 27: The Dragon Gives Gifts

Doomwing resisted the urge to immediately contact Frostfang using his mirror. Unlike Ashheart, who simply spoke whatever was on his mind, Frostfang had always been fairly deliberate in his speech. He was most at ease when others did the same, which had led many to mistake his measured nature for hostility.

That was foolishness. There was no mistaking when Frostfang was hostile.

There were massive icebergs from the end of the Third Age that had yet to melt. They were a glimpse of what the other primordial dragon could do when wrath filled his heart.

First and foremost, Doomwing should inform him of the struggle for the land beneath the umbral veil. He doubted that Frostfang would take much interest in it since he typically preferred to remain in the absolute cold of the true north, a place where only creatures of ice and frost could survive. It was unlikely that he would leave that area unless it was necessary or he got particularly bored. However, it was best to tell him now, rather than to leave it to chance.

Frostfang was aware of Marcus, as were most of the other primordial dragons. He had once referred to Marcus as Doomwing's 'pet vampire'. He would probably refrain from attacking Marcus unless provoked out of respect for Doomwing. From Frostfang's point of view, Marcus was a part of Doomwing's hoard, so attacking him unnecessarily would be rude. And for all of Marcus's faults, Doomwing was confident that his friend was not stupid enough to attack Frostfang.

Doomwing would also have to ascertain what Frostfang was doing in the far north. He doubted it was anything too dangerous. Some of his fellow primordial dragons were extremely lacking in common sense, but Frostfang was not one of them. If anything, he was one of the more reliable ones. He could be counted on to help when there was a Catastrophe, and he at least tried to minimise the amount of needless collateral damage he inflicted when he travelled.

It was not that Doomwing particularly cared for those who were harmed when his fellow primordial dragons awakened and went about their business. Rather, he detested what he perceived as a lack of control. They were the oldest and mightiest of their kind. It was disgraceful that some of them still could not properly control their powers.

Look at Ashheart. He knew how some of the others looked at his friend. They viewed the tectonic dragon as a stupid brute who relied on Doomwing to guide him. Ashheart was certainly a brute, but he was not stupid, and his control was outstanding. His mere presence could shatter the earth and set his surroundings ablaze, yet Ashheart had spent plenty of time around dwarves and other creatures without harming them. It was something to be proud of, a sign of his hard work and mastery.

Stormbringer was the opposite. The female dragon was essentially a living storm, and the last time Doomwing had seen her, she had left a trail of utter devastation in her wake as she flew into battle against the Exiled Star. Tearing winds, torrential rain, and endless lightning strikes had scarred the earth as she passed, and he couldn't help but wonder if she would have done better in the fight if she'd kept a tighter leash on her powers prior to her arrival. It would have meant having just a little bit more energy to face the Exiled Star. Yes, it wouldn't have been much, but in a battle against a foe like the Exiled Star, every last drop of power was precious.

Frostfang was a fairly private dragon too. He preferred to be left to go about his business although he was happy to be contacted if something truly important came up. Doomwing would have to take that into account. It was always interesting talking to his fellow primordial dragons. He could not simply order them around. They were his equals, and to address them in any other fashion would be to invite disaster.

After taking another few moments to collect his thoughts, Doomwing activated his mirror again. Ideally, he would have contacted Frostfang in a more subtle manner, but the other dragon maintained a number of spells and runes that made it impossible to track or interfere with him across long distances. All of the primordial dragons did that, as did people like Marcus. It was simply common sense.

Yes, it made it harder for Doomwing to reach out to those he knew, but it was simply too risky to let others divine their location or use long-range magic on them. That was why his mirror was so valuable. It could locate people even through such defensive magic and establish communications with them.

More than one of his fellows had tried to buy it from him, but Doomwing was never going to sell it. It was far too valuable, and although he could theoretically make another one, the resources involved would be quite troublesome to acquire. If he was going to remain awake for longer this time, he would have to finish his research into long-range communication artifacts. He had stopped work because of the Sixth Catastrophe, and he had not stayed awake long enough in the past to continue it. Now would be the ideal time to finish it. It would allow him to stay in contact with his minions and to establish communications with the other primordial dragons without relying on his mirror.

If he could make the artifacts in question suitably impressive looking and valuable, then his fellow primordial dragons would likely accept, especially if they could use it to speak to each other. He smiled thinly. At the same time, it should be possible to weave the subtlest of magics to let him listen in on those conversations. He could trust most of his fellows to not use such items to conspire against him, but there were a few who would gladly seem him dead if they thought they could get away with it.

However, simply dealing with them was out of the question. The results of any such battle were far from certain, and he knew that even his own allies would not want to strike first. They had all managed to survive this long by not attacking each other unnecessarily, and that policy was unlikely to change any time soon.

His mirror shone brightly for a moment before an image appeared above it. It took Doomwing a moment to understand what he was seeing. A trio of small dragons were happily playing on top of what appeared to be a glacier. They stopped when they saw him, and the glacier beneath them seemed to crack and then uncoil, revealing Frostfang himself, with the hatchlings perched upon his snout.

The other primordial dragon was similar in size to Doomwing with scales that varied from the white of pure snow to the eerie blue of a glacier. Like Ashheart, he was on the broader side, albeit not as physically imposing as the tectonic dragon. His eyes almost seemed blind, for they were completely white and seemingly devoid of pupils. Doomwing knew better. Frostfang's vision was as keen as any dragon's. The apparent blindness was purely cosmetic, a quirk often found in dragons from his particular lineage. His scales were smooth and gleamed like ice, but in battle, jagged spikes would erupt along his back, tail, and body. Doomwing had seen him kill more than one opponent by coiling around them and simply shredding them with those spikes. It was a gruesome but effective approach.

Still the hatchlings

Doomwing's eyes narrowed, and he examined them more closely. All three were ice dragons, the lowest stage of the lineage Frostfang belonged to. For him to allow them to clamber all over him and even perch on his snout meant they were either his hatchlings or the hatchlings of someone he cared for deeply. Doomwing had no idea that Frostfang had taken a mate, but it seemed more likely than the often aloof dragon suddenly befriending another dragon of the same lineage who just happened to have hatchlings.

"It would seem that congratulations are in order," Doomwing said. Dragons did not produce many children, so to have three hatchlings was certainly worthy of congratulations. "I did not know you had taken a mate."

Frostfang bared his teeth in a smile full of satisfaction. It reminded Doomwing of the expression the other dragon wore after hunting down a particularly large and tasty polar kraken. "I have been fortunate. I took their mother for my mate not long after you slumbered last time, and our hatchlings hatched not long before your present awakening."

"Is that so?" Doomwing studied the hatchlings again. They were all of similar size, roughly twelve feet in length. Like many hatchlings, their proportions weren't quite right, and they could be viewed as more adorable than imposing. Even so, a twelve-feet-long hatchling could still make short work of most foes, and Frostfang had always been a thoughtful dragon. He would never allow anything truly dangerous to get too close to his hatchlings. "Is their mother someone I know?"

Frostfang's tail moved to poke someone, and another dragon moved into view. She was smaller than Frostfang, but she was still roughly half a mile long. However, her scales lacked the same almost hypnotic gleam that Frostfang's had. Likewise, the set of her wings and the shape of her tail all hinted that she had yet to undergo her Fourth Awakening. If Doomwing had to guess, she was likely a glacial dragon, a stage below Frostfang who was a winter dragon.

"This is Snowscale," Frostfang said, and Doomwing fought to keep his expression neutral as Frostfang shifted to wrap himself around her protectively. Snowscale's tail entwined with his. On Frostfang's snout, the three hatchlings made choking sounds, clearly unamused by the display of affection. "You might have met her once or twice before, perhaps in the Fifth Age."

Doomwing used magic to refresh his memories. Frostfang was correct. He had met her twice, but he had not really spoken to her, only noted her presence and willingness to help against the Exiled Star. He had tasked her with dealing with some of his followers rather than battling the Catastrophe himself. She had only been a blizzard dragon then, so she would simply have been flying to her death. Seeing the obvious affection between her and Frostfang, he was glad that he had made that decision. It had been a purely pragmatic decision she would have accomplished nothing against the Exiled Star, and watching her get slaughtered would only dampen morale but it was still pleasing to know that his decision making had once again proven wise.

"I am glad for you." He truly was. Frostfang had helped against several of the Catastrophes. He deserved whatever happiness he could get. "How are your hatchlings?" Given the presence of the hatchlings, it was only right to inquire about them first. Besides, Frostfang seemed quite eager to speak of them. Letting him boast of their development might put him in a more receptive mood for Doomwing's questions.

"They are growing well!" Frostfang boomed. "His magic swirled around each of the trio in turn. The oldest is Snowwing. She takes after her mother." And she did. Snowscale's entire body was the pale white of freshly fallen snow, and the same could be said of Snowwing. "And then my two sons: Rimetail and Frosteye."

The reason for their names was also obvious. Rimetail's tail reminded Doomwing of the ice that clung to trees upon the desolate mountainsides of the far north and south. Frosteye, meanwhile, had eyes that seemed almost to glow, their shimmering blue depths akin to the blue ice sometimes found in icebergs.

"Good names," Doomwing replied. "Are they developing as you expected?"

Frostfang puffed out his chest proudly. "They have exceeded my expectations, and I have done my best to ensure they do not want for anything. Our lair sits upon a place of power, and there is ample prey for them here. It will not be long before they are ready to begin training in earnest."

"I see." Doomwing's magic flared and he created several copies of books he had in his hoard. Each contained many exercises that could prove useful for young dragons. Some he had devised himself while he had collected others from various sources over the years. "I can send you some useful books through my mirror if you permit it."

"Your mirror can do that?" Frostfang asked curiously.

"Its ability to do so is limited," Doomwing admitted. "You would have to permit it, and it can really only send things of a certain nature. Too much magic makes the process unstable, and the items in question can easily be lost or destroyed. However, the books I wish to send are merely that books, albeit with subtle protections woven into them to ensure they are not harmed by the cold."

"I would welcome that," Frostfang said. His eyes narrowed at the hatchlings on his snout. "Thank your Uncle Doomwing," he said. "There are none living who can match his magical expertise."

"Thank you, Uncle Doomwing," the hatchlings chorused.

Doomwing could not stop himself from smiling. It had been a long, long time since a hatchling had addressed him in such a manner. The fact that this was a ploy did not bother him either. True, he and Frostfang were on friendly terms, but they were not nearly close enough to warrant such familiarity. However, Frostfang was no fool. If something happened to him, then he would need someone to protect his hatchlings. Given that anything strong enough to kill Frostfang would make short work of Snowscale, establishing a relationship between his hatchlings and Doomwing would ensure that the hatchlings had someone to rely on if the worst should occur.

Hpmh. Doomwing did not think it likely that Frostfang would meet such a fate. In the event that he faced a foe he was unable to defeat, the other dragon was the sort to cut his losses and run. True, it would be harder with his mate and hatchlings, but Doomwing was certain he had several contingencies in place to make escape easier. Still, if the worst should occur, Doomwing would look out for his hatchlings, if only to repay the aid Frostfang had given him in the past.

Doomwing sent the books through the mirror, and Frostfang accepted them before passing them to Snowscale. The female dragon used magic to examine them intently and nodded in satisfaction. Doomwing bit back a chuckle. He was Doomwing. He did not hand out his teachings to just anybody, but the teachings he did hand out were of great quality. His pride would not accept anything less.

"And another gift," Doomwing said. His magic flexed again, weaving materials into existence via a combination of runes, spells, and alchemy. The end result was a multitude of crystals, each the size of a human head. "These crystals are designed to absorb ambient magic and transform it into magic suitable for dragons of your lineage. Given time, they will also refine the magic they have absorbed to greater and greater purities, turning from transparent to blue."

"Oh?" Frostfang smiled again. "A fine gift. What level of purity can they reach?"

Doomwing cast his senses through the mirror, taking in the ambient magic of Frostfang's lair. As expected, the levels of ambient magic were impressive and mostly aligned with ice, frost, and cold. "At least three times the purity in your lair. If your hatchlings sleep near them, they will be able to absorb that magic into themselves. The increased purity will aid their growth and reduce the strain on their bodies."

Frostfang gave a low rumble of satisfaction. One of the most important steps for a First Awakening was absorbing a sufficient quantity of the right kind of magic. Critically, the quantity required decreased with the purity of the magic absorbed. Doomwing's gift would help the hatchlings to reach their First Awakening more quickly while reducing the damage that often occurred when hatchlings tried to purify magic that was already relatively pure.

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"You have our thanks," Snowscale said. "Your gifts will not be forgotten."

Doomwing sent the crystals through the mirror, and he chuckled as the hatchlings examined them greedily. Like all dragons, they had the ability to perceive magic quite clearly, so they were doubtless fascinated by the processes involved. If any of them showed long-lasting interest, he might pass on further lessons. "It is of little consequence to me," he replied. "And hatchlings should be given every advantage." His parents had certainly done their to provide him with all the aid they could right up until their deaths.

"Indeed." Frostfang eased the hatchlings off his snout, and they wandered off to play with the crystals they'd been given. Doomwing had made them to be durable. They would have to be several times their current size before they could even think of damaging them. He did notice that several frost giants had come to watch over the hatchlings. Frostfang followed his gaze and nodded. "Yes, the frost giants now serve me. Their leaders were corrupted by the Sixth Catastrophe. I had no choice but to destroy them and many of their elders." Frostfang scowled. "Such nasty business. They were noble warriors, and I would not have minded slaying them in honourable combat, but there was no honour in slaying those whose minds had been twisted by another. The tree folk would have overrun the frost giants, but I stepped in, forcing peace between them. The tree folk heed my words, but only out of respect for my power. However, the frost giants eventually chose to make me their leader."

"A reasonable choice." Doomwing was not too surprised. Frostfang had overwhelming power, and he was wise and thoughtful. Add in his mate and hatchlings, and serving him made obvious sense. "How active a role have you taken?"

"Not too active. Their numbers had fallen greatly during their war with the tree folk, and the Sixth Catastrophe saw their numbers fall further still. It has taken the past thousand or so years, for their numbers to grow to a more comfortable level. They have traditionally lived in family groups or small villages, but it might be time for them to consider building towns and larger settlements."

"In that case," Doomwing said. "Would it be possible for them to avoid the area beneath the umbral veil?"

Frostfang's gaze narrowed. "I had noticed that. A few of the frost giants who specialise in stealth have ventured south. They noticed warfare amongst the warriors of the north who are now led by vampires."

"That is correct. With the destruction of their ancient homelands, the umbral veil represents their first real chance to establish a proper nation since the end of the Fourth Age." Doomwing decided to speak plainly. "Marcus is amongst them, and I believe he will be victorious."

"Your pet vampire?" Frostfang chuckled. Doomwing wondered how much of his seemingly newfound cheer and wordiness was down to finding a mate and how much was due to having hatchlings. It was probably a combination of both. "Hmm the area covered by the umbral veil is significant, but that area has traditionally been held by humans anyway. My frost giants do need room to expand, but there are other directions they could take, and there are still vast tracts of wilderness in the true north."

"Your discretion in this matter would be appreciated," Doomwing said.

"And I would be happy to give it," Frostfang said. "In fact, I would guarantee a non-aggression pact in perpetuity between my frost giants and the tree folk with your pet vampire and his forces if you were to aid me in an important matter."

Doomwing's gaze sharpened. It was no easy thing for a primordial dragon to ask for aid, and for Frostfang to guarantee a non-aggression pact in perpetuity with Marcus and his forces was a significant concession far more than Doomwing had expected, in truth. "What do you need."

"Snowscale is a glacial dragon," Frostfang said. "And she has yet to truly feel the touch of time, but"

"I am not as powerful this year as I was last year," the female dragon said.

"Ah." Doomwing nodded sombrely. Dragons who reached the final stage of their lineage after achieving a Fourth Awakening were immune to the ravages of time. They would only grow stronger with age until the day they were killed in battle or through some grave misfortune. However, although those who had achieved a Third Awakening were incredibly long lived, they would still eventually succumb to old age. The fact that Snowscale was less powerful this year than last meant that she had begun that decline. It would take a while millennia, actually but she would eventually die unless she was able to achieve her Fourth Awakening. "How close are you?"

"I" Snowscale glanced at Frostfang.

"Tell him everything," Frostfang said. "There are few amongst us who have studied the process of Awakening as intently as Doomwing. Although no two dragons experience Awakenings in quite the same manner, there is much he can do to aid us."

"Very well"

Snowscale spoke, and Doomwing listened. Frostfang was right in that no two dragons experienced Awakenings in quite the same way. This was especially true for the Fourth Awakening, which was extremely idiosyncratic. Nevertheless, Doomwing had studied almost every case of a Fourth Awakening since the Second Age, trading magic, secrets, and treasures to acquire the knowledge he sought.

When Snowscale had finished speaking, Doomwing composed his thoughts and then replied.

"It would seem that you are relatively close," Doomwing said. "But you are stuck on a few of the conditions. Since they are more instinctive than anything else, it can be difficult to determine exactly what they are. However, you mentioned being drawn to the heart of the frost titan who perished slaying the dryad who once ruled the forest."

"Yes." Snowscale nodded. "Frostfang retrieved it from the forest, and he keeps it in his hoard. It has caught my eye several times. I have considered eating it, but the moment I put it in my mouth, I can tell that is not what I am supposed to do."

It spoke volumes that Frostfang would simply hand over such a rare and valuable treasure for her to use. He must truly care for her.

"One of the most common requirements for a Fourth Awakening is the absorption of a truly colossal amount of pure magic of the right type. We dragons are inherently magical creatures, and are bodies can be thought of as gigantic magical vessels. During the Awakening, it is necessary to absorb enough pure magic to simply shatter the vessel, destroying it utterly and replacing any and all impurities with the very purest magic available. Additional magic is then used to reform the vessel into an idealised form, which is why dragons like myself and Frostfang tend to have such impressive appearances. Our bodies are reflections of the power within us, and since that power is of the purest and mightiest sort, our appearances are likewise incredibly impressive, even to other dragons. Whatever physical frailties we have are burnt away in the fires of our Awakening, and whatever weaknesses or flaws in our magical circulatory systems exist are destroyed as they are reforged into something that verges on true perfection."

Snowscale shuddered. "That sounds dangerous."

"The risk during each subsequent Awakening is higher," Doomwing explained. "Almost any dragon who isn't a complete fool will eventually achieve a safe First Awakening if they live long enough. However, there are many who fail to complete their Fourth Awakening. Those who fail are never heard of again because the failed Awakening utterly destroys them. There is nothing left to heal or bury."

"" Snowscale shuddered again. It had nothing to do with the cold, and everything to do with the realisation that she was facing perhaps the most dangerous battle of her existence. "Can my chances be improved?"

"Yes," Doomwing said. "You are fortunate that you and Frostfang are mates. Normally, you two would be able to share magic by having him ease magic into your magic circulatory system. You would then have to use this magic as quickly as possible to avoid it harming you due to the immense power and unrivalled purity of Frostfang's magic. To prepare for your Fourth Awakening, you should have him push his magic directly into your reserves the core of your magic rather than the fringes. It will be absolutely agonising, and it will likely hurt worse than anything you have experienced, but it will help you get used to the sensations you will face during your Awakening and give your body a taste of what it must process to succeed."

"How much of my magic should I use?" Frostfang asked. His early good cheer had vanished. In its place was the stone-faced calm he displayed in battle.

"As little as you can. I mean that. Start at the absolute lowest amount of magic you can transfer and gradually build it up from there once the pain is at a more tolerate level. Be prepared to withdraw your magic at any time. You know several runes of healing, do you not?"

"Yes," Frostfang said. "I know several greater runes of healing and an ancient rune of full restoration."

"Keep that ancient rune handy. It will be able to repair any damage you do, provided you are careful and don't go overboard," Doomwing said.

"And you swear what you are saying is the truth?" Frostfang said. "Snowscale is my mate. I will not endanger her needlessly."

"I am Doomwing," Doomwing replied. "And my words are truth." There was magic and power and the weight of Seven Ages behind his words. "I said that I would aid you, and I shall."

Frostfang inclined his head in acknowledgement. "You have our thanks."

"As for the frost titan's heart I believe I know what must be done." Doomwing used magic to search for and then enhance the memory he needed. It was not one that he liked to dwell upon. "Using certain processes, the frost titan heart can be transformed into a catalyst that will almost instantly absorb all ambient magic over a large area, transforming it and purifying it."

"How large an area?" Frostfang asked. "For the power needed for a Fourth Awakening is tremendous."

"The entire true north," Doomwing said. "That is the area over which it will likely absorb magic." He gave a rumble and cut off his memory magic. The factual parts of the memory were enough. He did not need or want the emotions associated with it. "The majority of failed Fourth Awakenings are due to a lack of magic of sufficient purity. Without that, the vessel your body, soul, and magic are all destroyed but cannot be remade. That is why it is essential to only attempt a Fourth Awakening when you are ready. Normally, the sheer amount of magic that the catalyst would give you would be fatal, especially taking into account the purity of the magic it provides. However, if you use it during your Awakening, that will not be an issue. Instead, it will provide you with enough power to complete your Awakening. Your desire for the frost titan's heart is likely due to your body knowing instinctively that it cannot, on its own, gather enough power to complete the Awakening successfully."

Snowscale was shellshocked, but Frostfang processed the information with the stoicism that Doomwing had come to expect of the other dragon. He had identified the threat to his mate, and now he was considering the options that he had to deal with it.

"How do you know of this catalyst?" Frostfang asked. "And are you certain you can make it."

"I learned of it from Mother Tree," Doomwing said. "In the Second Age. She made a similar catalyst out of a fire titan to help a conflagration dragon achieve his Fourth Awakening. While she was making it, she explained the theory behind it to me. In the years since then, I have worked out how to generalise the creation process to other types of magic. As for making it, I am certain I can successfully make it, but there are a number of other ingredients involved that I do not have and cannot easily make on my own." Even with his alchemical skills, there were substances that could not easily be replicated.

"What do you require?" Frostfang said.

Doomwing told him. The list was not especially long since the overwhelming majority of ingredients were things he either had, could easily obtain, or could make without much difficulty.

"We will acquire all of those," Frostfang said. Doomwing had a suspicion that at least two would be extremely difficult to get since they could only be obtained in the domains of other primordial dragons, but Frostfang was cunning. He could be patient a while longer and acquire them without letting the other dragons know how desperately he needed them. "When should the catalyst be prepared?"

"It will not last long," Doomwing said. "So it should only be prepared once she is ready to attempt her Fourth Awakening."

Snowscale took a deep breath. Fear and anticipation warred with each other upon her face. "I will prepare as best I can. You have done much to enlighten me. I think I can guess what the conditions for my Fourth Awakening are now. We will inform you before I attempt it."

"During the attempt, I would suggest evacuating your hatchlings out of the true north," Doomwing said. "A Fourth Awakening is tremendously destructive to the surrounding area. Both Frostfang and I will be fine, but your hatchlings could very easily be harmed or killed."

"We will take every possible precaution," Frostfang said.

"Then contact me when you are ready," Doomwing said. They spoke of other, less weighty matters, and it wasn't much longer before Doomwing was ready to cut off the connection. However, Frostfang decided to reveal one important piece of information before he did.

"Dreamsong has reached out to me," Frostfang said. "I believe she is ready to exit her seclusion."

"I see." Doomwing wasn't sure what to think of that. "And you think she may contact me?"

"I do not think she can. You shield your dreams from the dreaming lands, and your territory is warded against intrusion from the dreaming lands as well."

That was a relic from the Sixth Age. Those like Dreamsong or Kagami who were experts in negotiating the winding and nonsensical currents of the dreaming lands could use them to travel from place to place. It was, in his opinion, an incredibly efficient means of travel, rivalling true teleportation in its speed but at far smaller cost if one ignored the possibility of insanity or being swept away in the chaotic currents of dream, desire, and fantasy, never to be seen again. When Kagami had changed, Doomwing had warded his territory against her, placing powerful magics upon it that persisted to this day. Anyone who wanted to kill him would have to approach him in a conventional manner, and there were precious few who could confront him in his lair and survive, especially when he had time to see them coming and prepare.

"I suppose I shall have to contact her then," Doomwing said. "I thank you for the information."

"You do not look very thankful," Frostfang pointed out. Snowscale swiped him with her tail, and Doomwing allowed himself a small smile at the interaction. "I could have phrased that better."

"You speak truly," Doomwing replied. "And it is complicated."

With that, Doomwing cut the connection. Any thoughts he had of speaking with Ashheart were set aside in favour of considering the puzzle that was Dreamsong. Why had she chosen now to leave seclusion? And did that mean that Hikari would be showing herself too? He wanted to believe that Dreamsong would have the good sense to keep Hikari from repeating her mother's mistakes, but if not

Doomwing would do what he had to, much as he had always done.

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