Comparison of Athens and Sparta essays

Examination of Athens and Sparta expositions Contrasting Athens and Sparta resembles contrasting paradise with hellfire. One of the couple of likenesses which Athens and Sparta share is that both of the urban communities are situated in a similar nation, Greece. Greece is a rocky landmass that intently looks like in size the province of Louisiana. In view of the mountains which Greece contains, autonomous networks were shaped which in the end became states and a developing civic establishments. Athens initially turned into a city-state; and was administered by a lord. In 500 b.c. the Classical Age of Greece prospered. Athens was impact by human expressions. It was a developing society that adoration information and looked for reason in all things. Athenian based there life around theory (love of shrewdness) and expressions. As a youngster you could get decent instruction and could seek after any of a few sorts of expressions or sciences. You could serve in the military or naval force, however you didn't need to. Athens was a polytheistic culture. Young ladies were hitched at 14 years old. Ladies were so anyone might hear to take an interest in strict occasions in particular. A significant number of todays most noteworthy scholars ever were impacted from Athens, for example, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. In the Athens society all residents were dealt with equivalent. Ladies and slaves avoided from being residents. Toward the start of the seventh century, Athens got constrained by nobles, in the long run turning into a theocracy. Around the finish of the seventh century the Athenian culture started falling quickly. Voracity over came a significant number of the rich privileged people which controlled most of the land. In 594 b.c. a man who many like was placed in charge, Solomon. Despite the fact that Solomon attempted his best to reconstruct Athens in to a fabulous network, the nobles essentially would not bolster this change. Around 560 b.c. Pisistratus a privileged person came into control of the Athenian realm. Pisistratus was not well like and Athens turned into an oppression. In the end the individuals of Athens shut down the oppression in 560 b.... <!

Organizational Diagnosis Free Essays

string(40) should be understood (Cawsey, Deszca p. Hierarchical Diagnosis Are organizations at the serious edge issue free? Accomplish any associations work faultlessly? Not in reality. How do the victors conquer their issues? What recognizes them from different organizations? How would they endure while others struggle or fall? Like different associations, winning organizations regularly go after simple answers and convenient solutions. Yet, on the off chance that these alternate route reactions miss their imprint, victors continue looking for strong arrangements. We will compose a custom exposition test on Hierarchical Diagnosis or then again any comparable point just for you Request Now They dig all the more profoundly into the circumstance, at last revealing the main driver. Top entertainers separate themselves by the manner in which they tackle authoritative issues by utilizing hierarchical conclusion to roll out positive improvements for the fate of their business (Long Term Success through Deep Organizational Diagnosis, 2007). Information assortment: The reason for a conclusion is to recognize issues confronting the association and to decide their causes with the goal that administration can design arrangements. The initial phase in diagnosing an association is to figure out what/where the issue is by utilizing information assortment. It is imperative to recognize that there is an issue and it needs tackling more on a drawn out premise so as to keep the fate of the association succeeding. The assortment of information should start in territories in which the executives accepts the issues exist. After the information is gathered, pioneers can all the more effectively recognize where the issues falsehood and start to determine them (Beer and Spector, 1993). Information assortment should be possible by doing a deliberate examination where McKinsey’s 7-S system can be applied. The change specialist now deliberately investigates and defines determination questions. The components of the technique are as per the following with instances of normal inquiries that chiefs should reply as they continued looking for change (Business Diagnostic Questions †â€Å"Seven S† Model Framework, 2007). Procedure: the arrangement contrived to keep up and assemble upper hand over the opposition. †¢What are the principle methodologies in moving this association to being increasingly effective? †¢What are the key momentary objectives to accomplish these systems? Structure: the manner in which the association is organized and who reports to whom. †¢Describe the jobs of the principle offices. What sorts of job/turf issues happen between divisions? †¢What sorts of interchanges issues happen between offices? †¢What key things are done in the association to help incorporate different capacities and offices that are related? †¢How does the structure help/frustrate this association in achieving its procedure? What is being done ab out this now? Frameworks: the day by day exercises and methods that staff individuals take part in to take care of business. †¢What are the 5 most significant framework issues that whenever illuminated or improved would altogether improve productivity or hierarchical adequacy? Why? What are you doing about these issues now? Style: the style of authority received. †¢How are significant choices made in this association? †¢How does top administration speak with key staff? How can it speak with the work power? †¢What are the key desires for how your key individuals and work power ought to act? †¢How would you depict the organization’s style of the board? How might others contrast in their appraisal of that style? Aptitudes: the real abilities and skills of the representatives working for the organization. †¢What key information and aptitudes are expected to prevail around here/association? Why? How could that be relied upon to change after some time? †¢How would you evaluate the organization’s current qualities and shortcomings against the required information and aptitudes? †¢What challenges does the association face in reinforcing or keeping up this match among information and aptitudes required now and later on? †¢What is the association doing about these issues now? Staff: the representatives and their general abilities †¢Describe the qualities and shortcomings of the organization’s key individuals. †¢Describe their most significant jobs in the association. †¢Who of these are generally critical to the accomplishment of the business/association? Why? †¢What would you say you are generally worried about in regards to the nature of the key staff? Why? †¢Describe the qualities and shortcomings of the organization’s work power. †¢What would you say you are generally worried about with respect to the nature of the organization’s work power? †¢What is being done about this now? Mutual Values: called â€Å"superordinate goals† when the model was first evolved, these are the basic beliefs of the organization that are confirm in the corporate culture and the general hard working attitude. †¢If the business/association were working superbly, portray the key things that would occur? On the off chance that I were imperceptible and strolled through the association, what might I see that added to this achievement? †¢If I were undetectable and could participate in various discussions between the best 10 individuals and their staff, what subjects would I hear? †¢If this association wer e fiercely fruitful, where might it be in 10 years? †¢If you were considering selling this effective business/association, how might you need to have the option to depict it to planned purchasers? †¢How would you portray the crucial this organization to your imminent purchasers Organization’s availability for change: When the board concedes that there are issues that should be settled, and afterward comes the subject of whether the association is prepared to change. Authoritative preparation is a condition of readiness which incorporates the mental and conduct perspectives for change. This requires having the vital information, aptitudes, assets, and backing. An organization’s availability for change will decide its capacity to take care of ecological signs for change just as its readiness to tune in to inward voices saying that change is required (Cawsey, Deszca p. 101). It is significant for senior administration to address the probability of progress and impart it successfully with the remainder of the association. Workers are increasingly adept to help change in the event that they are prepared to make changes. This implies they put stock in the changes, have the opportunity and vitality to put resources into the changes, and the association is prepared to help the changes. Progressively significant, the more prominent the multifaceted nature of the usage task, the extraordinary the significance or authoritative availability for change. Making mindfulness for change: Change pioneers can make consciousness of the requirement for change in a few different ways. The principal strategy includes making the association mindful that it is in or almost an emergency or making an emergency that should be fathomed (Cawsey, Deszca p. You read Authoritative Diagnosis in class Papers 104). A great many people will invite the change all the more effectively on the off chance that they realize that their future is in peril in the event that they don’t acknowledge the change. A second way to deal with upgrading the requirement for change is by distinguishing a transformational vision. Transformational dreams tap into our requirements to go past ourselves, to make a commitment, to accomplish something advantageous and important, and to serve a more noteworthy great (Cawsey, Deszca p. 105). This sort of mindfulness instrument can possibly increase positive criticism and negative input. Individuals who bolster it are those people who are keen on improving things than they are. The individuals who restrict it basically don’t think that its practical and accept the change specialist is proposing the change for their own advantage. A third way to deal with the upgrade of the requirement for change is through transformational administration. This kind of progress bodes well to individuals since it is the pioneers of the association who settles on all the choices. In the event that something isn't working out in a good way, the pioneers are the first to fault. Note that when utilizing any of the three methodologies, the change specialist should be solid and steady when entering any kind of conversation discourse about the change. The individuals in the association need to confide in the change specialist and have confidence in the proposed change in this way, the change operator ought to have quite a few aptitudes to express what is on their mind to the individuals in question. Vision for change: When the association is prepared to roll out an improvement, it is significant for the change specialist to give an unmistakable and point by point vision of the change. Vision is about activity. Vision can engage the two heads and adherents to execute change (Vision and the Management of Change, 2008). Change pioneers use change dreams to make and advance the psychological picture they have of things to come and to give directional direction to others that they have to enroll in the undertaking (Cawsey, Deszca p. 110). Vision can give both a corporate feeling of being and a feeling of suffering reason. Without a reasonable vision, change endeavors can disintegrate into a rundown of befuddling ventures that take the association off course. It is significant that the vision be anything but difficult to impart. When a successful change vision is set up, the change specialist can start to grow conversations to a more extensive crowd or authoritative individuals, giving cautious consideration to their responses, proposals, and choices (Vision and the Management of Change, 2008). It is additionally imperative for the change specialist to know that a few people in the association will comprehend the vision and need to help change the association, however they can’t. The change specialist must evacuate squares to change, call for new practices reliable with the vision, and in particular, noticeably reward the new practices (Vision and the Management of Change, 2008). Endorsement for change: Once the vision for change is in

American Capitalism

American Capitalism American Capitalism Home›Economics Posts›American Capitalism Economics PostsHenry Ford came up with the Fordism philosophy, in the event coming up with his own concept of practices in business. He introduced the daily 5 dollar pay in 1913 and the Assembly line. The concept of Fordism has eventually come to the realization of consumerism, rationalization and community ideology. This is concept is often used in the initial sense as a brief portrayal of sense of mass production.The mobile assembly line spearheaded the technical competence in task processes in industries. This was achieved through the use of tools which were of special purpose. It also improved the mode of transport globally. This led to the rise in the conveyor belts that are used in various Industrial processes. High wages and low prices principle culminated into the reduction of automobile cost.Eventually, the franchising system came up as a technical business innovation. This led to the rise in the period of con sumerism.   The workers now were able to purchase the vehicles that they manufactured. The income that the workers earned was used to improve their standards of living.Ford’s intention was to make complex procedures simpler to undertake as a result of realizing that the people were productive. Initially, the assembly line existed although it was not as effective as Ford’s assembly line. A great achievement that Ford made was the standardization of output.Then there came the economic depression. In the year 1927, Ford was not able to offer his cars for sale. The greatest global economy crumpled in 1930. Although that happened, the most amazing thing is that Ford attributed the economic depression to laziness. Therefore, he named that particular period, the era of laziness.

Themes Of Cannibalism And Torture At Christopher Columbus

Summary In 1492 when Christopher Columbus made it to the western hemisphere, he landed in the Bahamas where there were many Native American tribes living on different islands in the area. There were the Eastern Taino, the Western Taino, the â€Å"classic† Taino’s, and other small Native American peoples. Christopher Columbus happened to land on the island with the Western Taino. The Western Taino were the most peaceful of the three Taino, as well as the most complex Native American group in the area and they heavily relied on agriculture, fishing, and hunting. They welcomed Columbus and his men without thinking and were helpful in aiding the Europeans’ recovery from their long voyage from Europe. The Classic Tainos were the largest group in†¦show more content†¦Christopher Columbus quickly realized that the Taino were not as militarized as the Spaniards and quickly conquered them. Causes There were many causes of exploration in this time period. There was a large desire to find an easy pathway to Asia. This was important to Europeans because in Asia there were spices, silks, and wealth. Most of the European nations were also after new territory to make colonies and extend their empires. Spain’s main concern was mineral wealth. They went looking for â€Å"El Dorado† or the city of Gold. Spain, France, and England were interested in spreading Christianity as well. When the Spanish Crown approved Christopher Columbus and his men to sail across the Atlantic Ocean, their main goal was to find a more accessible and faster way to get to India. The previous route took you all the way around Africa and took a hefty amount of time. It would benefit Spain more if a faster way was discovered. The Spanish were hoping to find and quicker way and when they did, they had planned to regulate the path and force those who use it to pay Spain. In the eyes of the Spanish th is was ideal and very much wanted by the Spanish crown. When Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas, he believed he had reached India and called the inhabitants of the island Indians. This was not the case, Columbus had actually reached land where no European nations had current colonies and was unknown to them. This caused other European powers to assemble groups to travel to

Ancient Egypt Religion And Religion - 1374 Words

Egypt is country with lots of religious connections. Religion in Egypt helped the communities come together and created understandings and shared values. Aspects of Egyptian life like law and art were connected with religion. Gods were represented with many things in nature like animals. Religion and life were very combined. Many aspects of Egyptian culture and civilization are connected with religion. Nature aspects like the sun and river is answered with what the gods do in mythology. Ancient Egypt had an organized system with beliefs about the supernatural, belief was an polytheistic one, and part of the culture and lives of people. All these features and roles are all part of the religions, animistic religions. The people of Egypt at the time were part of a civilization that had two kingdoms that eventually became one. World being flat was the belief at the time and thus the Nile River is seen as the main source of life. The people of ancient Egypt all had jobs and all helped eac h other fulfill the religious tasks to please the gods. Ancient Egypt was over 3,000 years old before it came down and all through the times, it has shown lots of characteristics on what a religion does and can do. People learn about the religion and how their life is affected by it. The beliefs are shared within the group or area. Many symbols like language and worship of some sort represent the deities. Nile River provides food and water and that helps an economy get going. Pharaohs, priestsShow MoreRelatedImportance Of Ancient Egypt Religion1732 Words   |  7 Pages Vardanian 1 Artur Vardanian Professor Cooney Ancient Egypt December 8, 2015 Importance of Ancient Egypt Religion Throughout the history of ancient Egypt, many contributions had constructed the ideology of the kings. 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Fortunately, these Egyptians have made great steps inRead MoreEgyptian Religion And Ancient Egypt1763 Words   |  8 Pag esEgyptian Religion Jose Saucedo English II Honors November 20, 2014 Egyptian Religion Egypt was a very powerful empire lasting more than 3000 years, which is divided into 8 or 9 periods, sometimes called kingdoms. But what made their empire, so powerful, what made it last more than 3 millennia. Egyptologist believes that it was due to Egypt’s strong bond with their gods and goddesses and their mythological beliefs. The gods and goddesses and the myths were the foundations of Egypt’sRead MoreReligion and Society of Ancient Egypt536 Words   |  2 PagesReligion and Society of Ancient Egypt The Old Kingdom is sometimes described as the â€Å"golden age† of Egypt, and as an ideal that the Middle Kingdom tried to emulate, while New Kingdom pharaohs looked to both earlier dynastic eras for inspiration. Menes The Old Kingdom, these are the roots of today’s Egypt. When Menes united upper and Lower Egypt, he became the first Pharaoh. The very first Dynasty had been created with Menes great success. Now, it is a known fact that it wasn’t known as theRead MoreReligion, Culture And Politics Of Ancient Egypt Civilizations Essay879 Words   |  4 Pagesstudy of history through the lens of ecology can teach one about the divergence of religion, culture and politics of ancient society. There were many great civilizations that sprang up and progressed through the ages. One of this civilization was the ancient Egyptian. The Egyptian civilizations settled on the bank of Nile river which influenced the settlers to advance in the social aspect of their lives. In ancient Egypt, ecology played in important role in the development of their religious beliefsRead MoreEssay about Religion in Ancient China and Egypt1569 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Dixon 1 Daniel Dixon Dr. Campbell History 114 3/20/14 Religion in Ancient China and Egypt Religion has played a very important role in society and the history of mankind for over thousands of years. Originally created by ancient peoples as a way to explain the unknown, religion has greatly evolved and spread across the globe. As new religions have formed and spread, the diversity and similarities between these new religions have also increased, especially due to their geographic locationsRead More Religion In Ancient Egypt Essay example577 Words   |  3 Pages The religion in Egypt was part of ones life; they believed and worshipped many gods. The faith they held in the gods were big and religion was bound up with their everyday life. The Egyptians are known as one of the most religious people in the world. Usually they turned to the gods to seek advice, help, and approval in decisions and even to assist in childbirth. The Egyptians had many festivals that they celebrate and it was believed that there was a god for every important event. Some of the godsRead MoreCompa re and Contrast Ancient India and Egypt Combined Politics and Religion628 Words   |  3 PagesCompare and Contrast ancient India and Egypt combined politics and religion Through history, religion has shaped civilizations in several aspects. In ancient Indian and Egyptian civilizations it was very strong shaping force in political structures, but both the religious beliefs and the resulting political system were different, just like pharaohs were different from rajas. The way Egyptians and Indians blended religion with politics bears certain similarities. First of all, the central role ofRead MoreCharacteristics Of Ancient Egypt1172 Words   |  5 PagesEgypt Essay Payton Manoogian Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt was an organized civilization because of the important civilization indicators they had- the seven indicators. Government is a part of the seven indicators. Government helped Ancient Egypt be well organized. The government had government officials and workers that worked there. Some jobs of the government were, the pharaoh, the vizier, nomarks, army commander, chief treasurer, and the minister of public buildings. The most importantRead MoreAncient Egypt Civilization : Ancient And Modern Egypt968 Words   |  4 Pages Ancient and Modern Egypt There are some countries that have a large civilization, but how many countries have had a successful civilization throughout its existence? 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Iron Crowned Chapter 11 Free Essays

â€Å"Cute,† I said. Kiyo turned to me, giving me the same assessment I’d just given him. â€Å"You okay?† â€Å"A little venom and probably some bruising tomorrow. We will write a custom essay sample on Iron Crowned Chapter 11 or any similar topic only for you Order Now † He nodded, relieved, and then did a double take. â€Å"You’re bleeding.† â€Å"Am I?† I asked, almost as surprised as he was. He hurried over to me. â€Å"Your shoulder.† â€Å"Oh, shit,† I said, craning my neck to look back. â€Å"That’s the table injury.† â€Å"Take off your shirt. And don’t even start with some ridiculous modesty spiel,† he added, seeing me start to protest. I knew he was right and gingerly lifted off the M;tley Cre shirt. He helped me part of the way, saving me from raising my arms too far. Examining the shirt, I saw blood soaked in it. â€Å"Bad?† I asked. â€Å"I’ll know once I take the bandages off. Please tell me you have more and that we don’t have to reuse these.† â€Å"I’ve got more. I told you I brought supplies.† Carefully, he peeled off the gash’s cloth coverings and tossed them to the ground. In the firelight and dim glow of sunrise, I could see the fabric was completely red with blood. â€Å"You broke some stitches,† he said wearily. â€Å"I don’t have the tools to fix it.† I’d once been kind of freaked out that he used his veterinarian skills to patch battle wounds, but now I kind of took it in stride. â€Å"Pain aside, is that going to matter?† I asked. â€Å"You’ll bleed more, though I’ll wrap it as much as I can. You’ll risk a scar too if you don’t get it stitched again. Once we finish this craziness up, I can do it for you back in Tucson if you don’t want to explain it to your doctor.† â€Å"My regular one’s kind of used to this,† I said. He snorted. â€Å"I imagine so.† I fetched my pack, and we both sat on the ground. The light was increasing, making it easier for him to work as he tidied up my back. The old bandages were tossed away, and I winced as he swabbed everything with antiseptic wipes. â€Å"I thought the danger didn’t start until we were in the crown’s cave,† I muttered. â€Å"As often happens, mistress, you’ve made an incorrect assumption,† said Volusian. â€Å"The legends say the path to the crown is perilous. We are on the path. Your testing has begun.† â€Å"Fantastic. Ow!† â€Å"I’m saving you from infection,† chastised Kiyo. That seemed to be the last of the sanitizing, thankfully, and from there he began layering gauze and tape. What he did was far from erotic, but it amazed me how gentle and steady his hands could be after seeing him savagely fight and rip things apart. I glanced over at Deanna, who had simply observed the fight. She’d said nothing, but I thought I caught a glimpse of relief on her face. My death would have put a serious hitch in our bargain. â€Å"How long until the entrance? When we lose you guys?† I asked. Annoying or not, Volusian would be missed – especially if these snakes were just the warm-up act. â€Å"A few hours,† said Deanna. I frowned, unsure if I should dread it or not. We’d lose our backup but be that much closer to finishing this anti-vacation. â€Å"I suppose it’d be too much to hope you’ve brought any painkillers?† asked Kiyo, still layering me up. I felt like I had a quilt on my back. â€Å"Vicodin probably isn’t the best asset for impending battle.† â€Å"I was thinking more like aspirin.† â€Å"Nope.† But it did remind me I was due for another antibiotic dose. I’d arrogantly thought I didn’t need them but now was glad for my mom’s vigilance. Not that I wanted to admit any of this to Kiyo. The thing about dating a doctor was that he’d always been on me about taking better care of myself. I didn’t want to hear any I-told-you-so’s now. And unsurprisingly, there was more advice to come. He finished the last of the tape and helped me put on the clean shirt I’d packed. â€Å"Eugenie, wrapping this is a nuisance, but any gentry healer could have fixed this up in their sleep. Dorian’s got great healers. Why didn’t he have one of them take care of this? He should know better.† I shifted around so I faced him. â€Å"How on earth did this suddenly become Dorian’s fault? Why is he responsible for everything evil? Of course he offered to get a healer. I refused because I figured other people needed it more.† I’d also totally forgotten to ask Shaya. Kiyo’s expression relaxed and actually grew apologetic. He looked away. â€Å"Of course you did. I’m sorry.† â€Å"Sorry for accusing Dorian or for forgetting I’d be foolishly altruistic?† Kiyo turned back, a small smile on his lips. â€Å"What do you think? There’s very little I feel apologetic for when it comes to Dorian, especially when I’m still convinced he wants to father Storm King’s heir.† I smiled back. â€Å"I’m sure he does too. But it’s a moot point. I’ve still got birth control pills. I still don’t want any kids. My life’s stressful enough.† Belatedly, I recalled his adoration of Luisa. â€Å"No offense.† â€Å"None taken,† he said, still smiling. â€Å"Really †¦ I should be better about trusting you. I just keep thinking †¦Ã¢â‚¬  The smile dimmed a little. â€Å"Thinking what?† â€Å"I don’t know. That one day this will all get to you. And I don’t mean about Storm King. I mean just †¦ everything. You’ll totally give yourself over to this world. I’ll lose the Eugenie I know.† I grabbed his hand without thinking and squeezed it. â€Å"Hey, stop that. You said it yourself: trust me. I’m the same Eugenie. Still split between identities †¦ but nothing can change that.† â€Å"I know.† He continued holding my hand. The touch of his fingers, which had been so objectively medical minutes ago, now took on another feel †¦ something warmer. Something that made my body feel strange, as those dark eyes stayed fixed on me. I found myself falling into them like I used to, into those sexy, smoky depths†¦. I abruptly stood up, breaking that dangerous touch. â€Å"Well,† I said awkwardly, â€Å"seeing as it’s already light out and we’re up, we might as well get going. Breakfast in the saddle?† Kiyo rose too, looking troubled. â€Å"Sure. The sooner we’re moving, the sooner we’re past any snake threats.† As we packed up and got back on the horses, I wondered if we were riding toward something much worse than snakes. Don’t get me wrong: they’d been bad. But I fought supernatural creatures all the time. There’d been so much hype about the crown. Was it simply going to involve a monster buffet? I kept those thoughts to myself as we traveled, having plenty of other things to preoccupy me. My meager breakfast. Kiyo’s presence. The pain in my back. The meaning behind the scattered holes in the terrain. On the road went, just as it would through any part of the Otherworld. I wondered how far it went. To infinity? Or would a traveler simply fall off the edge, like on those maps made back when people believed the world was flat? â€Å"This is it.† Deanna’s voice, though soft, seemed harsh in the emptiness around us. We came to a halt, and I glanced around, searching for what she’d found. At last, I spotted a small, dark opening tucked in one of the iron mountains. â€Å"That’s it? It seems so †¦ small.† â€Å"Out here it does,† said Kiyo. â€Å"We don’t know what’s inside †¦ except that it’s going to completely enclose us in iron. Remember – that’d kill most gentry. It’s a test you’re lucky enough to skip. Hopefully.† â€Å"True,† I murmured. I still felt no ostensible effects from this land, but what would happen inside the mountain? â€Å"I can’t go inside,† said Deanna. â€Å"I’ll just wait here for you to come out.† â€Å"I too shall wait,† said Volusian, â€Å"in the hopes that you meet your death and that it is your spirit that emerges, so that I may torment it for all eternity.† I pushed away the desire to order him away. Even if he couldn’t follow us, I’d feel better having him right here for defense when we came out. And we would come out, I decided fiercely. There was no if here. I left my bag and gun outside, seeing as I had no ammunition left. Fucking snakes. Surveying the rest of my arsenal, I left the iron athame in my belt, putting the silver athame in my right hand and the wand in my left. I glanced at Kiyo. â€Å"Ready?† He nodded. â€Å"I’ll go first.† It was a very manly thing to do. I let him lead and faintly heard Deanna wishing us luck. The cave we entered was pitch black and cramped. I could just barely get through without ducking and knew Kiyo had to walk slightly hunched. We followed the twists and turns, scraping against the close, rough walls. We spoke occasionally to check location, and I’d sometimes touch his back as well. The deeper we went, the more I could feel the iron around us. Again, I had no indications of weakness †¦ just an awareness. â€Å"Light,† said Kiyo suddenly. I blinked. He was right. I saw no light source, but something farther ahead was casting light down the tunnel. It started as only faint illumination, just giving me a glimpse of his silhouette. Soon, the light increased †¦ as did the heat. A roaring sound came to my ears. â€Å"I have a bad feeling about this,† I said. We rounded a corner, and my jaw nearly dropped. The path ahead was blocked by fire. To be precise, it was blocked by sheets of very neatly contained fire, giving the impression of giant blades – particularly since they swung from the ceiling. Magically flattened into sheets or not, the flames burned intensely, and the heat radiating through the corridor left no doubt that these bastards would incinerate us. â€Å"I think I saw this in a video game,† I muttered. Kiyo’s gaze was fixed unwaveringly on the fire blades. There were five of them. His face was blank, but the concentration in his eyes told me what he was doing. He was timing them, studying their patterns. â€Å"They’re staggered in a way that would let us get through,† he said. â€Å"We just have to watch the timing.† â€Å"You can get through. I don’t know about me.† I wasn’t being defeatist; I was just stating the truth. Kiyo possessed reflexes I didn’t have. I could sit here for hours and probably not learn their patterns like he could. He frowned. â€Å"Maybe I can just hold your hand. Or put you on my back.† â€Å"What? No. That’s ridiculous. It’d affect your speed – throw you off.† I studied the flames, hypnotized by the swinging patterns. There were spaces between each sheet. â€Å"Maybe I can wing it, take them one at a time.† â€Å"Now that’s a ridiculous idea.† Frustration lined his brow. â€Å"And to think, I would have given anything for heat last night. We should have camped in here†¦.† My joke trailed off as an idea came to me. â€Å"I’ll just walk through.† The look he gave me required no words to convey his opinion. â€Å"Seriously,† I said. I put my weapons away and drew on the magic within me. The iron wasn’t affecting me. I toyed with the elements of air and water, testing and weaving them like a scarf. Kiyo could feel the shift in temperature near us. â€Å"What are you thinking?† â€Å"I can protect myself,† I said. â€Å"The cave’s damp enough – aside from here – for me to draw water. I’ll make a shield for me and use air to blow out against the fire.† â€Å"The air could feed the flames.† â€Å"Not if I do it right.† Our eyes met. He didn’t like this idea, not at all. â€Å"This’ll work,† I told him. â€Å"I know for a fact it will.† â€Å"For a fact, huh? I still think I should carry you.† â€Å"And I still think that’s idiotic. You’ve gotta trust me, Kiyo. I can do this. I can feel it.† He didn’t answer immediately, but I knew I had him. â€Å"If I watch you get burned alive, I’m not going to be happy.† â€Å"Volusian’ll be happy,† I said. â€Å"At least someone comes out on top.† â€Å"Eugenie!† â€Å"Sorry.† I gave Kiyo what I hoped was a reassuring smile. â€Å"This’ll work. You go first.† He hesitated a few moments more and then transformed into a fox. For fighting, he often chose a powerful, larger than life one. Now, he was small and quick like any ordinary red fox. He turned toward the flames, the human part – and probably animal too – again gauging timing. Then – he sprang forward. I’d piled assurances on him, but it was my own breath that caught while watching him. He ran without stopping, stride smooth and consistent as he flawlessly ran through empty space caused by the flames’ swinging to the opposite side of the cave. In seconds, he reached the end, on the other side of the fifth sheet. I exhaled. He transformed back to Kiyo and peered at me through the sporadic gaps, worry all over him. I gave him another confident smile, hoping my earlier argument would hold true. I stared at the flames, not to time them but simply to muster my own courage. Magic welled up within me as I pulled moisture around my body, creating a spinning, almost cyclone-like cocoon – that instantly soaked me. That was the least of my worries. Then, I called on the air, drawing it to me and forcing it to blast away from my body. As I stepped forward, my mind suddenly ran through a hundred other scenarios. Maybe I could have just sucked out the oxygen here and killed the fire. Of course, that’d likely render me unconscious. And would ordinary physics even work against magic fire? That question came to me too late, along with the realization that magic fire might similarly be immune to air and water. Woosh! I lacked Kiyo’s timing. The first fiery sheet flew at me – and went around me. My fan-effect blew it away and the scalding heat that would have still reached me was mitigated by the water. I picked up my pace, walking through the second one in a similar way. Lucky timing made me miss the third altogether. The fourth nailed me – or would have – and then I just barely sidestepped the fifth. I reached Kiyo’s side and dropped the magic. â€Å"Three out of five ain’t bad,† I said cheerfully. To my surprise he hugged me, in spite of my dripping clothes and hair. â€Å"Jesus Christ that was scary, Eug. When I saw you walk through that first wall †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ you thought it was pretty cool?† He pulled back and shook his head, watching as I wrung water from my shirt. â€Å"You sure are making an awful lot of jokes about some pretty serious stuff.† â€Å"Hey, you’re the one who made the Dune reference.† I sighed and let my hands fall to my sides. â€Å"Besides, if I wasn’t making jokes, I’d probably come to my senses and be running straight back to the Thorn Land.† I drew air to me, taking along some of the heat, to sort of blow-dry me off. I stopped when I was semi-dry, not wanting to use up the magic. â€Å"I understand,† he said. He gently touched my arm, smiled weakly, and then tilted his head toward the darkness ahead. â€Å"Ready for more?† I nodded, following him once again. We walked farther and farther from the flames, losing the light as we did. A strange flashback came to me, a trip to the Underworld where I’d walked through similar caves and faced tests to bring back Kiyo’s soul. How could I have nearly forgotten about that? I’d loved him so much, I’d faced Death herself. How did love like that change? More tunnel crawling followed, and I wondered if perhaps this was a test for claustrophobic gentry. Gradually, though, the tunnel began to expand and expand until it suddenly dead-ended into a large cavernous room. Much like the tunnel, everything here was simply rough rock with occasional glimpses of iron. A few torches lit the chamber, revealing its centerpiece: an elegant marble pedestal with an iron crown sitting on it. â€Å"Seriously?† I said. Kiyo and I hovered near the room’s opening, wary of entering. Yet, as I stared at the crown, it wasn’t any potential trap that sent a chill down my spine. Another test in my trip to the Underworld replayed in my mind: I’d been forced to wear my father’s crown, despite my protests. That crown had been platinum, but it and the one before me both had a similar silvery sheen. Both were adorned with purple jewels. Both had a harsh, martial feel to them. The one in the vision had been a little more delicate, though, with a bit more artistic flair. Designer planning had also clearly gone into this one, with its circle of jeweled spikes alternating in size, but my feel was that it was meant to be impressive, not pretty. â€Å"It’s an illusion,† I said to Kiyo. â€Å"We can’t have reached it already. We’ve hardly done anything.† He didn’t take his eyes off the crown as he spoke. â€Å"Snakes and walking through fire are nothing?† â€Å"Well, no. But I expected more, considering all the hype.† â€Å"The iron,† Kiyo reminded me. â€Å"You used magic to get through the fire. Most gentry would too – but imagine what it would be like for them in all this iron. If they even got this far. You’re †¦ not cheating, exactly, but you’re bypassing a lot of the challenges here.† â€Å"If it’s meant to be for gentry, then maybe the crown is too. Maybe I’m too human and won’t be able to claim it.† Man, that would suck. â€Å"One way to find out.† I stared at the crown, noticing how little light reflected off it. Was this it? Did I really just go up and claim it? Time to find out. I took a few steps forward †¦ and the room abruptly became cold. A dark feeling, a feeling of power and pure evil filled the small space. What does evil feel like? You just know. I hastily returned to Kiyo’s side, but it was too late. A male figure materialized before us, clad in beautiful purple velvet robes, embroidered and tailored in a way Dorian might have envied. This guy’s hair was nearly as beautiful, a pale white blond that shone in the torchlight and grazed his shoulders. Yes, definitely an impressively attired figure. The only thing that really detracted from it all was that he was a skeleton. â€Å"Oh, fuck,† I said. â€Å"What is it?† asked Kiyo, moving close to me. â€Å"A lich. Like a †¦ I don’t know. An undead necromancer or magic user.† My mind was frantically spinning. Liches used magic before their deaths to purposely keep themselves from the Underworld. It made them very hard to banish, according to Roland. I’d only ever heard of them in stories. â€Å"Like a zombie?† â€Å"No. Smarter. And they can also do – duck!† Kiyo, always a hair faster than me, had already dropped down and taken me with him as the lich hurled a ball of blue fire at us. It hit the wall above us, dispersing and blasting us with heat but otherwise doing no harm. More of that fire was already forming in its skeletal hand, and I knew it would aim low. Kiyo transformed to his largest fox form and leapt at the lich, attacking the best way he knew how. His jaws started to close around the lich’s robe-encased leg, but a small gesture from the lich sent Kiyo flying. He hit a wall, shook it off, and growled, pacing and planning what to do next in light of this new development. During their split-second encounter, I had just enough time to send my senses out through the wand. I touched the Underworld and attempted to form a connection. The butterfly on my arm burned like the snake’s venom, but I couldn’t open the way. It was like beating on a heavy locked door. More effort might have helped me break through, but I had no chance to try before another fireball came toward me. I dodged and rolled away. Seeing the lich deflect Kiyo again made me think an athame attack wasn’t going to be much help either. The lich seemed to recognize my problems and laughed, a low, guttural sound that echoed unnaturally in the chamber. â€Å"You will not wear the Iron Crown. You do not possess the power to wear the Iron Crown.† I was ready to evade another fireball, but a flick of the lich’s hand threw me back against the wall. I didn’t even have time to process the agony that caused to my wounds because the unseen force that pinned me there hurt too much. It was like a million invisible needles were piercing my skin, going straight through me, and lodging in the stone to hold me in place. I screamed at the pain, and Kiyo instantly raced toward the lich again. The larger the fox form, the more animal he was, and I had a feeling this was just a gut reaction at seeing me attacked. The lich threw him off again with that invisible force – only harder this time. Kiyo slammed against the wall, slumping down to the cave’s floor. Weakly, he tried to stand up on all four legs but was too disoriented and injured. The lich turned back to me, and I saw death in his eyes. Had I really joked about this being easy? The only one this had been easy for was the lich. He’d taken us out with just a few spells, and now I would die. This was why those who wore the Iron Crown were feared. If you could survive this, you could survive anything. â€Å"You will not wear the Iron Crown,† he repeated, lifting his hands for the final spell. â€Å"You are not worthy.† I summoned my magic, despite the pain. A gale force wind blasted into him, making him stagger back. So. He wasn’t totally impervious to physical force. Calling the magic was difficult, but when Dorian had first trained me, we’d practiced casting spells in a number of uncomfortable positions. I increased the force of the wind, pushing the lich back a couple more steps. The Iron Crown didn’t budge, but the wind had pinned Kiyo up against the wall, almost making him go flat. I nearly hesitated, fearing I’d hurt him. He was still alive from the last hit. Surely he could handle this. And that added force was a good call. It distracted the lich so that when I mentally pushed back against his spell, he couldn’t hold it. The invisible pins vanished, and I slid to the floor, landing shakily but upright. I still hurt and already felt worn out but held strong to my magic. It kept the lich away, but it also didn’t knock him into the walls the way he could us. His skull-face wore a perpetual grin, making this all that much more annoying. â€Å"You don’t have the power,† he said, seeing I couldn’t do much more with the wind. â€Å"You are not worthy of the crown.† White light began glowing between his hands. No fireballs this time. It was lightning. It flew from his hands with incredible speed – say, like, the speed of light – but I evaded it, with almost no thought. Lightning was in my skill set. My body was attuned to it, able to anticipate and avoid it even with its speed. Nonetheless, the lightning blasted away half of the cave wall and the thunder that accompanied the bolt nearly left me deaf. Rocks and debris from the shattered stone were swept up in my windstorm, flying around the room like shrapnel. A few of them hit me. One cut my arm. In spite of it all, I laughed, sounding slightly crazy even to myself. â€Å"You’re going to fight me with lightning?† I yelled above the raging wind, which I had managed to kick up a notch after all. â€Å"Do you know who I am?† â€Å"I know you will never have the crown,† the lich replied, summoning more lightning. His words dug into me, and not just because my life was on the line here. It was the meaning behind them. You are not worthy. A dismissal of me. Of my power. He really didn’t know who he was dealing with, though. He had no idea of the power I could wield, even in this iron dungeon. No one would say it directly, but I was beginning to suspect I was the most powerful magic user since my father. This bastard lich was about to find that out. He’d see my power. I’d destroy him and take his fucking crown. â€Å"You call that lightning?† I yelled, after dodging the next bolt. My magical senses touched the molecules in the room, the positive and negative charges. The scent of ozone was everywhere. â€Å"This is lightning.† I didn’t need my hands. I could create lightning from the air. It blasted into the lich and should have disintegrated him. He stayed intact, unfortunately, but the way he wobbled and didn’t instantly go for another bolt told me I’d made progress. The magic burned within me, filling every ounce of my being as I held onto the surrounding air. The wind still blew, the ions stayed readied. In the center of it all was the crown, the crown I was going to walk out of here with. I would stop this war and show Katrice and everyone else not to screw with me. But first, I needed to finish this. I considered continually blasting the lich with bolts, but another idea came to mind. It would bring all of this to an end quickly. Scientists have long debated the existence of ball lightning, but I knew it was real. I’d never really used it in a serious way but had experimented. Some of the principles of its formation were like those of â€Å"regular† lightning, but a few quirks were what made it unique – and so hard to study. I knew how to summon it. I knew what it could do in here. Whereas the magically created bolts the lich and I had wielded had been shaped and controlled, ball lightning was huge and radiating. It would fill this cave, incinerating the lich. I wouldn’t be surprised if it melted the walls. And the crown? The crown would survive – as would I, being the magic’s mistress. The power blasted out of me, lightning forming an orb in the cave that exploded outward, blinding even my eyes. The walls shook, heat washed over me, and a roaring filled my ears. I heard the lich scream, a horrible, raspy sound. I didn’t let go of the spell until his cry faded to silence. The ball lightning disappeared instantly, almost startlingly so. My own control of such power surprised me a little. My ears rang in the silence. The crown stood unharmed, as expected. The pile of bones I’d expected was not there, however. Instead, a small, wizened man stood before me, dressed in the same purple robes. I reached out and readied my magic for this new threat. He didn’t move, though. To my astonishment, he smiled and gave me a small bow. â€Å"Congratulations,† he said. He gestured to the crown. â€Å"You are worthy – if you can wear it, of course. And something tells me you can, if you’ve survived this much iron.† I glanced back and forth between him and the crown, unbelieving. â€Å"I did it†¦. I won through. Won the crown. I defeated the lich †¦ er, you †¦ or whatever.† â€Å"Certainly the lich was part of the test. It takes great magic to defeat one. But the test was about more than your power,† said the old man slyly. â€Å"It was about your determination. Your will. Your ruthlessness to get to the crown, no matter the cost.† He stepped aside, waving his hand over at the cave’s side. I gasped. Kiyo – in human form – lay against the wall. His dark eyes were open, and I saw no obvious injuries. He was simply watching the interaction. I flew to his side, kneeling down. â€Å"Oh my God. Are you okay?† I asked, helping him sit up. His breathing was even, though he looked a little addled. â€Å"Please †¦ talk to me. Kiyo. Are you okay?† â€Å"Yeah, yeah †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He lightly touched his forehead and winced. â€Å"Hell of a headache.† I could scarcely breathe. I felt numb all over. â€Å"You shouldn’t be alive,† I whispered. â€Å"You should have died.† That ball lightning had eradiated the room. That had been my plan, after all. Destroy everything except me and the crown – and everything would have included Kiyo. In the moment, I had forgotten. I had forgotten all about him. I’d been too fixated on the crown, on proving to the lich who the real badass around here was. Kiyo hadn’t mattered in that moment, and it had nothing to do with our rocky relationship. I had the horrible, terrifying feeling that it wouldn’t have mattered who was in the room. â€Å"Oh, God,† I said again, pulling his head against my chest. Tears stung my eyes. â€Å"Oh God oh God. I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I don’t know what †¦ I don’t know what I was thinking†¦.† A nasty voice spoke inside my head. Didn’t you? â€Å"Hey, Eug, calm down,† said Kiyo, patting the back of my head. â€Å"I’m okay, don’t worry. You did it. You defeated it.† He didn’t get it. He didn’t get what I’d done – or nearly done. Clearly, whatever crazy, powerful magic was involved here had protected him for the sake of the test. But if it hadn’t †¦ â€Å"Seriously,† said Kiyo, still not understanding my distress. â€Å"I’m fine. Just got tossed around too much. Now go get the crown. He said it’s yours.† I pulled away and looked into Kiyo’s eyes, eyes full of fondness and pride. I didn’t deserve that look, but we needed the crown, and we needed to get out of here. I rose unsteadily and walked over to the pedestal. The crown sat there ominously, and I glanced at the old man. He nodded encouragingly. If you can wear it. I supposed there was one more test, one I might fail. When my fingers touched the crown, I felt nothing, only cold metal. I lifted it gingerly, almost afraid of what I did. It was heavy – far heavier than my crown of state or fashionable ones. Yet, it fit my head perfectly, which was weird. When I’d first seen it, I’d been overwhelmed by its size. I’d been certain it would fall right off. The old man beamed and bowed again. â€Å"And now it is yours. Its powers are yours. You can make armies tremble. You can rip away lands and subdue them. The world can be yours.† Hoping I’d proven myself, I removed the crown. â€Å"I just hope I can end a war.† Kiyo rose shakily to his feet. He no longer smiled. â€Å"What do you mean she can rip away lands?† The old man spread his hands out wide. â€Å"That is the crown’s power.† â€Å"The crown has no power,† I said, frowning. â€Å"It’s a prize, a status symbol for enduring all this.† â€Å"A prize?† The old man’s eyebrows rose, and he gave a great belly laugh. â€Å"Do you believe all of that was just for a prize? For some bauble?† Kiyo and I exchanged uneasy looks. â€Å"Then what does it do?† I asked. â€Å"The Iron Crown allows you to break the bond between a monarch and his or her kingdom, thus freeing it. If you have the strength, you can then claim it.† The old man shrugged. â€Å"Why, with enough power, you could control half the kingdoms in this world.† How to cite Iron Crowned Chapter 11, Essay examples

Something Made A Difference In My Life Essays - Kids,

Something Made A Difference In My Life There are two things in my life that are extremely important to me. One of these things is sports and the other is helping people. Basketball has been a part of my life for many years. Helping people has always been important but only recently have I been able to combine these two together. Being a Captain on the Varsity Basketball team in my school is very pleasing and puts much joy in my life. I love to be able to lead my team on to the court for big games and show them the right way of doing things. I try to set examples on and off the court. One example off the court is helping out the disabled kids in my school. My team and I put together a special basketball game for the disabled children in my school. This is only one of the great ways of helping out . I believe it is very important to help those who are incapable of playing sports. I can pick up a basketball and play a game at any time I wish. It hurts me to know that some kids can't that is why I try my best to make them feel special and show them that they can play with us too. At the Jewish Community Center, where I play basketball as well, we have Hanukah parties for the disabled children. We give gifts out, dance with them and play games too. It feels great to play with them and show them that they're not much different then us, we all just want to have a good time. These events are truly special in my life and I hope it they are special for the disabled kids too. It takes time and patience to help disabled children and I'm glad that my team, the J.C.C., and I were capable of helping out. Hopefully I can do more volunteer work or special events in college. Most people don't want to be bothered but once you see the smiles on these kids faces you know your doing something for a good cause and you and the kids feel like you can achieve any goals you set your heart on. Bibliography none