#Project FAFNIR

[hyperions-crusade]

FAFNIR Project Log #3

The backside of the tank in various phases. I think it's done for now until I add some beastly modifications.

It's really fun sketching out those panels and cutting them and building the tank piece by piece. Just feels really satisfying being able to build this in my little apartment on my little table.

Also those are 2 meters / almost 7ft of jewelry chain

[scrapcheese]

crying i wish i understood japanese so i can understand what they are saying in the dragon maid side content:

Link to song that the VAs for FAFNIR AND TAKIYA SANG TOGETHER FOR A DRAGON MAID CHARACTER ALBUM??** Also: the lyrics in romaji and hiragana 

Link to audio drama (basically like an audiobook version of an anime episode) and here's the list of what's on it.

AND ITS ALL IN JAPANESE;;;;;; There's so much JP content that i just can't understand,,,,, crying sobbing shitting myself

**Note: there is a word used at the end called”付き合っ” or tsukiatte which according to google, mainly means “to hang out” / spend time with/ or support; but when used in the right context is usually refering to a date. 

[maniculum]

Pinned Post, or, What Is This Blog Exactly?

Given the recent influx of new followers, I figure I had better make us a pinned post so people know who we are and what we're doing. Because, as much as I enjoy just posting whatever, this is a podcast account and people should know that. Especially if they like weird medieval stuff, as that is our whole deal.

The Maniculum, available wherever you normally get your podcasts, is a show where we read medieval literature, make jokes about it, and then suggest ways to adapt it into TTRPG material (or other forms of storytelling). We try to pick especially strange medieval texts, most of which you would be unlikely to come across in your typical medieval-lit survey course, though we have done a few well-known ones (most notably our series on Egil’s Saga).

It’s hosted by Zoe and Mac. (This is Mac typing now; I do most of the Tumblr posting. Zoe sometimes posts as @meanderingmedievalist.) Both of us are medievalists with like degrees and stuff, so we at least kind of know what we’re talking about when we discuss medieval literature. Mac has a Ph.D in English Language & Linguistics and currently teaches introductory writing at An Unspecified University. Zoe has an M.Phil in Medieval Studies and works as a professional game designer – she did narrative design on Pentiment, if you’re familiar with it.

The general structure of the podcast is that one of us (we take turns) chooses a text and reads / paraphrases / summarizes it for the other, who responds to it with comments & questions & jokes & digressive tangents. Then we close with a series of segments where we pull interesting features, ideas, etc. from the text for potential use in your TTRPG / storytelling projects.

If you want to check out the show but don’t want to start at the beginning where you have to listen to us figure out what we’re doing (the audio on the first handful of episodes is a bit rough, for instance), here are some suggestions:

Our 2022 Halloween special (link here), where we read a selection of medieval stories about undead creatures.

An episode (link here) about the dragon Fafnir and the famous slaying thereof.

The Story of King Constant (link here), a fairly short and obscure tale from medieval France. (The episode is still a normal length; the story is short enough that the full text fits comfortably into a single episode with no summarizing needed.) I include this one because I feel it’s a good self-contained representation of what we do.

The first episode (link here) of our two-parter on the Peasants’ Revolt, released to commemorate May Day 2023.

Lanval (link here), one of the most widely known stories by Marie de France. This is also good as a self-contained episode, and it's a story that may be familiar to you already.

And if you want to jump into a series:

The first episode (link here) of our seven-part series on the highly-regarded Icelandic text Egil’s Saga, about a Viking warrior-poet who is also kind of a dick.

The first episode (link here) of our ten-part series on Perlesvaus – our longest series on a single text so far, wherein we work through what might be the weirdest Arthurian romance out there.

If this just popped up on your dash, sorry for the long self-promotional post. Hope you come check us out. New episodes every other week.

[teamunee]

i was the person who left those tags about the rich mistress thing haha thank you for correcting me - i'm korean myself but not great w korean history so i didn't spot it….too many joseon dramas watched </3 it's such interesting information, if you do have other thoughts on how you designed the outfits and chose roles for the other characters i'd love to hear them! (also: icb you did the dragon maid art too it's literally perfect....one to one omg)

hello! ofc, I love learning and talking about Korean culture stuff, the mistake is very understandable since those kinds of extravagant hairstyles were also very popular in the royal family!

I thought I'd take this opportunity to talk a bit about some of the other characters I got questions on :> (both here and on twt)

First question I got was for sqh on twitter, sqh is wearing clothing for Korean scholars in the Joseon dynasty, with some extra flair :3c the hat he and sqq wear are called "gat" and are commonly worn by noble class men to protect their topknots.

It was socially polite to hide your hair for men (confucianism), so I thought it might fit the demons to have their hair more "down" since they're from a different culture ig haha

Then, as mentioned before in my reblog, shl is based on a Korean gisaeng, or female entertainer. They were highly skilled but were outcasts of society, fitting for another demon! Gisaeng would tie their hair up and have very short jeogori (top) and tie their chima (skirts) up to show their pants.

I also got a question about Bingge's emperor outfit! This is the Joseon dynasty emperor's clothing, which is very similar to the Chinese emperor's clothing. The hat is called a myeonlyugwan, or mianguan in Chinese. According to my friend who just graduated in Chinese studies (!! congrats jin), the number of beaded threads connect to the status of the wearer, with the emperor wearing the most at 12 :3

LQG is also a k-drama core version of Korean warrior clothing

Hope this helps !! I will be honest I only did a surface level amount of research for this project since I was crunching for a class assignment that did not need to be this nice lol....

(oh yeah im glad you enjoyed the kobayashi au :3 i wanna draw more with fafnir and takiya as moshang tehe.....)

[thekhaenrianscientist]

Royal Academy of Science of Khaenri’ah Project: Ruin Drake Initiative Research Log #001 Lead Researcher: [Name Redacted] Date: 13/06/1206 ⊹˚₊‧───────────────‧₊˚⊹

Initial Development & Purpose:

Following the success of the Field Tiller Initiative, the Ruin Drake Initiative was commissioned to further advance Khaenri’ah’s autonomous warfare capabilities. Unlike their predecessors, these units were designed not only for combat adaptability but for elemental resistance and counteraction. The inspiration for the Ruin Drakes came from the Vishaps, ancient lifeforms known for their ability to absorb and counteract elemental forces. To replicate this ability, these machines were designed with a specialized Energy Surge System, allowing them to analyze and convert absorbed elemental energy into a reinforced defensive state and offensive retaliation. These units were built with both terrestrial and aerial variants to ensure strategic superiority. The development of stabilizing wings allowed flight-capable models to engage in long-range suppression and evasive maneuvers, further enhancing their role in battlefield domination.

Design & Functionality:

Articulated Tail System – The primary striking and defensive mechanism. The tail is reinforced with Khemia-enhanced alloys, capable of devastating impact force and high-speed rotational strikes. Sentinel Sensor Head – The core of the Ruin Drake’s targeting and adaptive processing system. Capable of tracking elemental imbalances and calibrating attack strategies accordingly. Grasping Claw Mechanism – Designed for both environmental traversal and close-range combat. The claws enable grappling and terrain manipulation, allowing the Ruin Drake to anchor itself in dynamic combat situations. Core Chamber – The power unit, housing the Chaos Storage System, which enables the machine’s absorption and conversion of elemental energy. Stabilizing Wings – Primarily utilized by aerial variants, these mechanical wings provide increased mobility, allowing for both evasive maneuvers and high-speed dives to strike ground-based targets.

Adaptive Combat Behavior:

The Energy Surge System is the Ruin Drake’s defining feature. When exposed to continuous elemental damage, the unit absorbs the most prominent energy type, adapting its resistance accordingly. Once fully charged, the unit retaliates with a converted elemental surge, altering its primary attack type to match the absorbed element.

Weaknesses & Countermeasures:

Despite its formidable adaptability, the Ruin Drake has structural vulnerabilities. Its thrusters, wing joints, and nasal sensor unit are weak points that, when struck with sufficient force, can cause temporary paralysis. If a Ruin Drake is stunned while it has absorbed an element, the stored energy is forcibly discharged, resetting its adaptive state.

Operational History & Legacy:

The Ruin Drake Initiative was meant to mark a new era in autonomous warfare, with prototypes designated under the "Faf-" (for Fafnir) classification, each assigned a unique numerical identifier. However, as with the Field Tillers, these machines were left without masters following the destruction of Khaenri’ah. The surviving units remain scattered across Teyvat, continuing their programming in isolation. While many have become dormant or inactive, others persist, mimicking the Vishaps they were modeled after, responding to threats with ruthless efficiency. To this day, they stand as remnants of a lost empire, their purpose unchanged despite the passage of time.

End of Log.

[we-are-barbarian]

Sigurd and Fafnir by Valeriy Vegera, who also did a lot of artwork for the Pathfinder: Kingmaker video game.

https://vegera.artstation.com/projects/Ol0Qy

[moviemunchies]

GOSH it’s been a week, am I right? We had an election, the results of which were… uh, yeah, we elected a megalomaniacal senior citizen who tries flushing classified documents down his toilet. I’m going to let off some steam.

I’m here to tell you that Twilight of the Gods, despite getting a better reception than a lot of Zack Snyder projects, is hot garbage.

Sigrid is a half-giant, and on her wedding day, Thor comes and kills her family. Blah, blah, revenge quest, gather a group of outcast badasses to fight the Big Bad threat–

Wait, wasn’t the gist of it–the gathering a group of warriors to fight a bigger, institutional tyrannical threat–the same Plot as Rebel Moon? This even has a campfire sequence before the big battle where the heroes talk about the motivations and backstories. Goshdarnit, Zack. I know you’re not the only person working on this, but really?

That aside, the problem with Twilight of the Gods isn’t that the Plot is bad; yeah, it’s thin, but that’s not necessarily bad. You can have a great story with a thin Plot. Look at John Wick. No, the biggest problem I had is that so many of the characters’ actions and development make absolutely no sense. Characters will choose a path that doesn’t add up other than to move the Plot forward. Big things will happen, and revelations will drop, and the people involved do not care.

-There’s an episode where Loki tells Leif that he’s the Scapegoat God–his entire role in the pantheon is to be the douchebag everyone hates and takes the blame when things go wrong, or when people make bad decisions. And he hates it. Loki’s stuck with a role he despises. You would think this would have some reaction from Leif, and affect the interactions between the two in some meaningful way down the line. Nope!

-The dragon Fafnir used to be Andvari’s friend, another dwarf. When they defeat him, Fafnir turns back into a dwarf, and Andvari insists that they spare him. Leif kills Fafnir anyway, because he’s angsting about his lover Sigrid becoming more vicious. Andvari, nor any of the other characters, have any reaction to him killing someone who he wasn’t supposed to on a whim, much less the friend of a friend.

-Speaking of that: Andvari’s backstory with Fafnir and Loki isn’t explained by Andvari, one of the main members of the group, I remind you, but by Egil, summarizing to Leif and Sigrid the next morning being like, “Yeah, so last night he was telling us all about it!” Why didn’t you just show us Andvari telling his own story?!

-Also, Loki kills Andvari when Andvari tries to kill him. Everyone is shocked, and Leif is clearly sad when we see him burying Andvari. And then no one really cares that their ally killed one of their friends

-Hervor at one point wonders aloud if killing Thor will screw up the afterlife or the weather cycle. Hey, geez, maybe that would have been a good thing to ask before you agreed to go kill Thor? Especially as her life goal is apparently to meet up with her already-deceased sons in Valhalla. Hervor’s got no apparent motivation to be on this quest, either, other than friendship with Sigrid–I mean, hey, go kill gods with your friends amirite?

-Thyra, who was raised by the Vanir, is apparently perfectly happy to side with new friends against them when they’re framed for poisoning them. Why? I don’t know, she has a crush on Sigrid, I guess.

-Oh gosh, the Campfire Episode. Shrooms are passed away For Reasons, Thyra has a threesome with Sigrid and Leif which is apparently Oh-So-Magical for her (she swears eternal devotion to them afterwards, basically), and then Odin reveals himself there and the episode ends–and no one gives a damn about Odin appearing to Sigrid and talking to her, given they’re about to go to war with him.

The creators of this series did not care about a coherent story or cast of characters. It’s made up of moments that someone in a writing room said, “Wouldn’t this be awesome?!” (for the reveals, action scenes, and dialogue) or, “Wouldn’t this be hot?!” (for the at-least-once-an-episode sex scenes). That this has gotten a somewhat good reception is astounding to me. Castlevania, for all its flaws, had spectacular fight scenes and animation. This has even less redeeming qualities. I mean, the writers really said, “Hey, what if Jormungandr were actually a hot chick that has sex with Thor?!” and people… went along with that? And think this is good writing?

I suppose that at the very least, it’s clear that they did a lot of research on Norse mythology for this series, and people appreciate that. Then again, it makes the deviations stand out all the more. Why on Earth is Freya’s brother, king of the Vanir, Tiwaz? The 2018 God of War also made a lot of changes to the mythology, while still clearly having done tons of research as well, so those changes were done in service to the story and characters. Changes here are only there because… I don’t know why. To make it more gruesome?

And I spent the entire series saying, “Hey, I don’t know how any of this works!” We see they take quite a journey to get to Jotunheim, though apparently anywhere else in the Nine Realms is pretty easy to find, if not necessarily to get to. The crew gets god-killing weapons, and kills Vanir and Aesir mooks by the bucketload (how did they all get that good at fighting that they can wipe out gods with ease??), and yet when it comes to Thor himself, sometimes their god-killing weapons go through him, like he’s a boss fight and they have to wear down his first health bar before they can kill him. And Thor kills Sigrid’s family by making them explode with lightning (pretty sure that’s not how lightning works), but when fighting the protagonists he doesn’t do anything nearly as effective, swinging his hammer around wildly. He should be able to kill them at any time, and doesn’t, because Plot.

This is terrible writing. This is terrible character development. The animation’s cool, I guess, and that’s kind of it. There’s so much better fiction about mythology out there, so check that out instead of this.

[fafnirhumgy]

Long Overdue Pinned Post

you know, to keep everything in line... mostly

canary, fafnir, i respond to either. my special interests include:

warframe

EXA_PICO (both ar tonelico and surge concerto)

twisted wonderland... kind of

various furry media, as i am furry trash myself if some of the reblogs weren't obvious enough

persona (sometimes)

metaphor refantazio (sometimes)

picayune dreams

path of achra

kingdom hearts

sonic (sometimes)

splatoon (sometimes)

little tail bronx (my beloved)

project moon

monster hunter

final fantasy

guilty gear

whatever else my hyperfixation has or will latch onto, hard to remember as i write this

no seriously i am looking through my image gallery looking for which memes i actually feel affinity for in the images

since i tend to bury my own posts under mass reblogs, and i do kinda care about people actually seeing the stuff i write, here's some tags:

#writing == "As the name suggests, all the literary-themed posts and reblogs I make. Most of my actual posts fall under this tag."

#concept overflow == "When an idea gets too urgent to contain, it has to overflow somewhere. This tag is that somewhere, filled with both half-thoughts and important meanderings to the accompanying tags. Almost invariably part of #writing posts."

#twisted tonelico: mage-rider wonder == "My Twisted Wonderland x EXA_PICO crossover 'fic', inspired by a certain someone else's Twisted Tonelico series. Achronal format. Follows various moments in Yuuki Gyenshire, a male Reyvateil (Reyvaroid), as he plays the role of Twisted Wonderland's Yuu. Much tokusatsu punching and Song Magic shenanigans ensue."

#planetarium mobile == "I guess you could call it an original fiction. Linear format. Follows the journey of a freshly-rebirthed dullahan as he climbs out of a deep abyss, the journey of some freedom fighters as they chip away at a digital demiurge, and the strange conversations they have over text messages. I intend to use pieces of this in a Fabula Ultima setting."

#naxunn frey == "A fiction dear to my heart, the first one I ever refined. Currently infodumps and possibly achronal format. Worldbuilding about Naxunn (na-shun-n), a half-baked world in the conceptual sense, and the people who live there. One day, you might see the moment when they finally reclaim the infinite horizon..."

[ena-shinonome-the-painter]

All the mangas I own for fun

Uzumaki, Tomie, Another, My Hero Academia Vigilantes, Corpse Party: Blood Covered, Kazumi Magica, Crisis Girls, Persona 5 Mementos Mission, RWBY, Venus in the Blind Spot, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid Fafnir the Recluse, and Bang Dream Roselia

All the mangas I lost in the past

Magical Girl Raising Project, Danganronpa, and a manga teasing other mangas like Demon Slayer and RWBY

[mask131]

Ségurant, the Knight of the Dragon (3/4)

Last time we stopped as the documentary was about to go look at Siegfried’s northern ancestor, Sigurd.

This part of the documentary is basically a reminder of the Sigurd myth and other basic things. The oldest traces of Sigurd are from the 8th century, but they are not in books, no: they are on runic stones, those enormous stones covered in inscriptions and drawings (often monuments to the dead). The documentary reminds us that between the 4th and the 12th century more than three thousand runic stones were created throughout all of Scandinavia. The documentary shows us a very emblematic runic stone found near Eskilstuna in Sweden, which has the full depiction (in drawing form) of the legend of Sigurd and the dragon. How Sigurd’s adoptive father, Regin, brought Sigurd and his horse Grani to where the dragon Fafnir lived, how Sigurd dug a pit to hide and when the dragon passed over him, he plunged his sword within the dragon’s body ; how Sigurd cut out the dragon’s heart, placed it on the fire, and after burning his thumb on it, drank accidentally the dragon’s blood ; how Sigurd suddenly gained the ability to understand birds and heard some of them talking about how Regin wanted to kill him ; how Sigurd beheaded his adoptive father as a result ; and finally how Sigurd took his horse and Fafnir’s treasure and left.

There is also a very brief explanation of dragons and “great snakes” in the Viking world – how they are a well-known symbol sculpted on ships and objects, how they can mean at the same time good and evil, order and chaos… The expert that talks at this point (I didn’t catch his name) explains that in the myth of Sigurd, the slaying of the dragon is a sort of ultimate trial that acts as a “rite of passage”, proving Sigurd’s heroism, virility and maturity.

And, more importantly, there lies the difference between Sigurd and Ségurant. Sigurd kills his dragon, plunges his sword within Fafnir’s body, because the dragon is real, a being of flesh and bones. He is actually someone metamorphosed into a dragon, but it’s still a real dragon. But Ségurant? Ségurant was bewitched by Morgane, who condemned him to follow a dragon that cannot be killed, since it is merely the spirit of a dragon – an imaginary dragon if you will. This, unlike Sigurd, Ségurant cannot slay his dragon, his locked in an endless battle that is ultimately pointless and fruitless, since what he hunts is a mere illusion.

The documentary then gives us the next piece of Ségurant’s story: after the dragon’s arrival and Ségurant’s departure, Morgane, “the wicked fairy”, arrives at the Winchester tournament and presents herself to king Arthur. She immediately tells him that waiting for Ségurant’s return is madness because – according to her – it is all some sort of vile spell. She claims that the dragon, just like Ségurant, were some sort of magical projections, living illusions. And she works so well that she ends up convincing everybody at the tournament that Ségurant, just like the dragon, never existed in the first place… She convinces all except one person. A young Irish man by the name of Golistan, who still believes in him, to the point of makes the solemn oath that he will only be knighted by the Knight of the Dragon, and no one else.

As we return to Arioli we are hit with a big twist… The manuscript he reads Ségurant’s story from? It abruptly ends in the middle of the sentence. There is no follow-up to the episode above. Ségurant hunts the dragon, Golistan searches for Ségurant, everybody at Arthur’s court goes away as if nothing happened… and that’s it. Why? Because this book was obviously part of a greater whole and has a sequel somewhere. (For example the manuscript containing the unfinished story has a whole set of illustrations, proving that it wasn’t simply a work-in-progress that never got finished). As the documentary returns to Paris, we learn that the writing style and shape of the letters prove that the manuscript was composed somewhere between the end of the 14th century and the beginning of the 15th. However, the language and some specific sentence structures show that the text itself dates from the 13th century (the same era the Prophécies themselves started going around). And given medieval manuscripts were often copies of copies, it makes sense that one story would end up being fragmented as the centuries went on… So a “Suite des prophécies de Merlin” must exist somewhere with Ségurant’s second part of the story in it… But where? That’s the question. Arioli looked into all the manuscripts that were linked, directly or indirectly, to Merlin, hundreds and hundreds of books… Without finding anything. For a very long time he went searching for a sequel that simply seemed to not exist, and all he could go on with was all he had discovered until now. That Ségurant was not a Celtic character like Arthur or Merlin ; that he was not a protagonist of Chrétien de Troyes like Lancelot or Perceval ; that he was a knight invented by an author of Northern Italy who wrote in French ; and that his inventor took inspiration from Siegfried/Sigurd, taking from their legend various elements. A dragon that must be killed, a wall of fire that the hero crosses, a fabulous treasure (in the shape of Ségurant’s shining gem)… But with the key removal of the hero actually slaying the dragon.

UNTIL FINALLY Arioli found the sequel. He found back “Ségurant le grand” (Segurant the Great, or Ségurant the Tall) in an unnamed manuscript that mixed Merlin’s Prophecies with other adventures related to the quest of the Grail – it was kept in Genova, at the Bodmer Foundation. And here was where Ségurant’s story picked up:

Ségurant, exhausted by his hunt of the dragon, rests within an inn. A young man enters and presents himself as “Golistan, son of an Irish noble”, adding that he is looking for the Knight of the Dragon, by whom he wants to be knighted. Ségurant then reveals his identity to Golistan (Young man, you have the Knight of the Dragon before you), and, as Golistan kneels before him, he agrees to make him his squire.  Later in the story, we learn that the Lady of the Lake herself appears within the plot: indeed, somehow Ségurant meets the Lady of the Lake, who takes him by the hand and bluntly tells him he was bewitched. Ségurant asks “Lady of the Lake, since so many good is told about you, help me if you can.” And her answer? “Only the Grail can set you free, you will need to cross the sea to find it.” And thus Ségurant’s story becomes part of the quest for the Grail…

We are back with Michel Zink, who gives a brief explanation about the Grail. It first appears within the last roman of Chrétien de Troyes: “Le conte du Graal, ou Roman de Perceval » (The tale of the Grail, or Roman of Perceval). It tells the story of a young, naïve, foolish boy who is so ignorant he doesn’t even know his name. Perceval lives his widow of a mother in the depths the lonely forest they inhabit, and one night is welcomed within a mysterious castle that appears out of nowhere, as by magic. During the evening meal, there is a strange procession before him, in which a young girl carries “an uncovered grail” (“uncovered” as in “not covered by anything”). It is not THE Grail, but “a” grail. Perceval wants to asks questions about his host about the strange sight, but he ultimately decides it is best to stay silent. And the roman, that was never finished, leaves us with the mystery… And it is the fact that the solution to the grail was never given that made this roman such an enormous success. A few years afterward, Robert of Boron took the subject of the Grail and gave a very religious interpretation to Chrétien de Troyes’ story. In his writings, he describes it as a cup that the Christ used and that Joseph of Arimathea took after the Christ’s arrest – before placing within it the blood flowing from the side of the crucified Christ. This Grail, as a result, was the most sacred of all relics, and the reign of king Arthur leads to the destined quest of the Grail.

As such, to continue his investigation, Arioli looked at all the manuscripts related to the Saint Grail – but several years of travels and library researches led to absolutely nothing. Until he changed his strategy, and decided to “look at the manuscripts nobody had looked at”…

ADDENDUM:

A few additional precisions and elements coming from the French Wikipedia article for Ségurant: The oldest version of the roman was determined to have been written in French, in Italy, between 1240 and 1273. Before several sequels or rewrites appeared, between the end of the 13th century and the end of the 15th century. They were mostly created in France, in Italy and in the Flanders, but were spread and shared throughout these countries, with Great-Britain and Spain on top.

The roman of Ségurant was clearly influenced and inspired by the Prose Lancelot and the Prose Tristan.

The article specifies why Morgane summons a dragon to get rid of Ségurant: apparently Morgane, upon seeing all the talents and the greatness of Ségurant, fears that if he stays at Camelot he will prevent her from taking over the kingdom of Logres. This is why she sent Ségurant on a bewitched hunt… While the documentary explicitly tells us that Morgane came into person before Arthur to tell him of how Ségurant was “not real” – implying that in this version she is a close counsellor or a trusted part of Arthur’s  court – the Wikipedia article rather says that Morgane sends a woman to Arthur’s court to convince everyone that Ségurant and the dragon were just a mirage. Not only that, but the woman actually claims openly that this mirage was created by both Morgane herself and by an enchantress called Sibylle (a variation of the character of Sebile).

Later, according to Wikipedia, the people of the Non Sachant island actually organized a man-hunt to find back Ségurant, and Arthur heard of their party coming near Camelot (two hundred knights in total). But a new girl sent by Morgane manages again to convince Arthur of “All’s an illusion”, by claiming they are not knights, but magicians, and convincing Arthur it would be a bad idea to join them in their quest.

[hyperions-crusade]

FAFNIR Project Log #2

Build the base for the gun tower. Im expectiv it to be 8cm high. ive build it so its gonna be detachable with magnes.

Reason is, i want to build a fairly big cannon but am worried it will block space on top of the tank for larger miniatures.

[scrapcheese]

MKDM headcanons!

Headcanon: Takiya and Kobayashi knew each other from college

At the time they’re just in the same classes and end up on a lot of group projects together. One night they go out drinking and one of them slips up and mentions maids, freaks out a bit but then the other one ALSO starts talking about maids and ever since then they started to hang out more. They are both giant nerds in slightly different directions and i think even in college they were like that.

//

Also I am 100% certain that in canon, Takiya is considered attractive by his coworkers and he finds it annoying when they try to ask him out!! (chapter 8 of the manga, he joins Kobayashi for christmas as an excuse because people keep asking him out around that time)

SO IN COLLEGE THEY START TO FAKE DATE to get people off of Takiya’s back and because kobayashi’s parents keep bothering her about getting a boyfriend.

The thing is they are super bad at it and their dynamic doesn’t change whatsoever, they still act very much like bros, just that when people ask they’re just like “oh yeah we’re dating totally” and it somehow.. works?? 

also the trope of “we fake date but actually fall in love for real”?  Never happens. That’s because I feel like at this point Kobayashi probably realizes she’s not quite into guys and prefers girls more and Takiya realizes he’s not quite into girls (or anyone for that matter.)

They stopped fake dating after college. Maybe they don’t talk as often while looking for jobs and going about life, but reconnect after they start working at the same company

=====

Headcanon(?): All the kids go to the same school

This one isn’t much of a headcanon but more of I just never see it being discussed. I’m pretty sure Kanna, Saikawa and Shouta all go to the same school, just in different grades. Come on there’s so much potential there!!!!!

=====

Headcanon: Takiya used to work at a bookstore or some sort of customer service/retail job in that year before joining the company

because HOLY SHIT HE HAS THE PATIENCE OF A SAINT. I don’t think he’s ever gotten genuinely mad at someone in like the whole series. And I feel like you need a lot of patience (or some level of "too tired to deal with this”) to be roomates with Fafnir, at least initially.

(Context: In canon, Ch 35, Kobayashi gets accepted first into the company that they work at, then Takiya in the following year)

=====

Headcanon: Fafnir has a hair routine

Like its probably not a very long one, but he definitely takes care of his hair. Like its super long and stuff and at one point in the anime Takiya gets him some sort of shampoo/conditioner. I like to think that he really gets into it after a while.  (Probably takes better care of his hair than Kobayashi does honestly)

the other dragons probably bought him a dyson airwrap for christmas, either as a joke or as a serious gift (he would definitely use it for real though)

=====

Headcanon: Takiya has a Fafnir fund.

OK so we know Fafnir is freeloading in Takiya’s apartment. I like to think that after Fafnir’s been there for like a month or something, a part of Takiya’s “otaku expenses fund” got transferred into a “Fafnir expenses fund” to cover for the amount that the electrical bill must be. Like bro is gaming for 21+ hours a day, and there are 2 computers running in that household, can you imagine how much that would cost in the long run?

His friends probably donate to the Fafnir fund as a joke sometimes, like I can see Kobayashi and Lucoa doing that. 

=====

Headcanon: Tohru and Fafnir meet up once a week so she can teach him about cooking human food. 

I literally wrote a whole fanfic about this. I think Fafnir knows how to cook but only after he goes to Tohru to ask about human food and how to make it. He doesn’t ask her directly about how to cook (he doesn’t know how to ask for help) but I think they’re good enough friends that Tohru can pick up on the request without him even saying it.

Also Elma is there sometimes to learn how to cook but she usually ends up eating her share of the ingredients before it’s done.

=====

Headcanon: Kanna is oddly good at playing shiritori

Ok this one is a headcanon that I just like because it’s fun to think about + it came from memories of my childhood. Shiritori is that word game where you use the last letter (or syllable in japanese0 as the start of a new word.

I think that she plays that with her classmates and they find our that she’s just really good at it, like “hasn’t lost once” levels of good at it. They challenge her a few times a week, and after she gets tired of doing it so often, they set a rule where you have to bet something in the game in order to play. This becomes a trend in her school, and they even have shiritori tournaments sometimes. I think the teachers would encourage this because it gets the kids reading and learning more words.

=====

Headcanon: Elma has a hydroponic garden in her apartment

You know those gardens that don’t use soil and just water? Yeah Elma has one of those, she’s literally the holy sea priestess, she can control water well enough. She just keeps it somewhere in her (in canon very empty) apartment and grows a bunch of vegetables. And melons, I think she would like melons.

But also she’d probably eat them before they are fully ripe, I don’t think she has the patience to actually wait for it to fully grow

[circle-bircle]

any obscure games I can feel like a hipster playing? don't care if they're technically mediocre sometimes they vibe more that way.

sure here's a list of niche games (perhaps not obscure) i enjoy:

final fantasy 2 - obligatory rec; technically mediocre for sure and i guess you'll either feel like a hipster or a nerd and i think both are acceptable. please please please please please please etc etc

lufia 2 - as someone who has only played loz link's awakening this feels like that with jrpg fights. it is really good and the og is on my to-play list eventually but this game is just so fucking cool. plot is a little wack but whatever. music is really good too

suikoden - i personally like the first more than the second but both ps1 titles are really good - standard jrpg affair but i would consider them niche enough to put on a list here. i am sloooowly playing through the third game but i have enjoyed my time with it through the first few bits

legend of the dark witch - anime babe platformer. decent mix of easy and hard entries but i had a fun time with the series

terranigma - truthfully I haven't gotten very far into it but it is niche so could be worth your time nona

vagrant story - tbh I don't care for the plot but the gameplay is straight fire and sydney losstarot is very cool

legend of dragoon - BURNING RUSH... SPINNING CANE... MORE AND MORE.... COOOOOL BOOGIE... SUMMON FOUR GODS... etc etc. plot gets kind of wack in the later discs but holy FUCK is the gameplay so good.

etrian odyssey just in general - i had a fun time playing the fafnir knight; prolly best to google this series bc youtube can explain it better than i can

final fantasy tactics advance - not obscure but my favorite tactics game. it's a tactics game. not much more to say

ace combat - probably obscure to you if you're looking at my blog; but i really liked ace combat 2. if you enjoy plane shootey games it is good

if you like schlocky fanservice games lord of magna: maiden heaven is a fun romp with hot anime babes. twas little circle's awakening to the vast world of video games (outside pokémon and project diva) so it holds a special place in my heart. grant george voices the antag. so.... yeah

if you like mystery dungeon games i really enjoyed chocobo dungeon 2; the ffx-2 dungeon game I didn't really get into but it is niche

once i finally escape from Scholarly Hell for summer the next game i plan on playing is legend of legaia. truthfully it seems like xenogears with the combat system but i cannot tell whether it is better or worse but i will probably make a post about it in a few months

oh. you know what? play xenogears. play xenogears, nona. you should play xenogears.

or final fantasy 2. because it is good. at least if you squint really hard and tilt your head and squint a little more

[dorokora]

The story continues..

We start with that strange dream of the past again. Narration talks about the project of the crystallization of the human mind. It goes even further, it’s able to self-replicate and repair without network assistance within a moderate extent of damage. Even in the event of a fatal loss of function, it is possible to reconfigure from the stored blueprints if there is support via the network. The first was “black” and the second was “white” both together created something alive, a new element. This element made it possible to interfere with the multiverse (LW multiverse?). It can be said that this element freed not only the mind but also the body of mankind from space and time. And the definition of life and death in this world lost meaning. Beauty and ugliness, health, and longevity have all been solved by using this element. By connecting to the network and obtaining the necessary information, it became possible to modify and repair the body in any way. Thanks to this project they found discovered a “parallel world”. A body composed of this new elements can withstand both super acceleration and super gravity making it possible to go to this parallel world. And this discovery binds together the threads of parallel worlds. It leads to the discovery of the fourth dimension.

Yuuji wakes up and overhears Sol and Gordon talking. If they keep going the way they’re doing two more people will have to be sacrifice. Gordon thinks this deliberate. First they separate the group, next they sent Ahriman as a messenger to tell Yuuji what to do. It’s almost like they are steadily cut the group forces one by one. If they wanted to take them, they could’ve just sent all five demon lord at them at once. Gordon can’t figure out what the Meteo’s intentions are. The next day the group hear a roar from the distance. It’s Fafnir and Klaus fighting against Ahriman. Yuuji, Sol, and Gordon showed up to give Ahriman the slip and fall and escape.

Yuuji meets up with Klaus and Fafnir. But Gordon tell them to hold off the happy reunion for later. They need to interrogate the fallen Ahriman. Gordon tells Ahriman he won’t go easy on him just because he looks like a kid. Even humans can be cruel. Yuuji ask Gordon to go easy on Ahriman. Gordon tells Yuuji they can’t afford to show mercy to demon lords after they killed so many people. Yuuji tells him that Ahriman is different, he hasn’t killed a single human. Gordon ask if Yuuji is cooperating with the enemy. Yuuji decided that in order to talk to Ahriman they need a demon lord. So Yuuji transform into Nekros and lent his body to him for a moment. Ahriman is overjoyed to see Nekros. Ahriman tells him he can’t hear the voice of the mastermind. Nekros said it’s likely that he’s defective just like him. All demon lords will meet the same end and rest in peace. Ahriman tells him that there are still things he needs to do. He has to find and to protect someone. Nekros closes his eye so he can talk to Yuuji inside. Nekros tells Ahriman memories are mixed up. He’s even more broken than Nekros is. Outside, Gordon and Sol discuss about Ahriman. Klaus wants to go talk to him for a minute. Klaus tells him that he’s the brother he’s looking for. Ahriman viciously denies and run off to the pillar, clearly upset.

The group arrives at the fourth pillar. Seems that only Yuuji and Klaus can go inside. Inside they found Ahriman. Ahriman ask Klaus if he really is his brother then he should know what he gave him on his eight birthday. Klaus said it was a large snake shell found in the castle's backyard it was a secret between brothers. Ahriman ask long has it been since he died. Klaus said it’s been fifty years. Ahriman ask why is Klaus the hero’s friend. He thought if he found his brother he would have no regret. He’s a demon lord, he’s suppose to defeat the hero. Why is it that fifty years went by and he’s still a child while his little brother is a old man. Ahriman ask what he is. Klaus tells him simply that he’s his brother. Klaus said he’ll stay in his brother’s place and ask Yuuji to put his brother to rest. Yuuji ask Ahriman if he’s okay with that. Ahriman tells him it’s fine he’s not scared anymore. Ahriman said if he were to be reborn as a human he hopes he sees Yuuji again. Yuuji uses the spear and Ahriman smiled one last time. Yuuji and Klaus have their goodbyes. All that’s left is the final pillar and Tiamat.

[psi-scribe]

I said "yeah I'll at least build my deathleaper before I get started on building my project for the month. I've built plenty of models, it can't be hard."

I was wrong, oh so very wrong.

This model is hell to build, I thought Fafnir Rann with his tiny cord against the back of his head was rough. God why are there so many tiny bits?

[theshatteredrose]

Secrets: Best Left Untold? (Chapter 3) - Etrian Odyssey Untold 2 Fanfiction

AN: A chapter just before the year is over! Still in my recovery stage, so I’ve been working on this chapter very slowly XD Anyway, happy New Year! And I hope you enjoy reading~

Ao3 | Wattpad | Inkitt | FFNet

-

Chapter 3:

Flavio sat on the edge of his bed, his left ankle heavily bandaged and a borrowed walking stick within reach. He was dressed casually, wearing a pair of shorts in place of his usual trousers as they were in need of repair. Which was what he was busying himself with.

The tear in his clothing was a bit more extensive than he had anticipated. But thankfully, his injury was not as bad. His baggy clothing offered him just enough protection.

A sharp knock at the door startled Flavio, to the point where he nearly stabbed himself with his sewing needle. He raised his head and looked toward the door of his room. The knock did not sound like the one that Fafnir would issue before he let himself into his room. Nor did it sound like anyone else.

“Who is it?”

He did not get a response. How odd.

Flavio arched an eyebrow as he set aside his sewing project. He grabbed his walking stick and hefted himself to his feet. With a slight hobbling gait, he made his way to the door. He cracked it open far enough to peek out and saw no one. Up and down the hallway, it was empty.

Just as he was about to close the door, figuring he was hearing things, he looked down at the floor and stopped. There sat a small vase of flowers. Hydrangeas if he was not mistaken.

Confusion washing over him, Flavio opened his door and stared down at the flowers. He took a moment to look up and down the hallway once more. It was still empty.

Who in the world…?

Leaning heavily against his walking aid, Flavio bent down and picked up the vase of flowers. He turned and stepped back into his room, using his elbow to shut the door. He hobbled over to his cluttered desk and leaned against it as he turned his attention to the unusual…gift?

Who would leave him flowers?

…The only person he wanted to gift him flowers was Fafnir. Would he…?

No. He would not do something like that. He was far more…straightforward. How he would prefer it, honestly.

Amongst the pink Hydrangeas sat a fold white card. Hopefully it held a name. Or at least a reason for the flowers. He immediately plucked the card out of the flowers and read the top line.

‘To my beloved…wife’?

Yikes. Wrong room.

He would take the flowers and card down to the front counter later. Though, what a strange mistake. Why would someone’s wife be staying at the inn? Oh, they must have had quite the argument and the sender was grovelling. Or something.

Well, it was not any of his business. The flowers were not meant for him. Best to simply give the flowers to Hana, explain the situation, and leave it at that. No harm done.

Flavio placed the vase upon his desk and set the card within the flowers, where he had found it. After he saw who the card was addressed to, he had stopped reading. He had not a clue what else the card contained. It would be rude to read anything that was not meant to him.

Grasping his walking stick, Flavio turned to make his way back to his bed when he heard another sharp knock at his door. Only, this knock was familiar. He turned in time to watch as the door open and Fafnir appeared.

“Hey, Faf.”

“Hey. What are you doing up?” Fafnir asked in returned as he shut the door behind him and swiftly locked it. He would always lock the door behind him. A protective habit of his, Flavio supposed.

Flavio motioned toward the vase of flowers with a short wave of his hand. “Someone made a mistake and picked the wrong room.”

Fafnir frowned, his nose crinkling in annoyance. He looked at the flowers with a slightly narrow gaze, almost suspicious of them. Almost offended by them. He soon took note of the white card amongst the pink flowers and he quickly plucked out the small piece of cardboard.

“Don’t read the card,” Flavio chided. “It’s for someone else.”

But Fafnir ignored him and read the card anyway. Flavio just rolled his eyes and concentrated on cleaning up his sewing project and setting aside. And then getting himself comfortable on his bed. It was quite cold, so he slipped under the covers. With his injured ankle, he needed to keep warm, after all.

“Whoever sent this is a loser,” Fafnir announced.

Flavio snorted to hide his amusement. “Now, don’t go judging strangers. At least they’re trying to be considerate.”

Fafnir placed the card back within the flowers. “What are you going to do with them?”

“Hand them to Hana and tell her that the sender got the wrong room, obviously,” Flavio replied. “They’re obviously not meant for me.”

Who would be sending him, of all people, flowers?

Fafnir walked over to the bed and flopped down onto it, right next to him. He rolled over onto his side, toward him, and rested his head in the crook of his elbow. “I’m still angry at you.”

Fair.

Flavio wiggled a hand out from beneath the blankets and tapped his fingers against Fafnir’s forehead. “Don’t go getting concussions in the labyrinth, then.”

“It could have ended terribly.” Fafnir gently took Flavio’s hand in his. With the hand that held the Fafnir Knight mark.

Flavio’s gaze fell to the vivid blue mark on the back of Fafnir’s hand and his eyes softened with sadness.

The dark skinned appendaged always brought a wave of grief to Flavio. It signified a fate, a destiny that was filled with pain and suffering. One that was forced upon Fafnir during childhood. One he had no choice but to carry.

Yet, Fafnir had defied that fate. He was meant to sacrifice himself in the darken halls of Ginnungagap.

Still, despite his defiance, the symbol signified a future that was uncertain.

Flavio entwined his fingers with Fafnir’s. “And it could have ended terribly for you if I hadn’t. Your life is important, too.”

Very important. The most important thing to him.

Fafnir sighed, yet did not attempt to utter a reply. It would only lead to them going back and forth. Both insisting that the each other was more important, more precious than the other. It was something they were sure to never agree on.

A small crease appeared in Fafnir’s brow and he hold around Flavio’s hand tightened.

“What’s wrong?” Flavio asked, though he had a feeling he knew what the answer was.

“My hand is aching,” Fafnir said simply.

“Oh.” That happened often to his cursed hand, unfortunately. “Let me see.”

Flavio slipped his other hand from his nest of blankets and cupped Fafnir’s hand. Gently, he massaged the delicate muscles and tendons. One thing he was grateful for was that Fafnir’s hand, though gnarled and monstrous from the curse, remained warm to the touch. It was reassuring to know that blood continued to pulse through his veins. And that Fafnir could still experience the sense of touch.

He did not hate Fafnir’s cursed hand. It might seem like it at times, but he did not hate it. It made him…sad.

If only he could go back in time and stopped…that from happening.

Yet, that was something he could not do. No matter how hard he tried.

So, all he could do was offer him a sense of relief through the gentle massaging of his hand. He was not entirely sure what he was doing was correct, but Fafnir found comfort in his touch, so that was all that mattered in the end.

He hoped and prayed that they could get through this Fafnir Knight nonsense unscathed and they could return to the Midgard library. And back to their normal lives.

… … … … …

Fafnir readjusted his winter coat and patted his pocket, ensuring that Flavio’s shopping list was secured safely away. With his ankle still painful (though, he would not admit at much, Fafnir could tell) and with the early morning dew a thin layer of ice thanks to the low temperature, Flavio was unable to do his usual errands. So, naturally, Fafnir volunteered to do them for him.

He had not realised that mother-hen took on a lot of responsibilities looking after the guild. A visit to the Sitoth Trading was just the start.

Fafnir needed to have a chat with Flavio about his work load.

“Oh, Sir Fafnir, are you going out?”

“Hm.” Fafnir turned to look behind. Arianna stood just a few feet away, dressed regally and warmly in a long winter coat. “Flavio wants me to do some shopping.”

Arianna clapped her hands excitedly in front of her. “Allow me to join you. It appears to be a lovely morning.”

“Alright.” He did not see the harm.

With a pep in her step, Arianna quickly reached his side and Fafnir turned to move through the entrance of Flaus Inn. It was a fine day, thankfully. He should be able to get through his errands quickly and return to Flavio to ensure he did not try to sneak in some chores on that injured ankle of his.

However, as they stepped outside, Arianna slipped her hand around his elbow. As he turned to look toward her, she offered him a shy smile. “The ground is a little icy from the morning dew. It would be beneficial for the both of us if we walk together like this.”

Fafnir was not so sure. He wanted to get his errands over with. But he guessed he could not afford slipping and injuring something. He would get some chiding from Flavio then. But he would also get some fussing from him, too.

Talk about pros and cons…

Nah. Better get a move on. First stop, Sitoth Trading.

There were a lot of people out in the streets of High Lagaard. To the point that Arianna had to grasp onto his arm tightly and move closer to him. It was a little frustrating, but he assumed that the crowds were due to residents preparing themselves for the bitter winter seasons. He had heard rumours about how brutal the snowy periods could be around these parts.

After a few minutes of walking, they finally reached the familiar Sitoth Trading. And not a moment too soon.

“Welcome!” Abigail automatically greeted as they stepped inside, before she smiled at the two of them. “Oh, are you on a little date?”

Arianna laughed airily behind her hand, a light dusting of pink dancing across her cheeks. Yet, she made no attempt to deny the question. She simply smiled, giving the impression that she was actually quite overjoyed by the little accusation.

He wasn’t, however.

Fafnir looked over at Abigail and shook his head. “No, it’s not a date. Flavio was injured in the labyrinth yesterday. I’m doing a few errands for him.”

Abigail’s eyes widened in surprise and concern. “Oh my, is he all right?”

“He is fine, thankfully,” Fafnir answered. He had to gently shrug Arianna’s hold from his arm as the shopping list happened to be in that pocket. He could not help but notice that Arianna pulled her arms back rather sharply, in an agitated fashion. Which was unlike her.

A motion that she, herself, soon took note of as well as she soon placed a smile on her lips and folded her hands elegantly in front of her.

“An injury to his ankle,” Fafnir explained as he handed the young girl the shopping list Flavio had written up for him. “But he thinks he can go about as normal, in spite of the bandages. I’m risking a lot by doing this errand. I better not find him up and walking about when I get back to the inn.”

Abigail giggled in genuine amusement as she moved about the shop, gathering the items needed. “I’ll be sure to get everything on this list so he doesn’t have an excuse to sneak out of the inn.”

“Oh, he’ll make up an excuse, but at least he won’t have a legitimate one.”

The young shop-keeper giggled again. She then uttered a sound of surprise. “Oh, Mr Fafnir, did you read the shopping list?”

Fafnir arched an eyebrow. “No, why?”

Yet, another giggle. “It seems that Mr Flavio knew you wouldn’t, so he asked me to remind you that since you’re out, to pick up the mail at the post office.”

Fafnir rolled his eyes and sighed. Honestly. “Yes, yes. He only reminded me three times this morning.”

“Aww, you’re like a married couple. I’m so envious. I wish I had someone I was as close to as the two of you are,” Abigail lamented with a sigh. “Relationship goals for every girl, I guess.”

Fafnir said nothing in response to dispute that. Simply gave a half smile as the dedicated shop-keeper prattled on as she gathered up the items into a brown paper bag.

As he reached into his pocket to pull out the money for payment, he risked a quick glance in Arianna’s direction. And he hid a wince.

The enthusiasm and cheeriness that Arianna had displayed at the beginning of their errand had dissipated significantly. And Fafnir could only assume it was because he had, perhaps rudely, stated that they were not on a date.

However, it was true, as bad as it made him feel.

He did not like being a jerk. He truly didn’t. But he did not want anyone to be mistaken, least of all Flavio. He could not risk a misunderstanding. Did not want to give Arianna the wrong idea. She was like a sister to him. And the notion of romance, of courtship, was wrong to him. Almost repulsive, to be honest. The idea of courting her, not Arianna herself. She was the sister he never had.

Yet, the idea of courting Flavio, someone he knew since childhood, felt right.

Some used to say that they were like brothers, more than best friends. But Fafnir was no longer content with that. Funny how, the bleak emptiness and silence of Ginnungagap made him realise that he wanted more out of life.

Did that make him a hypocrite toward Arianna? Possibly. That was just the way things went, he supposed.

“Thank you for your patronage!” Abigail said cheerfully. “Tell Mr Flavio to take it easy and I hope he recovers soon.”

“I will,” Fafnir said simply in return before he and Arianna exited the store.

As they stepped outside, he quickly noted that Arianna made no attempt to slip her arm through his. Like she had done just outside the inn. She was…upset with him. Because he said it was not a date and he spoke about Flavio.

If so…

There was nothing he could say that would reassure her, unfortunately.

Should he suggest that she take him by the arm again? He did not mind her doing so. There were a lot of people about. And the paths were slippery. And it was the brotherly thing to do. But that was all it was. Brotherly.

Someone bumping into him from behind prevented Fafnir from coming to a decision and he stumbled a half step forward. He ensured that the shopping bag he carried remained firm in his grasp before he turned around, to either brush off the person who bumped into him or give them a glare for doing so.

As he turned, he found himself looking at a man a few years older than he with pitch black hair and piercing emerald green eyes. Those eyes were truly the most striking thing about the man. He was probably six-foot tall, give or take. Dressed in dark colours. Which served to amplify his intense green eyes.

“My apologises,” the man stated, his voice steady, normal, well-practiced. “It seems the citizens of High Lagaard are frantic in preparation for the Winter season.”

“It is quite alright,” Arianna answered immediately, ever polite and serene. “I do hope you were not injured in any way, kind sir.”

“My, what a polite young lady.” He fell silent as he ran those…unnerving green eyes over each of them in turn. “Oh, do you two perhaps belong to that guild that supports the restaurant run by the minister’s granddaughter?”

“Oh, yes,” Arianna smiled as she clapped her hands in front of her excitedly. “Madam Regina is an exception chef!”

The man smiled, charmingly. Far too charmingly, in Fafnir’s opinion. “I have yet to visit, but it has been on my schedule. You must give me your recommendations when I am able to visit. And I would love it so if you endear me with your worldly exploits. I would be most interested to hear the tales of the guild whom has earned the attention of the Grand Duchy. From what I heard; your guild’s survivalist is quite the cartographer.”

“Is there a point to this?” Fafnir asked sharply.

“Now, Sir Fafnir,” Arianna chided him lightly before she turned back to the mysterious stranger. “You must excuse him; he is quite protective of his guildmates.”

Fafnir felt the hairs on the back of his neck bristle when the man turned those sharp green eyes in his direction.

“I mean you no harm,” he said, with well-practiced pacifism. “I am simply…intrigued by the exploits of the members of the Midgard Library. It is not every day, after all, that esteemed members of such an organisation would trouble themselves with exploring a labyrinth. Two, at that.”

Two labyrinths, huh…

Fafnir had enough of this conversation. “We’re leaving,” he said, grabbing Arianna by the elbow.

“B-but, I…” Arianna stuttered, but thankfully made no attempt to dislodge her arm from his grip.

Fafnir turned around, picking a random direction. Any to get away from the guy that, for one reason or another, made him bristle with protectiveness. And his hand, his cursed hand, ache. As if there was something…not right about him.

“Lord Mandelson, if you are interested.”

“I’m not,” Fafnir spat over his shoulder and kept on walking.