#dragonvoid

[loreleilangenue]

I see your Alster and Lance hate each hc, and while I know it's probably gonna be true, I think you would be amused to be my hc of their relationship

Which is not enemies, not lovers, secret third worst thing

I got really attached to the idea of them being roommates and learning to tolerate each other. Somehow, that evolved into queerplatonic. Important to note I also ship creedock, but I think they got married and moved in together after the dragonvoid ( i've decided that's Alster and Lance's... duo name?? I don't ship them at all) situation happened. I don't think they really call each other queerplatonic partners, but they're aware of it, and so is dock.

They are (to me) the world's strangest polycule

Also, the name dragonvoid comes from Alster's powers being described as similar to a black hole and me being an astronomy nerd

ohhhhh my gosh. thanks!!!!!!!!

yeah lol i really like toxic queerplatonic dragonvoid (great name btw!!) thank you for sharing its wonders with me. toxic wonders polycule my beloved.

i imagine its like. at first theyre just really passive aggressive with each other but then as they get much closer they also start actively trying to murder each other. then the big climax of the story could be something like alastor poisons lance and lance guts alastor and then as they lie on the floor frothing at the mouth and bleeding out respectively they realise they do actually care about each other. i just think it would be really funny. (then dock walks in and is like "what the fuck are you two doing")

im adding this to my wonders polycule diagram >:) tyyyyy for the ask!!!!!!

[starseers-garden]

Fun events in Feilim’s life

[lady-quen]

A quick render of how I imagine Numen's Elder Dragon form (or, at least, the head) would look like!

They would not ascend directly after Jormag's death (feeling unworthy of the mantle and scared they would end up hurting people just like their parent) but rather during the Jade Sea campaign, while evacuating the army around the Harvest Temple. The gratitude and support of all the people they save finally gives Numen enough courage to accept their new self, and use the power gained to assist the Commander against the Dragonvoid.

More in-depth lore coming soon :)

[vinetooth-prime]

Amira Holt

— Ascalonian/Canthan || Merc For Hire Priory Arcanist || ex-Mantle Commander, Pardoned by Her Majesty, Queen Jennah

"I don't get the magic thing. Weapons are more reliable but... I won't lie: it's pretty fuckin' sick when it works."

Born & raised in Divinity's Reach, Amira was a third-generation recruit of the Ministry Guard and inheritor of her family's career legacy. Always exceptionally skilled in her work—thanks largely to her father's constant drilling and pressure to excel—she served under several ministers, eventually (and often) working under Legate Minister Caudecus like the rest of her family.

With the reemergence of the White Mantle, led by Caudecus, tensions began to rise. Amira was locked in conflict with herself between her sense of duty, her sense of loyalty, and her sense of morality. By the attack on Divinity's Reach, Amira found herself trapped among the thick of it, innocent blood smeared on her hands from her own hesitation.

At the betrayal of her family and colleges, Amira deserted, though not in time to avoid succumbing to bloodstone poisoning consuming her right arm. When she came to, she was in a Krytan hospital with her soul fragmented (unknown to her at the time) and her arm had been amputated. Terrified of whatever sentencing she imagined to face, Amira made an escape and fled Kryta.

During her escape, her new aptitude for shadow magic began to become clear, and Amira pressed southward, eventually landing herself in Lion's Arch.

Homeless, alone, and afraid for her life, Amira turned to picking up any job offered her. This quickly lead to Amira floating day-to-day by rubbing elbows in the underground of LA, the apathy of a hard life wearing her down to take thefts, thug jobs, and even the occasional hit. She made few friends and many enemies, also chancing fate and taking opportunity hunting down bounty contracts from private postings, other governments, townships, and crews.

Through chance encounters and a string of lucky choices, Amira eventually met her doppelganger five years later. Avoiding her own death again, a shaky truce was made, which quickly lead to joining the same Priory Sector that employed her "twin".

This, in turn, lead to her joining the excursion to Cantha's reopening and enthusiastically reconnecting with "her roots", making a handful of strong friendships and facing the Dragonvoid threat near the epicenter.

In 1337AE, her arrest & pending execution by the Shining Blade was made public. A month later, she instead received a full pardon from the Crown for her crimes of high treason in exchange for the arrest of her father, murderer, and White Mantle Fanatic, Clarence Holt.

[meeeeeeese]

Mooses semi-headcanonical explanation for what magic in Guild Wars 2 actually is

This here, while informed by what the game says, is mostly speculation on my part, trying to fit together everything that's been said about magic to make it a cohesive as possible.

So. What is magic?

What I think, is that magic is the fundamental essence of existance itself, the force that defines what is, so to speak. So everything that exists, does so because of magic. So to wield this power, to cast spells is simply using this power to redefine reality, arguing that maybe a fireball should actually spring into existance in your opponents face.

Similarly, magic of a particular type (say, fire magic, plant magic, etc) is magic that's particularly predisposed towards defining reality one way. So for example 'death magic' is simply magic that predisposed towards making reality one in which things are dead, while 'fire magic' leans towards defining reality as on fire.

But what about the void?

Well, as Taimi says in the Extraction Point story mission

Void is fully combined magic, that is to say magic that's predisposed towards defining reality as everything all at once, with no order and cohesion. Which ends up as a chaotic mess, and like Taimi says, Life can't survive an environment like that.

And then the dragonvoid, an entity formed from the voracious hunger of the dragons, is essentially what I'd almost describe as a pure magic elemental. Who, informed by the mindless destruction of the dragons, decided that what reality should ultimately 'be' is nothing.

I think this works pretty well to explain why magic is both necessary, as a land drained of magic is fundamentally less 'real' than a land rich in it, while also explaining the dangers of too much magic; it starts to make random redefinitions of reality, causing it to degrade.

So what about Aurene's role in regards to magic?

So Aurene's role is to prevent magic from reverting to void, which as established, is very caustic to life. Essentially I'd describe her as keeping a finger on the scales, ensuring that magic remains predisposed towards keeping Tyria in existance while cycling magic through the ecosystem so that everywhere on Tyria remain equally 'real' so-to-speak.

Is it convoluted? Yeah, but I think it's the most succinct way of summing up everything, curious if you have other interpretations though!

[awakenedsylvari]

i never expected to see this much gold in my bank at once. it's too overwhelming...

UMMM???

and here i thought dropping Winter's Presence this Wintersday was a spot of good luck

[mistfallengw2]

Full GW2 Commander Asks for Vesska

1. Which dragon scared your commander the most?

Mordremoth. They were already shattered by the fact that all sylvari were born as his minions, and finding out that he could turn so many friends and allies into enemies on the flip of a switch was beyond terrifying, especially as that included the one person Vesska ever felt seriously in love with. They religiously held onto the belief that Trahearne would resist the call until they found and saved him, because they had to keep up appearances for the Pact's morale and they couldn't afford any hesitation in how they handled things. In a way they were right, but having to hurt him in order to free him left an emotional scar on them as big as the damage the dragon did on the Firstborn. That fear of the Jungle dragon never left Vesska until IBS, when Aurene was able to figure out what was happening to Trahearne as he slipped in and out of longer and deeper slumbers. After that, the fear turned into anger because of what their lover could end up turning into because of the dragon... and themselves.

And then, technically, there was the Dragonvoid.

-

2. Who is your commander closest to now?

Vesska was the champion of both Aurene and Vlast, and that kind of bond went beyond closeness, as getting branded by Aurene to save their life meant they could be as one with either of them whenever they wanted to (the connection to Vlast was weaker but of the same kind). In terms of regular relationships, as of EoD it was Braham (romantic) along with Kasmeer and Marjory (platonic), though certain things they kept only for Caithe's ears (whatever they had going on + minions).

As for the Tyria they're in now, no one. It's not safe to reveal themselves as what they are, let alone bond with anyone, so they never stay in one place for long.

-

3. Who was your commander closest to prior?

Trahearne was the first person they really let in, and other than the whirlwind of emotions during courtship and actual dating, he was their closest friend and confidant for years. Even after HoT, whenever they were able to catch him awake, Vesska would spend the day telling him everything that happened since the previous time, and he was always able to reignite their confidence. Or at least that was it, until his slumbers became too long for them to do more than sit or rest by his side for hours, hoping to catch him awake for even just a minute.

-

4. How does your commander remember the fallen?

Back in their Tyria, they lost few they truly cared about, so it was enough to visit the memorials for the Pact troops and civilians they weren't able to save. Almorra was the one they struggled with the most, but avenging her and keeping her memory alive helped.

Now, in a foreign Tyria with nothing to remember their original one by, they can only try to keep the memories alive. Visiting memorials was usually a grim surprise at first, especially Trahearne's, but they regularly go and pay respects to all their friends, mourning them there and in the whole Tyria they couldn't save.

-

5. Which death caused your commander the most grief?

Definitely Vlast, as Vesska and Aurene were forced to kill him after he was corrupted by the Dragonvoid. Sensing his pain and thoughts as if they were their own as the decline happened was excruciating, and there are no words to describe what the two siblings felt as they fought and mercy-killed their brother, knowing they couldn't do otherwise and were also likely ruining their chances of survival later on.

-

6. If your commander could revive one person, who would it be and why?

They don't know. There are too many and some of them are even alive in the foreign Tyria they are in now, but they're not the same person they knew. Heck, even Vesska is no longer the same person, and dooming someone else to a whole different existence along with them would be far too selfish to even consider.

-

7. How does your commander feel toward their position of power? / 16. If given the chance, would your commander give up their fame and power? If so, why?

It was something they enjoyed both selfishly (they liked the attention) and selflessly (they knew they could handle the responsibilities and help others better than most). Definitely had its big downsides, but they knew their way around it due to their upbringing and they could do more that way, so they played the part as if it was all perfectly fine. Back in their Tyria, it would have been highly unlikely for them to give it all up, especially without a good reason, as that was working out pretty okay for everyone. Now they'd give it up to go back to their Tyria even just for a moment, no hesitation.

-

8. Does your commander fear death?

Not really. If it had to happen, it'd happen, but they sure would have tried to make it happen on their terms instead of someone else's. As it were, the two times they were on death's doorstep they held on enough for help to arrive and survive to retry another day.

Now, not anymore. They wholeheartedly wish Aurene had allowed them to die with their universe, instead of saving them and leaving them all alone in the Mists. What good was it for, if they were bound to be useless to the Tyria they ended up in, unable to save others as they had saved themselves already?

-

9. Does your commander believe they’re on the right path?

They used to believe it, as everything they personally did ended up being "right". Now they believe that their legendary luck doomed their entire Tyria, as if it was some fucked up joke of the Eternal Alchemy's balance.

-

10. When alone, how does your commander handle grief?

Thanks to their luck, Vesska didn't really face much grief until HoT. Usually it was enough to just go and have fun, live a little, and they were fine by the next day, but sometimes it lasted no matter what, so they pretended it didn't bother them anyway.

Their safe place ended up becoming Trahearne's side in the Grove. If he was awake, he'd be able to help them work through it and comfort them, otherwise laying down next to him in his "chamber" was enough to at least soothe their hurt. Pretty ironic, given that their biggest source of grief up until almost the end of their Tyria was his fate shrouded in questions and doubts, the one they selfishly had a hand in making by refusing his request to die before Mordremoth made him his vessel.

Now, Vesska doesn't really "handle" their grief, because it's almost all they feel. It gets messy sometimes, and the most well-adjusted thing they can do about it is to take it out on the first ruffians or aggressive creatures they come across.

-

11. What is the proudest moment your commander has experienced?

Seeing their siblings ascend. It was bittersweet to be left behind for a while, but that was Aurene's and Vlast's moment and Vesska had done their part by helping them get there.

-

12. How does your commander feel about Braham?

[note: Braham's story in the AU is very different, as Eir doesn't die because Vesska saves her against all odds, yet she is still left disabled and healing/adjusting to her new life is a rough process. Due to various different circumstances, his temper tantrum directed at the Commander doesn't last that much, he is more present in the story and he doesn't become Champion of Primordus in IBS]

Initially Vesska thought he was just a brash kid who wanted to prove himself and idolized a successful figure like the Commander, and it was a pretty normal friendship until one-sided feelings bubbled up on Braham's side and they had to draw a line in the sand about it. Things seemed normal until HoT, but then it was rough to deal with someone who had a lot of growing up left to do yet was too busy grieving for the sorry health state of his mother, all while Vesska themselves was dealing with the terrible condition in which Trahearne was. Lots of back and forth in their friendship as stuff happened and they both reacted to it, but once Braham managed to catch up on his own healing and Vesska had less on just their shoulders, feelings that were a lot healthier started to bloom for both of them. In IBS they managed to start a pretty good and balanced relationship, just in time to lean on each other as shit hit the proverbial fan in many ways. Overall, they love their big dumb norn, and him being fascinated by their transformation helped a great deal in adjusting to it.

-

13. How does your commander feel about Caithe?

[note: Caithe's story in the AU is different during s2/HoT. While she does steal the egg initially, she spares a few words that change the situation slightly, and at the end of s2 Vesska does manage to convince her to let them go with her in the jungle for safety. Trust is still in short supply for a while, but Vesska allows her to keep the egg as a token of their trust, and while she has to run off at one point, she gets to redeem her initial theft at multiple points]

It's complicated (positive). They care deeply for her ("love" would require a more precise definition that can't be found in their messiness), she was the one who most comforted them about Trahearne (while also crossing the line a bunch, though it was not intentional and the line was never clear), and they don't know what they and Aurene would have done without her (Vesska was more suited for being an older sibling to the hatchling, while being a mother came natural to Caithe). Becoming both minions of Aurene made things even more complicated, but honestly? That was okay in its multifaceted way.

-

14. How does your commander feel about the dragons?

At first Vesska didn't feel like the threat warranted the terror everyone felt, not because it wasn't real, but because it felt like it would have been possible to fix things long ago if everyone did more than just reacting to the dragons' actions. In all honesty, a perspective they later admitted to be warped by their formative years spent in Lion's Arch and their guardian's attitude. They grew up particularly admiring Cobiah Marriner for his brave feats against Zhaitan and building that amazing city, and they were also proud of their people, who had survived losing everything and still made the most of the dangerous jungles no one else dared to call home.

When the chance to fight back against the dragons presented itself, it felt like destiny to Vesska, but they would soon learn that reality was worse than any tale could ever communicate. While their initial confidence and acts of bravery (that forged the myth of their luck) boosted the fledgling Pact's morale a great deal, they learned to be more calculating and ready for anything even as they took risks, and it paid off in the long run.

Becoming the sibling of two dragons opened them up to even more understanding of the elder dragons, and what was a just war against nature itself started feeling like having to put down rabid beasts who were too far gone. Necessary, but bitter.

-

15. How has your commander changed overtime?

Physical changes aside (being champion of two dragons at once and then getting turned into a minion comes with those) and ignoring what happened to them after the end of their universe, they remained mostly the same from an outside view, as most of the changes were things they ignored as long as they could get away with it.

Starting out as a very talented and charismatic "nepo baby" progeny with an enviable track record that they topped off with the Snaff's Savant title, their first successes as Commander made them extremely confident in their abilities and full of themselves. What started off as just favorable innate talents and a positive attitude ended up becoming a myth of luck tied to them, and it became so much bigger than them that they ended up believing in it as well. Their ego built and solidified itself on that concept, and they were happy to be a ray of hope for others, but it was a bit of a facade for themselves as well, one they hid behind in search of comfort. After all, if they were actually doing the wrong thing, things would have gone badly, but everything was always going okay or even great, so they must be doing the right thing for sure... right?

HoT also marked a shift in their behavior, leading to their self-imposed fixation of having to be everywhere they could to keep bad things from happening. Granted, it seemed to work and they were proud of what they achieved, but deep down it increasingly wore them out.

-

17. How many people truly know your commander?

Dragon siblings excluded, they never showed themselves fully to anyone. The closest are Trahearne, Caithe, Braham, Kasmeer, but all of them lack understanding of one or more facets of them.

-

18. How does your commander handle stress? / 19. How does your commander unwind?

Parties and casual intimate encounters were their bread and butter for most of their career, and they felt no shame in it as it sure boosted morale for everyone involved. Goldclaw had a series dedicated to the Commander, not just one book, with their direct approval and occasional feedback session.

Now they just... don't unwind and barely handle it all.

-

20. Can anyone calm your commander down, no matter what? If yes, who and why?

Trahearne for years, as mentioned above. Vesska doesn't even know why they fell so bad for him in the first place, they just did because he was as he was, and that translated to how easily they could calm them down. To them, he was just... peace and happy thoughts. Ironic, considering they're the heads of a military organization formed to vanquish the elder dragon of death, but one doesn't look a gift kirin in the mouth.

Aurene became another one who could calm them down very easily, but surprisingly, Vlast did it better than her once they got to know each other better. They often joked about how at first they could barely stand or trust each other (Vlast didn't really trust anyone, and from Vesska's PoV he was still a big unruly dragon they didn't know at all), but over time they were the only ones who could calm each other down (Vlast ended up becoming very good at making people reflect on their issues and come to a resolution, and Vesska used the fact he would not harm them no matter what to calm him down multiple times).

[rata-novus]

okay maybe im a dumb bitch who hasnt had a pulse on gw2 in a hot minute, but i cant be the only one who thinks that the upcoming ledgy backpack looking like dragonvoid is, like.... weird, right? 😕

[loreleilangenue]

little shitty comic to expand on this post

bonus: a few hours later

[therealpactcommander]

that timeline when thorne is corrupted by dragonvoid or something lol

[ratasum]

Hi Jay! :D I have too many favorite characters so I'll just stick with my main 4 (not the best pic sorry) (left to right):

Veldrin - Original cmdr, died in Orr and merged with the echo of Zhaitan, and continues to collect the echos of the other dragons. Retires to the Wizard's Court. Is an 'anchor' of sorts for dragonvoid. Stinks Bluebell - Champion + Wayfinder. Originally a mesmer but became dual-class when she began channeling Glint. Strong butterfly theming (has wings in-game but alas). Fake as hell Arth/Tamotsu - Super old oni guy from the Jade Wind era. Was a host for a kryptis that came to Tyria with Kanaxai, but has since almost entirely merged consciousness with it. Aurelia's partner agent. Level of oni appearance shifts based on emotional state. Weirdo Aurelia - New cmdr, talented whispers agent, sniper. Hates the spotlight and lets Bluebell handle all the diplomacy. Moth theming. Rude - @magitechbatt

Very strong lineup! The looks on display here, the sheer vibes. A powerful group staring me down from across the mists!

Undead? Dragon echo chamber (appreciate my awful pun)? STINKY? You mean everything to me, Veldrin; I hope you slap some wizards into shape up there your appearance alone has the strength for it.

Bluebell being the one sharp POP of color here is a choice that I am 100% here for. May be fake, but not fake in my heart.

ONI KRYPTIS ONE HIT COMBO. This guy has the will and the way to be on top of everyone's charts. I too wish I could shift my appearance based on my emotional state. Big jealous, my guy.

Aurelia, if you want to be rude, be SO rude, you deserve it. I'm right with you on hating the spotlight. We can be hermits together.

All in all, 10/10 lineup. Would watch them comedy of errors their way through saving the world with popcorn and a bottle of fine wine.

[valiant-portabella-pirkko]

It's a somewhat random GW2 wish, but I'd love it if there were dyes specifically designed around being multicolor/iridescent/rainbow in some way. Like you plug them into the slot, and they give that piece an iridescent quality that causes color shifts depending on the lighting and angle, with different dyes having unique hue ranges.

So maybe you'd have a glossy flame one that ranges from bright yellow to deep red, or a glossy aquatic one with seafoam green to deep cobalt, or a straight up rainbow one that could be used for dragonvoid-esque aesthetics if you pair it with abyssal/shadow dyes.

[diamond-dangeresque]

Day 4 — Elder Dragon

1335AE, the Jade Sea; "Mother's Lament"

The glider slowly descends into the cavern beneath Chihiro, a semi-dark locale partially made of temple construct and hollowed jade. Even from up here he can see Aurene. Kind of hard not to, really, what with her own bioluminescence sparkling even far down in the dark. As he got closer to the ground, he saw the other figure down below, a sickly-looking serpentine figure coiled unto herself with fading azure scales.

This was it, he tells himself. Soo-Won is on her last breaths. Not much longer before the Dragonvoid consumes her, not much longer until that needs to be put down as well. There were a lot of strange feelings about Soo-Won. He kept them to himself for the time being. No use bothering anyone about his personal grievances with the Elder Dragon of Water, Creation, and Possibilities. And especially given that last bit, he figures to be of the three (alongside Aurene and Glint) who know the truth behind that third sphere of influence.

The Herald feels his feet touch the ground, actual solid dirt and stone as opposed to solidified inner sea water or polished mainland brick and marble. Aurene is laying next to Soo-Won, doing her best to nuzzle her dying great-grandmother. The only family she's ever gotten to talk with, to actually meet face-to-face in the flesh, the oldest of the Elder Dragons and she's dying and there's nothing that can be done except to make sure her suffering isn't prolonged any further. It feels like a cruel joke. To see your impending loneliness creep up on you. To realize you really will have to bear this burden alone, and the person responsible for this is now a buried half-burnt corpse. Chihiro was surprised Aurene doesn't get angrier. More indignant, maybe. She carries this grief of her own with a grace he laments not having himself when he was younger.

"Ah," Soo-Won hisses, a voice strained by disease and injury, "the Herald arrives." Her facial whiskers sway in the windless air, slowly reaching towards Chihiro. Yes, yes. Kuunavang did not speak as highly of the Revenant as she did of the Ritualist before him, but Aurene's testimony proved a good second opinion to the more...biased report from her direct progeny. "Come, child. Come closer."

Chihiro didn't know how to really respond to all this. For so many years, it had always been strike down the dragons, slay the dragons, crush the dragons. Aurene was always the exception because she was deigned the exception, from before she even hatched all the way to now. The dragons were dangerous, the dragons were malicious, the dragons consumed with an endless hunger that threatened the very existence of Tyria as we knew it. And for the most part it rang true. Zhaitan was a mindless horde, a living undead hunger with a body built to contain it; Mordremoth wanted all life but his own smothered beneath or mulched to feed his plantfolk; Kralkatorrik's rampage threatened not only Elona but the Mists itself, his desire to defy fate his own undoing (what cruel, cruel irony); Jormag and Primordus were menaces to the Norn and Asura for centuries even before their empowerment from their siblings dying, and even now Tyria recovers from their brotherly dispute.

For so many long years, Aurene was the only exception. There was Vlast, once, but he never lived long enough to fulfill that obligation with his sister. There was Glint, their mother, made an exception through exceptional work from the Forgotten at the bidding of their Humanly-Divine masters. And now here is Soo-Won, living testament that perhaps the Dragons could have been different at their very core. They all could have been different. Yet here we are, and soon Aurene will be the only exception again.

No more Dragonrises. No more lost civilizations and lost knowledge. No more fear of the underground, the deep cold, the dark jungles, the crystalline deserts, of the dead and dying. But also: no more family. No more familiarity. No more of the feeling that you belong to a group of someones. Chihiro pets Aurene's scales, smooth to the touch with their glimmer dimming just a bit as his hand brushes over. In that final way, they could relate to a scary degree. Growing up without your family. Growing up as the last being of your world.

"I apologize," Soo-Won whispers, her voice crackling with further debilitation. The Dragonvoid was hollowing her. It was proving harder and harder to remain who she is as the seconds and minutes tick by. Aurene's presence, as does the Herald's, helps in remaining moored to this chain of consciousness. But its links are weak, only growing weaker. "Our meeting was to be under better circumstances. I did not have enough time."

"None of us did," Aurene responds.

"I only wish I could have tutored you more," she tells Aurene, "and prepared you for the tough responsibilities ahead. It will be long, arduous, and at times very painful."

Aurene's crest-scales fold back down onto her head. Her luster dulls. "I...I have my champion. I have the guidance of my mother through him. I'll be alright."

Soo-Won chuckles. "I am proud of you, Aurene. As your mother is. This world is fragile. Its peoples need love, care, support." But there is a caution in those words. A small fear. Soo-Won is very familiar with mortality in all its myriad forms. She has scars Aurene does not yet bear but will one day have to.

"We've got our communities for that, ma'am," Chihiro pipes up, feeling rather like he wants to hop on a skiff and sail off into the dark waters of this cave than be here. Really, he's only here for Aurene. "Your help is...much appreciated."

This whole ordeal of calming down Soo-Won at the Jade Sea has been nothing but one exhausting event after another. And Chihiro certainly took no pleasure in commanding the Pact's onslaught against the formerly only other friendly dragon in the world, now turned as magic-hungry and dangerous as her children did. Cantha will mourn her departure. Kryta and Elona, maybe not so much. He wants this conversation to be over already. It feels...awkward.

"When was the last time you properly mourned, Commander?" Chihiro can hear Ventari ask, deep from the recesses of his mind. He doesn't answer. (He doesn't like the idea of what this answer looks like.)

The minutes idle away. Aurene continues to show affection to her elder. Chihiro continues to feel out of place in all this.

"Go now, both of you." Soo-Won shivers. Strands of Dragonvoid weave through her, visible just so between the azure scales slowly turning darker and oil-sheened. "My rest here was...brief. Too brief. But thank you both for being here with me as I..." She groans. The strands become larger, working their way towards the elder dragon's head.

"Soo-Won, please, there has to be a way I can—"

"No, child of Glint. I am gone. The Dragonvoid has consumed too much. All you have left is to release what is left of me from this pain."

"No...please..." Aurene rises to her feet. Instinctually Chihiro hops onto the crystal dragon's back, holds on to some upraised shoulder scales. This is going to be rough, he thinks.

"Go." Her voice warbles. She feels her mind unraveling. Not much longer before she drowns in memories of her past, her experiences, her children. Aurene takes off, Chihiro holding on tight as the new Crystal Dragon takes flight towards the Harvest Temple.

[lady-quen]

Rotating "The Only One" so hard in my head right now...

Dragonvoid as a type of primordial chaos that understandably messes with any existing type of magic, meaning it could kill Mael even easier than bloodstone. Eating away at his magic as his life force begins to dwindle towards the end of the campaign, all the way to the final stand at Harvest Temple, whittled down by countless abominations of nature. He realizes even lichhood won't save him this time, and all he can do is apologize weakly as the horde overwhelms Kuunavang, and then him not too long after.

Aurene rescues him right before his soul to body link would break permanently, closing all wounds with her Brand, regenerating missing pieces and reimbuing him with magic. Now, with the Commander's darkness giving way to the radiance of the sun, the fight is steadily won back.

Together, they're harmony. They're shadow and light in perfect duet, death and life and everything inbetween that Aurene had since absorbed. For that brief moment, they stand for Everything where the Void stands for Nothing: a symphony of elements juxtaposed against the Void's discordant chime.

To them, nothing is inevitable. Not even death. They make their own fates, and they'll defy entropy itself. No matter what stands in their way, no matter the difficult choices made along the way, they will see this war through to the very end to honor the sacrifice of all those who fell in its wake.

The Cycle ends.

And a new Dawn rises.

[rizardofether]

Been thinking about my Grand High Sovereign version of Rhixak again lately. I made him way back in 2018 based on the Infinity Ball personal story instance for asura.

I just made him for fun and didn't give him much further thought. But now I started thinking about him again.

It starts with meeting Shodd and the story goes similar to how it goes in the personal story part. Rhixak is a bit of a control freak which led to the invention of infinity ball in the first place, though he gave up in the end as in canon

With Shodd's encouragement, he continues, ignoring Zojja's warnings. In the end though no other version of him comes out, instead the two of them somehow succeed in making it predict the future.

The two's collaboration is of course full of homoeroticism, and the two only grow closer through working together. Though Shodd is only changing Rhixak for the worse. He purposefully manipulated Rhixak to go on with the project, and ends up getting carried away, encouraging even worse behaviour.

Using Rhixak's anxiety and worry for others, Shodd eventually leads the two of them to take over the world so they can protect it. They work together to take down the elder dragons, though Aurene's egg is lost, and she is never born in this reality. Though the two of them succeed in defeating the elder dragon threats, the dragonvoid appears unexpectedly.

Maybe it was beyond the infinity ball or maybe it ends up destroyed at some point, still working on the details but in the end the dragonvoid destroys Tyria.