#plot forge

[enchantingepics]

Story Prompt 34

In a land where shadows danced on the edges of reality, a powerful ruler emerged. This regal figure, wrapped in an air of mystery, was known by all as the enigmatic sovereign. People whispered about the ruler's ability to command the elements, making them feel like an indestructible queen or king.

One day, the sovereign strolled through the bustling marketplace, cloaked in a garment woven from dreams. The crowd hushed as the ruler passed, feeling the weight of an unseen power that hung in the air. A humble merchant, in awe, approached the sovereign.

"Your Majesty," the merchant stammered, "what is the secret to your undeniable strength?"

The sovereign grinned, a mischievous spark gleaming in their eyes.

[lostsyren]

The way he bridges the distance as soon as he picks up she’s feeling worried, following her eyes when she looks away.

He tries to make her feel better.

You’d think he’d be angry. Maybe skeptical. Or aggravated. He’d just revealed his big plan– shouldn’t she be happy? Excited? Why is she not impressed?

But no. He reaches out to her. He holds her. He includes her.

“We’re gonna make…both of us…this is our future…”

And even though he’s the one consoling her in the scene, she finds a way to make him feel better. She’s rubbing his back, almost preemptively assuaging him for her betrayal.

They’re both inadvertently trying to make up for their mistakes in this relationship.

Rafe cast her out. He othered her as a pogue, a hookup, a girl unable to meet his standards. And here he is fixing that by showing her he’s serious about them.

Sofia sold him out. She stabbed him in the back, and hurt his trust. And here she is stroking his back trying to comfort him while he thinks he’s comforting her.

It’s all so devastating. Sofia knows she can stop it before it all goes to shit. But she’s passive, arrested in the moment. Rafe is unaware. He’s trying to fix it but he doesn’t know the problem. He’s dynamic but detached from the reality of the situation

They’re both ruined by their character flaws– Sofia hindered by her passivity and inability to react. And Rafe hindered by his egotism and inability to see past his own worldview.

Maybe if Sofia fessed up now, she could’ve stopped Rafe from signing on with Groff and stymied their demise. Maybe if Rafe truly saw why she was upset, he could’ve seen past the shiny prospect of a future he envisioned, never bothering once to include Sofia in that ideation, and gotten to the crux of their issues.

But no. Instead Sofia opts to just rub his back, wordlessly signalling her guilt– rooted in stagnation. And Rafe just resumes with his plan, ignoring her qualms– drunk on his own concocted vision.

[universesrising]

[prism/link || shadow || red]

i started this drawing just wanting to make a design for the colors that leaned a bit more away from the linked universe design [still has a lot of inspiration but i mean. not as much anymore]

AND THEN I BLINKED AND THERE WAS A WHOLE AU SITTING IN MY LAP?????

i guess the idea for it has been floating in my head for ages now, but i never meant to make it an Actual au..... this must have been the turning point

anyway no idea if or when i'll draw the other colors or the combined idiot. or even if i'll draw more stuff for this au. girl i have over a page of lore already and this thing has existed for less than a day. i have TWO COMIC IDEAS im obsessing over. something is happening to me

might see if people are interested in this apparently existing au before i post more about it, dont wanna throw my nonsense at yall for no reason lmao

[hestzhyen]

Chapter 83 (Belated) Father's Day Posting

Yes I know it was last week but this chapter was intended to release that day, so... let's get into it, dear void.

Editor's notes: First Page: 座村に斬られ一度死んだチヒロが目を覚まし... [Samura ni kira re ichido shinda Chihiro ga me wo samashi...] "Chihiro wakes up after being killed by Samura..." Last Page: 明かされる7本目の宿命その力を示す刻が来た- [akasa reru 7-pon-me no shukumei sono chikara wo shimesu toki ga kita-] "The destiny of the 7th blade has been revealed. Now is the time to show it's power..."

Kunishige's Intentions and IRL Effects

Tell, don't show is actually okay in some situations like this!

And so we get... Enten's backstory! Awesome! I gotta say, Chihiro literally sinking into his memories of forging Enten with his father was gorgeous. Absolute 10/10 imagery and a huge reason I love reading this manga.

So once again we see another through-line from the past to the future. And another contrast between Kunishige and Samura. Both of them had massive regrets about the war haunting them, both of them looked towards the future through their children- then Samura faltered and was manipulated into retreating into his own head. He abandoned Iori and adopted an extremely myopic view of what needed to be done. Meanwhile Kunishige never lost sight of the light Chihiro cast for him to follow. Therefore Samura's ready to destroy himself to amend the past while Chihiro was given the power to reshape the future that the previous generation directed the younger one towards. Once again, I love this manga. I love it so, so much when we're focusing on the core themes.

It's the difference between two viewpoints: atoning for the past and improving the future. Both of them can look extremely similar from the outside since they're rooted in prior events. But atonement doesn't always guarantee a better future while looking forward at least opens up the possibility.

I mean, think about it. Saying "sorry we did that, let me fall on my sword as penance" doesn't do anything to help the future really. Samura's hellbent on killing the other Bearers to set them free from the contract before killing himself alongside the Sword Master. But what will that accomplish? Even if Samura succeeds, all he'll accomplish is dying and eliminating one potential source of another Malediction. It does nothing to solve the Kamunabi's corruption and propaganda issue, the lingering resentments of those who didn't believe that propaganda, nor do a damn thing to stop the Hishaku. The societal issues will still be completely unaffected. The nukes will still be around and available to be used by anyone who gets their hands on them. The only "positive" outcome is that Samura will get the death he feels he deserves.

Meanwhile, Kunishige tried to save the future by creating a sword that can undo all his other works. He made the ultimate nuclear disarmament tool by working with Chihiro! Sounds a hell of a lot better, doesn't it?

The implications of this are so, so clear: Samura, as the older generation who refused to involve the younger one, is doing what he thinks is best and telling the kids to sit down and shut up. He's going to do things his way and they can pick up the pieces once he's done. But Kunishige wanted to show Chihiro how to manage everything from the start. They worked together: Kunishige teaching Chihiro, Chihiro inspiring and guiding Kunishige. They made Enten together in order to secure a safer future. And doesn't that second scenario sound like a much better foundation than the prior one?

I feel like this is the author's voice coming through loud and clear: hey, adults, let us help you. Involve us. You don't have to carry that burden of what you did alone to try and spare us. We can handle it. And we need to know so we can actually make things better.

Remember, Hokazono's only 24 years old. And Japan's got some really touchy discussions over what and how much to teach the kids about what the country did during WWII going on. Even if it's not a direct or fully conscious thematic inclusion, it's still very much present this arc through Samura and Kunishige. And the author seems to be on the side of "stop only telling us what to do and involve us in the process". Very admirable and reasonable.

Disarmament is the way!

At any rate, all signs are now pointing towards Chihiro's mission being to break the blades. That's what he inherited from Kunishige; even if the sword wasn't especially forged for him to use, it's in his hands now and he's committed to taking it on. He'll pick up where his dad left off and see his vision through. The only necessary deaths are those of the blades... and the Hishaku.

The wrinkle of the Hishaku's exact role in all of this will probably complicate things for Chihiro's vengeance journey. Well, not "probably", but "definitely". It doesn't really affect what he's going to do with the blades though. It's clear that the best course for the future is to disarm the nukes and make sure they can't fall into the wrong hands again like what happened with Sojo. I'm incredibly glad that this is where the narrative went! I feel like the theme of undoing the wrongs of the past by directly addressing the root cause/issues instead of performative actions is the best possible way to look at this situation, both in fiction and IRL.

The nukes/swords aren't beings with agency that can act on their own for a particular cause. They can theoretically be stored away in safekeeping as some kind of implied threat to prevent another large-scale conflict. But as Kagurabachi makes clear -as the author is arguing- their mere presence is also an incentive for people to attain that power for their own ends. The "good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy with a gun" mindset breaks down when we're talking about weaponry that can cause mass deaths with ease. You don't stop nukes with more nukes. You can only get rid of them entirely.

I love it when Chihiro looks like the kid he really is.

Then why the hell are we cheering for Chihiro? Isn't he just a "good guy with a gun"? Yeah. But he's kind of the only true good guy with good reason to act in this situation. It's his own dad's legacy that he's trying to deal with AND he's trying to get rid of them, not just manage them. If he was trying to do the same thing Kunishige did at the start -only give them to skilled people he trusted- then it wouldn't be very clear if he was the right person for the job. But ever since the Sojo fight it's been obvious that Chihiro's got to be the one to do it. He was given the tool to dismantle the otherwise indestructible weapons, has the moral and familial imperative to do it, and clearly believes in carrying on his dad's wish to destroy them.

This will undoubtedly set him at odds with the Kamunabi down the path. Like any government, some of the the Kamunabi higher-ups will most likely want to keep them on-hand as that unspoken deterrent. Why destroy something that saved the nation once? That power could be needed again! Can't wait to see what happens with them after this arc... it also heavily depends on what Hakuri manages to do with the Shinuchi and what happens to him after. There's so much to look forward to once we're done with this fight!

The Fight, Though?

Okay that was a lot of yap. But what will happen to Samura? Poor misguided and insanely stubborn Samura, who just wants to do what he thinks is best for everyone?

Chancla to the face for not respecting one's elders.

For one, it's obvious by now that Chihiro won't be killing him. He's not some evil guy that needs to be put down like Sojo or Kyora. So what will happen? Well, the good outcome will probably be along the lines of Chihiro breaking Tobimune -proving his will is stronger than Samura's grief- then Iori talking to Samura and getting him to stand down.

After that, though... well, the pinky ring to signify the pact made between Samura and Yura was shown to us in chapter 59 for a reason. I have no doubt that if Samura must die then that will be what does him in. It would also be great motivation to keep Iori around and involved with Chihiro's quest. I don't know if I can handle Chihiro having to watch someone else get orphaned in almost the same way he was though.

Past vs. Future

As for the immediate circumstances, I'm pretty sure this fight with Samura won't go on too much longer. Chihiro's resolve is set and Samura's hand is starting to shake; he's feeling it now, Mr. Krabs. All those stunts he pulled off earlier are probably catching up with him- not looking so great for Mr. I Must Die Alone For Someone Else's Sins. Sorry Samura, but you ain't Jesus. You're just a mentally tortured war veteran, father, and widower.

First stop: breaking Tobimune, probably.

I also want to say something about Chihiro's resolve here. Again the official TL isn't bad by any means, but the formal tone of it didn't carry over very well.

この淵天を以って…俺 が真打を折る [kono enten wo motte... ore ga shinuchi wo oru] "I vow... to break the Shinuchi with the Enten." or something along those lines. Chihiro's not just making a statement here- he's making something of a solemn vow.

What About the Other Blades?

*Depending on where it is and who has it after this fight

Well, we can probably assume that Chihiro will try to break them as well since Kunishige explicitly wanted to destroy all of them after the war. How Chihiro manages to do that will be what keeps the story moving forward though.

As we know, the Hishaku are in possession of the two unknown blades still- and Kuguri's definitely got his eyes set on the Sushi bearer's. Meanwhile Hiruhiko's bonded to Kumeyuri but it's currently with Ro, who is allied to Samura and the Kamunabi. So Chihiro can ignore the other swords and make a beeline for the Sword Master once he's done with his business here at the hotel. It won't be so simple though- it never is when there's a set number of objects to seek out and destroy.

I have a feeling that there won't be much of a victory for Team Goldfish here.

Ch. 72

Chihiro's probably not going to want to kill the two Bearers still bound to the blade, so they will have to have their Eternal Contracts broken somehow before the Sword Master is dealt with. That means seeking them out and killing them or "killing" them with Tobimune's Suzaku ability. But if Tobimune breaks or Samura is killed, then that ability vanishes. Remember, Suzaku is Samura's True Realm ability- that's Tobimune responding to his strong desires. It won't necessarily work the same for someone else. So even if Iori or someone else is able to bond to the blade, they may not be able to use Suzaku.

Then there's the tidbit that the Eternal Contract itself needs the Sword Master to be alive, else the other bearers will die. This may well apply to Chihiro too.

Also ch. 72

Either Kunishige spent 15 years making a blade with a life-death contract independent of the Shinuchi, or he used the same binding technique and took his time on intentionally imbuing the blade with the ability to break the others. Maybe both, depends on Kunishige's idea about who would wield it and other intentions while he and Chihiro were making it. But for now, it's fair to assume that Chihiro could also be affected by the bond to the Shinuchi- and that's one of the big reasons why Samura went out of his way to kill him.

So the goal now must be to break the Shinuchi first. There's no other easy option to go for: killing and reviving the other Bearers is much less practical, especially when the Hishaku are waiting for exactly that to happen so they can have their own members bond to the other blades in their possession. That's a terrible outcome (and another very good reason to stop Samura). If Chihiro breaks Tobimune in this fight -which seems incredibly likely- then they really will have no other option.

This means that Hakuri and Uruha's situation is absolutely vital and likely won't result in something good for our protagonists. Hakuri's on his way to isolate the Shinuchi by putting it in his Storehouse... but whether he succeeds or fails will still be fine for the Hishaku. If he succeeds, he's now a primary capture/torture target that Chihiro will likely have to rescue. If he fails, then the Hishaku have the blade and will either kill The Sword Master or hand it to him- both very good ways of triggering another Malediction.

Basically, all signs are pointing towards Magatsumi remaining out of Chihiro's reach for the forseeable future. It's his goal to chase while dealing with other issues along the way in service of it.

As for Kumeyuri, I don't think it's getting broken here. Instead I think it will somehow end up back in the Hishaku's hands so Hiruhiko can train with it properly once he picks himself up. Hopefully without the Masumi making an exit from the story... please, let them live. It along with the other two blades will still have more time to shine before they're taken out and collected by Chihiro like Kuregumo was.

Okay. Sit tight and don't get too impatient. Try not to, at least. We're definitely coming up on the climax of this arc! See you next week, dear void.

[infestissumamz]

I have plans that I cannot share with you right now or the haters will sabotage me.

BRO IVE BEEN IN NEED OF A MALE GHOUL MASK BC I GOT A GHOULETTE ONE BUT I GET INSANE DYSPHORIA WEARING IT 🥀🥀🥀

[eyedoeluhn]

Joe throwing a tantrum in the undersiders hideout because the villainous villains he gave powerful weaponry comitted a crime was a highlight of the first undersiders chapters (largely ass)

[squirrelwrangler]

Aram as the blacksmith is such a softer better fate. And that in Aiel culture the blacksmiths are the revered noncombatant than cannot be harmed in battle or made gai’shin. Go for it, Maidens. I’m torn between Ila’s rejection of her grandson not being as harsh. I want Aram fighting alongside Faile and Perrin but I don’t…

[imissthembutitwasntadisaster]

Honestly the idea of putting the victors back in for the 75th games is so immensely stupid even if there weren't a rebellion being planned at the same time like it breaks all the rules, the people were told if you won you got to live and now they don't, the people were told if you get older than 18 you get to live and now that's not true either, the whole point of the games is this extremely fragile balance between fear and hope and even if it hadn't ended with the rebels it would have shattered that balance and might well have lead to rebellion anyway because what did they have to lose if the capitol could just change the rules like that? All this to say Snow's a moron for agreeing to this.

[glitter-stained]

How does my local library manage to ONLY have comics that I really don't wanna read

Like please please I beg of you I want to borrow all the books I want to support you but why are my options The Killing Joke, an elseword civilian au graphic novel about teenage Harley in a love triangle between a bad boy named Jack and peaceful environmental activist Pamela, and Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin run?

Like please just give me something come ooon

[enchantingepics]

Story Prompt 26

In the heart of the city, where neon lights flickered like stars in the urban night sky, a peculiar club stood hidden among the chaos. A young person, clad in everyday clothes, stood at the entrance, unaware of the revelation that awaited them.

As the club's entrance pulsated with an otherworldly energy, the demigod hesitated. The rhythmic beats from within seemed to beckon them closer. With a deep breath, they crossed the threshold, and the atmosphere shifted. Shadows danced in sync with the music, casting an enchanting spell upon the club's visitors.

The demigod weaved through the crowd, catching glimpses of faces hidden in half-light, their features enigmatic and intriguing. A figure at the bar caught their eye — an individual with an air of authority, surrounded by an aura that spoke of realms beyond.

Approaching the mysterious figure, the demigod mustered the courage to strike up a conversation. "Hey, mind if I join you?" they asked, a mix of curiosity and uncertainty in their voice.

The enigmatic figure glanced up, revealing eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of the underworld. "Sit," they said, gesturing to the vacant stool beside them. "You're not an ordinary guest, are you?"

The demigod chuckled nervously. "I guess you could say that. I've got this weird feeling like I've stumbled into something... otherworldly."

The figure raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on their lips. "Otherworldly, indeed. You're not wrong." They leaned in, as if about to share a forbidden secret. "You're in the Underworld, where the living and the departed share a dance under the pulsating lights."

Dizziness washed over the demigod as the realization struck. "Underworld? Like, the realm of the dead?"

The figure nodded. "And you, my curious friend, are more connected to this realm than you realize."

As the demigod grappled with this newfound knowledge, the figure continued, "Your father, the ruler of this domain, has been waiting for you."

The pulsating beats seemed to synchronize with the demigod's racing heart as they followed the figure deeper into the club, where shadows whispered ancient tales. The journey had just begun, and the demigod was about to discover their place in a story that transcended the boundaries of the living and the dead.

[wormcoin]

who wins? primordial sorcerer or the guy with a phd in fluid mechanics

[starsilversword]

Forged in Fire: Tolkien Edition

[ahllohehn]

yo!! q from the ren/tango blogger :D

i do have a queztion abt tangoz character. zince the hermitcraft fandom zomehow agreed unaccordingly that tango'z a blazeborne and ztuff, would that mean tangoz able to control fire in the hato au? /gen not zaying tangerz a blazeborne in thiz au or anythin FHDBSH i juzt wanna zee if my dudez like fire rez or zmth :3

Tango is the only Hephaestus/Vulcan descendant who is able to manipulate fire, even be resistant to it. With the exception being Etho who can take a comparable amount of fire before burning up.

Not a lot of campers know of the abilities Tango inherited from Hephaestus other than the fact that he's really good at making and constructing stuff, except some of the older campers (Xisuma, Keralis, Etho, Bdubs, etc.) plus Mumbo who are faintly aware of his pyrokinesis abilities.

He's not exactly hiding it, but he's not keen on outright showing it off either. With how rare pyrokinesis is within the descendants of Hephaestus, Xisuma has long advised for him to be lowkey about it lest he get some unwarranted attention.

Tango had no problem with taking the advice. He didn't exactly need his pyrokinesis everyday either, only using it sparingly and when needed.

....

BUT ALSO HOW ARE ALL HEPHAESTUS KIDS NOT INNATELY FIREPROOF WHAT IS THIS.... (i was researching during this)

[anendtopursuit]

i think jayce talis should get therapy and also a cute little top with a titty window. for me

[cjadearts]

ive started listening to a lot more of subvision after getting into my ghost hyperfixation again after the concert in manchester, and what i didnt realise is that specific songs had very similar lyrics to ghost songs, like for example in psychamore, theres a lyric that says "sweet love gone sour", which REALLY reminded me of lachryma's lyric "now that sweet's gone sour".

Also in son of may, theres a lyric of "go find your shelter in our secular haze', which obviously reminded me of secular haze for ghost. i just thought id get that out there on here cause that really interested me. i bet im gonna remember/discover more similar lyrics that i dont realise now in the future.

[jynxedshapeshifter]

do you think Trucy blames herself at all for Phoenix's disbarment