#shadow and bone aes

[roseandxanderfics]

The White Flame in Battle - AesSedai!reader x Warder!OC

Summary: A White Ajah Aes Sedai isn’t meant for battle—but here she is, fighting with cold precision. An unbonded Warder saves her, drawn to the way she wields logic like a weapon. Others say they fight like they’re bonded. They aren’t. But what

———————

The ground quaked beneath her boots, a low, rolling tremor that spoke of death on the horizon. The air was thick with the copper tang of blood, the acrid burn of charred wood, and something deeper—something wrong. A sickness clung to the wind, a stain of Shadow pressing against the fabric of the world itself.

She stood upon the ramparts of the crumbling fortress, her white-fringed cloak abandoned in the dirt somewhere behind her. There was no use for the formalities of the Tower here. Not when battle loomed, an inevitability stretching across the valley below like the tide before a storm.

Trollocs. Hundreds of them. Their hulking, misshapen forms lurched forward, a sea of bristling armor and blackened blades. The earth trembled beneath their charge, a grotesque harmony of snarls, shrieks, and the rhythmic pounding of hooves and clawed feet.

She felt saidar rise within her, cold fire threading through her veins, burning at the edges of her vision. It was intoxicating, the sheer power of it, and yet she held it steady, forcing herself to remain the eye of the storm. Aes Sedai did not panic. Aes Sedai did not falter.

Below, figures moved—Aes Sedai and Warders, preparing for the onslaught. Swords gleamed under the failing light, shifting cloaks blending into their surroundings. The Warders stood as an unbreakable line before their Aes Sedai, some already bonded, others unbound but sworn to fight.

And among them…

Her gaze caught on a single figure.

He moved differently than the others, his stance loose but measured, every motion economical, controlled. His sword rested easily in his grip, but she could see the tension there, the readiness to strike at the first sign of weakness. His dark hair was tied back, sweat-soaked but unruly, and his cloak barely stirred as he moved—silent, a shadow in the coming storm.

An unbonded Warder.

She had heard whispers of him before. A man who had once fought for a Green Ajah sister, lost her in battle, and never sought another bond. He drifted from battlefield to battlefield, fighting where he was needed, protecting those who could still be saved.

And now, here they both stood—two warriors of different kinds, about to be swallowed whole by the tide.

The first wave struck with the force of an avalanche.

She did not hesitate.

Saidar roared through her, and she reached for the threads of Air and Fire, weaving them together with the sharp precision of a knife. A single gesture, a twist of her fingers, and the air around her compressed—an invisible wall slamming into the front ranks of the horde.

Trollocs screamed as bones shattered, bodies hurled backward as if tossed by a giant’s hand. She shifted, weaving again, this time splitting the ground beneath them. Earth buckled, jagged rock spearing upward, impaling some of the creatures where they stood.

Still, they came.

A Myrddraal slithered through the chaos, its eyeless face twisting in a grotesque parody of a grin. It moved unnaturally, flowing like liquid shadow, black blade raised in a killing arc.

She turned to strike—

Too slow.

The Fade was faster. Closer.

And then—

Steel met steel, ringing sharp in the air.

The Warder was there.

He had moved faster than she could track, intercepting the Myrddraal’s strike before it could reach her. Their blades clashed in a deadly dance, his movements precise, methodical. The Fade hissed, recoiling, but he did not give it a chance to recover.

A step forward. A feint. A twist.

And then his sword drove through its heart, twisting as black blood sprayed across the stone.

The Myrddraal’s shriek was an unnatural, soul-rattling sound, one that sent a ripple through the battlefield as its dying thrashes sent its bonded Trollocs into frenzied agony.

For a brief moment, there was stillness.

Then, he turned to her, breath heavy, sword dripping with darkness.

“You’re White Ajah,” he said, voice edged with disbelief. “You aren’t supposed to be here.”

She lifted her chin, breathing hard. “And yet, here I am.”

He exhaled sharply, eyes flickering over her. “I’ve fought beside Blues, Greens, even Browns before. But never a White.” There was something unreadable in his expression—something akin to fascination. “Your sisters are usually confined to the Tower, buried in books and philosophy.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. She had heard this before, the quiet dismissal, the assumption that the White Ajah existed only in the cold halls of Tar Valon, debating logic while the world burned.

But logic had brought her here.

“I do not fight without reason,” she said simply. “And I do not waste my time on things that do not matter.”

His gaze held hers for a long moment before he let out a low, amused sound. “I suppose I should be grateful, then.”

The battle raged around them, and there was no time for argument. Another wave surged forward, and this time, they fought together.

She wove, striking with Fire and Air, driving back the horde in controlled bursts of destruction. He moved with lethal efficiency, his sword finding weak points between armor, felling enemies as quickly as they came.

It was seamless.

As if they had fought together before.

As if—

No.

She did not dwell on that thought.

The battle stretched into the night, until her limbs ached and her mind was raw with the strain of holding the Power for so long. But she did not stop. Neither did he.

By the time the final Trolloc fell, the fortress walls were slick with blood. Bodies littered the ground, the acrid scent of death mingling with the first hints of dawn on the wind.

She exhaled, releasing saidar, the loss of it leaving her hollow, drained.

The Warder stood beside her, his sword still in hand, though his grip had loosened. He was watching her.

She met his gaze, something unspoken passing between them.

“You fight like one who sees the battlefield in numbers and logic,” he said at last. “Like a puzzle waiting to be solved.”

She tilted her head. “And you fight like a man with nothing left to lose.”

A ghost of a smile touched his lips, wry and tired. “Maybe.”

Silence stretched between them, weighted but not uncomfortable.

Finally, he sheathed his blade. “I’ve fought beside many Aes Sedai,” he said. “But none quite like you.”

She did not know what to say to that.

Another Aes Sedai passed by, glancing between them. “You fought like you were bonded,” she mused, before moving on.

The words lingered.

Neither of them acknowledged them aloud.

Instead, she turned to leave, but as she did, she felt the weight of his gaze still on her back.

She told herself it did not matter.

And yet, for the first time in a long while, she wondered what it would be like to fight alongside someone not out of necessity—

But by choice.

[nestadevries]

Chapter 9 | Every Breath, Every Cry

Notes: Don't forget to eat and enjoy the spicy scene. - around 7k words

The door clicked shut behind her, sealing the world outside. The weight of the day disappeared the moment Liandrin stepped into her quarters. Her golden hair, usually impeccably styled, had loosened slightly, strands falling around her face in a way that was both elegant and, strangely, more vulnerable.

Her blue eyes, as piercing as ever, scanned the room with their usual intensity, but the exhaustion was evident now, lurking beneath the surface. The rigid posture she always carried seemed to relax, as she let out a quiet breath, feeling the tension in her shoulders ease. She was a woman of power, poised and refined, but tonight, the weariness from her earlier confrontation with Nesta seemed to settle deep in her bones.

And there, curled up on the sofa, was Nesta.

The younger woman had made herself at home in her space, as if she belonged there. The flickering light from the fireplace cast soft shadows across Nesta’s face. She looked different like this, so unguarded and almost peaceful.

But Liandrin knew better. Even in sleep, there was tension in Nesta’s body. A readiness, as if she was always bracing for a fight.

She moved closer, her boots soundless against the floor. Nesta had cleaned up after their training session, but Liandrin’s eyes caught the faint bruises on her arms, the ones she knew Nesta would pretend not to feel. And her hair, normally loose or braided with sharp precision, was now swept into a messy bun, with strands escaping and curling around her face. It was careless but beautiful.

Liandrin hesitated for only a breath before crouching beside her. She could have left the girl to sleep, but something stopped her. Maybe it was the way Nesta’s fingers twitched, as if she were caught in a dream. Or maybe it was just the fact that she was here, in Liandrin’s quarters, in her space.

Slowly, the Aes Sedai reached out and brushed the back of her fingers against Nesta’s cheek.

“Nesta.” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

A slow inhale. Then, blue eyes fluttered open, unfocused for a moment before locking onto hers.

Liandrin didn’t move.

Nesta blinked sleepily, and her brows drew together slightly. “Lia?” Her voice was husky from sleep, softer than usual.

“You fell asleep on my sofa.” she said, her tone even.

Nesta made a small, unbothered noise as she stretched, her body shifting beneath the weight of drowsiness. “Didn’t mean to.” But she didn’t look particularly regretful about it.

Liandrin exhaled sharply through her nose, shaking her head. “Of course you didn’t.”

She stood, eyeing Nesta carefully. “How are you feeling?”

Nesta ran a hand through her hair, fingers catching on a few tangled strands. “Fine.”

Liandrin’s gaze flicked to the faint bruises again. “Liar.”

“You always catch that, don’t you?” Nesta smirked, but there was no real fight in it.

Liandrin crossed her arms. “I wouldn’t be much of a Red Ajah if I didn’t.”

She expected Nesta to argue, but instead, she leaned back against the sofa, studying her.

The older woman took a slow breath, pushing past the hesitation curling in her throat. “Nesta.”

The sharpness in her voice made the younger woman’s expression sober.

“You’re pushing yourself too hard.” Liandrin said, not unkindly, but firm. “This obsession with proving yourself, it will break you if you let it.”

Nesta’s jaw tensed.

Liandrin narrowed her eyes, her gaze sharp and focused, as she leaned slightly forward, her posture exuding authority. “Tell me, when was the last time you ate today?”

The question hung in the air, thick with expectation. Silence stretched between them. Nesta’s lips parted slightly, as if she were about to answer, but then she hesitated, her gaze flickering downward for just a moment.

Liandrin’s eyes darkened, the weight of her displeasure settling over her like a storm cloud. She didn’t wait long. “Nesta?”

Nesta let out a long sigh, shifting her weight slightly. She sat up properly, her posture more rigid now, and ran a hand over her face, as if the act of wiping away her thoughts could make them disappear.

“I forgot.” she admitted, the words coming out reluctantly, as though she didn’t want to acknowledge the vulnerability in them.

Liandrin’s chest tightened, and she exhaled slowly, a dangerous calm settling over her. Without a moment's hesitation, her hand shot out, grasping Nesta’s chin with a firm but not brutal grip. Her fingers were cool against the warmth of Nesta's skin, and she pulled her face upward until their gazes locked.

“You forgot?” Liandrin’s voice was soft, dangerous, like a whisper of a storm before it broke.

Nesta’s eyes flickered under the pressure of Liandrin’s gaze, and she swallowed hard. Her heart rate quickened as she looked at the woman before her, sensing the way the command in Liandrin’s tone made her pulse throb. “I had a training and then I went to clean myself. Afterwards, I just fell asleep here.” she explained.

Liandrin’s fingers tightened just slightly, as though trying to force the weight of her words into Nesta’s soul. It was a reminder. A subtle, silent demand. Then, she released her chin with a soft exhale, but her eyes remained locked onto Nesta’s.

Her voice was quieter now, but it held an unyielding command that cut through the space between them. “Get up. You need to eat.”

For a moment, the girl didn’t move. She blinked, trying to process what Liandrin had said. The cool air in the room felt sharp against her heated skin, and her body protested against the command, but something in Liandrin’s voice made her body freeze, an unwilling submission to that underlying authority.

Nesta let out a breathy chuckle, a soft sound that betrayed her unease. She leaned back against the sofa, half-mocking the situation. “You want me to eat right now?” she muttered, her lips curling into a sarcastic grin, as if she were daring Liandrin to follow through with her orders.

But Liandrin didn’t budge. The look on her face was cold, unwavering. Her eyes narrowed, studying Nesta with a scrutiny that bordered on dangerous.

“You’re serious.” Nesta muttered under her breath, her defiance suddenly slipping. She pushed herself upright, reluctantly, and looked at Liandrin with an expression that was part challenge and part reluctant acceptance.

Liandrin didn’t answer. She simply stepped back, arms still crossed.

With a resigned, “Fine.” Nesta moved toward the door.

Liandrin watched her go, arms crossed, her gaze unwavering.

The Aes Sedai stood there for a moment, before she finally allowed herself to sit down in the nearest chair. She wasn’t supposed to care this much. She wasn’t supposed to care about whether Nesta had eaten, about whether she was pushing herself too hard, about the way she challenged Liandrin without fear.

It wasn’t just frustration, though the stubborn girl had certainly earned plenty of that. Her fingers curled into the armrest of her chair, and she forced herself to sit still, but her heart beat too quickly, too erratically. She ran a hand through her hair, exhaling sharply as she rubbed her temple.

Nesta. She pushed herself too hard. That much was obvious. She always did. The girl's relentless drive had a singular focus, strength, power, and control. It was all she thought about, all she lived for. Liandrin had watched her at the Tower, seen her lose herself in the pursuit of perfection, never pausing to care for herself, never acknowledging the damage that would inevitably come.

But tonight had been different. Liandrin's brow furrowed as she thought back to their interaction earlier. For the first time, Nesta hadn’t snapped back when Liandrin had called her out. She hadn’t fought her with a sarcastic remark or a biting comeback. No, she had listened.

Liandrin felt her chest tighten.

She had listened. That simple action had been a revelation. The way Nesta had dropped the deflection, dropped the layers of armor she usually wore like a shield. Instead of the usual stubbornness, she had shown vulnerability and trust.

But still, Liandrin couldn’t help but wait for the sound of footsteps returning. Each second dragged on longer than it should. She forced her mind to wander elsewhere, but the pull of concern lingered in her chest, gnawing at her.

Minutes passed and then finally, the door creaked open.

Liandrin snapped her attention back to the doorway, prepared to scold Nesta for taking so long. She was ready to fire off some biting remark, to remind Nesta of her duties.

But the words caught in her throat.

Nesta stepped inside, a tray balanced carefully in her hands, her gaze set on Liandrin with an almost unreadable expression. There were two plates, two sets of utensils. A small, familiar selection of fruit, bread, and a steaming bowl of stew, and Liandrin blinked, as she realized that the second plate was for her.

Nesta didn’t say anything as she set the tray down on the table between them. She just moved, fluid and confident, as though this was entirely normal, as though it wasn’t anything worth remarking on.

Liandrin stared at the plates, her chest tightening even further. It was a gesture, so simple yet so unexpected.

“Don’t just look at it, eat.” Nesta said, her voice steady, as she picked up her fork.

The older woman’s lips parted, but she said nothing at first. She should have scolded her. She should have dismissed it. She should have said something sharp and cold, made it clear that this wasn’t something she wanted or needed. But she didn’t.

Her fingers twitched, itching to act. Her mind was racing. Why would she bring food for her without being told to? Liandrin didn’t expect this from the girl. She didn’t expect anyone to care for her, to notice her well-being.

Liandrin’s gaze locked with Nesta’s as she finally met her eyes. “I didn’t ask for this.” she muttered, her voice barely masking the quiet confusion curling in her stomach.

Nesta merely shrugged, chewing a piece of bread, a casual, unapologetic motion that made Liandrin’s insides tighten.

“You didn’t, but you need to eat too.” she replied simply.

“Fine.” Liandrin said after a long pause, her voice steady but tight. She finally picked up her spoon, but the action felt somehow heavy in her hand. “I suppose I can eat. Since you insist.”

Nesta smirked, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. “I don’t insist, but you should, anyway.” she said dryly.

As they began to eat, Liandrin didn’t let the moment pass without making her point clear. 

“You think you can keep pushing yourself like this?” Liandrin’s voice was low, cutting through the calm. She set her spoon down, as she regarded Nesta. “How long do you think your body can handle that kind of strain without the proper fuel? Without sustenance?”

Nesta paused, her fork hovering just above her plate. She looked up at Liandrin, a mix of defiance and reluctance swirling in her blue eyes. “I don’t need to be babied.”

Liandrin raised a brow, a small smirk playing on her lips. “I’m not ‘babying’ you, pet. I’m trying to keep you from crumbling to dust because of your own stubbornness. You think you’re strong enough to keep ignoring your body’s needs, but it will catch up with you. It always does.”

Nesta opened her mouth to retort, but Liandrin pressed on, her tone firm. “Do you know why you’re feeling exhausted? Why you’re struggling more than usual during your training? It’s because your body is starved of the very thing that keeps it working, food. Strength isn’t just about power. It’s about balance, about knowing your limits and respecting them.”

The woman's shoulders tensed at the reprimand, but she didn’t look away. She continued to eat, though the words hit a little harder than she expected.

Liandrin leaned in slightly. “I know you don’t want to admit it, but you’re only human. Your body needs sustenance to work at its full potential. Power without care is wasted energy, and you’re too valuable to let yourself fall apart.”

Nesta’s eyes softened, but she didn’t speak. Instead, she scooped another bite onto her fork, a slow, deliberate motion, almost like she was considering Liandrin’s words.

Liandrin studied her for a moment longer, then nodded to herself, satisfied for now.

“We’ll see if you remember that the next time you’re pushing yourself too hard.” she added, her voice once again sharp.

Nesta gave a faint, almost reluctant nod, her eyes glinting with understanding. “Fine, I agree with you. But you don’t have to lecture me about it at every opportunity.”

Liandrin’s lips quirked upward in a smile that was barely there. “I don’t have to, but I will anyway.”

A brief silence fell between them, though the tension had shifted. Liandrin had made her point, and Nesta had listened. And as they continued their meal, the space between them felt a little less strained, their dynamic ever so slightly transformed by the exchange.

“Do you know how far you’ve come since I first laid eyes on you?” the Aes Sedai asked softly, the weight of the question holding more than just curiosity.

Nesta blinked, glancing up at Liandrin.

“I mean it." Liandrin continued, her tone low, almost affectionate. “You’ve been relentless in your training, even when I’ve told you to stop, to take a break. You push yourself until you’re near breaking, but you never give in. That’s something commendable." Her voice softened, despite the underlying seriousness. “But there’s a fine line, Nesta. And you’re walking it very closely."

Nesta’s hand paused mid-motion, a piece of bread halfway to her mouth.

“Your progress is impressive." Liandrin said, voice warming slightly. "Your control, your strength, I didn’t expect you to push past so many of your limitations this quickly. You’ve surprised me more than once. But you also have a habit of pushing too hard and too far."

Nesta shifted in her seat, her fingers curling around the edges of the plate. “I don’t know how to stop." she finally said, her voice quieter than usual, less sharp. "Whatever I do, it never feels good enough."

Liandrin’s heart squeezed at the vulnerability in her tone, and she leaned in slightly, her voice softer now. “You’re wrong.” Her eyes locked with Nesta’s. “You already are enough. But you have to believe that. You have to understand that you don’t need to destroy yourself to prove it. You're strong. Stronger than most, and your power is something to be nurtured, not strained until it breaks."

There was a pause, and Nesta looked down again, her eyes fixed on her meal as she poked at her food absentmindedly. “If I stop... when I stop, it feels like I’m giving up.” Her voice held a trace of frustration, but there was a hint of uncertainty she rarely allowed to show.

The older woman reached out, her hand brushing against the table lightly, her gaze softening. “You’re not giving up, Lioness. You’re learning. Strength doesn’t always mean pushing harder. Sometimes, it means knowing when to stop, when to heal, when to let the world catch up to you.” Her voice dropped to a near whisper, the weight of her words settling between them. “And sometimes, it means letting someone else help you, when you’re too stubborn to see what’s best for you.”

Nesta didn’t respond immediately, instead, her blue eyes flickered to the older woman’s face, absorbing each word.

Liandrin noticed this, her lips pressing together in a brief, soft smile. “You’ve come a long way.” she continued, her tone now more gentle than commanding. “But you need to take care of yourself. You’re not invincible, and you’ll only break if you keep going like this.”

Nesta swallowed, nodding slowly, though there was still some resistance in her posture. “I’ll try to be better about it. I’ll do better.” she said quietly, her voice almost reluctant but sincere.

The Red Sister nodded in approval. “That’s all I ask. You don’t need to do this alone, and you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”

Nesta’s lips twitched into a small, almost imperceptible smile. “Thank you.” she muttered, the words rough but genuine.

"Good." she said softly. A sense of quiet satisfaction filling Liandrin’s chest. It was a small victory, but it was enough for tonight.

-

After finishing their meal, the two of them moved to the sofa, the warmth of the fire casting soft shadows around the room. Nesta settled beside Liandrin, her earlier defiance melting away, replaced by a quiet attentiveness.

Liandrin studied Nesta for a moment before speaking. "Do you want dessert?"

Nesta’s lips curled into a half-smile, the kind that was more teasing than anything else. She leaned slightly closer, her eyes glinting with a mischievous spark. "Oh, I want dessert." she said, her voice low and playful.

Liandrin arched a brow. “And what, pray tell, does that entail?”

A slow, wicked smile curved Nesta’s mouth as she leaned in, her breath ghosting over Liandrin’s ear. “You.”

A shiver ran down Liandrin’s spine, but she refused to yield so easily. “Bold words, but do you have the nerve to follow through?” she purred.

“Why don’t you find out?” In one smooth motion, she slid from the seat and sank to her knees between Liandrin’s legs. The sofa jostled slightly, but Nesta’s balance was unshaken, her hands already pushing up the hem of Liandrin’s skirts.

Liandrin’s breath hitched as Nesta’s fingers traced the inside of her thigh. “Eager, aren’t we?”

“You have no idea.” Nesta’s eyes gleamed in the light.

Nesta didn't bother with patience, as she hooked her fingers into the delicate fabric and yanked, tearing it aside with a sharp, delicious sound. Then her mouth was on her, hot and relentless, and Liandrin's taunt dissolved into a gasp. 

The first lick was slow, deliberate, a broad stroke from entrance to clit that made Liandrin's hips jerk. Nesta hummed in approval, her hands gripping Liandrin's thighs to hold her still as she dove in again.

The older woman's fingers tangled in blonde hair, gripping tight as Nesta's tongue worked her in slow, maddening circles.

But Nesta was in no rush. She savored her, licking into her with deep, languid strokes before closing her lips around Liandrin's clit and sucking deeply.

Liandrin's back arched off the seat, a sharp cry escaping her. "Fuck…"

Nesta obeyed, her mouth relentless, her tongue flicking and pressing in just the right rhythm, only heightened the sensation. Every shiver sending friction where Nesta's lips and tongue worshipped her.

Then, just as Liandrin's breath began to come in ragged gasps, Nesta pulled back, nipping lightly at her inner thigh.

Liandrin growled, her grip tightening in Nesta's hair. "Don't you dare stop."

Nesta smirked up at her, her lips glistening "Or what?"

Liandrin's blue eyes flashed and with a sharp tug, she yanked Nesta back against her, forcing her mouth where she needed it most. "Or I’ll make you regret it."

Nesta moaned at the rough treatment, her hands gripping Liandrin's hips as she increased her efforts. She licked into her with renewed hunger, her tongue working in swirling patterns until Liandrin's thighs trembled around her.

"I’m close..." Liandrin gasped, her fingers twisting in Nesta's hair.

Nesta responded by sliding two fingers inside her, curling them just right as her tongue circled Liandrin’s clit.

Liandrin came with a cry, her hips bucking against Nesta's mouth as pleasure crashed over her in waves.

The younger woman didn’t let up, devouring her until Liandrin was shuddering, oversensitive, her grip finally loosening in Nesta’s hair.

When Nesta pulled back at last, her lips and chin were slick, breath ragged. She dragged her tongue across her bottom lip, slow and deliberate, never breaking eye contact.

Liandrin, still panting, surveyed the delicious mess she had made of Nesta. Her gaze was dark, possessive. "I suppose you did have the nerve after all." she murmured, her voice low and satisfied. She tilted Nesta’s chin up with two fingers, the soft pressure of her thumb against the hinge of the girl’s jaw sending a shiver through her.

"Open." she commanded, her voice sharp with authority. There was no room for defiance, no space for anything but obedience.

Nesta’s lips parted, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps. She knew better than to hesitate, as she felt Liandrin’s sharp gaze, how it pierced her, daring her to submit.

A flicker of defiance still smoldered in her eyes, but it was quickly smothered by the heat of the moment. Slowly, Nesta obeyed, her tongue flicking out slightly, offering herself to Liandrin’s control.

Liandrin smirked, her lips curling into a predatory smile. "Wider."

Her voice was steady, but there was a dangerous edge to it now, one that made Nesta’s pulse spike. Liandrin’s eyes gleamed with dark amusement as she studied her, enjoying the vulnerable power dynamic that stretched between them.

Then, with deliberate slowness, Liandrin gathered saliva on her tongue, letting it glisten for a heartbeat, a visual promise of the control she wielded. And she spat directly onto Nesta’s waiting tongue, the warmth of it landing like a brand against her skin.

The sensation was raw, primal, and Nesta’s throat constricted as she fought to suppress the overwhelming rush of emotion that came with the act. There was something deeply intimate about submitting to Liandrin in this way.

"Swallow." Liandrin ordered, her voice smooth as silk but filled with dark satisfaction.

Nesta’s pulse hammered in her throat, her body stiffening for a split second before she obeyed. The warmth of the saliva slid down her throat, the act of submission making her chest tighten with a mix of humiliation and desire.

Liandrin’s fingers tightened in her hair, yanking her closer with a possessive tug that sent a jolt of electricity through her. Their breaths mingled, hot and ragged, as Liandrin’s lips hovered just above her ear. "Good girl." she purred, her voice dripping with approval. "Now beg for more."

Nesta's lips stayed parted, her tongue a trembling offering, still slick from Liandrin's last command. The taste of her lingered, salt, power, and intoxicating. Every breath she took felt stolen, as if the air itself was thick with expectation.

"Please." Nesta whispered, the word scraping raw from her throat, almost painful to voice.

Liandrin’s fingers flexed in her hair, not quite pulling, but firm, as a reminder of control. "Please, what?" she murmured, her voice a purr of amusement, tilting her head like a cat considering a cornered bird.

She knew what Liandrin wanted to hear, knew the game, and still, the words felt heavy on her tongue. “Please do it again.” Her voice was softer this time, the edges of her pride fraying beneath the weight of her own need. She swallowed, her mouth already watering in anticipation.

The older woman smirked, slow and knowing. “Again what, darling?”

Heat flooded Nesta’s face, a desire that burned through her like fire, hotter than any touch. Liandrin was savoring this, drinking in her desperation like it was the finest wine. The way she waited, the way she made her ask, it was deliberate and excruciatingly slow.

Nesta licked her lips, her breath uneven. “Please spit in my mouth again.”

Liandrin’s smirk deepened, satisfaction curling at the edges of her lips. She leaned in, her free hand cupping Nesta’s jaw, her fingers pressing into the delicate skin just enough to remind her who was in charge. Her thumb dragged lazily over Nesta’s bottom lip, teasing, as if testing how much further she could unravel her.

Nesta obediently extended her tongue. 

The Aes Sedai took her time. She let Nesta feel the unbearable tension, the weight of her control pressing down on her. Her gaze flickered over the girl's face, drinking in the dilated pupils, the pink flush high on her cheeks, the way her breath shuddered with each passing second.

And then, finally, with deliberate, lazy cruelty, Liandrin gathered a mouthful of spit, letting it glisten on her tongue for a lingering moment before she let it drip onto Nesta’s waiting tongue, slow and unhurried.

Nesta whimpered, the sound barely more than a breath, as her body responded without thought. Her lips closed around the offering instinctively, swallowing without hesitation, her throat working in a way that made Liandrin’s grip in her hair tighten.

Liandrin hummed, “So good for me.” she murmured, her fingers stroking Nesta’s cheek with mocking tenderness.

Then, with a sharp tug to her hair, Liandrin yanked Nesta’s head back, forcing her to meet her gaze fully. Their faces were close, breaths mingling in the charged space between them.

"Up." Liandrin commanded, her voice low but firm.

Nesta obeyed without hesitation, rising gracefully, her body tense with anticipation. She held Liandrin’s gaze, refusing to look away even as her breath hitched in her throat.

Liandrin’s pale fingers, the same ones that had pulled so mercilessly at her hair moments ago, now traced the line of her jaw with surprising softness. The contrast was dizzying, cruelty melting into tenderness. Nesta’s skin burned where Liandrin touched, the warmth sinking deep beneath the surface.

Silently, Liandrin reached for the laces of Nesta’s dress. There was no rush, no force, as if unwrapping something precious. The earlier dominance lingered, but it had softened, taking on a possessive intimacy. Fingertips brushed against exposed skin.

A single shiver ran down Nesta’s spine when the dress slipped from her shoulders, the cool air kissing her bare skin. The soft rustle of fabric pooling at her feet was the only sound between them.

Liandrin stepped back slightly, just enough to take her in. Her sharp gaze swept over Nesta, not with mere hunger, but with admiration.

Then, wordlessly, she lifted her hands and allowed Nesta to touch her in return. Nesta’s fingers found the fastenings of Liandrin’s red dress, hesitant at first but growing more certain. She undid each clasp carefully, revealing inch by inch of pale, smooth skin. There was something strangely intimate about it, removing each layer, each barrier, until Liandrin stood before her, unguarded.

For a moment, neither of them moved. The firelight flickered over their bare skin, painting them in gold and shadow. The Aes Sedai exhaled and curled her fingers around Nesta’s hand. She squeezed lightly as she guided themselves toward the bed.

As they reached the edge of the bed, Nesta was the first to lower herself, her body sinking into the soft mattress, the warmth of Liandrin’s touch still lingering on her skin. She stretched out, her breath steady but expectant, watching as the older woman remained standing for a moment, surveying her.

Then, with deliberate grace, Liandrin moved to straddle her, her knees pressing into the mattress on either side of Nesta’s hips.There was no uncertainty in the way Liandrin took her place above her. She always commanded the space around her, and this was no different.

Liandrin’s gaze swept over the girl, sharp and assessing. “You’ve been insufferable today.”

Nesta smirked up at her, the picture of defiance even as she lay beneath her. “And yet, you haven’t punished me for it.”

A pause. A flicker of something dangerous in Liandrin’s expression.

And then, without warning, she moved, her knee slammed between Nesta’s thighs, forcing them apart with a jolt that left no room for argument. Nesta sucked in a sharp breath, her smirk faltering just slightly, but the wicked gleam in her eyes remained.

Liandrin leaned down, her breath warm against Nesta’s ear as she murmured, “That was your last warning.”

“You talk a lot for someone who’s supposed to be in charge.” Nesta’s lips curled into a teasing smile.

A slow, dangerous smile curled Liandrin's lips. "Oh, my Lioness." she murmured, “You’ll regret it.” Her hand slid between Nesta’s thighs, finding her soaked.

In one swift, practiced motion, she twisted them both. She shoved Nesta onto her stomach. "Now, let’s see how much more you can take." she murmured.

Liandrin’s hand fisted in Nesta’s hair, yanking her head back. "On your hands and knees."

The younger woman obeyed, bracing herself on the mattress as her ass tilted up. The cool air kissed her bare skin.

"You always seem to enjoy pushing the boundaries." Liandrin said softly, her eyes glinting with a mix of admiration and warning.

“Is that a threat or a promise?” Nesta asked, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Liandrin’s smile deepened, eyes narrowing. "Perhaps it’s both." she replied.

The first strike landed without warning, a sharp, stinging slap that echoed through the quiet chamber. Nesta gasped, her fingers scrambling against the silk sheets as fire bloomed across her ass.

"Count." Liandrin commanded, her voice smooth as poisoned honey. The word hung in the air, sweet and dangerous.

Nesta gritted her teeth, her heart pounding in her chest as she forced the word out, each one a challenge, an admission she couldn't quite suppress. "One."

Liandrin traced the reddening skin with her fingertips, her touch light at first, but filled with intent. She could feel the tension in Nesta's body, the way her pulse quickened, betraying the bravado she tried to maintain. It was clear that Nesta hated this, but she couldn’t deny how much her body responded. How every part of her seemed to crave more.

"Good." Liandrin purred, savoring the moment.

The second strike landed harder, the sharp crack of skin against skin echoing in the room. Nesta’s hips jerked involuntarily, but Liandrin's hand on her back was unyielding, a reminder that she was helpless against the woman’s control.

"Two." Nesta hissed, her knuckles turning white as they gripped the bedding.

Liandrin’s fingers brushed over the reddened flesh, and her eyes glinted with dark pleasure. "Such a pretty color on you, darling. I should mark you like this more often." The words were whispered with an almost affectionate cruelty. 

The third strike was cruel in its exactness, landing again on the same spot. Nesta’s back arched, the pain sharp and deep, and a strangled noise threatened to escape her throat.

"Fuck… three." Her voice breaking.

Liandrin leaned in, her lips brushing the shell of Nesta's ear. "Language, pet. Unless you'd like to start over?" The words were soft, but there was no mistaking the authority behind them.

Her hand soothed over the sting, tracing the mark she’d left, before delivering a fourth strike, sharper and harder.

Nesta shuddered, every part of her body and mind reacting. The surge of warmth and humiliation coiled inside her. "Four." she managed, her voice trembling, as if she could barely keep herself together. The tension in her body was impossible to ignore, and yet she fought to keep her pride intact.

The Aes Sedai smiled, the corners of her lips curling upward as she could feel the heat radiating from the younger woman, and the power it gave her was intoxicating. Her palm rested possessively on the curve of Nesta's ass, as if claiming her.

Liandrin ran a fingernail over Nesta’s soaked folds, savoring the contrast between the harshness of her actions and the softness of Nesta’s body reaction. "Look at you." she whispered, her voice low and dangerous. "Dripping before I’ve even touched you properly."

Nesta braced herself, trying to maintain some semblance of control as Liandrin’s palm cracked against her ass once more.

"Five."

"Perfect." the older woman said, her voice thick with approval. She leaned over Nesta, her lips grazing the nape of her neck. "But we both know you can take more." The challenge was clear.

The sharp crack of Liandrin's palm against Nesta's bare skin echoed through the chamber, the sound as precise as a whip. The girl gasped, her body arching instinctively, but Liandrin's other hand held her firmly in place, knees spread wide, her back arched, utterly at the mercy of the older woman.

"Six." Nesta’s voice was breathless.

The next strike landed lower, right where thigh met ass, and Nesta’s breath hitched in a way that wasn’t entirely pain. There was a strange warmth spreading from the spot where Liandrin’s palm made contact, an undeniable sensation of pleasure, though she tried to ignore it.

"Seven."

Liandrin’s smirk deepened as she watched the flush bloom across the soft skin of Nesta’s ass. "You take it so well." she murmured, trailing her nails lightly over the heated flesh, savoring the way the girl’s skin shivered under her touch. "But we're not done yet."

The eighth strike came with more force, landing with a controlled precision that sent a jolt through Nesta’s body. She whimpered, the sound raw and unintentionally desperate, and Liandrin felt a rush of satisfaction deep inside.

"Eight." Nesta's voice cracked.

"Look at you, so desperate for me." Liandrin purred, her voice teasing as she reveled in the sight of Nesta’s quivering form.

As the ninth strike came, Nesta finally cried out, her thighs squeezing together in an attempt to escape the sensation. But Liandrin didn't allow it. With a firm press of her hand, she pinned her down, forcing her to take it. There was no escape, no retreat from the sensation flooding through her.

"One more." Liandrin murmured, her voice a dangerous promise.

The final strike landed with all the force of a command, the crack of it resounding louder than the others. Nesta’s body shook with it, a sob breaking free from her throat before she could contain it. But Liandrin was relentless. She hauled the girl up by her hair, pulling her face close, forcing her to meet her gaze.

"Ten." Liandrin breathed, her thumb brushing over Nesta’s parted lips, the touch impossibly tender in the wake of the punishment.

Nesta's eyes were glassy, unfocused, and her body pliant under Liandrin's touch. Every breath was slow, ragged, and Liandrin reveled in the sight of her, in the absolute submission that had been carved into her. 

"You are mine." Liandrin growled against the nape of Nesta's neck. "Every breath, every shudder, every cry, all mine."

Nesta arched into her, a sound slipping from her lips. But Liandrin didn’t ease up. She slammed Nesta down into the mattress with her full weight, holding her there like a predator pinning its prey. There was no escape, no room to breathe without permission.

"You fight me even now." Liandrin hissed, grabbing a fistful of Nesta's hair and yanking her head back, making her gasp. Her grip was unyielding, her fingers curled in Nesta’s hair like a leash.

"Maybe I just like watching you work for it.” Nesta’s nails dug into the sheets, her voice laced with challenge despite the strain.

Liandrin’s laugh was sharp, wicked, her blue eyes gleaming like ice under flame. "Oh, you like to test me, but don’t forget who owns you." she purred.

She shoved Nesta up, right onto knees, dragging her into the position she wanted. Back arched, hips raised, exposed and helpless under her hands. Her palms dug into the soft skin of Nesta’s thighs as she yanked her back with force, until they were flush together, heat colliding.

"You will learn, and you'll thank me for it." Liandrin murmured, her lips grazing Nesta's shoulder before her teeth sank into the skin hard enough to leave a mark.

"Tell me, who do you belong to?" she growled against her ear.

"You, only you." Nesta gasped.

Liandrin bit down again, her body trembling with how much she wanted to break her open, then hold everything that poured out.

"Mine, and no one else will ever touch you. " she snarled.

Then she took her, rough, relentless, her body commanding and unyielding. There was no hesitation in her hand, only possession. Each movement drove deeper, faster, harder. Each sound Nesta made fed her hunger, made her grip tighter, her rhythm sharper. She wanted Nesta to feel this in her bones.

Liandrin’s other hand snaked around her waist, pulling her back harder, forcing Nesta to take every inch of her fingers like a lesson. "You're going to come when I tell you to." she said, voice raw with dominance. "And not a second before."

Nesta sobbed with need, her whole body quaking beneath Liandrin’s control. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Her whole world had narrowed to the bruising grip and the demanding rhythm Liandrin set. Each thrust harder, deeper, keeping her right on the edge but never letting her tip over.

“Not yet.” Liandrin growled, her voice ragged with her own desire, but steady in its command.

Nesta whimpered, every muscle in her body strained as she tried to obey. Her body wanted release, screamed for it, but Liandrin wouldn’t allow it.

The older woman felt it, every twitch, every helpless shift of Nesta’s hips. The sound of Nesta’s ragged moans filled the room, the desperation in them making Liandrin’s blood roar.

“You’re close.” she hissed. “So close you can’t think, can you?”

Nesta tried to speak, but all that came out was a sob, her voice trembling with restraint. Liandrin leaned over her, wrapping an arm around her middle and dragging her upright against her chest, forcing her to feel her fingers deeper.

“Answer me.” she snarled in her ear. “Who owns you? Who decides when you get to fall apart?”

“You, you do.” Nesta gasped.

“Then hold it. Show me you’re mine.”

Nesta shook in her grasp. It felt impossible, being this close, suspended in torment, burning from the inside out. And yet, she didn’t disobey.

Liandrin’s own breath hitched at the obedience, at the girl’s surrender. Beneath all the teasing, all the fire, Nesta gave in. And not because she was broken, but because she chose to. Because she wanted to be hers.

The Aes Sedai's rhythm slowed just enough to be maddening. “That’s it.” she whispered, “You’re doing so well for me."

“Please.” Nesta finally choked, “Please, I can’t...”

“Yes, you can.” Liandrin kissed her neck, her voice low and rough. “But now, you may.”

She twisted her fingers deeper and Nesta gasped, her back arching, “Come now.” she growled.

Her body snapped forward, driving deep and hard, and the sound that tore from Nesta’s throat was half sob, half relief. Finally, her entire body seized in release, and through the haze of it, her cry split the air.

Nesta shattered in Liandrin’s arms, her whole body convulsing with the force of it, collapsing down onto the mattress like a puppet with its strings cut.

Liandrin followed her down, not letting go, her chest pressing to Nesta’s back, their skin flush and damp with sweat. For a moment, she simply breathed her in. Skin to skin. Heat to heat. Her heartbeat slowly returned to a calm rhythm, grounded by the weight of Nesta beneath her. 

“So desperate, and messy.” Liandrin purred.

She lifted her hand, fingers glistening, and gripped Nesta’s jaw, forcing her head to turn. “Open.”

Nesta didn’t hesitate. Her mouth parted eagerly, reverently. Liandrin slid her fingers past her lips, and Nesta welcomed them, tongue swirling around them, cleaning every trace of herself without shame. Her eyes fluttered shut as she suckled at Liandrin’s fingers like it was the most natural act of devotion.

Liandrin’s gaze darkened, as she watched the way Nesta’s mouth moved, the soft noises she made, the eagerness in her worship. She felt wild, unsteady, overwhelmed with the sheer force of her own desire.

When she finally pulled her hand away, slick with saliva, she murmured. “Good girl.”

Nesta tried to speak. Her lips parted, but her breath caught, throat tight, a hoarse whisper barely escaping. Her body was shaking with the aftermath of everything, her muscles spent, trembling like a bowstring that had snapped, and every ounce of her felt exposed.

Her eyes fluttered, unable to focus on anything except the overwhelming flood of sensations still rushing through her veins, each pulse another echo of the rough rhythm that had taken everything from her. Her head was spinning, her chest heaving with each shallow breath she drew.

Liandrin didn’t speak at first. She simply hovered over Nesta, watching the signs of her surrender, the way her chest rose and fell in uneven rhythm. Without a word, Liandrin brushed a kiss to the nape of Nesta's neck. It wasn’t possessive or sharp. It was tender, almost an apology in its softness.

She shifted slightly, enough so that her presence was still close. Her hand drifted to the back of Nesta’s neck, her fingers weaving into the soft strands of her hair as she guided her to a more comfortable position, curling her close.

For a long moment, neither of them moved. Nesta’s breath finally began to even out, the tension slowly bleeding out of her muscles as she finally allowed herself to relax. The exhaustion hit her like a wave, and before she could stop herself, her eyelids fluttered closed, her body sinking into the soft sheets beneath her.

The older woman watched the slow shift in Nesta’s expression, the way her body gave up the last of its fight and surrendered to the comfort Liandrin offered. She could see it in her face, that was still flushed, lips parted, and eyes glassy.

She didn’t let go of her, not immediately. Liandrin’s fingers brushed over Nesta’s cheek, guiding a lock of hair away from her face, her touch soft.

“What is it?” Liandrin murmured, her voice low, almost gentle. “No clever words now?”

Nesta couldn’t find the strength to answer. There was nothing left. Her whole body felt like it had melted into the mattress, her muscles still sore, and all she could do was breathe. Her chest rose and fell slowly, each breath coming easier, though it was a struggle to form words.

Liandrin stood up from the bed. She reached for the cloth on the bedside table, wetting it with warm water until it was damp. “Good.” she murmured, a smile curling on her lips.

She returned to Nesta's side, the cloth in hand, the warmth of the water soothing in the aftermath of their intensity. With careful precision, she began to dab at Nesta's reddened skin, focusing on the areas she had marked.

Her touch was meticulous, each stroke gentle yet purposeful. Her fingers glided over the bruised flesh, applying just the right amount of pressure to ease the sting.

As Liandrin worked, her expression remained unchanged, but there was a softness and gentleness to her movements. There was no power play here, no dominance. Just the woman who had broken Nesta and the woman who now, in this small, intimate moment, sought to piece her back together.

When she was done, Liandrin placed the cloth aside and reached for a glass of water from the bedside table. She lifted it to Nesta’s lips, her voice gentle as she urged, “Drink.”

Nesta hesitated for only a moment, her hand weakly reaching up to take the glass from Liandrin’s steady grasp. She drank slowly, the cool water soothing her dry throat, the simple act grounding her, reminding her that she was still here, still whole, despite everything that had just happened.

When the glass was empty, Liandrin set it aside and then, without asking, pulled Nesta into her arms, holding her against her chest in a tight, comforting hug.

Liandrin’s arms were strong, but they were also warm, protecting, as she wrapped them around Nesta. “I’ll never let you go.” she whispered. It was a declaration of their bond, that was forged in the fire of passion. The one she could never untangle, one that had already woven its way into the very core of who she was.

Nesta let out a small, shaky breath, but a sly grin tugged at her lips before she spoke. "Good, because I’m not going anywhere." she murmured playfully.

Blue eyes fluttered closed, the last of her resistance melting away as her body surrendered to sleep.

“Rest, Lioness.” Liandrin murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’ve done well.”

Nesta’s only response was a nearly inaudible hum, her body too tired to respond in any other way. Liandrin pulled the blanket up over them both. She rested her head gently against the pillow beside Nesta, looking down at the woman in her arms, knowing that this moment of softness was something neither of them would have expected.

[aquitainequeen]

Grishaverse/Shadow and Bone: Heartrenders can crush your internal organs or given you a heart attack! We're just going to imply the crushing via blood from the mouth on screen, though. The Wheel of Time: ... The Wheel of Time: So here's Ryma Galfrey, Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah, using her knowledge of healing and how the body works to basically turn her opponent into a human pretzel. Me: ...good lord

[zaldritzosrose]

Aesthetic Request Update!

Firstly, sorry for the delay in making the earlier requests! But these are the upcoming dividers/boards that have been asked for - hopefully in the order they were requested.

List below the cut!

Some of the more similar requests, like the Disney Princesses which I have a couple of requests for, I'll put them together into a single collection where possible.

Thank you to everyone who has requested!

Moodboards:

Wheel of Time: Aes Sedai (with different ajahs)

Dividers:

Nosferatu

Bucky (all four eras)

1940s Bucky TWS Bucky White Wolf Bucky TFATWS Bucky

Hobbit elves

House Blackwood + Black Aly

Avatar Clans

Shadow & Bone

House Dayne (can include notable characters)

Junji Ito Collection (Tomie Kawakami)

Cruella (2021 movie)

Dune

Disney Princesses

Little Mermaid Snow White Belle Merida Cinderella Mulan Tiana Moana

Aladdin

Anastasia

Monster High Dolls

[thereareeyesinsidethetrees]

before you snap by yonderboi is a ford song

not in the mood to draw it, so here's a description of what ae imagine for this song:

entirely black-and-white

'doesn't feed you, does it?' is bill offering ford a deal

the chain-like clacks afterwards are split-second glimpses into a more disturbing form for bill (him being cast mostly in the shadows before this point)

'but uh...how much can you take?' fiddleford and ford at the diner, bill's looming silently over ford as he glares at fiddleford

'how much can you take...' fiddleford leaving, ford reaching out to him as he goes, confused

'before you SNAP' crack across the background behind him as the swirling of the nightmare realm is seen, it begins leaking over his face, colors are doubled over each other. flashes of his corrupted reflection, hands reaching towards him on the ground, as he slowly turns around. his expression grows blank as he sees the portal- a beating heart held up by flesh and bone and teeth as bill's eye opens above and stares down at him

the next verse being ford post-head surgery staring blankly as memories of bill's whispers echo in his head. the chain-like clacks being flashes of the torment bill put him through

'but uh...how much can you take? how much can you take? how much can you take?' the memories becoming more vivid, more graphic as ford visibly becomes more distressed

'before you SNAP' you can see the determination and anger in ford's eyes as the next scenes play out him gathering materials and receiving the power source he needs for his gun (ae'm not typing out the full name) from the better world fiddleford

'how much can you take, before you SNAP' ford's about to kill bill, but notices the portal open behind him as the sound of glass cracking plays and all goes silent and it cuts to black

bird song plays as a colorful gravity falls fades back into view. ford, heavily desaturated in color, is standing in the clearing where bill's statue is, staring down at it. stan stands farther back behind him, waiting to walk back with him

the final words are in another language (hungarian, according to the translation ae used) and is roughly: 'i have to meet god. i want to ask him a few things. for example, what is our purpose? because we build our houses, raise our children, harvest our wheat, fight wars, kill each other...but for what end? and, well, i want to ask him also about my life. i want to find out the truth'

ford turns away and begins to walk towards stan with a smile as color fades back into him like watercolor

[oh-no-another-idea]

Find the word tag

Thank you for the tag @starlit-hopes-and-dreams! <3 I'll find contrast, cheek, choose/chose, and chill from the Invisible Girl...

Contrast:

The voice belonged to a tall man wearing a sharp black fedora hat and suit. In contrast, his skin was milky pale and his eyes a frighteningly light gray. There wasn’t a spot of color anywhere to be found on him.

Cheek:

“You’re a stowaway, aren’t you,” Antonio said, having followed Velia and come to the same conclusion as she.       Fynn stood, the dim lighting casting dark shadows under his cheekbones. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was simply trying to take a nap.” “Oh, I don’t mind,” Antonio was quick to add. “Ms. Greene is a stowaway too and she and I are well on our way to being friends.”

Choose:

“Where does it end?” Lewis demanded, throwing his hands up. “I go home to my tiny drafty flat where I can barely pay the bills, and Fynn supports his whole family and Paris has one too many accidents and loses a finger, and Velia gets trampled to death by a horse—” “It ends with us,” Antonio interrupted, before Velia’s imagined death could get any worse. “It ends where we choose it to.”     

Chill:

On the station platform, it was impossible to believe Velia was still in the city. Fog, thick enough to be masquerading as pea soup, swam and mingled with the steam rolling off the locomotive waiting on the tracks. Nearby lamps blinked feebly, and Velia’s nice maroon jacket wasn’t enough to keep her warm. Or maybe that was just fear chilling her bones.

Open tag for any who see it, and also gentle tags for @sarandipitywrites @enchanted-lightning-aes @lady-grace-pens @on-noon @cherrybombfangirlwrites @wrenofthewords @sleepyowlwrites @lena-rambles and @rhikasa -- your words are talk, bottle, sail, honor, and open 🌈

[junkyardisles]

swappers i went over in da ask but i can quickly touch on their dynamic cause of me spending the last 6 years crafting the ssa cores' dynamic for my canon. thing. idk what u'd call it? i accidentally do the 15 y/o is buds with a 29 y/o who's their mentor thing again a lot of the swappers are teenagers, youngest is rubble rouser (they/he/ae) who's 14. and then a lot of them are in their late 20s or early 30s, and then night shift (he/him) is god knows how old doom stone (she/her) is close with hoot loop (they/she/xe) since they brought her to life but she also kinda became fire kraken (she/her)'s guardian figure, and similarly freeze blade (he/him) hangs around trap shadow (he/him) who helps him out with stuff. fire kraken and freeze blade also are trained by blast zone (he/him) and wash buckler (he/him) since those two knew eachother prior n demonstrate opposing elements working together well putting myself on blast real fast btw VV

npcs are the most underdeveloped part so far admittedly. the council has more members who served in absence of the skylanders, the chieftess (esmeralda) was a strong sorceress in her prime + is tessa's guardian, tessa's a young scruffy vulpid (fox/anteater things) who meets flynn and thinks he's so god damn cool!!!!!, avril is a gnome i dunno her shtick yet, THE TECH GUARDIAN when they get unevilised they go to woodburrow and sell hats as if nothing ever happened, sharpfin catches my eye the most but i'm debating what development things to pull for him (he knew tessa based on unused dialogue and had to be rescued) he doesn't like shellshock tho cloudbreak is pretty contained so i'm not actually changing that much with it, just trying to make it seem even more contained if that makes sense. it's in the southern hemisphere and i thought it'd be fun to have it be heavily south america inspired at times but i've been slacking off on including that for my canon as well (aka where the idea came from). cloudbreak has megafauna and less magic, so mt. cloudbreak replenishes the noticeably small amount of magic within the world already, and the ancient elementals consist of the flashfin (represents the marshes n swamps), terrasquid (represents the barrens), frosthound (represents the frigids n mountains), and the tree spirit (represents the verdant)

a lot less of cloudbreak's fauna has direct elemental ties too, instead being tied to their environment around them. however! some skylands species had ended up in cloudbreak n became invasive, also adopted new looks. vulpids, hippoids (hippo/horse mix. tuk and gorm lawl), kangarats, boghogs, n whatnot are some common cloudbreak species

petrified darkness is cloudbreak's version of traptanium. instead of the blastee(?) Turning Evil they basically get overloaded with adrenaline and magic, kicking their fight response into high drive. the less energy and/or magic someone has the more they'll be able to control it. also when you break the crystals it doesn't hurt them and they just become tired afterwards :) also specifically on greebles, they're weird marsupials because cloudbreak is also australia and they eat bugs. their ears serve as vibration detectors with a bone inside

while this bit is their actual ear that hears things

also they're tarsiers in my mind

[collectivelibrary-archived]

Hello, I’m a member of a system who just split and I’m technically an introject but I do not want to associate with the character (for personal reasons), so could I get name and pronoun suggestions/hoards based around mystery or unknown identity - however you should decide to interpret that.

Signing off as 🚫 so I can identify it in the future, and thank you in advance.

Yes of course! That's a pretty cool theme you got there :P

Since you didn't say any preference I'll do them all!

NAMES ;;

Masc ; Wes, Blanton, Cedric, Callum, Seamus, Horace,

Neu ; Kerri, Ryn / Rynne, Shadow, Shade, Serafina / Seraphina, Talon, Casper, Clyde, Claude,

Femme ; Mystica, Mistique, Tania, Tatiana, Raevyn / Ravyn / Raven, Alina, Zilla, Jenalee, Inej, Blaire / Blair, Hermione, Agatha, Ada, Emory

PRONOUNS ;;

Neu ; xe/xem, ny/nyx, voi/void, ae/aer, mo/moss, fae/faer, cor/corpse, bo/bone, bod/body, go/gore, gho/ghost, gho/ghoul, nyc/nycto, cad/cadaver, vam/vamp, zom/zombie

[keplercryptids]

[image description copied from alt text: two versions of the same drawing of an NPC from my ttrpg game, Han'ae (ae/aer). Han'ae is a tall, thin soldier with brown skin and dark brown hair pulled into a bun. Ae is standing at attention with aer hands behind aer back. Ae's wearing a black military jacket with gold details and tasseled epaulets, black pants, and black boots with gold laces. Han's shadow cast on the wall behind aer is of a tall, unlit pyre of bones. On the left, the shadow is lined in gold and on the right, it's not. Han'ae is looking to the side with a neutral expression. End ID.]

a pyre of bones, unlit.

also, a closeup:

[image description copied from alt text: a closeup of the drawing above on Han'ae's face. A gold pin of a bird and one of a flame are on the front of aer jacket.]

[marshmallowprotection]

Heya! I was wondering if i could suggest a semi-specific request 😅😂

Could I request a scene where I reunite with Ray in VAE? I was thinking I could've been with him in Mint Eye and had a relationship with him - even though it is V's ending.

What happened to Magenta with the bomb shattered me, and that uncertainty about Ray was just 😖😖😖

I would miss him so, so much

Would he miss me as much too? He's everything to me 😅

After all the time V spends with him in his AE, would Ray still remember me? Would he be shocked that I remembered him? And still love him so much?

Aaah 🤧🤧

Skittish.

Tentative.

Frightened.

Those are the words Jihyun used to describe him at his worst. Even after years of trying to pull himself back together, there was nothing that could change the fact that he was forever scarred by what he'd done that day in Magenta. On the of losing everything, he thought it would be better to get rid of himself than it would be to join the rest of the believers in paradise.

What was life worth if everyone left him all over again?

That was how he felt for the longest time... his only regret being that he called you before the bomb went off. He didn't want to scare you with the truth of his actions, but that selfish part inside of his chest wanted you to know he loved you with everything his heart had and he would never love another soul like he loved you.

He thought you'd move on with your life, become happy as can be, and have everything he ever dreamed of.

In some ways... his love for you would carry on in your happiness. It was the only thing that brought him peace in those final moments, and yet, even so, he always yearned for more than that.

Maybe that was the most human thing about him. He always obeyed the rules given to him because they were an oath made in blood... like a tool or a puppet, but his love for you gave him a bleeding heart that made him feel alive. It was his love for you that kept him alive as long as it had. That's what he wanted to believe.

You were an angel unlike any other he'd ever met.

And maybe, just maybe, by the grace of your love... or just dumb luck, he survived that explosion. He suffered torment for weeks as the scars rattled his bones and fried his skin, but one thought never left his head. You. You were the singular thought that he both yearned for and dreamed would never come close to him again.

He hurt you in every sense of the word, and he couldn't bring himself to let go. It would've been better if he let you go. You could have a life with the RFA! You could enjoy everything the world had to offer and it would make him happy. As long as you had a life... a life you dreamed of... he knew nothing could ever dampen his dream. You were his true dream... his only dream, but he knew that he may never have you the way he wanted.

You would never look at him the way he looked at you... he would be a fool to think otherwise.

The light in your eyes saved him.

That was why he agreed to come with Jihyun to the party. He didn't want to go in the beginning. He only wanted to stay in the shadows... to erase himself until it was time to find his brother, but the thought of seeing your face one last time made him yearn to come along for... for what would probably be the last time he'd allow himself to see you in person.

He planned to stay in the crowd, hidden by the number of guests and patrons, and then he would retreat to the hotel to spare himself a lot of painful circumstance. Seeing you at the party, smiling, was meant to be enough for him.

If you were dancing with someone or thriving in a way that would've challenged his memory, it would've stung deep and made it hard to breathe, but... the risk was worth it. Even if you were in love with the world outside of him... and you found a reason to smile... he would be okay with that. He would have to be.

He just... needed to see your face one final time.

It had to be worth it.

You found him despite his desire to hide when Jihyun extended his hand to welcome the newest member to the RFA. He looked over at Jihyun, nerves eating away at his very soul, but a smile remained on Jihyun's face, as if beckoning him to task a risk. He stood there, like a deer in the headlights, unable to move or say a word as you stared at him.

Everything felt like it was moving in slow-motion.

His body was stuck.

Then, all at once, when he felt like he needed to run away, you leapt in his direction before his brother could—throwing your arms around him with a sob on your lips that sounded like—misery and hope all at once. He stood there, eyes wide and jaw-slacked, unable to say even a single word as Saeyoung embraced the two of you as well.

"Ray," you wept. You sounded like it hurt to lose him in the first place. He never thought you would miss him. "You're alive! I was afraid that I lost you forever! I can't believe you're here! You're here and breathing. Tell me it's not a dream...!"

"You're okay," sobbed his twin brother, his voice filled with just as much relief and pain that it felt otherworldly to someone like Ray. Years of his life were spent thinking he was nothing more than the nuisance he was taught to be, and now... just like Jihyun said many times in the past... his loved ones were telling what he thought was a pipe dream. "My baby brother, you're okay!"

Ray couldn't believe it.

Saeyoung missed him... truly.

You'd missed him... deeply.

Jihyun hadn't lied to him.

"I'm sorry," he croaked. The tears flooding his vision as he broke down for the first time in a very long time. "I'm sorry!"

[bearholdingashark]

WIP Tag Game

Tagged by @midwinterspringwrites (Thank you! <3)

RULES: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

And yeah....I know I have a problem (I didn't think the list would be this long though)

Darklina Phantom of the Opera (partially posted)

Darklina "monster in the closet" fae Sasha meet cute

Darklina modern grishaverse sex pollen fic

Darklina The House AU The Little Palace kinktober '23 (partially posted)

Darklina ep 5 au light bondage/edging to get answers

Darklina stylist Sasha actress Alina

Darklina ex FIL

Darklina baby trapping exes

Enola/Tewkesbury smutty dance lesson canon divergence

Enola/Tewkesbury/Sarah/William celebration

Darklina season 2 fix it double agent!Alina Brand New Heretic (partially posted)

Darklina first time roleplay

Darklina high school sweethearts second chance (when we were young modern au) (partially posted)

DITW Alina instead of Annika Darklina tether au

Darklina canonverse 13 Going On 30 au

Let Me Love The Lonely other Alina Darklina follow up

Darklina witch hunt

Darklina And They Were Roommates modern au

demon!Allina/witch!Sasha shared custody of Ivan Darklina

Darklina professor/single dad modern au

Ludarklina soulmates

Ludarklina dreams

Darklina No Notion first time regency marriage of convenience

Darkzoyalina voyeurism prompt

in public scream prompt Darklina invisibility

Darklina ceilings soulmates au

Darklina Jurassic Park/World Ellie/Alan AU

Darklina Harper's Island AU

Happy Blended Families Darklina Ulla/Luda

Anastas/Aleksander/Luda Birthday suprise

Lusander summoning each other's powers fix it

Darklina Beauty and the Beast pregnant Alina au

Darklina Old West au sheriff!Sasha/papa!Alina

Luda resurrection Shadow and Bone eventual Ludarklina (partially possible)

Darklina Father's Day card

Darklina house husband/mob boss washing the blood off

Prefold Darklina feat time travel (partially posted)

Darklina can't lie to soulmate (partially posted)

Darklina Addams Family crossover meeting the family

Darklina fake dating holidays omegaverse

Darklina baby girl Sasha ddlg 5+1 acceptance

Darklina circus au

Darklina demon possesion

Darklina baby girl Sasha breeding kink

AAA afterlife Darklina

Darklina puppy siblings modern au

Ludarklina Star Trek TNG wedding

Baghra visions lotr inspired

Darklina homemade Christmas gifts

Darklina ghost!Sasha Halloween fic

Darklina switchcraft au (Twitter 'stay' prompt)

Darklina ddlg marriage of convenience

Alternate Ravka Darklina

Spiritfarer Darklina au

Darklina post Malarkling

Baghra Mrs. Bennet Parenting Darklina

Tattoo Artist Alina non chronological multipchapter follow up Darklina

Darklina Rich Groom Poor Groom follow up

Darklina Pirate Song AU

Hallmark Darklina Royal Playground Marriage au

Vera Matilda AU Darklina

Titan AE Darklina

Mob boss/police chief prequel Darklina

Darklina DMs modern au (partially posted)

Darklina mob boss/police chief going public

Darklina dimension travel sequel (partially posted)

Letters to my Sun Summoner Darklina fic

While You Were Sleeping Darklina angst

Married At First Sight Darklina

Port Gamble Darklina fic I'm not tagging 70 people, so I'll tag @strangelock221b, @ahopelessromanticwritersworld, @fiora-miriel, @ditaliaa, @sternfleck, @ammarantas, @nightquills, @holy-muffins, @goatsandgangsters, @wingardium-fic (but only if you want to!!) and anyone else who wants to do it!

[iviarellereads]

The Great Hunt, Chapter 20 - Saidin

(THIS PROJECT IS SPOILER FREE! No spoilers past the chapter you click on. Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index and a primer on The Wheel of Time, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

(Dragon's fang icon) In which that seems... not good?

PERSPECTIVE: Rand. They stop at dawn to give Loial and the horses a rest. Selene asks him to take the Horn down so she can see it, and Rand says absolutely not. He doesn't want the dagger unshielded. She says she just wants one teeeny weeeeny glimpse of it, in the daylight. He can even hold it! Give her an image to remember him by.

The way she's manipulating him reminds him somehow of Aes Sedai, and he asks again if she is one. She erupts in a cold, spitting fury and reaffirms that she's no Aes Sedai, accusing him of always hurling that at her like an insult.(1) At first she starts ignoring him, though when he looks at her she’s smiling at him.(2) But over the course of a day or two, she warms back up to him, until they reach a village and she decides she wants to sleep under the stars instead of at the inn, insisting that there could be Darkfriends, or someone else might get greedy and steal the chest. When Rand suggests they pass it off as "my lady's travel chest of clothes", she gives him an unreadable look.

As they continue toward the village, something catches Rand's eye. There's an excavation nearby, and from the clay thrusts a hand with a great crystal, which is what glinted and caught his attention. He's so focused on it, and a face that must be attached to the same grand statue, that he doesn't even realize he's started holding saidin. He remembers Bayle Domon talking of a great statue holding a crystal, but that was on the island of Tremalking.(3)

Selene is genuinely freaked out and wants Rand to get away from the thing. He releases the void, but saidin doesn't let go of him. He feels like if he sings the song saidin is singing, the statue would open its mouth and sing with him.

The song of saidin, the song of the sphere, he could feel them quivering along his bones.(4) Grimly, he refused to give in, reached deep inside himself . . . I will not. . . . “Rand.” He did not know whose voice it was. . . . reached for the core of who he was, the core of what he was . . . . . . will not . . . “Rand.” The song filled him, filled the emptiness. . . . touched stone, hot from a pitiless sun, cold from a merciless night. . . . . . . not . . . Light filled him, blinded him. “Till shade is gone,” he mumbled, “till water is gone . . .” Power filled him. He was one with the sphere. “. . . into the Shadow with teeth bared . . .” The power was his. The Power was his. “. . . to spit in Sightblinder’s eye . . .” Power to Break the World. “. . . on the last day!”(5) It came out as a shout, and the void was gone. Red shied at his cry; clay crumbled under the stallion’s hoof, spilling into the pit. The big bay went to his knees. Rand leaned forward, gathering the reins, and Red scrambled to safety, away from the edge. They were all staring at him, he saw. Selene, Loial, Hurin, all of them. “What happened?” The void. . . . He touched his forehead. The void had not gone when he released it, and the glow of saidin had grown stronger, and. . . . He could not remember anything more. Saidin. He felt cold. “Did I . . . do something?” He frowned, trying to remember. “Did I say something?”

He was just mumbling to himself, stiff as a statue, until he shouted "day!" but now some of the guards seem to have spotted them. Rand takes one last glance at the crystal, remembering... something... about the sphere. Then they take off for the village proper.

The inn is called The Nine Rings,(6) which was one of Rand's favourite adventure stories growing up. He takes it for a good sign, and asks Selene if he frightened her back there. She says she was terrified, and she doesn't scare easily. She half begs him to take off with her and the Horn, think of it, side by side, the Horn of Valere in his hands, and more glory for the taking, what more could he want?

Rand shakes his head and tells her once more that he doesn't *want* the Horn or glory. It's not his in the first place. She turns her back on him, and that's that.

=====

(1) It was TWICE, but go off I guess. What an intense reaction, how does anyone not see how suspicious she is? (2) She's probably very pleased at him standing up for himself, she just wants him to do it at everyone else and never to her. (3) Tremalking's is just the hand holding the crystal out of the ground, as far as Domon knew it had never been excavated like this one. What are they? How might they be related? If this one is a man, is the other likely to be the same, or might they be a matched and opposite pair? (4) Just drawing attention to this bit. What is this statue, to evoke a connection to saidin so instinctively in Rand? (5) Those words, though broken up, are one of the Aiel sayings we've heard. (6) Subtlety's for cowards.

[nestadevries]

Chapter 16 | The Pain We Choose

Lanfear's come back. - around 5k words

The throne fit her like a second skin. It was carved from obsidian and shadow, jagged lines flowing into sharp, regal edges. Liandrin sat poised atop it, spine straight, legs crossed at the ankle, hands resting on the arms like she was born to rule. Her hair was swept back from her face, her lips painted red, and her robes, crimson silk with threads of molten gold were shimmering like fire when she moved. The chamber around her was vast, empty, but completely hers.

She was radiant, powerful, and worshipped.

A perfect silence stretched before her, and in it, she could feel the weight of obedience. The kind of submission that she’d always deserved, not begged for, not scraped together in desperate glances and false smiles. This was the world where she had finally won.

But suddenly, the air grew colder. From the corner of her vision, shadows bled forward, crawling along the marble floor until they pooled in the center of the hall. A tall figure stepped out from them, dressed in gleaming silver and black, her beauty so sharp it hurt to look at her. The Forsaken.

Her eyes glinted with moonlight and malice. “Still clinging to your little fantasy, Liandrin?”

The words echoed like a slap. Liandrin’s fingers tightened on the armrest, but she didn’t move.

“You sit on my throne.” Lanfear continued, “And dare to dream she’ll stay yours?”

Liandrin tried to stand up, but her body didn’t respond. A jolt of panic surged through her. Her muscles refused to obey. Her mouth opened, but no words came.

Lanfear smiled. And then the world flipped.

She didn’t see the motion. One moment she sat above all, and the next she was dragged down to her knees, the stone cold beneath her skin. The throne loomed above her now, and Lanfear sat upon it, legs crossed with elegant ease, her power stretching out in waves that made Liandrin’s skin crawl.

“You forget your place.” Lanfear purred.

Liandrin growled in response, the sound low and rough in her throat, but it was hollow. Her body betrayed her, trembling at the feeling of Lanfear’s power. She wanted to spit at Lanfear’s feet. She wanted to rise, to fight, to be something more than this pathetic thing on the floor.

But she couldn’t. She could only feel how exposed she was, naked in every sense that mattered, her strength stripped, her pride in tatters. And worst of all she was afraid. Not just of what Lanfear might do, but of what Lanfear already knew.

“I forget nothing.” Liandrin muttered, her voice low, bitter like poison. Her eyes locked with Lanfear’s, desperate to reclaim some fragment of herself. “Least of all what you are, Mistress.”

She hated how easily it fell from her lips. She hated that some part of her, long buried, still knew how to say it.

Lanfear’s smile widened, slow and indulgent.

“Oh, sweet thing.” she whispered, dragging her boot gently under Liandrin’s jaw. “Still biting, even with your teeth broken.”

Liandrin’s breath hitched, heat crawling up her neck. Humiliation, a helpless burn in her chest, a bone-deep shame that no amount of strength could cover. She lowered her gaze in submission.

“Up.” The Forsaken said, tilting Liandrin’s face with the boot.

Liandrin shook her head, trembling.

“Still so proud. Still pretending to be more than what you are. But I see you clearly. A weapon someone else forged. A woman so broken she confuses pain for strength.” Lanfear sighed as if the sight bored her. As if Liandrin’s humiliation was routine.

The Aes Sedai’s eyes were glassy, caught in that moment between fury and despair. Her throat burned with the need to say something, but nothing came. Nothing but the sound of her breath, unsteady and shallow.

Lanfear pressed her boot more firmly against Liandrin’s cheek, the edge digging in her skin. “Go on, kiss it” she whispered.

Liandrin resisted for a moment. But then her body betrayed her. Her head dipped, and her lips brushed against the leather, cold and smooth. Her whole body tensed, shoulders trembling as she held herself still. Shame crept up her spine and it settled heavy in her chest, squeezing around her lungs.

It wasn’t just Lanfear's presence, nor the sickening pull of obedience she couldn't deny. But the dreadful thought of what this would look like to someone else. To Nesta.

Would Nesta recoil at the sight of her like this? Kneeling and powerless. Her lips on another woman’s boot as if that was all she was worth. Would she sneer and walk away, suddenly realizing that the woman she admired was nothing more than this?

The thought hit deeper than Lanfear’s boot ever could and Liandrin couldn’t stop it. Couldn’t bury it fast enough before Lanfear’s voice came again.

“Oh, that struck a nerve.” she purred and the corner of her mouth curved a victorious smile. “You’re afraid she’d never look at you the same, aren’t you?”

The heel scraped lightly down the woman’s jawline, dragging with excruciating grace, before settling again beneath her chin. A pointed reminder of who controlled this moment.

“She’d walk away.” Lanfear said, as if narrating a truth the world had already accepted. “She’d leave you behind the moment she saw what you really are. Weak. Broken. Trained.”

Liandrin’s jaw clenched, but she didn’t move. Her defiance was a flicker now, trapped beneath the crushing weight of humiliation.

“Lick it.” Lanfear commanded.

Liandrin’s breath caught, as she the realization of Lanfear’s words settled. She leaned in with hesitation. Her tongue slid over the leather slowly, a motion filled with reluctant submission. The boot’s surface tasted of dust and something metallic.

She had been broken before, but never like this. Not by a blow, not by power. But by the fear that her love might not survive the sight of her like this. Just a tool someone else had already bent.

“Good little pet.” Lanfear crooned, crouching beside her now, one hand stroking her hair like she was nothing more than a beaten animal. “Now beg me.”

Liandrin’s voice cracked, when she asked. “For what?”

Lanfear leaned in, her breath warm against Liandrin’s ear as she whispered, “To let her live.”

Liandrin flinched, her entire body going rigid, the weight of the words sinking through her like cold water through cloth. A sick realization that this was punishment bloomed in her gut.

“Please...” she finally rasped, the word trembling. “Don’t hurt her."

Triumph flashed in Lanfear’s eyes. She had feared this wouldn’t work. Feared that Liandrin might hold out, that her growing bond with Nesta might forge a strength even Lanfear couldn’t unravel. She’d seen it in the girl’s eyes, in the fire that burned every time Liandrin’s name was mentioned.

But now, Liandrin was on her knees. Not for herself, but for Nesta. And it thrilled her so much. Lanfear’s fingers curled around a lock of golden hair and gently tugged her head back, forcing her to look up.

“You would crawl, degrade yourself for her. That’s what makes this so sweet.” she murmured.

Liandrin said nothing. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her face pale. The cold floor bit into her knees, and Lanfear’s presence was suffocating.

The Forsaken leaned in, nose brushing hers, lips parted in something like mockery. “She’ll look at you and she’ll wonder how she ever loved a woman who begged at another’s feet.”

The dream shifted again and a new image took form, so vivid it stole the breath from her lungs. Nesta stood at the edge of the dreamscape, lit by an ethereal, unforgiving glow. Her face was unreadable at first, carved in absolute  stillness. But then her eyes, those fierce blue eyes widened with shock and disgust.

She saw everything. Liandrin frozen on her knees, the smeared leather of Lanfear’s boot, the humiliated tremble in her posture.

“No...” Liandrin breathed. Her head shook, weak and frantic. “She wouldn’t.”

But even as she denied it, her heart cracked under the weight of her own buried doubt.

The vision didn’t fade. Nesta just turned away and walked into the darkness. Liandrin reached out with a choked gasp, fingers grasping at nothing, but the world had already begun to splinter. The dream cracked along its edges, fragments breaking off and falling like shards of glass into the void.

Lanfear’s laughter followed them down, as dream collapsed

-

The tension between them was suffocating, charged with an unspoken battle of wills. Nesta could feel the strain in the air as Liandrin's energy crackled, pulsing with dangerous intent. Normally, their training had a rhythm, a back-and-forth, but today was different.

Nesta watched her carefully, brow furrowed. Liandrin wasn’t acting like herself. She was distant, her power crackling in the air with barely contained fury.

Without waiting for another word, Liandrin raised her hand, and a blast of Air exploded toward Nesta with blinding speed. It was fast, calculated, and came without the usual playfulness. The force behind it was enough to send Nesta stumbling back, but she managed to raise her shield just in time.

There was no hesitation, no measure in Liandrin’s movements. It was as if she was trying to overpower Nesta with brute force. The girl leaped sideways, her shield shimmering with energy as she deflected the blast of Fire now.

With a growl, she raised both her hands, sending a wave of Earth toward the older woman. The rocks and soil lifted from the floor and sped toward her, forming jagged spikes.

Liandrin spun, using her own Air to deflect the attack. The rocks shattered harmlessly against her barrier, but the display of power from Nesta seemed to trigger something in her.

She retaliated, her hands outstretched. She pulled at the Power in a way that felt cold, devoid of any warmth. She twisted the strands of Air and Earth together, aiming for Nesta’s legs.

Before Nesta could react, she was pulled off her feet, thrown into the air by the sudden pressure on her legs. She gasped as she fought against the hold, spinning midair to land on her feet with a grunt. Her chest heaved, but she refused to let herself falter.

“Not bad.” she said, her voice tight as she glared at Liandrin, fury starting to rise in her chest.

But Liandrin only raised her hand and another pulse of Fire surged toward Nesta, and she deflected it cleanly again. But the attack didn’t stop there. Liandrin kept weaving, one wave of flame after another, her fury crackling in the air with every strike. Each burst came faster, hotter, until the place itself seemed to tremble under the force of her assault. She didn’t stop, not for a single breath. Consumed by rage, her eyes wild, her weaves only grew more reckless and brutal.

Before Nesta could fully brace herself, a streak of searing heat lanced through the air and struck her arm. A sharp cry escaped her lips as the burn seared through her skin.

The sudden, blistering pain was enough to stagger her, throwing off her focus. She stumbled backward, instinctively clutching her arm, the smell of singed flesh rising in the air. Unexpectedly, her mind went blank, shock. She hadn't expected it. She knew Liandrin could be harsh, but this felt different.

She looked up, her eyes wide with disbelief, her breath shallow. “What the hell was that, Liandrin?” she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady, though it cracked slightly with a mix of surprise and hurt.

Liandrin stood there, chest heaving, her power still crackling in the air, but there was a strange hesitation in her eyes. “Did you think I’d go easy on you?” her voice was a growl. “You think this is a game, Nesta?”

The burn throbbed on her arm, and Nesta’s gaze flickered down at the wound. It was bad enough to leave a scar if she wasn’t careful in healing. But the pain was nothing compared to the confusion and anger swirling inside her.

She didn’t flinch, though. This was Liandrin, but not the exact same woman she had trained with. Liandrin had always kept some measure of restraint, she never aimed to harm her like this.

“Is that how you want to fight?” Nesta’s voice was raw, cutting through the tension in the room.

Liandrin didn’t answer immediately. Instead, her lips pressed into a tight line, and for a brief moment guilt flickered in her eyes. However, it was gone almost as quickly as it appeared.

But it didn’t matter, the damage had been done.

Nesta’s hand clenched at her side, her nails digging into her skin, her own power rising within her like a storm. With a growl of frustration, she raised both her arms, this time not defensively but offensively. Air and Fire swirled together in a violent explosion of power. The tendrils of her weaving snaked through the space between them like lightning, but instead of attacking directly, she aimed to disarm, to bind Liandrin in place with the force of her energy.

It was a risky move, but she didn’t care anymore. She was done being passive.

Liandrin’s eyes widened, surprise flashing in her gaze. But then she reacted, raising her own power to counter the strike. Air whipped around her, but Nesta’s aim was true. The surge of Earth slammed into Liandrin’s legs, sending her crashing to the ground. As she struggled to regain her footing, the shock of the girl’s counterattack lingered in the air between them.

“What’s wrong with you today?” Nesta snarled, her voice sharp. The fire in her eyes was impossible to miss.

Liandrin’s breath came in short, harsh gasps, and she glared at her, but the anger in her eyes flickered. “I’m fine.” she spat out, but there was a tremble in her voice.

“No, you’re not.” Nesta’s gaze softened but she didn’t release her hold on Liandrin. 

Liandrin’s chest heaved, “I haven’t slept well.” she muttered, her gaze flickering to the floor. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean this.”

“Why are you pushing me like this?” Nesta asked, the suspicion creeping into her voice. “This isn’t the usual way. What’s going on?”

Liandrin’s head snapped up at the question, her eyes momentarily sharp. But then, she turned away, her face softening as if she were trying to shield herself from whatever truth was gnawing at her.

“It’s nothing.” she answered quietly, her voice distant. But when her eyes locked with Nesta’s trembling arm, her breath stopped. It was like waking from a fevered haze. The burn, the raw red of it, seared itself into her awareness far deeper than her own weaves had cut through the air. Her heart dropped.

“Nesta…” she breathed, her voice hoarse. The surge of rage that had fueled her, that had blinded her, was gone, leaving nothing but cold twisting guilt.

The girl’s expression was tight with pain, but her eyes held confusion.

Liandrin stepped forward instinctively, her voice low and cracked. “Let me let me fix it.”

But Nesta’s eyes flicked to her own hand, to the place where angry red scorched skin wrapped her forearm like a mark. The sting was sharp and fresh. She breathed in slowly, forcing herself to keep her voice calm and controlled.

“I’m fine.” she said, though her throat felt tighter than it should. “I’ll find someone from the Yellow.”

She wasn’t trying to be cruel. In truth, she didn’t want to see Liandrin’s hands trembling as she reached out to touch her. She didn’t want to watch Liandrin struggle at performing a healing wave, she didn’t want to hurt her by showing more pain on her face.

Liandrin froze. Her hands curled into fists at her sides. She wasn’t good with healing, it was true. She hated it. But to be dismissed so quickly, as if her care wasn’t wanted, as if her touch had already done too much harm, it hurt her deeply.

Shame rushed in quickly, as if it never truly left her. She was too cruel, too broken, too twisted to be loved the right way. If Nesta ever saw all of her, saw what she truly was, she’d walk away just like in the dream.

Her chest tightened. The self-hatred wrapped around her heart and squeezed.

“I didn’t mean to...” Liandrin’s voice faltered, thin and brittle. “I wasn’t trying to hurt you.”

“All good, don’t worry.” Nesta forced the words out, trying to keep her voice steady. But it came out a little too flat. Her heart was still pounding, and her arm ached with a deep, pulsing burn.

She took a breath, low and even, then another.

“I’ll go to find a Yellow Sister.” she said, calmer now. She turned and left the training area, holding her injured arm close to her side, hidden.

-

What have I done?

The question echoed through Liandrin’s mind, over and over, louder than the fire she'd unleashed. She hadn’t meant to burn Nesta. She hadn’t meant to hurt her. But something had snapped. Lanfear’s laughter still rang in her ears, the dream had felt so real that some part of her believed it still lingered on her skin.

That fear had twisted into something sharp inside Liandrin. Something wild, desperate, cruel and she’d lashed out.

The image of Nesta recoiling, clutching her scorched arm, would not leave her. Nor the cold dismissal in her voice when she said, “All good, don’t worry.”

She hated herself for the pain she’d caused. Hated that she had fulfilled the exact prophecy Lanfear had whispered in the dream. She was right, Nesta would see her for what she was, broken, not worthy of trust. Not worthy of love.

But she needed to fix this. Needed to make Nesta understand that this wasn’t who she wanted to be. That whatever darkness was rising in her, it wasn’t stronger than what she felt when she looked at Nesta.

The dining hall buzzed with chatter as always. Plates clinked, spoons stirred porridge, and the clamor of gossip bounced from wall to wall. Nesta entered with her usual cool stride after getting her hand healed by the Yellow Sister.

A small knot of Accepted leaned near one of the side pillars, clearly waiting. Their leader, a girl named Mavis, sharp-tongued and always circling drama, tilted her head with a smirk.

“Look what the cat dragged in.” she said, voice light.

Nesta didn’t stop walking. She moved toward the meal line until Mavis stepped right into her path. The Accepted leaned in slightly. “Must be nice being protected by the Red.”

“Be careful with your words.” Nesta said, voice low but sharp.

But Mavis continued, her voice dripping with scorn, “Do you ever notice how much you and Liandrin are the same? Both arrogant cunts with egos so high, who think they can rule the Tower. A perfect match, two women too full of themselves to see how pathetic they really are.”

The words cut through the air like a whip, and Nesta felt her pulse quicken, but there was no mistaking the ice in her tone. “You’ve got a filthy mouth. You should learn to shut it before you choke on it.”

“What? Is it too close to the truth? Mavis asked voice laced with malice.

Nesta's hand shot out in a flash of motion, grabbing the girl by the wrist. “You just made a very big mistake.” she hissed, her grip like iron, voice deadly quiet. The room went tense as the silence between them grew thick.

Mavis, too proud to back down, shoved against Nesta’s chest, trying to push her away. “Get your hands off me.”

But before Nesta could lunge or speak, a sharp voice broke the tension. “Enough.”

The crowd parted slightly, revealing Alanna Sedai standing there. Her arms were crossed, and her expression was one of calm authority, though there was an edge of disappointment that spoke volumes.

“The show is done.” Alanna’s voice was steady, but it left no room for argument.

The other girls hesitated, but seeing the look in Alanna’s eyes, they scattered, muttering under their breaths. And Alanna turned to Nesta, voice softer now, but still firm. “Come with me right now.”

-

The Green Sister closed the door behind them, guiding Nesta a few paces down the hall where they could speak in private. “I saw you leaving the Yellow quarters today.”

Nesta didn’t answer. She leaned back against the cool stone and looked away.

Alanna’s tone softened. “Burn wound.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Don’t lie. You know I’ve taught enough women to recognize a lie.” She paused, then added gently, “How long do you think you can keep carrying this weight alone?” She tilted her head, studying Nesta. “And Liandrin?”

The question hung between them. Nesta’s expression hardened for a moment, but she quickly masked it. “She’s not the problem.” she replied coolly.

“You’ve been through a lot. And you’ve done well in keeping your power in check, but do you actually trust her?” Alanna’s voice was quieter now, understanding settling in.

“I trust her.” Nesta said, but it came out sharply and way too quickly.

They stood in silence for a beat, until the Aes Sedai sighed and said. “You’ve changed since the Arches. Not just your power, but the way people see you. The way you carry yourself too.”

Nesta didn’t respond. She wasn’t sure how to put into words the sensation that followed her since that day. How it had unmade and rebuilt her at once.

Alanna continued. “They’re afraid of you now. Some envy you. And when you’re close to someone like Liandrin…” There was no venom in her tone. Just concern.

Nesta’s voice was quiet. “You think she’s bad for me.”

She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “I think Liandrin’s complicated, she’s been alone too long. And I think you’ve been hurting in ways you don’t speak of. Unfortunately, sometimes, when two wounded people cling to each other, they forget the line between love and pain.”

“She’s not what they think.” Nesta said finally. “She’s more than what they see.”

“I’m sure she is.” Alanna’s smile was small and sad. “But even the most dangerous women can be fragile inside. And the ones who wear their strength like armor sometimes forget how to lower it.”

Alanna stepped closer, placing a hand gently on Nesta’s good arm.

“Just be careful who you bleed for. Or who you’d burn for. Not all love is a safe place to land.”

Nesta nodded slowly, her voice soft. “Thank you.”

Alanna gave her a final, searching look, then turned and walked back into the hall, leaving Nesta alone in the quiet.

-

Liandrin sat near the edge of her bed. She let her fears and insecurities control her, and now the person she cared about was standing right in front of her, not with anger, but with that same gentle but worried look on her face. The softness that she thought, she didn’t deserve.

“I’m sorry.” Liandrin finally whispered, her voice barely a breath. It cracked, betraying her shame.

Her eyes dropped to her hands in her lap, and she clenched them into fists, as if that would somehow steady her thoughts. Her pulse quickened as she realized how weak she must look in front of Nesta.

“I didn’t mean to do that. I lost control.” she said louder, her voice strained, as if admitting something she could barely acknowledge. Her eyes avoided Nesta’s, her body stiff as though she couldn’t bear to face the pain she had caused.

Nesta stood still, her eyes softening in confusion. There was no rage in her gaze, only concern. Her heart ached at the sight of Liandrin, crumbling before her in a way that left her feeling helpless. She couldn’t understand what had caused this, couldn’t understand why Liandrin had pushed her in such a harsh manner. 

“Why aren’t you angry with me?” Liandrin whispered, her voice faltering. “You should be. You should hate me for what I did.”

“I’m not angry.” Nesta said, closing the distance between them, and when she reached her, she cupped Liandrin’s cheek with a gentleness that made the woman’s breath hitch. The touch was tender, full of love, and it made Liandrin feel even more lost.

“But why?” Liandrin asked, her voice more desperate now, her hands trembling in her lap. “I hurt you. I burned you, and you’re not angry. Why aren’t you angry?”

Nesta’s eyes searched hers, full of sadness, her thumb brushing gently over Liandrin’s skin. “I’m not angry because I’m worried about you.” she said softly, her gaze never leaving Liandrin’s face. “I’m here, not to make you feel worse, but to understand.”

The older woman pulled away slightly, as if her own insecurities were suffocating her. She could feel the warmth of Nesta’s touch, but it felt too much. She wasn’t sure she deserved this.

“You don’t have to be here.” she whispered, her voice breaking under the pressure. “I’m a mess. You don’t deserve to be dragged down with me.”

Nesta’s expression softened even further, and she moved even closer, without any doubts. She cupped Liandrin’s face more firmly, pulling her gently back into her gaze.

“You don’t get to push me away like this, Lia.” Nesta said, her voice full of compassion. “I’m here because I want to be. I’m here because I care about you. No matter what happened, no matter what you think, I’m not going anywhere.”

Liandrin’s chest tightened painfully, and she swallowed hard, her vision blurring with unshed tears. She was so used to pushing people away, to being feared, to being the one in control. But Nesta wasn’t afraid, she wasn’t turning away from her.

“I don’t deserve you.” Her voice barely audible.

But Nesta only shook her head, her thumb still brushing over Liandrin’s cheek with love. “You do. You deserve all the kindness and love I can give you. Please don’t doubt that.”

“I don’t know how to handle this.” Liandrin admitted, her voice shaking. “I’ve always been the one who takes, who pushes people away, and now I don’t know how to be anything else.”

Nesta pulled Liandrin into a full embrace, wrapping her arms around her with a protective strength. One hand cradled the back of Liandrin’s head, while the other settled firmly around her waist, holding her close.

The older woman tensed at first, startled by the intimacy, by the ease of Nesta’s affection. But she didn’t pull away. The warmth of Nesta’s hold bled through her defenses, disarming her completely.

“You don’t have to be anything else for me.” Nesta whispered, her voice soothing, as if trying to reassure Liandrin that she didn’t need to change. “Just be yourself. That’s enough for me. And if you ever need me, I’ll always be here.”

Liandrin closed her eyes, allowing the warmth of Nesta’s words to sink into her like sunlight breaking through an endless storm. Wrapped in her arms, she felt the tension in her shoulders slowly begin to unravel, as if every breath Nesta took beside her was untangling the knots she didn’t even know she carried

The girl gently pulled away from the embrace, only enough to see Liandrin’s face. Her hands didn’t let go for a second. Wordlessly, she guided her to the nearby sofa, settling her down softly. But even as Liandrin moved beside her, Nesta kept hold of her hand, her thumb brushing gentle circles along the pale skin.

Liandrin stared down at their hands, her throat working around words that seemed too heavy to speak. “I dreamed of losing you.” she said finally, her voice hoarse. “Not just losing... You were taken from me.”

Sadness flickered through Nesta's eyes. She didn’t speak, just squeezed Liandrin’s hand tighter, willing her to keep going.

“There was a woman.” Liandrin whispered. “She touched you like you were hers.”

Nesta’s breath caught as the realization settled in. It had to be Lanfear. The Forsaken from her own dreams. The woman who had taunted her, now haunted Liandrin’s nightmares too.

“I was nothing in that dream.” Liandrin continued, trembling slightly now. “I could only watch as you followed her. And I couldn’t do anything. I hated her. But more than that, I hated myself. Because you looked at her the way I...” She stopped, her jaw tightening. “The way I wish you'd always look at me.”

“Lia, I’m only yours.” Nesta said. Her eyes searched Liandrin’s face, as if trying to find a crack she could crawl into, anchor her love there. “I love you with my whole heart and soul.”

But Liandrin couldn’t meet her eyes. She shook her head, voice rough and breaking. “You should’ve been furious with me today. I burned you. What kind of woman does that to someone she loves?” Her voice cracked completely, and she turned away, ashamed. “I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve you.”

Nesta’s heart clenched, she reached out, her fingers curling beneath Liandrin’s chin, tilting her head gently to face her. “Don’t say that. You’re mine and I’m yours.”

Then, without breaking eye contact, Nesta took Liandrin’s hand and slowly brought it to her chest, pressing it over her heart. “Feel that?” she whispered. “You’re part of me.”

For a beat, Liandrin didn’t speak, but her eyes flicked over Nesta’s face until they dropped lower, catching the soft gleam of the red choker nestled at her throat. Her claim wrapped so delicately around Nesta’s neck. Worn with pride and love.

Slowly, her hand rose, threading into Nesta’s hair, fingers curling at the nape. With a soft but commanding pull, she brought her closer, their breaths tangling, and her lips brushed against the girl's. 

Nesta melted into her, her hand gripping the side of Liandrin’s cheek, her body leaning in like she needed to keep Liandrin in place.

Their kiss deepened, every brush of their lips was a whisper of devotion, a silent vow that neither would let go. There was nothing rough between them now. Only care and proof that no nightmare could take this away.

[queenofmalkier]

So, for my personal thoughts I'm gonna have to watch it again, too much happened. I'm gonna word vomit every thought I have now. Putting it under a cut to be extra careful, spoilers for EVERYTHING.

BAYLE. MY BOY BAYLE.

The Seanchan are so much more horrifying when they explain they're about to fuck shit up in their best customer service voice. And that fucking SPIKE????? It's so perfect. Fucking gruesome. Not making the damane kneel was good too - because they're not people, they don't count. I do wish they'd shown her being rewarded at the end, petting her hair or something like that to really elevate the what the fuckery.

Adeleas is everything and I love her so, so much.

I understand why they made the change to have Nynaeve thought to be dead - it's sowing the seeds for whatever is going on with Mat and it gives Liandrin more depth. It also gives us Egwene showing her own stubbornness - if they won't go get Nyn then SHE'LL do it.

Honestly I'm kind of here for the Liandrin depth? She acts like a bratty little doll come to life but like. The Chucky kind.

AND SHE HAS A SON???? FUCKING TWIST OF THE CENTURY. I was wondering about her comments about living for such a long time and protecting little girls. And we all wanted to know about the "man" Moiraine threatened her with. Honestly I'm just... I like Liandrin as a character now and I don't know how I got here. How did this happen.

Egwene thinking she isn't noticed meanwhile all the background Aes Sedai are like DID YOU SEE HER. Babygirl you been seen. You're just not being stubborn so they don't have to worry about you.

Nynaeve. Fuck man. The Elnore scene broke me but they GOT ME with that fake out no lie. I was like WHAT IN THE FEMINISM GIRLBOSS BULLSHIT IS THIS!?!? And then "OH NO."

I'm glad Elayne got busted for trying to make her room fancy. I was initially annoyed because she wasn't supposed to get special treatment but I need to have more trust.

THEY GAVE US THE FADE SCENE.

They're also giving me Spooky Children of the Corn Elyas and I respect this decision wholeheartedly. He's very "Bitch you about to learn" and I also respect this. Even if him turning up riiiiight when Ishamael was being a shit covered in blood was not helpful for Perrin's Health, Wealth, or Wellbeing.

Oh the darkfriend social POV from the kid was actually genius. It showed all the details without the tricky business of an internal narrative! ALSO. Not everybody gets pulled to the shadow because they're afraid. I think it's important to show that, to show in some ways how indoctrination can happen. That's how you get people who are loyal down to their bones.

Fuck what else.

OH! OH OH OH! PERRIN WRITING LETTERS WAS ALSO GENIUS. Because he's so internal but he's genuinely so thoughtful. He would take the time to write letters, and would take care in what he wrote, and in that way we get to know him so much better. They're not doing my boy dirty this season.

Rand :( :( :( him working in a mental hospital worked well - I was afraid of that change, but they handled it with care. Him going after the dickhead showed us his lack of control too, even if I personally Support Him.

Lanfear is so good. She's so, so, SO fucking good. THIS is what she was always supposed to be. I love RJ, he's my boy, but I think he failed to convey just how fuck off horrifying somebody like Lanfear is. "Don't ever leave me" GIRL.

I saw some complaints about Logain "still taking care of himself" before it came out and was annoyed, but now I feel justified. The man is not eating willingly - I'm sure by now he knows if he doesn't eat they will force feed him. He's a living example. The madman in a cage. He's unkempt and unpredictable and I am living for it because to me, that is having nothing to live for. Asking for ridiculously expensive wine just to pour it out. Nothing matters to Logain anymore.

Min I'm unsure of. I feel like she was a plant by Moiraine for sure, to watch Mat and make him trust her the only way she could, but now she's helping him because of what she saw. (Which, WHAT THE FUCKKKKKKK!?!?!?!?)

All the Beltane lanterns broke my heart.

One gripe: Loial roaring was. Um. Weird.

[rhokitten]

Credit as always to professorsparklypants for the idea of Fanfic I Won’t Write Fridays.

I had a new idea for a Persona 5 Protagonist Palace fic (real original, I know). It’s also a time loop fic (even more original). But essentially his palace is a Christmas zombie apocalypse.

Basic plot idea:

When Akechi blackmails his way into the Phantom Thieves, the team (without Akira) says that before they can disband the Phantom Thieves they need to get into Akira’s palace. After he and Ryuji went into Kamoshida’s palace back in April (the first time from Ryuji’s perspective) Akira disappeared. It wasn’t until Makoto joined that it occurred to Ryuji that Akira might have a palace and having discovered the app had gone into the palace on his own. But because he literally only met Ryuji and then disappeared the team can’t figure out what the key words are.

Akechi is curious but only really interested in keeping the team on track for his own plans so he plays along to try figuring out the keywords with the team during the downtime between palace expeditions into Sae’s palace.

They figure out the key words and end up in Shibuya Square with the sky bleeding and bones coming from the ground (typical Mementos merging with the real world stuff) and people shuffling around as zombies. When they find Akira’s shadow he’s confused about why they are there and why there’s more than just Ryuji, Morgana, and Ann. From his perspective it’s only been a few days (being inside your own palace is not great for time perspective).

He tells them there’s no point in them being there as there’s no treasure. Morgana and Futaba confirm they can’t sense where the treasure should be, not even a direction. Akechi suggests maybe it will only appear once it’s December (that’s part of the keywords maybe).

Akechi returns on his own later and Akira’s Shadow asks if he’s there to kill him. He says that would make sense as Akechi could just claim Akira fell victim to the palace and everyone would focus back on Sae’s palace, leaving him to set up a trap for them. Ae

Akechi thinks it’s a shame someone so clever is in his way, that he would rather like to have had more time with Akira. The shadow just laughs at the sentiment, that they will never get enough time. Maybe Akechi tries to fight Akira’s shadow and ends up coming to a draw or maybe he just wants to have whatever time they can get. So he ends up talking with Akira’s shadow and giving him a chance to rest.

I’m thinking that gradually the sky changes to twilight until the treasure appears. It’s not time based but I’m not sure what should be the trigger.

Pros of continuing the fic:

I think Akira needing help so badly he misses most of the game could be interesting

More excuses for Akira and Akechi to cuddle

Cons of continuing the fic:

But what is the point?

Like, what is the treasure? How do you fix it?

Where is the real Akira in the palace and how will he deal with the real world after the palace is cleared?

[thereareeyesinsidethetrees]

no one said yes when ae asked about it, but ae’m still waiting for the somnia to kick in so

title of every chapter of the 60 chapter hurt/comfort wip fic. under cut

1 - chemicals

2 - kidnapping

3 - parasite

4 - possession

5 - shadows

6 - flowers

7 - sting

8 - upside down

9 - bite

10 - cetus

11 - cliffside

12 - starblood

13 - overstimulation

14 - sensory deprivation

15 - water inhalation

16 - bone

17 - black shuck

18 - fungi

19 - tunnels

20 - gryphon

21 - nightmare

22 - bad memories

23 - stitches

24 - gainsboro

25 - spells

26 - red sprite

27 - curse

28 - gold

29 - day

30 - night

31 - shattered glass

32 - hypothermia

33 - hyperthermia

34 - static electricity

35 - anomaly attack

36 - kelpie

37 - siren

38 - magnet

39 - full moon

40 - hunted

41 - burn

42 - frostbite

43 - nitrogen

44 - vampire

45 - zombie

46 - absence

47 - slice

48 - eye bleed

49 - anhedonia

50 - oxygen deprivation

51 - ghost

52 - lichtenberg

53 - poison

54 - venom

55 - eclipse

56 - birch

57 - phoenix

58 - enchanted weapon

59 - mask

60 - mind eater