#( forbidden shadow wins! ) / * crack .

[yanlei-a]

is using shadow clones to bang urself or others dishonorable

— @axewhirl

"....... get out of my house."

[ofkethe]

@poisonflowrs mentioned you on a post “Puts on a cat maid outfit.”:

@ofkethe "Please don't ever speak to me again."

​You didn't say he could not lurk,

[yanlei]

does he lay egg?

» — ⌜ RECONSIDERING IF I SHOULD ALWAYS ACCEPT QUESTIONS ABOUT ZED. ⌟   

— @windchaser

i mean he's from ionia and a little bit of shadows in him so wouldn't be hard of an idea 🤣

for reference this is from hwei's ama on reddit ASDIFJISDFJASIDJF

[its-wabby-stuff]

What If... Draxum got what he wanted?

Baron Draxum, the creator. Draxum is a very proud man, and usually takes credit for his creations contributions and successes. He teaches them to be proud as well, he teaches them to help, he teaches them to fight, and accidentally started pinning his elite team against each other. The spars were meant to be helpful, but he didn’t see how that created an atmosphere of competition and sabotage until it was too late.

Slider (Leo), the perfectionist. Constantly hoping to prove himself, he never lets himself make a mistake. This wins him title of leader from Draxum, but he still feels like something is missing. Because of this, he is very strict on his subordinates and does not allow mistakes or disobedience without punishment. He has manipulated his way into making all of them believe he is the strongest. Really he’s beginning to crack under the pressure and the lack of control.

Snap (Raph), the obedient. The right hand to Sliders leadership, and also selectively mute. A condition brought on by pressures from Draxum and reinforced by Slider, that lead to the belief he had nothing good to say. He is hyper observant due to this repression, always watching and capable of smelling out lies and fear. He is often used as a shield, protecting all of his younger—- fellow soldiers. He is often found shadowing Slider. He can’t admit that he cares.

Shell (Donnie), the favorite. With seemingly little effort, Shell managed to impress Draxum with his high intelligence. Their deep rooted similarities had the two create a bond so tight, it’s transparently impenetrable. Slider resents Shell for his ease of life and Shell for Sliders high and mighty tude, causing the two to squabble often and aggressively, but the respect for each other runs deep. He’d always have Sliders back, and he knows he can expect the same.

Box (Mikey), the underdog. Being the youngest of Draxums army hasn’t boded well for the energetic, clumsy little warrior. With the high expectations from his superiors, he feels insignificant and useless only desiring a chance to prove himself. A solo mission to the surface caused him to begin questioning everything he’d been told. He wonders if he’ll be strong enough to fight against everything he’s ever known.

Yoshi Hamato, the pacifist. Unable to stop the raging threat of Baron Draxum in his past life and aware of the threat he possesses, Yoshi re-evaluates his life and decides to quit running. Settling down to run his New York City dojos in order to prepare the next generation for an inevitable fight. He prepares for the day he may run into his sons.

April O’Neil, the rebel. Taken to martial arts classes as a kid in the hopes that she’d make some friends, she found the best of them in her Sensei. She learns of his life, his successes and failures, and vows to help him in whatever endeavor he faces. She didnt expect to make friends with the enemy she’s been trained to defeat.

The Plot:

In general this is a story with Box as the protagonist and Slider as the antagonist.

Box meets April, and through a specific series of events the two end up becoming friends. To prevent this forbidden friendship, Slider orchestrates a mission to reveal the twos natures to each other, resulting in the mutation of Hamato Yoshi. However, this doesn’t act as a deterrent, and Box’s insubordination continues.

These meet-ups, with April and Splinter, cause Box’s abilities to grow, which directly threatens Slider (or at least it feels that way) cause it seems to come without reason. Slider manipulates Box into thinking he’s nothing without them, while balancing the supportive, mentor, older “brother” feel. Basically he builds up a dependence.

Box’s increasing freethinking results in him leaving the hidden city permanently to join April and hopefully, peacefully stop Draxum and his brothers. This results in a confrontation with Snap, who for the first time in his life, disobeys and lets Box go, buying him a few extra minutes before Shells system goes off. This action infuriates Slider and he snaps, nearly killing April and Yoshi. He is stopped by Box, and April is saved from drowning by Snap.

Box officially dons the name Michelangelo, or Mikey. Ever confused by Snaps actions, he begins sneaking in notes and such to Snap. Draxum forms an alliance for the dark armor with the foot clan, and with Sliders help, takes it over. Snap befriends Cassandra who befriends April after Casey tried to steal Sunitas boots (a call made by Slider to test the recruits loyalty. She failed). This leads to Snap and Cassandra’s eventual leave of the foot clan as they join Mikey, who teaches Snap how to speak up for himself. He dons the name Raphael, or Raph.

Slider loses his grip even more with the loss of his right hand man, his shadow. He orchestrates leads with mutants for the last of the Dark Armor pieces, and using a microchip Shell had placed in the oozsquitos, is able to control Yoshi into bringing them the final piece. He bargains his life to see Mikey again, and expresses his udder hatred for him as Mikey tries to convince Slider that he’s going about it all wrong. Slider threatens to kill Yoshi if he keeps talking, but Mikey calls his bluff. Draxum then puts on the last piece of the armor, and The Shredder is brought to life, draining Draxum of his power.

The commotion causes Mikey to escape, with Yoshi, and a close to dying Draxum. While Slider and Shell officially take over the foot clan by controlling The Shredder via a mystic collar courtesy of Big Mama. They begin a rampage against the surface.

April helps a dying Draxum and injured Yoshi recover, while Mikey, Raph, and Cassandra search Hamato scrolls for a solution. Mikey and Raph begin a search for their clans ancient weapon, and discover Karai. Mikey and Raph convince Draxum to help them, and they release Karai from holding back The Shredder.

When The Shredder breaks through its mystic collar and suddenly gains an intelligence, Slider and Shell have no choice but to submit to him to save their own skins, and keep their Hamato energy a secret. They go on the hunt for Yoshi (a win for Slider as he presented the idea, and it won him praise) halting their surface take over.

Karai, though weak, is able to give advice to the boys hoping to reunite their family. A speech to Draxum about family also shows him how much he cares. The three makeup, and are then joined by Cassandra, Snap, April, and Yoshi. The Shredder then attacks their sewer lair. Slider loses himself more upon seeing Draxum not only be on their side, but be affectionate with them. Like he doesn’t even know what’s real.

The fight ends with Slider killing Karai. Mikey screams and Raph has to carry him off as they escape via tunnels, with Cass, April, and Draxum. Shredder then turns his aggression toward Slider for killing their Hamato, and Shell saves his ass by presenting the kidnapped Yoshi.

Mikey and gang find a safe enough place to stop. Mikey tells Raph he’ll never forgive Slider. Draxum says that it is his fault. April then reveals that Karai was already dying, and that during the fight, she had passed over her soul to her. They then comment on the outfit change they didn’t notice. Karai tells them there is still hope.

There is a showdown at the weeping Titan. Yoshi tries to talk to Slider and Shell as they tie him up. He says The Shredder does not care about you, but your family does. Slider says he’s been waiting to kill him since day one (it’s a cover. Shell realizes this. He also realized that Sliders losing his grip).

Mikey, Raph and crew show up- new mystic powers activated and a fight ensues. Mikey tells Slider that all he ever wanted was his respect, and Slider tells Mikey that he never had it (also not true). Shell watches Yoshi, and Draxum is sent to retrieve him. This confrontation isn’t crazy really, as Shell relinquishes Yoshi to Draxum anticlimactically. He tells Draxum that Slider is going down a dark path, and he can’t leave unless Slider comes too, or they’ll lose him forever.

Slider and Shell then turn on The Shredder, which had been their plan for a while, unlocking their full extent of mystics in the fight and destroy him with the help of the whole gang, Slider leading the pack. Karai and Saki, their free ghosts, tell Slider that family is everything, and that he is not alone, and then die. Mikey then goes up to Slider, and tells him that he forgives him. Slider spits, saying he didn’t do it for Mikey. Then disappears, without Shell.

Mikey and April co-lead their little help everyone team. They help rebuild the city and try their best to help relationships with the surface and Yokai to get better, along with the relationships with each other. Mikey holds out hope that Slider will join them, eventually. Slider has been fighting in the Battle Nexus to clear his head, being Big Mamas champion for a couple months. And one day, he receives a warning from a young kid named Casey Jones, that the future is in serious danger.

The Movie:

Foot Lieutenant and Foot Brute take over the foot clan again and plan to release the Krang. Slider ignores the human kid for a while, but Casey is persistant, telling him that he knows who he is and that he trained with him and even telling him secrets he shouldn’t know. Slider then tries to fix the problem by himself. Casey goes to get Mikey. Slider causes a big seen and accidentally releases the krang, when his brothers get there to save him. They lose their mystics but get the key.

Slider presses Casey for telling on him and Mikey says it’s good to see him. Casey tells everyone how bad this is. Slider says they just need to destroy the key. Mikey takes charge, which infuriates Slider, who then ignores Mikey’s orders and sneaks away. Casey follows Slider, who has the key, and they go look for answers in the Hidden City, particularly with Big Mama. (Casey is following Slider around like a dog and he doesn’t like it).

Shell, adjusting to the name Donnie, is taken by the Krang when Mikey’s team goes to confront them. His A team, consisting of himself, Raph and Yoshi, go looking for Slider, while his B team, April, Cassandra and Draxum, go looking for more of that extreme weed killer.

Slider and Casey, are found by A team, and Mikey tells Slider that the krang got Shell. He also confesses that he doesn’t think he’s very good at this leadership stuff and he could use his brother’s help. Slider turns him down. Casey gets mad at Slider and starts telling him how frustratingly stubborn he is, and what he’s like in the future. Slider then turns around, and agrees to help Mikey.

Using the key as their base point, Slider comes up with a plan using all the angles and they make their way into the building. Twist in the plan when Donnie comes out all krangified and steals the key back, but it doesn’t deter Slider. Part of the plan was opening the portal anyway- now they just have to get them through. Draxum and Raph will fly the ship back through the portal while him and Mikey get Shell. April, Cass, and Yoshi will keep things at bay on the floor. Casey is responsible for the key.

Draxum and Raph manage to fight off Brother Krang and Draxum takes the plunge into the ship. Mikey and Slider make their way to the top. The fight against Krang Donnie starts a squabble with Mikey and Slider. Mikey yells at Slider why he can’t just be vulnerable for two seconds. Then, when the ship starts moving, Prime pulls everybody up, suddenly unamused. Slider then apologies to everyone, then targets Shell, who breaks out of the krangification.

The four fight together (Draxum can’t keep up), and give Prime a run for his money until he decides he’s had enough. Donnie and Raph are blown off and Raph saves both of them from the blow just in time. Mikey and Slider are left up top. Slider tells Mikey there only chance is keeping him on the other side, by going there with him. Everyone listens on the comms. The two jump into action, and pull Krang back into the prison dimension. Slider tells Casey he’s not so bad and to close the portal. At the last moment, Slider switches Mikey out. Mikey tries to run back in, to grab Slider with his chains, but the portal closes before he has the chance, sending him flying away in the explosion.

Draxum, who stuck around somewhere, winds up saving Mikey and returning to the other boys. Mikey passed out from the explosion but wakes up only a couple minutes later. He frantically tries to get Slider back, and eventually, it causes him to open a portal. Draxum, Raph and Donnie all support him as they get a very beat up Slider out.

He cries, as he asks them why they did it, after everything. Mikey tells him he doesn’t deserve to die because of his mistakes, they make him human. They love him and they just want him to come home. They all hug.

End scene. The whole family is preparing for a party, patched up and clamoring. It’s a welcome home party for Leo. He nervously walks in, and then Mikey pulls him into a game. Leo doesn’t know what that is, and Mikey explains the rules. Before he can finish, Leo bursts out laughing, which startles everyone. He explains that the game is stupid, but this is the first time he’s ever felt- happy.

And they live happily ever after, or something like that…

————————

Thanks for making it to the bottom. If you have any questions, leave me an ask and I’ll give you an answer! Likes and reblogs and appreciated!! 🩷

[wetwaluigi]

WORLD OF LOST WORLD PART 2 D6 YAY

you guys like stat sheets, right...?

Zavok is the leader of the Deadly Six, having been put into a position of leadership by Master Zik after noticing Zavok's potential. He has a massive build, and is covered in spikes across his upper torso, making physical contact with him a danger in itself. He has an intense power craving, constantly trying to think of ways to gain more of it. This motivates most of his actions, as he is usually trying to gain control of something while dragging the rest of the team along with him. He does, however, at least care for the others and keeps their best interests in mind. As for powers, Zavok shares the ability to control magnetic fields with the rest of the Zeti, as well as heightened speed and strength. He can also breathe fire from his mouth, create solid energy with his fists, and increase his size in certain situations.

Zazz serves as the equivalent "guinea pig" of the team, usually being sent out  into battle to gather information instead of being expected to win. He is the tallest of the Six, but his extremely hunched posture makes this hard to notice. His main pleasure is carnage, and he constantly surrounds himself in violence and destruction to entertain himself. He is highly energetic and always ready for action, but he will eventually crack if he goes too long without supervision from Zavok or another one of the Six. Zazz uses magnetokinesis to control and attack with his Moon Mech, but he also can easily fight bare handed using his claws and sharp teeth. His feral instincts also grant him a strong sense of smell and awareness of his surroundings, making him difficult to sneak past.

Zomom could be considered the brawn of the team, as his doesn't exactly assist in the intellectual side of things. He is extremely heavy and tall, and a very nice pillow. He is constantly trying to satiate his appetite, and will eat practically anything to do so. It is fairly easy to bribe him with food, especially donuts. When not fighting, he likes to lounge around, being seen as lazy by Zavok. He is often made fun of for his appearance and low intelligence(rude). Zomom, despite his size, can move around surprisingly fast- able to create tornados and burrow underground by spinning around his body. He also packs an incredible amount of power in his arms, and virtually unlimited stomach capacity. Occasionally, he will use his magnokinetic abilities to control Ganmen, his square mech thing.

Zeena gathers and provides information for the team about their enemy, making her a manager of sorts. She is shaped more like a traditional anthro animal than the rest of the Six, having excellent hygiene due to her obsessive fashion sense. She is incredibly vain, always looking for compliments to boost her ego. However, this does not hurt her team skills, as she is by far the best member at following instructions. Her personality kind of resembles that of a stereotypical teenage girl. Zeena mainly fights using her ability to produce plasma cords from her arms, and her skills as a demolitionist. When combined, these two abilities can create a devastating amount of carnage.

Zor is the spy of the team, using his umbrakinesis to stay undetected. His posture and messy bangs briefly explain his personality, as well as the rose he likes to carry around with him. He always seems to be drained in a way, making negative comments about himself and the things around him, barely caring about anything that happens. He'll follow Zavok's instructions well enough, but does not put much passion into the roles he is given. The one thing Zor is interested in is poetry, usually reading and writing it in his alone time. Zor's ability to control shadows is his main strength, able to use it to create clones as well as sneak around. None of the other Zeti are willing to use the powers Zor does, which are stated to be 'forbidden'. He can also control bats, and transform them into clones as well. His 'magic' proficiency more than makes up for his lack of strength or dedication.

Master Zik is the founder of the Deadly Six, overseeing Zavok's leadership and training the rest of the Zeti. He is very short, and his entire body is covered in a black robe. He also carries around a walking stick, but he doesn't seem to need it quite yet. Zik is mainly focused on taking care of the Six, enjoying gardening and relaxing in his retirement. Although he's passed on the mantle to Zavok, he still participates in the team's conquests, and is one of the most capable due to his experience. He's definitely the most 'normal' of the Deadly Six, or at least as close as a Zeti can get. During his peak, Zik was considered to be the strongest Zeti, having both incredible control over his magnetokinesis and excellent acrobatic skills. He also has the ability to use psychokinetic powers, allowing him to fly around on his staff and.. move… fruit

(alright i think thats about it i want to do another one of these about the lost hex but most of it would have to be headcanon)

[ggukkiereads]

Fic List | Daechwita AUs -Yoongi

This is based on an ask sent a few weeks ago. It was also timely because a few days later, BigHit dropped the sword-practice video (anon is channeling their inner minstradamus =))

So here you go, the day the earth stood still and thirst for Yoongi aka Agust D went rampant, resulting to birth of fics in honor of the king 😅🥰. I remember just binge-reading these for days. So thank you dear authors for feeding on our thirst and whipping out these wonderful fics!

Happy Birthday 🎂 to the coolest and the cutest MinYoongi! #TangerineKitty

S - smut | F - fluff | A - angst | 

Note: if link to fic doesn’t work, click on author and go to their masterlist (works even if author changed url)

Beloved @bang-tan-bitches - one shot | 17.4k | Emperor!Yoongi, Yandere, Thriller | Court was just a game of politics after all. And you intended to win  | S   (this is ashasgfad! That ending)

Checkmate @btsaudge - one shot | 1.9k | King!Yoongi, Tyrant King except to Queen!reader | S, kinda F, PWP

Daechwita @bgyulix - drabble series [5/?]  | 4.5k | Dystopian AU, Childhood Friends, Gang AU, Rebel!Yoongi | a series of drabbles about yoongi and his spy, as they try and topple a king | A, F, S (promising concept)

Daechwita @chemicalpink - drabble series  [3/3] | 6k | Assassin!Reader who got caught, Servant!Reader, Emperor!Yoongi, Historical AU | A, S, F 

Daechwita @ironicarmy - one shot | 3.6k | King!yoongi x Queen!reader, royalty AU | S, PWP, F 🔥🥵💦

Daechwita @jinings - series [2/?] | 20k + | servant!yoongi - king!yoongi, princess!reader, period drama, Historical AU | All that Yoongi knows is that King Park must be killed- he just didn’t plan falling in love with his daughter along the way. | A, F, eventual S 

Daechwita @se0kie - one shot | 3.9k | King!Yoongi x Concubine!Reader, Royalty AU, established relationship (?),  with a twist in the end 😉 | S, PWP 

From the Ashes @fortunexkookie - one shot | 7.4k | Historical AU, Royalty AU, Star-crossed Lovers, inspired by the MV, scarred Yoongi | A, F, S (I love that it capitalized on the theories or snippets of info that came out during MV’s release. I remember reading something about royalty x scars) 

Gwanghae Flow @btssavedmylifeblr - one shot | 3k | Historical PWP | The queen receives a forbidden visitor in the middle of the night | S 

Honsool @bangtanlalaland - one shot | 2.3k | emperor!yoongi x gisaeng!reader  | a little F, S, PWP

Kingdom of Joseon @dreamescapeswriting -  one shot | 7.9k | Agust D x Suga, historical AU | F, A

Make Me Proud @moonscriptsx - one shot | 5.6k | this is kind of different because it is about Daechwita the mixtape, established relationship, Idolverse, Idol!Reader | With the release of his second mixtape and her album, the public are eating up the so-called chart rivalry between (Y/N) and Yoongi | S, PWP, F

Mark of Yun-ki @ladyartemesia - one shot | 8.6k | Hybrid AU/ABO, Fantasy AU, Daechwita AU | S, F

Moonlit Throne @hobidreams - drabble series [29/?] | 40k | Historical AU (Joseok era), Royalty AU, inspired by Daechwita MV | S, F, A 

Rise of the Nation’s King @justimajin - two shot [2/2] | 19k | Historical AU, Royalty AU, like the MV there’s King Agust and Yoongi | A, F, S 

Shadow’s Birthright @thebiasrekkers - series [5/?] | 19k | Historical AU (Joseon era), Fantasy AU, Supernatural AU, Magic, romance, tragedy, eventual love triangle (?), King Yoon vs Min Yoongi  | “two princes are born. But a crown cannot be shared” | A, F, S (this is so fascinating) 

Stay @luffles424 - one shot | 3k | Historical AU, Assassin!Reader, PWP | S, F

Step on Me @honsoolie - drabble | 2k | crack, Idol AU, Yoongi’s shooting for Daechwita MV and reader is the extra (the one Agust D needed to step on during the video 🤣) | F 

Tiger Layer @kimtaehyunq - one shot | 3.6k | King Yoongi, Servant!Reader, You are here to serve your king. In any way he pleases, PWP (lol I remember author used “Yoongi’s royal d*ck” and I cannot forget, cannot unsee 🤣)| S, PWP 🔥🥵💦

The King Isn’t Dead @another-army-spot​ - one shot | 17k | historical AU, political AU, royalty au, potential marriage AU | S, F, A

Whispers @btxtreads - drabble series [4/4] | Historical AU, Yunki vs Yoongi (like in the MV), Empress!Reader, Time Travel (?) | F, A 

The King’s Serpent @apotaeose - drabble | 1.6k | King!Yoongi x Mercenary!Reader | A, light S & F

Note: the fics are Daechwita MV-inspired (the mad king vs rebel yoongi) or about the Daechwita mixtape. This doesn’t include other emperor/king yoongi aus

🌷 posted: 2021 March 9 (KST); updated: 2021 March 14 🌷 other lists 🌷 I love to read so feel free to recommend a fic =)

[bokutoslittlebird]

Dark Nights

King!Oikawa x assassin!prisoner!reader

Author’s Note : This is the request for a prisoner reader and king Oikawa Au which is literally spiraled into a series. I am not sorry ; Everything will come to a close once the 5th installment is completed ; the request had “torture” and I didn’t realize until halfway through that torture probably wasn’t what you meant, but you’re gonna have to be more specific of what you want because I saw it and went “oh, noncon and maybe some actual hitting.” So, sorry if that’s not what you wanted.

Warnings: death of a minor character [no name OC], blood, dagger, noncon, degradation, kicking, Oikawa gets violent, Iwaizumi turns a blind eye, chains and dungeons, fingering, creampie, no aftercare, choking

Over the river and past the glen stands Fukurōdani, Kingdom in the Mountains that is under the rule of King Bokuto. The ruthless king that stands amongst his army as the bravest and strongest warrior, with his queen Kaori at his side. Deep in the castle, past the kitchen and deep in the dungeons, there sits three people. Amongst those three is a woman clad in all black, a dagger in her hand and a rag in the other, swiping away dark droplets that drip to the concrete floor. Before them, a man without a tongue.

“So, King Oikawa is looking for his bride-to-be, which is why he dared to trespass into the Dark Forest?” A rough voice speaks, his large hand tapping at his chin. His eyes pop open as a thought appears in his head, golden eyes turning to bore into yours. His smile is cunning and terrifying, but you just stare at him. “Maybe someone should see if he got what he was looking for,”

“If you’re suggesting I sneak into his castle, then say it. I don’t like puzzles and riddles, my lord,” your voice is dead, but loud enough to hear over the sharpening of your blade. “It’ll take a long time to get there and get back. Unlike your own kingdom, he has a barrier that is under watch by his loyal dogs.”

“You’re an assassin. Sneaking in is what you do,” he coos, standing from his chair. His presence is behind you, large hands settling onto your shoulders. “I ask of you to sneak into the Kingdom of Aoba Johsai and kill King Oikawa,”

“Excuse me? That’s a bit much,” your voice warbles. Killing a king is harder, much harder, than sneaking under the radar. You would know. “Killing a king isn’t easy, you know,”

“Oh, I know. I know very well, my dear,” his voice is barely audible, lips ghosting the shell of your ear. “But, I can offer something if you succeed,”

“Which is?”

“Freedom. You’ll be able to fly again, my little songbird,” his lips press to your cheek, whirling you around to face him. You have to move your head to look up at him, but he’s grinning with lidded eyes. “You’re more than welcome to decline. Personally, I’d prefer it, however, I know you’re the best assassin I have,”

“Best disposable assassin. Why not send Keiji?”

“Akaashi is supposed to protect me. He can’t do that if he’s in another kingdom,”

“Fine, but only if you keep your promise. I’ll hold you to it,” you finally say, huffing as you sheath the dagger. Never one to not rise to the challenge, you turn on your heel to leave the dungeons.

The trip from Fukurōdani to Aoba Johsai would be a day on foot, but you were able to get to the base of the mountains and enter the Kingdom of Nekoma, which allowed tourists from neighboring kingdoms. There, you were able to get your hands on some rations and new clothes, disguising yourself as a beggar woman who’s traveling the continent.

Pathways lead from each kingdom to their neighbor, but you choose to duck into the forest, under the shadows of the leaves and proud standing trees. Go in too deep and you’ll arrive at the center of the Dark Forest, where the ruin of the Karasuno Kingdom lies. It’s an unspoken forbidden place, only those wishing to never leave dare to go there. Crunching dead leaves and twigs under your feet, you manage to find a clearing to stay for the night. Aoba Johsai is farther than you expected, but the reward of freedom encourages you to keep your head up and move forward. It’s not safe to travel at night, the forest is home to all sorts of beasts.

It’s dark, the birds have stopped their chirping as you rest in the tree. Above the ground, away from monsters lurking in shadows, you close your eyes to get some shuteye. A ear-piercing scream rips sleep from your grasp, head whipping to look for the sound. Below you, about 2 yards from your sleeping position, is a family of travelers that seem to be struggling to scare away a bear. Although it is simply a bear, the family doesn’t seem to be prepared for such a disturbance. Against your logic, your morals win as you take out an arrow and put it into your crossbow. It’s small, but your aim is good enough to get the bear’s attention, roaring as it backs up. Lodged in the shoulder, the bear retreats as it quiets down the roars. The traveling family seems to be relieved at the turn of events, but they then become rigid as you drop from the tree.

“We cannot thank you enough, dear comrade,” the man, most likely the father, says. He goes to get on his knees, but he looks to you. “What— how shall we pay you back?”

This could work, you think. “Where does your family travel to?”

“Seijoh, the Kingdom on the Water. Tales have spread that opportunities are booming and the King is kind and just,” he speaks, but then his words stumble. “I do not-! Kuroo-sama is very gracious! I would give my life for his-!”

“You can stop. I don’t hail from Nekoma, if that’s what you think. I’m from neither kingdom, instead just traveling the continent in search of a new life. Perhaps Seijoh would be the way to go? I originally was going to Nekoma, actually,” you spin the tale you’ve made for yourself, which relieves the man. He straightens his back, his height no more than your own. “Would you let me travel with you? I’ll make sure your travel is safe,”

“Of course! We’d be honored to have the person who saved our lives join us,” he bows once more, then turns to the carriage with his family. “Let’s move on!”

“Yes, let’s,” you agree, joining the man on the bench. He cracks the reins and the horse begins moving once more, as you watch for anything else. Travels alone are scary, but with an entire family looking about and a kind stranger by your side, you won’t have to worry. Getting some sleep is your main focus, now, closing your eyes and letting the man know you’re going to rest.

The carriage stops moving, jolting you from your sleep. Before you lies other carriages and caravans, stretched into a line that leads to a large waterfall. The forest is bright and the birds are chirping as a man barks orders at the families and people attempting to enter. You make small conversation with the family, given a cloak to cover yourself from the chill of the morning dew. When it is time to be inspected, you have to give kudos to King Oikawa and his kingdom, noticing how bright and welcoming his entrance is.

“What is your business in Aoba Johsai?” The man almost growls out. A loyal dog of Oikawa’s, from your earlier words, stands before you. His hair is yellow in color, dark lines running from ear to ear. He catches your gaze, eyes narrowing even more, then looks back to the man.

“A traveling family with hopes to start a new life. I’ve heard great and kind things about Oikawa-sama, so I wish to visit the Kingdom on the Water got opportunity,” It’s a believable reason, and then men searching the items the family has give the okay. The guardian of the waterfall steps back, a shallow nod before he barks orders to move. The waterfall is large and can easily drown someone with how hard and fast the water crashes to the earth. A diamond shelf is embedded in the water, two more soldiers standing on opposite ends as they part the water. Barely enough room for the carriage and family, but once inside, the water crashes back behind you.

Aoba Johsai is breathtaking.

The morning sun glimmers across the water, waves gently rising only to be quelled back down. Birds sing along with the fish jumping out of the water, only to then crash back into calming waters. Pathways built of crystal minerals, harvested from the mines of Dateko, and hold countless travelers who have come on news of the opportunities. Soldiers are posted at every archway, checking to make sure nobody has snuck past the soldiers at the waterfall. Security is top notch at this kingdom, you note, as neither Nekoma nor Fukurōdani have such strong protections before entering the main kingdom. The pathway continues into the main kingdom, the town on the water, where fishermen and merchants attempt to sell a fortune for items only available at their stalls. Your awe must have shown, as the man beside you laughs joyfully.

“Never seen such a sight before, have you?” You shake your head. “It’s beautiful. I wish we could’ve been born here instead. Lots of blues, whites, and greens.”

“I noticed the vast greenery. The open area allows for lots of plants to grow, I suppose. Rivers allow for fish to come and reproduce, as well as allow for aquatic plants. A beautiful cycle of life, with a magical kingdom in the center,” you comment.

“Well, no magic. Magic hasn’t been used in over 100 years, you know. Not since Karasuno’s king fell. Um, I think—“

“King Ukai. I remember the story told to me before bed when I was a wee child. The story of the fallen king and his kingdom.”

“Yes! King Ukai, I hardly remember him,” before he continues, he stops. “Ah, we’ll need to get a room at the Rose Inn, and let the horses stay here at the stables. Would you mind settling our horses in? That way you can explore, if you want, before reaching the inn,”

“That sounds lovely! Thank you, kind sir,” you bow to him and grasp the reins of the horses. The inn is right next to the stables, the grunts working to put the luggage into a room for the night. You smile, turning the horses into the stables. A large man stands posted outside the stables, talking with an older man.

“No problems this week? Seems like you’ve had a stroke of luck, good sir,” the soldier says, laughing as the old man laughs with him.

“I hope it stays that way. Oh, ma’am? Need us to keep your horses?” The man notices you and your eye drifts to the soldier, straightening his back as a lazy smirk appears on his face. Not very threatening with the smile, but his large stature makes you wary.

“Yes, my family is staying at the Rose Inn next door. How long can you keep the horses for?”

“We charge by the night. How much gold do you have?” You hand him the bag of coins the man gave you. He counts them, tallying up the total. “They can stay for five nights.”

“Perfect! Thank you! I’ll tell my father, now!” You now graciously, skipping off and past the guard. His eyes trail after you, but you keep your pace to the inn. You’ll have to explore later. That guard sets you on edge.

The inn is graciously spacious. There’s enough room for each traveler and the cost of the rooms is cheaper than most inns you’ve come across in Nekoma and Fukurōdani. There’s sapphire and quartz lights, flames flickering behind them as the light illuminates and projects farther than most candles. It’s innovative technology, and allows for the rooms to be more lit than dirty and dim taverns. Dinner is also better than expected, the menu being more than a sheet of paper. You order at the bar, ordering a plate of their special dinner, then sit at the bar. The men beside you are drunk, but you hope they don’t cause a scene. Something tells you that the security would deal with a bar fight quite brutally.

By the time dusk has fallen, lights flickering on as lower soldiers and owners of shops alight their street lamps, you’ve explored the town. It’s full of trusting people, so you’ve learned quite a bit. King Oikawa has a personal guard and the captain of the guard almost always by his side, whether he makes an announcement or visits down below. One man, Hanamaki Takahiro, seems to willing to joke and hang out with the townspeople, but the captain is much more stern. Iwaizumi Hajime is the name you were told. He’s dangerous, you gathered, and he’s almost always by Oikawa’s side, protecting his king from harm. As night falls, the soldiers rotate so the ones on the streets are now in the castle, as nobody else enters the kingdom after dusk. Disposable soldiers to patrol, skilled protectors inside and around the king where the nightfall can hide trespassers entering the king’s chambers.

Shedding the clothes you were given so graciously, you’re stripping off the clothes of the soldier posted at the inn. The blood flowing from his chest has turned to a large puddle, so you have to trade your shoes for the soldier’s. Larger than your own feet, but you must bear with it. Leaving the alley, you keep your head low and you pretend to patrol. A glance left. A glance right.

You’re stuck.

Soldiers manage to be spread far enough apart, but not enough. They can see where you stand. You breathe heavily and straighten your back. Time to impersonate a soldier through the night and wait for switching times. A brief memory of the dead soldier in the alley flashes, but you push it back. The body is hidden in shadows, even the sunlight in the morn wouldn’t dare shine on the corpse.

Chickens chirp and a rooster crows, soon the other life awake and the sun rises. Shedding light on your position, you look to the gate that leads into the castle. The captain of the guard stands there, opening the gate as soldiers stand tall behind him. You blend in with the other guards, standing straight as you all prepare to trade positions. However, a woman with hair black as night stands before the group. She has an air about her, but she looks familiar. Iwaizumi lets her go, having one of his shoulders go with her. He’s tall and familiar, the soldier from the stables. They pass by, but the woman catches your eye. Her eyes hold a bit of mischief and mystery, but then she’s gone and her soldier follows with her.

“Alright, switch up! You know your positions!” Captain Iwaizumi shouts. Everyone shouts their agreement and dutifully switch places. Eyes face forward, unwilling to look at the captain that seems to have his gaze focused on you. Every soldier goes their separate ways and you don’t seem to bring attention to where you go, entering a room that you and another guard seem to be assigned to.

“Don’t fuck this up, Wakashu,” the soldier beside you grunts. You glance at him, wondering if he’s talking to you, but he thankfully looks to be hyping himself up. Pushing the doors open, you understand why.

It’s the throne room.

King Oikawa sits on his throne as he chats with two people beside him — Hanamaki Takahiro and one of the guardians from the waterfall. Your hair stands on edge, noticing the familiar yellow hair and dark lines, but you attempt to quell your nervousness. The king notices you both, nodding as you both go to positions on either side of the doors. Gatekeepers, essentially.

“It’s sad to see Kiyo-chan leave so soon. I’d hope she would’ve stayed another night to think about her decision,” the king huffs and sighs, brown locks swishing side to side as he shakes his head. “Guess it can’t be helped,”

“She probably thought you were too much of a brat,” Hanamaki snickers. Oikawa huffs again, turning to his guard. “I speak the truth! You expect her to like someone like you? With a shitty personality?”

“Excuse me! My personality is perfect and women should be lining up to be my queen! I thought only Iwa-chan would be mean to me,” he pouts, cheeks puffed out. It’s almost a cute scene. Almost.

Which is promptly ruined.

The doors fling open, you and the other soldier startled by the sudden opening. Iwaizumi and another soldier are huffing as they stop before the throne. Oikawa’s eyes go from friendly to seriousness, his posture changing as he looks down on the captain and an underling. “Speak.”

“A soldier was found dead in the alley,” you and the other soldier immediately go on edge, but for different reasons. “This one found the body,”

Oikawa turns his attention to the soldier, who immediately goes rigid and explains the scene. He also mentions the boots found at the crime scene, which he has in his hand. Coated with dried blood, they’re obviously yours. The guard from the waterfall recognizes them and you panic.

“I’ve seen them before! Someone came into the kingdom with those shoes yesterday morning,” he growls out, then he looks to you, who doesn’t move a muscle. Moving would make a scene, so you of course stay still, but he stares. “You. What’s with the cut on your shirt?”

Shit.

In the dark of night, you didn’t notice the slash in the shirt. The darkened coloring prevented the blood from showing, but the slash showed that something happened. It’s not a cut like dodging a weapon, but more of a stab. Fight or flight response kicks in, so you choose the latter. You got your information, you didn’t kill Oikawa, but it’s better than getting caught. You swing the door open and shut it, bolting down the corridors as you shed the armor. Lighten the load, faster you run. It’s not long until the soldier from before stops you, tall and imposing. You’d remember those stupid eyebrows from anywhere.

“What’s a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?” He grins, but his grip is strong. You have a feeling he knew you’d be running soon. Footsteps approach behind you, then you’re pulled from the soldier’s grip and forced onto your knees. Chains are placed on your wrists and Iwaizumi grunts.

“Wonder who you’re working for,” he says. Oikawa is behind him, looking at you with the same look he gave to his soldier and Iwaizumi.

“Take her to the dungeons. I’ll see who she works for later.”

The tug of the restraints gets you off your knees, following Iwaizumi and his guard dog, the yellow haired one. Both of them prevent you from running and getting free of the restraints.

In the dungeons, you notice the materials. Similar to the pathway into the town, the dungeon bars are made of a shimmering mineral and you’re suddenly behind the bars. The restraints from before are removed, but your wrists are then placed into more chains along the ground. “Try and get out and see how well that works,” the yellow one grunts. Iwaizumi snaps his fingers and the soldier follows, leaving the dungeon.

“She’ll see soon enough, Kyotani,” the captain says, locking you in. “I’m sure the fight hasn’t completely left her,”

Then they leave. You’re all alone and you’ve failed your mission, but they’re right. You still have some fight left.

Hours pass by as you finally feel the fight leave you. There’s only one guard in the dungeons, but he’s nowhere near you. A thin man with ash brown hair stands posted at the base of the stairs, farthest from your cell. At first, you thought they lacked brains with security in the dungeons, seeing as you’re the only criminal behind bars, but the chains proved otherwise. Each movement you made, every breath you took, every grunt you voiced, the chains knew. They pulled tighter as if they had minds of their own, but they would loosen to their proper place if you were still for a certain amount of time.

Footsteps on marble stairs has you and the guard on alert. Looking towards the stairs, you see the king himself coming towards you. He smirks once he’s outside your cell. Iwaizumi stands next to him, not Hanamaki, and unlocks the door. “Are you comfortable?”

“No.”

“Well, could we help change that?”

“No.”

“Not much of a talker, are you?” Oikawa grins, crooked with a hint of anger. “I’ll get to the point. Who are you, who sent you, and what was your goal? I’m sure killing one of my disposable guards wasn’t the goal?” You don’t speak, so that angers him even more. It’s quick, the stinging in your jaw and the blood in your mouth the only indications his foot collided with your face. “Once more. Who are you?”

“My name is none of your business and neither is my home. My goal was to send that stupid head off your shoulders. Happy?” Your eyes stay narrowed, but he seems delighted at your answer.

“Treason, trespassing, and murder. I should kill you for this, but I wonder where you’re from,” he then has an unhinged desire in his eyes, grin splitting into something sinister. “I’ll keep you alive until you spill,”

“I’d rather eat your shoe again. What king wears white thigh-high boots, anyways? Your guards don’t respect you, they tolerate you. A worthless king with no pride, that’s all you are. I won’t bow to someone or kneel under their pressure when they have a weak resolve and no power. Admit it, you don’t run the kingdom, your soldiers do.”

A swift kick is administered, Oikawa’s breath heaving as he pants. His face is red with anger, frown evident on his face, but you’re grinning. Blood may be dripping from your mouth, but you know you’re right. He inhales sharply, then turns to Iwaizumi. “Understood,” he nods in response, leaving the keys on the wall as he goes to leave. Iwaizumi also takes the guard posted with him. You don’t understand why, but you don’t have much time to think about that.

“I may seem like a worthless king with little to no pride, but that’s all I have. My worthless pride. My guards and soldiers respect me because I am the power here,” he growls out, hand tugging on your hair that sends you collapsing against the ground. The chains pull in your arms, keeping you down as he straddles you. “You may not bow to me, but I’ll find out who you do bow to. I’ll rip every bit of fight out of you, beginning today,”

“Get off, you pervert!” Your screams echo against marble, reaching nobody’s ears. Oikawa goes to strip away the stolen clothes, eyes narrowing as he feels the dried blood against your chest. Ripping off the shirt, he exposes your breasts.

“Maybe I should take you as my royal lover, seeing as your body is supple and warm, perfect for someone to come to after a long day of work,” he grins, wicked and perverse as he looks at you. “What do you say, sweetheart?”

“Fuck off!” You scream, legs kicking and body squirming. He sighs and shrugs.

“No use, apparently. Then, let’s see how the rest of you feels,” he licks his lips as he shuffled down your pants. He’ll have to get you some other clothes, ones with easier access than the ones of his soldiers. The pants are off and he mocking coos at you, fingers sliding around the waistband of your panties to have them snap against your skin. “Pretty. All white and innocent, aren’t you? That’s what the panties say, but I bet you’d look better in black, since you’re probably not innocent.” He doesn’t get a response, so he continues talking. “I’ll give you some blue ones later, they’ll suit your skin tone and match the bars of your holding cell. Aren’t I generous?”

He’s pulling the fabric down, your legs spread as he does. He expects your goods to be dry, absolutely unprepared, but to his surprise, glimmering strings connect your pussy to your removed panties, falling and breaking as he continues to bare yourself to him. A laugh escapes him, fingers pressing into your folds. “You’re getting off on being manhandled? Seems like you’re the pervert, sweetie,” he coos, licking a hot stripe of saliva against your cheek. It’s disgusting and revolting, but you can’t say anything against it. You’ve been in a similar position before, your body seems to not be able to tell the difference between men.

Oikawa’s fingers delve into your cunt, scissoring as he feels around. Rubbing against your walls, he’s pleased when your back arches and a moan escapes your lips, only for a hand to come and cover your mouth. It’s soon removed, the chains pulling your arm back down. Oikawa continues his violation of your most sensitive area, thumb rubbing against your clit as his fingers move and rub inside you. The building knot in your stomach tightens and tightens, muscles tensing as you feel your orgasm coming on. You can feel it, it’s almost there, a moan escaping— then it’s gone. Oikawa’s hand has been removed, tongue flicking over the wet digits as he moans himself.

“Definitely not a virgin by the way you’re acting. A proper whore, you are,” he doesn’t expect an answer, standing on his knees as he goes to unbuckle his belt. Eyes widen as you realize he’s actually going all the way, but he just smirks down at you. Removing his cock from his pants, you stare at it. It’s almost beautiful, you think, staring at the slender cock and how it seems to just compliment his personality and how he holds himself. A hand wraps around the shaft of it, pumping as his darkened gaze lingers on your spread legs. Well, what’s between them. “Hope you’re ready,”

Although you most certainly are not, he doesn’t care. Pushing his tip into your cunt, he finds it hard to push too far. You’re not relaxed in his hold, tensed at his entrance into your velvety walls. His hand comes to your throat, pushing his thumb on your windpipe. “Any words?”

“Fuck off,” you mutter, eyes rolling as he plunges inside you. Pushing past your barriers and spreading you open wide, he’s not the biggest or longest you’ve ever had, but he’s by no means small. It takes effort to adjust to his length, but he doesn’t allow it. Once he’s in, he’s pulling out only to snap his hips back to yours. Your throat is free of his hold, his hand moving to hook your leg over his arm as his other hand is placed beside you. It’s a horrible thing, finding yourself enjoying his thrusts and how each roll of his hips seem to add to your pleasure. His own moans, much louder than yours, seem to prove he’s finding his own pleasure inside you.

Oikawa’s soon picking up his pace, his lips next to your ear as you mewl from pleasure. “Acting like a proper whore. You’d make a fine lover, chained to my side permanently,” he murmurs, lips pressing to your hot skin. He doesn’t get an answer, but he has a feeling your answer is no. Yet, he finds himself getting lost in his own pleasure that he’s soon slamming his hips into you even faster. When he feels his orgasm coming, he leans back and applies pressure to your clit. Your squeal of pleasure has your walls creaming around him and sucking him in. He’s not far behind, rutting his hips against you as he spills his cum inside, your walls milking him of every drop.

When the high passes, he’s removing his limp cock from your hole as his cum oozes out. It drips and plops onto the floor beneath you, but he finds it mesmerizing. Maybe, just maybe, he’ll have to come back.

The shutting and locking of the doors tells you he’s gone, leaving the dungeons and you all alone. With his seed still gushing from your cunt, you have a feeling he’ll be visiting you tomorrow, too.

He wants to break you. You refuse to bend. Each night, you’ll find yourself looking forward to his company.

[flowers-of-io]

@eri-223​ you brought it upon yourself, now I won’t shut up c:

OKAY SO

I can’t really draw neat straight lines between the two, but there’s so much aesthetic similarity to me, particularly with Toland and the Hive-Ascendancy thing. Maybe it’s just me dying for the vibes (or loving POTO in general since I was 9), but it struck me today how Eris/Toland--when it’s made a Working ship--is basically everything Christine/Erik is not. There is so much to be said about Christine/Erik alone, but to me it’s an epitome of why gothic-novel-esque dynamics don’t really work in the long run when they don’t move past being just Gothic and Tragic. And hear me out. A goodhearted, elfin woman at her vulnerable point (grief over father) meets a honey-voiced stranger and has this secret thing with him, this music they share in the dead of night, and it’s intoxicating because music *is* her passion (and something she has deep emotions over in itself, the thing that is most hers in the world) and it’s secret, and a whole other world to what she’s facing in the daytime. The mystery is intriguing, and that’s intoxicating too. And there’s an uncomfortable power imbalance but it doesn’t bother you just yet, because there isn’t really any attraction between the two--not in the romantic-as-in-love sense at least, rather this romantic-as-in-romanticism pull all dark beautiful secret things have.

And here we can shout a fucking thank you at Erik for completely ruining that beauty by being an absolute creep. But Chrissie doesn’t know that yet. And so he leads her deep down into the dark, into his world of darkness and secrecy and yet twisted beauty, and she is living the mystery now, she’s in this nighttime world they would share in secret. And she’s close enough to take a peek behind the mask, something she was so violently curious about and attracted to, a glance into the dark abyss of his soul that is so intriguing. And so she does peek, and what she finds is terrifying rot.

And this, THIS is the best moment of the entire thing to me. This story could be well off without Raoul (whom I deeply love and cherish but he ruins the gothic) because he adds this romantic tension of a love triangle (which I absolutely loathe because ugh. love triangles.) to what could have been a tale of a girl torn between the world of day and night rather than two men who each love her in a different way. There’s so much of Persephone-sque struggle in Christine’s soul that has been shunned by the story imo, and would have made the whole thing better in the long run (and maybe less grossly-abusive on Erik’s part).

So let’s circle back to Toland, another pale, bony, possibly disfigured brunet in a dark coat with a living room full of skulls and candles (the vibes, huh. he probably owned a boat and a horse too). If we take Eris/Toland as starting off before the Hellmouth (I’m really starting to tentatively test my ground on this hhhng), it feels like the same story slightly to the left. Granted, Eris has more agency, but there’s still a huge power imbalance in her and Eriana coming to Toland--an exiled genius|madman with an evil black crow (Guren) perching on his shoulder--and asking him for help, laying their and their team’s lives at his feet - him, who could probably kill them in seventeen different yet equally fancy ways were he more invested! And there is so much darkness here already because how dark it must have been in Eris’ soul to agree on this revenge fantasy, what an abyss Eriana’s eyes must have been hiding; how desperate they must have been to come to him, to even consider this, to choose a possibility of painful, screaming agony in the Hellmouth over the ache they were feeling now. And so there’s vulnerability, too, in a way - because they’re desperate, because they’re hurting, because everything has been taken from them and they have nothing else to do but this ridiculous, mad plan. And oh he can abuse this void, he can make them do whatever he wants and they’d do it gladly, and I have a feeling both Eris and Eriana are aware of that.

And so they work, in secret, cracking secrets of the Hive, tasting the rot of the forbidden fruit, hiding from the daylight with their dark, heretic, nighttime folly. I think there is a threshold at wherever it is they are meeting--be it a room or a house, Eriana’s kitchen or Toland’s disturbing “lab”--in the doorway, between the bright but empty world of patrols and strikes and dead friends and this horrid, twisted, yet fascinating realm of promised vengeance. And I think Eris learns, hungry for secrets, hungry perhaps for Toland’s eyes on her because all dark beautiful secret things have a pull, and she can’t tell if she’s more drunk on the adventure, or the heresy they’re so blatantly committing, or him. And maybe he reciprocates in his own twisted way, maybe they talk or kiss over the parchment pages, and she cannot tell--she cannot tell if his eyes are truly for her or the Hive, the mystery, the thing they’re doing. I’m thinking of what you wrote, how “he wanted Ascendance as badly as she wanted him”. But despite that--or maybe because of it--she allows herself to be led deep down into the dark, into his world of darkness and secrecy and yet twisted beauty, and she is living the mystery now, she’s in this nighttime world they would share in secret. Is it the Hellmouth? Maybe, though I think it’s a process that spans between their secret studies of the Hive and the midst of their descent, when Vell is dead and maybe they’re all doomed, and Toland’s eyes twinkle in the dark and it’s such beautiful madness she cannot help staring. And the checkpoint has come, time to show cards--and she’s close enough to take a peek behind the mask, something she was so violently curious about and attracted to, a glance into the dark abyss of his soul that was so intriguing. And so she does peek, and what she finds is terrifying rot.

I think this is Ir Yut, or maybe a little bit earlier, but nevertheless the bubble bursts and Eris is left in the dark alone and betrayed. That’s of little concern, of course, when the Hive is hunting you down and all you hear is your friends’ dying screams, but it still hurts, it’s still bitter, it’s still so, so wrong. I like to think he comes to teach her then, maybe give her the journals, and it’s a whirlwind of madness and horror and fury and gore, but he’s whatever comfort she can hope for at this point. It’s twisted, it’s awful, it’s dark-gothic rotten, it’s as wrong and horrid as Erik/Christine is as a whole.

But then they’re given the chance Erik/Christine never got. They’re allowed to outgrow the rot. There’s so much dysfunctionality and disturb going on in most gothic-esque “love” stories because it’s not love, it’s attraction taken for a spin and often grossly abused. Love is growth. I like to think of what must have been going on in Eris’ head (and Toland’s too, perhaps, though I doubt he had one at that point) when they were exchanging the letters, the dearest Eris right next to did you watch me carve out each eye; now that she’s wiser, and scarred, and not so stupid anymore--but there’s still that dark pull she can’t help, now even scarier than before that she knows him for what he really is, now that she’s seen the rot. There’s so much hurt to be outgrown, so much betrayal, but she finds he’s yet again whatever comfort she can hope for (that entry *is* called A Light In The Darkness, huh). I could wax poetic about this whole process but I think you captured it so well in STM I don’t have much else to add.

I wanted to throw quotes into it but couldn’t quite fit them into this, uh, essay (which I didn’t absolutely re-read), and I guess Music of the Night would apply here but it’s ripe with uncomfortable sexual tension?? And aside from that (which is in its entirety a trip) just consider these ah

this whole moment

also this

He'll always be there singing songs in my head  Is this Eris in the letters phase? maybe. I performed a vibe check and it showed positive

Wandering Child for how unhealthy-twisted and beautiful it is (ignore Raoul, I have no metaphor for him in this au)

For either way you choose, you cannot win  It’s just a good quote y’all

Farewell my fallen idol and false friend / We had such hopes, and now those hopes are shattered 

Angel of Music, you deceived me / I gave you my mind blindly  (HOW SHE WHISPERS THAT LAST PART IN THE MOVIE OK)

Stranger than you dreamt it  now you’re stranded in the Hellmouth good job

What warm, unspoken secrets will we learn / Beyond the point of no return

The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn

Down that path into darkness deep as hell  but Toland smiles while he sings this

And of course the classic,  And in this labyrinth where night is blind / The Phantom of the Opera is here inside my mind

Wow! I didn’t even get to the Dreaming City! It’s way more vague than the whole Eris/Toland thing because of course ships take up 80% of my brainspace but idk I just find it so incredibly fitting when it comes to paralleling Savathun/Dul Incaru terrorising the Dreaming City with what Erik does to the opera. Like, everybody knows he’s There but no one can do anything about it, he sends vague threats and kills people but nobody can catch him, and the place is just a giant playground for him to have fun and achieve his personal goals in. And whatever the hell is going on in Masquerade, like

Masquerade! Seething shadows breathing lies Masquerade! You can fool any friend who ever knew you Masquerade! Leering satyrs, peering eyes Masquerade! Run and hide, but a face will still pursue you

wow that sure is subtle. Seething shadows breathing lies, huh. Run and hide, but a face will still pursue you :) And then he crashes the party in a fucking Red Death costume. If this doesn’t have huge Dul Incaru/Siren of Riven energy I don’t know what has.

And of course the shitshow only starts when we kill Riven but the seeds have been planted long, long ago. If you listen closely, you can hear Petra screaming in confusion somewhere under box five.

I know most of this second part is a stretch, BUT! this is my au. And for the record, I know there are very mixed feeling about the 2004 POTO movie but to me personally it was a formative experience, first watched on a very crappy TV in music class at the age of 9 and not even in its entirety, but I was already captivated and shaken to the core, and there’s still, after all those years, something that screams at my soul when I hear the first notes.

And, as a treat for those who suffered with me until the end of this essay,

[rockislandadultreads]

2020 Horror: a reading list

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meet Dracula in this Southern-flavored supernatural thriller set in the '90s about a women's book club that must protect its suburban community from a mysterious and handsome stranger who turns out to be a blood-sucking fiend.

Patricia Campbell had always planned for a big life, but after giving up her career as a nurse to marry an ambitious doctor and become a mother, Patricia's life has never felt smaller. The days are long, her kids are ungrateful, her husband is distant, and her to-do list is never really done. The one thing she has to look forward to is her book club, a group of Charleston mothers united only by their love for true-crime and suspenseful fiction. In these meetings, they're more likely to discuss the FBI's recent siege of Waco as much as the ups and downs of marriage and motherhood.

But when an artistic and sensitive stranger moves into the neighborhood, the book club's meetings turn into speculation about the newcomer. Patricia is initially attracted to him, but when some local children go missing, she starts to suspect the newcomer is involved. She begins her own investigation, assuming that he's a Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Bundy. What she uncovers is far more terrifying, and soon she--and her book club--are the only people standing between the monster they've invited into their homes and their unsuspecting community.

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet’s word is law, Immanuelle Moore’s very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.

But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.

Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.

Little Bones by David Baillie

Hamilton, Ontario, 1953.

A nine-year-old boy meets with a horrific death at the hands of a sociopath; his little body is then hidden away in a soon-to-be-sealed tenement coal chute where it lies for two decades. The remains, discovered by contractors rerouting a pipe in 1974, make for sensational news; the fact that ten small bones are missing causes further speculation. But interest in the cold case fades quickly—except in the imagination of a tragically lonely boy named Scott Campbell, a resident of that sad building who suffers (equally) from undiagnosed Selective Mutism and the terrible neglect of his mentally ill mother. In the building’s furnace room, Scotty meets his one and only friend: a child’s playful, coal-black shadow that follows him through a litany of foster homes and into adulthood.

Now, in 1987, thirteen years after the discovery of those remains, Scotty is an enigmatic street artist who makes strange sculptures out of found objects, which he leaves in the forgotten and overlooked corners of the city. Scotty’s social worker, Simon, despairs over Scotty’s plight: the mute will soon be completely on his own, for he aged out of government-sponsored aid almost two years ago and is now living on the remnants of a miracle extension arranged by Simon’s boss. Simon also has his own dilemma: as a Mohawk with invested interest in the Six Nations of the Grand River, he feels like he is betraying his own community by working for the government-funded Children’s Aid Society in Hamilton. Caught between pressure at home and the impending end of Scotty’s meagre support, Simon is losing faith in both the System and himself.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

A tale of revenge, cultural identity, and the cost of breaking from tradition in this latest novel from the Jordan Peele of horror literature, Stephen Graham Jones.

Seamlessly blending classic horror and a dramatic narrative with sharp social commentary, The Only Good Indians follows four American Indian men after a disturbing event from their youth puts them in a desperate struggle for their lives. Tracked by an entity bent on revenge, these childhood friends are helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way.

Jack by Connie Willis

During the height of the Blitz in London, the air raid rescue squad operating out of Mrs. Lucy’s house is close-knit and ever-watchful. When a new volunteer named Jack shows up, his odd behavior—not eating, disappearing during the day for a mysterious job—isn’t concerning at first. The sleepless stress of the job is hard on everyone. Soon, Jack is in high demand, due to an almost uncanny talent for finding buried people still alive under the rubble… But how does he do it? As the narrator, another member of the squad also named Jack, begins to investigate, the truth turns out to have a dark, tragic twist. New York Times bestselling, multiple-award-winning author Connie Willis’s surprising and deftly rendered classic 1991 novella “Jack,” a finalist for the Nebula and the Hugo awards, is a must-have for readers of her beloved works set in World War II, including “Fire Watch,” Blackout, and All Clear.

Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare

Quinn Maybrook just wants to make it until graduation. She might not make it to morning.

Quinn and her father moved to tiny, boring Kettle Springs to find a fresh start. But ever since the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory shut down, Kettle Springs has cracked in half. On one side are the adults, who are desperate to make Kettle Springs great again, and on the other are the kids, who want to have fun, make prank videos, and get out of Kettle Springs as quick as they can.

Kettle Springs is caught in a battle between old and new, tradition and progress. It’s a fight that looks like it will destroy the town. Until Frendo, the Baypen mascot, a creepy clown in a pork-pie hat, goes homicidal and decides that the only way for Kettle Springs to grow back is to cull the rotten crop of kids who live there now

[thelordstears]

I think it’s time to show some lines and how much I’ve improved eh?

“ You see, we're all living our lives confined in this little, locked room, we store our thoughts here, our dreams, our doubts, our darkest confessions. But the right people come along with a key and find the real us quivering in a corner of ourselves we fear with all our fuckin' might. All of humanity fears. And so in the span of a blink life created death to separate what is bad, and what is good. “ - Shawn Werdelstein

“ I look deep into my eyes and I swear I can see her darkness flickering in my damn eyes, she took my heart in her murderous stride, flaying me of all my salvation, tellin' me I was nothin' more then livestock on her farm of delicacies and delights. “ - Lupin Rinderez

“In the end I was never really human in the eyes of those who hate me, was I? I was always a toy to those more wicked then I, and so I have rotted in a chest of forgotten dolls and stitched together souls lost to time." - Ingretta Shazowlla

“ Some men are born for prison. They're raised in a cell, and told this is all you can ever be, and when they finally scratch their way out of that prison, they start to get homesick, so they find themselves a new cell, a new Hell, a new home away from home. Chaos is peace ta the broken man. “ - Francis Killvawhile

“ Karma doesn't care about how small the sin was, she just reaps. “ - Scarla Scottaine

“ There's something foreign about an empty bed, something unfamiliar about holding my own hand, it's like love is a language we speak, and when it leaves us we can no longer speak the language of the loveless, because we're already native in the country of love. “ - Finn Desandra

“ The darkness of my past caught up to me and killed the kind pure hearted man I thought I'd forever be, I was always doomed to become a reflection of my father. But with these bloodied and cracked pieces of me I'll bleed him with broken pieces of his reflection. “ - Alviro Conritz

“Isn't it funny? How men and women alike will pull a trigger on another when faced with a gun at their own heart, held steady in the hand of a man who never misses?” - Remington Burlwitz

“ I am Eve luring Adam to his fate.” - Belle Nalroma

“ I am a grave of fireflies and ravens whom head out to war, a wolf of death and anguish that drove me to madness. Don't you call me a freak, I'm just a little bit different, my mind is an eternal state of flickering emotion and madness that has never left me be. In truth the firing of this rifle is the only thing that keeps me alive, it is the beating of my heart and the howl in my soul, so dare you fire back with pieces of your heart shattered in the bullets? “ - Luther Woolhaun

“ I feel like a blank slate that's always re-written. “ - Wendell Ace

"I look at who I am with judgmental eyes.” - Earl Mumford

“ Believe the tales of dead men, they have a perspective like no other. “ - Earl Mumford

“ Stepping up to me ain't a fucking war, it's an execution disguised as such. “ - Saul Northutt

“ Decaying and gentle I shall be lain to rest as the Devil the world mourned. “ - Jonkiv Kramteil

“ Look, the truth is a hard pill to swallow, but swallow it you will. “ - Simon Rossburg

“ I'm a killer and a cheat, if my dagger is unstained remember, there's etches of lives lost on the handle, do you really wanna become another scar on the wood of my blade? “ - Killgrove Butcher

“ Mercy is a surefire way to meet God, so I sling an old club wrapped in barbed wire over my shoulder and watch the river spill crimson. “ - Olivia Juarez

"They call kindness weakness, so I must be the strongest bitch in town.” - Olivia Juarez

“ My wrath comes down like a cold rain of daggers when faced with the wicked, if they ain't ready to die then they best fucking prepare for it, cause those who use the powerless as a simple stepping stone to Heaven don't deserve the breath in their damn lungs. “ - Lucille Ramaswami

“ That man, that wicked fuckin' man, 'e's an old vulture sittin' atop the Church waitin' for the holy ta fall down the steeple, 'e swoops down and picks their bones 'a love, 'a holiness, 'a morality. And den, the holy become the damned. “ - Maxwell Soderstrom

“ The Devils and snakes in the grass should fear the gardener with his shovel ready to bury the pests." - Guarva Plucker

“ Don't call me your hero, cause heroes don't kill good men." - Al Hunderson

  "Brother, there's somethin' sinister brewin' in the bones of humanity, has been since the Neanderthals huddled in caves, lighting fires underneath the murky walls of a place they could call home. I'm afraid you're gonna have to be a little more specific." - Roman Hemlock "Ya can always spot the little, tinges of darkness in the bad man's eye, the little seams of pain that follows 'em." - Sandro Colorfeid

"I slither and slide into the darkness, a basilisk hiding in shadow and sin, biting into the forbidden fruit of Eden with glee and cruelty flickering in my snake likes eyes." - Vexine Hatchet

"I stood with blood on my hands and a snarl on my lip. It was from that moment on, Nico no longer were." - Nico Litchenfels

“ I'm a cutthroat fucker with his heart bared open and cruel on his trench jacket's sleeve. “ - Nico Litchenfels

"I stood like a question never asked, and then before I had the chance to give myself an answer in the echoes of my insanity, she smiled and asked who I was." - Zachariah Rinderez

"I have died a thousand times, Minerva. But you make me want to live again." - Simon Drogace

"I'm not lucky enough to be me." - Simon Drogace

“Do you ever feel like, your mind is a hammer?” - Simon Drogace

"He stood there, like a wicked omen of what never should've been, a testament to all humanity tried to kill." - Neal Marrows

"Losing yourself is a game no one can win." - Neal Marrows

"You know me, just a grave of who I was, grasping the soil wondering why it always slips between my fingers." - Sam Dellwotfire

"Someone once asked me what life before war was like, and truthfully, I've never known." - Hunter Creasey

"You spend your whole life under the shadow of death it starts to become you, and as you let the light it in, as you let your heart burst in seams of color and little figments of love and joy, that's when the shadow casts itself over you the longest. As soon as you start to live, death comes on by to greet you as if she were an old friend, and as I live through the essence of love and peace, I can see a smile filled with the lost lives of all whom ever walked greeting me on a road all too familiar." - Hunter Creasey

"I'm the mad man's greatest friend, but in the eyes of the sane, in the eyes of all whom stand against cruelty, I'm a weapon, an atomic bomb that'll level the city of peace to dust." - Moores Thomas

"It is in madness and grief we find who we really are. So who's to say humanity was supposed to live in peace? After all, even our mind tells us things we could never dream of with intrusive thoughts, and in the end some of us succumb to the darkness every single mind brews." - Moores Thomas

"You see, madness starts with a small seed the human race calls trouble, it comes in many different variants, some get in very small dosages all their lives. But mad men get a taste of trouble long before they know what the word means." - Moores Thomas

"The way I see love, it's an interesting sort of medicine. One moment it stitches together the loose threads of your heart, and in the very next it unravels you like a spool of thread." - Cornelius Combs

"I walked into the Church only to be spat out, falling down the sinner's steeple coughing up bloodied pieces of my faith." - Takizen Fruivein

"Challenging what I've become is a fools game, and my friend, I am no fool." - Allinza Harzvi

"Humanity is not inherently kind, everything we've seen, and everything we are, is proof of that testament." - Allinza Harzvi

"We are never in the same boat, we are in the same storm, facing life's darkness with different privilege's." - Caldvain Lucelo

"You know, someone once told me you have control over your own mind, but as it drifts away from me as smoke in the dying embers of a midnight wildfire, does that statement still hold true?" - Harvin Scoviney

"God does not help. He observes." - Victor Da Ville

“ You can't explain what evil means without mentioning the feared name of Cassidy Vanderberg. “ - Cassidy Vanderberg

“ I'm a hero, and I know, it's a heroes curse to go down in history, shooting her glory through the chamber of a revolver, leaving the world with the gunfire smoke of her gun, but so be it man, so fucking be it. “ - Miella Fang

“ Tragedy runs through my veins like the blood I bleed.” - Harkman Burtrow

“ You can run your hands through these cracked and yellowed pages, wondering when I lost my mind, but you won't find any answers in my chapters. “ - Mortelo Vonenwoft

“ ”You ever feel there’s jus’ this empty box where your heart’s supposed ta be? I've shoved all my monsters in this box, my addictions, my anxiety, the thoughts that don't go away. But sometimes, the box starts ta open, and I can't even push the door back, cause I'm too busy with this ghost followin' me like a yappin' chihuahua. “ - Isadore Rast

“ Everyone is always sayin' you're strong, for fightin' past that hurt, but am I? I didn't fight, I fuckin' stumbled, I fell, it wasn't just a battle, it was a god damn war I still wage. The gunfire echoes and cocaine ghosts will never leave me be, cause I made the mistake of losin' myself ta the bad side of life, and I just can't forgive myself for that kinda shit. “ - Isadore Rast

“ I'm not a recoverin' addict, I'm just a fuckin' ghost. “ - Carrigan Hopva

“ I met myself on a dead end street, she looked distraught, with chunks of hair missing, cigarette on her lip, trying to light a match in the rain, eyes troubled with memories of what would be. She told me to keep my enemies close, cause god damn, they were everywhere, but she never told me I'd be standin' in a house of mirrors. “ - Rain Morvosina

“ I tell myself, I could've done better, I could've saved the circus, but truthfully, not a single man can stop fate in its tracks, he would become another splatter on her railroad within a series of seconds and terrible events. “ - Bortosley Velltwo

“ I'm guilty ‘a first degree, of lil ol' me." - Howard Wraith

“ Oh mum if ya could see me now, sinnin' on the other side 'a paradise lookin' for reasons ta stain me teeth the color of me jacket. “ - Davy Blight 

“ I ain't the poor lil' boy who shot at 'is brother with orange capped revolvers and plastic swords, mate, I'm the real fuckin' deal. This venom 'a trouble and sin flows like blood in me veins, corruptin' the essence 'a who I fuckin' was. “ - Davy Blight

“ I'm the darkness your mother says ta stray away from, the boogeyman ya're mum tells ya snatches away naughty boys and girls in the dead 'a night, and worst of all mate, I'm Lind fuckin' Blight, bastard son of the seas. “ - Lind Blight

“ I'm just old honey whiskey sitting on the shelf gathering dust and mildew, locked in this little cabin of darkness and decay, wondering why no one cares to pop open my cork and let this darkness and mold spill to the soil of a freshly dug grave. “ - Roxane Vanderberg

“ I met her in a garden 'a roses, and there she stood as the only thorn. “ - Kayella Wisp

“ I've gunned bad men down on the streets, cackling and sinful they died, cruel and wicked they lived. “ - Hoshino Akinori

“ I once went into an old confession booth, sins sat heavy at my shoulder, salvation far off as it always seemed to be, and as that preacher listened to my darkest secrets I was sure he would damn me. But he told me salvation is for all, and that God loves whosoever follows the path of the righteous. “ - Erika Vans

“ I used ta live with one foot in the grave, wondering when the hell I'd become my last name, but then I met a wise man in the woods and found myself once again. Sometimes, we're lost, and we don't even know it. So I think destiny sends us a Messiah to lead the way ta who we are, and as Pennington took my hand in the darkness, I knew I'd found who I am past all this trouble. “ - Alonzo Graves

“ I traverse this labyrinth of my heart and soul, trying to find myself in the midst of all this trouble, but these mirrors are starting to look like enemies, and this maze is starting to become a prison cell. “ - Andre Jollows

“ Deep in my soul is the sound of war calling me home, and death whispers in my bones that she wishes to hold me close as I fade gently into the stars, but I sigh strapping my boots on in the morning, putting this old gas mask on my face and facing another venomous day. For I am a curse, wondering where my blessings went." - Max Caldiph

“ If my heart were a painting, it would be a starless night sky, the trees wilted, stripped of their leaves standing as threadbare omens of the bones etched in darkness that hold me up and the roses would be black, decaying with some dead scent of mercy burning whosoever walks into this garden of death's nose. “ - Apollos Quinn

“ Who I am ain't even me, he's just someone I've been for too long.” - Drew Dreadful

“ I died halfway to Heaven and too close ta Hell. “ - Dylan Huffers

“ I was living a life of trouble and cigarette smoke, chasing lies as if I were just a harmless little kitten, batting my hands at another yarn ball, always wondering why it ran away from me, but as my mother held me in a gentle embrace and showed me the way to paradise, I found out that it's better to be you then somebody else. “ - Scottie Bloodvallo

“ My mama once told me sometimes you gotta fall and stumble to learn who you are, because it's as trouble and peace wage war that we discover who's side we're on, and as those old foes grabbed their rifles and loaded their cannons, I came to realize I never wanted trouble to become who I am. So I picked up my guns and fired a couple rounds of peace into my head. “ - Marty Thievekit

“ You wanna run with the wolves, but brother you're sparrin' with chihuahuas, ya wanna play with the big boys, but you're frolicking in a garden full of gnomes and fairies, you wanna go knuckle to knuckle with your demons, but brother you surround yourself in angels. Do you really expect to kill a man while you're swingin' plastic blades and firin' bullets from a cap gun? “ - Walton Burke

"The truth will always sound like a lie to he who doesn't want to admit he's wrong. “ - Stewart Astoria

“ I'm tied up and tangled in the webs of madness, cackling at the midnight sky as these bastards try to fire bullets of sanity my way. But god damn baby, I'm bullet proof. I take what I want when I want it, so as I slam these bullets of madness into the echoed chamber of my revolver and put a few holes in my mind do you think it'll be me seepin' through the corners of this old mental ward, or will the ground pool crimson with my sanity? Guess there's no way of knowin' til I pull this trigger, sanity and purity spilling like crimson ink in my mind. “ - Ares Malstone

“ Forevermore I shall stand as a threadbare omen of the unholiest parts of mankind, drifting away from myself like the wildfire smoke of a dying confession.” - Alastair Sambridge

“ My mother once stared me dead in the eye and said I was not so holy, one day I would sputter up all the pieces of me and succumb to the Devil inside, and I must say, the old wicked witch was right. My father told me I was just a sin, drifting forevermore into the midnight sky, and as I pulled the trigger upon a battlefield I came to realize fate vows for promises made by wicked people. So by God, I vow to die, I vow to choke on these holy pieces of me and sputter up my dying breath. “ - Alastair Sambridge

“ Who I am is such a far cry from who I was, if you looked at a photograph of me at ten years old you wouldn't recognize the eyes that smile, for as you look into the cracked lenses and into my eyes, it is not me you find. But rather, it is the insanity that swam in Calzell's eyes when I met him." - Ackilzo Thyme

“ My mother once told me that rage whispers into the ears of the broken that they deserve nothing more then this unsteady heart beat of broken bottles and cracked knuckles, but it's the ever smiling lip of peace that brings the sorrowed man back to himself. So I oughta wonder why peace keeps on scowlin' at me. “ - Varvaina Escobar

“ It seems it is the nature of humanity to point blame at those who are howling with regret, love beating empty in an open chest. “ - Sarkelus Johnson

“ Sometimes, life just fades before your eyes and ya don't have enough time to catch it, so you slowly drift away from it yearning for the gentle touch of death. But you know what? We all need a hero every once and awhile, and as Barbara lays her head against my chest, dancing her fingers across my shoulders and cheek, I think I damn well found my hero. “ -Rob Percstand

“ I don't wanna die with dreams, I wanna die with memories, man. “ - Revie Scollinew

"In the outback of Montana my tale began in crimson stained history. I look to my aunts and uncles and see murder deep inside of their hearts, but they should've thought twice before taking my heart in their rough hands, for there is something dark that's brewing inside of me, and if I were them, I would start looking underneath the bed for monsters." - Enoch Avoxin

"There's a certain truth, to madness." - Zachariah Rinderez

"Hold honor close to your heart and you'll end its beat." - McKormick McReavey

"You know, everybody says, this won't happen to me, I'm just your average everyday person, collecting my paycheck, paying my bills, living my day to day life just like everybody else. But what we seem to forget is that we're all normal people, we're all just a little bit average enough to stand out. And when these tragic things do happen to us, we stand in a stunned silence our whole world falling apart, and all we can utter is, "This can't be happening to me." - Ray Burzfoll

"If I could strip the emotion from my mind I fear I would do so in a heart beat." - Wyatt Demouchett

"Love comes and goes but power drifts on by and stays." - Dastallio Sanchez

"Darkness has intertwined itself within my heart sputtering the light from out my throat." - Cornelius Shmackelstein

“I am not myself, so what the fuck am I?" - Coraiza Scotchfuel

"Living in reality is the most cruel form of torture for a mad man." - Draven Scotchfuel

"It is as if she makes my black and white heart burst with some form of color it's never seen." - Armello Vanrick

"Perhaps it was always a mirror hiding inside of my closet." - Julie Forkroad

"The world went dark before it fell, we were just playing a waiting game." - Brooke Bergmeir

"I've got more fighting days left than you have years." - Maximo Guanch

"If everything exists, nothing does, really." - Arthur Wellburn

[yanlei-a]

this is his fave son and his fave daughter

[ofkethe]

[heavy breathing]

zed trusting someone just to lose it all again... wow. pleb.

[kalle-and-lita]

"Are you ever going to show me what's in here?" Aiko rapped a knuckle against the hard steel door. Kalle gave her a glance, his brow cocked with a frown on his face. She gave him an innocent look, but he knew the curiosity had to be burning her up. He snorted,

"Not if I can help it."

She wrinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue, "Why not?"

He turned back to the project in his hands, "Because there's nothing in there you need to see, that's why."

He felt a weight on his shoulder, and he hid his laugh with a cough, "But Old Man...!"

"I said no, Aiko, and I mean it. Now don't you have a date with Lucius, or something?"

Aiko sighed, but still rested on his shoulder. Her head leaned into his, "Yeah, but that's not until later." She nudged him playfully, "So maybe you can show me what's behind the door?"

"Aiko, I try not to make it a habit to repeat myself." Kalle warned dryly, he felt his patience start to thin. If she noticed it certianly didn't bother her. Instead she made a face before kissing his cheek and sweeping out of the room. Kalle shook his head in amusement.

It was Aiko's nature to be so curious about everything, and Kalle could hardly blame her for it. Yet, there were things she didn't need to know or see. The secrets behind that door were among many; artifacts of great age and terrible power best kept out of sight. Roboute was the only one who knew what lie behind that door, for not even Cato was privy to the knowledge.

All the better to protect him, and Aiko as well.

A notification signal drew his attention to the data slate sitting on the table. He rose with a grunt, his joints popping as he investigated. He scrolled through several mundane messages until he found a summons from the Primarch Guilliman himself. Curious as to what could be so important, Kalle dressed and left within the half hour.

He greeted passing marines with a silent nod, a silent shadow in the halls all the way to the lower docks of the Maccrage's Honor. It was clear that the Victrix guard had just returned with their Primarch, several marines were already in the process of unpacking when he arrived. He spotted Cato overseeing the guard on the far end of the bay, and he exchanged a passing smile with him.

It was nice to have him home again.

Primarch Guilliman hovered in the threshold of an empty transport, a nervous energy about him as Kalle approached. The old Night Lord dipped his head in greeting,

"Primarch Guilliman, I take my presence here means you found something?"

"Yes." The large man turned on his heel with Kalle quick to follow. He hit the button next to the ramp so the pair could have privacy. The artificial lights of the docking bay gave way to near darkness save for the eerie glow of the artifact.

It was stored in a reinforced steel and glass container that sat square in the middle of the isle. The faceted sides of the decahedron were engraved in glowing runes that emitted a blue and green light.

"We don't know what it is. We found it in a subterranean ruin surrounded by Tzeentch iconography."

Kalle stooped to his haunches and carefully turned the container, "Did anything happen when you went to contain it?"

"The first two marines who approached were hit with a lightning arc and aged in moments. They were dead and dust before they hit the ground."

The old Night Lord hummed under his breath, but continued to observe,

"A few of my Librarians managed to create a containment field so we could properly transport it. I wish to destroy it, but wanted your opinion on the matter before I carried out my plan."

"A smart decision. It's aura is intricately tied to its surroundings and to the warp. Who knows what chaotic energies might have been unleashed should you have tried."

Guilliman shifted on his feet, "Permanent containment then?"

"I'll have to study it first before I can design a vault to effectively seal it. With your permission, of course."

Kalle stood with a grunt; Guilliman considered the artifact for a long moment before giving him a resolute nod. "You're sure the vault in your room will be strong enough to contain any accidents?"

"Yes."

"Then proceed, and report your findings to me. I will clear the halls to your stateroom so you may transport the artifact."

Kalle was left with the artifact, to which he paced around in curiosity. Already he was forming his theories just from the Primarch's report alone. He was careful to pick up the container when he was finally given permission to move it. Any sudden movement could set off a reaction, and the last thing he wanted was an accident.

The halls were quiet, not a marine or guardsman in sight. He studied this curious object in his hands as he walked, eager to get it into his vault so he could experiment. His stateroom was empty as far as he could tell; he sent a quick report to Guillman that he'd arrived and would start his studies. Another was sent to Cato stating he would be missing dinner.

Sure that everything was in order Kalle opened his vault door. He ran a talon down the full length of the hard steel. Intricate arcane lines hissed in esoteric patterns from the touch, dissolving right before his eyes. As the last of the sigils disappeared he pressed his palm into the door and pushed his mind through the steel to force it open. The steel barrier split and opened with a pop. A thin veil of mist swept out from within, thick swirls dissipating with each of his steps.

The room was far bigger than the outside implied. It took Kalle several months of work to complete his vault; a separate space not quite in real space but not quite in the warp. A tenuous dimension where the rules of neither plane really applied. Here he could contain the artifacts too dangerous to destroy.

Or experiment on them to his heart's content.

It was a wide, windowless expanse separated into three floors. The ground floor, which connected to the vault door, contained several glass cases meticulously displayed across the space. Each cases was organized with care, its contents as varied as the next. Several firearms sat in locked containers, interesting to look upon but deadly to wield. Another held Arcane Foci of various designs ranging from jewelry to glowing crystals of bright colors.

The second and third floor contained all manner of tomes and mural fragments. Forbidden collections that he had hoarded over the eons and best kept from mortal hands.

At the far end of the ground floor Kalle cleared off his work table with a flick of his wrist. Papers lined with runes and writing, along with several books, put themselves away as he set the decahedron on the table. He braced himself on the workbench and eyed the artifact. It seemed stable enough, yet he projected a barrier around himself just in case.

Carefully, he flipped the locks of the container and opened it. A static charge filled the air as he lifted the decahedron with a shadowy tendril, not at all eager to physically touch it. Thankfully, there were no adverse effects and he set the artifact on the table.

A thousand and one thoughts rushed through his head. Another flick of the wrist summoned empty parchment and quills that hovered midair, and wrote his theories as they came to mind. Runes and symbols crossed several pieces of paper in mere minutes while Kalle circled the table, his gaze trained on the artifact in fascination. He pushed at it with the warp and it hissed in reply, a thin arc of lightning sparking off the table.

He pushed again and another angry arc sparked, this time off the floor at his feet. It was like the artifact had a mind of it's own, as it exhibited signs of displeasure at being touched and harrassed. He pushed again and the static charge intensified enough that a glow filled the room and the sparks from the decahedron lifted it off the table for a moment. Kalle reached out and suspended the artifact, pulling the warp to keep the ambient energies at bay.

They fought, Kalle and this strange artifact, vying for power over one another. And he was winning, and he allowed himself to gloat over the idea of experimenting on this thing.

A shadow of movement just beyond artifact caught his eye. Kalle hesitated and broke eye contact with the decahedron, gaze widening as he spied Aiko among his collection.

"Aiko! What in-"

His lapse in concentration was all that was needed.

"No!"

A loud crack echoed through the room and nearly deafened him. Kalle wrapped the artifact in shadow and forced it back into its container as a large arc of lightning lit up the room. In the span of seconds he closed the lid and leapt over his work table. He called to the warp, begged it to make him weightless, fast enough to intercept the temporal arc heading straight towards his daughter.

Aiko's scream filled the air as it impacted, sending Kalle off his feet and onto his back from the blast. He grunted as he landed, rolling onto his knees with little thought about the pain.

"Aiko!"

He stumbled into a display case, disoriented from the noise and the impact. There was a loud ringing in his ears, even as his heart pounded away in his chest.

No, no, no...

Your fault, your fault. You didn't lock the door behind you, and she followed you in. She's gone and it's your fault!

Tears spilled down his cheeks, as he found the black stain on the carpet. His heart clenched, every breath felt painful as he fell to his knees.

No, no, no!

"Aiko!"

Kalle cradled his head, his shoulders wracking with his silent sobs. Guilt washed over him in relentless waves. How could he face Cato, and tell him that Aiko was gone because of his carelessness? How could he face all who had come to love her?

Your fault, your fault. The monster once again strikes, some things never change.

"Da?"

A small hand touched his shoulder. Kalle looked up to find bright, half pitched eyes gazing at him and full of tears. Long, thick black hair fell over the shoulders a tiny girl who looked no older four years old. His heart stopped and his blood froze, disbelief racing through him. His own hand reached out, almost hesitant as he traced her cheek.

His gaze flicked to the display case just behind her, a pile of Aiko's clothes and her boots haphazardly strewn underneath.

"Aiko?"

The little girl hiccuped in reply, the sleeves of her top comically large on her slender arms. It was Aiko's top, and this small little thing wore it like a dress.

"Da!"

The girl, no, his Aiko threw herself into his lap and clung to the fabric of his tunic. Kalle wrapped his arms around her and cradled her close, relief replacing the guilt with the silent shed of his tears.

~~

Am I doing a regression fic? You bet your sweet bipbies I am. I have a need for small Aiko and dad Kalle and I will not be denied!

[notchesandbullets]

Ryokuryuu’s Lifeline

Part 7: The Trap

"Stay away from me!" You hissed venomously as he came closer to you. The officers had done exactly what you had expected them to do: they brought you directly to their boss.

The man everyone was after, Lord Yang Kum-ji of Awa.

They had tried to toy with you, but you refused to give in, fighting with everything you had at your disposal. Only Kum-ji hadn't been that interested in you at first, giving you the opportunity to attach a piece of green metallic cloth on the ship's flag, smirking as the lookout didn't check it and let the color fly. You had planned on staying silent, keeping your head down after you fulfilled what you promised Captain Gi-gan in your letter, but when he started tormenting the two girls across from you who were chained, you couldn't take it anymore. You shouldered your way in front of them, sheltering them behind your body.

You bared your teeth in a vicious snarl to ward him off but Kum-ji ignored your threatening displays. It was clear that he didn't recognize you, eyes light with greed and corrupted hunger, instead of being dark with vengeance.

It was best that you didn't provoke him or jog his memory, so you bowed your head and whimpered, attempting to appear pitiful.

Kum-ji sneered at you, "The pretty lamb doesn't want to play anymore? What happened to all your fire you had just a minute ago?" He taunted.

You didn't fake the flinch as your body reacted to his words, seemingly submitting to his display of power. Your breath came out shaky as you struggled to hold onto the slipping image of Jae-ha in your mind.

His soft green hair.

His vibrant lilac eyes.

The gentle smile that he reserved only for you.

You stiffened as he shackled your wrists behind your back and your feet together. Jae-ha would want you to fight against him. He would want you to come back to him. The lies of not being good enough to deserve his love faded into the background as you looked at it clearly for the first time.

You did deserve to be loved. You were loved.

"You're not getting away from me this time." He spat.

Ah, so he did remember you.

Well, that was unfortunate.

He would have a hell of a time trying to escape the wrath of your family.

Your family.

Kum-ji snickered, assuming that he had finally broken you when tears of anger blurred your vision.

But he couldn't. He couldn't even touch you. What you had probably put Jae-ha through hurt indefinitely more than his words ever could.  You had to make it out alive to see him.

To beg for his forgiveness.

You bared your teeth ferociously and Kum-ji's eyes widened at your defiance.

You had stayed in that shadowy room for the whole day. He had ended up chaining you to the bedpost at one point because of how much you were trying to defend the obviously terrified girls by his feet. You used the moves Jae-ha and Captain Gi-gan taught you, breaking free of his hold countless times. He was growing quickly frustrated with you, enlisting the help of his men to keep you still while he taught you a lesson, roughly kicking your stomach until you couldn't lift yourself up anymore.

You knew you wouldn't win against them all, so you struck a bargain with him.

"Let them go, and I'll do whatever you want."

Yang Kum-ji's sadistic smile was less than satisfying, but you needed the girls out of the room and out of harm's way if you were to carry out the next part of your plan. You knew he liked submissive women, that he viewed them not as people, but rather things that needed to look pretty on an arm and not speak. It was clear that he was going to call them back once he was done with you.

You weren't going to give him the opportunity.

You stayed awake the entire day, well into the night, lashing out when he got too close to you, but he came back and struck you in the face with the back of his hand. Your face turned to the side under the force of his blow, spitting out blood. Your head was throbbing in pain, and your right eye threatened to shut under the swelling, bruises forming around it.

You made sure not to intake anything he tried to force you down your throat, knowing it was most likely either drugged or poisoned, but your body was bearing the consequences as you felt exhaustion weigh down your limbs. You weren't used to the lack of food and water, and it was shutting your functions down.

"Throw her in with the others!" He commanded, fed up with your games.

A minute later, you were blindfolded and thrown below deck. You could smell the seawater and feel the slime of seaweed slicked on the floor once they tossed you down.

It wasn't all quiet once they left. You could hear the girls' panicked whispers rise to terrified shouts as one of them started banging on the locked door.

"It's impossible," An unfamiliar voice cut through the atmosphere, silencing everyone. "I was put in here two weeks ago. Nobody came to get me out. To Lord Kum-ji, we're no different than objects."

She sounded defeated... hopeless...

You had to do something. You wriggled into a sitting position, iron cuffs clinking together as you tried to prop yourself up as best as you could with the restrictions.

"Haven't you ever," You stopped struggling, ears straining to hear more as you questioned if you heard right. "... wanted to change this town?"

Yona!

That meant Yoon was here, too...

"Yoon..." You mumbled softly, and within a second your blindfold was tugged off, revealing a battered but relieved genius pretty boy.

"Y/N!" He shuffled behind you, trying to pry off your cuffs, but stopped when you winced in pain.

"Ah..." You hissed, and Yoon pulled back in alarm. "It's fine, just leave it."

Your arms were cuffed behind you, but you scooted backward, bringing your hands underneath your hips and around your ankles so that they were now in front of you.

"Are you hurt?" Your eyes scanned over Yoon's shaking form. Yona was whispering words of inspiration to the disheartened girls, encouraging them to reach out a hand back if someone reaches out theirs to help them. He shook his head and you felt relieved.

"What she's saying it's true," You supported Yona's indirect claim of aligning with the pirates, who unbeknownst to them, were making their way to the ships right then and there. "We're going to escape and we're going to rescue you all. Will you let us?"

Their eyes shimmered with forbidden hope.

"Yoon," You mumbled, and he leaned forwards, straining to hear you. "Where's the firework?"

"In my sash," Came the quiet reply, "It's small but it'll shoot high."

You nodded, now informed. "We've got to get on deck." You mused. "I'll clear a path for you."

Yona and Yoon's eyes widened. It was dimly lit in the cargo hold, but they could still make out the many injuries on your face, blood dripping down from your forehead and Yoon noticed how you kept your arms pressed to your stomach, as if to alleviate the pain.

Together, you tricked one of the guards to come down by banging your restraints against each other, and he clambered down to investigate the noise. Yoon shot a tranquilizer dart at him halfway down, and Yona yanked at the rope by his feet, causing the guard to lose his footing and knock his head against the steps.

Your eyes widened as you heard the sound of cries ringing faintly through the air and swords clashing together.

The battle's started.

"Yoon, we've got to hurry!" You hissed.

"I'll help too." The girl who had seemed so desolate and hopeless before was standing with determination. "My father was a ship's carpenter, I know the layout."

Yona beamed at her offer and she introduced herself as Yuri. Quickly you all made your way out of the ship's cargo hold as silently as you could, not wanting to attract any attention this late into the plan. There were two guards near the entrance leading up to the deck and you gestured for the three of them to hide behind you.

"I'll get their attention, run past them when you have an opening." You instructed firmly. Yona began to protest, voice cracking with anguish at having to leave you behind again, but stopped when she felt your hand resting on your head. "Send up the flare. The girls are our first priority."

Yuri looked between you and Yona, noting the reluctance the red-haired girl had at the idea of parting with you. "I'll help her."

You gave her a nod of thanks, turning swiftly back to Yoon and Yona beside you. "Go. Keep each other safe."

Yoon nodded, pulling Yona behind him to hide behind some crates as they waited for you to make the first move. "Yuri, stay behind me. Do your best to not get captured, that's more important than anything else, understand?"

She dipped her head in understanding, surprised at the turn you took from gentle older sister to merciless battle tactician.

You stepped out into the guards' line of sight, waving at them seductively, eyes hooded. They shouted as they saw you, and you led them towards the back of the ship. Yuri was hidden in the shadows, and you saw Yona and Yoon dart out from their hiding place, effectively making it onto the deck as the guards were distracted by you.

You sidestepped their sloppy attacks easily, enlisting the aid of the swaying ship to time it perfectly. As it swayed to the side abruptly, they became unbalanced and you saw your chance. Lunging at them, you tackled the first one, causing his sword to slide out of sight. The second one didn't get much farther as Yuri hit him over the head, knocking him out. You gave her a subtle glance of approval.

You heard whistling as the firework was launched into the air.

"Go back below deck, free and then gather up the rest of the girls. There will be a lot of shouting above you, don't come out until it dies down, okay?" You ordered, urging her back down.

She hastily nodded and you sprinted towards the hatch, bursting out onto the deck, gagging at the think stench of blood in the air. You saw a flash of crimson hair from the right and your body filled with dread as your eyes landed on the sight in front of you.

Yoon was tied up and getting beaten by a bunch of mercenaries, and Yona was shooting anyone who came close to him with a bow and arrow.

You ignored the question of how she obtained that, opting to kick aside one of the guards attempting to sneak up on her instead of asking how she managed to get her hands on a weapon. The others turned their attention towards you and you grinned, but then you remembered your hands and feet were still chained together.

Time to have some fun then...

You pushed Yona to the side as one of them went to grab her by the hair, effectively grabbing you instead. You snarled, wrapping your cuffed hands around the back of his neck, bringing it down as your knee came up to smash into his chin.

"K-Kill her!" Came the shaky order as he looked at his comrade who laid in a pool of his own blood.

Your tongue grazed over your teeth lightly, poking out of your parted lips that were curled in a confident smirk.

Their numbers quickly overwhelmed you, and you crashed into the floor, face shoved roughly against the wood. You resigned, closed your eyes and accepted your fate.

I 'm sorry, Jae-ha...

Then, wind whipped around you as a familiar set of robes fluttered in front of you, emerald green hair darting into view.

The mercenaries cried out fearfully. "W-Who are you?!"

"I'm the pirate who has submerged countless ships... the pirate who dances through the skies. But more importantly," Violet eyes glinted dangerously, "You had better not approach me recklessly."

Jae-ha growled, "I'll kill you."

[legolasoftherings]

Late Night Adventure

Pairings: Platonic!Fili x reader, Platonic!Kili x reader

Warnings: just cuteness!

Word Count: 1310

A/N: This fic was inspired by this adorable fanart by @flukeoffate​ that I fell in love with and have been keeping in the back of my mind since I saw it. Of course, this is an everyone lives!AU (but when is it not tbh). 

In the early hours of the morning, Erebor was still dark and cold in the moonlight. Fili and Kili were wide awake, but they were the only ones. You were fast asleep in your quarters, warm and cozy. Your bedroom door cracked open, and a dim torchlight seeped into your room. 

“Y/n! Y/n, wake up!” you heard voices whisper-yell.

You groaned and faced the voices in the dark, and when you saw who they belonged to, you rolled back over. Whisper-yelling back, you said, “No, absolutely not. I’m tired, and I don’t care.” 

“C’mon, please. We want to show you something!” Fili replied, sitting on your bed, his added weight causing you to slide closer to them.

“Yeah, c’mon, Y/n,” Kili echoed pleadingly, tugging on your arm. 

“How are you guys still awake, anyway?” 

“We’ll show you, if you come with us,” Fili answered. 

“Alright, fine. If it isn’t worth it, you owe me an ale.”

“Deal!” Kili said, grinning, “But I promise it’ll be worth it.”

They half dragged you out of bed, threw a pair of soft socks at you, and took you down the large corridors to the main hall. The brothers removed their boots, Fili covered your eyes with a grin, and Kili took your arm. You took a few steps forward, and slipped a little.

“What are you doing?!” you shouted, only to be hurriedly shushed by the boys.

“We can’t let Thorin know we’re here, Y/n!” Fili said, removing his hands from over your eyes. The golden floor was glowing a tiny bit in the moonlight, and you realized what was going on. 

“I don’t know why we haven’t figured this out before, but the floor is incredibly slippery,” Kili said, whirling around in his socks to demonstrate. 

“Well of course it is, it’s solid gold!” you replied, giggling as he wobbled a little. You slid towards him, pulling Fili along with you. Spinning and twirling across the floor, you couldn’t help but laugh with joy. The three of you slipped and slid from one end of the hall to the other in the dim light.  

“This may have been worth getting out of bed for, I won’t lie,” you said breathlessly.

“Yes!” Kili said, pumping his fist in the air, “We win!” 

“Kee, the operative word there was may. Don’t get too cocky,” you retorted, sliding by and using him as a launching pad towards Fili. Fili caught you and spun you around with a laugh, and sent you sliding back to Kili. 

“I really hope we’re not being too loud,” you said, turning and looking at each entrance in turn.

“We’re fine, Y/n don’t worry about it!” Fili answered, his face showing all confidence. You continued to slide around, and almost forgot your misgivings. Forgetting the ‘be quiet’ rule, chaos reigned for a few minutes. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw movement in the corner of the room. You froze and hissed, “Silence!” at the boys behind you. Bofur stepped out of the shadows, and Ori behind him. 

“What’s going on, lads?”  

“Did we wake you?” you asked nervously.

“Nay, we were out,” Bofur replied, “What are you three doing up?”

“Fili and Kili wanted to skate on the gold floor, so here we are,” you said.

“Well, have fun,” Ori said, smiling at the three of you as him and Bofur left.

“Thanks, guys!” 

After they left you turned to the brothers, and breathed out, “That was close.”

Kili smiled at you and said, “Up for another round?”

“Always.” 

The three of you turned around and prepared to race down the golden floor. Fili and Kili grinned at you, and lined up next to you. Just then, you heard a throat being cleared behind you, confirming your worst fear. Oh no, you thought as you turned slowly. 

“What in Mahal’s name are you doing?” Thorin Oakenshield thundered, crossing his arms. 

“Uncle Thorin!” Kili called casually, nervousness putting a slight edge on his voice, “Uh, what brings you here?” 

“Well, nephew, I was appointed by practically everyone else in Erebor to investigate who was making so much noise,” Thorin replied, his tone turning sarcastic, “And I’m absolutely ecstatic to report that it was Y/n.” 

“Sorry about that, My Lord,” you mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

Fili stepped forward and moved you behind him, “It was our fault. We dragged Y/n out of bed for this.” 

Thorin turned to Fili, “This was your idea, then?”

“Mine too!” Kili said, standing tall next to his brother.

“Mahal,” Thorin groaned, “Why am I leaving Erebor in your hands?”

Fili and Kili looked down at their feet, ashamed, but their heads snapped up at a strange sound. Thorin was laughing, a low rumbling sound that, quite frankly, you hadn’t heard in a long time. He laughed until tears came out of his eyes and he clutched his chest. 

“Uncle Thorin?” Fili asked slowly, testing the waters.

“Yes, future King Under the Mountain?” he replied with a tiny hint of a smile, “What is it, nephew?” 

“Are you mad at us?” The question came out like a scared child.

“As a matter of fact, I’m furious, Fili,” Thorin said, rubbing his forehead, “You three did wake me up in the middle of the night with your ridiculous game, and now, you’re paying the price. Fili, Kili, Y/n, you are forbidden from leaving the halls of Erebor for a fortnight. Understand?” 

Knowing how much the three of you loved to explore the area surrounding Erebor, and just get out of the walls in general, he made sure to make the punishment hurt. You cast your eyes downward and played with your fingers, not wanting to let Thorin know how unhappy you actually were. Kili shifted his weight awkwardly from foot to foot next to you, and Fili sighed softly.

“Yes, we understand, Uncle,” Fili finally said. 

“It should be in all of your best interests not to cause any more trouble, or I’ll separate you for a month. Go to bed.” 

The three of you walked out of the great hall with barely suppressed grins on your faces. Not until you were out of earshot of Thorin did you make any noise, but once you snickered once, you couldn’t hold it in. Soon enough, you and the boys ended up in their chambers, cackling. Collapsing on their bed, you finally inhaled deeply, happy to be able to breathe again. 

“Did you see his face?!” you giggled as the boys flopped down next to you, and furrowed you brows in mock imitation of Thorin, growling out, “You are forbidden from leaving the halls of Erebor for a fortnight.” Your impression made Fili and Kili roll into a fresh bout of laughter, clutching their stomachs. 

Once all the laughter had finally subsided, you realized how exhausted you actually were. Your eyes began to close, and you let out a yawn that split your face apart. 

“I probably should get back to my room,” you said, rubbing your eyes and standing up.

“Y/n, you don’t have to go,” Kili said, smiling softly and opening his arms, Fili mirroring him. 

“I’ll think about it, only since you asked so nicely.”

“Please?” Fili asked, reaching out for you. 

“Alright, fine, on one condition. If either of you snore loud enough to wake me, you can be sure your head will not be a part of your body for much longer, and I will leave the room.” 

You squeezed in between the brothers as they trapped you in hugs. As you leaned your head on Kili’s shoulder, you wrapped your arms around Fili. Both of them sighed contentedly, and you smiled. 

“Goodnight, boys.”

“G’night, Y/n.” They murmured, already half asleep. The three of you fell asleep entangled, safe in each other’s arms.  

[land-of-classpects-and-analysis]

Mage of Void

There are plenty of people out there who fear the unknown. Whether it be what lurks in the shadows or the brush, what truly exists out in the vast, ever-expanding depths of space, or something as simple as not knowing the secrets that lurk within the basement of that sweet-looking antique shop that all of a sudden popped up in your town, run by a sweet little old lady who always seems to have a bit of cobweb in her gray hair. You don’t know if you want to ever find out where she came from nor what secrets she keeps stowed away in that basement, which she so often ventures into when she needs to “fetch something from the back”, but whenever you watch her open that door and shuffle herself down the stairs, your mind begins to whir awake with words that paint the blank canvases in your mind. Ranging from the mundane image of a dingy old basement, filled with old, rotten wooden shelves - which really should have broken years ago - with brown, cardboard boxes piling up and filled the space, to the more dark and morbid possibilities. A flickering light bulb that hangs from a string, with a chain of beads waiting to be tugged so that the light may breathe once again and illuminate the horrors beneath. A surgery table, the typical metallic ones, with drenched, yet dry, tools next to it, and a person laying conscious atop that cold slab that will surely soon become their deathbed. A creature, or two, that hates the sunlight and so resides in the depths of the basement - perhaps even the vents - though you aren’t sure how it could fit all of those heads and arms and legs into such a tight space. But it could, if it truly wanted to hunt and stalk its prey before telling its owner, who is such a sweet old lady, “that one”. You don’t know what is in the basement, and it would be smart to say you don’t want to. A reasonable person would say that, but if you are not part of that group who would say no, then you may find yourself to be drawn towards the title of Mage of Void.

Those bound to the Aspect of Void do not fear what has yet to be explored, discovered, or established. They only see a possibility for something grand, new, and beautiful to be created where emptiness asks to be filled. While they may not fear it, the Void-bound do have a great disdain for intellectual authority, and often throw countless doubts on what others believe to be official truths. Most importantly, though, especially in the case of the Mage of Void, is that they are the universe’s secret keepers. The Mage of Void, much like its passive counterpart, is another interesting case when it comes to the Class and Aspect clashing together. However, while the Seer of Void was one who many people passively entrusted with their secrets, the Mage of Void is one who could easily be described as a morally gray person from the get-go. They hunger over secrets, lusting to gain more knowledge over the unknown and the secrets of everyone and everything around them. For some, this may sound more befitting for a Mage of Light, but do not be fooled. The Mage of Void does not do these things to gain answers, because the Mage of Void does not have any questions. They simply enjoy the feeling of power that comes from knowing something no one else does - whether it be the dark, forbidden history of a building or organization, or the secrets of all the affairs their boss has had. If there is an inkling of a secret to be found, it’s only a matter of time before the Mage of Void springs into action and chases after it, much like a predator with their prey.

However, this is getting quite a bit ahead of ourselves. What about the beginning of the Mage of Void’s journey? Specifically, what sparked this deep, never ending hunger for secrets? Much like the Mage of Blood, this fascination most likely started when they were quite young. Children are naturally curious, after all, but sometimes are curious for the wrong things. The Mage of Void was most likely the one who always wanted to be places where they shouldn’t have been i.e. their parent’s room without explicit permission or observation, the Janitor’s closet at school, the storage rooms in a grocery store, and so on. If there was a sign telling the Mage of Void to not enter a room, then chances are that they would proudly proclaim that the sign can’t stop them, because they can’t read. This would be when they were a child, after all. Keeping in mind that a Mage often begins their journey with a punch to the face and gut, the Mage of Void would most likely be met with a secret that horrified, scarred, and perhaps even traumatized them, but it would also intrigue them. They don’t try to hold onto these secrets for any malicious and harmful reasoning like that of a Thief, but it is undeniable that the Mage of Void feels a sense of superiority to those who don’t know the real truth of the world they live in.

From that point onward, though, the Mage of Void would slowly become more and more aware of the secrets all around them. There are some that, at least in the beginning, the Mage of Void would not dare go near for one reason or another. Down the line of their journey, though, there will always be some secrets that simply will not leave the Mage of Void alone. Constantly calling their name; luring them closer to discovering another horrific piece of information that very few get to see. These secrets are typically ones that personally affect the Mage of Void, and as such, it is oftentimes a rather difficult challenge for them to face these harsh truths. These secrets are ones the Mage of Void tend to struggle with accepting the most, because to accept it would mean allowing their sense of reality to falter, change, and perhaps even have the foundations crack beneath them. At first, these sudden changes may be terrifying to the Mage of Void, especially if these changes are so near and dear to their heart. Finding out that the dark secrets of a close friend or family member can bring great stress onto most people, and while some have the choice to not acknowledge it, the Mage of Void is not one of those people. They must face the unknown head-on if they so wish to complete their journey.

However, as stated before, do not mistake this behavior for someone bound to the Aspect of Light. The Mage of Void only cares to learn about the unknown; what lurks in the shadows, goes bump in the night, and what hides beneath the bed. They find solace in their suffering for this knowledge, because, much like many other Void-bound, the Mage of Void believes their perception of reality to be the clearest one. When there is a crack in the sidewalk, it is not the light that slithers all the way down that rocky and concrete chasm, for the light can only go so far. When the light cannot reach any further, that is when some people simply shrug and say that everything this crack has to offer has been revealed. The Mage of Void knows, though, that past the point of light within that crack is a world that goes far, far deeper and darker, for it is not the ant colony that lives in the scorching sunlight, but rather in the dark and hidden tunnels beneath the Earth. When there is shadow cast by the piercing rays of Light, the Mage of Void will do whatever is in their power to discover and know what horrid things lurk within the inky darkness of that shadow - big and small - while ignoring everything so blatantly illuminated by the Light.

The Mage of Void is one who often walks a fine line of being that of a social genius - capable of seeing all the secrets and lies created by people, if they so want, as well as witnessing all the hidden injustice woven in the world around them - and succumbing to the endless, existential expanse of Void itself - their mind becoming nothing but an dark ocean of ink, their head heavy from wearing a crown that is more jewels than actual crown, with each jewel being a secret the Mage of Void has learned. After all, what’s the point of seeing what the world, what reality, is truly like if no one will bother to listen? They have all of these secrets, all of this forbidden knowledge that they perceive to be the truth of all that is, was and will be, but when no one wishes to revel in the same ecstasy that comes with this superiority, it becomes a burdernous weight that not many people can bear. The Mage of Void suffers because, outside of fellow Void-bound, no one will listen to them.

While some of the other Mages naturally attract people to them, the Mage of Void is one who very few people would take note of. After all, Void-bound are often those who are easily missed when looking through a crowd of people, whether it be by the Void-bound’s choice or not. In a way, it would be up to the Mage of Void to approach other people and try to win them over as a companion. Although, when considering how Mages can often be quite erratic in their behavior, this can be quite a difficult task. The Mage of Void would only ever want to surround themself with people they deem as “woke” as them, as they have no patience in educating other people on what they have already experienced and learned. Chances are that the Mage of Void is one who lives a rather lonely life - not that they will ever care to admit as to how deeply it affects them. After all, even one who chases after the greatest secrets is bound to have their own. If the Mage of Void is not careful, and if no one has shown up to their Tea Party in Wonderland, then they might allow themself to become more further enveloped by the shadows that come with the Void. If questioned about how this affects them, the Mage of Void may either passively shrug and say they do not mind, as being alone only means they have more time to themself and their discoveries, or they may react harshly, snapping and insisting that it’s fine, that they’re fine, that the loneliness they feel is no big deal at all. In some cases, though, it is indeed the own Mage’s fault that they are left alone and to their own devices.

Although this analysis has mostly been for the Mages of Void who search for knowledge of Void, there are, of course, those who wish to seek knowledge through Void. One may think that this branch of the Mage’s journey is similar to the former. After all, becoming more aware of the secrets around oneself can’t be too different to becoming more aware due to the secrets around oneself, right? That is only partially true, but let’s explore why that is partially wrong. For the Mages who so choose to seek out knowledge through Void are, of course, those who have the harder journey ahead of them. While the Mages who seek out knowledge of Void simply dash into the unknown and darkness, the Mages who seek out knowledge through Void must first allow themselves to become fully engrossed in their Aspect. They must allow the bitter cold to nip and claw at their mind. These Mages of Void are ones who have already become part of the infinite, pure black of the void. They have gazed into it and have felt not one, not two, but millions of eyes of old, forgotten things staring right back at them. Sizing them up, judging them based on their own secret sins, questioning if they are truly worthy to gain such knowledge and wisdom. The Mage does not chase after the Void, but the Void chases after them. 

What the Mage does not realize in the beginning, though, is that they have already been caught and ensnared within the claws, teeth, beaks, tendrils of the Void. They have already been caught, and they allowed it to happen. The Void, as cold and distant and suffocating as it may be, is not here to bring about the end of the Mage’s life, though. With a price that only ever seems to go up, and up, and up, the Mage of Void may learn all the secrets the Void itself has to offer. It can not give all the answers, for it does not know many to begin with, but it can give a tool far more powerful to the little Mage: things long forgotten or hidden deep within the minds and hearts of those around them. For with these secrets the Void has given to the Mage, they may use them to twist the arms of whoever they want and bend the rules of wherever they go, but only so that they may get the true knowledge the Mage of Void so deeply hungers after. They are not as nasty or manipulative as a Witch of Void may be, but they most definitely are someone who knows how to get answers when they want them. After all, they may not want all the answers, but simply having the knowledge that they could make anyone fold and buckle with the threat of such secrets getting out is sometimes enough to satisfy the Mage of Void. At least to those who so choose to chase after knowledge through Void.

The Mage of Void walks a fine-line indeed, but it is a line, or rather a tight-rope, that they love oh so much. They think themself to be one of the bravest souls in the world to walk a line so taut, thin, and fine. Even if they fall, they know that they will fall like a true hero, for not many others are courageous enough to dare attempt such a challenge. However, once they reach the other side and have experienced the worst of what their Aspect has to offer, the Mage of Void is most certainly someone not meant to be trifled with. With one simple glance, an awakened and well-minded Mage of Void could know every last secret that someone so desperately wishes to hide, but only if they want to. Not only that, but they could so easily see all the loopholes and weak points of anything they so wished to target. Whether it be a single person, a group, organization, or perhaps even an entire system of government, all it would take is the will and mind of the Mage of Void to find the Achilles’s Heel of those who stand in their way. While they may not have many friends, on purpose or otherwise, those they do allow into their inner circle are those they trust the most out of the entire world. After all, it’s hard to trust many people when given the power to know everyone’s past mistakes, losses, and overall secrets. The Mage of Void may still feel that suffocating weight of the void atop of them, but when they have fully awakened and completed their journey, they are willing to bear that weight if it means not living in a false understanding of the world around them and instead becoming one of the most elusive and daunting people in their group. After all, the Mage of Void has nothing to fear - not even the unknown, or void itself.