#Before the Dawn by Evanescence

[rucow]

nerevoryn you will always break my heart every time i remember you exist

was listening to understanding by evanescence and the lyric "the light that flows through you burns through me" came up and i Died. agony

[neonacity]

ARCANE : INIZIO | CH.7 | NCT DREAM X READER

Summary: When human deviants granted with the abilities of the legendary Arcana cards find themselves racing against devious forces, they are left to make a choice that might change the fate of the world itself: be the victims of the game, or become the masters of it themselves.

But will this war end with a crowned hero?

Or will it just create another mad villain?

*****

Note: This is the second book of Arcane. The happenings in this story is a prequel to the first installment which you can check in my Masterlist. Since the lore is highly dependent on the first book, I highly suggest you check it out first—otherwise, new readers might have a hard time understanding what is happening here. Expect lots of time jumps and flashbacks throughout the chapters.

Pairings: Dream 00’ Line + Mark x Reader

Trigger Warnings/Themes: romance, violence, torture, trauma, poly dynamics, suggestive themes, language, psychological, mystery, sci-fi. The concept of the tarot or Arcana cards will be loosely used throughout the series. Note that I am not a trained doctor so there may be some slips here and there about medical things. Again, this is a work of fiction and I am not implying any likeness between the characterization here of the boys to their real life counterparts. I also reserve the rights to all my work—I do not post anywhere else other than tumblr. Minors DNI. Please do not repost. I only publish my works in Tumblr.

© neonacity, 2022

Chapter Song: Before the Dawn | Evanescence

Previously > CH. 1 | CH.2 | CH.3 | CH.4 | CH.5 | CH.6

The soft, soulful notes of the grand piano teased the edges of your consciousness like the whisper of a lover. 

You have no idea what time it is when you managed to open your eyes, but the first thing that registered to you as you stirred from your sleep were the beams of moonlight that pierced the darkness of your room. It took you a couple of quiet seconds to prop yourself up from your bed, eyes drifting towards the direction of the music as you tried to gather your bearings. Beside you, the glowing handle of the clock on your desk struck 2AM.

The cold feel of the floor seeped into your skin when you pulled the blankets off of you and finally swung your legs over the side of the bed. The hymn floating in between the cracks of your door was beautiful, but there was something about the way the notes danced around each other that made the deepest parts of your chest throb dully. For some reason, it stirred great sadness in you, so you didn't give it a second thought to pull on your night robe and step out into the hallway to find its source. You know exactly where to go… And in a way, who you will find at the end of it.

His back was on you the moment you stepped into the room. It was dark, with only the light of the moon peeking from the high window providing illumination to the almost empty space. It was enough for you, however, to make out his strong back contrasted by the graceful features of his profile. His lean fingers continued dancing across the piano keys and you decided to stop just on the edge of the hallway to watch him from a distance.

"Aren't you cold?"

You weren't surprised at all when he addressed you, his low voice braiding through the notes of the hymn he was playing. He still hasn't looked at you, but you still gave a slight shake of your head in answer.

"That's a very beautiful piece you are playing."

"Did I wake you up?"

"You did. And I think you did it intentionally, too."

The way the corner of his lips slightly curved into a small smile made you tighten your fingers around yourself. You wanted to reach out to him, touch his face, and pull him over to you all at once. You might as well have screamed your thoughts out loud because Mark finally turned to look at you, his gaze gentle and open.

"Come here?"

Your first instinct was to keep your ground, but the side of you that wanted him close got the best of you in a heartbeat. Stepping away from the shadows, you went straight to him, his arms already opening for you before you even settled beside him. You melted into his embrace, fingers treading through his hair as he pressed his nose against the crook of your neck. You frowned and closed your eyes at the contact, the heavy feeling that you didn't even know you've been lugging around for the past couple of days leaving your chest like smoke. 

"Don't do that to me again. I thought you left me," you half whispered to keep your voice steady. You felt him sigh against your skin.

"I'm sorry… I needed some time alone."

"Do you hate me?"

Mark shook his head before letting you go just enough so he could see your face. You didn't even realize the tears brimming in your eyes until he reached out to catch them before they fell with his rough fingers.

"I could never hate you."

"But I…"

His smile fell a little as he gave a slight laugh.

"I admit the rejection hurt. I needed time to compose myself again. I wasn't really at my best when we talked so I had to distance myself a little."

"Mark, I'm sorry…"

The way his gaze probed your face now made a twisting tightness bloom in your chest again. It was the same way he had always looked at you, but now with a shade of honesty that he never had before. 

"You shouldn't. You made me realize something after all."

Your throat felt tight, but you managed to speak.

"What?"

"That you love me. And that the way you also love the others doesn’t change that."

Your heart squeezed in your chest.  You wanted to answer him, give him confirmation, but the way he looked at you told you that he didn’t need any of that assurance anymore. Instead, you leaned your cheek against the hand he raised to cup your face, eyes never leaving his. When he smiled at you again, you knew right then and there that the two of you will no longer be able to go back from all the pretending that provided you safety before. This was a man who had stopped himself from holding back because for the first time, he was finally standing in the same spot you’ve always been at. 

For once, none of you are afraid.

“Are you back for real this time? I asked the others and they said you were gone for days. Nobody knew where you went.”

A look of recall quickly crossed his features at your question. He almost seemed a bit guilty, but you knew there was more to it than he was letting on. You could feel dread at the back of your throat, but waited for him to take his time to answer.

“I didn’t really leave because of our conversation. There was something I was trying to figure out.”

“What?”

“Who the traitor is behind all of this.”

You paused. Mark's gaze never wavered from yours and you could see the clear frustration from the set of his brows.

“Did you find out anything?”

“Not much. I could have done it easier with the help of my father but I—” he stopped, a hard look flashing in his eyes momentarily. “I know he is supportive of the Headmaster’s decision for all of us to go into hiding. He wouldn’t help me even if I beg him to. I was able to get access to some reports of the investigation that our family have been doing though. Whoever is coming after us must come from an advanced technology corporation. They—”

“It’s Cypher Institute, isn’t it?”

Mark froze in his seat, his gaze one of surprise before it morphed into confusion.

“How did you know that?”

“Jaemin and I snooped around in my father’s office while he was gone and someone called him about it. It was a coincidence. Was it the same Institute that you were able to confirm from your father’s side?”

The way Mark’s expression changed in just a matter of seconds slowly made an uncomfortable feeling bloom in your gut. It was what he said next, however, that really threw you off.

“My father is not aware about Cypher Institute.”

You frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“He had leads but none of the files I cross-checked had any mention of Cypher. And I looked at everything, I am sure of it. Whoever gave that information to your father is not from our family.”

The silence that wrapped the two of you was brief but heavy with meaning. There were so many questions that came to mind but it was Mark who managed to voice out the most pressing thing you couldn’t bring yourself to say.

“Do you know any other family that your father could be working with?”

You shook your head slightly.

“He does work with everyone. The Kim’s are one when he asked Mijeong to watch over me while I was in university, and I’m sure he also had agreements with the families of the other Masters. I’ve always thought that he shares a lot of his plans to your father though… Especially anything related to this threat. It was the Lee's who saved him from the latest ambush after all. It wouldn’t make sense for him to ask another family to look into things over your father…”

It took a while for Mark to finally say something as he processed that. Your throat felt dry, and you could almost feel your hand locked with his slowly grow cold.

“It would make sense. If he doesn’t fully trust my father.”

His words hung thick in the air. You didn’t know what to say, especially with him saying what you couldn’t put into words. There was something about Junho Lee that has always bothered you, but he is also Mark’s family and for that, you still provided the man a level of respect even from a distance. Still, you knew that one of your father’s reasons for trusting him stands on shaky ground—you just didn’t expect for the distrust to run this deep.

“Do you think… He can do that?”

Mark’s jaw tightened at the question. You could see the fight going inside of him so clearly that you almost felt bad for asking.

“He's a very ambitious man. I was still very young when I lost my mom, but I remember enough to know that he was never really the same after what happened. Still, he is the only other family that I have and…”

“And it is absolutely alright if you want to believe in him,” you gently interjected by giving his hand a gentle squeeze. Mark pursed his lips and he shifted his gaze away from you, his expression torn and pained.

Just like you, Mark’s life was greatly affected by what happened in the past. Fate dealt him bad cards, and for that you can’t really blame him for wanting to stand up for things he wants to believe in. You would do the same if you were in his place; choose to stand by your father before anything and anyone else. 

It took a moment before he finally seemed to break from his thoughts. Gaze following him, he reached out for something in his pocket before finally offering his open palm to you. It was dark so it took you a moment to realize what you were looking at, but your lips were soon enough parting wordlessly as he moved to open the small blue velvet box he was holding carefully. 

Lying nestled in black satin, catching the light of the moon, was a deep blue diamond ring framed with smaller clear gems on its sides. It looked ornate but well-loved, like a star that had fallen in the middle of a dark night. Your eyes widened as you stared at it, Mark’s silence in contrast to the sudden loud beating of your heart.

“What…”

“It’s my mother’s wedding ring. My father gave it to me when he told me about his plan of us getting married.”

“Mark… I…”

Your voice sounded so full of guilt, but he gently cut you off by pressing the box against your palm.

“Relax, I am not proposing to you,” he said in a tone that made you pause. “I told you that I understand where you stand now. I am not going to force you to do anything that you’re not comfortable with.”

You swallowed, but let him continue. 

“But we can’t deny how dangerous it is right now. There is a traitor in our family and it could be anyone, including my father. I won’t blame you if you can’t find it in you to trust us right now, but my family can give you protection, regardless of who is the person who betrayed us. Even if it was him, I think he will spare you if we make him believe that you’re engaged to me.”

“What makes you think he will make an exception for me, Mark? If it really was him, and he was willing to sell the rest of the Masters, then he can betray anyone.”

“No. Not you.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you.”

The way you paused gave Mark the chance to really look at you, his eyes roaming your face. You were at a loss for words, and he used that as his window to continue with a gentle voice that made your chest hurt.

“My father can be ambitious and cruel, I admit that, but he knows how to honor love when he sees it. He was hit hard when he lost my mom, but I don’t think he is going to punish you and me for what happened. He will also gain nothing if he hurts you over us being engaged and making our bloodline stronger.” 

“I hate to say this, but it’s the reality we’re living in right now,” he continued. “I can protect you if you choose to continue your life as a Master. It’s that or you move away and cut off all connections with us. Follow what your father has always wanted for you and live like a normal human.”

You slowly shook your head as the weight of his words fully sunk in. You’ve always known this… Everything Mark is saying right now have always been the choices given to you. Not once have you accepted them though, especially with your only other option being to exile yourself from the Family and never see any of them for the rest of your life again.

“So are you saying that we should… tell everyone that we will get married?”

Mark’s gaze dropped before he gave a slight nod.

“Yes. At least while we haven’t figured out who the real traitor is. If they see that we’re both onboard, I don’t think they’ll rush us to it. We can buy ourselves some time.”

You were quiet. Your eyes found the ring again, a testament to a different promise made years ago. After a moment, Mark reached over and closed the box before guiding your fingers to close around it.

“You don’t need to give me an answer right now, but I want you to keep it. Even if we won’t get married, you’re the only woman who I want to have it.”

Your thumb ran over the soft plush of the velvet cover. A few seconds passed before you felt him gently hold your chin to guide you to look at him again.

“I’ll do anything and everything just so we could get to the bottom of this. Whatever happens though, I want you to know…”

“That I will never ever betray you. My life is yours.”

Time seemed to have stopped, the same way your heart did. He looked at you with nothing but bare honesty laid out and you received it, unafraid this time. A cloud shifted outside, and the next moment, you two met in the middle, lips soft against each other. It was a simple kiss, but one that you knew was long overdue. When you pulled away, you whispered softly against him, only loud enough for him to hear.

“I know. I believe you.”

******* “Come in.”

You have barely raised your hand to knock when your father’s clear voice sounded from the inside of his office. The antic would have been amusing if this were any normal day, but instead you found yourself slightly hesitating before finally pushing the door open. He wasn’t looking at you when you stepped into his room, his gaze set instead on reviewing a stack of documents laid out across his table.

“Are you busy?”

It was a rhetorical question at this point, but still, the man’s lips twitched into a small smile as he finally looked at you from over the rim of his wired glasses. He looked unhurt, but the dark shadows under his eyes betrayed how his last couple of days have been.

“Even if I am, I will always have time for you, Princess.”

You didn’t want to immediately soften after that, but you couldn’t help the way your eyes shifted sideways as a reaction. Your father, of course, noticed, and chuckled as a response.

“So? Is there anything wrong?”

Your shoulders slumped a little before you answered. To be honest, you didn’t really plan for anything when you decided to see him today. All you know is that you’re glad to see him again after he had been in and out of the Academy for the past few days, especially since you haven’t really talked after your argument. The way his eyes sparkled behind his glasses now made you think that he already has an idea why you’re here, but the man kept his silence to give you the room to open it up yourself.

“I wanted to apologize… For some of the things I have said last time.”

“Apology accepted. I want to do the same, since I have realized why my decision warranted that kind of reaction.”

Immediately, it felt like a part of the heaviness in your chest lifted. You remained standing in your spot though, your gaze open as you searched his face.

“Did you change your mind? About me and Mark?”

A pause.

“No, my dear. My stand remains the same. And you?”

You didn’t hesitate to answer.

“No… I am still against it.”

He nodded, but didn’t say anything else to counter you. Your father can be as headstrong as he is, but he also knows how to draw boundaries, at least temporarily. What you said next, however, is something he definitely did not expect.

“Mark and I talked though,” you added as you tried your best to work through the lump in your throat. Ever since that night with him, you’ve sat with your thoughts to consider every angle of the situation. You still don’t have a decision, but it would be unfair to lie to your father about what has happened since.

“We… still do not have an answer right now. But we are considering things.”

It was quite hard to gauge whether he was relieved about it or not, but he gave you a slight smile after his pause of silence.

“That’s enough for me. Thank you, darling. Now, do you want to sit? I know you came here to tell me more than just that. At least try to relax a little.”

You hesitated only for a little bit before finally giving in and settling on the chair across his desk. Now that you’re closer, you could better see the lines on his face, proof that the last few days haven’t been easy on him.

“I found out who was after us. I heard it from a call… While you were gone.”

“I know.”

You shot him a guilty look.

“Are you mad?”

The question made him laugh. “Honey, I would be even more surprised if you didn’t snoop around to find out things on your own. Let me guess, did Mark come with you?”

“No. Jaemin did.”

“Mm. As expected from Mr. Na. That young man's loyalty to you is fiercer than his strongest fear.”

“Why is Cypher after us, Papa?”

You didn't know if he was taken aback by your straightforwardness or not, but the moment you asked, a shadow of emotion you couldn’t quite understand flitted over his features. It was fast, but it was enough for you to understand that he knows something more than he is letting on. At first you thought he would avoid the question, but then the light in his eyes shifted again, almost as if he was looking inward to himself.

"It's human nature to crave power. Cypher, unfortunately, is one of those willing to meddle with it."

"Do you have any idea what it is that they want from us? Even with what they have, it is impossible for them to tap into the abilities of the Arcana. Manmade resources have no chance against us."

The pause from him was loaded. The man leaned on his desk now, shoulders slightly slouched as he took off his glasses and pressed the bridge of his nose. You almost wanted to reach out to him, but he seemed on the verge of breaking at the slightest touch. A flash of uninvited memory took over you, and it was then you realized that you've seen him like this before. Once, a long time ago when you were younger…

Back when your mother died.

"I wish I knew. It's hard to go against an enemy without understanding how they could possibly hurt you, but I am sure of one thing. They're dangerous. If there's something even more powerful than greed, it's hatred, and  Cypher… has both towards us. Whatever happens, we can't let them get to us. To any of you."

His words slowly sank like dull blades into your skin. There was something lurking behind his statements, a confession hidden in plain sight. You hated how you're piecing things together slowly, how you're realizing that there is possibly more to this than just going against an enemy.

"What do you mean about them hating us?" You asked softly now, your eyes set on him. Your father's gaze hardened as he continued staring at a spot in front of him. His silence was enough of an answer that you need.

"You… know these people. You know why they are doing this," you continued slowly. Your words seemed to have struck something in him, a look of pain overtaking him for a solid second before he finally reached for your hand.

“When the time comes, you will understand.”

“No, I don’t think I will. Why won’t you tell me everything?! I can help. You don’t have to carry this on your own.”

“Darling, you don’t understand. They are not like anything we have faced before. I’m doing this to protect all of you.”

You were quiet as your mind ran a million different things at the same time. You could see the cracks in him, the dawning realization shaking your core in a silent, terrifying way. There are a lot of moments in your life when you don't agree with your father, but you love the man, and he has always been the epitome of someone you can rely on ever since you were young. It doesn't matter how big the problem is, he will always come swooping down to save the day. As you look at him now across from you, shadows and light bouncing off his tired face, you felt your heart break as you realized one thing. He is afraid just as you are. Unlike you though, there was an air of resignation in him, as if he already knew the fate waiting for him.

“Then why… does it feel like you are saying goodbye.”

The way that he looked at you made something in you break. You shook your head slowly, and he cupped your face with his hand to keep yourself from trembling.

“You will understand it soon. For now, all I wish is for you to trust me. I know it might be too much to ask, but I hope you can give me this.”

You were terrified. In that moment, you felt like a little girl again, afraid to lose the only family that you have.

“Only if you promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“You will not die.”

He paused for a bit before finally giving you a small smile.

“You have my word.”

You weren’t entirely convinced, but you took it, at least for now. Your father may not be perfect, but as much as he is flawed, he had always tried his best to never break his promises to you. You nodded now, your eyes falling to the piles of papers in his desk.

“What are we going to do now, Papa?”

His hand on your face lowered and your gaze landed on his ring as it caught light from the lamp on his desk. It was an ornate piece made with what looked like bronze, the simple band carved with intricate-looping patterns that are reminiscent of snowflakes. It was the only piece of jewelry that he had worn for as long as you could remember, on top of his wedding band that he never took off despite the death of your mother. For some reason, the ring looked different now as it shone against his skin. It looked regal in your father’s hand, yet at the same time... lonely.

When he spoke again, his voice was melancholy.

“When the time comes, you will know exactly what you have to do.”

******* “You know the view of the sunset looks best on the other side of the rooftop, right?”

Your head only slightly turned towards the sound of the voice that broke through your thoughts. Shrugging a little to yourself, you turned your gaze once more to the burning sky, eyes not really seeing the deepening colors there. You have no idea how long you’ve been sitting in the cold, but the freezing chill clinging to your skin gave you an idea of the hours you’ve lost track of. 

“I know. I didn’t really come here for the view though.”

Soft footfalls started moving towards you in answer. The next thing you felt was the warmth of a cardigan going over your shoulders as your visitor dropped to the spot next to you.

“That makes one of us. I do like the view here. Can I join?”

You raised a brow but grabbed the edges of the jacket to wrap the material tighter around you. “You’re already here. Will you leave if I ask you to?”

“Nope~”

The way you could almost hear his smirk in his voice couldn’t stop you from smiling a little. You gave a light-hearted sigh before finally turning to look at him.

“Why are you here, Haechan? Shouldn’t you be resting in your dorm? You just finished training with the others, right?”

“When I can finally have some alone time with you? You do realize how hard it is for some of us to get your time, right? Either you’re sulking on your own or you’re being hogged by my cousins—”

He wasn’t able to finish what he wanted to say as you raised your hand and knocked your fist on top of his head. Haechan jokingly flinched and massaged the spot you just hit, a smirk on his face.

“Did you just come here to harass me?”

“Did I lie? All I’m saying noona is that I’m a Lee too. What does Mark and Jeno have that I don’t have?”

You looked at him dead-panned before giving an answer.

“Height.”

The way his face dropped made your lips twitch. It was taking you everything not to dissolve into laughter with how hard he scowled at you.

“Okay, Princess, listen here. Mark-hyung is literally a centimeter taller than me. Don’t be mean.”

That was the last that you could take. Unable to help it, you finally gave in, your laughter bursting as you curled in on yourself to keep yourself from snorting. You could almost feel his frown deepening without even looking at him, the awareness of it only making you wheeze harder.

"I do know what I can do that those two dorks can't though," you heard him say quietly after he let you have your moment. When you finally gathered yourself again—cheeks pink from the cold and the laughing fit—he was looking at you softly. The sunset was kissing his skin, making him look as if he was glowing. The corners of his lips lifted as he angled his face a little to the side to watch you.

"I'm the only one who can make you laugh like that."

The way your heart jumped made you immediately forget what you thought was funny just seconds ago. Your relationship with Haechan has always been different… Mark is loyal, Jeno is secretive, Renjun is subtle, and Jaemin is passionate. Haechan has always been straightforward with what he wants, but unlike the others, his intensity can sometimes be impulsive, like an open flame ready to spark into a larger fire at any moment. It was in his nature—The Magician, as the master of chaos, is the one force in the Arcana that constantly straddles logic and madness, next to The Fool itself. He is designed to want you in a different intensity from how others feel ever since the Arcana chose him as its Master. 

It's because of this that you have always tried to hold back more when it comes to him. And so when he pushes, you pull back, not because you feel any less for him, but because the idea of you two meeting in the middle has always terrified you.

That, and you know that whatever feelings Haechan has for you at the moment might not be his own, but his Arcana craving for yours.

"You make me laugh just as hard as you can make me mad," you admitted finally, allowing your walls to break down just a little in front of him. Something flickered in his eyes though his smile remained.  

"You always run away from me, noona. Why?"

"You already know the answer to that."

"What I know is that you like me just as much as you like the others."

"I do. But do you feel the same about me? Or is it your Arcana telling you that you want me?"

Your question made him stop. You watched as the smile slowly bled from his face, his well-kept mask slipping for a moment. Haechan is a good master of his own emotions, but this time you knew you hit a chord. 

"I can do anything for you. Destroy worlds… and build new ones if you want me to,” he said, his voice serious. 

"I know. But that is not answering my question."

"Then what—"

"Will you feel the same if I am not the IL Matto, Haechan? Will you still like me if I’m just a regular human?"

The way his eyes hardened a little at the very thought of you living a life as a normal mortal admittedly made your heart break a little. You've always known this, of course… but hearing his answer now in his silence did not make it easier. When it seemed like he didn't know what to say next, you took it upon yourself to take his hand gently. He immediately wove his fingers with yours, his hold tight that it felt like he was giving you his reply through it alone. This time, it was you who smiled at him to try and give him comfort.

“I know how much you like me, but I can’t accept those feelings if you’re not even sure yourself that they’re your own. It’s unfair for me to give you an answer and take your free will from you, Haechan... I can’t do that, at least while you still can’t answer that question.” 

He looked so lost and in pain that for a moment, you could see the chubby-cheeked boy who had always ran after you when you were younger. It made you want to pull him in for comfort, but you settled on giving his hand a squeeze instead. 

"Hey. Don’t feel bad about it, okay? It’s fine. I like having you around, just like this. If you want to do anything for me though, then just promise me one thing."

He still seemed torn, but he managed to give an answer anyway.

"What is it?"

"Never stop making me laugh. You're right. You’re the only one who can do it."

******* Kun kept his eyes steady on the flickering flame of the candlelight in front of him. The room was quiet, but there was a different tinge of melancholy that was lingering in the air as the Headmaster sifted quietly through the papers in front of him. The ticking sound of the grandfather's clock in the room was deafening to him, like a death call waiting for its final drop. It was a reprieve when the door finally creaked open, revealing Taeyong on the other side of it. Kun waited for him to join his side, giving the man the liberty to break the suffocating silence.

"We just finished the final round of trainings, Sir. We’re gathering all the data before giving them to you."

"How are the kids?"

"They have improved a lot. They’re not at their full potential yet, but they can definitely control their abilities better now. They will be able to hold a fight… should the need arise."

"They don't have to. They only need to defend themselves,” the man said evenly. “Have you heard word from Doyoung?"

Taeyong paused before giving an answer. 

"Yes. He has confirmed that it is most likely Junho Lee who is working with Cypher."

The man's hand froze ever so slightly as he moved to pick up a paper from his desk. His face was calm, but there was something about the set of his lips that made Kun and Taeyong surreptitiously exchange glances.

"I appreciate you working with the Kim's, Taeyong. He's probably watching me very closely, so I needed you to do the job."

"Do you want us to get rid of him?" Kun's voice was quiet but steady when he asked the burning question. The Headmaster shook his head, his eyes hooded by the shadows from the flickering candle.

"No. Not yet."

Kun's jaw clenched ever so slightly at the answer. His morals tell him to take the man's word with no question—follow him with blind loyalty like he has always done—but he couldn't bring himself to do it now, not when everything seems to be crumbling around him. From the way that Taeyong was holding himself beside him, shoulders stiff and face set, he knows that the other Legacy shares the same stand.

"With all due respect, Sir. I would like to understand why," he finally decided to ask after gathering enough courage to speak again. The man peered at him from behind his glasses, curious, but not seemingly surprised by his question. He didn't know if it was just a trick of the light, but he thought he saw the shadow of a smile on the other's lips before he finally moved to cross his hands together.

"You and Taeyong always had the right to ask. The pair of you just do not give yourselves the full credit you are due."

For a second, Kun felt oddly like a child being gently reprimanded by a parent. Gathering himself again, he decided to press more to get answers.

"We do not understand why you're protecting Junho. He betrayed you. He betrayed all of us."

"I am not protecting him. I am protecting the Family… From him."

The look of silent confusion from him and Taeyong was not lost on the Headmaster. The man, on the other hand, seemed set and collected as always.

"Cypher is already a formidable enemy on their own. They will wage war on us soon, there is no doubt about it. Going after Junho now will only split the Family more—and we are currently at a disadvantage of not knowing who else within our network has decided to side with him. If he finds out that we know, we'll just be pushing ourselves in a corner. The Lee's have resources, and having those used against us is the last thing we need."

"So we will just let him do whatever, then?" Taeyong asked this time.

"No. When the time comes… And you will know when—you will have to take him down. Even his own son should he decide to betray my daughter."

The way the man said that so evenly without batting an eye made Kun and Taeyong's blood run cold. The Headmaster is a kind, rational man that oftentimes, people forget how cunning and ruthless he can be in his own ways.

"For now, I want to keep him alive. After all… He might still become useful in the future."

Both men stared at him, though none decided to speak up this time. Wordlessly, he picked up a thick brown envelope from his table and offered it to the two. Kun and Taeyong looked at each other before the former took it silently from his hands.

"When that time comes, my daughter will be the first person to know what best to do with him," the Headmaster continued as he leaned back on his chair. "Just the same as she will know what to do next once things start to unfold. When the moment calls for it, give her that envelope. It will help her."

Kun's fingers tightened on the edges of the bundle he was holding. There was a heavy feeling that had started to weigh on his stomach, similar to the one he had when the man talked to him first after his quick absence.

"Are you leaving, Sir?"

A shadow of something quickly glossed over the man's expression. It was so brief, but it was enough to give Taeyong and Kun the answer they hoped they wouldn't have to hear ever.

"There are things that only I can do in this fight. So yes… I would have to leave my daughter. For a while," he said, his eyes moving from one young man to the next. Maybe it was the darkness and the shadows dancing in the room, but in that moment, the Headmaster saw in the pair two other young men who stood shoulder to shoulder in this room once, many decades ago, promising their allegiance to the Arcana. The memory made his chest constrict with a mix of emotions—pain… longing… and sadness for what was and what will never be again.

He let the memories linger for a few more seconds before finally giving the two a small smile.

"I know I have already asked for too much from the both of you, but if I can have one last request… I hope you two can put her and the Family's best interests at heart while I am away."

"Consider it my last request as IL Giudizio."

******* Your footsteps echoed softly in the hallways as you made your way back to your room. Tucked loosely by your side are a couple of hardbounds, titles you decided to sneak out of the library in this unholy hour because you were already out of reading material. It's been weeks since most of the student body have been sent back to their homes, leaving Rosewood silent and vacant. Since then, you’ve tried to take comfort in the stillness surrounding you by keeping mostly to yourself and out of everyone's way.

You have already turned the last corner to your room when your phone suddenly vibrated in your jeans pocket. By the time you managed to pull it out and check your messages, you were already at your door, one hand wrapping around the knob while you tried to open the message notification. You have barely caught Mark's name on your screen when a gasp was suddenly torn from you as someone grabbed you by the arm, the motion causing the books you were holding to tumble to the floor. Your eyes grew wide as your back made contact against the wood, your elbow grazing the cold knob of your door as you were pushed against it. Your first thought was that you were being attacked, but a different kind of shock gripped you when you realized what exactly was happening.

You didn't really need to see him to know whose lips were pressed against you the next second. Even in your confusion, your hands automatically gripped the front of his shirt as he held you close to him. He was holding you so tightly that it took you a moment to guide his face back so you could see him better. Dark eyes met yours, hooded by his windswept, messy hair as you searched his face. The warmth of his breath fanned your lips and his fingers only dug deeper on your hip bones as if he was afraid that you will push him away. 

"Jeno, what—"

"I need you. Now."

Four words. That was all it took for you to pause and for your heart to stop in your chest. You held his gaze for a second longer before grabbing his hand the same time he reached out to turn the knob behind you. Wordlessy, you pulled him in, leaving nothing but the sound of your door closing in the empty hallway.

*******

A/N: This took a while because I simply could not put my thoughts into words properly. Enjoy!

Taglist: 

@effulgentfireflies, @kasperneo, @lostlovesoul11, @byunniebaekhyunnie, @smolpeyy, , @dearj43, @bettyschwallocksyee, @babyksworld,   @yongboksfreckles,  @user103843, @lovehowdream, @glitching-wren, @jhornytrash, @coconuttiez8d, @negincho​, @stopeatread​, @ellatizw​, @huangberryyy, @wonyofanclub​,

Untaggable for some reason: @renjunsflower, @coconuttiez8d

[akirakirxaa]

If only night could hold you where I can see you, my love Then let me never ever wake again -Evanescence, Before the Dawn

[inksandpensblog]

how are swamps helpful for the little beetle guys? :0

[rubs hands together] well, let's examine what resources they could provide, shall we?

There's an abundance of mushrooms, so food would be easy to find in a pinch. The usual chickens, sheep, and cows spawn. The trees are all oak, so they can provide apples; granted, harvesting them is difficult since so many of them branch out over the water, but if a lily pad is in just the right spot it can be done. These same lily pads also make it easier to fish, and to harvest seagrass from the shallower waters of the swamp. The lily pads are useful enough to be harvested themselves, in fact.

The regular swamp is also, still, the only biome where the blue orchid generates naturally. (Aside from potted ones in woodland mansions, but beetlesticks wouldn't know about those.)

Sugar cane lines the water's edge, along with something even more unique: frogspawn! Beetlesticks will scrape that stuff up and eat it, and they may even catch and make a meal out of some of the smaller tadpoles.

But that leads us to the dangers presented by a swamp. While the young might serve as food, mature frogs are dreaded by beetlesticks. Their hopping makes them unpredictable, and even when strolling slowly they aren't to be trusted; their attacks are quick, impossible to anticipate, and can only be blocked by sheer luck.

Swamps also don't exactly have good cover. The canopy is sparse, and there aren't many places to hide on the ground. The presence of so much water amplifies this problem, since hostile mobs can easily remain long past sunrise simply by wading into the shallows.

These conditions have led to beetlefolk only visiting swamps under specific criteria:

It must be dusk. Visits at dawn may seem the more sensible option at first, until one remembers that hostile mobs may linger past the end of night. It's better to visit before any have a chance to spawn at all. There needs to be enough light to see, but not enough light to be seen. To this end...

It must be summer. The fireflies come out in the late evening, during this season. Mingling among these lightning bug particles offers some measure of cover not provided by the foliage, and also acts as a minor deterrent against the frogs. The extra illumination, though scant, is also appreciated, since...

It must be during a new moon. Slimes of the swamp are...strange, about the moon. They ooze in greater numbers when it is full, and evanesce in the absence of its light. Slime is rather unpleasant for beetlesticks; it clings to their bodies in a way most liquids don't, and alters any water it touches. Best to avoid it altogether.

Yes, only the most daring and skilled of foragers venture into swamps. In fact, a swamp-excursion is often a rite of passage for the hunter-gatherer apprentices in clans across many variants. Alluring as the orchids and lily pads and frogspawn may be, it isn't a biome to be traversed lightly. The frogs are an ever-present danger, and the very sky itself seems to hold some incomprehensible sway over the biome.

Of course, everyone knows that the real reason you should avoid the swamps is because the witches live there.

[josilverdragon]

Funny enough but my favorite two songs by Evanescence are Anywhere and Before the Dawn. I loved their first album but never got much into their next one. But Anywhere and Before the Dawn I have listened to so many times lol and were featured in many a playlist.

[ruki--mukami]

The chosen girl as Eve (also your romantic interest) was always an optimistic person, radiating joy and positivity even in the darkest moments. Even at her parents' funeral after a tragic accident, she remained optimistic in front of her family and closest persons.

Once you get home, she breaks down crying. Embarrassed, she covers her face trying to prevent you from seeing her deplorable state, from seeing how her facade of optimism was broken while repeating to herself: "I shouldn't cry, I shouldn't cry. Life goes on and it's too short to get depressed, isn't it?"

“It’s perfectly acceptable to mourn your loss, Eve. Everyone dies sooner or later, humans especially, but it’s those fleeting moments that make their lives shine all the more bright. In your parents’ final moments, I’m certain they thought of you. They should like to see their daughter value her remaining time in this world, doing all that she can. That is the inevitable fate of mankind in their evanescence, to live for themselves while the hourglass’s sands deplete.”

Digits caressing the round of her shoulder as opposed to the usual violent onslaught of his fangs on any ordinary day, Ruki’s steel-blues clouded with a look of concern, the opposing index wiping a stray tear away from Eve’s slightly moistened cheek. Drawing her closer to him, the Vampire eventually embraced his beloved in a comforting hug, his hands rubbing along her spine with short yet soothing motions as the edge of dawn greets a new day. 

“You are the one who taught me that. To live for one’s own ambitions, to cherish the remainder of our lifespan in peace, to truly appreciate those who rain joy in our hearts. There is no other person who holds that privilege; not because you are the legendary Eve but because you’ve endeared me. So, you mustn’t shed your tears longer than necessary for your parents, as I’m sure they would prefer to see you happy, prospering and thriving.”

A soft kiss as light as ripples on a lake landed atop the woman’s head in hopes of providing catharsis. The familiar scent of someone to whom he found himself unashamedly besotted urged the Vampire towards solace with each gentle maneuver, their embosom more tethered than ever before. 

“Mark my words, I intend to shield you from death as a good master ought to for his livestock… Because I love you, Eve. You’re always so strong, shouldering this burden by yourself. From here forward, you shall share your bereavement with me. The dreadful, the pleasant, and everything in between, I wish to share it all with you. Let us honor the time we have left in this world together, not as Adam and Eve, but as our genuine selves.”

[rakimaiirisa]

Meet me after dark again and I'll hold you I have nothing more than to see you there And maybe tonight, we'll fly so far away We'll be lost before the dawn - Evanescence

[grollow]

I like to title my fic chapters after songs because naming things is the hardest thing in the world. I thought some people here might like to know where the ones from W&G came from so here you go, in order -

Evanescence - “Before the Dawn” The Birthday Massacre - “In the Dark” Nightwish - “Romanticide”  Icon for Hire - “The Grey” FFXIV: Endwalker Soundtrack - “Scream” Arcane Soundtrack - “What Could Have Been” Citizen Soldier - “Still Breathing” Coheed & Cambria - “The Black Rainbow” One Less Reason - “Four Letter Words” Halsey - “Nightmare” Coldplay - “The Scientist”  Within Temptation - “A Demon’s Fate” Regina Spektor - “The Call” One Less Reason - “Four Letter Words” (again) Ruelle - “Up In Flames” One Less Reason - “A Day to Be Alone” Frances Aravel - “The Child You Were” (from I Was A Teenage Exocolonist) Goo Goo Dolls - “Iris” Marianas Trench - “Masterpiece Theatre II” Of Eyes That See - “Empty Shadows”

[add] The entire fic is titled after Vespertine’s “With a Heavy Heart” too lol

[emilyrox]

Youtube Music also has a recap I am SO READY to expose myself 😎

This equals 954 hours and 47 minutes.

That equals roughly 39 days of just music. 39 days we'll spent.

I got into The Weeknd earlier this year, a couple months after "Dawn FM" came out. So like, April or May. Both Dawn FM and After Hours own my heart and I've come up with a whole ass story line for them.

All of these artists I've had specific phases for ar some point this year.

The Weeknd: summer + late October

Evanescence: honestly idk if this phase ever truly ends

Ariana Grande: early in the year. But comes back.

Flyleaf: September - now

Set It Off: March - May

This song is why I don't think the Evanescence phase truly ended. This has become one of my favorite Evanescence songs. The vocals and instrumentation kick ass, it's fast and very stimulating in a good way, and it just hits different, ya know?

I also associate this song with Regina from Once Upon A Time. The lyrics remind me a lot of her internal struggle with dealing with the bad things she's done and wanting to disassociate herself from them (see the season 5 finale) but knowing she can't really do that, and having to accept that (see all of season 6).

Both this remix and the original go hard and are S-tier.

1. Already explained.

2. This song also goes hard and hits different. I know the real context of it is that it's about Jesus (Christian rock band), but I reinterpreted it as being about Emma Swan from Once Upon A Time. The first two verses and choruses can be seen as about her building up her walls due to all her trauma and people that have severely hurt her (Neal Cassidy, for instance), but the bridge and third chorus show her in a better place in her life, now surrounded by people that love her and make her feel safe enough to start breaking those walls (Killian, for instance).

3. I have a specific plot line made for this song but it's too long to put here.

4. Got into this song around the same time ISWM came out so I associate the two together now.

5. First off I had no idea that & Juliet existed until I heard this cover and I want to explore it more. Secondly I didn't think I'd ever hear Britney Spear's "Baby One More Time" as a tragic ballad but here we are. It's awesome and I want Anna's voice.

I don't actually have a favorite genre but this tracks.

Made this playlist because "Monster by KIRA slaps." I'm glad people enjoy it! Although there are definetely more covers to add to this by now. I made this in high school. I'm a sophomore in college now. It needs an update.

YouTube Music was trying to say “Oh you set the trend of people listening to Kim Petras :D” which I honestly doubt, but it honestly gives me “I listened to Kim Petras BEFORE it was cool” vibes

I guess this is true? I don’t think “Erase This” by Evanescence was her most popular song from the album “Evanescence” for example.

Y U P

My top 5 songs you saw earlier I put on loop for days at a time. I am not ashamed.

Gotta have a sick beat for the climax of the fake scenarios in my head.

I’ve been psychoanalyzed by YouTube music y’all. And it fits.

Like I said earlier, I don’t have a favorite genre of music. One day I’m vibing to rock, the next pop, the next Vocaloid, the next a song about a video game I’ve never played but it absolutely slaps.

And this has been my YouTube Music 2022 Recap. Thank you for indulging me to do this.

[sciencestyled]

A Quixotic Prelude to the Digital Fable: How Don Quixote Came to Tilt at the Virtual Windmills

In the evanescent glow of twilight, there I was, Don Quixote de la Mancha, a knight errant of the old school, a defender of the righteous and the pursuer of the noble quests. My tale begins not in the midst of a ferocious battle against imaginary giants or in the saving of distressed damsels, but in the quietude of my study, surrounded by the ancient tomes of chivalric lore. Yet, it was here, amidst the dust of forgotten dreams and the whisper of turning pages, that I stumbled upon a quest so bewildering, so imbued with the essence of modern sorcery, it could only be likened to tilting at windmills - but not the ones you might imagine.

You see, it was on one peculiar afternoon, as I was perusing a volume of arcane knowledge so obscure its name escapes even my formidable memory, that a peculiar word caught my eye and ensnared my curiosity: simulation. The term, so starkly out of place amidst the tales of valor and virtue, sparked in me a fervor as intense as any call to arms I had ever felt. And so, with Sancho by my side, looking as bewildered as ever, I declared, "We shall embark on a quest to uncover the mysteries of this simulation hypothesis, a challenge as formidable as any dragon or giant we have faced!"

Sancho, ever the voice of reason in our duo, furrowed his brow in confusion and asked, "But señor, what is this simulation? And what windmills do we tilt at this time?" I chuckled at his innocent query, for indeed, the windmills we were to face were not of the physical realm but of the intellectual kind, towering constructs of thought and theory that threatened to upend our very understanding of reality.

"To understand the simulation hypothesis, my faithful squire," I began, my eyes alight with the thrill of adventure, "is to question the fabric of our existence itself. Is the world as we know it real, or are we mere characters in an elaborate play penned by unseen authors?" Sancho's eyes widened in astonishment, and I knew I had him hooked.

Thus, our preparations began. I, armed with the lance of inquiry and the shield of skepticism, and Sancho, with his unfailing pragmatism, set out not on the roads of Spain, but into the realms of thought and speculation. Our journey led us to encounters with wise sages of the digital age, philosophers who spoke in riddles of codes and algorithms, and minstrels who sang of virtual realms and artificial consciousness.

Each encounter, each revelation, unfurled before us like a tapestry of unimaginable complexity, revealing the possibility that our world, our very existence, might be naught but shadows on the wall of some cosmic cave, a simulation designed by entities far beyond our comprehension.

Yet, as we navigated through this labyrinth of modern magic and ancient wisdom, I found my resolve only strengthening. For whether our foes be flesh and blood giants or the ethereal constructs of the simulation hypothesis, the spirit of chivalry, of the quest for truth and understanding, remained unbroken.

It was on a night, lit only by the flickering light of a candle, that the full scope of our quest dawned upon me. Sancho, ever my steadfast companion, watched in silence as I penned the first words of our findings, a manuscript that would come to be known as "Fighting Simulated Windmills: Don Quixote’s Chivalric Exploration of the Simulation Hypothesis."

In this document, I sought to capture the essence of our adventures through the digital landscape, a testament to the enduring human spirit's quest for knowledge and truth. For though the windmills we faced were of a different nature altogether, the courage, the valor, and the unyielding pursuit of understanding that defined our journey remained the same.

And so, dear reader, as you peruse the pages of our latest expedition into the unknown, remember that the spirit of adventure, the quest for truth, and the battle against the unseen and unfathomable giants of our time, is a tale not just of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, but of us all. For in each of us lies a knight errant, ready to tilt at the windmills of our age, in search of the greater truth that lies beyond.

[winterapocalypse]

Winter Apocalypse chapter 10

Emily Bolton Way Blackwood

The three boys left, leaving the two Royce siblings alone. Aston, with a bit of magic, turned the painted rune into bronze and easily peeled it away from the wall, and the rune held its shape, becoming hard, glittering metal.

She started walking all of a sudden, followed by her younger brother who could barely keep up with her. Behind them, Brontes followed them with her slow and steady flight.

"Prof Baratheon was there and also that strange red woman" warned Dennis next to her, still emotional about what had just happened. "And they were talking about… centaur foals? In a forest. Lots of snow and a seal… not the animal I guess. Something with dragons… Can that help?"

Aston playfully brushed his brother's messy hair. "Maybe. We'll know soon by listening back to what the rune recorded, perhaps. I specialize in runic magic, and this seems more like dark magic."

Dennis noticed that they were heading towards Slytherin tower.

"Who are we going to?"

Aston lowered her sunglasses from his eyes, only to look straight into his brother's eyes with her hard, grey eyes.

"From the only person who can help us: Emily Bolton Way Blackwood."

Emily Bolton Way Blackwood opened her dormitory door before Aston could even try to guess the magic word to enter. The girl looked at them from behind her red contact lenses, her long black hair with green locks surrounded her deadly pale face, whose eyes and lips were painted in black. She wore a studded collar, under which the Slytherin-colored tie stood out; a black leather gothic corset, a dark green plaid pattern miniskirt, fishnet stockings and thick-soled black boots; on her hands he had gloves that reached halfway up her arm with black and green stripes, on her nails black nail polish and on her fingers various rings in the shape of snakes and skulls.

"I knew you'd come." Emily smiled slightly, her eyes holding a strange, evil sparkle. "Andre told me."

Behind her, the ghost of the giant who had terrorized the students of Winter Hogwarts since the dawn of time watched them motionless and evanescent.

The three boys entered, slightly intimidated by the sinister presence, into the dark dormitory, following the gothic girl towards a door that led to her private room. She clearly wasn't supposed to have a private room, but she was Emily Bolton Way Blackwood, and she could do as she pleased.

Once the door was closed and secured with a rune that meant "lock," the girl sat on the black silk of her sheet.

"So, what do you have to show me?" the girl looked at them with an innocent smile, the same evil light in her eyes as before.

"A centaur? Fuck, are you sure?" Aston was incredulous. How could that rune have been in contact with a centaur?

"I'm not easily mistaken…" Emily gave a sinister laugh, holding the rune back in her friend's hands. "The runes have a memory…I know perfectly well what came close to them…"

"Enough bullshit. We need to investigate." Aston put on her sunglasses, ready to solve the mystery.

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

[sambinnie]

An early dip for the Mabon equinox, so headtorches are dug out and white-light the wires of cobweb that we normally brush unconsciously from our faces as we run. Stars too: we haven’t seen them while swimming for half a year. The swans are too sleepy at this time to put up their usual Jets v Sharks pugnacity, and just paddle softly out of our way. The water is still and velvety; we dress in dim dawn and I run home for pancakes. 

Time to find balance again. The windows clatter in their frames as the autumn wind starts up, and I’m trying to hoard enough handicrafts and uplifting media to keep me going though the darkening evenings. The usual SAD was working overtime at the start of this year for a good few months (I wasn't even well enough to do my annual Mad Men binge-watch), so I’m trying to do all those boring things that actually make us feel better: knitting and jigsaws, short but brilliant books, as little processed sugar as I can manage, decent sleep patterns. Is it worse when those things work, or when they don't?

I’ve wondered here before about the loss we’ve self-inflicted by sprinting away from organised religion. Of course it makes sense, when you look at the wider picture — (particularly Western) religions have caused indescribable amounts of bloodshed, destruction and suffering. And yet! What have we lost, in our hurry to show how clever we are to not fall for dogma, mantras, herd mentality, cults, and arbitrary nonsense of in-people and out-people? We’ve certainly lost group singing and group rituals, two hulking great parts of social union that crop up in every single civilisation, two things that offer comfort and structure, joy and togetherness. But! At least in our current hyper-individualist society we’ve freed ourselves from dogma, mantras, herd mentality, cults, and arbitrary nonsense of in-people and out-people, right? PHEW. I mean: PHEW. P H E W. In totally unrelated thoughts, remember that brief window in modern times when men didn’t have an excuse to publicly hate and berate women when we asked for dignity, safety, and equality, when a sizeable swathe didn’t casually drop slurs into conversation with the safe knowledge that surely no sensible, decent woman would disagree with him? Remember that? No, me neither. 

Great things: This article from the Drift on Jack Antonoff is so, so excellent. Thoughtful, intelligent, informed and with a clear argument, it’s exactly what I want to read but so often find myself reading Twitter-rants disguised as legitimate articles instead. This: “If there were a producer who fully belonged to this moment, he would need to be something like a non-brand brand, paradoxically recognizable for his ability to produce stylishly forgettable content... Ubiquitous and ignorable, critically acclaimed and terminally unhip, memeable but unshakably serious, such a figure would fully express the essence of a seemingly essenceless moment.” And this: “Get too close to Antonoff, and his sound vanishes into a series of unremarkable elements; zoom out too far, and it evanesces into generality.” Just marvellous.

This episode of 60 Songs that Explain the ‘90s is also fantastic, with host Rob Harvilla describing one old Celine Dion song as “like drinking rosé from a fire hose.” Like all great music writers, Harvilla is never snobbish about any of the music, and speaks so well about each song's context and influence that I want to listen to everything ever recorded by every act. 

The After Party is a wonderful programme, made comforting and delightful by the presence of Sam Richardson (sadly not in Baby Show mode) but raised to heart-stopping bliss with John Cho. How is that beautiful man 51? Or rather, why do we not know better how beautiful 51-year-olds look? Anyway, full-blown limerence is occurring, even when he’s doing ridiculous dances and absurd speeches; his episode still breaks my heart and I’m here to watch your travel show, Ulysses. 

I gulped down The Devil’s Candy, Julie Salamon’s incredible account of the making of Brian De Palma’s The Bonfire of the Vanities in 1990. The access she was given to everyone from the top execs to the (predictably mistreated) interns makes this a jaw-dropping look at the decisions that turn an idea into a finished film, and one doesn’t get the sense things have improved in the industry in the last thirty years. 

Can I recommend, on a tired, dark evening, having fish finger wraps? It’s hardly rocket science — cooked fish fingers in wraps with tonnes of crunchy lettuce, and a huge spoon of quick tartare sauce (on very tired, dark evenings, I just chop gherkins and put them, several spoons of drained capers, and any onion stub lying around, finely chopped into a bowl of mayonnaise) (or even use stuff from a jar, I don't care). It’s salty and crunchy and warm, costs little and requires almost no thought. 

One housemate has developed an unusual passion, in the form of Willem Dafoe, on discovering that he lives in Rome, keeps alpacas, and owns a rescue greyhound. I totally get it. Another housemate leaves me in the morning calling, ‘Carly Rae Jepsen and Pikachu!’, a reference to this slightly addictive xkcd comic, and I feel completely delighted with the state of the world. There is a balance to be found in all things. 

[park-jimin-isnt-real]

"dusk" playlist

dusk masterlist ~ full playlist

act i ~ dusk

flight risk (tommy lefroy) ~ full moon (the black ghosts) ~ right where you left me (taylor swift)

so far away (agust d) ~ fine (taeyeon) ~ stop and stare (one republic)

money (lisa) ~ dream (tessa violet) ~ blood sweat & tears (bts)

wild (troye sivan) ~ 8 letters (why don't we) ~ i need u (bts/smyang piano)

supermassive black hole (muse) ~ monsters (hurricane bells) ~ colors (halsey)

nobody's home (avril lavigne) ~ all that i'm living for (evanescence) ~ twilight (vanessa carlton)

act ii ~ dark

birthday (all time low) ~ forever & always (taylor swift) ~ my immortal (evanescence)

everything sucks (vaultboy/eric nam) ~ angel pt.2 (jvke/jimin/charlie puth/muni long) ~ new moon (birdy)

wolf (exo) ~ hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have (lana del ray) ~ anymore (anna akana)

interlude: set me free (agust d) ~ don't know what to do (blackpink) ~ she's in the rain (the rose)

straight to hell (lvcrft/kiernan shipka) ~ castle (halsey) ~ i belong to you (muse)

smoke sprite (so!yoon!/rm) ~ demons (imagine dragons) ~ disappointment (anna akana)

act iii ~ dawn

cheshire (itzy) ~ friends (band of skulls) ~ lilith (halsey/suga)

meet me on the equinox (death cab for cutie) ~ ease (troye sivan) ~ temptation waits (garbage)

glory & gore (lorde) ~ fairly local (twenty one pilots) ~ snow on the beach (taylor swift/lana del ray)

team (lorde) ~ intervention (anna akana) ~ weight of the world (evanescence)

eclipse (metric) ~ before it's too late (the goo goo dolls) ~ fearless (seventeen)

multiverse (maya manuela/pembroke) ~ d-day (agust d) ~ euphoria (bts)

[abecreed]

stardust tethered in shadow of hunger; a craving to eat this world raw. half cherries and aether with accent of bloodbath and thunder. toungues speaking in birdsong begging for rare moon angels to heed this prayer, haunted by the son of opus as they ache for heartsblood and power. by the sea bordering the land of mortals and gods, tells the tale of a lyre of what once was. even the elysium shudders under the echoes of their golden dawn romance. pulsing of hyacinth seeds from before the molten bones and crimsonhot flesh of the other string, a scream of evanescent dream.

ichor seeping out of ivory veins, this is how it goes; you’re half of my soul, even in my mortal flesh.