#KI - Spirit Medium

[despairs-heaven]

"Hold it right there! I know you."

"You're the one who made that blog about the Sachiko Ever After charm!"

"So a kid was able to recognize me... Here I thought I could blend in with the rest of you. You're right though, that is indeed my blog. Naho Saenoki."

"Wait... if you're here and your blog has stopped updating since you posted about the charm...."

"Yes, I posted about the ritual then came here myself, is that truly so strange?"

"Yes in many ways!"

"From what we were told your blog said nothing about ending up landing in a haunted school like this!"

"Well even I had to lie to some extent. After all, You must give something in order to receive something and that's something that Sachiko take very literally."

[japanwords]

方と気 Form & Energy

The poet William Blake proposed that two types of people exist: the "energetic creators" and the "rational organizers", or, as he calls them in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, the "devils" and "angels".

According to Blake, both are necessary to life. Often both can be found in a single person.

He said we should go to heaven for form and to hell for energy—and marry the two.

When we can face our inner heaven and our inner hell, this is the highest form of creativity.

方 (kata) is the Japanese character for “form” or “way of doing something”. In this Medium article, Alvin T. argues that an obsession with form, rather than essence, is a significant hallmark of Japanese culture. After reading it, I'm inclined to agree.

気 (ki) is the Japanese character for energy. It can mean physical energy, mental energy, or even something like “life-force”. It is found in the Japanese words for breath, atmosphere, energy, weather and spirit. It is the “ki” in “genki”, “reiki”, and aikido”. You can find out more about all the ways in which 気 (ki) is used in the Japanese language in this article from the Japan times.

[dailycharacteroption]

Medium of the Master (Medium Archetype)

(art by ChekydotStudio on DeviantArt; featured in the Legend of 5 Rings TCG)

In a way, the lessons of our teachers means that a small part of them will always survive long after they are gone, passing from master to student who becomes a master, and teaches their own students in kind, creating a form of generational immortality.

However, for some, this is not enough. They need to have a literal piece of their teachers inside their soul, guiding them as need be.

Such is the case with the so-called “mediums of the master”, who utilize their ability to channel spirits to call upon one or more spirits of some of the greatest martial artists of all time, drawing upon their skill to become true masters of unarmed combat… at least while the spirit is bound within.

Now, while Pathfinder is a little vague sometimes on whether the spirits channeled by mediums are their actual souls or merely psychic imprints of a person left behind (general consensus seems to be “it depends”), I figure there are two major ways that one could play up this archetype and their relationship with the spirit.

The first are those that seek to call upon a departed sensei or legendary martial artists throughout history in order to learn from them, literally building their muscle memory by having the spirit go through the motions themselves as well as act as a tutor rather than just letting the spirit do all the work. Theirs in the path of honoring the dead and seeking to preserve the lessons of old.

The other way is more ignoble, with the mediums using the spirit bond as a shortcut to power and mastery. Such relationships feel more like the medium has bound the sifu’s spirit into a cage to tap into when need arises, and they seek to milk as much out of their skill and power as possible without letting the spirit gain control in all but the most desperate situations, knowing full well that the spirit probably dislikes them greatly and may work against their goals.

Either way, we’ll soon see exactly how this power manifests in this take on a “medium but also monk” archetype!

Naturally, as would-be martial artists, these mystics know how to throw a punch. More importantly, their strikes become just as deadly as a monk’s when they channel their spirit.

However, the spirit or spirits they bond with are always of the champion legend, providing various gifts related to martial actions. However, in addition to the traditional locations that these mediums can channel said spirits from, they can also do so from areas that are suitable for meditation or quiet contemplation.

This dedication to only combative spirits does mean that their spiritual surges of guidance are more potent and more numerous before requiring taboos or risking ceding influence.

However, despite their singular focus on a certain type of spirit, sometimes such a location is simply not available. Thankfully, these mediums have a solution for that. Using the strong bond they have with their spirits, they can briefly call them into their body, gaining the benefits of the séance for a few minutes, at the cost of opening their minds to their influence throughout the day, including if they channel them properly later.

Just as they learn to strike like a monk, they also learn to defend like one as well while bonded.

As they grow in mastery, their spirit can grant them various different maneuvers to use as part of their attacks upon bonding, drawn from the list of style strikes available to unchained monks, and they can unleash them especially well when accelerating their attacks with the help of their spirit.

By giving the spirit more influence, they can draw upon their vast stores of ki and one of the applications of it the spirit knew in life, adding one of a variety of special abilities to their arsenal. They can even do so repeatedly to gain even more ki powers, though of course they cede more influence in doing so.

Close to the zenith of their ability, these occult monks can tap into their spirit’s mastery of a single style, gaining not just the basics but every technique associated with it.

This is a pretty fun take on a pseudo-hybrid archetype like this, especially since it even incorporates elements of the unchained version of the monk class, granting a variety of style strikes, ki powers, and even a full on suite of style combat feats at high level. Additionally, the fact that this archetype is focused on one spirit only does mean it’s a rare case where one can build specifically for that spirit and nothing else, allowing for a much more specialized monk than normally is possible. The fact that you can still briefly access those powers if no available séance location is available is a nice touch, if a costly one.

I know I say this for most every entry related to mediums and shamans, but getting an idea for who or what the entity these mediums call upon can be very important. For mediums of the master, just who this master or masters were can be a useful roleplaying tool. Were they someone the character knew in life, or only by reputation. What sort of disposition and styles did they know that would make them an attractive option for such a medium? There’s a big difference between the aged kindly old master and the cruel practitioner of a forbidden technique, for example, and that may come up if the medium dares to go over the limit and be taken over by the spirit.

Twenty years ago, Master Injani left the monastery, never to return. In that time, his last student discovered how to call upon the fallen master with her latent psychic ability, lending her some of his skill and strength. Now, she embarks on a journey to strengthen herself and find allies so that she can fulfill her master’s final mission and avenge his death against the mythical rakshasa who slew him.

Due to political and esoteric maneuvering in the land of Siang, air is no longer considered a proper element, and with that declaration, it has become unfashionable to teach any mystic techniques associated with it. But the element remains, and so a lightning soul sylph named Shea Qin seeks out the name of an old master of djinn style, hoping to channel them and learn this part of her culture and heritage.

Though he is long dead, the wicked monk Tai Yung still continues his plans to rule the nation by proxy if nothing else. After his death, his loyal followers began seeding rumors of those who learned the art of spirit channeling being able to call upon his great power, offering many shortcuts to power that the ghostly martial artist offers, goading fools into taking more and more until he can take over their bodies, enacting as much of his plans as possible in those brief hours where he can walk the earth once more.

[pathfinderunlocked]

Garo Master - CR8 Undead

A boss version of a robed ninja spirit, based on the Zelda enemy of the same name.

Artwork by Ellenent at DeviantArt.

This is a higher level version of the garo robe from Majora’s Mask that I posted earlier this week, designed to be a boss fight.

Although they appear to be humanoids shrouded in long cloaks, garo masters are empty shells with nothing beneath the robe.  Like the garo robes that serve under them, they’re the remnants of warrior spies with a strict code of honor who committed ritual suicide in a way that left no body behind, in order to prevent their enemies from learning the information they had.  Many of these warriors, animated by their own willpower, return as undead and continue to gather information in death, haunting the locations where they were assigned to.

Garo masters lead the warriors that serve under them even in death, following the same chain of command that they followed in life.  They’re not, unfortunately, particularly capable of realizing that their war has long since ended.

Garo masters hide from their enemies, and begin battle by creating a ring of fire, preferably in the surprise round.  Once the ring of fire has been created, they dash quickly in and out of it to attack.

I previously posted the Stalblind and Bongo Bongo, two other Zelda bosses.  I also want to give a shout out to The Legend of Zelda: An RPG to the Past for more Zelda creatures, races and items converted to Pathfinder 1e, including some stat blocks for living Garo that haven’t yet become restless spirits.

Garo Master - CR 8

Shrouded in a long ornamental cloak, two pinpoints of light shine out from behind the mask covering this assassin’s face.  It wields a pair of thin, curved swords that dance with fire.

XP 4,800 LE Medium undead Init +6 Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +6 Dex, +1 shield) hp 85 (10d8+40) plus 15 temp hp Fort +7; Ref +9; Will +10 Immune undead traits Resist fire 10

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft. Melee +1 flaming wakizashi +10/+5 (1d6+7/18-20 plus 1d6 fire) and +1 flaming burst wakizashi +10 (1d6+4/18-20 plus 1d6 fire) or +1 flaming burst wakizashi +14/+9 (1d6+7/18-20 plus 1d6 fire) Special Attacks death throes, rend (2 wakizashi, 1d6+10 plus 1d6 fire), ring of fire, sneak attack 2d6, two-weapon charge

Spell-like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +14)     3/day—false life (self only, already cast)

STATISTICS

Str 14, Dex 22, Con —, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 18 Base Atk +7; CMB +9; CMD 25 Feats Slashing Grace, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Grace, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +15 (+23 to jump), Disguise +8, Climb +11, Perception +16, Sense Motive +10, Stealth +23; Racial Bonuses +8 Acrobatics to jump, +4 Stealth Languages Common, Necril SQ graceful landing, ki points, quick run Gear +1 wakizashi x2, mwk studded leather armor

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Death Throes (Su) When a garo master is slain, its body combusts in a flash of white-hot flame. This acts like a fireball that deals 10d6 fire damage in a 20-foot-radius burst.  A DC 19 Reflex save halves the damage.  A garo master’s gear is unaffected by this explosion.  The save DC is Charisma-based.

Ki Points (Su) A garo master has a pool of 8 ki points per day.  Its ki points can be used to fuel its various special abilities listed below.

Flaming Jutsu (Su) By spending 1 ki point as a swift action, a garo master can imbue up to 2 magic weapons it’s wielding with the flaming property for a duration of 1 minute.  This effect is already included in its statistics ability.

Graceful Landing (Su) As long as a garo master has at least 1 ki point remaining, it is immune to falling damage and always lands on its feet.

Leap Into Nothing (Su) By spending 1 ki point as a move action, a garo master can leap up into the air and disappear, reappearing at a point it can see within its movement speed, and can perform a feint against one target within 10 feet of either its starting point or its destination as a free action.  This is a teleportation effect.

Offensive Defense (Ex) When a garo master hits a creature with a melee attack that deals sneak attack damage, the garo master gains a +2 dodge bonus to AC for one round. The dodge bonus only applies against the creature it sneak attacked, and the dodge bonus does not stack with itself.

Quick Run (Su) By spending 1 ki point as a swift action, a garo master can take another move action on its turn, although its movement speed is halved during this extra move action.

Ring of Fire (Su) By spending 1 ki point as a standard action, a garo master can create a ring of fire along the ground with a radius as small as 10 feet or as wide as 40 feet.  This ring of fire is a vertical sheet of fire that rises from the ground to a height of 20 feet along the edge of the radius.   The ring of fire inhibits visibility, causing attacks that pass through the edge of it to have a 20% miss chance.  The ring of fire must be initially centered such that the garo master is inside the radius, but once it has been placed, the garo master can freely enter and leave the ring of fire.  Creatures and unattended objects other than the garo master that enter or end their turn in the edge of this ring of fire take 10d6 fire damage with no saving throw.

A garo master can only create one ring of fire at a time.  A ring of fire lasts for 1 minute, or until the garo master is destroyed or takes any amount of cold damage.

Two-Weapon Charge (Su) By spending 1 ki point as part of a charge, while wielding a weapon in each hand, a garo master can attack twice at the end of the charge, once with each of its weapons.

[nozomijoestar]

DECLARATION OF STATE

Formally Announcing the Asuka Kazama City State

State Flag:

Explanation of colors and symbols:

Thin light blue stripes for freedom, dark blue stripes for bicycle, medium blue center stripe for courage and authority, cassette in center for the guarded nature of Asuka's heart but she continues turning ie. Existing to serve whatever function she determines for herself, also represents her use of Kazama Style as a keep away defensive offense art much like how Asuka refuses to simply let others be close to her, barn swallow bellow the cassette for free spirit, travel, Asuka's symbolic animal, rising above obstacles- followed by a light green spiral trail representing wind, Asuka's default ki color, and the Kazama Style and Kazama Powers

Government Type: Autocracy

Ruler Title: Peacemaker

Current Ruler: Asuka Kazama

Referral Address for Ruler: Her Excellency

Official Languages: Japanese, French, English

National Color: Blue

National Animal: The Zinogre

National Vehicle: Bicycle

National Bird: Barn Swallow

National Dish: Takoyaki, Bentos consisting of rice rolls tied horizontal by seaweed, folded omelettes, pickled radishes, a cherry tomato, and hot dogs cut to look like cartoon octopuses

Origin Martial Arts: Kazama-Ryu, Street Brawling

National Sport: BMX Racing, Cycle Sports (including competitive jumping off towers on a bicycle), Martial Arts, and felons or delinquents being released into a blocked off section of town streets to be hunted and challenged by participants- whoever knocks out the most criminals/public nuisances wins prize money and medals

Administrative/Capital Center: Kazama House and Dojo

Currency: Cassettes (coinage and bills; Asuka's face is minted on the coins with a barn swallow backing, the bills show Asuka in portrait riding her bike or in her gi for higher values, Zinogre for lowest value bills)

Major Districts: AsuLili Administrative District (known for its Monaco-Japan fusions and the University of Homoeroticism), Cycling District, Martial District, Residence Hills District

Military: Militias trained in Kazama Ryu and offense focused cycling (forever at war with the Martial Kingdom of Feng Wei and the State of Jin Kazama, tenuous peace with the Lili Nation, allies with the Ling Nation, Republic of King, and Leo Federation as well as the Alisa Micro-Republic, Neutral to Jun Kazama Province and potential ally with the Kazuya Sneaker Empire)

Education: Preschool through University with High School and University being optional higher education that is free and government subsidized

Major Exports: Bicycles, Martial Arts Equipment, Octopus, Rice, Theorems and Treatises on Homosexuality

Transportation: Centered around buses, trains, bicycles, and walk friendly streets- no cars, motorcycles restricted

Legal Drinking Age and Age of Majority: 18

Public Security System: Vigilantism legal and case validity assessed by mediators

---

This post allied with the Kaz Nation and Jun Kazama Province @scalproie / @kazamajun

[asystemerror]

📝Share a snippet of an unposted WIP, with or without context.

Here's a writing one I did for class a while back! It was meant to be a backstory/flashback for one of my characters in a story my friend and I are writing called, Desiderium!

Neil is essentially a spirit medium who's been born with the ability to see ghosts due to a "family curse". Because of this, he's picked up a fair share of curious ghouls over the years. Mrs. Adlehorn included haha. I was hoping with this short story I could make her less of an antagonistic character as she is now in the story and more of one who simply lets her emotions get the better of her when protecting people she cares about.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

If Mrs. Adlehorn could say anything about the afterlife, it was that it slowly got duller and duller as the years went on. Her poor house had slowly become empty over the years as fewer people became interested in living in a house like hers. It was ironically fitting, she supposed. The liveliness of her life had seemed to slowly fade as time passed and her memory had slowly faded from the public's mind. She had a sense this would happen, of course, yet seeing time pass without her still felt strange and off putting. Like something she'd hear on a late-night radio show than her actual current experience. 

She tried not to think too much about it, it served her nothing but worry after all. However, it was hard as her mind and soul drifted aimlessly around her house. She spared only quick glances towards the all too familiar rooms of the house, occasionally taking note of a new spiderweb or dust that was plaguing one of the many disregarded pieces of furniture. Those were normal occurrences around the house. What wasn't was the creaking footsteps that came from her parlor.

It seemed that she had a visitor of sorts, a young lad who had wandered into the house for whatever reason. Mrs. Adlehorn had never been good at guessing ages, but from his general appearance, she'd guess he was maybe 10 or so. Perhaps coming here was a dare among school friends? Youth exploring abandoned places? Whatever the reason the visitors seemed to leave as quickly as they came, often freaked out by the eerie quiet of the house. Yet, she couldn't sense any trace of discomfort from this child. In fact, If she didn't know better, she'd say they were looking directly at her.

"Hello, Miss."

She jumped at that. As a ghost, she usually wasn't able to be seen - let alone addressed by most people. She glanced around, double-checking that the child was, in fact, addressing her. When the empty room confirmed this, she gave an answer. "Hello there. Who might you be?"

"My name is Neil." They answered. "I came here because people kept telling me about a ghost that's seen in the upstairs window. I wanted to see if the stories about it were true."

"Oh? Are you satisfied with what you've found so far?" She questioned, curious about how aware the lad was of his 6th sense.

"I think so... I didn't expect to find anything if I'm being honest." He muttered. "Ghost stories are usually made to scare younger kids. I didn't think anyone was actually going to be in here...If that makes sense."

"What do you think you're going to do now?" She asked, accepting the explanation from the child for now. She didn't necessarily expect any huge revelations from the child. It was, however, slightly humorous how shocked they were at seeing a ghost. She would have guessed he'd seen at least one other spirit before herself, even if just at a quick glance.

"I think I maybe want to try to figure out why there are so many ghost stories around this place." He said, still sounding unsure in his own statements. "Surely there's a reason right? Now I'm thinking it can't all be stuff to scare little kids if you're here."

"That's correct. What a smart child you are." Mrs. Adlehorn said miming a small pat on the lad's head. "However, I'm not sure you're old enough to hear that story yet. Perhaps another day?" Or when the poor kid was older. She didn't think it was appropriate to explain what exactly happened in the building quite yet.

[alotsgonnachange]

Ki Bio:

Name: Kiyoung Kim

DOB: February 27th / Pisces

Gender: Nonbinary

Pronouns: He/They

Height: 5’8

Sexuality: Gay

Favorite food: Kimchi jjigae and Yeongeun Jorim, any alcoholic drink where you can’t taste the alcohol

Magical Specialties: Medium (communication with spirits and ghosts)

Familiar: A tiny white dragon named Egg

MBTI: INFP-T

Patron Arcana: The Moon

Ethnicity: Small nation very far from Vesuvia that is very cold most of the year reminiscent of Korea

Family: A twin sister named Jiyoung, 3 older sisters, mother, father, paternal grandfather, maternal grandmother, 2 nieces

Occupation: Court Musician - Guitar and Piano primarily. likes ensemble more than solo. Great singer but veeery shy.

Hobbies: playing guitar, composing, reading, shopping

Love Interest: Asra

Personality

Kiyoung is a perceptive and witty magician. To most he comes off as a bit anxious and shy, which he is. Once you get past that, he’s eager, forthcoming and empathetic. He is very kind and likes to believe people have good intentions. He enjoys music and learning musical instruments. He prefers to work more in the background so as to not draw attention to himself. With his friends, he’s actually very talkative, silly and goofy. He’s prone to anxiety and may tense up or feel attacked when put into frightening situations. Prone to self sabotage and low self esteem at his worst.

Magic detail:

Ki specializes in psychic magic - largely in that he is able to communicate with spirits and the dead. This is a hereditary trait that causes him quite a bit of anxiety, but once he’s old enough it’s manageable. These experiences often manifest as having a conversation with someone and then turning around and suddenly they’re gone, horrid headaches going near cemeteries, and sometimes being able to tell when someone’s death is imminent, or if they have recently experienced loss. Doesn’t enjoy being a practicing medium (intentionally contacting spirits of the deceased) but will do it in extreme circumstances.

Height and Appearance:

Ki is about 5’9. He is just a bit tan with freckles over his cheeks. He has dark brown eyes and hooded lids. He has a strong jawline. His ears have several piercings (4 on the right, 3 on the left). He has a septum piercing and a nostril ring. The septum is a closed ring and all jewelry is silver except the lobes which can vary. He is very lean but has a small amount of musculature. He has silver nipple piercings as well but few people know about that. His hair can vary, when its long he might tie it in a messy bun in the back. he might do an undercut and keep the top long. those are the most likely variations. he has bangs that are usually at least a bit in his face.

Very modest and tends to be fully covered. Prefers baggy dark colored and layered outfits. Generally wearing pants, either loose and comfortable (sometimes overalls) or formal. Will sometimes wear a straw hat if he has a bad hair day. Do not expect colors other than black and tan and dark blues.

Abridged Backstory:

Kiyoung Kim was born to a large family of Nobility in his home country. With 3 elder sisters and a twin sister, all of whom were immensely talented and raised in a high expectation household, it was not easy to be the youngest (he’s a twin but he came out last so they treated him like a baby). He developed anxiety from a young age which didn’t help when he was obligated to learn many arts and trades in order to be a well rounded nobleman in his country. Raised in a chaotic family dynamic with his sisters fighting his parents or each other, he was still very loved and cared for. At a certain age each of his siblings would spend a few years in a finishing school before truly entering adulthood, but he suffered with the expectations and didn’t do well. He never felt like he was good at many things despite excelling at music, but when two of his sisters were already world renowned performers, he felt inadequate in their shadows.

He was always closest to Jiyoung, his twin sister, with whom he shares a tight bond. When they were young they were gifted with their familiars, 2 tiny dragons, one white and one black. Ironically the white one went to Kiyoung and the Black to Jiyoung (despite black being Ki’s favorite color). They did not hatch from their eggs for several years, having been an exceedingly rare and unstudied breed. Once they did, Kiyoung would have a hyperactive but loyal tiny white dragon named Egg who would often curl into a ball or hide in his shirt.

He spent barely a year living out the life of nobility he was destined for before he decided he hated it and told his parents he wanted to travel far away from his country and explore the world and bring back information from cultures they were unfamiliar with. He grew up extremely isolated and wanted to take a leap of faith and escape his responsibilities and randomly found Vesuvia on an old map, deciding to start a new life with no expectations.

As a Friend: Surprisingly talkative and bubbly and takes great interest in their friends’ activities and interests. Inquisitive and curious during conversations, especially if speaking to a friend with a different background. Supportive and also there to provide a good laugh from time to time. Definitely needs friends that can push them out of their comfort zone but also can make them feel comfortable due to their anxiety. Goes really well with people who also like quiet activities and tend to be more introverted.

As a Lover: Classic water sign placement behavior. In the honeymoon stage they are quite clingy - very physically affectionate. He loves hooking arms together in public and walking around and shopping. He’s just really easily excitable and silly in a relationship - starts forgetting to tie his shoes or locking doors … down bad. Very complimentary towards lovers as well. Likes people who have a calm or mysterious demeanor. Their ideal partner is probably a fictional vampire who dresses crazy and wants to drink their blood…but that’s neither here nor there! But definitely attracted to musical types or people who are unique/quirky.

Sexually likes to take things slow. Pretty much submissive all the way around and down to try a lot. Is fine with a more or less experienced partner and is perfectly happy with either someone who’s more vanilla and with someone who is Very Kinky. Please order them around. Also like people who have really sexy voices as a bonus.

[thepitofjob]

Job 19: 23-27. "Mature Content."

The final process of a Gemara, a religious argument, is what is called Da'at, or understanding. For there to be Da'at, one must have evidence. Discussions, no matter how frequent or fervent about puffy clouds and love in the air and life over there are not sufficient to quality as a Gemara as there is no Da'at.

When the Laws were given to Moses, God used His Finger to write them in two plates of sapphire, the national color.

From Ki Tessa:

18 When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

This is the foundation for concept of Gemara named below and its giving over to the people by Moses to define their limitations was to lead to the Da'at.

In Egypt, Moses and Aaron argued with Pharaoh why the Israelites needed to be free, and provided the basis. This along with the Ten Plagues was the Mishnah. The Gemara came down mountain. Freedom is contained within obeisance to certain laws. There is evidence of this.

God told the people they were to free themselves and observe the Shabbos. Immediately after that, Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh, "we wish to be free."

But Pharaoh said "oh you do, do you???"

Exodus 7:1-2

The Lord told Moses to make Aaron his prophet and tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. 

Exodus 5:1

Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh, "Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness". 

Moses and Aaron performed wonders before Pharaoh, but Pharaoh's heart remained hard and he did not let the Israelites go. 

The Israelites were then let go, but they were not free. The law is gurantee needed to prove one is free, AKA it is the evidence of liberation.

The kind of liberation one pursues in the Shule through the creation of Gemara follows the example in Ki Tessa, they are written in the mind on and brought down, all the way down, to the iron tool of lead.

Job worries he will not see God in himself, and doesn't want to be told about evidence of God on the exterior by someone else. Gemara is the only way to know the Spirit of God on one's own.

We read the Gemara of course to learn how to do it and understand the Mishnah, but Gemara is always done by oneself no matter how many others exist:

23 “Oh, that my words were recorded,     that they were written on a scroll, 24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on[b] lead,     or engraved in rock forever! 25 I know that my redeemer[c] lives,     and that in the end he will stand on the earth.[d] 26 And after my skin has been destroyed,     yet[e] in[f] my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him     with my own eyes—I, and not another.     How my heart yearns within me!

In spite of itself, the above seems to be a psalm of love which pines away after some unknown or more than likely, an unavalable anal invader. Religion is not going to help, try flowers and a box of candy first.

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 23-24: Oh that my words were engraved in rock! Promises are not good enough. The product of the Shule is Shabbat, a life of ease. Promises are made to be broken, but an ethical man needn't make any, as he has no troubles at all bearing the trust of others.

The Number is 11965, יא‎טוה‎‎ ‎"It will be ironed."

Iron is common. A man must be able to mine the iron within himself and using the heat of Hor, make himself useful. If he wants to go so far as to be pure, he must forge himself out of gold.

God wrote the Decrees on sapphire because that is the only medium in which He can work. Sapphire blue is the infinite expanse of the blue sky which is apparent during the day, when the lights are one.

Otherwise, man's work is done by shaping his internal iron, using his willpower. A good Gemara will emphasize the connection between the iron will needed between the groin and the anus, and a clear head in the carrying out of the laws of God and man.

v. 25-26: I know my redeemer will stand on the earth. Do not let Christian horseshit infect these words. God is not going to send a wayward mankind a man in a white bathrobe to "redeem us". That is ridiculous. Redemption is the product of a complete reoutfitting of one's behavior.

The ego pig will struggle at the very sound of this because we think we can't have fun anymore once we grow up but that is the reason God created Shabbos and Shabbat. All arguments in Judaism must point out what is called "coiled driving power" by the Upanishads can be sprung, just not in an unethical way.

The Number is 8700, ףין, "My mouth is my penis."

To suggest the world automatically becomes a better place once we become conversant in the handling of the penis is naive. Nor is it groundbreaking to compare the power of speech to the creative power of God, or how it stands up and waves the boys adieu, goodbye. So we will fast track to the fact we are discussing Job, the manhole, the womb where the princes of Israel are made. This text is a foundry intended not to create redemption for the self so much as to found a generation of Jewish princes (and princesses) that will leave the Shule, enter the real world and turn the tide that is threatening to wash it away.

There is the expectation in tandem with this of a brand of sexuality that is exciting, interesting, and thrilling to the public but one that is not scandalous or filthy. The world needs this if it is to understand and embrace Shabbos and Shabbat and accept the yoke of the Mashiach.

v. 27: How my heart yearns.

Observe how I addressed the problems teenagers (and many adults) experience with the party in their pants, paved a way through obeisance to the rules and the law, and concluded society has a need to embrace an ethical, well informed adult entertainment medium that brings happiness rather than grief, and it is possible to do it.

The passage concludes: "I want to see it." Well, so you should!

The Number is 8420, ףד‎ך, "by you."

The world has become all too willing to stop in its tracks because of matters pertaining to human sexuality. The Jewish people long since have been fighting this. Every Jewish person who finds a tasteful way to express his or her attractions and tell a humorous story about their adventures brings light into a world that is rapidly descending into darkness.

The end of oppression related to matters of sex is an important horizon the human race must cross it is the one that is holding us back from giving our undivided attention to the rest. All Princes and Princesses of Israel are expected to carry this torch.

[mediamixs]

The Truth Behind Strange Energies and Psychic Abilities

Communications from spirit Guides and ghosts is somewhat of a mystery to most of us, but yet there are those who say they can openly communicate with other-worldly beings they call Guides and ghosts.

There are a variety of ways in which a Guide or a departed spirit can communicate with a medium or psychic. Often these communications are through what is called the “clair senses.”

Clair senses is a collective word, meaning that the Guides’ communication can utilize any of the following types of psychic sensitivity which co-mingles the physical body’s normal five senses.

The five sense and the clair sense involved are:

Clairaudience

Clairaudience are perceive sounds (or words) that a person can actually hear when, in fact, no one is speaking and nothing physical is causing the sounds. The sounds are thought to be impressions that register themselves on the spirillae of the ear’s pineal gland. It is believed that clairaudience sounds go through the same process that normal hearing does, passing through the Third Eye chakra of the head.

Clairsavorance

Clairsavorance is translated as clear tasting. The person experiences tastes in the mouth without putting anything physical actually in the mouth.

Clairscient

Clairscient means to smell a fragrance or odor of a substance which is not physical in nature. For example, you might smell cigarette smoke when you are in a place where it is certain no one is smoking or has smoked.

Clairsentience

Clairsentience allows a psychic to perceive information as a feeling within the whole body without any other stimuli related to this feeling or information, which comes from within the body, down the kundalini to the stomach area or solar plexus. The stomach area is one of the strongest communication centers that Guides frequently use to communicate.

Clairvoyance

Clairvoyance means to see into an ethereal dimension without using physical eyes. Some describe it as reaching into another vibration frequency and visually perceive “within the head” something like moving pictures. The third eye area of the forehead is one of the other strongest communication centers that Guides frequently use to communicate.

In his historic writings of “Psychic Science,” Sir Oliver Lodge spoke about what he called “clairvoyance or lucidity” and raised the older concepts that were coined as “reading with the pit of the stomach.” According to Lodge, using the stomach or belly area as the channel for psychic communications was an established practice.

That is an interesting observation when you look more globally at the ancient’s beliefs about the belly. The Chinese called this belly chakra the “chi point,” while the Japanese termed it the “hara” or “ki point.” As the body’s balancing chakra, this area is located one and a half inches below the navel and one and a half inches inward toward the spine. It is the “energy” that the body generates, some call it a power-center.

Whenever there are ghosts around the author Jane Doherty, she has an amazing physical reaction to them. The reaction Jane has is that her stomach area actually enlarges by as much as six inches around within seconds. And, Jane tells us that it is extremely painful to her when this happens. If you watch Jane while her stomach expansion is happening, you are going to hear her moaning and see her wincing and trust me, it is not dramatics Jane is in definite pain.

With regards to her expanding tummy, Jane says, It feels like a contraction when a woman is in labor, but it doesn’t ever release me until the spirit leaves. Instead, the stomach expands as if I was nine months pregnant. Jane actually describes it as very intense muscle cramps, where her stomach is physically gripped by the ghost, and if you watch, the belly will actually lift up. Jane continues, Often I can tell by the grip whether it is a female, male or child spirit. It first happened to me in 1990, when I investigated my first haunted house with a researcher.

Psychic Jane Doherty has this psychic belly experience as she applies her clairsentience skills, but interestingly enough the phenomena only happens when a ghost is present and not when a Guide is present. You can learn more about Jane Doherty’s psychic abilities in her book “Awakening the Mystic Gift: The Surprising Truth About What It Means to Be Psychic,” which chronicles Jane’s own psychic awakening and what it truly means to be psychic.

Doreen Virtue, author of “Clairaudience: Hearing Your Angels’ Messages,” says that clairsentients get divine guidance through bodily sensations, such as a tightening of the jaw, fists, stomach or sex organs, and that they intuitively know the specific meaning of these tightening reactions. She further adds that clairsentients receive angelic guidance through an etheric sense of smell, taste, and touch.

Renowned medium John Holland says pointedly that the hot spot for clairsentients is the stomach.

Clearly the “belly energies” and “psychic abilities” are intrinsically related as a compliment that helps allow mediums to communicate with Guides, ghosts and other-worldly beings. The stomach area is indeed one of the strongest communication centers frequently use to communicate with that which has no physical form.

[khudkikalam01]

Festival Shayari in Hindi: A Celebration of Joy

Festivals are the essence of our cultural and emotional life. Whether it’s Holi, Diwali, Eid, or Raksha Bandhan, each festival brings a unique blend of joy, love, and togetherness. Festivals shayari in hindi, with its lyrical beauty, enhances the charm of these occasions, helping us express our deepest emotions. Let's dive into some heartwarming Shayari that captures the spirit of these festivals.

As soon as the festive season arrives, a new enthusiasm awakens in the hearts. Everyone wants to celebrate these special moments in their own way. Some add sweetness to their relationships with sweets, while others enhance the festival with colorful clothes. But when it comes to the emotions of the heart, there is no better medium than Shayari.

Shayari, which conveys every feeling into words and reaches our hearts, becomes even more special on the occasion of festivals. It not only expresses the joy of the festival, but also strengthens our relationships. Come, let's see some of the best Shayari, which makes every festival even more special.

Festival Shayari: From Heart to Heart

Festivals shayari in hindi is not just words, but a feeling that connects our hearts with our loved ones. When we express our feelings through Shayari on these special occasions, that moment becomes even more memorable. Be it the colors of Holi, the lamps of Diwali, the Rakhi of Rakshabandhan or the sweetness of Eid, Shayari adds to the joy of every festival.

You too can make your festival even more special through these beautiful Shayari. Put your feelings into words and make these moments memorable.

Magic of words

Poetry on festivals is not just a tradition, but a medium through which we can express our heart. Read it, share it, and double the joy of festivals.

Expressing Emotions Through Words

When these poetic expressions touch your heart during festivals shayari in hindi, they make the moments even more unforgettable. Through your own creativity, you can share the joy of festivals with your loved ones. If you enjoyed these Shayaris, feel free to share them and stay connected with us on this poetic journey.

At "Khud Ki Kalam," we welcome your contributions as well. If you have your own Shayari that you'd like to share, we would love to feature it.

[writerleo86]

Terravenger Season 6 - The Twilight Arc - Episode 519 (Do Not COPY) - 02.23.2024

During the year of 1958, the officer named Thomas Faust sat on a chair which was by the right side of his ailing wife as he had worn his gray uniform.

He told the right hand of Amber using both hands as a worried Thomas looked down at her as she laid in her bed at an old hospital.

The tired Amber informed her loving husband "The doctor says that there is nothing he can do for me. It is now in the hands of the Lord."

"There must be something they can do," implied Thomas in his German accent. "There must be a droge you have not tried."

The peaceful Amber laid her head on her pillow and told him "The doctor only said to make myself as comfortable as possible."

A few minutes later, the weakened Amber turned her head to the left side as her eyes slowly closed.

"Frauchen?" cried Thomas.

His hands remained on the right hand of his beloved wife until he heard a male voice reported "She has wavered."

Suddenly, Thomas turned his head and spotted someone standing before him.

This was a young man with light skin, a well-built body, and short brown hair slanting to his left side. And his right eye was colored blue while the left one was yellow. He wore a black-lined meshed shirt along with an outfit consisting of a white vest on the right side that had a long blue sleeve covering that arm. The other side was a camouflage coat which was worn by a soldier from the United States Army. He also had on a pair of baggy white pants with a thick black belt wrapped around the waist. And he wore a pair of long black combat-boots.

The man responded "The girl has finally passed on. Now it is only the dead that can judge her."

Thomas yelled "Wie kannst du es wagen?"

The grieving man completely turned around and cried "How dare you! You do not belong her, Fiemde! Leave us at once!"

"But it is the truth," The man informed him. "Your beloved has now joined the spirits in the Afterlife."

The distraught Thomas tried to attack using his Right Fist. But the stranger appeared behind him. He soon placed his left hand into Thomas's back as if it was a hologram.

Thomas yelled in pain "Was zum Teufel?"

A blue light shined from them until the mysterious man slowly took out his hand from his opponent's back.

Then a weakened Thomas fell to his knees as he cried "Was ist das?"

As Thomas laid his hands on the ground, the crafty stranger stood behind while he held a medium ball of blue light with his left hand.

The stranger asked "Perhaps you are a lot calmer now?"

The ailing Thomas asked "What did you do to me?"

"I have only taken a large amount of your ki," answered the man. "You are no longer able to move for a while."

The ball of light vanished from the man's hand as Thomas asked "Who are you?"

And the stranger introduced himself.

"You can call me Lua. I am one of those who serve Him -- the Bearer of Light."

Terravenger -- Season 6

Episode 519:  Thomas Leon Faust

"Der trager des Lichts?" questioned Thomas. "You say you serve He Who Brings Chaos to Those Deserving?"

"Indeed," answered Lua. "He has asked me to bring you to him."

Thomas slowly lowered his head and asked "And what does der trager des Lichts want with me?"

Lua gave a soft smile as he placed his right hand on his waist.

And he told the soldier "He only wishes to have a word with you."

"But for what reason?" cried Thomas. "I have nothing of value for him!"

"Maybe he has something..." implied Lua. "...that can help you to reunite with your beloved one. Something which can make her whole again."

"Was meinen Sie?" questioned Thomas. "You claim that He wants to reunite me with my love?"

"He may," implied Lua. "You never know. You may be able to feel the touch from your dear wife by the end of the night."

Thomas soon thought to himself as Lua claimed "Your wife is probably the only thing that brings value to your life."

The soldier continued to think as Lua asked "What do you have to lose once you hear what my master has to offer?"

The grieving husband finally lifted his head and responded "Sehr gut. I will do one last thing for Meine Frau."

Inside a dark room, the mysterious Lua presented the eager guest Thomas.

A deep male voice said "Thomas Leon Faust. It is time that you and I had met."

The soldier Thomas stared forward as the voice continued.

"Yes... I know who you are. I know everything about you. I also know that you would do anything to bring the person you loved back into this world."

"I was told..." Thomas implied. "...that you may have a way to return Meine Frau to the world of die Lebendon."

"I may, yes," The voice told him. "But at a high price, I may be able to bring Amber Faust back among the living."

"Then..." Thomas cried. "Are you able to release Meine Frau from the world of das Jenseits?"

"Yes," The voice answered. "However, there is but one price that must be paid. And you are the one that must pay... within my terms of course."

"Irgend was!" Thomas begged. "I will do anything! I will do anything if it helps Meine Frau!"

Then the voice told him "The price that must be paid is to serve me. You will serve me as one of my loyal disciples. Then when the time comes, I will release your wife from the Afterlife."

"Think of it," Lua told Thomas. "You will have power that is unlimited and a mystery to those with a one-tracked mind."

Thomas lowered his head and thought for a moment. After that, he lifted his head and faced the unseen being.

"Sehr gut!" Thomas answered. "I shall be with you. You will have my soul and my body for as long as you choose. I shall be one of deine Diener."

Suddenly, his clothing glowed a bright green light and changed.

After the light faded, Thomas had worn a black robe with long maroon sleeves and a white collar around his neck. He also had on a pair of black boots and black gloves. And a large clear gem was placed on the left side of his chest.

Thomas looked at his new outfit and the male voice replied "You shall do every bidding I ask. You shall perform every task with greatness. If you obey my terms, I shall bring your wife back from the Dead into the world of the Living."

And Thomas looked up at the being as his eyes changed from brown to a clear green.

Thomas finally gave out a wicked smile and said in an English accent "I shall be yours to command. Yours and yours alone..."

Something soon appeared at the left eye of the enslaved Thomas. It was a beastly figure with long white hair, a pointy beard and two large horns on the top of his head. And the being had shining green eyes with black pupils.

The being announced "I now appoint you -- Thomas Leon Faust -- as one of my faithful disciples. You will serve as my eyes and my ears as you return to the land of the living."

"Yes," said Thomas. "I shall make you proud, my master... My great lord... My bringer of light... Mephistopheles!"

A few weeks later, Thomas had followed the smiling Lua through a long hallway with lit candles held at the top of the walls.

Thomas now wore a sleeveless black shirt, baggy black pants with a thick black belt, and short black boots. And he had on an opened black coat that fell to his ankles.

The pair soon met with two more people who walked from the other side.

The person standing at the right side was the pleasant man called Goran. He appeared as a young man with fair skin and cold purple eyes. He had a well-built body and a strong face. And he had short dark-brown hair that was combed back. He had on a buttoned black shirt with a fine collar and a pair of long sleeves. He also wore a pair of black dress-pants, black socks, and brown dress-shoes. And he wore an opened black coat that lowered to his knees.

The other who was at the other side was a slender young woman with purple eyes, purple skin, and long dirty-blond hair that lowered from her shoulders. She wore a long-sleeved pale-brown shirt along with a pair of tight black pants and short black boots. And she didn't wear any type of makeup.

Goran stared at Lua with a playful smile and implied "Ah, if it isn't the Moon Hermit making his rounds."

He spotted the newcomer standing by Lua's left side and added "And it appears he has brought in a new soldier."

Lua shook his head and asked "How did you know this man came from the military?"

The calm Goran gave a short laugh and responded "I can tell by a certain scent they have. That, and you always bring in those from any sort of military background."

Then he asked the newcomer "What military tribe do you hail from?"

And Lua informed the gentleman "This is Thomas Leon Faust from the German military."

Thomas soon told the man "Lord Mephistopheles has christened me with the name Aker."

"Aker huh?" repeated Lua.

Goran shook his head with a soft smile and said "Lua, you remember my student."

Lua faced the quiet girl and answered "Indeed. The master calls her Alexia... Alexia Palatinate. She was rumored to come from somewhere deep in Space."

Alexia lowered her head as Thomas now named Aker shook his head.

During the year 1960, two men stood behind tell platforms and gave out their speeches in front of many citizens that remained outside of the large stage.

Standing behind the citizens was a slender young woman with peach skin, clear purple eyes, and long dirty-blond hair. She wore only a short white gown with long sleeves, white leggings, and black slippers.

The woman continued to watch for the campaign which was between two candidates for the presidential position for the United States.

An hour later, she walked toward an empty forest as her arms were folded in front of her.

She suddenly heard a calm male voice imply "You have transported yourself here?"

The woman quickly turned around and spotted another person walking toward her from a large purple cloud which faded away.

The person appeared as the former soldier from Germany called Aker. He had long dark hall with a full beard and mustache. And he had on black eyeliner. He wore a sleeveless black shirt with light-purple at the bottom. He had on tight black jeans with a thick black belt, long and fingerless light-purple gloves, and long black boots. He also had a necklace with a circular silver pendant which lowered from the center. And he wore an opened black coat that lowered to his ankles.

Aker wrapped his right arm around his front as his left backhand was on the bottom of his chin.

He soon gave a wicked smile and responded in an English accent "Why not you reveal yourself? There is no one here to see."

First, the worried woman waved her right hand over her face twice. The color of her skin had changed from peach to purple as the top of her ears grew longer.

"I finally found you," replied Aker. "You truly believe you can hide from our great lord? You may have cloaked yourself. You may have also transported to another year. But you should have known that our master would find you, Alexia Palatinate."

The woman now revealed as Alexia asked in a childish voice "So He has sent a lowly agent after me?"

Aker informed her "He had sent others to retrieve you. But I... I only decided to investigate further."

And Alexia said "I see."

Then Aker commented "You were not easy to find after all. I searched through every planet, and every system. Then I decided to look through every timeline until I finally found you. You made quite a home in the years when Dwight Eisenhower was the president of the United States."

"So?" asked Alexia. "What will you do? Capture me? Will you bring me back to his court?"

Aker leaned his head to the right side and claimed "You know, I have not decided what I would do if I were to see you again."

Alexia shook her head and questioned "You enjoy chasing after me, don't you?"

Aker gave a soft chuckle and implied "This is a pass time I suppose."

Alexia lowered her head and told him "We have known each other nearly three decades. And I have not known your true goal -- your endgame."

"Uh?" reacted Leo.

And Alexia implied "I have foresaw your future after we have spent time with one another the first time. I have seen you and two others confronting Him."

"Him?" asked the startled Aker.

"Your one and only master," answered Alexia.

After thinking for a few minutes, the wicked Aker spread his left arm out as his right wrist remained before him.

He soon took a gentle bow and told the woman "You can just call me Leo. Yes. Leo... Leo is my name. I am nothing but what you say."

He rose his head as he gave a sinister smile.

And Aker answered "I am a lowly servant that wishes to please his master."

[despairs-heaven]

"Or... maybe someone with spiritual power is just needed?"

"Really? Other than Izaya and Togo, no one in the club has that."

"I'm unsure.... I've heard if you just try to make the charm yourself you won't be able to succeed with the ritual."

"All this fuss about how the charms got from place to place... Do you really have the time to be contemplating that? That won't matter when you die here anyway."

Ace was startled by the sudden appearance of Naho behind him when he quickly flashed around to look at her. "W-who the hell are you!?"

"Me? Oh... Just a paranormal investigator is all." Something about her eyes didn't quite feel... right.

[gh0stlymoth]

V1 jmart for the kis meme 🥺👉👈?

[ID: Digital drawing of Jon and Martin. They are standing together in a rainy, foggy place. Jon has his right hand on Martin's face, cupping it and is looking at him with a pleading expression, mouth open, saying something. Martin has his head turned so that his face isn't visible, and he stands with a bit of a slumped posture. Fog is swirling around them, and in some places, Martin himself is becoming the fog, his body seemingly starting to fade. Jon is a slim british indian person with dark medium brown skin, long wavy hair and scars across their face and hands. He is wearing a no-descript jumper and an acering on his right hand. Martin a fat british polish man with pale skin and short white curly hair. He is wearing a pink dress shirt and a dark blue sweater vest. The background is an icy blue with a fog like texture. End ID]

Lost in the fog.

Also because this is not really in the spirit of the drawing prompts (aka this is not a kiss lol), have a bonus sketch~

[ID: very sketchy drawing of Jon and martin kissing, surrounded by fog swirling around them. Jon is holding Martins face with his right hand. End ID]

[girlcalledwhatsername]

Bollywood Films Based on Shakespeare's Plays

(that I can think of off the top of my head)

((because I'm bored and procrastinating))

(((also my thoughts)))

1) Maqbool (2003) - based on Macbeth

Possibly the best adaptation I've watched of anything in general. The translation into a different culture plus a modern time is seamless. Newer technology is incorporated into the plot devices, prophecies rewritten to be appropriate to the culture and context plus the "witches" are easily believably a part of the story instead of some highly mystical supernatural forces. The kingdom at stake this time is the underworld that was quite active and famously involved with Bollywood itself at the time, brilliant actors in all the roles, and the whole 'Lady Macbeth's children' thing is also leaned into quite well. 10/10 would recommend.

2) Omkara (2006) - based on Othello

From the same direction, Vishal Bhardwaj. Another amazing adaptation, a lot of the foreshadowing and metaphors are expressed through songs, a staple move for Bollywood so it also adapts well into its medium. Banger performance by Saif Ali Khan as Langda Tyagi (Iago). The ending is changed a wee bit as well, but it's highly significant in how it re-attributes agency that has been taken away from female characters in the original texts quite often. In this adaptation the matters revolve around a local election and the politics at play in the village. The cultural setting is made use of here as well characters are given well rounded personalities and motives that gives a new life to the play honestly. 10/10 because I'm such an easy person to please, I genuinely enjoyed this film.

3) Haider (2014) - based on Hamlet

Another one from Bharadwaj, I swear I'll move on to other stuff after this. "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" - I think one of the most important aspect of this adaptation was choosing a setting where the city can be its own character the way Denmark is in the original. In this case, the setting is Kashmir, a valley that has had a bloody and contentious existence. Politically, it is a coveted piece of land where India and Pakistan have both laid their claims. This has led to continuous exploitation, army rule through a special act that allows civil liberties to be done away with and all mistreatment swept under a rug, and Kashmir becoming a battleground where the residents bear the brunt of these political battles. The issue of Kashmir is quite complex, that doesn't even begin to cover it, I will leave that alone for now. Haider is a resident of this valley and his father, a doctor, went missing with no news of him whatsoever. Instead of the ghost of his father he is visited by his father's cell mate, nicknamed Rooh (Spirit) who guides him on how to uncover this plot of people going missing with no news. The film follows the oppression in Kashmir through the lens of Haider while he slowly descends into madness. Ophelia (Arshia) is a journalist, and the play-within-a-play is conducted making use of local theatrical traditions. Great film, definitely worth a watch.

4) Qayamat se Qayamat Tak (tr. From doomsday to doomsday) (1988) - based on Romeo and Juliet (kinda)

The star-crossed lovers story is technically not exclusive to Romeo Juliet. There are quite a few local stories that take the same form too, and it can be seen as a trope rather than a proper adaptation. However, it is credited with a revival of the Bollywood romance film, and is quite an important movie for the genre in that sense. 7/10 idk, personal biases about romance, it's nice though.

5) Goliyon ki raasleela: RamLeela (tr. A Dance of Bullets: RamLeela) (2013) - based on Romeo and Juliet

Talking of Romeo Juliet, this one actually does follow the play as an adaptation. It is set in a fictional village, and the lovers belong to two factions who are engaged in an on-going conflict. Though the film is generally not regarded as a good one, i think it does an okay job of putting the story in a modern context and also uses festivals and cultural omens to tell the story. 5/10 it's not that great

6) Angoor (tr. Grape) (1982) - based on Comedy of Errors

This is a FUN film, hell yeah. Maybe I just have a bias towards comedies, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Makes use of a bunch of running gags, takes common problems of the average Indian household to create comical errors, chock-full of shenanigans. 9/10 I promise it's fun

7) Dil Chahta Hai (tr. The Heart Wants-) (2001) - based on Much Ado About Nothing

This is as such a story about three friends but it's also about three parallel love stories. This is quite a landmark film in Bollywood because of all the taboos it broke through and for being an important bildungsroman film about friendship and familial relations too. There is your Benedict-Beatrice battle of wits eventually turning into a love story. There is also the story of a womaniser who thinks that people talking about what it's like to be in love are exaggerating or outright lying until he falls in love himself. The most controversial part of the film, however, is the third romance, which has a massive age gap between the third friend and his elderly muse. The two connect with each other through common interests, and the friends have a falling out over the relationship. They come together eventually, each having matured in different ways and with a more freeing understanding of human relationships of all kinds. 9/10 definitely watch this one.

Okay that's all I got for now, have fun ✌🏻

[pathfinderunlocked]

Garo Robe - CR3 Undead

A robed ninja spirit, based on the Zelda enemy of the same name.

Artwork is official art from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, copyright Nintendo.

Although they appear to be humanoids shrouded in long cloaks, garo robes are empty shells with nothing beneath the robe.  They’re the remnants of warrior spies with a strict code of honor who committed ritual suicide in a way that left no body behind, in order to prevent their enemies from learning the information they had.  Many of these warriors, animated by their own willpower, return as undead and continue to gather information in death, haunting the locations where they were assigned to.

Garo robes are capable of working in groups and even following the same chain of command that they followed in life.  They’re not, unfortunately, particularly capable of realizing that their war has long since ended.

Garo robes hide from their enemies, and begin battle by creating a ring of fire in the surprise round.  Once the ring of fire has been created, they dash quickly in and out of it to attack.

I previously posted the Stalblind and Bongo Bongo, two bosses from Legend of Zelda.  I also want to give a shout out to The Legend of Zelda: An RPG to the Past for more Zelda creatures, races and items converted to Pathfinder 1e, including some stat blocks for living Garo that haven’t yet become restless spirits.

Garo Robe - CR 3

Shrouded in a long brown hooded cloak, two pinpoints of light shine out from the darkened area where this assassin’s face should be.  It wields a pair of thin, curved swords.

XP 800 LE Medium undead Init +3 Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +3 Dex) hp 22 (4d8+4) Fort +2; Ref +4; Will +6 Immune undead traits Resist fire 5

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft. Melee 2 wakizashi +5/+5 (1d6/18-20) or wakizashi +7 (1d6/18-20) Special Attacks death throes, rend (2 wakizashi, 1d6), ring of fire, two-weapon charge

STATISTICS

Str 10, Dex 17, Con —, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12 Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 16 Feats Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +6 (+14 to jump), Disguise +5, Climb +6, Perception +9, Sense Motive +6, Stealth +14; Racial Bonuses +8 Acrobatics to jump, +4 Stealth Languages Common, Necril SQ ki points, quick run Gear mwk wakizashi x2, leather armor

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Death Throes (Su) When a garo robe is slain, its body combusts in a flash of white-hot flame. This acts like a fireball that deals 4d6 fire damage in a 10-foot-radius burst.  A DC 13 Reflex save halves the damage.  A garo’s gear and treasure are unaffected by this explosion.  The save DC is Charisma-based.

Ki Points (Su) A garo robe has a pool of 4 ki points per day.  Its ki points can be used to fuel its various special abilities listed below.

Quick Run (Su) By spending 1 ki point as a swift action, a garo robe can take another move action on its turn, although its movement speed is halved during this extra move action.

Ring of Fire (Su) By spending 1 ki point as a standard action, a garo robe can create a ring of fire along the ground with a radius as small as 10 feet or as wide as 40 feet.  This ring of fire is a vertical sheet of fire that rises from the ground to a height of 20 feet along the edge of the radius.  The ring of fire inhibits visibility, causing attacks that pass through the edge of it to have a 20% miss chance.  The ring of fire must be initially centered such that the garo robe is inside the radius, but once it has been placed, the garo robe can freely enter and leave the ring of fire.  Creatures and unattended objects other than the garo robe that enter or end their turn in the edge of this ring of fire take 4d6 fire damage with no saving throw.

A garo robe can only create one ring of fire at a time.  A ring of fire lasts for 1 minute, or until the garo robe is destroyed or takes any amount of cold damage.

Two-Weapon Charge (Su) By spending 1 ki point as part of a charge, while wielding a weapon in each hand, a garo robe can attack twice at the end of the charge, once with each of its weapons.

[threeletterslife]

08 | Legends of Darlaria

⨰ summary: You wake up amidst a war with no recollection of your past. Faced with suspicion and distrust, you struggle to assimilate into a foreign nation—otherwise known as your home. But on your enlightening journey to search for your identity, you come face to face with the General of the Army.

⨰ pairing/rating: yoongi x reader & jungkook x reader | PG-15

⨰ genre: 70% angst, 30% fluff | war!au & magic!au

⨰ warnings: profanity, death of minor characters, mild burn wounds

⨰ wordcount: 10.2k

⨰ join the taglist! (pm/send in an ask/reply/reblog)

⨰ a/n: as usual, @the-berry-named-ari thank you for all of your help and edits <3

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⧖⧗Circa Amethyst⧗⧖

Not even a fire medium.

Those words haunt you for days.

Nights in a row, you wake up in a sweat, staring at your trembling hands and wondering why you can’t seem to connect with fire. Why can’t you be a proper soldier?

It’s been a little less than a week since the last officer meeting, but you can’t get Captain Chu’s words out of your head. What have you done for him to hate you so? Is he really jealous of you? But how can anyone be jealous of a soldier who has no past?—not that it matters to you anymore.

These questions rattle your head ceaselessly. Even when Heli comes to visit you in the camp (as he tends to do these days to everyone’s surprise), you’re preoccupied with your thoughts.

The tiger nuzzles you, his dark eyes looking at you filled with worry.

You manage to smile, shaking your head. “I’m sorry,” you say. “I’ve been out of it for a few days, haven’t I?” You sigh as you settle down in front of your tent, tugging your legs together and resting your head on your knees. Heli pads around on the grass before he nestles next to you on the ground. He huffs, resting his head on his paw and staring at you with round eyes. You can’t help but smile again and scratch his head. “It’s just stupid stuff,” you tell the sol. “Just officer drama.”

Heli grunts as if to agree with you. It makes you feel better.

You get a lot of strange looks from soldiers as they pass by your tent. They’re probably wondering how in the hell you got a free animal spirit to follow you around, especially when you don’t even wield the element. But other than that, you’re left alone to think.

Not even a fire medium.

You doubt Captain Chu said those words with the intent to scar your thoughts for days. Or maybe he knew what he was doing. Maybe he knew you’d get caught up with his words. And maybe you were wrong for calling him out in your first officer meeting. Maybe he wanted to get back at you. Or maybe Doyun’s right. Maybe he is jealous.

“Ahem.”

Heli immediately sits up, his tail low as he surveys the person who dares to enter your personal space. And when you look up, to your astonishment, you see Captain Chu.

For a second, the two of you are completely silent, acknowledging each other’s presence but unsure of what to say. Then:

“A tiger, huh?” Captain Chu speaks. He crosses his arms over his chest as if to show off his own tiger—the one tattooed on his arm. “A fire sol.”

“His name is Heli,” you say flatly.

Why is he here? Is he here to apologize? Because Major Ki told him to? In that case, you’re not sure if you can accept. Do you continue to act cold to him? Or do you cut this meeting short and ask him to leave? Or do you retreat into your tent? Will he follow you in there? What the hell does he want from you?

“I can see you thinking, you know,” Captain Chu says, frowning. He kneels in front of you, matching your level, and it makes your eyes widen. “You do that in officer meetings a lot. You stop blinking, and then you start chewing on your lip. That’s why they’re always so chapped.”

You scoff. “Did you come to insult me?”

“It wasn’t an insult,” he answers. “It was the truth.”

“Like the truth that I’m not even a fire medium, huh?” you say.

At that, Captain Chu sighs. “Look, I didn’t come here because I wanted to fight. I came here to apologize.”

“Because Major Ki told you to? Or was it because the Lieutenant herself ordered you to?”

“I came here on my own accord,” he answers. “Well, no. I was going to come here because Suhyun told me to. But I’m here now because I want to.”

You raise your eyebrows. But when you don’t say anything, Captain Chu takes it as an invitation to continue.

“I know I’ve been an asshole towards you.”

You pet Heli, silently agreeing. But it seems as if Captain Chu has come to you waving a white flag. It’s his way of atonement, you suppose.

“I don’t have a good excuse for it. And I can’t tell you the real reason for it, either. Captain Yoo, you know, Sungho would kill me for even being here in the first place. But—” he pauses. “But…”

“But?”

“My parents are dead. Sister, too. Got the message a week ago. And I know. I know you’re wondering, ‘how the fuck does that have anything to do with this?’ But it’s been hard, okay? I wasn’t the… I wasn’t the best son. Or the best brother.”

This is the first time you’ve seen Captain Chu be so introspective. It’s rather shocking. But you could get used to this.

“Ara’s supposed to be the land of healers, for Sooht’s sake!” Captain Chu says. “I don’t know what the fuck happened there with that damned disease outbreak. It makes me think if I wasn’t born as a fucking fire medium in Ara, maybe I would’ve been there to heal them. Maybe they’d still be alive.”

He glances at you, but you stare at him in silence, wordlessly telling him to go on.

“When I was younger, I wanted to be the best soldier Solaria would ever see,” he says. “Suhyun inspired me to be better, and we moved to Alder together to begin our dreams. But there was always something missing. I always had something missing. I’ve been thinking about what that could be for years. And it hit me in the past few days. You know what it is?”

“What?” you whisper.

“Tragedy,” he answers.

“Tragedy,” you repeat slowly, weighing the word in your head. “It makes sense. The more you lose, the more you want to sacrifice yourself.”

Captain Chu nods. “Strangely enough, I knew you’d understand.” He smiles, though it’s one of those sad ones—the ones that don’t really reach your eyes. “The best soldiers are the ones who have nothing to lose.”

It takes you a second to comprehend what he said. And it takes you another second for you to realize he’d complimented you.

“I can never be the best soldier in Solaria,” Captain Chu says. “It’s my childhood dream, but some dreams aren’t meant to come true. Because I’ve still got my girlfriend, and the Darlaeans are going to have to put me through hell for me to give her up. I’ve lost my family, but I’m not going to lose her. It makes me weaker than you. It makes me weaker than most soldiers in that fucking tent of ours. But you know what, Officer? I don’t fucking care. And I’m sorry I was an asshole. I shouldn’t have taken my problems out on you. But I will admit, you were seriously suspicious when I first met you.”

You nod, a small smile beginning to form on your lips. “So I’ve heard.” You reach out to pet Heli again. “Thanks, Captain Chu. You’ve put things in perspective for me.”

He really has. Now you know who he really is: an ambitious man with big dreams. A man who wanted to be Solaria’s strongest but fell in love and found his weakness. A man who is fiercely loyal to those he loves, and you just don’t happen to be in that circle. A man who can’t tell you the real reason he’d been a complete brat toward you. But a man who can admit that you are a better soldier than he is—when you aren’t even a fire medium.

“Good,” he says. He quickly stands up, brushing off the grass from his uniform. It’s a little awkward as he stares down at you. “Erm… I don’t go around spewing out my life story to anyone, you know,” he says. “So you better not go spread the news that Captain Chu is a big ol’ softie, all right?”

His words make you smile. “All right,” you promise.

“And Officer Ryu?”

“Yes?”

“Fire sols don’t just stick around people who don’t know anything about their element,” he says. “You’re going to be a fire medium soon. I just know it.”

You nod, scratching Heli behind his ear. “Thanks.”

“So…” Captain Chu says, rocking on the balls of his feet. It’s quite hilarious seeing such an intimidating-looking man look so awkward. “I’ll see you in the next officer meeting?”

“Yes, I suppose you will.”

He gives you another short look before marching away. You watch him go, cocking your head.

“An interesting encounter, wasn’t it?” you tell the tiger.

He huffs, agreeing with you.

“The best soldiers are the ones who have nothing to lose,” you repeat. “Well then, Heli,” you say with a smile. “It looks like I’ve gotta be Solaria’s best soldier.”

But first, you’re going to have to learn to wield fire.

“What a surprising meeting,” Captain Im says to you as the two of you walk out of the central tent. She thoughtfully twists a strand of her hair around her finger, the rest of it cascading down her back. “It looks like Captain Yang’s theory was right after all.”

“But what could the Darlaeans get out of threatening the General?” you say. “And didn’t you think the code was just a little too on the nose this circa, Nayoon? The other ones were a little more cryptic. ‘General’ is easy. Maybe even deceptively easy.”

“Or maybe we’re thinking too hard,” Captain Im smiles. “We deserve some rest, Y/N. We spent a while theorizing in that tent just now. Oh, look, and it looks like the fire sol is waiting for you.”

She’s right. Heli sits just a couple of tents away, his eyes squinted as he happily greets your presence. You smile.

“He probably wants another belly rub,” you say, and Captain Im laughs.

“Then I’ll leave you to it,” she says. “I need to catch up on some air medium training, anyway.”

Soon, you’re left with Heli, and you reach over to scratch behind his ear. “Isn’t Nayoon so diligent?”

Heli huffs as if to agree.

“They all are, really. The officers, I mean. And guess what? Captain Chu asked me my opinion today in the tent. It’s stupid, but I felt validated. I guess he really does take a while to come around.”

Heli noses your leg and looks far off into the forest.

“A ride?” you say. “At this hour? It’s nearly dark.”

The tiger squints his eyes, his tail curling around you as if to charm you into agreeing with him.

“I have to organize some files…”

He hisses playfully, standing up and sauntering a few steps away from you. It’s as if he’s chastising you for putting your officer duties over him.

“I can take you on a short walk along the edge of the forest,” you say. “How about that?”

Heli seems to like your compromise. He comes crawling back to you, nuzzling you before leading you away to the edge of the forest—the place where you’d first met him.

You feel safe, walking by his side, his bright fur illuminating the areas around you and casting shadows that dance like the flames of a blazing fire. You could do this for hours, actually. And you do—though you’d promised Heli for a short walk. In the end, he gets more than he’d bargained for.

The sky begins to shed the colors of a vivid sunset, leaving a dark horizon to look up to. It’s nighttime now, and the crickets have come out to sing their nightly songs, the fireflies forming tiny constellations in the air.

Heli is a very loyal companion who listens to your every word. Soon, you find yourself sharing your thoughts to the fire sol, and he’s attentive as always, reacting to everything you say with a supportive swish of his tail or a contemplative huff.

“I don’t know how one learns to wield an element,” you confess to him. “But I’m sure there are ways. Maybe there are texts about it. Or mentors in Elu? Either way, do you think I should ask the General about it?

Heli huffs happily.

“I should, huh? Maybe after the next officer meeting? Or do you think I’m just procrastinating at that point?”

Heli lets out a small snort.

“Okay, fine. I’ll do it tomorrow.”

The tiger lets out a happy cry. You pet him, glad to have someone so supportive by your side. “Flaming hell. It’s really time that I become a fire medium.”

And before Heli can even react enthusiastically, you hear a familiar voice:

“I’ll teach you, you know.”

“Oh, for Sooht’s sake, sir!” You nearly jump in the air. “Are you following me around?”

“No,” the General answers too quickly. “But I did come to you with an offer.”

“You said you would teach me, sir?” you say. “You mean, you’re going to teach me how to wield fire?”

“No, I’m going to teach you how to fly. Of course I’m going to teach you how to wield fire, Officer.”

You grin, shaking your head in utter disbelief. “I appreciate your sarcasm, sir.”

“I appreciate yours as well.”

“But you do mean it, sir, do you? You’re really going to teach me? You’re personally going to help me become a fire medium?”

“I didn’t know it was something that needed so much clarification,” he says with a teasing lilt to his voice. “Do you have a reason to be so incredulous?”

“It’s just…” You breathe out, your heart thumping in your chest. “It feels so unbelievable, sir. I’m finally going to be a real soldier.”

He scoffs, though he still looks at you with a certain fondness—a professional fondness, might you add. “You were always a real soldier, Officer,” he says. “Fire wielding or not.” The General clears his throat when he sees the hundreds of emotions flashing before your face. “We’ll begin now, if you don’t mind.”

“Now??” you say, eyes widening. “Now?”

“I thought I saw the urgency in your eyes, Officer. Was I incorrect?”

“No, sir, not at all! It’s just… I don’t know how any of this works. Are you going to make me pray to the spirits? Do I have to consume flames? Must I walk through a bed of hot coals? Are there tests I need to pass to be connected with fire? Have I met some qualifications yet? I just want to be ready for anything.”

The General cocks his head. “I see you’ve given this a lot of thought.”

“Almost embarrassingly, sir,” you say.

“But it’s much simpler than you might think, Officer.”

“It is?”

“Connecting with an element requires the cooperation of your mind and spirit,” the General says. He clasps his hands behind his back, his posture slouching as usual. “It’s a process that may take a few minutes to several circas. Sometimes even years.”

“How long did it take for you, sir?”

“I was born with an innate connection with fire as descendants of the Min Clan are,” he explains. “But I connected with water and air when I was three. Connected with earth when I was five.”

“Impressive, sir.”

“I’m glad someone thinks so.”

You raise your eyebrows.

“But the point is, Officer, you must practice patience,” the General says. “The elements are never in your control. They are the source, and you are only a medium. The key is to have an open mind, heart and spirit.”

“Open mind, heart and spirit,” you echo. “What does that mean?”

The General nods. “Let’s sit down,” he says.

So the two of you settle on the grass, the twinkling stars in the dark sky staring down at you. It feels safe and cozy, just like the last time you and the General left the tents to have a conversation at the edge of the woods. Heli is by your side too, resting his head on his paws as he brightens the area with his orange flames.

You look at the General expectantly, wondering if there is a particular reason for the two of you to sit down.

“Cross your legs,” he says. “And close your eyes.”

“Close my eyes, sir?”

“Are you afraid of the dark, Officer?”

“Well, no sir,” you say. “But…” You swallow your words. No buts. You’re going to do this. You want to.

Tentatively, your eyes flutter close. The last thing you see is the General, his delicate features illuminated by the soft moonlight.

It’s not completely dark. With Heli by your side, you can sense a faint, orange glow coming from your left side. In fact, you can feel his warmth.

“Focus on my voice, now,” the General says in his husky voice.

And with your eyesight gone, for fuck’s sake, his voice sounds louder. He seems closer to you, too. Against your will, your heart flutters just a little. Or maybe it’s the passion trembling within you. You’re not sure, but you manage a small: “Yes, sir.”

“And try not to talk. Just listen.”

“Ye—” You stop yourself and nod.

“Breathe in… Good. And breathe out. That’s it… You should be comfortable…”

He pauses for a moment as if to assess your relaxation. When he deems you’re comfortable enough, he begins to speak again.

“Now, fire is the element of ambition,” the General says. “Once you learn how to wield it, you will know great warmth and destruction at the same time. But you must learn to balance the two. Your desires, your wants, your motivations; focus on them, Officer. The spirits of fire want to see someone with their heart engulfed in flames.”

Your desires?

The best soldiers are the ones who have nothing to lose.

Your wants?

I fight for the end of this war.

Your motivations?

It must be because I enjoy your company.

You’re going to be the best damn fire medium the Solarian Army has ever seen, that’s what. You feel warm inside, the heat emanating from your own chest. Is this what the General had meant when he told you to open your heart?

“Feel the fire from within,” the General whispers. “It’s burning inside of you, but don’t let it swallow you. Coexist with it,” he says. He feels so close to you.

No. You must focus.

The flames. You concentrate on the warmth building up in your chest, the raw passion you hold for this nation. The passion you have to become the best soldier in the army. To end the damn war once and for all. To become a fire medium. But to also learn to wield water, earth and air. You want to learn how to heal properly. You want to help Joon and Major Hyun tend to the garden. You want to fly kites in the air. You want to be like the General—connected to all four of the elements—and so in tune with his connections that he’s able to teach others about it.

“Now, imagine the fire slowly spreading throughout your body,” the General says. “Feel it from the top of your head and to the tips of your toes.”

You do. The warmth is everywhere. But not once do you feel suffocated. Instead, you feel alive. The flames make your heart race and your mind whirr.

“Slowly—take your time—rest your hands on their backs… That’s it…”

You imagine beautiful, blazing fires sitting at the palms of your hands. They’re small, but they’re promising—wisps of light amber and gold entangling together and flickering in the night. You can almost feel the light in your hands.

“Comfortable?” a soft voice asks you.

You nod, completely in a trance.

“I want you to imagine holding fire in your two hands,” the General says. “Imagine the warmth. Imagine the colors. Imagine the sensation. Focus all of your energy, the warmth in your body into your palms.”

Your visions amplify.

Oh.

Oh.

You can feel it.

A real warmth.

You gasp.

“Shh…” the General whispers. “Let yourself get used to the feeling.”

You can sense two new flames—two new blazing lights so near the palm of your hands. You wish more than anything in the world right now to open your eyes and see them.

“You’re going to feel a soft impact on your palms,” the General says. “When you feel it, open your eyes and look straight ahead. Don’t look down.”

You nod.

And there it is.

You feel it.

But it’s not fire. It’s not what you would expect to be the texture of flames.

It’s skin.

And it’s warm. Soft.

Your eyes flutter open.

Oh.

He’s so close.

If the light wasn’t so dim, you could count his eyelashes. You can see the pretty slope of his nose, the sharpness of his eyes, his glowing lips. Your knees are touching too, but you don’t dare look down. His dark eyes reflect the warm, dancing flames, and for a split second, you feel chills running down your spine.

His hands are on top of yours. His hands that hold fire.

“You’re almost there,” he says.

His words echo in your mind.

You’re almost there.

“I’m going to flip my hands over, soon,” he whispers. “And when I do, I want you to hold my flames.”

You nod.

You’re almost there.

His voice, the warmth, the spirits, the magic. You’re in a trance and you can’t stop staring into his eyes.

“You’re doing so well…”

It’s then when you feel it.

It’s so light without the weight of his hands.

Oh.

It undulates on your palms—you can feel it.

It’s magical.

Your eyes widen, and the General notices it. He smiles.

“You’ve done it, Y/N.”

Slowly, you look down.

What you see before you is a sight that makes you want to cry tears of joy.

“For Sooht’s sake…” you breathe out.

Your own hands. Carrying fire.

The flames lick at your skin, but they’re friendly, only feeling warm and never unbearably hot.

“I’m doing it…”

“You’re doing it,” he repeats.

“Flaming hell,” you breathe, eyes sparkling with mirth as you stare at your hands, frozen in shock. “Sir, if I cry, do you think it’ll extinguish the fire?”

He laughs. “If it does extinguish, I can help you light it again.”

Your lashes have come stuck to your face, wet from your glistening tears. “This is beautiful, sir. I never thought connecting with an element would be so… so profound. I feel so light. Like the wind could whisk me away.”

“You can hold it closer if you want,” the General answers. “It won’t hurt you. It’s a part of you.”

A part of you.

The thought makes the tears roll down your face. They feel so cold compared to the warmth you’re holding in your hands. Tentatively, you bring your hands together, conjoining the two fires into one. The General nods at you approvingly. You lift your hands close to your face, examining the flames wisping and curling upwards, hungry for more kindling.

It feels like what you would imagine coming home from a victorious battle feels like. It feels like reaching the top of a mountain of success. It feels like a tiger’s roar in the bright, early morning. It makes you want to jump up and cry out in the night air.

You flinch when you feel something soft brush against your leg. When you look down, you see Heli, nuzzling you. He looks proud, watching the fire in your hands intently. It’s as if he wants to say, ‘You’re just like me now.’

The warmth of the flames dries your tears and soon, you look up to the General, who has been watching you carefully with a soft look on his face.

“It seems as though you have a lot of ambition, Officer,” he says quietly.

“I do,” you agree.

“Channel it into your fire wielding,” he says. “Your flames will only get stronger from here.”

“I want to wield all of the elements, sir,” you say. “Do you think that I can do it?”

The General raises his eyebrows. “Is that one of the ambitions you used to fuel your fire?”

“Yes, sir.”

He hums. “We’ll see.” He steadily stands up, leaving you sitting down, cross-legged with a fire in your hands. “I think that’s enough for one day,” he says. “You can easily extinguish that by waving your hands.”

Your eyes widen, and your flames flicker for a moment, but you keep your hands still. “But sir, I only just learned how to hold fire. I still need to learn how to make it. And I’ve seen soldiers create this gaseous fire sphere during their training. I want to learn how to do that too.”

The General adjusts his uniform, tugging at his collar. “Officer, you’ve undergone at least a day’s worth of training in several minutes. I assure you, we’ve got more than enough time. It’s best to stop now and think later. Fire preys on doubt, Officer.”

And before you can react or say anything for that matter, the General gives you a nod of acknowledgment. “It’s getting late, and I promised some soldiers in the fifth sector that I would train them by nightfall.”

“O-Oh. I wouldn’t want to steal their time,” you say, bringing your knees together in a more comfortable position.

The General nods and begins to turn away, but before he can leave, you thank him, your voice bubbling with awe and mirth at the same time. He pauses.

“Meet me here at 5 a.m. tomorrow,” he answers. “If you would like to learn more about the works of fire.”

Then, he walks away. So casually. As if he hadn’t just opened up a whole new world for you.

You sit, holding the fire close to you, guarding it.

“Heli, I don’t think I can move,” you say. “I’m scared. I don’t ever want this fire to go out.”

The tiger huffs, seeming to laugh at your predicament.

“It’s not funny!” you protest. “I’m serious! Do you think it’ll be a massive fire hazard if I try to bring it in the tent with me?”

The tiger paws your leg.

You laugh. “I was only half-joking…”

But are you? You’re terrified that you won’t ever be able to do this again. What if tomorrow when the General makes you do the same thing, you won’t be able to produce the same results? What if today’s lesson was a fluke? Beginner’s luck? What if fire’s not meant to be a part of you? What if it rejects you? What if it despises you for being so different than it last remembers? What if… what if you are a horrible fire medium?

The flames in your palm begin to flicker violently.

“Oh!” Panic rushes into your veins. You scramble up, hands shaking as you stare at the fire threatening to extinguish.

And suddenly, your palms feel like they’re going to burn.

“Oh, fuck, that’s hot!”

Damn it all to hell. You doubted yourself. You let your thoughts get ahead of you.

The General had warned you. And you had paid no mind.

Oh, how humiliating.

Your hands feel like they’ve caught on fire—but the kind that melts your skin and sears your limbs off, if you’re not too careful. But you don’t want to extinguish the flames. You can’t. Sweat begins to drip down your face.

The fire is so scalding that your skin has gone cold.

You grit your teeth.

Heli whines, and he reaches forward to help, but you shake your head, tears pricking your eyes.

“No, Heli, I can do it,” you say. “It’s… It’s a part of me, remember? I can maintain it.”

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

Your eyes automatically close.

Think of your desires, wants, motivations.

An image of the General flashes in your mind.

Another deep breath in. And yet another deep breath out.

You try to ignore the prickling sensations in your hand and instead, focus your energy on the warmth in your heart. The warmth travels down your arms, spreads to your torso and the lower half of your body. You concentrate, trying to recall the General’s soothing words, replaying them back in your mind.

And finally, when you open your eyes, you see that the fire has settled back down.

“Oh. I did it.”

Yet this triumph doesn’t make you as happy as the last.

Quickly, you extinguish the flames by shaking your hands, only to wince at the stinging pain.

Heli noses your hands, and you turn them over, slightly trembling. He whines, his own flames dimming as he surveys your injuries.

“I’m okay, Heli,” you say, reassuring the sol, but you say it to reassure yourself as well. “It’s just a little redness. It’ll go away.”

The fire sol licks your hand.

You smile. “Thanks.”

But there’s no doubt about it.

Those are burn marks.

“Good morning, Officer.”

You shift your feet uncomfortably, looking down at the grass. “Good morning, sir.”

“Quite early isn’t it?” he says. “But I do admit, I must be a morning person. It makes me feel awake.”

“Does it?” You crack a small smile. “It does for me too, sir.”

“Did you have a good night’s sleep, Officer?” he asks as he settles down on the grass—but not before he somehow evaporates the morning dew away. He gestures for you to take a seat on the dry patch of grass.

“Yes.”

No.

You’ve kept the palms of your hands hidden, having them face away from the General. The guilt of what happened last night is eating you alive. Will he denounce you for not being able to follow simple orders?

It’s best to stop now and think later. Fire preys on doubt, Officer.

Yet you went ahead and doubted anyways.

And you’re still doubting now.

For Sooht’s sake, when will the cycle end?

“Then you must be ready for some more training.”

“I am, sir.”

Are you?

“I showed you the beauty of fire, yesterday, Officer,” the General says. He holds out his hand, and a blazing fire ignites on his palm. It bursts in color and flames all at once. But you find yourself flinching away. The General doesn’t notice. He closes his hand, extinguishing the fire into smoke. “But today, I’ll show you its destruction.”

You flinch again.

This time, the General does notice.

“It’s the balance of beauty and destruction that you must master to be a good fire medium,” he explains. “It’s nothing to be afraid about. If the fire is a part of you, it won’t hurt you.”

The guilt is nearly eating you alive.

“Now, hold out your palm.”

You freeze.

“My… my palm, sir?”

The General cocks his head. Then, he notices your rigid posture, your alert eyes and your hands that you are keeping hidden away from him.

“May I see your hands, Officer?”

You’re shaken.

The sharp tingling is back.

“I-I… I swear… I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s all right,” he says. “Lemme see.”

Hesitantly, you bring your hands forward, the tension snapping when you turn them over.

“Ah,” the General says. But he hides his shock—if he even had any—quite well. “It must hurt, doesn’t it?”

“It feels a little prickly…”

“Nothing some care, attention and Incha wouldn’t fix,” he says. “It should heal in 2 days’ time.”

“I can still train, right?” you say. “It doesn’t hurt very much, and it was a mistake last night, sir, I swear on Sooht’s head. I was overthinking, and I know you told me fire preys on doubt, but I was stupid and I just… I got in my head,” you say. “I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize,” the General says. “In fact, I’m glad we got over this today. The earlier you learn this lesson, the better it will be for your wielding. As for training?” He pauses. “Well, we’ll only continue if you desire so.”

“Of course I want to, sir!”

He nods. “But for the time being, you’re forbidden to draw your battle plans. Not until your hands get better.” When he sees your mortified expression, he tries to explain: “It’s best not to irritate the skin.”

“Sir, I’m just worried that at this rate, I’ll never be able to draw my plans.” What if you have nothing to show for the next officer meeting? “I’m okay with the pain, but I don’t think I can stand burning my hands every time I train. How will I tend to my other duties?”

You wanted to become a fire medium to fight. To become a better officer. Turns out, learning how to be a fire medium might just make you into a worse officer.

“Don’t worry,” the General says. “Burns are quite common in early fire mediums, but as your connection with the element grows stronger, you’ll gain unbreakable confidence. But your burns, Officer,” he says, examining your hands. “They’re not severe at all. Won’t even be affected by some more fire training. It looks like you’ve befriended the fire after you let it take over. It won’t hurt you again.” A small pause. “It’s within you, you know.”

“Fire, sir?”

“Yes, figuratively and literally. You’re not afraid of it, are you?”

“No, sir. I’m just afraid of failure.”

“Everyone is,” he answers. “Your fear is universal, Officer. But don’t let that fear distract you from what you can be.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Good,” the General answers with a smile. “We won’t have to go over fire’s destruction. It looks like you’re well-acquainted with that. But you see what I was saying, now, don’t you?”

“Beauty and destruction, sir,” you say. “They go hand in hand.”

“Yes,” he says. “But when you wield fire, you do not focus on the beauty nor the destruction. You focus on yourself. So today, I want you to focus on a single thought. A single thought that ignites your whole being. A reason that you breathe, Officer. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” you say.

You half expect for the General to tell you to close your eyes again, but to your surprise, he unhurriedly gets up to his feet.

“Sir?”

Is he going to leave you to your thoughts?

“I’ll be back, Officer. But I want you to think. Find the reason you live for.”

He’ll be back? But where is he going?

Contrary to your thoughts, you mutter an acknowledgment, and you watch as he walks away.

Will he leave you for hours? Is he testing you? Does he want to see if your thoughts will become twisted in time? Or… Or does he genuinely have to leave? Run a short errand and get you started on your training at the same time?

You shake your head, taking in a deep breath.

It’s time to placate your mind, your thoughts, your worries.

You’re to focus on yourself.

To find a reason that you breathe.

What do you breathe for?

Your eyes close automatically.

Well, you breathe to live. How else will you get air into your lungs? But there must be a reason that you continue to breathe—a reason that surpasses your body’s instincts.

What if there are too many?

You breathe to see a new day because waking up early in the morning invigorates you. You breathe to watch the sunrise painting the sky in soft, delicate colors. You breathe to add your part to the Solarian Army, to be the best officer that you can be. You breathe to meet your dear friends just one more time before they’re whisked away to battle—their fates determined by the spirits. You breathe to see Solaria. You breathe to see the sunset, the nightfall, the General.

And most importantly, you breathe to see the end of the war.

That’s it.

That’s the single thought that makes your body go up in flames.

Because from the moment you awoke, everything you’ve done so far has been for one thing: for the war. To win the war. To end it.

So this must be the reason you breathe.

This is also the reason you want to be a fire medium.

You feel warm all over, a fire settling in your heart.

And when you open your eyes, ready to greet the morning sky, you see the General has come back. You were so concentrated that you hadn’t even heard him settle down on the ground.

He raises an eyebrow, resting his hands on his lap. “I see you’ve come up with your single reason.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good,” he says. “But before we continue, we’ll do something about those hands.”

When you look down, you realize the General had neatly splayed a gauze roll, a bowl of Incha and a container of a greenish ointment that looks unfamiliar to you.

Oh. So he had left to get these supplies. It’s considerate of him to do so, but you’re not surprised. This is the General you’ve always admired. Of course he would do something like this.

“I’ll take care of it,” he says, reaching for the bowl of dark green liquid.

“That’s a lot of Incha,” you say. “Will I have to drink all of that?”

The General shakes his head. “It’s for you to rest your hands in,” he says. “It works for burn wounds. My sister figured it out years back.”

You give him a surprised look. He’s never talked about his family first, and you never expected him to bring it up so casually, either. “Was she a healer?” you ask.

“No, she wasn’t.”

At his curt answer, you’re unsure if you should’ve pried at all.

“She was my mother’s lieutenant after my father passed.”

“Oh… I’m… I’m sorry, sir.” You try to gauge his countenance. Is he masking his real emotions behind a stoic expression? Or is he so numb from carrying the burden of the Min Clan that he can’t feel anything at all?

Yoongi feels nothing.

Or so he likes to think.

In truth, his sister passed away from the exact thing that she found a cure for. Every time he sees a burn wound, he’s reminded of her. And he revisits the pain he had felt when he first realized she no longer existed in this world.

“Sir?”

He’d spaced out.

Funny. Usually, it’s you who is always living in your own world.

“Let’s fix you up,” he answers, brushing off the concerned look in your eyes.

Diligently, he cleanses your hands in the dark green tea, making sure to use his most delicate touch. He can’t imagine how afraid you must’ve been yesterday. He should’ve stayed until he saw you put out the fire. He should’ve given you a clearer warning. Something about those burns on your hands feels like they’re his fault.

He tries to ignore the intimate proximity between the two of you. But it’s hard when you stare so blatantly at him, trying to read him with your curious eyes.

“Must you always try to read me like I’m a book?” he comments absent-mindedly.

But his words seem to have shocked you as well because you flinch a little in his grasp. “S-Sorry, sir,” you say, clearly embarrassed.

But he didn’t want an apology. He didn’t mean to call you out like that, either.

And when he feels your eyes look away, for some inexplicable reason, he wants them back.

He gently lifts your hands from the bowl, and he holds them in his. Almost instantly, your wet hands begin to dry from the warmth emanating from his skin—a trick his mother had taught him to battle the cold, wintry winds of Alder.

He then uncaps the container of aloe ointment—one that his homesector proudly produces. And tenderly, he begins to rub the cool gel onto the palms of your hands.

He’s done this to so many other people, he’s lost count.

So why does this feel so different?

Silently, he wraps the gauze around your hands, taking meticulous care not to bind them too tightly. And when he’s finished, he carefully sets your hands down on your knees.

“Change the gauze twice more today,” he says. “But you should be fine to begin using your hands normally in a day, now.”

“Sir, if you weren’t the General of the Army, you would make a fantastic healer.”

The corners of his lips tug upward. “Why, thank you. Do you feel better?”

“My hands feel… refreshed,” you say, then you laugh a little. “Is that weird to say? That my hands feel refreshed?”

Yoongi shakes his head. “Not at all.”

“So I can train now?”

“Yes, Officer. You can train.”

Your eyes light up, but as soon as he notices, you close them shut, shifting your position and placing your hands on your knees, palms up.

“I’m ready,” you say.

He smiles.

He can almost feel your eagerness.

“Deep breath in…” he says. “And deep breath out.”

You do as he says, and he can’t help but notice in the morning light how peaceful you look.

“This is about you,” he says. “This is about nothing but your ambitions and your reason to live. So think about that single, intense thought. How does it make you feel? What does it make you see?”

He watches your expressions contort.

“You can answer me,” he says.

“I feel… the warmth of a hearth. As if I’m sitting right next to it.”

“Is that what you see? You, sitting near a hearth?”

“No, sir…” Your voice sounds dreamy—like you’re recalling the moments of a lovely vision. “I see… No, I feel it, sir. The war is over. Oh… Oh, sir. I see Alder, and it looks beautiful without the tents. Just flat land and wild grass stretching on and on. It’s wonderful. I wish you could see it.”

“And where are you, amidst this, Officer?”

“I’m…” Your nose scrunches as you think. “I’m with Heli. Oh! I’m racing through Alder on his back. And I see another…” you trail off, and he wonders why. But before he can ask, you inhale deeply, continuing your thought. “I can smell flowers and fresh rain, sir. It’s… It’s almost as if I’m really there.”

You have quite an impressive imagination.

“And where are you headed, Officer?” he asks, softly, carefully. He doesn’t want to wake you up from your dream.

“Towards… I’m not sure what it is sir,” you say, forehead wrinkling. “It feels warm, though. Oh, and I can feel its presence. It’s… Oh. I’m riding towards the sun, sir. But it looks different.”

“How so?” he whispers.

“It’s so close… And it’s red with flames.”

“And you’re riding straight towards it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“What do you feel, Officer?”

“My hands feel warm, sir. It must be because I’m gripping Heli’s fur,” you say. “If I gripped any harder, I might accidentally pull out a chunk of it.”

He smiles with amusement. “Your hands feel warm, Officer?”

“Yes, sir. So warm.”

“Open your eyes, Y/N. You’ve done it again.”

As your eyes slowly open, your jaw simultaneously drops.

“O-Oh. Oh. For Sooht’s sake… Oh, flaming hell!”

He watches the flames flickering in your hands. They’re the brightest he’s ever seen a beginner ever make. There’s something about that raw passion of yours that is beyond special.

“You made that yourself,” he says.

“Sir, I can’t believe it!”

He almost wants to utter, ‘me neither.’

Never in his life has he seen someone so easily connect with fire. But maybe your spirit is remembering something your mind and body cannot. This is simply a reconnection. And even so, your absolute wonder is contagious, and he stares at your flames with a bit of astonishment and a hint of pride.

You bring your hands closer. “Beautiful…”

He agrees.

“I want to remind you that these are just the basics, Officer. Holding and creating fire are the very first steps,” he says. “We will meet here every day at the same time to continue your training.”

He’s never seen you look happier.

“Thank you, sir! Thank you so much.”

And you’ve never seen his face light up so much.

But to be completely honest, you didn’t tell him all of your visions. How can you? That would be quite embarrassing.

Because riding with you, into the sun, was a familiar man with a shockingly shitty posture on a transparent, white horse. A man who you clearly recognized, but would never admit his identity out loud.

⧖⧗Circa Aquamarine⧗⧖

Yoongi wakes up to his muscles aching. Either he’s growing old or his rigorous training back when his family was alive has finally caught up to him.

Yoongi also wakes up to find a steaming hot meal of his favorite dishes laid out before him. Who could’ve done such a thing? And who would feel comfortable enough to walk into his tent unannounced to deliver him such a breakfast?

The only answer he can think of is Doyun.

The second thing he wonders is… why?

Until it dawns on him.

It’s his birthday today.

So he wasn’t imagining the aging at all. But is this what being 29 makes you feel? And what does age matter, anyway? It’s depressing. His older sister of five years never got to live a day past 25. And Yoonsoo never even reached his 20s.

It’s been a decade since he lost both his mother and sister, but he remembers it like it was yesterday.

What a delightful way to start his birthday.

But Yoongi sighs, getting up from his futon, padding over to the tray full of food. It looks absolutely delicious, and he’ll have to remember to thank Doyun later. She must be so busy, too—training, training others, double-checking battle plans and unit formations. But she always makes time to care for others.

Today is also the day of the code evaluations for this circa. He wonders what new word you’ve deciphered this time could be. And will you tell the officers what you really think of it?

You’re always holding back. Or so he notices. He’s not sure why. He’d worked so hard to foster an environment amongst his officers where everyone is comfortable enough to speak their mind. But why do you always hesitate? And why do you listen more than you speak?

He wants to hear you. And he’s sure the other officers are curious about your words as well.

You’re quite talkative when you’re with him. He likes spending mornings with you, training just as the sun shyly peeks from the horizon. No matter how early he gets there, you’re always there first, practicing whatever he had taught you the day before. And no matter how late he retreats to his tent, he sees you out there again, with the fire tiger, lighting up the night sky with your flames.

And in that way, you’ve improved at an astonishing pace.

You’ve learned what most people take half a year to master in approximately one circa.

Sometimes, he wonders if you get any sleep.

Other times, he wonders if your ambition staves off any possible fatigue that you might have.

Every day at the end of your lesson, you ask him hopefully, eyes twinkling, if you’re ready to train with the other soldiers. And every day, he answers no.

There’s something about the way that you wield your fire that exhales beauty but shuns destruction. That would never work on a battlefield. Yet he doesn’t necessarily want you to learn how to destruct as a fire medium, either. He finds your flames absolutely enchanting. You’ve found a way to bend the wisps of flames as if they are silk, the colors fluttering in harmony with the breeze that greets the air. He’s never seen anything like it before.

Your passion and intense ardor don’t go unnoticed by others, either. He watches as more and more of his officers begin to accept you into their lives. He watches as you leave officer meetings with different people, smiling brightly and conversing with them with a glint in your eye. And he watches you now, in today’s meeting, listening quietly to what the others have to say.

In a way, you’re a little like him. He never liked thinking on the spot. It takes him time to process information, to filter through all the possible alternatives, to give an order that he knows he won’t regret. He prefers to listen. Because that way, he can heed a little bit of everyone’s advice and opinions. Because that way, he would lead for his soldiers and not himself.

“—sir?”

Well, that’s embarrassing. He’d missed the entire first half.

“Yes?” he answers, almost sheepishly, but he manages to keep his expression stoic (from years and years of practice).

“I asked if you know anyone with the surname, ‘Kwang,’ sir,” Captain Im says. “We’re not quite sure if this code pertains to Captain Yang’s theory.”

Of course. ‘Kwang’ is the new code.

Captain Yang’s theory that the Darlaean message is a blatant attack on Yoongi seems to be rather popular in the tent. Almost everyone but a couple of officers believes in it. It makes him all the more disheartened to admit:

“I don’t,” he says.

“I told you,” Captain Chang sighs. “The Kwang Clan perished before most of us were even born.”

“I didn’t even know we had a Kwang Clan in the first place,” Major Lee says, scratching his head. “Does this mean Captain Yang’s theory is out the window?”

Captain Yang bows his head. “I apologize for suggesting something faulty.”

“It was a smart theory,” Major Hyun consoles him. “It just didn’t happen to be the answer.”

“So what is the answer?” Captain Im says.

Everyone is silent.

Captain Im is usually the one answering the questions, and without her on the other side, no one wants to reply.

You take the silence as a sign to think harder than before.

‘Kwang’ throws you off. First, the Darlaeans send a code that is an object. Then, they send an action, followed by a number. And now, a surname? Nothing makes sense. It’s like they’re checking off a giant list of the most random things that they can find. Jewel, usurp, 19, Kwang… It makes you revisit the thought you’ve had almost since the very beginning—the one that had lasted until Circa Garnet.

This could be a message.

This could be a message for just one person. These words mean nonsense to you, but what if it should make sense? Just not to you? Why would the Darlaeans risk losing the war by repeating the same attack patterns to spell out monocode that translates into seemingly arbitrary words? There is a large possibility that they didn’t expect every officer in the Solarian Army to pick up on it. Maybe the message is supposed to be interpreted differently. Maybe it wasn’t for every officer to uncover. Maybe it was just for one person to read and act upon it. Alone. Maybe…

You can’t help the words threatening to bubble out of your throat.

“Maybe there’s a spy.”

Every officer in the tent turns to look at you. Even the most stoic ones have horrified expressions on their faces.

You can’t believe what just came out of your mouth. That is an incredibly large accusation to make—one that could split everyone apart or turn everyone against you. As you’re struggling to comprehend what you’ve just done, the General quickly cuts in.

“And what makes you think that, Officer?”

“Well… um,” you say, trying not to let the stares from the other officers distract you too much. “That could explain why we can’t make sense of the code, sir. Why the Darlaeans would risk losing the war by giving away their attack patterns. They didn’t expect us to know monocode. And they were right, weren’t they?” you say. “Maybe their message is for one person and one person only. What if we’re decoding their message to their spy?”

“And are you implying that the spy is standing in this room right now?” the General asks.

Your eyes nervously sweep across the officers around the large table. You look down. “I would suspect so.”

“Ha!” Captain Goe laughs. “So are we going to rip each other’s throats trying to find the culprit?” He takes a swig from his gourd. “By the way, happy birthday, General. What beautiful news your officer has gifted you on your special day.”

Maybe you shouldn’t have said such a polarizing thing on the General’s birthday. Now he’s going to have to deal with the aftermath, and you have an inkling that it isn’t going to be pretty.

“We will keep this meeting civil,” the General firmly says. “And thank you. Though the ‘present’ that Officer Ryu has announced for all of us must be taken seriously, we will not point fingers at each other just yet.”

“It’s less likely, but the spy—if they exist—could also be a soldier,” Captain Im pipes up.

“And who’s to say the spy isn’t a healer, either?” Major Lee says.

“And if there is a spy, when did they join the army? Why did they wait until now to begin something?”

“They’re planning something…”

“It’s something big.”

“It’s terrifying to think about,” Major Ki says, “but if there really is a spy—or even, spies—how would we catch them?”

“Most likely, we can’t,” Major Ahn says. “If we began interrogating everyone, the spy would get suspicious. And if the spy is standing in this room right now, they already know.”

“Or the spy suggested the idea so she could go under the radar.”

Everyone turns to look at who had spoken. And to everyone’s surprise, it’s Captain Yoo.

Though his face is completely stoic, his eyes bore into yours, and if you weren’t so conscious about the way he was looking at you, you would’ve stepped back from the intimidation.

“We shouldn’t be pointing fingers,” Captain Chu says—also to everyone’s surprise. Even you stare at him, eyes wide. Had he just defended you?

Captain Yoo sighs. “But when did the messages begin? Soon after she came into our meetings. Memory loss, inability to wield the elements, suspiciously clairvoyant battle plans… Isn’t it so convenient?”

“He has a point…” Captain Chang says.

“I’ve been thinking that too.”

“It actually makes perfect sense.”

“Why didn’t we think of this earlier?”

You watch as several officers pitch in to accuse you of spying for the Darlaeans. You’re rendered speechless. You knew that there was a possibility that suggesting the existence of a spy would make you look suspicious, but you didn’t think Captain Yoo of all people would be the first to suggest it. You were never his friend, but all that time you spent together with the water clock duty… It had meant nothing to him.

“Convenience, Captain Yoo, does not equal suspicion,” the Lieutenant speaks up. She puts a supportive hand on your shoulder. “We will not punish Officer Ryu for bringing to the table a theory that no one else dared to say out loud. We will also not punish her for the injuries she acquired fighting in the third sector.”

“And haven’t you heard?” Major Lee says, giving Captain Yoo a nasty look. “She’s a fire medium now. Maybe someone should check their facts before pointing fingers.”

“Sir, you can’t just let someone with such an enigmatic past fly under your radar,” Captain Yoo says, addressing the General. “This needs to be investigated.”

The General’s brows twist in deep thought. “In theory, everyone must be investigated. We cannot single out Officer Ryu because she has lost her memories. So, Captain Yoo, it will be up to you. If you want to investigate Officer Ryu, you and everyone else in this tent must be investigated as well. What will it be?”

Captain Yoo arches an eyebrow. “I suppose it is only fair that everyone else is interrogated along with her.”

“Interrogated?” Captain Im says, eyes wide. “W-We’re not… we’re not going to be given Hyoscine, are we?”

“We only use that for our war prisoners,” Captain Bak says, casually fixing her bangs away from her face. “Unless Captain Yoo wants to accuse Officer Ryu of being a prisoner of war, we won’t be given Hyoscine.”

“Captain Bak is right,” the Lieutenant says. “We will not be using Hyoscine on anyone in this tent. It’s too dangerous, and we can’t risk memory loss for our officer again.”

“And how will you know she isn’t lying straight through her teeth?” Captain Chang asks.

“Because we’ve been winning the war since she came to us with her battle plans,” the General answers. Captain Chang visibly shrinks back at the authority of the General’s voice. “I find it hard to believe that Officer Ryu would suggest that there is a spy in our midst if she really were the spy. She would anticipate that people would find her the most suspicious, given that some of us in this tent haven’t been so kind to her in the past.

“She said what was on her mind because she believed it was urgent. And it is only fair that we consider this theory because ignoring it could be detrimental, and the reasoning behind this theory is quite sound.

“With that said, the Lieutenant and I will be commencing investigations—not to be confused with interrogations. Rest assured, we will not be using Hyoscine, but we will ask that everybody be honest and truthful.

“The investigations will be a precaution, and we will not accuse anyone of being a spy until we find compelling evidence. There is a large chance that everyone in this room is innocent. And an even larger chance that there is no spy at all.

“We will begin the investigations in the next circa,” the General says. His hand grazes the wooden table, and when he looks up, his sharp eyes meet yours. “Please prepare yourselves to answer any personal questions. The investigations will be at random.” A small pause. “You are dismissed.”

Seconds after the General’s last words, everyone stays frozen. It’s quite a lot of information to take in. Your head is absolutely reeling with thoughts. How will you answer personal questions if you cannot remember the answers? Should you not have announced this theory in front of a group where the spy could potentially be hiding in? And why will some officers never be satisfied with what you do? It makes you think. There had been a vote to keep you in the officer meetings nearly five circas ago, and only nine people had voted in your favor. Could it be that there are still some officers here, waiting for your downfall? Could it be that some officers have always suspected you were a spy? Can nothing you do prove your innocence?

Soon, the officers realize that the General had dismissed them and they begin to trickle out of the tent. Too soon, you, the Lieutenant and the General are the only ones left.

“I shouldn’t have said that there was a spy,” you say, looking at your feet. “I’m sorry. And I especially shouldn’t have said something so controversial on your birthday, sir.”

The General shakes his head. “My birthday is nothing compared to strategizing to win the war. I’m glad you spoke up today, Officer.”

“I didn’t know Captain Yoo wasn’t so fond of you,” Doyun says, frowning. “He practically threw you under. As if he was waiting for you to mess up.”

“It’s fine, I guess,” you say, offering her a tight smile. “He was just trying to look out for Solaria.”

“Yoongi, do you really think one of our officers could be a spy?” Doyun asks.

The General sighs. “I don’t know.”

Doyun sighs at the General’s elusive answer and turns to you. “You look tired, Y/N.” She looks worried. “Don’t go fainting on me, again.”

It must be from the stress that’s started to creep up after Captain Yoo’s and many others’ accusations.

“I’ll be fine,” you reassure her. “I’ve just been training hard, these days.”

She nods as if to understand. “Make sure to take care of yourself occasionally, okay?”

“I will.” You let a small smile slip through. “Oh, and sir?” you say.

The General raises his head, almost perking up at the sound of you addressing him. “Yes, Officer?”

“I hope you enjoyed the birthday breakfast Doyun and I made for you this morning,” you say with a soft smile.

And with that, you walk out of the tent with Doyun laughing at Yoongi’s shocked expression and Yoongi, in turn, unable to contain a bright smile lighting up his eyes.

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⨰ a/n: i have finally made a character list! it includes the characters' name, age, mbti, allegiance, magic and more! feel free to reference it whenever you forget who a character is! (or if you just want to see if anyone has the same mbti type as you LOL)

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⨰ taglist: @shrimpmsg @chimchiekookie @eternita3 @staerryminimini @yunkichiee