#Kivera being herself

[inviouswriting]

Decided.

Spoiler Warnings - Spoilers for Save the Queen arc. Seriously if you haven’t done it and want to, don’t read it. The story is really good. You just need 10 mettle to complete most of the story dialogue.

Content warnings - Talks of Kivera’s past.

Characters - Mentions @snow-covered-moon​ ‘s Shuri. and the polyship.

I wanted to write Kivera in how she would even gain Misija. And this came out nicely.

“What made you bargain to let them spare me. Aren’t you afraid I’ll resort to the same methods?” Misija looks to Kivera, the reaper had managed to bargain her life. Kivera is staring off into the distance, she had yet to shed the normal guise, dancer and miqo. She thinks on how to answer Misija. Her attention turns towards her, green eyes flickering between colors.

“What good will the answer do you? Some sort of consolation? You had resigned yourself to execution. I didn’t have to bargain much, people can be bought with simple words.” Kivera spoke in a way that made the Roe think on her ways. She admired her strengths even before they had crossed weapons. There was something about the miqo’te, she didn’t force her way except when she demanded Misija to be left into her care. That she would be the decider of her fate.

“I suppose a question that already has an answer.” Misija follows Kivera’s gaze as they overlook a ruins, they were making their way slowly to a rendezvous with Shuri and Estinien. Shuri anxious to meet another person that managed to catch the eye of the reaper. Estinien accepting their house gaining another, trusting Kivera’s judgement. He didn’t have a reason to doubt her when it came to injustice somewhere.

 “So tell me then, why me?” Kivera looks up, the first time she does since they had been traveling by foot and mount. They stopped for now to rest before they continued on.

“You have a shine to your soul that I couldn’t let be snuffed out.” Misija glances to her, seeing her change her form, a ripple in her clothing. She is taken by surprise of the wings, or how the simple demeanor she knew her as, is not there. 

“Couldn’t let be snuffed out, so you bring me into a life with others? What if I were to run away, or escape this sentence.” Kivera casts an eye towards Misija.

“You could, but I doubt you will.”

“How are you so certain?”

“You would have done so by now. I’ve seen your type before. I’ve also fought you personally. If you had wanted to leave, you would have the moment we were outside Gangos.” Kivera brings a hand to her own face observing Misija’s simple close of her eyes, realizing she was caught.

“What drew you to me then.” She did not understand the prowess Kivera seems to have. A lure within herself, she could charm those around her, she has seen her do so. Others placing their faith in her blindly. 

“You at first remind me of someone close to me. After seeing the memories of the Queen, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time since I came here. I saw injustice the same way you did. Yet understood the meaning behind Gunnhildr’s sacrifice. Yet still felt a wrongness in it.” Kivera sees the upturn in Misija’s face, at the memories of her great ancestor. Kivera had read the field notes, she knew why Misija had such a strong drive towards the Queen. Felt so wrong and was a perfect candidate for the primal.

“So why did you stop me, if you knew all that.” She sits down at the ledge, and Kivera watches her for now, as if analyzing her.

“I have people I want to protect on this star. Their very existence is what made me stop you. I did not want to see you burn out in the same fashion of another beloved friend to one of my lovers. Her death still haunts this love of mine.” Kivera flits to in front of Misija sitting on her lap.

The Roe eyes here weary of her ability to move fast. Another factor, she wouldn’t be able to outrun someone who was clearly more powerful than her. So Misija holds her at her waist.

“Is this Ysayle? The first count of a person taking a primal into herself? I heard about her, in how she sacrificed herself to let the warriors of light pass into Azys Lla. While chasing Thordan.” Kivera nods confirming the identity.

“Was I a chance for you to right a wrong then?” Kivera narrows her eyes, letting a flash of orange cross them. Annoyed at the constant questions.

“No. I chose you for other reasons. I will reveal those in time. I hope you’ll come to trust me, as I have placed my trust in others and you.” Misija sees how trust was emphasized in her words. That it is hard for the creature in front of her to trust others. 

“It will be a slow process. How will you know I won’t use you and yours?” 

“Time will tell. Slow process indeed, as for knowing. I have my ways.” Kivera raises her head to lock her gaze with Misija. There she is shown the same thing Kivera shows any who she has an interest in. Her past, everything about herself, what she is, who she is, what she endured, what she gained, her heartache and rises. 

Like a storybook flipping through pages in Misija’s head, she is overwhelmed at seeing her murder, her cast down from the heavens, descent through hell and purgatory. The sheer strength she has at gaining each and every power she has now, weapon. One memory Misija focuses on is her trials, how Kivera crawled through a labyrinth blind and electrocuted by the great centaur Chiron as he shot arrows at her. Yet she outsmarts him luring him into a pool of water leading the lightning back to him. 

After that point Misija sees the hurried memories of Damien, those seeming to fade more rapid like Kivera didn’t want anyone to see them. The loved ones she gained who are dear to her. From Shuri to Estinien, Divinity’s memories she understands Kivera’s attention after seeing the witch trial hunts. Seeing someone die for what others deem right and moral.

The share ends, and Misija is staring at green eyes, those eyes stare into her very soul, she feels her being frozen in space. Eorzea has no idea what kind of being wanders the realm, yet she chooses to love people who were once condemned for death in some way.

Misija finds Kivera’s eyes too intense, and looks away. 

“Too much all at once?” 

“Not every day someone meets a literal...”

“You can say it. Once.”

“Angel.”

“Fallen angel.”

“Fallen angel.”

“You have so much more, yet you waste your time with the likes of me, rejected by her own queen. You saw that end.. why?” Misija feels a hand at her face.

“Perhaps in time you will see what I see. I can’t tell you that right now. It’s something for you to figure out. You can’t do that dead obviously.” Kivera tilts her head feeling comfortable in her spot on the roe’s lap.

“You speak in riddles reaper.” Misija allows herself to relax knowing the other won’t force her hand in anything unwanted. She could run away even. But now that she witnessed the memories, she didn’t want to. 

“I speak more plain if you open your mind a bit more. I’m not that complicated, and neither are you.” Kivera smirks as she speaks, the roe finding her a little arrogant in her words, but admires her straightforward self.

“Simple you say, yet you are one of the most complex beings to grace this realm.” Kivera takes it as a compliment seeing the sly grin on her face. Kivera guides Misija’s head towards her own. The roe eyes her again but does as she is being guded. Kivera presses her forehead to hers. A simple affection, one that didn’t need to be elaborated on, or for her to convey her feelings when they’re right there.

Misija had never been given affection like this, calm and pure. It scared her, she knew of nothing kind in her entire life, yet a person she had tried to kill was there showing her this rare kindness.

Vulnerability more than the bare hunger she suffered in her youth. Humility, Kivera was showing her humility, what it meant to enjoy what you have before you. For Misija it is this woman now, for Kivera it is all she has ever gained from her own death.

“You are too kind.. Perhaps it would be your undoing.”

“Silence before I make you be quiet. Enjoy this moment with me. I’m not asking you for much and neither are you.” Kivera receives her request, and they spend the next few minutes in complete silence, accepting the others presence.

For once since her release into this new chapter. Misija allows herself to be more selfish.

[unbloomingmoonflower]

who's the one babysitting the kids when Shuri and Esti need some time? and are the kids nice to their babysitter?

As Shuri and Estinien are in a poly marriage, either Kivera or Divinity (both owned by @invidia1988) watch the children. Helena, being adopted and the oldest, also helps out (and no she isn't forced to babysit because Helena is still a child figuring herself out).

The children adore Kivera and Divinity, as this is the family dynamic they know. Shuri rarely trusts strangers to watch her children (she is a very protective mother); if all the adults want some time alone, Shuri will only seek out those she is familiar with and ask if they can watch the children.

[thedeathstarspirit]

For The One of Light and one of Death.

Rp start for @meepsthemiqo

Kivera is use to the ire of people. Specially of the living. She has seen and been the one to claim many lives. Whether she wanted to or not. It surprised her that Meeps wanted to speak to her. She knew it was a matter of time that she would reach out to her.

She was the one who claimed Elidibus after all. She had seen and heard the interactions with Angelique. She herself dealt with her own feelings on the matter, as long as it wasn’t her, herself dragged into matters.

When she got a delicate summon from Meeps, she had a feeling of what the conversation was going to be, given her feelings over Elidibus. She knew of Fae, she was present during Amaurot’s fall, she had witnessed many deaths as the star had died. She was in between voids waiting for the fight with Elidibus to be over, as she was ready to collect the Ascian.

She never wanted to, but an exchange was made, with those that opposed Zodiark had won, and had changed the fate of The Source and The First. Kivera waited outside of the Goblet, being close enough to be sensed rather than knocking at her door.

She felt conflict and unrest within Meeps, that had been there since she first met the woman. Even when she narrowed her eyes to see bits of her soul, the sundered similar to Kiya. But much different in terms of their conditions.

Kivera had assured Shuri that this meeting should not be negative. To Kivera this was another soul coping with grief. She barely knew Meeps, except the brief interactions with her and Fae’a.

She waited for her to compose herself to want to carry out this meeting. She had even abandoned the miqo form in favor of her natural appearance. From ashen white skin and bi-colored wings, to her unique clothing. She remains unseen to normal eyes except to those she wants to see her. A faint burning cloves scent within the air to ward off other spirits.

Kivera holds herself and steels her resolve. She already knows she won’t be able to answer all of her questions. She had recently come from one of the interractions with Kiya. Seeing her and Aymeric go about their lives, the haunted look behind Kiya.

“Some things are best left forgotten to time.” She muses aloud to herself. All she hopes is that grief does not overtake rational thoughts.

[candideangel]

Setting Sail

more continuation from @invidia1988 ‘s AU from the previous night with mention of @maiden-born-in-snow‘s Shuri. 

A bit more of the Crystalangel couple just finding a moment’s peace.

Curing a hangover had not been what one would consider fun, dehydrated to the point that the head ached and the body didn’t know if the temperature was up or down. That was the first day on the trip for the Warrior of Light and the once known Crystal Exarch; lying in the bed of the quarters, drinking water and tea periodically with no appetite to call for. Not to mention with the fact that the slow bobbing of the ship didn’t help the empty stomachs that both yearned for food while not wishing for it at the same time. G’raha probably had the worst of it, half keeled over a basin for someone who wasn’t quite so used to the sea and as the sailors had mentioned he would grow his “sea-legs” once everything eased up. They were a little better during the evening, but not quite up to snuff to feel the urge to leave their quarters, piecing on bread, cheese, and chamomile tea for dinner instead of anything large and filling.

By the day after though, G’raha had gone above deck when the sun had fully risen, inhaling the air that surrounded his senses, ears fluttering slightly at the moment of joy. The air smelled of salt, the sound of the boat breaking along the surface, the sight of the stretch of dark blue touching a lighter blue horizon lined with puffy white clouds. All his senses were on an overdrive, and right now his body that had been so wound with tension eased a little. The only change was that the clothes Tataru had worked to make him had been swapped out for a simple white shirt and black pants and boots. They were a bit loose, but then again the Miqo’te sailor that had offered them to him was at least a little bit taller and had the muscle stature to add on it. It was a kind gesture all things considered, but perhaps Angelique’s Warrior of Light status had caused some type of warranted attention or even favors...and while he didn’t want to be the partner that used a title to get things, this was his only exception.

“It’s good to see you got the color back to your cheeks.” Angelique’s voice once more caused his ears to perk upright and one of them to cock towards the direction. Her own adventuring attire had been swapped as well, but that was from another patron on the ship. A kindly and fashionable woman who had offered a soft fabric top that draped against her chest, in a deep shade of hunter green and a skirt that billowed gently in the breeze. “And that we’re not feeling like we’re about to die.” she teased and G’raha smiled when she came to join his side, staring to the horizon. Limsa Lominsa was no longer a speck of darkness in the distance...it was long gone.

“Same to you. I wouldn’t think the great Warrior of Light and Darkness, slayer of gods and then some, could be brought down by a hangover.” G’raha Tia shot her a smirk but she just gave a challenging one right back.

“Claims the light-weight who rarely had alcohol and I nearly had to drag you to the Roost!” She chuckled slightly, even G’raha began to laugh. For a moment it was as if the tensions were gone, and perhaps they were at least tucked away for the moment. For certain though he would go a little lighter on the spirits until he could grow a decent constitution for it.

“It’s refreshing to see the ocean...I didn’t spend much time admiring my surroundings. Especially once the light waned in Kholusia…” He trailed off, remembering waking and coughing up the sea water from the exhausting swim back to the rocky and shell covered beaches of Kholusia after the Tempest, but for a moment when he thought he was simply seeing the light...saw the one person haloed by that light and he couldn’t help but smile that day as the cheers filled the distant bridges. “...We didn’t get to spend much time outside of the borders of Lakeland in general.”

“Well...you couldn’t help that.” Angelique shrugged as if it were no big deal. It certainly made their evenings a bit...stale as he worried. The late nights ghosting away to the Tower to curl up in the Umbilicus next to the Crystal Exarch, wrapped up in a blanket and lights slightly dimmed in the room but enough for them to read together. Hiding away in a place they considered a sanctuary. It was those moments that they cherished, even if the bard was a woman of action...and needed to move to ease the restlessness, trips further out were near impossible if she didn’t want to haul a weakened old man back to the Crystarium to recover. 

“Mm...do you miss it? Those quiet times, safe in our world?” He asked quietly during the sobering thoughts that had passed. “Do...you miss when I was the Crystal Exarch?”

“What’s there to miss, when I have you here and now, in my present?” Angelique would answer his inquiry with one of her own, turning to face him and lightly took hold of his hands, making him turn to face her. It was the present she did thank Kivera for, but the consequences...the ones who suffered for it...those were still the consequences they would be living with until forgiveness if at all would be found. G’raha had fallen silent then he let out a soft sigh before letting his forehead press up against hers, a small notion that followed with a small nuzzle. A sign of affection that Angelique returned; they were here to think, whilst at the same time letting everything clear up. Besides this time together was something that was long overdue. A plan to meet with two objectives.

With a soft kiss between the two, they stood by each other, leaning against the railing with idle conversation, just occupying time. Truth be told they had gone on this trip...they had gone half-cocked. They didn’t pack a change of attire outside the ones on their backs, no extra food rations in case they were out further away from civilization, but most of their time would be spent in Kugane, unless the urge to hunt called to the bard’s blood. Angelique had spent most of the previous evening splitting the gil between them so both herself and G’raha Tia could have some kind of spending money on this trip...and Angelique had half a mind to ask Feo Ul for a very, very miniscule favor, but she wasn’t going to bother the Fae King to gather their laundry. That would be rude and...she just didn’t know how ready she was to introduce them to the new G’raha.

“Oi! Storm’s brewin’ on the horizon!” A sailor called down to the patrons and G’raha and Angelique glanced over, they had taken to sitting down after their legs tired and Angelique was halfway to dozing off in the warmth of the sun against her skin. “Could have some nasty winds, for your safety we ask you head below decks for the time being. You don’t have to go to your quarters, but you can’t stay here.” He spoke before turning to head back to the bow as passengers were heading down below. G’raha would help Angelique to her feet and went with her with the others.

While they had idled in the main cabin for a time, Angelique had thanked the woman who had offered her the clothing, and strummed up some conversation for a while until the rain had started to be heard with the gale wind that caused the boat to rock harshly for a moment. The two mammets had occupied themselves in their quarters, following the rolling star ruby that had fallen out of Angelique’s travel bag.

“Oh, I forgot I brought that part with me…” Angelique muttered when G’raha shut the door and went over to the two mammets and reached over to pick it up as well as the two automaton on the floor. She looked at the ruby in her hand while the mammets climbed onto respective perches.

“...The music box that’s still broken back home…” G’raha muttered softly. “I...can’t apologize enough for that. My temper...I didn’t expect it to…”

“Raha, we’ve been over this, it’s okay. Something like that is easily repaired. Besides...I’ve been getting the urge to change the parts to play a new sound...and a new stone. So when we go back I’ll go to the Goldsmith in Ul’dah.” Angelique told him as she moved over to the bed and sat down as a loud clap of thunder could be heard outside but her fingers still idly rolled the gemstone between her fingers, brow furrowed in thought while the Miqo’te soon joined her. “...I want it to play Eternal Wind…” she spoke softly and G’raha looked surprised at the sudden proclamation.

“Eternal...Wind? You mean those old music sheets we found in the tower...so long ago…the ones I often played in my youth filled days…” He remembered at least...the times he did remember. They had found the old sheet music in the theater, and taken it with them to the camp, G’raha poured endlessly over the work until he could finally play it properly...and that was the first time he heard her sing after he translated it. One of those halcyon moments when he realized he was starting to find himself falling deeper in love. Angelique looked over to him and smiled sheepishly.

“It was one of the few things Rammbroes let me take from your tent. The set was so simple...that I practiced it...every night when I was stressed or not too tired to play a the flute or a harp string.”

“Heh,” he chuckled slightly and covered his eyes a little with a hand, covering the urge to sniffle, “...For so long we had loved one another, unable to express it...now..it feels almost like I’m walking in a daydream...and I don’t want to wake from it.” He could feel the tears sting his eyes but he wiped them away before gathering Angelique into his arms, mammets and all, and bury his face into the crook of her neck, his sanguine eyes staring at the star ruby that almost reflected the same color. For a beat he was silent then he asked a question as he pressed a soft kiss against the back of her neck, feeling the slight tremble under his hold.

“...Do you think they will come and try to find us? Now that Tataru can’t really tell them where we went aside from just sending mail by Moogle?” he asked softly to her, but the hyur only shrugged.

“We will just have to see. It wouldn’t surprise me if Estinien took chase at the behest of Shuri, but hopefully they’ll be understanding why we took off so suddenly instead of telling them. And hopefully they don’t harry the poor Moogle otherwise.” Her response came calmly enough, but she too wasn’t sure what everyone would be capable of if they were wanting to know terribly. For now though as she could feel the soft press of the Miqo’te’s lips on her soft skin and his tail find a way around her waist with only the sounds of the storm outside...she allowed herself to simply drift away. To forget. To find the calm they needed.

[inviouswriting]

Reunion

Kivera and her universe centered a little. Mentions of polyship with @snow-covered-moon ‘s Shuri and including her character. Between Shuri and Lilith.

Lengthy! Been working on this for a few months now. This is an ongoing series I am writing. Starting at the beginning with Kiya and Aymeric’s stories. 

I had to split off before going into Ultima Thule. 

Spoilers for Endwalker content, if you have not gone through that expansion, are about to, please read with caution. While I’m vague, there are major key points in here. Also subject matter is heavy because that expansion is dark itself.

Thank you for those who have been following this original side story.

Kivera’s path in Elpis was different than Shuri’s, the angel was there to learn dynamis, while Shuri and Lilith were there to learn of their origins. Like Meteion, Lilith is an entelechy. Kivera did not intervene with the knowledge the two gained, she watched from the spiritual plain she was drifting after her time period caught up.

She had intentionally made her side a day faster than the time duration Shuri was in. So she could get through and wait for her to catch up. Observe her from the shadows of the spirit realm itself. She had no worries over her as she uncovered truths about herself. Kivera was watching for instability. 

Kivera sees a web of tethers, always seeing them, how different lives have thinner closer to death, or stronger when they’re full of life. How she knows when a life has truly been fulfilled. She thinks back to the many she rend in Etheryis, just like another world she knows.

For Shuri, the events she witnesses are identical to the ones she went through. Meeting Meteion, meeting Hermes, Emet, Venat, and Hythlodaeus. A time loop that Kivera experienced herself, and now watches it unfold up to the point where Meteion converges with her sisters to tell the fate of the distant stars. 

Kivera watched with pain in her own eyes at how the color drained from Meteion. Leaving a bleak and grim face filled with pure despair. An emotion she is familiar with, and faces on the normal with her nature of being. 

The chase after Meteion as she fled to the end of space and time itself. Shuri being sent through the confluence she herself went through in haste to not have her memories wiped out. 

Kivera waits for Shuri to be returned to the gate they arrived in, where they both will be returned to the same time point. After Venat separates from Shuri and the auri is through the gate to head back to the one they entered together does Shuri finally see Kivera. As if breathing air their points are together. 

“You’ve your answers I take?” The same whirlwind of emotions Kivera had are reflected within Shuri and Lilith. Mismatched eyes meet green, Kivera offers her hand to her again to take her back. 

“I do. Let’s head back home.” Kivera’s eyes flit between purple then back to green when her hand is taken.

There is nothing else they need to say as they step through and drift back to their current time points. Letting memories they both know flood them. Seeing what led Venat to become Hydaelyn, the staggering walks and parallels of going towards Emet that day in the First. For Shuri, driven by Ardbert, for Kivera her own will. She recalls her position that day to stand to the side and let the events play out.

Shuri sees directly from Kivera’s eyes as she offers her hand to Hecate and leeches her life while giving her own essence to the woman who just wanted to find love. How she saw a world plagued by beasts and diseased with warring deities. Where she cleansed it to become the Etheryis they know now. 

Kivera can feel the anger within Lilith digging into her hand at rewatching the death of Lucifer and herself. Almost clawing into the hand that holds her steady. Kivera having a hand in everyone’s death that day. It was a world that ended and split one star into fourteen. Each having their own life and each having their own fate. 

The arrival back in the ocular was spent in mild silence. Kivera knows they have to separate again, for a while. Kivera to Garlemald, and Shuri to Thavnair to lend her hand there. It is brief for them to spend any time together. Kivera has more power to lend in Garlemald while Shuri is best aiding with Divinity. Where the rest of their family would be.

Kivera gives Shuri one of her bells, and a full embrace. The reaper uses her second sight to look at her tethers to the world. Vibrant and full but frayed at the edges. One wrong move was all it takes.

“Only ring that if it is dire. I’ll hear it anywhere, each of my circle has one. It summons me. We’ll meet up again in Sharlayan.” Kivera gives her enough to know they’ll see each other again. Outside they split their paths, Kivera instantly going to where she is needed, hearing a faint ping from Aiden’s bell. 

He rarely rings it, and it would be a little bit before she meets up. The escort mission in Garlemald becoming a bad choice in the end. The reaper didn’t need to see the tethers to know how many severed, and how many were lost. She followed the path and where she can feel Aiden and Killian lending their hand to fight off those that turned.

The pace she uses is slower and reverent, making peace with her choice to help them. Steeled from her visit to Elpis, if she had resolved herself to let the star go, she would never had helped earlier.

Green eyes watch the clash of swords and spears against hands and mouths. At her feet she lets small pulses of fire, enough to ruffle the snow under her feet and race towards beasts but not scorch the ground underneath. The beasts too far gone to be saved, they’re only touched by the flame before they dissipate as if they were never there.

Killian is first to see her, and nudges Aiden. They exchange looks and begin to stand back from the circle they entered. The rest of the group sees her, and breathe sighs of relief at her showing up.

“About time.” Kivera stops by Killian and Aiden. 

“I thought you could manage without me.” She teases Aiden a little.

“This end of the world stuff is all yours. Not mine. I rather you know, not be in worlds about to burn. Find your answers?” Kivera nods and amused amber eyes light up.

“More questions, but I have some of my answers. How many are left?” Kivera looks on to see a group, where she feels at least one of hers, Estinien nearby tending to other beasts. 

“Just this group and the ones the other scions have right now. I think they need you more than us here. You took care of the worse one.” Aiden joins Killian again, ending the small reunion between her and her spirits. Kivera closes her eyes, letting a wave of emotions run through her. She keeps herself composed noting that no one she cares for is in dire danger or injured.

“I guess it is time then. Bring end to the restless.” She sees the beasts close to lich monsters. Ones devoid of any will of their own, just merely acting. There were no longer souls to collect in the field save for the few who were just devoured. Her hands work as she walks closer to her group, the one that needs her. Burning off threads in front of her with a sweep of her hand. It looks like she walks through spider webs.

Kivera weaves these threads in her hands looking for ones fading and rotting. She runs the end of Antares along them, severing them as she determines which were saved, which are beyond saving, and those who wither away like dust when she touches them.

A scene that awaits her is one she was anticipating. G’raha and Alisaie in a circle, the latter with a wound to her side. Estinien sees her first, he’s met with a quick flash of purple before they settle to green. Vibrant in life like herself. 

“Hmm... funny how that doesn’t look like you have things handled, Alisaie.” Kivera chides, playful earning a quick glare from her.

“I can look after myself you know!” Kivera’s eyes light up gold in her amusement. 

“So.. you don’t need my help then.” She fixes Antares in her hand, from the two hand-scythes she had been using to her weapons full form in the looming polearm it is. 

“We could use your help against the big one. You know she’s a bit prideful.” Alphinaud is quick to comment before his sister can shoo away their godsend help.

“Ha, you know I deal with prideful ones on the norm in my domain. Maybe it is a bit of divine retribution? Some humbling? You do remember I oversee Purgatory.” The reaper sees the fear in both siblings faces at that reveal.

“Come now, don’t tease them too badly. You’re going to scare them.” Estinien joins them after rending the last of the bunch he was on.

“You know me by now. If I wasn’t going to help, I wouldn’t be here. Perhaps... this is a chance to show them what I can actually do.”  She glances to the twins and gives them both a slight wink, then faces herself to the last beast on the field after sensing the others were gone.

“Why not show them then. You dance circles around every other enemy. Quite literally.” Estinien holds a hand in front of the rest to keep them from wandering into the fray now. The reaper whistles loud enough for something.

“Doesn’t she need help?” G’raha looks up at the dragoon for stopping him from aiding Kivera as she finds a center to draw the attention of lingering beasts to her. 

“Since when does Death need help? Recall back in Thavnair, with Aiden?” He almost forgot she has hidden abilities that she has not shown this world.

“How could I forget being at epicenter.” Alphinaud and Alisaie resort to helping aid survivors in healing them.

Kivera waits for them to get closer, she sweeps one of her feet in a circle to close off the spot once she has them away from the others and where she can control their escape and keep the others from getting struck by her.

“To think that your very emotions caused these changes. That your very existence is nothing more than lingering essence. You remind me of the beings lost to necromancy. Warped beyond recognition, only driven by reasons you’ll never understand anymore. To fill that empty void. That you neither will return to the aetherical sea nor spirit realm. Exactly like a lich’s flame. Whither away body, mind and soul.” Kivera watches them get closer, she holds her scythe outwards curved blade pointed inwards ready to strike in a sweep she stands in a way ready to turn on her foot.

“Fiamme del cielo.”  Barely a whisper as she speaks those around her feel her speak to them. White fire dances on her blade blooming on it as she swings to spin it out. She lets the blade work with the few she connects with, rending them and dissipating them in one sweep. She uses the flames to round behind her to the rest, splashing them as if it were water off the blade.

In the small dome she had created there was nothing after she stands her scythe upright, looking more like a reaper than ever. Green eyes flit to blue brief feeling the deep-seated sorrow of those that fall around her. She had made a promise not to reverse time, not for anything like this. She instead looks to collect their names so that she can imprint them somewhere if their family remained alive. 

Sensing the danger is over, she returns her attention towards her group. She sees her lingering spirits running towards them. She gives a quick glare at Aiden who shrinks back behind Killian.

“That makes... how many here.. Four? Five? I saw Parn back in Thavnair.” Kivera approaches after manipulating her scythe back down to the hand scythes she uses as a dancer.

“Well... six... Selene is here too.” Kivera folds her arms and sighs.

“Why? Are we popping up left and right? You know this isn’t good when we’re all here.” Kivera can feel the pom on the end of her tail bristling out. 

“With all due respect queen. Our being here means it is an end. We can do what we can to limit impaction, but you know better than any of us.” Killian leans on Aiden, he glances over to Estinien and they toss knowing looks.

“I’m not a queen. Mind yourselves. Don’t use titles when I’m not in “that” form.” Kivera sees the scion’s tending to others keeping themselves from the unusual group until she introduces them.

“I suppose it really is, if things pan out the way they’re going. Then I trust you are resolved to act if you know.” Kivera looks between Aiden and Killian, they both nod knowing what she means. To guide souls if the star does fade, to lessen the impact for the star itself.

“What of you, have you decided what is going to happen. You don’t willingly lend that scythe to spare lives unless you intend to spare them.” Aiden pokes at her aiding others.

“I hate senseless deaths. Specifically when the entire soul itself dies and there is nothing to reap. It’s like those touched by Vanth. Unable to be saved because simply there is nothing to save. No wisps of their former selves, no gleam, just... nothing. Aether, mind, body. All warped beyond from despair and dynamis. I’ll explain that in depth with the rest. That is the answer I and another sought to find.” Kivera lifts her eyes to look pass her spirits to the scions around them. Wanting answers to who and what her unique group are.

“Shall we head back to Sharlayan where I can deliver the news more in depth? Killian, can you find Parn for me? Aiden, Beatrice.” She sees his eyes light up instantly at her name and goes to collect her immediately. He doesn’t question her bringing more of their circle to the realm if she is calling for Beatice. 

Like Kivera, she is a fate decider, between Kivera, Divinity and Beatrice they can determine paths for a realm.

“Who?” G’raha sees Kivera’s charges quickly run off to collect the people she mentioned. The reaper looks over to him, bringing a finger to her lips.

“I’ll tell you later. For now, go see about the stray survivors and bring them somewhere safe. Unless we want more beasts from the unstable ones.” G’raha leaves with Alphinaud to soothe those around them. Kivera scratches through her hair feeling frustrated with the current situation. Estinien approaches her getting met with orange eyes.

“Oh, it’s you this time.” She relaxes enough for her eyes to tinge back to green.

“You know I won’t pry unless you willingly tell or it is of great importance. Prefer to keep it that way. You saw her, how was she.” He had been busy fighting to where he couldn’t see Shuri.

“It’s best you learn from her. In fact she could probably use your comfort more than mine. Lilith is still looking at me a bit scorned still. Shuri understands. It was a time before I knew any of you, and your times before the sundering.” She refers to Amaurot.

“You’ll have to earn her trust like we all have had to earn yours.” Estinien reminds her of how distant she was at first interacting with any of them. Divinity bringing them in, and she acted much like Lilith towards her. 

“I’m not one for this side of courting you know. I believe there will be a time “after” the fate of this star is determined.” Estinien sees amusement in Kivera’s eyes.

“Right, I’ll go find Shuri then.” Kivera shakes her head.

“No.” Her word is firm.

“You can’t tell me either.”

“Correct. Paths are different. She and I will cross paths again. She won’t like how either.” Estinien stares at her for a few minutes, like she is entirely different than the one they’ve grown to love.

“Be careful. We part ways here then?” Kivera looks at him and lets her eyes flit to a brief blue.

“For now yes. This is part of my role. I can’t interfere with certain choices she makes. We will see each other again.” Kivera is cryptic but Estinien does not question her further, he knows he won’t get a straight answer out of the reaper. Not if her tongue is bound by the stars.

They split their paths, Kivera overseeing the remainder of the survivors to safe spaces where they can rest their minds. She even uses some of the trauma on some to make them “forget” what they witnessed fearing their unstability.

When Kivera is back in Sharlayan, she sees Aiden had kept his word to find Beatrice, and Killian had collected Parn. She approaches them counting out the number around them.

“With Selene in La Noscea, and Silvara in Thanalan... it’s seven. Really are coming to the end of a world aren’t we?” Kivera folds her arms thinking over her circle. 

“Normally we’d be concerned seeing you at the end, but you’ve been here from the start.” Killian notes Kivera had been in and out of this place more than any other world.

“Lot’s of tragedy to this star in different eras. Naturally.. I’m needed. What of you and Killian? You two usually travel together and create chaos.” Kivera reads the two as they stand next to each other. Killian looking away from her eyes, and Aiden rubbing the back of his head.

“Just following where all of us seem to be. Divinity did choose this world to have her vision back in... we wanted to see what was so special she had to see it with her eyes.” Kivera closes her eyes at the memory, remembering when she was approached by the Libra spirit for her vision back after years of darkness.

“She chose well, and with good reason. Was all light hearted until they ended up in that parallel world. Where alot of them met me for the first time. Now here we are.. trying to advert it.” Beatrice regards Kivera, she looks almost like a valkyrie that fits in Ishgard’s lore. Braided hair and tall like an elezen. Serving under Demeter.

“So that’s why it feels like this world is in constant flux. You’re attempting to divert it. Is there a reason? You don’t get involved unless it’s for genuinely a cosmic rewriting.” Beatrice questions her, arms folded as she stands parallel to Kivera.

“I hate senseless deaths, and the way they’re dying is like Vanth’s doing.” Kivera meets her eyes, they always butted heads like her and Aiden. 

“All of it. We know you by now. Is it for love? or your own justified reason? I won’t help unless I know.” Kivera keeps her stare, eyes shifting brief to orange in her annoyance.

“More out of love for the ones I’ve grown to love here. Along with the truth of the senseless deaths. The soul at the ends of time and space means to end it here as a “gift” rather than letting this star die out the way it is intended to naturally. So not my own justified reasoning, it goes against the very path. So this IS our job.” Kivera reminds her quickly that this is one of their roles. Beatrice places a hand on her waist at her being combatted nicely.

“You and that sharp tongue. You’d drag me in by my braid if I tried walking away.” Parn sighs in relief, the lalafellen spirit panicked momentarily seeing the two bickering. 

“Anymore questions about my involvement? Or can we get that meeting going. They want answers, and we have them.” Kivera kneels down to Parn and holds out a finger to him, and he takes it with one of his own.

“Good to see you again. Wish it was on better terms.” She greets him and they share a moment to understand the circumstances.

“Honestly it feels good to do this again.” Green eyes light yellow as they walk together to the Andron. To where the others wait for answers.

Kivera is first to step through the meeting hall’s threshold, a different air to her as she’s followed by the rest of her circle.

“Large crowd in here today.” Alphinaud has Parn stand near him, Aiden fits near G’raha giving him a wave, Beatrice to Y’shtola, Divinity near Estinien and Alisaie, and Kivera to the center.

“First... let me start this with three conditions. Matters of the underworld are off limits, you cannot ask me about souls that have died, souls that reside and where they are. About the very fate of what is going on.. I can’t tell you. and matters of raising the dead. Everything else can be discussed except those. But given we’re facing an end of the world, I can talk about certain things related to Dynamis since it was on me to find it.” Kivera does go into the answers they sought for the trigger response, about Meteion, and what waits at journey’s end.

“You said something about needing your spirits for something.” Kivera looks over to G’raha, he and Aiden jump back from her glare.

“It’s complicated, but we have a way to determine if this is truly “it” for a realm. The more of us showing up, the more it aims that way. I heard Beatrice was here, and Selene. To your world it might not mean a whole lot, but from where we’re from...” Kivera answers him; annoyance in her voice as she speaks about it.

“It means fate is decided.” Beatrice finishes for her, Kivera extends a hand out to let her have her chance.

“So all that you were saying about possibly saving this world. Still hangs out there.” Thancred is the one talking understanding the underlaying words.

“For lack of better words... yes.” She regards him seeing the frustration at going in circles after the explanation of Meteion and her sisters. Kivera linked her memories to them, finding it easier to show them than tell them. Urianger still reeling from the information he was given.

“Then what do you and your circle intend to do.” Those that know Kivera look at her more than the Scion’s it was like they were around equal halves but still undecided around the reaper.

“Two paths. One answer. The paths are chase after Meteion and try to stop the literal end of your star. Or the other method.” Kivera folds her arms.

“Do nothing and let everything play out as it is intended.” Alphinaud catches her bluntness and almost laughs.

“One answer indeed. You know what we’re deciding too.” The reaper flashes a bright gold stare to him.

“And here I thought it was going to be the other option.” Divinity steps back near Estinien, using her second sight with the group.

“She’s not normally one for jokes, yet here she is. What do you wager?” Divinity knows the time allotted to them is running out, and soon even Sharlayan’s skies will bleed fire.

“I am guessing she has some tricks in those wings of hers.” Estinien regards the Libra spirit amused.

“It does, but not without some pain first. If the world was without a chance, she wouldn’t do this. She reminds me of a side I haven’t seen in ages. So confident that I almost believe her. Yet even she is still powerless to fate at the end.” Divinity sees her leader when the others are busy going over their options. The anxiety written on her face, and wondering if she is making a right choice.

“There she is. Good to see her still with her resolve and not mindlessly running in.” G’raha overhears this and looks to the reaper too, seeing that hint of sadness to her eyes, the edges of her eyes tinged with white.

“Even she’s scared.” Divinity looks to him, and offers a brief smile.

“Did you forget? She has people to lose here just as much as you do.” G’raha nods remembering that even Kivera has loved ones.

“More of a reason we’re glad she’s on our side.” Aiden winds an arm on G’raha’s shoulder to drag him between himself and Killian to talk to.

They were waiting for word to go to Journey’s end from the Ark. Kivera takes time away from them to go over her own paths, and wait for the peace to be over with. Where they would descend into the Mothercrystal and further to the next plain.

“These are days I wish I could have your veil lifted Damien. Another time, and maybe another world will see it happen.” 

[inviouswriting]

“Red eyes are haunting from her, they’re a sign that chance is gone, warnings were unheeded. If Kivera is staring at someone with those eyes. She’s already given them enough chances to redeem themselves in her eyes. They’re unlike the green or amber. The only time I’ve seen her with that color, is when she is dealing with those too gone to grief. The ones who commit taboos in bringing back what is dead or tampered in soul magic. The magnitude of either of those is not death. Death is a mercy compared to what she does. For in the Underworld, the gravest of sins among the domain of death, is time and soul magic. Magic deigned to revive after a soul has been collected, after it has crossed Styx and been judged, laid to rest. Is an abomination to the realm. She abides by that law the heaviest, she’s experienced the magic on herself. She’s lost loved ones to it, she knows more than any other being what it is like. A necromancer or lich abhors that law, and enslaves the dead. I believe... what she does after that person crosses, is more fair than what they have done for the sake of one life... sacrificing thousands. Oh... you didn’t know?”

“For a necromancer to transcend into a Lich. They make a bargain. The give up their sanity in exchange for the magic. At the cost of a thousand souls. A village if you will. Kivera’s first encounter with Vanth, was when he transcended. He used the entire town, Salem. A thousand of souls, who burned their women, condemning them as witches. Had they known that their clergyman was planning something far worse. I think they would have changed their tune about some girls practicing herbal medicine over a man using them in a ritual.”

“Kivera witnessed this ritual twice. Each time after Vanth has succeeded in staining the ground with his flames. Does she burn the land itself. Every single realm she has reaped, has suffered that fate. Souls leeched and used, men and women of cloth manipulated for a “greater” good, for promises of miracles. The last time she saw the magic, was when she awoken and created Agitazione. The realm of the undead, a place that she sends every single person who uses soul magic to wander. To feel the flames of lich fire, and to not see retribution in Purgatory.”

“Kivera oversees that realm, anytime she encounters a necromancer, or lich, or someone who practices the magic involved. She marks them for this plain. To wander endlessly. For spirits and keepers of the dead, cannot reap the souls of the undead. Anything a necromancer or lich touches can’t reside in the same space as the dead. For it rots the realm, it leeches the life, stains the ground, and burns away everything like acid.”

“Her red eyes are warning. She’ll send you there.” Aiden on Kivera.

[unbloomingmoonflower]

Emergence of the End

Mentions of the OTPoly. Pre-EW

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Everything...is mine again. 

True, the body was that of her shard. However, it was still hers. Lilith stretched the fingers, accustoming herself with the limbs of the lithe Au Ra. 

It was easy to fool her shard into accepting her. It was a stepping stone to annihilate the star, to destroy everything she hated about Amaurot in its ridiculousness for perfection. Hydaelyn shattering reality...well, that only gave Lilith more work. 

Shuri was battling futilely within the recesses of her mind. Her strength will fade over time and Lilith will fully regain autonomy over herself and her shard. Day by day, the Xaela was becoming weaker. 

That is just how I want it to be. 

“Shuri?” That familiar voice, belonging to the shard of her beloved, called out the name of her own shard. That’s right; he didn’t know. He didn’t know that Lilith could erase the presence of the woman he loved.

Such heartbreak. It would tug at her heartstrings if she had any left.

Turning with the face he recognized, Lilith could see the shock in Estinien’s ice-blue eyes. “Your eyes...” he murmured. “They’re silver.”

“Yes. They are.” A smile curved Lilith’s lips, feeling the aether within her flowing. So this is what Amaurotines felt.   

“You’re not Shuri.” Estinien’s voice was biting, his eyes narrowing as he reached for his lance. “You’re her, aren’t you? The part of her she merged with?” 

“Very good, my dear.” Lilith turned fully, spreading her arms as though to encompass the world. Just like her predecessors, with the aether running through her veins, she was able to form a glyph over her face. Just like Lahabrea; just like Hades; just like...

Just like papa.

“I took back what is rightfully mine. This body is my shard. It did not belong to the woman you know as your wife, Estinien,” Lilith continued, beginning to walk toward him. “And I intend to tear everything at the seams. These worlds should not have existed, yet Hydaelyn’s power shattered the very fabric of reality. I was to be Her heart, however...something went terribly wrong. Or...horribly right.”

“You know she isn’t like that. You should allow her to be in control of her body,” Estinien retorted. 

“It’s not her body.”

Estinien recoiled as Lilith approached, using Shuri’s body, the mania in etched on his wife’s face disconcerting. It didn’t fit, it wasn’t Shuri; it was her former self, conveying the madness she’s had within her, the madness she relished in. 

It was swift, but he was able to perceive Kivera coming to his side, aiming her scythe toward Lilith, her eyes narrowed. Despite her stoicism, Estinien could perceive a tremor in her arm. Hesitation. 

It was clear she wanted to excise Lilith from Shuri’s body; however, that would involve hurting Shuri--the last thing the reaper wanted to do. 

There was sick amusement in those silver eyes, the mad grin stretching further. “Your hesitation is so sweet,” she mocked, pressing a hand to her chest. “You don’t want this little shard to die. You were there, Kivera, when Amaurot fell. You’ve seen my sundering. And yet here you are, so fond of this little shard when you should have just taken her soul away. She shouldn’t even exist, is that not what your creed follows?”

Kivera grit her teeth before feeling Estinien’s hand curl over her wrist. She could feel his own hand shaking with rage at witnessing this, at beholding a mad homunculus wearing Shuri’s body no differently than Elidibus used Ardbert’s body. 

And there was no doubt Shuri was screaming from within. 

Turning on her heel, Lilith walked away from the two. “I’ve become quite fond of you both. Estinien being the shard of my beloved...it’s as though I have Lucifer returned to me. I want to keep you hidden away while I destroy the fabric of these shards. And I will use this body to do it. Can you imagine the sheer look of betrayal on the Scions’ faces when they see their precious warrior of light stand as an enemy?”

Glancing back at them, Lilith’s eyes were swirling with her madness, her unyielding need to destroy. “It will be absolutely delightful. And I hope to see you both on the battlefield when the time comes!”

The pain within their hearts was to an overwhelming degree to watch Lilith walk away--to watch their beloved being used no differently than Ardbert’s body had been.

And there seems to be no way to bring her back.

[inviouswriting]

Kivera notes

Endwalker spoilers in here for 6.1′s Alliance raid.

Kivera actually likes Nald’Thal in regards of underworld deities. She aligns fast to Etheirys’ Traders as a decent trade among her normal for Pluto and Kore. 

Kivera guided Kiya in trusting into being a black mage for being faithful to Ul’Dah and giving her a little push with the need for uncovering hidden truths. The same thirst for knowledge she herself possesses.

But when it comes to the underworld, Kivera is first a teacher to the living of life’s flow and guides the dead. She still does not like white mages or any of the classes that can raise the dead, she may turn an eye on the field before someone’s soul tears through the ether itself.

Those that perform the magic after someone has been lain to rest, rites have been done. She’s merciless on necromancers and liches for it. 

Her opinions on seeing the Traders for the first time, she is impressed that they use scales much like Ma’at from Egypt. To her it was like the first time she fought against Chiron, kept on her toes and invigorating.

She implores the same methods of making choice champions fight against her to prove they’re able to keep going, she doesn’t always claim souls if they still have fight and manage to either persuade her or they impact her in some way.

Kivera can loom over head with her scythe ready, but instead of delivering a final blow, she’ll hold it out towards them as a reminder of how close they came to meeting their end.

She took a liking after a while to Ardbert for his tenacity and Estinien for his strong will despite being trapped in the mind of Nidhogg for so long. 

She’ll always be faithful to the underworld no matter what realm or world she is in. Their laws and limits she adopts in reverence. She guards the doors to her world fiercely while maintaining the limits and respects of the plains she travels in.

[inviouswriting]

Blood Flow.

As always minors DNI with my works my writings and blog are 18+

Kivera centered.

This has original elements in it, but also cameos for polyship with @snow-covered-moon​.

There will be some hard warnings in her pertaining to my reaper’s history. But a reattempt at writing her stories. Maybe a little at a time. This isn’t one of the light hearted ones, and also why my blog has that mature rating. It isn’t always going to be smut included. My other shining element on literature is horror and angst. There are alot of reasons I rarely write in those fields because I am too good at it.

Warnings include - death as a subject, abuse content, and mild grooming for slaughter. It’s Elizabeth Bathory. Bathing in blood talk. Character deaths. The reasons I have my warnings.

Lady Amandine, Kivera recalls her. Too well, she was paused over in names and the reaper reads through scripts she had found in Shuri’s adventures. Ones that remind her of what she herself went through. A woman obsessed with beauty to the point she would bathe in blood of young women.

It is surreal to Kivera, she had died to that nightmare in her living. What started her path, back then she was just a simple castle servant trying to keep her head literally on her shoulders. She was unique to the region, Kivera’s dark complexion proved to be something that captivated Bathory. A rare sight in a land of fair skinned girls.

Bathory extended Kivera and her mother an invite to serve Cachtice castle. An offer they couldn’t refuse with the recent death of her father. Being able to live without worrying of money or further persecution. Kivera was further extended etiquette training in the school attached. 

Runa had refused at first until their hands were forced to accept once the rest of the city learned that they were marked by Bathory. Some warned of the horrors that were rumored, that it would be better to escape. Others suggested they accept the offer, their situation wasn’t going to improve, and Runa did not want to risk another city chasing after Aeslund.

Kivera learned fast on her feet inside the walls, the rumors were true about the women being groomed for slaughter. She is mocked for her unique looks, being foreign to them. She heard each of their snickers, each of their bets on whether it would be soon she’d lose her head so their own lives would be prolonged.

Every morning there was a presentation, Elizabeth would present full bloom roses to certain girls and budding ones to others. The look of fear on the women upon receiving full blooms, along with news there was going to be a banquet for everyone to participate in. 

“Look your best.”

Kivera didn’t understand till later, when Runa had come to her in tears. Telling her to always remember that there is light outside the walls, that she will see outside it someday again. Confusion waned when Kivera saw a full bloom on her, and fear settled in realizing this is the last time she would see her before the banquet. This would be their last time seeing each other alive.

Banquets were held on the seasonal equinoxes and solsctices. It was about the moon being right to Bathory. For her rituals. Kivera was made to stand and watch as the true meaning behind them was revealed as a blood bath. Nobles would come from neighboring lands to participate. 

It is on this night she witnessed Runa’s death in front of her. Kivera had cursed Bathory that night, being held back from attacking her in her grief. She was sent to stay in her room, by morning she was presented a “gift” in Runa’s head. Kivera made to watch it rot, till one of the castlemen took it to cremate it. 

Kivera was always defiant towards the Countess afterwards, no beating or marring was ever done to her. Not even being forced onto her knees and stared down by her green eyes could ever erase her rage in her. Kivera did become compliant after one of the exchanges left a friend to die in her place. Volunteering to spare Kivera.

When she came of age was when she received the budding rose. After witnessing many other women die, she viewed it as a reminder of what was coming up. Fed a special diet to make her skin and blood healthier, make her glow to “bloom.”

A precious rose to her, and almost ready to be clipped. Her birthday was celebrated that year, as a banquet. Kivera was tired of hearing the bell for them, the assembling for it. A special gift was given to Kivera in a dark almost black rose. As if mocking her unique features, from the dark skin, to obscure features not native to the land. Like her, foreign and meant to be clipped like the flower.

Kivera fought that day, during the hours leading up to the banquet she slipped out of the castle thanks to her knowledge of all the secret passages. She ran as fast and far. She had attempted many escapes and was brought back. If she could just get far enough that they didn’t realize it till it was too late maybe they would let her go.

Kivera had torn the dress she was made to wear to shreds to run better. Abandoning it for clothes she swiped off a line. She used tricks of hiding her scent from their dogs, traveling in water till her feet were frozen. What awaited her was death. 

Exhaustion caught up to her and she hid in a barn. A stable hand finding her, and providing her enough food to not faint on him. A short lived reprieve for her, Kivera wasn’t sure how long she had slept until she recognized the shine of knight armor in front of her face. 

Elizabeth’s men, the house was in flames when they left with their bounty. Leaving no witnesses behind to tell of what goes on behind the castle walls.

Kivera fought every step back. Any breaks they took, she had made attempts to flee, to where they hung her up to a tree branch to keep her from running or giving her any spaces to figure out how to get out of the ropes.

When she was brought before Bathory, Kivera was tired, she had cried enough tears and anguish for those around her. Young faces that hadn’t witnessed death were about to, those that knew, they knew. 

“You always did have pretty eyes.” Kivera looked away from her at those words.

“Anything to say?” Kivera glares out the side of the corner of her eyes.

“No matter how many women it takes, you will never achieve true beauty. Your soul reflects you, and you are hideous! Just like the roses you are so fond of, you too shall wilt and whither away. I just wished I could be there to see you in all that glory as it leaves your face leaving you to match your personality. Ugly and vile.” Her words were venom, and the single thing she remembers when she smirked seeing she struck a nerve. Elizabeth hating anyone calling her ugly.

Kivera accepts her fate in a thorough lashing, she had gotten use to whips, and her mind goes somewhere else the moment she is strung up by her feet. The jagged scar across her neck now serves as reminder of her defiance and death. Bathory cut her head off in a manner that was similar to Runa’s.

She doesn’t remember after that, her time then was spent in Caelum, learning to fly, learning to heal and what it means to be free and dream.

Dreams then too end.

It wasn’t until her fall, she had received her first scythe along with her first mission. The name she was to collect was one etched into her mind. In her former Countess.

Kivera had slipped in through a mirror that was broken, one half of it left intact enough for her. Her feet sounding on stone enough to draw the attention of the woman. Time was cruel to her, just as it was cruel to Kivera. A lifetime of imprisonment for Kivera, to Bathory’s few years.

“My.... how have the roles reversed... Instead of me being on my hands and knees. It’s you.” Kivera approached her tormentor, crouching in front of her. The now reaper looks at how old and sunken Bathory’s features are now. She could not feel pity for someone who did atrocities in the sake and search for eternal youth.

“So... you never did find that magic worked in your favor. Did you?” Kivera observes dark marks imprinted in her skin. Sunken spots, some wounds being eaten away. To also rot.

“Are you here to end it? If so, I’ve no banter with you.” Kivera’s eyes flit for the first time between green to red, reflecting her anger, the strange gift from the lamia eyes she was gifted. After her own sight was taken for other means.

“You got your wish to see me whithered away. Just be done with it would you.” Kivera thinks it over, still being barked orders at.

“Aren’t we being full of ourselves. In your situation, you should be more courteous to the one who holds your life in the balance. Whether or not I will end it, or not.” She thinks it over, a punishment in sort from the reaper. 

“Defiant to the very last... those eyes. Kiva. You always had lovely eyes. Seeing them stare in anger.” Kivera narrows her eyes at her words.

“Then they shall be the last thing you see. I will also be the one to take your soul.” Kivera locks her eyes with Bathory’s, the ability she uses for the first time, is the one that belonged to the serpentine creature in petrification. She freezes her slowly letting it take its time settling in. Bathory resigning herself to stone. 

Kivera severs the cord with her hand, burning it to catch the soul afire with it. She would not let her escape just as Bathory never allowed her to escape.

“I am already dead!” 

“I did say to watch how you talk to someone who holds your life in their hand. I meant that literal. You do not get to leave this place, nor touch the shores of the Underworld like any other soul does. You are not normal, and for your blood magic, a great taboo among the underworld to preserve your youth and extend your life. You are marked for a different plain of existence.” Kivera tugs on the cord she holds. 

“Nothingness. The eternal plain of darkness.” Kivera sends a surge of hellfire into the cord dispersing Bathory into the air to be sent to this plain. Kivera comes back down to her reality after the deed was done. She had left the tower to visit a place she had heard of in Italy. 

It is there she discovers a mask, expressionless, decorated in black and white sides with gold leafing around the eyes. It was made on the day of her death, and she collects it for on the day of her death was a rebirth that lead to a strange chain of events that gave her more than she ever asked for.

“Not the timid scared chamber-maid anymore.” Kivera quips as she watches the carnival of masks around her come to life.

Kivera now reads over the notes that belonged to Shuri’s fledgeling adventurer. Amandine already dealt with by Shuri and the group she had traveled with, including the succubus that possessed her. 

The reaper closes her eyes as she tucks the parchments away, getting mildly lost in her memories of the tyrant. 

“Kiva. They’re waiting.” Kivera sees Divinity leaning against the door. The Libra spirit knows from the way she read over the details. The subtle flashes of her eyes, telltale in what she remembered. 

“I’ll be there soon. Do you think it is time that Aiden and Killian came here?” Kivera puts the notes away where they were remembering how they looked undisturbed. She joins Divinity, walking with her, a hand to guide the blind one through thresholds out of habit.

“I can see you know. Question is, do you want to babysit them while they bring havoc across Eorzea? I swear, if you get Aiden with G’raha and Alphinaud. There will be no end to their troublemaking.” Kivera lets her ears perk up.

“Killian on the other hand.. he’d adapt to Estinien. Both being dragoons. I think this world could use more of us, but you remember what happens when all of us congregate in one realm.”

“It means disaster is potentially upon us again.” Kivera finishes Divinity’s thoughts.

“Maybe we should take them to Chiron. Let them see a city of literal books. Lost arcane texts. Or do you think?” Kivera looks up to watch out the main door to see Shuri with Ysayle and Estinien. Full of life both of them, she sees peeks of Lilith within her if she focuses on her energy. Both residing within her. both accepted.

“Paradise? You know as much as I do, that living beings are not suppose to walk there.” Kivera reminds her.

“Kivera, they’re not ordinary living. You have two sundered beings, two who have tasted death, came back from the brink of it. I think they’re safe, you know they would never do anything to upset the balance of Paradise. It’d be a rare thing for them to see it.” Kivera folds her arms, the very realm she protects and guards with every fiber of her being. The only realm she has a say in yay or nay of who can cross the thresholds.

“Do you trust them enough to see our home? Meet our kind? Perhaps solve some of our problems?” Divinity sees a flash of orange at that mention.

“What are you scared of? They are bound to us after all.” Kivera turns away enough to think it over. Not just anyone is allowed to walk the realm of Paradise. She would have to test their worthiness. Kivera lifts her gaze towards Shuri and locks eyes with her mismatched ones. 

Could she put her through a test of sin itself? Estinien too. Kivera feels Divinity press a hand to her shoulder.

“I think it’s the last step of trust you can show them that they mean so much. You’ve shared all your memories, you saved this home world of theirs, they know of Damien, yet have never met him to see for themselves your reactions around him.” Kivera’s eyes shift blue brief then glare amber at Divinity for her words.

“Are you so scared to heal?” Divinity sees Shuri’s attention drawn back to her children for now.

“I’ll have to let them have the idea... I’m not scared. Just that test is not easy. I’ll have to be cold and ruthless when I dig into their minds and hearts. I do not think they’re ready for that.” Kivera bumps Divinity to the side a little. 

“You don’t know what they’re capable of till they do it. They faced so much, why not show them the same level of trust they give you?” Divinity wraps her arms around Kivera.

“Love them as we love you. Trust us.” Kivera closes her eyes again, letting herself think it over. She hopes they accept this opportunity to see her domains and worlds.

Divinity takes Kivera’s hand to walk with her out to meet the others. To talk of another life changing chance. To see a city made of gold and water.

[inviouswriting]

Spot drabble, something that is light hearted and simple.

Pairings mentioned. My own for Aymeric and Kiya. and polyship with @snow-covered-moon ‘s Shuri and Estinien.

“It’s rare to see you all the way out here without Estinien, or Shuri attached to you.” Kivera turns an ear to the voice, and looks to greet Aymeric. She is resting in between her flying, she was visiting Churning Mists and took a detour through Ishgard.

“It’s rare to see you out here without your wife. How has she adapted to home life?” Aymeric sees her alter her weapon, her magic always mysterious to him. She makes Shuri and the elusive Estinien happy, and he is glad to see her.

“Kiya is doing well, settled well into being a mother and even expressed how she wants to return to fighting. But you know these are battles beyond her ability.” Kivera nods, she would be glad to give her successor back her spot, resume her identity no less instead of Kivera filling in and potentially upsetting the cosmos.

“It suits her. Hecate would be happy to know she eventually found her happiness. Still a shame I can’t restore those memories.” Kivera folds her arms to rub off a chill setting in. 

“Thank you for protecting her, even if you were harsh about not telling her. It still grieves her to not know her former life in Amaurot. She’s accepted you won’t tell her and the reasoning behind, I would literally lose her.” Aymeric joins her in looking out over Last Vigil.

“Some things are best left unknown. It wouldn’t do her well to remember the screams of those who were dying there, or how Hecate died.” She remembers that worm beast, and how it brought havoc. They both shiver together.

“Say, Kivera. You and yours should visit us for an evening. Drag Estinien here for me.” Kivera flashes a smirk and her eyes light gold. 

“All up to Shuri, maybe make room for a bunch of kids.” For a rare instance, she gives him a brief hug, letting heat rush through both of them using one of her abilities. He returns it, nothing more than a friend, he minded his hands to avoid touching her wings save for a brief brush of them on fingers. She gave him alot, but the ethreal beauty Kivera possessed is unique to Kiya. Kiya had something the reaper didn’t possess. 

Innocence. But she didn’t need that, Aymeric feels her magic work, to ebb off the cold that had settled into his bones. He also understood Kivera had to lose that innocence to her to be what she is today. He hopes in his heart Kiya never loses her unique shine or endures heartache the way she has.

“Please do, my house despite Alyse, and Kiya is still much too quiet. It would do our manservant to hear more children running around.” They exchange another smile together before.

“Then be ready if we drop unannounced and steal you away from your work for a day. You should take breaks, you’ll work yourself to death.” Kivera warns him about his stress, and Kivera stretches her wings to take flight again, to head back home for herself.

“You, Kiya, and Lucia tell me the same thing every day.” Aymeric starts to wave her off.

“There is a blizzard coming in tonight, fly safe.” Kivera salutes and lifts more and he watches her fly higher.

“If you ever want to get Estinien to visit, just offer him fried squid. He’ll be there before you know it. Works every time!” They part their ways, with him watching her swoop down looking exactly as her name sake. A fallen angel.

[inviouswriting]

Light and Dark

Cameo characters - Shuri belongs to @snow-covered-moon for the polyship. 

A little dive into Kivera’s insecurities. I needed to write them.

Kivera is use to alot of things, one of these is watching people praise others for their hard work or titles. She sits in on another meeting in her successors stead. Orange eyes lit up at how some of these people talk.

It has to be carry over from her former ranks, she was taught the importance of humility. So seeing how some of the Scion’s take small victories as great chances to have parties irks her. They should be planning for their next moves, she would already have it mapped out. 

Such is the difference between herself and those of this star. She wears her annoyance heavy, as a way to deter others from interacting as some of the Rising Stone members try to outdrink each other, or do strength contests.

Paglth’an had just barely been won, and she felt it is too soon for a victorious celebration. 

“Aren’t you going to join in?” Kivera looks over to the source of who talks to her. Thancred, he had been trying to make peace with her since she had joined along with Shuri and Estinien. She is not interested in his company. 

“Parties are not my thing. If anything they spell disaster for me.” She leans away from Thancred, using subtle body language to close herself off.

“We take what we can get, little joy amongst chaos.” He explains, Kivera didn’t want the explanation. Celebrations and parties were telling to her. That there is an “end” coming. 

“It’s absurd to celebrate victory after a battle when you’ve yet to really win a war. Where I come from, preemptive celebrations can make people cocky and forget the lives that were lost during those battles.” Kivera stares at Thancred out of the corner of an eye.

“I forgot you are more of a doom and gloom type.” She flattens her ears at this.

“It wouldn’t hurt you to loosen up a little.” Thancred points out, and Kivera scoffs under her breath.

“I’m just here for Shuri and Estinien.” Kivera turns her head away from Thancred, keeping her eyes closed so he doesn’t see the red tinting into them from his comments. She can’t relax, she isn’t made to relax. Instead of leaving her, Thancred sits down near her. She glances at him out of the corner of an eye.

“We know how foolish it is to celebrate small victories. However it gives those who fought hard motivation to keep going. If we continually focus on fighting without reprieves. They’ll burn out, and we need them feeling like they can take on the world versus they might die tomorrow.” Kivera turns her head to look at him fully, a rare moment he manages to do is make her understand. 

She is aware Shuri and him ended amicably later hashing it out among themselves. Kivera looks at those around her differently, evaluating their demeanors. The absolute joy on some, while there are a few mustering simper expressions. They don’t need death to remind them their time is limited. 

Thancred sees her observing again, reading the faces and demeanors of his allies. He places a hand on her shoulder to pat it, Kivera rolls her eyes at the gesture then leans back to relax. She doesn’t bat an eye to another joining the small table. G’raha Tia, another one she isn’t too thrilled on talking to, yet here he was approaching her and Thancred with drinks for both of them.

“This seems like a quiet corner.” Kivera glances pass him to Estinien who nods that it’s okay. 

“Was quiet, seems I’m gaining popularity.” Kivera  leans a little more away from Thancred, he takes the hint to remove his hand from her shoulder. Kivera looks between the guys. G’raha Tia had spent time tailing after her watching her take lives in Paglth’an . A humbling experience seeing the reaper at her work sending those back to the ether.

“Are you just shy?” Thancred notes the way Kivera pulls away, and sees her snap her attention to him.

“No, I just don’t like parties. I rather not go into it, it’ll dampen the mood.” Kivera deflects his question, green eyes flash yellow enough wondering why he would ask her that.

“Alright, you can trust us too as solace when it is needed.” G’raha offers, he saw her uncomfortable with just Thancred and went over to check on her. Given her previous encounters with Thancred.

“Thank you, but there are some things you are best not knowing.” She has her wall back up before Thancred managed to get through and see a sliver of just what made Shuri and Estinien love her. The small vulnerabilities that even a strong being has.

“You don’t have to share everything. Or anything at all, sometimes just sitting near others is enough.” G’raha Tia offers her the drink and she officially takes it. It is a different atmosphere to her, what it is like to just be somewhere without “being” her role.

Kivera lowers her eyes feeling small, feeling just a little out of place. Her hands placed in front of her in thought. Her mind drifts to one of her own, remembering his words in how she should relax, that not everything is “death” she knows that. Yet she never understood it. She is surrounded by life, when she lifts her eyes she sees a few of the group in the other room do squat challenges between Hoary Boulder and Lyse. Seeing who is stronger. 

Just to the side of them is Alphinaud and Alisaie cheering them on, with their favorites. Y’shtola and Urianger taking bets. Estinien manning the bar with Shuri, sharing a plate of food. 

Kivera doesn’t realize she is smiling till G’raha tia turns his head in the direction. Thancred sees it too.

“They talk alot about you Kivera, they weigh your feelings alot. How to let you experience life and truly live.” Thancred takes another chance and pulls the reaper into a side hug. Kivera is surprised by this and sits upright.

“Too much.” She warns, and Thancred understands.

“Just a gesture.” Kivera flicks her tail at her side, she looks at the empty cup that once held wine for her. When did she drink all of it, she wishes it affected her like the others. She finally feels comfortable enough to sit near these two and leans back in her seat. Estinien catches this and nudges Shuri to look over.

The aura sees Kivera relaxed, and smiles brief no longer worrying if G’raha or Thancred would be sent flying across the room. Kivera would have.

“You two want to see something?” Kivera has a hint of amusement in her voice, the two men next to her look at her.

“Sure, humor us.” Kivera raises a hand up and makes a circle with her finger before sending a water ball at the back of Hoary’s head, making him slip up on his squat giving Lyse the victory.

There is a roar of laughter when the Roe stands up shocked and rubbing the back of his head like he had seen a ghost.

“You devil.” Thancred laughs.

“In the flesh~” Kivera gets up from the table to go enjoy the celebration with the others. Taking Hoary up on a challenge to see who can out drink the other. 

Estinien approaches Thancred and G’raha Tia some time afterwards.

“You two managed to do an impossible. She seems genuinely happier after talking to you two.” Estinien gives the two new tankards of ale.

“You know her better than we do, but there are some things that can’t be taught by loved ones. How to truly live.” Estinien nods to G’raha Tia. He’ll hear it later from Kivera ranting about how obnoxious the two are, but he can tell something changed in the reaper. 

“Just be careful about prying into her life. There are still things I don’t know about her.” Estinien looks up to see Shuri and Kivera dance together, Kivera seeking affection from the aura and clinging closer, a sign she has had enough of being around the group and will leave them to fly off for a bit.

“We won’t pry beyond what she feels comfortable to disclose.” Thancred confirms the warning, and lets Estinien leave them to steal Shuri and Kivera to head home.

Kivera gives one last glance to Thancred and G’raha. A flash of gold from her irises before she follows after Shuri and Estinien out to take an airship.

Kivera still has alot of personal growth around the living. Words from Chiron remind her to take times to live, instead of staying dead.

[inviouswriting]

Lich Puppet au - Destruction

Lich Puppet Au 

Cameo - Shuri @snow-covered-moon​ , I tried to get this in time for your birthday but here we are!

some warnings - Mostly mind control, some deaths to nondescripted characters. Nothing graphic but still death.

Long awaited to work on one of my aus.

Winter itself has always been a symbolism for death. For Kivera it is exactly that, death. She remembers alot, from her earlier days. How she spent more time in her role in winter than she did in summer. She has an affinity for fire, to her fire was a quicker death than freezing. She had ventured through the halls of Dusk Vigil, and seen the frozen soldiers that roam there. She had read the notes littered across in corners about an event she was not around for yet. 

Time itself was a unique concept to her, endless and a cruel reminder that you can’t change the past. Even if you could. 

So she stands on top of a former dragon skull, she is waiting on Vanth. The single order she knows is coming. To cause as much chaos until she manages to break his snare on her. The parasite attached to her, the skeletal dragon would eventually fade. They all fade overtime, the lich’s magic is never permanent, it is why he seeks so many to to enslave. To bring as much devastation in a short amount of time. That was Vanth’s method and she has seen it work.

Kivera can feel her skin prickling being in Coerthas. She can see a skirmish just below her, knights and other adventuerers against Telephoroi, those who are snared by the towers. Locked in their minds, Ixal and other beasts. It didn’t matter to an opposing side a pawn was a pawn no matter the being. Like herself.

The reaper wonders if per chance Aymeric was down there among the fighting. She hoped not, he wouldn’t busy himself with small fights like this, not without the sure protection of more from the alliance, and Kiya to ensure his safety. Inwardly she prayed for the first time in her heart that was the case. She hoped both of them were not on that battlefield. It won’t be one when she is through with it.

“Stalling for time?” Vanth says from her side, lime green eyes glare at him out of the corner. The reprieve was over, she knows what happens next. Yet she can’t stop herself from doing it. How will she be able to look at her loved ones after this. 

“Nothing to say, as always. Your small moments of defiance have always been your way to irritate me until the end.” Vanth sees her biting her bottom lip to keep from answering him. 

“Asking you to not do this is pointless. Not like I have a will right now.” She manages through her teeth, bitter her voice, full of anger and hate towards the lich. 

“You’re right. You know it more than anyone, after all. Maedryn was your doing. Just like Amaurot willingly that one. I have wondered why you haven’t done away with this world already. Weren’t you not ordered to for a while now?” The ambiance between them shifts, and Kivera almost glows in her animosity.

“Ah, perhaps it is the few you found to enjoy here. Love has always been your weakness.”  One of his hands touches through the stark white hair, she would have to cut her hair again to rid herself of the reminder.

“At least I am able to love.” Kivera takes pride in that remark seeing the way his face shifts to disgust.

“Be done with it now. Go!” Kivera unlike Vanth did not sell her feelings. He had sold his entire being to his craft, where Kivera tried to escape after her taboo. She spared one being, while he tried to bargain many on empty promises, eventually Kronos got tired of listening to him. Kivera, Kronos listens to her when she comes to him. She changes things for the better, while Vanth robs things for his own merits. The difference between them immense.

Kivera did not lose herself to madness where Vanth did. Vanth envys her for it, and her ability to keep going  with her free will. Something he has temporarily snared her of.

The order was simple, yet Kivera tries to fight it internally, stepping off the skull and diving down to the field below. She knows better than to hold back her power. She rather leave ashes Vanth can’t use than bodies he will. On the impact it is explosive in her fireball. Neither side knew what hit them, blown back from the center. Some casualties already. She didn’t care at this time, all she did was swing her weapon, use her flames on those who start after her, leading them in circles. 

Kivera resembles her title of angel of death. Those wise enough run away from the battlefield, intentional to have a few spread the word that she is attacking them. To scorn her name tarnish any good she has among them. It will take years to rebuild their trust after this if at all.

Kivera lets enough stragglers escape before she hunts them down, trapping them in icy quagmires, to flames dancing around them higher than Ifrit’s flames. The snow field being burned under her feet. The stronger of both ixal and elezen fight her. She only looks at them solemnly, her eyes sorry for what she will take from them.

She burns them entirely, to ashes. Against Vanth’s orders to leave him bodies to enslave. A sign his magic is wearing off of her, but the damages already done. Kivera ignores the melding of screams, she blocks it out of her mind deafening it as she carries out her attacks linking them together. 

She glares up at Vanth after the last one falls, anger in her eyes after leaving a scorched battlefield. 

“Interesting turn of events. You said your magic is sure on her.” Zenos stands beside Vanth, arriving shortly to see the reaper at work. His voice holds amusement, seeing her show defiance in the only way possible, through her destruction.

“It has flaws. She would have been more obedient if I had more potion, but for it to work on her, it requires more and you denied me after all.” Vanth sighs feeling the hate from those lime green eyes. 

“I’ve no use for her if she is showing resistance already. Let her go. Move back to Paglth’an. Send her there if she has any control left. We wounded them last time.” Zenos sees Vanth narrow his eyes. He wonders what he is playing at Vanth sighs at the loss of his puppet. Seeing her lay waste to the area stirred something for Zenos. 

Zenos wants to face her, the moment she breaks free of the lich’s hold. He can sense it behind her eyes, that look he had seen within Kiya back in Ala Mhigo. 

“You heard him! Off with you!” Vanth calls out to Kivera, to send her to the next location. Kivera glares harder. She had been a solace to them, and now she was about to be worse than the telephoroi.

In Mor Dhona, Shuri and Estinien were waiting for something on Kivera. They both figured if anyone would receive news it would be the Scions first. Since she had cut off their links together. They had to wait like everyone else for news of her.

Divinity paces while wringing her hands. She anticipates the news, she had experienced this anxiety before. They will hear the news of it, and when Estinien raises a hand to his head receiving a linkpearl message. She didn’t have to know what was being said from the shock on his face.

“Are you sure it was her?” He sounded disbelief, he glances to Divinity who nods. Confirming his unspoken question.

“Are there reports of where she is heading next? I know Aymeric.. we’ll explain everything in person when we can. Trust us.”  He assures his friend. Estinien ends the pearl and looks at both girls who look hopeful.

“She attacked a skirmish. A few were lucky to escape, but there was nothing left behind. They said she is moving towards Thanalan.” Divinity thinks of what is there, from the amalj’aa tribes and the city state. 

“We should go to her before there are more casualties.” Divinity says quietly. Her hands tugging the hem of her skirt, head downcast at having to fight her.

“Isn’t that a suicide mission in itself?” Shuri and Estinien look over to see Thancred approaching them. The look on his face says it all, things were not good.

“In manner of speaking, it is. Considering what she is. But it is better if my group goes to her than others. See if we can reach through her.” Divinity speaks up, her voice softer. 

“We all have been enlisted to go to Paglth’an.” Divinity is hopeful to help them.

“I pray to assist us?” The Libra spirit’s eyes shift similar to Kivera’s but in a different way. She taps into her own abilities to see through Thancred. To see if he has ulterior motives or hiding anything.

“Afraid our orders are not the same, the public wants her head. Sees her a threat now.” Thancred folds his arms.

“You can’t be serious.. that quick without seeing or reasoning?” Estinien’s voice cuts sharp in the air.

“She devastated an entire battlefield and left only a few survivors to run away.” Shuri glares and Estinien places a hand on her shoulder. Divinity lowers her gaze down, a sigh escapes her. She knew better than to think the scions are ever for just causes.

“Even if you mention she is controlled by another source? I mean you did the same when it came to Estinien?” Shuri chimes in this time to dissuade them from going out.

“That was a much different circumstance.” Thancred didn’t want to do it, but they as scions are usually forced into situations.

“It is the same situation, she is being controlled by a stronger force to cause destruction. Give us some time to go to her and see if we can do something first.” Estinien wasn’t about to let Kivera be killed for something beyond her control, he understood that helplessness to only witness your body do destruction while you tried desperately to get back in control even for a sliver. The way Kivera expressed her anger and resentment of Vanth, she isn’t doing it willingly.

“You get one shot to try and get her back, but if she does more damage, our hands will be forced to act. You know this. Just as you were prepared to die from Nidhogg, best be ready to take one of your own.” Thancred offers the best he can, a grace period. He didn’t want to do it either, the reaper makes Shuri happy in a way he couldn’t. He has been at her mercy once, when she was angry. She reminded him of his place and was quick to shoot down anyone who thought they were of a similar standing point with her.

“Thank you..” Divinity sighs in relief, but knows that their time limit is started. They had to beat Kivera to Paglth’an before she did any damages. So they immediately head out, after being given the clearance to attempt to get through her.

Kivera stood on the edges of Thanalan, looking over the previously decimated area. She had spent alot of time among the amalj’aa, her memories prickle in the back of her mind. She fights her will to not go through with this. She counts the seconds to when the parasitic creature attached to her breaks. It will happen soon, her hands itch for when it goes away, Vanth’s control of her will crumble quickly after. She anticipates running the lich through with her weapon again. She just hopes she can control herself to not accidentally plunge another area into the world she made for him.

The draconic creature on her stings her with the tail to remind her to carry out her order. Kivera glares over her shoulder to it, there is another surge of controlled beings from the towers running. Her cue to go. 

Her feet carry themselves to the edge of the cliff she was on, even on other sides she is methodic in how she carries out a first attack. Kivera goes for early devastations enough that there is no recovery. She holds her power back as she lands only a surge of fire. The amalj’aa most of them fireproof due to their protection by Ifrit. It is a warning from her to run. They took it instantly rather than questioning her. They could sense that she is more than enough to take on a village.

She holds herself in the center, where they once fought a few creatures with the assistance of Tiamat. Waiting for something, Kivera fighting internally against the creature trying to make her move and do more damage. To sever the trust she had built. 

The remaining amalj’aa see her attempting to hold herself back. Her hands clawing at her own head, she is tempted to tear her own wings if it meant she won’t cause damage to a place she helped give solace to.

Kivera turns her head enough to see a group running towards her. She narrows her eyes thinking it is a group of foolish adventurers. Then she looks in shock realizing they’re hers. 

“What are you doing!? Why are you here!” Kivera shouts at them, she didn’t want them to see her like this. Divinity is first to approach her, and takes in her altered appearance. She remembers it from the first time Vanth had her under command. She looks over to Shuri and Estinien, who take her in shocked like when they were seeing her for the first time use her power.

“We’re here for you obviously, before the scions can call for your head.” Estinien doesn’t exchange sarcasm. She is conscious of herself and that is a relief to him. They have a chance.

“I rather you didn’t... he will see you. You shouldn’t be here.” Kivera finally feels a crack in the parasite on her. She just needs a little more. Divinity approaches her and assesses Kivera. Her magic would hurt her. Divinity feels helpless, but she tries. There is the chance it works. Kivera eyes her weary, and focuses on the fellow spirit like herself. The distraction was needed in order to prolong the spell Divinity was casting. 

Kivera’s eyes widen when a flash of light engulfs not only her, but around her. A holy blast. Kivera recoils backwards and hisses at the burning she feels in her skin. She glares at Divinity for it, but nods for her to do it again, feeling the cracking of the parasite’s hold on her.

Divinity tries it again, and something gives in Kivera. The parasite in order to preserve itself and its temporary host, shields her from the rest of the attack with a green flame. 

“No use... it’s hold is still too strong. Leave here!” Kivera barks her order at all them, before she runs further into paglth’an. Towards the gathering ring, Divinity collapses to her knees from overusing her mana, Shuri helps her up while Estinien runs after Kivera. To hold her off before she can harm the remaining amalj’aa within the encampment.

“Let’s go Shuri. We can get her if we can just remove that creature.”  Both of them follow after, Shuri understanding why Kivera doesn’t have Divinity fight, it strains the libra spirit. She herself hopes she has the ability with the echo and Hydaelyn’s blessing to help counter if things get too dire.

Kivera has locked her weapon with Estinien’s him tapping into Nidhogg’s power to parry her. She’s holding back still to prevent unnecessary death, specially those she loves. Up close Estinien sees the lime green irises give to orange. A semblance of herself returning. 

All they need is to hold her back long enough. Estinien jumps away from her, feeling heat passing through his weapon. Kivera breaks back, in time to look over their shoulders, her eyes narrow seeing the scion’s. She did not want to see them, let alone fight with them. Urianger helping Divinity with an elixir for her mana. 

“I believe we told you to wait..” Estinien calls to the group.

“Our hands are forced, we gave you enough time.” Thancred darts after Kivera, who is more than ready for them. They exchange attacks, Kivera’s heavier blade pushing him back, she has a particular look of anger in her eyes towards him.

“I will never forgive you.” Kivera hisses under her breath, she hooks her scythe towards his hand to pull his weapon out of his hands. G’raha tia and Alphinaud stand further back to heal their allies. 

She’s fast on foot and wing, focusing solely on Thancred and G’raha when he helps. The other members off helping rid the village of other possessed and controlled. 

Kivera inwardly is glad they’re stalling her, just a little longer. The symbiote on her senses the hesitance, making her use stronger attacks once in control. Shuri off on the side deflecting some of Kivera’s hits with her chakrams. 

Soon there is a wide attack that Kivera uses that leaves most of them paralyzed for a minute. Enough time for her to hover in place, and glare at the draconic creature trying to attach itself. She shrugs it off wildly. Divinity tries again the ability she used earlier and half of the tail shatters off Kivera. 

Kivera feels herself rushing back into her own body, and instantly moves away from the creature. She doesn’t trust her wings and actually runs towards the sunseat, where they had once faced lunar bahamut.

Estinien glares over at the scions, though he wants to be angry with them, he sighs. They actually have a better shot now of getting her back because of them. He wonders from Kivera’s words who won’t she forgive.

Once the paralysis fades on them, they chase after, finding the reaper across the field, understanding she had taken herself away from the main area where casualties could be made. 

Divinity feels a sense of relief seeing Kivera trying her hardest to ensure the safety of those around her. Drawing the fight away, holding back every step from using abilities she could have used from the start. Those that love her and witnessed her past know the magnitude of destruction she can leave. Amaurot being a testament to that strength.

Yet she holds in, even as she strikes back on Thancred’s gunblade, him doing his best to not harm her for Shuri’s sake. There is a shove back between Thancred and Kivera, she hovers and at her feet she sweeps her toe in a circle causing a ripple in the sand. 

Thancred loses his footing, and Kivera is right there sweeping the blunt end of her scythe at the back of his legs knocking him down. Thancred hits the sand and it acts like he fell in a pond. Divinity is quick on her own spell to rescue him out of it. 

The reaper hovers over the ground, now a quagmire, giving herself a place where they can’t get close to her. Kivera stares at them with bright eyes, but she is staring pass the group at the “shore” to the being who started all this. 

“It’s a shame, that Zenos refuses to allow me to continue using my serum on you.. but don’t you think you carried this on long enough? You had an order to complete.” Vanth makes sure to walk on a path separating him from the scions and those itching to fight him. Divinity eying him with a hate as much as Kivera is.

Kivera remains quiet, not entertaining him with banter, she feels the hold from the draconic parasite crumble. The atmosphere changes; almost electric fire. Divinity feels it, and looks over to her leader. Her own demeanor changing and pulls Shuri and Estinien with her to start leaving the field.

“Why are we going?” Estinien looks over to see their reaper. He feels his blood cold from her glare. He is quick to snap his fingers to the rest of the scions. Not drawing attention to make them a target.

Thancred looks between, only for Divinity to grab him by his collar and pull.

“We leave now.” She murmurs wanting to put distance between them and the two beings as fast as possible.

“What is going on?” G’raha looks to Estinien for an answer.

“Pissed off angel of death! Need I say more?” Estinien sees the miqo’te’s eyes widen and follows soon after when Divinity gives them all looks to hurry it up and run. Estinien pulls both twins up under his arms to run a little faster. Listening to Alisaie’s protests while Alphinaud wanted to stay behind to witness the fight about the happen.

They get a distance away, Kivera watches them out of the corner of her eyes. At her feet above the water like sand, is an array that forms. The fallen angel glares dark at Vanth. The lich only sighs seeing her with such a hateful look in her eyes. On a ridge Zenos observes quietly, taking an interest in this turn of events. Kivera’s bloodlust rage, he could feel it from where he was, and that was the power he really wanted to see himself. 

Kivera gives a glance to the lich while she remains there letting her energy overpower the draconic parasite she finally destroys it. There was no need for them to exchange words, Kivera only gives warning to her surroundings. She wonders if she can draw the lich further away to not ruin the encampment further.

“I will make you regret your choices... but I doubt you can even show remorse.” Kivera eyes Vanth, and the lich expects it. He knows he can’t quite go toe to toe with her. She’s bested him before, but he would at least try it.

“You have always been a smart one, how much I want you on my side.” Vanth earns a glare from Kivera. She flattens her ears to her head and bares her fangs. 

“I have no interest to this day, the fact I fought through it all, you’re slipping in your abilities.” Kivera maintains her hover, she casts a glance to the ridge, where her allies and loved ones are. She did not want anything to do with the scions, but she has words to deal them after she takes out this bigger threat.

Shuri and Divinity stay a distance away, where the Libra spirit can detect and overlook from a cliff they ended up on. Refusing to leave without Kivera, without seeing her come back with them. Even with Estinien trying to tug them both along.

“Divinity is a good judge of where we’re safe, we wouldn’t stop if she didn’t feel it.” Shuri swats his hand off her, and they linger there. She couldn’t leave without Kivera again. Estinien sets Alphinaud and Alisaie down letting them stand next to the women. 

Kivera is waiting for something, she is waiting for the area to be clear of life. Hoping no one is lingering. She runs through her head, what invocation she wants to use. Whether she will invoke Hades, Persephone, or both of them. Whether she will ask for her former grace back just to deal with Vanth. 

A sigh emits from her once her own color returns to her body, the life in her skin, the ruby irises that stare down Vanth down to black and red hair. She feels more alive now than she ever did the first time she fought him. The only difference, she is fully aware of it and not chaotic or awakened. Perhaps for her, she will finally feel like she redeemed herself for the ones she couldn’t save. 

The souls of the witch trials, any who believed Vanth, who were used in his rituals. Damien. She wondered what she would do if she had to encounter him again.

So she begins to sing.

[inviouswriting]

Lich’s Puppet AU

It goes without saying this one is going to be a bit darker.

Mentions - @snow-covered-moon​ ‘s Shuri and polyship with her.

Warnings: I won’t cut these ones because there are some themes here. Mostly forced to drink something, and paralysis, mind control, and body modifications.

Perhaps she was careless, she tends to think she can’t be harmed, yet she still has weaknesses. She is a spirit, and a spirit can still be lured under greater magic to be enslaved. She had thought she had great immunity, that nothing would control her the way Vanth did.

Yet she can’t remember the last time she couldn’t control herself. While conscious of everything she is doing. She knew better than to leave Vanth unchecked, the necromancy in Tam-Tara should have warned her of a presence. That the worse of her nightmares to come again was happening.

His magic still has deep roots within her, there will always be that stain in her as much as her right wing. Her entire body is on fire, it feels like acid slowly eating away at her, the flames of the undead were something she hated. They burned the very soul and scarred it. Her eyes and hair matched the form Vanth wanted.

Skin almost greenish to her brown, lime green eyes and white hair. She isn’t even sure how she was snared. All she remembered was going on another mission for the scions. To check a tower in Coerthas, she could get close without alerting others. Or so she thought.

She had been chased down by a lunar Garuda. She knew the primal was fast, but given the alterations, the lunar alone caught up to her in no time. Kivera looked away from in front of her, till she flew pass the threshold of a tower. She had never been inside them, she felt dread from being in vicinity. Like Vanth’s magic scared her years ago. 

Inside she had seen Ixal trapped to the walls, being used to empower the lunar primal. She keeps her feet from the ground, seeing it as fleshy matter more than an actual ground. She likens it to one of Vanth’s creations. Every part of her screams to leave, but she couldn’t with her exit closed. 

“What a surprise. Who would have thought you would be here.” Kivera freezes down to her spine, her feathers stand on end, bristling at the voice. She knows this voice, deep, hollow and raspy. It does the same thing regardless in chilling her to her soul. 

“What are you doing here...” She keeps her hover even more for fear of what would happen if her feet connect with the ground. She had forgotten about Garuda, it seems the primal disappeared from her entirely, or was laying in wait. She was no longer her worry. What was, is the lich who she had thought she rendered deep in the pit she had made. The furthest deep of Tartarus that she had named it Agitazione, land of the unsuffering dead. 

“Why are you so surprised, you knew you can’t kill me. Even with your awakening. Not even the power you command from above could do anything. I will always come back. It took a bit of time... you left me in ashes.” Kivera turns to see the being. Vanth. He had taken a form that allowed him to blend in with others. An older elezen, with graying hair. He looked like a holy man, but Kivera knew him as far from that. What he did was horrid to both heavens and underworld.

He enslaved the dead as puppets. He led the slaughter on hundreds if not thousands of women and men during the Salem trials, one that she remembers as her first cleanse to end an entire city. She couldn’t touch the souls after Vanth took over their minds. Thanatos had instructed her, nothing good comes from a necromancer, and they did not want the souls tainted by a lich. They could not rest, nor would they ever. They chose blood magic and a great taboo together. Raising the dead is an unforgiveable sin among the underworld, tied in with enslaving the spirits was something that she was specifically trained to take out without hesitation.

Vanth was the reason she had lost two dear to her. Divinity at first when she was human, then Damien. Kivera realizes how in over her head she is. Yet she knows her loved ones, and the allies she has gained would not be able to fight someone like him. Not yet, Kan-E-Senna could, she was blessed in holy and light.

Kivera was not either of those, and she could feel her nerves on fire the longer she is lingering. In her shock she fails to notice the fleshy tendrils that creep up seeking aether energy. Kivera being full of it. All the bits had to do was connect with skin and start leeching her. How lucky would Garlean be if they score her as an ally. A powerful destructive force would raze everything. Vanth knows this, he always knew of her location, she is still a creature of habit, she clings to those that show her love.

Kivera remembers herself, and looks down to see the floor moving, arcing up towards her feet. The ends resembling a swarm of worms, making the reaper feel sick at seeing them move like this. She moves higher, and it is there that Garuda shows herself slamming full force into Kivera from the side, sending her into the nearest wall. 

Kivera is fast to rebound but the walls have that same fleshy material. When she connects many tendrils surge to coil around an arm. Kivera burns them off and kicks her feet on the wall to get away from the, rubbing the others off her arms as they break apart. 

Vanth just stands back to watch, keeping his control on the matter around. The imprisoned ixal reach to grab Kivera whenever she was close. The reaper not having a place to stand or rest without something trying to snare her. It will take one careless mistake on her part. One moment of weakness. Something Vanth knows every being to have. He just had to figure out where she will land to think she is safe.

Kivera fights more with Garuda, sending bursts of fire, while Garuda sends wind. They scrap together, talons and claws ripping at feathers, Kivera burning wings and biting her. Garuda using her feet and claws to grasp her target. She snares Kivera and soon pins her to a wall.

Vanth sees his chance, and swarms the tendrils onto Kivera. Each touched with a bright lime flame. Kivera feels something she hasn’t felt in ages. Pain. Pure pain. The tendrils leech life while replacing with lich flames. The color in her skin greenish but stays brown, the black of her hair turns white, and her eyes that convey her emotions stays a pure bright lime color with a glow to them. She looked the same but altered in her appearance.

Kivera couldn’t scream with the claw around her neck keeping her still. All she could even think was sparing those she loves. She rends her connection to Shuri, Estinien, Divinity and any of the children. Scions, she will never forgive them for sending her on this mission. 

Vanth claps and Garuda lets Kivera down, he tests something snapping his fingers for Kivera to raise her arms. She does, there is a look of horror to her eyes at being controlled. Vanth approaches her and lifts her head. The elezen face he had chosen gives a sneer at such a prize he obtained.

“There we are. What should have happened all those years ago. If only Damien was more compliant, you could have had both, him and this life.” Kivera only glares at him, her face the only thing she has control of. Garuda leaves disappearing now that the threat is over.

Vanth circles around Kivera keeping her standing straight, he notes her glaring. He needs her more compliant. Two ixals approach Kivera from behind and take an arm while Vanth gets her to kneel down. Ignoring the hissing under her breath. She doesn’t take her eyes off of Vanth, unsure of what he is planning to do. He fishes an elixir like bottle off a belt he has, one he has safeguarded for the rare occasion he captured Kivera. 

Kivera tightens her mouth knowing the liquid is for her. It is black in color, and she has seen it work once. When he used it on a maid girl back in Salem. It is to control her, it erases the mind, leaving it blank. Kivera is prided in her strong mind, but even she won’t be able to do much if it is in her system. He brewed it specific for her. A catalyst potion.

“This will go smoother if you comply. Not like anyone is going to come save you from this. By the time they even get news of you missing, you are aware they’re use to you going off and doing your own thing. They also know how powerful you are. They wouldn’t think you would be overcome so easy. Yet you did put up quite a fight against Garuda. But it shows even a god slayer like you can still slip up against them.” Vanth raises Kivera’s head, and she attempts to bite him, he uses the opportunity to hook his thumb into her mouth to keep it open.

Quickly he presses the bottle already opened with a flick of the cork off. Kivera wants to turn her head but can’t from his control and the ixal. The liquid burns, like liquid fire in her body, searing from the inside out. With the bottle emptied and cast off to break somewhere. Vanth waits.

He kneels in front of her. He was always a tall man, he might have chosen a roegadyn for their height better. But they didn’t fit the elegance he still holds. And would have raised suspicions. He had been around since Thordan’s end, leading people to follow him from the outskirts of Coerthas, those that disapproved of Aymeric still to the day.

How easy it is to lure people with the idea he can change things back the old way. Even more when he came across Fandaniel, giving him an idea of how to snare Kivera. Earning an ally through the ascian if it meant she would be dealt with.

Kivera feels white hot through her head, like everything she thought and knew was disappearing. It hurt to think, and it pained her to swallow, she tasted that bitter potion and she wanted to drag her tongue across the dirt. Though the only thing available would have been the fleshy floor of the tower. That disgusted her more. 

Her last thoughts were to her loved ones. Sending apologies through the links as she burns them, her last chance to make sure they are safe.

“I am sorry... for what I am about to do. I have no choice. Please know... that the being that you will face.. is not me. Kill her.” Her laments to Divinity, she relays the same to Estinien, then too to Shuri. She ends the link before she loses herself, severing them entirely. They will feel it, like a piece of them is ripped out. She can see Divinity collapsing into tears, and the confusion on Estinien and Shuri following Divinity. 

Kivera has told them endlessly, that things that a lich touches must be destroyed. That includes. Herself. It means a new cycle of spirits to begin, more tragedies to unfold. Kivera wishes even more that she could have used her former abilities. She lets her last thoughts be of the loved ones.

When she opens her eyes again, she looks up to Vanth. Her voice hollow and echoes in the tower. 

“I am at your command.” One final touch to her, a bone wyvern rests on her. A gift but also a symbiote parasite to keep her under his control. Vanth folds his arms.

“Good, I won’t have you attack yet. We need to wait a little bit per Fandaniel’s request for a better opportunity. Now come with me. We have much to do.” 

[inviouswriting]

Darkwarden au - Redemption

Finally touching on this one again.

I think it deserves an alternative ending that’s nice. What do you think?

Revived au - For a few more installments.

Featuring @snow-covered-moon​ ‘s Shuri/Anubis along with all of her lovely children.

I will have another installment as I can write them. I have a nice way to end this one.

Kivera had lingered behind instead of leaving on her normal hunt, for other sin eaters and those with higher aether count to keep Anubis safe from those that wish her harm. Kivera paused in her thoughts for the name Anubis, in her world she knew the name of the Egyptian god of death. It was almost fitting, she is serving another god in that sense. 

The reaper’s thoughts drift to her past, how many has she served. From those in charge of her, from Bathory, Gabriel, Hades, Thanatos, Chiron. Her life of servitude never ended. Always the dutiful angel she is. Even if she wasn’t of the heavens, her path was laid before her in that sense. 

Her thoughts are drawn out when a pinged cry hits her head. She knew what it was, and turns on her heels, forgoing finding anything for a meal, instead she approaches in time before Thancred could fire his weapon.

Anubis in a vulnerable state from her hunger. She would never be able to fight back against him. She could but she didn’t “want” to fight. Thancred driven on his own conviction to put her out of her misery. To end someone who was doing no harm to those around her except exist. Power surged in the gunblade and just as it was about to fire, Kivera knocks it to the side with throwing her scythe. The blade fires missing its target, shooting pass her head and into the wall of the well itself.

“What the!” Thancred looks to the weapon that flew pass his head to knock his own. Kivera takes his distraction as opportunity and kicks her toe to the ground to send a ripple through it underneath Thancred’s feet to knock him further off balance.

Kivera flits and stands between Anubis and Thancred. She checks over Anubis quickly, only seeing mild fear in her, and acceptance of what would have been her death. Something she would talk to her later about. Kivera turns her attention onto Thancred who regains himself by now.

“You can’t leave her like this! That is not Shuri, and you know it.” Kivera ignores his words, her eyes going to where Antares landed. 

“Is there anything else you can say?” Kivera turns her back to him in favor of looking over Anubis. Thancred wouldn’t attack the fallen carelessly, he has seen her in action and knows it is suicide to fight her.

“Shuri. I think it is time to leave this place. It’s no longer safe.” Kivera completely disregards Thancred being there. She extends a hand down to where Anubis sits, and a hesitant hand takes hers. Kivera helps her to her feet, being gentle when regarding the darkwarden.

“Let’s go home, shall we?” Kivera murmurs the words Shuri had been wanting to hear for a long time. Home.

“Where do you intend to take her...” Thancred is met with an ruby eyed stare from Kivera. 

“Away from you, where you can’t go.” Her answer is cold, and she would never grant him the permission of going to her world, her domain, her sanctuary. Not when he intends to murder one she loves in cold blood. 

Thancred starts towards them, only for the ground to disappear underneath his feet. 

“Quagmire.”

Like water, the ground felt like water around him. Just as he wanted to climb out, he felt the surrounding get colder as it froze, his attention goes to the foot that was embedded in the ground. He forgot she is a master of elements. Earth is an element. Estinien himself has said the spars he had with the fallen that he could never get pass her tricks when she used earth and water together. 

“Why are you trying so hard to protect her?” Thancred feels the ground around him start to give from his moving around slowly. The ice chilled his core, seeping in faster than Coerthas’ winterlands ever chilled him.

“Why are you so intent on killing her?” Kivera guides Anubis to a gate she had prepared, a wall of ice that was reflective enough as a mirror. A conduit for Kivera, any reflective surface was her door to her world.

“I know her, that she would not want to live like that.”

“So why must it be you then?” Kivera pulls a white feather out of her left wing and uses it as a quill to write something on the surface of the ice. Scrying a door into its surface.

“Because of you, you dispatched anyone I sent after her.” Kivera knocks on the mirror and opens the gate for Anubis, on the other side a familiar hand reaches through from Divinity. 

Anubis had been quiet throughout the exchange, almost tranced from her near death. She recognizes the warmth from Kivera, standing closer to her white wing, the former angel curling it around her to shield her.

“It’s Divinity. She’ll take care of you while I clean up things in this world.” Kivera runs a hand through Anubis’ dark hair cupping her face to rub her face with her own. A show of affection she remembers from her youth as a Xaela. To try and jar her out of what she was feeling. 

Anubis reluctantly takes the hand, and is lead through the mirror to Divinity. As soon as Anubis was through the gate, it shatters as a preventive to keep Thancred from rushing the door.

Kivera now that Shuri was safe, turns her attention onto Thancred fully.

“I will give you one chance to go home. I will not attack you, you can forget all the happened here. You can run back to the townsfolk and tell them that the threat has been eliminated for all I care. She will not harm here or The Source. Leave with Kiya, and go about the threats in the other world.” Kivera walks over to the center of the area where Storge once was. Kivera looked small compared to the expansive nest that use to be the sineaters and darkwardens domain.

“And what happens if I don’t want to leave here?” At these words, Kivera whistles; to Thancred’s left Antares springs from the ground summoned back to Kivera’s hands. She catches her scythe to spin once on her feet holding the blade outward to her side in a way to strike.

“I will end you. And you know how good I am at that.” Kivera looked more sure of herself now that Anubis was safe from certain death. Thancred takes Kivera in, really looking at her. She wore different clothing than what he remembered not the odd attires she wore around them. From the black mage persona or dancer. This was her natural state, even the miqo’te side of her wasn’t there. 

“Are you not taking my offer then? You truly want to see this through to your end?” Kivera reminds him that he has an out. They don’t have to fight, Kivera is as certain of death to him as he would have been to Anubis. 

“What do I tell them... that you ran off with a threat?” Thancred sees her visibly upset at his words. Her eyes narrow, Kivera sighs.

“Someone like you would never understand unless you have been relentlessly persecuted. I take you are dismissing my offer.. don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Kivera taps her feet to the ground to stretch them. Kivera rests her head on one of her hands regarding him.

“Someone has to.” Kivera sighs, as much as she would love to fight with him, there was no point for her to do so. Shuri was safe from him and everyone that could cause her harm wouldn’t not with her secure in her very home.

“I don’t have time for you. Consider yourself lucky... I am being merciful today. I have no interest in fighting you. Go back home before your spirit severs from your body.” Thancred is shocked that she would engage him after trying to actively kill Anubis.

“Why?” Thancred takes a step towards her only to fall through a hole she created, it felt like he was slipping through another dimension itself. Unceremoniously he lands in a heap outside the well. Kivera stands on an abandoned crane away from him. 

Thancred looks up at her, he sees her with her scythe again, and using an ability to reduce the size down to an earring and pins it in her ear. She had no intentions of fighting him. She had already been gone too long from Shuri, and knew Divinity needs explaining as to what was going on from the reaper.

“It’s not your time yet. Your world needs you. I will take care of her from here on. If you somehow find a way into the other realm. May I be merciful on your soul.” Kivera ends her warning with leaving him on the red sand flitting away as if she was never there. The dread sensation Thancred had lifts, he wouldn’t say he cheated death, but simply death didn’t want him.

The darkness still lingered in the air, from the remnants of Anubis’ influence. Thancred wondered if there were others that he overlooked. Perhaps Shuri was not the only corrupted spirit in this world. 

“Kivera... is alot more kind than we give her credit for.” Thancred looks over his shoulder, Ryne. 

“Ryne?” He gets up and sees her fiddle with her hands.

“She’s not evil. She’s just protecting those dear to her. Let’s... let her do her part.” Thancred knew her right, and he’d thank his lucky stars he didn’t die today. The look in Kivera’s eyes meant it if he had harmed Shuri.

“I know... but why did she work so hard when she knew it is hopeless.” Thancred sees Ryne bring a hand to her own face in thought.

“For the same reason I don’t give up on Gaia. Everyone is worth redemption.” Thancred understood after that, that Kivera knows of a way to help Shuri somehow.

“I have been foolish haven’t I?”

“Yes.”

Kivera had secured all of her lingering doors to her world. Shattering certain mirrors that were direct doors. When she arrived back into her domain, she is greeted to the sight of the eternal night sky it already is. Only she can barely see the two moons overhead. Yet here she didn’t worry over Shuri’s well being like she was forced to do in the other two worlds.

She barely recognizes how long it had been till she had been home, as she walked through to the middle, she felt the pings between Shuri and her children. Kivera smiled to herself, there was no fear among them. She had a feeling they wouldn’t fear her, they missed her.

Divinity regards her leader when she comes into view. Getting up to greet her.

“Welcome back. I thought you weren’t going to bring her here until you found a way to break her out of this.” Kivera pulls Divinity more towards the house in the middle. 

“I was put in a position where I had to bring her here. Thancred was after her again, and he meant to kill her this time. Caught her at her most vulnerable, and when I was just leaving.” Kivera explains, Divinity understands it. It was a better move for Shuri, Kivera’s own home was brimming with life energy. Just breathing was enough to fill and satisfy the darkwarden’s needs.

Ysayle was confused to why her mother looked different, but did not fear her. In fact was content in her arms while her siblings clung to her after being away for so long. Divinity regards Kivera, a look between them both. The Libra spirit sees her relaxed with all of them out of danger.

“How do you intend we help her though?” Divinity asks the question that Kivera is unsure how to answer.

“Keeping her safe for starters.. The young ones are unaffected it seems, that is a good thing. She is still in there, bringing her to them was a good idea. She’s mostly composed of dark aether, the way we can counter that is of course with light.” Divinity closes her eyes, she wondered if her ability would be enough.

“I can try with mine.” Kivera’s eyes flicker blue brief then back to green. Divinity had a feeling about the abilities.

“It can’t be done carelessly, otherwise we could accidentally kill her, or alter enough to where she loses her humanity.” Divinity sighs, she knew. Kivera was best when it came to elemental differences, her entire life in training was spent learning and honing each element. Even her own weakness in holy. Enough to not be affected unless she prolonged using it. 

“We’ll just let her be for now, till we figure something out then.. Does Estinien know you brought her here yet? He might want to see her. As she is now or not.” Kivera didn’t have time to send the dragoon a message.

“I’ll go see him, and bring him here then.” Kivera muses aloud, her fingers finding the end of her left wing to pull a few white feathers off. New wards for her charges.

Kivera approaches the group of children and Anubis. Anubis greets Kivera, her dark figure sees the feathers in her hand. Enough for all of the children, a single black one for Anubis.

“What are those for?”

“Protection. Just like the first feathers I gave you. They’ll let me know if something is wrong.” Kivera kneels down and meets Anubis pressing forehead with hers. She felt tears, Shuri surfaced.

“Thank you.. for not killing him.” Kivera’s eyes widen and she tilts her head enough only to feel a full kiss pressed to her cheek. 

“You’re welcome..” The fallen feels a hand press on her white feathers. She doesn’t shrug Shuri’s hand off even if it felt like they were burning under her hand. Kivera gently takes her hand to lace their fingers together, prevent her from burning them further on the only holy thing about herself. 

Shuri looks at her for removing her hand.

“You’ll burn yourself...” 

“Does it hurt you too?” Kivera lifts her eyes, purple are her eyes. Hiding her pain behind her love.

“A little, but please, it means there is a way to counter. Give me more time. I kept my promise that you would be back with your family after all.” Kivera winds her arms around Shuri, pressing a palm to the middle of her back and rubs along her spine. 

“I’m sorry.. I know you kept your promise. Thank you.. I missed them. I missed everyone.. When can I see Estinien?” There is a sense of need in her voice, and Kivera feels it. Green eyes close.

“I’ll bring him here soon. I have to locate him, but I had to check on you and home here.” Kivera cups Shuri’s face using very trace amount of light in her palms. Using her thumbs she rubs Shuri’s face to test something, seeing pink almost white flesh underneath her palms. 

“Does this hurt?” Shuri thinks of the warmth on her face, a tingling where the reaper’s hands touch.

“Itches more than hurts.” Kivera stops the magic after clearing her face of the dark almost pitch black tones.

“I might have a lead then. I’ll return with Estinien soon. Be patient for us?” Kivera asks, and Shuri nods. A small kiss placed on her face, she returns it as Kivera stands up after placing a feather on each child and Shuri.

“I trust you.” Shuri says.

Kivera feels her soul alight.

“I love you too.”

[unbloomingmoonflower]

hunger.

The forests provided an adequate shield. Yet the caves that were hidden from prying eyes were much more sufficient. The darkness seeping from the heart of the cave was total, encompassing, lonesome. Touch itself could erode and corrupt anyone foolish enough to dare, to try and reach the creature that nestled within the confines of jagged walls. 

It broke him to see her like this from the afterlife. The beloved moon had fallen, consumed by the darkness that filled the void that he had left. The only pinpricks of light left within her soul centered around her family, the idle peace that warmed the dead recesses of her soul. 

She always doubted herself. He knew that well, from the first glance of her vulnerability to how her soul fractured under the weight of light. Darkness must have been a solace to the hollow husk that returned to their shared loved ones, fiercely clinging to the strands of light she had left. Deep inside, she never found herself enough. 

No amount of words could undo what was done. No one could save her from herself. 

The Darkwarden slept in her cocoon, strands of darkness surrounding her as a meager form of protection and comfort. She almost resembled the consort of Innocence, had she turned into a Lightwarden; alas, this form was not so. Dark aether saturated the very air, infecting it, yet sooner or later would her former comrades come to slay her. Or any other warriors that will dare to try for her head now that eternal darkness threatens the fragile peace. 

He wished to cross the bridge separating the living from the dead, to break the threshold just to touch her. Instead, he could only watch the Darkwarden curl further into herself, freshly born and passive. Not yet a threat, yet soon will be. 

The familiar guardian of the Warden strode into the cave. The reaper who oft took the form of a Miqo’te on the Source took a new form altogether, stopping in front of the hibernating Darkwarden. “Shuri?” Kivera’s voice was soft and the Darkwarden did not stir at the call of the name; nay, how could she, he wanted to say. It was no longer her name. 

The reaper seemed to realize this herself, for she continued in a murmur, “...Are you still able to dream....Anubis?”

The Darkwarden stirred at the name, eyes opening slowly to behold her guardian. Her expression was stone, devoid of any emotion. What was once Shuri was gone; Anubis had taken her place. “No one will harm you, my moon. I swear to it,” vowed Kivera, eyes intense as she gazed upon the Darkwarden freshly born, no kills staining her being yet.

But she hungered. Even her departed lover watching from beyond the lifestream knew it was a matter of time... 

A matter of time before Anubis becomes a threat. 

[inviouswriting]

A Fall - Kivera

Characters - Shuri/Lilith belong to @snow-covered-moon​ while Kivera and Divinity are mine.

Kinda a theme I write alot is fallens. My reaper is one. So thought about writing it.

Touches on themes of insecurities, hints of other things for Kivera’s past. Death and mourning. Along with grief and all that goes with it. Some fluff at the end.

Kivera can recall any event that has happened to her, any event she has attended, witnessed or it was recorded in a book. The one memory that haunts her is her fall. She remembers how her wings use to be pure white, why she doesn’t like others touching her left wing is it is the only pure thing about her.

Pristine, the shimmer of gold among the feathers, she use to have six of them. Kivera remembers when things were simpler, all she had to do was get up and guard a gate. She would fly around the heavens, taking in the splendor of colors, she remembers her first flight. How it felt so freeing. 

Then she fell in love, and that changed everything about her. A choice she would make again and again. She does not see anything wrong with her choice. It brought her so much more than what she could even dream, nightmares and terror all.

How she strived to get her wings back even as a demon.. even with her tarnished status as a fallen angel. She wears it proudly now, that even a creature like her can rise to ranks in another way. She had delivered retribution even on her murderer. She chased the love she sought freely, and it was reciprocated until Damien defended her.

She would never forgive him for that, she can’t forgive him. She would have been fine from the attack Vanth used. She would have been able to heal, instead he let himself get caught, and worse Vanth tried to use him as his next host. A ritual that failed.

Kivera made sure to reduce Damien’s body to ashes after his death, while she had taken his life. She remembers that like it happened hours ago. Yet it was necessary, in a twist of fate. She doesn’t remember much after that, her memories are fuzzy, she only remembers Divinity embracing her and holding her after the rage subsided, after her awakening. What stood of the area Vanth had made for himself was nothing but a smoldering crater. 

Kivera had asked Divinity what did she do, but stopped when she saw the look of terror in her eyes, in each of the spirits she helped. Parn and Killian only looked away, while Aiden looked down. None of them wanted to remember the scream she had made, or the pain she went through. 

She didn’t learn of the magnitude of her wrath till Kronos showed her. When she pleaded to spare Damien, to bring him back from death. Breaking one of the three taboos in the underworld. The first since she had broken her vows above. 

Every memory she had flitted before her very eyes, like a flipbook she couldn’t look away from. She saw the fight she had with Vanth. How she devastated him, and further destroyed the very realm he had created for himself. All she could think was...

“good riddance..” The third event she never regretted. She doesn’t regret the manner in how she died as a human, her fall, or what was the catalyst of her spirit awakening. Zodiac spirits are born from tragedy. Every Greek tale speaks them of tragedy, hers as Scorpio especially hard as the sign of death. Her entire existence is life, death, rebirth.. transformation.

So she stands there watching Shuri embrace her former self, the missing half of herself. Lilith. She always found it interesting that the name is of a fallen angel too. Maybe that was a secret draw to Shuri, what made her so special to Kivera. She has always been aware of her lacking a soul, how she had been created and not “born” naturally.

Kivera doesn’t see a difference in being born, though in another time she would have killed her creators. For blood magic that creates unlife is a taboo in her domain. Yet it was different in this case, they did not use the souls of the dead. What keeps her from carrying out that hidden order.

How dutiful she is even to the underworld. Her former habits as an angel. Yet if she was ordered to, she would destroy the star that is The Source without hesitation. She learned what hesitating does. It equals things you wish you never knew. 

She saw the beasts that plagued Amaurot, she was glad to end them all in her destruction and hopes they never resurface as nothing but a memory. She despised that worm creature, it was the most offensive to her eyes.

Kivera closes her eyes and remembers the events of her fall, how she came back, knowing she would be thrown out. She sought mercy. She had kneeled and bowed her head, she had pleaded for them to forgive her. 

She was never forgiven, at least not the angel that ordered the way she was thrown out. She recalls the burn in her right wing, the stain and scar of black feathers, she shoved them before they touched her left, it made her lose her footing on the edge. 

She fell backwards, she couldn’t fly once it began, a fallens wings are paralyzed till they land. She was glad that the last sight of the heavens she had was calming, she accepted her fate then. How she has constantly accepted her fate. Where she understands the warrior of lights, and Kiya, Hecate. 

Hecate had the same expression she did when she extended her hand to end her life. She just accepted her fate. 

Where she fell was through another gate, into the Underworld, and into Styx. Many scorn the goddess, yet she was merciful on Kivera. Keeping her a float as she drowned in waters from Styx and Cocytus. She was fished out by the underworld lord himself Hades. 

She scoffs at the name that Emet had. He was no where near the level of god that the true Hades is, or how merciful he actually is. 

“It’s Persephone people need to pay more tribute to.” She muses aloud, the first sound of her voice since Shuri’s soul was completed. Divinity eyes her, seeing Kivera’s eyes closed, she frowns a bit knowing what she is thinking of. She leaves her alone to travel through her mind.

Kivera had been collected out of the river, to be placed in a boat for a field to go through the process of judgement. The rest of her memories are painful with the way The Fates had intervened with that, they knew what her path was, and how none of them could intervene what the stars ordain. She had to endure Hell. 

Kivera rubs at her shoulders where she still feels the fire of when her wings were torn off her back. Or how the last sight she had, was snarling hatefilled human souls as they gouged her eyes. How dare something so pristine as an angel be allowed in Hell.

She remembers darkness and pains she wishes she can forget. It thuds in her mind as dull of an ache as much as listening to Thancred talk about noble rightness. A thief talking about righteousness is absurd to the angel.

Kivera feels a warmth on her lap, this breaks her reverie, her eyes open and she is greeted to Shuri and Divinity resting their heads equally on Kivera’s lap. 

“You three.” She acknowledges the other within Shuri, if she made her happy and complete. She didn’t have anything against her. She reserves her judgements on actions over existence. If there was a judgement on existence she is the worse offender out there.

A scoff comes from her at the way she was offered redemption, able to return to her former position after she had become a powerful being. Something feared, enough to leave gods in other domains and realms in ashes.

The temporary form of the miqo’te she chose, it will one day fade and she will have to uphold her role. She just hopes and for the first time in ages prays that she never has to claim her beloved ones. She can never tell them when they’ll die, or how they die.

She knew Damien’s. She had tried to prevent his, she fought so hard against Aiden and Killian to reach Damien before Vanth had stabbed his side. Divinity couldn’t cross the circle, she would have been another catalyst to the spell. She was held down too by Beatrice and Daphne. Saying she would kill all of them if she ran to Kivera.

Kivera cards her fingers through Divinity’s hair and Shuri’s. Something both of them do for her endlessly, They’re kittens compared to a lion. Shuri... more of a wildcat. She’s seen her ferocity when she fought hard against Innocence, and Hades.

Divinity, she knows way before this world, a different world and different time. How could anyone forget the Salem Witch Trials. Orchestrated by Vanth, Kivera takes her hands off Shuri and Divinity’s head to prevent scratching as she curls her hands. 

When she begins her memories even she can’t stop them from flowing through her mind once they begin. It’s why she stares hard at those she shares them with. She watches for any recoil in disgust that someone has for her. Those in the past to her, that have failed it. She has seen them recoil at her fall and descent in Hell. She couldn’t blame them, but it also meant they would not be able to see her as anything more than a “fallen.” Instead of the greatness she became.

Pride is much her vice, as much as wrath. Wrath more... there is nothing more fearsome inducing than an angel’s wrath. And one who has nothing to lose earns more respect. They become greater protectors of realms.

Protectors. Her mind drifts to Ardbert, and Estinien. She laughs a little from Estinien, she remembers full how she met the dragoon. She had knocked him off a rooftop when he chased after her, after pursuing a relationship with Divinity. He had come close to losing his head, even he remembers her pinning him to a rock wall by the end of her scythe. He looks back on it amused as most of the women in his life has threatened to kill him, or almost has killed him. 

Yet he treated her no different than a normal individual, even if Kivera is death itself. She only warned him to never do something that harms or causes the death of Divinity. Or she will make his life a living hell. He still doesn’t understand the importance within Divinity’s being. What she is, who she is. She kept it that way on purpose.

The same with Ardbert when he was around. Still is around, but in a different way. He had gotten too close to her, questioned her motives, he infuriated Kivera to no end. They fought hard against each other once to spare G’raha Tia’s life from Kivera nearly killing him. Ardbert had spoken to him after that to never anger her again. A warning he took serious with the damage they had done to Mor Dhona’s debris of airships. He remembers her scythe cutting clean through some of the metals. Like it was wet paper to her. 

It was a first for alot of them, to understand Kivera can turn on them. She will if she is made to. Another disgrace is her being Vanth’s puppet once, enslaved to attack others.

Ardbert had been on the receiving end of many of her beatings. He sparred with her so much he had learned the names of her attacks. How when she uses her incantations she sings them, if he was still among them he’d say how haunting her voice is. It lures, it is hypnotic.

In those thoughts for Kivera, she solely thinks about Shuri and Ysayle. How both have to live without Ardbert, she could easily arrange for her to see him. Yet she wonders how her progress would be if she allowed it. It would be another taboo for her. To pull his soul and place it in her world. Would Shuri scorn her for something she could do at anytime. She doesn’t offer the idea because it means a sacrifice for Shuri. And Kivera’s track record was not the best when it comes to bargaining souls. Kronos is cruel. He will take what she values most if she is not specific with her request. Memories, soul and body intact. That alone meant a major piece of her would go missing. Kronos would take Estinien as payment. Another who was suppose to have died but was spared through fate.

Kivera doesn’t tell Shuri about this for everyones sake. Even if it came down to it, she believes her to not choose that path after seeing what it did to Kivera and Damien. How every single memory, and tie Damien had to her was erased. He doesn’t even recognize her existence. He only sees a shade whenever she is around him. 

Her mind drifts back to her fall. The last thing she remembers saying to them.

“I’m sorry. I choose love.” The phrase falls from her even now.

“I chose love.” It had angered Azrael, Gabriel understood and so did Michael. Yet Azrael acted on his own, when she was dismissed to await their judgement on her sins. Azrael was her guardian, she answered to him, she had “just” been made an arcangel before she laid with a demon. A great sin among angels was being intimate with a demon. 

“We know you chose love.” Shuri’s voice cuts through her fog, breaking her free of her memories and them running through them.

Kivera smiles opening her eyes a bright gold towards both of them.

“Thank you for all this time together.” Kivera says a little breathily, as if almost sighed.

“You’re not leaving are you?” Shuri panics at that phrasing, usually said by someone who might leave her. 

“No.. no. I am just elated I’ve reached a point where I am grateful for all this time shared. I have no intentions of leaving unless you’ve had enough of me hanging around.” Kivera reassures her. She would not leave unless it is the last breath she takes. She doesn’t think she could face Estinien again if she was the cause of her death. Taking her life, she could do that to end her suffering. But never do it if it is unwarranted.

“Good.. what are you thinking about?” Kivera frowns at the question. She had been so deep in her thoughts she realizes it has gotten late. 

“Memories.” Kivera says quietly, Divinity already knew, she has seen Kivera with that expression before. When she reflects and thinks no one is watching her. 

“Which ones? From how pained your face has been.. we’ve been worried.” Shuri points out that she had expressions of pain when she dove into her mind.

“My fall, my descent. The events that lead up to here.” There is no scolding. Only further embraces by both. Neither are in pity or feeling sorry. They understood the pains. What it meant to lose so much. Shuri lost her very identity and mind. Divinity lost her life and father.

“I wonder... sometimes I want to know what both of you see in a stained being like me?” She doesn’t miss the way Shuri’s nose wrinkles at her words, or Divinity narrowing her eyes.

“You know why. and if you call yourself stained again, I will hit you.” Kivera eyes Divinity. Kivera has only felt her hit her once, and the woman uses holy behind her slaps to make her feel it. Otherwise it doesn’t faze her and she shrugs it off as nothing.

“Even stained beings are worthy of love. The same reason others still love Estinien. Some are still scared of him, some are still scared of me, and scions were terrified of Kiya when she almost became a lightwarden. You said it once yourself how our pasts don’t define what we do now. If you say that as true, why do you cling to yours like it matters now what we think of you?” Kivera feels a chord struck in her. She did say that once.

She said it to Ardbert. When he questioned her motives about life and death as her role. That the things he had done in his past do not define what he does then and there.

Kivera ruffles Shuri’s hair till it is messed up.

“A cheeky bastard has told you alot hasn’t he?” One of her hands is caught and bitten for messing up the snow white hair. She had ruffled enough and Kivera feels those fangs for it.

“He didn’t say anything, I felt it. I felt the reason he too had started to love you. You looked pass his weaknesses and made them a strength. So.. you should do the same thing.. Look at your weaknesses as strengths. For all the pains you endured... look what you have gained.” Kivera’s eyes change to a brief blue then back to their brighter green they usually are. Green is the color of life. The color also is the very color she had been born with. Bright vibrant green, a reason she was selected by Bathory. Who also had green eyes.

Kivera feels a sting in her face, and snaps her attention to Divinity, her hand shimmers with white off it. Kivera touches her face and winces from her using the attribute.

“Don’t dwell on that one. I saw your eyes dim down. She doesn’t exist remember?” Shuri a little shocked from the slap.

“Bathory.” Divinity says, Shuri only saw memories of her enough to know what she does. What she did. To six-hundred women. Kivera being one of them. 

Kiva Siverstein age eighteen, died after running away from a grand party the countess held in celebration of her birthday, to be used in one of her rituals for her blood. What started her path and trickle in fate. The method she used, Elizabeth beheaded her after Kivera enraged her. She had fought every step of the way to escape. When she realized she would die she called her every single foul and form of ugly she could manage.

Through all the memories Shuri had seen, the one that stood out was Kivera’s fall. How she was shunned for something she believed in, for who she loved. It was the same as Shiva and Hraesvelgr. Those who chose love even when they knew the repercussions. Kivera knew what would happen but chose to fall in love anyway. Just as she does now. 

Shuri is drawn out of her thoughts by Kivera’s eyes, they seem to glow under the fading light. Ethereal, was that part of her being or her abilities. It is her. The soft glow was something left over from her former being.

“Thank you Divinity, but you didn’t need to use holy. That hurts. I should use unholy on you the next time you need a slap. Show you how it feels.” Kivera glares orange at Divinity.

“Maybe you should, it lets me know you love me enough to inflict pain to break me out of madness.” Kivera’s tail puffs up at this, and Shuri sees pink irises. She decides to help Kivera up and they start heading inside. 

“You both are loved so much. I know Kivera, it will take a while to accept Lilith. I hope you come to love her as equal she is to me.” Kivera nods to this, and smiles soft.

“Of course. You accept all the imperfections within me, and she makes you happy and complete. Just know.. I draw the line at blood magic and summonings.” 

“I know. Hopefully nothing comes down to that.” Kivera leans down and presses her face to Shuri’s giving her a full kiss. She backs the auri up to the wall behind her to kiss her more fierce. A promise for later, when she lets her down she can see the fire in her mismatched eyes.

“How fast do you think we can get all the young ones to sleep?” Kivera sways her waist against Shuri’s.

“You’re playing unfair!”

“Am I? You know how unfair I can truly get.” A promise she keeps. Kivera goes to take a bath, to allow Shuri and Divinity the time they need to calm children for sleep.